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
were now by iust authoritie fully abolished throughout this realme of England and the right vse of the Sacrament of the most precious body bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ truely restored in stead of the same But neuertheles as at no tyme any thing can be so well done of the godly but that the wicked will find some meanes subtilly to deface the same so likewyse at this present through the peruerse obstinacy dissembling frowardnes of many the inferior priests and ministers of the cathedrall and other churches of this realme Priuy hinderers of the Gospell there did aryse a meruailous schisme and varietie of fashions in celebratyng the common seruice and administration of the Sacraments Diuision among the Priestes about the kinges proceedinges and other rites and ceremonies of y e church For some zealously allowyng the kyngs proceedings dyd gladly follow the order thereof and others though not so willingly admittyng them did yet dissemblingly and patchingly vse some part of them but many carelesly coÌ„temnyng all would still exercise their old wonted popery Wherof the kyng and his Counsell hauyng good intelligence and fearyng the great inconueniences daungers that might happen through this diuision and beyng therwithall loth at the first to vse any great seuerity towards hys subiects but rather desirous by some quiet and godly order to bring them to some conformitie did by theyr prudent aduises againe appoynt the Archbishop of Caunterbury with certaine of the best learned and discrete bishops and other learned men diligently to consider and ponder the premisses and thereupon hauyng as well an eye and respect vnto the most sincere and pure Christian religion taught by the holy scriptures as also to the vsages of the primatiue church to draw and make one conuenient and meete order rite and fashion of common prayer administration of the Sacraments to be had and vsed within this his realme of England One vniforme order of commoÌ„ prayer and the dominions of y e same Who after most godly and learned conferences thorough the ayd of the holy Ghost with one vniforme agreement did coÌ„clude set forth and deliuer vnto the kings highnes a booke in English intituled A booke of the common prayer and administration of the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church after the vse of the Church of England The whith his highnes receiuing with great comfort and quietnesse of mynd did forthwith exhibite vnto the Lords and Commons of the parliament then assembled at Westminster about the 4. of Nouember in the second yeare of his raigne and in the yeare of our Lord 1548. and continuyng vnto the 14. day of March then next ensuyng Whereupon the Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons of the sayd Parliament assembled well and throughly consideryng as well the most godly trauayle of the kings highnes of the Lord Protector Anno 1548. and other of his maiesties Counsaile in gatheryng together the said Archbishop bishops and other learned men as the godly praiers orders rites and ceremonies in the sayd booke mentioned with the consideratioÌ„ of altering those things which were altered and retainyng those thyngs which were retayned in the same booke as also the honour of God and great quietnes which by the grace of God should ensue vpon that one and vniforme rite and order in such common prayer rites and externe ceremonies to be vsed throughout England Wales Calice and the marches of the same dyd first geue vnto hys highnesse most lowly and hearty thankes for the same Statut. 〈◊〉 3. Reg. Edâ— cap. â— and then most humbly prayed hym that it myght be ordeyned and enacted by hys Maiesty w t the assent of the sayd Lords and Commons in that parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same that not only all and singular person and persons that had thertofore offended concernyng the premisses others then such as were then remainyng in Ward in the Tower of London or in the Fleete myght be pardoned thereof but also that all and singular ministers in any Cathedrall or parish Churches or other places within the Realme of EnglaÌ„d Wales Calice and the Marches of the same or other the kings dominions should from and after the feast of Pentecost next commyng be bounden to say and vse the Mattins Euensong celebration of the Lords supper and administration of ech of the Sacraments Petition 〈◊〉 the Lorde◠〈◊〉 in the Paâ—â—liament to the king and all other common and open prayer in such order forme as was mentioned in the sayd booke and none other or otherwise And albeit that they were so godly and good that they gaue occasion vnto euery honest and conformable man most willyngly to embrace them yet least any obstinate persons who willingly would disturbe so godly an order and quiete in this realme should not go vnpunished they further requested that it might be ordeined and enacted by the authoritie aforesayd that if any maner of Person Uicar or other what so euer minister that ought or should say or sing common prayer mencioned in the sayd booke or minister the Sacraments should after the sayd feast of Pentecost then next commyng refuse to vse the sayd common praier or to minister the Sacraments in such cathedrall or parish churches or other places as he shoulde vse or minister the same in such order fourme as they were mentioned set foorth in the sayd booke or should vse wilfully obstinately standyng in the same any other rite ceremonie order fourme or maner of masse openly or priuily or Mattinnes Euensong administration of the Sacraments or other open prayer then was mentioned and set foorth in the sayd booke or should preache declare or speake any thyng in the derogation or deprauyng of the sayde booke or any thyng therein conteyned or of any parte thereof and should be thereof lawfully conuicted accordyng to the lawes of this Realme by verdite of twelue men or by his owne confession or by the notorious euidence of the fact should loose and forfayte vnto the Kynges hyghnesse hys heyres successours for hys first offence one whole yeres profite of such one of his benefices or spirituall promotioÌ„s as it should please the kings highnes to assigne appoint and also for the same offence should suffer imprisonmeÌ„t by the space of sixe monthes without bayle or mainprise Anno 1549. But if any such person after his first conuiction Penaltye should eftsoneâ— offend agayne and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he should for his second offence suffer imprisonment by y e space of one whol yeare should also be depriued Ipso facto of all his spirituall promotions for euer so that it should be lawfull for the patrons Doners therof to geue the same agayne vnto any other learned man in like maner as if y â— sayd partie so offending were dead And if any the sayd person or persons shoulde agayne the thyrd tyme
bishop of Rome should sodainly arriue in some place of England eyther driuen by tempest or of purpose to do hurt ye should see such order kept by firing of their Becons as hath already bene written vnto you by our letters to repulse the same in so good aray as you can as we do not doubt but you will for the safegard of your countrey so that the enemy shall haue little ioy of his comming and for that purpose you shall see diligently that men haue horse harnesse and other furniture of weapon ready according to the Statutes and good orders of the realme and the kings maiesties commandements And so for this tyme ye may depart What zealous care was in this yong kyng and in the L. Protector his vncle Tâ—e singular zeale of king Edward and his Vncle in reforming religion concerning reformatioÌ„ of Christes Church and sincere religion by these Iniunctions letters precepts and exhortations as well to the bishops as to y e Iustices of the realme aboue premised it may right well appeare Wherby we haue to note not so much the careful diligence of the king and his learned counsaile as the lingering slacknes and drawing backe on the other side of diuers the said Iustices and Lawyers but especially of Bishops The slacknes of Popish Curates in furthering the kinges proceedinges and old popish curates by whose cloked contempt wilfull winkyng and stubburne disobedience the booke of common prayer was long after the publishing therof eyther not knowen at all or els very irreuerently vsed thoroughout many places of this realme Which when y e king by complaint of diuers perfectly vnderstood beyng not a little agreued to see the godly agrement of the learned the willyng consent of the Parliament and his graces owne zealous desire to take so small effect among his subiects decreed presently with the aduise of his whole Counsaile agayne to write vnto all the bishops of his realme for spedy and diligent redresse therin willing and commanding them therby that as well they themselues should thenceforth haue a more speciall regard to the due executioÌ„ of the premisses as also that all others within their seuerall precincts and iurisdiction should by their good instructions willing example be the more oftener and with better deuotion mooued to vse and frequent the same As further appeareth by the contents of hys letter here ensuyng ¶ Another letter directed by the King and hys Counsaile to Boner Bish. of London partly rebuking hym of negligence partly chargyng hym to see to the better settyng out of the seruice booke within his Diocesse RIght reuerend father in God right trusty and welbeloued we greete you well An other letter to Boner Byshop of London and where as after great and serious debating and long conference of the bishops and other graue and well learned men in the holy Scriptures one vniforme order for common prayers and administration of the Sacramentes hath bene and is most godly set forth not only by the common agreement and full assent of the nobilitie and Commons of the late Session of our late Parliament but also by the lyke assent of the bishops in the same Parliament and of all others the learned mâ— of this our realme in their Synodes and conuocations prouinciall Like as it was much to our comfort to vnderstand the godly trauaile then diligently willingly taken for the true openyng of things mentioned in the sayd booke whereby the true seruice and honour of almighty God and the right ministration of the Sacraments beyng well and sincerely set forth accordyng to the Scriptures vse of the primatiue church much idolatry vayne superstition great and slanderous abuses be taken away so it is no small occasion of sorow vnto vs to vnderstand by the complaints of many that our sayd booke so much traueled for also sincerely set forth as is aforesaid remayneth in many places of this our realme eyther not knowen at all or not vsed or at the least if it be vsed very seldome The kinges booke neglected and that in such light and irreuerent sort as the people in many places either haue herd nothing or if they heare they neither vnderstand nor haue that spirituall delectation in the same that to good christians appertaineth The fault wherof lyke as we must of reason impute to you and other of your vocation called by God thorough our appointment to haue due respect to this and such lyke matters so consideryng that by these and such like occasions our louyng subiectes remaâ—ne yet still in their old blyndnes and superstitious errors and in some places in an irreligious forgetfulnes of God wherby his wrath may be prouoked vpon vs and them and remembring with all that amongst other cures committed to our princely charge we thinke this the greatest to see the glory and true seruice of hym maintained extolled by whose clemency we knowledge our selues to haue all that we haue we could not but by aduise and consent of our deerest vncle Edward duke of Somerset gouernour of our person and protector of our realme dominions and subiects and the rest of our priuy counsaile Anno 1549. admonish you of the premisses Wherein as it had bene your office to haue vsed an earnest diligence and to haue preferred the same in all places within your Diocesse as the case required so haue we thought good to pray and require you Boners neâ—â—ligence noted and neuerthelesse straightly to charge and commaund you that from henceforth ye haue an earnest and speciall regard to the reduce of these things so as the Curates may do their dueties more often and in more reuerent sort the people be occasioned by the good aduises and examples of your selfe your Chauncellor Archdeacons and other inferior ministers to come with oftener and more deuotioÌ„ to their sayd common prayers to geue thanks to God and to be pertakers of the most holy Communion Wherein shewyng your selfe diligent and geuyng good example in your owne person you shall both discharge your duty to the great pastor to whom we all haue to accompt and also do vs good seruice and on the other side if we shall hereafter these our letters and commaundement notwithstandyng haue eftsoones complaint and finde the lyke faults in your dioces we shall haue iust cause to impute the fault thereof and of all that ensue thereof vnto you and consequently be occasioned therby to see otherwyse to the redresse of these things wherof we would be sory And therfore we do eftsoones charge and commaund you vpon your allegiance to loke well vpon your duety herein as ye tender our pleasure Geuen vnder our signet at our Manor of Richmond the 23. of Iuly the 3. yeare of our raigne 1549. The B. of London among the rest of the bishops receiuyng these letters did as alwayes tofore in outward shew willingly accept the same and therfore immediately with the sayd letters directed this his precept
