Search York

traditions, and that my L. of Durham advised me to the

same. These Greek books were sought out only for that

purpose, to set forth the old usages and traditions of the

Church : because they w^ere thought of authority ; and so

thought I then very much, I trust wel remembred. My L.

of Durham wil not sey otherwyse, but that he and my late

L. of London were fully bent to mayntain as many of the

old usages and traditions as they might; and so they seyd

it was necessary to do; especially when they appeared by

the Greek Church. And, os I remember, one special thing

was, for praying for souls, and that by prayers tliey were

delivered from pains. And in this matter was S. Augustine

brought in for [by] both parties. And the messe in Greek

was brought in for that purpose. But there was in my L.

of Durhams Greek book for other also usages and orders of

the Church.

My Lord also remembreth, that he, with the late Bishop

of London, was very diligent to search out in Greek the

old canons, os wel such as are called Canones Ajjostolorum, os

others.
These are such special things, my good Lord, os now

Cometh wel to my remembrance, sufficient, I trust, to cal to

my L. of Durhams memory for that purpose. If there

were ony thing else in my remembrance, I wold plainly

write ; or if ony other thing shal come, I shal at al times

plainly declare it.
My special good Lord, I wholly commend me to God

and to the Kings Majesties goodnes and mercy ; and after

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 383

them, only to your good Lordslii]!, os mine only means ; and

have most cause hvmibly to thank you for your inestimable

comfort to me, in signifying that his Highnes was and is

my most gracious Lord. Which thing causeth me to bear

wel other, els intolerable, troubles of mind, and surely mor-

tal. I beseech Almighty God to preserve your good Lord-

ship. In the Tower, the 7th day of June.
Your good Lordships most boimd,
Rich. Cicester.

Number XCIV.

PhU'ippus Melancthon, ad Regxm Ilenricuni Vlll.proprm

manu.

S. D. Inclyte Rex. Postquam hoc tempore sublta lega- Cleopatra,

tio decreta est, hoc nomine gaudeo delectum esse hunc •^"•P-^^^*

Franciscum, quo mihi nemo est conjunctior: qui perpe-

tuam meam observantiam erga regiam Majestatem tuam, et

nieam voluntatem in re publica verissime poterit R. Ma-

jestati tua? exponere. Tanta enim ejus fides est, et ita pro-

bata multis principibus viris, ut ejus de me praesertim, quem 259

penitus novit, oratio, plurimum debeat habere ponderis.

Ipse mihi testis erit, mea studia praecipu^ semper ad illu-

strandum piam doctrinam spectasse. Nee aliud homini

docto potius faciendum esse censeo. Sed in hac tanta re

tamque difficili, homines privati habent opus summorum

regum atque ordinum auxiliis. Et R. M. T. magnam in

spem erexit animos omnivun doctorum ubivis gentium, non

defuturam se sanctissimis votis piorum flagitantium emen-

dationem Ecclesiarum. Quid enim aliud agit factio R. Pon-

tificis, nisi ut res optimas divinitus patefactas deleat ; ut in-

auditam crudelitatem adversus reges, principes et multas

nationes exerceat, ut tyrannidem infinitam, et plusquam

barbai'icam in Ecclesia constituat, ad defendendos impios

abusus .''
Quare cum tantum sit universae Ecclesiae periculum, non

desinam hortari et obtestari R. M. T. ut respiciat veram

384 APPENDIX OF

Eclesiam, velut advolutam ad genua tua veterl supplicum

more, et ut autor esse velis constituendi in hac parte firmi

consensus, et duraturi ad posteritatem ; et inflectas animos

cjEterorum reguni, ne se ad societatem consiliorum pontifi-

ciorum adjungant. Haec res tanta est, ut videt R. M. T.

major ut nulla cogitari possit. Eamque ob causam tali

Reo-e digna est, qui eruditione et sapientia caeteris antecellit.

Profecto quisquis regum in tanto discrimine laboranti Ec-

clesise opem tulerit, is vere imago Dei in terris existiman-

dus erit. Haec etsi non dubito, quin ipse assidue cogites,

tamen scribo, quod R. M. T. prodest etiam exterarum na-

tionum vota cognoscere, quae optant, ut non solum Britan-

nise tuae, sed etiam aliarum nationum Ecclesiis consulas. Ego

mea studia omnia summa cum observantia R. M. tuae of-

fero: meque et hunc Franciscum R. M. tuae diligentissmie

commendo. Christus Opt. Max. servet incolumem regiam

M. T. ad salutem Ecclesiae. Die Maii xii. anno 1538.
, , , , • E» • Regiae Maiestatis tuae
Inclyto et sereniss. Uegi » j
Dom. Henrico Octavo, addictissimus,
Regi AnglicB et Fran- Philippus Melancthon.
cicE, S^'c. Pr'mc'ipi cle-
vientissimo.

