Search York

other side of the house at eleven o'clock, and was hardly up,

or but just rising at that time. So that it appeared not

possible to see into that part of the house at that time, by

the help of the moon. And considering withal the good

reputation of the man, and of the woman especially, and the
c 2

20 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK ill disposition of the accusers, by this means the sagacious
• Archbishop made a clear discovery of the innocency of these
Anno 1552. two folks, and the malicious wickedness of their adversai'ies :
and so he set them both at liberty. And when a year or two
after he was himself in bands at Oxford, he sent a present
to the good woman, by one W. P. to whom the Archbishop
told this story, and who writ this account ; desiring her to
forffive him for his straitness used towards her. And the
Fox, 1st said person carried this present unto the woman, and de-

edit, p. ' ^

1477. livered the message accordingly.
Orders As the revising, perusing, explaining, and finishing the
new revised Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacra-
Coiuiuon nients, had been committed to the Archbishop, and certain
Prayer
Book. other learned divines ; so the work was completed, and was

Book*^''' printed off by Grafton, in the month of September, anno

355 1551. But it seems the book was not so correct as it should

be; for September 27, an order came to Grafton, the

printer, in any wise to stay from uttering any of the books

of the new service : and if he had distributed any of them

among his company, [of Stationers,] that then he give strait

commandment not to put any of them abroad, vintil certain

faults therein were corrected. And, probably, one reason of

this order might be, for inserting the article for declaring

the right meaning of kneeling at the communion. For which

there was an order in October.

The revi- These reviewers, before spoken of, were Cranmer, Rid-

ley, and certain other doctors ; whereof Dr. Cox was one :

who being met together at Windsor, diligently, as their

scope was, reformed the book according to the word of God.

They de- And thcy intended also to proceed to the restoring of a

restore dis- good discipline in the Church. But here great stop and op-

ciphne. position was made ; and loath men were to be brought under

ecclesiastical discipline. Of this. Cox wrote to Bullinger,

Cox to October 5, 1552. Therein he told him, " that they had

" already altered the rites of the public prayers and sacra-

" ments, and framed them according to the rules of God's

" word. But we hate, said he, those bitter institutions of

"' Christian discipline. We would be sons^ yea, heirs, but

Bullinger.

OF KING EDWARD VI. 21

" we abhor the rod. And he prayed Bullinger, that he CHAP.

" would by his letters stir up the great men and nobles, to.

take particular care about this discipline ; without which, Anno 1552.

" with great grief he spake it, the kingdom of God would be

" taken away from them." But something Cox met with in

Bullinger''s fifth Decad, in the place where he treated of the

Lord's supper, which he was not satisfied in, and which

looked contrary to an order they had made in the Com-

munion-Book, concerning communicating the sick: which

that learned man seemed not to allow of, for want of a con-

gregation, which four or five persons could not make.

Where Cox propounded this inconvenience, as arising from

his opinion ; " What if, when the Lord's supper was to be

" publicly administered, all should go out, or refuse, besides

" three, four, or five, that stayed to receive ; might not the

" sacrament be lawfully administered to them ? Why then

" should the sick be deprived of that liberty ?''"' Of this he D.

desired Bullinger's fuller solution.
But as for the aforementioned book, thus reformed. The new

called now the new service, it was ratified by the Parlia- l^^l'^^ '^*'

ment that sat in January following, in an act, entitled. An

Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer, and Adminis-

tration of the Sacraments. Whereby all persons were en-

joined to resort to their parish churches on Sundays and

holydays, to hear those prayers, and to abide there quietly

and soberly, upon pain of the censures of the Church : and

no other forms to be used, nor any present at such forms,

upon pain of imprisonment.

There had, about the year 1550, been a conspiracy in the Bishop of

north : to which the Bishop of Durham had been privy ; but troub^gT :^

thought fit to conceal it. But one Ninian Menvil discovered

it; and withal informed against the said Bishop: where-

upon he was in danger of misprision of treason. This busi-

ness against the Bishop came before the Council in the month

of June, when it began to be considered f but the King

being then about taking his progress, it was resolved, June

19, to defer it till his Majesty's return. About September

the Bishop was sent up for by the Council, upon certain ac- 367

c3

22 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK cusations. And accordingly, about, the beginning of Octo-

_______ ber, he was in London. And on the 4th and 5th days of

Anno 1552. the Said month, lodged at the late monastery of White

Monks on Tower-hill ; and soon after was committed thence

to the Tower ; and a special conunission appointed for his

trial. Which commission was directed to Sir Roger Cholme-

ly, lord chief justice of the King's Bench, Sir Richard Read,

John Gosnold, Richard Goodrick, Robert Chid ley,
Stamford, esquires, and Richard Liel, doctor of the law,

&c. or to seven, six, or five of them, " to call before them,

" at such time and place as they should think convenient,

" Cutbert, bishop of Durham, and examine him of all man-

" ner of conventicles, conspiracies, contempts, and conceal-

" ments, or other offences. And if he be found guilty, to

" deprive him of his bishopric ; and otherwise, to do in the

And depri- " premises according to their wisdoms," &c. In fine, he

vation. ^^g found guilty, and deprived, the 14th of October, of his

bishopric; or the 11th day, according to King Edward's

Journal.

