out of the same Catechisme to Iulianus Apostata and the booke for a Dialogue set out by the sayd Iulianus Apostata wherein Christ and Pilate were the speakers Westons sermon confuted by M. Couerdalle with many other things Which Sermon with al the poynts therof maister Couerdall the same time learnedly confuted by wryting which remaineth yet in my handes to be seene In the weeke following began the disputations in the conuocation house in Paules Churche whereof sufficient hath bene before declared pag. 1342. The 26. day of October the Uicechauncellour of Cambridge went to Clarehall and in the presence of Doctoure Walker displaced Doctour Madewe and placed Maister Swynborne in the Maistership there by force of the Lorde Chauncellours letters for that he was as they termed it Vxoratus that is maried The 28. day of October Running before the law the Papistes in the kings colledge in Cambridge not tarying the making of any lawe but of their blinde zeale had their whole seruice againe in the Latin tong contrary to the law then in force The last of October the Uicechauncelloure of Cambridge did sharpely reprooue and threaten one M. Thrackold for that he challenged the sayd Uicechauncellor who had suffered maister Bouell contrary to the statutes then in force quietly wythout punishment to depart notwithstanding that he refused to sweare to the supremacie of the Queene and the abrogation of the bishop of Rome The third day of Nouember The Queenes proceedinges maintained in Cambridge before the law the Uicechauncellor sent for the Curate of the rounde Parish in Cambridge commaunding hym not to minister any more in the English toung saying he would haue one vniforme order of seruice throughoute the Towne and that in Latine wyth Masse which was established the xij day of this moneth The 6. day of Nouember M. Pollarde preached at S. Michaels and in his Sermon approoued Purgatorie The 28. day of Nouember the Archdeacons Officiall visited in Hynton where hee gaue in charge to present all suche as did disturbe the Queenes proceedings in letting the Latine seruice the setting vp of their altars and saying of Masse or any parte thereof whereby it was easie to see how these good fellowes ment to proceede hauing the law once on their side that thus readely against a manifest law would attempt the punishment of any man The 15. day of December K. Edwardes Actes repealed there was two Proclamations at London the one for the repealing of certaine actes made by kynge Edwarde and for the setting vppe of the Masse for the 20. day of December then next folowing the other was that no man should interrupt any of those that would say Masse The Parliament beginning aboute the v. daye of October continued till the fifth of December In the whyche Parliament were dissolued as well all Statutes made of Fremunire in the time of King Henrie viij c. as also other lawes and statutes concerning religion and administration of Sacraments decreed vnder king Edwarde the 6. as is partly aboue touched In the which Parliament moreouer was appoynted the 20. day of December next ensuing the same yeare .1553 that all the olde forme and manner of Church seruice vsed in the last yere of king Henry should now againe be restored On Newyeares euen being the last of December the Lorde Marques of Northampton was deliuered oute of the Tower About this time a Priest at Caunterbury sayde Masse on the one day A priest of Canterbury repenting his saying Masse the next day after he came into the pulpit and desired all the people to forgeue him for he said he had betraied Christe but not as Iudas did but as Peter did and there made a long Sermon against the Masse The day after Newyeares day being the seconde daye of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord. 1554. foure Ambassadours came into London from the Emperour and were honorably receiued Their names were these Le Countie de Egmont Le Countie de Lalen Mounsieur Corire Le Chauncellour Nigre About this time a great number of newe Byshoppes Deanes c. were chosen more then were made at one time since the Conquest Theyr names are these D. Holyman B. of Bristow D. Coates B. of Westchester New Bishops made D. Hopton Byshop of Norwiche D. Bourne B. of Bathe D. White B. of Lyncolne D Mores B. of Rochester D. Morgan Bishop of S. Dauies D. Poole B. of S. Asse D. Brookes Bish. of Glocester D. Moreman coadiutour to the Byshop of Exceter after his decease Byshop of Exceter D. Glin B. of Bangor Maister Fecknam Deane of Paules D. Rainoldes Deane of Bristow with others The 12. day of Ianuarie the Uicechancellour of Cambridge called a congregation generall wherein amongste other things he shewed that the Quene would haue there a Masse of the holy Ghost vppon the 18. day of Februarie then next following for that it was her birthe day whyche was fulfilled the day appoynted and that very solemnely Upon the Saterday being the 13. of Ianuarie Doctour Crome was committed to the Fleete Also vpon the Sonday following one M. Addington was committed to the Tower D. Crome committed to the Fleete Also this same Sonday knowledge was giuen in the Court openly by the B. of Winchester that the marryage betweene the Queenes maiestie the king of Spaine was concluded and the day following being monday and the 15. of Ianuary The mariage of Q. Mary the Maior with the Aldermen and certaine Commoners were at the Court and there they were commanded by the Lord Chauncellor to prepare the Citie ready to receiue the said king of Spaine who declared vnto them what a Catholicke mighty prudent wise prince the said king is with many other commendations of him Upon the Saterday folowing being the 20. of Ian. the Court of the first fruites and tenthes was dissolued Upon the Thursday at night following the 25. day of Ianuarie the Lorde Marques of Northampton was againe committed to the Tower and sir Edward Warnar with him Who were brought to the Tower by the Maior Uppon the Saterdaye followinge being the 26. of Ianuary Iustice Hales was committed to the Marshalsee and the same day maister Rogers was cōmitted to Newgate Iustice Hales committed to the Marshalsey M. Rogers committed to Newgate Upon this Saterday Sonday and Monday folowing the Londiners prepared a number of souldiors by the Queenes commaundement to goe into Kent against the Commons whereof were chiefe Captaines the Duke of Northfolke the Earle of Wormewood sir Harry Iernyngham sir George Haward and 10. other captaines Which soldiors when they came to Rochester bridge where they should haue set vpon their enemies most of them as it is sayde lefte theyr owne Captaines and came wholy to the Kentishmen and so the foresaid Captaines returned to the Court both void of men and victory leauing behind them both 6. peeces of ordinance and treasure Aboute the latter ende of Ianuarie the Duke of
iustice nor vnwoonted to thy mercy It is well knowen vnto vs how maruelously thou diddest worke in Sara of the age of xc yeares and in Elizabeth the barren and also far striken in age for thy counsel is not in the power of men Thou Lord that art y e searcher of harts thoughts thou knowest that thy seruaÌ„t neuer lusted after man neuer gaue her selfe to wanton coÌ„pany nor made her selfe pertaker w t them that walk in lightnes but she consented to take an husband with thy feare not with her lust Thou knowest that thy seruaunt tooke an husband not for carnal pleasure but only for the desire loue of posteritie wherein thy name might be blessed for euer and euer Geue therfore vnto thy seruaunts Phillip our king and Mary our Queene a male issue which may sit in the seat of thy kingdome Geue vnto our Queene thy seruant a little infant in fashion and body comely beautifull in pregnant wit notable and excellent Graunt the same to be in obedience like * It is not best such one to be graunted vnto you 〈◊〉 being lyke Abrahamâ— Ioseph Moses and Salomon hâ— may chauÌ„â—â— to smel oâ— your corrupt doctrine and detest yoâ— bloudy tyranny c. Abraham in hospitalitie like Loth in chastitie and brotherly loue lyke Ioseph in meekenes myldnes like Moses in strength valiantnes like Sampson Let him be found faythful as Dauid after thy hart Let him be wise among kings as the most wise Salomon Let him be like Iob a simple and an vpright man fearing God eschewyng euill Let hym finally be garnished with the comelynes of all vertuous coÌ„ditions and in the same let him waxe old and lyue that he may see his childrens children to the third fourth generation And geue vnto our soueraigne Lord and Lady K. Phillip and Queene Mary thy blessing and long life vpoÌ„ earth And graunt that of theÌ„ may come kings Queenes which may stedfastly continue in faith loue and holynesse And blessed be their seed of our God that all nations may know thou art only God in all the earth which art blessed for euer and euer Amen ¶ Another prayer for Queene Mary and her conceiued chyld O Almighty father which diddest sanctifie the blessed Virgine and mother of Mary in her conception and in the byrth of Christ our sauiour thy onely sonne also by thy omnipotent power didst safely deliuer the prophet Ionas out of the Whales belly Defend O Lord we beseech thee An other prayer for the same thy seruaunt Mary our Queene with child conceyued and so visite her in and with thy godly gift of health that not onely the child thy creature within her conteined may ioyfully come from her into this worlde and receyue the blessed Sacraments of Baptisme and Confirmation enioying therwith dayly encrease of all princely and gracious gifts both of body soule but that also she the mother thorowe thy speciall grace and mercy may in tyme of her trauaile auoyde all excessiue dolour and payne and abide perfect and sure from all perill and danger of death with long and prosperous life thorough Christ our Lord Amen It followeth now further in processe of the story that vpon the Tuesday being the x. of Ianuary xix of the lower house of the Parliament with the Speaker Ianuary 1â— came to the White Hall to the kyng and there offred him the gouernment of the realme and of the Issue if the Queene should faile which was confirmed by act of Parliament within ten dayes after Upon Wednesday folowing Ianuary â—â— beyng the xxvi of Ianuary the Parliament was cleane dissolued In this Parliament among other things the bishop of Rome was established and all such lawes as were made against hym since the xx yeare of K. Henry the 8. were repealed also cardinall Poole bish Pates The Pope supremacy establisheâ— by Parlament Matters coÌ„â—cluded in the Parlaâ—ment Lilly other were restored to their bloud Also there was an acte made for speakyng of words that whosoeuer should speake any thyng agaynst the king or Queene or that might mooue any sedition or rebellion at the first tyme to haue one of his eares cut of or to forfeit an C. markes and at the second tyme to haue both his eares cut off or els to forfeit an C. pounds who so euer should write cipher or print any of the premisses to haue their right hand cut off Three statutes agaynst heretickes reâ—uiued Also in this Parliament three statutes were reuiued for triall of heresie one made in the fift yere of Richard the 2. an other in the 2. yeare of Henry the 4. and the third in the 2. yeare of Henry the 5. Also the doyng of M. Rose and the other that were with him was communed of in this Parliament and vpon that occasion an acte was made that certaine euill prayers should be treason agaynst the Queenes highnes The prayers of these men were thus God turne the hart of Queene Mary from Idolatrie or els shorten her dayes Wherof read the statute Ann. 1. 2. Reg. Phil. Mariae Cap. 9. As touching the taking of M. Rose his felows word was brought therof to M. Hooper being theÌ„ in the Fleete Whereupon the said M. Hooper sendeth aunswer againe with a letter also of consolation sent to the sayd prisoners the copie wherof I thought here not to ouerpasse ¶ The aunswer of M. Hooper to a letter sent vnto him concerning certaine prisoners taken in Bowe churchyard 〈◊〉 aunâ—â—re to a 〈…〉 sent 〈◊〉 him THe grace of God be with you Amen I perceiue by your letter how that vpon Newyeres day at night there were taken a godly company of Christians whilest they were praying I doe reioyce in that men can be so well occupied in this perilous time and flee vnto God for remedy by prayer as well for theyr owne lackes and necessities as also charitably to pray for them that persecute them So doth the worde of God commaund all men to pray charitably for them that hate them and not to reuile any Magistrate with wordes or to meane him euill by force or violence They also may reioyce that in well doyng they were taken to the prison Wherfore I haue thought it good to send them this little writing of consolation praying God to send them pacience charitie constancie in the truth of his most holy word Thus fare you well and pray God to send his true word into this Realme againe amongest vs which the vngodly Bishops haue now banished Ianua 4. ann 1555. ¶ A letter of consolation sent from M. Hooper to the godly brethren taken in Bow churchyard in prayer and layd in the Counter in Breadstreat THe grace fauor consolation and ayd of the holy ghost be with you now and euer So be it Dearely beloued in the Lord euer sithens your imprisonment A letter of 〈◊〉 Hooper 〈◊〉 of most â—eauenly â—onsolatioÌ„ I haue
for the second time being duely conuicted it was made felonie as the other were In this constitution if the Lord Cromwell and other good men of the Parliament might haue had their wyll there is no doubt but the first crime of these concubinarye Priests as well as the second had had the same penaltie as the other vj. Articles had and should haue bene punished with death But Steuen Gardiner with his felowe Byshops who then ruled all the roste so basted this extraordinarie Article with their accustomed shiftes that if they were taken and duely conuicte for their not castè nor cautè at first time it was but forfaite of goodes Also for the second conuiction or atteinder they so prouided that the next yeare folowing that punishment and paine of death by Acte of Parliamente 〈◊〉 an 〈…〉 c. 10. was cleane wiped away and repealed And why so Because sayeth the Statute that punishment by payne of deathe is very sore and much extreme therefore it pleaseth the Kyng wyth the assente of the Lordes that that clause aboue written concerning felonie and paynes of deathe and other penalties and forfaitures for and vpon the first and seconde conuiction or atteynder of anye Prieste or woman The Acte aâ—ainst the â—horedome 〈◊〉 Priestes 〈◊〉 â—fter what 〈◊〉 for anye suche offences of whoredome or aduoutrie aforesayde shall be from hencefoorth voyde and of none effecte c. So that by this statute it was prouided for all suche votaries as liued in whoredome and adulterie for the first offence to lose his goodes and all his spirituall promotions except one For the second to forfaite all that he had to the King For the third conuiction to susteyne continuall imprisonment In these vngodly proceedings of the Popes Catholicke Clergie two things we haue to note The maniâ—est impiety â—f the popes â—octrine â—isclosed 1. First the horrible impietie of their doctrine directly fighting against the expresse authoritie of God his word forasmuch as that which God permitteth they restrayne that which he biddeth they forbid Habeat sayeth he non habeat say they taking exceptions agaynste the worde of the Lord. That which he calleth honorable and vndefiled they call heresie that which he cuÌ„mendeth and instituteth they punish with paynes of death Not onely the Priestes that marry but them also that say or cyphre that a Prieste may marry at the first they kill as felons Neither can any Miserere take place for chaste and lawfull wedlocke where as coÌ„trariwise a spirituall man may thrise defile his neighbours wife or thrise defloure his Brothers daughter and no felonie at all layde to his charge What is this in plaine words to say but that it is lesse sinne thrise to commit aduoutry then once to marry 2. The seconde is to be noted how these paynted hypocrites doe bewray their false dissembled dealinges vnawares with whome a man might thus reason Tell vs you Priests and votaries Dilemma â—gainst 〈◊〉 that will not marry which so precisely flie the state of Matrimonie intende you to liue chaste and are able so to do without wiues or do you keepe your selues chaste honest without them and without burning or not If ye be not able why then mary you not why take you not the remedy appointed of God Why make you those vowes which you can not performe or why do you not breake them being made falling thereby in daunger of breakyng Gods commandemeÌ„t for keeping your owne If you be able and so do intend to coÌ„tinue an honest and a continent conuersation without wiues then shall I aske of you according as Doct. Turner grauely truely layeth to your charge why do you so carefully prouide a remedie by your lawes aforehand for a mischiefe to come whiche you may auoide if ye list Doct. Turâ—eâ— huntyng â—he Romish Foxe vnlesse eyther ye listed not to stand though ye might or else saw your owne infirmitie that you could not though ye would And therefore fearing your owne weake fragilitie you prouide wisely for your selues aforehand that where other shall suffer paines of death at the first for well doing you may fall thrise in abhominable adultery and yet by the law haue your liues pardoned And heere commeth out your owne hypocrisie by your selues bewrayed For where as you all confesse that you are able to liue chaste if ye wil without wiues this moderation of the lawe prouided before against your aduouterous incontinencie playnely declareth that eyther ye purpose willingly to fal or at least ye feare and stand in doubt not to be able to stand And why then do you so confidently take such vowes vpon you standing in such doubt and feare for the performance thereof And be it to you admitted that all do not fall but that some keepe their vow The Paâ—istes beâ—â—ay their 〈…〉 though some viciously run to other mens wiues and daughters then here againe I aske you seeing these vicious whorehunters and aduouterous persons amongst you do liue viciously as you can not deny and may do otherwise if they list as you coÌ„fesse what punishmeÌ„t then are they worthy to haue which may liue coÌ„tinent and wil not neither yet will take the remedy prouided by God but refuse it Which beyng so then what iniquitie is this in you or rather impietie inexcusable against God and man to procure a moderation of lawes for such The impiety of the Papistes inexcusable and to shew such compassion and clemeÌ„cie to these so heynous adulterers whorehunters and beastly fornicators that if they adulterate other mens wiues neuer so oft yet there is no death for them and to shew no compassion at all nor to finde out any moderation for such but at the very first to kill theÌ„ as felons and heretickes which honestly doe mary in the feare of God or once say that a Priest may mary How can ye heare be excused O you children of iniquitie What reason is in your doyng or what truth in your doctrine or what feare of God in your harts You that neither are able to auoyde burnyng pollutioÌ„ without wedlocke nor yet will receaue that remedy that the Lord hath giuen you how will you stand in his face wheÌ„ hee shall reuele your operations and cogitations to your perpetuall confusion vnlesse by tyme ye conuert and repent And thus beyng ashamed of your execrable doyngs I cease to defile my penne any further in this so stinkyng matter of yours leauyng you to the Lord. It was declared before Read afore pag. 1130. pag. 1136. that what tyme these vi Articles were in hand in the Parliament house Cranmer then beyng Archbyshop of Canterbury onely withstoode the same disputyng iij. dayes agaynst them whose reasons and Arguments I wish were extant and remaynyng After these Articles were thus passed and concluded the kyng who alwayes bare especiall fauour vnto Cranmer perceiuyng him to bee not a litle discomforted therewith sent all the Lordes of the Parlament and
wreaked During the time of these sixe articles aforesayd which brought many good men vnto death yet so it happened by another contrary acte sette forth before for the kinges supremacy as ye haue heard that the contrary sect also of the Papistes was not all in quiet For besides the death of Moore and the Bishop of Rochester and the other Charterhouse Monkes Friers and Priestes aboue specified about this yeare were also condemned and executed by the same law two other Larke Priest of Chelsey Germaine Gardine traytors agaynst◠the kings supremacye of whom one was a Priest of Chelsey named Larke which was put to death at London for defending the B. of Romes supremacy aboue the kynges authority The other was Germine Gardiner nere kinsman to Steuen Gardiner and yet more neare to his secret coūsell as it is supposed who likewise in practising for the Pope agaynst the kings iurisdiction was taken wyth the maner and so brought vnto the Gibbet Upon the detection of this Germaine Gardiner being Secretary to Gardiner bishop of Winchester his kinsman it semed to some Suspitiō against Steuē Gardiner and so was also insinuated vnto the king not to be vnlike but that the sayd Germain neither would nor durst euer attempt any such matter of popery without some setting on or consent of the Bishop he being so nere vnto him to all his secrets as he was Wherby the king began somewhat more to smell and misdoubt the doinges of the Bishop but yet he so couertly and clearely conueyed his matters playing vnder the boord after his wonted fetches in such sort as I can not tel how still he kept in with the king to the great inquietatiō of the publick state of the Realme and especially of Christes Church In declaring the dreadfull lawe before set forthe of the sixe ayticles which was an 1540. ye heard what penaltye was appoynted for the breach of the same in like case as in treason felony so that no remedy of any recātatiō would serue Stat. an 35. Reg. Henr. 8. This seueritye was a little mitigated by an other Parliament holden afterward an 1544. by the which parliament it was decreede that such offenders which were conuict in the sayd articles for the first time should be admitted to recant and renounce their opinions And if the party refused to recant in such forme as should be layd vnto him by his Ordinary or after his recantation The rigour of the 6. articles a little aswaged if he eftsoones offended agayne then for the second time he should be admitted to abiure and beare a fagot Which if he denyed to do or els being adiured if he the third time offended then he to susteine punishment according to the Lawe c. Although the straitnes rigor of the former act was thus somewhat tempered as ye see and reformed by this presēt Parliament yet notwithstanding the venome and poison of the errors and mischiefe of those articles remayned still behind not remoued but rather confirmed by this Parliament aforesayd By the which Parliament moreouer many thinges were prouided for the aduauncement of Popery vnder the coulor of religion so that all maner of books of the old and new Testament bearing the name of Will Tindall or any other hauing Prologues or conteining any matters annotations preambles wordes or sentēces contrary to the sixe articles were debarred In like maner all songs playes and Enterludes with all other books in English conteining matter of religion tending any way agaynst the sayd articles were abolished In the which Parliament furthermore it was prouided that the text of the new Testament or of the Bible being prohibited to all women artificers prentises iourneimen seruingmen yeomen husbandmen and laborers yet was permitted notwithstanding to noble men and gentle men gentlewomen to read and peruse to their edifying so that they did it quietly without arguing discussing or expounding vpon the Scripture Ouer and besides Qualification of the acte of the 6. articles wheras before the offender or defendaunt might not be suffered to bring in any witnesses to purge and try himself In this Parliament it was permitted to the party detect or complayned on to try his cause by witnesses as many or mo in nūber as the other which deposed agaynst him c. Other qualifications of the acte of the sixe Articles AFter this Parliament moreouer folowed an other parliament an 1545. wherein other qualifications more speciall of the sixe articles were prouided That where as before the cruell statute of the sixe articles was so strayt y t if any of the kinges subiectes had bene cōplayned of by any maner of person as wel being his enemy as otherwise he should be indicted presently vpon the same without anye further examination or knowledge geuē to the party so accused so thereupon to be attached committed and in fine to be condemned it was therfore by this parliamēt prouided that all such presentmentes and indictmentes shoulde not be brought before the Commissioners otherwise then by the othes of xij men or moe of honesty and credit with out corruption or malice accordingly Item that no such indictmentes or presentmentes should be taken but within one yeare of the offences committed eyther els the sayd indictmentes to stand voyd in the law Item that no person accused vpon any such offence agaynst the sixe articles should be attached or committed to ward before he were therof indicted vnlesse by speciall warrant from the king c. Item by the authority of the sayd Parliament it was considered and enacted that if any preacher or reader for any word spoken supposed to be agaynst the sixe articles shoulde be accused not within the space of 40. dayes of the sayd his reading or preaching then the partie accused to be acquited Item that the Iustices or inquirers of suche presentmentes should haue full power to alter and reforme all panelles of inquirie returned before them in like maner as the Iustices of peace may do in theyr Sessions vpon any other inquiries Item that the party so accused or indicted vppon his tryall may haue all manner of chalenges peremptory onely excepted as other persons arraigned for felony may haue by the lawes of this realme Stat. anno 1545. R. Hen. 8. By these qualifications moderatiōs of the 6. articles it may appere that the king begā somwhat to grow out of fauor with Ste. Gardiner to discredit his doings wherby he was y e more forward to incline somewhat in furthering the desolate cause of religiō as may appeare both by these premisses also by other prouisions determinations of the foresayd parliament an 1545. wherein it was decreed by act of parliamēt A Statute for examination of tha Canon law y t the king should haue full power authority to appoynt 32. persons to wit 16. of y e clergy 16. of the tēporalty to peruse ouersee examine the Canōs cōstitutions ordinaūces
vnity concord in al things and especially in the true fayth and religion of God and therewithal also duely wayed the great daunger that his louing Subiects were in for confessing the gospell of Christ through many and diuers cruell statuts made by sondry his predecessors against the same which being stil left in force mought both cause the obstinate to conteÌ„n his graces godly procedings and also the weak to be fearefull of theyr christianlike profession he therfore caused it among other things by the authority of the same parliament to be enacted Statut. an 1. Reg. Edwardi 6. Cap. 12. that all Actes of Parliament Statutes touching mentioning or in any wise concerning religion or opinions that is to say as well y e statute made in the first yeare of the reigne of king Rich. the second The statute made An· 1. Reg. Rich. 2. An. Reg Hen 5. An. 25. Reg. HeÌ„ 8. Item An. 31. Henr. â— An. 34. Henr. 8. An. 35. Henr. 8. repealed Item note for the statute An. 2. Reg. HeÌ„ 4. cp 15. because that statute was repealed by an estatute made 25. an Henr. 8. therefore the same is here omitted The bloudy statute of the 6. articles repealed and the statute made in the second yeare of the reigne of King Henry the fift and the statute made in the 25. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry .8 coÌ„cerning punishment and reformation of hereticks and Lollards and euery prouision therein conteined and the Statutes made for the abolishment of diuersity of opinions in certain Articles concerning Christian religion commoÌ„ly called the 6. Articles made in the 31. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry 8. also the statute made in the ParliameÌ„t begon the 16. day of Ianuary in the 33. yeare of the reigne of the sayd K. HeÌ„ry the 8. and after proroged vnto the 21. day of Ianuary in the 24. yeare of his sayd raigne touching mentioning or in any wise concerning bookes of the olde and new Testament in English the printing vttering selling geuing or deliuering of bookes or writings and reteining of english bookes or writinges and reading preaching teaching or expounding the scriptures or in any wise touching meÌ„tioning or coÌ„cerning any of the sayd matters And also one other statute made in the 35 yeare of the Raigne of the sayd K. Henry 8. concerning the qualification of the Statute of the sixe Articles and all and euery other act or acts of parliament concerning doctrine or matters of religion and al and euery braunch article sentence matter paines or forfaytures conteined meÌ„tioned or in any wise declared many of the same Actes or Statutes should from thenceforth be vtterly repealed made voyd and of none effect By occasion wherof as wel al such his godly subiects as were then still abiding within this Realme had free liberty publickely to professe the Gospel as also many learned zealous preachers before banished were now both licensed freely to returne home agayne also encouraged boldly and faythfully to trauel in theyr fuÌ„ction and calling so that God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified Moreouer in the same Session his Maiestye with the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in the same Parliament assembled throughly vnderstanding by the iudgement of the best learned that it was more agreable vnto y â— first institution of the sacrament of the most precious body and bloud of our Sauior Christ and also more conformable to the common vse and practise both of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche by the space of fyue hundreth yeares and more after Christes Ascension that the sayde holye Sacrament shoulde bee ministred vnto all Christen people vnder both the kindes of bread and wine then vnder the forme of bread onely and also that it was more agreable vnto the sayd first institution of Christ and the vsage of the Apostles and primatiue Churche that the people being preseÌ„t should receiue the same with the priest then that the priest should receiue it alone dyd by theyr authority moreouer enacte that the sayde holy Sacrament should be from theÌ„ceforth commonly deliuered and ministred vnto the people throughout the churches of Englâ—d and Ireland and other the kinges dominioÌ„s vnder both y e kindes of bread and of wine The asseâ—â—bly oâ— Byâ—shop◠〈◊〉 others at Windsore except necessity otherwise required and also that the Priest that should minister the same should at the least one day before exhort all persons which should be present likewise to resort prepare themselues to receiue the same And at y e day prefixed after some godly exhortation made by the minister wherin should be further expressed the benefit and comfort promised to them which worthely receiue this holy Sacrament the daunger and indignation of God threatned to them which presume to receiue the same vnworthely to the end that euery man might try and examine his owne conscience before he should come thereunto the sayd Minister shoulde not without a lawfull cause denye the same to any person that would deuoutly and humbly desire it any Law Statute The assemâ—bly of Byshops and others 〈◊〉 Windsore ordinaunce or custome contrary therunto in any wise notwithstanding After which most godly consent of the parliament the king being no lesse desirous to haue the forme of administration of the Sacrament truely reduced to the ryght rule of the scriptures and first vse of the primatiue church then he was to establish the same by the authority of his owne regall lawes appoynted certain of the most graue and best learned Bishops and others of his Realme to assemble together at his Castle of Windsor there to argue and entreat vpon this matter and conclude vpon and set forth one perfect and vniforme order according to the rule and vse aforesayd And in the meane while that the learned were thus occupyed about theyr conferences the Lord Protectour and the rest of the kinges Councell farther remembring that that time of the yere did then approch wherin were practised many superstitious abuses and blasphemous ceremonies agaynst the glory of God and trueth of his word determining the vtter abolishing thereof directed theyr letters vnto the godly and reuerend father Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Caunterbury Metropolitane of England requiring him that vpon the receit thereof he should will euery Bishop within his Prouince forthwith to geue in charge vnto all the Curates of theyr Diocesses that neither candles should be any more borne vpoÌ„ Candlemas day neither yet ashes vsed in Lent Candleâ—â—â— to be 〈◊〉 on Candâ—â—â—mas day nor Palmes vpon palme Sonday Whereupon the Archbishop zealously fauouring thee good and Christianlike purpose of the king and his CouÌ„sell Ashes for bidden on Ashwednesday 〈◊〉 Edm. Boâ—â—â— did immediately in that behalfe write bnto all the rest of the Bishops of that prouince and amongest them vnto Edmund Boner then Bishop of London Of whose rebellious and obstinate contumacy for that we