Number XCV.

Frederichus Mychonius, ad D. Thomam Crumwellium.

Cleopatra, GRATIAM et pacem a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino

' '^' ' nostro Jhesu Christo. Illustris et magnifice Domine. Ego

jam cum aliis dominis meis principum oratoribus, quantum

potui, caussae religionis ad multos jam menses inserviens,

tandem in tantam imbecillitatem corporis, et adversam vale-

tudinem incidi, ut neque si velim, ultra possim istis labori-

bus adesse. Experior enim quottidie magis magisque mor-

bos ingravescere et imminui vires meas; adeo ut nisi ma-

ture ad Germaniam rediero, mihi sit de vita desperandum.

Et quanquam etiam medicorum sum usus consilio, tamen

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 385

video me ncqiie illis mediis quicquam proficere. Et licet 260

paratus sim pro gloria Christi promovenda etiam omnia

pati ; tamen cum in articulis et in summa doctrinae Christi-

anse, eousque progressi sumiis, ut de prsecipuis jam conve-

niat : et quod de abusibus est reliquum, cum in eis rebus,

tam verbo quam scripto, nostrorum Principum, Doctorum,

Ecclesiarum, et nostram sententiam explicaverimus, et Epi-

scopi atqiie Doc tores jam sententiam nostram teneant: po-

terant etiam, nobis absentibus, ilia expendere, et quod di-

vinae voluntati placitum, et Ecclesige Dei utile esse viderint,

constituere. Oro itaque et per Dei bonitatem ac misericor-

diam, illustrem jVIagnificentiam vestram obsecro et obtestor,

ut haec qualiacunque officia nostra, ad quae pro gloria Dei,

et in honorem regise Majestatis et vestrae illustris Magnifi-

centise promptissimi fuimus, boni consulet. Et quo ego vel

mortem ipsam, vel certe valetudinis meas gravissima peri-

cula evadere possim, nobis illico, et quam citissime fieri pot-

est, a regia Majestate gratiosam dimissionem impetret.

Pro qua re, si mihi (quod futurum spero) valetudo resti-

tuetur, et vita comes fuerit, me et orando, et quibuscumque

aliis rebus potero, cum regiae Majestatis, tam etiam vestrae

Magnificentiae, et communis hujus regni salutem, apud

Dom. Christum toto studio, quaerere velle polliceor. Oro

hoc efficiat illustris Magnificentia vestra, quo possim praedi-

care et laudare apud Principes nostros, quod hoc officio il-

lustris Mag. vestrae et incolumitas mihi restituta, et vita ser-

vata fuerit. Dom. Jhesus Christus illustrem Mag. vestram

in laudem et gloriam nominis sui perpetuo servet. Amen.

Dat. Londini 1538. Pridie nativitatis Marias.

Excellentiss. Illustri. Mag. Vestrae S.

Frederichus Myconius.

Illustri. et magnijico Dom'ino Dno.

Thomai Cromxoello, Dom'ino pri~

vati sig-iUi, ct Domino ohservan-

tissimo SHO.

VOL. 1. I'AUT IT.

386 APPENDIX OF

Number XCVI.

Litcraritm Oi-atormn GermanicE brevis summa, Anglkc.

Their judgment concerning Abuses.

Cleopatra, THEY excuse themselves, that they do again, by their

E. 5, p. 909., ,. , , T-- ir ¦ *' , .
letters now sent, disturb the Kmgs Majesty, bemg em-

ployed in the public cares of the kingdom : adding the

cause why they write now ; which is this. When after they

had related what was given them in commandment, and

that they had conferred of the Articles of the Christian Reli-

gion for two months with some Bishops and Doctors of Di-

vinity, appointed them by the Kings Majesty ; they doubt

not but a firm and perpetual concord betwixt their Princes

and the Kings Majesty, and their Bishops, Divines, and

subjects, would follow in the doctrin of the Gospel, to the

praise of God, and the mine of the Roman Antichrist.

261 And because they cannot stay for the rest of the dispu-

tation concerning abuses, before they depart, they think it

their duty to declare their sentence of some articles of

abuses: which after their departure the Kings Majesty

may take care, that his Bishops and Divines confer together

of They say, the purity of doctrin cannot be conserved,

unles those abuses be taken away, that fight with the word

of God, and have produced and maintained the tyranny

and idolatry of the Roman Antichrist.

