The history of the reformation of the Church of England. The second part, of the progress made in it till the settlement of it in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's reign. / By Gilbert Burnet, D.D.

Number 23. Injunctions by Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester, to the Prior and Convent of St. Mary House in Worcester, 1537. Hugh, by the goodness of God, Bishop of Worcester, wisheth to his Brethren, the Prior and Convent aforesaid, Grace, Mercy, Peace, and true knowledg of God's Word; from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forasmuch as in this my Visitation, I evidently perceive the Ignorance and Negligence of divers Religious Persons in this Monastery to be intollerable, and not to be suffered; for that thereby doth reign Idolatry, and many kinds of Superstitions, and other Enormities: And considering withal, that our Soveraign Lord the King, for some part of Remedy of the same, hath granted, by his most gra∣cious License, that the Scripture of God may be read in English, of all his obedient Subjects. I therefore, willing your Reformation in most favourable manner, to your least displeasur; do heartily require you all, and every one of you, and also in God's behalf command the same, according as your Duty is, to obey me as God's Minister, and the Kings, in all my lawful and honest Commandments, that you observe and keep inviolably, all these Injunctions following, under pain of the Law.

FIrst; Forasmuch as I perceive that some of you neither have ob∣served the King's Injunctions, nor yet have them with you, as willing to observe them; therefore ye shall from henceforth, both have and observe diligently and faithfully, as well special commandments of Preaching, as other Injunctions given in his Graces Visitation.

Item. That the Prior shall provide, of the Monasteries charge, a whole Bible in English, to be laid fast chained in some open place, ei∣ther in their Church or Cloister.

Item. That every Religious Person have, at the least, a New Testa∣ment in English, by the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord next en∣suing.

Item. Whensoever there shall be any Preaching in your Monastery, that all manner of Singing, and other Ceremonies, be utterly laid a∣side in his preaching time; and all other Service shortned, as need shall be; and all Religious Persons quietly to hearken to the Preaching.

Item. That ye have a Lecture of Scripture read every day in English amongst you, save Holy-days.

Item. That every Religious Person be at every Lecture, from the beginning to the ending, except they have a necessary Lett allowed them by the Prior.

Item. That every Religious House have a Layman to their Steward, for all former Businesses.

Item. That you have a continual Schoolmaster, sufficiently learned, to teach your Grammer.

Item. That no Religious Person discourage any manner of Lay-man or Woman, or any other from the reading of any good Book, either in Latin or English.

Item. That the Prior have at his Dinner or Supper, every day a Chapter read, from the beginning of the Scripture to the end, and that in English, wheresoever he be in any of his own Places, and to have edifying communication of the same.

Item. That the Covent sit together, four to one Mess, and to eat to∣gether in common, and to have Scripture read in likewise, and have communication thereof; and after their Dinner or Supper, their Reliques and Fragments to be distributed to the poor People.

Item. That the Covent and Prior, provide Distributions to be mini∣stred in every Parish, whereas ye be Parsons and Proprietaries, and ac∣cording to the King's Injunctions in that behalf.

Item. That all these my Injunctions be read every month, once in the Chapter House, before all the Brethren.

Notes

• L. 3 us Reg. Prior. & Con∣vent. Wigorn.