Search York

And wheras heretofore, as ye know, both upon most just ' '^'

and vertuous foiuidations, grounded upon the laws of Al-

mighty God and lioly Scripture, and also by the deliberate

advise, consultation, consent, and agreement, as wel of the

Bps. and Clergy, as by the nobles and commons temporal

of this our realm assembled in our High Court of Parlament,

and by authority of the same; the abuses of the Bp. of

Rome his authority and jurisdiction, of long time usurped

against us, have been not only utterly extirped, abolished,

and secluded ; but also the same our nobles and commons,

both of the Clergy and Temporalty, by another several act,

and upon like foundation, for the public weal of this our

realm, have united, knit, and annexed to us, and the crown Novemb.

imperiall of this our realm, the title, dignity, and stile of

Supreme Head in earth, immediatly under God, of the

Church of England, as undoubtedly evermore we have

been : which thing also the same Bps. and Clergy particu-

larly, in their Convocations, have wholly and intyrely con-

sented, recognized, ratified, confirmed, and approved auten-

tiquely in writing, both by their speciall oaths, profession,

and writing under their signes and seals; so utterly re-

nouncing al other oaths, obedience, and jurisdiction, either

of the said Bp. of Rome, or of any other Potentate. We

late you wit, that perpending and considering the charge

and commission in this behalf given unto us by Almighty

God, together with the great quietnes, rest, and tranquillity

that hereby may ensue to our faithful subjects, both in

their consciences, and otherwise to the plesure of Almighty

God, in case the said Bps. and Clergy of this our realm

should sincerely, truly, and faithfully set forth, declare, and

preach unto our said subjects the very true word of God,

VOL. I. PART II. V

210 APPENDIX OF

and without al maner colour, dissimulation, and hypocrisy,

manifest, publish, and declare, the great and innumerable

inormities and abuses, which the said Bp. of Rome, as wel

in title and stile, as also in authority and jurisdiction, of

long time unlawfully and unjustly hath usurped upon us,

our progenitors, and al other Christian princes; have not

only addrest our letters general to al and every the same

Bps. straitly charging and commanding them, not only in

their proper persons, to declare, teach, and preach unto the

people the true, mere, and sincere word of God : and how

the said title, stile, and jurisdiction of Supreme Head apper-

taineth vnito us, our crown and dignity royal ; and to give

like warning, monition, and charge, to al Abbots, Priors,

Deans, Archdeacons, Provosts, Parsons, Vicars, Curates,

Schoolmasters, and al other ecclesiastical persons within their

diocesses, to do the semblable in their churches every Sun-

141 day and solemn feast ; and also in their schooles : and to

cause al maner prayers, orizons, rubricks, and canons in

mass-books, and al other books used in churches, wherin

the said Bp. is named, utterly to be abolished, eradicated,

and razed out, in such wise as the said Bp. of Rome, his

name and memory, for evermore (except to his contumely

and reproch) may be extinct, supprest, and obscured : but

also to our Justices of the peace, that they in every place,

within the precinct of their commission, do make and cause

to be made diligent search, wait, and espyal, whether the

said Bps. and Clergy do truly and sincerely, without any

maner cloke or dissimulation, execute and accomplish their

said charge to them committed in this behalf: and to cer-

tify us and our Councel of such of them that should omit

or leave undon any part of the premisses ; or else in the

execution therof should coldly and fainedly use any maner

sinister addition, interpretation, or cloke ; as more plainly

is expressed in our said letters :

Wee, considering the great good and furtherance that ye

may do in these matters, in the parties about you, and

especially at your being at sizes and sessions, in the decla-

ration of the premisses, have thought it good, necessary, and

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 211

expedient, to write these our letters unto you; whom we

esteem to be of such singular zele and affection towards the

glory of Almighty God, and of so faithful and loving hearts

towards us, as ye wol, with all your wisdomcs, diligences,

and labours, accomplish al such things as might be to the pre-

ferment and setting forth of Gods word, and the amplifica-

tion, defence, and maintenance of our said interest, right,

title, stile, jurisdiction, and authority appertaining unto us,

our dignity, prerogative, and crown imperial of this our

realm ; wol and desire vou, and nevertheles straitly charge

and command you, that, laying apart al vain affections, re-

spects, and carnal considerations, and setting before your

eyes the mirror of truth, the glory of God, the right and

dignity of your Soveraign Lord, thus sounding to the in-

estimable unity and commodity, both of your selves, and al

other our loving and faithful subjects, ye do not only make

dihgent search within the precincts of your commission and

authority, whether the said Bps. and Clergy do truly and

surely, as before, preach, teach, and declare to the people

the premisses, according to their duties ; but also at your

said sitting in assizes and sessions ye do persuade, shew, and

declare unto the said people the very tenor, effect, and pur-

pose of the premisses in such wise, as the said Bishops and

Clergy may the better, not only do and execute their said

duties, but that also the parents and rulers of families may

declare, teach, and inform their childer and servants in the

specialties of the same, to the utter extirpation of the said

Bishop"'s usui-ped authority, name, and jurisdiction for ever.