They assert three particular heads, which do uphold the

foundation of the Popish tyranny ; namely, the prohibi-

tion of both kinds in the Lords Supper ; private Mas ; and

the forbidding the mariage of Priests.

They begin first with the article De utraque Specie.

They say, that the ordination of Christ is to be preserved

before humane traditions. But he himself instituted both

kinds, when he said. Drink ye all of it., &c. That it is like

that men, conquered with the Roman Popes thunders,

changed the true use of the Eucharist. Which now the

German Princes, that profess the doctrin of the Gospel,

have brought back, shaking off the Popes yoke. Who, con-

trary to the command of Christ, contrary to the sentence of

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 387

the holy Fathers, contrary to the custome of the antlent

Church, hath divided the Sacrament, and deprived the laity

of the bloud.
De privata Missa. The Mass is nothing else but a com-

munion or synax'is^ as S. Paul calleth it, nor was the use of

it otherwise in the time of the Apostles. But a certain di-

verse work repugning to a communion is thence made. Be-

cause they teach, that hereby grace is merited ex opere

operato, as they speak ; and that the Mass takes away the

sins of the living and the dead.
Private masses have sustained the papacy, as a kind of

Atlas. By masses the Pope brought in indulgences. By

which he hath robbed the world, and filled it with monks,

to mumble these private masses. By which the Pope hath

extinguished the word of God.
The German Princes have reduced the communion to

the old wont; which they celebrate in the German lan-

guage. And they appele for this to the testimony of those

that were sent by the King into Germany, and saw al.

In this same epistle they lightly touched al that was

written in many volumes concerning private masses, that

the King might know upon what good reason they had

abolished them, and that they might give answer to the ca-

lumnies of the adversaries.
De conjugw Sacerdotimi. The celibacy of Priests, they

say, the Roman Bishop brought in against the Scripture,

against the law of nature, against al honesty. Concerning

which Paul did foretel ; saying, that the Spirit manifestly

spahe^ that in the last times some should depart from the

Jaith, giving heed to spirits of crror^ and doctrines of

devils, speaking lyes in hypocrisy, forbiding to marry.

This agrees to the Pope of Rome. That the German

Princes, when they saw many wickednesses to arise from

this prohibition, broke the Popes bonds, and permitted free

matrimony to Priests.
Of other abuses they are silent at present ; as concerning

auricidar confession ; wherby the Pope hath reduced the

power of the keys to a most filthy craft ; and made confes-

388 APPENDIX OF

2b2 sion a mere carnage of consciences: and by it held kings

and princes under his girdle. And so, with some submissive

conclusions to the King, desiring his answer, and praising

him for his wisdom, and the progress he had made in re-

ligion, and exciting him to go yet on, they made an end.

Number XCVII.

Certain Bishops' jiidgvients concei-ning pilgrimages.

cieop. E. 5. THE bodies of saints, and, namely, the relicks of holy

martyrs, arc to be honoured most sincerely, as the members

of Christ. The churches bu'lded in their names, deputed

to the service of God, be to be gon unto with faithful and

good devotion ; and not to be contemned : and pilgrimage

to places where Almighty God sheweth miracles, may be

don by them that have therunto devotion.

Joh. Bath Wellens. Cuthbert. Dunehncns.

Jo. London. W. Abbas Sti. Bndicti.

Joh. Lincoln.

Number XCVIIL

PURGATORIUM.
Latimer^ Bishop of Worcester, his Judgment thereof: with

annotations in the margin of King Henry's own hand.

cieop.E. 5. MODICUM plora super mortuum, quoniam requievit.

Ecclus. cap. xxii. As who say, Thy brother is dead. If

natural passion move thee to weep, yet weep but little. For

if he dyed in the faith of Christ repentantly, he is at rest.

» Ergo, yet a Erfi^-0, in uo paiu of puroatory. For where such pain is,
in a place. , ®. t. i i /u aT i
Foi of pain there IS no rest, ror they tliat athrm purgatory, aitirm the

we dispute pj^jj^ jQ pg^gg ^i ^j^g pgii^ jj^ ii^Q world. Hugo dc Vienna

upon the same place, Potius gaudendum est, inqidt, quam

^ This Hugo flendum, quia quisquis sic moriticr, de ^ labor e ad requiem,

renienibr'ing de luctu ad gaudium truusivit. What rest hath he gotten,

no quiet- l]^g^^ jg removed from the stocks in Newgate to the rack in

nes in this ^
world, nor the Tower ?
yet til we come to heaven, and not condenmiiig of purgatory.

