II. PART culumque et ratiocinium, et alia in ea parte expediend. testamentaque et administrationes, quorumcunque tuæ dioc. ut prius approband. et committend. causasque lites et negotia coram te aut tuis deputatis pendend. indecisas, necnon alias sive alia quascunque sive quæcunq; ad forum ecclesiasticum pertinend. ad te aut tuos deputatos sive deputandos per vestram querelæ, aut appellationis devolvend. sive deducend. quæ citra legum nostrarum et statutorum regni nostri offensionem coram te aut tuis deputatis agitari, aut ad tuam sive alicujus commissariorum per te vigore hujus commissionis jure deputandorum cognitione devolvi aut deduci valeant, et possunt examinand. et decidend. ceteraque omnia et singula in præmissis, seu circa ea necessaria, seu quomodolibet opportuna, per et ultra ea quæ tibi ex sacris literis divinitus commissa esse dignoscuntur, vice, nomine et autoritate nostris exequend. Tibi de cujus sana doctrina, conscientiæ puritate, vitæq; et morum integritate, ac in rebus gerundis fide et industria plurimum confidimus, vices nostras cum potestate alium vel alios, commissarium vel commissarios, ad præmissa vel eorum aliqua surrogand. et substituend. eosdemque ad placitum revocand. tenore præsentium committimus, ac liberam facultatem concedimus, teq; licentiamus per præsentes ad nostrum beneplacitum duntaxat duraturas cum cujuslibet congrue et ecclesiast. coercionis potestate, quacunq; inhibitione ante dat. præsentium emanata in aliquo non obstante, tuam conscientiam coram Deo strictissime onerantes, et ut summo omnium judici aliquando rationem reddere, et coram nobis tuo sub periculo corporali, respondere intendis te admonentes, ut interim tuum officium juxta evangelii normam pie et sancte exercere studeas, et ne quem ullo tempore unquam ad sacros ordines promoveas; vel ad curam animarum gerendam quovismodo admittas; nisi eos duntaxat quos et tanti et tam venerabilis officii functionem, vitæ et morum integritas notissimis testimoniis approbata, literarum scientia et aliæ qualitates requisitæ ad hoc habiles et idoneos clare et luculenter ostenderint et declaraverint. Nam ut maxime compertum cognitumq; habemus morum omnium et maxime Chris I. tianæ religionis corruptelam, a malis pastoribus in populum BOOK emanasse, sic et veram Christi religionem vitæq; et morum emendationem a bonis pastoribus iterum delectis et assumptis in integrum restitutum iri haud dubie speramus. In cujus rei testimonium præsentes literas nostras inde fieri, et sigilli nostri quo ad causas ecclesiasticas utimur appensione jussimus communire. Datum septimo die mensis Februarii, anno Dom; millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo sexto et regni nostri anno primo. Number 3. Titus b. 2. The council's letter to the justices of peace. An original. AFTER our right hearty commendations: where the most Cotton lib. noble king, of famous memory, our late soveraign lord and master king Henry the 8th, (whom God pardon) upon the great trust which his majesty had in your virtuous wisdoms and good dispositions to the common-wealth of this realm, did specially name and appoint you, among others, by his commissions under his great seal of England, to be conservatours and justices of his peace, within that his county of Norfolk. Forasmuch as the same commissions were dissolved by his decease, it hath pleased the king's majesty, our soveraign lord that now is, by the advice and consent of us, the lord protector and others, executors to our said late soveraign lord, whose names be under-written; to whom, with others, the government of his most royal person, and the order of his affairs, is by his last will and testament committed, till he shall be of full age of eighteen years, to cause new commissions again to be made for the conservation of his peace throughout this realm, whereof you shall by this bearer receive one for that county. And for that the good and diligent execution of the charge committed to you and others by the same, shall be a notable surety to the king, our soveraign lord's person that now is, to whom God give increase of vertue, honour, and many years, a most certain stay to the common-wealth, which must needs prosper where justice hath place and reigneth. II. : PART We shall desire you, and in his majesty's name charge and command you, upon the receit hereof, with all diligence, to assemble your selves together; and calling unto you all such others as be named in the said commission. You shall first cry and call to God to give you grace to execute this charge committed unto you with all truth and uprightness, according to your oaths, which you shall endeavour your selves to do in all things appertaining to your office accordingly in such sort as all private malice, sloth, negligence, displeasure, disdain, corruption, and sinister affections set apart, it may appear you have God, and the preservation of your sovereign lord, and natural country before your eyes; and that and that you forget not that by the same, your selves, your wives, and your children, shall surely prosper and be also preserved. For the