OF

THE REFORMATION

AND

ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION,

AND OTHER VARIOUS OCCURRENCES

IN THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

DURING

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S HAPPY REIGN:

TOGETHER WITH

AN APPENDIX

OF ORIGINAL PAPERS OF STATE, RECORDS, AND LETTERS.

MEM AORK

THE

PREFACE.

Good Reader,

I HAVE little to say by way of preface, upon the appear

ance of this third volume of the Annals, but only that I have herein continued them for several years further, moved by the same good end and purpose I wrote the former; namely, (for the service of the present generation, as well as for posterity,) to communicate some more light to the last wonderful age, when queen Elizabeth ruled these kingdoms, and to the settlement and continuance of our excellent reformed religion, and the amazing concurrence of God's blessing therewith, in spite of all worldly opposition, however formidable and malicious; and also to let the world know, that I have digested and compiled this volume carefully (as I have done the former) out of my large store of collections made from authentic original papers, and that, I protest, with the same diligence, fidelity, and

exactness.

And here, on this account, I think myself. bound, and do take this occasion, to vindicate my credit and reputation, ih respect of my truth, faithfulness, and ability in what I have formerly writ and published; having been not long ago. very rudely dealt with by one Daniel Williams, presbyter of the church of England, in his English translation of a French book, entitled, A defence of the validity of the English ordination: writ in French by father Francis Courayer, canon regular and librarian of St. Genevieve at Paris. Which translated book was printed at Paris anno 1725. When (page 50) I am thus by the translator accused and exposed:

Cranm. Me

"Mr. Strype, in his Life of Cranmer, without any hesita"tion placeth the consecration of Barlow in the year 1535. "in the same place observing, that the record of it was "not inserted into the register any more than the consecra"tion of Edward Fox for the bishopric of Hereford. "What led this author into this mistake is, that having

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placed Fox, bishop of Hereford, consecrated on the 26th "of September, 1535. and being about to make known "that the instrument of it had not been inserted in the register any more than that of Barlow's, he had forgot to "set down the consecration of the latter, but mentions both together, as though they had so happened."

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Now I will take leave to set down my very words in that place of the book of Memorials of Archbishop Cranmer, concerning these two bishops. Whereby the reader may the better judge of my forgetfulness, and running into an error without any hesitation; two gross faults I am charged with.

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Sept. the 15th was the act of confirmation and election mor. p. 37. of Edward Fox, elect of Hereford, and of William Bar"low, prior of the priory of canons regular of Bisham, of "the order of St. Augustin Sarum, for the bishopric of "St. Asaph." [And no date set.]

"The consecration of these two are not inserted in the "register."

Hence it is plain; I write there concerning the confirmation of those two bishops, and not of their consecration. Whose consecrations, as I expressly subjoin, were omitted in the register, so that the error must be charged upon the sensurer homself, än his so careless misreading consecration for confirmation.

And for the better satisfaction of myself and others, I had recourse to my transcripts from that register, where it is thus entered, next after Shaxton's consecration, Apr. 11. 1535.) "Edward Fox, elected and confirmed for Hereford, "Sept. 15, 1535. And next stands the confirmation and "election of William Barlow, prior of the priory of ca"nons regular, &c." the date here omitted. And so I left

it without date in the book; and the date of the day there set was intended only for the former bishop's confirmation; though elsewhere in the register, the archbishop's certificatory of Barlow's confirmation was Feb. 22. And so, in short, I leave the case between me and my critic to the judgment of candid readers.

But this is not all; but I must add with what words an annotator, in his notes at the bottom of the page, exposeth me, and my readers too, concerning those Memorials of Archbishop Cranmer, and whatsoever else I have writ: "It is a misfortune that must attend ordinary readers in "their perusal of the several laborious tracts published by "Mr. Strype, to be led into errors: few writers having "committed more mistakes than he hath done; which weak "or malicious adversaries may one time or other make ill "uses of. The writings will not always fall in the hands of "such candid, judicious readers, as our author hath; and "therefore it would be an act of great charity, or rather "justice to the public, and reputation to himself, to review "what he hath already written: for I have ocular demon"stration, that his very numerous escapes would make a "complete volume. Would he take leave of the world with "his retractations, how beneficent, how praiseworthy an attempt would that be! I cannot promise him large collec"tions on this subject. Here is a complication of mistakes "detected by our dispassionate author, D. W."

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I shall not reflect upon these lines; yet cannot but observe what credit is to be given to his or his friend's ocular demonstration, by those gross mistakes above. This person hath prescribed me a task indeed: to look over all the works that I have published, and to examine them again from the records, and original MSS. and authentic papers, whence I have collected and digested them. That truly would effectually put a stop to the publishing this, or any more of these Annals of our church, or any other important affairs incident in queen Elizabeth's reign. And then perhaps he and his party would obtain their ends; that I should no further disturb them and their principles.