liberis accipiat in conjugem. Illis igitur persuasi et in unam opinionem convenientes ad questionem predictam ita respondendum decrevimus et in hiis scriptis nomine totius universitatis respondemus ac pro conclusione nobis solidissimis rationibus et validissimis argumentis comprobata affirmamus, quod ducere uxorem fratris mortui sine liberis cognitam a priori viro per carnalem copulam nobis christianis hodie est prohibitum jure divino ac naturali. Atque in fidem et testimonium hujusmodi nostræ responsionis et affirmationis hiis literis sigillum nostrum commune curavimus apponi. Datum in congregatione nostra Cantabrigiæ die nono Martii Anno Domini Milles. Quingentesimo vicesimo

nono.

DOMINICA 2 QUADRAGESIME ANNO DNI 1529 IN WYNDESOR DELYVERED BY ME W. B. VYCECHAUNCELOR IN THE CHAMBRE OF

PRESENCE POST VESPERAS.

YOUR universitie of Cambridge have them most humbly commended unto your grace and here thei have sente unto your highnes their lettres.

Then kisse them and so deliver them.

Furthermore as touching your requeste expressed in your lettres dyrected unto them by Mr Secretary and Mr Fox your moste wyse counsaillors in thaccomplishing of the same thei have donn ther devors and here in writinge under ther common seale thei have sente unto your grace ther sentence desyryng the same to accepte and to take it in parte and good worthe and if thei had any thynge ellys to gratifie your grace withall then lettres and thei studyes your highness shulde be suer theroff to the uttermoste of their powers.

A LETTER FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS
RECEPTION BY THE KING WHEN HE DELIVERED THE DETERMINA-
TION OF THE UNIVERSITY.

To the right worshypfull Master
Doctor Edmondes Vykar of Alborne
in Wyltshyre be theis lettres dd.

My duty remembered I hartely commaunde me unto you and I lat youe understande that doica seda at afternone I came to Wyndsore and also to parte of Mr Latymers sermon, and after the ende of the same I spoke with Mr Secretary and also with Mr Proveste, and so at after evensonge I delyvered our letters in the chamber of presence all the courte beholdyng, the Kyng with Mr Secretary dyd there rede them but not the letters of determynation, notwithstanding that I dyd there also delyver them with a proposition his highness gave me there greate thankes and talked with me a good while he much lauded our wisdom and good conveyance in the matter with the great quyetnes in the same. He showed me also what he had in his handes for our vniversity according unto that that Mr Secretary* dyd expresse unto us etc. So he departed. But by and by he greatly praysed Mr Latymer's sermon and in so praysing said on this wise. "This displeaseth greatly Mr Vicechauncelor yonder." "Yon same," said he unto the Duke of Norfolk, "is Mr Vicechauncelor of Cambridge," and so poynted unto me. Than he spake secretly unto the said Duke which after the Kings departure came unto me and welcomed me saying emongst other thinges that the King wold speek with me on the nexte day. And here is the first acte. On the nexte daye I wayted untyll it was dynner tyme and so at the last Doctor Butts came unto me and brought a rewarde twenty nobles for me and fyve markes for the younger Proctor which was with me, saying that I shulde take that for a resolute answer, and that I might departe from the courte whan I wolde. Then came Mr Proveste† and when I had shewed hym of our answer, he said I shulde speake with the Kynge at † Dr. Fox.

* Bishop of Winchester, Gardiner.

after dynner for all that and so brought me unto a prevy place. Wheare as he wolde have me to wait at after dynner. I came thyther and he bothe, and by one of the clocke the Kyng entered in. It was in a galery. There wer Mr Secretary, Mr Provest, Mr Latymer, and Mr Proctor, and I and no more. The Kyng there talked with us untyll fyve of the clocke, I assure you he was scace contented with Mr Secretary and Mr Provest that this was not also determyned, An Papa possit dispensare etc. I made the beste, and confyrmed the same that thei had shewed his Grace before, and how it wolde never have been so obteyned; than he opened his mynde saying that he wolde have it determyned at after Ester and of the same we counsailed a while. I praie youe therfore study for this for our busynesse is not yet at an ende, An Papa possit dispensare cum jure divino etc. Muche other communication we had which wer to longe here to recyte. Thus his highness departed casting a little holy water of the courte, and I shortly after toke my leave of Mr Sec. and Mr Proveste with whom I dyd not drynke ne yet was bydden, and on the morrow departed from thence thynkyng more than I dyd say and beyng glad that I was oute of the courte wheare many men as I dyd both here and perceave dyd wonder on me. And here shalbe an ende for this tyme of this fable. All the worlde almoste cryethe oute of Cambridge for this acte and specially on me. But I muste bare it as well as I maye. I have loste a benefice by it which I shulde have had within this ten daies, for there hathe one fallen in Mr Throkmeters gyfte which he hathe faithfully promysed unto me many a tyme but nowe his mynde is turned and alienat from me. If ye goo to the courte at after Ester I praie youe have me in remembrance there as ye shall thynke beste, but of this no more. I have had much busynesse here in Cambridge syns your departure. Parson Dakers of St. Nicholas Hostell did hurt Christopher Mr Secretaries servant and wheare I dyd enquire with my assistence according unto our statutes De perturbatione pacis and baryng of Armur, the principall and he did so ordre me as no man hathe been ordered here tofore, he refused me for his judge in causa correctionis bycause I was famylyar as he said with Mr Secretary and Mr Dr Thirleby,

