who ever have your most noble Grace in his most blessed Chapter ster; Crum ence. Ori Right Worshipful, in my most hearty wise I commend MSS. me unto you. And (as one that is bold many times to trouble House, you with suits both for myself and my friends, which natu- Westminrally, yea and by the law of God, I am bound to do) in my well's Corright heartiest wise desire you to be so good master unto respondthis bearer my brother-in-law 2, (who is now the clerk of ginal. my kitchen, and for whom I spake unto you yesterday at the Court,) as to get him the farm or lease of the Priory of Shelforde, or of some other house of religion in Nottinghameshire, where his native country is, which now are by the Act of Parliament suppressed a; and he shall find the King's Grace sufficient sureties for the payment of the rents and revenues thereunto belonging. Thus right heartily fare you well. At Lambeth, the 25 day of March. [1536.] b I pray you let not this suit be prejudicial to my servant Frauncis Basset, who would gladly be your servant, but that I may also continue a suitor unto you for him. Your own assured ever, To the Right Worshipful Master Se cretary unto the King's Highness. T. Cantuarien. z [Perhaps Harold Rosell, of Radcliffe on Trent, See Letter XLI.] a [The Act of Parliament for the suppression of religious houses spending two hundred pounds per annum or under, was passed in February 1536, (Burn. Ref. vol. i. p. 388.) and was applicable to the Augustine Priory of Shelford, which possessed property, according to Speed, of the annual value of 151 pounds 14 shillings. The site and the greatest part of its possessions were granted to Michael Stanhope, 29 and 31 Hen. VIII. Tanner, Notitia Monast.] b [This postscript is in Cranmer's handwriting.] MSS. ster; Crum-. CLXVII. To CRUMWELL. Right Worshipful, in my right hearty wise I commend Chapter me unto you. These shall be to desire you to give creHouse, Westmin dence unto this bearer Mr. Champion ©, my chaplain, touchwell's Cor- ing such things as he shall open and declare unto you; respond- and that you will signify unto me by him part of your ginal. mind in that behalf. Thus heartily fare you well. At Lambeth, the 29 day of March. ence. Ori Your own ever assured, To the Right Honourable and my CLXVIII. To CRUMWELL. MSS. Chapter ster; pondence. Holo graph. d Alas, Master Secretary, you forget Master Smyth of the Exchequer, who is near consumed with thought and pensiveWestmin- ness: even pity moveth me to rue the man (if I could) for Crumwell's his son's sake chiefly, and also for his own. I would give a Corres- great part of that I have to help him; and where I cannot Original. myself, I make all my friends for him: so importune I am upon my friends from my friend his cause, I suppose more than I would be for mine own, or ever was: ruth and importunity of my friend maketh me so vehement against mine own nature. I have sent this bearer only to wait upon you until you have an answer of the King, and to put you in continual remembrance, for much business maketh you to forget many things, and yet I wonder that you remember so many things as you do. I was ever hitherto cold, but now I am in a heat with the cause of religion, which goeth all contrary to mine expectation, if it be as the fame goeth; wherein I would wonder fain break my mind unto you, [See Letter CLXIII.] This may perhaps have been John Smith, father of the celebrated Sir Thomas Smith who about this time was distinguishing himself by his lectures on Greek at Cambridge. See Strype, Life of Smith.] ap you, ever and if you please, I will come to such place as you shall To my very loving friend, Mr. Se cretary. T. Cantuarien. CLXIX. TO KING HENRY VIII e. fol. 226. Pleaseth it your most noble Grace to be advertised, that Cott. MSS. at your Grace's commandment by Mr. Secretary his letters tho. C. x. written in your Grace's name, I came to Lamehith yester- Original. Holograph. day, and do there remain to know your Grace's further Burnet, pleasure. And forsomuch as without your Grace's com- Ref. vol. i. mandment I dare not, contrary to the contents of the said P. 402. letters, presume to come unto your Grace's presence; never- of Crantheless, of my most bounden duty, I can do no less than mer, vol. i. most humbly to desire your Grace, by your great wisdom and by the assistance of God's help, somewhat to suppress the deep sorrows of your Grace's heart, and to take all adversities of God's hands both patiently and thankfully. I cannot deny but your Grace hath great causes many ways of lamentable heaviness; and also, that in the wrongful estimation of the world your Grace's honour of every part is so highly touched, (whether the things that commonly be spoken of be true, or not,) that I remember not that ever Almighty God sent unto your Grace any like occasion to try your Grace's constancy throughout, whether your Highness can be content to take of God's hand as well things displeasant as pleasant. And if He find in your most noble heart such an obedience unto his will, that your [For the circumstances under which this Letter was written, and for some of the discordant judgments which have been passed on it, see Burnet, Ref. vol. i. p. 402; Lingard, Hist. of Engl. vol. vi. p. 319. 