A letter of that most religious and pious prince K. Edward the sixth to Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London,: for the taking downe of altars, and setting up the table in the steed thereof, subscribed by nine of the said kings Privie Councell, together with the said kings six reasons for the same alteration; all which are set forth in the Ecclesiasticall history, containing the Acts and monuments of martyrs, written by M. John Fox, and may there be read in the life of that ever blessed king.

A Letter of that most Religi∣ous and pious Prince King Edward the sixth to Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, for the taking downe of Altars, and setting up the Table, &c.

RIght reverend Father in God, right trusty and welbeloved, wee greet you well;

And where it is come to our knowledge, that the Altars within the most part of the Churches of this Realme, being already upon good and godly con∣siderations taken downe, there doe yet remaine Altars standing in divers other Churches, by occa∣sion wherof much variance and contention ariseth amongst sundry of our Subjects, which if good fore-sight were not had, might perchance engen∣der great hurt and inconvenience: Wee let you wit, that minding to have all occasion of conten∣tion taken away, which many times groweth by those and such like diversities; and considering that amongst other things belonging to our Roy∣all Office and care, Wee doe account the greatest to be to maintain the cōmon quiet of our Realme, Wee have thought good, by the advice of our

Counsell, to require you, and neverthelesse espe∣cially to charge and command you for the avoyd∣ing of all matters of further contention and strife, about the standing or taking away of the said Al∣tars, to give substantiall order throughout all your Diocesse, that with all diligence, all the Altars in every Church or Chappell, as well in places exemp∣ted, as not exempted, within your said Diocesse be t••ken downe, and in the steed thereof a Table to be set up in some convenient part of the Chancell within every such Church or Chappell, to serve for the ministration of the blessed Communion; and to the intent the same may be done without offence of such our loving Subjects, as be not yet so well perswaded in that behalfe, as we would wish, wee send unto you herewith certaine considerations gathered and collected, that make for the purpose, the which, and such others as you shall think meet to be set forth to perswade the weake to embrace our proceedings in this part, wee pray you cause to bee declared to the people by some discreet Preachers, in such places as you shall think meet, before the taking downe of the said Altars, so as both the weake consciences of others may be in∣structed and satisfied as much as may be, and this our pleasure the more quietly executed; For the better doing whereof, we require you to open the fore-said considerations in that our Cathedrall Church in your owne person, if you conveniently may, or otherwise by your Chancellor, or some other grave Preacher, both there, and in such other

Market Townes, and most notable places of your Diocesse, as you may think most requisite.

Given under our Signet at our Palace at Westminster the 24 day of November, in the fourth yeare of our Raigne.

• Edward Somerset.
• Thomas Cranmer:
• William Wiltshire.
• Iohn Warwick.
• Iohn Bedford.
• William North.
• Edw. Clinton.
• Hen. Wentworth.
• Thom. Ely.