I wolde not admyt that recusation, but whan he wolde no otherwaies be counsailed I commaunded hym unto warde, and so he appealed but I wolde not admytt his appeale, ne yet the younger Proctor and so in goyng to warde he wente from the bedle, and that night there was such a jettyng in Cambridge as ye never harde of with such boyng and cryeng even agaynst our Colleage that all Cambridge might perceave it was in despite of me. Afterwards the elder Proctor dyd inhybet me contrary to all counsaill and so wolde have prosecuted the appeale, but I wolde not suffer hym. We had such busynesse for this matter as ye have not harde off. And I have perceaved his malyciouse stomacke towards me. But he had shameinough thereoff. It was made a cuntre matter and greatly labored, but yet it is approved by thuniversity quod non licebit cuiquam recusare D. Vice. pro suo judice in causa correctionis. Mr Latymer precheth styll quod emuli ejus graviter ferunt. I am enformed that Oxforde hathe now clecte certen persones to determyne the Kinges question. I here saie also that Mr Proveste was there in great Jeopardy. Other thynges I have none at this tyme, but that all your company be in good helthe and hartely saluteth youe. And thus fare ye hartely well. At Cambridge in crast°. Doc. palmar. Your owne to his power

WILLIAM BUCKMASTER*.

The Kynge willed me to sende unto youe and to giff youe worde of his pleasure in the said question.

Lingard states that the King was not altogether satisfied with the answer of the University, as it embraced a condition "cognitam a priore viro per carnalem copulam," which his Majesty had excluded from the question. According to Dr. Buckmaster's statement there was no such dissatisfaction expressed by his Majesty. Burnet has printed some of these documents; and also a joint letter from Gardiner and Fox to the Council, in which they state: 'that in the Grace of the Senate they wished to have had inserted "major pars” instead of "duæ partes,” but this they could not accomplish:' they add, 'that the delegates are so chosen as to insure a favourable determination.'-ED.

A LETTER FROM THE KING TO THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, DESIRING HIM TO SEND TO LONDON TWELVE learned meN TO EXAMINE PRINTED Books.

To our trusty and welbeloved the Vicechauncelor of our University of Cambridge Trusty and welbeloved we grete you well And wheras we be enformed that in the handes of our people be now conversant and commonly red and divulgated certayn printed bokes written in the Englyshe tonge conteyning such erronious and pestiferous wordes sentences and conclusions as might perverte and corrupte ther judgements and opinions and be occasion of division contention and debate in the chief and principal points and articles of our faith and religion. Whereupon is lyke to ensue onles it be foreseen and repressed in tyme the dissolution of our common wealthe with the total confusion and destruction of the same. We therfor callyng to our remembrance the care and charge committed unto us by almyghty God in the administration and governaunce of this our realme and that in the same is specially to be regarded the unite and agreement in oone persuasion of faythe and religion, the dissension wherein as being grounde and fondement movithe confoundeth and totally subvertethe all the reste besedes the juste provocation of the indignation of almighty God against suche as abuse their knoleage and understand after that sorte Upon theise considerations entendyng with the advises and counsailles of the beste clerkes and lerned men within this our realme to vieu and peruse suche bokes and to perpende and consydre the contents of the same with so indifferent examination as oonly respecte and regarde shalbe had to the pure and syncere trouthe of Goddes faythe and religion reprovyng and rejecting that which is erronious and sedicious and likewise allowing and approving the reste that is good and frutefull desire and praye you that of the beste lerned men in divinitie within that our university of Cambridge ye will chose out and apointe the nombre of twelve willyng and commaundyng them to reasorte to London so as they may be there by tuesdaye at night at the ferthest. At what tyme ther shall also