and contentiously demand of any man, any of the questions before rehearsed, either on the one part or of the other, or any such like, or do otherwise revile, contemn, or despise the said Sacrament, by calling it an "idol," or other such vile name; shall incur the King's high indignation, and suffer imprisonment; or to be otherwise grievously punished at his Majesty's will and pleasure. Giving further in authority to all justices of peace within the shires where they dwell, to apprehend and take all such as contentiously and tumultuously, with companies or routs assembled about them, do dispute, argue, or reason, or stifly maintain, or openly preach and define the questions before rehearsed, or any of them, or such like, either on the one part or the other; and to commit the same to prison, until such time as the King's Majesty's pleasure herein be known; and that they immediately do certify the name or names of the party so offending, and of them who were there at the same time present, making the rout or assemble, to the King's Highness's Council: willing and commanding the said justices, with all diligence, to execute the premises, according to the purport, effect, and true meaning of the same, and their most bound duties, as they tender his Highness's will and pleasure, and will answer to the contrary upon their peril. XXIX. A Proclamation for the abstaining from Flesh in the Lent time. Library. THE King's Highness, by the advice of his most entirely be- Strype, loved uncle, Edward Duke of Somerset, Governor of his Memorials, person, vol. ii. App. and Protector of all his realms, dominions, and subjects, and N. from other of his Privy Council; considering that his Highness hath Bp. Moore's not only cure and charge of the defence of his realms and do- Wilkins, minions, as a King, but also as a Christian King, and Supreme Concilia, vol. iv. p. Head of the Church of England and Ireland, a desire, will, and charge, to lead and instruct his people, to him committed of God, in such rites, ways, and customs, as might be acceptable to God, and to the further increase of good living and virtue, and that his subjects now having a more perfect and clear light of 20. the Gospel, and true word of the Lord, through the infinite clemency and mercy of Almighty God by the hands of his Majesty, and his most noble father of famous memory, promulgate, showed, declared, and opened unto them, should and ought thereby, in all good works and virtues increase, be more forward, and diligent, and plentiful: as in fasting, prayer, and alms deeds, in love, charity, obedience, and other such good works commanded to us of God in his holy Scripture: Yet his Highness is advertised and informed, that divers of his subjects be not only to all these more slow and negligent, but rather contemners and despisers of such good and godly acts and deeds; to the which, if they were of their own minds bent and inclined, they needed not by outward and princely power be appointed and commanded. But forsomuch as at this time now alate, more than at any other time, a great part of his subjects do break and contemn that abstinence which of long time hath been used in this his Majesty's realm upon the Fridays and Saturdays, and the time commonly called Lent, and other accustomed times; his Highness is constrained to see a convenient order herein set and appointed: not minding thereby that his subjects should think any difference to be in the days or meats, or that the one should be to God more holy, more pure, or more clean, than the other; for all days and all meats be of one and equal purity, cleanness, and holiness, that we should in them, and by them, live to the glory of God, and at all times, and for all meats, give thanks unto Him, of the which none can defile us at any time, or make us unclean; being Christian men, to whom all things be holy and pure, so that they be not used in disobedience and vice: but his Majesty hath allowed and approved the days and times before accustomed, to be continued and still observed here in this Church of England; both that men should on those days abstain and forbear their pleasures, and the meats wherein they have more delight; to the intent to subdue their bodies unto the soul and spirit; unto the which to exhort and move men, is the office of a good and godly head and ruler: and also for worldly and civil policy certain days in the year to spare flesh, and use fish, for the benefit of the commonwealth, and profit of this his Majesty's realm: whereof many be fishers, and men using that trade of living unto the which this realm on every part environed with the seas, and so plentiful of fresh waters, doth easily minister occasion; to the great sustenance of this his Highness's people. So that hereby both the nourishment of the land might be increased by saving flesh, and specially at the spring time, when Lent doth commonly fall, and when the most common and plenteous breeding of flesh is. And also, divers of his loving subjects have good livings, and get great riches thereby, in uttering and selling such meats as the sea and fresh water doth minister unto us; and this his Majesty's realm hath more plenty of ships, boats, crays, and other vessels, by reason of those which by hope of lucre do follow that trade of living. Wherefore, his Majesty, having consideration, that where men of their own minds do not give themselves, so oft as they should do, to fasting, a common abstinence may and should be by the prince enjoined and commanded, and having an eye and mind to the profit and commodity of his realm and subjects, and to a common and civil policy, hath willed and commanded, and by these presents doth will and command, by the advice aforesaid, all manner of person and persons, of what estate, degree, or condition he or they be, (other than such as