sort as should give him cause thus to submit himself: praying earnestly to be brought unto his trial; wherein he refused the king's mercy, and desired nothing but "justice." And for the rest of the Articles, he answered, That after he were past this trial in his first point, and were at liberty, then it should appear what he would do in them; it not being, as he said, reasonable, that he should subscribe them in prison.

Of this Answer when the king and his council had intelligence by the foresaid master of the horse, secretary Peter, the bishop of London, and master Goodrick, who had been with him, it was agreed that he should be sent for before the whole council, and peremptorily examined once again, whether he would stand at this point or no; which if he did, then to denounce unto him the sequestration of his benefice, and consequently the intimation, in case he were not reformed within three months, as in the day of his appearance shall appear. The tenor and words of which Sequestration, with the Intimation, followeth :

The Words of the SEQUESTRATION; with the In

timation to the Bishop of Winchester. "FORASMUCH as the king's majesty our most gracious sovereign lord understandeth, and it is also manifestly known and notorious unto us, that the clemency and long sufferance of his majesty worketh not in you that good effect and humbleness and conformity, that is requisite in a good subject; and for that your disobediences, contempts, and other misbehaviours, for the which you were by his majesty's authority justly committed to ward, have since your said committing daily more and more increased in you, in such sort as a great slander and offence is thereof risen in many parts of the realm, whereby also much slauder, dissension, trouble, and unquietness is very like more to ensue, if your foresaid offences being as they be openly known, should pass unpunished: we let you wit, that having special and express commission and commandment from his majesty, as well! for your contumacies and contempts so long continued and yet daily more increasing, as also for the exchange of the slander and offence of the people, which by your said ill demeanors are risen, and for that also the church of Winchester may be in the mean time provided of a good minister, that may and will see all things done and quietly executed according to the laws and common orders of this realm, and for' sundry other great and urgent causes, we do by these presence sequester all the fruits, revenues, lands, and possessions of your bishopric of Winchester, and discern, deem and judge the same to be committed to the several receipt, collection and custody of such person or persons as his majesty shall appoint for that purpose. And because your former disobediences and contempts so long continued, so many times doubled, renewed and aggravated, do manifestly declare you to be a person without all hope of recovery and plainly incorrigible;

we eftsoons admonish and require you to obey his majesty's said commandment, and that you do declare yourself, by subscription of your hand, both willing and well contented to accept, allow, preach and teach to others the said articles, and all such other matters as be or shall be set forth by his majesty's authority of supreme head of this church of England, on this side and within the term of three months, whereof we appoint one month for the first monition, one month for the second monition and warning, and one month for the third and peremptory monition.-Within which time as you may yet declare your conformity, and shall have paper, pen and ink, when you shall call for them for that purpose, so if you wilfully forbear and refuse to declare yourself obedient and conformable as is aforesaid, we intimate unto you that his majesty, who like a good governor desireth to keep both his commonwealth quiet, and to purge the same of evil men (especially ministers) intendeth to proceed against you as an incorrigible person and unmeet minister of this church, unto the deprivation of your said considerations, and specially in hope he might bishoprick."-Nevertheless, upon divers good within his time be yet reconciled, it was agreed that the said bishop's house and servants should be maintained in their present estate, until the time that this Injunction should expire, and the matter for the mean time to be kept secret.

After this Sequestration, the said bishop was convented unto Lambeth before the archbishop of Canterbury, and other the king's commissioners by virtue of the king's special letters sent unto the said commissioners, to wit, the abp. of Canterbury, Nicholas bp. of London, Thomas bp. of Ely, Henry bp. of Lincoln, secretary Peter, sir James Hales knight, Dr. Leyson, Dr. Oliver, lawyers, and John Gos nold, esq. &c. before them, and by them to be examined, by whom were objected against him nineteen special Articles in order and form here following [Here follow the Articles inserted at p. 602.]

