[443] Lady Blount to the King’s Secretary: Ibid.
[444] The Earl of Southampton to Cromwell: MS. Cotton. Cleopatra, E 4.
[445] The two persons whom Cromwell had previously named.
[446] Letters of the Mayor of Canterbury to Cromwell: MS. State Paper Office, second series, Vol. V.
In the first edition this affair is referred to the election of 1539. We are left almost invariably to internal evidence to fix the dates of letters, and finding the second of those written by the Mayor of Canterbury, on this subject, addressed to Cromwell as Lord Privy Seal, I supposed that it must refer to the only election conducted by him after he was raised to that dignity. I have since ascertained that the first letter, the cover of which I did not see, is addressed to Sir Thomas Cromwell, chief secretary, &c. It bears the date of the 20th of May, and though the year is not given, the difference of the two styles fixes it to 1536. The election was conducted while Cromwell was a commoner. He was made a peer and Privy Seal immediately on the meeting of parliament on the 2d of July.
[447] Cromwell to Henry VIII.: State Papers, Vol. I. p. 693.
[448] “The King’s Highness desiring that such a unity might be established in all things touching the doctrine of Christ’s religion, as the same so being established might be to the honour of Almighty God, and consequently redound to the commonwealth of this his Highness’s most noble realm, hath therefore caused his most High Court of Parliament to be at this time summoned, and also a synod and convocation of all the archbishops, bishops, and other learned men of the clergy of this his realm to be in like manner assembled.”—31 Henry VIII. cap. 14.
[449] “Post missarum solemnia, decenter ac devote celebrata, divinoque auxilio humillimi implorato et invocato.”—Lords Journals, 31 Henry VIII.
[450] Lords Journals, 31 Henry VIII.
[451] A Device for extirpating Heresies among the People: Rolls House MS.