reign of Edward VI. began, is a good example of official procedure. The gist of it is that no further innovations are desirable or will be permitted. England must accept the religion which government sanctions.

SOURCE. A Proclamation against such as Innovate any Ceremony. Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset (1506 ?-1552). Strype's Memorials. Oxford, 1822. Vol. ii., part ii., p. 346.

A proclamation against such as innovate any ceremony or preach without licence. Dated the 6th of February, an. reg. primo.

The King's Highness by the advice of his most entirely beloved uncle, the Duke of Somerset, governor of his most royal person, and protector of all his realms, dominions and subjects, and others of his Council; considering nothing so much to tend to the disquieting of his realm, as diversity of opinions, and variety of rites and ceremonies, concerning religion and worshipping Almighty God; and therefore studying all the ways and means which can be, to direct this Church, and the cure committed to his Highness, in one and most true doctrine, rite and usage.

Yet it is advertised, that certain private curates, preachers and other laymen, contrary to their bounden duties of obedience, do rashly attempt, of their own and singular wit and mind, in some parish churches, and otherwise, not only to persuade the people from the old and accustomed rites and ceremonies, but also themself bringeth in new and strange orders, every one in their church, according to their phantasies; the which, as it is an evident token of pride and arrogancy, so it tendeth both to confusion and disorder, and also to the high displeasure of Almighty God; who loveth nothing so much as order and obedience.

Wherefore his Majesty straitly chargeth and commandeth, that no manner person, of what estate, order, or degree soever he be, of his private mind, will, or fantasy, do omit, leave down, change, altar, or innovate any order, rite, or ceremony, commonly used and frequented in the Church of England, and not commanded to be left down at any time in the reign of our late sovereign Lord his Highness' father; other than such as his Highness by the advice aforesaid, by his Majesty's visitors, injunctions, statutes, or proclamations, hath already, or hereafter shall command to be omitted, left, innovated, or changed: but

that they be observed after that sort as before they were accustomed, or else now sith prescribed by the authority of his Majesty and by the means aforesaid upon pain, that whosoever shall offend contrary to this proclamation, shall incur his Highness' indignation, and suffer imprisonment and other grievous punishments at his Majesty's will and pleasure.

And to the intent, that rash and seditious preachers should not abuse his Highness' people, it is his Majesty's pleasure, that whosoever shall take upon him to preach openly in any parish church, chapel, or any other open place, other than those which be licensed by the King's Majesty or his Highness' visitors, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the bishop of the diocese where he doth preach (except it be the bishop, person, vicar, dean, or provost, in his or their own cure), shall be forthwith, upon such attempt and preaching contrary to this proclamation, committed to prison, and there remain, until such time as his Majesty by the advice aforesaid, hath taken order for the further punishment of the same.

And that the premises should be more speedily and diligently done and performed, his Highness giveth straitly in commandment to all justices of peace, mayors, sheriffs, constables, headboroughs [petty constables], church-wardens and all other his Majesty's officers and ministers, and rulers of towns, parishes and hamlets, that they be diligent and attendant to the true and faithful execution of this proclamation, and every part thereof, according to the intent, purport, and effect of the same; and that they of their proceedings herein (or if any offender be, after they have committed the same to prison) do certify his Highness the Lord Protector, or his Majesty's Council, with all speed thereof accordingly, as they tender his Majesty's pleasure, the wealth of the realm, and will answer the contrary at their uttermost perils.

59. LADY JANE GREY (1550).

Mary's ministers and the English people recognised that Lady Jane Grey was a puppet rather than a plotter, and that she belonged to a different class from Northumberland. Whereas he was promptly beheaded, she and her husband were merely imprisoned. A little later, when it was decided that she must be executed, the real cause was not her conspiracy but her

birth. The scholar and moralist, Roger Ascham, who knew her well, has celebrated her wit and learning in his Scholemaster.

SOURCE. Scholemaster. Roger Ascham (1515-1568). Ed. Arber. Birmingham, 1870. P. 46.

