Presented to the
LIBRARY of the
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
by
The Estate
of
David G. Esplin
-
• 1 \
r
Lou fan Piinted fn~ Ric: tfiffrvell
/ THE
ABRIDGMENT
O F T H E
HISTORY |
O F T H E
REFORMATION
OF THE.
Of ENGLAND.
By GILBERT BuRNET,D.D.
Printed for K.C. and tobe fold by
Job* Lt*re»cs at the Angel in
Cornhill, MDCLXXXIL
O J
t H E
PREFACE
He Bulk and Price of the twi
Volumes of the Hiflory of our
Reformation which I have
pMjhed, being fitch, that
every one cannot find the
Mony to buy them , or the
Leifitreto read them, I have
been de fired by many to contratt whatlprofe-
'tuted more largely in that Work* andbnngit
into a lefs Compafs.
I know Abridgments are generally hurtful :
tn them Men receive Juch a flight Titihire of
Knowledge, as only feeds Vanity, andfitrnifre$
Dtfcottr/e , 'but does not give fo clear a View of
things, nor fo folid an Inftnittton as may be
had in more cofiofi* Writings. And at it is a
grievous Imf option on that time which ought to
'be imfloied to better ufes, to draw out that
which might be e^ref din few words, to Juch
a length, that it frights fome from the fludy of
A 3
The Preface.
Books, which might have been of excellent nfe^
if they had not been too Voluminous ; and op-
prijfis the Patience of thofe ivho are refolded to
acquire Knowledge in the moft laborious Me
thods-, fo it is en the ether hand a great Pre
judice to the Improvement cf Learning, when
things are too much contracted, and fuch hints
are only given, as may be the Seeds of excellent
Notions , perhaps in very rich and fntitftd
Minds : fir copious Enlargements are often nc-
ccfjary to make the great eft part who are gene
rally flow and heavy in their dffrehfnfions^
enter into thofe Notions which we fet before
them. It is a true Judgment of Men and
Things, that muft direft us to feek^ and keep
that Mean betwixt thofe Extreams that may be
ofthegreattft Advantage to the World.
What is f aid of Notions and Matters of Sci
ence, is hkewife applicable to Matters of Faff.
fJiftory is of little ufe, if we confider it only of a
Tale cf what was tranfa&ed m former times.
Then it becomes moft profitable, when the Se
ries and Rtttfins of Affairs, and ficret Coun
cils and Ends, together with the true Char-
attcrs of Eminent Men, we rightly prefcnted to
us, that fo upon the li?Jjt which is given us of
ptfi times, ire may form Prudent Judgments
of the prefer* time, and probable C on jeEt tares of
what is to cofne-) and may frame fuch a true Idea
of Men and Parties, as may both enlighten our
Vndtrftandings more by giving us a freer Prcf-
ftit of Humane Affair s^ and may better dirctt
us in our conduce.
this
the Preface.
This made vie j udge it nece/faryto 'o
In my Hiftory as largely as my Materials could
ferve me : and becaufe I writ upon a fubjeft,
that had been much contradittcd , / nta* oblig
ed not only to add a great Collection of Records
for my Juftificationyvhich makes the half of each
Volume, but like wife in the Hiftory it faf, to
give often an account 0£ the grounds on which
I went. I alfo added an Appendix*, . contain
ing the more remarkable Calumnies, by which
the Writers of the Roman. Communion have
endeavoured to corrupt the Hiftory of that time ;
together with a Confutation of themi IWM
lilzewife careful tofet down many, particular Cu-
riofities relating to the Proceedings of Parlia
ment^ of the Importance ofwhich, every Read
er will not be aware atfirfr. I gave alfo a largt
account of all the Arguments . that prevailed
with the Divines, M well as the Reafons that
iwought on States-men r in th'z changes that
were made ; in which the Reader may find an
Apology for the Reformation^ interwoven with
its Hih
In all thefe particulars, there wai? matter
enough for an Abridger to cut off a great deal$
and yet to give fuch an account of the whole
Tranfattion, as might in^ a great meafure fa-
tisfy even Inquifitive Perfons. I underftood that
another was about this, which mafa merefolvt
on doing it my felf\ for none canfo truly co-mpve-
hend^and by confluence abridge any Book^as the
Author himfdf; who, as he knows his own mean
ing beft ; fo he who has fixed his Thoughts long
A 4
The Preface.
Argument, will be befl Me to judge
what are the things and Circumftances that are
of the greateft Importance, and are moft necejfary
to be rightly underftood. In compiling this A-
bridgment, I have wholly waved every thing
that belonged to the Records, and the Proof of
what I relate, or to the Confutation of the- falf*
hoods that run through the Popifh Hiftorians.
All that is to be found in the Hiftory at large ;
and therefore in this Abridgment every thing
is to be taken ufon trufl, and thofe that de firs
a fuller Satisfaction^ are tofeekjtin the Volumes
which I have already fMifhed. The Particu
larities relating to the Proceedings of both
Ho ftfes of Parliament could not be brought with
in jo flwrt an Abftratt. Many Digreffions^
and the Deductions of Arguments, are either
f aft over, or but fiortly touched. He that de-
fires to be particularly informed in any or all of
thefe, muft re fort t'o the Hiftory it felf.
All that I pretend to have done in this A-
bridgment is, that I have given a true and
clear account of the Progrefs of the Reformati
on, in all thoft Windings, and Advances ^ and
Declining!, through which it was carried from
itsfirft beginnings^ till it was brought to a com-
fleat fettlemem under Queen Elizabeth •* and
this is done in fuch a manner, that I hope the
Reader fljall not fad much caufe to comflain
that the endeavouring to be ftort has made me
either obfcure or defective. In the Prefaces to
the two Volu riies I endeavoured to clear the Read
ers mind of the Prejudices which may be aft to
drift
The Preface.
ttrife, either from a flight and general View of
this matter, or from the falfe Relations that' have,
been formerly made of it. I foall not undertake
to abridge them, for I brought them there into a*
narrow a, compafs as the weight of the matter
did admit of: Therefore 1 refer the Reader jhat
Labours under the ill EffeEts offuch Imprefjions^
to the Prefaces themfelves ; and Iflia/l add here
that which is the laftpart of the Preface to the
fecond Volume, becaufe it may be of more gene~
ral ufe, and is accommodated to all, that as may
befuppofed, will have the curiofity to read this
Abridgment, that fo they may come to it with
a true Idea of the Nature of 'Religion in general \
and of the Chriftian Religion in particular.
That Religion is chiefly designed for perfecting
the nature of Man, for improving his Faculties,
governing his Aftions, andfecuring the Peace
of every mans Conscience, and, of the Societies
of Mankind in common, is a truth fo plain^ that
without further arguing about it, all will agree
to it. Every part of Religion is then to be
judged by its Relation to the main ends of it ;
Andfincethe Chriftian Dottrine was reveal
ed from Heaven, as the tnoft perfett andpro~
per way that ever was, for the advancing the
good of Mankind , nothing can be a part of
Ms holy Faith but what is proportioned to
the end for which it was defigned. And all
the Additions that have been made to it, fince
it re as firft delivered to the World, are juftly
to be fufpetted ; efpecially where it is manifeft
, that they were intended to ferve
carnal
The Preface.
tarnal and fecular ends. What can be rea-
fonably fappofed in the Papacy , where the
Popes are chofen by fitch Intrigues, cither . of
the two Crowns, the Nephews of the former
Pope, or the craft of fome afpiring Men, to
entitle them to Infallability or Vmverfal Ju-
rifdittion ? What can we think^ of redeeming
Souls out of Purgatory , or preferring them
from it by tricks , or fome mean Pagean
try, but that it is a foul pe ice of Merchandife ?
What is to be j "aid cf Implicit Obedience, the
Prieflly Dominion over Consciences, the keep
ing the Scriptures out of the Peoples hands,
and the Worfhif of God m a flrange Tongue ?
but that thefe are fo many Arts to hoodwinkjhe
World, and to deliver it tip into the hands of
the ambitions Clergy. What can wethinkjof
Superftition and Idolatry of Images, and all
the other pomp of the Roman Wwfoip ? but
that by thefe things the people were to be kept
tip in a grofs notion of Religion, as afplendid
lufinefs, and that the Priefts have a trick^ of
faving them, if they will but take care to hu
mour them, and leave that matter wholly in
their hands. And to fum up all, What can we
think? f that Conftellation of Prodigies in the
Sacrament of the Altar, <u they pretend to ex
plain it, and all really to no purpofe ? but thai
it is an Art to bring the World by whole fale to
renounce their Reafon and Senfe, and to have
a moffi wonderful Veneration fora fort of Men
who can with a Word per form the moft aftonifr-
ing thing that ever wot*
The Preface.
/ jlmtld grow too large for a Preface, iff
would purfue this Argument as far as it will
go. But if on the other hand we reflett on the
true ends of this holy Religion, we muft needs
be convinced that we need go no where elfe out of
this Church to find them ; and that we are com-
pleatly inftrufted in all farts of it, andfurnifted
with all the helps to advance us to that which
is indeed the End of our Faith, the Salvati
on of our Souls. Here we have the Rule of
holy Obedience, and the Methods of Repentance
and Reconciliation for paft fins clearly Jet before
us. We believe all that Dottrine which Chrift
and his Copies delivered, and the Primitive
Church received : We have the comfort of all
thofe Sacraments which Chrift inftituted, and
in the fame manner that he appointed them :
All the helps to Devotion that the Gofpd offers
are in every ones hand. So what can it be that:
flwuld fo extravagantly feduce any who have
been bred up in a Church fo wdlconftituted?
nnlefs a blind Superftition in their temper, or
a defire to get Heaven in fome eafier Method
than Chrift has anointed , doftrangely impofe
on their Vnderftandings, or corrupt their minds.
Indeed the thing is fo unaccountable, that it looks
like a Curfe from Heaven on thofe who are
?vvm up to it, for their other fins ; for an or-
'dinary Afeafure of Infatuation cannot carry
any one fo far in Folly. And it may be laid
down for a certain Maxim, that fuch as leave
MS , have never had a true and well formed
Notion of Religion, or of Chriftianity in its
main and chief Defign ; 'but take things in
panels,
The Preface.
far eels \ and without examining them,
themfelves to be carried away byfome prejudices
which only darken weaker Judgments.
But if it is an high and unaccountable Fol
ly for any to for fake our Communion, and go
cvertothofeofRome, it is at the fame time
an unexcufable weakgefs in others who feem
full of zeal againft Popery, and yet upon fome
inconfiderable Objections do depart from the
"Unity of the Body, and form fcparated j4j]em~
blies and Communions ; though they cannot
cbjefy any thing material either to our Dottrine
or Worfoip: But the moft aftonifoing fart of the
wonder is, that in fuch differences there fiould
befo little mutual forbearance or gentlenefs to
be found : and that they fljould raife fuch
heats as if the fubftance of Religion were con
cerned in them. This is of God, and is a
ftroke from Heaven on both fides, for their
other fins : We of the Church-Communion have
trufted too much to the fupports we receive
from the Law, we have done our Duties too
(lightly, and have minded the Care of Souls
too little ; therefore God tofunifo and awaken us,
has fuffered fo many of our people to be wrefted
out of our hands : and thofe of the Separation
have been too forward to Blood and War, and
thereby have drawn much guilt on themfelves,
and have been too compliant with the Leaders of
their fever al Fattions,or rather aft to out-run^
them. It is plain, God is offended with us all,
and therefore we are f unified with this fatal
blindnefs, not to fee at this time the things that
belong to ear peace.
The Preface.
this leads me to Reflexions of another
fort , with which I foall conclude this Pre
face.
Jt is apparent the Wrath of God hangs
ever our Heads , and is ready to break, out
upon us. The Symptoms of our ill Condition
^re as fad as they are vifible : and one of the
worft is , that each Sort and Party is very
ready to throw the guilt of it off themfelves^
and caft it on others , with whom they are
difyleafed : But no Man fays, What have
I done ? The Clergy accufe the Laity, and
the Country complains of the City : every one
finds out fomewhat wherein he thinks he is leaft
concerned , and is willing to fix on that all
the Indignation of Heaven, which, God knows^
we our felves have kindled againfl our felves.
It cannot be denied, fines it is fo vifible, that
generally the whole Nation is corrupted, and
that the G off el has not had thofe effects among
MS which might have been exjefted, after fo
long and fo free a cottrfe as it has had in this
Ifland. Our wife and worthy Progenitors re
formed our J)oltrine and Worfoip ; but we
have not reformed our Lives and Manners :
what will it avail us to under ft and the right
Methods of worftifing God, if we are without
true Devotion , and coldly perform pubhck^
Offices, without fenfe and affection^ which is
as bad as a Bead-roll of Prayers in whatfoever
Language they are pronounced ? What figmfies
cur having the Sacraments purely adminifired a-
^ if we either contewftuoufly neglert
them
The Preface.
them , or irreverently handle them, more per
haps in compliance -with Law, than out of a
fenfe of the Holy Duties incumbent on us ?•
for what end are the Scriptures put in our
hands, if we do not read them with great At
tention, and order our lives according to them ?
and what does all preaching Dignify, if Men
go to Church meerly for Form, and hear Ser
mons only as fet Difcourfes, which they will
cenfure or commend as they thinkjhey fee caufe,
but are refolded never to be the better for
them ? If to all thefe fad Considerations we
add the grofs Senfuality and Impurity, that is
fo avowedly praftifed that it is become afafoion^
fofar it is from being a reproach ; the Oppreffi-
on, Injuftice, Intemperance, and many other
Immoralities among us, what can be expetted,
but that thefe Abominations receiving the high-
eft Aggravation they are capable of, from the
clear Light of the Gofpel which we have fo long
enjoyed, the juft Judgments of Heaven, flwuld
fall on ut fo fignaltyj as to make us a reproach to
all our Neighbours. But as if all this were not
enough, to fill up the measure of our Iniquities,
many have arrived at a new pitch of Impiety, by
defying Heaven it fdf , with their avowed
' Blafphemies and Atheifm : and if they are dri
ven out of their Atheiftical Tenets, which are
indeed the moft ridiculous of any in the World,
they fet up their reft on fome general Notions of
Morality and Natural Religion, and do boldly
rejett all that is revealed : and where they dare
vent it, (alas ! where dare they not do it ?) they
rejett Ckriftianity and the Scriptures, with open
and
The Preface.
nd impudent fcorn, and are abfoltttely infen-
fble of any Obligation of Confcience in any
thing whatfo ever : and even in that Morality
which they for Decencies fake magnify fo much
none are more barefacedly andgrojly faulty
Ihts is adirett Attempt againft God himfelf,
andean we thinkjhat he will not vifitfor fitch
things, nor be avenged on fuck a Nation ?
Jndyet the Hypocnfy of thofe who difmifg
their flagitious Lives, with a Afaskjf Rcfai-
en, is perhaps a Degree above all, though *not
fofcandalous till the Mask^f alls off , and that
they appear to be what they truly are. When
we are all fo guilty, and when we are fr alarm-
*dby the blac^Cloudsthttthr eaten fitch ter
rible and lofting Storms, what may be expetted
but that mJhoM begenerallyftmckjvith a deep
Jenfe of our crying Sim, and turn to God with
our whole Souls ? But if after all the loud A-
wakemngtfrom Heaven we will not hearken to
that Foice, but willftill go on m our Sins, we
mayjuftlylook^for unheard of Calamities'* and
JuchMiferies asfliall be proportioned to our Of
fences; andthenwearefttrethey will be *rcat
and wonderful.
Tet if on the other hand there were a veneral
turning to God, or at leaft iffo many wererMt-
lyfenfible of this, as, according to the Propor
tion that the Mercies of God allow, did (ome
waybalUnce the Wickednefs of the reft, and if
thefe were as salons, m the true Methods of im-
'ft/SiVf'MJT t^2 f\ W^) ~ Z7 » **
^0^ as otgrs ^ in .
his Dtjpleafitre; and were not only mofirnwff for
their om Sim, tw fir the Sins of others \ the
Prayers
The Preface.
Prayers And Sighs of marry fitch, mivht di/fipats
J C> J , J J '_ O JJ I
that difmal Cloud which onr fins have gather -
fd ; and we might yet hope to fee the Go/pel take
root among us : (ince that God who is the Au
thor of it is merciful, and full of Companion, and
ready to forgive ; and this holy Religion which
by his Grace is planted among us, is ft ill fo dear
to him, that if we by our own unworthinefs do
not render our fehes incapable of fo great a
Blefling, we may reasonably hope that he will
continue that which atfirft was byfo many happy
concurring Providences brought in, and was by
a continued Series of the fame indulgent care
advanced by Degrees, andatlaft rai fed to that
fitch of perfection which few things atttain i&
this War Id.
THE
*;';.: ';,••" THE <.'-"'•'•
CONTENTS.
BOOK L
Of the Beginnings of the Refbnfta-
tion, and of the Progrcfs madeirr
it by King Henry the Eighth,
THe Vnion of the Houfes of York and*
Lancafter, in King Ken, the 8* &, i
Empfon and Dudley difgr.iced,
He is 'very Liberal,
Is fuccefsful in his W&rs, ibid
fie is courted both by France and Spain, 4
JFrancis the ift is taken Pr if oner, 5
And afterwards the Pope,
Scotland in dif order, ibid
F aft ions in the Englifo Council, $
Cardinal Wolffs Rife, ibid
And Grcatnefs, 9
Charles Brandon'/ Advancement, i o
the King is well with his Parliament, 1 1
The King's Education, 1 2
His Learning and Vanity, , 1 3
The way of promoting Bificps, , ibid
A Conteft for the Ecdefiaftical Jmrnwity, 1 4
Hunn Imfrifoticd, Mirdered, and his Bo
dy burnt ^ .%i6
•
The Contents.
The King much addittedto the Papacy, 20
Car. Wolfey intends to reform the Clergy, ibid
The fummoning of Cortvocations, 2 1
The State of the Monasteries, 2 1
Wolfey f/tppreffis many, 23
The Progrefs of Wiklitt's Doctrine, ibid
The Cruelty of the Clergy, 24
Laws made againfl Heretic^ 25
Warham perfecutes the Lollards? 27
The Progrefs a/Luther'* Dottrine, 29
The King writes agamft him, 30
The Kings Marriage, . 32
Matches propofedfor his Daughter, 3 3
The King has (crufles about his Marriage, 34
1 627.
And allies to the Pope for a Divorce, 37
Who is very favourable, 3 8
152*.
Campegio fent as Legate to try it, 40
He comes into Engl. with a Decretal Bull, 42
Campana/raf over to deceive the King, 43
The Pope refolved to join with the
Emperour, 44
1529.
ThePope^s Sicknefs, 4^
Wolfey afpires to the Popedotn, 46
The Pcpe protnifes to confirm the Sentence
thatfioidd be given by the Legates, 47
The Procefs begins in England, 50
The Queen appeals to the Pope* 5 1
Tta Pope grants an Avocation, 52
Cranmert Rife, and Wolfey V Difgrace, 54
1530.
A Parliament if called, 5 6
The Kings Debts are difcharged, 57
Univer-
The Contents.
*Unlverfities declare againft the Marriage, 5 8
It is condemned by the Sorbon, 60
The Opinions of the Reformers about it, 6 1 ..
The Englifo Nobility write to the Pope about
it, andhe anfwers them, 62
Arguments for the Divorce, 63
^Arguments againft it, 66
1531.
A Seffion of Parliament, 69
The Laws formerly made againft the Pope^s
Bulls, ibid
The Clergy fited in a Premunire, 76
Poifoning made Treafon, 78
The King leaves the §j4,cen, ibid
A Tumult among the Clergy, ibid
2!tf Pope joins him f elf to France, 79
1532.
Differences betwixt the King and the Houfe
of Commons, 8 1
The Pope writes to the King, 8 2
The King anfwers, 83
The King cited to Rome, and Cardinals
corrupted, 84
The Bifiops Oaths to the Pope andthe King, 87
More lays down his Office, 88
The King a/England and France meet, 89
The King marries Ann Boleyn, 9°
1533-
Tke Parliam. condemns Appeals to Rome, 9 1
Cranmer made Archbijlwp <?/ Canterbury^ 92
The Convocation condemns the Marriage, 9 3
Cranmer gives Sentence, with the Ccnfure,s
of it. 95
The Proceedings at Rome ufon it, 98
Elizabeth lorn, 99
a 2
10
1 1
1 2
1 3
14
The Contents.
The Pope promt fes to fat is fy the King, * ibid
But proceeds hafttly to a Sentence, ' 102
Arguments for re jetting the Pope^s Power , 103
And for the Kings Supremacy, 1 06
TheClergyfubmit to it, 108
1534*
The Pope^s Power condemned in Parliam. 1 09
The Ad of the Succeffion,
An All concerning Hereticks,
The Submifiion of the Convocation,
An All fer the Election ofBiflwps,
The Attainder of the Nun 0/Kent,
All fm fir the Oath ofSucceffion, 1 19
Fifher Bifiof o/Rocheller is in trouble, ibid
But is very obfitnate^ 1 2 1
' Mere and Filher refufe the Oath, ibid
Another Sefflon of Parliament eftMJbes
the King"** Suyremacyi 123
The Progress of the Reformation in Engl. 125
The Supplication of the Beggars, 1 27
Frith writes againft Purgatory, 1 28
A Persecution fet on by More, 1 29
Bilney'.r Martyrdom, ibid
FrithV Sufferings, 13 3
A flop put to further Cruelties, 135
TT;^ Inter eft the Reformers had at Court, 136
Others oppofe them much, 137
The Opinion of fome Btjhops of a General
Council, 138
Heads of a Speech of Cran mer% 139
The ft ate 0/ England at thtit timc^ 1 4 1
1535-
A General Vtfitation propofid, 144
n ft mil ions and Jnjunci tons for it, ibid
of the A-cn ifteries in England, 1 46
The Contents.
Some Honfcs farrcndercd to the King, 1 50
1536.
Queen Katherirfs Death, 151
The lejfir Monasteries fxpprefled, i 52
A Translation of the Bible defigned, ] 5 3
§hte en Ann BoleynV Fally 1 5 5
Her Trial, 1 59
And Execution, 162
Centres paft upon it, 1 64
Lady Mary7J St&imffien to the King, 165
The Att of ths Sacceffion, 1 6 7
jT/tf P^p^ defirte a Reconciliation with the K. 1 68
Ads againft the Pope"** Power, ibid
The Convocation examines feme Points of
Religion, 1 69
Articles of Religion agreed on, 172
Which are variously cenfiired, 1 74
Other Alterations propofed, 1 7 5
21tf JK/fff protefts againfl all Councils called
by the Pope, 178
CVd. Pool writes againfl him? 179
The leffer Monafleries fei^ed on, 1 8 1
Which gave a general difcontent, 182
Injunctions given by the King, 184
^ Rebellion in Lincolnfhire, 1 86
Another in Yorkfhire, 187
They are every where qnieted, 19 i
Greater Monafteries furrcndered, 193
Some Abbots Attainted, 196
71?^ Imfoftures offome Images difcovered, 200
Beckett Shrine broken, 20 1
The Pope thunders againft the King, 203
The Englifi Bifiops ajfert the King's Stt-
premacy, and explain the Nature of the
fower of the Church, 20 5
a Tht
The Contents.
The Bible fct out fa Englift, ttndnew ln-
junttions, 208
frince Edward born-y 209
Lambert u condemned, and burnt for de
nying the Corporal Pre fence, 210
Treaties with the German Princes, 213
1539.
The All of the fix Articles^ 2 1 5
Cenfitrespaft upon it, 219
An Attfor the fitppr effing the Monafteries,22Q
An Aft for new Bifl^opricks, 222
An All for Proclamations, 224
Some Attainted without being heard, 225
The King's kindnefs to Cranmer, 226
Pifbops hold their Sees at the Kings Plea-
j y JL £&
All the Monafteries fitpprefl, 229
A Treaty for a Match with Ann 0/CIeve,233
The King marries her, but never likes her, 234
The Knights of St. ]Q\Mfupp-fc{[ed, 236
Anew Parliament, 235
CromwelV Fait, 238
His Attaindor, 240
Cenfures pafl upon it, 241
The Kings Marriage annulled, 242
Cromwell Death, 246
A Bookjf Religion fet out by the Bifiops, 247
The Explanation of Faith, 248
And of the Sacraments, 250
The Bookjs publiftcd, 253.
Btirns ard others fall into Trouble, 255
And burnt, 257
New Sees founded, 260
1541.
The Bible fit up irt Churches^ 262
The
The Contents.
The Affairs ^/Scotland, 264
A Perfecutionfet on foot in Scotland, 269
The Queen's ill Life is difcovered, 27 1
1542.
A defign to fitfprefs the Bible, 274
Bonner's Injunctions, ibid
The way of Preaching at that time. 27 5
A War with Scotland, 279
1543.
A Parliament catted,
An Aft about Religion, ibid
Affairs in Scotland, 28 2
Some burnt at Windfor, 284
Cranmert Ruine is defigned, 286
1544.
The Att of the Succeffion,
The King makes War on France and Scot
land, 290
The King takes Bulloign, 29 1
1545-
Wifhart bvrn&t in Scotland,
Cardinal Beaton is murder ed^ 294
Chantries given to the Kingy 29 6
1546.
A Peace with France,
Ann Aifcough and others burnt ^ 298
Defigns againft Cranmer, 3°°
And againft the Queen, 3° x
The finks o/Norfolk's Fatl, 3°3
1547-
The Earl of Surrey executed, 3°4
The Duke is Attainted in Parliament, 305
The Kings Sicknefs^ 3°7
a 4
The Contents*
308
His Severities agaivft Pafifls^ 309
The Carthufiaiis wp4mc#/<*r, 316
Filbert Sufferings, 3 \ \
Move's Death and Char after, 312
Attainders after the Rebellion^
Forrell burnt for Hercfy, 3
Cardinal Pooi?s Friends Attainted, 3
5W.?f At tainted without being heard, ibid
7% Conclusion, 3 19
BOOK 1 1.
Of the Life and^eign of King E
the Sixth.
Ing Ed wardV 7?/>?& ^^/ Education, \
/<r*tf£ Henry's Teftament. 2
A Prote&or chofen^ ^
Btfobpj take out Commiffions, ibid
^ Creation of Neblemen, ^
Laymen had Ecclefiafticai Dignities, j
Some take down Images? 8
Arguments for •, andAgainflit, y
The King's Funeral, 1 2,
SoulMaffes examined, ibid
The Coronation^ • \^
T he Chancellor turned- out, I £
ProteSlors Patent, 17
21* ^f^'rj o/ Germany, ibid
71?^ Council of Trent, 19
Bivifions in England, 26
JH* ffifitatiw of all Churches, 23'
C en fores on the Injunttions, 2$
The
The Contents.
The War with Scotland, 28
The Battel of Muflelburgh, 3 1
The Swcefs of the Viptation, 3 JL
A Parliament meets, 3 5
An Act ofRefeal, ibid
An Att about the Sacrament, ^ 3 6
An Aft concerniugthe Nomination 0/Bi-
fhops, 37
An Aft againft Vagabonds , 39
An Aft for diffolving the Chantries, ^ 4x3
The Convocation fits, ibid
The Affairs of Germany, 43
Differences between the Protettor and the
'Admiral, 4$
1548.
The M. ^/Northampton^ Divorce, 48
Some Ceremonies abrogated^ 49
Anew Office for the Communion^ 52
Auricular Confeffion examined, 54
Gardiner is imyri fined, 5 6
A new Liturgy comfofcd, 5®
The new Offices, 6*
Private Communion, 62,
Cenfuresfaft on the Common-Prayer Book, 65
All Preaching was for fome time reftrained, 64
Affairs in Scotland, 6 5
Affairs in Germany, 67
1549.
A Sefflon of Parliament, % 69
^fw ^f^/or the Marriage of the Clergy, ibid
An Att confirming the Liturgy, 7 ^
AnAttforFafting, 73
77?^ Admirals Attainder, 74
Viftation, 77
The Contents.
concerning Chrifts Prejence in the
Sacrament i 79
Arguments againft the Corfordi I / -./wce, 8 1
j4nabaptifts in England, 85
Two wt,re burnt, 84
The Dottrine of Predefttnation abufcd, 8 7
Tumults in federal farts 0/England, ibid
The Rebellion in Devonihire, 89
And in Norfolk, 91
The Preach- be^in a WAY^ ibid
The Rebels every where routed^ 9 2.
AViptationat Cambridge, 94
BonnerV Procefs^ 9 5
jfad Deprivation, " 100
/// Succefs of the Englifi, J o I
Several Exfedients propofedj 105
77?? Emferottr refafes his j^ffiflance^ 1 06
A J? aft. ion againft the Protettor, 108
Which turns to a PublickJSreach^ 1 10
The Protestor's Fall, 1 1 2
The Emperour will not ajpft them^ 114
JiSeflion of Parliament, ' ibid.
1550.
The Duke of Somerfet fned^ but reflored
into Favour, 1 16
A Progress of the Reformation ibid.
The Book^ of Ordinations put otit^ 11 J
Pool chofen Pope, btet loft it ^ I2O
jA Treaty with France, 122
Ridley made Biftjopofl^ondon^ 123
Gardiner'.? Procefs, 1 24
[Latimer preaches at Court, 126
Hooper made Bifoop o/Glocefler hasfotne
Scruple concerning the Veftments, ibid
The Contents.
A review of the Common-Prayer Book,, 1 28
Bucer offers fome Advices to the King. 130
The 1< ing* s great Knowledg, ibid
Altars put down, 13 *
Affairs ^/Scotland, 1 3 *
And Germany, *33
1551.
Jk P«|*/& P*r*y comfly generally, 1 34
BucerV Z>^J>,
Gardiner'/ Deprivation, 136
ZTfc -^rtic/w of Religion agreed on, i 3$
Cte^ej w^* *« the Com. Prayer Book, 1 39
ZWy Mary »« wnWr for having Mafs
faid, l**
The Earl <?/ Warwick's Defigns, 147
A Treaty for a Marriage to the King, 149
The Duke o/Somerfct7^ F*Bj 1 50
His Try al, I5l
Rich gives up the Great Seal, and it was
given to the Bifiop of Ely, 1 54
The Duke of Somcr fet'^ Execution, 1 5 6
71* -$**™ <?/ Germany^ 1 5^
1552.
ASejfion of Parliament,
An Att againft Vfury, 1 ^4
^ /^ep^/ fl/f/j* Settlement of the Duke of
Somerfert Eftate, l6>
Tonftall w imjrifoned,
A Reformation of Ecclefiaflical Laws, 167
The Heads of it, 169
Tfo Poverty if the Clergy, 1 74
Affairs in Ireland, 1 7 $
^4 Change in the Garter, * 77
Northumberland's Seventy, J 7^
Trade flour ifaes much, ^79
Cardan
The Contents,
Cardan in. England,
Affaires in Scotland, 183
; The Affairs m G er many, 1 8 5
j^n Acconnt of the Council of Trent, 1 8 7
The, Emferours Defigns are blafted, 1 89
A Bill frofofed, that Laymen foonld not
hold Church Dignities, 191
An Aft fuffreffing the Bifljofncj^ 0/Dur-
ham, ibid
Another Visitation, 192
Sijhofs made by the Kings Patent, 193
Affairs in Germany, 194
The Kings Sicknefs, \ 9 5
The Patents for the Succef. to the Crown^ 197
The King^s Death, andCharaffery 199
B O O K 1 1 L
The Life and Reign of Qiieen JMar^
QVeen Mary fucceeds, 203
^ But Lady Jane Gray is proclaimed^ 205
Cenfitresfaft upon that, 206
Many turn to Gluten Mary, 208
Northumberland marches againft hery 209
TTtf Council declares for her, 2 1 0
She comes to London, 2 1 2
Her former Life, ibid
The Councils then laid down, 2 1 4
Northumberland^ Trial, 215
And Execution, 2 1 6
King Ed ward V Funeral, 2 1 7
^ Tumult at St. Pauls, 2 1 8
Severe
The Contents.
Severe Proceedings againft the Mtn of Suffolk,
and others, 22O
Particularly againft Judge Hales, 221
CranmerV Imfnfonment, 222
The Strangers driven out of England, 224
The Popular Arts ufed by Gardiner, 225
A Parliament meets, and re peals fe veral Laws^ 226
The Green's Aiother*s Marriage confirmed, 227
King Edward',; Laws about Religion repealed, 229
The Duke of Norfolk's Attainder repealed, 230
A Treaty for reconciling England to the Pofe, 232
And for a Match with the Prince of Spain, 233
PoolV Advices to the Queen, 234
The Parliament oppofe s the Match, and is diffolved, 236
A Convocation meets, and difjute about the Sacra-
went, 237
1554.
The Treaty of Marriage begun ', 241
Which provokes fome to rebel, 242
Lady Jane Gray's Execution^ 245
Several others fujfered, 247
The Imposture of the Spirit in the Wall? 248
Injunctions fent to the Bi^jofs, ibid.
Many Bifhofs turned oat, 249
A new Parliament, 251
A Profofition to make the Queen abfohite, 252
New Dictations at Oxford with Cranmer, 254
Tke Prince of Spain lands, and marries the Queen, 258
The Biflwps vi(it their Dioceffes, 26 1
Another Parliament, [ 263
The Nation i$ reconciled to the See of Rome, 264
Gardiner'^ Policy in thefleps of this Change, 268
Confutations about the way of yrccesdings againft
Hercticks-, 269
The Contents,
A Perfection u Jet on foot, 27 1
Rogers and Hooper condemned andburnt, 272
The Burnings muck condemned, 274
Arguments agawft them, and for them, 276
The Queen repores the Church-Lands, 279
Marcellus chofen Pope : Paul the qth fuccecds. ibid.
The English Ambaffadors come to Rome, 280
The Englifh grow backyard to Perfection, 281
The Queer?* Delivery in vain looked for, 282
More Hereticks burnt, ibid.
Religion* Houfes fet up, 285
Sir Tho. MoreV Works pitblifad, ibid.
Ridley and Latimer 6#w, 286
Gardiner'/ Death, 289
The Parliament ill pleased with the Queens &0<&&29O
Pool V Decrees for the R e for mat ion of the Clergie. 293
He refitfes to bring the Jefuits into England, 295
More of the Reformed are burnt, 296
Affairs in Germany, ibid.
Charles the $ttfs Refignation, 297
1556.
CranmerV Sufferings, 298
He repents, and is burnt, 301
His Character, 303
More Burnings, 304
Tltf Reformed encreafe upon this, 306
The Troubles at Frankford, ibid.
Pool made drch-bifbop of Canterbury, 307
More Religious Hoiifts, ibid.
The Pope Jets on a War between France and Spain, 309
1557-
A lriptation of the Vniverfities, 3 1 1
A fever e Inquiption of Heretic^ 3 12
More Burnings. 3 1 3
Lord
The Contents.
Lord Stourton hanged, 3 1 5
The Qyeenjoyns in a War againft France. 3 1 6
The Battel at St. Quintin, 3 1 7
The Pope recals Pool, 3 1 8
Affairs 0/Germany. 3 20
1558-
Calais ^/ other Places taken by the French^ 322
Great Difcontents in England, 3 24
The Parliament meets, 325
The Carriage and Vfage of L. Eliz. all this Reign^ ibid,
/// Succefs andftrange Occidents, 3 29
The Dauphin and the ^/Scotland married^ 331
A Parliament in E ngland, 3 3 2,
The Queens Death, 33$
PoolV -Dftif fc ^z??^ Char after i ibid.
The Queens Char after, 334
BOOK IV.
f\V*en Elizabeth frocUimc4y 337
V^L T^>g Queen carxe to London, | ^8
I' hili^ propofes Marriage to the Queen , ^f ;» V^/'w, 3 59
The Coun flit tldvt changing Religion^ 340
u4 Scheme prcfofed* 341;
TA* Impatience offome, 3 41
Parker rejufes the See o' Canterbury, 34 j
Bacon made Lord I(eef>:r: The Oxetn it crowntd, 344* ibid.
^ Parliament is calle.l, T$c -eace. at Cambray, 345? 34^
*4tts paf tn ParliameKti 34^
The Commons pray the O^em t9 marry, ibid,
Her Title to the Crown acl*noi»leilged) 348
Ads concerning Relt^ion^ 349
P re itching TO it bout Licence forlid^ent 3 5 1
s4p*bb\Conftrtff£e about Religion ^ ibid,
Arguments for and agatuft Worfhip in an Unknown Tongue •> 351
The Engliih Service is ft gain fet up, 355
Speeches agatnft tt by ft me Etfho^s^ 3 ^6
Many Btftops turntdout, 3 ^8
fhe Oueen enclinedto l>eep Images tn Churches ^ 360
^ gen a ra I Vitiation* ibid .
The high Cammijfim Court, 3^2,
Parker
Th£ Contents.
Parker // \>ery unwillingly made ArchMJhof <?/Canterbiiry
The ether Btfhofs conformed,
The Fable of the Nags-Head confuted,
Yhe Articles of the Church pvblijked> %$ j
'A Tran flat ion of the Btble^ 3*8
The Want of Church Difctplinej 369
The Reformat ton tn Scotland^ 370
// // fi-ftfet up im Sf.Johnttowri, 272
Tht Queen-Regent is depofed, 3 7 j
The Oueen of England ajjifts the Scots, 376
The ^ueen-Regent dies, ibid.
.*tf Par lament meets and fettles the Refer nation^ 377
The ^/"England the Head of all the P rote ft ants, 378
Both tn France, and the Netherlands, 379, 381
The excellent A dmintf ration of Affairs in England, ibid.
Severities again ft the Papifts were necejfarjy 285
Sir F. walfingh. Account ofthefteps in which [ke proceeded) ibidi
The Conclufion^ 3 8 6
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"'Scok.I.
Illlilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillll
KING HENRY
the
EDWARD
tke VT.
CO
A N
ABRIDGMENT
O F T H E
of
OF THE
€f}tttcl>Df ENGLAND.
-L I B. I.
Of the Beginnings of ity
grefi made in it, ly K^ng Henry
the Eighth
THe Wars of the two Houfes of
Tork^ and Lane after ^ had produced
fuch difmal Revolutions, and calt
England into fuch frequent and
terrible Convulfions, that the Nation, with
B great
2 augment of
Book !• great joy received Henry the Seventh ;
who being himfelf defended from the
Houfe of Lancafterj by his marriage With
the Heir of the Houfe of York, did deliver
them from the fear of any more Wars by
new Pretenders. But the covetoufneis of
his Temper, the feverity of his Minifters,
his ill conduct in the Matter of Britaigtt,
and his jealoufy of the Houfe of Yorkj> not
only gave occafion to Impoftors to difturb
his Reign, but to feveral Infurredtions that
were raifed in his time : By all which he
was become fo generally odious to his Peo-
,ple, that as his Son might have raifed a
vdangerous competition fqr the Crown du
ring his Life, as devolved on him by his
Mother's death, who was indeed the Righ
teous Heir :> fo his death was little lamen-
22 ted. And Henry the Eighth fucceeded,
1 509. with all the Advantages he could have defi-
Bedtjgra- rc(j ; and his difgracing Emffon and Dud-
ibn 1«T" ty* that hacl keen the cruel Minifters of his
Dudley. Fathers Deilgns for filling his Goffers, his
appointing Reftitution to be niade of the
Sums that had been unjuftly exacted of
the People, and his ordering Juflice to be
done on thofe rapacious Minifters, gave all
People hopes of happy Times, under a
Reign that was begun with fuch an Ad of
Juftice, that had indeed more Mercy in it,
than thofe Acts of Oblivion and Pardon,
with which others did ufually begin. And
when Minifters, by the King^s Ordersrwere
condemned and executed for invading the
Liberties of the People under the Covert
of
of tfie &efa?matfott, &. 3
fefthe King's Prerogative ; it made the Na~ Book I,
tion conclude, that they ihould hereafter
live fecure, under the Protection of fuch a
Prince^ and that the violent Remedies of
Parliamentary Judgments fhould be no
more neceflafy, except as in this cafe, to
confirm what had Been done before in the
ordinary Courts of Jultice;
The King alfo either from the Magnifi-
cence of his own Temper, or the Obferva-
tion he had made of the ill Effects of his
Father's Parfimony, did diftribute his Re
wards and Largefles with an unmeafured
Bounty } fo that he quickly emptied his
Treafure, which his. Father had left the 1800000 <
fulleft in Chriltendom : But till the ill
tffefts of this appeared, it raifed in his
(Court and Subjects the greatelt Hopes poffi-
ble of a Prince, whofe firft Actions fhewed
an equal mixture of Juftice and Genero-
fity.
At his firft coming to the Crown, the
Sncceiles of Lewis the Twelth^in Italy, made
him engage ds a Party in the Wars with the HIS Sue.;
Crown of Sfaih ; He went in Perfoh beyond cef5 'm *W
"Sea, and took both Tcrwln and Tournaj^ Wars*
in whicfy as he acquired the Reputation of
a good and fortunate Captain ; fo Maximil~
livn the Emperor, put an uniifual Comple
ment on him, for he took his pay^ and rid
in his Troops. But a Peace quickly fol*
lowed ; upon wfiich, the French King mar
ried his Younger Sifter Mwry, but he dy
ing foon after, Francis the firft fucceeded :
and he renewing his Pfetenfions upon Italy*
B 2,
Book I. Henry could not be prevailed on to ingage
early in the War, till the Succefles of either
Party fliould difcover which of the fides
was the weaker, and needed his Affiftance
jnofl.
But tho hitherto, Spain was an unequal
Match to France, yet all Sfain being now
united (except Portugal ) and flrengthnecl
by the Acceffion of the Dominions of Bur-
gundy, and inriched by the difcovery of
the Indies •, and all this falling into the
hands of fo great a Prince as Charles, after
wards the fifth Emperor of that Name •, the
ballance between thefe Kingdoms grew as
equal, as the Qualities of the Princes them-
felves were, which ingaged them in a Ri
valry that made their Minds as divided, as
their Interefts were oppofite. Charles being
preferred to Francis in the Competition for
the Empire, that kindled the Animofiity
higher, and feemed to encreafe Charleses
Party, tho the extent and diftance of his
Dominion was fuch, that one Soul ( tho
his was one of the largeft and moft active in
the World ) could not animate fo vaft a
Body. Both thefe Princes fawhowcon-
^e k ilderable an Ally or Enemy England might
both'by prove, under a King fo much eileemed
f 'ranee and beloved j fo they fpared no Arts that
and span, might engage him into their Iritereils •, they
gained his Minifters by their Prefents, and
himfelf by their Complements? for it was
loon found out, that Vanity was his weak
1520, fide. The Emperour came in Perfon to
May. England^ without the diltruftful Precaution
of
of t&e Eef0?matt0n> $t+ 5
of a !>afsport, and did fo prevail with him, Book I.
and his great Favourite Cardinal Wolfcy^ v^v^^j
by the promife of the Popedom, that tho
an Interview followed between Francis and June,
him, yet he found the Scale of France was
then the heavier, fo that upon the War,
wjiich followed between thofe Princes, he
joyned with the Emperour.
Charles^ to allure himfelf of Cardinal
Wolfeyj gave him hopes of the Popedom 5
which perhaps he did the more eafily, be-
caufe Pope Leo being fo young a Man, there
was no great appearance of a Vacancy : but
the Pope dying fooner than perhaps was 1521*
expedted, Adrian, that had been the Em-
perour's Tutor, was then chofen, and Car
dinal Wolfey had the promife of fucceeding
him : But a fecond Vacancy following
within two Years, the Emperour broke his
word the fecond time^ upon which, the
Cardnial was fo offended, that he refolved
to take his Revenge, fo foon as a favoura
ble Conjuncture fhould offer it felf ; and tho
he had laid the belt Train he could at Rome
for the Chair | yet upon Clement the
feventh's Advancement, he diilembled the
matter fo with him, as to proteft, that he
was the very perfon whom he had wifhed
to fee raifed to that Dignity.
The Battel of Pavia, in which Francis
was taken Prifoner, and his Army defeat- taen
ed, turned the Scale mightily *, the Pope foner>
was neareft the danger, and felt it fooneft ;
for he projected the Clementine League, by
Which both He and the Republick o
B 3
6 a<tgmertt of tfje fyift$®>
Book I. and the Princes of 7ta/y,engaged in the Jnt&-
refts of France; and the King of England was
declared the Protector of it. . Both publick
and private alter efts wrought on the King-,
and his own Refentments., as well as the
Cardinals animated him to it : for the Ein-
perour was fo lifted up with his Succefs,
that he began to form the Project of an
Ilniverfal Empire, andtho he had come to
Evgland in Perfon a fecond time, and had
contracted a Marriage with the King^s
Daughter, yet he preferred a Match with
the Infanta of Portugal to it, judging it to
/ be of more Importance to him to keep all
[t 526. quiet in Spam. Francis was now at liberty,
but had given his Sons as Hoilages, fo he
was flow in his Proceedings, tho he was
the Perfon moil concerned in the League :
The Emperour was highly difpleafed with
the Pope, whom he lookM on as his own
Creature, but it was always obferved, that
cf what Faction foever a Cardinal migjit be,
yet upon the Advancement, he became the
Head of his own,
I The Colonsft entred 'Rome with three
T* ' thoufandMen, and fack'dit, the Pope re
tiring to thq Gaftle of Saint Angdo^ and
27' fubmitting to the Conditions that were
offered ^ but their Troops being drawn ou,t
of Rome, the Pope gathered his together,
and fell on their Lands, and by a Creation
of fourteen Cardinals for Money ( which
perhaps may he excufed from Simony, be-
caufe they took no care of Souls ) he was
tP profecnte the War-, but the
f "Duks
of tfie Eefoimatf on, ?c; 7
Duke of Bourbon, that upon a Difcontent Book I
given him in France, had gone over to the L^VNJ
Emperour's Service, came to Rome, and
took it by ftorm,himfelf being killed in the
Ailault, the Pope and feventeen Cardinals, Ma»
Unit themfelves in the Caftle St. Angela, And at;'c<--
buthewas forced to render, and was kept waui* the
Prifoner fome Months. P°PC%
This gave great Scandal to all Europe \
the Emperonr himfelf feem'd afhamed ot it,
for he would fuffer no rejoycing to be in
Sfam for his Sons Birth, but appointed
publick Proceffions for the Pope^s Liberty.
Wolfey had now the belt opportunity he
could wifh, to declare his Zeal for the Pope's
Service, and his Averfion to the Emperour ^
fo he went to France-, and made a new
League, for fetting the Pope at liberty.
The Emperour prevented the Conjunction
he faw like to follow, and having brought
the Pope to his own Terms, he reltored
him again to his Freedom. Arid thus both
the Pope and the King of France, that by
very unufufal Accidents had been taken
Prisoners, acknowledged that their Liberty
was chiefly due to the Indeavours that King
Henry had ufed for procuring it.
When, he was thus firmly united to
the Intereils of France, he had lefs to fear in
from Scotland*, which being a perpetual
Ally to France, gave him no Diiturbance,
but as it was drawn into the War by that
Court: That Kingdom wasalfo for many
Years under a King not of Age, and fo was
Fadion,and thpfe Broils
B 4 at
8 §&i5£tttmt of tfje |)i
at home, being the furefl way to keep them
from making Inroads into England, were
kept up by the Mony which theKingfent
the Atalecontents; therefore both the Courts
pf France and England, by the Penfions they
gave, kept the feveral Parties there in pay,
which Advantage that Kingdom loft when
it was joy ned to England. A s for Domeftick
Affairs in the Government of England, the
King left Matters much in the hands of his
Council^ in which there were two different
parties? headed by the Bilhop of Wincbefler
and the Lord Treafurer that was Duke or
Norfolk^- The former much complained
of the Confumption of the Treafure":, the ci
ther juftified himfelf, that he only obeyed
the King's Orders. But the Treafurer^
Party? under a bountiful King, muft always
be ftrongeft, both in the Court and Coun
cil. In the firft Parliament, the JufHce
done ppon Emjfon and Dudly, gave fo great
Satisfaclion, that all things went as the
Court defired. In the fecpnd Parliament,
a Brief that Pope Jutim writ, complaining
of Ltrvis the twelfth, was firft read in the
Houfe of Lords, and then carried down by
the L. Chancellor, and fome other Lords to
the Houfe of Commons0and read thereupon
which, Mony was granted for a War witl)
France. At this time, Fox, to fupport his
Party againft the Lord Treafurer-, endea-
tyr:.woi- youred to bring Thowa* Wolfey into fa-
pjs Rife, vour -7 he was of mean Extradion, but had
great Parts, and a wonderful Dexterity in
iniinuating himfelf into Men's Favours ^ fo
af tSe JMojmatfotts $e; ^
he being brought into Bufme'fs, did fo ma- Book f „
nage the King, that he became very quickly Cyv^J
jihe Matter of his Spirited of all his Affairs;
and for fifteen Years continued to be the
pnoft abfolute Favourite that had ever been
feen in England. He faw the King was
much fet on his Pleafures, and had a great
Averlion to bufinefs^ and the other Coun-
fellours being unwilling to bear the load of
Affairs, were uneafy to him, by prefling
him to goyern by his own Counfels-, but he
knew the methods of Favourites better, and
fo was not only eafy, but atfiftant to the
King in his Pleafures, and undertook to
free him from the Trouble of Government,
"and to give him leifure to follow his Appe
tites.
He was Matter of all tjie Offices at home, Ana
and Treaties abroad; fo that all Affairs went Greatnefs,'
as he directed them. He it feems became
foon obnoxious to Parliaments, and there
fore he tried but one during his Miniftry,
where the Supply was granted fo fcantily,
that afterwards he chufed rather toraife
Mony by Loans and Benevolences5 than by
jphe free gift of the People in Parliament.
He became fo fca'ndalous for his ill Life,
that he grew to be a Difgrace to his Pro-
feffion^ for he not only ferved the King,
but alfo fhared with him in his Pleafures,
which were unhappy to him, for he was
fpoiled with Venerial Diftempers. He was
firft made Bifhop of Tottrpay in F lander sy
j:hen of Lincoln, after that he was promoted
to the See of Tor^ and bad both the Abby
of
Book I. of St. Mbans, and the Biihoprick of Bath
and WW/,f w Commendam ; the laft he after
wards exchanged for Durefm, and upon
Foxes death, he quitted Durefm, that he
might take Winchefter ^ and belides all this,
the King by a fpecial Grant, gave him
power to difpofe of all the EcclefialHcal Pre
ferments in England, fo that in effed he was
the Pope of this other Woi ld,as was faid an-
tiently of an Arch-bifnop of Canterbury, and
no doubt but he copied skilfully enough after
thofe Patterns that were fet him at Rome .
Being made a Cardinal,and fetting up a Le-
gatine Court,he found it fit for his Ambition
to have the Great Seal likewife, that there
might be no clalhing between thofe two Ju-
rifdidions. He had in one word all the Qua
lities neceilary for a Great Minifler, and all
the Vices ordinary in a Great Favourite.
During this whole Raign, the Duke's of
Norfolk^ Father and Son, were Treasurers,
but that long and ftrange courfe of Favour
in fo ticklifh a Time, turn'd fatally upon
the Son, near the end of the King's Life.
But he that was the longeft and greateft
fharer in the King's Favour, was Charles
^ran^°n^ w^° from the degree of a pri-
vate Gentleman was advanced to the high-
eft Honors. The ftrength of his Body,
and the gracefnlnefs of his Perfon, con
tributed more to his Rife, than his Ipexte-
rity in Affairs, or the Endowments of his
Mind, for the greateft Evidence he gave of
his Underftanding, was, that knowing he
was not made for Bufinefs, he did not prer
tend
n
to if, a Temper feldomobfervedby Book
the Creatures of Favour, The frame and L/V
ilrength of his Body made him a great Ma
tter in the Diverfions of that Age, Jufts and
Tiltings,and a fit Match for the King, or ra
ther a Second to him, who delighted mighti
ly in them. His Perfon was fo acceptable to
the Ladies, that the King's Sifter, the Queen
Dowager of France liked him, and by a
ftrange fort of making Love, prefixed him a
time for gaining her Confent to marry him^
and affiired him, if that he did not prevail
within that time, he might for ever defpair.
She married him in France, and the King af
ter a fhew of fome Difpleafure, was pacified
and continued his Favours to him, not only
during his Sifter's Life, but to the laft, and
in all the Revolutions of the Court that fol-
lowed,in which every Minifter fell by turns,
he ftill enjoyed his fhare in the King's Boun
ty and Affection: fo much happier it pro
ved to be loved, than trufted by him.
The King denied himfelf none of thofe
Pleafures, that are as much legitimated in
Courts, as they are condemned elfewhere j
but yet he declared no Miftrisf, but Elizabeth
#to,and owned no Iflue, but a Son he had
by her, whom he afterwards made Duke of
Richmond. He took great care never to im- J^ KinJ5*
broil himfelf with his Parliaments, and he to^
niet with no Oppofition in any, except in ments.
that one, which was during Cardinal Wool-
fey** Miniftry •, in which 800000 /. being de
manded for 3 War with France^ to be paid
|n four Years, the debate about it rote very
high
1 2 abjiBfftttettt of tfje $piffo$
Book f. high, and not above the half of it was offe-
Vvs*-/ red} fo the Cardinal came into the Houfe
of Commons, and defired to hear the Rea-
fons of thofe who were againft the Supply,
but he was told that it was againft their Or
ders to fpeak to a Debate before any that
was not of the Houfe: he Was much difatis-
fied at this, and caft the blame of it upon Sir
Thomas Moor that was Speaker, and after
that he found out other means of fupplying
the King without Parliaments.
The King's The King had been educated with
Education, more than ordinary Care : and Learning be
ing then in its dawning, after a night of
teng and grofs Ignorance, his Father had
given Orders that both his elder Bro»
ther and he fhould be well inflruded in
matters of Knbwledg ; not with any defign
to make him Arch-bilhop of Canterbury ^ for
he had made fmall progrefs, when his Bro^
ther Prince Arthur died, being then but
eleven Years old: per haps Henry the feventh
felt the Prejudices of his own Education fo
much, that he was more careful to have his
Son better taught •, or may be he did it to
amuze him, and keep him from looking too
early into matters of State. The Learning
then moft in credit among the Clergy, was
the Scholaftical Divinity, which by a fhew
of Subtilty, did recommend it felf to curi
ous Perfons ^ and being very futable to a
vain and contentious Temper, was that
which agreed bed with his Difpofition*, and
it being likely to draw the mofl Flattery
from Divines, became the chief Subjeft of
his
oftfje Eefo?matian5 <jc* 13
his Studies, in which he grew not only to Book L
be Eminent for a Prince, whofe Knpwledg
iho ever fo moderate, will be admired by
Flatterers as a Prodigy, but he might real
ly have pail for a Learned Man had his
Quality been ever fo mean. He delighted
in the purity of the Latin Tongue, an4
underftood Philofophy, and was fo great
a Mailer in Muficjc, that he compofed well.
He was a bountiful Patron to all Learned
Men, more particularly to Erafmw and
Polidore Virgil, and delighted much in thofe
Returns which hungry Scholars ufe to make
to liberal Princes-, for he loved Flattery out
ofmeafure, and particularly to be extolle^H'5
for his Learning and great Underilanding : ™n8f tand
and he had enough of it to have furfeited a
Man of any Modefty ; for all the World,
both at home and abroad, contended who
fhould exceed molt indecently in fetting out
his Praifes. The Clergy carried it *, for as
he had merited molt at their hands, both
by his efpoufing the Intereftsof the Papacy,
and by his entering the Lifts with Luther :
fo thofe that hoped to be advanced by thofe
Arts, were as little a (named in magnifying
him out of meafure^as he was in receiving
their grofs Commendations.
The manner of promotion to Bifliopricks ^e man-
and Abbies was then the fame,th3thad taken ner of the
place ever fince the Inveftitures by the Ring promotion
and Staff were taken out of the hands of °
Princes. Upon a Vacancy the King feized
on ail the Temporalities, and granted a Li
cence for an Eleclion, with a fpecial Re-
comnien-
i 4 &b?tBgmettt of tfje tytitajjg
Book L commendation of the Perfon 5 which being
ly^Nj returned, the Royal Aflent was given, and
it was fent to Rome that Bulls might be ex-
peded, and then the Bifhop Eled was con-
fecrated : after that he came to the King and
renounced every Claufe in his Bulls that was
contrary to the King's Prerogative, or tb
the Law, and fwore Fealty •, and then were
v^ the Temporalities reftored. Nor could Bulls
be fued out at Rome without a Licence un
der the Great Seal.} fo that die Kings of
Engl. had referved the power to themfelves,
of promotingto Eccleflaftical Benefices not-
withftanding all the Invafions the Popes had
A Con- made on the Temporal power of Princes.
ttft con- The Immunity of Church-men for crimes
ceming committed by them, till they were firft de-
fiaftkal Sra^ed ^y tne Spirituality, occafioned the
imaiunity. only Conteft that was in the beginning of
this Reign between the Secular and Eccle-
fiaftical Courts. King Henry the Seventh
paft a Law, that Clerks convift fhould be
burnt in the hand. A temporary Law was
alfo made in the beginning of this Reign,
That Murderers and Robbers^ not being
Biihops, Priefls, nor Deacons, fhould be de
nied the benefit of Clergy : but this was to
laft only till the next Parliament, and fo
being not continued by it, the Ad deter
mined. The Abbot oflVinchelcomb preached
feverely againft it, as being contrary to the
Laws of God, and the Liberties of the Holy
Church* and faid, that all who aflented to it
had fain under theCenfures of the Church,
And afterwards he publilhed a Book,- to
prove
c* 15
prove that all Clerks, even of the lower Or- Book 1*
defs, were Sacred, and could not be judged
by the Temporal Courts. This being done
in Parliament-time, the Temporal Lords,
with the Commons, addrefled to the King^
defiring him to reprefs the Infolence of the
Clergy. So a publick Hearing was appoint
ed before the King, and all the Judges :
Dr. Standtfa a Ff ancifcan^ argued againft
the Immunity, and proved that the judging
Clerks had been in all times pradtifed in
England 3 and that it was neceflary for the
peace and fafety of Mankind, that all Cri
minals mould be punilhed. The Abbot ar
gued on the other fide, and faid, it was con
trary to a Decree of the Church, and was a
Sin in it felf. Standifo anfwered, That alj
Decrees were not obferved : for notwith-
ilanding the Decrees for Refidence, Bifhops
did not refide at their Cathedrals. And
fince no Decree did bind till it was receiv
ed, this concerning Immunity, which was
never received in England^ did not bind. Af
ter they had fully argued the matter, the Lai
ty were all of opinion that the Fryar was too
hard for the Abbot, and fo moved the King
that the Bifhops might be ordered to make
him preach a Recantation Sermon. But they
refufed to do it, and faid they were bound by
their Oaths to maintatin his Opinion.
Si**tkfh was upon this, much hated by the
Clergy, but the matter was let fall, yet the
Clergy carried the point, for the Law was
not continued.
Not long after this, an Accident fell out
that
Book I. that drew great Confequences after ifr
One Richard Hun, a Merchant in London^
was fued by his PariaVPrieit for a Mortua
ry in the Legates Court,, fo he was advifed
to fue the Prieil in the temporal Court for
•£ Premunire for bringing the King's Sub-
jecls before a forraign and illegal Court
This incenfed the Clergy fo much that they
contrived his Deftruclion : So hearing that
he had Widt$lif\ Bible,he was upon that put
im- in the BiOiop's Prifpn for Herefy, but be-
priioned ing examined upon fundry Articles, he con-
for Here- felled fome things, and fubmitted himfelf to
.Mercy, upon which they ought according
•to Law, to have injoyned him Penance,
and difcharged him, this being his firlt
Crima -^ but Ije could not be prevailed on
,by the terror, of this to let his Suit fall in
Murdered the Temporal Court •, fo one Night his
Neck was broken with an Jf on Chain,and he
was wounded in other Parts of his Body,and
then knit up in his own Girdle? and it was
given out that he had hanged himfelf •, but
•the Coroners Inqueft by examining the Bo^
4y, aud by feveral other Evidences, and
particularly by the confeiTion of the Sum
mer, gave their Verdict, that he was mur
dered by the Bifhop?s Chancellor Dr. Hor-
fey-> and the Sumner, and the Bel-ringer.
The Spiritual Court proceeded againlt the
dead Body, and charged Hun with all the
•Herefy in WsUffis Preface to the Bi-
ble' -becaufe that was found inhisPoiTefli-
bis Body on v fo he was condemned as an Heretick,
burnt. and upon that his Body was burnt. The
Bifhops
of tlje Eef0?ttiaticm, &* 17
Bifhops of Dwefm and Lincoln, and many Book I.
Dodors fitting with the Bifhopof£<W0;z
when he gave Judgment :, fo that it was
looked upon as an Adof the whole Clergy :
but this produced very ill EfFeds -7 for the
Clergy loft the Affedions of the City
to fuch a degree, that they could never re
cover them } nor did any one thing difpofe
them more than this did,to the entertaining
the new Preachers^ and to every thing that
tended to the reproach of the Church-men*
whom they eileemed no more their Pallors,
but accounted them barbarous Murderers.
The Rage went fo high, that the Bifhop of
London complained, that he was not fafe in
his own Houfe, and there were many hea
rings before the Council j for the Cardinal
did all he could to flop the progrefs of the
Matter, but in vain : for the Bifhop's Chan
cellor and the Sumner were indided as Prin
cipals in the Murder. In Parliament an
Ad pailM reftoring Hun's Children:, but
the Commons fent up a Bill concerning his
Murder,yet that was laidalide by the Lords^
where the Clergy were the Majority. The
Clergy lookM on the Oppofition that Stan- Further
difo had made in the point of their immuni-
ties, as. that which gave the rife to HM?S
firfl Suit :> fo the Convocation cited him to
anfwer for his Carnage in that Matter;
but he claimed the King'sProtedion, fmce
he had done nothing^but only pleaded in the
King^s Name. The Clergy pretended they
did not profecute him for his pleading,'
but for fome of his Divinity Ledures, con-
G trary
1 8 augment of f Ije K>iffo?p
Book I. trary to the Liberty of the Church, which
the King was bound to maintain by his Co
ronation-Oath : but the Temporal Lords,
the Judges, and the Commons prayed the
King alfo to maintain the Laws according to
his Coronation-Oath, and to give Standifo
his Protection. The King upon this being in
great perplexity, required K~9//y,afterwards
Bilhop of Exeter , to declare upon his Con-
fcience and Allegiance the truth in that mat
ter. His Opinion was againft the Immuni
ty *, fo another publick Hearing being ap
pointed, Standifr was accufed for teaching,
That the Inferiour Orders were notfacred-. That
their Exemption VPM not founded on a Divine
Right -Jout that the Laity might fHnijh themflhat
the Canons of the Church did not bind till they
were received , and that the ftudy of the Canon
Law WM ufelcfs/ Of theie he denied fome,
and juftified other particulars, Veyfy being
required to give his Opinion,alledged,That
the Laws of the Church did only oblige
where they were received : As the Law of
the Celibate of the Clergy, received in the
Well, did not bind the Greek Churches,
that never received it : So the exemption
of the Clerks not being received, did not
bind in England. The Judges gave their
Opinion next, which was, That thofe who
profecuted Standifi were all in a Premunire.
So the Court broke up. But in another
Hearing, in the prefence of the greateft
part of bothHoufes of Parliament, the Car-
dinal faid in the name of the Clergy, That
• tho they intended to do nothing againft the
* King's
of tlje Eefo?matt«t) $c: 1 9
King's Prerogative:,yet the trying of Clerks Book
feemed to be contrary to the Liberty of the
Church, which they were bound, by their
Oaths to maintain. So they prayed that the
matter might be referred to the Pope.
The King anfwered that he thought
Stanchfo had anfwered them fully : The Bi-
{hcypofWirvbtfttr faid, he would not Hand
to his Opinion at his Peril. Standiflj upon
that faid, What can one poor Friar do
againil all the Clergy of England ? The
Arch-biOiopofC^f^r^ryfaid, Some of the
Fathers of the Church had fuffered Martyr
dom upon that account , but the Chief:
Jultice replied, That many holy Kings had
maintained that Law, and many holy Bi*
ihops had obeyed it. In concl-u lion the King
declared, that he would maintain his Rights,
and would not fubmit them to the Decrees of
the Church, otherwife than as his Anceftors
had dons.Warham Arch-bifhop of Canter bury
de lived fo long time might be given* that
they might have an Anfwer returned from
Rome, but that was not granted: yet a Tem
per was found. Horfey was appointed to
be brought to his Trial for //«#'s Murder*
and upon his pleading not guilty, no Evi
dence was to be brought,and fo he was to be
difcharged. But upon this it was faid, The
Judges were more concerned to maintain
their Jurifdic1:ion,than to do Juilice upon fo
horrid a Murder:, fo the difcontent given by
' it was raifed fo much higher ,and the Crime
of a few Murderers,was now transferred up-
On the whole Clergy -i who had concerned!
G z them-
2 o 2tb?iCff nteut of tfje |)iff 0$
Book I. themfelves fo much in their Prefervation-,
v^V^-^ and this did very much difpofe the Laity
to all that was done afterwards, for pul
ling down the Ecclefiaftical Tyranny.
The King This was the only uneafy ftep in this
is much King's Raign, till the fuit for his Divorce
to thePa was commenced. In all other points he
pacy. " was confently in the Pope's Interefls, who
fent him the commonComplements of Rofes,
and fuch other Triffles, by which that See
had treated Princes fo long as Children.
The King made the Defence of the Popedom
an Article in his Leagues with other Princes,
and Pope Jidins having called a General
Council to the Later an j\\ 'opposition to that
which by £nr/>the Twelfth's means was
held at Pifa ; The King fent the Bifhops of
Worcefter and Rochefter,the Prior ofSt.J0lnfa
and the Abbot of Wmchelcomb to reprefent
the Church of England, thereby to give the
greater Authority to a pack'd meeting of
Italian Bifhops and Abbots, who au%ned
to themfelves the Title of a Holy and Oecume
nical Council. But no Complement wrought
fo much on the King's Vanity, as the Title
of Defender of Faith, fent him by Pope Leo
upon the Book, which he writ again.lt La
ther concerning the Sacraments.
Cm-Una! The Cardinal drew upon himfelf the
Mto&to hatred of the Clergy, by a Bull which im-
i-eform the powered him tovifitall the Monafteries of
4 lergy. England , and to difpence with all the Laws
of the Church for a Year. He alfo gave
out, that he intended to reform the Cler
gy , though he forgot that which ought
* to
of tlje Elefo^niatton, «jc* 21
to be the firft ftep of all who pretend tore- Book
form others 5 for none could be worfe than ^~v^
himfelf was. He lived in great Luxury,
and in an infolent Affectation of the high-
elt Statepoflible j' many of his Domefticks
being men of the fir ft Rank. He intended
to fupprefs many Monaileries, and thought
the belt way for doing it with the lealt
Scandal, was firlt, to vifit them, and fo to
expofe their Corruptions : But he was af
terwards diverted from this; yet the de-
iign which he laid, being communicated to
Cromweljhat was then his Secretary, it was
put in Practice toward the end of this
Reign, when, the Monafteries were all fup-
prefled.
The Convocations were of two forts •, Tt
fome were fummoned by the King , when c
Parliaments were called, as is in ufe to this /tons.
Day ^ only the King did not then prefix
a Day, but left that to the Arch-bifhops.
Others were called by the Archbifhops, and
were Provincial Synods , of which there
were but few. The Cardinal pretended
that the fummoning all Convocations be-
longed to him, as Legate -, fo that when
Warham had called one, he diflblved it after
it was met, and fummoned it of new. In
that Convocation^ great Supply was grant-
edtothe King, of half a Years Rent of all
Benefices payable in five Years, for affifting
him in his Wars with France and Scotland.
This was much oppofed by the Cardinal's
Enemies, but it was agreed to at laft, a Pro-
vifo being made,that fuch a heavy tax fhould
C 3 never
2 2 8fc?ft!jment of tlje tyift 0$
L never be made a Precedent for the future •,
tho the Grant they macje was more likely
to become a Precedent, than this Provifo to
6e a Security for the time to come.
This encreafed the Averfiqn the Clergy
had for the Cardinal : the Monks were more
particularly incenfed :, for they faw he was
refolved to fiipprefs their Foundations, and
convert them to other ufes.
In the days of King Edgar ^ moft of the
Cathedrals of England were pollefled by
Secular Prises* who were generally marri-
^7 'but Dttnftan and fome other Monks took
advantage from the Vices of that Prince, to
perfwade him to make Compenfation for
them '•) and as he made Laws,in which he de
clared what Compenfations were to be made
for Sins, both by the Rich and Poor •, fo, it
feems, he thought the founding of Monalie-
Hes was the fitteft Compenfation for a King-,
and he turned out all the married Prieits,and
put Monks in their Head. From that time
the Credit and Wealth of Monaftick Orders
continued to encreafe for feverai Ages, till
the Begging Orders iiicceeded in the efleem
of the World, to the place which the
Monks formerly had •, for they decreased as
much in true worth,as the falfe appearances
of it had now raifecl their Revenues. They
were not only ignorant themfelves,but very
jealous of the progrefsLearning was making:
for EraftniMj and the other Reftorers of it,
treating them with much fcom, they looked
on the encreafe of it, as that which would
rnucb Men them, andfo not only did not
con-
of t&e Kefojnrattot, tc; 2 9
contribute to it, but rather detracted from Book I"
it, as that which would make way for He- t/v^ j
refy.
The Cardinal defigned two noble Foun- c^ ,.
dations, the one at Oxford^ and the other at wdfa&p-
Ipfrvich, the place of his Birth, both for the preites
encouragement of the Learned, and the in- many.
ftrudtioh of Youth •, and for that end he
procured a Bull for fupprefling divers Mo-
nafteries, which being executed, their Lands
by Law fell to the King -, and thereupon the
Cardinal took out Grants of them, and
endowed his Colledges with them.
But we mail next coniider the ftate of
Religion in England. From the dayes of
Wickkff there were many that differed from
the Doctrines commonly received. He writ
many Books that gave great Offence to the OJ.JvJfh ^
Clergy, yet being powerfully fupported by fef^/»s
the Duke of Lancafter, they could not have Doctrine,
their revenge during his Life :, but he was.
after his Death condemned, and his Body
was raifed and burnt. The Bible which
he tranflated into Englify, with the Preface
which he fet before it,produced the greatefb
Effects. In it he reHecled on the ill Lives of
the Clergy, and condemned theWorlhip
of Saints and Images, and the corporal
Pre fence of Chrifl in the Sacrament -, but
the moil criminal part was, the exhorting
all People to read the Scriptures:, where the
Teftimonies againlt thofe Corruptions
were fuch, that there was no way to deal
with them but to filence them. His Follow
ers were not Men of Letters, but being
C 4 wrought
24 Augment of tfje Jptto?}*
Book I. wrought on by the eafy Conviction of plain
Cxv^sJ Senfe,were by them determined in their Per-
fuafions. They did not form themfelves into
Body, but were contented to hold their
Opinions fecretly5and did not fpread them,
but to their particular Confidents. The
Clergy fought them out every where, and
did deliver them after Conviction to the
Secular Arm, that is, to the Fire .
rrhe d-u- *n the Primitive Church, all cruel Prp-
eitv of the ceedings upon the account of Herefy, were
condemned^ fo that the Bifhops who accu-
fed fome Hereticks, upon which they were
put to death, were excommunicated for it.
Banifhment and Fines, with fome Incapa
cities, were the higheft Severities even up
on the greateft Provocations. But as the
Church grew corrupted in other things, fa
a cruel Spirit being generally the mark of
all ill Prielts, of whatfoever Religion they
are, they fell under the Influences of it •,
and from the days of the rife of the Alfa-
genfis, the feverities of the Inquiiition, and
Burnings, with many other Cruelties, were
by the means of the Dominicans fet up, firfl
in France 5and then in the other parts of Eu-
rope. A Decree was alfo made in the
Council of the Lateran, requiring all Magi-
ftrates under the pains of forfeiture and
depoiition, to extirpate Hereticks. Burning
agreed belt with their Cruelty, as be-
•;,. Ing the moll terrible fort of Death, and
bearing fome refemblance to everlafting
Burnings in Hell •, fo they damned the Souls
of the Hereticks, and burnt their Bodies j-
but
of tlje Eefo?niaticm5 $c. 2 5
but the Execution of the former part of the Book I.
Sentence was not in their power, asthelat-
ter part was. The Canons of that Council
being received in England, the Proceedings
againft Hereticks grew to be a part of the
Common Law, and a Writ for burning
them was ifTued out upon their Convidion.
But fpecial Statutes were afterwards made :
The tirfl under Richard the fecond,was only
agreed to by the Lords •, and without its
being confented to by the Commons, the
King aflented to it •, yet all the Severity in
it was no more, than that Writs mould go Heieticks.
out to the Sheriffs to hold Hereticks in Pri-
f0n3till they fhould be judged by the Laws of
the Church. The Preamble of the Law fays,
' They were very numerous,that they had a
c peculiar Habit,that they preached in many
4 Churches, & other Places againft the Faith,
* andrefafedtofubmittotheCenfures of the
< Church. This was fent with the other
Ads according to the cuftom of that Time,
to all the Sheriffs of England to be proclaim
ed by them -7 but the Year following in
the next Parliament, the Commons com
plained that that Ad: was publiihed, to
which they had never x confented ; fo an
Ad palTed declaring the former null ; yet
this was fuppr elled, and the former was ftill
efteemed a good Law.
When Henry the fourth came to the Crown,
he owing it in great meafure to the help
of the Clergy, pafled an Ad againft all
that preached without the Bifhop's Licence,
pr againft the Faith ; and it was enaded,
That
26 augment of tfre 5)iffo$
Book I. Thatall Tranfgreilbrsof that fort, fliould
be imprifoned, and within three Months be
brought to a Trial: If upon Conviftion they
offered to abjure, and were not Relapfes,
they were to be imprifoned and fined at
pleafure-, and if they refufedto abjure, or
were Relapfes, they were to be delivered to
the fecular Arm, and the Magiftrates were
to burn them in fome publick Place. But
tho by this Statute no mention is made of
fending out a Writ for Execution ; yet that
continued ftill, to be pradifed : And that
fame Year Sautre a Prieft being condem
ned as a Relapfe, and degraded by Amn-
dell, Arch-bifhop of Canterbury, a Writ
was iifued out for it, in which, Burning is
called the Common PunifljmentjNtiich related
to the cuftoms of other Nations : For this
was the firffc Inftance of that kind in Eng
land. In the beginning of Henry the fifth's
Reign, there was a Confpiracy againft the
King difcovered, (tho others that lived
aot long after, fay it was only pretended
and contrived by the Clergy ) ofOld-Caftle
and fome others of Wickltff's Followers
then called Lollards \ upon which many
were condemned both for Treafon and
Herefy, who were firft hanged and then
burnt ; and a Law followed that the
Lollards fhould forfeit all that they held
in Fee-fimple, as well as their Goods and
Chattels to the King, and all Sheriffs
and Magiftrates were required to take
an Oath, to deftroy all Herefies and
i and to affift the Ordinaries in
their
• 27
their proceedings againft them. Yet the Book f .
Clergy making ill ufe of thefe Laws, and c^\rs)
vexing all People that gave them any Of
fence, with long Imprifonments} the Judges
interpofed and examined the Grounds of
their Commitments, and as they faw caufe,
Bailed, or Difcharged the Prisoners \ and
took upon them to declare, what Opinions
were Herefies by Law, and what were not.
Thus the People fought for Shelter, under
their Proteftion, and found more Mercy
at the hands of Common Lawyers , than
from them who ought to have been the Pa
llors of their Souls , and the Publifhers
of the moll merciful Religion that ever
was.
In the beginnings of this Reign, there The prof<-
were fever ai Perfons brought into the Bi- cut ion of
fhops Courts for Herefy, before Warham.
Forty eight were accufed : But of thefe,
forty three abjured, twenty feven Men,
and iixteen Women, moll of them being
of Tenter den •, and five of them, four Men,
and one Woman, were condemned j fome
asobiiinate Hereticks, and others as Re-
lapfes: and againilthe common Ties of Na
ture , the Woman's Husband , and her
two Sons, were brought Witneffes againfl
her. Upon their Conviftion, a Certificate
was made by the Archbiihop to the Chan
cery, upon which, fmce there is no Par
don upon Record, the Writs for burning
them mud have gone out in Courfe, and
the Execution of them is little to be doubt
ed -7 for the Clergy were feldom guilty of
much
2 8 augment of tfie 3|)iff o?p
Book I. much Mercy in fuch Cafes, having deveft-
ed themfelves of all Bowels, as the Dregs
of unmortified Nature. The Articles ob
jected to them were, That they believed
that in the Eucharift, there was nothing but
material Bread; That the Sacraments of
Baptifm, Confirmation, Confeffion, Ma
trimony, and Extream Unction, were nei
ther neceflary,nor profitable •, That Priefls
had no more Power than Laymen :, That
Pilgrimages were not meritorious, and that
the Mony and Labour fpent in them, were
fpent in vain; That Images ought not to be
worlhipped,and that they were only Stocks
and Stones *, That Prayers ought not to be
made to Saints, but only to God :, That
there was no vertue in Holy-water, or Ho
ly-bread. Thofe who abjured, did fwear
to difcover all that held thofe Errours, or
were fufpected of them ; and they were
cnjoyned to carry a Faggot in Proceffion,
and to wear on their Cloaths the Repre-
fentation of one in Flames, as a publick
Confeflion that they had deferved to be
burnt. There were alfo four in London
that abjured almoft the fame Opinions j
and Fox fays, that fix were burnt in Smith-
fieldj who might be perhaps thofe whom
Warham had condemned } for there is no
mention of any that were condemned in the
Regifters of London. By all this it will ap
pear, that many in this Nation, were pre
pared to receive thofe Doctrines , which
were afterwards preached by the Reform
ers, even before Luther began firft to oppofe
Indulgences. The
0f tfie Emulation, $c, 29
The Rife and Progrefs of his Dodrine Book I.
are well known •, the Scandalous extolling v^v-S"^
of Indulgences gave the firft occafion to all The Pr°-
that Contradiction., that followed between |*/.
him and his followers, and the Church of o
Rome •, in which, if the Corruptions and
Cruelties of the Clergy had not been fo vi-
fible and fcandalous, fo fmall a matter
could not have produced fuch a Revoluti
on ^ but any Crilis will put ill humours in
Fermentation.
The Bifhops were grofly ignorant ; they
feldom reflded in their Diocelles, except
it had been to riot it at high Feftivals •, and
all the Effed their Reiidence could have,
was to corrupt others, by their ill Example.
They followed the Courts of Princes, and
afpired to the greateft Offices. The Ab
bots and Monks were wholly given up to
Luxury and Idlenefs ; and the unmarried
State,both of the Seculars,& Regulars,gave
infinite Scandal to the World;for it appear
ed, that the reftraining them from having
Wives of their own, made them conclude
that they had a right to all other Mens.
The Inferiour Clergy were no better :, and
net having places of retreat to conceal their
vices in, as the Monks had, they became
more publick. In fum, all Ranks of Church
men were fo univerfally defpifed, and ha
ted, that the World was very apt to be
poiTefled with prejudice againft their Do-
drines, for the fake of the Men, whofe
Inter eft it was to fupport them : and the
Worfhip of God was fo defiled with much
grofs
go abasement of tfie pffo??
Book I. grofs Superftition, that without great en-
quiries, all Men were eafily convinced^
that the Church flood in great need of a
Reformation; This was much encreafed
when the Books of the Fathers began to be
read, in which the difference between the
former and latter Ages of the Church, did
very evidently appear. They found that a
blind Superfbition came fifft in the room
of true Piety •, and when by its means
the Wealth and Interefl of the Clergy
was highly advanced •, the Popes had upon
that, eftablifhed their Tyranny •, under
which, not only the meaner People, but
even the crowned Heads, had long groan
ed. All thefe things concurred to make
way for the Advancement of the Reforma
tion: And fo the Books of the Germans being
brought into England, and Tranflated*
many were prevailed on by them. Upon
this, a hot Perfecution, which is alwayes
the Foundation on which a vitious Clergy
fet up their Reft, was vigoroufly fet on foot^
to fuch a Degree^ that fix Men and Wo
men were burnt in Coventry in Paflion-week,
only for teaching their Children, the Creed,
the Lord's Prayer, and the ten Command
ments in Englifh. Great Numbers were
every where brought into the Bifhop's
Courts ^ of whom fome were burnt,but the
greater part abjured.
The King laid hold on this Occafion, to
become the Church's Champion, and wrote
againft Luther ^ as was formerly told. His
Book bsfides the Title of Defender of the
Faith*
of tfje Eefajmation, $c, 3 1
Faith, drew upon him all that Flattery Book L
could invent to extol it} yet Luther not
daunted with fuch an Antagonift, but
rather proud of it, anfwered it, and treated
him as much below the Refped that was
due to a King, as his Flatterers had raifed
him above it. TMal\ Tranflation of the
New Teftament with fome Notes added to
it, drew a fevere Condemnation from the
Clergy, there being nothing in which they
were more concerned, then to keep the
People unacquainted with that Book. Sir
Thomat More feconded the King, and im-
ployed his Pen in the Service of the Clergy,
but mixed too much Gall with his Ink. The
Cardinal's Behaviour in this matter was
unaccountable :, for he not only afted no
thing againft the new Preachers, but when
fomeBifhops moved fora Vifitationofthe
Univerfities, upon a report of the fpreading
ofHerefy in them, he ftop'd it -, yet after
wards he called a Meeting of feveral Bi-
ihops, Abbots and Divines, before whom,
two Preachers, Bilney and j^nhur^ were
brought, and Articles of Herefy being ob
jected to them, and proved by WitnefTes,
they for a while feemed refolved to feal
their Doctrines with their Blood-, but what
through Fear, what through Perfwafion,
they were prevailed on (firft-^r/^//r, and.
Bilney fas days after) to abjure-, but thci
Bilney was a Relapfe, yet the Cardinal was
gentle to him,and Tonftall Biftiop of London
injoyned him Penance, and difcharged him.
So much may fuffice to fhew the condition
of
32
Book I. of Affairs in England both in Church and
State, when the Procefs of the King's Di
vorce was firft fet on foot.
Henry the feventh entered into a firm
Marriage. Alliance with Ferdinand of Sfain, and agre
ed a Match between his Son Prince Armtr^
and K other ine the Infanta of Spain. She
j -O2. came into England & was married in Novem
ber ; but on the fecond of Awil after, the
Prince died. They were not only bedded in
Ceremony the night of the Marriage, but
continued flill to lodg together, and the
Prince by fome indecent Rallery gave Occa-
fion to believe, that the Marriage was con-
fufflmated, which was fo little doubted, that
fome imputed his too early end to his ex-
cefs in it. After his Death his younger
Brother was not created Prince of Wales^
till ten Months had pad, it being then appa^
rent that the Princefs was not with Child
by the late Prince •, Women were alfo fet
about her to wait on her with the Precau
tion that is neceflary in fuch a Cafe-, fo
that it was generally believed that (he was
no Virgin when the Prince died.
Henry the feventh being unwilling to re-
itore fo great a Portion as two hundred
thoufand Ducats, propofed a fecond Match
for her with his Younger Son Henry. War-
ham did then objed againft the Lawfulnefs
of it •, yet Fox Bifhop cfWiitftiftcr^ was for
it, and the Opinion of the Pope's Authori*
ty was then fo well eftablifhed, that it was
Decemb. thought a. Difpenfation from Rome was
1503. fufficient to remove all Objections, fo
one
of tfie Kefo?matton5 ?c* 3 3
one was obtained, grounded upon a defire Book I,
of the two young Perfons to marry toge- L/"V*x->
ther for preferring Peace between the
Crowns of England and Spain, by which the
Pope difpenfed with it notwithflanding '
the Princefs's Marriage to Prince Arthur ^
which was ( as is faid in the Bull j perhaps
confummated.
The Pope was then in War with Lewis the
twelfth of France, and fo would t reftife no
thing to the King of England, being per
haps not .unwilling that Princes fhould con-
trad fuch Marriages, by which the Legiti
mation of their Iflued ependingon the Pope's
Difpenfation, they would be thereby ofali- 150$.
ged in Interefb to fupport that Authority :
ppon this a Marriage followed-, the Prince
being yet under Age •, but' the fame day in
\vhich he jcame . to be of Age, he did by
his Father's Orders, make a Protection
that he retracted and annulled his Marriage.
Henry the feventh at his Death, charged
him to break it ofFentirely, being perhaps
apprehennYe of fuch a return of Confufion
upon a controverted Succeftion to the
Crown,as had been during the Wars of the
Houfes of Jork^ and Lancafter, but Upon
his Death, Henry the Eighth being then
eighteen Years of Age, married her : She
bore him two Sons, who died foon after
they were born;, and a Daughter Mary, ^
that lived to reign after him •, but after
that the Queen contracted fome Difeafes
that made her unacceptable to the King ^
fo all hope of any other Iflue failing, feve-
D ral
34 3&?i$gmettt of
Book I ral Matches were propofed for his Daugfc-
L/-VSJ* ter j the firft was with the Daufkin; then me
was contracted with the Emperor •, and
after that, a Proportion was made for the
King ofScotlan^nd laft'of all a Treaty was
made with Francis the firit., either for him*
felf, he being then a Widower, of for his
fecond Son the Duke of Orleans to be de1
termiri'd at his Option:, upon which the
Bifliop ofTarbe was lent over Ambaflador"
to conclude it •, he made an Exception that
the Marriage was doubtful and the Lady
not legitimate, which had been likewif?
made by the Cortes of Sp<#>, by whofe Ad
vice the Emperor broke the Contract uport
that very account, fo that other Princes
moving Scruples again ft a Marriage with
his Daughter, the Heir of fo great a Crown,
the King began to make fome him felf, or
rather to publi/h them, for he faid after
wards he had them fome Years before.
Yet the Cardinal's hatred to the Empe
ror, was look'd on as one of the fecret
Springs of the King's Averfion to his Aunt,
which the King vindicating him in publicly
afterwards did not remove : that bein^
conlldcred only as a-Gourt Contrivance.
The King The King feemed to lay, the greateft
has fi me Weight on the prohibition in the Levitica^
-^aw of marrying the Brother's Wife, and
^e being converfant in» Thomas jZquinaSs
Writings, found that he and the other
Schoolmen lookM on thofe Laws as Moral,
and for ever binding, and that by Confe*
quence the Pope's Difpenfation was of no
* force
, $c.v 35
Force fmce his Authority went not fo far Book f0
as to difpence .with the Laws of God. All
the Bifhops of England, Ftffitr ofRochefter
only excepted, declared under their Hands
and Seals, that they judged the Marriage
unlawful; The ill Confequences of Wars
that might follow upon a doubtful Title to
the Crown,were alfo much conildered^or at
lead pretended; It is not probable that the
engagement of the King's Aftedions to anf
other gave the rife to alt this } for fo pry
ing a Courtier as Wolfey-w&i would have
discovered it , and not have projected a
Marriage with Francis's Sifter,if he had feeii
the King prepoflefled : It is more probabld
that the King conceiving himfelf upon the
point of being difcharged of his formef
Marriage, gave a free fcopetohis ArTefti*
.bns t which upon that came to fettle oii
Anne Bolleyn. The King had reafon .enougti
to exped a quick and fevourable difpatcl!
of his bufinefs ^tRome^ where Difpeiifati-
ons or Divorces in Favour of Princes ufed
to pafs^ rather with regard to the Merits of
the Prince that defired them^ than of t.hfe
Caufe it felf. His Alliance feerned then
necefiary to, the Pope", who was at that
time in Captivity. Nor could the Enipe-
rour with any good colour oppofe hisSuit^'
fmce he had broken his Contrad With his
Daughter upon the account of th^ doubt-
flilnefs of the Marriage. , , ...
The Cardinal had alfo giverf liirri full AP
furances of a good Anfwer from Rom&y
whether upon the knowledg he had of that
D 2 Court$
3 6
Book I. Court, and of the Pope's temper, or upon
any promife made him, is not certain. The
Reafons gathered by the Canonifls for an
nulling the Bull of Difpenfation , upon
which the Divorce was to follow in courfe,
were grounded upon fome falfe fuggeftions
in the Bull,and upon the Protection which
the King had made when he came to be of
Age. In a word, they were fuch, that a
favourable Pope left to himfelf, would have
yielded to them without any fcruple.
Anne Bolleyn was born in the year 1 507,
and went to France at feven years of Age,
and returned twelve years after to England.
She was much admired in both Courts, and
continued to live without any Blemilh till
her unfortunate Fall gave occafion to fome
malicious Writers to defame her in all the
Parts of her Life; She was more beautiful
than graceful, and more chearful than di-
fcreet. She wanted none of the Charms of
Wit or Perfon, and muft have had extraor-
c|inary Attradiyes ; fince fhe could folong
nonage fuch a King's Affedion,in which her
being with Child foon after the Marriage,
fhews that in the whole courfe of feven
years fhe kept him at a due diftance. Upon
her coming to England, the Lord Piercy be
ing then a Domeftick of the Cardinals,made
love to her, ^and went fo far as to engage
himfelf fojfie'way to marry her, and that
beingr«ertained by her, fhews fhe had
thenilblfpirings to the Crown, But the
Cardinal having underftood fomewhat of
the Kingns fecret Intentions, did fo threaten
Mm,
of tlje Slefoimatfott, $& 37
him, that he made him, tho not without Book I.
great difficulty, break ofFhis addrefles to her. <s\r*j
Knight^ then Secretary of State, was fent 1 527«
to Rome to prepare the Pope in the matter } A"d *P-
and the Family of the CaJfeU having much of
the Pope's Favour, they were likewife im-
ployed to promote it. To Gregory Cajfali
did the Cardinal fend a large Difpatch, let
ting forth all the Reafons l?oth in Confci-
ence and Policy, for obtaining a Commiffi-
on to himfelf to judge the Affair. Great
Promifes were made in the King?s Name,
both for publick and private Services, and
nothing was forgot that was likely to work
either on the Pope, or thofe Cardinals that
had the greateft Credit about him. Knight
made application to the Pope in the fecreteft
manner he could, and had a very favourable
Anfwer j for the Pope promifed frankly to
dillblve the Marriage .: but another Promifc
being exaded of him in the Emperour's
Name, not to proceed in that Affair, he was
reduced to great ftraits, not fo much out of
regard to his Promifes, ( for he had fo en
gaged himfelf, that it was unavoidable for
him to break one ) as to his Interefls ; he
was then at the Emperour's mercy, fo he
was in fear of offending him , yet he both
hated him, and was diftrufbfulof him ; and
had no mind to lofe theKingof£;^te^,
therefore he fludied to gain time, and pro
mifed that if the King would have a little
patience,he fliould not only have that which
he asked, but every thing that was in hi$-
power to grant.
P 3
38 Segment of tfje $ tfto$
|k>ok I. The Cardinal ^anttorum quatmr made
\^^C^ fome Scruples concerning the Bull that.was
1528. demanded, till he had raifed his price, and
got a great Prefent , and then the Pope
yybp was ligned both a CommiiTion for Wolfey to try
- ' the Caufe,and judge in it,and alfo a Difpen-
lG. fatioj]j ancj put them in Knights hands ; but
with tears prayed him that there might be no
proceedings upon them, till the Emperour
were put out of a capacity of executing his
Revenge upon him, and when ever that was
done he would own this aci: of Juftice which
he did in the King's favour. Fortho the
Pope on publick occafions ufed to talk in the
language of one that pretended to be S. Pe-
p?r?s Succdlbr, yet in private Treaties -he
minded nothing but his own Security, and
the Interefts of his Family. And being a
very crafty Man, he propofed an Expedi
ent, which if the King had followed, it had
put a quicker and ealler end to the Procefs,
*Me found his fending Bulls, or a Legat to
England^ would become publick, and draw
the Emperour upon him, and iiiult admit
of delays and be full of danger :> therefore
lie propofed, if the King was fatisfied in his
own Gonfcience, in which he believed no
boCtoi' could refolve him better , than jiim-
felf , then he might without more noile
make Judgment be given \n England -, and
upon that marry another Wife, and fend
Over to Ro??e for a Confirmation ; which
would be the more eafily granted, if the
|hing were once done. This the Popedeilred
iiiight be reprefented to the King as the Acl-
'";- • ^-^** ; '-""' '' '• vice
***•* ^ --4 v> .
of .tfje a&efajmatfctt, tc; 39 1
^iceofthe (irdin^ls, and not as * his own. Book f.
But the King's Counfellers thought this
more dangerous than the way of a Procefs:,
lor if upon, the King V-fecond Marriage, a
Confirmation ihould be denyed, then the
Kight Succeffion by it, would be ftiil very
doubtful, fo they would not venture on it.
The Pope was at this time diltailed with
Cardinal ^//^y ;, for he underltood, that
during his Captivity, he had been in an
Intrigue, to get himfelf chofen Vicar of
the Papacy, and was to have fate at Avig-
nion, which might have produced Ta flew
Schifm. Staphileu*, Dean of the • Reta^ be
ing then m England, was wrought on by
the promife of a Bifhoprick , and a Re
commendation to a Cardinals Hat, to pro
mote the King's Affair:, and by him. the
Cardinal wrote to the Pope, in a molt
£arnefl ilrain, for a difpatch of this buli-
pefs •, and he defired, that an indifferent
and tractable Cardinal might- be fent over,
with a full Commifllon to joyn with him,
and to judge the matter y propofmg to the
King's Embadadours , Camfegio as the fit-
teft Man -7 when a Legate mould be named,
he ordered Prefents to be made him, and
that they would hailen his difpatch, and
take care that the Ccmmiffion mould be full.
But upon the Arrival of the Couriers, that
were fent from Rome, Gardiner, the Car
dinals Secretary, and Fox, the Kings Al
moner, the one a Canon i ft , and the other
a Divine, were fent thither with Letters,
both from the King and Cardinal, to the
D 4
40 afojftgnwtt of tfje H>flf 0$
Book I. Pope,&they carried orders(that were like to
v\^v~^ be more effectual than any Arguments they
1528. could offer) to make great Prefents to the
Cardinals. They carried with them the
draught of a Bull-, containing all the Claufes
could be invented, to make the matter fure ;
one Glaufe was to declare the Ilfue of the
Marriage good , as being begotten bona
fide, which was perhaps put in to make the
Queen more eafy, ilnce by that it appear^
cd,that her Daughter fiiould not fuff er,which
way foever the matter went.
' The Cardinal in his Letters to Caffali,
offered to take the blame on his own Soiil,if
the Pope would grant this Bull-, and with an
Earneitnefs, as hearty and warm, as can
be expreiled in Words , he prefled the
thing, and added, That he perceived, that
if the Pope continued Inexorable, the King
would proceed another way.
Thefe Intreaties had fuch Effefts, That
Ca™?e&o. was declared Legate, and ordered
to _go for England^ andjoynin Gommiflion
with Wdfcy, for judging this matter. Cam-
fcgio was Biiliopof Salukuiy :, and having
a Son whom he intended to advance, was
KO doubt a tradtable Man ^ but to raife his
price the higher, he moved many Scruples,
and feemed to enter upon this Employ
ment, with great fear, and averiion. Wol-
fcy who knew his Temper, preft him ve
hemently , to make all the halt he could,
and gave him the Afiurance of great Re
wards from the King : For whatever was
to be made nfe of publickly ' for formes
of tlje Ee£o?matt'0n, $e* 4 1
lake , thefe were the effectual Argu- Book I
merits that were moft likely to convince a L/-VXJ'
Man of his Temper : In which Wo(fyvto&
ib fincere, that in a Letter he wrote to
him, that of a good Confcience, being
put among other Motives to perfwade him,
in the fine Draught, the Cardinal ftruck
it out, as knowing how little it would fig-*
nify. Campegio fet out from Rome, and
carried with him a Decretal Bull, for an
nulling the Marriage which was trufted
to him, and he was Authorized to fhew it
to the King and Wolfey ; but was required
not to give it out of his Hands to either of
them. At this time, Wolfey was taken with
the fweating Sicknefs, which then raged
in Englaud\ and by a Complement which
both the King and Ann Boleyn writ him,
on the fame piece of Paper, it appears, he
was then privy to the Kings Defign of
marrying her, and intended to advance
himfelfyet higher, by his merits, in pro
curing her the Crown.
This Year he fettled his two great Col-
ledges •, and finding both the King and Peo
ple much pleafed with his converting fome
Monafteries to fuch ufes,he intended to fuj>
prefs more, and to convert them to Bi-
fhopricks, and Cathedral Churches, which
the Pope was not willing to grant, the
Religious Orders making great Oppofitkm
to it ; but Gardiner told him, it WM necef-
fftry^ and muft be done •, fo a power for
doing it, was added to the Legates Con>
Hiiffion.
At
42 augment c
Book I. At this time, the Queen \ engaged the
tx^/Nj Emperor to efpoufe her Interefts, which
he did, the more willingly, becaufe the
King was then in the Interefts of -France ^
and to ..help her Buiinefs , a Breve was
Cither found, or forged, (-thelaft is more
probable •) of the fame date with, the Bull,
that difpenfed with her Marriage : But
g with ftronger Claufes in it* to anfwer thofe
Objections that were made againft fome de-
feds in the Bull5though it did not feem pro^-
bable,t;hat in the fame Day, a. Bull and a
Breve would have been granted for the fame
thing, in fuch different ftrains. Themoft
confiderable Variation was. That whereas
the Bull did only fuppofe, that the Queens
Marriage with Prince Arthm^ was perhaps
Confummated:, the Breve did fuppofe it ab-
tblutiy , without a perhaps. This was thought
to prejudice the Queen's Caufe as much,
as the Sufpicion of the Forgery did blemifh
her Agents.
Campegio In October ^ Camfegio came into England ;
"me"»f° and after the firft Complements were over,
he firft advifed the King to give over the
Profecution of his Suit *, and then coun-
felled the Queen in the Pope's Name, to en
ter into a Religious Life, and make Vows j
but both were in vain ^ and he by affect
ing an Impartiality, almoft loft both fides.
But he in great meafure pacified the King,
when .he fhewed him the Bull he had
brought over for annulling the Marriage -,
yet he would not part with it out of his
hands, neither to the King, nor the Car
dinal
c, 43
-dinal; upon which, great :Inftajices were 'Book I.
Hiadeat?Si^5 that Camfegio might be ori-
clered to fhew it to fome of the < King's
Counfeilors, and to go on and end the
bufmefs, otherwife Wolfey would be ring
ed, and England-toft : Yet all this did not
prevail on the crafty Pope, who knew it
rwas intended once to have the Bull out of
f&vpegijs hands, and then the King would
leave 'him to the Emperour's Indignati
on : But tho.he pofitively refufed to grant
that, yet he faid, he left the Legates in
England, . free to judge as they faw Caufe,
and promifed that he would confirm their
Sentence.
The Imperialifts at Rome .prefled him
hard, to inhibit die Legates and to recall
the Caufe that it might be heard before the
Gonfiftory. The Pope declined this mo
tion; and to mollify the King, he fent
Comforta, one of his Bed-chamber, over Campana
to England, with Complements too high
to gain much Credit : He allured the King,
that the Pope would do for him all he
could, nQtonlyin^/fe, and £^'7, but
in the fulnefs of his Power : And that tho
he had reafon to be very apprehenilve, of
the Emperour^s Refentments , yet that
did not divert him from his Zeal for the
King's Service;, for if his refigning the
Popedome would advance it, it fhould not
flick at that. He alfo was ordered to re
quire the Legates, to put a fpeedy end to
the bulinefs -9 but his fecret Inftrudions to
were of another {brain •, he
charged
44 a&tf&ff ment of t|ie pttog*
Book I. charged him to burn the Bull, and to draw
.Vv^ put the matter by ail the delayes he could
^528. invent- Sir Francis Brian, and Peter VAn-
ncs, were difpatched to Rome, with new
Proportions, to try, whether, if both the
King Ind Queen took Religious Vowes^
fo that their Marriage w.ere upon that an
nulled , the Pope would engage to dif-
pence with the King's Vow, or grant him
a Licenfe for having two Wives. Wolfey
alfb offered in the King's Name, to fettle
a Pay for 2000 Men, that Ihould be a
Guard to the Pope, and to procure a Re-
ftitution of fome of his Towns, on which
the Venetians had feized. But the Pope did
not care to have his Guards payed by other
Princes; which he looked on as a putting
himfelf in their hands. He was in fear of
every thing that might bring a new Cala
mity upon him-, and was now refolved
to unite himfelf firmly with the Emperour?
by whofe means only, he hoped to reefta-
Fcp* blifh his Family at Florence •, and ever after
this, all the ufe he made of the King's
Earneftnefs in his Divorce, was only, to
draw in the Emperourto his Interefts, on
the better Terms. The Emperour was
alfo then prefling him hard, for a Gene
ral Council ^ of which, belides the aver-
iion that the Court of Rome had to it, he
had particular reafon to be afraid/, for be
ing a Baltard, he was threatned with De-
pofition as uncapable, by the Canons of
the Church, to hold fuch a Dignity. The
Pope propofed a Journey incognito^ to Sfamy
and
rcvr.
of tlje Eefo?mation> $c. 4 5
and defired Woljey to go with him, forob- Book T.
tairiirig a General Peace. But in fecret, ^X-N/^/.
he was making up with the Emperour, and
gave his Agents Affair ances, that tho the
Legates gave Sentence, he would not con
firm it. So the King's Correfpondents at
Rome , wrote to him, to fet on the War
more vigoroufly againfl the Emperour, for
he could expect nothing at Rome, unlefs the
Emperour's Affairs declined.
The Pope went on cajoling thofe the 1529*
King fent over, and gave new Alliirances,
that tho he would not grant a Bull, by
which the Divorce fhould be immediately
his own Aft •, yet he would confirm the
Legates Sentence fb he refolved: to call the
Load wholly upon them: if^he faid,he did it
himfelf, a Council would be called by the
Emperour's means, in which, his Bull
would be annulled, and himfelf depofed,
which would bring on a new Confufion ;
and that, confidering the footing Herefy
had got, would mine the Church. The
Pope inclined more to the dillblving the
Marriage, by the Queen's taking Vowes,
as that which could be be ft defended ; but
the Cardinal gave him notice, that the
Queen would never be brought to that,
unlefs her Nephews advifed it.
At this time, the Pope was taken fud- The r0j>?t
denlyill, and fell in a great Sicknefs j upon
which, the Imperialiits began to prepare
for a Conclave : ButF^n^, and the Car
dinal ofMantud oppofed them, and feemed
^o have Inclination for Wolf ay. Whom, as
his
4£ I6?i5gtttent of tfje HJflSfojp
Book I. his Correfpondents wrottohim, they re-
v>>^Y verenced as a -De tfjy. Upon this he fent a'
Wolff y's Courier to Gar diner ^ then on his way to
*/«/•/*/. Rorne^ Wjtj1 jarge Direftion<^ how to man
age the Eledion ^ It was reckoned, that
the King of France , joyning heartily with
the King, of which he feemed confident -7
there were only fix Cardinals wanting, to-
make the Election fure, and befides Summes
of Mony, and other Rewards, that were
tb be diflributed among them; he was to*
give them aflitrance', that the Cardinals
Prefermenfe fhould be divided among them;
Thefe were the fecret Methods of attain
ing that Chair: And indeed it would pufle
a Man of an ordinary degree of Creduli
ty^ to think, . That one chofen by fuch
means, could be Chrift's Vicar, and the
Infallible Judge of Controverfies. But the
Pope's Recovery, put an end to thole In
trigues, which yet were foon after revived,
by a long and dangerous Relapfe. Then
great pains was taken, to gain many Car
dinals to favour the King's Caufe *, and
many Precedents were found of Divorces,
granted' in Favour of Princes, upon much
[lighter grounds. . But the Imperialists
were fo ftrong: at Rome , that they could
not hope to prevail, if the Emperour was"
not fir ft gained ; fotlierewasa fecret Ne
gotiation fet on foot with him, but it had
no other Effecl: , fave that it gave great
Jealoufy, both to the Pope, and the King
rance. Another difpatch was fent to*
to procure a Commiflioiv with fulled
powers'
of tlje £efa?ttration, $c; 47
powers in it to the Legates, and a Promife Book
under the Pope's hand to confirm their <~^v~
Sentence j the latter was granted, but the 7he £
former was refufed, for the Pope was re- {
folved to go no further in that Matter, thcr any
Wolfey wrote to Rome, that if inf Juftice fence the
were denied the King,not only Englandjout ^egf es
Fraw* like wife would withdraw their Obe- .°^d
diencefrom the Apoftolick See -, becaufe by
that it would be inferred,that theEmperour
had fuch Influence at Rome, as to oblige
the Pope" to be partial or favourable as he
pleafed. At this time the Cardinal wast
cheapning his Bulls for Wincheftery which
were rated at 15000 Ducats, but iince it
was a Tranflation from Dxrefht, fo that a
new Competition would come in for that
Vacancy, he refufedto pay above a third
of what was demanded.
The Emperour's Ambafladour made a
Proteftation at Rome in the Queen's Namd
agamftthe Legates as partial in the Ring's
Favour, which the Pope received. Gttrdi~
mr, that w;as a Man of great Craft, and
could penetrate well into Secrets, wrote tcr
theKin'g, adiiring him, that he might ex-*
ped nothing more from the Pope, whcr
wasrefoived to offend ueither the Empe- 1529."
rour nor him; and therefore he advifed him
to get the Legates to give Sentence with-
ail pbffiblehaft; and then when it Ihonld
come to the Emperour's turn to folicite the
Pope for Bulls' againft the King, the Pope
xvould be as backward as he was now. He
was fo fearful, and under fuch irrefolution
that
48 Sfyfogment of tfyt Jjrtffaip
Book I. that he could be brought to do nothing
with Vigor : This Gardiner defired might
not be fliewn to the Cardinal; for he was
now fetting up for himfelf, and had a pri
vate Correspondence with Anne Boleyn^ who
in one of her Letters to him as a token of
fpecial Favour, fent him fome Cramp Rings
that the King had Bleifed^of which the Office
is extant :> and Gardiner in one of his Letters
fays, They were much efteemed for the Vir
tue that was believed to be in them* In the
Promife which the Pope figned to confirm
the Sentence" that fhould be given by the
Legates, fome Claufes v$ere put> by which
he could eafily break loofe from it *, fo he
endeavoured to get another in fuller termes,
by this Artifice : He told the Pope, that the
Courier had met with an Accident in
parting a River, by which the Promife was
fo fpoiled with Water, that it could not
be made ufe of. But the Pope inftead of
being catched with this, to give a new one,
feemed glad that it was fpoiled, and poli-
tively refufed to renew it. And a long
and earneil Letter which the Legates Wrote
to the Pope, prefixing him to end the mat
ter roundly by a Decretal Bull; alluring
him it was only fcruple of Confcience that
wrought on the King, and no defire of a
new Wife, and that the whole Nation was
much offended with the delays of thi's Mat
ter, in which they were all fp much concer
ned, wrought nothing on him-, forjiecon-
ildered that as done by them only in com
pliance with the King, who thought he had
intirely
c> 49
"intirely gained GanipegiOj and the fcandals Book I.
of his Life were ib publick, that: the mo- wx?>
tives of Intereft were likely to prevail on T529*
him more than any other : hut by all the
Arts that were ufed, they were not able to
over-reach the Pope^ who whatever ho
might be in his Deciilon?^ feemed infallible
in his Sagacity and Jealoufy. The Queen's
Agents prelfed hard for an Avocation, buc
the Pope was unwilling to grant that5tiil h-s
had finillied his Treaty in all other points
with the Emperour, ard he began to com
plain much of the cold Proceedings of the
Confederate:,,and that they expcfed him ib
much not only to the Emperour's Mercy , but
to the fcorn of the Florentines-, by this it was
vifible, he was fceking a Colour for calling
himfelfinto the Emperour^ Arms : great
Objections were made to the Motion fcr
an Avocation, it was contrary to the King's
Prerogative to be cited to Rome, and it was
faid he would feek Jnftice of the Clergy of
Engl.if thePope denied ir.It was alfo contrary
to the Promife under the Popes hand, and his
Faith often given by word of mouth, chief
ly 6f late by Camfana? to recal the Legates
CommiiTion : but verbal Promiies did not
bind the Pops much, they variifhed into Air *,
and CamfMa -fwore that he hid not made
any, and for the written Promife, there was
a Claufe put in it, by which he could eicape,
fo that he was at liberty from ?\\ Ingage-
nients but thofe he had privately given in
difcourfe, and to thefe he was no Slave.
E The
50 abjfosnwtt of
Book I. The Legates began the Procefs in Eng-
w-v^./ land) after the necellary Preliminaries : the
•1529. Queen appeared, and protefled again/I
The P\Q- them as imcompetent Judges : endeavours
fkegun were ufecj to terrify her into fome compli-
ance '"> fr was &iven out tnat f°nle had *n-
tended to kill the King or the Cardinal, and
that flie had fome hand in it, that me
carried very difobligingly to the King, and
ufed many indecent Arts to be popular ;
that the King was in danger of his Life by
her means, and fo could no more keep her
company neither in Bed nor at Board -, but
/he was a Woman of fo refolute a mind,
that no Threatnings could daunt her.
When both theKing and She were together
in the Court, the Queen inftead of an-
fwering to the Legates, kneeled down be
fore the King, and fpake in a manner that
raifed Companion in all that were prefent j
/he faid, She had been his Wife thefe twen
ty Years, had born him feveral Children,
and had always ftudied to pleafe him, there
fore /he deilred to know wherein me had at
any time offended him. As for their Mar
riage it was made by both their Parents,
who were eileemed wife Princes, and had
no doubt good Counfellours when their
Match was agreed on ^ but at prefent /he
neither had indifferent Judges, nor could
/he expe-fl that her Lawyers being his Sub-
jeds durft fpeak freely for her,and therefore
/lie could not expect Jultice there ; fo /he
went out of the Court, and would never
return to it any more. Upon this the King
* gave
. 5 1
gave her a great Char after for her extra- Book I*
ordinary Qualities, and protefted, he was ^^^ft
adted by no other Principle* then that of 1529*
Confcience. He added, that Wolfey did not
fet him on to this Suit, but had oppofedit
long: that he firil moved the matter in Con-
feflion to the Bifhop of Lincoln, and had de-
fired the Archbifhop of Canterbury to pro
cure him the Refolution of the Bifhops of
England, in his Cafe ^ and that they had
all under their hands declared ^ that his
Marriage was unlawful. The Bifhop of Ro~
chefler denied he had figned it; but Warhani
pretended, he gave him leave to make a-
nother write his Name to it. Fifar denied
this, and it was no way probable.
The Legates went on according to ther^^^
forms of Law, tho the Queen appealed *p?ettis to
from them to the Pope, and excepted both ^
to the Place, to the Judges, and her Law
yers : Yet they pronounced her Contumaxy
and went on to Examine Wkneffes •,
chiefly, to that particular of the Confum-
mationofher Marriage with Prince Ar-
tkw. But now fince the Procefs was thus
going on, the Emperours Agents preft the
Pope vehemently for an Avocation •, and
all poilible endeavours were ufed by the
King's Agents to hinder it ^ they fpared
nothing that would work on the Pope>
either in the way of perfwafion, or threat-
ning : It was told him, that there was a
Treaty fet on foot, between the King, and
the Lutheran Princes of Germany •, and
that upon the Pope^s declaring himfelf fo
E 2 partial^
5 2
Book I. partial, as to grant the Avocation, he
would certainly imbark in the fame Inter-
9.' reih with them. But the Pope thought
the King was fo fer ingaged in Honour in
the Points of Religion, that he would not
be prevailed with to unite with Luther's
Followers : So he did not imagine, that
theEfteftsofhis granting the Avocation,
would be ib difmal, as the Cardinal's crea
tures reprefented them : He thought it
would probably mine him, which might
make his Agents ufe fuch Threatnings, and
he did not much con ilder that* /or he ha
ted him in his heart. So in Conclufion,
after the Emperour had engaged to him,
to reftore his Family to the Government
of Florence, he refolved topublifh his Trea
ty with him : But thJtthe granting the A-
yocatioiviiight not look like ( what indeed
it was) a iecret Article, he refolved to
begin with that ^ ard with great figns of
f JITOW, he told the Englifi EmbaOadours,
that he was forced to it :, both becaufe all
the Lawyers told him, it could not be de
fied, and that he could not refill the Em- '
perours Forces, which furrounded him on
all hands. Their endeavours to gain a
'little time by delayes, were as fruitlefs as
their other Arts had been, for on the i yh
cf Jxtyt ^fie p°Pe iigned it, and on the
an ]9fk-> he fent it by an exprefs Mellenger to
~ ingland.
The Legates , Canfegi* in particular,
drew oat the matter, by all the* delayes
they could contrive , and gained much
* ' time.
•I of t& Hef0?matf0!r, $ c+ 5 3
time. . ' At lafl, it being brought to that, Book' F
that Sentence was to be pronounced, Cam- (^\/^j
pegio, inftead of doing it, adjourned the
Court till October , and faid, that they be-,
ing a part of the Conllllory*, mail obferve
their times of Vacation. This gave the.
King and all his Court great offence, when
they Taw what was like to be the liTue of
a Procefs •, on which the King was fo much
bent-, and '.in which he was fo far en
gaged, both in Honour and IntereiL
Campegio had nothing to lofe in England,
but the Bifhoprick ofSailtsbury, for which,
the Pope or Emperour could eafily rccom-
pencehim-, but Wolfiy was under- all the
Terrours, that an Iniblent Favorite islir
able to, upon a change in his Fortune y
None being -more, abjecV in misfortune,
than thofe that are lifted up with SucceR
When the Avocation was brought to Eng
land, the King .was willing, that the Le
gates fhould declare their Commiifion void,
but would not fufter the Letters Citatcry.
to be ferved, for he looked upon it as be -
low his Dignity to be cited to appear at
Rome. The King governed hiinfelfupon
this occalion, with more temper than was
expected : He difmiifed Cawyegio civily,
only his Officers fearched his Coders, when
he went beyond Sea, with deiigo, as was
thought, to fee if the Decretal Bull could
be found. Wolfey wras now upon the point
of being difgraced, tho the King feemed
to treat him with the fame Confidence he
had formerly put in him •, it being ordina-
E 3 ry
5 4 3t$8jjmeitt of tfje tpiff u$
Book I ry for many Princes to hide their defigns
ly-\/^j' of difgracing their Favourites, with high-
* 5 29e er Expreflions of kindnefTes than ordinary,
till their Ruine breaks out the more violent
ly, becaufe it is not forefeen.
Cranmer's At this time, Dr. Cranmer, a Fellow of
&f* Jefa-Colledge in Cambridge, meeting acci
dentally with Gardiner, and Fox, at Wal-
tbam, and being put on the Difcourfe of
the King's Marriage, propofed a new Me
thod, which was, That theKing fhould en
gage the chief Univerfities, and Divines of
Europe, to examine the lawfulnefs of his
Marriage -, and if they gave their Refoluti-
ons againfl it, then it being certain, that the
Pope's Difpenfation could not derogate
from the Law of God, the Marriage mutt be
declared null : This was new, and feemed
reafonable -7 fo they propofed it to the
King, who was much taken with it, and
faid, be bad the Sow by the right Ear: He
: fa>-this way was both better in it felf,
and would mortify the Pope extreamly ^
fo Cranmer was fent for, and did fo behave
himfelf,1- that the King conceived an high
opinion, both of his Learning and' Pru
dence, and of his Probity and Sincerity.,
which took fuch root in the King's mind,
that no Artifices, nor Calumnies, were ever-
able to remove it.
Wplfey it . But as he was thus in his Rife, fo Wol-
dt]graced. fey did now decline. The Great Seal was
taken from him, and given to Sir Thorns
Moor : And he was fued in a Premunire,
for having held the Legatine Courts by a
For-
of tlje Eefoimatf on, $c* 5 5
Forraign Authority, contrary^the Laws of Book I-
England : He confefied the Indictment, and \^^s
pleaded Ignorance, and fubrnitted hirnfelf 1529.
to the King's Mercy •, fo Judgment palled
on him : Then was his rich Palace ( now
Whitehall) and Royal Furniture, fei7.ed on
to the King's ufe : Yet the King received
him again into his Protection, and refto-
red to him the Temporalities of the Sees of
TV^and Winchefter , and above 6000 /.
in Plate, and other Goods : And there ap
peared ftill great and clear Prints in the
King's mind, of that entire Confidence,
to which he had received him : of which,
as his Enemies were very apprehenflve, fo
he himfelf was fo much tranfported with
the Meflages he had concerning it, that
once he fell down on his knees in a Kennel
before them that brought them. Articles
were put in againfl him, in the Houie of
Lords j it feems, for a Bill of Attainder,
where he had but few Friends ^ which all
infolent Favourites may expect in their
Difgrace. In the Houfe of Commons, Crow
tvel, that had been his Secretary , did fo
manage the matter, that it came to nothing.
This failing, his Enemies procured an or
der to be fent to him, to go into Torfyhire :
Thither he went in great State, with 160
Harfes in his Train, arid 72 Carts follow
ing him, and there he lived fome time :
But the King was informed,that he was pra-
ftifing with the Pope, and the Emperour :
So the Earl of Northumberland was lent to
arreft him of high Treafon, and bring him
E 4 up
5 6 S&ftgmtnt of tlje £>
Book I. up to London, On the way he JTckned,
vx-^-v which different collours of Wit may ini-
1519- pute, either to a greatnefs, ormeannefs
of Mind, tho the lalt be the truer. In
'Conclufion, he died at ificcfar, making
great Protections, of his conftant Fide-r
lity to the King, particularly in tlie mat-*
ter of his Divorce : And he wifhed lie had
ferved God, as faithfully as he had done
the King -, for then he would not have caft
him off in his gray Hafe, .as the King had
done. Words that -declining Favourites
are apt to refled on, but they fcldoni
remember them in the hight of their For-»
tune,
The King thought it neceflary, to fecure
himfelf of the AfFedions, and. Confidences
of his People, before he would venture on
any thing that fhould difpleafe two fuch
mighty Potentates, as the Pope, and the
. Emperour. So a Parliament was called •, in
'llt^ Commons prepared feveral Bills, a-,
gainlt ibme of the Corruptions of the
Clergy ^ particularly, againlt Plurality of
Benences, and Non-reiidence5Abufes,that
even Popery it felf, could not but condemn .
The Clergy abhorred the Precedent of the
Commons, mcdJing in Ecclefiaftical mat
ters :, fo Fifner fpoke vehemently again it
them, and faid, all this flowed ij6m /*& of
Faith. -.,
^ Upon^this, the Commons com plained of
him $> the King, for reproaching them ^
the Houfe of Peers either flirAight it no
Ibrpch of Priyiledge, or were willing to
wink
of tlje Etfoimatimvsc* 57
wink at it, for they did not interpofe. Book If
Fijhcr was hated by the Court, for aciher- L/-VV j
ing fo firmly to the Queen's Interetls •, fo .
he was made to explain himfelf, and it was -
tr j '-i -v A
pailed over. >:ifi _.
The Bills were much opppfed by the'
Clergy, but in the end they were palled,
and had the Royal AiTent. In this* long
Interval of Parliament, the King had bor
rowed great Sums of Mony y fo the Parlia-
ment, both to difcourage that way of £up-
plying Kings for the Future ; and for ru
ining the Cardinal's Creatures, .who had
been moft forward to lend, as having the
greateft Advantages from the Govern
ment, did by an Ad difcharge the King of
all thofe Debts. The King gpnted a ge
neral Pardon, with an exception of fuch
as had incurred the pains of Premunire,
by acknowledging a Forraign Jurifdidi-
on, with deiign to terrify the Pope, and
keep the Clergy under the la-fh. Thq
King found it neceflary, to make :all fure
at home, for now were the Pope and Em-
perour, linkt in the firmeft Friendlhip pof-
•iible-, The Pope's Nephew was made
Duke of Florence^, and married the Em-
perour's Natural Daughter. A Peace was
alfo made between Francis and the Empe-
rour ; and the King found it not fo eafy,
to make him break with the Pope, upon
his account , as he had expected. The
Emperour went into Italy, and was crown
ed by the Pope •, who when the Emperour
kneeling down to kifs his Foot, hum
bled
5 8
Book I. bled himfelf fo far as to draw it in, and kifs
his Cheek.
But now the King intending to proceed
crt *n the Metn0(i propofed by Cranmer, fent to
declare a- Oxford, and Cambridg , to procure their
%ainft the Conclufions. At Oxford, it was referred
Kjngs by the major part of the Convocation,
""**• to thirty three Dodors and Batchelors
of Divinity, whom that Faculty was to
name ; they were impowered to determine
theQueftion, and put the Seal of the Uni-
verfity to their Conclufion : And they
gave their Opinions, that th& Marriage of
the Brother's Wife,was contrary both to the
Laws of God, and Nature. At Cambridge
the Convocation was unwilling to refer it
to a felecl; number ; yet it was after fome
days Pradice, obtained, but with great
difficulty, that it fhould be referred to
twenty nine •, of which number, two thirds
agreeing, they were empowered to put the
Seal of the Qniverfity to their Determi
nation : Thefe agreed in Opinion, with
thofe of Oxford. The jealoufy that went
of Dr. Cranmer>$ favouring Lutheranifm,
iriade, that the fierce Popifh Party, oppo-
fed every thing in which he was fo far en
gaged. They were alfo afraid of <dnn
Bolleyn^ Advancement, who was believed
tinctured with thofe Opinions. Crook^ a
learned Man in the Greek Tongue, was
imployed in Italy, to procure the Refolu-
tion of Divines there ; in which, he was fo
fuccefsful, that befldes the great difcoveries
he made in fearching the Manufcripts of
the
of tlje Eefiwmatton, $c. 59
the Greek Fathers, concerning their Opi- Book I.
nions in this point , he engaged feveral LX-WJ
Perfons to write for the King's Caufe •, and 1530.
affo got the Jews to give their Opinions of
the Laws in Leviticus , that they were
Moral and Obligatory : Yet when a Bro
ther died without IiTue, his Brother might
marry his Widow within J.udea, for pre
facing their Families, and Succeflion -, but
they thought that might not be done out of
Jitdea. The State of Venice would not de
clare themfelves, but faid they would be
Neutrals ; and it was not eafy to perfwade
the Divines of the Republick, to give
their Opinions, till a Brief was obtained
of the Pope, permitting all Divines, and
Canon ills, to deliver their Opinions, ac
cording to their Confciences -9 which was
not granted but with great difficulty.
Crook^ was not in a condition to corrupt
any, for he complained in all his Letters,
of the great want he was in : And he was
in fuch ill terms with Jokn Cajfatijhz King's
Embafladour at Venice^ that he complain
ed much of him to the King, and was in
fear of being poyfoned by him- The Pope
abhorred this way of proceeding, though
he could not decently oppofe it *, but he
faid in great fcorn, that no Friar fhould
fet Limits to his Power. CrookjNzs order
ed to give no Mony, nor make Promises
to any, till they had freely delivered their
Opinion^ which as he writ, he had fo
carefully obferved, that he offered to for
feit his Head, if the contrary were found
true.
60 a&jfosment of ttjt tyutag>
Book I. true. Fifteen, or Twenty Crowns, was
all the reward he gave, even to thofe that
wrot for the King's Caufe -, and a few
Crowns he gave to fome of thofe that fub-
fcribed : B ut the Emperour re warded thofe
that wrot againft the Divorce, with good
Benefices •, fo little reafon there was to a-
fcribe the Subfcriptions he procured to Cor
ruption ; the contrary of which,appears by
his Original Accounts, yet extant. Be-
fides, many Divines, and Canonifts; not
only whole Houfes of Religious Orders,
but even the Univerfity of Bononia, tho
the Pope's Town, declared, that the Laws
in Leviticus ^ about the degrees of Mar
riage, were parts of the Law of Nature-,
and that the Pope could not difpenfe with
them.The Univerfity of Predetermined
the fame^as alfo that ofFerrara. In all,CV<?<?^
fent over to England, an hundred feveral
Books,- and Tapers, with many Subfcrip
tions :, all condemning the King's Marriage,
as unlawful in it felf. At Paris^ the5<?r-
^m mac^e t^le^r ^ E^rnrination, with great
Solemnity v after aMafs of the Holy Gholt,
all the Dolors took an Oath, to ftudy
the Queition, and to give their Judgment
according to their Confciences ; and after
three Weeks [ftudy, -the greater part a-
greed in this, That the Kings Marriage was
•unlawful \ and that the Pope could not difpenfe
with it. At Or leans, Angiers, m&Tholoufe,
they determined to the fame purpofe. E-
rafmm had a mind to live in quiet, and fo
he would not give his Opinion, nor oifend
either
$c. 61
either party. Grinew was imploded to Book I
try what Bucer, .Zuin&litu and Oecolamfa- t/v-J
dim thought of the Marriage. Bucer^Q- 1530
pinion was, that the Laws in Leviticus did T
not bind, and were not moral : Becaufe °*
God, not only difpenfed, but command- £v
ed them to marry their Brother's Wife, ***** i/."
when he died without Ifliie. Zuinglhu, and
Oecolamfaditis, were of another mind, and
thought thefe Laws were moral : But
were of Opinion, that the Iffiie by a Mar
riage, tiffin grounded upon a received
Miftake, ought not to be Illegitimat
ed.
Calvin thought the Marriage was null,
and they all agreed, that the Pope's Dif-
penfation was of no force. Ofiander was
imploied to engage the Lutheran Divines,
but they were affraidof giving the Em-
perour new grounds of difpleafure. Me-
lanttthan thought the Law in Levities was
difpenfable,and that the Marriage might be
lawful ^ and that in thofe matters, States
and Princes might make what Laws they
pleafed; And though the Divines of Lcif-
fickjy after much difputing about it, did
agree, that thefe Laws were moral, yet
they could never be brought to juftify the
Divorce, with the fubfequent Marriage
that followed upon it, even after it was
done • and that the King appeared very
inclinable to receive their Dodlrine ^ So
fteadily did they follow their Confciences,
even againft their Interefts : But the Pope
was more compliant, for he offered to Caf-
fali
Book I. falh to grant the King a Difpenfation for
^^v^' having another Wife , with which the
153 o. Imperialifts feemed not difatisfied.
Many cf The King's Caufe being thus fortified,
rj^T ky *° many Reflations in his Favours, he
to fke made many members of Parliament in a
Tof.e. Prorogation time , fign a Letter to the
Pope, complaining., that notwithftanding
the great merits of the King, thejuftice
of his Caufe, and the Importance of it to
the fafety of the Kingdom } yet the Pope
made ftill new Delayes •, they therefore
preiTed him to difpatch it fpeedily, other-
wife they would be forced to fee for other
Remedies, tho they were not willing to
drive tilings to Extremities, till it was
unavoidable : The Letter was figned by
the Cardinal, the Archbiihop of Canterbn~
ry , four other Bifhops, 22 Abbots, 42
Peers,and 1 1 Commoners.To this the Pope
The Popes wrote an anfwer : He took notice of the
Vehemence of their Stile : He freed himfelf
from the Imputations of Ingratitude, and
Injuitice : He acknowledged the King's
great Merits -, and faid, he had done all
he could in his Favour : He had granted
a Commiffion , but could not refufe to re
ceive the Queen's Appeal ^ all the Cardi
nals with one confent judged, that an A-
vocation was neceflary. Since that time,
the delays lay not at his door, but at the
Kings •, that he was ready to proceed, and
would bring it to as fpeedy an Illue, as
the Importance of it would admit of; and
for their Threatnings , they were nei
ther
of tfje Eefo?mattott, $c* 63
ther agreeable to their Wifdom, nor their Book I
Religion. O^s/vj*
Things being now in fuch a Pofture, the 1 5 3°;
King fet out a Proclamation j againft any
that fhould purchafe, bring over, orpu-
bliflaany Bull from Rome, contrary to his
Authority : and after that he made an
Abftrad of all the Reafons and Authori
ties of Fathers, or modern Writers, againft
his Marriage to be publilhed, both in La
tin and Englifli.
The main ftrefs was laid on the Laws in
Leviticus , of the forbidden Degrees of
Marriage } among which, this was one,
not to marry the Brother's Wife. Thefe Mar
riages are called Abominations , that defile
the Land-^ and for which, the Canaanites
were caft out of it. The Expofition of
Scripture, was to be taken from the Tra
dition of the Church •, and by the Univer-
fal Confent of all Doftors, thofe Laws
had been ftill looked on as Moral, and ever
binding to Chriftians , as well as Jews :
Therefore, Gregory the Great, advifed An-
ftin the Monk, upon the Conversion of the
Englifli ; among whom , the Marriages of
the Brother's Wife were ufual, todiilblve
them, looking on them as grievous Sins :
Many other Popes, as Calixttu, Zachari^
and Innocent the Third, had given their
Judgments, for the perpetual Obligation
of thofe Laws : They had been alfo con
demned by the Councils o^Neocefarea^Agde^
and the fecond of Toledo. Among Wick;
tiff's condemned Opinions, this was one,
thac
64 a&jt&Bment of t|je pff $$
Book I. ^at t^le Prohibitions of marrying in fuch
«vv~x/ Degrees,, were not founded on the Law
,1530. of God: For which he was condemned in
fome Englifh Councils, and thefe were con
firmed by the General Council at Conftance.
Among the Greek Fathers , both Origen,
Bafil, Chryfoftom, and Hefychim j and a-
mong the Latins , Tertullian , . Ambrofe,
Jerome, and St. Aiifim\ do formally deli
ver this, as the belief of the Church in their
time, that thofe Laws were Moral, and
ftill in force : An film, Hugo de fantto Vi-
&ore, Hildeben, and /w, argue very fully
to the fame purpofe, the laft particularly,
writing concerning the King of France,
who had married his Brothers Wife, fays,
it was inconfiftent with the Law of God,
vv^ith which none can difpence ; and
that he could not be admitted to the Com
munion of the Church, till he put her away.
