him.

tions.

his liberty; but if he were out of prison, he should either obey it, or be liable to punishment according to law. Upon the duke of Somerset's fall, the lord treasurer, the earl of Warwick, sir William Herbert, and secretary Petre, were sent to him*: (Fox says, this was on the 9th of July, and it is so in king Edward's Journal; but there must be an error in that, for Gardiner in his answer says, that upon the duke of Somerset's coming to the Tower, he looked to have been let out within two days, and had made his farewell feast, but when these were with him a month or thereabout had passed: so it must have been in November the former year.) They brought him a paper, to which they desired he would set his hand. It contained first a preface, which was an acknowledgment of former faults, Some Articles for which he had been justly punished: there were also divers articles contained are sent to in it, which were touching the king's supremacy; his power of appointing or dispensing with holidays and fasts; that the book of Common-prayer set out by the king and parliament was a most Christian and godly book, to be allowed of by all bishops and pastors in England, and that he should both in sermons and discourses commend it to be observed; that the king's power was complete now when under age, and that all ówed obedience to him, now, as much as if he were thirty or forty years old; that the Six Articles were justly abrogated; and that the king had full authority to correct and reform what was amiss in the church both in England and Ireland. He only excepted to the preface; and offered to sign all the articles, but would have had the preface left out. They bid him rather write on the margin his exceptions to it; so he writ, that he could not with a good conscience agree to the preface, and with that exception he set his hand to the whole paper. Which he The lords used him with great kindness, and gave him hope that his troubles signed with should be quickly ended. Herbert and Petre caine to him some time after that, some excep- but how soon is not so clear, and pressed him to make the acknowledgment without exception; he refused it, and said, he would never defame himself, for when he had done it, he was not sure but it might be made use of against him as a confession. Two or three days after that, Ridley was sent to him, together with the other two, and they brought him new articles. In this paper the acknowledgment was more general than in the former: it was said here in the preface, that he had been suspected of not approving the king's proceedings, and being appointed to preach, had not done it as he ought to have done, and so deserved the king's displeasure, for which he was sorry: the articles related to the pope's supremacy, the suppression of abbeys and chantries, New Articles sent to him. pilgrimages, masses, images, the adoring the sacrament, the communion in botli kinds, the abolishing the old books, and bringing in the new book of service, and that for ordaining of priests and bishops, the completeness of the Scripture, and the use of it in the vulgar tongue, the lawfulness of clergymen's marriage, and to Erasmus's paraphrase that it had been on good considerations ordered to be set up in churches. He read all these, and said, ho desired first to be discharged of his imprisonmont, and then ho would frooly ánswer them all, so as to stand by it, and suffer if he did atniss but ho would trouble himself with no more articles, while he remained in prison; since he desired not to be delivered out of his troubles in the way of mercy, but of justice. After that, he was brought before the council, and the lords told him they sat by a special commission to judge him, and so required him to subscribe the articles that had been sent to him. He prayed them earnestly to put him to a trial for the grounds of his imprisonment, and when that was over he would clearly answer them in all other things; but he did not think he could subscribe all the articles after one sort; some of them being about laws already made, which he could not qualify, others of them being matters of learning, in which he might use more freedom: in conclusion, he desired leave to take them with him, and he would consider how to answer them. But they required him to subscribe them all without any qualification; which he But he refus refused to do. Upon this the fruits of his bishopric were sequestered; and he ing to sign was required to conform himself to their orders within three months, upon pain them, was of deprivation; and the liberty he had, of walking in some open galleries, when hardly used. the duke of Norfolk was not in them, was taken from him; and he was again shut up in his chamber.

*The duke of Somerset was not then fallen. It was between his two falls.-STRYPE'S CORRECT.
VOL. 1.
D D

clesiastical

Censures.

were brought to such places as were bound to see to them. There was a bill brought in for the repealing of a branch of the act of uniformity, but it went no further than one reading. On the 14th of November the bishops made a heavy complaint to the lords, of the The Bishops abounding of vice and disorder, and that their power was so abridged, that they move for a re- could punish no sin, nor oblige any to appear before them, or to observe the viving of Ec- orders of the church. This was heard by all the lords with great regret, and they ordered a bill to bo drawn about it. On the 18th of November a bill was brought in, but rejected at first reading, because it seemed to give the bishops too much power. So a second bill was appointed to be drawn by a committee of the house. It was agreed to, and sent down to the commons, who laid it aside after the second reading. They thought it better to renew the design that was in the former reign, of two-and-thirty persons being authorized to compile the body of ecclesiastical laws; and when that was prepared, it seemed more proper, by confirming it, to establish ecclesiastical jurisdiction, than to give the bishops any power, while the rules of their courts were so little determined or regulated so an act passed, empowering the king to name sixteen persons of the spiritualty, of whom four should be bishops, and sixteen of the temporalty, of whom four should bo common lawyers, who within three years should compile a body of ecclesiastical laws; and those being nothing contrary to the common and statute laws of the land, should be published by the king's warrant, under the great seal, and have the force of laws in the ecclesiastical courts. Thus they took care that this should not be turned over to an uncertain period, as it had been done in the former reign, but designed that it should be quickly finished. The bishops of that time were generally so backward in every step to a reformation, that a small number of them was made necessary to be of this commission. Tho effect that it had shall be afterwards opened.