ShcAving also and declaring unto the people, at your said

sessions, the treasons traitorously committed against us and

our laws by the late Bp. of Rochester and Sir Thomas

More, Kt. who thcrby, and by divers secret practices of

their malicious mind against us, intended to seminate, en-

gender, and breed among our people and subjects a most

mischievous and seditious opinion, not only to their own

confusion, but also of divers others, who lately have con-

dignely suffered execution according to their demerits. And

in such wise dilating tlie same, with persuasioas to the same

Stm APPENDIX OF

142 our people, as they may be the better riped, established, and

satisfied in the truth. And consequently, that al our faith-

ful and true subjects may therby detest and abhor, in their

hearts and deeds, the most recreaunt [miscreant] and traiter-

ous abuses and behaviors of the said malicious malefactors,

-as they be most worthy. And finding any default, negli-

gence, or dissimulation in any maner of person or persons,

not doing his duty in this party, yee immediatly advertise

us and our Councel of the default, maner, and fashion of the

same. Letting you wit, that considering the great moment,

weight, and importance of this matter, as wherupon depend-

€th the unity, rest, and quietnes of this our realm, if ye

should, contrary to your duties, and our expectation and

trust, neglect, be slack, or omit to do diligently your duty

in the true performance and execution of our mind, plesure,

and commandment, as before ; or would halt and stumble at

any part or specialty of the same : be ye assured, that we,

like a prince of justice, wol so punish and correct your de-

fault and negligence therin, as it shal be an example to al

others, how, contrary to their allegiances, oaths, and duties,

they do frustrate, deceive, and disobey the just and lawful

commandment of their Soveraign Lord, in such things as

by the true, hearty, and faithful execution wherof they shal

not only prefer the honor and glory of God, now set forth,

the majesty and imperial dignity of their Soveraign Lord,

but also import and bring an inestimable unity, concord,

and tranquillity of the public and common state of this

realm : wherunto, both by the laws of God and nature

and man, they be utterly obliged and bounden. And ther-

fore faile ye not most effectually, earnestly, and entyrely, to

se the premisses done and executed, upon pain of your

allegiances, and as ye wol avoid our high indignation and

displesure at your uttermost perils. Yeven under our signet

at our manor beside Westminster, the xxvth day of June.

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 213

Number LV.

Thomas Bedyl, to the Kings visitors ; xvhen he sent them

his emendations of a book Jo?- preaching and declaring
the King's poicer.
IN my right harty wise I commend me to you. And Cleopatra,

where I have altered some things in the treatise devised for " '^' ^ '

preaching and setting forth of the Kings title of Supreme

Head, and of the extinction of the power and jurisdiction of

the Bp. of Rome: Avhcrin I have counselled with Master

Almoner a, and have shewed him what I have done; which \';^''- ^ox

' after Bp. of
is much busied at Lambeth, as ye know: I have th erf ore Hereford,

sent the said alterations unto you : that ye, comparing the

book that ye have already with this, may take or leave, as

ye shal hke or disallow.

In the beginning, where it is written, They shal preach

and declare, I have altered it through the book thus, / de-

clare unto you, or this, Ye shal undo'stand. For else, I sup-

pose, many of the Curates be so brute, that they would read

or speake every word as it was written, and say of them- 1 43

selves in the pulpit, They shal preach and declare .• as a

talk runs of a collier that did so in a stage play, &c.
Also, in the beginning be two maners of entring into the

matter : one for learned, one other for ignorant.

I have also brought in a good saying or two of Ter-

tullian, that princes he highest next God. I have brought

in divers histories of the Bible, that Kings commanded the
Priests, constituted the Priests and Levites, punished
the highest Bp. sometime with death, sometime revenging

them, and setting one other in their place. And this I did

for certain causes which yee may correct.
I have left out the allegory of the repairing of the [tem-

ple] when it was in ruine, because it is not the allegory " ' Z

sense, but the literal sense that must prove any matter suf-

ficiently. And that princes may reform the Clergy doing

amiss, it is better proved in that book otherwise.
I have also added something in the end, as ye may soon

p3

214 APPENDIX OF
perceive. And besides this, the book standeth in most

places even as it did, saving here and there a word.

I have drawn a title to be set before the book, which ye

may emend at your plesure ; and further do with this book

as it shal like you. I pray you have me in mind at this

change, as out of your own I desired you in my last letters.

