VI. A. D. Edward we, for God's cause, your soul's health, our conscience, and the common tranquillity of our realm, have so long desired; assuring you that our sufferance hath much more demonstration of natural love, than contentation of our conscience, and foresight of our safety. Wherefore, although you give us occasion, as much almost as in you is, to diminish our natural love; yet we be loth to feel it decay, and mean not to be so careless of you as we be provoked. 1550. And therefore, meaning your weal, and therewith joining a care not to be found guilty in our conscience to God, having cause to require forgiveness that we have so long, for respect of love toward you, omitted our bounden duty, we send at this present our right trusty and right well-beloved councillor, the lord Rich, chancellor of England, and our trusty and right well-beloved councillors, sir A. W., knight, comptroller of our household, and sir W. P., knight, one of our principal secretaries, in message to you, touching the order of your house, willing you to give them firm credit in those things they shall say to you from us, and do there in our name. Given under our signet at our castle of Windsor, the 24th of August, in the fifth year of our reign. A Copy of the King's Instructions, given to the said Lord Chancellor, and to Sir A. W. and W. P. Knights, etc., the 24th of August, 1551. First, you the said lord chancellor, and your colleagues, shall make your immediate repair to the said lady Mary, giving to her his majesty's hearty commendations, and show the cause of your coming to be as followeth. Although his majesty hath long time, as well by his majesty's own mouth and writing, as by his council, travailed that the said lady, being his sister, and a principal subject and member of his realm, should both be indeed, and also show herself, conformable to the laws and ordinances of the realm, in the profession and rites of religion, using all the gentle means of exhortation and advice that could be devised, to the intent that the reformation of the fault might willingly come of herself, as the expectation and desire of his majesty, and all good wise men was; yet, notwithstanding his majesty seeth that hitherto no manner of amendment hath followed, but, by the continuance of the error, and manifest breach of his laws, no small peril consequently may hap to the state of his realm; especially the sufferance of such a fault being directly to the dishonour of God, and the great offence of his majesty's conscience, and all other good men; and therefore of late, even with the consent and advice of the whole state of his privy council, and divers others of the nobility of his realm, whose names ye may repeat, if you think convenient, his majesty did resolutely determine it just, necessary, and expedient, that her grace should not, in any wise, use or maintain the private mass, or any other manner of service than such as, by the law of the realm, is authorized and allowed. And, to participate this his majesty's determination to her grace, it was thought in respect of a favourable proceeding with herself, to have the same not only to be manifested by her own officers and servants, being most esteemed with her, but also to be executed with them in her house, as well for the quiet proceeding in the very matter, as for the less molesting of her grace with any message by strangers, in that time of her solitariness, wherein her grace was then, by reason of the late sickness. For which purpose her three servants, Rochester, Englefield, and Waldgrave, were sent in message in this manner: first, to deliver his majesty's letter to her; next to discharge the complaints of saying mass, and prohibiting all the household from hearing any. Wherein the king's majesty perceiveth upon their own report, being returned to the court, how negligently, and indeed how falsely, they have executed their commandment and charge; contrary to the duty of good subjects, and to the manifest contempt of his majesty. Insomuch as manifestly they have, before his majesty's council, refused to do that which pertaineth to every true faithful subject, to the offence so far of his majesty, and derogation of his authority, that in no wise the punishment of them could be forborne: and yet, in the manner of the punishment of them, his majesty and his council have such consideration and respect of her person, being his sister, that without doubt his VI. A. D. 1550. majesty could not with honour have had the like consideration or favour in the Edward punishment of the dearest councillor he hath, if any of them had so offended. And therefore his majesty hath sent you three, not only to declare to her grace the causes of their sending thither of late his officers in message, but also the causes of their absence now presently; and further, in the default of the said officers, to take order, as well with her chaplains, as with the whole household, that his majesty's laws may be there observed. And in the communication with her, you shall take occasion to answer, in his majesty's name, certain points of her letter, sent now lately to his majesty; the copy of which letter is now also sent to you to peruse, for your better instruction how to proceed therein. First, her allegation of the promise made to the emperor, must