spontaneous wills, do, purely of our own accord, and absolutely in the word of our priesthood, profess, promise and swear, unto your most illustrious majesty, our singular and most high lord and patron, Henry the eighth, by the grace of God King of England and France, defender of the faith, lord of Ireland, and on earth of the English Church, immediately under Christ, supreme head: That from henceforth we will promise or give, or cause to be given, to no foreign emperor, king, prince, or prelate, nor to the bishop of Rome (whom they call Pope) fidelity or obedience in word or writing, simple or by oath; but at all times, in every case and condition, we will follow and observe, and to our power defend the parts of your royal majesty, and of your successors, against every man whom we shall know or suspect to be an adversary to your majesty, or to your successors and we will sincerely and heartily perform fidelity and obedience to your royal majesty alone, as to our supreme prince, and head of the English Church: we profess that the papacy of Rome is not ordained by God in holy writ, but that it is of human tradition; we constantly affirm, and openly do declare, and will declare, and will diligently take care that others shall so publish the same. Neither will we privately or publicly treat with any mortal man, or give our consent, that the bishop of Rome may here have, or exercise any longer, any authority or jurisdiction, or that he may hereafter be restored to any. And we do knowingly, publicly aver the modern bishop of Rome or his successor in that bishopric whosoever, not to be pope, nor high priest, nor universal bishop, nor the most high lord, but only bishop or prelate of Rome, as by our ancestors used and the laws and statutes of this realm, at any time set forth and enacted, for the extirpation and taking away of popery, and of the authority aud jurisdiction of the said bishop of Rome, we will, after our strength, knowledge and wit, firmly observe ourselves, and, as much as in us lies, will take care, and cause the same to be in like manner observed by others: neither will we henceforth appeal to the said bishop of Rome, or consent to any that shall appeal: neither will we act in his court for right or justice, nor will answer to any that there doth act, nor will there take upon us the person of a plaintiff or defendant and if the said bishop, by message, or by his letters, shall signify anything unto us, whatsoever it be, we will, as soon as conveniently we may, signify or cause the same to be signified, either to your royal majesty, or to your privy council, or to your successors, or to their privy council; and we will neither send, or cause to be sent, any letters or message to the said bishop of Rome, or to his court, unless your majesty or your successor first know or consent that such letter or message shall be sent to him. We will not procure any bulls, briefs or rescripts whatsoever, for ourselves or others, from the bishop of Rome or his court, neither will we counsel any such to be procured by any other. And if any such shall be procured generally or specially for us without our knowledge, or any otherwise shall be granted, we will renounce the same, nor will we consent thereto, nor any way use the same, but will take care that the same be delivered to your majesty, or to your successors. And we do by this writing expressly renounce all exemption whereby, mediately or immediately, we are or have been subject to the bishop of Rome, highest prelate (as they call him), or to him by what name soever he is called, or to his church of Rome, and all his grants, privileges, gifts, whatsoever conferred; and we profess ourselves to be subjects and vassals to your majesty alone, and we do thereto submit ourselves, and promise only to be subject thereunto. Neither will we by ourselves, or by any other interposed person or persons, pay or cause to be paid, to the said bishop of Rome, or to his messengers, orators, collectors, or legates, any procuration, pension, portion, taxes, or any other sum of moneys, by what name soever it be called. Moreover, to confirm this our covenant, we profess and undertake, and in the word of a priest, and under the fidelity due to your majesty and our own conscience before God, we promise, that, against this our aforesaid profession and undertaking, we will use no dispensation, no exception, no appellation or provocation, and no remedy of law or of fact; and if we have made any profession to the hindrance of this our profession and undertaking, we do revoke the same, for the time present, and for all time to come, and to renounce the same by these present letters; whereunto we have subscribed our names, either under our own hands, or the hands of our procurators at our request: and the same we have caused to be confirmed by the fixing of our common seal thereto, and by the mark and subscription of the public notary under written. Dated and acted in our Chapter-House. 57. THE SUPPRESSION OF GLASTONBURY ABBEY (1539). The suppression of the monasteries was carried out under the direction of Thomas Cromwell, and the agents who examined their condition reported to him. Considering the Crown's need of money, and its wish that the nobles might be committed to a support of the late religious changes, we cannot doubt that the monasteries were prejudged. Certain of them might deserve to be reformed or even closed, and their existence was not compatible with the new system. The point is that the commissioners were watchful for traces of immorality or laxness, and the evidence which they collected was used to justify a resort to spoliation. The small houses were seized first because they were easier to attack than the large ones, and were, moreover, in worse condition. Glastonbury, an ancient and important foundation, offered some difficulties, and before it was taken over by government its last abbot suffered death for treason. SOURCE.