Page:Church and State under the Tudors.djvu/329

 P. 253.

As to the Protestantism of Elizabeth and her advisers:

(1.) Letter of Sandys, afterwards Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of York, to Bullinger, from Strasburg, December 20, 1558.

He reports as part of Elizabeth's reply to Queen Mary's last request that she would make no change in religion: 'I will not change it provided only it can be proved by the Word of God, which shall be the only foundation and rule of my religion.' This can, of course, only be a report, and goes therefore for little but a proof that such reports were about at the time.

(2.) There is a letter from Cecil to one Mr. Herd, about a commonplace book and some notes of Cranmer's, in which he says that the Queen thinks such a rare and precious treasure should not be hid in secret, and commands him to send up without delay the precious documents for perusal.

(3.) In the Queen's declaration after the suppression of the rebellion in the north, she sets forth ' her determination to continue in support of the true Christian religion.' This being also a good instance of the use of true Christian religion in contradistinction to the Roman Church.

(4.) The Queen, in a letter urging the sending of contributions towards the relief of those of the religion in the town of Montpelier suffering from an earthquake, speaks of her own subjects as 'fellow members ' with the Montpelier people, and ' such as do make profession of one religion with them.' She thus treats the French Huguenots as of one religion with the Church of England.

(5.) A private letter from one Herll to Sir Edward Horsey speaks of the Queen as ' sharply set against the Papists.'

(6.) The Queen's instructions to Lord Huntingdon, President of the Council of the North. There were thirty members of this Council, of which live were clerics—viz., Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of York; James Pilkington, Bishop of Durham; Richard Barnes, Bishop of Carlisle; Mathew Hutton, Dean of York; and William Whittingham, Dean of Durham. Amongst their duties were that whenever they sit they shall enforce observance of laws, ordinances, etc., made by the Privy Council, the Ecclesiastical