Aauintis, and all the School-men, follow
thefe Authorities, and in their way of rea-
foning,they argue fully for this Opinionjand
all* that writ againfb Wickl}ff-y did alfo ailert
the Authority of thofe Prohibitions -, in
particular, Waldenfis, whofe Books were
approved by Pope Martin the Fifth. All
the Canonilts did alfo agree with them, as
Johannes Andrea* , Panormitan, and Oftien-
fls :, fo that Tradition being the only fure
Expounder of the Scripture, the Cafe feetn-
ed clear. They alfo proved, that a Co n-
fent without Confummation , made the
Marriage compleat, which being a Sacra
ment, that which followed after in the
Right
Right of Marriage, was not neceflary to Bbok I.
make it compleat, as a Prieft faying Mafs
confummates his Orders, which yet were
compleat without it. Many Teftimonies
were brought to confirm this} from which it
was inferred that the Queen's being marri
ed to Prince Arthur, tho nothing had fol
lowed upon it, made her incapable of a
lawful Marriage with the King. And yet they
fhewed what violent Prefuntptions there
were of Confummation, which wasalltha't
in filch Cafes was foughft fo^ and this was
exprelTed both in the Bull and Breve, thai
but dubioufly in the one, yet very pofitively
in the other. After that they examined
the Validity of the Pope's Difpenfation. It
was a received Maxime, that tho the Pope
had Authority to difpenfe with the Laws of
the Church, yet he could not difpenfe with
the Laws of God, which were not fub jedl to
him : And it had been judged in the
Rota at Rome, when a Difpenlation was
asked for a King to marry his Wives Sifter^
that it could not be granted j and when
Precedents were alledged for it, itwasan-
fwered, that the Church was to be gover
ned by Laws^ and not by Examples^ and
if any Pope had granted fuch Difpenfation,
it was either out of Ignorance or Corrupti
on. This was not only the Opinion of the
School-men, but of the Canonifts, tho they
are much fet on railing the Pope's Power^
as high as is poflible : And therefore Mex-
ander the third, refufed to grant a Difpen
fation in a like cafe? tho the Parent had
F fwora
66 abn&ffmettt of
Book I. fworn to make his Son marry his Brother's
O/-VNJ Widow •, others went further, and faid,
I53°« The Pope could not difpenfe with the Laws
of the Church, which feveral ancient Popes
had declared againfl, and it was faid, that
the fulnefs of Power, with which the Pope
was vetted, did only extend to the pa-
itoral Care, and was not for Deftruction,
but for Edification } and that as St. Paul
oppofed St. Peter to his Face, fo had mnay
Biihops withftood Popes, when they pro
ceeded againil the Canons of the Church.
So both Laurence and Dunftan in England,
had proceeded to Cenfures •, notwithltand-
ing the Pope's Authority interpofed to the
contrary ; and no Authority being able to
make what was a Sin in it fejf become law
ful •, every Man that found himfelf engaged
in a finful courfeof Life, ought to forfake
it •, and therefore the King ought to with-
dr'aw from the Queen, and the Biihops of
England in cafe of refufal ought to proceed
to Cenfures. Upon the whole matter, Tra
dition was that upon which all the Writers
of Controverfy, particularly now in the
Cpntefts with the Lutherans-) founded the
Doclrine of the Church, as being the only
infallible Expofition of the doubtful parts of
Scripture ^ and that being fo clear in this
matter, there feemectto be no room for any
further Debate.
Ar$u- On t^ie ot^er harjd, Cajetan was the firft
merits a- Writer, that againil the Itream of former
gain/lit. Ages .thought that the Laws of Leviticus,
were only Judiciary Precepts, binding the
1C- $?
and were not moral : his Reafons Book t
were?that Adam\ Children muft have mar
ried in the Degrees there fofbidden. Jacob
married two Sifters 5 and Judah, according
to cuftom, gave his two Sons^ and prbmifed
a third to the fame Woman. Mofes alfo ap
pointed the Brother to marry the Brother's
Wife when he died without I0ue. But a
Moral Law is for ever, and in all Cafes
binding; and it was alfo faid, that the
Pope's power reached even to the Laws of
God, for he difpenfed with Oaths and
Vows •, and as he had the Power of deter
mining Controverfies, fohe only could de
clare what Laws were moral and indifpen-
fable, and what were not ; nor could any
Bilhops pretend to judg concerning the ex
tent of his Power, or the validity of his
Bulls.
To all this, thofe that writ for the King*
anfwered, That it was ftrange to fee Meri
who pretended fuch Zeal againft Hereticks?
follow their Method, which was to fet up
private reafonings from fbirie Texts of
Scripture, in oppofition to the received
Tradition of the Church, which was the
bottom in which all good Catholicks
thought themfelves fafe $ and if Cajetan
wrote in this, manner againft the received
Doctrin of the Church in one Particular^
•why might not Luther take the fame liber
ty in other Points? They alfo madedi-
ftinction in moral Laws, between thofe
that were fo from the nature of the thing
Which was indifpen fable, and could in no
F 2 Cafe
68 abjfogmeut of tije rpi
Book I. Cafe be lawful •, and to this fort, no De-
v--v^ grees, but thofe of Parents and Children,
1530. could be reduced ; other Moral Laws were
cnly grounded upon publick Inconvenien-
ties, and Dilhonefty, fuch as the other
Degrees were ^ for the Familiarities that
Peribns fo nearly related live in, are fuch,
thatunlefsaTerrourwere (truck in them,
by a perpetual Law againfl fuch mixtures,
Families would be much denied : But in
fuch Laws, tho God may grant a Difpen-
fatlon in fome particular Cafes , yet' an
liiferiour Authority cannot pretend to it :
and fomejDifpenfations granted in the lat
ter Ages, ought not to be fet up to bal-
lance the Decilions of fo many Popes, and
Councils againft them, and the Dodrine
t night by fo many Fathers and Dodors in
former times.
Both fides having thus brought forth the
ftrength of their Caufe •, it did evidently
appear, That according to the Authority
given to Tradition in the Church of Rome,
the King had clearly the Right on his fide,
and that the Pope^s Party did write with
little iincerity in this matter, being guilty
of that manner of arguing from Texts of
Scriptures, for which they had fo loudly
charged the Lutherans.
The Queen continued firm to her Re-
folution , of leaving the matter in the
Pope's Hands, and therefore would heark
en to no Proportions that were made to her,
for referring the matter to the Arbitration
of fome chofea on both iides.
of tfie Eefa?matt0tt> $c; 69
ASeflion of Parliament followed inja* Book 1.
wary, in which the King made the De- \^^s*
diions of the Univerfities, and the Bocks 1531.
that were written for the Divorce, be firfi A sejjion *f
read in the Houfe of Lords, and then they Patii*-
wcre carried down by Sir Thomat More^ ™
and 1 2 Lords, both of the Spirituality, and
Temporality, to the Commons. There
were twelve Seals of Univerfities (hewed,
and their Deciiions were read,firil in Latin,
and then Tranflated into Englifh. There
were alfo an hundred Books fhewed,
written on the fame Argument : Upon
the mewing thefe, the Chancellor deilred
them to report in their Countries , that
they now clearly faw, that the King had
not attempted this matter of his meer will
and pleafure, but for the difcharge of his
Conscience, and the fecurity of the Suc-
ceflion of the Crown. This was alfo
brought into the Convocation, who declar
ed themfelves fatisfied, concerning the un-
lawfulnefs of the -Marriage: but the Cir-
cumftances they were then in, made that
their Declaration was not much confider-
ed •, for they were then under the lafh.
All the Clergy of England were filed, as
in the cafe of a Premnmre, for having ac
knowledged a Forreign Jurifdidion, and
taken out Bulls, and had Suits in the Lega-
tine Court.
The Kings of England did claim fuch The
a Power in Ecclefiaftical matters, as the c/e
Roman Eniperours had exercifed before
the fall of that Empire : AncientSy they
F 3 had
7<a abjtBgment of tfje fyifoty
Book I. had by their Authority divided Bifhopricks,
\-xv~^ granted the Inveftitures, and made Laws,
1531. both relating to Ecclefiaftical Caufes & Per-
fons. When the Popes began to extend
their Power, beyond the Limits afligneci
them by the Canons, they met with great
oppofition in England, both in the matter
of Inveftitures , Appeals, Legates, and
the other Branches of their Usurpations •,
but they managed all the Advantages they
found, either from the Weaknefs, or ill
Circumftances of Princes, fofteadily, that
in Conclufion, they fubdued the World :
And if they had not by their cruel Exafti-
pns,fo opprefled the Clergy, that they were
Driven to feek Shelter under the Covert
of the Temporal Authority, the World
was then fo over-maftered by Superftiti-
on and Credulity, that not only the whole
Spiritual Power, but even the Temporal
Power of Princes, was likely to have fal
len into the Pope's hands : But the difcon-
tented Clergy fupported the Secular Power,
as much as they had before advanced the
Papal Tyranny. Boniface the 8? h , had
raifed his Pretentious to that impudent
pitch, that he declared, all Power, both
Eccleiiaftical, and Civil, was derived from
him, and eftablifhed that, as an Article of
Faith, neceiTary to Salvation -, and he, and
his Succeflbrs, took upon them, to dilpofe
of all Ecclefiaftkal Benefices, by their
Bulls and Provifions. Upon which, Laws
were made in England^ reftraining thole
|nyafions pn the Crown , fince thofe En
dowments
of tfje Eef0?matta!t> $c; 71
dowments were made for informing the Book I.
People of the Law of God, and for Hofpi- v^v^J
tality, and Ads of Charity, which were 1531.
defeated, as well as the Crown was difin- 2^.Ed.\
heritedby the Provilions which the Popes
granted. Therefore they condemned them
for the future, but no PuniQiment being
declared for the Tranfgreflbrs of that Fac%
the Courtiers at Rome were not frighted
at fo general a Law j fo thefe Abufes
were flill continued : But in Edward the
Third^s time, a more fevere Law was 2, 5.
made, by which , all that tranfgrefled
were to be imprifoned, to be fined at
pleafure, and to forfeit all their Benefices*
By an other Ac~fc, they were put out of
the King's Protedion. Several other Con
firmations of this were made, both in that
Reign , and under Richard the Second }
and the former Punifhments were extend
ed, not only t;o the Provifors themfelves,
but to all that were imployed by them, or
took Farms of them: and becanfe Licen
ces might be granted by ,the King for
Aliens, to hold Benefices in England, he
did bind himfelf to grant none : Others
took both Prefentations in England, and
obtained Provifions from Rome, which was
likewife condemned. The Right of Pre
fentations was tried, only in the King's
Courts •, but the Popes had a mind to take
the Cognizance of that to their own Courts^
upon which, the Parliament confidering
the great Prejudice the Nation was like
to fuffer, and the Subjeclion that the
F 4 Crown
7* a&isgment of tfje !?)tff0$
JJppk I. Crown would fall under, refolved to pro-'
[\>^r^ vide efFedual Remedies ; fo all the Gom-
1531. mons declare^, they would live and die
[i6.&'r.2. with the King, ancl deiired him to exa-*
mine "all the Lords, whether they would
uphold the Regality of the Crown. The
Temporal Lords declared, they would do
it : But the Spiritual Lords made fbm£ dif
ficulty *, yet in Concluilon, they alfo promi^
fed,they would adhere to the Crown : So a
Law pafled, that if any purchafed, Tran-
flations , Excommunications , or Bulls,
from Rome, that were contrary to the
King, or his Crown, they, and all that
brought them over, or that received, or
executed them, were declared to be out of
the KingV Protection, and that their
Goods and Chattels ihould be forfeited to
the King, and their Perfons imprifoned.
And fcecaufe the Proceedings upon this,
were by a Writ, called, from the moft ma
terial Words of it, Premunire faciti* •, this
Statute carried the name of the Statute of
Premunire. There was alfoa Lawpafled
inHtfffrythe Fourth's Heign, againfl fome
Bulls, which the Ciftertians had procured,
and againft the high Rates fet on Bulls in
the Apoftolkk Chamber ; and whereas the
King had been prevailed with, to give
Licences for fome Bulls, by which the Pro-
vifors put the Incumbents out of theii
Benefices , thefe were all declared to ber
of no force, when clone in prejudice of the
Subjects Rights? The Invafions that both
$te Popes an^ Kings made upon
oftfje Eefo?matt0n, $c, 73
were by another Law condemned , and Book I.
the Liberty of Elections was again let up.
But thofe Kings being more concerned to
prefer ve their own Prerogative, than the
Rights of their People, were often pre
vailed with, to grant Pardons, and Licen~
ces, to thofe who obtained Proyiiions at
Rome •, fo thefe were all again condemned
in Henry the Fifth's time.
In all this time, the weaknefs of the Par
pacy , gave Princes fome Advantages,
which they had not in former Ages ; for
a great while the Popes fate at Avignon^
where they were much eclipfed of their
former Greatnefs : After that 3 Schifm
followed between the Popes that fate at
Rome, and thofe that ftill fate at Avignion j
and the Princes of Chriftendom, being then
at liberty, tochopfe which of thofe they
would acknowledg •, the Popes durft not
thunder againft thofe Laws, as they had
clone in former times, upon much lefs Pro
vocation. And indeed all the ufe that the
Kings made of them, was,to oblige the Pro?
vifors to come and depend on them for their
Licence to executetheir Bulls; andthe King%
Authority being joy ried with the Popes, it
was hard for thofe who were opprefled to
refift that double force : Nor was there
any vigorous Execution made of thofe Laws,
otherwayes than to draw Mony from the
Provifors : For it fell out in t;his cafe, what
is ordinary on all ftch occafions, that Fa
vourites make ufe of good Laws •, by whkh,
is trufed to the Prince , for the
Protection
74 augment of t&e |)iffo$
Book I, Protection and Security of thfc Subjefts,
f~~v^ only for their own ends. It was a ftrange
,1531. weaknefs in the Princes of Chriftendoin,
to take fuch pains as was done at Conflance^
for healing the Breach in the Papacy, for
while that continued, they reigned in
peace j and the Clergy was lefs opprefled
than formerly : But that being once made
up, the Popes were beginning again to
raife their old Pretentions : And Pope
Martin the 5^, not being willing to en
gage with fo high fpirited a King, as Henry
the $th was, he took Advantage in the Mi-
f>.Hcn. 6. nority of Henry the Sixth's Reign, to pro-
pofe a Repeal of thofe Laws , and firfl
wrote very feverely to Chicbely, then Arch-
bifhop of Canterbury, for not oppoiing the
Statute of Provifors , that had pafTed in
the former Reign ^ nor ftanding up for
the Rights of St. Peter \ He therefore ex
horted him to imitate his Predeceflbr, Tho-
mat Becket ; and required him to declare
at the next Parliament, - the unlawfulnefs
of it} and that all who obeyed it, were
under Excommunication : He alfo requi
red him to order the Clergy , to preach
everywhere againfl it. Yet Chichely did
not proceed fo zealoufly as the Pope ex-
peded , and therefore he fufpended his
Legatine Power. The Archbifliop appeal
ed upon this from the Pope,tothe next Ge
neral Council, or if none met, to the Tri
bunal of God : But the Pope wrote alfo
to the Clergy, requiring them to do what
in them lay, for the repeal of the Statute :
And
c* 75
And in another Letter tp the two Arch- Book I
bifhops} in which, in fpite to Cbtikeley,
Torkjs tirft named:, he annulled tjie Sta-
tut€s ma4e by Edward the Third, and
Richard the Second ; and declared all to
be excommunicated tha^ executed them,
referving the abfolution. of them to hirn-
felf, unlefs they were at the point of death:
And he required them tO; publifh, and
affix this his Monitory Brief. . The Archfoi-
ihop humbjed himfelf to the Pope ^ and
gotthepthpr pHhops, and the Univerfity
of Oxford, tp write in his Favour to him j
which they did, according to the flatter*
ing, and yajn flile of that Age : In his
own Letter he fays, he had not opened
the Pope's Brief, and fo did not know what
it contained, being required by the King
ito bring it to him with the Seals intire.
The Pope wrote alfo both to the King
and Parliament, requiring them, under
the paints of Excommunication, and Dam
nation, to repeal thofe Statutes. Upon 1427.
the meeting of tha next Parliament, the
Archbimop, accompanied by fever al Bi-
fhops, and Abbots, went to the Houfe of
Commons, and made them a long Speech,
in the form of a Sermon, upon that Text,
Render, unfo C<efar the things that are C&fars^
and to Go4 the things that are Gods\ And
exhorted them to repeal thofe Laws a-
gainft the Pope's power, in granting Pro-
vifors -, and with' Tears laid out the mif-
chiefs that would follow, if the Pope mould
procee.4 tQ Genfures But tl\e Commons
would
76 abtfngment of tfie lf>iao?p
Book I. would not repeal thofe Laws ; yet they
t^or^ were left as dead Letters among the Re-
153 1. cords, for no care was taken to execute
them. The Pope was fo far fatisfied with
Chichely's behaviour, that he received him
again to favour, and reftored to him the
Legatine Power. This being hitherto
mentioned by none of our Writers, it feem-
ed no impertinent Digreffion to give this
account of it.
Tk clergy ^ow were thofe long forgotten Statutes
fvived to bring the Clergy into a Snare:
It was defigned by the terrour of this, to
force them into an intire Submiflion ; and
to oblige them to redeem thcmfelves by the
grant of a confiderable Subfidy. They
pretended they had erred ignorantly •, for
v the King by his favour to the Cardinal,
| .feemed to confent, if not to encourage that
Authority which he then exercifed : It
wasapublick Errour, and'fo they ought
not to be punilhed fork. To all this it
was anfwered, that the Laws which they
had tranfgreffed, were ftill in force, and fo
no Ignorance could excufe the Violation of
them. The Convocation of Canterbury
made their Submiflion, and in their Ad-
drefs to the King, he was called the Pro-
teffor , and Stream Head of the Church of
England ; but fome excepting to that, it
was added, in. fo far M it i* agreeable to the
LawofChrift. This was figned by Nine
Bifhops, Fifty Abbots and Priors, and the
greateft part of the Lower Houfe; and
with it they offered the King a Subfidy,
to
of t&e Eefo?mation> $c, 77
to procure his Favour, of an 100000 /. and Book I.
they promifed for the future, not to make wy^i
nor execute, any Conftitutions, without 153 1»
his Licence. The Convocation of Torkjlid
not pafs this fo eaflly •, they cxcepted to
the word Head^ as agreeing to none but
Chrift : Yet the King wrote them a long
expoftulating Letter, and told them, with
what Limitations thofe of Canterbury had
pafled that Title ^ upon which they alfo
fubmitted, and offered him 18840 /. which
was alfo well received -, and fo all the Cler
gy were again received into the King's
Protedion, and pardoned. But when the
King's Pardon was brought into the Par
liament, the Laity complained, that they
were not included within it-, for many of
them were alfo obnoxious on the fame
account, in fome meafure, having had
Suits in the Legatine Court ^ and they did
apprehend, that they might be brought
in trouble : And therefore they addrefled
to the King, and defired to be compre
hended within it : But the King told them,
his mercy was neither to be retrained,
nor forced. This put the Houfe of Com
mons in great trouble ^ but they pail the
Adt : And foon after , the King fent a
Pardon to all his Temporal Subjects, which
was received with great Joy ; and they
acknowledged, that the King had temper
ed his Greatnefs with his Clemency, in
his way of proceeding in this matter.
In this Seflion, one&w/*, that had poi-
Xoned a great Pot of Porridge, in the Bi-
fhop
78 aft?t5§ni0tt of tfie |)iffo?t>
Book I. ihop of Recbefter*$ Ritchin, of which two
vx^/^o had died, and many had been brought near
153 !• Death, was attainted of Treafoh, and con-
ner^n* denlned to t*e boiled to death :, and that was
demnedfof msde the Punishment of Poifoning in time to
Treafon. come. By this Aft the Parliament made ai
Crime to be Treafon that was not fo before^
and punifhed the Perfon accordingly: which
was founded on the Power feferved in the
2-$th of Edward the 3^ to Parliaments, to
declare In time coming what Crimes were
Treafon. This fevere Sentence was exe
cuted in Smithfi'M^ Rotife accufing none as
his Complices, tho malicious Perfons did
afterwards impute that Action of his to a
deiignof^wz* Botteyn upon Fiflier*s Life}
but his iilence^ under fb terrible a Condem
nation, fhewed he could not charge others
with it.
Af?er the Seirions of Parliament, new
Applications were made to the Queen to
Queen, perfwade her to depart from her Appeal ,
but fhe remained fixed in her Refolution,
and faid^fhe was the King's -lawful Wife,and
would abide by it till the Court at Rome
fhould declare the contrary. Upon that
the King defifed her to chufeany of his
Houfes in the Country to live in, andre-
folved never to fee her rtiore.
A Tumult The Clergy were now railing the Subfi-
amongthe ^^ ancj ^ Bifhops intended to make the
inferiour Clergy pay their fhare : But up
on the Biihop of London's calling fonie fev?"
of them together, on whom he hoped to
prevail, and make them fet a good Exam-*
pie
of tlje Refutation, $c; 79
pie to the reft, all the Clergy hearing of Book I.
it, came to the Chapter-houfe and forced
their way in, tho the Bifhop's Officers did
what they could by Violence to keep them
out. The Bifhop made a Speech, fetting
forth the King's Clemency, in accepting^
fuch a Subfidy inftead of all their Benefices.,
which they had forfeited to him, and there
fore defired them to bear their fhare in it
patiently. They anfwered that they had not
meddled with the Cardinal's Faculties, nor
needed they the King's Pardon, not having
tranfgrefled his Laws *, and therefore lince
the Bifhops and Abbots only were in fault,
it was reafonable that they only fhould
raife the Subfidy. Upon this the Bifhop^s
Officers, and They came to very high
Words, and it ended in Blows : But the
Biihop quieted them all he could with good
Words, and difmifled them with a Promife
that none ihould be brought unto queftion
for what had been then done •, yet he com
plained to Afore of it, and he put many of
them in Prifon : But the thing was let
fall.
This Year produced a new Breach be- The
tween the Pope and the Emperour •, the *{*™s *°
rk j 1 •» f i -n ' tnelnte
Pope pretended to Modeno and Regio as, reft Of
Fiefs of the Papacy ; but the Emperour France.
judged againil him for the Duke of Ferrari
Upon this the Pope refolved to'unite him-
felf to the Crown of France ^ and Francis, to
gain him more entirely, propofed a Match
between his fecond Son Henry ^ and the
Pope's Neece, the famous Catherine de Mt-
dici
8o augment of tlje ^iffo?^
Book I. die* ; which as it brought much on the
Pope's Ambition* fp it was like to prove a
great fupport to his Family. Francis alfo
offered to refign all his Pretentions in Italy
to his Son Henry , which was like to draw in
other Princes to a League with him, who
would have been miich better pleafed tti
fee a King's younger Son among them, than
either the Emperour or the King of France.
The King's Matter was now in a fairer
way of being adjultedi for the Pope's GOH-
fcience being directed t>y his Interelts, iince
he had now broken with the Emperour, it
was probable he would give the King con
tent. He faw the danger of lofing England.
The Intereft of the Clergy was much funk,
and they were in a great meafure fub-
jeded to the Crown. Lut he ranifa was alfo
making a great Progrefs^ and the Pope
was out of any danger from the Emperour,
on whom the whole Power of the Turkj$i
Empire was now fallen, drawn in, as was
believed, by the Practices of Francis at the
Port , tho that did not well agree with his
Title ofMJl Chriftiart King. The Princes
of 'Germany took Advantage from this, to
make the Emperour confent to fbme fur
ther liberty in matters of Religion,and to fe-
cure themlelves; they were then alfo entered
into a League with Francis, for preferving
the Rights of the Empire, unto which King
Henry was invited. All this raifed Francu
again very high •, fo he was the fitteft Per-
fon to mediate an Agreement between the
King and the Pope, and being himfelf a
Lover
c* 8 r
Lover ofPleafure, he was the more eafily Book
engaged to ferve the King in the accorn- ^-v^
pliihment of his Amours, . .. . . 1532
A new Sefljon of Parliament was held, in A imfun
which the Laity complained of the fpiritual derftan-
Courtspf their way of proceeding exOfficio,&™% be-
and not admitting Perfons accufed to their g^
'Purgation. But this was not much confi- Commoni
dered,by reafon of an ill underftanding that
fell in between the King and the Hbufe of
Commons. There was a Cuftom brought
in of making filch Settlements of EJdates,
that the Heir was not liable to Wards,
and the other Advantages to which the
King or the Great Lords had otherwife a ,
Right by their Tenures : So a Bill for re
gulating that was fent down by the Lords^
but the Gommans rejected it, which gave
the King great Offence 5 upon that they
addrefTed to the King for a Diirolution^
flnce they had been now obliged to a long At
tendance. The King anfwered them fharp-
ly, He faid, they had rejected a Bill, in
which he had offered a great Abatement of
that which he might claim by Law $ and
therefore he would execute the Law in its
utmofl feverity. He told them he had Pa
tience while his Suit was in dependence, and
fo they muft have likewife, For this Par
liament was made up of Men very ill af-
fedled to the Clergy, fo the King kept it
Hill in being, to terrify the Court of Rome
fo much the more.
All that was remarkable that paft in this
Seffion was an Ad againft Annats *, it fets
G forth
Book I. forth that they were founded on no Law*
t/v-vj they were firft exacted to defend Chriften-
*532. dom againit Infidels, and were now kept
up as a Revenue to the Papacy, and Bulls
were not granted till they were compounded
for : for 800000 Ducats had bin carried out
Q{ England to £<w7e>,onthat account fince the
beginning of the former Reign. The King
was bound by his Royal Care of his Sub
jects to hinder fuch Oppreflions •, and
therefore all that were provided to great
Benefices, were required not to pay Firft
Fruits for the future, under the pain of for
feiting all their Goods, and the profits of
their Benefices ; and thofe that were pre-
fented to Bifhopricks were appointed to
be confecrated, tho their Bulls were denied
at Rome, and they were required to pay
no more but 5 fer Cent, of the clear Profits
of their Sees. If the Pope fhould upon this
proceed to cenfures, they required all the
Clergy to perform Divine Offices, thefe
notwithftanding. But by an extraordina
ry Provifo, they referred it to the King to
declare at any time between that and Ea-
fter next, whether this Aft fhould take
place or not : and the King by his Let
ters Patents declared that it mould take
place being provoked by the Pope.
The Pope In January the Pope, upon the motion of
\vritcs to the Imperialifts wrote to the King, com-
t King, plaining that notwithftanding a Suit was
depending concerning his Marriage, yet he
had put away his Queen, and kept one
Anns as his Wife, contrary to a Prohibi-
*'
c; 83
tion ferved on him ; therefore he exhorted Book I-
him to live with his Queen again, and to i/vvj
put Anne away. Upon this the King fent Dr. 1532.
Sennet to Rome with a large Difpatch; in it he The King'*
complained that the Pope proceeded in that Anfwer'
matter upon the Suggeltion of others, who
were ignorant and rafh Men : the Pope had
carried himfelf inconflantly and deceitfully
in it, and not as became Chriil's Vicar : and
the King had now for feveral Years ex-
pe&ed a Remedy from him in vain. The
Pope had granted a Commiffion, had pro-
mifed never to recal it, and had fent over
a Decretal Bull defining the Caufe, Either
thefe were unjuftly granted, or unjuftly
recalled. If he had Authority to grant
thefe things, where was the Faith which
became a Friend, much more a Pope, fince
he had recalled them ? If he had not Au
thority to grant them, he did not know
how far he could confider any thing he did;
It was plain that he afted more with re
gard to his Interefts, than according td
Confcience •, and that,as the Pope had often
confefled his own Ignorance in thefe matters *
fo he was not furnifhed with Learned Men to
advife him,otherwife he would not maintain
a Marriage which almoft all the Learned
Men and Univerfities in England, France^
and It4y, had condemned as unlawful. He
defired the Pope would excufe the Freedom!
he ufed,to which his Carriage had forced him,
He would not queftion his Authority,unlefs
he were compelled to it, and would do no
thing but reduce it to its firft and ancient
Limits, which was much better than to let
G 2 high
84 augment of tlje
Book I. it-run on headlong, and ftill do amifs.
t/^v^J high Letter made the Pope refolve to pro-
J53^ Ceed and end this matter, either by a Sen
tence, or a Treaty. The King was eked to
anfwer to the Queen's Appeal at Rome in
Per fon, or by Proxy : fo Sir Edward K 'arm?
was fent thither in the new Character of
the King's Excufator, to excufe the King's
Appearance, upon fuch grounds as could
The Kin* ^ f°urided on the Canon Law, and upon
deed to & the Privileges of the Crown of England.
Rome^ ex- Eonncr that was a forwad and ambitious
cuts h.m- ]\|an<) anc} Would Hick at nothing that
might contribute to his Preferment^ was
fent over with him. The Imperialifls
prefTed the Pope much to give Sentence, but
ail the wife Cardinals, whoobferved by the
Proceedings of the Parliament, that the Na
tion would adhere to the King, ifhefhould
be provoked to fhake off the Pope's Yoke,
were very appreheniive of a Breach, and
luggefted milder Counfels to the Pope •,
and the King's Agents allured him, that if
he gave the King content, the late Act a-
gainfl Annats, fliould not be put in Execu
tion.
Some Car- The Cardinal ~tf Ravenna was then con-
dinals cor- fldcred as an Oracle for Learning in the
Confijlory, fo the King's Agents refolved
to gain him with great Promifes , but he
faid, Princes were liberal of their Promifes,
till their turn was ferved, and then forgot
them ^ fo he refolved to make fure work ;
therefore he made Bennet give himaPro-
mife in writing of the Bifhoprick of Ely; or
the firlt.Bifhoprick that fell till that was
:.*. vacant
1C. 85
vacant, and he alfo engaged that the King Bco'c I.
fhould procure him Benefices in France to L^N^J
the value of 6000 Ducats a Year, for the 15^2.
Service he fhould do hkn in his Divorce.
This was an Argument of fo great Efficacy
with the Cardinal, that it abfolutely tur
ned him from being a great Enemy, to be
as great a Promoter, of the KingY Caufe,
tho very artificially. Several other Cardi
nals were alfo prevailed with, by the fame
, Topicksi The King's Agents put in his Plea
of Excufe in 28 Articles, and it was orde
red that three of them mould be difcuiled
at a hearing before the Confiilory, till they
fliould be all examined : But that Court fit
ting once a Week, the Imperialifts, after
fome of them were heard, procured an
Order, that the reft fhould be heard in a
Congregation or Committee of Cardinal,
before the Pope, for greater Difpatch : but
Kara refufed to obey this, and fo it was re
ferred back to the Confiltory. But againll
. this the Imperialifts protefted, and refufed
to appear any more. News were brought
to Rome from England, that a Prieft that
had preached up the Pope's PoweiV was
caft into Prifon ; and that one committed
by the Archbifhop for Herefy, appealed to
the King as fupream Head, which was re
ceived and judged in the King's Courts.
The Pope made great Complaints upon
thisr but the King's Agents faid, the bell way
$o prevent the like for the future, was to
do the King Juftice. At this time a Bull
Was granted for fupprefling fome Monafte-
G 3 nes>
86 pigment of
Book I. ries, and ereding new Bifhopricks put of
them. Cbefter was to be one, and the Car
dinal of Revenna was fp pleafed with the
Revenue defigned for it, that he laid his
hand upon it, till Ely fhould happen to fall
vacant. I n conclufion, the Pope feemed to
favour the King's Plea Excufatory, upon
which the Imperialifts made great Com
plaints. But this amounted to no more,
iave that the King was not bound to ap
pear in Perfon : Therefore the Cardinals
that were gained, adviled the King to fend
over a Proxy for anfwering to the merits of
the Caufe, and not to lofe more time in
that Dilatory Plea } and they having de
clared themfelves againft the King in that
Plea, before the bargain had been made
with them, could with the better credit
ferye him in the other. So the Vacation
coming on, it was refolved by the Cardi
nals neither to admit nor reject the Plea.
But both the Pope and the Colledg wrote
to the King to fend over a Proxy for deter
mining the matter next Winter. Bonmr
was alfo fent to England to aflure the King,
that the Pope was now fo much in the
French Intereft, that he might confidently
refer his matter to him •, but yvhereas the
King defired a Cpmmiflion to judg (in far-
tibw) upon the place : it was faid^ that
the Point to be judged, being the Pope's
Authority to difpenfe with the King's
Marriage, that could not be referred to
Legates, but muft needs be judged in the,
Confiflory, ' ^
of flje &ea?uiatt'ott, $c. 87
At this time a new Seifton of Parliament Book I.
was called in England. The Clergy gave in ^*v*^,
an Anfwer to the Complaints made of them * 5 32'
by the Commons in the former Seffions : ^p!^°"
But when the King gave it to the Speaker, ment.
he complained that one Temfe, a Member
of their Hpufe, had moved for an Addrefs
to the King, that the Queen might be
again brought back to the Court ; The
King faid, it touched his Confdence, and
was not a thing that could be determined
in that Houfe. He wifhed his Marriage
were good, but many Divines had declared
it unlawful. He did not make his Suit out of
Luft or foolifh Appetite, being then pafl
the Heats of Youth ; he allured them, his
Confcience was troubled, and defired them
to report that to the Houfe. Many of the
Lords came down to the Houfe of Com
mons, and told them, the King intended
to build fome Forts on the Borders of
Scotland, to fecure the Nation from the
Inroads of the Scots ; and the Lords ap
proving of this, fent them to propofe it to
the Commons, upon which a Subfidy was
voted i but upon the breaking out of the
Plague, the Parliament was prorogued,
before the Adi was finiihed. At that time TheOatlis
the King fent for the Speaker of the Houfe which the
of Commons, and told him he found that B (hops
the Prelates were but half Subjects ; for f^heeboth
theyfwore at their donfecration an Oath ^opeean^
to the Pope, that was inconfiftent with the King.
their Allegiance, and Oath to the King.
By their Oath to the Pope, they fwore
G 4 to
88 augment of t&e tyttta®
Book I. to be in no Council againft him,nor to dif:
;w^v-s-f tlofe his Secrets-, but to maintain the Papacy,
.1522. and the Regalities of S Jeter againft all Men -3
together with the Rights and Authorities
of the Church of Rome ^ and that they
Ihould honourably entreat the Legats
of the Apoftolick See, and obferve all the
Decrees, Sentences, Provifions, and Com
mandments of that See j and yearly, either
in Perfon or by Proxy, vifit the Threfholds
of the Apoftles. In their Oath to the
King, they renounced all Claufes in their
Bulls contrary to the King's Royal Dig
nity, and did fwear to be faithful to him,
and to live and die with him againft all
others, and to keep his Counfel •, acknow
ledging that they held their Bifhopricks
Only of him. By thefe it appeared tha:t
they could not keep both thofe Oaths, in
cafe a Breach mould fall out between the
King and the Pope. But the Plague broke
off the Confutations of Parliament at
this time. Soon after, Sir 'Thomas More fee-
ing a Rupture with Rome coming on fb
faf|:<) defired leave to lay down his Office,
which was upon that conferred on SirTho.
Dudley. He was fatisfied' with the King's
keeping up the Laws formerly made in 6p-
polition to the Papal Incroachments,and fo
had concured in the Suit of the Prcmmire ;
but now the matter vyent further, and To he
inot being able to keep pace with the Couri-
fels, returned- to a private Life, 'with a
Greatnefs of Mind equal to what the an-
qent Greek^ 'or Romans had exprefled on
of tlje Etfowtatfon, $c. 89
*uch Occafions. Endeavours were ufed to Book L
fatten Tome Imputations on him, in the tx\r^
Difhibution of Juftice -7 but nothing could 15 3 3*
be brought againft him, to blemifli his Inte
grity.
' An Enterveiw followed between the jjj/'jjf
Kings of Fr*w* and England -, to which, /aww |A~
^4»» Botteyn, now Marchionefs of Pcmbrook^ Kjng Of
was carried -, In which, after the firft Ce- ran,ce'
remonies, and Magnificence was over,
Francis promifed Henry to fecond him
in his Suit : He encouraged him to pro
ceed to a fecond Marriage, without more
adoe ; and allured him, he would Hand
by him in it : And told him, he intend
ed to reftrain the payment of Annats to
Rome •, and would ask of the Pope a Rer
drefs of that and other Grievances •, and
if it was denied, he would feek other Re
medies in a Provincial Council. An En-,
terview was propofed between the Pope
and Him •, to which he defired the King
go with him-7ancrking ifa was not'un willing
to it', if he could have ailurance that
his Bufinefs would be finally determined.
The Pope offered to the King, to fend a
Legate to any indifferent place out of
England, to form the Procefs, referving
only the giving Sentence to himfelf :
And propofed to him, and all Princes, a
General Truce, that fo he might call a
General Council. The King anfwered,
that fuch was the prefent State of the
Affairs of Europe^ that it was not feafon-
£ble to call a General Comply that it
was
90 augment of tfie |)iffo$
Book I <was contrary to his Prerogative to fend a
" Proxy to appear at Rome ^ That by the
Decrees of General Councils, all Caufes
ought to be judged on the place, and by
a Provincial Council ; and that it was fit
ter to judge it in England, than any where
elfe : And that by his Coronation Oath,
he was bound to maintain the Dignities
\ of his Crown, and the Rights of his Sub
jects •, and not to appear before any for-
raign Court * So Sir Thomat Elliot was
fent over with Inftrudions, to move, that
the caufe might be judged in England : Yet
if the Pope had real Intentions of giving
the King full Satisfaction, he was not to
infill on that : And to make the Cardinal
of Ravenna fure, he fent him the offer of the
Bifhoprick of Coventry and Litchpeldy then
. vacant. Soon after this, the King mar-
ried Ann Bolleyn -, Rowland Lee ( after-
Ann Bol- wards Bifhop of Coventry and Litchpeld )
did officiate, none being prefent but the
Duke of Norfolk^ and her Father, her Mo
ther, and her Brother, and Cranmer. It
was thought , that the former Marriage
being null of it felf, the King might pro
ceed to another : And perhaps", they [ho
ped, that as the Pope had formerly pro-
pofedthis Method, fohe would now ap
prove of it. But tho the Pope had jpyn-
ed himfelf to France, yet he was flill fo
much in fear of the Emperour, that he
refolved not to provoke him •, and fo was
not wrought on by any of the Expedients
which Berne* propofed, which were either
to
of t!je Ecf uimatton, $c+ 9 1
£o judge the Caufe in England, according to Book i.
ithe Council of Nice ; or to refer it to the s^x^vj
Arbitration of fome, to be named by the 1532°
King , and the King of France, and the
Pope : for all thefe, he faid, tended to the
Diminution of the Papal Power. A new
Citation Was ifTued put, for the King, to
anfwer to the Queen's Complaints •, but
the King?s Agents protefted, that he was
a Soveraign Prince, that England, was
a free Church, over which the Pope had
no juft Authority *, and that the King could
expedt no Juflice at Rome, where the Empe-
perours Power was fo great.
At this time, the Parliament met again, 1533.
and paft an Aft, condemning all Appeals The i>ar~
to Rome : In it they fet forth, 'That the
*• Crown was Imperial , and that the Na-
1 tion was a compleat Body, having full
* Power to do Juitice in all Cafes, both
* Spiritual, and Temporal : And that as
c former Kings had maintained the Liber-
' ties of the Kingdom againlt the Ufurpa-
* tions of the See of Rome -, fo they found
cthe great Inconveniencies of allowing
f Appeals in Matrimonial Caufes; That
* they put them to great Charges, and ac-
* cafioned many Delayes : Therefore they
f enaded, That thereafter thofe fhould be
c all judged within the Kingdom, and no
'regard fhould be had to J any Appeals
* to Rome, or Cenfures from it : But Sen-
'tences given in England, were to have
c their full Effedb : and all that exe-
Jcuted any Cenfures from Rome^ were
to
92 3{$tjjrment of tlje 191
Book I. * to incur ^e pains of Premunire. Ap-
O^\^ J c peals were to be from the Arch-deacon
' I533- c to the Bifhop •, and from him to the Arch-
4 bifhop •: And in the Caufes that concern-
c ed the King, the Appeal was to be to the
4 upper Houfe, of Convocation.
There was now a new Archbi/hop of
Cranmcr Canterbury •, War ham died the former Year:
SrfW** r^ a &** pjtro? °f Learnin§v a
<j/Caater- good Canoniir, and wife States-man ; but
bury. was a cruel Terfecu tor of Hereticks, and in
clined to believe Fanatical Stories. Cran-
wer was then in Germany? difputing in the
King's Caufe with fome of the Emperour^s
Divines. The King refolved to advance
him to that Dignity ^ and fent him word
of it, that fo he might make haite over :
But a Promotion fo far above his Thoughts,
had not its common Effects on him : He
had a true and primitive Senfe of fo great
a Charge ; and inftead of afpiring to it,
he was afraid of h,& he both returned very
ilowly to England, and ufed all his Endea
vours , to be excufed from that Advance
ment : But this declining of Preferment,
being a thing, of which the Clergy of that
Age were fo little guilty, difcovered, That
S he had Maximes very far different from
molt Church-men. Bulls were fent for
to Ro?ne^ in order to his Confecration,
which the Pope granted, tho it could not
be very grateful to him, to fend them to
one who had fo publickly difputed againft
his Power of difpenfing ; all the Competi
tion that was payed for them, was , but
900
oftfjeEefojmatiott, $c* 93
900 Ducats , which was perhaps accord- Book I.
inp to the Regulation, made in the Aft
againit Annats. T here were // feyeral Bulls
fentover, one, confirming the King's No
mination * a Second, requiring him to ac
cept it •, a Third, abfolving him from Cen-
fures ; a Fourth, to the Suffragan Bilhops -7
a Fifth, to the Dean and Chapter \ a Sixth,
to the Clergy •, a Seventh, to the Laity -y
an Eighth, to the Tenants of the See, re
quiring all thefe to receive him to be their
Archbifhop ; a Ninth, requiring fome Bi-
fhopstoconfecratehim-, the Tenth gave
him the Pall j and by the Eleventh, the
Archbifhop of Tork^ was required to put
it on him. The putting all this in fo many
different Bulls, was a good Contrivance,
for raifmg the Rents of the Apoftolick
Chamber. On the 30 of March, Cranmer
was confecrated by the Bifhops of Lincoln,
Exeter, and St. 4fafh. The Oath to the
Pope was of hard Digeftion : So he made
a Proteftation before he took it, that he
conceived himfelf not bound up by it in any
thing, that was contrary to his Duty to
God, to his King, or Country :, and he
repeated this when he took it •, fo that
if this feemed too artificial for a Man of his
fmcerity •, yet he afted.in it fairly, and
above Board. condemns
The Convocation had then two Que- fhe ^
ftions before them •, the firft was, Concern-
ing the Lawfulnels of the King's Marri
age, and the Validity of the Pope's Dii-
penfation:, the other was,of Matter of Faft,
Whether P. An\wr had confummated the
Mar-
94 36?fogtttent of tfje ^)iffo$
Book I. Marriage, or not. For the firft, the Judg-
X-'-V-N./ raents of 19 Univerfities were read ; and
1519. after a long Debate, there being 2301117
in the Lower Houfe, 14 were againft the
Marriage, and 7 for it, and two voted du-
biouily. In the upper Houfe, Stokefly, Bi-
ihop of London, and Ftjher, maintained the
Debate long •, the one for the Affirmitive,
and the other the Negative : At laft it was
carried , Nemme contradicente, ( the few
that were of the other fide it feems with-
- drawing) againft the Marriage, 216 be
ing prefent. For the other, that con
cerned matter of Faft , it was referred
to the Canonifls ; and they all, except five
or fix, reported, That the Preemptions
were violent •, and thefe in a matter not
capable of plain proof, were alwayes re
ceived in Law. The fmal number in the
Lower, and the far greater number in the
upper Houfe of Convocation, makes it
probable, that then, not only Bifhops, but
all Abbots, Priors, Deans, and Arch-dea
cons, fate in the upper Houfe,for they were
all called Prelates, and had their Writs to
lit in a General Council, as appears by the
Records of the fourthCouncil in the LAteran,
and the Council -& Vienna, and fothejfc
might well fit in the upper Houfe: And per
haps the two Houfes of Convocation^ were
taken from the Paternof the two Houfes
of Parliament, and fo none might? fit' in
the lower Houfetbut fuch as were chofen to
reprefent the Inferkmr Clergy. The Books
of Convocation are now loft, having pe-
rifhed in the Fire QfL&ndon; but the Author
of
of tfie Eefo?mation5 $c> 9 5
ui$rittmnic£, who lived in that Book I*
time, is of that great credit, that we may c/wj
well depend upon his Teftimony. J 533-
The Convocation having thus judged (™"m
in the matter, the Ceremoy of pronounc-
ing the Divorce judicially, was now only te»cc.
wanting. The new Queen began to have a
big A Belly, which was a great Evidence of
her living diaftly before that with the King.
On Eafter Eve fhe was declared Queen of
England. And foon after, Cranmer, with
Gardiner (who was made upon Wolfey\
death Bifhop of Winchefter) and the Bi-
fhops of London, Lincoln, Bath and Wdls^
with many Divines and Canonifts, went
to Dunftable •, Queen Katherine living then
near it, zt^mpthil. The King and Queen
were cited •, he appeared by Proxy, but
the Queen refufed to take any notice of the
Court : So after three Citations^ fhe was
declared Contumax,2.n& all the Merks of the
Caufe formerly mentioned, were examin
ed. At laft, on the 23 of May, ^Sentence
was given, declaring the Marriage to have
been null from the beginning. Among
the Archbifhops Titks in the beginning
of the Judgment, he is called, Legate of the
j4poftolick,See, which perhaps was added to
give it the more force in Law. Some days
after this, Jkegave another "Judgment, con
firming the King^s Marriage with Queen
Ann, and on the firfl of June me was
Crooned Queen : This was variouily cen*
furecl. It was faid, that in the Intervals of
a General Council, the asking the Opini-
ons
56
Book I. onsof foraany llniverfities, and Learned
w-~\ v Men, was the only lure way to find out
1533- the Tradition of the Church : And a Pro
vincial Council had fufficient Authority tb
judge in this Cafe : Yet many thought,
the Sentence diflblving thefirfl Marriage,
Ihould have preceded the fecond : And
it being contraded,before the firft was Le
gally annulled , there was great colour
given to queftion the Validity of it. But
it was anfwered, That fince the firft was
judged null of it felf, there was no need
.of a Sentence Declaratory, but only for
form : Yet it was thought , either there
ought to have been no Sentence paft at all,
cr it , Ihould have been before the fecond
'Marriage. Some objected, That Cranmer
having appeared fo much againft the Mar
riage, was no competent Judge; but it
was faid, that as Popes are not bound by
the Opinions they held when they were
private Men-, fo he having changed his
Character, could not be clttllenged on that
account, but might give Sentence, as Judges
decide Caufes , in which they formerly
'gave Counfel : And indeed,the Convocati
on had judged the Caufe, he only gave
Sentence in form of Law. The World
wondered at thePope^s StifFnefs-, but he
often confefTed^* he underftood not thofe
matters, only he was afraid^ of provoking
the Emperour *, or of giving the Luthe
rans advantage to fay, that one Pope con
demned that, with which another had dif-
penfed. All People admired
of tlje EWpjniattotj ?c* 97
duft, who in a cpurfe of fo many Years Book I«
managed a King's Spirit, that was fo vio- txv^o
lent, in fuch a manner, as neither to fur- 1533*
feit him with too nfany Favours, nor to
proyo Ke him with too .much Rigour •, and
her being fo foon with Child,*gave hopes of
a mumerous lilue : They that loved the
Reformation, lookt; for better dayes un
der her Protedion } but many Pricfts, and
Friars, both in Sermons and Difcourfes,
condemned the King's Proceedings. The
King fent Ambafladours to all Courts, to
juftify what he had done : He fent alfo
fometo Queen Katherine^ to cnarge her
to ailyme no other Title, but that of Prin-
cefs Dowager ;, and to give her hopes of
puting her Daughter next in the Succefli-
on to the Crown , after his iJQue by the
prefent Q_ueen, if fhe would fubmit her
felf to his Will , but fhe would not yield j
Ihe faid, fhe would not take that Infamy
on her felf-, and fo refolved^ that none
fhould ferve about her, that did not treat
her as Queen. All her Servants adhered
fo to her Interefl, that no Threatnings nor
Promifes, could work on them : And the
ftir which the King kept in this matter,
was thought below his Greatnefs, and
feemed to be fet on by a Woman's Refent-
pients -j for fince fhe was deprived of the
Majefty of a Crown, the Pageantry of a
Title was not worth the noife that was
made about it. The Emperour feemed
big with Refentments. The French King
was colder tken the King expected ^ yet
H he
of tlje !$(! a?p
Book I. he promifed to intercede with the Pope*
>/~v— ' and the Cardinals, on his account : But
1533. he was now fo entirely gained by the Pope,
That he refolved not to involve himfelf
in the King's Quarrel, as a Party : And
he alfo gave over the Defigns he once had
offetting up a Patriarch in France-, for
the Pope granted him fo great a Power over
his own Clergy, that he could not defire
more. With this the Emperour was not
a little pleafed -7 for this was like to fepa-
ratethofe two Kings, whofe Conjunction
had been fo hurtful to him.
pro- At Rome the Cardinals of the Imperial
Faction, complained much of the Attempt
made on the Pope's Power *7 fince a Sen
tence was given in England in a Procefs de
pending at Rome :, fo they prefl the Pope
to proceed to Cen lures. But inftead of
putting the matter paft reconciling , there
was only Sentence given, annulling all that
the Archbifhop of Canterbury had done j
and the King was required under the pain
of Excommunication, to put things again
in the Hate in which they were formerly \
and this was affixed at Dunkirk., The
King fent a great Embafly to Francis-, who
was then fetting out' to Marfeilles, where
the Pope was to meet him : Their Errand
was to diilwade him from the Journey,
unlefs the Pope would promife to give the
King Satisfaction : The King of France
faid, he was engaged in Honour to go on ^
but allured them, he wotild mind the King's
Concerns, with as much Zeal, as if they
were his own. * In
In September the Queen brought forth a Book L
Daughter, the renowned Queen Elizabeth y w-v-^j
and the Kmg haying before declared Lady 1533.
MaryPrmctfs of Waks^id now the famefoi* Sept. 7
her : Tho fince a Son might put her from T:1
it^ fhe could not be Har parent , but
only the 'Heir Preemptive to the Crown.
At Marfeilles^ the Marriage was made up*
between the Duke of Orleans , and the
Pope^s Neece ; to whom the Pope gave, be-
fides i ooooo Crowns, many Principalities*
which he pretended were either Fiefs of
the Papacy , or belonged to him in the
Rights of the Houfe of Medici. The Pope's
Hiflorian with fome Triumph, boafted^
that the Marriage w£s Conftimmated-that
very Night-, thoitwas thought not cre
dible, that P. Arthur, that was 'Nine
Months older than the new Duke of Orleans)
afterwards Henry the Second, did Confum-
mate his.
There was a fecret Agreement made"
between the Pope and Francis j that if King
Henry would refer his Caufeto the Con-
fiftory, excepting only to the Cardinals of
the Imperial Faction, as partial, and would
in all other things return to his Obedi
ence to the See of Rome , then Sentence
fhould be given in his Favours •, but this4
to be kept fecret: So Banner not being truft- 1*'**^
ed with it, and fent thither with an Ap- Hcnr7*
peal from the Pope to the next General
Council, made it with great boldnefs, and
f hreatned the Pope upon it, with fo much
Vehemence, that the Pope talked of throw-
3 II R. 4 tog
i oo
Book I. JnS him into a Cauldron of melted Lead7
f-xyNw/o or burning him alive : And he apprehend-
1533. irig fome danger fled away privately. But
when Franci* came back to Parti, he fent
over the Bifhop of that City, to the King,
to let him know what he had obtained
of the Pope in his Favours, and the Terms
on which it was promifed : This wrought
fo much on the King , that he prefently
confented to them. And upon that, the
Bi(hopofPrfW,tho it was now in the middle
of Winter, took Journey to Rome •, being
fare of the Scarlet, if he could be the In-
ftrument of regaining England^ which was
then upon the point of being loft : What
thefe Aflurances were which the Pope
gave , is not certain •, but the Archbi-
ihopofT0r/^ and Tenftal of Durefm , in a
Letter which they wrote on that Occaflon,
fay, that the Pope faid at MtirftiUt*^ That
tf the King would fend a Prexy to Rome, he
would give Sentence for him againfl the Qmen^
for he knew hx Caufe wdtgeod andjnft. Upon
the Bilhop of P/sm's coming to Rome, the
matter feemed agreed y for it was promi
fed, that upon the King's fending a Pro-
mife under his hand, to put things in their
former ftate ^ and his ordering a Proxy
to appear for him, Judges ihould be fent
to Cambray for making the Procefs, and
then Sentence fhould be given. Upon the
notice given of this, and of a Day that was
prefixt for the return of the Courier, the
King difpatched him with all poffible haft •,
and now the Bufinefs feemed at an end. But
* the
of tlje Se&mwtfon, $c, tor
the Courier had a Sea and the </% to pafs, Book I.
and in Winter it was not eafy to obferve a t/vvj
limited day fo exactly : This made that he 1533.]
came not to Rome on the prefixed day ^
upon which, the Imperial! Its gave out, that
the King was abufing the Pope's Ealinefs *,
fo they preft him vehemently to proceed
to a Sentence : The Biihop of Paris mov-
ed only for a delay of fix days, which was
no unreafonable time in that Seafon, and
in favours of fuch a King, who had a Suit
depending fix Days, and ilnce he had Pa
tience fo many Years 5 the delay of a few-
days was no extraordinary Favour. But
the defignofthe Imperialifts was, to hin
der a Reconciliation : for if the King had
been fet right with the Pope, there would
have been fo powerful a League formed
againffc the Emperour, as would have broke
all his Meafures : And therefore it was
neceflary for his Defignes to imbroil them,
Itwasalfo faid, That the King was feek-
ing Delayes, and Conceffions, meerly to
delude the Pope •, and that he had proceed
ed fo far in his Delign againfh that See,
that it was necelTary to go on to Cenfures :
And the angry Pope was fo provoked by
them, and by the News that he heard out of
England? that without confulting his or
dinary Prudence, he brought in the matr •&
terto the Confiftory •, and there the Im-
perialifts being the greater number, it
was driven on with fo much Precipitation,
that they did in oneday that, which accord
ing to Form, fhould have been done in three.
H 3 They
of tlje ^j
Book I. They gave the final Sentence, declaring,
v^v~^ the King's Marriage with Queen K other M
1533, good •, and required him to Jive with her
March, ^s his Wife, otherwife they would pro-
Ceed to Cenfures, Two days after that,
the Courier came with the King's SubmiP
sen fence, fion , in due form : He alfo brought
earneft Letters from Francis, in the King's
Favours. This wrought on all the indiffer
ent Cardinals , as well as thofe of the
French Fadion. So they praied the Pope
to recall what was done. A new Conli-
ftbry was called, but the Imperialilts preit
with greater Vehemence then ever, that
they would not give fuch Scandal to the
World, as to recall a definitive Sentence
pair, of the validity of a Marriage •, and
give the Hereticks fuch Advantages by
their unlteadinefs in matters of that
nature : And To it was carried,that the forr-
rner Sentence fhould take place •, and the
Execution of it was committed to the Em-"
•perour.' When this was known in Eng
land, it determined the King in his Refo-
lutions , of ( baking off the Pope's Yoke, in
which he had made fo great a Progrefs,
that the Parliament had paft all the Acts
concerning it , before he had the News
from Rome: For he judged,that the bell way
to Peace was, to. let them at Rome fee, with
what vigour he could make War-. All the
reftofthe World lookt on aftonifhed, to
fee the Court of Rome throw off England
with fo much fcorn, as if they had been
.Weary of the Obedience and Profits of fo
great
c. 103
great a Kingdom, and their Proceedings Book T
look'd as if they had been fecretly direfled ^/^/-o
:bya Divine Providence, that defignedto I533«
draw great Confequences from this Rup
ture, and did fo far infatuate thofe that
were moil concerned to prevent it, that
they needledy drew it on themfelves.
In England they had bSen now exami- rhe /ry-
ning the Foundations on which the Papal J™"e*i£
Authority was built, with extraordinary tng the
Care for fome Years •, and feveral Books
being then and foon after written on that
Subject, the Reader will be able to fee
better into the Reafons of their Proceed
ings by a fhort Abftract of thefe.
All the Apoftles were made equal in the
Powers that Chrift gave them, and he of
ten condemned tfeeir Conteils about Su
periority, but never declared in St. Peter's
Favour. St. Paul withstood him to his
Face, and reckoned himfelf not inferour
to him. If the Dignity of a Per Ion left an y
Authority with the City in which he fat ^
then Antiock mufl carry it as well as Ro-,ne :
and Jerufalem, where Chrifl fuffered was to
be prefererd to all the World, for it was
truly the Mother-Church. Chriil faid to
Peter, Vfon this Rod^will 1 build my Church.
The Ancients underftood by the Rock., ei
ther the Confeflion Peter had made,or, which
is all one upon the matter, Chriil himfelf ;
and tho it were to be meant of St. Peter, all
the reft of the Apoftles are alfo called Foun
dations^ that of,7 ell the Church ',was by many
of the Church of Rome turned a-
H 4 gainft
i 04 augment pf tlje jptff 0$
Book I. gainfb the Pope for a General Council
LX>/-XJ The other Priviledges afcribed to St. Peter ,
1 533« were either only a precedence of Order, or
were occafloned by his Fall, as that. Feed my
Sheep, it being a reftoring him to the ^ipo-
ilolical Fundion. St. Peter had alfo a limi
ted Province, the Circumdfionj as Su
Taut had the Uncircumcifion, that was of
far greater extent ; which fliewed that
he was not conficjered as the Univerfai
Paftor- In the Primitive Church, St. Qj-
frian, and other Bifhpps, wrote to the Bi-
Ihops of Rome^ as to their fellow Biihop,
CoJIeague and Brother : they were againft
Appeals to Rome, and did not fubmit to
their Definition, and in plain Terms aller-
ted, that all Bifliops were equal in Power as
the ApoftJes had been. It is true, the Dig-
pity of the Pity made the Bifhogs of gome
to be much eiteemed •, yet in ^the firft
Council of Nice, the Bifhops of Alexandria
and Arrtiofh% w^re declared to have the
fame Authority in the Countries about
them, that the Bifliops of Rome, had over
thofe that lay about them. It is true, the
Eaft being over-run with jAmanifin, from
which the Weft was better preferved, the
0pprefled Eaftern Bifhops did take flicker
in the Protection the Bilhopsoffowf gave
them; and, as is natural to all People, they
inagnified that Authority which was fo
ufefulto them. But the fecond General
Councjl indirectly condemned all Appeals
io Rome : for it decreed that every Pro
vince Ihould be governed by its own Synod^
Vi- and
uf tlje Eefo?matian, *c* 105
and allowed no higher Appeal but to the Book I.
Bifhops of the Diocefs. Conftantincfle be- c^^rsj
ing made the Imperial City, the iecond 1533*
and fourth General Council gave it equal
Priviledges with Rome, becaufe it was new
Rome : which fliews that the Dignity of the
Sees flowed from the greatnefs of the Cities*
The African Churches condemned all Ap
peals to Homeland the Popes, who complain
ed of that, pretended only to a Canon of
the Council o{Nice for it j and then they clid
not talk of a DivineRighr, but fearch being
made into all the Copies of the Canons of
the Council, that was found to be a For
gery. When the Emperour Mauritius gave
the Title, Vwverfal Bifiof, to the Patriarch
of Conftantinfle •, Gregory the Great com
plained of the Ambition of that Title,
which he calls equal to the Pride offjitcifer y
and iince England received the Faith by
thofe whom he fentover, it appeared from
thence what was the Doctrine of that See
at ttyat time, and by confequence, what
where the firfl Impreffioris made on the
JLnglifr in that matter. It is true Boniface
the third got the fame Title by Phoca£-$
Grant, and Boniface the eighth pretended
to all Power both fpiritual and temporal -7
but the Progrefs of their llfurpations, and
the Wars raifed to maintain them, were
very vifible in Hiftory. The Popes fwore
at their Con fecrations to obey the Canons
of the eighth firft General Councils, which
3re manifefted againft Appeals and their
Univerfal Jurifdiftioij \ ftnall regard is to
be
io5
Book I. be had to the Decrees of latter Councils,be-
ing Cabals pack'd and managed as the Popes
pleafed. Several Sees, as Ravenna, Milan,
and jAqaileia pretended Exemption from
the Papal Authority. Many Englifh Bi-
fhops had afTerted that the Popes had no
Authority againft the Canons, and to that
day no Canon the Popes made was binding
till it was received; which mewed the
Pope's Authority was not believed founded
on a divine Authority: and the Contefts that
the Kings of England\&&. with the Pope's
concerning Inveftitures, Bifhops doing the
King Homage, Appeals to Rome, and the
Authority of Papal Bulls and Provifions,
Ihewedthat the Pope's Power was believed
fubjedto Laws and Cuftom, and fo not de
rived from Chrift and St.Peter-^ and as Laws
had given them fome Power,and Princes had
bin forced in ignorant Ages tofubmit to their
Ufurpations,fo they might as they faw caufe
change thofe Laws,and refume their Rights.
The next Point inquired into was, the
Authority that Kings had in matters of Re-
ligion and the Church. The King oflfra-
el judged in all Caufes, and Samuel called
Saul the Head of the Tribes. David made
many Rules about the Service at the Tem
ple, and declaring to Solomon what his
r. Power was, he told him that the Priefls were
*8 M* *to*fy at his Command ; and it is alfo faid,
aChron: thzt Solomon affointed the Priefts their Char-
§. 14, 1 5. get in the Service of God, and that they departed
not from his Commandment in any matter -, he
turned out one High-Prieft,and put another
in
of t!je Kefa?ntation, $c» 107
in his room. Jehofliaphat, Hezekiah, and Boole I.
'Jofias, made alfo Laws about Eccleliaftical *~'-vv
Matters. In the New Testament, Chriit 1533*
was himfelf fubjed to the Civil Powers,
and charged hisDifciples nottoafFed Tem
poral Dominion. They aifo wrote to the
Churches to be fubjed to the Higher
Powers, and call them SHfream>> and charge
every Soulto be fubjed to them : fo in Scrip
ture the King is called Head and Suprcam9
and every Soul is laid to be under him, which
joyn'd together, makes up this Conclufion,
that He u the fufr earn Head over all Per fans..
In the Primitive Church the Bifhops only
made Rules or Canon^, but pretended to
ho compuliive Authority, but what came
from the Civil Magiflrate. The Roman
Emperours called Councils, prefided in
them, and confirmed them *, and made ma
ny Laws concerning Ecclefiaftical Mat
ters ; fo did alfo Charles the Great. The
Emperours did alfo either chufe the Popes
themfelves, or confirm their Elections.
Church-men taking Orders, were not tjiere-
by difcharged from the Obedience they
formerly owed their Princes, but remained
ftill Subjeds. And tho the Offices of the
Church had peculiar Func1ions,in which the
People were fubjed to them,t hat did not de
liver them from their Obedience to thp King,
as a Father's Authority over his Children
cuts not off the King's Powerover him.They
found alfo that in all times the Kings of
JEtf£/Whad alTumed an Authority in-Ec-
Cleliaftical Matters. /«*, Alfred-, Edgar ;
and
io8 augment of t&e |>iffog>
Book I. and Canetut, had made many Laws about
^^v^o them ; fo had alfo molt of the Kings fmce
J533« the Conqueft, which appeared particularly
in the Articles of Clarendon, and the Contefts
that followed upon them ; and from the daies
of King /tf^they had granted Exemptions to
Monasteries from the Epifcopal Jurifdicti-
on,down to William the Conquerors time :
befides many other Acts that clearly im
ported a Supremacy over all Perfons, and
in all Caufes. &ut they did at the fame time
fo explain and limit this Power, that
it was vifible they did not intend to fubjedt
Religion wholly to the Pleafure of the
King 5 for it was declared that his Power
was only a Coercive Authority, to defend
the true Religion, to abolilh Herefies and
Idolatries, to caufe Bifhops and Paftors to
do their Duties, and in cafe they were neg
ligent, or would not amend their Faults, to
put others in their room. Upon the whole :
matter, they concluded that the Pope had
no Power in England, and that the King
had an intire Dominion over all his Subjects,
which did extend even to the regulating
of Ecclefialtical Matters.
The cler- Thefe things being fully opened in many
&f&** Difputes, and publifhed in feveral Books,
all the Bifhops, Abbots, and Priors of Eng
land, Fifier only excepted, were fofarfa-
tisfied with them, or fo much in love with
their Preferments, that they refolved to
comply with the Changes which the King
was refolved to make. Fifier was in great
efteem for Piety andftriftnefs of Life,and fo
much
of tfje Eefojmation, $c. 109
much pains was taken on him. A little be- Book L
fore the Parliament met, Cranmer propofed L/^/XJI
to him, that he, and any five Doctors he *533»
would choofe, and Stoksfly with five on his
fide,fhould confer on that point,and examine
he Authorities that were on bothfides •, he
accepted of it, and Stoke fly wrote to him to
name time and place, but Fifher^s Sickneis
hindered the Progrefs of that motion.
The Parliament met the i<$th of January, A Stjpon
there were but feven Bifhops and twelve ofp*ri**~
Abbots prefent, the reft it feems were un
willing to concur in making this change,
tho they complied with it when it was
made. Every Sunday during the Seflion,
a Biihop preached at St. JW's, and decla-
ijed that the Pope had no Authority in
England : Before this, they had only faid
that a General Council was above him, and
that the Exactions of that Court, a4id Ap
peals to it, were unlawful *, but now they
went a ftrain higher, to prepare the Peo
ple for receiving the Acts then in Agitati
on. On the yth of March, the Commons
began the Bill for taking away the Pope's ^
Power, and fent it to the Lords on the
14/-&, whopaft it on the 2cth without any
ditlent. In it they fet forth the Exactions of
'the Court of Rome, grounded on the
c Pope's Power of difpenfing ; and that as
c none could difpenfe with the Laws of
c God -, fo the King and Parliament only
c had the Authority of difpenfing with the
1 Laws of the Land :, and that therefore
4 fuch Licenies or Pifpenfations as were
4 former-
1 1 o augment
Book I. c formerly in ufe, mould be for the future
w~vr>~> 4 granted by the two Arch-bifhops, fome
1533. 4 of thefe were to be confirmed under the
c Great Seal; and they appointed that there-
4 after all Commerce with Rome fhould
4 ceafe. They alfo declared that they did
4 not intend to alter any Article of the Ca-
4 tholick Faith of Chriftendome, or of that
c which was declared in the Scripture necef-
4 fary to Salvation. They confirmed all the
4 Exemptions granted to Monasteries by the
c Popes, but fubjefted them to the King's
4 Visitation :> and gave the King and his
* Council power to examine and reform all
4 Indulgences and Priviledges granted by
L the Pope : The Offenders againft this
4 Law were to be punilhed according to
4 the Statutes of Premunire. This Aft fub-
jeftedtheMonaileries entirely to the King's
Authority and put them in no fmall Confu-
lion. Thofe that loved the Reformation^
rejoyced both to fee the Pope's Power
rooted out, and to find the Scripture made
the Standard of Religon.
Tfa Act After this Aft, another paft in both
*ftkt sue- Houfes in fix Days time^ without any Op-
c'JI'io*. pofition, 'Settling the Succeffion of the
4 Crown; confirming the Sentence ofDi-
cvorce, and th6 King's Marriage with
c Qiieen Anm, and declaring all Marriages
< within the Degrees prohibited by Mofe$
4 to be unlawful: All that had married
4 within them were appointed to be divor-
4ced, and their I flue illegitimated:, and
4 the Succeflion to the Grown was fettled
of tfje Eef0?mattan, $c+
*" upon the King's Ifliie , by the prefent Book f .
c Queen , or in default of that , to the l/\s^j
4 King's right Heirs , for ever. All were * 533«
'required to fwear, to maintain the Con-
1 tents of this Aft ^ and if any refufed to
c fwear to it, or fhould fay any thing to the
c Slander of the King's Marriage, he was to
* be judged guil ty of mifprifion ofTreafon^
4 and tobe punilhed accordingly. The Oath
is alfo fet down in the Journals of the
Houfe of Lords-, by which, they did not
only fwear Obedience to the King, and
his Heirs , by his prefent Marriage ; but
alfo to defend the Ad of Succeflfion, and
all the Effects and Contents in it , a-
gainft all manner of Perfons whatfoever j
ir which they were bound to maintain the
Divorce, both againft the Pope's Cenfures,
and the Emjferour, if he went about to ex
ecute them. ' a
At this time, one Philips complained to
the Houfe of Commons of the Bilhop jg
London, for ufing him cruelly in Prifon,
upon Sufpicion of Herefy •, the Commons gatnft
fent up this to the Lords, but received no
Anfwer : So they fent fome of their Mem
bers to the Bifhop, deiiring him to anfwer
the Complaints put in againft him : But
he acquainted the Houfe of Lords with it }
and they all with one confent voted, that
none of their Houfe ought to appear, or
anfwer to any Complaint at the Bar of
the Houfe of Commons. So the Commons
let this particular Cafe fall, and fent up a
Bill to which the Lords agreed, regulating
the
1 1 2 augment of t&e pff o$
Book I. the Proceedings againfl Hereticks, c Thai:
l/\r\j 4 whereas , by the Statute made by King
*533* 4 //(P«ry the Fourth, Bifhops might commit
' Men upon Sufpition of Herefy •, and He-
4 refy was generally defined, to be what-
4 ever was contrary to the Scriptures, of
c Canonical Santtiens, which was liable to
fc great Ambiguity \ therefore that Sta-
' tute was repealed, and none were to be
'committed for Herefy, but upon aPre-
*fentment made by two Witnefles : None
* were to be accufed for fpeaking againft
4 things that were grounded only upon the
c Pope's Canons. Bail was to be taken .for
4 Hereticks,and they were to be brought to
1 their Trials in open Court j and if upon
* Conviclion , they did not abjure , qg
* were Relapfes •> they were to be burnt •,
*the King^s Writ being firdj; obtained.
This v\#s a great check to the Bifhop's TyrJ.
rany, and gave no final comfort to all that
favoured the Reformation;
^ sul- The Convocation fent in a Submiffion at
9Mj]io» cf the fame time, by which they acknowledg-
. ed ^ That all Convocations ought to be
aflembled by the King's Writ v and pro*
mifedupon the Word of Pncfts^ never to
make, nor execute any Canons, without
the King*s Aflent. They alfo defired,
That fince many of the received Canons
were found to be contrary to the King's
Prerogative, and the La\fs of the Land,
there might be a Committee named by the
King, of 32, the one half out of both
Houfes of Parliament, and the other of the
Clergy,
of tlje &£fo?matf on, $c+ i i 5
Clergy, empowered to abrogate or regu- Book !•
late them, as they ihould fee Caufe. This L/^/'VJ
was confirmed in Parliament0and the Ad a- 1534*
gainft Appeals to Rome was renewed^arid an
Appeal was allowed from the Archbiihop to
the King, upon which the Lord Chancellor
was to grant a Commiifion for a Court of
Delegates. A Provifo was added,, that till
the Commiteeof 3 2 mould fettle a Regu
lation of the Canons , thofe then in force
fhould flill take place, except fuch as were
contrary to the King's Prerogative, or the
Laws; But this lafl Provifo, thoit feem-
ed reafonable, to give the Spiritual Courts
fome Rule?, till the 32 mould finifli their
Work, made, that it came to nothing $
for it was thought more for tjie Great nefs
of the King*s Authority ; and it fubject-
ed the Bifnop's Courts more to the Pro
hibitions of the Temporal Courts^ to keep
this whole matter in fuch General Terms,
than to have brought it to a Regulation that
fhould be fixed and conftant.
c Another Acl: pad, for regulating the 4nA&fc*
1 Eledions and Confecrations of Bilhops ; fhe Eli&*-
Condemning all Bulls from K*me\ and J f
4 appointing that upon a Vacancy , the
* King fhould grant a Licence for an Ele-
4 dion *, and fliould by a miffive Letter fig-
4 nify the Perfon's Name whom he would
* have chofen : And within _ twelve Days
c after thefe were delivered , the Dean
4 and Chapter, or Prior and Convent^ were
c required to return an Eleftion of ths
* Perfoa named by the King-* under their
I *S«als,-
1 1 4 ab?ttin;ment of
Book I. c Seals. The Bifliop Eleft was upon that
t/-\/vj c to fwear Fealty ; and a Writ was to be
1534- 'iffiied out for his Gonfecration in the
£ ufual manner : After that, he was to do
4 Homage to the King, upon which, both
c the Temporalities, and Spiritualities, were
c to be reitored ; and Bifhops were to
ccxerdfe their Jurifdiftion as they had
c done before. All that tranfgrefled this
c Act , were made guilty of a premu-
€ mre.
A private Aft pail, depriving Cardinal
Cam^egio, and Jerome de Ghinuccii of the
Bi(hopricksofSrf/#fa»;yand Worcefter -, the
Reafons given for it are, becaufe they did
not refide in their Dioceiles, for Preaching
the Laws of God, and keeping Hofpitali-
ty> but lived at the Court of Rome, and
carried 3000 /. a Year out of the King
dom.
ike j{- The laft Aft of a publick Nature, tho
tAtndrftf relating only to private Perfons, of which
*/ Kent*, ^ ^la^ S^ve an account, was, concerning
the Nun of Kent, and her Complices : It
was the fidl occafion of fhedding any Biood
in this Quarrel, and it was muchcherifh-
cd by all the SnperiHtious Clergy, that
adhered to the Queer^s Interefts, and the
Pope's. The Nun, and many of her Com
plices, caine to the Lord's Bar, and con-
felled the whole matter. Among the Con
cealers of this Treafon, Sir Thomat More,
and -Fifar, were named ; the former wrote
upon that a long Letter to Cromivel, giving
him a particular account of all the Conver-
'** fatiojj
of tf# Eefomtiitioit, & 1 1 5
fatibn he had at any time with the Nun : ^ook
He acknowledged he had efteemed her ^-v-
highly, not fo touch out of any regard 1534,
he had to her Prophefles, But for the Opi
nion he conceived of her Holinefs and Hu-
hiility. But he adds ^ that he was then
convinced, That foe rvtu the mofl falfe dif-
fembling Hypocrite that had been known £ and
guilty of meft deteftable Hypocrijy, and
dwellifflj diffembled Fatflwod .* He alfb 'belief
ed that foe had Communication with aw evil
Spirit. Concerning this Letter, a curious
Difcovef y has been made. In Queen Mary*$
time, More*s Works were publifhed ^ and
among them, other Lettets of his to 'Crom*
^//dating to that long one which he wrote
concerning the Nun,were printed •, but that
was left outpOfwhich More kept a Copy> and
gave it to his Daughter Roper •, that Copy
was in the MS. out of which the reft
were publilhed , and out of that I have
tranfcribed it. The defign of fupprefling
it, feems to be this : It is probable, ther^
iftight have been fome thoughts in Queen
Mary's time, to Canonke the Nun^ fince
ilie was called a Martyr for her Mother1*
Marriage v and there was no want of Mi
racles to juftify it : Therefore, a Letter
fo plain and full againlt hef> was thought
fit to be kept out of the way. This Juiii-
ikation of Mores, prevailed fo far, that his
Name was ftruck out of the Bill* The
Act contains a Narrative of that whole
Story, which is in fliort, this ^
Barton of Kwt $ fell in foriie
I 2 Trances^
ll& 3blt8gUietlt Of
Book I. Trances, ( it feems they were Hyflerical
**^v~** Fits) and fpake fuch things as madethofe
*534' about her think fhe was infpired of God.
The Parfon of the Parifh, Mafter, hoping
to draw Advantages from this, gave Arch-
bilhop Warham notice of it, who ordered
him to obferve her carefully, and bring
him an account of what mould follow. But
fhe had forgot all that fhe faid in her Fitts,
when they were over : Yet the Prieft would
not let it go fo, but perfwaded her that
fhe was infpired, and taught her fo to coun
terfeit thofe Trances, that fhe became very
ready at it. The matter was much noifed
about; and the Prieft intended to raife
the credit of an Image of the B. Virgins that
was in his Church, ^that fo Pilgrimages and
Offerings might be made to it,by her means.
He-aUbciated to himfelf one Boding , a
Monk of Canterbury, and they taught her
to fay in her Fits,that the B. Virgin appear
ed to her, and told her, fhe could not be
well till fhe viiited that Image. She fpake
many good Words againit ill Life, and
fpake alfo againft Hercfy, and the King's
Suit of Divorce then depending } and by
many Itrange motions of her Body , Ihe
.feemed to be inwardly poirefled. A day
was fet for her cure j and before an AiTem-
bly of 2000 People, fhe was carried to that
Image -, and after fhe had acled her Fitts
all over, (lie feemed of a fudden quite re
covered, which was afcribed to the Inter-
ceffion of the Virgin, and the Virtue of that
Image. She entered into a Religious Life j
* and
of tfie &efo?mati on, $c> 1 1 7
an<? Bocking was her Ghoftly Father, There Book I.
were wiolent Sufpicions of Incontinence be- w-v-,y *
tween them; but the efleem ihe was in, 1534,
bore them down. Many thought her a
Prophetefs •, and Warham among the reft
A Book was alfo written of her Revelations,
and a Letter was fhewed all in Letters of
Gold ^ pretended to be writ to her from
Heaven, by Mary Magdalene. She pre
tended, that when the King was laft at
Calais, me was carried invifibly beyond
Sea , and brought back again *, and that
an Angel gave her the Sacrament ; and
that God revealed to her, that if the King
went on in his Divorce, and married an
other Wife, he mould fall from his Crown,
and not live a Month longer, but ftoidd die
a Villain* $ Death.
Many of the Monks of the Charter-
Houfe, and the Obfervant Friers , with
many Nuns,and B. F*/W,came to give cre
dit to this, and fet a great value on her,
and grew very infolent upon if, for Frier
Peyto preaching in the King's Chappel, at
Greenwich , denounced the Judgments of
God upon him ; and faid,tho others as lying
Prophets deceived him, yet he in the name
of God told him, that Dogs flwuld lick, his
Blood as they had done Ahabs. The King
bore this patiently ; but ordered one Dr.
•Corren to preach next Sunday, and to an-
fwer all that he had faid, who railed a-
gainft Peyto , as a Dog and a Traitor.
Peyto had gone to Canterbury^ but Elftcn, a
Frandfcan of the fame Houfe, interrupted
J 3 him
1 8 abfoment of
Book r. him, and called him one of the lying Pro-
LX/^j phets, that went about to eftablifh the
J534» Succellion ©f the Crown by Adultery ; and
fpoke with fuch Vehemence, that the King
liimfelf was forced to command him filence.
And yet fo unwilling was the King to go
to Extremities, that all that was done
upon fo high a Provocation, was, that they
were called before the Council, and rebu
ked for their Infolence. But the Nun's Con
federates publifm'ng her Revelations in
all the parts of the Kingdom, Ihe and Nine
of her Complices were apprehended in
November Ml Year } and they did all with
out any Rack or Torture , difcover the
whole Confpiracy, and upon that, were
appointed to go to St. Pauls •, and after
a Sermon preached upon that Occafion,
by the Bifhop of Bangor , they repeated
their Confeffiqn , in the Hearing of the
People j and were fent to ly Prifoners in
the Tower. But it was given put, That
all was extorted from them by Violence j
anpl Meflages were fent to the Nun, de-
iiring her , to deny all that fhe had confef-
fed ; which made the King judge it neceP
fary to proceed to further Extremities.
So jhe, and fix of her chief Complices,
were Attainted of Treafon : And the Bi
fhop ofRochcfler^ and five more, vyere At
tainted of Mifpriflon of Treafon. But at
the Interceffipn of Q. Ann, fas it is exprell
in the A<ft ) all others that had been con
cerned with her, were pardoned.
This was as black $n Impofture as^ny
eve;0
of tfje Eefojmatton, $ c. 119
ever was-, and if it had fallen out in a darker Book I.
Age, in which the World went mad after ^^~**
Villons, the 'King might have loft his 1534-
Crown by it. The Difcovery of this,- dif-
ppfed all to look on older Stones of the
Trances of Monaftical People, as Contri
vances to ferve bafe ends,and did make way
for the ruine of that Order of Men in Eng
land; but all that was at prefent done upon
it, was, that the Obfervants were put out
of their Houfes, and mixt with the other
Francifcans, and the Auftin Friers were put
in their rooms. When all thefe Ads
were palled, the King gave his Allent
to them on the zyth of March, and pro
rogued the Parliament till November.
The Members of both Houfes fwore to The oath
the Oath of SuccefliononthedayofthePro- °f swf-
rogation. On the 2otb of April, followed f"**m
the Execution of the Nttn and her Compli
ces at Tyburn, where (lie freely acknow
ledged her Impoftures,and the Juiticeof the
Sentence, and laid the blame on thole that
fuffered with her :, who becaufe the thing
was profitable to them, praifed her much,
and tho they knew that all was feigned, yet
gave out that it was done by the working of
the Holy Ghoft; and me concluded her Life,
begging both God's and the King's Pardon.
Upon the firft Difcovery of this Cheat, FiOi?r ,*
Cromwell fent Ftfljer*s Brother to him
reprove him for his Carriage in that Bufi-
nefs, and to advife him to ask the King's
Pardon for the Encouragement he had
given to the Nun, which he wasconfit
I 4 dent
i 2 o a&ifljgmettt of tfje $tff o$
Bopk I. dent the King would grant him. But
<L^~V-V^ excufed himielf, and faid, he had done no-
.*534- thing but only tried whether her Revelati
ons were true or not ? He confeiled that
upon the Reports he had heard, -he was
induced to have a 'high Opinion of her/,
and that he had never difcovered any Falfe-
hood in her. It is true, fhe had faid forne
things to him concerning the King's Death,
which he had not revealed, but he thought
it was not neceflary to do it •, becaufe he
knew fhe had told it to the King her felf;
jfhehad named no Per fon, that fliould kill
the King, but had only denounced it as a
Judgment of <God on him -, and he had
reafon to think that the King would have
t>een offended with him if he had fpoken of
it to him •, and fo he defired to be no more
troubled with that matter. But upon that,
promwell wrote him a fnarp Letter -, he
fhewed him that he had proceeded rafhly
in that Affair; being fo partial in the
matter of the King's Divorce, that he eaii-
ly believed every thing that feemed to
jflake againfl it ^ he fhewed him how ne-
ctflaryit was to ufe great Caution before
extraordinary things fhould be received, or
ipread about as Revelations ^ fince other?
wife the Peace of the World fhould be in
the hanjds of every bold or crafty Impo-
itor j yet in conclulion, he advifes him 3-
gain to ask the King's Pardoa for his Rafh-
nefs, and he affiires him that the King was
ready to forgive that, and every thing elfe,
f)y which he had offended him. But Fijher.
it, pi 121
was obftinate and would make no Submifll- Book I.
on, and fo included within the Aft, yet ~-v— ',
it was not executed till a new Provocation 15 34*
,drew him into further Trouble. The Sc- ^ ^
cuiar and Regular Clergy did every where ^7*. '"
fwear the Oath of SuccefTion •, which none
did more -zealoufly promote than Gardwer^
who before the 6th of May got all his Cler
gy to fwear it : and the Religious Orders
being apprehenfive of the King's Jealoufles
of them, took care to remove them, by
fending in Declarations under the Seals of
their Houfes, that in their Opinion the
King's prefent Marriage was lawful, and
that they would always acknowledg him
Head of the Church of England-, that the
Bifhops of Rome Jaad no Authority out of
his own Diocefs, and that they would con
tinue obedient to the King, notwithitan-
ding his Cenfures •, that they would preach
the Gofpel fincerely according to the Scrip
tures, and the Tradition of the Catholick
Doctors, and would in their Prayers pray
for the King as Supream Head of the
Church of England.
A meeting of the Council-fate at Lam- MoreW
fath, to which many were cited in order to 5?^ ^~
the fwearing the Oath ; among whom was
Sir Thsma* More and Fiflier. More was
firft called on to take it: he anfwered that he
neither blamed thofe that made the Acts,
nor thofe that fwore the Oath? and that
he was willing to fwear to maintain the
Succeflion to the Crown, but could not
Jake the Oath as it was conceived. Fifoer
1 2 2 a&?t5ff mettt of tfje ypffio^
Book I. made the fame Anfwer, but all the reft
lv^\~^ that were cited before them, took it. More
,?534» was much prefs'd to give his Reafons a-
gainft it •, but he refufed to do that, for it
might be called a difputing againft Law :
yet he would put them into Writing if the
King would command him to do it.Cranmer
faid, if he did not blame thofe that took it,
it feems he was not perfwaded it was a Sin,
and fo was only doubtful of it ^ but he was
fure he ought to obey the Law, if it was not
finful j fo there was a Certainty on the one
hand, and only a Doubt on the other •, and
therefore the former ought to determine
him : this he confefled did fhake him a lit
tle, but he faid, he thought in his Confci-
ence, that it would be a Sin in him, and
oftejred to take his Oath upon that,and that
he was not led by any other Confideration.
The Abbot of Weftminfter told him he
ought to think his Confcience was mifled,
fince the Parliament was of another Mind ;
an Argument well becoming a rich ignorant
Abbot. But More faid, if the Parliament
of England was againft him, yet he believed
all the reft of Chriftendom was on his fide :
In concMon, both he and Fijher declared
that they thought it was in the Power of
the Parliament to fettle the Succeffion to
the Crown, and fo were ready to fwear to
that, but they could not take the Oath that
was tendred to them ; for by it they muft
fwear to maintain all the Contents in the
Act of Succeffion5and in it the King's former
Marriage was declared unlawful ; to which
they
of tlje Eefojmation, $e+ 123
they could not aflent Cranmer prefs'd Book I,
that this might be accepted : for if they ^x^^vj
once fwore to maintain the Succeflion, it J534»
would conduce much to the Quiet of the
Nation ; but fliarper Counfels were more
acceptable : fo they were both committed
to the Tower, and Pen, Ink, and Paper was
kept from them. The old Bifhop was alfo
hardly ufed both in his Cloaths and Diet ;
he had only Rags to cover him and
Fire was often denied him, which was a
Cruelty not capable of any Excufe, and
was as barbarous as it was imprudent,
In Winter another Seflion of Parliament
was held; thefirft Aft that pafs'd, decla-
red the King to be the Stream Head on
Earth of the Church of England, and ap
pointed that to be added to his other Ti
tles; and it was enafted,that he and his Suc-
ceflqrs fhould have full Authority to reform
all Herefies and Abufes in the Spiritual Ju-
rifdiction. By an other Ad they confirmed
the Oath of Succeflkm, which had not been
fpecified in the former Ad, tho agreed to
by the Lords. They alfo gave the King
the firft Fruits and Tenthes of Ecclefiaftical
Benefices, as being the Supream Head of
the Church ; for the King being put in the
Pope's room, it was thought reafonable
to give him the Annats, which the Popes
{iad formerly exadted. The Temporalty
were now willing to revenge themfelves
on the Spiritualty, and to tax them as hea-
yily as they had formerly tyrannized over
them. Another Aft pa,ft declaring fpme
things
1 2 4 S&tfBgmeitt of tlje Jpiffog?
Book I things Treaibn j one of thefe was the deny-
ing the King any of his Titles, orthecal-
ling him Heretick, Schifmatick, or Qfur-
per of the Crown. By another Aft, Provi-
fion was made for fetting up 26 Suffragan
Bifiiops over England^ for the more fpeedy
Adminiftration of the Sacraments, and the
better Service of God : It is alfo faid, they
had been formerly accuftomed to be in the
Kingdom: The Bifliopofthe Diocefswas
to prefent two to the King, and upon the
King's declaring his choice, the Archbifhop
was to confecrate the Perfon, and then the
Bifhop was to delegate fuch parts of
his Charge to his Care as he thought fitting,
which was to laft during his Pleafure.
Thefe were the fame that the Ancients cal- '
led the Chorepifiopi, who were at firft the
Bifhops of fome Villages •, but were after
wards put under the Jurifdiftion of the Bi-
Ihop of the next City. They were fet up
before the Council of Nice, and continued
to be in the Church for many Ages •, but
the Bilhops devolving their whole Spiritual
Power to them7 they were put down, and
a Decretal Epiflle was forged inthe name of
P. Damafa^ condemning them. The great
Extent of the Diocefles in England made it
hard for one Bifhop to govern them with
that Exaftnefs that was neceflary ^ thefe
were therefore appointed to aftilt them
in the difcharge of the Pafloral Care.
In this Parliament Subfidies were gran
ted payable in three Years, with the higheft
Preamble of their Happinefs under the
King's
of tlje Reformation, «, 125
King's Government all thofe 24 Years, in Book f
which he had reigned, that Flattery could ^-v^
didate. Fijher and More by two fpecial 1534.
Acts were attainted of Mifprifion of Trea-
fon ; five other Clerks were in like manner
condemned, all for refufing to fwear the
Oath of Succeffion. The See ofRochefter was
declared void -, yet it feems few were
willing to fucceed fuch a Man, for it con
tinued vacant two Years. This Severity
againil them was cenfured by fome as Ex-
tream, fince they were willing to fwear
to the Succeflion in other Terms, fothat
it was merely a point of Confcience, in
which the common Safety was not concer-
ned,at which they ftuck, and it was thought
the profecuting them in this manner would
fo raife their Credit, that it might endan
ger the Government more than any Oppo-
fition which they could make.
But now that the King entered upon a The Pro-
new Scene, it will be necefiary to open the gr-f* ^
Progrefs that the new Opinions had made *¥" Do^
in England all the time of the King's Suit JZ'm
of Divorce. During Wolfefs Miniftry, England,
thofe Preachers were gently ufed ; and it
is probable the King ordered the Bifhops
to give over their enquiring after them,
when the Pope began to ufe him ill ; for the
Progrefs of Herefy was always reckoned up
at Rome among the Mifchiefs that would
follow upon the Pope's denying the King's
Delires. But More coming into Favouf , he
offered new Counfels ; he thought the
King's proceeding feverely againft Here-
ticks
augment of te j^flfojj
Book I. ticks would be fo meritorious at Rome , that
v~^v^-" it would work more effectually, than all
.1534, his Threatnings had done: fo a fevere
Proclamation was iffiied out both againft
their Books amd Perfons, ordering all the
Laws againft them to be put in Execution.
TindallwA fome others at Antwerp, were
every Year either tranflating or writing
Books againft fome of the received Errors,
and fending them over to England. But
his Tranflation of the New Teftament gave
the greateft Wound,and was much complai
ned of by the Clergy ,as full of Errors. Ton-
flail then Bp of London being a Man of great
Learning and Vertue, which is generally
accompanied with much Moderation, re
turning from the Treaty of Cambray, to
which More and he were fent in the King's
Name., as he came through Antwerp dealt
with an Englifh Merchant that was fecretly
a Friend of Tindall\ to procure him as ma
ny of his New Teftaments as could be had
for Mony. Tinddl was glad of this •, for
being about a more correci Edition, he
found he would be better enabled to fet
about it, if the Copies of the Old were
fold off:, fo he gave the Merchant all he had,
and Tonftall paying the Price of them, got
them in his hands} and burnt them publickly
in Cheapfide. This was called a burning of
the Word of God ^ and it was faid the
Clergy had reafon to revenge themfelves
on it, for it had done them more Mifchief
than all other Books whatfoever. But a
Year after this, the fecond Edition being
finiihed,
of tlje Reformation, $c, 127
fin ilhed, great Numbers were fent over to Book L
England^ and Conftantine one of TifidalPs \--v^/y
Partners, hapned to be taken ^ fo More be- 1534.
lieving that fome of the Merchants of London
furnifhed them with Mony, promifed him
his Liberty, if he would difcover who they
were that encouraged and aflifted them:
fo he told him the Bifhop of London did
more than all the World befides, for he
had brought up the greateft gart of a faulty
Impreilion. The Clergy when they con
demned TindAlP* Tranilation, promifed a
new one : but a Year after in a long Con
demnation of feveral Books that were pub-
liflied by Warlrwm, Tonftall^ and other Ca-
noniils and Divines, they added this, that
it was not neceilary to publifh the Scripture
in Engliflv and that the King did well not
to fet about it.
There came out a Book writ by one The s»^
Fifo of Grayes-Inn? that took mightily, tfa*tto*
called, the Supplication of the Beggars, by °f the
which they complained that the Alms of *****
the People were intercepted by the Mendi
cant Friars, that were an ufelefs Burden
to the Government ; they alfo taxed the
Pope of Cruelty, for taking no Pity on the
Poor, fince none but thofc that could pay
for it, were delivered out of Purgatory.
The King was fo pleafed with this, that
he would not fuffer any thing to be done
againflthe Author. More anfwereditby
another Supplication in behalf of the Souls
in Purgatory, fetting forth the Miferies
they were in, and the Relief which they
received
i 2 8 atnfflsmcnt of tijt £>ito$
Book L received by the Mafies that were faid for
**^v~^f them-, and therefore they called on their
1534. Friends to fupport the Religious Orders,
that had now fo many Enemies. This was
. elegantly and wittily written, but did not
take fo much as the other -, for fuch is the
ill nature of Mankind, that Satyres are
always better received than Apologies, and
no Satyres are more acceptable than thofe
againft Church-men.
Frith frith anfwered More in a - Book more
gravely written, in which he (hewed that
there was no mention made of Purgatory
* in the Scripture* that it was inconiiilent
with the Merits of Chrifr, by which upon
fmcere Repentance, all Sins were pardon
ed ^ for ifthey were pardoned, they could
not be puniflied : And tho Temporary
Judgments, either as Medicinal Corredti-
ons, or for giving Warning to others, do
ibmetimes fall even on true Penitents :, yet
terrible Punishments in another Itate, can
not coniift with a free Pardon , and the
remembring of our Sins no more. In ex
pounding many Paflages of the New Tefta-
ment, he appealed to March great Friend,
Erafmtu •, and fhewed, That the Fire which
was fpoken of by St. Patd, as that which
would con fume the Wood, Hay, and Stubble^
could only be meant of the fiery Trial of
Perfecution. He Ihewed, That the Pri
mitive Church received it not; Avbrvfa
Jerom, and Auftin did not believe it ; the
laft had plainly faid, that no mention was
made of it in Scripture. The Monks
brought
of tlje &ef0?matfatt, $<;* 129
brought it in; and by many wonderful Book I.
Stories, poflefledthe World of the belief >->. \^
of it } and had made a very gainful Trade 15 33*
of it. This Book provoked the Clergy fo
much, that they refolved to make the Au
thor feel a real Fire , for endeavouring to
extinguish their Imaginary one. More ob-
jeded Poverty, and want of Learning, to
the new Preachers : But it was anfwered7
The fame thing was made ufe-of to difgrace
thrift and his Apoftles , but a plain Sim
plicity of mind without Artificial I mprov-
ments , was rather thought a good Dif-
pofition for Men that were to bear a Crofs $
and the Glory of God appeared more Emi- \
nently, than, the Inftruments feemed Con-.
temptible.
But the Pen proving too feeble, and tod APtrfic**
gentle a Tool, the Clergy betook them- tion feto*
Felves, to that, on .which they relied more:
Many were vexed with Imprifoninents for
teaching their Children the Lord's Prayer
in Englift, for harbouring the Preachers,
and for fpeaking againft the Corruptions
in the Worfhip, or the Vices of the Cler
gy ; but thefe generally abjured. One
Hitton, that had been a Curate, and went
over to Tindall, was .taken coming back
with fome Books •, 3nd was by Warkani
condemned and burnt.
Bilwyi after his Abjuration formerly
mentioned, returned to Cambridge^ and fell
under great Horrour of mind :, but over-
came it, and refolved to expiate his Apo* dom*
fecy by a publick Acknowledgment : And
K that
130
Px)ok I. that he might be able to do that on furer
Grounds, he followed his Studies clofe
two Years •, for i'hen he left the Univer-
fjty, and went into Norfolk, where he ^as
Borland preached up and down that Coun
ty, againlt Idolatry and Superltition- ^ ex
horting the People to live well, to give
much Almes, to believe in Chrift , and
to offer up their Souls and Wills to him
in the Sacrament : He openly confefled his
own Sin of deny ing the Faith; andufingno
Precaution as he went about, he was taken
by the Bilhops Officers,and was condemned
as aRelapfe,and degraded. More not only
fen t down the Writ to burn him, but to
pake him fuffer another way •, he affirmed
in Print that he had abjured : But no Paper
fignedbyhim was ever lliewed, and little
credit was due to the Priefts who gave it
out, that he did it by word of Mouth :
But Parker ( afterwards Archbifhop ) was
an eye Witnefs of his Sufferings. He bore
all the hardfhips he was put to, patient
ly ^ and continued very cheerful after his
Sentence :, and eat up the poor Provifion
that was brought him, heartily •, for he
'faid, he muft keep up a ruinous ^Cottage
till it fell. He had thofe Words often in
his Mouth , When thou walkep thorow the
Fire, thoit fialt not be burnt : And by burn
ing his Finger in the Candle, he prepared
himfelf for the Eire, and faid, it would only
con fume the Stubble of his Body, but would
purify his Soul.
On the iQth of November he was burnt*
* At
of tije Rtfij?hiat fan, $& 13 r
At the Stake he repeated the Creed, to Book f.
fliew he was a true Chriilian ; for the Cler-
gy made flr,ange Reprefentations of his
Dodrine : Then he prayed earneftly,, and
with a deep fence, repeated thofe Words,
Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant.
Dr. Warner that waited on him, embraced
him, fliedding many Tears, and wiihed that
lie might die in as good a flate as that in
vvhich he then was. The Friers deiired. him
to declare to the People, that they had not
procured his Death, and he did it ; fp the
lalt Ad of his Life was full of Charity to
his Enemies. His Sufferings Animated
others. Byfteld that had formerly abjured,
was taken difperfing TindalPs Books, and
one Tewkesbmy, were condemned by Stokes-
ley, and burnt. Two. Men and a Woman
were alfo burnt at Tork. tlpon thefe Pro
ceedings , the Parliament .that fate that
^Sfear, complained to the. King, but that
did not cool the Heat of the Clergy. One
Bamhama. Councellour. of the Temple, was
taken on Sufpicion of Herefy^ and v/hipt
in Morels prefence, and afterwards rackt
in the Tower: Yet he could not be wrought
on to accufe any , but through Fear he ab
jured. After that, being difcharged, he
was in great trouble of Mind,and could find
no quiet till he went publickly to Church,
and openly confefled his Sins \ and declar
ed the Torments he felt in his Confcience,
for what he had done; Upon this, he. was
again feized on, and condemned, for hav
ing faid, c That Thomas Becketwzs a Murde-
* rer,and was damned, if he did not repent :
K z
1 3 2 abiimjmcnt of tfjt
Book L 4 And that in the Sacrament ChrifPs Body
l/v^o c was received by Faith, and not chewed
1530. 'with the Teeth. Sentence paft upon
him by Stokesly , and he was burnt* Sooir
after this, More delivered up the Great
Seal , fo the Preachers had fome eafa
Crome and Larimer were accufed r but ab
jured. Tracy, ( Anceftor to the" prefent
Lord Tracy") made a Will, by which he
left his Soul to God, in hopes of Mercy
through Chrifly without the help of any
other Saint :, and therefore he declared,
that he would leave nothing for Soul-
Mafles. This Will being brought to the"
Bifhop of London's Court to be proved,
after his Death, provoked them fo much,
that he was condemned as an Heretick ;
and an Order was fentto.thc Chancellour
of Worceftcr, to raife his Body ; but he
went further and burnt it7 which could
not be juifrfied, lince he was not a Relapfe.
Tracy\ Heirs fued him for it, and he was
turned out of his place, and fined in 400 /.
The Clergy proclaimed an * Indulgence
of fourty days Pardon to any that carried
a Faggot to the burning of an Heretick^that
fo Cruelty might ieem the more Meritori
ous. And an aged Man (Harding) being con
demned by LongUnd, Bilhop of -Lincoln, as"
lie was tied to the Stake, one flung a Fag
got with fuch force at him, that it daflied
out his Brains.
1533- After ah Jiitermiflion 'of two Years,
Gardiner reprefented to the King, That it
would give him great Advantages againft
the Pope, if he would take hold of fome
^ occafion
af tfje &efo?mati0n, f t. 133
occafion to /hew his hatred of Herefy. So Book L
Fm/j feemed a fit Perfon (to offer as a Sa- ^^-v-x^
crifice, to demonftrate his Zeal : He was 1533.
a young Man, much famed far Learning : ^h>s
2nd was the fir/I that writ again/I the Cor- ••*'• '
poral Pre fence in the Sacrament, in Eng
land. He followed Zwnglnu*$ Dodrine
on thefe Grounds j Chrift received in the
Sacrament, gave Eternal Life :, but this was
oniy to thofe that believed :, from which
jhe inferred, that he was received only by
Faith, St Paul faid, that the Fathers be
fore Chriil eat the fame Spiritual Food
with Chriftians-, from which it appears,that
Chrift is now no more corporally prefent
to us then he was to them : And he argued
from the nature of Sacraments in gene
ral, and the ends of the Lord's Supper,
.that it was only a Commemoration. Yet
upon thefe Premifes , he built no other
Conclufion but that drift's prefence was
no Article of Faith. Frith put thefe Rea-
fons in Writing, wrhich falling into .Morels
-hands , was anfwered by him ; but Frith
never faw that till he was put in Prifon :
And then, tho he was loaded with Irons,
and had no Books allowed him, he replied,
He infilled much on that Argument, That
the Ifraelites did eat the fame Food, and
drank of the fame Rock^ that .was • Chrift ;
and fince Chrift was only myftically, and
by Faith received by them ^ he concluded,
that he was now received only by Faith.
-He (hewed, that Chrift's Words, Tte is my
JBody^ were accommodated to the jewiili
Phrafeof calling the Lamb the Lord's Pafs-
K 3
134 3b ?itjg mettt of tlje
Book I. <rcfcr; and confirmed his Opinion with
\sv*J many Pa'iTages out of the Fathers ; in
,?533« which , the Elements were called Signes and
Figures of Chriu^s Body -7 and they laid that
upon Confecration they did not ceafe to
be Bread and Wine, but remained ftitt in
their own proper- Natures. He alfo fhewed,
That the Fathers were Strangers to all
the Confequences of that Opinion , as
chat a Body could be in more places than
one at once, or c&uld be in a place after
the manner of a Spirit : Yet he concluded,
That if that Opinion were held only as a
Speculation •, fo that Adoration were not
offered to the Elements,it might be well tol-
lerated,but that he condemned as grofs Ido
latry. This was intended by him to prevent
fuch Heats in England^ were raifed in Ger-
many, between the Lutherans and Helveti
ans, by reafon of their different Opinions
concerning the Sacrament. He was feized
on in May 1 533, and brought before Stokes-
ly, Gardiner^ and Longland. They object
ed to him his not believing Purgatory, nor
Tranfubflantiation : He gave his Reafons
that determined him to look on neither
pfthefe as Articles of Faith ; but he thought
that neither the affirming nor denying them
bught to be determined pofitively. The
Bifhops feemed unwilling to proceed t6
Sentence^ but he" cdntmuing refolute,
$tokesly pronounced it } and fo delivered
him to the Secular Arm, ^bteHin^, that his
Puni(hment might be moderated, fo that
the Rigour might not be" too extream ^ nor
the gentlenefs of it tQO much mitigat^
of t&e Reformation, $c+' 135
ed. This Obteftation by the Bowels of Book f.
Chrift, was thought a Mockery •, when all ^-v>o
the World knew that it was intended that 1 533-
he fhould be burnt. One Hemt, a Pren
tice of London, was alfo condemned with
him, on the fame account. When they
were brought to Smithfield, Frith expref-
&d great Joy , and hugged the Faggots
with fome Tranfport : Cook, a Prielr, that
flood by, -called .to the People not to pray
for them more then they would do for a
Dog. Frith fmiled at that, and prayed1
God to forgive him : The Fire was - kind
led, which confumed them to alhes. This'
wasthelaft Inilance of the Cruelty of the
Clergy at this time y for the 'Aft, formerly
mentioned, regulating their Proceedings,
followed foon after. Philips, at whofe
Complaint, that Bill was begun, was com
mitted upon Sufpicion of Herefy •, a Copy
of Tracy's Will was found about him, and
Butter and Cheefe being alfo found in his
Chamber in Lent: But he being required to
abjure, appealed to the King as ®tifrt*tn
Head, and upon that he was fet at Liber
ty; but whether he was tried by the King
or not, is not upon Record.
The Aft that was pail, gave the1 new
Preachers arid their Followers , fome
Refpitei The King was alfo impowered
to reform all Herefie*-, and Idolatries :
And his Affairs did now oblige him to u-
nite himfelf to the Princes of Germany, that
by their means, he might fo imbroilthe
Emperour% Affairs , asnot to give him'
K 4 kifure
1 3 6 9tyto0mettt of tije ii)ifio$
Book I. leifure to turn his Armsagainft£ff£/<W;
and this produced a flackning of all Seve-
rities againft them : For thofe Princes, in
that firft fervour of the Reformation,
made it an Article in all their Treaties, that
none mould be perfecuted for favouring
inter- their Doclrine. The Queen did alfo open-
iy proteft them :, fhe took Laumerj and
^haxton to be her Chaplains, and promo-
ted them to the Bilhopricks of Wore eft er^
and Salisbury. Cranmer was fully convinc
ed of the neceflityof a Reformation, and
that he might carry it on with true Judg
ment, and juftify it by good- Authorities,
He made a great Collection of the Opini-
nions of the Antient Fathers , and later
Dodtors, in all the Points of Religion •, oif
which I have feen two Volumes in Folio ;
But by a Letter of the Lord Bnrgkly\ it
appears, there were then fix Volumes of hjs
Collections in his hands; He was a Man
of great Candor, and much Patience and
induftry •, and fo was on ajl accounts well
prepared for that Work, to which the
Providence of God did now call him:
And tho he was^ in fome things too much
fubjed to the King^s Imperious Temper,
yet in the matter of the fix Articles, he
ffiewed that he wanted not the Coufage
fhat became a Bi(hop in fo Critical an
Aftair as that was. Cromwel was his great
and conftant Friend ; a man of mean Birth,
but of excellent Qualities, as appeared ia
jiis adhering to his Matter Wolfey? after his
fail j a rare Demonftration of Gratitude
of tlje Ecf0?matum, fc+ 137
in a Court, to a difgraced Favourite : And Book I.
in his greateft height, he happening to fee a ^-''W,
Merchant of Lucca, who had pitied and *534'
relieved him when he was in Italy, but
did not fb much as know him, or pretend to
any returns for the Cnall Favours he had
formerly /hewed him, aud was then redu
ced to a low condition, treated him with
fuch acknowledgments, that it became the
Subjects of feveral Pens, which ftrove who
Jhould celebrate it moft.
As thefe fet themfelves to carry on a Others ^
Reformation, there was another Party P°le n
formed that as vigouroufly oppofed it, *
headed by the Duke of Norfolk^ and. Gar di
ner •, and aimolb all the Clergy went into it.
They perfwaded the King that nothing
would give the Pope or the Emperour fuch
Advantages^ as his making any Changes
in Religion ^ and it would reflect much on
him, if he who had writ fo learnedly for
the Faith, fhould in fpite to the Pope make
any Changes in it. Nothing would enT
courage other Princes fo much to follow
his Example, nor keep his Subjects fo much
in their Duty to him, as his continuing
fledfaft in the Antient Religion. Thefe
things made great Impreflions on him.
But on the other hand, Cranmer reprefen-
ted to him that if he rejected the Pope's
Authority., it was very abfurd to let fuch
Opinions or Practices continue in the
Church, that had no other Foundation but
Papal Decrees : and therefore he defired
that this might be put to the Trial, he
ought
1 38
Book I. ought to depend on God,and hope for good
c/fvxj* Succefs if he proceeded in this matter, ac-
1534. cording to the Duty of a Chriitian Prince.
England was a compleat Body within its
felf-, and tho in the Roman Empire, when
united under one Prince, General Councils
?yere eafily aflembled, yet now that was
not to be fo much depended on •, but every
Prince ought to reform the Church in his
Dominions by a National Synod *, and if in
the Antient Church fuch Synods condem
ned Herefies, and reformed Abufes,that
might be much more done, when Enrofi was
divided into fo many Kingdoms. It wa$
vifible that tho both the Emperour and the
Princes of 'Germany had for 20 Years defired
a General Council, it could not be obtained
of the Pope-, he had indeed offered one at
Mantua, but that was only an llluiion.
Upon that the Kiug de fired fome of his
offt "Bi^°Ps to. give their Opinion concerning
Bt- the Emperour's Power of calling Councils :
of .a So Cranmer, Ton/tall, Clark, of Bath and
Wells, and Goodrtck^ of Ely, made anfwer,
That tho Ancient councils were called by
the Roman Emperours,yet that was done by
reafon of the Extent of their Monarchy,
that was now ceafcd,but fince other Princes
had an entire Monarchy within their Do
minions. Yet if one or more of thofe Prin
ces fhonld agree to call a Council to a good
Intent, and dcfire the Concurrence of the
reft, they were bound by the Rule of Cha
rity to agree to it : They were alfo of
Opinion that none but Bifhops and Priefts
had
of tlje Eefo?mation5 <je, 139
had Right to a definitive Voice in matters Book I.
of Doftrine. , \^^J
Cranmer alfo made a long Speech at that, 1534.
time, fetting forth the neceffity of a Refor- #*<*<& of*
mat ion. ' It is probable it was in the Houfe s^eech °f
of Peers, for it begins ; My Lords — <• He, Cra
* begun with the Impoftures and Deceit
c ufed by the Canonifts and other Courti-
c ers at Rome. Then he fpeak to the Au-
' thority of a General Councils ; he,
c Ihewed that it flowed not from the Num->
c ber of the Bifhops, but from the matter
4 of their Decifions, which were received,
* with an Univerfal Confent, for there
* were many more Bilhops at the Council
c <&Arimim, which was condemned, than
c either at Nice or Conftantinoyle, which
c were received. Chrift had named no
4 Head of the whole Church, as God
c had named no Head of the World •, but
c that grew up for Orders fake, as therq
c were Arch-bifhops fet over Provinces-, yet
c fome Popes were condemned for Herefy
c as Liberty and others. If Faith mull be
e fhewed by Works, the ill Lives of moll
1 Popes of late fhewed that their F;iith was to
* be fufpeded •, and all thelPrivikxdges which
'Princes or Synods granted to that See
c might be recalled. Popes ought to fubmit
c themfelves to General Councils, and were
c be tried by them 5 he fhewed what were
* the prefent Corruptions of the Pope and
c his Court, which needed Reformation :
* The Pope according to the Decree of thq
j Council of Bafd was the Churches Vicar,
& and
1 40 Sbtfnrjment sf t&e pff o?p
Book I. *" and not Chriil's ; and fo was accpunta-
t/v^vJ 4 ble to it. The Churches of France de-
,1534- c clared the Council to be above the Pope,
'which had been acknowledged by many
1 Popes themfelves. The Power ofCoun-
* cils had alfo Bounds, nor could they judg
4 of the Rights of Princes, or proceed to a
4 Sentence againft a King •, nor were their
4 Canons of any force till Princes added
6 their Sanctions to them. Councils
4 ought alfo to proceed moderately, even
4 againft thofe that held Errors, and ought
4 not to impofe things indifferent too fe-
4 verely. The Scriptures, and not Men's
4 Traditions, ought to be the Standards of
€ their Definitions. The Divines of Paris
* held,That a Council could not make a new
4 Article of Faith that was not in the Scrip-
4 tures ^ and all ChrifPs Promifes to the
c Church were to be underftood with this
4 condition, */>%> keft the Faith: therefore
'there was great reafon to doubt concer*-
€^ning the Authority of a Council, fome of
c them had contradided others, and many
'others were never received. The Fathers
c had always appealed to the Scriptures, as
* Superiour in Authority to Councils, by
4 which only all Controverfies ought to be
4 decided ; yet on the other hand, it was
4 dangerous to be wife in ones own Conceit,
4 and he thought when the Fathers alj
4 agreed in the Expofition of any place of
4 Scripture, that ought to be lookM on as
4 flowing from the Spirit of God. He
* fhewed how little Regard was to be had
4 to
141
* to a Council, in which the Pope prefided, Book I.
4 and that if any common Error had paft ^v^[
c upon the World, when that came to be 1534.
c difcovered? every one was at liberty to
c /hake it off; even tho they had fworn to
c maintain that Error : this he applied to
*• the Dope's Authority. In concluiion, he
promifed to entertain them with another
Difcourfe of the Authority that all Bifhops
had in their Sees, and that Princes had
within their Dominions. But I could
never recover that, and probably it is
loft.
This was the ftate of the Court after The
King Henry had lhaken off the Pope's
Power, and aflumed a Supremacy in Eccle-
ftaftical Affairs. The Nobility and Gen
try were generally well fatisfied with the
Change -9 but the Body of the People was
more under the Power of the Priefts :, and
they ftudied to infufe in them great Fears
of a Change in Religion. Itwasfaidthe
King was now joyning himfelf to Hereticks,
that both the Queen, Cfwmef* and Crom
well favoured them. It was left free to
difpute what were Articles of Faith, and
what were only the Decrees of Popes •, and
Changes would be made under this Pre
tence, that they only rejected thofe Opi
nions which were fupported by the Papal
Authority. The Monks and Friars faw
thenifelves left at the King's Mercy. Their
Bulls could be no longer ufefnl to theni.The
trade of new Saints, or Indulgences, was
near ail end; they had alfo fome Intima
tions
24t
Book I. tions that Cromwell was forming a Projeft
t/w j for fnppreffing them •, fo they thought it
L X534- necefTary for their own Prefervation to
imbroil the King's Affairs, as much as was
poffible -7 therefore both in Confeffions and
Difcouries,they were infufing into the Peo?
pie a diflike of the King's Proceedings, and
this did fo far work on them, that if the
Emperour's Affairs had been in fuch a
condition, that he could have made War
on the King, he might have done it with
great Advantage -, and found a ftrong
Party in England on his fide. But the
Practices of the Clergy at home, and of
Cardinal Pool abroad, the Libels that were
publifhed,and the Rebellions that were after
wards raifed in England, wrought fo much
on the King's Temper, that was naturally
imperious and boifterous, that he be
came too apt to commit Ads of the high-
eft Severity, and to bring his Subjeds into
Trouble upon the (lighteil Grounds ; and
his new Title of Head of the Church,
feemed to have encreafed his former Va
nity, and made him fancy that all his Sub
jeds were bound to regulate their Belief
By the meafures he fet them. He had
now raigned 25 Years, in, all which time
none had fuffered for Crimes againft the
State, butP00/EarlofS#/o/i, and Stafford
Duke of Buckingham-^ (the former was exe
cuted in Obedience to his Father's laft
Commands ^ the latter fell by Cardinal
Wolfey*s Malice ; he had alfo been inveigled
by a Prieft to imagine he had a Right to
tte :
of tlje Eefayjtatiett, $c. 143 •
the Crown) but in the laft ten. Years of his Book I.
Life, Inftances of Severity returned more v-*-v^>
frequently. The Bifhops and Abbots did 1534*
what they could to free the King of any
Jealoufies that might beraifedin him con
cerning them.; and of their own accord,
before any Law was made about it, they
fwore to maintain the King's Supremacy*
The firffc Adi of it was the making Cromwell
Vicar General, and Vilitor, of all the Mo-
nafteries and Churches of England^ with a
Delegation . of the King's Supremacy to
him j he was alfo empowered to give
Commiffions fubaltef n to himfelf; and all
Wills, where the Eftate was in value above
200 /. were to be proved in his Court. This
was afterwards enlarged, and he was made
the King's Vicegerent in Ecclefiaftical Mat
ters, and had the Precedence of all next
the Royal Family •, and his Authority was
in all Points the fame, that the Legates had
in time of Popery : for as the King's came
in the Popes room ; fo the Vicegerent was
v^hat the Legates had been. Pains was
taken to engage all the Clergy to declare
for the Supreamacy. At Oxford a publick
Determination was made, to which every
Member afTented, that the Pope had no
more Authority in England, than any
other Forreign Bifhop. The Francifcans
at Richmond made fome more Oppofition •,
they faid, by the Rule of St. Francis^ they
were bound to obey the Holy See. The
Bifhop off'Litchfield told them that all the
Bifliops in England, all the Heads of
Houfes* .iit»
1 44 9&$>fftttfcnt of tlje $rto|?
Book I. Houfes, and the molt learned Divines had
exx^sj figned that Propofition. St. Francis made
1 53 5» his Rule in Italy, where the Bifhop of Rome
was Metropolitan, but that ought not to
extend to England : and it was mewed that
the Chapter cited by them, was not writ
ten by him, but added fince 5 yet they
continued pofitive in their refufal to fign.
it-
It was well known that all the Monks
anc[ priars<) tho they complied with the
fropoj€(. -pj;me et the jjated tjjjs new powef Of
the King's ^ the People were atfo flartled
at it j fo one Dr. Leighton, that had been
in the Cardinal's Service with Cromwell^
propofed a General Vifitation of all the
Religious Houfes in England: and thought
that nothing would reconcile the Nation
fo much to the King's Supremacy, as to fee
fome good Effeft flow from it. Others.
thought this was too hardy a Step, and that
it would provoke the Religious Orders too
much. Yet it was known that they were
guilty of fuch Diforders, that nothing
could fo effectually keep them in awe as the
enquiring into thefe. Cranmer led the way
to this by a Metropolitical Vifitation, for
which he obtained the King's Licence •, he
took care to fee that the Pope's Name was
ftruck out of all the Offices of the Church,
and that the King's Supremacy was gene
rally acknowledged.
in oftobcr the General Vifitation of the
M°nafteries was begun ; which was cafl in-
to feveral Prednfts : Initruftions were
given
of tfje EeOjmatiQit, $c+ 145
given them, directing them what things to Book I«
enquire after, as whether the Houfes had
the full number according to their Founda-
tion, and if they performed Divine Wor-
fhip in the appointed Hours -, what Exemp
tions they had, what were their Statutes ?
how their Heads were chofen ? and how
their Vows were obferved ? Whether they
lived according to the Severities of their
Orders ? how the Mailer and other Offi
cers did their Duties ? how their Lands
and their Revenues were managed ? what
Hofpitality was kept ? and what care was
taken of the Novices ? what Benefices were
in their Gift, and how they difpofed of
them ? how the Inclofures of the Nunne
ries were- kept ? whether the Nuns went
abroad, or if Men were admitted to come to
them ? how they imploied their time, and
what Priefts they had for their Confeilbrs ?
They were alfo ordered to give them forne
Injunctions in the King's Name, That they
fhould acknowledge his Supremacy, and
maintain the Adi of Succeifion, and de
clare all to be abfolved from any Rules or
Oaths that bound them to obey the Pope •,
and that all their Statutes tending to that,
fhould be razed out of their Books. That
the" Abbots (hould not have choice Difhes,
but plain Tables for Hofpitality •, and that
the Scriptures flioul be read at Meals -, that
they fhould^have daily Lectures of Divini
ty •, and maintain fome of every Houfe at
the Univerfity. The Abbot was required
to inftrudt the Monks in true Religion,and to
L fliew
1 46 artery rnent of tlje J^'ff ag?
Book I. fhew them that it did not confift in outward
U"-VNJ Ceremonies, but in Cleannefs of Heart,
1535' and Purity of Life, and the worfhiping of
God in Spirit and Truth. Rules were
given about their Revenues, and againft
admitting any under 20 Years of Age.
The Viiltors were empower'd to punifh
Offenders, or to bring them to anfwer be
fore the Victor General.
Tke state What the Ancient Brrttilh Monks were
tftfaM6- is not well known •, whether they werego-
r«Eng-'J verned according to the Rules of the Monks
land.& of Egyft or France, is matter of Conje
cture. They were in all things obedient to
their Bifhops,as all the Monks of the Primi
tive Times were. But upon the Confufi-
ons which the Gothic!^ Wars brought upon
Italy, Beneditt fet up a new Order with
more Artificial Rules for its Government.
Not long after, Gregory the Great raifed
the Credit of that" Order much, by his
Books of Dialogues : and duftin the Monk
being fent by him to convert England, did
•found a Monaftery at Canterbnry^t car
ried 'his Name, which both the King and
jbftfH exempted from the Arch-biihop's
Jurifdidion. But there is great reafon to
fufpeflthatmofc ofthofe Antient Charters
were forged. After that many other Ab-
bies were founded and exempted by the
Kings of England, if Credit is due to the
Leiger Books or Chartnlaries of the Mona-
fteries. In the end of the eighth Centu
ry, the Danes made Defcents upon Eng-
and finding; the moil Wealth and the
"* kaft
of tlje Eefo?nuitian, $ ti $47
lead Refiltance in the Monafleries, they Book I,
generally plundered them, in fo much that ^--v^**,
the Monks were forced to quit their Seats, * 5 3 5°
and they left them to the Secular Clergy:, fo
that in King Edgar"*?, time there was fcarce
a Monk left in all England, He was a lend
and cruel Prince ; and Lunftan and other
Monks taking Advantage fromfomehor-
rours of Conscience that he fell under, per-
fwaded him that the reftoring the Mona-
ftick State^ would be matter ofgreat Merit <
fo he converted many of the Chapters into
Monafteries : and by the Foundation of the
Priory of Worcefter^ it appears he had
then founded 47, and intended to raife
them to 50, the number of Pardon •, tho
the Invention of Jubilees being fo much
later, gives occafion to believe this was alfci
a Forgery. He only exempted his Mona
fteries from all Payments to the Bifhops 5
but others were exempted from Epifcopal
Jurifdiction. In fome only the Precinct
was exempted, in others^ the Exemption
was extended to ail the Lands or Churches
belonging to them. , The lateft Exemption
from Epifcopal Jurifdidion granted by any
King, is that of Battel founded by William
the Conquerour : After this theExemptions
Were granted by the Popes, who preten
ding to an llniverfal Jurisdiction, aduraed
this among other Ufurpations. Some Ab-
bies had alfo the Priviledg of being Sanctu
aries to all that fled to them; The Foun
dation of all their Wealth^ was the belief
«f Purgatory and of the Virtue that was
L 2 m
1 48 afayagmeut of tfje
Book I. in Mafles to redeem Souls out of it ; and
v^-v>-/ that thefe eafed the Tormentsof departed ?
1535. Souls, and at lait delivered them out of)
them •, fb it pall among all for a piece of ;
Piety to Parents, and of care for their own
Souls and Families, to endow thoie*Houfes
with fome Lands, upon condition that they
fhould have Mailes faid for them, as it was "
agreed on more or lefs, frequently accor
ding to the meafure of the Gift. This was
like to have drawn in the whole Wealth of
the Nation into thofe Houfes, if the Sta
tute of Mortmain had not put fome re-
Itraint to that Superftition. They alfo
perfivaded the World, that the Saints in
terceded for them, and would take it
kindly at their hands, if they made great
Offerings to their Shrines, and would
thereupon intercede the more earneftly for
j them : The credulous Vulgar meafuring
the Court of Heaven by thofe on Earth,
believed Prefents might be of great Effica
cy there, and thought the new Favourites
would have the moft Weight in their In-
terceilions : So upon every new Canoniza
tion there was a new Fit of Devotion to
wards the lait Saint, which made the el
der to grow almofl out of requeil. Some
Images were believed to have an extraor
dinary Virtue in them, and Pilgrimages
to thefe were much extolled. There was
alfo great Rivalry among the feveral Or
ders, and different Houfes of the fame Or
ders, every one magnifying their own
Saints, their Images and Relicks moft.
* The
of tlje Eefo?matf0tt, <?c; 149
The Wealth of thefe Houfes brought them Book I.
under great Corruptions. They were ge- v^-v-s^
nerally very dillblute, and grofly ignorant. 1 53 5-
Their Priviledges were become a publick
Grievance, and their Lives gave great
Scandal to the World ; So that,as they had
found it eafy to bear down the Secular Cler-
gy,when their own Vices were more fecret j
the begging Friers found it as eafy to carry
the Efteem of the World from them.
Thefe under the Appearance of Poverty,
and courfe Diet, and Cloathing, gained
much Efteem, and became almoit the only
Preachers and Confeflbrs then in the
World. They had a General at Romey
from whom they received fuch Directions,
as the Popes fent them •, fo that they were
moreufeful to the Papacy then the Monks
had been. They had alfo the School-
Learning in their hands , fo that they
were generally much cherifhed. But they
living much in the World, could not con
ceal their Vices fo artificially as the Monks
had done •, and tho feveral Reformations
had been made of their Orders, yet they
had all fallen under great Scandal, and a
general Difefteem. The King intended to
ereft new Bilhopricks ; and in order to ^
that, it was necefFary to make ufe of fome
of their Revenues. He alfo apprehended
a War from the Emperour, and for that
end, he intended to fortify his Harbours,
and to encourage Shipping, and Trade,
upon which, the Ballance of the World be
gan then to turn : And in order to that,he
L 3 refol-
1 53 augment of
Book I. refolved to make ufe of the Wealth of
CX-VNJ thofe Houfes, and thought, the bell way
1535* to bring that into his hands, would be to
expofe their Vices, that fo they might
quite lofe the Efteem they might yet be in
with fome,and fo it might be Ids dangerous
to fupprefs them. Cranmer promoted this
much, both b^caufe thefe Houfes were
founded on grofs Abufes, and fubiifted
by them •, and thefe were neceflary to be
removed, if a Reformation went on. The
Extent of many Dioceiles was alfo fuch,
that one man could not overfee them *, fb
he intended to have more Bifhopricks
founded,ancj to have Houfes at every Cathe
dral for the Education of thofe who fhould
be impjoied in the Paftoral Charge. The
Villtors went over England, and found in
many places, monflrous Disorders. The
Sin of Sodom was found in many Houfes j
great Fadions, and Barbarous Cruelties,
were in others ; and in foiiie, they found
Tools for Coining. The Report contain
ed many abominable things, that are not
fit to be mentioned : Some of thefe were
printed, but the greateft part is loft ;
only a Report of 144 Houfes is yet ex
tant. ;
Sefn* The firft Houfe that was furrendered to
theKing, \vzs Langden, in KeM ^ the Ab-
bot was found a Bed with a Whore, who
went in the Habit of a Lay Brother : This
perhaps made him more willing to give an
Example to the reft ; fo he and ten of his
Monks, Hgned a Relignatlon of their Houfe
to
of tije Kefoimatf on, $c. 1 5 *
to the King. Two other Houfes in the Book L
fame County , Folkefton, and Dover, fol- <-/• ^
lowed their Example. And in the follow- 1 536-
ing Year, four other Houfes made the like
Surrenders : and thefe were all that I find
before the Aft of Parliament pall, for fup-
preffing the letter Monafteries.
Q-Katherme was put to much trouble, 1536.
for keeping the Title, Queen, but bore
it refplutely, andfaid, That lince the Pope
had judged that her Marriage was good,
fhe would die rather than do any thing in
prejudice of it. Her Sufferings begot Com-
paffion in the People j and all the Super-
ftitious Clergy fupported her Intereits
fcealoufly. But now' her Troubles ended
with her Life. She defired to be buried
among the Obfervant Friers, for they had
fuffered moll for her. She ordered 500
Malles to be faid for her Soul -, and that
one of her Women fhould go a Pilgrimage
to our Lady of Walfingkam, and give 200
Nobles on her way to the Poor. When
fhe found Death coming on her , as (lie
writ to the . Emperour , recommend
ing her Daughter to his care : So fhe writ
to the King, with this Infcription, My
dear Lord, King, and Husband. She forgave
him all the Injuries he had done her , and
wifh'd him to have regard to his Soul. She
recommended her Daughter to his Care,
and defired him to be kind to her three
Maids, and to pay her Servants a Years
Wages ; and ended thus, mine Eyes dcfire
you above all things. She died on the Eighth
L 4 of
1 5 2 SbziBgtttcnt of tljc Sptftojp
Book I. ofjarutary^zt Kimbolton,in the $oth Year of
U/VNJ her Age, 3 3 Years after fhc came to Eng-
J536« land. She fhas a Devout and Exemplary
Woman : She ufed to work with her own
hands, and kept her Women at work with
her. The Severities and Devotions that
were known to her Priefts, and her Alms-
Deeds, joined to the Troubles me fell in,
begat a high Efteem of her in all forts of
People. The King complained often of her
Peeviihnefs ; but that was perhaps,to be im
puted, as much to the Provocations he gave
her, as to the Sowrnefs of her Temper. He
ordered her to be buried in the Abbey of
Peterborough , and was fomewhat touched
with her Death. But Q. Ann did not carry
this fo decently as became a happy Rival,
i*pttrlit- In February a Parliament met, after a
»*'#/, tke Prorogation of 1 4 Months. The Ad im-
itffer Me- powering 32 to revife the Ecclefiaftical
na'.rertes i r i i T
Laws, was connrmed -, but no time was li
mited for finifliing it, fo it had no effect.
The chief bufinefs of this Seflion, was the
fuppreflTing of the Mon after ies, under 200 /.
a Year. The Report the Villtors made was
read in the two Houfes, and difpofed them
to great eafinefs in this matter. The Act
fets forth the great diforders of thofe
Houfes, and the many unfuccefsful Attempts
that had been made to reform them; fo
the Religious that were in them, were or
dered to be put in the greater Houfes,
where Religion was better obferved, and
the Revenues of them were given to the
King. Thofe Houfes were much richer
than
of tlje acfoanatf on, $c/ 153
than they feemed to be ; for an abufe that Book f.
had run over Enwye, of keeping the Rents ^\^.j
of the Church at their firlt Rates -, and in- 1536.
Head of railing them, the exacting great
Fines for the Incumbent, when the Leafes
were renewed, was fo grofs in thofe Houfes,
that fome rated but at 200 /. were in real
value worth many Thoufands. By another
Ad, a new Court was ereded, with the
Title of the Court cf the Augmentations of
the King's Revenue, confiiting of a Chan
cellor , /a Treafurer, 10 Auditors, 17
Receivers , beiides ofther Officers. The
King was alfo empowered to make new
Foundations, offuch of thofe Houfesnow
fuppreffed, as he pleafed, which were in all
370, and fo this Parliament, after fix
Years Continuance, was now dnlblyed.
A Convocation fate at this time , in A Tran-
which, a motion wa^; made for Tranfla- Jlw™ of
ting the Bible into EngliOi, which had been **
promifed when TindaPs Tranflation was
condemned, but was afterwards, laid afide
by the Clergy,as neither neceflary nor expe
dient : So it was faid, that thofe, whole
Office it was to teach People the Word of
God,did all they could to fupprefs it.Mofis,
the^Prophets, and the Apoflles, wrote in the
Vulgar Tongue : Chriil directed the Peo
ple to fearch the Scriptures ; and as foon
as any Nation was converted to the Chri-
ftian Religion,, the Bible was tranQated
into their Language ; nor was it ever taken
out of the hands of the People , till the
Chriilian Religion was fo corrupted, that
it
1 54 SfQiDgmettt of tljz ^rffojp
Book I ^ was not ^Q to tru^ t*iem w^ ^uc^ a Bo°^
is^s^j which would have fo manifeftly difcovered
1536. thofe Errours; and the Legends,as agreeing
better withthofe Abufes, were read initead
of the Word of God. So Cranmer look'd
on the putting the Bible in the People's
hands,as the mofl effectual means for promo
ting the Reformation ; and therefore mo
ved, that the King might be prayed
to give order for it. But Gar diner y
and all the other Party, oppofed this ve
hemently. They faid, All the extravagant
Opinions then in Germanny, rofe from the
indifcreet ufe of the Scriptures. Some of
Ihofe Opinions were at this time diflemina-
ted in England, both againlt the Divinity,
and Incarnation of Chrift, and the ufeful-
nefs of the Sacraments, for which 19 Hoi-
lander shad been burnt in England &K, for-,
mer Year. It was therefore faid, That
during thefe Diffractions, the ufe of the
Scriptures would prove a great Snare. : So
it was propofed , that inftead of them,
their might be fome ihort Expofition of the
Chriftian Religion put in the Peoples hands,
which might keep them in a certain Sub
jection to the King and the Church : But
it was carried in the Convocation for the
Affirmative. At Court, Men were much
divided in this Point } fome faid, if the
King gave way to it, he would never be
able after that to govern his People, and
that they would break into many Divifi-
ons. But on the other hand, it was faid,
That nothing would make the Difference
between
of tlje Hef o?maticu, $c. 155
between the Pope's Power, and the King's Book I,
Supremacy, appear more eminently, than if \^s^*
the one gave the People the free ufe of the 1536.
