deadly sinne I say that prayer in scripture is much commended and many great and vnmeasurable benefites are shewed to ensue thereupon that men should the more lustily geue themselues therto With prayer doth S Paul bid vs to fight in diuers places coÌ„tinuing in the same agaynst our ghostly enemies A figure of this is read in Exodus when the Israelites fought in battaâ—le agaynst a nation of Infidels Exod. 17. I trow theyr Captayne was called Amalecke Moyses stood vpon a mountayne The vertue of prayer to behold what should be the conclusion and lifting vp his handes prayed that it might well succeed with the Israelites but in long holding them vp at last his feruour began to grow cold and faint his handes sagged downward and euer as his handes grew heauy which signifieth that his affection in praying abated waxed colde the Infidels preuayled but as he kept them heaued vpward wherby was meant intentiue prayer of a deuout mynde he purchased victorye to the Israelites Aaron and Hur which indited the lawe to the people and were thereof the interpreters stood with Moses which alway as they dyd see his armes to faynt did vphold them so that finally the victory came vnto Israel By Moses is signified as sheweth great Clerkes deuotion Deuotion and knowledg to be ioyned together By Aaron and Hur the knowledge of Gods doctrine Which two thinges deuotion I meane knowledge all men had need to haue presently with theÌ„ for deuotion doth eleuate the mind to God but knowledge doth susteine or vphold the same that it may with courage continue not falling down but so alway doth incense and kindle it that it mounteth vp into the presence of our heauenly father where they sauour together farre more sweetely then any fumigation either of Iuniper Incense or what soeuer els be they neuer so pleasaunt doth sauour in any mans nose Therefore S. Paule seing howe necessary the knotte of these two deuotion knowlege of Gods will was which is shewed in scripture as teacheth saynt Cyprian in these wordes The will of God sayth he is that whiche Christe both taught and wrought Paul I say seing this wished to be excommunicate and separate from God for to haue the Iewes to come to the knowledge of Christes Church Rom. 10. which is the onely right waye to saluation for whome he prayed right studiously as appeareth a litle after in the 10. chap. to the Romanes saying I beare them recorde that they haue a zeale deuotion to God but not according to the knowledge of Christes doctrine Moses not to be without Aaron c. Where you may clearelye see how the Iewes as S. Paule which is no lyer recordeth here had a zeal deuotion to God but they lacked knowledge therewith Moses was amongest them but Aaron was away whose absence payned Paul so sore that he rauished with exceeding charity wished no small harme vnto himself vpon condition that the multitude of theÌ„ might be holpen and haue better iudgement euen to be separated from God It must nedes be theÌ„ greatly hurtfull albeit men haue deuotion to be without the knowledge of God his law Deuotion withoute knowledge hurtfull signified by Aaron S. Paule also before y t he came to knowledge had such like deuotion himselfe as he reporteth Actes 26. in these wordes Act. 26. All the Iewes quoth he haue knowne my liuing that I haue led sith I entred into mans age which time as I remeÌ„ber is accounted from the xvj or xviij yeare of a mans life in Latine he calleth it adolescentia which from the beginning thereof was sayth he at Ierusalem among mine owne nation that did know me afore also from the beginning if they would say trueth that I liued after the most straitest order or sect of our religion The zeale of Saule withoute deuotion being a Pharisy And I quoth Paul a litle after thought to doe many thinges in fighting agaynst the name of Iesus Christ yea and did also being at Ierusalem and I thrust many Sayntes or holy men into prison hauing power geuen me therto of the high Priestes and when they shoulde be put to death I gaue sentence and I quoth he was commonlye in all Sinagogues punishing them and compelling them to blaspheme as menne are fayne now a daies when the Bishops make them to abiure and to deny the trueth of the Gospell yea more ouer did I quoth Paule rage agaynst them pursuing after them into straunge landes See what zeale Paul had to God afore he was instructed in the doctrine of Christ. He thought to haue pleased god highly in persecuting his seruants of whom one was S. Steuen He was then sore blinded through ignorance Zeale 〈◊〉 out knowledge and wanted the assistance of Aaron But anone as Christ which is the true Aaron had appeared to him asking hym and saying in a lamentable fourme O Saule Saule why doest thou persecute me Act 9. in troubling and striking my seruauntes the members of mine owne body of whom it is sayd He that smiteth you shall smite the tender ball of mine eie Zach. 2. His hart fell I dare say so low as his body that is euen downe to the earth repenting himselfe full sore being redye to amend and follow after a new way as appeareth by hys aunswere where he sayth O Lorde what wilt thou haue me to doe As though one woulde say Nowe I see all that I thought to haue done afore of good intention and good purpose or deuotion hath deceiued me I finde it otherwise That which I esteemed good in very deede is and was nought Teach me therfore good Lord quoth he a better way amend my iudgement that mine owne will or intentioÌ„ forsakeÌ„ I may now follow thine to please thee to do thy will And so he came to Ananias by the assignement of Christ the thick filthines of his olde wayward iudgement fell away as appeareth by the drosse or rubbish that came from his eyes euen like scales as the Scripture maketh relation and he put vpon him a new iudgement which is directed after the strayt rule of the Gospell Deuotion a deceaueable thing Whereby you may see that mens deuotion may oft beguile and seduce theÌ„ except knowledge do assist the same for to susteine direct it which knitte together shall much strengthen men in all trouble and temptations So that it is much expedient for all meÌ„ as nigh as they may to haue prayer annexed with knowledge Erasmus in Enchiridiâ— that sheweth full notably Erasmus in the second passage of EnchiridioÌ„ where he testifieth but of easye liking that he hath in saying of Mattins Saying of Mattens yea rather contrariwise he sheweth disliking and so he doth also in his exposition of the fyrst Psalme Beatus vir where the text maketh agreeably for the same it is written in this wise Blessed is the man that hath not gone
