[[ i. e. Cranmer, Latimer, and Shaxton.] [t “Grafton was a member of the Grocer’s Company in London.”]]
shall have a perpetual laud and memory of all them that be now, or hereafter shall be, God’s faithful people and the favourers of his word. And this deed you shall hear of at j the great day, when all things shall be opened and made manifest. For our Saviour Christ saith in the said gospel, that whosoever shrinketh from him and his word, and is abashed to profess and set it forth before men in this world, he will refuse him at that f day; and contrary, whosoever constantly doth profess him and his word, and studieth to set that forward in this world, Christ will declare the same at the last day before his Father and all his angels, and take upon him the defence of those men.
These shall be farther to advertise your lordship, that since my last coming from London into Kent, I have found the people of my diocese very obstinately given to observe and keep with solemnity the holidays lately abrogated. Whereupon I have punished divers of the offenders; and to divers I have given gentle monition to amend. But inasmuch as by examination I have perceived that the people were partly animated thereunto by their curates, I have given strait commandment and injunction unto all the parsons and vicars within my diocese, upon pain of deprivation of their benefices, that they shall not only, on their behalf, cause the said holidays so abrogated from time to time not to be observed within their cures; but also shall from henceforth present to me such persons of their parishes, as will practise in word or deed contrary to that ordinance or any other, which is or hereafter shall be set forth by the king’s grace’s authority, for the redress or ordering of the doctrine or ceremony of this church of England. So that now I suppose, through this means, all disobedience and contempt of the king’s grace’s sald acts? and ordinances in this behalf shall be clearly avoided in my diocese hereafter: not doubting also, but if every bishop in this realm had commandment to do the same in their dioceses, it would avoid both much disobedience and contention in this sald realm. I would fain that all the envy and grudge of the people in this matter should be put from the king and his council; and that we, which be ordinaries, should take it upon us: or else I fear lest a grudge against the prince and his council, in such causes of religion, should gender in many of the people’s hearts a faint subjection and obedience.
But, my lord, if in the court you do keep such holidays and fasting days as be abrogated, when shall we persuade the people to cease from keeping of them? For the king’s own house shall be an example unto all the realm to break his own ordinances.
Over this, whereas your lordship hath twice written for this poor man, William Gron-nowe?, the bearer hereof, to my lord deputy of Calice, for him to be restored to his room; as far as I understand, it prevailed nothing at all; for so he can get none answer of my lord deputy: so that the poor man despaireth that your request shall do him any good. If your lordship would be so good to him, as to obtain a bill, signed by the king’s grace, to the treasurers and controllers of Calice for the time being, commanding them to pay to the said W. Gronnowe his accustomed wages yearly, and to none other, your lordship should not only not further trouble my lord deputy any more, but also do a right meritorious deed. For if the poor man be put thus from his living, he were but utterly undone. Thus, my lord, right heartily fare you well. At Ford, the xxviii. day of ’ August. [1537.]
Your lordship’s own everT. Cantuariens
[[^ Shall be to advertise. Strype.] [7 King’s grace’s acts. Strype.]]
[5 The holidays were abrogated by an act of [8 This [viz. the whole paragraph was writ with]
[convocation. Vid. Letter of Hen. VIII. to the the archbishop’s own hand. All the rest of the let-]
[bishops; Wilkins’ Concilia, Vol. III. p. 823. Vid. ter was his secretaries’. Strype.]]
[also Mandatum Archiepisc. Cantuar. de non cele- [? Vid. Letter CCVI. p. 356. ]]
[brandis Festis diebus, in Appendix. ]]
CXCIX. To Crumwell
My very special good lord, in my right hearty wise I commend me unto you. Like-viso thanking you for your loving and kind answer which you sent me by my servant Hen. Nevell, and especially for your good mind towards me concerning my debts’ to the Tea king’s highness, which of all other things lieth most nigh unto my stomach; trusting, for the declaration of this your gentle heart towards me, not to be forgotten on my behalf hereafter, as it shall lie in my power. And as concerning such lands of mine as the king’s highness is minded to have by exchange at Maidestone and Otford?; forsomuch as I am the man that hath small experience in such causes, and have no mistrust at all in my prince in that behalf, I wholly commit unto you to do therein for me as by you shall be thought expedient, not doubting but that you foresee as much for my commodity, as you would that I should do for you in such a like matter.
As touching the prior of the black Friars in Canterbury?, I have written nothing to you of him but that I will justify. And whereas I understand, that the Custos Rotu-lorum within Nottinghamshire is depart this miserable life, this shall be to desire and pray you, that you will write your favourable letters unto my lord chancellor for the preferment of a friend of mine there, named Antony Nevell who is a man of right good wisdom, experience, and discretion, and useth himself very indifferently^ in the country.
Over this you shall understand that I have received from the king’s highness three letters concerning the collection of the subsidy; one for Canterbury, and one for the shire, and the third for Rochester; with the which I have received but one commission, which is alonely for Canterbury town. Wherefore I pray you that the other two commissions may be sent, or else to signify unto me to whom they are delivered. I have sent unto my commissary” at Calice to withdraw his process against Mr Cham-berleyn, and therefore he not to doubt in that matter. “Thus, my lord, right heartily fare you well. At Ford, the xxxi. day of August. [1537.]