ORIGINAL LETTERS

relative to

THE ENGLISH REFORMATION,

written during the reigns of

KING HENRY VIII., KING EDWARD VI., AND QUEEN MARY:

CHIEFLY FROM THE ARCHIVES OF ZURICH

translated from authenticated copies of the autographs,

and edited for

The Parker Society,

by the

REV. HASTINGS ROBINSON, D.D. F.A.S.

rector of great warley, essex;

and formerly fellow of st john’s college, cambridge

the first and second portion

CAMBRIDGE:

AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS

m.dccc.xlvi–m.dccc.xlvii

ADVERTISEMENT

In the preface to the Second Series of letters from the Archives of Zurich and other repositories in Switzerland, published by the Parker Society, it was stated that the Council had procured from the same collections more than three hundred other letters, written during the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and queen Mary, also having reference to ecclesiastical affairs and the progress of the Reformation. The translation of these letters will form the present and a subsequent publication: for as the printing proceeded, it was found that the entire series could not be conveniently contained in one volume: but as the first portion is now completed, the Council have issued it as one of the earliest books in return for the subscriptions of the present year, various though unavoidable circumstances having delayed the publication of another work originally intended to be issued at this time.

The question respecting the chronological or other arrangement of the letters now published was long and maturely considered: in the result it appeared best to print those of each writer together. As the present correspondence does not, like the letters written in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, involve that regular view of the history of the times, which made the chronological arrangement in that case desirable, the plan now adopted has been considered, on the whole, the least liable to objection. A table of contents will however be given with the succeeding portion, which will embrace the entire series of ante-Elizabethan correspondence, in the chronological order of the respective letters. The Indices, and a fuller preface, will also be given with the remaining portion, which will form another of the volumes of the present or following year, whichever may be found most expedient, and according to the progress made with the other works now in course of publication; the Council not being-unmindful of the general desire of the members, frequently expressed, that the books should be issued as speedily as possible in return for the subscriptions of each year. It is however hardly necessary to state, that the uncertainties attendant upon all literary proceedings will often prevent the adoption of that course which would be most in accordance with the wishes of those concerned in them. The plan of publication adopted by the Society, it will also be remembered, is not that of works printed for ordinary circulation; and while its volumes involve far more than the usual difficulties of preparing ...