Word of God •, whereas the other had kept
them in Darknefs, and ruled them by a
blind Obedience. It would be alfo a great
mean to extinguifti the Intereft that either
the Pope or the Monks had in England-) to
put the Bible in the People's hands , in
which it would appear , that the World
had been long deceived by their Impoitures,
which had no Foundation in the Scrip*
tures. Thefe Reafons joyned with the
Intereft that the Queen had in the King,
prevailed fo far with him, that he gave
order for fetting about this with all poilible
haft; and within three Years the Imprefli-
on of it was finifhed. At this time, the
King was in fome Treaty with the German
Princes, not only for a League in Tempo
ral Concerns, but likewife in matters of
Religion. The King thought the Germans
fhould have in all things fubmitted to him;
and the Opinion he had of his own Learn
ing, which was perhaps heightned a little
with his new Title of Head of the Church,
made him expect , that they fhould in all
points comply with him. Gardiner was then
his Ambafladour in France, and difwaded
him much from any Religious League with
them , as that which would alienate the
World abroad, and his People at home from
him.
The Popifh Party faw the intereft the .a Ann's
Queen had in him? was the great Obftacle f*&
' - of
1 5 ^ augment of tfje |)f<!0$ '
Book I. of their Defignes : She grew not only in
the Kings Efteem, but in the Love of the
Nation. The laft Nine Months of her Life,
She gave above 14000 /. in Alms to the
Poor, and was much fet on doing good.
Soon after Queen Katkerin\ Death, fhe
bore a dead Son, which was believed to
have made fome Impreflion on the King's
mind. It was alfo conlidered, that now
Queen Kathcrine being dead , the King
might marry another, and be fet right
again with the Pope and the Emperour :
And the Iflue by any other Marriage would
never be questioned •, whereas , while
Queen Ann lived, the ground of the Con<-
troverfy ftill remained, and her Iflue
would be Illegitimated, her Marriage be
ing null from the beginning, as they
thought. With thefe Reafons of State,
the King's Affedtions joyned, for he was
now in Love with Jane Seymour, whofe
humour was tempered in a mean, between
the Gravity of Queen Katherine, and the
Pleafantncls of Queen Ann. The poor
Queen ufed all poflible Arts to reinflame
a dying AfFedion ; but the King was
changed, and inftead of being wrought on
by her Carefies, he came to look on them as
Artifices to cover fome other Criminal
Aifedlion. Her cheerfulnefs was not al-
wayes governed with Decency and Di£-
cretion : And her Brother's Wife being
jealous of her Husband and Her, pofleded
the King with her own Apprehenfions,
and filled his Head with many Stories.
Norm
of t&e Eefo?mation5 <jc* 157
Wefton, and Brereton the King's Book I.
Servants, and Smeton a Mufician, were ob- ^-v^-'j
ferved to be particularly officious about 1536.
her. Somewhat was pretended to have
been fworn by the Lady Wyngfield at her
Death,that determined the King ; but there
is little light left to judg of that Mat
ter. The King was at Jufts at Greenwich, .
where it was reported, that he was difplea- ^ l*
fed with the Queen-, for letting her Hand
kerchief fall to one for wiping his Face -7 but
this feems to be a Fidion ^ for a Parlia
ment was fummoned the day before that,and
then it wasjjrefolved to deftroy her. The
King left her, upon which flie was confined
to her Chamber , and the five before menti
oned were feized on, and fent to the Tower ^
and the next day me was carried thither.
On the River, fome Privy Counfellors came
to examine her:, but me made deepProtefta-
tions of her Innocence •, and as fhe landed at
the Tower, fhe fell down on her Knees, and
prayed God fo to afift her, as me was free
of the Crimes laid to her charge : After
this ihe fell into fits of the Mother, fome-
times ihe laughed, and at other times Ihe
wept exceflively : She was alfo devout and
light by turns -, and fometimes fhe flood
upon her Vindication, and at other times
fhe confefled fome Indifcretions, which
ihe afterwards denied. All the People a-
bout her made the molt of every Word that
fell from her, and fent it immediately to
Court. The others that were imprifoned
on her account, denied every thing, only
Smeton
1 58 3b?fDgnient of tlje !piffo?j?
Book I. Smeton confefled Leudnefs with her. The
Vv^v Duke of Norfolk^ and others that came to
.1536. examine her, made her believe that both
Norri* and Smeton had accufed her •, but
tho that was falfe, yet it had this Effect
on her, that it made her confefs that which
did totally alienate the King from her.
She acknowledged that fhe had rallied Nor-
ra, that he waited for the King's Death,
and then thought to have her, which tho
he denied, yet upon that fhe fell out with
him. She denied that Smeton was ever in
her Chamber, but once when he came to
play on the Virginals. She infinuated as
if he had made Love to her ; for feeing
him one day penfive, fhe told him he mult
not expect that fhe fhould talk to him, fince
he was fo niean a Perfon, and he anfwered,
A Look would ferve him. She allb faid,
We ft on had feemed jealous of Norrit, for be
ing oft in her Chamber, and had declared
Love to her, upon which foe defied him.
Whether thefe Confeffions were real
Truths, or the Effects of Imagination and
Vapors, cannot be certainly determined
at this diflance. it is probable there had
been fome Levities in her Carriage that
were not becoming.
All the Court was now turned againfl
her, and fhe had no Friend about the King
but Crttnmcr , and therefore her Enemies
procured an Order for him not to come to
Court •, yet he put all to hazard, and
wrote the King a long Letter upon this
Critical Juncture j c He acknowledged that,
6 if
of tSe Reformation, $c+ 159
c if the Things reported of the Queen were Book I.
c true, it was the greateft Affliction that O^N/^ J
* ever befei the King, and therefore ex- 1536*
c horted him to bear it with Patience and
c Submiilion to the Will of God : he con-
c felled he never had a better Opinion of
c any Woman than of her \ and that next
c the King, he was more bound to her,
c than to all Perfons living ^ and there-
c fore he begged the King's leave to pray
c that ihe might be found Innocent ^ he
c loved her not a little, becaufe of the Love
c which Ihe feemed to bear to God, and
* his Gofpel ; but if flie was guilty, all that
* loved the Gofpel muft hate her, as ha
ding given the greateft Slander poflible
c to the Gofpel : but he prayed the King
c not to entertain any Prejudice to the Gof-
c pel on her account,nor give the World rea-
4 fon to fay, That his Love to it was foun-
cded on the Power that fhehad with him.
The King^s Jealoufy was now too deeply
rooted to admit of any Cure, but an ex-
tream one : The Indidments were laid in **
the Counties of Kent and MidtUcfa the
former relating to what was done in Green-
wich. Smcton pleaded Guilty, and confeded
he had known the Queen carnally three
times j the reft pleaded not guilty, but
they were all condemned.
Three days after that, the Queen and May i ^
her Brother ( who was then a Peer ) were Her r na».
tried before the Duke ofNorfill^, as High
Steward and a Court of 27 Peers. It has
been oft given out to defame her the more,
that
1 60
Book !• tnat ner own Bather fate and condemned
v^-v-^ her : but the Record of the Attainder
1536. fhewsthat is falfe, for he was not of the
Number. The Crime charged on her was,
That fhe had procured her Brother and
four others to lie with her •, and had often
faidto them, That the King never had her
Heart; and this was to the Slander of the
Iffue begotten between the King and her,
which was Treafon by the Ad that confir
med her Marriage : fo that Aft that was
made for the Marriage, was now turned on
her to mine her. They would not now ac-
knowledg her the King's lawful Wife, and
therefore' they did not found the Treafon
on the known Statute zyh Edw. 3. It does
not appear what Evidence was brought
againit her : for Smeton being already con
demned, could not be madeufe of-, and
his never being- brought face to face againft
her, gave great fuipition that he was
perfwaded to confefs by bafe Practices.
The Evidence, as appears by Sfelman's Ac
count of it, that was then a Judg, was only
the Declaration of a dead Woman : but
whether that was forged or real, can never
be known till the great Day difcovers it.
The Judgment in cafe of Treafon for a
Woman, is Burning;, but it was given either
for that, or beheading at the King's Plea-
fure. The Judges complained of this as
contrary to Law, but there was a fecret
Reafon for it, into which they did not
penetrate. The Earl of Northumberland
was one of the Judges, he had been once in
Love
of t!je foefdiwatioit, $c, 1 6 1
love with the Queen, and either feme re- Book I-
turn of that, or fome other Accident made --^v^-,
that he fell fuddenly fo ill, that he could 1536*
not flay out the Trial :, for after the
Queen was judged, he went out of the
Court before her Brother, was tried, who
was condemned upon the fame Evidence.
Yet all this did not fatisfy the enraged
King } he refolved to illegitimate his
Daughter, and in order to that to annul
his Marriage with the Queen. It was re*
membred that the Earl of Northumberland^
hadfaid to Cardinal f^/y^y, that he had
engaged himfelf fo far with her, that he
could not go back, which was perhaps done
by fome Promife conceived in Words of the
Future Tenfe , but no Promife, unlefs in the
Words of the Prefent Tenfe, could annul
the Subfequent Marriage. Perhaps the
Queen did not underftand that Difference,
ot probably the fear of fo terrible a Death
as Burning wrought fo much on her, that
ihe confelfed a Contract •, but the Earl de
nied it poiltively, and took the Sacrament
upon it^> wilhing that it might turn to his
Damnation, if there was ever either Con-
trad or Promife of Marriage between
them. She was fecretly carried to Lambeth,
and confefled a Precontract, upon which
her Marriage with the King was judged
null from the beginning ^ yet this was fo
little known at that time, that Sjelman
writes of it as a thing only talked of, but
it was publilhed in the next Parliament.
Thefe two Sentences contradicted one
M another,
162 augment of tlje pita??
Book I. another ; for if Ihe was never the King's
v^-v— ' Wife, fhe could not be guilty of Adultery,
1536. for there could be no breach of the Faith of
Wedlock, if they were never truly marri- .
ed. But the King was refolved both to
be rid of her, and to declare his Daughter .
by her a Baftard.
Her £xe- When Ihe had Intimations given her to
prepare for Death, among other things
fhe reileded on her Carnage to Lady Mary^
to whom fhe had been too fevere a Step
mother : So fne made one of her Women fit
down, and fhe fell on her Knees before her
and charged her to go to Lady Mary, and
in that Pofture, and in her Name, to ask
her Forgivenefs for all fhe had done againft
her. This TendernefsofConfciencefeem-
ed to give much Credit to the continual
Protections of her Innocence, which fhe
made to the laft. The day before her
Death, flie fent her laft Meflage to the
King, aliening her Innocence, recom
mending her Daughter to his Care, and
thanking him for his advancing her, firfl
to be a Marchionefs, then to be a Qpeen,
and now,when he could raife her no higher
on Earth, for fending her to be a Saint in
Heaven. The day fhe died the Lieutenant
of the Tower writ to Cromwell, that it was
not fit to publifh the time of her Execution,
for the fewer that wereprefent it would
be the better; iincehe believed fhe would
declare her Innocence at the hour of her
Death -7 for that morning fhe had made
great Protections of it, when fhe received
* the
of t&e Eefo?matt0n5 $c; 1 63
the Sacrament, and feemed to long for Boojc I.
Death, and had great Joy and Pleafure in ^-v^-/,
it; fhe was glad to hear the Executioner 1536*
was good, for fhe faid Ihe had a very fhort
Neck,at which ihe laughed heartily. A little
before Noon, fhe was brought to the place
of Execution •, there were prefent fome of
the Chief Officers and Great Men of the
Court ; fhe was? it feems prevailed on out
of regard to her Daughter, to make no
Reflections on the hard meafure ihe met
witfy nor to fay any thing, touching the
Grounds, on which Sentence pail again ft
her, only fhe deiired that all would judg
the beft : ihe commended the King highly j
and fo took her leave of the World : She
Was for fome time in her private Devoti
ons, and concluded, To Chrtft I commend
my Soul ; upon which the Executioner,
who was brought from Calif on that occa-
iion, cut off her Head, and fo little regard
was had to her Body, that it was put in a
Cheft of Elm-tree, made to fend Arrows in
to Ireland, and was buried in the Chappel
in the Tower. Norm was much dealt with to
accufe her, and his Life was promifed him
if he would do it ; but he faid he knew fhe
Was Innocent, and would die a thoufand
times rather than defame her : fo he and
the other three were beheaded, and all of
them continued to the laft to vindicate her.
Smeton was hanged, and it was faid, that
he retraced all before he died :, but of that,
there is no certainty.
H 2 When
164
Book I. When this was done, it was very vari-
oufly cehfured. The Popi/h Party obfer-
ved, that Ik* who had fupplanted Queen
Katherine^ did now meet with harder mea-
iure ; her faint way of fpeaking concerning
her Innocence at Jail, was judged too high
a Complement to the King in a dying Wo-"
man, and fhewed more regard to her'
Daughter than to her own Honour ; yet
ihewrit a Letter to the King in fohigha
ftrain both of Wit' and Natural Eloquence
in her own Jiij'iifkation, that it may be'
reckoned one of the belt comppfed pieces of
that time. In her Carriage it feems there
were ibme Freedoms that became not her
Quality, and had encouraged thofe in-
fortunate Perfons to make Tome Addrefles
to her, which is never done- when therein
fnch difference of Conditions, without fome
Encouragement is firfl given. It was faid'
on the other hand, that the King of all
Men, had "the leaft reafon to- fufpeft her*
iince after fix Years Court (hip, he gained
nothing from her, before he married her f
but the Particulars fhe confefled, gave
much matter for Jealoufy, efpecially in fo
violent a Man, to work upon:, and fo it was
no wonder if it tranfported him out of
meafhre. Others condemned Cranmer as
too cbfequious for pafling the Sentence
annulling the Marriage : yet when fhe
came and confefled a Precontract in Court,
he could not avoid the giving Sentence-
upon it. All that hated the Reformation
iiifulted, and faid, it now appeared how
* bad
;
of tlje Reformation, ?c+
bad that Caufe was, which was fuppcrtsd Book I
by fuch a Patron. But it was a.nfwered,
that her Faults could notrefled; on thofe,
who being ignorant of them, had deilred
her Proteftion. Gregory the Great had
courted and magnified Pkocas and Bruni-
Md, after he knew their Viilanies; and
•Irene after her barbarous Cruelties, was
rot a little extolled for her Zeal in the mat
ter of Images. It has feemed • ftrange to
fome, that during her Daughter's long
and glorious Reign, none writ in Vindica
tion of her Mother, which officious Cour
tiers are apt to do often without any good
Grounds, fo that Silence was made an Ar
gument of her Guilt,and that Ihe could not
be defended. But perhaps that was an effect
of the Wifdom of the Miniflers of that
time, who would not fufTer fo nice a Point,
upon which the Queen's Legitimation der
pended, to be brought into diipute. The
day after Anne Boleyn\ Death, the King
married Jane Scimonr^ who gained more
upon him, than all his Wives ever did :
But Ihe was happy that (he did not out-live
his Love to her.
Lady Mary was advifed upon this turn
of Affairs, to make her Subim'iTion to the f
King: (he offered to confefs the Fault of ^'
her former Obftinacy, and in General, to
give up her Underftanding entirely to the
King •, but that would not fatisfy, unlefs
Ihe would be more particular -? fo at laft
fhe was prevailed with,to do it in the fallcft
Terms that could be dehred •, cSheac-
M ^ c know-
1 6 s abifijgmeitt of
Book I. fc knowledged the King to be the Stream
^ Head on Earth under Chriil of the
4 Church of England, and did renounce
4 the Bifhop of Rome** Authority:, and
c promifed in all things to be obedient to
c the Laws that were made ; which (he faid
4 flowed from her inward Belief, and Judg-
'ment, and in which fhe would for ever
4 continue :, and fhe did alfo acknowledg
c that the King's Marriage with her Mo-
4 ther, was by God's Law and Man's Law,
& unlawful and incefluous : all this fhe writ
>vit.h her own Hand, and fubfcribed. it>
upon which Ihe was again received into
Favour -7' and an Eilablifliment was made
jfor a Family about her, in which 40 /. a
quarter was all the Allowance for her Pri
vy Purfe, fo great was the Frugality of
that time; Lady Elizabeth continued to
be educated with great Care, and was fo
forward, that before fhe was four Years
old, fhe both wrote a good Hand, and un-
deritood Italian ^ for there are Letters ex
tant written by her in that Language to
Queen Jam^ when fhe was, with child, in
which fhe fubfcribed Doughto.
On the 8/7? of June the Parliament met,
which fhews that it was fnmmoned before"
the Jufls at Greenwich. The Chancellour
told them, that the King had called them
to fettle the Succeffion of the Crown, in
cafe he fliould dye without Children law
fully begotten, and to repeal the Aft made
concerning his Marriage with Queen Anne,
It feenis the Parliament was not at' firfl
of tfje Eefojniatioit, $c." 1 67
eafily brought to comply with thefc things •, Book I
and that it was neceflary to take fome pains L/^/~- j
to prepare them to it. For the Bill of Sue- 1 5 3 6.
ceflion, was not put in till the $cth of June,
4 but then it was quickly difpatched with-
4 out any Oppofition : by it the Attainder
4 of Queen Anne and her Complices is con-
c firmed ; both the Sentences of Divorces
* pafs'd upon the King's two former Mar-
4riages were alfo confirmed ; and the
* Iffiie by both was illegitimated and for
4 ever excluded from claiming the Crown
* by Lineal Defcent : And the Succeilion
* was eftablifhed on the King's Iffiie by his
cprefent Queen, or any whom he might
4 afterwards marry. But it not being fit
4 to declare who mould fucceed in default
4 of that, left the Perfon fo named might
4 be thereby enabled to raife Commotions,
4 in Confidence of the King's Wifdom, and
4 Afifedlion to his People, they left it to him
4 nominate his Succeflbrs, either by Letters
4 Patents, or by his laft Will figned by his
4 Hand, and prornifed to obey the Per-
4fonsfo nominated by him. It wasdecla-
4 Ted Treafin to maintain the Lawfulnefs
of his former Marriages, or of his Ifiue
by them, and it was made not only Trea-
4 fon, but a forfeiture of the Right of
4 Succeflion, if any of thofe whom the King
4fhould name in default of others, Ihouid
4 endeavour to get before them. The
Scots complained of this Ad, and faid, their
Queen Dowager^ being Kirig Henry** Eldefl
Sifter, could not be put by her Right, after
M 4 the
abitBgnteut of tlje ^iffoj?
Book I. the King's lawful Ifliie. But by this the
King was now made Mafter indeed, and
had the Grown put entirely in his Hands,
to bedifpofed of at his Pleafure ; and his
Daughters were now to depend wholly on
him. He had it alfo in his Power in a
great meafure to pacify the Emperour by
providing, that his Kinfwoman might fuc-
ceed to the Grown.
Paul Pope Clement the, 7*6, was now dead,
and Farnefg fucceeded by the Name of
- Pa"- t^le ?^ w^0<> a^ter an unfuccesful At>
gon with tempt, which he made for reconciling hirri-
ng. felf with the King, when that was rejeded,
and Ftjbcr was beheaded, thundered out
a molt terrible Sentence of Depolition a-
gainft him : Yet now,(ince both Queen Ka-
therixs and Queen Anne, upon whofe ac
count the Breach was made,were out of the
way, he thought it a fit time to try what
plight be done •, and ordered Caffall to let
the King know that he had always favou
red his Gaufe when he was a Cardinal, that
he w^s driven very much againil his Mind
to pafs Sentence againil him ; and that
how it would be eafy for him to re
cover the Favour of the Apoilolick
See.:
<*- But the King inflead of hearkening to
the the Propofition, got two A As to be pafs'd \
C "^^Q Qne was ^Or' ^le utt^er extinguilhing
f the Pope?s Authority ^ and it was made
'aPremmire for any to acknowledg it, or
c to perfwade others to it : And a Uriel:
f Charge was given to all Magiftrates under
f fevere
oftljeEefo^matiott,
fevere Penalties to enquire after all Of- Book f.
c fenders. By another all Bulls and all (s\s^j
L Priviledges flowing from them, werede- 1536.
c clared null and void, only Marriages or
•c Confecrations made by virtue of them,
c were excepted. All who enjoyed Pri-
cviledges by thefe Bulls were required to
c bring them into the Chancery ; upon
c which the Arch-bilhop was to make them
c a new Grant of them, and that, being
*• confirmed under the Great Seal, was to
* be of full force in Law.
Another Act pafs'd explaining an
Exception, that was in the Act for the
Refidence of all Incumbents, by which
thofe who were at the Univerfities were
difpenfed with, upon which many went
and lived idlely there. It was therefore
now declared that none above the Age of
fourty, except Heads and publick Rea
ders, Ihould have the Benefit of that Pro-
vifoj and that none under that Age mould
be comprehended in it, except they per
formed their Exercifes. Another Ad:
pafs'd in Favour of the King's Heirs, if
they fliould Reign before they were of
full Age, that they might any time be
fore they were 24, repeal by Letters
Patents all Ads made during their Mi
nority. All thefe things being concluded,
the Parliament after it had fate fix Weeks,
was diflblved. The c*»-
The Convocation fate at the fame time,
and was much imployed : for the
Lords was oft adjourned, becaufe the Spi-
ritual Religion.
1 70 abjftgmettt of tfie Bpflfo??
Book I. ritual Lords were bufy in the Convocation.
V^-N-> Latimer preached the Latine Sermon ; he
,1536. was the moil celebrated Preacher of that
time •, the Simplicity of his matter, and his
Zeal in expreffing it, being preferred to
more elaborate Compofures. They firft
confirmed the Sentence of the Divorce of
the King's Marriage with Queen Anne.
Then the lower Houfe made an Addrels
to the upper Houfe, complaining of 67
Opinions that they found were much
fpread in the Kingdom : they were either
the Tenets of the old Lollards, or the
new Reformers, or of the Anabaptifts ;
and many of them were only unfavou-
ry and indifcreet Expreffions, which
might have flowed from the Heat and
Folly of fome rafh Zealots, who by pe
tulant Jeers, and an Affedtation of Wit,
had endeavoured to difgrace both the re
ceived Dodrines and Rites. They alfo
complained of fome Bifhops who were
wanting in their Duty to fupprefs fuch A-
bufes-, which was underftood as a Reflection
on Cranmer^ Shaxton, and Latimer. It was
hoped that Cranmer was now declining by
Queen Ann\ Fall ^ and the other two who
were raifed by her, would not have flood
long, if he had been once difgraced :, yet
they premifed to this a Protestation, that
they intended to do nothing that might
difpleafe the King, whom they acknow
ledged to be their Supream Head ^ and they
were refolved to obey his Laws, and they
renounced the Pope's Authority with all
his
of tfje Eefo?raatt0tt, $K 171
liis Laws. All thefe Projects failed, for Book I.
Cranmer was now fully eftablifhed in the \^-y~*j.
King's Favour-, & Cromwell was fent to them 1536,
with a Meflage from the King, That they
Ihould reform the Rites and Ceremonies of
the Church, according to the Rules fet
down in Scripture, which ought to be pre
ferred to all Glofles or Decrees of Popes.
There was one Aleffe a Scotch-man, whom
Cromwell entertained in his Houfe, and he
being appointed to deliver his Opinion,
largely fhewed that there was no Sacra
ments inftituted by Chriit, but Baptifm and
the Lord?s Supper : Stoke fly anfwered him
in a long Difcourfe upon the Piinciplesof
the School-Divinity *, upon which Cranmer
took occaiion to fliew the Vanity of that
fort of Learning, and the Uncertainty of
Tradition : and that Religion had been
fo corrupted in the latter Ages, that there
was no finding out the Truth, but by
refting in the Authority of the Scriptures.
Fox Bifhop of Hereford feconded him, and
told them the World was now awake, and
would be no longer impofeo! on by the
Niceties and dark Terms of the Schools j
for the Laity now did not only read the
Scriptures in the vulgar Tongues, but
fearched the Originals themfelves ; there
fore they muft not think to govern them
as they had been in the Times of Igno
rance : Among the Biihops, Cranmer •,
Coodrick^ Shaxton? Latimer, Fox, Hilfey^
and Barlow , preft a Reformation ; but
Lee Arch-bilhop of rork* Stoke/ly, Tonftdt,
Gardiner^
;. 1 72 36?fajjment of t&e !i>fffa$
Book I. Gar diner ^Longland^T^ feveral others oppo-
^v-^v-w fed it as much : But the Conteft had been
^1536. fharper, if the King had not fent fome Ar
ticles to them to be conildered of by them ^
fo they whofe chief Defign it was to re
commend themfelves to Preferment, by the
eaimefs of their Compliance with him in all
Points, did agree on the following Parti
culars.
4 i. That the Bifhops and Preachers
c ought to imlrud the People according to
<-the Scripture, the three Creeds, and the
* four firft General Councils.
c 2. That Baptifm was neceflary to Sal-
c vation, and that Children ought to be
4 baptized for the pardon of Orignial Sin,
4 and obtaining the Holy Ghoft.
C3. That Penance was neceilary to Sal-
c vation and that it confifled in Confeilion,
c Contrition , and Amendment of Life,
c with the External Works of Charity, to
c which a lively Faith ought to be joyned }
c and that Confeflion to a Prieftwasne-
4 cefiary where it might be had.
c 4. That in the Eucharift under the forms
c of Bread and Wine, the very Flefhand
c Blood of Chrifl, was received.
4 5. That Juftification was the Remifli-
c on of Sins, and a perfect Renovation in
4 Chrift, and that not only outward good
1 Works, but inward Holinefs was abfo-
c lutely neceilary : As for the outward
* Ceremonies the People were to be taught,
* that it was meet to have Images in Chur-
4 ches, but they ought to avoid all fuch
c Super-
of tlje focfognatfon, $c. 173
c Superftition as had been ufual in time pafly Book !•
4 and not to worihip the Image, but only c/^/xj
4 God. 2. That they were to honour the *536» ,
4 Saints, but not to expect thofe things from
4 them which God only gives. 3. That they
4 might pray to them for their Interceflion ^
4 but all Superstitious Abufes were to ceafe j
4 and if the King fhould leflen the number
'c of Saints Days, they ought to obey him.
c 4. That the ufe of the Ceremonies was
* good, and that they contained many My-
Mtical Significations that tended to raife
4 the mind towards God, fuch wereVeft-
4 ments in Divine Worfhip, Holy Water,
cHoly Bread, the carrying of Candles,
4 and Palms and Afhes, and creeping
xto the Crofs, :aiid the Hallowing the
4 Font, with other Exorcifms. 5. That
•€ it was good to pray for departed Souls,
* and to have Mafles and Exequies ifaid for
4 them } but the Scriptures having neither
4 declared in what Place they were, nor
c what Torments they fuffered, that was
* uncertain, aiid to be left to God : there-
4 fore all the Abufes of the Pope's Pardons,
4 or faying Mafles in fuch or fuch Places, or
4 before fuch Images were to be put away.
Thefe Articles were figned by Cromwel, the
two Arch-bilhops, fixteen Bifhops, fourty
Abbots, and Priors, and fifty of the lower
Houfe •, to them the King added a Preface,
declaring the Pains that he and the Clergy
had been at, for the removing the Diffe
rences in Religion that were in the Nation,
and that he approved of thefe Articles, and
required
1 74 augment of tfic $ffio$
Book L required all his Subjeds to accept therri
t/>/~o with the like Unanimity with which they
1536. were confented to •, and he would be there
by encouraged to take further Pains in the
like Matters for the future.
They an When thefe things were publifhed, Oiofe
ttrtoufa that defired a Reformation, tho they did
ce»fart4. not approve of every Particular, yet were
well pleafed to fee things brought under
Examination ; and flnce fome things were
at this time changed, they did not doubt
but more Changes would follow •, they were
glad that the Scriptures and the Ancient
Creeds were made the Standards of the
Faith, without adding Tradition, and that
the nature of Justification and the Gofpel-
Covenant were rightly ftated } that the im
mediate Worihip of Images and Saints was
condemned, and that Purgatory was left
uncertain •, but the neceffity of Auricular
Confeflion, and the Corporal Prefence*
the doing Reverence to Images, and pray
ing to Saints, were of hard Digeftion to
them : yet they were glad to fee fome
grofler Abufes removed, and a Reformation
once fet on foot. The Popilh Party were
forry to fee four Sacraments paft over in
filence •, and the Trade about Purgatory
put down.; and were very apprehenfive of
the Precedent of bringing matters of Reli
gion under debate, which would bring on
other Alterations. When thefe things
were known beyond Sea, the Court of
Rome made great ufe of them, to let all
Princes fee the neceffity of adhering to the
Holy
of t§e Slefojmatipn, $c* 175
Holy See ^ for no fooner did £#£/^Wde~Book L
part from that, than it began to change
the Doctrine likewife. The Germans on
the other hand, faid, This was a Political
Daubing, for fatisfying all Parties:, and
that it favoured not of the Sincerity that;
became the Profeflbrs of True Religion,
to allow of fb many Errours. To this it
was anfwered, That our Saviour did nor
deliver all things to his Difciples, till they
were able to bear them. And the Apoftles did
not abolifh all the Rites of Judaifm at once,
but by a gentle Prqgrefs intended to wean
thofethat were converted to the Chriftian
Religion from them. The Clergy were
to be drawn by flow and eafy Steps out of
their Ignorance and Superftition -7 whereas
the driving on things with precipitated
haft, might fpoil the whole Deflgn, and
alienate thofe who by flower Methods
might be gained •, and it might alfo much
endanger the Peace of the Nation.
At the fame time other things were in Ofker.
Confutation, tho not finifhed. Cranmer of-
fered fome Queries to fhew the Cheats that
had been put on the World: as that Prieftly
Abfolution without Contrition was of more
efficacy than Contrition was without it :
and that the People trufted wholly to out
ward Ceremonies •, in which the Priefts en
couraged them becaufe of the gain they
made by them : That the exemption of
Clergy-men was without good ground j that
Bifliops did ordain without due care and
previous trial j and that the dignified Cler
gy
1 76 augment of tfie H>fff8$
Book I. gy mifapplied their Revenues, and did not
^"C*^ refide on their Benefices -, he alfo defired
J 53 6. that the other four Sacraments might be en
quired into : but thefe things were not at
this time taken under any further confide-
ration. It is tf ue,Confif mation feems to have
been examined : The Method in which they
made their Enquiries, was this •, the Point
to be examined was brought under fo many
Heads, in the form of Queries } and to
thefe every one gave his Anfwer with his
Reafons : fo I find two Papers, the one of
Cranmer\ the other of Stok^/lfs^ on this
Head ^ the former runs wholly upon Scrip
ture-Authority, and he thinks it was not in*
IHtute'd by Chriit^but was done by the Apo-
ftles, by that extraordinary Effufion of the
Holy Ghoft, that refled on them : The
other founds his Opinion for its being a
Sacrament5on the Tradition of the Church;,
but nothing was determined in this point.
Cra?jmer did at this time, offer another
Paper to the King, exhorting him to pro
ceed to a further Reformation , and that
nothing fliould be determined without clear
Proofs from Scripture •, for the departing
from that Rule, had been the Occafion of
all the Errours that had been in the Church,
Many things were now acknowledged to
be Errours,for which,fome not long before,
had fuifered Death. He therefore propofed
feveral points to be difcuffed •, as whether
there was a Purgatory ? Whether depart
ed Saints ought to be invocated, or Tra
dition be believed ? Whether Images ought
to
ef tlje &ef0jmatfoiT, $ c* 177
to be confidered only as Reprefentations of Book f.
Hilt or y ? And whether it was lawful for ^*v-^>
the Clergy to marry ? He prayed the King 15364
not to give Judgment in thefe points, till
he heard them well, examined : And for
the laft he offered, that if thofe who would
defend the lawfulnefs of it, ihould net in
thaOpinion of indifferent Judges,prove their
Qpinipnto be true, they mould be willing to
iutfer Death •> but if they proved it, all that
they defired was, that the King would
leave them to the Liberty which God had
allowed them in that matter : • But all this
was carried no further at this time.
The Pope had ifTued out a Summons
for a General Council at Mantua^ and had
cited the King to it : From this, the King
did appeal to a General Council, rightly
conftituted. So a motion being made by
F<w, that the Convocation ihould deliver
their Senfe in this Particular •, They drew
up a Paper* in which they fet forth the
great Good that might follow in a Ge
neral Council rightly called •, but that no
thing could be more mifchievous, than one
called on private malice, according to what
Natianz^en obferved of the Councils in
his time; And they thought neither the
Pope, nor any one Prince, had fufficient
Authority to call one ; but that all Princes
who had an entire and fupream Govern
ment over all their Subjects, ought to con
cur to it. This was figned by them all*
on the 2otkofju!yi and fo was the Con
vocation difmilPd. Two days before it
N brake
1 7 8 afciiUgmeut of tfje |>tffo$
Book I. brake up, Cromwel was made the King's
.^-v^ Vicegerent in Eccleliaflical Matters , of
1536. which, fome Account was formerly
given.
The KjKg Soon after this, the King publilhed a
*" Ion& and ftarP Proteftation, againft the
Council fummoned by the Pope •, he denied
that he had any Authority to fummon any
of his Subjects: He fhewed that the place
was neither proper nor fafe ^ and that no
pood could be expected from any Council
in which the Pope prefided, fince the re
gulating his Power was one of the chief oc-
cafions that the World had for a Council :
And while Chriitendom was in fuch Di-
ftractions, and the Emperour and the King
of France were engaged in War, it was
not a fit time for one to be called. The
Pope had refufed it long; and this Con
juncture was chofen, in which the Bifhops
could not come to it, that fo a packt meet
ing of Italian Bifhops might do what they
pleafed , under the name of a General
Council : But the World would be no long
er cozened. No credit was due to a Pope's
fafe Conduct, for they had often broken
their Oaths,as to himfelf in particular And
Eotwithltanding his former kindnefs to that
See, they had been for three Years, ftir-
ring up all the Princes in Chriftendom a-
gainft him. He protefled againft all
Councils called by the Pope •, but declared,
He would be ready to concur with other
Chriftian Princes for calling one, when
it fliould be convenient : And in the mean-
* while,
of tlje iMojnmtfint, $c. 179
while, he would maintain all the Articles Bbok L
Ibf the Faith-, andlofehis Life and Crown
fooner than fuffer any of them to be put
down. Three Years after this, the King
made a new Protection to the fame
effect when the Council was fummonedto
meet at fiftccn^a.
Reginald Pool began at this fame time to
iraife that Oppofition to the King^ which
proved fo fatal to all his Family. He was s.ttnp
by his Mother defended from the Duke of
Clarence, Brother V& Edward the Fourth/,
and was by his Father likewife, the King's
hear Kinfman. To this high Quality
there was joined a great Sweetnefs of
Temper, and a Difpofition for Letters,
which the King cheriOied much, and gave
him the Deanry of Exeter, and fome other
Preferments, in order to the carrying on
of his Studies, being refolved to advance
him to the highell Dignities in the Church,
He lived many Years, both at Paris and P&-
dua.ln the latter of thefe,he joined himfelf to
a Society of Learned Men, that gave them-
Felves much to the Study of Eloquence,anct
of the Roman Authors, among whom were
Contareno^ Bembo, Caraffa, and Sadolcni^
all afterwards honoured with the Scarlet ;
but Pool was efteemed the mofc Eloquent of
of them all When he was at Par^ he
fifft incurred the King's Difpleafure, for
he refufed to joyn with thofe whom he im-
bloied, in order to the procuring the De
terminations of the French Univerlities
for the Divorce, Yet after that, he came
N 2 to
1 80 augment of tfje tyfftog;
Book I. to England, and was prefent when the Con-
vocation declared the King to be their
Stream Head: And it is probable, that he
joined in it, for he kept his Deanry fome
Years after this , which it is not likely
would have been granted him, if he had
not done that. The King fuffered him after
that to go beyond Sea, but could never
draw him over again. Some time after
wards, he wrote plainly to the King,that he
condemned both his Divorce, and his Se
paration from the Apoftolick See. The
King upon that, fenthima Book writ by
Sawpfon, BiHiop of Chicheftcr, in defence
of thefe things;, and that fet him on writing
his Book, de Vnione Ecclefiaflica, which
was printed this Year. It was full of .(harp
Refledtions on the King, whom he compar
ed to Nebuchadnezzar : It tended much to
deprefs the Regal, and to exalt the Papal
Authority. And in Genctafion, he ad-
drefled himfelf to the Emperour, praying
him, rather to turn his Arms againft the
King, than the Turk. It was very Elo
quently wrote^bnt there was little Learning
or Rcafoning in it -, and it was full of Inde
cencies in the Language , that he bellowed
not only on Samffon , but on the King.
The King required him to come over, but
that was not to be expefted, after he had
made fach a ftep. So he devefted him of
all his Dignities :, but that recommended
him to a Cardinal's Hat. Stokesly , and
Tonftal , wrote him a long and learned
Letter, in the King's Vindication. Gar-
* diner
of tlje Eefoymtioit, $c; 1 8 1
diner wrote alfo his Book, de vera Obedi- Book I.
entia ^ to which, Banner prefixed a vehe" ^^r^
ment Preface againft the Pope's Povven 1536.
and for juftifying the King's Supremacy.
The King's anger at Pool could not reach
him, but it fell Heavy on his Kindred.
Vilitors were appointed to furvey all The ltff-r
the lefler Monafleries : They were requir- Monalte'-'
j i •itt^-. t^t CtfSU tjt
ed to carry along with them the Concur
rence of the Gentry near them, and to
examine the eftate of their Revenues and
Goods, and take Inventories of them -7 and
to take their Seals into their keeping :
They were to try how many of the Reli
gious would take Capacities, and return
to a Secular Courfe of Life ^ and thefe
were to be fent to the Archbifhop of Can
terbury, or the Lord Chancellour for them ^
and an Allowance was to be given them
for their Journey : But thofe who intend
ed to continue in that fcate, were to be
fent to fome of the great Monaileries that
lay next. A Penfion was alfo to be affigned
to the Abbot, or Prior, during Life : And
of all this, they were to make their report
by Micbaelmafi : And they were particu
larly to examine what Leafes had been
made all the lal't Year. The Abbots hear
ing of what was coming on them, had
been railing all the Mony they could ; and
fo it was intended to recover what was
made away by ill Bargains. There were
great Complaints made of the Proceedings
of the yifitors, of their Violencies and
Briberies j and perhaps not without rea-
N 3 fon.
1 8 2 abjinsment of t|je JjMff o$
Book I. fon. Ten Thoufand of the Religious were
^/*\r^j fettofeek for their Livings, with Forty
.* J3& Shillings and a Gown a Man. Their Goods
and Plate were eflimated at an iccooo/.
And the valued Rents of their Houfes was
32000 /. but was really above ten times
fo much. The Churches and Cloilters
were in mod places pulled down, and the
Materials fold.
vlichgAK This gave a general Difcpntent ; and
^e ^on^s were now as raucn itied* as
they were formerly hated. It was thought
ftrange to fee the King devour what his
A nceftors had dedicated to the Honour
of God, and his Saints. The Nobility
and Gentry, who provided for their
younger Children, or Friends, by putting
them in thofe Sanctuaries , were fenfible
of their Lofs. The People who had been
fed at the Abbots Tables, and 'as they
travelled over the Country, found the Ab-
bies to be places of Reception to Strangers,
Faw what they were to lofe. But the more
Superltitious, who thought their Friends
mull now ly ftill in Purgatory, without that
Relief which the Maiies procured them,
were out of meafure offended at thefe Pro
ceedings. The Books that were published
of the Diforders in thefe Houfes, had no
great effect on the People : For it was faid,
There was no'reafon to deftroy whole
Houfes for the fake of fome vicious Per-
fons, who ought to have been driven put of
them, and puniflied. But to remove this
general difcontent , Cromml advifed the
King
of tfje Eefoatiatfott, $c; 183
King to fell thefe Lands at verv eafy Rates, Book I.
to the Nobility and Gentry, and to oblige t^-v^*
them to keep up the wonted Hofpitality. 1536.
This would both be grateful to them, and
would engage them to ailift the Crown
in the Maintenance of the changes that
had been made -, lince their own Intereils
would be Interwoven with the Rights of
Crown; and the commoner fort, whole
grudges lay chiefly in their Stomachs, for
the want of the good Dinners they ufed to
find, would be eaiily pacified if thefe were
ftillkeptup. And upon a Claufe in the
Act empowering the King to found a-
new, fuch Houies as he fhould think fit -7
there were 15 Monafteries, and 1 6 Nun
neries, new founded. It feems thefe had
been more regular than the reft •, fb that
for a while they were reprived, till the
General Suppreflion came , that they
fell with the reft. They were bound to
obey fuch Rules as the King Ihouldfend
them ; and to pay him Tenths, and firft
Fruits. But all this did not fo pacify the
People, but there was ftill a great out-cry.
The Clergy ftudied much to inflame the
Nation •, and built much on this. That an
Heretical Prince depofed by the Pope, was
no more to be acknowledged, which had
been for 500 Years received as an Article
of Faith, and was decreed in the fame
Council, that Eftablilhed Tranfubftantiati-
on^ and had been received and caried down
from Gregory the Seventh's time, who pre
tended, that it was a part of the Papal
N 4 Power
i §4 a&jftgmntt of tlje tyiftwy
Book I« Power to depofe Kings, and give away
tx-N/^-J their Dominions, and had it been oft put
? 536. in Practice in almolt all the Parts of Europe,
and fome that had been raifers of great Se-
dititions had been Canonized for it. The
Pope had fummoned the King to appear at
Rome ,and anfwer for putting away his Queen
and taking another Wife, for the Laws he
had made againft the Church?and for putting
the Bifhop of Rocheftcr and others to death
for their not obeying them, if he did not ap
pear nor reform thefe things, he excommu
nicated and deprived him, abfolved his
Subjects from their Obedience, ^liflblved
ftis Leagues with Forreign Princes, and
put the Kingdom under an Interdict. But
tho the force of thefe Thunders was in this
Age much abated, yet they had not quite
loft their Strength ^ and the Clergy refol-
ved to make the molt of them that could be.
/»;»»#/- Some Injunctions which were given by
%*£"* Cromwell, increafed this ill Difpofition.
They were to this Effect : All Church-men
were required every Sunday for a quarter
of a Year, and twice every Quarter after
that, to preach againft the Pope's Power,
and afTert the King?s Supremacy, and to'
explain the Articles lately fet forth by the
Convocation ^ and to publifh the Abroga
tion of fome Holy-days in Harveft time :
They were no more to extol Images, Re-
licks, or Pilgrimages -, but to exhort the
People to do Works of Charity iriftead of
them : And they were required to teach the
People the Lord's -Prayer, the Cixed, and
the
of tlje Eefoyttatfoit, $e* 185
the Ten Commandments in Englifh, and to Book I,
explain thefe carefully, and inftrutt the
Children well in them. They were to per-
form the Divine Offices reverently, and to
have good Curats to fupply their rooms
when they were abfent. They were char^
ged not to go to Ale-houfes, or fit too long
at Games •, but to ftudy the Scriptures
much, and be exemplary in their Lives :
Thofe that did not refide, were to give the
fortieth part of their Income to the Poor,
and for every 100 /. a year that any had,
they were to maintain a Scholar at fome
Gramar-School, or the llniverlity : and
if the Parfonage-houfe was in decay, they
.were ordered to apply a fifth part of their
Benefice for repairing it. Such as did not
obey thefe Injunctions, were to befufpen-
ded, and their mean Profits were to be fe-
queftred. The Clergy detefted this Pre
cedent of the King^s giving Injunctions
without the Concurrence of a Convocation,
and by which, they faid, they would be
made Slaves to his Ftpegerent : they alfo
complained of thofe heavy Taxes that
were laid on them, and that Images, Re-
licks, and Pilgrimages would be now
brought under great Contempt. Both
the Secular and Regular Clergy were fo
fenfibly concerned in thefe things, that they
inflamed the People all they could. The
great Abbots were not wanting for their
fhare to fet that on, they were now op-
preft with the Crouds of thofe who were
lent to them from the fupprcft Houfes, and
they
1 86
Book I. they expedled to fall next ; nor were their
Lw-v-s/ Fears removed by a Letter that was
,1536. fent about in the King's Name for fllencing
all Reports that were given out of his In
tentions to fupprefs them ; this rather
encreafed than leiTened their Jealoqfie.
The People continned quiet till they had
A RtbeUt- reapeci their Harveft, but in the beginning
ontn Lin. c f\ct i A T • t n
coJnihire. °* Vttobtr 20000 role m Lincolnjlnre, led
by a Prieft, difguifed into a Cobler. They
took an Oath to be true to God, the King,
and the Common-wealth, and fent a Paper
of their Grievances to the King. They
4 complained of fome Ads of Parliament,
4 of the fupprdfing of many Religious
* Houfes, of mean and ill Counfellours,
* and bad Bifhops :, and prayed the King
4 to addrefs their Grievances by the Ad-
4 vice of the Nobility : but yet they ac-
4 knowledged him to be their Supream
1 Head, and that the Tenths and firffc
4 Fruits of Livings belonged to him of right.
The King fent the Duke of Suffolk^ to raife
Forces againft them, and gave an Anfwer
to their Petition. c He faid it belonged
4 not to the Rabble to direcl: Princes what
c Counfellours they fhould choofe. The
1 Religious Houfes were fuppreft by Law,
* and the Heads of them had under their
4 Hands confelled fuch horrid Scandals,
* that they were a Reproach to the Nation y
* and fince in many of them there were
4 not above four, and that they waited
* their Rents in riotous living, it was much
4 better to apply them to the common good
4 of
of t&e RefoBuattott, $e+ 187
* of the Nation, than leave them in fuch Book I.
c hands ^ he required them to fubmit to o^/^ j
f his Mercy, and to put two hundred of 1536.
c their Leaders into the hands of his Lieu-
* tenants. The Clergy having brought
fo many together, did all they could to put
Heat and Spirit in them, they perfwaded
them that if they did not maintain their
faith and their Liberties, both would be
loft. Some of the Gentry were forced to
joyn with them for their own P refer vati-
pn , and they fent Advices to the Duke of
Suffolk^ to procure from the King, the
offer of a General Pardon, which would
effectually difljpate them.
At the fame time there was a more for- ^»«V
midable riling in Torkcfiire, which being in Ji«
the Neighbourhood of Scotland, was like
to draw Affiftance from that Kingdom:
tho their King was then gone into France ,
to marry Francis** Daughter •, this inclined
the King to make more haffe to fettle mat
ters in Lincolnfirire ; he fent them fecret
Aflurances of Mercy, which wrought on the
greateft part, fo they difperfed themfelves,
and the molt obftinate went to over them
in Torkjhire. The Cobler, and fome others,
were taken and executed. The diitance
that thofe in the North, were at from the
Court gave them time to rife, and form
themfelves into fome Method : One <4*k.
commanded in chief, and performed his
part with great Dexterity : their March
was called The Pilgrimage of Grace -, they
bad in their Banners and on their Sleeves,
the
i88
Book I. tne five Wounds of Chriit : they took an
\^^j Oath that they would reftore the Church,
1536. fupprefs Hereticks, preferve the King and
his Iflue, and drive bafe-born Men and ill
Counfellours from him. They became
40000 ftrong in a few days, and met with
no Oppofition, they forced the Arch-bifhop
of Tork^ and the Lord Darcy to fwear
their Covenant, and to go along with
them. They befieged Skipton, but the
.Earl of Cumberland, made it good againft
them : Sir Ralph Evers held out Scarbo
rough Caftle, tho for twenty days he and
his Men had no Proviiions but Bread and
Water. There was alfo a rifing in all the
other Northern Counties, againft whom
the Earl of Shrewsbury made Head ; and the
King fent feveral of the Nobility to his
Afliftance, and within a few days the Duke
of Norfolk^ marched with fome Troops,
and joyned him. They poflefled themfelves
of Doncajhr^ and refolved to keep that
pafs till the reft of the Forces that the
King had ordered to be fummoned, fhould
come up to them ^ for they were not in a
Condition to engage with fuch numbers of
defperate Men-, and it was very likely
that if they met with any ill Accident, the
People might have rifen about them every
where; fothe Duke of Norfolk^ refolved
tokeepclofe ^Doncafler^ and let the Pro-
vifions and Rage of the Rebels fpend, and
then with the help of a little time, they
might probably fall into Factions, and melp
away. They had now fallen to 30000,
but
of t&e Eefo?matton, $c* 189
but the King's Army was not above 5000] Book I.
The Duke of A^r/o/^propofed a Treaty, <^v^,
and made fonie go among them as Defer- 1536*
tors, and fpread Reports that their Lea
ders were making Terms for themfelves.
They were perfwaded to fend their Peti
tions to the Court, and the King to make
them more fecure, difcharged a Rendez
vous that he had appointed at Northamp
ton, and fent them a general Pardon, ex
cepting fix by name, and referving four
to be afterwards named ^ but this put them
all in fuch Apprehenfions, that it made
them more refolved and defperate : Yet
the King to give his People fome Content,
put out Injunctions, requiring the Clergy
to continue the ufe of all the Ceremonies
of the Church: 300 were imployed to
carry the Rebels Demands to the King \
c Which were a General Pardon, a Parlia-
* ment to be held at Torkj> and that Courts
6 of Juftice fhould be fet up there •, they de-
c fired that fome Ads of Parliament might
c be repealed, that the Princefs /Mary might
1 be reftored to her Right of Succeflion,
c and the Pope to his wonted Jurifdiftion*,
c that the Monafteries might be again fet
c up ; that Dudley and Cromwell might be
c put from the King, and that fome of the
' V ill tors might be imprifoned for their
c Bribery and Extortion. But thefe being
rejeded, the Rebels took heart again,
upon which the Duke of -A/cr/^advifed
the King to gentle Methods ^ he in his
Heart wiihed that all their Demands might
be
1 90
Book I. be granted •, and the Ld Darcy did accufe
him afterwards as if he had encouraged
them to make them. The King fenthim
a general Pardon without any Exceptions,
to be made ufe of as he faw Caufe. The
Rebels finding that with the lofs of time,
they loft Heart, refolved to fall upon him
and beat him from Doncafter : but at two
feveral times, in which they had refolved
to pafs the River, fuch Rains fell out as
made it unpayable, which was magnified
as next to a Miracle, and made great Im-
preflions on the Rebels Minds. The King;
lent a long Anfwer to their Demands^ her
* allured them he would live and dye in the
4 Defence of the Chriftian Faith : but the
€ Rabble ought not to prefcribe to him,
4 and to the Convocation in that matter ^
4 he anfwered that which concerned the
4 Monafteries, as he had done to the Men
*- of Lincolnjhire. For the Laws, a MultH
4 tude muft not pretend to alter what was
c eftabliflied -, he had governed them now
4 28 Years, his Subje&s had enjoyed great
4 Safety, and been very gently ufed by him
c in all that time. It was given out that
4 when he began to faign^ he had many of
c the Nobility in his Council, and that he
* had then none but Men meanly born ; this
* was falfe, for he found but two Noble-
4 Men of his Council^ and at prefent there
* were 7 Temporal Lords, and 4 Bifhops
c in it. It was neceflary to have fome that
4 knew the Law of England^ and Treaties
4 with Forreign Princes, which made him
of tfic JMajmattat, $c;
c call Dudley and Cromwell to the Board. Book I
1 If they had any Complaints to make of L/^X
*any about him, he was ready to hear 1537*
c them ; but he would not fuffer them to
* direct him what Counfellours he ought to
c employ : nor could they judg of the
'Bifhops that were promoted, who were
c not known to them ^ he charged them
1 not to believe Lies, nor be governed by
c Incendiaries, but to fubmit to his Mercy*
On the 9r/> of December? he iigned a Pro
clamation of Pardon without any Re-
ftridions.
When this was known, and the Rage
of the People cooled, they were willing to
lay hold on it, and all the Artifices that
fome of the Clergy and their Leaders
could ufe,had no other Effect but to draw as
many together as brought them under new
Guilt, and made them forfeit the benefit
of the King's Pardon. Many came in and
renewed their Oaths of Allegiance, and
promifing all Obedience for the future.
j4sk^ was invited to the Court and well ufed
by the King, on deiTgn to: learn from him
all the fecret Correfpondepcies they had to"
the other parts of the Kingdom, for the
Difpofltion to Rebel was general, only
they were not all alike forward in it. It
was in particular believed that the great
Abbots cherifhed it, for which fome of
them were afterwards attained. Dtn'cy
pleaded his great Age, being then fourfcore,
and the Eminent Service he had done the
Grown for fifty Years together, and that
he
1 9 2
Book I he was forced for his own Prefervation to
isv~^ g° along with the Rebels -7 but yet he was
1537. put in Prifon. This gave the Clergy Advan
tages to infufe it in the People, that the
Pardon would not be well kept : So 8000
run together again, and thought to have
furprized Carlile, but the Duke of Norfolk^
fell on them and routed them, and by
Martial Law hanged their Captains, and
70 other Perfpns. Others thought to have
furprized Hully but were likewife routed,1
and many of them were hanged. Many
other little Rifings were quickly difperfed 5
and fuch was the Duke of Norfolk Vigi
lance, that he was every where upon them
before they could grow to any Number :
and before the end of January^ the Country
was abfolutely quieted. ^/^ left the
Court without leave, but was foon retaken
and hanged at Tork^ The Lord Darcy and
Huffy were arraigned ziWeftminfter, and
condemned by their Peers, the one for
the Torkfljire, and the other for the Lincoln*
{hire Insurrections. Darcy was beheaded
on Tower-hill : his old Age and former Ser
vices made him to be much lamented. Huffy
was beheaded at Lincoln. Darcy accufea
the Duke of Norfolk^ but he defired a
Trial by Combate upon it, yet the Servi
ces he had lately done were fuch, that the
King would not feem to have any Jealoufy
of him. After thefe and feveral other
Executions were over, the King proclai
med a General Oblivion in 3V//jy, by which
the Nation was again put in a quiet Con
dition,
of tljt Hcfajmatfon, .
ftition, and this threatning Storm was now fibbk
quite diflipated. c/~\/~*
As foon as it was over, the King went on 1 537
more refohitely in his Delign of fuppref-
fing the Monafteries : for he was now lefe
apprehenfive of any new Commotions^
after fo many had been fo happily quafht
and that the chief Incendiaries had fullered*
A new Vifitation was. appointed to en- The g
quire into the Conversation oftheMonks^/<vA/
to examine how they ilood affected to the t*ertes re- .
Pope, and how they promoted the King's $
Supremacy. They were Jrkewife ordered1
to examine what Impoilures might be a-
mong them, either in Images or Relicks,
by Which the SuperiHtion of the crednlou^
People was wrought on. Some few Houfes
of greater value, were prevailed with the
former Year to furrender to the King,
Many of the Houfes that had not bin diflbl-
ved, tho they were within the former Acty
were now fupprelc,and many of the greater
Abbots were wrought on to furrender by
feveral Motives : Some had been faulty*
during the Rebellion, and fo to prevent
a Storm', offered a Refignatibn. Others*
liked the Reformation, and did it on that
account : fpme were found guilty of great
Diforders in their Lives, and to prevent
a ftameful Difcovery, offered their Houfes
to the King ; and others had made fuel!
Waits and Dilapidations, that having ta
ken Care of themfelves, they were lefs con
cerned for others* At St." Albans^ the
Rents were let fo low, that the Abbot
O' could
1 94 a&ifotjment 0f tfje 3)100$
Book I could not maintain the Charge of the Ab-
v-'-v^-' by. At Battel^ the whole Furniture of the
I537- Houfe and Chappel was not above an i oo /.
in value, and their Plate was not 300 /.-
Infome Houfes there was fcarce any Plate
pr Furniture left. Many Abbots and
Monks were glad to accept of a Penfion
for Life, and that was proportioned to the
value of their Houfe, and to their Inno
cence. The Abbots of St. Albans and
Tewkesbwy, had 400 Marks a Year : The
Abbots of St. Edmondsbary was more inno
cent and more refolute : The Vifitors
wrote that they found no Scandals in that
Houfe : but at tail he was prevailed with
byaPenfionof 500 Marks to reiign. The
Inferiour Governours had fome 30, 20, or
10 /. Penfions, and the Monks had general
ly 6 /. or 8 Marks a piece. If any Abbot
died, the new Abbot (they being chofen as
the Bifhops were upon a Conge delire, and a
Miffive Letter ) was named for that pur-
pofe, 6hly to refigne the Houfe. And all
were made to hope for Advancement, that
fhould give good Example to others by a
quick and cheerful Surrender : by thefe
means 121 of thofe Houfes were this Year
refigned to the King. In moil Houfes the
Viiltor made the Monks iign a Confeffion
of their former Vices and Diforders, of
which there is only one Original Extant,
thatefcaped a general Rafure of all fuch Pa
pers in Queen Mary>$ time :, in which they
acknowledged in a long Narrative, their
4 former Idlenefs, Gluttony, and Senfua-
* * ality,
4 alky, for which the pit of Hell was ready Bc>ok L
4 to fwallow them up. Others acknowled-
c ged that they were fenfible that the man-
4 ner of their former pretended Religion
* confifted in fome dumb Ceremonies, by
4 which they were blindly led, having no
4 true Knowledg of God's Laws, but that
* they had procured Exemption from their
4 Diocefans, and had fubjefted themfelves
4 wholly to a Forreign Power, that took
c no care to reform their Abiifes 5 and
4 therefore fince the moil perfedt way of
4 Life was revealed by Chriit and his Apo~
4 files, and thftit was. fit they fliould
b^fii
governed by^fiie King, their
4 ffeaJ, they refigned to him. Of this fort
I have feen fix. Some fefigned in hopes
that the King would found them of new ;
thefe favoured the Reformation, and in
tended to convert their Houfes to better.
Ufes, for preaching, ftudy, and Prayer ^
and Latimer prefl Cromwell earneflly, that
two or three Houfes might be referved for
fuch purpofes in every County. But it
was refolved to fupprefs all, and therefore
neither could the Interceffions of the Gen
try of Qxfer$ir*i nor of the Vifitors^
preferve the Nunnery at Godftow^ tho
they found great Striftnefs of Life in it,
and it was the common place of the Educa
tion of young Women of Quality in that
County. The common Preamble to moft
Surrenders was, c That upon full Delibe-
4 ration and of their own proper Motion,
4 for iufl and reafonable Caufes, moving
O 2 * their
1 96 SbjiBgmcut of
Book I. c their Confciences :, they did freely give
«w^v-^ up their Houfes to the King. Some fer-
1537. rendred without any Preamble, to the Vi!i-»
tors as Feofees in truft for the Krng. Iii
ihort, they went on at fuch a rate, that
159 Reflgnations were obtained before the
Parliament met, and of thefe the Originals
of 1 54 are yet extant. Some thought that
thefe Refignations could not be valid, lince
the Incumbents had not the Property, but
only the Truft for life of thofe Houfes. But
the Parliament did afterwards declare them
good in Law. It was alfo faid, that they
being of the Nature of Cgporations, all
Deeds under their Seals were valid :, and
that at leaft by their Reiignation and quit
ting their Houfes, they forfeited them to
die King. But this was thought to fub-
lilt rather on a Nicety in Law, than natu
ral Equity.
Some Ab- Others were more roughly handled.
fats *t- The Prior of Wooburn was fufpected of a
Corfefpondence with the Rebels, and of
favouring tfre Pope j he was dealt with to
fubmit to the King, and he was prevailed
on to do it, but was not eafie in it once, nor
fixed to it v c He complained that the new
4 Preachers detradqd from the Honour due
4 to the Virgin and Saints ; he thought the
* Religion was changed, and wondered that
4 the Judgments of God on Q^ Anne, had
* not terrified others from going on to fub-
c vert the Faith. When the Rebellion
broke out, he joined in it, as did alfo the
Abbots of Whalfyj GarvAuxy and Sawley,
and
of tfje Eefojmatiott, $c. 197
and the Prior of Burlington, all thefe were Book L
all taken, and attainted of Treafon, and ^x-v-v
executed. The, Abbots of Glaffenbwy and 1557.
Reading, had alfo fent a great deal ot their
Plate to the Rebels, the former to difguife
it the better, had made one break into the
Houfe where the Plate was kept : So he
was convicted both of Burglary and Trea-
ion, and at his Execution he confeilgd his
Crime, and begged both God's and the
King's Pardon for it. The Abbot of Col-
chefter was atfo attainted, and .executed ;
but the Grounds of it are not known : for
the Records of their Attainders are loft.
Thefe had over and over again taken the
Oaths, in which they acknowledged the
King to be Stream Head of the Church, and
were prefent in thofe Parliaments in which
the feveral Ads about it were pafs'd, and
did not diilent to them-, and lince they made
no Oppofition, when they might fafely and
legally do it, there is no Reafon to think
they would have done it afterwards, when
it was more dangerous and criminal : So
that all thofe who have repreiented them
as having fullered for denying the King's
Supremacy, have therein {hewed their
llnacquaintednefs with the Journals of
Parliament. The Abbot of Reading had
complied fo far, that he was grown in-
to Favour with Cromwell •, fo that in fome
ConteJts between Shaxton Bifhop of Sali**
bury and him, the Bifliop, who was a proud
ill-natured Man, complained that Cromwell
fupported the Abbot agaiait him, and
•P 4 writ
* 98 at$&0 went of t!je ^iCo?!?
]5ook I. writ upon that a very -Infolent, Expoihila-
*xv~o tory Letter to him \ which Cromwell an-
J537*. fwered with great itrength ,of Reafon and
Decency of Stile •, by which it appears that
heighth of his Condition, had no other
Effed on him, but to make him know him-
felfand others better. Upon the Attain
ders of thofe Abbots, their Abbies were
feized on :, and this was thought a great
llretch both in Law and Equity : for it
feemed not reafonable, if an Incumbent was
faulty, for that to feize on his Benefice,
Which upon his Attainder ought to conti
nue entire,and pafs to the next SucceObr, as
if he were really dead. But a Claufe was
put in the Ad of Treafon, 26 Hen. 8, That
whatfoever Lands of Eftate of Inheritance^ any
thatfoottldbe convitted of Treafon Jiad in Vfe or
"Poffcffion by any Right or manner, foould be forfei
ted to the king. By which , as intailed
Inflates- were certainly comprehended, fo it
ieems they applied it likewife to Church-
Benefices : yet when the Bifhop ofRofhefter
was attainted, this was not thought on. The
words-j-E/^e of Inheritance •>&£?[[£&. to exclude
Church-JLands, but the mention that was
hiade of Traitors Succeffors, that were cut
cfFas well as their //^/rj5feemed on the other
hand to include Eftates, to which SuccefTors
might come in a Traitor's room, as well as
thofe;which defcended by Inheritance. The
Words were ambiguous, and were fir etch
ed to jufrify thofs Seizures :, and therefore
in an P^Ci of, Trealbns made in th^next
i, this was more cautioufly worded" i
; ,*U.. «, y- ,<..,, *S«'^M •> ' fbr
for it was provided that Traitors fhould for- Book I.
feit the Eftates which they poftefled in their ^-v^
swn Right. But whatfoever Illegality there 1537-
might be in thefe Proceedings, they were *
confirmed by the following Parliament,
in a fpecial Provifo made concerning thofe
Abbies that were ferzed on by any Attain
ders of Treafon. Many of the Carthnpans
were executed for denying the King's Su
premacy : Others were alfo fufpeded of
favouring them, and of receiving Books
fent from beyond Sea, againft the King's
Proceedings, and were Ihut up in their
Cells, in which molt of them died. The
Prior was a Man of extraordinary Charity
and Good- Works, as the Vifitor reported :
But he was made refign with this Pream
ble, 'That rnanyoftheHoufehadoifen-
cded the King, and deferved that their
c Lives fhould be taken, and their Goods
* confifcated -, and therefore to avoid that,
4 they furrendered their Houfes. Grea;
Complaints were made of the Vifitors, as if
they had ufed undue Practices to make the
Abbots and Monks furrender : and k was
faid, that they had in many , Places embe-
ZelPd much of the Plate to their own lifts •,
and in particular, it was complained that
Dr. London had corrupted many Nuns.
They on the other hand, pubiiihed many
of the vile Practices that they found in
thofe Houfes, fo that feverai Books very
indecently writ, were printed upon^ this
Occafion •, but on fo foul a Subject it is
not fit to itand long. No Story became fo
O 4 .publick
of tlj£ |?ifti>$
Book I. publick as that of the Prior of the crofTed
" Friers in London, who was found in bed
with a Whore at Noon-day : He fell down
on his Knees, and beg'd, that they who
furprifed him, would not difcoyer his
Ihame : They made him give them 30 /.
which he protef ted was all he had ; and he
promifed them as much more : But he not
-keeping his word to them, a Suit followed
upon it. Yet ail tlieie perfonal Blemiflies
Mid not work much on the People, It
feenied unreasonable to extinguiO} Noble
Foundations, for the fault of fome Indivi
duals : Therefore another way was taken, '
which had a better effect.
' They difcovered many Impoilures about
Relief ai"d wonderful Images, to which,
Pilgrimages had been wont to be made. At
Reading they had an Angel's Wing5 which
brought over the Spear's Point that pier
ced our Saviour's Side : As many pieces of
the Crofs were found, as joined together,
would have made a big Crofs. The Rood
of Grace ^t Boxley in Kent, had been much
efteemed, and drawn many Pilgrims to
|t : It >yas obferved to bow, a>id rpul its
Eyes j and look at times well pieafed, or
angry ^ which the creclulpus Multitude im
puted to a Divine Power : But all this
was difcovered to be a Cheat, and it was
brought up to St, /Ws Crofs j and -all the
Springs were openly {hewed, that governed
Its feveral Motions. At Haks in Glocefter-
Jbire the Blood of ChriH w^s fhewediii
aVial^ and it was beiievecl, that none
could
of t6e Eefojmattcn, $c* ?p i
.could fee it who were in mortal Sin : And Book I.
"fo after good Pre.fen.ts were made, the de- L/-VXJ
ludcd Pilgrims went way well fatisfied if 1537-
they had feen it. This was the Blood of
a Duck renewed every Week, put in a
Vial yery thick of one fide, as thin on
the other -, an,d either fide turned towards
the Pilgrim, as the Priefts were fatisfied
with their Oblations : Several other fuch
|ike Impoftures were discovered , which
contributed much to the undeceiving the
People.
The richeft Shrine in England was Tho- Bucket's
pas Beck*ts at Canterbury, whofe Story is ?'"*'
well known. After he had long imbroil-
ed England, and fhewed that he had a Spi
rit fo turned to Faction, that he could not
be at quiet ; fome of Henry the Second's
Officious Servants killed him in the Church
of Canterbury : He was presently Cano
nized, and held in greater efteem than any
other Saint whatsoever; fo much more
was a Martyr for the Papacy valued, than
any that fuffered for the Chriftian Religion:
And his Altar drew far greater Oblations,
than thofe that were dedicated to Chrift,
or the blcfled Virgin; as appears by
jthe accounts of two of their Years. In one,
3 L 2s.6 d. And in another, not a Penny
was offered at Chrift's Altar. There was
in the one, 63 /. 5 s. 6 d. and in the other,
4 /. i s. 8 d* offered at the BlefTed Virgin's
./\ltar. But jn thefe very Years there was*
832 /. 12 s. 3 d. and 964 /. 6 s. 3 d. offer
ed at St. Thomas Altar. The Shrine
grew
202 &6?ttJ0mettt
Book I. Srew to ^e °f ineftimable Value. Lewis the
l/v"\j' Seventh of France came over in Pilgrimage
*537« tovifitit, and offered a Stone, valued to
be the richeft in Europe. He had not
only one Holy Day, the 29^ of Decem*
ber, called his Martyrdom ; but alfo the
Day of his Tranflation, the 7^ of July,
was alfo a Holy Day y arid every $cth Year
there was a Jubily, and an Indulgence,
granted to all that came and viiited his
Tomb : And fometimes there were be
lieved to be i ooooo Pilgrims there on that
Occafion. It is hard to tell whether the
Hatred to his feditious Practices, or the
Love of his Shrine, fet on King Henry more
to llnfaint him. His Shrine was broken,and
the Gold of it was fo heavy, that it filled
two Chefts, which took Eight men a piece
to carry them out of the Church-, and
his Skull, which had been fo much worfhip-
ped, was proved to be an Impofture *, for
the true Skull was with the reft of his
Bones in his Coffin •, his Bones were either
burnt, as it was given out at Rome-^orfo
mixed with other Bones, as our Writers
fay •, that it had been a Miracle indeed
to have diflinguifhed them afterwards.
The King called at this time, a Meeting
ofthe Clergy, of 10 Bilhops, 8 Arch
deacons, and 17 Divines and Canoniils }
and made them finilh an Explanation ofthe
ChrifKan Religion. But this was afterwards
digeiled into a better form, as fliall be told
in its proper place.
When
of tfje Eefoymtimt, $c. 203
.When all thefe things were known at Book I
all the Eloquent Pens there were ^^^^
imploied" to reprefent King Henry as the 1537-
molt Sacrilegious Tyrant that ever was •, Tfe p°?s
that made War with Chrifh Vicar on ^^
Earth, and his Saints in Heaven •, and he /£„ ^
was compared to the worfb Princes that
ever reigned ^ to Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar ,
' Belfoazzar, Nero, and Diocletian , but the
Parallel with Julian ,the Apoftate, was moil
infilled on. It was faid, He copied after
him in all things, faveonly, that his Ma-
ners wrere worfe. In many of thefe, Car
dinal PooPs Stile was pretended to be
known-, and they were all at leail much
^encouraged by him, which provoked the
King to hate him moft Implacably. The
Pope went further; for now he publifhed all
thofe Thunders, with which he had threat-
ned him three Years before. cHe pre-
* tended, That as God's Vicar 5 he had
4 power to root out, and to deftroy ^ and
* had Authority over all the Kings in the
c World : And therefore, after he had e-
< numerated all the King's Crimes, here-
c quired himfelf to appear within 90 days,
t'ztRome, either in Perfon, or by Proxy,
c and all his Complices within 60 Days-, and
* if he and they did not appear, he decla-
c red him to have fallen from his Crown -7
c and them from their Eftates. He put the
& Kingdom under an Interdict ; and abfo.lv-
* ed hisSubjecls from their Oaths of Me-*
c giance i He declared him and his Com-*
Infamous:, audputtheii' Children
under
204 3f$B0mettt of tfje ipiffo??
Book I. * under Incapacities. He required all the
^^^r^j c Clergy to go out of England, within 5
J537« c Days after the time prefixed ihould ex-
'pire-, leaving only fo many as might
cfervefor Baptizing Children , or giving
4 the Sacrament to fuch as died in Penitence.
c He charged all his Subjects to rife in Arms
'againfthim, and that none mould affift
c him. He abfolved all ether Princes from
c their Confederacies with him, and ob^
c telred them to have no more Commerce
4 with him. He required all Chriftiansto
c make War on him ; and to feize on the
4 Perfons and Goods of all his Subjects ;
4 and make Slaves of them. He charged
1 all Bilhops to publifh the Sentence with
4 due Solemnities } and ordained it to be
c affixed at Rome, Tournay and Dunkirk. This
was firft given out the 30 of Angnft 1 53 5 *7
but it had been all this while fufpended,
tifl the Supprefllon of the Monafteries, and
the burning of Beckett Bones, did fo in
flame the Pope, that he refolved to for
bear going to Extremities no longer. So
on the 17 of December this Year, the Pope
publifhed the Bull , which he faid he had
fo long fufpended at the Interceffion of
fome Princes-, who hoped that King Henry
might have been reclaimed by gentler
Methods •, and therefore fince it appeared
that he grew ffiil worfe and worfe, he
was forced to proceed to his Fulminations.
By this Sentence it is certain, That either
the Popes Infallibility, muft be confeiled to
be a Cheat put upon the World, or if any
believe
of tlje Eefojmation, <jc, 205
believe it, they mud acknowledge, that Book I.
the Power of depofing Princes , is really ^^r^f
lodged in that Chair : For this was not 1 537-
a fudden fit of Paffion, but was done ex
Cathedra, with all the Deliberation they
ever admit of. The Sentence was in fome
particulars without a Precedent; but as to
the main Points of depofing the King, and
abfolving his Subjects from their Obedi
ence, there was abundance of Inftances
to be brought in thefe laft 500 Years, to
(hew that this had been all along allerted the
Right of the Papacy. The Pope writ alfo
to the Kings of France, and Scotland, with
defign to inflame them againft King Henry :
And if this had been an Age of Croijfades,
no doubt there had been one undertaken
againft him; for it was held to be as merito-
rious,if not more,to make War on him,tharr
on the Turk. But now the Thunders of the
Vatican had loft their force.
The King got all the Bifhops, and Emi- I ,f/"
nent Divines of England, to fign a Decla- England
ration againft all Church-men, who pre-
tended to the Power of the Sword, or to
Authority over Kings-, and that all that
atlumed fuch Powers, were Subverters of 0f
the Kingdom of Chrift. Many oftheBi- afoul of
(hops did alfo fign another Paper, declar-/^.
ing the Limits of the Regal and Ecclefi-
aftical Power, that both had their Autho
rity from God , for feveral Ends , and
different Natures •, and that Princes were
fiibject to the Word of God, as well as
Bilnops ought to be obedient to their Laws.
206 abjfojjtwttt of tlje IStfCo??
Book I. There was alfo another Declaration
,^-v^-» made, figned by Cromwel, the 2 Archbi-
1537. fhops, II Bifhops, and 20 Divines; af-
ferting the Diftinction betwen the Power
of the Keys, and the Power of the Sword.
The former was not abfolute, but limited
by the Scripture. Orders were decla-^
red to be a Sacrament inftituted by Chrifr,
which were conferred by Prayer, andlm-
pofition of Hands. And that in the New
Teftament, no mention was made of any
other Ranks, but of Deacons, or MiniJters }
and of Priefts, or Bifhops. After this,
the ufe of all the Inferiour Degrees of
Ledures, Acolyths, &c. was laid down.
Thefe were fet up about the beginning of
the 3^ Century :, for in the middle of that
Age, mention is made of them, both by
Cormlittt^K& Cyfridir, and they were intend
ed to be degrees of Probation, through
which Men were to afcend to the .higher
Functions. But the Canonifls had found
out fo many Diftindions of Benefices ^ and
that a fimple Tonfure, qualified a Man for
feveral of them •, that thefe Inftitutions
became either a matter of Form only, or
were made a Colour for Laymen to pof-
fefs Ecclefiaftical Benefices. In this, and
feveral other Books of that time , Eifoops
and Priefts are fpoken of, as being both one
Office. In the Ancient Church there
were different Ordinations, and different
Functions belonging to thefe Offices, tho
the Superiour was believed to include the
Inferiour. But in the latter Ages, both
the
of t!jeJMo?mation, $c, 207
the School-men & Canonifts feemed on difFe- Book I
rent grounds to have defigned to make them L/"V\>
appear to be the fame Office ; and that the 1537-
one was only a higher degree in the fame
Order. The School-men, to magnify Tran-
fubilaritiation, extolled the Office, by which
that was performed fo high , and the
Canonifts, to exalt the Pope's Univerfal
Authority, depreft the Office of Bilhops
folow, to make them feem only the Pope's
Delegates } and that their Jurifdidtion
was not from Chrift, that by thefe means,
thefe two Offices were thought fo near one
another, that they differed only in degree :
And this was fo well obferved at Trent^
that the Eftablifliing the Epifcopal Jurif-
didion, as founded on a Divine Right, %
was apprehended as one of the fatalleft
Blows that could have been given to the
Papacy. This being at this time fo com
monly received, it is no wonder, if before
that matter came to be more exadly inqui
red into,foine of the Reformers writ more
carelefsly in the Explanations they made
of thefe Offices, which is fo far from being
an Argument, that they were upon due
enquiry of another mind } that it is to
be looked on as a part of the Dregs of
Popery, flowing from the belief of Tran-
fubflantiation, and the Pope's Supremacy,
of which all the Gonfequences were not fo
early obferved.
This Year the Englifh Bible was finifhed. The
The Tranflation was fent over to fwistv
be printed there , for the Workmen in
ens.
of tljc fym$
Book I. England were not thought a-ble to go ab6uf:
\*>~\r^ it. Konner was then Embafladonr in
1537. France •, and he obtained a Licence Q£ Fran
cis for printing it -, but upon a Complaint
made by the French Clergy, the Prefs was
itopt, and many of the Copies were feiz-
ed on, and burnt. So it was brought over
to England, and was undertaken, and now
finifhed , by Grafton. Cromwel procured
a General Warrant from the King, allow
ing all his Subjects to read it 5 for which,
Cranmer wrote his tfianks to Cromwel y
c andrejoyced to fee the day ofReforma-
* tion now rifen in England, fince the Word
c of God did fhine over it all, without a
4 Cloud. Not long after this , Cromwel
' ^ gave out Injunctions, requiring the Cler-
c gy to fet up Bibles in their Churches, and'
c to encourage aft to read them. He alfo
c exhorted the People not to difpute about
cthefenfe of difficult places, but to leave
c that to Men of better Judgments. In^
ccumbents were required to initrucT: the
c People, and teach them the Creed, the
c Lord^s Prayer, and the Ten Command-
c ments, in Englilh : And that once every
c Quarter there fhould be ar Sermon, to de-
c clare the true Gofpel- of Ghrifl ; and to
c exhort the People to Works of Charity ;
4 and not to truft to other Men's Works,
* to Pilgrimages, or Relicts, or the faying
4 their Beads, which tended to Superfti-
c tion. Images,abufed by Pilgrimages made
1 to them, were to ordered be taken away-
4 No Candle was to be before any Image,butJ
of t&e Kefajmation, <fc* 209
* the Crucifix : And they were to teach Book I
1 the People, that it was Idolatry, to make
c any other ufe of Images, but rneerly to
c put them in minde of thofe whom they
* reprefented : And fuch as had formerly
^magnified Images, or Pilgrimages, were
* required openly to recant and confefs,
*rhat they had been led into an Erroury
* which Covetoufnefs had brought into the
4 Church* All Incumbents were required
cto keep Regilters for Chriftnings., and
4 Marriages v and to teach the People that
c it were good to omit the Suffrages to the
4 Saints in the Litany. Thefe ftruck at
fome of the main Points of the former Su-
perftition, both about Images, Pilgrima-
ges,and the Invocation of Saints : But the
free life of the Scriptures gave the deadlieft
Blow of all Yet all the Clergy fubmitted
to them without any Murmuring.
Prince Edward was this Year born-? and
this very much blafted the Hppes: of the
Popidi Party, which were* chietly built on
the probability of Lady Mary\ fucceeding
to the Crown,which was now fet at a great
er diitance. So both- -L^, Gardi,ner,mid Sto~
•kgfly-> feemed to vie with the Bifhops- of
the other Party, which of them iliould
.molt zeaknipy. execute the Injunclions, and
thereby tnfinuate themfelves molt into the
King^s Eiteem and Favour. Gardiner was
fome Years Ambadadour in France , but
rCromwel got Bonner to be fent in liisroom,
who feemed then to be the molt zealous
Reforrmation,that was then
f k
2 io
Book I. in England. After that, Gardiner was fent
ex-v-o to the Emperour's Court , with Sir Henry
ffffi Knew, and there he gave fome occafion
to fufped that he was treating a Reconci
liation with the Pope's Legate. But the
Italian that managed it, being fent with
a Meflage to the Amballadour's Secretary,
he miilook Knevct\ Secretary for Gardmer\
and told his Buflnefs to him. Knevct tried
what could be made of it, but could not
carry it far : For the Italian was difowned,
and put in Prifon upon it : And Gardiner
complained of it, as a Trepan laid to mine
him. The King continued flill to employ
him •, but rather made ufe of him, than
trufled him : yet Gardiner^ Artifices and
Flatteries were fuch, that he was flill pre-
ferved in fome Degrees of Favour, as long
as the King lived •, but he knew him fo
well , that he neither named him one of
his Executors, nor one of his Son's Council,
when he made his Will. Gardiner ufed one
7 opick. which prevailed much with the King,
that his Zeal againft Herefy was the great-
eft Advantage that his 'Caufe could have
over all Europe : And therefore he preft
him to begin with the Sacramentaries ( fo
were thofe of the Helvetian ConfefTion cal
led ) and thofe being condemned by the
German Princes , he had the lefs reafon to
Lambert » be afraid of imbroiling his Affairs by his
ned Severities agianft them.
burnt ^i^ meeting fo well with the King's
own Perfwafions about the Corporal Pre-
fence, had a great effeft on him •, and an
occalion
of tfie SSUfbimatfon, it * x f
bccafion did quickly offer it felf to him, to Book ll
declare his Zeal in that matter. Lambert ^~v~~'i
was at that time accufed before the Arch- 1538;
biihop of Camerhvry ; He had been Chap
lain to the Factory of j4ntwesp, and there
he a'llbciated him felf to TbdUfl After-
Wards he was feized on coming over rp
England-, but upon the changes that fol
lowed, he was fet at Liberty. Dr. Taylor
had preached on the Corpof al Prefence in
his hearing : This offended him, and lie
drew up his Rcafo'ns a'gainft it, and gave
them to Taylor. He communicated it to
EMVS, who was a hot man, and a fierce
Lutheran : And they thought that the
venting that Opinion would flop the Pro-
grefs of the Reformation, give Prejudice
to the People y and divide them among
themfelves t And therefore they brought
this matter before Cr^«^r,who was at that
time likewife a Lutheran y he dealt with
Lambert to retradl his Paper ;; but he took
3 fatal Refolution, and appealed to the
King. Upon which, the Ki'ng refolved to'
Judge him in Perfon, and to manage the
Trial with great Solemnity ; and for that
end , many of tli'e Nobility and Bifhops
were fent for. When the day came, there
was a v'aft Appearance. The King's
Guards a;nd Cloath of State, were all in
Whiter to make it look the liker a -.Divine
Service. Lambert begun with a Comple
ment > acknowledging the King's great
Learning, and his Goodnefs in hearing the
Caufes of his Subjifts. The KingltopM
F 2 hint
2 1 2 augment of tfje fyi tt o?p
Book I. him, and bad him forbear Flatteries, and
fpeak to the matter: And he argued againft
.him from ChrilPs Words, that the Sacra
ment muft be his Body. Lambert ^nfwered in
St. Anftin\ Words, That it was to Body
in a certain manner, but that a Body could
not be in two places at once. To this the
King commanded Cramner to fpeak ; and
he argued, That fince Chrift is ftill in Hea
ven, and yet- he appeared to St. Paul, that
therefore he may be in different places at
once. Lambert faid, That was but a Vi
llon , and was not the very Body of Chrift-.
Tonftatl argued, That the Divine Omni
potence was not to be meafared by our
Notions, of what was impoflible. Stokefly
argued,That one Subliance may be changed
into another,and yet the Accidents remain:
So Water when it boiled, did evaporate in
Air, and yet its Moifture remained. This
was received with great Applaufe •, tho
it was an ill Inference, that becaufe there
was an accidental Converiion , . therefore
there might be a Subllantial one, in which
One Subftance was annihilated, and ano
ther produced in its place. Ten, one after
another, difputed, and their Arguments,
with the ftern Words and Looks that
the King interpofed , together with the
length of the Action, in fo publick an Af-
fembly, put Lambert in fome Confufion j
and upon his*Silence, a great Shout of Ap
plaufe followed. In Conclufion, the King
asked him if he was not convinced, and
whether he would live or die ? . But he
conti-
of flje -Eefojniattoit, $c* 213
continued firm to his Opinion : So Cromml Book I.
was commanded to read the Sentence of his
Condemnation ^ and not many daysafter,it
was executed in a moil barbarous manner,in
S-ntithfieU: For there was not Fire enough put
under him to confume him fuddenly :, fo
that his Legs and Thighs were burnt away
while he was yet alive. He bore it pati
ently, and continued to cry out, None but
Chnft, mnelwt Chnft* He was a Man of
conliderable Learning, and of a very good
Judgment. The Popidi Party improved
this, and perfwadedthe King of the good
effects it would have on his People, who
would in this fee his Zeal for the Faith •,
and they forgot not to magnify all that he
had faid,as ir it had been uttered by an Ora
cle •, which proved him to be both Defender
of the Faith, and Stream He ad of the Church.
All this wrought fo much on the King,
that he refolved to call a Parliament,
both for the fupprefling the Monaileries,
and the new Opinions.
Fox, Bifhop of Hereford, died at this
time : He had been much imploied in Gtr-
many^ and had fetled a League between the
King and the German Princes. The King
was acknowledged the Patron of their
League, and he fent them over 100^000
Crowns a Year, for the fupportot it.
There was a Religious League alfo pro.?
pofed , but upon the turn that followed in
the Court upon Queen Ann's Death,that fell
to the ground-, and all that was in put their
League relating to Religion, was , That
P 3 they
? * 4 abjfogttintt of fyt feiflfojp
pook I. they mould joyn againft the Pope as the
common Enemy, and fet up the true Re-
ligion according to the Gofpel. But the
Treaty about other Points was afterwards
fet on foot. The King deiired Melanck-
tho* to come over; and ieveral Letters
palled between them, but he could not be
fpared out of Germany ; tho he was then
invited both to France and England. The
per mans lent over fome to treat with the
King •, the Points they inliiled molt on
jg/ere, the granting the Chalice to the
IPeople, and the putting down private Maf-
fes , in which the Inilitution feemed ex-
prefs ^ the having the Wordiip in a known
Tongue, which both common fenfe, and
the Authority of St. JW?s Epiille to the
Corinthians^ leemed to juftify much. The
third was, Tne Marriage of the Clergy ;
for they being extrearn ienfble of the Ho
nour of their Families, reckoned, that could
not be fecured, unlefs the Prieits might
parry. Concerning thefe things, their
^mbafladours gave a long and learned
Memorial to the King ; to which an An-
iwer was made, penned by Tonftall , in
•which the things they complained of, were
jufti ied by the ordinary Arguments. Upon
tfox^s Death, Bcnncr was promoted to /&r
nfofd', and Stckcsly dyin^, not long after,
he was tranflated to London. Cromwell
thought that he had raifed a Man that
wculdbea faithful Second to Cravmcr in
his Defigns of informatics,, who indeed
jp^eded Jielp ; pot only to ballance the Opr
poiitior*
of tfje Reformation, ?c* 215
pofition made him by other Bifhops, but to Book f.
lelfen the Prejudices he fuffered by the C^-N/^J
Weaknefs and -indiicretion of his own Par- 1 538.
ty, who were generally rather Clogs than
Helps to him. Great Complaints were
brought to the Court of the rafhnefs of the
new Preachers, who were flying at many
things not yet abolilhed. Upon this, Let
ters were writ to the Bilhops, to take care
that as the People fhould be rightly
intruded-, fo they fhpuld not be offended
with too many Novelties. Thus was Crxn-
mer\ Intereft fo low, that he had none to
depend on, but Cromwell. There was not
a Queen now in the King's Bofom to fup-
port thfm ; and therefore Cromwell let
himfelf to contrive how the King mould
be engaged in fuch an Alliance with the
Princes of Germany, as might prevail with
.him, both in Affection and Intereft, to
carry on what he had thus begun. And
the Beauty of Anne of Cleve was fo repre-
fented to him, that he fet himfelf to bring
about that Match.
A Parliament was fiurimoned to the rhs Mt
2%th of .Afril, in which twenty of the
Abbots fate in Perfon. On the 5^ of May,
a Motion was made, that fome might
be appointed to draw a Bill, againfl: Di-
veriity of Opinions in matters of Religion •,
thefe were Crommtt-> Cranmer, the Bifliops
of Ditrefine, £/y, Bxth and Wells, Bangor^
Carlile, and Worcefler $ tVy were divided
in their Minds -, and th he Popijh Party
were five to four, yet the Authority that
P 4 Cr0wive$.
2 1 6 $t
Book I. Cromwell and Cranmcr were in, turned
Ballance a little :, but after they had met
eleven days, they ended in nothing. Upon
that the Duke of 2Vor/^propofed the fix
Articles 5 The firft was for the Corporal
Prefence. 2. For Communion in one kind,
3. For o^ferving the Vows of Charity.
4. For private Malles. 5. For the Celi
bate of the Clergy. And the fixth, was
for Auricular Coufeflion : Againft moll of
thefe Cranmer argued feveral days. It is not
}ike heoppofed'the firft,both becaufe of that
which he had declared. in Lambmh Cafe
fo lately, and in his own Opinion, he was
then for it; but he had the Words of the
Inftitution, and the conftant Practice of
the Church fpr twelve Ages to object to
the fecond : and for the third, fince the
Monks were fet at Liberty to live in the
World, it feemed hard to reihrain them,
from Marriage, and nothing did fo effectu
ally cut off their Pretenfions to their former
Houfes, as their being married would do.
jFor the fourth, if private Mafles were ule-
fill, then the King had done yery ill to
fupprefs fo many Houfes, that were chiefly
founded for that end : the Sacrament was
alfo by its firlt Inilitution, and the Practice
6f the Primitive Church, to be a Communi4
o-n •, and all thofe private Mafles were in
vented to cheat the Worjd. For the fifth.,
it touch-cd Cranmsr in the quick, for it ^
believed that he was married, but the Ar*
gnments ufed for that will be found in the
next Book, For Auricular Confeffipn, Lee
Gardiner
of tlje Reformation, &. 217
flardiner and Tonftal, prefsM much to have Book
it declared neceifary by the Law of God. ^-~^-\
Cranmer argued againft this, and faid it was * 53 8.
only a good and profitable thing. The
King came. often to the Houfein Perfon,
and difputed in thefe Points : for the
greateft part he was againft Cranmer •, but
in this particular he joyned with him.
Tonftall drew up all the Quotations, brought
from Antierit Authors for it, in a Paper
which he delivered tp the King •, the King
anfwered in a longLetter, written with his
own Hard, in which he ihewed, that the
Fathers did only advife ConfefTion, but did
FxOt im^x^Fe it as neceilary : and fo it was
concluded in general,only that it wzsnecef-
fary wd&x^dient. On the 24^ of A&*y, the
TParlia ; • was prorogued a few days, but
by a- V • e it was provided that the Bills
ihpi:!d coi.tinue in the irate they were then
jr., their next meeting, two Com-
mr ' were appointed to draw the Bill
of igioji-, CV*«#w was the chief of the
pm ird Lee of the other ; both their
Draughts were carried to the King, and
were in many places corrected with his ov/n
Hand •, in fome Parts he writ whole Pe
riods a new. That which Lee drew was
pore agreeable to the King^s Opinion ; jfo
it was brought into the Houfe. Cranmer
argued three days againft it, and when it
came to the Vote, the King who was much
fet on having it paft, defired him to go
out, but he excufed himfelf^ for he thought
he was bound in Confcier.ce to vote againft
it :
2 1 8
Book I. it : But the reft that oppofed it, were more
.sxv-^> compliant, and it alfo palled without any
1539. confiderable Oppofition in the Houfe of
Commons, and was aflentd to by the King.
4 The Subftance of it was, That the King
* being fenijble of the good of Union, and
4 of the mifchief of Difcord, in points of
4 Religion, had come to the Parliament in
4 Perfon, and opened many things of high
4 Learning there •, and that with the aflent
*ofbothHoufes, he fet forth thefe Arti-
Vcles,
4 i. That in the Sacrament there was no
4 Subftance of Bread ard Wine, but only
•c the Natural Body and Blood of Chrift.
4 2. That Chrift was entirely in each
1 kind* and fo Communion in both was
* not neceflary,
4 3. That Priefts by the Law of God,
4 ought not to marry.
4 4. That Vows of Chaftity taken after ,
4 the Age of 2 1, ought to be kept.
4 5. That Private Mafles were lawful
4 and ufeful,
4 6. That Auricular Confedlon was ne-
4 celTary, and ought to be retained. Such
4 as did fpeak or write agaift the firft of
4 thele, were to be burned without the
* benefit of Abjuration *, and it was made
* Felony to difpute againft the other five :
* and fuch as did fpeak againft them were to
4 be in a Premunirc for the firft Offence-, the
4 lecond was made Felony. Married Priefts
* that did not put away their Wives, were
* to be condemned of Fellony, inthofe that
4 lived
cf tlje JRt fojmatf on, $c* 219
* lived incontinently,the firft Offence was a Book f.
c Prewmire, and the fecond Felony. Wo- o^v * /
c men that offended were to be punifhed as I539-
c the Priefls were. Thofe that contemned
c ConfelTion and the Sacrament, and ab-
t Gained from it at the accuftomed times,
c were for the firft Offence in a Prcmunire,
cthe feqond was Felony. Proceedings
c were to be made in the Forms of Com-
* mon Law, by Preferments, and a Jury,
c and all Ghurch-men were charged to read
4 the Act in their Churches once a .Quarter.
This Aft was received with great Joy' 'Ce»farer
by all the P.opiih Party ; they reckoned & u?on
that nov/ Herefy would be extirpated, and "
that the King was as much engaged againft
it, as he was when he writ againll Luther :
this made the Suppreilion of the Monafte-
ries pafs much the eafier. The poor Re
formers were now expo fed to the Rage of
their Enemies, and had no Comfort from
any part of it, but one, that they were not
delivered up to the Cruelty of the Ecclefi-
aftical Courts, or the Trials ex Offidoj
but were to be tried by Juries : yet the de
nying the benefit of Abjuration, was a
Severity without a Precedent, and was
a forcing Martyrdom on them, fince they
were not to be the better for their Apoira-
cy. It. 'was fomp Satisfaction to the marri
ed Clergy, that the incontinent Priefts
were to be fo feverely punifhed ^ which
Cromwell put in, and the Clergy knew not
bow they could decently oppofe it. Upon
the paffing the Aft, th? German Ambad'a-
dours
220
Book I. dours being fet on to it by thofe that fa-
{_s\r^ J voured their Doctrine in £^/^^,defired an
J539- Audience of the King, and told him of the
Grief with which their Matters would re
ceive the News of this Aft > and therefore
earneftly prefsM him to flop the Execution
of it. The King anfwcred that he found it
neceflary to have the Aft made, for re-
preflingthe Infolenceof fome People, but
aflured them it fhould not be put in Execu
tion, except upon great Provocation.
When the Princes heard of the Adi, they
writ to the King to the fame purpofe :
they warned him of many Bifhops that
were about him, who in their Hearts lo
ved Popery, and all the old Abufes •, and
took this method to force the King to re
turn back to the former Yoke, hoping that
if they once made him cruel to ail thofe
they called Hereticks, it would be eafyto
bring him back to fubmit to that Tyranny,
which he had (haken off:, and therefore they
propofed a Conference between fome Di
vines of both fides in order to an; Agree
ment of Doftrine. The King was only con
cerned upon State Maxims, to keep up their
League in Oppofition to the Emperour ; '
but they ftill prefsM a Religious as well as
a Civil League.
An jflfor After the Aft of the fix Articles, the
foprt/fag Aft for fuppreding the Monafteries was
the MO**- brought in -, and tho there were fo many
Abbots fitting in the Houfe, none of them
protefted againft it ; c By it noMonaflery
^ was fupprefled, but only the Refignations
cmade
of tlje Erfojmation, $c. 221
c made or to be made, were confirmed ; and Book I
* the King's Right, founded either on their o^^vj"
c Surrenders^ Forfeitures, or Attainders of 1539,
4 Treafon, was declared good in Law.
c Houfes furrendred were to be managed
* by the Court of Augmentations-, but thofe
c feized on by Attainders were to come to
4 the Exchequer. All Perfons except the
fc Founders and Donors were to have the
c fame Rights to the Lands, belonging to
1 thefe Houfes, that they had before this Aft
'was made. All Deeds and Leafes made
4 for a Year before this, to the prejudice of
c thefe Houfes were annulled; and all the
c Churches belonging to them, and former-
cly exempted, were put under the Jurif-
c diftion of the Biihop, or of fuch as
* fhould be appointed by the King.
This lad Provifo has produced a great
Mifchief in this Church; for many that
purchafed Abby-Lands, had this Claufe
put; in their Grants, that they fhould be
the Vifitors of the Churches, and by this
they continue ftiil exempted from the Epif-
copal Jurifdiftion *, and this has em
boldened many to break out into great
Scandals, which have been madeufeofby
prejudiced Men to caft an Obloquy on the •
Church ; tho this Diforder proceeds only
from the want of Authority in the Bifhops
to cenfure them. A Queftion was railed
upon this Suppreffion, whether the Lands
fhould have reverted to the Donors, or
been efcheated to the Crown. By a Judg
ment of the Hitman Senate in TkeodofaPs
time
222 augment
Book I. time, all' the Endowments of the Heathenifli
Temples were given to the Fife, and tho
die Heirs of the Donors pretended to them,
yet it was faid, that by the Gifts' that their
Ancellors made, they were totally alienated
from them and their Heirs. When the
Order of the Templers was fnppreffed,
their Lands went to the Lord by an Ef-
cheat. This might feem reafonable in
Endowments that were i;raple Gifts, with
out any Conditions : But the Grants to
Religious Houfes were of the nature of Co-
venants,given in confederation of theMafles,
that were to be faid for them and their
Families •, and therefore it was inferred,
that when the Cheat of redeeming Souls
out of Purgatory was difcovered, and thefe
Houfes were fapprefsM, then the Lands
ought to revert to the Heirs of the Donors ;
and upon that account it was thought ne-
ce(Iary to exclude them by a fpecial Provifo.
Another Bill was brought in, empower-
ing the King to ereft new Biihopricksby
his Letters Patents-, it was read three times
in one day in the Houfe of Lords. c The
c Preamble fet forth that the ill Lives of
c thole that were called Religious, made it
c necefTary to change thir Houfes to bettet
c Ufes, for teaching the Word of God,
c intruding of Children, educating of
* Clerks, relieving of old infirm People,
' the endowing of Readers for Greek,
cLatine, and Hebrew, mending ofHigh-
^ways, and the bettering the Condition of
i the Parilh Prielts v and for this end
1 5 39.
of t&e Eefo jmatton, $c. 223
4 King was empowered to erect new Sees, Book I
c and to affign what Limits and Divifions,
c and appoint them what Statutes he pleafed.
I have feen the firft Draught of this Pre
amble all written with the King's own
Hand ; and indeed he ufed extraordinary
Care in coreding both Ads of Parliament
and Proclamations with his own Hand :
All Papers in matters of Religion,that were
fet out by publick Authority inthfsReigrt,
were revifed by him, and in many places
large Corrections are to be feen, made
with his own Hand, which (hew both his
great Judgment inthofe Matters, and his
extraordinary Application to Buiinefs -,
but as he was fond of his two accquired
Titles, of Defender of the Faith, and SH-
preatn Head of the Church ; and loved to
fhew that he did not carry them in
vain •, fo there was nothing which he
affeded more3then to difcover his Learning
and Underftanding in matters of Religion.
He writ alfo a Lift of all the new Sees
which he intended to found, which were
Waltham, for EJfex, St. -Albam, for Hart
ford, another for BcJfordjkircaod Bucking
ham]}] ire out of the Monafteries of Dun/la-
hie, Newenhatn, and Clowftown ^ another
for Oxfordshire, and Berkflire, out of the
Rents of Ofay, and Tame, one for Nor
thampton and Huntington^ out of Peterbo
rough, one for Midlefex w&tfWeftminfter ^
one for Leiceftcr and Rutland, out of Lei-
cefter -, one for Glocefterfljire out of St. Pe
ters in Glocefter 5 one for Lancashire out
of
ens.
224 3&?t'Bgment of tfje H#ff og?
Book I. of Fountain, and the Arch-Deaconry of
^^v-v Richmond \ one for Suffolk^, out of Edmunds*
1539* /w^j one for Stafford and -SWop out of
Shrewsbury ; one for Nottingham and Darby
out of Welbeck^, Werfofr and Thurgarton ;
and one for Cornwall out of the Rents of
Lanceffion-) . Bodmyn? and Wardreth : Over
thefe he writ Bffioprick* to be made -, and in
another part of the fame Paper he writ
Places to be altered, which have Sees in them^
and names Chrift-Church in Canterbury, St.
Swithins and feveral others •, a little under
that, he writ, Places to be altered into Col-
ledges and Schools, but mentions only Burton
iiponTrent. Neither Chefler nor Briftol are
named here, tho Epifcopal Sees were after
wards erected in them. The King had
formed a great Deilgn of endowing many
Sees, and making many other noble Foun
dations; yet the great Change that was
made in the Councils and Miniilry before
this took Effect, made that only a fmall
part of that, which he now intended, was
__'* ^4it accompli/bed. Another Act was brought
for era* in, concerning the Obedience due to the
King's Proclamations,which fet forth, 'That
4 great Exceptions had been made to the
•' Legality of the King's Proclamations, by
c fome who did not confider what a King
c might do by his Royal Power j which the
c King took very ill , and fince many Oc-
c cafions called for fpeedy Remedies, and
c could not admit: of Delays till a Parliament
c might be called ^ therefore it was enacted.,
* that fuch Proclamations as the King fet
»* i
of tfje Estimate cm, &< 225
c out by Advice of his Council, with Pains Book
c upon Offenders, ihonld be obeyed as if o^v/^
c they were Acts of Parliaments } yet it T539»
c was provided that no Laws nor Guiloms
1 might be taken away by them, and that
* the Subjects fhould not fufter in their
4 Eftates, Liberties, or Perfons^ by them.
c If any offended againfl them, and fled out
c of the Kingdom, that was made Treafon.
* It was alfo provided that if the King's
c Heirs mould reign before they were of
4 Age, the Proclamations fet out by the
* Privy Council, fhould have the like force
c in Law. By this the Injunctions that had
been given, or fhould be thereafter given,
were now legally authorized. The Sta
tute of Precedence pail in this Parlia
ment. The King's Vicegerent was to take
place of all after the Royal Family, and
next him among the Clergy, came the two
Arch-bifhops, then the Bifhops of London
and D^refme^ after them the Bifliop of Win-
chefler, as Prelate of the Garter, and all
the other Bilhops were to take place ac
cording to the Date of their Confecra-
tions.
A Bill of Attainder pad, not only con-
firming the Sentences that had been given
" againft the Marqnefs of Exeter, the Lord
Mount knte^ and others, that had been con-
demned at common Law 5 but of forne that
were of new attainted without a Trial : of
thefe fofne were abferit, and others were
in Prifon -9 but it was not thought fit to
bring them 10 make their Anfwers : The
chief
abjtt jjment of t!jc J£tlto?j>
Book I. chief of thefe were the Marchionfes of Exe-
e^~v-^ ur, and the Countefs of Sarum ( Mother to
T539« Cardinal Pool :) It was queftioned whether
this could be done in Law or not. The
Judges delivered their Opinion, that it
was againft natural Juftice to condemn any
without hearing them ; and that when the
Parliament proceeded as a «Court, they
were obliged to follow the common Rules
of Equity •, but if they did otherwife, yet
fincethey were the Supream Court of the
Nation, whatfoever they did, could not be
reverfed. The latter part of this was laid
hold on, and the former was negle&ed,
fo that Ad part. This Council was afcri-
bed to Cromwell, and he being the firft that
was executed upon fuch a Sentence, gave
occallon to many to obferve the Juftice of
God, in making ill Councils turn upon thofe
that gave them.
When the Parliament was prorogued,
^ ^S ordered Cranmer to put in writing
all the Arguments he had ufed againft the
fix Articles, and bring them to him. He
fent alfo both Crommll and the Duke of
Norfolk, to dine with him, and to allure
him of the Conftancy of his Kindnefs to
him. At Table they exprefled great
Efteem for him, and acknowledged that
he had oppofed the iix Articles with fo
much Learning and Gravity, that thofe
who differed moil from him, could not but
value him highly for it ; and that he need
ed not to fear any thing from the King :
Cromwell faid the King made that difference
* between
of ifje &efo?mati'oit, $c;
bstwefen him and the reft of his Council; Book
that he would not fo much as hearken to v^-v-s.
any Complaints that were made of him; 1539-
and made a Parallel between him and Ca *
dinal Wolfey ; the one loft his Frierds b r
his Pride^ and the other gained on his
Enemies, by his Humility and Mildreis :
the Duke of Norfolk^ faid he cc uld fpeak
beftofthe Cardinal, having been his^to
folong : this heated Cromwell^ who an-
fwered,that he never liked his Marnen,and
tho Wolfey had intended if he had been cho-
fen Pope, to have carried him with him to
Italy, yet he was refolved not to have gone,
tho he knew the Duke intended to have
gone with him. Upon this the Duke of
Norfolk^ fwore he lied, and gave him foul
Language. This put all the Company in '
great Diforder : They were in fome fort
reconciled, but were never hearty Friends
after this. Cranmer put his Reafons a-
gainft the fix Articles together, and gave
them to his Secretary to be written out
in a fair Hand for the King1s ufe : but
he eroding the Thames with the Book in
hisBofom, met with fuch an Adventure
on the Water as might have at another time
fent the Author to the Fife. There was
a Bear baited near the River, which break
ing loofe, run into it, aud happened to
overturn the Boat in which Cranme-Ss Se
cretary was, and he being in danger of
his Life, took no care of £he Book, which
falling from him floated on the River, and
was taken up by the Bear-Ward^ and put
Cl 2 &
2 2 8 augment of tfje iptSo?^
Book I. in the hand of a Prieft that flood by, to fee
vx-vw what it might contain^ he prefently
1539* found it was a Confutation of the fix Arti-
cles,and fo told the Bear-ward that the Au
thor of it would certainly be hanged. So
when the Secretary came to ask for it, and
faid it was the Arch-bilhcp's Book •, the
other that was an obftinate Papilt, refufed
to give it, and reckoned that now Cranmer
would be certainly ruined : but the Secre
tary acquainting Cromwell with it, he called
for him next day, and chid himfeverely
for prefuming to keep a Privy-Counfellours
Book, and fo he took it out of his Hands :
thus Cranmer was delivered out of this
Danger. Shaxton and Latimer not only
religned their Bifhopricks, but being pre-
fented for ibme Words fpoken again!! the
'lix Articles, they were put in Prifon,
where they lay till a recantation difcharged
the one, and the King's Death fet the other
at liberty. There were about 500 others
prefented on the fame account, but upon
the Intercefiions of Cranmer^ Cromwell,
*nd others, they were fet at liberty, and
there was a Hop put to the further Execu
tion of the Act till Cromwell fell.
The Bifnops of the Popifh Party took
ilrange Methods to infinuate themfelves
c into the ^inS's Confidence, for they took
°ut Commifllions by which they acknow
ledged, cThat all Jurifdiftion, Civil -and
c Ecdeliaitkal, flowed from the King, and
c that they exercifed it only at the King's
c Courtefy : and as they had of his Bounty,
* cfo
of tlje Kcfoimatiott, $c* 2 2 9
c fo they would be ready to deliver it up Book I.
c when he ihould be pleafed to call for it 5 i/v^
* and therefore the King did empower them 1 5 39*
' in his ftead, to ordain, give Inftitution,
c and do all the other parts of the Epifcopal
€ Function, which was to lail during his
t Pleafure : and a mighty charge was given
them to ordain none but Perfons of great
1 Integrity, good Life, and well learned;
* for fincc the Corruption of Religion flow-
c ed from ill Paftors, fo the Reformation
* of it was to be expeded chiefly from good
* Paftors. By this they were made indeed
the King's Bifhops : in this Banner fet an
Example to the reft, but it does not ap
pear that Cranmer took out any fuch Com-
iriiflion all this Reign. ,
Now came on the total Diilblution of
theAbbies, 57 furrenders were made this
Year, of which 30 are yet extant ^ of thefe, /
37 were Monalleries, and 20 were Nun
neries j and among them 1 2 were Parlia
mentary Abbies •, which were in all 28,
Abmgton, St. Jllbans, St. Aitftin*s Canterbtt-
ry, Batteil, St.Bemets in the Holm, Bar deny,
Cirencefter^ Colchefter, Coventry? Croyland^
St. Edmundsbury^ Evefcam, Glajfenbm-y^ Glv-
cefte, Hide, Malmsbury^ St. A4ary\ in Tork+
Peterborough , Ramfey , Rending , Seiby,
Shrewsbury, Taveftoc^ Tewkesbury, Thorncy,
Waltham, Weftmmfter , and Winchelcortij.
When all had thus rcfigned, Commiifioneri
were appointed by the Court of Aug. ner/
tations to feize on the Revenues and Goodi
belonging to thefe Houfes, to eltabliih tli2
Q_ 3 Penfions
230 augment of tlje ipiflojp
Book I. Penflons that were to be given to every
tv^v-^ one that had been in them, and to pull
15.9. down the Churches, or fuch other parts of
the Fabrick, as they thought fuperfluous,
and to fell the Materials of them. When
this was done, others began to get Hofpi-
tals to be furrendred to the King ; Thirleby
being Matter of St. Thomas Hofpital in
Southward was the firft that fet an Exam
ple to the reft ; he was foon after made a
Bifhop, and turned with every Change
that followed, till Queen Elizabeth came to
the Crown, and then he refufed to comply
tho he had gone along with all the Chan
ges that were made in King Edward^ time.
The valued Rents of the Abby-Lands as
they were then let, was 132607 /. 6 s. ^d.
but they were worth above ten times fo
much in true value. The King had now
in his hand the greateft Advantage that
ever King of England had, both for en
riching the Crown, and making Royal
Foundations. But fuch was his Eafinefs to
his Courtiers, and his Lavifhnefs, that all
this melted away in a few Years, and his
Deflgns were never accomplifhed •, he in
tended to have founded 18 new Bifhop-
ricks, but he founded only fix : Other
great Projects did alfo become abortive.
In particular one that was defigned by
Sir Nicholas Racov, which was a Semi
nary for States-men : he propofed the
creeling a Houfe for Perfons of Quality,
cr of extraordinary Endowments, for
the ftudy of the Civil Law, and of the
Latine
of tlje JSLefaimatf on, sc. 231
Latine and French Tongues ; of whom, Book I,
fome were to be fent with every Ambaf- L/-\/^O
fadour beyond Sea, to be improved in I539-
the Knowledg of Forreign Affairs, in
which they mould be imploied as they
grew capable of them : And others were
to be fet to work to write the Hiftory
of the Trafadions abroad, and of Affairs
at home « This was to fupply one Lois that
was like to follow on the Fall of Abbies \
for in moll of them there was kept a
Chronicle of the Times, Thefe were
written by Men that were more credulous
than judicious •, and fo they are often
more particular in the recital of Trifles,
than of important Affairs, and an invin
cible Humour of lying, when it might
raife the Credit of their Order or Houfe,
runs through all their Manufcripts. AH
the Ground that Cranmer gained this Year,
in which there was fo much loft, was a
Liberty that all private Perfons might
have Bibles in their Houfes, the managing
of which was put in Cromwell"** Hands,
by a fpecial Patent : Gardiner oppofed it
vehemently, and built much on this, that
without Tradition it was impolTible to
iinderftand the meaning of the Scriptures -,
and one day before the King, he challen
ged Cranmer to mew any Difference be
tween the Scriptures and the A po files
Canons. It is not known how Cranmer
managed the Debate, but the lillie of it
was this, The King judged in his Fa
vours, and faid, He was an old experi-
Q^ 4 enced
23* 9bjiBgment of tlje Cpitto®
Book !• enced Captain, and ought not to be trou-
•y^v-vj bled by frefh Men and Novices. The
1539. King was now refolved to marry again,
and both the Emperour and the King of
France propofed Matches to him, but they
came to no Effect. The Emperour en
deavoured by all means poflible to feparate
the King from the Princes of the Smal-
caldick^ League •, and the Act of the fix
Articles had done that already in a great
meafure •, for they complained much of
the King's Severity in thofe Points, which
were the principal Parts of their Doftrine •,
fuch as Communion in both kinds, Pri
vate Mafles, and the Marriage of the
Clergy. Gardiner ftudied to animate the
K jfcgmuch againft them-, he often told him,
it v\as below his Dignity to furFer dull
G9'i'i-6.ns to dictate to him: and he fug-
geflcdthat they who would not acknow-
ledg/the Emperours Supremacy in the
matters of Religion, could not be hear
ty Friends to the Authority which the
King had ailumed in them. But the Ger
mans did not look on- the Emperour as
their Soveraign, but only as the Head
of the Empire -, and they did believe that
every Pfinee in his Dominions, and the
Diet for the whole Empire, had fufficient
Authority for making Laws in Eccleiiafti-
cal Affairs ; but what other Con (i derations
could not induce the King tc, was like to
be more powerfully carried on by the
Match with Ame otClcve^ wjiich was now
fet on foot,
There
of ttyeEefoinratiott, $t* 233
There had been a Treaty between her Book L
father and the Duke of Lorrain^ for the «^v^/(
Prince ofLorrain and her ; but it had gone i 5 39.
no farther then a Contract between the ^Trwy
Fathers. Hans Holbin^ the Famous Painter fa ^
of that Age, took her Picture very much „,/// Ann
to her Advantage -, for the King never
liked the Original fo well as he had done
the Pifture. The Duke of Saxe difvvaded
the Match, becaufe the King was going
backward in the matter of the Reformation :
but Cromwell fetit on vigorouily. It was
faid, the Lady had great Charms in her
Perfon ; but ihe could fpeak no Language
but Dutch, which the King undericood
not <, nor was (he bred to Mufick : And Hie
had a fHfnefs in her Breeding, which was
not at all accommodated to the King's In
clinations. The Match was at I aft agreed
on *, and in the end of December (he was
brought over. The King was impatient,
and fo went incognito to Rochcftcr^ but was
ftrnck when he faw her. There was a
Rudenefs in her, which did not at all pleafe
him : He fwore they had brought over
a Flanders Mare to him ; and took up an
incurable Aver lion to her. He refolved to
break the Match if it were poflible :, but his
Affairs made the Friendfliip of the German
Princes, to be then very neceflary to him ;
fo that he did not think it advifable to put
any Affront on the Dukes of Saxe and
CleW) her Brother , and her Brother in
Law. The Emperour had at this time
made a hafty Journey through France -, and
Francis
2 $4
Book I. franci* and he had an Interview, where as
the King was informed a Projedt was laid
down againfthim, which was chiefly fet
on by the Pope. Francis was thinking how
to take Calais, and the other places the
King had in France, from him ; it had been
alfo eafy for him to have engaged the
King of Scotland againft him : And the
People in the North were thought to re
tain their former Difpofition, to rife flill •,
fo that a War made on the King in fuch
Circumftances, was like to find him at a
great Difadvantage. This made the King
more tender of offending the Germans.
But he tried if that Precontract with the
DukeofZ/0m**>w'sSon, could furnifh him
with a fair Excufe to break the Match.
The King expreiled the great Trouble he
was in, both to Cromwel, and many of his
other Servants ; and one of them pleaiant-
ly told him, that Subjects had this Advan
tage over Princes, that they chofe Wives
for themfelves, whereas Princes were ob
liged to take fuch as were brought them.
But nothing could be built on that Pre
contract, which was only an Agreement
between the Fathers, their Children being
under Age •, and that was afterwards an
nulled and broken by the Parents. So
Cranmer , and !T<w/^//beiug required to
give their Opinions as Divines, faid, there
was nothing in it to hinder the King's Mar-
rying the Lady.
™arr'ef On the the 6th of January the King Mar-
ried her •, but exprefled his diflike of her
of tlje Kef{j?mation, $c* 235
fovillbly, that all about him took notice of Book I'
it: And the day after that he told Crom- I/VNJ
7p*7/that he had not confummated his Mar- I54°-
riage, and he believed he fhould never do
it : He fufpefted flie was not a Virgin ;
and fhe had ill Smells about her •, fo that his
Averfion to her was encreafed to fuch a
Degree, that he believed he fhould never
be able to change it. Cronmell did what he
could to overcome thefe Inclinations •, but
that was not to be done : And tho the
King lived five Months with her, and lay
often in the Bed with her, yet his Averfion
to her rather encreafed than abated. She
feemed little concerned at it, and exprefTed
a great readinefs to concur in every thing,
that might difengage him from a Mar
riage that was fo unacceptable to him.
Inftruments were brought over , to fhew
that the Cpntrad between her and the
Prince of Lorrain , was void : But they
took fome Advantage, becaufe it was not
declared whether the Contrad was in the
Words of the Prefent, or of the Future
Tenfe. t
In Afril there was a Sefllon of Parliament, A NW
and at the opening of it , as the Lord r*^**-
Chancellour declared the matters relating ment-
to the State, for which the King had cal
led them : So the Vicegerent fpake to
them concerning the matters of Religion i
He told them there was nothing which ?he
King defired fo much as an entire Union
among all his Subjeds •, but fome Incendi-
gries oppofed it a,s niuchashe promoted
it;
236 afa?foffmeitt of tfje pita??
Book I. it -7 and between the rafhnefs on the one
l*~^r>-' hand, and Inveterare Superftition on the
.1540. other,great DifTentions had arifen. Thefe
were inflamed by the reproachful names
of Papift and Heretic!^: And tho they
had now the Word of God in all their
hands, yet they Ihidied rather to juftify
their Pafjions out of it , than to govern
their Lives by it. In order to there-
moving this, the King refolved to fet forth
an Expofition of the Dodtrine of Chrift,
without any corrupt Mixtures ; and to re
tain fuck Ceremonies as might be of good
ufe } and that being done, he was refolv
ed to punifh all Tranfgreflburs,of what fide
foever they might be : For that end,he had
appointed the two Archbilhops and the Bi-
fhops of LondoniDwrefmfflinckefter,Rocheftery
HerefordfitA St. Davids -, and 1 1 Divines,
Thirleby, Robertfon, Cox, Day, Oglethorp,
Redmayn f Edgeworth , Cray ford , Symonsy
Robins, and Trefiam, for fetling the Do
ctrine. And the Bilhops of Bath and Walls ?
Ely , Sarum , Chichefter , Worcefter-, and
Landtiff, for the Ceremonies. Thefe Com
mittees for Religion, fat as often as the
Affairs of the Parliament could allow of.
Two days after the Parliament met, Crom
well was made Earl of Efjex, which fhews
it was not the King's Diflike of the Queen
that wrought his Ruine, otherwife he had
not now raifed his Title.
rhe. . A Bill was brought in to the Parliament
s£ John [for fuppreffing the Knights of St. John of
Jerufalem. Thefe were atfirft onlyan Ho-
fpital,
of tlje Eef0itrati0n, «tc. 237
fpital, for entertaining the Pilgrims that Book I-
went to vifit the Holy Grave : And after ^xv-^j
that, they became an Order of Knights-, 1540.
and they and the Knights-Templars con-
dufted and guarded the Pilgrims. It was
thought for fome Ages, one of the higheft
Expreffion of Devotion to Chrift, to go
and vifit the places where he was crucified,
buried,and afcended to Heaven: And it was
look'd on as highly Meritorious, to go and
fight for recovering the Holy-Land, out
of the hands of Infidels ; fo that almoft
every one that died, either vowed to go
to the Holy War, or left fome what, to fuch
as fhould go. If they recovered, they
bought off their Vow , by giving fome
Lands for the Entertainment of thofe
Knights. There were great Complaints
made of the Templars ; but whether it
was their Wealth that made them a de-
firable Prey, or their Guilt that drew
Ruine on them, is not certain. They were
condemned in a Council, and all of them
that could be found, were cruelly put to
Death. But the other Order was Hill con
tinued •, and being beaten out of jW^,they
fetled at Rhodes, out of which they were late
ly driven •, and were now fetled in Malta.
They were under a grea£ Mafter, who de
pended on the Pops and the Emperour. But
fome they could not be brought to furrender
of their own accord, as others had done ^
it was neceflary' to fupprefs them by
A£t of Parliament. Another Houfe which
they had in Ireland was alfo fupprefled,
and
238
Book I. and Penflons were referred for the Priors
Swx-v^ and Knights, On the iqth of May, the Par-
1540. liament was Prorogued to the 25^ a Vote
having paft, that the Bills (hould continue
in the State they were in.
On the 1 2th of June, there was a fudden
turn at Court, for the Duke of Norfolk
arrefted Cromwel of High Treafon , and
fent him Prifoner to the Tower. He had
many Enemies : The meannefs of his Birth
made the Nobility take it ill, to fee the Son
of a Black-Smith made an Earl,and have the
Garter given him , befides his being Lord
Privy Seal, Lord Chamberlain of England,
Lord Vicegerent ; and a little while before,
he had alfo the Mafterfhip of the Rolls.
All the Popifh Clergy hated him violently :
They imputed the Suppreflion of Monafte-
riesj and the Injunctions that were laid on
them, chiefly to his Counfels : And it was
thought that it was mainly by his means that
the King and the Emperour continued to be
in fuch ill Terms. The King did now under-
ihmd, that there was no agreement like to
be made between the Emperour and Fran-
ci*-> for it ftuck at the matter of the Dutchy
of Milan ; in which neither of them would
yield to the other -, and the King was fure,
they would both court his Friendfhip
in cafe of a War -7 and this made him
lefs concerned for the Favour of the Ger
man Princes. So, now CromwePs Counlels
became unacceptable : With this a fecret
Reafon concurred. The King did not on
ly hate the Qpeen, but was now come to be
;;> in
of tSe Eefognatfon, $c. 239
in Love with Katkerine Howard, Neece to Book f.
the Duke of Norfolk,, which both raifed ^v~^>
his Intereft, and deprefl Cromwel, who had 1 540.
made the former Match. The King was
alfo willing to call upon him all the Errours
that had been committed of late, and by
making him a Sacrifice, he hoped he fhould
regain the Affections cf his People. The
King had alfo Informations brought him,
That he fecretly encouraged thofe that
oppofcd the fix Articles, and difcouraged
thofe who went about the Execution of
it. His Fall came fo fuddenly, that he had
nottheleaft Apprehenfion of it before the
Storm brake on him. He had the com
mon Fate of all difgraced Minifters } his
Friends forfook him , and his Enemies
infulted over him -, only Cranmer (luck to
him; and wrote earned! y to the King in his
Favours. c He faid he found that he had al-
4 ways loved the King above all things j
cand had ferved him with fuch Fidelity
c and Succefs, that he believed no King of
c England had ever a faithfuller Servant :
c And he wifhed the King might find fuch
ca Councellour, who both could, and
c would, ferve him as he had done. So
great and generous a Soul had Cranmer ^v^t
was not turned by changes in his Friends
Fortunes , and would venture on the dif-
pleafure of fo Imperious a Prince, rather
jthan fail in the Duties of Friendfhip. But
the King was now refolved to ruine Crom,
ml, and that unjuft Practice of Attaint
ing, without hearing the Parties Anfwer
' "**"• for
240
Book I. for themfelves, which he had promoted
i/wj too much before, was now turned upon
1540. himfelf. He had fuch Enemies in the
Honfe of Lords, that the Bill of Attainder
was difpatched in two 4ays, being read
twice in one day. Crarimcr was abfent,
and no other would venture to fpeak tor
him. But he met with more Jufliceinthe
Houfe of Commons ^ for it fhick ten days
there. And in Conclufion, a new Bill
was drawn againft him, and fent up to the
Lords, to which they confented :, and it
had the Royal Aflent.
Hi* 4t- 4 In it they fet forth, That tho the King
tender. <• nac[ raifed him from a bafe State, to great
c Dignities , Yet it appeared by many Wit-
* nelles, that were Perfons of Honour, that
4 he had been the moft Corrupt Traitor
c that ever was known : That he had fet
4 many at Liberty that were condemned,
c or fufpefted of Mifprifion of Treafon :
c That he had given Licences for tran-
c fportingoutofthe Kingdom things pro-
c hibited by Proclamation: And had granted
c many Pafsports without fearch made :
1 That he had faid, he wMfurelpftke King,
cThat he had difperfed many Erroneous
c Books, contrary to the Belief of the Sa-
ccrament: And had faid, That every
4 Man might Adminifler it as well as a
c Prieft : That he had liccnfed many
c Preachers fufpefted offJerefy : And had
c ordered many to be difcharged that were
c committed on that account •, and had dif-
4 charged sll Informers: That he had
many
of tlje E^jjmstfan, &* 2^1
4 -many Hereticks about him : That a- Book f.
4 bove; a Year before, :he had faid, The v^-v-W
4 preaching of Barns and others, , was good ; 1 540*
4 And that he would not turnv tho the King
*did turn; but if the King turned, he?
4 would fight in; Per fon . again ft him, and,
'all that turned : And drawing out Jhis
* Dagger^ he wifht that might pierce him to
4 the Heart, if he iliould not do it } he had
4 alfo faid, If he lived a year or two longer^
4 it fhould not be in the King's Power to
4 hinder it.He had likewife been; found guik
4 ty of great Oppreflion and Bribery : And
'•when he heard, that fome Lords were tak-
4 ing Counfei againft hioi,he had threatned,
4 that he would raife great llirrs in England:
* For thefe things, he was Attainted both
4 of High Treafon and Herefy . A Provifo
was added, for fecuringthe Church of Wefts j
of which he had been Dean. . . • . .
; This was iookt on as very hard Mea-
&re. It was believed, That he had
leaft Verbal Orders from the King, for
the Licences and Orders, that were com
plained of ; arnd perhaps he could . have
fliewed fome in Writing, if he had been
heard to make his Anfwers. Bribery fe^med
to be caft on him, only to render, him odi
ous •, but no Particulars were mentioned^
Nor was it credible , That he could have
fpoken fuch Words of the King,' as were al-
ledged , Specially when, he was ...in tlui
height of his Favour ^ and if he had fpoken
them above a Year before, it is not to be
imagined that they could have been fo long
2 42 augment of tfje 5|>iff o$
Book I. kept fecret-, and what was faid of his draw-
ing out a Dagger, look"d like a defign to
affix an overt Ad to them.
Tnis being done, The King went on to
movc for a Divorce. An Addrefs was
moved to be made to him by the Lords,
that he would fufter tys Marriage to be ex
amined. Cranmer and others were fent
down to del ire the Concurrence of the Com
mons •, and they ordered 20 of their num
ber to go along with the Lords, who went
all in a body to the King. He granted their
defire, the matter being concerted before.
So a Commiflion was fent to the Convoca
tion, to difcufs it : Gardiner opened it to
them •, and they appointed a Committee
for the Examination of Witnefles. The
Subftance of the whole Evidence amount
ed to thefe Particulars; That the matter
of the Precontract with the Prince of Lor-
rain, was not fully cleared ^ and it did not
appear, if it was made by the Queen-, or
whether it was in the Words of the prefent
time, or not. That the King had mar
ried her againft her Will ^ and had not
given an inward and compleat Confent ^
and that he had never confummated the
Marriage •, fo that they faw he could have
no Ifliie by the Queen. Upon thefe grounds
the whole Convocation with one con-
fent annulled the Marriage, and declared
both Parties free. This was the grofleil
piece of Compliance that the King had
from his Clergy in his whole Reign : For
as they knew that there was nothing in the
# pre--
$ of tlje IRefostttatf ott, $£* 243
jtfeteaded Precontract •, fo by voiding the Book I.
Marriage , becaufe the Confent was not ^,
internal and free, they made a molt per- 1540*
nicious Precedent for breaking ail pubiick
Treaties j for none can know Men's
Hearts ^ it would be eafy for every
one to pretend that he had not given a per
fect Confent •, and that being allowed,there
could be no Confidence nor fafety among
Men any more. And in the Procefs for
the King's firft Divorce, they had laid it
down as a Principle, that a Marriage was
compleat, tho it were never confummated.
But in a Word, the King was refolved to
be rid of the Queen •, and the Clergy were
refolved not to offend him : And they ra
ther fought out Reafons to give a colour
to their Sentence, then pan: it on the force
of thofe Reafons. Cromwel was required
to fend a Declaration of all he knew con
cerning the Marriage, which he did -, but
ended in thefe moil abjedt Words, c Written
c with the heavy Heart , and trembling
c Hand, of your Highnefs's moft heavy, and
c moil miferable Prifoner, and poor Slave,
c 7 ho. Cromwel : and under his Subfcription
che wrote, Moft Sacred Prince, I cry for,
Mercy, Mercy ^ Mercy. The Judgment of
the Convocation was reported to the
Houfeof Lords by CVvm/^r, and the Rea
fons were opened by Gardiner, They were
fent down to the Commons to give them
the fame account •, and both Houfes were
fatisfied with it. Next day, fome Lords
were fent to the Queen, who had retired
" R 2 to
2 44 ab$JBmcitt of tlje 8ptfto$
Book I. to Richmond : They told her,TheKing was
V>*VNJ refolved to declare her his adopted Sifter,
..1540. and to fetle 4000 /. a Year on her, ifflie
would cpnfent to it j which fhe cheerfully
embraced •, and it being left to her choice,
cither to live in England, or to return to her
Brother j She preferred the former. They
preft her to write to her Brother, that all
this matter was done with her good Will •,
that the King ufed her , as a Father •,
snd that therefore he, and the other Al
lies, fhould not take this ill at his hands.
She was a little averfe to this, but was
prevailed on to do it. When things were
thus prepared , the Aft confirming the
Judgment of the Convocation, paflT with
out any Oppofition. An Aft pail, miti
gating one Claufe in the Aft of the fix
Articles ; by which, the pains of Death
for the Marriage or Incontinence of the
Clergy , were changed into a Forfeiture
of their Goods and Benefices. Another
Aft pair, Authorizing thofe Committees of
Bifhops and Divines that had been named
by the King, both for the Doftrineand
Ceremonies, to go on in it •, and appoint^
ing, that what fhould be agreed on by
them, and Publifhed with the King's Ap
probation , fhould bind the Subjects as
much as if every Particular in it had been
ennumerated in that Aft, any Law or Cu~
ftome co the contrary notwithftanding :
But a Provifo was added, That nothing
might be done by th^m contrary to the
Laws then in force : Which Contradiction
in
of tlje Eefbjmatioit, $c* 245
in the Provifos, feems to have been put Book
in on deiign, to keep all Eccleliailical Pro- v^vv
ceedingsunderthelnfpedion of the Seen- 1540,
lar Courts, lince they are the only Ex
pounders of Ads of Parliament. Another
Ad paft, That no Pretence of a Precon-
trad fhould be made ufe of to annul a Mar
riage duly Solemnized and Confnmmated :
And that no Degrees of Kindred , but
thofe ennumerated in the Lav; of Moft s+
might hinder a Marriage. This laft was
added, To enable the King to marry Ka-
therine Howard^ that was Coufin German
tv Arm Boleytj) which was one of the De?
grees prohibited by the Canon Law ^ but
tfce reafon of the former part is not known.
