Gardiner's

judgment

Gardiner urged the great inconvenience these rhymes

of a rhyme against Lent might occasion: "That they could serve for

against Lent.

Latimer counsels the king

riage.

nothing but to learn the people to rail, and to make others forbear to make their usual provisions of fish against the ensuing year, fearing Lent to be sick, as the rhyme purported, and like to diet."

About these times there arose much talk of the king's matching. The protestants were much afraid of his about mar- marrying with some foreign princess abroad, that might turn his heart from religion. But the popishly affected did their endeavours to persuade him to please himself with some lady abroad, as best agreeable with politic ends, as the enlarging of his dominions, and the surety and defence of his countries. Some therefore put Latimer upon giving the king counsel in this matter from the pulpit. So he advised the king, "to chose him one that is of God, that is, which is of the household of faith; and such an one as the king can find in his heart to love, and lead his life in pure and chaste espousage with. Let him choose a wife that fears God. Let him not choose a proud

made in policy, as I suppose, for
victual's sake, that fish might be
uttered as well as other meat.
Now as long as it goeth so in
policy, we ought to keep it.
Therefore all except those that be
dispensed withal, as sick, impo-
tent persons, women with child,
or old folks, or licensed persons,
all the rest to live in an ordinary
obedience to those laws, and not
do against the same in anywise."
(Fourth Serm. on the Lord's
Prayer); Latimer's Works, vol. i.
p. 372. Park. Soc. ed.]

t["What rhymes be set forth
to deprave the Lent, and how

fond, (saving your grace's honor), and foolish! and yet the people pay money for them, and they can serve for nothing, but to learn the people to rail, and to cause such as used to make provision for fish against Lent, fearing now [in] Lent to be so sick as the rhyme purporteth, and like to die indeed, to forbear to make their accustomed provision for the next year." Another letter of S.[tephen] W.[inchester], dated Winchester, May 21, [A. D. 1547.]-Foxe's Acts and Monuments, p. 1543. ed. Lond. 1583.]

wanton, and one full only of rich treasures and worldly pomp","

Edward.

The sentiments of the protestant foreigners concerning Foreign protestants, the present English state deserve a particular remark. their offer They took such great joy and satisfaction in this good to king king, and his establishment of religion, that the heads of them, Bullinger, Calvin, and others, in a letter to him, offered to make him their defender, and to have bishops in their churches as there were in England, with the tender of their service to assist and unite together. This nettled the learned at the council of Trent, who came to the knowledge of it by some of their private intelligencers; and they verily thought, that all the heretics, as they called them, would now unite among themselves, and become one body, receiving the same discipline exercised in 208 England. Which if it should happen, and that they should have heretical bishops near them in those parts,

u ["It is a very hard thing for a man to rule well one woman. Therefore let our king, what time his grace shall be so minded to take a wife, choose him one, which is of God; that is, which is of the household of faith.-And that she be such one as the king can find in his heart to love, and lead his life in pure and chaste espousage; and then he shall be the more prone and ready to advance God's glory;-let the king therefore choose unto him a godly wife whereby he shall the better live chaste; and in so living, all godliness shall increase, and righteousness be maintained.-Let the king therefore choose a wife, which feareth God; let him not seek a proud wanton, and one

full of rich treasures, and worldly
pomp."
.". First Serm. preached
before Edward VI. "And here I
would say a thing to your ma-
jesty: I shall speak it of good
will to your highness: I would I
were able to do your grace good
service in any thing, ye should be
sure to have it. But I will say
this for God's love beware where
you marry: choose your wife in
a faithful stock. Beware of this
worldly policy: marry in God;
marry not for the great respect
of alliance, for thereof cometh all
these evils of breaking of wed-
lock, which is amongst princes
and noblemen."-First and last
Serm. preached before Edward VI.
Latimer's Works, vol. i. pp. 94,
95, 97, 243. Park. Soc. ed.]

