thing in your special remembrance, when ye shall have convenient time. From Otford, the xth day of June. Your own ever assured, To the Right Worshipful and my very loving friend Master Crumwell, of the King's Grace's most honourable Council. Thomas Cantuar. CXXVIII. To LATYMER. 41. cer. In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you. And Harl. MSS. where that in April last past, upon certain urgent grounds 6148. fol. and causes reasonably thereto moving, both I, and other Christ. Rethe bishops within my province, caused an Inhibition o to be membranhad for preaching in every of our dioceses, specially to the Nov. 1820. intent that the malignity of divers preachers might not have place in the minds of the common people; which intending then as well to hinder the King's Grace's just cause of matrimony, as also to deprave the acts and statutes made by the Parliament P, it did appear that in their sermons they rather preached sedition than edification; whereupon it was amonges us concluded, that from thenceforward no bishop, ne bishop's officer, should licence any to preach without special injunction in that behalf first to them declared in such manner, that is to wit, that all such as shall take on them the office of preaching should neither preach any thing which might seem prejudicial to the said matrimony, whereby the King's issue might come into question and doubt amonges the vulgar people, nor likewise reprehend in their sermons any such ordinances, acts, or statutes, heretofore made, or by the said high Court of Parliament hereafter to [See Letter cr.] P [Cranmer probably alludes to the Acts "For the submission of the "clergy to the King's Majesty," "For restraining the payment of an"nates," "For the exoneration from exactions paid to the see of "Rome," "For the establishment of the King's succession," all passed in the early part of 1534.] be ordained: Therefore, inasmuch as at your instance and request I have licensed divers to preach within my province, to whom I have neither given such injunctions accordingly as is before specified; nor yet, though I minded so to do, conveniently I could not without their intolerable charges and expenses in resorting so far unto me for the same; I will that you for my discharge herein, in my name and for my behalf, do take upon you the administration of these said injunctions for all such as hath already had or hereafter shall have my said licence to preach at your said request and instance. Wherein I would ye were right circumspect that they may be well observed, or else to send me such my licences again, of whom ye doubt for the observation hereof. Thus fare you well. [1534.] To Master Latymer, Parson of Weste Kynton, in Wilteshere. MSS. House, Crumwell's sponden ce. CXXIX. TO CRUMWELL. Right Worshipful Master Secretary, in my right hearty Chapter wise I commend me to you. So it is, I intend to prefer my Westmin- servant John Brice, this bearer, to the King's Grace's serster; vice, if I may the same obtain for him; but I being discouCorre- raged thus to do, because of late I heard you reprove him Original. Very sore, for causes you then moving and yet unknown unto me; being also very loth to do or attempt any thing concerning his said preferment, unless it may first please you to stand good master unto him; I am moved of very charity and pity, to desire you to be good master unto him, and for my sake remitting all old matters and occasions of displeasure, to bear towards him your favour and good will, the rather at this my instance; without which, he recognizeth neither to be able to enjoy the said preferment quietly in case it were granted, neither yet by any other promotion to joy of himself. Wherefore I heartily pray you, good Master Secretary, to be good unto him, and in this matter to make unto me or to him such comfortable answer, as may satisfy my expectation, and quiet his mind: assuring you, that I have many times noted such pensiveness in him, conceived by your said reproving words, as I do think him very penitent and sorrowful for your displeasure towards him. And therefore I pray you to forgive and pardon him, as he may be your daily beadsman. From Knoll, the 26. day of December. Your own ever assured, To the Right Worshipful and my very loving friend Master Secretary to the King's Highness. CXXX. TO LATYMER 9. fol. 41. Christ. brancer, Nov. 1820. I commend me unto you, &c. These be to certify you of Harl. MSS. the King's pleasure, how that his Grace is contented that 6148. ye shall be admitted to preach on all the Wednesdays of this next Lent before him. Whereupon I thought it very Rememexpedient, for divers considerations reasonably me moving thereto, to admonish you of certain things in no wise to be neglect and omitted on your behalf, in time of your preaching; which to observe and follow according to mine advice hereafter to you prescribed, shall at the length redound to your no little laud and praise. First, therefore, take this order, (if ye will) reading over the book ye take for your purpose some processes of Scripture, the Gospel, Pistill, or any other part of Scripture in the