rightuousnesse thy goodnesse and satisfaction The lawe sayeth thou art bounde and obliged to me to the deuill and to hell The Gospel sayth Christ hath deliuered thee from them all The doctrine of Faith FAith is to beleue God like as Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnesse The doctrine of faith To beleue God is to beleue hys word and to recount it true that he sayeth He that beleeueth not Gods worde beleeueth not God himselfe He that beleueth not Gods word he counteth hym false and a lier and beleeueth not that he may and wil fulful his worde and so he denieth both the might of God and God himselfe The 9. proposition The 9. proposition ¶ Faith is the gift of God Argument Da Euery good thing is the gift of God Maior Minor Conclus ri Faith is good j. Ergo faith is the gift of God The 10. proposition The 10 proposition ¶ Faith is not in our power Argument Maior Minor Conclus Da The gift of God is not in our power ri Faith is the gift of God j. Ergo faith is not in our power The 11. proposition The 11. proposition ¶ He that lacketh faith can not please God Without faith it is impossible to please God Rom 14. All that commeth not of faith is sinne for without faith can no man please God Heb. 11. Induction An argument called Inductio Hee that lacketh faith trusteth not God hee that trusteth not God trusteth not his word he that trusteth not his word holdeth him false and a lier he that holdeth him false and a lier beleeueth not that he may doe that he promiseth and so denieth he that he is God Ergo a primo ad vltimum he that lacketh faith can not please God If it were possible for any man to do all the good deedes that euer were done either of men or aungels yet being in this case it is impossible for him to please God The 12. proposition The 12. proposition ¶ All that is done in faith pleaseth God Right is the word of God and all his workes in faith Psal. 33. Lorde thine eies looke to faith that is as much to say as Lorde thou delightest in faith Ier 5. The 13. proposition The 13. proposition ¶ He that hath faith is iust and good Argument Da. He that is a good tree bringing forth good fruit Maior is iust and good ri He that hath faith is a good tree bringing forth good fruite j. Ergo he that hath faith is iust and good Minor Conclus The 14 proposition ¶ He that hath faith and beleueth God The 14. proposition can not displease him Induction He that hath faith beleeueth God he that beleueth God Inductio beleeueth his word he that beleeueth his word wotteth well that he is true and faithfull and may not lie knowing that he both may and will fulfill his word Ergo a primo ad vltimum hee that hath faith can not displease God neither can any man doe a greater honour to God then to count him true Obiection Thou wilt then say that thefte murther aduoutry and all vices please God Obiection Answere Nay verely for they can not be done in faith for a good tree beareth good fruit Mat. 7.12 Aunswere The 15. proposition ¶ Faith is a certainty or assurednesse The 15. proposition A definition of faith Heb. 11. Faith is a sure confidence of thinges which are hoped for and certaintie of things which are not seene Heb. 11. The same spirite certifieth oure spirite that we are the children of God Rom. 8. Moreouer he that hathe faithe wotteth well that God will fulfill his word Whereby it appeareth that faith is a certaintie or assurednesse A man is iustified by faith ABraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Rom. 4. Iustification by faith We suppose therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the law Rom. 3. Gal. 2. He that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the wicked his fayth is counted to him for righteousnes Rom. 4. The iust man liueth by his fayth Abac. 2. Rom. 1. We wotte that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ and we beleue in Iesu Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the deedes of the law Gal. 2. What is the fayth of Christ. THe fayth of Christ is to beleue in him that is to beleue his word Faith in Christ what it is and beleeue that he will helpe thee in all thy neede and deliuer thee from all euill Thou wilt aske me what word I aunswere the Gospell He that beleueth in Christ shal be saued Marke 16. He that beleueth y e sonne hath euerlasting life Iohn 3. Uerely I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life Iohn 6. This I write vnto you that you beleeue on the sonne of GOD that ye may know how y t ye haue eternall life 1. Iohn 5. Thomas because thou hast seen me therfore hast thou beleued Happy are they which haue not sene and yet haue beleued in me Iohn 22. All the Prophetes to him beare witnes that whosoeuuer beleeueth in him shall haue remission of their sinnes Actes 10. What must I doe that I may be saued The Apostles aunswered Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Act. 16. If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeuest with thine hart that God raysed hym from death thou shalt be safe Rom. 10. He that beleueth not in Christ shall be condemned He that beleueth not the sonne shall neuer see lyfe but the ire of God bydeth vpon him Iohn 3. The holy Ghost shall reproue the world of sinne because they beleue not in me Iohn 16. They that beleue Iesu Christ are the sonnes of God Ye are all the sonnes of God because ye beleue in Iesu Christ. 