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that Name dwelling in Suffolk; and whether the Commons have taken him or no, I know not, for he resorteth seldom to my House. But by Report, they have taken by Force many Gentlemen in these Quarters, and used them very cruelly. And as touching Lionell my Servant, I cannot but marvell of that Bruit, specially because he dwelleth within Two Miles of London, and is not acquainted within the Shire of Suffolk or Norfolk; nor at any Time cometh into these Parts, but when he waiteth upon me in my House, and is now at London about my Businesse, being no Man apt or meet for such Purposes, but given to as much Quietness as any within my House.

My Lord, it troubleth me to hear such Reports of any of mine, and specially where no Cause is given, trusting that my Houshold shall try themselves true Subjects to the King's Majesty, and honest quiet Persons; or else I would be loath to keep them. And where you charge me that my Proceedings in Matters of Religion, should give no small Courage to many of those Men to require and do as they do: That Thing appeareth most evidently to be untrue, for all the Rising about these Parts is touching no Point of Religion but even as ye ungently, and without desert charge me, so I, omitting so fully to answer it, as the Case doth require, do and will pray God, that your new Alterations, and unlawful Liberties, be not rather the Occasion of these Assemblies, than my doings, who am (God I take to witnesse) inquieted therewith. And as for Devonshire, no indifferent Person can lay their Doings to my Charge; for I have neither Land, nor acquaintance in that Country, as knoweth Almighty God, whom I humbly beseech to send you all as much Plenty of his Grace, as I would wish to my self. So with my hearty Commendations, I bid you farewel. From my House at Kennynghall the xxth of July. Your Friend to my Power,

MARY.

IlI.

A Letter of Christopher Mont concerning the Interim.
(Ex. MS. Tigur.)

Christophorus Montius S. D.
Wolph. Mosculo.

CUM harum Lator mihi indicasset se Dominum nosse, nolui cum sine meis ad te reverti literis. Cùm ego Au

gustâ discederem: discessi autem, hujus nihil dum ibi innovatum fuit per Ecclesias, sed optimi quique vehementer verebantur Superstitiones inducendas propediem Concionator ad S. Georgium mihi significavit, Senatum à Concionatoribus eflagitare, ut modo in his calamitatibus civitatem non desererent, sed porro in ea permanerent, se eos maturè et in tempore certiores facturos, modo viderint superstitionem imminere, quasi modo non in media urbe dominetur. Rogavit quoque Senatus, ut Concionatores Populo Interim quain compositissimis et coloratissimis verbis possent, proponerent, quod major pars recusârunt, dicentes se hoc Scriptum laudare nulla ratione neque constantia posse, quod communi suffragio damnassent, duo tamen se id facturos receperunt, quod et factum audivi ad S. Crucem et Mauricium. Non dubito te audiisse, de eo Scripto, quod huc nuper allatum fuit ex Saxonia. Utinam Germana virtus et Constantia alicubi permanens emineat, ut si non fortiter agendo, saltem fortiter adversa propter Domini gloriam ferendo, professionem et officium nostrum testentur. Dux Gemini pontis Augustâ discessisse dicitur, ut qui Interim indictionem et promulgationem Diocesano præstandam et committendam dixerit, neque se neque suos huic executioni idoneos Ministros esse. Tamen qua conditione dimissus sit, certo nondum didici. Bremenses discessisse audio nondum reconciliatos, nam tam graves eis conditiones præscribi audio, ut quas omnino etiam si eas acceperint, præstare non possint. Multi putant consulto tam gravia præscribi, ut sub specie contumaciæ et obstinationis, obsidione pressi et expugnati Frisia jungantur. Civitas quoque ea plurimis rebus agendis aptissima est, ut quæ supra Visurgim et Albim posita accessum aperiat ad Chersonesum totam ocupandum. Qua lege Constantienses redierint domum ex Domino nosse cupio. Rogo quoque ut mihi significare velis quæ concordiæ et communicationis spes ipsis inter se Helvetis sit. Literas quas ad me perlatas voles, cura ad D. Bucerum adferri. Bene vale. Argentina 18 Jul. 1548. Literas tectas exuras.

IV.

A Part of a Letter of Hooper's to Bullinger, giving an Account of the Cruelty of the Spaniards in the Netherlands.