After these Articles were exhibited unto him, and he having leave to say for himself, wherein he used all the cauteles, shifts and remedies of the law to his most advantage, by way of protesting, recusing and excepting against the commission, and requiring also the copies as well of the articles, as of his protestation, of the actuaries (which were W. Say and Tho. Argall) time and respite was assigned unto him to answer to the said Articles in writing. But he so cavilled and dallied from day to day to answer directly, although he was suf ficiently laboured and persuaded to the same by sundry callings and acts, and also abundantly convicted by depositions and witnesses, especially by matter induced by the lord Paget, and Andrew Beynton, and Mr. Chalenor, that at the last he appealed from them (reputing them not to be competent and indifferent judges to hear and determine his cause) unto the king's royal person: notwithstanding by protestation always reserving to himself the benefit of

aforesaid, he did then and there apud acta, immediately after the pronouncing of the sentence, by word of mouth appeal to the king's royal majesty first, secondly, and thirdly, instantly, more instantly, most instantly, and asked apostles, or letters dismissorials to be given and granted unto him: And also, under protesta-He was a man of learning and a good Greek tion not to recede from the former appellation, asked a copy of the said Sentence: the Judges declaring that they would first know the king's pleasure and bis counsel therein. Upon the reading and giving of which Sentence, the pronoters willed William Say and Thomas Argall to make a public instrument, and the witnesses then and there present to bear testimony thereunto, &c. *

* Upon the accession of queen Mary, Gardiner was restored to his Bishopric and made lord chancellor. See the Communication be tween him and judge Hales No. 46. He concurred in all that queen's violent measures, and stimulated her bigotry and persecution. scholar, as appears by the correspondence on the pronunciation of that language between him and Cheke who was professor of Greek in the University of Oxford, of which Gardiner was chancellor. See also Colonel Mitford's Enquiry into the Principles of Harmony in Language, sect. 13. He died the 12th of Nov. 1555, aged 72.

45. Proceedings against EDMUND BONNER, Bishop of London, for opposing the Reformation of Religion: 1 & 3 Edward VI. A. D. 1547. 1550. [2 Fox's Acts and Monum. 658.]

I do receive these Injunctions and Homilies with this Protestation, that I will observe them, if they be not contrary and repugnant 'to God's law, and the statutes and ordinances of the church. And immediately he added with an oath, that he never read the said Homilies and Injunctions.'

KING Edward the 6th, in the first year of his reign, Anno 1547, the 1st day of September, for the order of his visitation, directed out certain commissioners, as sir Anthony Cooke, sir John Godsaule, knights, Master John Godsaule, Christopher Nevinson, doctors of the law, and John Madew, doctor of divinity. Who sitting in Paul's Church upon their Com- The which Protestation being made in manmission, the day and year aforesaid, there|ner and form aforesaid, the said Edmund bishop being present at the same time Edmund bishop of London, John Royston, Polydore Virgill, Peter Van, and others of the said cathedral Church, after the sermon made and the Commission being read, ministered an oath unto the said bishop of London, to renounce and deny the bishop of Rome, with his usurped authority, and to swear obedience unto the king, according to the effect and form of the statute made in the 31st year of king Henry 8: also that he should present and redress all and singular such things as were needful within the said church to be reformed.

Whereupon the said Bishop humbly and instantly desired them that he might see their Commission, only for this purpose and intent (as he said) that he might the better fulfill and put in execution the things wherein he was charged by them or their Commission. Unto whom the Commissioners answering, said, they would deliberate more upon the matter, and so they called the other ministers of the said church before them, and ministered the like oath unto them, as they did to the bishop before. To whom moreover there and then certain Interrogatories and Articles of Inquisition were read by Peter Lilly the public notary. Which done, after their oaths taken, the said Commissioners delivered unto the Bishop aforesaid certain Injunctions, as well in print as written, and Homilies set forth by the king. All which things the said bishop received, under the words of this Protestation as followeth :

of London instantly desired and required Peter Lilly, the Register aforesaid, there and then to register and enact the same. And so the said commissioners delivering the Injunctions and Homilies to master Bellassere archdeacon of Colchester, and Gilbert Bourne archdeacon of London, Essex, and Middlesex, and enjoining them in most effectuous manner, under pains therein contained, to put the same in speedy execution, and also reserving other new Injunctions to be ministered afterward, as well to the bishop as to the archdeacons aforesaid, according as they should see cause, &c. did so continue the said visitation till three of the clock the same day in the afternoon.

At the which hour and place assigned, the Commissioners being set, and the canons and priests of the said church appearing before them and being examined upon virtue of their oath, for their doctrine and conversation of life; first one Joh. Painter, one of the canons of the said cathedral church, there and then openly confessed, that he viciously and carnally had often the company of a certain married man's wife, whose name he denied to declare. In the which crime divers other canons and priests of the foresaid church confessed in like manner, and could not deny themselves to be culpable.

