VI.

Edward there is you, and one other bishop whom I could name, that have used yourselves so contemptuously and disobediently, as the like I think hath not before been heard of or seen; whereby ye have done much harm.

A. D. 1549.

At these words the gross bishop (a beast, a man might justly term Bonner's him) said scornfully to the archbishop, " You show yourself to be a. scornful meet judge."

answer.

Vain suspicion of

The archbishop, then proceeding, laid to his charge how indiscreetly, the last day in the chapel, he had called all the people woodcocks.

Whereunto he answered, that the last session Hugh Latimer, one of the denouncers, being there present, had practised with the audience, that when he lifted up his hand to them, they should (and did as it were by a token given them) say as he said, and do as he did; as, at one time, upon the lifting up of his hand, they cried, "Nay, nay;" and at another time, "Yea, yea," and laughed they could not tell whereat; with such like fashions.

Unto which words Latimer, seeing his vain suspicion, replied, Bonner. saying, that he lifted not up his hand at any time but only to cause them to hold their peace.

The words of secretary Smith.

All things

with Bon

made

against

him.

Bonner

and the rebels com

pared.

Then secretary Smith said to the bishop, that in all his writings and answers that he had hitherto laid in, he would not once acknowledge them as the king's commissioners, but used always protestations, with divers ink-horn and naughty terms, calling them pretensed commissioners, pretensed delegates, pretensed commission, pretensed articles, pretensed proceedings; so that all things were pretensed with him.

'Indeed,' said secretary Smith, such terms the proctors of churches use, to pretensed delay matters for their clients, when they will not have the truth known. But ner, that you, my lord, to use us the king's majesty's commissioners with such terms, you do therein very lewdly and naughtily. And I pray you what other thing did the rebels? For when letters or pardons were brought them from the king and his council, they would not credit them, but said they were none of the king's or his council's, but gentlemen's doings, and made under a bush; with such like terms. But now, my lord, because hitherto we cannot make you confess whether, in your sermon that you preached, ye omitted the article touching the king's majesty's authority in his tender age or not, but still have said that ye will not. otherwise answer than ye have done, and that ye have already sufficiently answered (with many such delays), so as we can by no means induce you to confess plainly what you did, yea or nay; therefore, I say, to the intent we may come to the truth, we have dilated the matter more at large, and have drawn out other articles whereunto you shall be sworn; and then I trust, you will dally with us no more as you have done: for, although ye make your answers in writing, yet you shall be examined by us, and make your answers by mouth to the same articles; or else you shall do worse. Indeed I do not, as I said, discommend your protestations and terms of law, if it were in a young proctor that would help his client's cause; but in you, it may not be suffered so to use the king's commissoners.'

New articles and

nistered

ner.

Then did the delegates minister unto him certain new articles and injune injunctions, and did there onerate him with a corporal oath in form tions mi- of law, to make a full and true answer thereunto. The bishop, notto Bon- withstanding, still (according to his wonted manner) under his former protestation, protested of the nullity and invalidity of these articles, injunctions, and process, desiring also a copy thereof, with a competent time to answer thereunto. To whom the judges decreed a copy, the next commanding him to come to his examination to the archbishop the next day at eight of the clock before noon..

Bonner

assigned

day to appear.

VI.

1549.

New

Then the commissioners did receive for witness upon these new Edward articles now ministered unto the bishop, sir John Mason, knight, sir Thomas Chalenor, knight, Master William Cecil, Armigel Wade, A.D. and William Hunnings, clerks to the king's majesty's council, whom they onerated with a corporal oath in the presence of the bishop, who, still protesting of the nullity of their receiving and swearing, against objected against them and their sayings; and therewith, repeating his interrogatories already ministered, said, he had more to minister by to-morrow at eight of the clock.

The same day and time likewise the bishop exhibited unto the commissioners an information, or rather cavillation against Hugh Latimer, which also I thought to impart unto the reader.

*The Information given against Hugh Latimer, Priest, of Saint Laurence Poultney, by Edmund, Bishop of London, the eighteenth day of September, A.D. 1549.

