shall license us to make, promulge, and execute the same, and thereto give your most royal assent. Secondly, That whereas divers of the constitutions provincial, which have been heretofore enacted, be thought to be not only much prejudicial to your prerogative royal, but also overmuch onerous to your Highness's subjects, your foresaid clergy is contented it be committed to the examination and judgment of thirty-two persons, whereof sixteen to be of the upper and nether house, of the temporalty, and other sixteen of the clergy; all to be chosen and appointed by your most noble grace: so that finally, which soever of the said constitutions shall be thought and determined by the most part of the said thirty-two persons not to stand with God's laws, and the laws of your realm, the same to be abrogated and taken away by your Highness and the clergy, and to be abolite, as of no force and strength. Thirdly, That all other of the said constitutions being viewed and approbate by the said thirty-two persons, which by the most part of their judgments do stand with God's laws, and your Highness, to stand in full strength and power, your grace's royal assent once impetrate and fully given to the same. Dr. Atter bury's p. 539. Longvil's Paper-office, XX. The last Submission of the Clergy to King Henry VIII. The Latin Title runs thus: Instrumentum super Submissione Cleri, coram Domino Rege, quoad Celebrationem Conciliorum Provincialium. In Dei nomine, Amen. Per præsentis publici instrumenti Rights, &c. seriem cunctis appareat evidenter et sit notum quod anno Appendix, Domini millesimo quingentesimo tricesimo secundo, indictione From Lord quinta, pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo patris et domini Library. nostri domini Clementis divina providentia illius nominis Papæ from whence septimi anno nono, mensis vero Maii die decima sexta, in I transcribed quodam ambulatorio intra ædes excellentissimi et invictissimi in Christo principis et domini nostri domini Henrici Octavi, Dei gratia Angliæ et Franciæ regis, Fidei Defensoris, et domini Hyberniæ illustrissimi, prope Westmonasterium situato, constitutus personaliter reverendissimus in Christo pater et dominus, dominus Willielmus permissione divina Cantuari a copy May 16, A.D. 1532. ensis archiepiscopus, totius Angliæ primas, et Apostolicæ sedis legatus, quandam schedulam per ipsum et alios episcopos, abbates et priores domus superioris convocationis prelatorum et cleri provinciæ Cantuariensis domo capitulari infra monasterium Westmonasteriense hesterna die, viz. quinta decima die hujus mensis Maii, tentæ, inactitatam, concordatam, et conclusam eidem excellentissimo et invictissimo domino regi præsentavit, tradidit, et liberavit. Quam quidem schedulam illustris dominus Thomas dux Norff. thesaurarius Angliæ, tune et ibidem coram dicto excellentissimo domino nostro rege, reverendissimoque patre archiepiscopo prædicto, nec non reverendis patribus, dominis Joanne Lincoln, Joanne Bathon et Wellen, et Henrico Assaphen, episcopis, religiosisque viris monasteriorum sancti Albani, de Bury, de Hyde, Waltham, ac Merton, abbatibus, et prioribus, in nostrorum notariorum publicorum subscriptorum et testium inferius nominatorum præsentiis de mandato ejusdem excellentissimi et invictissimi domini nostri regis publice perlegebat. Cujus quidem schedulæ verus tenor sequitur verborum sequentium sub tenore. We your most humble subjects, daily orators, and beadsmen of your clergy of England, having our special trust and confidence in your most excellent wisdom, your princely goodness, and fervent zeal to the promotion of God's honour and Christian religion, and also in your learning, far exceeding in our judgment the learning of all other kings and princes that we have read of, and doubting nothing but that the same shall still continue and daily increase in your majesty : First, Do offer and promise, in verbo sacerdotii, here unto your Highness, submitting ourselves most humbly to the same, that we will never from henceforth enact, put in ure, promulge, or execute any new canons, or constitutions provincial, or any new ordinance provincial or synodal, in our convocation, or synod, in time coming, (which convocation is always, hath been, and must be assembled only by your high commandment or writ) unless your Highness, by your royal assent shall license us to assemble our convocation, and to make, promulge, and execute such constitutions and ordinances as shall be made in the same; and thereto give your royal assent and authority. Secondarily, That whereas divers of the constitutions, ordi 14. nances and canons provincial or synodal, which hath been heretofore enacted, be thought to be not only much prejudicial to your prerogative royal, but also overmuch onerous to your Highness's subjects, your clergy aforesaid is contented if it may stand with your Highness's pleasure, that it be committed to the examination and judgment of your grace and of thirtytwo persons, whereof sixteen to be of the upper and nether house of the temporalty, and other sixteen of the clergy; all to be chosen and appointed by your most noble grace: so that, finally, which soever of the said constitutions, ordinances, or canons, provincial or synodal, shall be thought and determined by your