be so answered, as the truth of the matter serveth, whereof every of you have heard sufficient testimony divers times in the council. For her offering of her body at the king's will, rather than to change her conscience, it grieveth his majesty much, that her conscience is so settled in error, and yet no such thing is meant of his majesty, nor of any one of his council, once to hurt, or will evil to her body; but, even from the bottom of their heart, they wish to her mentem sanam in corpore sano.' And therefore ye shall do very well to persuade her grace, that this proceeding cometh only of the conscience the king hath to avoid the offence of God, and of necessary counsel and wisdom to see his laws in so weighty causes executed. Item, because it is thought that Rochester had the care and consideration of her grace's provision of household, and by his absence the same might be disordered or disfurnished, his majesty hath sent a trusty skilful man of his own household, to serve her grace for the time; who also is sufficiently instructed by Rochester of the state of her things of household. And if there shall be any thing lacking in the same, his majesty's pleasure is, that his servant shall advertise his own chief officers of household, to the intent, if the same may be supplied of any store here, or other where helped conveniently, her grace shall not lack. Item, Having thus proceeded with her grace, as for the declarations of the causes of your coming, ye shall then cause to be called before you the chaplains, and all the rest of the household there present; and, in the king's majesty's name, most straitly forbid the chaplains either to say or use any mass or kind of service, other than by the law is authorized. And likewise ye shall forbid all the rest of the company to be present at any such prohibited service, upon pain to be most straitly punished, as worthily falling into the danger of the king's indignation; and alike charge to them all, that if any such offence shall be openly or secretly committed, they shall advertise some of his majesty's council. In the which clause ye shall use the reasons of their natural duty and allegiance that they owe as subjects to their sovereign lord, which derogateth all other earthly duties. Item, If you shall find either any of the priests, or any other person, disobedient to this order, ye shall commit them forthwith to prison, as ye shall think convenient. Item, Forasmuch as ye were privy to the determination at Richmond,1 and there understood how necessary it was to have reformation herein; his majesty, upon the great confidence he hath in your wisdom and uprightness, remitteth to your discretion the manner of the proceeding herein, if any thing shall chance to arise there that in your opinions might, otherwise than according to these instructions, conduce you to the execution of your charge; which, in one sum, is to avoid the use of the private mass, and other unlawful service, in the house of the said lady Mary. Item, Ye shall devise by some means as you may, to have understanding after your departure, how the order you give is observed, and as you shall judge fit, to certify hither. E. S., W. W., I. W., I. B., W. N., (1) A.D. 1550. Edward VI. A. D. 1547 to 1550. Here followeth the History of the Doings and Attempts of Stephen WITH THE PROCESS OF HIS ARTICLES AND EXAMINATIONS *Now that we have discoursed the process, doings, and examinations of Edmund Bonner, followeth next in order the Story of Stephen Gardiner bishop of Winchester, in process not much unlike to the other; in stoutness alike arrogant and glorious; in craft and subtlety going before him, although the order and time of his examinations came behind him. This Gardiner, having precept and commandment given unto him by the king to preach upon certain points which they had him in suspicion for, in much like sort as Bonner did before, showed himself, in performing the same, both stubborn and wilful, as was declared of the other before. Whereupon the next day after his sermon ensuing, being arrested by sir Anthony Wingfield and sir Ralph Sadler, knights, accompanied with a great number of the guard, he was committed to the Tower; from whence, at length, he was brought to Lambeth, to his examinations, whereof more shall be said hereafter (Christ permitting) at large. In the mean time to comprehend and collect all things in order, first, we will begin with the beginning of his deserved trouble: how he was committed to keep his house, and afterwards had to the Fleet; and what letters he wrote, as well to others as especially to the lord protector; whose answers again to the said bishop, as many as came to our hands, we have thereto annexed, by the example and copy of which his letters, here being expressed for thee, gentle reader, to peruse, thou mayest easily perceive and understand the proud and glorious spirit of that man, his stubborn contumacy against the king, and malicious rebellion against God and true religion, with sleight and craft enough to defend his peevish purposes.