of superstition. took for the 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 x ["I commend me unto you. And whereas I have received the king's most honourable letters concerning the speedy declaration of his grace's pleasure, for the abolishing of certain holidays named in the late act of convocation, whereof the transumpt I send you herewithal; my mind is therefore, that you cause, with all expedition, the king's pleasure in this behalf to be published unto all the clergy within the deaneries of my peculiars, to the intent that the said act of convocation may from henceforth be put in due exercise according to the purport and effect of the same. Thus fare ye well. At Ford, the 16th day of September. [1537.]"-Letter to Potkyns, (the archbishop's registrar,) abp. Cranmer's Works, (letter cc.) vol. ii. p. 348, 9. The following is the mandate: Mandatum Archiepiscopi Cantuar' de non celebrandis Festis Diebus Jussu Regio in Synodo Provinciali abrogatis. "Thomas, miseratione divina Cant'archiepiscopus, totius Angliæ primas et metropolitanus, dilecto nobis in Christo decano nostræ peculiaris jurisdictionis ecclesiæ nostræ Christi Cant' immediatæ de Bocking, ejusve in absentia commissario, salutem, gratiam, et benedictionem. Cum serenissimus noster princeps Henricus 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 peculiaris jurisdictionis ante hæc tempora, literis in illum usum impressis, promulgari fecimus et curavimus; cumque idem serenissimus noster princeps visitatione sua regia eodem anno habita, injunctiones quasdam, subditorum salutem et gloriam Dei promoventes, per commissarios suos ad hoc deputatos, clero nostræ peculiaris jurisdictionis de Bocking prædict' observandas 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 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 non exhibuerit; quia tamen accepimus et comperimus quosdam, imo quamplurimos, (quod dolemus,) nostræ peculiaris jurisdictionis hujusmodi statutis non obtemperare, præmissa observare curantes; nos, qui potius clementia quam severitate præesse volumus, quique hujusmodi hominum malitiam pietate paterna vincere conamur, ea demum vobis, aut uni vestrum per præsentes mandamus, quatenus clericis nostræ peculiaris jurisdictionis prædictæ, ad subsequentia convocatis, in capellis vestris auctoritate nostra (seu potius regia) præcipiatis, quibus et nos sic præcipimus, uti sano consilio obtemperantes, omnia et singula præmissa summo cum studio et maxima cum diligentia, sub pœna privationis beneficiorum, observare curent : intimando iisdem, quod si aliqui in posterum circa præmissa se præstiterint culpabiles, nos, si beneficiati fuerint, sine dubio contra eosdem ad beneficiorum privationem, contra alios legitimis juris censuris processuros. Et quoniam nuper in eruditissimo concilio archiepiscoporum,episcoporum, ac aliorum doctorum virorum hujus regni, de rebus religionis consultantium, multa de religione controversa definita sunt, multaque populo ad vitæ institutionem explicata, quæ propediem uno volumine* congesta regiæ majestatis auctoritate emittentur; vobis mandamus, uti omnes et singulos clericos, quibus cura animarum committitur, moneatis, ut voluminis prædicti partem, sub pœna prædicta, ordine singulis diebus dominicis clara apertaque voce et suggesto populo legant. Et quid in præmissis feceritis, ille vestrum, qui præmissa executus fuerit, cum ad hoc requisitus fuerit, debite certificet. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum præsentibus apponi fecimus. Dat' in manerio nostro apud Ford, 10. die mensis Sep' A.D. MDXXXVII. et nostræ consecrat' v." Wilkins' Concilia, vol. iii. p. 827.] *[i. e. The Institution of a Christian Man.] 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 the rest to break his own ordiNo. XIX. nances. See his letter to Crumwel in the Appendix. of His joy at the pub English He was now at Ford; and it was in the month August, when something fell out that gave the good lishing the archbishop as much joy as ever happened to him in all Bible. the time of his prelacy. It was the printing of the Holy Bible in the English tongue in the great volume; which was now finished, by the great pains and charges of Richard Grafton the printer. Osiander, who knew the archbishop well when he was the king's ambassador in Germany, saith of him, that he was sacrarum literarum studiosissimum. Indeed he always had a great value for the scriptures, because they were the word of God: and extraordinary desirous he was, from the very first entrance upon his bishopric, that the people might have the liberty of reading it; and, for that purpose, to have it interpreted into the vulgar language. And so, by Crumwel's means, he got leave from the king that it might be translated and printedy. The care of the translation y [The following is the letter which the archbp. addressed to Crumwel, requesting him to obtain the king's permission for its sale. It is preserved in the State Paper Office. Miscel. Letters. Temp. Hen. VIII. Third Series. vol. ix. Original, and has been printed in the State Papers, vol. i. pt. ii. No. xciv. pp. 561, 2. and in Todd's Life of abp. Cranmer, vol. i. p. 211. -"My especial good lord, after most hearty commendations unto your lordship; these shall be to Presents one by Crumwel to the king. lay wholly upon him; assigning little portions of this holy book to divers bishops and learned men to do; and, being dispatched, to be sent back to him. But he could not see his desire effected by these men, till it was happily done by other hands: and, to his inexpressible satisfaction, he saw the work finished in this year, about July or August. As soon as some of the copies came to his hand, one he sent to Crumwel, intreating him that he would present it from him to the king, (and no question he thought it the noblest present that ever he made him ;) and withal to intercede with his majesty, that the said book might by his authority be both bought and used by all indifferently. Both which Crumwel did. For which the like it better than any other pains for the setting forth of God's word as you do, although in the mean season you suffer some snubs, and many slanders, lies, and reproaches for the same, yet one day he will requite altogether. And the same word, (as St. John saith), which shall judge every man at the last day, must needs shew favour to them that now do favour it. Thus, my lord, right heartily fare you well. At Ford, the ivth day of August. [1537-] "Your assured ever "T. CANTUARIEN." Letter to Crumwell (cxciv.), abp. Cranmer's Works, Park. Soc. ed. vol. ii. pp. 344, 5. See also for an account of this translation, Anderson's Annals of the English Bible, vol. i. pp. 375-387. ed. Lond. 1845.] |