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dignity and science, how can you, being a principal member in the same body, keep the nourishment from the head? We pray your Grace most earnestly, think this thing so much grieveth us, as for our private affection and good wills to you though we should dissemble, yet for our public office we cannot but plainly inform your Grace, not doubting but that your wisdom can judge what our office is; and if it were not your own cause, we know your Grace by wisdom could charge us, if we suffered the like in any other. Truly every one of us apart honoureth your Grace for our master's sake, but when we join together in public service, as in this writing we do, we judge it not toler able, to know disorder, to see the cause, and leave it unamended. For though we would be negligent, the world would judge us; and therefore we do altogether, eftsoons, require your Grace, in the King's Majesty's name, that if any of your two chaplains, Mallet or Barkley, be returned, or as soon as any of them shall return to your Grace's house, the same may be, by your Grace's commandment or order, sent and delivered to the sheriff of Essex, who hath commandment from the King's Majesty, by order of the law and of his crown, to attach them; or if that condition shall not like your Grace, yet that then he may be warned from your Grace's house, and not kept there, to be as it were defended from the power of the law. Which thing we think surely neither your Grace will mean, nor any of your counsel assent thereto,

And so to make an end of our letter, being long for the matter, and hitherto deferred for other our great business, we trust your Grace first seeth how the usage of your chaplains differeth from the manner of our license, and what good intent moved us to write unto you in our former letters; lastly, that the things whereunto the King and the whole realm hath consented, be not only lawful and just by the policy of the realm, but also just and godly by the laws of God. So that if we, which have charge under the King, should willingly consent to the open breach of them, we could neither discharge ourselves to the King for our duties, neither to God for our conscience. The consideration of all which things we pray Almighty God, by his holy spirit, to lay in the bottom of your heart, and thereupon to build such a profession in you, as both God may have his true honour, the King his due obedience, the realm concord,

and we most comfort. For all the which we do heartily pray, and therewith, for the continuance of your Grace's health to your heart's desire. From Westminster, the xxv. of December.

Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iv.

Register, fol. 61. a.

XLI.

Mandatum pro publicatione Actus Parliamenti contra Rebelles. THOMAS, &c. per illustrissimum et invictissimum in Christo principem et dominum nostrum dominum Edwardum sextum, p. 68. from &c. ad infra scripta rite suffultus, dilecto in Christo filio Craumer's Archidiacono nostro Cantuarien', seu ejus officiali, salutem, gratiam, et benedictionem. Literas missivas dicti metuendissimi domini nostri Regis, manu sua regia signatas, ejusque signeto obsignatas, nominibus illustrissimorum virorum dominorum a secretis consiliis suis regiis in calce earundem subscriptas, nobis inscriptas et directas, nuper cum debito officii nostri obsequio accepimus, tenorem subsequentem complectentes:

Most reverend father in God, right trusty and right well-beloved counsellor, we greet you well. And whereas it is come to our knowledge that there be divers lewd and seditious persons in certain parts of our realm, that practise and devise the means to stir up unlawful assemblies and commotions, to the trouble and unquiet of us and our loving subjects; forasmuch as we intend to meet with the said practisers in time, we have thought good, among other things that we have set forth for the purpose, to address unto you, as we have done the like to all other prelates of our realm, the books of an Act of Parliament made and established in the third year of our reign, for the containing of our subjects in quiet and good order, and the suppression of the rebellion, if at any time any should happen to be practised or begun within our realm. Wherefore we require, and straitly charge and command you, to give substantial order throughout all your diocese, that within every parish church within the same, the said Act may be openly and distinctly read by the parson or curate to the parochians every Sunday, or second Sunday at the least, at such time in the morning as the assembly of the said parochians is most frequent ; to the end they may be from time to time admonished of their duties, and of the peril that shall ensue to them that shall devise or attempt any thing contrary to the said

Act. And like as we in this perilous time have thought it necessary for the preservation of the common quiet of our realm, to address to you, and the rest of our prelates, these our letters with our said Act; so our special trust is, that you for your part will see the same effectually done and executed throughout your diocese, so duly and with such regard and care as the importance of the case requireth; whereof fail you not, as you tender our pleasure, and will avoid our indignation. Yeven under our signet at our manor of Grenewhyche, the sixth of May, in the fifth year of our reign.

