Fisher of same. Fisher, bishop of Rochester, offered the same before Bishop this assembly that More had done: and, in a letter of fers the his afterwards writ to the secretary, assigned the reason why he could with a good conscience swear to the succession, viz. because he doubted not but that the prince of a realm, with the assent of the nobles and commons, might appoint his successors according as he pleased. In the Appendix this letter will be found, which bishop No. IX. Fisher writ upon occasion of the secretary's advice, who laboured to gain him, that he should write to the king, to declare his mind to him in swearing to the succession and to petition him to let that suffice, because his conscience could not consent to the rest of the act. The secretary also had sent unto Fisher, lying in the Tower, Lee, bishop elect of Lichfield and Coventry; to whom he declared again, that he would take the oath to the succession; and moreover, that he would swear never to meddle more in disputation of the matrimony, and promised all allegiance to the king. But he told Lee, his conscience could not be convinced that the marriage was against the law of God, because of a prohibition in the Levitical law. See Lee's letter in the Appendix, to secretary Crumwel. his No. X. bishop writes to The archbishop, soon after that meeting of the commissioners at Lambeth, retired to Croydon: and being a man not kind to his own party and persuasion only, and fierce and bloody-minded to them that differed from The archhim, but compassionate towards all, friend and foe; tender spirit suggested to him, to make this serve for Crumwel an occasion to intercede for More and Fisher to Crumwel; half. shewing him in a letter, dated April the 17th, how ad- 28 visable in his judgment it would be to be satisfied with that oath they had offered to swear, in case they would swear to maintain the said succession against all power in their be The arch deavour to save the lives of and potentates: urging to him that there would be these advantages gained thereby. First, that it would be a means to satisfy the consciences of the princess dowager, and the lady Mary; who it seems made it a matter of conscience and sin to abandon their titles. Also, that it might tend to stop the emperor's mouth, and the mouths of other their friends, when Fisher and More, who had stickled so much for them, should now own that succession, which would be in effect a disowning of them. Secondly, that it might be a means to resolve and quiet also many others in the realm that were in doubt, when such great men should affirm by oath and subscription, that the succession mentioned in the said act was good and according to God's laws. And he thought, that after two such had sworn, there would be scarce one in the kingdom would reclaim against it. And thirdly, that though a great many in the realm could not be brought to alter from their opinions of the validity of the king's former marriage, and of the bishop of Rome's authority, that it would be a great point gained, if all with one accord would own and acknowledge the succession. Weaver, the author of the Funeral Monuments, tranbishop's en- scribed this letter out of the Cotton library, and inserted it into his said book: and the thing he takes notice More and of therein is the wisdom and policy of the prudent archbishop2. I shall take notice of another thing, and which I suppose was the great cause that employed his pen at this time, namely, his tender heart, and abhorrence from Fisher. y [See Weaver's Funeral Monuments, pp. 506. 7. ed. Lond. 1631.] z [Here in this letter is to be seen the wisdom and policy of this prudent archbishop, who could make such available use to the state, of the strong opinion which most men conceived, of the profound judgment of these two persons, (i. e. sir Thos. More and bp. Fisher.) Id. p. 507.] bloodshedding: propounding these politic considerations to the secretary, which were the properest arguments to be used with a statesman, and for him to use and urge before the king; that so he might be an instrument of saving the lives of these men, however they differed from him, and it may be were none of his very good friends. This letter of the archbishop's, as I myself took it from the original, I thought worthy depositing among Cranmer's monuments in the Appendixa. But this offer No. XI. of theirs, notwithstanding the archbishop's arguments and endeavours, would not be accepted. The king would not be satisfied with this swearing by halves. a [Cotton MSS. Cleop. E. vi. fol. 181. British Museum. Original and holograph. See also abp. Cranmer's Works, Park. Soc. ed. A premunire brought against bishop Nix. CHAPTER VII. THE ARCHBISHOP VISITS THE DIOCESE OF NORWICH. THE popish bishops were now at a low ebb; and being under the frowns of their prince, other men took the opportunities, upon their slips, to get them punished. A storm now fell upon Richard Nix bishop of Norwich, a vicious and dissolute man, as Godwin writes. Against him was a præmunire this year (25 of Henry VIII.) brought. That, de tout temps, there had been a custom in the town of Thetford in the county of Norfolk, that no inhabitant of the same town should be drawn 29 in plea in any court Christian for any spiritual causes, but before the dean in the said town. And there was a presentment in the king's court, before the mayor of the town, by twelve jurors, that there was such a custom. And beside, that whosoever should draw any man out of the said town, in any spiritual court, should forfeit six shillings and eight pence. The bishop nevertheless cited the mayor to appear before him, pro salute animæ ; and upon his appearance libelled for that cause, and enjoined him, upon pain of excommunication, not to admit the said presentment. And whenas the bishop could not deny his fact, judgment was given, that he should be out of the king's protection, his goods and chattels forfeited, and his body imprisoned during the king's pleasure. For which he had the king's pardon. Which was afterwards confirmed in parliament. b["After the decease of Jan, Richard Nyx succeeded, of whom I find little worth the rehearsing: He hath the report of a vicious and dissolute liver, was blind long before his death, sate 36 years, and died an. 1536." Godwin's Cat. of the Bishops of England, P. 354. ed. Lond. 1600.] This bishop's diocese was now in such disorder, that The archbishop the archbishop instituted a visitation of that see; wherein visits this bishop's William May, LL.D., was the archbishop's commissary. see. The 28th of July, the bishop was called and summoned to appear, but appeared not; and so was pronounced contumax. But at another meeting he sent Dr. Cap, his Cranmer's Reg. proctor, by whom he made a protestation against their doings and jurisdiction; and that it was not decent for that reverend father to appear before him, the archbishop's official. However, at another meeting, the bishop not appearing at the time and place appointed, Dr. May declared him obstinate, and to incur the penalty of obstinacy. After this the bishop, by his proctor, was willing to submit to obey law, and to stand to the command of the church, and to do penance for his said contumacy, to be enjoined by the archbishop or his commissary. At another court the bishop appeared in person, and then shewed himself willing to take the said commissary for visitor, or any other in the name of the archbishop of Canterbury. This bishop was now fourscore years old, and blind, as appears by a writing of his sent by his proctor, dated September 1534. He died two years after, and came in to be bishop in the year 1500d. of Norwich This bishop seems to have made himself very odious in The bishop his diocese by his fierceness and rigours against such as a persecuwere willing to be better informed in religion; whom he tor. would style men savouring of the frying-pan. He seized such books as were brought from beyond sea, of which sort there were now many, which tended to lay open the corruptions of the church; and especially the New Testament, which he could not endure should be read. And when some of these commonly gave out that it was the king's pleasure that such books should be read, he sent d [See Anderson's Annals of the English Bible, vol. i. pp. 159, 187, 190, 213. ed. Lond. |