ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



discharged by commissioned suffragans, of whom William Egremont, Bishop 

 of Dromore, was the most usually employed. It is, however, to the credit 

 of Nevill that at a provincial council held at York in 1466 certain admirable 

 constitutions were promulgated by the archbishop. ' By these he enjoined 

 every parish priest to expound to his people, in their mother-tongue, the 

 fourteen articles of faith, the ten commandments, the two evangelical precepts, 

 the seven works of mercy, the seven deadly sins cum sua progenie^ the seven 

 principal virtues, and the seven sacraments of grace ; and he enters into a long 

 explanation of these several points, so that they might know how to teach 

 their people.' " 



This is not the place in which to offer any kind of general opinions as to 

 the reformation of the Church of England, which began towards the close 

 of the reign of Henry VIII and was not crystallized until the restoration of 

 the episcopate and monarchy in 1660. It may, however, be remarked 

 that the reforming wave, so unworthily fostered by the king for his own 

 private ends, did not meet with so ready an acquiescence in the northern as in 

 the southern province. It was not until the month of May 1531 that the York 

 convocation consented, after long debate, to recognize the title of Supreme 

 Head. The see of York was at that time vacant. Wolsey's death occurred in 

 November 1530, and it was not until to December 1531 that the vacancy 

 was filled by the consecration of Edward Lee. 



Archbishop Lee's sympathies were strongly on the side of the unreformed 

 faith, and he did his best in a vain endeavour to check the dissolution of 

 monasteries in his diocese. A Nottinghamshire example of his dealing with 

 those propagating heretical opinions in his diocese may be here cited from 

 his register. It is the elaborate recantation of a Dutchman who had settled 

 at Worksop ; the archbishop had apparently had various personal interviews 

 with him to persuade him of his errors : 



In the name of God, Amen. I Lambert Sparrowe, oderwyse callvd Lambert Hook, 

 douchman borne, now of the dyocese and jurisdiction of Yorke, accusyd and detectyd or 

 Heresie here before you most reverend Father in God, Lord Edward by Gods permission 

 Archbishop of Yorke Primate of Ingland and Legate of the See Apostolique, my Ordinary, 

 openly confesse and knowledge that I have heretofore openlie spoken and affirmed, and also 

 declaryd diverse erroniouse opinions and Articles against the true faith of Holy Church .... 

 I have diverse and sundry tymes affirmed and said within the parish of Wirksopp that there 

 is noe priest but God only that the holy Sacrament of the Aultor is but bread that noe 

 Bishop ne priest can assoile any man of his sinnes that every man may baptize and 

 Christen as well as an oder that tithes and oblations bee not due, ne ought to be 

 taken. 



He further acknowledged to speaking against fasting, purgatory, 

 pilgrimages, pardons, &c., and that ' mannys promise and womans touching 

 contract of matrimony is sufficient without any Solempnization of the 

 Church.' His abjuration of every form of error was most detailed and 

 complete, pledging himself never again, by oath on the Holy Gospels, to 

 speak, declare, affirm, teach, pronounce, hold or believe anything contrary to 

 the teaching of the Church, ' ne that I wolle hereafter use, reede, teach, 

 keepe, buy or sell any bookes, volumes, or queeres, or any workes callyed 

 Luthers or any odre mannys bookes of his Hereticall Sect ... In witness^ 



91 Diocesan Hist, of York, 202. 

 59 



