vensem circumstantias, nobis multis modis expositas, cog nitas et perspectas, tandem ad definitionem et determinationem sequentem, quam communi omnium consensu justorumq; animorum nostrorum judicio ac recto conscientiæ dictamine protulimus, processimus, in hunc modum et (quod tenor Vestræ Commissionis exigit) Vestræ Nobilissimæ Majestati in hoc præsenti scripto referend. duximus, et significamus prout sequitur.

Primum itaq; comperimus et consideravimus Matrimonium inter Majestatem Vestram et Nobilem fœminam Dominam Annam Clevensem prætensam præcontracto quodam sive sponsaliorum, sive Matrimonii, inter dictam Dominam Annam et Marchionem Lotharingiæ concluso ambiguum, plane impeditum et perplexum reddi; Annimadvertimus enim quod quamvis Vestra Majestas in prima hujus Matrimonii prætensi tractatione præcontractus prædicti, et de quo tum sermo multus habebatur, discussionem et declarationem ante solemnizandum cum dicta Domina Anna Matrimonium tanta instantia exegerit, ut pro conditione contrahendi deinde Matrimonii fuisse merito existimari possit, qua conditione defecta nihil ageretur; atq; hæc cum ita se haberent tamen neque ante solemnizationem illa de præcontractu ambiguitas expedita et declarata est, cum id ipsum tum temporis Majestas Vestra denuo exposceret et efflagitaret, cui clara jam et expedita esse omnia falso renunciabatur, neq; postea quicquam efficax ut promissum ab Oratoribus fuerat, huc transmissum est, quo scrupulus ille ex præcontractu natus eximeretur, tolleretur aut amoveretur, adeo quidem ut prætensum Matrimonium inter Majestatem Vestram et Dominam Annam prædictam non modo ex conditionis defectu corruerit, sed si nulla conditio hujusmodi omnino fuisset, certe quidem Matrimonium hujusmodi prætensum ex sola præcontractus hujusmodi causa non explicata in suspenso manserit, in eum etiam casum nullius vigoris omnino ac valoris pronunciandum, quo præcontractum illum verbis de præsenti factum fuisse constiterit, id quod multis de causis est verisimilius et merito suspectum haberi potest.

Consideravimus præterea ex his quæ allegata, affirmata et probata nobis fuerunt, quod prætensum Matrimonium inter Majestatem vestram et Dominam Annam prædictam internum, purum, perfectum et integrum consensum non habuit: Imo contra quemadmodum inter ipsa tractationis initia, cum de hoc Matrimonio ageretur, plurimus illecebrarum fucus adhibitus est, et magnus laudationum acervus supra fidem cumulatus, ut hic perduceretur et obtruderetur ignota, ita solemnizationis actus qui instabat a VOL. I, PART II.

Majestate Vestra animo reluctante et dissentiente exortus est, causis maximis et gravissimis urgentibus et prementibus quæ animum invitum et alienum perpellere merito possent.

