matters of Christ's religion, without long, great, and mature de- Add. No. 3. liberation.

Collier,
Eccles.

Secondly, How evil it hath succeeded, when in Provincial, Hist. vol. ii. yea, or yet in General Councils, men have gone about to set p. 167. forth any thing as in the force of God's law, without the manifest word of God, or else without apparent reasons infallibly deduced out of the word of God.

Thirdly, How all Christian regions are now full of learned men in the Scripture, which can well espy out and judge, how things that be, or shall be set forth, are agreeable with Scripture or not.

Fourthly, Of what audacity men be of now adays, which will not spare to write against high princes, as well as against private persons, without any respect to their high estates, only weighing the equity or the iniquity of the cause.

Fifthly, How not only men of the new learning (as they be called) but also the very papistical authors, do allow, that by the word of God priests be not forbidden to marry, although they were not ignorant that many expounders of Scripture were of the contrary judgment.

Sixthly, How that it is not possible that all learned men should be of one mind, sentence, and opinion, as long as the cockle is mingled with the wheat, the godly with the ungodly, which certainly shall be, as long as this world endureth.

Seventhly, How variety of opinions have been occasion of the opening of many verities heretofore taken for heresy, yea, and yet so esteemed and taken of many in other regions; as namely the usurped authority of the Bishop of Rome hath by that occasion come into light, with effusion of the blood not of a few, such as were the first stirrers up thereof.

Lastly, There be also other opinions not spoken of, which have made, and yet will make as much variance in your Grace's realm, as any of them treated of, namely, Whether the holy Scripture teacheth any purgatory to be after this life or not? Whether the same Scripture teacheth the invocation of dead saints? Whether there be any unwritten verities necessary to be believed, not written in Scripture, nor deducted by infallible arguments out of the open places of Scripture? Whether there be any satisfaction beside the satisfaction of Christ? Whether free-will by his own strength may dispose itself to grace

of a conveniency (as it is said) de congruo ? Whether it be against Scripture to kiss the image of Christ in the honour of him? And generally whether images may be used any other wise than your Grace setteth forth in your Injunctions d?

Wherefore in consideration of the premises it may please your Highness to suspend your judgment for a time, and not to determine the marriage of priests to be against Scripture, but rather to put both parts to silence, commanding them neither to preach, dispute, nor openly to talk thereof under pain of-&c. And in case these premises do not move your Highness to stay, that then it may please the same to grant that the article of priests' marriage may be openly disputed in both Universities, under indifferent judges, before it be determined. All the arguments of the contrary part first to be delivered in writing to the defenders, twelve days before the disputation; to the intent they may the more maturely and deliberately make answer to the same; and they that shall enter as defenders into this disputation, to do it under this condition, that if their judges discern them to be overcome, they be right well contented to suffer death therefore and if their adversaries cannot prove their purpose, their desire is no more, but that it may please your Highness to leave your most humble subjects to the liberty that God's word permitteth them in that behalf; and your said humble subjects shall pray unto Almighty God for the preservation of your most royal estate long to continue, to God's glory and honour.

State Pa

VIII.

The opinion of certain of the Bishops and Clergy of this realm, subscribed with their hands, touching the General Council e. For the General Council.

THOUGH that in the old time, when the Empire of Rome had pers, vol. i. his ample dominion over the most part of the world, the first

part 2. No.

LXXXIV.

d

[See Injunctions of 1536. Burnet, Ref. vol. I. App. B. iii. No. 7.]

e ["There is no date to this paper; but as it must have been signed after "John Hilsey became Bishop of Rochester in Oct. 1535, and before his "death in 1538, and as the Pope summoned a Council to be held at Mantua "in May 1537, it must have reference to that Council, to which Henry VIII. apprehended that the Emperor and the King of France would accede: as appears by a letter from Fitzwilliam to Crumwell, in the Chapter House.” Note to State Papers.]

four General Councils, which at all times have been of most estimation in the Church of Christ, were called and gathered by the Emperor's commandment, and for a godly intent, that heresies might be extinct, schisms put away, good order and manners in the ministers of the Church and the people of the same, established; like as many Councils more were called, till now of late by the negligence, as well of the Emperor as other Princes, the Bishop of Rome hath been suffered to usurp this power: yet now, forsomuch that the Empire of Rome and the monarchy of the same hath no such general dominion, but many Princes have absolute power in their own realms, and an whole and entire monarchy, no one Prince may by his authority call any General Council; but if that any one or mo of these Princes, for the establishing of the faith, for the extirpation of schisms, &c. lovingly, charitably, with a good sincere intent, to a sure place, require any other Prince, or the rest of the great Princes, to be content to agree, that for the wealth, quietness, and tranquillity of all Christian people, by his or their free consent, a General Council might be assembled; that Prince or those Princes so required, are bound by order of charity, for the good fruit that may come of it, to condescend and agree thereunto, having no lawful impediment, nor just cause to the contrary. The chief causes of the General Councils are before expressed.

In all the ancient Councils of the Church, in matters of the faith and interpretation of Scripture, no man made definitive subscription, but bishops and priests; for so much as the declaration of the word of God pertaineth unto them.

