II.

all and sundry heresies, heretical opinions, Lollardies; he- BOOK retical and seditious books, concealments, contempts, conspiracies, and of all false rumours, tales, seditious and clamorous words and sayings, raised, published, bruited, invented, or set forth against us, or either of us; or against the quiet governance and rule of our people and subjects, by books, letters, tales, or otherwise, in any county, city, burrough, or other place or places within this our realm of England, and elsewhere, in any place or places beyond the seas; and of the bringers in users, buyers, sellers, readers, keepers, or conveyers of any such letters, books, rumour, or tale; and of all and every their coadjutors, counsellors, consorters, procurers, abetters, and maintainers; giving to you, and three of you, full power and authority, by vertue hereof, to search out, and take into your hands and possession, all manner of heretical and seditious books, letters, writings, wheresoever they, or any of them shall be found, as well in printers houses and shops, as elsewhere; willing you, and every of you, to search for the same in all places, according to your discretions. And also to enquire, hear, and determine, all and singular enormities, disturbances, misbehaviours, misdemeanours and negligences, done, suffered, or committed, in any church, chappel, or other hallowed place within this realm. And also for and concerning the taking away, or the with-holding of any lands, tenements, goods, and ornaments, stocks of mony, or other things belonging to any of the same churches and chappels, and all accompts and reckonings concerning the same. And also to enquire and search out all such persons as obstinately do refuse to preach the blessed sacrament of the altar, to hear mass, or come to their parish, or other convenient places, appointed for divine service; and all such as refuse to go in processions, to take holy water, or holy bread; or otherwise do misuse themselves in any church, or other hallowed place, wheresoever any of the same offences have been, or hereafter shall be, committed within this our said realm. Nevertheless our will and pleasure is, that when, and as often as any person or persons hereafter to be called or con

II.

PART vented before you, do obstinately persist or stand in any manner of heresy, or heretical opinions, that then ye, or three of you, do immediately take order, that the same person, or persons, so standing or persisting, be delivered and committed to his ordinary, there to be used according to the spiritual and ecclesiastical laws. And also we give unto you, or three of you, full power and authority to enquire and search out all vagabonds and masterless men, barretors, quarrellers, and suspect persons, vagrant, or abiding within the city of London, or ten miles compass of the same; and all assaults and affrays done and committed within the same city, and compass. And further, to search out all wastes, decays, and ruines of churches, chancels, chappels, parsonages, and vicarages in whatsoever diocess the same be within this realm. Giving to you, or any three of you, full power and authority, by vertue hereof, to hear and determine the same, and all other offences and matters above specified and rehearsed, according to your wisdoms, and consciences, and discretions; willing and commanding you, or three of you, from time to time, to use and devise all such politic ways and means, for the trial and searching out of the premises, as by you, or three of you, shall be thought most expedient and necessary; and upon enquiry, and due proof had, known, perceived, and tried out by the confession of the parties, or by sufficient witnesses, before you, or three of you, concerning the premises, or any part thereof, or by any other ways or means requisite, to give and award such punishment to the offenders, by fine, imprisonment, or otherwise; and to take such order for redress and reformation of the premises, as to your wisdoms, or three of you, shall be thought meet and convenient. Further willing and commanding you, and any three of you, in case you shall find any person or persons, obstinate or disobedient, either in their appearance before you, or three of you, at your calling or assignment; or else in not accomplishing, or not obeying your decrees, orders, and commandments, in any thing or things touching the premises, or any part thereof, to commit the same person, or persons, so offending,

11.

to ward, there to remain, till they be by you, or three of BOOK you, enlarged and delivered. And we give to you, and any three of you, full power and authority, by these presents, to take and receive, by your discretions, of every offender, or suspect person, to be convented or brought before you, a recognizance or recognizances, obligation or obligations to our use, of such sum or sums of mony, as to you, or three of you, shall seem convenient, as well for the personal appearance before you of any such suspect person, or for the performance and accomplishment of your orders and decrees, in case you shall think so convenient, as for the sure and true payment of all and every such fine and fines, as shall hereafter be by you, or three of you, taxed or assessed upon any offender that shall be before you, or three of you, duly convinced, as is aforesaid, to our use, to be paid at such days and times, as by you, or three of you, shall be sealed, limited, or appointed: and you to certifie any such recognizance, or obligation, as being taken for any fine, or fines, not fully and wholly paid before you, under your hands and seals, or the hands and seals of three of you, into our court of chancery, to the intent we may be therefore duly answered, as appertaineth.

