"Because some children of iniquity, given up to carnal desires and novelties, have by many ways enterprised to banish the ancient manners and orders of the church, and to bring in and establish sects and heresies; taking from thence the picture of Christ, and many things besides instituted and observed of ancient time laudably in the same, placing in the room thereof such things as in such a place it behoved them not to do, and also have procured as a stay to their heresies, as they thought, certain scriptures wrongly applied to be painted upon the church walls; all which persons tend chiefly to this end; that they might uphold the liberty of the flesh, and marriage of the priests, and destroy, as much as lay in them, the reverent sacrament of the altar, and might extinguish and enervate holydays, fasting days, and other laudable discipline of the catholic church, opening a window to all vices, and utterly closing up the way to virtue. Wherefore we being moved with a christian zeal, judging that the premises are not to be long suffered, do for the discharge of our duty, commit unto you jointly and severally, and by the tenor hereof do straightly charge and command you, that at the receipt hereof, with all speed convenient, you do warn, or cause to be warned, first, second, and third time, and peremptorily, all and singular churchwardens and parishioners whosoever within our foresaid diocese of London, wheresoever any such scriptures or paintings have been attempted, that they abolish and extinguish such manner of scriptures, so that by no means they be either read or seen, and therein to proceed moreover as they shall see good and laudable in this behalf. And if after the said monition, the said churchwardens and parishioners shall be found remiss or negligent, or culpable, then you jointly and severally shall see the aforesaid scriptures to be razed, abolished and extinguished forthwith: citing all and singular those churchwardens and parishioners (whom we also for the same do cite here by the tenor hereof) that all and singular the churchwardens and parishioners being slack and negligent, culpable therein, shall appear before us, our vicar-general and principal official, or our commissary special in our cathedral church of St. Paul at London, in the consistory there, at the hour appointed for the same, the sixth day next after their citation, if it be a court-day, or else at the next court-day after ensuing, where either we or our official or commissary shall sit there to say and allege for themselves some reasonable cause, if they have or can tell of any, why they ought not to be excommunicated, or otherwise punished for their such negligence, slackness, and fault, to say and to allege, and further to do and receive, as law and reason requireth. And what you have done in the premises, do you certify us, or our vicar, principal official, or our commissary, diligently and duly in all things, and through all things, or let him among you thus certify us, who hath taken upon him to execute this mandate. In witness whereof we have set our seals to these presents.-Dated in the bishop's palace at London, the 25th day of the month of October, A.D. 1554, and of our translation the 16th."

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In the university of Cambridge, and also of Oxford, by reason of the bringing in of these things, and especially for the alteration of religion, many wise and learned men departed the universities: of whom, some of their own accord gave over, some were thrust out of their fellowships, some were miserably handled: insomuch that in Cambridge, in the college of St. John, there were four-and-twenty places void together, in whose rooms were taken in four-and-twenty others, who neither in virtue nor in religion seemed equal to their predeces

sors.

About the fifth of October, and within a fortnight following, several householders, and servants and apprentices were apprehended, and committed to prison, for having and selling certain books sent into England by the preachers that fled into Germany and other countries: within one fortnight there were little less than threescore imprisoned for this matter.

On Sunday the fourth of November, five priests did penance at St. Paul's Cross, who were content to put

away their wives. Every one of them had a taper in his hand, and a rod, wherewith the preacher did strike them.

On Friday the ninth of November, Barlow late bishop of Bath, and Master Cardmaker, were brought before the council in the Star Chamber, and were committed to the Fleet.

Cardinal Pole landed at Dover upon the 21st of Nov., on which day one act passed in the parliament for his restitution in blood, utterly repealing as false and most slanderous that act made against him in Henry VIII.'s time; and on the next day, the king and the queen came both to the parliament-house to give their royal assent, and to establish this act.

On Saturday the 24th of Nov., the cardinal came by water to London, and so to Lambeth-house.

On the Wednesday following, there was a general procession in St. Paul's for joy that the queen was likely to become a mother, as it was declared in a letter sent from the council to the bishop of London.

The same day were present at this procession ten bishops, with all the prebendaries of St. Paul's, and also the lord mayor with the aldermen, and a great number of commons of the city in their best array. The copy of the council's letter here follows:

Copy of a Letter from the Council to Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London, concerning Queen Mary's pregnancy.

