que pro nobis et futuris successoribus nostris Cant' Archiepiscopis perpetue statuendo, ordinando, et stabiliendo mandamus, quatenus de cætero nullus prorsus in numerum procuratorum præfatarum curiarum nostrarum, aut alicujus earundem admittatur, seu procuratoris officium in eisdem curiis aut earum aliqua exercere quovismodo permittatur, donec et quousque numerus præfat' procuratorum superius nominatorum jam existentium usque ad numerum novem decreverit et pervenerit, nec numerus ipsorum decem procuratorum ullatenus deinceps excedatur, etiamsi in contrarium a nobis aut dictis successoribus nostris Cant' Archiepiscopis, vobis in mandatis haberi, seu alias indulgeri vel dispensari contigerit; quibusvis clausulis dispensationum, commissionum, privileg' seu indult' præsentium derogatoriis, cæterisque in contrarium facientibus, non obstant', nec infuturum valituris quibuscunque, etiamsi de hujusmodi statuto, ordinatione, stabilitione, confirmatione, et corroboratione, ac cæteris præmissis, seu de præsenti ordinatione nostra hujusmodi de verbo ad verbum specialis, specifica, expressa, et individua fiat mentio; decernentes, quod in contrarium fieri contigerit, exnunc prout extunc, et extunc prout exnunc, irritum et inane, viribus quoque et effectu juris et facti omnino carere, prout tenore præsentium sic decernimus. Volentes præterea ac vobis vicario generali, officiali, decano, et Prærogativæ commissario hujusmodi præsentibus, et quibuscunque in eisdem officiis futuris firmiter injungendo mandamus, quatenus vos proximis sessionibus in dictis curiis nostris Audientiæ de Arcubus et Prærogativæ Cant' præsentationem et intimationem præsentium vobis factas immediate sequentibus, has præsentes literas nostras publicari et divulgari, ac inter alia statuta et ordinationes ipsarum curiarum nostrarum registrari et inseri faciatis, necnon pro statutis haberi et reputari, et debite ac inviolabiliter observari, vestris respective decretis judicialibus ibidem publice decernatis, et vestrum quilibet respective decernat. Ut autem præmissa omnia et singula per nos, ut præmittitur, superius facta et gesta, perpetuæ firmitatis robur perenniter obtineant, nec super illis ulla dubietatis seu ambiguitatis valeat questio suboriri; nos Thomas Archiepiscopus, Primas, et Metropolitanus antedictus, has nostras præsentes literas sigilli nostri ad facultates, quo utimur in ea parte, fecimus appensione muniri. Dat' in manerio nostro de Lambith 12 die mensis Januarii anno Domini secundum cursum et computationem Ec clesiæ Anglicanæ MDXLI. felicissimi regni dicti potentissimi et invictissimi principis et domini nostri Regis anno XXXIII. et nostræ consecrationis anno nono. T. Cant. Strype, Cranmer, App. No. 32. from MSS. C.C.C.C. XX. Extracts from the Fathers concerning the Fear of Death and the De Consolatione Christianorum contra Metum Mortis. Ex Doctoribus Ecclesiasticis. Ir death of the body were to be feared, then them which have power to kill the body should we fear, lest they do their exercise over us as they may at their pleasure. But our Saviour forbids us to fear them, because when they have killed the body, CIV. p. 299. then they can do no more to us. Wherefore it is plain, that our Saviour would not that we should fear death. “To die,” saith St. John Chrysostom, " is to put off our old garments, and "death is a pilgrimage of the spirit from the body:" (he means for a time,)" and a sleep somewhat longer than the old custom.” The fear of it, saith he, is nothing else than the fear of buggs, and a childish fear of that thing that cannot harm thee. Remember holy St. Ambrose's saying, which St. Augustine, lying on his death-bed, ever had in his mouth, " I do not fear to die, "for we have a good and merciful Lord and Master.” Lactantius, the great learned man, confirms the saying of Cicero to be true, which said, "that no man can be right wise, which feareth "death, pain, banishment, or poverty: and that he is the honest "and virtuous man, which not regardeth what he suffers, but " [Strype writes thus respecting these Extracts: "I took also out of the 66 same volume [viz a manuscript at C. C. C. C.] some specimen of three "other discourses of his one with this title, writ by his own hand; De "Consolatione Christianorum contra Metum Mortis. Ex Doctoribus Ec"clesiasticis; compiled, I guess, as well for his own use, being not unappre"hensive of his ticklish station and danger, from so many implacable enemies “which he had, as to be inserted in the aforesaid book, [The Necessary Doc"trine.] The others were two exhortations to take the pains of sickness well, "and adversity patiently." But this statement respecting the title being in the handwriting of the Archbishop, is certainly incorrect; and the “ guess," that he was the compiler of the discourses, rests on very slight foundatious. For this reason, and because they are mere translations, they have not been placed among his works, nor has it been thought necessary to print them at length.] ،، dis "how well he doth suffer." Sedulius, one of ciples, defineth death to be the gate, by the which lieth the straight way unto reign and kingdom. Basilius, who as in name, so both in virtue and learning was great, thus he exhorteth us: "O! man," saith he, "shrink not to withstand your "adversaries, to suffer labours; abhor not death, for it destroys not, nor makes not an end of you, but it is the beginning and "occasion of life. Nor death is the destruction of all things, "but a departing, and a translation unto honours." And St. Hierom, the strong and stout champion of Almighty God, saith, declaring this saying of holy Job, the day of death is better than the day of birth; "that is," saith he, " because either that by "death it is declared what we are, or else because our birth "doth bind our liberty of the soul with the body, and death "do loose it." The holy Martyr Cyprian saith, "he ought to fear death that "would not, nor hath no lust to go to Christ; and that he hath no will to God, the which believeth not, that by death he "shall begin to reign with Christ, as it is written, the right wise man liveth by faith. Wherefore, saith he, do not ask that the kingdom of God may come, if this earthly bondage do delight us, &c. 66 An Exhortation to take Sickness well, and Adversity patiently: drawn out of Cyprian. 