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you to peruse certain books of service which we delivered unto you, moved us, that the vigil, and ringing of bells all the night long upon Alhallow-day at night, and the covering of images in the church in time of Lent, with the lifting up of the veil that covereth the cross upon Palm-Sunday, with the kneeling to the cross the same time, might be abolished and put away, for the superstition and other enormities and abuses of the same: First, forasmuch as all the vigils of our Lady and the Apostles, and all other vigils, which in the beginning of the Church were godly used, yet for the manifold superstition and abuses which after did grow by means of the same, they be many years passed taken away throughout all Christendom, and there remaineth nothing but the name of the vigil in the calendar, the thing clearly abolished and put away, saving only upon Alhallow-day at night, (upon which night is kept vigil, watching, and ringing of bells all the night long;) foras

"King, it had been past my Lord of Winchester's power to have "visored the King's Highness, as he did when he was about the same "league.

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"I am sure you were at Hampton Court, (quoth the Archbishop,) "when the French King's ambassador was entertained there at those "solemn banquetting houses not long before the King's death; namely, when after the banquet was done the first night, the King, lean❝ing upon the ambassador and upon me; if I should tell what com"munication between the King's Highness and the said ambassador was had, concerning the establishing of sincere religion then, a man would hardly have believed it. Nor had I myself thought the "King's Highness had been so forward in those matters as then ap66 peared: I may tell you it passed the pulling down of roods, and suppressing the ringing of bells. I take it, that few in England would "have believed that the King's Majesty and the French King had "been at this point, not only within half a year after to have changed "the mass into a communion, (as we now use it,) but also utterly to "have extirped and banished the Bishop of Rome and his usurped 66 power out of both their realms and dominions.

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"Yea they were so thoroughly and firmly resolved in that behalf, "that they meant also to exhort the Emperor to do the like in Flan"ders and other his countries and seignories, or else they would break “off from him. And herein the King's Highness willed me, (quoth "the Archbishop,) to pen a form thereof to be sent to the French King "to consider of."

"But the deep and most secret providence of Almighty God, owing "to this realm a sharp scourge for our iniquities, prevented for a time "this their most godly device and intent, by taking to his mercy both "these princes." Foxe, Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 586. See also Henry VIII's declaration to the Saxon ambassador, ibid. p. 647.]

much as that vigil is abused as other vigils were, our pleasure is, as you require, that the said vigil shall be abolished as the other be, and that there shall be no watching, nor ringing, but as be commonly used upon other holydays at night. We be contented and pleased also, that the images in the churches shall not be covered, as hath been accustomed in times passed; nor no veil upon the cross; nor no kneeling thereto upon Palm-Sunday, nor any other time. And forasmuch as you make no mention of creeping to the cross, which is a greater abuse than any of the other; for there you say, "Crucem tuam adoramus Domine;" and the Ordinal saith, "Procedant clerici ad crucem adorandum "nudis pedibus ;" and after followeth in the same Ordinal, "Ponatur crux ante aliquod altare, ubi a populo adoretur;" which by your own book, called, A Necessary Doctrine, is against the second commandment: therefore our pleasure is, that the said creeping to the cross shall likewise cease from henceforth and be abolished, with the other abuses before rehearsed. And this we will, and straitly command you to signify unto all the prelates and bishops of your province of Canterbury, charging them, in our name, to see the same executed, every one in his diocese, accordingly.

Strype, Cranmer, p. 138. from the Register of Christ Church, Cauterbury.

CCLXVII. TO THE CHAPTER OF CANTERBURY.

After my hearty commendations; whereas I am informed that you be in doubt, whether any prebendary of that my church may exchange his house or garden with another prebend of the same church living, and that you be moved by this statute so to think, which here followeth ; "Statuimus ut Canonicus de novo electus et demissus in "demortui aut resignantis aut quovismodo cedentis ædes "succedat:" these be to signify unto you, that neither this statute, nor any other reason that I know, maketh any thing against the exchange between two prebends living, but that they may change house, orchard, or garden during

their life, this statute or any other reason contrary notwithstanding. And whereas you have appointed your preachers at your last chapter their chambers and commodities, I require you that they may be indelayedly admitted thereunto, according to that your order. Thus fare you well. From my manor of Croydon, the 12th of December, 1546. T. Cantuariens.

