VII.

tion of hands. Present, among others, John Whytwel, the CHAP. Archbishop's Almoner; Rich. Tayler, M. A. Nic. Bullingham, Gregory Tod, and Tho. Bernard, his chaplains.

Anno 1547.

CHAP. VIII.

Churches

The Church's Goods embezzled. New Opinions broached. As the reformation of abuses in religion went forward Anno 1548. under such a King and such an Archbishop, so there wanted profaned. not for evils accompanying it, as there do commonly the best things; the profaneness of some, and the covetousness of others, giving occasion thereunto. Sacred places, set apart for divine worship, were now greatly profaned; and so probably had been before by ill custom: for in many churches, cathedral as well as other, and especially in London, many frays, quarrels, riots, bloodsheddings were committed. They used also commonly to bring horses and mules into and through churches, and shooting off handguns: "making the same, which were properly appointed "to God's service and common-prayer, like a stable or com"mon inn, or rather a den or sink of all unchristiness;" as Cotton Lib. it was expressed in a proclamation which the King set forth Titus B. 2. about this time, as I suppose, (for I am left to conjecture for the date,) by reason of the insolency of great numbers using the said evil demeanors, and daily more and more increasing: "therein forbidding any such quarrelling, shooting, or bringing horses and mules into or through the "churches, or by any other means irreverently to use the "churches, upon pain of his Majesty's indignation, and im"prisonment." For it was not thought fit that, when divine worship was now reforming, the places for the said worship should remain unreformed.

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177

embezzled.

Beside the profanation of churches, there prevailed now Church oranother evil, relating also to churches, viz. That the utensils naments and ornaments of these sacred places were spoiled, embezzled, and made away, partly by the churchwardens, and partly by other parishioners. Whether the cause were, that

II.

Anno 1548.

BOOK they would do that themselves, which they imagined would ere long be done by others, viz. robbing the churches: which, it may be, those that bore an ill-will to the reformation might give out, to render it the more odious. But certain it is, that it now became more or less practised all the nation over, to sell or take away chalices, crosses of silver, bells, and other ornaments. For the stopping of this, in the month of April, the Protector, and the lords of the council, writ to our Archbishop this letter, upon the information and complaint, as it is likely, of the said Archbishop himself, in whose diocese especially this sacrilege prevailed.

The council's letter

to the Archbishop thereupon. Cranm. Regist.

“AFTER our right hearty commendations. Whereas "we are informed that the church-wardens and parochians "of divers parishes do alienate and sell away their chalices, crosses of silver, bells, and other ornaments of the church: "which were not given for that purpose, to be alienated at "their pleasure; but either to be used to the intent they

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were at first given, or to some other necessary and con

"venient service of the church. Therefore this is to will "and require you immediately, upon the sight hereof, to "give strait charge and commandment, on the King's Ma"jesty's behalf, to every parish-church within your diocese, "that they do in no wise sell, give, or otherwise alienate

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any bells, or other ornaments, or jewels, belonging unto "their parish-church, upon pain of his highest displeasure, as they will answer to the contrary at their peril. Thus "fare you well. From Westminster, the last day of April "1548.

It is not an improbable conjecture, that the Archbishop procured this letter to arm churchwardens with an answer to such greedy courtiers and gentlemen, as used often to resort to them; and in their own, or the council's name,

required these goods of their churches to be yielded up to CHA P. them; and threatened them if they did not.

VIII.

A form of

prayer sent

Archbishop.

The next month the council sent the Archbishop a form Anno 1548. of prayer, to be used by himself and those of his diocese. Wherein God was implored to grant the nation peace and to the victory over her enemies for now all things round about appeared in a posture of war; and preparation of arms was making: which caused the King also to raise forces. And, for a blessing upon them, the privy-council sent to the Archbishop, together with the form, an order for the speedy using of it. The tenor of the letter follows:

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letter.

178 AFTER our hearty commendations to your good With the Lordship. Hearing tell of great preparations made of council's foreign Princes, and otherwise being enforced, for the Cranm. "procurement and continuance of peace, to make prepara- Regist. "tion of war: forasmuch as all power and aid valuable

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"cometh of God; the which he granteth, as he hath pro"mised by his holy word, by nothing so much as by hearty "prayers of good men: the which is also of more efficacy, "made of an whole congregation together, gathered in his "holy name: therefore this is to will and require you to give advertisement and commandments to all the curates “in your diocese, that every Sunday and holy-day, in their common-prayer, they make devout and hearty interces"sions to Almighty God for victory and peace. And to "the intent that you should not be in doubts what sort "and manner thereof we do like, we have sent unto you "one: which we would that you and they should follow, "and read it instead of one of the collects of the King's "Majesty's procession. Thus we pray you not fail to do "with all speed, and bid you farewell. From Westminster, the 6th of May, 1548.

