CIX. To

And Harl. MSS.

43.

In my most hearty wise I commend me unto you. forasmuch as I [am] credibly informed by this bearer John 6148. fol. Hutton that the same hath a certain suit unto you; to whom for many considerations as my friend, I owe as special favour as to any man else of his like state and degree; I heartily require you therefore, that he may for my sake obtain your lawful favour in such his said suits and requests, as in that behalf at this time shall be by him declared unto you; for the which, when it shall lie in me, I will likewise be ready to requite and recompense the same unto you accordingly.

CX. To

43.

In my hearty wise I commend me unto you. And so Harl. MSS. likewise desire you to be good to this bearer A. B. my friend, 6148. fol. in all those his suits and requests as he hath now to do with you. He is the man whom for many considerations I do much favour, and would the best that lieth in me his preferment. Wherefore I heartily require you, at this mine instance the rather, to tender his said pursuits, and show unto him such your lawful favour in this behalf as you would use towards me, in case I myself had the same now to practise with you.

CXI. To

I commend me unto you. And where this bearer Richard Harl. MSS. S. hath complained unto me, how that ye withhold from 6148. fol. him an Enchiridion in English, supposing the same to be of

[Probably Tyndale's translation of the Enchiridion Militis Christiani of Erasmus, a book very generally popular at that time, but denounced as dangerous by the enemies of the reformation. See Jortin, Life of Erasmus; Ames, Typogr. Antiq. Dibdin, vol. ii. p. 235.]

43.

no good authority or privilege, I will, that forasmuch as the King and his Council doth indifferently permit the said book to be read of all and singular his subjects, ye, without any farther let or perturbation to the said Richard, do either deliver unto him his said book, or else that ye repair unto me immediately after the sight hereof, to declare unto me some cause why you should thus detain from him the said Enchiridion, and so manifestly deny the authority of the same.

For inhibiting of Enchiridion.

CXII. TO THE VICAR OF CHARING.

Harl. MSS. I commend me unto you, &c. And where I am adver6148. fol. tised by this bearer W. S. that ye have a suit against him

43.

in my Commissary's Court at Canterbury for a matter of defamation, the circumstances whereof he hath declared unto me; so it is that I perceive, as well by his behaviour as by his sorrowful words, that he is right repentant in misusing any such slanderous reports towards you, and so hath sued unto me for to instance you in like wise not to pursue any farther herein, to his no little damage and undoing, but charitably to remit his offence, and that the rather at this my request, I therefore advise you and also require you to be contented herewith, considering he is so willing to submit himself to you accordingly. Whereunto I do exhort you, for divers considerations, to cease all rigorous suit in the law, specially in this cumbrous time, and to receive him friendly unto you, forgiving all displeasure and grudges hitherto past; as according to the rule of charity ye be bound one to another. Which end no doubt shall both please greatly Almighty God, and also be very meritorious to you in accomplishing the same.

To the Vicar of Charyng.

CXIII. TO DR. COCKS', HIS CHANCELLOR.

43. b.

brancer.

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you. And Harl. MSS. whereas the bearer hereof hath been suspended, and as he 6148. fol. thinketh, further process made against him for a suit of cer- Christ. tain tithe that you demand of him before my Commissary at RememCanterbury; and, as he reporteth unto me, hath been al- Nov. 1820. ways conformable to agree with your deputies and farmer at Egerton, for such his duties as hath been customably required of him and other afore time, until now of late, for certain things as me seemeth of small value, hath been sued at the law, whereby so constrained by rigour of the same, he sueth unto me for a more quiet and charitable end in this behalf: I therefore advise you and thereunto exhort you, considering such towardness in him, that, specially in this cumbrous world, ye do entreat and handle as well him as other your parishioners and neighbours after some other more charitable means, avoiding as much as in you is the obloquy of such enormities, wherewith the whole clergy is daily reproached and slandered. And rather that some charitable end should now seem to come of you, than he thus to be enforced to seek for the same.

To Doctor Cokes, my Chancellor.

