5. Item, That a specyall Practise be made, and a streight Commandement gyven to all Provyncyalls, Ministers, and Rulers of all the Foure Orders of Friers within this Realme; commanding them to cause the same to be preched by all the Preachers of their Religions, in and thorough the hole Realme.

6. Item, to practise with all the Friers observants of this Realme, and to commande them to preach in lyke wise; or elles that they may be stayed, and not suffered to preach in no Place of the Realme.

7. Item, That every Abbote, Pryor, and other Heddes of Religious Houses within this Realme, shall in like manner teche theire Convents and Brethren, to teach and declare the

same.

8. Item, That every Bishop shall make specyall Commandements to every Person, Vicare and Curate, within his Dyoces, to preach and declare to theyr Parochians in lyke wise.

9. Item, Proclamations to be made thorough out the Realme, conteyning the hole Acte of Appeles: And that the same Acte may be impressed, transumed, and set up on every Churche Dore in England; to the Intent, that no Parson, Vycar, Curate, nor any other of the King's Subjects, shall make themselfs ignorant thereof.

10. Item, The King's Provocation and Appellations, made from the Bishop of Rome unto the Generall Counsell, may also be transumed, impressed, published and set up on every Church Dore in England; to the Intent, that if any Censures should be fulmynate against the King or his Realme, that then it may appear to all the World, that the Censures be of none Effect; considering that the King hathe already, and also before any Censures promulged, bothe provoked and Appeled.

11. Item, Like Transumpts to be made, and sent into all other Realmes and Domynyons, and specyally into Flanders, concerning the King's saide Provocations and Appellations; to the intente the Falshode, Iniquite, Malice and Injustice of the Bishop of Rome, may thereby appere to all the World: And also to the intent that all the World may know, that the King's Highnes standing under those Appeles, no Censures can prevayle, nor take any Effecte against him and his Realme.

12.* Item, A Letter to be conceyved from all the Nobles, as well Spirituall as Temporall, of this Realme, unto the

* Not yet done, ne can well be done before the Parliament.

Bishop of Rome, declaring the Wrongs, Injuries and Usurpations, used against the King's Highnes and this Realme.

13.* Item, To sende Exploratours and Espies into Scotland; and to see and perceyve their Practises, and what they intende there; and whether they will confeder themselfs with any other outwarde Prynce.

14.† Item, Certen discrete and grave Persons, to be appointed to repair into the Partes of Germany, to practise and conclude some Lege or Amyte with the Prince and Potentats of Germany; that is to say, the King of Pole, King John of Hungary, the Duke of Saxony, the Duke of Bavyere, Duke Frederyke, the Landegrave Van Hesse, the Bishop of Magons, the Bishop of Treuers, the Bishop of Coleyn, and other the Potentats of Germany; and also to enserch, of what Inclination the said Prynces and Potentats be of, towards the King and his Realme.

15. Item, Like Practise to be made and practised with the Cyties of Lubecke, Danske, Hamburgh, Brunswyke, and all other the Stedes of the Hannse Tutonick; and to enserche of what Inclination they be towards the King, and this Realme.

16. Item, Lyke Practise to be made and practised, with the Cities of Norimbergh and Aughsbrough.

17. Item, To remember the Marchiants Adventurers haunting the Domynyons of Braband, and to speke with them.

18. Item, To set Order and Establishment of the Princes Dowager's House with all Celerity, and also of my Lady Mary's House.

19. Item, A full Conclusion and Determination, to be taken for my Lady Princes House.

XXXII.

A Letter against the Pope's Authority, and his Followers, setting forth their Treasons. An Original.

(Cott. Library, Cleop. E. 6, p. 214.)

HENRY R.

BY THE KING.

TRUSTY and right Welbeloved, We grete you well. And wher as heretofore, as ye know, both upon most just and

* For to send Letters to my Lord Dacres, my Lord of Norfolk, and Sir T. Clifford.

† In the King's Arbitrement.

§ This is already done.

The Crders taken.

To know this of the King.

The Order is taken.

vertuouse Foundations, grounded upon the Lawes of Almighty God and Holly Scripture, and also by the deliberate Advice, Consultation, Consent and Agreement, as well of the Bishops and Clergie, as by the Nobles and Comons Temporall of this our Realme, assembled in our High Court of Parliament, and by Auctoritie of the same, the Abuses of the Bishop of Rome his Auctoritie and Jurisdiction, of longe time usurped against us, have been not only utterly extirped, abolished and secluded; but also the same our Nobles and Comons, both of the Clergie and Temporalitie, by another severall Acte and upon like Fundation for the publique Weale of this our Realme, have united, knyt and annexed to us and the Corone Imperiall of this our Realme, the Title, Dignitie and Stile of Supreme Hed in Earth, immediatly under God, of the Church of England, as undoubtedly evermore we have been. Which Things also the said Bishops and Clergie, particularly in their Convocations, have holly and entierly consented, recognised, ratified, confermed and approved autentiquely in Writing, both by their Speciall Othes, Profession and Wryting, under their Signes and Seales. So utterly renouncyng all other Othes, Obedience and Jurisdiction, either of the said Bishop of Rome, or of any other Potentate, we late you witt, that perpendyng and consideryng the Charge and Commission in this Behalf geven unto us by Almighty God, together with the great Quietness, Rest and Tranquillite, that hereby may ensue to our faithful Subjects, both in their Consciences, and other wise to the Pleasure of Almighty God, in case the said Bishops and Clergie of this our Realme, should sincerely, truly and faithfully sett forth, declare and preach unto our said Subjects, the very true Word of God, and without all maner or culor of Dissimulation, Hipocrisie, manifest, publishe and declare, the great and innumerable Enormities and Abuses, which the said Bishop of Rome, as well in Title and Stile, as also in Auctoritie and Jurisdiction, of long Tyme unlawfully and injustly hath usurped upon Us, our Progenitors, and all other Christen Princes have not only addressed our Letters Generall to all and every the same Bishops, straitly chargyng and commanding them, not only in their proper Persons, to declare, teach and preach unto the People, the true, mere and sincere Word of God: And how the said Title, Stile, and Jurisdiction of Supreme Hed, apperteyneth unto Us, our Corone and Dignitie Royall. And to gyve like Warnyng, Monition and Charge, to all Abbots, Priors, Deanes, Arche Deacons, Provosts, Parsons, Vicars. Curats, Scole Masters, and all other Ecelesiastical Persons within their Dioces, to do the VOL. III, PART II.