latter ende of December An. 1549. Taking downe of aultares and setting vp of the table in steede thereof FUrthermore in the yeare nexte following .1550 other letters likewise were sent out for the taking downe of altars in churches Taking down of Altars and setting vp the table in steade of the same vnto Nicholas Ridley who being Bishop of Rochester before was then made Bishop of London in Boners place the copie and contentes of the kings letters are these as followeth The kings letters to Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London c. RIght reuerende father in God right trustie and well beloued we greete you wel The kings letter to Nicholas Ridley then B. of London And where it is come to our knowledge that being the altars within the more part of the churches of this realme already vpon good and godly considerations takeÌ„ down there doth yet remaine altares standing in diuers other churches by occasion whereof muche variaunce and contention ariseth amongest sundry of our subiectes whiche if good foresight were not had might perchaunce engender great hurt and inconuenience we lette you wit that minding to haue all occasion of contention taken away which many times groweth by those such like diuersities and considering that amongste other thinges belonging to our royal office and cure we do accompt the greatest to be to maintaine the common quiet of oure Realme wee haue thought good by the aduice of our Counsaile to require you and neuertheles especial to charge and commaund you for the auoiding of all matters of further contention strife about the standing or taking away of the said altares Altars taken downe and destroyed to geue substantiall order throughout all your diocesse that with all diligence all the altars in euery churche or chappell as well in places exempted as not exempted within your saide diocesse be taken downe and in the stead of them a table to be set vp in some conuenient parte of the chancel within euery suche churche or chappel to serue for the ministratioÌ„ of the blessed coÌ„munioÌ„ Considerations to perswade the people And to the inteÌ„t the same may be done without the offeÌ„ce of such our louing subiects as be not yet so wel perswaded in that behalfe as we would wish we sende vnto you heerewith certaine considerations gathered and collected that make for the purpose the whiche and such others as you shall thinke meete to be set foorth to perswade the weake to embrace our proceedings in this parte we pray you cause to be declared to the people by some discrete preachers in such places as you shal thinke meete before the taking downe of the said altars so as both the weake consciences of other may be instructed and satisfied as muche as may be and this our pleasure the more quietly executed For the better doing whereof wee require you to open the foresaid considerations in that our cathedrall church in your own person if you conueniently may or otherwise by your Chancelour or some other graue preacher both there in such other market townes and moste notable places of your diocesse as you may thinke most requisite Geuen vnder our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the 24. daye of Nouember the 4 yeare of our raigne Edward Somerset Thomas Cranmer William Wiltsher Iohn Warwike Iohn Bedford William North. Edward Clinton H. Wentworth Thomas Ely Reasons why the Lordes boorde should rather be after the forme of a table then of an aultare The first reason FIrst the forme of a table shall more moue y e simple from the superstitious opinions of the Popish Masse vnto the right vse of the Lordes supper Considerâ—â—tions 〈…〉 reasons why the table weâ—â— more conâ—uenient 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 then the Altar For the vse of an altare is to make sacrifice vpon it the vse of a table is to serue for men to eate vpon Nowe when we come vnto the Lordes boorde what do we come for To sacrifice Christe agayne and to crucifie hym againe or to feede vppon hym that was once onely crucified and offered vp for vs If wee come to feede vppon him spiritually to eate his body and spiritually to drinke his bloud which is the true vse of the Lordes supper then no man can denie but the forme of a table is more meete for the Lordes boorde then the forme oâ— an aultare The second reason Item where as it is sayde The secoâ—â— reason the booke of common prayer maketh mention of an aultar wherfore it is not lawfull to abolish that which that booke alloweth to this is thus answeared Aunsweâ— to certayâ—â— cauilers which 〈◊〉 holdâ— of the termâ—â— of Altâ—â— the kingâ— booke The booke of common prayer calleth the thing whereuâ—on the Lordes supper is ministred indifferently a Table an Aultar or the Lordes boord without prescription of any forme thereof either of a Table or of an Aultare So that whether the Lordes boorde haue the fourme of an Aultar or of a table the booke of common prayer calleth it both an Aultar and a Table For as it calleth an Altar whereuppon the Lordes Supper is ministred a table and the Lordes boord The tablâ— how it 〈◊〉 be called Altar 〈◊〉 in what â—â—spect so it calleth the table where the holye Communion is distributed with laudes and thankes geuing vnto the Lorde an Aultar for that that there is offered the same sacrifice of praise and thankes geuinge And thus it appeareth that heere is nothing neither sayde nor meant contrary to the booke of common praier The third reason Thirdlye the Popishe opinion of Masse The thiâ—â— reason This 〈◊〉 for takinâ— away thâ— superstitâ—â—ous opinâ—â—â— serueth 〈◊〉 as well 〈◊〉 the abolâ—â—shing of â—â—ther thinâ— moe 〈◊〉 Altars â— was that it might not be celebrated but vppon an aultar or at the least vpon a superaltare to supply the fault of the altare which must haue hadde hys printes and charectes or else it was thought that the thing was not lawfully done But thys superstitious opinion is more holden in the mindes of the simple and ignorant by the forme of an aultar then of a table wherfore it is more meete for the abolishment of thys superstitious opinion to haue the Lordes boorde after the forme of a table then of an altar The fourth reason Fourthly the forme of an aultar was ordained for the Sacrifices of the Lawe The fouâ—â— reason The naâ—â— of an altaâ— how it iâ— deriued 〈◊〉 what it â—â—â—â—nifieth and therfore the aultar in Greeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi Sacrificij locus But nowe bothe the lawe and the Sacrifices thereof doe cease Wherefore the fourme of the aultare vsed in the Lawe ought to cease wythall The fift reason Fiftly The fifte reason Christ 〈◊〉 a table 〈◊〉 not an Aâ—â—tar The Altâ—â— neuer vsâ— among 〈◊〉 Apostleâ— Christe did institute the Sacrament of his bodye and bloud at his laste Supper at a Table and not at an Aultare
as it appeareth manifestly by the three Euangelistes And Saint Paule calleth the comming to the holy Communion the comminge vnto the Lordes Supper And also it is not read that any of the Apostles or the Primitiue Church did euer vse any altare in the ministration of the holy Communion Wherefore seeing the forme of a Table is more agreeable with Christes institution and with the vsage of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Churche then the forme of an Aultar therefore the forme of a Table is rather to be vsed then the forme of an Aultare in the administration of the holy Communion The sixt reason Finally The six reason it is said in the preface of the booke of common prayer that if any doubt doe arise in the vse and practising of the same booke to appease all suche diuersitie the matter shall be referred vnto the Bishop of the dioces who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasinge of the same so that the same order be not contrarye vnto any thing contained in that booke After these letters and reasones receyued the forenamed Nicholas Ridley Byshop of London consequently vppon the same did hold his visitation wherein amongst other his Iniunctions the sayde Bishoppe exhorted those Churches in his Diocesse where the Aultars then did remaine to confourme them selues vnto those other Churches whych had taken them downe and had sette vp in the steade of the multitude of their Aultares one decent Table in euery Church Uppon the occasion whereof there arose a greate diuersitie aboute the fourme of the Lordes boorde some vsing it after the fourme of a Table and some of an aultare Wherein when the saide Bishop was required to saye and determine what was moste meete Anno 1550. he declared he could doe no lesse of his bounden duetie for the appeasing of such diuersitie to procure one godly vniformitie but to exhorte all his Diocesse vnto that which he thought did best agree with Scripture with the vsage of the Apostles and wyth the Primitiue Churche and to that which is not onely not contrary vnto any thinge contained in the booke of Common prayer as is before prooued but also mighte highly further the kings most godly procedings in abolishing of diuers vaine superstitious opinions of the popish masse out of the hearts of the simple and to bring them to y e right vse taught by holy Scripture 〈◊〉 wall 〈◊〉 the high 〈◊〉 side in 〈…〉 Nicholas 〈◊〉 of the Lordes Supper and so appoynted he the fourme of a right Table to be vsed in his Dioces and in the Church of Paules brake down the wall standing then by the high Aultars side Now we will enter God willing into those matters which happened betweene kinge Edwarde and hys sister Mary as by their letters here folowing are to be seene To my Lorde Protectour and the rest of the kings Maiesties Counsaile MY Lorde I perceiue by the letters whyche I late receiued from you and other of the kinges Maiesties Counsaile that yee be all sorie to finde so litle conformitie in me touching the obseruation of his Maiesties lawes 〈…〉 letters 〈◊〉 the Lords 〈◊〉 the CouÌ„â—â—yle who am well assured I haue offended no law vnles it be a late lawe of your owne making for the altering of matters of Religion whiche in my conscience is not worthy to haue the name of a Lawe both for the kings honors sake the wealth of the Realme and geuing an occasion of an euill brâ—ite through all Christendome besides the parcialitie vsed in the same and as my sayde conscience is very well perswaded the offending of God which passeth al the rest but I am well assured that the king hys fathers Lawes were allowed and consented to with out compulsion by the whole Realme both Spirituall and Temporall and all ye executours sworne vppon a Booke to fulfil the same so that it was an authorised Lawe and that I haue obeyed and will doe with the grace of God till the Kinges Maiestie my brother shall haue sufficient yeares to bee a Iudge in these matters hym selfe Wherein my Lorde I was plaine wyth you at my laste beynge in the Courte declaringe vnto you at that time whereunto I woulde stande and nowe doe assure you all that the only occasion of my stay from altering mine opinion is for two causes One principally for my conscience sake the other that the king my brother shal not hereafter charge me to be one of those that were agreeable to suche alterations in hys tender yeares And what fruites dailye growe by suche chaunges since the death of the King my Father to euery indifferent person it wel appeareth both