MarginaliaAnno. 1549. them in their commissiō. Vnto whom the Commissioners answearing, said, they would deliberate more vpon the matter, and so they called þ^e other ministers of the said Church before them, and ministred the like othe vnto them, as they dyd to the bishop before. To whom moreouer there & then certaine interrogatories andMarginaliaPeter Lilly the publicke Notarye. articles of inquisition were read by Peter Lilly þ^e publike Notary. Which done, after their othes taken, the said Commissioners deliuered vnto the Bishop aforesaid certaine Iniunctions  

Commentary     Close

A version of the 'Certaine injunctions' survives as a draft among the State Papers (SP10/8, nos.36 and 37. In the Calendar (ed. C.S. Knighton, 1992) it is noted that a part was printed by Foxe. The sermon was duly preached, but John Hooper and William Latimer, who had probably been briefed for the purpose, denounced him for having failed to address the specified issues satisfactorily. A Commission was then issued for his examination, which survives on the Patent Rolls as TNA C65/825, m.29d. (Cal. Pat., Edward VI, III, p.166). A draft of the Commission is TNA SP10/8, no.57 (which is also noted as printed by Foxe) and a version of the questions to be put to the bishop is SP10/8, no.58. There is a note in Bonner's register (GL MS 9531/12, pt 1, f.175d) of institutions conducted by Cranmer sede vacante 'per deprivatione Edmundi Bonner nuper episcopi', and the full proceedings are set out in the register (ff.222d-234), which was clearly Foxe's source. For a brief summary of Bonner's troubles (based on Foxe) see W.K. Jordan, Edward VI; the Young King (London, 1968), pp.216-8. The bishop was committed to the Marshalsea on 20 September 1549, and deprived on the 1 October. He remained in prison until Mary's accession, in spite of several appeals. The 'precept or decre' abolishing the books of the Latin rite, was also set out as a proclamation on the 25 December 1549. (P.L. Hughes and J.F. Larkin, Tudor Royal Proclamations, I, (1964) p.485.

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MarginaliaBoners Protestation before the commissioners receauing the kinges Iniunctions. I Do receyue these Iniunctions and Homilies with this protestation, that I wyll obserue them, if they be not contrarye and repugnaunt to Gods lawe, and the statutes and ordinaunce of the Churche, and immediately added with an othe, that he neuer read the saide Homilies and Iniunctions.

The which Protestation being made in manner and fourme aforesaid, the said Edmund Bishop of London instantly desired and required Peter Lilly þ^e Register aforesaid, there and then to register & enact þ^e same. And so þ^e saide Commissioners deliuering the Iniunctions and Homilies to Maister Bellasser Archedeacon of Colchester, and to Gilbert Bourne Archdeacon of London, Essex, and Myddlesexe and enioynyng them in most effectuous maner, vnder paines therein cōtained, to put þ^e same in spedy executiō, and also reseruing other new Iniunctions to be ministred afterwarde, as well to the Bishop, as to the Archdeacons aforesaid, according as they should see cause. &c. dyd so continue the visitatiō tyl three of the clocke the same daye in the afternoone.

At the which houre and place assigned, the Commissioners being set, and the Canons and Priestes of the sayd Churche appearing before them, and being examined vpon vertue of their othe, for their doctrine and conuersation of lyfe:MarginaliaNote the corrupte lyfe of these vnmaried Priestes and Popish Votaries. first one Iohn Painter, one of the Canons of the said Cathedral Church, there and then openly confessed, that he viciously and carnally had often the company of a certain married mans wife, whose name he denied to declare. In the which crime diuers other Canons and Priestes of the said church, confessed in like maner, and could not deny thē selues to be culpable.

And then after the Commissioners aforesaide had deliuered to Maister Royston Prebendarye, and to the Proctour of the Deane and of the Chapter of the sayde Cathedrall Churche of Saint Paul, the kynges Iniunctions, and the booke of Homilies, enioynyng them to see the execution thereof vnder payne therein specified, they proroged their saide visitation vntyll seuen of the clocke the next day folowing.

By this visitation aboue specified, it appeareth, gentle Reader, first how Boner made his Protestation after the receiuyng of the kinges Iniunctions, and also howe he after required the same to be put in publike record.MarginaliaThinges in this visitation to be noted. Furthermore, thou hast to note the vnchaste life and conuersation of these popish votaries and priestes of Paules. Nowe what folowed after this protestation of the bishop made, remayneth further in the sequele of the story to be declared.MarginaliaBoner repenteth hys euil demeanour in his protestation. Wherin first thou shall vnderstād that the said bishop shortly after his protestatiō, whether for feare or for cōscience, repentyng hym selfe, went vnto the kyng, where he submittyng hymselfe, & recanting his former protestation, craued pardon of the king for his inordinate demeanor toward his graces Commissioners, in the former visitation. Which pardō, notwithstanding it was graunted vnto hym by the kyng, for the acknowledging of his fault, yet for the euyl example of the fact,MarginaliaBoner sent to the Fleete it was thought good that he should be committed to the Fleete, as by the tenor of the Counsayles letter sent to the Commissioners maye appeare, whiche together with the forme also of the bishops protestation & of his recantation, here vnder foloweth.