Bible, and the same to expound and declare according to the pure sense and meaning thereof; wherein, above all things it will be most convenient, that ye do not at all persuade for the defence of your own causes and matters lately in controversy; but that ye rather do seem utterly [to pass 9 [There is no direction to this Letter in the manuscript, but it is clear from Letter CXXXI. that it was addressed to Latymer.] r ["During this Parliament [1534], every Sunday at Paul's Cross "preached a bishop, declaring the Pope not to be Šupreme Head of over] those your accusations, than now in that place any sparkle or suspicion of grudge should appear to remain in you for the same. This done, that likewise ye be very circumspect to overpass and omit all manner speech, either apertly or suspiciously sounding against any special man's facts, acts, manners, or sayings, to the intent your audience have none occasion thereby, namely to slander your adversaries; which would seem to many that you were void of charity, and so much the more unworthy to occupy that Nevertheless, if such occasion be given by the word of God, let none offence or superstition be unreprehended, specially if it be generally spoken, without affection. room. Furthermore, I would ye should so study to comprehend your matters, that in any condition you stand no longer in the pulpit than an hour, or an hour and an half at the most, for by long expense of time the King and the Queen shall peradventure wax so weary at the beginning, that they shall have small delight to continue throughout with you to the end. Therefore let the effect of the premises take no place your mind, specially before this circumspect audience, to the intent that you in so doing need not to have any other declaration hereafter against the misreports of your adversaries. And for your further instruction in this behalf, I would ye should the sooner come up to London, here to prepare all things in a readiness, according to such expectation as is had in you. in 66 "the Church. Also in other places of the realm great troubles were "raised about preaching, namely, at Bristow, where Master Latimer preached, and there preached against him one Hobberton and Dr. "Powell, so that there was great part takings on both sides: insomuch "that divers priests and other set up bills against the Mayor, and "against Master Latimer; but the Mayor (permitting laymen to preach) caused divers priests to be apprehended and cast into New"gate, with bolts upon them, and divers other ran away and lost their "livings, rather than come to the Mayor's handling." Stow, Annals. For a more detailed account of these troubles, see Strype, who places them under 1533; (Memorials, vol. i. p. 159, &c.) and Foxe, vol. iii. p. 463; where are some letters respecting them by Latymer himself. See also Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iii. p. 760, for Stokesley's inhibition of Master Hugh Latymer from preaching within the diocese of London, dated the 2nd of October, 1533.] CXXXI. TO THE DEAN OF THE CHAPEL ROYAL. b. brancer, Master Dean, in my right hearty wise I commend me unto Harl. MSS. you. And whereas Master Latymer, a man of singular 6148. f. 41. learning, virtuous example of living, and sincere preaching Christ. the word of God, hath lately been endangered, and suf- Rememfered great obloquys; and also I myself, for justly licensing Nov. 1820. him to preach within the precincts and limits of my province, have been likewise misreported; I intending evermore the furtherance of the truth and the pure dispensation of the word of God, in consideration of my discharge, declaration of Master Latymer, and satisfaction of such misreporters, have most humbly desired and sued unto the King's Highness, to grant unto the said Master Latymer license to preach before his Grace all the Wednesdays of this next Lent ensuing. Therefore these shall be to desire and require you, upon the King's pleasure thus known, for to discharge the assignment already appointed, or hereafter to be, to any person in that behalf, and require him (if any such be) to be contented with the same; for I upon the King's pleasure thus willing, have already admonished the said Master Latymer to provide therefore. Furthermore, these shall be heartily to desire you also, that my old acquainted friend, Master Shaxton', the Queen's Grace's almoner, may be assigned likewise to preach the third Sunday in Lent before the King's Grace; and that you will forthwith, upon the sight hereof, ascertain me in your letters by this bearer, accordingly to the King's Grace's said pleasure and my request. For thus doing you shall have me ready to accomplish condignly your requests, and show unto you like pleasure from time to time. At Otteford, the ixth day of July". 3 [See Letter cxxx.] See Letter cxx. p. 115. Shaxton was elected Bishop of Salisbury the 22nd of Feb. 1535; Latymer was consecrated Bishop of Worcester in Sept. of the same year. Nicolas, Synopsis of the Peerage.] "[This seems to be a clerical error for January. In arranging this and the preceding Letter, Stow's date of the controversy at Bristol has |