1. Iohn 3. He that beleueth that Christ is the sonne of God is safe Iohn 1. Peter sayd thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Iesus answered and sayde vnto him happy art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud haue not opened to thee that but my father that is in heauen Mat. 16. We haue beleued and knowe that thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God I beleue that thou art Christ the sonne of God whyche should come into the world Iohn 11. These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that ye in beleuing might haue life Iohn 20. I beleue that Iesus is the sonne of God Act. 8. The 16. proposition The 16. propositâ—on He that beleueth the Gospel beleueth God Argument Da. He that beleueth Gods word beleueth God Maior Minor Conclus ri The Gospel is Gods word j. Ergo
commaunding Leo then Bishop of Rome to come vnto the same And albeit Leo neither liked the tyme which he would for a season shoulde haue bene deferred nor yet the place for he wold haue had it in Italy wheras the Emperour by hys owne commaundement had called it to Calchis in Asia yet he answered the Emperor that he would gladly obey his commaundement and sent thither his agentes to appeare there for him as doth appeare in the Epistles of Leo to Martiane then Emperoure xli.xlvii.xvliij and in the xlix Epistle to Pulcheria the Empres. And likewise desireth Theodosius the Emperour to commaund a Councell of Bishops to be called in Italy for taking away such contentions and troubles as at that tyme troubled the quietnes of the Churches And in many moe Epistles of the same Leo it doth manifestly appeare that the Emperoures alwayes assembled generall Councels by theyr commaundementes And in the sixt generall Councel it appeareth very playnly that at that time the Byshoppes of Rome made no clayme nor vsed anye title to call themselues heades vniuersall ouer all the Catholicke Churche as there doth appeare in the superscription or salutation of the foresayd Synodicall preamble which is this word for word To the most godly Lordes and most noble victors and conquerours the welbeloued Children of God and our Lord Iesu Christ Constantine the great Emperour and to Heraclius and Tiberius Cesars Byshop Agatho the seruaunt of the seruaunts of God with all the cōuocations subiecte to the Councell of the See apostolicke sendeth greeting And he expresseth what Countryes he reckoned and comprehended in that superscription or salutation For it followeth that those were vnder hys assembly whiche were in the North and East partes so that at that time the byshop of Rome made no such pretence to be ouer and aboue all as he nowe doth by vsurpation vendicating to hymselfe the spirituall kingdom of Christ by which he raigneth in the heartes of all faythfull people and then chaungeth it to a temporall kingdome ouer and aboue all kinges to depose them for hys pleasure preaching thereby the flesh for the spirite and an earthly kingdome for an heauenly to hys owne damnation if he repent not Pet. 2. Where hee ought to obey hys prince by the doctrine of S. Peter in his first Epistle saying Be ye subiect to euery ordinaunce of man Rom. 14. for the Lordes sake whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or vnto gouernours as sent of hym to the punishment of the euill doers and to the prayse of the good Agayne S. Paule Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers With other thinges before alledged So that this his pretensed vsurpation to be aboue all kings is directly agaynst the scriptures geuen to the Churche by the Apostles whose doctrine whosoeuer ouerturneth can be neyther the head nor yet the least member of the Church Wherfore albeit ye haue hetherto sticked to the sayd wrongfully vsurped power moued thereto as ye write by your conscience yet sithence now ye see further if ye lust to regarde the meere truth and such auncient authours as haue bene written to you of in tymes past we would exhorte you for the wealth of your soule to surrender into the Byshoppe of Romes handes your redde hatte by whiche he seduced you trustyng so to make you beyng come of a noble bloud an instrument to aduaunce his vayne glory whereof by the sayd hat hee made you participant to allure you thereby the more to his purpose In whiche doyng yee shall returne to the truth from whiche yee haue erred doe your duetye to your soueraigne Lord from whom ye haue declined and please thereby almightie God whose lawes ye haue transgressed and in not so doyng ye shall remayne in errour offendyng both almightie God and your naturall soueraigne Lord whome chiefly yee ought to seeke to please Which thyng for the good mynde that we heretofore haue borne you we pray almightie God of his infinite mercy that you do not Amen When all other kynges subiectes Anno 1535. and the learned of the Realme had taken and accepted the othe of the kynges supremacie onely Fisher the Byshop of Rochester Syr Thomas More refused as is aforesaid to be sworne who therfore fallyng into the daūger of the law were committed into the Tower and executed for the same an 1535. This Iohn Fisher aforesayd had written before agaynst Oecolampadius whose booke is yet extant and afterward agaynst Luther Iohn Fysher Bishop of Rochester enemye to Christes Gospell Also amongest other his actes he had bene a great enemy and persecuter of Iohn Frith the godly learned Martyr of Iesus Christ whom hee and Syr Thomas Moore caused to be burned a yeare and a halfe before and shortly after the said fisher to his confusion was charged with Elizabeth Barton called the holy maid