It diredly condemns the King's Divorce of
Ann Boleyn, grounded on a pretended Pre
contract.
The Province of Canterbury gave the
KingaSubfidy of 4 s. in the Pound, to be
payed in two Years, with a Preamble of
high Acknowledgments of their Happinefs
under his Protection. A Subfidy was alfo
asked of the Laity, but in the Houfe of
Commons it was much oppofed : Many
faid they'had given the King the Abbey-
Lands, in hopes that no Subddies mould
have been any more demanded; and it ihew-
ed a ftrange Profufenefs, that now within
a Year after that, a Subfidy was demand
ed. But it was anfwered. That the King
had been at great charge in fortifying his
Coafts -, and in keeping up fuch Leagues
beyond Sea, ^ prcferved the Nation iu
R 3 fafety
abatement of tlje HMffojp
Book I. fafety •, a Tenth and four i yhs were?
^v"V granted. Several Bills of Attainder were.
.1540- paft. And in Conclufion, the King fent
a General Pardon, out of which, CnwmW,
and divers others were excepted:, and thea
the Parliament was diilblved. CromwePs
mean AddrelTes could not prefer ve him: So
Cromwels he was executed on the iSofJ^/yrHethank-
ed God for bringiug him to die in that
manner ,which was juii:,on the account of his
' Sins againft God, and his Offences againft
c his Prince. He declared that he doubted
4 of no Article of the Catholick Faith, cor
c of any Sacrament of the Church. He
Vfaid, He had been feduced, but now he
c died in the Catholick Faith ; and denied
c he had fupported the Preachers of ill Opi-
* nions. He defired all their Prayers :, and
prayed very fervently for himfelf •, and
thus did he end his days.
He rofe meerly by the flrength of his
Natural Parts ; for his Education was fuit-
able to his mean Extraction : Only he had
all the New Teilament in Latin, by Heart.
He carried his Greatnefs with Extraor
dinary Moderation ; and fell rather under
the weight of Popular Odinm^ than Guilt.
At his Death he mixed none of the Su-
perflitions of the Church of Rome with
his Devotions : So it was faid , that he
ufed the Word, C atholick^dith, in its true
fenfe, and in Oppofition to the Novelties
of the Church of Rome : Yet his Ambigu-
pus way of expreffing himfelf, made the
Papifls fay, that he died repenting of his
of tlje JRefoawtf on, «c; 2 4 7
Hcrefy : But the Proteftants [aid that he. Book I.
died in the fame Perfwafions in which he ts\r^J
lived. With him fell the Office of the 1540.'
King's Vicegerent, and none after him have
afpired to that Character, that proved
fo fatal to him who firft carried it. It was
believed that the King lamented his Death
when it was too late ; and the Miferies
that fell on the new Queen, and on the
Duke of Norfolk^, and his Family, were
look'd on as Strokes from Heaven on them,
for their cruel profecutiiig this unfortunate
Minifter. With his Fall, theProgrefs of the.
Reformation ftopt •, for Cranmer ^ could
never gain much Ground after this, and
indeed many hoped that he fhould be quick
ly fent after Cromwell ; fome complained
of him in the. Houfe of Commons, and
Informations were brought the King, that
the chief Encouragement that the Hereticks
had, came from him.
The Eccleflaftical Committees imploy- A Book, o
cd by the King,were now at work,and gave *
the laft finifhing to a Book formerly pre--^^^/
pared, but at this time corrected and
explained in many Particulars. They be
gan with the Explanation of Faith, which
according to the Doftrine of the Church
of Rome, was thought an implicit believing
whatever the Church propofed : But the Re
formers made it the chief Subject of their
Books and Sermons, to perfwade People
to believe in Chriil, and not in the Church;
and made great ufe of thofe Places in which
jit was faid, That Chriftians are juftfad
R 4 ty
-448 3b|i8smettt of tlje IjMfloip
Book I. h Fdith only : tho fome explained this in
C/VNJ inch a manner, that it gave their Adverr
.4540. faries Advantages to charge them that they
Denied the neceiTity of Gop4 Works ; but
they al) taught that tho they werenot necef-
fary to Juftiiication,yet they were neceflary
IP Salvation. They differ edalfo in their
Notion of GQo'd' Works : The Church
Of Rome taught, that the Honour done; tQ
God in l^is Images, or to the Saints iu
their Shrines and Relicks, or to the Priefts,
were the beft fort qf pood Works :
Whereas the Reformers preft Julticeand
Mercy moll, and difcovered the Superfti-
tion of the other. The Opinion of the
Merit1 of Good Works, was alfo fo highly
raifed, that many thought they purchafed
Heaven f^y them. This the Reformers did
^Ifo corroft, and taught the People to de
pend meerly upon the Death and Inter-
ceffion of Chriit. Others moved fubtiller
Quei^ions, As whether Obedience was an
eilential part of Faith, or only a Confer
guent of it ? This was a Nicety fcarce be
coming Djvines, that built only on the
Simplicity of the Scriptures, and condem-
jied the Subtilties of the Schools ; and it
was faid, that Men of ill Lives abufed this
JDodlrine, and thought that if they could
but aflure tjiemfelves that Chrifl died
for them, they were fafe enough.
Th EX- So nov? when they fettled the Notion
fiction of Faith^ they divided it into two forts :
iof faith. The one was a Perfwafion of the Truth
pf the Gofpel ^ but the pther carried witfe
it
of tfje Reformation, $c> 249
it a Submifiion to the Will of God -, and Book L
both Hope, Love, and Obedience belon- «w>vr^
gedtoit; which was the Faith profefTed 1540*
in Baptifm, and fo much extolPd by St.
Paul. It was not to be fo ijjiderftood as if
it were a Certainty of our being predefti-
nated, which may be onjy a Preemption ;
iinceall Gocl?s Prpiriifes are made to us on
Conditions :, but it was an entire receiving
the whole Gofpel according to our Bap-
tifmal Vows. Cranmw took great Pains
to itate this matter right; and made a
large Collection of many plgces, all writ
ten with his own Hand, both oyt pf An-
tient and Mo4ern Authors, concerning
Faith, Juftification and the Merit of Good
Works j and concluded with this, That
our Juftification was to be ^fcrjbed only
to the Merits of Chriftj and that thofe
who are juftified muft have Charity as well
as Faith, but that neither of thefe was the
meritorious Caufe of Juftification. After this
was ftated, they made next a large and full
Explanation of the Apoftles Creed with
great Judgment, and jnany excellent practi
cal Inferences ^ the Definition they gave of
the Cathojick Church runs thus ; ' It com-
' prehended alj Affemtilies of Men in the
*• whole World that received the Faith of
* Chrift, who ought to hold an Unity of
f Love and Brotherly Agreement together,
* by which they became Members of the
4 Catholick Church : After this they ex
plained the feven Sacraments.
In
2$O
Book I. In opening thefe there were great De*
bates -7 for, as was formerly mentioned, the
method ufed,was to open the i oint enquired
into by propofing many Queries, and eve
ry one was to give in his Anfwer to thefe,
with the Reafons of it •, and then others
were appointed to make an AbltracT: of thofe
things, in which they all either agreed or
differed. The Original Papers relating to
thefe Points are yet preferved, which fhew
with how great Confideration they pro
ceeded in the Changes that were then made.
Cranmer had at this timefome particular
Opinions concerning Eccleflaftical Offices ;
That they were delivered from the King,as
other Civil Offices were, and that Ordina
tion was not indifpenfibly neceilary, and
Twas only a Ceremony, that might be ufedor
laid afide , but that the Authority was con
veyed to Church-men only by the King's
Commiffion •, yet he delivered his Opinion
in this matter with great Modefty, and he
not only fubfcribed the Book in which the
contrary Doctrine was eftablilhed, but
afterwards publilhed it in a Book which he
writ in King Edwards days, from whence
it appears that he changed his Mind in this
Particular. Baptifm was explained as had
been done formerly } Penance was made
toconfift in the Absolution ofthePriefts
which had been formerly declared only to be
defirable,where it could be had. In the Com
munion, both Tranfubftantiation, Private
Mafles, and Communion in one kind, were
aflerted : They aflerted the Obligation of
the
of tlje Eefo?matton, $c* 251
the Levitical Law about the Degrees of Book
' Marriage, and the Indiilblublenefs of that c/>/^
Bond. They fet out the Divine Inftitu- X54o
tion of Priefts and Deacons ; and that no
Bifhop had Authority over another : they
made a long Excurfion againft the Pope's
Pretenfions, and for juftifying the King's
Supremacy. They faid, Confirmation was
inltituted by the Apoftles, and was profi
table, but not neceflary to Salvation : and
they ailerted extream Unclion to have been
commanded by the Apoftles, for the Health
both of Soul and Body. Then were the
Ten Commandments explained, the fecond
was added to the firft, but the Words.,
For lam the Lord thy GW,&c. were left out.
It was declared, that no Godly Honour
was to be done unto Images, and that they
ought only to be reverenced, for their
fakes whom they reprefented : therefore
the preferring of one Image to another,
and the making Pilgrimages and Offerings
to them, was condemned , but the cenfmg
them or kneeling before them was permit
ted -, yet the People were to be taught
that thefe things were done only to the
Honour of God. Invocation of Saints, as
Interceflbrs, was allowed^ but immediate
Addrefles to them for the Bleffings that
were prayed for, was condemned. The
ftrift reft from Labour on the feventh day.,
was declared to be Ceremonial :, but it was
neceflary to reft from Sin, and Carnal Plea-
fure, and to follow Holy Duties. The
other Commandments were explained in a
very
2 52
Book I. very plain and practical way. Then was
L/>./^o the Lord's Prayer explained, and it was
1540. aflerted that the People ought only to pray
in their Vulgar Tongues, for exciting their
Devotion the more : The Angels Salutati
on to the Virgin was alfo paraphrafed.
They handled Free-will and defined it to
be a Power by which the Will guided by
Reafon, did without conltraint difcern
andchoofe Good and Evil, the former by
the help of God's Spirit, and the latter of
it felf. Grace was faid to be offered to all
Men, but was made effectual by the Appli
cation of the Free-will to it: and Grace
and Free-will did confifl well together, the
one being added for the help of the other ;
and therefore Preachers were warned not
to deprefs either of them too much,tn order
to the Exaltation of the other. Men were
juftified freely by the Grace of God,but that
was applied by Faith, in which both the
Fear of God, Repentance, and Amend
ment of Life were included. All curious
reafonings about Predeftination were con
demned ; for Men could not beafluredof
their Eledion, but by feeling the Motions
of God's Holy Spirit appearing in a good
and a vertuous Life, and per fevering in
that to the end. Good Works were ne-
ceilary, which were not the Superftitious
Inventions of Monks and Friars, nor only
moral Good Works done by the Power of
Nature, but were the Works of Charity
flowing from a pure Heart and Faith un
feigned : Faft ing and the other Fruits of
Penaance
of tlje Eefopiatiott, $c« 253
Pennance were alfo Good Works * but of Book I*
an Inferiour Nature to Juftice and the other LS\/~^J
Vertues : Good Works were meritorious, X54o«
yet fmce they were wrought in Men by
God's Spirit ; all boafling was excluded.
They ended with an account of Prayer for
Souls departed, almoft the fame that was
in the Articles publifned before.
The Book was writ in a plain and MaP ?
culine Stile, fit for weak Capacities, and"/*
yet flrong and weighty : and the parts pf
it that related to Practice were admirable.
To this they added a Preface, declaring the
Care they had ufed in examining the Scrip
tures and Antient Doctors, out of whom
they compiled this Book. The King ad
ded another Preface^ in which he condem
ned the Hypocrify and Superftition of one
fort, and the Prefumption of another fort ;
to correct both, he had ordered this Book
to be made, and publifhed : and he required
his People to read and print it in their
Hearts, and to pray to God to grant them
the Spirit of Humility for receiving it a-
right : And he charged the Inferiour Peo
ple to remember that their Office was not
to teach, but to be taught, and to practife
what they heard, rather than difpute about
it. But this Preface was not added till
two Years after the Book was put outy
for it mentions the Approbation that was
given to it in Parliament, and the Reftraint
that was put on reading the Scriptures, of
which an account fell be given after
wards,
the
2 54 Segment of tlje |>iff0$
Book I. The Reformers were diflatisfied with ma-
v-^v-\^ ny things in the Book, yet were glad to
J54o- find the Morals of Religion fp well opened •,
for the Purity of Soul, which that might
efFeft, would difpofe People to found Opi
nions ; many Superftitious Practices were
alfo condemned, and the Gofpel-Covenant
was rightly ftated. One Article was alfo
aflerted in it, which opened the way to a
further Reformation ; for every National
Church was declared to be a compleat Bo-
dy,with Power to reform Herefies,and do e-
yery thing that was neceflary for preferving
its own Purity, or governing its Members.
The Popiih Party thought they had reco
vered much Ground, that feemed loft for
merly : They knew the Reformers would
never fubmit to all things in this Book,
which would alienate the King from them j
but they were fafe, being refolved to com
ply with him in every thing, and with
out doing that, it was like to be fomewhat
uneafy to live in England ; for the King's
Peevifhnefs grew upon him with his Age.
Now the Correfpondence between the
King and the German Princes fell upon the
Change that was made in the Miniftry, and
a fecret Treaty was fet on foot between
the King and the Emperour. All the
Changes that the Committee appointed for
the Ceremonies made, was only the Rafure
of fome Offices and Collects, and the fetting
out of a new Primer, with the Vulgar De
votions for the Common People : But the
Changes were not fo great, as that it was
neceflary
of tfje Eefojmation, <jc 255
neceflary to reprint the Miilals or Brevia- Book I*
ries*, for the old Books were flillmadeufe
of. Yet thefe Rafures were fuch, that in I54
Queen Mary\ time the old Books were all
called in, and the Nation was put to the
Charge of buying new ones, which was
considerable, fo great was the Number of
the Books of Offices.
The Popifh Party ftudied now to engage Banks
the King into new Seventies againft the **d
Reformers; the firft Inftances of thefe f*n<"«>
fell on three Preachers, Barnes, Gerrard,
and Jerome- who had been early wrought
on by Luther's Books. Barnes had during
Wolfey*s Greatnefs, reflected much on him
in a Sermon which he preached at Cam-
bridg ; but Gardiner was then his Friend,
and brought him off; he having abjured
fome Articles that were objected to him :
yet upon new Complaints he was again
putinPrifon, but he made his Efcape and
fled to Germany -, and became foconildera-
ble, that he was fent over to England by the
King of Denmark., as Chaplain'to his-Am-
bafladours -7 but he went back again. The
Bifhop of Hereford meeting him at Smal-
cald, fent him over to England, with a
fpecial Recommendation to Cromwell : he
was after that, much imployed in the
Negotiations which the King had with the
Germans •, and had the misfortune to be the
firlt that was fent with the Propofition for
jlnneQtCleve. In Lent this Year Banner
appointed thofe three to have their turns
at St. PauPs Crofs j Gardiner preached alfo
there
ft 56 abstojjitiettt af tlje $flto$
Book I. there^ and fell on Jollification, which he
v^v-^' handled according to the Notions of Che
m -1540. Schools: But Barnes and the other two did
directly refute his Sermon, when it came to
their turns to preach, not without indecent
Reflections on his Perfon. This was f epre-
fented to the King as a great Infolence,he be^
ing both a Bifhop and a Privy Counfellour £
fo the King commanded them to go and give
him Satisfaction : he feemed to carry the
matter with much Moderation, and readi
ly forgave all that was perfonal, tho it was
believed that.it ftuck deep in him. In
Concluflon, they confefled their Indifcre-
tion, and promifed for the future to be
more cautious^ and renounced fome Arti
cles of which it was thought their Sermons
favoured •, as that God was the Author of
Sin, that Good Works were notnecefla-
ry to Salvation, and that Princes ought
not to be obeyed in all their juft Laws.
Some other Niceties were in difpute con
cerning Juftification ; but the King thought
theft were not of fuch Confequence, that
it was neceflary to make them abjure them.
Barnes and his Friends were required to
preach a Recantation Sermon at theSpit>
tie, and to ask Gardiner^ Pardon ; but tho
they obeyed this, yet it was faid that in
one place, they jultified what they recan
ted in another -, at which the King was fo
much provoked , that without hearing
them, hefent them to the Tower, At that
time Cromwell either could not protedt
them, or would uot interpofe in •a>«xatt«r
whkfe
of t&e Eefo?rtuiti0n, &C 2 5 7
which gave the King fo great Offence. Book I*
When the Parliament came, they were
attainted of Herefy, without being brought
to make their Anfwers : no particular Er
rors were objected to them, only they were
condemned to be burnt as deteftable He-
reticks in general Words. In the fame
Act by which they were condemned : four
other were attainted of Treafon, for be
ing confederated with Reginald Pool, and
for intending to furprize Calais, and as
there was a ftrange mixture in their Con
demnation, fo the like was in their Execu
tions : for Abel Feather/ton, and Powell^
that were attainted in the fame Parliament
for owning the Pope's Supremacy, were
executed with them, and were coupled
together in the Hurdles in which they were
carried toSmitbfield; the King in this af
fecting an extravagant Appearance of Im
partiality in his Juftice.
Barnes being tied to the Stake, went over
the Articles of the Creed, and declared his
Belief of them all; and that he abhorred the
impious Opinions of fome German Ana-
,baptifts: . Heatferted the necefTity of Good
Works, but afcribed Juflification wholly
to the Merits of Chrift ; he profefled all
due Reverence to the Saints -, but faid he
faw no Warrant to pray for them ; he
asked the Sheriff and the People^ if they
knew for what they were condemned, and
what Herefiesthey were accufed of: but
none made Anfwer •, he prayed God to
forgive all that fought their Death, and
S ia
2 58 augment of tlje pffo??
Book L in particular, Gardiner, if he had done it :
v-'-v^-' then prayed for the King and the Prince^
1 540, and expreiled his Loyalty to the King ;
that he believed all his juft Laws were to
be obeyed for Confcience fake, and that in
no Cafe it was lawful to refift him : he fent
fome Defires to the King, as that he would
apply the Abby-Lands to good llfes, and
the Relief of his poor Subjects ; that he
would punifli the Contempt of Marriage
that was fo common, and would put a flop
to the Liberty many took of catting off
their Wives, and living in Whoredom -7
that Swearers might be punifhed, and that
fince the King had begun to fet forth the
Chriftian Religion, that he would -go on
with it } for a great deal remained yet to
be done : he asked the Forgivenefs of all
People whom he might have at any time
offended,and fo turned and prepared himfelf
for Death : then the other two ipoke to
the fame purpofe ^ they declared their
Faith, and exhorted the People to a good
Life, and mutual Love •, and they all pray
ed and embraced one another ; after that,
the Fire was fet to. The Conflancy they
exprefied, together with the Gentlenefs of
their Deportment towards their Enemies,
made great Impreffions on the Spectators,
and caft a heavy Imputation on Gar diner y
as the Procurer of their Deaths5tho he jufti-
fied himfelf in an Apology which he prin
ted-, in which he denied any other Acceilion
to it, but giving his Vote to the Bill of At>
iBwxrt began now to/hew himfelf in
*. his
of t!je Befojmattoit, fti 2 59
his own Colours : He had courted Crowweti Book I.
niore than any Perfon whatfoever ', yet the ^-v~^
trery day after his Difgrace, he fhewedhis 1540;
Ingratitude; for Graf ton that had printed the
Bible, and was much in CroMelFs Favour
upon that account^ meeting Banner, ex-
prefled his Sorrow for CromweiPs being fent
to the Tower 3 but the other anfvvered, that
it had been good he had been there much
fooner: Grafton&w his Error in fpeaking
fo freely, and went froni him : but fome
Verfes being printed in CromweU\ Praife $
Bonncr informed the Council what Grafton
had faid to him, and fo thought it was pro
bable he had printed them^yet he had fo ma-
ny Friends that he was let go. He procured
inany to be indidled upon the Act of the
fix Articles •, but an Of der came from the
King to ftop further Proceedings :, yet he
jiick'd out one Inftance which did equally
difcoverhis brutal Cruelty? and his want
of Judgment.. Oie,A4«$af not above fif
teen Years Old, had faid fomewhat againit
the Corporal Prefence, and in Commenda
tion of Dr. Barnes : The Witnelles differed
in their Evidence, one fwore he had faid the
Sacrament was only a Ceremony 5 the other
fwore he had faid it was tfnly a Sigri$cM$*
*n : fo two Grand Juries returned an/£tf0-
ramtis on the Bill ^ upon which he fell into a
fit of Curfing and violent Rage, and he
made, the fecond Grand Jury go.afideand
cOnfidef better of it, they being terri
fied, found the Bill, and he was condem^
lied to be burnt , but hoping to be pf e-
S z foved
Book L ftrved by what he fhould fay at the Stake 5
,v^-v^ he railed at Barnes, and praifed Conner
1540. much : yet that did not fave him. Two
were burnt at $«^*^afid two at Lincoln^
upon the fame Statute \ befides great
Numbers that were put in Prifon.
In the end of this Year, the King began
to encjow t.jje new Bilhopricks : Weftminfter
was the firkin which he endowed a B i (hop-
rick, a Deanry, 12 Prebendaries, a Quire^
and other Officers. The Year after this, he
endowed Chefter, Glocefter, and Peterbo-
'rough •, but in thefe Cathedrals he only en*
dowed lix Prebendaries ; two Years after
he likewife endowed Oxford and Bnftol.
The Foundations had Preambles are almofl
the fame with that of the Ad of Parliament
thatcmpowred him to eredt them •, he pro
moted the Biihops to thofe Sees by a fpecial
Writ ; tho that was to go thereafter in the
way of Ekdtion, as it was in the other
Sees : he alfo converted the Priories of
Canterbury, Wtnchefter, Durcfme-> Worcefter^
Ely-) Rochtfter, and Carlile, into Collegiate
Churches, confifting of Deans and Preben
daries. But as all this came much far fhort of
what the King had at iirft intended •, fo the
Channel in which thofe Foundations run,dif-
fered much from what CV^wwrhad proje-
.dted,whofe Intereft was fo low at Court,that
his Opinion was not now regarded as it had
been formerly. He intended to have refto-
red the Cathedrals to what they had been
at fir/1, to be Colleges and Nurferies for the
Diocefsj and to have fee up Readers of the
* Learned
of t!je Eefc jmation, $c* 2 6 1
Learned Tongues, and of Divinity, in. Book F-
them, that fo a confiderable number of i/y vj
young Clerks might have been trained up 1540.
under the Bifhop?s Eye, both in their Stu
dies, and in a Courfe of Devotion ; to be
.by him,put afterwards in Livings, according
to their Merit and Improvements. The want
of fuch Houfes for the ftrict Education of
thofe who are to ferve in the Church, has
been the occafion of many fatal Confequen-
ces fince that time, by the Scandals which
Men initiated to the Sacred Functions, be
fore they were well prepared for them,
have given the World. The Popifh Party
beyond Sea cenfured tfiefe Endowments,
both as being a very defective Reftitution
ofthe Lands that had been invaded, and
as an Invafion on the Spiritual Authority,
when the King divided Diocefles, and re
moved Churches from one Jurifdidion and
put them under another. To which it was
anfwered, That as their Practices againft
the King had put him to fuch a charge,
that he could not execute what he at firlt
intended:, fo both the Roman Emperours,
and other Chriftian Kings, had regulated
and divided the Eccleflaftical furifdidion,
and made Primates and Patriarchs as they
pleafed. Ely in England, was taken out
of Lincoln, only by the King and his Par
liament j tho P. Nicolau* did officioully
fend a Confirmation of it, that being an
Art of the Papacy to offer Confirmations
•flfought; and afterwards to found a
flight on fuch a Precedent: So that the
S 3 receiv-
2 6 2 3
Book I. receiving a Confirmation, was made to
ex>>>o pafs, for an acknowledgment of an Autho-
*54°» rity in that See to grant it :, upon which
the Popes afterwards pretended, that fuch
things could not be done without their
content. Here the Series of the King's
Advances towards a Reformation, ends \
what he did after this, was by Starts^
backwards or forwards , as the humour
took him : Nor was he Heady in his
Councils in State- Affairs : He had no Mi-
nifter about him, that had an Afcendent
over him. Sicknefs and Years increafed
his Iniperious Temper •, fo that his Coun-
fellorshada hard task topleafehim, and
many Enrours were committed by him.
A new Imprefllon of the Bible was at
this time finiflied : And the King required
a^ P^ifhes to provide one of them by the
next M-hdhwtide, under the pain of 40 /,
a Month after that, * till they had got one.
The People were alfo charged not to dip
pute about it, nor to difturb Divine Ser
vice by reading it during the Mafs •, but
to read it humbly and reverently for their
Inftru'ftfon and Edification. Six of theft
werefetup in divers Places of St. Pauls :
But Bonner being afraid of the Mifchief they
jnightdo, poftedup ;nearthem anAdmo-
jiition to the People, ? That none fhouicl
read them v/ith vain Glory, and corrupt
Affedions, 6r draw Multitudes about them
when they read them. But great numbers
gathered about thofe that read •, and fuch
as had good Voices , ufed to be reading
them"
of tfje Eefo?ntatfott, &. 2 63
them aloud a great part of the Day.Manyfet Book I-
their Children to School,and when they had v^v-w
learnM to read,they carriM them to Church 1541.
to read the Bibles -7 fpme began likewifeto
argue from them,particularly againft taking
away the Chalice in the Communion, and
the Worfhip in an unknown Tongue.
Upon which, Bomer fet up a new Adver-
tifenient, and threatned to remove them,
if thefe abufes were not corrected : And
upon the Complaints made of thofe things,
the free ufe of the Scriptures was after
wards much retrained. This Year the King
added to his former Foundations, two Col-
legiat Churches .at Burton upon Trent , and
Thornton , coafifting of a Dean and four
Prebendaries apiece. Cranmer obferving
the Excefles in Bifhops Tables, by which,
under the name of Hofpitality, fo much
was confunied in great Entertainments,
that they were difabled from more necef-
fary and profitable Acts of Charity, made
a Regulation, that an Archbifhop fhould
not have above fix Difhes of Meat, and
four of Banquet •, a Bifhop not above five,
of Meat, and four of Banquet , a Dean or
Arth-deacon, not above four, and two of
the one, and the other-, and Inferiour
Church-men might not have above two
Dirties. But this did not take effect ; and
Sumptuous Tables ftill continued; tho
the Revenues were much impaired ; and
thus befides the other ill Effects ofthefe, a
great part of the Church-rents goes for En
tertaining the Rich,which fhould be applied
to the Poor. S 4 This
2 64 a&tfasment of tlyt liMft 0$
Book I. This Summer the King;went to
CX-N^J to meet his Nephew the King of Scotland^
1 54 *• who promifed him an Enterview there. He
was an Extraordinary Prince, a great Pa-
J-ron> koth °f Learning and Juflice •, but
but of meafure addicted to his Pleafures.
The Clergy of Scotland were very Appre-
Kcnfive of his feeing his Uncle, left King
Henry might have perfwaded him to follow
the Copy he had fet to his Neighbours :
and they ufed fuch perfwafions, that thefe
fcconded by a MefTage from France, divert
ed the King from his purpofet Here I malt
digrefs a'little,to give'an account of the State
^t Scotland^ at this time. The long Alli
ance befween Scotland and France, made
that Paris was the place where the Learned
of that'Nation had their 'Education : Yet
after the Year i4ii,Learning came to have
more footing there, and llnirafities were
fet up in feveral Epifcopal Sees. At the
fame time , fome of Wic^iff^ Followers
began to creep into Scotland1^ and one
Resby^ an Englifhman, was burnt (1407)
for teaching fome Opinions contrary to the'
Pope^s Authority. Some Years after that;
Paul Craw, an Hnfflte and Bohemian, was
burnt, for infufing the Opinions of that
Party, into fome at St. Andrews. About
the end of that Century, Lollardy, as it was
then called, was fpread into many parts of
ihe Diocefs ^in 'Glafgow : For which, feveral
Perfons of Quality were accufed : But
theyanfwered the Archbifhopof that See,
fuclt AfTurance, that he difmiifed
themy
ef tfje EefG?mati0n, $c, Q $5
them •, having admonifh'd them, to con- Book L
tent themfelves with the Faith of the ^^\r^i
Church, and to beware of new Dodrines. 1541.
The fame Spirit of Ignorance., Immora
lity, and Superftition, had over-run the
Clergy there, that was fo much complained
of in the other parts of Europe: only it may
be fuppofed, that in Nations lefs Polite
and Learned, it was in Proportion great-*
er then it was elfe where. The total negled;
ofthePaftoral Care, and the grofs Scan
dals of the Clergy, pofTelfed the People
with fuch Prejudices againft them, that
they were eaiily difpofed to hearken to
new Preachers. Patrick^ Hamilton, nobly
born, Nephew by his Father to the
Earlof^nztf, and to the Duke of Many
by his Mother, was bred up on defign to.
be highly -preferred y and had an Abby
given him for profecuting his Studies. He
went to travel, and in Germany grew ac
quainted with Luther and Melanfthw^
and being poflefled with their Opinions,
he returned to Scotland, and laid open the
Errours and Corruptions then received
in the Church. He was invited to St.
Andrews, to confer concerning thefe
Points, upon which he was condemned,and
put in Prifon. Articles were- objeded t,o
him-, and upon his refufing to abjure them,
Beaton, Archbifhop of St Andrews, with
the Archbifhop ofGlafgow, 3 Bi{hops,t and
5 Abbots, condemned him, as an obftinate
Heretick, and delivered him to theSecu-
Jar Povyer? and ordered the Execution to
266 augment of tfje |)fffo?p
Book I. be that Afternoon ; for the King had gone
in Pilgrimage to Rofs ; and they were
afraid, left upon his Return, Hamilton^
Friends might have interceeded effeftually
for him. He was tied to the Stake, and
exprefled great Joyes in his Sufferings,
fince by thefe he was to enter into Everlaft-
ing Life. A Train of Powder being fired, it
did not kindle the Fewel, but only burnt
his Face : So a ftop was made till more
Powder was brought; and in that time
the Friars calPd oft to him to recant, and
pray to the Virgin, and to fay the Salve
Regina, : One Frier Camybel, was very
officious among the reft, who had been oft
with him in Prifon. He anfwered him,
That he knew he was not an Heretick,
and had confefsM it to him in private ^ and
he charged him to anfwer for that to
God. By this time the Gun-powder was
brought, and the Fire was kindled, and
he died, often repeating thefe Words,
Lord Jeftts receive my Sonh Camfbel be
came foon after, Frantick, and died with
in a Year. Both thefe laid together, made
great Impreflions on the People : And
now that thefe Points began to be inquir
ed into, many received the new Opinions.
Seaton, zDiminican^ the King's Confeflbr,
preaching in Lent , fet out the Nature
of true Repentance, and the Method to
it, without mixing the Directions which
the Friars commonly gave on that Subjed }
and when another Friar fhewed the de-
fedivenefs of what he had taught, he de
fended
himfelf in another Sermon, and reflected on Book L
thofe Bifhops that did not preach, and cal- *^-^J>
led them dumb Dogs. But the Clergy would 1541.
not meddle with him, till they found him
in ill Terms with the King •, and the free
dom he ufed in reproving him for his Vices,
quickly alienated the King from him,
upon which they refolved to fall on him ,
but he withdrew into England, and wrote
to the King, taxing the Clergy for their
Cruelty, and praying him to reftrain it.
QneForreft, an ignorant Benediftine, was
accufed for having fpoken Honourably
of Patrick^ Hamilton, and was put inPrifon.
In Confeffion to a Friar, he acknowledg
ed, he thought he was a good Man, and
that the Articles for which he was con^
4emned, might be defended. The Friar
difcovered this, and it was received as E-
yidence,and upon it he was condemned and
burnt., Divers others were brought into the
Bifhop's Courts, of whom, the greateft part
abjured ; but two were more refolute :
one Gourlcy denied Purgatory, and the
Pope's Authority 5 another was DavidSmi-
ton, who being a Filherman, had refufed
to pay the Tithe of his Fifh •, and when the
Vicar came to take them, he faid, the
Tithe was taken where the Stock grew,
and therefore he threw the tenth Fifh into
the Sea : For this and other Opinions, he
was condemned, and they were both burnt
at one Stake, Several others were accufed ;
of whom fome fled to England , and others
^vrent over to GV r#wy,The Changes made in
268 augment of rtje |>f(fo?j?
Book l.Englandy raifed In all the People a curio-
t^-v^ fity of fearching into matters of Religion,
i*5-4!* and that was always fatal to Superltiti-
pn. Pope Clement the 7*6, wrote earneft-
ly to the King of Scotland, to continue
firm to the Catholick Faith : Upon which
he called a Parliament, and made new
Laws, for maintaining the Pope's Autho
rity, and proceeding againft /fcrrf«r% ; yet
the Pope could not engage him to make War
on England. King Henry fent 2for/0H?,Bi/hop
of St. Davids, to him, with fome Books
that were written in Defence of his Pro
ceedings, and defired him to examine
them Impartially. He alfo propofed
the Enterview at Tork^, and a Match be
tween him and Lady Mary, the King's
cldeft Daughter; and promifed that he
fhould be made Duke of Tork^, and Lord
Lieutenant of the whole Kingdom. Yet
the Clergy diverted him from this , and
perfwaded him to go in Perfon to France j
and court the Daughter of that King,
Magdalene. He married her in January
1537; but flie died in May. She had been
bred in the Queen of Navarre'**. Court,
and fo was well difpofed towards the Re
formation. Upon her Death, the King
married Mary of Gttife ; fhe was a Branch
of the Family of all Europe, that was moil
sealoufly addifted to the old Superflition j
and her Intereft joined with the Cler
gy's, engaged the King to become a vio
lent Perfecuter of all that were of another
mind. <
The
of tlje Eefo?mattort, $ti
2 69
The King was very expenfive, both in Book L
his Pleafures7 andBuildings ^ and had a nu- c/*vvj
merous Race of Baftards •, fo that he came * 54 *•
to want Mony much. The Nobility pro- f^jf'fo
pofedtohim^ the femng on the Abbey- *£f"t£
Lands, as his Uncle had done. The Cler- Scotland,
gy on the other hand advifed him, to pro
ceed feverely againft all fufpefted of Here-
f y : By which means,according to the Lifts
they fhe wed him, he might raife 100000
Crowns a Year : They alfo advifed him
to provide his Children to Abbies, and
Priories ^ and reprefented to him, That
if he continued iledfaft in the old Religi
on, he would ftill have a great Party in
England j and might be made the Head of
a League , which was then in Project a-
gainft King Henry. This fo far prevailed
with him, that as he made four of his Sons,
Abbots and Priors, fohe gave way to the
perfecuting Spirit of the Clergy *. Upon
which, many were cited to anfwer for He
re fy^ of thefe many abjured; and fome were
baniiht. A Canon Regular , a Secular
Prieft, two Friars, and a Gentleman,
were burnt. Forreft, the Canon Regular,
had been reproved by his Ordinary, the
Bi{hopofZ>wJ^//, for meddling with the
Scriptures too much, He told him, he
had lived long, and had never known
what was in the Old or New Teftament -r
but contented himfelf with his Portoife
and Pontifical, and that he might come to
repent it, if he troubled himfelf with fuch
Fancfes. The Archbifhop of
i 70 augment of tfje l>tffo$
Book I. was a very moderate Man, and difliked
cruel Proceedings. Ruffcl, a Friar, and
Kennedy ', a young Man, of 18 Years of
Age, were brought before him; theyex-
prefled wonderful Joy, and a fteady Refo-
lution in their Sufferings. And after a
long difpute between Ruff el and the Bi-
fhop's Divines , Rttflel concluded, This ts
your Hour, and the Power ofDarknefs ; go on^
and fill up the Me afar es of your Iniquities.
The Archbifhop was unwilling to give
Sentence ; he faid, he thought thefe Exe
cutions did the Church more Hurt than
Good. But thofe about him, told hirr^
He muft not take a Way different from the
reft of the Bifhops •, and threatned him fo^
that he pronounced Sentence. They were
burned ^ but they gave fuch Demonftra-
tions of Patience and Joy1 as made no fmall
jmprefllon on all that faw it, or heard of
it. Among thofe that were in trouble*
George Bnckanan was one, who ac the
King's Infligations , had writ a very
fharp Poem againft the Francifcatis , but
was now abandoned by him. He made his
Efcape, and lived 20 Years in Forraign
Parts, and at laft returned to do his Coun
try Honour; and what by his Immortal
Poems, what by his Hiftory bf Scotland, he
fhewed both how great a Matter he was in
the Roman Tongue 5 andhow true a Judge
he was, both in Wit, and in the Know
ledge of Human Affairs, ( if Paflion had
not corrupted him towards the end of his
tiiftory) that he is jnftly to be reckoned
the
of tfic
the greateft and bed of the Modern Wri- Book I.
ters. So much of the Affairs of Scotland, the
Author's Native Country.
King Henry ftayed not long ^at Tork,
fince his Nephew came not to hirn. He
fet out a Proclamation there, inviting all
that had been of late oppreiFed, to come
in and make their Complaints, and he pro-
mifed to repair them. This was done to
caft the Load of all pail Errours upon
Cromvel. The King was mightily wrought
on by the Charms of his Wife -7 fb that
on the Firft of November, he gave publick
thanks to God for the happy Choice he had
made : But this did not lalt long •, for
the next day Cranmer came, and gave him
an account of the Queen's ill Life, which
one La/Jells had revealed to him, as hav
ing learnt it from his Sifter. She had been
very lewd before her Marriage, both with
one Deirham, and one Mannock^ Cranmer ^
by the Advice of the other Privy Counfel-
lors, put this in Writing, and delivered
it to the King, not knowing how to open
it in Difcourfe. The King was ftruck
with it, and at firft inclined to believe it
was a Forgery •, yet he ordered a ftridt en
quiry to be made into it, but he quickly
round Proof enough ; for the Queen had
fo far caft offboth Modefty, and the Fear
of a Difcovery, that fever al Women had
been Witnefles to her Lewdnefs. It alfo
appeared, that fhe had intended to con
tinue in that ill Courfe, for flie had
brought Deirbam into her Service , and
at
2/2 augment of tlje |)ifio?p
Book I. at Lincoln, by the Lady Rochfird?$
tv^v^^/ one Calpeper was brought to her in the
1541. Night, and flayed many Hours with her
in a Cellar, and at his going away, fhe
gave him a Gold Chain. The Queen,
after a flight denial which fhe made at firft,
did at laft confefs all. Deirham, and Cul-
peper, were executed, and a Parliament
Was called upon it. When it met,a Commit
tee was fent to examine the Queen : Their
Report is recorded only in General, That
fhe confefled, but no Particulars are men
tioned. Upon that they pafsM an Acl:>
in the Form of a Petition. 'In it they
* prayed the King , that the Queen and
c her Complices, with her Bawd the Lady
c Rochford, might be attainted of Treafon :
'And that all diofe who knew of the
c Queen's Vicious Courfe before her Mar-
1 riage, might be attainted of Mifprifion
c of Treafon, for not revealing it to the
* King , before he married her. Among
* thofe were , her Father , and Mother,
1 and her Grand-Mother, the Dutchefs of
4 Norfolk* It was alfo declared Treafon/
4 to know any thing of the Incontinence
c of any Qpeen for the future, and not to
c reveal it. And it was made Treafon,
c in any whom the King intended to marry,
'judging they were Maids* not to reveal
* it, if they were not fuch. The ,?Queen
and the Lady Rochford were beheaded on
the iqthofFebrttary. She confefled her In
continence before her Marriage, but de
nied to the lafl that fhe had broken her
Wed-
0f tfje JMcnmattait, $& 273
Wed-lock, tho the Lafcivioufnefs of her Book I
former Life, made the World eafy to be- L/-\^J
lieve the wor ft things of her. All obfer- 154.2.
ved the Judgments of God on the Lady
Rocbford) who had been fo inftrumental
in the Ruine of Ann Bolleyn, and of her
Husband : And when me, to whofe Ar
tifices their Fall was in a great Meafure
afcribed, was found to be fo vile a Wo*
man, it tended much to raife their Repu
tation again. The attainting her Kind
red and Parents, for not difcovering her
former Lewdnefs^ was thought extream
Severity : for it had been a hard piece of
Duty to the King, in them, to have dif-
covered fuch a Secret : Yet tho they lay
feme time in Prifon, the King pardoned
them all afterwards, when his Rage was
a little qualified. That other Provifo*
obliging a young Woman to difcover her
own Faultinefs, if the King Ihouldmake
Love to her, was thought a Piece of
grievoi^ Tiranny : And upon this, thofe
that rallkd that Sex, took occafion to fay,
that after this, none who was reputed a
Maid, could be induced to marry the
King: So that it was not fo much choice,
as neceflity, that made him marry a Wi
dow , two Years after. Some Hofpitals
were this Year refigned to the King •, but
there was good ground to queftion the Va
lidity of thofe Deeds, becaufe by their
Statutes it was provided, that the ConfenG
of all the Fellows, was neceflary to make
their Deeds good in Law. So thofe Sta-
T
274 abtfDjjment of tfje
Book I. tutes were now by a fpecial Act annulled,
and this made way for the DiGblution of
many Hofpitals.
The Bifhops fitting in Convocation,
took &reat Pains to frpPrefs the Englilh
Bible :, but the King could not be pre
vailed on directly to call it in. So they
complained much of the Tranfiation then
fet out ', and intended to procure a Con
demnation of that , and then to fet about
a new one, in- which it would be eafy to
piit fuch Delayes, that it mould not be
finiihed in many Years. Gardiner did alfo
propofe a fingular Conceit, that many
of the Latin Words mould be (till retain
ed in the Englifh *, for he thought they had
either fuch a Majefly, or fo peculiar a
Signification , that they could not be fitly
rendered. He propoied an hundred of
thofe, and it feems hoped, that if this
could be carried , the Tranflation would
be fo full of Latine Words, that the People
fhould not undcrfland it for all its being
in Englilh. Cranmer, perceiving that the
Bible was the great Eye-fore of that Par
ty -, and that they were refolved to fup-
prefs it by all the means they could think
of, procured an Order from the King,
referring the Correction of the Tranflation
to the two llniverfities. The Bifhops took
this very ill ; and all of them, except the
Bifhops of Ely, and St. Davids^ protefted
BonnerV againftit.
At this time Banner y gave fomelnjnn-
to his Clergy, which bad a ftrain
in
of tlje EeflJjmati on, $fc 275
in theni, fo far different from tHe other Book
parts of his Life, that it is probable, he ^~v^s
drew them not himfelf. c He required 154*'
4 his Clergy to read every day a Chapter
4 in the Bible, with fome Glofs upon it j
4 and to ftudy the Book fet out by the Bi-
* /hops : That they ihould imploy no Cu-
c rats , but fuch as he approved of:
4 That they fliould take care to inftrucT:
4 young Children well , in the Principles
* of the Chriftian Religion : That they
1 fhould not go to Tavernsjnor ufe unlawful
4 Games, chiefly on Sundays or Holy-days :
4 That they ihould perform all the Duties
4 of their Funclion , decently , and feri-
4 ouily : That they fhonld fufter no Plays*;
4 nor Enterludes in Churches: And that
4 in their Sermons, they fhould explain the
4 Gofpel and Epiftle for the Day ^ and
4 lludy to flir up the People to Good
4 Works, and to Prayer •, and fhould
* plain all the Ceremonies of the Church^
4 but (hould forbear all railing or the red-
4 ting of fabulous Stories, and Ihould chiefly
4 fet forth the Excellencies ofVertue, and
4 the Vilenefs of Sin : and that none under
c the degree of a Biihop fhould preach with-
*outaLicenfe.
In the former times there had been few The
or no Sermons, except in Lent •, for on °f
Holy Days the Sermons were Panegyricks ** in thaf
L f, i r • i • time.
on the Saints, and On the virtue or their
Relicks. But in Lent there was a more
folemn way of preaching *, and the Friars
maintained their Credit much by the pa-
T 2 thetick
Book I. thetick Sermons they preached in that
C/N/^NJ time, by which they wrought much on the
J542- Affedions of the People ; yet thefe for the
• moll part tended moil to extol fome of
the Laws of the Church, as Fatting, Con-
feffion, and other Aufterities, with the ma
king Pilgrimages :, but they were careful
to acquaint the People as little as was pof-
flble, with the ^ true Simplicity of Chrillia-
nity, or the Scriptures •> and they feemed to
defign rather to raife a fudden Heat, than
to work a real Change in their Auditors*
They had alfo mixt fo much out of Legends
.-with their Sermons, that the People came to
disbelieve all that they faid for the fake of
thofe Fabulous things, with which their Ser
mons were embafed. The Reformers took
great care to-inftrudt their Hearers in the
Fundamentals of Religion,of which they had
known little formerly : This made the Na
tion run after thefe Teachers with a won
derful Zeal:, but they mixed too much Sharp-
nefs againil the Friars in their Sermons,
which was judged indecent in them to do ;
tho their Hypocrify and Cheats did in a
great meafure excufe thofe Heats : and it
-was obferved that our Saviour had expofed
the Phanfees in fo plain a manner, that it did
very much juftify the treating them with
fome Roughnefs :, yet it is not to be denied
but Refentments for the Cruelties they or
their Friends had fuffered by their means,
might have too much Influence on them.
ThVmade it feem neceilary to fufFer none
to preach, at leaft out of their own Parimes,
N * without
of tije Reformation, $c* 277
without Licence, and many were licenfed Book I.
to preach as Itinerants. There was alfo a
Book of Homilies on all the Epiftles and
Gofpels in the Year, put out, which con
tained a plain Paraphrafe of thofe Parcels
of Scripture -9 together with fome practi
cal Exhortations founded on them. Many
Complaints were made of thofe that were
licenfed to preach, and that they might be
able to juftify themfelves, they began gene
rally to write and read their Sermons : and
thus did thisCuftom begin, in which, what is
wanting in the heat and force of Delivery,
is much made up by the ftrength and folidity
of the Matter ; and has produced many Vo
lumes of as excellent Sermons > as have been
preached in any Age. Plays and Enterludes
were a great Abufe in that time •, in them
Mock-Reprefentations were made both of
the -Clergy and of -the Pageantry of their
Worfhip. The Clergy complained much of
thefe as an Introdudion to Atheifm, when
things Sacred were thus laught at y and
faid, They that begun, to laugh at Abufes,
would not ceafe till they had reprefented
all the Myfteries of Religion as ridiculous :
The graver fort of Reformers did not ap
prove of it, but political Men encouraged
it •, and thought nothing would more ef-
fedually pull down the Abufes, that yet
remained, than the expofing them to the
icorn of the Nation.
A War did now break out between Eng- A
/Wand Scotland at the Inftigationof the ^Scot-
Kins of France. King Henry let out a land-
T 3 Decia-
278 at$C0mott of tije ipiBojp
Book I. Declaration, pretending that the Crown of
V^VN^ Scotland owed Homage to him : and. cited
1 542. many Precedents to fhew that Homage was
done not only by their Kings, but by con-
Tent of the States -, for which Original Re
cords were appealed to. The Scots on the
other hand, aiferted that they were a free
and independent Kingdom •, that the Ho-
plages antiently made by their Kings, were
Only for Lands which they had in England ;
^nd that thofe more lately made, were ei
ther offered by Pretenders in the cafe of
a doubtful Title, or were extorted by
Force : And they fajd, their Kings could
rot give up the Rights of a free Crown and
People. The Duke of Norfolk^ made an
In-road into Scotland, with 26000 Men in
Ottober : but after he had burnt fome fniall
Towns, and wafted Teviotdaley he retur-
nod back to England. In the end of A7<s-
<vembcr an Army of 15000 Scots with a
good Train of Artillery, was brought to
gether : They intended to march into Eng
land by the Wefiern Road. The King went
to it in Perfon ; but he was at this time,
much difturbed in his Fancy, and thought
the GJiolt of one whom he had unjuflly put
to death, followed him continually •, he
rot only left the Army, but ferit a Com-
miifion to Oliver Sinclarejhen called his Mi"
irion, to command in chief, This difgufted
the Ncbiiity very much, who were become
weary of the Infolence of that Favourite :
ib they refufed to march, and were begin-
pjng to feparate. While they were in this
Diforder,
of tfje Eef0?mat(0n5 $e, 279
Diforder, 500 Englifo appeared, and they Book Fp
apprehending it was a fore Party of the
Duke of Norfolk!,* Army, refufed to fight ;
fo the Englifr fell upon them and difperfed
them : they took all their Ordinance and
Baggage, and icoo Prifbners, of whom
200 were Gentlemen. The chief of thefe
were the Earls of Gkmarn and Cajfifo ;
The News of this fo over-charged the Me*
lancholy King, that he died foon after,
leaving only an Infant Daughter newly
born to fucceed him, The Lords that were
taken, were brought up to London, and
lodged in the Houfes of the Englijh Nobi
lity : Caffitis was fent to Lambeth, where
he received thofe Seeds of Knowledg,which
produced afterwards a great Harveft in
Scotland. The other Prifoners were alfo
intruded to fuch a degree, that they came
to have very different Thoughts of the
Changes that had been made in England,
from what the Scotifh Clergy had poflefled
them with •, who had encouraged their
King to engage in the War, both by the
adurance of Viftory, imce he fought againft
an Heretical Prince, and the Contribution
of 50000 Crowns a Year. The King's
Death, and the Crowns falling to his
Daughter, made the Englijh Council lay
hold on this as a proper Conjuncture for
uniting the whole Ifland in erne : therefore
they fent for the Scotijh Lords, and propo-
fed to them, the marrying the Prince of
Wales to their young Queen •, this the
Scot s liked very well, and promifed to pro-
T 4 more
2 8o 36 jf&gmntt of tlje ipiff 0$
Book I. mote it all they could : And fo upon their
v^-v^ giving Hoftages for the performing their
1543? Promifes faithfully, they were fent home,
aud went away much pleafed both with the
Splendor of the King's Court, and with
the way of Religion which they had feen
in England.
A Parliament was called, in which the
K*ng had great Subfidies given him, of
fix Shillings in the Pound, to be paid in
three Years. A Bill was propofed for the
advancement of true Religion, by Cianmer^
and fome other Bifhops \ for the Spirits of
the Popifh Party were much fallen ever
fince the lafl Queen's Death ^ yet at this
time a Treaty was fet on foot between the
King and the Emperour, which railed
them a little: for fince the King was like
to engage in a War with France, it was
necefiary for him to make the Emperour
his Friend. Cr owner** Motion was much
pppofed, and the timorous Biihops for-
fookhim; yet he put it as far as it would
411 &o<> tno ^n irJ°ft Points things went againft
t'Re- him-, c By it TindalPs Trandation of the
n. f- Bible was condemned as crafty and falfe,
c and alfo all other Books contrary to the
4 Dodtrine fet "forth by the Bilhpps. But
f Bibles of another Tranflation, were itill
6 allowed to be kept, oi^ly all Prefaces or
c Annotations that might be in them, were
c to be dalhed or cut out : All the King's
* Injunctions were confirmed : No Books
' of Religion might be printed without
£ Licence -? there was to be no Expoiition
6 of
of tfjeRe&zmation, #* 281
* of Scripture in Plays or Enterludes ; none Book I.
c of the Laity might read the Scripture, or f^VsJ
'explain it in any publick Aflembly : But 1543.
c a Provifo v/as made for publick Speeches,
c which then began generally with a Text
* of Scripture, and were like Sermons.
c Noblemen, Gentlemen and their Wives,
^ or Merchants might have Bibles,but no or-
* dinary Woman, Tradefman, Apprentice,
€ or Husbandman, might have any. Every
4 Perfon might have the Book fet out by the
* Biihops, and the Pfalter, and other Rudi-
* ments of Religion in Englifh. Ail Church-
c men that preached contrary to that Book,
'for the firil Offence, were only required
c to recant ; for the fecond, to abjure and
*• carry a Faggot •, but were to be burnt
c for the third : the Laity for the third
1 Offence were only to forfeit their Goods
> and Chattels, and to be liable to perpetu-
c'al Imprifonment ; but they were to be
* proceeded againft within a Year : The
4 Parties accufed, were not allowed Wit-
4 nefles for their Purgation. The Ad of
* the fix Articles was confirmed, and it was
Meftfraetothe King, to change this Ad,
1 or any Provifo in it. There was alfo a
new Ad pall, giving Authority to the
King's Proclamations, and any nine Privy
Counfellours were empowered to proceed a-
gainft Offenders : To this the Lord Mount joy
diflented, and it is the only Inftance of any
Proteftation againlt any of the publick Ads
that pad in this whole Reign. By the Ad
about Religion, as the Laity were delivered
from
282 augment of tlje ipiff o?p
Book I. from the fear of Burning •, fo the Clergy
\~>~v~*-s might not be burnt but upon the third Con-
1543. vktion. The Act being alfo put entirely in
the King's Power,he had now the Reformers
all at mercy •, for he could bind up the Act,
or execute it as he pleafed : and he affected
this much to have his People depend entire
ly upon him. The League offenfive and
defenfive for England and Calais, and for
the Netherlands, was fworn by the King
and the Emperour : and AfTurances were
given, that tho the King would not declare
Lady Mary legitimate, upon which the
Emperour infifted much, yet fhe fhould be
put in the Succeflion to the Crown next
Prince Edward. The Emperour was glad
thus to engage the Kings of England and
France in a War, by which the Germans
were left without Support, and fo he refol-
ved to carry on his great delign of making
himfelf Matter of Germany.
Affair * in In Scotland the Earl otArran, Hamilton^
Scotland, next in Blood to the young Queen, was
eftablifhed in the Government during the
Queen's Minority *• he was a Man of great
Vertue, and much inclined to the Refor
mation •, but was foft and eafie to be
wrought on. King Henry fent Sir Ralph
Sadler to him, to induce him to fet forward
the Match ; and to offer him Lady Eliza
beth to his Son. It was agreed and confir-'
med in Parliament, that the Young Queen
fhould be bred in Scotland till fhe was ten
Years old; the King of England fending a
Nobleman and his Lady with others not
exceed-
of tlje Information, $e, 283
exceeding twenty, to wait on her : and Book I
after that Age, (he was to be fent to England-, wvw ,
and in the mean while fix Hoilageswere 1543*
to be given : but all the Clergy headed by
Cardinal Beaton, fet themfelves much a-
gainft this. The Queen-Mother oppofed
it much, and it was alfo faid, a Match with
the French, would be more for the Inte-
reft of the Nation, who being at fo great
a diitance,could not opprefs them fo eafily
as the Exrlifli might : for if the French op-
preftthem, the Englifo would be ready to
protect them, but if they came under the
Yoke of England, they could expect no
Protection from any other Prince. This
meeting with that Antipathy that was then
formed between the two Nations, and be*
ing inflamed by the Clergy, turned the Peo
ple generally to prefer a Match with France,
to that which was propofed for the Prince
of Wales. The French fent over the Earl of
Lennox to make a Party againft the Gover-
nour :, they fent alfo over the Governour's
Bafe-Brother,afterwards made Arch-bifhop
of St. Andrews^ to take him out of the hands
of the Englifi : and he made him appre
hend great danger if he went on in his
Oppoiition to the Intereftsof Romej that he
would be declared illegitimate, as being
begotten in a fecond Marriage, while the
feU that was annulled becaufe of a Precon-
traft, did fubfift \ for if the annulling the
firft ihould be reverfed, then the fecond
could be of no force :, and if that were once
done, the Earl of Lennox^ who was next
to
Segment of tfje |>tffa$
in blood, would be preferred to
him : Thefe threatnings joyned with his
,1543. Brother's Artifices, had their full Effect on
him : for he turned off wholly from the
Interefts of England, and gave himfelf up
to the French Councils. When it was thus
refolved to break the Match with England \
the Lords that had left Hoftages for their
faithful performing the Promifes they made
to King Henry, were little concerned either
in their own Honour, or in the fafety of
their Hoftages : only the Earl ofCajfilis,
thought it was unworthy of him, to break
his Faith in fuch a manner •, fo he came into
England, and put himfelf in King Henry\
Hands, who upon that called him another
Regulut, but ufed him better ; for he gave
him his Liberty and a Noble Prefent, and
fent him back with his Hoftages, but re^-
folved to take a fevere Reparation of
thofe who had foiled him in that Kingdom.
At the fame time he began the War with
France ; one of the Reafons he gave for it
was, that Francis had failed in the matter
\ of fhaking off the Pope's Authority,
and advancing a Reformation, in which he
had promifed to fecond him.
$tmt The King married Katherine Parre, Wi-
lumt at dow to Nevill^ Lord Latimer : She fecret-
4Windfor. ly favoured the Reformation, but could
not divert a Storm which fell then on a
Society at Windfor. Terfon a Prieft, 7V/?-
wWand^rW^, two Singing-men, and
Filmer, one of the Town, were informed
againft by Dr. London y who had infinuated
himfelf
cftfje Eefoimation, «•
himfelf much into CromwePs Favour, and Book I
was eminently zealous in the Suppreflion o^^vj,
of the Monafteries : But now he made his 1543.
Court no lefs dextroufly to the Popifh
Party. Gardiner moved in Council* That
a Commiffion might be granted for fearch-
ing all fufpeded Houfes, for Books writ
ten againlt the fix Articles : So the four
before mentioned, were found to have
fome of them \ and upon that account were
feized on. Sir Philip Hobbey? and Dr.
Hains, Dean of Exeter ^ were alfo put in
Prifon. There was a Concordance of the
Bible, and fome Notes upon it, in Englifh,
found written by Mtrbeckj> which was
looked on as the Work of fome learned
Man, for it was known that he was illi
terate. Marbeck. faid, the Notes were his
own, gathered by him,out of fuch Books as
he fell on. And for the Concordance, he
faid, he compiled it by the help of a La
tin Concordance, and an Englifh Bible,
tho he underftood little Latin. ^ He had
brought it to the Letter L. This feemed
fo incredible, that it was look'd on only
as a Pretence to conceal the true Author ;
fo to try him, they gave him fome Words
of the Letter M, and fliut him up, with
a Latin Concordance,and an Englifh Bible \
and by his Performance in that, they clear
ly faw , that the whole Work was his
own, and were not a little aftonifhed at
the Ingenioufnefs and Diligence of fo poor
a Man. When the King heard of it, he
iaid , Jlfabeck was better toployed than
they
2 86
Book I. tne7 were tnat examined him : So he was
I/VNJ preferved, tho the other three were con-
1543. demned, for fome Words which they had
fpoken againft the Mafs, and upon that
Were burnt. Dr. London, and Simwds an
Attorney, had taken fome Informations
againft feveral Perfons of Quality at Court,
and intended to have carried the Deflgn
very high. But a great Pacquet, in which
all their Project was difclofed by them,
being intercepted, they were fent for, and
examined about it *, but they denied it
upon Oath, not knowing that their Let
ters were taken •, and were not a
little confounded when their own Hand
writing was /hewed them. So they were
convicted of Perjury, and were fet on a
Pillory, and made ride about with their
Faces to the Horfes Tails, and Papers on
their Breads, in three feveral Places, which
did fo affect Dr. London, that he died foon
after.
CrannrrV y^g chief thing aimed at by the whole
d"finld, P°PiIJ1 Pai*ty was Cranmerh Ruine } Gar
diner imploied many to infufe it into the
King, that he gave the chief Encouragement
to Herefy of any in England, and that it
was in vain to lop off the Branche*, and
leave the Root ftill growing. The King
till then would never hear the Complaints
that were made of him : But now to pe
netrate into the depth of this Defign, he
was willing to draw out all that was to be
faid againft him. Gardiner reckoned, that
this Point being gained, all the reft would
^ follow i
of ttje Kefojmaticm, $c, 287
follow : And judged, that the King was Book I.
now alienated from him ; and fo more In- <*^v^,
ftruments and Artifices than ever were now 1 543.
made ufe of. A long Paper, of many Par-
ticulars,both againft Cranmer^xA his Chap-
lains,was put in the King's hands. So upon
this the King fent for him •, and after he had
complained much of the Herefy in England,
he faid, He refolved to find out the chief
Promoter of it, and to make him an Ex
ample. Cranmer wifhed him firfl tocon-
fider well what Herefy was, that fo he
might not condemn thofe as Hereticks, who
ftood for the Word of God againft Hu
mane Inventions. Then the King told
himfranckly, That he was the Man com
plained of, as moil guilty •, and Ihewed
him all the Informations that he had re
ceived againft him. Cranmer confelTed,
he was ftill of the fame mind that ha was
of when he oppofed the fix Articles, and
fubmitted himfelf to a Trial : He confefs-
ed many things to the King ^ ia particular,
that he had a Wife, but he laid he had fent
her out of England, when the Ad of the fix
Articles paft ^ and exprelfed fo great a Sin
cerity, and put fo entire a Confidence in the
King, that inftead of being ruined, he was
now better eftablifhed with him than former
ly. The King commanded him to appoint
fome to examine the Contrivance that was
laid to deflroy him. He anfwered, That
it was not decent for him to nominate any
to judge in a Caufe, in which himfelf was
concerned : Yet the King was pofitive 5 fo
288 augment of tlje !£>tff0$
Book I. & he named fome to go about it, and
L/^/*NJ the whole ferret was found out. It appear-
J543» ed, that Gardiner^ and Dr. London, had
been the chief Sticklers, and had encour
aged Informers to appear againft him.
Cranmer did not prefs the King to give
him any Reparation ^ for he was fo noted
for his readinels to forgive Injuries, and
to do Good for Evil, that it was common
ly faid, that the beft way to obtain his
Favour, was to do him an Injury ; of this
he gave fignal Inftances at this time, both
in Relation to fome of the Clergy and Lai
ty; by which it appeared that he was
aded by that meek and lowly Spirit, that
became all the Followers of Chrift ; but
more particularly one, that was fo great an
Inftrument in reforming the Chriftian Re
ligion ^ and did in fuch eminent Ads of
Charity,fhewthat he himfelf pradifed that,
which he taught others to do.
1544. A Parliament was now called, in which
tne great Ad of Succeffion to the Crown
Paft : ' BY it: the Grown was firft provided
c to Prince Edward and his Heirs, or the
c Heirs by the King's prefent Marriage;
* after them to Lady Mary and Lady £/*'-
4 z,abeth> and in cafe they had no Ifliie, or
4 did not obferve fuch Limitations or Con*
c ditions as the King fhould appoint, then it
* was to fall to any other whom the King
c ihould name, either by his Letters patents,
* or by his laft Will figned with his Hand.
4 An Oath was appointed both againft the
* Pope's Supremacy3and for the maintaining
' the
of tfje Hefa?miittait> $c;
c Succefiion according to thk Aft, which Book I*.
c all were required to take, under the pains t/v^v j
c of Treafon : It was madeTreafon.to fay * 544*
cor write .any thing contrary to this Act,
* or to the Slander of any of the King's Heirs
named in it. By this, tho the King did
not Legitimate his Daughters, yet it was
made Criminal for any to object B afford y
to them. Another Aft pail, qualifying
the Seventy of the Aft of the fix Articles ;
none were to be imprifoned but upon a
Legal Prefentment, except upon the King^s
Warrant. : None was to be challenged
for Words, but within a Year •, nor for
a Sermon , but within 40 Days. This
was made to prevent fuch Confpiracies as
had been difcovered the former Year.
Another Aft paft^ renewng the Autho
rity given to 3 2 to, reform the Ecclefiafti-
cal Law, which Cranmer promoted much 5
and to fet it forward, he drew out of the
Canon Law, a Collection of many things
againitthe Regal, and for the Papal Au
thority, with feveral other very Extra
vagant Propofitions, to Ihew how Inde
cent a thing it was, to let a Book, in which
fiich things were, continue ftill in any
credit in England : But he could not bring
this to any good IQiie, during this Reign.
Another Aft paft,difcharging all the King's.
Debts ; and they alfo required fuch as had
received payment to bring back the Mo
ney into the Exchequer. This was tax
ed as a piece of grofs Injuftice ; and it was
thought ftrange, that fince the King had
U done
29° SbifDgttttitt of tfte $
Book I done this once before, he could have the
^-v>~/ . credit to raife more Mony, and be tempted
1544. to do it a fecond time, A General Pardon
was granted, out of which, Herefy was ex-
cepted.
Tnei^ng The King was now engaged in a War,
m*k?w*r froth w [th £ran€e anc[ Scotland •, and to
^/s'cou make his Treafure hold out the longer, he
laud, embafed the Coin in a very Extraordinary
manner. The Earl of Hartford was knt
with an Army by Sea to Scotland; he
landed at Grantham, a little above Ltith.
He burnt both Ltith and Edinburgh •, but
he neither llaied to take the Caftle of Edin
burgh, nor did he Fortify Leith^ but on
ly waited the Country, all the Way from
that to Berwick. He did too much if it
was intended to gain the Hearts of that
Nation *7 and too little if it was intended
to fubdue them ^ for this did only inflame
their Spirits more, by which, they were
fo united in their Averfion to England,
* that the Earl of Lennox , who had been
call off by Franc -c, and was gone over to
the Englifh Intereft, could make no Party
"fa the Weft, but was forced for his own
Prefervation to fly into England. Dudley
the Chancellour, dying at this time, Wrio->
thejly, that was of the Popifh Party, was
put in his place : And Dr. Petre , that was
hitherto Cranmer>$ Friend, was made Se
cretary of State : So equally did the King
keep the Ballance between both Parties,
and being to crofs the Seas, he left a Com-
niiillonfor the Adminiftration of Affairs,
# during
of tlje &ef0?mat(0tt5 $c, 29 1
during his Abfence, to the Queen, the Book L
Archbifhop, the Chancellour, the Earl of t^v-s^j
Han for 'd ^ and Secretary Petre : And if 1544.
they fhould have any occafion to raife any
Force , he appointed the Earl of Hart
ford, his Lieutenant. He gave order alfo
to Tranflate the Prayers, and Proceffions ^
and Litanies > into the Engliih Tongue,
Which gave the Reformers fome hopes
again; that he had not quite call off his
Deflgnes of famipiiug. fuch Abufes, te
had crept into the Worfliip of God. And
they hoped , That the Reafons which
prevailed with the King for this, would
alfo induce him to order a Tranflation,
of all the other Offices into the Englifli
Tongue*
The King eroded the Sea with great
Pomp, the Sails of his Ship being of Gloth
of Gold. He fat down before Suttoi^
snd took it after a Siege of two Months.
It was fpon after very near being retaken by
a Surprife, but the Garifon being quickly
'put inbrder^ beat out the French* Thus
the King returned Victorious *, and Was as
much flattered for taking this fmgle Town*
as if he had conquered a Kingdom". The
Inroads that were made into Scotland this
.Winter* were InfuccefsfuL
The King of France fetdut a Fleet of
above 300 Ships; and the King fet out a
hundred Sail : On both fides they were
only Merchant-men hired upon this Occa-
lion. The French made two Defcents
upon England , but was beat back with
u z io&
Book I. lofs. The Englifh made a Defcent in
v^rv mandy , and burnt fame. Towns. The
1545* Princes of Germany faw their Danger, if
this War went on ; for the Pope and Em-
perour had made a League for procuring
Obedience to the Council, that was now
opened at Trent. The Emperour was
railing an Army, tho he had made Peace
both wkh the King of Francs y and the
Turk \ and was refolved to make good ufe
of this Opportunity,, the two Crowns being
HOW in War. So the Germans fent to me*
diate a Peace between them : but it fhiek
long at the bufinefs s&'BiiMgn.
Lee? Archbifhopof2V^ died this Year*
Holgau was removed from Landaffe thi
ther, who in his Heart favoured the Re
formation. Kit chin was put hi Landaffe?
who turned with every Change that was
made^ J&tt&was removed from Rechefter
to Worceftcr ; and Holbeach was put in
Rocheftcr. Day was made Bifhop of Cki-
thefter. All thofe were moderate Men, and!
well difpofed to a Reformation, at leaft to- *
comply with ft.
wiitet ^^s Year Wijbdrt was burnt In Scotland r
burnt m He was Educated at Cambridge, and went
Scotland, home the former Year. In many places
he preached againft Idolatry 7 and the
other Abufes in Religion, He ftayed long
at Dundee ; but by the means that Qax&r
nal^iw* ufed, he was driven out of that
Town v and at his Departure , he de
nounced heavy Judgments on them, for
rejecting the Gofpel. He went and preach-
* cd j
of t&e Kefaimatton, $c* 293
^din many other places, and Enterancc Book I.
to the Churchs being denied liim , he v-^y-^/
preached in the Fields. He would not 1545.
fufter the People to open the Church Doors
foy Violence, for that, he faid, became
not the Gofpel of Peace which 'he preach
ed to them. He 'heard the Plague had
broke out in Dundee, within four Days
after he was banifhed -, fo he returned
thither, and took care of the Sick, and
did all the Offices of a faithful Pallor
among them. He fhewed fois Gentlenefs
towards his Enemies*, by refcuing a Prielt
that was coning to kill Mm, but was dif-
covered, and was like to have been ton!
in pieces by the People. He foretold fe-
veral extraordinary things-, particular
ly his own Sufferings,and the Spreading the
Reformation over the Land. He preached
3aft in Lothian^ a&d there the Earl of Both-
ml took him, but promifed upon his Ho
nour, that no harm mould be done him }
yet he delivered him to the Cardinal, wh®
Drought him to St. Andrew^ and called a
Meeting of Bifhops thither, to aeftroy him
with the more Solemnity. The Gover-
nour being much preft to it, by a Worthy
Gentleman of & Name, Hamilton of
Preflon , fent the Cardinal word not to
proceed againft himttill he (hould come and
hear the Matter examined himfelf. But the
Cardinal went on, and in a ptibiick Court
condemned him as an Heretick, upon fe-
veral Articles that were -objefted to him,
which he confefled, and oifered to juftify^
U 3 The
.J j45j
294
Book I. The Night after that he fpent in Prayer ;
next Morning he defired he might have the
Sacrament according to Chrift's Inftitution
in both kinds *, but that being denied him,
he coilfecrated the Elements himfelf, and
fome about him were willing to communi
cate with him. He was carried out to the
Stake near the Cardinal's Palace j who
was fet in State in a great Window, and
looked 6n this fad Spedacle. Wtfiart de
clared that he felt much Joy within him
felf, in offering up his Life for the Name
ofChrilt, and exhorted the People not to
be offended at the Word of God, for the
'lake of the Croft. After the Fire was fet
to and was burning him, he faid, 4This
c Flame hath fcorched my Body, but hath
* not daunted my Spirits -, "and he foretold
c that the Cardinal fliould in a few days be
' ignominioufly laid out in that very place
where he now fate in fo much State ^ but
as he fpeak that, the Executioner drew
the Cord that was about his Neck fo ftrait,
that thefe were the laft Words.
i The Clergy rejoyced much at his Death,
and extolled the Cardinal's Courage, for
proceeding in it againft the-Qovernours
Orders. But the People look'd on him
as both a Prophet and a' Martyr. It was
alfo faid that his Death was no lefs than
Murder, fince no Writ was Obtained for it j
and the Clergy could burn none without a
Warrant from the Secular Power : fo it
was inferred thatthe Cardinal defefved to
dy for it V and if ''his Greatneft fet hini
: above'
of tfje Eefinmatf on, «c; 295
above the Law, then Private Perfons might Book
execute that which the Governour could <*^v^>
not -do : Such Practices had been formerly
too -common in that Kingdom ^ and now
upon this occafion fome Gentlemen of
Quality came to think it would be an.
fteroical Action to confpire his Death.
His Infolence had rendred him generally
very hateful : fo private and publick Rc-
fentments concurring, twelve Perfons en-
tred into a fatal Engagement of killing him
privately in his Houfe. On the $oth of
May, they fir ft iurprized the Gate early in
the Morning,and tho there were an hundred
lodged in the Cattle, yet they being afleep,
they came to them apart, and either turned
them out, or Ihut them up in their Cham
bers : Having made all fure, they came to
the Cardinal's Chamber-door •, he was fait
afleep, bnt by their Rudenefs, he was
both awakened, and perceived they had a
defign on his Life : upon the ailiirance of
Life., he opened his Door, bnt they did
cruelly and treacheroufly murder him, ,and
laid out his Body in the fame Window,
from which he had looked on Wtftarts Exe
cution. Some few juftified this Fact, as the
killing of a Robber and Murderer ^ bnt it
was more generally condemned by all forts
of People, even by thofe who hated him
molt , yet the Accomplilhment of Wi$mrt*$
Prediction made great fmpreffions on many.
On the other hand, it was afterwards ob-
ferved that fcarce any of the Confpirators
died an ordinary Death. They kept out
U 4 the
Book I. the Caftle, and about 140 cams in to thern,
t\^-v^v and they held it near two Years, being
.£5^5* aflifted both by Mony and Provifions that
vyere fent from England. They had alfo
the Govenour at their Mercy, for they
kept his eldeft Son, whom the Cardinal
had taken into his Care for his Education.
An Abfolutkm was brought from Rjmej
and a Pardon was offered them; and at
la ft, being ftraitned both at Sea and Land,
they rcndred the Place upon AfTurance of
Life. This Infamous Aclion was a great
Elemifh upon the Reformers, who, tho they
did not directly jiiftify it, yet extenua
ted it, and gave it fome Countenance ; for
two 'of them went in and preached to the
Garrifon in the Gallic.
In England z. Parliament met, inwhicl^
as tJlc sPiritualtY gave a Subfidy of fix
Shillings in the Pound, payable in two
Years •, fo the Temporalty not only gave
a Subfidy for the War, but confirmed all
the Surrenders' that had been made of
Chantries, Chappeis, Colledges, Hofpitals,
and other Foundations, for faying Mafles
for departed Souls :" and they empowered
the King during his Life to grant CommiP
iions for ferzing on the reft of them. Yet
tjie 'King found this was like to give new
Difcontent to the Gentry, to whom thefe
belonged, fo he made but a fmall Progrefs
in it, and many w'ere referved to his Sons
Courtiers to 'feed on, The King difmiP
fed the Parliament with a long Speech, c In
•* which after he had thanked them for their
----- * Bills
of tSe&efo?mation, $c. 297
* Bills, he exhorted them to Charity and Book L
4 Concord in matters of Religion ; and to ^-v^,
c forbear all Terms of Reproach, fuch as 1 546.
4 Papift and Heretickj he complained much
4 of the Stifnefs of fome Church-men, and
4 of the Indifcretion of others, who both
c gave ill Example, and fowed the Seeds of
4 Difcord among the Laity. He, as God^s
4 Vicar, thought himfelf bound to feethefe
* things corrected : he reproved the Tern-
4 poralty for the ill life they made of the
4 Scripture •, for inftead of being taught
4 out of it to live better, and to be more
4 charitable to one another, they only railed
4 at one another, and made Songs out of
4 it, to difgrace thofe that differed from
4 them ^ fo he exhorted them to ferve
4 God, and love one another, which he
4 would efteem the beft Expreffion of their
4 Duty and Obedience to him. The King
had appointed a Diftribution of 55o/. a
year in feveral Cathedrals, for the Poor,
and about 400 /. for High-ways ; fo this
Year fome Bifhops were appointed to fee
whether thofe Payments were made as he
had ordered or not. The Univeriities
were now in danger of having their Col-
ledges fuppreft^ but upon their Applicati
ons to the Kiug, they were delivered from
their Fears,
Now came on the laft Year of this Reign,
the War with France was this Year unfuc-
cesful, but upon the Earl of Surrey^s being
recalled, and the Earl of Hartford\ being
fent in his room, things turned a., little,
6 This
298 augment of tlje Jptff o?p
Book I. This raifed fuch Animofity between thofe
l/vvj two Lords, that they became fatal to the
1546. former. The two Kings were at laft
brought to confent to a Peace ; the main
Article of it was, that within eight Years
Bulhigne fhould be delivered up, the taking
and keeping of which, coil England
1 300000 /. Upon this Peace Annebault the
French Admiral, was fent over Ambafla/-
dour. The Council of Trent was now fit
ting, Pool was made a Legate to do the
King the more Spite : the Em per our and
the Pope governed it as they pleafed : fo
the two Crowns refblved to unite more
firmly; particularly it was propofed, that
.the Mafs fhould be turned to a Commu
nion ; and Cranmer was ordered to pre
pare the Office for it. But this was too
great a Defign for two old Kings toaccom-
plifh.
Anne Aif- There .was at this time a new Profecuti-
cough a»d on of thofe that denied the Corporal Pre-
fence in the Sacrament, Shaxton was accu-
le,d of fome Words about it, but he abju
red, and complied fo entirely, that foon
after he preached the Sermon at the bur
ning pf Ann? Aifcough ; he made no noife
all King Edward\ time, y et in Queen Ma-
rfs Reign, he was a Perfecutor of Prote-
itants, but was fo little efleemed, that
tho he had been Bifhop of Safabitry, he was
raifed no higher than to be Bifhop Suffra*
gan of Ely. Several other Perfons were at
this time endi&ed upon the fame Statute,
but molt of them recanted •, dnvt Aifcongh
flood
of tlje Kefo?nrati on, «* ? 99
Hood firm, fhe was defcended from a good Book I.
Family, and had been well educated, but
was unhappily married-, for her Husband
being a violent Papift, drove her out of his
Houfe, when he difcovered her Inclinati
ons to the Reformation •, fhe was put in
Prifon on the account of the Sacrament,
but figned a Recantation, and fo was fet at
Liberty *, yet not long after Hie was com
mitted again upon a new Complaint, and
was examined before the Privy Council,
but anfwered with extraordinary Refoluti-
on ; yet it Was thought by fome that fhe was
too forward in her manier of fpeaking :
me had been much at Court, and it was
believed fhe was fupported by fome Ladies
there : fo in order to the Difcovery of this,
fhe was carried to the Tower and rackM ^
yet fhe confefsM nothing. Wriethefly was
prefent, and commanded the Lieutenant of
the Tower to draw the Rack a little more,
but he refufed to do it; upon which the
Ghancellour laid afide his Gown and drew
it himfelf with fo much Force, as if he
had intended to rend her Body afunder •,
and the, Effects of this were fo violent, that
me wak not able to go toSwithfieldy but
was carried thither in a Chair when fhe
was burnt : Two others were alfo con
demned on the fame account, and Shaxtoa
to compleat his Apoftacy, after he had in
vain endeavoured to perfvvade them to ab
jure, preached the Sermon at their Burn-
Ing, in which he inveighed feverely againft
their Errors, The Lord Ghancellour came
to.
goo
Book I. to Smithfaldj and offered them their Par-
*yvvj dons if they would recant, but they chofe
1546. rather to glorify God by their Deaths,
than to dilhonour him by fo foul an Apo-
ftacy ... There were two burnt in Suffolk^
and one in Norfolk^ on the fame account,
this Year,
But the Popiih Party hoped to have
greater Sacrifices offered up to their Re-
&*&»* venSe: They had laid a Train lad Year
agatn/i for Cranmer <, and they had laid one now
Xranmer for the Queen. They perfwaded the King,
that Cranmer was the Source of all the Here-
fy that was in England ^ but the King's Par
tiality to him was fuch, that none would
come in againll him : So they defired,
that he might be once put in the Tower,
and then it would appear how many would
inform againft him. The King feemed to
confent to this ; and they refblved to exe
cute it the next day : but in the Night
the King fent for Cranmer ^ and told him,
what was refolded concerning him. Cran-
wer thanked the King for giving him notice
of it, and not leaving him to be furprifed.
He fubmitted to it, only he defired he
might be heard anfwer for himfelf } and
that he might have indifferent Judges who
underftood thofe matters. The King won
dered to fee him fo little concerned in his
own Prefervation •, but told him, he mult
take care of him, Jince lie took fo little
care of himfelf. The King therefore gave
him Initrudions to appear before the Coun
cil, and to defire to fee his Accufers before
he
oftlje Eefcjmati an, $c. 301
fee mould be fent to the Tower;- and that Book I.
he might be ufed by them, as they would
defire to be ufed in the like Cafe : And if
he could not prevail by the force of Rea-
fon, then he was to appeal to the King in
Perfon, andwas^to mew the King's Seal-
Ring, which he took from his Finger and
gave him ; and they knew k afl fo well^hat
they would do nothing after they once faw
that } fo he being fummoned next Morn-
ing,came over to White-Hall : He was kept
long in the Lobbey before he was called in :
But when that was done, and he had ob-
ferved the Method the King had ordered
him to ufe, and had at lafl mewed the
Ring, they rofe all in great Confufion, and
went to the King. He chid them feverely
for what they had done , and exprefled his
Efleem and Kindnefs to Crtwmer, in fuch
Terms , that his Enemies were glad to get
off, by pretending, that they had no other
Defi gn, but to have his Innocence declared
in a publick Trial ; and were now fo con
vinced of the King's unalterable Favour to
him, that they never made any more At
tempts upon him.
But what they durft not dp in Relation
to Cranmer, they thought might be more
fafely tried againft the Queen, who was
known to love the New Learning, which
was the common Phrafe for the Reforma
tion. She ufed to have Sermons in her
Privy Chamber, which could notbefofe-
cretly carried, but that it came to the King's
Knowledge. Yet her Conduit in all other
things
98?fosment of tljc |>iffa$
Book I. things was fo exact, and fhe exprefled fuch
v^^v-\^i a tender care of the King's Perfon, that
1546. it was obferyedj fhe had gained much upon
him ; but his Peevifhnefs , growing with
his Diftempers, made him fometimes un-
eafy , even to her. They ufed often to
talk of Matters of Religion •, and fome
times fhe held up the Argument for the
Reformers fo ftifly, that he was offend
ed at it } yet as foon as that appeared, fhe
let it fall •, but once the Debate continuing
long, the King exprefled his Difpleafure
at it to Gardiner, when fhe went away.
He took hold of this Opportunity, toper-
fwade the King, that fhe was a great
Cherifher of Hereticks. Wriothefly joined
with him in the fame Artifice, and filled
the angry King's Head with many Stories j
in fo much, that he figned the Articles upon
whichlfhe was to be Impeached. But Wrio-
thejly let that Paper fall from him carelefly,
and it happened to be taken up by one of
the Queen's Friends , who carried it to
her : Upon which fhe went to the King,
and brought On a Difcourfe of Religion j
and after a little Oppofition^ fhe yielded,
and feemed convinced by the King's Rea-
fons, and told him, That fhe only held
up that Argument to be inftrucl:ed by him,
and fometimes to engage him in Dif
courfe , and fo to make him forget his
pains 5 and this fhe feconded with fuch
Flattery, that he was perfectly fatisfied,
and reconciled to her. Next day,as he was
walking with her in the Garden, Wrio-
thejly
of tlje Eefojmation, $c; 303
thefly came thither on deflgn to have carry- Book I
ed her to the Tower 5 but the King chid t/vsj
him feverely for it, and was. heard to call 1 546*
him Knave and Fool. The good naturcd
Queen interpofed to mitigate his Dif-
pleafure, but the King told her, She had
no reafon to be concerned for him : Thus
the Defign againfb her, vamflied ^ and
Gardiner that had fet it on, loft the King's
Favour entirely by it.
But now the Fall of the Duke of Nor- Tk
k^ and his Son the Earl of Swrry, came */ Nor-
on. The Father had been long Treafu- folk's
rer, and had ferved the King with great
Fidelity and Succefs : His Son was a Man
of rare Qualities ; he had a great Wit,
and was more than ordinary learned.
He particularly hated the Earl of Hart
ford, and fcorned an Alliance with him,
which his Father had projeded. The
Duke of Norfilk.hvA intended to unite
his Family to the Seimours, by marrying
his Son to the Earl of Hart ford's Daughter •,
and his Daughter the Dutchefs of Rich-
mond, to Sir Thomas Seimour : But both
his Children refufed to comply with him
ink. The Seimour s were appreheniive of
the Oppofition they might meet with, if
the King fhould die, from the Earl of S/*r-
ry, who was a high fpirited Man, had a
vaft Fortune , and was the Head of the Po-
pifh Party. It was likewife fufpeded, that
he kept himfelf unmarried in hopes of
marrying the Lady Mary. The Duke's
Family was alfo fatally divided : His
Dutchefs
304 Segment 0f tfje ^iffo??
Book I. Dutchefs had been feparated from him*
w^ about four Years, and now turned Infor-
$546. mer againft him. His Daughter did alfo
hate her Brother , and was a Spy upon him.
One Holland, a Whore of the Duke's, did
alfo betray him , and difcovered all Ihe
could ^ yet all amounted to no more than
fome Complaints of the Fathers, wh6
thought the Services he had done the
Crown were little regarded^ and fome
Threatnings of the Sons. It was alfo faid,
that the Father gave the Coat of Arms
that belonged to the Prince of Wales, and
tlie Son gave Edward the Confeffors Coat j
but that was only a Pretence to make a
noife among the People, and to cover the
want of more important matter againft
them. One Souihml objected things of a'
higher Nature to the Earl of Surry. He
denied them, anddefired, that according
to the Martial Law > they might have a
Trial by Combate ^ and fight in their
$hirts : But that was not granted ^ yet
both Father and Son were put In the
Tower.
1547. The Earl of Surry was tried by a Jury
the EM qf Commoners, and was found guilty of
of Surry Xreafon, and executed on the. 19*6 of Ja~
>e * nuary. He was much lamented ; and the
Blame of his Death being caft on the Sei-
wours , raifed a General Odium againffc
them. The old Duke faw a Parliament
called to deftroy him by an Adi of Attain
der, for there was not matter enough to
mine him at Common Law •, fo to prevent
that
of tlje Eef0?mati0it, $c; 305
that he made fuch humble Submiffion to the Book I.
King, as would have mollified any that had ^-v^>.
not Bowels of Brafs. He wrote to him , 1 547.
* That he had fperit his whole Life in his
'Service, without .having fo much as a
4 Thought to his Prejudice. He had obey-
4 ed all the King's Laws, and was refolved
c to obey all that ever he fhould make. He
4 begged that he might be heard, with his
* Accufers face to face. He prayed that
4 the King would take all his Lands, and
4 Goods, and only reftore him to his Fa-
4 vour, and grant him fuch an Allowance
4 to live on, as he thought fit. He went
4 further, and fet his Hand to a Confeiljon
4 of feveral Crimes-, a£ i. His revealing
* the Secrets of the King's Council. 2. His
'concealing his Son's Treafon, in giving
4theArmsof£^ip^theConfefTor. 3. His
4 own giving the Arms of England, with
4 the Labels of Silver which belonged only
cto the Prince, which he acknowledged
c was High Treafon, and therefore he beg-
4 ged the King's Mercy. But all this had no
effect on the King, tho his drawing fo near
his end, ought to have begot in him a
greater regard to the fhedding of Inno
cent Blood.
When the Parliament met, the King was •4*'**'
not dble to come to Weftminfter, but he fent %$£lj
his Pleafuf e to them by a Commiflion. He ^$ Of
intended to have Prince lE-dword Crowned Parit*-
Prittce of Wates-^ and therefore defire4w^r-
they V7buld make all poffible haft in the
X Attain-
of
Bopk I. Attainder of the Duke of Norfolk^,, that
exx^o fo the Places which he held by Patent,
1 547« might be difpofed of to others, who mould
aflift at the Coronation •, which, tho it was
a very flight Excufe, for fo high apiece
oflnjuftice, yet it had that effect, that in
feven Days , both Houfes paft the Bill.
On the 2ithtf January, the Royal AfTent
was given by thofe Commiffioned by the
King ^ and the Execution wTas ordered to.
be next Morning. There was nofpeciai
Matter, in the Act, but that of the Coat
of Arms, which he an4 his Anceflors were
ufed to give, according to Records in the
HeraulcPs Office :, fo that this was con
demned by allPerfons, as a molt Inexcu-
fable Ad of Tyranny. But the Night after
this, the King died, and it was thought
contrary to the Decencies of Government,
to begin a new Reign with fo Unjuftifi-
able anAc"t, as the beheading of the old
Duke ^ and fo he was preferved : Yet
both Sides made Inferences from this Ca
lamity that fell on him. The Papifls faiU,
It was God's jnft Judgment on him, for
his Obfequioufnefs to King Henry. But
the Protellants faid, It was a juit return
on him , for what he had done againfl
Cromwel, and many others, on the account
of the lix Articles. Cranmer would 'not
meddle in this Matter, but that he might
be out of the way, he retired tvCroydon,
whereas Gardiner that had been his Friend
all along, continued ftill about the Court.
The
of tljz IMe^matfon, $ c; 307
The King^s Diftemper had been grow- Book F
ing long upon him. He was become fo ^^/-s^
Corpulent, that he could not go up and '1547.*
down Stairs, but made life of an Ingine,
when he intended to walk in his Garden,
by which he was let down and drawn up.
He had an old Sore in his Leg, that pain
ed him much, the Humours of his
Body difcharging themfelves that way,
till at la(l all fetled in a Dropfy. Thofe
about him were afraid to let him know-
that his Death feemed near,, left that
might have been brought within the Sta
tute of foretelling his Death , which was
*made Treafon. His Will was made ready*
and as it was given out , was figned by
him on the %cth of December. He had
made one at his laft going over to France*
Ail the Change that he made at this time
was , that he ordered Gar diners Name
to be (truck out^ for in. that formerly
made, he was named one of the Executors.
When Sir Anthony Brown endeavoured to*
peffwade him not to put that Difgrace on.
an old Servant, he continued politive in
' it y for he faid, he knew his Temper, and
could govern him; but it would-not be in
the Power of others to do itv if he were
put in fo high a Trufr. The mpd mate
rial thing in the Will, was, the preferring
the Children of his fecond Sifter, by
Charles Brandon ^ to the Children of his
deleft Sifter the Queen of Scotland, in the
Saccefilon to the Crown. Some. Objedi-
X 2 ons
Ob
508 abtfUemettt of tlje $fffo$
Book I. ons were made to the Validity and Truth
of the Will. It was not flgned by the
King's Hand, as it .was direded by the
ACt of Parliament, but only ftamped with
his Name j and it was faid, this was done
when he was dying , without any Order
given for it by himfelf •, for proof of
which, the Scots that were moll concerned,
appeale d to many Witnefles -7 and chiefly,
to a Depofltion which the Lord Paget had
made , who was then Secretary of State.
On his Death-bed he finifhed the Founda
tion of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge, and
of Chrift's-Church Hofpital near Newgate ;
yet this la ft was not fo fully fetled as was
needful, till his Son compleated what he had
begun.
On the 27^ of January, his Spirits funk
fp, that it was vifible he had not long to
live. Sir Anthony Denny took the courage
to tell him, that Death was approaching,
and defired him to call on God for his
Mercy. The King expreft in general his
Sorrow for his paft Sins, and. his Trufl
in the Mercies of God in Chrift Jefus.
He ordered Cranmer to be fentfor^ but
he was fpeechlefs before he could be brought
from CmWdtf •, yet he gave a Sign that he
tinderftood what he faid to him, andfoon
after, he died, in the 57^ Year of his Age,
after he had reigned 3 7 Years, and nine
Months. His Death was concealed three
days9 for the Parliament which was dif-
folved with his laft Breath, continued to
do
of tlje EEfo^nratton, $& 309
do bufmefs till the 3 i/?, and then his Death Book I,
waspublifhed. It is probable the Seimonrs ^^/vj
concealed it fo long, till they made a J547»
Party for the putting the Government into
their own Hands.
The Severities he ufed againfl many of An ac-
his Subjects in matters- of Religion, made
both fides write with great Sharpnefs of
him : His Temper was Imperious and
Cruel : He was both fudden and violent
in his Revenges, and fluck at nothing by
which he could either gratify his Luft, or
hisfPaffion. This was much provoked,
by the Sentence the Pope thundered againfl
him, by the virulent Books Cardinal Pool
and others publifhed , by the Rebellions
that were raifed in England, and the Ap-
prehenfions he was in of the Emperour's
Greatnefs, and of the Inclinations his
People had to have joined with him,together
with what he had read in Hiftory of the
Fates of thofe Princes, againft whom Popes
had thundered in former times ; all which,
made him think it neceflary to keep his
People under the Terror of a fevere Go
vernment -7 and by fome publick Exam
ples to fecure the Peace of the Nation ; and
thereby to prevent a more profufe EfFuiion
of Blood, which might have other wife fol
lowed if he had been more gentle. And it
was no wonder if after the Pope depofed
him,he proceeded to great Severities againfl
all that which fupported that Authority.
X 3 The
*
a&#sgtncnt of t&e fptff 0$
The firft Inflance of Capital Pro-
ceedings upon that account, was in Eafter-
Term, 1535^ in which, three Priors and
a Monk of the Carthufian Order , were
condemned of Treafon, for faying, that
the King was not Supream Head of the
Church of England. It was then only a
fremunire^ not to fwear to the Supremacy,
but it was made 'Treafon to deny it, or
fpeak again/I it. Hall, a Secular Prieft,
was at the fame time condemned of Trea
fon, c for calling the King a Tyrant, an
c Heretick, a Robber, and an Adulterer }
4 and faying, that he would die as King
c Joknjyc Richard the Third died •, and that
4 it would never be well with the Church
' till the King was brought to Pot : And
L that they looked when Ireland and Wales
'would rife:, and were allured that three
c parts of four in England would join with
them. All thefe pleaded not Guilty •, but
being condemned, theyjuftified what they
had laid. The Canbugans were hanged in
their Habits. Soon alter that, three Car-
thufians were condemned, and executed at
London, & two more at J0r^7upon the fame
account, for oppofing the King's Supre
macy. Ten other Monks were /hut upin
their Cells, of whom nine died there, and
one was condemned, and hanged. Thefe
fiad been all Complices in the Bufinefs of
the Maid of 'Kent ; and thothat was par
doned, yet. it gave the Government ground
to have a watchful Eye over them, and to
proceed
oftljeEefojmattan^c. 311
proceed more feverly againft them upon the Book I.
firft Provocation,
After thefe, Fifier and More were
brought to their Trials , Pope Cements
officious Kindnefs to Fifier in declaring him
a Cardinal, did haften his Ruine, tho he
was little concerned at that Honour that
was done him. He was tried by a Jury of
Commoners, and was found guilty of
Treafon ., for having fpoken againft the
King's Supremacy : but in Head of the
Common Death in Cafes of Treafon, the
King ordered him to be beheaded. On the
22th of June he fuffered. He drafted him-
felf with more then ordinary Care that
day; for he faid it was to be his Wedding-
Day. As he was led out, he opened the
New Teftament at a Venture, and prayed,
that fuch a place might turn up as might
comfort him in his 'lad Moments. The
Words on which he call his Eyes were,
This 16 Life Eternal to know thcc the only true
Gpd,and Jefa Chrift whom tbou haft fent. So
he (hut the Book, and continued meditating
on thefe Words to the laft. On the Scaffold
he repeated the Te Deum^ and fo laid his
Head on the Block , vyhich was fevered
from his Body. He was a learned and de
vout Man, but much addicted to Superili-
tion, and too cruel in his Temper again ft
Hereticks. He had been Confellbr to the
King's Grand-Mother, and perfwaded her
to found two Colledges in Cambridge-,
Chriffih and St John's -, in Acknowled^-
X 4 ment
3 * .?
Book I. ment of which, he was chofen Chancel*
t/vx; ofthe Univerfity. Henry the Seventh made
J535' him Biihop of Rocbefler : He would never
exchange that for any other : He faid his
Church was his Wife, and he would not
part with his Wife becaufe flie was Poor,
He was much efteemed by this King, , till
the Suit of the Divorce was fet on foot ^
and then, he adhered ftifly to the Marriage,;
and the Popes Supremacy •, and that made
him too favourable to the Nun of Kent.
But the Severities of his long Imprifon-
ment, together with this bloody Gonclu-
fionofit, were univerfally condemned all
the World over *, only Gardiner imploied
his Servile Pen to write a Vindication of
the Kjng?s Proceedings againft him. It was
writ in Elegant Latin, but the Stile was
thought too Vehement.
^ was harder to find matter againft Sir
Thomas More , for he was very cautious^
and fatisfied his own Confcience by not
fvyearing the Supremacy, but would not
not fpeak againit it. c He faid the Ad had
4 two Edges, if he consented to it? it would
c damne his Soul-, and if he fpoke againft it,
cit would condemn his Body. This was
c all the Meffage he fent to F//kr, when he
c deli red to know his Opinion about it ; he
c had alfo iaid the fame to the Duke of Nor-
* jfr/^and fome Connfellors that came to ex^
c amine him. And Rich, then the King's
c Solicitor, corning as a private Friend, to
4jj erfwade him to fwear the Oath, urged
< him
of tlje Eef0?mati0n, <sc+ 313
him with ithe Ad of Parliament, and ask- Book I
1 edhim, if he Ihould be made King by o-wj
c Adt of Parliament , would not he Ac- 1535*
c knowledge him : He anfwered, he would}
cbecaufe a King mijght be made, or de-
cprived by a Parliament. ButtheMat-
cter of the Supremacy was a point of Re-
c ligion , to which the Parliament's Au-
1 thority did not extend it felf. All this
Rich witnefled againft him } fo thefe Par
ticulars were laid together , as amount
ing to a Denial of the King's Supremacy^
and upon this he was judged guilty of
Treafon. He received his Sentence with
that equal Temper of Mind which he had
ftiewed in both Conditions of Life. He ex-
prelTed great Contempt of the World, and
much Wearinefs in living in it. His ordi
nary Facetioufnefs remained with him to
his laft Moment on the Scaffold. Some
cenfured that as affeded and indecent, and
as having more of the Stoick than the Chri-
ftian in it. But others faid, that way of
Railery had been fo Cuftomary to him,
that Death did not difcompofe him, nor
put him out of his ordinary Humour. He
was beheaded on the 6th of July, in the 52^
or 53^ Year of hisAge. He had great
Capacities, and eminent Vertues. In his
Youth he had freer thoughts, but he was af
terwards much corrupted by Superftition,
and became fierce for all the Interefts of the
Clergy.He wrote much in Defence of all the
old Abufes. His Learning in Divinity was
but
3 1 4
Book I. but ordinary } for he had read little more
LXV^O* than fome of St. Auftitf*> Treatifes, and the
J535- Ganon Law, and the Matter of the Sen
tences, beyond whom, his Quotations do
feldom go. His Stile was Natural and
Pleafant; and he could turn things very
dextroufly to make them look well or ill
as it ferved his Purpofe. But tho he fuf-
fered for denying the Kings Supremacy,
yet he was at firft no Zealot jfor the Pope :
ft For he fays of himfelf, That when the
c King {hewed him his Book in Manufcript,
c which he wrote againft Luther, he advif-
c ed him to leave out that which he had put
c in it concerning the Pope's Power, for he
'did not know what Quarrels he might
c have afterwards with the Pope's, and then
c that would be turned againft him. But the
King was perhaps fond of what he had
written, and fo he would not follow that
wife Advice which he gave him.
IS37- There were no Executions after this, till
<4tt*m- ^e Rebellions of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire
tTc'lelet Save new Occalions to Severity ; and then
lion. not only the Lords of Darcy and Huffy, but
fix Abbots , and many Gentlemen ; the
chief of whom was, Sir Thomas Piercy,
Brother to the Earl of Northumberland,
were attainted. They had not only been
in the Rebellion, but had forfeited the Ge
neral Pardon, by their new Attempts, after
it was proclaimed : Yet fome faid,the King
took Advantage on very flight Grounds to
break his Indemnity. But on the other
hand,
of tlje Eefojmattmts <jc* 315
hand, it was no Wonder if he .proceeded Book I.
with the utmofl Rigour againft thofe who i/y-vj
had raifed fuch a Storm in the Kingdom, !S37-
and in particular againil thofe Abbots and
Monks who had fworn to maintain his Su
premacy, and yet were the chief Incendia
ries that had fet the. Kingdom on Fire.
One Forrefl, an Obfervant Friar, had Forreft
been Queeri Kath&riri*$ Confeifor, but for-
look her Intcrefts •> and not only fwore to
the King's Supremacy, but ufed fuch In-
finuations, that he had a large fhare of the
King's Favour and Confidence. He was
lookM on as a Reproach to his Order, and
ufed great Cruelties in their Houfe at
Greenwich. He (hut up one that he believ
ed gave Intelligence of all they did to. the
Court } and ufed him fo ill, that he died in
their hands. It was alfo found,that in fecret
Confeflion, he had alienated many from the
King's Supremacy ; and being quefcioned
fork, hefaid, he had t3ken the Oath for
it only with hit outward Man^ but his inward
Man had never confentedto it. But he offer
ed to recant and abjure this Opinion ; yet
being afterwards diverted from that,he was
condemned as an Heretick, and was burnt
in Smithpeld. A Pardon was offered him at
the Stake, if he would recant -, but he re-
fufed it. A great Image that was brought
out of Wales , was hewed in pieces, and
ferved for Fewel to burn him. l^he Wri^
ters of that time fay, he denied the Gofpel,
and that he had little Knowledge of God in
his
augment of tfte H>flfo$
Book I. his Life, and fhewed lefs Truft in him at
v^v-> his Death.
1538. The Winter after this, a Correfpon-
The At- dence was difcovered between Cardinal
fr'"j!**i °f P00^ and Courtney , Marquefs of Eveter,
Pool's
frtends.
1539-
ders in
Parlia
ment
rvtthout
heartng
the Par-.
Brother, the Lord
and feveral others. It was believed, that
Sir Geoffrey Poo^another of the Brothers,be*
trayed the reft. They had exprefted fome
Kindnefs for the Cardinal and his Proceed
ings j and had faid, that they looked to fee
a Change in England ; and that they hoped
the King would die ere long , and then all
would go well j with feveral other Words
to that purpofe, for which they were At
tainted, and Executed. Others were alfo
condemned for calling the King a Beafl,
And worfe than a Beaft •, and that he would
be certainly damned for plucking down the
Abbies. Cardinal Pool, and feveral others,
that had fled out of the Kingdom, and had
Confederated themfelves with the Pope a-
gainft the King, were alfo Attainted. Sir
Nicholas Car eve, Mafter of the Horfe, and
Knight of the Garter, was likewife con
demned, for having faid, that the Attainder
of the Marquis of Exeter was cruel and un-
juft.He renounced the Super ftitions of Pope-
ry,and embraced the Reformation before he
fuffered.
After thefe Judgments and Executions
were over, a new and unheard of Prece
dent was made, of Attainting fbme with
out bringing them to make their Anfwers,
which
of tlje JRefoitimtion, $c. 31;
which is a Blemiih on this Reign, that tan Book I.
never be wafhed off, and was a Breach of <^->rxj
the molt facred and unalterable Rules of 1539-
Juflice. The firft that were fo condemned >•
were* the Marchionefs of Exeter, and the
Countefs of Sarum , Mother to Card. Pool.
The fpecial Matter charged on the former,
was, her Confederating her Jelf with Sir
Nicholas Carew •, and that againft the other
was, the Confederating with her Son, Car
dinal Pool. No Witnefles were examined
to prove thefe things againft them \ per
haps fome Depofitions might have been
read in Parliament. Cromwell mewed a
Coat which was found among the Countefs
of Sarum\ Cloaths, on which the Standard
ufed by the Torfchiri Rebels was wrought 5
from which it was inferred, that fhe ap
proved of them. Fourteen others were At
tainted by the fame Ad : fix of them were
Priefts, one was a Knight Hofpitaller,
four were Gentlemen, one was a MerchaHt,
and two were Yeomen ; all were condemn
ed for Confederating with the Pope or Car
dinal Pool ; or averting the Pope's Supre
macy i or endeavouring to raife Rebellion :
But againft four of them, there is nothing
but^ Treafon in General Words alledged.
This Bill was paft in two days by the
Lords, and in five by the Commons : But
of all thefe, only three were executed, thefe
were the Countefs of Sarum $ tho not till
two Years after this } and Sir Adrian For-
and Vingley, the Knight of St. John
of
*539-
3 1 8 Segment of tlje fytit 0$
Book I. ofjerufalem. In the Countefs of Sarum did
the Name o£ Plant agenet end: She was about
70 Years old, but (hewed that in that Age
ihe had a Vigorous and Mafculine M° ;;d.
In the Parliament that fate in the Year
1 540, feveral others were Attainted in the
fame manner, without being heard, and
for the fame Crimes. Fetkerfton* Abd^ and
Powelj and fix more, were fo condemned ^
but thofe three only fuffered. By another
Aft of the fame Parliament, the Lord Hun
ger for d^ and his Chaplain, Bird, were At
tainted : His Chaplain had often Perfwadr
ed him to rebel } and had faid, that the
King was the greateft Heretick in the
World. Hunger ford had alfo ordered
fomeof his other Chaplains to ufe Conjur
ing, that they might know how long the
King would live, and whether he would be
Victorious over his Enemies. He was alfo
charged for having lived in Sodomy with
feveral of his Servants, three Years toge
ther. He was foon after executed, and
died in great diforden
In the Year 1541, FivePriefts, and ten
Laymen, were ftirring up the People in the
North to a new Rebellion •, but it was pre
vented, and they fuffered for it. lii the
Year 1543, Gardiner that was the Bifhop of
Winchefter's Secretary, and three other
Priefts, were condemned, and executed^
for denying the King^s Supremacy: and this
was the laft Occafion that was given to the
sr to ihew his Severity on that account
In
of tlje Eefo?matton, $c* 3 1 9
In all thefe Executions it cannot be denied Book
but the Laws were exceflively fevere, and. »~^y~
the Proceedings upon them were never IS59-
tempered with that Mildnefs which ought
to be oken applied for the mitigating the
rigoi •./ Penal Laws : But tho they are
much aggravated by Popifh Writers ; they
were far fhort of the Cruelties ufed in
Queen Mary's Reign.
To conclude?We have now gone through
the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, who is
rather to be reckoned among the Great,
than the Good Princes. He exercifed fo
much Severity on Men of both Perfwafions,
that the Writers of both fides have laid
open his Faults, and taxed his Cruelty.
But as neither of them were much obliged
to him •, fo none have taken fo much care
to fet forth his good Qualities, as his Ene
mies have done to enlarge on his Vices.
I do not deny that he is to be numbered a-
mong the ill Princes, yet I cannot rank him
with the
THE
r ^
I CARD i:sr AIL, Po OLIE, 1 BISHOP
BOOK II.
O/ the Life and ^elo-n of $\in<?
EDWARD the VL
was the only Son of 1547:
King Henry ) by his beft beloved K.Edtvard?
Wife Jane Seimoitr , born the Birth and
1 2th. of Ofober 1537. His Mo-
ther died the day after he was
born, of a Diftemper incident to Women
in her condition, and was not ripped up by
Chirurgeons, as fomc Writers have repor
ted, on defiga to reprefent King Henry as
barbarous and cruel to all his Wives. At
fix years of Age he was put into the hands
of Dr. Cox and Mr. Chee^ the one was to
form his mind, and to teach him Philofophy
and Divinity, the other was to teach him
the Tongues and Mathematicks : other Ma
ilers were alfo appointed for the other
parts of his Education. He difcovered ve
ry early a good difpofttion to Religion an4
B
Vertue, and a particular Reverence for the
Book II. Scriptures : for he took it very ill when one
v^V*-> about him laid a great Bible on the Floor,
1 5 4 ?• to ftep up on it to fomewhat which was out
of his reach, without fuch anadvantage. He
profited well in Letters, and wrote at eight
Years old Latin Letters frequently both to
the King, to Q^ Katherine Parre , to the
Archbifhop of Canterbury , and his Uncle the
Earl of Hartford, who had been firft made
Vifcount Beauchamp, being the Heir by his
Mother of that Family, and was after that
advanced to be an Earl.
In the end of Ms Fathers life, it had been
defigned to create him Prince of Wales : for
that was one of the reafons given to haften
the attainder of the D. of Norfolk, becaufe
he held fome places during life, which the
King intended to put in other hands, in or
der to that Ceremony. Upon his Fathers
death the E.of Hanr/Wand Slt^nth. Brown
were fent to bring him up to ttie Tower of
London : and when King Henry's death was
publilhed, he was proclaimed King.
K. Hen. tt- At his coming to the Tower his Fathers
foment. Will was opened, by which it was found
that he had named 16. to be the Governors
of the Kingdom, and of his Sons perfon
till he mould be eighteen Years of Age.
Thefe were the Arehbiftiops of Canterbury,
the Lord Wriothefly Lord Chancellor, Lord
S^ John Great Mafter, Lord Rtffel Lord
Privy Seal,Earl Hartford Lord Great Cham
berlain, Vif. Life Lord Admiral, 'Te»ftatt B,
©f Dwefme, Sir ,/forfc. Brown Matter of the
Horfef
of #e Reformation, &c.
Horfe,Sr WM.P*gct Secretary of State, Sr Ed.
Afor^Chancellourof the Augmentations, Sir Book
Ed.MountAgue Ld Chief Juft. of the Common
Pleas Judge Bromley,Sir Anth.Denny and Sir * S 47
W*//. Herbert Chief Gentlemen of the Privy
Chamber ,Sr EdWotton Treafurer of Callis, &
Doctor Wotton Dean of Canterbury and lark-
They were allb to give the Kings Sifters in
Marriage, and if they married without
their confent, they were to forfeit their
right of fucceflion : for the King was Im«
powered by Ad: of Parliament to leave
the Crown to them with what limitations
he mould think fit to appoint. There was
alfo a Privy Council named to be their Affi-
ftants in the Government ^ if any of the 16.
died, the Survivers were to continue in the
Adminiftratiou, without a power to fubfti-
tute others in their rooms who mould die. It
was now propoled that one mould be chofeti
out of the j6.to whom AmbafTadours mould
addrefs themfeiyes, and who (hould have
the chief direction of affairs -7 but mould
be reftrained to do nothing but by the con
fent of the greater part of the other Co*
executors. The Chancellor, who thought
the Precedence fell to him by his Office, fince
the Archbifhop did not meddle much in fe-
cular Affairs, oppofed this much , and faid
it was a change of the Kings will • who had
made them all equal in power and dignity •,
and if any were raifed above the reft in
Title, it would not be poflible to keep him
within due bounds, fince great Titles make
way for High Power ; but the Earl of Hart-
B * W
rd had fo prepared his Friends, that it was
Book II. carried that he Ihould be declared the Go
l/VVJ vernour of the Kings Perfon, and the Pro-
1 5 4 7- tedtor of the Kingdom, with this reftricti-
A Prote- or|j tjiat he {]loui(j do nothing but by the
fen! £ advice and confent of the reft. Upon this
advancement, and the oppofition made to it,
rwo Parties were formed, the one headed
by the Protector, and the other by the
Chancellour : the favourers of the Refor
mation were of the former, and thofe that
eppofed it were of the latter. The Chan
cellor was ordered to renew the Commifli-
ons of the Judges and Juftices of Peace,
and King Henrys great Seal was to be made
ufe of, till a new one fhouid be made. The
day after this all the Executors took their
Oaths to execute their trull faithfully, the
Privy Councilors were alfo brought into
the Kings pretence, who did all exprefs
their fatisfaftion in the choice that was
made of the Protector : and it was ordered
that ail difpatches to foreign Princes mould
be figned only by him. All that held Offi
ces were required to come and renew their
Bifocps Commiffions, and to fwear Allegiance to
Commif the KinS : amonS tne reft> t.lie B^°PS came
floes. snd took out fuch Commiffions as were
granted in the former Reign, only by thofe
they were fubaltern to the Kings Vicege
rent, but there being none now in that Of
fice, they were immediately fubaltern to the
King •, and by them they were to hold their
Bifhopricks only during the Kings pleafurc,
and were impowercd in the Kings name, as
his'
of t!jeEefo?matton, &c.
his Delegates, to perform all the parts of
the Epifcopal funftion. Cranmr fet an Ex-
ample to the reft in taking out one of thofe.
It was thought fit thus to keep the Bifhops i S47-
under the terror of fuch an Arbitrary pow
er lodged in the King, that fo it might be
more eafie to turn them out, if they ihould
much oppofe what might be done in points
of Religion : but the ill confequences of
liich an unlimited power being well fore-
feen, the Bifhops that were afterwards pro*
moted were not fo fettered, but were provi
ded to hold their Bifhopricks during life.
The late King had in his Will required .
his Executors to perform all tfee promifes he ^ *£ N<;
had made-, toPtgct was required to give an blemen.
account of the Promifes the late King had
made •, and he declared upon Oath, that up
on the profpeft of the attainder of the D.
of Nerfolk-, the King intended a Creation
of Peers, and to divide his Lands among
them •, the Perfons to be raifed, were Han-
ford to be a Djike, Effsx a Marquefs, Lifie,
Raffelj St. John, snd \Vnothefly to be Earls,
SirV^. Seimonr, Ckeyney^ Rich, WiRonghby^
Amndell, Sheffield, St.Leger, Wymbtf), Vernon,
and Danby to be Barons, and a divifion was
to be made of the Duke of Norfolk* Eftate
among them : fome (hares were aifo fet off
for others, who were not to be advanced in
Title, as Denny and Herbert : and they find
ing Paget had been mindful of them, but
had not mentioned htmfelf, had moved the
King for a (hare to him. The King ap
pointed Pa<ret to give notice of this to the
B 3 Perfons
ibn&gment of t&e |>f Oo?p
Pcrfons named : but many excufed them-
|3ook II. felves,and defined no addition of honor,fince
VVs-» the Lands which the King intended to give
•? 5 4 ?• them were not iufficient to fujfpfrt that dig
nity. The Duke of Norfolk prevented all
this, for being apprehenfive of the ruine of
his Family, if hisEftate were once divided,
he fenta meflage to the King, defiring him*
to convert it all to be a Revenue to the
Prince of Wales. This wrought fo much on
the King, that he refolved to reward thofe
he intended to raife another way, and he
appointed that Eflate to be kept entire, and
the Kings diftemper increafingon him, he at
Jaft came to arefolution,that the E.of Hartr
ford Ihould be made a Duke,& be made 'both
Earl Marfhal and Lord Treafurer, the Earl
of Eflex a Marquefs, Liflc and Wriothejly
Earls, and Seimour, Ricky Sheffield, St. Leger9
Willottghty and Danly Barons, with Revenues
in Lands to every one of them : and the
Earl of Hartford was to have the firft good
Deanery and Treafurerfhip, and the four
heft Prebends that fhould fall in any Cathe
dral. But though the King had refolved on
this, and had ordered Paget to propofe it
to the Perfons concerned, yet his Difeafe
increafed fo faft on him, that he never fini-
flied it : and therefore he ordered his Exe
cutors to perform ail that fliould appear to
have been prpmifed by him. The greateft
part of this was alfo confirmed by penny
and Herbert, to whom the King had talkeid
of it, a.nd had ftewed the defign of it in
writings as it had been agreed between
of t&e &efo?matiott,
Paget and him. So the Executors being
concerned in this themfelves, it may be ea- Book II.
fly fuppofed that they determined to exe- ^"V^w
"cute this parfW their truft very faithfully. l 5 4 7*
Yet the King being then like to be engaged
in Wars, they refolved neither to leflen his
Treafure nor Revenue, but to find another
v&y for giving the Rewards intended by
the King, which was afterwards done by
the faje and diftribution of the Chantry
Lands.
The Cattle of St. Andrews was then much
preffed } fo they fent down by Balnaves,
the Agent of that party, n8o/. for the
pay of theGarrifonj they gave alfo penfi-
onstothe chief fupporters of their Intereil
in Scotland, to fome 250, toothers 2eo7.
orlefs, according to their intereft in the
Countrey. The King received the Cere
mony of Knighthood from the Proteftor,
and Knighted the Mayor of London the fame
day.
The grant of fo many Ecclefiaftical Dig- Lav-men
nities to the Earl of Hartford^ was no ex
traordinary thing at that time9 for as Crom-
wet had been Dean of Wefts, fo diverfe other
Lay-men were provided to them ; which
was thus excufed , becaufe there was no
cure of Souls belonging to them } and
during vacancies, even in times of Popery,
the Kings had by their own Authority, by
the Right of the Regale, given InHitution
to them, fo that they feem'd to be no Spi
ritual imployments, and the Ecclefiafticks
that had enjoyed them , had been a lazy
B 4
8 Sttgftgment of t&e 5>tft0$
^XAXV and fenfual fort of men, fo that their abu-
H- fing thofe Revenues, either to luxury, or to
^'VNJ the enriching their kindred by the fpoils of
v1 5 4 ?• the Church, had this effcftthat theputting
them in Lay hands gave no great Sandal -?
and that the rather, becaufe a fimple tonfure
qualified a man for them by the Canons.
Thefe foundations were at firft defigned for
a Nurfery to the Diocefs, in which the
young Clergy were to be educated, or for
a retreat to thofe who were more fpecula-
tive, and not fo fit for the fervice of the
Church in the affive parts of the Paftoral
care-, fo it had been an excellent defign to
have reformed them , and reftored them
to the purpofes for which they were at
jfirft intended : And it was both againft
Afagna Chart a, and all Natural Equity, to
take them out of the hands of Church
men, and give them to thofe of the Laity.
Bot it was np wonder to fee men yet under
the influence of the Canon Law,commit fuch
errors.
&>rne cake At the fame time an accident fell out,that
<dow-a r- ma<je way. for gr6at changes -7 the Curate
and Church-wardens of St. Martins, in Lon-
dm^ were brought before the Council for
removing the Crucifix, and other Images,
and putting fame Texts of Scripture on
£he Walls of their Church , in the places
where they ftood : They Anfwered, That
they going to repair their Church, remo
ved the Images, and they being rotten,
they did not renew them, but put places of
Scripture ia their room i They had alfo
of tty Eefoimattott, &c.
removed others, which they found had
been abufed to Idolatry. Great pains was Book IL
taken by the Popifh party to punifh them fe- <-<V\j>
verely, for {hiking terrour into others } l 547*
but Cranmer was for the removing of all
Images which were fet up in Churches, ex-
prefsly contrary both to the Second Com-
rnandment,and to the practice of theChrifti-
ans for diverfe ages : And though in compli- Argu-
ance with the grofs abufes of Paganifm there roents (or
was very early much of the Pomp of their ?
worlhip brought into the Chriftian Church,
yet it was long before this crept in. At firfb
all Images were condemned by the Fathers :
then they allowed the ufe of them, but con
demned the worfliipping of them, and af
terwards in the Eighth and Ninth Centu
ries the worfliipping of them was, after a
long conteft, both in the Eaft and Weft, in
which there were, by turas, General Coun
cils, that both approved and condemned
them, at laft generally received, and then
the reverence for them , and for ibme in
particular, that were believed to be more
wonderfully enchanted, was much impro
ved by the cheats of the Monks, who had
enriched themfclves by fuch means : And it
was grown to fuch a height,that Heathenifm
it felf had been guilty of nothing more ab-
furd towards its Idols ; and the iingular
vertues in fome Images, fhewed they were
not worfhipp'd only as Reprefentations ,
for then all iliould have equal degrees of
veneration paid to them. And fmce all
thefe abufes had rifen nieerly out of the bare
i ufe
gfyt&gment of tfce 8>tGo?p
*ife of them, and the fetting them up be-
Book U. ing contrary to the command of God,
fW> ancj ^ nature of the Chriftian Religion ,
J547' which is fimple and Spiritual-, it feemed
znoft reafonable to cure the difeafe in its
root, and to clear the Churches of Images,
that fo the people might be preferved from
Idolatry. Thefe Reafons prevail'd fd far,
that the Curate and Wardens were difmif-
fedwith a Reprimand-, they were required
to beware of fuch ralbnefs for the future,
and to provide a Crucifix , and till that
could be had, they were ordered to caufe
one to be painted on the Wall. Upon this,
Dr. Ridley being to preach before the King,
inveighed againfb the fuperflition towards
Images and Holy Water, and there was a
general dilpofition over all the Nation to
pull them down •, which was foon after ef-
fefted in Portfmoutk. Upon that, Gardiner
made great complaints, he faid the Lutherans
themfelves went not fo far, for he had feen
Images in their Churches-,he argued from the
Kings face on the Coyn and Great Seal for
the ufe of Images, and that the Law ofMfes
did no more bind in this particular, than in
that of abftaining from Blood : He diftin-
guiflied between Image and Idol, as if the
one , which he faid was only condemned,
was the reprefentation of a Falfe God, and
the other of the True ; and he thought ,
that as words conveyed by the Ear begat
devotion, fo Images, by the conveyance
of the Eye, might have the fame efFedt on
the mind : He alfo thought, a vertuc might
be
of t&e Reformation, &c,
be both in them and in Holy Water, as
well as there was in Chrift's Garments, Pe Book
ters Shadow, or EKjhJs StafFe : And there
inight be a Vertue in Holy Water, as well as l 5 4?
in the Water of Baptifm. He alfo menti
oned the Vertue that was in the Cramp-
Rings, bkfled by the late King, which he
had known to be much efteemed and fought
after, and he hoped their young King
would not negleft that gift. But to tht'fe
things which Gardiner wrote in feveral Let
ters, the Protestor, perhaps by Cranmcr's
direction, wrote anfwer, that the Bifhops
had formerly argued much in another {train,
that becaufe the Scriptures were abufed by
the vulgar Readers, therefore they were not
tobetjruftedtothem ^ and fo made a pre
tended abufe, the ground of taking away
t' at,which by Gods fpecial appointment was
to be delivered to ail Chriftians : This did
hold much ftronger againft Images that
were forbidden by God. The Brazen Ser
pent fet up by flfyfcJi by Gods own dire
ction, was broken when abufed to Idola
try -? for that was the greateft corruption of
Religion poflible : And the Civil refpect
payed to th? K|ng^ Image on a Seal, or on
the Coyn, did not juftifie the dotage upon I-
mages.But yet the Protestor acknowledged
he had reafbn to complain of the forward-
pefs of the people, that broke down Images
without authority. This was thefirft ftep
that was made in this Reign, towards a Re
formation, of which the fequel fliall appear af
terwards. Orders were fent to the Tuftices of
the
1 2 $b?iogment of t&e grift 0?p
rO-A/% the Peace, to look well to the Peace and
Book If. Government of the Nation, to meet often,
^^Vw and every fix weeks to adverfcife the Prote-
* 5T4 7* dor of the ftate of the CoiiBjy to which
they belonged.
The Kings The Funerals of the deceafed King were
funeral, performed with the ordinary Ceremonies at
Windfor : One thing gave thofe that hated
him fome advantages -7 his Body was car
ried the firft day to Sheen, which had been
a Nunnery , and there fome of the moi-
fture and fat dropt through the Coffin -, and
to [make it a compleat accomplifhment of
Peyto's denunciation, that Dogs fioM lick.
hi* Bloody it was faid the Dogs next day
licked it. This in a Corpulent man was
to far from a wonder, that it had been a
wonder if it had been othetwife, and was
a certain fign of nothing but the Plummers
carelefnefs,- and their weaknefs and malice
that ifiade fach Inferences from it. The
King left fix hundred pounds a year to the
Church of Windfor, for Priefts to fay Mafs
for his Soul every day, and for four Obits
a year, and Sermons, and diftribution of
Alms at every one of them, and for a Ser*
mon every Sunday, and a maintenance for
thirteen poor Knights, which was letled
upon that Church by his Executors in due
form of Law.
SoulMaf- The Pomp of this Endowment now in a
les exami- more Inquifitive Age led people to examine
M? the ufefulnefs of Soul Mafles and Obits.
Chrift appointed the Sacrament for a com
memoration of his Death among the living,
but.
of tl?e Reformation, &x, 15
but it was noteafie to conceive how that
was to be applied to departed Souls. For Book II.
all the good that they could receive, feern- L/*v>
ed only applicable to the prayers for them ^ i S 47
but bare Prayers would not have wrought
fo much on the people, nor would they
have payed fo dear for them. It was a
clear project for drawing in the wealth of
the World into their hands. la the Primi
tive Church there was a Commemoration
of the Dead, or an Honourable Remem
brance of them made in the daily Offices,
and for fome very fmall faults their names
were not mentioned, which would not have
had done if they had looked upon that as a
thing that was really a relief to them in
another ftate. But even this cuftome grew
to be abufed, and fome inferred from it,
that departed Souls, unlefs they were fig-
nally pure, pafled through a Purgation in
the next life, before they were admitted to
Heaven : Of which St. Anflin^ in whofe time
the opinion was beginning to be received,
fays, that it was taken up without any fare
ground in Scripture. But what was want
ing in Scripture proof was fupplied by Vi-
fions,Dreams and Tales,till it was generally
received0King Henry had adted like one that
did not much believe it, for he was to expecl;
no good ufage inPurgatory,from thofe Souls
whom he had deprived of the MafTes that
were faid for them in Monafteries, by de-
ftroying thofe Foundations. Yet itfeems
be intended to make fure work for himfelf,
fo that if Mafles could avail the ^parted
Souls,
Styflttment of tjje jriflo??
Souls, he refolved to have his (hare of it -,
took JL and as he gratified the Priefts by this
v'*v's-' part of his Endowment, fo he pleafed the
*. 1 54 ?• people by appointing Sermons and Alms to
be given on fuch days.Thus he died as he had
lived, fwimming between both perforations.
And it occafioned no fmall debate,when men
fought to find out what his opinions were
in the controverted points of Religion :
For the efteem he was in made both fides
ftudy to juftifie themferves, by feeming to
follow his fentiments } the one party faid
he was refolved never to alter Religion, but
only to cutofFfome abufes, and intended
to go no further than he had gone : They
did therefore vehemently prefs the others
to innovate nothing, but to keep things in
the ftatein which he left them, till his Son
Ihould come of Age : But the oppofite par
ty faid, that he had refolved to go a great
way further, and particularly to turn the
Mafsto a Communion } and therefore Re
ligion being of fuch confequence to the
Salvation of Souls, it was neceflary to make
all the hafte in Reformation that was fitting
The Co- and decent. But now the diverfions of the
reflation. Coronation took them off from more feri-
ous thoughts : The Protestor was made
Duke of Somerfety the Earl of EJfix Mar-
quefs of Northampton, the Lords Lijle and
Wriothe/ky Earls of Warwick ?to& Southampton
Seimoitr, Rich, WilloMjrhby and Sheffield) were
made Barons. In order to the Kings Coro
nation, the Office for that Ceremony was
reviewed, and much (hortned : One remar
kable
of t&e Eefo?matf on, &c.
kable alteration was , that formerly the
King ufed to be prefented to the people Book II.
at the corners of the Scaffold , and they ********
were asked, If they would have him to be l 5 4 7-
their King? Which looked like a rite of
an Ele&ion , rather than a Ceremony of
Invefting one that was already King. This
was now changed, and the people were de-
Cred only to give their aflents and good will
to his Coronation, as by the duty of Allegi
ance they were bound to do. On the twen
tieth of February he was Crowned, and a
General Pardon was proclaimed ? out of
which the Duke of Norfolk^ Cardinal Pool,
and fome others were excepted.
The Chancellour, who was lookt on TheChaa-
as the head of the Popifh party , gave «J^f
now an advantage againft himfelf, which outj '
was very readily laid hold on. He granted
a Commiflion to the Matter of the Rolls
and three Matters of Chancery, of whom
two were Civilians, to execute his Office
in the Court of Chancery, as if he were
prefent, only their Decrees were to be
brought to him to be Signed, before they
fhould be Inrolled. This being done with
out any authority from the Proteftor, and
the other Executors, was thought a high
Preemption, fince he did hereby devolve
on others that truft which was depofited in
his hands. Upon this, fome Lawyers com
plained to the Protedor, and they feem'd
alfo apprehenfive of a deiignto change the
Common Laws, which was occafioned by
Ihe Decrees made by the Civilians, thac
were
16 %tyi Dgment of tfce finflo??
jf\.AX* were more futed to the Imperial, than to
Book II. the Englifi Laws. The Judges being de-
ir/VNI fired to give their opinions, made report,
1 5 4 ?• That what the Chancellour had done was
againft Law, and that he had forfeited his
place, and might be imprifoned for it du
ring pleafure. But he carried it high, he
threatned both the Judges and Lawyers-,
and when it was urged that he had forfeit
ed his place, he faid he had it from the late
King, who had likewife named him one of
the Executors,during his Sons minority. But
it was anfwered, That the major part had
power over any of the reft, otherwife one
of them might rebel, and pretend he could
not be punifhed by the reft. He being dri
ven out of that , was more humble , and
acknowledged he had no Warrant for
granting the Commifiion , he thought by
his Office he might lawfully do it, he asked
Pardon for his offence, and defired he
might lofe his place with as little difgrace
as was poflible •, and then it was refolved
on by the reft to take the Seal from him,
and to Fine him as they fhould afterwards
think fit. So he being fuffered to go home
with the Seal, the Lord Sciwonr^ and fome
others were fent to demand it of him :
He was alfo confined to his houfe, and
kept under the terrour of an Arbitrary
Fine. But upon giving a Bond of 4000 /.
to be payed upon demand, he was freed
from his confinement : Yet he was not put
out of the truft of the King and the Go-
Vernraent , for it feems the Council did
not
of t&e Eefo?matfon,
;r?oc look on that as a thing that was in
lh:ir power to do. Book II.
Soon after this , the Protestor took a ^****+
Patent for his Office under the Great1 54 7-
Seal, then in. the keeping of the Lord
St. John i by which he was confirmed in his
Authority, till the King (hould be eighteen
years of Age ^ he was alfo authorized to
bring in new Councellours, befidcs thole
enumerated in the Patent , who are both
the Executors and the Councellours nomi
nated by the late King: The Protector,
with fo many of the Council as he thought
meet, were empowered to adminifter the
affairs of the Kingdom-, but the Council
was limited to do nothing without his
Advice. and Confent. And thus was he
now as well eftabliihed in his Authority
as Law could make him. He had a Ne
gative on the Council, but they had none
on him •, and he could cither bring his
own creatures into it, or fekct a Cabinet
Council out of it as he pleafed : And the
other Executors having now delivered up
their Authority to him, were only Privy
Counceilors as the reft were, without re
taining any fingular authority peculiar to
them , as was provided by King Henrfs
Will.
