Rochester, and Master More spekynge or doinge agaynst thaym, as thay hitherto have done, and thought, that al other sholde have done, whan they spake and did with thaym. And peradventure it sholde be a good quietation to many other within this reaulm, if such men sholde say, that the Succession, comprised within the said Act, is good and according to Godds lawes. For than I thynke there is not one within this reaulme, that would ones reclayme against it. And where as diverse persones, either of a wilfulnes, wil not, or of an indurate and invertible conscience, can not, altre from thair opinions of the Kyngs first pretensed mariage, (wherein thay have ones said thair minds, and percase have a persuasion in thair heads, that if they sholde now vary therefrome thair fame and estimation were distayned for ever,) or ells of the autoritie of the Busshope of Rome yet if al the Reaulme with one accorde wolde apprehende the said succession; in my jugement it is a thynge to be amplected and imbraced. Which thing, although I trust surely in God, that it shal be brought to passe, yet hereunto might not a little avayle the consent and othes of thies two persones, the Busshope of Rochester, and Master Moore, with thair adherents, or rather Confederates. And if the Kyngs pleasure so were, thair said othes might be suppressed, but whan and where his Highnes might take some commodite by the publisshing of the same. Thus our Lord have you ever in his conservation. From my maner at Croyden the xvii day of April.

Your own assured ever

Thomas Cantuar.

15

E. 5. F.360.

NUM. XII.

Nix Bishop of Norwich to Warham Archbishop of Cant. for suppressing such as read Books, brought from beyond Sea.

Cleopatra, AFTER moste humbill recommendation, I do your Grace tundrestande, that I am accombred with such, as kepith and redith these arronious boks in Englesh, and beleve and gif credence to the same, and teacheth others, that they

shuld so do. My Lorde, I have done that lieth in me for the suppression of suche parsons; but it passith my power, or any spiritual man for to do it. For dyverse saith openly in my Diocesse, that the Kings grace wolde, that they shulde have the saide arroneous boks, and so maynteyneth themself of the Kinge. Wherupon I desired my Lorde Abbot of Hide to shew this to the Kinges grace, besechinge him to sende his honorabill Lettres undre his Seall, downe to whome he please, in my Diocesse. That they may shew and publish, that it is not his pleasure, that suche boks should be had or red; and also punish suche as saith soo. I truste before this letter shal come unto you, my saide Lorde Abbot hath done so. The saide Abbot hath the names of some, that crakyth in the Kings name, that their false opinions shold goo furth, and will dye in the quarrell, that their ungracious opinions be true, and trustith by Michalmas daye, ther shal be more, that shall beleve of ther opinions, than they, that beleveth the contrary. If I had knowen, that your Grace had bene at London, I wolde have commanded the saide Abbot to have spoken with you. But your Grace may send for him, whan ye please, and he shal show you my whole mynd in that mater; and how I thought best for the suppression of soch, as holdyth these arronious opinions. For if they contynue any time, I thynk they shall undoe us all. The said Abbot departed from me on Monday laste and sith that tyme I have had moche trouble and business with other in like mater: And they say, that whersomever they go, they here say, that the Kings pleasure is, the N. Testament in English shal go forth, and men sholde have it and read it. And from that opinion I can no wise induce them. But I had gretter auctoritie to punyshe them, than I have. Wherfore I beseiche your good Lordshep, to advertise the Kings grace, as I trust the said Abbot hath done, before this letter shal come unto your grace; that a remedy may be had.

For now it may be done wel in my Diocesse: for the Gentilmen and the Commenty be not greatly infect; But marchants, and suche that hath ther abyding not ferre from the See. The saide Abbot of Hyde canne show you of a Curat, and well lerned in my Diocesse, that exorted his Pa

risheners to beleve contrary to the Catholic faith. There is a Collage in Cambrige, called Gunwel haules, of the foundation of a Bp. of Norwich. I here of no clerk, that hath commen ought lately of that Collage, but saverith of the frying panne, tho he spek never so holely. I beseche your grace to pardon me of my rude and tedious writinge to you: the zele and love, that I ough to Almighty God, 16 cause me this to do. And thus Almighty God longe preserve your Grace in good prosperite and health. At Hoxne the xiiijth. day of Maij, 1530.

Your obediensary and dayly Orator.

R. Norwich.

NUM. XIII.

Archbishop Cranmer to King Henry, complaining of a Prior in Canterbury that had preached against him.