In the said act and session, Edmund bishop of London giveth information and saith that that said Hugh Latimer, priest-pretending the good and tranquillity of this realm of England, as he saith, and that the same is very greatly and manifestly hindered and impeached, when any of the king's majesty's people and subjects do believe or say, that the king's majesty, our sovereign lord, in his minority, hath not full power and authority royal, as fully and justly as when his majesty doth come to full and perfect age and, likewise, that it is also hindered and impeached, when any of the king's majesty's said people and subjects do declare or say, that the king's said people and subjects are not bound to obey the king's majesty in his said minority-hath, of late, in open audience reported and said, that the said Hugh Latimer hath, with his ears, heard divers persons of this realm, at sundry and divers times, unreverently, unobediently, and not faithfully, speak of the king's majesty-that now is, words in effect and substance as followeth : Tush! the king,' meaning the king of England that now is, is but a babe or child: what laws can he make? or what can he do in his minority? Let him have a toast and butter, or bread and milk; and that is more meet for him, than to make laws or statutes to bind us to obey them. We are not bound to obey, till he be past his minority, and come to his full and perfect age.'

And those words were spoken before you, my lord of Canterbury, my lord of Rochester, Master Thomas Smith, and Master William May, by the mouth of the said Hugh Latimer at your last session; and the said Hugh Latimer was neither controlled by any of you for these words nor any of them, nor yet commanded to bring in such persons as had uttered and spoken the said words, but passed in silence: saving that I, the said Edmund, did speak against the said Hugh Latimer in this behalf, telling them that I would detect and denounce hereof. By all which it appeareth that the said Hugh Latimer hath long concealed, and not opened the words aforesaid, in such places, and to such persons, as of bounden duty he ought and should; but kept the persons and sayings secret, either not taking this matter of such importance as he pretended, either else unfaithfully and untruly behaving himself towards the king's majesty and his council; worthy, therefore, to be convented and punished, with his aiders and abettors, favourers and councillors.*

witness

him.

term

to Bonner

These vain cavillations ended, the commissioners for that day finished A new their session, assigning the bishop to appear in that same place again assigned upon Monday then next following, between the hours of six and to appear. nine, in the forenoon, then and there to show a final cause why he should not be declared "pro confesso." And so delivering him a copy of the articles, they departed; the contents whereof ensue :

(1) A brief summary of this information being all that is inserted in recent editions, the above is extracted from the First Edition, p. 712.-ED.

Articles and Positions given by the King's Commissioners to the Bishop of London, to be answered by him jointly and severally in every point the second time.

I. That ye were sent for to the lord protector's grace, and the rest of the council, and came thither into the court at Westminster the tenth of August, or some other day of the same month.

II. Item, That at the same time the lord protector and divers other of the king's majesty's privy council sitting in council, ye were called in; and there the said lord protector did, on the king's majesty's behalf, declare unto you divers faults and abuses which were found in you, and gave you strait charge to amend them; adding threatening, that else you should be otherwise looked

unto.

III. Item, That the said lord protector's grace did declare unto you, for better admonition and amendment of you, that you should have, from the king's majesty, by his advice and the rest of the privy council, certain articles and injunctions, to observe and follow, given you in writing.

IV. Item, That there and then the said lord protector commanded sir Thomas Smith knight, secretary to the king's majesty, to read a certain paper book of injunctions and articles unto you, the said secretary standing at the counciltable's end, and you standing by and hearing the same.

V. Item, That the said lord protector there and then willed certain things in the said book of injunctions to be reformed, as whereas ye were appointed to preach sooner, at your request it was appointed unto you to preach the Sunday three weeks after the date of the said writing.

VI. Item, That in the said articles the lord protector's grace found fault, because an article or commandment unto you set forth and declared of the king's majesty's authority now in his young age and of his laws and statutes in the same time, was omitted; and therefore, either immediately before you came into the council chamber, or you being present and standing by, commanded the said secretary Smith to put it in writing, and annex it to the rest of the articles.