to the displeasure of God and vnquietnesse of the realme Notwythstanding I assure you all I woulde be as â—othe to see his highnesse take hurt or that any euill should come to this his Realme as the best of you all and none of you haue the like cause considering howe I am compelled by nature beinge his Maiesties poore and humble Sister moste tenderly to loue and pray for him and vnto this his realme being borne within the same wishe all wealth and prosperitie to Gods honour And if any iudge mee the contrarye for mine opinions sake as I truste none doth I doubte not in the ende wyth Gods helpe to prooue my selfe as true a natural and humble sister as they of the contrary opinion with all their deuises and altering of lawes shall prooue them selues true subiectes praying you my Lorde and the rest of the Counsail no more to vnquier and trouble me with matters touching my conscience wherein I am at a full poynte wyth Gods helpe what soeuer shall happen to mee intendinge with his grace to trouble you litle with any worldly sutes but to bestowe the short time I thinke to liue in quietnes and pray for the kinges Maiestie and all you heartily wishing that your proceedings may be to Gods honour the safegard of the kings persone and quietnesse to the whole Realme Moreouer where your desire is that I woulde sende my Controller and Doctour Hopton vnto you by whom you woulde signifie your mindes more amplie to my contentation honour it is not vnknowen to you al that the chiefe charge of my house â—eâ—teth onely vppon the trauails of my sayde Controller Who hath not bene absent from my 〈◊〉 three whoâ—e dayes since the settinge vp of the same vnlesse it were for my letters Patentes so that if it wer◠〈◊〉 for his continual diligence I thinke my litle portion would not haue stretched so farre And my Chaplaine by occasion of sickenesse hath bene long absent and yet not able to ride Therefore like as I can not forbeare my Controller and my Prieste is not able to iourney So shall I desire you my Lorde and the rest of the Counsaile that hauinge any thing to be declared vnto me except matters of Religion yee will either wryte your mindes or sende some
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
y e sayd Byshop as wel in the kings maiesties late visitation w tin your Diocesse as at sondry other times haue ben complained vpon sundry informations made against you for your doings sayings preachings against sundry Iniunctions orders and other procedings of his maiestie set foorth for reformation of errors superstitions and other abuses in religion 7 Item that after and vppon the occasion of those other many complaints and informations you haue ben sundry times admonished commanded and enioyned to conforme your selfe as to your duetie appertaineth 8 Item that after the premisses and for that those former admonitions commaundements notwythstanding you did yet still shewe your selfe not conformable The manifold transgressions of Wint. worthy of punishment for that also by your example the people were much animated therby occasion of muche vnquietnesse ministred you were called before the kings maiesties counsell in the moneth of Iune the 2. yeare of his maiesties raigne by them on his highnes behalfe commaunded to preache a Sermon before hys maiestie and therin to declare the iustnes and godlines of his Maiesties father and his proceedings vppon certaine matters partly mentioned in certaine articles to you deliuered in wryting and partly otherwise declared vnto you The effecte whereof was touching the vsurped authoritye of the B. of Rome and that his pretensed authoritie was iustly godly taken away in this realm other the kings maiesties dominions Touching the first suppression and taking away of Monasteries Religious houses Pilgrimages Reliques Shrines and Images the superstitious going about of S. Nicholas bishop S. Edmund S. Katherin S. Clement and such like for taking away of ChaÌ„treis Obites and Colleges touching hallowing of Candels water ashes palme holy breade beades creeping to the crosse and suche like touching the setting foorthe of the kings maiesties authoritie in his yoÌ„g yeres to be as great as if his highnesse were of many more yeres touching auricular confession touching the procession common praier in Englishe and that things done in generall Councels against the woorde of God may be iustly reuoked in particular Councels Winchesters coÌ„temptuous disobedience to the king 9 Item that you receiuing the same and promising to declare them in a sermone by you made before his Maiestie for that purpose on the feast of S. Peter in the sayd second yere of his highnesse raigne did then and there contemptuously and disobediently omit to declare and set foorth many of the sayd matters to the great contempt of his Maiestie and daungerous example of others 10 Item that you being also commanded and on his maiesties behalf for the auoyding of tumult for other great considerations inhibited to treate of any matter in controuersie concerning the Masse or the communion then commonly called the Sacrament of the aultar did contrary to the sayd commandement inhibition declare diuers your iudgements opinions in the same in manifest contempt of hys Maiesties sayd inhibition Winchester stubbernely refused to conforme himselfe to the booke of the kinges proceedinges to the great offence of the hearers and disturbaunce of the common quiet and vnity of the realme 11 Item that after the premisses videlicet in the moneths of May or Iune or one of them in the thirde yeare of hys highnesse raigne his Maiestye sent eftsoones vnto you to know your conformity towards his said reformation and specially touching the booke of Common praier then lately set foorth by hys maiestie whereunto you at the same time refused to shewe your selfe conformable 12 Item that after that videlicet the 9. day of Iuly in the fourth yeare of his Maiesties raigne his highnes sent vnto you hys graces letters wyth a certaine submission and articles wherunto hys grace willed and commanded you to subscribe to the whyche submission you contemptuously refused to subscribe 13 Item that you hauing eftsoones certaine of the kyngs most honorable Councell sent vnto you the 12. of Iulye Wynchesâ—â—â— standeth in iustificatioâ— of himselfe in the sayd fourth yeare with the same submission and beyng in his maiestyes behalfe required and commanded to consider agayne better the sayd submission and to subscribe the same stoode in iustification of your selfe and woulde in no wise subscribe thereunto 14 Item that after all thys the 14. daye of Iulye in the sayde fourth yeare the sayd kings Maiestie sent yet againe vnto you certaine of his maiesties most honorable councel with an other submissioÌ„ and diuers other articles willing and commaunding you to subscribe your name thereunto whych to do you vtterly refused 15 Item that after all thys videlicet the 19. of Iulye in the sayde fourth yeare you being personally called before the whole counsaile Fantasticaâ—â— consideraâ—â—â—ons of wyâ—â—chester and hauing the sayde submission and articles openly and distinctly read vnto you and required to subscribe the same refused for vniust and fantasticall considerations by you alledged to subscribe the same 16 Item that for your sundry and manifolde contemptes and disobediences in this behalfe vsed the fruites of your benefice were then by speciall commission of hys Maiestie iustly and lawfully sequestred 17 Item that after this you had intimation and peremptorie monition with communication that you shuld within 3. monethes next following the sayde intimation reconcile and submit your selfe vpon paine of depriuation 18 Item that the saide 3. moneths are nowe fully expired and runne 19 Item that you haue not hetherto Wyncheâ—â—â—â— sworne 〈◊〉 aunswereâ— truely according to the sayd intimation and monition submitted reconciled nor reformed your self but contemptuously yet still remaine in your disobedience Whereupon they required the B. of Winchester then and there personally present to be sworne faithfully and truely to make answere After these articles were exhibited vnto him and he hauing leaue to say for himself wherin he vsed al the cautels shiftes and remedies of the law to his most aduantage by way of protesting recusing and excepting against the commission and requiring also the copies as well of the Articles as of his protestation of the Actuaries which wer W. Say and Tho. Argall time and respite was assigned vnto hym to aunswer to the sayd Articles in wryting But he so cauilled and dalied from day to day to answer directly Time 〈◊〉 to Wincâ—â—â—ster to aâ—â—swere by wryting For the 〈◊〉 positions 〈◊〉 these and â—â—ther witnesses against 〈◊〉 read in thâ— first editiâ—â— of Actes 〈◊〉 MonumeÌ„â—â— pag. 816. although he was sufficiently laboured and perswaded to the same by sondry callinges and Actes and also aboundantly conuicted by depositions and witnesses especially by matter induced by the L. Paget and Andrewe Beynton M. Chalenor pag. 816. all which I referre to my first booke that at the last he appealed from them reputing them not to be competent and indifferent iudges to heare and determine his cause vnto the kings royal person notwithstanding by protestation alwaies reseruing to himselfe the benefite of his appellation And so
was Humfrey Palden committed to the Counter for wordes agaynst the sayd Bournes sermon at Paules crosse A letter to the Shiriffe of Buckingham and Bedford for the apprehending of one Fisher person of Ammersham a preacher Fisher. Another letter to the B. of Norwich not to suffer any preacher or other to preach or expound the scripture openly without speciall licence from the Queene The same day was M. Bradford M. Uernon and M. Beacon preachers committed to the charge of the Lieuetenant of the Tower The same day also was M. Iohn Rogers Preacher commanded to keepe himselfe prisoner in his owne house at Paules without hauing conference with any other theÌ„ those of hys owne houshold The 22. of August there was two letters directed to M. Couerdall B. of Exceter M. Hooper B. of Gloucester for their indelayed repayre to the Court and there to attend the Counsailes pleasure The same day Fisher person of Ammersham made his appearance before the Counsaile Fisher. according to their letter the 16. of August and was appointed the next day to bring in a note of hys sermon The 24. of August was one Iohn Meluin a Scotte and and Preacher sente to Newgate in London by the Counsaile The 26. of August there was a letter sent to the Mayor of Couentry and his brethren for the apprehension of one Symonds of Worcester preacher and then Uicare of S. Michaels in Couentry Symons and for the sendyng of hym vp to the counsaile with his examinations and other matters they could charge hym with With a Commission to them to punish all such as had by meanes of his preachyng vsed any talke against the Queenes proceedings The 29. of August M. Hooper B. of Worcester made his personall appearance before the Counsaile accordyng to their letters the 22. of August The 31. of August M. Couerdall B. of Exceter made hys appearaunce before the Counsaile according to theyr letters the 22. of August September 1553. The 1. of September M. Hooper and M. Couerdall appeared againe before the Counsaile whence M. Hooper was committed to the Fleete and M. Couerdall commaÌ„ded to attend the Lordes pleasure The 2. of September M. Hugh Saunders Uicare of S. Michaels in Couentry was before the Counsaile for a sermon and was commanded to appeare agayne vppon Monday next after The 4. of September a Letter was directed from the Counsaile to M. Hugh Latimer for his appearaunce before them About the 5. day of September the same yeare Peter Martyr came to London from Oxford where for a tyme he had bene commaunded to kepe his house found there the Archbishop of Canterbury who offered to defend the doctrine of the booke of Common prayer both by the scriptures and Doctors assisted by Peter Martyr and a fewe other as hereafter ye shall heare But whilest they were in hope to come to Disputations the Archbishop and other were imprisoned but Peter Martyr was suffered to returne whence he came The same day there was a letter sent to the Mayor of Couentry to set Hugh Symonds at liberty if he would recant his Sermon or els to stay hym Simons and to signify so much to the Counsaile The 13. of September M. Hugh Latymer appeared before the counsaile accordyng to their letter the 4. of September