Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶Articles and positions geuen by the kinges Com∣missioners to the Byshop of London, to be aunswered by him ioyntly and seuerally in euery poynt the second time.

1. THat ye were sent for to the Lord Protectors Grace, and the rest of the Counsell,* 1.1 and came thyther into the Court at Westminster the x. of August, or some other day of the same moneth.

2. Item, that at the same time the Lord Protectour and diuers other of the Kinges Maiesties priuye Counsell, sitting in Counsell, ye were called in, and there the sayde Lorde Protectour did on the Kinges Maiestyes behalfe declare vnto you diuers faultes & abuses the which were found in you, and gaue you strayt charge to amend them, adding and threatning that els you shoulde be otherwyse looked vnto.

3. Item, that the sayd Lord Protectors Grace did declare vnto you for better admonition & amendment of you, that ye should haue from the kinges Maiesty by his aduise and the rest of the priuy Counsell, certayne Articles, and In∣iunctions to obserue and folow geuen you in writing.

4. Item, that there and then the sayd Lord Protectour commaunded Sir Thomas Smith Knight, Secretary to the Kinges Maiesty, to read a certayne proper booke of Iniunctions and Articles vnto you, the sayd Secretarye standing at the Counsell tables end, and you standing by, and hearing the same.

5. Item, that the sayde Lord Protectour there and then willed to be reformed certayne thinges in the sayd booke of Iniūctions, as where ye wer appoynted to preach sooner, at your request it was appoynted vnto you to preache the Sonday three weekes after the date of the sayd writing.

6. Item, that in the sayd Articles the Lord Protectours Grace found fault because an Article or commaundement vnto you set forth and declared of the Kynges Maiestyes authority now in his yong age, of his lawes and statutes in the same tyme was omitted, and therefore either im∣mediatly before you came into the Counsell Chamber, or you being present and standing by, commaunded the sayde Secretary Smith to put it in writing and annexe it to the rest of the Articles.

7. Item, that the sayd Secretary Smith, then and there did immediately vpon commaundement, write into the sayd booke or paper, wherein the rest of the Articles were written, the sayd article: videlicet, you shall also set forth in your sermon, that the authority of our royall power is (as truth it is) of no lesse authority and force in this our yong age, then was of any of our Predecessors, though the same were much elder, as may appeare by example of Iosias & other young kinges in the scripture, and therefore all our subiectes to be no lesse bounde to the obedience of our pre∣ceptes, lawes, and statutes, then if we were of 30. or 4••. yeares of age.

8. Item, that the Lord Protectour did so deliuer you the booke or paper, willing first the sayd Secretary Smyth to amend all thinges as he had appoynted.

9. Item, that ye then and there did promise to the Lorde Protectors grace, that ye would obserue & ful••ill all in the sayd Iniunctions and articles conteined.

10. Item, that all thinges in the sayde booke, put in and mentioned by the sayd Secretary Smith, and the same▪ so read vnto you by him & you first agreing that all that was by him so written, was by the L. Protectors appoyntmēt, the sayd book was so deliuered vnto you then and there by the sayd Secretary Smith in the Councell Chamber.

11. Item, that you haue the sayd booke in your possession, or els know where it is, the true copy whereof in effect is annexed to these articles.

12. Item, that ye were commaūded in the sayd Iniuncti∣ons to preach the Sonday three weekes after the deliuery therof at Paules, & there to entreat vpon certayn articles, as is specified in the sayd booke of Iniunctions, and speci∣ally the sayd article beginning. Ye shall also set forth, & en∣ding. 30. or 40. yeares of age.

13. Item, that for the accomplishment of part of the sayde Iniunctions & commaundement, you did preach the fyrst day of September last past at Paules Crosse.

14. Item, that at the sayd sermon, contrary to your In∣iunctions, ye omitted & left out y^e sayde article beginning: Ye shall also set forth in your sermon. &c. and ending 30. or 40. yeares of age.

