xiii.
[1559, July 19. Extract from Patent for the establishment of the High Commission for ecclesiastical causes, printed by Gee, 147, from Patent Roll, 1 Eliz. p. 9, m. 23 dorso; also in Cardwell, Documentary Annals, i. 255. There were later commissions of 20 July 1562 (heads from S. P. D. Eliz. xxvi. 41, in Gee, 178), 1572 (P. R. 14 Eliz. p. 8), 23 April 1576 (text in Strype, Grindal, 543), 1583 (cf. Strype, Whitgift, i. 268), and 1601 (text from P. R. 43 Eliz. p. 16, m. 37 dorso, in Rymer, xvi. 400). That of 1562 seems to have followed the model of 1559; those of 1576 and 1601 give a jurisdiction over seditious books similar to that of 1559, but omit the provision as to vagrants in London, which was doubtless made unnecessary by the legislation of 1572 (cf. No. xxiv).]
Elizabeth, by the grace of God, &c., to the Reverend Father in God Matthew Parker nominated Bishop of Canterbury, and Edmond Grindall nominated Bishop of London [and others] greeting. Where at our Parliament ... there was two Acts and Statutes made and established, the one entitled An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer ... and the other entitled An Act restoring to the Crown the Ancient Jurisdiction of the State Ecclesiastical and Spiritual ... and where divers seditious and slanderous persons do not cease daily to invent and set forth false rumours, tales, and seditious slanders, not only against us and the said good laws and statutes, but also have set forth divers seditious books within this our realm of England, meaning thereby to move and procure strife, division, and dissension amongst our loving and obedient subjects, much to the disquieting of us and our people:
Wherefore we ... have authorized, assigned, and appointed you to be our Commissioners, and by these presents do give our full power and authority to you or six of you ... to inquire ... for all offences, misdoers, and misdemeanours ... contrary to the tenor and effect of the said several Acts and Statutes, and either of them; and also of all and singular heretical opinions, seditious books, contempts, conspiracies, false rumours, tales, seditious misbehaviours, slanderous words or showings published, invented or set forth or hereafter to be published, invented or set forth by any person or persons against us or contrary or against any the laws or statutes of this our realm, or against the quiet governance and rule of our people and subjects in any county, city, or borough or other place or places within this our realm of England, and of all and every the coadjutors, counsellors, comforters, procurers and abettors of every such offender; and ... to hear and determine all the premises ... and to visit, reform, redress, order, correct and amend ... errors, heresies, crimes, abuses, offences, contempts and enormities spiritual and ecclesiastical ... and to inquire of and search out all ruleless men, quarrellers, vagrants and suspect persons within our city of London and ten miles compass about the same city, and of all assaults and frays done and committed within the same city and the compass aforesaid.