Edward but more sorry that ye suffer abominable heretics to practise as they VI. do in London and elsewhere, infecting and disquieting the king's liege A. D. people. And therefore I do require you, as you will answer to God 1549. and the king, that ye will henceforth abstain thus to do: for if you Bonner's do not, I will accuse you before God and the king's majesty; answer to it as well as ye can." And so he departed, using many reproachful words against sundry of the common people, who stood and spake to him by the way as he went. threat. See Appendix. recusa tion of againstall mission ers. THE SIXTH ACTION OR PROCESS UPON MONDAY THE TWENTY- It was assigned, as ye heard, in the fourth act prosecuted the 18th day of September, that upon Monday then next following, being the 23d of the same month, the bishop should again appear before the commissioners within the great hall at Lambeth, then to show a final cause why he should not be declared " pro confesso," upon all the articles whereunto he had not fully answered. sea; According to which assignment, the same 23d day of September, the bishop was brought before them by the under-marshal (to whom for his disobedient and obstinate behaviour he was before that time committed), and there did first declare unto them, that his appearance at that time and place was not voluntary, but coacted; for that he was against his will brought thither by the keeper of the Marshaland therewithal also, under his former protestation, recusation, A general and appeal, did then again intimate a general recusation of all the commissioners, alleging in the same, that because the archbishop, with Bonner, all his colleagues, had neither observed the order of their commission, the com- nor yet proceeded against him after any laudable or good fashion of judgment, but, contrariwise, had sundry times, as well in his absence as in his presence, attempted many things unlawfully against his person, dignity, and state, especially in committing him to strait prison, and yet commanding him to make answer: and further, because that he, with the rest, had proceeded in commission with sir Thomas Smith knight, supporting and maintaining all his evil doings (notwithstanding that he the said bishop had before justly recused and declined from him), he, therefore, did also there refuse and decline from the judgment of the said archbishop and his colleagues, and did except against their jurisdiction as suspect, and they, thereby, unmeet persons to proceed against him. Therefore, according to his former appeal, he intended to submit himself under the tuition, protection, and defence of the king's majesty; for whose honour and reverence' He still sake (he said) they ought not to proceed any further against him, sticketh but quietly suffer him to use the benefit of all the recusations, provocations and other lawful remedies before alleged, with other supertion. fluous words, at large to be read and seen, as followeth. to his former protesta The Second Recusation made by Edmund Bonner, bishop of London. In the name of God. Amen. Forasmuch as both natural reason and all good policies of laws, especially of this realm of England, do admit and suffer VI. A. D. 1549. him that is convented before an incompetent and suspect judge, to refuse him Edward and to decline his jurisdiction, inasmuch as the law and reason on the one side willeth process to run uprightly and justly, and that on the other side corruption and malice earnestly labour to the contrary, and need therefore to be bridled; and because you, my lord of Canterbury, with your colleagues in this behalf (deputed as ye say commissioners against me), neither have observed your said commission, neither yet proceeded hitherto against me after any laudable, lawful, or any good fashion of judgment; but, contrariwise, contrary to your commission, and against the law, good reason, and order, have, at sundry times and in sundry acts, attempted and done many things against me unlawfully, unseemly, and unjustly, and suffer the like to be attempted and done by others, not reforming and amending the same, as appeareth in divers and sundry things remaining in your Acts: And moreover, because you, my said lord, with your said colleagues, have (both in mine absence, being let with just causes of impediment, which, according to the laws of this realm, I have fully alleged, and very sufficiently and justly proved, according to the order of the king's ecclesiastical laws), injuriously, and much to the hinderance of my name, person, title, dignity, and state, and also otherwise, especially in my presence; against all laws, good order, and reason, without good cause or ground attempted and done many things against me, especially touching mine imprisonment; sending me to strait ward, and yet commanding me to make answer, as appeareth in your unlawful acts: I, for these causes, and also for that ye my said lord and your said colleagues, proceeding with sir Thomas Smith knight (whom upon just and lawful causes I have refused, recused, and declined), have favoured, yea maintained, supported, and borne him in his unlawful and evil doings, do also refuse, recuse and decline you my said lord, with the rest of your said colleagues agreeing and joining with you; and do except against your proceedings, doings and jurisdiction as suspect, and thereby unmeet persons to proceed herein against me. And further, I do allege, that having provoked to the king's most excellent majesty, as appeareth by the tenor of my provocation remaining in your Acts, whereunto I do protest that I intend to adhere and cleave, submitting myself unto the tuition, protection, and defence of his said majesty in this behalf, ye in any wise ought not (if ye regard the person and authority of his grace's royal power, as ye ought to do) to proceed herein against me; especially for the honour and reverence ye ought to have unto his majesty in this behalf. And because it appeareth that ye do not duly and circumspectly consider the same, as ye ought to do, but more and more do grieve me; that not considered, I both here to all purposes repeat my former recusation, provocation, and all other remedies that heretofore I have used and mentioned in your said acts; and also do, by these presents, refuse, recuse, and decline you my said lord, and your said colleagues, and your jurisdiction, upon causes aforesaid, offering myself prompt and