and was committed to the Tower close prisoner hauing his seruant Austen to attend hym The same day the Archbishop of Caunterbury appearyng before the Counsaile was commaunded to appeare the next day at after noone before them in the Starre chamber The 14. of September the Archbishop of Caunterbury accordyng to their former dayes commandement made his appearaunce before the Lordes in the Starre chamber Where they chargyng hym with treason spreadyng abroad of sedicious bils to the disquieting of the estate they committed hym from thence to the Tower of London there to remayne till further Iustice and order at the Queenes pleasure The 15. of September there was a letter sent to M. Horne Deane of Durham for his appearaunce before theÌ„ and another was sent to hym the 7. of October next after for his speedie appearance The 16. of September there was letters sent to the Mayors of Douer and Rye to suffer all French Protestantes to passe out of this Realme except suche whose names shall be signified to them by the French Embassadour October 1553. October 1. Queene Mary crowned October 10. The Parliament beginneth with a Masse Two Bishops withdrew themselues from the sighe of the Masse M. Harley Bishop of Herâ—ford put out of his Bishopricke The first day of October Queene Mary was crowned at Westminster and the x. day of the sayd moneth of October then followyng began the parliament with a solemne Masse of the holy Ghost after the popish maner celebrated with great pompe in the pallaice of Westminster To the which Masse among the other Lordes accordyng to the maner should come the bishops which yet remayned vndeposed which were the Archb. of Yorke D. Taylor B. of Lincolne Iohn Harley B. of Herford Of the bishops D. Taylor and M. Harley presenting themselues according to their duetie and taking their place amongest the Lordes after they saw the Masse begin not abidyng the sight therof withdrew themselues from the company for the which cause the Bishop of Lincolne beyng examined and protestyng his fayth was vppon the same commanded to attend who not long after at Ankerwyke by sickenesse departed M. Harley because he was maryed was excluded both from the Parliament and from hys bishoprike Masse beyng done the Queene accompanied with the Estates of the Realme was brought into the Parliament house there according to the maner to enter and begin the consultation Statutes of Premunire and other repealed Altars and Masses erected At which consultation or Parliament were repealed all statutes made in the tyme of king Henry the 8. for Premunire statutes made in K. Edward the sixtes time for administration of common praier the sacrameÌ„ts in the English tongue further the attainder of the duke of Northumberland was by this Parliament confirmed In this meane while many men were forward in the erecting of aulters masses in churches And such as woulde sticke to the lawes made in K. Edwardes tyme till other should be established some of them were marked some presently apprehended Syr Iames Hales Knight Among whom sir Iames Hales a knight of Kent and Iustice of the Common place was one who notwithstandyng he had ventured hys lyfe in Queene Maries cause in that he would not subscribe to y e disheriting of her by the kings will yet for that he did at a quarter Sessions geue charge vpon the statutes made in the tyme of Henry the 8. and Edward the 6. for the supremacie and religion The trouble of Iudge Hales he was imprisoned in the Marshalsey Counter and Fleete and so cruelly handled put in feare by talke that the Warden of the Fleete vsed to haue in
hys hearyng A subtile pollecy of such torments as were in preparyng for heretikes or for what other cause God knoweth y t he sought to rid himselfe out of this life by wounding himselfe wyth a knife and afterward was contented to say as they willed him wherupon he was discharged but after that hee neuer rested till he had drowned himselfe in a riuer halfe a myle from his house in Kent Of whom more is to be seen when you come to his story During the time of this parliament the Clergie lykewyse after their woonted maner A conuocation begonne had a Conuocation with a disputation also appoynted by the Queenes commaundement at Paules Churche in London the same tyme which was about the 18. of October In the which Conuocation first M. Iohn Harpesfield Bacheler of Diuinitie made a sermon ad Clerum the 16. of October After the sermon done it was assigned by the bishops that they of the Clergye house for auoyding confusion of woordes should chuse them a Prolocutor To the which roome and office by common assent was named Doc. Weston Deane of Westminster and presented to the Bishops with an Oration of M. Pie Deane of Chichester Orations of M. Pye and M. Wimsley of Doct. Wesâ—on of B. Boner in the conuocation house and also of Maister Wymbisley Archdeacon of London Which D. Weston beyng chosen and brought vnto the bishops made his gratulatory Oration to the house with the answer agayne of B. Boner After these things thus sped in the conuocation house they proceeded next to the Disputation appoynted as is abouesayd by the Queenes Commaundement about the matter of the sacrament Which disputation continued sixe dayes Wherein D. Weston was chiefe on the Popes part who behaued himselfe outragiously in tauntyng and checking In conclusion such as disputed on the contrary part were driuen some to flee some to deny some to die thogh to the most mens iudgements that heard the disputation they had the vpper hand as here may appeare by y e report of the sayd disputation the copy whereof we thought here to annexe as followeth The true report of the disputation had and begun in the Conuocation house at London the 18 of October Anno. 1553. WHere as dyuers and vncertayne rumoures bee spread abroad of the Disputation had in the Conuocation house A disputation of Religion in Paules Church in London the 18. of October to the entent that all men may know the certaintie of all things therein done and sayd as much as the memory of him that was present thereat can beare away hee hath thought good at request throughly to describe what was sayd therein on both parties of the matters argued and had in question and of the enteraunce thereof ¶ Acte of the first day FIrst vpon Wednesday beyng the 18. of October October 18. at after noone M. Weston the Prolocutor certified the house that it was the Queenes pleasure D. Weston Prolocutor agaynst the booke of Catechisme set forth in king Edwardes time that the company of the same house beyng learned men assembled should debate of matters of Religion and constitute lawes therof which her grace and the Parliament would ratifie And for that sayd he there is a booke of late set forth called the Catechisme which he shewed forth bearing the name of this honorable Synode yet put forth without your consents as I haue learned beyng a booke very pestiferous and ful of heresies and likewyse a booke of Common prayer very abominable as it pleased hym to terme it I thought it therfore best first to beginne with the articles of the Catechisme concernyng the sacrament of the aultar to confirm the naturall presence of Christ in the same and also transubstantiation Wherfore sayd he it shall be lawfull on Friday next ensuyng for all men freely to speake their conscience in these matters that all doubts may be remooued and they fully satisfied therein ¶ Acte of the second day The Friday commyng beyng the 20. of October wheÌ„ men had thought they should haue entred Disputation of the questions proposed October 20. Two billes exhibited in the Conuocation house by the prolocutor the Prolocutor exhibited two seueral bils vnto the house the one for the naturall presence of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar the other concernyng the Catechisme that it was not of that houses agrement set forth and that they did not agree therunto requiryng all them to subscribe to the same as he hymselfe had done Wherunto the whole house did immediately assent except sixe which were the Deane of Rochester M Phillips M. Haddon M. Philpot. M. Cheyney M. Elmar and one other refused to subscribe to the billes the Deane of Exceter the Archdeacon of Winchester the Archdeacon of Hertford the Archdeacon of Stow and one other And while the rest were about to subscribe these two articles Iohn Philpot stood vp and spake first concernyng the Article of the Catechisme that he thought they were deceiued in the title of the Catechisme in that it beareth the tytle of the Synode of London last before this although many of them which then were present were neuer made priuye thereof in settyng it forth The booke of the Catechisme defended by M. Iohn Philpot. for that this house had granted the authoritie to make ecclesiasticall lawes vnto certayne persons to be appoynted by the kings maiestie what so euer ecclesiasticall lawes they or the most part of them dyd set forth according to a statute in that behalfe prouided it might be well sayd to bee done in the Synode of London although such as be of this house now had no notice therof before the promulgation And in this poynt he thought the setter foorth therof nothyng to haue slaundered y e house as they by their subscription went about to perswade the world since they had our Synodall authoritie vnto them committed to make such spirituall lawes as they thought conuenient and necessary And moreouer he sayd as concernyng the article of the naturall presence in the sacrameÌ„t that it was against reason and order of learnyng and also very preiudiciall to the truth that men should be mooued to subscribe before the matte were throughly examined and discussed But when he saw that allegation might take no place Agaynst the article of naturall presence being as a maÌ„ astonied at the multitude of so many learned men as there were of purpose gathered together to maintayne olde traditions more then the truth of Gods holy word he made his request vnto the Prolocutor that where as there were so many auncient learned men present on that side M. Philpots request to the Prolocutor as in y e realme the like againe were not to be found in such number that on the other side of them that had not subscribed were not past v. or vj. both in age and learnyng far inferior vnto them therfore that equalitie might bee had in this
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌ„child vpoÌ„ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ„ dwellyng theÌ„ about old Fish streete demauÌ„dyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ„ also of whoÌ„ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâ—lumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ„ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—hibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâ—le◠〈◊〉 or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What 〈◊〉 is here to kept 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his sepulâ—chre and will he 〈◊〉 in spite oâ— his 〈◊〉 printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case
