vious,_
_Charity is not proud_, and so forth. Behold then, what love and (p. 420)
charity is amongst you, when one calleth another heretic and
anabaptist, and he calleth him again papist, hypocrite and Pharisee?
Be these tokens of Charity amongst you? Are these signs of fraternal
love amongst you? No, no, I assure you that this lack of charity among
yourselves will be the hindrance and assuaging of the perfect love
betwixt us, except this wound be salved and clearly made whole.... I
hear daily that you of the Clergy preach one against another, without
charity or discretion; some be too stiff in their old _Mumpsimus_,
others be too busy and curious in their new _Sumpsimus_. Thus all men
almost be in variety and discord, and few or none preach truly and
sincerely the Word of God.... Yet the Temporalty be not clear and
unspotted of malice and envy. For you rail on Bishops, speak
slanderously of Priests, and rebuke and taunt preachers, both contrary
to good order and Christian fraternity. If you know surely that a
Bishop or Preacher erreth, or teacheth perverse doctrine, come and
declare it to some of our Council, or to us, to whom is committed by
God the high authority to reform such causes and behaviours. And be
not judges of yourselves of your fantastical opinions and vain
expositions.... I am very sorry to know and to hear how unreverently
that most precious jewel, the Word of God, is disputed, rhymed, sung,
and jangled in every Ale-house and Tavern.... And yet I am even as
much sorry that the readers of the same follow it in doing so faintly
and so coldly. For of this I am sure, that charity was never so faint
amongst you, and virtuous and godly living was never less used, nor
God Himself among Christians was never less reverenced, honoured, (p. 421)
or served. Therefore, as I said before, be in charity one with another
like brother and brother; love, dread, and serve God; to which I, as
your Supreme Head and Sovereign Lord, exhort and require you; and then
I doubt not but that love and league, that I spake of in the
beginning, shall never be dissolved or broke betwixt us."

[Footnote 1154: Hall, _Chron._, pp. 864-66; Foxe,
ed. Townsend, v., 534-36; Herbert, ed. 1672, pp.
598-601.]

* * * * *

The bond betwixt Henry and his subjects, which had lasted thirty-eight
years, and had survived such strain as has rarely been put on th