ye shall be sure of such favour as I may lawfully show unto you. At Lameth, the xxti. day of March.

6148. fol. 21. b.

XCIX. TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK b.

Harl. MSS. My Lord, in my right hearty wise I commend me unto you. And where at the last day of the late Convocation kept at Paul's in London, many questions and doubts were moved of the reading and declaration of the General Sentence commonly used at four terms of the year; and after much communication and debatements of great arguments and reasons therein made and had, it was at the last, by the counsels of our whole house, condescended and agreed, that the reading of the same General Sentence should be for a time suspended and stayed, until some other direction may be therein further taken and provided; (which, as I suppose, cannot be conveniently done before the next assembly of bishops and prelates of my province the next Convocation ;) and that I should by my letters speedily advertise your lordship of the premises, to the intent it may please you to cause general monitions to be made within your province, that the said General Sentence be no more read or declared until some other direction may be further taken therein: I therefore pray you, my lord, that, forasmuch as it shall be meet and convenient that one conformity be used in your province and mine, specially touching the said General Sentence, that the declaration and reading of the same may be respited, until some other direction may be hereafter further

b [Edward Lee.]

Viz. the 31st of March 1534. See Strype, Memorials, vol. i. p. 164; Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iii. p. 771; Wake, State of the Church, p. 479. "The General Sentence was a solemn curse denounced by the curates "to their parishes once a quarter: wherein a great number of persons

were wont to be accursed; and a large share of these execrations "were framed to fall upon those that infringed the privileges and im"munities of holy Church." Strype, ibid. The Form used on these occasions may be seen at length in his Appendix, No. 46.]

taken in that behalf. And how ye shall be minded therein, I pray you that I may be ascertained by your letters as soon as you may. [1534.]

6148. fol.

I therefore will you to cause general monitions to Harl. MSS. be made within the diocese of Sarum, that the said General 21. b. Sentence may be no more read or declared, until some other direction may be further taken as aforesaid; and that ye ascertain me as soon as ye may conveniently, with speed, of your doings in the premises. From Croydon, the iv. day of April. [1534.]

CI. TO A BISHOP.

6148.

The copy of an Inhibition sent by my Lord of Canterbury Harl. MSS. unto other for seditious preaching begun in Easter fol. 20. week concerning the King's Grace's marriage, in Anno Regni xxv°. H. VIII. [1534.] f

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you: letting you wit, that forasmuch as it hath come to my know

d [Strype supposes that this Letter was addressed to the Bishop of Sarum; but in April 1534, which from the reference to the resolution respecting the General Sentence, is clearly its date, there was no bishop of that see: Cardinal Campegio having been recently deprived by Act of Parliament, and his successor, Nicholas Shaxton, not being yet elected. It must therefore have been written to some one who administered the diocese during the vacancy. The beginning of it may be supplied from the preceding Letter: for it was obviously the same, and was therefore not copied separately by the secretary.]

[The Easter day of 25 Hen. VIII. was the 5th of April, 1534.] f [According to Strype there was a similar inhibition in the preceding year: "it being thought convenient that preaching at this juncture "should be restrained, because now the matter of sermons chiefly con"sisted in tossing about the King's marriage with the Lady Anne, and "condemning so publicly and boldly his doings against Queen Katha"rine; the priests being set on work by her friends and faction." Cranmer, p. 21. See also Memorials, vol. i. p. 167.]