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 889

Eccles. ii. Uhicunque lignum ceciderit, ibi erit. In what

state a man dies, in that he shal continue without end ; sive

ad austrum,, sive ad aquilonem : either to heaven or to hel.

Non est medium^ si Hieronymo credimus : et opercc jjre-

tiumjicerit legere PelUcanum.
Aug. super Ps, xxxi, Beati, quorum tecta sunt iieccaia. 26*3

c Si teocit peccata De%is, noluit advertcre : si noluit advcr- j,'^^'*^!^^^, ""''"'

tere, noluit animadvertere. Si noluit animadvertere^ noluit text of ti.ii..

punire,

non sunt in futuro punita'^. Ergo^frustraneum est dTi,isarf;u-
"^ nu-ntiswel,
purgatOi'lUm. and - - ply-
ing more to carnal wytsway, than to playnnes of the text.
Id. in De Ebrietate. Nemosc decipiat,fratrcs ; duo enim

loca siont, ct tertius non est visus. Qui cum Christo reg-

iiare non meruit^ cum Diabolo absque ulla dubitatioiie jfcri-

bit. Here he had occasion to make mention of purgatory,

if he had then known it e. HlLmconfu-
sion [confutation] of iniri^atory, because he here, si>eaking of druiikeniies, ilotli not mention

of purgatory ?

Aug. De Vanitate SecuH. Scitote verb quod cum anima

a corpore avelUtur, statim aut in paradiso, pro f 77im^/'.y ' ^'"t« ""*

bo7iis collocatur ; aut ccrte pro peccatis in injerni tartar a make a-

prcccipitatur. Ecce ! quam manifeste, quasi ex industria, ?''*'"^|,,'[|'"

absorpsit purgatorium ? of your
opinions; and also, that he rather putteth a mean place between heaven and hel, which he

calleth paradise, [which] is a place of comfort toward salvation.

Hieronym. in Eccles. ii. Ubicunque ubi locum prcepara-

veris,J}ituramque sedem, sive ad austruni sive ad borcam^

ibi cum mortuus fucris permanebis. If S. Hierom had re-

garded purgatory, there had been occasion to have made

".entionofits. ¦ '^^^
occasion to write where you think place is for them, or where they think it meetest ?
Hilar, in Ps. xxvii. Judicii dies vcl beatitudinis retributio

est (Bterna, vel pcenoB ^. Tempus vero mortis habet interim h who ever

unumquemque suis legibus, dum ad judicium unumquemque ^^^^ "^^^'^^

aut Abraam reservat, aut poena. Quis hie non videt pur- or after the

gatorium fore nullum ? *„^p„f there
was a purgation ? This text maketh not af;ainst that opinion. Therforc notlnng to your pur-

pose.
c c 3

390 APPENDIX OF

Cyprian, sermone 4to. De Mortalitate. Amplectamur
diem mortis qui assignat sirigiilos domicilio sno: qui nos
hinc erepfos, paradiso restituit, et regno ccslesti. Cypri-
anus non abstinuisset hie a mentione purgatorii, si tale quid
'This your vel cogitasset '.
interpretation sheweth plainly mens affections. For it is evident in learning, that a copula-

tive - -not emidem locum. Wherfore the contrary is rather to be gathered on this text.

Chrysost. in Jo. cap. vuidec. Homilia Ixi. pag. 9. et b.

Justus moriens cum angelis evolabit, etiamsi nemo exequHs

inte?~veniat. Perditus autem, etsi inj'unere universam ha-

huerit civitatem, nihil lucrabitur. Quid aptius dici possit in

condemnationem purgatorii, quam quod eruditissimus hie
I'Tothisau-dicit '^.'*
tliority answereth this text of Scrij)ture, Justo non est posita lea-. Perdito nulla redemptiu.

So nother of these, wherof this text speaketh, belong to a sinner repentant. Wherfore

purgatory may yet stond for all this.
Breviter multa sunt multorum authorum testimonia, qua?

demoliuntur purgatorium. Multa etiam in ejusdem autho-

ribus, quae sonant esse purgatorium. Incertum est negotium,

264 neque tutum quicquam determinare, ne incerta pro veris

statuantur. Tametsi certissimum fuerit ejusmodi purga-

torium, quale trecentos jam annos creditvmi fuerit, non pos-

sit stabiliri. At quod ad authoritatem scriptorum attinet,

sic Lyranus audet pronuntiare, Non debet aliquetJi movere,

quod ego recedo in hoc a dictis Hieronymi ; quia dicta san-

ctorum 71071 su7it taoitcE authoi'itatis qui7i liceat sentire con-

trarium in his qiccB non su7it per sacram Scrijituram de-
' Non solum tcrminata '.
adhitrente Unde dicit Aug. in Ep. ad Vincentium, De Scripturis
tanien, sanctorum Doctorum: Hoc genus scripturarum a ca7ioni-

cis Scripturis distingueiidum est. Non e7iim ex eis sic

testimonia pe7-Je7'U7itur^ ut cont7-arium seiitire 7io7i liceat.

