After mentioning other cases, he goes on:—­

“I reasoned once in the parliament house, where there was free speech without danger, and the Lord Audely, to satisfy me, because I was in some secret estimation, as he knew, ‘Thou art a good fellow, Bishop,’ quoth he; ’look at the Act of Supremacy, and there the king’s doings be restrained to spiritual jurisdiction; and in another act no spiritual law shall have place contrary to a common law, or an act of parliament.  And this were not,’ quoth he, ’you bishops would enter in with the king, and by means of his supremacy order the laws as ye listed.  But we will provide,’ quoth he, ‘that the premunire shall never go off your heads.’  This I bare away then, and held my peace.”—­Gardiner to the Protector Somerset:  MS. Harleian, 417.

[289] 13 Ric.  II. stat. 2, cap. 2.  Et si le Roi envoie par lettre on en autre maniere a la Courte du Rome al excitacion dascune person, parount que la contrarie de cest estatut soit fait touchant ascune dignite de Sainte Eglise, si celuy qui fait tiel excitacion soit Prelate de Sainte Eglise, paie au Roy le value de ses temporalitees dun an.  The petition of parliament which occasioned the statute is even more emphatic:  Perveuz tout foitz que par nulle traite ou composition a faire entre le Seint Pere le Pape et notre Seigneur le Roy que riens soit fait a contraire en prejudice de cest Estatute a faire.  Et si ascune Seigneur Espirituel ou Temporel ou ascune persone quiconque de qu’elle condition q’il soit, enforme, ensence ou excite le Roi ou ses heirs, l’anientiser, adnuller ou repeller cest Estatut a faire, et de ceo soit atteint par due proces du loy que le Seigneur Espirituel eit la peyne sus dite, etc.—­Rolls of Parliament, Ric.  II. 13.

[290] Even further, as chancellor the particular duty had been assigned to him of watching over the observance of the act.

Et le chancellor que pur le temps serra a quelle heure que pleint a luy ou a conseill le Roy soit fait d’ascunes des articles sus ditz par ascune persone que pleindre soy voudra granta briefs sur le cas ou commissions a faire au covenables persones, d’oier et terminer les ditz articles sur peyne de perdre son office et jamais estre mys en office le Roy et perdre mille livres a lever a l’oeps le Roy si de ce soit atteint par du proces.—­Rolls of Parliament, Ric.  II. 13.

[291] BURNET, vol. iii. p. 77.  See a summary of the acts of this Convocation in a sermon of Latimer’s preached before the two Houses in 1536.  LATIMER’S Sermons, p. 45.

[292] The king, considering what good might come of reading of the New Testament and following the same; and what evil might come of the reading of the same if it were evil translated, and not followed; came into the Star Chamber the five-and-twentieth day of May; and then communed with his council and the prelates concerning the cause.  And after long debating, it was alleged that the translations of Tyndal and