66 "This misliketh some men, that disease of sickness cometh to "the Christian no less than to the heathen. As who should say, "that therefore the Christian believeth, because he should be quiet from danger of adversity, and might have the fruition of "this world at his own pleasure: and not because that after he "hath suffered adversity here, he shall be reserved for the joy to 66 come, &c." An Exhortation to take the Pain of Sickness patiently: translated out of St. Augustine, lib. 1. De Visitatione Infirmorum. "Thou wilt say, I love God; God grant, saith St. Augustine, "that it be so indeed as thou promisest in words. The proof and "trial of the love of God is the fulfilling of his command"ments, the fulfilling of his works, willingly to love that God loveth, with a fervent desire to embrace that, the which God "worketh. Then if thou lovest God, thou lovest that that "God doth, and if thou love that that God doth, then thou lovest "God's discipline. When thou art chastened, thou lovest God's "rod. Thou art pained with the cough, the lungs faileth thee; thy stomach abhors his meat; thou pinest away with a consumption; thou tastest not thy drink; thou art vexed within thy body; thou art grieved with many sundry and divers kinds "of diseases. But all these, if thou have an eye to perceive, if "thou reckon God, all these, I say, are the gifts of God. Son, "cast not away the discipline of the father. There is no child "which the father doth not correct, &c." 66 66 XXI. Literæ Regis, et Archiepiscopi Cantuar' Mandatum Episcopo Wilkins, THOMAS, permissione divina, &c. venerabili confratri nostro 868. from Craum. Regist. fol. 22. A. continentes: Most reverend Father in God, right trusty and right entirely beloved, we greet you well: and forasmuch as there hath been now a late and still continueth much rain, and other unseasonable weather, whereby is like to ensue great hurt and damage to the corn, and fruits now ripe upon the ground, unless it shall please God of his infinite goodness to stretch forth his holy hand over us; considering by sundry examples heretofore, that God at the contemplation of the earnest and devout prayers, ofttimes extended his mercy and grace, and hath also assuredly promised that whensoever we call upon Him for things meet for us, He will grant unto us the same: we having the government and charge of his people committed unto us, have thought good to cause the same to be exhorted by you and other the prelates of this our realm, with an earnest repentant heart for their iniquities, to call unto God for mercy, and with devout and humble prayers and supplications every person, both [See Strype, Cranm. p. 127.] by himself apart, and also by common prayer, to beseech Him to send unto us seasonable and temperate weather, to have in those fruits and corn on the ground, which hitherto He hath caused so plenteously to grow; for the which purpose we require you, and nevertheless command you, to send unto all your brethren the bishops within your province, to cause such general rogations and processions to be made incontinently within their dioceses, as in like case heretofore hath been accustomed in this behalf accordingly. Yeven under our signet at our manor of the Moore, the 20th day of August, the xxxv. year of our reign. In capite vero earundem sic scriptum est: By the King. Inscriptio autem hæc est: To the most reverend Father in God, our right trusty and entirely beloved counsellor, the Bishop of Canterbury. Quibus quidem literis pro nostro erga suæ Regiæ Majestatis excellentiam officio obtemperare, uti par est, summopere cupientes, vestræ fraternitati tenore præsentium committimus, et Regiæ Majestatis vice et nomine, quibus in hac parte fungimur, mandamus, quatenus attentis præmissis sævientis pestis rigore et bellorum tumultibus, quibus orbis Christianus inpræsentiarum, proh dolor! undique æstuat: omnibus et singulis confratribus nostris coepiscopis nostris, et Ecclesiæ nostræ Christi Cantuarien' suffraganeis, cum ea qua poteritis celeritate accommoda præcipiatis, ut ipsorum singuli in suis cathedralibus et civitatum et diœcesium suarum parochialibus ecclesiis, exposito publice literarum regiarum hujuscemodi pio et sancto tenore, clericos et laicos infra suas dioceses degentes sedulo et accurate moveant et inducant, aut moveri et induci faciant sanctis monitis et salubribus præceptis; (atque sic a vobis in civitate et diocesi vestra London' fieri volumus) qualibet quarta et sexta feriis publicis supplicationibus et suffragiis Altissimum devote adorent, eorumque precibus, uti fieri assuevit, suam immensam misericordiam implorent, quatenus in ira sua, quam nostris male meritis juste provocavimus, misericordiæ suæ recordatus, quibus offensus hujuscemodi super nos merito immisit afflictiones, propitiatus misericorditer nobis resipiscentibus submoveat: ab orationibus et suffragiis hujuscemodi non cessantes, donec aliud a nobis in hac parte habueritis in mandatis. Dat' in manerio nostro de Croydon 23 die mensis Augusti, anno Domini MDXLIII. nostræ consecra |