Nos 14. Aprilis relicta Colonia, iter versus Antwerpiam, per Campiniam Brabantinam, sterilem ac arenosam, instituimus. 18. ejusdem, venimus omnes, Dei Gratia, salvi et

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incolumes Antwerpiam. 20. Die, Precibus Oratoris Regis nostri, qui apud Cæsarem nunc agit, compulsus, Bruxellam me contuli unà cum Joh. Stumphio, ut videret mollitiem ac miserias Aulæ, præterea servitutem Civium Bruxellensium, qui jam Hispanorum Imperium, latrocinium ac furtum, violationem Filiarum, Uxorum impudicitiam, minas denique ac plagas perditissimæ Gentis ferre coguntur; ut Statum ac Conditionem suæ Patriæ altius consideraret, ardentius pro illo oraret, ac diligentius suos admoneret, ut alienis malis edoctos cautiores redderet. Cæsarem non vidimus, quòd rarò Cubiculum suum egreditur, nec Filium, qui Pascha suum egit extra Civitatem, in Monasterio quodam, Ducem Saxoniæ Jo. Stumphius vidit per fenestram. Ego bis fui in Ædibus illius valdè humaniter acceptus à suis Germanis, qui ei adhuc inserviunt, ad numerum 30. Voluit Dux, bis vel ter, me admittere ad Colloquium; sed impedivit semper primi Capitanei Hispanorum præsentia. Vivit constanter in sua Fide. Non valet, quantum ad Valetudinem Corporis spectat, de liberatione illius nulla penitus affulget spes, nisi quod absit, Religionem suam mutet: non malè sperat de Verbo Dei. Catus Landgravius Captivus detinetur Auldernardi, septem milliaribus à Gandavo: Homo omnibus numeris miser et inconstans: nunc omnem Obedientiam Cæsari, ac Fidem pollicetur; Missam, ac cætera impia, sacra, obviis ulnis amplectitur, nunc Cæsarem, cum suo interdicto, execratur ac detestatur. Dominus misereatur illius; miserè affigitur, ac meritas pœnas perfidiæ suæ jam luit. Et vidimus, præterea Lazarum Scuendi proditorem illum, quem nostis. De Brandeburgensi, ac aliis Germanis, Hispanorum mancipiis, nihil opus est quod scriberem. Legatus Papæ, per totam Quadragesimam, in sua Aula est concionatus, quàm impiè non scribam. Hoc tamen pro certo scio, non bene convenire inter Papam et Cæsarem, nec inter Gallum ac Cæsarem, Uterque valdè sibi timet à Cæsare: Cæsar vicissim à fulmine Papæ maximè timet. Jam agitur seriò inter illos, an Concilium Generale Tridenti, an Bolognia_sit celebrandum. Papa urget, mandat, rogat ac jubet, ut Cæsar consentiat de Bolognia: Is renuit, negat ac pernegat, omnibus modis: et potius dicit se omnes Amiocitias cum Papa desiere, quam illum locum, Bologniam scil. admittere: Quid monstri in hoc, ex parte Papæ, lateat, facilè divinare licet. Diffidit Regno suo valde; nam hoc didici ab Oratore nostro, quòd si Cæsaris Confessor esset mediocriter pius, esset maxima spes, quod brevi in Cognitionem Christi induceretur. Nam apertè mihi retulit, et Cæsarem, et Consiliarios suos omnes regi, impelli, duci ac trahi, per Confessorem, qui omnia Papæ suasu et consilio agit. Et facilè credo: Nam ante septem Menses, cum Cæsar adhuc