ready to prove all the same, before an arbiter and arbiters, according to the tenor and form of the law herein to be chosen, requiring you all, for that honour and reverence ye ought to bear to our said sovereign lord, and his laws allowed and approved in this behalf, that ye do not attempt or do, nor yet suffer to be attempted or done, any thing in any wise against me, or unto my prejudice; but suffer me to use and enjoy the benefit of my said former, and this, recusation, provocation, allegation, and other lawful remedies mentioned in your said acts. And in case ye do de facto, where ye ought not de jure, attempt, or suffer any thing to be attempted or done against me in any wise herein, I protest herewith, and hereby, of my great grief and hurt in that behalf; and that not only I do intend to appeal from you, but also, according to the king's ecclesiastical laws, to accuse and complain upon you, as justly and truly I both may and ought to do. Notwithstanding these recusations, and former appellations, the archbishop with the rest told him plain, that they would be still his judges, and proceed against him according to the king's commission, until they did receive a supersedeas, which if he did obtain, they would gladly obey. Ser Appendix, Edward VI. Then the bishop, seeing that they would still proceed against him, did there likewise intimate another appellation unto the king's A. D. majesty, expressing therein in effect no other matter, but such as is 1549. already alleged in the two former recusations and appeals; saving that Another he requireth that letters dimissory or appellatory might be given him according to the law, and that for his better safeguard he did Bonner to submit himself under the protection of the king. appella tion of the king. *The Second Appeal made and put in by the Bishop of London. In this appeal he beginneth: 'In the name of God, Amen.' Then, first, he showeth therein, by what authority, and for what causes, he may lawfully make his appeal for his defence. Secondly, he showeth to my lord of Canterbury, and to his other colleagues, expressed in the said commission, how that against law, order, honesty, reason, yea and against the tenor of their commission, they have unjustly, unseemly, unreverently, and ungodly, grieved, evil-handled, and endomaged him, as well in sending for him after such sort as they did, as also in their unlawful and ungodly proceeding against him. And especially of the outrageous and uncharitable behaviour of sir Thomas Smith, secretary to the king's majesty; who,' saith Bonner, as exempt from law and reason, saith, He will follow his will therein, and not the law.' And thereof in complaining to the archbishop of Canterbury, and the rest of the commissioners in his appeal, he saith, They ought not so to do, especially at the denunciation and promotion of two vile famous sacramentaries.' In consideration whereof he showeth he hath a just and lawful remedy granted by the laws of the realm, especially a recusation and provocation, which he had exhibited, and which remained in the Acts of their Court,2 unto the which he referred himself; which, he saith, had not been duly considered of their parts: but they had proceeded and done contrary, in making him prisoner in his own house, where he had good cause to be absent there-from by the laws of this realm; and also in sending him to the Marshalsea, where they could not nor ought not so to have done, after his recusation and provocation duly and lawfully made from them to the king's majesty; and there he calleth him 'supreme head.' And further he saith, because he was much damnified and grieved at their unjust and unlawful doings and proceedings against him, he therefore refused and recused them as before he had done, and did appeal to his sovereign lord king Edward VI.; and there he confesseth him again 'supreme head of the church. After this, again, in this appeal he accuseth them of their unjust doings, and namely sir Thomas Smith knight; who, contrary to the law, notwithstanding his recusation, provocation, and allegations against them, have appointed him a term to show cause why he ought not to be taken 'pro confesso.' And therein he doth ask and desire, first, second, and third, yea, instantly, more and most instantly, letters dimissory, appellatory libels, or Apostles, to be given him according to order of law, submitting himself and his whole cause and causes, goods, dignity, state, and title, unto the protection and defence of the king's majesty, according to law and custom in that behalf: unto which appeal, he saith, he will adhere, join, and cleave, and prosecute it to all purposes thereof profitable for him in that behalf, according to the law, and not to go there-from. Further he saith, that the time of his first appeal remaineth unto him yet: and therefore, for that they are suspect judges for causes aforesaid, he maketh a new appeal; and therein intimateth his said recusation again with this present appeal, to the intente they should forbear to do him further wrong, out of respect to the king's grace; unto whom he maketh his appeal, that, being delivered from them, he might prosecute his said recusation and appeal, as appertaineth and to the law is agreeable. The commissioners for all this stuck still unto their commission, and would not in any case defer; but urged him straitly to make a more full answer to his articles than he had done. To whom the bishop said, that he would stand unto his recu (1) See Edition 1563, pp. 722, 723.