And furthermore, we give to you, or three of you, full power and authority, by these presents, not only to call afore you all and every offender and offenders, and all and every suspect person and persons in any of the premises, but also all such, and so many witnesses as ye shall think meet to be called; and them, and every of them, to examine and compel to answer, and swear, upon the holy evangelist, to declare the truth in all such things, whereof they, or any of them shall be examined, for the better trial, opening, and declaration of the premises, or of any part thereof.

And furthermore, our will and pleasure is, that you, or three of you, shall name and appoint, one sufficient person to gather up and receive all such sums of mony as shall be assessed or taxed by you, or three of you, for any fine or fines, upon any person or persons, for their offence; and you, or three of you, by bill, or bills, signed with your

PART hands, shall, and may assign and appoint, as well to the II. said person for his pains in receiving the said sums, as also

you,

to your clark, messengers, and attendants upon you, for their travel, pains and charge to be sustained for us about the premises, or any part thereof, such sum and sums of mony for their rewards, as by you, or three of you, shall be thought expedient. Willing and commanding you, or three of after the time of this our commission is expired, to certify into our exchequer, as well the name of the said receiver, as also a note of such fines as shall be set or taxed before you, to the intent, that upon the determination of the account of the same receiver, we may be answered, that that to us shall justly appertain. Willing and commanding also all our auditors, and other officers, upon the sight of the said bills, signed with the hands of you, or three of you, to make to the said receiver due allowance, according to the said bills upon his account. Wherefore we will and command you, our said commissioners, with diligence to execute the premises, with effect: any of our laws, statutes, proclamations, or other grants, privileges, or ordinances, which be, or may seem to be contrary to the premises, notwithstanding.

And moreover, we will and command, all and singular justices of peace, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, constables, and all other our officers, ministers, and faithful subjects, to be aiding, helping, and assisting to you, at your commandment, in the due execution hereof, as they tender our pleasure, and will answer to the costs, at their utmost perils.

And we will and grant, that these our letters patents shall be a sufficient warrant and discharge for you, and any of you, against us, our heirs and successors; and all, and every other person or persons whatsoever they be, of, for, or concerning the premises, or any parcel thereof, or for the execution of this our commission, or any part thereof.

In witness whereof, we have caused these our letters to be made patents, and to continue and endure for one whole year next coming after the date hereof. Witness our self

II.

at Westminster, the 8th day of February, the third and BOOK years of our reign.

fourth

Number 33.

A letter writ by the council, expressing their jealousies of

the lady Elizabeth. An original.

Titus B. 2.

MR. POPE, after our very hearty commendations, ye shall Cotton lib. understand, that amongst divers other devilish practices, attempted from time to time, by Dudly Ashton, and other traitors in France, for the disturbance of the quiet of the realm; they have now lately sent over one Cleyberdo, who (if I the lord chancellor be not deceived in the man) was, whilst I was president in Wales, indicted of a burglary, and should have been, if he had not escaped by the means of certain his complices, who took him from the sheriff's man, as well for the said burglary, as for divers other notable robberies, and other offences, made sure enough from attempting this enterprize now. This man being sent by the foresaid traitors into the extream parts of Essex and Suffolk ; where naming himself to be earl of Devonshire, he hath, by spreading abroad of slanderous letters and proclamations, abused the lady Elizabeth's graces name; pronouncing thereby, as much as in him lay, to stir the king's and queen's majesties subjects in those parts to rebellion, as by the copies of the said letters and proclamations, which we send unto you herewith, may at better length appear unto you. And albeit the people there have shewed themselves so true and obedient subjects, as immediately upon the understanding of this enterprize, they did of themselves, and without any commandment, apprehend as many of the attempters of this devilish practice as they could come by, whereby their good-will and truth to the king and queen's majesties doth well appear. Yet because this matter is spread already abroad, and that peradventure many constructions and discourses will be made thereof, we have thought meet to signify the whole circumstances of the cause unto you, to be by you opened unto the lady Eliza