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I do fele in my Harte, for many evill Affections lye lurkyng ther, and will not lightly be espied. But yet I would not gladly leave any Juste Thyng, at the Pleasure and Sute of the Bishop of Winchester, he beyng none otherwise affectionate unto me, than he is. Even at the Begynyng furst of Christ's Profession, Diotrephes desyred gerere Primatum in Ecclesia, as saith St. John in his last Epistell. And syns, he hath had more Successours than all the Apostles hadd, of whom have come all theis Glorious Titles, Stiles, and Pompes into the Churche. But I would, that I, and all my Brethren the Bishopes, wold leave all our Stiles, and write the Stile of our Offices, callyng our selves Apostolos Jesu Christi: So that we toke not upon us the Name vaynly, but were so even in dede; so that we myghte ordre our Dioces in suche Sorte, that neither Paper, Parchemente, Leade, nor Wexe, but the verie Christian Conversation of the People, myght be the Letters and Seales of our Offices, as the Corinthians were unto Paule, to whome he said, "Literæ nostræ, et Signa Apostolatûs nostri vos estis."

Now for the Seconde; where the Bishope of Winchester allegeth the Visitation of my Predecessour, and the Tenth Parte now to be paid to the Kyng. Truth it is, that my Predicessour visited the Dioces of Wynchester, after the Decesse of my Lord Cardynall, as he did all other Dioces (Sede vacante); but els I thynke it was not visited by none of my Predecessours this Forty Yeres. And notwithstandyng that, he hymself not considering thair Charges, at that Tyme charged them with an newe Visitation, within lesse than Half a Yere after; and that agaynst all Righte, as Doctour Incent hath reported to my Chancellour, the Clergie at that Tyme paying to the Kyng Half of their Benefices in Five Yeres, whiche is the Tenth Parte every Yere, as they paid before, and have paid syns, and shall pay still for ever by the laste Acte. But I am verie gladde, that he hath now some Compassion of his Dioces, although at that Tyme he had verie smale, whan he did visite them the same Yere that my Predecessour did visite. And also other Bishops, whos Course is to visite this Yere, kepe thair Visitation (where I did visite the laste Yere), notwithstanding the Tenth Parte to be paid to the Kyng's Grace. Howbeit 1 do not so in Wynchester Dioces, for it is now the Third Yere syns that Dioces was visited by any Man, so that he hath the leste Cause to complayne of any Bishop, for it is longer syns his Dioces was visited than the other. Therefore where he layeth to aggravate the Matter, the Charge of the late Acte graunted, it is no more agaynste me, than agaynst all other Bishops that do visit this Yere, nor

makyth no more agaynst me this Yere, than it made agaynst me the laste Yere, and shall do every Yere hereafter. For if ther were true Men, in Accomptyng and Paying the Kyng's Subsidie, they are no more charged by this newe Acte, than they were for the Space of Ten Yeres past, and shall be charged ever hereafter. And thus to conclude, Yf my saide Lorde of Wynchester's Objections shuld be allowed this Yere, he myght (by such Arguments) both disallowe al Maner of Visitations that hath be down thes Ten Yeres past, and that ever should be don hereafter. Now I pray you, good Maister Secretary, of your Advice, Whither shall nede to writte unto the Kyng's Highnes herin. And thus our Lorde have you ever in his Preservation. At Otteforde, the xiith Doye of Maye.

Your own ever assured,

THOMAS CANTUAR'.

XXXVIII.

A Letter of Barlow's to Cromwell, complaining of the Bishop and Clergy of St. David's.

(Cotton Libr. Cleop. E. 4. P. 107.)

PLEASETH your Good Mastership, with Compassion to advertise the Complaynt and unfayned Peticions of your Humble Oratour, disquietly vexed without Cause or any pretenced Occasion, motioned of your said Oratour's Parte Whereas the Queen, of her Graciouse Bounte, advouched me not unworthy the Priorship of Haverford West, under her Grace's Foundation, syns the Tyme of my ther continuall Residence; Consideryng the hungry Famyne of heryng the Word of God, and desolate Scarcete of true Preachers, I have endeveryd my self, with no small Bodily Dainger against Antichrist, and all his Confederat Adhe rents, sincerely to preach the Gospell of Christ; whose Verite, as it is invincible, so it is incessantly assailted of faithles false Perverters; by Reason whereof, they which of Dutie ought to fortifie me in Manteynyng the Truth maliciously have conceiv'd a malevolent Mynde, causles to maligne against me in such wise, that I was forced (from their Tyranny) to appele unto the Kyng his Honourable Councills; as plainly apperith by the untrue, surmised Articles, falsely contrived by the Black Freer of Haverford West; which thoughe I presented to your Mastership, as the Act of his onely doing yet was it the Mayntenans of the Bishop, and his ungostly Spirituall Officers; which is

