XXVI. CHAP. commons house, that they thought nothing sharp enough against papists. Very good laws were in hand for increase Anno 1562. of fishermen; and consequently the mariners and navy. Fish was much favoured now, [and so such bills the more like to pass.] Wednesday was meant to be observed like Saturday; and sundry other things therein provided. Cecil was the author of a short law, not exceeding seventeen lines; whereby was ordered, that if any man would sell any foreign commodity to any person for apparel, &c. without ready money, or without payment within twenty-eight days, the seller should be without his remedy. A very good law was agreed upon for indifferent allowances for servants' wages in husbandry. And many other laws were passed the nether house, as, for toleration of usury under ten per cent. which, nevertheless, Cecil said, he durst not allow. Another against Egyptians: another for remedying the defrauding of statutes for tillage. This account of the labours and pains of the house of commons this session did secretary Cecil himself acquaint, by letter, Smith, the queen's ambassador in France, with. But many, or most of these, passed not into acts, but only passed or were approved in the lower house. 315 The convo cation in CHAP. XXVII. A convocation. The archbishop opens it. Matters done therein. Papers of weighty matters drawn up to be laid before the synod. A PARLIAMENT now beginning to sit in the month of the fifth of January, that famous convocation of the clergy was also the queen. called together, in which were framed and agreed upon the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the professed doctrine of the church of England, and many other matters consulted and debated for the establishment of true religion, order of the clergy, and the decent and edifying worship of God in this church. Great pity it is, that we have not where to have re XXVII. ing sermon commons. course for more assistance and supply, to enable us to give CHAP. a complete account of this synod, since the registers thereof, as of other synods, formerly kept in St. Paul's, are burnt. Anno 1562. An irreparable loss! A divine of great note, before a vene- Thanksgivrable auditory, had occasion once to say, that he had once in before the his hand an original journal of the lower house of convoca- house of tion in the fifth year of the queen; which must be this very convocation. Such a journal (could I have seen and perused it) might have been of excellent service in the account I am to give of it. I am glad to see the journal and acts of the upper house, which was lately published in the Appendix to the Synodus Anglicana, printed anno 1702, taken from a book of extracts out of the journals of convocation, from Which ex1529 to 1562. By the help of this, and by many other papers I have seen, I shall endeavour to make some tolera- consulted ble relation of it: for I have diligently looked over a great your of the many rough draughts and writings, both of archbishop late Dr. AtParker's own hand, and of the hands of bishop Grindal, dean of bishop Sandys, and bishop Cox, (chief leaders in the reformation,) concerning matters propounded and concerted in this venerable assembly. From whence I will faithfully transfer several things, and the chief, I presume, of the proposals and debates. tracts I have since by the fa terbury, Carlisle. of the I cannot give a perfect list of the names of the members The names of the lower house. But we shall have occasion in the pro- members. gress of this narration, and in a subscription of their hands to the Articles, to name some of them. Now considering the state of the church, newly crept out Their work. of corruption and superstition, there lay before this synod a great deal of work to be done, both in matters of doctrine and matters of discipline; that is, in what method and order the bishops were to govern their churches, and how the inferior clergy were to behave themselves in their respective cures and parishes. The matter of ceremonies now was also very busily transacted: and several good things were propounded by the upper house. The convo This memorable convocation of the clergy of the province cation of Canterbury, wherein the matters of the church were to be meets, Jan. 12. XXVII. CHAP. debated and settled for the future regular service of God, and establishment of orthodox doctrine, was called together Anno 1562. in the chapter-house of St. Paul's on the 12th of January, 316 the day also of the parliament's first meeting. They met The archbishop opens the synod. sometimes in the chapter-house of St. Paul's, London, and sometimes by continuation at king Henry VIIth's chapel, Westminster, thirty-six several sessions. Whereof this was the first; when, by virtue of a commission from the archbishop to Robert Weston, his official of the court of Canterbury; to Thomas Yale, his vicar-general in spirituals; to Henry Jones and Valentine Dale, advocates of his court of Arches; all doctors of laws, jointly and severally, to be present, in his room and name, in the synod, to be begun and celebrated by the said most reverend father, by authority of the queen's letters to him in this behalf directed: the said commission empowering them, or some of them, to continue and prorogue the said synod until the 13th day, being Wednesday; the