ledge, that divers persons at this present time, under the pretence of preaching to the people the word of God, which is the word of charity, unity, and concord, do minister unto their audience matter of contention, slander, debate, and murmur, as well concerning the true catholic doctrine of Christ's Church, as also other public matters, nothing meet ne convenient for their audience; and I therefore, calling unto me my right wellbeloved brothers in God, the Bishops of London 8, Winchestre h, and Lyncolni, have, for speedy remedy hereof, devised and agreed with my said brothers, that an inhibition should be incontinently sent forth from every one of us in our diocese, to forbid all such as have already licence to preach by any letter heretofore granted unto them, to preach from henceforth by virtue and authority of any such letters, but that they shall resort to every of us in our diocese to obtain new letters and licence concerning the same: And also all Curates authorized by the law to preach in their own parish churches, shall, if they be disposed to preach, first resort unto us in like manner; so as at such time as they shall repair to us or our officers for any such licence, injunction shall be made unto them to have regard and respect in their preaching to the Constitution Provincial, in the title there De Hæreticis, in the first chapter, that is to say, that they shall temper their matter, secundum subjectum auditorum; and in no wise to touch or intermeddle themselves to preach or teach any such thing that might slander or bring in doubt and opinion the catholic and received doctrine of Christ's Church, or speak of such matters as touch the Prince, his laws, or succession, considering that thereupon can ensue no edification in the people, but rather occasion of talking and rumour to their great hurt and damage, and the danger and perils of their bodies and souls: Wherefore, in consideration of the premises, I require you and pray you to follow the said order as well [in] sending forth speedy monition or inhibition, as also in giving instruction of such your Curates as intend to preach, and other such as ye shall afterward admit by yourself or by your 8 [John Stokesley.] [Stephen Gardyner.] [John Longland.]

h

i

trusty officers, as is afore written, having such respect to the execution hereof, as will satisfy the duty of your office in the sight of God and mank. Whereunto ye will, I doubt not, have such regard at all time as becometh you. Thus, my lord, most heartily fare you well. At my manor of Lameth.

CII. TO THE PRIORESS OF STANFELD.

19.

Sister Prioress, in my right hearty wise I commend me Harl. MSS. 6148. fol. unto you, and likewise to the other my sisters of your convent. And where, at my request and instance to you made in my other letters in the favour of my friend Mr. N. R. for his preferment to the vicarage of Quadryng, ye, according to the effect and tenor thereof, have accomplished the same, as now in that behalf I am advertised by your letters dated the first day of April; I give unto you most hearty and condign thanks therefore, trusting the said Mr. Roberts, according to my letters to him addressed for the same, will in such manner be conformable and agreeable to all ordinances and customs as hath been heretofore used by his predecessors for the quietness of you and your house, that ye shall have cause to be glad to have preferred him for my sake. The which, if I perceive to happen in him the contrary, surely he shall both lose my favour and be in danger of my displeasure therefore. And you notwithstanding to be sure of me to requite and recompense this your gratuity and gentle behaviour accordingly. From Lamehe. To the Prioress of Stanfeld.

CIII. To N. ROBERTS.

I commend me unto you. And where at my request Harl. MSS. and instance the Prioress and Convent of Stanfeld hath 6148. fol.

k [An order for the regulation of preaching was issued in June,

1534. See Appendix.]

1 [See Letter XCIV.]

19.

given to you the presentation of Quadryng, as according to their letters to me addressed in that behalf I am credibly informed, wherein they have desired me also to exhort you to be content with the same, observing such laudable customs as the late incumbent and other his predecessors hath done, without further trouble, vexation, or unquietness to them or their house; these shall be therefore likewise to admonish you herein, (as ye tender my favour and will avoid my displeasure,) that according to this their reasonable request you do so endeavour yourself from time to time to accomplish the same, that they have not just cause to repent hereafter of this their benevolence declared unto you, which to happen would be unto me great displeasure, but much more your hinderance in so doing, &c.

Harl. MSS.

39. b.

CIV. TO THE PRIORESS OF SHEPPEY.

Sister Prioress, I greet you well. And forasmuch as I 6148. fol. understand by my servant Thomas Abberforde, that the farm of your parsonage of Gyllynhame is shortly like to be void, of which (as he reporteth) you aforetime promised him the next avoidance; I require you, that now, the rather of this mine instance, ye will let him have the preferment thereunto, he finding you sufficient sureties for the payment thereof. And what you intend to do in this behalf I require you to advertise me by my secretary, whom I send unto you for that intent. And if And if you will accomplish mine request herein, I will at all time be as good unto you in other matters, wherein you shall have to do with me.

Harl. MSS. 6148. fol.

19. b.

CV. TO THE PRIORESS OF SHEPPEY.

Sister Prioress, I commend me unto you. Where heretofore I wrote unto you my letters in the favour of my servant T. Abberforde, for the lease of your farm at Gyllyngham, whereof ye have aforetime (as I am credibly informed)