1.

BOOK "entreating of the sacrament of orders, they desired to have "it taught, that we be in no subjection to the Bishop of Anuo 1537. “Rome and his statutes, but merely subject to the King's

66

66

“laws, under his only territory and jurisdiction. And that "the canons and rules of the church were therefore allow"able in the realm, because the assent of the King and of "the people accepted the same. And that priests and bishops whatsoever never had any authority by the Gospel "in matters civil and moral, but by the grant and gift of princes; and that it was alway, and ever shall be, law"ful unto kings and princes, and to their successors, with "the consent of their parliaments, to revoke and call again "into their own hands, or otherwise to restrain all their "power and jurisdiction given and permitted by their au"thority, assent or sufferance, &c. Without the which, "if the Bishop of Rome, or any other bishop whatsoever, "should take upon them any authority or jurisdiction in "such matters as be civil, no doubt, said they, that bishop "is not worthy to be called a bishop, but rather a tyrant, “and an usurper of other men's rights, contrary to the laws "of God; and is to be reputed a subverter of the kingdom "of Christ. Yea, besides these things, and many other, as "he added, they put in our creed, or belief, as an article "of salvation or damnation, that the church of England is "as well to be named a catholic and apostolic church, as "Rome church, or any other church where the Apostles were resident. And that they willed us to believe in our "faith, that there is no difference in superiority, preemi"nence, or authority, one over the other, but be all of equal "power and dignity; and that all churches be free from "the subjection and jurisdiction of the church of Rome. "And that no church is to be called schismatical, as vary"ing from the unity of the church of Christ, if it persist in 54" the unity of Christ's faith, hope, and charity, and unity "of Christ's doctrine and sacraments, agreeable to the "same doctrine.

Defence of

Priests'

Mar. p. 226.

66

"And that it appertained to christen kings and princes, "in the discharge of their duty to God, to reform and "reduce again the laws to their old limits and pristine "state, of their power and jurisdiction, which was given

XIII.

"them by Christ, and used in the primitive church. For CHAP. "it is, say they, out of all doubt, that Christ's faith was “then most firm and pure, and the scriptures of God were Anno 1537. "then best understood, and virtue did then most abound "and excel. And therefore the customs and ordinances "then used and made, must needs be more conform and “agreeable unto the true doctrine of Christ, and more con"ducing to the edifying and benefit of the church of Christ, "than any custom or laws used or made since that time. "This he collected out of their exposition of the sacrament "of orders."

The said learned author observed, that this doctrine was set forth by the whole authority of the bishops in those days, presented by the subscription of all their names. And since the time of their presenting thereof, by the space almost of twenty years, (that is, to the middle of Queen Mary,) never revoked, but continually from time to time taught by this book, and by such other declarations.

the com

And that one more particular relating to this book may Names of be known, namely, who the bishops and other divines were posers. that composed it, and that were commissioned so to do, I shall record their names, as they were found writ by the hand of Dr. Sam. Ward, in his own book, now in the possession of N. B. a reverend friend of mine; who hath well deserved of this history.

Thomas Cant. Jo. Lond. Steph. Winton. Jo. Exon. Jo. Lincoln. Jo. Bathon. Roland. Coven. et Lich. Tho. Elien. Nic. Sarum. Jo. Bang. Edward Heref. Hugo. Wigorn. Jo. Roffen. Ric. Cicestr. Guilielm. Norv. Guilielm. Menevens. Rob. Assav. Rob. Landav. Edoard Ebor. Cuthb. Dunelm. Rob. Carliolen.

Richard. Wolman, Archidiac. Sudbur. Guil. Knight, Archid. Richmon. Jo. Bell, Archid. Gloc. Edmund. Bonner, Archid. Leicestr. John Skip, Archid. Dorset. Nic. Hethe, Archid. Stafford. Cuthb. Marshal, Archid. Nottingham. Rich. Curren, Archid. Oxon.

Gulielm. Cliff, Galfridus Downes, Robertus Oking, Radul. Bradford, Richardus Smith, Simon Matthew, Joannes Pryn, Guliel. Buckmaster, Guliel. May, Nic. Wotton, Ric. Coxe, Joannes Edmunds, Thomas Robertson, Joannes Baker,

BOOK Thomas Barret, Joannes Hase, Joannes Tyson, sacræ theologiæ, juris ecclesiastici et civilis professores.

1.

Anno 1537.

In the year 1543, the same book was printed again, amended much both in sense and language: yet not having any step in the progress of the reformation more than the former, each edition expressing positively the corporal presence in the sacrament. But in this is much added about free-will, which it asserts, and good works. In 1544, the same was printed again at London in Latin, intituled, Pia et Catholica Christiani Hominis Institutio.

55

Goes down As

into his diocese.