8vo; Turner, Modern Hist. of Engl. vol. ii. pp. 436. 442. 8vo; Mackintosh, Hist. of Engl. in Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, vol. ii. p. 194.] Todd, Life p. 154. Grace, without murmuration and overmuch heaviness, do accept all adversities, not less thanking Him than when all things succeeded after your Grace's will and pleasure, nor less procuring his glory and honour; then I suppose your Grace did never thing more acceptable unto Him, since your first governance of this your realm. And moreover, your Grace shall give unto Him occasion to multiply and increase his graces and benefits unto your Highness, as He did unto his most faithful servant Job; unto whom, after his great calamities and heaviness, for his obedient heart and willing acceptation of God's scourge and rod, addidit ei Dominus cuncta duplicia. And if it be true that is openly reported of the Queen's Grace, if men had a right estimation of things, they should not esteem any part of your Grace's honour to be touched thereby, but her honour only to be clearly disparaged. And I am in such a perplexity, that my mind is clean amazed; for I never had better opinion in woman, than I had in her; which maketh me to think, that she should not be culpable. And again, I think your Highness would not have gone so far, except she had surely been culpable. Now I think that your Grace best knoweth, that next unto your Grace I was most bound unto her of all creatures living. Wherefore I most humbly beseech your Grace to suffer me in that, which both God's law, nature, and also her kindness bindeth me unto; that is, that I may with your Grace's favour wish and pray for her, that she may declare herself inculpable and innocent. And if she be found culpable, considering your Grace's goodness towards her, and from what condition your Grace of your only mere goodness took her and set the crown upon her head; I repute him not your Grace's faithful servant and subject, nor true unto the realm, that would not desire the offence without mercy to be punished to the example of all other. And as I loved her not a little for the love which I judged her to bear towards God and his Gospel; so, if she be proved culpable, there is not one that loveth God and his Gospel that ever will favour her, but must hate her above all other; and the more they favour the Gospel, the more they will hate her; for then there was never creature in our time that so much slandered the Gospel. And God hath sent her this punishment, for that she feignedly hath professed his Gospel in her mouth, and not in heart and deed. And though she have offended so, that she hath deserved never to be reconciled unto your Grace's favour; yet Almighty God hath manifoldly declared his goodness towards your Grace, and never offended you. But your Grace, I am sure, knowledgeth, that you have offended Him. Wherefore I trust that your Grace will bear no less entire favour unto the truth of the Gospel, than you did before for so much as your Grace's favour to the Gospel was not led by affection unto her, but by zeal unto the truth. And thus I beseech Almighty God, whose Gospel he hath ordained your Grace to be defender of, ever to preserve your Grace from all evil, and give you at the end the promise of his Gospel. From Lambeth, the third day of May. [1536.] After I had written this letter unto your Grace, my Lord Chancellor, my Lord of Oxford, my Lord of Sussex, and my Lord Chamberlain of your Grace's house, sent for me to come unto the star-chamber; and there declared unto me such things as your Grace's pleasure was they should make me privy unto. For the which I am most bounden unto your Grace. And what communication we had together, I doubt not but they will make the true report thereof unto your Grace. I am exceeding sorry that such faults can be proved by the Queen, as I heard of their relation. But I am and ever shall be your faithful subject. Your Grace's most humble subject and chaplain, T. Cantuariensis. |