your Prince and King by almightye God if any wise we coulde aduaunce Gods honour more then we doe we would doe it and see that ye become subiectes to Gods ordinances obeying vs your Prince and learne of them which haue authoritie to teache you whiche haue power to rule you and will execute our iustice if we be prouoked Learne not of them whose fruits be nothing but wilfulnes disobedience obstinacie dissimulation and destruction of the realme For the masse we assure you no small studie nor trauell hath bene spent by al the learned Clergy therein 4. The Masse and to auoyde all contention it is brought euen to the verye vse as Christ left it as the apostles vsed it as holy fathers deliuered it in dede somwhat altred from y t the Popes of Rome for their lucre brought to it And although ye may hear the contrary of some Popish euil men yet our maiestie which for our honour may not be blemished nor stained assureth you that they deceiue you abuse you and blowe these opinions into your heads for to finish their owne purposes And so likewise iudge you of confirmation of children and let them answeare you this one question Thinke they that a child christened Confirmation is damned because it dieth before bishopping They be confirmed at the time of discretion to learne that they professed in the lacke therof by Baptisme taught in age that which they receiued in infancie Baptisme 〈◊〉 without any Bishoping and yet no doubt but they be saued by Baptisme not by confirmation made Christes by Christening and taught howe to continue by Confirmation Wherfore in the whole marke good subiects how our doctrine is founded vpō true learning and theirs vpon shamelesse errors To cōclude beside our gentle maner of information to you what soeuer is contained in our booke either for baptisme sacrament Masse Confirmation and seruice in the church is by our parlament established by the whole clergie agreed yea by the bishops of the realme deuised further by Gods word confirmed And how dare ye trust yea how dare ye geue care without trembling to any singuler person to disallow a Parliament a subiect to perswade against our maiestie a man of his single arrogancie against the determination of the Bishops and all the clergie anye inuented argument against the word of God But nowe you our subiects we resort to a greater matter of your blindnes of your vnkindnes a great vnnaturalnes such an euill that if we thought it had not begon of ignorance and continued by persuasion of certaine traitors amongst you which we thinke few in number but in their doings busie Anno 1549. we coulde not be perswaded but to vse our sword and doe iustice and as we be ordained by God that is to redresse your errors by auengmēt but loue and zeale yet ouercommeth our iust anger but howe long that will be God knoweth in whose hand our hart is and rather for your owne causes being our Christened subiectes we would ye were perswaded then vanquished informed then forced taught then ouerthrowen quietly pacified then rigorously persecuted The rebells require the 6. Articles Ye require to haue the statute of the 6. articles reuiued and knowe ye what ye require or knowe yee what ease ye haue with the losse of them They were lawes made but quickly repented too bloudy they were to be borne of oure people and yet at the first in deede made of some necessitie Oh subiects how are ye trapped by subtile persons we of pitie because they were bloudy tooke them away and you nowe of ignorance will aske them againe You knowe full well that they helped vs to extende rigour and gaue vs cause to draw our sword very often they were as a whetstone to our sworde for your causes we left to vse them And since our mercie mooued vs to wryte our lawes wyth milke equitie how be ye blinded to aske them in bloud But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you witte the same hath bene adnulled by our parlament The 6. Articles taken away by Parliament with great reioyce of our subiects and not now to be called by subiectes in question Dare then any of you with the name of a subiecte stand against an acte of parliament a lawe of the whole realme What is our power if lawes shoulde be thus neglected Yea what is your suretie if lawes be not kept Assure you most surely y t we of no earthly thing vnder y e heauē make such a reputation as we doe of this one thyng to haue our lawe obeyed and this cause of God which we haue taken in hande to be thorowly maintained from the which we will neuer remooue a heares breadth A notaple zeale and a princely word of a king nor geue place to any creature liuing much lesse to any subiecte but therein will spende our owne royall person oure crowne treasure realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our highe honour For heerein in deede resteth our honoure heerein standeth our kingdome heerein doe all kinges knowledge vs a king And shall any of you dare breathe or thinke against our honor our kingdome or crowne In the end of thys your request as we be geuen to vnderstand ye would haue them stand in force vntill our full age The kinges age To this we thinke if ye knew what ye spake ye wold neuer haue vttered y e motion nor euer geuen breath to such a thoughte For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your king nowe as we shal be or shall ye be subiects hereafter and now are ye not Haue not we the right we shal haue If ye woulde suspend and hang our doings in doubt vntill our full age ye must first know as a king we haue no differēce of yeres nor time but as a naturall man and creature of God wee haue youth by his suffrance shall haue age we are your rightful king your liege Lord your king annoynted your king crowned the soueraign king of England not by our age but by Gods ordinance not only when we shal be 21. of yeares A king possesseth his crowne not by yeares but by Gods ordinaunce but when we were of 10. yeares We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloud and discente from our father king Henry the eight You are our subiects because we be your king and rule we will because God hath willed It is as great a fault in vs not to rule as in a subiect not to obey If it be considered they which moue this matter if they durst vtter them selues would deny our kingdome But our good subiects know their prince and will encrease not diminish his honor enlarge not abate hys power knowledge not defer his kingdome to certaine yeares al is one to speake against our crowne
had ben belied of euil men and misreported not to â—eare a true hart to his grace but a rebellious minde in denying his royall power in his minoritie where in deede he sayeth his grace should finde hym alwayes during life both in heart woorde and deede to do and acknowledge otherwise to be most willing to shew c. and to doe all other thinges for his grace as willingly as any other subiecte or as those that were his denouÌ„cers who hee thought were not sent of his grace but pretensed Commissioners c. Further he complained of his denuntiation by certain commissioners who sayde they were sent by his grace alleaging the same not to be lawful and of his long sharpe imprisonment that the commissioners obserued neyther law nor reasonable order but extremitie And wher he had made appeale to his grace and he coulde not haue it he desired to haue lawe to prosecute sue his appeale for his remedy that he coÌ„sidering his vocation might not be shut vp put from libertie which his meanest subiects haue Then he desired hys graces letters of Supersedeas against the commissioners and that the matter might be heard before the counsaile and then he doubted not but to be found a true faithfull man and heerein to haue wrong So in the ende hee concluded this prostrating him selfe euen to the very ground and humbly kissing his graces fete to be the thing onely which he humbly desired c. THis done the supplication perused the King eftsoone geueth in charge and commaundement Boners appellation to the king perused tryed and found by the Lawe vneffectuall and vnreasonable to certain men of honor and worship persons skilfull in the lawe as to Lorde Rich high Chancelor the L. treasurer the L. Marques Dorset the B. of Ely Lord Wentworth sir Anthony Wingfield sir W. Harbert knightes Doc. Nich. Wootton Ed. Mountague Lorde chiefe Iustice Sir Iohn Baker knight with Iudge Hales Ioh. Gosnold D. Oliuer and also Doctour Leyson that they scanning and perusing all such actes matters and muniments of the sayd Boner by him exhibited produced propounded and alleaged with al and singular his protestations recusations appellatioÌ„s should vpon mature consideration therof geue their directed answere vpon the same The sentence of Boners depriuation by the Peeres learned men of the realme found to be iust and lawfull whether the appellation of the said Boner were to be deferred vnto and whether the sentence defined against him stood by the law sufficient and effectual or not Who eftsoones after diligent discussion and considerate aduisement had of all singular the premisses gaue their resolute answere that the pretensed appellation of Edmund Boner aforesayde was nought and vnreasonable and in no wise to be deferred vnto and that the sentence by the Commissioners against him was rightly and iustly pronounced And this was the coÌ„clusion of Boners whole matter and depriuation for that time Thus then leauing doctor Boner a while in the Marshalsey with his keeper The first trouble of the L. Protector was about the moneth of Octob. an 1549. we will proceede the Lorde permitting further in the course of our storie as the order of yeres and time requireth And although the trouble of the Lord Protector falleth heere ioyntly with the depriuatioÌ„ of D. Boner yet because he was shortly again deliuered out of the same throughe the Lordes mightye woorking I will therefore delay the tractation thereof till the time of his seconde trouble whych was two yeares after and so in the meane time returning agâ—ine into our discourse inteÌ„d by the Lords leaue to collect and continue the matters begoÌ„ touching y e kings godly proceedings for reformatioÌ„ of religion in the foresaid yere of our lord concurring an 1549. And heere first a note woulde be made of Peter Martyr and of his learned trauels Disputation of Pete Martyr with Doct. Chedsey in Oxforde and disputation in the vniuersitie of Oxford the sayde present yeare with doct Chedsey other moe about the matter of the sacrament which was that the substance of breade and wine was not changed in the sacrament that the body and bloude of Christe was not carnally and bodily in the bread and wine but vnited to the same sacramentally In like maner some touch or mention here also would be made of the Ecclesiasticall lawes Ecclesiasticall lawes by Acte of Parlament to be compyled by 32. persons Statut. an 3. Edou 6. for the gathering and compiling wherof 32. persons were assigned by Act of parlament the sayde present yeare 1549. But because these bee rather matters of tractation then Hystoricall I meane God willing to deferre the further consideration thereof vnto the ende of the historie of this kinges dayes and so to passe forward to other matters in the meane while Bookes of Latine seruice called in and abolished IT followeth then in storie that certaine of the vulgare multitude Euill disposed people thinking to haue their latin seruice again after the apprehension of the L. Protectour hearing of the apprehension of the Lord Protectour and supposinge the alteration of publicke Seruice into Englishe and administration of the Sacramente and other rites lately appoynted in the Churche had beene the Acte chiefly or only of the sayd Lorde Protectour beganne vppon the same to noyse and brute abroad that they shuld nowe haue theyr olde Latine seruice wyth holy bread and holy water The kings commaundement to the Byshops and theyr other like superstitious ceremonies againe whereuppon the King wyth the body and state of the priuie Counsell then being directed oute his letters of request and straite commaundement to the Byshoppes in their diocesse to cause and warne the Deane and Prebendaries of their Cathedrall Churches all Persons vicares and Curates with the Churchwardens of euery Parishe wythin their Diocesse to bring in and deliuer vp all Antiphoners Missales Grailes Processionals Manuals Legendes Bookes of Latinâ— seruice called in Pies Portuases Iournals and Ordinals after the vse of Sarum Lincolne Yorke Bangor Herforde or any other priuate vse Anno 1549. and all other bookes of seruice the hauing wherof might be any let to y e seruice now set foorth in English charging also and commaunding all suche as should be found stubborne or disobedient in this behalf to be committed vnto warde And because the Kinge moreouer was aduertised that there was a slacknes and a frowardnes among the people refusing to pay towarde the finding of breade and wine for the holy Communion by reason wherof the Communion in many places was omitted the Bishops in like manner had geuen in charge to prouide for redresse therof Common bread vsed in the holy Communion to punish them which should refuse so to do Wherby it may appeare to vs now that no wafer cakes but common bread was then by the kinges appoyntment ordinarily receiued and vsed in Churches This was about the
death yet ministred to him a quicke dispatch mooued belike by some compassion not to haue him stande in the torment where the tormentors of M. Hooper suffred him without all compassion to stand three quarters of an houre in the fire And as touching the chiefe doers and authors of his martyrdome what Consul or Proconsul was there to be conferred with the Chancelour heere which brought this Martyr to burning Let this suffice Bookes and treatises written by M. Hooper This good Bishop and seruaunte of God being in prison wrote diuers Bookes and Treatises to the number of 24. wherof some he wrote to the parlament in Latine and one to the Bishop of Chichester D. Day besides he wrote of the sacraments of the Lordes praier and of the x. Commaundements with diuers other Here folowe certaine of M. Hoopers letters AS you haue hearde the whole storie of the life and martyrdome of thys good manne declared More of his letters ye shall read in the book of Letters of the Marâ—â—â— so nowe let vs consequently adioyne some parte of hys letters wrytten in the time of hys imprisonment moste fruitfull and worthy to be read especially in these daungerous dayes of all true Christians which by true mortification seeke to serue and followe the Lorde through all tempests and stormes of thys malignaunt worlde as by the readyng and perusing of the sayde letters you shall better feele and vnderstande A letter of M. Hooper to certaine godly professors and louers of the truth instructing them howe to behaue them selues in that wofull alteration and change of Religion THe grace mercye and peace of God the father through oure Lorde Iesus Christ be w t you my deareâ— brethren A letter of â— Hooper and withal those that vnfainedly loue and embrace his holy Gospel Amen It is told me that the wicked Idol the Masse is stablished again by a law passed in the parlameÌ„t house Learn the truth of it I pray you what penaltie is appointed in the Acte to such as speake against it also whether there be any compulsion to constraine men to be at it The statute thorowly knowen such as be abroad at liberty The fauourers oâ— Gods word secluded out of the Parliament both in the hye house and lower agaynst all right and reason may prouide for themselues auoid the danger the better Doubtles there hath not bene seene before our time such a parliament as this is y t as many as were suspected to be fauourers of Gods word shuld be banished out of both houses But we must geue God thanks for that truth he hath opened in the time of his blessed seruant king Edward y e sixth and pray vnto him that we deny it not nor dishonour it w t Idolatrie but that we may haue strength and pacience rather to die ten times then to denie him once Blessed shall we be if euer God make vs worthy of that honor to shed our bloude for hys names sake And blessed then shall we thinke y e parents which brought vs into this worlde that we shoulde from this mortalitie be caried into immortalitie If we followe the commaundement of S. Paule that sayth If ye then be risen againe with Christ Colos. 3. seeke those thynges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hande of God We shall neither departe from the vaine transitorie goodes of this world nor from this wretched and mortal life with so great paines as other doe Let vs pray to our heauenly father that we may know and loue his blessed will and the glorious ioy prepared for vs in time to come and that we maye knowe and hate all things contrary to his blessed will and also the paine prepared for the wicked in the world to come Ther is no better waye to be vsed in this troublesome time for your consolation then many times to haue assemblies together of such men and women as be of your religion in Christ and there to talke and renewe among your selues the truthe of your Religion to see what ye be by the worde of God He exhorteth the brethren to resorte and conferre among theÌ„ selues together and to remember what yee were before yee came to the knowledge thereof to weigh and conferre the dreames and false lies of the Preachers that nowe preache with the worde of God that retaineth all truth and by such talke and familiar resorting together ye shall the better find out all their lies that nowe goe about to deceiue you also both know and loue the truth that God hath opened to vs. It is much requisite that the members of Christe comfort one an other make prayers together conferre one wyth an other Conference amongest brethren comfortable so shal ye be the stronger and Gods spirite shal not be absent froÌ„ you but in the middest of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in all godly things pacient in aduersitie and strong in persecution Ye see how the congregation of the wicked by helping one an other make their wicked religion and them selues strong against Gods truth and his people If ye may haue some learned man that can oute of the Scriptures speake vnto you of faith and true honouring of God also that can shewe you the descent of Christes Church from the beginning of it vntill this day that ye may perceiue by the life of youre forefathers these two things the one that Christes worde which said that all his must suffer persecution and trouble in the worlde be true the other that none of al his before our time escaped trouble then shal yee perceiue that it is but a follie for one that professeth Christ truely to looke for the loue of the world Thus shal ye learne to beare trouble Iohn 10. to exercise your religion and feele in dede that Christes wordes be true In the worlde ye shall suffer persecution And when ye feele your religion in dede say ye be no better then your forefathers but be glad that ye may be counted worthy souldiours for this warre and pray to God when yee come together that hee will vse and order you and youre doings to these three endes which ye must take heede of the first that ye glorifie God the next Three thinges to be taken heede of that yee edifie the Church and Congregation the thirde that ye profite your owne soules In all your doings beware ye be not deceiued For although thys time be not yet so bloudye and tyrannous as the time of our forefathers that coulde not beare the name of Christ wythout daunger of lyfe and goodes Luke 18. yet is oure time more perillous both for body and soule Therefore of vs Christ sayde Thinke ye when the sonne of manne commeth hee shall finde faithe vppon the earthe Hee sayd not Thinke ye he shal find any man or woman Christened in name a Christian but he spake of the faith
behind him The death of Duke Fridericke for that he liued a single life and was neuer maried wherfore after him succeeded Iohn Fridericke D. of Saxony Mention was made a little before page 859. of the Ministers of Strausburgh which because of their Mariage Disceptatiō betweene the Senate of Strausburgh and Cardinall Campeius about married ministers were in trouble and cited by the Bishop to appeare before him and thereto be iudged without the precinct of the Citie of Strausburgh wheras there had bene a contrary order taken before betweene the Bishop and the Citie that the Bishop should execute no iudgement vpon any but vnder some of the Magistrates of the said City of Strausburgh Whereupon the Senate and Citizens taking into their hands the cause of these maried Ministers in defence of their owne right and liberties wrote as is sayd to their Byshop of Strausburgh and caused the iudgement thereof a while to be stayed By reason whereof the matter was brought at lēgth before Cardinall Campeius Legate sent by Pope Clemēt to the assemble of Norenberge an 1524. The chiefe doer in this matter was one Thomas Murnerus a Franciscane Frier who had commenced a greeuous complaint against the Senate and Citie of Strausburgh before the foresayde Cardinall Campeius Murnerus a Frier an accuser of maried ministers The Senate of Strausburgh purgeth themselues to Cardinall Campeius Wherefore the Senate to purge themselues sent their Ambassadours thus clearing their cause and aunswering to theyr accusation That they neither had bene nor would be any let to the Byshop but had signified to him before by theyr letters that whatsoeuer he could lay against those maried Priests consonant to the lawe of God they woulde be no stay but rather a furtherance vnto him to proceede in hys action But the Senate heerein was not a little greeued that the Bishop contrary to the order and compact which was taken betweene him and them did call the sayde Ministers out of the liberties of their Citie For so it was betweene them agreed that no Ecclesiasticall person should be adiudged but vnder some iudge of their owne Citie But now contrary to the said agreement the Bishop called those Ministers out of their liberties The Bishop of Strausburgh breaketh the agreement made the liberties of the Citie and so the Ministers claiming the right and priuiledge of the Citie were condemned their cause being neither heard nor knowne And now if the Senate should shew themselues any thing more sharpe or rigorous vnto those Ministers in claiming the right of the Citie the people no doubt woulde not take it well but happely woulde rise vp in some commotion against them in the quarell and defence of their fraunchises and liberties And where it is obiected that they receaue Priests and men of the Clergy into the fredome and protection of their Citie to this they answered that they did nothing herein but which was correspondent to the auncient vsage and maner of the Citie before and moreouer that it was the Byshops owne request desire made vnto them so to do To this the Cardinall againe aduising well the letters of the Bishop The answer of Campeius to the ambassadours The Popes prelates be lawles and can breake no order whatsoeuer they doe The ambassadours reply against the Cardinall the whole order of the matter which was sent vnto him declared that he right wel vnderstood by the letters sent that the Ministers in deede as the Ambassadours sayd were called out from the freedome liberties of the Citie and yet no order of law was broken therein for as much as the Bishop said he had there no lesse power and authoritie then if he were his owne Uicare delegate and therefore he desired them that they woulde assist the Bishop in punishing the foresayd Ministers c. After much other talke and reasoning on both partes wherein the Ambassadours argued in defence of their freedome that the iudgement should not be transferred out of the Citie among other cōmunication they inferred moreouer and declared how in the Citie of Strausburgh were many yea the most part of the Cleargy which liued viciously and wickedly with their strumpets harlots whom they kept in their houses Holy matrimony punished wicked whoredome escapeth to the great offence of the people shame to Christes Church and pernitious example of other and yet the Bishop would neuer once stirre to see any punishing or correction thereof Wherefore if the Senate said the Ambassadours should permit the Bishop to extend his crueltie and extremitie against these married Ministers for not obseruing the Bishop of Roomes law and leaue the other notorious whoremaisters whiche brake the law of God to escape vnpunished doubtles it would redound to their great danger and perill not onely before God but also among the commons of their Citie readie to rise vpon them To this Campeius aunswered what composition or bargaine was betwixt the Bishop and thē Campeius answereth he knew not but surely the Acte of the one was manifest and needed no great triall in law of prouing and confessing and therefore they were sequestred and abandoned from the communion of the Church ipso facto As for the other sorte of them which keepe harlots and concubines although said he it be not well done Ipso facto that is vpon the very doing of the acte without any further iudgement or triall by the lawe yet doth it not excuse the enormitie of their Mariage Neither was he ignorant but that it was the maner of the Bishops of Germany for money to winke at Priests lemans and the same also was euil done in deede and farther that the time should come when they shall be called to an accompt for the same but yet neuerthelesse it is not sufferable that Priestes therefore shoulde haue wiues And if comparison should be made sayd he much greater offence it were a Priest to haue a wife then to haue and keepe at home many harlots His reason was this For they that keepe harlots sayd he as it is naught that they do A fitt reasō for a carnall Cardinall better it is to haue many concubines then one wife .. Touching the Greeke church how vntruely this Cardinall speaketh turne to the pag. 187. The Ambassadours reply so do they acknowledge their sinne the other perswade themselues to do well and so continue stil without repentance or conscience of their fact All men said he can not be chaste as Iohn Baptist was yet can it not be proued by any example to be lawfull for Priests professing chastitie to leaue their single life and to marrie no not the Greekes themselues which in rites be differing from vs do geue this libertie to their owne Priestes to marry wherefore he prayed them to geue their ayde to the Bishop in this behalfe Whereunto the Ambassadours replyed againe sayeng that if he would first punish the whoremasters then might the Senate assist him
heretikes also y t such as leaue to Martin Luther be heretikes Also he cōfessed that being beyond the sea he heard say before be brought into this realme the bookes cōtained in the said bils that y e king had by proclamation prohibited that no man should bring into this realme any of Martin Luthers bookes or of his sect Which confession thus ended y e Bishop appointed him to appeare the next day Saterday being the xj of Nouember Richard Baifield appeared acknowledged the aunswers that he had made in the Session the day before Which thing done y e Officiall obiected the 4 Article vnto him wherunto he aunswered y t he could not tell whether there be any heresies in thē for he had read no heresies in thē And being demaūded whether he had read any of those bookes he aūswered y t he had read y e greater part of thē here there but not throughout He was demaunded whether he beleeued the forenamed bookes to be good and of the true faith Hee aunswered that he iudged they were good and of the true faith Beyng enquired what bookes he read in the realme he sayd that hee had read the newe Testament in Latine and other bookes mencioned in the bils The booke of Thorps examynation The booke of I. Fryth agaynst Purgatory The practise of Prelats wicked Mammon The booke of obedience The summe of holy Scripture A Dialogue betwene the plowman the gentleman but he read none trāslated notwithstanding he did confesse that he read a booke called Thorpe in the presence and audience of others and also a booke of Iohn Friths purgatory which he had read to himselfe alone as he sayd and also had read to himselfe a booke called the practise of Prelates also said that he had read a booke called the parable of y e wicked Mammon but in y e presence and hearing of others which he knew not Also he confessed that he had read the obedience of a christian man and the summe of scripture among company also the dialogue betwixt the Plowman the Gentleman among company as he thought also he had read a piece of y e answer of Tindall made to sir Thomas More likewise he had read the dialogue of Frith to himself he had read also the Prologues of the v. bookes of Moses contained in y e long scedule and in company as he thought All which bookes hee had read vnder maner aforesayde within these ij yeres last past And as for y e new testament in english he read it before he had these bookes specified in the scedules before rehearsed To the third article as touching Zwinglius and others he supposed that they held y e same doctrine that Luther did but that he thought them to vary in some points The 16. day of Nouember Richard Bayfield appeared again before the Bishop who inquired of him of what sect Zwinglius was He said he thought y t hee helde with Luther in some points c. Also he confessed that first he brought bookes of y e sortes abouenamed into this realme about Midsomer was xij moneth landed them at Colchester afterward brought part of them to this city some hee dispersed and solde in this city The second tyme that he brought bookes was about all Hollowntide was xij month and landed them at S. Catherines the which bookes y t L. Chaūcelor tooke frō him Also that at Easter last was the 3. time y t hee brought ouer the bookes now shewed vnto him cōtained in these two bils landed with them in Norffolke from thence brought them to the city of London in a male To the v. vj. and vij articles he aunswered and confessed them to be true To the viij he aunswered that it was enioyned him as is cōteined in the article y e which iniunction he fulfilled To the ix he answered that he did not remember it To the x. he answered that it was adioined him that hee should go to the Abbey of Bery there cōtinue the which he said he dyd 3. tymes but he did not weare his Monkes cowle as he was enioyned The xi Article he confessed For the xij Article y t he did not weare his monkes habit according to the abiuration he referred hymselfe to y e actes whether he were so enioyned or no. To y e xiij Article he said y t he did not remēber y e contents therof but referred him selfe to the actes Notwithstāding he confessed that he had no licence of the Bishop of Londō to come to the citie or diocesse of London nor to make anie abode there Ex Registro Lond. ¶ The sentence geuen against him in a case of relapse IN the name of God Amen We Iohn by the sufferance of God Byshop of London The 〈◊〉 geuē 〈◊〉 Richard Bayfilde in a case of inquisition of heresie and relapse of the same first begun before M. Rich. Foxfard Doctor of both lawes our officiall now dependynge before vs vndecided against thee Rich. Bayfild Priest and Monke professed to the order rule of S. Benedict in the Monastery of S. Edmondes Bery in the dioces of Norwich and by the meanes of the causes within written vnder our iurisdiction withal fauour rightly and lawfullye proceeding with al fauour possible y e merites and circumstances of the cause of this inquisition heard waied vnderstand fully discussed by vs the said Bishop reseruing vnto our selues y e which by lawe ought to bee reserued haue thought good to proceede in this maner to the pronoūcing of our definitiue sentence Forsomuch as by the Actes enacted inquired propounded and alledged by thee iudicially confessed we do finde that thou hast abiured certaine errours heresies damnable opinions by thee confessed aswel particularly as generally before our reuerent fellowe and brother then thy Ordinary according to the forme and order of the Churche and that one M. Luther together with his adherentes and complices receiuers and fauourers what soeuer they bee was cōdempned as an heriticke by the authoritie of Pope Leo the x. of most happy memory and by the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea and the bookes al writings scedules and Sermons of the sayde maister Luther his adherentes and complices whether they be found in Latine or in anye other languages imprinted or translated for the manifold heresies and errours and damnable opinions that are in them are condemned reproued and vtterly reiected and inhibition made by the authoritie of the said Sea to al faithful Christians vnder the payne of excommunication and other punishments in that behalfe to bee incurred by the law that no man by any meanes presume to read teache heare imprint or publishe or by any meanes do defend directly or vndirectly secretly or openly in their houses or in any other publike or priuat places any such maner of writings bookes errours or Articles as are contained more at large in the Apostolike letters drawne out in
