where I had preached against the erronious doctrin of the busshope of Rome his power; which errour was, that by Godds law he should be Godds vicar here in erth; the prior would not name the busshope of Rome but under color spake generally, that the Church of Christ never erred. And as touching the second part, where I spake of the vices of the busshopes of Rome and their see; the prior said, that he wolde not sclawnder the busshopes of Rome. And he said openly to me in a good audience, that he knew no vices by none of the busshopes of Rome. And he said also openly, that I preched uncharitably, whan I said, that thies many years, I had daily prayed unto God, that I might see the power of Rome destroyed: and that I thanked God, that I had now sene it in this realm. And yet in my sermon I declared the cause, wherfore I so prayed. For I said, that I perceved the see of Rome worke so many thyngs contrary to Godds honor, and the welth of this realme, and I sawe no hope of amendement, so longe as that see reigned over us and for this cause onely I had prayed unto God continually, that we myght be separated from that see and for no private malice or displeasure, that I had either to the busshopes or see of Rome. But this semed an uncharitable prayer to the said prior, that the power of Rome sholde be destroyed.

And as for the iijde part, where I preched agaynst the lawes of the busshope of Rome, that thay ought not to be taken as Godds lawes; nor to be estemed so highly, as he would have theym: the prior, craftely levynge out the name of the busshope of Rome, preched, that the lawes of the Church be equal with Godds lawes. Thies thyngs he preched, as it is proved both by sufficient wytnes, and also by his own confession.

I leave the jugement hereof unto your grace and to your cownsail, whether this were a defense of the busshope of Rome, or not and I onely, accordynge to my bownden duty, have reported the truth of the facte. But in myn opinion, if he had spoken nothynge ells; yet whosoever saith, that the Church never erred, mainteneth the busshope of Rome his power. For if that were not erroneous, that was taught of his power, that he is Christs vicar in erth, and by Godds lawe heade of al the worlde, spiritual and temporal, and that al people must byleve that de necessitate salutis, and that whosoever doth any thynge agaynst the see of Rome is an heretike; and that he hath autoritie also in purgatory, with such other many false thyngs, which were taught in times past to be articles of our faith: if thies thyngs were not erroneous, yea, and errours in the faith, than must nedis your graces lawes be erronious, that pronownce the busshope of Rome to be of no more power by Godds law than other busshopes; and theym to be traytors, that defende the contrary. This is certen, that whosoever sayth, that the Church never erred, must either deny, that the Church ever taught any such erroure of the busshope of Rome his power, and then thay speke agayust that which al the worlde knoweth, and al books wrytten of that matter thies iij or iiij hundreth yers do testifie; or ells thay must say, that the said erroures be none erroures, but truthes. And than it is both traison and heresye.

At my first examination of hym, which was bifore Christmas, he said,

that he preched not agaynst me, nor that I had preched any thyng amis. But now he sayth, that I preached amiss in veray many things, and that he purposely preached agaynst me. And this he reporteth openly. By which words I am marvelously sclawndered in thies parties. And for this cause I besech your grace that I may not have the jugement of the cause: for so moch as he taketh me for a partie: but that your grace wol commit the hearyng herof unto my lorde pryvay seale : or ells to associate unto me some other person at your graces pleasure, that we may heare the cause joyntly togither.

If this man, who hath so highly offended your grace and preched agaynst me openly, being ordinary and metropolitane of this province : and that in soch matters, as concerne the autoritie, the myslyvyng, and the lawes of the busshope of Rome; and that also within myn own church; if he, I say, be not looked opon, I leave unto your graces prudence to expende, what example this may be unto other with like colour to mayntene the busshope of Rome his autoritie: and also of what estimation I shalbe reputed hereafter, and what credence shal be gyven unto my prechynge, whatsoever I shal say hereafter.

I besech your grace to pardon me of my longe and tedious wrytynge, for I could not otherwise set the matter furth plaine. And I most heartily thank your grace for the stagge, which your grace sent unto me from Wyndesor Foreste. Which if your grace knewe, for how many causes it was welcome unto me, and how many wayes it did me service, I am sure, you would think it moch the better bystowed. Thus our Lorde have your highnes alwaye in his preservation and governance. From Forde the xxvj day of Auguste.

Your graces most humble chaplain and bedisman,
T. CANTUARIEN.

No. XIV.

