stand to our arbitrament and judgment for all such matters as be in difference between the said emperor and them, we will be pleased that the Scots shall be comprehended, and on such articles, or of like effect, made for comprehension of them, as was made at the conclusion of the last peace.

And, if the delivery or raising of any pieces now by us possessed in Scotland shall be required, we be pleased that our said commissioners, travailing, first by all ways and means they may, to induce the other commissioners to assent that all the said pieces, and the lands by us now possessed, may remain to us and our heirs and successors for ever, shall nevertheless, if that may not be received, assent in the end that Borthirrage, Lothar, and Douglas, shall be restored upon a convenient recompense in money, so as the forts of Roxburgh and Aymonth, with their grounds adjoining, may be covenanted to remain to us and our successors for ever.

If the French commissioners shall make any motion of treaty for marriage between us and the Lady Elizabeth, eldest daughter to the French king, our said commissioners, excusing the present talk thereof, in respect of our young years, and for such other causes as they may think good, shall do all that they may to cut off that talk; but if they shall be much pressed therein in respect of such overtures as have been made already, our pleasure is, that our said commissioners shall, by general words, entertain the talk of that matter, and thereof, and of such other matters as shall be propounded touching the same, advertise us or our council.

In all this treaty it must be remembered to reserve and have especial regard to the preservation of our treaties with the emperor, and other our friends.

And, if it shall seem convenient to our said commissioners, for the better expedition of our affairs committed to their charge, that a surceasance or abstinence of wars be granted, as well on our behalf, as on the behalf of the French king, we be pleased that our right trusty and right well-beloved cousin, the Earl of Huntingdon, our Lieutenant-general of that side, shall, by the advice of our said commissioners, grant a surcease or abstinence, for such time and in such manner and sort as by our said commissioners shall be thought best, so as the like be also granted on the behalf of the said French king.

Finally, our said commissioners shall advertise us of our council, attendant about our person, from time to time, of their proceedings, and further do, as we or our council shall appoint them, either by our letters, or the letters of our said council accordingly.'

Edward VI. to Martin Bucer.2

Since we have received nothing from our first parents, wherein we may glory, nothing which can give us just reason for rejoicing, unless, drawn by Divine Grace, we have tasted that regeneration, which is not to be revealed by flesh and blood, which also hath been hidden even

1 At the conclusion of this document in the original MS. are given the names of those Lords of the Privy Council who were present when these instructions were agreed upon.

2 MSS. Lands. 1236. Art. 14. From the Latin.

from some of the wisest men of this age,-I mean, justification, and sanctification through Christ, I am compelled, reverend father, since I have been called, by Divine Goodness and your agency and ministry, to this connection in Christ and a partaking of the gospel, daily to give thanks to this Heavenly Father in my prayers, both for His infinite and unbounded (though undeserved) bounty towards me, and for those gifts which he hath abundantly conferred on you. With these gifts He hath deigned to adorn and enrich you, doubtless, to the sanctifying of His name and the edifying of His church, which Satan with his servants has too long most grievously afflicted, and has well nigh made it desolate with the utmost savageness and fury. But, nevertheless, we do give God unceasing thanks, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who hath not suffered us to be afflicted according to our iniquities, nor hath he dealt with us according to our deserts; who hath not chastised us in that wrath to which we had provoked him by our crimes; but, looking most mercifully on our infirmities, He hath raised up among us His prophets, who, being endued with virtue and the Holy Spirit, might prepare for Himself a people perfect and adorned with all piety, and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; who, in short, might prepare the way of the Lord for His second coming; (whom we, whoever have drunk of the spirit of God, look for with the greatest desire) even as John acted as His forerunner at His first coming, whose ministry seems now to have (as it were) devolved on you.

Oh! how happy and blessed is Britain! Oh! how much doth she owe, in my opinion, to the great and good God, beyond all other countries! To whom as if from the East He hath commanded the heavenly light of His Divine star to beam forth; to the comforting and strengthening of which by our faith as well as yours mutually He hath raised you up, together with your brother in Christ Sir Martyr, to enter upon the difficult task, wherein you may see Christ now, as if being born anew among us.

Edward VI. to Bishop Gardiner.2

It is not, we think, unknown to you, with what clemency and favour we, by the advice of our council, caused you to be heard and used, upon these sundry complaints and informations that were made to us and our said council, of your disordered doings and words, both at the time of our late visitation and otherwise : which, notwithstanding, considering that the favour, both then and at many other times, ministered unto you,

1 Of course alluding to Peter Martyr, one of the most distinguished early reformers. This letter appears to end imperfectly. It savours strongly of the writings of some of the zealous reformers by whom the young king was surrounded. Although Edward was undoubtedly a youth of great talent and promise, we can hardly with safety ascribe to his pen all the pieces of deep and serious religious meditation which have been attributed to him.

2 Original in Cottonian MSS. The obstinate pers everance exhibited by Gardiner in refusing to acknowledge his "errors," was worthy of a noble cause. No inducement or intimidation had any effect upon him: and here we see him, after two years' imprisonment, preserving his conscience intact, in spite of the thunders of Edward and his council.

wrought rather an insolent wilfulness in yourself, than any obedient conformity, such as would have beseemed a man of your vocation; we could not but use some demonstration of justice towards you, as well for such notorious and apparent contempts and other inobedience, as, after and contrary to our command, were openly known in you; as also for some example and terror of such others, as by your example seemed to take courage to mutter and grudge against our most godly proceedings: whereof great disorder and inconvenience might have ensued.

1

For the avoiding thereof and for your just deserving, you were by our said council committed to ward, where, albeit we have suffered you to remain a long space, sending unto you, in the mean time, divers of the noblemen and others of our privy council, and travailing by them with clemency and favour to reduce you to the knowledge of your duty; yet, in all this time, have you neither acknowledged your faults, nor made any such submission as might have beseemed you, nor yet showed any repentance or conformity to our godly proceedings. Wherewith, albeit we have good cause to be offended, and might also justly, by the order of our laws, caused your former doings to be punished, to the example of others; yet, as we would the world and yourself should know, that we delight more in clemency than in the strict administration of justice, we have vouchsafed not only to address unto you these our letters, but also to send unto you four of our privy council with certain articles, which being by us with the advice of our said.

1 Grumble.