CXIV. To

I commend me unto [you]. And where at the late Parlia- Harl. MSS. ment there was a bill promoted into the Parliament House 6148. fol. concerning certain exactions of tithes within Rumney marshu

and other certain grounds, as I now remember, by cause that,

t

[Dr. John Cocks, though he was Cranmer's Auditor of the Audience, and Vicar General in spirituals, yet, according to Strype, was a secret favourer of the papists, and did not exert himself, when employed to inquire into the conspiracy against the Archbishop in 1543. See Strype, Cranm. pp. 19. 119.]

"[A bill concerning tithes in Romney Marsh, having been brought up from the Commons, was read the first time in the House of Lords the 24th of March, 1534, and then appears to have been dropped. Lords'

43. b.

as in the said bill was pretended, the inhabitants there do pay not only tithes for all things that do renew there, but also over and besides the same do pay iiid. for every acre, contrary to all law, reason, and conscience; which said bill I restrained at that [time], promising to see a reformation in the same; I will therefore, inasmuch as ye partly know the very circumstances hereof, that accordingly ye do farther so ensearch the verity herein, that thereby, against such time as I shall have the examination thereof, ye may make me ready and ripe in that behalf; and that herein you do your endeavour with all speed and celerity. First day of May. [1534.]

Harl. MSS. 6148. fol. 45. b.

CXV. TO A PREACHER AT PAUL'S CROSS.

I commend me unto you. Signifying to the same, that I do not a little marvel why you should leave a note with John Blag my grocer in writing, to preach at Paul's Cross on the iiide Sunday after Trinity Sunday; when, contrary to the same, at your own request to me made, you desired that ye might be there the first Sunday after Trinity Sunday, whereunto ye were accordingly appointed and named. And therefore I will, that ye in any condition fail not to be at the Cross on the said first Sunday, whatsoever other appointment or determination ye have made with yourself to the contrary, according to such expectation, trust, and confidence as I have in you for the accomplishment of the same. And of your mind in this behalf I will that you send me word by this bearer, to the intent I may thereby be in full surety hereof. At Croydon, the vi. day of May.

To one that was appointed to preach

at Paul's Cross.

Chapter

House,

CXVI. To CRUMWELL.

Right Worshipful Master Cromwell, I desire you, at this

Westmiu- my instance, to be good master to Sir Edwarde Mowll

well's Cor

priest, bearer hereof, and favourably to tender his suit which ster; Crumhe shall make unto you. He was chaplain to Dr. Benetx respondat the time of his decease, and continued with him in service ence. Original. as long as he was the King's ambassador in Italy. The said chaplain hath lain sick at Pyemount, at Susa, by the space of six months; by reason whereof he is so far in debt, that he is like all his life to be in danger of his creditors, and to live in great poverty, unless some provision, by mean of spiritual promotion or otherwise by your good industry and counsel, be made for him, whereby he may be relieved and in process of time able to satisfy his creditors. Wherefore, inasmuch as the man hath incurred many adversities, partly by sickness and chiefly by the loss of his special good master, Dr. Benet, and is also a very honest man and worthy of better fortune, I do heartily require you, at this my instance, to be as good master to him as you may conveniently, and you shall bind me for this and other your manifold kindness exhibit unto me, to do you such pleasure as shall lie in my power. Written at my house at Croydon the seventh day of May. [1534.]

Your assured ever,

To the Right Worshipful Master Cromwell be this letter delivered.

Thomas Cantuar.

CXVII. To

My Lord, in my most hearty wise I commend me unto Harl. MSS. 6148. fol. you, &c. So it is, that I am credibly informed and certi- 18. fied by this bearer, Sir Thomas Donkester, Subprior of Neweshamy, that my suffragan, late Abbot of the same house, is departed out of this miserable world, of whose soul Jesus have mercy; and forasmuch as the said late suffra

* [See Letter LIX.]

y [A monastery of Premonstratensians in Lincolnshire, the first of that order established in England. At the dissolution it maintained an abbot and eleven canons. Tanner, Not. Monast.]