* THE EXAMPLES AND COPIES OF CERTAIN LETTERS3 WRITTEN BY Winchester to the Lord Protector, in consequence of a Sermon of May it please your grace to understand, that I have noted some points in my lord of St. David's sermon, which I send unto you herewith, whereby to declare unto you some part what I think, for the whole I cannot express. Somewhat I shall encumber you with my babbling, but he hath encumbered some friends more with his tattling. And alas, my lord! this is a piteous case, that having so much business as ye have, these inward disorders should be (1) Although the first imprisonment of Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, in order of time was before the deprivation of bishop Bonner: yet, forsomuch as he was not deposed from his bishopric till the next or second year after, which was 1551, I have therefore driven off the history of the said bishop of Winchester to this present place. (2) This history of Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, is arranged as it is in the first edition of the Acts and Monuments, to which Foxe refers the reader in all his subsequent editions. See Edition 1563, p. 728.-ED. (3) To obviate much confusion in the dates, the editor has altered the arrangement of the following five letters.-ED. (4) He noteth Master Barlow. [He was consecrated bishop of St. Asaph in 1535, and in 1536 he was removed to St. Davids, which see he retained for about thirteen years: from thence he was translated first to Bath and Wells, and then to Winchester. See Godwin, p. 514.-ED.] VI. A. D. added unto them, to the courage of such as would this realm any ways evil. Edward For this is the thing they would desire, with hope thereby to disorder this realm, being now a time rather to repair that which needeth reparation, than to make any new buildings which they pretend. Quiet, tranquillity, unity, and concord shall maintain estimation: the contrary may animate the enemy to attempt that which was never thought on, which God forbid. There was never attempt of alteration made in England, but upon comfort of discord at home; and woe be to them that mind it! If my lord of St. David's, or such others, have their head encumbered with any new platform, I would wish they were commanded, between this and the king's majesty's full age, to draw the plat, diligently to hew the stones, dig the sand, and chop the chalk, in the unseasonable time of building; and, when the king's majesty cometh to full age, to present their labours to him; and, in the mean time, not to disturb the state of the realm,2 whereof your grace is protector; but that you may, in every part of religion, laws, lands, and decrees (which four contain the state), deliver the same unto our sovereign lord, according unto the trust you be put in; which shall be much to your honour, and as all honest men wish and desire to which desired effect there can be nothing so noisome and contrarious as trouble and disquiet. Wherein your grace shall be specially troubled, as on whose shoulders all the weight lieth; and whatsoever shall happen amiss by the faults of others, shall be imputed to your grace, as doer thereof, or wanting foresight in time to withstand the same. And albeit that your mind be not faulty in either, yet, if the effect be not to the realm as it were to be wished, the prince, though he were of age, should be excused, and the governors bear the blame. And this is the infelicity of pre-eminence and authority, and specially in this realm, as stories make mention, which should not discourage you, for you need fear nothing without, if quiet be reserved at home; and at home, if the beginning be resisted, the intended folly may easily be interrupted. But if my brother of St. David's may, like a champion with his sword in his hand, make entry for the rest, the door of license opened, there shall more by folly thrust in with him than your grace would wish. Thus, as I think, I write homely to your grace, because you were content I should write, wherein I consider only to have all things well. And because your grace is the protector and the chief director of the realm, to present unto your wisdom what my folly is, I have been oftentimes blamed for fearing overmuch, and yet I have had an inkling that they that so blamed me, feared even as much as I. Being in the state that you be in, it shall be ever commendable to foresee the worst. In quiet ye be strong, in trouble ye be greatly weak, and bring yourself in danger of one part, when parties be, therewith one to scourge the other whereas, in concord, they be both yours, in an honest, reverent, lowly fear to do their duty; which, I doubt not, your wisdom can consider, and consider also how noisome any other outward encumber might be, in the time of the minority of our sovereign lord. I told the emperor's council, that our late sovereign lord did much for the emperor, to enter war with him, and to put his realm in his old days in the adventure of fortune, whether he should enjoy it or no; for that is the nature of war. And sometimes the contemned and abject have had the upper hand. And when ye administer the realm for another, it were a marvellous question of him that shall enjoy the realm to say, What meant you, in the time of administration to adventure my realm? Why took ye not rather, for the time of my minority, any peace, whatsoever it were? which is better than the best war, as some men have written. 