The firfl bufinefs of confequence that re- The affairs
quired great coniideration, was the Smal-
caldick, War, then begun between the Em- *}•
peror and the Princes of that League-, the
effects of which, if the Emperor prevailed,
were like to be, not only the extirpating df
C Lhthc-
of
Lutkeranifm, but his being the abfolute Ma-
Book II. fter of Germany •, which the Emperor chiefly
t-'V^J defigned,in order to an ttniverfal Monar-
1 5 4 7- chy, but difguifed it to other Princes : to
the Pope, he pretended that his defign was
only to extirpate Herefie •, to other Princes,
he pretended it was only to reprefs fbme
Rebels, and denied all defign of fuppreffing
their new Doctrines •, which he managed fo
artificially, that he divided Germany it felf,
and got fome Ltttkcran Princes to declare
for him, and others to be Neutrals : and
having obtained a very liberal fupply for
his Wars with France and the 7V^, for
which he granted an Edict for liberty of
Religion, he made Peace with both thofe
Princes, and refolved to imploy that Trea-
furewhich ^Germans had given him,againft
themfelves. That he might deprive them of
their chief Allies, he ufed means to engage
King Henry ', and Francis the Firft in a War,
but that was, chiefly by their Interpofition,
compofed. And now when the War was like
to be carried on with preat Vigour, they
loft both thofe Princes-, for as Henry died in
January*) fo Franci* followed him into ano
ther World^ in March following. Many of
their Confederates began to capitulate and
forfake them • and the divided command of
the Duke of Saxe> and the Landgrave of
ffejfe loft them great advantages, the for-
mer year } in which it had been eafie to have
driven the Emperor out of Germany : but
it fell often out, that when the one was for
engaging, the other was againft it, which
made
of t&e 18Lefo?mation, &c. 19
made many very doubtful of their fuccefs. (\J\*Sl
The Pope had a mind to engage the Empe- Book 1L
ror in a War in Germany, that ib Italy might v-xi^^
be at quiet: and in order to that, and * 5> 47«
to Imbroil the Emperor with all the Luthe
rans, he publifhcd his Treaty with him,
that fo' it might appear that the defign of
the War was to extirpate Herefie 5 though
the Emper6r was making great proteftati-
ons to :he contrary fn Germany. He alfd
opened the Council of Trent, which the
Emperor had long defired in vain^ but it
was now brought upon him, when he leaft
wifhed for it : for the Proteftants did all
declare, that they could not look upon it
as a free General Council, fince it was fo
entirely at the Popes devotion, that not fo
much as a Reformation of fome of the
groffeft abufes that could not be jnftified*
was like to be obtained, unlefs clogged
with fuch Claufes as made it ineffectual.
Nor could the Emperor prevail with the
Council , not to proceed to eftablifh the
doftrine, and condemn Herefie } but the
more he obftrufted that by delays, the
more did the Pope drive it on, to open the
eyes of the Germans, and engage them all
vigoroufly againft the Emperor : yet he
gave them fuch fecret aflurances of tolera
ting the ^wW£ Confeffion, that the Mar-
quefs of Brandenburg declared for him, and
that,joyned with the hopes of the Eleftoratey
drew in Maurice of Sttxe . The Count Pa
latine was old and feeble, the Archbifhop
of Cokn wcmld not make refiftance , but
C 2 retired,
20
retired, being condemned both by Pope and
Book II. Emperor, and many of the Cities fpbmit-
**""V'w ted. And Maurice by falling into Saxe^
1 547- forced the Elector to feparate from the
Landgrave, and return to the defence of his
own Dominions. This was the ftate of the
affairs in Germany: fo it was a hard point to
refoive on,what anfwer the Protedlor fhould
give to the Duke of Saxis Chancellor,
whom he fent over to obtain an Aid in Mo
ney, for carrying on the War. It was on
the one hand of great importance to the
fafety of England to preierve the German
Princes, and yet it was very dangerous to
begin a War of fuch Confequence under an
Infant King. At prefent they promifed,
within three Months, to fend by the Mer
chants of the Still-yard 50000 Crowns to
Hamburgh, and refolved to do no more
till new Emergents fhould lead them to new
Councels.
Mfions The Nation was in an ill condition for
a War, with fuch a mighty Prince, labour
ing under great diftraifticns at home, the
People generally cried out for a Reforma
tion, they ddpifed the Clergy, and loved
the new Preachers. The Priefts were for
the moft part both very ignorant and fcan-
dalous in their lives: many of them had
been Monks, and thofe that were to pay
them the penilons, that were referved to
them at the deftruclion of the Monafteries,
till they fnould be provided, took care to
get them into ibme fmall Benefice. The
greateit part of the Parfonages were 1m-
propriated,
of tfceEefogmatuin,
propriated, for they belonged to the Mo-
nafteries, and the Abbots had only granted
the Incumbents, either the Vicarage, or
fome fmall Donative, and left them the
Perquifites raifed by Mafles and other Offi
ces. At the fuppreflion of thofe Houfes
there was no care taken to provide the In
cumbents better :, fo they chiefly fubfifted by
Trentals & other Devices,that brought them
in fome fmall relief, though the Price of
them was fcandaloufly low, for Mafles went
often ac 2 d. a Groat was a great bounty.
Now thefe few that a Reformation of thofe
abufes, took the Bread out of their mouths •,
fo their Interefts prevailing more wkh
them than any thing elfe, they were fc»a-
3oufly engaged againft all changes : but that
fame Principle made them comply with
every change that was made, rather than
lofe their Benefices : Their poverty made
them run into another abufe of holding
more Benefices *tt the fame time, a Cor
ruption of fo crying and fcandalous a na
ture, that where- ever it is pradtifed, it is
fufficient to pofTefs the .People with great
prejudices againft the Church that is guilty
of it : there being nothing more contrary
to theplaineft impreflions of reafon, than
that every Man who undertakes a Cure of
Souls, whom at his Ordination he has vow
ed, that he would inftruft, feed, govern,
ought to difcharge that truft himfelf, which
is the greateft and moft important of all
others.The Clergy were incouraged in their
% Oppofition to all changes, by the protection
C 3 they
22 atyftgment of tlje $Hfto$
*AX^ they expeded from Gardiner, Banner, and
Book II. Tonftall,who were Men of great reputation,
as well as fet in high places: and above all,
Lady Mary did openly declare againft all
Changes, till the King fhould be of Age.
Bet on the other hand, Cranmer, whofe
greateft Weakhefs was his over-pbfequiouf-
nefs to King Hfnry', being now at liberty,
refoived to proceed more vigoroufly : The
Protestor was firmly united to him, (b
were the young Kings Tutors, and he was
as much engaged, as could be expefted
from fo young a Per fon : for both his know
ledge and zeal for true Religion were
above his Age. Several of the Bifhops did
alfo declare for a Reformation, but Dr.
Ridley now made Biftiop of Rochefter, was
the Perfon on whom he depended moft.
Latimer was kept by him at Lambeth, and
did great fervice by his Sermons, which
were very popular, but he would not re
turn to his Bifhopfick, cftoofing rather to
ferve the Church in a more difengagcd
manner. Many of the Bifhops were very
ignorant, and poor fpirited Men, raifed
meerly by Court- favour, who were little
concerned for any thing but their Revenues.
Cranmer refoived to proceed by degrees,
and to open the reafons of every ad
vance, that was made io fully, that he
hoped by the bleffing of God to poflefs the
Nation of the fitnefs of what they fhould
do, and thereby to prevent any dangerous
pppofition, that might otherwife be ap
prehended.
*' * » • i , - * ^TTM
Tk
of t&eEefo?mation, &c. 25
The power of the Privy Council had
been much exalted in King Henrys time,
by Act of Parliament •, and one Provifo in -
it was, that the King's Council ftiould have l * 47*
tbe fame Authority when he was under
Age, that he himfelf had at full Age : fo A vifira-
it was refolved to begin with a General \Ion °. *ru
_T.~ . en , i i • i j- theChur-
Vifitation of all England, which was di- chcs>
vided into fix Preempts : and two Gentle
men, a Civilian, a Divine, and a Regi-
(ter were appointed for every one of
thefe. But before they were fent out,
there was a Letter written to all the ^*
Bifhops, giving them notice of it, fuf-
pending their Jurifdiction while it laft-
cd, and requiring them to preach no where
but in their Cathedrals, and that the other
Clergy mould not preach but in their own
Churches,without Licence : by which it was
intended to reflrain fuch as were not .ac
ceptable, to their own Parifhes-, and to
grant the otrors Licences to Preach in any
Church of England. The greateft difficul
ty that the Reformers found, was in the
want of able and prudent Men, the moft
zealous were too hot and mdifcfeet, and
the few they had that were Eminent, were
to be imployed in London^ and the llniver-
fities. Therefore they intended to make
thofe as common as was poffible, and ap
pointed them to preach as Itinerants and
Vifitors. The only thing by which the
People could be univerfally inftrufted, was
a Book of Homilies -, fo the twelve firil
Homilies in the Book, ftill known by that
C 4 naaie,
24 Sbifogment of tfte Srifloap
f\wA-/*) fiame,werecompiled,in framing wcl1 the chief
Book II. dcfign was to acquaint the People aright
W**' with the nature of the Gofpel Covenant,
1 547- in which there were two extreams equally
dangerous : the one was of thofe who
thought the Priefts had an infallible fecret
of faving their fouls, if they would in all
things follow their directions *, the other
was of thofe who thought that if they
magnified Chrift; much, and depended on
his Merits, they could not perifh, which
way ioever they led their lives. So the
mean between thefe was obferved, and the
People were taught both to depend on the
fufferings of Chrift, and alfo to lead their
lives according to the rules of the Gofpel,
without which they could receive no be
nefit by his death. Order was alfo given,
that a Bible fhould be in every Church,
\vhich though it was commanded by King
Henry^ yet had not been generally obeyed :
and for underftandhrg^the New Teftament,
Erafmms Paraphrafe was put out in Engliflj^
and appointed to be fet up in every Church.
His great reputation and learning, and his
dying in the Communion of the Roman
Church, made this Book to be preferred
to any other, fince there lay no prejudice to
grafinujy which would have been ; objected
to any other Author. They renewed alfo
all the Injunctions made by Cromml in the
former Reign, which after his fall were but
Jittle 'looked after, as thofe for inftruding
the people, for removing Images, and put
ting down all other cuftomes abufed tofu-
perltitionj
&c. 2?
perftition •, for reading the Scriptures, and
laying the Litany in Englifa for frequent
Sermons and Catechifing, for the Exempla-
ry lives of the Clergy, and their labours in
vifiting the fick, and the other parts of their
function , fuch as reconciling differences ,
and exhorting their people to Charities: and
all who gave Livings by Simoniacal bar
gains, were declared to have forfeited their
right of Patronage to the King. A great
charge was alfo given for the ftrift obler-
vation of the Lords Day, which was
appointed to be fpent wholly in the
fervice of G O D •, it not being enough
to hear Mafs or Mattins in the Morning,
and fpend the reft of the Day in drunken-
nefs and quarrelling, as was commonly pra-
dtifed-, but it ought to be all imployed ei
ther in the duties of Religion , or in a<fls
of Charity, only in time of Harveft they
were allowed to work on that and other
Feftival days. Direction was alfo given, for
the bidding of Prayers,in which the King, as
Supreme head, the Queen, and the Kings
Sifters, the Protedlor and Council, and all
the Orders of the Kingdom were to be
mentioned j they were alfo to pray for de
parted fouls, that at the laft day, we with
them might reft both body and foul. There
were alfo Injunctions given for the Sifhops,
that they fhould preach four times a year
in their Dioceflcs, once in their Cathedral,
and thrice in any other Church, unlefs they
had a good excufe to the contrary : that
their Chaplains Ihould preach often : and
that
augment of t&e fyifow
that they (hould give Orders to none, but
Book II. thofe that were duly qualified.
****** Thefc were yarioufly cenfiired : The
I 5 4 ?• Clergy were only impowered to remove the
on ttein- abufec* ^m3ges, and the People were re-
janftions. ftrained from doing it, but this authority
being put in their hands,it was thought they
would be flow and backward in it. It had
been happy for this Church, if all had a-
greed fmcethat time, to prefs the Religi
ous obfervation of the Lords Day, without
ftarting needkfs queftions about the Mora
lity of it, and the obligation of the fourth
Commandment -, which has occafioned much
difpute and heat : and when one Party
raifed the obligation of that duty to a pitch
that was not practicable, it provoked o-
thers to flacken it too much : and this
produced many (harp reflections on both
fides, and has concluded in too common a
neglect of that day, which inftead of being
fo great a bond and inftrument of Religion,
as it ought to be, is become generally a day
of idienefs and loofnefs. The Corruptions
, of Lay Patrons and Simoniacal Priefts have
been often complained of, but no Laws nor
Provilions have ever been able to preferve
the Church from this great mifchief *, which
can never be removed till Patrons look
on their right to nominate one to the
charge of Souls, as a truft for which they
are to render a ievere account to God,
and till Priefts are cured of their afpiring
to that, charge, and look on it with
dread and great caution. The bidding of
Prayers
of tfce Eefo?matton, &c. 27
Prayers had been the cuftome in time of fNAx}
Popery, for the Preacher after he had na- Book II.
med his Text, and fhewed what was to ^-OPO
be the method of his Sermon, defired the * 547-
People to joyn with him in a Prayer, for
a blefling upon it } and told them likewife,
whom they were to pray for, and then
all the People faid their Beads in filence,
and he kneeling down faid his, and from
thajt this was called the bidding of the
Beads. In this new direction for them,
Order was given to repeat always the
Kings Title of Supream Head, that fo the
People hearing it often mentioned, might
f row better accuftomed to it : but when in-
ead of a bidding Prayer,an immediate one
is come generally to be ufed, that enume
ration of Titles feems not fo decent a thing,
nor is it now fo neceflary as it then was.
The prayer for departed fouls was now
moderated, to be a prayer only for the
confummation of their happinefs at the
laft day, whereas in King Henrys time,
they prayed that God would grant them
the fruition of his prefence, which im
plied a Purgatory. The Injunctions to
the Bifhops, directing them to give Or
ders with great caution, pointed out that
by which only a Church can be preferved
from Errors and Corruptions : for when
Bifhops do eafily upon recommendations
or emendicated Titles, confer Orders, as
a fort of favour that is at their difpofal,
the ill effefts of that muft be fatal to the
Church j either by the Corruptions that
thoft
2? 8b?fijgment of t&e |>tfto?p
1TVA*X> thofe vicious Priefts will be guilty of, or by
Book II. the Scandals which are given to fome good
VW-f minds by their means , who are thereby
1*547- difgufted at the Church for their fakes,
and fo are difpofed to be eafily drawn in
to thofe Societies that feparate from it.
The War The War with Scotland was now in con-
whh scot' fultation •, but the Protector being appre-
henfive that France would engage in the
quarrel, fent over Sir Fr. Brian to congra
tulate with the new King, to defire a con
firmation of the laft Peace, and to com
plain of the Scots, who had broken their
Faith with the King, in the matter of the
Marriage of their Queen. The French King
refnfed to confirm the Treaty., till fome Ar
ticles Ihould be firft explained, and fo he
difowned his Fathers EmbafTadour •, and
for the Scots, he faid he could not forfake
them, if they were in diftrefs. The En-
gliflj alledged that Scotland was fubject to
England j but the French had no regard to
that, and would not fo much as look on
the Records that were offer'd to prove it ^
and faid they would take things as they
found them, and not look back to a di-
fpute of two hundred years old. This
made the English Council more fearful of
engaging in a War> which by all appear
ance, would bring a War on them from
France. The Caftle of St. Andrews was
furrendred, and all their Penfioners in Scot
land were not able to do them great fer-
vice : The Scots were now much lifted
up-, for 'as England was under an Infant
King,
of t$e Reformation, &c. 29
King, fo the Court of France was governed Ov/^/T
by thtir Queen Dowagers Brothers. The Book IL
Scots began to make Inroads on England, *^WJ
and Deicents on Ireland. Commiflloners l 547-
were fent to the Borders to treat on both
fides *, and the Proteclor raifed a great Ar
my , which he refolved to command in
perfon. But the meeting on the Borders
was foon broke up, for the Scots had no
Inftruftions to treat concerning the Mar- •
riage , and the Engtifo were ordered to
treat of nothing elfe, till that mould be
firft agreed to. And the Records that were
/hewed of the Homzge done by the Scottish
Kings to the £»£/i/&had no great efftft •,
for the Scots either faid they were forged,
or forced from fome weak Princes , or
were only Homages for their Lands in
England^ as the Kings of England did Ho
mage to the Crown of France for their
Lands there. They alfo mewed their Re-
cords by which their Anceftors had aflerted
that they were free and independent of
England. The Protector left Commiffipns
of" Lieutenancy to fome of the Nobility,
and devolved his own power 5 during his
abfence, on the Privy Council, and came
to the Borders by the end of 4ȣnft. The
Scots had abandoned the Pafles, fo that he
found no difficulty in his March, and the
fmall Forts that were in his way, were furren-
dred upon Summons. When the EngUJb ad-
vanced to Falfd, the Scots engaged with
them in Parties, but loft 1300 men. The
two Armies cajne in view ; the fneKJh con-
/*/!_ J
Cited
fitted of fifteen thoufand Foot and three
Book II. thoufand Horfe , and a Fleet under the
/VNJ Command of the Lord Clinton* failed along
1 5 4 ?• by them , as they marched near the
Coaft -, the Scottijh Army confifted of
thirty thouiand, and a good train of Ar«-
tillery.
The Protestor fent a Meflage toth*
Scots , inviting them by all the Arguments
that could be invented, to confent to the
Marriage ', and if that would not be granted,
he defired engagements from them, that
theirQueen (hould be contracted to no other
perfon, at leaft till (he came of age, and
by the advice of the Eftates, fhould choofe
a Husband for hedelf. This the Protestor
offered to get out of the War upon Ho-
nourable terms, but the Scottish Lords
thought this great Condefcenfion was an
effeft of fear, and believed the Protestor
was ftraitned for want of Provifions •, fb
inftead of publifhing this offer, they refol-
vedto fall upon him next day : And fo all
the return that was made, was, That if
the Protestor would march back without
any ad of Hoftility, they would not fall
upon him. One went officioufly with the
Trumpeter, and challenged the Proteftor,
in the Earl of Huntlefs name, to decide
the matter by their Valour*, butthePrc-
teftor faid he was to fight no way but at
the head of his Army, yet the Earl oflW-
#ick. accepted the challenge, but Hartley had
given no order for it. On the twentieth
of Seftember the Armies engaged, to the
begm:
of tfte Refoimatt'on, &c. 31
beginning of the aftion, a fhot from the
Ships killed a whole lane of men, and dif- Book II.
ordered the High-landers,fo that theylcould o'^NJ
not be made to keep their Ranks. The Earl l 5 47-
of Angw charged bravely, but was repul- J
led, and the Engtifh broke in with fuch fu-
ry on the Scots, that they threw down their
Arms and fled. Fourteen thoufand were
killed, fifteen hundred taken Prifoners,
among whom was the Earl ofHttnthy, and
five hundred Gentlemen. Upon this, the
Protestor went on and took Leith, and
fome Iflands in the Frith, in which he put
Garrifons, and left Ships to wait on them •,
he fent fome Ships to the mouth of T*y
and took a Cattle (Broughty) that com
manded that River. If he had followed
this blow, and gone forward to Striwlwg^
to which the Governour, with the fmail
remainders of his Army, had retired,
and where the Queen was, it is probable,
in the confirmation in which they were,
he might have taken that place, and fo have
made an end of the War. But the party
his Brother was making at Court, gave him
fuch an Alarm, that he returned before he
had ended his bufinefs : And the Scots having
fent a Meflage defiring a Treaty, which
they did only to gain time, he ordered
them to (end their Commiflioners to
Berwick, and fo marched back : He took
in all the Caftles inMerch and 7Vz/i0*<&i/* ,
and left Garrifons in them, and made the
Gentry fwear to be true to the King, and
to promote the Marriage. Heentredinto
3 2
fVA>O £c0f<7& ground the fecond of September, and
Book II. returned to England on the twenty ninth,
^V"^ with the lofs only of ilxcy men, and brought
J5*7» with him a great deal of Artillery, and
many Pdfoners : This fuccefs did raife his
reputation very high, and if he had now
mads an end of the War, it had, no
doubt, eftabliuYd him in his authority. The
Scots fent no Commiflioners to Berwick^ bnt
inftead of that , they fent iome to France,
to offer their Queen to the Dauphin, and
to caft themfeiv-es on the protection of
that Crown , and fo the Earl of Warwick*
whom the Protestor left to treat with
them, returned back. The Protestor,
upon this great fuccefs , fnmmoned a
Parliament, to gethimfelfeftabliihed in bis
power.
Thefuc- The Vifitors had now ended the Vifita.
cefsofthe tion, and all had fubmitted to them, and
Vifuation. great Inferences were made from this, that
on the fame day on which the Images were
burnt in London, their Army obtained that
great Victory in Scotland, But all fides are
apt to build much on Providence, when it
is favourable to them, and yet they will
not allow the Argument when it turns
againft them. Banner at firft protefted that
he would obey the Injunctions , if they
were not contrary to the Laws of God ,
and the Ordinances of the Church 5 but
being called before the Council , he re
tracted that, and asked Pardon ^ yet for gi
ving terrour to others, he was for fome
time put in Prifon upon it. Gardiner
wrote
of t&e Eefoimattatt, &c. 3 j
wrote to one of the Vifitors, before they
came to Wincbefter^ that he could not re-
ceive* the Homilies •, and if he mud either
quit his Bifnoprick , or fin againft his
Confcience, he refolvedto chufe the for
mer : Upon this, he was called befqfe the
Council, and required to receive the Book
of Homilies } but he excepted to one of
them , that taught that Charity did not
juftifie, contrary to the Book fet out by
the late King , confirmed in Parliament :
He alfo complained of many things id
£r^/mw'sParaphrafe: And being prefledto
declare whether he would obey the Injun-
colons or not , he refufed to promife it j
and fo was fent to the Fket. Cranmer treated
in private with him, and they argued much
about juftification. Gardner thought the
Sacraments juftified, and that Charity ju-
ftified as well as Faith. Cranmer thought
that only the merits of Chrift juftified, as
they were applied by Faith, which could
not be without Charity •, fo the que-
ftion turned much on a different way of
explaining the fame thing. Gardiner ob-
je&ed many things to ErajmuSs Book, par
ticularly to fome paflages contrary to the
power of Princes-, .it wasanfwered, That
Book was notchofen, as having no faults,
but as;thebeft they knew for clearing the^
difficulties in Scripture, tranmer offered
to him, th^t if he would concur with them,
he^fhould be brouglit to be one of the
Privy Council^ but he did not comply in'
this f 6 readily as he ordinarily did to fuch'
D
34 augment of
rOs^ offers. Upon the Protedors return , he
Book II. wrote to him, complaining of the Councils
VT^^ proceedings in his abfence •, and after he
J*5 4 ?• had given his objections to the Injunctions,
he excepted to this, that they were con
trary to Law, and argued from many pre
cedents, that the Kings authority could not
be raifed fo high -7 and that though Cromwd
and others endeavoured to perfwade the late
King, that he might govern as the Rowan
Emperours did, and that his Will ought to
be his Law •, yet he was of another opinion,
and thought that it was much better to make
the Law the Kings Will. He complained
alfo that he was hardly ufed, that he had
neither Servants, Phyficians nor Chaplains,
allowed to wait on him > and that though
he had a Writ of Summons, he was not
fuffered to come to the Parliament, which
he faid, might bring a Nullity on all their
Proceedings.Buthe lay in Prifon till the Aft
of General Pardon paft in Parliament, fet
him at liberty. Many blamed the fevcrity
of thefe proceedings as contrary both to
Law and Equity, and faid that all people,
even thofe who complained moft of arbi
trary power, were apt to ufurp it when
they were in authority: Andfome thought
the delivering the doctrine of Juftification
in fuch nice terms was not futable to the
plain (implicity of the Chriftian Religion.
Lady Mary was fo alarmed at thefe pro-
cxdiugs, that ihe wrote to the Protestor,
that fuch changes were contrary to the ho
nour due to her Fathers Memory, and it was
agaiafi
of tye Eefojmation, &c
againft: their duty to the King to enter up-
on fuch points, and endanger the publick Book II.
Peace before he was of Age. To which l^^V^
he wrote anfwer, That her Father had ciied 1 547
before he could finifh the good things he
had intended concerning Religion j and
had exprefled his regret both before hirafelf
and many others, that he left things in fo
unfetled a ftate j and allured her that no
thing fhould be done but what would turn
to the Glory of God, and the Kings HO-*
nour : He imputed her Writing to the im
portunity of others rather than to her felf,
and defired her to confider the matter bet
ter with an humble Spirit and the affiftance
of the Grace of God.
The Parliament was opened the fourth A
of November , and the Protcftor was by
Patent authorized to fit under the Cloath
of State, on the Right hand of the Throne •,
and to have all the Honours and Privi-
ledgesthat any Unklcof the Crown, either
by Father or Mothers fide, eyer had. Rich
was made Lord ChanceUour. The firft
Aft tfeat paft, five Bifliops only diflenting,
was, w A Repeal of all Statutes that had
"made any thing Treafoo or Felony in
" Che late Reign , which was »ot fo be-
€c fore, and of the fix Articles, and the
" authority given to the Kings Procla-
" mations, as alfo of the Afts againft Lot-
€t Urds. AJl who deniM the Kings Supremacy,
ce or afferted the Popes, for the firft of-
ic fence were to forfeit their goods, forths
*' fecond were to be in a Frtmwirt , and
Id 2 "were
36 8t?iDgment of tfce Sriftojp
{VA-^ "were to be attainted of Treafon for the
Book II. " third. But if any intended to deprive
VV^ "the King of his Eftate or Title, that
i 5 47. ct Was mac;|e Treafon : none were to^ be ac-
" cufed of Words but within a month after
"they were fpoken-, they alfo repealed the
" power that the King had of annulling all
" Laws made, till he was- twenty four years
41 of age, and retrained it only to an an-
c< nulling them for the time to come, but
<l that it (hould not be of force for thedecla-
u ring them null from the beginning.
rAn A&*> Another Act paft with the fame diflent,
bout the for the Communion in both kincjs, and
Sacr*- that the people fhould always communicate
with the Prieft, and by it irreverence to the
Sacrament was condemned under fevere pe
nalties. Chrift had inftituted the Sacrament
in both kinds, andS. Paul mentions both. In
the Primitive Church that cuftome was uni-
verfally obferved , but upon the belief of
TrAnfubftantiation, the rcferving and car
rying about the Sacrament Were brought
in-, this made them firft endeavour to per-
fwade the World that the Cup was not
neceflary, for Wine could neither keep,
nor be oarried about conveniently, but
it was done by degrees , the Bread was
for fome time given dipt , as it is yet in
the Greek. Church : but it being believed
that Chrift was entirely under either kind,
and in every cruffib, the Council of Con-
ftance took the Cup from the Laity, yet
the Bohemians could not be brought to fub»
ffiitto-it', fo every where the ufe of the
Cup
of t&e Eefojm&tiott, See; 37
Gup was one:of the firft -things that was
infifted on by .thofe who demanded a Re-
formation. At firft all that were prefent
did communicate -, and cenfures paft on fuch . f S 4 7*
as did it not : And none were denied the
Sacrament but Penitents, who were made
to withdraw during the Action. But as
the devotion of the Would flackncd, the
people were ftill exhorted to continue their
Oblations , and come to the Sacramant;,
though they did not receive it •, and were
made believe, that the Prieft received it
in their Head : The name Sacrifice given
to it* as being a holy Oblation, was fb
far improved, that the World came to
look on the Priefts officiating, as a Sacri
fice for the dead and living : From hence
followed an infinite variety of Mafles for all
the accidents of humane lifej and that
was the chief part of the Priefts trade ,
but it occafioned many unfeemly jefts con
cerning it, which were reftrained by the
fame Aft that put thefe down,
.Another Aft paft without any diffent , AH A&
* That the Conge <£ elire, and the Eleftion concern-
^purfuantto it, being but a fliadow, fince
"theperfonwas named. by the King, fhould
4C ceale for the future , and that Bifhops
<clhould be named by the Kings Letters
u Patents, and thereupon be confecrated -7
u and (hould hold their Courts in the Kings
" name, and not in their own, excepting
"only the Arch-bifhop of Ctnttibiwfs
<c Court: And they were to ufe the Kings
" Seal in all their Writings, except in Pre-
D ^ tc fen-
"fentations. Collations, and Letters of
!• "Orders, in which they might ufe their
"J <•< own Seals. The Apoftles chofe Bifhops
- and Paftors by an extraordinary gift of
difcerning Spirits, and propofed them to
the approbation of the people \ yet they
left no rules to make that necefTary :
In the times of Perfection, the Clergy
being maintained by the Oblations of the
people, they were chofen by them. But
when the Emperours became Chriftians,
the Town Councils and eminent men took
theEleftionsoutof the hands of the Rab-
ble : Arid the Tumults in popular Ele&i-
ons were fuch, that it was neceffary to regu-
late them. In feme places the Cler
gy, and in others theBilhops of the Pro
vince made the choice. The Emperours
referved the Confirmation of the Eledti-
ons in the great Sees to themfelves. But
when Cbarits the Great annexed great
Territories and Regalities to Bifhopricks,
a great change followed thereupon :
Church-men were corrupted by this undue
greatnefs , and came to depend on the
humours of thofe Princes to whom they
pwed this great encreafe of their wealth.
Princes najned them, and inveftcd them in
their Sees: But the Popes intended to
Separate the Ecclefiaftical State from all
fubjeftion to Secular Princes, and to make
themfelves the heads of that State, at firft
they pretended to reftore the freedom
of Elections *, but thefe were now ingrofled
in a few hands, for only the Chapters chofe »
the
of t&e&efojmatfon, &c.
The Popes had granted thirty years before
this to the King of France , the nomination
to all the Bilhopricks in that Kingdorae •
fo ths King of Englands affuming it was no -
new thing, and the way of Elections, as
King Henry had fetled it, feemed to be but
a Mockery : fo this change was not much
condemned. The Ecclefialtical Courts were
the Concefllons of Princes, in which, Trials
concerning Marriages, Wills and Tithes,
depended, fo the holding thofe Courts in
the Kings name, was no Invafion on the
Spiritual Function • fince all that concern
ed Orders, was to be done ftill in the Bi-
fhops name, only Excommunication was
ftill left as the Cenlure of thoie Courts,
which being a Spiritual Cenfurc, ought to
have been referved to the Bifhop, to be pro
ceeded in by him only with the afliftance
of his Clergy : and this fatal errour then
committed, has not yet met with an effe-
ftual regulation.
Another Aft was made againft idle Va- ^
gabonds, that they fhould be made (laves "nft v
for two years, by j any that fhould feize on gabonds.
them : This was chiefly defigned againft
(bme Vagrant Monks , as appears by the
Provifo's in the Aft, for they went about the
Countrey, infufing in the People a diilike
of the Government. The feverity of this
Aft made that the English Nation which
naturally abhors flayery , did not care to
execute it : and this made that the other
Provifo's, for fupplying thofe that wsie
truly indigent, and were willing to bei&-
D 4
4°
ifVAXI ployed, had no effeft. But as no Natioh
'JBook II. has better, and more merciful Laws, for
V"V*^ the fupply of the Poor,fo the fond pity that
'.* 547- many fhew to the common Beggars;, .which
no Laws have been able to reftrain, makes
that a fort of diflblute and idle Beggars
intercept much of that Charity,which fhould
go to the relief of thefe, that are indeed
^n^aror the only proper obje&s of it. After this
dleChan- C3me I116 Ad for giving thf KinS aU thofe
cries, " Chantries, which the late King had not fei-
zed on by Vertue of the Grant made to
him of them, Cramner oppofed this much :
for the poverty of the Clergy was fuch
that the State of Learning and Religion
was like to fuffer much , if it fhould not
be relieved : and yet he faw no probable
Fond for that, but the preferving thefe,
till the King Ihould come to be at Age^
and allow the felling them> for buying in, of
at leall fuch a fhare of the Impropriations,
as might afford fome more comfortable
fubfiftence to the Clergy : yet though he,
and feven other Biihops difTented, it was
paft : After all other Afts, a General Par
don , l^ut clogged with fome Exceptions,
cajne laft : fome Acts were propofed, but
not paft; one was for the free ufe of the Scri
ptures, others were for a Court of Chancery
in Ecckfiaftical Caufes, for Refidence,
and for a Reformation of the Courts of
The Con- Common Law. The Convocation fat at
" the fame time •, and moved that a Com-
miffion begun in the late Reign of thirty two
Pedons for reforming the Ecclefiaftical
Laws
of i$e Reformation, &c, 41 i
Laws might be revived, and that the in- <VA*^
feriour Clergy might be admitted to fit in Book IL
the Houfe of Commons, for which they 1>"VNJ
alledged a Claufe in the Bilhops Writ and l 547.
Ancient Cuftome } and fince fome Pre
lates had under the former Reign begun
to alter the form of the Service of the
Church, they defired it might be brought
to perfeftion : and that fome care might
be had of fupplying the poor Clergy, and
relieving them from the Taxes that lay on
them. This concerning the inferiour Cler
gy's fitting in the Houfe of Commons, was
thefubject of fome debate, and was again
fet on foot both under Queen Eliz^tbtth and
King James, but to no effect. Some pre
tended that they always fat in the Houfe of
Commons, till the fubmiflion made in the
former Reign, upon the fuit of the Pra-
nwnire : but that cannot be true , fince
in this Convocation, 17. years after that, in
which many that had been in the former
were prefent, no fuch thing was alledged.
It is not clear who thofe Proctors of the
Clergy that fat in Parliament, were : if they
were the Biihops affiflants, it is more pro
per to think they fat in the Houfe of Lords.
No mention is made of them, as having
a fhare in the Legiflative Authority, in our
Records, except in the 21. of Richard the
2J, In which, mention is made, both of the
Commons, the Lords Spiritual, and Tem
poral, and the Proctors of the Clergy con-
curring to the Acts then made : which
makes it feem molt probable that they
were
4* SbiiUgmen t of t&e Sriftoj?
Yv/W% were the Clerks of the lower Houfe of
Book II* Convocation. When the Parliament met
VV*w antiently afi in one Body , the inferiour
*.'S 4 ?•? Clergy had their Writs, and came to it with
the other Freeholders* but when the two
Houfes were feparated, the Clergy became
alfo a diftinft body, and gave their own
Subfidies, and medled in all the concerns,
and reprefented all the grievances of the
Church. But now by the Aft made upon
the fubmiffipo of the Clergy in the laft
Reign, their power was reduced almoft
to nothing : fo they thought it reafon-
ablc to defire, that either they might have
their Reprefentatives in the Houfe of
Commons, or at leaft, trfct matters of
Religion (hould not pafs without the af-
lent of the Clergy. But the railing the
Ecclefiaftical authority too high in former
times, made this turn, that it was now
deprefled as much below its juft limits,
•as it was before exalted above them : as
commonly one extreme produces Ano
ther.
It was refolved that fome Bifhops and
Divines (hould be fent to Wirulfar , to fi-
niflj fome Reformations in the publick Of-
fices •, for the whole lower Houfe of Convo
cation, without a contradi&ory Vote, a-
greed to the Bill about the Sacrament.
But it is not known what oppofition it
met with in the Upper Houfe. A Propo-
fition being alfo fet on foot concerning
the lawfulnefs of the Marriage of the
Clergy, thirty five fiibfcribed to the affirma
tive,
of t$eEefo?mation, &c.
live, and only fourteen held the Nega-
tive. Book II.
And thus ended this Seflion, both of Par- o<v»
foment and Convocation. And the Proteftor * S47«
being now eftablifhed in his power, and
received by a Parliament, without contra-
diftion , took out a new Commiflion , in
which, befides his former authority, he
was impowered to fubftitute one in his
room, during his abfence.
In Germany the Princes of the Smalcal- The affairs
dick League were quite ruined -, the Duke **&****•
of Saxe was defeated , and taken Prifon-
cr ; and ufed with great feverity and fcorn,
which he bare with an invincible great-
jiefs of mind. The Landgrave was per-
fwaded to fobmit, and had afllirances of
liberty given him^ but by a trick unbe
coming the greatnefs of the Emperour,
he was fei^ed on and kept Prifoner, con
trary to faith given : upon this all the
Princes and Towns, except Magfabttrg
and Bremt) fubmittcd and purchafed their
pardon, at what terms the Conquerour
was pleafed to impofe. The Bifliop and
Elector of Colen , withdrew peaceably to
a retirement, in which, after four years,
he died : and now all Germany was at the
Emperours mercy. Some Cathedrals, as
that at Ambttrgi were again reftored to
the Bilhops, and Mafs was faid in them.
A Diet was alfo held, in which the Emperor
obtain'daDecrce to pafs,by which matters of
Religion were referred wholly to his care.
The Pope, inftead of rejoycing at this
biovf
44 W&ament of tine fetffejp
4N-A*/> blow given .the Lutherans, wj£ much trou-
Book II. bled at it : for the Emperour had now
VWin one Year made an end of a War,
£ S* ?• which he hoped would have Imbroiled
him his whole life } Ib that Italy was now
more at his mercy than ever : and it
feemed the Emperour intended to inlarge
Ms Conquefts there, for the Pope's Na
tural Son being killed by a Confpiracy, the
Governour of Mian feized on Placenta?
.which gave the Pope fome jealoufie, as if
the Emperoiar had been privy to the de-
lign againft his Son. The Emperour*s
Ambafladors were alfo very uneafie to the
-Legates at Trent, and preft a Reformation
<>f abufes, and endeavoured to reftrain
them from proceeding in points of do-
dxine : fo they took hold of the firft pre
tence they had by the death of one that
Teemed to have fome fymptomes of the
Plague, and removed it to Bologna. By this
ail the advantages the Emperour had from
the Promifes which the Proteftants made, to
fubmit to a free General Council aflem-
bled in Germany , were defeated : and it
. was thought a ftrange turn of Divine
Providence, that when the extirpation of
Luthcranifnt was fo near being effefted, a
ilop was put to it by that which of all things
was kaft to be apprehended : fince it might
have been expeded that the perfecting
fuch a defign would have made the Pope
and the Emperor friends, though there had
been ever fo many other grounds of differ
ence between them. So unufual a thing
made
of t|jeEefo?matton, &e. 4$
made the favourers of the Reformation af-
cribe it to the immediate care that Hea-
ven had of that work, now when all the
humane fupports of it were gone. Upon
this fatal revolution of affairs there, many
Germansflnd Italians that had retired to Ger
many ', carne over to England : Peter Martyr
and Bernardino OMntts came over firft,
Bftcer and Fagm followed- . They were
invited over by Cranmer, who entertain
ed them at Lambeth, till they were pro-
vided. Martyr was fent to Oxford, and
Sneer and ffagivt to Cambridge ; but the
latter dyed foon after. There were fome
differences between the French and Englifo,
concerning fome new Forts, which were
made about Bttlloigne, on both fides, yet a
Trace was agreed on , for the Protestor
had no mind to engage in a War with
France.
He had a new trouble raifed up in his
own Family, by the Ambition of his Bro- ces bc_
ther, who thought that being the Kings twecn the
Uncle, as well as his Brother was, he ought
to have a larger (hare of the Government.
He had made addrefles to Lady Elizabeth
the Kings lifter, but finding no hopes of
fuccefs, he made applications to the Queen
Dowager, who married him a little ande-
cently, for it was afterwards objected to
him, that he married her fo foon after
the Kings' death , that if ffae had concei
ved with Child immediately after the
marriage, it might have^been doubtful
whether it was by the late King, or not :
yet
4* $tyi bgment of $e 8ritto?p
CXJV*/^ yet the marriage was for fome time con-*
Book II. cealed, and the Admiral moved the King
t/Wi and his Sifters, to write to the Queen,
1547- to accept him for her Husband : The
Kings Sifters excufed themfelves, that it
was not decent for them to interpofe in
fuch a matter, but the young King was
more eafie: fo upon his Letter, the Queen
publiflied her marriage. The Admiral
being now pofTefled of much Wealth,
and the King coming often to the Qijeens
Lodgings, he endeavoured to gain him,
and all that were about him, and furni-
fhed the King often with Money. His
defiga was, that whereas in former times,
when Infant- Kings had two Uncles, one
was Governour of his Perfon, and ano
ther was Protedor of the Realm', fo now
thefe twa Trufts might be divided , and
that he might be made Governour of
tfae Kings Perfon. This is the true ac.
count of the breach between thofe Bro
thers, for the ftory of the quarrel be-
tween their Wives about precedence, feeras
to be an ill-grounded fiftion : for there
was no pretence of a competition be
tween the Queen Dowager and the Dutch-
efs of Somerfet , but the latter being a
high Woman , might have perhaps infla
med her Husbands refentments, over whom
ihe had an abfolute power, which gave
the rife to that ftory. The Protedor
was at firft very ea£e to be reconciled
to his Brother, but after the many pro
vocations he received from him, he threw
oflf
of tlje Eefoimatton, &c. 47
off nature too much. When he was in
Scotland^ the Admiral began to take ad- Book IL
vantage upon that to make a party : And t/*v%
the good advices that were given him by 15 47-
Pag ctj to look on thofe as the common
Enemies of their Family, who were ma
king this breach between them , had no
effeft to cure a mind hurried on by Am
bition. It was the advertifement that was
fent him of this, that made the Protedor
leave Scotland before he had finiihed his
bufinefs there. During the Seffion of Par
liament, the Admiral prevailed with the
King to write with his own hand a Meflage
to the Houfe of Commons, to make him
the Governour of his perfon. When the
Admiral was making Friends in order to
this, it came to his Brothers ears, before
he had made any publick ufe of it : So he
employed fome to divert him from it, but
with no fuccefs. Upon that, he was fent
for to appear before the Council, but he
refufed to come •, yet they having threatned
to turn him out of all his places, and to
(end him to the Tower ^ he fubmitted, and
the Brothers were reconciled : But the Ad
miral continued his fecret practices ftill
with thofe about the King.
Gardiner being included in the A£t of i 5 4 8,
Pardon, was fee at liberty: He promifed
to receive and obey the Injunctions, only
he excepted to the Homily ot Juftificatioo ;
yet he complied in that lifeewife : but iC
was vifible that in his heart he abhorred all
their proceedings , though he. outwardly
'
of
conformed. The Second Marriage of Che
Book II. M. of Northampton was tried at this time,
**X"V*V for his firft Wife being convid: of Adultery,
* 5* 8- he and (he were feparated. And he moved in
Norto- the end of the former Reign, that he might
VMS Di- be fufFered to marry again , fo a Commimon
yorcc. was then granted, and was renewed in this
Reign to fome Delegates to examine what
relief might be given to the innocent perfon
in fiich a cafe. But this being new, and Cran-
mer proceeding in it with his ufual exaft-
nefs , which is often accompanied with
flownefs, the Marquefs became impatient,
. and married a fecond Wife : Upon this,
the Council ordered them to be parted till
the Delegates fhould give fentence. The Ar
guments for Uffc fecond Marriage were thefe,
Chrift had condemned Divorces for other
cafes,but excepted that of Adultery. A Sepa
ration from Bed and Board, and the Mar*
riage bond Handing, was contrary to many
places of Scripture, that mention t'he end of
JMarriage.S.P**«/ difchargesthe married per-
fon, if the other wilfully deferted him, much
more will it follow in the cafe of Adultery.
And though St. Paul fays the Wife is tyed to
her Husband as long as he liveth, that is
only to beiinderftood of a Husband that
continued to be one } but that relation
ceafed by Adultery. The Fathers differed
in their opinions in this matter, fome aljow-
ed Marriage upon Divorce to the Hus
band, but denied it to the Wife ^ others
allowed it to both. So Tertttllian, Efipha-
trfru and Bafl$ Jerome alfo juftified
&t. 49
that had done it. Ckryfoflome and Chrpma-
r«# allowed a fecond Marriage> St. Aufiin
was doubtful about it, The Roman Empe:
rours allowed by their Laws,even after they
became Chriftians, Divorce, and a fecond
Marriage, bpth to Husbands, and Wives,
upon many other Reafons beiides Adultery %
as for procuring Abortions, treating for
another Marriage, being guilty of Trea:
fon, or a Wifes going to Plays without her
Husbands leave. Nor did the Fathers in
thofe times, complain ojf thofe Laws : This
was alfo allowed by the Canons upon fe«
yeral, occasions ^ but after the State of Co>
libate came to be magnified out of meafure,
lecond Marriages were more generally con
demned : And this was heightned when
Marriage was lookt on as a Sacrament,,
Yet though no Divorces were allowed in,
the Church, the Canonifts found Q,ut many.
jfhifcs for annulling Marriages from the be
ginning, to tfiofe that could pay well for
them. All thefe things being confidered,
the Delegates gave fentence , confirming
the fecond Marriage , and difibiving the
firfl, •;-iV?^
Caadlemafs and Lent were now approach- Some Cc
ing, fo the Clergy and People were much di-
vided with" relation to the CeremoDies ufual
at thofe times. By forne Injuu£Uons in K .Hen
ry $ Reign it had been declared, that Fading
in Lent was only binding by, a pofitiveHbaw.
Wakes , and Plough Moondays were alfo
tupprefled, and hints were given that other
cuftomes which were much abated, Ihould
Ee b^
of
be fhortly put down. The grofs Rabble
Book II. loved thefe things, as matters of diverfion,
*S~v***J anc[ thought Divine Worfhip without them
1 5 4 o. wouid 5e but a dull bufinefs. But others
lookt on thefe as Relicts of Heathenifm ,
fince the Gentiles worlhipped their Gods
with fuch Feftivities, and thought they did
not become the gravity and fimplicity of
the Chriftian Religion. Cranmer upon this
procured an Order of Council againft the
carrying of Candles on Candlemafs day, of
Ames on j4foWetbttf£*y> and Palms on
Talm-Sttnday •, whicK was directed to Bon-
wr to be intimated to the Bimops of the
Province of Canterbury, and was executed
by him. But a Proclamation followed
againft all that fhould make changes with
out Authority : The creeping to the Crofs
and taking Holy Bread and Water, were
by it put down, and power was given to
the Arch-bifhop of Canterbury to certifie ,
in the Kings name, what Ceremonies fhould
be afterwards laid afide •, and none were
to preach out of their own Parifhes with
out licence from the King or the Vifitors,
the Arch-bifhop or the Bifhop of the Dio-
cefs. Some queftioned the Councils power
to make fuch Orders, the Act that gave
authority to their Proclamations being re
pealed ; but it was faid the Kings Supre
macy in Ecclefiaftical matters might well
. 8. juftifie their making fuch Rules. Soon af
ter this, a General Order followed for a
removal of all Images out of Churches :
There were every where great contcfts
whe-
of flje
whether the Images had been abufed to So-
perdition or not. Some thought the con- Book IL
iecration of them was an abufe common to W"V*S'
them all. Thofe aifo that reprefented the l 5 4 <*
Trinity, as a man with three faces in one
head, or as an old man with a young man
before him , and a Dove over his head ?
and fome where the Blefled Virgin was re
prefented as affumed into it, gave fo great
fcandal, that it was no wonder, if men, as
they grew to be better enlightned, could
no longer endure them. The only occafion
given to cenfure in this order, was, that
all Shrines, and the Plate belonging to
them, were appointed to be brought in to
the Kings ufe. A Letter was at that time writ
to all Preachers, requiring them to exhort
the people to amend their lives, and for-
fakeSuperltition:, but for things not yet
changed, to bear with them, and not to,
run before thofe whom they fhould obef .
Some hot men condemned this temper, as
favouring too much of carnal Policy $ but
it was laid, that though the Apoftles by
the gift of Miracles, had fufficient means
to convince the World of their authority ;7
Yet they did not all at once change the
cuftomes of the Mofaicd Law , but pro
ceeded by degrees ; and Chrift forbid the
pulling up the Tares, left good Wheat
Ihouid be pulled up with them •, fo it was
fit to wean people by degrees from their
former fuperftitioa 9 and not to run too
fait
£ 2 Eighteen
52
Eighteen Bifhops , and fome Divines,
Booklr. were now imployed to examine the Of-
WV*^ foes of the Church, to fee which of them
l ^of needed amendment. They began with the
ficcferthe ^ucharift : They proceeded in the fame
Communi- IT13nDer that wasufed in the former Reign.
on. For every one gave in his opinion in Wri
ting, in anfwer to the queftions that were
put to them. Some of thefe are ftill prefer-
ved, which were concerning the Priefts
fole communicating, and Mattes fatisfado-
ry for the dead, the Mafs in an unknown
tongue, the hanging it up and expofing it
and the Sacrifice that was made in it. In
rnoft of thofe Papers it appears that the
greateft part of the Bifhops were ilill lea
vened with the old luperftition, at leaft to
fome degree. It was clearly found that
the plain Institution of the Sacrament
was was much vitiated, wish a mixture of
many Heathenifh Rites and Pomps, on defign
to raife the credit of the Priefts, in whole
hands that great performance was lodged.
This was at firft done to draw ever the
Heathens by thofe fplendid Rites to Chri-
flianity ; but Superflition once begun, has
no bounds nor meafures y and ignorance
and barbarity encreafing in tlie darker
ages., there was no regard had to any thing
in Religion, but as it was fet off with much
Pageantry : And the belief of the Corporal
prefencc raifed this to a great height.
The Office was in an unknown tcngue ,
all the Veflels and Garments belonging to'
it, were ccnfecrated with much de-voticn,
a
of t£e Reformation, &c;
a great part of the Service was fecret, to
make it look like a wonderful charm •, the Book
Confecration it fclf was to be faid very
foftly, for words that were not to be
heard, agreed belt with a change that was
not to be fcen : The many Gefliculations
and the magnificent Proceflions all tended
to raife this Pageantry higher. Mattes
were alfo faid for all the turns and affairs of
humane life. Trentals, a cuftome of ha
ving thirty MafTes a year on the chief Fefti-
vities for redeeming Souls out of Purgato
ry , was that which brought the Priefts
mod Money, for thefe were thought Gods
belt days , in which aecefs was eafier to
him. On Saints days, in the Mafs it was
prayed, that by the Saints Interceffion, the
Sacrifice might become the more accepta
ble, and procure a larger Indulgence,
which could not be eafily explained, if the
Sacrifice was the death of Chrift •, befides
a numberlefs variety of other Rites , fb
many of the Relifts of Heathen ifm were
made nfe of for the corrupting of the
holieft inftitutionof the Chriftian Religion.
The firfb Hep that was now made, was a
new Office for the Communion , that is ,
the diftribution of the Sacrament, for the
Office of Confecration was not at this time
touched. It differs very little from what
is flill ufed. In die Exhortation, Auricu
lar Confefllon to a Prieft is left free to be
done or omitted, and all were required not
to judge one another in that matter. There
was alfo a denunciation made requiring
E 3 impe-
impenitent finners to withdraw. The
Pook II. Bread waste be ftill of the fame form that
*V had been formerly ufed. In the diftributi-
5 4 #• on it was faid, The Body of our Lord, &c.
prefirve thy Body, and The Blood of our Lord,
&c. freferve thy SottL This was Printed
with a Proclamation, requiring all to re?
ceive it with fuch Reverence and Unifor
mity, as might encourage the King to pro
ceed further, and not to run to other
things before the King gave direction,
alluring the people of his earned zeal to fet
forth Godly Orders •, and therefore it was
hoped they would tarry for it : The Books
were lent over England, and the Clergy
were appointed to give the Communion
next Eafter according to them.
Many were much offended to find Con-
£onfeflion feffion left indifferent, fo this matter was
examine(]. qhrift gave his Apoftles a
power of binding and looting, and S. James
commanded all to confels their faults to one
another. In the Primitive Church all that
denied the Faith, or otherwife gave fcan-
dal, were feparated from the Communion,
and not admitted to it till they made
publick Confeffion : And according to the
degrees of their fins, the time and degrees
of publick Penitence, and their Separation
were proportioned: Which was the chief
fubjectof the Confultations of the Councils
in the fourth and fifth Centuries. For
fecret fins the people Jay under no obliga
tion to confefs, but they went often to
their Priefts for direftion? even for theft.
Near
of tfte Reformation, &c. $ 5
Near the end of the fifth Century they
•began to have fecret Penances and Con-
,feflions as well as publick : But in the
feventh Century this became the general
praftice. In the eighth Century the Com
mutation of Penance for Money, or other
Services done the Church, was brought in,
Then the Holy Wars and Pilgrimages came
to be magnified : Croifadoes againft Here-
ticks, or Princes depofed by the Pope,
were let up inftead of all other Penances :
Priefts alfo managed Confeffibn and Abfo-
lution, fo as to enter into all mens fecrets,
and to govern their Confciences by them }
but they becoming very ignorant, and not
fo aflbciated as to be governed by Orders
that might be fent them from Rome , the
Friers were every where imployed to hear
Confeflions, and many referved Cafes were
made, in which the Pope only gave Abfo-
lution -, thefe were trufted to them, and
they had the Trade of Indulgences put in
their hands, which they managed with as
much confidence as Mountebanks ufed in
felling their Medicines , with this advan
tage, that the ineffectualnefs of their de
vices was not fo cafily difcovered, for the
people believed all that the Priefts told
them. In this they grew to fuch a pitch
of confidence, that for faying fome Col*
lefts, Indulgences for years, and for Hun
dreds, Thoufands, yea, a Million of years \
were granted -, io cheap a thing was
Heaven made. This trade was now
thrown out of the Church, and private
E 4 Con-
*i Confefllon was declared indifferent : But
Book II. it was much cenfured that n.o Rules fot
V*v-^ Publick Penance were fet ,up at this tima,
J54°»but what were cbrruptcd by the Cano-
nifts. The people did not think a De*
darative Abfolution Efficient, and thought
it furer work when a Prieft faid, / A\>*
fohe thce, though that was but a late In-
vention. Others cenfured the words of
diftribution, by which the Bread was ap
propriated to the Body, and the Cup to
the Soul: And this was foon after a-
jmended, only Tome words relating to it
are ftill in the Collect , We do not prt-
fumc.
Gardiner \s The affairs of State took up the Couife
imprifon- cj^ as much as the matters of Religion im-
ployed the Bifhops, the War with Scotland
grew chargeable, and was fupported from
France, but the fale cf the Chantry Lands
brought the Council in fome Money. Gar diner
was brought into new trouble, maiiy com
plaints were made of him, that he difpa-
raged the Preachers fent with the Kings li
cence into his Dioccfs, and that he fecret-
ly oppofed all Reformation. So bein^
brought before the Council, he denied moft
of the things objected to him, and offer
ed to explain himielf openly in a Sermon
before the King. The Protector preft
him not to meddle in matters, not yet
determined, particularly the prcfence of
Ghrift in the Sacrament, qnd to aflert the
Kings power , though he was under age ,
and the Authority of the Council : for the
Clergy
ton, &c.
Clergy began generally to fay, that though
they acknowledged the Kings Supremacy } Book If.
,yct they would not yield it to the Coun- <W'~V"V
cil , and feemed to place it in fome ex- J 5 4 <»•
traordinary grace conferred on the Kinjg
by the Anointing in the Coronation. So
the Protestor defired Gardiner to declare
himfelf in thofe points ; but when he came
.to preach on St. Peters day, he inveighed
againft the Popes Supremacy, and ailerted
the Kings, but faid nothing of the Coun
cil, nor the Kings power under Age : he
alfo juftified the fuppreflion of Monafte-
ries and Chantries, and the putting down
MaiTes fatisfaftory , as alfo the removing
of Images, the Sacrament in both kinds,
and the new Order for the Communion -7
but did largely aflert the Corporal Pre-
fence in the Sacrament : Upon which there
was a noife raifed by hot Men of both
fides, during the Sermon, and this was
faid to be a ftirring of fedition, and upon
that he was fent to theTiwr. This way
of proceeding was thought contrary both
to Law and Juftice, and as all violent
courfes do , this rather weakned than
ftrengthned thofe that were moft concern
ed in it. Cranmtr did at this time fet out
a large Catechifm, which he dedicated to
the King. He infifced much on (hewing,
that Idolatry had been committed in the
ufe of Images : he aflerted the Divine
Inftitution of Bifhops and Priefts, and
their authority of Abfolving finners-, and -
exprefitd great Zeal for fet ting up Peni
tentiary
58
tentiary Canons, and exhorted the People
Book II. to difcover the Hate of their Souls to
^^V'-w their Paftors: from this it appears, that
* 5 4 o. he j^d changed the opinions, he former
ly held, againft the Divine Inftitution of
the Ecclefiaftical Offices.
But now a more general Reformation
wrey com- °^ t^ie wno^e Liturgy was under confidc-
pofed. " ration, that all the Nation might have an
Uniformity in the Worfhip of God j and
be no more cantoned to the feveral Ufes
of SaYum^ Yorkj> Lincoln) Hereford and Ban-
gor. Anciently the Liturgies were fhort,
and had few Ceremonies in them : Every
Bifhop had one for his own Diocefs : but
in the African Churches, they began firft
to put them into a more Regular Form.
Gregory the Great, labour'd much in this;
yet he left A»$m the Monk to his liber
ty, either to ufe the Roman or French
forms in England* as he found they were
like to tend moil to Edification. Great
Additions were made in every Age, for
the private Devotions of fome that were
reputed Saints, were added to the Pub-
lick offices : and myfterious fignifications
were invented for every new Rite, which
was the chief ftudy of fome Ages : and
all was fwelled np to a vaft bulk. It
was not then thought on, that praying by
the fpirit, confuted in the inventing new
words, and uttering them with warmth }
and it feemed too great a fubjection of
the People to their Priefts, that they
fliould make them joyn with them in all
their
of t&e &efo?mation, &c. 5 9
their heats in prayer .- and would have rVA-x>
proved as great a refignation of their de- Book II.
votion to them, as the former fuperfliti- ^""Wj
on had made of their faith. It was then * 5 4 8.
refolved to have a Liturgy, and to bring
the Worlhip to a fit mean, between the
Pomp of Superftition, and naked flatnefs.
They refolved to change nothing, racer-
ly in oppofition to received practices, but
rather in Imitation of whan Chrifb did,
in the Inftitution of the two Sacraments
of the Gofpel, that did confiJE of Rites
ufed among che Jews? but blefled by him
to higher purpoies, to comply with what
had been formerly in u(e, as much as was
poffible thereby to gain the People. All
the Conlecrations of Water, Salt , OTT.
in the Church of. Rome* lookt like the
remainders of Heathenifm, and were laid
afide : by thefe Devils being adjured, and
a Divine vertue fuppofed to be in them,
the People came to think, that by fuch
obfervances, they might be fure of Hea
ven. The Abfolutions, by which, upon
the account of the Merits of the Bleffed
Virgin, and the Saints, the fprinklings of
Water, Fallings and Pilgrimages, with
many other things, fins were pardoned, as
well as on the account of the Paflion of
Chrift, and the Abfolution given to dead
bodies, lookt like grofs Impoftures, tend
ing to make the World think, that be-
(ides the painful way to Heaven, in a
courfe of true Holinefs, the Priefts had
.fecrejs in their hands , of carrying Peo
ple
60
i\»AXl pie thither in another Method, and on
Book II. eafier terms •, and this drew in the Peo-
lx*V^ple to purchafe their favour, efpecially
'540. wjlen ^y were (tying. fQ tnat^ 35 £1^
fears were then heightned, there was no o-
ther way left them, in the coaclufton of an
ill life, to dye with any good hopes, but
as they bargained for them with their
Priefts j therefore all this was now caft out.
It was refolved to have the whole wor-
fhip in the Vulgar Tongue, upon which
Saint Paul has copioufly enlarged him>
felf : and all Nations, as they were con
verted to Chriftianity , had their Offices
in their Vulgar Tongue-, but of late, it
had been pretended, that it was a part
of the Communion of Saints, that the
worfhip mould be every where in the
fame Language^ though the People were
hardly ufed, when for the fake of fome
Vagrant Priefts, that might come from
foreign Parts, they were kept from know
ing what was faid in the worfhip of God.
It was pretended, that Pilate having or
dered the Infcriptton on the Crois, in
Greek, Lttine , and Hebrew, thefe three
Languages were fanctified^ but it is not
eafie to underftand what authority he had,
for conferring fuch a priviledge on them.
But the keeping all in an Unknown
Tongue, preferved in dirk Ages the e-
fteem of their Offices, in which there were
fuch Prayers and Hymns , and fuch Lef-
fons, that if the People had underftood
them , they muft have given great fcan-
dal:
of ttie Eefo?matioti* &c. 61
v dal-: In many Prayers the pardon of fins,
and the grace of God were asked , in Book III
iuch a ftile, of the Saints, as if thcfe had
been wholly at their difpofal, and as if
they had been more merciful than God,
or Chrift. In former times all that did
officiate, were peculiarly habited, and all
their Garments were blefled : and thcfe
were confidered, as a part of the train
of the Mafs.i but on the other hand,
white had been the colour of the Priefts
Veftments, under the M>f*ic*l Law, and
ivas early brought into the Chriftian
Churches : it was a proper expreflion of
Innocence, and it was fit that the wor-
fhip of God mould be in a decent habit.
So it was continued, and fmcc the Sacri
fices offered to Idols, were not thereby
according to Saint Paul, of their own
nature polluted, and every Creature of
God was good, it was thought, notwith-
ftanding the former abufe, moft reafonable
to ufe thefe Garments ftill.
The Morning and Evening Prayers were
put almofl in the fame Method, in which
we ufe them {till, only there was no Con-
feflion nor Absolution. In the Office for
the Communion, there was a Commemo
ration of thankfgiving, for the Blefled
Virgin, and all departed Saints, and they
were commended to God's mercy and
peace. In the Consecration , the nfe of
croffing the Elements was retained, bnt
there was no Elevation, which was st
firlt ufed as an hiftorical Rite, to fliew
Chrift's
62
Chrift's being lifted up on the Crofs-, but
Book II. was Afterwards done, to call on the Pco-
*X"Y^-* pie to adore it- No ftamp was to be on
1 5 4 8- the Bread, and it was to be thicker than
ordinary. It was to be put in the Peo
ples mouths by the Priefts, though it had
been anciently put in their hands. Some
in the Greek^ Church began to take it in
Spoons of Gold, others in a Linnen cloth,
called their Dominical: but after the Cor
poral prefence was received , the People
were not fuffered to touch it, and the
Priefts Thumbs and Fingers were peculi
arly anointed, to qualifie them for that
Contact. In Baptifm, the Child's head
and breaft was croft, and an adjuration
was made of the Devil, to depart from
him : Children were to be thrice dipt,
or in cafe of weaknefs, water was to be
fpnnkled on their faces, and then they
were to be anointed. The fick might alfo
be anointed, if they defired it. At Fune
rals, the departed Soul was recommended
to God's mercy.
The Sacraments were formerly believed,
Private of fuch vertue, that they conferred Grace,
Comrou- by the very receiving them , ex opcre ofe-
rato: and fo Women baptized- The An
cients did fend portions of the Eucharift
to the fick, but without any Pomp : which
eame in, when the Corporal Prefence was
believed. But inftead of that, it was now
appointed, that the Sacraments fhould be
miniftred to the fick, and therefore in
cafe of weaknefs, Children might be bap
tized
of tlje Eefojmatftm, &c. 6$
tized in Houfes •, though it was more fuit-
able to the defign of Baptifm, which was Book II.
the admiflion of a new Member to the
Church, to do it before the whole Con-
gregation : But this, which was a provi-
fion for weaknefs, is become fince a mark
of Vanity, and a piece of affected ftate.
It was alfo appointed, that the Sacrament
fhould be given to the fick, and not to be
fent from the Church, but Confecrated
by their Bed-fides : fince Chrift had faid,
that where two or three were aflembled,
in his name, he would be in the midft of
them. But it is too grofs a Relique of
the worft part of Popery, if any imagine,
that after an ill life, fome fudden forrow
for fin, with a hafty Abfolution, and the
Sacrament will be a palTeport to Heaven,
fince the mercies of God in Chrift are
offered in the Gofpel, only to thofe who
truly believe , fincerely repent, and do
change the courfe of their Lives.
The Liturgy thus compiled, was publi-
fhed with a Preface, concerning Ceremo
nies : the fame that is ftill in the Ccm-
mon-Prayer-Book , written with extraor
dinary judgment acd ^temper.
When the Book came into all Mcas
hands, ftveral things were cenfured : as pa on
particularly the frequent ufe of the Crofs the Com-
and Anointing. The former began to be mon-pray*
ufed, as a badge of a crucified Saviour : **-Book.
but the fuperftition of it was fo much
advanced, that Latria was given to the
Crofier. The ufmg it was alfo believed
to
8fyftgment of
to have a Virtue for driving away evil
Book II. fpirits, and preferving one from dangers :
"'^ fo that a Sacramental vertue was affixed
to it, which could noc.be done, fmce
there is no Inftitution for it in Scrip
ture: but the ufing it as a Ceremony, ex-
preffing the believing in' a crucified Savi
our, could import no fuperftition, fince
Ceremonies, that only exprefs our duty
cr profeflion T may be ufed as well as
words, thefe being figns, as the other arc
founds, that exprefs our thoughts. The
ufe of Oyl in Confirmation , and recei
ving Penitents, was early brought into.
the Church : but it was not applied to
the fick, till the loth. Century; for the
Ancients did not underftand thofe words
of Saint James , to relate to it -y but to
the extraordinary gift of healing, then in
the Church.
. While thefe changes were under Con-
fideration, there were great heats every.
retained! w^cr^ anc^ a great contradiclion among
' the Pulpits 5 fome commending all the old
cuftomes, and others inveighing as much
againft them: fo the power of granting,
Licences to preach, was taken from the
Bilhops, and reftrained only to the King
and the Archbiihops -, yet even that did
not prove an effectual reftraint. So a
Proclamation was fet out, reftraining all
Preaching, till the Order, which was then
in the hands of th$ Bifliops, fliould be
finiflied •, and inftead of hearing Sermons,
all were required to apply thenifelves to
Prayer/
of t&e Eefo?matton, &re«;
Prayer, for a bleffmg on that which was
then a preparing, and to content them-
felves in the mean while with the Homi-
lies.
The War of Scotland continued : the
Scots received a great fupply from Prance
of 6000. Men, under the command of Def-
fy\ The Englifli had fortified tiadington,
which was well fituated, and lay in a
fruitful Countrey : fo the Governour of
Scotland joyning an Army of Scots to the
French, fat down before it. The Protestor
faw the inconveniencies of a long War
coming on him , both with Scotland and
France: fo he offered a truce for 10. years,
in which tirpe he hoped by prefents and
practices, to gain, or at leaft to divide
thofe, who were united by the War.
Many of the Scotch Nobility liked the
Propofition well : and indeed the inlb-
lence of the French was fuch, that in-
ftead of being Auxiliaries, they confidered
them as Enemies. But the Clergy were
fo apprehenfive of a Match with f&gltxcl,
that they never concluded themfelves fe-
cure, till it were put out of their power:
and fo did vehemently promote the Pro
pofition made by the, French , of fending
their Queen over to Frances and this was
in conclufion agreed to. So the French
Ships that brought over the Auxiliaries,
carried back the young Queen. The fiege
of Hadington went on : a great recruit
fent to them from ZteVwid^was intercep
ted, and cut off: but they were well ftp-
F
66
piled with Ammunition and Proviflofts.
Book II. some Caftles that the Englifh had, were
IXV^ taken by furprize, and others by Trea-
J548. chery . 3 pjeet VfaS fent t0 fpoJl tfoe
Coaft of Scotland , undef the Admirals
command, but he made only two d££
cents, in both which he had luch ill fuc-
cefs, that he loft near 1200. Men in
them. The Earl of Shrewsbury led in a
good Army to the Relief of Hadingtohi
The Siege was opened, and the place
well fupplied. But as Defy marched back
to Edenburgh, his Souldiers committed
great out rages upon the Scots, fo that if
Shrewsbury had defigned to fight, he had
great advantages, fince the Scots were
now very weary of their imperious friends,
the French : but he marched back, having
performed that for which he was fent.
Defy followed him, and made a great in
road into England, but would not give
the Scots any (hare of the fpoil^ and trea
ted them in all things, as a conquered
Province : and being in fear of them, he
fortified himfelf in Leith, which before
was but an inconfiderable Village. He al-
fo attacked the Fort which the English had
in Jnchkeithj and took it. But he was re
called upon the Complaints that were fent
to. the Court of France, againft hint.
Now the People there began to feel their
flavery, and to hate thofe that had per-
fwaded the fending their Queen to France,
2nd particularly the Clergy, and were
thereby the more difpofed to hearken ta
fuch
Off
fuch Preachers, as difcovered their Cor-
t uptions and fuperftition. Monluc Bifhop Book II.
of faience i a Man celebrated for wifdom, S*X'>C5
and for fo much moderation in matters I54o
of Religion, that it drew upon him the
fufpicion of Herefie, was lent over from
Prance to be Chancellor of Scotland, 'f his
was like to give great difcontent to the Scot"
tifh Nobility : fo he returned to France. The
nglish were how involved in a War, in
which they could promife themfelves no
good ifi'ue, unlefs they could conquer the
Kingdom ; for the end they had propo-
fed by a Match, was now pui dut of
the power, even 6f the Scots them
felves.
In Germany, the Emperor, after he had Affajft $
tifed all porfible ^ndeavoiiri to bring the
Council back to Trent, but without fuc-
cefs, protefted againft thofe at Bologna :
and c»rdeted three Divines ( one of them
was efteem^d a Proteftant ) to draw a
Book for reconciling matters of Religi-
on, which fhould take place in tiiat in
terval, till a Council fhould meet ill Ger
many ', called from that the interim. The
thief Concefllons in favour of the Prote-
ftants were the Communion in both kinds,
and that married Priefts might officiate.
A Diet was fummoned, where Mwrxi
was invefted in the Eledorate of Saxe*
the degraded Eleftor being made to look
on, and fee the Ceremony •, which he dicj
with his ordinary conftaricy of mind: and!
without etfpreffirtg £iry concern about it,
F 2 b«
he returned to his fludies, which were chief-
Book II. ly imployed in the Scriptures. The Book
V*V^ was propofed to the Diet, and the Bi-
1 5 4 8. (hop of tJWentz, , without any Order,
thanked the Emperour for.it, in their
name, and this was publifhed, as the con-
fent of the Diet. So flight a thing will
pafs for a confent of the States, by a
Conquerour that looks on himfelf as a-
bove Law. Both Papifts and Proteftants
were offended at it. It was condemned
at Rome, where no Herefie was more odi
ous than that the Secular Powers ihould
meddle in points of Faith. The Prote
ftants generally refuied it : and the impri-
fon'd Elector could not be wrought on to re
ceive it, neither by the Offers that were
made him, nor the feverities he was put
to, in all which he was always the fame.
Some contefts arofe between Melanfthon,
and the other Lutherans : for he thought
the Ceremonies, being things indifferent,
might be received j but the others thought
thefe would make way for all the other
errors of Popery. The Proteftant Reli
gion was now almolt ruined in Germany,
and this made the Divines tarn their eyes
to England. Calvin wrote to the Prote
ctor, and preft him to go on to a more
compleat Reformation, and that Prayers for
the Dead, the Chrifm and Extream Un
ction might be laid afide. He defired
him to truft in God, and go on, and
wifhed there were more preaching, and in a
more lively way, than be heard was then
in,
of t&eEefo?matidn, &c. -69
in England : but above all things he pray.
ed him to fupprefs that Impiety and pro*
fanity, that, as he heard, abounded in N-
the Nation. *
In the end of this Year, a Seffion
Parliament met, but no Bill was finifhed
before February •, the firft was concerning mnft
the married Clergy, which was finifhed by
the Commons in fix days, but lay fix
Weeks before the Lords : Nine Bifhops,
and four Temporal Lords protefted a- *
gainft it. It was declared, that it were ^n Aft for
better for Priefts to live unmarried, free Jh£ ™f*rt"~
.of all worldly cares •, yet fince the Laws ciergy.
compelling it, had occafioned great filthi-
nefs, they were all repealed. The pre
tence of Chaftity in the Romifi Priefts,
had poflefled the World with a high o-
pinion of them, and had been a great re
jection on the Reformers, if the World
had not clearly feen through it, and been
made very fenfible of the ill eflfeds of it,
by the defilement it brought into their
own Beds and Families. Nor was there
any point in which the Reformers had
enquired more , to remove this prejudice,
that lay againft them. In the old Tefta*
rnent, ail the Priefts were not only mar
ried, but the Office defcended by Inheri
tance. In the New Teftament, Marriage
was declared Honourable in all: among the
qualifications of Bifoops and Deacons,
their being the fM^Ms of one Wife, are
reckoned up. Many of the Apoftles were
married, and carried their Wives about
::: '^ F 3 with
8b?t&3 meat of tfce $>tfto$
with them, asalfo Aytil* did Prifcilla. For-
Bidding to niarry , is reckoned a mark of
the Apoflafie, that was to follow. Some
*54P»0f the firft Hereticks inveighed againft
Marriage, but the Orthodox juftified it,
pnd condemned thofe Churchmen that put
away their Wives : which was confirmed
by a General Council, in the fifth Cen-
fn ftullo. turv . payhnrnms, in the Council of Nice*
oppofed a motion that was made for it :
Hilary ofPoittifrs was married,!?*/?/ and N*~
z,ianz.ens Fathers wereBifhops.£fc liodorttsjhz
flrft that wrote a Romance, moved that Bj>
fliops might live finglyv but till then eve
ry one did in that as he pleafed, and e-
ven thofe who were twice married, if the
firft was before their Converfpn might be
Bilhops, which Jenme hiinftlf, though very
partial to celibate, juftifies^ all the Canons
made againft the married Clergy, were
only fycfitive Laws, which might be re-
peakd. The Priefts in the Greek, Church
idid ftill live with their Wives at that
time; In the Weft, the Clergy did gene
rally marry ; and in Edgar's time, they
were for the moft part married in Eng
land. In the Ninth Century P. Nicolas
preft the Celibate much , but was oppo
fed by many. In the Eleventh Century,
Gregory the 7^. intending to fet up a
new Ecclefiaftical Empire, found that the
unmarried Clergy would be the fureft to
him, fince the married gave Pledges to
the State, and therefore he proceeded furi-
©ufly in it -, and called- all -tjie married
of t&eEefo?mattott, &c. 7*
Priefts, Nicolaitans : yet in England* Lan-
franc did only impofe the Celibate on the
Prebendaries, and the Clergy that lived in
Towns : Anfelm impoied it on all without x 5 49*
exception; but both he, Bernard, and Pe-
trni Damiani, complain, that Sodomy a-
bounded much, even among the BHhops:
And not only Panormittti, but Pitts the id.
wiihed, that the Laws for the Celibate
were taken away. So it was clear, that ir
was not founded on the Laws of God:
and it was a fin to force Churchmen to
vow that which fometimes was not in their
power: and it was found by examining the
forms of Ordination, that the Priefts in
England had made no fuch vows -7 and e~
yen the vow in the Roman Pontifical to
live chaftly, did not import a tie not to
marry, fince a Man might live Chaft in a
married ftate. Many lewd ftories were
published of the Clergy, but none feemed
more remarkable, than that of the Pope's
Legate, in Henry the fecond's time, who
the very fame Night after he had put all
the married Clergy from their Benefices,
was found a-bed with a Whore. It was
alfo obferved that the unmarried Bifhops,
if they had not Baftards to raife , were
as much fet on advancing their Nephews
and Kindred, as thofe that were married
could be : Nor did any Perfons meddle
more in fecular affairs, than the unmar
ried Clergy : and it might be reafonable
to reftrain the Clergy, as was done in the
Primitive Church, from converting the
F 4 Goods
augment of tfce IJrittoj p
Goods of the Church, which were entru-
Book Ii. ftcd to their care, to the enriching of
V*V*o their Families. None appeared more zealous
1 5 49- for procuring this liberty, than feve-
ral Clergy men that never made ufe of ity
in particular Ridley and Redmayn.
An£ft Another Adpaft, confirming the Li-
conform- ... ,. -n R ^- •
ingthcLi- turgy > which was now nniihed, Eight
turgy. Bifhops, -and three Temporal Lords only
protefting againft it. There was ar4ong
preamble, fetting forth the inconvenience
of, the former Offices, and the pains that
had been taken to reform them •, and that
diverfe Bifhops and Divines had, by the
aid of the Holy Ghoft, with an uniform
agreement concluded on the new Book :
therefore they Enacted , That by -whit-
funday next, all Divine Offices ihould be
performed according to kT and if any ufed
other Offices, for the firft offence they
Ihould be imprifoned fix months, lofe their
Benefices for a fecond, and be imprifoned
during life for the third offence. ' Some cen.
(bred thofe words, that the Book was com-
pofed by the slid of the Holy Gkoft j but
this did not import an Infpiration , but
a Divine ajfiftance. ; Many wondred to fee
the Biihops of Norwich^ Hereford* Chiche-
fter> and Weflminfler , proteft againft the
Aft, fince they had concurred in compo-
fing the Book. It dees not appear whe
ther they were difiatisfied at any thing in
it, or whether they oppofed the impo-
fing it onfhch fevere penalties -, or if they
were difpleafcd at a Proyifo that was
added
of t&e Eefoimatton, &c* 73
added for the ufmg of Pfalms taken out of {SA
the Bible, which was intended for the ling- Bo°k
ing Pfalms then put in Verfe, and much ^"V
ufed both in Churches and Houfes, by all 1.S49-
that loved the Reformation. In the Pri
mitive times the Chriftians ufed the Pfalter
much, and the chief devotion of the Mo-
naftick Orders confifted in repeating ft
often. <dpollinwins put it in Verfe, and
both Nazjanzjen and Prudentius wrote ma
ny devout Hymns in X'erfe : Others, though
in Profe, were much ufed, as the Gloria in
Excelps , and the Te Deum : afterwards
the greateft part of the Offices was put in
Latin Rhimes , and fo now fome En^lijh
Poets turned the Pfalter into Verfe, which
was then much efteemed •, but both oar
Language and Poetry , being fince that
time much improved, this work has now
loft its beauty fo much v that there is great
need of a new Verflon;
Another Aft paft about Falling, decla
ring, " That though all days and meats
"were in themfelves alike, yet falling, be-
"ing a great help to vertue, and to the
11 fubduing the Body to the mind , and
ct a diftiuftion of meats conducing to the
*c advancement of the Fifhing trade, it was
"Enacted, That Lenty and all Fridays 2&&
" Saturdays y and Ember days Ihould be
<4' Fifh days, under feveral penalties, exce-
<vpting the weak, or thofe that had the
u Kings Licence. Chrift had told his
£)ifcipies , that when he was taken from
they fhould faft : So in the Prinu-
tive
74 8bjftgmen t of t&e griff o#
'(N/U/1* tive Church they failed before Eafter, but
Book II. the fame number of days was not obferved
>^VSrf in all places ^ afterwards other rules and
1 5 4 9- days were fet up : but S, jiuflin complained,
that many in his time placed all their
Religion in obferving them. Fait days were
turned to a mockery in the Church of
Rome, in which they both dined, and did
eat Fifh dreft exquifltely, and drank Wine.
This made many run to another extream
againft all Fafts , or diftinftion of days ,
which certainly, if rightly managed, and
without fuperftition, is a great means for
keeping up a ferioufnefs of mind, which
is necefTary for maintaining the power of
Religion. Other Bills were propofed, but
not paft, one for making it Treafon t6
marry the Kings Sifters, without the con-
fent of the King and Council: But the
forfeiture of Succefllon in that cafe was
thought fuffident. The Bifhops did alfo
complain of their want of power to re-
prefs vice, which fo much abounded : But
the Laity were fo apprehenfive of coming
again under an Ecclefiaftical Tyranny,
that they would not confent to it. A
Propofition was alfo made for bringing
the Common Law into a body, in imita
tion of JuftimAns Digefts : But it fell, being
too great a defign to befinifhed under an
Infant King.
The Ad- in this Parliament the Admiral was At-
rniralsxc- tainted. The Queen Dowager died in
September laft, not without fufpicion of
Poifbn •, upon that hs renewed his Ad-
drefles
of t$e Eefo?mattoit, &c.
drefles to Lady Elizabeth •, but finding it
jn vain to expect that his Brother and the Book H.
Council would confent to it, and that her o<
.right to the Succcflion would be cut off1 549*
if he married her without their confent ,
he refolved to make fure of the Kings
Perfon, till he made a change in the Go
vernment: He fortified his Houfe, he laid
up a Magazine, zmcj made a party among
the Nobility. The Protector imployed
many to divert him from thpfe delperate
defigns, but his Ambition being incurable,
lie was forced to proceed to extremities
againft him. He fent him Prifoner to the
Tower in January y with his Confederate
Sharington, who being Vice-Treafurer of the
Mint at Briftol, had fupplied him with Mo-
nsy, and had coined much bafe Money for
fcis ufe. Many were feqt to perfwade him
to a better mind , and his Brother was
willing to be again reconciled to him, if he
would retire from the Court and bufinefs ^
but h$ was intractable. So, many Articles
were objected to him, both of his defigns
againft the State, and of his Malyerfation
hi his Office, feveral Pyrates having been
entertained by him. Many Witnefles and
Letters under his own hand, were brought
againft him. Almoft the whole Council
went to the Tower and examined him ; but
fie refufed to make any Anfwers, and laid
ne expected an open Tryal. The whole
Council upon this , acquainted the King
with it, and deiired him to refer the mat*
ter to the Parliament, which he granted.
Upoa
7* 8b?f fcgment of t&e fctflo??
Upon that , fome Coimfellors were again
Book II. fent to fee what they could draw from
f*Y^J him, but he was fallen, and after he had
>I549- anfwered to three of the Articles, denying
fome particulars, and excufing others, he
refufcd to go any further. The bufinefs
was next brought into the Houfe of Lords :
The Judges and the Kings Council deli-
vered their opinions, That the Articles
objected to him were Treafon. Then
the Evidence was given, upon which the
whole Houfe paft the Bill, the Protector
only withdrawing : They difpatched it
in two days. In the Houle of Commons
many argued againft Attainders without
a Trial, or bringing the party to make
his Anfwers. But a Meflage was fent from
the King, deliring them to proceed as the
Lords had begun. So the Lords that had
given Evidence againft him in their own
Houfe, were fent down to the Commons:
Upon which they paft the Bill •, and the
Royal AfTent was given the fifth of March:
And afterwards, the King being preft to
it by the Council, gave order for the
Execution^ which was done the twentieth
of Mwch. This was the only cure that
his Ambition feemed capable of : Yet it
was thought againft nature, that one Bro
ther fhould fall by the hand of another :
And the Attainting a man without hearing
him, was condemned,as contrary to Natural
Juftice } fo that the Protector fuffered al-
moft as much by his death as he could have
done by his life.
The
fift&e Reformation, &c. 77
The Laity and Clergy both gave the OU^
King Subfidies, and fo the Parliament was Bo°k H.
Prorogued. The firlb thing taken into
care was the receiving the Aft of ilnifor-
mity : Some Complaints were made of the
Priefts way of officiating, that they did it
with fuch a tone of voice, that the people
did not underftand what was faid, no
more than when the Prayers were faid in
Latine , fo this Temper was found : Pray
ers were ordered to be faid in Parilh
Churches in a plain voice, but in Cathe
drals the old way was* ftill kept up , as
agreeing better with the Mufick ufed in
them : Though this feemed not very de
cent in the Confeffion of fins, nor in the
Litany, where a fimple voice, gravely ut
tered , agreed better with thole devoti
ons , than thofe Cadences and unmufical
notes do. Others continued to ufe all the
Gefticulations , Croffings and Kneelings,
that they had formerly been accuftomed
to : The people did alfo continue the ufe
of their Beads, which were brought in
by Peter Hermity in the eleventh Cen
tury, by which the repeating the Angels
Salutation to the Virgin, was made a great
part of their devotion, and was ten times
faid for one Pater Nofter. Inftrudions
were given to the Vilitors to put all thefe
down in a new Vifitation, and to enquire
if any Priefts continued ta drive a trade
by Trentals or Mafles for departed Souls*
Order was alfo given , that there ihould
be no Private Mafles at Altars in the cor
ners
78 ffigdgment of t&e gri(to?p
ners of Churches , and that there ftibuld
Book II. be but one Communion in a day » unlefs
IX*VNJ it Were in great Churches, and at high
1 S 4 9- Feftivals, in which they were allowed t6
have one Communion in the mbrning, and
another at noon. The Vifitors tnade their
Report , That they found the Book of
Common Prayer received univerfally over
all the Kingdom, only Lady M*rj conti
nued to have Mafs faid according to the
abrogated forms : Upon this , the Conn-
cil wrote to her to conform to the Laws i
for the nearer fhe was to the King in
blood, fhe was fo much the more obliged
to give a good Example to the reft of
the Subjects. She refufed to comply with
their defires, and fent one to the Empe-
tour for his Protection \ upon which the
Emperour prefled the Englift Embafladours,
and they promifed that for fome time (he
ihould be difpenfed with. The Emperour
pretended afterwards that they made hini
an abfolute Promife that fhe fhould never
be more troubled about it, but they faid
it was only a Temporary Promife. A Match
was alfo propofed for her with the King of
'Tffrtugds Brother, but it was let fall foon
after. She refufed to acknowledge the
Laws made when the King was under age1,
and carried herfelf very high, for fhe knew
well that the Protestor was then afraid of
i War with France, and that made the Em-
jperours Alliance more necefTaf y to England:
%et the Council fcnt for the Officers of her
loufhold , and required them to let her
know
of tye Eefojmatt'an, &c. 79
know that the Kings Authority was the rsA^\
fame when he was a child as at full age-, Book II.
and that it was now lodged in them, and <-X"v~\j
though as they were finglc perfons, they * 549-
were all inferiour to her , yet as they
were the Kings Council, fhe was bound
to obey them, efpecially when they exe
cuted the Law •, which all Subjects of what
rank foever were bound to obey. Yet at
prefent they durft go no further for fear
of the Emperours difpleafure : So it was
refolved to connive at her Mafs.
The Reformation of the greateftEr- Difputes
fours in Divine Worfhip being thus efta- concern,
blifhcd -7 Cranmer proceeded next to efta- lng<phrifta
blifh a form of Doftrine : the chief point faS&.
that hitherto was untouched, wasthepre- cramcnr.
fence of Chrift in the Sacrament, which
the Priefts magnified as the greateft My-
Itery of the Chriftian Religion, and the
chief priviledge of Chriftians •, with which
the fimple and credulous vulgar were
mightily affected. The Lntkcrans received
that which had been for fome Ages the
Doctrine of the Greek, Church, that in tbe
Sacraments there was both Bread and
Wine, and alfo the fubftance of the Body
and Blood of Chrift. The Helvetians
lookt on it only as a Commemoration of
the Deathof Chrift. The Princes of Ger
many were at great pains to have thefe re
conciled , in which Bucer had laboured
with great Indoftry : But Luther being a
man of \ harlh temper, did not eafiiy bear
contradijftion, and was too apt co aflame^
in
So Stofl'Dgment of tfce ^tftoip
IXA^ in effect, that Infallibility to himfelf, which
Book II. he condemned in the Pope. Some took a
VW middle way, and afferted a Real Preience,
1S^9- but it was not eafie to underftand what
was meant by that expreflion, unlefs it
was a real application of Chrifts death -7
fo that the meaning of Really was Effe&u-
ally. But though Bucer followed this me
thod,?^. Martyr did in his Lectures declare
plainly for the Helvetians. So Dr. Smith,
and fome others , intended publickly to
oppofe and affront him^ and challenged
him to a difpute about it, which he readily
accepted, on thefe conditions, That the
Kings Council fhould firft approve of it ,
and that it fhould be managed in Scripture
terms : For the ftrength of thofe Doftorsr
lay in a nimble managing of thofe barba
rous and unintelligible terms of the Schools,
which though they founded high, yet re
ally they had no fenfe under that: So all
the Proteftants refolved to difpute in Scri
pture terms, which feemed more proper
in matters of Divinity, than the Meta-
phyfical language of School- men. The
Council having appointed Dr. Cox , and
fome others , to prcfide in the difpute ,
Dr. Smith went out of the way, and a lit
tle after fled out of England : But before
he went , he wrote a very mean fub-
miffion to Cranmer : Other Doctors difpu-
ted with Peter Martyr concerning Tran-
Y fubftantiation , but that had the common
fate of all publick difputes, for both fides
gave out that they had the better. At the
fame
um> &c.
fame time there were alfo difputes at Cam-
bridge^ which were moderated by Ridley, Book IL
that was fent down thither by the Conn- s*/'Vv
cil. He had fallen on Bertrams Book of the * 5 4 9*
Sacrament, and wondred much to find fo
celebrated a Writer in the ninth Century,
engage fo plainly againft the Corpora!
Prefence : This difpofed him to think that
at that time it was not the received be
lief of the Church : He communicated the
matter to Cranmer , and they together
made great Collections out of the Fathers
bn this head, and both wrote concern
ing it.
The fubftance of their Arguments was, ^rgu,
That as Chrift called the Cup the Fruit of men® ««
thtrinei fo S. Paul called the other Ele- gainftthe
ment Bread, after the Confecration •, which
fhews that their natures were not changed.
Chrift fpeaking to Jew, and fubftitutmg
the Eucharift in the room of the Pafchal
Lamb * ufed fuch expreffions as had been
cuftomary among the Jews on that occafi-
on v who called the Lamb the Lords Paffe-
wer, which could not be meant literally,
(ince the Pajfiover was the Angels palling
by their Houfes, when the firft-born of
the Egyptians were killed : So it being a
commemoration of that , was called the
Lords Pajfeover, and in the fame fenfe
did Chrift call the Bread bit tiody : Figu«*
rative expreffions being ordinary in Scri«
pture, and not improper in Sacranjenrs,
which may be called Figurative adions.
It was alfo appointed fot a Remembrance
G of
S* gbltUgment of tfce $H'fto?p
iVAX) of Chrift , and that fuppofes abfence :
Book II. The Elements were allo called by Chritt
t/W* his Body broken , and his Blood flied, fo
-1 5 4 9- it is plain, they were his Body, not as it
is glorified in Heaven, but as it fuffered
on the Crofs: And fince the Scriptures
fpeak of Chrifts continuance in Heaven
till the toft day, from thence they infer-
red, that he was not Corporally prefenc.
And it was (hewed, that the eating Chrifis
FUJI), mentioned by S. John, was not to
be underftood of the Sacrament, fince of
every one that did eaty it is faid that he
has Eternal life in him. So that was to be
underftood only of receiving Chrifts do-
clrine , aj]d he himfelf fhewed it was to
be meant fo, when he faid, that the Flefo
• frefited nothing^ but his words were Spirit and
Life. So that all this was according to
Chrifts ordinary way of teaching in Para
bles, Many other Arguments were brought
from the nature of a body, to prove that
it could not be in more places than one at
once, and that it was not in a place after the
oianner of a Spirit , but was always ex
tended. They found allb that the Fathers*
had taught, that the Elements were ftill
Bread and Wine, and were the Types,
the Signs and Figures of Chrifts Body ,,-
not only according to TertMan^ and
S jAuffim* but to the Ancient Liturgies,
both in the Greek, and Roman Churches.
But that on which they built moft , was
Chat Chryfoflowe^ Gelafius, and Theodoret,
arguing againft thofe who faid that the
of ffce Kefojmattoiv&e.
humane nature in Chrift was i wallow
ed up by its Unioji to his. Godhead , Book II,
They illuftrated the contrary thus •, as w-* TV*
in the Sacrament , the Elements are: * 5 *$•
united to the Body of Chrift, and yet
continue to be the fame that they were'
formerly, both in- Subftance, Nature, and
Figure *, So the Humanity was not deftroy-
fd by its Union with the Word.. Froin
which it appeared that it was then the
received opinion, that the. Elements were,
not changed ; and therefore all ttiofe high
expreflions in Chryfoflome, or others, were;
only ftr;ains and figures of Eloquence, to
raife the devotion of the people higher in
that holy action. But uponthofe expref-,
fions the following Ages built that opinion,
which agreeing fo well with the Dcfigns of;
the Priefts, for eftabliChing the .authority pC
that Order, which by itsCharadter was'qua-
lifted for the greateft performance that ever [
was-, no wonder they took all imaginable,
pains to infufe it into the belief , of the;
world, and thofe dark ages were difpofed
to believe every thing fo much the rather,
the more incredible that it appeared to
be. In the ninth Century many of the,
greateft men of that Age wrote agamft.it,;
and none of them were for that condemn-,
ed as Hereticks : The contrary opinion;
was. then received in EwlanJ, as appeared;
by one of the Saxon Homilies that was'.
read. on Stfwtfxtif in which many of
Bertrams words were put. . But it was ge*
I nerally received iii the eleventh and twelfth
Gz Gen-
S4 8b|tDstnent of t&e $>t(h»p
Pv\/i Century, and fully eftablifhed in the fourth
Book II. Council in the Ltteran. At firft it was be-
V^VN-' licved that the whole Loaf was turned into
1 549- one entire Body, fo that in the diftributi-
on every one had a Joint given him^ and ac
cording to that conceit, it was given out
that it did often bleed, and was turned
into pieces of Flefli. But this feemed an
undecent way of handling Chrifts glorified
Body, fo the School- men did invent a
more feemly notion, That a Body might
be in a place after the manner of a Spirit,
fo that in every crumb there was an entire
Chrift •, which though it appeared very
hard to be conceived, yet it generally pre
vailed, and then the Miracles fitted for the
former opinion were no more heard of,
but new ones agreeing to this hypothefis
were fet up in their ftead. So dextroufly
did the Priefts deceive the World •, and
becaufe a mouthful of Bread, or a draught
of Wine, would have been fhrewd tem
ptations to make the people think it was
really Bread and Wine that they got,
therefore as the Cup was taken away, fo
inftead of Bread, a thin wafer was given,
to make the People more cafily imagine,
that it was only the accidents of Bread,
that were received by them. Upon thefe
grounds did Cranmer and J&dley go in this
matter.
There were fome Anabaptiib at this time
m* in" in E^nd* that were come over out of Ger-
mftny • ot ^cm ^ere were two forts,
fome only objected to the baptizing of
Children?
of t&e Refojmarton,
" Children, and to the manner of it by
fprinkling, and not by dipping : others Book
held many opinions, that had been and- ^-"^
ently condemned as Herefies : they had ! 5 4 9
raifed a cruel War in Germany, and fet up a
new King at Mwfter, but all thefe carried
the name Anabaptifts from that of Infant-
baptifm, though it was one of the mildeft
Opinions that they held. Some of thefe
came over to England, fo a Commiffion
was granted to fome Bifhops and others,
to fearch them out, and to proceed a-
gainft them. Several Perfons were brought
before them , and did abjure their errors,
which were, * That there was not a Tri-
c nity of Perfons, that Chrift: was not God,
'and took not flefh of the Virgin, and
* that a Regenerate man could not fin.
One Jo*n Bocher, called Joan of Kcnt,te-
nied that Chrift took fiefh of the fub-
ftance of his Mother •, me was out of
meafure vain and conceited of her noti
ons, and rejected all the Inftruction that
was offered her with fcorn : fo (he was
condemned as an obftinate Heretick, and
delivered to the fecular Arm. But it was
very hard to perfwade the King to fign
the Warrant for her Execution •, he thought
it was an Inftance of the fame fpiric of
cruelty, for which the Reformers condem
ned the Papifts : It was hard to condemn
one to be burnt for fome wild Opinions,
efpecially when they feemed to flow from
a difturbed brain :, but Cranmer perfwaded
him, that he being Gods Lieutenant, was
G 3 bound
36 WDgmentof tyel>tao$ ,
bound in the firft place to punifti thofe
Offences committed againft God : He alfo
alledged tfee Laws of Mofcs, for punifhing
T< 1*549' blafpheroers : and he thought errors that
ftruck immediately againft the Apoftles
,Crecd, ought to be, capitally punimed.
Thefe things did rather filence than fa-
fcisfie the young King : he figned the War
rant with tears in his eyes , and faid to
franmer, that fince he refigned up himfelf
in that matter to his judgment, if he fin-
jied in it, it fhould lie at his door. This
Oruck the Archbifliop: and both he, and
Ridlty took her into their Houfes, and
tried what reafon, joyned with gentlenefs,
f:ould do. But me was ftill more and
more Infolent, fo at laft (he was burnt,
and ended her life very indecently, break
ing oo.t often in Jeers, and reproaches,
and was looked on as a perfon fitter
for Bedlam^ than a Stake. Sometime af
ter that, a Dutchman, George van Parre^
was alfp condemned and burnt, for deny
ing the -Divinity of Chriit, and faying, that
the Father only was God. He had led
a very Exemplary life, both for fading,
devotion s and a good coaverfation , and
fuffer'd with extraordinary compofednefs of
mind. Thefe things caft a great blemifh
-on the Reformers ; Jt was faid, they only
condemned cruelty, when it was exercifed
on themfelves, but were ready to pradlife
it, when they had power. The Papifls
»iade great ufe of; this afterwards in Queen
Maries time, and what Cranrner and Ridley
fuffered
of tije Reformation, &,c. $7
fuffered in her time , was thought a juft
retaliation on them from that wife Provi-
dence, that difpenfes all things juftiy to all
Men. For the other fort of Anabaptifts? J 549«
no feyerities were ufed againft'them, but
feveral Books were written to juftifie In-
fant-baptifm ; and the Practice of the
Church fo early begun, and fo univerfally
fpread, was thought a good Pica, efp-cci-
ally being grourdcd on fuch Arguments in
Scripture, as did demonftrate, at leaft, the
lawfulnefs of it.
Another fort of People was much com- T^ Do-
plained of, who built fo much on the re- drine of
ceived Opinion of Predeflination , that Predcfti-
they thought they might live as they plea- JjJ^ a
fed , fince nothing could refill an abfolute
Decree : nor did thofe who had advanced
that Opinion, know well how to hinder
People, from making fuch Inferences from
it:, all they did, was to warn them, not
to pry too much into thofe fccrets : but
if the Opinion was true, there was no
need of much prying to make fqch con-
clufions from it. This had a very ill ef
fect pn the Lives of many, who thought
they were Yet Iqofe from all obligations:
and that was indeed the greateft fcandal
of the Reformation, The Preachers were ^
aware of it, and apprehenfive of the judg
ments of God, that wpuld follow on it : of
which they gave the Nation free warning.
At this time a fort of Gontagion ofTunwl*
rage run over all the Commons of ^r-
bnd. The Nobility and Gentry finding
G 4 more
more advantage by the Trade of ,
Book II. than by their Corn , did generally inclofe
^>^^ their Grounds, and turn them to Pafture :
f 549' and Ib kept but few Servants, and took
large Portions of their Eftates into their
own hands : and yet the numbers of the
People increafed, Marriage being allowed
to all} the abrogation of many Holy-days,
and the putting down of Pilgrimages,
gave them alfo more time to work. So
the Commons feared to be reduced to
great flavery, Some prppofed an Agg ra-
rian Law, for regulating this, and the
King himfejf wrote a Difcourfe about it,
that there might be fome equality in the
divifion of the foyl among the Tenants.
The Protedtor was a great friend to the
Commons, and complained much of the
Oppreffion of the Landlords. There was
a Commiflion iflued out, to enquire con
cerning Inclofures and Farms, and whe
ther thofe who purchafed the Abbey Lands,
and were obliged to keep up Hofpitality,
performed it, or not ? and what encou
ragement they gave to Husbandry ? but
this turned to nothing. So the Commons
rofe every where, yet in moft of the In
land-Counties, they were eafily difperfed-,
2nd it was promifed that their grievan
ces fhould be rcdrefled. The Protestor
againfl the Councils mind, fet out a Pro-
damation againft ali new Inclofures, and
for indemnifying the People, for what was
path Commiffioners were alfo fent every
where 3 tp hear and determine all Com
plaints,
&e.
plaints, but the power that was given to
thcm,wasfoarbitrary,thattheLandlordscal-
led it an Invafion of Property, when their
Rights were thus fubjefted to the plea- ! 5 4 $>•
fure of fuch Men. The Commons under-
ftanding that the Protestor was fo favou
rable to them, were thereby the more
encouraged : and it was afterwards obje-
dled to him, that the Convulfions England
fell in, foon after, was chiefly occafioned
by his ill Conduft^ in which he was the
more blamed, becaufe he afted againft the
mind of the greateft part of the Council.
In Devonfirire, the Infurrection was more
formidable •, the fuperftition of the Priefts
joining with the rage of the Commons, June 10.
lb they became quickly IOOGO. ftrong.
The Lord Ruflel was fent againft them
with a fmall force, and was ordered to
try, if the matter could be compofed
without blood : but Amndel^ a Man of
Quality, commanding the Rebels, they
were not a loofe body of People, eafily
diflipated. They fcnt their Demands to
Court, * That the old Service and Cere-
c monies might be fet up again , that the
* Ad of the fix Articles, and the Decrees
*of General Councils might be again in
* force: that the Bible in '&iglijh mould
4 be called in, that Preachers fhould pray
i for the Souls in Purgatory, that Cardinal
* Pool Ihould be reftored, that the half of
* the Abbey «Lands fhpuld be reftored, to
* found two Abbeys in every County , and
Hhat Gentlemen of joo. Marks a Year,
c might
06 9b?tDgmen t of t&e gn'floip
c might have but one Servant : and they
Book II. defired a fafe Conduct for their Chief
Leaders, in order to the Redrefs of their
S 4 p« particular Grievances : afterwards they
moderated their defires, only to points of
Religion. Cranmer writ a large Anfwer
to thefe, fhewing the Novelty and Super-
ftition of thofe Rites and Ceremonies,
and of that whole way of worlhip, of
which they were fo fond : and that the
amendments and changes had been made,
according to the Scriptures, and the Cu-
ftomes of the Primitive Church : and that
their being fond of a Worfhip, which they
underftood not, and being defirous to be
fcept ftilj in ignorance, without the Scri
ptures, (hewed their Priefts had greater
power over them, than the common rea-
fon of all Mankind had : as for the fix
Articles, that Ad had never paft, if the
King had not gone in Perfon to the Par
liament, and argued for it: yet he foon
faw his error, and was flack in executing
it. After that there was a high threat-
ring Anfwer fent them in the King's
name, charging them for their Rebellion,
and blind obedience to their Priefts. In
it the King's authority, under Age, was
largely fet forth, for by the pretence of
the Kings Minority, the People generally
were made believe, that their rifing in
Arms, was not Rebellion. In Conclufion,
they were earneftly invited to fubmit to
the Kings mercy, as others had done,
whom the King had not only pardoned,
but
of flje Eefogmatton, &c.
.but had redreffed their juft Grievances.
At the fame time the like fpirit of rage Bopk II.
inflamed the Commons in Norfolk 5 they
pretended nothing of Religion, but only
todeftroy the Gentry, and put new Coun-
fellors about the JKing: tjiey were led by
one Kct a Tanner, and in a few day.s
grew to be IOOOQ. They encamped near
Norwich, and committed great out-rages :
Parker, afterwards Archbifliop of Canter*
bttry, went in among them, and with
great freedom inveighed againft their Re
bellion and Cruelty, and warned them
of the Judgments of God that would fall
on them, for which he was in great dan
ger of his life. ## was now their Prince,
and in imitation of the ancient Druids,
he did Juftice upon complaints brought
before him, under an Oak called from
thence the Oak. of Reformation. The Mar-
quefs of Northampton was fent againft
them, with Orders to keep at a 'diftance,
and cut off their provifions. There was
at the fame time a rifing likewife in Tork^
foire, where the Commons being incoura-
ged by fome pretended Prophecies run to
gether, and commuted ads of great bar-
barity on fome Gentlemen. The French
King hearing of all this, refolved to take
Jiis advantage, and regain Bttlloigne : three
days before he marched with his Army,
the 'Englifh Embafladour preffing him up-
on the Intimations that were given him
of his defigns, he aflared him on the faith
of a Ge^tleman^ that he would not begin a
War,
$2 9b?tDgment of tfc grittoii?
War, till he firft gave warning. But ma-
Book II. ny Princes reckon it a part of their Pre-
.IXW) rogative, to be exempted from fuch ties,
1 5 4 9- by which only poor Subjects ought to be
fettered. All thefe things falling upon the
Government at once ^ it may be eafily
imagined, they were under no fmall con-
fternation. A Faft was proclaimed at
Court, where Cranmer preached with great
freedom and vehemence : he laid out be
fore them their vitious and ill lives, par
ticularly of thofe who pretended a love
to the Gofpel } and fet before them the
Judgments of God that they might look
for, and inlarged on the frefh example
of the Calamities of Germany ; and inti
mated the fad apprehenfions he had of
fome terrible ftroke, if they did not re
pent and amend their lives.
The Rebels in Devonfkire befieged Exe»
Tjjc Re- ter . tiie citizens redded their affaults,
ry where but could not ^ eaflly T^l& the adults
reutcd. that hunger made on them, for they were
not provided for a Siege. They were re
duced at laft to great extremities, which
made the Lord fyjjilj after he had got
fuch fupplies, as he judged neceflary, re-
folve to fall upon them. They poflefled
thcmfelves of a Bridge behind him, both
to inclofe him, and to hinder others from
joyning with him •, but he marched back,
and did quickly beat them from it, with
the lofs of 600. of their Men : and by
that eflay he perceived how eafie a work
k would be to difperfe them .- he upon
that
of ttje Eefoimatton, &c. 95
.that marched forward to Exeter •, and <XA
beat the Rebels from a Bridge, that o- Book IL
pened his way to their Camp, killing a ^-^V*^
1000. of them : upon which they railed l 549*
the Siege, and retired in great diforder
to Lancefton: he purfued them, as long
as they kept in a body, and great num
bers of them were killed, fome of their
Leaders and Priefts were taken and hang
ed. So happily was that Rebellion fubdu-
ed, without any lofs on the Kings fide.
But the Marquefs of Northampton was not
fo fuccefsful in Norfolk.: he marched into
Norwich. The Rebels having a great Party
in the Town, which was a place of no
ftrength, fell in upon him next day, and
drove him out of it : 100. of his Men
were killed, and thirty taken Prifoners.
Upon this they were much lifted up, but
the Earl of Warwick^ coming thither with
6000- Men, that were prepared to be fent
to Scotland, they, after Fome skirmifhes
with him, were forced to retire, for they
had wafted all the Countrey about, fo,
that their Provifions failed them : but
Warwick, followed them clofe, and killed
great numbers, and difperfed them, far,
and fome of their Leaders were taken,
and hanged in Chains. The news of this
going to Torkfoire, the Rebels there that
had not exceeded 3000. accepted the offer
of pardon, that was fent them ^ and
fome of the more factious, that were ani
mating them* to make new commotions,
were taken and hanged, On the 21. of
94 abjtDa nwnt of ft* 8>iflo^
C*J**/} AHguft) the Proteftor publifhed a General
B'ook II. Pardon, in the Kings name, of all than
•ti'VX) had been done before that day. Many
J549' of the Council oppofed this, and judged
it better to keep the Commons under the
lalhj but the Protector thought, that as'
long as fuch Members continued in fuch
fears, it would be eafie to raife new dif-
orders: fo he refolved, though without
the Majority of the Council, to go through
with it. This difgufted the Council ex-
treamly, who thought he took too much
upon him.
A Vifitati- A Vifitation of Cambridge followed foon
on of after this. Ridley was the chief of the
g. Vifitors : When he- found that a defign,
was laid to fupprefs fome Colledges, under
pretence of uniting them to others, and
to convert fome Fellowfhips that were
provided for Divines,to the ftudy of the Ci-
vil Law,' he refufed to go along in that with
the other Vifitors •, and particularly op
pofed the fuppreflion of Clare Hall, which
they began with. He faid, the Church
was already too much robbed, and yet
fome Mens ravenbufnels was not fatisfied/
It feemed the defign was laid, to drive
both • Religion' and Learning out of the
LandV therefore he defired leave to be
gone. The Vifitors complained of him
to the Protestor, and imputed his con-
cern for Cfcnr»Hall to his partiality for
the North, where he was born, that be*'
ing a Houfe for the Northern Counties.
Upon that, the Pfoteftor' wrote him a chi-\
of tfre Eefo?matumy
ding Letter, but he anfwered it with the
freedom that became a Bifhop, who was Book II;
refolved to fuffer all things, rather than ^^^NJ
fin againft his Confcience : and the Pro- I549-'
teclor was fo well fatisfied with him,
that the Colledge was preferved. There
was at this time an end put to a very
foolifh Controverfie , that had occafioned
fome heat, concerning the pronunciation
of the Greek, Tongue •, which many ufed
more fuitably to an Englijh than a Greek
accent. 6"te(.bting<the Profeflbr of Greek^
had taught the truer Rules of Pronun
ciation, but Gardiner was an Enemy to
every thing that was new, and fb he op-
pofed it much in King Henry's time : and
Cheek, was made leave the Chair : but
both he, and Sir Tho. Smith wrote in Vin
dication of his Rules, with fo much Lear-
ning, that all Peoplb wondred t« fee fo
much brought out upon fo flight an oc-
cafion-, but Gardiner was not a Man to be
wrought on by reafon. Now the matter
was letled , and the new way of pronun
ciation took place , and that the rather,
becaufe the Patrons of it were in fuch
power, the one being the King's Tutor,
2nd the other made Secretary of State :
and that Gardiner* who oppofed it, was
now in the Tower. So great an Influence
has Greatnefs, in fupporting the molt fpc-
culative and indifferent things.
Banner was now brought in trouble: It Bonners
was not eafie to know how to deal with
&hiV for he obeyed every Order that was
fent
fent him •, and yet it was known that r£
Book II. fecretly hated and condemned all that was
fWJ done ^ and as Often as he couid declare
1 549* that fafely , he was not wanting by fuch
ways to preferve his intereft with the Pa-
pifts : And though he obeyed the Orders
of Council, yet he did it in fo remifs a
manner , that it was vifible that it ' went
againft the grain. So he was called before
the Council, and charged with feveral
particulars, That whereas he ufed to offi
ciate himfelf on the great Feftivals, he had
not done it fmce the New Service was fet
out \ that he took no care to reprefs Adul
tery, and that he never Preached. So they
ordered him to officiate every Feftival, to
Preach once a quarter, and to begin with
in three weeks , and Preach at S. Pauls v
and to be prefent at every Sermon when
he was in health, and to proceed feverely
againft thofe who withdrew from the new
Service , and againft Adulterers* They
required him to fet forth the heinOufnefs
of Rebellion, and the nature of true Re
ligion, and the indifference of Outward
Ceremonies, and particularly to declare
that the Kings Authority was the fame ,
and as much to be obeyed before he was of
age as after. On the firft of September he
Preacht •, he faid nothing of the power of
Kings under Age, and fpoke but little to
the other points -, but enlarged much on
the Corporal Prefence in the Sacrament.
Hooper, and W. Latimer, two of his hear«
ers, informed agaiuft him. So aCommif-
fon
of tfjeErfo?tnattott, &£. 97
fion was granted to Cranmer, Ridley, the t**^**\
two Secretaries of State, and May, Dean Book II.
of S. Pauls* to examine that matter, and to ^^V*o
imprifon, or deprive him, as they mould * S 4 £•
fee caufe for it : They were alfo authorized
to proceed inthefummary way of the Spi
ritual Courts. He was fummoned to Lam
beth, where he carried himfelf with great
difrefpect and difingenuity towards the
Delegates ; and gave the Informers very
foul language ^ and in his whole difcourfe he
behaved himfelf like one that was difturb-
ed in his Brain. When the Commiffion
was read> he made a Proteftation againft
it, referving to himfelf power to except
to diverfe things in it. He faiJ the Infor
mers were Hereticks, and only profecuted
him becaufe he had taught the prefcnce of
Chrift in the Sacrament. At the next
meeting Secretary Smith was there, who
was not prefent at the firft : So upon that
account, Banner protefted againft him, he
alfo charged Herefie on his Accuiers, who
were thereby under Excommunication, and
fo not capable to appear in any Court.
He denied that any Injunctions had been
given him under the Kings hand or Signet ,
he faid he had preached againft the late
Rebels, which implied that the Kings
power was compleat, though he was un
der age. It was anfwered to this, that
the Court might proceed ex Officio, with
out Informers: .And that the Injun dtionsy
concerning the heads of which he1 was re
quired to treat in his Sermon, were read
H to-
to him by one of the Secretaries, and were gi-
Book II. ven hjm by tne Protector, and they were af-
O'V^J terwards called for, and that Article about
1 5 4 9- the Kings power under age was, by Order of
Council, added \ and the Paper was deli-
vered to him by Secretary Smith. At a
third appearance the Informers offered to
vindicate themfelves of the charge of He-
refie •, but after fome fcurrilous language
given them by Bonner, he was called upon
to anfwer to the main bufinefs, which was,
his faying nothing of the Kings power un
der age-, to this he faid, he had prepared
notes about it, both from the Infhnces in
Scripture, of Solomon, Jeaflj wAMhnAffe^
of Joflah and Joakim^ that reigned under
age 5 as alfo feveral inftances in the En-
gliflt ftory, as Henry the Third, Edward
the Third, Richard the Second, Henry the
5$xth,and Edvoard the Fifth •, but he pretend
ed thefe things had efcaped his memory •,
and a long account of the defeat of the
Rebels being fent to him by the Council,
with aa Order to read it, had put him in
fome confufion, and that the Book in
which he had put his Notes, fell from
him 5 for which he appealed to his Chap
lains , whom he had Imployed to gather
for him the names of thofe Kings who
had reigned before they were of age.
But this did not fat isfie the Court, fo they
proceeded to examine Witnefles , whom
Corner intangled all he could with Interro
gatories, and the niceties of the Canon
taw. Bonnsr built his main defence pa
this3
of t&e ffiUfG^mattotb &e. 99
this, that in the Paper which the Proteftor (VA^
gave him, that Article concerning the Book IL
Kings age was not mentioned,but was after-
wards added by Smith •, fo that he was not 1 5
bound to obey it : But it was proved that
the whole Council ordered that addition
to be made. Smith had treated him fome^
what fharply , for his carriage was very
provoking-, upon that, he renewed his,
former Proteftation againft him, and re-
fufed to look on him as his Judge, fince
he had declared himfelf fo partial againft
him : He complained , that Smith had
compared him to Thieves and Traytors.
Smith faid it was vifible he aded as they
did : To which Banner anfwered, that as
he was Secretary of State he honoured
him, but as he was Sir Thomas Smith, he
lied, and he defied him. And being threat-
ned with Imprifomnent , he feemed not
much concerned at it j he faid he had a
few Goods, a poor Carkafs, and a Soul^
the two former were in their power, but
he would take care of the latter. And upon
that he appealed to the King, and would
not anfwer any more, unlefs Smith faould
withdraw : For that contempt he was'
fentto the Marfljalfea, but as he was car*
ried away, he broke out into great pafiion
both againft Smith and Cranmer. Being,
called again before them , he adhered to'
his former Appeal, and fome new matter
being brought againft him, he refufed to'
anfwer. Great endeavours were ufed to'
perfwade him to fubmit, and promifes'
HP z
i oo 8b|tDgment of tfje fctftojp
CV.A/O were made him of gentler ufage for the fu-
Book II. ture, but he continued obftinate, and in-
vxv*^ ftead of retracting, he renewed his Ap-
M49- peal. So on the firft of Ottober, Cran-
mer' ^%' Smit^ and M*y* pronounced
fentence of deprivation, becaufe he had not
obeyed the Orders of the Protector and
Council , nor declared the Kings power
while he was under age. He was fent back
to prifon till the King ihould give further
Order, and a large Record was made of
his whole deportment during the Procefs,
and put in the Regifter of the See of Lon
don, which he took no care to deface when
he was afterwards rcftored. This was
much cenfured, as at beft a great ftretch
of Law , if not plainly contrary to it.
Some complained that Lay-men concurred
in fuch a Sentence : But it wasfaid this was
no Spiritual Cenfure, for he was not de
graded , but only deprived of his Bilhop-
rick j and he had taken a Commiflion
for holding it during the Kings pleafure,
and fo thofe that were Commiffioned by the
King might well deprive him, fince he held
it fo precarioufly . It was alfo faid that fan-
ftantine had appointed Triers for hearing
the Complaints made of fome Bifhops ; and
they examined the bufinefs of Cec'than and
the Donatifts^ upon an Appeal from fome
Synods, that had before judged that mat
ter. That fame Emperour did alfo by
his own authority, turn out the Patriarchs
of j4lcx*ndria and Antiock, and the Bifhop
of CoTtftaminople ; And though the Ortho
dox
of t&e Eefo?matton,&c*
dox party complained of his doing it upon
the JalTe fuggeftions of the Ari*ns, yet they Bo°k
did not deny {his authority in fuch cafes: And v-x^s**
it was ordinary for the Emperours to ap- * 5 4 9-
point the Bifhops that followed their Court
to judge fome other Bifhops, which was
not done Canonically, but by the Empe
rours authority. But to the matter of the
Sentence, it was alfo faid that it was hard
to deprive Banner for an omiffion , that
might be only a defect of his memory, as
he pretended it was, though few believed
that. Upon the whole matter, it was vi-
fiblcthat it had been refolved to turn him
out on the firft occafion that could be
found, and that they took hold of him on
this difadvantage, and that the fault was ra
ther aggravated for his fake, than he de
prived for the fault, which would have
been more gently paft over in another ^
but he had been fierce and cruel, and fo
was much hated, and little pitied. He re
mained a Prifoner till Queen Marfs Reign,
but continued to behave himfelf more like
a Glutton than a Divine-, for he fent
about to his Friends to furnifh him well
with Puddings and Pears, and gave them
all to the Devil that did not fupply him
liberally : Such Curfes were ftrange acts of
Epifcopal Jurifdiftion •, yet they were mild,
compared to thofe he gave out when he
was again reftored to his See in the next
Reign, by which he condemned fo many In
nocents to the fire.
The Englifh affairs in Foreign parts went I!l
yery unfuccefsfully this year, fol when they '
H 3
r
^ were fo diftrafted at home, no wonder if
Book IJ. both the French and Scots took advantage
*/^Nj from thence. Moft of the Forts about Bul-
L £ 5 4 P- idgne were taken by the French , but
though thofe that commanded them, did
for their own excufe, pretend they were ill
.provided, yet the French Writers publifh-
ed that they were well ftored. From thefe
they came and fat down before Bulloigne^
and though the Plague broke .into the
French Camp, yet the Siege was notrai-
fed: The King left the Army under the
Command of Coligny, the famous Admiral
,of France, He found the fure way to take
it, was to cut it off from Sea, and fo to
keep out all Supplies: But the feveral at-
jtempts he made to do that proved unfuccefs-
ful. Tfie Winter that came on, forced him
to raife the Siege*, but he lodged a great part
of his Army in the Forts about, fo that
it was in danger of being loft next year. In
Scotltml there was alfo a great turn \ the
Gaftle of Broughty was taken by the Scots,
and the Garfifon almoft wholly cut off!
The EngU$ tpokcare to provide Hading*
ton well, expecting a Siege ^ but upon that
the §cots let it alone j yet the charge of
Keeping it was fo great, and the Countrey
about it was fo wafted, that all their pro-
yifions were to be fcnt from Berwick^ fo that
the Protedor thought it more advifable
to abandon if, and upon that, fent orders
to the Garrifon to flight the works, and
come back to England. So that now the
Englifo had no place beyond the Borders,
except Lander : and Therms; the French
Gene*
of t&eEefo?matiott, &c.
General fat down before it, and if a Peace
had not come, it had fallen into his hands.
The Protedor had now no Foreign Ally to *
depend on but the Emperour-, and little
was to be expedted from him, for he was
fo diflatisfied with the changes that had
been made in the matters of Religion, that.
they found his affiftance was not to be truft-
ed to. At this time the Emperour brought
his Son to the Netherlands, that he might
put him in pofleffion of thofe Provinces ,
' though the fecret confiderations that made
him do it fo early, in thole places where
the Prince was not Elective, is not vifi-
ble. It was thought they enclined to (hake
off his yoke , and that if the Emperour
; Ihould have then died , they would have
put themfelves under Maximilian , Ferdi-
?Mfl/sSon, afterwards Emperour. It was
fome fuch appreheniion that moved Charlet
to make them fwear obedience fo early to
his Son •, and fettle not only many limita
tions on him in the matter of impofing
Taxes , and of not putting ftrangers -in
places of truft, not governing them by a
Military power, but make a fpccial pro-
vifion , that in cafe his Son (hould break
thofe rules, the Provinces fhould not be
bound to obey him any longer: Which
was the chief ground both in Law and
Confcience, upon which they afterwards
juftified their fhaking offhis yoke. Charles^
that was born in thofe parts, had a pecu
liar tendernefs for them, and did perhaps
fear that the rigid Councils of the
H 4
§H)?tfigmenf of t&e $iOo?g
might prevail too much on his Son,
Book II. which made him fo careful to fecure their
^"V^ liberties •, a rare inftance of a Princes love
2549. for his people, by which he took fuch care
of their rights, as to make their tye of obe
dience to his Son, to depend on his main
taining them inviolably. The Princes of
Germany were now at the Emperours
mercy , and law no way to recover
their liberty but by the help of the French
King : So there were applications made
to him, vwhich he cheerfully entertained,
only he was refolved firft to make himfelf
mailer of Bulloigne) and then to turn his
whole force towards Germany. Advertife-
tnents were given of this to the Protc-
<ftor , upon which he entred into a deep
confultation with his Friends what was
fit to be done in fo critical a con-
junfture-, whether it was better to de
liver up Bulloigne to the French by a Trea
ty, or to engage in a War to preferve it;
Which being on the French fide, would
prove a much more chargeable War to the
Engliflj than to the French •, and this was
of very dangerous confequence when af
fairs were in fo unfetled a condition at
home • ill fuccefs, which was like to be the
event of fuch a War, would turn on him that
had the chief adminiftration of affairs: fo
both regard to the publick, and to the efta.-
blifhing his private fortune, which could not
be done in time of War, without drawing
much envy on him, inclined him to deliver
. But his Enemies law that the
ati&e Reformation, &c.
continuance of the War was like to ruine
him, whereas a General Peace wpuld put Book 1L
the Nation wholly in his hands, and there- S~"*V1O
fore they who were tjie majority in the J 5 4 p«
Council, fet themfelves againft all motions
for a Treaty •, and faid it would be a la-
fting reproach on the Government if fuch
a place as Bnlloig*ie were fold.
p*g*t gave his opinion in Writing, in several
which, after he had with great Judgement expedients
ballanced the affairs of Europe, he conclu- propofed.
ded that the reftoring the liberty of Germa
ny, and the bearing down the Emperours
greatnefs, was at prefent to be preferred
to all other things, and that could not be
done without a conjunction with franc* -9
and that was to be purfued by the media
tion of the Venetians. Thomas, a Clerk of
the Council, and much imployed in foreign
affairs, was of another mind : He thought
it was very difhonourable to deliver up
the late Conquefts in France, therefore
he propofed their cafting themfelves on
the Emperour, that fo fome time might
be gained : They knew the Emperour would
not be hearty, unlefs they would promife
to return to the Roman Religion •, but he
thought that was to be done in fuch an ex
tremity of affairs *, and when the prefent
difficulty was over , they might turn to
other Councils. There was great danger
in this, it would very much difhearten the
few Towns that refufed to bear the Em
perours yoke in Germany , and it would
brovoke the Emperour more againft them
after-
it 06 Sfotf&sntent of t&e &fdo?p
afterwards, if be Ihould find that he had
Book II. been deceived by them : he alfo propofed
^^VW that in order to the imbroiling of Scotland^
* 5 49- fome fliould be imployed to perfwade the
Governour to afpire to the Crown, and
that he Ihould be allured of the afiiftance
of England, for this would feparate that
Nation from the Interefts of France.
The Em- The ^ue °f *hzk Confultations, was,
pcror re- firft, the fending over Pagct to the Emperor,
fufes his to try what might be expected from him :
j^s publick Inftructions were to obtain an
explanation of fome ambiguous words in
the former Treaty , and a ratification of
it by Prince Philip? and to adjuft fome dif
ferences in the matter of Trade : but his
fecret Inftructions were to fee, if the Em
peror would include Buttoign in the League
defenfive, and fo protect it : or, if that
could not be obtained, he was ordered to
try, whether the Emperour would take
Bulloign into his hands, and what recom-
pence he would give for if, but this he
was ordered to propofe as a motion of
his own. The Emperour fhifted him off
for fome time by delays, and pretended
that the carrying his "Son about from
Town to Town, making them fwear o-
bedience, took him up fo, that till that
was over, he could not receive his Pro-
pofitions. But the Progrefs of the French
about Bulloigny made Paget impatient, fo
the Bifhop of Arrat> and the Emperour's
other Minifters were appointed to treat
with him. They at firft treated of fome
difife-
of tlje Eefoimatton, &c. 107
differences between the Courts of Admi- fXAXj
ralty of both fides, and propofed fome Book I
Expedients for adjufting them : for the <^<W
Confirmation of the Treaty, it was offer- * 549*
ed, that the Prince fhould do it, but Pa-
fet moved likewife, that it might be con-
rmed by the States. It was anfwered,
that the Emperor would never fue to his
Subjects to confirm his Treaties : he had
fifteen or (ixteen Parliaments, and would
be in a very uneafie condition, if all thefe
muft know the fecrets of his Negotiati
ons : But fince the King of England was
under Age, it was more reafonable for
them to demand a ratification from his
Parliament. Paget anfwered, the King's
power was the fame at ail Ages , and a
ratification under the Great Seal did ob
lige him, as much, as if he had made the
Treaty himfelf : and objected, that their
laft Treaty with France > was ratified by
the Aflembly of the States. To this they
anfwered, that the Prerogative of the
Kings of France was fo limited , that
they could not alienate any thing, which
belonged to the Crown, without confent
of the Parliament of Paris, and of the
States •, but the Emperor had. a more un
limited power in making Treaties. As
for the bufinefs of Bulloign* the Bilhop of
AnM faid, it was taken after the Empe
ror's Treaty with England, and fo was
not included in it, nor could the Empe
ror comprehend it within it,without breach
of his Faith and Treaties with France,
which
i ©8 abiiljsment of tfce
which was fo contrary to the Emperor's
Book If. honour, that it could not be done. For
l^WJ tne honour of a Prince is a good excufe,
1 S 4 9- when he has no mind to engage in a de
ceitful or unjuft War, but it is often for
gotten, when the Circumftances are more
favourable. Paget? after feveral other Con-
ferences, found there was nothing more
to be expeded of the Emperor : fo he
returned back to England. It was upoa
that propofed in Council, whether (Ince
by the Treaty with France? Bttlloign was
to be delivered up within a few Years,
it were not better to prevent a new
War and a Siege, the iflue of which was
like to prove very dangerous, and to en
ter into a Treaty for doing it prefently ;
and if at the fame time it were not more
advifable to make an end of the War in
Sfotland, fmce there was no poffibility of
compafling the Marriage, for which it was
firft begun.
A Faftion Upon this , all th£ Protestor's Enemies
againft the took off the Mask , and declared them-
Protcaor. fejves againft it. The Earl of Southampton,
and the Earl of Warwick, were the chief
fticklers : the one hated him for turning
hina out of his Office, and the other ho
ped to be the chief Man in bufinefs, if
he fhould fall. Many things concurred to
raife the Protestor many Enemies, his par
tiality to the Commons provoked the
Gentry, his cutting off his Brothers head,
and building a Magnificent Palace in the
Strand^ upon the ruines of fome Bifhops
Houfes
of tfce Eefo?mation, &c, 1 09
Houfes and Churches, and that in a time CVA^o
both of War and Plague, difgufted the Book II.
People. The Clergy hated him, not only *^*v***
for his promoting the changes made in 1S49*
Religion, but for his poflefling himfelf of
fo many of the Bifhops beft Manners : his
entertaining foreign Troops, both Ger
mans and Italians, though done by the
confent of Council, yet gave a general
diftaft: and that great advancement he
was raifed to, wrought much, both on
himfelf and others -7 for it raifed his pride,
as much as it provoked the envy of o-
thers : The Privy Counfellors com
plained, that he was become fo Arbitra
ry in his proceedings, that he little re-
garded the oppolition that was made by
the Majority of the Council, to any of
his defigns. All thefe things concurred,
to beget him many Enemies: and except
Cranmer, who never forfook his friend,
and Paget and Smithy all turned againft
him : fo they violently oppofed the pro*
pofition, for a Treaty with France : they
alfo complained, that the Places about
Btilloign were loft by his carelelhefs, and by
his not providing them well, and that he
had recalled the Garrifon out of Hading-
ton'i and they put him in mind of the
conditions, upon which he was firft made
Protestor, by which he was limited to do
nothing, but by their advice ^ though
he had fince that, taken out a Patent,
which cloathed ^him with a far greater
power. Upon Ptgcts returp, when it
was
1 1 o ^liDgment of t&e grifto??
ifVA/Vwas vifible, that nothing could be expe-
Book II. fted from the Emperor, he preft them
WVJ much to confent to a Treaty with France,
1 S 4 9- but it was faid, that he had fecretly di-
reded Ptget to procure no better anfwer,
that fo he might be furniflied with an
excufe, for fo difhonourable an Action,
therefore they would not give way to
it.
The Protestor carried the King to
turns to a #^wP^Court, and put many of his own
cublick Creatures about him, which increafed the
breach. Jealoufies, fo Nine of the Privy Council
pfteber. met at JE/y-Houfe , and afTumed to them-
felves the Authority of the Council ; and
Secretary Petre being fent by the King,
to ask an account of their meeting, in-
ftead of returning, joyned himfelf to them.
They made a large Declaration of the
Protestor's ill government and bad de-
ligns, and of his engaging the King to
fet his hand to Letters, for raifing Men,
and for difperfingSeditious Papers-, therefore
they refolved to fee to the fafety of the
King and Kingdom. Both the City of
London, and the Lieutenant of the Tower
declared for them : They alfo fent Let
ters all over England, defiring the aflift-
ance of the Nobility and Gentry. Seven
snore Privy Counfellors came and joyned
with them. They wrote to the King,
Complaining of the Protestor's obftinacy,
and his refufing to hearken to their Counfels,
though the late King had left the Govern
ment of his Perfon and Kingdom to then*
of t&e Reformation, &c.
in common, and the Protedtor was ad
vanced to that dignity by them, upon Book II.
conditions which he had little regarded-, L/'V'VJ
therefore they defired the King would 1 5 49«
conftrud well of their Intentions and pro
ceedings. The Protestor had removed the
King from Hampton Court, as being an open
place, to WMfor, which had fome more
defence about it •, and had armed fome
of his own Servants, and fet them about
the King's Perfon, which heightned the
Jealoufies of him-, yet feeing himfelf aban
doned by all friends, except a few, and
finding the Party againft him, was form
ed to fiich a ftrength, that it would be in
vain to ftruggle any longer, he offered to
fubmit himfelf to the Council: So a Pro-
pofition of a Treaty was fet on foot }
and the Lords at London were defired to
fend two of their number with their Pro-
pofitions, and a PafTeport was fent them
for their fafety. Crawner, and the other
two writ to the Council, to difpofe them
to an agreement, and not to follow Cru
el Cottnfels. Many falfe reports, as is ufu-
al on fuch occafions, were carried of the
Protedor, as if he had threatned, that
if they intended to put him to death,
the King fhould dye firft, which ferved
to increafe the prejudices againft him.
