BOOK II. "tained such doctrine as those books did. Thus he had," he said, "remembrance of his Grace in these his letters to Anno 1547. " the council; but he chiefly made not his Grace, but God, 152" his foundation, with the preservation of the late deceased 66 King's honour, and the surety of the King then being. "His writing, he confessed, was vehement; but he would "have none offended with it, for he wrote it with a whole "heart; and if he could have written it with the blood of "his heart, he would have done it, to have staid the thing "till it had been more maturely digested. He touched lively one point in his letter to the council, and considered "whether the King might command against a common law, or an act of parliament; and shewed the danger of it in "the late Lord Cardinal, and the Lord Typtoft before him, "who was executed on Tower-hill for acting against the "laws of the land, though it were by the King's commission; "and by other precedents. "Not long after these letters of the Bishop to the coun cil, they sent for him. When he came before them, he "came furnished with his trinkets, his sleeves and bosom "trussed full of books, to furnish his former allegations. "He was heard very well, and gently. Then he shewed "matter that he thought would have moved them: for "there he shewed the two contrary books, [meaning the "Homilies, and Erasmus's Paraphrase.] But the council "told him they were not moved: and added, that their "consciences agreed not with his; using many good words "to bring him to conformity. After he had been aside "from them, and was returned again, they entered a pre"cise order with him, either to receive the Injunctions, or "to refuse. In which case, they told him, that the Pro"tector was privy to what was done there. The Bishop "answered, That he would receive them as far as God's law "and the King's would bind him. And because he saw "they drew to such preciseness, he told them, there were "three weeks of delay to the coming of the visitors to him. "In the mean time he offered to go to Oxford, to abide the "discussion there. That offer was not allowed. He de"sired to go to his house at London, and have learned men "speak with him there. That was not accepted. He en "tered then the allegation of the Gospel, of the servant CHAP. "that said he would not do a thing, and yet did it: and ،، 66 66 III. so, the bishop said, it might be, that although he then said Anno 1547. nay, as his conscience served him, yet he might change, "and was a man that might be tempted. But as his "conscience was then, he thought that God's laws and the "King's letted him. Then they asked him, if he had spoken to any man of what he found in the books. To "which he answered truly, [acknowledging he had ;] but “ told the Lords, that he thought it hard, unless there were "a greater matter than this, to send him to prison for "declaring his mind beforehand, what he minded to do, "before it had been by him done; who had all the mean "time to repent himself." In the end, the council committed him to the Fleet. Of his behaviour under this censure, he hath these words; "That he had well digested it; and so all might be well, "he cared not what became of his body. That he departed "as quietly from them as ever man did, and had endured "with as little grudge. He had learned this lesson in the world, never to look backward, as St. Paul saith, ne re"member that is past. That he would never grudge or com"plain of any thing for himself." 66 To the Lord Protector, to whom he wrote all this ac- 153 count of himself, turning his discourse, he said, “ That he 66 thought it very weighty to have these books recom"mended to the realm in the King's name, by his (the Pro 66 tector's) direction, since the King himself knew nothing "of them, and therefore nothing could be ascribed to him: "and his Grace had been so occupied, as all men knew, "that he had no leisure to peruse them. And yet of such account he had "sort were the books, according to the "before written; and that if no man had advertised the 66 “ council, as he had, it was because they had not read them In vindication of the learned author of the Paraphrase, so Erasmus bedashed by Winchester, I will here use the words of him vindicated. that writ the Epistle Dedicatory before the translated Para phrase on the Acts. "I cannot but judge, that whoso are 66 prompt and hasty condemners of Erasmus, or eager ad BOOK II. "versaries unto his doctrine, do, under the name and co"lour of Erasmus, rather utter their stomach and hatred Anno 1547." against God's word, and the grace of the Gospel, which "Erasmus for his part most diligently and most simply la"boureth to bring to light." And to such as said that his doctrine was scarcely sincere, and that he did