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to receive from you in the same; for seeing this was the first suit that ever I made unto you, wherein, after that ye had answer from Doctor Benete, ye promised me that I should have my desire, and that I should not mistrust the matter; it would grieve me that the same should now take none effect, seeing the matter doth now rest in your goodness and benevolence. As long as ye were only mediator for me in it to him that had the thing, ye did ever give me good hope and comfort in it, and therefore I do now trust verily, that, seeing the same thing is come to your own hands and disposition at your pleasure, ye will now be as good in it, as ye were when ye were mediator for the same. The truth is, that my friend aforesaid was born in the same paroche, which thing moveth him to be the more desirous of it, and me to be the more importune upon you for him; for albeit I have offered unto him the expectation and advowsonage of some one promotion of my collation, of as good value as is the value of the same thing that I do desire of you, I assure you he hath refused the same, and desired me (as a man much affectionate to his native country) to continue suitor unto you in this behalf; so that he regardeth that beneficef much better than my said overture. And therefore I pray you, good Mr. Crumwell, stay not with me now in this matter, seeing I have sued so long for the same, and ever have had comfortable promise in it. And by these my letters I do faithfully promise you, that ye shall have, when ye will, as good a benefice of my gift for the same, as that is, and so should ye have had and shall have, and as much other pleasure as I may at any time show unto you, or to any friend of yours for your sake, though I had never written or spoken in this matter. When ye shall have cause to prove me, ye shall be assured to find me conformable to

e [See Letter LIX.]

[If, as may be conjectured from Letter v, the benefice coveted by Newman was Barnack, Craniner seems to have failed in his application: for Robert Benett, probably a relative of Dr. W. Benett to whom the advowson appears to have belonged, was rector there in 1535. Val.

this my promise, God willing; who ever keep you.
Otforde the 26th day of November.

Your own assured

To the Right Worshipful and my
very loving friend Master Crum-
well, of the King's Grace's most
honourable Council.

From

Thomas Cantuar.

Chapter
House,
Westmin-

well's Cor

ginal.

mer, vol. i.

p. 99.

LXXIX. To CRUMWell.

Right Worshipful Master Crumwell, in my right hearty manner I commend me to you. So it is, that I lately rester; Crum-ceived certain letters from my friend Doctor Goderics, by respond- whom I do perceive, that ye have not only spoken to the ence. Ori- King's Highness for the loan of a thousand marks to my Todd, Life use, whose pleasure is (as the same Master Goderic writeth) of Cran- that I shall receive of you at this time five hundred pounds and no more, but also have practised with my Lord of Wiltshire and other, which at this time do claim many duties of me; for which your kindness I do heartily thank you, praying you to cause the same five hundred pounds to be delivered to my secretary Thomas Berthlet, this bearer, which shall deliver unto you an obligation for the payment thereof, at such day as is expressed in the same; which obligation (in case the same be not made according to your mind) I will be glad to reform, and seal unto you a new accordingly as ye shall require a new to be made, and will send the same unto you with speed. From Otforde, the 26th day of November.

Your own assured
Thomas Cantuar.

To the Right Worshipful and my
very loving friend Master Crum-
well, of the King's Grace's most
honourable Council.

8 [Probably Dr. Thomas Goodrich, afterwards Bishop of Ely and Lord Chancellor. He had been fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, at the same time with Cranmer. See his Life in Chalmers, Biogr. Dict.]

LXXX. TO LORD ABERGAVENNY.

40.

My very special good Lord, I commend me heartily unto Harl. MSS. your Lordship: signifying to the same, that my servant John 6148. fol. Creke hath advertised me of your loving mind towards me, how willing you be to accompany me at Canterbury h, wherefore I give unto you most hearty thanks. Nevertheless I will not at this season put you to any pains in this behalf. Notwithstanding, if your lordship do send me some venison, and especially a red deer or two, against Tuesday next, you should do unto me herein singular pleasure, which to requite I would be always ready, God willing; who keep and preserve your good Lordship. From my manor of Ottforde, the xxvii. of November.

To my Lord of Burgaveny.

LXXXI. TO THE ABBOT OF WESTMINSTER.

39. b.

Brother Abbot, in my right hearty wise I commend me Harl. MSS. unto you. And where, of your benevolence, ye promised unto 6148. fol. me the next room which should chance to be void amonges the beadmen of the foundation of King Henry the Eighth [Seventh ?] for one William [John?] Fyssher, so it is, as I am credibly informed, that there is now one of the said rooms void and in your disposition. I heartily require you therefore, that the said John F. may be preferred thereunto, according to your aforesaid promise. And in so doing I will be at all times ready to requite the same accordingly, God willing; who keep you, &c. The xxix. day of November. brother Abbot, the Abbot

To
my
of Westminster.

h [Cranmer was installed at Canterbury on the 3rd of Dec. 1533. Lord Abergavenny, who held an office under him, had probably offered to attend him on the occasion. The approaching ceremony explains also the application for venison.]

i [William Boston or Benson. See Letter VII.]

