VI. 1549. mate of all England, associated with Nicholas Ridley then bishop of Edward These things ended, the bishop, like a subtle lawyer, having most like some secret intelligence before of these matters (whatsoever he pretended to the contrary), pulled out of his bosom a solemn protestation ready written, which he then exhibited unto the commissioners, requesting that the same might be there openly read; the copy whereof is in tenor and form hereunder to be seen.1 This protestation being read, he requested the commissioners that he might have the bill of complaint delivered him; which when he had well perused, he said, that the same was very general, and so general, as that he could not directly answer thereunto. Whereunto the archbishop answered, that the special cause of the complaint against him was, for that he had transgressed the king's commandment, given unto him by his council, in that he, in his late sermon made at Paul's Cross, did not set forth unto the people the king's highness's royal power in his minority, according to the tenor of the (1) The tenor and form of the Protestation of Edmund Bonner Bishop of London, exhibited to the King's Commissioners at his first appearing. Edmundus Lond. Episcopus primo et ante omnia protestor, quod per hanc meam comparitionem seu per aliqua per me hic dicta seu dicenda, allegata seu alleganda, proposita seu proponenda, exhibita seu exhibenda, gesta seu gerenda, objecta seu objicienda, exercita seu exercenda, facta seu flenda, petita seu petenda, non intendo in vos dominos judices præsentes tanquam in judices mihi in hac parte competentes et idoneos aliquo modo consentire, aut vestram jurisdictionem præsentem in hac parte aliquatenus prorogare, nisi prout ac quatenus de jure ad hoc tenear et astringar rationique consonum videatur: et sub protestatione prædicta et ea semper mihi salva (a qua recedere non intendo, sed eandem in omnibus et singulis deinceps in hoc negotio prætenso per me agendis pro repetita haberi volo) dieo et allego quod literæ commissionales prætensæ (vobis ut dicitur in hac parte directæ), seu earum vera et legitima copia, nunquam antehac mihi ostensæ aut monstr. fuerunt, nec a me aliquo modo visæ, lectæ aut cognitæ, vel mihi traditæ. Itaque contra formam et tenorem earundem, vel contra personas aliquorum vestrum, ea quæ de jure ac naturali ratione mihi competunt in hac parte eum reverentia (qua decet) objicere, ac in debita juris forma proponere, non possum in præsenti, ut deberem. Quare ut defensio congrua, quæ nulli hominum dene ganda est, mihi reservetur, liquidoque sciam cujusmodi exceptiones mihi in hac parte comper possint ac debeant, utque eas suis loco et tempore juxta jurís exigentiam pro necessaria d sione mea proponam, contra vel prætensas literas commissionales hujusmodi vel contra pers. aliquorum vestrum, quatenus liceat et expediat sub protestatione prædicta, facultatem prætensas literas commissionales in forma originali inspiciendi, ac earum veram, integrar fidelem copiam debite exinde mihi fieri, humiliter peto et postulo prout juris est in hac p tenore præsentium; nihilominus testatum manifeste relinquens, quod observantiam et reve tiam, ac obedientiam et honorem, ac cætera quæcunque, serenissimæ Regiæ Majestati Don meo supremo has literas prætensas vobis (ut dicitur) committenti; qualitercunque decet in omnit et per omnia perpetuo humilime recogniturus sum, habiturus et præstiturus, et his exceptionibu et defensionibus legitimis mihi de jure et natura competentibus ad defensionem meam neces sariam et legitimam, ac non aliter, in hac parte usurus. mas L VI. Edward article delivered unto him by them for that purpose; and for proof thereof called forth Hugh Latimer and John Hooper, preachers, A. D. who before that time had put up the bill of complaint unto the king against him. 1549. Bonner inveigheth against his de nouncers. Trans lateth his cause to ter of the sacrament. Maketh of his gross opi Upon whom when the bishop had earnestly looked, and well beheld them, he said, "As for this merchant Latimer, I know him very well, and have borne with him, and winked at his doings a great while, but I have more to say to him hereafter. But as touching this other merchant Hooper, I have not seen him before, howbeit I have heard much of his naughty preaching." And then, turning himself again unto the archbishop (of purpose, most like, to make his friends think that he was not called thither to answer for his contemptuous disobedience, but for matters of religion), said unto him, “Ah, my lord! now I see that the cause of my trouble is not for the matter that you pretend against me, but it is for that I did preach the mat and set forth in my late sermon the true presence of the most blessed body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ to be in the sacrament of the altar. For as for these my accusers, as they be evil, infamed, exception notorious, and criminous persons, so are they manifest and notable accusers. heretics and seducers of the people, especially touching the sacrament of the altar; and most of all this Hooper. For whereas, in my late sermon at Paul's cross, I preached, that in the blessed sacrament of the altar, after the words of consecration, there is the true body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the selfsame in substance that was hanged and shed upon the cross, he, the same day at afternoon, having a great rabblement with him of his damnable sect, openly in Bonner's the pulpit, within my diocese, did preach erroneously to the people oop against it; and, maliciously inveighing against my sermon, denied the sacra- the verity and presence of Christ's true body and blood to be in the same sacrament, and also falsely and untruly interpreted and expounded my words. And especially, where I preached and affirmed the very true body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ to be in the said sacrament, the selfsame in substance that was hanged and shed upon the cross, he, like an ass (as he is an ass indeed), falsely He rails changed and turned the word 'that' into 'as,' like