Marginalia1557. February.Of these tenne godly Martyrs of Christ, sixe were burned at Canterbury about the xv. of Ianuary, that is, Kemp, Waterer, Prowting, Lowike, Hudson, and Haye. Other two, that is, Stephens and Philpot at Wye, about the same month. Other two, which were Final and Bradbrige were burned both together at Ashford, the xvj. of the same.

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The next moneth folowyng, which was February, came out an other bloudy Commission from the Kyng and Queene  

to kyndle vp the fire of persecution, as though it were not hoate enough already: the cōtentes of which commission I thought here not to pretermit: not for lacke of matter, whereof I haue to much: MarginaliaExamples how Kings & princes & þ^e power of the worlde, bend themselues agaynst Christ and his word, & yet could neuer preuaile.but that the reader may vnderstand how kinges and princes of thys world, lyke as in the first persecutiōs of the primitiue church vnder Valerianus, Decius, Maximian, Dioclesian, Licinius. &c. so now also in these latter perilous dayes, haue set all their maine force, and power, with lawes, policy, and authority, to the vttermost they could deuyse agaynst Christ and hys blessed Gospell. And yet notwithstanding all these lawes, constitutions, iniunctions, and terrible proclamations prouyed agaynst Christ and hys Gospell, Christ yet styll contynueth, hys Gospell florisheth, and truth preuayleth: Kynges and Emperours in their owne purposes ouerthrowne, their deuises dissolued, their counsailles confounded: as examples both of thys, and of all tymes and ages do make manifest. But now let vs heare the intent of thys commission in tenour as followeth.

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MarginaliaA terrible proclamation of K. Phillip & Q. Mary, against the poore seruaunts & members of Christ.PHillippe and Mary by the grace of God kyng and Queene of England. &c. MarginaliaPersecutors.To the right reuerend father in God our right trusty and welbeloued Counsaillor Thomas Bishop of Ely, and to our right trusty and welbeloued William Windsore Knight, L. Windsore, Edward North Knight, L. North, and to our trusty and welbeloued Counsailours, Iohn Bourne Knight, one of our chief Secretaries, Iohn Mordant Knight, Frances Englefield Knight, Maister of our Wardes & liueries, Edward Walgraue Knight, Maister of our great Wardrop, Nicolas Hare Knight, Master of the Rolles, & our highe Court of Chauncery, and to our trusty and welbeloued Thomas Pope Knight, Roger Cholmeley Knight, Richard Read Knight, Rouland Hill Knight, William Rastall Sergeaunt at Law, Henry Cole Clerke, Deane of Paules, William Roper, and Rafe Cholmeley, Esquiers, William Cooke, Thomas Martin, Iohn Story, and Iohn Vaughan, Doctours of law, gretyng.

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Forasmuch as diuers deuilish and slaunderous persons, hauing not onely inuented, bruted and set forth diuers false rumours, tales & seditious slaunders agaynst vs, but also haue sowen diuers heresies, and heretical opinions, and set forth diuers seditious bookes within this our realme of Englād, MarginaliaThe meaning of the Gospellers falsely reported, & sclaūdered.meanyng therby to stirre vp diuision, strife, contention, & sedition, not onely amōgest our louyng subiectes, but also betwixt vs and our sayd subiectes, with diuers others outragious misdemeanors, enormities, contemptes, and offences, dayly committed and done to the disquietyng of vs and our people, we mindyng the due punishment of such offendors and the repressing of such like offences, enormities, and misbehauiours from henceforth, hauyng speciall trust & confidence in your fidelities, wisedomes, and discretiōs, haue authorised, appointed, and assigned you to be our Cōmissioners, and by these presentes do geue ful power and authoritie vnto you, and three of you, to enquire as well by the othes of. xij. good and lawfull mē, as by witnesses and all other meanes and politicke wayes you cā deuise, of all and singular hereticall opinions, lollardies, hereticall & sedicious bookes, concelementes, contēptes, conspiracies, and all false rumours, tales, sedicious and slaunderous wordes or sayinges, raysed, published, bruted, inuented, or set forth agaynst vs, or either of vs, or agaynst the quiet gouernaunce and rule of our peoples

