I.

respective epis. in Romana curia residentib. gram. et com- BOOK munionem sedis aplicæ. habent. et infrascript. magistro ceremoniarum, de speciali et expressa commissione nobis, ut præmittitur facta, in capella Sixti nuncupata, præfatum rev. dom. Dermicium Oclieram electum Maionen præsentem, in epum. et pastorem dict. ecclesiæ Maionen. Cum solennitatibus et ceremoniis consuetis præstito prius per eum in manib. nostris juramento in forma ab electis præstari solita, juxta ritum et morem stæ. Roman. ecclesiæ, consecravimus: sibique munus consecrationis in similibus dari solitum, impendimus; ipsumque Dermicium Ocliera epum. per præsentes consecratum fuisse et esse denuntiamus.

Qui rev. Dermic Oclier. antequam consecraretur, et benediceretur, in manibus nostris præstitit corporale juramentum in hanc modum. Videlicet.

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"Ego Dermicus Ocliera elect. Maionen. ab hac hora, ut "antea, fidelis et obediens ero beato Petro, stæque Roman. "ecclesiæ, et dno. nostro dno. Gregorio papæ 13io suisque "successoribus canonice intrantibus. Non ero in consilio aut consensu, vel facto, ut vitam perdant, vel membrum, seu capiantur mala captione. Consilium vero quod mihi cre"dituri sunt per se aut nuntios, ad eorum damnum, me "sciente, nemini pandam. Papatum Romanum, et regalia “S. Petri adjutor eis ero, ad retinendum et defendendum, "salvo meo ordine, contra omnem hominem. Legatum se"dis apostolicæ, in eundo et redeundo, honorifice tractabo, ❝et in suis necessitatibus adjuvabo.

“Jura, honores, privilegia et aucthoritatem Roman. ec"clesiæ, et aliqua sinistra vel præjudicialia personarum, juris, honoris, status et potestatis eorum machinentur, &c. "Et si talia a quibuscunque tractari novero, impediam hoc All this was

66

not arch

Cranmer's

oath.

pro posse, et quanto citius potero, significabo eid. dno. bishop "nostro, vel alteri, per quem possit ad ipsius notitiam per"venire. Regulas sanctorum patrum, decreta et ordina❝tiones, reservationes seu dispositiones, promissiones et "mandata aplica. totis virib. observabo, et faciam ab aliis "observari. Hæreticos, schismaticos, et rebelles eid. dno.

BOOK "nostro vel successoribus predict. pro posse persequar et

I.

"impugnabo.

66

"Vocatus ad synodum veniam, nisi præpeditus fuero ca"nonica præpeditione. Apostolorum limina singulis annis "Romana curia existente citra Alpes: ultra vero montes "singulis bienniis per meipsum visitabo, aut per me, aut 66 per meum nuntium, nisi aplica. absolvat licentia. [Et si post primam visitationem personaliter factam, aliquo legitimo impedimento præpeditus personaliter visitare non potero, per aliquem fidum nuntium de gremio meæ Maionen. ecclesiæ bene instructum : qui vice mea aplico. conThis is not "spectui se præsentare, et de legitimo impedimento hu"moi saltem per juramentum legitimum fidem facere te"neatur; id adimplebo.]

in Cran

mer's oath.

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66

66

"Possessiones vero ad mensam meam pertinentes nec "vendam, nec donabo, neque impignorabo, neque de novo "infeudabo, vel aliquo modo alienabo, inconsulto Romano Left out in "pontifice, etiam cum consensu capituli mei. Sic me Deus adjuvet, et hæc Dei sancta evangelia.”

Cranmer's

oath.

66

In quorum omnium singulorum fidem et testimonium præmissorum præsentes literas fieri, et per magistrum ceremoniarum aplicarum. infra scriptum ibid. ex officio suo præsentem et intervenientem subscribi, nostrique soliti sigilli appensione muniri fecimus. Datum Romæ, ut supra, sub anno a nativitate Dni. millesimo quingentesimo septua55 gesimo quarto, indictione 2da, die vero 12ma mensis Martii, pontificatus prælibati sanctiss. in Christo patris et domini nostri, domini Gregorii divina providentia papæ 13ii anno. præsentib. ibidem reverend. dominis. fratre Guglielmo Macarmuit, fratre Joanne Hoargo de Hybernia; et reve rendo domino Joanne Callanario abbate de Portu patrum, Anachduanen. canonico regulari in Hybernia; testib. ad præmissa vocatis atque rogatis.

Ego Lodovicus Branca de Jermanis, ceremoniarum apli carum. Magister, ex officio ceremoniarum prædictar. premissis interfui, et de juramento rogatus subscripsi.

BOOK

I.

Number XXVIII.

Mr. Dering's answer to certain articles of matters that he had spoken at some public dinner: presented to the lords of the Star-chamber.

