great protestant divines, Bucer and Fagius, as professors of divinity and of the Hebrew language; as at Oxford he placed in the theological chair, which had been deserted by Smith, Peter Martyr. 2 1 Meanwhile the archbishop was proceeding in the visitation of his diocese. Upon this occasion another notable inquiry to his clergy was, whether on every Sunday and holiday they used the prayer set forth by the king for peace between England and Scotland. This prayer was probably that which was sent to the archbishop by the Council on the 6th May, 1548, when the Scots, entering into new agreements with France, seemed still to threaten war with England; and therefore devout intercessions to God were now to be made "for victory and peace." The latter indeed was obtained early in 1550, and in the interval was inserted in our first Liturgy the suf frage, "Give peace in our time, O Lord," with the response, "Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O God." Another prayer for peace with Scotland had been issued in the first year of the king's reign indeed; but the archbishop's visitation was in the 'second year. Another visitatorial question by the archbishop was, "Whether his clergy preached, or caused to be preached, purely and sincerely, the Word of God, exhorting their parishioners to the works commanded by Scripture, and not to works 2 Strype. 1 Art. of Vis. ut supr. 3 Bishop Sparrow, Strype. devised by men's fancies besides Scripture, such as wearing and praying upon beads, and suchlike." Here he plainly refers to the larger distinction in his own excellent Homily of Good Works, just as Ridley, in his Injunctions soon afterwards, forbids the maintenance of "the justification of man by his own works, (those which Cranmer calls the devices of human fancy,) holy bread, palms, ashes, candles, sepulchre paschal, creeping to the cross, hallowing of the fire or altar, or any such-like abuses and superstitions, now taken away by the king's most godly proceedings." The following was also a very important inquiry, adopted from the royal Injunctions: 2 Whether his clergy had declared, and to their wits and power had persuaded the people, that the manner, and kind, of fasting in Lent and other days in the year, is a mere positive law; and that therefore all persons having just cause of sickness or other necessity, or being licensed by the king, might moderately eat all kinds of meat, without grudge or scruple of conscience. Himself had before readily conceded a licence of this kind to Roger Ascham, who was a man of delicate health, and who had written to him a learned epistle on the subject, seeming to consider the fasting as a political institution rather than as a religious duty. Yet one more important question, repeated by 1 Burnet, ii. Rec. 206. 2 Art. of Vis. ut supr. 3 Strype. the archbishop to his clergy from the Injunctions of the king, must be noticed. It was 1 whether they had diligently exhorted their parishioners, and especially when they made their wills, to give to the poor men's box, that was then placed in churches, " what they had been wont to bestow upon pardons, pilgrimages, trentals, masses satisfactory, decking of images, offering of candles, going to friars, and upon other like blind devotions." Among the inquiries, now addressed to the laity also, the following are of great interest. They were to answer, 2 whether in the time of the Litany, or any other part of Common Prayer, or in the time of the sermon or the homily, any had departed out of the church without a just and necessary cause; or, while the minister was officiating, had been used to commune, jangle, talk, or occasion any disturbance in the service. For this there had been especial cause. One who had been an abbot, but was now vicar of Stepney near London, still addicted to the old superstition, and by his influence as well as example encouraging others to remain in it, had been accustomed to disturb the preachers in his church, (for he declined to preach in it himself,) by challenging the subject of their discourses, or by causing the bells to be rung, while they were in the pulpit. 3 3 Strype. + "1 No law?" the "If I had your The parishioners at length convened him before Cranmer, who dismissed him with lenity, and bade him offend no more. That lenity offended the accusers, and probably gave occasion to similar disturbances, in order to the suppression of which the visitatorial articles were probably formed. There had been no law then (in 1547) by which to punish such offenders, said Cranmer to an accuser of the Stepney vicar. The dialogue, which followed, is interesting. parishioner replied, adding, Grace's authority, I would be bold enough to unvicar him, or inflict some sharp punishment upon him and such others. If it ever come to their turn, [the papists',] they will shew you no such favour." -"Well," said Cranmer, "If God so provide, we must abide it."-This, Strype observes, was the constant behaviour of the archbishop towards papists, and such as were his enemies. To these an author, nearly contemporary with the archbishop, thus alludes: "2 Did ever those papists, whose lives were saved by good bishop Cranmer's means, who were brought up, who were defended, who 66 1 1 Strype. 'Norton's Warning against the dangerous practice of Papistes, impr. by J. Day, sign. L. iii. b. This writer alludes to a decayed knight" also, who had imposed upon Cranmer's kindness; "the archbishop upon a good hope" of his regard for the reformed religion, “having given him fifty pound yearly pension." Sign. G. iii. b. were advanced, who were shielded from harm and peril by him, once requite him with one drop of kindness? And yet they spake him fair in his prosperity!" The laity too were now asked, 'whether the clergy had explained to them the true use of ceremonies, namely, that they are not workers nor works of salvation, but only outward signs and tokens to put us in remembrance of things of higher perfection. Thus, when the first servicebook was revised, it was declared that the 2 alterations which were made in it proceeded from curiosity rather than any worthy cause; meaning that they related to ceremonies rather than to any essential point of doctrine. Another most important question was demanded of the laity: Whether the churches, pulpits, and other necessaries appertaining to the same, were sufficiently repaired. The churches indeed had been greatly profaned. Horses and mules had been brought into them, as into a stable or common inn. The bells and other ornaments had been embezzled. A letter from the Council to the archbishop, previously to his visitation, declared the highest displeasure of the sovereign at this sacrilege; and imprisonment also had now been denounced against those who might con 'Art. of Vis. ut supr. 3 3 Strype. 2 Wheatly, 27. |