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A new sect in Kent.

Council-
Book.

these rude and gross gospellers. All their religion consisteth in words and disputations; in Christian acts and godly deeds nothing at all." These evil manners of the professors themselves looked with so sad a face, that it made the best men assuredly expect a change, and woful times to follow.

September 27, "a letter" was sent from the council "to the archbishop to examine a sect newly sprung up in Kent. Whereof there was now a book of examinations sent him : and to commune with a man and a woman," (the informers), "bearers of the letter, who could inform him somewhat of the matter. And to take such order in the same according to the commission, that these errors might not be suffered thus to overspread the king's faithful subjects"." What this sect was, appeareth not. The anabaptists were taken notice of, and a commission issued out against them, some years before. These were sectaries more new, and whereof the council very lately was informed. It may be they were of the family of Love, or David George's sect, who made himself sometimes Christ, and sometimes the Holy Ghost. For a little before these times, divers sects sprang up under the profession of the gospel, in High and Low Germany; some whereof dispersed themselves into England. Which sects began to do so much hurt to the reformation among us, that the author before mentioned laments it in these words: "What wicked and ungodly opinions are there sown now-a-days of the anabaptists, Davidians, libertines, and such other pestilent sects, in the hearts of the people, unto the great disquietness of Christ's church, moving rather unto sedition,

[See Becon's Works, (Catechism, &c.) pp. 415, 416. Park. Soc. ed.]

[MSS. Council Book, A. D. 1550-1553. fol. 611.]

than unto pure religion; unto heresy, than unto things

godlys!"

siness in

The examination of this new sect was one of the busi- The archbinesses the archbishop was employed in while he was in his shop's buretirement at his house near Canterbury. Another was, Kent. the sitting upon a commission to him, and other gentlemen of Kent, for inquiry after such as had embezzled the plate and goods belonging to chantries, &c. given by the parliament to the king, and converting them to their own

uses.

But this being somewhat an odious work, he was not very forward to enter upon, especially because he thought, whatsoever he and the other commissioners should recover, would be but swallowed up by the duke 292 of Northumberland and his friends, and the king be little the better. But, because he did not make more haste, he was charged by his enemies at court as a neglecter of the king's business. Which cost him a letter in excuse of himself to the said duke: signifying, that he omitted this business awhile till the gentlemen and justices of peace of Kent, who were then mostly at London, were come home.t

December 2, "a letter" was sent from the council "to A letter for installing

S [See Becon's Works, (Catechism, &c.) p. 415. Park. Soc. ed.]

t [See Appendix, No. cvii. in the 3rd vol. of this edition, and Works of abp. Cranmer, vol. ii. p. 440. Park. Soc. ed.-"And as touching his stoutness in his prince's cause, the contrary resistance of the duke of Northumberland against him proved right well his good mind that way, which chanced by reason that he would not consent to the dissolving of the chantries, until the king came

of age, to the intent that they might
then better serve to furnish his
royal estate, than to have so great
treasure consumed in his nonage;
which his stoutness, joined with
such simplicity, surely was thought
to divers of the council, a thing
incredible, specially in such sort
to contend with him, who was so
accounted in this realm, as few or
none would or durst gainstand
him."-Foxe's Acts and Monu-
ments, pp. 1862, 3. ed. Lond.
1583.]

bishop Hoper.

Council-
Book.

The vicar of Beden.

Council-
Book.

Sampson and Knox.

The council favour

the archbishop, to grant out a mandatum, 'ad installandum,' for the bishop of Glocester and Worcester, without paying any fees for the same; because he paid fees for another mandatum, which served [him] to no purpose".

February 20, an order was sent to the archbishop from the council to examine "the vicar of Beden in the county of Berks, according to the information enclosed, and to advertise the lords of his proceedings therein. What this vicar's crime was, I know not; but I observe about these times the priests and curates were very busy men, and would take liberty, sometimes to speak against the king's proceedings, or his archbishop, with bitterness enough, and sometimes to vent fond opinions, so that oftentimes they were fetched up to the council-board; and, after an appearance or two, referred to the archbishop to examine and punish, as being matters relating to religion, and so proper for his cognizance.