And after the Commissioners aforesaid had delivered to master Roiston prebendary, and to the proctor of the dean and of the chapter of the said cathedral church of saint Paul, the king's

njunctions and the Book of Homilies, enjoining | them to see the execution thereof, under pain therein specified, they prorogued their said visitation until seven of the clock the next day following.

repair hither with convenient diligence. Thus
fare you right heartily well.
From Hampton
Court the 12th of September, 1547. Your as-
sured loving friends, Thomas Canterbury, Wm.
Saint John, John Russel, Tho. Semer, Wm.
Paget, Anthony Brown, Wm. Peter, Anthony
Denny, Edward North."

Bonner's Recantation.

By this visitation, above specified, it appears, gentle reader, first how Bonner made his Protestation after the receiving of the king's Injunctions, and also how he required the same to be put in public record; furthermore, thou "Whereas I Edmund bishop of London, at hast to note the unchaste life and conversation such time as I received the king's majesty's inof these Popish notaries and priests of Paul's. junctions and homilies of my most dread soveNow what followed after this Protestation of reign lord at the hands of his highness's visitors, the bishop made, remaineth further in the sequel did unadvisedly make such protestation, as of the story to be declared; wherein first thou now upon better consideration of my duty of shalt understand that the said Bishop shortly obedience, and of the evil ensample that might after his Protestation, whether for fear, or for ensue unto others thereof, appeareth to me conscience, repenting himself, went unto the neither reasonable, nor such as might well stand king, where he submitted himself, and recanting with the duty of an humble subject: forsomuch his former Protestation, craved pardon of the as the same protestation at my request was king for his inordinate demeanour toward his then by the register of that visitation enacted grace's commissioners, in the former visitation. and put in record, I have thought it my duty not only to declare before your lordships that The King's Letter to the Commissioners concernI do now upon better consideration of my duty, ing the Recantation and pardoning of Bonner. renounce and revoke my said protestation, but Which pardon notwithstanding it was granted also most humbly beseech your lordships, that unto him by the king, for the acknowledging of this my revocation of the same may be likewise his fault, yet for the evil example of the fact it put in the same records for a perpetual memory was thought good that he should be committed of the truth, most humbly beseeching your good to the Fleet, as by the tenour of the council's lordships, both to take order that it may take letter sent the commissioners may appear, which effect, and also that my former and unadvised together with the form also of the bishops Pro- doings may be by your good mediations partestation and of his Recantation, here under fol-doned by the king's majesty. EDMUND LONloweth :

"To our very loving friends, sir Anthony Cook knight, and the rest of the commissioners for the visitation at London in haste. After our hearty commendations: this shall be to signify unto you, that we have received your letters, and in the same inclosed the copy of the protestation made by the bishop of London in the time of your visitation at Paul's: your wise proceedings wherein, and advertisements from you, we take in very thankful part towards us. And because the said bishop, which being here before us hath acknowledged his indiscreet demeanour, did at that time at Paul's require the Register of your visitation to make record and enter of his protestation, and now upon better consideration of his duty maketh means to have the same revoked, as shall appear unto you by the true copy of his writing enclosed, the original whereof remaining with us he hath subscribed; we pray you to cause the register to make enter of this his revocation, according to the tenour of this his said writing: further signifying unto you, that in respect of his offence, and the evil ensample that might thereupon ensue, we have thought meet to send him to the prison of the Fleet, whither he hath been conveyed by master vice-chamberlain. And whereas sundry things for the king's maj.'s service do now occur here, which require the present attendance of you sir John Godsaul, as well for your office of the signet, as of the protonotaryship, we pray you that leaving the execution of the visitation to the rest of your colleagues, you make your

DON."

The Registers of these affairs of Bonner's remain in the hands of Peter Lilly, then being Register to the foresaid commissioners.

The king being no less desirous to have the form of administration of the sacrament truly reduced to the right rule of the scriptures and first use of the primitive church, than he was to establish the same by the authority of his own regal laws, appointed certain of the most grave and best learned bishops, and other of his realm, to assemble together at his castle of Windsor, there to argue and intreat upon this matter, and conclude upon and set forth one and perfeet uniform order according to the rule and use aforesaid. And in the mean time while that the learned were thus occupied about their conferences, the lord protector and the rest of the king's council, further reniembering that that time of the year did then approach, wherein were practised many superstitious abuses and blasphemous ceremonies against the glory of God, and truth of his word, determining the utter abolishing thereof, directed their letters unto the godly and reverend father Thomas Cranmer, then archbishop of Canterbury, and metropolitan of England, requiring him that upon the receipt thereof he should will every bishop within his province, forthwith to give in charge unto all the curates of their dioceses, that neither candles should be any more borne upon Candlemas day, neither yet ashes used in Lent, nor palms upon Palm Sunday.