II. signifie to his Holynes, that in the League betwene our said BOOK Derest Father, and the said Ferdinando, Renoveled and Concluded, Sealed and Signed with the said King Ferdinando, and the Quene his Wief Hands, wherupon the Dispensation for the Mariage betwene us and the Quene was obteyned, appereth no maner of Cause. But playnly declaring the said twoo Princes to be thenne and afor more perfitely Established, Unyted, and Confederate in Frendship and Amytie, thenne eny other Prince of Christendom, setteth forthe the Cause of the Dispensation and Agrement for the said Mariage, to be only for Contynuaunce and Augmentation of their said Amytie, and for the Vertuouse Modestie and other Qualities of the Quene. In which League is also playnly mencyoned and expressed in two Places therof, that the Mariage betwene our said Brother and Her, was solemnized and perfitely consummate; wherby, and by the Depositions of a great Nomber of Noble and Honorable Personages, which hertofor by their Othes have been examyned uppon the same, manifestly and playnly appereth to al indifferent Herers, without Doubt therof, that the Quene was Carnally Knowen by our said Brother Prince Arthur; and the same Dispensation soo proceeding, without urgent Cause to be reputed invalida. The Transumpte of which League autentiquely transumed, we sende unto youe herwith, to thintent ye may the better perceyve theffecte of the same. And finally, ye shall firther signifie to his Holynes, that of the Good Successe of this our Cause, dependeth the Suretie of our Succession, and therupon ensueth the Rest, Peax, and Tranquillitie of al our Realme, and by the protracting thereof many perilous Daungers 'maye and is like to ensue to the same, which above all Things, we and our Realme ought to have Respect unto. Wherfor it is more convenient, and consonant to Reason and Equitie, that this our said Cause shuld be determyned by them, to whose Dammage or Commoditie the Successe of the Cause may ensue, and not by his Holynes, which canne have no certain Knowleage of the State of the same. And yet nevertheles, if his Holynes remytting the final Discusse of the principal Cause to our English Churche, as apperteineth, will after that, of his Gratuitie ratifie and confirme suche Sentence as they shal de PART termyn in the same, shal therby not only adquire Christen Obedience of us and our People, moche to his Commoditie and Contentacion, and also profitable to the See Apostolique, but also pacifie the Contradiction, to the Rest and Quietnes of al Christendom. Willing you by thise and other discrete Persuasions, as ye can with al Diligence and Dexteritie to allure his Holynes, being now sumwhat attempered and disposed to do us good, to condiscend to more benivolent Gratuities, than as yet is set forth by the said Overtures; and to ascertain us with all Diligence and Celeritie, what Towardnes ye shall perceyve in him in this Behaulf, not mynding that ye shal declare this as our resolute Answer. But uppon other and further Overtures, and after more Deliberation and Consultation uppon these weighty Causes, we wil study and enserche, by al Honourable Wayes and Meanes that we canne, to concurre with the towardly Minde of his Holynes, if he ernestly wil applie himself, and persever in suche Opinion, as may be for the Acceleration of thende of our said Cause: Willing you, with all Diligence and Dexteritie, to put your good Endevour to the same; and likewise to procure the said Sir Gregory, according to our Expectation in that Behaulfe. Number 26. The Judgment of the Convocation of the Province of York, rejecting the Pope's Authority. ILLUSTRISSIMO et Excellentissimo Principi et Domino Henrico VIII. Dei Gratiâ, Angliæ et Franciæ Regi, Fidei Defensori, et Domino Hiberniæ. Edwardus, Permissione Divinâ, Eboracensis Archiepiscopus, Angliæ Primas et Metropolitanus, Salutem in eo, per quem Reges regnant, et Principes dominantur. Vestræ Regiæ Celsitudini, Tenore Præsentium, innotescimus et significamus, Quod, cum juxta vestræ Regiæ Majestatis Mandatum, coram Prælatis et Clero Eboracensi, Provinciæ in Sacra Synodo Provinciali, sive Convocatione Prælatorum et Cleri ejusdem Provincia Eboracensis, in Domo Capitulari Ec II. clesiæ Metropolitica Eborum, quinto Die Mensis Maii, Anno BOOK Domini M.D.XXXIV. jam instanti, celebrata, et de Diebus indies continuata congregatis proposita fuit sequens Conclusió, Quod Episcopus Romanus, in Sacris Scripturis, non habet aliquam majorem Jurisdictionem in Regno Angliæ, quam quivis alius extraneus Episcopus. Ac insuper, ex Parte Præsidentium in eadem Synodo, per Nos deputatorum memorati Prælati et Clerus, rogati et requisiti ut illam Conclusionem suo Consensu confirmarent et corroborarent, si illam Veritati consonam, et Sacris Scripturis non repugnantem, existimarent aut judicarent. Tandem dicti Prælati, et Clerus Eboracensis Provinciæ antedictæ, post diligentem Tractatum in ea Parte habitum, ac maturam Deliberationem, unanimiter et concorditer, nemine eorum discrepante, prædictam Conclusionem fuisse et esse veram