somewhat err, he answered, "That Erasmus, forasmuch as he was a man, "and so esteemed himself, would that his works should "none otherwise be read or accepted than the writings of "other mortal men. And that, after his judgment, a little "trip among so many notable good works for the interpre"tation of Scripture, and for the help of the simple, should "rather be borne withal, than so many good things to be "either rejected or kept away from the hungry christian "reader. It is a cold charity that can bear with nothing; "and an eager malice it is, that for a trifle, or a matter of nothing, would have the ignorant to lack so much good edifying, as may be taken of Erasmus.” Winchester's letter Mention was made a little above of the Bishop of Winto Somerset chester's objections against the Paraphrase of Erasmus, sent concerning by him in a letter to the Lord Protector. This paper I have things. met with in Sir John Cotton's library; and being somewhat these Numb. The Arch points a long, I have put it into the Appendix: wherein may be seen at large the Bishop's quarrels, both against the Paraphrase and the Homilies; labouring here to shew, that the book of Homilies and Erasmus's Paraphrase did contradict each other, and therefore could not both be received; and that there were errors in each, and so neither ought to be admitted. Moreover, he urged the danger of making alterations in religion contrary to the laws then in force; designing thereby, if he could over-persuade the Protector, to enervate the King's late Injunctions: for the Papists, whose chief instrument was Winchester, saw it was time now to bestir themselves to overthrow these proceedings that were in hand, if it were possible. When this affair happened between the council and the bishop ap- Bishop, for which they cast him into the Fleet, Somerset the thanksgiv- Protector was absent in an expedition against the Scots: by ing for a victory. whose conduct, in the month of September, God blessed the King with a very glorious victory, in a battle fought near III. Anno 1547. 154 Musselburrough. Which redounded much to the Protec- CHAP. tor's honour, wherein was more danger than he looked for, which gave him the greater occasion to shew his valour : for there were but few lost on the English side; but fifteen thousand Scots reckoned to be slain, and two thousand taken prisoners. For this victory a public thanksgiving was thought fit to be celebrated. And the Archbishop required of the Bishop of London to procure a sermon at St. Paul's, before the Mayor and Aldermen, and immediately after a procession in English, and Te Deum. The Archbishop's letter (which will shew what the court thought of that good success) was as followeth : 66 66 66 66 bishop to of London. Regist. "AFTER our right hearty commendations: whereas it The Arch"hath pleased Almighty God to send the King's Majesty the Bishop "such victory against the Scots, as was almost above the expectation of man, and such as hath not been heard of in Cranm. any part of Christendom this many years: in which vic"tory above the number of 15000 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 Ma"jesty, 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 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 in the province of Canterbury to do, or 66 66 66 66 cause to be done, semblably in their course. 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 holy-day after receipt hereof, declaring the goodness of God, and exhorting the people to faith and amendment of life; 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, II. BOOK "to cause the procession in English, and Te Deum, to be openly and devoutly sung. And that you do also cause Anno 1547. the like order to be given in every parish-church in your "diocese, upon some holy-day, 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 Oatlands, the 18th day of December, the year of our Lord God 1547. 66 66 "Your loving friend, "Tho. Cantuarien. This be "The counsellors' pleasure is, you shall see this executed A convoca THE parliament now sat: and a convocation was held tion in the November the 5th. Some account of what was done here the King. I will in this place set down, as I extracted it out of the first year of C. C. C. C. library. Vol. notes of some member, as I conceive, then present at it. intit. Syno dalia. Session I. No. 5. "John Taylor, Dean of Lincoln, chosen Prolocutor by “universal consent." Sess. II. Nov. 18. "This day the Prolocutor was presented to the Archbishop and Bishops in the upper house." Sess. III. Nov. 22. "It was then agreed, that the Prolocutor, in the name of "the whole house, should carry some petitions unto the "most reverend father in God the Archbishop, viz. g It should be September, I suppose. |