same; as they tender the King's Majesty's will and pleasure,
and will answer the contrary at their peril.

And where the late King of most famous memory, father to
his Highness, hath given divers years license to his subjects in
the time of Lent, to eat butter, cheese, and other meats, com-
monly called white meats, the King's Highness, by the advice
aforesaid, considering the same to have been done not without
great considerations, doth give likewise license and authority to
all his loving subjects from henceforth freely for ever in the
time of Lent, or other prohibited times by law or custom, to
eat butter, eggs, cheese, and other white meats, any law, sta-
tute, act, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

Burnet,

No. 22.

Ex reg. Cranmer.

fol. 111. Strype,

XXX.

A Proclamation against those that do innovate, alter, or leave
undone any Rite or Ceremony in the Church, of their private
authority; and against them which preach without license.
Set forth the 6th day of February, in the second year of the
King's Majesty's most gracious reign. [1548.]

THE King's Majesty, by the advice of his most entirely be-
Ref. vol. ii. loved uncle, the Duke of Somerset, Governor of his most royal
App. b. i.
and Protector of all his realms, dominions, and subjects,
person,
and others of his Council; considering nothing so much to tend
to the disquieting of this realm, as diversity of opinions, and
variety of rites and ceremonies concerning religion and wor-
Memorials, shipping of Almighty God; and therefore studying all the ways
vol. ii.
App. O.
and means which can be to direct this Church, and the cure
Wilkins, committed to his Highness, in one and most true doctrine, rite,
Concilia,
and usage, yet is advertised, that certain private curates,
vol. iv.
p. 21.
preachers, and other laymen, contrary to their bounden duty
of obedience, do rashly attempt, of their own and singular wit
and mind, in some parish churches, and otherwise, not only to
persuade the people from the old and accustomed rites and ce-
remonies, but also themselves bringeth in new orders every one
in their church, according to their phantasies; the which, as it
is an evident token of pride and arrogance, so it tendeth both
to confusion and disorder, and also to the high displeasure of

Almighty God, who loveth nothing so much as order and obedience: Wherefore his Majesty straitly chargeth and commandeth, that no manner of person, of what estate, order, or degree soever he be, of his private mind, will, or phantasy, do omit, leave undone, change, alter, or innovate any order, rite, or ceremony commonly used and frequented in the Church of England, and not commanded to be left undone at any time in the reign of our late Sovereign Lord, his Highness's father, other than such as his Highness, by the advice aforesaid, by his Majesty's visitors, injunctions, statutes, or proclamations, hath already, or hereafter shall command to be omitted, left, innovated, or changed; but that they be observed after that sort as before they were accustomed, or else now sith prescribed by the authority of his Majesty, or by the means aforesaid, upon pain, that whosoever shall offend contrary to this proclamation, shall incur his Highness's indignation, and suffer imprisonment and other grievous punishment, at his Majesty's will and pleasure. Provided always, that for not bearing a candle upon Candlemas-day; not taking ashes upon Ash-Wednesday; not bearing palm upon Palm-Sunday; not creeping to the cross; not taking holy bread or holy water; or for omitting other such rites and ceremonies concerning religion and the use of the Church, which the most reverend Father in God, the Archbishop of Canterbury, by his Majesty's will and commandment, with the advice aforesaid, hath declared, or hereafter shall declare, to the other bishops, by his writing under seal, as heretofore hath been accustomed, to be omitted or changed; no man hereafter be imprisoned, nor otherwise punished; but all such things to be reputed for the observation and following of the same, as though they were commanded by his Majesty's Injunctions. And to the intent that rash and seditious preachers should not abuse his Highness's people, it is his Majesty's pleasure, that whosoever shall take upon him to preach openly in any parish church, chapel, or any other open place, other than those which be licensed by the King's Majesty, or his Highness's visitors, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the bishop of the diocese where he doth preach, except it be bishop, parson, vicar, dean, warden, or provost, in his or their own cure, shall be forthwith,

z [See Letter CCLXIX.]

upon such attempt and preaching, contrary to this Proclamation,
be committed to prison, and there remain until such time as his
Majesty, by the advice aforesaid, hath taken order for the fur-
ther punishment of the same. And that the premises should be
more speedily and diligently done and performed, his Highness
giveth straitly in commandment to all justices of peace, mayors,
sheriffs, constables, headboroughs, churchwardens, and all other
his Majesty's officers and ministers, and rulers of towns, pa-
rishes, and hamlets, that they be diligent and attendant to the
true and faithful execution of this proclamation, and every part
thereof, according to the intent, purport, and effect of the same.
And that they of their proceedings herein, or if any offender
be, after they have committed the same to prison, do certify his
Highness the Lord Protector, or his Majesty's Council, with all
speed thereof accordingly, as they tender his Majesty's pleasure,
the wealth of the realm, and will answer to the contrary at their
uttermost perils.

God save the King.

Wilkins,

vol. iv.

XXXI.

Mandatum ad amovendas et delendas Imagines.

THOMAS, permissione divina Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus, Conciliu, totius Angliæ Primas et Metropolitanus, per illustrissimum in p. 22. from Christo principem, et dominum nostrum dominum Edvardum Craumer's Sextum Dei gratia Angliæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Regem, Fidei Register, fol. 32. a.