of Kent and founde guilty by act of Parleament as is aboue recorded For his learning and other vertues of life this Bishop was well reputed and reported of many and also much lamented of some But whatsoeuer his learning was pitie it was that he being indued with that knowledge should be so farre drowned in such superstition more pitie that he was so obstinate in his ignoraunce but most pitie of all that he so abused the learning he had to such crueltie as hee dyd But thus commonly we see come to passe as the Lorde saith That who so striketh with the sworde shall perishe with the sworde 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 and they that staine their handes with blood seldome do bring their bodies drie to the graue as cōmonly appeareth by the end of bloudy tyrantes and especially such as be persecuters of Christes poore members Byshop Fysher and Sir Tho. More persecutors In the number of whom was this Bishop and sir Thom. More by whom good Iohn Frith Teukesbery Thomas Hytten Bayfild with diuers other good saintes of God were brought to their death It was sayde that the Pope to recompence Byshop Fisher for his faithfull seruice had elected him Cardinal and sent him a Cardinals hat as far as Calice but the head it should stand vpon was as hie as London bridge ere euer y e Popes hat could come to him Thus Bishop Fisher and Syr Thomas More which a litle before had put Iohn Frith to death for heresy against the Pope Byshop Fysher Syr Tho. More beheaded were themselues executed and beheaded for treason against the king the one the xxij of Iune the other the vi of Iuly ann 1535. Of sir Tho. More some thing hath bene touched before who was also recounted a man both wittie learned but whatsoeuer he was beside a bitter persecuter he was of good men The lying bookes of Syr Tho. More and a wretched enemie against the truth of the Gospel as by his bookes leaft behind him maye appeare wherein most slanderously and contumeliously he writeth against Luther Zwinglius Tindal Frith Barnes
I must here knowledge the exceeding greatnes of your Lordshippes benefite Boner preferred to the Byshopricke of Hereford by the L. Cromwel with mine owne imbecillitie to recompence it and say as Virgil writeth Grates persoluere dignas non opis est nostrae Surely my good Lorde I neither am neither shall be able to requite thus your Lordships moste speciall kindnesse and bountifull goodnes at any time vnlesse I shoulde vse that ciuile remeady called in law acceptilation which great detters especially are accustomed to procure at the handes of their creditours Acceptilation whereby yet neuertheles your goodnes the onely doer thereof shoulde rather be encreased then my duetie towardes the same thereby diminished And cessio Bonorum the onely extreeme refuge and helpe of poore detters deuised also in * * Here seemeth to lack some word but that I would not alter any thing in his owne copie ciuile myghte somewhat help herein sauing that it is not possible that I shall come Ad tam pinguem fortunam Wherupon that remedy is grounded whereby I may recompence and requite this dette worthely So that in coÌ„clusion there resteth this that vnlesse your Lordships self do lose me as you haue bouÌ„d me I shal and that ful gladly remaine coÌ„tinually your most boundeÌ„ beadesmen And Syr I most humbly beseeche your good Lordship in the honor of God seeing this thing is begonne and auaunced onely by your goodnesse and meanes you will to the entent the acte may be wholely your owne stretche out your goodnesse not suffering the rest to be perfited otherwise theÌ„ by your own hands wherin as I must shall knowledge my selfe to be exceedingly beholden vnto your good Lordshippe so shal the same more esteeme and set by during my life hauing so attained it by your onely goodnes And verely if your good Lordship be not better to me heerein then I can L. Cromwel onely the aduancer of D. Boner therfore in an other letter he calleth him his onely Mecenas The promotions of Boner vnlesse it be of your owne goodnes desire you I knowe not howe I shall be able to ouercome the great charges annexed to this promotion For though my promotions afore were right honest and good yea and suche as one of farre better qualities then I was or am of ought therewith to haue beene contented yet considering that of diuers of them it is to witte Leicester Bledon Derham Cheswicke and Cheryburton the first fruites tenthes and charges borne I haue not receiued clerely one penie I am now neuer a whit the more able to beare the great charges of this I shall therefore herein and in all things els pertaining heereunto seeing your Lordshippe is so great a patrone and will nedes binde me for euer to be your owne as in deede I will referre all together vnto your goodnesse beseeching you to take the order and disposition of all into your handes I cannot tell whether the late Bishop standeth bounden for the first fruits tenthes or other dueties which by stature may be demanded of his successour but I feare it greatly and beseeche your Lordship that I may be holpen therein My charges nowe heere enforceth me the more to speake and trouble your good Lordship which at the beginninge are not a fewe and yet not ended Of my fidelitie to your good I haue of fiue hundreth crownes remaining fortie bestowed vpon horses mâ—le mulet raiment and other necessaries standing debter to M Thirlby neuertheles and also to M. Doctour Heynes for one hundreth markes or fast vpon to them both And besides this suche is my chaunce nowe at the beginning diuers of my seruauntes haue fallen sicke being in great pearill and daunger putting me to no little charges Ouer and besides these displeasures comming vnto me by not hauing their seruice and other to keepe them and also wantinge mine other seruaunts in Englande which thoughe I haue sent for them