"After our hearty commendations unto your good lordship: whereas it hath pleased Almighty God amongst other his infinite benefits of late most graciously poured upon us and this whole realm, to extend his benediction upon the queen's majesty in such sort, as she is conceived and quick of child; whereby (her majesty being our natural liege lady, queen, and undoubted inheritor of this imperial crown) good hope of certain succession in the crown is given unto us, and consequently the great calamities, which for want of such succession might otherwise have fallen upon us and our posterity, shall by God's grace be well avoided, if we thankfully acknow. ledge this benefit of Almighty God, endeavouring our selves with earnest repentance to thank, honour, and serve him as we are most bounden. These are not only to advertise you of these good news, to be by you published in all places within your diocese, but also to pray and require you, that both yourselves do give God thanks with us for this especial grace, and also give order that thanks may be openly given by singing of Te Deum in all the churches within your said diocese; and that likewise all priests and other ecclesiastical ministers, in their masses, and other divine services, may continually pray to Almighty God so to extend his holy hand over her majesty, the king's highness, and this whole realm, as that this thing, being by his omnipotent power graciously thus begun, may by the same be well continued, and brought to good effect, to the glory of his name. Whereunto, albeit we doubt not you would of yourself have had special regard without these our letters, yet for the earnest desire we have to have this thing done out of hand, and diligently continued, we have also written these our letters, to put you in remembrance; and so bid your lordship most heartily well to fare.

"From Westminster the 27th of November, 1554."

Consequent upon this, there were certain prayers commanded to be publicly offered up for the safe delivery of the queen, and for the child to be a male, comely and well-favoured-so general was the expectation of a child.

The same day cardinal Pole came to the parliamenthouse, which was then kept in the great chamber of the court at Whitehall, for the queen was then sick, and could not go abroad: where the king and the queen's majesty, sitting under the cloth of state, and the cardinal sitting on the right hand, with all the other estates of parliament being present, the bishop of Winchester being lord chancellor, began in this manner :

"My lords of the upper house, and you, my masters of the nether house, here is present the right reverend father in God my lord cardinal Pole, come from the apostolic see of Rome, as ambassador to the king and queen's majesties, upon one of the weightiest causes that ever happened in this realm, and which pertaineth to the glory of God, and your universal benefit. The which embassage their majesties' pleasure is to be signified unto you all by his own mouth, trusting that you will receive and accept it in as benevolent and thankfulwise as their highnesses have done, and that you will give an attentive and inclinable ear unto him."

When the lord chancellor had ended, the cardinal began his oration, wherein he declared the causes of his coming, and what were his desires and requests. Setting forth how he possessed power from the pope to absolve them all of their sins.

The next day the three estates assembled again in the great chamber of the court at Westminster; where the king and queen's majesties and the cardinal being present, they did exhibit (all kneeling on their knees) a supplication to their highnesses, the tenor whereof ensueth.

"We, the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons in this present parliament assembled, representing the whole body of the realm of England and dominions of the same, in our own names particularly, and also of the said body universally, in this supplication directed to your majesties with most humble suit, that it may by your gracious intercession and means, be exhibited to the most reverend father in God, the lord cardinal Pole, legate, sent specially here by our most holy father pope Julius III. and the see apostolic of Rome, do declare ourselves very sorry and repentant for the schism and disobedience committed in this realm and dominions of the same, against the said see apostolic, either by making, agreeing, or executing any laws, ordinances, or commandments against the supremacy of the said see, or otherwise doing or speaking that might impugn the same; offering ourselves, and promising by this our supplication, that for a token and knowledge of our said repentance, we be, and shall be always ready, under and with the authority of your majesties, to the uttermost of our power, to do that which shall be in us for the abrogation and repealing of the said laws and crdinances in this present parliament; as well for ourselves, as for the whole body whom we represent.

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'Whereupon we most humbly beseech your majesties, as persons undefiled in the offence of this body towards the said see, which nevertheless God by his providence hath made subject unto your majesties, so to set forth this our most humble suit, that we may obtain from the see apostolic, by the said most reverend father, as well particularly as universally, absolution, release, and discharge from all danger of such censures and sentences, as by the laws of the church we have fallen in, and that we may as children repentant, be received into the bosom and unity of Christ's church, so as this noble realm, with all the members thereof, may in unity and perfect obedience to the see apostolic, and pope for the time being, serve God and your majesties, to the furtherance and advancement of his honour and glory, Amen."

