MarginaliaAn. 1556. March.him hast himself to Lambeth vnto the Metropolitane, makyng to him as many frendes as possible he might. When he came to the Archb. he was fayne to disclose vnto hym by what meanes he was procured to do that he dyd, MarginaliaGostwicke glad to fall in agayne with the Archbishop of Canterbury.requesting hys clemency to be hys good Lord, or els he tooke hymselfe vtterly vndone, being so in the kings indignation, as he vnderstood he was by that afore declared, which sute was soone woon at his hand: and so the Archbishop casting into the satchell behinde hym, all those Syr Iohn Gostewickes ingratitudes, went to the kyng, and wan to Syr Iohn hys Princes fauour agayne. And thus the kyng made a short ende of thys accusation.  

[Back to Top]

Well: here you may perceiue that malicions inuention went not the wysest way to worke, to procure a straunger dwelling a farre of, to accuse þ^e Archb. of his doctrine preached in hys Diocesse: and therefore now hath blynd malice learned some more wisedome now to accuse the Archbishop in such sort, as he shal neuer be able to auoide it. MarginaliaNew accusation by the Prebendaries and Iustices of Kent agaynst the Archbyshop.And therefore it was procured by his auncient enemies, that not onely the Prebendaries of hys Cathedrall church in Canterbury, but also the most famous Iustices of the peace in the shire shoulde accuse hym, and article agaynst hym: which in very deede was most substancially brought to passe, and the Articles both well writtē and subscribed, were deliuered to the kinges highnes, as a thing of such effect, that there must needes follow to the sayde Archbishop, both indignation of the Prince and condigne punishment for hys greuous offence committed by hym & hys chaplayns in preaching such erroneous doctrine as they did within hys dioces of Canterbury: wherof they being such wytnes of credite, no man had cause to doubt of their circumspect doinges. Thys accusation articularly sent out, was deliuered to the kyng by some of the Counsails meanes. MarginaliaArticles put vp to the King in writing agaynst D. Cranmer.When the kyng had perused the booke,  

he wrapt it vp and put it into hys sleeue: and finding occasion to solace himselfe vpō the Thames, came with his Barge furnished with his Musicions alonge by Lābeth bridge towards Chelsey. The noyse of the Musicions prouoked the Archbishop to resorte to the brydge to do hys duty, and to salute his Prince. Whom when the king had perceiued to stand at the bridge, eftsoones he cōmaunded the watermen to draw towards the shore, and so came strayght to the bridge.

[Back to Top]

Ah my Chapleyn, sayd the kyng to the Archbishop? come into the barge to me. The Archb. declared to his highnes, that he would take hys own barge, and waite vpon eys Maiesty. MarginaliaThe King maketh the Archbishop priuy of the Articles.No sayde the king, you must come into my barge, for I haue to talke with you. When the kyng & the Archb. all alone in the barge were set to gethers, said the king to the Archbishop, I haue newes out of Kent for you my Lord. The Archb. aunswered: Good I hope, if it please your hignes. Mary sayd the kyng they be so good, that I now know the greatest hereticke in Kent, and wyth that pulled out of his sleeue the booke of Articles against both the sayd Archbishop, and hys Preachers, and gaue the booke to hym, willing hym to peruse the same. When the Archb. had red the Articles, and saw him selfe so vncurteously handeled of hys own church, whereof he was head, I meane of the Prebendaries of hys Cathedrall church, and of such hys neighbours as he had many wayes gratified, I meane the Iustices of the peace, it much greeued him. MarginaliaCommission appoynted to be sent into Kent for triall of the Articles.Notwithstanding he kneeled downe to the kyng, and besought hys Maiesty to graunt out a Commission to whomsoeuer it pleased hys highnes, for them to try out the truth of this accusation. In very deede, said the kyng, I do so meane, and you your selfe shall bee chiefe Cōmissioner, to adioyne to you such two or three more as you shall thinke good your selfe. Then it will bee thought (quoth þ^e Archb. to the kyng) that it is not indifferent (if it please your Grace) that I should be myne own Iudge, and my Chaplains also. Well, sayd the kyng, I wyll haue none other but your selfe, and such as you wyll appoynt. For I am sure that you wil