Hactenus Lyranus.

Et hoc est apud Hieronym. et reliquos authores vul-

gatissimos, quod quicquid citra Scripturas asseritur, eadem

'" Hoc ergo facilitate rejicitur, qua admittitur ^.
sit intelligi
debet, quod (juicquid Ecclesia receperit, id rejicere potuit ; sed non quisquis sua sponte prae-

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 391

As touching purgatory, I might, by way of disputation,

reason this against it. God is more enclined to mercy than to

justice. He executeth justice upon these that be dampned,

mercy upon these that be saved. But they that be dampned,

as soon as the soul is separate from the body, goeth strait to

he\. Ei-g-o, if God be more enchned to mercy, them that

be saved, as soon as the soul is out of the body, goeth by

and by to heaven. Of these there is no purffatorv " ? "i"'''* "* a

ment, and also a wrong example. For God is as merciful and indifferent in this world to

him that may be damned, as to him that may be saved: yet the obstinacy of the man letts

not, wherby one may perceive that his justice and mercy dependeth on the wil of the crea-

ture, and as you, in a text before, alledge the merits of the person.

The founding of monasteries argued purgatory to be :

so the putting of them down argueth it not to be. What

uncharitablenes and cruellnes seemeth it to be to destroy

monasteries, if purgatory be.^ Now it seemeth not con-

venient the act of Parlament to preach one thing, and the

pulpit another clean contrary «. " ^^''>' t'"^"

* ^ •' do you ?
Turpe enim

_ est doctori,

^^"' cum culpa
redarguit

ipsum.
Number XCIX.

King Henry VlIFs confutation^ writ hy his oton hand, of

the sense of txco iilaces of Scripture, alleged against

purgatory, in the former writing.
UBICUNQ.UE lignum ceciderit, ibi erit. This text it cieop. E. s.

self, speaking of but one stick, doth not deny purgatory ;

nor the example of a dead stick can wel, without great

forceing of, be attribute to a soul repentant, not yet having

his ful judgment. And if you wil turn it to a lively stick,

then it seemeth me, that it wil make much against your

purpose. For a lively stick may chance, with falling, to

grow, though not suddenly, and so come to some perfection

of his fruits. So may the soul of man by this example, de- 265

parting hence to purgatory in right faith, grow toward his

perfection, abiding the day of judgment.
Beati quorum, &c. Jesus ! How do you descant on this

c c 4

392 APPENDIX OF
Psalm, and also on S. Augustin, when you would make

folk believe, that this was meant against purgatory, when

the very text declareth nothing, but the beatitude and hope-

fulnes of them that hath their sins hid and forgiven ? Herein

do you shew your carnal wit ; which in preaching you dis-

praise so much.

Number C.

Some sJiort notes drawn up hy King Henry's axon pen ;

concerning Priests' marriage.

cieop.itia, DESCRIPTIO Clerici e Grreco secundum leronimura.

124. b.' Cleros Graece, Latine 5or,? appellatur. Propterea Cleri

dicuntur, quia de sorte Domini sunt, vel quia Dominus sors

Clericorum est. At iste se talem exhibere [debet] ut pos-

sideat Dominum, et ipse possideatur a Domino, &c.
Descriptio Sacerdotis. Est autem Sacerdos is qui Deo

dicatus est ad sacrificia facienda ; a quo Sacerdotium ipsum

Sacerdotis munus, officium.
Descriptio voti. Est autem votum alicujus boni, cum de-

liberatione, Deo facta promissio.

Nota dictum Pauli ad Tiniotheum. Nemo, militans Deoy

impedit se negotiis secularihus ; ut ei placeat, cui se prce-

buerit.
Qui presbyter est, et probare et probari debet ante ad-

eptum officium, etsi Deo dicatus sit. Quare non debet im-

plicere [implicare] se negotiis sascularibus. Denuo, matri-

monium est negotium sa-culare ; ex quo Scrlptura prohibet

presbyteris matrimonium inire. Quod approbat Chrysos-

tomus scribendo ad Theodorum. Athanasius, Hierony-

mus.