About the latter end of this year, Thomas Sampson was preferred to the deanery of Chichester, having been parson of Alhallowes, Bread-street, London. February the 2d, a letter was sent from the privy-council to the archbishop, to bestow the said living upon Mr. Knox, who was one of the king's chaplains, and in good esteem in the court for his gift of preaching *.

This Knox was the man whose name was so dashed in Knox. the king's journal, where the names of the king's six Collect. vol. chaplains were inserted, that bishop Burnet could not read ii. p. 42. ity. The council bare a great favour to him, as appears

u [MSS. Council Book, A. D. 1550-1553. fol. 652.]

[MSS. Council Book, A. D.
1550-1553. fol. 494.]

w [See above, p. 129. n.1.]
* [MSS. Council Book, A. D.
1550-1553. fol. 676.]

y [Burnet gives the following names as Edward VIth's chaplains, from the Journal of that prince, "Bill, Harle, Perne, Grindall, Bradford;" and says, "the other name dashed." This name has hitherto been supposed

by those several letters they wrote in his behalf. One was mentioned before, sent to the archbishop for a living in London; but in that Knox succeeded not, the archbishop preferring Laurence Saunders, (afterwards a martyr), thereunto. Knox being sent this year into the north one of the king's itinerary preachers, a warrant, dated October 27, was granted from the council to four gentlemen, to pay to him, his majesty's preacher in the north, (so he is styled), forty pounds, as his majesty's reward". And again, December 9, a letter was sent from the council to the lord Wharton, (who was lord warden in the northern borders), in commendation of Mr. Knoxa. And the next year, viz. [June 2,] 1553, being returned out of the north, and being then in Buckinghamshire, that he might find the more acceptance and respect there, the council wrote a letter to the great men in those parts, viz. the lord Russel, lord Windsor, to the justices of the peace, and the rest of the gentlemen within that county, in favour of the said Knox the preacherb.

A bishop consecrated.

Council

Book.

293

lor.

June 26, John Taylor, S. T. P., dean of Lincoln, a John Taylearned and pious man, was consecrated bishop of Lincoln [Cranm. at Croyden chapel, by the archbishop, assisted by Nicolas, Reg. fol. 335, b.] bishop of London, and John, bishop of Rochesterd.

to be that of J. Knox; but after a most careful examination of the original MS. the editor has been enabled, with the kind assistance of sir F. Madden, to discover that the erased name is that of Eastwicke, and not J. Knox.-The name of Bradford has been also erased in the MS., but not so much as to render it indistinct, or illegible. See Cotton MSS.

Nero. x. fol. 46, b. and Burnet's
Hist. of Reformat. vol. ii. pt. ii.
p. 63. ed. Oxon.]

z [MSS. Council Book, a. D.
1550-1553. fol. 630.]

a [MSS. Council Book, A. D.
1550-1553. fol. 658.]

b [MSS. Council Book, A. D.
1550-1553. fol. 726.]
c [Nicholas Ridley.]
d [John Scory.]

Ann. 1553.

Great use made of the

CHAPTER XXXIV.

A CATECHISM. THE ARCHBISHOP OPPOSETH THE EXCLUSION

OF THE LADY MARY.

We are now come to the last year of good king Edward's reign; when the archbishop was as commonly at the council as he used to be before. For the counselarchbishop at council. lors made great use of him, and did not use to conclude any thing in matters relating to the church without him. And if he came not, they often sent for him: and once the last year, in October [7.], when he had fixed his day of going into Kent, they stayed him for some days, that they might confer with hime about some certain matter; I suppose, relating to the Articles of Religion, that were then under their hands. To look no further than the latter end of the last year; he was at council at Westminster in February, and this year in March and April. And the court being at Greenwich, where the king lay sick, and died, the archbishop was there at council in June, but not after the eighth day. The reason he came no more we may well conjecture to be, because he did no ways like the methods that were now taking by Northumberland to bring the crown into his own family, and disinherit the king's sisters. For soon after, viz. June 11, the lord chief justice Montague, and some other judges, with the king's attorney and solicitor, were sent for to the council to consult about drawing up the instrument.

The Articles

On one of these council-days he procured the king's of Religion enjoined by letters in behalf of the book of Articles, which he had the king's taken such pains about the two last years, both in composing and in bringing to effect. The king had before

authority

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