422 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 183. 



gross papal innovations, as well in the doctrine of the 

 Sacrament as in image-worship, addressing to saints, 

 purgatory, pilgrimages, and the like. 



" A previous order (in the year 1526) was issued by 

 the Bishop of London, by the instigation of Cardinal 

 Wolsey, calling in all English translations of the 

 Scripture. And other books of this nature -were then 

 forbid." 



This proclamation, therefore, well merits pre- 

 servation in your pajjes, as one of the hitherto 

 unknown " evidences " of the terrible and trying 

 times to which it refers. 



It shows, too, the value of the class of papers 

 upon which the Society of Antiquaries are be- 

 stowing so much attention. The original was 

 found among a miscellaneous collection in the 

 Chapter House, Westminster. Joseph Buutt. 



A PROCLAMATION. 



.... nse Junii Anno regni metuendissimi Domini 

 nostri Regis Henrici Octavi xxij. 



A Proclamation, made and divysed by the 

 Kyngis Highnes, with the advise of His Honor- 

 able Counsaile, for dampning of erronious bokes 

 and heresies, and prohibitinge the havinge of 

 Holy Scripture translated into the vulgar 

 tonges of englische, frenche, or duche, in 

 suche maner as within this proclamation is ex- 

 pressed. 



The Kingc, oure most dradde soveraigne lorde, 

 studienge and providynge dayly for the weale, 

 bencfite, and honour of this his most [u]oble 

 realme, well and evidently perceiveth, that partly 

 through the malicious suggestion of our gostly 

 enemy, partly by the yvell and perverse inclin- 

 ation and sedicious disposition of sundry persons, 

 divers heresies and erronio[us] [o]pinions have 

 ben late sowen and spredde amonge his subjectes 

 of this his said realme, by blasphemous and pes- 

 tiferous englishe bokes, printed in other regions 

 and sent into this realme, to the entent as well to 

 perverte and withdrawe the people from the ca- 

 tholike and true fayth of Christe, as also to stirre 

 and incense them to sedition and disobedience 

 agaynst their princes, soveraignes, and heedes, as 

 also to cause them to contempne and neglect all 

 good lawes, customes, and vertuous maners, to 

 the final subversion and desolacion of this noble 

 realme, if they myght have prevayled (which God 

 forbyd) in theyr most. cursed [p]ersuasions and 

 malicious purposes. Where upon the kynges 

 hignes (sic), by his incomparable wysedome, for- 

 seinge and most prudently considerynge, hath in- 

 vited and called to hym the primates of this his 

 gracis realme, and also a sufficient nombre of dis- 

 crete, vertuous, and well-lerned personages in 

 divinite, as well of either of the universites, Ox- 

 forde and Cambrige, as also hath chosen and taken 

 out of other parties of his realme ; gyvinge unto 

 them libertie to speke and declare playnly their 



advises, judgmentes, and determinations, concern- 

 ynge as well the approbation or rejectynge of 

 suche bokes as be in any parte suspected, as also 

 the admission and divulgation of the Olde and 

 Newe Testament translated into englishe. Wher 

 upon his highnes, in his owne royall person, call- 

 ynge to hym the said primates and divines, hath 

 seriously and depely, with great leisure and longe 

 deliberation, consulted, debated, inserched, and 

 discussed the premisses : and finally, by all their 

 free assentes, consentes, and agrementes, con- 

 cluded, resolved, and determyned, that these 

 bokes ensuynge, that is to say, the boke entitled 

 the wicked Mammona, the boke named the Obe- 

 dience of a Christen Man, the Suppli<;ation of 

 Beggars, and the boke called the Revelation of 

 Antichrist, the Summary of Scripture, and divers 

 other bokes made in the englisshe tonge, and im- 

 printed beyonde y® see, do conteyne In them pes- 

 tiferous errours and blasphemies ; and for that 

 cause, shall from hensforth be reputed and taken 

 of all men, for bokes of heresie, and worthy to be 

 dampned, and put in perpetuall oblivion. The 

 kingis said highnes therfore straitly chargeth and 

 commandeth, all and every his subjectes, of what 

 astate or condition so ever he or they be, as they 

 wyll avoyde his high indignacion and most grevous 

 displeasure, that they from hensforth do not bj^e, 

 receyve, or have, any of the bokes before named, 

 or any other boke, beinge in the englisshe tonge, 

 and printed beyonde the see, of what matter so 

 ever it be, or any copie written, drawen out of the 

 same, or the same bokes in the frenche or duche 

 tonge. And to the entent that his highnes wylbe 

 asserteyned, what nombre of the said erronious 

 bokes shal be founde from tyme to tyme within 

 this his realme, his highnes therfore chargeth 

 and commaundeth, that all and every person or 

 persones, Avhiche hath or herafter shall have, any 

 boke or bokes in the englisshe tonge, printed be- 

 yonde the see, as is afore written, or any of the 

 sayde erronious bokes in the frenche or duche 

 tonge : that he or they, within fyftene dayes nexte 

 after the publisshynge of this present proclam- 

 ation, do actually delyver or sende the same bokes 

 and every of them to the bisshop of the diocese, 

 wherin he or they dwelleth, or to his commissary, 

 or els before good testimonle, to theyr curate or 

 parisshe preest, to be presented by the same curate 

 or parisshe preest to the sayd bisshop or his com- 

 missary. And so doynge, his highnes frely par- 

 doneth and acquiteth them, and every of them, of 

 all penalties, forfuitures, and paynes, wherin they 

 have incurred or fallen, by reason of any statute, 

 acte, ordinaunce, or proclamation before this tyme 

 made, concernynge any offence or transgression by 

 them commytted or done, by or for the kepynge 

 or holdynge of the sayde bokes. 



Forseen and provided alwayes, that they from 

 hensforth truely do observe, kepe, and obey this 



