Sequuntur in hoc libello certi quidam articuli de sacro ministerio, et procuratione ecclesiarum, in quos plene consensum est in synodo a domino Mathæo, archiepisc. Cantuar. et totius Angliæ primate et metropolitano, et reliquis omnibus ejus provinciæ episcopis, partim per-10 sonaliter præsentibus, partim procuratoria manu subscribentibus in synodo inchoata Londini in æde divi Pauli tertio die Aprilis, M.D.LXXI.

De episcopis.

MNES episcopi diligenter docebunt evangelium, 15 non tantum in ecclesiis cathedralibus, quibus præsunt, sed etiam passim, per omnes ecclesias suæ cujusque diœceseos, ubi maxime putabunt expedire.

Inprimis autem cohortabuntur populum ad lectionem,

Liber quorundam] "In the framing of this book of Canons, the 20 archbishop, and the bishops of Ely and Winton, had the main hand: but all the bishops of both provinces in synod, in their own persons or by proxy, signed it; but not the lower house. And the archbishop laboured to get the queen's allowance to it, but had it not: she often declining to give her license to their orders and constitutions, reckoning that her bishops' power and jurisdiction alone, having their authority derived from her, was sufficient. In the month of July or August

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et auditionem sacrarum scripturarum; utque statis temporibus conveniant ad suas quique ecclesias, et diligenter auscultent sacris concionatoribus; utque submisse et audiant pias preces, quæ a ministro dicentur, et una precentur ipsi, et cælestium mysteriorum, ut nunc in ecclesiis 5 nostris auctoritate, et jussu totius regni legitime et pie procurantur, sint participes.

Episcopus quisque ante calendas Septembris proximas, advocabit ad se omnes publicos concionatores, quicunque erunt in sua cujusque diœcesi, et ab illis repetet facul-10 tates concionandi, quas habent, auctentico sigillo consignatas, easque vel retinebit apud se vel extinguet. Deinde, delectu illorum prudenter facto, quoscunque ad illam tantam functionem ætate, doctrina, judicio, innocentia, modestia, gravitate, pares invenerit, illis novas facultates 15 ultro dabit; ita tamen ut prius subscribant articulis christianæ religionis publice in synodo approbatis, fidemque dent, se velle tueri, et defendere doctrinam eam, quæ in

the archbishop sent this book to Grindal, archbishop of York, recommending it to the observation of the clergy in his province; and for 20 his judgment of it.

"What that archbishop's thoughts of it were, is worth observing ; which appears from his answer he sent to the archbishop of Canterbury, as follows: 'He thanked his grace for the book of Articles and Discipline but he stood in doubt whether they had vigorem legis, 25 unless they had either been concluded upon in synod and after ratified by her majesty's royal assent in scriptis (fine words, added he, fly away as wind, and will not serve us, if we were empleaded in a case of præmunire); or else were confirmed by act of parliament. He said, he liked the book very well; and that if hereafter he should 30 doubt in any point, or wish it enlarged in any respect, he would signify to his grace hereafter. And if there were at present want of sufficient authority, yet it was well that the book was ready, and might receive more authority at the next parliament:' yet we see he and his provincial bishops signed it.

"But notwithstanding these doubts and suspicions, which did not without reason arise in the minds of these and other of the bishops (knowing what watchful back-friends they had), yet they proceeded according to the above-said book of discipline; especially in what

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illis continetur, ut consentientissimam veritati divini verbi.

Episcopus etiam atque etiam considerabit, quod genus hominum admittat in famulitium. Fit enim interdum, ubi hæc cautio et diligentia non adhibetur, ut homines 5 impios et veræ religionis inimicos, et criminosos, et tota vita impuros, et sceleratos admittamus. Ex eo adversarius facile capiet maledicendi occasionem.

Episcoporum famuli in omni vestis genere ita se modeste et composite ornabunt, ut fratres suos, quos 10 Paulus appellat domesticos fidei, non offendant.

Episcopus nemini posthac manum imponet, nisi instituto in bonis literis, vel in academia, vel in inferiori aliqua schola; aut qui satis commode intelligat Latinam linguam, et probe versatus sit in sacris literis: nec nisi 15 attigerit ætatem illam legitimam, quæ statutis et legibus

concerned their clergy in their respective dioceses." Strype, Parker, vol. ii. p. 60.

The bishop of Canterbury, in a letter soon after written, told him [archbishop Grindal] that he was in more fear than he trusted would 20 follow for that he and the bishop of Ely had so ordered the matter with the queen, that seeing there was no new doctrine in the book [but only matters of discipline and good order] she seemed to be contented; and that therefore if it were repealed hereafter, there would be no fear of præmunire-matter; as he might better satisfy himself 25 by considering the statute. Thus archbishop Parker wrote to him to put the book in force. But Grindal did not care to go upon such uncertainties." Strype, Grindal, p. 247.

