Archbishop, partly also eyther for feare of the Bishoppes (for kings cannot alwayes doe in their realmes what they will) or els perhaps entised by some hope of subsidie to be gathered by the Clergy was contented to adioyne his priuate assent (such as it was) to the setting downe of an ordinaunce which was in deede the very first lawe that is to be found made against Religion and the professors thereof bearing the name of an Acte made in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno. 5. Rich. 2. where among sundry other Statutes then published and yet remayning in the printed bookes of Statutes, this supposed Statute is to be found Cap. 5. &vltimo. as followeth.  

MarginaliaThe first law to be found practised by the clergy for burning the professours of religion. An. 5. R. secundi. This statute was made by the clergie without consent or knowledge of the commons.

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Item forasmuch as, it is openly knowne that there be diuerse euill persons within the realme going from county to countie and from Towne to Towne in certyan habites vnder dissimulation of great holinesse and without the licence of the ordinaries of the places or other sufficient authoritie, preaching dayly not onely in Churches & churchyardes, but also in markets, fayres, and other open places where a great congregation of people is (diuers sermons contayning heresies and notorious errours to the great emblemishing of Christen faayth and destruction of the lawes, and of the estate of holy Churche to the great perill of the soules of the people and of all the realme of England as more plainly is found and sufficiently proued before the reuerend father in God the Archbishop of Caunterbury and the bishops and other prelates maisters of Diuinitie, and doctors of Canon & ciuil law, and a great part of the clergy of the said Realme specially assembled for this great cause, which persons do also preach diuers matters of slander to engender discorde and discention betwixt diuers estates of the said realme as well spirituall as temporall, in exciting of the people to the great perill of all the Realme, which preachers cited or summoned before the ordinaries of the places thereto: aunswere of that whereof they be impeached, they will not obey to their sommons & commandementes, nor care not for their monitions nor censures of the holy Church, but expressely despise them. And moreouer by their subtile and ingenious wordes doe drawe the people to heare theire Sermons, and do mayntayne them in their errours by strong hand and by great rowtes It is ordayned & assented in this present parliament, that the kinges commissions be made and directed to the Sheriffes and other ministers of our soueraigne Lord the king or other sufficiēt persons learned, and according to the certifications of the prelates therof to be made in the Chauncery from time to time to arest all such preachers, and also their fautours, mayntaynours, and abbettours, and doe hold them in arrest and strong prison til they will iustify to them according to the law and reason of holy Church. And the king will and commaund that the Chauncellour make such commissions at all times that he by the Prelates or any of them shalbee cetified and thereof required as is aforesaid.MarginaliaNote that this statute was repealed afterwardes at the instance of the commons.

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WHich supposed statute for as muche as it was the principall ground whereuppon proceeded all the persecution of that time, it is therefore not impertinent to examine the same more perticularly, whereby shall appeare that as the same was fraudulently and vnduly deuised by the Prelates onely: so was it in like maner most iniuriously and vnorderly executed by them.  

MarginaliaNo vsuall wordes of warrant affixed to this cōmission.For immediately vpon the publishing of this lawe, without further warrant eyther from the king or his councell, commissions vnder the great seale of England were made in this forme. Richard by the grrace of God &c. vt patet act pag. 541. Witnesse my self at Westminster the 26. day of Iune in the sixt yeare of our raigne. Without more wordes of warrant vnder written such as in like cases are both vsuall and requisite. Viz. per ipsum Regem: per Regem & consilium: or per breue de priuato Sigillo: all or any of which wordes being vtterly wanting in this place as may be seene in the kinges Recordes of that time: it must therfore be done eyther by warrant of this foresayd Statute, or els without any warrant at all. Whereupon it is to be noted, that wheras the said Statute appointed the commissions to be directed to the Sheriffe, or other ministers of the kings, or to other sufficient persons learned for the aresting of suche persons: the sayd commissions are directed to the Archbishop and his Suffragans, being as it appeareth parties in the case, autorising thē further without either the wordes or reasonable meaning of the sayde Statute to imprison them in their owne houses or where els pleased them.

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Besides also what maner of law this was, by whomedeuised and by what authoritie the same was first made and established iudge by that that followeth. Viz.

In the Vtas of S. Michell next following at a parliament summoned and holden at Westminster the sixt yeare of the said king, among sondry petitions made to the king by his commons, whereunto he assented, there is one in this forme. Articl. 52.