Semblable, in their Churches, every Sunday and Solem Feast, and also in their Scoles; and to cause all manner of Prayers, Orisons, Rubrics and Canons in Masse Books, and all other Books used in Churches, wherin the said Bishop is named, utterly to be abolished, eradicat, and rased out in such wise, as the said Bishop of Rome, his Name and Memorie for evermore (except to his Contumelly and Reproche) may be extinct, suppressed and obscured: But also to the Justices of our Peas, that they, in every Place within the Precinct of their Commissions, do make and cause to be made diligent Serche wayse and especially, whether the said Bishops and Clergie do truly and sincerely, without any Maner Cloke or Dissimulation, execute and accomplish their said Charge to them commytted in this Behalfe; and to satisfie Us and our Councill, of such of them that should omytt or leave undone any Parte of the Premisses, or elles in the Execution thereof, should coldely, fainedly use any manner of synister Addition, Interpretation or Cloke, as more plainly is expressed in our said Letters. We considering the great Good and Furderaunce, that ye may do in these Matters in the Parts about you, and specially at your being at Sises and Sessions; in the Declaration of the Premisses, have thought it good, necessary, and expedient, to write these our Letters unto you; whom we esteem to be of such singuler Zeale and Affection towards the Glory of Almighty God, and of so faithfull and loving Harte towards us, as ye woll not only, with all your Wisdome, Diligences and Labours, accomplish all such Things, as might be to the Preferment and setting forward of Godes Worde, and the Amplification, Defence and Maintenance of our said Interests, Right, Title, Stile, Jurisdiction and Anctoritie, apperteyning unto Us, our Dignitie, Prerogative, and Corone Imperiall of this our Realme, woll and desire you, and nevertheles straitely charge and command you, that laying aparte all vaine Affections, Respects, and Carnal Considerations; and setting before your Eyes the Mirror of Truth, the Glorie of God, the Right and Dignitie of your Soveraigne Lord; thus tending to the inestimable Ünitie and Commoditer both of your self, and all other our Loving and Faithfull Subjects, ye do not only make diligent search within the Precinct of your Commission and Auctoritie, whether the said Bishops and Clergie doe truly, sincerely as before, Preach and Teach, and declare to the People the Premisses, according to their Duties, but also at your said setting in Siscs and Sessions ye do persuade, shewe, and declare unto the same People the Tenor, Effect, and Purpose of the Premisses in such wise, as the said Bishops, and

Clergie, may the better, not only do therby, and execute their said Dueties, but that also the Parents, and Rulers of Families, may declare, teach, and informe their Children and Servants in the Specialities of the same, to the utter extirpacion of the said Bishops usurped Authority, Name, and Jurisdiction; for ever shewyng and declaryng also to the People at your said Sessions the Treasons trayterously commytted against us and our Lawes, by the late Bishop of Rochestre, and Sir Thomas Moore, Knight, who thereby, and by diverse Secrete Practises of the maliciouse Mynds against us intended, to semynate, engender, and brede amongs our People and Subjects, most mischievous and sediciouse Opynyon, not only to their own Confusion, but also of divers others who lately have condignely suffered Execucion according to their Demerites, and in such wise dilating the same with Persuacions to the same our People, as they may be the better fixed, established, and Satisfied in the Truth, and consequently, that all our Faythfull and true Subjects may therby detest and abhore in their Hearts and Deeds, the most recreant and traiterouse Abuses, and Behaveours of the said Maliciouse Malefactors as they be most Worthy, and fynding any Defaulte, Negligence, or Dissimulacion in any manner of Person, or Persons, not doyng his Duetie in this Partie, ye immediately doe advertise us and our Counsel of the Defaulte, Manner, and Facion of the same, lating you witt, that considering the greate Moment, Weight and Importance of this Matter, as wherupon dependeth the Unity, Rest, and Quietnes of this our Realme, yf ye should contrary to your Dueties, and our Expectations, and Trust, neglect, be slake, or omytte to doe diligently your Dueties in the true Performance and Execucion of our Mynde, Pleasure, and Commandment as before, or wold halte or stumble at any Person, or Specialtie of the same, be ye assured that we, like a Prince of Justice, well so punish and correct your Defaulte and Negligence thereyn, as it shall be an Example to all others, how contrary to their Allegeance, Othes and Dueties, they do frustrate and deceive, and disobey the just and lawfull Commandment of their Soveraign Lord, in such Things as by the true Hartie and Faithfull Execucion whereof, they shall not only prefer the Honour and Glory of God, and sett forth the Majesty and Imperial Dignitie of their Soveraign Lord, bnt allso importe and bring an inestimable Unitie, Concorde, and Tranquillitie of the Publique and Common State of this Realme whereunto both by the Lawes of God and Nature and Man, they be utterly obliged and bounden, and therefore fail ye not most effectually, ernestly, and entierly to