And thus fare ye as wel as I would my self to fare. From

London, the 5th day of August. The common sicknes

waxeth very busy in London.
By your own
Thomas Bedyl.

Number LVI.

CrumweVs letter to certain monasteries^ that feared the

King would force them to surrender: assuring them of

their continuance, upon their suitable behaviour to their

institution. And to apprehend such as should report the

contrary/.

Cott.Librar. AFTER my harty commendations. Albeit I doubt not,

^ eopa ra, ^^^ having long sithence received the Kings Highnes let-

ters ; wherin his Majesty signified unto you, that using your

selves like his good and faithful subjects, his Grace would

not in anywise interrupt you in your state and kind of

living : and that his plesure therefore was, in case any man

should declare any thing to the contrary, you should cause

him to be apprehended, and kept in sure custody, till fur-

ther knowledge of his Graces plesure ; you would so firmely

repose your selves in the tenor of his said letters, as now his

words; ne any voluntary surrender made by any govemour

and company of any religious house sithence that time,

shal put you in any doubt or fear of suppression or change

144 of your kind of life and policy. Yet the most excellent

wisdom of his Majesty, knowing as wel that on tlie one side

fear may enter upon a contrary apparance, where the ground

and original is not known ; as on the other side, that in

such cases there cannot want some malicious and cankred

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 215

hearts, that upon a voluntary and frank surrender would

persuade and blow abroad a general and a violent suppres-

sion ; to the intent you should safely adhere to the sentence

of the said letters by his Highnes already addrest unto you,

and like good subjects ensue the purport of the same in the

apprehension and detention of al such persons that had

brought or would instil the contrary : wheras certain go-

vernours and companies of few religious houses have lately

made free and voluntary surrenders into his Graces hands :

hath commanded me for your reposes, quiets, and for the

causes specified on his Graces behalf, to advertise you, that

unles there had been ofFertures made by the said houses

that have resigned, his Grace would never have received

the same : and that his Majesty intendeth not in any wise to

trouble you, or to devise for the suppression of any religious

house that standeth ; except they shal either desire of them-

selves with one whole consent to resign or forsf ke the same,

or else misuse themselves contrary to their allegiancie. In

which case they shal deserve the loss of much more than

their houses and possessions ; that is, the loss also of their lives.

Wherefore in this you may repose your selves: giving

your selves to serve God devoutly, to live like true and

faithful subjects to his Majesty, and to provide honestly

for the sustentation of your houses, and the relieving of

poor people with the hospitality of the same ; without con-

sumption and wilful wast and spoil of things, which hath

been lately made in many abbies ; as tho the governors of

them minded only their dissolution : you may be sure that

you shal not be impeached by his Majesty : but that his

Grace wol be your shield or defence against al other that

would minister vmto you any injury or displesure. And if

any man, of what degree soever he be, shal pronounce any

thing to the contrary hereof, fail you not, either to appre-

hend him, if you shal be able, or, if he be such a personage

that you shal not dare to meddle with, to write to his Ma^

jesties Highnes their name or names ; and report, that he

or they, so rude behaving themselves, may be punished for

the same, as shal appertain.

p4

«16 APPENDIX OF

Number LVII.

Legh and Ap Rice, to Secret ary Crumivel; concerning the

inhibitions of Bishops.

Cleopatra, AFTER due conmiendations, please it your mastership

ti, 6. p. 255. .
to be advertised : That we, supposing that the Bps. would

be in hand with you again touching the inhibitions, thought

good to shew you such reasons, as moved us to cause them

to be made after that maner.

First, Wheras the King, tho he were ahvayes so indeed,

yet but now of late agnized and declared Supreme Head of

145 the Church of England, and could not put that title in real

possession and execution, but if he took into his hands once

al jurisdiction and power; and, for a seastm, or at his pie-

sure, exercise the same for the establishment of his subjects,

and a perpetual monument :
Also, lest the lips, if they had alwayes enjoyed this ju-

risdiction without any interruption, would (as in maner

they do already) have supposed and reckoned, they had re-

ceived the same from elsewhere, than from the Kings High-

nes; it seemed to us good, that they should be driven by

this means to agnize their author, spring, and fountain ; as

else they be too ingrate to enjoy it.
If they had any jurisdiction, they must needs have re-

ceived it, either by the law of God, or by the Bp. of

Romes authority, or else by the Kings Grace permission.

Which is no sufficient discharge against the statute. If they

say. Against [by] the law of God, let them bring forth Scrip-

ture. But I think them not so impudent as to say so. If

they say. By the Bp. of Romes authority, let them exercise

stil, if they think it meet. If they say. By the Kings per-

mission, why be they more discontent, that the King should

cal again now to his hands that which came from him to

them, than they would have been, if he had now granted it

them ? And surely they are not able to justify the exercise

of their jurisdiction hitherto.
But may fortime they wil say, they have prescribed

against the King. And truly tho the law of the realm say

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 217

the contrary, we say that they would have done so indeed,

if they liad yet stil continued the same without interruption.

