Certaintie of the said Melanct cummyng into France, and such other Occurrants as ye shall then know. And if the said Deryk be not now redy to go with him, the King's Pleasure is, that ye shall in his stede, appoint and sende such one other with the said Barnes, as you shall think meet for that Purpose.

And when the said Barnes shall arrive with the said Princes of Germany, the King's Pleasure is, He shall) on his Grace's Behalf) aswell perswade them to persist and continue in their former good Opinion, concerning the Deniall of the Bishop of Rome's Usurped Autoritie, declaring their own Honour, Reputation and Suretie, to depende therupon; and that they now may better mayntain their said Just Opinion therin then ever they might, having the King's Majestie (One of the most Noble and Puissant Princes of the World) of like Opinion and Judgment with them; who having proceeded therin by great Advise, Deliberation, Consultation, and Judgments (of the most part) of the great and famous Clerks in Christendome, will in no wise relent, vary, or alter in that Behalf. Like as the said Barnes may declare and shew unto them, by a Book made by the Dean of the Chaple, and asmany of the Bishop's Sermons as you have. Whiche Booke you shall receive herwith: The Copie wherof, and of the said Sermons, you must deliver unto the said Barnes, at his Departure, for his better Remembrance, and just Occasion. To whom also his Grace's Pleasure is, you shall shew as muche of Master Wallop's Letter, (which we send you also again) as you shall see drawen and market with a Penne in the Margent of the same, As also exhorte and move them, in any wise to beware, how they commit any of their Affaiers to the Order, Direction, or Determination of the French King, considering he and his Counsell be altogether Papist, and addict and bent to the Maintenance and Conservation of the Bishop of Rome's pretended Auctoritie. Furthermore, the King's Pleasure is, ye shall uppon the Receipt herof, immediatly cause Mr. Haynes, and Christopher Mount, in Post to repair into France, to Sir John Wallop, in as secrete maner as they canne; as commyng like his Friend, to visit him, and not as sent by the King. And in case they shall (by him, or otherwise) lerne and know that Melanchthon is there arryved; then his Grace woll, that the said Haynes and Mount shall (in such sort as they be not much noted) reasorte unto him: And for the desuading of the Contynuance there, or the Alteration of his Opinion, and the Allur ing of him hither, to use suche Reasons and Persuasions as be before written, with suche other as they canne furhert

devise for that Purpose. To the which Haynes and Mount, the King's Pleasure is, ye shall delyver like Copies of the said Dean's Book, and Bishop's Sermons, to be shewed unto the said Melanchthon, or otherwise used, as may be most expedient for the Atchievement of the King's Purpose in that Behalfe.

Ye shall allso understande, that the King's Pleasure is, ye shall write to Sir John Wallop, and send unto him therwith like Copies; willing him, in case he shall have certain Knowledge that the Articles be true, (written in these his Letters) concernyng the French King's Sending into Germany, for the Contynuance of the Bishop of Rome's pretended Supremacy; to repair with the said Copies to the French King; and not only to set the same forth, with such Reasons as he canne devise in that Parte, shewing, how much it shall be against his Honour, both to give Himself subject to the said Bishop, and to move other to do the semblable; but allso to declare unto him, that the King's Highnes (remembring his old frendly Promises, concernyng the Mayntenance of his Cause, and of his Proceedings touching the same) cannot but think it a little strange, that the said French King (seeing his Majestie hath, in his Doings touching the said Bishop of Rome, moved neither his, nor any Prince's Subjects) will move and styr the Germaynes, to condescend uppon a contrary Opinion, both to themselfs, and to his Grace in this Behalfe: And that his Majestie must nedes think his Amytie muche touched in that he shulde move any State or Contrey, to do that Thing which is so much against the Kings Highnes and his own Promise, using all the Wayes he canne to dissuade him from the dishonorable Obedience of the said Bishops, soe moving him to inclyne to the Kings just Opinion touching

the same.

