CHAPTER XII.

DUKE OF SOMERSET'S TROUBLESY.

THE COMMON

PRAYER RATIFIED.

WHEN most of the council had combined together, in The archbishop the month of October, against the protector of the king's writes to person, the duke of Somerset, and had withdrawn them- the lords at Elyselves to Ely-house, the king then being at Hampton Court, house. and suddenly conveyed by the said duke to Windsor, upon the fear of tumult; then I find the archbishop, 193 and but two privy-counsellors a more, with the king and the protector there. Being here, the good archbishop, though he would not forsake his friend the duke, nor the king his master, yet he did what lay in him to appease and pacify these heats. And so he, with the lord Paget

cretary of state, and one of Henry
VIIIth's executors and governors
to his son, Edward VI.; of whose
council he was a member. For his
adherence to the falling fortunes
of the duke of Somerset he was
committed to the Tower. He was
afterwards degraded from being
a knight of the garter; upon the
death of Edward VI., he was sent
with the earl of Arundel by the
council to acknowledge queen
Mary; he was also restored to
the order of the garter, and de-
puted with lord Hastings to
bring over cardinal Pole to Eng-
land; he received the appoint-
ment of lord privy-seal, and
was one of the select committee
appointed for the regulation of
affairs during the absence from
England of Philip, the husband

and secretary Smith, in their own and the king's name, wrote an earnest letter to the separating counsellors, and sent it by sir Philip Hobyd: wherein, as appears by their answer, "they were charged by the archbishop with creating much care and sorrow to the king, and that he thought they had not that care that beseemed them of pacifying the present uproars, and for the preservation of the state from danger: that they forgat the benefits they had received from the king's father, nor were mindful of their duty of allegiance that their doings bespake wilfulness; and that the protector meant nothing but the safety and protection of the king in what he had done; and that he had that consideration of his duty to God, that the promise and oath he made required." They were advised to do as they would be done unto: and mention was made of "cruelty" more than once, charging them obliquely therewith. And in fine he wrote, that he, and those with him, knew more than they did, to whom they writ. Probably he meant, that he knew that this anger against the duke arose from the private malice of some of them, or their hatred of the reformation, notwithstanding all the fair pretences of their care of the king, and the protector's misgovernment.

of queen Mary. In queen Elizabeth's reign he was laid aside from the privy council, and "died at his house in Drayton, A. D. 1563."-See vol. i. pp. 21, 22, 321. Burnet's Hist. of Reformat. vol. ii. pp. 6, 36, 213, 271, 304, 369, 425, 479, 584, 621. vol. iii. pp. 181, 297, 455, 490. ed. Oxon. 1829. Strype's Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. pt. i. pp. 17, 19, 242-249, 497. vol. iii. pt. i. pp. 28, 248, 323, 455, 469, 489. pt. ii. p. 160. ed. Oxon. 1822. Strype's

Annals of the Reformat. vol. iii. pt. i. p. 87. ed. Oxon. 1824.]

[See above, p. 123.]

d [Sir Philip Hobey, or Hobbey, was a favourer of the reformation and one of Edward VIth's council. He was also a friend of the lord protector, and employed in several embassies during this reign. See Burnet's Hist. of Reformat. vol. i. pp. 652, 653, 655. vol. ii. pp. 179, 288, 451. pt. ii. pp. 12, 37, 39, 68, 122. vol. iii. pp. 355, 367, 368.]

swer.

This letter the lords from Ely-house answered, charging Their anand commanding the archbishop, and those with him, to have a continual earnest watch of the king's person, and that he be not removed from Windsor castle, as they would answer the same at their utmost perils. They wondered much, they said, that they would suffer the king's royal person to remain in the guard of the duke's men, and that strangers should be armed with the king's armour, and be nearest about his person. For, it seems, many of the king's servants, in this fear, were removed away. They advised the archbishop, and the lord Paget, to come over to their side, and to leave the poor duke alone. Upon this the archbishop and the others wrote a second letter, dated October the 10th: wherein they assured the lords, that they could, whensoever they pleased to require it, give such very good reasons for their so often mentioning cruelty in their other letter, as, they questioned not, they would be well satisfied with. And so, upon the lords propounding a meeting with the king and them, they accorded thereunto, in great prudence willing, for peace and quietness in that dangerous time, so to do. These letters are recorded in the History Vol. ii. Colof the Reformation". The Common Prayer-book, and administration of the The archsacraments, by the great care and study of the bishop, was now finished, and settled by act of ment: which would not down with a great many. upon the taking up of the duke of Somerset in the month

e [See Burnet's Hist of Reformat. vol. ii. pt. ii. B. i. Nos. 43, 44. pp. 263–268. Abp. Cranmer's Works, vol. ii. pp. 520-522. Park. Soc. ed. and the Appendix to this volume.]

f[i.e. 2o. and 3o. Edw. VI.

lect. p.

187, 188.

bishop gets

arch- the Comparlia-mon Prayer

Book conBut firmed.

of October, and laying him in the Tower, it was generally said that now the old Latin service should come in again, the common opinion being, that the Common Prayer was 194 peculiarly of his procuring. And that there were such

designs among Somerset's enemies, who were generally favourers of the old religion, it is not improbable. The good archbishop thought it now time to interpose in this thing, and to obtain from the privy-council somewhat to confirm the book of Common Prayer. So there was in December 25 a general letter drawn up to all the bishops of England: letting them understand, that there was no intention of bringing in again Latin service, conjured bread and water, nor any such abrogated ceremonies : and that the abolishing of these, and the setting forth of the book of Common Prayer, was done by the whole state of the realm. That the book was grounded upon the holy Scripture, and was agreeable to the order of the primitive church, and much to the edifying of the subject. And therefore that the changing of that for the old Latin service would be a preferring of ignorance to knowledge, darkness to light, and a preparation to bring in papistry and superstition again. The bishops therefore were bid with all speed to command their deans and prebendaries, and all parsons, vicars, and curates, to bring to such places as the bishops should appoint, all antiphoners, missals, &c. and all other books of service: and that they be defaced and abolished, that they be no let to that godly and uniform order set forth. And to commit to ward any stubborn and disobedient persons that brought not the said books, and to certify the council of their misbehaviour. That they should make search, if any of these superstitious books were withdrawn or hid. That, whereas there were some persons, who refused to contribute to the buying of bread and wine for the com

munion, according to the order of the book, whereby many times the holy communion was fain to be omitted, to convent such persons before them, and admonish them; and if they refused to do accordingly, to punish them by suspension, excommunication, or other censure. This was signed by the archbishop and the lord chancellor Rich, and four mores.

[See the Appendix to this volume, in which this letter is printed entire.]