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as in the said bill was pretended, the inhabitants there do pay not only tithes for all things that do renew there, but also over and besides the same do pay iiid. for every acre, contrary to all law, reason, and conscience; which said bill I restrained at that [time], promising to see a reforma tion in the same; I will therefore, inasmuch as ye partly know the very circumstances hereof, that accordingly ye do farther so ensearch the verity herein, that thereby, against such time as I shall have the examination thereof, ye may make me ready and ripe in that behalf; and that herein you do your endeavour with all speed and celerity. First day of May. [1534.]

Harl. MSS. 6148. fol. 45. b.

CXV. TO A PREACHER AT PAUL'S CROSS. I commend me unto you. Signifying to the same, that I do not a little marvel why you should leave a note with John Blag my grocer in writing, to preach at Paul's Cross on the iiide Sunday after Trinity Sunday; when, contrary to the same, at your own request to me made, you desired that ye might be there the first Sunday after Trinity Sunday, whereunto ye were accordingly appointed and named. And therefore I will, that ye in any condition fail not to be at the Cross on the said first Sunday, whatsoever other appointment or determination ye have made with yourself to the contrary, according to such expectation, trust, and confidence as I have in you for the accomplishment of the same. And of your mind in this behalf I will that you send me word by this bearer, to the intent I may thereby be in full surety hereof. At Croydon, the vi. day of May.

To one that was appointed to preach

at Paul's Cross.

Chapter

House,

CXVI. To CRUMWELL.

Right Worshipful Master Cromwell, I desire you, at this

Westmin- my instance, to be good master to Sir Edwarde Mowll

well's Cor

priest, bearer hereof, and favourably to tender his suit which ster; Crumhe shall make unto you. He was chaplain to Dr. Benetx respondat the time of his decease, and continued with him in service ence. Original. as long as he was the King's ambassador in Italy. The said chaplain hath lain sick at Pyemount, at Susa, by the space of six months; by reason whereof he is so far in debt, that he is like all his life to be in danger of his creditors, and to live in great poverty, unless some provision, by mean of spiritual promotion or otherwise by your good industry and counsel, be made for him, whereby he may be relieved and in process of time able to satisfy his creditors. Wherefore, inasmuch as the man hath incurred many adversities, partly by sickness and chiefly by the loss of his special good master, Dr. Benet, and is also a very honest man and worthy of better fortune, I do heartily require you, at this my instance, to be as good master to him as you may conveniently, and you shall bind me for this and other your manifold kindness exhibit unto me, to do you such pleasure as shall lie in my power. Written at my house at Croydon the seventh day of May. [1534.]

Your assured ever,

To the Right Worshipful Master Cromwell be this letter delivered.

Thomas Cantuar.

CXVII. To

My Lord, in my most hearty wise I commend me unto Harl. MSS. 6148. fol. you, &c. So it is, that I am credibly informed and certi- 18. fied by this bearer, Sir Thomas Donkester, Subprior of Newesham y, that my suffragan, late Abbot of the same house, is departed out of this miserable world, of whose soul Jesus have mercy; and forasmuch as the said late suffra

* [See Letter LIX.]

Y [A monastery of Premonstratensians in Lincolnshire, the first of that order established in England. At the dissolution it maintained an abbot and eleven canons. Tanner, Not. Monast.]

gan in his life so favour[ed] this bearer, and oftentimes so commended him unto me, that he (as I perceived) intended to have preferred him to be his successor in that room and office in the said house, (as ye, I suppose, do know right well); and because likewise I of mine own knowledge and experience can record and testify of his good life, providence, and other right commendable qualities meet for an head and ruler of that house, in whom heretofore the chief order, administration, provision, and husbandry of the same have only consist: I therefore right heartily pray you to be good lord unto him for my sake, and accepting these my letters in like stead and effect as though I had written the same unto you for myself in such a like matter: and to bear towards him your favour and assistance for his preferment to the said abbacy and office, as I may, for your goodness therein, be in your danger, which I would right thankfully requite, whensoever it shall lie in me to show to you pleasure for yourself or for your friend; trusting now, at this mine attemptation, ye will do that you may for the acceleration of the election, under such both expedition and condition that this my friend shall obtain thereby the benefit thereof accordingly.