MOST humbly I beseech your honours to consider, that MSS. Burghlian. in matters of accusation, not only words, but also the manner of speaking, must be witness of the truth. Else our Saviour Christ lost the innocency of his cause: who was charged but with the words of his own mouth. Matth. xxvi. 62. Job ii. 19. And indeed the most perfect words, as they be spoken in their order, may have a very ill sound, if you will draw them apart. When Christ said, he that will be his disciple, must hate his father and his mother: if you change his purpose and maner of speaking, you shall open wide the mouth of the slanderer unto much bitterness. This example of our Saviour Christ, it is precious and dear unto your honours. So that you will never receive a report of words, but in good warrant of the manner of speaking.

And, my very good lords, the more plentifully you have received grace, and a spirit of government, fear the more, lest the accuser should here deceive you. Constantinus, that excellent emperor, manitimes justified Athanasius against his accusers: yet at the last he was overcome; and believing the evil report, banished an excellent bishop. Theodosius, a singular man, and of a meek spirit; yet he was caried away, and decreed against Cyril, a singular bishop. David, a man according to the heart of God, believed a false accusation against Mephibosheth; and did his faithful and good servant wrong. These examples make me sometimes fear. And therefore I beseech your honours pardon me, tho' I were bold to alledge them. And for all the things, whereof I am accused, first, I beseech God revele the truth; and then, before God, I profess unto you to write the truth of that I know I have spoken.

Against godfathers and godmothers, saving only the name, I spake nothing. I know they are used in reformed

BOOK churches: and I confess the use is good. And they that I. speak against them, I think, they are worthy to be pu

nished. Of the charge given to them, to se the children brought up; to exhort them to hear sermons, &c. and thereof to make progress in the church of God; which yet they did not keep; I said, it was very ill, and perhaps I added, one of the worst things in the book of service. Wherein I also blamed the French book; not only our

own.

More than this, on my part, was never thought. And therefore I am sure not spoken by me. Where it was further objected against me, that I said,

The statute for the provision for the poor was no competent way devised for it; or any such words. In which I might seem to blame either the act of parlament, or the makers of it. I utterly deny it, as a most impudent report: and such as it grieveth me once to remember it. I thank God I have better learned than in dishes and cups to blame so proudly the state of a kingdom. I allowed of the order already taken. I commended it. I said, it wanteth only the good will of men to execute it. Where it is further objected,

56 That I could provide for the poor two ways. The one was, I could commit them to the rich to be kept; to some two, to some three, &c. Another way was, to what purpose is this superfluity? Or, what do we with so much plate? These all I utterly deny, as the words which I never spake, and the thoughts which were never yet in my heart. And if I should have spoken the one or the other, I had spoken wickedly, and deserved punishment accordingly. And thus much I profess and protest, upon the warrant of a Christian man's words before the seat of justice; where I dare not lye. And to prove my saying true, I have brought the hand of those that were present. If contrary witnesses come against me, as I understand Mr. Toy, Mr. Willet, and Mr. D. Chaderton will do, I beseech your lordships, give me leave to except against their testimony: and you shall hear more plainly what I have to say. Only this now shall be

I.

sufficient: Mr. Toy confessed before Mr. Killegrew and BOOK Mr. D. Fulke, he heard me speak nothing of plate, nothing of that book, nothing of committing the poor to the rich. Only he remembred, I said at dinner, To what purpose is this superfluity? And of the charge of godfathers, who did very ill, that they looked no better to it. Mr. Willet said to Mr. Fulke, he would he had not been there: for indeed my words, except they were strangely construed against me, might be well taken. Mr. Chaderton praised me much at the table, and said, he was sure the university would willingly give me again my grace, to commence this next year: and after dinner, privately to Mr. Hodgson, he used much fair speech of me. And since he accused me, he wrote his letters to me, that he had spoken nothing, but as occasion was offered; and he meant no ill in his words toward me: and it must needs be thought somewhat strange, that so special words, so full of offence, so boldly reported by Mr. Chaderton, should be remembred by none but by the two brothers.

Last of all, I beseech your honours, if occasion shall so serve; enquire of mine accusers, what chapter I read after dinner; and the words I used of the mutual duty of poor and rich; of private men and of them in authority. Which if they will remember, they cannot construe my first words so strangely, to devise any evil meaning of them.

Now because in report of my words there is great suspicion, lest I should secretly fancy a community of things, I testify it before God and his angels, that this I know, such a community is but a common confusion; tending to the spoil of God's people, and utter shame of all his saints. For seeing the heart of man is full of corruption, which encreaseth more by all unbridled liberty, what resting place should be for the godly, which must render again good for evil? except community could place out of our nature envy, malice, covetousness, strife, concupiscence, &c. How miserable were the church of Christ, that must needs be subject to so cruel a multitude! He that teacheth this doctrine, let him be cut off, whosoever he be.