66 pleted and finished in king Edward's reign. This draught fell into the possession of archbishop Parker; from whence he published the book in the year 1571, intituling it, Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum, &c." which was printed again in the year 1640. Both these manuscript draughts were diligently compared together by John Foxe; and the main difference seemed to consist in putting the latter into a new method, and placing the titles differently. bours in For in this matter Cranmer was much busied in king The archEdward's reign also, being greatly desirous to bring that bishop lagood work to perfection. For he thought it greatly in- this work under king convenient, when the pope's power was abrogated, that Edward. his laws should remain in force; holding it highly necessary that the nation might have a body of wholesome laws for the good administration of justice in the spiritual courts. Wherefore he procured, in the fifth year of that king, letters commissional to him, and seven more, diligently to set about the perusal of the old church laws; and then to compile such a body of laws as should seem, in their judgments, most expedient to be practised in the ecclesiastical courts and jurisdictions: these seven were, Thomas Goodrich, bishop of Ely; Richard Cox, the king's almoner; Peter Martyr, William May, Rowland Taylor, John Lucas, and Richard Goodrich. But the matter was in effect wholly intrusted by the king to the archbishop, who associated to himself in the active part of this work Taylor, Martyr, and Haddon. The method they observed in managing this affair was, that after they had finished. a title, and drawn it up, it was then sent to Dr. Haddon, who was a civilian, and an accurate Latinist, to peruse; and if any thing was less elegantly expressed, to correct it. So I find at the title "De Decimis," these words writ by Cranmer; "This is finished by us, but must be over The arch bishop employed in mending books of service. seen again by Dr. Haddon." Thus, for instance, I observe these corrections by Haddon's pen in the chapter intituled, "De Commodis quæ perveniunt a sacris ritibus:" instead of "Gratiarum actionis mulierum a partu," he corrected it, "Levatarum puerperarum :" and in another place, "Cuicunque hoc prærogativum est," instead of "hoc prærogativum," he put, "hoc peculiare jus tribuitur, quod prærogativum vocant." But his corrections are very few, and but of words less proper: the work and words were mainly Cranmer's own. But all this great and long labour of the archbishop came to no effect by reason of the king's untimely death, and, it may be, the secret opposition of papists. At the same time that he, being at Hampton Court, dealt with the king concerning the reformation of the canon laws, he also gave him an account of a business his majesty had employed him in, and with him also Heath and Day, bishops of Worcester and Chichester, and some other of his chaplains and learned men; whom he had of late appointed, with the archbishop, to peruse certain books of service, delivered by the king to them, wherein there were many superstitions fit to be amended. Which the archbishop, in the name of the rest, at this time acquainted the king with: as namely, the vigil, and ringing 135 of bells all the night long upon Allhallow-night; and the covering of images in the church in the time of Lent, with the lifting the veil that covereth the cross on PalmSunday, and kneeling to the cross at the same time. moved the king in his own name, and the name of the rest, that these things might be abolished, and the superstitions, and other enormities and abuses of the same. And that because all other vigils, which in the beginning of the church were godly used; yet for the manifold superstitions and abuses, which did after grow by means He of the same, were many years past taken away throughout Christendom, and there remained nothing but the name of the vigil in the calendar, saving only upon Allhallowday at night, he moved that it might be observed no more. And because creeping to the cross was a greater abuse than any of the other, (for there the people said, "Crucem tuam adoramus, Domine :" and the ordinal saith, "Procedant clerici ad crucem adorandum nudis pedibus :" and it followeth in the said ordinal, "Ponatur crux ante aliquod altare, ubi a populo adoretur," which by the bishops' book, intituled, "A necessary Instruction," is against the second commandment), therefore he desired of the king that the creeping to the cross might also cease hereaftert. t [The following is the "minute of the king's majesty's letters to be addressed to the archbishop of Canterbury."