affirmarunt, et eidem concorditer consenserunt. Quæ omnia et singula vestræ Regiæ Celsitudini, Tenore Præsentium, intimamus et significamus. In quorum omnium et singulorum Fidem et Testimonium, Sigillum nostrum apponi fecimus. Dat. in Manerio nostro de Cawodd, Primo Die Mensis Junii, Anno Domini, M.D.XXXIV. et nostræ Consecrationis Anno Tertio. Number 27. The Judgment of the University of Oxford, rejecting the Pope's Authority. In a Book, stiled, Registrum, sive Epistolæ Regum et Magnatum ad Academiam Oxon. Unà cum Responsis. MS. Archiv. A. 117. ad An. 1534. P. 127. Part of the King's Letter to the University. OUR Pleasure and Commandement is, that ye, as shall beseem PART with convenient Speed and Celeritie, your Mind, Sentence, and III. Assertion of the Question, according to the meere and sincere Truth of the same: Willing you to give Credence to our trusty and well-beloved, this Bringer, your Commissarie, as well touching our further Pleeasure in the Premisses, as for other Matters, &c. Yeven under our Signett, at our Mannor of Greenewich, the Eighteenth Day of May. The University's Answer to the King. UNIVERSIS Sanctæ Matris Ecclesiæ Filiis, ad quos præsentes Literæ pervenerint, Johannes, Permissione Divina, Lincolniensis Episcopus, Almæ Universitatis Oxon. Cancellarius : Nec non universus Doctorum ac Magistrorum, Regentium et non Regentium in eadem Coetus, Salutem in Auctore Salutis. Quum Illustrissimus simul ac Potentissimus Princeps et Dominus noster Henricus Octavus, Dei Gratia, Angliæ et Franciæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, et Dominus Hiberniæ, assiduis Petitionibus et Querelis Subditorum suorum in summo suo Parliamento, super intolerabilibus Exterarum Potestatum, Exactionibus nuper Propositis, Controversiisque quibusdam habitis, super Potestate ac Jurisdictione Romani Episcopi, variisque et urgentibus Causis, contra eundem Episcopum tunc ibidem expositis et declaratis, aditus atque rogatus fuerit, ut commodis suorum Subditorum in hac parte consuleret, et Querelis satisfaceret: Ipse tanquam prudentissimus Solomon, sollicitè curans quæ suorum sunt Subditorum, quibus in hoc Regno, divina disponente Clementia, præest, altiusque secum considerans, quo Pacto commodissimas Regno suo sanciret Leges; denique ante omnia præcavens, ne contra Sacram Scripturam aliquid statuat, (quam vel ad Sanguinem usq; defendere semper fuit, eritque paratissimus) solerti suo Ingenio, sagaciq; Industria, quandam Quæstionem ad hanc ejus Academiam Oxon. publicè et solenniter, per Doctores et Magistros ejusdem disputandam transmisit: Viz. An Romanus Episcopus habeat majorem aliquam Jurisdictionem, sibi à Deo collatam in Sacra Scriptura, in hoc Regno Angliæ, quàm alius quivis externus Episcopus? Mandavitque, ut habita stere. II. super hac Questione matura Deliberatione, et Examinatione di- BOOK ligenti, quid Sacræ Literæ in hac Parte nostro Judicio statuunt, eundem certiorem facere suo Instrumento, Sigillo communi Universitatis, communito et firmato curaremus. Nos igitur Cancellarius, Doctores ac Magistri prædicti, sæpe reminiscentes, ac penitius apud nos pensitantes, quanta sit Virtus, Sanctitas, ac nostræ Professioni quam consona res, et debita Submissioni, Obedientiæ, Reverentiæ, ac Charitati congrua, præmonstrare viam Justitiæ ac Veritatis cupientibus, Sacrarum Literarum Vestigiis *inserrere, securiorique et tranquilliori Conscien- * Leg. insitia, in Lege Dei sacram, ut aiunt, suam Anchoram reponere ; non potuimus non invigilare, sedulo quin in Petitione tam justa ac honesta, tanto Principi (cui velut auspicatissimo nostro Supremo Moderatori obtemperare tenemur) modis omnibus satisfaceremus. Post susceptam itaque per nos Questionem antedictam, cum omni Humilitate, Devotione, ac debita Reverentia, convocatis undique dictæ nostræ Academiæ Theologis, habitoque complurium dierum spatio, ac deliberandi tempore satis amplo, quo interim cum omni qua potuimus Diligentia, Justitiæ Zelo, Religione et Conscientia incorrupta, perscrutaremur tam Sacræ Scripturæ Libros, quam super eisdem approbatissimos Interpretes, et eos quidem sæpe ac sæpius à nobis evolutos, et exactissimè collatos, repetitos et examinatos; deinde et Disputationibus solennibus, palam et publicè habitis et celebratis, tandem in hanc Sententiam unanimiter omnes convenimus, ac concordes fuimus; Viz. Romanum Episcopum majorem aliquam Jurisdictionem non habere, sibi à Deo collatam in Sacra Scrip→ tura, in hoc Regno Angliæ, quàm alium quemvis externum Episcopum. Quam nostram Assertionem, Sententiam, sive De terminationem, sic ex Deliberatione discussam, ac juxta Exigentiam Statutorum et Ordinationum, hujus nostræ Universitatis per nos conclusam, publicè totius Academiæ Nomine, tanquam veram, certam, Sacræq; Scripturæ consonam, affirmamus (et) testificamur per Præsentes. In quorum omnium et * Fidem et Testimonium has Literas fieri, et Sigillo nostræ Uni- legible; versitatis communi, roborari fecimus. Dat. in Domo Congre- it was singationis nostræ, 27. Die Mensis Junii, Anno à Christo nato M.D.XXXIV. * Not very but it seems gulorum. |