Consideravimus etiam carnalem Copulam inter Majestatem Vestram et prædictam Dominam Annam minime secutam esse, nec cum ea justo impedimento intercedente consequi deinde posse. Quæ omnia ex his quas audivimus probationibus, vera et certa esse existimamus. Postremo illud quoq; Consideramus, quod et nobis ab aliis propositum etiam nos verum esse fatemur, agnoscimus et approbamus, viz. ut si Majestas Vestra (modo ne fiat divinæ jussioni præjudicium) in libertate contrahendi Matrimonii cum alia esse declaretur, maxime totius Regni beneficio id futurum. Cum quidem Regni fœlicitas omnis et conservatio, tum in Regia Vestra persona ad Dei honorem et divinarum legum executionem conservandam consistit, tum in vitandis etiam sinistris omnibus opinionibus et scandalis quæ de Majestatis Vestræ progenie post natam nobis ex prætenso Matrimonio sobolem suborirentur, si præcontractus ille de quo diximus, et cujus declaratio nulla secuta est, prædictæ Dominæ Annæ objiceretur. His itaq; de causis et considerationibus aliisq; multis non necessariis quæ exprimantur, cum separatim singulis, tum conjunctim omnibus consideratis et perpensis, Nos Archiepiscopi et Episcopi, cum Decanis, Archiadiaconis, et reliquo hujus Regni Clero nunc congregato, circumstantias facti ejusq; veritatem ut antedictum est considerantes, tum vero quid Ecclesia in hujusmodi casibus et possit facere et sæpenumero antehac fecerit perpendentes, tenore præsentium declaramus et definimus, Majestatem Vestram prædicto Matrimonio prætenso, utpote nullo et invalido, non alligari, sed alio desuper judicio non expectato Ecclesiæ suæ Autoritate fretam posse arbitrio suo ad contrahend. et consummand. Matrimonium cum quavis foemina, divino jure vobiscum contrahere non prohibita, procedere, prætenso illo cum Domina Anna prædicta Matrimonio non obstante.

Similiter Dominam Annam prædictam non obstante Matrimonio prætenso_cum Majestate Vestra, quod nullo pacto obstare debere Decernimus, posse arbitrio suo cum quavis alia persona divino jure non prohibita Matrimonium contrahere. Hæc Nos Clerum et doctam Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ partem repræsentantes, tum vera, justa, honesta, et sancta esse Affirmamus, tum eisdem qui perfectissime, integerrime, et efficacissime ad omnem intentionem, propositum et effectum a nobis exigi potest, Consentimus et Assentimur per præsentes. In quorum omnium et singulo

Ium testimonium hæc scripta manuum nostrarum subscriptione, communimus, utriusq; etiam Archiepiscopi sigillo apposito. Dat. Westmon. nono die mensis Julii, Anno Dom. 1540.

BROTHER;

XX.

Ann of Cleve's Letter to her Brother.

(Cotton Libr. Otho. C. 10.)

BECAUSE I had rather ye knew the Truth by mine Advertisement, than for want thereof ye should be deceived by vain Reports, I write these present Letters unto you, by which ye shall understand, That being advertised how the Nobles and Commons of this Realm desired the King's Highness here to commit the examination of the Matter of Marriage, between me and his Majesty, to the determination of the Clergy: I did the more willingly consent thereunto, and since the determination made, have also allowed, approved, and agreed unto the same, wherein I have more respect, as becometh me, to Truth and good Pleasure, than any worldly Affection that might move me to the contrary. I account God pleased with that is done, and know my self to have suffered no wrong or injury; but being my Body preserved in the integrity which I brought into this Realm, and I truly discharged from all band of Consent, I find the King's Highness, whom I cannot justly have as my husband, to be nevertheless as a most kind, loving, and friendly Father and Brother, and to use me as honourably, and with as much humanity and liberality as you, I my self, or any of our Kin or Allies could wish or desire; wherewith I am, for mine own part, so well content and satisfied, that I much desire my Mother, You, and other mine Allies so to understand it, accept, and take it; and so to use your self towards this Noble and Vertuous Prince, as he may have cause to continue his friendship towards you, which on his behalf shall nothing be empaired or altered for this Matter: for so hath it pleased his Highness to signify unto me, that like as he will shew me always a most fatherly and brotherly kindness, and has so provided for me; so will he remain with you, and other, according to such terms as have passed in the same knot of Amity which between you hath been concluded, this Matter notwithstanding, in such wise as neither I ne you

or any of our Friends shall have just cause of miscontentment. Thus much have I thought necessary to write unto you, lest for want of true knowledge ye might otherwise take this Matter than ye ought, and in other sort care for me than ye should have cause. Only I require this of you, That ye so use your self, as for your untowardness in this Matter I fare not the worse; whereunto I trust you will have regard.