erat in superiore Germania, fuit derelictus à suo Confessore, quod crudelius voluit sævire in pios Viros, et in integrum Papatum restituere. Cæsar obtulit ei Episcopatum in Hispania, ad 20. Millia Coronatorum per Annum neglexit Cæsaris Liberalitatem, et Cæsarem ipsum hisce Verbis, Ecclesiæ Christi me solum debeo, sed non Tibi, non Dono tuo, nisi Ecclesiæ mavis majori studio inservire. Jam de Cæsaris animo ergo Helvetiam. Omnes in hoc consentiunt illum vestræ libertati hostiliter invidere, propterea nullum non movere lapidem, ut rumpat inter vos concordiam: si hac via res non succedat, omnia aget pollicitationibus. Cavete igitur, ne lactet vos inani spe. Denique absque dubio vos aggredietur hostili manu, non ut sic vincat, vel multos ex suis exponat periculo, sed ut vobis incutiat timorem. Rogo itaque ut unanimiter ac mutuò vos diligatis, Deum timete, sanctè vivite, strenuè pugnate, ac expectate Victoriam à Deo, qui procul dubio vobis aderit ac defendet. Adhuc putem vobis non imminere periculum, sed sit is semper parati et absit procul omnis securitas, ne obruat inopinantes. Adhuc Cæsar bene scit, se non posse pro Voto uti rebus Germaniæ. Doluit illi sæpius, (ut accepi à Viris fide dignis) aliquid tentâsse in Religione: quidem si Germanis permisisset liberam maximè fuisse in re illius. Aiunt Cæsarem brevi profecturum, Gandavum et à Gandavo iterum petiturum Bruxellam, vel ascensurum versus Spiram. Copias militum habet prope Bremam ac civitates maritimas, sed otiesas: Nihil proficiunt res, à civibus multum timetur, indies magis ac magis Civitates suas muniunt et comeatum habent ad quinque annos, non multum Cæsaris gratiam amplius ambiunt. Quam graves exactiones à suis Cæsar jam exigit credo se non ignorare. Dicam tamen tristem ac deplorandam Orationem, quam effudit pia mulier, hospita nostra in Campinia: Si inquit ferre potuerim in sinu meo magnam ac jam nunc molestam turbam liberorum meorum, fugerem ac per stipem victum quærerem, nam Cæsaræ ac Reginæ exactores labores sudores nostri exantlant. Hac ex parte Angli etiam jam valde laborant, concessa est Regi quinta pars omnium bonorum. Sed adhuc de Helvetia unum. Heri 25. Aprilis invitatus ad prandium à quodam cive Antverpensi, qui optimè novit Helvetiam, ac sæpe in omnibus civitatibus Helvetiorum exposuit merces suas, is mihi retulit, se frequenter vidisse in aula Cæsaris ex eo quod Cæsar superiorem partem Germaniæ reliquerit, publicos Ministros Civitatis Lucernanæ, nam bene novit illos ex colore vestium, metuendum est, ne arcana patriæ per hujusmodi patefiant, vel aliquid majus malum lateat.

The rest of the Letter relates to private concerns.

V.

The Oath of Supremacy, as it was made when the Bishops did Homage in King Henry the VIIIth's Time. The last Words were struck out by King Edward the VIth.

(Ex MSS Rymer.)

YE shall say and swere as foloweth, I shall be Faithful and True, and Faith and Trowth I shall bere unto your Majestie, and to your Heires Kings of this Realme; and with Liff and Lymme, and Erththelie Honour for to Live and Dye as your faithful Subject, agayne all Persons of what Degre, State, or Condition soever they bee: And I shall preferr, sustayne, and mayntayne the Honour, Surtie, Right, Preheminence, and Prerogatif of your Majestie, and your Heirs Kings of this Realm, and Jurisdiction of your Imperiall Crowne of the same, afore and agaynst all maner of Persones, Powers, and Auctorities whatsoever they bee And I shall not wittynglie do or attempt, nor to my Power suffer to be done, or attempted any Thing, or Things, prively, or apartly, that may be to the Dymunytion, or Derogation of your Crowne of this Realme; or of the Lawes, Liberties, Rights, and Prerogatiffes belonging to the same, but put myne effectual Endevour from Tyme to Tyme, as the Case shall requier to advance and increas the same to my Wit and uttermost of my Power: And in nowise herafter I shall accept any Othe, or make any Promise, Pact, or Covenant, secretly or apertly by any maner of Means, or by any Colour of Pretence to the contrary of this my Othe, or any Parte therof. And I shall be diligentlye attendant uppon your Majestie, and to your Heires Kings of this Realme, in all your Commaundements, Causes, and Busynesses. And also I knowledge and recognize your Majestie ymmediately under Almightie God to be the Chief and Supreme Hede of the Church of England, and clayme to have the Bishepriche of Chester Hoyle and allonlye of your Gift: And to have and to hold the Proffites Temporal and Spiritual of the same allonlye of your Majestie, and of your Heires Kings of this Realme, and of none other: And in that sorte and none other, I shall take my Restitution owt of your Handes accordinglye, utterly renownsing any other Suit to be had herefore to any other Creature liffyng, or hereafter to be, except your Heires. And I shall to my Wit, and uttermost of my power observe, keep, mayntayn, and defende all the Statutes of this Realme made agaynst the Reservations and Provisions of the Bishop of Rome, called the Pope, of any of the Archiebusshopriches or Busshopriches in this Realme, or of other

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