yet neither they neither my horses or stuff are come I must and doe take patience trusting it will mende Vpon the closing vp of this letter and depeache of this bearer God willing I will packe vp my geare and to morow betime followe the French kinge who yesterday departed from Shambour and maketh haste towardes Paris And thus our blessed Lord long and wel preserue your good Lordship in health At Bloyse the 2. of September in the euening Scribled by the weary hand of him that is bounden to be and is in dede your Lordships beadesman â— at commaundement Edmund Boner Diuers other Letters beside this of Doct. Boner remayne in writyng vpon the like effect and purport which here also I might adde for a further demoÌ„stration hereof but this one in stede of many may suffice D. Boner all this while shewed himselfe to be a gooâ— man and a good Gospeller Now to our purpose agayne which is to declare how this Doct. Boner in the tyme of his first springyng vp shewed him selfe a good man a fast frend to the Gospell of Christ to the kyngs proceedynges contrariwise how Steuen Gardiner did halt then both with God with the kyng Also what vnkyndnes and contumelies the sayd Boner receaued at his handes what rancour and hartburnyng was betwene them Rancor and hartburning betweeneâ— the Bish. of Winchester and Boner and what complayntes the one moueth agaynst the other remaineth coÌ„sequeÌ„tly by their writyngs recordes to be opened For the more euident demonstration whereof they that haue the letters of y e sayd Doct. Boner written from Fraunce to the kyng and the Lord Cromwell may right well perceaue And first to note what a Gospeller he was in his letter from Roan hee speaking of hys trustie companion and bearer of hys letters who was belike D Heines he geueth thys report both of him and of hymselfe saying If this bearer had beene so much desirous to please the Emperour and followe his religion The wordes of Boner declaring himselfe to be a Gospeller as he was studious to serue truely your grace and to aduaunce the truthe he had not wanted c. And againe And besides that he hath not wanted the euil report of naughtie fellowes Boner recompted a Lutherane naming him a Lutherane wherein for companie I was ioyned such was their goodnesse c. Againe in an other letter written to the Lord Cromwel these woordes he hath speaking of his companion Doctor Heines Especially for that the saide D. Heines by his vprighte dealing herein Doct. Boner and Doct. Heynes noted for Lutheranes and professing the truth neither gate thanks nor reward but was blased abroad by honest folks to be a Lutherane The les hee pleaseth in Spayne the better argument it is that his entent was to serue none but the kings highnesse and the truth c. And furthermore in an other minute wryting to the L. Cromwel of Steuen Win. and of his churlishnes toward him thus he sayth And there founde
the Secretaries and after addition of the Article concerning the Kings lawfull power and authoritie during his yong yeares were also deliuered vnto hym by the handes of the Lord Protectour in the presence of y e rest of the Counsell who thus receiuing them promised there faithfully to accomplish all the contentes thereof After which they were againe deliuered vnto Secretary Smith to amend suche things therein as the Lord Protectour and the rest of the Counsayle had there appointed Which being accordingly done as the Bishop himselfe at the last recept thereof confessed were finally deliuered vnto him by the Secretary and therefore was this but a poore shift Now after this he maketh a supposition that in case it were true Boners supposition that the Iniunctions were deliuered him according to their information yet was it vntrue that he did omitte or refuse to declare the same for any such causes as they had alledged against him and that did wel appeare in the discourse of his Sermon which tended principally as he sayd to the disalowing and condemnation of all rebels and chiefly of the rebels in Northfolke Southfolke Deuonshyre Cornewall or elsewhere within this Realme of England who forgetting their allegeance and duty vnto their Prince assigned them by Gods word as their supreme head their natural loue and care for their countrey wiues Boner agaynst the rebelles children and kinsfolke did both deserue death bodily as traytors also accumulate vnto themselues damnation of body and soule eternally with Sathan the father and first mouer of all rebellion and disobedience and herewithall farther exclaming against the pretenses of those rebels who amongst other thyngs pretended the Masse and holywater with such like which were neuer ordeined for the purpose to colour and maintayne rebellion as he sayd he then proued out of the 16. of Nombers 1. Reg. 15. Leuit. 10. and 4. Luke 13. and Actes 5. in best maner that he could as one not exercised greatly in preaching but restrayned therefrom but hauing humilitie of hart innocencie of liuing knowledge of God loue to our neighbours with obedience to Gods word Ministers and superiour powers concurrent with them they being externall rites and ceremonies of the Church Externall rites and ceremonies were exercises of Religion and appointable by superiour powers and yet that whiche standing the law might be good was by pride and disobedience made euill and vnprofitable And heere he farther sayde because he sawe the people slacke in comming to the Communion and diuine seruice set forth by the kings Maiestie As iustly they might the same being hereticall blasphemous agaynst the humanitye of Christ. and to the entent he would make them haue a better opinion in the Sacrament then hee thought they had he then faithfully did declare hys beliefe therein Wherewith his denouncers being offended they vncharitably and vntruly deduced in their pretensed denounciation that in his Sermon he did