Foxe, Acts, &c. vol. ii. p. 658.

Defensorem, et in terra Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ et Hiberniæ Su-
premum Caput, sufficienter et legitime auctorizatus; venerabili
confratri nostro domino Edmundo eadem permissione Londoni-
ensi Episcopo, vestrove vicario in spiritualibus generali et offi-
ciali principali, salutem et fraternam in Domino charitatem.
Literas missivas clarissimorum et prudentissimorum dominorum
de privato Consilio suæ Regiæ Majestatis manibus subscriptas,
nobis inscriptas et directas nuper recepimus, tenorem subse-
quentem complectentes.

After our right hearty recommendations to your good Lord-
ship, where now of late, in the King's Majesty's visitation,
among other godly Injunctions commanded to be generally ob-
served through all parts of this his Highness's realm, one was
set forth for the taking down of all such images as had at any

Eccles.

time been abused with pilgrimages, offerings, or censings a: Heylyn, albeit that this said Injunction hath in many parts of the realm Restaur. been well and quietly obeyed and executed, yet in many other Edw. VI. places much strife and contention hath risen, and daily riseth, P. 55. Burnet, more and more increaseth about the execution of the same; Reformat. some men being so superstitious, or rather wilful, as they would vol. ii. App. b.i. No. 23. by their good wills retain all such images still, although they have been most manifestly abused; and in some places also the images, which by the said Injunctions were taken down, be now restored and set up again; and almost in every place is contention for images, whether they have been abused or not; and whiles these men go about on both sides contentiously to obtain their minds, contending whether this or that image hath been offered unto, kissed, censed, or otherwise abused, parties have in some places been taken, in such sort as further inconvenience is very like to ensue, if remedy be not provided in time: Considering therefore that almost in no places of this realm is any sure quietness, but where all images be wholly taken away and pulled down already; to the intent that all contention in every part of this realm for this matter may be clearly taken away, and that the lively images of Christ should not contend for the dead images, which be things not necessary, and without which the Churches of Christ continued most godly for many years: We have thought good to signify unto you, that his Highness's pleasure, with the advice and consent of us the Lord Protector and the rest of the Council, is, that immediately upon the sight hereof, with as convenient diligence as you may, you shall not only give order that all the images remaining in any church or chapel within your diocese be removed and taken away, but also by your letters signify unto the rest of the bishops within your province his Highness's pleasure for the like order to be given by them and every of them within their several dioceses and in the execution thereof, we require both you and the rest of the bishops foresaid, to use such foresight as the same may be quietly done with as good satisfaction of the people as may be. Thus fare your good lordship well. From Somerset Place, the twenty-first of February, 1547. [1548.] Your lordship's assured friends, E. Somerset, Jo. Russell, Henricus Arundell, T. Seymour, Anthony Wyngefelde, William Pagett.

Quibus quidem literis pro nostro erga suam regiam Majestaa [See above, p. 329.]

tem officio, uti decet, obtemperare summopere cupientes, vestræ fraternitati tenore præsentium committimus et Regiæ Majestatis vice et nomine, quibus in hac parte fungimur, mandamus, quatenus attento diligenter literarum hujuscemodi tenore, omnibus et singulis confratribus coepiscopis nostris, et Ecclesiæ nostræ Christi Cantuariensis suffraganeis, cum ea qua poteritis celeritate accommoda præcipiatis, ut ipsorum singuli in suis cathedralibus necnon civitatum et diocesium suarum parochialibus ecclesiis, exposito publice literarum hujuscemodi tenore, omnia et singula in literis præinsertis comprehensa, deducta et descripta quatenus eos concernunt, in omnibus et per omnia exequi et perimpleri sedulo et accurate curent, et fieri non postponant, sicque a vobis frater charissime in civitate et diocesi vestris London' per omnia fieri et perimpleri volumus et mandamus. Dat' in manerio nostro de Lambehithe vigesimo quarto die mensis Februarii, anno Domini, juxta computationem Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, 1547. [1548.] et nostræ consecrationis anno decimo quinto.

Foxe, Acts, &c. vol. ii. p. 659. Wilkins, Concilia,

vol. iv. p. 31.

XXXII.

Letter Missive from the Council to the Bishops of the Realm, concerning the Communion to be ministered in both Kinds. AFTER our most hearty commendations unto your Lordship. Where in the Parliament late holden at Westminster, it was, amongst other things, most godly established, that, according to the first institution and use of the primitive Church, the most holy sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ should be distributed to the people under the kinds of bread and wine: according to the effect whereof, the King's Majesty, minding, with the advice and consent of the Lord Protector's Grace, and the rest of the Council, to have the said statute well executed in such sort, or like as is agreeable with the word of God, (so the same may be also faithfully and reverently received of his most loving subjects, to their comforts and wealth,) hath caused sundry of his Majesty's most grave and well learned prelates, and other learned men in the Scripture, to assemble themselves for this matter; who, after long conference together, have with deliberate advice finally agreed upon such an order to be used in all places of the King's Majesty's dominions, in the distribution of the said most holy Sacrament,