II. BOOK God is the Truth to whom we are bound to obey rather than to Men; and nevertheless we cannot but obey unto men also, as we were wont to do, unless there be an express cause why we should not; which by those our Letters we now do to your Holiness and we do it with charity, not intending to spread it abroad, nor yet further to impugn your Authority, unless you do compel us; albeit also, that that we do, doth not impugn your Authority, but confirmeth the same, which we revocate to its first foundations; and better it is in the middle way to return, than always to run forth headlong and do ill. Wherefore if your Holiness do regard or esteem the tranquillity of our Mind, let the same be established with verity, which hath been brought to light by the consent of so many Learned Men; so shall your Holiness reduce and bring us to a certainty and quietness, and shall deliver us from all anxiety, and shall provide both for us and our Realm, and finally shall do your Office and Duty. The residue of our Affairs we have committed to our Ambassadors to be propounded unto you, to whom we be seech your Holiness to give credence, &c. Vitell. B. 13. XLIII. A Promise made for engaging the Cardinal of Ravenna. An Original. Rome Febr. 7. 1532. Cotton Lib. EGO Willielmus Bennet Serenissimi Domini mei D. Henrici octavi Angliæ, &c. Regis, in Romana Curia Orator, habens ad Fol. 149. inscripta ab ipso Rege potestatem et facultatem, prout constat per ipsius Majestatis Literas Patentes datas in Regia sua Grenewici die penultima Decembris M.D.XXXI. manu sua propria suprascriptas, et secreto sigillo suo sigillatas; Quoniam in ipsius Regis arduis negotiis expertus sum singularem et præclaram operam Reverendissimi in Christo Patris et Domini D. t Decemb. II. Henrici Sancti Eusebii S. R. E. Presbyteri Cardinalis Ravennæ, BOOK quibus et deinceps uti cupio, ut eandem semper voluntatem et operam sua Dominatio Reverendissima erga ipsum regem præstet, libere promitto eidem Cardinali nomine dicti mei Regis, quod sua Majestas provideri faciet eidem Cardinali, de aliquo Monasterio seu Monasteriis aut aliis beneficiis Ecclesiasticis in Regno Galliæ primo vacaturis, usque ad valorem annuum sex millium ducatorum: Et insuper promitto quod Rex Angliæ prædictus præsentabit, seu nominabit eundem Cardinalem ad Ecclesiam Cathedralem primo quovis modo vacaturam, seu et ad præsens vacantem, in Regno Angliæ, et de illa ei provideri faciet; et casu quo Ecclesia primo vacatura hujusmodi, ceu ad præsens vacans, non sit Ecclesia Eliensis, promitto etiam quod succedente postea vacatione Ecclesiæ Eliensis, Rex Angliæ transferri faciet eundem Cardinalem, si ipsi Cardinali magis placuerit, ab illa alia Ecclesia de qua provisus erit, ad Ecclesiam Eliensem et dictorum Monasteriorum et Beneficiorum Ecclesiasticorum in Regno Galliæ, et Ecclesiæ Cathedralis in Regno Angliæ possessionem pacificam, cum fructuum perceptione, ipsum Cardinalem assequi faciet: Et hæc omnia libere pro- This is all mitto, quod Rex meus supradictus plenissime et sine ulla pror- with his sus exceptione ratificabit et observabit et exequetur; in quorum fidem præsentes manu mea propria scripsi et subscripsi, sigillo- sent over que munivi. Dat. Rom. die septimo Februarii, M.D.XXXII. written own hand, and was by him to the King. XLIV. Bonner's Letter about the proceedings at Rome. An Original. Rome, April 29. 1532. "PLEASETH it your Highness; this is to advertise the same, Cotton Lib. X That sithen we William Bennet, Edward Kerne, and Edmond y Boner, sent over Letters of the 7th of this present to your Highness; There hath been two Disputations publick, the one Vitell. B. 13. II. BOOK the 13th of this, the other the 20th day of the same, according to the order given and assigned, which was three Conclusions to be disputed every Consistory; and what was spoken, as well by your Highness's Counsel, for the justification of the Conclusions purposed the said 13th, as also for the impugnation thereof by the party adverse, with Answers made thereunto by your Highness's said Counsel, as fully as were any wise deduced, your said Highness shall perceive by the Books sent herewithall containing the same; and also the Justifications, Objections, and Answers, made in the 6th of this present, according as I Edward a Kerne in my said Letters promised. The Copies of all the which Justifications, Objections, and Answers, after that they were fully noted and deduced in writing, and maturely considered by your Highness's Learned Counsel, I Edward Kerne did bring to the Pope's Holiness, and to the Cardinals, for their better information; and likewise did of the first, alwise afore the Consistory, according to the order assigned at the beginning; looking in likewise that the Queen's Counsel should do this same, but as yet they have done nothing therein, though your Ambassadors and I have called upon the Pope many times for the same. And as concerning such things. as were spoken and done for either part in the Disputation of the 20th day, it is not possible for us, by reason of the shortness of time, to reduce all in good order, and to send the same to your Highness at this time; nevertheless