In calce hæc nomina habentur: E. Somersett, R. Ryche, Canc', W. Wilteshire, J. Warwick, J. Bedford, E. Clinton. Inscriptio talis est; To the most reverend Father in God, our right trusty and right well-beloved counsellor the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Nos vero affectantes ex animo ejusdem domini nostri Regis literis et mandatis obtemperare, volentesque pro nostro erga suam regiam celsitudinem officio in demandatis nobis negotiis omnem nostram curam et solertem adhibere diligentiam, vobis pro parte suæ regiæ Majestatis districte præcipiendo mandamus harum serie, quatenus receptis præsentibus, cum omni qua poteritis celeritate et diligentia maturis, dilectos filios nostros rectores, vicarios, et curatos quarumcunque Ecclesiarum parochialium nostræ dioeceseos Cantuariensis moneatis, et præcipiendo mandetis, quatenus ipsi et eorum quilibet vel singuli actum sive statutum Parliamenti in eisdem literis regiis specificatum, cujus unum exemplar typis excusum vobis una cum præsentibus per latorem præsentis nostri mandati transmittimus, singulis diebus dominicis vel saltem qualibet secunda die dominica in Ecclesia sua parochiali coram parochianis ejusdem, mane quum et quando parochiani cujuslibet parochiæ ad divina audienda in Ecclesia sua frequentes adfuerint, publice, distincta, aperta, ac alta et intelligibili voce perlegant, ac cætera omnia et singula in dictis literis regiis descripta perimpleant, exequantur, et sedulo fieri curent, omnibus mora, dilatione, et fuco penitus remotis, prout eidem domini nostro Regi sub vestro incumbente periculo obtemperare et respondere velitis, et vult vestrum alter. Et quid in præmissis feceritis, et exequi curaveritis, id totum et omne nobis quam citissime significatum iri non postponatis. Dat' in manerio nostro de Lambehith, nono die mensis Maii,

anno Domini 1551, regnique ejusdem felicissimi domini nostri Regis anno quinto, et nostræ consecrationis decimo nono.

State Paper

clesiastical

XLII.

Letter from Edward VI. to the Bishops, on occasion of the
Sweating Sickness ħ ̧

By the King,

EDWARD,

RIGHT Reverend Father in God, right trusty and wellbeOffice. Ec- loved, we greet you well. And being not a little disquieted to Papers. see the subjects of our realm vexed with this extreme and Original. sudden plague, that daily increaseth over all, we cannot but

lament the people's wickedness, through the which the wrath of
God hath been thus marvellously provoked. For the more we
study how to instruct them in the knowledge of God, and of his
most holy word, that consequently they might follow and ob-
serve his laws and precepts, so much the more busy is the
wicked spirit to alienate their hearts from all godliness; and
his malice hath so much prevailed, that, bycause the people are
become as it were open rebels against the Divine Majesty,
God, after one plague hath sent another and another, increasing
it so from one to one, till at length, seeing none other remedy,
he hath thrown forth this most extreme plague of sudden death.
And bycause there is no other way to pacify his fury, and to
recover his grace and mercy, but by prayer and amendment of
life, considering the cure and charge committed unto you, we
have thought good to call upon you to use all diligence possible
throughout your whole diocese, as well by yourself as by good
ministers, to persuade the people to resort more diligently to
common prayer than they have done, and there not only to
pray
with all their hearts, in the fear of God, as good and faith-
ful men should do, but also to have a better regard unto their

[The sweating sickness breaking out this year in great violence, "(whereby the two sons of the Duke of Suffolk were taken off,) letters from "the Council, dated July 18, were sent to all the bishops, to persuade the "people to prayer, and to see God better served." Strype, Cranmer, p. 270. See also Strype, Memorials, vol. ii. p. 279; Burnet, Reformat. vol. ii. p. 363; Edward VI's Journal, ibid. vol. ii. App. p. 44.]

i [This signature is affixed by stamp.]

livings, and specially to refrain their greedy appetites from that insatiable serpent of covetousness, wherewith most men are so infected, that it seemeth each one would devour another without charity or any godly respect to the poor, to their neighbours, or to their common wealth. For the which God hath not only now poured out this plague upon them, but also prepared another plague, that after this life shall plague them everlastingly. Wherein you must use those persuasions that may engender a terror, to reduce them from their corrupt, naughty, and detestable vices. But as the body and members of a dull or sick head cannot be lusty, or apt to do well, so in many cures of this our realm, as well the chief as the particular ministers of the Church, have been both so dull and so feeble in discharging of their duties,that it is no marvel, though their flocks wander, not knowing the voice of their shepherd, and much less the voice of their principal and sovereign Master. We trust ye are none of those; but if there have been such negligence within your jurisdiction, we exhort and pray you, and nevertheless charge and command you, by the authority given us of God, to see it reformed; increasing also amendment in that that already is well begun, in such sort as your diligence may declare you worthy of your vocation, and the effects thereof yield unto God an obedient, faithful, and fearful flock: which we wish to God we may shortly see. Yeven under our signet, at our honour of Hampton Court, the 18th of July, the fifth year of our

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Mandates by Edward VI. for subscription to the Articles of

1552.

1. The King's Mandate to the Bishop of Norwich, sent with the Articles to be subscribed by the Clergy.

By the King.

RIGHT Reverend Father in God, right trusty and well-be

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