The supplication having been read, the king and queen delivered it to the cardinal, who received it most gladly from their majesties; and after he had in few words given thanks to God, and declared what great cause he had to rejoice that his coming from Rome into England had taken most happy success; he, by the pope's authority, then gave them this absolution.

iniquities, that he might purchase to himself a glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle, and whom the Father hath appointed head over all his church, he by his mercy absolve you. And we, by apostolic authority given unto us (by the most holy lord Pope Julius the third, his vicegerent in earth) do absolve and deliver you, and every of you, with the whole realm and dominions thereof, from all heresy and schism, and from all and every judgment, censures, and pains, for that cause incurred; and also we do restore you again unto the unity of our mother the holy church, as in our letters more plainly it shall appear in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

When all this was done, they went into the chapel, and there singing Te Deum, with great solemnity, declared the joy and gladness that was pretended for this reconciliation.

The report of this was, with great speed, sent unto Rome; as well by the king's and the cardinal's letters, as otherwise. Whereupon the pope caused processions to be made at Rome, and thanks to be given to God with great joy for the conversion of England to his church; and praising the cardinal's diligence, and the devotion of the king and queen, on Christmas eve, by his bulls he set forth a general pardon to all such as did truly rejoice for the same.

About this time a messenger was sent from the parliament to the pope, to desire him to confirm and establish the sale of the abbey-lands and chantry-lands; for the lords and the parliament would grant nothing in favour of the pope till their purchases of those lands were fully confirmed.

On Thursday the 6th of December, the whole convocation, both bishops and others, were sent for to Lambeth to the cardinal, who forgave them all their perjuries, schisms, and heresies, and they all there kneeled down and received his absolution, and after an exhortation and gratulation for their conversion to the catholic church by the cardinal, they departed.

On new-year's day, A.D. 1555, in the evening, certain honest men and women of the city, to the number of thirty, and a minister with them named Master Rose, were taken as they were in a house in Bow-churchyard at the communion, and all committed to prison.

As to the taking of this Master Rose and his fellows, word was brought to Master Hooper, then in the Fleet. Upon which Master Hooper sent a letter of consolation to the prisoners.

A Letter of Consolation sent from Master Hooper to the Godly Brethren taken in Bow-Church-yard in Prayer.

"The grace, favour, consolation, and aid of the Holy Ghost, be with you now and ever. So be it.

"Dearly beloved in the Lord, ever since your imprisonment I have been marvellously moved with great affections and passions, as well of mirth and gladness, as of heaviness and sorrow. Of gladness in this, that I perceived how ye be bent and given to prayer and invocation of God's help in these dark and wicked proceedings of men against God's glory. I have been sorry to perceive the malice and wickedness of men to be so cruel, devilish, and tyrannical to persecute the people of God for serving of God, saying and hearing of the holy psalms, and the word of eternal life. These cruel doings do declare, that the papists' church is more bloody and tyrannical than ever was the sword of the heathens and gentiles.

"When I heard of your arrest, and what ye were doing, wherefore, and by whom ye were taken, I remembered how the Christians in the primitive church were used by the cruelty of unchristened heathens, in the time of Trajan the emperor, about 77 years after Christ's ascension into heaven: and how the Christians were persecuted very sorely as-though they had been traitors and movers of sedition. Whereupon the gentle emperor Trajan required to know the true cause of Christian men's trouble. A very learned man named Pliny wrote

unto him, and said: It was because the Christians said certain psalms before day unto one called Christ, whom they worshipped for God.' When Trajan the emperor understood it was for nothing but for conscience and religion, he caused by his commandments everywhere, that no man should be persecuted for serving God. But the pope and his church have cast you into prison, being taken even doing the work of God, and one of the excellentest works that is required of christian men: that is, to wit, whilst ye were in prayer, and not in such wicked and superstitious prayers as the papists use, but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray. And in his name only ye gave God thanks for that ye have received, and for his sake ye asked for such things as ye want. O, glad may ye be that ever ye were born, to be apprehended whilst ye were so virtuously occupied! Blessed be they that suffer for righteousness' sake. For if God had suffered them that took your bodies, then to have taken your life also, now had you been following the Lamb in perpetual joys, away from the company and assembly of wicked men. But the Lord would not have you suddenly so to depart, but reserveth you, gloriously to speak and maintain his truth to the world.