an ass, saying, that I had said as it hanged, and as it was the upon cross. The archbishop hereupon, perceiving the bishop's drift, and hearing him talk so much of the presence of Christ's body and blood in the sacrament, said unto him," My lord of London! ye speak much of a presence in the sacrament; what presence is there, and of what presence do you mean ?" Wherewith the bishop, being somewhat stirred and moved in his mind (as appeared by his choleric countenance), spake again to the archbishop very earnestly, and said, "What presence, my lord? I say and believe that there is the very of the body and blood of Christ. What believe you, presence bishop and how do you believe, my lord?" Upon which words the archner about bishop, because he saw his answer dark and subtle, and minding the sacra- somewhat to nip the gross absurdities of the papists, asked him further, whether he were there, face, nose, mouth, eyes, arms and lips, with other lineaments of his body? Whereat the bishop shaking his A ques- head, said, "Oh! I am right sorry to hear your grace speak these Bonner. words;" and therewith boldly urged the archbishop to show his mind ment. against Hooper. Talk between the arch and Bon ment. tion to true shed VI. A. D. 1549. therein; the' aforenamed sir William Peter, at that time beholding Edward and looking very earnestly upon the archbishop, but saying nothing to it. And then my lord of Canterbury, being further provoked by the bishop of London to declare what, and how, he believed in the sacrament of the altar,* wisely weighing the fond presumption of the party, with the place and occasion of their assembly, refused then so to do, saying, that their being there at that time was, not to dispute of those matters, but to prosecute their commission committed to them by their prince; and therefore willed him to answer them unto such things as were objected against him. Whereupon, under his protestation, he required to have a copy both of the commission, and also of the denunciation given unto him, with time to answer thereto; which the commissioners willingly granted, assigning him there to appear again before them upon Days Friday then next following, at eight o'clock before noon; and then given to to answer the tenor of the denunciation. And so, for that day (he, complaining somewhat of the shortness of his time to answer), they self. all together departed. him to answer for him THE SECOND APPEARANCE OF BONNER IN THE CHAPEL OF Upon Friday the 13th of September aforenamed, four commissioners, associated then also with sir Thomas Smith, knight, the other of the king's two principal secretaries, and joint commissioner with them, sat judicially in the archbishop's chapel, within his house at Lambeth; before whom (according to their former assignment) there and then appeared the bishop of London. To whom the archbishop, in the name of the rest, first said, "My lord of London! the last time you were before us, we laid certain articles and matter to your charge touching your disobedience to the king's majesty, and you have this day to make your answer thereunto: wherefore now show us what you have to say for your defence." 66 66 point of new com may sit ward, Whereto the bishop, first asking the archbishop if he had all said a precise and done, and he again saying, Yea," made this answer: My law, whelord, the last day that I appeared before you, I remember there sat ther a in the king's majesty's commission, your grace, you my lord of Ro- missioner chester, you Master Secretary Peter, and you Master Dean of Paul's; afterbut now, I perceive, there sitteth also Master Secretary Smith, who, which sat because he sat not at the beginning, nor took there the commission not at the upon him, ought not so to do: for by the law, they that begin, must ning. continue the commission." Whereupon the archbishop first answered, that he was no lawyer, and therefore could not certainly show what the law willeth in that case; "But," saith he, " if the law be so indeed, surely I take it to be an unreasonable law.” "Well," said the bishop," there be here that know the law, and yet I say not this to the intent to stand or stick much in this point begin Edward with you, but to tell it you as it were by the way; for I have here VI. mine answer ready." words of Peter to 6 A. D. Then said Master Secretary Peter to the bishop, My lord! 1549. in good sooth I must say unto you, that although I have professed The the law, yet, by discontinuance and disuse thereof, and having been secretary occupied a long time in other matters from study of the law, I have Bonner. perhaps forgotten what the law will do precisely in this point. But, admit the law were so as you say, yet yourself know, my lord, that this is our certain rule in law, quod consuetudo est juris interpres optimus; and I am sure you will not, and cannot deny, but that the custom is commonly in this realm in all judgments and commissions used to the contrary; and, in very deed, we all together at the court, having the commission presented unto us, took it upon us; and therefore, for you to stick in such trifling matters, you shall rather in my judgment hurt yourself and your matter, than otherwise." Words of secretary Smith. Words of secretary Peter. Truly, Master Secretary!" said the bishop, “I have also of long while been disused in the study of law, but having occasion, partly by reason of this matter, to turn my books, I find the law to be as I say; and yet, as I said, I tell you hereof but by the way, not minding to stick much with you in that point." At which words, Master Secretary Smith said also unto the bishop, "Well, my lord of London! as cunning as you make yourself in the law, there be here that know the law as well as you: and for my part I have studied the law too, and I promise you these be but quiddities and quirks invented to delay matters, but our commission is to proceed summarily, and de plano,' and to cut off such frivolous allegations." Well," said the bishop again, “look well on your commission, and you shall find therein these words, To proceed according to the law and justice and I ask both law and justice at your hands.” Then Master Secretary Peter willed him to stand no more thereupon, but to proceed unto his answer: whereupon he took forth a writing, wherein was contained his answer to the denunciation exhibited the day before by Latimer and Hooper, and delivering it unto the archbishop, said, that it was of his own hand-writing, and for lack of sufficient time written so hastily and coarsely, that it could scarcely be read by any other, and therefore he desired to read it himself; and so taking it again, read it openly, the copy whereof here followeth; which, as here may appear, contained, among other, much matter and causes against Latimer and Hooper, the denouncers, why they ought not in law to be heard or admitted against him, but utterly to be repelled.