VII. Item, That the said secretary Smith, then and there did, immediately upon commandment, write into the said book or paper, wherein the rest of the articles were written, the said article, namely, You shall also set forth in your sermon, that the authority of our royal power is (as truth it is) of no less authority and force in this our young age, than was that of any of our predecessors, though the same were much elder, as may appear by example of Josias and other young kings in the Scripture; and therefore all our subjects to be no less bound to the obedience of our precepts, laws, and statutes, than if we were of thirty or forty years of age.

VIII. Item, That the lord protector did so deliver you the book or paper, willing, first, the said secretary Smith to amend all things as he had appointed. IX. Item, That ye then and there did promise to the lord protector's grace, that ye would observe and fulfil all in the said injunctions and articles con

tained.

X. Item, That all things in the said book, put in and mentioned by the said secretary Smith, and the same so read to you by him, and you first agreeing that all that was by him so written was, by the lord protector's appointment, the said book was so delivered unto you then and there, by the said secretary Smith in the council chamber.

XI. Item, That you have the said book in your possession, or else know where it is, the true copy whereof in effect is annexed to these articles.

XII. Item, That ye were commanded in the same injunctions to preach the Sunday three weeks after the delivery thereof at Paul's, and there to treat upon certain articles, as is specified in the said book of injunctions, and especially the said article, beginning, 'Ye shall also set forth,' and ending, 'thirty or forty years of age."

XIII. Item, That for the accomplishment of part of the said injunctions and commandment, you did preach the first day of September last past at Paul's

cross.

XIV. Item, That at the said sermon, contrary to your injunctions, ye

omitted and left out the said article, beginning, 'Ye shall also set forth in your Edward sermon,' &c., and ending, 'thirty or forty years of age.'

VI.

A. D.

XV. Ye shall also answer whether ye think and believe that the king's majesty's subjects be bound to obey as well the laws, statutes, proclamations, 1549. and other ordinances made now in this young age of the king's majesty, as the laws, statutes, proclamations, and ordinances made by his highness's progenitors.

a fever, or durst

These articles being thus ministered to the said bishop of London, the next day being Thursday and the 19th of September, the forenamed commissioners sat in the archbishop's chamber of presence at Lambeth, attending the coming of the bishop of London; before whom there appeared Robert Johnson, the bishop's registrar, and there did declare unto the commissioners, that the bishop his master could not at that time personally appear before them without great danger of his bodily health, because that he feared to fall into a fever by reason Bonner, of a cold that he had taken by too much over-watching himself the for fear of last night before, whereby he was compelled to keep his bed: never- could not theless, if he could without danger of his bodily health, he would not appear before them the same day at afternoon. This excuse the appear. judges were content to take in good part. Yet, said master secretary Smith, if he were sick indeed, the excuse was reasonable, and to be allowed; "but," quoth he, "I promise you my lord hath so dallied with us, and used hitherto such delays, that we may mistrust that this is but a feigned excuse: howbeit, upon your faithful declaration, we are content to tarry until one of the clock at afternoon." And so they did, willing Master Johnson to signify then unto them, whether the bishop could appear or not.

eth again

At which hour Robert Johnson and Richard Rogers, gentlemen Pretendof the bishop's chamber, appeared again before the commissioners, his fever. declaring that (for the causes afore alleged) their master could not appear at that time neither. Whereupon master secretary Smith said unto them,

well

mission

ers.

admoni

My lord of London your master hath used us very homely, and sought His exdelays hitherto; and now, perhaps, perceiving these last articles to touch the cuse not quick, and therefore loath to come to his answer, he feigneth himself sick. But, taken by because he shall not so deceive us any more, we will send the knight marshal the comunto him, willing him, if he be sick indeed, to let him alone, for that is a reasonable excuse; but, if he be not sick, then to bring him forthwith to us: for I promise you he shall not use us as he hath done; we will not take it at his hands. And, therefore, master Johnson (said he), you do the part of a trusty servant as becometh you; but it is also your part to show my lord his stubborn heart and disobedience, which doth him more harm than he is aware of. What! thinketh he to stand with a king in his own realm? Is this the part of A good a subject? Nay, I ween we shall have a new Thomas a Becket. Let him mont take heed; for if he play these parts, he may fortune to be made shorter by the to Bonhead. He may appeal if he think good; but whither? To the bishop of ner by Rome? So he may help himself forwards, I say, he cannot appeal but to the same king, who hath made us his judges, and to the bench of his council; and how they will take this matter when they hear of it, I doubt not. He would make men believe, that he were called before us for preaching his opinion of the sacrament, wherein I assure you he did both falsely and naughtily; yea and lewdly; and more than became him; and more than he had in commandment to do; for he was not willed to speak of that matter, and perhaps he may hear more of that hereafter: but yet we will lay no such thing to his charge, and therefore we will not have him to delay us as he doth.'