him the tenour whereof here ensueth ¶ The sentence geuen against Iohn Frith IN the name of God Amen We Iohn by the permission of God Byshop of London lawfully and rightly proceeding with all godly fauour by authoritie and vertue of our office against thee Iohn Frith of our iurisdictiō Sentence against Iohn Frythe before vs personally here present being accused and detected and notoriously slaundered of heresie hauinge hearde seene and vnderstande and with diligent deliberation wayed discussed and considered the merites of the cause all thinges being obserued which by vs in this behalfe by order of law ought to be obserued sittyng in our iudgement seate the name of Christ being first called vppon and hauing * As they had which crucified Christ. God onely before our eyes because by y e actes enacted propoūded and exhibited in this matter and by thine owne confession iudicially made before vs we do finde that thou hast taught holden and affirmed and obstinately defended dyuers errours and heresies and damnable opinions contrarie to the doctrine and determinatiō of the holy Church and specially agaynst the reuerende Sacrament and albeit that we following the example of Christ which woulde not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and lyue haue oftentimes gone about to correct thee and by al lawfull meanes that we coulde and moste wholesome admonitions that we did knowe to reduce thee againe to y e true fayth and the vnitie of the vniuersall Catholique Churche notwithstanding wee haue founde thee obstinate and stiffe necked willingly continuing in thy damnable opinions heresies and refusing to returne againe vnto the true faith and vnitie of the holy mother Church and as the childe of wickednesse and darkenesse so to haue hardened thy harte that thou wylt not vnderstande the voyce of thy sheapeheard which with a fatherly affection doth seeke after thee nor wilt not be allured with his godly and fatherly admonitions We therefore Iohn the Bishop aforesaid not willyng that thou whiche arte wicked shouldest become more wicked and infecte the Lordes flocke wyth thy heresye which we are greatly afrayde of do iudge thee and definitiuely condemne thee the sayde Iohn Frith thy demerites and faultes beyng aggrauate through thy damnable obstinacie as gyltie of most detestable heresies and as an obstinate vnpenitent sinner refusing penitently to returne to y e lappe and vnitie of the holy mother Church and that thou haste bene and arte by Lawe excommunicate and pronounce and declare thee to be an excōmunicate person also wee pronounce and declare thee to bee an heretique to be cast out from the Church and left vnto the iudgement of the secular power and nowe presentlye so do leaue thee vnto the secular power and their iudgement moste earnestly requiring them in the bowels of our Lorde Iesus Chryst that this execution and punishment worthily to be done vppon thee maye so bee moderate that the rigour thereof be not too extreme nor yet the gentlenesse too muche mitigated but that it may bee to the saluation of thy soule to the extirpation terrour and conuersion of heretiques to the vnitie of the Catholique fayth Moderation pretended but none shewed by this our sentence definitiue or finall decree which we here promulgate in this fourme aforesayde This sentence thus readde the Byshop of London directed hys letter to Syr Steuen Pecocke Mayor of London Iohn Fryth deliuered to the secular handes and the Sheriffes of the same Citie for the receyuyng of the foresayde Iohn Frith into their charge Who being so deliuered ouer vnto them the fourth daye of Iulie in the yeare aforesayde was by them caryed into Smithfield to be burned and when he was tyed vnto the stake there it sufficiently appeared with what constancye and courage he suffered death The constant death of Iohn Fryth for when as the fagots and fire were put vnto hym hee willingly embraced the same therby declaring with what vprightnesse of mynde he suffered hys death for Christes sake and the true doctryne whereof that daye hee gaue with his bloud a perfect and firme testimonie The wynde made hys death somewhat the more longer which bare away the flame from him vnto his felowe that was tyed to his backe but hee had established hys minde with such pacience God geuinge hym strength that euen as though he had felt no paine in that long torment he seemed rather to reioyce for his felow thē to be careful for himselfe This truely is the power and strength of Christ stryuing vanquishing in his Saintes who sanctifye vs together with them and direct vs in all thinges to the glory of his holy name Amen This day before the burning of these worthye men of God the Bishop of London certified king Henry the eight of his worthy ye rather wooluish proceeding against these men the tenour whereof for as muche as it proceedeth as the other do before we therefore omit it referryng the reader to the same ¶ Andrewe Hewet burned with Maister Frith ANdrewe Hewet borne in Feuersham in the county of Kent Andrew Hewet Martyr a yong man of the age of foure and twenty yeres was apprentise with one maister Warren Taylor in Watlyng streete And as it happened that hee went vppon a holy daye into Fleete streate Anno. 1533. towarde Saint Dunstanes he met with one William Holt which was foreman with the kyngs Taylour at that present called maister Malte and beynge suspected by the same Holt which was a dissemblyng wretche to be one that fauoured the Gospel after a litle talke had with hym he went into an honest house about Fleete Bridge whiche was a bookesellers house Then Holt thynking he had founde good occasion to shew foorth some fruit of his wickednesse Andrew Hewet apprehended sent for certaine offycers and searched the house fynding the same Andrew apprehended hym and caryed hym to the Byshops house where he was cast into yrons The man that gaue him this file was Valentine Freese the Painters brother who was afterward with his wyfe burned in Yorke and being there a good space by the meanes of a certaine honest man he had a File conueyed vnto hym wherewith he fyled of his yrons when he spyed his tyme he got out of the gate But being a man vnskilfull to hyde hym selfe for lacke of good acquaintance he went into Smythfielde and there mette with one Wythers whych was an hypocrite as Holt was Which Wythers vnderstandynge howe he had escaped and that hee knewe not whyther to goe pretendyng a faire countenāce vnto hym willed hym to go wyth him promysing that he shoulde bee prouyded for and so kept hym in the countrey where he had to do from Lowe Sunday til Whitsuntide and then brought him to London to y e house of one Iohn Chapman in Hosier lane beside Smithfielde and there left him by the space of two dayes Then he came to the layde Chapmans house againe and brought Holt with
and priuie coūsailors with the king at that time then adiudged our mariage lawful and honest and nowe to say it is detestable and abhominable I thinke it great maruel and in especiall when I consider what a wise prince the kings father was also the loue natural affectiō that K. Ferdinādo my father bare vnto me I think in my self that neither of our fathers were so vncircumspect so vnwise of so small imagination but they foresaw what might folowe of oure Mariage and in especiall the king my father sent to the Courte of Rome and there after long sute with great cost and charge obteined a licence and dispēsation that I being the one brothers wife and peraduenture carnally known might without scruple of cōscience mary with the other brother lawfully which licēce vnder lead I haue yet to shewe which things make me to say and surely beleue that our mariage was both lawful good and godly But of this trouble I only may thanke you my L. Cardinal of Yorke For because I haue wondered at your high pride and vaineglory and abhorred your voluptuous life and abhominable lecherie litle regarded your presumptuous power and tyrānie therfore of malice you haue kindled this fire set this matter abroache The Cardinall cause of this diuorce and why and in especiall for the great malice that you beare to my nephewe the Emperor whom I perfectly know you hate worse then a Scorpion because he woulde not satisfie your ambition and make you Pope by force therfore you haue said more then once that you wold trouble him and his frends you haue kept him true promise for of all his warres vexations he onely may thanke you And as for me his poore Aunt and kinswoman what trouble you haue put me too by this newe found dout God knoweth to whō I commit my cause according to the truth The Cardinal of Yorke excused himself saying that he was not the beginner nor the mouer of the doubt and that it was sore against his wil that euer the mariage shuld come in question but he sayd that by his superiour the B. of Rome he was deputed as a iudge to hear the cause which he sware on his profession to heare indifferently But whatsoeuer was said she beleeued him not so the Legates tooke their leaue of her departed These words were spoken in French wrytten by Cardinal Campeius Secretarie which was present and afterward by Edward Hall translated into English In the next yeare ensuing an 1530. at the blacke Fryers of London was prepared a solemne place for two Legates who comming with their crosses pillers axes The vaine pompe of the Romish Legates and all other Romish ceremonies accordingly were set in two chayres couered with cloth of gold and cushiōs of y e same When all things were ready then the king the Qeuene were ascited by Doct. Sampson to appeare before the said Legates the 28. day of May The king Queene ascited before the Legates where the commission of the Cardinals first being read wherein it was appoynted by the Court of Rome that they should be the hearers iudges in the cause betweene them both the king was called by name who appeared by two Proctors * These 4. byshops were Warhā of Canterbury West of Ely Fysher of Rochester Standishe of S. Assaph The Quene appealeth from the Cardinal to the Pope Then the Queene was called who being accompanied with 4. Byshops and other of her counsayle and a great company of Ladyes came personally her selfe before the Legates who there after her obeysance with a sadde grauitie of countenaunce hauing not many wordes with them appealed frō the Legates as iudges not competent to y e court of Rome and so departed Notwithstanding this appeale the Cardinals sate weekely euery day arguments on both sides were brought but nothing definitiuely was determined As the tyme passed on in the month of Iune the king being desirous to see an ende came to the Courte and the Queene also where he standing vnder his cloth of estate vttered these or like wordes in effect as followeth MY Lordes Legates of the Sea Apostolicke whiche be deputed iudges in this great and waighty matter The kinges oration to the Legates I most hartely beseech you to ponder my mynde and intent whiche onely is to haue a finall ende for the discharge of my conscience for euerye good Christen man knoweth what payne and what vnquietnesse he suffereth which hath hys conscience greeued For I assure you on mine honour that this matter hath so vexed my minde and troubled my spirites that I can scantly study any thinge whiche should be profitable for my realme and people and for to haue a quietnes of body and soule is my desire and request and not for any grudge that I beare to her that I haue maryed for I dare say that for her womanhoode wisedome nobilitie and gentlenes neuer Prince had such an other and therefore if I woulde willinglye chaunge I were not wise Wherefore my suite is to my Lordes at this time to haue a speedie ende according to right for the quietnesse of my minde and conscience onely and for no other cause as God knoweth When the king had said the Queene departed without any thing saying Then she was called to know whether she would abide by her appeale The Quene abideth by her appeale or answer there before the Legates Her Proctor aunswered that she would abide by her appeale That notwythstanding the Counsaillers on both sides euery day almost met and debated this matter substātially so y t at the last the diuines were all of opinion that the mariage was against the lawe of God if she were carnally known by the first brother which thing she clearly denied But to that was answeared that prince Arthur her husband confessed the act done by certaine words spoken which beinge recorded in other Chronicles I had rather should there be red then by me here vttered Furthermore at the time of the death of prince Arthur she thought and iudged that she was with childe and for that cause the king was deferred from the title creation of the Prince of Wales almoste halfe a yeare whych thing coulde not haue bene iudged if she had not bene carnally knowen Also she her self caused a bul to be purchased in y t which were these words Vel forsan cognitam which is as much to say as peraduenture carnally known which words were not in the first Bull graunted by Iuly at her second mariage to the kinge which seconde Bull with that clause was onely purchased to dispence wyth the second matrimonie although there were carnal copulation before which Bul needed not to haue bene purchased if there had ben no carnall copulation for then the first Bull had bene sufficient Moreouer for the more cleare euidence of thys matter that Prince Arthur had carnal knowledge of the sayd Lady
shoulde haue borne the whole burthen Wherefore my brethren I charitably exhorte you to beare your partes of your liuelode salarie toward the paiment of this summe grauÌ„ted Then it was shortly sayde to the Byshop My Lorde twenty nobles a yeare is but a bare liuing for a Priest for now vittaile and euery thyng is so deare The priestâ— aunswer to the bish that pouertie in maner enforceth vs to say nay Beside that my Lorde we neuer offended in the Premunire for we medled neuer wyth the Cardinals faculties let the Byshoppes and Abbottes which haue offended pay Then the Bishops Officers gaue to the Priestes hygh wordes which caused them to be the more obstinate Also diuers temporall men whych were present comforted the Priestes and bade them agree to no paiment In tâ—ys rumour diuers of the Bishops seruaunts were â—uâ—â—ered and stricken so that the Bishop began to be afraide and wyth faire wordes appeased the noyse and for all things which were done or sayd there he pardoned them gaue to them hys blessing and prayed them to departe in charitie Then they departed thinking to heare no more of the matâ—â—â— but they were deceiued For the Byshop went to Sir Thom. More then being Lorde Chancellor which greatly fauoured the B. and the clergy and to him made a greeuous coÌ„plaint declared the fact very greuously B. Stokesly complaineth to Syr Tho. More Wherupon commaundement was sent to syr Tho. Pargitor Maior of the Citie to attache certaine priests and temporal men and so 15. priestes 5. temporall men were arrested of the whych Certayne priestes and temporall meÌ„ committed to priâ—â— some were sent to the Tower some to the Fleete and other prisons where they remained long after This being done in the yeare of our Lorde 1532. it followeth moreouer the same yeare that diuers preachinges were in the realme one contrary to another coÌ„cerning the kings mariage and in especiall one Thom. Abell Clerke Preaching against the kinges first mariage which was the Queenes Chaplaine to please her withal both preached and also wrote a booke in defence of the sayd mariage wherby diuers simple meÌ„ were persuaded Wherfore the king caused to be coÌ„piled and reduced into a boke the determination of the vniuersities with the iudgemeÌ„ts of great Clerkes which booke being printed set abroade did againe satisfie all indifferent and reasonable persones which were not too much wedded to their willes Mention was made a litle before of a parlameÌ„t begon the 15. day of Ianuary An. 1533. in the which Parlament the coÌ„mons had put vp a Supplication complaining of y e strait dealing of the Cleargie in their proceeding Ex officio The wilked acte Ex officio brokeÌ„ by the king Statut. an 25 Reg. Hen. 8. This coÌ„plaint although at the first it seemed not greatly to be tendered of the king yet in prorogation of y e parlament the time so wrought withall that the King hauing more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the abuses enormities of the clergye and in speciall of the corrupt authoritie of the Sea of Rome prouided certayne actes agaynst the same First as concerning the lawes decrees ordinaunces and constitutions made and stablished by the pretensed authoritie of the Byshops of Rome to y e aduauncemeÌ„t of theyr worldly glory y t who so did or spake any thing either agaynst their vsurped power or agaynst y e sayd lawes decrees or constitutioÌ„s of theirs not approued nor grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ holy scripture or els being repugnant to y e kings prerogatiue royal An acte coÌ„cerning the popes lawes shuld therfore staÌ„d in no danger nor be impeachable of heresie And likewise touching such coÌ„stitutions ordinances canoÌ„s prouinciall or Synodall which were made in this realm in y e conuocation of bishops being either preiudicial to y e kings prerogatiue or not ratified before by the kinges assent or being otherwise onerous to the king and his subiects or in anye wise repugnant to the lawes and statutes of this realme they Decrees and constitutions prouinciall of this realme coÌ„mitted to examinatioÌ„ were committed to the iudgment of 32. persons chosen by the king out of that higher lower house to be determined either to stand in streÌ„gth or to be abrogate at their discretions and farther that all y e Clergy of this realme submitting themselues to the kyng should and did promise in verbo Sacerdotij neuer hereafter to presume to assemble in theyr conuocations without the kinges writte nor to enact or execute suche constitutions without hys royall assent c. Ex Statut. Henr. 8. Farther in the same Parliament was enacted and decreed that in causes and matters happening in contention no person should appeale pruoke or sue No man to appeale to Rome out of the kinges dominions to the Court of Rome vnder payne of prouisours prouision or Premunire Item in the same parliament was defined and concluded y t all exportation of Annates and first fruites of Archbishoprickes and Bishoprickes out of this Realme to the Sea of Rome for any bulles brieues or palles * Boner in his prologue before De vera obedientia saithâ— that this rauinous pray of the pope commeth to asmuch almost as the kings reuenues The maneâ—â— of Inuesting by the king or expedition of any such thing should vtterly cease Also for the inuesting of Archbishops Bishoppes or other of any Ecclesiasticall dignitie such order in the sayde Parlament was taken that the king should send a licence vnder the great seal with a letter missiue to the Prior and Couent or to the Deane and Chapter of those Cathedrall Churches where the Sea was vacant by the vertue of which liceÌ„ce or letters missiue they within 12. daies should chose the said person nominated by the king none other and y t election to stand effectuall to all intents which election being done then the partie elect making first his othe and fealty to the king if it were a Bish. that was elect then the king by his letters patents to signifie the sayd election to the Archb. of that prouince and 2. other Bishops or els to 4. bishops within this realme to be assigned to that office without any other suing procuring or obtaining any bulles breues or other things from the Sea of Rome Moreouer against al other whatsoeuer intolerable exactions and great summes of mony vsed to be paid out of this realme to the B. of Rome in pensions censures Peterpence procurations fruites suites for prouisions expeditions of bulles for Archb. and Bishops for delegacies and rescriptes in causes of contentions and appeales Peter pence stopped froÌ„ Rome iurisdictions legatiue also for dispensations licences faculties graunts relaxations writtes called Perinde valere rehabilitations abolitions canonizations and other infinit sorts of bulles breues and instrumeÌ„ts of sundry natures the number whereof were tedious particularly to be recited In the said Parlament it was ordained y t all such vncharitable vsurpations exactions
leaue vndone any part 〈◊〉 parcel of the premisses or else in the execution and setting forth of the same do coldly and fainedly vse any maner sinister addition wrong interpretation or painted colour then we straightly charge commaund you that forthwith vpon any such default negligence or dissimulation of the said Bishop or any other ecclesiasticall person of his dioces contrary to the true tenour meaning and effecte of the saide charge by vs to him appointed aforesaid yee doe make indelaidly and with all speede and dâ—ligence declaration and aduertisement to vs and our Counsell of the saide defaulte and of the behauiour maner and fashion of the same And for as much as we vpon singular trust and assured confidence which we haue in you and for the speciall loue and zeale we suppose and thinke ye beare towards vs and the publicke and common wealth vnitie and tranquillitie of this our realme haue specially elected and chosen you among so many for this purpose and haue reputed you suche men as vnto whose wisedome discretion truth and fidelitie we might commit a matter of suche great waight moment and importance as whereupon the vnitie and tranquillity of our realme doth consist if ye shoulde contrary to our expectation and trust which we haue in you and agaynst your duety and allegeance towards vs neglect or omit to do with all your diligence and wisedome whatsoeuer shall be in your power for the due performance of our mind and pleasure to you before declared in this behalfe or hâ—lt or stomble at any part or specialitie of the same be yee assured that we like a Prince of iustice will so extremely punish you for the same that all the worlde besides shall take by you example and beware contrary to their allegeance to disobey the lawfull commaundement of theyr soueraigne Lord and Prince in such things as by the faithfull execution whereof ye shall not onely aduance the honor of Almightie God and set foorth the maiestie and Imperiall dignitie of youre soueraigne Lord but also bring an inestimable weale profite and commoditie vnitie and tranquillitie to all the common state of this our Realme whereunto both by the lawes of God nature and man ye be vtterly bound Geuen vnder our signet at our Pallace of Westminster the 9. day of Iune Furthermore that no man shall cauill or surmise thys fatall fall and ruine of the Pope to haue come rashly vpon the Kings owne partiall affection or by any sensuall temeritie of a few and not by the graue and aduised iudgement approbation and consent generally and publikely as well of the nobles and commons temporal as also vppon substantiall groundes and the very strength of truth by the discussion and consultation of the spiritual and most learned persons in this Realme it shall be requisite moreouer to these premisses to adioyne the words and testimonies also of the Byshops owne othes and profession made to the King yelding and rendering vnto him only the stile of supreme head next vnder Christ of the Church of England all other seruice subiection and obedience to be geuen to any other forreine Potentate which should be preiudiciall to the Kings highnes in this behalfe beeing excluded and that both frankely and freely of their own voluntary motion and also vppon the faith and fidelitie of their priesthode as by their owne words and handwriting may appeare in forme as heere vnder followeth The othe of Steuen Gardiner to the King EGo Stephanus Wintonien Episcopus pure sponte absolute in verbo pontificio profiteor ac spondeo Illustrissimae vestrae Regiae maiestati singulari ac summo Domino meo patrono Henrico Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Regi fidei defensori Domino Hiberniae atque in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae supremo immediatè sub Christo capiti quod post hac nulli externo Imperatori Regi Principi aut Prelato nec Romano pontifici quem Papam vocant fidelitatem obedientiam c. In English I Steuen Byshop of Winchester do purely of mine owne voluntary accord and absolutely The othe of Steph. Gardiner to the king in y e word of a Bishop professe and promise to your princely maiestie my singular and chiefe Lord and Patrone Henry the 8. by the grace of Gdo King of England of France defendor of the fayth Lord of Ireland in earth of the Church of England supreme head immediately vnder Christ that from this day forward I shall sweare promise geue or cause to be geueÌ„ to no forreine PoteÌ„tate Emperour King Prince or Prelate nor yet to the Byshop of Rome whoÌ„ they call Pope any othe or feaultie directly or indirectly either by word or writyng but at all tymes and in euery case condition I shall obserue hold mainteyne to all effectes intentes the quarell cause of your royall Maiestie your successours and to the vttermost of my power shall defend the same agaynst all manner of persons whom soeuer I shall know or suspect to bee aduersaries to your Maiestie or to your successours shall geue my fayth truth obedience sincerely with my very hart onely to your royall Maiestie as to my supreme Prince I professe the Papacie of Rome not to be ordeined of God by holy Scripture but constantly do affirme and openly declare and shall declare it to be set vp onely by maÌ„ Stephen Gardiner aprenoun-renounceth the Pope and shall cause diligently other men likewise to publish the same Neither shall I enter any treatie with any person or persons either priuely or apertly or shall consent thereto that the Byshop of Rome shall haue or exercise here any authoritie or iurisdiction or is to be restored to any iurisdicâ—ion hereafter Furthermore that y e sayd Byshop of Rome now being or any that shall succeede him hereafter in the sayd Sea is not to be called Pope nor supreme Byshop or vniuersall Byshop nor most holy Lord but onely ought to be called Byshop of Rome and felow brother as the old maner of the most auncient Byshops hath bene this I shall to my power openly mainteyne and defend Also I shall firmely obserue cause to bee obserued of other to the vttermost of my cunnyng witte power all such lawes and Actes of this Realme how and what soeuer as haue bene enacted established for the extirpation and suppression of the Papacie and of the authoritie and iurisdiction of the sayd Byshop of Rome Neither shall I appeale hereafter to the sayd Bish. of Rome nor euer consent to any person that shall appeale to him neither shall I attempt prosecute or follow any sute in the Court of Rome for any cause of right or Iustice to be had or shall make aunswere to any plee or action nor shall take vpon me the person and office either of the plaintife or defendent in the sayd Court. And if the sayd Byshop by his messenger or by his letters shall make any meanes or
of Christ which is among you which he bade them do by the authority that Christ had put them in as foloweth And when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of eternall glory The same likewise Saynt Paule in the Actes testifieth sayinge Geue heed to your selues and to the whole flocke Actes 20. wherin the holy ghost hath set you to gouerne the church of God Where in the originall text the word signifiyng Regere to gouerne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same that was spoken to Peter Pasce Feede for it signifieth both in the Scripture And that by these wordes he was not constitue a shepheard ouer all it is very playne by the facte of Saynct Peter which durst not enterprise much conuersation among the Gentiles but eschewed it as a thing vnlawfull and muche rather prohibited then commaunded by Gods law vntill he was admonished by the reuelation of the sheete full of diuers viandes mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles where if Christ by these wordes Feede my sheepe had geuen such an vniuersall gouernaunce to Peter then Peter being more ferueÌ„t then other of the Apostles to execute Christes commaundement Actes 10 woulde of his owne courage haue gone without any such new admonition to Cornelius except peraduenture you would say that Peter did not vnderstaÌ„d the sayd wordes of Christ for lacke of the light which the latter men haue obteined to perceiue and thereby vnderstand the wordes of Christ to Peter better then Peter himselfe did And straunge also it were to condemne Peter as an high Traytour to his mayster after his ascention as he in deede were worthy if hys mayster had signified vnto him that the Byshops of Rome by hys dying there shoulde be heades of all the church and he knowyng the same by these wordes Feede my sheepe yet notwithstandyng his maysters high legacy and commaundement woulde flee as he did from Rome vntill his mayster encountring him by the waye Of this flying away of Peter froÌ„ Rome reade before pag. 34. with terrible woordes caused him to returne And because thys history peraduenture can not weigh agaynst an obstinate mynde to the contrary What shall we saye to the woordes of Saynt Ambrose declaring and affirming that as great and as ample primacy was geuen to Paule as to Peter Vppon these woordes of Paule He that wrought by Peter c. thus he writeth Petrum solum nominat sibi comparat As great primacy geuen to S. Paule as to Peter quia primatum ipse acceperat ad fundandam Ecclesiam se quoque pari modo electum vt primatuÌ„ habeat in fundandis Ecclesijs Gentium c. That is to say He nameth Peter onely and compareth him to himselfe because he receiued a primacy to builde a church and that he in like sort was chosen himselfe to haue a primacye in building the churches of the Gentiles And shortly after it foloweth Of those that is to say of the Apostles which were the chiefest his gift he sayth was allowed whither he had receiued of God so that hee was founde worthy to haue the primacy in preaching to the Gentiles as Peter had in preaching to the Iewes And as he assigned to Peter for his companions those whiche were of the chiefest men amongst the Apostles euen so also did he take to him selfe Barnabas who was ioyned vnto him by Gods iudgement and yet did hee challenge to himselfe alone the prerogatiue or primacy which God had geuen him as to Peter alone it was graunted among the other Apostles So that the Apostles of the Circumcision gaue theyr handes to the Apostles of the Gentyles to declare theyr concorde in fellowshippe that eyther of them should know that they had receiued the perfection of the spirite in the preaching of the Gospell and so shoulde not neede eyther other in any matter Equalitye of degree among the Apostles And shortelye after sayth Saynt Ambrose who durste resiste Peter the chiefe Apostle but an other suche a one whiche by the confidence of his election might knowe himselfe to be no lesse and so might reproue boldly that thing which he inconsiderately had done This equallity of dignity whiche Saynt Ambrose affirmeth by scripture to be equally geuen to Peter and Paule Ciprian De simplicitate clericorum S. Cyprian and S. Hierome do extend to all the Apostles Cyprian â—aying thus Hoc eraÌ„t vtique caeteri apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis All the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was being endued with like equality of honor and power Contra Iouinianum And S. Hierome thus Cuncti Apostoli claues regni coelorum accipiunt ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo fundatur All the Apostles receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vpon them as indifferently equally is the streÌ„gth of the Church grounded and established Which S Hierome also as well in hys Commentaries vpon the Epistle to Tite as in hys epistle to Euagrius sheweth that these primacies long after Christes ascention were made by the deuise of men which before by the common agreement and consent of the Clergye euery of the Churches were gouerned yea the patriarchall Churches The wordes of S· Ierome be these Sciant ergo episcopi se magis ex consuetudine Cap. 1. super Tiâ—um quam dispeÌ„sationis dominicae veritate presbitteris esse maiores Let the Bishopps vnderstand that they bee greater then other Priestes Difference betwixt Bishops Priestes how it is come rather of custome then by the vertue and verity of the Lordes ordinaunce And in his sayd epistle to Euagrius he hath the like sentence and addeth thereto Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue Constantinopoli c. Whersoeuer a Bishop be either at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople he is of all one worthynes of all one priesthood that one was elected which should be preferred before other it was deuised for the redresse of schismes least any one chalenging to much to himself should reÌ„t the church of Christ. These wordes onely of S. Ierome be sufficient to prooue that Christ by none of these 3. textes which be all that you others do alledge for your opinion gaue to Peter any such superiority as the B. of Rome by them vsurpeth and that Peter nor no other of the chiefe Apostles did vendicate such primacy or superiority but vtterlye refused it and therfore gaue preeminence aboue theÌ„selues to one that though he be sometimes called an Apostle yet he was none of the 12. as Eusebius in the beginning of his second book called Historia ecclesiastica doth testify alledging for him the great and auncient clerke Clemens Alexandrinus saying thus Petrus Iacobus ac Ioannes post assumptionem Saluatoris quamuis ab ipso fuerant omnibus penè praelati tamen non sibi vindecaruÌ„t gloriam sed
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