* 1 The Answer of Bishop Bonner to the Denunciation of Latimer and Hooper. I Edmund, bishop of London, concerning Hugh Latimer, and John Hooper, the pretensed denunciators of this matter here now before you, and for answer unto the unlawful, untrue, and uncharitable, pretensed denunciation of them, lately indeed, contrary to justice and good reason, exhibited here and read before you, under protestation heretofore made by me, and read unto you, (1) See Edition 1563, page 700.-ED. VI. remaining in the acts of this court, unto which I refer me, and have the same Edward here again for repeated and rehearsed to all purposes agreeable to the law, do, for my necessary defence and help, allege and say as followeth. A. D. tions or tions of nuncia I. First, I do allege and say, that the said Hugh Latimer, and John 1549. Hooper, or either of them, were not, nor now are, to be admitted in any wise, by virtue of this or any other commission, as denunciators against me their Allegabishop; especially, for that they and either of them have, as well before the rather time of their pretensed denunciation, and also then and since, been and be vile cavillaand infamed, notorious criminous persons, and also open and manifest notable Bonner heretics, especially concerning the sacrament of the catholic church, and namely against concerning the blessed sacrament of the altar; by reason of which their here- his desies, they were and be, by the order of the said catholic church, here in this tors. realm of England, justly and duly excommunicated and accursed, and have divided themselves thereby from the unity and integrity of Christ's catholic church; and for such persons they have been and are named, reputed, and taken openly, notoriously, and commonly, amongst the catholic people of this realm of England, and especially of this city of London; familiarly haunting and conversant with sacramentaries, and openly known condemned heretics, and favourers and abettors of the same, and their detestable and pestilent doctrine and heresy. II. Item, That the said John Hooper, amongst other his poisoned and venomous doctrine, and amongst other his erroneous, detestable, and abominable errors and heresies taught and spread abroad here within this realm, infecting and poisoning the king's subjects therewith, hath, before the time of the said pretensed denunciation, damnably and detestably made divers erroneous and heretical books, especially one, entitled, A Declaration of Christ, and of his Office,' printed (as he falsely surmiseth) in Zurich, by Augustine friars, wherein he, in many places, heretically and damnably denieth the true presence of Christ's body in the blessed sacrament of the altar, and also, in effect, denieth the verity of Christ's blessed body upon the cross, calling it ' mathematical,'2 and excluding thereby the true and very substance thereof. III. Item, That the said John Hooper doth persevere, and continueth still, in his said poisoned and wicked venomous doctrine, in all points maintaining and defending the same, and every part thereof, all the ways he can, especially against the presence of Christ's blessed body in the sacrament of the altar; and his said books, especially the said declaration of Christ and of his office, he doth yet allow and maintain as good and catholic, whereas indeed it is heretical, wicked, and damnable: the contents of which doctrine and book so entitled, the said Latimer, especially touching the heresy against the verity of Christ's If all body, and his true presence in the sacrament of the altar, hath heard, taught, truth read, preached, believed, holden, maintained and kept; and so, at this present, away, he doth yet believe, hold, maintain, and keep; contrary to the faith of Christ's had catholic church, and the unity of the same observed amongst all true christian spoken people; incurring thereby heresy, excommunication, and schism, to the loss truly. both of their souls, and of their believers'. IV. Item, That the said Latimer and Hooper, and either of them, being of these vile and detestable qualities, and consequently, by the ordinance of the catholic church of Christ, as well of this realm, as also throughout all Christendom, being so excommunicated and cast out thereby from the said church, are not to this pretensed denunciation against me their bishop, nor to any judicial act, to be admitted, nor yet to be accompanied withal, or answered unto; but are, by Scripture, and the order of Christ's catholic church here in this realm, utterly and truly to be excluded, avoided, detested, eschewed, and abhorred, in all manner of wise, of all faithful and true christian people, fearing God, and desiring the advancement of the truth. V. Item, That whereas the said Latimer and Hooper, in their said pretensed denunciation, amongst other things, do untruly deduce that they have made their said pretensed denunciation, not moved of any malice or evil will, but for the good tranquillity and governance of this realm, which, as they pretend in their gay and glorious proem, they would seem to have a great care and solicitude of, whereas in very deed they and such as they are, by sundry ways, (1) How fain would this man find a fault, if he could tell how. (2) See note 1, p. 764.-ED. were more |