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Hiberniæ, et Secundum Deum, Supremum in Terris Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ Caput, Charissimus Frater ac Consanguineus et perpetuus Confederatus noster, vigore cujusdam dispensacionis a bonæ memoriæ Julio papa, illius nominis secundo, cum nobili Muliere Catherina, preclaræ memoriæ Ferdinandi et Elisabeth Hispaniarum Regum, Filia, ac preclaræ memoriæ Illustris Principis Arthuri, dicti sereniss. Regis Henrici Fratris Naturalis et Legitimi, relicta, Matrimonium olim de facto contraxerit, et ex eadem in eodem pretenso Matrimonio, Filiam adhuc superstitem Mariam nomine susceperit, cumque idem Serenissimus Rex dicti incesti Matrimonii conscientia motus, à prefata Domina Catherina diverterit, ac justissimis gravissimis que de Causis, nobis etiam satis cognitis et perspectis, ad id inductus, Matrimonium cum Clarissima et Nobilissima Domina Anna nunc Angliæ Regina, rite, legitime et realiter mierit, contraxerit, et in facie Ecclesiæ Solemnizaverit, et Preclarissimam Dominam Elizabeth Angliæ Principem ex eadem et in eodem Matrimonio Procreaverit, et susceperit, cumq; preterea super illius Dispensationis et Matrimonii viribus ac justicia, necnon super dicta Dominæ Mariæ Legitimitate et natalium defectu, multæ gravesque questiones subortæ fuerint, in quibus tractandis ac in judicio et veritate discutiendis, nos bene multis Argumentis perspeximus, non eam (quam oportuit) equitatis rationem ab ipso Pontifice Romano habitam fuisse; et multa sive temporum iniquitate sive hominum vitio contra omne jus phasque in premissis et circa ea definita. Voluimus in hac Causa tam gravi integerimos quosq; Regni nostri viros, ac non modo in Sacra Theologia Peritissimos, verum etiam juris Ecclesiastici Callentissimos consulere: quibus etiam Mandavimus ut quid in tota hac Causa Secundum Deum et conscientiam sentirent, fideliter nobis referrent atque responderent. Quoniam his autem habitis prius inter dictos eruditissimos Viros matura Deliberatione, diligenti Examinatione, ac longo tractatu, nos ex eorum omnium et singulorum unanimi sententia et conformi relatione, liquido comperimus, invenimus, et plene intelleximus, non solum quod dicta dispensatio fuit et est omnino nulla, inefficax et invalidatam propter surreptionis et obreptionis vicia, quam propter alias Causas, maxime vero propter Potestatis in dispensante defectum, ex eo viz. Quod Matrimonia cum relictis Fratrum decedentium sine Liberis contracta, sint de jure Naturali et Divino prohibita, nec Romanus Pontifex nec ulla alia humana potestas possit dispensare, ut illa aliquo modo legitima fiant aut consistant; verum etiam quod prefatum Matrimonium inter dictum Charissimum Fratrem nostrum ac

prefatam nobilem mulierem dominam Catherinam de facto ut prefertur contractum, fuit et est Incestum, ac prorsus nullum, ac etiam contra Sacrosancta Dei percepta, atque adeo contra omnia jura tam Divina quam humana usurpatum, quodque proinde dicta Domina Maria in eodem pretenso Matrimonio ut prefertur, suscepta et procreata, ad omnem juris effectum spuria et illegitima proles, ac ex illicito et incesto coitu genita fuit et est, sicque ab omnibus reputari, censeri, et haberi debuit, ac debeat omnino: ac etiam quod dictum Matrimonium quod idem charissimus Frater noster cum dicta clarissima Domina Anna Angliæ Regina contraxit, fuit et est modis omnibus Sacrosanctum, legitimum et validum: quodque dicta Illustris Domina Elisabeth Angliæ Princeps ex eodem Matrimonio, suscepta necnon alia quæcumque proles ex eodem Matrimonio, Divina Bonitate in posterum sustipienda, Legitima fuit et est, eritq; et esse debet. Ac deniq; cum non solum multi ex Reverendissimis Romanæ sedis Cardinalibus inter quos imprimis fuit Cardinales ille quondam Aucomtanus, verum etiam nuper bonæ memoriæ Clemens Papa Septimus, ex certa et deliberata Animi sui Sententia, cum nobis ipsis Marsiliæ tunc existentibus, tum alias sæpe Oratoribus nostris tunc Romæ agentibus, palam ac vivæ vocis suæ oraculo confessus fit, et expresse declaravit se sentire, dictam Dispensationem et Matrimonium cum dicta domina Catherina contractum, fuisse et esse nulla prorsus, et de jure invalida, quodque eadem sic fuisse et esse per suam sententiam definitivam seu finale decretum, declarasset, pronunciasset, et definivisset si privati quidam affectus et respectus humani non obstitissent. Nos igitur Franciscus Francorum Rex antedictus, ut justum veritati suffragium serentes, simul et justissimæ charissimi Fratris nostri Causæ patrocinemur, notum facimus et in publicam testationem deduci volumus, per presentes, quod nos primam quidem dictam dispensationem quæ a dicto Julio Secundo ut predicitur emanavit, nullam prorsus ac minus validam, et ex dictis causis inefficacem irritam inanem fuisse semper, et esse, deinde ipsum Matrimonium quod ejusdem Dispensationis virtute cum dicta domina Catherina olim de facto contractum fuit, incestuosum, nullum ac omnino illegitimum, ac naturali Juri et Divinæ contrarium fuisse et esse, ac pro incestuoso, nullo minusque legitimo haberi debere; denique dictam Dominam Mariam ex eo Matrimonio ut premittitur susceptam, prorsus illegitimam et ad succedendum in Paterna Hereditate prorsus inhabilem fuisse et esse, et pro tali haberi censerique debere, reputamus, acceptamus, judicamus, asserimus, censemus et affirinamus. Similiter reputamus, ac

