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hide nothing of any Questions that I shall know, that doth concern my self, nor any other Creature.

My Lords, there was never Gold tried better by Fier and Watter than I have been, nor hath had greater Enemys about my Soveraign Lord, than I have had, and yet (God be thanked) my Trouth hath ever tried me, as I dout not it shall do in theis Causes. Suerly, if I knew any Thought I had offended his Majestie in, I would suerly have declared it to his Person.

Upon the Tuysdaye in Whitsonweek last past, I broke unto his Majestie, most humbley beseeching him to helpe, that a Mariage might be had between my Daughter and Sir Thomas Semour. And wheras my Son of Surey hath a Son and divers Daughters; that, with his Favour, a Crosse Mariage might have been made between my Lord Great Chamberline and them. And also wher my Son Thomas hath a Son, that shall (be his Mother) spend a Thousand Marks a Yere, that he might be in like wise married to one of my said Lord's Daughters. I report me to your Lordships, whether myn Intent was honest in this Motion, or not. And wheras I have written, that my Truth hath been severely tried, and that I have had great Enemies: First, The Cardinall did confes to me at Asser, that he had gone about Fourteen Years to have destroyed me; saying, he did the same by the setting upon of my Lord of Suffolk, the Marquis of Exeter, and my Lord Sands; who said often to him, that if he found not the Means to put me out of the way, at length I should seuerly undo him.

Cromwell, at such Tyme as the Marquis of Exeter suffred, examined his Wife more streitly of me, then of all other Men in the Realme, as She sent me word by her Brother, the Lord Montjoy. He hath said to me himself many times, My Lord, Ye are an happy Man, that your Wife knoweth no Hurt by you; for if She did, She would undo you.

The Duke of Buckingham confessed openly at the Bar (my Father sitting as his Judge) that of all Men living he hated me most, thinking I was the Man that had hurt him most to the King's Majestie: Which now, quoth he, I perceive the contrary.

Rice, who had married my Sister, confessed, that (of all Men living) he hated me most; and wished many times, how he might find the Meanes to thrust his Dagger in me.

What Malice both my Neecys, that it pleased the King's Highnes to maarie, did bere unto me, is not unknown to such Ladies as kept them in this Sute; as my Lady Her

berd, my Lady Tirwit, my Lady Kynston, and others, which heard what they said of me. Who tried out the Falshod of the Lord Darcy, Sir Robert Constable, Sir John Bulmer, Aske, and many others, for which they suffer'd for? But only I. Who shewed his Majestie of the Words of my Mother-in-Law, for which She was attainted of Misprision? But only I. In all Times past unto this Time, I have shewed my self a most trewe Man to my Soveraign Lord. And since these Things done in Tymes past, I have received more Proffight of his Highnes, then ever I did afore. Alas! who can think, that I, having been so long a trew Man, should now be false to his Majestie? I have received more Proffight then I have deserved: And a Poore Man, as I am, yet I am his own near Kinsman. For whose Sake should I be an untrewe Man to them? Alas, alas, my Lords, that ever it should be thought any Ontruthe to be in me.

Fynally my good Lords eftsonys most Humble I beseech you to shew this scrible Letter to his Majestie, and all joyntle to beseech his Highnes to grante me the Peticions that are conteyned in the same, and most especyall to remyt out of his most Noble Gentle Hart such Displeasure as he hath conceyved against me and I shall dewryng my Lyff pray for the continuence of his most Royall Estate long to endure, By his Highnes Poor Prisoner,

T. NORFOLK.

COLLECTION OF RECORDS,

BELONGING TO

BOOK IV, V, AND VI.

I.

Instructions given by Luther to Melanchthon, 1534; of which, one Article was erroneously published by me in my IId Vol. and that being complained of, the whole is now published,

Cogitationes meæ sunt: (viz. Lutheri).

PRIMO ut nullo modo concedamus de nobis dici, quod neutri neutros antea intellexerint. Nam isto pharmaco non medebimur tanto vulneri, cum nec ipsi credamus utrumque verum hoc esse, et alii putabunt à nobis hoc fingi, et ita magis suspectam reddemus causam, vel potius per totum dubiam faciemus, cum sit communis omnium. Et in tantis animorum turbis, et scrupulis non expedit hoc nomine addere offendiculum.

*Secundo, cum hactenus dissenserimus, quod illi signum, nos Corpus Christi asseruerimus, plane contrarii in Sacramento. Nihil minus mihi videtur utile, quam ut mediam et novam sententiam statuamus: Qua et illi concedant Corpus Christi adesse verè, et nos concedamus panem solum manducari. Ut enim conscientiam taceam, considerandum est certe; Quantam hic fenestram aperiemus in re omnibus communi cogitandi: Et orientur hic fontes quæstionum et opinionum: Ut tutius multo sit illos simpliciter manere in suo signo: Cum nec ipsi suam nec nos nostram partem, multo minus utrique totum orbem petrahemus in eam sententiam: Sed potius irritabimus ad varias cogitationes. Ideo vellem potius ut sopitum maneret dissidium in duabus istis Sententiis, quam ut Occasio daretur infinitis Quæstionibus ad Epicurismum profuturis.