The Council writ to Cranmer, and Paget
:harging them to look well to the Kings
tofon, that he fhouid not be removed
from Windfor> and that the Duke of So-
is Seiyants might be put from him,
and
1 12 9b?iDgment of t&e $tflo$
A/? and his own fworn Servants admitted to
Book II, wajt: they alfo protefted that they would
l^'VNJ proceed with all the moderation and fa-
1 549- if our towards the Duke of Somerfet, that
was poffible. The Council underftanding
that all things were prepared, as they
had defired, lent firft three of their num*
ber, to fee that the Duke of Somerfet, and
fome of his Creatures, Smith,Stanhop,Thynne,
Wolf and Cecil ihould be confined to their
Lodgings-, and on the i2th. of Oftober, the
whole Council went to Windfor, and made
great proteftations of their duty to the
King, which he received favourably, and
afTured them he took all that they had
done in good part-
The Prote- ^he Duke of Somerfet, with the reft of
tor's felt, his friends, except Cm/, who was prc-
fently inlarged, were fent to the Tower,
and many Articles were objected to him,
That he being made Protestor, with this
condition, that he (hould do nothing, but
by the confent of the other Executors,
had treated with Ambafladours apart, had
made Bifhops and Lord- Lieutenants with
out their knowledge, had held a Court of
Requefts in his Houfe, had embafed the
Coin, had neglected the Places the King
had in France, had encouraged the Com
mons in their late Infarreftions , and had
given out Commiffions, and proclaimed a
Pardon without their confent : that he
liad animated the King againft the reft
of the Council, and had proclaimed them
Traitors ,8t had put bis own Servants armed
about:
of t&e &efo?tnattori, &e, i i |
about the King's Perfon. By thefe, it ap- <*******
pears, the Crimes againft him were the Book II,
effe&s of his fudden exaltation, that had ""
made him too much forget that he was a
fubjeft, but that he had carried his great-
nefs with much Innocence, fmce no afts
of Cruelty, Rapine, or Bribery, were ob-
jefted to him : for they were rather er-
rours and weaknefles than Crimes. His em»
baling the Coin was done upon a common"
miftake of weak Governments, who flye
to that as their laft refuge, in the ne-
ceffity of their affairs. In his Imprifon-
ment, he fet himfelf to the ftudy of Mch
ral Philofophy and Divinity, and writ a
Preface to a Book of Patience, which had
made great Impreflions on him. His foil
was a great affliction to all that loved
the Reformation, and that was increafed*
becaufe they had no reafon to trult muclt
to the two chief Men of the party againffi
him, Southampton zndWarwickj the one was;
a known Papift, and the other was lookc
on as a Man of no Religion : and both
at the Emperor's Court, and in France, it
was expeded, that upon. this revolution,
matters of Religion would be again fe£
back, into the pofture, in which King
Henry had left them. The Duke of Nor*
folk and Gardiner hoped to be difchargedy
and Banner lookt to be re-eftablifaed ia
his Bifhoprick again, and all People be«
gan to fall off much from the new fer-
vice: but the Earl of Warwick, finding
the King was zealoufly addided to the
1 Refor-
1 1 4 StonSgment of tDe fct'tt o?j?
<\*A-^ Reformation, quickly forfook the Popifh
Book II. party, and feemed to be a mighty promo-
ISV*J ter of that work. A Court of Civilians
J S 4 9' was appointed to examine Banners Ap
peal, and upon their report the Council
rejected it, and confirmed the Sentence
that was paft upon him.
The Em- But next, foreign affairs come under
pcror will their care. They fufpected that Paget had
not aflift not ^alt effectually with the Emperour,
to affift them in the prefervation of Bui-
Ulgn ; fo they fent over Sir Tho. Cheyney^
to try what might be expected from him :
they took alfo care of the Garrifon, and
both encreafcd it, and fupplied it well.
fheywy found the fame reception with the
Emperour, and had the fame anfwer that
Tdget got. The Emperor preft him much,
that matters of Religion might be again
confidered, and confeft, that till that were
done, he could not aflift them fo effectu
ally, as otherwife he would do.- fo now
the Council found it neceflary to apply
to the Court of France for a Peace. The
Earl of Southampton left the Court in great
difcontent, he was neither reftored to his
Office of Chancellour, nor was he made
one of the fix Lords, that were appoint
ed to have the charge of the King's Per-
fonj this touched him fo much, that he
died not long after of grief, as was be
lieved.
ASefiion In November, a Seffion of Parliament
of Parlia- j^. jn which an Aft was paft, declaring
mcDt> it Treafon to call any to the number of
Twelve
of tfje
Twelve together, about any matter
State, if being required, they did not dif- Book IL
perfe themfelves : other Riotous Aflem- **S*****
blies were alfo declared felonious, the gi- *S 49*
ving out of Prophecies concerning the
King, or Council, was alfo made Penal.
Another Law was made againft Vaga«
bonds, the former Statute was repealed*
as too fevere, and Provifions were made
for the relief of the Sick and Impotent*
and Imploying fuch as could work. The
Bimops made a heavy complaint of the
growth of Vice and Impiety, and that
their power was fo much abridged, that
they could not reprefs it : fo a Bill was
read, enlarging their Authority, but it
was thought, that it gave them too much
power ; yet it was fo moderated, that the
Lords paft it. But the Commons rejedt-
ed it : and inltead of it, fent up a Bill,
that impowered XXXII. who were to be
named by the King , the one half of the
Temporalty, and the other of Spiritualty,
to compile a body of Ecclefiaftical Laws
within three years, and that thefe, not be
ing contrary to the Common orStatute Law^
and approved of by the King, mould have
the force of Ecclefiaftical Laws : of the 32.
Four were to be Bimops, and as many to
be Common Lawyers.
Six Bifhops and fix Divines were im- t *
powered to prepare a new form of Or
dination, which being confirmed under the
Great Seal , ftiould take place after Jytil
1 2 next.
next Articles were alfo put in againffi
Book II. the Duke of Somerfet, with a Confeffion
V*V^-> f,gned by him. But fome objected , that
TheVuk ¥ ought not to proceed, till they knew
of somer- whether he had figned it voluntarily, or
fet fined, not } and fome were fent to examine him,
but refto- he acknowledged he had done it freely,
vour°fa" but Prote^ed tl]at his crrours had flowed
rather from Indifcretion than Malice, and
denied all treafonable defigns againft the
King, or the Realm : he was fined in 2000 /,
a year in Land, and in the lofs of all
his Goods and Offices. He complained
of the heavinefs of this Cenfure, and de-
fired earneftly to be reftored to the Kings
favour, and promifed to carry himfelf fo
humbly and obediently, that he fhould
make amends for his paft follies, which
was thought a fign of too abjeft. a mind •,
others excufed it, fince the power and
malice of his Enemies was fuch , that he
was not fafe as long as he continued in
Prifon: he was difcharged in the begin
ning of February* foon after he had his
pardon, and did fo manage his intereft in
the King, that he was again brought both
to the Court and Cpuncil in Apil. But
if thefe fubmiffions gained him fome fa
vour at Court, they funk him as much in
the efteem of the World.
AProgrefs The Reformation was now, after this
in the Re- confufion was over,, carried on again with
formation. Vig0ur. The Council fent Orders over
England, to require all to conform them-
fdves to the new fervice. and to call in
afl
of tfje Eefo!matiatt,&c; 1 1 7
all the Books of the old Offices. An Aft <\A
paft in Parliament to the fame effift ^ *
one Earl, fix Bifhops, and four Lord* ^^V^^
<fnly diflenting : aU the old Books and l $ * '
Images were appointed to be defaced,
and all prayers to Saints were to be (truck
out of the Primers publ idled by the late
King. A Subfidy was granted, and the
King gave a General Pardon, out of which
all Prifoners on the account of the State,
and Anabaptifts were excepted. In this
Sefllon the Eldeft Sons of Peers were firft
allowed to fit in the Houfe of Com
mons.
The Committee appointed jto prepare
the Book of Ordination, finifhed their
work with common confent, only Heath
Bifhop of Worcefter refufed to fign it , for
whidi he was called before the Council,
and required to do it, but he ftill refufing,
was fent to Prifon. This was thought The B.
hard meafure, to punifh one for not con ^
curring in a thing not yet fetied by Law. out>
Heath was a Compiler, who went along
with the changes that were made, but
was ready upon the firft favourable con*
jundure, to return back to the old fuper-
ftition. It was found, that in the Anci
ent Church, there was: nothing ufed in
Ordinations, but Prayer and Impofition of
hands : the Additions of Anointing and
giving confecrated Veftments were after
wards brought in. And in the Council
of Florence, it was declared that the Rite
of Ordaining a Prieft, was the delivering
I 5 the
the VefTels for the Eucharift^ with a
3ook II. er to offer Sacrifices to God fpr.the Dead
^v%J and Living, which wa$ a Novelty invent-
£ J5°- ed to fupport the belief of Tranfubftan-
tiation, So all thefe additions were cut
off, and Ordination was reftored to a
greater fifflplicity, and the form was made
almoft the fame that we ftill ufe, only then
in ordaining a Prieft, the Bifhop was to
lay one hand on his Head, and with the
other to give him a Bible, and a Chalice,
and Bread in it. In the Confecration of
a Biftiop> the form was the fame, that we
ftill retain, only then they kept up the
euflom of giving the Bifhop a ftaff", fay-
ing thefe words, Be to the Flock^ of Chrifl
* Shepherd. In the middle of the fixth
Century, the Anointing the Priefts hands
was begun in France , but was not ufed
in the Roman Church, for two Ages after
that. In the eighth Century* the Veftments
were given with a fpecial blefllng, im^
powering Priefts to offer Expiatory Sacri
fices •, then their Heads were Anointed :
and in the tenth Century, the belief of
Tranfubftantiation being received,the Vef-
fels for the Sacrament were delivered.
It is evident from the feveral forms of
Ordination, that the Church did not be
lieve it felf tied to one manner, and that
the Prayer, which in feme Ages was the
Prayer of Confecration, was in other A-
ges efteeraed only a Prayer preparatory
tp it. There were fome fponfioqs pro.
as a Covenant^ co which the Or-
dinatioa
of t&e Reinitiation, &c. "9
dination was a Seal: The firft of thefe
was, that the Perfons that came to receive
Orders, profefled that they believed they
were inwardly moved to it by the Holy
Ghoft. If this were well confidered, it
would no doubt put many that thirlt af
ter Sacred Offices to a ftand, who, if they
examine themfelves well, dare not pretend
to that, concerning which, perhaps they
know nothing, but that they have it not:
and if they make the anfwer prefer ibed
in the Book, without feeling any fuch rap*
tion in their heart, they do publickly lye
to God, and againft the Holy Ghoft, and
have no reafon to expeft a blefling oa
Orders fo obtained. But too many con-
fider that only as a Ceremony in Law, ne-
cefTary to make them capable of fome
Place of Profit, and not as the Dedicg-
tion of their Lives and labours to God,
and to the gaining of Souls. It were hap
py for the Church, if Bifhops would not
think it enough barely to put thefe que-
ftions, but would ufe great ftridnefs in
examining before hand the motives thap
fet on thofe, who come to be Ordained.
Another fponlion is, that the Priefts (hall
teach the People,committed to their charge,
and exhort them both in private and pub-
lick, and vifit the fick. By this they plight
their faith to God, for the care of Souls,
to be managed by them in perfon, and
upon that they muft find the Paftoral care
to be a load indeed : and fo will neither
defcrt their Flocks , nor hire them out to
I 4 weak,
1 20 ftonDgment of t&e |>tflo?j?
and perhaps fcandalous Mercen^-
jBook II. ties. ' In which the faukinefs of fome have
brought a blemifh on this Church, and gi-
sl 5 50. ven fcandal to many, who could not have
been fo eafily perfwaded to divide from it,
if it had not been, that they were pre
judiced by fuch grofs and publick abufes.
The Council was now much perplexed
with the bufinefs of Btilloign^ and though
they had oppofed the delivering it up by
the Protector, yet that end being ferved
in pulling him down,they were convinced of
the neceffity of doing it, and fb were indu
ced to liften to the propofition that one Gui-
dotti made for a Treaty. He was ^ploy
ed by the Conftable Monmorancy, and gave
them aflurances that as foon as that was
ended, the French King would engage on
the behalf of the oppreft Princes or the
£mpire.
Pdo/cho- At this time pope Paul the Third died.
fen?T? In ^e Conclave that followed, Cardinal
r* Farnefe fet up Cardinal Pool, whofe wife
behaviour at Trent had raifed his efteem
much •, it alfo appeared that though he was
of the Emperours faction, yet he did not
ferve him blindly. Some loaded him both
with the imputations of Lntheranifw , and
of Incontinence : The laft would not have
tiindred his advancement much , though
true, yet he fully cleared himfelf of it :
But the former lay heavier, for in hisre-
rirementat ftterbo, where he was Legate,
lie had given himfelf much to.the ftudy of
pohtrov^rfies *, and Tramliiw , flaminio)
and
aft&e Reformation, &c. 121
and others fufpedted of Lufberanifa had
lived in his houfe ; and in the Council qf Book IIf
•Trent he feemed favourable to fome of ^"V-N-f
their opinions •, but the great fufferings .V5S°?
both of himfelf and Family in England ,
feemed to fet him above all fufpicions.
When the party for him, had almoft gain-
ed a fufficient number of Suffrages, he
feemed little concerned at it, and did ra
ther decline, than afpire to that dignity :
And exprefTed £ pitch of Philofophy on
this occafion , that w^s more fuitable to
Ancient than Modern patterns. Whea
a full number had agreed, and came,
to adore him, according to the ordi
nary Ceremony, he received it with
his ufual coldnefs •, and that being done
in the night , he faid , God loved light ,
and therefore advifed thern to delay it till
day came. The Italians , among whom
Ambition pafTes for the Character of a
great mind, looked on this as an unfuffer-
able piece of dulnefs •, fo the Cardinals
flirunk from him before day, and chofe
&e AfontePQ^z, who reigned by the name
Qt Julius the Third. His firft promotion
was very extraordinary, for he < gave his
own Hat to a Servant that kept his Mon
key •, and being askt the reafon of it, he
faid , He faw as much in his Servant to
recommend him to be a Cardinal, as the
Conclave faw in him to induce them to
<• ' f^ him Pope. But others imputed this
unnatural afFedion for him.,-
Eiv
Embafiadours were fent over to France*
Book II. the Lord /fyf*/, P^f made alfo a Lord,
^>*V*w and fome others, to fettle the Treaty of
* 5 5 °- Peace : They were ordered in the firft
A.Treaty place to ask the delivery of the Scoitifi
\vith Queen, and payment of the perpetual
*ctt Pehfiori-, but the French would not treat
about thefe, their Matter intended to mar-
iy the Scottish Queen to the Dauphin, and
would not be tributary to another Prince,
tor pay a perpetual Penfion, but they offer
ed a fum of money for Sulloign ', things
ftuck a little at the razing the Fortificati
ons hi Aldernay and Sark^ two fmall Iflands
iti the Channel which the French clefired,
Srid at the delivering up of RoxbnrgkzK&
Aymouth to the- Scots, then in the hands of
the English. The Council ordered their
Corrtmiffioners to infift on thefe things,
and to offer to break up their Conference
rather than yield to them -, but if that had
no effect on the French, then they were to
let them go. In Condufion , the Engtify
after a Proteftation, by which they refer-
ved to the King all the rights that he had
at the beginning of the War, agreed to
Deliver up Bttlloigu, and all the places about
it, and all the Ordnance in it;, except what
the E»gt$ had ca^^ ^or W^IC^ % French
\faere to pay them four hundred thoufand
Crowns : All the places which the Englifh
had in Scotland were to be delivered up,
£nd the Forts razed •, and fix Hoftages
were to be given on both fides for the
performance , who were the Sons of
the
the men of the greatelt quality. So was
the Peace fully concluded , and the Ai> Book IL
tides were duly performed on both hands:
The Council approved of the proceedings *
of their Plenipotentiaries , only the Earl
of Warwick 9 who had declared himfelf
much againft the delivery of Sulloigy, pre
tended (icknefs, and was abfent.
At this time the Earl of Warwick^ order
ed a review to be made of all accounts ,
and brought in much money, by the Fines of
thofe who were accufed for Malverfation :
The Earl of Arandel was fined in 1 2000 /.
Sir James Thynne in 6ooo/. and many
others of the Protestors creatures in
3000 /.
In February* Ridley was made Bifhop of
London and Weftminffier^ iDOo/. a year of made Bi-
the Rents of the See were afligned him , ^op of
with licence to hold two Prebends. #/*, Londin*
Bifhop of Norwkh refigned , upon which
Thtrkby , Bifhop of Wefttninffier^ was re-
moved to tforwich *, and it was intended
to re- unite London and WeftiHinfler ? but
though they ftill remained different Sees ;
yet they were now put under one mans
care. His Patent was not during pleafure,
but during life. It does not appear that
there was any defign in this Reign to put
down Cathedrals ; for though Weftminfter^
GloHftfter\ and Durham were fupprefled,
thetwp former being united, one to Lon
don j and another to Wwceftcr •, and the
latter being to be diyided in two, yet in
none
of t&e gnfltog?
none of thefe were the Dean and Chapter
BookIL Lands fallen on.
Gardiner continued flitl in prifon :
'Gatinm' rmg the Proteft°rs Miniftry fome Privy
Procefs. Counfellors dealt with him, to fue to him
for mercy, and to declare whether he ap
proved the new Service or not : But he
faid he had done no fault, and fb would
not ask Pardon •, nor would he declare his
opinion while he continued a Prifoner, left
his Enemies might fay he did it only to
be fet at liberty. Upon the Protestors
faH, he expected he mould have beendif-
charged of his Imprifonment, and thought
it fa near, that he made a farewel Feaft
£o the Officers in the Tower. Some Privy
Counfellours were fent to him with Arti
cles, acknowledging - former offences, ap
proving the Book of Common Prayer^
and aflerting the Kings Power when he
was under age, and his authority to re
form abufes in the Church, and that the
Ex Articles were jnftly abrogated. He
figned the Paper, only he wrote on the
Margin, that he could not confefs former
offences, for he was not convinced of any
fault he had done. Upon this, it was be
lieved that he was to be quickly let out •,
but another Meflage was lent him, that
he muft confefs that he had been juftly pu-
jMfheid : This he plainly refufed to do,*and
(aid he would never defame himfelf. Kid-
ley was fent to him with a new Paper ,
ia which the confeffion of his faults was
more
wore foftly worded •, the reft related to
the Popes power, the fuppreffing the Ab- Book IL
bies and Chantries, Pilgrimages, Mattes,
Images , the Adoration of the Sacra- * S
ment, Communion in both kinds, the
abolifhing the old Books of Service ,,
and fetting op the new j with the Book
of Ordinations , and the lawfulnefs of a
married Clergy : But he faid he would fign
no more Articles while he continued in
Prifon } and defired that he might be either
tried, or let at liberty ; for he asked not
Mercy, but Juftice. And being called be
fore the Council, and required to Cgn thofe
Articles, he gave them the fame anfwer :
He faid fome of thefe points were already
fetled by Law, others were not fo, and in
thefe he was at liberty to do as he pleafed.
Upon this, his Bilhoprick was fequeftred,
and he was required to conform himfelf
within three months, under pain of depri
vation , and the freedome of the Tower
was denied him. All this v^as much cen-
fured, as contrary to Law, an< the liber
ties of Englifi men, and it was Yaid that
it favoured more of a Court of Inquifition,
than of a legal way of proceeding. The
Canon Law was not yet rectified, fo the
King being in the Popes room, this way,
ex Officio was excufed, as grounded upon
the forms of the Spiritual Courts.
There was a difcourfe on foot, cf a
Marriage between the King, and a Daugh
ter of Frame , which grieved the Refor
mers, who rather wiflit him to marry
i 26
fVAX> xiwilians Daughter , who was believed to
Book II favour the Reformation, and was efteem-
iXWJ ed one of the beft men of the age. Old
MSa Latimer preached at Court , and warned
preaches the Kin& °f the il] ^^3 °f bad Marri'
at Court. 2Ses> w.nicn were ro^ UP only as bar
gains, without affeftion between the par
ties^ and that they occalioned fo much Who
ring , and fo many Divorces : He alfo
complained of the luxury and vanity of
the Age, and of many called Gofpellers, who
were concerned for nothing but Abbey and
Chantry Lands •, he alfo preft the fetting
up a Primitive Difcipline in the Church-
He preached this as his laft Sermon, and
fo ufed great freedome : He complained
that the Kings debts were not paid, and
yet his Officers grew vaftly rich : He pray
ed the King not to feek his pleafures too
much,and charged all about him to be faith
ful to him.
The See of Gloucefter fell vacant , and
&°°Per was named to it •, upon which the
heats concerning things indifferent , that
have fince that time fo fatally rent the
has fern- Church, had their their firft rife. He had
cerninT fome fcrilPles about the Epifcopal Veft-
the Vcft- nients 9 and thought that all thofe Gar
ments, ments, having been Confecrated with much
fuperftition, were to be reckoned among
the Elements condemned by S. Paul: But
Ridley juftified the ufe of them, and faid
the Elements condemned by S. Paul were
only the Jew'fo Ceremonies; which, though
the Apoftles condemned, when they were
of tjje Reformation, &c.
impofed as neceffary, for that imported,that
Law was not yet abrogated, Book II.
and that the Mefliah was not come •, Yet they iyv>j
themfelves ufed them at other times , i S S °-
to gain upon the Jews by that Compli
ance. And if Apoftles did fuch things to
gain them, Subjects ought much more to
obey the Laws in matters indifferent:
And Superftitious Confecrations was as
good an Argument for throwing down
all the Churches, as for laying afide thofe
Habits. Cranmer defired Bttcer*s opinion
concerning the lawfulnefs of thofe Habits,
and the obligation lying on Subjects to
obey the Laws about them. His opinion
was, thajt every creature of God was good,
and that no former abufe could make a
thing indifferent in its felf , become un
lawful : He thought ancient cuftomes ought
not to be lightly changed, and that there
might be a good ufe made of thofe Gar*
ments } that they might well exprefs
the purity and candour that became all
who miniftred in Holy things , and that
it was a fin to difobey the Laws in fuch
matters. Yet fince thofe Garments had
been abufed to Superftition, and were like
to become a fubjeft of Contention , he
wifhed they might be taken away by Law j
and that Ecclefiaftical Difcipline, and a
more compleat Reformation might be fee
up, and that a ftop might be put to the
robbing of Churches;, otherwife^they might
fee in the prefent State of Germany , a
dreadful profpeft of that which £ngl*nd
ought
afc Bbtftpttnt tf
ought to look for. He alfb writ to the
Book II. fame effect to Harper, and wilhed that alt
1>"VNJ good men would unite againft the greater
1 5 5 °' Corruptions, and then lefler abufes would
eafily be redrefled. Peter Martyr did alfo
deliver his opinion to the fame purpofe,
and was much troubled at Hoofer's ftiff-
nefs, and at fuch contefts among the pro-
feflbrs of true Religion. Hooper was fufpen-
ded from Preaching •, but the Earl of War
wick writ to Cranmer to difpenfe with him
in that matter; He anfwered, That while
the Law continued in force, he could noE
doit without incurring a Pr&munire. Up
on that, the King writ to him, allowing
him to do it,' and difpenfing with the
Law : Yet this matter was not fetled till
a year after. John a Lafco , with ibme
Germans of the Helvetian Confefiion, came
this year into England? being driven out of
Germany by the Perfecution there : They
were erefted by Letters Patents into a
Corporation, and a Lafco was their Super
intendent •, he being a ftranger, medled too
much in Englijb affairs, and wrote both
againft the Habits, and againft kneeling in
the Sacrament. Pelydore Virgil was this year
fuffered to go out of England? and ftili ta
hold the preferments he had in it, Pomet
was made Bifhop ofRochefter, and Caver dale
Co-adjutor to Vtyfy in Exeter.
A review There was now a defign fet on foot, for
of the a review of the Common-Prayer- Book :
Common- jn orcjer to ^j^ ^ttcers opinion was ask-
ede He approved the main parts of the
formes
of t&eEefo?mation, &c. 1251 *
former Book, he wiftied there might be rs^^N
not only a denunciation againft fcanda- Book IL
lous per fons that cam e to the Sacrament , but ^-O^y
a difcipline to exclude thetn-.That the Habits * 5 5 ^
might be laid afide, that no part of the
Communion Office might be uled, except
when there was a Sacrament •, that Com
munions might be more frequent, that
the Prayers might befaid in a plain voice,-
that the Sacrament might be put in the
peoples hands, and that there might be no
Prayers for the Dead, which had not been
ufed in Jnftin Martyrs time : He advifed
a change of fome phrafes in the Office of
the Communion, that favoured Tranfub-
ftantiation too much, and that Baptifm
might be only in Churches: He thought
the hallowing the Water * the Chrifme*
and the White garment, were too fceni-
cal •, nor did he approve of adjuring the
Devil * nor of the Godfathers anfwering
in the Childs name: He thought Confir
mation fhould be delayed till the perfon
was of Age, and came (incerely to renew
the Baptifmal Covenant. He advifed Ca
techizing every Holy-day, both of Chil
dren and the Adult , he difliked private
Marriages, Extream UncTion, and'offering
Chrifomes at the Churching of Women :
And thought there ought to be greater
fhiclnefs ufed in the examining of thofe
who came to receive Orders*
At the fame time he underffood that the
Kingexpefteda New-years gift from him,
of a Book written particularly for his
K owa
i jo atsiJsgtnent of
AX} own ufe : So he made a Book for him,
Book IL concerning the Kingdom of Chrift : He
prdtmuch the fettingupa ftricl difcipline,
tht Sanclification of the Lords day , the
Appoint" ing many days of Fafting, and that
to Pluralities and Non-refidence might be efr
feduaiiy condemned, that Children might
be Catechized, that the Reverence due to
Churches fnight be preferred, that the Pa±
ftor?! fiuidtion might be reftored to what
, 'it ought robe, that Bifhops might throw
off Secular affairs, and take care of their
Diocell s, and govern them by the advice
oftheii Presbyters-, that there might be
Rural Eifhops ov-er twenty or thirty Pa-
rifhes, ar.d that Provincial Councils might
meet twice x year, that Church-lands
Ihould be reftored, and that a fourth part
Should: be affigned to the poor •, that Mar^
riage, without conient of Parents, (hould
be annulled \ that a iccond Marriage might
be declared lawful, after a Divorce, for
Adultery, and fome other Reafons -? that
care fhould be taken of the education of
youth, and for reprciling luxury •, that the
Law might be reformed, that no Office
might be fold, but given to the molt de
ferring •, that none fhould be put in Pri-
fon< upon flight offences, and that the
feverity of fome Laws , as that which
made Theft capital , might be mitiga
ted.
The Kings The young King was much pleafed with
thefe advices •, and upon that, began him-
to f0fffl a Scheme for amending many-
things
of t iflUfo^matfoib &c*
things that were amifs in the Government,
which he writ with his own hand, and in Book 1L
a ftile and manner that had much of a
Child in it, though the thoughts were man- l 5 5
ly : It appears by it, that he intended to fet
up a Church difcipline, and fettle a me
thod for Breeding of youth; but fhe dii-
Courfe is not fini(hed . He alfcf writ a Joui>'
rial of every thing that pail at home, and
of the news that came from beyond Sea,
It has clear mark's of his own Compofing,
as well as it is written with his own
hand. He wrote another difcourfe in
French, being a Collection of all the places
of Scripture againft Idolatry, with a
Preface before it , dedicated to the Pro
tector.
At this time Ridley made his firft Vifita- Altars
tion of his Diocefs •, the Articles upon
which he proceeded, were chiefly relating
to the Service and Ceremonies that were
aboliflied, whether any continued to ufe
them or not,' and whether there were any
Anabaptifts, or others, that ufed private^
Conventicles. He alfo carried fome Injun
ctions with him, againft fome remainders
of the former fuperftitioh , and for ex-,
hortihg the people to give Alms, and to;
come oft to the Sacrament, ano\ that .Al"
tars might be removed, and Tables put in'
their room, in the moft convenient place
of the Chancel. In the Ancient Church,
their Tables were of Wood: But the Sa
crament being called a Sacrifice, as Pray
ers, Alois,' arid all Holy Oblations were^
K 2 the/
3 2 8b?iDgment of tfce griftojp
they came to be called Altars. This gave
Book II. the rife to the Opinion of Expiatory Sacri-
V*V*-' fice in the Mafs , and therefore it was
1 5 5 °' thought fit to take away both the name
and form of Altars. Ridley only advifed
the Curates to do this, but upon fome con-
tefts arifing concerning it, the Council in-
terpofed , and required it to be done ;
and fent with their Order , a Paper of
Reafons juftifying it : Shewing that a Ta
ble was more proper than an Altar ; efpe-
cially, fince the opinion of an Expiatory
Sacrifice was fupported by it. Sermons be
gan to be preached in fome Churches on
working-days, this occafioned great run
ning about, and idlenefs-, and raifed emu
lation among the Clergy : upon which the
Council ordered them all to be put down.
Since that time there has been great con
tention concerning thefe •, they were fafti-
oufly kept up by fome, and too violently
fuppreffed by others : But now that matter
is quieted, and they are in many places ftill
continued, to the great edification of the
people. The Government was now free
^ of all difturbance : the Coyn was reformed,
and Trade was encouraged. The faftion.
in the Court feemed alfo to be extinguifht,
by a Marriage between the Earl of War-
wic£s Son, and the Duke of Somerfefs
Daughter. The Duke of Lunenbttrgh made
a Propofition of Marriage with Lady Mary,
but the Treaty with the Infant of Portugal
did ftill depend, fo it was not entertained.
In S^^the Governor,now made Duke
of
of t&e Eefo?matfon^c,
of foaftelherault in France , was wholly led
by his bafe Brothers Counfels, who, though Book
he was Arch-bi(hop of St. 'jAndrtws, yet
gave himfelf up, without any difguife, to
his pleafures, and kept another mans Wife
avowedly } by fuch' means were the peo
ple more eafily difpofed to hearken to the
new Teachers, and prepared * for trie
changes that followed. The Queen Mo
ther went to France , "ondefignto procure
the Government of Scotland* to be put in
her hands.
A Diet was called rin Germany vr'the And G<r*
Town of Magdeburg was profcribed : But
they publifhed a Matifefto, expreiing their
readinefs to obey the Emperour according
to Law •, and that they only flood1 to the
defence of their liberties, without doing
ads of Hoftility to others. It was now
vifible that the delign of the late War
was to extinguifti the Proteftant Re
ligion , and to fet up Tyranny. It was
better to obey God than Man : And they
were refolved to put all to hazard, rather
than give up their Religion. Tumults
were raifed in Stratfarg and other Towns,
when the Mafs was again fet up :, and all
Germany was difpofed to a Revolt , only
they wanted a Head.Severe Edicts were alfo
fet out in f landers 5 but the execution of
them was ftopt, at the interceflion of the
English in Ammry , who were refolved
othcrvvife to remove the Trade to another
place. The Emperonr preft the Diet to
fubmit to the Council, when it fhould be
K 3 brought
brought back to Trent : But Maurice of
refuted to doit, unlefs all their former de-
T? s * °' crees fhould be reviewed > and their Di
vines heard, and admitted to Vote -, and
that the Pope would difpenfe with the
Oath which the Bilhops fware to him : Yet
fie fo far infinuated himfejf into the Em-
perours confidence, that he was made Ge
neral of the Empire, for the jrec}uftion Of
MAgdekwrgi and refolved to manage that
matter , fo as to draw great advantages
from it. The Emperour reckoned that he
might well truft him as long as he had
John Duke of Saxe, iff his hands : But he
had provoked him too much in the matter
of the Landgrave of Heffij his Father-in-
.taw, torepofefuch cofllequence in him;
fo that this proved a fatal errour to him^
by which he loft the power he had then
in Germany, and Maurice proved too hard
for him in diflimulation, in which he was
fo great a Mafter.
MS1* * The Popilh Clergy did now generally
ThePopifli comply to every Change that was made.
Clergy Oglethorp after wards Bifhop of Carlifle, be
ing informed againft, as favouring the old
Superlbtion, did under his hand declare^
that he thought the Order of Religion
then fetied, was nearer the vife of the (
Primitive Church, than that which was
formerly received •, and that he condem
ned Tranfubftantiatioo, as a late Inventi
on, and approved the Communion in both
kinds, and the Peoples receiving always
'$? * ij with
of rte Refo?mati :o«, &c. * ? S
with the Prieft, &»*&, who had written
againft the Marriage of the Clergy,
was upon fome complaints pur i^Pmoift
being difcharged by Cranmer^ hterceflipn,
writ a fubmiffion to him, acknowledging
the miftakes he had committed in 'his;
Book, and the Arch-biiliops gentlenefs to-'
wards him : and wifhed he might periffi,;
if he did not write fincerely, and called
God a witnefs againft his Soul, if he liedf;
Day, Bilhop of Chichefter did alfb preacfr
a Sermon at Conn againfl Tranfubtranti •
ation. The Principle , by which moft of
that Party governed theraielves, was this,
they thought they ought to oppofe all 'the
changes , before they were eftablrffied by
Law, yet that being done,that they might af
terwards comply with them. Cranmer was
a moderate and prudent Man, and willing
to accept of any thing they offered, reck
oning that whether they acted 'fincerely,
or not, yet their compliance would be a
means to quiet the Nation'} he was alfb
of fo compaffionate a nature , that he
would never drive things to extremities,
againft Men that were grown old in their
errours, and could not be cafily weaned
from them : only Gardiner and Banner were
fuch deceitful and cruel Men, that he
thought it might be more excufable to
make ftretches, for ridding the Church of
them.
Martin Bucer dyed in the beginning of
this Year, of the Stone, and griping of
the Guts. He had great apprehenfions of
K a
$ftiftgment of tfce $ifto?g
a fatal revolution in England ", by reafbn '
Book II. of the ill lives of the People , occafioned
chiefly by the want of Ecclefiaftical Difci-
S ^pline, and the neglect of the Paftoral
charge. Orders were fent from the Court*
to Cambridge, to bury him with all the
Publick honour to his Memory, that could
be devifed. Speeches and Sermons were
made both by Haddonjhz Univerfity Orator,
and?^r,and Redmayn.The laft of thefe was
pne of the moft extraordinary Men, both
for Learning, and a true Judgment of
things, that was in that time : he had alfo
in many things differed from Bucery and
yet he acknowledged, that there was none
alive, of whom he hoped now to learn fq
much? as he had done by his converfati-
on with hirn. Bucer was inferior to none
of all the Reformers in Learning, but fu-
perior to moft of them, in an excellent
temper of mind, and a great zeal for
preferving the Unity of the Church : a,
rare quality in that Age, in which Mt-
lantthw and he were the moft eminent*
He had not that nimblenefs of difputing,
for which Peter <JWanyr was more admi
red, and the Popilh Doctors took advan
tage from that to carry thernfelves more
infolently towards him.
Soon after (his, Gardiner's Prpcefs was
put to an end : A Cpmmiffion was ifluecf
out to Cranmerj and three Bifhops, and
Tome Civilians, to proceed againft him,
for his contempt, in refuting to fign the
Articles offered to him : he complained,
that
ion, &c.
that all that was done againft him, was out
of malice, that he had been long impri-
foned, and nothing was objected to ! him,
that he was refolved to obey the Laws 155*'
and Orders of Council, but that he would
acknowledge no fault, not having com
mitted any. The things objeded to him,
were, that he refufed to fet out in his
Sermon the King's power, when he was
under Age, and had affronted the Prea*
chsrs, whom the King had fent to his Di-
oceis ; that he had been negligent in ex
ecuting the King's Injunctions, and refu
fed to confefs his fault, or ask the King
pardon j and it was faid that the Rebelli
ons railed in England, might have been
prevented, if he had timouily fet forth
the King's authority: he anfwered, that
he was not required to do it by any Or
der of Council, but only in a private dit
courfe } yet Witnetfes being examined up
on thofe particulars, the Delegates pro
ceeded to fentence of deprivation againft
him, notwithstanding his Appeal to the «.
King in Perfon : and he was appointed to
lie ftill in the Tower ^ where he continued
till Queen May difcharged him. Nothing
was pretended to excufe the feverity of
thefe proceedings, but that he having taken
put a Commifiion for holding hisBijhbprick,
only during the King's pleafure, he could
not complain when that was intimated to
tym: and if he had been turned out meer-
ty upon pleafure, without the Pomp of a
Pfocefs, the master might have been bet
ter
t 38 8b?f Dgmen t of t&e griftoip
_ „ tcr excufed. Point was put in his See,
Book II. and had 2,000. Marks in Lands afllgned
^V^w him for his fubfiftence. Story was put in
1 5 5 *• Rocbefter, and upon Veyfy's refignation Co-
verdde was made Biftiop of Exeter. The
fcruples that Hoofer made, were now fo
far fatisfied , that he was content both to
be confecrated in his Veftraents, and to
ufe them when he preached before the
King, or in his Cathedral, but he was
difpenfed with upon other occafions.
The Arti- By this time the greater number of the
J?L Bifhops were Men that heartily received
the Reformation : fo it was refblved now
1 to proceed to a fettlement of the Do-
ftrine of the Church : many thought that
fhould have been done in the firit place.
But Cranmer judged it was better to pro
ceed flowly in that matter : he thought
the Corruptions in the Worfhip were to
be begun with, fince while they remained,
the addrefTes to God were fo defiled, that
thereby all People were involved in un
lawful compliances : he thought fpecula-
tive Opinions might come laft, fince er-
rours in them were not of fuch ill confe-
quence : and he judged it neceflary to lay
thefe open, in many Treatifes and Di£
putes, before they fhould proceed to make
alterations, that fo all People might be
before-hand fatisfied with what fhould be
done. So now they framed a Body of,
Articles, which contained the Doftrine of
the Church of England: they were caft
into forty two Articles, and afterwards
fomc
0f t&c Eefojmattotj, &c.
-fome few alterations being made in the
ieginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, they Book li
were reduced to XXXIX. which being in <-^V>
ail Peoples hands, need not be much in- * 55 *?
larged on.
In the Ancient Church, there was at
firft a great fimplicity in their Creeds;
but afterwards, upon the breaking out of
Herefies, concerning the Perfon of Chrift,
equivocal fenfes being put on the terms
formerly ufed, new ones, that could not
be fo eafily eluded, were invented, A
humour of explaining Myfteries by fimilies
and niceties, and of pafling Anathema's
on all that did not receive thefe, did
much overrun the Church : and though
the Council of Ephefa decreed, that no,
pew additions fhould be made to the
Creed, yet that did not re (train thofe,
who loved to make all their own con
ceits be received, as parts of the Faith.
The Fathers were carried too far with
this curiofity, but the Schoolmen went
farther, and fpun the Thread much finer,
they condemned every thing that differed
from their Notions, as Heretical : Many
of the Lutherans had retained much of
that peremptorinefs, and were not eafie
to thofe who differed from them. In
England great care was taken to frame
thefe Articles in the molt comprehenfive
wor-ds, and the greatelt fimplicity pof-
fible- Changes
When this was fetled, they went about JJ13^"1
the review of the Common-prayer- Book. mon-prTy-
In erbook.
In the daily fervice, they added the Con-
Book II. feffion and Abfolution , that fo the wor
O"VV> {hip of God might begin with a grave and
1 55 *• humble Confeflkm conceived in general
words, but to which every one ought to
jpyn a fecret confefiion of his particular
fins: after which a folemn declaration of
the mercy of God, according to the terms
of the Gofpel, was to be pronounced by
the Prieft. This was thought much bet
ter, than the giving Abfolution in fuch
formal words, as, / abfohe thte, which
begat in the undifcerning Vulgar an Opi
nion, that the Pried had authority to par
don (in, and that made them think of no
thing fo much , as how to purchafe it at
his hands : and it proved, as it was ma
naged, the greateft Engine that ever was,
for overthrowing the power of Religion.
In the Communion-Service, they ordered a
recital of the Commandments, with a ihort
devotion between every one of them, judg
ing that till Church-Difcipline were refto-
red, nothing could more effectually awa
ken fuch, as came to receive it, to a due
ferioufhefs in it, than the hearing the Law
of God thus pronounced, with thofe flops
in it, to make the People reflect on their
offences againft it. The Chrifm, the ufe
of the Crofs in con fecra ting the Eucha-
rift, Prayers for the Dead, and fome ex-
prefljons that favoured Tranfubftantiation
were laid afide, and the Book was put in
the fame Order and Method, in which it
continues to this day, excepting only fome
incon-
of t!>e Eefo?mation, &c. 141
inconGderable variations, that have been
made Cnce. A Kubrick was added to the Book II.
Office of the Communion, explaining the
reafon of kneeling in it, that it was only
as an expreffion of due reverence and grati
tude, upon the receiving fo particular a
mark of the favour of God : but that no
adoration was intended by it, and that
they did not think Chrift was corporaUy
prefent in it. In Queen Mlkjfeias time
this was left out, that fuch as conformed
in other things, but ftill retained the be
lief of the Corporal Prefence, might not
be offended at fuch a Declaration :
It was again put in the Book, upon his
prefent Majefties Reiteration, for remo
ving the Scruples of thofe who excepted
to that pofture. Chrift did at firft in-
ftitute this Sacrament, in the ordinary
Table-gefture. M>fes appointed the Pat
dial Lamb to be eaten by the People
Handing, with ftaves in their hands, they
being then to begin their march ; yet that
was afterwards changed by the jews, who
did eat it in the pofture common at Meals,
which our Saviour's praftke juftifics : fo,
though Chrift in his ftate of Humiliation
did Inftitute this Ordinance, in fo fami
liar a poll ire, yet it was thought more
becoming the reverence due to him in his
Exaltation, to celebrate it with greater
expreflions of humility and devotion. The
Ancient Chriftians received it ftanding,
and bowing their Body downward : Kneel
ing was afterwards ufed as a higher ex-
preflion
142 Wfcgtwnt of tfje IriChgp
preflion of devout worfhip : but great dif-
Book II ference is to be made, between the adora-
IXVNJ tion pradifed in the Church of Rome, in
1 S S '• which, upon lifting up the Hoft , all fall
down and worfhip, and our being, during
the whole action, in one continued po
fture of devotion : and if the Jews, who"
were more bound up to Ceremonies, made
a change in the pofture, at the Memorial of
their deliverance, without any warrant
Mentioned in the Old Teftament ; it mull
be acknowledged, that the Chriftiari"
Church, which is more at liberty in fuch
matters, had authority to make the like
change of the pollute, in this Memorial
of Chrift's iufferihgs. At this time fitf of
the moft eminent Preachers were appoin
ted to wait on the Cowt by turns, two
at a time, and the other four were fent
as Itinerant Preachers , into all the Coun
ties of England, in a Circuit, for fupply-r
... ing the defects of the Clergy, who were
generally very weak and faulty.
tadyMiry The Mafs laid in Lady Mtrfs Chappel,
in trouble Was now again challenged. The Court
Smte8 waslefe afraid of the Emperours difplea-
' fure than formerly, and fo would no lon
ger bear with fo publick a breach of Law :
And the Profnife they had made being but
Temporary, and never given in Writing,
they thought they were not bound by it.
But the Eiiiperour affured her, that he had'
* an abfolute Promife for that Priviledge to
rier:This encouraged her fo much,that when'
the Council wrote to her, (he faid fhe
fit tde Rifoimattmt, &c; 145
twould follow the Catholick Church, and
adhere to her Fathers Religion. Anfwer Book
was writ in the Kings name, requiring her
to obey the Law, and not to pretend that i S S
the King was under age , fmce the late
Rebels had juftified themfelves by that.
The way of Worlhip then eftablifhed t
was al(b vindicated, as moft confonant to
the word of God. But (he refufed to en
gage into any difputes, only (he faid (he
would continue in her former courfes.
And flie was thinking of going out of En
gland, infomuch that the Emperour or
dered a Ship to lie near the Coaft for her
Tranfportation •, which was ilrange advice,
for it is probable, if (he had gone beyond
Sea, (he had been effectually (hut out from
fucceedingto the Crown. The Emperour
efpoufed her quarrel fo warmly , that he
threatned to make War, if (he Ihould be
hardly ufed, and the Merchants having
then great effects at Antwerf, it was noc
thought fit to give him a colour for break
ing with them , and feizing on thefe •, Ib
the Council were willing to let the matter
fall, and only advifed her to have her Mafs
privately faid : yet the young King could
not be eafily induced to yield to that, for
he faid, he ought not to connive at Idola
try. The Council ordered Cranwer> Rid-
lef, and Prinet) to fatisfie him in it : And
they convinced him, that though he ought
not to confent to any fin, yet he w".s not
at all times obliged to punifti it. He'burlt
out in weeping^ lamenting his Sifters ob*
ftinacy,
TODgment of t&e fet
ftinacy, and his own circumflances, tha*
Book II. obliged him to comply with fuch an inr
^"V^ pious way of Worfhip. Dr. Wotton was
1 5 5 l' lent over to the Emperour, to convince
him that no abfolute Promife was ever
made : For Paget and Hobbe y,whom the Ein-
pcrour vouched for it, declared upon Oath*
that they made not any but what was Tern-
porary^ and fincethe King did not meddle
in the concerns of the Emperours Family,
it was not reafonable for him to interpofe in
this. The Emperor pretended, that he had
promifed to her Mother at her death,to pro
tect her, and fo he was bound in honour
to take care of her : But now when the
Council were not in fuch fear of the Em
perours diipleafure as formerly, they fent
to feize on two of her Chaplains, that had
faid Mafs in her Houfe, when fhe was ab-
lent j they kept out of the way, and fhe writ
to the Council to ftop the profecution, and
continued to ftand upon the Promife made
to the Emperour. A long anfwer was re
turned to her by the Council, in which, af
ter the matter of the Promife was cleared *
they urged her with the abfurdity of Pray-
ers in an unknown tongue, offering the
Sacrament for the dead, and worfhipping
Images : Ail the Ancients appealed upon
all occafions to the Scriptures, by thefe fhe
might eafily difcover the erroursand cheats
of the old Superftition, that were fupport-
ed only by falfe Miracles and lying Stories.
They concluded, that they being trufted
with the execution of the Laws, were obli
ged
of fyt Eefa?mation,8fe,
ged to proceed equally, Mallet, .one of
the Chaplains, was taken, and ihe earneft-
iy defired that he might be let at liberty,
but it was denied her. The Council fent
for the .chief Officers of her Houfe, .ani
required them to let her know the Kings
pleafure, that fhe muft have the new Set"
vice in her Family, and to give the like
charge to her Chaplains and . Servants,
This vexed'her much, and did almoft caft
her into ficknefs : She faid, fhe would obey
the King in every thing in which her Con-
icience was not touched :, But charged them
not to deliver the Councils Meflage to her
Servants. Upon that, the Lord Chanced
lour, Petre and Wyngfield? were fent With*
the fame orders .to her, and carried to her a
Letter from the King, which fhe received
on her knees } but when fhe read it, Ihe caft
the blame of it on Cecyl, then Secretary of
State. The Chancellour told her, the whole
Council were of one mind> that they could,
not fuffer her to ufe a form of Worfliip
againftLaw: And had ordered them to in
timate this both to herfelf and her Family.,
She made great proteftations of duty to:
the King •, but faid, fhe would die rather
than ufe any form of Worihip but that
which was left by her Father, only fhe was,
afraid fhe was not worthy to fuller on fo
good an account. When the King was of
age, floe would obey his Commands in Re
ligion, and 'though he now knew many things^
4bove his age, .yet as they did not thiuk
him yet capable of -matters c£. Warj or
k PoliCYr
46 atytDgtnent of tije $tft o?p
Policy, fo much lefs could he judge in points
Book II. of Divinity. If her Chaplains refufed to
/^V^J fay Mafs, (he could have none, but for the
J5 5 *• new Service (he was refolved againft it ,
and if it were forced on her, fhe would
leave her houfe. She defired her Officers
might be fent back to her, whom they had
put in the Tower, for not intimating the
Councils order to her Servants j which had
been ftrange for them to have done, when
fhe forbid it.She charged them to ufe her well
for her Fathers fake, who had raifed them
all out of nothing. She was fick by realbn
of their ill ufage, and if fhe died, (he would
lay it at their door. She infifted on the
Promife made to the Emperour, who writ
of it to her, and fhe believed him more
than them all : She gave them a token, to
be carried to the King, and fo difmift them.
When they had laid a charge on her Chap«
lains and Servants, to the lame effect, and
were going away, fhe called after them ,
and defired they would fend her Comptrol
ler to her, for fhe was weary of receiving
her accounts , and examining how many
Loaves were made of a Bufhel of Meal.
Upon this refoliition that fhe expreft, the
Council went no further, only after this,
her Mafs was faid fo fecretly, that fhe gave
no publick fcandal. From Copthall, where
this was done, fhe removed, and lived at
Hunfden j and thither Ridley went to fee
her : She received him very civilly, and
ordered her Officers to entertain him at
dinner; But when he begged leave to
Preach
of t&e Eefozmatton, &c. 147
Preach before her, (he at firft blufht, but rx-A-/1
being further preft , fhe faid he might Book 1L
Preach in the Parifh Church, but neither *W*RV(I^
(he nor her Family would be there: He * 5 5 *'
asked her if Ihe refufed to hear the word
of God : She anfwered, they did not call
that Gods word now, that they had called
fo in her Fathers days-, and that in nis time
they durft not have faid the things which
they then Preached : And after fome (harp
and reproachful difcourfe, fhe dilmift him.-
Wh^non, one of her Officers, as he con
ducted him out, made him drink a little,
but he reflecting on that, blamed himfelf
for itv for he faid, when the Word of
God was rejected, he ought to have iha-
ken off the duft of his Feet , and gone
away. The Kings Sifter Elizabeth did in
all things conform to the Laws •, for her
Mother at her death recommended her to
Dr. Parker's care, who inftrufted her well
in the Principles of Chriftian Religion.
The Earl of Warwick began now to form The Esrt
great deligns of bringing the Crown into of PP*r-
his Family: The King was alienated from JT"
his Sifter Mary , and the Privy Council '
had imbroiled themfelves with her, and
fo would be eafily engaged againft her.
The pretence againft both the Sifters
was the fame , chat they liood illegiti
mated by two Sentences in the Spiri
tual Courts, confirmed in Parliament. So
• that it would be a difgrace to the Nation
f. to let the Crown devolve on Baftards:
And Cncethe fears of theEIdefts revenge,,
L 2 inads
48 Sbn&s ment of t&e |>t fto?p
made the Council will ing to exclude her,the
Book II. only reafon on which they could ground that,
muft take place againft the fecond likewife.
• And therefore though the Crown was pro
vided to them, both by Aft of Parliament,
and the late Kings Will, yet thefe being
founded on an Errourthat was indifpenja-
ble, which was the bafenefs of their cte-
fcent, they ought not to take place. They
being laid afide , the Daughters of the
French Queen, by Charles Brandon^ flood
next in the Aft, and yet it was generally
believed that they were Baftards : For it
was given out that Brandon was fecretly
married to one Mortimer j at the time that
he married the French Queen , and that
Mortimer out-lived her, fo that the iflire
by her was Illegitimate. The Sweating
Sicknefs did this year breakout m England^
with fuch Contagion that eight hundred
died in one week of it in London *, thofe
that were taken with it, were inclined much
tofleep, and all that flcpt died, but if they
were kept awake a day, they did fweat it
out. Charles Brandon's two Sons by his
laft Wife died within a day one of another.
His eldeft Daughter by theFrench Queen was
married to the Marquefs of Dorfet, a good,
but weak man, and fo he was made Duke
of Sfffolk ' They had no Sons, their eldeft
Daughter JAM Graf, was thought the won
der of the age. So the Earl of Warwickjxto-
jecled a Match between her and his fourth
Son Guilfertl, his three elder Sons being then
married: And becaufe the Lady Elismktb
k& , €.' -1 • was
of t&e Reformation, &c. 1 49
was like to ftand moft in the way, care ^.A^H
ivas taken to fend her out of England \ and Book II.
a Match was treated for her with the King ^"V*^
of Denmark; ' * * I-
A fplendid Meflage was fent to France, ^Treaty
with the Order of the Garter. The Mar- f?r * Mar-
qucfs of Northampton carried it,three Earls,
the Bifhop of Ely, and five Lords were
fent with him, and above two hundred
Gentlemen accompanied them. They were
to make a Propofition of Marriage for
the King with a Daughter of France. The
Bifhop of Ely made the firft Speech, and
the Cardinal of Lorrain anfwered him : it
was foon agreed on, yet neither Party
was to be bound, cither in Honour or
Confcience, till the Lady fhould be of
Years to give confent. A noble EmbaiTy
was fent in return from France to Eng
land, with the Order of Saint Michael.
They defired in their Matter's name the
continuance of the King's friendfhip, and
that he would not be moved by Rumors,
that might be raifed to break their Al
liance. The young King anfwered on the
fudden, * that Rumours were not always to
4 be believed, nor always to be rejected,
'for it was no lefs vain to fear all things,
c than to doubt of nothing: if any diffcr-
4ences hapned to arife, he ihould be al-
'ways ready to determine them, rather
cby reafon than by force, fo far as his
* Honour fhould not be thereby diminifhed.
This was thought a very extraordinary
L 5 anfwer.
1 50 Segment of t&e 5>tfto?p
anfwer, to be made by one of Fourteen?
'• on the fudden.
There was at this time a great Crea-
M. Duke tlon °^ Peers' Warwick was made Duke
s of Northumberland^ the blood of the Pier-
ties being then under an Attainder: Paw-
let was made Marquefs of Winchester, Her?
ten was made Earl of Pembroke) and a
little before this, Rujfil had been made
Earl of Bedford^ and Darcy was made a
Lord. There was none fo likely to take
the King out cf Northumberland! hands, as
the Duke of Somerfet, who was beginning
to form a new Party about the King ^ fo
upon fome Informations, both the Duke
ofSomerfet & hisDutchefs,Sir£*//^F^Sir
Tho. Palmer^ Tho.^rundel, & feveral others,
of 'whom, fome were Gentlemen of Qua-
lity, and others were the Dukes fervants,
were all committed to the Tower. The com
mitting of Palmer was to delude the World,
for he had betrayed the Duke, and was
clapt up as a Complice, and then preten
ded to difcover a Plot : He faid, the Duke
intended to have raifed the People, and that
Northumberland^ Northampton and Pembrokg^
having been invited to dine at the Lord
.Pagets, he intended to have fet on them
by the way, or have killed them at Din
ner ^ that Pane was to have 2000. Men
reaay ; Armdd was to have feized on the
Tower, and all the Gendarmoury were to
have been killed. All thefe things were
told the young King with fuch Circum-
Hances, that he too eafily believed them,
and
5
of t&e Reformation, &c.
and fo was much alienated from his Un-
cle, judging him guilty of fo foul a Con-
fpiracy. It was added by others, that the
Duke intended to have raifed the City of
London , one Cmm confirmed Palmers te-
ftimony, and both the Earl of Anwdely
and Page* were alfo committed as Com
plices. 'On the £rft of December^ Duke His Trial.
was brought to his Trial: The-Marquefs
of Winchester was Lord Steward, and 27.
Peers fat to judge him, among whom
were the Dukes of Suffolk^ and Northum
berland, and the Earl of Pembroke. The
particulars charged on him were, a deiiga
to feize on the King's Perfon, to Imp
fon the Duke of Northumberland ^ and to
raife the City of London •, it feemed ftrange
to fee Northumberland fit a Judge, when
the crime objected, was a defign againft
his life : for though by the Law of Eng
land no Peer can be challenged, yet by
the Law of Nature no Man can well judge
where he is a Party. The Chancellour,
though a Peer, was left out, upon fufpici-
on of a reconciliation, which he was ma
king with the Duke : He was not well
skilled in Law, and neither objefted to the
Indictment, nor defired Councel to plead
for him, but only anfwcred to matters of
faft: he denied all defigns to raife the
People, or to kill Northumberland ; if he
had talked of it, it was in paffion with
out any Intention: and it was ridiculous
to think, that he with a fmall Troop,
could deftroy the Gendarmoury , who
L 4 were
Sbf fogment of tty frfdvp
were 900. The armed Men he had abpu|
J3ook 11 him, were only for his own defence , he
^^'V^' had done no rnijfchief to his Enemies,
1 5 .5 ' * though it was orice in his power to have done
it -, and he had rendred himfelf without ma
king any refiftance : He defired the Wit*
fceffes might be brought face to face, and
objected many things to them y chief
ly to Palmer •, tint that was not done*
and their Depofitions were only read:
Jhe King's Councel pleaded upon the Sta
tute, againft unlawful Aflemblies, that to
contrive the death of Privy Counfellors
was Felony, and to have Men abetot hini
for his defence, was alfo Felony. Tbe ma
terial defence was omitted, for by that
Statute thofe Aflemblies were not feloni
ous, except being required to difperfe
themfelves, they had refufcd to do it, and
jt does not appear that any fuch Procla
mation had been made in this cafe. The
Proofs of his raifing Rebellion were infufc
Rcient, fo he was acquitted of Treafon^
which raifed a great Ihout of joy, that
tvas heard as far as Charing- Crofij but he
was Found guilty of Felony, for intending
to imprifon Northumberland. He carried
himfelf, during the Trial, with great tem
per, and all the fharpnefs which the Kings
Councel exprefled in pleading againft him,
jdid not prpvoke him to any undecent
pafllon. But when Sentence was given,
Jie funk a little, and asked the three Lords,
that were his Enemies, pardon, for his ill
jdtfgis againft them, and made fute for
";M ' : * ; hi'
his life, and for his Wife and Children. OJV/1
ft was generally thought, that nothing Book
being found againft him, but an Intention
to imprifon a Privy Counfellor, that ne-
ver took effect, one fo nearly related to
the King, would not have been put to
death on that account. It was therefore
neceflary to raife in the King a great A-
verfion to him : fo a ftory was brought
to the King, as if in fne Tower he had
confefled a defign to imploy fome to At
faflinate thofe Lords •, and the Perfons na
med for that wicked fervice, were alfo
perfwaded to take it on them. This be
ing believed by the King, he took no
more care to preierve him, aflaflination
being a crime of fo barbarous a nature,
that it poflefled him with a horrour, even
to his Uncle, when he thought him guil
ty of it : and therefore he was given up
to his Enemies rage. Stankop, Partridge,
Arundd and V*w were tt ied next, the two
firft were not much pitied , for they had
made a very ill ufe of their Intereft in the
Duke, during his greatnefs .- the other
two were much lamented. Arundels Jury
was (hut up a whole Day and a Night,
and thofe that were for the acquittal, yield
ed to the fury of the reft,only that they might
fave their own Lives, and not be ftarved.
Vane had done great fervices in the Wars,
and carried himfelf with a Magnanimity,
that was thought too extravagant : they
Were all condemned, and Partridge and he
were hanged, the other Two were be
headed. The
i S 4 9b|iDgm*nt of tty &tfto;p
*A/> The Lord Chancellor was become a
Book II, fecret friend to the Duke of Seme rfet , and
t»*VNJ that was thus difcovered : he went afide
M,^.1 pace at Council, and writ a Note, giving
wp th8eV€$ ** Puke notice of what was then. in *•
CimtScal, gitation agaioft him, and endorfed it only
ind it was for the Duke , and fent it to the Tower,
&ve" 1° -b&t his Servant not having particular di-
$ejBlfll'of reckons, fanfied it was to the Duke of
Norfolk^, and not to Somerfct, and carried
is to him. He to make Northumberland his
friend, fent this to him \ Rich underftand-
ing the miftakc, in which his Servant had
fallen, prevented the difcovery, and went
immediately to the King, and pretending
Ibme indifpofition, dcfired to be difchar-
ged; and upon that took his Bed, fo it
feemed too barbarous to do any thing
further againft him, only the Great Seal
was taken from him, and was put in the
Bifliop of £/y's hands. This was much
cenfured, for all the Reformers had in
veighed feverely againft the fecular im-
pioyments, and high places, which Bifhops
had in the Church of Rome, fince by thefe
they were taken wholly off from the care
of Souls, or thofe fpiritual cxercifes that
might difpofe them for it, and aflumed
only the name and garb- of Churchmen,
to ferve their Ambition and Covetoufnefs ^
and by this the People were much preju
diced againft them, fo upon GoodricPs ad
vancement, this was turned againft the
Reformers : it was faid,they only complained
cf thofe things, when their Enemies enjoyed
them,
of ti&e Reformation, &c. i
them,but changed their minds^as foon as they
fell into the hands of their friends:but<j<Wr/Vlt Book II.
was no Pattern, he complied only with ^^w
the Reformation, but turned when Queen * 5 5 *•
Mary fucceeded. Chrift faid , Who made
me a Judge? St. Paul left it as a Rule,
that no Man that warreth, erttanghth him-
felf with the affairs of this life. This Saint
fyprian^ud the other Fathers undcrftood, as
a perpetual prohibition of Churchmen's
medling with fecular matters-, and con
demned it feverely. Many Canons were
made againft it in Provincial Councils,
and a very foil one was decreed at Chal-
cedon. But as the Bifhops of Rome and
Alexandria grew rich, and powerful, they
eftablifht a fort of fecular principality in
the Church : and other Sees, as they en-
cfeafed in wealth, affeded to imitate them.
Charles the Great, raifed this much every
where, and gave great Territories and
Priviledges to the Church-, upon which*
the Biihop and Abbots, were not only ad
mitted to a (hare, in the Publick Counfels,
by virtue of their Lands, but to all the
chief Offices of the State -, and then Ec-
clefiaftical Preferments were given to
Courtiers, as Rewards for their fervices:
and by thefe means the Clergy became
very corrupt, Merit and Learning being no
more the ftandards, by which Men were
efteemed or promoted : and Bifhops were .
only confidered, as a fort of great Men,
who went in a peculiar Habit, and on
great
Styfosment of
great Feftivities were obliged to fay Mafs
Book II. or perform fome other Solemnities, but
^"V^they wholly abandoned the Souls com-
KiJ1' mitted to their care, and left the fpiri-
tual part of their callings, to their Vi
cars and Arch-deacons, who made no o-
ther ufe of it, but to fqueeze the Infe-
riour Clergy, and to opprefs the People :
and it was not eafie to perfwade the world,
that thofe Bifhops did much afpire to Hea
ven, who were fo indecently thruiling
themfelves into the Courts of Princes,
and medling fo much in matters, that did
not belong to them , that they neglected
thofe, for which they were to account to
God.
The Duke On tjie 22" ^ °^ JanMfy tne Duke
of Ssmv- °f Somcrfet was executed at Tower-Hill,
jfc'sExc- the fubftance of his Speech, was a Vindi
cation, cation of himfelf , * from all ill defigns*
* he conf efTed his private fins, and ac-
'knowledged the mercies of God, in grant
ing him time to Repent : he declared
*.that he had acted fincerely in all he did,
^in matters of Religion, while he was in
'power: and rejoyced for his being In-
* ftrumentai in fo good a work : he ex«
* horted the People to live futably to the
c doctrine received among them 5 other-
4 wife they might look for great Judg-
cments from God. As he was going on,
there was an unaccountable Noife heard,
which fo frighted the People, that many
run away. Sir Anthony Brown came up,
riding towards the Scaffold , which made
the
Bftfce Reformation, &c. if 7
the Speftators think, that he brought a CXAX*
Pardon, and this occafioned great fhouts Book H.
of Joy, but they foon faw their miftakes-,
fo the Duke went o-n in his Speech, 'He
* declared his chearful fubmifllon to the
'* will of God, and deflred them like wife
4 to acquiefce in if, he prayed for the
1 King and his Council, and exhorted the
c People to continue obedient to them:
*and asked the forgivenefs of all, whom
*at any time he had offended. Then he
turned to his private devotions, and fitted
himfelf for the blow, which upon the fig-
nal given, fevered his Head from his
Body.
He was a Man of extraordinary Vir
tues, of great candor, and eminent Piety:
he was always a promoter of Juftice, and
a Patron of the opprefled. He was a bet
ter Captain than a Counfellor, and was
too eafie and open-hearted, to be fo cau
tious, as fuch times, and fuch Imploy-
ments required. It was generally believed,
all this Confpiracy, for which he, and
the other Four furTered, was only a for
gery : all the other Complices were quick
ly difcharged, and Palmer, the chief Wit-
nefs,became tfonhiimberUnds particular con
fident : and the indifcreet words, which
the Duke of Sewerfa had fpoken, and his
gathering armed Men about him, was im
puted to Palmer's artifices, who had put
him in fear of his life, and fo made him
do, and fay thofe things, for which he
it. His four friends did all end their
Lives,
1 58 S^tDfitnent of tfje 5riflo?p
Lives, with the rooft folemn proteftations
Book li of their Innocence, and the whole matter
tXVN* was lookt on, as a contrivance of AW-
*5 5 '• thtfmherUnds,by which he loft the afiecti-
ons of the People entirely. Some reflect
ed on the Attainder of the Duke of Nor
folk, and the Earl of Surrey'* death, occa-
iloned likewile by a Confpiracy of their
gwn Servants, in which it was thought,
this Duke was too active. He was alfo
.much cenfured for his Brothers death.
IHe had raifed much of his Eftate out of
the fpoils of Biihops Lands, and his Pa
lace out of the Ruines of fome Churches ^
amd to this fome added a remark, that he
diid not claim the benefit of his Clergy,
which would have faved him, and fmce'
he had fo fpoiled the Church , they im
puted it to a particular Judgment on him,
tbtat he forgat it : But in this they were mi-
ftaken, for in the Aft by which he was
condemned, it was provided that no Cler
gy fhould purge that Felony.
The affairs In Germany , Atwrice began this year to
of Gtrm*- form a great defign: He enter'd into cor-
^ pefpondences not only with the Princes of
) but alfo with France and Eng-
having given intimations of hisde-
for the liberty of Germany, and the
fc curity of the Pfoteftant Religion , to
fo;me that had great credit in Mgdthogi
he brought that Town to a furrender, and
iiavingmade himfelf fure of the Array, he
quartered .his Troops in the Territories
of
of tfce Reformation,
of the Popifh Princes, by which they were
all much alarmed, only the Emperour did Book IL
nbt apprehend the danger till it was too
late for him. A quarrel fell in between i 5 5
the Pope and the King of France, about
Parma: The Pope threatned, if thatKiag
would not reftore Parma, he would take
France from him. Upon that, the Council
being now again opened at Trent^ the King
of f ranee protefted againft it, and decla
red that he would call a National Coun
cil in France^ and would not obey, nor re.
ceive their Decrees. The Emperor ftill pret
fed the Germans to fend Embafiadours and
Divines to Trent, The Council began
with the points about the Eucharift, and
it was ordered that thefe mould be han*
died according to the Scriptures and An
cient Authors-, the Italians did not like
this, and faid the bringing many quotati
ons was only an Aft of Memory, and that
way would give the Lutherans great ad«
vantages : The fublime fpeculations of the
Schools, together with their terms, were
much' fafer Weapons to deal with. A Safe-
Condudl was demanded from theCcancil,
for the Emperours Condudt was not thought
fuffieient, fince at Conftance , John H>u ,
and Jerome of Prague were burnt, though
they had the Emperours Safe-Conduit.
The Council of Bafd had granted a very
full one to the Bohemians , fo the Luthe
rans demanded one in the fame form, but
though one was granted, yet it was in ma
ny things ihort of that. The Eleftor of
Bran*
160 Sbjifismerit of tDe Jfriftojp
JTVAX) Brandenburg fent an EmbalTadour to Tnnt\
Book 11. who made a general Speech of the refpefl:
his Matter had for them. The Legates
*• anfwered, and thanked him for fubmitting
to their Decrees, of which the Embafla-
dour had not faid a word j but when he
expoftulated about it , the Legates faid,
they anfwered him according to that he
ought to have faid, and not to that he did
fay. The Council decreed, the manner of
Chrifts prefence to be ineffable, and yet ad
ded that Tranfubftantiation was a fit ternt
for it i for that was a notion as uncon
ceivable as any that could be thought on t
Then they decreed the neceflity of Auri
cular Confeffion, that thereby Priefts might
keep a proportion between Penances and
Sins, which was thought amockery •, for1
the trade of flight Penances, and eafie Ab-
folutions for the greateft fins, (hewed there
was no care taken to adjuft the one to
the other. The Embafladour of the Duke
tfWirtemberg came, and moved for a Safe-
Conduft to their Divines to come and
maintain their Doftrine : The Legates an
fwered, they would enter into no difputes
with them, but if they came with an hum
ble mind, and propofed their fcruples, they
would fatisfie them. EmbafTadours from
fome Towns arrived at -Trent, and thofe
fent by the Duke of Saxe were on their
way, upon which the Emperour ordered
fiis Agents, to gam time, and hinder the
Council to proceed in their dedfions till
were Kcaird, but all he could prevail
of t&e Reformation, &c. 161
5ji, was that the Article concerning the r****s
Communion in both kinds, was poftponed Book I
till they Ihould come. . vw
1552.
The day after the Duke tfSomcrfifs exe- 1552.
cutior^a Seflion of Parliament was adembled. A Seffionr
The firft Ad they pall was .about the Com- of Parli^
mon-Prayer-Book, as it was now amend raem°
ed : To it only one Earl, two Biihops,
and two Lords diflented. The Book was;
appointed to be every where received after
j4tl~hallowsnext. The Bilhops were requi
red to proceed by the cenfures of the
Church, againft fuch as enrne not to it ^
they alfo authorized the Book of Ordinati
ons, and enacted the fame Penalties againft
offendors, that were in the Aft for the for
mer Book three y.ears before. The Papiils
took occafion on the changes now made in*
the Book, to fay, t;hat the new Doftrines,
and ways of Worfnip changed as faft as
the falhions did. It was anfwered, That
it was no wonder if corruptions , which,
had been creeping in for a thoufand yearsj
were not all difcovered, and thrown out
at once', and fince they had been every
age making additions of new Ceremonies,
it might be excufed,if the Purging them out
was done by fuch eafie degrees. : The Book
was not to be received till All-hallows^ be.-
caufeit was hoped that between and then
the Reformation ofche Ecdefiafticalfcaws;
would have beenfinifhed : A Bill concerning
Tr.eafons,paft with only one di(Ient,[it was -
oppofed in the H> of Commons j focc
M She
1 62 gtyttjgmwt of tfje Jjrifto??
the multiplying of Treafons is always lookt
Book II. on as a feverity in the Government. One
t/V^J Bill was reje&ed, but another was agreed
1 5 5 2« on, * If any called the King , or his Suc-
€ ceflbrs, named in the Statute of 3 5 Hen. 8.
tHeretick, Tyrant, or other opprobrious
' words* he was for the firft offence to be
* puniflied with a forfeiture of Goods and
4 Chattels, for the fecond with a Pramtt*
'nire, and the third offence was made
'Treafon: but if it was done in printing
* or writing, the firft offence was Trea-
ffon. None were to be profecuted for
4 words, but within three Months : and
* two Witnefles were made neceflary, who
cfhould aver their Depofitions to the Par-
'ties face. This feems to relate to the
proceedings againft the Duke of Somerfttj
in which the Witnefles did not appear,
fb that he loft the advantage of crofs
examining them: and many times Inno
cence and guilt difcover themfelves, when
the Parties are confronted. Another Lav?
paft for Holy-days and Fafts. * No days
* were to be efteemed Holy in their own na-
* ture, but by reafon of tliofe Holy duties
c which ought to be done in them, for
€ which they were dedicated to the fervice
cof God. Days were efteemed to be de-
* dicared only to the honour of God, even
c thofe in which the Saints were comme-
* morated ^ Sundays, and the other Holy-
c days were to be religioufly obferved, and
* the Bifhops were to proceed to Cenfures
•againft offenders, oaly Labourers or Fi-
4 (her-
of f&e Reformation, &e.
' (her-men in cafe of neceffity, might work
' on them : The Eves before them were Book IL
1 to be Fafts , and abftinence from Fieih **^VW
* was enacted, both in Lent , and on Fridays 1 5 5 *•
4 and Saturdays. This liberty to Tradef-
inen to work on thefe days, was abufed
to a publick profanation of them, but
the finder claufes in the Aft were little
regarded. An Ad pafl, empowering Church
wardens to gather Collections for the poor,
and the Bifhops to proceed againlt fuch as
refufed to contribute v which though it
was a Bill that taxed the people, yet had
its firft rife in the Houfe of Lords. A Bill
was paft by the Lords, but rejected by the
Commons, for fecuring the Clergy front
falling under the la(h of zPr&mmire by Ig
norance •, and that they ought to be firft
prohibited by the Kings Writ, and not be
fued unlefs they continued after that, ftiff
in their difobedience. An Act paft for
the Marriage of the Clergy, four Earls and
fix Lords duTenting from it : ' That where-
* as the former Ad about it was thought on-
* ly a permiffion of it, as fome other unla w-
*jful things were connived at j upon which
4 the Wives and Children of the Clergy
* were reproachfuDy ufed, and the Word:
* of God was not heard with due reverence •,
4 therefore their Marriages were declared
4 good and valid. The Marquefs of Nor
thampton procured an Ad, confirming his
fecond Marriage, and that occasioned ano
ther to be propofed in the Houfe of Lords,
tkat no man might put away his Wife and
M 2 man?y
64 8b?tDgment of tfcc fctftojp
marry another , unlefs he were firlt Di-
Book II vorced j but it was laid afide by the
WN> Commons. The BHhoprick of Weftminfter
1 S S *• was re-united to London, only the Collegiate
Church was ftill continued.
An Aft a- An Act paft concerning Ufury, repealing
gainft Ufu- a Law made 37 f/w. 8. c That none might
r^' ' take above 20 per Cent. All Ufury , or
' profit for Money lent, xvas condemned, as
* contrary to the Word of God, and tranf-
* greflbrs were to be imprifoned, and fined
* at pleaiure. This has been fince that time
repealed , and feveral regulations have
been made of the gain by lent Money ,
which is now reduced to 6 per fat. The
prohibitions of Ufury by Mbfes have bten
thought Moral, others have believed thst
they were founded only on the equal divi-
fion of the Land } and fince it was then
lawful to take Ufury of a ftranger, they
have inferred that the Law was not Mo
ral, otherwifeit muftbe of perpetual ob
ligation : It was alfo a great incitement
to induftry not to lend upon profit, and
it made every man lay out his Money in
fome way of advantage, and their neigh
bourhood to Tyre and Sidon gave them a
quick vent of their Manufacture, without
which it is not eafie to imagine how fuch
vaft numbers could have lived in fo nar
row a Countrey : So that thefe Laws feem'd
to be only judiciary. It was thought at
firft fukable to the Brotherly kindnefs that
Cught tb be among Ctriftians, to lend with
out gain, y but at laft Canons were made
againfl
of t&e Eefo?matfon,&c+
'againft taking Ufury, and it was put among
the refervcd Cafes. Mortgages were an
invention to avoid that, for the ufe was
paid as the Rent of the Land mortgaged, T 5 5 2
and not of the Money lent. Inventions
alfo were found for thofe who had no Land
to mortgage, to make fuch bargains that
gain was made of the Money, and yet not
in the way of Ufury. Thefe were tricks
only to deceive people, and it is not ea-
fie to (hew how the making fuch a gain as
holds, proportion to the value of Land is
immoral in it felf ', if the rule felled by
Law is not exceeded, and men deal not
unmercifully with thofe, who by inevita
ble accidents are difabled from making
payment. Another Bill was paft againft Si
mony, the referving penfions out of Bene
fices, and granting Advowfons while the
Incumbent was yet alive , but it had not
the Royal Aflent. Simony has been oft
complained of, and many Laws and Ca
nons have been made againft it, but new
contrivances are ft ill found out to elude
them all: And it is a difeafe that will (till
hang on the Church, as long as Covetouf-
ncfs and Ambition ferment fo ftrongly in
the minds of Church-men.
A Bill was fent to the Houfc of Com- A Rcpf3i
mons, figned by the King> repealing the ofthefet-
fettlemcnt of the Duke of Somcrfctjs E-
ftate, 23 Hen. 8. made in favour of his
Children, by his fecond Wife, to exclude
the Children by his firft, of whom are
dcfcended the Ssimours of jDmw/forc, which
M fomc
fome imputed to a Jealoufie, he had of
Book II. his firft Wife, and others afcribed it to
ir\rV the power his fecond Wife had over him.
1 5 5 2' Bat the Commons were very unwilling to
void a fettlement confirmed in Parliament,
and fo for Fifteen days it was debated : A
new Bill was devifed, and that was much
altered, and the Bill was not finifhed till
the day before the diffblution of the Par
liament. The Lords added a Provilb,
confirming the Duke of Somerfft's Attain*
der, but that was caft out by the Com-
mons. Some Writings had been fealed
with relation to a Marriage between the
Earl of Hartford, the Dukes Son, and the
Earl of Oxford's Daughter, and the Lords
fent down a Bill voiding thefe, but upon
a divifion in the Houfe of Commons, 68.
were for it, and 69. were againft it j fb
it was caft out. The Houfe was now
thin, when we find but 137. Members in
it : but thai is one of the effects of a long
Parliament: many grow infirm, and many
keep out of the way on defign , and thofe
who at their firft Election were the Repre-
fentatives of the People, after they have
iat long, become a Cabal of Men, that
purfue their own Interefts, more than the
Publick Service. Tonflall Bifhop of D*r-
kamy upon fome Informations, was put in
PriJbn in the former year .- The Duke of
Northumberland intended to erect a great
Principality for his Family in the North ^
afld the acceffion of the Jurilcliction of the
County Palatine, which is in that See,
feemed
of t&e Reformation, &c. i 67
feemed fo confiderable , that he refol-
' "ved to ruine T$p*tj and fo make way
for that. He complied in all the chan- -
ges that were made, though he had protefted
againft them in Parliament-, he writ alfo
for the Corporal Pretence, but with more
Eloquence than Learning : He was a can
did and moderate Man, and there was
always a good correfpondence between
Cranmer and him : and now when the Bill
was put in againft him , he oppofed it,
and protefted againft it, by which he ab-
folutely loft the Duke of Northumberland :
but all the Popifti complying Bifhops went
along with it. There were fome Depo-
(Itions read in the Houfe of Lords to ju-
ftifie it, but when the Bill with thefe was
fent down to theCommons,they refoived to
put a ftop to that way of condemning Men
without hearing them: fo they fent aMef-
fage to the Lords, that he and his Ac*
cufers might be heard face to face, and
that not being done, they let the Bill
fall. By thefe Indications, it appeared
that the Houfe of Commons had little
kindnefs for the Duke of Northumberland.
Many of them had been much obliged to
the Duke of Somerfet •, fo it was refoived
to have a new Parliament, and this which
had fat almoft five years, was on the i$tb.
of Afril diffolved.
The Convocation did confirm the Ar- A Rcfor-
ticles of Religion, that had been prepared
the former year, and thus was the Refor-
mation of Worlhip and Doftrine now
M 4 brought
i68 S tyfogment of t&e trtOojp
fVAX"\ brought to fuch perfection , that fince
Book II, that time there has been very little alte-
W-w ration made in thefe. But another Branch
1 5 5 2* of it was yet unfinifhed, and was now
under confutation, touching the Govern
ment of the Church, and the rules of the
Ecclefiaftical Courts. Two Acts had paf-
fed in the former reign , and one in this,
impowering XXXII. to revife all the Laws
t)f the Church, and digeft them into a
body. King Henry iflued out a Commif-
fion, and the Perfons were named, who
made fomc progrefs in it, as appears by
Ibme of Cranmer's Letters to him. In this
Reign it had been begun feveral times,
but the Changes in the Government made
it be laid afide. Thirty two were found to be
too many for preparing the firft draught,
fo Eight were appointed to make it rea
dy for them : Thefe were Cranmer and
Ridley, Cox and Peter Martyr, Traheron and
Taylor^ and LUCM and Gofnold, two Bi-
fhops, two Divines, two Civilians, and
two Common Lawyers*, but it was gene-
rally believed, that Cranmer drew it all
himfelf, and the reft only corrected what
he defigned. Haddon and Cheek were im-
ployed to put it in Lattne *, in which they
fucceeded Ib well, and arrived at fo true
£ purity in the Roman ftile , that it looks
like a work of the beft Ages of that
State, before their Language was corrup
ted with the mixture of barbarous terms
snd phrafes, with which all the later Wri
tings were filled, but none were more nau-
-Vi': '•';?: feoufly
afjtye Reformation, &c. 169
Jeoufly rude than the Books of the Canon-
law. The Work was caft into fifty one
Titles, perhaps it was defigned to bring
it near the number of the Books, into
which Jujtiman digefted the Roman Law.
The Eight finifhed it , and offered it to
the XXXII. who divided themfelves into
Four Clafles, every one was to offer his
Corrections, and when it had paft through
them all, it was to be offered to the King for
his Confirmation •, but the King died before
it was quite finifhed, nor was it ever after
wards taken up: yet I fhall think it no
ufelefs part of this work, to give an ac
count of what was intended to be done
in this matter, as well as 1 relate what
was done in other things.
The firft Title of it was concerning The head!
the Catholick Faith : It was made Capital of ^5
to deny the Chriftian Religion. The
Books of Scripture were reckoned up, and
the Apocrypha left out. The four firft
General Councils were received, but both
Councils and Fathers were to be fubmit-
ted to, only as they agreed with the Scri
ptures. The fecond enumerates and con
demns many Herefies, extracted out of the
Opinions of the Church of Rome, and the
Tenets of the Anabaptifts : and among o-
thers, thofe who excufed their lives, by the
pretence of Predeftination, are reckoned
up. 3; The judgment of Herefie was to
lye in the Bilhops Court, except in ex
empted places- Perfons fufpected might
be required to purge thtinfclves, and thofe
who
1 70 fttyftgment of ti)t trfffo$
who were conviftedx were, to abjure and
Book IL do Penance, but fuch as were obftinate,
^^W were declared Infamous, and not to have
1 5 5 2» the benefit of the Law, or of making Te-
ftaments, and fo all Capital proceedings
for Herefie were laid afide. 4. Blafphe-
*my againft God was to be punifhed as
obftinate Herefie. 5. The Sacraments,
and other parts of the Paftoral Charge,
were to be decently performed. 6. All
'Magick, Idolatry, or Conjuring was to be
punifhed arbitrarily, and in cafe of obfti-
nacy, with Excommunication. 7. Bifhops
- were appointed 'once a Year to call all
their Clergy together, to examine them
concerning their Flocks : and Itinerant
Preachers were to be often imployed for
vifiting fuch Precinfts as might be put un
der their care. 8. All Marriages were to
be after asking of Banes, and to be an
nulled, if not done according to the Book
of Common Prayer. Corrupters of Virgins
were to marry them-, or if that could not
be done, to give them the third part of
their Goods, and fuffer Corporal punifh-
ment. Marriages made by force, or with-
out confent of Parents, were declared null.
Polygamy was forbid, and Mothers were
required to fuckle their Children. 9. The
degrees of Marriage were fetled accord
ing to the Lwitical Law, but fpiritual
kindred was to be no barr. 10. A Cler
gy-man guilty of Adultery, was to forfeit
his Goods and Eftate to his Wife and
Children, or to fome pious ufe; and to
be
of tfce Reformation, &c. 1 7 1
be banifhed or Imprifoned during life : a c^As\
Layman guilty of it , was to forfeit the Book II*
half* and be baniftied or Imprifoned du- V*^VN^
ring life ; Wives that were guilty, were f 5 5 2»
to be punifhed in the fame manner. The
Innocent Party might marry again after
a Divorce. Defertion, or Mortal Enmity,
or the conftant perverfnefs of a Husband,
might induce a Divorce, but little quar
rels, nor a perpetual Difeafe might not do
it •, and the feparation from Bed and Board,
except during a Trial, was never to be
allowed, n. Patrons were charged to
give prefentations, without making bar
gains j tp choofe the fitteft perfons, and
not to make promifes till the Livings were
vacant. The Bifhops were required to
ufe great ftrictnefs in the Trial of thofe,
whom they ordained : all Pluralities and
Non-refidcnce were condemned, and all
that were prefented were to purge them-
felves of Simony by Oath. The twelfth
and thirteenth were concerning the chan
ging of Benefices. The fourteenth was con
cerning the manner of purgation upon
common fame .• all fuperftitious Purgati
ons were condemned. Others followed,
about Dilapidations, Elections and Colla
tions. The nineteenth was concerning
Divine Offices. The Communion was or
dered to be every Sunday in Cathedrals, and
a Sermon was to be in them in the afternoon:
fuch as received the Sacrament, were to
give notice to the Minifter the day be
fore, tjiat be might examine their Con-
fuences:
172 $b?fljgment of t&e $>tfto$
f\AXV fciences : The Catechifm was appointed
Book II. to be explained for an Hour in the after*
WVVJ noon on Holy-days : After the Evening
1552. prayer, the Poor were to be taken care
of, Penances were to be enjoyned to fcan-
dalous Perforis, and the Minifter was to
confer with fome of the Ancients of the
People, concerning the ftate of the Parifh,
That admonitions and cenfures might be
applied, as there was occafion given. The
twentieth was concerning other Church-
Officers. A Rural Dean was to be in
every Precinct to watch over the Clergy,
according to the Bifhops directions : Arch
deacons were to be over them, and the
Biftiop over all : who was to have yearly
Synods , and vifit every third Year. His
Family was to confift of Clergymen, in
imitation of St. Auftin, and other ancient
Biihops, thefe he was to train up, for
the fervice of the Church : When Bifhops
became infirm, they were to have Co-ad-
jutors : Arch bifhops were to do the Epi-
fcopal duties in their Diocefs, and to vi-
ftt their Province. Every Synod was to
begin with a Communion, and after that
the Minifters were to give an account of their
Parifhes, and follow fuch directions as the
Bifaop fhould give them. Other heads
followed concerning Church- Wardens -,
Tithes, Univerfities, Vifitations, and feve-
ral forts of Cenfures. In the thirtieth, a
large Scheme was drawn of Excommuni
cation, which was intruded to Church
men, for keeping the Church pure, and
was
of tlje Etfo?matton, &c.
was not to be inflifted, but for obftinacy f\.AX>
in fome grofs fault : all caufes upon which Book IL
it was pronounced, were to be examined
before the Minifter of the Parifli, ajuftice
of Peace , and fome other Church- men,
It was to be pronounced and intimated
with great ferioufnefs, and ail were to be
warned not to keep company with the per-
fon cenfured, under the like pains, except
thofe of his own Family : Upon his con
tinuing forty days obftinate under it, a
Writ was to be iflued out for Commit
ment, til) the Sentence mould be taken off
Such as had the King's Pardon for Capi
tal offences, were yet liable to Church
cenfures. Then followed the Office of
abfolving Penitents. They were to come
to the Church-door, and crave admittance,
and the Minifter having brought them in,
was to read a long difcourfe concerning
Sin, Repentance, and the Mercies of God.
Then the Party was to confefs his fin,
and to ask God, and the Congregation
pardon-, upon which the Minifler was to
lay his hands on his Head, and to pro
nounce the Abfolution. Then a thankf-
giving was to be offered to God, at th£
Communion Table, for the reclaiming that
finner. The other Heads of this work,
relate to the other parts of the Law of
thofe Courts. It is certain,that the aboun^
ding of Vice and Impiety, flows in a great
meafure from the want of that ftriftnds
of cenfure, which was the glory of the
CKriftian Church m the Primitive times;
and
i?4 Segment of t&e fctflo^
and it is a publick connivance at fin, that
Book II there have not been more effectual ways
t^VNJ taken for making finners aihamed, and de-
1 5 5 2« nying them the Priviledges of Chriftians,
till they have changed their ill courfc of
life.
The Po- There were at this time alfo remedies
theater- un(*cr confideration, for the great mifery
« * " and poverty the Clergy were generally in :
but the Laity were fo much concerned to
oppofe all thefe, that there was no hope
of bringing them to any good effect, till
the King fhould come to be of Age him-
felf, and endeavour to recover again a
competent maintenance, for the Clergy,
out of their hands, who had devoured
their Revenues. Both Heath and Day, the
Bifhops of Worcefler and Chichefter, were
this Year deprived of their Bifhopricks, by
a Court of Delegates, that were all Lay*
men. But it does not appear, for what
offences they were fb cenfured. The Bi
fhopricks of Gloucefter and Worcefter were
both united, and put under Hyper's care ^
but foon after, the former was made an
exempted Archdeaconry, and he was de
clared Bifhop only of Worcefter. In every
See, as it fell vacant, the beft Manners
were laid hold on by fuch hungry Cour
tiers, as had the Intereft to procure the
Grant of them. It was thought, that the
Bifhops Sees were fo out of Meafure en
riched, that they could never be made
poor enough : but fuch haft was made in
Spoiling theiri, that they were reduced to
fo
of t&e Jlefoimation, &c.
fo low a condition, that it was hardly
poffible for a Bifhop to fubfift in them. Book II.
If what had been thus taken from them,
had been converted to good ufes, fuch as
the fupplying the Inferiour Clergy, it had
been fome mitigation of fo heinous a rob
bery : But their Lands were fnatched up
by Laymen, who thought of making no
Compenfation to the Church for the
fpoils thus made by them.
This Year the Reformation had fome ffiun in
more footing in Ireland than formerly.
Henry the VIII. had affumed to himfelf, by
conftnt of the Parliament of that King
dom, the Title of King of Ireland : the
former Kings of England having only been
called Lords of it. The Popes and Em-
perours have pretended, that fuch Titles
could be given only by them : The for
mer faid, all power hi Heaven and Earth
was given to Chrift, and by confequence
to his Vicar. The latter, as carry ing the
Title of Roman Emperour, pretended, that
as they Anciently beftowed thofe Titles,
fo that devolved on them, who retained
only the name and fhadow of that Great Au*
thority. But Princes and States have thought
that they may bring themfelves under what
Titles they pleafe. In Ireland, though the
Kings of England were well obeyed with
in the Englifi Pale, yet the Irijk conti
nued barbarous and uncivilifed, and de
pended on the heads of their Names or
Tribes, and were obedient, or did rebel
as they directed them. In Vljler they had
176 OMpiunt of t&e S)tOoij?
jpVA/^ a great dependance on Scotland: and there
Book II. were forae rifings there, during the War
l/VXJ with Scotland, which were quieted, by gi-
Li 5 5 2. ving t^ Leading-men Penfions, and get-
ting them to come and live within the
Zngliflj Pale. Monlm, Bifliop of faience,
being then in Scotland, went over thither
to engage them to raife new Commoti
ons j but that had no effed: while he was
there, his lafcivioufnefs came to be difco-
X'ered by an odd accident , for a Whore
was brought to him by fome EngUjh Fri
ars, and fecretty kept by him : but (he,
fearching among his Clothes, fell on a
Glafs, full of fomewhat, that was very
odorijferous , and drank it off^ which be
ing difcovered by the Bifliop, too late,
put him in a moft violent paflion : for
it had been given him, as a Prefent, by
Soliman the Magnificent, when he was Am-
bafladour at his Court. It was call'd the
ricbeft balm of Egypt, and valued at 2000.
Crowns., His rage grew fo bojfterpus,
that all about him, difcovered both his
Paflion, and Lewdnefs at once. The Re
formation was fet up in the Engtifr Pale,
but had made a fmall progrefs among the
Jriflj. This Year Bale was fent over to
labour among them. He was a bufie Wri
ter, and was a Learned zealous Man,
but did not write with the temper and
decency that became a Divine* Goodakgr
was fent to be Primate of j4rmagk, and>
he was to be Bifliop of Ojfory.. Two Mft
Men were alfo promoted with them-, whp
under-
of t&e Eefojmatf on, &c. 177
undertook to advance the Reformation ^V^x>
there. The Archbifhop of Dublin intend- Book II.
ed to have ordained them by the old Pon- ^O^^
tifical, and all, except Bale, were willing *!!*
it fhould be fo, but he prevailed that
it fhotild be done according to the new
book of Ordinations : after rhat he went
into his Diocefs, but found all there in
dark Popery, and before he could make
any Progrefs, the King's death put an
end to his defigns. There was a change A Change
fetled in the Order of the Garter this
Year. A Propofition was made the for
mer year, to.confider how the Order might
be freed from the Superftition, that was
fuppofed to be in it. St. Georgia fighting
with a Dragon, lookt like a Legend for
ged in dark Ages, to fupport the humour
of Chivalry, then very high in the world0
The ftory was neither credible in it felf,
nor vouched by any good Author: nor
was there any of that name mentioned
by* the Ancients, but George the Arrian
Bifhop, that was put in Alexandria, when
Athanafiu* was banifhed. Some Knights
were appointed to prepare a Reformati
on of the Order : and the Earl of Weft-
norland, and Sir Andrew Dudley were this
Year Inftalled according to the New Mo
del. It was appointed to be called in all
time coming, the Order of the G artery
and no more the Order of St. George ,- in-
ftead of the former George, there was to
be on the one fide of the Jewel, a Man
on Horfeback, with a Bible on his Swords
N- points1
7s W>ntttt of
point: On the Sword was written Prote-
Book II. #^ arid on the Bible Verbnm Dei; and
l.^'V^J on the Reverfe a Shield, and Fides writ-
1 5 5 2- ten upon it : to (hew that they would
maintain the Word of God, both with
offenfive and defenfive Weapons : but all
this was reverfed by Q^ieen Mary, and
the old Statutes were again revived,which
continue to this day.
There was at this time a find enquiry
beriands made into the accounts of all, who had
fcverhy. ^een jmpi0yeci jn the former, part of this
Reign*, for it was believed, that the Vi-
fitors had embezel'd much of the Plate of
the Churches: and thefe were the Crea
tures of the Duke of Somerset , which
made. Northumberland profecute them more
vehemently : On none did this fall more
feverely, than on the Lord Paget, who was
not only fined in 6000 /. but was degra
ded from the Order of the Garter, with
a particular mark of Infamy on his Ex-
traftion-, yet he was afterwards reftored
to it with as much honour. He had been
a conftant, friend to the Duke of Somerfet,
and that made his Enemies execute fo fe-
vere a Revenge on him. Northumberland
was preparing matters for a Parliament,
and being a Man of an Infolent temper,
no lefs abject when he was low, than lift
ed up with profperity, he thought ex-
tream feverity was the only way to bring
the Nation eafily to comply with his ad-
miniftration of affairs •, but this , though
it
of t&e Eefo?matton^ &c. 179
it fucceeded for fonie time , yet when he rv/^x
needed it moft , it turned violently upon Book If
him: for nothing -ca0 work on a free ^^V*
People fo much, as Juftice and Clemency 1 5 S 2*
in the Government.
A great defign was fetled this Year, trade
which proved to be the foundation of ail flcuri
that Wealth and Trade, that has fmce
that time flourifhed fo much in this Na
tion. Henry the III. had been much fup-
ported in his Wars, by the afliftance he
got from the Free-Towns of Germany, in
recompence of which he gave them great
Priviledges in England. They were for
med here in a Corporation, and lived in
the Still Yard near Z,<W<?#-Bridge. They
had gone fometimes beyond their Char*
ters, which were thereupon judged to be
forfeited, but by great Prefents they pur-
ehafed new ones. They traded in a Bo-
dy, and fo ruined others by under felling
them •, and by making Prefents at Court $
or lending great Summs, they had the
Government on their fide. Trade was
now rifing much, Courts began to be more
Magnificent, fo that there was a greater
confumption, particularly of Cloth, than
formerly. Antmry and Hamburgh lying,
the one near the mouth of the Rhine, and
the other at the mouth of the £/fo, had
then the chief Trade in thefe Parts of
the World •, and their Faclors in the Still-
Yard, had all the Markets in England in
their hands •, and fet fuch Prices, both on
N 2 what
80
what they imported or exported, as they
Bookll. pleafed^ and broke all other Merchants to
*V~* ft^ a degree, that the former Year they
*S52' had fhipped 44000. Clothes, and all the
other Traders had not (hipped above 1 100.
So the Merchant-adventurers complained
of the Sri//- Yard Men, and after fome
hearings, it was judged that they had for-
feited their Charter, and that their Com
pany wasdhTolved: nor could all the ap
plications of the Hanfe Towns, feconded
by the Emperour's Interceffion, procure
them a new Charter. But a greater de-
fign was propofed, after this was fetled •,
which was to open two free Mart Towns
in England, and to give them fuch Privi-
ledges, as the free Towns in the Empire
had, and by that means to draw the Trade
to England: Southampton and Hull were
thought the fitteft. This was fo far en
tertained by the young King, that he writ
a large Paper, ballancing the conveniencies
and incoHvcniencies of it, but all that fell
with his Life.
cardan in This year Cardanjhe great Philofopher of
that Ag(V paft thtough England, as he re-
turned from Scotland. The Archbiftiop of
St. Andrews had fent for him out of Italy?
to cure him of a Dropfie : in which he
had good fuccefs j but being much con-
verfant in Aftrology and Magick, he told
him he could not change his fate, and
that he was to be hanged. He waited
on King Edward as he returned, and was
of t&c Eefoimation.&c, 181
fo charmed with his great knowledge and
rare qualities, tnat he always Ipake of
him, as the rareft Perfon he had ever
feen : and after his death, when nothing 1 5 5
was to be got by flattering, he writ the fol
lowing Character of him.
€ All the Graces were in him : he had
4 many Tongues, when he was yet but a
* Child •, together with the Englifo, his
* Natural Tongue, he had both Latin and
'French ', nor was he ignorant, as I hear^
' of the Greeks Italian , and Spanifi and
* perhaps fome more •, But for the Eng-
* /*/&, French and Latin, he was exaft in
cthem,and was apt to learn every thing.Nor
4 was he ignorant of Logick, of the Prin-
'ciples of Natural Philofophy, nor of
* Mufick •, The fweetnefs of his Temper
*was fuch as became a Mortal, his Gra-
cvity becoming the Majefty of a King,
* and his DUpofition was fuitable to his higji
* Degree: Infum, that Child was fo bred,
* had fuch parts, and was of fuch expeftati-
* on, that he looked like a Miracle of a
•* Man : Thefe things are not fpoken Rhe-
'torically, and beyond the Truth, but are
* indeed (hort of it. And afterwards he
adds, 'He was a marvellous Boy ; when
* I was with him, he was in the i $th. year
'of his Age, in which he fpake Latin as
' politely, and as promptly as I did : He
Basked me, what was the fubjedt of my
' Book, de fierum uarietate, which I dedi-
c cated to him ? I anfwered , that in the
N 3 4firft
Segment of tfte triflQp
cfirft Chapter, I gave the true caufe of
< Comets, which had been long enquired
t jnt0) but was never found out before,
twhat is it, faid he? I faid, it was the
<concourfe of the Light of wandring
4 Stars. He anfwered, How can that be,
*fince the Stars move in different moti-
f ons ? How comes it that the Comets are
* not foon diflipated, or do not move af-
*ter them, according to their motions. To
4 this I anfwered, they do move after them,,
* but much quicker than they, by reafon of
* the different afpect, as we fee in Cryftal,
*ot when a Rain-bow rebounds from a
1 Wall : for a little change makes a great
' difference of place. But the King faid,
> How can that be, where there is no fub-
5 j-cl to receive that Light, as the Wall is
fi the fubjeft for the Rain-bow? To this
* I anfwered, That this was as in the Mil-
*ky way, or where many Candles were
* lighted, the middle place, where their
"mining met, was white and clear. From
"this little tail, it may be imagined what
c he was/ And indeed the ingenuity, and
c fweetnefs of his Difpofition had raifed
4 in all good, and learned Men the grea-
* teffc expectation of him poflible. He be-
c gan to love the Liberal Arts before he
< knew them, and to know them before
* he could ufe them: and in him there
4 was fuch an Attempt of Nature, that not
'only England^ but the World hath rea-
cfon to lament his being fo 'earfy fnatchc
f aw^y. How Eruly was it faid of fuch
* extra-
of tfre Eefo?matfon, &c.
'extraordinary Perfons, that their Lives
«are fhort, and feldom do they come to
<be old? He gave us an Eflay of Vertue,
c though he did not live to give a Pat-
4 tern of it. When the gravity of a King
c was needful, he carried himfelf like an old
'Man, and yet he was always affable, and
c gentle, as became his Age. He played
' on the Lute •, he medled in affairs of State:
4 and for Bounty , he did in that emulate
chis Father-, though he, even when he en-
'deavoured to be too good, might appear
c to have been bad : but there was no
c ground of fufpefting any fuch thing in
cthe Son, whofe mind was cultivated by
* the ftudy of Philofophy.
Thefe extraordinary bloflbms gave but
too good reafon to fear, that a fruit
which ripened fo faft, could not laft long.
In Scotland there was a great change in Affairs in
the Government : the Governor was dealt Scotland.
with, to refign it to the Queen Dowager,
who returned this Year from France, and
was treated with all that refpeft that was
due to her rank, as (he palt through En
gland. She brought Letters to the Go->
vernour, advifing him to refign it to her,
but in fuch terms, that he faw he muft
either do it, or maintain his power by
force: he was a foft Man, and was the
more eafily wrought on, becaufe his am
bitious Brother was then dcfperatelf ill:
but when he recovered, and found what
N 4 he
he had done, he exprefled his difpleafure
Book II. at it in very vehement terms. The young
VV***' Queen of Scotland* Uncles propofed a Match
* $ 5 2« for her with the Dolphin, which had been
long in difcourfe, and the King of France
inclined much to it. Conftabie Mowno-
rancy opppfedit: He obferved how much
Spain fuffered, in having fo many Territo
ries at a diftance : though thofe were the
beft Provinces of Europe. So he reckoned the
peeping Scotland, would coft France more
than ever it could be worth : A Revolt
to England would be cade, and the fending
Fleets and Armies thither would be a vaft
charge: He therefore advifed the King,
rather to marry her to fome of the Prin
ces of the Blood, and to fend them to
Scotland, and fo by a fmall Penfion, that
Kingdom would be preferved in the In-
terefts of France. But the Conftabie was
a known Enemy to the Houfe of Gmfa
and fo thofe wife advices were little con-
fidered, and were imputed to the fears he
had of fo great a ftrengthning, as this
would have given to their Intereft at
Court. In Scotland, there were now two
Faftions : the one was headed by the Arch-
bifhop, and all the Clergy were hi it, who
were jealous of the Queen, as leaning too
much to fome Lords, who were believed
to incline to the Reformation ; of whom
the Prior of St. Andrews) afterwards the
fearl of Murray was the chief : Thefe of-
iered to ferve the Queen in all her de-
flgns^ in particular., In fending the Matri.
denial
of tfte Reformation, &c.
monial Crown to France j upon their young
Queens Marriage with the Dobbin, if fhe Book \L
would defend them from the Violence of ^^v^
the Clergy in matters of Religion, which 15S ^
being made generally fubfervient to other
Interefts in all Courts, this was well enter
tained by the Queen, though Ihe was other-
wife very zealous in her own Religion.
There was a great and unexpected turn Theaffifcs
this year, in the affairs of Germany. The
Emperour's Minifters began to entertain
fome jealoufie of Maurice, fo that the Duke
of Aha advifed the Emperour to call for
him, and fo to take him off from the
head of the Army •, and then make him
give an account of fome fufpicious pafla-
ges, in his treating with other Princes c
but the Bifhop of Arrat faid, he had both
his Secretaries in pay, and he knew by
their means all his Negotiations, and re.
lied fo on their Intelligence, that he pre
vailed with the Emperour not to provoke
him, by feeming diftruftful of him. But
Maurice knew all this, and deluded his
Secretaries, fo that he feemed to open to
them all his fecreteft Negotiations •, yet he
really let them know nothing, but what he
was willing (hould come to the Emperor's
ears, and had managed his Treaties fo
fecretly, that they had not the leaft fiW
fpicion of them. At laft the Emperour
was fo pofleft with the Advertilejnents
that were fent him from all parts , that
he writ to Mttftite to come and cleat
himftlf',
augment of tfje tyf fto?p
himfelf ^ and then he refined it higher : for
he prefently left the Army, and took Poft,
with one of his Secretaries, and a fmall
Retinue: after a Days riding, he com-
plained of a pain in his fide, fo that he
could not go on, but fent his Secretary
with his excufes : This appearance of con
fidence made the Emperour lay down all
his jealoufies of him. He had alfo fent
his Ambafladours to Trent , and had or- •
dered Melantthon, and fome Divines to
follow them (lowly, and as foon as a fafe
conduct was obtained,to go to Trent. The
Emperour's Agents had a hard task, be
tween the Legats and the Lutherans : they
dealt with the Legates to hear the other •,
but they anfwered, that it was againft
the rules of the Church, to treat with
profefTed Hereticks. The Lutherans on
the other hand, made fuch high demands,
that they had as much to do to moderate
them .• they preft them not to ask too.
much at once, and promifed, that if they
would proceed prudently, the Emperour
would concur with them, to pull down
the Popes power, and to reform abufes.
A Safe.Condudl; was demanded, fuch as had
been granted by the Council of Ba/il,
that their Divines might have a decifive
voice, and the free exercife of their
Religion, and that all things might be
examined according to the Scriptures. Buc
the Legates abhorred the name of that
Council, that had acted fo much againfl
the Papal authority, and had granted fuch
of tlje Eefoimattott, &c. 187
a Conduct, that fo they might unite Ger- g*As\
many, and engage the Empire to joyn with Book II.
them againft the Pope. The Ambafla- v-x^v-^
dours from the Lutherans were heard in f * 5 2-
a General Congregation, where they gave
the Council a very cold Complement, and
delired a Safe-Conduct. The Pope under-
ftood, that the Emperor was refolved to
fet on the Spanifh Bifhops, to bear down
the power of the Court of Rome, there
fore he united himfelf to France, and re
folved to break the Council on the firft
occafion, upon which he ordered the Legates
to proceed to fettle the doctrine j hoping
' the Proteftants would upon that defpair of
favour, and go away. But while thefe
things were in agitation, the War of
Germany broke out, and the Legates fu-
fpended the Council for two Years.
After this, I (hall have no occafion to An AC-
fpeak more of this Council, fo I ihall of- count of
fer this remark here, that this Council 5* ££?
had been much defired both by Princes
and Bifhops, in hopes that differences of
Religion would have been compofed in
it, and that the Corruptions of the Court
of Rome would have been reformed by it,
and that had made the popes very ap-
prehenfive of it : but fuch was the cun
ning of the Legates, the number of Italian
Biihops, and the diffenfions of the Princes
of Europe, that it had effects quite con-
trary to what all fides expected,
breach in Religion was put paft veconci-
ling
i88 gb?tDsment of t&e griftojp
f\JV»/^ ling, by the pofitive decifions they made :
Book II. the abufes of the Court of Rome were con-
IXV"V) firmed by the Provifo's, made in favours
J IS 2t of the Priviledges of the Apoftolick See:
and the World was fo cured of their
longings for a General Council, that none
has been defired fmce that time. The
Hiftory of that Council was writ with
great exadnefs and Judgment, by Father
Paul of Venice, while the thing was yet
frelh in all Mens memories \ and though
it difcovered the whole fecret of tranfa-
dtions there, yet none fet himfelf to write
againft it, for Forty Years after : of late
then PalUvicini undertook it, and upon •
the credit of many Memorials, he in ma
ny things contradicts Father Paul •, but as
many of thefe are likely enough to be
forged, fo in the main of the Hiftory,
they both agree fo far, that it is manifeft,
things were not fairly carried , and that
all matters were managed by Intreagues
and fecret practices, in which it will be
' very hard to difcern fuch a particular con
duct of the Holy Ghoft, as fhould induce
the World to fubmit to their authority:
and indeed PalUvicini was aware of this,
and therefore he lays down this for a
foundation -, c That there muft be a Prin-
*cipality in the Church, fupported by
* great Wealth and Dignity, and many
c practices are now neceUary that are con
trary to what were in the Primitive time,
c which was the Infancy of the Church,
fand ought not to be a rule to it now,
[ when
- .
1 89
€ when it is grown up to its full ftate. £VAX?
Maurice declared for the liberty ofBookHJ
Germany, and took Aw\Mrg* and feveral '^^
other Towns. The King of France fell 1?
alfo in, upon the Empire, with a great
Force, and by furprife made himfelf Ma- defignsarc
fter of Metz., Toul and Verdun^ and thought bkfted.
to have got Strasburg. *JM amice fenthis
demands to the Emperour for the Land
grave's liberty, and for reftoring the free-
dom of the Empire : and the Emperour
being flow in making anfwer, he marched
on to Infprncks where he fiuprifed a Poft,
and was within two Miles of him, before
he was aware of it, fo that the Emperor
was forced to fly away by Torch-light:
and from thence went to Italy. Thus that
very Army and Prince, that had been
chiefly Instrumental in the ruine of the
Empire, did now again afTert its freedom ^
and all the Emperor's great defign on Ger
many was now fo blafted, that he could
never after this put any life in it : he
was forced to difcharge his Prifoners, and
to call in the Profcriptions, and after
fome Treaty, at laft the Edict of Paffaw
was made, by which the free exercife of
the Proteftant Religion was granted to
the Princes and Towns: and fo did that
ftorm, which had almoft overwhelmed the
Princes of that Perfwafion end, without •
any other confiderable effect, beljdes the
Tranflation of the Electoral dignity from
John to Maurice. The Emperour's mif-
fortunes encreafcd on him, for againft all
reafon
•
1 90 fltyftgrnent of t&e 8>iflo?p
reafon he befieged Met*, in December, but
Book II after he had ruined his Army in it,he was for-
ced to raife the Siege. Upon that he re-
5 2* tired into Flanders, in fuch difcontent, that
for Ibme time he would admit none to
come to him. Here it was believed, he
firft formed that defign, which fome years
after he put in execution, of forfaking the
World, and exchanging the Pomp of a
Court, with the retirement of a Monafte-
ry. This ftrange and unlookt for turn in
his affairs, gave a great demonftration of
an over-ruling Providence, that governs
all humane affairs, and of that particular
care that God had of the Reformation,
in recovering it, when it feemed to be
gone, without all hope, in Germany.
In the beginning of this Year, there was
a regulation made of the Privy Council.
Several Committees had proper work at
figned them, and directions given them
for their conduct •, of which there is an
account extant, corrected with King EA-
ward's hand. A new Parliament was cal
led , and fat down the firft of March , a
motion was made for a Subfidy of two
tenths, and two fifteenths to be paid in
two years : at the patting of the Bill there
was a great debate about it in the Houfe
of Commons, which feems to have been
concerning the Preamble, for it contained
a high accufation of the Duke of Somer-
fet's adminiftration, and was fet on by the
Duke cf Northumberland's Party, to let the
King
of t&e BlefQjmatt'cm, &c.
King fee how well pleafed the Reprefen-
tative of the Nation was with his fall.
The Sons of the Nobility and Gentry M53-
had ordinarily Prebends given them , un- pr0pofed
der this pretence , that they intended to chat Lay-
follow their ftudies, and make themfelves men
capable of entring into Orders : and this fllould
was like to become a great prejudice to ^hVld-
the Clergy, when To many of the digni- dignities,
ties of the Church were -in Lay-hands.
Upon this the Biihops procured a Bill to
be palt in the Houfe of Lords, that none
might hold thde, that was not either
Prieft or Deacon : but at the third read*-
ing, the Commons threw it out.
Another Bill paft for fupprefling the An
Biftioprick of Durham, and erecting two
new Sees, the one at Durham , and the g of
other at Newcaftle ', the former was to
have 2000. and the latter 1000. Marks
Revenue -, there was alfo a Dean and a
Chapter to be endowed at Newcafrle.
Ridley was defigned to be made Biihopof
Durham. But though the fecular Jurifdidion
of that See was given to the Duke of Nor
thumberland, yet the King's death ftopt the
further progrefs of this affair. Ton/tall
was deprived, as Heath and Day were, by
a Court of Lay-delegates, upon the Infor
mations that had been brought againffc
him of Mifprifion of Treafon, and was
kept in the Tower till Queen Mary fet him
at liberty. The King granted a General
Pardon
1 92
Pardon, in which the Commons moved
Book II. the Lords, that fome words might be
C/V^O put, though that is not ufual to be
J 5 5 3* done •, for Ads of Pardon, are commonly
paft without any Changes made in them :
After the paffing thefe Acts, the Par
liament was diflblved on the laft of March.
For it feems either the Duke of Northum
berland was not pleafed with the proceed*
ings in the Houle of Commons, or he was
refolved to call frequent Parliaments, and
not continue the fame, as the Duke of
Somerfet had done.
Another Vifitors were fent after this to examine
Vifitation. Wj3at pjate was jn every church , and to
leave them one or two Chalices of Silver,
with Linnen, for the Communion-Table,
and for Surplices, and to bring in all other
things of value to the Treafurer of the
King's Houlhold, and to fell the reft, and
give it ta the Poor. This was a new
rifling of Churches, by which it feemed
fome refolved not to ceafe, till they had
brought them to a Primitive Poverty, as
well as the Reformers intended to bring
them to a Primitive purity. The King
fet his hand to thefe Inftrudions, from
which fome have inferred, that he was ill
principled in himfelf, when at fuch an
Age, he joyaed his Authority to fuch pro
ceedings. But he was now fo ill, that it
is probable, he fet his hand to every thing,
that the Council fent him , without exa
mining anxioufly what it might import.
of t&e Eefojmatfon, &c. 1 93
Skip, Bifliop of Hereford, dying, Harley
fucceeded him, and was the Lit that was Book 0-
promoted by the Kings Letters Patents ; ^^^^
as £<*r/0# was the firft, being removed J.* S3-
by them, from St. Davids to Bath arid raade by
W*//j. The form of the Patent was, the Ki
4 That the King appointed fucfr a one to
* be Bifhop during his Natural life, or a$
*long as he behaved himfelf Well i and
cgaye him power to ordain or deprive
' Minifters, to exercife Ecclefiaftical JuriC
cdi£tion, and perform all the other partg
cof the Epifcopal Function, that by the
* Word of God were committed to Bi*
€ fhops , and this thev were to do in the
'King's Name, and by his Authority.
Ferrar was put in, St. David*) upon Bar
low's removal : he was an indifcreet Man,-
and drew upon himfelf the diflike of his
Prebendaries, and many complaints were
made of him , which, if true, difcovered
great weaknefs in him : at laft he was fuecf
in a Premunirty for afting in his own name*
dnd not in the King's, in his Courts y
and was put in Prifon, where he contfe
nued, till Morgan^ that was his chief Ac-
cufer, being put in his plate by Queen:
Mtry^ condemned him to the Fire } which
turned all former Cenfures, that he ha<J
given occafion for, by his fimplicity, inta
elteem and compafllon. By thefe Patents,
the Epifcopal Power was ftill declared
to ffow from Chrift •, they were Only prc-
fentations to Bifhopricks , fuch as-' other
Patrons gave to inferiour Benefices •, and
O fecb
INA-/O fuch as Chriftian Princes in France, and
Book II. other Kingdoms gave in elder times, for
t/WJ Bilhopricks. Their Courts were ordered to
1 5 S 3- be held in the King's Name •, but all this was
repealed by Queen Mary : and when Queen
Elizabeth came to the Crown, inftead of
reviving this, (he revived that made in
the 25 Hen.%. by which Biihops were au-
thorifed to hold their Courts, as they had
done formerly : and though Queen Mwfs
repeal of the Statute of this King, was
afterwards taken away, fo that this Aft
feemed thereby to be again in force ; yet
Queen Elizabeth's reviving that made by
her Father, was underftood to be, in ef-
feft, a Repeal of it : fo that in King
J^me/s time, when fome fcruples were
ilarted about it, the Judges did not think
it neceflary to make an Explanatory Ad,
to clear the matter, for the thing did not
feem to admit of any debate. A new
and fuller Catechifm was this Year com-
pofed by Poinetj and was publiflied with
the Kings approbation.
Affairs In The ftate of affairs beyond Sea, was
Germany, now quite turned, fo that the Progrefs
the French had made, fet the Englifo
Council on mediating a Peace. The Em-
perour reprefented to them the danger
the Netherlands were in, fince the French
were Matters of Met^ and fo could in
a great meafure divide them from the
afliftance, that they might receive from
the Empire } therefore he defired that ac
cording
of f&e Reformation, &c. 195
cording to the Ancient Leagues, between rWV
England, and the Houfe of Burgundy ', they Book IL
would now engage againft the French. The ***
Council fent over Ambafladours, both to X5
the Emperour, and the French King, to
mediate. The Emperour was then indif-
pofed, but his Minifters complained much,
that the French had broken with them perfi-
dioufly, when they were making folemn pro-
teftations, that they intended to obferve
the Peace religioufly. The Germans pro-
pofed a League between the Emperour,
the King of the Romans, the King of En*
gland) and the Princes of the Empire.
The Emperour moved that the Nether
lands might be comprehended within the
perpetual League of the Empire -, but the
Princes refufed that, fince thofe Provinces
were like to be the perpetual Seat of War,
when ever it fhould break ouf between
France and Sfa'm* unlefs they might have
reciprocal advantages, for expofmg them-
felves to fo much danger and charge.
The French made extravagant Propofitions^
by which it appeared, that their King had
a mind to carry on the War. They askt
the reftitution of MilUn, Sicily p, Naples, and
Navarre, and the Soveraignty of the Ne*
f her lands ^ and that Metz., Tout and ferduti
fhould continue under the Protection of
France. The Englifo would not receive
thefe as Mediators, but took them only
as a Paper of News, and fo ordered their
Ambafladours to communicate them to the
Emperour. But the King's death broke
off this Negotiation, O 2 He
1 96 $b;ftgment of tfye Undo??
(NJv^O He had contracted great Colds by Vi-
Book II. olent Exercifes, which in January felled in
S^V^-* a deep Cough: and all Medicines proved
rft V3' *neffe&ual' There was a fufpicion taken
fjckaek 8S UP » anc* fpreac* over ^ Evrofc , that he
was poifoned: but no certain grounds ap-
pear, for juftifying that. During his lick-
nefs, Ridley preached before him, and a-
mong ether things, run out much on works
of Charity, and the duty of Men of high
condition, to be Eminent in good works.
The King was much touched with this',
fo, after Sermon, he lent for the Bifhop,
and treated him with fuch refped, that
he made him fit down, and be covered:
then he told him, what Imprefllon his Ex
hortation had made on him, and there
fore he defired to be directed by him,
how to do his duty in that matter. Rid"
ley took a little time to confider of it,
and after fomc confutation with the Lord
Mayor and Aldermen of London, he brought
the King a Scheme of feveral Foundations,
one for the fick and wounded, another for
fuch as were wilfully idle, or were mad,
and a third for Orphans : fo he endowed
St. Bartholomew's Hofpital for the firft,
Bridewell for the fecond, and £hriJPs
Church near Newgate for the third •, and
he enlarged the Grant he made the for
mer year, for St. ThowaSs Hofpital in
Southward The Statutes and Warrants re
lating to thefe, were not finifhed before
the 26. of June* though he gave order
to make all the haft that was poffible:
and
of t&e Eefo?matton,&tf 197
arid when he fet his hand to them, he f\-A-^
bleft God that had prolonged his life, till B°ok II.
he finilhed his defigas concerning them. *******
Thefe Houfes have, by the good Govern- ! 5 S ^
rnent, and great Charities of the City of
London, continued to be fo ufeful, and 4
grown to be fo well-endowed, that now they
may be well reckoned among the Nobleft
in Europe.
The King bore his ficknefs with great The Pa-
fubmiflionto the will of God*, and feem- r5nt> for,
ed concerned in nothing fo much , as the ?nen
n i »•» i« • i i x-^i i 11 *lon
ftate that Religion, and the Church would crown.
be in, after his death. The Duke of Suf
folk, had only three Daughters, the eldeft
of thefc was now married to Lord Gw£
ford Dudley , the fecond to the Earl of
Pcmbrokis eldeft Son -9 and the third, that
was crooked, to one Keys. The Duke of
Northumberland, for ftrengthning his Fami
ly, married alfo his own two Daughters,
the one to Sir Henry Sidney, and the other
to the Earl of Hnm'wgtoris eldeft Son.
He grew to be much hated by the People,
and the jealoufie of the King's being poi-
foned, was faftened on him. But he re
garded thefe things little, and refolved to
improve the fears the King was in con
cerning Religion, to the advantage of La-
dy* Jane. The King was eafily perfwaded
to order the Judges, and his Learned
Council to put fome Articles, which he
had figned, for the fuccefllon of the Crown,
in the common form of Law. They an*
O 3 fwered.
gtyftgment of tfce 8>tflo$
fwered , that the Succeffion being feded
Book II. by Aft of Parliament, could not be ta-
V^VVJ ken away, except by Parliament : yet the
S553- King required them to do what he com
manded them. But next time they came to
the Council, they declared, that it was made
Treafon to change the Succeffion by an
Ad paft in this Reign, fo they could
not meddle with it. Monnttgue was chief
Juftice, and fpake in the name of the reft.
Northumberland fell out in a great paffion
againft him, calling him Traitor, for re
futing to obey the King's commands : for
that is always the language of an Arbitra
ry Minifter, when be afts againft Law.
But the Judges were not fhaken by his
threatnings * fo they were again brought
before the King, who fharply rebuked them
for their delays, but they faid, all that
they could do, would be of no force, with
out a Parliament, yet they were required
to do it,in the beft manner they could : At laft
Mount Ague defired they might have a Pardon
for what they were to do,& that being gran*
ted,all the Judges,except Gofnald and Hales,
agreed to thePatent,& delivered their Opini
ons, that the Lord Chancellor might put
the Seal to it, and that then it would be
good in Law } yet the former of thefe
two was at laft wrought on, fo Hales
was the only Man that ftood out to the
laft : who, though he was a zealous Pro-
teftant, yet would not give his Opinion
againft his Confcience, upon any confide-
ration whatfoever. The Privy Councel-
lours
of tfjeEefo^mation, &c. 159
lovrs were next required tofet their hand
to it : Cecyl, in a Relation he writ of this
tranfaftion, fays, that hearing fome of the
Judges declare fo pofitively, that it was
againft Law, he refufed to fet his hand to
it, as a Privy Coiancellour, but figned it
only as a Witnefs to the King's fubfcri-
ption. Crantner ftood out long, he came
not to Council when it was paft there,
and refufed to confent to it, when he
was preft to it -, for he faid, he would
never have a hand in difinherking his late
Matter's Daughters. The young dying
King was at laft fet on -him , and by his
Importunity prevailed with him to do it,
and fo the Seal was put to the Patents.
The King's diftemper continued to en-
creafe, fo that the Phyficians defpaired of
his Recovery. A confident Woman un
dertook his Cure, and he was put in her
hands, but Ihe left him worfe than (he
found him •, and this heightned the jealou-
fie of *the Duke of Northumberland, that
had introduced her, and put the Phyfki-
ans away. At laft, to Crown his defigns,
he got the King to write to his Sifters,
to come and divert him in his ficknefs :
and the matter of the Exclufion had been
carried fo fecretly, that they apprehend
ing no danger, had begun their Journey.
In the 6tk. of July, the King felt death the Kings
approaching, and prepared himfelf for it, death and
in a moft devout manner : He was often
heard offering up Prayers and Ejaculations
O to
I^tDgment of ttie 8>uio?g
to God : Particularly a few Moments be-'
Itook II. fore he died, he prayed earneftly that God
^"V^ would take him out of this wretched life,
$ 5 S 3 • and committed his Spirit to him, he interce
ded very fervently for his Subjed^that God
would preferve England from Popery, and
maintain his true Religion among them-,
foon after that, he breathed out his Inno
cent Soul, being in Sir Henry Sidney's arms.
Endeavours were ufed to conceal his death,
for fome days, on defign to draw his Sifters
into the fhare, before they fhould be aware
of it, but that could not be done.
Thus died Edward the VI. in the fixteenth
Year of his Age. He was counted the won
der of that time: he was not only Learned
in the Tongues, and the Liberal Sciences,
but knew well the ftate of his Kingdom.
He kept a Table- Book, in which he had
r writ the Characters of all the eminent Men
of the Nation ^ he ftudied Fortificatidn,and
ttnderftood the Mint well : he knew the Har
bours in all his Dominions, with the depth
of Water, and way of coming into them.
He underftood foreign affairs fo well, that
the Ambafladours that were fent into Eng-
Und> publifhed very extraordinary things of
him, in all the Courts of Europe. He had
great quicknefs of apprehenfion, but being
diftruftful of his JVkmory, he took Notes of
every thing he heard, that was conliderable,
in Greek. Characters v that thofe about him
might not underftand what he writ, which
life afterwards Copied out fair in the Journal
that he kept.
His
aftfye Reformation, &c. 201
His Virtues were wonderful , when he
was made believe, that his Unkle was guil- Book IL
ty of confpiring the death of the other Coun- v^V^*f
fbllours, he upon that abandoned him. Bar- *S S 3^
naby Fitzpatrick was his Favourite, and when
he lent him to travel, he writ oft to him,
to keep good Company, to avoid excels
and Luxury, and to improve himfelf in thofe
things, that might render him capable of
Imployment, at his return. He was after
wards made Lord of Upper- OJJory in Ire-
land, by Queen Elizabeth, and did anfwer
the hopes that this excellent King had of
him. He was very merciful in his nature,
which appeared in his unwillingnefs to fign
the Warrant, for burning the Maid of*J?*tff.
He took great care to have his debts well
paid, reckoning that a Prince who breaks
his Faith, and lofes his Credit, has thrown
up that which he can never recover, and
made himfelf liable to perpetual diftruft,
and extreme contempt. He took fpecial
care of the Petitions, that were given him
by poor and oppreib People. But his great
fceal for Religion crowned all the reft. It was
not only an angry heat about it that afted
him,but it was a true tendernefs of confcience,
founded on the love of GW,& his Neighbors,
Thefe extraordinary qualities fet off with
great fweetnefs^nd affability, made him be
univerfally beloved by all his People. Some
called him their Jofiat> others Edward the
Saint , and others called him the Phoenix that
rife out of his Mothers afhes v and all Peo
ple concluded, that the fins of England muft
have
202 augment of t&e 8>iflo?p, &c.
AX^ have been very great, fince they provoked
Book II. God to deprive the Nation of fo lignal a
bleffing, as the reft of his Reign would
have, by ajj appearance, proved. Ridley,
and the other good Men of that time, made
great lamentations of the Vices, that were
grown then fo common, that Men had paft
all fhame in them. Luxury, Oppreffion,and
a hatred of Religion had over-run the high
er rank of People, who gave a countenance
to the Reformation, meerly to rob the
Church, but by that and their other practi
ces, weie become a great fcandal to fo good
a work. The inferiour fort were fo much
in the power of the Priefts, who were ftill,
notwithftanding their outward Compliance,
Papifts in heart, and were fo much offended
at the fpoil they faw made of all good en
dowments, without putting other and more
uieful ones in their room, that they who
underftood little of Religion, laboured un
der great prejudices againft every thing that
was advanced by fuch tools. And thefe
things, as they provoked God highly, fo
they difpofed the People much to that fad
Cataftrophe, which is to be the fubjecl of
the next Book.
BOOK
BOOK III.
I . • .,
THE
LIFE and REIGN
O F
Queen MARY.
King Edwanfs death, the QU.
Grown devolved, according foccecds.
to Law, on his Eideft Sifter
Mtry, who was within half
a days Journey to the Court*
when fhe had notice given
her by the Earl of Amndd,<& her Brothers
death, and of the Patent for Lady fane's
fucceflion, and this prevented her falling in
to the Trap, that was laid for her. Upon
that (he retired to Framlingkam in Suffolk*
both to be near the Sea, that (he might
efcape
204
fyAX) efcape to F/*Ww,in cafe of a misfortune
Book III and becaufe the (laughter that was made of
IL/VV Kets People, by Northumberland, begat him
I IS 3« the hatred of the People in that Neigh-
bourhood. Before (he got thither,(he wrote
on the 9?Jb. of July, to the Council , and
let them know (he underftood, that her
Brother was dead, by which (he fuccceded
to the Crown, but wondred that (he heard
not from them •, (he knew well what Con-
fultations they had engaged in,but (he would
pardon all that was done,to fuch as would re
turn to their duty, and proclaim her Title
to the Crown. By this it was found, that
the Kings death could be no longer kept
fecret ; lo foine of the Privy Council went
to Lady Jane, and acknowledged her their
Owen. The news of the King's death af-
flided her much, and her being raifed to
the Throne, rather encreafed, than lef-
fened her trouble. She was a very extra
ordinary Perfon, both for Body and Mind.
She had learned both the Greek and Latins
Tongues, to great perfeftion}, and de*
lighted much in ftudy. She read Plato in
Gree^ and drunk in the Precepts of tru
Philofophy fo early, that as (he was no
tainted with the levities, not to fay Vice
of thofe of her Age and condition, fo (h
feemed to have attained to the practice
of the higheft notions of Philofophy : fo
in thofe fudden turns of her condition, a
(he was not exalted with the profped o
a Crown , fo (he was as little caft down
when her Palace was made her Prifon
The
of t&e Eefoimation, &e. 20 5
The only paflion (he (hewed, was, that of £VA
the Nobleft kind, in the concern (he ex- Book
pfeft for her Father and Husband, who
fell with her, and feemingly on her ac-
count, though really Northumberland's am
bition, and her Father's weaknefs ruined
her. She rejected the offer of the Crown,
when it was firft made hery/hefaid, (he
knew, that of tight it belonged to the
late King's Sifters, and fo (he could not
with a good Conscience aflume if, but it
was told her, that both the Judges and
Privy Councellours had declared, that it
fell to her according to Law. This, joyn-
ed with the Importunities of her Husband,
who had more of his Father's Temper,
than of her Philofophy in him, made her
fubmit to it. Upon this XXI. Privy Coun
cellours fet their hands to a Letter to
Queen Mary, letting her know that Queen
Jane was now their Soveraign , and that
the Marriage between her Father and Mo
ther was null, fo (he could not fucceed to
the Crown : and therefore they required
her to lay down her Pretenfions, and to
fubmit to the fettlement now made : and
if (he gave a ready obedience to thefe Com
mands, they promifed her much favour.
The day after this they proclaimed Jane. But Lady
In it they fet forth , c That the late King fat *F
had by Patent excluded his Sifters, that is Pr°-
€ both were illegitimated by fentences pad c
c in the Ecdefialtical Courts , and confirm-
€ ed in Parliament, and at beft they were
Jonly his Sifters by the half blood, andfo
'not
gtytDgmtnt of tlje fcidoip
'not inheritable by the Law of England.
Book III <• There was alfo caufe to fear, that they
•IXVN* € might marry ftrangers, and change the
1 5 5 3- « Laws, and fubject the Nation to the Ty^
lranny of the See of &»w. Next to them,
' the Crown fell to the Dutchefs of Suf-
'folk., and it was provided, that if fhe
4 ihould have no Sons, when the King died,
* the CrowH (hould devolve on her Daugh-
*ter, who was born and married in the
* Kingdom ; Upon which they aflerted her
( right,and fhe promifed to maintain the true
'Religion, and the Laws of the Land.