Gets a license to visit.

CHAP. XIV.

The Archbishop visits his Diocese.

soon as this business was over with the Archbishop and Bishops at Lambeth, no parliament sitting this year, and a plague being in London and Westminster, he went down, as was said before, into his diocese. But before he went, he expressed a great desire to wait upon the King, being then, I suppose, at Hampton Court, or Windsor; but he feared he should not be permitted, coming out of the smoky air, as he wrote to the Lord Crumwel, in that time of infection. Yet he desired to know the King's pleasure by him. He had a mind indeed to leave some good impressions upon the King's mind in the behalf of the book, that he and the rest had taken such pains about, and but newly made an end of. But whether he saw the King now or no, he had his commission, and took it down with him. Which he advisedly did, the better to warrant and bear him out in what he intended to do in his diocese, which he purposed to visit.

This was a year of visitation. For there was a new visitation now again appointed throughout all England; to see how the people stood affected to the King, to discover cheats and impostures, either in images, relics, or such like. The Archbishop also thinking good now to visit his diocese, procured the license of the vicegerent, Lord Crumwel, so to do:

XIV.

because, I suppose, all other visitations were to cease, to give CHAP. way to the King's visitation. And to render his power of. visiting the more unquestionable, and void of scruple, he de- Anno 1537. sired the Vicegerent, that, in drawing up of his commission, his license to visit might be put into it by Dr. Peter; who was then, if I mistake not, master of the faculties to the said Vicegerent, and afterwards secretary of state. And because he would not do any thing without the counsel and allowance of the Vicegerent, he asked his advice, how he should order in his visitation such persons as had transgressed the King's injunctions. Which came out the year before under Crumwel's name: whereof some were for the restraint of the number of holy-days, a great cause of superstition, and of the continuance of it. And afterwards other injunctions came out whereof the first was, that in all parishes, once every Sunday, for a quarter of a year together, the supremacy should be taught, and the laws to that intent read. These injunctions were in number eleven, as they are set down in the Lord Herbert's history.

Pag. 472.

The Vicar of Croydon, under the Archbishop's nose, had The Vicar been guilty of certain misdemeanours: which, I suppose, of Croydon. were speaking or preaching to the disparagement of the King's supremacy, and in favour of the Pope. Now before he went into the country, and having as yet divers bishops and learned men with him at Lambeth, he thought it advisable to call this man before them at this time. But before he would do it, he thought it best to consult with Crumwel, and take his advice, whether he should now do it, and before these bishops or not: so ticklish a thing then 56 was it for the bishops to do any things of themselves without the privity and order of this great Vicegerent. Cranmer was aware of it, and therefore required direction from him in every thing.

visits his

But whatsoever was done with this Vicar, the Archbi- The Archshop was soon down in his diocese; and, having taken an bishop account of the people and clergy, what conformity they diocese. bare to the King's laws and injunctions; he found them superstitiously set upon the observation of their old holydays. Some whereof he punished, and others he admonished, according to the degree of their crimes. And he

I.

BOOK discovered the chief cause to lie in the curates and priests, who did animate the people to what they did indeed their Anno 1537. interest and gain was concerned. The great inconvenience of these holy-days lay partly in the numerousness of them: so that the attendance upon them hindered dispatching, and doing justice in Westminster Hall in the terms, and the gathering in harvest in the country: partly in the superstitions that these holy-days maintained, in the idolatrous worship of supposed saints; and partly in the riot, debauchery, and drunkenness, that these times were celebrated with among the common people; and lastly, the poverty it brought upon the meaner sort, being detained from going about their ordinary labours and callings, to provide for themselves and families.

What course he

took for the

of superstition

For the prevention of these superstitions for the future, and to make the people more obedient to the King's laws, preventing he gave out strict orders to all parsons of parishes, upon pain of deprivation, that they should cause the abrogated holy-days not to be observed for the future; and to present to the Archbishop all persons in their respective parishes, as should do contrary to any of the King's ordinances already set forth, or that should be hereafter by his authority, relating to the doctrine and ceremonies of the church. And this course he conceived so good an expedient, that he counselled the Lord Vicegerent, that all bishops in their several dioceses might be commanded to do the same, for the avoiding of disobedience and contention in the realm. By which means, he said, "the evil-will of the people "might be conveyed from the King and his council, upon 66 the ordinaries: and so the love and obedience of the "people better secured to their sovereign." Such was his care of his prince, to preserve him in the affections of his people, that he was willing to take upon himself their enmity, that it might not light upon the King. But Cranmer had observed these holy-days were kept by many, even in the court under the King's eye; which he well knew was an example and encouragement to the whole nation. And therefore he signified to the Lord Crumwel, that they could never persuade the people to cease from keeping them, when the King's own household were an example unto