And albeit I may, if I would, obtain the King's Grace's favourable letters, and the Queen's Grace's also, for the furtherances and accomplishment of this request; yet forasmuch as I do well know that it consisteth in you to show me this pleasure, without further suit, I therefore do make this request only to you, praying the same to be as good and favourable herein for this man my friend, as ye promised me to have been to my said suffragan in the other matter. And think [not], my lord, but that I (if God grant me life) will so thankfully remember and recompense your favour and gratuity herein, (if it shall please you the same to show unto me) as ye shall have good cause to rejoice thus to have done for me: which thing, if ye intend to satisfy my request, must be speedily done with all celerity, lest, by delay taken therein, ye may be stayed and restrained from that pleasure and liberty to do for your friend, which

you may do in case ye so will; eftsoons praying you to have the premises in your good remembrance, and no less to esteem the same, than ye would in case I had so spoken the same unto you in my own personage. From my manor

at, &c.

CXVIII. TO THE CONVENT OF NEWESHAM".

18. b.

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you, and Harl. MSS. likewise to everich of you. And where it hath pleased 6148. fol. Almighty God to call your father and Abbot, which was my suffragan, to his mercy, by whose decease ye be now destitute of a governor and ruler: I therefore pray you, and every one of you, to bear your favours and good minds to my friend of old acquaintance Sir Thomas Donkester, your brother and Prior, that he, by your favourable means and assistance, may be preferred to that vacant room for my sake afore any other; which thing, if you can be contented to do at this mine instance, ye shall be well assured to have me to be hereafter not alonely a right special friend to you and your house, to the most of my power, at such time as I may show any gratuity and pleasure again for his sake, but also shall have such succour and comfort of him at all times hereafter, as ye shall have cause to be glad to have preferred him for my sake. Thus fare you well. From my manor at Lameheth, the xviii. day of May.

[blocks in formation]

b My Lord, in my most hearty wise I commend me unto Harl. MSS. your good lordship. And whereas I am credibly inform- 6148. fol.

z [See Letter CXVII.]

a

[Strype, in his manuscript copy of this Letter (Lansd. MSS. 1045.) supposes it to have been addressed to Crumwell. But the questions respecting the oath of succession prove its date to be 1534, when Crumwell had attained no higher rank than that of Secretary of State. It is not unlikely that it was written to the Lord Chancellor Audeley, who was one of the Commissioners appointed to tender the oath. See Strype, Cranmer, p. 26.]

b[The former part of this Letter is printed in the Christian Remembrancer for Nov. 1820.]

44.

ed, that at your commandment, one Sir Thomas Mownteforde, priest, is committed to the Fleet for certain words (as is reported) by him spoken against me, which now he utterly refuseth, and thereto offereth himself to prove the contrary in that behalf by divers that were there present when the said words should have been spoken of me: I most heartily desire your lordship, at this mine instance and request, ye will discharge him for [the] time of this his trouble and vexation: for surely of all sorts of men I am daily informed that priests report the worst of me, and therefore so to be reported of a priest it should very little grieve me, although he had confessed it, much less now would I then this his trouble for the same, he himself reporting the contrary. Wherefore eftsoons I require you to be good lord unto him herein, and that the rather at this mine instance.

Furthermore touching my commission to take oaths of the King's subjects for his Highness' succession d, I am by your last letters well instructed, saving that I know not how I shall order them that cannot subscribe by writing: hitherto I have caused one of my secretaries to subscr[ib]e for such persons, and made them to write their shepe mark, or some other mark, as they can..... scribble. Now would I know, whether I shall, instead of subscription, take their seals.

Also where you have sent forth commissions to justices of peace to take the same oath, I pray you send me word, whether you have given them commission to take oaths as well of priests as of other. And if so, then I trust my labours be abbreviate, for in short time the oaths (hereby) shall be take[n] through all England; which seemeth to me very expedient so to be; trusting this expedition shall discharge your lordship, me, and other of much travail in this

с

[Strype seems to have believed, that Sir Thomas Mounteforde was the north country priest committed to the Fleet by the Lord Crumwell, of whose insolence and ignorance such an admirable story is told by Morice. But the cases appear to be different, and, as has been observed in note (a) p. 111, Crumwell was not yet entitled to be called "the Lord Crumwell." See Strype, Cranmer, p. 437.]

d

[See Letter cvi. Strype, Cranmer, p. 26.]

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