evident by the Reward of the Bishop to the Freer, at his departyng, allso by his Letters directed to Mr. Dean of the Arches, and to Doctor Huys, diligently to sollicite that I myght be suppressed in my just Matter: And where they sithe perceive that (Praise be to God) under the Favour of your righteouse Equite, they cannot prevaile against me as they wilfully would, yet cease they not wrongfully to vex such as pertayne to me, troblyng them with Tyranny for my Sake, no such Tyranny deserving. As, where of late I sent a Servant Home about certain Busines; immediatly after his Comyng, the Bishop's Officers ascited hym to Apperance, ransacking his House, forced him to deliver such Books as he had; that is to say, an Englishe Testament, the Exposition of the vth and vith_Chapters of Matthew, the Tenn Commandments, and the Epistle of Saynte John; violently with holding them with vehement Reproches, and clamorouse Exclamations against Heretikes: As if to have the Testament in English were horrible Heresie, to no litle dismaying and ferefull Discomfort of the sincere Favorers of God's Word. Moreover, they charged in the Kyng's Name, the Maire of Tynby, in payne of Fyve Hundreth Markes, to put in Warde the said Poore Man, his Wiff, and a certain Honest Widdowe of inculpable Fame, with whom they were at host, laying certen Articles to their Charge which they never thought nor spake, and after most shamefull Rumors raysed upp to their Dyffamation, with slanderouse Wonderment of the Towne, all crayfty Means assayded to bryng in false Witnes, when no Accuser would appear openly; as a true Certificat under the Towns Seal, largely doth testify; the above mencyoned Officers without any Charitable Satisfaction to the said Parties wrongfully Imprisoned, badd the Maire do with them as he listed; and so thens departyng made their advaunt in Places where they came of their valyant Actes against Hereticks, meaning thereby the Favourers of Christs Gospell: In Consideration whereof, it may please your Singular Goodnes to provide a Redress, that from the Terrour of such Tyrannes, the Kings Faythfull Subjecss, your porre Oratoures maye peaceably live according to Gods Lawes, without any suche unchristen Empeschment, and combrose Vexations.

Furthermore unfayndly to assertain your Maistership in what perilous Case greatly lamentable the Kings Faihfull Subjects, the poore Resians in the Dioces of Saynt David, your Suppliant Oratours, are miserably ordered under the Clergy, requireth a farre larger Processe then here maye conveniently be comprised: For though we have semblably to other Dioceses, in outwarde Auctorite and exterior Cere

monies a Bishope, a Suffrigan, Archdeacons, Deanes, Commissaries, and other Bishoplike Officers, intitled with Spirituall Names; also a multitude of Mounks, Cannons, Freers, and Secular Pristes, yet among them all, so many in Number, and in so large a Dioces, is there not one that sincerely Preacheth Gods Word, nor scarce any that hartely favorith hit, but all utter Enemys ther against, whose stubborne Resistence cannot last without froward Rebellion against the Kings Gracious Actes established upon the Verite of Gods Word. And concerning the enormous Vices, the fraudulent Exactions, the mysordered Lyving, and Heathyn Idolatry, shamefully supported under the Clergies Jurisdiction; which by sequele of theyr blynd wilful Ignorance, do consequently follow, no Dioces, I suppose, more corrupted, nor so far out of Frame, without hope of Reformacion, except your Lordship shall see a Redresse, in whom under the Kyngs Grace, the Trust of all those that meane well onely consistyth. Fynally theyr abused Fashiones at length to discover at your Commandment; I shall be ready with such certente of Truth, that no Advirsary shall be able to make contrary Denyall; which so performed, it may then please your good Mastershipe to licence me to departe, under the lawful Favour of your Protection; without the which, nether can I without Perell repair Home, nor there in Safte contynue, among so odiouse Adversaries of Christs Doctrine, by whose Tyranny, that I may not be unjustly opprest, I most humbly beseeche your assistant Aide, howbeit no farder then the Write of Scripture will justifie my Cause; nether for no Carnall Commodite of any Worldly Preferment, but all onely for the Advancement of Christs Gospell, to the Honour of God, who evermore graciously presearve your Mastershipe in honourable Felicite.

Your Humble Oratour,

WILLIAM BARLO,
Prior of Haverford-West.

XXXIX.

A Letter of D. Legh's concerning their Visitation at York. (Cotton Libr. Cleop. E. 4. P. 104.)

To Mr. Cromwell, Chief Secretary.

RYGHT Worshipful Sir, my Dewty pre-supposed, this is to advertise you, that Master Doctor Layton and I, the xith Day of January, war with the Archbishop of Yorke,

whom we according to your Pleasure and Precepts have visyted: Injoyning him to preach and teach the Word of God (according to his bownd Dewty), to his Cure committed unto him, and allso in the Knowledge concerning the Prerogative Power the Kings Grace have, and to see others here in his Jurisdiction being induyd with Good Qualities, having any Respect either to Gods Goodnes, Vertue, or Godlines, to performe the same, injoyning moreover to him to bring up unto you his First, Second, and Third Foundations, wheruppon he enjoyeth his Office, and Prerogative Poore, with the Graunts, Privelegis and Concessions given to him, and to his See apperteyning; the which whan that you had red them, and knowe in all Points the hole Effect of them, I doe not doubt, but that ye shall see and rede many Things worthy Reformation. By the Knowledge whereof, I suppose the King's Highnes and you will be glad, and do think it mete that every Bishope war in likewise orderyd then shuld they, them under the Governances Edifye much in Christ in his Doctrine and Teachings: And then the Poor Ignorante Persons now by Blindnes and Ignorance sedusid, might therby be brought to Light and Knowledge, wherby they should profit muche, the Welthe of their own Soules, and the Commynaltye: and it should be greatly Expedient to the Conservation of their Fidelite toward their Prince, and to his Graces Succession now begotten, or hereafter to be begotten. Now that I have enformed your Mastership of our Acts and Deeds, done to a good Ende, as our Opinion serve us, that shall lie in your circumspecte Prudencye and Wisdom to order all Things, as ye shall think to your approved Discretion most mete, and to the farderans of the Glory of God and Preservation of the Common Wealthe, most Expedient and Necessary. For in the same Jurisdictions given heretofore either augmented or diminished, to be ministred to their Bishops as wall be thought to your Wisdom most convenient; I do not dowght but it shall be much profitable, and commodious both to the Kings Highnes, and to your Mastership, as knoweth God, who ever prserve your Mastership. From Yorke the xth Day of January.

Yours ever assured,

THOMAS LEGH,

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