the age of .v. weekes and not aboue Hunne aūswered him agayne that for asmuch as the child had no proprietie in the sheete he therfore neither would pay it nor the other ought to haue it Whereupō the Priest moued with a couetous desire loth to lose his pretēded right ascited him to appeare in the spirituall Court there to aūswere the matter Whereupon the sayd Rich. Hunne beyng troubled in the spirituall Court was forced to seeke coūsell of the learned in the law of this lād pursued a writ of Premunire agaynst the sayd Thomas Drifield and other his ayders counsellers proctors and adherents as by the proces therof is yet to be sene Which whē the rest of the Priestly order heard of greatly disdaynyng that any lay man should so boldly enterprise such a matter against any of thē fearing also that if they should now suffer this Priest to be cōdēned at the sute of Hunne there would be therby euer after a libertie opened vnto all others of the laity to do the like with the rest of the Clergy in such like cases they straightwayes both to stop this matter and also to be reuenged of him for that he had already done sought all meanes they possibly could how to entrap and bring him within the danger of their own cruell lawes The despitefull demeanor of the popes holy catholikes to be noted and therupon making secret and diligent inquisition seeking al corners they could against him at lēgth they found a means how to accuse him of heresie vnto Richard Fitziames then Bishop of London and so did Who desirious to satisfie the reuenging and bloudy affection of his chaplaynes caused thereupon him to be apprehended and cōmitted vnto prison within the Lolards Tower at Paules Ric. Hunne cōmitted to Lollardes tower so that none of his freendes might be suffered to come to hym Thus Richard Hunne being clapt in the Lolards Tower shortly after at the earnest instigation of one Doctour Horsey the Bishops Chauncelour a man more ready to prefer the Clergies cruell tyrannie then the truth of Christes Gospel was brought before the Bishop at his manour of Fulham the second day of December in the yeare before mentioned where within his Chappell he examined him vpon these Articles following collected against him by the said Horsey and his complices First that he had read taught preached published and obstinately defended The Articles obiected against Richard Hunne against the lawes of almighty God that tythes or payeng of tythes was neuer ordeined to be due sauing onely by the couetousnesse of priestes 2 Item that he had read taught preached published and obstinately defended that Bishops and Priestes be the Scribes and Pharisees that did crucifie Christ and damned him to death 3 Item that he had read taught preached c. that Byshops and Priests be teachers and preachers but no doers neyther fulfillers of the law of God but catching rauening and all things taking and nothing ministring neither geuing 4 Item where and when one Ioanne Baker was detected and abiured of many great heresies as it appeareth by her abiuration the sayd Richard Hunne sayd published taught preached and obstinately tooke vpon him sayeng that he would defend her and her opinions if it cost him fyue hundred markes 5 Item afterwards where and when the sayd Ioanne Baker after her abiuration was enioyned open penance according to her demerites the sayd Richard Hunne saide published taught and obstinately did defend her sayeng the Byshop of London and his officers haue done open wrong to the sayde Ioanne Baker in punishing her for heresie for her sayengs and opinions be according to the lawes of God Wherefore the Byshop and hys officers are more woorthie to bee punished for heresie then she is 6 Item that the sayd Richard Hunne hath in his keeping diuers English bookes prohibited and damned by the law as the Apocalyps in English Epistles and Gospels in English Wickliffes damnable workes and other bookes conteining infinite errours in the which he hath bene long time accustomed to reade teach and study dayly Particular answeare vnto these seuerall obiections in the Register I finde none sauyng that next vnder them there is written in his name with a contrarye hande these words folowing As touching these Articles I haue not spoken them as they be heere layd Howbeit This aunswere smelleth of forging crafty packing vnaduisedly I haue spoken wordes somewhat sounding to the same for the which I am sory and aske God mercy and submit me vnto my Lords charitable and fauourable correction Which they affirme to be written with Hunnes owne hand but how likely to truth that is let the discrete wisedome of the reader indifferently iudge by the whole sequele of this proces And further Argument◠and reasons prouing this aunswere not to be of R. Hunne if it were his owne act what occasion then had they so cruelly to murther him as they did seeing he had already so willingly confessed his fault and submitted himselfe vnto the charitable and fauourable correction of the Bishop for the which euen by their owne lawe in cases of most heynous heresie he ought to be againe receiued and pardoned except perhaps they will account horrible murther to be but the Bishops fauourable correction Againe it seemeth they had very few credible witnesses to proue certainely that this was his answeare and handwriting for the Register or some other for him appointed to record the same hath certified it as of hearesay from others and not of his own proper sight and knowledge as the words noted in the margent of the booke adioining to the foresaid answeare plainely do declare which are these Hoc fuit scriptum manu propria Richardi Hunne vt dicitur Now if he had had any sure ground to stablish this certificate I doubt not but he would in steede of vt dicitur haue registred the names of the assistants at the time of his examination which he confesseth to be many as generally they do in all their actes especially in cases of heresie as they tearme it But how scrupulous those good fellowes that spared not so shamelesly to murther him woulde be to make a lie of him that was already dead let as I said the indifferent iudgement of the godly wise discerne ¶ A description of the Lolards tower where M. Rich. Hunne was first murthered then by the sayd parties hanged afterward condemned of heresie and at last burned in Smythfield First besides the Articles before mentioned whyche they affirme were obiected against him in his life tyme D. Hed did now also after his death D. Hedde promoter of the dead collect certain others out of the prologue of his English Bible remaining then in the Bishops handes which he diligently perused not to learne any good thing therein but to get thereout suche matter Ex Regist. Rich. Fitziames London as he thought might best serue their cursed purpose as appeareth by the tenure
and because he shoulde not misdoubt anye fraude or iniurye herein he assured to him his warrant and promyse M. Luther accursed at Rome of the Pope M. Luther being thus prouided for his safeconduict by the Emperour after he had bene first accursed at Rome vpon Maundy Thursday by the popes censure shortly after Easter speedeth hys iourny toward the Emperour at Wormes Where the sayde Luther appearing before the Emperour and all the states of Germany how constantly he stoocke to the truth and defended hymselfe and aunswered his aduersaryes and what aduersaryes hee had here followeth in ful history with the actes and doings as there happened according as in our former edition partly was before described ¶ The actes and doynges of Martin Luther before the Emperour at the Citty of Wormes IN the yeare of our saluation .1521 about seuentene dayes after Easter Anno. 1521. Martin Luther entered into Wormes being sent for by the Emperour Charles the 5. of y e name c. who the first yeare of hys Empyre made an assemble of princes in the foresayd Cittie And whereas M. Luther had published three yeares before certayne propositions to be disputed in the towne of Wittenberge in Saxonie against the tyranny of the pope which notwithstanding were torne in peeces condemned and burned by y e papistes and yet by no manifest Scriptures nor probable reason conuinced the matter began to grow to a tumult vprore yet Luther mayntayned all this while openly his cause against y e clergy Luther is sent for to Wormes Wherupon it seemed good to certain y t Luther shoulde be called assigning vnto hym an Heraulde of armes with a letter of safe conduict by the Emperour and Princes Being sent for he came and was brought to the Knightes of the Rhodes place where he was lodged well entertayned and visited of many Erles Barons knightes of the order Gentlemen Priestes and the comminaltie who frequented his lodging til night To conclude he came contrary to the expectatioÌ„ of many as wel aduersaries as other For albeit he was seÌ„t for by the Emperours messenger and had letters of safeconduct yet for that a few dayes before his accesse his bookes were coÌ„demned by publique proclamations it was much doubted of by many y t he would not come and the rather for that his frendes deliberated together in a village nye hand called Oppenhime where Luther was first aduertised of these occurrentes many perswaded him not to aduenture him selfe to suche a present danger considering howe these begynninges answered not to the fayth of promise made Who wheÌ„ he had heard their whole perswasioÌ„ aduise he answered in this wise As touchyng mee Constancy in Luther since I am sent for I am resolued certainly determined to enter Wormes in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe yea although I knew there were so many deuils to resist me as there are tyles to couer the houses in Wormes The fourth daye after his repayre a Gentleman named Ulricke of Pappenhim Lieutenaunt generall of the men at armes of the empire was commanded by the emperour before dynner to repayre to Luther and inioyne hym at foure of the clocke in the after noone to appeare before the Emperial maiestie the Princes Electors Dukes and other estates of the Empire to vnderstande the cause of his sendyng for Wherunto he willingly agreed as hys duetie was And after iiij a clocke Ulricke Pappenhim and Casper Sturm the Emperors Heraulde who conducted M. Luther from Wittenberge to Wormes came for Luther and accompanied him through the garden of the knightes of the Rhodes place to the Earle Palatines pallace and least the people should molest him that throÌ„ged in he was led by secrete stayres to the place where he was appointed to haue audience Yet manye who perceyued the pretence violently rushed in and were resisted albeit in vaint many ascended the galleries because they desired to behold Luther Luther is brought before the Emperour Thus standing before the Emperour the Electours Dukes Earles and all the estates of the Empire assembled there he was first aduertised by Ulricke of Pappenhim to keepe silence vntil such time as he was required to speake Then Iohn Eckius aboue mentioned Iohn Eckius propoundeth against M. Luther who then was the Bishop of Triers general officiall with a loude and intelligible voyce first in Latine then in Dutche according to the Emperours commaundement saide proponed this sentence in maner as ensueth or like in effect Martyn Luther the sacred and inuincible Emperiall maiestie hath enioyntd by the consent of all the estates of the holye Empyre that thou shouldest be appealed before the throne of his maiestie to the ende I might demaunde of thee these twoo poyntes First whether thou confessest these bookes here for hee shewed a heape of Luthers bookes written in the Latine and Dutch tongues and which are in all places dispersed intituled with thy name be thine and thou doest affirme them to be thine or not Secondly whether thou wylt recant and reuoke them and al that is contayned in them or rather meanest to stand to that thou hast written Then before Luther prepared to aunswere Mayster Ierome Scurffus a Lawyer of Wittenberge Hierome Schâ—â—â—ie required that the tytles of the bookes should be read Forthwith the foresaid Eckius named certayne of the bookes and those principally whiche were imprinted at Basill among the whiche he nominated his Comentaries vpon the Psaltar his booke of good works his Commentary vpon y e Lords prayer and diuers other which were not contentions M. Luthers aunswere After this Luther answered thus in Latine in dutch Two things are proponed vnto me by the Emperial maiestie First whether I will auouche for mine all those books y t beare my name Secondly whether I will maintayne or reuoke any thing that hytherto I haue deuised published Whereunto I wil answere as breifly as I can In the first I can do none other then recognise those bookes to be mine Luther refuseth to reuoke his bookes which lastly were named certaynely I will neuer recant any clause therof In the second to declare whether I will wholy defend or call backe any thing coÌ„prised in them forasmuch as there be questioÌ„s of faith y e saluation of the soule this concerneth y e word of God which is the greatest most excellent matter that can be in heauen or earth the which we ought duely euermore to reuereÌ„ce this might be accouÌ„ted in me a rashnes of iudgemeÌ„t euen a most dangerous atteÌ„pt Iâ— I wold pronouÌ„ce any thing before I wer better aduised coÌ„sidering I might recite something lesse then the matter importeth and more then the truth requireth if I did not premeditate y e whiche I would speake The which two thinges well considered doth set before mine eyes this sentence of our Lord Iesus Christ wherin it is said Whosoeuer shall deny me before meÌ„ I
