❧ A COPY OF A LETTER SENT TO PREACHERS.   

The copy of a letter sent to all those Preachers, which the Kings Majesty hath licenced to preach from the Lord Protectors grace, and others of the Kings Majesties most honourable counsel the xxiii day of May, in the second year of the reign of our sovereign Lord King Edward the VI  
AFter our right hearty commendations: Aswell for the conservation of the quietness and good order of the Kings Majesties subjects, as that theishould not by evil & unlearned Preachers be brought unto superstition, erxor, or evil doctrine, or otherwise be made stubborn and disobedient, to the Kings Majesties Godly proceedings, his highness by our advise, hath thought good to inhibit all manner of Preachers, who hath not such licence, as in the same proclamation is allowed to Preach, or stir the people in open and common preachings or Sermons by any means, that the devout & Godly Homilies might the better in the mean while sink into his subjects hearts, and be learned the sooner, the people being not tossed to and from with seditious and contentious preaching, while every man according to his zeal, some better some worse, goeth about to set out his own fantasy, and to draw the people to his opinion. Nevertheless, it is not his majesties mind, hereby clearly to extinct the lively teaching of the word of God, by Sermons made after such sort, as for the time the holy ghost, shall put in to the preachers mind: But that rash, contentious, hot and undiscrete Preachers should be stopped: and that they only which be chosen and elect, discrete and sober menue, should occupy that place, which was made for edification, & not for destruction, for the honour of God and peace and quietness of conscience to be set forward, not for private glory to be advanced: tappeace, to teach, to instruct the people with humility & patience: not to make them contentious and proud: to instill into them their duty to their heads and rulers, obedience to Laws and ordres appointed by the superiors, who hath rule of God, not that every man should run before their heads hath appointed them what to do, and that every man should choose his own way in religion. The which thing yet being done of some men, and they being rather provoked there to by certain preachers, than dehorted from it, it was necessary to set a stay therein. And yet forsomuch, as we have a great confidence and trust in you, that you will not only preach truly and sincerely the word of God, but also will use circumspection and moderation in your Preaching, and such Godly wisdom as shallbe necessary, and most convenient for the time and place we have sent unto you, the Kings majesties licence to Preach, but yet with this exhortation and admonishment: That in nowise you do stir, and provoke the people, to any alteration, or innovation, other than is already set forth by the kings majesties Injunctions, Homeltes, or Proclamations. But contrariwise, that you do in all your sermons, exhort men to that which is at this time more necessary, that is to the emendation of their own lives, to the observance of the commandments of god, to humility, patience, and obedience to their heads and rulers: Comforting the weak, and teaching them the right way, and to flee all old and erroneous superstitions: as the confidence in Pardons, pilgrimages, Beads, Religions, Images, and other such of the bishop of Rome's Traditions, and superstitions, with his usurped power, the which things be here in this realm, most justly abolished: and straightly rebuking those, who of an arrogancy and proud hastiness, will take upon them to run before they be sent, to go before the rulers to alter and change things in religion, without authority: teaching them to expect, and tarry the time which God hath ordained to the revealing of all truth, and not to seek so long blindly and headlings after it, till they bring all orders into contempt: It is not a private man's duty, to alter Ceremonies, to innovate ordres in the Church, nor yet it is not a Preachers part, to bring that in contempt and hatred, which the Prince doth either allow, or is content to suffer. The Kings highness by our advise, as a Prince most earnestly given to the true knowledge of God, and to bring up his people therein, doth not cease to labour and travail, by all Godly means, that his realm might be brought and kept, in a most Godly and Christian order, who only may and ought to do it: why should a private man or a Preacher, take this royal and kingly office upon him? and not rather as his duty is, obediently follow himself, and teach likewise other to follow, and observe that which is commanded. What is abolished, taken away, reform, and commanded, it is easy to see by the Acts of Parliament, the Injunctions, Proclations, and Homilies: The which things most earnestly it behoveth all Preachers in their Sermons, to confirm and approve accordynly: in other things which be not yet touched, it behoveth him to think, that either the prince doth allow them or else suffer them: and in those it is the part of a Godly man, not to think himself wiser than the Kings Majesty and his counsel, but patiently to expect and to conform himself thereto, and not to intermeddle farther to the disturbance of a realm the disquieting of the Kings people, the troubling of men's consciences, and disordre of the Kings subjects. These things we have thought good, to admonish you of at this time, because we think you will, set the same so forward in your preaching, and so instruct the kings majesties people accordingly, to the most advancement of the glory of God, and the kings majesties most Godly proceedings: that we do not doubt, but much profit shall ensue thereby, and great conformity in the people the which you do instruct: and so we pray you not to fail to do, and having aspeciall regard, to the weakness of the people, what they may bear, and what is most convenient for the time, in no case to intermeddle in your sermons or otherwise, with matters in contention, or controversion: Except it be to reduce the people in them also to obedience, and following of such ordres as the Kings Majesty hath all ready set forth, and no others: as the kings Majesty and our trust is in you, and as you tender his highness will and pleasure, and will answer to the contrary at your peril.  
Far you well.   

Imprinted in London, the first day of june in the second year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Edward the. VI: by Richard Grafton, printer to his most royal Majesty, in the year of our lord. 
 M.D.XLVIII.   

CUM PRIVILEGIO AD IMPRIMENDUM SOLUM   


 device containing the initials of Richard Grafton and the number 4.  SUSCIPITE INSITUM VERBUM JACO. I.  printer's device of Richard Grafton