froÌ„ the king his letters of credence and withall to declare and extend the kinges most effectuous commendations with the harty good will and sincere affections whiche his hignes bare to the sayde Cardinall Chauncellour of Fraunce with no lesse desire also most gladly to do that thing which might be to his commoditie and benefite according as the manifold pleasures grauities and kindnes done on his part for the kinges highnes did worthily deserue Then after such words of mollification to enter into further communication with him in such sort as might best serue his honour And forasmuch as the Cardinall was theÌ„ noted much to be moued with the affections of vayn glory couetous therfore amongst other coÌ„munication The vaine glory and auarice of the Cardinall it was deuised to inferre mentioÌ„ of the Papalitie noting what wayes meanes might be vsed to attayne vnto that dignitie Wherein if the kinges hignes coulde stand him to anye steede as he thought the person of the sayd Chauncellour most meet for the same The fashyoâ— of Princes courtes to be noted so he would not fayle to moue and to procure it to the best furtheraunce of his aduauncement And finally to declare how desirous the kinges highnes was to retayne and make sure vnto him the amitie and friendship of the sayd Chauncellour and that hys hignes deuising by what meanes and wayes he might do the same albeit his grace knew wel that the fayth and sinceritie of the sayd Chauncellour towardes hys mayster was such as no gift pension or other offer could aduance or increase that good will which for hys maysters sake he would employ in the kinges highnes affayres thought that for declaration of hys hartye good will towardes the sayde Chauncellour it were conuenient to offer vnto hym some yearely remembraunce c. This was the summe and effect of the message of the king sent vnto the French king and to other of his counsayle by his ambassadour maister Edward Foxe whiche was especially to signifie and make manifest vnto the sayd French king the vniust dealinges and preiudiciall proceedinges of the pope in calling vp the king of Englande to appeare at Rome by Proxie which was derogatory to y e kinges dignitie and crowne and also preiudiciall both to generall Councels of the primitiue tyme and to the auncient lawes and statutes of this Realme as is afore declared and no lesse hurtfull for example to all other Princes and kinges likewise c. This message so done Steuen Gardiner Ambassadour to the FreÌ„ch king shortly after was sent to the said french king Stephen Gardinar bish of Winchester with the kings answere and message again on this maner y t for so much as the saying of the Frenche king to the ambassadors was this that notwithstanding all the kings Realm shuld agree and condescend neuer so muche to y e right title The French kings saying against the kinges succession which the succession procreated of this his lawfull matrimony hath in this hys realme yet when outward parties shall conceaue anye other or contrary opinion thereof great trouble and vexation might ensue Wherunto the K. made answere agayne declaring y t he could not but greatly marueyle y t the king his brother being so wise a Prince The kinges aunswere to the French king and there to well expert and learned in Chronicles and histories not onely of his owne realme but also of all others or any of his Counsayle being men of such experieÌ„ce as they were taken to be would thinke that the opinion consent of other outward Realms was so highly to be coÌ„sidered and regarded of any prince or king in stablishing or in executing of thinges which mighte be lawfully done and which touched the preseruation of the rightes preeminences dignitie and state of his realme and did also notably conferre vnto the singular benefite and tranquillitie of the same so as the words both of the sayde king hys brother and of the great master did pretend Who furthermore were not ignoraunt them selues 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 realm 〈…〉 bouÌ„d tâ— the agrement of outwarde realmes that many thinges haue bene by hys noble progenitours kinges of Fraunce attempted and done as well in cases of matrimonie as otherwise which in some part in the opinion of y e Popes of Rome then being in some part in the opinion of diuers other outwarde princes states seigniories and common people haue bene thought not perfectly good nor yet much acceptable vnto them and yet that notwithstanding hys said progenitors knowing them selues the prosecuting of those causes to be beneficial to them and to the realm haue not therfore desisted from their said purposes but diligeÌ„tly employing their owne strength and powers with the succours of their frends haue finally atchieued their sayd enterprises wythout requiring or greatly regarding the opinion or agreement therunto of outward princes Againe wheras the Chauncelour of France made thys ouerture to the â—ayde Bishop of Winchester whether the kyng woulde be content to haue indifferent Iudges to be appoynted by the authoritie of the Pope The ouerture of the Chauncellour 〈◊〉 Fraunce to the king to take indifferent iudges by the Popes authority The kinges aunswere to the ouerture to determine his cause wyth a commission decretall from y e same declaring Quid iuris c. The King by his ambassador therunto answearing declared that the Pope hauing done vnto hym so notable and euideÌ„t iniuries as he had done it were hys office and duetie now to labor him selfe to ende this matter and to studie how to make due satisfaction to God and his iustice which hee hath tam indignis modis offended and violated and to deliuer himselfe out of the danger and the perpetual infamie of the world which he hath incurred by reason of these his most vngodly doings and not to looke that the King shoulde make any request or suite vnto hym therfore or recompence for the same c. Furthermore where as the Pope at the request of the French king had in open Consistorie proroged execution of his censures and excommunication against the king vnto the first day of Nouember and woorde thereof was sent to the king by his ambassadours from the great maister of Fraunce that the king mighte haue the sayde prorogation made autentikely in wryting if he woulde The kyng answearing thereunto thought it not vnprofitable that hys ambassadors resident in France should receiue vnto theyr hands the possession of the saide newe prorogation conceiued and wrytten in autentike forme and maner according to the order of the lawes After this againe came other letters to the King from France namely froÌ„ the great maister of France tending to this ende that if the king would do nothing for the pope meaning by the reuocation of such actes of parlament The king requested by the FreÌ„ch king to relent to the Pope as were made in the Realme of England to the Popes preiudice it were
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
kindes The sacrament in both kindes excluded is not necessary ad salutem by the law of God to all persons and that it is to be beleued not doubted of but that in the flesh vnder forme of bread is the very bloud with the bloud vnder forme of wine is the very flesh as well aparte as they were both together The 3. Article Thirdly that priestes after the order of priesthoode receiued as afore may not mary by the law of God The 4. Article Fourthly that the vowes of chastity or widowhead Aduisedly that is made aboue the age of 21. yeares priestes onely excepted by maÌ„ or woman made to God aduisedly ought to be obserued by the law of God and that it exempteth them from other libertyes of christen people which without that they might enioy The 5. Article Fiftly that it is meete and necessary that priuate Masses be continued and admitted in this english Church and congregation as whereby good ChristeÌ„ people By these benefites of priuate masses is ment the helping of soules in Purgatory ordering themselues accordingly do receiue both godly goodly consolations and benefites And it is agreable also to Gods law The 6. Article Sixtly that auricular confession is expedient and necessary to be retayned and continued The 6. Article vsed and frequented in the Church of God After thâ—se Articles were thus concluded and coÌ„sented vpon the Prelates of the Realme craftely perceiuing that such a foule violent act could not take place or preuayle vnlesse straight and bloudy penalties were set vpon them they caused through theyr acustomed practise to be ordeyned and enacted by the king and the Lordes spiritual and temporall and the commons in the sayd Parliament as foloweth The penalties vpon the 6 Articles That if any person or persons within this Realme of England or any other the kings dominions The penaltyes vpon the 6. articles after the xij day of Iuly next comming by word writing imprinting ciphring or any otherwise shuld publish preach teach say affirme declare dispute argue or holde any opinion that in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar vnder forme of bread and wine after the consecration therof there is not preseÌ„t really Transubstantiation the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ conceiued of the virgin Mary or that after the sayd consecration there remayneth any substaunce of bread or wine or any other substance but the substaÌ„ce of Christ god and maÌ„ or after the time abouesayd publish preach teach say affirme declare dispute argue or hold opinion that in y e flesh vnderforme of bread is not the very bloud of christ or that with the bloud of Christ vnder the forme of wine is not the very flesh of Christ aswell aparte as though they were both together or by any of y e meanes abouesayd or otherwise preach teach declare or affirme the said sacrament to be of other substance then is abouesayd or by any meane contemne depraue or despise the sayd blessed sacrament that then euery such person so offeÌ„ding their ayders comforters counsellers consenters and abâ—eters therein being therof conuicted in forme vnder written by the authority abouesayd should be deemed and adiudged heretickes Suffering without any abiuration and euery of such offence should be adiudged manifest heresy that euery such offender and offenders should therfore haue suffer iudgemeÌ„t execution payn paynes of death by way of burning without any abiuratioÌ„ benefite of the cleargy or Sanctuary to be therfore permitted had allowed admitted or suffered Losse of goodes and also should therfore forfeit and loose to the kinges highnesse his ayres and successors all his or theyr honors manors castles landes tenementes rentes reuersions seruices possessions all other his or theyr hereditaments goods and cattell Opinion against the Sacrament of the aultar made treason termes and freeholdes whatsoeuer they were which any such offence or offeÌ„ces committed or done or at any time after as in any cases of high treason The penalty of the last v. Articles And as touching the other v. articles folowing the penalty deuised for them was this The penalties of the last 5. articles That euery such person or persons which do preach teach obstinately affirme vphold mainteine or defend after the 12. day of Iuly the sayd yeare any thing contrary to the same or if any being in orders or after a vow aduisedly made did mary or make mariage or contract matrimony in so doing should be adiudged as felones and lose both life and forfeit goodes as in case of felony without any benefite of the clergye or priuiledge of the Church or of Sanctuary c. Item that euery such person or persons which after y e day aforesayd by word writing printing cyphring or otherwise did publish declare or holde opinion contrary to the 5. articles aboue expressed being for any such offeÌ„ce duely conuict or attainted for the first time besides the forfayt of all his goodes and cattell and possessions what so euer should suffer imprisonment of his body at the kings pleasure for the second time being accused presented therof conuict should suffer as in case aforesayd of felony Item if any within order of pristhood before the time of the sayd Parliament had maryed or contracted Matrimony or vowed widowhead the sayd matrimony should stand vtterly voyd and be dissolued Item that the same daunger that belonged to priestes marying theyr wiues shuld also redound to the womeÌ„ maryed vnto the Priestes Inquisition vpoÌ„ the 6. articles Furthermore for the more effectuall execution of the premises it was enacted by the sayd Parliament that full authority of Inquisition of all such heresyes fellonies and contemptes should be committed and directed down into euery shyre to certayn persons specially therunto appointed of the which persons three at least prouided alwayes the Archbishop or bishop or his Chauncellor or his Commissarie to be one should sitte foure times at least in the yeare A bloudy inquisition hauing full power to take information accusation by the depositions of any two lawfull persons at the least as well as by the othes of xij men to examine and inquire of all and singuler the heresyes fellonyes and contempts aboue remeÌ„bred hauing also as ample power to make proces agaynst euery person or persons indited presented or accused before them also to heare determine the foresayd heresyes fellonyes contempts and other offences as well as if the mater had bene presented before the Iustices of peace in their Sessions And also that the saide Iustices in theyr Sessions euery Steward or vndersteward or his Deputy in theyr law daies should haue power by y e othes of xij lawfull men to enquire likewise of all singular the heresyes fellonyes contemptes and other offences and to heare and determine the same to all effectes of this present Acte c. Prouided withall that no person nor persons therupoÌ„
be these In Kent Raculfe Sandwich Rateburch Wodetun the Abbay of Limming with the lands and customes vnto the same monasterye belonging Saltwude c. Stocke and Denentun because they belonged of olde time to the Churche of S. Andrewe S. Andrewes Church in Rochester them he restored to the same Churche In Sutherey Murtelac the Abbay of S. Mary in London with the landes and houses which Liuingus Priest and his wife had in London All these Lanfrancke restored agayne for the health of his owne soule freely and without money Liuingus Priest maried man c. * A note for the legitimation of Priestes children ex termino Michael Anno 21. Henr. 7. fol. 39. page 2. NOte that in the xix yeare of this King in an Assise at Warwicke before Syr Guye Fairfax and Syr Iohn Vauisour it was found by Verdite M. 21. H. 7. that the father of the tenaunt had taken the order of Deacon and after married a wife and had issue the tenaunt dyed and the issue of the tenaunt did enter Vpon whome the pleyntife did enter as next heyre collaterall to the father of the tenaunt A Deacō taketh a wife hath issue dyeth the issue adiudged not Bastarde Vpon whome he did reenter c. and for difficultie the Iustices did adiourne the Assise And it was debated in the Escheker chamber If the tenaunt shall be a Bastard c. And heere by aduise it was adiudged that he shall not be bastard c. ¶ Frowicke chiefe Iustice sayd to me in the xix yeare of Henry the vij in the common place that he was of counsayle in this matter and that it was adiudged as before which Vauisour did graunt ¶ And Frowicke sayd that if a Priest marry a wife and hath issue and dyeth his issue shall inherite for that the espousals be not voyde but voydable ¶ Vauisour if a man take a Nunne to wife this espousall is voyde ☞ Note that in the latter Impression of Henry the vij yeares of the lawe this word Priest in this case aforesayd in some bookes is left out whether of purpose or by negligence I leaue it to the Reader to iudge * Another note for legitimation of Priestes children AD Curiam generalem D. Philippi D. Mariae Dei gratia c. xvj die Iulij Anno Reg. dict Regis Reginae primo tertio irrotulatur sic Praesentatum est per totum homagium quòd Symon Heynes * Clericus diu antè istam Curiam vid. per duos annos iam elapsos fuit sesitus secundum consuetudinem huius Manerij in dominio suo vt de feodo de in duabus acris terrae percellis de xxxv acris dimidij terrae nuper in tenura Ioannis Heynes Ac. de in vno tenemento vocat Bernardes nuper in tenura Ioannis Cotton Ac de in lvij Acris iij. rodis terrae pasturae siue plus siue minus prout iacent in campis de Myldenhall praedicta in diuersis pecijs vt patet in Curia hic tenta die Iouis proximo post festum Sancti Lucae Euangelistae An. regni Regis Henrici viij xxxviij Necnon de in xij acris terrae natiuae iacentibus in Townefield Twamelfield in diuersis pecijs Ac de in quatuor Acris dimidio terrae iacentibus in Myldenhall praedicta Ac de in quinque rodis terrae iacentibus in Halywelfield Qua propter praemissa idem Symon nuper habuit ex sursum redditione Willielmi Heynes prout pater in Curia hic tenta die Martis proximo post Dominicam in Albis Anno regni Regis Edwardi vj. primo Et sic sesitus idem Symon de omnibus supradictis praemissis inde obijt solus sesitus Et quòd Ioseph Heynes est filius haeres eius propinquior modo aetatis quinque annorum amplius Qui quidem Ioseph praesens hic in Curia in propria persona sua petit se admittie ad omnia supradicta praemissa tanquam ad ius haere ditatem suam Et D. Rex D. Regina ex gratia sua speciali per Clementum Heigham militem Senescallum suum concesserunt ei inde sesinam tenendam sibi haeredibus assignatis eius per virgam ad voluntatem dict D. Regis D. Reginae secundum consuetudinem huius Manerij per seruitia redditus inde debita c. Saluo iure c Et dat Domino Regi D. Reginae v. lib. de fine pro ingressu suo habendo fidelitas inde respectuatur quousque c. Et vlterius consideratum est per Curiam quòd dict Ioseph est infra aetatem vt praefertur Ideo determinatum est concessum est per consensum Curiae quòd Ioanna Heynes nuper vxor praedicti Simonis ac mater predicti Ioseph habebit custodiam eiusdem Ioseph quousque idem Ioseph peruenerit ad suam legitimam aetatem Concerning these vj. Articles passed in this Acte aforesayd in the 21. yeare of King Henry sufficiently hetherto hath bene declared first what these Articles were secondly by whom and from whom chiefly they proceded thirdly how erroneous pernicious repugnant and contrarious to true doctrine christian religion and the word of God to nature also it selfe all reason and honesty and finally to the auncient lawes customes and examples of our forcelders during the daies of a thousande yeares after Christe they were Fourthly yee haue heard also what vnreasonable and extreme penaltie was set vpon the same that a man may deeme these lawes to be written not wyth the inke of Steuen Gardiner but with the bloud of a Dragon or rather the clause of the Diuell The breach whereof was made no lesse then treason and felony and no lesse punishment assigned thereto then death Besides all this the wordes of the Acte were so curious and subtile that no man could speake wryte or cyphar against them without present daunger yea scarcely a man might speake any word of Christ and his Religion but he was in perill of these vj. Articles Ouer besides the Papistes began so finely to interprete the Act that they spared not to indite men for abusing their countenance behauiour in the Church So great was the power of darkenesse in those dayes And thus much concerning this Acte Besides these vj. Articles in this foresaide Acte concluded there was also another constitution annexed withall not without the aduise as may seeme of the Lord Cromwell which was this that Priestes and Ministers of the Church seing now they would needes thēselues be bound from all Matrimony should therefore by law likewise be bound to such honesty and continencie of life that carnally they should vse accustome no maner of woman maried or single by way of aduoutrie or fornication the breache whereof for the first tyme was to forfaite goodes to suffer imprisonment at the Kings pleasure and
to Maister Shiriffe sayd haue ye any Articles agaynst me for the which I am condemned No cause shewed why Doct. Barnes dyed And the Shriffe aunswered no. Then sayd he is there here any mā els that knoweth wherfore I dye or that by my preachyng hath takē any errour Let them now speake I will make thē aunswere And no man aunswered Then sayd he well I am condēned by the law to dye as I vnderstand by an Acte of Parliamēt but wherfore I cānot tell D. Barnes praying for his enemyes but belike for heresie for we are lyke to burne But they that haue bene the occasiō of it I pray God forgeue them as I would be forgeuen my selfe And Doct. Stephē Byshop of Winchester that now is if he haue sought or wrought this my death either by word or deede I pray God forgiue him as hartly as freely as charitably and without faynyng as euer Christ forgaue them that put him to death And if any of the Counsell or any other haue sought or wrought it through malice or ignoraūce I pray God forgiue their ignoraunce and illuminate their eyes that they may see and aske mercy for it I beseeche you all to pray for the kynges grace as I haue done euer since I was in prison and do now that God may geue him prosperitie and that he may long raigne amōg you D. Barnes prayeth for the king after him that godly Prince Edward may so raigne that he may finishe those thynges that his father hath begon I haue bene reported a preacher of sedition disobedience vnto the kyngs Maiestie but heare I say to you that you al are bound by the commaūdement of God to obey your Prince with all humilitie with all your hart yea not so much as in a looke to shew your selues disobedient vnto him that not onely for feare of the sword but also for conscience sake before God Yea and I say further if the kyng should cōmaunde you any thyng agaynst Gods law if it be in your power to resist him yet may you not do it Then spake he to the Shiriffe and sayd M. Shiriffe I require you on Gods behalfe 5. requestes of Doct. Barnes to the king to haue me cōmēded vnto the kynges grace to shewe him that I require of his grace these fiue requestes First that where his grace hath receaued into his handes all the goodes and substaunce of the Abbeyes Then the Shiriffe desired him to stop there The 1. request He aunswered Maister Shiriffe I warrant you I will speake no harme for I know it is well done y t all such superstition be cleane taken away and the kyngs grace hath well done in takyng it awaye But his grace is made a whole kyng The king of England made a whole king by poore preachers and obeyed in his Realme as a kyng which neither his father nor graūdfather neither his aunceters that raigned before him euer had that through the preachyng of vs and such other wretches as we are which alwayes haue applied our whole studies and giuen our selues for the settyng forth of the same and this is now our reward Well it maketh no matter Now he raigneth among you I pray God long may he liue and raigne among you Would to God it might please his grace to bestow the sayd goodes or some of them to the comfort of his poore subiectes which surely haue great neede of them The second that I desire his grace is that he will see that matrimonie be had in more reuerence then it is and that men for euery light cause inuented The second request of Doctor Barnes to the king cast not off theyr wiues and liue in adultery and fornication and that those that be not maried should not abhominably liue in whoredome folowing the filthy lustes of the fleshe The third that the abhominable swearers may be punished and straightly looked vpon The 3. request for the vengeance of God wil come on them for their mischieuous othes Then desired he maister Pope to haue him commended to Maister Edgar Doct. Barnes request to M. Edgar to leaue swearing and to desire him for the deare bloud of Iesu Christ that he woulde leaue that abhominable swearing which he vsed for surely except he did forsake it he woulde come to some mischieuous ende The fourth that his grace would set forth Christs true Religion The 4. request and seeing he hath begon that he would go forward and make an end for many things haue bene done but much more is to do and that it would please his grace to looke on Gods word himselfe for that it hath ben obscured with many traditions inuented of our owne braynes Now said he how many petitions haue I spoken of And the people said foure Well said he euen these foure be sufficiente whiche I desire you that the Kinges grace may be certified of and say that I most humbly desire him to looke earnestly vpon them and that his grace take heede that he be not deceiued with false preachers and teachers and euill councell for Christ sayth that such false Prophets shal come in Lambes skinnes Then desired he all men to forgeue him and if hee had sayd any euill at any time vnaduisedly whereby he had offended any man or geuen anye occasion of euill that they would forgiue it him and amende that euill they tooke of him Doct. Barnes cleareth himselfe of al heresi and to beare him witnes that he detested and abhorred all euill opinions and doctrines against the worde of God and that he died in the faith of Iesu Christ by whom he doubted not but to be saued And with those words he desired them all to pray for him and then he turned him about and put off his clothes making him ready to the fire paciently there to take his death The like confession made also Hierome and Garret professing in like maner their beliefe reciting all the articles of the Christian faith briefly declaring their myndes vpon euery article The protestatiō and confession of Hierome and Garret as the time would suffer whereby the people might vnderstand that there was no cause nor errour in their fayth wherefore iustly they ought to be condemned Protesting moreouer that they denied nothyng that was eyther in the old or new Testament set foorth by their soueraigne Lorde the King whome they prayed the Lord long to continue amongst them with his most deare sonne Prince Edward Which done Hierome addeth this exhortation in few words folowing I say vnto you good breethren that God hath bought vs all with no small price neyther with golde nor siluer The exhortation of Hierome 〈◊〉 the people or other such things of small value but with his most precious bloud Be not vnthankefull therefore to him againe but do as much as to Christian men belongeth to fulfill his commaundementes that is loue your brethren Loue
offend and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he shuld for the same 3. offence suffer imprisonment during his life If any such person or persons aforesaid so offending had not any benefice or spiritual promotion y t then he shoulde for his first offence suffer imprisonment by the space of vi monthes without bayle or maynprise and for his second offence imprisonment during hys life Which request or rather actuall agreement of y e lordes and commons of the Parliament beyng once vnderstoode of the kyng was also soone ratified and confirmed by hys regall consent and authoritie and therupon the sayd booke of common prayer was presently imprinted and commaÌ„ded to be exercised throughout the whole Realme and dominions thereof accordyng to the tenure and effect of the sayd Statute Moreouer in the same Session of the sayd ParliameÌ„t it was enacted and established by the authoritie thereof that for as much as great horrible and not to be rehearsed inconueniences had from tyme to tyme risen amongst the priests ministers and other officers of the clergy through their compelled chastitie Lawes and 〈…〉 againâ—t 〈…〉 and by such lawes as prohibited them the godly and lawfull vse of mariage that therefore all and euery law and lawes positiue canons constitutions and ordinances theretofore made by the authoritie of man onely which did prohibite or forbid mariage to any ecclesiasticall or spirituall person or persones of what estate condition or degree so euer they were or by what name or names they were called which by gods law may lawfully marry in all and euery article braunche and sentence concernyng onely the prohibition for the mariage of the persons aforesayd should be vtterly voyd and of none effect And that all maner of forfaitures paynes penalties crimes or actions Mariage of Priestes â—et â—ree which were in the sayd lawes conteyned and of the same dyd follow concernyng the prohibition for the mariage of the sayd Ecclesiastical persons shuld be thencefoorth also clearely and vtterly voyde frustrate and of none effect By occasion whereof it was thenceafter ryght lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall person not hauyng the gift of chastitie most godly to liue in the pure and holy estate of matrimony according to the lawes worde of God But if the first Iniunctions statutes and decrees of the Prince were of many but slenderly regarded with muche lesse good affection were these especially the booke of common praier of diuers now receiued yea and that of some of them Edmund Boner B. of London which had alwayes before in outward shew willingly allowed the former doings as appereth most plainly amongst others by Boner the B. of London Who although by his former letters other mandates he seemed hitherto to fauour all the kings proceedings yet did he at that present notwithstanding both the first statute for the stablishing of the Communion and the abolishyng of all priuate masses and also this Statute of the ratifieng and confirming of the booke of Common prayer still suffer suÌ„dry idolatrous priuate masses of peculiar names as the Apostles masse the Lady masse and such lyke to be dailye solemnly sung within certaine perticular chappels of hys cathedral church of Paules cloking them with the names of the apostles communion and our Ladies communion not once findyng any fault therewith vntill such tyme as the Lordes of the Counsaile hauyng intelligence thereof were fayne by their letters to commaund hym to looke better thereunto And then beyng therewith somewhat pricked forwards perhaps by feare he was content to direct hys letters vnto the Deane and Chapter of his cathedrall church of Paules thereby requesting them forthwith to take such order therein as the tenure of the Counsailes sayd letters therwithall sent vnto them did import Which both two letters I haue for the more credite here followyng inserted ¶ A Letter directed from the Kings Counsaile to Edmund Boner B. of London for abrogating of priuate Masses namely the Apostles Masse within the church of S. Paule vsed vnder the name of the Apostles Communion 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 progating priuate Masses AFter harty commendations Hauing very credible notice that within that your cathedral church there be as yet the Apostles masse and our Ladies masse and other masses of such peculiar name vnder the defence nomination of our Ladies communion and the Apostles communion vsed in priuate chappels and other remote places of the same and not in the Chauncell The Apoâ—â—les 〈…〉 Paul contrary vnto the kings maiesties proceedings the same beyng for the misuse displeasing to God for the place of Paules in example not tollerable for the fondnes of the name a scorne to the reuerence of the communion of the Lords body and bloud we for the augmentation of gods glory and honour and the consonance of his maiesties lawes and the auoyding of murmure haue thought good to will command you that from henceforth no such masses in this manner be in your church any longer vsed but that the holy blessed communion according to the acte of Parliament be ministred at the high aultar of the church and in no other places of the same only at such tyme as your high masses were wont to be vsed except some number of people desire for their necessary businesse to haue a communion in the mornyng and yet the same to bee executed in the Chauncell at the high aulter as it is appoynted in the booke of the publike seruice without cautele or digression from the common order And herein you shal not onlye satisfie our expectation of your conformitie in all lawfull things but also auoyd the murmure of sundry that be therwith iustly offended And so we bid your Lordship hartely farewell From Richmond the 24. of Iune an 1549. Your louing friendes E. Somerset W. Saint Iohn Ed. Montague R. Rich. Chan. Fra. Shrewsbury W. Cecill ¶ To my right worshipfull friendes and most louyng good brethren M. Deane of Paules with all the Canons Residentaries Prebendaries Subdeanes and Ministers of the same and euery of them with speede RIght worshipfull with most harty commendations So it is this Wensday the xxvi of Iune goyng to dynner Boners letter to the Deane and Chapter of Paules I receaued letters from the kynges Counsell by a Pursiuaunt and the same I doe send now herewith vnto you to the intent you may peruse them well and proceede accordyngly praying you in case all be not present yet those that be now resident and supplying the places may in their absence call the company together of the Church and make declaratioÌ„ hereof vnto them Thus committyng you to God right well to fare Written with speede this xxvi of Iune at one of the clocke Your louyng brother Ed. London Ouer and besides all this the Lord Protectour wyth the residue of the kings priuie and learned Counsel assemblyng together in the Starre chamber about the same mater that is for the aduancement and setting forward of the kings so godly