Finally, the Kings Pleasure is, ye shall write an other Letter to the Bishop of Aberdeen, signifieng that the Kings Majestie taketh it very unkindly that the King his Nephew wold now embrace without his Advice or Counsail, being his derest Freinde and Uncle, and now in Leage and Amytee with him, the Marriage of M. de Vandoms Daughter, whereunto he would give non Eare at his Graces Overture hertofor made of the same; in your said Letter, imputing a greate Negligence therin, to the said Bishop, and other of his Masters Counsail, seeing their Master sheweth not, in the doing therof, suche Amytie towards the Kings Highnes as the Friendship between them doth require: And to make an Ende, his Grace woll in no wise that Barnes, or Haynes, shall tary for any further Instructions of the Bi

shope of Cantorbury, or any other, having his Grace determyned to sende the same after, by Mr. Almoner and Hethe; but that he, Mr. Haynes, and Mount, shall withall possible Diligence departe immediately in Post, without longer tarieng thenne for this their Dispatche shall be necessary, soe as their Abode empeche not the Kings Purpose, touching the said Melancton: And thus fare youe most hartly Well. From Langly in much haste, this Monday at iij of the Clock, at after Noone.

Your Lovyng Friend,

T. Norfolk.

George Rocheford.

XLIII.

The Smalcaldick League.

(Cotton Lib. Cleop. E. 6, P. 303.)

By the Grace of God, We John Frederich Duke of Saxony, High Mareshall of the Empire of Rome, and Prince Elector, Lantgrave of Truringie, and Marquis of Misne, aswell in our own Name, as in the Name of the Noble Prince John Ernest, likewise Duke of Saxonye, our most beloved Brother, Philippe, Ernest, Francis, Brethren Dukes of Brunswick and Lunenburg; Ulrich Duke of Wortenberg, and in Deck, Erle in Montbelyard; Philip Lantgrave of Hessen, Erle of Catts in Dietz, Zigenham and Nyer; Berminus and Philip, Dukes of Stetin, Pomern, Cassaburn. Wenden, Princes of Rug, Erles in Guskan; Wolfgang John, George, and Joachim, Brethren Princes in Anhalt, Erles of Ascanion, and Lords in Bernburg; Gebhard and Albert, Brethren, Erles and Lords in Mansfeld; the Consules, Decurions, Tribunes, Senate, and People of the within named Cities of the High-Germany, Saxon, and Hanse, or on the See, that is to say, Argentina, Augusta, Frankford, Constantia, Ulme, Esling, Rentling, Memingia, Linde, Bibrac, Isua, Magdeburgh, Breme, Brunswick, Goslaria, Hamibria, Gottingia, Embeck, Hamburgha, Lubeck, and Myndia, do profess by these our Letters, in the Name of us, our Heyres and Successors, and do signifie to all Men, that seen the State of this Season is every where very perillouse, and appereth so, that many Men are about and practise to disturbe, such as do cause, and suffer the syncere Doctrine of the Gospell to be preached and taught in their Dukedoms, Provinces, Cities and Territories, (by