This was not received with the fhouts ordi
nary on fuch occafions. A Vintners Boy ex-
prefied fome fcorn, when he heard it, for
which he was next day fet on a Pillory,
and his Ears were nailed to it, to ftrike
terror in the reft.
Cenfures Many defcanted varioufly on this Pro-
paft upon clamation. Thofe who thought that the
that. King had his power immediately from
God, faid, that then it rnuft defcend in
the way of Inheritance, and fince the
King's two Sifters were both under fen-
tences of illegitimation, they faid the next
Heir in blood muft fucceed, and that was
the young Queen of Scotland, but fhe be
ing of the Church of Rome , claimed no*
thing upon the fentence againft Queen
JM*ry, efteeming it unlawful, and null:
yet afterwards fhe made her claim againft
Queen Elizabeth. Others faid, that though
a Prince were named immediately by God,
yet upon great reafons he might alter the
Succcf-
of tfce lUfoflnsttmt, &c. 207
Succeffion from its natural courfe : for fo
J)avid preferred Solomon to Adonijah. In Bode III
England, the Kings claimed the Crown by f
a long Prefcription, confirmed by many
Laws, and not from a divine defignation:
and therefore they inferred, that the Act
of Parliament for the Succeffion ought to
take place, and that by vertue of it, the
two Sifters ought to fucceed : and it was
faid, that as the King could limit the Pre.
rogative, fo he could likewife limit the
fucceffion. It was alfo faid, that Charles
Brandorts Mue by the French Queen, was
unlawful, becaufe he was then married to
one Mortimer •, yet this was not declared
in any Court, and fo could not take place.
Others faid, if the Right of blood could
not be cut off, why was the Scotch Qjjeen
cut off? and her being born out of the
Kingdom, could not exclude her, as an
Alien , for though that held in other ca
fes, yet it was only a Provifion of Law,
which could not takeaway a Divine right,
and by fpecial Law the King's Children
were excepted. It was alfo urged, that
the Dutchefs of Suffolk^ ought to be pre
ferred to her Daughter, who could only
claim by her Right : and though Mtud
the Emprefs, and Margaret Countefs of
Richmond had not claimed the Crown, but
( were fatisfied that their Sons, two Henries*
| the fecond and feventh, ftumld reign in
their right, yet it was never heard that a
Mother fhould quit her right to a Daugh
ter : that of the half blood was faid to
be
augment of t&e grittoip
be only a rule in Law for private Families,
Book III and that it did not extend to the Crown-
K^VNJ The power of limiting the fucceflion by
^553» Patent or Teftament, was faid to be only
a Perfonal trull lodged in King Henry the
Eighth, and that it did not defcend to his
Heirs, fo that King Edward's Patents were
thought to be of no force.
Many turn The feverity againft the Vintners Boy in the
to Queen beginning of a Reign founded on fo doubt-
fui a Title, was thought a great errour in
Policy : and it leemed to be a well groun-
ded Maxime, that all Governments ought
to begin with afts of Clemency, and afreet
the love rather than the fear of the Peo
ple. Northumberland's proceeding againft
the Duke of Some r/k, upon fo foulaCon-
fpiracy, ancftfae fufpicions that lay on him,
as the Author of the late Kings untimely
death, begat a great averfionJri the Peo
ple to him : and that difpofed them to'
fet up Queen Mary. She gathered all in
the neighbouring Counties about her. The
Aten of Suffolk were generally for the Re
formation, yet a great Body of them came"
to her, and asked her, if me would pro-
mife not to alter the Religion fet up in
King Edward's days, (he aflured them (he
Would make no changes-, but fhould, be
content with the private Exercife of her
own Religion. Upon that they all vowed
that they would live and dye with her. The
Earl of Suffix^ and feveral others ralfed
Forces for her, and proclaimed her Queen.
[When the Council heard this, they fent
the
ef t&e Reformation, &c. 209
the Earl of Huntingtorfs Brother . to rai-fe ^A
Men in Buckinghamshire, and meet the, For- Book HI
ces that fhould be fent from London at ~
Newmarket.
The Duke of Northumberland was or-
dered to Command the Army. He was
now much diftradted in his thoughts. It
was of equal Importance to keep London^ ,J|"
and the Privy Counceilours fteady, and to,
conduct the Army well : A misfortune in
either of thefe was like to be fatal to
him. So he could not refolve what to
do •, there was. not a Man of fpirit that
was firm to him, to be left behind, and
yet it was moft necefFary once to diflipate ,
the Force, that was daily growing abojat
Queen Mary. The .Lady Jane and the
Council were removed to* trie Tower, not
only for ftate, but for fecurity ; for here
the Council were upon the matter Pri-
foners. He could do no more, but lay
a ftrict charge on the Council, to be firm
to Lady Jane's Interefts, and fo he march
ed out of London with 2000, Horfe,'and
6000. Foot, on the i^th. of July : but no
acclamations or wimes of fucceis were to
be heard, as he paft through the Streets ,.
The Council gave the Emperor notice of
tl\e Lady Jane's fucceffion, and complain-
ed of the difturbarice that was raifed by
Queen 'Mrf, and that his AmbafTadour
had ofEcioufly ruedled in their affairs. Buc
the Emperour would not receive their
Letters. Ridley was appointed to preach
wp Queen JWs Title, and to animate
P tW
of
the People againft Queen Mary, which fie
Book 111 too rafhly obeyed. But Queen Mary\
<-/rW^ Party encreafed every day. Haftings went
1 5 5 3» Over to her with 4000. Men out of Buck-
frtghittfipjire, and fhe was proclaimed Queen
rh many places. And now did the Privy Coun
cil begin to fee their danger, and to think
how to get out of it. The Earl of A-
rttndel hated Northumberland. The Mar-
quefs of Winchefter was dextrous in fhift-
ing fides for his advantage. The Earl of
Pembroke's Son had married the Lady Janes
Sifter, which made him think it neceflary
to redeem the danger he was in, by a
fpeedy turn. To thefe many others were
joyned. They pretended it was neceflary
to give an Audience to the foreign Am-
bafladours, who would not have it in the
Tower. And the Earl of Pembroke's Houfe
was pitched upon, he being leaft fufped-
cd. They alfo faid it was neeeflary to
treat with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen,
for fending more Forces to NorthHmbtrtartdj
concerning which he had writ very earneflly.
When they got oat, they refolved to
df de^arcs declare for Q™ MarJ '-> and rid them-
for her. felves of Northumberland's uneafie Yoke,
which they knew they maft bear, ii he
were victorious. They fent for the Lord
Mayor and Aldermen^ and eafily perfwaded ,
them to concur with them, and fo they
went immediately to Cheapf^ and pro
claimed the Queen on the 19^. of July :
and from thence they went to St. /Ws,
where TV Dttim was fung. They fent next
to
of
to the Towvr, requiring the Duke of Suf- (VAX*
folk^ to quit the Government of that place, Book III
and the Lady Jane to lay down the Title ***^*
of §hteen; fhe fubmitted with as much * 5 3 $•
greatnefs of mind, as her Father (hewed
of abjeftnefs. They fent alfo Orders to
Northumberland to difmifs his Forces, and
to obey the Queen •, and the Earl of A-
rundel, and the Lord Paget were fent to
carry thefe welcome tidings to her. When
Northumberland heard of the Turn that
was in London, without (laying for Orders
he difcharged his Forces, and went to the
Market-place at Cambridge) where he was
at that time, and proclaimed the Queen.
The Earl of Amndd was fent to appre
hend him, and when he was brought to
him, he fell at his Feet to beg his favour :
for a mind, that has no ballance in it felf,
turns infoknt or abject, out of meafure,
with the various chaages of fortune. Be,
and three of his Sons, and Sir Tho. Pal-
mer, ( that was his wicked Inftrument a-
gainft the Duke of Somerfet) were all fent
to the Tower. Now all People went to
implore the Queen's favour, and Ridley a*
mong the reft, but he was fent to the
Tower: for (he was both offended with
him for his Sermon, and refolved to put
Banner again in the See of London. Some
of the Judges, and fevciral Noblemen were
alfo lent thither, among the reft the Duke
of Suffolk, but three days after he was fet
at liberty. He was a weak Man, and could
do little harm, fo he was pitched on as
2 1 *
fKA>^ the firft Inftance, towards whom the Queen
Book 111 ftould exprefs her Clemency.
carae to iAnfan on the 3^. of Au-
and on the way was met by her Si-
to > ady £/«"fc^> with a thoufand Horfe,
* whom (he had raifed to come to the
s afliftance. When (he came to the
, (he difcharged the Duke of Nor*
folk, the Dntchefs of Somerfit, and (?*K«[I-
«*r, of vvhofe Commitment mention has
been formerly made *, as alfo the Lord
Courtney, Son to the Marquefs of Exeter,
who had been kept there ever fmce his
Fathers Attainder, whom fhe made Earl of
Devonfiire. And thus was (he now peace
ably fetled on the Throne } notwithftand-
ing that great Combination againft her,
which had not been fo eafily broken, if
the Head of it had not been a Man fo
Univerfally diftaftful.
Her for- she was a Lady of great Vertues, fhe
mer life. was fl.^ |n ^er Reiigion to fuperftition v
her Temper was much corrupted by Me
lancholy ^ and the many crofs accidents
of her life increafed this to a great de
gree. She adhered fo refolutely to her
Mothers Interefts, that it was believed her
Father once intended to have taken her Life:
upon whicn her Mother wrote a very de
vout Letter to her , charging her to truft
in God, and keep her felf pure, and to
obey the King in ail things, except in
matters of Religion : She fent her two
Latine Books for her entertainment, Saint
Jerome's Epiftles, afld a Book of the Life
of
of t&e Refojmattotv&c,
of Cbrifl'i which was perhaps the famous
Book of Tfamof a Kempls. The Kings dif-
pleafure at her was fuch, that neither the
Duke of Norfolk^ nor Gar diner ^ durft ven- * 5 5
ture to intercede for her. Cranmer was
the only Man that hazarded on it, and
did it fo effectually, that he prevailed with
him about it. But after her Mothers death,
fhe hearkned to other Counfels, fo that
upon Anne Boleytfs fall, fhe made a full
fubmiffion to him, as was mentioned be
fore. She did alfo in many Letters, which
fhe writ both to her Father, and to Crom
well, l Proteft great for row for her former
' flubornnefs , and declared that fhe put
c her Soul in his hand, and that her Con-
' fcience fhould be always directed by him ,
'and being asked what her Opinion was
'concerning Pilgrimages, Purgatory, and
'Reliques •, fhe anfwered, that (he had no
' Opinion , but fuch as (he received from
* the King, who had her whole heart in his
* keeping : and might imprint upon it, ia
c thefe, and in all other matters, whatever
*his ineftimable Vertue, high Wifdom,
€ and excellent Learning fhould think con-
c venient for her. So perfectly had fhe
learned the ilile, that file knew was mofi
acceptable to her Father. After that, fhe
was in 'all points obedient to him, and
during her Brothers Reign, fhe fet up on
that pretence, that fhe would adhere to
that way of Religion, that was fetled by
her Father.
P 3 Two
214 $b?ttigmetit of t(e$i(!o?p
Two different Schemes were now fct
before ner ^ Gardiner, and all that had
complied in the former times, moved, that
TheCoun- at firft ^e fllou!d brinS tnings back to
(els then " tne ^ate ^n which they were, when her
laid down. Father died: and afterwards by eafie and
flow fleps (he might again return to the
obedience to the See of Rome. But fhe
her felf was more inclined to return to
that immediately, fhe thought fhe could
not be legitimated any other way, and fo
was like to proceed too quick. Gardi
ner finding that Political Maximes made
no great Impreflion on her, and that he
%vas lookt on by her as a crafty tempo-
rifing Man, addretfed himfelf to the Em-
perour, who underftood Government and
Mankind better : and undertook, that if
he might have the Seals, he would manage
matters fo, that in a little time he fhould
bring all things about to her mind : and
that there was no danger, but in her pre
cipitating things^ and being fo much go
verned by Italian Counfels: for he under
ftood, that fhe had fent for Cardinal Pool.
The People had a great Averfion to the
Papal authority, and the Nobility and Gen-
try were apprehenfive of lofing the Abbey
Lands \ therefore ic was neceflary to re
move thefe prejudices by degrees. He
alfo afTured the Emperour, that he would
ferve all hisTnterefts zealoufly, and fhew-
td him how neceflary it was to flop Car
dinal Poelj who flood Attainted by Law:
In- this he was the more earneft, becaufe
'•'ffi*,.'* >--. • « '..,.:. • he
of t&e Reformation, &c.
he knew Pool hated him. The Emperour
upon this, writ fo effectually to the Queen,
to depend on Gardiner* Counfels, that on J
the i3fk of Atiguft, he was made Lord
Chancellour, and the condud of affairs
' was put in his hands. The Duke of
Norfolk being now at liberty, pretended
that he was never truly attainted •, and
that it was no legal Ad, that had paft
againft him, and by this he re.cov.ered his
Eitate v all the Grants that had been made
out of it, being declared void at Com
mon Law.
He was made Lord Steward for the
Trial of the Duke of Northumberland, and
his Son the Earl of Warwick j and the r
Marquefs of Northampton. All that they
pleaded in their own defence, lay in two
points'*, the one was, whether any thing
that was acted by Order of Council, and
the authority of the Great Seal, could be
Treafon ? The other was, whether thofe
that were as guilty as they were, could
fit and judge them ? The Judges anfwer-
ed, that the Great Seal, or Privy Council
of one, that was not lawful Queen, could
give no Authority, nor Indemnity t and
that other Peers, \i they were not con-
vidted by Record, might judge them.
Thefe Points being determined againft
them, they pleaded Guilty, and fubmitted
to the Queens Mercy : So Sentence paft
upon them : and the day after that, Sir
John Gates, Sir Tho. Palmer, and fome o-
thers, were tried and condemned : But of
P 4 all
216 Styftgment of ttyt fci ftoig
fX*A^ all thefe , it was refolved, that only Nor*
Book III thmberland, Gates and Palmer fhould fuffer.
* *<? 3* Heath was appointed to attend on
oudor !" thumberland, and to prepare him for death.
He then profefled he had been always of
the old Religion in his heart, and had
complied againft his Confcience in the for
mer times, but whether that was true, or
whether it was done in hopes of life, as
it cannot be certainly known, fp it Ihews,
he had little regard to Religion, either
in his life, or at his death. But he was
a Man of fuch a temper , that it was re
folved to put him out of a capacity of
revenging himfelf on his Enemies. On
the 22. of jdHgttfty he and the other twb
were beheaded. There paft fome expoftu-
lation between Gates and him : each of
them accufing the other as the Author of
their ruine. But they were feemingly re*
conciled, and profefled they forgave one
another. He made a long Speech, con-
feffing his fonder ill life, and the Juftice
of the Sentence againft him •, 'He exhpr-
ated the People to ftand to the Religion
*of their Anceftors, to rejedl all Novd-
1 ties, and to drive the Preachers of them
4 out of the Nation, and declared he had
* temporifed againft his Confcience, and
4 that he was always of the Religion of
* his Forefathers. He was an extraordi
nary Man , till he was railed very high :
but that tranfported him out of meaiure,
and he was fo ftrangely changed in the
laft
&c. 217
iaft paflages of his life, that it encreafed
the Jealoufies that were raifed of his ha- Book III
ving haftned King Edward's death : and ^"V^
that the horrors of that Guilt did fo haunt 1S 5 *"
him, that both the Judgment and Cou
rage he had expreffed in the former parts
of his life, feemed now to have left him.
Palmer was little pitied, for he was be-
lieved the betrayer of his former Matter,
the Duke of Somerfet^ and was upon that
fervice taken into Northumberland's confi
dence.
There was no drift enquiry made into Ki E^
King Edward's death: all the honour done ^?ds
his Memory, was, that they allowed him Funeral.
Funeral Rites. On the %th. of Augu^ he
was buried at Weftminfter^ and the Queen
had an Exequie, and Mafles for him at
the Tower. Day was appointed to preach
the Sermon : in it he praifed the King,
but inveighed feverely againft the admi-
niftration of affairs under him. It had
been refolved to bury him according to
the old Forms, but Cranmer oppofed that,
and prevailed that he Ihould be buried
According to the form then fetled by Law :
and he himfelf did officiate, and ended the
Solemnity with a Communion, all which it
may be fuppofed he did with a very live
ly forrow, having both loved the King
beyond expreflion, and looking on his Fu
neral, as the Burial of the Reformation,
and ks a ftep to his own.
On
si 8 gtytDgm*nt of t{je frtflo??
BooUII On ^he 22. of'^uflj the Queen de-
dared in Council, cTnat though (he was
'fixecl in her own Religi°n-> yet (he would
. tnot Compel others to it: but would leave
*that to the motions of God's Spirit, and
' the labours of good Preachers. The day
after that, Bonner went to Saint Pauls ;
and #0#nz,that was his Chaplain, preached j
he extolled Banner much, and inveighed
againft the fufferings he was put to. Up-
on this a Tumult was raifed, for the Peo*
pie could not hear reflections made on
King Edward'", fome flung ftones at him,
and one threw a Dagger at the Pulpit,
with fuch force, that ic ftuck faft in the
wood. Rogers and Bradford were prelent,
who were in great efteem with the Peo
ple: fb they Itood up and quieted them,
and conveyed Bourn fafe home. This was
a very welcome Accident to the Papifb,
and gave them a colour to prohibit prea-
ching, by a Pubiick Inhibition in the
Queen's Name .• in which (he declared,
c That her Religion was the fame that
4 it had been from her Infancy, but that
c(he would compel none of her Subjects
<in matters of Religion •, till publick Or-
' der (hould be taken in it by common Af-
cfcnt. She required her People to live
1 quietly, not to ufe the terms of Papift,
€ or Hcretick, or other reproachful fpeech-
c es, and that none mould Preach without
c Licence : (he alfo charged them not to pu-
4 jiifh any on the account of the late Re-
'bellion,
of tlje Eefo?matton, &c, 219
' bellion, but as they ftiould be authorifed rv/L/^
* by her. She would be forry to be dri- Book 111
cven to execute the feverity of the Law; ^'V'w
cbut was refolved not to fuffer Rebellious f 5 5 3«
' doings to go unpunifhed. This gave great
occafion to cenfure, and was thought a
Declaration, not for her Fathers Religion,
but for Popery : fince it was that which
fhe profefied from her Infancy. It was
alfb obferved, that Ihe limited her promife
of not compelling others, till Publick Or
der fhould be taken in it : the meaning
of which was, till a Parliament could be
brought to concur with her. The reflraint
• upon Preaching, without Licence, was ju-
ftified from what had been done in King
Edward** time •, though then, at firft, all
might preach in their own Churches with
out it 5 It was only neceflary, if they prea
ched any where elfe : Bifhops had alfo the
power of Licenfing in their Diocefes : and
the total reftraint that followed afterwards,
lafted but a (hort while. But now all the
Pulpits were put under an Interdict, till
the Preachers fhould obtain a Licence from
Gardiner: and that he refolved to grant
to none, but thofe that would Preach as
he fhould direct them. The Queen's threat-
ning to proceed againft fuch as were
guilty of the late Rebellion, ftruck a ge
neral terrour in the City of London •, for
the greateft part had been in fome mea-
fure concerned in it.
In
220 SttyiDgment of t&e
(VAX* In Stfolk,tte people thought their Ser-
Book III vices, and the Queens promiies gave them
tXVN^ a Title to own their Religion more avow-
f * * 3« edly : But orders were fent to the Bifhop
proceed- °f Aknwcfr to execute the Queens Injunfti-
fngs a- °ns, and to fee than none fhould preach
gainftthe that had not obtained a Licence. Upon
men of this, fome of thofe that had merited mod,
Suffolk came and put the Queen in mind of her
and o-
thers. Promife: But (lie fent them home with a
cold Anfwer^ and told them, they muft
learn to obey her, and not pretend to go
vern her : And one that had fpoken more
confidently than the reft, was fet in a Pillo
ry for it three days, as having faid words
that tended to defame the Qu_een. This
was a fad Omen of a fevere Govern
ment, in which the claiming of Promifes
went for a crime. Bradford and Rogers
were alfo feized on •, and it was pretended,
that the authority they ihewed in quieting
the Tumult, was a fign that they had raifed
it. Gar diner )BonnerjTonftaL tie athzn& Day,
were reftored to their Bifliopricks; they
had all Appealed to the King before Sen
tence had pafb againft them ; fo Commiffi-
oris were given to fome Civilians to exa
mine the grounds of thefe Appeals, and
they made report that they were good,
and fo that the Sentences againft them
were null. Gardiner had authority given
him to grant Priefts Licences to preach in
any Church, as he fhould appoint : By this
the Reformed were not only filenced, but
their Churches and Pulpits were caft open
to
of tfte Eefoimatton, &c 22 1
to fuch as Gardiner pleafed to fend among CXAX*
them. They differed in their opinions how Book 111
fat they were bound to obey thisProhibition: *^V^^
Some thought they might forbear publick l *$**
Preaching, when they were fo required:
But they made that up by private Confe
rences and Inductions : Others thought
that if this had been only a particular hard-
fhip upon a few, the regard to Peace and
Order fhould have obliged them to fubmit
to it •, but fince it was general, and done
on defign to extinguifh the light of the Go-
fpel, that they ought to, go on, and preach
at their peril •, of this laft fort feveral were
put in Prifon for their difobedience, and
among others Hoofer and Coverdale.
The people that loved the old Super-
ftition, began now to fet up Images, and
the old Rites again in many places: And.
though this was plainly againft Law, yet
the Government encouraged it all they
could. Judge Hales thought his refilling to Particular-
concur with the reft in excluding the Queen, ly againft
gave him a more than ordinary priviledge.
So when he went the Circuit, he gave the
charge in Kent> requiring the Juftices to
fee to the execution of King Edward's
Laws, that continued ftill in force. But
upon his return he was committed for this,
and removed from Prifon to Prifon >
which, with the threatnings that were-
made him, terrified him fo much, that he
cut his Throat, but not mortally : As he
recovered he made his fubmiflion, and ob-
lained his liberty. Yet the diforder he
was
222 8&?ftflfheht of t&e griftojp
was in, never left him till he drowned him-
Bbok III felf. This (hewed that former merit was
C/"NTSJ not fo much confidered as a readinefs to
1 5 $ 3- comply in matters of Religion -, Judge
Bromley , though he made no difficulty in
declaring his opinion for the Queens exclu-
iion, yet fince he profeft himfelf a Papift,
was made Lord Chief Juftice.- and Mon-
tague^ who had proceeded in it with great
averfion, yet becaufe he was for the Refor
mation , was put in Prifon , and feverely
Fined *, though he had this merit to pre
tend, that he had fent his Son and twenty
men with him, to declare for the Queen -7
and had this alfo to recommend him to pi-
ty, that he had fix Sons, and ten Daugh
ters. Peter Martyr was forced to retire
from Oxford: He came to Lambeth , but
was not like to find long fhelter there.
Cramers CrAnmer kept himfelf quiet for fbme time,
Imprifon- which gave the other party occafion to pub-
mcnt. lifh that he was refolved to turn with the
Tyde. Banner writ upon that to a friend
of his , that Mr. Canterbury ( fo he called
him in derifion ) was become very humble •,
but that would not ferve his turn, for he
would be lent to the Tower within a very lit
tle while. Some advifed him to fly beyond
Sea ; he anfwered, That though he could
notdiflwadc others to fly from theperfecu-
tion they faw coming on, yet that was un
becoming a man in his ftation, that had
ftich a hand in the changes formerly made.
He prepared a Writing, which he intend
ed to have publifhed : The fubftance of
it
of tlje Reflation, &c. 225
it was, c That he found tlje Devil was more
'than ordinary bufie in defaming the Ser- Book III
'vantsofGodj and that whereas the cor- o'-v-vj
'ruptions in the Mafs had been caft out, *S5 3*
c and that the Lords Supper was again fet
4 up, according to its firft Inftitution v the
* Devil now, to promote the Mafs, which
c was his invention, fet his Inftruments on,
' work, who gave it out, that it was now
•' faid in Canterbury by his order : Therefore
* he proteftcd that was falfe, and that a
cduTembling Monk (this wzsThwnton Bi-
* mop Suffragan of Dover} had done it
* without his knowledge. He alfo offered
that he and Peter Martyr, with fuch other
four or five as he fhould name, would be
' ready to prove the errours of the Mafs,
and to defend the whole Doctrine and
' Service fet forth by the late King, as mod
* conform to the word of God, and to the
* practice of the Ancient Church for maay
4 Ages. Before he had finilhed this,5rory, that
had been Bifhop of GfciV^/?fr,coming to him,
he mewed it him and defired his opinion in it.
He being a hot man, liked it fo well, that he
gave Copies of it : and one of thcfe was
read publickly in Cheapfde. So three days
after that he was cited to the 5w-Cham-
ber to anfwer for it : he confefled it was
his, and that he had intended to have en
larged it in fome things, and to have af
fixed it with his Hand and Seal to it, at
Saint Pauls, and many other Churches. He
was at this time difmiit : Gardiner faw the
Queen intended to put Cardinal Pool in
his
324 . SfojtDgment of
his room, and that made him endeavour
Book III to preferve him. Some moved that a fmall
*-/VNJ Penfion might be affigned him, and that
J S 5 3* he (hould be fufFered to live private : for
the fweetnefs of his Temper had procu
red him fo Univerfal a love from all Peo
ple, that it was thought too hardy a ftep
to proceed to extremities with him. O-
thers faid, he had been the chief Author
of all the Herefie that was in the Nation,
and that it was not decent for the Queen
to (hew any favour to him, that had pro
nounced the Sentence of her Mothers di
vorce. Within a Week after this, both
Latimer and he, and feveral other Prea
chers were put in Prifon.
Theftran- Peter Martyr that had come over upon:
gcrs dri- fa publick faith, had leave given him to
s° bey°nd ***•• fo had alfo * Wo and
the Germans : and about two hundred of
them went away in December : but both
in Denmark^ where they firft landed, and
in Lubeck, Wifmar and Hamburgh, to which
they removed, they were denied admit
tance •, becaufe they were of the Hehetitn
Confeflion, and in all thefe places the
fierce Lutherans prevailed •, who did fo far
put off" all bowels, that they would not
ib much as fuffer thefe Refuges to ftay
among them, till the rigours of the Win
ter were over : but at laft they found
ihelter in Frifdand. Many of the Engltfy
forefeeing the ftorm,refolved to withdraw
in time : fo the ftrangers being required
&c. 225
to be gone, they went under that Cover r>^*
in great numbers. But the Council un- Book III
derftanding that about a rhoufand had fo
conveyed themfelves away, gave order that
none fhould be fuffered to go as ftrangers,
but tbofe that had a Certificate from the
AmbafTadour of the Princes, to whom they
belonged. With thofe that fled beyond
Sea, divers Eminent Preachers went : a-
niong whom were Cox , Sandy s^ Grindall^
and Hern^ all afterwards highly advanced
by Queen Elizabeth.
Thefe things began to alienate the Peo-
pie from the Government, therefore on arts ufed
the other hand great care was taken to by
fweetcn them. The Queen beftowed the ngr'
chief Offices of the Houfhold on thofe that
had affifted her in her extremity ^ there
being no way more effectual to engage all
to adhere to the Crown, than the grateful
acknowledgment of paft fervices.An unufual
honour was done to Ratclife Earl of Suflexy
he had a Licence granted him under the
Great Seal, to cover his Head in her Pre-
fence. On the loth, of Oftober the Queen
was Crowned, Gardiner with ten other Bi-
Ihops performing that Ceremony, with the
ordinary folemnity. Day being efteemed
the beft Preacher among them, preached
the Sermon. There was a General Par-
don proclaimed, and with that, * the Queen
c difcharged the Subjects of the two TenthsT
'two Fifteenths, and a Subfidy that had
'been granted by the laft Parliament : and
Sfojtfcgmeitt of fte triflqp
(he alfo declared that (he would pay
Book IIIi both her Fathers Debts and her Brothers •,
*^V^* 4 and though her Treafiire was much ex-
•J553- <haufted, yet fhe efteeming the love of
'her People her belt Treafure, forgave
* thofe Taxes, in lieu of which (he delired
1 only the hearts of her Subjects, and that
1 they would ferve God fincerely, and pray
'earneftly for her.
AParlla- On the 2Gth. of October, a Parliament
mem met. There had been great violences ufed in
many Elections, and many falfe Returns
were mac*e : ^ome ^at were ^nown t(? ^e
zealous for the Reformation were forcibly
turned out of the Houfe of Commons :,
which was afterwards offered as a ground
upon which that Parliament, and all Acts
made in it, might have been annulled:
There came only two of the Reformed
Biihops to the Houfe of Lords : The two
Arch-bifhops, and three Bifhops were in
Prifon: Two others were turned out, the
reft ftayed at home, fo only Taylor and
Harley, the Biftlops of Lincoln and Here- .
ford came. When Mafs began to be faid,
they went out, as fome report it, but
were never fbffcred to come to their pla- -i
ces again: others fay, they refufed to joyn
in- that Worflrip, and fo were violently
thruft out. In the Houfe of Commons,
fome of the more forward moved, that
King Edvwrtfs Laws might be reviewed,
but things were not ripe enough for that.
Nwell a Prebendary of Weftminfttrj WP.S
returned-
of t&e Etfojmatfen, &c,, "7
returned Burgefs for a Town ; but the
'Houfe voted, That the Clergy being re-
prefcnted in the lower Houfe of Corivo-
cation, could not be admitted to lit a*
mong the Laity. The Commons fent u]X
a Bill of Tonnage and Poundage, whicfi
the Lords fent down amended in two Pro-
vifo's, and the Cofnmohsdid not then infift
on their Priviledge, that the Lords could
not alter a Bill of Money. The only,
publick Bill that was Shifted this Sefliori,
was a Repeal of all late Statutes, making
any Crime, Treafon, that was not fo by
the 25. of &#Mr/tBe Third*, or, Felony/
that was not fo before King Henry the,
Eighth : excepting from the benefit of this'
Aft, all that were put in Prifon bef6re
the end of September laft, who were alfo
excepted out of the General Pardon. The
Marchionefs of Exeter , and the Earl of
Devonfrire her Son, were reftored in blood
by two private Ads: and then the Parli
ament was prorogued for three days, that
it might be faid, the firft Seflibn under
the §tueen, was rheerly for Afts of Mercy,
At their nej^t Meeting, after the Bill The QW;*I
of Tonnage and Poundage was paft : a Mother's
Bill paft through both Houfes in Four
days, repealing the Divorce of the Queens
Mother : c In which they declared the.
'Marriage to have been lawful-, and that
* malicious Perfons had poflefled the Kin^
' with fcniples concerning it ^ and had by
< Corruption procured the Seals of Foreign
' Univerfities condemning it , and had by
Book III Hhreatnings and finiftrous Arts obtained
""*' c the like in England : Upon which Cranmer
1 S 5 3- < had pronounced the Sentence of Divorce,
'which had been confirmed in Parliament:
*They therefore looking on the miferies
cthat had fallen on the Nation, fince that
* time, as Judgments from God for that fen-
* tence, condemn it, and repeal the A els con-
* firming it. Gardiner^ in this, performed his
proraife to the Queen, of getting her to be
declared Legitimate, without taking notice
of thePopis authority : but he (hewed that he
was paft fhame,when he procured fuch a Re
peal of a Sentence, which he had fo fer-
vilely promoted : and he particularly knew
the falfhood of this pretence, that the fo
reign Univerfities were corrupted. He.
had alfo fet it on long before Cranwer
engaged in it, and fat in Court with him,
when it was pronounced. By this Act the
Lady Elizabeth was upon the matter again,
illegitimated, fince the ground upon which'
her Mothers marriage fubfifted, was the
Divorce of the firft Marriage : and it was
either upon this pretence, or on old Icores,
that the Queen, who had hitherto treated
her as a Sifter, began now to ufe her more
feverely. Others fuggeft that a fecret ri*
valry was the true fpring of it. It was
thought the Earl of Beywjhirc was much
in the Queens favour, but he either not
presuming fo high, or liking Ladv Elizabeth
feetter, who was both more. beautiful, and
was XIX. Years younger, than the Queen
of t&e Eefo?m&rton>&c+ 229
made his addrefles to her, which prove- fVAX^
ked the Queen fo much, that it drew a Bo°k
great deal of trouble on them both. ;v-^V^^
•••1.5 5 3-
The next Bill was a Repeal of all*tSe ^"/s
Laws, made in King Edward's reign, ^on- Laws a-
•cerning Religion : it was argued fe days bout
in the Houfe of Commons, and carried S10"
without a Divifion : by this, Religion was ^
again put back into the ftate, in which
King Henry had left it : and this was to
take place after the 2oth. of December
next, but till then it was .left free to all,
«ither to ufe the old, or the new Service,
as they pleafed. Anotker Aft paft againft
all, that fhould difquiet any Preacher for
his Sermons, or interrupt Divine Offices,
either fuch as had been in the laft year
of King. Henry j or fuch as the Queen fhould
' fet out : by which fhe was empowered to
reilore the fervice in all things, as it had
•-been, before her Father made the breach
with Rome : Offenders were either to be
punifhed by Ecclefiaftical Cenfures, or by
an Imprifonment for three Months. And
the Houfe of Commons was now fo for
ward, that they fent up a Bill, for the Pu-
aifhing of all fuch as would not come to
Church- or Sacraments, after the Old Ser
vice mould be again fet up : yet the Lords
fearing this might alarm the Nation too
much, let it fall. Another Law was made,
that if any, to the number of Twelve,,
fhould meet to alter any thing in Religi-
£>i^ or for any Riot, or mould by any
Q^ 3 publick
publick notice, fuch as Bells or Beacons,
IBook III gather the People together, and upon Pro-
WV; clamation made, fhould not difperfe them-
*5?3 felves i they, and all that a (lifted them,
were declared guilty of Felony : and if
any more than two, niet.fbrthefe ends,
they (hould lye a Year in Prifon ; and all
People were required, under fevere Penal
ties, to afiift the Juftices , for repreffing
fucb Aflemblies. So the favour of the for*
mcr Aft of Repeal, appeared to be a
mockery^ when fo foon after it, fo fevere
a Law made : by which difordds, that
might arife upon fudden heats, were de
clared to be Felonies. The Marquefe of
'Northampton's fecond Marriage was alfo
annulled, but no Declaration was made
againft Divorces in general, grounded on
the Indiflblublenefs of the Marriage bond \
only that particular ftntence was con
demned , as pronounced upon falfe furmi-
fes.
The Puke ^n ^^ a^° Pa^ec^) annulling the At-
ofNarfoi^s tainder of the Duke of Norfolk^ thofc who
Attainder had puFchafed ibme parts of his Eftate
repealed. from the Crown, oppofed it much in the
Houfe of Commons ; bujt the Duke came
down to the Houfe, and defired them
earneftly to pafs it^ and aflured them, that
he would refer all differences between
him and the Patentees, either to Arbi
ters , or to the Queen : and fo it was
agreed to. • it fet forth the pretences,
*that were made ufe of to Attaint him^
^as that he ufed Coats of Arms, which
<he
of tye Reformation, See
<he and his Anceftors had lawfully ufed.
'There was a Commiflion given to fome,
fto declare theRoyalaflent to it^but that was
' not figned, but only ftaroped by the King's r5 *
* mark: and that not at the upper end,as was
4 ufual,but beneath-, nor did it appear,that
4 the Royal Aflent was ever given to it,
1 and they declared, that in all time com.
4 ing, the Royal afTent fhould be given,
4 either by the King in Perfon, or by a Com-
* miffion under the- Great Seal ^ figned by
c the King's hand, and pubjickly declared to
'both IJoufes. Q-anmcr, Gnilford £W/fy,
and his Wife the Lady Jfine^ and two of
his Brothers were tryed for Treafon •, they
all confefled their Indidments : only £w
mer appealed to tjie Judges, who knew how
unwillingly he had contented to the Exclu-
fion of the Queen, and that he did it not,
till they, whofe Rfofeflion it was to know
the Law, had figned it. They were all At
tainted of Treafon,for levying War againft
the Queen, and their Attainders were con
firmed in Parliament • fo was Cranmer le
gally divefted',of his Archbifhoprick ^ but
Snce he was put in it by the P^'s authority,
it was refolvcd to degrade him by the forms
of the Canon-Law : and the Queen was wil
ling to pardon his Treafon, t'nat it might
appear (he did not ad upon revenge, but
Zeal: fhe was often prevailed with, to par
don Injuries againft her felf, but wasaiways
inexorable in wattcrs of Religion.
C^4 But
*
But now her Treaty with the Pope be-
Book III gan to take vent, which put the Parliament
V^/V1^ in ibmediforder. When (lie came firft to the
M 5 3 • Crown,the Popes Legate at Brttjfels fent over
for rccon- Con}wwd°n€-> to ^ee if ne cou^ *Peak with
filing £».". her, and £o perfwade her to reconcile her
gland to Kingdom to the Apoftolick See. The
the Pope: management of the matter was left to his
" discretion, for the legate would not truft
this fecret to Gardiner, nor any of the other
Bifhops. Commendone came over in the dif-
guife of a Merchant, and by accident met
with one of the Queens Servants, who had
lived fbme years beyond Sea , and was
known to him, and by his means he procu
red accefs to the Queen. She affured him
of her firm refolution to return to the obe
dience of that See, but charged him to ma
nage the matter with great prudence-, for
,'if it were too early difcovered, it might
difturb her affairs, and obftruct the defign :
By him (lie wrote both to the Pope, and
to Cardinal Pool ; and inftructed Commen-
done , in order to the fending over Pool
with a Legatine power : She alfo asked
him, whether the Pope might not difpence
with Pool to marry, flnce he was only in
PeacCns Orders. This was a welcome
MefTage to the Court of Rome, and proved
. the foundation of Commendone^s advance-
friento There was a publick rejoicing for
three days, and the Pope faid Mafs himfelf
tipon it •, and gave a larg^fs of Indulgences,
in which he might be the more liberal,
|>ecaufe they were like to come into credit
again,
of t&e Eefojmattott, &c. 23 j
again, and to go off at the old rates. 'Yet rOv-Xl
all ti&t Commendone faid in the Confiftory, Book III
was, That he underftood from good hands, V-X"V^-'
that the Queen was well difpofed to a re- 1S S 5-
union. Some of the ftiflfer Cardinals thought
it was below the Popes dignity to lend a
Legate, till an EmbafTie fhould come firft
from the Queen, defiring it : Yet the fe-
cret was fo whifpered among them, that it
was generally known. It was faid, they
ought to imitate the Shepherd in the Para
ble, who went to feek the ftray Sheep : And
therefore P00/ was appointed to go Legate,
with ample powers. Gardiner was in fear of
him, and fo advifed the Emperour to Hop
him in his journey ^ and to touch the Em
perour in a tender part, it is (aid that he
let him know that the Queen had fome In
clinations for the Cardinal. The Empe-Andfora
rour had now propofed a Match with her Match
for his Son, though he was nine years young-
er than me was-, yet (he being but thirty
feven, there was reafon enough to hope
for Children 9 and the uniting England to
the Spanish Monarchy feemM to be all that
was wanting to ftrengthen it on all hands,
fo as to mine the French Kingdom. The
Queen faw reafons enough to determine her
to entertain it : She found it would be hard
to bring the Nation about in matters of
Religion, without the affiftance of a fo
reign power: Yet it is more reafonable
to think that Gardiner , who was always
'governed by his Interefts, would have ra«
ther promoted the match with Pool ., for
I < * j4 Styftgment of t&e fetftoip
*NA^ then he had been Infallibly made Arch-bi.
Book HI {hop of Canterbury, and had got Poofs
tXVNJ Hat; and the Government woqld have been
1 S S 3- much eafier, if the Queen had married a
Suhjedt, .than it could be under a Stranger,
efpecially one whofe greatnefs made all peo
ple very apprehenfive of him.
p*»rsad- Thereftoring the Papal power, and the
vices to Match with the Prince of S/ww, were things
Of fuch uneafie digeftion, that it was not
fit to adventure on both at once j therefore
the Emperour preft the Queen to begin with
her Marriage, and by that (he woul cf be pow
erfully affifted to carry on her other defigns ;
and at laft the Queen her fdf was perfwa-
ded to fend to Pool, to advife him to flop his
Journey for fome time. She fent over the
Afts of this Parliament, to let him fee what
progreis (he was making, and to allure him
(he would make all convenient hafte in the
Re-union : But the Parliament had expref-
fed fo great an averfion to the reftoring
the Popes power, and were fo apprehen
five of lofing the Abbey-Lands , that it
would prejudice her affairs much, if he;
fhould come over before the peoples minds-
were better prepared. She alfo defired
him to fend her a Lift ofthofe that were fit
to be made Bilhops, in the room ofthofe
that were turned out. To this he writ a
long and tedious anfwer -7 he rejoiced 2t
the A&s that were parted, but obferved
great defe&s in them : In that concerning
her Mothers Marriage, there was no men
tion made of the Popes Bull of Difpenft-
tion,
.of t&e Eefoimattoit, &c.
by which only s it could be a lawful
Warriage. The 'other for fetting up the Book HI
\Vorfhip, as it was in the end of her Fa- LX*\
thers reign, he ccnfured more} for they MS
were then in a ftate of Schifm, and fo this
eftablifhed Schifm by a Law: Andhefaid,
that while the Interdict lay on the Nation,
it was a fin to perform Divine Offices.
He had been very frankly difpatched by
jthe Pope and the Confiftory , with many
favourable Inftruftions •, but if thefe were
fo defpifed, and he ftili ftopt , it might
provoke him to recal his power. He knew
all this flowed from the Emperour , who
would perhaps advife her to follow fuch
Political Maximes as himfelf was governed
by, but his ill fuccefs in the bufinefs of the
Interim , might well frighten others from
following fuch Counfels: And he was afraid
that Carnal Policy might govern her too
much, and that fo fhe would fall from her
fimplicity in Chrift. He defired her to take
Courage, and to depend on God •, andad-
vifed her to go her ielf to the Parliament,
fraying before-hand prepared forae to fe-
cgnd fier, and to tell them that (he was
touched in Conference with a fenie of the
fin of Schifm, aad that therefore (he defired
the Adt of Attainder that ftood againit
him might be Repealed, and that he might
be ia viced to come over , and reconcile
them to the Apoftolick See: And fhe might
afliire them that all necefTary caution fhouid
be ufed to prevent the Nations being
brought under a thraldome to the Papacy.
But
of $e
But the Queen was now polled with
Book III diners Counfels, and Igok'd on Pool's ad-
U/'VV) vices as more candid than prudent. Gardi-
m*>- mr perfwaded her that though he was a good
and learned man, yet he underftood not the
. prefent genius of the Nation-, and Pool
lookt on Gardiner as a man of no Confci-
ence, and that he was more converfant in
Intrigues of State, than touched with any
fenfe of Religion: But the Emperour was
convinced that Gardiner's Methods were fu-
rer, and preferred them to Poofs.
The Par- When the Treaty of the Queens Marri-
liamenc age cam€ to ^e known, the Houfe of Com-
the^natch mOns Was muc^ a^arnie^ at lt 7 anc^ tneY
and is dif- ^ent their Speaker with twenty of their
Members, with an Addrefs to her, not to
marry a ftranger : And they were fo infla
med, that the Court judged it neceflary-to
difiblve the Parliament. Gardiner upon
this, let the Emperour know that the jea-
Joufies which were taken up on the account
of the Match were fuch, that except very
extraordinary conditions were offered, it
would occafion a general Rebellion. He
alfo writ to him that great fums muft be
fentover both to gratifie the Nobility, and
to enable them to carry the Elections to
the next Parliament, in oppofition to fuch
as would ftand againft them. As for Con
ditions, it was refolved to grant any that
Should be demanded •, for the Emperour
reckoned that if his Son were once married
to her, it would be eafie for him to govern
the Councils as he pleafed : And for Money
there
of tf)t Reformation, &c. 237
there was 400000 pound ordered to be
divided up and down the Nation, at the
difcretion of Gardiner, and the Emperours
Airbafladours : A great part of it was pay- >
ed in hand, and the reft was brought over
with the Prince. This the Emperour bor
rowed from fome of the Free Towns of
Germany i and when they were preffingjiim
for the re- payment of it about a year after j
he for his excufe told them the charge he
had been at for his Sons Marriage, but that
he hoped to be re imburfed from England \
which was thus bought and fold by a practi-
(ing Bifhop and a corrupted Houfe of Com
mons. Gardiner did alfo make ufe of his
power, as Chancellour, to force all people
to comply with him •, for there was no
favour nor common Juftice fhewecf iSft&v
Court of Chancery to any others.
With the Parliament a Convocation A Convo-
met, Harpsfield preached to them, he flat- cation
teredthe Queen, and the Bifhops that had ™cts> an<*
been deprived in the late times, with a ^ouTthe
Zeal that (hewed how fervently he afpired sacra-
to preferment : He inveighed againft the menr.
late times with great fharpnefs •, fo that his
Sermon was divided between Satyr and
Panegyrick. Six of the Reformed Divines
were qualified by their dignities to fit in the
lower' Houfe, being either Deans or Arch*
Deacons, who were Philpot, Philips, Had-
don, foeyney, Ailmer and Young* They
made a vigorous oppofition to a motion
that was propofed for condemning the
Catechifm and Common-Pray er-Book that
had
had been fet out in King Edward's time,
Book III and particularly the Articles againftTran-
<-^YN> fubftantiation : To this all agreed except
1 S 5 1 • thpfe fix. It was pretended that the Cate-
chifm was not fet out by authority of,Convo-
cation : To which Philpot anfwered,That the
Convocation had deputed fome to compote
it,and fo it was on the matter,their work, A
difputation waspropofed concerning the Sa-
crament,though all the reft of the Convocati
on fubfcribed the Conclufion firft-, which was
complained of as a prepofterous method.
The fix defired that Eidley and Rogers* with
Ibme others , migfit be iuffered to come
and join with them \ but that was refufed,
fincethcy were no members, and were then
in Prifon.
On the! twenty third of Oftober the dt-
Ipute beg^n, many of the Nobility, apd
others, being prefent •, Wcfton was Prolocu
tor, he opened it with a Proteftation ,
that they went not to difpute, as calling
the Truth in queftion, but only to fatisfie
the objections of a few. Htddtn^ Ailmtr and
Young* forefaw that it was refplved to run
them down with numbers & nbiie, To at firft
they refuted to difpute, andthe laft of them
went away. . Chcyncy argued from St. P^/'s
caUing tjie Sacrament Bread, Origtns fay
ing that it nourifhed the Body, and Theo
dore?* faying that the Elements did not de-
fart from their former fubftancc, form , and
fiape. A4grtmtin anfwered, that Theodore?*
words were to be understood of an acci
dental fubftance : It wa? replied, that form
mid
of ttje Eefoimatton, &c. 259
and {hope belonged to the accidents, but rxA/\
fubftance belonged to the nature of the Ele- Book III
ments. Philpot (hewed that the occafion of ^O^^
his ufing theie words was to prove againft * $ $ 3.
the E*tychi*ns3 that there was a true hu-
mane nature in Chrift, notwithstanding its
union with the Godhead *, which he pro
ved by thisfimile, that the Elements in the
Eucharift remained in their nature •, fo this
muft be underftood of the fubftance of
Bread and Wine : But to this no anfwer was
niade^ and when he feemed to prefs it too
far, he was commanded to be filent. H*ddon
cited many paflages out of the Fathers, to
fhe w that they believed Chrilt was, ftill in
Heaven, and that the Sacrament was a me
morial of him till his fecond coming : He
alfo asked, whether they thought that Chrift
did eat his own natural Body, arid when that
was confeffed, he faid it was needlefs to
difputc with men who could fwallpw down
fuch an abfurdity. The difputatroii conti
nued feveral days : Pbilpbt made a long
Speech againft the Corporal prefence, but
was oft interrupted V for they told him that
he might propofe an Argument, but they
woulid not hear him make Harangues. He
undertook t» prove before the Queen and
her Council, that the Mafs, as they had it,
was no Sacrament at all, and that the body
of Chrift was not prefent in it V and if he
failed in it, he would be content to be burnt
at the Court Gate. After fomc fhort time
fpent in citing paflages out of tfce Fathers,
Philpot was commanded to hbld his peace.
240 SfojtDgment of
Cy^^ otherwife they would fend him to Prifon :
Book III He claimed the priviledge of theHoufefor
*XW; freedome of Speech, but being much cried
1 5 5 3- down, Jie faicl they were a company of men
who had diflembled with God and the
World in the late Reign, and were now
met together to fet forth falfe devices ,
which they were not a))le to maintain.
Theodoreis words were much and often in-
lifted on -7 fo Wefton anfwered, if Theodoret
fhould be yielded to them, they had an hun
dred Fathers on the other fide. Cheyney
fhewed out of HefyMiu9 that the cuftome
of Jerttfalem was to burn fo much of the
Elements as was not confumed : And he
asked what it was that was burnt: One
anfwered, it was either the Body of Chrift,
or thefubftance of Bread put there by Mi
racle ; at which he fmiled, and faid a re-
ply was needlcfs. When much difcourfe
had paft, Weflon asked if the Houfe were
not fully fatisfied, to which the Clergy an
fwered Tes, but the Spectators cried out
No, No; for the doors were opened: then
Weflon asked the five Difputants if they
would anfwer the Arguments that fhould
be put to them? Ailmcr faid, they would
not enter intofach a Difputation, where
matters' were fo indecently carried : They
propofed only the Reafons why they could
not joyn with the Vote that had been put
concerning the Sacrament, but unlels they
had fairer Judges,they would go no further.
Wefton broke up all by faying, Ton have the
but we have the Sword j rightly point
ing
of fye Reformation, &c. , 241
ing out that wherein the ftrength of both rs-A^/o
fides confifted. It is not to be doubted800**
but that the Popifh party pretended they
had the Vidory, for that always th« ftron- ! 5 5 3«
ger fide dees upon fuch occailons : Yet it was
yifible that this difpute was not fo fairly car
ried, asthofewere in King Edwards days .-,
in which for near a year before any change
was made, there were publick difputes in
the Untverfities j which were more proper
places for them, than a Town full of nolle
and bufinefs. The queftion was alfo here
determined firft, and then difputed : And
the prefence and favour of the Privy Coun
cil did as much raife the one party, as it
deprefled the other. In the end of this
year Veyfcy was again repofleiTed of she See
of Exeter , Cover dale being now a Prifoner
in the Tower.
Iri the beginning of the next year, a great i 5 54-
EmbafTy came from the Emperomy to agree TheTrea-
the conditions of the Marriage between hts ^^^"
Son and the Queen. Gardiner took cafe "^
to have extraordinary ones granted, bo^
to induce the Parliament more eafiiy'^p.
content to it, and to keep the Spaniards
from being admitted to any fhare in the . y
Government, that fo he might keep it in
his own hands : But the Emperour wa$ rer
folved to grant every thing that ihould bs
asked. It was agreed that the Qpvern- >
ment fhould be entirely in the Queen, and
that though Pr. Philip was to, be named in
! all Writs, and his Image was to be on the ,
R Coia
242 SOM&gment of tfce fct
A-/"> Coitr and Seals , yet the Queens hand
ok ill ai0ne was to give authority to every thing,
V^-' without his : No Spaniard was to be capa-
1 5 5 4- ble of any Office : No change was to be
made in the Law, nor was the Queen ta
be required to go out of England againft
her will : Nor might their iflue go out of
England but by the confent of the Nobili
ty. The Queen was to have of Jointure
40000 /. out of Spain, and 20000 /. out of
the Netherlands: If the Queen had a Son,
he was to inherit Burgundy and the Nether
lands, as well as England \ if Daughters
only, they were to fucceed to her Crowns,
and to have fuch portions from Spain, as was
ordinary to be given to Kings Daughters :
The Prince was to have no (hare in the Go
vernment after her death: And the Queen
might keep up her League with France? not-
withltanding this Match.
Which BUC thjs did not fatisfie the Nation,
FOTO to* which look* on thefe offers only as baits to
rcbek hook them into flavesy. The feverities of the
Sfanijh Government in all the Provinces that
were united to that Crown, and the mon-
itrous Cruelties exercifed in the Weft Indies
were much talkt of, and it was faid England
muft now preferve it fel^or be for ever infla-
ved. Carew and Wiat undertook to raife the
Countrey, the one in Cornwall, and the
other in Kent, and the Duke of 5^/^pro-
rnifed to raife the Midland Counties : for
the difpofition to rife was general , and
might have been fatal to the .Queen, if
there had been good heads to have led tjie
people.
of tt)eRefo?matt'on, &c. 24!
people* But before ic grew ripe, the de- ^s^
fign was difcovfced, and upon that Sir P eter Book III
Carevt fled to France.
Wiat gathered Ibme men about him, and
on the twenty fifth of January he made Pro*
clamation at Miidftone, that he intended
nothing but to preferve the Nation from
the yokeofftrangers-, and allured the pea*
pie that all England would rife. The Sheriff
of Kent required him,under pain of Treafon,
to difperfe his Company, but he did not obey
his Summons : One Knevsi raifsd a body
of men about Tunbridge^ and marched for
wards him, but was intercepted and rout
ed by a force commanded by the Duke of
Norfolk^ who was fent with two hundred
Horfe, and fix hundred Londoners to difli-
pate this Infurreftion •, but Ibme that came
over from Wiat as defertcrs perfwaded the
Londoners that it was a common caufe* in
which they were engaged , to maintain
I the liberty of the Nation : So they all wenc7
over to Wiat^ Upon this , the Duke of
\Norfolk retired back to ZW0tf } and Wiatj
who had kept himfelf under the defence of
todbf/fcr-Bridgc, advanced towards iD The
Duke of Suffolk^ made a faint attempt to raife
the Country, but it did not fucceed, and he
was taken and brought to the Twer* Th*
Queen fent the offer of a Pardon to Wiat
[and his men*, but that not being received by
them, fhe fent fome of her Council to treat
with him. He was blown up with his
ifmall fuccefi* and moved that the Queen
come to the Tom? of London) and
R a put
*44 Segment of t&e |)iftoip
COwO put the command of it into his hands, till a
Book III new Council were fetled about her : So it
l/*VV) appeared there was no Treaty to be
1 5 5 4- thought on. The Queen went into Lon&
don^ and made great proteftations of her
love to her people, and that (he would
notdifpofe of herfelf in Marriage, but for
the good of the Nation. Wiat was now
four thoufand ftrong, and came to South-
wark , but could not force the Bridge of
Ijmdon: He was informed the City would
all rife, if he ihoald come to their aid •, but
fte could not find Boats for paffing over
to Effex , fo he was forced to go to the
Bridge of Kingfton. On the fourth of
tebmaryte came thither, but found it£fct j
yet his men mended it , and he got ta
Hide Park, next morning. His men were
weary and difheartned, and now not above
500 ^ fo that though the Queens forces
could have eafiiy diiperfed them, yet they
let them go forward, that they might caft
themfelves into their hands : He marched
through the Strand^ and got to L*dgate<, '
where he hoped to have found the Gate
opened •, but being difappointed, he turn- |
ed back, and was forfaken by his men, fa
that a Heranld without ufing any force, ap*
prehended him at Temple-bar. It was on Afc*
Wedncftay, and the Queen had (hewed fuchf
Courage that (he would not ftir from white*'
hall, nor would fhe omit the Devotions of
that day •, and this fuccefs was looked on
as a reward from Heaven on her Piety.
This raw and ill formed Rebellion was as
gzq lucky
of tljeEefojmatton, &c.
lucky for the ends of the Court, as if
Gardiner had projected if, for in a weak
Government an ill digefted Infurreftion i
: raifes the power of the Prince, and acids
as much Spirit to his Friends, as it deprefles
the fadion againft him •, and it alfo gives a
handle to do fome things for which it were
not eafie otherwife to find either Colours
or Inilruments. The PopiOi Authors ftu-
died to caft the blame of this on the Re^
I formed Preachers: but did not name any
1 one of them, that was in it •, fo it appears,
that what fome later Writers have faid of
Poinefs having been in it, is falle.^ other-
wife his name had certainly been put in the
Dumber of thofe, that were Attainted for
k.
Upon this it was refolved to proceed Lady J
againft Lady Jane Gray9 ajid her Husband •,
flie had lived fix Months in the daily Mer
ditations of Death , fo (he was not much
furprifed at it : Ffckpam, who was fent to
prepare her for Dcath>acknowledged.that *e
was aftonifoed at her calm behaviour., rier
great knovyledget and the extraordinary
fence (he had of Religion* She writ to
i her Father, to moderate his grief for her
I death, fmce it was great matter of joy to,
her, that (he was fo near an end of her
I Miferies, and the enjoyment of Eternal'
i glory. One Harding, that had been her
i Fathers Chaplain, and a zealous Preacher
| in King Edward's time, had now changed
I his Religion : to him fhe wrote a long and
j pathetick Letter, fetting forth his Apofta-
R 3 fie,
§K)|iDsmcn t of ttje $tflo#
fie, and the Judgments of God, which he
U might expccl ppon it. She fent her Greek.
*>*^ New Teftameht to her Sifter, with a Let-
554* ter in Greek* recommending the fiudy of
that Book to her, and chiefly the follow.
Ing it in her pradice: thefe were the laft
exercifes pf this 'rare young Perfon. She
was at firft much moved, when (lie faw her
Sfusband led out to his Executiqn, but re
covered her felf, when fte conficlered how
fooa ftewasto follow him: an4 when he
defjredthey might take leave of one ano
ther, fhe declined it -? for flie thpught it
iffpulcf encreafe their Grief, and difbrder:
and continued fo fetled in her temper, that
fhe faw his beheaded Body carried to the
fchappel in theTWrr, without expreffing any
y ifible concern about it. She was carried out
pext to a Scaffold fet up within the Tiir^r,
to 'hinder great Crouds from looking on a
fight, which was like tp raife much cpra-
pafljon in the Spectators. She confefled
her fin, in taking an honour that was due
tp another, though it was a thing neither
procured nor defired % her-7and acknowledg
ed her other fmssgainft God, that fhe had
loved her felf, and the World too much 5,
and thanked God for making her r.fBicli-
6ns a means to her repentance : me <Jecla»
red fhe died a true Chriftian, trufting on
ly to the Merits of Chrift; then fhe repea
ted the LI. Tfatm\ and ftretch^d oi?t her
Head op the Block, which ppori the fignaj
given, was cut off! ' |!er Death was as,
puch lamented, as her Life fiad been ad-
' mired
• ' >T / - * : •
of tfc fitftyinatf eMrc; 247
mired. It afFefted Judge Morgan, that
had pronounced the Sentence, fo much, that
he run mad, and thought me ftiil followed
him. The Queen her fejf was troubled at
if, for it was rather reafon of State, than
private Re&ntment, that let her on to it.
- >
Her Father was foon after tried by his Several o-
Peecs, and Condemned and Executed. He thersluf-. ,
was the lefs pitied, becaufc by his means fcrc^*
| his Daughter was brought to her untimely
end. Wiat was brought to his Trial, he
begged his Life in a moft abjeft manner,
but he was Condemned and Executed, and
fo were Fifty- eight more: Six hundred of
the Rabble were appointed to come with
Ropes about their Necks, and beg the
Queen's pardon, which was granted them.
A flander was caft on the Earl of DXH>*~
J7;/V<?, and Lady Elizabeth , as if they had
fet on the rifing that was intended in the
Weft. Wiaty in hopes of Life, had accufed
them, but he did them Juftice at his Death •, j
y€t they were both put in Prifon upon it.
Sir Nicola* Throgmorton was accufed of the
fame crime, but after a long Trial, he was
acquitted, yet his Jury were hardly ufed,
and feverely faed. Sir Jo. Cheek was fought
for : fo he fled beyond Sea, but both he,
and Sir Peter G*rav,hoping that Philip would
I be glad to fignalize his firft coming to Eng-
| land with Ads of Grace, rendred themfelves
I to him : After that, Cheek, was again taken
j in FUnders, upon a new fufpicion, and to
deliver hiiufelf out of his trouble, he re- l
R 4 nounced
248 8b#bgtnttit of tfce $t'Ra?p
/~' nounccd his Religion: But though he got
I his Liberty upon that, yet he could never
recover the quiet of his mind j fo he lan-
1 5 5 4* guifhed for fame tune and dyed.
ThcTmpo- There was at this time a bafe Ittlpofture
•fture-of difcovered in London^ onefeemed to fpeak
theSpirit out of a Wall, in a ftrangc tone of Voice.
WalV Grtat numbers fl°c^ about the Houfe, and
feveral things, both relating to Religion,
arid the State, were uttered by it 5 but it was
found to be One Elizabeth Crtftr, who by
the help of a Whittle fpoke fhoie words
through a Hole in the Wall. There was no
Other Complice found, but one Draty, and
they both were made to do Penance for it
publickly at S* P#uls.
Injunfti,. Injunctions were now given to the Bi-
ons fent (hops, to execute fuch Ecclefiaflical Laws,
Biftops ^ ^ been m force in K' Hetty*9 time ;
That in their Courts they fhduld proceed
ifr .their own Nanhes, that the Oath of Su
premacy fhould be no more exacted : none
fufpecled of Herefie was to be put in Or
ders^ they were required to iupprefs He*
refie arid Heieticks, and to turn out aH
married Clergymen, and to feparate them
from their Wives : If they left their Wives,
they might put them in fome other Cure,
or rcferve a Ptufion for them, out .of their
Livings: none that had vowed Chaftity,
was to be fufFcred to live with his Wife :
thofe that were ordained by the Book, fet
ont in King E<ktoAr£'$ time, were to be con
firmed by ail the otfcer Rites then left out,
i4*9$&i - • !, • and
I
of tfce Eefoimatton, fcc 249
and that was declared to be no valid Or- '<\Ax?
dination. Book HI
The Qgeen gave alfo a fpecial Commit s-x>^*
flbn to Bonrter, Gardiner, Twftall> Day, and * * 5 4?
Kitchw, to proceed againft: the Archbifhop ** B!-
of Tarkj aad the Biihops of St. Davids,
Chtfter and Briftoll, and to deprive them
of their Bifhopricks, for having contracted
Marriage, and thereby having broken their
Vows, and defiled th^ir Fundion. «She alfo
* authprifed them, to call before them the
* Bifhops of Lincoln^ Glocefter and ttcrefwd)
'who held their Bijhopricks, only during
c their good behaviour^ and fince they had
*^one things contrary to the Laws of Godf
* and the Practice of tfte Univerfal Church,
cto declare their Bilhopricks void, ax they
4 mre indeed already void* And thus were
feven of the Reformed Bifhops turned out
at a dafh. It was much cenfured, that thole
who had married according to a Law their
in force, which was now only repealed for
the future, fhould be deprived for it : and
this was a new fever ity : for in former times,
when the Popes were moft fet againft the
Marriage of the Clergy, it was put to their
option, whether they would part with their
Wives, or with their Benefices: but none
were fummarily deprived, as was now done.
The other Bilhops, without any form of
Prqcefs, or fpecial matter objefted to them,
were turned out, by ati Ad of naeer Ar
bitrary Government. And all this was
done by vertueof the Queens being Head
of the Chyrch, which, though (lie condemned
as
StyiDgment of t&e
as a finful and facrilegious power, yet fhe
Book III now imployed it againfl thofe Bifhops,
OWJ whole Sees were quickly filled with Men,
'*f 1 4- in whom the Queen confided. Goodrick.
died this Year: It feems he complied with
the change now made, otherwile he that
put the Seal to Lady jWs Patents, could
not have elcaped the being queftioned for it.
He was an ambitious Man, and fb no won-
der,if eartWy'confiderations prevailed more
with him, than a good Conscience. Scary,
that was Biftiop of Chichefter, renounced his
Wife, and did Penance for his Marriage,
but foon after he fled beyond Sea, and
returned in the beginning of Queen Eliza
beth's reign : fo that his Compliance was
the effed of his weaknefsand fears. Btrtow
reflgned Bath and Wells, and a Book of re
cantation was publifhed in his name, con
taining fevere reflexions, both on the Re
formers, and on the Reformation it felf \
but it is not certain, whether it was writ
by him, or was only a forgery, put out in
his Name : for if he turned fo heartily, as
the ftrain of that Book runs, it is not like
ly, that he would have been put from his
Bifhoprick : but he fled beyond Sea : yet it
teems, both Scory and he, gave great offence
by their behaviour ; for though they were
the only furviving Reformed Bifhops, when
Queen Elizabeth fucceeded, yet they were
fo far from being promoted, that they were
not fo much as reftored to their former
Sees, but put in meaner ones. By all thefe
deprivations and refignations , there were
Cxteen
eftfte Reformation, &c.
fifteen new Bifhops made, which made no
fmall change in the face of the£tf£/*/J;Cliurch.
Now the Old Service was every where fet
lip, in which fionner made fuch haft, that 15 5 4
before the Royal Aflent was given to the
Bill for it, he began the Old Service and
Proceflions. The firft opening of it was
fomewhat ftrange , for it being on Saint
ICatherinis day,the Quirifters went up to the
Steeple, and fung the Anthem there, ac
cording to the Cuftom for that Day. Great
numbers qf the Clergy were fummarily de
prived for being Married, they were efti-
mated by Parker to be 12000. and molt of
them were judged upon common fame, with
out any Procefs, but a Citation > and many
being then in Prifon, yet were Cenfured,
and put out for Contumacy, and held guil
ty. Many Books were written sgainft the
Marriage of the Clergy, and the accufing
them of Impurity and f^nfuality on that
account, was one of the chief Topicks ufed
by the Popifh Clergy, to difgrace the Re
formers, which made fomc recriminate top
indecently, and lay open the filthinefs of
the Unmarried Clergy, and thofe that were
called Religipus, who led jrioft irregular
lives •, in particular, it was laid Banner had
no reafon to be a friend to that ftate, for
he was the Baftard of a Baltard, and his
Father, though 3 Prieft, begat him in Adul
tery.
On the id. of Ayril a Parliament met, xncwpar-
but the mpft confiderable Members were liament.
before-hand corrupted by Gardiner* who
; - , : - I' ' k '-• •; ~-J • t : ., . *
gave
Sfyftgmentof t&e $tflo?p
gave thetn Penfions, fome 200. and others
BcoklH i oo/. a Year for their Voices. The firft
*^V\> Aft that paft was declaratory, that all the
1 5 5 4. prerogatives and Limitations,which by Law
belonged tp the Kings of England were the
feme, whether the Crown fell into the hands
of a Male or a Female. The fecret of this
was little known, fome were afraid there
was an ill defign in it, and that it being
declared that fhe had all the authority,which
any of her Progenitors ever had,it might be
inferred from thence, that fhe might pre-
rA propofi- tend to a right of Conqneft, and fo feize
tioo to on the feftates of the EngKfa as William the
iBake the Conqueror had done. But it was fo con-
State? ceived, that theQueeft was put under the
feme limitations, as well as acknowledged
to have the fame Prerogatives, with her
Progenitors : The fecret of this was after
wards difcovered. A projecting Man, that
had ferved Cromwell* and loved to meddle
much , had been deeply engaged both in
Lady J*ne\ bufinefs, and in the late Infur-
reftion,and was now in danger of hislife,fo
he made application to the Emperour's Am-,
bafladour, and by his means obtained his
Pardon. He offered a Projeft, that the
Qgeen fhould declare, that flic fucceeded to
the Crown by the Common-Law, but was
not. tied by the Statute- Law, which did on
ly bind Kings, and therefore a Queen was
not obliged by it, thus .(he might pretend
to be a Conqueror, and rule at pleafure:
and^ by this means might reftore both
Religion, and the ^fey-Lands, and be un
der
of tfce Reformation, &c.
dcr 210 reftraint : This the Ambalfedour
brought to the Queen^ and prayed her to Book IK
keep it very fecret. But fhe diiiiked it, yet ^"^^
ihe fent for Gardintr, and charged him to l S $
give her his Opinion of it fincerely, as he
xvcmld anfwer to God for it, at the Great
Day. He read it carefully, and told her it
was a moll pernicious contrivance^ nd beg'd
her not to liften to fuch Plat-forms, which
might be brought her by bafe Sycophants:
Upon that, fhe burnt the Paper, and char
ged the Ambafiadour not to bring her any
more fuch Projects. This gave Gardiwr
great apprehenfions of the mifchiefs that
SpAnijh Counfds might bring on the Nation,
and fo he procured the Aft to be made,by
which the Queen was bound by the Law, as
tnuch as her Anceftors were. He alfo got
an Aft to be part* ratifying the Articles of
the Marriage, with ftrong claufes, for keep
ing the Government entirely in the Queen's
hands ; that fo Philip might not take it on
him, as Henry the VII. had done, when he
married the Heir of the Houfe of Tort^:
for, as he fet up a Title in his own Name,
and kept the Government in his own hands ;
fo the Spaniards began to reckon a de-
fcent from John of Gaunt , which made Gar
diner the more cautious : and it muft be
confefled, that the preftrving the Nation
out of the hands of the Spaniard^ was al-
moft only owing to his care and wifUom.
The Bifhoprick of Durham was again refto-
red, after a vigorous refiftauce made by
thole of 6Y:#/wfe near Nemaftlt. The At
tainders
*54 Segment of tfce &tfto?p
C*J*S* tainders of the Duke of SK/O/J^ and Fifty-
Book III cight more, for the late Rebellion j were
<<''VVJ confirmed : The Commons fent up four fe-
1 S 5 *• veral Bills againft Z*?//Ws, one confirming
the Act of the fix Articles, and others a-
gainft Errone6us Opinions, but they were
all laidafide by the Lords: for thfc corrup
ted Members in the lower Houfe, were offi
cious to {hew their Zeal for Spam and Po*
fcry : Another Bill was fent up by them,
that the Bilhop of Rome fhould have no au
thority to trouble any for pofleffing A\)±
bey Lands. But it was faid this was prepo^
fterous to begin with a limitation of the
Pope's authority, before they had acknow
ledged, that he had any power at all in
England: and that would come in more
properly, after they had reconciled the
Nation to him.
New dlf- During this Parliament, the Convocation
plications fat, and that they might remove the obje*
ctionsthat fome made, to the Difputations
at their laft meeting, that the ableft Men of
the Reformers were kept in Prifon, while
that caufe was debated, they fent a Com
mittee of their ableft men toOxfer^to di£
pute with Cranmcr, Ridley, and Latimer^ who
were alfo fent thither. The Points to be di£
puted about, were Tranfubftantiation, and
the facrifice of the Mais. When Cranmer
was brought before them, and they exhor
ted him to return to the unity of the Church-,
he anfwered, that he was always for that
Unity ,whicb could confift with truth. They
fell
of tfce Reformation, &c.
fell into a long difpute concerning the
words of the Inftitution , that they muft Book HI
be true, for Chrift was Truth, and was then V>*V-^
making his Teftament : many Paflages of f S 5 4
the Fathers were alfo alledged againft him ^
it was faid that he had tranflated many
things falfly out of the Fathers, in his Book :
and the Prolocutor called him often an Vn-
learnedand Impudent M*n:But he carried him-
felf with that gravity and mildnefs, that
many were obferv'd to be much affected at it,
and to weep : he vindicated his (incerity in
his Book, lie (hewed that Figurative fpeech-
es were true, and when the Figures were
clearly underftood,they were likewife plain,
he faid, the Sacrament was effectually and
really Chrifts Body, as it was broken on the
Crofs, that is, his Paflion effectually appli
ed to us. The whole action was carried
with fuch hiding and infulting, and ended
with fuch fhouts of Triumph, as if Gravmer
had been quite baffled, that it was vifible
there was nothing intended, but toabufe
the ignorant People, and make them be
lieve he was run down. Ridley was brought
out next day, he began with deep Protefta-
tions of his fincerity, and that he had chan
ged the Opinion he had been bred up in,
meerly upon the force of Truth \ he argu
ed from the Scriptures,that fpeak of Chriffis
leaving the World, and fitting at the righc
hand of God *, and that the Sacrament was
a Memorial, which good and bad migUt e-
qually receive •, that it was againft the Hu
mane Nature, to (wallow down a living
Man.
Man*, that this Opinion was contrary to the
Book Hi humanity of Chrift, and was a new Dodtrin,
" unknown to the Fathers, and brought into
5 S 4* the Church in the later Ages. Smith argu
ed againft him, from ChrifFs appearing to
Saint Stefan, and to Saint Paul, that he
iflight be in more places at once. Ridley
faid, Chrift might either come down and
appear to them, or a Reprefentation might
be made of him, but he could not be both
in Heaven and Earth at once. Many of
Chryfoftome's expreflions were alledged, but
he faid, thefe were &hetorital figures, and
to be explained by other plainer paflages.
The difpute was carried on with the fame
Infultings, that had been ufed the Day be
fore : and in concluilbn, Wefton the Prolo- *
cutor faid, they faw the Obftinacy, Vain
glory, and Inconftancy of that Man, but
they faw likewife the force of Truth \ fo he
bid them cry out with him, Truth has the
yiftoYjj: upon which that was ecchoed over
and over again, by the whole Aflembly.
Larimer was brought out next Day, he told
them he was Fourfcore Years old, and not
fit for dilputing, fo he would declare his
Opinion, and then leave them to fay what
they picafed. He thought the Sacram<
was only a Memorial of Chrift, all who fed
on Chrift had Eternal life,and therefore that
feeding could not be meant of theSacrament,
fincc both good and bad received if, he
laid, his Memory was much impaired, but
his Faith was founded on the Word of God \
fo though he could not difpute well, yet his ,
Faith'
of t(je Reformation,
Faith was firmly rooted : Upon this there (VAX*
Were extraordinary (bouts raifed, and du- Book 111
ring the whole Debates, the noife and dif- ****V***.
order was fuch, that it lookt Irker a Goun- * S S 4»
trey Game, than a Difpute among Divines •,
four or five fpoke oft at once, fo that it
was not poffible to hear what they faid>
much lefs to anfwer it. Tbe Committee of
Convocation condemned them all, as obfti-
nate Hereticks, and declared them to be no
Members of the Church : They Appealed
from their Sentence to the Judgment of
God, and expreflfed great joy in the hopes
they had, they mould glorifie God by dying
for his Truth. Cranmer fent a Petition to
the Council, complaining of the diforder of
thefe Difputes, and of hud ling them up in
fuch haft, that it was vifible, nothing was
intended by them, but to fhuffle up things
fo, that the World might be more eafily
abufed with the name of a Difputation,
But this was not delivered, for it was in
tended to keep up this boafting, that the r
Champions of thi Reformation were pub-*
lickly baffled.
It was alfo refolved to carry fome of the
PrifonerSjthat were in London^ to Cambridge,
and there to erect new Trophies in the fame
manner, they had done at Oxford. Upon
this, three of the imprifoned Bifhops, and
feven Divines, figncd a Paper,. by which
thty declared, that they would engage in
nodifpute, except it were in Writing, ui>
Jels it were in the prefence of the
S
augment of tde fctftojp
or the Councilor before either of the Houfes
Book III of Parliament. It was vi(ibiesthe defign of
"^ deputing was not to find out the Truth,
5 4- otherwife it had been done, before thefe
Points had been fo pofitively determined :
but now there was no benefit to be expedt-
ed by it •, nor could they look for fair
dealing T where their Enemies were to be
their Judges : nor would they fuffer them
to fpeak their minds freely , and after fo
long an Iraprifbnment, their Books and Pa
pers being kept from them, they could not
be furnifhed to anfwer many things thai
might be objected to them. Then they
added a fhort account of their Per fwafions
in the chief points of Controverfie, which
they would be ready to defend on fair and
equal terms : and concluded with a charge
to all People not to Rebel againft the
Queen, but to obey all her Commands,
that were not contrary to the Law of God.
The Pr. In J*ty> Prince Philip landed at
of Spain ton : when he fet foot to Land, he drew his
lands, and Sword, and carried it a little way naked
•P*""1" in his hand. This was interpreted, as a
K queen. fign^ jhat hc intended to ruie ^ the Sword,
but his friends faid, it imported, that he
would draw his Sword for the defence of
the Nation. The Mayor of Southampton
brought him the Keys of the Town,which
he took from him, and gave them back,with-
out theleaft fhew of his being pleated with
this expreffion of that refpedt done him. This
not being futable to the Genius of the Na
tion,
E f>f i&e Reformation, &c. 2,59
that is much taken with the gracious ^wvx%
__ of their Princes, was thought a fign Book III
of vaft pride and morofenefs. The Queen ^^Vv^
met him at Winckjfterj ^vvhere they were ! S S4»
married : he being then m the XXVII. and
(he in the XXXVIII. Year of her Age.
The Emperour refigned to him his Titu
lar kingdom of Jemfalem^ and his more
valuable one of Naples, fo they were pro
claimed with a Pompous Enumeration of
their Titles. The Kings gravity was very
unacceptable to the English, who love
a mean between the ftiffiiefs of the Spam'
*rd$y and the gaiety of the French. But if
they did not like his temper, they were
out of meafure in love with his Bounty
and Wealth : for he brought over a yaft
Treafure with him, the greateft part of
which- was diftributed ^mong thbfe, who
for his SpoHijh Gold, had fold their Coun-
trey and Religion. At his coming to Lon«
don, he procured the Pardon of many Pri-
foners, and among others, of Holgate Arch-
bifhop of Yorkj* of v^hom I find no menti-
6n made after this. It is very likely he
changed his Religion, of her wife it is not
probable that Philip would have interceded
for him. He alfo interpofed for preferving
tady Elizabeth, and the Earl of De<vonjhire.
Gardiner was much fet againft them , and
thought they mad6 but half work, as long,
as fhe lived. Wiat had accufed them, ia
hopes of faving his life, but when that did
not preferve him, he did publickly vindi
cate them on the Scaffold. The E^rl of
S' i
of
Devcnfiire, to be freed from all jeiloufie,
Book III went beyond Sea, and dyed a Year after in
</W> 7^ as {bme fay, of Poifon. Pfafy at firft
J 5 5 4- took care to prefsrve Lady Elizabeth, on
a generous account, pitying her Innocence,
and hoping by fo acceptable an ad of fa
vour, to recommend himfelf to the Nation :
but Intereft did foon after fortifie thofe
good and wife Inclinations , for when he
grew to be out of hope of iflue by the
Queen •, he confidered that the Queen of
Scotland, who was fbon after married to
the Dolphin, was next in fucceffioii after La
dy Elizabeth} fo if fhe mould be put out of
the way, the Crown of England would have
become an Acceffion to the French Crown :
and therefore he took care to prefcrve her,
and perhaps he hoped to have wrought fo
much on her, by the good offices He did
her, that if her Sifter fhould dye without
Children, me might be induced to marry
him. But this was the only grateful thing
he did in England. He affeded fo extrava
gant a ftate, and was Jo fullen and filent,
that it was not eafie for any to come within
the Court, and Accefs to him was not to be
had, without demanding it with almoft as
much formality as Ambafladours ufed,
when they defired an Audience : So that a
General difcontent was quickly fpread into
moft places of the Kingdom, only Gardiner
was well pleafed, for the Conduct of affairs
was put entirely in his hands. Many mali
cious reports were fpread of the Queen,
particularly in Norfolk 5 atone of thefe the
Q:ieen,
of t&eRefo?matfon,
Queen was much concerned, which was,
that (he was with Child before the King
came over; but after great examinations,
nothing could be made out of it.
The Bifhops went to make their Vifita- The Bi:
tions this Summer, to fee whether the old ^°PS ™c
Service, with all its Rites, was again fet ™
up; they alfo enquired concerning the lives
and labours of the Clergy, of their Mar
riage, and their living chaftly •, whether
they were fufpected of Herefie, or of fa
vouring Hercticks ? whether they went to
Taverns or Alehoufes ? whether they admit
ted any to officiate, that had been Ordained
fchifmatically, before they were reconciled,
or to preach, if they had not obtained a Li
cence? whether they vifited the fick, and
adminiftred the Sacraments reverently ?
whether they were guilty of Merchandifc,
or Ufury? and whether they did not once
every Quarter at lead, expound to the Peo
ple, the Elements of the Chriftian Religion
in the Vulgar Tongue? They did not pro
ceed fteadily, in relation to the Ordina
tions made in King Edwards time ^ for
at this time all that they did, was to add the
Ceremonies that were then lefc out in the
| Book of Ordinations : but afterwards they
carried themfelves, as if they had eftcemed
thofe Orders of no force ; and therefore
they did not degrade thofe Bifhops or
Priefts, that had been ordained by it : Nor
has the Church of Rome been fteady in this
matter, for though upon fome Schifms, they
S 3 hav?
Sbgftgmeni of t&e |)!fl o?p
have annulled all Ordinations made in then^
Book III yet they have not annulled the Ordinations
^V*"' of the Greek. Church, though they efteem
1 5 5 4- the tfra^'both Heretkks and Schifmatirks :
Thus there were many queftions put in fi
ning the Articles of the Vifitation,yet theft
were asked only for form, the main bufinefs
was Heretic, an,d the performing all Offices
according to the old cuftomes : and the leaft
failing in thefe matters, was more feverely
enquired after, and more exemplarily puni-
flied, than far greater offences. Rower car-
ried himfelf like a Madman, and it was faid
by his friends, to excufe the Violences of his
rage, that his brains were a little diforder-
ed by his long Imprilbnment : for if either
theBdls had not rung,when he came near any
Church, or if he had not found the .Sacra
ment expofed, he was apt to break out in
to the fouleft language : and not content
with that, he was accuftomed tp beat his
Clergy, when he was difpleafed with any
thing : for be was naturally cruel and bru
tal. He took care to have thofe places of
Scripture, that had been painted on the
Walls of the Churches to be wafhed off:
and upon this it was faid, that it was necef-
fary to dafti out the Scripture, to make way
for Images, for they agreed fo ill, that they
could not decently ftand together. Many
mock Poems and Satires were flying up
and down •, but none was more provoking,
than one that followed on an Accident at
Saint Pauls on Eafter-Day : The cuftom was
to lay the Hoft in the Sepulchre at Even-
Song
of t&e fttfatmatfattj&c*
Song, on C7cW-Friday, and to take it out
on Eafler Morning •, and the Quire Sung Book
the fe words, He u rifen, he is not here>> whea v-/"^
it was taken out : but when they lookt to 1 5 5 4*
take it out, they found it was not there in*
deed, for one had ftoilcn it away, but ano
ther was quickly brought i fo a Ballad was
made, that their God was loft, but a new
one was put in his room ; Great pains was
taken to difcover the Author of this, but
he was not found.
The Queens third Parliament met on the Another
i. itk. of November : In the Writ of Sum- Parlia"
mons the Queens Title of Sufre*m Hea4n
was left out, though (he had hitherto not
only ufed the name, but had aflumed the
power. Imported by it, to a high degree.
Pool was now fuffered to come fo ne$r as
Wanders -,and the Temper of the Parliament
being quickly found to be favourable to the
work he came for , the Queen fent twq
Lords, Page* and Haft ings for him. Both
King and Queen rode in ftate to Weflminfter,
and each had a Sword of ftate carried before
thcm.The fjrft Bill that paft,was a Repeal of
Poofs Attainder, it was read by the Cpm-
mons three times in one Day •, and the Bill
was pafled without making a Seffion by a
fhort Prorogation. He came over, and
entred privately to London, on the 24^. of
November, for the Popes authority not be
ing yet acknowledged, he could not be re
ceived as a Legate. His inftrudtions were
full, befides the authority commonly lodg-
S 4 ed
Qtyfrgment of t$e fctftojp
ed with Legates; which confifts chiefly in
the many Graces and Difpenfations, that
they are impowered to grant; though it
''J^might'be'expeifted, that they Ihould come
rather to fee the Canons obeyed, than bro
ken : only the more fcandalous abufes were
ftill referved to the Popes themfelves, whofe
fpecial Prerogative it has always been, to be
the moft EminerjtTranfgreflbrs of all Canons
and Con (lit ut ions.
the Ni- ?°°f ^a^e his faft Speech to the King
tion is and Queen, and then to the Parliament, in
reconciled the Name of the Common Paftor, inviting
to the See tfam> to Retuh to the Sheepfold of the
*'• Church. Tjhe Queen felt a ftrange emo
tion of joy within her, as li€ made his
Speech, which fhe 'thought was a Child
quickned in her Belly ; and the flattering
Court Ladies heightned lier belief of it.
The Council prdered 'Bmner to fing Te De*
um ; and there were ^onefires, and all other
publick demonftrations of joy 'upon it. The
Priefls faid , that here was another John
Baptift to come, that leapt in his Mother's
Belly, upon the Salutation from i'Ch'rlft's Vi
car. Both Houfes agreed on an Addrefs to
the King and Queen, that they would inter-
tede with the Legate, to reconcile them to
the See of Rome, and they offered to repeal
all the Laws: they had made againft the
Tope's authority, in fign of their repentance.
Upon this, the Cardinal came to the Par! ia-
inent : He firfl thanked them for repealing
his Attainder, ia recompenceof which, he
was
; f • -i
of tfoe Reformation, &c.
was now to reconcile them to the Body of
the Church : He made a long Speech, of ^ook
the Converilon of the Brit/tins and Saxons
to the Faith, and of tne Obedience they f 5 54-
had payed to the Apoftolick See •, and of
the many favours that See had granted the
Crown, of which none was more Eminent
than the Title of Defender of {be Faith. The
ruine of the Greek Church,and the diftracti-
ons of Germany, and the Confufions them-
felves had been in, fince they departed from
the Unity pf the Church, might convince
them of the neceflky of keeping that bond
entire. In Conclufion, he gave them and
the whole Nation a Plenary Abfolution.
The reft of the Day was ipent in finging
7*c Deum, and the Night in Bonefires. , The
Ad, repealing all Laws made againfl: the
Popes authority, was quickly paft,only it ftuck
a little,by reafonofaProvifb,which theHoufe
of Lords puc in for fome Lands, which the
Lord Wemvoorth had of the See of London,
wcbtheConimons oppofed Ib much,that after
the Bill was offered to the Royal aiFent, it
j was cut out of the Parchment by Gardiner.
I 'They did enumerate and repeal ail Ads
j * made fince the loth, of Hen. 8. againft the
I €Popis authority, but aii foundations of
I * Bifhopricks and Cathedrals, all Marriages,
I ctho' contrary to the Laws of the Church,
| * all In ft km ions, all Judicial Procefles, and
! 4 the fettlemen'ts made, either of Church or
i ' Abbey Lands, were confirmed. The Cpn-
! ' vocation of fwturbttry had joyned their
f Intercefllon with the Cardinal, that he
L would
265 Bhtdgmtnt of fye
would confirm the right of the prefent
Book III « Pofleflbrs of thofe Lands : Upon which he
VW> i did confirm them, but he added a heavy
*f 54* 'charge, requiring thofe that had any of
*the Goods of the Church, to remember
'the Judgments of God that fell on Belfast.-
<&<*>, for profaning the holy Veflels, though
c they were not taken away by himfelf , but
4 by his Father ; and that, at leaft, they
* would take care, that fuch as ferved the
4 Cures fliould be fufEciently maintained:
* all which was put in the Adt, and confix
( med by it, and it was declared, that all
4 Suits concerning thofe Lands were to be
' tried in the Civil Courts: and that it fliould
4 be a PrAnwnirc, if any went about to di-
4 fturb the Pofleflbrs, by the pretence of an
4 Ecclefiaftical power. They alfo declared,
cthat the Title of Sufrcan* Head of the
€ Church, did never of right belong to the
* Crown-,& enafted that it (hould be left out
* of Writs in all time coming. AH Exempts
4 ons granted to Monafteries, and now con
tinued in Lay- hands, were taken away,
*and all Churches were made fubject to E-
€ pifcopal Jurifdidion , except Weflminfter^
€ Windfor^ and the Tower of London. The
1 ftatute of Mortmain was repealed for 20.
* years to come, and all things were brought
'back to the ftate in which they were, in
' the 2oth. year of King Heary's reign. The
Lower Houfe of Convocation gave occafion
to many clauies in this Aft,by aPetition which
they made to the Upper-houfe, c conlenting
« to the fettlement made of Church and
i
&c.
.Jttky Lands -, and praying that the Sta-
'tiite of Mortmain might be repealed, and Book IB
that all the Tithes might be reftored to
c theChur-ch : they propofed alfo fome things - W S 41
*in relation to Religion, for the condem-
4 ning and burning all Heretical Books ; and
* that great care fhould be had of the Print
ing and venting of Books, that the Church
vc fhould be reftored tp its former Jurifdi-
*&ion, that Pluralities and Non-refidence
* migty: be effedqally condemned , ai?d all
* Simoniacal padions punifhed , that the
* Clergy might be difcharged of paying firft-
'fruits? and Tenths, that Exemptions might
* be taken away, that all the Clergy fhould
*go in their Habits, and that they fhould
4 not be fued in a Pr&mnnirey till a Prohibit i-
* on were firft ferved and difobeyed, tjiaj
4fo they might not be furprifed and ruined
'a fecond time. By another Bill all for
mer Ads made againft LMayds were revi
ved. The Commons offered anpther Bill
for voiding all Lcafes made by married
Priefts, but it was laid afide by the Lords.
Thus were the Penfioners and afpiring Men
in the Houfe of Commons, either redeeming
former faults, or hoping to merit highly by
the forwardnefs of their Zeal. By another
Bill feveral things were made Treafon : and
c it was declared, that if the Queen died be- ,
f fore the King, and left any Children, the
* King fhould have the Government in his
' handsi till they were of Age •, and during
4 that time the corrfpiring his Death was
f made Treafon^ but none were to be tried
a68 gbjt'Dgment of tfje S>tfto?p
O*A/) cfor words, but within fix Months after
Book III < they were fpoken. Another Ad paft, de-
***^~^* daring it Treafon in any to pray for the
1 554- Queens death, unlefs they repented of it,
and in that cafe they were to fuffer Cor
poral punifhment at the Judges difcretion.
A fevere Aft was alfo patted againft all that
fpread lying Reports of the King,the Queen,
the Peers, Judges, or great Officers. Some
were to lofe their Hands, others their Ears,
and others were to be fined according to
the degree of their offence.
And thus all affairs were carried in Par-
,. liament, as well as the Court could wifh.-
G drainers , . .. »
policy in a°d upon this, Gardtner s reputation was
the fteps much raifed, for bringing about fo great a
of this change in fo little time, with fo little op-
change, potion. He took much pains to remove
all the Objections, that were generally made
ufe of: they were chiefly two, the one was
the fear of coming under fuch Tyranny
from Rome* as their Anceftors had groaned
under-, and the other was the lofs of the
^%-Lands. But to the firft, he faid,
that all the old Laws againft Provifions
from Rome, fhould ftill continue in force :
and to fhew them, that Legates fhould ex-
ercife no dangerous authority in England,
he made Pool take out a Licence, under the
Great Seal , for his Lcgatine power. As
for the other, he promifed both an Act of
Parliament, and Convocation, confirming
them, and undertook that the Pope fhould
ratifie thefe, as well as his Legate did now
confent to them. But to all this, it was
anfwer-
of t(je Reformation, &c. 269
anfwered, that if the Nation were again *~*^s**
brought under the old Superfiition, and the B°°k HI
Papal authority eftablifhed, it would not i-/"~v"Nj
be poflible to bridle that power, which XSS4-
would be no longer kept within limits,
if once they became Mailers again, and
brought the World under a blind obedi
ence. It was objected, that the Church-
Lands mulb be certainly taken back, it was
not likely the Pope would confirm the alie*
nation of them ; but though he fhould do
it,yet hisSucceflbrs might annul that asfacri-
legious. And it was obferved in the charge,
which Pool gave to all,to make reftitutionj&
by the repeal of the ftatute of Mortmain,
that it was intended to poflefs the Nation
with an Opinion of the Unlawfulnefs of
keeping thofe Lands, which would proba
bly work much on Men that were near death,
and could not refill the terrours of Purgato
ry, or perhaps of Hell., for the fin of Sacri-
ledge : and fo would be eafily induced to
makereftitution of them, efpecially at fuch a
time when they were not able to poflefs them
any longer themfeives.
Now the Parliament was at an end : Confulra-
and the firft thing taken into confiderati- tjonsaoouj:
on, was, what way they ought to proceed proved °
agaiult the Hereticks. Pool had been fu- ing againft
fpeded to bear fome favour to them for- Hereticks.
nierly, but he took great care to avoid
all occafions of being any more blamed
for that : and indeed he lived in that di-
ftruft of all the Enzlijk, that he opened
his thoughts to very few ; for his chief
Confidents
Confidents were two Italian* ^hat came
Book III over with him, Priftli and Ormaneto. Secre-
1>*VNJ tary £cy/, who in matters of Religion
1 1 S4» complied with the prefect time, was ob-
ferved to have moire of his favour than
any £»£/*/& Man had. Pool was an Enemy,
to all fevere prbceedings, he thought
Churchmen fliould have the^tenderne.fs of
a Father* and the care of a Shepherd, and
ought to reduce, but not devour the ftray
flieep : he had obferved that Cruelty ra
ther inflamed than cured that Diftemper :
he thought the better and furer way, was
to begin with an effectual Reformation of
the manners of the Clergy , fince it was
the fcandals given by their ill conduct
and Ignorance, that was the chief caufe
of the growth of Herefie : fp he cgnclu-
ded, that if a Primitive Difcipline (hould
be revised, the Nation would by degrees
ky down their prejudices, and rnight.in
time be gained by geritle methods.. Gar
diner, on the other hand, being of an ab
ject and cruel temper hhnfelf, thought
the ftrift execution .of . the Laws againfl
the Lollards, was that to which they ought
chiefly to truft:if the/Vwkrjwere madepubr
lickExamples,he concluded thePeople would
be eafily reclaimed : for he pretended, that
it was vifible, if King Henry had executed
the Act of the fix Articles vigoroufly, all
would have fubmitted : he confefled a Re
formation of the Clergy was a good things
but all times could not bear it : if they
(hould proceed feverely agaiflft fcandalous
Church-
of t$e Eefo?matton, 8rc. 271
Churchmen, the Hcreticks would take ad- fVXo
vantage from that, to defame the Church Boc
the more, and raife a clamour againft all *"^^*
Clergymen. Gardiner's fpite was at this MS 4-
time much whetted by the reprinting of
his Books of true Obedience, which was
done at Str/blmx&apA fent over. In it he
had called King Henry's marriage with
Queen Catherine, InceftnoHt, and had jufti-
fied his Divorce , and his fecond Marriage
With kit woft godly and vermou* Wife, Queen
I Anne. This was a fevere expofing of him,
I but he had brow enough, and bore down
thefe reproaches, by faying Peter had denied
his Matter : but others faid a Compliance of
I 25.years continuance was very unjuftly com
pared to a fudden denial, that was pre-
fentiy expiated with fo fincere a Repen*
tance. The Queen was for joining both
thefe Councils together, and intended to
proceed at the fame time , both againft
fcandalous Churchmen and Hereticks. Af
ter the Parliament was over, there was
a folemn Proceflion of many Bifhops and
Priefts, Bonner carrying the Hoft, to thank
God for reconciling the Nation again to
Saint Peter's Chair •, and it having been
done on St. Andrews Day, that was ap
pointed to be an Anniverfary, and was
called The Fcaft of the Reconciliation.
But foon after began the Perfecution: 1555.
Roger *, Hoofer^ Taylor, Bradford, and feven APcrfccu-
more were brought before the Council , £lonfet °tt
! and asked one by one, if they would re-
turn
272 augment of tije gnflo?p
turn to the Union of the Catholick Church,
Book HI and acknowledge the Pope: but they all an~
C/VV fwered refolutely, that they had renounced
1 5 5 5- the Pope's power, PS all the Bifhops had
alib done •, they were afTured he had no
authority, but over his own Diocefs,for the
firft four Ages, fo they could not fubmit
to his Tyranny. Gardiner told them, Mer
cy was now offered them, but if they re
jected ir, Juftice would be done next : fo
they were all fent back to Prifon, except
one, who had great Friends, fo be was
only asked, if he would be an honeft man,
and upon that promife was difmift. They
began with Rogers^ whofe Imprifonment
was formerly mentioned. Many had advifed
him to make his efcape, and flie to Ger
many: but he would not do it, though
a Family of Ten Children was a greac
Temptation.
Rogers and Both he and Hooper were brought before
Mooper Gar diner > Bonner^ Tonftatt, and three other
condem- Bifhops. They asked them whether they
red, and Would fubmit to the Church, or not ? but
they aniwered, that they looked on the
Church of Rome, as Antichriftian. Gardi*
wer faid, that was a reproach on the Queen.
Rogers faid, they honoured the.^wfff, and
lookt for no ill at her hands, but as fhe
was fet on to it by them *, Upon that Gar*
diner, and the other Bifhops declared, that
fo far were they from fetting on the §ueen
to the executing of the Law, that flic com
manded them to do it, and this was con
firmed by two Privy Counceliours that were
prefcnt.
of tye Reformation, &c.
prefentln conclu(ion,they gave them time till
next Morning to confider what they would
do, and then they continuing firm, they
declared them obftinate Hereticks, and * S 5 $«
degraded them : but they did not efteetn
ffoeper a Bilhop^ fo he was only degraded
from the Order of Priefthood. Rogers was
not fuffered to fee his Wife nor his Chil
dren, yet fo little did this terrible fentence
fright him, thac the morning of his Exe
cution, he was fo fad afieep, that he was
not eafily awakened : He was carried from
Newgate to Smithfield^ on the 4^/7, of Febru
ary, a Pardon was offered him at the Hake,
if he would recant, but he refufed it on fuch
terms \ and faid he would not exchange
a quick fire for Everlafting burnings, but
declared that he refigned up his Life with
joy, as a teftimony to the Doctrine which
he had preached. Hoofer was fent to Glo~
cefter, at which he rejoyced, for he hoped
by his death to confirm many there. He
fpake to feveral, whom he had formerly
known, fbme of them, in companion to
him, wept by him, which made him (hed
tears j but he faid, all he had fuffered in his
Imprisonment, had not moved him to do
fo much : he was burnt on the $th. of Fe
bruary', a Pardon was alfo offered him at
the Stake, but to no effed. A great Wind
blew while he was burning, and hindred
the Flame to rife up and choke him, or de-
ftroy his Vitals ; fo that he was near
three quarters of an hour in great Tor-
ment, but he continued ftili calling oti
t God,
274
fVA^God', bis laft words were, Lord Jefa re-
Book III cewe my spirit. Sander s^ that had been Mi-
^^^^ nifter at Coventry^ and Taylor that was Mi-
1 5 5 5- nifter at Hadly^ were at the fame time con
demned, and fent to be burnt at the places
where they had ferved : The former was
firft committed for preaching without Li
cence, after the Queens Prohibition-, and
the latter for making oppofition to fome
Priefts,that broke violently into his Church,
and faid Mafs in it. Gardiner was in hope,
that thefe four Executions being made in
feveral parts of England, would have (truck
fo general a terrour in the whole Party,
that there would have been little occafion
for further feverities : but when he faw fix
more were foon after apprehended on the
fame account, and that the fpirits of thofe,
caird//<?rrt*<;^,w€re now rather inflam'd than
depreffed, he refolved to meddle no more
in thofe Trials , and turned over that Invi
dious matter to Banner, wbofe temper was
fo cruel, that he undertook it cheerfully.
The burn- Thefe feverities were very hateful to
ings much the Nation. It was obferved, that in King
condem- Kurd's tirae^ thofe that oppofed the
Laws, were only turned out of their Bene
fices, and fome few of them were put in
Prifon •, but now Men were put in Prifon on
trifling pretences, and kept there till Laws
were made, by which they were condemned
nieerly for their Opinion, for they had aft-
ed nothing contrary to Law. One Piece of
Cruelty was alfo fipgular : when the Coun
cil
*f t&e&efotmatton, &c. 275
cil fent away thofe that were to be burnt in r>*A*s*\
the Countrey, they threatned to cut out Book III
their Tongues, if they would not promife s*x"v^s'
to make no Speeches to the People, which l 5 55-
they, to avoid that butchery, were forced
to promife. Some made reflections on the
length and fharpnefs of Hooper's Torment,
as a punilhment on him, for the conteft he
had raifed in the Church about the Velt- .
ments: Ridley and he had been entirely re
conciled, and writ very affectionate Letters
to one another. The fenfe they had pf
thofe differences, when they were preparing
for another World , and that bitter paG
fage, through which they were to go to it,
ought toinfpire ail others with more mode
rate thoughts infuch matters. Thofe that lo
ved the .Reformation, were now poflefTed
with great averfipn to the popifh Party, and
the whole Body of the Nation grew to dif-
like this Cruelty *, and came to hate King
Philip for it. Gardiner, and the other Coun«
cellours had openly laid , that the Queen
fet them on to it, fo the blame of it was
laid on the King, the fowrenefs of whofe
temper, together with his bigottry in mat
ters of Religion, made it feem reafonable
to charge him with it. He finding that
this was like to raife fuch prejudices againft
him, as might probably fpoil his defign of
making himfelf Mafter of England, took
care to vindicate himfelf. So his ConfexTor
jflpkoxfay a Francifcan? preached a Sermoa;
at Conn, againft : the taking of Peoples live£
for Opinions in Religion •, and Inveighed,,
T t '
againft the Biftiops for doing it : By this
Book III the blame of it was turned back on them,
1>^WJ and this made them flop for fome Weeks •,
1 5 5 5- but at laft they refolved rather to bear the
blame of the Perfecution avowedly, than
not to go on in it.
Argu- At this time a Petition was printed be-
m«"* a- y0n(j sea . by which the Reformers addref-
them and ^ themfelves to the Queen, they fet be-
for them. f°re ^er t^le ^anger of her being carried by a
blind zeal,to deftroy the Members ofchrift-^
as St. Paul had done before his Converfion :
they remembred her of Cranmer's interpo-
fing to preferve her Life in her Fathers
time : they cited many PafTages out of the
Books of Gardiner ', Banner and Tonfttll) by
which me might fee that they were not
. acted by true Principles of Confcience, but
were turned as their Fears or Interefts led
them. They fhewed her how contrary Per
fecution was to the fpirit of the Gofpel,
that Chriftians tolerated Jews •, and that
Turks, notwithftanding the barbarity of
their tempers, and the Cruelty of their Re
ligion, yet tolerated Chriftians. They ro
membred her, that the firft Law for burn
ing in England? was made by Henry the 7^.
as a reward to the Bifhops, who had helped
him to depofe Richard the fecond, and fo to
mount to the Throne. They reprefented
to her, that God bad trufted her with the
Sword, which fhe ought to imploy for the
protection of her People,& was not to aban
don them to the Cruelty of fuch WolvestThe
Petition
of t&e Reformation, &c. 277
Petition alfo turned to the Nobility, and
reft of the Nation, and the dangers of a
Spanifi Yoke, and a bloody Inquifition were
fet before them. Upon this the Popifh Au-
thors writ feveral Books in Juftification of
thofe proceedings. They obferved that
the Jem were commanded to put blafphe-
mers to death ^ and faid the Hereticks blaf-
phemed the Body of Chrift, and called it
only a piece of Bread. It became Chrifti-
ans to be more zealous for the true Religi
on, than Heathens were for the falfe : Saint
Peter9 by a Divine Power, ftruck Ananias
and Saphira dead. Chrift, in the Parable,
faid, Compel them to enter in. Saint Paul
faid, I would they were cut off that trouble
Saint Auftin was once againft all fe-
erities in fuch cafes, but changed his mind,
when he faw the good effects that fome
Banifhments and Fines had on the Donatiftt:
That on which they infifted molt, was, the
burning of Jinabaptifts in King Edward's
time. So they were now fortified in their
cruel Intentions,and refolved to fpare none,
of what Age, Sex, or condition foever
they might be.
Banner kept one Tonkins, a Weaver,
fbme Months in his Houfe, who was found
to doubt of the Prefence in the Sacra
ment, he ufed divers Violences to him,
as the tearing out the Hair of his Beard,
and the holding a Candle to his Hand, till
the Veins and Sinews burft •, and thefe not
prevailing, to make him change, he was
T 3 as
SbitDgment of t&e |>i(!o#
at laft burnt in Smithfield. One Httnter, an
Book III Apprentice, not above XIX. Yeats old, was
i condemned and burnt on the lame account.
» Bonner was fo much concerned to preferve
him, that he offered him Forty found to
change : fo mercenary did he think other
Mens confciences were, meafuring them
probably by his own. Two Gentlemen,
Vaufton and Higbed, one Lawrence a Prieft,
and two meaner Perfons, were bi'mt near
their own Houfes in Effex. The Method
in thefe, and in all the other proceedings,
during the reft of this reign, was funirna-
ry, and ex cffcio : Upon complaints made,
Perfons were imprilbned, and Articles con
taining the Points, for which they were
Tufpecled, were offered to them, which
jfcKey were required to anfwer •, and if their
ianfwers were Heretical, they were burnt
for them , without any thing being obje-
iftecf to them, or proved againft them.
-Ferrari that had been Bifhop of S. -Davids^
was dealt with in the fame manner, by
his Succeffor Morgan. When he was con
demned, he appealed to Cardinal PW,
tut that had no other effect, fave, that his
Execution was ftopt three Weeks. Raw-
./ijjw White'9 a poor Fifhcrman, was condem
ned by the Bifhop of Landaffe, and after
wards burnt: Marjk a Prieft, was burnt at
Chefter; and to the ordinary Cruelty of
burning, they added a new Invention of
pouring melted Pitch on his Head. One
f'lc&erj a rafh and furious Man, wounded
a Prieft at S. ftfa%Art& Wefrmwfhr, as he
was
of t!?e E*fo?mation,&:c, 279
was officiating^ for which being feifed on,
and found to ] » an Heretick, he was con- BO°K
demned aud bu,^. The fact was difappro- ^*v
ved by all the Reformed, and he became * 5 5 5-
fincerely Penitent for it, before he died.
After this, for fome VVeeks, there was a
^op put to thofe feverities.
The Queen about this time fcnt for her TheQneen
1 * ^vifurer, and fome of the other Officers reffores
of her: Revenue, and told them, that me the
thought her felf bound in Confcience to re- Church-
ftore all the Lands of the Church, that
were then in her hands *, (he thought they
were unlawfully acquired, and that they
could not be held by her without a fin,
therefore (lie declared me would have them
difpofed of, as Cardinal Pool mould think
fit. Some imputed this to a Bull fet out
by the Pope^ excommunicating all that kept
any Lands belonging to Abbies or Church
es : This alarmed many in England, but
Gardiner pacified them, and told them, that
Bull was made only for Germany, and that
no Bull did bind in England, till it was re
ceived. But this did not fatisfie Inquifitive
People, for a fin in Germany was likewife
a fin in England, and if the Popf's authority
came from Chrift, it ought to take place
every where equally.
Pope 70J»V«f died in March, Sn&Marcelku
was chofen to fucceed him : he turned his chofen
thoughts wholly to the Reformation of a- fhf j
bufes; He fuffercd none of his Nephews, fUCCeeds»
T 4 nor
nor Kindred to come to Court, and refolved
effectually to put down Non-refidence and
Pluralities : but he found it very difficult to
- bring about the good defigns he had pro-
jected, and that the Popes power was fuch,
that it: was more eafie for him to do mif-
chief, than good : which made him once
•cry put, That he did not fee how any could
be faved , that fat in that Chair. Thefe
things wrought fo much on him , that he
(ickned within Twelve Days of his Election,
and died Ten Days after that Upon his
death, the Queen endeavoured to engage
the French to confent to the Promotion of
Cardinal 1W, which fhe did without his
knowledge or approbation : but at Rome
they were fo apprehenilve of another Pope
fet on Reformations, that they made haft
in their choice ^ and let up Caraffa, called
Paul the Fourth, who was the moft extra
vagantly ambitious and infoknt Pope, that
had reigned of a great while.
the E^ Qfl tne ^y °f his EkftiopjthefffjT/j/ft Am-
H(h Am- bafladors entred Rome in great ftate,having in
their Train 140. Horfe of their own Atten-
,^ants, but the Pope would not admic them
.to an Audience, till they had accepted of
a Grant of the Title of the Kingdom of
Ireland \ for he pretended it belonged only
jto him to confer rbofe Titles. The Am-
bafladours, it fcetns, knew it was the
Queen's mind, that they mould in every
riling fubmit to the Pope; and fo pook thap
gr^nt ftpra him. Their Publick Audience
was
nf tye Reformation, &c. 28 1
was given in great Solemnity, in which f\A^\
the Pope declared, that in token of his Book III
pardoning the Nation, 'he had added to ^^Vs*
* the Crown the Title of the Kingdom of f 5 S 5-
* Ireland, by that Supream Power which
* God had given him to deftroy, or to build
c Kingdomes at his pleafure. But in private
* difcourfe,he complained much,that the Ab-
* bey- Lands were not reftored.He faid it was
'beyond his power to confirm Sacriledge,
* and all were obliged, under the pains oif
4 damnation, to reftore to the laft farthing,
c every thing that belonged to the Church :
* he faid likewife, that he would fend over
*a Collector to gather the /V^r-Pence, for
kiihey could not expect that St. Peter would
f open Heaven to them, fo long as they de-
'nied him his rights upon Earth. Thefe
were heavy tidings to the Lord Mount Acntej
( Sir Anthony Brown ) whofe Eftate conJlfted
chiefly of AbbeyLands, that was one of the
Ambafladours. But the Pope would endure
no contradiction, and repeated this every
time they came to him.
In England, Orders were fent to the Ju- The Eng-
flices to look narrowly to the Preachers of
Herefie, and to have fecret Spies in every
Parifh, for giving them Information of all
Peoples behaviour. This was imputed to
the fowrnefs of Spamfh Councils, and feem-
ed to be taken from that bafe praftice of
the Roman Emperours, that had their In
formers (or Delator es) that went into all
Companies, and accommodated themfelves
|o all Men's Tempers, till they had drawn
them
of tfce
them into fome difcourfes agamft the State*
Book 111 anci thereby ruined them. People grew fo
M'VVJ averfe to Cruelty, that &w?7fx himfclf find-
J f 5 5- ing how odious he was become, and obfer-
ving the (lacknefs of the other Bifhops,
refuted not to meddle any further,and burnt
none in fire Weeks time : Upon which
the Queen writ to him, and required him
to do the Office of a good f>aftor, and either
to reclaim the Hereticks, or to proceed
againft them according to Law : and he
quickly (hewed how ready he was to mend
his pace, upon fuch an admonition.
In the beginning of May, the Court was
delivery *n expectation of the Queen's Delivery.
in vain The Envoys were named, that were to
looktfqr. carry the good News to the neighbouring
Courts : the tidings of it did flye over En-
gland) and Te Deum was fung upon it in
feveral Cathedrals. But it proved to be a
falfe conception, and all hopes oi Iltue by
her, vanilhed. This tended much to alie
nate King. Philip from her -7 and he finding
it more neceflary to look after his Here
ditary Crowns, than to (lay in England,
where he had no hopes of making hirafelf
Matter, left her, and that increafed her
Melancholy.
More He- New Fires were kindled.
reticks had been a prebendary at Bath, and Warn*
a Tradefman, were burnt in Smitlfald, iu
May. The body of one that fuffered for
Robbery, but at his Execution faid fome-
what
Dft&eEefo?matton, &c.
what favouring of Herefie, was burnt for it
Seven were burnt in feveral parts of Ejfex. Book III
They were condemned by Bonner^ and fent ^^v^o
down to be burnt near the places of their * S I Ji
abode, The Council writ to the Great
Men of the County, to gather many toge-
ther,and affift at thofe Spectacles : and when
they heard that fome had come of their own
accord to the burnings at Colckefter, they
writ to the Lord Rich to give their thanks
to thofe Perfons for their Zeal, fo dexte-
roufly did they ftudy to cherifh a fpirit of
Cruelty among the People. Bradford, who
had been committed foon after he had fa-
ved Bourne in the Tumult at Saint P<wl\
had been condemned with the reft, and
was preferved till July. He was (b much
confidered, that Heath Archbiftiop of York?
and Day Bifhop of Chichefterj Wefton and
tiarpsfeld, with the King's Confeflbr, and
Alfoonfa a Caftro went to fee, if they could
prevail on him, and had long Conferences
with him in Prifon, but all to no purpofe.
Bourn was made Bilhop of Bath and WcBs9
and his Brother was Secretary of State ^
but though Bradford had preferved his life,
yet he neither came to vific him, nor did he
interpofe for his life •, on the contrary, it
was objected to Bradford) that by his car
riage in fuppreffing that Tumult,, it appear
ed that he had fet it on : but he appealed to
God, who faw how unworthily they retur
ned him evil for good : and he appealed
to Bourn 9 who was fitting among the Bi~
fliops that judged him, if he had not pray
ed
284
cd him for the Pailion of Chrift to endea"
Book III your his prefervation •, and if he had not
<rf*VN? done jt) at the hazard of his own Life :
1 555* But Bourn* as he was aftiamed to accufc
him, fo he had not the honefty, nor the
courage to vindicate him : a young Appren
tice was burnt with him, whom he en
couraged much in his fuflferings, and in
tranfports of joy, he hugged the Faggots
that were laid about him. Thornton, Harps-
faldy and others, fet on a Perfecution at
Canterbury, though Cardinal Pool was averfe
to it, but he durft not now difcover fo
much, for the Pope had an inveterate ha
tred to him, and was refolved upon the
firft occafion to recall him, and for that
end, he entred in a Correspondence with
Gardiner j who hoped thereby to have been
made a Cardinal, and Archbifhop of Can*
terbury : and upon the hopes he had of
that, he (till preferved Cranmer^ for tho*
he was now condemned for Herefie, yet
the See was not efteemed void, till he
was formally degraded. Some faid it was
fit to begin with him, that had been the
chief promoter of Herefie in England.
But Gardiner faid, it was better to try if
it could be pofllble to (hake him, for it
would be a great blow to the whole Par
ty, if he could be wrought onto forfake
it, whereas if he fliould be burnt, and
fliould 'dye with fuch refolution as others
exprefled, it would much raife the fpirits
of his followers. The See of Canterbury
was now only fcqueftred in Poofs hands,
and
of tfye Eefojmatton, &c. 285
and he being afraid of falling under the
P*/>*'s rage, was willing to lee the cruel Book III
Prebendaries do what they pleafed. They t/^rxi
burnt two Priefts, and two Laymen at 1 5 S 5-
Canterbury , and fent a Man and a Woman
to be burnt in other Places in Kent. Two
that belonged to the Diocefes of Winchc*
fler and Chichefter were condemned by Bon-
mr, and were burnt near the places of their
abode. There were at this time feverai
pretended difcoveries of Plots both in
Dorfetjhire and EJJex: and Orders were gi
ven to draw Confeffions from fome that
were apprehended, by Torture, but the
thing was let fall, for it was grounded
only on the furmifes of the Clergy.
The Queen was this Year rebuilding Religious
the Houfe of the Francifcans at Greenwich j Houfcs
and had recalled Peyto and Elfton, of which fct UF* -
mention was made, Book, i. $ag. n7. the
one me made her Confeflbr, and the other
was to be Guardian of that Houfe: The
People exprefled fuch hatred of them, that
as they were pafling upon the River, fome
threw ftones at them : but they that did
it, could not be difcovered. Judge Raftall
publifhed Sir Tho. Mtris Works at this
time :, but as was formerly obferved, he
left out his Letter concerning the Nun of
Kent •, though it lies among his other Let
ters, in that very Manufcript, out of which
he publilhed them. He prefixed nothing
concerning Mores Life, to his Works,
which makes it highly probable, that he
never
*86 S^iUgment of
fVA*/? never writ it : for this was the proper time
Book III and place for publifhing it, if he had ever
t/WJ writ it. So that Manufcript life of Mores^
1 S J 5* pretended to be writ by him, out of which
many things have been quoted fince that
time, to the difgrace of King Henryy and
Anne Boleyn^ muft be a later forgery con
trived i» fpite to Queen Elizabeth. 4 The
4 Queen did now go on with her Intentions,
'of founding Religious Houfes out of thofe
4 Abbtyl^mAs, that were itili in the Crown.
4 She recommended it alfo to the Councils
1 care, that every where there might be
* good preaching, and that there might be
4 a Vifitation of the Universities : (he defi
led that Juftice might be done on the He-
'reticks, in fuch a manner, that the People
4 might be well fatisfied about it, and preft
4 them to take care, that there might be no
4 Pluralities in England, and that tne Prea-
4chers might give good Example, as well
'as make good Sermons.
The burnings went on : Seven were burnt
in Attguft in feveral places •, fix more were
burnt in one fire at Canterbury , and four
were burnt in other places , but the par
ticular days are not marked. In September
five were burnt at Canterbury , and leven
in other places. In Qftober two were burnt
at£!y, by Shaxtons means, who now corn-
pleated his Apoftafie by his Cruelty. The
i6th of that month became remarkable by
iSr3^ tlle fufFering5 of #% and Latimer. Three
are 'burnt. Bilhops, Lincoln, GloucffterzndBriftolwerQ
' fent with a GompQiffion from Cardinal Pooh
of tfje Eefoimarton, fcc. 287
to proceed againft them. RiMcy faid, he <NA
payed great refpeft to Pool as he was of Book III
the Royal Family, and efteemed him much ^
for his Learning and Vertues , but as he l
was the Popes Legate, he would exprefs no
reverence to him, nor would uncover hinv
felf before any that a&ed by authority
from him. The Bifhop of Iwicoln exhort,
ed him, c To return to the obedience of the
4 See of S. Peter , on whom Chrift ha<J
* founded his Church, to which the Ancient
4 Fathers had fubmitted, aiid which himfelf
4 had once acknowledged : Hebfganhis an*
fwerwitha Proteftation, 4 That he did not
* thereby fubmit to the authority of the Pope
' or his Legate •, he faid Chrift had founded
4 his Church not on Sr. Peter , but on die
1 Faith fcWhich he had confeffed : The Bi-
* fhops of Rome had been held in great
* efteem , but that was either on the a&.
' count of their perfonal worth, or by r^*
* fon of the dignity of the City : He con-
c fefled he had once been involved in that
4 fuperftition -, but St. Pttttl was once a
' Blafphemer : And he had difcovered fucb
4 errors in that See, that he would never
'acknowledge it any more. Latimer.ad-
Ijered to what he faid, A nights refpite was
granted them, but they continuing ftedfaft
next day, they were condemned as obfti-
nate Hcreticks, and delivered to the Secu
lar Arm, and the Writs were fent down for
their burning. They prepared themfelve-s
for it with fuch patience and cheerfulnefs
as very much amazed their Keepers : AS
they
288
Segment of t&e griffon?
they were led out, they lookt up to Ova*-
Book 111 mers Window, but he was not in it, for
he was then held in difpute by fome Friers •,
S 5 5' yet he lookt after them, with a very tender
fenfe of their condition, and prayed ear-
neftly to God to affift them in their fuffer-
ings. When they came to the Stake, they
embraced and encouraged one another.
Smith preached on thofe words, If I give
my body to be burnt, and have not Charity it
profteth nothing: And he compared their
dying for Herefie, to Judas's that hanged
himfelf. Ridley defired leave to anfwer
fome points in his Sermon •, but it was told
him, that he was not to be fuffer'd to fpeak,
except he intended to recant : So he turn
ed himfelf to God, whenhefaw men were
refolved to be fo unreafonable to him.
He fent a defireto the Queen, in behalf of
the Tenants of the Bifhoprick of London,
from whom he had taken Fines, for which
he had renewed their Leafes •, and prayed
that cither their Leafes might be confirm
ed, or that their Fines might be reftored
out of his goods, which had been feized
on when he was firft put in prifon : After
both had prayed, and undrefledthemfelves,
the fire was kindled. Some Gun-powder
was hanged about their necks, and that
being fired, put Latimer quickly out of his
pain -, but Ridley had a more lingring tor
ment : For they threw on fo much wood
that it was long before the flame broke
through it \ and his Legs were almoft
wholly confumed before the flame choaked
him,
of t&e Eefdimation, &c.
him. Thus did thefe two Bifhops end their
days and their Miniftry : The one was Book 111
cftcemed to be the ableft of ail that ad- ^"V^
vanced the Reformation, both for Piety, l 5" S1 $•
Learning, and folidity of Judgement •, the
other was lookt on as a truly Primitive
Bifhop, that feemed to have mere of tbe
fimplicity of the firft Ages, than the po-
litenefs or the learning of later times.
Ridley was ill rewarded both by Banner and
Heath i he had ufed Bonnets Mother and
Friends with great kindnefs, while he was '-
Bifhop of London j and had kept the latter;
a year and a half in his houfe, after he fell
in trouble, but he made him ill returns 5 and
when he went through Oxford he did not
fo much as vifit him : And fo far had men
been taught to put off all humanity, that
during their Imprifonment in Oxford, none
of the Univerfity either came to vifit them,
or took care to relieve their n>eceffities,
It was obferved that Gardiner^ was very Gardner j
impatient to have thofe Bifhops burnt, and death,
delayed his dinner that day till the news
mould be brought him, that the Fire was
kindled : But at dinner he was taken with
an illnefs, which turned to a fuppreflion of
Urine , of which he died the twelfth of
November. He went twice to the Parlia
ment which was opened the twenty firft of
Oftober, but could go abroad no more ^ he
expreffed great forrovv for his former lins,
and often laid, He had erred with St. Peter,
but had not relented with him. He was belie-
U ved
2190 ;,
rWV^ ved to be of noble extraction, though bafe-
Book III Jy born •, for his true father was fuppofed
^'V*-' to be Richard Woodvitt, that was Brother
J 55 5- to Edward the Fourth's Queen, Grand
mother to King Henry the Eighth : And
this was believed to be the occafion of his
iudden preferment to the See tfWincktfairk
So thofe that reflected on him for his oppo-
fition to the Married ftate , faid that no
wonder if perfons bafely born, as both he
and Bower were, had no regard to that
ftate of life. He was learned in the Civil
and Canon Law •, he had a good Latin ftile,
and had forae knowledge in the Greek,
Tongue , but was a very indifferent Di
vine : He had a quicknefs of apprehenfion,
with a great knowledge of mankind, and
the Intrigues of Courts: He had all the
arts of Insinuation and Flattery, and was
inferiour to none in profound DilEmulation.
He died now when he had the profped; of
a Cardinals Hat , and of all the honours
which a Pope, that found him after his
own heart , could do him. Heath was
made Chancellour during pleafure, and the
Qaeen gave to the See of York the Dtike of
Sn/olk's houfe, fallen to her by his Atcain-
deryin recompence>for White-Mi^ and it was
afterwards caHed Tork-Honfc.
The Par- The Parliament was now aflembled, and
liament ill it appeared that the Nation was much turn-
plcafcd ed in their affections. It was propofed to
with the gjve theQneen a Subfidy,and two fifteenths.
ccmduft. This was .the firft aid that the Quectf
had asked? though flic was now in the third.1
year of ucr Reign •, and what was now de- Book HI
fired, was no more than, what fhe might ^<"V*v
have exacted at her firft coming to the "55"
Crown •, and fince fhe had forgiven fo nitjch
ait her Coronation, it feemed unreafonable
to deny it now : Yet great opppfition was
made. to it. Many faid, the Queen was
impoverifhing the Crown, and giving away
the Abbey-Lands, and therefore fhe ought
to be fupplied by the Clergy , and not
turn to the Laity: But it was anfwered,
that the Convocation had given her 6 s- in
the pound, but that would not ferve her pre-
fent occafions -, fo the debate grew high ;.
But to prevent further heats the Queen fent a
MefTage, declaring that fhe would accept
the Subfidy without the fifteenths, and up
on that it was granted. The Queen fent
for the Speaker of the Houfe of Commons,
and told him fhe could not with a good
Confcience exact the Tenths and Firlb fruit's
cf the Clergy, fmce they were given to her
Father to fupport his unlawful dignity, of
being the Stream Head of the Church : She'
alfo thought, that all Tythes and Impro-
priations were the Patrimony of the Church,
and therefore was refolved to refign fach.
of them as were in her hands. The for
mer part paft eafily in the Houfe, but great
oppofition was made to the latter part of
her motion : for it was lookt on as a ftep
to the taking all the impropriatipns out of
the hands of the Laity •, yet upon a divjfr-
on of the Hbufe, it went fo near that 126
it z
292
were againft it, and 193 were for it,fo it was,
Book III carried by 67 voices, A Bill was put in againlt
isy^J the Dutcheis of Suffolk, and feveral' others
1 5 5 5- that favoured the Reformation , and had
gone beyond Sea that they might freely
enjoy their Conferences •, requiring them to
return, under fevere penalties : The Lords
paft it, but the Commons threw it out v
for they began now to repent of the fevere
Laws they had already confented to, and re-
iolved to add no more. They alfo rejected a-
nother Bill, for incapacitating fome to be Ju-
liices of Peace, who were complained Of for
their remiflhefs in profecuting Hereticks.
An Aft was put in for debarring one Ben-
net Smith, who had hired fome AtTaflinates
to commit a mod deteftable Murder, from
the benefit of Clergy v which by the courfe
•of the Common Law^ would* have fa-
ved him. This was an invention of the
Priefb, thai if an-y, who was capable of cn-
tring into Orders, and had not been twice
married , or had not married a Widow,
could read, and vowed to take Orders,
fie was to be faved in many criminal
cafes. And it was looked on as a part of
the Eccleflaftical Immunity ; which made
diverfe of the Bifhops oppofe this Act ;
Yet it paft , though four of them , and
five Temporal Lorcjs protefted again ft
it. There was fuch heat in the Houfe of
Commons in this Parliament, that one
Sir Anth. Kingfton? who was a great ftickkr,
called one day for the Keys of the Houfe >,
but when the Parliament was dtflblved,he
was
of fl>eEefo?matton, &c. 29?
was fent to the Tower for it : He was foon
after fct at liberty, but next year he and
fix others, were accufed of a defign of rob
bing the Exchequer: He died before he * 3 5 3*
was brought up to London ; the other fix
. were hanged : But the Evidence againft
them does not appear on Record.
Cardinal Pool called a Convocation, ha
ving firlt . procured a Licence from the Pools de-
Queen, empowering them both to meet, creesfor
and to make fuch Canons as they mould Jn1atj0en°If
think fit. This was done to preferve the th* clergy*
Prerogatives of the Crown,and to fecure the
Clergy, that they might not be afterwards
brought under a Pramttnire. In it feveral
degrees were propofed by P<?<?/, and affent-
«d to by the Clergy: i. For-obferving the
Feaft of the Reconciliation made with Rome,
with great folemnity : They alfo conderrui-
t ed all Heretical Books, and received that
sxpofition of the Faith which Pope Eugeni
cs fent from the Council of Florence to the
Armenians.. 2. For the decent adminiftra-
tion of the Sacraments, and putting down
the yearly Feafts in the dedications of
Churches. 3. They required ail Bifliops
and Priefts to lay afide Secular cares, and
to give themfelves wholly to the Paftoral
charge: And all Pluralifts were required to
refign ail their benefices except one, with
in two months, otherwife to forfeit all.
4. Blfhops were required to preach often,
and to provide good Preachers for their
Diocefes , to go over them as their Vifi-
tors, 5. All the Pomp and Luxury of the
U 3 Tables,
Tables, Servants, and Families of the Bi-
3<ook III fhops was condemned ; and they were re-
xv*^ quired chiefly to lay out their Revenues on
^555* works of Charity. 6. They were required
not to give Orders, but after a long and
ftrict Trial*, which they ought to make
themfelves , and not to turn it over 'to
others. 7. They were charged not to
tjbftbw Benefices upon partial regards, but
to confer them on the molt deferving, and
to take them bound by Oath, to relide up
on item. '8. Agaiinft giving Advowfons
befbre Benefices fell vacant 9. Againft
Symony. iQ.Againft Dilapidations. u.For
. Seminaries in every Cathedral for the Die-"
feefs^ and the Clergy were taxed in a
fourth part of their Benefices for their
fcnaintenance : The twelfth was about Vifi»
tations.
It was defigned alfo to fet out four Books
of ^families: The firft for points of Con-
trover fie ; thefecond was for the expoliti-
bn of the Creed, the Lords Prayer, the
ten Commandments, the Aw? and the Sa-
fcraments : The third was to be a Para-
J?hrafe on all the Leflbns on Holy-days ; and
the fourth was to be concerning the feveral
Vertues and Vices, and the Rites and Ce-
lemonies of the Church. 'In theft, thewii
and good temper of Cardinal tool may
well difcerned. He thought the people
were more wrought on by the fcandals
they faw in the Clergy, than by the Argu
ments which they heard from the Reform-
fcrs :, and therefore he reckoned if Pluralities
• : an<
of t^e Eefo?matton,&c> 295
and Non-refidences, and the other abufes
of Church-men could have been removed, Boo&
and if he could have brought the Bifhops "-^V^
to have lived better, and laboured more, ! 5 5 $•
to be ftricler in giving Orders, and more
impartial in conferring Benefices, and if he
could have eftablifhed Seminaries in Ca
thedrals, Hereiie might have been driven
out of the Nation by gentler methods thin
by Racks and Fires : In one thing he ihew-
ed the meannefs of his Spirit, that though
he himfelf condemned cruel proceedings
againft Hereticks, yet he both gave Com-
miffions to other Biihops and Arch-Dea
cons to try them, and iuffered a great deal
of Cruelty to be excrcifed in his own Dio-
ccfs*, but he had not courage enough to
refift Pope Paul the Fourth, who thought
of no other way for bearing down Herefie,
butbyfetting up Courts of Inquifition eve-
ry where. He had clapt up! Cardinal Mo-
rone^ that was Poofs great friend, in prifon,
uponfufpicion ot Heretic } and would very
probably have ufed himfelf fo, if he had
got him at Rome .
The Jefaites were at this time beginning He refutes
to grow confiderable : They were tied , to bring
befides their other Vows, to an abfclute
obedience to the See of Rome ; and fet them- to
felves every where to open Free Schools,
for the education of youth , and to bear
down Herefie. They were excufed from
the hours of the Quire, and fo were look
ed on as a mungrel Order, between the
U 4, Regu-
Sbjfbjjment of t&e g>tfto#
Regulars and the Seculars. They propofed
to Cardinal 7W, that fince the Queen was
reftoring the Abbey-Lands, it would be
1 $ 5 5» to little purpofe to give them again to the
Benedittine Order$ which was now rather
a clog than a help to the Church : And
therefore they defired that Houfes might
'be afligned to them, for maintaining Schools
and Seminaries *, and they did not doubt
but they fhould quickly both drive out He-
refie, and recover the Church Lands. Pool
did not Men to this , for which he was
much cenfured by the Fathers of that So
ciety. It is not certain whether he had
then the fagacity to forefee that diforder
which they were like to bring into the Go
vernment of the Church, and that corrupt!-,
on of Morals that had fince flowed frorri
their Schools, and has been infufed by them
generally in Confeffions , fo that their
\vhole Church is now over run with it.
