you may do in case ye so will; eftsoons praying you to have the premises in your good remembrance, and no less to esteem the same, than ye would in case I had so spoken the same unto you in my own personage. From my manor at, &c.

CXVIII. TO THE CONVENT OF NEWESHAM".

18. b.

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you, and Harl. MSS. likewise to everich of you. And where it hath pleased 6148. fol. Almighty God to call your father and Abbot, which was my suffragan, to his mercy, by whose decease ye be now destitute of a governor and ruler: I therefore pray you, and every one of you, to bear your favours and good minds to my friend of old acquaintance Sir Thomas Donkester, your brother and Prior, that he, by your favourable means and assistance, may be preferred to that vacant room for my sake afore any other; which thing, if you can be contented to do at this mine instance, ye shall be well assured to have me to be hereafter not alonely a right special friend to you and your house, to the most of my power, at such time as I may show any gratuity and pleasure again for his sake, but also shall have such succour and comfort of him at all times hereafter, as ye shall have cause to be glad to have preferred him for my sake. Thus fare you well. From my manor at Lameheth, the xviii. day of May.

b My Lord, in my most hearty wise I commend me unto Harl. MSS. your good lordship. And whereas I am credibly inform- 6148. fol.

z [See Letter CXVII.]

a

[Strype, in his manuscript copy of this Letter (Lansd. MSS. 1045.) supposes it to have been addressed to Crumwell. But the questions respecting the oath of succession prove its date to be 1534, when Crumwell had attained no higher rank than that of Secretary of State. It is not unlikely that it was written to the Lord Chancellor Audeley, who was one of the Commissioners appointed to tender the oath. See Strype, Cranmer, p. 26.]

b[The former part of this Letter is printed in the Christian Remembrancer for Nov. 1820.]

44.

ed, that at your commandment, one Sir Thomas Mownteforde, priest, is committed to the Fleet for certain words (as is reported) by him spoken against me, which now he utterly refuseth, and thereto offereth himself to prove the contrary in that behalf by divers that were there present when the said words should have been spoken of me: I most heartily desire your lordship, at this mine instance and request, ye will discharge him for [the] time of this his trouble and vexation: for surely of all sorts of men I am daily informed that priests report the worst of me, and therefore so to be reported of a priest it should very little grieve me, although he had confessed it, much less now would I then this his trouble for the same, he himself reporting the contrary. Wherefore eftsoons I require you to be good lord unto him herein, and that the rather at this mine instance.

Furthermore touching my commission to take oaths of the King's subjects for his Highness' succession d, I am by your last letters well instructed, saving that I know not how I shall order them that cannot subscribe by writing: hitherto I have caused one of my secretaries to subscr[ib]e for such persons, and made them to write their shepe mark, or some other mark, as they can..... scribble. Now would I know, whether I shall, instead of subscription, take their seals.

Also where you have sent forth commissions to justices of peace to take the same oath, I pray you send me word, whether you have given them commission to take oaths as well of priests as of other. And if so, then I trust my labours be abbreviate, for in short time the oaths (hereby) shall be take[n] through all England; which seemeth to me very expedient so to be; trusting this expedition shall discharge your lordship, me, and other of much travail in this

[Strype seems to have believed, that Sir Thomas Mounteforde was the north country priest committed to the Fleet by the Lord Crumwell, of whose insolence and ignorance such an admirable story is told by Morice. But the cases appear to be different, and, as has been observed in note (a) p. 111, Crumwell was not yet entitled to be called "the Lord Crumwell." See Strype, Cranmer, p. 437.]

d [See Letter cvI. Strype, Cranmer, p. 26.]

behalf but yet I would gladly know who shall take the oaths at the religious of Syone, which is specially to be observed, and also the Charter Houses, and Observants, and other religious exempt. I beseech your good lordship that I may have answers herein by writing, with all celerity.

CXX. To ARCHDEACON THIRLBY f.

45.

Master Archdeacon, I commend me unto you: signifying Harl. MSS. to you, that I have received your letters with a billets from 6148. fol. the King's Highness in them inclosed, whereby amonges Christ. other things I perceive your ambitious mind in seeking your Rememown glory and advancement of your name, and that unjustly Nov. 1820.

