MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Ianuary.neither in any publike nor in any priuate persons case should in any wyse be behynd hand.
MarginaliaA Masse at the Kynges Colledge.These thinges being finished, they were brought processionaliter to þe kinges colledge, by all the Graduates of the Vniuersitie, wheras was song a Masse of the holy ghost with great solemnitie, nothing wanting in that behalfe that might make to the setting forth of the same. In this place it was marked that Nicholas Ormanet, MarginaliaOrmanet Datarie.commonly surnamed Datary (who albeit he were inferior in estate vnto Chester beyng a Byshop, yet was superior to them all in authoritie) while the Masse was a celebrating, eft standing, eft sitting, and sometime kneling on his knees, obserued certaine Ceremonies, which afterwarde were required of all others to bee obserued, as in processe hereof was to bee sene.
[Back to Top]From thence they attended all vpon the Legates to S. Maries church, which we declared before to haue beene interdited. In the which place, for as much as it was suspended, although no Masse might be songe, MarginaliaPecocke preacheth at sainct Maries.yet there was a Sermō made in open audience by M. Pecocke in the Latin tounge, preaching agaynst heresies & heretickes, as Bilney, Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley. &c. The which being ended, they proceded eftsones to the visitatiō. Where first Doct. Haruy did in the Cardinals name exhibite the commission to the Byshop of Chester with a few words in Latin. Which being accepted, and by M. Clarke openly redde to the end, thē the Vicechauncellour with an oration did exhibite the certificat vnder his seale of office, with the Cardinals citation annexed, MarginaliaThe citation of the Masters of the Colledges.conteining euery mans name in the Vniuersitie, and Colledges, with the officers and all the maisters of houses. Among whom was also Robert Brassey maister
Technically, this is incorrect; the head of King's College is the provost, not the master.
This favourable description of Brassey comes from the Historia vera, but hewas also favourably described by the Marian martyr George Marsh.
After the formall solemnity of these thinges thus accomplished, the Commission being red, and the citation exhibited, also the maisters of houses beyng onely cited, euery man for a whyle departed home to his own house, with commaundement to bee at the common schooles of the sayd Vniuersitie at one of the clocke of the same day. MarginaliaInquisition at the common Schooles.When the degrees of the Vniuersitie, commonly called Regents and non Regents, were assembled thither, they spēt the rest of the day in reading ouer of Charters, graunted to the Vniuersitie by kinges and princes, in searching out of Bulles and pardons from the Pope, and in perusing of other monumentes pertaynyng to the Vniuersitie.
[Back to Top]The next day followyng, being the 12. of Ianuary,MarginaliaIanuary. 12. Inquisition at the Kynges Colledge. they resorted to the kings Colledge to make Inquisition, eyther because the same for the worthynes therof was chiefe and soueraigne of all the residue, or els because that that house especially before all others, had beene counted, time out of minde, neuer to be without an hereticke (as they terme them) or twaine. And at that present time, albeit that many now alate had withdrawen themselues from thence, yet they iudged there were some remaynyng still. The order and maner how they would bee interteyned of euery Colledge, when they should come to make Inquisition, they themselues appoynted, which was in this sort.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe maner of receiuyng the Inquisitours when they wēt to make Inquisition.They commaunded the master of euery house together with the residue, as well fellowes as scholers, apparelled in priestlike garmēts (which they call habits)
to mete them at the vttermost gate of theyr house toward the towne. The maister him selfe to be dressed in like apparell as the priest when he rauesheth himselfe to Masse, sauyng that he should put on vppermost his habit, as the rest did. The order of their going they appointed to be in this wise. MarginaliaNote the ambitious pompe of these Papistes.The Maister of the house to goe formost. Next vnto him euery man in his order as he was of degree, seignioritie, or of yeares. Before the master should be caried a crosse & holy water, to sprinckle the Commissioners withall, and then after that the sayd Commissioners to bee sensed. And so after thys meting, and mumbling of a few deuotions, they determined with thys pompe and solemnity to bee brought to the Chappell.
[Back to Top]Many thought they tooke more honor vppon them than belonged to the state of man. Other some (forasmuch as at that time they not only pretended the iurisdictiō of the Cardinall, MarginaliaThe Commissioners represent the Pope.but also represented the power and authoritie of the byshop of Rome hymselfe, who was accoumpted to be more thā a mortall man) said it was farre lesse then of duety appertayned to his holynes, in that the honor that was done to his Legates, was not done to them but to hys holynes. Now was the houre come at which they appoynted to meete: and being entred the kinges Colledge gate, where they loked for the Master and fellowes of the house, seing no man came to meete them, they proceeded forthe to the church dore, where they stayed.MarginaliaHere was a foule fault cōmitted, that these men came in without Procession. There perceauing how the master and the rest of the house were dressing them selues as fast as they could, as in such order as was appointed before, they came in sodainly vpon them before they had set any foote out of their places.
[Back to Top]Then the masterMarginaliaD. Brassey excuseth hym self for þe slacknesse of his processiō. first excused him selfe, that he was ready no soner, acknowledging that it had beene hys duety to haue bene in a readines. Secondly, he said he was very glad of their comming, promysing first in his owne name, and after in the name of all the rest, as much reuerence as myght bee, in all matters concerning theyr common vtility, the which he doubted not but should be performed at theyr handes, according to his expectation. But like as he had done the other day in S. Maryes church, MarginaliaM. Brassey maketh exception againe.the same exception he made to them now also: the which his doyng he besought them not to bee offended withall. For seing he dyd it onely for the discharge of his duety, hee had iuster cause to be held excused.
[Back to Top]He had scarcely yet finished his tale, but the Bishop of Chester with a frowning looke and an angry countenaunce, interrupting him of his talke, sayd: MarginaliaDoctor Scots aunswere to M. Brassey.hee neded not to repeat the thinges he had protested before, nor they to make aunswere any more to those thinges wherein they had sufficiently enformed him before. He rather feared that their quarel was not good, that they made such a do abut it, and sought such starting holes. For so were diseased persons oftentimes wont to do, when for the payne and griefe they are not able to abide a strong medicine. MarginaliaThe Popes authoritie swalloweth vp al other priuileges.As though that any man were able to graunt so strong a priuiledge, as to withstande the Popes authority. As for the bishops letters, he said must needes make on his side, and with such as were with him, and could not in any wise be alleged against him. Therefore he admonished hym to desist from hys vnprofitable altercation, and to conforme himself and his to such thinges as then were in doyng.
[Back to Top]After this they went to masse. Which finished, with great solemnitie, first they went to the high altar of the church, and hauyng there saluted their God,MarginaliaThe Legates salutyng first their God. and searching whether all were wel about him or no, they walked through all the inner chappels of the church. The church goodes, the crosses, the chalices, þe masse bokes, the vestmentes, and whatsoeuer ornamentes were besides, were commaunded to bee brought out vnto them. When they had sufficiently vewed all thinges, and had called forth by name euery fellowe and scholler of the house, they went to the maisters lodging, where first and formost swearyng them vpon a booke to aunswer to all suche interrogatories as should bee propounded vnto them (as far as they knewe) they examined first the master himself, and afterward all the residue, euery man in his turne. MarginaliaThe othe refused of some in the Kynges Colledge, and why.But there were some that refused to take this othe, both because they had geuen their faith to the colledge before, and also because they thought it agaynst all right and reason to sweare agaynst themselues: for it was cōtrary to all law that a man should be compelled to bewray himselfe, and not to be suffred to keepe his conscience free, when there is no manifest
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