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"Your loving friends,

"E. Somerset. R. Rich, Canc. W. Seint-John.
Th. Cheyney."

66 J. Russel.

nions

Now that the liberty of the Gospel began to be allowed, New opidivers false opinions and unsound doctrines began to be broached. vented with it; of which public cognizance began now to

BOOK be taken.

II. Anno 1548.

Cranm.

Regist.

As, "that the elect sinned not, and that they "could not sin. That they that be regenerate never fall away from godly love. That the elect have a right to "take so much of the things of the world as may supply "their necessities." And there were some that openly preached these doctrines, and set forth and published books to the same tenor.

Several of these heretics, in the month of April, were convented before the Archbishop of Canterbury; Sir Thomas Smith; Richard Cox, Hugh Latimer, doctors of divinity; William May, Dean of St. Paul's; William Cook, Richard Lyel, doctors of law; and others the King's commissioners. Then did one John Champneys, of Stratford on the Bow, abjure. He taught, and wrote, and defended; "1. That a "man, after he is regenerate in Christ, cannot sin. 2. That "the outward man might sin, but the inward man could "not. 3. That the Gospel hath been so much persecuted "and hated ever since the Apostles' times, that no man might be suffered openly to follow it. 4. That godly "love falleth never away from them which be regenerate "in Christ wherefore they cannot do contrary to the "commandments of Christ. 5. That that was the most 66 principal of our marked men's doctrine, that make the people believe that there was no such spirit given unto "men, whereby they should remain righteous, and always "in Christ. Which is [as he wrote and asserted] a most "devilish error. 6. That God doth permit to all his elect 179" people their bodily necessities of all earthly things." Champneys All these he revoked: granting or confessing now, revokes six That a man, after he is regenerate in Christ, may sin, be

articles.

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ing destitute of his spirit. 2. That the inner man doth

sin, when the outward man sinneth actually with the "consent of the mind. 3. That divers times, sithence the

Apostles' times, to follow the doctrine of Christ hath been "suffered openly. 4. That godly love falleth from them "that be regenerate in Christ, being destitute of the spirit: " and that then they may do contrary to the commands of "Christ. 5. That it is no erroneous doctrine, which he af"firmed in his book to be a devilish error, and our marked "men's doctrine, viz. To make the people believe that

"there was no such spirit given unto man, whereby he CHAP. "should remain righteous always in Christ. But I confess,

،،

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VIII.

' [saith the abjurer,] that a man, having the spirit, may af- Anno 1548. "terwards fall, and not be righteous. 6. That God doth "not permit to all his elect people their bodily necessities "of all worldly things to be taken, but by a law and order 'approved by the civil policy: to which by me now spo“ken I mean ne understand any other sense than hath been "here opened;" to use again his very words in his abjuration. And so, touching the holy Gospel with his hand, before the King's commissioners, he abjured, promising, "That he should never hold, teach, or believe the said "errors, or damned opinions above rehearsed." And so subscribed his name.

Then the Archbishop in his own name, and in the name And abof the other commissioners, gave him his oath. "1. That he jares. "should not by any means hereafter teach or preach to the "people, nor set forth any kind of books, in print or other“wise, nor cause to be printed or set forth any such books, “ that should contain any manner of doctrine, without a spe"cial license thereunto of the King's Majesty, or some of "his Grace's privy council first had and obtained. 2. That "the said Champneys, with all speed convenient, and with "all his diligence, procure as many of his books, as are 'passed forth in his name, to be called in again, and utterly "destroyed, as much as in him should lie. 3. That he “ should the Sunday following attend at Paul's Cross upon “ the preacher, all the time of the sermon, and there peni"tently stand before the preacher with a faggot on his "shoulder." And then he had two sureties bound in five hundred pounds, that he should perform his penance. This was done April 27.

sies vented.

There were other heresies also now vented abroad, as the Other heredenial of the Trinity, and of the deity of the Holy Ghost: and the assertion, That Jesus Christ was a mere man, and not true God, because he had the accidents of human nature; such as hungering and thirsting, and being visible : and that the benefit men receive by Jesus Christ was the bringing them to the true knowledge of God. There was one John Assheton, a priest, that preached these doctrines : who on the 28th of December was summoned to Lambeth, Regist.

Cranm.