the Grace of God) and which (abolishing all abuses) doe studie to bring in Ceremonies consenting to the Word of God: and efforce them selfs to divert them from Christs Doctrine; yea, by Force and Violence and seen also that the Office of every Christian Magestrate, is not only to suffer that the syncere Worde of God be preached to his Subjects; but also with all his Studye, Care, and Sollitude to provide (to his Power) that the holesome Doctrine of the Gospell and the Truth, onse known and professed, be not violently extorted, and they deprived of the same: For this Cause, we doe knowledg that it is our most Duetie and Necessitie, of the Offices of our Magestrate, in case nowe or hereafter it shuld happen, that any Man wold attempt and assay to diverte us, or our Subjects, by Force or Dede, from the Worde of God, and the Truth known; and to bring in again, and restore the ungodlie Ceremonies and Abuses already abolished (which God by his good Clemence woll forbyd, as we trust that no Man woll attempt such Thing) for to represse such violence and Perill from the Bodys and Souls of us and our Subjects, by the Grace of God, and for to excuse and avoid the same to the Praise of God, to the Augmentation of the Syncere Doctrine of the Gospell, and to the Conservation of the Uniform Estate, Tranquillite, and Honestie Publick, in the Empire, for the Love of the Nation of Alemayne; and also for the Commendation, Honour, and Good of our Dukedoms, Provinces, Lordships, and Cities, onely to provide for Cause of our Defence, and Tuicion; the which is permitted to every Man, not onely by the Lawe of Nature and of Men, but also by the Law Written. Therefore we have assembled and concluded, to give and be bound eche to other of a Christian, Lawfull and Friendly Leage and Confederation, and by the Vertue, Fource, and Reason of this our Letters, we agree, conclude, and bynde our Selfs eche to other upon a Confederation, with the Conditions that followeth, That is to say, that all and every of us shall be bound to favour eche other hartely and truely and to warn eche other of all Imminent Danger, and to avoid it: And that noon of us, openly, or secretly, shall willingly give Passage to the Enemy, or Adversaries of the other, not to warn, or support them.

And because this Confederation is onely made for Cause of our Tuicion and Defense, and not to the entent that any of us shall move warr, if ther shall happen any of us whatsoever he be, to be violently assawted for the Word of God, the Doctrine of the Gospell and our Faith, or for such other Causes as do depend of the Word of God, the Doctrine of the Gospell, or our Faith, or be annexed thereunto; or if

under any other Pretext or Colour, there shuld be any Violence attempted against any of us, and that we the rest, which shuld not then be invaded, myght thinke and judge that such Werr, or Violence, shuld be moved for the Cause of the Word of God, or of the Religion; And that he to whom the Werr, or Violence is Imminent, wold permitt it to our Knowledge, Arbitracion, and Deciseon; that then we all the rest of this Confederacion, and every of us, that be comprehended in this Christen Confederacion shal be bound to take no lesse to Herte, and take in hand as deligentely to provide for the same, incontinently as such Persons that be invaded shall require our Help, or that we shall knowe it, (with all our Power) as though we shuld be assawted our Selfs, and for our own proper Cause: And therefore without any Delaye, and without any Decepte or Gyle, without taryeng for any other, with all our Might and Power, we shall be bound to Succour, Defend, and Helpe him that shall be assawted, after such Form and Manner, as for the Qualitie and Circumstances of the Thing, and the Tyme it shall be adjudged most util and most commodiouse to the rest of us: And like as the Fidelite and Charitie to be given and shewed to the Neighbors upon his Conscience and Salut shall teach him. And that we shall truelie administer and deale oon with another. Aud that in such Case never oon of us shall agree, compound, or make any Tranaction, or Trewes without the Assent and Will of the Rest.

Also that this our Christen Confederation shal be taken and understanden to be in no wise Prejudicial or Hurtfull to the Emperors Majestie, our Clementissime Lord; nor to any State of the Empire, or any other: But onely for the Conservation of the Doctrine and Truth of the Gospell, and of the Peace and Tranquillite in the Empyre and Alemayns Nation, and to withstand wrongfull Violence from us and our Subjects and Allyes; and onely in Case of Defence, and in such Case as every of us may bear and suffer the just Knowledge and Decision of his own Cause as is aforesaid, and none other wise; and if any Man wol be joyned to this our Confederacion, which is not comprehended in it already, so that he be dedicate to the Worde of God, and shall permitte the Syncere Doctrine of the Gospell, conformable to our Confession, exhibited to the Emperors Majestie, and to all the Orders of the Empire in the Assemble at Augsburg, freely to be preached, tought, and kept in his Lands, Province, and Dominions, and woll constantely styck to the same Doctrine, he or they ought to be ascribed and receyved in this Confederacion, by the Assent and Will of us all.