BOOK "well in his own person, for and concerning the due obI. "serving and accomplishing of the said letters, as also with Anno 1549." like diligence, wisdom, and dexterity, to monish and "command all persons, vicars, curates, church-wardens, to "observe and accomplish the same from time to time. And 66 charging them to make certificate therein to him, or his "chancellor; and also of the persons, or names of such as "henceforth should be found negligent in doing their duties "in the premises. Geven at his house at Henden, the 28. "of July, 1549."

His order to his apparitor. Regist. Thirlb.

the use of

the Com

mon Prayer.

The said Bishop of Westminster also appointed George Cragges his apparitor; "that whereas he, the Bishop, had "received the King's letters concerning the due observation "and uniform order of common prayer and ministration "of the sacraments, now of late most godly set forth; and "desiring the said letters should in all things be executed: "therefore to monish and command all persons and vicars "and church-wardens, to appear personally before him, or "his chancellor, or his deputy, in the cathedral church of "St. Peter's Westminster, and in the consistory place there, on the first of August next; to see and hear the contents " and purposes of the said letter; to be further opened and "effectually declared unto them. And further to do and

66

"receive, for the due accomplishing and observing of the "same." Thus did Bishop Thirleby go along with the reformation in King Edward's reign.

The King Again, five months after, in the month of December, the again to the King sent his letters to this Bishop, as well as to the rest; Bishops, for urging again the strict observation of the Common Prayer: and that upon a particular occasion. The troubles that now the good Duke of Somerset, the Protector, fell into, gave great hopes to the popishly affected subjects, that the old Mass would come into use again, and the Common Prayer be cast off; as depending chiefly (as they supposed) upon the authority and sway of the Protector, the main ruling cause of bringing it into the Church. Therefore the King in his letter thought fit to take notice of it: namely, "how "some persons, upon the apprehension of the Duke, had

XXV.

"noised and bruited abroad, that they should have again CHAP. "their old Latin service, their conjured bread and water, "with such like vain and superstitious ceremonies: as though Anno 1549. "the setting forth of the latter Book of Common Prayer "had been the only act of the forenamed Duke.

"Therefore by the advice of the body and state of his 213 "Privy Council, not only considering the said book to be "his own act, and the act of the whole state of the realm; "but also the same to be grounded upon holy Scripture,

66

according to the order of the primitive Church, and tend"ing much to the edifying of his subjects; to put away all "such vain expectation of having the public service, &c. "in the Latin tongue, which were a preferring of ignorance "to knowledge, and darkness to light, &c. he [the King] "thought good to require him, [the Bishop,] and neverthe"less to charge him, immediately upon the receipt hereof, "to command the Dean and Prebendaries of his cathedral "church, and the parson, vicar, and curate, and church"warden of every parish, to deliver to him, or his deputy, "all antiphoners, missals, grails, processionals, manuals, &c. "after the use of Sarum, Lincoln, York, Bangor, Hereford; " and all other books of service; the keeping whereof should "be a let to the usage of the Book of Common Prayer; "and those books to deface and abolish: that they never "after might serve to any such use as they were at first

66

provided; and be at any time a let to the godly uniform "order. And that if he [the Bishop] should find any per"son stubborn and disobedient in not bringing in the said "books, to commit them to ward, . . . . unto such time as " he should have certified him [the King] of his misbeha"viour. He commanded further, that search should be "made from time to time, whether any such books were "withdrawn or hid, contrary to the tenor of these letters.

"And whereas divers froward and obstinate persons had "refused to pay for the finding of bread and wine for the "holy Communion; by reason whereof the holy Commu"nion was many times omitted upon the Sunday; these let"ters willed and commanded him, the Bishop, to convent

BOOK "such obstinate persons before him; and them to admo1. “nish to keep the order prescribed: and that if any reAnno 1549. "fused, to punish them by suspension, excommunication,

"or other censures of the Church. And not to fail thus "to do, as he would avoid his [the King's] displeasure. "Yeven under our signet at our palace of Westminster, "the third year of our reign." It was signed by Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, R. Rich Lord Chancellor, and four others.

These letters I have shortened, because I find there is a copy of them taken out of another register, and entered into Hist. Ref. the History of the Reformation.

vol. ii. Col.

p. 191.

The Bi

Here again the Bishop of Westminster, to whom these letters were given, accordingly duly executed them by his letter to his archdeacon of Middlesex, Richard Eden. And shop's or further commanded all his Clergy to meet him or his chancellor at the cathedral church of St. Peter, to receive his commandment in that behalf. Dated the 28th of Decemb.

ders here

upon.

Bishopric of
Westmin-

ster dissolved.

