consume her carcas with fyre, not doubtynge but that she was of the same religiō that her husband had professed before, when he red the Kynges lecture there. And to make a shewe that they would do nothyng disorderly, they called all those before them that had anye acquaintaunce with her, or her husband. They ministred an othe vnto them that they shoulde not concele whatsoeuer was demaunded. In fine, their aunswer was that they knewe not what religion she was of, by reason they vnderstode not her language. To be short, after these visitours had sped theyr busines they came for, they gat them to the Cardinall agayne, certifieng him that vpon due inquisition made they coulde learne nothinge, vpon which by the law they myght burne her. Not withstanding the Cardinal dyd not leaue the matter so, but wrate down his letters a good while after to Marshal, then Deane of Friswides, that he should dyg her vp, and lay her out of Christian burial, because she then was interred nyghe vnto S. Friswides reliques, sometyme had in great reuerence in that College. Marshall lyke a pretye man callyng hys spades & mattockes together in the euening, when he was wel whitled, caused her to bee taken vp, and buryed in a dunghil. Howbeit, whē it pleased God vnder our blessed Quene to geue quietnes to his churche, longe tyme persecuted with prison and death, then Doctour Parker, Archbishop of Caunterburye, Edmond Crindal bishop of Londō, Richard Goodricke, with diuers other her maiesties highe Commissioners in matters of religion (nothing ignorant how farre the aduersaries of the truth had transgressed the boundes of al humanitye, in violating the sepulchre or graue of a good and vertuous womā, which euen among the very Ethnickes should haue remayned without spot of villanye) wylled certayne of that College, in the which thys incurteous touch was attempted and done, to take her out of that vncleane and dishonest place where she lay, and solemnly in the face of the whole towne to burye her agayne in a more decent & honest monumēt. For though that the body being once dead, all estimation lykewise perished and was taken away: yet was some reuerence to bee vsed towarde her for sexe and womanhoode sake. Besydes, to saye the truthe, it was great shame that hee, which had trauayled so far at king Edwards request, from the place wherein he dwelt quietly, and had taken so earnest paynes, beyng an old man, in reading and setting foorth the truth al that he could, with learning to teach and instruct that Vniuersity, should wyth so vnglentle a pranke of ingratitude be rewarded agayne, as to haue hys wyfe, that was a godlye woman, a straunger, good to manye

poore people, and hurtfull to none, eyther in word or dede without iust deseruing, & beside their own law, not proceding against her according to the orde thereof, spightfully to be layd into a stinking dunghyll. To al good natures the fact is odious, and of suche as be endued wyth humanity, vtterly to be abhorred. Wherefore maister Calfilde, then Subdeane of the College diligētly prouided, that from Marshals dunghil she was restored and translated to her proper place agayne, wyth no lesse ceremony reuerencing her, then the Papistes without al consideration of circumstaunce had defaced her before. And because the same might incurre ^te mindes of men the better, the next day after, which was sonday one Rogerson preached vnto the people, in which sermon by the waye hee declared the rough dealing of the aduersaries, which wer not cōtentet to practise theyr cruelty against þ^e liuing, but that they must also rage against one that was dead, and had lyen. ii. yeare in her graue. God graunt them ones to se their owne wickednes. Amen.

Among many other straunge and vngodly thinges done in Quene Maries tyme, here I thought also to adioyne and set foorth to the eyes of the world the blynde and bloudye articles set out by Cardinal Poole, to be inquired vppon within his dioces, of Caunterburye, whereby it maye the better appeare what yokes and snares of fonde and fruitlesse traditions were layed vppon the poore flocke of Christe, to intangle and oppresse them wyth losse of lyfe and liberty. By these and such other thou mayest see and marke what godlye fruites proceded from that catholycke churche and sea of Rome.

Touchyng the Clergy. 

Commentary    Close

The records of Cardinal Pole's visitation of the diocese of Canterbury survives as Lambeth Palace Library SR/78/2. John Strype also printed a copy of Pole's visitation articles for the diocese of Lincoln copied, Strype claimed, from a manuscript in Foxe's papers (Strype, EM III, 2, pp. 2389-413). This manuscript does not survive.

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FIrst, whether the diuine seruice in the churche at tymes, dayes, and houres, be obserued, and kept duly or no.

Item, whether the persons, vicars, and curates do comly, and decently in their maners and doinges, behaue them selues or no.

Item, whether they do reuerently and duely minister the sacraments and sacramentalles or no.

Item, whether any of their parishioners do dye without ministration of the sacramentes, through the negligence of their curates or no.

Item, whether the sayd persons, vicars, or curats, do haunt tauernes or ale houses, encresing therby infamye and sclaunder, or no.

Item, whether they be diligent in teachinge the midwifes how to christen children in time of necessitye, accordinge to the Canons of the churche or no.

Item, whether they see that the font be comlye kepte, and haue holy water always readye