ceptamus, judicamus, asserimus, censemus et affirmamus quod Matrimonium illud quod idem Serenissimus Rex et Charissimus Frater noster, cum prefata Illustrissima Domina Anna contraxit, fuit et est modis omuibus Sacrosanctum, legitimum et validum, et quod proles ex eodem Matrimonio suscepta seu suscipienda, maxime autem dicta clarissima Domina Elisabeth nunc Angliæ Princeps ex eisdem ut prefertur procreata, ad omnem juris effectum legitima fuit et est, eritque et esse debet. Quodque non solum omnia ex singula quæ dictus Serenissimus Rex et Charissimus Frater noster, pro confirmando et stabiliendo hujusmodi Matrimonio suo quod cum præfata Illustrissima Domina Anna Angliæ Regina contraxit, necnon predictæ Dominæ Elisabeth Filiæ suæ, ac aliorum liberorum qui ex hoc Matrimonio procreabuntur, Legitima et Hereditaria in Regnum suum Successione, statuit, ordinavit, aut promulgavit, justissimis fundamentis innitantur et subsistant, verum etiam quod omnia et singula Sententiæ, censuræ, decreta, alii quicumque processus et judicia contra præmissa ac eorum occasione per bonæ memoriæ Clementem nuper Pontificem Romanum, aut alium quemcunque Judicem, sive aliam Autoritatem quamcunque facta, edita aut promulgata, aut imposterum edenda, ferenda, facienda sive promulganda, sint ipso jure nulla, irrita, injusta et iniqua, ac pro talibns haberi, reputari, adjudicari, et censeri debere certo credimus, constanter attestamur, censemus, asserimus, et affirmamus per presentes. Promittimus insuper in fide ac verbo Regio, ac sub Hypotheca omnium bonorum nostrorum Patrimonialium et fiscalium, necnon bonorum subditorum nostrorum, etiam in forma contractus Garenticii Paratam Executionem habentis, obligamus nos, Heredes et Successores nostros, dicto Serenissimo Henrico Charissimo Fratri nostro, Heredibus et Successoribus suis, quod nos hanc Animi nostri Sententiam, et Judicium, quod super Præmissis nos habere vere et ex Animo Declaravimus, semper et ubique locorum, maxime autem in omnibus et singulis futuris Synodis, aut Conciliis generalibus, et coram quibuscunque Judicibus, necnon apud et contra omnes Homines; quicunque eidem Sententiæ nostræ quacunque ratione adversabuntur, cujuscunque Autoritatis, pre-eminenciæ aut Dignitatis, etiam si Supremæ fuerint, per nos ac nostros subditos quoscumque, tam in Judicio quæ extra, manutenebimus, propugnabimus, ac si opus fuerit, etiam manu forti defendemus, ac pro viribus justificabimus: nec ullo unquam modo aut tempore imposterum publice aut occulte, directe aut indirecte, eidem Sententiæ nostræ contraveniemus: nec quicquam unquam attemptabimus, moliemur, aut faciemus,

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nec ab aliis imposterum cujuscunque Autoritatis fuerint, fieri aut attemptari quantum in nobis est, permittemus, quod in irritationem, enervationem, prejudicium, aut in contrarium huic nostræ Sententiæ cedat, aut cedere possit quovismodo. In cujus Rei Testimonium, &c.