The bi- And as Tunstal was thus deprived in October, so in No-

besiowed member following a grant was made to Robert Hornc, pro-

upon Horn, fessor of divinity, and dean of Durham, of the said bishopric,

"'"'"• "° 'with all the lordships, manors, lands, &c. to the same be-

longing, during his natural life. But in an Apology writ by

the said Horn, soon after his flying abroad under Queen

Mary, it is evident that he accepted not of it : and the rea-

son why he refused it was, because he cared not to take

Tunstal's bishopric over his head. Yet Tunstal, when re-

stored in the said Queen's reign, was his great and chief

enemy, as he complained in the said apology. The

bishopric was soon after dissolved, with an intent to foiuid

two in the room of it.

iMenviif re- But a Warrant was issued out to Sir John Williams to pay

to Menvile, [for his good service in making this discovery,]

Outlawed ^y ^^y °^ ^^^ Majesty's reward, the sum of 100/. but he

under paid for this afterwards. For in the first and second of

Q INIarv ...
(ok. In- King Philip and Queen Mary, under the name of Ninian

Ktit. par. iii. McnvUe nupcf de Scdwich in com. Dujichn, Armig. he was

OF KING EDWARD VI. 23

indicted in the King's Bench of high treason, [perhaps he CHAP,

was concerned in Wyat's business,] and upon process he was

outlawed, and so returned. He hved to the fourth year of Anno 1552.

Queen EHzabeth : in whose reign, long after, his daughter

and heir brought in a writ of error in the King's Bench

against her father's indictment; wherein two errors were

assigned. And the outlawry was reversed, anno regin.

Elizab. 27.
De Chambre, in his history of the bishops of Durham, ^'^^^^^^ ^^^

sheweth how Menvile, (whom he calls Rinian Menvile,) as the Deau

he accused Bishop Tunstal of conceahng a conspiracy in the ^[^^JJ^^

north in the year 1550, so in the year 1548 he had also ac- conspiracy

cused him, together with his chancellor, and the Dean : and '^'^^j^^g^^^^

I suspect it was of a crime of the like nature ; for it is pro- par. 1.

bable enough, that as in that year there was a dangerous

rebellion by Papists broken out in the west, so there might

be another hatching in the northern parts, to back them.

Upon this accusation, the said Bishop, and the two other

accused ^vith him, were summoned up to London ; where

the Dean, named Dr. Whitehead, formerly the prior there,

an ancient man, and not used to these harasses and troubles,

ended his days, and was buried in the church of the Mi-

nories, London.
Hay ward, that undertook to write the history of King 3 68

Edward's life, was ignorant of all this. For this is all he f^^J^'^

writ of Bishop Tunstal's troubles; "That he was sent to the

" Tower for concealment of I know not what treasons, writ-

" ten to him, I know not by whom, and not discovered

" until what I shall call the party, did reveal it." Because

he could pick nothing else of this matter out of King Ed-

ward's brief Journal, which was the main assistant of his

history, and he could not tell where to go, or would not take

the pains to give himself further information, he sets it

down after this sarcastical manner, below the gravity of an

historian ; and all, the better to conceal his own ignorance,

and to tax the government. Was this writ hke an historian,

whose office is to relate and give the reader plain and satis-

c 4

U MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK factory accounts of things? But this is a digression which

^^- the reader will pardon. And I proceed.

Anno 1552. While the Parliament was sitting this winter, a synod also

A synod, was held ; wherein was framed and concluded a book of

Artities of Articles of Religion, taken out of the word of God, purified

^''''^"""¦, and reformed from the errors of Popery and other sects.

" But it was m the month of May, anno 1556, (1 tran-

scribe out of the Warrant-Book,) " that these Articles,

" agreed upon by the bishops and other learned men, in

" the synod at London, in the year of our Lord 1552, for

" avoiding of controversy in opinions, and the establishment

" of a godly concord, in certain matters of religion, were

" published by the King's commandment."" And a book,

containing these Articles, was then signed by the King's own

hand.