The words of John in his 20th chap. Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos, &c. hath no respect to a King's or a Prince's power, but only to show, how that the ministers of the word of God, chosen and sent for that intent, are the messengers of Christ, to teach the truth of his Gospel, and to loose and bind sin, &c. as Christ was the messenger of his Father. The words also of St. Paul, in the 20th chap. of the Acts; Attendite vobis et universo gregi, in qua vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit episcopos regere ecclesiam Dei, were spoken to the bishops and priests, to be diligent pastors of the people, both to teach them diligently, and

[This last paragraph signed by eight bishops, is also printed by Burnet, (Reformat. vol. I. App. B. iii. No. 10.) from a manuscript that belonged to Bishop Stillingfleet.]

also to be circumspect that false preachers should not seduce the people, as followeth immediately after in the same place. Other places of Scripture declare the highness and excellency of Christian Princes' authority and power; the which of a truth is most high, for he hath power and charge generally over all, as well bishops and priests, as other. The bishops and priests have charge of souls within their own cures, power to minister sacraments, and to teach the word of God; to the which word of God Christian Princes knowledge themselves subject; and in case the bishops be negligent, it is the Christian princes' office to see them do their duty.

T. Cantuarien.

Joannes London.

Cuthbertus Dunelmens.
Jo. Batwellens.

Thomas Elien.

Johannes Bangor.

Nicolaus Sarisburien.

Hugo Wygorn.

Joannes Roffens.

Wilhelmus Abbas Mo

nasterii Sancti Bene

dicti.

Robertus Aldrydge.

Ricardus Coren.

Edvardus Leyghton.

Wilkins,

Concilia,

vol. iii. p. 826.

IX.

Mandatum Archiepiscopi Cantuar' de Festo D. Marci Evange

lista celebrando.

THOMAS, miseratione divina Cant' Archiepiscopus, totius Angliæ Primas et Metropolitanus, dilecto nobis in Christo Mag' Roberto Colyns, in legibus baccalaureo, infra civitatem et diœcesin nostras Cant' commissario et officiali, salutem, gratiam, et benedictionem. Licet serenissima Regia Majestas, tanquam Supremum in terris sub Christo Ecclesiæ Anglicana Caput, atque ea auctoritate, de consensu et assensu prælatorum et cleri hujus regni sui Angliæ in Convocatione legitime congregatorum, inter cætera decrevit et ordinavit, quod omnes dies festi quorumcunque sanctorum contingentes in tempore messium sive autumni, computando hujusmodi tempus a 1° die Julii usque ad 29TM diem Septembris, sive temporibus quibus jura apud Westmon' per

suos justitiarios reddi solent, non observabuntur in hoc suo regno tanquam solennes more solito, sed quod liceret unicuique suo subdito in hujusmodi diebus, operibus tam mechanicis quam aliis (ut in diebus profestis fieri solet) operam dare; (diebus, in quibus præfecti justitiarii ad jura reddenda apud aulam Westmonast' sedere non solent, duntaxat exceptis,) nuperrime tamen eadem sua Majestas ex causis justis et rationalibus animum suum in ea parte moventibus, voluit et decrevit, quod festum D. Marci Evangelista (prædicta ordinatione non obstante) solenniter ad instar festorum Apostolorum deinceps annis singulis observabitur more ab antiquo solito; sive infra dies, quibus jus apud Westmonast' reddi solet, sive extra illud tempus contigerit: Tibi igitur committimus et firmiter injungendo mandamus, quatenus cum omni celeritate qua decet, diem D. Marci prædict' solenniter more solito celebrand' clero et populo infra civitat' et dioces' nostras Cant' constituto publices, seu publicari facias. Et quid in præmissis feceris, dicto negotio expedito, nobis, quam cito fieri poterit, debite certifices. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum præsentibus est appensum. Dat' in manerio nostro de Lamehythe, 190 die mensis Aprilis, anno Dom. MDXXXVII. et consecrat' nostræ anno v.

X.

vol. iii.

Mandatum Archiepiscopi Cantuar' de non celebrandis Festis Diebus jussu Regio in Synodo Provinciali abrogatis. THOMAS, miseratione divina Cant' Archiepiscopus, totius An- Wilkins gliæ Primas et Metropolitanus, dilecto nobis in Christo decano Conciliu, nostræ peculiaris jurisdictionis Ecclesiæ nostræ Christi Cant' p. 827. immediatæ de Bocking, ejusve in absentia commissario, salutem, gratiam, et benedictionem. Cum serenissimus noster Princeps Henrico VIII. Dei gratia, &c. in Convocatione præsulum et cleri Cant' provinciæ, anno Dom' MDXXXVI. apud ædes D. Pauli London legitime indicta, cum consensu omnium et singulorum interessentium, inter alia pie sanxierat et ordinaverat quasdam ferias, justissimis causis id exigentibus, abrogari ac penitus tolli; cujus quidem statuti & seu ordinationis tenorem clero nostræ pe[See Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iii. p. 823.]