with all speed it shall be made ready, and sent to your Highness by the next Courier. After the Disputation done, the said c 13th of this present, the Advocate of the party adverse did alledge, That we did seek these Disputations but only to defer the Process; protesting therefore, That the Queen's Counsel would dispute no more; and desiring therefore the Pope's Holiness and the whole Consistory, to make process in the principal Cause. Whereunto I Edward e Kerne said, That the Pope's Holiness, with the whole Senate, had granted the Disputations upon the Matters, and given an order that the Conclusions published z Conclusion tion a Karne b Karne < 13th day of d this Disputa II. should be disputed according to the same. Whereupon I de- BOOK sired that forasmuch as there remained sixteen Conclusions not disputed (which to propose and justify, with your Highness's Counsel, I would be ready at all times) that if the party adverse knowing the conclusions to be Canonical, would not confess them, and thereby avoid Disputations, that then the said party should dispute them, and upon the refusal of both the same, the Matters fexcusatorie to be admitted by his Holiness, especially because the said Party adverse hath nothing material that could be perceived to lett the same. The Pope's Holiness answered, that he would deliberate upon the demand of both Parties. The 16th of this present, the Datary on the Pope's behalf sent unto me Edward & Kerne, an Intimation of the Consistory to be kept the 20. of this present, and that I should I send the Conclusions not disputed, that they might be in the said Consistory disputed; adding withall, that the said Consistory should be ultimus et peremptorius terminus quoad alias Disputationes. Of the which Intimation your Highness shall receive a Copy herewith. Upon this, with the advice of your Ambassadors and Counsel here, I repaired unto the said Datary, and brought unto him three Conclusions to be disputed, with a Protestation, De non recedendo ab ordine hactenus observato, according to the Proem of the said Conclusions, the Copy whereof your Highness shall receive herewith. Afterwards, with the same Conclusions and Protestation, I went to Cardinal de Monte, who said, at the beginning, That all the Consistory crieth out upon the Disputations, and that we had been heard sufficiently, and that it was enough that we should have the fourth Disputation; adding withall, That it was a thing never seen before after such sort; and that it stood not with the honour of the See to have such Disputations in the Consistory, to the great disquieting of the Pope and the Cardinals, especially considering the manner that is used, and that all the Conclusions be touched which should content us. To this I answered, and desired his most Reverend Lordship to call to his remembrance, what he had promised to your Highness's Am f excusatories • Karne, an Intimation for disputation of BOOK bassadors and me, in the Castel-Angel upon h Shroft-Sunday, II. the Pope being present, and allowing of the same, contented k that all the Conclusions should be disputed singulariter; and that I should at my pleasure, from time to time, chuse the Conclusions to be disputed. And how also afterward, viz. 17 Febr. the Pope's Holiness, Cardinal ↳ Anchona, and his Lordship, not going from that promise, 'took direction three Conclusions to be disputed every Consistory; the choice whereof to be at my liberty (according to the copy of the said Order which I sent to your Highness with my Letters, of the date of the 22. of the last :) And furthermore, that what time the order to dispute three conclusions in a Consistory was sent unto me, and I required to send the conclusions first to be disputed according to the said order; I did, to avoid all manner of doubts protest afore I would accept it, and in the deliverance of the said conclusions, that I would not otherwise accept it, but that all the Conclusions, according to the order promised in Castel-Angel, should be disputed and examined singulariter, and that standing, and not otherwise, I delivered my said Conclusions according to the Order of the 17 of February; which Order the Pope's Holiness hitherto had approved and observed, and from that I neither could m neither would go: And where he said that we had been heard sufficiently; I said, that Audience and Information of less than the one half of a Matter could not be sufficient; and if they intended to see the truth of the whole, every point must be discussed. And as for the crying out of the Cardinals, I said, They had no cause so to do, for it was more for the honour of the See Apostolick, to see such a Cause as this is, well and surely tried, so that the Truth may appear, and the Matters be well known, than to proceed præcipitanter, as they did at the beginning of this Matter, afore they well knew what the Matter was. And as touching the disquieting the Pope's Holiness, and the said Cardinals, I said, your Highness for their pains was much beholden unto them; nevertheless, I said, that they might on the other side ponder such pains as your Highness hath taken for them, in part declared by me; which |