And therfore to avoyd that they do not so presa-ibCf we

th<)Uf»lit good at tlie least way once to interru])t them, and

that I'or the visitation time. Or else their successors might

say, that the King had but only the title, and never might

nor did put the same in execution. For such hath been their

juggling heretofore, as the King and you know wel enough.

Also, if they should exercise this jurisdiction, it must be

executed after the canon laws, which, with thi'ir author, arc

profligate out of this realm. Therfore we thought meet,

that the jurisdiction should be given (if it please the Kings

Ilighnes so) to them even with the laws, after whose tenor

the same should be executed. That then it may appear to

al the world, that both the laws and also jurisdiction pro-

cede of the Kings Ilighnes, as the chief spring, head, and

fountain.
Hut yet it should seem, wliatsoever they say, that they

refer this jurisiliclion, as accepted from some else than from

the King, if they durst speak it; when they chalenge it as

their right, and grudg at these things. Sith no man can

sur)pose, if they reckoned it to liave proceded of the King,

that any of them would be miscontent, tliat he should cal

that to his hands again, which they never enjoyed l)ut by

his permission and tolerance.

If they claim it as their right, let them shew their evi-

dence. If they take it as a benefit of the Kings Ilignes, let

them sue for it again by supplication. That tfiey and al

other may understand him to be the liead-power within this

realm under God ; and that no jurisdiction procedi'th within

the same, but from him.

And they in the mean, to exercise only necessary things, 14()

(if they can shew any,) as the Kings C'ommissaries, and

yours, every man in hisdiocess: and in no wise to meddle

with such things as l)e voluntary, unto the time above re-

hearsed.
These things ami al other we remit to your high wisdom,

discretion, and correction.

218 APPENDIX OF

Also, we send you two articles to be set in the in-

junctions of Cambridg, which we had omitted. And the

same injunctions, when ye have perused them and corrected,

it may please your mastership to cause to be written in parch-

ment, and sealed, and then to be sent unto us. And this

the Almighty God have your mastership in his blessed

keeping, the 24. Septemb.
Your ever assured
Sir, I pray you to remember Thomas Legh, D. L.
my bil touching the bulls, if ,r c ^^^ r ^ c
•' ® ' 1 our laithtul servant,
ye thmk I may do the Kmgs j^^^ . ^.^^
Grace any service therin, and
you any commodity.

Number LVIII.

Some additions to the injunctions for the University of
Cambridge, prepared by the King's visitors.
AJier the Preface, this to be the first article.

ET primum omnium, vos omnes et singuli, fideliter ve-

reque et ex animo observabitls, et ab aliis, quantum in vo-

bis fuerit, sic observari facietis, docebitis et procurabitis,

omnia et singula contenta tam in juramento successlonis

nostrae alias per vos praestito, quam in quodam professione

sigillo vestro communi sigillata, et manibus vestris sub-

scripta: statutaque hujus regni pro extirpatione Papatus,

et usurpatse sive pra?tensae potestatis Romani Episcopi in

hoc regno, proque assertione sive confirmatione authoritatis,

jurisdictionis, et praerogativae nostrae supremag ecclesiasticae,

et successorum nostrorum, quandocunque edita, sive sancita,

edendaque sive sancienda, modis omnibus, quibus melius et

efficacius poteritis, adimplebitis et observabitis. Ac juniores

et alios vestrae curae commissos sedulo docebitis et instruetis,

ipsos una vobiscum penitus esse absolutos ab omnia obedi-

entia Episcopo Romano deberi practensa ; regiamque po-

testatem caeteris omnibus juxta divinum eloquium in terris

praecellentiorem esse, et cidem prae aliis omnibus ex divine

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 219

praecepto parendum et obediendum esse : nee Rom. Episcopi

antehac usurpatam jurisdictionem, sive aucthoritatem quo-

vismodo ex sacris literis fundatam esse ; sed partim dolo et

astutia ejusdem Rom. Episcopi, ipsiusque pravis et am-

bitiosis canonibus et decretalibus, ac partim tolerantia et

permissione principum, succrevisse: et ideo nunc jure opti-

mo et a?quissimo ex hoc nostro regno aucthoritate publica

sublatam esse.

The second article. 14/
Et quia animadvertimus corruptelam praecipuam studio-

rum omnivmi fuisse, &c.

At the end of the injunctions^ this to he added.
Has leges et injunctiones vobis, charissimi, jam tulimus

et proposuimus, reservantes nobis, ac praefato nostro Tho-