to preach by vs with certaine articles and for the more sure knowledge keeping and obseruing did exhibite the same in writing vnto him by the hands of our sayd Vncle in the fulfilling of our Counsell all this notwithstanding the said Bishop hath in contempt of vs as it may appeare ouerslipped and not obserued certeine of the said things so by vs enioyned and other so peruersely and negligently done that the things minded of vs to reformation for a good quiet of our subiects and our whole realme be conuerted by the wilfull negligence or peruersitie of him to a great occasion of sclaunder tumult and grudge amongst our people as it hath bene denounced to vs in writing by certeine honest and discrete persons otherwise called The which things if they be so we tendring the wealth quietnes good order and gouernement of our people haue not thought conuenient to be let past vnpunished and vnreformed and therefore by the aduise aforesayd haue appointed you fiue foure or three vppon whose fidelities wisedomes dexterities and circumspections we haue full confidence to call before you as well the denouncers of the sayd faultes as also the sayd Byshop and with due examinations and processe according to the law and Iustice to heare the said matter and all other matters of what kind nature or condition so euer they shall be that shall be obiected against the said Byshop summarely de plano or otherwise as to your discretions shall be thought most meete with full power and authoritie to suspend excommunicate commit to prison or depriue the said Bishop if the offence shal so appeare to merite or to vse any other censure Ecclesiasticall which for the better hearing and determining of the cause shall be requisite and apperteine any lawe statute or acte to the contrary notwithstanding In witnes wherof we haue caused these our letters to be made patentes Witnes our selfe at Westminster the viij of September in the third yeare of our reigne This commission being sealed with the kinges broad seale The Commission deliuered was by his highnes Counsaile forthwith deliuered at the Court vnto the archb of Caunterbury and the rest of the Commissioners mentioned in y e same being there al together present Who vpon the receipt therof determined by vertue of the same to sit at the archbishoppes house at Lambeth the Wednesday thâ—n next ensuing Which was y e tenth day of that present month of September and therefore appoynted the Bishop oâ— London to be sommoned to appeare before them as at that time and place The maner of whose behauiour at his appearaunce because it both declareth the froward nature and stubborne condition of the person and also what estimatioÌ„ and authoritie he thought the commissioners to be of I thought not vnmeete fyrst before I enter into the processe somewhat to note and describe vnto you At his first entry into the place within the Archbishops house at Lambeth The stubborne behauiour of Boner before the Commissioners where the Archbishop and other of the Commissioners sate he passed forth directly by them wyth his cap vpon his head making as though hee sawe them not vntil one plucking him by the sleeue willed him to do reuerence vnto the Commissioners Wherat he laughingly turned himselfe spake vnto the archb on this wyse what my Lord are you here By my trouthe I sawe you not No sayde the Archbishop you woulde not see Well quoth he you sent for me haue you anye thinge to say to me Yea sayd the Commissioners we haue here authority from the kinges highnes to call you to accompte for your Sermon you made lately at Pauls crosse for that you did not there publishe vnto the people the article whiche you were commaunded then to preach vpon At which words the bish either for that he did not greatly delite to heare of this matter or els because he would make his friends beleue that hee was called to accompt onely for his opinion in religion as afterwardes in the sequell of this processe it more playnly appeareth began to turne his talke vnto other matters and saide vnto the archbishop Boner speaketh for the Masse In good fayth my Lord I would one thing were had in more reuerence theâ— it is What is it sayd the Archbishop The blessed masse â—â—oth he The Archbishop You haue written very well of the sacrament I merueile you doe no more honour it The Archbishop of Cant. therwith perceiuing his subtiltie and seing his grosse blindnes to commend that which was vtterly contrary to his opinion sayd vnto him agayne Boner If you thinke it wel it is because you vnderstand it not The other then adding vnto his former grosse ignoraunce an obstinate impudencie aunswered The Archbishop I thinke I vnderstand it better then you that wrote it Unto which woordes the Archbishop replyed truely I wil easily make a childe that is but ten yeares old vnderstand therein as much as you but what is this to the matter Anno 1549. Moreouer at what time as they began to enter the Iudicial prosecuting of theyr commission and had called forth the denouncers to propound such matter as they hadde to obiect agaynst him he hearing them speake Boner falleth to scorning and taunting of his denouncerâ— fel to scorning and taunting of them saying to the one that he spake lyke a Goose and to the other that he spake like a Woodcocke vtterly denying theyr accusations to be true Wherupon y e Archbishop seeing his peenish malice agaynst the denouÌ„cers asked him if he would not beleeue them whether hee woulde credite the people there present and therewithall because many of them were also at the Bishops Sermon at Paules he stode vpp and read the article of the kinges authoritie during his young age saying vnto them Boners iudgement of the people howe say you my maysters did my Lord of London preach thys Article Whereunto they aunswered no no. At which wordes the Bishop turning himselfe about deryding sayd wil you beleue this fond people Besides this Boner full of his pretenses Dawes Woodcockes Fooles and such lyke at al his appearings he vsed many irreuerent vncomely obstinate and froward wordes and behauiours towards the Commissioners and others in defacing their authoritie with the termes of pretensed Commissioners pretensed witnesses and vniust vnlawfull and pretensed proceedinges with recusation of some and terming others Dawes Woodcockes fooles and such lyke which I wil here omitte for they doe more manifestly appeare in the sequele of the story in the tyme and place as they happened Adding yet this much by the way that although suche stoutnes of hart and will if it had bene in a cause true and rightfull might haue perchaunce seemed in some mens iudgement to be somewhat sufferable Boners demeanour not tolerable for his calling though meete for his byrth yet to say the truth in what cause so euer it be being unmoderate as this
the 4. article c. Let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of theyr othe whether they know that these wordes folowing as Mattens Masses now sayd after that sort in this Realme were and be put in the Iniunction pretended to be ministred vnto me the sayd Bishop or no. interrogetur vt supra 13. Item if they or any of them do depose that I haue trangressed and offended touching the 5. Article let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of theyr othe Interrogatoryes concerning the 5. article whether the IniuÌ„ctions pretended in this behalfe were signed with the kinges vsuall signet or rather at all whether it was sealed with any seale whether it was subscribed by the L. Protectors grace or any of the priuye Counsell whether it was in full Counsell sitting deliuered vnto mee by the Lord protector whether it was deliuered to me the rest of the kinges Maiestyes priuye Counsell there then sittyng whether the sayd dayes as is conteined in the first Article by whom it was written when and where interrogetur vt supra 14. Item if they or any of them do depose that I do defeÌ„d the opinion of the rebels Interrogatoryes concerning the 6. article let them be examined euery of theÌ„ what rebels they be what is their opinion how the lawe of this Realme doth determine therein declaring by what wordes factes I the sayd Bishop did speake do and at what time and place and in whose presence suche wordes or act was spoken or done interrog vt supra Interrogatoryes concerning the 7. article 15. Item if they or any of them doe depose that I knowe or haue heard say crediblye that since the time of the sayde pretensed Iniunctions certayn persons within my dioces haue heard bene at or celebrate Masse or Euensong in the latine tongue and after the olde rite and maner other then according to the kinges maiestyes booke let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of his sayd othe how they know that I so know or haue heard say and of the name or names of the partye or partyes and of the tyme and place when and where it was and whether any denunciation or detection were according to the statutes and ordinaunces of this Realme made vnto me or no. interrog vt supra 16. Item if they or any of them doe say that I knowe or haue heard say Interrogatoryes concerning the 9. article of such notable adulterers offences mentioned in the 9. article let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of his and theyr othe that they do knowe that I do know or haue heard say and who be the persoÌ„s where they dwell who hath denounced or detected them and how I could and ought to haue cited them punished them in this behalfe interrog vt supra 17. Item if they or any of them doe say that I knowe certeinely nowe what Doctour Coxe declared in hys Sermon at Paules Crosse as is deduced in the 10. Article let them be inquired and euery of them in virtue of theyr oth how they can proue it by whom and after what sort interrog vt supra 18. Item if they or any of them do say that I do know or heare certaynely of the diuersity of the rites of the commoÌ„ seruice of the church nowe set forth and of the ministers parsons transgressing therein let them and euery of them in virtue of theyr othe bee examined whether there hath bene any detection or denuntiation made to me therupon and how they know or can proue that I haue bene culpable and negligent herein interrog vt supra 19. Item whether they or any of them haue bene spoken vnto or solicited herein to testify and after what sorteâ— by whom when and where and what was theyr conference and communication therin interrog supra 20. Item that they and euery of them declare and shewe the true and sufficieÌ„t cause of theyr testimony in all and singuler the premisses After this the Iudges delegate assigned the Bishop to appeare againe before them vpon Wednesday the next ensuing betwene the houres of 7. and 8. of the clocke before noone in the Hall of the Archbishops manor of Lambetâ— Boner â—â—gayne 〈…〉 â—â—gaynst 〈◊〉 witnesâ—â— there to shew the cause why he should not be declared pro confesso vpon al the Articles wherunto he had not theÌ„ fully answered and to see farther processe done in the matter and so he still protesting of the nullity and inuadility of all theyr procedinges they did for that present depart In this meane while the Commissioners certified the kinges Maiesty and his Counsell of the Bishops demeanour towards them The Câ—â—â—missioâ— certyfiâ—â— king of 〈…〉 and what obiections he had made agaynst theyr procedinges making doubtes and ambiguities whether by the tenor of his maiesties Commission the Commissioners might proceed not onely at the denuntiation but also of theyr meere office and also whether they mought aswell determine as heare the cause Whereupon his Maiesty by aduise aforesayd for the better vnderstanding therof did the 17. of September send vnto the Commissioners a full and perfect declaration and interpretatioÌ„ of his will and pleasure in the foresayd Commission geuing them hereby full authority to proceed at theyr owne discretions as appeareth more at large by the tenor therof ensuing ¶ A certayne declaration or interpretation of the king touching certayne poyntes and doubtes in his former Commission with licence geuen to the Commissioners as well to determine as to heare in the case of Boner EDward the 6. by the grace of God king of England Fraunce Leaue 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 to the Câ—â—â—missionâ—â— to deteâ—â—mine aâ—gainst 〈◊〉 and Ireland defendor of the fayth and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head to the moste reuerend father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitane and Primate of England the right reuerend Father iâ— God Nicholas Byshop of Rochester our trusty and right welbeloued Counsellours Syr William Peter and Syr Thomas Smyth Knightes or two principal Secretaries and William May Doctor of law Ciuill and Deane of Paules greeting Where we of late by the aduise of our most entyrely beloued Vncle Edward Duke of Somerset Gouernor of our Person and Protectour of our Reâ—lmes Dominions and subiects and the rest of our priuy Counseâ— haue addressed vnto you 5.4.3 of you our letters patentes of CoÌ„mission bearing date at Westminster the 8. daye of September in the third yeare of our raign willing you by force therof to heare the matters and cause of contempt therein expressed and calling before you aswell the denouncers therof as also the right reuerend Father in God Edmund Bishop of London agaynst whom such denunciation is made as in our sayd letters of Commission more at large doth appeare we be now credibly informed that vpon the sayd Commission diuers
conuented and compelled to make aunswer against his will I therefore Edmond Bishop of London hauing perceiued and felt by all the sayings proceedings and doyngs of you sir Thomas Smith Knight one of the two principall Secretaries to the kings Maiestie in this matter attempted and mooued agaynst me that ye haue bene and yet continually are a notorious and manifest enemy of me the sayd Edmond and much offended that I should in any wyse alledge and say or vse any such things for my most defence as the law geueth me licence and libertie to do yea hearyng most fauourably and effectually my denouncers and enemies with both eares in any thyng that they shall alledge purpose attempt or do agaynst me though their persons in lawe are not in any wyse to be heard or admitted ne yet their sayinges true and not hearing me so much as with one eare in my lawfull saiengs and doinges in this behalfe but contrarywise openyng your mouth at large ye haue sundry tymes against good wisedome and reason outraged in wordes and deedes against me the sayd Edmond saying among other wordes that I did as theeues murtherers and traytors are woont to doe beyng my selfe as ye vntruly did say inward in deed culpable and yet outward otherwyse vnable to defend the matter against me but onely by takyng exceptions and making friuolous allegations agaynst my Iudges and Commissioners and that I haue bene and am as sturdye wilfull and disobedient as may be in your iudgement and opinion maintaining and vpholding the rebels and their opinions and that I shall aunswer by mouth or els smart and doe worse or els ye will send me to the Tower there to sit and be ioyned with Kette and Humfrey Arundell the Rebels ouer and besides diuers other threatnings and comminatorie wordes by you pronounced and vttered vnseemely and far vnmeet to proceed out of the mouth of you that are in such rowme and place as ye be in And moreouer increasing your malice euil will and grudge borne agaynst me ye haue amongest other thynges vntruly surmised written alledged and sayd that a certayne booke of Articles and Iniunctions by the Lord Protectours Grace in the full counsayle after a certayne prescribed fashion and fourme in the denunciation commission and Articles which de facto were induced brought in and obiected agaynst me Here Boner most proudly shametâ— not to belye the kinges Secretary and one of his Maiesties CouÌ„saile charging him with alteâ—ing adding vnto the Counsailes Iniunctions was deliuered vnto me and moreouer of an euill will and vngodly intent purpose contrary to the truth ye haue withdrawen added altered and qualified diuers thynges in the same otherwyse then they were spoken or done and yet ye are not ashamed to alleadge write and say that all is true and one consonant and agreeable in all poyntes with the other where in deede it is not so And ye haue further de facto agaynst the law and agaynst the Commission to you directed and agaynst my iust and lawfull allegations saiengs proceeded vnlawfully vniustly agaynst me atteÌ„pting many things agaynst me vnlawfully vniustly as appeareth ni the acts of this matter to the which I do referre me so far forth as they make for me Anno 1550. and be expedient by me and for me to bee alledged and referred vnto your selfe also vnlawfully and vniustly de facto with your Colleagues the which without you had begun the sayd matters proceedyng where by the law ye so ought not to haue done in deede but abstained there from as heretofore sondry tymes I haue alleaged appearyng in the actes of this Court doe vpon these iust and reasonable causes accordyng to the order of the Kings Maiesties Ecclesiasticall lawes refuse The popes lawes termed by the name of the kinges Ecclesiasticall lawes decline and recuse you the sayd Sir Thomas Smith as an vncompetent vnmeete and suspect Iudge agaynst me in this behalfe and decline your pretensed iurisdiction in this matter for causes aforesayd desiring nothyng but Iustice and offeryng my selfe prompt and ready to prooue them so farre as I am bound and accordyng to the order of the Kings Maiesties Ecclesiasticall lawes of this Realme in this behalfe as tyme place and otherwyse shall require This recusation ended the Secretary told him plaine that that notwithstandyng he would proceed in his Commission and would be still his Iudge The reply of Secretary Smith to Boners allegations vntill he were otherwise inhibited and sayd vnto him farther My Lord where as you say in your recusation that I sayd that you did like thieues murtherers and traytors in deed I sayd it and may and will so say agayne since we perceiue it by your doings Whereunto the Bishop in a great and stoute rage replied Boner saying Well sir because you sit here by vertue of the Kings Commission and for that ye be Secretary to hys maiestie and also one of his highnes counsail I must and do honour and reuerence you but as you be but sir Thomas Smith say as ye haue said that I do lyke theeues murtherers Boner in a pelting chafe agaynst Syr Tho. Smyth The Archb. and traytors I say ye lye vpon me in that case I defie you and doe what ye can to me I feare you not and therfore quod facis fac citius Whereat the Archbishop with the other Commissioners said vnto him that for such his vnreuerent behauior he was worthy imprisonment Boner Then the Bishop in more mad fury then before sayd againe vnto them A Gods name ye may do de facto send me whether you will and I must obey you and so wil except ye send me to the deuill for thether I will not go * I pray God ye gâ—e not for your selfe for you Three things I haue to wit a small portioÌ„ of goods a poore carcase and myne owne soule the two first ye may take though vniustly to you but as for my soule ye get not quia anima mea in manibus meis semper Secretary Smyth Well sayd then the Secretary ye shal know that there is a kyng Yea Sir saith the Bishop but that is not you neither I am sure Boner will you take it vpon you No Sir sayd agayne the Secretary but we will make you know who it is Secretary Smyth and with that the Commissioners commanded the bishop and all the rest to depart the chamber vntill they called for him agayne Now in the meane whyle that the Commissioners were in consultation the Bishop with Gilbert Bourne his chapleine Rob. Warnington his Commissary Rob. Iohnson his Register were tarying in a quadrant voyde place before the dore of the same chamber Where the Bishop leanyng on a cupboord and seyng his Chapleins very sad Boners talke to his Chapleins in the quadrant place before the chamber of presence at Lambeth sayd vnto them in effect as followeth Syrs what meane you Why
the sayd Archbishop and hys Colleagues and dyd except agaynst their iurisdiction as suspect and they therby vnmeete persons to proceed against hym and therefore accordyng to his former appeale he intended to submit himselfe vnder the tuition protection defence of the Kings Maiestie for whose honour and reuerence sake he sayd they ought not to proceed any further against hym Boner still sticketh to his former protestatioÌ„s prouocations but quietly suffer hym to vse the benefite of all his recusations prouocations and other lawfull remedies before alledged wyth other superfluous words at large to be read and seen as followeth The second recusation made by Edmund Boner Bishop of London IN the name of God Amen For as much as both naturall reason and all good pollicies of lawes especially of this Realme of England do admit and suffer hym that is conuented before an vncompetent and suspect Iudge to refuse hym and to decline hys iurisdiction in as much as the lawe and reason on the one side willeth processe to run vprightly and iustly and that in corruption and malice and the other side earnestly laboureth to the contrary and needeth therefore to bee brideled And for because ye my Lord of Caunterbury with your Colleagues in this behalfe deputed as ye say Commissioners agaynst me neither haue obserued your sayde Commission neyther yet proceeded hetherto agaynst me after any laudable lawful or any good fashion of iudgement but contrarywise contrary to your Commission and agaynst the law good reason and order haue at sundry tymes and in sundry actes attempted and done many things agaynst me vnlawfully vnseemly and vniustly and suffer the like to be attempted and done by other not reformyng and amendyng the same as appeareth in diuers and sondry thinges remayning in your actes And moreouer because you my sayd Lord wyth your sayd Colleagues both haue in myne absence beyng let with iust causes of impediment which accordyng to the lawes of this realme I haue fully alledged Anno 1550. and very sufficiently and iustly prooued accordyng to the order of the Kinges Ecclesiasticall lawes iniuriously and much to the hinderaunce of my name person tytle dignitie and state and also otherwyse specially in my presence agaynst all lawes good order and reason without good cause or grouÌ„d attempted and done many thinges against me especially touching myne imprisonment sending me to strait ward and yet commaunding me to make answer as appeareth in your vnlawfull actes I for these causes and also for that ye my sayde Lorde and your sayde Colleagues proceedyng with Syr Thomas Smith Knight whom vpon iust and lawfull causes I haue refused recused and declined and fauoured ye haue maintayned supported and borne in hys vnlawfull and euill doings do also refuse recuse and declyne you my sayd Lorde wyth the rest of your sayde Colleagues agreeyng and ioynyng wyth you and doe accept agaynst your proceedyngs doynges and iurisdiction as suspect and thereby vnmeete personnes to proceede herein agaynst me And further do alledge that hauyng bene prouoked to the Kings most excellent Maiestie as appeareth by the tenor of my prouocation remainyng in your actes wherein I doe protest that I intend to adheare and cleaue vnto submitting my selfe vnto the tuition protection and defence of hys sayd Maiestie in this behalfe ye in any wyse ought not if ye regard the person and authoritie of hys graces royall power as ye ought to doe to proceede here in agaynst me especially for the honour and reuerence ye ought to haue vnto hys Maiestie in this behalfe And because it appeareth that ye doe not duely and circumspectly consider the same as ye ought to do but more and more do grieue me that not considered I both here to all purposes repeat my former recusation prouocation and all other remedies that heretofore I haue vsed and mentioned in your sayd actes And also do by these presentes refuse recuse and decline you my sayd Lord and your sayd Colleagues and your iurisdiction vpon causes aforesayd offering my selfe prompt and ready to prooue all the same afore an arbiter and arbitors accordyng to the tenure and forme of the law herein to be chosen requiryng you all for that honour and reuerence ye ought to beare to our sayd soueraigne Lorde and his lawes allowed and approoued in this behalfe that ye doe not attempt or doe ne yet suffer to be attempted or done any thyngs in any wyse against me or vnto my preiudice but suffer me to vse and enioy the benefit of my said former and this recusation prouocation allegation and other lawfull remedies mentioned in your sayd acts And in case ye doe de facto where ye ought not to deiure attempt or suffer any thynges to be attempted or done agaynst me in any wyse herein I protest herewith and hereby of my great griefe and hurt in that behalfe that not onely I doe intend to appeale from you but also accordyng to the kynges Ecclesiasticall lawes to accuse and complayne vpon you as iustly and truly I both may and ought to doe Notwithstandyng these recusations and former appellation the Archbishop with the rest tolde hym playne that they would be styll hys Iudges and proceed agaynst hym accordyng to the Kings Commission vntil they dyd receiue a Supersedeas which if he did obtayne they would gladly obey Then the Bish. seyng that they would still proceede agaynst hym An other appellation of Boner to the king did there likewise intimate an other appellation vnto the Kings Maiestie expressing therein in effect no other matter but such as is already alleaged in the two former recusations and appeale sauyng that he requireth that letters dimissories or appellatories might be geuen him accordyng to law Boner standing vpon his recusations and appellations denyeth to make answer and that for his better safegarde he did submit himselfe vnder the protection of the kyng The Commissioners for all this stucke stil vnto theyr Commission and would not in any case deferre but vrged him straitly to make a more full aunswer to his Articles then he had done To whom the Bishop sayd that he would stand vnto his recusations and appellations before made and would not make other aunswer Then the Delegates demaunded of him what cause he had to alledge why he ought not to be declared pro confesso vpon the Articles wherunto he had not fully answered the B. still answering as before that he would adhere vnto his appellation and recusation Wherupon the Archb. with consent of the rest seeyng his pertinacie pronounced hym Contumax Boner declared Câ—â—â—tumaâ— pro conâ—eâ—â—so that 〈◊〉 gilty and in payne thereof declared him pro confesso vpoÌ„ all the articles which he had not aunswered This done Maister Secretary Smith shewed foorth a Letter which the Byshoppe of London had before that tyme sente vnto the Lorde Mayor and the Aldermen of the Citie of London the tenour whereof ensueth as followeth ¶ To the ryght honourable and my very good
power lieth ministred iustice indifferently to all persons whiche doing then wee thinke your grace should not thinke it any lacke of frendship that wee did not certifie you of the offense of youre Chaplayne although in deede the cause hath already bene certified And we trust your grace both of youre naturall nearenes to the Kings Maiestie and your owne good wisdome will not mislike our Ministerie in the execution of the lawes of the Realme and the pleasure of the Kyngs Maiestie So we wish to your grace from the bottome of our hart the grace of almighty God with the riches of his holy giftes * The Lady Mary to the Counsell the 11. of May. MY Lordes it appeareth by your letters of the vj. of this presēt which I haue receaued that the imprisonmēt of my Chaplaine Doctour Mallet is for saying of Masse and that he was condemned for the same In deede I haue heard that he was endited but neuer condēned Neuerthelesse I must needes confesse and say that he did it but by my commaundement and I sayde vnto him that none of my Chaplaynes shoulde be in daunger of the lawe for saying Masse in my house And thereof to put hym out of doubt the Emperours Embassadour that dead is declared vnto him before that time how after what sorte the promise was made to his Maiesty wherby it appeareth that the mā hath not in that willingly offēded Wherfore I pray you to discharge him of emprisonment and set him at liberty if not ye minister cause no◠only to him but to others to thinke that I haue declared more then was true whiche I woulde not wittingly doo to gaine the whole world And heerein as I haue often sayde the Emperours Maiestie can be best iudge And to be playne with you according to mine old custome there is not one amongst the whole number of you all that woulde be more loth to be founde vntrue of their word then I. And well I am assured that none of you haue found it in me My Lordes I pray you seeke not so much my dishonour as to disprooue my word whereby it should appeare too plaine that you handle me not well And if you haue cause to charge my Chaplaine for this matter lay that to mee and I wyll discharge it againe by your promise made to the Emperours Maiestie which you can not rightfully denie wishing rather that you had refused it in the beginning then after such promise made and to such a person to seeme to go from it which my Lordes as your very friend I hartely desire you to consider and to geue me no cause to thinke you otherwise then my friends considering I haue alwayes and yet do God is my iudge wishe to you all no worse neyther in soules nor bodies then to my selfe and so wyth my hartye commendations I commit you all to God From Beaulien the 11. of May. Your assured friend to my power Mary ¶ The Counsaile to the Lady Mary the 27. of May. 1551. AFter our due commendations to your grace although the same receiueth not aunswere so soone as perchance was looked for vpon the returne of your graces seruaunt Yet we doubt not but youre grace vnderstanding that where we haue matters of estate pertaining to the Kings Maiestie in hand as in deede we haue had of late the differring of the answere in a matter being no greater requireth to be borne withal And touching the answere of your graces letter for D. Mallet we pray your grace to vnderstande that although you write he was indited but not condemned and so seeme to take exception at the maner of his imprisonment yet if they which enformed your grace of that maner of reason in the law were as well disposed to please your grace with truth as the reason in deede is not true then should they haue told your grace that by the Acte of Parliament if either Mallet haue bene conuicted by the othes of twelue men or that the fact hath bene notorious then the punishment doth follow iustly The trueth of the one and the other way of conuiction in this case is notorious enough besides his flying from the processe of the lawe And where your grace to releeue him woulde take the fault vpon your selfe we are sory to perceiue your grace so ready to be a defence to one that the Kings lawe doth condemne Neuerthelesse he is not punished because your grace bad him and willed him to do that which was an offence but he is punished for doing it and if we should not so see the Kings lawes executed without respecte it might appeare that we too much neglected our duty and for that your grace taketh it as a discredite to your selfe that he should be punished for that you bad him do alledging to him that you had authoritie so to do and so promise made to the Emperour it hath bene both written and sayde to your grace what is the truth in that behalfe and howsoeuer that your grace pretendeth your licence to haue Masse said before your selfe for a time of your reconciliation it had bene so far out of reason for to haue desired that whosoeuer was your Chapleine might say Masse in any house that was yours when your graces selfe was not there For so is D. Mallets offence for saying Masse at one of your houses where your grace was not whych thing as it was neuer graunted so do we not remember that euer it was demaunded The sute that hath bene at anye tyme made either by the Emperous Embassadour that dead is or by him that now is was neuer but in respect of your grace and not to be taken that the Emperour or his his Embassadour meant to priuiledge mayster D. Mallet or any other to say Masse out of your presence Wherefore as we do plainely write to your grace so do we pray you to take it in good part and thinke we be as ready to do our due reuerence towards your grace in any thyng wee may doe with our dutie to our maister as any youre grace may commaund and of suche wisedome we knowe your grace to be that ye should iudge the better of vs for that we be diligent to see the lawes of the Realme executed wherein resteth the strength and safegard of the kings Maiestie our soueraigne Lord and Maister The Lady Mary to the Lordes of the Counsayle 21. Iune 1551. MY Lords although I receiued by my seruant this bearer who lately deliuered vnto you my letters wherein I desired to haue my Chaplayne D. Mallet discharged of his imprisonmente your gentle message in generall wordes for the whyche I geue you my hartye thankes yet haue I no knowledge whether you will set him at liberty or no But I thinke that your waighty affayres at that time was the let and cause ye did not write For else I doubt not you would haue aunswered me Wherefore not being satisfied and vnderstandyng yee would gladly pleasure mee I thought