This Letter was drawn by Gardiner, but it is not certain that it was sent.

XXI.

The Resolutions of several Bishops and Divines, of some Questions concerning the Sacraments; by which it will appear with what maturity and cure they proceeded in the Reformation. Taken from the Originals, under their own hands. Only in copying them, I judged it might be more acceptable to the Reader to see every Man's Answer set down after every Question; and therefore they are published in this method.

(Ex MSS. D. Stillingfleet.)

The first Question.

What a Sacrament is by the Scripture?

THE Scripture sheweth not what a Sacrament is, nevertheless where in the Latin Text we have Sacramentum, there in the Greek we have Mysterium; and so by the Scripture, Sacramentum may be called Mysterium, id est, res occulta sive arcana.— Canterbury.

To the first; In Scripture we neither find Definition nor Description of a Sacrament.

York.

Without prejudice to the Truth, and saving always more better Judgment, Cum facultate etiam melius deliberandi in hac parte.

To the first Question; I think that the Scriptures do use this word Sacrament, in divers places, according to the Matter it treateth upon, Tobi. 12. Rev. 1. Wisd. 2. 6. 12. Dan. 2. Ephes. 1. 3, 5. Col. 1. 1 Tim. 10. Rev. 17. as also it doth divers other words: Yet, what a Sacrament is by definition, or description of Scripture, I cannot find it explicated openly. Likewise as I cannot find the definition or description of the Trinity, nor yet such-like things. Mary what other Men can find, being daily and of long season exercised in Scripture, I cannot tell, referring therefore this thing to their better knowledg.- London.

I think that where this word, Sacramentum, is found in the Scripture in the Latin Translation, there in the Greek is found this word MuσThpcov, that is to say, a Mystery, or a secret thing. Rochester.

What the word Sacrament betokeneth, or what is the definition, description, or notification thereof, I have found no such plainly set out by Scripture. But this I find, that it should appear by the same Scripture, that the Latin word Sacramentum, and the Greek word Mysterium, be in manner always used for one thing; as much to say as Absconditum, Occultatum, vel in occulto. Carlile.

Thomas Robertson. Ad Quæstiones.

Ad primam Respondeo, vocem Sacramenti, mihi in Sacris Literis non reperiri in hac significatione, nisi quatenus ad Matrimonium applicatur a Paulo, ubi tamen Græce habetur Mysterium: et proinde ex meris Scripturis expresse definiri non posse. Dr. Robertson.

I find not in Scripture the definition of a Sacrament, nor what a Sacrament is.- Dr. Cox.

I find no definition in Scripture of this word Sacramentum ; howbeit, wheresoever it is found in Scripture, the same is in the Greek Mysterium, which signifieth a Secret, or Hid thing. Dr. Day.

Non habetur in Scripturis, quid Sacramentum proprie sit, nisi quod subinde Mysterium dicitur: varia enim, et in Scripturis, et in Ecclesiasticis Scriptoribus reperitur ejus nominis significatio; ideoq; definiri non potest. - Dr. Oglethorp.

I find no definition of this word Sacrament, in the Scripture; nor likewise of this word Gratia, or Lex, with innumerable more; and yet what they signify, it is known; so the signification of this word Sacrament is plain, it is nothing else but a secret Hid thing, or any Mystery. - Dr. Redmayn.

Like as Angelus, Cœlum, Terra, be spoken of in Scripture, yet none of them defined: So altho Sacramentum be spoken of in Scripture, yet it hath no definition there, but is taken divers ways, and in divers significations. - Dr. Edgeworth.

This word, Sacrament, in Scripture is not defined.- Dr. Symonds.

I say this word, Sacrament, taken in his common signification, betokeneth a Mystery, and hid, or a secret thing: But if ye understand it, in his proper signification, as we use to apply it only to the Seven Sacraments, the Scripture sheweth not what a Sacrament is. And yet, lest any Man might be offended, thinking, that because the Scripture