Smith.

Edward

VI.

This ended, the delegates notwithstanding decreed to tarry again for him until two of the clock at afternoon the next day, being A. D. Friday, and the 20th of September.

1549.

*Interrogatories1 educed and ministered by Bonner, the second time, against the Witnesses aforenamed and assigned; for them to be deposed upon by the Commissioners.

I. First, If they, or any of them, depose upon the first article and position, thus beginning: That it were sent,' &c., and ending thus: of the same month: let them, in virtue of their oath, be examined, whether that they know or believe surely, that that writing of articles and injunctions, which sir Thomas Smith knight, one of the principal secretaries to the king's majesty, saith, was delivered by the hands of the lord protector's grace in the councilchamber, to me the bishop of London, had, amongst other things, this clause following: Given at our palace at Westminster the seventh day of August, in the third year of our reign.' And whether they know or believe, that there were any other articles and injunctions besides that writing bearing the said date; and, if they say so, let them be inquired and examined upon their oath, of the whole tenor thereof, and every part or parcel of the same, with the date thereof, seal, subscription, sign, and other circumstances expedient for knowledge in this behalf; and let them give a sufficient cause of their knowledge herein. Et interrogetur conjunctim, divisim, et de quolibet.

II. Item, Whether they, or any of them, do know or credibly have heard say, that I, the said bishop, received from the king's majesty, by the hands of the lord protector's grace, sitting in the council-chamber at council with the rest of the lords of the council the tenth of August, certain injunctions to be done and followed by me the said bishop, and articles by me to be preached. Et, &c.

III. Item, In case they, or any of them, do depose upon the contents of the second article, beginning thus: Item, that at,' &c.; and ending thus, 'I looked unto,' &c. : let them be examined in virtue of their oath, if they know certainly the time touched in the said article, and whether it be of the seventh of August or of the tenth thereof; or of what other special time, with causes of their knowledge therein; and whether the declaration touched in the said article was by mouth, or in writing; and the tenor thereof: with declaration of the former words in that behalf, and who were present thereat. Et, &c.

IV. Item, In case they, or any of them, do depose upon the third article, let them in virtue of their oath be examined of the time and place thereof, and what should be the articles and injunctions in every part; the date thereof, and causes of their knowledge therein, and who, and how many were there present. Et, &c.

V. Item, In case they, or any of them, do depose upon the contents of the fourth article, let them be examined as before, whether that pretensed paper or book of instructions and articles mentioned in the said article, was the selfsame in all points, that is spoken of in the first interrogatory; and whether the said paper or book was signed with the king's majesty's hand, or sealed with any his grace's seal or signet, or subscribed with any of the hands of the king's majesty's council; and let them give cause of their knowledge, and who and how many were present thereat, and of the time.

VI. Item, In case they, or any of them, do depose upon the contents of the fifth article, let them and every of them be interrogated and examined in virtue of their oath, whether the said book was delivered to me the said bishop, or not; and of the time thereof, with causes of their knowledge; and how many and who were present thereat, and of the special place where it was done.

VII. Item, In case they, or any of them, do depose upon the contents of the sixth article, let them be examined as before, whether any such article was written and delivered to me, the council sitting within the council-chamber; and of the time thereof, with causes of their knowledge; and how many and who were present thereat, and of the special place wherein it was done.

(1) For these interrogatories see Edition 1563, pp. 712, 713.-ED.