A Gate- A Catechism for the instruction of children in the funda-

proveVby mentals of true religion passed the said synod ; but who was

the synod, ^-j^g author was not known in those days. Bishop Ridley

was charged to be the author and publisher thereof, by

Ward and Weston, in the disputation with him at Oxford ;

who falsely also told him, that Cranmer had said so but the

day before. Ridley declared he was not, and that Cranmer

would not say so. But he confessed that he saw the book,

perused it after it was made, and noted many things for it :

and so consented to the book. Weston then told Ridley,

that he made him at the synod to subscribe it, being then a

bishop, as he said, in his ruff: but Ridley replied, he com-

pelled no man to subscribe. Indeed he set his hand to it ;

and so, he said, did Cranmer ; and that then it was given to

others of the convocation to set their hands, but without

compulsion. Ward then would have framed an argument

out of this Catechism against Ridley, to prove, that though

Christ was ascended into heaven, yet he might be on earth ;

and so consequently in the sacrament : and then quoted a

passage out of it. Si v'mhilHcr ct in terris, &c.

Licence for AVliat 1 have to say more of this Catechism is, that it

printing it. ^^^^^^ ^.^j ^^^^^ ^^^^^ published in English as well as in Latin,

OF KING EDWARD VI. 25

that John Day printed it, and licensed to come abroad 1552. CHAP

For, according to the Warrant-Book, " in September, 1552

a hcence was granted to the same printer, to print it both A""" i^^s.

" in Latin and Enghsh, the King having caused it to be set

" forth :" but it was not printed before 1553. And the

reason it was so long between the licence and the publica^

tion, (half a year and more,) I conjecture was, because it

was thought fit to have the allowance first of the convoca-

tion, for the giving it the greater countenance and authority.

It was certainly writ by Alexander Noel, as I find by com- The author,

paring Noel's Catechism and this together. The coUocu-36d

tores are in both Catechisms the same, viz. magister and

auditor. And in many places the very same questions and

answers are given verbatim ; only Noel's Catechism, pub-,

hshed under Queen Elizabeth, is much larger. In May the

next year, viz. 1553, the Council sent their letters abroad

in behalf of this Catechism, enjoining it to be taught to

scholars, " as the ground and foundation of their learning," Enjoined to

as it is expressed in the Warrant-Book.

At the same time were many letters issued out, dated May Articles for

20, to the clergy, « That the King had sent unto them cer- ^^^'f'J^ity-^

" tain articles (which were fifty-four in number) for an uni-

" form order to be observed in every church within the realm :

" which articles are there said to be gathered with great

" study, and by the greatest learned men of the bishops,"

&c. These articles were enjoined for uniformity in rites, vide Cran-

as the last year were framed the articles for uniformity in ^JJ^jt^jg^"'

doctrine, being forty-two in number, though published notch. 27.

before June this year. And thus, by the care of the Arch-

bishop, the reformation of the Church seemed to be com-

pletely provided for. But what these articles were, I cannot

tell ; nor do I know any book or manuscript but this, where

there be any footsteps or mention of them.

Bernard Gilpin, famed in the north for his good zeal to Gilpin

religion, and his care of his flock, was sent for up to court ^[^tiurt!

to preach before the King. In obedience to which he came

up, and on the first Sunday after Epiphany he preached,

though the King, upon some occasion detained, was not

26 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK present to hear him. It being a notable sermon, not spar-

ing vice, in whomsoever he met with it, and pointing to the

sermon.

Anno 1652. corruptions of these times, I shall briefly give some account

of it. He preached upon the gospel for the day, which

was Luke ii. beginning at ver. 49, taking only one clause

of it, Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's busi-

ness ? The method he chose for his discourse was, to shew

in order, how all estates of men, the clergy, the nobility,

and the commonalty, were vmder the bands of this obliga-

tion. They must be about their Father^s business. And he

must, he said, cry so unto all estates, as well of the eccle-

siastical ministry, as of the civil governance, together with

the vulgar people.
The con- ^ fjg began with the priests, who, he said, seemed to have

brought blindness into the whole body, making men to for-

get their heavenly Father''s business. Then he shewed the

avarice and ambition of the clergy in former days; and

how the Bishop of Rome abused Peter's keys to fill Judas''s

sachel ; how he dispensed with all prelates that brought

any money, from obeying Chrisfs commission given to Pe-

ter, Fecdy feed my lambs and my sheep ; and stretched it

so largely, that instead of feeding Chrisfs lambs and sheep,

he allowed them to feed hawks, hounds, and horses, I will

not say, said he, harlots ; and instead of fishers of men, he

made them to become fishers of benefices. He brought

preaching into such contempt, that it was accounted a great

absurdity for a cardinal to preach after he had once bestrid

his moyle. And then he declared, that if he had that gift,

strength, and calling, (though he were sure to smart for it,)

he had rather speak against the Pope's enormities in Rome,

than to speak of them there. Then he declaimed against

the intolerable abuses that came from Rome, and could not

be driven away, and sent to Rome again to their father:

3 70 he meant dispensations for pluralities and totquots, and for

non-residences : which had, he said, so many patrons, that

they could not be driven away, together with other abuses.
From tlie clergy he intended to turn his speech to the

King and the nobles; but they were not then present.