et Zelo. Sorcerers and Coniurers with such a wrong fayth ioyned to dumme creatures may and do with lyke reason call vp deuils as holy-water may driue them away cum fide zelo after which sort if our holy water were vsed I doubt not but there be many Marcellus and many Elizeus and many at whose prayer God forgeueth sinne if such as will enioy y e prayer haue faith and zeale as Equitius and were as desirous to driue the deuil out of the temple of their body and soule as Equitius out of the temple of Iupiter So as if holy vse were coupled with holy water there should be more plentie of holynesse then there is but as men be prophane in their liuyng so they cannot bide to haue any thing effectually holy not so much as bread and water fearing lest they should take away sinne from vs which we loue so well Solus Christus peccata diluit who sprinckleth hys bloud by hys ministers as he hath taught hys spouse the Church in which those ministers be ordered wherein many wayes maketh not many sauiours as ignorants do iest whereof I neede not speake further vnto you no more I neded not in the rest in respect of you but me thought ye coniured all men in your sermon to say what they thought to you id quod hanc mihi expressit Epistolam quam boni consules Et Vale. Your louyng friend Ste. Winchester AS I haue set foorth here gentle Reader the cauillyng letter of Winchester agaynst M. Ridleys Sermon so am I right sory that I haue not likewyse the aunswer of the sayd Ridley agayne to ioyne withall For so I vnderstand that not onely M. Ridley but also M. Barlow B. of S. Dauids for Winchester wrote agaynst them both had written and sent immediately their aunsweres to the same refutyng the friuolous and vnsauory reasons of this popish prelate as may well appeare by a parcell additionall of a letter sent by the L. Protector to the sayd Byshop in these wordes And because we haue begun to write to you we are put in remembraunce of a certayne letter or booke which you wrote vnto vs agaynst the bishop of S. Dauids sermon and D. Ridleys to the whiche aunswer beyng immediately made was by negligence of vs forgottē to be sent Now we both send you that and also the aunswer which the B. of s. Dauids wrote to the same booke of yours ¶ Articles and positions ministred and obiected eche of them ioyntly and seuerally to the B. of Winchester as foloweth The 1. Article IN primis that the kings Maiesty iustly and rightfully is and by the lawes of God ought to be the supreme head in earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland Articles layd agaynst Winchester and so is by the Clergy of this realme in theyr conuocation and by acte of Parliament iustly and accordyng to the lawes of God recognised Winchester This first article the B. granteth Winchester graunteth to the kings supremacy The 2. Article Item that hys Maiestie as supreme hed of the sayd Churches hath full power and authoritie to make and set forth lawes Iniunctions and ordinances for and concerning religion orders in the sayd churches for the encrease of vertue and repressing of all errours heresies and other enormities and abuses Winchester grūnteth to the full authority of the king 〈◊〉 setting forth his lawes Winchester To this second article he answereth affirmatiuely The 3. Article Item that all and euery his graces subiects are bound by the lawe of God to obey all hys Maiesties sayd lawes Iniunctions procedings concerning religion and orders in the sayd church Winchester To the third article the laid B. answereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 4. Article Item that you Steuen B. of Winchester haue sworne obedience to his maiestie as supreme head of this Church of England and also of Ireland Wynchester hath sworne obedience to the kinges supremacye Winchester To the fourth article the sayd B. aunswereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 5. Article Item that all and euery his graces subiectes that disobey any his sayd maiesties lawes Iniunctions ordinaunces and proceedings already set forth and published or hereafter to be set forth and published ought worthily to be punished according to hys Ecclesiasticall law vsed within this his realme Winchester To this fift article the sayd B. answereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 6. Article Item that you the sayd Bishop as well in the Kings Maiesties late visitation within your dioces Wynchester complayned of as at sondry tymes haue bene cōplained vpō sondry informatiōs made against you for your doyngs sayings and preachings agaynst sundry Iniunctions orders and other proceedings of hys maiesty set foorth for reformation of errors superstitions and other abuses of religion Winchester This article toucheth other mens actes who or how they are complayned or enformed I cannot throughly tel For at the tyme of the kings Maiesties visitation I was in the Fleete and the morrow after twelfe day I was deliuered at Hampton court my L. of Somerset and my L. of Caunterbury then being in counsaile with many other counsailors was deliuered by these words The kings maiesty hath granted a generall pardon and by the benefit thereof I was discharged Wherunto I answered that I was learned neuer to refuse the kings maiesties pardon Winchester released out of the Fleete by the kinges generall pardon The article of Iustification put to Winchester Winchester prisoner in his own house Winchester denyeth to subscribe to the article of Iustification M. Cicill sent to Winchester Winchester agayne set free and in strength as that was and I would did humbly thanke his maiesty therfore and then they began with me in an article of learnyng touching iustification whereunto they willed me to say my mynd adding therwith that because other learned men had agreed to a forme deliuered vnto me that I should not thinke I could alter it which I receiued of them and promised the Thursday after to repayre to my L. of Somersets house at Sheene with my mynd written which I did and that day seuennight followyng appearing before hym and other of the counsaile was committed to my house for prisoner because I refused to subscribe to the forme of words sentēces that other had agreed vnto as they said In which tyme of imprisonment in my house the Bish. of Rochester then being as sent to me and after M. Smith then M. Cecil to which M. Cecil when I had by learnyng resolued my mynde in the matter I deliuered it and he deliuering it to my lords Grace wrote me in hys name thanks for it and then it was within the tyme of Lent ere I was discharged of y e trouble and so went to Winchester as a man clearely out of all trauell of busines And within 14. daies after that or there abouts began other trauell with me vpon a request made by my Lord of
to serue for furniture of aunswer to this and that Article for other then I haue before written I remember not to haue done or suffred by the higher powers in all my whole life til my comming into the tower without that I haue had any by admonitions as a maÌ„ faulty or negligent at any time that I remember for the obseruatioÌ„ of any thyng alredy made or set forth by y e kings maiesty that now is but haue kept caused to be kept in my power the kings maiesties arts statutes iniunctions and proclamations inuiolably hauing for that purpose such a Chancellor as in orders ordinances hath bene alwayes himselfe diligent and precise for that tyme I might haue knowledge of his doings The 8. Article Item that after the premisses for that those former admonitioÌ„s comandements notwithstandyng you did yet stil sheâ— your selfe not conformable for that also others by your example were much animated Wâ—nchester 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 â—inges â—ouncell to â—â—each the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 thereby occasion of much vnquietnesse ministred amongest the people you were called before the kings maiesties counsaile in the month of Iune in the 2. yeare of his maiesties raigne and by them on his maiesties behalfe commanded to preach a Sermon before his maiestie and therein to declare the â—ustnesse and godlynesse of his maiesties father in his proceedings vpon certayne matters partly mentioned in certain articles to you deliuered in writyng and partly otherwise declared vnto you The effect wherof was touchyng the vsurped power and authoritie of the B. of Rome that the same was iustly and godly taken away in this realme and other the kings maiesties dominions touchyng the iust suppressing and taking away of monasteries and religious houses of Pilgrimages Reliques Shrines Images The superstitious goyng about of S. Nicholas bishop S. Edmund S. Katherine Certayne poyntes inâ—â—yned to Wynâ—hester to preach vpon S. Clement and such lyke and iust takyng away of Chaunteries Abbies and Colledges hallowyng of caÌ„dels water ashes Palme holy bread beades creeping to the crosse such lyke Also touching the settyng forth of the kinges maiesties authoritie in his yong yeares to be as great as if his highnesse were of many more yeares That auricular confession is indifferent and of no necessitie by the law of God and touching the procession and Common prayer in English Winchester This Article beeyng of so many partes as it is some true some otherwise must be answered by deuision of it in to diuers members to deuide the one from the other graÌ„ting that is true denieng that is otherwise opening that is ambiguous auoyding y t is captious so as according to my oth I may open directly plainly the truth with sinceritie of conscience The motion of preaching was made vnto me in mine owne house by M. Cecill vpon the duke of Somersets behalfe after I had bene before y e counsaile as I haue before sayd M. Cicill from which Counsaile I departed as before is rehersed as no offender therfore when M. Cicil spake to me of preaching before the kings Maiestie with request to write my sermon before I denied that maner of preaching because I said it was to preach like an offender and I was none but departed from the Counsaile otherwise as I haue before shewed And the sayde M. Cicil did not say to me that I was mooued to preach because I was not conformable for I had at that tyme no maner of variance with the Counsaile but was in all conformity with them for any thyng that I know as I will aunswer afore God As for euil example to any man I could none geue for I neuer offeÌ„ded law statute or proclamatioÌ„ in this realm â—e did euer any act to the empairing of due obedience to y e kings maiestie in all my whole lyfe but by obseruation of them and letting innouations done as much as in me lay to maintaine obedience After M. Cecill had spoken to me of preaching deliuered two papers conteining the matters whereupon I should entreat Wynchester 〈◊〉 to preach by 〈◊〉 mens 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 yet he 〈◊〉 â—â—ould 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 because I refused to geue my sermoÌ„ in writing which was to me like an offeÌ„der or to read those papers of another maÌ„s deuise as the conception and sincere maner of vttering of mine own coÌ„scieÌ„ce which me thoght then and since yet a meruailous vnreasonable mater touching both my conscience and honesty I was then fer to the duke of Somersets graces chamber and came in at a backe dore to himself alone sauing he tooke to him as witnes he said the L. now of Wiltshire then great maister after many words shewed me certaine articles subscribed by Lawyers what a B. might command what the king might command and what payne to the disobeyer To whom I said plainly truly how those Lawyers subscription could not serue in this case to commaund one to vtter to the people for myne own deuise in words â—â—nchesters â—â—swere to â—he Duke of 〈◊〉 that is not in deed so and if I might speake with these lawyers I sayd his grace should soone perceiue them to agree with me My L. sayd I should speake with no man and I should do as I was hidden or do worse and bade mee aduise me till dinner was done And then was I conueyed by the L. great Maister to hys chamber and there left alone to dyne as was in deede honourably prepared But I tooke my selfe to be in the nature of a prisoner and a restrayned man And about two of the clocke at after noone came vnto me M. Thomas Smith then Secretary Syr Tho. Smith Secretary vnto whome I complained of the vnreasonablenes of the matter shewed him certaine particularities who sayd it was not ment so precisely but to speake of the matters To whoÌ„ I sayd I was content to speake of the matters and theÌ„ if I speak not accordyng to the truth of them there should be enough to beare witnesse to my condemnation and if I spake the truth then they had their desire And I sayde further I thought I might with my conscience say so as men ought and should be content satisfied And further if I thought that in my maner of the vtteryng of those matters I shold offend the Counsaile I had rather deny to speake of the thing and begin the contention secretly with them then to begin with pulpit and so bring my selfe in further trouble then needed and therfore if they would haue me preach I would preach as of my selfe and of these matters so as I thought they should be content Wherupon I was brought vp to my L. of Somersets chamber and there the matter ended thus that my L. of Somerset sayde he would require no writyng of me but remit it to me so I spake of y e matters in the papers deliuered me by M. Cicill I told hym I would speake of theÌ„ sauing for
the one nor the other And as for tumult none could reasonably be feared of any thing spoken agreable to the kings maiesties lawes as there did folow none nor the people or any man did offer my person any wrong or make tumult against me not withstanding players iesters rimers ballademakers did signify me to be of the true catholike faith Winchesâ—â—â— agaynst Players 〈◊〉 bâ—llademâ—â—kers which I according to my dutie declared to the kings maiesty from whoÌ„ I may hide no truth that I thinke expedient for hym to know And as the name of God cannot be vsed of any creture agaynst God no more can the kings name beyng vsed of any subiect against his highnes Wherfore seyng the abuse of this holy sacrament hath in it a danger assured by scripture of body soule whosoeuer is perswaded in y e catholike faith as I am findeth himself so burdened to vtter that vnto his maiesty as no worldly losse caÌ„ let him to do his duty in that behalfe and much lesse my Lordes priuate letters written without other of the counsails hands The 11. Article Item that after the premisses viz. in the month of May or Iune or one of them in the 3. yeare of his hyghnes raigne 11. 〈◊〉 his maiestye sent eftsoones vnto you to know your conformitie towards hys sayd reformations and specially touchyng the booke of common prayer then lately set foorth by hys maiestie whereunto you at the same tyme refused to shew your selfe conformable Winchester To the xi article for answer and declaration thereof he sayd The next day at after noone after he had preached Answeâ—â— the 11. 〈◊〉 when he looked for no such matter came to his house the right worshipfull Sir Anthony Wingfield and Sir Rafe Sadler knights accompanied wyth a great nomber of the gard and vsed themselues for their part according to theyr worships and I doubt not as they were appoynted Sir Rafe Sadler begaÌ„ thus w t me My L. said he ye preached yesterday obedience but ye did not obey your selfe went forth w t his message very soberly as he can and discretely I asked him wherein I obeied not He sayde touching my L. of Somersets letter Maister Sadler quoth I I pray you say to my Lords grace I would he neuer made mention of that letter for the loue I beare him And yet quoth I I haue not broken that letter I was mineded quoth I to haue wrytten to my L. vpon the receipt of it and loe quoth I ye may see how I begaÌ„ and shewed him because we were then in my study the beginning of my letter and reasoned with him for declaration of my selfe and told him therwith I wil not spend quoth I many wordes w t you for I caÌ„ not alter this determination And yet in good faith quoth I my maner to you and this declaration may haue this effecte that I be gently handled in the prisone and for that purpose I pray you make sute on my behalfe Wynchester 〈◊〉 Wynchester committed 〈◊〉 the tower Maister Wingfield laide his hand on my shoulder and arested me in y e kings name for disobedience I asked them whether I shoulde They sayde to the Tower Finally I desired them that I might be spoken wyth shortly heard what I could say for my selfe and praied them to be suters in it and so they saide they would After y t I was once in the tower vntill it was within 6. dayes of one whole yere I could heare no maner word message comfort or relief sauing once when I was sicke and me thought some extremity towardes me my Chaplaine had licence to come to me for one time then denied againe being aunswered that my feuer was but a tertian which my said Chaplaine tolde me when he came to me at the Easter followinge and there beinge wyth me from the morning till night on Easter day departed and for no suâ—e could neuer haue him since To M. Lieftenant I made diuers sutes to prouoke the duke of Somersets grace to hear me And if I might haue the liberty of an English man I would plainly declare I had neither offended law statute acte proclamation nor his own letter neither but al wold not help I shal report me to M. LieftenaÌ„t whether in al this time I maligned grudged or vsed any vnsemely wordes euer demanding iustice to be heard according to iustice When I had bene thus in the tower one whole yeare within 6. daies or 7. as I remember The Lord Chauncellour and Secretary Peter commeth to Wynchester in the tower came to the Tower the Lord Chancellor of England now being the L. Treasurer and master Secretarye Peter who calling me vnto them as I remember entred this They sayde they hadde brought with them a booke passed by the parlament which they would I should looke on and say my minde to it and vpon my conformitie in it my Lord of Somerset would be suter to the kings maiestie for mercy to be ministred to me Wherunto I answered that I trusted if I might be heard the kings Maiesties iustice would releue me which I had longsued for and could not be heard And to sue for mercy quoth I when I haue not in my conscience offended and also to sue out of thys place Wynchester denyeth to sue for mercy wher asking of mercy emploieth a further suspition then I woulde be for all the worlde touched in it were not expedient And therefore quoth I not guiltie is and hath bene allowed a good plee for a prisoner Then my Lord sayd why quoth he were ye not commaunded to preache of the kings authoritie in his younge age yet did not I told him I was not commaunded Is not quoth he that Article in the papers yee had deliuered you I assured him no. And after communication of the kings Maiesties authority wherein was no disagrement Take betweene the Lord ChauÌ„cellour and Wynchester in the tower then my lord Chancellor said I had disobeied my Lordes graces letter I told him I thought not and if the matter came to iudgement it should appeare And then I sayd to him my Lord howe many open iniunctions vnder Seale and in open Courte haue bene broken in this Realme the punishment wherof hath not ben handled after this sort yet I would stande in defence y t I had not broken his letter waying the words of the letter wherein I reasoned with M. Peter Secretarie what a controuersie was and some part what I could say further But what so euer I canne saye quoth I you must iudge it and for the passion of God do it and then let me sue for mercy when the nature of the offence is known if I will haue it Wynchester will acknowledge no offence But when I am quoth I declared an offender I will with humilitie of suffering make amendes to the kings Maiestie so farre as I am able for I shoulde neuer
made this aunswer againe That first touching the Article of submission he woulde in no wise consent affirming as hee had done before that he had neuer offended the kings Maiestye in any such sorte as shoulde geue hym cause thus to submit himselfe praying earnestly to be brought vnto his trial wherin he refused the kings mercy and desired nothing So ye right 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 turned 〈◊〉 altar to 〈◊〉 but iustice And for the rest of the articles he aunswered that after he were past his triall in this firste poynt and were at libertie then it should appeare what he would do in them not being as he said reasonable that he should subscribe them in prisone Of this answer when the king and hys counsel had intelligence by the foresayde Maister of the horse Secretarie Peter the bishop of London and M. Goodricke who had bene wyth him it was agreed that he should be sent for before the whole counsel and peremptorily examined once againe whether he would stand at this poynt or no which if he did then to denouÌ„ce vnto him the sequestration of his benefice and consequently the intimation in case hee were not reformed within 3. monethes as in the daye of his appearance shall appeare The tenor and words of which sequestration with the Intimation followeth The wordes of the Sequestration with the Intimation to the Bishop of Winchester FOr asmuch as the kings maiestie our most gratious soueraigne Lord vnderstandeth The tenour of of the sequestration read to Winchester and it is also manifestly knowne and notorious vnto vs that the clemency long sufferaunce of his maiestie woorketh not in you y e good effect and humblenes and conformitie that is requisite in a good subiect and for that your first disobediences coÌ„teÌ„pts and other misbehauiours for the which you were by hys Maiesties authoritie iustly coÌ„mitted to warde haue â—ithes your said committing dayly more more increased in you in such sort as a great slaunder and offence is therof risen in many parts of the realme whereby also much slander dissention trouble vnquietnes is very like more to ensue if your foresaid offences being as they be openly knowne should passe vnpunished The causes why this sequestratioÌ„ was laid against Winchester we let you wit that hauing speciall and expresse Commission and commaundement from his Maiesty aswell for your contumacies and contempts so long coÌ„tinued and yet daily more increasing as also for the exchange of the slaunder offence of the people which by your sayd ill demeanours is risen and for that also the Church of Winchester may be in the meane time prouided of a good minister that may and will see all things done quietly executed according to lawes and common orders of this Realme Winchester sequestred from his Byshopricke for sondry other great and vrgent causes we do by these presentes sequester all the fruites reuenues landes and possessions of your Bishopricke of Winchester discerne deeme iudge the same to be committed to the seueral receite collection and custody of such person or persons as his Maiesty shall appoynt for that purpose And because your former disobediences and contemptes so loÌ„g coÌ„tinued so many times doubled renued and aggrauated do manifestly declare you to be a person without all hope of recouery plainly incorrigible we eftsoones admonish and require you to obay his maiesties said coÌ„maundement and that you do declare your selfe by subscription of youre hand both willing well conteÌ„ted to accept allow preach and teache to others the sayde articles and all suche other matters as be or shal be set forth by his maiesties authority of supreme head of this church of England on this side within the terme of 3. monthes whereof we appoynt one month for the first monition one month for the second monition and warning and one moneth for the third and peremptorie monition Within which time as you may yet declare your coÌ„formitie and shal haue paper Intimation geuâ— to Winchester pen and inke when you wil cal for them for that purpose so if you wilfully forbeare and refuse to declare your self obedient and conformable as is aforesayd we intimate vnto you that his maiestie who like a good gouernor desireth to keepe both his coÌ„mon wealth quiet and to purge the same of euill men especially ministers entendeth to proceede against you as an incorrigible person and vnmeet minister of this church to depriuation of your sayd bishopprike Neuertheles vpon diuers good considerations and specially in hope he might within his time be yet reconciled it was agreed that the sayd bishops house seruants should be maintained in their present estate vntill y e time that this Iniunction should expire the matter for the meane time to be kept secrete After this sequestration the sayde B. was commensed vnto Lambeth before the Archbishop of Cant. other the kings commissioners by vertue of the kings speciall letter sent vnto the sayde Commissioners to witte to the Archbyshop of Caunterburie Nicholas bishoppe of London The names of the Commissioners delegate in the cause of SteueÌ„ Gardineâ— Thomas bishop of Ely Henry bishop of Lincoln Secretarie Peter Syr Iames Hales knight Doctour Leyson Doctor Olyuer lawyers and Iohn Gosnold Esquire c. before them and by them to be examined by whome were obiected against him 19. special articles in order and forme heere following Articles and positions ministred ioyntly and seuerally obiected to the B. of Winchester IN primis that the kings Maiestie iustly and rightfully is and by the lawes of God ought to be the supreme head in earth of the Church of England and Ireland Articles ministred agaynst Winchester by the Commissioners and so is by the Clergie of this realme in their conuocation and by the Act of Parliament iustly and according to y e lawes of God recognised 2 Item that his maiestie as supreme head of y e saide churches hath full power and authoritie to make and set suche Lawes Iniunctions and ordinances for and concerning Religion anâ— orders in the said churches for the increase of vertue and repressing of all errours heresies and other enormities and abuses 3 Item that all and euery his graces subiectes are bound by the lawes of God to obey all his highnesse saide lawes Iniunctions and proceedings concerning religion orders in the sayd Churches Winchester sworne to the kinges supremacy 4 Item that you Steuen B. of Winchester haue sworne obedience to his Maiestie as supreme head of this Church of England and also of Ireland 5 Item that all and euery his graces subiects that disobey any of his sayde Maiesties lawes Iniunctions ordinances and proceedings already set forth published or hereafter to be set foorth published ought worthely to be punished according to his graces Ecclesiasticall lawes vsed within thys his realme Winchester after his oth fouÌ„d disobedient to the king and his proceedinges 6 Item that you
proceded he to the answering of the foresaid articles but in such crafty and obstinate maner as before he had ben accustomed and as at large to them that be desirous to vnderstand the processe thereof in the first booke of the Actes and monuments of the Church aforesayd may appeare But briefly to conclude such exceptions he vsed against the witnesses produced against him and he himself produced such a number of witnesses in hys defence and vsed so many delaies and cauillations that in the end the commissioners seeing his stubbernesse proceeded to the sentence definitiue against him as heere vnder followeth ¶ Sentence definitiue agaynst Stephen Gardiner B. of Winchester IN the name of God Amen By authority of a commission by the high and mighty prince our moste gracious soueraigne Lord Edward the 6. by the grace of God king of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith The finall sentence 〈◊〉 the depriâ—uation of the Bishâ—â— of Winchâ—â—ster and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head the tenour whereof hereafter ensueth Edward the sixt c. Wee Thomas by the sufferaunce of God Archbishop of Canterburye primate of all Englande and Metropolitane wyth the right reuerende fathers in God Nicholas Bishop of London Thomas Byshop of Ely and Henry Byshop of Lincolne Syr William Peter Knight one of our said soueraigne Lordes two principall secretaries Sir Iames Hales knight one of our sayd soueraigne Lordes Iustices of his common plees Griffith Leison and Iohn Oliuer Doctors of the Ciuill lawe Richard Goodrike Iohn Gosnold Esquiers delegates and Iudges assigned appointed rightfully lawfully proceeding according to the forme tenor of y e said commission for the hearing examinatioÌ„ debating finall determination of y e causes and matters in the said commisson mentioned and conteined and vpon the contentes of the same and certeine articles obiected of office against you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester as more plainely and fully is mencioned and declared in the said commission and articles all which we repute take here for to be expressed after sondry iudiciall assemblies examinations debatings of the said cause matters with all incidents emergents circumstances to the same or any of them belonging and the same also beeing by vs ofte heard seene and well vnderstanded and with good and mature examination and deliberation debated coÌ„sidered and fully wayed and pondred obseruing all such order and other things as by the lawes equitie and the said commission ought or needed heerein to be obserued in the presence of you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester do proceede to the geuing of our finall iudgement and sentence diffinitiue in this maner following For asmuch as by the actes inacted exhibites and allegations purposed deduced alleaged by sufficient proofes with your owne confession in the causes aforesaid had and made we do euidently finde and perceiue that you Steuen Bishop of Winchester haue not only transgressed the commaundements mencioned in the same Wynchester fouÌ„d to be a transgressor but also haue of loÌ„g time notwithstanding many admonitions and commandements geuen vnto you to the contrary remained a person much grudging speaking and repugning against the godly reformations of abuses in religion set foorth by the kings highnes authoritie within this his realme and forasmuch as we do also finde you a notable open and contemptuous disobeyer of sondry godly and iust commandements geuen vnto you by our sayd soueraigne Lorde and by his authoritie in diuers great and weighty causes touching and coÌ„cerning his princely office the state and common quietnes of this his Realme and for asmuch as you haue and yet do contemptuously refuse to recognise your notorious negligences misbehauiours contempts and disobedieÌ„ces remaining still after a great number of seuerall admonitions alwaies more and more indurate incorrigible and without all hope of amendement coÌ„trary both to your oth sworne obedience promise and also your bouÌ„den duety of allegiance and for the great sclaunder and offence of the people arise in many partes of the Realme through your wilfull doings sayings and preachings contrary to the common order of the Realme and for sondry other great causes by the actes exhibites your owne confession and proofes of this processe more fully appearing considering withall that nothing effectually hath ben on your behalfe alleaged purposed and proued ne by any other meanes appeareth whiche doth or may empayre or take away the proofes made against you vpon the sayde matters and other the premisses Therefore we Thomas Archbyshop of Caunterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane Iudge delegate aforesayd calling God before our eyes with expresse consent and assent of Nicholas B. of London Tho. bishop of Ely Henry B. of Lincolne sir Wil. Peter Knight Sir Iames Hales Knight Griffith Leison and Ioh. Oliuer doctors of the ciuill law Rich. Goodricke and Iohn Gosnold Esquires Iudges and Colleagues with vs in the matters aforesaid and with the counsaile of diuers learned men in the lawes with whome we haue conferred in and vpon the premisses SteueÌ„ Gardiner Bish. of Winchester depriueâ— of his Bishopricke do iudge and determine you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester to be depriued and remooued from the Bishopricke of Winchester and from all the rightes authoritie emoluments commodities and other apurtenaunces to the sayde Byshoprike in any wise belonging whatsoeuer they be and by these presentes we doe depriue and remoue you from your sayd Bishopricke and all rites other commodities aforesaide and further pronounce declare the sayd Byshopricke of Winchester to all effectes and purposes to be voyde by this our sentence definitiue which we geue pronounce and declare in these writings This sentence diffinitiue being geuen the sayd Byshop of Winchester vnder his former protestatioÌ„s dissented froÌ„ the geuing and reading thereof and froÌ„ the same as vniust of no efficacy or effect in law and in that that the same conteineth excessiue punishmeÌ„t and for other causes expressed in his appellation aforesayd did then and there apud Acta immediately after the pronouncing of the seÌ„tence by word of mouth appeale to the kinges Royall maiestie first secondly and thirdly instantly more instantly SteueÌ„ Gardiner appealeth from the Sentence to the king most instantly asked apostles or letters dimissorials to be geuen and granted vnto him And also vnder protestation not to recede from the sayd appellation asked a copy of the sayd seÌ„tence the Iudges declaring that they would first knowe the kinges pleasure and his counsell therin vpon the reading and geuing of which sentence the promoters willed Will. Say and Thomas Aâ—gall to make a publicke Instrument and the witnesses then and there present to beare testimony thereunto c. And thus haue ye the whole discourse and processe of Steuen Gardiner late bishop of Winchester vnto whome the Papisticall cleargy doth so much leane as to a mighty Atlas an vpholder of their ruinous Religion The end of