1550.

Thero was a bill brought into the house of commons, that the preaching and holding of some opinions should be declared felony: it passed with them, but was laid asido by the lords. A bill for the form of ordaining ministers was brought into the house of lords, and was agreed to, the bishops of Durham, Carlisle, Worcester, Chichester, An Act about and Westminster, protesting against it. The substance of it was, that such the Forms of forms of ordaining ministers as should be set forth by the advice of six prelates giving Orders. and six divines, to be named by the king, and authorized by a warrant under the great seal, should be used after April next, and no other. On the 2d of January a bill was An Act about put in against the duke of Somerset, of the articles formerly mentioned, with a the Duke of confession of them signed by his hand. This he was prevailed with to do, upon Somerset. assurances given that he should be gently dealt with, if he would freely confess, and submit himself to the king's mercy. But it was said by some of the lords, that they did not know whether that confession was not drawn from him by force: and that it might be an ill precedent to pass acts upon such papers without examining the party, whether he had subscribed them freely and uncompelled: so they sent four temporal lords, and four bishops, to examine him concerning it. And the day following, the bishop of Coventry and Litchfield made the report, that he thanked them for that kind message, but that he had freely subscribed the confession that lay before them. He had made it on his knees before the king and council, and had signed it on the 13th of December. He protested his offences had flowed from rashness and indiscretion, rather than malice, and that he had no treasonable design against the king or his realms. So he was fined by act of parliament in 20007. a year of land, and he lost all his goods and offices. Upon this he wrote to the council, acknowledging their favour, in bringing off his matter by a fine; he confessed that he had fallen into the frailties that often attend on great places, but what he had done amiss was rather for want of true judgment, than from any malicious meaning: he humbly desired they would interpose with the king for a moderation of his fine, and that he might be pardoned and restored to favour; assuring them, that for the future he should carry himself so humbly and obediently, that he should thereby make amends for his former follies: this was much censured by many, as a sign of an abject spirit; others thought it was wisely done in him, once to get out of prison on any terms, since the greatness of his former condition gave such jealousy to his enemics, that unless he had his pardon, he would be in

continual danger, as long as he was in their hands. So on the 6th of February he was set at liberty, giving bond of 10,000l. for his good behaviour; and being limited that he should stay at the king's house of Sheen, or his own of Sion, and should not go four miles from them, nor come to the king or the council, unless he were called; he had his pardon on the 16th of February, and carried himself after that so humbly, that his behaviour, with the king's great kindness to him, did so far prevail, that on the 10th of April after, he was restored into favour, and sworn of the privy-council. And so this storm went over him much more gently than was expected; but his carriage in it was thought to have so little of the hero, that he was not much considered after this.

But to go on with the business of the parliament; reports had been spread, that the old The Refor- service would be again set up; and these were much cherished by those who still mation is set loved the former superstition; who gave out, that a change was to be expected, on vigorously. since the new service had been only the act of the duke of Somerset. Upon this the council wrote on Christmas day a letter to all the bishops of England, to this effect, "That whereas the English service had been devised by learned men, according to the Scripture, and the use of the primitive church; therefore, for putting away those vain expectations, all clergymen were required, to deliver to such as should be appointed by the king to receive them, all antiphonals, missals, grayles, processionals, manuals, legends, pies, portuasses, journals, and ordinals, after the use of Sarum, Lincoln, York, or any other privato use; requiring them also to seo to the observing one uniform order in the service set forth by the common consent of the realm; and particularly to take care that there should be everywhere provision made of bread and wine for the communion on Sunday." Collection, Number 46. This will be found in the Collection. But to give a more public declaration of their zeal, an act was brought into parliament about it, and was agreed to by all the lords; except the earl of Derby, the bishops of Durham, Coventry and Litchfield, Carlisle, Worcester, Westminster, and Chichester, and the lords Morley, Stourton, Windsor, and Wharton. By it, not only all the books formerly mentioned were to be destroyed, but all that had any image that had belonged to any church or chapel, were required to deface it before the last of June, and in all the primers set out by the late king, the prayers to the saints were to be dashed out. Thero was also an act for a subsidy to be paid in one year, for which there was a release granted of a branch of the subsidy formerly given. Last of all came the king's general pardon, out of which those in the Tower, or other prisons, on the account of the state, as also all anabaptists, were excepted.

