BOOK XXIX. Rome 9. July 1529. Doctor Bennet's Letter to the Cardinal, shewing how little they might expect from the Pope. An Original. cause; Vitell. B. 11. 'PLEASYTH it your Grace to understand, that the 6th day Cotton Lib. of this month the Pope's Holiness sent for us: Albeit we had made great sute for Audience before to his Holiness, soon after Fol. 192. that we had understanding that his Holiness was recovered of this his last Sickness, into the which he fell the second day, after " that I had my first audience of his Holiness, which was the 21. day of the last month: And after our long communication and reasoning in the King's Highness Cause, which, at length, we have written to your Grace in our common Letter, for a confirmation of many inconveniences and dangers which we perswaded to his Holiness, to follow both to himself and to the See Apostolick, in case his Holiness should avoke the I thought much convenient at that same time to deliver the King's familiar, and likewise your Grace's Letter, and so to shew your Grace's Credence to his Holiness. After the foresaid Letters delivered, and by his Holiness read, his Holiness shewed me, that he perceived by your Grace's Letters, that I had certain Credence to shew unto him of great moment and importance, concerning him and the See Apostolick. I shewed to his Holiness that your Grace's Faith and observance, his Holiness doth best know; most humbly besought his Holiness to beleive these undoubtedly to follow, That if his Holiness should, at the labours of the Cæsareans, avoke the Cause, he should not alonly offend the King's Highness, which hitherto hath been a stay, a help, and a defence of the See Apostolick; but also by reason of this injury, without remedy, shall alienate his Majesty and Realms, with others, from the devotion and obedience of the See Apostolick. This I shewed his Holiness, that your Grace doth evidently perceive to follow, in case his BOOK Holiness should incline to the Cæsareans desire on this behalf: II. Yea further, I said, that your Grace most clearly perceiveth also by that Act, the Church of England utterly to be destroyed, and likewise your Person; and that these your Grace, with weeping tears, most lamentably committed unto me to shew to his Holiness. Furthermore I shewed to his Holiness, that your Grace, howsoever you should proceed in this Cause, did intend to proceed so sincerely, indifferently, and justly, that you would rather suffer to be jointed, Joint by Joint, than either for affection or fear, do any act either against your Conscience or Justice. Furthermore I said, that seeing his Holiness may be so well assured, that your Grace will do nothing but according to Justice in this Cause, [he] may the more boldly y deny the Avocation to the Cæsareans, seeing that the Queen and the Emperor can desire but Justice, which they may have at your Grace's hand, and my Lord Campegius, as well there as here; and by this means his Holiness should deliver himself from great pains and unquietness of mind, which he should sustain in case the cause should be known here, where he should have the King's Highness on one part, and the Emperor on the other side, daily calling upon his Holiness. To this his Holiness most heavily, and with tears, answered and said, That now he saw the destruction of Christendom, and lamented that his fortune was such to live to this day, and not to be able to remedy it, (saying these words) For God is my Judge, I would do as gladly for the King, as I would for my self; and to that I knowledge my self most bounden, but in this case I cannot satisfie his desire, but that I should do manifestly against Justice to the Charge of my Conscience, to my rebuke, and to the dishonour of the See Apostolick; affirming, that his Counsel shews him, that seeing the Caesareans have a Mandate or Proxie of the Queen, to ask the Avocations in her Name, he cannot of Justice deny it, and the whole Signature be in that same opinion; so that though he would most gladly do that thing that might be to the King's pleasure; yet he cannot do it, seeing that Signature would be against him y deny Avocations 11. whensoever the Supplication should be up there: And so being BOOK late, we took our leave of his Holiness, and departed, seeing that we could obtain nothing of the Pope for stopping the Avocation, we consulted and devised for the deferring of it, till such time as your Grace might make an end in the Cause there. And so concluded upon a new Device, which at length we have written in our common Letter, wherein I promise your Grace, Mr. Gregory has used great diligence, and taken great labours at this time, we can do no more for our lives: And if your Grace saw the importune labour of the Ambassadours of the Emperor's and Ferdinandoes, you would marvel, I promise your Grace they never cease; wherefore in staying hitherto, as we have done, it is marvel, as God knoweth, who[m I pray to] preserve your Grace in health and prosperity ad multos annos. I beseech your Grace most humbly to commend me to the King's Highness; and likewise I beseech your Grace to pardon my ill writing. At Rome the 9th day of July. Your daily Beadman and Servant, W. Benet. XXX. A Letter of the Pope's to the Cardinal concerning the Avocation. 