-ED. (2) See the Appendix. (3) Ibid. sations and appellations before made, and would not make other Edward answer. VI. 1549. Then the delegates demanded of him what cause he had to allege, A. D. why he ought not to be declared "pro confesso," upon the articles whereunto he had not fully answered; the bishop still answering Beneth to (as before) that he would adhere unto his appellation and recu- answer. sation. Bonner declared Whereupon the archbishop, with consent of the rest, seeing his Bonner pertinacy, pronounced him "contumax," and in pain thereof declared guilty. him "pro confesso," upon all the articles which he had not answered. This done, master secretary Smith showed forth a letter which the bishop of London had before that time sent unto the lord mayor and the aldermen of the city of London, the tenor whereof ensueth as followeth. A Letter of Bonner to the Lord Mayor of London. To the right honourable and my very good lord, the Lord Mayor of London, with all his worshipful brethren; my very dear and worshipful friend with speed, See Appendix. Master Right honourable! with my very humble recommendations:-Whereas I have perceived of late, and heard with mine ears, what vile beasts and heretics have preached unto you, or rather, like themselves, prated and railed against the most blessed sacrament of the altar, denying the verity and presence of Christ's true body and blood to be there, giving you and the people liberty to believe what ye list; teaching you detestably, that faith in this behalf must not be coacted, but that every man may believe as he will! by reason whereof, lest my presence and silence might unto some have been seen to have allowed their heretical doctrine, and given credit unto them, betraying my flock of the catholic sort, ye know I departed yesterday from the heretic prater's uncharit- Bonner able charity, and so could have wished that you, and all other that be catholic, would should have done, leaving those there with him that be already cast away, and not tarry will not be recovered. For your tarrying with him still, shall not only hurt Hooper's yourselves in receiving his poisoned doctrine, but also shall give a visage that sermon. their doctrine is tolerable, by reason that ye are content to hear it, and say nothing against it. And because I cannot tell when I shall speak with you to advertise you hereof, therefore I thought good, for mine own discharge and yours, thus much to write unto you, requiring and praying you again and again, in God's behalf, and for mine own discharge, that ye suffer not yourselves to be abused with such naughty preachers and teachers, in hearing their evil doctrine that ye shall perceive them go about to sow. And thus our blessed Lord long and well preserve you all, with this noble city, in all good rest, godliness, and prosperity. Written in haste, this Monday morning, the 16th of September, 1549. Your faithful beadsman and poor bishop, Edmund London. case de This letter being read, the secretary demanded of him whether he Bonner's wrote it not to whom he would not otherwise answer, but that he ferred. would still adhere and stand unto his former recusations and appeals; which the commissioners seeing, determined to continue this cause in state as it was until Friday then next following, between the hours of eight and nine of the clock before noon, assigning the bishop to be there at the same time and place, then to hear a final decree of this matter, he still protesting as before. Edward A. D. 1549. THE SEVENTH SESSION OR APPEARANCE OF BONNER ON TUESDAY MISSIONERS AT LAMBETH. Upon Friday the commissioners, for divers urgent causes letting them, did not sit in commission according to their appointment, but deferred it until Tuesday the first of October then next following. Upon that day the bishop appearing before them, the archbishop made this declaration unto him: That although as upon Friday last they had appointed to pronounce their final decree and sentence in this matter, yet forasmuch as they thought that that sentence (although they had just cause to give it) should have been very sore against him, they had not only deferred the same until this day, but, minding to be more friendly to him than he was to himself, and to use more easy and Friendly gentle reformation towards him, had also made such suit and means for him, words of that although he had grievously offended the king's majesty, and very dismission obediently behaved himself, yet, if he would in the mean while have acknowers to ledged his fault, and have been contented to make some part of amends in submitting himself according to his bounden duty, he should have found much favour; so the sentence should not have been so sore and extreme against him as it was like now to be; for which they were very sorry; especially to see the continuance of such stubborn disobedience, whereby they were then more enforced to give such sentence against him. the com Bonner. The bishop, nothing at all regarding this gentle and friendly admonition and favour, but persisting still in his wonted contumacy, drew forth a paper, whereon he read these words following. A Declaration of Bonner before the Commissioners. I, Edmund bishop of London, brought in as a prisoner by his keeper, out of the Marshalsea, here before you my lord of Canterbury and your pretensed colleagues, do, under my former protestations heretofore by me made before you and remaining in your acts, declare that this my presence here at this time is not voluntary, nor of mine own free will and consent, but utterly coacted and against my will; and that being otherwise sent for or brought before you than I am (that is as a prisoner), I would not, being at liberty, have come and appeared before you, but would have declined and refused to make any appearance at all, and would have absented myself from you, as lawfully and well I might have done; standing to, using and enjoying all and singular my lawful remedies and defences heretofore used, exercised and enjoyed, especially my provocation, and appellation heretofore interponed and made unto the king's most excellent majesty, to whom eftsoons, 'ex abundanti,' I have both provoked and appealed, and also made supplication, as appeareth in these writings, which, under protestation aforesaid, I do exhibit and leave here with the actuary of this cause; requiring him to make an instrument thereupon, and the persons here present to bear record in that behalf; especially, to the intent it may appear, I do better acknowledge the king's majesty's authority even in his tender and young age, provoking and appealing to his pretend- majesty as my most gracious sovereign and supreme head, with submission to eth sub- his highness (as appeareth in my appellation and other remedies) for my tuition the king. and defence, than some other (I do mean you my lord of Canterbury and Bonner mission to your said pretensed colleagues), who, by law and good reason, ought to have deferred and given place unto such provocation, appellation, and supplication, as heretofore lawfully have been by me interponed and made unto his majesty's most royal person and authority in this behalf. As soon as the bishop had read these words, he did deliver as well that paper, as also two other, unto the actuary, the one containing an |