"Be ye not careful what ye shall say, for God will go out and in with you, and will be present in your hearts and in your mouths to speak his wisdom, although it seemeth foolishness to the world. He that hath begun this good work in you, continue you in the same unto the end; and pray unto him that ye may fear him only, who hath power to kill both body and soul, and to cast them into hell-fire. Be of good comfort. All the hairs of your head are numbered, and there is not one of them can perish, except your heavenly Father suffer it to perish. Now ye are in the field, and placed in the fore-front of Christ's battle. Doubtless it is a singular favour of God, and a special love of him towards you, to give you this forward station and pre-eminence, as a sign that he trusteth you before others of his people. Wherefore, dear brethren and sisters, continually fight this fight of the Lord. Your cause is most just and godly; ye stand for the true Christ (who is after the flesh in heaven), and for this true religion and honour, which is amply, fully, sufficiently, and abundantly contained in the holy Testament, sealed with Christ's own blood. How much are ye bound to God who puts you in trust with so holy and just a cause!

"Remember what lookers-on you have to see and behold you in your fight,—God and all his angels, who are ready always to take you up into heaven, if ye be slain in his fight. Also you have standing at your backs all the multitude of the faithful, who shall take courage, strength, and desire to follow such noble and valiant christians as you are. Be not afraid of your adversaries : for he that is in you is stronger than he that is in them. Shrink not, although it be pain to you; your pains are not now so great as hereafter your joys shall be. Read the comfortable chapters to the Romans viii. 10, 15, Hebrews xi. 12, and upon your knees thank God that ever ye were accounted worthy to suffer anything for his name's sake. Read the second chapter of St. Luke's gospel, and there you shall see how the shepherds that watched their sheep all night, as soon as they heard that Christ was born at Bethlehem, by and by went to see him. They did not reason nor debate with themselves, who should keep the wolf from the sheep in the mean time, but did as they were commanded, and committed their sheep unto him, whose pleasure they obeyed. So let us do now we are called; commit all other things to him that calleth us. He will take heed that all things shall be well. He will help the husband, he will comfort the wife, he will guide the servants, he will keep the house, he will preserve the goods; yea, rather than it should be undone, he will wash the dishes, and rock the cradle. Cast therefore all your care upon God, for he careth for you.

"Besides this, you may perceive by your imprisonment, that your adversaries' weapons against you are nothing but flesh, blood, and tyranny. For if they were able, they would maintain their wicked religion by God's

word but for lack of that, they would violently compel us as they cannot by holy scripture persuade, because the holy word of God, and all Christ's doings, are contrary unto them. I pray you, pray for me, and I will pray for you. And although we be asunder after the world, yet in Christ, I trust, for ever joining in the spirit, and so shall meet in the palace of the heavenly joys, after this short and transitory life is ended. God's peace be with you. Amen. The 14th of January, 1555."

On the Tuesday following, the 22nd of January, all the preachers that were in prison were called before the bishop of Winchester, lord chancellor, and others; after being asked whether they would recant and enjoy the queen's pardon, or else stand to what they had taught; they all answered, that they would stand to what they had taught, and were committed to closer prison than before, with charge that none should be allowed to speak with them.

On the 25th there was a general and solemn procession through London, to give God thanks for their conversion to the Romish church. To set out their glorious pomp, there were ninety crosses, a hundred and sixty priests and clerks, who had every one of them copes upon their backs, singing very lustily. There followed also eight bishops, and last of all came Bonner, the bishop of London, carrying the popish pix, containing the host, under a canopy.

Besides, there were also present the mayor, aldermen, and all the livery; the king also, and the cardinal, came to St. Paul's Church on the same day. After the procession there was also commandment given to make bonfires at night.

On the Monday following, being the 28th of January, the bishop of Winchester, and the other bishops, had commission from the cardinal to sit upon, and order, according to the laws, all such preachers and heretics (as they termed them) as were in prison, and according to this commission, on the same day the bishop of Winchester and the other bishops, with certain of the council, called before them these three, Master Hooper, Master Rogers, and Master Cardmaker, who were brought thither by the sheriffs; after some communication they were committed to prison till the next day, but Cardmaker submitted himself to them.

On the 29th, Hooper, Rogers, Taylor, and Bradford were brought before them, when sentence of excommunication and judgment ecclesiastical was pronounced upon Hooper and Rogers, by the bishop of Winchester, who sat as judge, who drove them out of the church, according to their law and order. Taylor and Bradford were committed to prison till the next day.