better doing whereof, you shall at this your first assembly, make a division of your selves into hundreds or wapentakes; that is to say, two at the least, to have especial eye and regard to the good rule and order of that, or those hundreds, to see the peace duly kept, to see vagabonds and perturbers of the peace punished, and that every man apply himself to do as his calling doth require; and in all things to keep good order, without alteration, innovation, or contempt of any thing that by the laws of our late soveraign lord is prescribed and set forth unto us, for the better direction and framing of our selves towards God and honest policy. And if any person, or persons, whom ye shall think you cannot rule and order, without trouble to this country, shall presume to do the contrary, upon your information to us thereof, we shall so aid and assist you in the execution of justice, and the punishment of all such contemptuous offenders, as the same shall be example to others. And further, his majesty's pleasure, by the advice and consent aforesaid is, That you shall take such orders amongst you, as you fail not once every six weeks, till you shall be otherwise commanded, to write unto the said lord protector, and others of the privy-council, in what state that shire standeth; and whether any notable things have happened, or were like to happen, in those I. parts, that you cannot redress, which would be speedily BOOK met withal and looked unto; or whether you shall need any advice or counsel, to the intent we may put our hands to the stay and reformation of it in the beginning, as appertains: praying you also to take order, that every commissioner in the shire may have a double, or a copy of this letter, both for his own better instruction, and to shew to the gentlemen, and such others as inhabit in the hundreds, specially appointed to them, that every man may the better conform himself to do truth, and help to the advancement of justice according to their most bounden duties, and as they will answer for the contrary. Thus fare you well. From the Tower of London, the 12th of February. Your loving friends, E. Hertford. T. Cantuarien. Thomas Wriothelsey, cancel. W. St. John. Anthony Denny. Cuth. Duresme. William Paget. Edward North. W. Herbert. Number 4. The order for the coronation of king Edward. Sunday, Feb. 13. at the Tower, &c. concilii. THIS day the lord protector, and others his executors, Ex libro whose names be hereunto ascribed, upon mature and deep deliberation had among them, did finally resolve, That forasmuch as divers of the old observances and ceremonies afore-times used at the coronations of the kings of this realm, were by them thought meet, for sundry respects, to be corrected; and namely, for the tedious length of the same, which should weary and be hurtsome peradventure to the king's majesty, being yet of tender age, fully to endure and bide out. And also for that many points of the same were such as by the laws of the realm at this present were not allowable. The king's majesty's coronation should be done and celebrated upon Shrove-Sunday next ensuing, in PART the cathedral church of Westminster, after the form and order ensuing. II. First; The arch-bishop of Canterbury shall shew the king to the people at four parts of the great pulpit or stage to be made for the king, and shall say on this wise; Sirs, Here I present king Edward rightful and undoubted inheritor, by the laws of God and man, to the royal dignity and crown imperial of this realm, whose consecration, inunction, and coronation, is appointed by all the nobles and peers of this land to be this day. Will ye serve at this time, and give your good-wills and assents to the same consecration, inunction, and coronation, as by your duty of allegiance ye be bound to do? The people to answer, Yea, Yea, Yea; King Edward, King Edward, King Edward. This done, the arch-bishop of Canterbury, being revested as he should go to mass, with the bishops of London and Winchester on both sides, with other bishops, and the dean of Westminster in the bishop's absence, to go in order before the king; the king shall be brought from his seat by them that assisted him to the church to the high altar, where after his prayer made to God for his grace, he shall offer a pall and a pound of gold, 24 pound in coin, which shall be to him delivered by the lord great chamberlain. Then shall the king fall groveling before the altar, and over him the arch-bishop shall say this collect, Deus humilium, &c. Then the king shall rise and go to his chair, to be prepared before the altar, his face to the altar, and standing, one shall hold him a book; and the arch-bishop standing before the king, shall ask him, with a loud and distinct voice, in manner and form following. Will ye grant to keep to the people of England, and others your realms and dominions, the laws and liberties of this realm, and others your realms and dominions? I grant and promit. You shall keep, to your strength and power, to the church of God, and to all the people, holy peace and concord. I shall keep. |