V. CHAP. fore he would be brought to do that; but after a double communication with him in one day, he was fain to yield Anno 1556. to Pole's order, and dissemble a willingness too, viz. to recant and to recant again, and that in the most public manner, that they might make the greater triumph of him. And to the Cheke likewise sends a letter to the Queen of the same Queen. date, and brought by the same messenger, the Dean; who, as he wrote, should shew her his mind now, as to the matters of religion, trusting, that as it was truly minded of him, so she would agreeably receive it. He promised all obedience to her laws, and to her orders in religion. The letter ran in this tenor: His letter "Pleaseth it your Majesty to understand, that in mat"ters of religion I have declared my mind unto your Ma jesty by your virtuous and learned Chaplain, Mr. Dean "of Paul's; trusting, that as it is truly minded of me, "so your Highness will agreeably receive it. I beseech 66 your Majesty therefore, as I have been and am your "faithful subject, whom I do as God's minister faithfully “honour and serve, that your Majesty will have the same opinion present of me, that my faithfulness, I trust, and "duty hereafter, shall shew unto you. And I trust, among many obedient and quiet subjects, which God storeth "your Highness with, I shall be found, though not in abi 66 lity of other qualities, yet in will and readiness, and obe"dience of your laws, and other orders of religion, as glad "to serve and obey as any other, desiring your Majesty "most humbly to favour such poor suits for my liberty, as "Mr. Dean shall make to your Majesty in my behalf. Almighty God prosper and increase your Majesty in all "honour and godliness. From your Majesty's Tower of "London, the 15th of July, 1556. 66 "Your Majesty's most humble " and obedient subject, "JOHN CHEKE.” SECT. V. His submission to the Cardinal as the Pope's Legate; and his recantations. and admit AFTER this, to declare his repentance for his rejection Anno 1556. of the Pope, he was to do as the Parliament and the Absolved Clergy, and other apostates, had done before upon their ted by the knees, in order to their reconcilement; namely, to make Cardinal. his solemn submission before the Cardinal, suing to be absolved, and received into the Church: which he did; and so was graciously admitted a member of the Roman Catholic Church. and manner But notwithstanding these supplications and submis- The order sions, he was kept in prison two months and better, after of his reall this hard service, before he was admitted to his public cantation. shame; I mean, to make his recantation: which was done by him October the 4th, in a most public manner before the Queen; and for the greater formality ushered in by an oration of Dr. Feckenham, his ghostly father and converter, made by him to the Queen, as it were, in favour of Sir John Cheke, standing by him: which ran in these words: ham's ora fore Cheke's "Virtuous, good Queen, Lady, Mistress; whereas it Fecken"hath pleased your Highness, among other of your learn- tion to the "ed Chaplains to send me unto this man, Mr. Cheke, Queen be"your Highness's subject, for his conversion and reconci- recantation. "liation to the unity of Christ's Church, from his most Int. MSS. Gnil. Petyt. "dangerous error and wicked heresy of Berengary, the Armig. "first denier of Christ's very true real presence in the "most blessed Sacrament of the Altar; I am by so much "the more bolder here, openly to put myself in place with "him, and, by humble suit unto your Highness here, to << open my mouth for him. Forasmuch as he is at present a very sorrowful and penitent man for the same; and, "with the Apostle St. Peter, hath shed bitter tears for the "denial of Christ; and, with St. Paul, did presently make "his humble submissions, saying, Domine, quid me vis fa I V. Anno 1556.❝ 66 CHAP. "cere? and, with the Apostle St. Thomas, is at this present "so certified and established in the Catholic faith of Christ, as, with him, forced to wonder at the marvellous works ❝ of God, and to say, Dominus meus, et Deus meus. Most “humbly, therefore, good gracious Lady and Mistress, I "beseech your Highness now mercifully to receive him "into your favour and mercy, which, with so much loyalty "and obeisance of heart and mind, doth yield himself wholly unto your mercy; and let him taste now of that your Highness's great mercy, accustomed to all converts "and penitent offenders, which doth here so openly crave " and beg for the same; most humbly suing, with the lost "child in the Gospel, Peccavi in cœlum, et coram te, et "jam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus. Fac me sicut “unum de mercenariis tuis. And by so much the more as "he sheweth, at the least wise here openly in this place, 66 more repentance than any other man hath done hereto"fore, more sorrow and detestation of his offence, more to "the pacifying of God's wrath and displeasure, more to "the contentation and satisfying of the world for his slan"der given in the