-"Forasmuch as you, as well in your own name as in the name of the bishops of Worcester and Chichester, and other our chaplains and learned men, whom we appointed with you to peruse certain books of service which we delivered unto you, moved us, that the vigil, and ringing of bells all the night long upon Allhallowday at night, and the covering of images in the church in time of Lent, with the lifting up of the veil that covereth the cross upon Palm Sunday, with the kneeling to the cross the same time, might be abolished and put away, for the superstition and other enormities and abuses of the same: First, forasmuch as all the vigils of our lady and the apostles, and all other vigils, which in the beginning of the church were godly used, yet for the manifold superstition and abuses which after did grow by means of the same, they be many years passed taken away throughout all Christendom, and there remaineth nothing but the name of the vigil in the calendar, the thing clearly abolished and put away, saving only upon Allhallow-day at night, upon which night is kept vigil, watching, and ringing of bells all the night long; forasmuch as that vigil is abused as other vigils were, our pleasure is, as you require, that the said vigils shall be abolished as the other be, and that there shall be no watching, nor ringing, but as be commonly used upon other holy days at night. We be contented and pleased also, that the images in the churches shall not be covered, as hath been ac The king consults with the for the re These superstitious usages were allowed in the articles of religion put forth anno 1536, Cranmer then not having archbishop interest enough to procure the laying them aside, or dress of cer-thinking it then not a fitting season to attempt it, as stitions. being in vain to oppose what the king himself at that tain super time approved of. But now the king listened to the archbishop, and bad him confer with the bishop of Worcester", and send to him their thoughts, what course they would advise him to take for redress. The archbishop accordingly consulted with the said bishop, who then went along with Cranmer in the reformation. The effect of which was, as the archbishop wrote to the king soon after from Beakesbourne, "That his Majesty should send his letters to both the archbishops to reform these superstitions; and they to send in the king's name to all the prelates within their respective provinces to the same purpose." The archbishop withal sent to the king the minutes of a letter to be sent to him, the said arch customed in times passed; nor cross shall likewise cease from henceforth and be abolished, with the other abuses before rehearsed. And this we will and straitly command you to signify unto all the prelates and bishops of your province of Canterbury, charging them, in our name, to see the same executed, every one in his diocese, accordingly."-See Domestic Papers, A. D. 1546. vol. viii. State Paper Office. Burnet's Hist. of Reformat. vol. ii. part ii. b. i. pp. 334, 5. ed. Oxon. 1829. Collier's Eccles. Hist. vol. v. pp. 138, 9. ed. Lond. 1840, 41. Abp. Cranmer's Works, vol. ii. p. 414. Park. Soc. ed.] bishop, to that intent. He also advised the king, that at the same time that this alteration was commanded to be made, he should set forth some doctrine which should declare the cause of the abolishing these usages, for the satisfaction of the consciences of the people. For he knew well, as he wrote, that the people would think the honour of Christ was taken away, when this honouring of the cross was taken away and therefore that they should need some good instruction herein. He nominated the bishops of Worcester and Chichester, and some other his grace's chaplains, for the preparing this: "and this," he said, "would make the people obey him without murmuring, nay, be thankful to him for shewing them the truth: and it would be a satisfaction vol. ii. Col to other nations, when they should see the king do nothing Hist. Ref. but by the authority of God's word, and for the setting lect. p. 236. forth of God's honour, and not the diminishing thereof." This letter of the archbishop to the king is extant in the [State] Paper-office, whence the bishop of Sarum extracted a copуу. x [George Day.] y [The following is the copy of the letter to the king's majesty above referred to, which is preserved in the State Paper Office, Domestic Papers, A. D. 1546. vol. viii. and has been printed in Burnet's Hist. of Reformat. vol. ii. pt. ii. b. i. No. 61. pp. 332-4. ed. Oxon. 1829. It may please your highness to be advertised, that forasmuch as I might not tarry myself at London, because I had appointed the next day after that I departed from your majesty to be at Ro chester, to meet the next morning * [Burnet's Hist. of Reformat. vol. i. p. 661; vol. iii. p. 308.] |