grace, and by the most part of the said thirtytwo persons, not to stand with God's laws and the laws of your realm, the same to be abrogated, and taken away by your grace and the clergy; and such of them as shall be seen by your grace, and by the most part of the said thirty-two persons, to stand with God's laws, and the laws of your realm, to stand in full strength and power, your grace's most royal assent and authority once impetrate, and fully given to the same. Super quibus omnibus et singulis tam dictus invictissimus princeps Henricus rex Angliæ et Franciæ, dominus noster supremus, quam idem reverendissimus pater archiepiscopus Cant. nos notarios publicos subscriptos unum, vel plura, publicum, seu publica, instrumentum, sive instrumenta exinde conficere instanter requisiverunt, et eorum uterque requisivit : acta fuerunt hæc omnia et singula, prout supra scribuntur, et recitantur, sub anno Domini, indictione, pontificatu, mense, die, et loco prædictis; præsentibus tunc ibidem nobilibus viris Dominis Georgio Bergavenny, Joanne Huse, Joanne Mordaunt, baronibus, Willielmo Fitzwilliam, milite, et Thoma Cromwell, armigero, testibus ad præmissa rogatis, et specialiter requisitis. Hoc instrumentum retro scriptum erat subscrip- XXI. King Henry VIII's Letter to the College of Cardinals, for a Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliæ et Franciæ, Fidei Defen- Paper-office, sor ac dominus Hiberniæ; reverendissimis in Christo patribus A.D. 1532. May 19. et dominis, episcopis, presbyteris, ac diaconis S. R. E. cardinalibus, &c., amicis nostris charissimis salutem. Non tam crebro apud reverendissimas dominationes vestras de eadem re ageremus, nisi imprimis cordi nobis esset, futurumque aliquando speraremus, ut honoris nostri meritorumque aliqua tandem ab ipsis ratio haberetur: non oblitas putamus esse reverendissimas dominationes vestras quam sedulo, et quam ex animo, sæpe ante egerimus, ut reverendus dominus episcopus Wigorniensis (quem ejus in nos fides virtutesque non vulgares nobis charissimum efficiunt) ad cardinalatus dignitatem nostro intuitu promoveretur: hoc tamen ingens desiderium nostrum, una vel altera injecta occasione, hactenus dilatum est. Verum tamen cum res hæc præter domini Wigorniensis merita, honoris quoque nostri respectu, imprimis cordi nobis sit; intelligamusque de novis cardinalibus in aliorum principum gratiam creandis, nunc tractari, voluimus iterum atque iterum his nostris literis reverendissimas dominationes vestras rogare, ut hujus etiam desiderii nostri, nostrorumque meritorum in hoc nostro exornando oratore, rationem aliquam habeant. Nos certe quam ex corde possumus rem hanc vestris reverendissimis dominationibus commendamus; eo quidem animo ut benevolentiæ vicissitudinem reponamus; memorique pectore acceptam gratiam conservemus. Et feliciter valeant reverendissimæ dominationes vestræ. Ex regia nostra Greenwici, 19 Maii, 1532. Vester bonus Amicus, HENRY R. XXII. Cranmer's Protestation made in the Chapter House at Westminster, before his Consecration. Regist. In Dei nomine, Amen. Coram vobis autentica persona et Cranmer, testibus fide dignis hic præsentibus, Ego Thomas in Cant. A.D. 1533. fol. 4. archiepisc. electus, dico, allego, et in his scriptis palam, publice, et expresse, protestor; quod cum juramentum sive juramenta ab electis in Cant. archiepiscop. summo pontifici præstari solita, me, ante meam consecrationem, aut tempore ejusdem, pro forma potius, quam pro esse aut re obligatoria, ad illam obtinendam, oporteat: non est, nec erit meæ voluntatis aut intentionis per hujusmodi juramentum, vel juramenta qualitercumque verba in ipsis posita sonare videbuntur, me obligare ad aliquod ratione eorundem posthac, dicendum, faciendum, aut attemtandum, quod erit, aut esse videbitur contra legem Dei, vel contra illustrissimum regem nostrum Angliæ, aut rempublicam hujus sui regni Angliæ, legesve, aut prærogativas ejusdem; et quod non intendo per hujusmodi juramentum aut juramenta quovis modo me obligare, quo minus libere loqui, consulere, et consentire valeam, in omnibus et singulis reformationem religionis Christianæ, gubernationem Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, aut prærogativam coronæ ejusdem, reipublicæve commoditatem, quoquo modo concernentibus: et ea ubique exequi, et reformare, quæ mihi in Ecclesia Anglicana reformanda videbuntur: et secundum hanc interpretationem et intellectum hunc, et non aliter, neque alio modo dicta juramenta me præstaturum protestor, et profiteor. Protestorque insuper quodcunque juramentum sit quod meus procurator summo pontifici meo nomine ante hæc præstitit, quod non erat intentionis aut voluntatis meæ, sibi aliquam dare potestatem, cujus vigore aliquod juramentum meo nomine præstare potuerit, contrarium aut repugnans juramento per me præstito, aut in posterum præstando, præfato illustrissimo Angliæ regi. Et casu quo aliquod tale contrarium aut repugnans juramentum meo nomine præstitit; protestor, quod illud me inscio, et absque mea authoritate præstitum pro nullo et invalido esse volo: quas protestationes in omnibus clausulis et sententiis dictorum juramentorum repetitas et reiteratas volo; a quibus per aliquod meum factum vel dictum quovis modo recedere non intendo, nec recedam, sed eas mihi semper salvas esse volo. |