same; (whereof so many of your High"ness's subjects, which, without number, within this latter "storm and trial of faith made in this realm, were carried 66 away into no small errors and horrible heresies ;) this only man, Mr. Cheke, is now the first that here openly "hath given the example of true Christian penance; where "he only is content openly to acknowledge his error, and "confess his heresy; and he only here present doth sub"mit himself to recant the same. This man, Mr. Cheke, "doth, in plucking off the visor of all feigned and counter"feit penance, stand here openly to beg for the remission "of his offence at the hand of God, forgiveness of the "whole world, and pardon of your Highness's laws. And "therefore, most gracious Queen, think him only in re"spect of the rest most worthy the same: most humbly "beseeching your Highness to take him to your mercy, "and bow down your most gracious and most merciful ears to hear him." 66 66 66 V. Cheke's re before the Queen. And then the afflicted gentleman began his palinode, as SECT. follows: "The acknowledging of an error is the right entry “into a truth. For even as in life, the first degree [of Anno 1556. goodness] is to avoid evil, and then to do good; so in cantation, "faith errors must be avoided, that the right religion may pronounced "take place. Wherefore, as before I made my humble " submission unto my Lord Cardinal's good Grace, who first "accepted the same well, and so received me as a member "of Christ's Catholic Church; so now, before your Majesty, "whom God hath marvellously brought unto your noble " and due place of government under him, I do profess and protest, that whatsoever mine opinion of the blessed Sa"crament of Christ's body and blood, and of the sense of "Christ's words spoken of the same, hath been hereto"fore; I do now, after conference had with certain learned "men, your Majesty's Chaplains, and especially the right worshipful Master Dean of Paul's, believe firmly the "real presence of Christ's very body and blood in the Sa"crament, and none other substance there remaining: "moved thereunto by invincible reasons of the Catholic "Doctors against the Arians, of Christ's very true and "natural being in us, and also by the consent of Christ's "Catholic Church. Unto the which, both in these and in "all other matters of my faith, I most humbly submit "myself. Wherein, [as] for the success, [so] I do most "humbly thank God for the manner and the clemency "thereof, shewed in drawing me with mercy thereunto. "I do most humbly give thanks unto the ministers of 66 mercy in Christ's Church, whereof I do acknowledge the "Pope's Holiness to be head; and especially my Lord "Cardinal's good Grace, Legate of England from the "Pope's Holiness, and Primate of the same. Unto whom "I made my submission; not moved by policy and worldly respects, but persuaded by learning and conscience, when "otherwise I could have been contented to yield myself to "the contrary. And also I do give most humble thanks "to your Majesty for your great mercifulness towards me: 66 1 2 CHAP. "who as in other excellencies do follow your heavenly "Father, so in this precise quality of mercifulness do exAnno 1556. "press his holiness, that commandeth you to be merciful. "Your Majesty herein hath great cause to give God "thanks, as in all other your princely gifts, that ye need "not under God to seek no example of mercifulness to "follow, but yourself: who, daily inclining to follow God "in mercy, shew great evidence whose heavenly child your Majesty is. 66 66 66 “And, as I beseech God, your Majesty do continue the same grace to others that have need of mercy, so I trust "God our Saviour will work the like in others, that he by your Majesty hath wrought in me. For as they may "well learn of me to beware of singularity, and trusting "unto certain sayings of Doctors, rather than to the "Church, and preferring private judgments before the "Catholic consent of Christ's Church; so shall they easier "be led from error to truth, when they see them drawn "by your Highness's mercy, and not plucked by extre66 mity; and that their life and mendment is sought, not "their [death] and shame. In the which lesson they shall "find, I doubt not, as I do, much contentation of mind “and quietness of conscience. Which I trust, for my part, " continually to keep in all matters pertaining to the Ca"tholic faith of Christ's Church: and hope to shew "myself, in the residue, so faithful a subject to your Highness, as my bounden duty serveth me for; and in "matters of religion so obedient, as becometh a Christian .66 "According unto the which my doings, I most humbly "beseech your Highness to shew your clemency and fa66 vour; none otherwise. And I shall pray unto God, ac"cording to mine humble duty, that as he hath trodden "down errors, and set your Highness marvellously in this your high state of your most lawful kingdom, so he will preserve your Majesty with the same providence, to the "increase of his glory, and honour both of your Highness 66 66 |