MarginaliaThe kinges letter to the Commissioners concerning the recantation and pardonyng of Boner. AFter our harty commendations: This shalbe to signifie vnto you that we haue receyued your letters, and in the same enclosed the copie of the protestation made by the bishop of London, in the tyme of your visitation at Paules: your wise proceedinges wherin and aduertisementes from you, we take in very thankfull part towardes vs. And because the saide Bishop which being here before vs hath acknowledged his indiscrete demeanour, dyd at that tyme at Paules require the Register of your visitation to make re- corde and enter of his protestation,MarginaliaBoner requireth hys protestation.
Boner requireth his recantation to be registred. and nowe vppon better consideration of his duetie, maketh meanes to haue the same reuoked, as shall appeare vnto you by the true copie of his writyng inclosed, the originall whereof remainyng with vs he hath subscribed: we pray you to cause the Register to make enter of this his reuocation accordyng vnto the tenor of this his said writing: Further signifying vnto you that in respecte of his offence, and the euyll example that might thereupon ensue, we haue thought mete to send hym to the prison of the Fleete, whither he hath bene conueyed by master Vicechamberlaine. And wheras sundry thinges for the kings maiesties seruice do now occurre here, which require the present attendance of you sir Iohn Godsaule, as wel for your office of the Signet, as of the Protonoryship: we praye you, that leauyng the execution of the visitation to the rest of your colleages, you make your repayre hyther with conuenient diligence. Thus fare you right hartily well. From Hampton Court the. 12. of Septemb. 1547.

Your assured louyng frendes

MarginaliaThe Copy of Boners recantation. WHere as I Edmund Bishop of London, at such time as I receyued the kynges maiesties Iniunctions and Homilies of my most dread soueraigne Lord, at the handes of his highnes visitours, dyd vnaduisedly make such protestation, as nowe vppon better consideration of my duetie of obedience, and of the euyl ensample that might ensue vnto others thereof, appeareth to me neyther reasonable, nor suche as might wel stand with the duetie of an humble subiect: for so much as the same protestation at my request was then by the Register of that visitation enacted and put in Record, I haue thought it my duetie, not onely to declare before your Lordships, that I doo nowe vppon better consideration of my duetie, renounce and reuoke my saide protestation, but also most humbly beseech your Lordships, that this my reuocation of the same may be in like wise put in the same recordes for a perpetuall memorye of the truth, most humbly beseeching your good Lordships both to take order that it may take effect, and also that my former and vnaduised doinges maye be by your good mediations pardoned of the kinges maiestie.

Edmund London.

The Register of these affayres of Boners, remayneth in the handes of Peter Lilly, then beyng Register to the foresayd Commissioners. MarginaliaEx Registro Petri Lilij.

MarginaliaThe order of Boners doinges in the beginning of K. Edward. Thus farre thou hast heard (louyng Reader) firste the popish protestation of Boner, thē how he callyng him selfe home agayne, solēnely recanted þ^e same, requiryng further þ^e sayd his reuocation to be committed to publike Record, for a perpetual remembraunce. Also how he vpon his humble submission receyued his pardon of the kyng, and yet for example sake was cōmaunded to the Fleete. Where he neuertheles dyd not long continue, but accordyng to the effect of the kynges pardon afore graunted, was restored both to house and lyuyng againe: Whiche was in the first yeare of the kyng an. 1547.

After this ye haue hearde also in the story aboue, in the second yeare, and a great part of the third yeare of the king, howe he demeaned hym selfe, although not moste forwarde in aduauncyng the kynges proceedynges, yet in such sort, as no great aduauntage by any law could be taken against hym, both in swearyng his obedience to the king, and in receiuyng his Iniunctions: also in professing his assent and consent touchyng the state of Religion then: and furthermore in directyng out his letters, accordyng to the Archbishop of Canterburyes Preceptes,MarginaliaRead afore pag. 1256. and pag. 1262. to Clonye his Sumner, to the Byshop of Westminster and other Byshoppes, for abolishyng of Images, for abrogatiō of þ^e Masse, for Bibles to be set vp, and for ministryng in both kyndes, with suche other matters of reformation like:MarginaliaBoner beginneth to slacke in his diligence. tyl at length he hearyng of the death of the Lord Admyrall the Lorde Protectors brother, and after that of the sturryng and rysing of the kynges subiectes in sundrye tumultes agaynst the kyng, beganne somewhat, as he durst, to drawe backe and slacke his pastorall diligence, so that in many places of his Dioces, and in London the people not onely were negligent in resortyng to diuine seruice, but also dyd frequent