OF KING EDWARD VI. 27

Whereat he used these words ; " I am come this day to CHAP.

" preach to tlie King, and to those that be in authority un- ^^'

" der him. I am very sorry they should be absent, which Anno 1552.

" ought to give example, and encourage others to the hear-

" ing of God's word. And I am the more sorry, because

" other preachers before me complain of their absence. But

" you will say, they have weighty affairs in hand. Alas !

" hath God any greater business than this ? But in their
" absence I will speak to their seats, as if they were pre-

" sent." And so he proceeded to speak to the King, and

then to the nobles. Whereof, concerning such of them as

were patrons of livings, he said, that they saw that none

did their duty : and that they thought as good to put in

asses as men : and that as for the bishops, they were

never so liberal formerly in making of lewd priests, but

they were at that present as liberal in making lewd vicars.

He dared to say, that if such a monster as Dervil Gatherel,

the idol of Wales, burnt in Smithfield, could have been

well conveyed to come to set his hand to a bill to let the

patron take the greatest part of the profits, he might have

had a benefice. For worldly offices, they searched meet
and convenient men ; only Christian souls, so dearly bought,

were committed, without respect, to men not worthy to

keep sheep.
He advised the King to send forth surveyors to see how

benefices were bestowed and used, how Christ and his gos-

pel were robbed and dishonoured, to the great decay of the

realm and commonwealth. That he should find but a small

number of patrons, that bestowed rightly their livings,

seeking God's glory, and that his work and business might

be rightly applied. For that it was almost general to ob-

serve of evei'y one of them, his farming of them to himself or

his friends, and to appoint the rent at his own pleasure. But

worse than all this, a great number never farmed them at all,

but kept them as their own lands, and gave some three half-

penny-priest a curate's wages, 91. or 101. They began

first with parsonages, and seemed to have some conscience

towards vicarages. But now their hearts were so hardened,

S8 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK all is fish that comes to the net. That there were vicarages

^^' about London, having a thousand people belonging to

Anno 1 552. them, so spoiled. Gentlemen kept in their hands livings
of 40Z. or 501. and gave one that never came there, 51. or 61.

Some changed the grounds of the benefice with their te-

nants ; to the intent, that if it were called for, the tenant

should lose it, and not they. He could name the place

where a living of an hundred mark by the year, [mentioned

in the margent, viz. Crostwait and Cheswic,] had been sold

for many years, he supposed an hundred, save one ; and so
continued still. That noblemen rewarded their servants
with livings appointed for the gospel. That he was not
able to rehearse, nor yet any man knew, all the abuses

which the simoniac, ambitious, and idol pastors had brought

into the land. By whose examples, ravenous wolves, paint-

ed Christians, hypocrites, had entered and defiled the sanc-

tuary, spoiled Christ and his gospel, to the destruction of

his flock.

3*7 1 Then he descended to shew what gross superstition and

blindness remained among the people, through lack of faith-

ful preachers. He passed over much infidelity, idolatry,

sorcery, charming, witchcrafts, conjuring, trusting in fi-

gures, &c. which lurked in corners, and began of late to

come abroad, only for lack of preaching ; they thought bap-

tism not effectual, because it wanted men's traditions. A

great number thought it a great offence to take the sacra-

ment into their hands, that had no conscience to receive it
with their blasphemous mouths. Many, because they
saw not in the church the shining pomp of painted cloths,

candlesticks, images, altars, lamps, tapers, they said, As good

go into a barn: nothing esteeming Christ, who spake to

them in his holy word ; neither the holy sacrament, reduced

to its first institution. That the Devil, by those cormo-

rants that devoured the livings appointed for the gospel,

had made a fortress and bulwark to keep learned pastors

from the flock ; that is, so to decay learning, that there

should be none learned to commit the flock unto. For by

reason livings appointed for the ministry, for the most

OF KING EDWARD \ I. 29

part, were either robbed of the best part, or clean taken CHAP,

away, almost none had any zeal or devotion to put their

children to schools, but to learn to write, to make them ap-'^""*' 1552.

prentices, or else lawyers : the two wells, Oxford and Cam-

bridge, almost dried up. The decay of students so great,

that there was scarce left of every thousand an hundred :

adding, that if they decayed so fast, in seven years more

there would be almost none at all. And then might the
Devil make a triumph. A thousand pulpits in England
were covered with dust. Some had not had four sermons

in fifteen or sixteen years, since friars left their limitations :