Thus were all matters ended, and on the 1st of February the parliament was prorogued. Only in the house of commons there was a debate that deserves to be remembered. It seems that before this time the eldest sons of peers were not members of the house of commons; and sir Francis Russel, becoming, by the death of his elder brother, heir apparent to the lord Russel; it was on the 21st of January carried upon a debate, " that he should abide in the house as he was before." So it is entered in the original journal of the house of commons, which was communicated to me by Mr. Surle, and Mr. Clark, in whose hands it is now, and is the first journal that ever was taken in that house.

But it may be expected that I should next give an account of the forms of ordination now Heath Bishop agreed on. Twelve were appointed by the council to prepare the book; among of Worcester whom Heath, bishop of Worcester, was one, but he would not consent to the put in Prison reformations that were proposed in it: so on the 8th of February ho was called for not agree- before the council, and required to agree to that which all the rest had consented ing with the others appoint to. But he could not be prevailed with to do it. Wherefore on the 4th of March he was committed to the Fleet, because (as it is entered in the council books) that he obstinately denied to subscribe the book for the making of bishops and priests. He had hitherto opposed everything done towards reformation in parliament, though he had given an entire obedience to it when it was enacted. He was a man of a gentle temper and great prudence, that understood affairs of state better than matters of religion. But now it was resolved to rid the church of those compliers, who submitted out of fear or interest to save their benefices, but were still ready upon any favourable conjuncture, to return back to the old superstition.

ed to draw the Book for Ordinations.

As for the forms of ordination, they found, that the Scripture mentioned only the imposition of hands and prayer. In the apostolical constitutions, in the fourth council of Carthage, and in the pretended works of Denis the Areopagite, there was no more used. Therefore all those additions, of anointing, and giving them consecrated vestments, were later inventions. But most of all the conceit, which from the time of the council of Florence was generally received, that the rites by which a priest was ordained, were the delivering him the vessels for consecrating the Eucharist, with a power to offer sacrifice to God for the dead and the living. This was a vain novelty, only set up to support the belief of transubstantiation; and had no ground in the Scriptures, nor the primitive practice. So they agreed on a form of ordaining deacons, priests, and bishops, which is the same we yet use, except in some few words, that have been added since in the ordination of a priest or bishop. For there was then no express mention made in the words of ordaining them, that it was for the one, or the other office in both it was said, "Receive thou the Holy Ghost in the name of the Father," &c. But that having been since made use of to prove both functions the same, it was of late years altered, as it is now. Nor were these words, being the same in giving both orders, any ground to infer that the church esteemed them one order; tho rest of the office showing the contrary vory plainly. Another difference between the ordination book set out at that time, and that we now use was, that the bishop was to lay his one hand on the priest's head, and with his other to give him a Bible, with a chalice and bread in it, saying the words now said at the delivery of the Bible. In the consecration of a bishop there was nothing more than what is yet in use, save that a staff was put into his hand, with this blessing, "Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd." By the rule of this ordinal, a deacon was not to be ordained before he was twenty-one, a priest before he was twenty-four, nor a bishop before he was thirty years of ago.

The Addi

into the

Church of

ing Orders.

In this ritual all those superadded rites were cut off, which the later ages had brought in, to dress up these performances with the more pomp; whereof we have since a tions brought more perfect account than it was possible for them then to have. For in our age Morinus, a learned priest of the oratorian order, has published the most ancient rituals he could find; by which it appears how these offices swelled in every age Rome in giv- by some new addition. About the middle of the sixth century, they anointed and blessed the priests' hands in some parts of France; though the Greek church never used anointing: nor was it in the Roman church two ages after that; for pope Nicolaus the First plainly says, it was never used in the church of Rome. In the eighth century, the priests' garments were given with a special benediction, for the priests offering expiatory sacrifices: it was no ancienter that that phrase was used in ordinations; and in that same age there was a special benediction of the priests' hands, used before they were anointed; and then his head was anointed. This was taken partly from the Levitical law, and partly because the people believed that their kings derived the sacredness of their persons, from their being anointed; so the priests having a mind to have their persons secured and exempted from all secular power, were willing enough to use this rite in their ordinations; and in the tenth century, when the belief of transubstantiation was received, the delivering of the vessels for the Eucharist, with the power of offering sacrifices, was brought in, besides a great many other rites. So that the church did never tie itself to one certain form of ordinations; nor did it always make them with the same prayers; for what was accounted anciently the form of ordination, was in the later ages but a preparatory prayer to it.

in the new Book.

