66 66 66 XXVI. "men's houses. That in some churches, by the Commissary's CHA P. command, all the images were pulled down, and hewed "with axes. That the Commissary was most conversant Anno 1543. "with abjured persons, and other suspect of heresy, aiding, "maintaining, and succouring them. That Joanna Bochier was delivered by the favour of the Commissary. [Whereas indeed she was by the King's pardon. This is she "that was afterwards burnt for Arianism in King Edward's days.] That one Giles came to Canterbury, in a courtier's "coat and a beard, being a priest, and there lodged ten days. And one Hardes, a justice, complained of him to 117 "the Commissary, but the Commissary did nothing. [Whereas in truth he was not a priest, but a layman.] 66 66 66 66 That a "tailor in Canterbury did openly read and expound the Scripture in his own house: and open resort thither was "suffered by the Commissary. That the Master of St. "John's in Canterbury at his death refused to receive, "and despised the blessed sacrament: and yet, by the suf"ferance of the Commissary, was both buried like a true "christian, and also was of very many praised for a good “and holy man. That Mr. Bland, in communication with "Mr. Sponer, Vicar of Boughton, denied auricular confes"sion to be requisite, and delivered his opinion to the said "Sponer in writing which the Commissary hearing, de"sired Sponer to let him see the writing, swearing that he "would not keep it from him: but when he had the bill, "he put it into his purse. That the Commissary resigned a benefice to the said Bland, binding Bland and his successor, by a writing made under the hand of my Lord of Canterbury and the chapter, to pay unto him and his assigns a great part of the clear yearly value for many "years." This was the sum of Serles's articles: but most of them were found to be frivolous and false. 66 66 66 : M Articles yet more against our Archbishop were, "That he More still. "held a constant correspondence with Germany, sending "letters thither, and receiving letters thence." That he gave out a great many exhibitions in Germany, and had many pensioners there. (In relation to which, there seemed to be a design carrying on, that the Bishop of Winchester should seize some of these letters of the Archbishop: for Anno 1543. BOOK Gardiner told him whose hands they passed through, I. namely, one Fuller of Canterbury, and that if the said bishop would send for him, and command him upon his allegiance, he should know more or at least, that he might make use of Fuller for a witness to serve to prove this article.) Moreover, they put in their articles, "That his "Grace's sister was a milner's wife, and that she and her "husband lived nine or ten years together in Canterbury. "And then that she married to one Mr. Bingham, her "former husband being yet alive and that Mr. Commisแ sary married her daughter. And though he were thus a married priest, yet he was joined with Mr. Dean [Wotton] to be one of the proctors of the clergy in "the convocation-house and not of their election, but "that it was obtained by the interest of his affinity." The witnesses. The prebendaries deliver the Articles. 66 : : The chief witnesses and persons concerned as vouchers and informers were, Roper, Balthazar a chirurgeon, Heywood, Moor, Beckinsal, German Gardiner. At length, after much ado, some of the prebendaries, in the name of the church of Canterbury, delivered into the council, not long after Easter, the articles swelled to a good quantity of paper. And so they came at last into the King's hand. Having received them, he bade Baker, the Chancellor of the Court of Augmentation, a Kentish man, being one of the privy council, and a privado in this matter, to send to Canterbury for some to prove the articles. The said Chancellor orders the Dean, ignorant of the matter, to send to Shether and Serles to come up as secretly as might be to London. Being come up, Shether repairs to the 118 Dean who bad him, with Gardiner and Parkhurst, to go to the Chancellor, who sent for them. Being come before him, he said to them, "That the King had a book against "the Archbishop delivered to him; which he had himself perused. And because that he perceived that they could say somewhat, wishing also for Serles, (who was not yet "come,) he told them the King willed them to say what 66 66 66 they knew, fearing no person, but to dread only one "God and one King." Whereupon they took the book, and drew out such articles as they could witness of. He bad them return to Canterbury, and provide the witnesses XXVI. there; and that Shether the youngest should come back CHAP. again, after he had perfected the book in the day and year,. and to bring it with him. From him they applied again Anno 1543. to the Bishop of Winchester, the great wheel, and shewed him what Baker had said to them. CHAP. XXVII. The King the Archbishop's friend in this danger. THE King well perceiving the malice of the men, and a The King plot contrived against an honest and innocent man, strength- himself disened with the favour and aid of Winchester, and several of to the Arch 66 covers all the counsellors, and the imminent danger the Archbishop bishop. was in, except he himself did interpose, it pleased God to turn the King's heart to him. So he put the book of articles in his sleeve; and passing one evening in his barge by Lambeth-bridge, the Archbishop standing at the stairs to do his duty to his Majesty, he called him into the barge to him; and, accosting him with these words, “O my chaplain, now I know who is the greatest heretic in "Kent," communicated