On the 30th, Taylor, Crome, Bradford, Sanders, and Ferrar, sometime bishop of St. David's, were brought before the bishops, and Taylor, Sanders, and Bradford were likewise excommunicated, and sentence pronounced upon them, and so committed to the sheriffs. Crome desired two months' respite, and it was granted him; and Ferrar was again committed to prison till another time. All these men shewed themselves to be learned, as indeed they were: but what avails either learning, reason, or truth itself, where will bears rule?

After the examination and condemnation of these good men and preachers, commissioners and inquisitors were sent abroad into all parts of the realm: by reason whereof, a great number of most godly and true christians (especially out of Kent, Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk) were apprehended, brought up to London, cast into prison, and afterwards most of them either consumed cruelly by fire, or else died in the prisons, and were buried on the dung-hills abroad in the fields, or in the prison.

We will, in another book, relate the tragical proceedings against the blessed martyrs and witnesses of Jesus Christ, in the bloody persecution of this time. We shall first recite a general supplication, given up in the name of the preachers lying in prison, to the king and queen during the time of the parliament.

The History, Life, and Martyrdom of John Rogers. On the fourth day of February the constant martyr of God, Master John Rogers, suffered death; concerning whose life, examinations, and sufferings, we give the following account :

John Rogers was brought up in the University of Cambridge, where he was profitably exercised in learning, and at length was chosen, by the merchants adventurers, to be their chaplain at Antwerp, in Brabant. He happened there to fall in company with that worthy servant and martyr of God, William Tindal, and with Miles Coverdale, who, both for the hatred they bore to popish superstition and idolatry, and love to true religion, had forsaken their native country. In conferring with them on the scriptures, he came to a great knowledge in the gospel of God, so that he cast off the heavy yoke of popery, perceiving it to be impure and filthy idolatry, and joined himself with them in that painful and most profitable labour of translating the Bible into the English tongue. He, knowing by the scriptures, that unlawful vows may lawfully be broken, and that matrimony is both honest and honourable among all men, joined himself in lawful matrimony, and so went to Wittenberg, in Saxony, where he, with much soberness of living, not only greatly increased in all good and godly learning, but also so much profited in the knowledge of the Dutch tongue, that the charge of a congregation was committed to his cure.

In which ministry he diligently and faithfully served many years, until it pleased God, by the faithful labours of his chosen and dear servant, King Edward the VI., utterly to banish all popery out of England, setting God's gospel at liberty. He then having a conscience and a ready will to help forward the work of the Lord in his native country, came to England to preach the gospel. After he had for a time diligently and faithfully laboured, Ridley, then bishop of London, gave him a prebend in the cathedral church of St. Paul; and the dean and chapter chose him to be the reader of the divinity lesson there. He diligently exercised himself there until such time as Queen Mary obtaining the crown, banished the gospel and true religion, and brought in the antichrist of Rome, with its idolatry and supersti

tion.

After the queen was come to the Tower of London, he being called there, made a godly and vehement sermon at St. Paul's Cross, confirming such true doctrine as he and others had taught in King Edward's days, exhorting the people constantly to remain in it, and to beware of all pestilent popery, idolatry, and superstition. The council being then overmatched with popish and bloody bishops, called him to account for his sermon: to whom he made a stout, witty, and godly answer, and yet in such sort demeaned himself, that at that time he was clearly dismissed. But after proclamation was set forth by the queen to prohibit true preaching, he was called again before the council; for the bishops thirsted after his blood. The council quarrelled with him concerning his doctrine, and in conclusion commanded him as a prisoner to keep his own house, and he did so, although by flying he might easily have escaped their cruel hands. He saw the recovery of religion in England, for the present, desperate; he knew he could not want a living in Germany, and he could not forget his wife and ten children. But all these things were set aside: after he was called to answer in Christ's cause, he would not depart, but stood in defence of the same, and for that truth was content to hazard his life.

Thus he remained in his own house as a prisoner a long time, till at length, through the uncharitable procurement of Bonner, bishop of London, he was removed from his own house to the prison called Newgate, where he was lodged among thieves and murderers: during which time, what communication he had with the ad versaries of Christ is not known, nor yet any certainty of his examinations, further than he has himself left in writing.

The Examination and Answer of John Rogers made to the Lord Chancellor, and to the rest of the Council on the 22d of January, A.D. 1555.

First, the Lord Chancellor Gardiner said to me thus: "Sir, you have heard the state of the realm, in which it stands now."

Rogers." No, my lord, I have been kept in close prison, and except there has been some general thing said at the table when I was at dinner or supper, I have heard nothing upon which any special thing might be grounded."