RIght honourable, and my very especiall good Lorde, with humble seruice and hearty thankes to God,* 1.1 and to you for your godly fauour towardes me at all times, as right plainly appeareth by your fatherly letters, most lo∣uingly admonishing me to incline vnto that which is ve∣ry necessary, as charitable concord and vnity. This is fur∣ther to beseeche your Lordship for the Lordes sake, not to be grieued, but benignly to heare and grauely to ponder that weighty matter, which appearing to other but a light griefe, to me is in very deede a right grieuous offence to Godward, with no little hinderaunce of his holy worde, and disturbaunce of the Kings godly proceedyngs, and may be great occasion of much inobedience, and disorder of good lyfe.
Wherfore I am straitly bounden for the true zeale that I ought to beare vnto the word of lyfe, Christian religion the kings maiesties honor, and the godly quiet state of his people, not faintly to let fall the burthen of diligent redres to be sought at his maiesties hands by the godly wisdome of his most honourable and vpright Counsayle, but with hearty affection to beare it vp agaynst those high mynded, arrogant, stubborne, ambitious, couetous Canons, tru∣sting in their biting tongues, with crafty preuention and vtterly vntrue surmises, to stop the lyght, that theyr vn∣godly misdoyngs in darkenesse shal eyther not be seene, or at the least may haue a coulourable appearaunce of right. In so much that I do not a little meruayle at these quali∣ties in Maister Chaunter, the Canon and the Deane of Worcester, whose vngentle and vntrue behauiour I haue not onely knowen, but expertly prooued, and sensibly felte in two of the first, to my great losses, whereof I make no complaint.
* 1.2But I wonder in my mynde and lament in my heart, the strange alteration & wilfull goyng backward of myne old faithful brother George Constātine, the which know∣yng them all three to haue bene in tymes past, either obsti∣nate enemies to the true bearers of the crosse of Christ, or (at the least) priuy lurkers vnder pretence of fauour to∣wards the Gospell, to sting the poore followers therof, se∣king but their own lucre and pleasure in all their doings) would so earnestly cleaue vnto them in their wrong deeds as to betray me with his tong, become vntrue of his pro∣mise, and a bearer of filthy sinne for lucres sake, euen yet stifly persisting in the same, namely, in thyngs manifestly knowen vnto many, although he would deny it, and that I might not be credited.
And as for their Premunire, both George & they, at my first commyng,* 1.3 vngently deteinyng from M. Ferlee hys commission of the Chauncellorship, would haue faced me down with the Premunire, because it was written in myne owne name according to the statute: yet was I faine for the zeale of vnitie, not to see their vncurteous deedes, de∣parting with M. Ferlee, for the auoyding of theyr malice and enuy, and gaue that office for the amitie of George, vnto M. Chaunter his sonne in lawe,* 1.4 and to D. Mericke the office of Cardigan. But seeyng afterward theyr coue∣tous respect to their owne glory and lucre, not regardyng the reformatiō of sinne, and especially of shameles whore∣dome, I was compelled to remooue them,* 1.5 sore agaynst their wylles: and whereas I desired many and sundry tymes charitable redresse of their wrong doings in the va∣cation tyme, I obteyned many fayre wordes, and nothing in deede.
And desiring to haue sight of the booke of Statutes of the Church, for the knowledge of my duetie and theyrs,* 1.6 I could not obteine. Desiring to haue a key of the Chapter house seale, as my L. of Bath had, they would not deliuer it, but vpon conditions: yet was I contented to be bride∣led, receiuyng it as it pleased them to geue it. And further, requiring the sight of necessary euidences for the declarati∣on of diuers thyngs, in trauers of my right, they would in no wyse graunt it. And thereupon consideryng theyr vn∣gentlenesse, I mooued the Quo warranto, knowyng right well that if they should shew any substantiall graunt vn∣der the kings seale for their corporation, it must therin ap∣peare, the B. to be the head, and euer hath bene vnder the king: for other they neyther haue, nor had, except they would returne to Rome againe, as I trust they will not. And yet perceiuyng afterward, that they had no speciall graunt to shew, or els such as they would not shew, I my self for the respect of vnitie, wrote my letters to the Kyngs Attorney, by reason wherof the Quo warranto was stayed, and so yet remayneth.
But as touching the certificate, the kings subsidie be∣yng due at Michaelmas last, and forborne til after Christ∣mas, and lawfully demanded afore, they did vtterly refuse to pay, both to my Uice collector and to my selfe, except I would take it of them in portions, not knowyng where to aske the rest, and it is committed vnto me in the kings roll a whole summe in grosse, to be receyued of the Canons re∣sidentaries for their Diuident: who because they cannot agree in diuiding, would haue the kings maiesty to tary for his money, till they can agree to make diuision: and I connot demand it of any perticular person, nor at any per∣ticular place.
Wherfore I most humbly beseech your fatherly good∣nes for the Lordes sake, to persist and continue my good Lord and friend, vnto such time as ye finde me either desi∣ring to be defended in my wrōg, or not willyng to put the iudgemēt of my right cause into your hands. And because that the residue of matters touching them and their vngē∣tle, vntrue, and vngodly doyngs is too long, and I haue molested you too much with this my tedious letter, I shal now surcease: humbly beseeching your good Lordship to accept in good part this my boldnes proceding of necessity, and to pardon it for the loue of our Lord Iesu: who saue and keep you in helth, comfort, and honor, long to endure, for the aduauncement of his glory.
Written at Agurguily this ix. of March.
Your Lordships to command during lyfe. R. F.