MarginaliaThe petition of the commons for the repealing the foresayd statute. Item, prayen the commons, that wheras an Estatute was made the last parliament in these wordes. It is ordayned in this present Parliament that commissions from the king be directed to the Sheriffes and other ministers of the king or to other sufficient persons skilfull, and according to the certificates of the Prelates thereof to be made vnto the Chauncerie from time to time to avert all suche preachers & theyr fautoures maintenors and abbettours. And them to deteine in strong prison, vntill they will iustifie themselues according to reasō, & law of holy church. And the king willeth and commaundeth that the Chauncellor make such commissions at all times as shalbe by the prelates or any of them certified and thereof required as is aforesayd. The which was neuer agreed nor graunted by the commens: but whatsoeuer was moued therein was without their assent. That þ^e said statute be therfore disanulled. MarginaliaThe statute repealed.For it is not any wise their meaning þ^t either thēselues, or such as shal succeed thē, shalbe further iustified or bound by the Prelates, then were their ancesters in former times whereunto is answered, il plaist aa Roy. i. þ^e king is pleased.MarginaliaThe K. ratifieth.

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Hereby notwithstanding the former vniust lawe of Anno. 5. was repealed, and the fraude of the framers therof sufficiently discouered: yet such meanes was there made by the prelates, that this acte of Repeale was neuer published nor euer sithence imprinted with the rest of the statutes of that Parliament. In so much as the sayd Repeale being concealed, like commissions and other proces were made from time to time by vertue of the sayd Basterd statute aswel during al the raign of this king as euer sithence against the professors of religion: As shall hereafter by the grace of God appeare in the second yeare of king Henry the fourth, where the Clergy pursued the like practise. And now againe to the story or our Oxford Diuines, and of the Archbishop to whom the king writeth his letters patents first to the Archbishop then to the Vicechauncellor of Oxford in forme as followeth.

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MarginaliaThe kings letter against the fauorers of Wickliffe. RIchard by the grace of God king of England and Lord of Ireland: To all those to whome these present letters shall come, greeting.  

By the petition of the reuerend father in God, William Archb. of Caunterbury, Primate of England exhibited vnto vs, we right well vnderstand: That diuers and sondry conclusions very contrary to wholesome doctrine and redounding both to the subuersion of the Catholike fayth, the holy Church, and his prouince of Cant. in diuers and sundry places of ths same of his prouince haue bene openly and publiquely preached, although damnably preached. Of the which conclusions, some as heresies, other some as errours haue bene condemned: but not before good and mature deliberation first therein had and vsed, and by common counsaile of the said Archbishop, his suffragans and many doctors in diuinitie and other clerkes and learned men in the holy Scriptures, were sententially and holesomely declared. Whereupon the sayd Archbishop hath made his supplication vnto vs: that both for the coertion and due castigation of such as shall henceforth of an obstinate minde preach or mayntaine the foresaid conclusions that we would vouchsafe to put to the arme and helping hand of our kingly power. We therefore moued by the zeale of the catholicke faith, whereof we be and will be defendours, and vnwilling that any such heresies or errours shoulde spring vp within the limites of our dominion: MarginaliaThe 16. day of Iune. an. 1382.Geue and graunt speciall licence and authoritie by the tenour of these presentes, vnto the foresayd Archbishop, and to his Suffraganes, to arest and imprison either in their owne prisons or any other, all and euery such person and persons as shall either priuely or apertly preach and mayntayne the foresayd conclusions so condemned, and the same persons so imprisoned there at their pleasures to detayne, till such time as they shall repent them and amend them of suche hereticall prauities, or els shall be of suche arestes by vs and our counsaile otherwise determined and prouided. Further charging and commaunding all and singuler our liegemen ministers, and subiectes, of what state and condition so euer they be, vpon their fidelitie & allegeance wherin they stand bound to vs: that by no meanes they eyther fauour, counsayle, or helpe the preachers or els mayntayners of the sayde conclusions so condemned or their fauourers, vpon payn and forfaiture of all that euer they haue: But that they obey and humbly attend vpon the said Archbishop, his Suffraganes, and ministers in the execution of these presentes, so that due and manifest publication agaynst the foresaid conclusions and their mayntayners,

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