theyr Martyrdome they were drawne thorough the durt vppon an hurdle to the place accompanyed with a number of bylles and glayues and guÌ„ners and truÌ„peters Moreouer albeit there was no such cause they being two simple poore men yet the Magistrates commaunded vpon what occasion I know not all the gates of y e Citty to be shut and garded with keepers Trumpettes brought in to stop the hearing of Gods Saints WheÌ„ the blessed martyrs were brought and bound to the post which was before the Pallace they much reioysing that they were made worthye to suffer for Christe made confession of their fayth and many earnest exhortations vnto the people But to stop the hearing of these saints the trumpeters were commaunded to sound which during all the time of their suffering neuer ceased The hangman preparing hymselâ— first to strangle Cazes chaunced to fall downe from the top of the post to the pauement and brake hys head in such sorte as the bloud followed in great quantitie Notwithstanding he recouering hymselfe went to Monier and hym he strangled who patientlye rendered vp his lyfe Cazes which was the stronger of them both being set on fire before the hangman came suffered the extremitie of the fire with great paynes but greater patience for as hys legges wer almost halfe burnt yet he endured crying My God my father and so gaue vp hys lyfe And further to note the worke of God that folowed when these two myld martyred sayntes were almost coÌ„sumed in the fire to ashes sodenly without matter or cause such a feare fell vpon them at y e execution that the iustices and the people Feare sent amongst Gods enemies notwithstanding that they had the gates locked to them were defensed with all manner of weapons about them not knowing wherfore took theÌ„ to their legs in such hast fleeing away y t they ouerran one an other The prior of S. Antonies fel down so y t a great number went ouer hym The iudge Pontacke on hys mule w t his red robe fleeing as the other dyd was ouerthrowne with the presse in the street called Poetâ—uin in suche sorte Impius fugit et ne no persequitur that he was fayne to be caryed to Pichons house a widow and there cryed within Hide me saue my lyfe I am dead I see euen the lyke matter as at the last commotion My friendes hyde my mule that no man se her nor know her Briefly such was the feare which came from them that euery maÌ„ shut vp their houses After the feare was past euery man asked what the matter was but none could tel neither could the enemies of Gods truth perceaue who was he that put them so to flight and feare w tout any semblaunce of anye aduersary about them This story is testified and to be founde both in the volume of the Frenche martyrs printed by Iohn Crispine lib. 6. also in the booke of Dutch martyrs written by Adrianus Bertelmewe Hector martyr A gentlemaÌ„ called Perriere M. Bartlemew Eme President M. Augustine de Eglise Counseller Bartlemew Hector At Thurin Ann. 1556. First this Hector was a trauailer about the country and a seller of bookes hauyng his wife and children at geneua As he came into the vale of Angroigne in Piedmont to get his liuing wyth sellyng of bookes hee was taken by a certen gentleman and there arested sent to Thurin then examined at last condeÌ„ned Beyng condemned hee was threatned y t if he spake any thing to the people his tongue should be cut of Neuerthlesse he ceased nothing to speake After his praiers made wherein he prayed for the Iudges that God would forgeue them and opeÌ„ theyr eies he was offered his pardon at the stake if he would conuert which he refused Then he prepared himselfe to his death which he tooke patiently Wherat many of the people wept saying why doth this man dye whiche speaketh of nothing but of God Ex hist. Gal. per Crisp. lib. 6. The accusers appeare not in the story Philip Cene Iames his fellow martyrs Phillip Cene. Iames his fellow At Dyion An. 1557. This Phillip Cene was an Apothecarie at Geneua He was taken at Dyion there imprisoned and in the same town of Dyion he with one Iames hys companion was burned As this Phillip went to his death singing psalmes the Fryer standyng by stopped hys mouthe with his hande The most part of the people wept bitterly saying be of good courage brethren be not afrayd of this death Which when one of the aduersary part heard he sayde to one of the magistrates Do you not see how almost halfe part of the people is of their side and doth comfort them Ex Ioan Crisp. lib. 6.  Archambant Seraphon M. Nicolas du Russeau At Dyion Ann. 1557. These two were in prison together w t Phillip Archambant M. Nicolas Russean martyrs and Iames abouesaid at Dyion Archambant goyng about with a packet of pedlerye ware to get hys liuing and comming towardes hys wyfe heard of certayn prisoners at Dyion to whome he wrote to comfort them with his letters The next daye after hee was searched at Aussone and letters of certayne schollers of Paris founde about him then he was brought to Dyion where hee with the other called M. du Rousseau constantly suffered The same Archambant had bene also condemned three yeares before at Tule and as he was ledde to Bordeaux he escaped Ex eius Epist. ad vxorem apud Crisp. lib. 6. The kinges Attourney of Sainctes Ville Philbert Hamlin At Burdeaux Ann. 1557. Philbert Hamlin first was a priest then hee went to Geneua wher he exercised printing Philbert Hamelin martyr and sent bookes abroad After that hee was made a minister at the towne of Allenart in Saintonge In which and in other places moe hee did much good in edifying the people At last hee was apprehended at Saintes Uille and with him his host a priest whom he had instructed in the gospell and after confession made of hys fayth hee with the sayde prieste was caryed to Burdeeux before the President As hee was in prison on a sondaye a priest came in with all his furniture to saye masse in the prison whom Philbert seing to be reuested came pluckt his garmentes from his backe wyth suche zeale and vehemency that the masse garmentes with the challice candlestickes fell downe and were broken saying Is it not enough for you to blaspheme God in churches but you must also pollute the prison w t youre Idolatry The iaylour hearing of this The zeale of Philbert in his furye layd vpon him w t his flaffe and also complayned of him whereby he was remoued to the common pryson and layd in a low pitte laden wyth great yrons so that hys legges were swolne withall and there continued viij dayes A little before hee perceiuing the priest his host to decline from the truth did what he could to confirme hym in the same but
Lorde 1515. of all such penaunce as was enioyned him and his wife at their abiuration except these three Articles following and were discharged of their badges or signes of their fagots c. Only this penaunce folowing the Byshop continued Sub poena relapsus First that neyther of them during their life should dwell out of the parish of Amersham It was happy that they were not put to taste bread and water Item that eyther of them during their life shoulde fast bread and ale euery Corpus Christi euen Item that eyther of them should during theyr liues vppon Corpus Christi day euery yeare go in pilgrimage to Asherige and there make theyr offerings as other people did but not to do open penaunce Also they were licenced by the sayd Byshop to do theyr pilgrimage at Asherige vpon Corpus Christi euen or Corpus Christi day or some other vpon any cause reasonable This penance being to them enioyned ann 1515. they obserued to the yeare 1522. saue only in the last yere the foresayd Alice his wife omitted her pilgrimage going to Asherige vpon Corpus Christi daye Also the sayd Tho. Harding being put to his othe to detect other because he contrary to his othe dissembled and did not disclose them was therefore enioyned in penaunce for his periury to beare vpō his right sleue both before and behinde a badge or patch of greene cloth or silke embrodered like a fagot during his whole life vnlesse he shoulde otherwise be dispensed withall And thus continued he from the yeare 1522. till the yeare 1532. At last the said Harding in the yeare abouesayd 1532. about Easter holydayes when the other people wēt to the church to commit their wonted idolatry toke his way into the woods there solitarily to worship the true liuing God in spirit and truth Where as he was occupied in a booke of English prayers The taking of Thomas Harding leaning or sitting vppon a style by the woods side it chanced that one did espie hym where he was and came in great haste to the officers of the towne declaryng that he had sene Harding in the woodes lookyng on a booke Wherupō immediatly a rude rable of them like mad mē ranne desperatly to his house to search for bookes in searching went so nigh that vnder the bordes of his flore they foūd certain English bookes of holy Scripture Whereupō this godly father with his bookes was brought before Iohn Longlād Bish. of Lincolne thē lying at Wooburne Who with his Chapleins calling father Harding to examination begā to reason with him proceedyng rather with checkes rebukes then with any sound arguments Thom. Hardyng seyng their folly and rude behauiour gaue thē but few wordes but fixing his trust and care in the Lord did let them say what they would Thus at last they sent him to the Bysh. prison called litle ease Tho. Harding put in little ease the Bishops prison where he did lye with hūger payne enough for a certaine space till at lēgth the Bish. sitting in his tribunall seat like a potestate cōdēned him for relapse to be burned to ashes cōmittyng the charge ouersight of his Martyrdome to Roulād Messenger vicare of great Wickhā Tho. Harding condemned Which Roulād the day appointed with a rable of other like to himselfe brought father Hardyng to Chesham agayne Where the next day after his returne the sayd Roulād made a Sermō in Cheshā Church causing Tho. Hardyng to stād before him all the preachyng tyme which Sermō was nothing els but the mainteinyng of y e iurisdiction of the Bysh. of Rome the state of his Apostolicall sea w t the idolatry fantasies traditions belōgyng to the same Whē the Sermō was ended Roulād tooke him vp to the high aulter asked whether he beleued that in y e bread after the consecratiō there remained any other substaūce then the substaunce of Christes naturall body borne of the virgin Mary To this Tho. Harding aūswered The faith and confession of Tho. Harding the Articles of our belief do teach vs that our Sauiour Christ was borne of the virgin Mary that he suffred death vnder Pilate and rose frō death the thyrd day that he then ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God in the glory of his father Then was he brought into a mans house in the towne where he remained all night in prayer and godly meditations So the next mornyng came the foresayd Roulād agayne about x. of the clocke with a company of bils and staues to lead this godly father to his burnyng Whom a great number both of men and womē did folow Of whom many bewayled his death cōtrary the wicked reioyced thereat He was brought forth hauyng thrust in his handes a little crosse of wood but no idoll vpon it Then he was cheyned to the stake The pacient death and martirdome of Tho. Harding desiring the people to pray for him and forgiuyng all his enemyes and persecuters he commended his spirite to God and tooke his death most paciently quietly liftyng vp his hands to heauen saying Iesus receaue my spirite Whē they had set fire on him there was one that threw a byllet at him dashed out his braynes Of what purpose he so did it is not knowen but as it was supposed that he might haue xl dayes of pardō as the proclamatiō was made at y e burnyng of Williā Tilseworth aboue mentioned pag. 774. whereas proclamation was made the same tyme 40. dayes of pardon for bringing fagots to burne good men that whosoeuer did bring a fagot or a stake to the burnyng of an hereticke should haue xl dayes of pardon Whereby many ignoraūt people caused their children to beare byllets and fagottes to their burnyng In fine when the sacrifice and burnt offeryng of this godly Martyr was finished and he brent to ashes in the Dell goyng to Botley at the North end of the Towne of Chesham Rouland their Ruler of the rost commaundyng silence and thinking to send the people away with an Ite missa est with aloude voyce sayd to the people these wordes not aduising belyke what his tongue dyd speake Good people whē ye come home do not say that you haue bene at the burnyng of an hereticke but of a good true Christian man and so they departed to dyner Rouland with y e rable of other Priestes much reioysing at the burnyng of this good man After dyner they went to Church to Euensong because it was Corpus Christi euen where they fell to singyng chauntyng with ryngyng and pypyng of the Organes Well was he that could reache the hyest note So much dyd they reioyce at this good mans burnyng He should haue bene burned on the Ascention euen but the matter was referred vnto the euen of Corpus Christi because they would honour their bready Messias with a bloudy sacrifice Thus Thomas Harding was consumed to ashes he being