Cleopatra, PLEASITH it your Grace to be advertised, That where

E. 6. F.232.

aswel by your Graces special lettres, dated the thirde day of June in the xxvijth. yere of your Graces most noble reigne, as also by mouth in Wynchester at Michelmas last past, your Grace comawnded al the Prelates of your Realme, that they with al acceleration and expedition sholde do their diligence every one in his Dioces, fully to perswade your people of the Bp. of Rome his autoritie, that it was but a false and injust Usurpation, and that your Grace of veray right and by Godds lawe is the Supreme Heade of this Church of England, next immediatly unto God: I to accomplish your Graces Comawndment, incontinent opon my retorne from Wynchester, (knowinge that al the Countrie about Otforde and Knol, where my most abode was, were sufficiently instructed in those maters alredy) cam up into thies parties of Este Kent onely, by preaching to persuade the peple in the said two Articles. And in mine own church at Cantorbury, bicause I was informed, that that Towne in c From whence came Shaxton, Bishop of Sarum; and Skip, Queen Anne's chaplain, and Bp. of Hereford.

those two poynts was lest perswaded of al my Dioces; I preached there two Sermons my selfe. And as it then chawnced, Dr. Leighton was present at my first Sermon, beinge then your Graces Visitor. Of whome, if it so please your Grace, you may heare the report what I preached.

The scope and effect of both my Sermons stode in three thyngs. First, I declared, that the Bp. of Rome was not Godds Vicar in erth, as he was taken. And although it was so taught thies three or four hundreth yers, yet it was done by the meanes of the Bp. of Rome, who compelled men by othes so to tech, to the mayntenance of his autoritie contrary to Godds worde. And here I declared by what meanes and craft the busshops of Rome obteyned such usurped autoritie. Seconde, Bycause the See of R. was called Sancta Sedes Romana, and the Busshope was called Sanctissimus Papa; and mennys consciences peradventure could not be quyete to be separated from so holy a place, and from Godds most holy Vicar: I shewed the people, that this thyng ought nothynge to move theym. For it was but a Holines in name. For in dede there was no such holynes at Rome. And hereupon I took occasion to declare the glory, and Pompe of Rome, the Covetousnes, the unchast lyvyng, and the mayntenance of al vices. Thirde, I spake agaynst the Bp. of Rome his lawes. Which he calleth Divinas Leges and Sacros Canones, and maketh theym equal with Godds Lawes. And here I declared, that many of his Lawes were contrary to Godds lawes. And some of theym, which were good and laudable, yet thay 17 were not of such holynes, as he wolde make theym; that is, to be taken as Godds lawes, or to have remission of synnes by observyng of theym. And here I sayd, that so many of his lawes, as were good, men ought not to contemne and despise theym, and wilfully to breake theym. For those that be good your Grace hath receyved, as lawes of your Realme, untyl such tyme, as other shold be made. And therfore as lawes of your realm, they must be observed, and not contempned. And here I spake as wel of the Ceremonies of the Church, as of the forsaide lawes; that they ought neither to be rejected or dispised, nor yet to be observed with this opinion, that they of themselfes make men

holy, or that they remytt synne. For seinge, that oure synnes be remitted by the deth of our Savior Christ Jesus, I sayd, it was to moch injury to Christ, to impute the remission of our synnes to any Lawes or ceremonies of mans makynge. Nor the Laws and ceremonies of the Church at their first making were ordened for that intent. But as the common lawes of your Graces realme be not made to remit synne, nor no man doth observe theym for that intent, but for a common commodity, and for a good ordre and quietnes to be observed among your Subjetts; evyn so were the laws and ceremonies first instituted in the Church for a good ordre, and remembrances of many good thyngs, but not for remission of oure synnes. And though it be good to observe theym wel for that intente, thay were first ordened; yet it is not good, but a contumelie unto Christ to observe theym with this opinion, that they remit synne; or that the veray bare observation of theym, in it self, is an holines before God: Although they be remembrances of many holy thyngs, or a disposition unto goodnes. And evyn so do the lawes of your Graces realm dispose men unto justice, to peace, and other true and perfite holines. Wherfore I did conclude for a general rule, that the people ought to observe theym, as they do the laws of your Graces realm, and with no more opinion of holines or remission of synne, than the other common Laws of your Graces realme.

Though my ij Sermons were longe, yet I have written briefly unto your Highness the sum of theym both. And I was informed by sundry reports, that the peple were glad, that they harde so much as they did; until such time, as the Prior of the blacke Frears at Cantorbury preached a sermon, as it was thought and reported, clene contrary unto al the iij thyngs, which I had preached bifore. For as touching the first parte where I had preached against the erronious doctrin of the busshope of Rome his power; which errour was, that by Godds Law he should be Godds Vicar here in erth; the Prior would not name the Busshope of Rome but under color spake generally, That the Church of Christ never erred. And as touching the second part, where I spake of the Vices of the Busshopes of Rome and