God in whom our whole affiaunce is shall send vs. Wherefore my Lordes we require you and charge you and euery of you that euery of you of your allegeance whyche you owe to God and vs and to none other for our honour and the surety of our parson onely employ your selues forth with vpon receit hereof cause our right and title to the Crowne and gouâ—rnement of this Realme to be proclaymed in our Citty of London and other places as to your wisedomes shall seeme good and as to this case apperteineth not fayling hereof as our verye trust is in you And thus our Letter signed with our hande shal be your sufficient warrant in this behalfe Yeuâ—n vnder our Signet at our Manor of Kenyngall the ninth of Iulyâ— 1553. To this Letter of the Ladye Marye the Lordes of the Counsell make aunswere agayne as foloweth ¶ Aunswere of the Lordes vnto the Lady Maryes Letter MAdame A letter of the Counsaile aunswâ—ring agayne to the Lady Mary we haue receiued your letters the ninth of this instant declaring your supposed title which you iudge your self to haue to the Imperiall crowne of this Realm all the dominions thereunto belonging For answere whereof this is to aduertise you that forasmuch as our soueraign Lady Quene Iane is after the death of our soueraign Lord Edward the sixt a prince of most noble memorye inuested and possessed with the iuste and right title in the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme Lady Iane inuested in possession of the crowne by king Edwards will and assent of the whole couÌ„saile not onely by good order of olde aunciente lawes of this Realme but also by our late soueraigne Lordes Letters patentes signed with his own hand and seâ—led with the greate seale of Englande in presence of the most parte of the Nobles Counsellours Iudges with diuers other graue and sage personages assenting subscribing to the same We must therfore as of most bouÌ„d duety and allegeance assent vnto her sayde Grace and to none other except wee shoulde which faythfull subiectes can not fall into greeuous and vnspeakeable enormities Wherefore we can no lesse do but for the quiet both of the realme and you also to aduertise you that forasmuch as the diuorce made betwene the king of famous memory K Henry the 8. the Lady Katherine your mother was necessary to be had both by the euerlasting lawes of God and also by the Ecclesiasticall lawes by the most part of the noble learned Vniuersities of Christendome and confirmed also by the sundry actes of Parliamentes remaining yet in theyr force and therby you iustly made illegitimate and vnheritable to the crown Imperiall of this realme and the rules and dominions and possessions of the same Lady Mary recounted illegitimate you will vpon iust consideration hereof and of diuers other causes lawfull to be alledged for the same for the iust inheritaunce of the right line and godlye order taken by the late king our souereigne Lord king Edward the sixt and agreed vpon by the Nobles and greatest personages aforesayd surcease by any pretence to vexe and molest any of our soueraigne Ladye Queene Iane her subiectes from theyr true fayth and allegeance due vnto her grace assuring you that if you will for respect shew your selfe quiet and obedient as you oughte you shall finde vs all and seuerall ready to doe you any seruice that we with duety may and be glad with your quietnes to preserue the coÌ„mon state of this realme wherin you may be otherwise greuous vnto vs to your selfe and to them And thus we bid you most hartily well to fare from the Tower of London this 9. of Iuly 1553. Your Ladyships frendes shewing your selfe an obedient subiect Thomas Caunterbury The Marques of Winchester Iohn Bedford Wil. Morthhampton Thom. Ely Chauncellour Northumberland Henry Suffolke Henry Arundell Shrewesbury Pembrooke Cobham R. Riche Huntington Darcy Cheyney R. Cotton Iohn Gates W. Peter W. Cicelle Iohn Cheeke Iohn Mason Edward North. R. Bowes All these aforesayd except onely the Duke of NorthuÌ„berland and syr Iohn Gates afterward were either by especiall fauor or speciall or generall pardon discharged After this aunswere receiued and the mindes of the Lordes perceiued Lady Mary keepeth her selfe from the Citty of London Lady Mary speedeth her selfe secretlye away farre of from the City hoping chiefly vpon the good will of the Commons and yet perchaunce not destitute altogether of the secret aduertisementes of some of the Nobles When the Counsell heard of her sodiene departure and perceiued her stoutnesse that all came not to passe as they supposed they gathered speedily a power of meÌ„ together appointing an army and first assigned that the Duke of Suffolke shoulde take that enterprise in hand so haue the leading of the Bande The Duke of Northumberland sent forth agaynst Lady Mary But afterwarde alterynge their mindes they thought it best to seÌ„d forth the Duke of Northumberland with certaine other Lords and Gentlemen and that the Duke of Suffolke shoulde keepe the Tower where the Lord Gilford and the Lady Iane the same time were lodged In the which expedition y e Gard also albeit they were much vnwilling at the first therunto yet notwithstanding through the vehemeÌ„t perswasions of the Lord Treasurer M. Chomley other they were induced to assist the duke and to set forward with him These thinges thus agreed vpon and the Duke nowe being set forwarde after the best array out of London hauing notwithstanding his times prescribed and hys iourneys appoynted by the Counsell to the entent he woulde not seeme to do any thing but vpon warrant Mary in the meane while tossed with muche trauell vp and downe to worke the surest way for her best aduauntage withdrewe her selfe into the quarters of Northfolke and Suffolke Pollicie of the Lady Mary where she vnderstood the Dukes name to be had in muche hatred for the seruice that had ben done there of late vnder king Edward The Lady Mary taketh Fremingham castle in subduing the rebels and there gathering to her such aid of the commons in euery side as she might keepeth her selfe close for a space within Fremingham Castle To whom first of al resorted the suffolke men who being alwayes forward in promoting the procedinges of the Gospell The Suffolk meÌ„ gather to the Lady Maryes side promised her theyr ayd helpe so that she would not attempt the alteration of the religion which her Brother king Edward had before established by lawes and orders publickely enacted and receiued by the consent of the whole Realme in that behalfe To make the matter short vnto this condition she eftsoones agreed with suche promise made vnto them that no innouatioÌ„ should be made of religioÌ„ The Lady Mary promiseth faithfully that she would not alter religion Breach of promise in Queene Mary as that no maÌ„ would or could then haue misdoubted her Whiche promise if shee had as
February in the yeare of our Lord 1554. The next moneth following which was the moneth of March and the 4. day of the sayd moneth there was a letter sent from the Queene to Boner Bishop of London with certaine Articles also annexed to be put in speedy execution conteining as heere followeth ¶ Articles sent from the Queene to the Bishop of London by him and his officers at her commaundement to be put in speedy execution with her letter to the sayd Byshop before prefixed RIght reuerend Father in God right trusty and welbeloued we greete you well A letter oâ— Q. Mary 〈◊〉 B. Boner Causes deâ—clared March 3. And wheras heretofore in y e time of the late raigne of our most dearest brother K. Edward y e 6. whose soule god pardon dyuers notable crimes excesses and faults with sundrye kindes of heresies sâ—â—â—ny adultery other enormities haue bene committed w tin this our Realme and other our dominions the same continuing yet hitherto in like disorder since the beginning of our raigne without any correction or reformation at all the people both of the laitie and also of the clergye chiefly of the clergy haue bene geuen to much insolency vngodly rule greatly to the displeasure of almighty God very much to our regret euill contentation to no litle slander of other Christen realmes and in a maner to the subuersion cleane defacing of this our realme and remembring our duety to almighty god to be to foresee as much as in vs may be y t all vertue and godly liuing shoulde be embraced florish increase and therewith also y t all vice vngodly behauiour shuld be banished and put away or at y e least wise so nigh as might be so bridled and kept vnder that godlines and honesty might haue y e ouer hand vnderstanding by very credible report and publike fame to ouâ— no smal heauines and discomfort that within your dioces as well in not exempted as exempted places the like disorder and euill behauiour hath bene done vsed like also to continue and increase vnlesse due prouision be had and made to reforme y e same which earnestly in very deede we do mind intend to the vttermost all y e waies we can possible trusting of Gods furtherance and helpe in y t behalfe For these causes and other most iust coÌ„siderations vs mouing we send vnto you certayne articles of suche speciall matter as among other thinges be most necessary now to be put in execution by you your officers extending to the end by vs desired and the reformation aforesaide wherein ye shall be charged with our speciall commaundement by these our letters to the intent you and your officers may y e more earnestly and boldly proceed therunto without feare of any presumption to be noted on your part or danger to be incurred of any such our Lawes as by our doinges of that is in the said articles conteined might any wise greue you whatsoeuer be threatned in any such case And therfore we straightly charge and commaund you and your sayde officers to proceede to the execution of the said Articles w tout all tracte and delay as ye will answere to the contrary Geuen vnder our signet at our Palace of Westminster the 3. day of march the first yeare of our raigne Articles sent from the Queene vnto the Ordinary and by him and his Officers by her commaundement to be put in execution in the whole dioces FIrst that euery Byshop and his Officers with all other hauing Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction shall with all speede and diligence and all maner of waies to them possible put in execution all such Canons and Ecclesiasticall Lawes heeretofore in the time of King Henry the eyght vsed within this Realme of England and the dominions of the same nor being directly and expresly contrary to the lawes and statutes of this Realme Item that no B. or any his Officer or other person aforesayd heereafter in any of their ecclesiasticall writings in processe or other extraiuditiall actes doe vse to put in this clause or sentence Regia authoritate fulcitus Item that no Byshop or any his officers or other person aforesaid do hereafter exact or demaund in the admission of any person to any ecclesiasticall promotion order or office any oth touching the primacy or succession as of late in few yeares passed hath bene accustomed and vsed Item that euery B. and his officers with all other persons aforesayd haue a vigilant eie and vse speciall diligeÌ„ce and foresight that no person be admitted or receiued to any ecclesiasticall function benefice or office being a sacramentary infected or defamed with any notable kinde of heresie or other great crime and that the said B. do stay and cause to be stayed as much as lieth in him that benefices and Ecclesiasticall promotions do not notably decay or take hinderaÌ„ce by passing or coÌ„firming of vnreasonable leases Item that euery Bishop and all other persons aforesayde For punishing â—eâ—esies 〈◊〉 they call them do diligently trauaile for the repressing of heresies and notable crimes especially in the Cleargie duely correcting and punishing the same Item that euery B. and all the other persons aforesayd do likewise trauell for the condemning and repressing of corrupt and naughty opinions vnlawfull bookes ballades and other pernitious and hurtfull deuices engendring hatred amongst the people and discord amongst the same And the Scholemaisters Preachers and Teachers do exercise and vse their offices and duties without teaching preaching or setting foorth any euill and corrupt doctrine and that doing the contrary they may be by the Bishop and his said officers punished and remoued Item that euery B. and all the other persons aforesayd proceding summarely with all celerity speed may and shall depriue or declare depriued and amoue according to their learning discretion all such persons froÌ„ their benefices ecclesiasticall promotioÌ„s who coÌ„trary to the state of their order the laudable custome of the church haue married vsed women as their wiues or otherwise notably and slaunderously disordered or abused themselues sequestring also during the said proces the fruites and profites of the said benefices and Ecclesiasticall promotions Item that the said B. and all other persons aforesayd do vse more lenity and clemency with such as haue married whose wiues be dead then with other whose women do yet remayne aliue And likewise such Priestes as with the consents of their wiues or women openly in the presence of the B. do professe to abstaine Prouision 〈◊〉 priestes which reâ—â—unce their 〈◊〉 to be vsed more fauourably In which case after penaunce effectually done the Bishop according to his discretion and wisedome may vpon iust consideration receiue and admit them agayne to their former administration so it be not in the same place appointing them such a portion to liue vpon to be payde out of their benefice whereof they be depriued by
benefite and grace offred from the apostolick sea vntill the abrogation of such lawes wherby you haue disioined and disseuered your selues from the vnity of Christes Church It remayneth therefore that you like true christians prouident men for the weale of your soules bodyes ponder what is to be done in this so weighty a cause and so to frame your actes and procedings as they may tend first to the glory of God and next to the conseruation of your coÌ„mon wealth surety and quietnes The next day after the 3. Estates assembled agayne in the great chamber of the Court at Westminster where the king and queenes maiesties and the Cardinall being present they did exhibite sitting all on theyr knees a supplication to theyr highnesses the tenor wherof ensueth * The Copy of the supplication and submission exhibited to the king and Queenes maiesties by the Lordes and Commons of the Parliament WE the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the commoÌ„s of this present parliament assembled The suppâ—â—â—catioÌ„ â—â—â—â—mission oâ— the Loâ—â— and Comâ—mons to the king 〈◊〉 Queenes maiesties representing the whole body of the realme of England and dominions of the same in our own names particularly and also of the sayd body vniuersally in this supplicatioÌ„ directed to your maiestyes with most huÌ„ble sute that it may by your gracious intercession and meane be exhibited to the most reuerend father in God the Lord Cardinall Poole Legate sent specially hither from our most holy father Pope Iulius the third and the Sea Apostolick of Rome do declare our selues very sorye and repentaunt for the schisme and disobedience committed in this realme and the dominions of the same against the sayd sea Apostolicke either by making agreing or executing any lawes ordinaunces O great sâ—â—row and deepe repentauncâ— or commaundementes agaynst the supremacye of the sayde sea or otherwise doing or speaking that might impugne the same Offring our selues promising by this our supplication that for a token and knowledge of our sayd repentance we be and shal be alway ready vnder and with the authorities of your Maiesties to the vttermost of our power to doe that shal be in vs for the abrogation and repealing of the sayd lawes and ordinaunces in this present parliament as well for our selues as for the whole body whom we represent Whereupon we most humbly beseech your maiesties as persons vndefiled in the offence of his body towardes the sayde Sea which neuerthelesse God by his prouidence hath made subiecte to your maiesties so to set forth this our moste humble sute The Popâ— absolutioâ— caÌ„not 〈◊〉 but by inâ—tercessioâ— of kinge Queene The suppâ—â—â—cation 〈◊〉 vp by the king and Queene 〈◊〉 the Caâ—â—â—â—nall that we may obteine from the sea Apostolicke by the sayd most reuerent father as wel particularly as vniuersally Absolution release and discharge from all daunger of such Censures and sentences as by the lawes of the church we be fallen in and that we may as children repentant be receiued into the bosome vnity of Christes church so as this noble Realme with all the members therof may in vnity and perfect obedience to the Sea Apostolicke and Popes for the time being serue GOD and your Maiesties to the furtheraunce and aduancement of his Honour and Glorye Amen The Supplication being read the king and Queene deliuered the same vnto the Cardinall who perceiuing y e effect thereof to aunswere his expectation did receiue the same most gladly from theyr Maiesties and after he had in fewe wordes geuen thankes to God and declared what great cause he had to reioyce aboue all others that his coÌ„ming from Rome into England had takeÌ„ most happy successe He by the Popes authority did geue them this absolution folowing ¶ An absolution pronounced by Cardinall Poole to the whole Parliament of England in the presence of the King and Queene OUr Lord Iesus Christ which with his most precious bloud hath redemed and washed vs froÌ„ all our sinnes and iniquities that he might purchase vnto himselfe a glorious spouse without spot or wrinckle whoÌ„ the Father hath appoynted head ouer all his church he by his mercy absolue you And we by apostolick authority geuen vnto vs by the most holy lord Pope Iulius the 3. his Uicegerent in earth do absolue deliuer you and euery of you with the whole Realme and the Dominions therof from all Heresy and Schisme and from all and euerye iudgement Censures and paynes for that cause incurred also we do restore you agayn vnto the vnity of our Mother the holy Church as in our Letters more playnely it shall appeare In the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost When all this was done they went into the Chappell and there singing Te Deum with great solemnity declared the ioy and gladnesse that for this reconciliation was pretended The reporte of thys was with great speede sent vnto Rome as well by the king and Cardinals Letters which hereafter folow as also otherwise WherupoÌ„ the pope caused there at Rome processions to be made and thankes to be geueÌ„ to God with great ioy for the conuersion of England to his Churche and therefore praysing the Cardinals diligence and the deuotion of the king and queen on Christmas euen by his Buls he set forth a generall pardoÌ„ to all such as did truely reioyce for the same ¶ A copy of king Philips Letter written with his owne hand to Pope Iulius touching the restoring of the Realme of England MOst holy Father I wrote yesterday vnto Don Iohn Maurique Nouember 30. K. Phillips letter to the Pope tranâ—uted out of Spanish into English that he shoulde declare by worde of mouth or els write to your holynes in what good state the matter of religion stoode in this Realme and of the submission to your holinesse as to the chiefe As this day which is the feast of S. Andrew late in the euening we haue done God that seruice to whose onely goodnesse we must impute it and to your holynes who haue taken so great payne to gayne these soules that this realme with full generall consent of all them that represent the state being very peniteÌ„t for that was past and well bent to that they come to doe submitted themselues to youe holynes to that holy Sea whom at the request of the Queene and me your Legate did absolue And forasmuch as the sayd Don Iohn shall signify vnto your holinesse all that passed in this matter I will write no more therof but onely that the Queene I as most faythful deuout children of your holynes haue receiued the greatest ioy and comfort hereof that may be expressed with tong Considering that besides the seruice done to God hereby it hath chaunced in the time of your holynes to place as it were in the lappe of the holy Catholicke churche such a kingdome as this is And therfore I thinke I cannot be thankefull enough
specially seeing the like had bene permitted in that olde Churche euen in generall Councels yea and that in one of the chiefest councels that euer was 〈◊〉 put 〈◊〉 the B. of 〈◊〉 vnto which neither any Actes of thys Parlament nor yet any of the late general Councels of the Bishops of Rome oughte to be compared For sayde I if Henry the eight were aliue and should call a Parliament and begin to determine a thing and heere I woulde haue alledged the example of the Acte of making the Queene a Bastarde and of making himselfe the Superiour head but I coulde not being interrupted of one whome God forgeue then will ye poynting to my Lorde Chauncellour and yee and yee and so yee all poyntinge to the rest of the Byshops say Amen yea and it like your grace it is mete that it be so enacted c. M. Rogers 〈◊〉 suffered to speake Here my L. Chauncellor would suffer me to speake no more but had me sit downe mockingly saying that I was sent for to be instructed of them and I woulde take vppon me to be their instructer My Lorde quoth I I stand and sit not shall I not be suffred to speake for my life Marke here â—he spirite of this prelate Shall we suffer thee to tel a tale and to prate quoth he and with that he stoode vp and began to face me after hys olde arrogant proude fashion for he perceiued that I was in a way to haue touched them somwhat which he thought to hynder by dashing mee oute of my tale and so hee dyd For I could neuer be suffered to come to my tale agayne no not to one word of it but he had much like communication with me as he had the day before and as his maner is taunt vpon taunt and checke vpon checke For in that case being Gods cause I tolde hym he should not make me afraid to speake L. Chaun See what a spirit this fellow hath sayde he fineding fault at mine accustomed earnestnesse and harty maner of speaking Rog. The godly spirite of M. Rogers I haue a true spirite quoth I agreeing and obeying the word of God and would further haue sayd that I was neuer the worse but the better to be earnest in a iuste and true cause and in my master Christes matters but I might not be heard And at the length he proceeded towardes his excommunication and condemnation after that I had told hym that his Church of Rome was the Churche of Antichriste The church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist meaning the lawes and doctrine now vsed in Rome meaning the false doctrine and tyrannicall lawes with the maintenance thereof by cruel persecution vsed by the Bishops of the said church which the B. of Winchester and the rest of his fellow bishops that are now in EnglaÌ„d are the chiefe members Of lawes I meane quoth I and not of all men and women which are in the popes church Likewise when I was saide to haue denied their sacrameÌ„t whereof he made his wonted reuerent mention more to maintaine his kingdom therby then for the true reuerence of Christes institution more for his owne and his Popish generations sake then for religion or Gods sake I tolde him after what order I did speake of it for the manner of hys speakyng was not agreeing to my woords which are before recited in the communication that wee had the 28. of Ianuarie wherewith he was not contented but he asked the audience whether I had not simply denied y e sacrameÌ„t How the Bishop of Winchester seketh for bloud They would haue said and did what he lusted for the most of them were of his owne seruants at that day the 29. day of Ianuary I meane At the last I said I wil neuer denye that I sayd that is that your doctrine of the Sacrament is false but yet I tell you after what order I sayde it To be short he red my condemnation before me perticularly mentioning therein but 2. Articles firste that I affirmed the Romish catholike church to be the church of antichrist and that I denied the reality of their sacrament He cursed me to be disgraded and condemned and put into the hands of the laitie and so he gaue me ouer into the shriues hands which were much better then his ¶ The copie of which his condemnation here I thought to put downe in English to the entent that the same being here once expressed may serue for all other sentences condemnatory through the whole storie to be referred vnto The Sentence condemnatorie against Maister Rogers IN the name of God Amen Wee Steuen by the permission of God Bishop of Winchester lawfully and ryghtly proceeding with all godly fauoure by authority and vertue of our office againste thee Iohn Rogers priest The 〈◊〉 definitâ—â—â— against M. Râ—geâ—s alias called Mathewe before vs personally heere present being accused and detected and notoriously slaundered of heresie hauing heard seene and vnderstand and with al diligent deliberation wayed discussed and considered the merites of the cause all thinges being obserued which by vs in thys behalfe in order of law ought to be obserued sitting in our iudgement seat the name of Christ being first called vpon and hauing God onely before our eyes because by the actes enacted propounded and exhibited in this matter and by thine owne confession iudicially made before vs we do finde that thou hast taught holden and affirmed and obstinately defended diuers errours heresies and damnable opinions contrarye to the doctrine and determination of the holy church as namely these That the catholike churche of Rome is the church of Antichrist Item His Articles that in the Sacrament of the aultare there is not substantially nor really the natural bodye and bloude of Christe The which aforesayde heresies and damnable opinions being contrary to the law of God and determination of the vniuersall and Apostolicall Church thou hast arrogantly stubburnely and wittingly mainteined held and affirmed and also defended before vs as wel in thys iudgement as also otherwise and with the like obstinacie stubbornnesse malice and blindnesse of heart both wittingly and willingly haste affirmed that thou wilt beleeue maintaine and holde affirme and declare the same Wee therefore S. Wint. B. Ordinarie and Diocesan aforesayd by the consent and assent as well of our reuerend brethren the Lord Bishops heere present and assistent as also by the counsell and iudgement of diuers worshipfull lawyers and professours of Diuinitie wyth whome wee haue communicated in thys behalfe doe declare and pronounce thee the sayde Iohn Rogers otherwise called Mathewe through thy demerites transgressions obstinacies wilfulnesses whych thou manifolde wayes hast incurred by thine owne wicked and stubburne obstinacie to haue bene and to be guiltie in the detestable horrible and wicked offence of hereticall prauitie and execrable doctrine and that thou haste before vs sondry times spoken maintained and wittingly and stubbornely defended the sayde
broughte in the Bishop of Rome and sette him in his olde authoritie beginneth to set vp abbeis againe hath made the mariage of priestes vnlawfull hath tourned the English seruice into Latine againe hath set vp the Masse againe w t like baggage and pulled downe the holy Communion and all this is done by consente of Parliament If the Acts of Parliament made in king Henries time in K. Edwards had theyr foundatioÌ„ vpon Gods word where vpon all positiue lawe ought to be grounded then these which are stablished in the Quenes time being cleane contrary to the others as they are not warranted by gods woorde so are they wicked and therfore to be both spoken and wrytten against of all menne as well of priuate as of publique persons If your Actes my Lord Chancellour which you haâ—e lately coyned I call them yours because ye only beare the swinge deuise and decree what yee list all other men are forced to followe be good and according to Gods woord then the former Actes were naught whych thing ye seeme to say in vtterly taking of them away and setting vp of the contrary if the former were nought why then did ye consent vnto them and confirme them to be good by your voluntarie and aduised wryting as it appeareth and will to the worldes ende in your Booke de vera Obedientia where you prooue the Queene a Bastard and the bishop of Rome to be an vsurper and to haue no authoritie in the Realme of Englande Yee must needes confesse that the moste parte of your Actes of Parliament in these latter dayes haue bene according to the fantasies of a fewe King Henry in his time established by Parliament in a manner what he listed and many thinges that might well haue bene amended In Kinge Edwardes dayes the Duke of Somersette and Northumberlande bare a great stroke in thyngs and did not all things syncerely Euen so since the Quene that nowe is came to the gouernement of the realme al things are ordered by your deuise and head and the whole Parliament house is ledde as you list by reason whereof they are compelled to condescende to thinges both contrarye to Gods manifest woorde and also contrary to theyr owne consciences so great is your crueltie For to bryng youre wicked purposes to passe and to establish your Antichristian kingdome whych I truste the Lorde wyth the breathe of hys mouthe will spedely blowe ouer yee haue called three Parliamentes in one yeare and an halfe that what you coulde not compasse by subtill perswasion ye might bring to passe by tyrannical threatning for if yee hadde not vsed cruell force in your doinges yee had neuer broughte to passe suche thinges as this daye yee haue to the vtter defacing and abolishing of Gods true religion and to the casting away and destruction of your naturall Countrey so much as in you lieth And as it is moste true that Actes of Parliament haue in these latter dayes bene ruled by the fantasies of a fewe and the whole Parliament house contrary to their minds was compelled to consent to such things as a few had conceiued So it muste needes be graunted that the Papistes at all times were moste readie to apply them selues to the present worlde and like menne pleasers to follow the fantasies of suche as were in authoritie and turne with the estate which way so euer it tourned Yea if the estate should chaunge ten times in one yeare they woulde euer be ready at hande to chaunge with it and so folowe the crie and rather vtterly to forsake God and be of no religion then that they would forgoe lust or liuing for God or for religion King Henrie by Parliamente accordinge to Goddes woorde putte downe the Pope the Clergie consented and all men openly by othe refused this vsurped supremacie knowing by Gods worde Christ to be head of the churchâ— and euery Kinge in hys Realme to haue vnder and nexte vnto Christe the chiefe Soueraigntie King Edward also by Parliament according to Gods woorde sette the marriage of Priestes at libertie abolished the Popish and idolatrous masse chaunged the Latin seruice and sette vp the holy Communion the whole Cleargie consented heereunto many of them set it foorth by then preaching and all they by practising confirmed the same Notwythstanding now when the state is altered and the lawes chaunged the Papisticall cleargie wyth other like worldlinges as menne neither fearing God neyther flying worldly shame neither yet regardinge their consciences othes or honestie like wauering weather Cockes tourn rouÌ„d about putting on harlots foreheades sing a newe song and crie wyth an impudent mouth Come a-againe come againe to the catholicke churche meaning the Antichristian church of Rome which is the Synagogue of Sathan and the very sincke of all superstition heresie and Idolatrie Of what force I pray you may a man think these Parliamentes to be which scantly can stand a yere in strength Or what credite is to be geuen to these law makers which are not ashamed to establish contrary lawes and to condempne that for euill which before the thing in it selfe and the circumstances remaining al one they affirmed and decreed to be good Truelye yee are so readye contrarye to all ryghte to chaunge and turne for the pleasure of manne that at the lengthe I feare GOD wyll vse you lyke chaungelings Anno 1554. Aprill and both tourne you foorth of his kingdom and out of your owne countrey Yee charge the Gospell preachers with the vndoyng of thys realme nay it is the turning papists whych haue not onely sette a sale theyr Countrey like Traitours but also troubled the simple people so that they canne not tell what they may beleeue For that which they affirmed and preached to be newe doctrine in King Edwardes dayes nowe they crie against it as it were moste abhominable heresye This fault I trust yee shall neuer finde at our hands Therefore to conclude that whiche I purposed for somuche as the Actes of Parliament of these latter times are one contrary to an other and those which yee nowe haue stablished in your time are contrary to Gods most manifest woorde as is the vsurped supremacie of the Byshoppe of Rome the Idolatrous Masse the Latine Seruice the prohibiting of lawfull marriage which Sainte Paul calleth the Doctrine of Deuilles wyth many suche other I say it is not onely lawfull for any priuate man which bringeth Gods woorde for hym and the authoritie of the primatiue and best Churche to speake and wryte against such vnlawfull lawes but it is hys duetie and he is bounde in very conscience to doe it Which thyng I haue prooued by diuers examples before and nowe will adde too but one other which is wrytten in the fifth of the Actes where it appeareth that the high Priestes the Elders Scribes and Pharisies decreed in their Councell and gaue the same coÌ„maundement to the Apostles that they should not preache in the name of Christe as yee haue also forbidden
