Council

book.

PART the matter went for some time very high against III. him and his friends. On the 13th of October, sir 1549. Thomas Smith, sir Michael Stanhope, sir John Thynne, and Edward Wolfe, called adherents to the duke of Somerset, and the principal instruments of his ill government, were sent to the Tower; and on the 14th he himself was sent thither. No more mention is made of them till the 6th of February, that the duke of Somerset was set at liberty; but bound in a recognizance of 10,000l. not to go above four mile from Sheen, or Sion, nor to come into the king's presence, unless he was called for by the king and his council. And when he knew that the king was to come within four miles of these houses, he was to withdraw from them. Yet, it seems, his enemies were still in some apprehension of him; and probably some messages went between him and his friends in the Tower: for, on the 18th of February, they were all made close prisoners, and their servants were not suffered to attend upon them. But it seems, upon examination, this was found not to be of a criminal nature; so, on the 22d, they were dismissed upon their recognizances. And, upon the 10th of April, the duke of Somerset was again brought to the council-board, being that day sworn of the privy-council.

On the 20th of April, Hobby being sent back to the emperor's court, had orders to try if the proposition for a marriage of the lady Mary to the prince of Portugal might be again set on foot; and, in excuse for its being rejected before, he had orders to say, that few of the council had been made acquainted with it: he was desired therefore to inquire what that prince's estate was. Whether this

The

IV.

flowed from the earl of Warwick's ambitious de- BOOK signs, which might make him wish to have her sent. away far out of England; or, if it flowed from the 1549. uneasiness the council was in, by reason of her persisting in the old way of religion, I cannot determine. Hobby had also orders to represent to the emperor, that they had hitherto connived at her mass, in hopes that she would by that connivance be moved to conform herself to the laws: diversity of rites in matters of religion ought not to be suffered. The laws were so strict, that no license could be granted in opposition to them: yet they were resolved to connive a little longer, though she abused the king's favour; for she kept as it were an open church, not only for her servants, but for all her neighbours: they therefore wished that the emperor would give her good advice in this matter. letter was signed by Cranmer, by the earls of Wiltshire and Warwick, the marquis of Northampton, the lord Wentworth, and Paget, Petre, Herbert, Darcy, and Mason. To all this it seems the emperor had little regard: for not long after that, the ambassador wrote over, that, by the emperor's command, an order was served on him, not to have the English service in his house. The council looked on this as contrary to the privileges of ambassadors, by the law of nations. So they ordered, that the emperor's ambassador should not have mass in his house, and gave him notice of it. When the emperor knew this, he complained of it, as a high violation of the dignity of that character: but the council-books show that they stood firm, and would not recall their order till the emperor recalled his order against the new service in the English ambassador's Bb

VOL. III.

III.

1549.

PART house. What further proceedings were of either side in this matter, does not appear to me. I find by the council-books, that the carrying on the reformation was cordially espoused and pursued at that board.

Proceed

ings against

Gardiner had been long a prisoner; and his being Gardiner. detained in the Tower, no proceedings being had against him, occasioned a great outcry: so, on the 8th of June 1550, it was resolved to send some to him, to see if he repented of his former obstinacy, and would apply himself to advance the king's proceedings; upon which the king would receive him into favour, and all past errors should be forgiven. So the duke of Somerset, and others, were sent to him. They made report, on the 10th of June, that he desired to see the book of the king's proceedings, and then he would make a full answer. He seemed to them in all things willing to conform himself to it, promising that if he found any thing in it against his conscience, he would open it to none but to the council. So the book was sent him; and he was allowed the liberty of the gallery and gardens in the Tower, when the duke of Norfolk was not in them. On the 13th of June, the lieutenant of the Tower reported, that he had given him back the king's book; and that he said, he would make no answer to it till he was set at liberty; and that then he would speak his conscience: so the lords, who had been with him, were appointed to go to him again. The matter rested till the 8th of July.

In an imperfect book of the minutes of the council, that I have by me, it is set down, that Gardiner did at last subscribe six articles. The two first appear not. The third is, "that the Book of Common

IV.

"Prayer was a godly and Christian book, to be BOOK "allowed and observed by all the king's true sub"jects. 4th, That the king, in his young and ten"der age, was a full and entire king: and that the

66

subjects were bound to obey the statutes, procla"mations, and commands set forth in this age, as "well as if he were thirty or forty years old. 5th, "That the statute of the six articles was, for just

66

66

causes, repealed by the authority of parliament. "6th, That the king, and his successors, had full authority in the churches of England and Ireland, "to reform and correct errors and abuses, and to "alter rites and ceremonies ecclesiastical, as shall "seem most convenient for the edification of his

66

people; so that the alteration is not contrary to "the scriptures, and the laws of God." To all this he subscribed his name: but no date is added in those minutes; but it is entered, that he did it in the presence of the council, who also subscribed as witnesses to it. Their names are, E. Somerset, W. Wiltshire, J. Warwick, J. Bedford, W. Northampton, E. Clinton, G. Cobham, W. Paget, W. Herbert, W. Petre, E. North. It was resolved to carry his submissions further; so twenty new articles were drawn up: in which, "the obligation to celibacy, and all "the vows made by the monks, all images, relics, "and pilgrimages, are condemned. It is affirmed, "that the scriptures ought to be read by all: that "the mass was full of abuse and superstition, and "was justly taken away: that the eucharist ought "to be received in both kinds: that private masses were not agreeable to scripture: that the sacra"ment ought not to be adored: that the book of "Homilies was godly and wholesome: that the book

66

1550..

PART" of ordaining bishops, priests, and deacons ought to III. "be received and approved by all; and that the

1550.

"lesser orders were not necessary: that the scrip"tures contained all things necessary to salvation; "and that Erasmus' Paraphrase was, upon good and "godly considerations, ordered by the king to be put "in all churches."

But to this a preface was added, setting forth, "that whereas he had been suspected as favouring "the bishop of Rome's authority, and that he did "not approve of the king's proceedings in altering "some rites in religion: upon which he had been brought before the council and admonished; and

66

was ordered to preach, declaring himself in those "things. But though he promised to do it, he had "not done this as he ought to have done: by which, "he had not only incurred the king's displeasure, "but divers of the king's subjects were encouraged

by his example (as the king's council was certainly "informed) to repine at his majesty's proceedings; "for which he was very sorry, and confessed that " he had been condignly punished. And he thanked "the king for his clemency, treating him not with rigour, but mercy. And, that it might appear "how little he did repine at his highness' doings, "which in religion were most godly, and to the "commonwealth most prudent; he did therefore of "his own will, and without any compulsion, sub"scribe the following articles." But on the margin of the minutes the bishop's answer to this is thus set down: "I cannot in my conscience confess the pre"face: knowing myself to be of that sort I am in"deed, and ever have been The rest is torn On the 15th of July it is entered, that report

out.