The Archbishop to Mr. Secretary Crumwel, concerning his styling himself Primate of all England.*

RIGHT wurshipfull in my moste hartie wise I commend me unto you. Moste hartely thankyng you for that you have signified unto me, by my chapleyn Maister Champion, the complaynte of the busshope of Wynchester unto the kings highnes in two thyngs concernyng my visitation. The one is, that in my stile I am written Totius Angliæ Primas, to the derrogation and prejudice of the kyngs highe power and authoritie, beyng supreme hedde of the Church. The other is, that his dioces not paste five yeres agone was visited by my predecessor, and must from hencefurth pay the tenth part of the spiritualties accordyng to the act granted in the last session of Parliamente. Wherfore he thinketh, that his dioces should not be charged with my visitation at this tyme,

First, as concernyng my style, wherein I am named Totius Anglic Primas, I suppose that to make his cause goode (which else indeed were nawght) he doth myxte it with the king's cause; (as ye know the

* [Cotton Libr.] Cleop. F. i. 260.

man lacketh neither lernyng in the lawe, neither witty invention, ne crafte to set furth his matiers to the beste) that he might appear not to maintayne his awn cause, but the kynges. Against whose highnes he knoweth right well, that I will mayntein no cause, but gyve place, and lay both my cause and my self at my princes feete. But to be playne what I thynke of the bishop of Wynchester, I cannot persuade with my self, that he so moche tendereth the kynges cause, as he doth his own, that I shuld not visite hym. And that appereth by the veray tyme. For if he cast no farther but the defence of the kings graces authoritie, or if he entended that at all, why moved he not the matier before he receyved my monition for my visitation. Whiche was within four miles of Winchester delyvered unto him the xxti. day of Aprill last, as he came up to the courte. Moreover I do not a little mervayl, why he should now fynd fawt rather then he did before, whan he toke the bp. of Rome as cheff hedd. For thoughe the bisshop of Rome was taken for supreme hedd, notwithstanding that, he hadd a great number of primates under hym. And by having his primates under hym, his supreme authoritie was not less estemid, but moche the more. Why than may not the kyngs highnes, being supreme hedde, have primates under hym, without any dymynyshyng, but with the augmentyng of his said supreme authoritie. And of this I doubt not atall, but that the busshope of Wynchester knoweth, as well as any man lyving, that in caase this said style or title had byn in any poynte impediment or hinderance to the busshoppe of Rome's usurped authoritie, it would not have so long ben unreformed as it hathe byn. For I doubt not, but all the bushops of England would ever gladly have hadde the archbushopps both authoritie and title taken awaye, that thei myghte have byn equall to gether. Which well appeareth by the many contentions agaynst the archbushops for jurisdiction in the courte of Rome. Whiche had be easely brought to passe, if the busshops of Rome had thought, the archbushops titles and styles to be any derogation to their supreme authority.

Al this notwithstandyng, if the bushops of this realme passe no more of thair names, stiles and titles, then I do of myn, the kings highnes shal sone ordre the matier betwixt us all. And if I sawe that my stile were agaynst the kings authoritie (whereunto I am specially sworne,) I woude sue my self unto his grace that I myghte leave it; and so would have don before this tyme. For I pray Gode never be mercyfull unto me at the general judgement, if I perceyve in my heart, that I set more by any title, name or stile, that I write, then I do by the paring of an apple, farther than it shalbe to the setting forth of Gods wourde and will. Yet I wil not utterly excuse me herein. For God must be judge, who knoweth the botome of my harte, and so do not I my self. But I speak for so much as I do feale in my harte. For many evill affections lye lurking ther, and wil not lightely be espied. But yet I would not gladly leave any just thyng at the pleasure and suite of the busshop of Wynchester, he beyng none otherwise affectionate unto me, than he is.

Even at the begynnyng of Christs profession Diatrephes desyred gerere primatum in Ecclesia, as saith Saincte John in his last epistell.

And since he hath had mo successors than all the apostells hadd, of whom have come al theis glorious titles, stiles and pompes into the Churche. But I would, that I and all my bretheren, the busshops wold leave all our stiles, and write the style of our offices, callyng our selves apostelos Jesu Christi: so that we toke not apon us the name vaynly, but were so even in deade. So that we myght ordre our dioces in such sort, that neither paper, parchemente, leade nor wexe, but the very Christian conversation of the people myght be the lettres and seales of our offices. As the Corinthians were unto Paule, to whom he said, Literæ nostræ et signa apostolatus nostri vos estis.

