III. Thus, PART his highness pleasure. Sending unto your lordshipp herewithall the bill again, according to your request. my lord, most hartely fare you well. At Croyden, the xxixth day of November. Your own ever assured T. Cantuarien'. Number 66. Cotton lib. P. 129. A part of a letter concerning the debates of the six articles in the house of lords. AND also newes here; I assure you, never prince shew'd Cleop. E. 5. himself so wise a man, so well lerned and so catholick, as the kinge hath done in this parlyment. With my penne I cannot expresse his marvelous goodnes; which is come to such effecte, that we shall have an acte of parliament, so spirituall, that I think none shall dare saye, in the blessed sacrament of the aulter, doth remayne eyther bred or wyne after the consecration; nor that a prist may have a wife; nor that it is necessarie to receive our Maker sub utraque specie; nor that private masses should not be used as they have be; nor that it is not necessarie to have auriculer confession. And notwithstanding my lord of Canterbury, my lord of Ely, my lord of Salisburie, my lord of Worcester, Rocester, and Saint Davyds defended the contrary longe tyme, yet finally his highnes confounded them all with Goddes lerning. Yorke, Duram, Winchester, London, Chichester, Norwiche, and Carlile, have shewed themselfs honest and well learned men. We of the temporaltie have been all of one opynyon, and my lord chancellor and my lord privye seale, as good as we can devise. My lord of Cant' and all theis bishopes have given ther opinion, and came into us, save Salisburie, who yet contynueth a lewed fole. Fynally, all England have cause to thank God, and most hertelie to rejoyse of the king's most godlie proceedings. Number 67. A letter of the visitors sent to examine the abbot of Glassenbury. BOOK III. D. Tanner. PLEASE hyt your lordship to be advertised, that we came Ex MSS. to Glastenbury on Fryday last past, about tenn of the clock in the forenoone: and for that the abbot was then at Sharpham, a place of hys, a myle and somewhat more from thabbey, we, without any delay, went unto the same place; and there, after certain communication, declaring unto him theffect of our coming, examined him upon certain articles. And for that his answer was not then to our purpose, we advised him to call to his remembrance that which he had as then forgotten, and so declare the truth. And then came with him the same day to the abbey; and there of new proceeded that night to search his study for letters and books and found in his study secretly laid, aswell a written book of arguments, against the divorce of his king's majestie, and the lady dowager: which we take to be a great matter. As also divers pardons, copies of bulls, and the counterfit lyfe of Thomas Bequet in print. But we could not find any letter that was materiall. And so we proceeded again to his examination, concerning the articles we received from your lordship, in the answers whereof, as we take it, shall appear his canker'd and traiterous heart and mind against the king's majestie and his succession; as by the same answers, syned with his hand, and sent to your lordship by this bearer, more plainly shall appear. And so, with as fair words as we could, we have conveyed him from hence into the Tower, being but a very weak man, and sickly. And as yet we have neither discharged servant nor monk; but now the abbot being gone, we will, with as much celerity as we may, proceed to the dispatching of them. We have in money, 3007. and above; but the certainty of plate, and other stuffe there, as yet we know not, for we have not had opportunity for the same, but shortly we intend (God willing) to proceed to the same; whereof we shall ascertain your lordship, so shortly as we may. This is also to ad PART vertise your lordship, that we have found a fair chalice of hid secretly from all such commissioners, as have bine there Cotton lib. Titus, B. 1. Cromwell's letter to the king, when he was committed to the Tower. Most gracyous king, and most mercyfull soverayng, your III. most humble, most obbeysand, and most bounden subject, BOOK and most lamentable servant and prysoner, prostrate at the feet of your most excellent majestye, have herd your pleasure by the mouth of your comptroller; which was, that I should wrytte to your most excellent highnes suche things as I thought mete to be wryttyn, consideryng my most myserable state and condicyon. For the which your most haboundant goodnes, benignite and lycens, the immortall God, three and one, rewarde your majestye. And now, most gracyous prynce, to the matter. Fyrst, Wher I have been accused to your majestye of treason, to that I saye, I never in all my lyfe thought willinglye to do that thing that might or should displease your majestye, and much less to doe or saye that thing, which of it self is so highe and abominable offence, as God knoweth, who, I doubt not, shall reveale the trewthe to your highnes. Myne accusers your grace knoweth God forgive them. For as I ever have had love to your honour's person, lyfe, prosperite, health, wealth, joye and comfort, and also your most dear and most entyerly beloved son, the prynce his grace, and your proceedings. God so helpe me in this myne adversyte, and confound me, yf ever I thought the contrarye. What labours, paynes, and travailes I have taken, according to my most bounden deutie, God also knoweth. For if it were in my power, as it is God's, to make your majestye to live ever yong and prosperous, God knoweth, I would, yf it had been, or were in my power, to make you so riche as ye myght enriche all men, God helpe me, as I would do it yf it had been, or were in my power, to make your majesty so puissaint, as all the worlde should be compellyd to obbey you, Christ he knowyth I woulde; for so am I of all other most bounde; for your majesty hath been the most bountiful prince to me, that ever was king to his subjects: ye, and more like a dear father, your majesty not offended, then a master. Such hathe been your most grave and godly councyles towards me at sundrye tymes: in that I have offended I ask your mercy. Should I now for suche exceeding goodnes, benignite, liberalite and bountye, be your traytor, nay then the greatest PART paynes were too lityll for me. Should any faction, or any affection to any poynt, make me a trayter to your majestye, then all the devylls in hell confounde me, and the vengeance of God light appon me, yf I should ons have thought it. Most gracyous, soverayng lord, to my remembrance, I never spake with the chancellor of the augmentations and Throgmorton together, at one tyme. But yf I did, I am sure, I spake never of any such matyer; and your grace knoweth, what maner of man Throgmorton hath ever been towards your grace proceedings: and what master channceler hath been towards me, God and he best knoweth. I will ne can accuse hym. What I have been towards hym, your majestye right well knoweth. I would to Christ I hadd obeyed your often most gracious, grave counsayles and advertisments, then it had not been with me as now it is: yet our Lorde, if it be his will, can do with me, as he did with Susan, who was falsly accused. Unto the which God, I have onlye commytted my soule, and bodye and goods at your majesties pleasure, in whose mercye and pyete I do hollye repose me: for other hope than in God and your majestye, I have not. Syr, as to your common welth, I have, after my wytt, power and knowledge, travayled therin, having had no respect to persons, (your majestie onlye except, and my duty to the same) but that I have done any injustice or wrong willfully, I trust God shall be my witness, and the world not able justlye to accuse me and yet I have not done my duty in all things, as I was bounde. Wherefore I aske mercy. That I have herde of any combinations, conventicles, or such as were offenders of your laws, I have (though not as I should have done) for the most parte revealed them, and also caused them to be punished; not of malise, as God shall judge me. Nevertheless, sir, I have medelled in so many matiers under your highnes, that I am not able to answer them all. But one thing I am well assured of, that wittingly and willingly, I have not had will to offend your highnes. But harde it is for me, or any other medling as I have done, to live under your grace, and your lawes, but we must dailye offende: and wher I have offend |