Marked on the Back, thus:

Instrument of Francys the First, King of France, whereby he justifieth the Mariage of King Henry the VIIIth with Queen Anne, and declareth the Invalidity of the former with Q. Catherin, notwithstanding the Pope's Dispensation.

In another Place, on the Back, and with another Ancient Hand (I believe, Cromwell's).

An Instrument devised from the French King, for his Justification and Defence of the Invalidity of the King's Highnes Fyrst Mariage, and the Validyte of the Seconde.

XXXVII.

Cranmer's Letter to Cromwell; justifying himself, upon some Complaints made by Gardiner. An Original.

RIGHT Worshipful, in my moste hartie wise I commend me unto you, most hartely thankyng you, for that you have signified unto me by my Chapleyn Master Champion, the Complaynte of the Bishope of Wynchester unto the King's Highnes, in two Thyngs concernyng my Visitation. The one is, that in my Stile I am written, Totius Anglia Primas, to the Derogation and Prejudice of the King's Highe Power and Authoritie, beyng Supreme Hedde of the Church. The other is, That his Dioces (not past five Yeres agon) was visited by my Predecessor, and muste from hensfurthe paye the Tenth Parte of the Spiritualties, accordyng to the Acte granted in the last Session of this Parliament; wherfore he thinketh, that his Dioces shuld not be charged with my Visitation at this Tyme. Fyrste, as concernyng my Stile, wherin I am named Totius Anglia Primus, I suppose, that to make his Cause good (which els in dede were nawghte), he doth myxe it with the Kyng's Cause (as ye knowe the Man Lacketh neither Lernyng in the Lawe, neither witty Invention, ne Crafte to sett furth his Matiers to the best), that he myght appere not to maynteyne his own Cause, but the Kyng's; agaynst whose Highnes, he knowbut gyve eth right well, that I may maynteyne no Cause;

place, and lay both my Cause and Self at my Prince's Feet. But to be playne, what I think of the Bishope of Winchester, I cannot persuade with my self, that he so much tendereth the King's Cause, as he dothe his own, that I shuld not visite him: And that appereth by the very Tyme. For if he cast no farther, but the Defence of the Kyng's Grace's Authoritie, or if he entended that at all, why moved he not the Matier, before he receyved my Monytion for my Visitation; whiche was within Four Myles of Winchester delyvered unto hym the 24th Day of April last, as he came up to the Court? Moreover, I do not a litle marvaile why he shuld now fynde Faute, rather than he did before, whan he took the Bishop of Rome as Cheff Hedd: For though the Bishope of Rome was taken for Supreme Hedd, notwithstanding that, he had a great Nombre of Primates under hym; and by having his Primates under hym, his Supreme Authoritie was not less esteemed, but much the more. Why then may not the Kyng's Highnes, beyng_Supreme Hedde, have Primates under hym, without any Dymynyshing, but with the Augmentyng of his said Supreme Authoritie. And of this I doubt not at all, but that the Bishope of Winchester knoweth as well as any Man lyving, that in case this said Stile, or Tytle, had byn in any Poynt Impedment or Hinderance to the Bishop of Rome's usurped Authority, it would not have so long ben unreformed as it hath byn. For I doubt not, but all the Bishopes of England, would ever gladly have hadd the Archbishop's both Autho ritie and the Title taken away, that they myght have byn equall together, which well appereth by the many Contentions agaynst the Archbishops for Jurisdiction, in the Courte of Rome; which had ben easily brought to pass, if the Bishops of Rome had thought the Archbishopes Titles and Stiles to be any Derrogation to their Supreme Authority. All this notwithstandyng, yf the Bishops of this Realme passe no more of their Names, Stiles and Titles, than I do of myn; the Kyng's Highnes shall sone order the Matter between us all. And if I saw that my Stile were agaynst the Kyng's Authoritie (wherunto I am specially sworne) I would sew myself unto his Grace, that I myghte leave it; and so wolde have don before this Tyme. For, I pray God never be mercyfull unto me at the Generall Judgement, if I perceyve in my Hert, that I sett more by any Title, Name, or Stile that I write, than I do by the Paryng of an Apple, farther than it shall be to the settyng furthe of God's Worde and Will. Yet I will not utterly excuse me herin, for God must be Judge, who knoweth the Botome of my Harte, and so do not I myself: But I speake forsomuch as

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