[Back to Top]

not halt wyth me in any thing, although you be dryuen to accuse your selfe, and I know partly how this geare proceedeth, and if you handle the matter wysely, you shall finde a pretye conspiracie deuised agaynst you. Whom wyll you haue with you, sayd the king? Whom it shal please your grace to name, quoth þ^e Archb. MarginaliaCommissioners appoynted to Cranmer Doctour Bellowes D. Coxe Chancel. Master Hußey Register.I will appoint Doct. Belhous for one, name you þ^e other, said the king, meete for that purpose. My Chauncellour D. Cox, & Hussey my Register, said the Archb. are mē expert to examine such troublesome matters. Wel, said þ^e kyng, let there be a Commission made forth, and out of hād get you into Kent, & aduertise me of your doings.  

[Back to Top]

They came into Kēt, & there they sat aboue 3. weekes to bult out who was the first occasiō of this accusation, for therof þ^e kyng would chiefly be aduertised. Now the Inquisition being begun by þ^e Commissioners, euery man shrooncke in his hornes, & no mā would confesse any thing to the purpose. MarginaliaD. Coxe Chancel, & Master Hussey false to the Archbishop.For Doct. Coxe and Hussey, being friendly vnto the Papistes, handled the matter so, that they would permit nothing material to come to lyght. This thing being well perceyued by one of the Archbishops seruauntes his Secretary,MarginaliaThis Secretary was M. Ralph Morris witnes and drawer of this story. he wrote incontinently vnto Doct. Buttes and Master Deny, declaring that if the kynges Maiesty dyd not send some other to assist my Lord, then those that then were there with hym, it were not possible that any thing should come to lyght: and therefore wished that Doct. Lee  

or some other stoute man that had bene exercysed in the kings Ecclesiastical affaires in his visitatiōs, might be sent to the Archbishop. Vpon these letters Doct. Lee was sent for to Yorke by the king, & hauing the kings farther mynd declared vnto hym, when he came to the Court, he resorted incontinenly into Kent, so that on Alhallow euen, hee deliuered to the Archbishop the kings Ring, with a declaration of his hyghnes farther pleasure: and by & by vpon his messessage done, he appointed the Archbishop aforesaid to name hym a dosen or. xvj. of his Officers and gentlemen, such as had both discretion, wit, and audacitie: MarginaliaD. Lee of Yorke appoynted Commissioner with the Archbishop for trying out the conspiracie.to whom he gaue in Cōmission frō the king, to search both the purses, Chests, and Chambers, of all those that were deemed or suspected to be of this confederacy both within the Cathedrall Church and without, and such letters or writings as they could find about them, to bring thē to the Archbishop and him.

[Back to Top]

These men thus appointed, went in one houre and instant, to the persons, houses, and places, that they were appoynted vnto: MarginaliaThe conspiracie of the Papistes agaynst the Archbyshop found out.and within foure houres afterwardes the whole conspiracy was disclosed by fynding of letters, MarginaliaThe Bishop of Winchest. Doctour London, The Suffragan of Douer, Doctour Barbar, with certeine Iustices of Kent chiefe conspirers against the Archbyshop.some from the Bishop of Winchester, some from D. London at Oxford, and from Iustices of the shiere, wyth other: so that the first beginning, the proceeding, and what should haue bene the end of their conspiracy, was now made manifest. Certayne Chambers and Chests of Gentlemen of the shiere were also searched, where also were found letters seruing to this purpose. Amongst all other, came to my Lordes handes two letters, one of the Suffragan of Douer, and an other of Doct. Barbar a Ciuilian, whom continually the Archbishop reteined with him in houshold for expeditiō of matters in sute before him, as a coūsellour in the Law when nede requyred. These two men being wel promoted by the Archbishop, he vsed euer in such familiarity, that when the Suffragan being a prebend of Caunterbury, came to hym, he alwayes set hym at his owne Messe, MarginaliaDomesticall enemies and conspirers against their Master.and the other neuer from his table, as men in whom he had much delyght and comfort, when tyme of care and pensiuenes chaunced. But that which they dyd, was altogether counterfait, and þ^e Deuill was turned into the Aungell of light, for they both were of this confederacy.

[Back to Top]

When my Lord had gotten these their letters into his handes, he on a day, when it chaunced the Suffragan to come to hym to hys house at Bekisburne, called to him into his study the said Suffragan of Douer  

and