To my loving friends, the Vice-dean and Prebendaries of my Church in Canterbury.

CCLXVIII. TO BONER.

55.

p. 154.

After our right hearty commendations; whereas it hath Cranm pleased Almighty God to send the King's Majesty such Regist. f. victory against the Scots P, as was almost above the ex- Strype, pectation of man, and such as hath not been heard of in Cranm. any part of Christendom this many years: in which victory above the number of 15,000 Scots be slain, 2000 taken prisoners, and among them many noblemen and others of good reputation; all their ordnance and baggage of their camp also won from them: the King's Majesty, with advice of his Highness' Privy Council, presently attending upon his Majesty's most royal person, well knowing this as all other goodness to be the gifts of God, hath and so doth account it; and therefore rendereth unto Him the only glory and praise for the same: and so hath willed me, not only in his Majesty's cathedral church, and other churches of my diocese, to give thanks to Almighty God, but also to require in his name all other bishops of the province of Canterbury to do or cause to be done semblably in their cures. Which his Majesty's pleasure I have thought good to signify unto you, requiring you, not only to cause a sermon to be made in your cathedral church the next holyday after receipt thereof, declaring the goodness of God, and exhorting the people to faith and amendment of life;

P [Viz. In the battle of Pinkey, won on the 10th of Sept. 1547.]

and to give thanks to God for this victory; but also at the same time, immediately after the sermon, and in presence of the Mayor, Aldermen, and other the citizens of London, to cause the Procession in English, and Te Deum to be openly and devoutly sung. And that you do also cause the like order to be given in every parish church of your diocese, upon some holyday, when the parishioners shall be there present, with as much speed as you may; not failing, as you tender his Majesty's pleasure. Thus fare you heartily well. From Otelands, the 18th day of December 9, the of our Lord God 1547.

year

Your loving friend,

T. Cantuarien.

The Council's pleasure is, you shall see this executed on Tuesday next.

To the Dean and Chapter of St.

Paul's, in London, this be given
in haste r.

Wilkins,
Concilia,

vol. iv. p. 22. from Boner's

I10.

CCLXIX. TO BONER.

This is to advertise your lordship, that my Lord Protector's Grace, with advice of others the King's Majesty's Council, for certain considerations them thereunto moving, hath fully Regist. fol. resolved, that no candles should be borne upon Candlemas day, nor also from henceforth ashes or palms used any longer. Wherefore I beseech your lordship to cause admonition thereof to be given in all parish churches throughout your diocese, with all celerity and likewise unto all other bishops that be hereabouts, that they may do the

:

[" December" is the word in the register, but, as Strype observes, there can be little doubt of its being a clerical error for "Septem"ber." See also Heylyn, Eccles. Restaur. Edw. VI. p. 47.]

r

[This also is copied accurately from the register, yet expressions in the Letter itself prove that it was addressed to the Bishop of London.]

semblable in their dioceses before Candlemas day. And as for other bishops that cannot have knowledge so soon, you may give them knowledge hereof at more leisure, so that it be done before Ash Wednesday. Thus fare your lordship well.

Lambeth, Jan, 27, 1547. [1548.]

Your loving friend,

T. Cantuar.

CCLXX. TO MATTHEW Parker.

MSS.
CVIII. p.

Original.

I commend me unto you; signifying, that the Lord C.C.C.C. Protector, conceiving good opinion of your wisdom, learning, and earnest zeal which you bear to the setting forth of 11. God's word among the people, hath, by the advice of the Council, appointed you to preach one sermon at Paul's Cross in London, on Sunday, being the 22. day of July next, not doubting but that you will purely and sincerely set out the holy Scriptures, so as God's glory may be advanced, and the people with wholesome doctrine edified. These therefore shall be to require you to prepare yourself ready in the mean season to supply the day, time, and place to you appointed accordingly; foreseeing that you present yourself unto the Dean of Paul's, resiant at his house in Paul's Church Yard, or unto his deputy there, the Saturday before noon that you shall preach, or at the least to signify then unto him by your letters, or some sure messenger, that you will not fail to preach the Sunday; because the Cross must in no wise be disappointed or destitute of a preacher. Thus heartily fare you well. From my manor at Lambith, the 5. day of May. [1548.]

Your loving friend,

T. Cant.

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