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and subiectes, by bookes, lyes, tales, or otherwise, in any county, key, bowing or other places or places, MarginaliaWhat watch is here to kepe down Christ, but yet he will ryse.within this our Realme of England or elswhere, in any place or places beyond the seas, and of the bringing in, vtterers, byers, sellers, readers, keepers, or conueyors of any such letter, bookes, rumor, and tale, and of all and euery their coadiutors, coūsellors, cōfortors, procurors, abbettors, & mainteinours, geuyng vnto you, & iij. of you, full power and authoritie by vertue hereof to search out and take into your hands and possessions, all maner of hereticall and sedicious bookes, letters, & writynges, whersoeuer they or any of them shalbe found, aswell in Printers houses and shops, as elswhere, willyng you, and euery of you to search for the same in all places accordyng to your discretions.

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MarginaliaEnormities or misbehauours.And also to enquire, heare and determine all and singular enormities, disturbances, misbehauiours, and negligences committed in any Church, Chapell, or other hallowed place within this Realme, & also, for, & concernyng the taking away or withholdiing any landes, tenementes, goodes, ornamentes, stockes of money, or other thynges belongyng to euery of the same Churches and Chappels, and all accomptes and reckoninges concernyng the same.

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And also to enquire & search out al such persons as obstinately do refuse to receiue þ^e blessed sacramēt of þ^e altar, to heare Masse, MarginaliaNot cōming to the Church seruice.or come to their Parishe Churches, or other conuenient places appointed for diuine seruice, and all such as refuse to go in procession, to take holy bread, or holy water, or otherwise do misuse them selues in any Church or other hallowed place, wheresoeuer any of the same offenses haue bene, or hereafter shalbe committed within this our sayd Realme.

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MarginaliaHeretickes to be committed to their Ordinary.Neuertheles our will and pleasure is, that when, and as often as any person or persons, hereafter being called or conuented before you, doe obstinately persiste, or stand in any maner of heresie, or hereticall opiniō, that then ye or three of you, do immediatly take order that the same person or persons, so standyng or persisting, bee deliuered and committed to his Ordinary, there to be vsed accordyng to the spirituall and Ecclesiasticall lawes.

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MarginaliaVacaboundes or maisterles men.And also we geue vnto you, or. 3. of you, full power and authoritie, to enquire & search out all vacaboundes, and masterles men, Barrettors, quarellers, and suspect persons, abidyng within our Citie of London, and x. miles compasse of the same, and all assaultes & affrayes done and committed within the same City and cōpasse.

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MarginaliaDecay of Churches and Chappells.And further to search out al wast, decayes, and ruines of Churches, Chaūcels, Chappels, Personages and Vicarages in the Dioces of the same, beyng within this Realme, geuyng you, and euery of you full power and authoritie by vertue hereof to heare and determine the same, and all other offences and matters aboue specified and rehearsed, accordyng to your wisedomes, consciēces and discretions, willyng and commaundyng you, or. iij. of you from tyme to tyme, to vse and deuise all such politicke wayes and meanes, for the triall and searching out of the premisses, as by you, or thre of you shal be thought most expedient and necessary: and vpon inquirie and due proofe had, knowen, perceiued and tried out, by the confession of the parties, or by sufficiēt witnesses before you, or. iij. of you, concernyng the premisses or any part therof, or by any other wayes or meanes requisite, to geue and award such punishmēt to the offendors, by fine, imprisonment, or otherwise and to take such order for redresse and reformation of the premisses, as to your wisedomes, or three of you shalbe thought meete and conuenient.

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MarginaliaPrisoning of the obstinate.Further willyng and commaundyng you and euery three of you, in case you shall finde any person or persons obstinate or disobedient either in their apperaunce before you, or three of you, at your callyng or assignement, or els in not accomplishyng or not obeying your decrees, orders, and commaundementes in any thyng or thynges, touchyng the premisses or any part therof, to commit the same person or persons so offendyng to ward, there to remayne, till by you or three of you, he be discharged or deliuered. &c.  

And so forth with other such lyke matter, as foloweth, see in our forme edition, pag. 1563.

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