intreate of such things as most should sturre vp vnto dissension tumult whereby it appeared vnto him that his denouÌ„cers either tooke his Catholicke assertion of y e veritie of Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar Boner flyeth stil to the SacrameÌ„t of the altar or else hys faythfull declaration made of the obedience of subiects vnto the Kings Maiesty their supreme and soueraigne Lord with the peril and daunger of rebellion committed against him Boners purgatioÌ„ of himelfe for his Sermon to be the cause of disorder and dissention for that saith he of these two points he chiefly spake and especially of obedience to the king whose minoritie was more then manifestly knowen as well amongst y e people of this realme as elsewhere throughout y e world besides which he would not haue done except he had beleued that both all his subiects were bounden to obey him euen as he then was and should be during his life and also that the rebellion of late committed against him was detestable and condemned by Gods word and therfore he wished that his two denouncers with all the rest of the new Preachers did meane as faithfully obediently and Catholickely towardes the Kings honour royall power and suretie of person as he did had not more moued the people to tumultes disobedience by their erroneous doctrine and teaching then he had at any time geuen any occasion thereunto Then finally he concluded and sayd that where his denouncers surmise that it was of no light grounde looked for as it appeared in their iudgemeÌ„ts that he should more apertly haue declared the contents of the Iniunctions and Articles then he did that their iudgementes were in that behalfe corrupted and set to sclaunder and picking of quarels for he was wel assured and credibly informed that all his honest and Catholicke audieÌ„ce were fully satisfied both touching their obedience to the Kings Maiesty in his tender age also concerning the great penaltiâ— and perill that the late Rebels incurred by their disobedience And besides that when he was before the Lord Protectour and the rest of the Counsaile after he had made his excuse and alledged many impediments for his not preaching at the Crosse he did not then further promise but to do the best he couldâ— which he hath of his fidelitie and conscience accomplished not omitting any thing of purpose or euill will that might satisfie the people in any point concerning the premisâ—es Whilest he was thus reading these answeres obiecting against his denouncers such causes and quarels as be afore alledged for which he woulde haue earnestly had the denouncers to be repelled of the Commissioners the Archbyshop of Caunterbury replyed that if there were suche a law he thought it not to be a good or godly law but a law of the Byshop of Rome For said he if my matter and case be good what should I care who accuse me yea although he were the Diuell of Hell No sir sayd the Byshop of London it is the Kings law vsed in the Realme Well my Lorde sayde the Archbyshop ye be too full of your law I would wishe you had lesse knowledge in that lawe and more knowledge in Gods law of your dutie Well aunswered the Byshop againe seeing your grace falleth to wishing I can also wishe many things to be in your person Boner Then spake Secretary Peter to the Byshop as touching these denouncers Secretaâ—â— Peter we are not so straited in this matter but that we may proceede against you either at theyr promotion or without them at our pleasure A Gods name then sayd Boner put them by Boner and then do as your pleasure shall be so you do me right for I aske but right Nay sayde Secretary Smith you aske you wot not what you would haue vs folow your mind in these quidities and quirkes Secretary Smyth and all is nothing else but to delay iustice And you do herein as theeues murtherers and traitors not to
the circumstances before diuers persons to the forenamed Byshop Who notwithstanding did institute and cause to be inducted one Harry Goddart vnto the same personage making no mention of the kinges maiesties authority nor supremacie in contempt and derogation of the same hys hignes crowne and dignitie and in extolling the forreine vsurped aucthoritye contrary to the fourme of the statute c. Item the sayde Bishop immediately after the vnlawfull institution and induction of Goddart aforesayde molested the sayd I. Gough lawfully instituted inducted as before citing him frō place to place obiecting no matter vnto him of long season till at the length hee articled Emong which Articles was contayned Item Interrogatur quo titulo tenet rectoriam de Haskard So taking vppon him the cognition of the title of the hole fruites and patronage in contempte of the kinges highnesse regall crowne and dignitie and in derogation of the lawes and statutes of this Realme Item hee hath commonly made his collations and institutions as hee did his first commission in hys owne name and authoritie without expressing the kinges supremacie Item hee hath made vnder his seale one collation two institutions and three mandates inducte in one vocation of one benefice to three seuerall persons wythout order of law or reuocation of anye of them geuing to euery one like authoritye title and right Whereby except good foresight aswell of Iustices of the peace as of the frendes had not bene there had ensued much inconuenience amonges the partakers of the intituled incumbentes in that behalfe Item the sayde Bishop decreeing Caueates to be made in benefices thereby knowing the titles litigious instituted and causeth to be inducted without tryall of anye title or due order of lawe Item hee directeth hys mandates of induction vnto priuate men and not to Tharchdeacons nor theyr Officialles contrary to the lawe and custome vsed in that behalfe Notwithstanding he hath bene counsayled to the contrary of men that