said Robert Weston accordingly continued and prorogued the said synod, as in a schedule by him read more plainly appeared. January the 13th, being the second session, the archbishop came himself in person into the cathedral of St. Paul's, being attended thither from the water-side by the doctors, and the other officers and ministers of his court of Canterbury, with great honour and reverence, agreeable to his high place in the English church. After, he and the rest of the bishops of his province were placed in the choir, the Litany in English being said, and Veni Creator sung, Mr. William Day, B. D. provost of Eaton, preached upon 1 Pet. v. 2, Feed the flock of God which is among you, &c. and after sermon the first Psalm sung in English; then the bishop of London administered the communion to the archbishop and bishops. His grace after this, and his suffragans the bishops, with the rest of the clergy, removing into the chapter-house, and there some previous matters despatched, he made a short speech to them, shewing them the present advantage put into their hands by the gracious providence of God, in setting queen Elizabeth on the throne, to reform XXVII. matters amiss in the church. And so bade the inferior clergy CHAP. depart, and choose them a prolocutor or referendary, and to present him before him the next session. And accordingly Anno 1562. they pitched upon Alexander Nowel, the dean of St. Paul's, whom the said archbishop had recommended to them. And January 16, being the third session, he was conducted between the dean of Westminster and the dean of Christ'schurch, Oxon; and speeches being made by the dean of Westminster and the said elected prolocutor, the archbishop approved him by a speech of his own. sessions were spent. The rest of the sessions in the upper house were spent in How the serious debates and conferences among themselves about regulating the church and the ministers of it, in examining papers brought from those of the lower house, in digesting the right faith of Christ into articles, (which was brought to effect and subscribed at this convocation,) in inquiring into matters to be reformed; whereof some sheets were drawn up in the lower house, and presented to the most reverend father, and the rest of the upper house, by the prolocutor; in devising some particulars for discipline; in providing a catechism for the use of schools, for the grounding the 317 younger sort in true principles; and in giving the queen a subsidy; the archbishop still reminding and directing the lower house. And he also recommended to the bishops to look into their respective dioceses, and to draw up in writing what they found to need reformation. These things are but shortly set down in the acts of this synod; but the particulars that ensue will greatly illustrate and explain them. matter For to prepare matter for the synod, the archbishop had Preparatory it beforehand in his serious thoughts; and set others also drawn up. on work, no doubt, upon it. There is a notable paper to this purpose, which I will begin withal; adding the marginal notes, some writ by the archbishop himself, some by others. But who the composer of this paper was, I cannot say. It was entitled, General notes of matters to be moved by the clergy in the next parliament and synod. I. A certain form of doctrine to be conceived in articles, MSS. G.Peand after to be published and authorized. tyt, armig. СНАР. II. Matters worthy of reformation, concerning certain XXVII. rites, &c. in the Book of Common Prayer. Anno 1562. These articles are to III. Ecclesiastical laws and discipline to be drawn, concerning both the clergy and laity. IV. To procure some augmentation of temporal commodities, for the supply of the exility of small benefices and livings. Concerning the first, viz. the form of doctrine. First, A catechism is to be set forth in Latin. Which is already done by Mr. Dean of Paul's, and wanteth only viewing. Secondly, Certain articles, containing the principal grounds be drawn of Christian religion, are to be set forth, (in the which also with speed. is to be determined the truth of those things which in this Item, In cathedral churches age are called into controversy :) much like to such articles Thirdly, To these articles also may be adjoined the Apo- These to be joined in one book, and by common consent to be authorized, as containing true doctrine, and enjoined and colle, to be taught to the youth in the universities and grammarin private schools throughout the realm. giate, and houses. Archbishop Parker's own hand. That whosoever shall preach, declare, write, or speak, any thing in derogation, depraving, or despising, of the said book, or any doctrine therein contained, and be thereof lawfully convicted before any ordinary, &c. he shall be ordered as in case of heresy; or else shall be punished as is appointed for those that offend and speak against the Book of Common Prayer, set forth in the first year of the queen's majesty's reign that now is: that is to say, he shall for the first offence forfeit 100 marks; for the second offence, 400 318 marks; and for the third offence, all his goods and chattels, and shall suffer imprisonment during life: with an addition, that if the person offending the first time be not worth in goods and land 100 marks, then he shall forfeit all his |