to him these matters, shewing him the book of articles against him and his chaplains, and bad him peruse it. This both surprised and troubled the Archbishop not a little: that those of his own church, and justices of the peace whom he had obliged, should deal so treacherously with him. He kneeled down to the King, The Archand, well knowing how false the articles were, desired him bishop deto grant a commission to whomsoever it pleased him, to try mission. the truth of these accusations, so as from the highest to the lowest they might be well punished, if they had done otherwise than became them. The King told him, “ He "would grant a commission, and that such affiance and "confidence he had in his fidelity, that he should be the "chief commissioner himself, to whom he would wholly "commit the examination, with two or three more such as "he should choose." When the Archbishop replied, that it would not seem indifferent to make him a commissioner, sires a com I. BOOK who was a party accused; the King told him, "That he "was sure he would not halt with him, although he were Anno 1543. " driven to accuse himself; but would speak the truth of "himself, if he had offended." The King added, that he knew partly how the matter came about, [namely, by Winchester's subtile means,] and that if he handled the matter wisely, he should find a pretty conspiracy against him. The King named but one, viz. Dr. Belhouse, to be in the commission; and the Archbishop named Dr. John Cocks his 119 Vicar-general, and Anthony Hussey his Register. The commission was made out of hand, and he was commanded to go himself into Kent upon it: and the King commanded the commissioners particularly, that it should be sifted out who was the first occasion of this accusation. Presently every one that had meddled in this detection shrunk away, and gave over their hold. The Archbishop in commission expostu lates with his accusers. The Archbishop came to Feversham himself, and there, as it seems, sat upon the commission, and drew up some interrogatories with his own hand for some of these informers; and having summoned these accusers before him, argued and expostulated meekly, and sometimes earnestly, with them; chiefly insisting upon their ingratitude and disingenuity with him. He asked Sentleger if he were at home on Palm-Sunday? (that was the day when the prebendaries signed the articles.) Sentleger saying, he was then at his benefice, the Archbishop declared the procession done that day, as he called it; and said, whether he and the rest were present that day, they were all knit in a bond among them, which he would break: adding, in a passionate way of expression, "O Mr. Sentleger, I had in you and Mr. "Parkhurst a good judgment, and especially in you; but "ye will not leave your old mumpsimus." To which Sentleger boldly replied, that he trusted they used no mumpsimuses but those that were consonant to the laws of God and the Prince. And with Shether, one of the busiest enemies the Archbishop had in this affair, the Archbishop so fatherly discoursed and argued, that Shether could not forbear weeping. He and Serles, two of the chief agents, were committed to custody. But Shether presently dispatcheth his servant to the Shether in chester. Bishop of Winchester, declaring how he and Serles were in CHAP. durance, and recommended their case to him. Winchester XXVII. went into the council-chamber, probably to try his interest Anno 1543. with the council to get them released. But it seems he prison sends soon perceived how the King stood affected, and so there to Winwas nothing yet to be done: and therefore he told the servant, he could give him no answer as yet. A day or two after, at the servant's departing, he told him, "That his "master was a child for weeping to the Archbishop, when "he should have answered; and that he should not weep "for shame, but answer like a man; and that he should "take a good heart, for he should have friends. That he "would not forget him: but he must know of the council "first what to do; and so desired the servant to have him "recommended to the prebendaries all in general; bidding “him tell them, that my Lord of Canterbury could not kill "them, and that therefore they should bear their sufferings; "for all he did was against himself, and that he should see "what would come of it." Ford, a brother-in-law of Shether's, and a party, told the servant, "That he should tell "his brother that he should never recant; for if he did, he "would never be his friend while he lived, nor none should "that he could let; and that my Lord of Winchester "should be his friend." they pre what they did. But to return to the Archbishop's examination of them. Their reaWhen he asked them what the reason was of these their sons which doings; they pretended one one thing, and another another. tended for Gardiner said, that which moved him was, because he observed such jarrings among them, and so much unquietness 120 about matters of religion; and that he thought it was by the Archbishop's sufferance: which the Archbishop convinced him was false. Shether pretended that Baker, the Chancellor of the Augmentations, had willed him to mark the chief fautors of new opinions. Willoughby.desired Dr. Thornton, who was very great with the Archbishop, but secretly false to him, that he would let his Lordship know, that he never put up article against any man in his life; for that he was charged to have put up, or ready to have put up the articles. Thornton bad him stick to it, and not be afraid; for, saith he, I have spoken my mind to the |