be learned Item hauing no maner of knowledge nor practise in the lawe he sitteth euery day in haruest and other times vpon causes without assistaunce of learned in the law hauing with him onely an vnlearned boy which is no Notary to his scribe neither obseruing the law nor yet reasonable order And therefore doth no good but tryfeleth the time as may appeare by his actes if he haue them to be shewed Item hee and his officers by his knowledge vseth to dispense with mariages to be solemnized without banes contrarye to the lawes and ordinaunces in that behalfe Item where as one Thomas Pricharde a Chapleine of his solempnized matrimony in a priuate house wythout banes that betwixt a priest and a sister of hers that was appointed to be maryed with the said priest that day hee also being a parson and leauing his cure vnserued that day being sondaye notwithstanding that one of the kinges counsell in the marches of Wales enformed the sayd bishop of the same misdemeanours requiring due reformation therof he hath done nothing therein but put the same Chapleine in office and made him his Commissary generall since that tyme bearyng a speciall fauour to the rest of the offendours Item whereas one Meredith ap Thomas his housholde seruaunt was accused of one Sage Hugh for to haue bene father of her chylde the sayde Byshop wythout purgation of his seruaunt caused hym to sue the parentes of the sayde Sage of infamie first in hys principall consistory and from thence before a commissary of hys being his housholde Chaplaine and at the last tooke the matter before hymselfe so rayling agaynst all his officers because they proceeded not after hys parciall affection and agaynst the lawe that honest men of Carmarththē where he then satte vppon the cause iudged him to be or at the least to haue bene distracte of his witte and by his partial handling the cause remayneth vnfinished and the childe without father Item wheras one Ienkin Ph. accused William Chābers a seruaunt of the Bishoppes that founde this William in adulterouse maner with his wife by reason wherof the Byshop expelled the wife out of his house and the said infamie not purged the parties haue bene both agayn in the Bishops house and seruice since that time to the euill example of other Item by his vnlawfull sequestration of the fruites of the benefices of Langattocke and Lamyhangell by the vndiscreete handling of the same there were raysed the number of foure hundred people or more which bickered sondry times together to the great daunger of thinhabitauntes thereabout had it not bene pacified by the discreete meanes of syr Roger Uaughan Knight Item by his like vnlawfull collation of the Prebend of Lambister to one Stephen Grene a Chaplayne of his by couenaunt and promise to mayntayne the sute by whose crafty and vndiscreete handling of the same there was raysed in the countie of Radner the 19. day of August last yast about three or foure hundreth men to like daunger but that the matter was stayed by Iohn Bradshaw Rice ap Glin and Stephen ap Rice Iustices of the same countie Who with great daunger to them selues and theirs pacified the matter committing an hundred of the offendours to warde Item such as he oweth displeasure vnto he citeth from place to place and daye to daye onely for their vexation laying no matter agaynst them and being diuers tymes required the copye of his proceedinges agaynst them to thintent they might aunswere accordingly and be at their lawfull defence he denyeth to all such persons the copies of his proceedinges Item he and his officers winke at the manifest and open crimes of his fautours and adherentes to the euil example of the whole Dioces and abuseth the censures of excommunication and suspension making it an instrument of reuenging agaynst such as they do not fauour Item hauing receiued payment of the kinges maiesties subsidie due in October the fourth yeare of his graces reigne of the foresayde Chaunter of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Dauids and Rowland Meyrike two of the Residentaries there before Christmas last he vniustly of a prepensed minde and purpose afterward certified them for recusantes to their vndoyng if they had not bene admonished of his cruell purpose and prouided lawfull defence for the same Item the sayd Bishop celebrating matrimony in his owne person dispensed contrarye to the booke of ordynaunce with the parties maryed for not receauing the holy communion the parties both bring young and lusty persones hauing no reasonable cause wherefore they should abstayne At whiche celebration the Byshoppe communicated not himselfe And further the communion was celebrated by a Chapleyne of hys with superstitious blowynges kneelynges and knockinges both of the Chaplayne that ministred of all the company onely one other Priest communicating for the maner * Mayntenaunce of superstition contrary to the kinges ordinaunce and Iniunctions ITem where the Officiall of Tharchedeacon of Carmarthen in his visitation within Carmarthen founde contrary vnto the sayde ordinaunce