19. Julii, 1529. Vitell. DILECTE Fili noster, salutem et Apostolicam Benedictionem. Cotton Lib. Difficile est nobis explicare literis, qua nostra molestia seu po- B. 11. tius dolore fuerimus coacti ad Avocationem Causæ istic com- Fol. 208. missæ concedendam; nam etsi res ita fuit justa ut tanto tempore differri non debuerit, tamen nos qui isti Serenissimo Regi pro ejus singularibus erga nos et Apostolicam sedem meritis placere in omnibus cupimus, sicut consuevimus, ægre nunc adducti sumus, ut quamquam justitia cogente, quicquid contra ejus voluntatem concederemus. Nec vero minus, Fili, dolui VOL. I. P. 2. K 11. BOOK mus tua causa cui rem hanc tantæ curæ esse perspeximus quantum tua erga dictum Regem fides et amor postulat; sed tamen quod datur justitiæ. minus esse molestum debet, cum præsertim id fuerit tam dilatum à nobis, omniaq; antea pertentata ne ad hoc descenderemus. Itaq; optamus in hoc adhiberi à te illam tuam singularem prudentiam et æquitatem, persuadereq; te tibi id quod est, nos, qui semper vobis placere quantum nobis licuit studuimus, id quod vestro maximo merito fecimus, et semper facturi sumus, nunc non nisi invitos et justitia coactos quod fecimus, fecisse: Teq; omni studio et amore hortamur, ut dictum Regem in solita erga nos benevolentia retinere velis, eique persuadere, nihil ex hoc apud nos de benevolentia erga se veteri imminutum unquam fore, quod recipiemus à Circumspectione tua longe gratissimum. Quemadmodum plenius dilectus Filius noster Cardinalis Campegius hæc Circumspectioni tuæ explicabit. Dat. Romæ apud Sanctum Petrum sub annulo Piscatoris die 19. Julii 1529. Pont. nostri anno sexto. Blosius. XXXI. Act 26. Anno Regni 21. Henr. 8. An Act for the releasing unto the King his Highness of such Sums of Money as was to be required of him, by any his Subjects, for any Manner of Loan, by his Letters Missives, or other ways or manner whatsoever. ITEM quædam alia billa formam cujusdam actus in se continens, exhibita est præfato Domino Regi in Parliamento prædicto, cujus quidem billæ tenor sequitur in hæc verba. The King's humble, faithful, and loving subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, considering and calling to their remembrances, the inestimable Costs, Charges, and Expences, which the King's Highness necessarily hath been compelled to support and sustain, since his assumption to his Crown, Estate, and Dignity Royal; as well first for II. the extinction of a right dangerous and damnable Schism BOOK sprung and risen in the Church; which by the providence of Almighty God, and the high prudence, and provision, and assistance of the King's Highness, was, to the great honour, laud, and glory of his Majesty, repressed; the Enemies then being of the Church reformed, returned, and restored to the unity of the same, and peace over all componed and concluded, as also for the modyfying of the insatiable and inordinate ambition of those which do aspire unto the Monarchy of Christendom, did put universal trouble and divisions in the same, intending, if they might, not only to have subdued this Realm, but also all the rest unto their Power and Subjection: For the resistance whereof, the King's Highness was compelled, after the Universal Peace, by the great study, labour, and travel of his Grace conduced, and the same by some of the Contrahents newly violate and infringed; in shewing the form of the Treatise thereupon made again, to take Armour. And over and besides the notable and excessive treasure and substance which his Highness in his first Wars had employed for the defence of the Church, the Faith Catholick, and this his Realm, and of the People and Subjects of the same, was eftsoons brought of necessity to new, excellent, and marvellous Charges, both for the supportation of sundry Armies by Sea and by Land; for divers and manifold Contributions outward, to serve, keep, and contain his own Subjects at home in rest and repose; which hath been so politickly handled and conduced, that when the most part of all Religious Christians have been infested with cruel Wars, Discords, Divisions, and Dissentions, the great Heads and Princes of the World brought unto Captivity; Cities, Towns, and Places, by force and sedition, taken, spoiled, burnt, and sacked; Men, Women, and Children found and also in the same slain and destroyed; Virgins, Wives, Widows, and Religious Women, ravished and defloured; Holy Churches and Temples polluted, and turned unto prophane use; the Reliques of the Holy Saints irreverently treated; Hunger, Dearth, and Famine, by mean thereof in the said outward Regions, insuing and generally over all, was depopulation, destruction and confusion; the King's said Subjects in all this time, were by the |