that I being a learned man as you say am not deliuered yet froÌ„ the coÌ„fuse dungeon of heresy through the helpe of the gospel much more do you that are far better learned then I cause me to maruel at your foolish admiratioÌ„ Neither can I chuse but laugh at you as one being rapt to the third heauen of such high misteries and yet see not those thinges which be done here in the lower partes of terrene Philosophy for what a ridiculous thing is it for a man to looke so long vpon the Sunne that he can see nothing els but the Sunne nor canne not tell whyther to turne him Moreouer Argumentum ad autoritâ—re destructiue what student is there in all Cambridge be he neuer so young that knoweth not that the argumeÌ„t of authority brought out nagatiuely hath no force Bilney So as the Phariseis tooke Christ you take my wordes much otherwise then I meant Brusierd Your words which wander farre from the scope of Scripture I doe not like What is in your meaning and lyeth inwardly in your minde I can not tell Bilney Such as inuocate the helpe either of Christ or of any other Saynt for any corporal inurmity to be deliuered froÌ„ the same may be well reseÌ„bled to delicate pacâ—â—ts who being vnder the hand of phisitioÌ„s hauing medicines ministred agaynst theyr diseases not abiding the payn therof rap all a suÌ„der wherfore I say no man ought to implore y e helpe of God or of any saynt * 〈…〉 out 〈◊〉 Scylla 〈…〉 be two â—â—â—gerous 〈◊〉 in the sea By thys church storie he meaneth by hee Legenda aurea otherwise callaed the legeâ—â— of lyes The Popes Letonie at Rome for corporall infirmity Brusierd O moste pernicious perilous heresy of all that euer I heard Thus you fleeing the smoke fal into the â—ire auoiding the daunger of Scylla you run vpoÌ„ Caribois O hart of man wrapped in palpable darcknes I wish M. Bilney that you would but once search set out the fyrste origine of these rogatioÌ„ dayes For so we read in y e churche story that they were first ordeyned by pope Gregory with fasting prayers holy processions agaynst the pestileÌ„ce by the infection of the ayre theÌ„ raigning among the people At what time y e people theÌ„ going in y e procession a certeine Image like to our blessed Lady painted w t the handes of S. Luke y e EuaÌ„gelist did go before theÌ„ about y e which image in y e honor of the virgin angels did sing this Antheme Regina coeli laetare c. O Queene of heauen be glad To the which Antheme the pope also adioyned this Ora pro nobis dominuÌ„ c. Pray to the Lord for vs. Wherefore seeing the angels did worship the image of the glorious virgin Mary in the honor of her seing moreouer y e holy father pope Gregory with al y e clergy did pray for corporall infirmity it appeareth manifestly that we ought to worship y e saints also to geue honor in a maner to theyr Images further also to pray to almighty God al saints for corporal infirmity that we may be deliuered from the same so that they may say the like for vs which is said in the Gospell Sende them away because they cry after vs. And although there be infinite places inexpugnable to be alleaged out of the holy scripture wherwith we might easily resist this your error Scripture well applyed yet standing herewith content as sufficient at this present we wil procede now to your secoÌ„d pestiferous error wherin you like an ingrate child go about to teare out y e bowels of your mother For in y t you say affirme blasphemously the bish of Rome to be the very Antichrist Whether the Pope be Antichrist that his pryuileges haue no force against the gates of hel in so saying what do you but like a most vnkinde and vnnatural child spoile your louing mother of all her treasures wouÌ„d her being spoiled being wouÌ„ded plucke out her bowels most miserably vpoÌ„ y e earth But forsomuch as there is nothing so absurd or so heretical but shal be receiued of some itching eares I would therfore now heare you declare how he sitteth in the teÌ„ple of god as god being exalted worshipped aboue all y t is named god or how that he sheweth himselfe as Lord in power and signes and wonders deceitfull Bilney Although incredulitye doth not suffer you notwithstanding your learning to vnderstand these thinges yet I will goe about something to helpe your incredulity herein through the helpe of the Lorde beseeching you y t setting all superstition aparte you will vnderstande those thinges that are aboue Do ye know the table of the tenne Commaundementes Brusierd According as the Catholique Doctours do expound them I know them meanely But how you do expound them I cannot tell Bilney And doe you knowe also the constitutions of men which are deuised onely by the dreames of men whereunto men are so straightly bound that vnder paine of death they are compelled to obserue them Brusierd I knowe certaine sanctions of the holy fathers but such as you speake of to be deuised by mens dreames I knowe none Bilney Now then let vs set and compare these two together so shall you easily vnderstand the Bishop of Rome whom they call the Pope to sitte in the temple of God 2. Thessal â— as God and to be extolled aboue all that is named God It is written The temple of the Lorde is holy which is you 1. Cor. 3. Therefore the conscience of man is the temple of the holy Ghost in whiche temple I will proue the Pope to sit as God The place of S. Paule expounded concernyng Antichriâ—â— sitting in the tempâ—â— of God c and to be exalted aboue all that is called God For who so contemneth the decaloge or the table of the commaundementes of God there is but a small punyshment for him neither is that punishment to death but contrarywise he that shall contemne or violate the constitutions which you call the sanctions of men is couÌ„ted by all mens iudgement gilty of death What is this but y e high bishop of Rome to sit to raigne in the temple of God that is in mans conscience as God Brusierd Although this exposition seemeth vnworthy for christeÌ„ eares yet I would heare you further how he sheweth himselfe in signes and wonders deceitfull Signes and myracles illusion Bilney These wonders whiche they call miracles be wrought daily in the Church not by the power of God as many thinke but by the illusion of Satan rather who as the Scripture witnesseth hath bene lose now abroad 500 yeres according as it is written in the booke of the Apocalips After a thousand yeares Satan shal be let loose c. Neyther are they to be called miracles of true christen men but illusions rather wherby to delude mens
heard tell of Doct. Shaxton Christes mother sayd he that was his othe I feare I haue burnt Abell let Cain go c. As who would say I had thought before that I had punished Cain and let Abell goe but now I feare I haue burnt Abell and let Cain escape Wherby it is playn to vnderstand what was the Byshops iudgement of Bilney before his burning that is that he was a Cain and the other an Abell But after the burning of Bilney the Bishop hearing nowe of Shaxton turneth hys iudgement and correcteth himselfe swearing nowe the contrary that is least hee had burned Abell and let Cayn go Furthermore where the Bishop feared in burning Bilney that he had burned Abell what doth this feare of the Byshop import but a doubting of hys minde vncertayne For who feareth that wherof he is sure Wherefore y t case is playn y t Bilney at hys burning did not recant as More reporteth For then y t Bish. knowing Bilney to dye a Catholick conuert a true member of the church would not haue feared nor doubted but would haue coÌ„stantly affirmed Bilney to haue dyed a true Abell in deede 〈◊〉 burâ—â—th Abell And to conclude this matter if Bilney dyed an Abell then the Bishop by his owne confession must needes proue himself to be a Cain which slue him What more clearer probation could we bring if there were a thousande Or what neede we any other hauing this alone Now for testimonie and witnesse of this matter Testimonies prouing that M. Bilney dyd not recant at his death to be produced for somuch as M. More alledgeth none to proue that Bilney at hys death did recant I will assay what testimony I haue on the contrary side to auouch and proue that Bilney dyd not recant And for somuch as Bilney was a Cambrige man and the first framer of that Uniuersitie in the knowledge of Christ and was burned at Norwich Witnes for Bilney being not verie farre distant from Cambrige there is no doubt but among to many friendes as hee had in that Uniuersitie some went thether to heare and see him Of whom one was Thomas Alen felow theÌ„ of Penbroke Hall Doct. Turner Dean of Welles who returning the same tyme from Bilneyes burning declared to Doct. Turner Deane of Welles being yet aliue a man whose authoritie neither is to be neglected nor credite to be distrusted that the sayde Bilney tooke his death most paciently and suffered most constantly without any recantation for the doctrine which he before had professed In the Citie of Norwiche Necton An other witnes for Bilney and many other be now departed which were then present at the burning of Bilney neuerthelesse some be yet aliue whose witnesses if neede were I could fetch with a little labour and will God willing as time shall require In the meane tyme at the writing hereof here was one Tho. Russell a ryght honest occupyer and a Citizen of Norwich who lykewâ—â—e beyng there present on horsebacke at the execution of thys godly man beholdyng all things that were done did neither heare hym recant any worde nor yet heard of hys recantation I could also adde hereuâ—to the testimonie of an other beyng brother to the Archbyshop of Caunterbury An other witnes for Bilney named M. Baker a man yet alyue who beyng the same time present at the examinatioÌ„ of Bilney both heard him and saw him when as a certain Fryer called him hereticke Whereunto Bilney replying agayne made aunswere if I â—e an hereticke sayd hee then are you an Antichrist who of late haue buried a certain Gentlewoman w t you in S. Fraunces coule assuryng her to haue saluation thereby Whiche fact although the Frier the same tyme did deny yet this caÌ„not be denyed but Bilney spake these wordes whereby he may easely be iudged to be farre from the mind of any recaÌ„tation according as by the sayd Gentleman it is also testified that after that he neuer heard of any recantation that Bilney eyther ment or made If I should recite all which here might be brought I myght sooner lacke rowme in my booke to conteine them then names enough to fill vp a grand iurye One martyr witnes for an other martyr But what neede I to spend tyme about witnes when one M. Latymer may stand for a thousand one martyr to beare witnes to an other And though my frend Cope pressing me with the authoritie of M. More saieth that he will beleeue hym before me yet I trust he will not refuse to credite thys so auncient a Senior father Latimer being both in Bilneys time and also by Bilney conuerted and familiarly w t hym acquaynted who being the same time at Cambridge I suppose would inquire as much and could know more of this matter then maister More Touchyng the testimoniall of whiche Latimer The testimonie of M. Latimer concerning M. Bilney I haue noted before how he in ij sundrye places in his sermons hath testified of good Bilney of that blessed Bilney of Saint Bilney how he dyed paciently agaynst the tyrannicall Sea of Rome c. And in an other Sermon also how the sayd Bilney suffered hys body to be burned for the gospell sake c. Item in an other place howe the sayde Bilney suffered death for Gods wordes sake vid. pag. 1008. Vid. supra pag. 1008. I may be thought perhaps of some to haue stayed to long about the discourse of thys matter But the cause that moued and halfe constrained me thereunto was syr Tho. More sometimes Lord Chauncellour of England now a great Archpiller of all our Englishe Papistes a man otherwise of a pregnaunt witte full of pleasaunt conceites also for hys learning aboue the common sort of his estate esteemed industruous no lesse in hys studyes then wel exercised in hys penne Who if hee had kept hymselfe in hys owne shoppe and applyed the facultie being a laye man whereunto he was called and had not ouer reached hymselfe to proue maystryes in such matters wherein hee had little skill lesse experience and which pertayned not to his profession he had deserued not onely much more commendation but also longer lyfe But for so muche as he not contented with hys own vocation hath with Oza reached out hys vnmeete hand to meddle with Gods Arkematters wherein he had little cunning and while he thinketh to helpe religion destroieth religion and is an vtter enemy to Christ and to his spirituall doctrine and his poore afflicted Church to the intent therefore that he being taken for a speciall ringleader and a chiefe stay in the Popes Church might the better be knowen what he is and that the ignorant and simple may see what little credite is to be geuen vnto him as well in his other false facing out of matters as namely in this present history of Bilneys recantation I haue dilligently searched out and procured the true certificate of M. Bilneys burning with all the circumstaunces