-Letters relating to Suppression of Monasteries. Society, 1843. A., p. 255; B, p. 261. Camden (A) A letter of the visitors sent to examine the Abbot of Glastonbury. : Please it your lordship to be advertised, that we came to Glastonbury on Friday last past, about ten of the clock in the forenoon and for that the Abbot1 was then at Sharpham, a place of his, a mile and somewhat more from the abbey, we, without any delay, went unto the same place; and there, after communication declaring unto him the effect of our coming, examined him upon certain articles. And for that his answer was not then to our purpose, we advised him to call to his remembrance that which he had as then forgotten, and so declare the truth, and then came with him the same day to the abbey ; and there of new proceeded that night to search his study for letters and books: and found in his study secretly laid, as well a written book of arguments against the divorce of his king's majesty and the lady dowager, which we take to be a great matters [ground of accusation], as also divers pardons, copies of bulls, and the counterfeit life of Thomas Becket in print; but we could not find any letter that was material. And so we proceeded again to his examination concerning the articles we received from your lordship, in the answers whereof, as we take it, shall appear his cankered and traitorous heart and mind against the king's majesty and his succession; as by the same answers, signed with his hand, and sent to your lordship by this bearer, more plainly shall appear. And so, with as fair words as we could, we have conveyed him from hence into the tower, being but a very weak man and sickly. And as 1 Richard Whiting. yet we have neither discharged servant nor monk; but now the abbot being gone, we will, with as much celerity as we may, proceed to the despatching of them. We have in money 300l. and above; but the certainty of plate and other stuff there as yet we know not, for we have not had opportunity for the same, but shortly we intend (God willing) to proceed to the same; whereof we shall ascertain your lordship so shortly as we may. This is also to advertise your lordship, that we have found a fair chalice of gold, and divers other parcels of plate, which the abbot had hid secretly from all such commissioners as have been there in times past; and as yet he knoweth not that we have found the same: whereby we think that he thought to make his hand, by his untruth to his king's majesty. It may please your lordship to advertise us of the king's pleasure by this bearer, to whom we shall deliver the custody and keeping of the house, with such stuff as we intend to leave there convenient to the king's use. We assure your lordship it is the goodliest house of that sort that ever we have seen. We would that your lordship did know it as we do; then we doubt not but your lordship would judge it a house meet for the king's majesty, and for no man else: which is to our great comfort; and we trust verily that there shall never come any double hood within that house again. Also this is to advertise your lordship, that there is never a one doctor within that house; but there be three bachelors of divinity, which be but meanly learned, as we can perceive. And thus our Lord preserve your good lordship. From Glastonbury, the 22nd day of September. Yours to command, RICHARD POLLARD. To the right honourable and their good lord, my Lord Privy Seal, this be delivered. (B) Pleaseth it your lordship to be advertised, that since my last letter sent unto your lordship bearing date the 15th day of November, the same 15th day the late abbot of Glastonbury went from Wells to Glastonbury, and there was drawn through the town upon a hurdle to the hill called the Torre, where he was put to execution; at which time he asked God mercy and the king for his great offences towards his highness, and also desired my servants then being there present to see the execution done, that they would be meane [communicate] to my lord president and to me that we should desire the king's highness of his merciful goodness and in the way of charity to forgive him his great offences by him committed and done against his grace, and thereupon took his death very patiently, and his head and body bestowed in like manner as I certified your lordship in my last letter. And likewise the other two monks desired like forgiveness, and took their death very patiently, whose souls God pardon. And whereas I at my last being with your lordship at London moved your lordship for my brother Paulett, desiring your lordship to be a mean that he might have the surveyorship of Glastonbury, which I doubt not but he will use and exercise the said office to the king's most profit and advantage, and your lordship's goodness herein to him to be shown he shall recompense to his little power, I assure your lordship he hath been very diligent, and divers others by his means, to serve the king at this time, according to his duty and right. So was Nicholas Fitz-James, John Sydnam, and Thomas Hornar, your servantes. Also this is to advertise your lordship that the late abbot of Glastonbury, afore his execution, was examined upon divers articles and interrogatories to him ministered by me, but he could accuse no man but himself of any offence against the king's highness, nor he would confess no more gold nor silver nor any other thing more than he did before your lordship in the Tower. My lord Russell taketh his journey this present day from Wells towards London. I suppose it will be near Christmas before I shall have surveyed the lands at Glastonbury, and taken the audit there. Other news I know none, as knoweth God, who ever preserve your lordship. From Wells, the 16th day of November. Your assured to command, RYCHARD POLLARD. 58. AN EDICT AGAINST RELIGIOUS INNOVATIONS (1547). Sixteenth century reformers in breaking away from the Latin Church aimed at changing one form of Christianity for another. Each found in his own the true system, and would not admit that the logic which justified dissent from Rome justified dissent from Lutheranism, Calvinism or Anglicanism. Even the extreme radicals were at times unwilling to permit liberty of conscience. Somerset's proclamation, issued nine days after the |