The most considerable addition that was made in the book of ordinations, was the putting Interrogations questions to the persons to be ordained; who by answering these, make solemn and Sponsions declarations of sponsions and vows to God. The first question when one is presented to orders, is, "Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, to take upon you this office and ministration, to serve God, for the promoting his glory, and for the edifying of his people?" To which he is to answer, trusts he is." It has been oft lamented, that many come to receive orders before ever they have seriously read over these questions, and examined themselves whether they could with a good conscience make the answers there prescribed: since it is scarce credible that men of common honesty would lie in the presence of God on so great an occasion; and yet it is too

"He

visible, that many have not any such inward vocation, nor have ever considered seriously what it is. If it were well apprehended, that heat that many have to get into orders would soon abate; who perhaps have nothing in their eye, but some place of profit, or benefice, to which way must be made by that preceding ceremony; and so enter into orders, as others are associated into fraternities and corporations, with little previous sense of that holy character they are to receive, when they thus dedicate their lives and labours to the service of God in the gospel. In the primitive church the apprehension of this made even good and holy men afraid to enter under such bonds; and therefore they were oft to be dragged almost by force, or catched at unawares, and be so initiated; as appears in the lives of those two Greek fathers, Nazianzen and Chrysostom. If men make their first step to the holy altar by such a lie, as is their pretending to a motion of the Holy Ghost, concerning which they know little, but that they have nothing at all of it; they have no reason to expect that blessing which otherwise attends on such dedications. And it had been happy for the church if all those that are authorised to confer orders, had stood on this more critically; and not been contented with a bare putting these questions to those who come to be ordained; but had used a due strictness beforehand, suitable to that grave admonition of St. Paul's to Timothy, "Lay hands suddenly on no man, and be not partaker of other men's sins.”

In the sponsions made by the priests, they bind themselves to "teach the people committed to their charge, to banish away all erroneous doctrines, and to use both public and private monitions, and exhortations, as well to the sick, as the whole, within their cures, as need shall require, and as occasion shall be given." Such as remember that they have plighted their faith for this to God, will feel the pastoral care to be a load indeed, and so be far enough from relinquishing it, or hiring it out perhaps to a loose or ignorant mercenary. These are the blemishes and scandals that lie on our church, brought on it partly by the corruption of some simoniacal patrons, but chiefly by the negligence of some, and the faultiness of other clergymen which could never have lost so much ground in the nation, upon such trifling accounts, as are the contests since raised about ceremonies; if it were not that the people, by such palpable faults in the persons and behaviour of some churchmen, have been possessed with prejudices, first against them, and then upon their account against the whole church: so that these corrupt churchmen are not only to answer to God for all those souls within their charge, that have perished through their neglect, but in a great degree for all the mischief of the schism among us; to the nourishing whereof they have given so great and palpable occasion. The importance of those things made me judge they deserved this digression, from which I now turn to other affairs.

The business of Boulogne lay heavy on the council. The French had stopped all communication between Calais and it; so that it was not easy to supply it from thence. The council, to rid the nation of the foreigners, sent them all to Calais with three thousand English, and resolved to force a way through, if it came to extremitics; but at this time both the French and English were well disposed to a peace. The king of France knew the emperor intended It is resolved to go into Germany next summer; so he longed to be at liberty to wait on his to deliver motions. The English council, that opposed the delivery of Boulogne, chiefly to Boulogne to throw off the duke of Somerset, that being done, were all convinced that it was the French. not worth the cost and danger of a war; only they stood on the indecency of yielding it; especially they having raised such clamours against the protector, when he went about the delivering it up. So they made great shows of preparations to defend it; but at the same time were not unwilling to listen to propositions of peace. One Guidotti, a Florentine that lived in England, was employed by the constable of France, Montmorency, to set on a treaty; yet he was to do it without owning he had any orders from that king. He went often to and again between Paris and London, and at last it was resolved on both sides that there should be a treaty. But at this time there was a great change Pope Paul of affairs in Italy. Pope Paul III. having held that see fifteen years, died the III. dies. 10th of November, in the eighty-second year of his age; much broken in mind at the calamity of his family, the killing of his son, the loss of Placentia, and the ingratitude of his grandchild. Upon his death all the cardinals, being gathered from Bologna, Trent, and other neighbouring places entered the conclave; where one that is to have such a share in