together After that by reason of a visitation and certaine Iniunctions geuen in the same time by the authoritie of king Henry the eight he forsooke the same house and casting froÌ„ him the sayd Monkes habite and religion aforesayde tooke vpon him and vsed the habite of a secular priest and returned to Snowhill where hee was borne and there hee did celebrate and sing Masse and taught childreÌ„ their Primer and Accidence about halfe a yeare together Then he went from thence to Ludgate in Suffolke there serued as a seculare priest about a quarter of a yeare and from thence he then went to Stonyland where he taried and serued as a secular priest also vntill the comming out of the sixe Articles and then hee departed from thence and went into Gloucester shiere where after he had made his aboade in the countrey a while at lengthe in Tewkesbury according to Gods holy ordinance he maried a wife with whom he euer after faithfully and honestly coÌ„tinued and after his marriage he taried in Tewkesbury about 2. yeares together W. Flower â—aryeth a â—yfe and then from thence he went vnto Brosâ—ey where he taried three quarters of a yere and practised Phisicke and Surgerie and from thence hee remooued to Northampton shier where vnder a Gentleman he taught children their primers and to wryte and read a good space And so departing from those parties hee came to London and there remained for a certain space After that being desirous to see his countrey he returned to Snowhil where hee was borne W. Flower â—ommeth â—o Lambeth from thence to Branckstrey in Essex then to Coxal where he taught children a space and so came to Lambeth beside London where he hired a house and placed his wife where he and his wife did euer since dwell together till this time howbeit for the most part he was alwayes abroade and very seldome at home except once or twise in a moneth to visite and see his wife where hee being at home vpon Easter day about 10. and a 11. a clocke in the fore noone of the same daye came ouer the water from Lambeth into Sainte Margaretes Churche at Westminster W. Flower â—â—riketh a Popish Priest at the aultar in Westminster where he finding seeing a Prieste called Iohn Cheltam ministring and geuing the sacrament of the aultare to the people and therewith being greatly offended in his coÌ„science with the Prieste for the same his doing for that hee iudged hym not to be a Catholike Minister neyther hys act to be catholike and laudable according to Gods word did strike and wounde him vpon the head and also vppon the arme and hande with his woodknife the Priest hauing the same time in his hande a Chalice with certaine consetrated hostes therin which were sprinkeled with the bloud of the sayde priest W. Flower repenteth his acte in striking W. Flower constant in his fayth In the whych so doing as in deede he did not well or Euangelically so afterward being examined before bishop Boner did no lesse confesse his not well doing in the same submitting therefore hym selfe wellingly to punishmente when it should come Howbeit touching his beliefe in the sacrament and the popish ministration he neither woulde nor did submit him selfe W. Flower layd in the Gate house 〈◊〉 Westminster Wherupon the foresaid Wil. Flower being first apprehended laid in the Gate house at Westminster where hee had geuen two groates y e same day a litle before to the prisoners saying he would shortly after come to them wyth as many yrons as he could beare afterward was conuented before Boner his Ordinarie April 19. anno 1555. where the B. after he had sworne hym vpon a booke according to his ordinarye maner ministred articles interrogatories to him W. Flower brought before B. â—oner But before I speake of the articles firste we haue here to set forth what coÌ„munication passed betwixt him Rob. Smith being then also there prisoner w t hym in newgate concerning his facte done at Westminster the tenor effect of which communication here foloweth A communication or debating betweene Robert Smith prisoner in Newgate and W. Flower concerning his striking of the priest at Westminster Robert Smith The talke betweene Robert â—myth and W. Flower FRend for as much as I do vnderstand that you do professe the Gospell and also haue so done a long season I am bolde to come vnto you and in the way of communication to demaunde and learne a truth at your owne mouth of certaine thyngs by you committed to the astonishynge not onely of mee but of diuers other that also professe the veritie Flower I praise God for hys great goodnesse in shewing me the light of hys holy woorde and I geue you heartie thankes for your visitation intending by Gods grace to declare all the truth that ye shal demaunde lawfully of me in all things Smith Then I desire you to shewe me the truthe of your deede committed on Iohn Cheltam priest in the Church as nere as you can that I may heare of your owne mouth howe it was Flo. I came from my house at Lambeth ouer the water and entring into saint Margaretes Church so called and there seeing the people falling down before a most shamefull and detestable Idoll The zeale of W. Flower in seeing the Lordes honour defaced being moued with extreeme zeale for my God whome I saw before my face dishonoured I drewe foorth my Hanger and strake the priest which ministred the same vnto them whereupon I was immediately apprehended and this is most true as the acte is manifest Smith Did ye not know the person that ye strake or were ye not zelous vpon him for any euil wil or hatred betwene you at any time Flo. No verily I neuer to my knowledge sawe the person before that present neither ought him or any man aliue euil wil or malice for if he had not had it an other shoulde if I hadde any time come where the like occasion had bene ministred if God had permitted me to doe it Smith Doe ye thinke that thing to be well done and after the rule of the Gospell Flo I do confesse all flesh to be subiect to the power of almighty God Extraordinary zeales are no generall rules to be followed whom he maketh his ministers to do his wil and pleasure as in example Moses Aaron Phinees Iosua Zimrie Ihehie Iudith Mathathiah wyth many other not only chaunging degrees but also planting zeales to hys honour against all order and respect of flesh and bloude For as sayeth S. Paule Hys workes are past fineding out by whose spirite I haue also geuen my fleshe at thys present vnto suche order as it shall please the good will of God to appoynt in death which before the act committed I looked for Smith Thinke you it conuenient for me or any other to do the like by your example Flo. No verily neither do I know