1547 to 1550. the expedition into I know you have authority sufficient, and wisdom plenty, and yet, being Winchesentered to write, I forget for the time what ye be, and commune with you as I ter against were talking at Brussels with you, devising of the world at large. And if I were sworn to say what I think of the state of the world, I would, for a time, Scotland. let Scots be Scots, with despair to have them, unless it were by conquest, which shall be a goodly enterprise for our young master, when he cometh to age. And, in the mean time, prepare him money for it, and set the realm in an order (1) Where quiet and tranquillity goeth with right formed religion, by all means it is to be maintained; but, contrary, where God's religion lacketh its right, there the second table must give place to the first. (2) This bishop reasoneth here as one having more respect to worldly tranquillity than to Christ's glory. (3) Wily Winchester, under pretence of giving sage counsel, craftily goeth about to incense and set the lord protector against all good men, and all godly proceedings VI. A. D. 1547 to 1550. ter's let Edward which it hath need of. And for a stay, if the emperor would offer the daughter of the king of Romans, as he did, do with him in our master's minority, as he did with us in his, whereby all this hath chanced unto him. And by this alliance your estimation shall increase, and our sovereign lord's surety not a little increase and be augmented. For of France it must be taken for a rule, They be so wanton, they cannot do well longer than they see how they may be scourged, if they do not.' Here is all the wit that I have, which I offer unto you upon this occasion of writing, and shall pray God to put into your mind that which shall be for the best, as I trust he will; and, in the mean time, to extinguish this barbarous contention at home, which can serve only to do hurt, Winches- and no good. I had fashioned a letter to Master Ridley," which I send unto your grace, and encumber you with these melancholy writings, engendered of this fondness, which be not worth the reading. And so it may like you to use them, for having heard that which ye have said unto me, and otherwise heard and seen what you do, I shall go occupy my wit in other matters; and now such as have found enterprises shall see, that I letted not their follies (which they called God's word): but for his time the king our sovereign lord that dead is; and after his time you have done much to your honour and reputation; howsoever any shall be here not contented; which miscontentation hath been so fond in some, as they have burst out and wished, that they might, without breach of his laws, kill me; which is to me a token of a marvellous fury, which hath been cause why I am glad both to depart hence, and to depart the sooner, and pray to God to order all things for the best, with preservation of our sovereign lord, and increase of your grace's honour. ter against Ridley. At my house in Southwark, the last of February. Your grace's humble bead-man, S. W. A Letter of Winchester to Captain Vaughan, dated the 3d of May, 1547. Master Vaughan, after my right hearty commendations: In my last letters to my lord protector, signifying, according to the general commandment by letters given to all justices of peace, the state of this shire, I declared (as I supposed true) the shire to be in good order, quiet, and conformity; for I had not then heard of any alteration in this shire, which the said letters of commandment did forbid. Now of late, within these two days, I have heard of a great and detestable (if it be true that is told me) innovation in the town of Images Portsmouth, where the images of Christ and his saints have been most conplucked temptuously pulled down, and spitefully handled. Herein I thought good both down at Ports- to write to you and the mayor, the king's majesty's chief ministers, as well to mouth. know the truth, as to consult with you for the reformation of it, to the intent I may be seen to discharge my duty, and discharging it indeed both to God and to the king's majesty, under whom I am here appointed to have cure and care to relieve such as be by any ways fallen, and preserve the rest that stand, from like danger. Ye are a gentleman with whom I have had acquaintance, and whom I know to be wise, and esteem to have more knowledge, wisdom, and discretion than to allow any such enormities; and therefore I do the more willingly consult with you herein, with request friendly to know of you the very truth in the matter: who be the doers, and the circumstances of it, and whether ye think the matter so far gone with the multitude, and whether the reproof and disproving of the deed, might, without a further danger, be enterprised in the pulpit or not; minding, if it may so be, to send one thither for that purpose upon Sunday next coming. I would use preaching as it should not be occasion of any further folly where a folly is begun; and to a multitude, persuaded in the opinion of destruction of images, I would never preach: for, as Scripture willeth us, we should cast no precious stones before hogs. Such as be infected (1) Winchester here meaneth a fetch, if he could have brought it about. (3) God's word is folly to Winchester, but to them that be wise in the Lord, it is the wisdom of the Lord to salvation. (4) This place here seemeth to lack something, or else Winchester lacketh his wits. |