they concluded that Rome and her clergy would utterly fall. Whereupon were sent two of their emissaries from Rotterdam into England, who were to pretend themselves Anabaptists, and preach against baptizing infants, and preach up rebaptizing, and a fifth monarchy upon earth. And besides this, one D. G. authorized by these learned men, dispatched a letter written in May 1549, from Delf in Holland, to two bishops, whereof Winchester was one, signifying the coming of these pretended Anabaptists, and that they should receive them and cherish them, and take their parts if they should chance to receive any checks: telling them, that it was left to them to assist in this cause, and to some others whom they knew to be well affected to the mother church. This letter is lately put in print. Sir Henry Sydney first met with it in queen Foxes and Elizabeth's closet, among some papers of queen Mary's. He transcribed it into a book of his, called, "The Romish Policies." It came afterwards into the hands of archbishop Usher; and was transcribed thence by sir James Ware".

Firebrands,

part ii.

▾ [Memorandum taken out of sir Henry Sidney's book, called the Romish Pollicies, numb. 6, pag. 37, in fol. a manuscript, with archbishop Usher.

"Her royal highness giving me the freedom to search the affairs of state ever since her royal father's denying the jurisdiction of the see of Rome, amongst others of this sort, I found a letter directed to the bishops of Winchester and Rochester; part of the contents being for my purpose, be these, as they were translated out of the Low-Dutch.

crafty and politic council hath absolutely brought in heresy, which if not by art or other endeavours speedily overthrown, and made infamous, all other foreign heretics will unite with your new heresies now amongst yourselves lately planted, and so have bishops as you have; and it is the opinion of our learned men now at Trent that the schisms in England by Edward's council established, will reclaim all the foreign sects unto their discipline, and thereby be one body united. For Calvin, Bullinger, and others have wrote unto Edward to offer their service to assist and unite,

Let it be remembered here, and noted, that about this
time Winchester was appointed, with Ridley bishop of
Rochester, to examine certain anabaptists in Kent.
I find no bishops consecrated this year.

Ann.1550.

Ridley made bishop of London.

Ridley's letter,

among the Letters of the Martyrsx.

CHAPTER XVI.

RIDLEY MADE BISHOP OF LONDON. THE COMMUNION

BOOK REVIEWED.

RIDLEY bishop of Rochester was designed to succeed Boner, lately deprived, in the bishopric of London; and April 3, took his oath, an half year being almost spent before he entered upon the care of that see, after Boner's deprivation. At his entrance, he was exceeding wary not to do his predecessor the least injury in goods that belonged to him. He had not one pennyworth of his moveable goods; for if any were found and known to be his, he had license to convey them away, otherwise they were

x ["To the Queen's Majesty.It may please your majesty, for Christ our Saviour's sake, in a matter of conscience, (and now not for myself, but for other poor men), to vouchsafe to hear and understand this mine humble supplication. It is so, (honourable princess), that in the time while I was in the ministry of the see of London, divers poor men, tenants thereof, have taken new leases of their tenantries and holdings, and some have renewed and changed their hold, and therefore have paid fines and sums of money, both to me, and also to the chapter of Paul's, for the confirmation of the same. Now I hear say, that the bishop which occupieth the same room

* [" Patronus."-Foxe.]

now will not allow the aforesaid leases, which must redound to many poor men's utter ruin and decay; wherefore, this is mine humble supplication unto your honourable grace, that it may please the same, for Christ's sake, to be unto the aforesaid poor men their gracious patron* and defender, either that they may enjoy their aforesaid leases, and years renewed, (as, when† their matter shall be heard with conscience, both justice, conscience, and equity shall require; for that their leases shall be found, (I trust), made without fraud or coven, either of their part or of mine; and also the old rents always reserved§ to the see, without any kind of damage thereof);

+["As (I suppose) when."-Foxe.] ["Collusion."] § [" And always also the old rents reserved."-Foxe.]