already be, or hereafter shall be excused by law, or licensed or authorized sufficiently to the contrary,) to observe and keep from henceforth such fasting days, and the time commonly called Lent, in abstaining from all manner of flesh, as heretofore in this realm hath been most commonly used and accustomed: upon pain that whosoever shall, upon any day heretofore wont to be fasted from flesh, and not by the King's Highness or his predecessors abrogate and taken away, eat flesh contrary to this proclamation, shall incur the King's high indignation, and shall suffer imprisonment, and be otherwise grievously punished, at his Majesty's will and pleasure. And further the King's Highness, by the advice aforesaid, straitly chargeth and commandeth all mayors, bailiffs, and other head-officers and rulers of cities and towns, and all justices of peace in the shires where they be in commission, to be attendant and diligent to the execution of this proclamation; in committing to prison the offenders contrary to the proclamation, upon sufficient proof thereof by two sufficient witnesses, before them had and made: there to remain during the King's pleasure, according to the true purport, effect, and meaning of the same; as they tender the King's Majesty's will and pleasure, and will answer the contrary at their peril. And where the late King of most famous memory, father to his Highness, hath given divers years license to his subjects in the time of Lent, to eat butter, cheese, and other meats, commonly called white meats, the King's Highness, by the advice aforesaid, considering the same to have been done not without great considerations, doth give likewise license and authority to all his loving subjects from henceforth freely for ever in the time of Lent, or other prohibited times by law or custom, to eat butter, eggs, cheese, and other white meats, any law, statute, acț, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. No. 22. Ex reg. Cranmer. fol. III. Strype, vol. ii. App. O. Wilkins, XXX. A Proclamation against those that do innovate, alter, or leave undone any Rite or Ceremony in the Church, of their private authority; and against them which preach without license. Set forth the 6th day of February, in the second year of the King's Majesty's most gracious reign. [1548.] Burnet, THE King's Majesty, by the advice of his most entirely beRef. vol. ii. loved uncle, the Duke of Somerset, Governor of his most royal App. b. i. person, and Protector of all his realms, dominions, and subjects, and others of his Council; considering nothing so much to tend to the disquieting of this realm, as diversity of opinions, and variety of rites and ceremonies concerning religion and worMemorials, shipping of Almighty God; and therefore studying all the ways and means which can be to direct this Church, and the cure committed to his Highness, in one and most true doctrine, rite, and usage, yet is advertised, that certain private curates, preachers, and other laymen, contrary to their bounden duty of obedience, do rashly attempt, of their own and singular wit and mind, in some parish churches, and otherwise, not only to persuade the people from the old and accustomed rites and ceremonies, but also themselves bringeth in new orders every one in their church, according to their phantasies; the which, as it is an evident token of pride and arrogance, so it tendeth both to confusion and disorder, and also to the high displeasure of Concilia, vol. iv. P. 21. Almighty God, who loveth nothing so much as order and obedience: Wherefore his Majesty straitly chargeth and commandeth, that no manner of person, of what estate, order, or degree soever he be, of his private mind, will, or phantasy, do omit, leave undone, change, alter, or innovate any order, rite, or ceremony commonly used and frequented in the Church of England, and not commanded to be left undone at any time in the reign of our late Sovereign Lord, his Highness's father, other than such as his Highness, by the advice aforesaid, by his Majesty's visitors, injunctions, statutes, or proclamations, hath already, or hereafter shall command to be omitted, left, innovated, or changed; but that they be observed after that sort as before they were accustomed, or else now sith prescribed by the authority of his Majesty, or by the means aforesaid, upon pain, that whosoever shall offend contrary to this proclamation, shall incur his Highness's indignation, and suffer imprisonment and other grievous punishment, at his Majesty's will and pleasure. Provided always, that for not bearing a candle upon Candlemas-day; not taking ashes upon Ash-Wednesday; not bearing palm upon Palm-Sunday; not creeping to the cross; not taking holy bread or holy water; or for omitting other such rites and ceremonies concerning religion and the use of the Church, which the most reverend Father in God, the Archbishop of Canterbury, by his Majesty's will and commandment, with the advice aforesaid, hath declared, or hereafter shall declare, to the other bishops, by his writing under seal, as heretofore hath been accustomed, to be omitted or changed; no man hereafter be imprisoned, nor otherwise punished; but all such things to be reputed for the observation and following of the same, as though they were commanded by his Majesty's Injunctions. And to the intent that rash and seditious preachers should not abuse his Highness's people, it is his Majesty's pleasure, that whosoever shall take upon him to preach openly in any parish church, chapel, or any other open place, other than those which be licensed by the King's Majesty, or his Highness's visitors, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the bishop of the diocese where he doth preach, except it be bishop, parson, vicar, dean, warden, or provost, in his or their own cure, shall be forthwith, |