1549.

The conclusion of the registry of this Bishop is, " Notan"dum est, the first day of April, 1550. and the fourth of "the King, the episcopal see of Westminster was dissolved; "and restored, and united to the see of London."

Order for sermons. Joan of Kent promotes Arianism.
The English Communion Book reformed.

Anno 1550. IN the month of April 1550. it was ordered, that whoso

Sermons ap-ever should have ecclesiastical benefices granted them by the pointed at Court. King, should preach before him in or out of Lent: and that every Sunday, there should be a sermon made at Court.

Joan of

Kent's condemnation;

Arianism now shewed itself so openly, and was in such danger of spreading farther, that it was thought necessary to suppress it by using more rugged methods than seemed agreeable to the merciful principles of the professors of the Gospel. One Joan Bocher or Knel, commonly called Joan

XXV.

Book.

of Kent, being condemned for this heresy the latter end of CHAP. the last year, a warrant, dated April 27, was issued by order of Council to the Lord Chancellor, to make out a writ to Anno 1550, the Sheriff of London for her execution, [to be burned,] for Councilcertain detestable opinions of heresy. These are the words of the Council-Book. The Archbishop of Canterbury was not then present at the Council-board, the Bishop of Ely was. After her condemnation she was kept a great while, in hope to reclaim her. April 30. the Bishops of London and Ely were with her to persuade her, but she withstood them. And even at her execution, which was May 2. she And execureviled him that then preached, (who was Dr. Scory,) as the King writes in his journal.

tion.

count of

p.16.

If any be minded to hear more of this woman, he may be Some acinformed by Parsons, that she was at first a great disperser this woman. of Tindal's New Testaments, translated by him into English, and printed at Colen, and was a great reader of Scripture herself. Which books she also dispersed in the Court, and Ward Word so became known to certain women of quality, and was more particularly acquainted with Mrs. Anne Ascue. She used for the more secrecy to tie the books in strings under her apparel, and so pass with them into the Court. The said author writes, that she was openly reported to have been dishonest of her body with base fellows. Which I charitably suppose might be but a calumny, too common with Parsons.

When she was condemned to die for her denial of Christ's Her words

to her

taking flesh of the blessed Virgin, she said to the Judges, judges.
"It is a goodly matter to consider your ignorance. It was
"not long ago since you burned Anne Ascue for a piece of

66

bread, and yet came yourselves soon after to believe and

profess the same doctrine for which you burned her. "And now forsooth you will needs burn me for a piece of “flesh, and in the end you will come to believe this also, "when you have read the Scriptures, and understand them." When she came to die in Smithfield, and Dr. Scory endeavoured to convert her, she scoffed at him, and said, he lied like a rogue; and bade him, Go, read the Scriptures.

BOOK

penance.

215

made in the

English book.

The day after this woman's condemnation, was one Putto, 'I. a tanner of Colchester, brought before the King's comAnno 1550. missioners. He was either of her opinion, or an Anabaptist. Putto does For these commissioners were appointed to sit upon inquiry after these sectaries chiefly. But Putto recanted; and bare a fagot at Paul's Cross, and after that at Colchester. Alterations For some remembrance of the book of public and Common Prayer, which about this time underwent a diligent inspection and reformation by some of the Bishops, take these short hints of it. In the calendar for the lessons were no proper lessons for Sundays and holydays, but only proper Psalms for the four great festivals, viz. Christmas, Easter, Ascension, and Whit-Sunday. The book began with the Lord's Prayer, ushered in with this rubric, "The priest being in the quire, shall begin with a loud voice the Lord's "Prayer, or the Pater noster." The Confession and Absolution were first added in the revised edition; as the German Protestant churches had their Confession and Absolution. At the end of the former book were inserted several rules with this title, "Certain notes for the more plain

66

66

explication and decent ministration of things contained in "this book." One of these rules and notes is this: "If there "be a sermon, or for other great cause, the Curate by his "discretion may leave out the Litany, Gloria in excelsis, "the Creed, the Homily, and the Exhortation to the Com"munion." Another rule is, "That whensoever the Bishop "shall celebrate the holy Communion in the Church, or "execute any other public ministration, he shall have upon "him, beside his rochet, a surplice or alb, and a cope or "vestment, and also his pastoral staff in his hand, or else "borne or holden by his chaplain." Another rule was, "As "touching kneeling, crossing, holding up of hands, knock"ing upon the breast, and other gestures, they may be left

or used, as every man's devotion seemeth, without blame." The last note is this: "And although it be read in ancient "writers, that the people many years past received at the "Priest's hands the sacrament of the body of Christ in their 66 own hands, and no commandment of Christ to the con