CXLIII. TO MR. RIX. 6148. I commend me to you. These be to signify to you, that Harl. MSS. my lord of Wilteshere is fully determined, notwithstanding fol. 5o.b. any manner suit or insinuation to the contrary, to have you abide with him in his household; insomuch, that he willed me on Passion Sunday last to send you word, that you fail not to meet with him at Madstone on Tuesday come sennight, from whence you must depart with him; and therefore against that time see that you be in such a readiness, as you need not to rejourney again, but to accomplish his mind and pleasure with all your endeavour accordingly. CXLIV. TO CRUMWELL. Chapter ster; Crum ence. Ori Right Worshipful, in my most hearty wise I commend MSS. me to you. And whereas I am informed, that upon suit to you made, you have of late directed your letters to the WestminMaster and Fellows of Jesus College of Cambridge, mov- well's Coring them, forasmuch as you were informed that certain se- respondditious persons should trouble the quiet possession of a ginal. farmer of theirs, lately having interest in a certain farm belonging to the said College, to signify to you their names, to the intent you might see a reformation in that behalf; I most heartily require you, that in this matter you will suspend your judgment, and repel all manner information and suit made to you herein, until such time that I myself shall farther commune with you for the same; which, God willing, I intend shall be shortly, as well to have communication with you of St. Stephen's, as also to do my duty to the King's Highness and the Queen, whom of long I have not seen. Thus our Lord long preserve you in health. At Otteforde, the 6th day of April. MSS. House, CXLV. To CRUMWELL. Right Worshipful, in my most hearty wise I commend Chapter me unto you. And whereas I understand, that amongst Westmin- other persons attainted of high treason, the Prior of Axwell's Cor- holme, named Webster, and Master Raynold of Syon, be respond- judged according to the law, for offending against the late ginal. Acts of Parliament made for the suppressing of the usurped ster; Crum ence. Ori power of the Bishop of Rome; surely I do much marvel of them both, specially of Mr. Raynold, having such sight in Scriptures and Doctors, and also of the other, which promised me that he would never meddle for the defence of that opinion; much pitying me that such men should suffer with so ignorant judgments, and if there be none other offence laid against them than this one, it will be much more for the conversion of all the fauters hereof, after mine opinion, that their consciences may be clearly averted from the same by communication of sincere doctrine, and so they to publish it likewise to the world, than by the justice of the law to suffer in such ignorance. And if it would please f [Augustine Webster, Prior of the Charter House in the Isle of Axholme, Richard Raynold, a monk of Sion, John Houghton, Prior of the Charter House London, Robert Lawrence, Prior of Beauvale, and John Haile, Vicar of Thistleworth, were all condemned for treason on the 29th of April 1535. The jury, it is said, were unwilling to bring in such holy persons guilty as malefactors, and at last did not give their verdict, till they were overawed by the threats of Crumwell in person. After this interference it is not to be wondered at, that the intercession of Craumer was disregarded. All the five were executed at Tyburn on the 4th of May. Houghton and Raynold in particular, were of celebrated fame for their piety: of the former, Crumwell "himself in the Chapter house of his Convent said before a great many, that he was a just and holy man." Strype, Memorials, vol. i. p. 197, who gives an affecting account of their sufferings from Hist. Mart. Angl. See also Stow, Annals; Burnet, Ref. vol. i. p. 704.] 8 [The Statute 28 Hen. VIII. c. 10. for “ the extirpation of the Bi66 shop of Rome's authority" was not passed till 1536. The Act therefore to which Cranmer here alludes must be 26 Hen. VIII. c. 13, "For the expositions of certain treasons;" by which it was made treason to "practise to deprive the King of the dignity, title, " or name of his royal estate." As one of his titles by a former Statute, 26 Hen. VIII. c. 1, was "Supreme Head," all who denied his supremacy were indictable for treason. See Statutes of the Realm. The ordinary report among the common people was, that these men had combined together to kill the King. Strype, Memorials.] the King's Highness to send them unto me, I suppose I could do very much with them in this behalf. Now whether this mine advertisement shall make as well for our Sovereign Lord the King's safeguard, and the weal of this his realm, as this justice, I remit it to your discretion and wisdom. Thus our Lord preserve you in health. At Otteforde, the xxx. day of April. [1535.] Your own ever assured, To my very singular and especial friend Master Secretary. Thomas Cantuar. CXLVI. TO CRUMWELL. ster; Crum ence. Right Worshipful, in my most hearty wise I commend MSS. Chapter me unto you. And whereas I understand by this bearer, House that you hitherto hath borne unto the same your favour; it Westminwill like the rather for my sake, both to continue well's Coryou now, the same, and also to show him your more ample favour