Although they did not receive any authority from the queen, it is certain that they were laid before her, and probable that she occasioned 30 many alterations to be made in them. In a letter bearing date 4th of June 1571, and preserved among the Petyt papers in the library of the Inner Temple, the archbishop says, "If it may please her majestie to permite our Booke of Discipline, I will labour to put it in printe for furder instruction. Si non placet, faciet Dominus quod bonum est in 35 oculis suis. For my partie, I am at a pointe in theis worldlie respects, and yet shall be readie to heare Quid in me loquatur Dominus." On the 4th of June then the Canons, already approved by the convocation, were waiting her majesty's pleasure; and as a copy of them, in the

est constituta: nec nisi cujus vita et innocentia gravium, et piorum hominum et episcopo notorum fuerit testimonio commendata: nec si in agricultura, vel in vili aliquo et sedentario artificio fuerit educatus: nec nisi qui titulum (quem appellant) aliquem habeat, ut sit unde vitam 5 tueatur, si Dei permissu, vel in cæcitatem, vel in gravem corporis infirmitatem, vel in morbum diuturnum incidat : nec nisi qui intra ipsius dioecesim sacro ministerio functurus sit: nec unquam nisi ubi sacrum aliquod ministerium in eadem diœcesi vacare contigerit. Neminem autem 10 peregrinum, et ignotum vel ad sacerdotiorum proventus, vel ad ecclesiasticum ministerium recipiet, nisi ab illo episcopo, e cujus diocesi discessit, literas commendatitias, quas appellant dimissorias, secum afferat.

Episcopus præbendarum, et beneficiorum suorum prox-15 imas secundas aut tertias advocationes, quas vocant, nulli

condition in which they then stood, and bearing the signatures of the bishops of both provinces, is still in existence, being preserved among the archbishop's papers at Cambridge, it is easy by a comparison with the printed copies to see the extent to which, in this as in many other 20 cases, the queen exercised her power, both in removing what she disliked, and even in introducing new matter. The following instances are given in the words of Dr. Bennet (Essay on the 39 Art. p. 345.): "The first title is De Episcopis. Now in the second paragraph of this title the original runs thus: Concionatoribus, quos aut Regia Majestas, 25 aut Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis aut Episcopus approbaverit; utque submisse.' In the fifth paragraph it was written in MS. thus: Episcoporum famuli caligis istis monstrosis et taliaribus quas publica insania et novitatis insatiabilis libido in usum induxit, imposterum non utentur; sed in omni vestis genere ita se modeste.' In the second 30 title, and that which is now the third paragraph, after Diœcesi these words, maxime vero in illis locis, unde ipsis reditus annui et stipendia suppeditantur,' are added in the print, which were not in the MS.”

These Canons were published in English as well as Latin, and a copy of the former, printed "at London by John Daye, dwellyng over 35 Aldersgate" (no date), is in the Selden collection in the Bodleian. This Latin reprint is taken from an edition of that period (but without date), several copies of which are in the same collection.

Comp. Collier, vol. ii. p. 530.

dabit (sunt enim et a bonis moribus, et a christiana charitate aliena) nec dimissiones fructuum, aut redituum cujuscunque rectoriæ, aut ecclesiastici beneficii quacunque ratione in plurimos annos confirmabit.

Episcopus neminem, qui se otioso nomine lectorem 5 vocet, et manus impositionem non acceperit, in ecclesiæ ministerio versari patietur.

Quivis archiepiscopus et episcopus habebit domi suæ sacra Biblia in amplissimo volumine, uti nuperrime Londini excusa sunt, et plenam illam historiam, quæ inscri-10 bitur "Monumenta martyrum," et alios quosdam similes libros ad religionem appositos. Locentur autem isti libri vel in aula, vel in grandi cœnaculo, ut et ipsorum famulis et advenis usui esse possint.

Decani ecclesiarum cathedralium.

Eosdem illos libros, quos proxime diximus, decanus quisque curabit emi, et locari in ecclesia sua cathedrali ejusmodi in loco, ut a vicariis et minoribus canonicis, et ministris ecclesiæ, et ab advenis, et peregrinis commode audiri et legi possint.

Eosdem libros illos decanus et primarius quisque residentiarius, quos appellant ecclesiæ dignitates, ement suo quisque famulitio, eosque opportuno aliquo in loco, vel in aula, vel in coenaculo locabunt.

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Decanus et præbendarii diligenter docebunt sacrum 25 Dei verbum non tantum in ecclesiis cathedralibus ubi vivunt, sed etiam in aliis ecclesiis in eadem diœcesi, maxime vero in illis locis, unde ipsis reditus annui, et stipendia suppeditantur. Quod nisi fecerint, pro episcopi arbitrio puniantur.

Nullus nec decanus, nec archidiaconus, nec residentiarius, nec præpositus, nec custos, nec præfectus alicujus collegii, aut ecclesiæ cathedralis, nec præses, nec rector, nec quisquam ex illo ordine, quocunque nomine censeatur,

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