members of each cathedral; and first sware them to re-
nounce the bishop of Rome, and to the king's supremacy: 148
and then, that they should present all things in their
church and diocese needful to be reformed. Then certain
interrogatories and articles of inquiry were read to them
by the register: to perform which, an oath was admi-
nistered to them. After that, the printed injunctions,
and others not printed, with the book of homilies, were
delivered, both to the bishop for his church, and the arch-
deacons for their respective archdeaconries; strictly en-
joining them to see them speedily executed, reserving
other new injunctions to be ministered afterwards, as
they should see cause. Their next work was to examine
the canons and priests, by virtue of their oaths which
they had taken, concerning their lives and doctrines.
What was discovered in other places concerning the vices
of the clergy, we may conclude from what was found
among the dignitaries of St. Paul's: for when the canons Foxe.
and priests belonging to this church were examined, one
of them, named Painter, openly confessed that he had
often carnally used a certain married man's wife, whom
he would not name, and divers others both of the canons
and priests, confessed the same of themselves1.

There be remaining, in the archives of the church of Canterbury, the injunctions of the king's visitors to the dean and chapter there, bearing date September 22, an. 1. Edward VI. subscribed by the visitors' hands; which injunctions do all relate to the particular statutes of the church, and are of no other momentk.

The homi

There was now a book of homilies prepared for present lies, and use, to be read in all churches', for the instruction of the Erasmus' Paraphrase

i [See Foxe's Acts and Monuments, p. 1310. ed. Lond. 1583.]

* [Search has been made for the above injunctions at Canterbury,

but at present without success;
should the document be discovered
it will be given in the Appendix.]

1
' [The following "Letter from

people and Erasmus' Paraphrase upon the New Testament in English was to be set up in all churches, for the better instruction of priests in the sense and knowledge of the Scriptures. And both these books, by the king's injunctions aforementioned', were commanded to be taught and learned.

CHAPTER III.

HOMILIES, AND ERASMUS' PARAPHRASE.

the ho

ARCHBISHOP Cranmer found it highly convenient to The archbishop to find out some means for the instruction of the people in Winchester true religion, till the church could be better supplied with concerning learned priests and ministers. For which purpose he milies. resolved upon having some good homilies, or sermons composed, to be read to the people; which should in a plain manner teach the grounds and foundation of true religion, and deliver the people from popular errors and superstitions. When this was going in hand with, the archbishop sent his letters to the bishop of WinchesterTM, to try if he could bring him to be willing to join in this business; shewing him, that it was no more than what was intended by the former king, and a convocation in the year 1542, wherein himself was a member, to make such a stay of errors, as were then by ignorant preachers spread among the people. But this bishop was not for Cranmer's turn; in his answer signifying to him, "That since that convocation the king his old master's mind 149 changed, and that God had afterwards given him the gift of pacification," (as he worded it), meaning, that the king made a stop in his once intended reformation. He added, "that there was a convocation that extinguished those devices, and this was still in force and therefore, that now nothing more ought to be done in church matters"." And a copy of this letter he sent to

m [Stephen Gardiner.]

n [The following is the entire letter, to which the author refers; "S. W. to the L. Protector. After most humble commendations to

CRANMER, VOL. II.

your grace; I have received this
day letters from my lord of Can-
terbury, touching certain homilies,
which the bishops in the convo-
cation holden A. D. 1542, agreed

C

the lord protector, trying to persuade him also to be of his mind.

The archbishop answered these letters of Winchester : wherein he again required these homilies to be made, by virtue of that convocation five years before; and desired

ters to the

Winchester to weigh things. But he replied, "It was See his lettrue, they communed then of such things, but they took protector, not effect at that time; nor needed they to be put in in Foxe. execution now. And that in his judgment it could not be done without a new authority and command from the king's majesty." Then he used his politics, urging, "that it was not safe to make new stirs in religion: that the lord protector did well in putting out a proclamation to stop vain rumours; and he thought it not best to enterprise any thing to tempt the people with occasion of tales, whereby to break the proclamation. And as in a natural body," he said, "rest without trouble did confirm and strengthen; so it was in a commonwealth, trouble travaileth, and bringeth things to looseness." Then he suggested the danger the archbishop might involve himself in by making alterations: "That he was not certain of his life, (when the old order was broken, and a new brought in by homilies), that he should continue to see the new device executed: for it was not done in a day; he wished there were nothing else to do now. He suggested, that a new order engendered a new cause of punishment against them that offend; and punishments were not pleasant to them that have the execution and yet they must be, for nothing may be contemned"." There were two letters Winchester sent

["S. W. to the L. protector.-After my most humble commendations to your grace: since my letters unto your grace, wherewith I sent unto you such letters as I had written to my lord of Canterbury, for answer to his letter touching homilies, I have eftsoons received other letters from my said lord of Canterbury, requiring the

said homilies by virtue of a con-
vocation holden five years past,
wherein we communed of that
which took none effect then, and
much less needeth to be put in
execution now, nor in my judg-
ment cannot without a new au-
thority from the king's majesty
that now is, commanding such a
matter to be enterprised. I wrote