in respondsuch things as now he hath to do with you, for I suppose Original. the man intendeth well; and in so doing I will be always ready to accomplish your like requests. Thus our Lord preserve you in health. At Otteforde, the 6th day of Maye. Your own ever assured, Thomas Cantuar. To the Right Worshipful and my very singular good friend Master Secretary. CXLVII. TO CRUMWELL. Right Worshipful, in my most hearty wise I commend Cott. me unto you: most heartily thanking you, for that you have MSS. Cleop. F. signified unto me, by my chaplain Master Champion, the 1. fol. 260. complaint of the Bishop of Winchester unto the King's Original. Highness, in two things concerning my Visitation. The one [See Burnet, Ref. vol. iii. p. 200; Strype, Cranmer, p. 33.] Burn. Ref. App.vol.111. b. iii. No. 37. Strype, Cranm. App. No. XIV. Lord is, that in my style I am written, " Totius Angliæ Primas,” to the derogation and prejudice of the King's high power and authority, being Supreme Head of the Church. The other is, that his diocese (not past five years agon) was visited by my predecessor, and must from henceforth pay vol. xiv. p. the tenth part of the spiritualties, according to the Act granted in the last session of this Parliament; wherefore he thinketh, that his diocese should not be charged with my Visitation at this time. Somers' 352. First, as concerning my style, wherein I am named "To"tius Angliæ Primas," I suppose, that to make his cause good, (which else in deed were naught,) he doth mix it with the King's cause, (as ye know the man lacketh neither learning in the law, neither witty invention, ne craft to set forth his matters to the best) that he might appear not to maintain his own cause, but the King's; against whose Highness, he knoweth right well, that I will maintain no cause, but give place, and lay both my cause and myself at my prince's feet. But to be plain what I think of the Bishop of Winchester, I cannot persuade with my self that he so much tendereth the King's cause as he doth his own, that I should not visit him: and that appeareth by the very time. For if he cast no farther but the defence of the King's Grace's authority, or if he intended that at all, why moved he not the matter, before he received my monition for my Visitation; which was within four miles of Winchester delivered unto him the 24th day of April last, as he came up to the Court? Moreover, I do not a little marvel, why he should now find fault, rather than he did before k, when he took the Bishop of Rome as chief head: for though the Bishop of Rome was taken for Supreme Head, notwithstanding that, he had a great number of primates under him; and by having his primates under him, his supreme autho [Stat. 26 Hen. VIII. c. 3. See Letter CXLI.] "The Archbishop of Canterbury's title was in Convocation ordered "to be altered: instead of the title of 'legate of the apostolic see,' he "was to be designed' metropolitan, and primate.' This last was one "of his ancient titles." Burnet, Ref. vol. iii. p. 199. See Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iii. p. 769, for the proceedings of the Convocation.] rity was not less esteemed, but much the more. Why then may not the King's Highness, being Supreme Head, have primates under him, without any diminishing, but with the augmenting of his said supreme authority? And of this I doubt not at all, but that the Bishop of Winchester knoweth as well as any man living, that in case this said style or title, had been in any point impediment or hinderance to the Bishop of Rome's usurped authority, it would not have so long been unreformed as it hath been. For I doubt not but all the bishops of England would ever gladly have had the Archbishop's both authority and title taken away, that they might have been equal together; (which well appeareth by the many contentions against the Archbishops for jurisdiction, in the Court of Rome ;) which had been easily brought to pass, if the Bishops of Rome had thought the Archbishop's titles and styles to be any derogation to their supreme authority. All this notwithstanding, if the bishops of this realm pass no more of their names, styles, and titles, than I do of mine, the King's Highness shall soon order the matter between us all. And if I saw that my style were against the King's authority, (whereunto I am specially sworn,) I would sue myself unto his Grace, that I might leave it; and so would have done before this time. For I pray God never be merciful unto me at the general judgment, if I perceive in my heart that I set more by any title, name, or style that I write, than I do by the paring of an apple, farther than it shall be to the setting forth of God's word and will. Yet I will not utterly excuse me herein; for God must be judge, who knoweth the bottom of my heart, and so do not I myself: but I speak forsomuch as I do feel in my heart, for many evil affections lie lurking there, and will not lightly be espied. But yet I would not gladly leave any just thing at the pleasure and suit of the Bishop of Winchester, he being none otherwise affectionate unto me than he is. Even at the beginning first of Christ's profession, Diotrephes desired gerere primatum in ecclesia, as saith St. John in his last Epistle and since, he hath had more successors |