Now for the seconde, where the bp. of Winchester alledgeth the visitation of my predicessor, and the tenth parte now to be paid to the kyng. Truth it is, that my predecessor visited the dioces of Wynchester after the the decease of my Lorde Cardynall [Wolsey] as he did all other diocesses (sede vacante.) But els I thynke, it was not visited by none of my predecessors this forty yeres. And not withstanding that, he hymself, nott consyderyng thair chargis at that tyme, charged theym with a newe visitation within lesse than half a yere after: and that agaynste all righte, as Doctour Incent hath reported to my chancellor : the clargie at that tyme paying to the king half of their benefices in five years. Which is the tenth part every year, as thei paid before, and have payd syns, and shal pay stil for ever by the laste act. But I am veray gladde, that he hath nowe some compassion of his dioces, although at that time he had veray smale, whan he did visit theym the same year, that my predecessour did visite. And also other bushopps, whose course is to visite this yere, kepe thair visitation, (where I did visett the laste yere,) notwithstanding the tenth part to be paid to the kings grace. Howbeit I do not so in Wynchester dioces. For it is nowe the third yere syns that dioces was visited by any man. So that he hath the leste cause to complayn of any busshop. For it is longer syns his dioces was visited than the other. Therefore where he layeth, to aggravate the matier, the charges of the late acte graunted, it is no more agaynst me than againste all other busshops, that do visett this yere; nor maketh no more agaynst me this yere, then it made against me the laste yere, and shall do every yere hereafter. For if thei were true men in accomptyng and paying the kyngs subsidie, they are no more charged by this new acte then they were for the space of ten yers past, and shal be charged ever hereafter. And thus to conclude, if my said lorde of Wynchesters objections shuld be allowed this yere, he myghte by such arguments both disalowe al maner visitations, that hath be donn thes ten yeres past, and that ever shalbe done hereafter.

Nowe I pray you, good Maister Secretary of your advice, whether I shall nede to writte unto the kyngs hignes herein. And thus our Lord have you ever in his preservation. At Otteford the 12 day of May.

Your own ever assured

THOMAS CANTUAR.

No. XV.

The Appeal of Stokesly Bishop of London to the King, against the Archbishop's Visitation.*

Contra Visitationem Archiep. Cant.

FIRST, that tharchbp. of Canterburie in al his monitions and writings, sent to the bisshop, abbots, priors and archdeacons of London, concerning this his visitation, called himself Apostolica Sedis legatum : and that therfor the bisshopp of London, with the chapitre, did not only advertyse the archbp. therof by their letters before the day of visitation: but also that same day of the commencement thereof in the chapitre house of Powles, the said bp. and chapitre, before the delivery of the certificate to the abp. made there openlye a protestation, reding it in wryting, signifying, that they wolde neither accept him as such a legate, nor admytt or obey his visitacion, jurisdiction, or any thing, that he wolde attempte by the pretexte or color of that name of legate, or otherwyse, against the crown of our sovereigne, his regalitie, statutes, or customes of his realm. And required the said archbp. to commaunde his registre (there present) to enact the said protestation. Which he refused utterlye to do; shewing himself not willing to admit the said protestation.

Item, that tharchbp. in his said monition to the bisshop did expresly intymate and signyfye to him, that he wolde in this his visitation suspend al the jurisdiction of the bp. the dean and archdeacons from the beginning thereof to thending. In soche wise, that the bp. nor his officers, deane nor archdeacon, should or myght all that time, (which he would not determine how long it should endure) use no jurisdiction, whatesoever causes or necessities should chance of correction, institutions of benefices, confirmations of elections, consecrations of churches, celebracions of orders, or probation of testaments, with many other things mo appertaining ad forum contentiosum. But al and every of thise the archbp. and his [officers] wold have, and suffer none other to use and exercise the same, unto thend of his visitation. Which he hath now continued until the first day of December: pretending, that then he may likewise continue it other six months, and so forth without end at his plesure during his life, from tyme to tyme. So that by this means he only, and noon other, should be bp. but titularis, in all his province during his life, but at his plesure. Which were an inconvenience intolerable, and such as never was redde nor herde of, that ever any metropolitane, so mate legate or bp. of Rome, in the most tyrannie had usurped the semblable.

Item, that all men lerned, and books of the canon lawe dothe agree, that no metropolitane or primate, may thus, by any lawe written, suspende all the jurisdiction of the bishopps, for the tyme of their visitations, or exercise the premysses during the same jure metropolitico. And this the counsaill of the archbishop doth not denye, nor cannot. Item, where the said archbisshop doth pretend, that his prede