vs notwythstanding when they were charged therewithall they aunsweared Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus that is we ought more to obey God then man euen so we may and doe answere you God is more to be obeyed then maÌ„ your wicked lawes can not so tongue tie vs but we will speake the truthe The Apostles were beaten for theyr boldnesse and they reioyced that they suffered for Christes cause Yee haue also prouided roddes for vs and bloudy whippes yet when ye haue done that whiche Goddes hande and Counsell hathe determined that yee shall doe be it life or deathe I truste that God wil so assist vs by his holy spirite and grace that wee shall paciently suffer it praise God for it and whatsoeuer become of mee and others whiche nowe suffer for speaking and professing of the truthe yet be yee sure that Goddes woorde will preuaile and haue the ouer hande when youre bloudy lawes and wicked decrees for want of sure foundation shall fal in the dust and that which I haue spoken of your Actes of Parliament the same may be sayd of the generall Councels of these latter dayes whych haue bene wythin these fiue hundreth yeares where as the Antichrist of Rome by reason of hys vsurped authority ruled the roaste and decreed suche things as made for his gaine not regarding Goddes glorye and therefore are they to be spoken wrytten and cried against of all such as fear God and loue hys truthe And thus muche I purposed to haue sayde concerning the first poynte Nowe touching the second poynte That where as my Lorde Chauncellour hadde the daye before sayde hys pleasure of them that ruled the Realme while hee was in prysone and also reioyced as though God hadde make this alteration euen for his sake and his Catholike Churche as hee calleth it and to declare as it were by myracle that we were before in a Schisme and Heresie and the Realme was nowe brought to an vnitie and to a trueth and I can not tell whereto Thereto was I fully purposed to haue sayde Secondlye my Lorde where as yee yesterdaye so highly dispraised the gouernment of them that ruled in innocent King Edwardes dayes it maye please your Lordshippe to vnderstande that wee poore Preachers whome yee so euill allowe did moste boldly and plainely rebuke theyr euill gouernaunce in manye things speciallye theyr couetousnesse and neglecte and small regarde to liue after the Gospell as also theyr negligence to occasion other to liue thereafter wyth mo things then I can now rehearse Thys can all London testifie wyth vs I would also haue tolde hym what I my selfe for my parte did once at Pauls Crosse concerning the misuse of Abbeys and other church goodes and I am assured right well that neuer a Papiste of them all did euer so much therein as I did I thanke the Lorde therefore I was also as it is well knowen faine to aunsweare therefore before all the Counsell and manye of my brethren did the like so that wee for the not rebuking of theyr faultes shall not aunsweare before God nor be blame worthy before menne Therefore lette the Gentlemen and the Courtiers them selues and all the Citizens of London testifie what we did But my Lord you could not abide them for that which they did vnto you and for that they were of a contrary Religion vnto you Whereâ—ore in that you seeme so infest against them it is neither any iust or publique cause but it is your owne priuate hate that maketh you to reporte so euill of their gouernaunce And yee may now say what yee list of them when they be partely dead and gone and partly by you put out of office But what shal be sayde of you when your fall shall folowe yee shall then heare And I muste say my conscience to you I feare me ye haue and wil with your gouernance bring England out of Gods blessing into a warme sunne I pray God you doe not I am an Englishe manne borne and God knoweth doe naturally wishe well to my Countrey And my Lorde I haue often prooued that the thyngs which I haue much feared afore hande shoulde come to passe haue in deede followed I praye God I may faile of my gessing in thys behalfe but truely that will not be wyth expellyng the true woorde of God out of the Realme and wyth sheading of innocent bloude And as touching your reioycing as thoughe God had sette you alofte to punishe vs by myracle for so you reporte and bragge openly of yourselfe and to minister Iustice if wee will not receaue youre holye fathers mercye and thereby to declare youre churche to be true and oures false to that I aunsweare thus Goddes workes be wonderful are not to be compreheÌ„ded and perceiued by maÌ„s wisedome not by the witte of the moste wise and prudent Yea they are soonest deceiued and doe moste easely iudge amisse of Goddes wonderfull woorkes that are moste worldly wise God hathe made all the wisedome of thys worlde foolishnesse first Corrinthians the firste and the seconde Chapter Dedit dilectam animam suam in manus inimicorum eius Hierem. xij That is Hee doeth putte his beloued and deare heart into the handes of the ennemies thereof Thys thing doeth God whiche thing all wise menne accompte to be the moste foolish and vnwise parte that can be Will the wise of the worlde trowe ye putte their most deare frendes and tenderly beloued children into their enmies handes to kill slaye burne c. that is vnto them a madnesse aboue all madnesse And yet doeth God vse thys order and thys is an highe and singular wisedome in his syght which the world taketh to be most extreme madnes Canne the worlde shewe a cause whye hee suffered the greate multitude of innocente children to be murthered of Herode of Ascalon or why he putte that moste holy man Iohn Baptiste into the handes of Herode hys sonne to be headed and that in prisone secreatly wythout open iudgement moste tyrannously Whye he suffered hys beloued Apostle Iames to be beheaded of another Herode Acts 12 Whye he suffered his beloued seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be foure hundred yeares in thraldome and bondage and vnder Pharao And all the stocke of Iuda and Beniamin hys beloued children and Churche to come vnder the power sweard and tyrannie of Nabuchodonosor No verely but hys true Catholicke Churche knoweth diuers causes heereof whyche are nowe too long to reherse and whych I would right gladly shew if I had time But this I am righte sure off that it was not because that the aforesayd Godly menne were in heresies and subiecte to false gods seruices and Idolatrie and that theyr aduersaries were men of God and beloued of God The contrarye was true Ihon Baptist was beloued of God and Herode hated and so foorth of the rest and Iohn Baptist the innocent children Iames the Children of Israel in Egypte and in Babylon were the catholike members and
people of God and theyr aduersaries into whose handes they were putte and deliuered and that of GOD and by hys good will and pleasure were Idolatrers and the people of the Deuill but they woulde be called the chiefe members of God and reioyced that they hadde the true God and that it was nowe declared by myracle that the Israelites hadde but a false God and a false religion seeing they were deliuered into the Babylonians handes And all the other the Herodes and Pharao I meane plainely determined that if the menne whiche they killed and handled euil hadde bene Goddes people God would neuer haue suffered them to come into their hands but rather haue done the contrarye and haue lette Iohn Baptist kill Herode and the Israelites Pharao and Nabuchodonosor Euen the like is nowe to be seene in vs and in our most cruell aduersaries They are not therfore the catholike Church because our merciful God hath at this present geueÌ„ our liues into their handes neyther are wee therefore heretickes because wee suffer punishment at theyr handes as the Lord Chauncellour by hys reioycing seemeth to gather the contrarye is hereby to be gathered that we be the members of the true Catholike church because wee suffer for the same Doctrine which Iohn Baptiste Iames the Israelites yea Christe the Apostles did teache of which none taught any thing of oure aduersaries doctrine namely that the rotten Antichristian heade of Rome shoulde be the heade of Christes church But they haue manifestly taught the contrary specially Paule 2. to the Thessalonians the 2. chapter Iohn in the Apocalipse Dan. 11. which thing if I might haue life and Bookes I would so by Gods grace set foorth that all the world should see it and that our aduersaries with their Antichristian head are the members of the Deuils church as they vndoubtedly are And in like case as the aboue meÌ„tioned holy men though they in their dayes were counted to be heretickes seditious and disturbers of the whole worlde for vnto Iohn Baptiste it was sayde Iohn 1. Wherefore baptisest thou if thou be not Helias nor that Prophet c. As who saye thou haste no such authoritie to beginne a newe Ceremonie in the Churche For we be in ordinarie possession of the churche and of vs thou haste receiued no such power We abide by our circumcision and the like coulde I declare of Iames and of all the Apostles and Prophetes and of our Sauiour Christe him selfe that were all condemned as heretickes blasphemers of God and disturbers of the whole world Paule and Silas Act. 16. heard like woordes of the Philippians these men trouble our Citie seeing they are Iewes and preache institutions whych are not lawful for vs to receiue seeing we be Romaines And in 17. In Athens the wise menne of this world suche as gaue their endeuour to wisedom said by S. Paule Quid vult spermologus hic dicere That is What will this prater as my Lord Chancelour sayd to me shall we suffer this felow to prate wheÌ„ I would faine haue sayd that thyng that I haue heere wrytten trifler newes caryer or â—ringer that telleth what so euer men will haue him for gaine and aduauntage that will for a piece of bread say what yee will haue hym c. And an other sayd in the same place hee seemeth to be a preacher of newe Deuelles c. And Actes 21. The Iewes say by Paule laying handes on hym helpe O yee Israelites saye they this is the manne that teacheth all men euery where against the people meaning the Iewes and the law and this place meaning Ierusalem and yet was neuer a woorde of these true And Actes 22. the same Iewes sayde of Paule out of the earthe wyth that man or away wyth him For it is not lawfull for him to liue or he is not woorthy to liue And howe many moe of these examples are to be found in the Bible Although I say these men were in their dayes taken for heretickes of them that were then in authoritye and of the great multitude of the worlde yet it is nowe wel knowen yea and very shortly after their deathes this was known yea and euen in theyr liues also vnto the true Catholicke Churche that they were not onely the chiefe and speciall members of the true Catholicke Churche but also the founders and builders thereof notwithstanding the sinister iudgement that the wise and mighty menne and the great multitude of the worlde hadde of them and in theyr consciences they were alwayes assuredlye certified of the same Euen the same shall the world find true in vs shortlye after oure deathes as also there be at thys houre the Lorde be thanked therefore not a fewe that already know it as we our selues also are by Gods grace assuredly certified in our consciences that we are no heretikes but members of the true catholike church and that our aduersaries the bishops and popish cleargie which wil haue that title are the members of Sathans churche and theyr Antichristian head of Rome wyth them But here they wil crie out loe these men wil be stil like Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the Prophets c. I answere we make not our selues like vnto them in the singular vertues and giftes of God geuen vnto them as of miracles doing and of many other things The similitude and likenesse of them and vs consisteth not in all things but only in this that is that we be like them in doctrine and in the sufferinge of persecution and infamie for the same We haue preached theyr very doctrine and none other thing that we are able sufficiently to declare by theyr wrytings by wryting for my part I haue profered to prooue the same as is now often sayd And for this cause we suffer the like reproche shame and rebuke of the worlde the like persecution leesing of our liues and goodes forsaking as our maister Christ commandeth father mother sister brethren wiues children and all that there is being assured of a ioyfull resurrection and to be crowned in glorye wyth them according to the vnfallible promises made vnto vs in Christ our onely and sufficient mediatour reconciler priest and sacrifice which hath pleased the father and quieted and pacified his wrath against our sinnes made vs wythout spot or wrinkle in his sight by imputation although wee off and in our selues are bespotted be blotted w t many filthy sinnes which if the great mercy graunted in Christ did not put away by not imputing them vnto vs of his measurelesse vnspeakeable mercye and loue to saue vs they woulde haue brought vs to euerlasting damnation and death perpetuall Heerein and in no other doe we affirme our selues to be like vnto our head Christe and all his Apostles Prophetes Martyrs and Saintes And heerein oughte all Christian menne to be like them and heerein are all true Christen men and women lyke them euery one according to the measure of y e faith that
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
helpe towardes his children vseth an other way He ceaseth to be beneficiall vnto them to minister vnto theÌ„ fatherly correction he geueth them ouer vnto them selues sufferyng them to lyue as they lust them selues But we trust to see better of you my dearely beloued and that ye lyke very Gadarenites Heb. 6. Math. 8. for feare to lose your wordly substance or other delites of this lif wil not banish away Christ his gospell from amongest you Actes 1â— 2. Tim. â— 2. Tim. â— but that ye with al diligence of mind wil receiue y e word of god taught you by such ministers as now when persecution ariseth because of y e word are not ashamed of the testimony of our Lorde Iesus but are content to suffer aduersitie with the Gospel therein to suffer trouble as euil doers euen vnto bondes And if ye refuse thus to do Actes 1â— The moâ—â— preachiâ—â— with 〈◊〉 followiâ—â— draweth greater 〈…〉 God 's 〈◊〉 your owne bloud wil be vpon your owne heades And as ye haue had plenteous preaching of the Gospel more then other haue had so shall ye be sure if ye repent not and bring forth fruites worthy of repentaÌ„ce to be sorer plagued to receiue greater vengeaunce at Gods hand then others and the kyngdome of God shal be taken from you and be geuen to an other nation which will bring forth the fruites thereof Wherfore my dearely beloued in Christ take good heede to your selues ponder well in your mindes how fearefull and horrible a thing it is to fal into the haÌ„des of the liuing God And see that ye receiue not the worde of God in vaine but continually labour in fayth and declare your fayth by your good workes which are infallible witnesses of y e true iustifying fayth which is neuer idle but worketh by charitie And see that ye continually geue yourselues vnto all maner of good workes amongest the which the chiefest are to be obedient to the Magistrates sith they are the ordinaunce of God whether they be good or euil Iames â—â— Gala. 5. Tit. 2. Rom. 13 Actes 5â— vnles they commaunde Idolatry and vngodlines that is to say thinges contrary vnto true Religion For then ought we to say with Peter We ought more to obey God then man But in any wyse we must beware of tumult insurrection rebellion or resistaunce The weapon of a Christian in this matter Ephe. 6 ought to be the sword of the spirite which is Gods word and prayer coupled with humilitie and due submission Iohn 1â— Iob. 35. Rom. 1â— and with readynes of hart rather to dye then to do any vngodlynesse Christ also doth teach vs that al power is of God yea eueÌ„ the power of the wicked which God causeth often tymes to raigne for our sinnes disobedience towards him and his word Whosoeuer then doth resist any power doth resist the ordinaunce of God and so purchase to him selfe vtter destruction and vndoyng We must also by al meanes be promoters of vnity peace and concorde We must honour and reuerence Princes 1. Pet â—â— Ephe. â—â— 1. Tim. â— and all that be in authoritie and pray for them and be diligent to set forth their profite and commoditie Secondly we must obey our parents or them that be in their rowmes be careful for our housholds that they be prouided for fed not onely w t bodely foode but muche rather with spirituall foode which is the word of God Thirdly we must serue our neighbors by all meanes we can remembring well the saying of Christ Whatsoeuer ye woulde that men shoulde doe vnto you doe ye likewise vnto them for this is the lawe and the Prophets Fourthly we must diligently exercise the necessarye worke of prayer for all estates 〈◊〉 for Sspanâ— Math. 5. â—â—â—beaâ—ing 〈◊〉 aduersaries â—â—tience in 〈…〉 〈…〉 Pet. 1. Actes 20. knowing that God therefore hath so much commaunded it and hath made so great promises vnto it and doeth so well accept it After these workes we must learne to know the Crosse what affection and minde we must beare towardes our aduersaries and enemies what so euer they be to suffer all aduersities and euils paciently to pray for them that hurt persecute and trouble vs and by thus vsing our selues we shal obtaine an hope certaintie of our vocation that we be the elect children of God And thus I commende you brethren vnto God and to the word of his grace This letter 〈◊〉 written 〈◊〉 yeare 〈◊〉 the moneth 〈…〉 which is able to builde further geue you an inheritaunce among al theÌ„ which are sanctified beseechyng you to helpe M. SauÌ„ders me your late Pastours and all them that be in bondes for the Gospels sake with your praiers to God for vs that we may be deliuered from all them that beleue not and froÌ„ vnreasonable and froward meÌ„ and that this our imprisonment afflictioÌ„ may be to the glory and profit of our Christian brethren in the world that Christ may be magnified in our bodies whether it be by death or by lyfe Amen Salute from me all the faythfull brethren because I write not seuerall Letters to them let them either 〈◊〉 or heare these my letters The grace of our Lord be with you all AmeÌ„ The xxviij of Iune by the vnprofitable seruauÌ„t of Iesus Christ and now also his prisoner George Marsh. Saue your selues from this vntoward generation Actes 2. Pray pray pray Neuer more neede An other Letter of the sayd George Marsh to certaine of his dearely beloued frendes at Manchester in Lancashire GRace be with you and peace from God ouâ— Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen An other godly letter of G. Marsh to them of Manchester After salutations in Christe to you with thankes for youre frendly remembraunces of mee desiring and wishing vnto you not onely in my letters but also in my daily praiers such consolation in spirite and taste of heauenly treasures that ye may therby continually worke in faith labour in loue perseueer in hope and be pacient in all your tribulations and persecutions euen vnto the ende and glorious comming of Christ these shal be eaâ—nestly to exhort and beseeche you in Christ as ye haue receyued the Lord Iesus Coloss. 2. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 3. Math. 10. Luke 11. Aduersaries not to be feared Gods helpe alwayes ready with his Sâ—rsâ—antes euen so to walke rooted in him and not to be afraid of any terrour of your aduersaries be they neuer so manye and mighty and you on the other side neuer so fewe and weake for the battell is the Lordes And as in times past God was with Abraham Moses Isaac Dauid the Machabees and other fought for them and deliuered all their ennemies into their handes euen so hath he promised to be with vs also vnto the worlds end and so to assist strengthen and helpe vs that no man shal be able to
that we geue liberally putting aside al nigardship knowing that he that soweth little shall reape little and hee that soweth plenteouslye shall reape plenteouslye 2. Cor. 9. In almes three things required Lette euerye manne therefore doe accordinge as hee is able The poorest caitiffe in the world may geue as great and acceptable an almes in the sight of God as the richest man in the worlde can doe The poore widowe that did offer but two mites Marke 18. whiche make a farthing did highly please Christ In so much that he affirmed with an othe That shee of her penurie had added more to the offrings of God then all the rich men which of their superfluitie had cast in very muche For if there be first a willing minde as S. Paule sayth it is accepted according to that a maÌ„ hath 2. Cor. 8. and not according that a man hath not Thirdly we must geue wythout hypocrisie and ostentation not seeking the praise of men or our own glorie of profite Almes without ostentation And althoughe the Scriptures in some places make mention of a rewarde to oure almes and other good woorkes yet ought we not to thinke that wee doe merite or deserue any thynge Workes of mercy doe not merite with God touching our saluation any thing 1. Cor. 4. but rather wee oughte to acknowledge that God of his mere mercy rewardeth in vs hys owne giftes For what hathe hee that geueth almes that hee hathe not receiued hee then that geueth vnto a poore man anye manner of thing geueth not of his owne but of those goodes whych he hath receiued of God What haste thou saith the apostle that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it This sentence ought to be had in remembrance of all men For if we haue nothing but that which wee haue receiued what can we deserue or what neede we to dispute and reason of our owne merites It commeth of the free gift of God that we liue that we loue God that we walke in his feare Where is our deseruing then Math. 26. 〈…〉 1. Mach. 4. We must also in this our spiritual warfare arme our selues with continuall praier a very necessary strong and inuincible weapon and after the example of Christ and al other godly men crie heartily vnto God in faith in all our distresses and anguishes Let vs goe boldly to the seate of grace where we shall be sure to receiue mercie Continuall prayer and finde grace to helpe in time of neede For now is pride and persecution encreased nowe is the time of destruction and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore my deare brethren be ye ferueÌ„t in the law of God and ieoperd ye your liues if neede shall so require To be faythfull 〈◊〉 temptation for the testament of the fathers and so shall yee receiue great honour and an euerlasting name Remember Abraham Was not he found faithfull in temptation Gene. 22. Gene. 41. Num 25. and it was reckened vnto him for righteousnes Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the commaundement and was made a Lord of Egypt Phinees was so feruent for the honor of God Iosua· 1. Num. 14. that he obtained the couenaunt of an euerlasting Priesthode Iosua for the fulfilling the word of God was made the captaine of Israel Caleb bare recorde before the Congregation and receiued an heritage 1. Reg. 24. 4. Reg 2. Dauid also in his mercifull kindnesse obtained the throne of an euerlasting kingdome Elias being zealous and feruent in the law was taken vp into heauen Ananias Azarias Dan. 3. Dan. 6. and Misael remained stedfast in the faith and were deliuered out of the fire In like maner Daniel being vnguiltie was saued from the mouth of the Lions And thus ye may coÌ„sider throughout al ages since the world began Psal. 38. He exhorteth to zeale and courage that who soeuer putte their trust in God were not ouercome Feare not ye then the wordes of vngodly men for their glory is but dong and wormes to day are they set vp and to morowe are they gone For they are tourned into earth and theyr memorial commeth to naught Wherfore let vs take good hearts vnto vs and quite our selues like men in the lawe for if we doe the things that are commaunded vs in the law of the Lorde our God we shall obtaine great honour therein Beloued in Christ let vs not faint because of affliction wherwith God trieth all them that are sealed vnto life euerlasting Actes 14. for the onely way into the kingdome of God is through muche tribulation For the kingdome of heauen as God teacheth by hys Prophet Esdras is like a Citie builded and set vpon a broad field 4. Esdras 7. and full of all good thinges but the entraunce is narrowe and sodaine Straite is the way which the elect must walke in full of sorrow and trauaile pearils and labours Like as if there were a fire at the right hand and a deepe water at the lesâ—â— and as it were one straight path betwene them both so smal that there could but one man goe there If this Citie now were geuen to an heire and he neuer went through the pearillous way how would he receiue his inheritaunce Wherefore seeing we are in this narrowe and straight way which leadeth vnto the most ioyfull and pleasaunt Citie of euerlasting life let vs not stagger eyther turne backe being afraide of the daungerous and pearillous way but followe our Captaine Iesus Christ in the narrowe and straight way and be afraide of nothing no not euen of death it selfe Death is a dore to lyfe for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneys ende and open vs the doore vnto euerlasting life Consider also the course of thys world howe many there be which for their maisters sake If worldly men ieopard so much for earthly thinges how much more ought we to ieopard for euerlasting thinges or for a litle promotions sake wold aduenture their liues in worldly affaires as coÌ„monly in warres yet is their reward but light transitory ours is vnspeakable great and euerlasting They suffer paines to be made Lordes on earth for a short season howe much more ought we to endure like paines yea peraduenture much lesse to be made kinges in heauen for euermore Consider also the wicked of this worlde which for a litle pleasures sake or to be auenged on their ennemies will fight with sworde and weapons and put them selues in daunger of imprisonment and hanging So much as vertue is better then vice God mightier then the deuil so much ought we to excell them in this our spirituall battaile And seeing brethren it hath pleased God to set me and that most worthy minister of Christ Iohn Bradforde your countreymen in the forefront of this battaile where for the time is most daunger I beseeche you all in
tenor and maner of wordes to wit And moreouer confesseth and sayth that where as he strake the priest on Easter day last past in S. Margarets church in Westminster he hath since that tyme yet doth mislike hymselfe in that doyng and doth now iudge and beleue that the same his act was euill and naught Howbeit he saith and beleueth that as for the matter and cause wherfore he so stroke the said priest which was for ministring of the sacrament of the aultar â—â—â—wer â—â—â—liked his 〈…〉 Priest which he taketh and iudgeth abhominable he did nor doth not mislike hymself at all therein Moreouer he desireth of the said B. licence to be granted him to alter and take out somewhat of the ix Article in place therof these words to be placed to wit Herein he referreth himselfe to the lawes custome and ordinance specified in this article â—â—â—wer 〈◊〉 his â—â—swere to 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 c. At which request Boner granted to the altering of both the articles according as he desired and so put in the actes After this the B. turning agayne to his old maner of exhorting went about with words and words onely to perswade him to submit himselfe to the Catholike church and to the faith therof Which all his perswasioÌ„s notwithstanding Wil. remained stil in the constancy of his senteÌ„ce saying that he would not be remooued from that hee had spoken to die therfore Whereupon the Bish. assigned him the next day being the xx day of Aprill to appeare in the same day and place betwene the houres of 8. and 9. before noone there and then to heare the sentence pronounced in case he would not relent c. ¶ The last appearance of William Flower before Bishop Boner IN the which day houre and place the said Wil. Flower as he was appoynted The last appearance 〈◊〉 W. â—lower beâ—â—re B. Boâ—er was brought by his keeper belonging to the Warden of the Fleete before Boner who after his woonted maner of perswasion goyng about to reduce hym to his catholike church and the vnitie thereof that is from Christ to Antichrist sometimes with fayre promises alluring sometyme with manasses and terrors fearing hym â— Flowers â—â—â—stancie c. To this Wil. answering said on this wise Do what ye will I am at a point for the heauens shal as soone fall as I will forsake myne opinion c. Wherupon the B. after he had commaunded these wordes to be registred called for the depositions of certaine witnesses producted for the better information of this matter Witnes â—roduced â—gaynst W. â—lower y e names of which witnesses were these Wil. Genings I. Bray Rob. Graunt Richard Dodde William Pampion Rob. Smalwood the parish Priest of S. Margarets at Westminster The summe and effect of whose depositions here insueth ¶ The depositions or attestations producted vpon the aunswers of Wil. Flower RObert Grant of Westminster examined vpon the said answers of Wil. Flower sayth and deposeth That he did heare and see the sayd Flower acknowledge recognise the sayd answers and subscribe to the same with hys own hand and also was present in the church of S. Margarets in Westminster when the sayd Wil. Flower dyd smite and wound the Priest when as he sayth hee was ministryng the Sacrament and how this examinate amongst other preased towards him to take him and was hurt therby vpoÌ„ his chin after he was takeÌ„ this examinate holp to conduct him to the gatehouse at Westminster RIchard Dod of Westminster examined vpon the sayd answers sayth and deposeth that he did heare and see the sayd Flower acknowlege and recognise the said answers subscribe to the same with his owne hand also did see was present when the sayd Flower vpoÌ„ Easter day last past drew his woodknife and strake the priest vpon y e hed hand and arme who beyng wounded therwith and hauyng a chalice with consecrated hostes therin in his hand sprinkled with the sayd priests bloud was holpen rescued by this examinate and the sayde Flower caried to the Gatehouse at Westminster and his woodknife takeÌ„ away by this Examinate WIlliam Pampion one of the churchwardens of the sayd parish church of S. Margaretes in Westminster examined vpon the said answers of the sayd Flower sayth and deposeth that the same answers be true in hys sight were subscribed with the hande of the sayde Flower And that vpon Easter day last past about xj of the clocke in the forenoone in the parish church at S. Margarets in Westminster among a great number of the people ready to be houseled the priests backe beyng turned toward the sayd Flower he the sayd Flower sodenly drewe forth hys woodknife and strake sir Iohn Cheltham the priest both vpon his head hand and arme whereby he was wounded and bled aboundantly and the chalice with consecrated hosts beyng in his hand were sprinkled w t hys bloud and the people in great feare cried out lamentably and thought they should presently haue bene killed RObert Smalwood of Westminster examined vpon the said answers saith and deposeth that he did heare and see the sayd Flower acknowledge and recognise the sayde answers and subscribe the same with his owne hand and sayth further touching the striking and woundyng the priest in S. Margarets church in Westminster vpon Easter day last this examinate sayth he was not there when y e fact was done but immediately after he came to church and found sir Iohn hurt and wounded in the head hand and arme by the sayd Flower and the people in great heuines by reason therof Also the people did report as this examinate saith that Flower did the deed as the priest had the chalice in his hande ministring the Sacrament to the people WIlliam Ienings of Westminster beyng examined vpon the answers of the sayd Wil. Flower sayth deposeth by vertue of his oth that he did heare and see the sayd Flower acknowledge and recognise the sayde aunswers and subscribe to the same with his owne hande in the consistory place and further deposeth that he vppon Easter day last past was present in the church of S. Margarets in Westminster where Flower strake the sayd Sir Iohn Cheltham priest first vpon the head and afterward vpon his arme two sore strokes whereby the sayd priest is lyke to loose his hand Also this Iurate deposed that the sayd sir Iohn Cheltham had a chalice with certaine consecrated hosts therein in his hand which were sprinckled with the bloud of the sayd priest and after the sayd Flower was apprehended by this examinate and others they caried hym immediately to the gatehouse in Westminster IOhn Bray one of the churchwardeÌ„s of the parish church of S. Margarets in Westminster sworne and examined vpon the sayd aunsweres sayth and deposeth that he did heare and see the said Flower acknowledge and recognise the sayd answers also subscribe vnto the same And further deposeth of Flowers strikyng the priest in effect