e [The Nuns and Friars of Sion, the Carthusian Monks, and the Observants, were considered to be determined opposers of the King's proceedings; and some of them had professed to believe in the revelations of the Holy Maid of Kent. See Letters LXXXII. CXLV; Burnet, vol. i. pp. 306.366. 704; Strype, Memorials, vol. i. p. 194. &c.; State Papers, vol. i. p. 422. The last named authority is a long and interesting letter from Bedyll to Crumwell, dated the 28th of August 1534; in which he laments "the foolishness and obstinacy of divers religious men, so addict to the Bishop of Rome and his usurped power, that "they contemn all counsel, and likewise the jeopardy of their bodies "and souls, and the suppression of their houses." Nine of the Friars of Sion, he says, as soon as the preacher began to declare the King's title of Supreme Head, "departed from the sermon, contrary to the rule "of their religion, to the great slander of all the audience. . . . And it is "doubted that some of them will attempt to escape out of their "cloister; and if they so did, so men should never hear tidings of them, "neither know where they became, it were no great loss." He states however, "that the Confessor there, and some other of the wisest of his “brethren, the Abbess and all her religious sisters, like good, wise, and “faithful ladies to our Sovereign Lord, be well contented with the "King's Grace's said title;" and that there was good likelihood that the Carthusians of London " would be brought to good conformity ac"cording to their duty." But these hopes, at least in part, were disappointed. See Strype, Memorials, vol. i. pp. 195. 277.

[Thirlby succeeded Hawkyns in the Archdeaconry of Ely, 1534. Le Neve, Fasti.]

[This may perhaps have been the "order for preaching and bid"ding of the beads in all sermons," issued, according to Strype, in June 1534. See Appendix. Mr. Todd applies the expression to the Articles of 1536, and supposes the Letter to have been written in that year. But the copy-book from which it is taken seems to contain none of so late a date; and in that case also, Shaxton, who was consecrated the 11th of April 1535, would probably have been styled "my lord of "Sarum."

brancer,

without your deserts, in that you desire to have me confess by writing your diligence, laying to my charge, that heretofore I have been a testimony of your negligence. If you have hitherto been accounted negligent, there is nothing as meseemeth as yet commenced and done on your behalf, whereby you do not declare yourself in deed the same man that I spake in word. Although ye have changed the kind of negligence, from a slow negligence to a rash negligence. For so negligently you have run of heed in this matter, that you have advertised me never a word of those things which I desire to know the King's pleasure in.

For there be three places specially noted in the said bill, one in the margin of the first leaf, another in the third, where be divers words to be inserted within the process, of the which I would you should know his gracious pleasure, whether he would allow those words there or no. The third place is on the second side in the fourteenth line, whereof I would have known likewise if the King's Grace would have left out "miracles," which all the bishops do think good to be left out. And for the same purpose the selfsame place in the book of parchment is void.

Of the King's Grace's advertisement in these three points I would you had declared your diligence. But for to obtain the said bill of his Grace, the premises never the more declared, was rather after mine opinion a rash negligence, than worthy to be reputed and taken for any manner of diligence. And therefore according to your deserts, where you were in time past esteemed but negligent in delaying, now you shall obtain a more ample name, and be called also negligent by imprudency and precipitation in your most expedition. Notwithstanding, forasmuch as you would fain obtain some other better name, to prove again your diligence I have sent the said billet again to you, to the intent, when ye shall know [the] King's pleasure in the premises, ye may advertise me thereof, after such manner as in that behalf ye may deserve to have your name changed and not augmented, as it is now. And where I wrote not to you before so amply as I do now, is not to be imputed to my negligence, but

to yours, by cause you did not consult with Doctor Shaxtonh, or Doctor Buttesi, fully in this matter. Nor yet I have not instructed you by these letters all things, but some you must learn by mouth of Doctor Shaxton, who knoweth all my whole mind herein.

And where you write, that the King's Grace supposeth that I have these articles in parchment, subscribed with hands of the Council; surely at what time I was last at Lambeth, Master Crumwell sent to me for it in the King's name, and since as yet I hear nothing thereof. Wherefore I think it convenient that you inquire thereof, by cause it may be forthcoming, and not required of me, where it is not as it is thought to be.

Furthermore, ye may show Master Vice-Chancellork of Cambridge, that I have lost his bill of Paul's Cross, and therefore I look for him these holydays to bring me another, not doubting but that you will bear him company; at which your resort we shall commune of the preferment of your diligence; and if you lack horse, you shall have of me, at such time as you shall appoint by this bearer. Thus fare you well. From Croydon, the xxiv. day of May. To Doctor Thrylby, Archdeacon of Ely.

CXXI. To THE RECORDER OF LONDON.

6148. fol. 44.

Master Recorder, in my right hearty wise I commend me Harl. MSS. unto you. And where heretofore I wrote unto Lord my Mayor of London, in the favour and preferment of one Mistress Pachette, widow, for a house belonging unto the chamber of London, which gladly she desireth to hold and occupy for her commodity and ease, in case she might the same at

h [At this time chaplain and almoner to Queen Anne Boleyn. See Letter cxxxI.; and a memoir of him in Strype, Memorials, vol. iii. p. 353.]

i [The King's physician, a constant and powerful friend to Cranmer and the Reformation. Strype and Burnet, passim.]

k[John Craiford, "gladiator melior quam Procancellarius." Fuller, Hist. of Cambridge.]