[See Letter XXVII.]

Harl. MSS. 6148. fol.

3.

LXXXII. TO KING HENRY VIII.

Pleaseth it your Most Noble Grace to understand, that the feigned revelations and illusions of the false Nun k of St. Sepulcres here at Canterburye, and the other matters contained in them, now after that they have been opened and declared to the people 1, be had in great abomination and detestation unto them. And as far as I can perceive or learn, all your Grace's people here be as glad as any men may be, that the said false and forged matters be come to light. And as concerning the Prior m and Convent of my Church, (whom I have diligently examined,) I find them as conformable and reformable as any number with whom I have communed any time. And I see them greatly sorrow and lament, that any of their congregation" should order himself so, that such

[The countenance which she received from such men as Wolsey, Warham, More, and Fisher, the important political character of several of her revelations, and her exaltation by some Roman Catholic writers to the rank of a martyr, have all combined to give celebrity to Elizabeth Barton," the Holy Maid of Kent." A brief account of her impostures is given by Cranmer himself in Letter LXXXIV. Her story is told at length in the preamble to the Act of Parliament for her attainder, (Stat. 25 Hen. VIII. c. 12.) an abstract of which will be found in Burnet. See also some curious particulars in Strype, Memorials, vol. i. p. 177. The Nun herself, Bocking, Dering, Risby and Rich, two observant friars, Richard Master Parson of Aldington, and Henry Golde Parson of Aldermary, were hanged at Tyburn, the 20th of April, 1534. Stow, Annals; Strype, Memorials.]

["All whose detestable facts, as well of idolatry, heresy, and also of "treason, were so wittily and learnedly, by God's word, convinced at "Canterbury by Dr. Hethe, now Chancellor of England, (she being pre"sent and openly confessing the same,) and also by another learned "man [Salcot, Bishop of Bangor] at Paul's Cross; that the most part of "them which were before by her seduced, did then utterly abhor her "shameless and abominable facts." Confutation of Unwritten Verities, (vol. iv.) A portion of an address to the people on this imposture, with corrections in Cranmer's handwriting, is still preserved in the Chapter House, Westminster; Theological Tracts, vol. vii. fol. 16. It may perhaps be part of the abovementioned discourse by Hethe, which the Archbishop probably thought proper to submit to the inspection of Crumwell. Some extracts from it have been inserted in the notes.]

[Thomas Goldwell. At the dissolution he had been Prior of Christ's Church twenty-three years, and received a pension of 80 per annum. Somner, Ant. of Cant. by Battely, part iii. p. 116.]

n

[Dr. Edward Bockyng, the Nun's ghostly father and chief adviser, and John Dering, who had a great share in compiling the books of her revelations, were both monks of Christ's Church, Canterbury. See Letters XC. CLVIII, note.]

word and slander should grow of this occasion, or that thereby occasion should be given to your Grace to take displeasure against the whole company, amonges whom few in comparison of their great number appear to be knowing or consenting to the said false revelations or illusions. And almost only such as were Doctor Bokkynge's novices, men of young years, and of less knowledge and experience. The Prior of my Church, a man of great simplicity, and void of malice, as far as I can judge, hath been touched with this matter; but I cannot understand that he hath reported it to any other, but only to my predecessor, then being his ordinary and your Grace's counsellor. Which prior and his brethren, the saddest and seniors of the house, with all the other young sort, considering the matter sounding to your Grace's displeasure, which they regard as greatly as they do any thing else in this world, (as far as I can judge,) be greatly discomforted, dismayed, and sad, and have desired me very instantly to be a mediator for them to your Most Noble Majesty, to be gracious and merciful unto them, offering of their free wills, (besides their fervent prayers for your noble estate long and prosperously to endure) to do some pleasure unto your Highness after their power, to attain your gracious favour, mercy, and pardon. And I suppose they will desire me to offer unto your Grace for a pleasure, ii. or iii. cli. Wherein I dare nothing do, unless your Grace's pleasure be to me first known, assuring your Grace, that as far as I can understand by any means that I can devise, that besides the ornaments of the Church and some plate that the Prior and certain officers hath, this monastery is not aforehand, but in debt divers ways. In consideration whereof and of their good minds, I most humbly beseech your Highness to be gracious and merciful unto them, the rather for my poor intercession; and that they may have some comfortable word or letter from your Grace, for their comfortation in this their great pensiveness and dolour. Thus our Lord have your Grace evermore in his preservation and governance. From my place at Canterburye, the xiii. day of December. [1533.]

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