More of Three were burnt at one Stake in Canterbtt*
the Refor- ry'iu November ', and Pkilpot was burnt in
•fried are SmifhfeU^m December ! he had been put in
Prikm, ,foon -after that Convocation was
difTolved, in which he had difputed in the
beginning of this Reign : and was now
brought out to the Snake. In all fixty fcven
were burnt this Year, of whom Four were
Bilhops, and Thirteen were Priefts.
Affairs in In Germany, a Diet was held, in which
Griuny. jt was left free to a!) the Temporal Prin
ces, to fet up what Religion they pleafed:;
bnt a retains was put on the Ecdefiaftical
•ftw^r/ . •>.*», i*;. .r?*^ Prince^
of i&e &efo?matton, &c. 297
Princes. Both Ferdinand, and the Duke of CV^LO
Bavaria, appointed the Chalice to be given Book 111
jto the Laity in their Dominions, at which ^-^w^
the Pope ftormed highly, and threatned to '555*
depofe them : for that was his common
ftile, when he was difpleafed with any
Prince. The Resignation of Charles the ckarlesihe
Fifth, which was begun this Year, and com. Fifth's Re
peated the next, drew the Eyes of all £«-
rope upon it. He had enjoyed his Heredi-
.tary Dominions Forty years, and the Em
pire Thirty fix. He had endured great Fa
tigues, by the many Journies he had made -,
Nine into Germany, fix into Spain, feven in
to Italy, four through France-, he was ten
jtimes in the Netherlands, made two Expedi
tions to Africkj and was twice in England:
and had crofTed the Sea eleven times. He
had nnufual fuccefs in his Wars, he had ta
ken a Pope, a King of France > and fome
German Princes , Prifoners : and had a
V^ft acceffion of Wealth' and Empire
from the ^/-Indies : but now as fuc
cefs followed him no more, fo he was
much afflided with the Gout, and grew
to be much out of love with the Pomp
and Vanities of this World, and fo feri-
oufly to prepare for another Life. He
refigned all his Dominions with a great-
nefs of mind, that was much fuperiour to
all his other Conquefts. He retired to a
private Lodge of feven Rooms, that he
had ordered to be built for him in the
confines of Portugal-. He kept only twelve
Servants to wait<upon him, and referved
' ' for
Segment of t&e
for his Expence 100000. Crowns Petition.
Book HI in this retreat he lived two years : His
M*WJ firft year was fpent chiefly in Mechanical In-
J 5 5 5 ventions, in which he took great pleafure :
from that he turned to the cultivating his
Garden, in which he ufed to work with
thofe hands, that now preferred the graft
ing and pruning Tools, to Scepters and
Swords. But after that he addicted him-
felf more to ftudy and Devotion, and did
often difcipline himfelf with a Cord. It
was alfo believed, that in many points he
came to be of the Opinion of the Pro-
tcftants, before he died. His Confef-
for was Toon after his death burnt for
Herefie, and Miranda Archbilhop of Tole>
do^ that converfed much with him at this-
time, was clapt into Prifon on the fame
fufpicions. At the end of two years he
died, having given a great Inftance of a
mind furfeited with the Glories of this
World, that fought for quiet in a private
Cell, which it had long in vain fearched
after in Palaces and Camps.
1556. In March next Year came on
Cramer** Martyrdom. In September laft, Brooks, Bi-
fufferings. ftop of Gioc-eftery came down with autho
rity from Cardinal Pool, to judge him : with
turn two Delegates came to aflift him in the
King and Queen's Name. When he was
brought before them, he payed the refpeft
that was due to thofe that fat in the King
and Queen's Name, ( but would (hew none
*to Broofy, fines he fat there by an au-
J thority
&c. 299
c thority derived from the Pope, which ho
ffaidt he would never acknowledge. He Book III
'could not ferve two Matters, and fmce vx-v\-i
*he had fworn AUegiance to the Crown, 155 $1
che could never fubmit to the Pope's au-
4 thority : He alfo fhewed that the Pop's
* power had been as unjuftly ufed, as it
* was ill grounded : that they had changed
' the Laws fetled by Chrift, which he m-
'ftanced in denying the Chalice, in the
' Worfhip in an unknown Tongue, and in
* their pretences to a power to depofe
' Princes : he remeinbred Brooks, that he
'had fworn to maintain the King's Supte-
*macy0 and when he ftudied to caft that
4 back on him, as an invention of his, he
* told him that it was acknowledged in his
* Predeceflbr Warhains time,and that Brooks
*had then fet his hand to it. Brooks, and
the two Delegates, Martin, and Scary, ob-
jefted many things to him, as that he
had flattered King Henry , that fo he migjit
be preferred by him, and that he had
condemned Lambert for denying the Pre-
fence in the Sacrament, and had been af
terwards guilty of the fame Herefie him-
felf. But he vindicated himfelf from all afpi-
tings to the See of fantcrfairyi which ap
peared vi'fibly by the flowneis of his mo
tions, when he was called over out of ,
Germany i to be advanced to it : for fie
was feven Weeks on his Journey. He
confefFed he had changed his Opinion in
the matter of the Sacrament, and acknow
ledged that he had been twice married -,
which
$b?tDgmentof t&e gnflajp
which he thought was free to all Men,
fe Book III and was certainly much better than to
trf'VNJ defile other Men's Wives : After much
I1 5 5 °' difcourfe had pad on both fides, Brooks
required him to appear before the Pope
within Eighty Days, and anfwer to the
things tfiat mould be objected to him :
he faid, he would do it molt willingly,
but he could not poflibly go, if he were ftill
kept a Prifoner.
14 Febr. In February this Year, Bonner and Thirleby
were fent to degrade him, for his Contu
macy in not going to Rome ; when he was
all the while kept in Prifon: He was clo
thed with all the Pontifical Robes made of
Canvas, and then they were taken from
him, according to the Ceremonies of de
gradation, in which Bonner carried himfelf
with all the Infolence, that might have
been expefted from him: Thirleby was a
good natured Man, and had been Cranmer**
particular friend, and performed his part
in this Ceremony, with great exprefiions
of forrow, and fhed many tears at it. In
all this Crttnmer feemed very little concer
ned } he faid, it was grofs Injuftice to con
demn him for not going to Rome, when
he was (hut up in Prilbn •, but he was not
forry to be thus cut off, even with all this Pa-
geantry, from any relation to that Church :
he denied the Pope had any authority c-
ver him, fo he appealed from his Sentence
f o a free General Council.
But
of tije Reformation, &c.
But now many Engines were fet on
work, to make him recant : both Englijh Book III
and Spanijh Divines had many Conferences '^xvxj
with him, and great hopes were given M ^ 6*
him, not only of Life, but of Preferment, ^t,
if he would do it: and thefe at'Iaft had
a fatal effecl; upon him •, for he^ figned a
Recantation of all his former Opinions, and
concluded it with a Proteftation, that he
had done it freely, only for the difcharge
of his Confcience. But the Queen was re-
folved to make him a Sacrifice to her re-
fentments •, fhe faid, it was good for hi-s
own Soul that he repented, but fince he
had been the chief fpreader of Herefie o-
ver the Nation, it was neceflary to make
him a publick Example : fo the Writ was
fent down to burn him, and after fome ftop
had been made, in the Execution of it,
now Orders came for doing it fuddenly.
This was kept from Cranmers knowledge,
for they intended to carry him to the Stake,
without giving him any notice, and fo ho
ped to make him dye in defpair : yet he
fufpecYmg fomewhat, writ a long 'Paper,
containing a Confefllon of his Faith, fuch
as his Confcience, and not his fears had
dictated.
He was on the 21. of March carried to He Rc-
St. Maries, where Dr. Cole preached, and perns, and
vindicated the Queen's Juftice, in condem- ls
ning Cranmer •, but magnified his Conver*
(ion much , and afcribed it wholly to the
workings of God's Spirit : h« gave him
great
of
great hopes of Heaven, and promifed him
Book III aii the relief that Diriges and Mattes could
*S*\T*J give him in another ftate. All this while
1556- cranmer was obferved to be in great Con-
fuGon, and Floods of Tears run from his
Eyes; at laft, when he was called on to
fpeak, he. began with a Prayer, in which
he expreiled much inward remorfe and
horrour: then after he had exhorted the
People to good Life, Obedience and Cha
rity, he in moll pathetick expreffions con-
fefTed his fin, that the hopes of Life had
made him fign a Paper contrary to the
Truth, and againft his Confcience : and he
had therefore refolved, that the hand that
Cgned it,fhould be burnt firft •, he alfo decla
red, that he had the fame belief concer
ning the Sacrament, which he had publi-
flied in the Book he writ about it. Upon
this there was a great Confirmation on
the whole Aflembly, but they refolved to
make an end of him fuddenly, Ib without
fuffering him to go further, they hurried
him away to the Stake : and ga,ve him all
the difturbance they could, by their re
proaches and clamours : But he made them
no anfwer, having now turned his thoughts
wholly towards God. When the Fire was
kindled , he held his right Hand towards.
: the Flame, till it was confumed, and often
faid, that unworthy hand, he was foon af
ter quite burnt, only his heart was found
•entire among the afhes: from which his
JFriends made this Inference, that though
his Hand had .erred, yet it appeared; his.
Heart
of tlje Eefojmattort, &c. 303
Heart had continued true. They did not (XAXY
make a Miracle of it, though they faid Book II!
the Papifts would have hiade a great mat- V-X"X^
ter of it, if fuch a thing had fallen but l ?56
in any that had dyed for their Religion.
Thus did Thorns Cranmer end his days, His Cha
in the LXVIl. Year of his Age : He was
a Man of great Candor, and a firm Friend,
which appeared lignally in the misfortunes
of Anne Boleyn, Cromwell ^ and the Duke
of Somerfet : He rather excelled in great
Induftry and good Judgment, than in a
quicfcnefs of appreheniion , or a clofenefs
of ftile. He employed his Revenues on
pious and chatitable ufes •, and in his Table
he was truly hofpitable, for he entertain
ed great numbers of his poor Neighbours
often at it. The Gentlenefs and Humili
ty of his deportment were very fingular:
His laft fall was the greateft blemiih of his
Life, yet that was expiated by a fincere
repentance, and a patient Martyrdom :
and fhofe that compared Ancient and Mo
dern times, did not flick to compare him,
not only to the Chryfoflome j, the Ambrofes,
and the Auftins^ that were the chief Glo
ries of the Church, in the fourth and fifth
Centuries, but to thofe of the firffc Ages,
that Immediately followed the Apoftles,
and came neareffc to the Patterns, which
they had left the World } to the Jgnatiw V,
the Poticftrps, and the Cyprians. And it
feemed neceilary that the Reformation of
ehe Church, being the rcftoring of the
Primitive
Styftg ment of tfje griflojp
Primitive and Apoftolical Dodtrine, fhould
Book III have been chiefly carried on by a Man
*S^T*J thus Eminent, for Primitive and Apofto-
1 5 ? 6> lical Vertues. In January, five Men, and
More bur- two \\/omen were 5urnt at one g^£e ]n
Smithficld: and one Man and four Women
were burnt at Canterbury. In March, two
Women were burnt ac Jpfwich, and three
Men at Salubury. In ^r*7, iix Men of
£J^A: were burnt in Smithficld • a Man and
a Woman were burnt at Rochefter , and
another at Canterbury : and fix, who were
fent from Colchefter, were condemned by
Bonntr, without giving them longer time
to confider whether they would recant,
than till the Afternoon : for he was now
fo hardned in his Cruelty, that he grew
weary of keeping his Prisoners fome time,
and of taking pains on them, to make
them recant', he fent them back to Col-
chefter, where they were burnt: He con
demned alfo both a blind Man, and an
aged Criple, and they were both burnt
in the fame Fire at Stratford. In May^
three Women were burnt in StnithfieM^
the day after that, two were burnt at Glo-
cefler^ one of them being blind. Three
were burnt at Beetles in Suffolk five were
burnt at Lewii, and one at Leicefter. But
on the 2jth. of Jnne? Banner gave the fig-
nalleft Inftance of his Cruelty, that Eng
land ever faw : for 1 1 . Men , and two
Women were burnt in the fame Fire at
Stratford. The horror of this Aftion it
feems had fome Operation on himfelf,for he
burnt
905
S °-
of t&e Eefo?mattott;» ftc.
burnt none till April next year. In June
three were burnt at Saint Edmondsbury, and Book 111
three were afterwards burnt at Newbury.
This cruelty was not kept within England^ ]
but it extended as far as to the adjacent
Iflands. In Guernfey, a Mother and her two
Daughters were burnt at the fame fta^e;
one of them was a married Woman, and
big with Child : The violence of the Fire
burfting her Belly, the Child that proved «o
be a Boy, fell out into the Flame : He was
fnatched out of it, by one that was more
merciful than the reft : but the other bar
barous Spe&ators, after a little Confulta-
tion, threw it back again into the Fire.
This was Murder without queftion, for no
Sentence againft the Mother could excufe
this Inhumane piece of Butchery, which
, was thought the more odious, becaufe the
Dean of Guemfey was a Complice in it :
yet fo merciful was the Government under
Queen Elizabeth, that he, and Nine others*
that were accufed for it, had their Pardons,
Two were after this, burnt at Greenftead,
and a blind Woman at Darby , Four were
burnt at Briflolly and as many at May fold in
Suffe x, and one at Nottingham : fo that in
all LXXXV. were this Year burnt, without
any regard had, either to Age, or Sex, to
young or old, or the Lame and the Blind ;
which raifed fo extream an averfion in this
Nation to thatReligion,that it is no wonder
if the apprehenfions of being again brought
under fo Tyrannical a Yoke, break out into
moft Violent and Convulfive Symptoms.
X By
Book III
i ^ 6.
The Pe-
fbrmed
iacreafe
upon tiiis.
The trou
bles at
frantyrd.
5b|iDgment of tffe fciftoip
By thefe means, the Reformation was Ib
far from being extinguiflied, that it fpread
daily more and more, and the Zeal of thofe
that profefled it grew quicker. They had
frequent Meetings, and feveral Teachers,
that iriftruded them: and their Friends
that went beyond Sea, and fetled in Straf-
1'iirg^ Frankfort^ Ewbden, and fbme other
places in Germany, took care to fend over
many Books for their Inftrnction and Com
fort.
An unhappy difference was begun at
Frankford^ which has had fince that time
great and fatal Confequences •, fome of the
Gnglifo thought it was better to ufe a Li
turgy , agreeing with the Geneva forms •,
whereas the reft thought, that fince they
were a part of the Church of En
that fled thither, they ought to adhere to the
Englijb Liturgy, and that the rather, fince
thole who had compiled it, were now
fealing it with their Blood. This raifed
much heat, but Doctor Cox that lived in
Strasburg, being held in great efteera, went
thither, and procured an Order from th<
Senate, that the Englifr (hould continue t<
ufe the forms of their own Church : bu
the fire was not thereby quenched, foi
Knox, and fome other hot Jpirits, begai
to make exceptions to fome parts of tin
Liturgy •, and got Calvin to declare on theii
fide: upon which lome of them retired t<
Geneva. Another conteft arofe concerninj
the cenfuring of Offenders, which fomi
faid belonged only to the Minifter, an<
othcn
of tfoe Reformation, &c. 307
others thought that the Congregatipn ought L
to be admitted to a Ihare in it. Great am-
riiofities were railed by thefe debates, which
gave fcandal to the ftrangers, , among
whom they lived, and made many reflect
on the Schiims of the Novations and Dona-
tiftsy that rent the Churches of Africk ; the
one during the Perfections, and the other
immediately after they were overf
In England^ Pool W£s Confecrated Arch- p00i
bilhop of gantcrbttryj the day after Cranmcr Archbifh
was burnt : which gave occafion to many of c*»
tp apply, the words of Elijah to him, TV* }
haft killed and tdl^n fojfeffion:^ Week after
that, he came into London in great ftate*
and had the Pall put about hhn, by Heath.
in Sow-Chnrch : and after that, he made a
cold Sermon concerning the beginning, the
Ufe and Vertues of the Pall : without either
Learning or Eloquence : for it was obfer-
ved, that he had fo far changed his ftile,
which in his Youth was too luxuriant, that
it was now become flat, and had neither Life
nor Beauty in it. The Pall was a device
of the Popes, in the i2th. Century, in which
they began firft to fend thofe Cloaks to
Archbilhops, as a Badge of their being the
Pope's Legates bom.
TheQneen had founded a Houfe for the More
franctfcans of the Obfcrvante mGreenwicb laft ligious
Year : This year Ihe founded Houfes for
the Franciscans and Dominicans in London^
as allb a Houfe for the Carthufans at
X' z
of
and a Nurrnery at Sion : She alfo converted
Book III the Church of Weflminflerj into aa Mey.
t^^W) And that way might be made to the refto-
1 5 5 6- ring Religious Orders,fhe took care to have
all the Reports, Confeffions, and other Re
cords, that tended to the difhonour of their
Houfes, be rafed : So that no Memory fnigfrt
remain of them to the next Age. For this
end fhe gave a Commifllon to Banner* and
others, to fearch all Regifters, and to take
out of them every thing, that was either
againft the See of Rome , or the Religious
Houfes : and they executed this Commifllon
fo carefully, that the fteps of it appear in
the defeftivenefs of all the Records of that
time : yet many things have efcaped their
diligence. This Expurgation of theirs was
compared to the rage of the Heathens in the
laft Perfection, who deftroyed all the Books
and Regifters, that they could find among
the Chriftians. The Monks of Glafjenbury
were in hope to have got their Houfe, that
had been dedicated to the honour of Jofepb
of drimathea, raifed again : they defired
only the Houfe, and alittle Land about it }
which they refolved to Cultivate, and did
not doubt but the People of the Countrey
would contribute towards their fubfiftence :
and it is probable that the -like defigns were
fet on foot for the other Houfes : and it was
not to be doubted, but that as foan as they
had again infufed in the Nation the belief
of Purgatory, they "would have perfwaded
thofe that held their Lands, efpecialiy if they
could come near them, when they were dy
ing.
of t&e&efb?man'on, &c.
ing, to deliver themfelves from the fm and
punifhments of Sacriledge •, by making re-
ftitution. It is true, the Nobility and Gerr j
try were much alarmed at thefe proceed
ings : and at the iaft Parliament, many in
the Houfe of Commons laid their Hands on
their Swords, and declared, that they would
not part with their Eftates, but \vo\ild de
fend them. Yet all that intended to gain
favour at Court? made their way to it, by
founding Chantries for Mafles, to be faid
for them and their Anceftors ; and took
out Licences from the Queen, for making
thofe Endowments.
A Truce was now concluded between The
France and Sf/tin for five years : but the fcts on a
Violent Pope broke it. He was offended ^ecn
at the Houfe of Juftria, and chiefly at France an^
Ferdinands afluming the Title of Emperour^
without his confent: he ufed to fay, that
all Kingdoms were fubjedt to him : that
he would fuffer no Prince to be too fa
miliar with him : and that he would fet
the World on fire, father than be driven
to do any thing below his Dignity. He
pretended that he had reformed the abufes
of his own Court, and that he would in
the next place reform all the abufes that
were in other Courts, of which he order
ed a great Collection to be made : when
he was preft to call a Council, he faid, he
needed none •, for he himfelf was above
all •, and the World had already feen twice,
to how little purpofe it was to fend about
Sixty weak Bifhops, and Forty Divines,
X 5 that
310 StytDgmentof t&e t>iilo?p
that were not the molt learned, to Trent:
Book III he refolved it fhould never meet there any
'W*- * more :, but he would call one to fit in the
1 5 5 ^ Lateral : he fignified this to the AmbaOa-
dours of Princes, only in courteiie: for he
would ask advice of none of them , bun
would be obeyed by them all: and if Prin
ces would fend none of their Prelates thi-
thcr,he would hold a Council without them,
and would let the World fee what a Pope,
that hacj courage, cpuld do. This impe
rious humour of his, made him talk fome-
,times like a mad- man : He intended, as was
believed, to raife his Nephew to be King of
Naples yand in order to that,he feiit one of his
JN'ephews to France 9 to abiblve the King
iiom the Truce which he had iworn ; and
promifed to create what Cardinals that
King would nominate, if he would make
War on Spain', though to the Queens Am-
bafladours, and all others at Rome, he gave
)t out, that he would mediate a Peace
between the Crowns, for a Truce did not
Sufficiently fecure the quiet of Europe. The
French King was too eaiily perfwadcd by the
Iniligation of the Pcpey and the Houle of
:6W«.f,"r.o break his Faith, 'and begin the
\Var. The Pope alfo began it in Italy, and
put the Cardinals of the SpaniJIi fadion in
Prifon, and threatned to proceed to Gen-'
fures againft King Philip, for protedling the
tolonntfi, who were his particular Enemies,
^e made fome Levies among the Grifons,
that were Hereticks^ but laid, he lookn on
v€m 11$ Anecls of God, and was confident
God
of t(je l&efo;matton,&c*
God would convert them. The Duke of
Alva had that Reverence for the Papacy,
that he took Arms againft the Pope very
unwillingly: He could have taken Rome,
but would not : and for the places that he
took, he declared he would deliver them
up to the next Popg. It gave great fcandal
to the World , to fee the Pope fet on fo
perfidious a breach of Truce-, and it was
thought ftrange, that in the fame Year, a
Great Prince in the 56. Year of his Age,
fhould retire to aMonaftery *, and that one
bred a Monk, and 80. Years old, fhould
fet Europe in a Flame.
The next Year Pool fent Onnancto with fomc i 5 ? 7.
EngUflt Diviaes,to vifit C.imbrid?e. They put A vifitad-
thc Churches, in which the Bodies of Bitccr ?n.of <hc
and 'Eagiiu lay,under an Interdid.They made
a Vifitation of all the Cciledges and Chap-
pels, in which Ormamto fhcwcd great In
tegrity •, and without rcfpedT: of Perfons,
he chid fome Heads of Houfes, whom he
found guilty of mifapplying the Revenues
of their Houfes. The two dead Bodies
were burnt with great folemnity : ' They
were raifcd and cited to appear, and an-
liver for the Herefies they had taught,
and if any wou!d' anfwcr ibr them, they
were required to come. The Dead faid
nothing for themfelves ; and the living
were afraid to do it, for fear of being
lent after them : fo Witnefles were exa
mined, and in condufion they were con
demned 'as obftinate Hercticks, and the
X 4 dead
3 * * %tyi Dgment of t&e |>ffta$
dead Bodies, with many Heretical Books
were all burnt in one Fire, P,™ was
Vlce-chanceI|our at this time, and hap-
' pened to be in fome Office four years af
ter, when, by Queen EKztktKs Order,
publick honours were done to the Memory
f thefe Learned Men, and he obeyed both
thefe Orders with fo much zeal, that it ap
peared how exaftly he had learned the Lef-
ion fo much ftudied in that Age, of fervins
the time. After this there was a Vifitation
of all the CoHedges in Oxford, and there
it was intended to aft fuch Pageantry on the
body of Peter Martyr's Wife, as had been
cone at Cambridge. But Ihe that could fpeak
no fyjUjfj, had not declared her Opinions
Jo, that Witneffes could be found to convict
her of Herefie : yet fince it was notorioufly
known, that (he had been a Nun, and had
broken her Vow of Chaftity, they raifed
per Body, and buried it in a Dunghill : but
her Bones were afterwards mixed with Saint
s, by Queen Elizabeth** Order.
A fevere The Juftices of Peace were now every
where fo flack in the Profecution of Here-
tlcks? that lt temped neceflary to find out
other Tools. So the Courts of Inquifition
were thought on. Thefe were fet up firft
in -France againft the Albtrenfesj and after
wards in Spat;?, for difcovering the Moors -,
and were now turned upon the Hereticks.
Their power was pncontrolable, they feifed
on any they pleafed, upon fuch Informati
ons, or Prefumptious, as lay before them.
They
of tfce Reformation, &c. 3 1 $
They managed their Procefles in fecret, and c\Jl*s\
put their Prifontrs to fuch forts of Torture, Book III
as they thought fit for extorting Confeffions ^^Vv^
or Discoveries from them.At this time both * 5 5 ?•
the Pope and King Philip, though they dif
fered in other things, agreed in ,this, that
they were the only fure means for extirpa
ting Herefie. * So as a ftep to the fetting
* them up,a Cotnmiffion was given to Bomer
c and twenty more, the greateft part Lay-
*men,to fearch all over England for all fufpe-
' ded of Herefie, that did not hear Mafle,
£go in ProceJfions, or did not take Holy
6 bread, or Holy water: they were authori-
* fed, three being a Quorum, to proceed ei-
* ther by Preferments , or other Politick
* ways : they were to deliver all they difco-
cvered to their Ordinaries •, and were to life
'all fuch means as they could invent-, which
c was left to their difcretions and Confcien-
€ ces, for executing their Commifllon. Many
other Commiffions fubalterne to theirs>\vere
ifTued out for feveral Counties and Dioceiles.
This was looked on as fuch an advance to-
wards an Inquifition, that al) concluded it
would follow ere long. The burnings were
carried on vigoroufly in fome places, and
but coldly in moft parts, for the diflike of
them grew to be almoft Univerfal.
In January, fix were burnt in one Fire at More bur-
Canterbury, and four in other parts of Kent :
22. were fent out of Colckefter to Banner',
but it feems Pool had chid him feverely for
the Fire he had made of thirteen the lafc
Year,
5 14 Segment of t&e
Year, fo he writ to Pool for directions*
Book HI The Cardinal imployed fome to deal with
ths Prifoners, and they got them to figa a
5 7- Paper in general words, acknowledging
1 that Chrift's Body was in the Sacrament,
c and declaring that they would be fubjeft
<to the Church of Chrift, and to their law-
c ful Saperiours. And upon this they were
&t at liberty •, by which it appeared that
Pool was willing to have accepted any thing,
by which he might on the one hand preferve
the Lives of thofe that were informed a-
gainft, and yet not be expofed to the rage
of the Pope, as a favourer of Hereticks. In
j4pril9 three Men and one Woman were
burnt in Smitbfisld : In May, three were
burnt in Sottthwark, condemned by White the
new Biftiop of Winchefter, and three at Bri-
ftoli Five Men and nine Women were burnt
in Kent, in June : and in the fame Month, fix
Men and four Women were burnt at Lewis.
In July, two were burnt at Norwich ', and in
Aug*$* ten were burnt in one day at Col-
chtjhr. They were fome of thofe 22. that
were by Poofs means difcharged : but the
Cruel Priefts informed againft them, and
laid, the favour (hewed to them had fo en
couraged ail others, that it was neceflary to
remove the fcandal, which that mercy of
the Cardinals gave.and to make Examples of
fome of them. In Aaguft, one was burnt at
Norwich i two at Rocheflery and one at Litcb-
fidd. One Eagle , that went much about
from place to -place, from which he was
called Tntdire-Q'v'cr, was condemned as a
Traytor,
&c. 31
Tray tor, for fome words fpoken againft
the Queen : But all this Cruelty aid not fa.
tisfie the Clergy, they complained that the
Magiftrates were backward, and did their
duty very negligently : upon which, fevere
Letters were written to feveral Towns,
from the Council-board : and zealous Men
were recommended to be chofen Mayors, in
fundry Towns. In September, three Men and
one Woman were burnt at Ijlington, and two
at Colchtfter ', one at Northampton, and one
at Laxefidd : a Woman was burnt at AV-
wich: a Prieft with thirteen other Men and
three Women,were burnt at Chichefter. In
November, three were burnt in SmithfieU ;
faugh a Scotchman, that had a Benefice in
K. &&ar£s time, kept a private Meeting at
IfUngton : but one of the Company being cor
rupted, difcovered the reft, fo they were ap
prehended as they were going to the Com
munion, and he,and a Woman were burnt in
December : fo 79 .were burnt in all this year.
This Year a horrid Murder of one Argol, The Lord
find his Son was committed by the L. Stotir- stourtt*.
ton, and fome of his Servants : who after hanged,
they had butchered them in a molt barba
rous manner, buried them fifteen Foot deep
in the ground. The Lord Stourton was a
zealous Papift, and had protclted agaiuft
all the Ads that had paft in King Eaward's
time :, yet the Qneen not only would not
pardon him, but would not fo much as
change the Infamous death of hanging, into
p beheading : not becaufe the Prerogative
I extends net fo far, as foinc have without
rcafon
1 6 9&*frgment of t&e griftojp
reafon aflerted: for both the Duke of So-
merfet condemned in the Reign of King Ed-
wardy and the Lord Audley condemned un-
1 5 5 7- der King Charles the Firft, for Felony, were
beheaded : but the Qiieen refolved in this
cafe to (hew no favour. All the diftinftion
was, that the Lord Stoptrton was hanged in a
filken Rope. This was much extolled as an
Inftance of the Queens Impartial Juftice-, and
it was faid , that fmce (he left her Friends to
the Law, her Enemies had no caufe to com
plain, if it was executed on them.
TheQueen Tiie War breaking out between Spain and
joyns in France^ King Philip had a great mind to en-
thc War gage England in it. The Queen complained
often of the kind reception that was given to
thefugitives,that fled homEvglandtoFrancei
and it was believed that the French fecretly
Supplied and encouraged them to imbroil her
affairs. One Stafford had this Year gathe
red many of them together, and landing in
Yorkshire, he furprifed the Caftle of Scarbo-
roughy and publifhed a Manifefto againft the
Queen, that by bringing in ftrangers to go
vern the Nation, me had forfeited her right
to the Crown : but few came in to him •, fo
he and his Complices were forced to render,
and four of them were hanged. The En-
gliflt AmbafTadour in France, Dr. Wotton,
discovered that the Conftable hadadefign
to take Calais : for he fent his own Ne
phew, whom he had brought over, and in-
ftructed fecretly, to him, he pretended he
was fent from a great Party in that Town,
who
igainft
France.
317
of t$e Reformation,
who were reiblved to deliver it up : at
which the Conftable feemed not a little glad, Book III
and entred into a long difcourfe with him of t-x^^xj
the Methods of taking it: yet all this made l S 5 7-
no great Impreflion on the Queen *, AD her
Council, chiefly the Clergy, were againft en
gaging -, for they faw that would oblige them
to flacken their feverities at home.-fo the King
found it neceflary to come over himfelf, and
perfwade her to it. He prevailed with her :
and after a denunciation bf War, fhe fent
over 80000. Men to his afljftance, who
joyned the Sfatoifh Army confiding of 50000.
that was fet down before St. Quintin.
The Conftable of France came with a
great force, to raife thfe Siege j but when Of S.
the two Armies were in view of one ano-
ther, the French by a miftake in the word
of command, fell in diforder j upon Which
the Spaniards charged them with fuch fuc-
cefs, that the whole Army was defeated :
Many were killed on the place, and many
were taken Prifoners, among whom was
the Conftable himfelf: and the Spaniards
loft only fifty Men. Had Philip followed
this blow, and marched ftraight to Paris,
he had found all France in a great confter-
nation, but he fat ftill before S. SjHintin^
which held out till the terror of this defeat
was much over. The Conftable loft his re
putation in it , and all looked on it as a
curfe upon that King, for the breach of his
Faith.
TheBattel
Ths
8 Styfogment of t&e l^f Qo?p
/7 The Frfwfc Troops were called out of
Book III ffafy Upon which the Pope being now expo-
t/VVJ fed to the Spaniards, fell in ftrange fits of
The \Tt ra£e> Part*clllarty ne inveighed much againft
recalls ^°°^ f°r fufftring the Queen to joya with
the Enemies of the Apoftolick See : and
having made a General Decree, recalling
all his Legates and Nuntio's in the Spanijh
Dominions, he recalled Pool's Legatine po
wer among the reft : and neither the Inter-
eeffions of the Queen*s Ambafladours, nor
the other Cardinals could prevail with him
to alter it : only as an extraordinary Grace,
he confented not to intimate it to him. Bus
after this he went further : He made Friar
Teyto a Cardinal : he liked him for his rail
ing againft King Henry to his Face ,- and
thought that fince the Queen had made him
her Confeflbr, he would be very acceptable
to her. He recalled Poofs powers, and re
quired him to come to Rente, and anfwer to
iome Complaints made of htm, for the fa
vour he mewed to Hereticks : He alfo de
clared Teyto his Legate for England , and
writ to the Queen to receive him : but the
Queen ordered the Bulls and Briefs thac
were fent over, to be laid up without open
ing them, which had been the method for
merly pradifed, when unacceptable Bulls
were fent over : She fent word to Peyto,not
to come into England, othcrwife me would
foe him, and all that owned him, in a Pr^
nwnre. He died, foon after. Cardinal Pool
laid afide the Enfigns of a Legate,, and
fent over Ormamto with fo fubmiflive a
af tlje Reformation, &c.
MefTage, that the Pope was much mollified
by it, and a Treaty of Peace being fee on BO°K ^
foot, this ftorm went over. The Duke of ^-^"V*^
.///#* marched near Romey which was ia no f ? 5 7-
condition to refift him : fo the Pope in great
fury called the Cardinals together, and told
them, he was refolved to fuffer Martyrdom,
without being daunted, which they who
knew that he had drawn all this on himfelf,
by his Ambition and Rage, could fcarce
hear without laughter. Yet the Duke of
Alva was willing to treat. The Tiaughty
Popey though he was forced to yield in the
chief points, yet in the punctilio's of Cere
monies, he ftood fo high upon his honour,
which he faid was Chrift's honour, that he
declared he would fee the whole World ru
ined, rather than yield in a Title : In that
the Duke of Aha was willing enough to
comply with him, fo he came to Rome, and
in his Matter's name, asked pardon for In
vading the Patrimony of S. Peter $ and the
Pope gave him Abfolution, in as Infolent a
manner, as if he had been the Conqueror.
The news of this Reconciliation were re
ceived in England, with all the publickeft ex-
preflions of joy .In Scotland r,the 5/tfe# Regent
ftudied to engage that Nation in the War :
all that favoured the Reformation were for
it } but the Clergy oppofedl it. The Queen
thought to draw them into it, whether they
would or nor, and fent in tfoifell to beilege
a Caftle in England. But the Scotch Lords
complained much of that, and required him
to give over his attempt, orherwife they
would
3 20
would declare him an Enemy to the Nation,
Book III So after fome flight skirmifhes on the Bor-
WNJ ders, the matter was put up on both fides.
1 5 5 7- This made the Queen Regent write toFrance,
preffing them to conclude the Marriage be
tween the Dolphirt and the Queen:upon which
a Meflage was ferit from that Court, defiling
the Scots to fend over CommuTiontrs to
treat about the Articles of the Marriage,
and fome of every State were difpatched
for fetling that matter. There was this
Year great want of Money in the Exche
quer of England , and the backwardnefs of
the laft Parliament made the Council un
willing to call a new one. It was tried what
Sums could be raifed by Loan, upon Privy
Seals : but fo little came in that way, that
at laft one was Summoned to meet in JA-
tiuary, yet in the mean while adveftifements
were given them, of the ill condition, in
which the Garrifons of G*to,and the neigh
bouring places were, and that the French
had a defign on them : but either they
thought there was no danger during the
Winter,or they wanted Money fo much?that
no care was taken to fecure them.
In Germany , the Papifts did this Year
blow l]P the differences between the Luthe
rans aiid the ZmnglianS) with fo much Ar
tifice, that a Conference, which was appoin
ted For fetlifog matters of Religion, was
broken up, witfioiit any good^ffedl:: Only
It discovered a common practice of the Po-
J>ifh party, ki er^aging thofe that divided
from
of f&e Reformation, &c. 521
from them, into heats and animofities one
againft another , by which their ftrength Book III
was not only much weakned, but their Zeal, '*'*****'
inftead of turning againft the Common E- l 5 57*
nemy, turned upon one another. But yet
the many Experiments that have been made
of this, have not been able to infufe that
moderation and prudence in many of the
Reformed Churches, which might have been
expected. In France, the numbers of the Re
formed increafed fomuch,that2oo.aflembled
in St. Germain:, one of the Suburbs of Paris *
to receive the Communion. This was ob-
ferved by the People of the Neighbour
hood, and a Tumult was raifed : the Men
for mod efcaped, but 160. Women, and
ibme few Men were taken ; of thefe
fix Men and one Woman were burnt : and
moft horrid things were publifhed of that
Meeting •, and among other Calumnies, it
was faid, they facrificed and eat a Child,
All thefe were confuted in an Apology,
Printed for their Vindication : The Ger*
man Princes, and the Cantons interpofed fo
effectually, and their Alliance was then fo
neceffary to the Crown of France, t4iat a
Hop was put to further fe verities. The
Pooe complained much of that, and of feme
Edicts that the King had fet out, annulling
Marriages without confent of Parents, and
requiring Churchmen to refide at their Be
nefices, as Inyafions on the Spiritual Au
thority.
Y the
5 2 2 8b?iDgment of tfte tytftojp
fVjv^/o The beginning of the next Year was fa-
Book III jnous by the lofs of Calais. The Duke of
wv**-> Gvife fat down before it, on the i. of Ja*
1 * 5 °- nmry. The Garrifon confifted but of 500,
orficr* pi* MeD> fo that tW° F°rtS ab°Ut it? °f Which
ccs taken" the one commanded the Avenue to it by
by the Land, and the other commanded the Har-
frtncb, bour, were eafily taken : for the Lord Went*
worthy that was Governour, could not fpare
Men enough to defend them. The French
drew the Water out of the Ditches, and
made the Aflault, and carried the Caftle •,
which was thought Impregnable : After
that the Town could do little, fo it was
furrendred, and the Governour with 50.
Officers,were made Prifoners of War. Thus
was this Important place, which the Englijh
had kept 210. Years, loft in a Week, and
that in Winter. From this the Duke of
Guife went to befiege Grines, which had a
better Garrilon of uoo* Men, but they
were much diiheartned by the lofs of Ca
lais j they retired into the Caftle, and left
the Town to the French *, but yet they beat
them once out of it. The French, after a
long Battery, gave the Allault, and forced
them to Capitulate : The Souldiers, as at
Calais, had leave to go away, but the Offi
cers were made Prifoners of War, The
Garrifon that was in.Hantmcs, feeing them-
felves cut off from the Sea, and loft, aban
doned the Place before the French fummon-
ed them. The lofs of Calais raifed great
complaints againft the Council, and theyv
to
of t$e Eefo?matt'on, &c. 323
to excufe themfelves, caft the blame on the ^>A«
Lord Wentmnh , and ordered a Citation, to Book III
be made of him, when he was a Pnfoner
with the French : his Defence was not fit to l 5
be heard , other wife it had been eaiie for
the Council to have brought him over. He.
had not above the fourth part of that num
ber, that was neceflary to defend the place,
and in time of War had no more, than
were ufually kept there in times of Peace j
of this, both he, and Sir Edward Grimfton^
that was Controuler, gave full and timely
advertifements, but had not thofe Supplies
lent them that were neceflary. They both
came over in Queen Elizdettfs time, and
offered themfeives to Trial, and were ac
quitted. Grimfton was unwilling to pay
the great Ranfom that was fet on him ; fo
after two years Imprifonment, he made his
efcape out of the Bo/tile, & came to England^
and lived till the 98. year of his Age. He
was Greatgrandfather to Sir Harbottle
Grimfton, the Author's Noble Patron and
Benefactor. The French after this took
Sark, a little Ifland in the Channel ; but it
was ingeniouily retaken by a Fleming^ who
pretended that he defired to bury a Friend
of his,that had died aboard his (hip,in that I-
fland : the French were very careful to fearch
the Men that came afliore, that they (hould
have no Arms about them-, but did npc
think of looking into the Coffin, which
was full of Arms, and when they thought
the Seamen were burying their dead Friend,;
they armed themfeives ,, and took all the*
Y 2 French f
3 24 augment of
French, that were in the Cattle. The Inge-
Book III nioufnefs0rather than the Importance of this,
txVVJ makes it worth the mentioning.
1558.
Great dif- The ^content tnat tne lo^*s ofCaUis gave
contents to the £»£/*/&, was fucb,that the Queen could
. not hope ever to overcome it : and it funk fo
deep in her mind, that it haftned her death
not a little- Both fides took upon them to
draw Arguments from this lofs : The Refor
mers faid,it was a Judgment on the Nation,
for the contempt of the true Religion, and
the Ciuelties that had been of late prafti-
fed : The Papifts faid, the Hereticks had
found fuch flicker and connivence there,that
DO wonder the place was loft. Philip fent
over, and offered his affiftance to go, and
retake the place, before the Fortifications
fhould be repaired, if the Englifh would
fend over a Force equal to fuch an underta
king : but they upon an Eftimate made of
theExpence,that this,and aWarfor the next
• Year would put them to , found it would
rife to 520000 /. Sterling : and as the Trea-
fure was exhaufted, and could not furnifh
fuch a Sum, fo they had no reafon to exped
fuch liberal Supplies from the People. The
Bifhops were afraid left the continuance of
the War fhould make it necefTary to pro
ceed more gently againft Hereticks,- and
thought it better to fit down with the lofs
of Calais i than hazard that : they feemed
confident that within a Year, they fhould
be able to clear the Kingdom of Herefie :
and therefore moved that preparations
might
of t(je Reformation, &c. 325
might be made for a War to begin the Year
after this. BookUI
The Parliament aflembled •, for which the
Abbot of Weftminftcry and the Prior of St. ^hc Parli-
John of Jentfalem had their Writs, and fat ament
in it. The Lords delired a Conference meets.
with the Commons, concerning the fafety
of the Nation, and upon that a Subfidy, a
Tenth, and a Fifteenth were given by the
Laity, and the Clergy gave eight (hillings
in the Pound, to be payed in four Years.
The Abbot of Weftminfter moved, that the
Priviledges of Sanctuary might be again re-
ilored to his Houfe ^ but that was laid afide.
The procurers of wilful Murder were de
nied the benefit of the Clergy : but great
oppofition was made to it in the Houfe of
Lords. A Bill was brought in, confirming
the Letters Patents, which the Queen had
granted, or might grant. This related to
the Foundations of Religious Houfes, but
one Coxley oppofed this *, and infinuated,
that perhaps the Queen intended to difpofe
of the Crown, in prejudice of the right
Heir : at which the Houfe expreffed fo great
a diflike, as (hewed, they would not have
it fo much, as imagined, that Lady Eliza
beth could be excluded. He had a publick
reprimend given him for infinuating a thing
fo much to the Queen's difhonour.
A Propofition of Marriage, was at this The carri-
time privately made by the King of Sweden^ a£c am*
to Lady Elizabeth \ but (he rejected it, be- ™f ^
caufe it was not fent to her by the Queen : .^ an
Y 3 though this Reign,
.-
5 26 5H)|tDgment of t$e ttffloip
?VA-^ though the Mefienger declared that his Ma»
Book III fter, as he was a Gentleman, began at her,
*s**^-- and as he was a King, he had ordered him to
,1558. propofe it next to the Queen. Bun fhe af-
Jured him, that if the Queen would leave
her to her felf, fhe would not change her
ftate of life. When the Q^een knew of this,
fhe approved much of her Sifter's anfwer,
and fent one to her to try her mind in it ?
for now the Propofition was made to her :
but flie exprefTed her diflike of a married
ftate fo firmly, that this motion fell to the
ground. It feems her averfion was very
great, otherwife the condition (he was then
in, was neither foeafie, nor fo fecure, but
that Hie had reafon to defire to be out of
her |Cecper*s hands •, and to apprehend that
her clanger encreafed, as the Queen's health
was impaired : for many of the Bifhops
were offering Cruel counfels againft Her.
.She had been firft fent for upon the break0
ing out of mat's Confpiracy : and though
fhe lay theri (ick in Bed, fhe was forc'd to
come to Court : There fhe was at firft con
fined to her Lodgings, and was afterwards
carried to the Tower, and led into It by the
TraytoSs Gate, and was ftrictly guarded:
Her Servants were put from her, and none
had accefs to her, but thofe that were Spies
upon her : nor was fhe fuffered to walk on
the Leads^ or have the ordinary comforts
frf Air. Some were put to the Rack to
Uraw Confefliojis from them, but none ac-
cufed her, except Wiat^ and he retracted
what he had laid in hopes of a Pardon,
when
of t(je Refo|matfon,&:c*
when he was upon the Scaffold. When it
appeared that nothing could be made out
againft her, ihc was fent down to Woodftod^
and was kept under ftrift Guards, and very- ! 5 S
roughly ufed by Sir Henry Benefield. But
King Philip fo far mollified the Queen to
wards her, that he prevailed with her to
bring her to Court •, and to admit her to her
Prefence. Gardiner •, and many others dealt
much with her, to confefs her offences, and
ask the Queen's pardon: bat me always
ftood upon her Innocence, and faid ihe had
never offended her, not fo much as in her
thoughts. When Ihe was brought to the
Queen, fhe renewed the fame procurations
to her, and begged that fhe would enter
tain a good opinion of her. The Queen,
though fhe prefled her much to acknowledg
ibme fanltinefs, yet feemed to be fatisfied
with what fhe faid ; and parted with her in
good terms : of which King Philip had fome
apprehenfions, for he had conveyed himfelf
fecretiy into a corner of the Room, that he
might prevent a further breach, in cafe the
Queen fhculd fall into heats with her. Afcer
this her Guards were (jifcharged, and me
feemed to be at liberty : but fhe had fo many
Spies about her, that to avoid ail fufpicion,
fhe medied in no fort of bufmefs :, but gave
her felf wholly to ftudy : Thus was fhe Im-
ployed for five years, during which time,
fhe was under continual apprehenfions of
Death, which was perhaps a neceffary pre
paration for that long courfe of Profperity
and Glory, with which fne was afterwards
bleft. Y 4 During
More bur^
sings. '
flfyftgmeht of t&e $t(to?p
During the fitting of Parliaments,the Bi-
fhops did always intermit their Cruelties,
but as foon as they were over, they returned
tO t*iem- Cutkbert Simffon, one in Deacons
Orders, had been taken at the Meeting in
Islington, and was rackt with extream feve-
rity, to make him confefs all the Friends they
had in London : but nothing was drawn from
him ^ fb in March^ he and two others were
burnt in Smitkfield. In Ayril one was burnt
at Hereford, and in May, three were burnt.
at filchefter : Several Books were Printed
beyond Sea, and fecretly conveyed into En
gland: upon which a Proclamation of a very
ftrange nature was fet out*, 'That if any
* received any of thefe Books, and did not
* prefently burn them, without either read-
'ing them, or (hewing them to any Perfon,
£ they were to be Executed immediately by
* Martial Law. Seven were burnt in Smith-
field in the end of May •, and another Procla
mation was at that time made in the Queens
name, againft all that mould fpeak to them,
or pray for them : but no Authority could
reftrain thofe prayers, which devout minds
offered up fecretly to God. Six were burnt
at Brainfordjn July : a Minifter was burnt at
was burnt near Winchefter: At St. Edmondf-
bury, four were burnt in AHgufa and three
more in November : at the fame time, a Man
and a Woman were burnt at Ipfwick : a Wo-
man was alfo burnt at Exeter ? and on the
loth, of November.) three Men and two Wo
men were burnt at Canterbury ; in $11 XXXIX.
tkii
of t&e 13Ufo?mation, &c. 329
this Year. All that were burnt during this csA-'i
Reign, as far as I could gather the number, Book III
were 284. though Grindall , that lived in ^^^V
that time , writes, that in two Years 800. * 5 S °-
were burnt : many more were imprifoned,
60. died in Prifon » others, after much cruel
ufage,5owwr himfelf often difciplining them
with Whips and Tortures, were prevailed
on to abjure -, but carried in their minds a
deep averfion to that Cruelty which had
tempted them to fuch Apoftafie, At firft
pardons were offered at the Stake, to tempt
the Martyrs to the laft moment of their life-,
but afterwards thePriefts Cruelty,as it conti
nued to the laft Week of the Queens life,fo it
encreafed to that degree, that Bembridgey
who was burnt near Winchtfterjn Anguftjxy-
ing out, when he felt theViolence of the fire,
that he recanted-, the Sheriff made his People
put out the Fire, and hoped, that fince the
Clergy pretended, that they defired the
Converfion, and not the deftruftion of the
Hereticks , this aft of Mercy would not
difpleafe them : but the Council writ to
him, ordering him to go on and execute
the Sentence, and tp take care that he
fhould dye a good Catholick-, for it was
faid, if he recanted fmcerely, he was fit to
dye -, and if he did it not fmcerely, he was
not fit to live : and when this was done,
the Sheriff was put in the Fleet for his Pre-
fumption.
This Year the Lord Clinton was fent with ill fuccefsa
a Fleet of 120. Ships, and 7000. Landsmen & grange
in it, againft Frwct , he made but one def- accidcl
cent,
5 jo atyfDgment of t&e
cent, and loft 600. Men in it-, fo after an
III inglorious and expenceful Voyage , he re-
turned back. The Englijh had loft their
Hearts, and began to think that Heaven
was againft them : Extraordinary accidents
encreafed thofe Apprehenfions : Thunder
broke violently in Nottingham ", the Trent
fwell'd exceflively, and did much mifchief.
Hail-ftones of a huge bignefs fell in fome
places. Intermitting Fevers were fo llni-
verfal and Contagious, that they raged like
a Plague, fo that in many Places there were
not People enough to reap the Harveft:
all which tended to encreafe the averfion to
the Government, and that difpofed the
Queen to hearken to overtures of Peace.
This was projected between the Bifhop of
j4rrM) and ''iC Cardinal of Lorrain, who
were the chief Favourites to the two Kings,
and were both much fee on extirpating He-
refie, which could not be done, during the
continuance of the War \ the Cardinal of
Lorraln was more earneft in it, becaufe the
Conftable, who was the Head of the Fadi-
on, againft the Houfe of Guife^ was fufpeft-
ed to favour it, and his three Nephews, the*
Col*gny\ were known to encline to it : Thte
King of France had alfo loft another Battel,
this Year, at Gravelin, which made him de-
fire a Peace : for he thought the driving the
Englifli out of France, did compenfate both
that, and his lo(s at St. Quintiv : So both
thole Princes reckoned they had fuch advan
tages, that they might make Peace with
honour : and they being thus difpofed to
af tfceRefojmatum, &e.
it,a Treaty was opened at Cambray. Phitif,
in his own difpofition, was much inclined Book III
to extirpate Herefie, and the Brothers of v<x"v"^'
Gttife pofleffed the King of France with lSS8l
the fame Maximes : which feemed more
neceflary, becaufe Herefie had then fpread
fo much in that Court, that both the King
and Queen of Navarre declared themfehres
for the Reformation : and great numbers
in the Publick Walks about Paris, ufed to
aiTemblc at Nights, and fing D^t/i/s Pfalms
in Verfc. The King of Navarre was the
firft Prince of the Blood, and fo was in
great confideration for his rank, but was
a weak Man : His Queen was the won
der of her Age, both for great Parts,
Eminent Vertues, and a molt Extraordi
nary fcnfe of Religion. There was an
Edict fet out, forbiding this Pfalmody,
but the dignity of theie crowned Heads,
and the Numbers of thofe that were en
gaged in it, made it fcem not advifable
to punilh any for it, at leaft, till a gene
ral Peace had been firft made.
In Apil was the Dauphin married to The z><r*.
th? Queen of Scotland^ which was honou- £*"« and
red by an Epithalamium, writ by Bucko- 5^^
nan , reckoned to be one of the rareft married.
Pieces of Latins Poetry. The Deputies
fent from Scotland, were defired to offer
the Dauphin the Crown of Scotland, in
the Right of his Wife : But they faid,
that exceeded the bounds of their Com*
miflion, fo they only promifed to repre-
fent
StojfDsmentof t&e gnflo??
fent the matter to the States of Scotland:
Book III but could not conceal the averffon they
C^V?° had to it. Soon after Four of the Seven,
.1 550. t^ were fent OYCr5 died, and the Fifth
efcaped narrowly. It was generally fufpe-
fted, that they were poifoned : when the
reft returned to Scotland, an Aflembly of
the States was called, in which it was a-
greed to allow the Daufhin the Title of
King, but with tkis Provilb, that he fhould
have no power over them, and that it
was only a bare Title, which they offer
ed him. This was appointed to be car-
ried to him , by the Earl of Argilc , and
the Prior of St. Andrews , who had been
the chief Sticklers for the French Intereft,
in hopes of the Queen Regents Protedti-
on , againft the rage of the Bifhops, in
matters of Religion.
A Parlia- In England, a Parliament was called, the
ment in 5*^7, of November : the Queen being ill, tent
r*eUnd. for the Speaker of the Houfe of Commons,
and laid before -him the ill condition of
the Nation •, and the neceffity of putting
it in a pofture of defence : But the Com
mons were fo ill fatisfied with the Con-
dudt of affairs, that they could come to
nb refolution • fo on the 14^. of that
Month, twelve of the chief Lords of both
Eftates, came down to the Houfe of Com
mons , and defired them to grant a Sub-
iidy to defend the Nation, both againft
the French and Scots : but the Commons
came to no conclufion, till the Queen's
death,
of t&e Reformation, &c. 3 j ?
death, on the lyth. put an end to the
Parliament. Book III
Her falfe Conception, and the Melan-
choly that followed it, which received a M S
furcharge from the lofs of CW**f, brought
her into an ill habit of body, and that
turned to a Dropfie, which put an end to
her unhappy Reign, in the forty-third year
of her Age, after (he had reigned five
Years, four Months, and eleven Days.
Sixteen hours after, her Cardinal Pool di
ed, in the fifty ninth year of his Age.
He left Prink a Noble Venetian, that had
lived twenty fix years in an entire friend-
fhip with him, his Executor : but as Pool
had not ftudied to heap up much Wealth,
fo Priulii who had refufed a Cardinal's
Hat, rather than be obliged thereby to
lofe his Company, gave it all away, and
referved nothing to himfelf, but his Bre
viary and Diary.
Pool was a learned, humble, prudent P0ol,s
and moderate Man : and had certainly the Death and
bed notions of any of his Party, then in Charaaer.
England*, but he was almoft alone in them •,
fo that the Queen, whofe temper and prin
ciples were fierce and fevere, preferred the
bloody Counfels of Gardiner and Bonner,
to the wifer and better methods which he
propofed. And though his fuperftition for
thfe See of Rome, continued (till with him,
yet his Eyes were opened in many things :
his being Legate at Trent* and his retire
ment at Wterboy had both enlightned and
compofed his mind •, and that joyned to
the
3 ?4 augment of
fVA-/? the Probity and fweetnefs of his Temper
Book III produced great effects in him : his Cha-
rader o* ferves the more to be enlarged
S 5 *• on, becaufe there were no others of the
Clergy, at that time, concerning whom
even a partial Hiftorian can find much
good to relate i for their temporifing and
diffimulation, in the changes that were
made, and their Cruelty, when power
was put in their hands, were fo fcanda-.
lous, that it is fcarce poffible to write of
them, with that foftnefs of ftile, that be
comes an Hiftorian.
The Tne Qpeen .had been bred to fome
Queens more than ordinary knowledge : A fro-
Charafter. ward iort of Vertue, and a Melancholy
Piety, are the beft things that can be faid
of her : (he left the Condud of Affairs
wholly in the hands of her Council, and
gave her felf up to follow all the didates
and humours of the Clergy : and though
fhe efteemed Pool beyond them all, yet The
imputed the moderatenefs of his Counfels,
rattier to his Temper, than to his Judg
ment : and perhaps thought that the Pope?
who prefTed all Princes to fet up Courts
of Inquifition, for extirpating of Herefie,
was more likely to be Infallible than the.
Cardinal : and as Princes were required
by the fourth Council in the Lateran, to
extirpate Hereticks, under the pain of
forfeiting their Dominions :, fo the Pop*?
had fct out a Decree this Year, by the
advice of all his Cardinals, confirming ail
Canons'
of tlj e Eefo?mattat? &c. 3 j $
Canons againft Hereticks, declaring that
firch Princes, as fell into Herefie, did there-
by forfeit all their Rights, without , any
fpe cial fentence, and that any that could,
might feize on their Dominions. The
Bifhops had alfo this to fay for their Se
venties, that by the Oath which they took
at their Confecrations , they were bound
to perfectite fferetich with aft their might :
fo that the Principles of that Religion,
working on fowre and revengeful tempers,
it was no wonder that Cruel Councils
were more acceptable than moderate ones.
BOOK
Book IV
BOOK IV.
fl-fi V'- ;.. " & v-
OF THE /; 1
SETTLEMENT
OF TH;E
In the beginning of
U. ELIZABETH'S Reign;
|HE Morning after Q^een .
died,the Lord Chancellor went
to the Houfe of Lords, and
communicated to them the
News of Her death, and then
fent for the Commons, and declared it to
them : and added, that the Crown was nov?
devolved on their prefent Qgeen &z*ML
Z whoft
3 3 8 Segment of
f^A-/*Vwhofe Title they were refolved to proclaim :
Book IV This was Echoed with repeated Acclama-
^"V1^ tions, which were fo full of Joy, that it ap-
1 S 5 "• peared how weary the Nation was of the
Cruel and weak administration of affairs,
under the former Reign, and that they ho
ped for better times under the next. And
indeed the Proclaiming the new Queen,
both at Weftminfiery and in the City of Lon-
don^ was received with foch unufual tran-
fports of Joy, as gave the Melancholy
Priefts, juft caufe to fear a new Revolution
in matters of Religion ^ and though the
Queen's Death affected them with a very
fenfible forrow, yet the Joy in this change
was fo great, and fo Uhiverfal, that a fad
look was thought Criminal, and the Priefts
were glad to vent their griefs at their for-
laken Altars, which were now like to be
converted again to Communion Tables,
The Qutn The Qjjee.n came from Hatficldy where
came to (he had lived private, to London. The
Biftiops met Her at Higbgate^ Ihe received
them at! kindly, only fhe iookt on Banner
as defiled with fo much blood, that it feemed
indecent to treat him with the fweetnefs,
that always attends the beginnings of
Reigns : for common Civility to a Perfon
• fo polluted, might feern fome countenance
to his Crimes. She pad through London*
in the midft of all the Joys, that People,
delivered from the Terror of Fires and Sla
very, could exprefs : She quickly fhewed,
that flie was refolved to retain no Imjjref-
llons
<rf tbe Reformation, &c.
fions of the hardihips (he had met with
in her Sifter's time, and treated thofe that Bo°* JV
had ufed her worft, with great gemlenefs, -'^'(-&^
Bemepeld himfelf not excepted , only with * * 5 P-
a, fharpnefs of raillery > (he ufed to call him
fter Jay lor. She gave notice of her comings
to the Crown to all foreign Princes, and
writ particular acknowledgments <o K ng
Philip, for the good offices he h; d done her.
Among the reft, (he writ to Sir EdwwJ,
Karn, that was her Sifters Ambafladour at
Rome. . But the Pope in his ufual ftile told
him, that Sngland was a Fee of the Papacy,
and that it was a high Preemption in her,
to take the Crown without bis conknt,
efpecialiy (he. being illegitimate : but he
laid., if fhe would renounce her Pretenfi-
ohs, and refer her felf wholly to him, flic
might expeft from him all the favour, that
could confift with the dignity of the Apo-
ftolick See. The Qaeen hearing this, rc«
called Kara's power -, but he being a zea
lous Papift, continued ftill at Rome.
Philip propofed Marriage to the Queen, WHb pro-
nnd undertook to procure a Diipe.nfation ofes ar*
for it, from Rome : , But the Queen, as (he
continued all her life averfe to that ftate but in
of life , fo (he knew how unacceptable a vain,
ftranger, and particularly a Spaniard^ would
be to her People : She did not much value
the Pope's Difpenfation, and if two Sifters,
might marry the fame Perfon, then two
Brothers might like wife m#rry .the fame.
Woman: which would have over thro wa>
Z * 90'
of
all the Arguments for her Father's Divorce
Book IV with Queen Catherine ^ upon which the Va-
f*V*J lidity of her Mothers Marriage, and her le-
J 5 5 8- gitimation did depend. Yet though (he
. firmly refolved not to marry King Philip,
fhe thought, that during the Treaty at
Cambray, it was not fit to put him quite
out of hopes : fo he fcnt to Rome for a Dif-
penfation, but the French lent to oppofe it,
and let up a Pretenfion for the young Queen
'of Scotland, as the righteous Heir to the
Crown of
TheCoun- The Queen continued to imploy moil of
fcls about her Sifters Privy- Councellonrs, and they had
changing turned fo often before, in matters of Reli-
Religion. gjOD5 that jt was not \\fe\y they would Be
Intraftable in that point : but to thefe flic
added divers others •, the tnoft Eminent of
whom, were Sir Will. Cecyl^ and Sir Nicolas
Bacon, She ordered all, that were Impri-
foned on the account of Religion, to be fet
at liberty : upon^ which one, that ufed to
talk pleafantly, told her, the four Evange-
lifts continued (till Prifoners, and that the
People longed much to fee them at liberty:
She anfwered , (he would talk with them-
felves, and know their own mind. Some
propofed the annulling all Queen Mary's-
Parliaments, becaufe force was ufed in the
firft, and the Writs for another were not
lawful, fince the Title of Supream Head was
left out in the Summons, before it was ta
ken away by Law : but it was thought a
Precedent of dangerous Confequence, to an
nul
of tt)e Reformation, &c. ? 4 «
nul Parliaments upon Errors in Writs, or
particular diforders. The Queen defired,
that all the changes that fhould be made,
might be fo managed, as to breed as little
divifion among her People, as was poifible:
She did not like the Title of Supream Head*
as importing too great an Authority. She
loved Magnificence in Religion, as me af
fected it in all other things ; this made her
incline to keep Images ft ill in Churches:
and that the Popiih party might be offended
as little as was poffible,flie intended to have
the manner of Chriil's Pretence in the Sa-
crament defined in general terms , that
might comprehend all fides. A Scheme
was formed of the Method, in which it
was moft advifable for the Queen to pro
ceed, and put in Cccyfs hands.
clt was thought nece(T«ry to do nothing A
ctill a Parliament were called: The Queen propofed
* had reafon to look for all the mifchief that
c the Pope could do her, who would fet on
c the French^ and by their means, the Scots,
1 and perhaps the lri(h* againil her. The
4 Clergy, and tliofe that were imployed in
' Queen Mary's time, would oppcfe it •, and
c do what they could to inflame the Nation :
' and the greater part of the People loved
1 the Pomp of the old Ceremonies. It was
4 therefore propofed, that the Qneen fiiould
c on any terms make Peace with France ;
' and encourage the Party in Scotland^ that
'defired a Reformation. The Clergy were
' generally hated for their Cruelty, and it
Z * : 'would
?4* f tyiDgment of tfce ^iflo^
IV'-i,.-""' c would be eafie to bring them within the
Book [V < Statute of Pramunire : Care was alfo to be
IV^VA_ l taken to expofe the former Councellours,
1 5 5 8- 'for the ill conduct of affairs in Qj. Mary*
'time, and fo to leflen their credit. It was
•alfb propofed to look well to the Corn-
'mifllons^both for the Peace and th$ Militia,
'and to the Univerfities, Some Learned
f Men were to be Ordered, to confider what
* alterations were fit to be made, and by
* what fteps they (hould proceed. It was
thought fit to begin with the Communion
in both kinds.
Thelmpa- Now did the Exiles, that had fled beyond
titncc of Sea, return again •, and fome zealous People
>mc. began, in many places, to break Images,
and fet up King Edward's Service again.
Upon this the Queen ordered, that the Li
tany, and other parts of the Service ihon Id
be fa id in '-Englifo) and that no Elevation
fhculd be ufed in the Mafs : but required
her Subjects by Proclamation, to avoid all
Innovations^ and ufe no other forms, but
thofe that (lie kept np in her Chappel, rill
it fliould be otherwife appointed in Parlia
ment. She ordered her Sifter's Funeral to
be performed with the ordinary Magnifi
cence : M'^Ve,Bi(hop of Winckcfterjhzt Prea
ched the Sermon, not only extolled her Go
vernment much,but made fevere Reflections
on the prefent (late of affairs *7 for which he
was confined to his Houie for feme time.
V •••»•/;;•; :.^ «'{•""- "^.iiCv./i.-.-U ,• ^li\^
Many Sees were now vacant : So one
of the firft things that came under Con-
c f 'J'-rt'-y^ fultation,
of t&e Reformation AC* 343
fultation, was the finding out fie Men for
them. Dr. Parker was pitched on, as the Book IV
fitted for the See of Canterbury : He had ' "*v£^
been Chaplain to Anns Beleyn^ and had been * * * °"
imployed in inftrudting the Queen, in the fuj£j' jj,1^"
Points of Religion, when fhe was young: See of c*&
He was well known to Sir Nicola* Bacon juA ttrbwy
both he and Gwy/-gave fo high 'a Charader lonS- ? f
of him, that it meeting with the^a^'s par
ticular efteem, made them refolve on advan
cing him : but as foon as he knew it,he ufed all
the Arguments he poilibly could againft it,
both from the weaknels of his Body, and
his urifitnefs for fo great a charge. He de-
fired that he might be put in fome fmall Be-
nefice of 20 Nobles a Year •, So far was he
from afpirings to great Wealth, or high
Dignities : and as franmer had done before
him, he continued for many Months fo a-
verfe to it, that it was very hard to over
come him. Such Promotions are generally,
if not greedily fought afcer, yet at kalb
willingly enough undertaken : but this look-
ed liker the practifes in Ancient than Modern
times. In the beft Ages of the Church,inftead
of that AmbitusT which has given fuch fcan-
dal to the World in later times, it was
ordinary for Men to ftye from the offer of
great Preferments, and to retire to a Wil-
dernefs, or a Monaftery, rather than un
dertake a charge, which they thought above
their Merit or Capacity to difcharge. And
this will ftill fhew it felf in all fuch as have a
juft fenfe of the Paftoral care, and confider
the difcharging that, more than the raifmg
Z 4 or
? 44 fltyftgment of tfce Jjnao#
fVA-X^ or enriching themfelves or their Families.
Book IV And it was thought no fmall honour to the
T*V Reformation, that the two chief Inftru-
1 5 5'°* ments that promoted it , Cranmer and Par
ker, gave ftich evidences of a Primitive Spi
rit, in being fo unwillingly advanced.
5 5 were ta^en ^rom &**&•> and
put in Btcorf* hands, who was declared
nwdeLord Lord Keeper, and had all the Dignity and
Xeqer. Authority of the Chancellors Office with-
out the Title, which was perhaps an effeft
of his great Modefty,- that adorned his
other great qualities. As he was Eminent
in himfelf, fo he was happy in being Father
to the Great Sir Francis Bacon, one of the
chief Glories of the Englijh Nation.
The Queen On the i $th. of January, the Queen was
Is Crown- Crowned: When (he entred into her Cha-
* :?• riot at the Tower, (he offered up an humble
acknowledgment to God, for delivering her
out of that Lions Den, and preferring her
to that Joyful Day. She patted through
'London in great Triumph, and received all
the cxprefllons of Joy from her People,
with fo much fweetnefs, as gained as much
on their Hearts, as her Sifters fowrnefs had
alienated them from her. Under one of
the Triumphal Arches, a Child came down,
as from Heaven, reprefenting Truth with a
Bible in his hand, which (he received on her
Knees, and kifled it, and faid, (he prefer
red that above all the other Prefents that
Were that Day made her : She was Crown
ed
of tlje Ecfojmatt'ott, &c. 545
cd by Oglethorp, Bifliop of Carh/le, for all rvA/\
the other Bilhops refufed to affift at it •, and Book IV
he only could be prevailed on to do it. They ^W*
perceived that (he intended to make changes ' 5 5 9«
in Religion, and though many of them had
changed often before, yet they refolved now
.to (tick firmer, to that which they had fo
lately profefled, and for which they had
ihed fo much Blood.
The Parliament was opened on the 25^. A
of January •, Bacon made € long Speech, mem is
both concerning matters of Religion, and callcd'
the State of the Nation. He defired they
would examine the former Religion,without
heat or partial affe&ion } and that all re
proaches might be forborn, and extreams
Avoided : and that things might be fo fet-
led, that all might agree in an Uniformity
in Divine Worfhip. He laid open the er-
rours of the former Reign , and aggrava
ted the lofs of Calais : but fhewed, that it
could not be eafily recovered. He made a
high Panegyrick of the Queen, but when he
fliewed the neceflities (lie was in, he faid,
(lie would defire no fupply, but what they
fhould freely and chearfully offer. The
Houfc of Commons began at a Debate,
Whether the want of the Title of Stream
Head in the enumeration of the Queen's
Titles, made a Nullity in the Writs, by
which this and fome former Parliaments
had been fummoned: but they concluded in
the Negative.
_,,
The
of
The Treaty at Cambrty ftuck chiefly at
ook IV the reftitution of Calais : and King Philip
^V*^ for a great while infifted fo pofitively on it,
• ' f * 9- that he refufed to make Peace on other
tt ctmbw. terms- ^**? had loft ic bV a War> in
' which they engaged on his account •, fo in
honour he was bound to fee to it. But when
the hopes of his marrying the Queen vani-
fhed, and when he faw fhe was going to
make changes in Religion, he grew more
carekfs of her Interefts, and told the Eng-
lijh AmbafTadoftrs , that unlefs they would
enter into a League for keeping up the War
fix Years longer, he muft fubmit to the ne^
ceffity of his affairs, and make Peace. So
the Queen liftned to Propofitions fent her
from France. She complained of the Quten
of Scotland's afluming the Title and Arms
of England: It was anfwered, that fince fhe
carried the Title and Arms of France^ fhe'
had no reafbn to quarrel much on that ac
count. She faw me could not make War
with France alone, and knew that Philip had
made a fcparated Peace. She had no mind
to begin her Reign with a War, that would
probably be unfuccefsful, or demand Subfi-
dies that would be fo grievous, as that
thereby fhe might lofe the affections of her
People. The lofs of Calais was no reproach
on her, but fell wholly on her Sifter's Me
mory : and fince fhe intended to make fome
changes in matters of Religion, it was ne-
cefTary to be at quiet with her Neighbours :
Upon this, fhe refolved to make Peace with
on the beft terms that could be ob
tained.
af tfce Eefoimatton, &c. 547
tained. It was agreed, that at the end of f\AX*
eight Years, Calais (hould either be reftored, Book IV
or 500000. Crowns fhould be payed the
Queen : yet if, during that time, fhe made
War, either on France, or Scotland, file was
to forfeit her right to Calat*. jiymoutb in
Scotland was to be rafed, and all differences
on the Borders there,were to be determined,
by fpme deputed on both fides •, this
being adjufted, a General Peace between
the Crowns of England, f ranee and Sf*i*
was concluded : and thus the Qiieen being
freed from the dangerous confultations,that
the continuance of a War might have in
volved her in, was the more at liberty to
fettle matters ac home.
The firft Bill, that was brought to try
the Temper of the Parliament, was for the
Reftitution of the Tenths and Firft-fruits
to the Crown • againft this, all the Bifhops
protefted, but that was all the opposition
made to it. By it, not only that Tax was
of new laid on the Clergy, but all the Im-
propriated Benefices, which Queen Mary
had fur rendred, were reltored to the Crown.
After this, the Commons made an Ad- The Com-
drefs to the Queen, defii ing her to choofe mons pray
fuch a Husband, as might make both her the
felf, and the Nation happy. She received to
this very kindly, (ince they had neither li
mited her to time, nor Nation : but decla
red, that as hitherto fhe had lived with
great fatisfadion inafinglc ftate, and had
refufed
refufed the Propofitions that had been made
Book IV her, both in her Brothers and Sifters reign,
tXYV fo (he had.no Inclination to change her
1 5 5 9* courfe of life. If ever fhe did it, fhe would
take carei that it fhould be for the good,
and to the fadsfaftion of her People. She
thought fhe was married to the Nation at
her Coronation, and looked on her People,
as her Children •, and fhe would be well
contented, if her Tombftone might tell
Pofterity, Here lies a Queen that rtigned fo
long , And lived and dyed a Virgin. There
was little more progrefs made in this mat
ter, fave, that a Committee was appointed
by both Houfes, to confider what mould be
the Authority of the Perfon, whom the
Queen might happen to marry •, but fhe
fent them a Meflage, to proceed to other
affairs, and let that alone.
Her Title A Bill for the Recognition of her Title
to the to the Crown was put in : It was not
Crown ac- thought neceflary to Repeal the Sentence
Know :dg- of her Mothers Divorce y for the Crown
purged all defeats : and it was thought need-
Icfs to look back unto a thing, which could
not be done, without at leaft cafting fome re
proach on her Father :, fo it was in genei
words Enaded, € That they did afluredly
* believe and declare, that by the Laws of
c God, and the Realm, (lie was their lawful
c Queen, and was rightly and lineally de-
c fcended. This was thought a much wifer
way, than if they examined the Sentence
of Divorce, that paft, upon the ConfeiBon
of
of t&e Eefoimatton, &c. 349
of a Precontract, which muft have revived
the remembrance of things that were better Book IV
left in filence. isw
M59-
Bills were put in for the Englifa Service, A£s con.
for reviving King EA&artf& Laws, and for ccrning
annexing the Supremacy again to the Religion.
Crown. To that, concerning the Supre
macy, two Temporal Lords, and nine Bi-
fhops, with the Abbot of Wsftminfter dif-
fented. It was propofed to revive the Law,
for making the Bifhops by Letters-Patents,
as was in King Edwards time, but they
choofed rather to revive the Ad for Elect
ing them, made in the 25. Hen. 8. They
revived all Ads made againft the Pope's
power, in King Henry's time, and repealed
thofe, made by Queen Mxry. They en-
aded an Oath, for acknowledging the
Queen Stream Governour in all caufes, and
over all Perfons : Thofe that refufed it, were
to forfeit all Offices that they held, either
in Church or State, and to be under a dif-
ability, during life. If any (hould advance
the authority of a Foreign Power •, for the
firft offence, they were to be fined, or im-
prifoned ^ for the fecond, to be in a Pra-
munire y and the third was made Treafon :
The Queen was alfo impowered to give
Commiffions, for Judging and Reforming
Ecclefiaftical matters ^ who were limited to
Judge nothing to be Herefie, but what had
been already fo judged by the authority of
the Scriptures , or the firft four General
Councils. All Points that were not deck*
ded,
j 50 flbjt&gment of
AXJ ded, either by exprefs words of Scripture,
Book IV or by thofe Councils, were to be referred
t^V^ to the Parliament and Convocation. The
£ S S 9* Title of SHprtam Head was changed, part
ly, becaufe the Queen had fome fcruples a-
bout it, and partly to moderate the oppo
fition, which the Popilh party might other-
wife make to it : and the refufing the Oath
was made no other way Penal, but that ail
Offices or Benefices were forfeited upon it,
which was a great mitigation of the feverity,
in King Henry's time. The Bifhops are laid
to have made feveral Speeches againft this,
in the Houfe of Lords : but that which
goes under the name ofHeatlfs Speech muft
be a fofgery ; for in it the Supremacy is
called a new and unheard of thing, which
could not have flowed from one that had
fworn it fo often, both under King
and King Edward. Tonftail came not to
this Parliament, and he was fo offended
with the Cruelties of the laft Reign, that
he had withdrawn himfelf into his Diocefsl:
where he burnt none himfelf,upon that it was
now thought* that he was fo much alienated
from thole Methods, that fome had great
hopes of his declaring for the Reformation.
Heath had been likewife very moderate* nor
were any burnt under him. Upon the po
wer given the Queen , to appoint fome to
Reform and direct all Ecdefiaftical matters,
was the Court, called the High Commiflion
Court) founded : which indeed was nothing,
but the fharing that authority , which was
m one Perfoa in King tlenrfs time, into
xriany'
of t&e Eefojmatfon, &c.
many hands ; for that Court had no other
authority, but that which was lodged for-
meriy in Cromwell, as the King's Vicegerent,
and was now thought too great to be trufted -
to one Man.
Great complaints were made of feditious Preaching
Sermons, preached by the Popifh Clergy : wjthout
upon which, the fyecn followed thePrece- £?£•?„
dent that her Sifter had made, and forbid all
Preaching, excepting only by fuch,as obtain
ed a Licence under the Great Seal for it :
She likewife fent an Order to the Convoca
tion, requiring them, under the pains of a
Pramunire, to make no Canons. Yet the
lower Houfc, in an Addrefs to the upper
Houfe, declared tor the Corporal Prefence^
and that the Mafs was a Propitiatory Sa«
crifice, and for the Supremacy, and that
matters of Religion fell only under the
Cogmfance of the Pallors of the Church.
The greateft part of both llniverfities had
alfo fet their hands to all thefe PointSjCXcept
the laft.
This,it feems,was the rather added by the A publick
Clerks of Convocation, to hinder a publick Confc-
Conference,which tteQween had appointed, fence *•
between the Bilhops and the Reformed Di-
vines. It was firft propofed to Heath, who
was ftill a Privy Councellour, and he, after
fome Conference about it, with his Bre
thren, accepted of it. Nine of a fide were
to difpute about three Points : Worfhip in
an Unknown Tongue, the power that eve
ry particular Church had to alter Rites and
Cere-
of
Ceremonies, and the Mafle's being a Propi-
Book IV tiatory Sacrifice, for the Dead and the Li-
tXVNI ving : All was to be given in in Writing :
1 5 5 9- The Bifhops were to begin in every Point,
and they were to interchange their Papers,
. and anfwer them. The laft of March was
the firft day of Conference, which held in
Weftmivfter Abby , in the prefence of the
Privy Council, and both Houfes of Parlia
ment. The Bifliop of Wtncheft-er pretended,
there had been fome miitake in the Order,
and that their Paper was not quite finifned :
but that Dr. Cote fhould deliver in difcourfe
what they had prepared, though it was not
yet in that order^that it could be Copied out.
The fecret of this was, The Bilhops had
refolved openly to Vindicate their Doctrine,
but not to give any Papers , or enter into
difpute with Hereticks, or fo far to1 acknow
ledge the Queen's Supremacy, as to engage
in Conferences, at her command. Cole was
obferved to read almoft all he faid, though
he affe<fted to be thought only to deliver a:
difcourfe fo, as if moft part of it had been
Extemporary.
Arga- The fubftance of it was, that though the
mems for Worfhip in a known Tongue had been ap-
gjagainft pointed in the Scriptures, yet the Church
Jhf vfor"n had power to change its as fhe changed the
unknown Sabbath,aiid had appointed theSacrament to
Tongue, be received fafhng, though it was Inflituted
after Supper : to eat blood was forbid,and a
Community of goods was fet up by theApoJ
files) yet it was in the power of theChurch to
altec
5 5 9»
alter thefe things •, he enlarged on the evil
of Schifm, and the neceflity of adhering to Book IV
Che Church of Rome. Vulgar Tongues chan-
ged daily,but theLatine was the fame,& was
fpread over many Countries. The People
might reap profit from Prayers, which they
underftood not, as well as abfent Pcrfons,
The Queen of Ethiopia's Eunuch read Ifaiah,
though he underftood him not *, and Philip
was lent to explain that Prophecy to him.
Horn, when this was ended, read the Pa
per drawn by the Reformers •, he began ic
with a Prayer, and a Proteftation of their
fincerity. They founded their AfTertion oii
Saint Paul's Epiftle to the Corinthians 7 in,
which he enjoyned them to pray with un-
derftanding, that fo the Unlearned might
fay, ^w^and that nothing fhould be fpoken,,
that might give an uncertain found, but
that all things fhould be done to edificati
on ; and though the fpeaking with ftrange
Tongues , was then an extraordinary gift
of the Holy Ghoft, yet he forbids the ufing
it, where there was not an Interpreter.
Things fo exprefly enjoyned could not be
indifferent, or fall under the power of they
Church. The Jews had their Worftiip ia
the Vulgar Tongue, fo had alfo the moft
barbarous Nations,when converted to Chn-
ftianity* The natural ufe of Speech was,
that every thing which was faid, might be
underftood : Quotations were brought, to
fhew that Pfalms were daily fung in tHe
Vulgar Tongue among all Nations. -
A a When
3 <54 gObit&sment of t&e fetflojp
fVA^X1) When they ended their Paper, it was re-
Book IV ceived with a fhout of applaufe , and was
V^V^ put in the Lord Keeper's hands, figned by
J 5 5 9- them all. But the Bilhops refuted to deli
ver theirs* The next day was appointed
for confidering the fecond Point, but the
Bilhops refolved to go no further in the
Conference •, for they faw by the applaufe
of the People, that the Audience was more
favourable to the other fide : fo the next
day of Meeting, they offered an anfwer to
the Paper given in the former day by the
Reformers. The Lord Keeper told them,
that according to the Order laid down, they
were firft to go through the three Points,
before they might be fuffered to reply : but
they faid, Cole had the former day only gi
ven his own fenfe in an Extemporary dit
courfe. Their foul dealing in this was con
demned by the whole Audience, fo the Lord
Keeper required them to go to the fecond
Point : but they refufed to begin, and mo
ved that the other fide fliould be made to
begin ^ and though the Lord Keeper {hewed
them, that this was contrary to the Order
agreed on before-hand, yet they continued
all rcfolute, and would not proceed any fur
ther } FerktiAm only exccpted : but he faid,
he could do nothing alone, lince the reft
would not joyn with him. The Bilhops of
Winchefter and Lincoln faid, the Faith of the
Church ought not to be examined, except
in a Synod of Divines : and it gave too
great an encouragement to Hereticks, to
difpute with them ; and that both the Qgc
and
v of t&eftefojmatton, &c.
and her Council defer ved to be excpmmuni
cated, for fuffering them to argue againft Book IV
the Catholick Faith, before an llnleanied ^"v^
Multitude. Upon this, they were fent to *$ 5
the Tower, and the Conference broke up :
but the Reformers thought the advantage
was much on their fide,and that things were
now carried much more fairly,than had been
in thofe Conferences and Difputes,that were
in the beginning of the former Reign. The
Papifts, on the other hand, faid, it was vi-
fjble the Audience was prepoflefled,and that
the Conference was appointed only to make
way for the changes, that the Parliament
was then about, with the Pomp of a Vido-
ry,and therefore as they blamed the Bifhops,
for undertaking it, fb they juftified them for
breaking it off
The Book of Common-Prayer was now
revifed , the molt confiderable alteration //^Service
was, that the exprefs Declaration, which is
was made in the fecond Book, fet out by fec
King £^ivW,againft the Corporal Prefence,
was left out, that fo none might be driven
out of the Communion of the Church,upon
that account. The matter was left unde
termined, as a fpeculnthre Point, in which/
People were left at liberty. The Book of.
Ordination was not fpeciaiiy mentioned in
the Act, which gave occafion to Banner af
terwards, to queftion the Legality of. Ordl-
nations made by it. But it had been made
a part of the Common-Prayer«Book in the
fffc. year of King Edward \ and the whole,
A a i Bool4
Book, then fet out, was now confirmed :
Book [V fo that by a fpecial Aft made fome yea^s
W> after this, it was declared, that that Office
1 5 5 9' was underftood to be a part of it.
Speeches Whcn the Bil1 for the ^n£^ Service
made a* was Put in to t^ie Houfe of Lords, Heath,
gainft it and Scot Bifhop of Ckefter and Ferkyam^
by fomc made long Speeches againft it, grounded
Bifhops. chiefly on the Authority of the Church, the
Antiquity of the eftablifhed Religion, and
Novelty of the other ; which was changed e-
very day,as appeared in KingjE^^r^'s time.
They faid, the confent of the Catholick
Church, and the perpetual fucceflion in St.
Peter's Chair, ought to have more autho
rity, than a few Preachers rifen up of late.
They alfo enlarged much againft the Sacri-
ledge, the robbing of Churches, and the
breaking of Images, that had been commit
ted by the Reformers, and thofe that fa
voured them. What was faid in oppofi-
fion to this in the Houfe of Lords, is not
known, but a great deal of it may be ga
thered from the Paper which the Reformed
Divines drew upon the fecond Point, about
which they were appointed to difpute, of
the power that every Church had to Re
form it felf. This they founded on the E-
piflles of St Paul to the particular Churches,
and St. Jfe's to the Angels of the feven
Churches. In the firft three Ages there
were no General Councils, but every Bifhop
in his Diocefs, or fuch few Bifhops as could
AfTemble together, condemned Herefies, or
deter-
of t&e Reformation, &c. 3 5?
determined matters that were contefted •,
fo did alfo the Orthodox Bifhops, after An-
anifm had fo overspread the World, that
even the See of Rome was defiled with it.
And abufes were condemned in many places
without flaying for a general concurrence :
though that was then more poflible, when
all was under one Emperour, than it was
at prelent. Even in Queen Alarfs time,
many fuperftitions,asPilgrimages,& the wor-
fhippingof Reliques were laid afide. There
fore they concluded,that theQueen might by
her own authority, reform even the Clergy,
as Hezckiah and Jofa had done under the
old Law.* When the Aft paft in the Hoiafe
of Lords, eight Spiritual Lords, and nine
Temporal Lords, protefted againft if, a-
rnong whom was the Marquefs of Winche*
fter. Lord Treafurer. Another Ad pad
with more oppofition, that the Queen might
referve fome Lands belonging to Bifhopricks
to her felf, as they fell void, giving in lieu
of them improprietated Tithes to the value
of them : but this was much oppofcd in
the Houfe of Commons, who apprehended,
that under this pretence, there might new
fpoils be made of Church-lands,fo that upon
a Divifion of the Houfe 90. were againft it,
but 133. were for it, and fo it was paft.
Ail Religious Houfes founded by the late
Queen , were fuppreft and united to the
Crown. The deprivation of the Popiih
Bilhops in King Edward's time was decla
red valid in Law, by which all the Leafes
which had been made by thofe that were
A a 3 put
StolfoStwnt of t&e ${ floip
put in their Sees, were good in Law : A
Book IV Subfidy,artd two Tenths,and two Fifteenths,
with the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage,
' were given, and Jo the Parliament was dif-
folved, on the 9th. of
Some Bills were propofed, but not paft;
one was for reftoring the Bifhops deprived
by Queen May, who were Barlow, Scory and
Cowrdale : but the firft of thefe had been
made to refign, and the laft being extream
old, refolved to follow Lrtirncr's example^
and not return to his See. So it was not
thought worth the while to make an Adi for
Scory alone. Another Bill, that was laid
afide, was, for reftoring all Churchmen to
their Benefices, that had been turned Out,
becaufe they were married : but it feems, it
was not thought decent enough to begin
with fuch an Adi:. Another Bill that came
to nothing, was, for impowering XXXII.
Perfons to revife the Ecclefiaftical Laws j
but as this laft was then let fall? fo to the
great prejudice of this Church, it has flept
ever fmce. :
MsnyBi- After the Parliament was diflblved, the
fur- Oath of Supremacy was tendred to the Bi-
t. /h0pSj and all, except Kitckin, iBifhop of
Landaffe, refufed it. Tonftall continued un-
refolved till September, and fo long did the
Queen delay the putting it to him : But
at laft he refufed it, and fo loft his Bi-
fhoprick. It was generally believed that
he quitted it, rather becaufe being*extrearr^
5S9
of t&e Refoimarton,frc,
old, he thought it indecent to forfake his
Brethren, and to be ftill changing, than out BookJV
of any fcruple he had in his Confcience,
concerning it. All the Bifliops were at firft
put under confinement, but they were foon
after fet at liberty : only Banner > White and
WAtfony were kept Prifoners. Many com
plaints were brought againft Banner, for the
Cruelties he had been guilty of againft Law,
and the Tortures he had put his Prifoners
to himfelf : but yet the Queen refolved not
to ftain the beginnings of her Reign with
blood, and the Reformed Divines were, ia
Imitation of Nanianzen, upon the like re
volution, in the Roman Empire } exhorting
their Followers, not to think of revenging
themfelves, but to leave that to God. Heath
lived privately at his own Houfe, in which
he was fometimes vifited by the Qneen.
Tonfta.ll and Thirleby were appointed to live
in LAmbetk,with the new Archbifhop. White
and Watfon were morofe, and haughty Men,
much addicted to the School Divinity, which
has been often obferved, to incline people
to an overvaluing of themfelvs. Ail the other
Bifhops, except Pates, Scot and Goldwell, that
had been Bifhops of Worcefter, Chefter, and
St. j4faph, continued ftill in England: but
thefe had leave to go beyond Sea. A few
Gentlemen, and all the Nuns went likewife
out of England ; and fo gentle was the
Queen, that (he denied that Liberty to
none that asked it.
Aa
The
The G>U
inclined
to keep
The Queen inclined to keep Images
Book IV in Churches, and though the Reformed Di
vines inade many applications, to divert her
^rom lt ? ^ ^e was n°t eafity wrought on.
The Divines put all their Reafons againft
them in Writing* and defired her to com-
Jmagesin rnit the determining of that matter, to a
Churches. Synoc] of Biihops and Divines, and not to
w take up an unalterable refoiution upon Poli
tical Confiderations. They laid before her
the fecond Commandment againft making
Images for God, and the Curfe pronounced
againft thofe that made an Image, and put
it in a fecret place, that is, in an Oratory :
The Book of Wifdom calls them a fnare for
the feet of the Ignorant, S. John charged the
Chriftians to beware of Idols, and not only
pf worshipping them. The ufe of them fed
fuperftition, and ended in Idolatry, and
would breed great Divifions among them-
felves. They (hewed that Images were not
Allowed ii} the Church, till the jth. Century,
and the Contefts that were raifed about
them, in the E^flcrn Empire, occafioned
iiich diftradions5as in a great meafure made
way for its ruine, and laid it open to the
Mahometans. Thele things wrought fo much
on the Queen, that me was at Jaft content
diey fhculd be put down.
A General
It was now refolved to fend Viliters over
England, fo Injun&ions were prepared for
them. Thofe appointed in the firft year of
King Edward^ were new renewed witS fome
'•• ,v ,. little
of fye Reformation, &c. 361
little alteration : To which, 'Rules were (X/WV
* added concerning the Marriages of the Book IV
4 Clergy, for avoiding the fcandals given ^*S^d
* by them. The Clergy were alfo required J S S 9?
4 to ufe Habits, according to their degrees
4 in the Univerfities. All People were to
'refort to their own Parifti Church *, and
* fome were to be appointed to examine and
'give notice of thofe who went not to
'Church : all flanderous words were for*
* bidden. No Books were to be Printed
4 without Licence : Inquiry was ordered to
* be made into all the proceedings againft
VHereticks, during the late Reign: Reve-
4 rence was to be exprefled, when the name
'fifiu was pronounced : An Explanation
4 was made of the fupremacy, that the
4 Queen did not pretend to any authority
* for Miniftring Divine Service •, but only
* that flic had the foveraignty over all Per-
* fons, and that no foreign Power was to
' be acknowledged : and fuch as had fcru-
'pies about it, might declare, that they
ctook it only in that (enfe, A Commu-
* nion Table was to be fet, where the Al-
4tars ftood formerly, but on Sacrament
'Days, it was to be brought into the
*moft: convenient place in the Chancel.
*The Bread for the Sacrament was to
4 have no figure on it, and to be thicker
c than Wafers. The bidding Prayer was
* appointed to be the fame, that had been
4 ufed in King Edwards time, only an Ex-
'preflion that imported a Prayer for the
' Dead, was changed. The obliging Church-
r. » men
of
^A/l men to go always in their Habits,
look IV thought a good mean to make them ob-
&^VNJferve the Decencies of their Funftion,
If S 9* when their Habit declared what they were,
and would be a reproach to them, if they
behaved themfelves unfutably to it. The
bowing at the name Jefa was confidered,
as fuch an acknowledgment of his Divi
nity, as was made by {landing up at the
Creed, or the Gloria Patri. The liberty
given to explain in what fenfe the Oath
of Supremacy was taken, gave a great E-
vidence of the Moderation, of the Queen's
Government •, that (he would not lay fnares
for her People, which is always a fign of
a wicked and Tyrannical Prince. But the
Queen reckoned, that if fuch Comprehen-
frve Methods could be found out, as would
once bring her People under an Union,
though perhaps there might remain a great
diverfity of Opinion, that would wear off
with the prefent Age, and in the next Ge
neration all would be of one mind. And
this had the good effeft that was expefted
from it, till the Pope and the King of Spain
began to open Seminaries beyond Sea, for a
Million to England •, which have fince that
time been the occafion of almcft all the di-
ftraftions this Nation has laboured under.
The High- The Queen granted Commiflions for the
Commifli- £WO Provinces of Canterbury and York, con-
oa Courts. fifting ^ of the Laity . ^me few of thc
Clergy being mixed with them : 'Impower-
c ing them to vifit the Churches, to fufpend
of t&e Reformation, &c.
< or deprive unworthy Clergymen, to pro-
cceed againft fcandalous Perfons, by Im- Book IV
* prifonment or Church- cenfures j to referve
*Penfions for fuch, asrefigned their Bene-
* fices, and to reftore fuch as had been un-
e lawfully put out in the late Reign. By
thefe referved Penfions, as the Clergy that
were turned out, were kept from extream
waat, fo they were in great meafure bound
to their good behaviour by them : The
Impowering Layqien to deprive Church*
men, or Excommunicate, could not be ea-
lily excufed, but was as juftifiable, as the
Commiffions to Lay-chancellours for thofe
things were. There are 9400. Benefices
in England, but of all thefe, the number of
thofe who chofe to refign, rather than
to take the Oath, was very inconfiderable.
Fourteen Bifhops, fix Abbots, twelve Deans,
twelve Archdeacons, fifteen Heads of Col-
ledges,fifty Prebendaries, & eighty Redors,
was the whole number of thofe that were
turned out. But it was believed, that the
greateft part complied againft their Con-
fciences, and would have been ready fo£
another turn, if the Queen had died, while
that Race of Incumbents lived, and the
next Succeffbr had been of another Reli
gion.
The See of Canterbury was now to be ?wty 5*
filled : but Parker ftood out long, before v^. *"*
he would fubrait to a burden, which he ™{°gly
thought difproportioned to his ftrength. Archbifh.
He laid, he was afraid of incurring God's of canttr-
Indig- **7*
3*4 Segment of i&e fitfflGjp
Indignation, for accepting a truft which he
Book IV could not difcharge, as he ought , having
yV\> neither ftrength of body, nor mind, equal
£559' to it: he was threatned with Imprifon-
ment in cafe of refufal ^ but he faid, he
would fuffer it chearfully, rather than en
gage in a ftation, that was fo far above
him : and he had fuch a fenfc of the Epi-
fcopal Fundion, that he refolved never to
aipire to it. He thought he had but two
or three years more of life before him, and
defired to imploy thefe well, and not to
be advanced to a place,in which he knew^he
could not anfwer the expeditions , that
fome had of him : he wifhed the Queen
would feek out a Man, that were neither
Arrogant, Faint-hearted, nor Covetous:
and exprefled the great apprehenfions he
had, that fome Men, who he perceived, were
Men ftill , notwithftanding ail the Trials
they paft through of late, would revive
thofe heats that were begun beyond Sea,
and that they would fall a quarrelling a-
mong themfelves, which would prove a
pleafant diverflon to the Papifts. But when
by many repeated commands, he was re
quired to accept of that great advancement,
he at laft writ to the Queen her felf, and
protefted, * that out of regard to God, and
'the good of her fervice, he held himfelf
'bound in Confcience, to declare to her,
c his great unworthinefs, for fo high a Fun-
* ftion ^ and fo, as proftrate at her feet, he
c begged her to prefs it on him no further :
* for that Office did require a Man of more
* Leara-
of t&e Reformation,
c Learning, Vertue and Experience, than he
'perfedtly knew was in himfelf. But as Book IV
thefe denials, fo earneftly and frequently ^^^^M
repeated, (hewed, that he had certainly ! S S 9-
ibme of the neceflary qualifications, which
were true humility, and a contempt of
the World/, fo they tended to increafe
the efteem, which the Queen, and her Mi-
nifters had of him: And they perfifting in
their Refolution, he was at lad forced to
yield to it. He was upon the fending of the
Conge d'eflire^chokn by the Chapter of Cante r-
bury , and in September, the Queen iflued out
a Warrant for his Confecration, which was
direded to Tonftall, Bourn and Pool (the
lad was Cardinal Poofs Brother, and was
Bifhopof Peterborough Jand toKitchi^Barlovr
and Scory : by which it appears, that there ^
was then fbme hope of gaining the former
three to obey the Laws , and to continue
in their Sees : but they refufing to execute
this, there was a fecond Warrant dire&ed
to Kitchinj Barlow, Scory and fcoverddj, and
to Bale, Biftiop of Of]ory, and two fuffragaa
Bifliops to Confecrate Parker : and on the
17?^?. of December, he was Confecrated by
four of thefe, according to the Book of
Ordination, fet out under King Edward,
only the giving the Paftoral Staff was now
omitted.
After this Parker ordained Grindall for The other
the See of London •, Cox for £/y, Horn for Bifliops
Winckeftcr, Sandys for Worcefter, Mrick for confccr*
t Toting for St. I>av%ds\ BMngbam te *
for
of tbe
for Lincoln, JeweW for Salisbury, Davis for
Book IV St. ^/*pJ!;, <?**/? for Rochefter, Berkley for
VNJ ^/j ancj ffip//^ Bentham for Coventry and
S 9* Litchfieldj Alley for Exeter, and P^rr* for
Peterborough, Barlow and Sc0ry were put in
the Sees of Chichefter and Hereford. The
Sees of 2V^ and Durefme were kept vacant
a Year , upon fome hopes that //*<#& and
Twftall would have conformed -, but in the
Year 1561. Toung was tranflated from St.
Davids to Tor\ •, and Pilkinton was put in
the Fable All this is opened the more particularly,
of the for difcovering the Impudence of the Con-
N*e&~ trivance of the A^j^-Head Ordination,
fured C°n" whicil was firft vented ia KinS 7*wfs time,'
above forty Years after this,. It was theni
faid, that the Elecl: Bilhops met at the
Jftfogg-j-Head Tavern mCheapfide, and were
in great diforder, bccaufc Kitchin refufed
to confecrate them •, upon which Scory made
them all kneel down, and laid the Bible on
their Heads, faying , Take thott Authority to
Preach the Wdrd of God fincerely ^ and that
this was all the Ordination that they ever
had : and to confirm this, it was pretend
ed, that Neale> one of fanner's Chaplains,
watched them into the Tavern , and faw
all that was done through the Key- hole.
This was given out, when all that were
concerned in it were dead *, yet the old
Earl of Nottingham, who had feen Parker's
Confecration, was ftill alive, and declared,,
tbat he faw it dont at Lambeth, in the Chap-
pel/
of tfce Eefoimatfon, &c.
pel, according to the Common- Prayer-
Book, and both the Records of the Crown, Book
and the Rcgifters of the See of Canterbury ^
do plainly confute this. The Author did *
alfo fee the Original Inftrument then made,
defcribing all the particulars relating to Par
ker's Confecration, preferved ftill in Corfta
Chrifti Colledge in Cambridge , among the
other Manufcripts which he left to that
Houfe, in which he had his Education.
The firft thing that the Bifhops fet about,
was, the publifhing the Doftrine of thedesofthc
Church. In order to this, a Review was church
made of thofe Articles, that had been com- Pub/ifhcd»
piled under Edward the VI. and fome fmall
alterations were made. The moft confide-
rable, was, that a long determination, that
was made formerly againft the Corporal
Prefence, was now left out •, and it was on
ly (aid, That the Body of Chrifl was given and
received in a Spiritual manner , and that the
means by which it WM received, wot Faith,
Yet in the Original Subfcription of the Ar
ticles, by both Houfes of Convocation, ftill
extant, there was a full declaration made
againft it, in thefe words, « £hrifl, when he
'afcended into Heaven, made his Body Im-
* mortal, but took not from it the nature
* of a Body. For ftill it retains, according
*to the Scriptures, a true Humane Body,
* which muft be always in one definite place,
* and cannot be fpread into many, or all
'places at once : fmce then Chrifl was car-
< ried up to Heaven , and is to remain there
'to
€ to the end of the World, and is to come
Book IV <from thence, and from no other place, to
tXYNJ « judge the Quick and the Dead-, None of
1 5 5 9- * the Faithful ought to believe, or profefs
' the Real, or as they call it, the Corporal
' Prefence of his Flefli and Blood in the Eu-
'charift. But the defign of the Queen's
Council, was, to unite once the whole Na
tion, into the Communion of the Church -7
and it was feared, that fo exprefs a defi
nition againft the Real Prefence , would
have driven many out of the Commuiiion
of the Church, who might have been other-
wife kept in it : and therefore it was thought
enough to aflert only the Spiritual Prefence,
but that it was not neceflary to condemn
the Corporal Prefence, in fuch exprefs
words •, and therefore, though the Convo:
cation had fo pofitiveiy determined this mat
ter, it was thought more conducing to the
pnblick peace , to dafh it in the Original
Copy, and to fupprefs it in the Printed
Copies.
A Tranfla- e next thing ^Y to0^ *n ^anc^> was a
'tipnofthcnew Tranflation of the Bible: Several
Bible. Books of it were given to feveral Bifhops,
who were appointed to call for fuch DiT
vines, as were learned in the Greel^ or He-
brew Tongues, and by their afliftance tlicy
were to tranflate that parcel that fell to
their fhare : and fo when one had com*
pleated that which was affigned to him,
he was to offer it to the Correction of
Chofe that were appointed to tranflate tHe
other
of f&e EefoimatfDtt, &c. 369
other parts, and after every Book had thus fXA^
paft the Cenfure of all, who were imployed Book IV
in this matter, then it Was approved of. ^^^^^
And fo great haft made they in this impor- l $ 5 9*
tant work, that within two or three years,
the whole Tranflation was finifhed.
There was one thing yet wanting , to tht want
compleat the Reformation of this Church, of churcli
which was the reftoring a Primitive Difci-
pline, againft fcandalous Perfons, the efta-
bliQiing the Government of the Church in
Ecclefiaftical hands, and the taking it out
of Lay- hands, who have fo long profaned
it i and have expofed the authority of the
Church, and of the Cenfures of it, chiefly
Excommunication to the contempt of the
Nation, by which the reverence due to Holy
things, is in fo great a rneafure loft, and
the dreadfulleft of all Cenfures, is now be
come the moft fcorned and defpifed. But
upon what reafons,it cannot be now known,
this was not carried on with that Zeal*, nor
brought to that perfc&ion that was necet
fary. The want of Ecciefiaftical Difcipline/
fet on fome to devife many new Platforms,
for the adminiftration of it,in every Paridi;,
all which gave great offence to the Govern-
mentj and were fo much oppofed by it, that
they came to nothing. Other differences
were raifed concerning the Veftments of
the Clergy, and fome Factions growing up
in the Court, thefe differences were height"
ned,by thole who intended to ferve th^ir
own' ends, by making the feveral Parties
37°
8b|tDgntettt of tfte tyt'ftb;;
quarrel with fo much animofity , that it
Book IV (hould fcarce be pofTible to reconcile them :
W*-' since that time, the fatal Divifion of this
1 5 5 9- Nation, into the Court and Country party,
has been the chief occafion of the growth,
and continuance of thofe differences ^ fo
that all the attempts which have been made
by moderate Men to compofe them, have
proved ineffectual.
ThcRcfor- At this time there was a great revolution
mation in of affairs in Sco//,W. When there was a
Scotland, probability of bringing the Treaty of Cam-
bray to a good. effect, the Cardinal of Lor-
rain writ to his Sifter, the Queen Regent of
Scotland, and to the Archbiihop of St. An
drews* and let them know the Refolution
that was taken, to extirpate Herefie, and
exhorted them to ufe their endeavours for
that end. The Queen Regent faw, that by
doing this, flic would not only break her
faith to the Lords, who had hitherto ad
hered to her, upon the afilirance (he gave
them of her Protection, but that the Peace
of Scotland would be endangered *, for as
their Party was ftrong, fo it was not to be,
doubted, but the Queen of England Would
fupport them, and fo fhe was not eafily
brought to follow her Brother's cruel Coun-
fels. But the Biihops fhut their eyes upon
atl dangers, and reioived to ftrike a terror
into the People, by fome.levere Executions."
They began with Walter Melt, an old infirm
Prieft, who had preached in fome places
sgainft many of the Opinions then recei-
»*V ved;
of t&eEefo?matt'on, &c. 371
yed : he was particularly accufed for ha- rx^^-v
ving aflerted the lawful nefs of ..the Marriage Book IV
of the Clergy, aod for having condemned v-x"V"s->
the Sacrifice of the Mafs and TranFubftan- l 559-
tiation, with fome other particulars, all
which he cpnfefled , and upon bis rcfufal
to abjure them, he was condemned to be
burnt. Yet fo averfe were the People from
thofe Cruelties, that it was not eafie to find
any that would execute the Sentence: Nor
would any do fo much as fell a Cord to tye.
him to the Stake, fo that the Archbifhop.
was fenced to fend for the Cords of his own
Pavilion. The old Man exprefied great,
firmnefs of mind, and fuch chearfulnefs in
his fufTerings, that the People were much
affected at it : and this being every where
looked on as a Prologue to greater leveri-,
t.ies? that .were to follow, the Nobility and -
Gentry began to confider what was fit to,
b.e done. They had offered a Petition to
the Qpeen Regent the laft year, that the.
worfhip might be in the Vulgar Tongue9
that the Communion might be given in both
kinds, and that fcandalous Priefts. might be
turned out, and worthy Men be put in their ,
places. The Qijeen Regent being unwilling
to irritate fo great a Party, before the Dau
phin was declared King of Scotland > pro-
mifed that they mould not be punimed for ,
having their Prayers in the Vulgar Tongue.
In Parliament, they moved for a Repeal of
the Laws,for the Bifhops proceedings againfl
Hereticl^s, and that nothing might be judg
ed Hereiie^ but that whigh was condemned^
Bb z b
372 gtytSgment of
by the Word of God •, but the Queen Re-
gent told them, thefe things could not pafs,
becaufe of the Oppofition, which was made
1 5 5 9- to them, by the Spiritual Eftate-, upon that
they made a Proteftationythat whereas they
had modeftly moved for a redrefs of abufes,
they were not to be blamed for the ill effects
of rejecting their Petition, and the Violen
ces that might follow.
But when the Queen had gained her end,
in relation to the Dauphin, (he ordered a Ci
tation to be ferved on all the Rlformed
Preachers : The Earl of Glcncawn was, up
on that, fent to put her in mind of her fcr-
mer promifes ; me anfwered him roughly,
'That maugre all that would take thofe
cMens part, they fhould be banimed Scot-
'land; and added, that Princes were bound
conly to obferve their promifcs, fo far as
* they found it convenient for them to do it.
To this he replied, that if ftie renounced
her Promifes, they would renounce their
obedience to her.
Itisfirft In St. Johrftown, that Party entred into
fee up in the Churches, and had Sermons pubiickly
St.Johnj- jn them. The Minifters were coming from
all parts, to appear on the 2Qth. of May,
for to that day they had been cited ^ and
great numbers came along with them. The
Queen apprehending the ill effects of a greac
Confluence of Feaple, fent them word not
to come, and upon this many went home
again } yet upon their not appearance, they
were
of fye Reformation, &c. 37?
were all declared Rebels. This foul deal-
ing made many leave her, and go over to
thofe that were met at St. Jobnftmn. And
the heat of the People was raifed to that
pitch, that they broke in upon the Houfes
of the Monks and Friars, and after they had
diftributed all that they found in them, ex
cept that which the Monks conveyed away
to the Poor, they pulled them down to the
ground. This provoked the Queen fo much,
that fhe refolved to punifh that Town, in a
moft exemplary manner : fo fhe gathered
the French Souldiers together, with fuch o-
thers, as would joyn with her : but the Earl
tfGtencairn gathered 2500. Men together,
and with incredible haft, he marched to
that place, where there were now in all
7000. armed Men. This made the Queen
afraid to engage with them j fo an agree
ment was made. An oblivion was promi-
fed for all that was paft j Matters of Reli
gion were referred to a Parliament, and
the Queen was to be received into St.Johns-
town, without carrying her Frenchmen with
her : But me carried them with her into the
Town, and as (he put a Garrifon in it, fo
fhe pnnifhed many for what was pafl-, and
when her promiies were objedted to her, (he
anfwered, 'Princes were not to be ftriftly
4 charged with their Promifes,' efpecially
' when they were made to Hereticks-, and
4 that fhe thought it no fin to kill and de-
4 flroy them all, and then would excufe it as
'well as could be,when it was done.This tur
ned the Hearts of the whole Nation from
E b B her,
1 74 JHtyfligment of tfce l>f Qoa?
her, and in many places they began to pull
Book IV down Images, and to rafe Monafteries. The
*^ Qpeen Regent reprefcnted this to the King
S 9- of France* as done on defign to fhake off the
French yoke, and defired a great Force to
reduce the Countrey. On the other hand,
Tome were fent over from the Lords, to
give a true representation of the matter,
and to let him know, that an Oblivion for
what was pad, and the free Exerdfe of their
Religion for the time to come, would give
full fatisfaftion. The French King began
now to apprehend, how great a charge the
rkeeping that Kingdom in peace, was like
to come to-7 and faw the danger of the
•Scots calling themfelves into the Arms of
the Queen of England , therefore he fent
one, in whom the Conftable put an entire
-confidence to Scotland^ to bring him a true
report of the ftate of that matter,that was
fo varioufly reprefented : But before he
could return, the King of France was dead,
•and the Conftable was indifgrace-, and all
affairs were put in the hands of the Brothers
of the Houfe of Guife, fo that all moderate
Councils were now out of doors. The peo
ple did fo univerfally rife againft the Queen
Regent, that (he was- forced to retire to-
ID/wW-Caftle: She was ence willing to refer
the whole matter to a Parliament: But 2000.
Men coming over from France , and aflu-
rances being Tent Her, of a greater Force to
follow, fiie took heart, and came and for
tified Leitb, and again broke her laft agree
ment, upon which the Lords pretended,
that
of t&e Refo?matfon,&c* 375
that in their Queens Minority, the Go-
vernment was chiefly in the States, and
that the Regent was only the chief Adrai-
niftrator, and accountable to them: fo they
refolved to depofe her from her Regency.
They objeded many Maleadminiftrations The
to her, as her beginning a War in the King-
dom, and bringing in ftrangers to fubdue it,
her embafing the Coin, governing without
confent of theNobility^Sc breaking her Faith
and Promifes to them , upon which they de
clared that (lie had fallen from her Regency,
and fufpended her Power till the next Par
liament. The Lords, now called the Lords
of the Congregation, retired, from ttynbwjrh
to Sterlin : upon which the French came to
Edenbiirgk, and fet up the Matte again in
the Churches, then a new Supply came from
France, commanded by the Marquefs of El-
betfe^ one of the Queen Regents Brothers,
fo that there were in all qooo.French in Scot*
/W.But by her having this foreign Force,the
whole Nation came to be united againU
the Queen, and to look on her as a com
mon Enemy. The Scots, who had been hi
therto animated, and fecretly fupplied with
Money and -Ammunition from £»£/<*»*/, wer e
now forced to defire the Queen of Englan£$>
aid more operily.and France was now like to
be fo much divided within it felf, that the
Queen did not: much apprehend a War with
that Crown -, fo (lie was more eafily deter
mined to alfift the Scots.
Bb 4 A
SfytDstnent of t&e gnftojp
A Treaty was made between the Duke of
Book (V Norf0i^ and the Scots', they promifed to be
^Y?^ the Queen's perpetual Allies, and that after
T J ^2 9' the French were driven out of Scotland, they
i nc uuftn ni\ - i /^v« i- i •••
©f England fhould continue their Obedience to their
aftifts the own Queen : upon which, 2000. Horfe, and
Scots. 6000. Foot, were fent to aflift the Scots.
Thefe befiegcd Lieth, during which, there
were' confiderable lofies on both fides, but
the JoITes on the fide of the Englifh were
pore eafily made up, fupplies being nearer
at hand. The French offered to put Calais
.3gain in the Queen of England** hands, if
fhe would recall her Forces out of Scotland :
She anfwered on the fuddcn, that fhe did
not value that Fiih-Town, fo much as fhe
did the quiet of the Ifle of Brittain. But
fhe offered to Mediate a Peace between
.them and the 'Scots.
|0 jmt Before this could be effected, the Queen
TheQueen Regent of Scotland died, fhe fent for fome
Regent of the Scottifb Lords in her ficknefs, and
asked them pardon for the Injuries fhe had
done them : Sheadvifed them to fend both
the French and Englijh out of Scotland, and
prayed them to continue in their Obedience
to their Queen : She alfo difcourfed with
one of their Preachers,and declared that fhe
hoped to be faved only by the Merits of
Chrift. She had governed the Nation, be
fore the laft year of her life, with fuch Ja-
ftke and Prudence , and was fo great an
txample, both in her own Ferlbn, and in
iLe Order of her Court, that if fhe had died
before
of t|je Reformation, &c. 377
before her Brother's bloody Counfels had rsA^v
involved her in thefe laft paflages of her Book IV
life, fhe had been the mod lamented and v*xVsrf
efteemed Queen that had been in that Na- * 5 5 9-
tion5for many Ages. Her own Inclinations
were Juft and Moderate •, and (he often fa id,
that if her Counfels might take place, fhe
did not doubt, but (he mould 'bring all things
again to perfect Tranquillity and Peace:
Soon after a Peace was concluded, between
England^ France and ScotUnd: An Oblivion
was granted for all that was paft ; The
French and EngUfo were to be lent out of
Scotland^ and all other things were referred
to a Parliament. During the Queen's ab-
ience, the Kingdom was to be governed by
a Council of 12. all Natives*, of thefe the
Queen was to name 7. and the States were
to choofe 5. So both the Englifa and French
were fent out of Scotland s and the Parlia
ment met in Auguft.
In it, all Acts for the former way of Re- A Parlu-
ligion were repealed, and a confeffion of ment
Faith penned by Knox, afterwards inferred ?erf S)?4
A r. r -^ i> fettles the
.among the Adls of Parliament, 1567. was Reforma-
confirmed. Thefe Acts were oppofed only tion.
by three Temporal Lords, who faid, they
would believe as their Fathers had done :
but all the Spiritual Lords, both Bifhops,
and Abbots, confented to them • and they
didv dilapidate the Lands and Revenues of
the Church in the flrangcft manner, that
was ever known : the Abbots converted
their Abbies into Temporal Eftates, and
fhe
378 8b|tDgment of t&e
the Bifhops, though they continued Papifls
Book [V ftilj , divided all their Lands among their
^VV> Baftards or Kindred •, and procured confir-
* i 5 9- rnations of many of the Grants they gave
from Rome: by which, that Church was fo
impoveriihed, that if King Jams and King
Charles the Firft, had not with much zeal,
and great endeavours, retrieved fome part
of the Ancient Revenues, and provided a
considerable maintenance tor the Inferiouf
Clergy, all the encouragements to Religion
and Learning had been to fuch a degree
withdrawn, that Barbarifm muft have again
over- run that .Kingdom. When thefe Acts
thus agreed on in the Parliament of Scotland,
were fent over to France, they were reject
ed with great fcorn \ fo that the Scots began
to apprehend a new War : but Francis the
fecond's death, ibon after delivered them
from all their fears : for their Queen having
no more the fupport of fo great a Crown,
was forced to return home, and govern in
fuch a manner, as that Nation was pleafed
to iiibmit to.
The Q*tt& Thus had the Queen of England divided
of Engmnd Scotland from its ancient dependance on
the Head France, and had tied it fo to her own Inte-
of ail the refts? ffat ft^ was not onjy fecure on that
" Me °f ner Dominions, but came to have fo
great an intereit in Scotland, that affairs
there, were for molt part governed accord
ing to the Directions Hie fent thither. O-
ther Accidents did alfo concur to give her
a great (bare in all the moil Important affairs
oj[ Europe.
In
gf t&e Eefoimatton, &c.
In France, upon a«ry the fecond's fatal Book iV
end, great Divifions arofe between the Prin- V-X~VN-'
ces of the Blood, and the Brothers of the * * 5
Houfe of tfw/*, into whofe hands the ad-
mfniftration of affairs was put,during Fr^«-
cis the fecond's fhort Reign : It was preten
ded on the one hand, that the King was not
of Age, till he was 22. and that during his
Minority, the Princes of the Blood were to
Govern by the Advice of the Courts of Par
liaments, and the Aflembly of Eftates : On
the other hand, it was faid, that the King
might aflume the Government, and Imploy
whom he pleafed at 14. A defign was laid,
in which many of both Religions concurred,
for taking the Government out of the hands
of the ftrangers, and feifing on the King's
Perfon, but a Proteftant, moved by a Prin
ciple of Confcience, difcovered it. Upon
this the Prince of Conde^ and many others,
were feifed on, and if the King had not died
foon after, they had fuffered for it. Charles
the Ninth fncceeding, who was under Age,
the King of Navarre was declared Regent,
but he, though before a Proteftant, was
drawn into the Papift Interelt •, and jcyned
himfelf with the Queen Mother, and the
<£onftable. A fevere Edift was made againft
the Proteftants, but the Execution of it was
like to raife great diforders, fo another was
made in a great AfTembly of many Princes
of the Blood , Privy Councellours, and 8.
Courts of Parliament, allowing the free ex-
ercife of that Religion : yet after this, the
Duke
Duke of (7i«/* reconciled himfelf to the
Book IV Queen Mother, and they refolved to break
the Edict : fo the Duke of Guife happen-
5 9» ing to pafs by a Meeting of Proteftants,
his Servants offered violence to them *,
from reproachful words, it went to the
throwing of ftones -9 by one of which the
Duke was hurt : upon which his Servants
killed 60. of the Proteftants, and wound
ed 200. and upon this the Edict was e-
very where broken. It was faid, that the
Regent's power did not extend fo far, as
that he could break fo Publick an Edict,
and that therefore it was lawful for the
Proteftants to defend themfelves. The
Prince of Conde fet himfelf at the Head of
them, and the King of Navarre being
killed foon after the breaking out of the
War, he, as the firft Prince of the Blood,
that was of Age, ought to have been de
clared Regent : fo that the Proteftants
faid, their defending themfelves was not
Rebellion, %fince they had both the Law
and the firft Prince of the Blood on their
fide. The Wars lafted near 30. Years,
for in all that time , notwithftanding
fome Intervals of Peace, the feeds of War
were never fo rooted out, but that they
were ready to fpring up, upon every new
occafion. In this the Queen Interpofed,
nnd fupported the Proteftant Party, fome-
times with Men , but oftner with Money,
fo that (he had near the half of that
Kingdom depending on her.
la
of t&e Reformation, &c.
In the Ngtherlantts , a long continuance Book IV
of civil Wars almoft on the fame account, (-/"v^O
gave her the like advantages. The King * 5 5 9-
of Spain, by endeavouring to fet up the
Courts of Inquifition in thofe Provinces,
and by keeping fome Spamjh Troops a-
mong them, and other exceiles in his Go-
vernment, contrary to the Articles of the
L&tu* IntroitHs^ provoked them fo much,^
that they fhook off his Yoke : and were'
fupported by the Aid and Money which
the Queen fent them. So that the Qjeen
met with fuch a Conjuncture of affairs in
the Dominions of thofe Princes that were
next her, of whom only (lie had reafon to
be afraid, as fcarce any Prince ever had.
In foreign Parts, (he was the Arbiter The excel-
of Chriftendom •, and at home things were Ic"t a4mi"
fo happily managed , Trade did fo flou- "
rifli, and Juftice was fo equally diftribu- \
ted, that me became the wonder of the
World. She was Victorious in all her
Wars with Spam -? and no wonder : for
it appeared fignaily in the ruine of the
great Armada-) which Syain lookt on as In-
vincible, that Heaven fought for her. She
reigned more abfolutely over the Hearts,
than the Perfons of her Subjects. She al
ways followed the true Interefts of her
People, and fo found her Parliaments al
ways ready to comply with her defires,
and to grant her Subfidies, as often as
ihe called for them : and as fee never
asked
38* 9b?t'Dgment of
SVAXJ asked them, but when the occafion for
Book [V them was vifible, fo after they were gran-
IS*\T\) ted, if the ftate of her affairs changed fo,
i-1 5 59' that fhe needed them not, fhe readily dif-
charged them. Rome and S^am fet many
Engines on work, both againft her Per- j
fon and Government: but fhe ftill lived
and triumphed. In the firft ten Years of
her Reign, the Papifts were fo Compli-
^ant, that there was no ftir made about
'matters of Religion. Pope Pius the fourth
condemned the madnefs of his Predecef-
for, in that high and provoking Meflage/
which he fent her-, and therefore he at
tempted a reconciliation with her, at two
feveral times : and offered, if ihe would
joyn her felf to the See of Rome , that be
would annul the fentence againft her Mo-
thers Marriage, and confirm the Englifo
fervice, and the Communion in both kinds.
But (he refufed to enter into any Treaty
with him. Pirn the fifth, that fucceeded
him in that Chair, refolved to contrive
€dttM* ker death, as is relaced by him, that writes
his Life. The unfortunate Queen of Scot
land was forced to take Sanctuary in Eng
land ; where it was refolved to ufe her
well, and reftore her to her Crown and
Countrey. But her own officious friends,
and the frequent Plots that were laid,
for taking away the Queens life, brought
on her the Calamities of a long Impri-
fonment, that ended in a Tragical death :
which, though it was the greateft blemiib
of this Reign/yet was made infome fort
jdftip
of tt)t Eefoimation, &c. 38 j
Juftifiablc, if not neceffary, by the many CXA-/"*
Attempts that the Papifts made on the Book IV
Queen's Life : and by the Depofition *>s*V*«*
which Pope Pius the fifth thundred out £ * 5 9
againft Her } from which it was inferred,
that as long as that Party had the hopes
of fuch a Succeflbr, the (Queen's Life was
not fafe, nor her Government fecure.
This led her towards the end of her Severities
Reign, to greater feverities againft thofe againft the
of the Roman Communion, of which a FaPifts
Copious Account is given by Sir Francis ™ C~
Walfingktmi that was for fo many Years
imployed, either in foreign Embaflies, or
in the fecrets of State at home } that
none knew better than he did, the hidden
fprings that moved and directed all Her
Councils. He writ a long Letter to a
French man, giving him an account of all
the feverities of the Queen's Government,
both againft Papifts and Puritans.
The fubftance of which is, c That the
'Queen laid down two Maximes of State •,
'the one was not to force Confciences,
'the other was not to let faclious prafti- in xvhich
* ces go unpunifhed, bccaufe they were co- fhe pro-
4 vered with the pretences of Confcience :
<At firft, (lie did not revive thole fevere
' Laws paft in her Father's time, by which
'the refufal of the Oath of Supremacy
' was made Treafon, but left her People
fto the freedom of their thoughts, and
c made
3 84 Styftgtmnt of t&e 8>tfloii>
c made it only Penal to extol a foreign
Book IV '<Jurifdiftion: She alfo laid afide the word
*^"V>J 4 5#/>mi>H //<W, and the refufers of the
1 5 5 9* cOath were only difabled from holding
( Benefices, or Charges, during their Re*
'fufal. Upon Pius the Fifth's Excommu-
* nicating her, though the Rebellion in the
4 North was chiefly occafioned by that,
4fhe only made a Law againft the bring-
4 ing over, or publifhing of Bulls :, and the
* venting of Agmu £>«'s, or fuch other
4 Love- tokens, which were fent from Romey
4 on defign to draw the Hearts of Her
4 People from her , which were no Ef
4 tiai parts of that Religion •, fo that
4 this could hurt none of their Confci-
' ences. But when after the 2oth. Year
4 of her Reign, it appeared that the King
4 of Spain defigned to Invade her Domi-
4nions, and that the Priefts that were
4 fent over from the Seminaries beyond
4 Sea, were generally employed to cor-
4rupt the Subjects in their Allegiance,
'by which, Treafon was carried in the
4 Clouds, and Infufed fecretly in Confef-
ii: 'flon-, Then pecuniary Punifhments were
*inflidled on fcch as withdrew from the
4 Church: and in Conclufion, fhe was for-
* ced to make Laws of greater rigour,
4 but did often mitigate the feverity of
4 them, to all that would promife to ad-
4 here to her , in cafe of a Foreign Inva-
4 fion. As for the Puritans, as long as they
f only inveighed againft fome abufes, as
'Plon*
of tlje Reformation, &c.
* Pluralities , Non refidence , or the like,
c it was not their Zeal againft thole , but ^ook ^
' only their Violence that was condem-
* ned : When they refufed to comply with
clbme Ceremonies, and queftioned the
c fuperiority of Bifhops , and declared for
* a Democracy in the Church , they were
* connived at with great gentleneis : But
' it was oblerved , that they affe&ed Po-
'pularity much, and the Methods they
c rook to compafs their ends , were judg-
c ed dangerous, and they made fuch ui'e
*of the averfion the Nation had to Po-
*pery, that it was vifible they were in
c a hazzard of running from one Extream to
'another : They fet up a New Model
'of Church-Difdpline, which was Hke
c to prove no lefs dangerous to the Li
berties of private Men , than to the So-
'vereign Power of the Prince : Yet all
* this was born with , as long as they
4 proceeded with thole expreffions of du-
cty, which became Subje&s. But after-
c wards, when they refolved to carry on
c their Defigns, without waiting for the
'confent of the Magiftrate , and entred
' into Combinations ; when they began
' to defame the Government by ridicu-
' lous Pafquils , and boafted of their
4 Numbers and ftrength , and in fome
* Places brake out into; Tumults , then it
* appeared that it was Fa£don , and not
c Zeal , that animated them. Upon that,
< the Queen found it neceflarv to reftrain
C c
386
KAy^ < them , more than (he had done former-
•RooklV < jy ., yet (]ie did it with all the Modera-
W*" < tion that could confift with the Peace of
1 559- 'the Church and State. And thus, from
this Letter, an Idea of this whole Reign
may be juftly formed.
The Conclufion.
'
Thus have I profecuted, what I at firft
undertook, the Progrefs of the Reformat! on,
from its firft, and fmall beginnings in Eng*
land, till it came to a compleat ietdement in
the time of this Queen. Of whofe Reign, if
I have adventured to give an Account, it
was not intended fo much for a full Chara-
fter of Her, and her Councils, as to let out
the great, and vifible Blefiings of God that
attended on her-, the many Prefervations
(he had, and that by fuch fignal Difcoveries,
asbothfav'd her Life, and fccured her Go
vernment-, and the unufual happinefs of her
whole Reign, which raifed Her to the E-
fteem, and envy of that Age, and the
wonder of all Pofterity. It was wonderful
indeed, that a Virgin Queen could rule fuch
a Kingdom, for above 44 Years, with fuch
conftant fuccefs, in fo great Tranquillity at
-home, with avaft increafe of Wealth, and
with fuch Glory abroad. All which may
juftly be efteeofied to have been the Rewards
of Heaven, crowning that Reign with fo
much Honour and Triumph, that was be
gun with the Reformation of Religion.
FINIS.
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THe Works of the famous Nicholas Machit-
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Gells Remains, being fundry Pious and Learned
Notes and Obfervations on the New Teftament ,
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Chriftian Religions Appeal from the groundlefs pre
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The Jefuits Catechifm , according to St. Ignatius
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The Priviledges and Praftifes of Parliaments in Eng
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A Collection of Letters for the Improvementof Hus<
bandry and Trade, Number i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ; and
intended to be ftill continued by John Houston,
Fellow of the Royal Society. jQuarto.
The Merchant Royal, a Sermon preached before the
King at the Nuptials of an Honourable Lord and
his Lady. Quarto. 6d.
The Admired Sstyr againft Hypocrites. Quarto. 6. d.
Ruine of Papacy, or a clear difplay of Simony
of the Romifr) Clergy *, with a circulatory Letter to
the Fathers of thole Virgins that deiert their Fa
milies to turn Nuns : by the Learned pen of that
famous Divine, Peter du Moulin. Oclavo.
liis Vnivcrfalis , or the Llniverfe in Epitome 5
wherein almoft all the Works of Nature, of all arts
and'fcicnces, with their moft necefTary terms, are
in Enalifoy Latine and French, Methodically, and
diftin&ly digefted, and corrpoied at firft in French
and Latin for the life of the Dddphin of France ,
by the Learned T. Pomey, and now made Englty by
Jl. Lovely M. A. Oct.
De fitico Pancreatico , or a Phyfical and Anatomical
Treatife of the Nature and Office of the Pancrea-
tick Juice; (hewing it Generation in the Body,
what Difeafes arife by its Vifitation, from whence
in particular, by plain and familiar Examples, is
accurately demonftrated the caufe andcures ofA-
gues, or intermitting F^avers, hitherto fo difficult
and
Books fold by John Lawrence.
and uncertain, with fundry other things worthy of
Note -9 written by that Famous Phyfitian, D. Reg. de
Graafof Delph, and Translated by C. P^Med.
Lond. Illaftrated with divers Copper Plates.O&w.
2 J. 6. d.
Traxis Catholica, or the Country-roans Univerfal ReJ
medy } wherein is plainly and briefly laid down
the Nature, Matter, M anner, Place and cure of moft
difeafes incident to the Body of Man ; nothitherto
difcovered, by Chr. Pack^ Operator in Chymiftry.
Octavo. I s. 6 d.
Englifti Military Difcipline, or the way of Exerci-
fing Horfe and Foot, according to the praftife of
this prelent time } with a Treatife of all forts of
Armesand Engines of War, of fire works, En-
figns, and other Military Inftrumen/s, both An-
tient and Modern. Ottavo. B.'J.
The Military Duties of the Officers of Caval
ry, containing the way of Exercifmg the Horfe ac
cording to the pra&ife of this preient time; the
Motions of Horfe , the Functions of the feveral
Officers from the Cheif Captain to the Brigadeer.
Written originally in French by the Sieur de la
Contain, Ingineer in Ordinary to the moft Chriftian
King , and tranfcribed for the ule of thofe who
are defirousto beinformedof the Art of War, as
it is praftifed in France , by A. L. Octavo. 2 s.
|The Life and Aftions of the late renouned Prelate
and Soldier Chrifttpher Bernard van Gale, Bifhop
of Munftcr, Prince of the holy Empire, Admini-
ftrator of Coryay , Maquefs of Str ember g. ckc. In
which is an account of the moft confiderable A-
flions of Europe in his time. Octavo, i s,6.d.
Claw
ttooksfold by John Lawrence. •,
Grammaticay or the ready way to the Latin
tongue, containing mofT plain demonftrations for
the regular tranflating of Englifi into 'Latin, fitted
to help fuch as begin to attain the Latin tongue,
by F. B. Schoolmafter in London. Oftavo. i s.
The Abridgment of the Hiftory of the Reforma
tion of the Church of 'England ; by Gilbert Barxet,
D, D. with feveral Copperplates. Oftavo.
A Mathematical Compendium, or ufeful Praftifes in
Arithmetick, Geometry, Aftronomy, Navigation,
Fmbatelling, and Quartering of Armies, Fortifica
tion and Gunnery, c^c. by Sir Jonas Moor, iafe
Surveyor of his Majefties Ordinance, the fecond
Edition, \frith many large Additions. Twelves. 3. s.
Humane Prudence : or the Art by which a man may
raife himfelf and fortune to Grandeur : by A. B<
The fecond Edition, with the Addition of a Ta-
, . i - .
ble. Twelves, l /.
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