15. Ye shall also aunswere whether ye thinke and beleue that the kinges Maiesties subiectes be bound to obey as well the lawes, statutes, proclamations, and other ordi∣naunces made now in this young age of the kinges maie∣sty, as the lawes, statutes, proclamations, & ordinaunces made by his highnes Progenitors.

These Articles being thus ministred to the sayd By∣shop of London, the next day being Thursday and the 19. of September, the afore named Commissioners sat in the Archbishops chamber of presence at Lambeth, attendyng the cōming of the B. of London. Before whō there appea∣red Rob. Iohnson the Bishops Register, and there did de¦clare vnto the Commissioners that the bishop his maister could not at that time personally appeare before thē with∣out great daunger of his bodily health, because that he fea∣red to fall into a feuer by reasō of a cold that he had takē by to much ouerwatching himselfe the last night before, wher¦by he was compelled to keepe his bed: neuerthelesse, if hee could without daunger of his bodely health,* 1.2 he would ap∣peare before them the same day at after noone. This excuse the Iudges were cōtēt to take it in good part. Yet said M. Secretary Smyth, that if he were sicke in deede the excuse was reasonable and to be allowed: but (quoth he) I pro∣mise you my Lord hath so dallied with vs, & vsed hitherto such delayes, that we may mistrust that this is but a fay∣ned excuse: howbeit vpon your faythfull declaratiō we are content to tary vntil one of the clocke at afternoone, and so they did, willing M. Iohnson to signify then vnto them, whether the Bishop could appeare or not.

At whiche houre Robert Iohnson and Richard Ro∣gers gentleman of the Bishops chamber appeared agayn before the Commissioners,* 1.3 declaring that (for the causes a∣fore alledged) their maister could not appeare at that tyme nether. Wherupon M. Secretary Smith sayd vnto them, my Lord of Londō your maister hath vsed vs very home∣ly, and sought delayes hitherto, and now perhaps percei∣uing these last Articles to touch the quicke, and therefore loth to come to his answere, he fayneth himselfe sicke.* 1.4 But because he shall not so deceiue vs any more, we wyll send the Knight Marshall vnto him, willing him, if he be sycke in deed, to let him alone, for that is a reasonable excuse, but if he be not sicke, then to bring him forth with vnto vs: for I promise you he shall not vse vs as he hath done, we will not take it at his handes: and therefore M. Iohnson (sayd he) you do the part of a trusty seruant as becommeth you, but it is also your part to shewe my Lord of his stubborne hart and disobedience, which doth him more harme thē be is aware of. What, thinketh he to stand with a king in his own Realmes? Is this the part of a subiect? nay,* 1.5 I wene we shall haue a new Tho. Becket. Let him take heede, for if he play these parts, he may fortune to be made shorter by the head. He may appeale if he thinke good: but whyther? to the Byshop of Rome? So he may helpe hymselfe for∣wards. I say he can not appeale but to the same king who

hath made vs his Iudges, and to the Bench of his coun∣saile: and how they will take this matter when they heare of it, I doubt not. He would make mē beleue that he were called before vs for preaching his opinion of the sacramēt, wherein I assure you he did both falsly & naughtily, yea & lewdly, and more then became hym, and more then he had in commaundement to do, for he was not willed to speake of that matter, & perhaps he may heare more of that here∣after: but yet he will say no such thing to his charge, and therefore we wyll not haue hym to delay vs as he doth. Which ended, the delegates notwithstanding decreed to tary agayne for him vntill two of the clocke at after noone the nexte day, beyng Friday, and the twenty of Sep∣tember.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Articles agaynst Boner ministred the second time.
• * 1.2

  Boner 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feare of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feuer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or durst 〈◊〉〈◊〉 appeare.
• * 1.3

  Boner p••••••tendet•• ••••gayne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feuer.
• * 1.4

  Boners ••••••cuse of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taken 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  A goo•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sent to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by S••••cretary Smyth▪