Tertio, cum stent hic pro nostra Sententia, primum Textus ipse apertissimus Evangelii, qui non sine causa movet omnes Homines, non solum pios: Secundo, Patrum

* Forsan novum.

1

dicta quam plurima, quæ non tam facilè possunt solvi; nec, tuta Conscientia, aliter quam sonant, intelligi, cum bona Grammatica textui fortiter consentiat. Tertio, Quia periculosum est statuere, Ecclesiam tot annis per totum Orbem caruisse vero Sensu Sacramenti; cum nos fateamur omnes, mansisse Sacramenta et verbum, etsi obruta multis abominationibus.

Quarto, Dicta Sancti Augustini de Signo, quæ contraria nostræ Sententiæ videntur, non sunt firma satis contra ista jam tria Dicta. Maximè, cum ex Augustini Scriptis clarè possit ostendi, et convinci, eum loqui de Signo præsentis Corporis, ut illud, contra Adamantum, non dubitavit Dominus appellare Corpus suum, cum daret Signum Corporis sui: Vel de Signo Corporis Mystici, in quo valdè multus est, præsertim, in Joanne: Ubi copiosè docet, manducare Carnem Christi, esse in Corpore mystico; seu ut ipse dicit, in Societate, Unitate, Charitate Ecclesiæ: Istis enim Verbis utitur.

Quinto, Omnium est fortissimus Augustinus, quod dicit, Non hoc Corpus, quod videtis, manducaturi estis, &c. Et tamen Conscientia memor apertorum Verborum Christi, (Hoc est Corpus meum) hoc dictum S. Augustini facilè sic exponit: Quod de visibili Corpore loquatur Augustinus, sicut sonant verba (Quod videtis) ita nihil pugnat Augustinus cum claris verbis Christi: Et Augustinus infirmior est, quam ut hoc uno dicto tam incerto, imo satis consono, nos moveat in contrarium sensum.

Sexto, Ego S. Augustinum non intelligo aliter (sic et ipse Patres ante se forte intellexit (quam quod contra Judæos et Gentes docendum fuit, apud Christianos non comedi Corpus Christi visibiliter, et more corporali. Hac ratione Fidem Sacramenti defenderunt. Rursus contra Hypocritas Christianorum docendum fuit, quod Sacramentum non esset salutare accipientibus, nisi spiritualiter manducarent, id est, Ecclesiæ essent uniti et incorporati. Et hac ratione Charitatem in Sacramento exegerunt. Ut ex Augustino clarè accipi potest; qui, absque dubio, ex prioribus Patribus, et sui Seculi usu, ista accepit.

Septimo, Istis salvis, nihil est quod à me peti possit. Nam et ego hoc dissidum vellem (Testis est mihi Christus meus) redemptum non uno Corpore et Sanguine meo: Sed quid faciam? Ipsi forte Conscientia bona capti sunt in alteram Sententiam. Feramus igitur eos. Si sinceri sunt, liberabit eos Christus Dominus. Ego contra captus sum bona certè Conscientia (nisi ipse mihi sim ignotus) in meam Sententiam. Ferant et me, si non possunt mihi accedere.

Si verò illi Sententiam suam, scilicet de Præsentia Corpo

ris Christi cum Pane, tenere velint, et petierint nos invicem tamen tolerari; ego planè libenter tolerabo, in spe futuræ Communionis. Nam interim communicare illis in Fide et Sensu non possum.

Deinde, Si politica Concordia quæritur, ea non impeditur diversitate Religionis: Sicut novimus posse Conjugia, Commercia, aliaque politica constare, inter diversæ Religionis Homines: Primo Corinth. 7. Christus faciat, ut perfectè conteratur Satan sub nostris pedibus. Amen.

Nostra autem Sententia est, Corpus ita cum Pane, seu in Pane esse, ut reverà cum Pane manducetur: Et quæcunque motum vel actionem Panis habet, eandem et Corpus Christi. Ut Corpus Christi verè dicatur ferri, dari, accipi, manducari, quando Panis fertur, datur, accipitur, manducatur; id est, Hoc est Corpus meum.

Coll. Corp. Christi,

Febr. 4. 95-6.

We have collated this with the Original Paper of Luther, and find it to agree exactly. Witness our Hands,

JOHN JAGGard.
ROB. MOSS.
WILL. LUNN.

II.

The Lady Mary's Letter to the Lord Protector, and to the rest of the King's Majesty's Council, upon their suspecting some of her Household had encouraged the Devonshire Rebellion. (Ex. MS. D. G. Cooke.)

MY LORD,

I HAVE received Letters from you, and others of the King's Majesty's Council, dated the 17th of this present, and delivered unto me the 20th of the same, whereby I perceive ye be informed, that certayn of my Servants should be the Chief Stirrers, Procurers, and Doers in these Commotions; which Commotions (I assure you) no less offend me, than they do you and the rest of the Council. And you write also, that a Priest and Chapleyn of mine, at Sampford Courtney in Devonshire, should be a Doer there. Of which Report I do not a little marvel; for, to my Knowledge, I have not one Chaplayn in those Parts. And concerning Pooly, my Servant, which was sometime a Receiver, I am able to answer, that he remayneth continually in my House, and was never Doer amongst the Commons, nor came in their Company. It is true, that I have another Servant of

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