One example, whether love or fear doth work more in a child, for virtue or learning, I will gladly report; which may be heard with some pleasure, and followed with more profit. Before I went into Germany, I came to Broadgate in Leicestershire, to take my leave of that noble lady, Jane Grey, to whom I was exceeding much beholden. Her parents, the duke and duchess, with all the household, gentlemen and gentlewomen, were hunting in the park; I found her in her chamber, reading Phaedon Platonis in Greek, and that with as much delight, as some gentlemen would read a merry tale in Boccacio. After salutation, and duty done, with some other talk, I asked her, "Why she would lose such pastime in the park?" Smiling, she answered me, "I know, all their sport in the park is but a shadow to that I find in Plato: Alas! good folk, they never felt what true pleasure meant". "And how came you, madam," quoth I, "to this deep knowledge of pleasure, and what did chiefly allure you unto it, seeing not many women, but very few men have attained thereunto?" "I will tell you," quoth she, "and tell you a truth, which perchance you will marvel at. One of the greatest benefits, that ever God gave me, is, that he sent me so sharp and severe parents, and so gentle a schoolmaster. For, when I am in presence either of father or mother, whether I speak, keep silence, sit, stand, or go; eat, drink, be merry, or sad; be sowing, playing, dancing, or doing anything else, I must do it, as it were, in such weight, measure and number, even so perfectly, as God made the world; or else I am so sharply taunted, so cruelly threatened, yea presently sometimes, with pinches, nips and bobs, and other ways (which I will not name for the honour I bear them) so without measure misordered, that I think myself in hell, till time come that I must go to Mr. Elmer; who teacheth me so gently, so pleasantly, with such fair allurements to learning, that I think all the time nothing, whilst I am with him. And when I am called from him, I fall to weeping, because whatsoever I do else, but learning, is full of grief, trouble, fear, and whole misliking unto me. And thus my book hath been so much my pleasure, and bringeth daily to me more pleasure, and more, that in respect of it, all other pleasures, in very deed, be but

trifles and troubles unto me." I remember this talk gladly, both because it is so worthy of memory, and because also it was the last talk that ever I had, and the last time that ever I saw that noble and worthy lady.

60. THE LOSS OF CALAIS (1558).

Under Mary the different branches of the national adminis tration were badly managed, and the loss of Calais, England's last possession in France, may be reckoned among the consequences. Its capture by the Duke of Guise was a deep humiliation to Englishmen, and they could get no consolation from reflecting that it followed from their part in fighting the battles of the hated Spaniard. Several accounts of the military operations remain, including letters of Lord Wentworth, Deputy or Governor of the town. The version given in Grafton's chronicle -which appeared only eleven years after the event is selected as being more compact than the others. It is matter of dispute whether this precise passage was written by Richard Grafton, a London printer, or by George Ferrers, the poet. The antiquary Stow asserted Ferrer's authorship, which Grafton vigorously denied. An any rate the chronicler, though not an eye-witness, was a contemporary, and published his description while the disaster was still a living memory.

SOURCE.-Grafton's Chronicle. Reprinted in Arber's Garner. Birmingham, 1882. Vol. iv., p. 174.

For if aught were won by the having of St. Quentin,1 England got nothing at all; for the gain thereof came only to King Philip but the loss of Calais, Hammes and Guisnes, with all the country on that side of the sea, which followed soon after, was such a buffet to England as had not happened in more than an hundred years before; and a dishonour wherewith this realm shall be blotted until God shall give power to redub [redress] it with some like requittal to the French.

At this time, although open hostility and war were between England and France, yet, contrary to the ancient custom afore

1 The battle of St. Quentin, in which the French under Constable Montmorency were badly defeated, was fought 10th August, 1557. The town itself fell into Spanish hands on the 27th of the same month.

used, the town of Calais and the forts thereabouts were not supplied with any new accrues [reinforcements] of soldiers; which negligence was not unknown to the enemy, who, long before, had practised [plotted] the winning of the said town and country. The French King1 therefore (being sharply nettled with the late loss of St. Quentin and a great piece of his country adjoining, and desirous of revenge) thought it not meet to let slip this occasion; and having presently a full army in a readiness to employ where most advantage should appear, determined to put in proof, with all speed, the enterprise of Calais; which long, and many times before, was purposed

upon.

This practice [design] was not so secret but that the Deputies of Calais and Guisnes had some intelligence thereof; and informed the Queen and her Council accordingly nevertheless, either by wilful negligence there, or lack of credit by the Queen's Council here, this great case was so slenderly regarded as no provision of defence was made until it was somewhat too late. The Duke of Guise,2 being General of the French army, proceeded in this enterprise with marvellous policy. For approaching the English frontier, under colour to victual Boulogne and Ardes; he entered upon the same, on a sudden; 3 and took a little bulwark called Sandgate, by assault. He then divided

his army into two parts, sending one part with certain great pieces of artillery along the downs by the sea-side towards Risbank; and the other part, furnished also with battery pieces, marched straight forth to Newnham Bridge: meaning to batter the two forts, both at one time. Which thing he did with such celerity, that coming thither very late in the evening, he was master of both by the next morning.

At the first shot discharged at Newnham Bridge, the head of the Master Gunner of that piece [fort], whose name was Horseley, was clean stricken off. The Captain considering the great power of the French army; and having his fort but slenderly manned to make sufficient resistance, fled to Calais. And by the time he was come thither, the other part of the French army, that went by the seaside, with their battery, had won Risbank; being abandoned to their hands.

The next day, the Frenchmen, with five double-cannons and three culverins, began a battery from the sandhills next Risbank, against the town of Calais; and continued the same, by the

1 Henry II.

3 Jan. 1st, 1558,

2 Francis, "le grand Guise". Assassinated 1562.