sore impotent miserable people your bedemeÌ„ TheÌ„ shal as wel y e number of our foresayd monstrous sort as of the bandes whores theeues and idle people decrease Then shall these great yearely exactions cease Then shall not your sword power crown dignity obedience of your people be traÌ„slated from you TheÌ„ shall you haue full obedience of your people Then shall the idle people be set to worke Then shall matrimony be much better kept Then shall the generation of your people be encreased Then shall your commons encrease in riches TheÌ„ shall y e Gospell be preached Then shall none beg our almes froÌ„ vs. TheÌ„ shall we haue enough and more then shall suffice vs which shall be the best hospitall that euer was founded for vs. TheÌ„ shall we daily pray to God for your most noble estate loÌ„g to endure Against this booke of the Beggers aboue prefixed being written in the time of the Cardinall The supplicatâ—â—â— of Purgatorye made by Syr Thâ— More against the 〈◊〉 of beggars another contrary booke or supplication was deuised and writteÌ„ shortly vpoÌ„ the same by one sir Thomas More knight Chauncellour of the Duchy of Lancaster vnder the name and title of the poore sely soules pewling out of Purgatory In the which booke after that the sayd M. More writer therof had fyrst deuided y e whole world into foure partes that is into heauen hell middle earth and purgatory then he maketh the dead mens soules by a Rhetoricall Prosopopoea to speake out of Purgatory pynfolde sometimes lamentably complayning sometimes pleasauntly dalying scoffing at the authour of the Beggers booke sometymes scoldyng and rayling at him calling him foole witlesse frantike an asse a goose a mad dog an hereticke all that nought is And no maruell if these sely soules of purgatory seme so fumish â— testy For heat ye know is testy soon inflameth choler but yet these Purgatory soules must take good heed how they call a man a foole and hereticke so often For if the sentence of the Gospell doth pronounce theÌ„ guilty of hell fyre Math. 5. which say fatue foole it may be doubted lest those poore sely melancholy soules of Purgatory calling this man foole so oft as they haue done doe bring themselues therby out of purgatory fire to the fire of hel by y e iust senteÌ„ce of the gospell so that neither the 5. woundes of S. Fraunces nor all the merites of S. Dominicke nor yet of all the Friers can release them poore wretches But yet for so much as I doe not nor cannot thinke that those departed soules eyther would so farre ouershoote themselues if they were in purgatory or els that there is any such fourth place of Purgatory at all vnlesse it be in M Mores Utopia as Mayster Mores Poeticall vayne doth imagine 〈◊〉 that is to say 〈…〉 I cease therefore to burden the soules departed and lay all the witte in maister More the authour and contriuer of this Poeticall booke for not keeping Decorum personae as a perfect Poet should haue done They that geue preceptes of Arte do note this in all Poeticall fictions as a special obseruation to foresee and expresse what is conuenient for euery persoÌ„ according to his degree and condition to speake and vtter Wherefore if it be true that M. More sayth in the sequele of his booke that grace charity increaseth in theÌ„ that lye in the paynes of Purgatory then is it not agreable that such soules lying so long in Purgatory should so soon forget their charity and â—all a rayling in theyr supplication so fumishly both against this man with such opprobrious vnâ—â—cting termes also agaynst Iohn Badby Richard Howndon Iohn Goose Lord Cobham and other Martirs of y e Lord burned for his word also agaynst Luther WilliaÌ„ Tindall Richard Hunne and other moe falsly belying the doctrine by them taught defended which is not like that such charitably soules of Purgatory would euer doe neither were it conuenient for them in that case which in deede though theyr doctrine were false shoulde redound to the more encrease of theyr payne Agayne where the B. of Rochester defineth the Aungels to be ministers to Purgatory soules some will thinke peraduenture M. More to haue missed some part of his Decorum in making the euill spirite of the author the deuill to be messenger betwene middle earth Purgatory in bringing tidinges to the prisoned soules both of the booke and of the name of the maker Now as touching the maner how this deuil came into Purgatory laughing grinning and gnashing his teeth M. Mores Anticâ—es in â—othe it maketh me to laugh to see the merye Antiques of M. More Belike theÌ„ this was some mery deuil or els haâ— eaten w t his teeth some Nasturcium before which commyng into Purgatory to shewe the name of this man Satan nasturciatur could not tell his tale without laughing But this was sayth he an â—â—mious and an enuious laughing ioyned with grinning and gnashing of teeth And immediatly vpoÌ„ the same was contriued this scoffing rayling supplication of the pewling soules of Purgatory as he himselfe doth terme them So then here was enmying enuying laughing grinning gnashing of teeth pewling scoffing rayling and begging and altogether to make a very black Sanctus in Purgatory In deed we read in Sâ—ripture that there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell wher the soules and bodyes of men shal be tormented A Blacke SaÌ„ctus in Purgatorye But who would euer haue thought before that the euill aungell of thys man y t made the booke of Beggers being a spirituall and no corporall substaunce had teeth to gnashe and a mouth to grinne But where then stood M. More I meruaile all this meane while to see the deuill laugh with hys mouth so wide that the soules of purgatory might see all his teeth Belike this was in Utopia where M. Mores Purgatory is founded but because M. More is hence departed I leaue him wyth hys mery Antiques The aunswere of Iohn Fryth agaynst M. Mores purgatorye And as touching his book of Purgatory which he hath left behynde because Iohn Frith hath learnedly and effectuously ouerthrowne the same I will therefore referre the reader to hym while I repayre again the Lord willing to the history After that the clergy of Englande and especially the Cardinall vnderstood these bookes of the beggers supplications foresayde to be strawne abroad in the streetes of London and also before the king the sayd Cardinall caused not onely his seruantes dilligently to attend to gather them vp that they shuld not come into the kynges hands but also when he vnderstood that the kyng has receaued one or two of them he came vnto the kings Maiestie saying If it shall please your grace here are diuers seditious persons which haue scattered abroad bookes contayning manifest errours and heresies desiring his grace to beware of them Wherupon the king putting his hand
the places or their Commissaries by indenture betweene them to be made within x. dayes after their arrest or sooner if it can be done thereof to be acquite or conuict by the lawes of holy church in case that those persons be not endicted of other thinges whereof the knowledge appeareth to the Iudges Officers secular In which case after they bee acquite and deliuered afore the Iustice seculare of those thinges pertayning to the Iudge seculare that they be conueyed in safegarde to ordinaries or their Commissaries and to them to be deliuered by Indentures as is abouesaid there to be acquite or conuicted of the said heresies errours and Lollordies as is abouesaide after the lawes of holy church Prouided that the Inditementes be not taken in euidence but for an information afore the Iudges spirytuall against such indicte but that the Ordinaries coÌ„mence their proces against those indicts in the same manner as no inditement had bene hauing no regard to such inditements Moreouer that no manner of person or persons of what estate degree or condition he or they be do from henceforth presume to bring into this realme or do sell receiue take or detayne anye booke or worke printed or written whiche is made or hereafter shall be made agaynst the fayth Catholike or against the holy decrees lawes and ordinaunces of holy Church or in reproche rebuke or slaunder of the kings his honourable counsayle or hys Lordes spirituall or temporall And in case they haue any suche booke or woorke they shall incontinent vppon the hauing of them bring the sayd booke or worke to the Bishop of the dioces without concealement or fraude or if they know any person hauing any of the sayd bookes they shall detect them to the sayd bishoppe all fauour or affection layde apart and that they fayle not thus to do as they will auoyd the kings high indignation and displeasure The bookes whiche in this Proclamation generallye are restrayned and forbidden be afterwarde in the Register more specially named by the Byshops Whereof the most part were in Latine as are aboue recited and some were in English as these and other partly also aboue expressed A disputation betwene the father and the sonne A booke of the olde God and new Godly prayers The Christian state of Matrimony The burying of the Masse The summe of the Scripture Mattens and Euensong vij Psalmes and other heauenlye Psalmes with the commendations in English An exposition vpon the vij Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinth The Chapters of Moses called Genesis The Chapters of Moses called Deuteronomos The Matrymonie of Tyndall Dauids Psalter in English The practise of Prelates Hotlulus animae in English A. B. C. against the Clergy The examination of William Thorpe c. Although these bookes wythall other of the lyke sort by the vertue of this proclamatioÌ„ were inhibited to al english men to vse or to reade yet licence was graunted before to sir Tho. More by Tonstall Bishop of London An. 1527. that he notwithstaÌ„ding might haue and peruse them with a letter also sent to him from the sayd Bishop or rather by y e aduise of other bishyps desiring him that he would shew his cunning and play the prety man lyke a Demosthenes in expugning the doctrine of these bookes opinions who albeit he was no great diuine yet because he saw some towardnes in him by his booke of Utopia other fine Poetrie of his therefore hee thought him a meete man for their purpose to withstand the procedings of the Gospel either in making some apparance of reason agaynst it or at least to outface it and dash it out of countenance Wherein there lacked in his part neyther good will nor labour to serue y e Bishops turne so farre forth as all his Rhethoricke coulde reache filling vp with finenes of wit and scoffing termes where true knowledge and iudgement of Scripture dyd fayle as by his workes wrytings agaynst Bilney Tyndall Frith Fish Barnes Luther c. may soone bee discerned if the reasons and maner of his haÌ„dling be wel waied rightlye examined with the touchstone of the scryptures But now to fall into our story agayne Upon this fierce and terrible proclamatioÌ„ aforesayde thus deuised and set out in the kinges name an 1529. the Bishops which were the procurers hereof had that now which they would haue neither dyd there lacke on their part any study vnapplyed any stone vnremoued any corner vnsearched for y e diligeÌ„t execution of y e same WherupoÌ„ ensued grieuous persecution slaughter of the faythfull Of whom the first that went to wrack was Thomas Bilney of whoÌ„ sufficiently afore hath bene said the next was Richard Bayfield as in the story here followeth ¶ Richarde Bayfield Martyr FOlowing the order of yeres and of tymes as the course of our hystory requireth next after the consummatioÌ„ of Tho. Bilney Rich. Bayfilde martir wee haue to entreate of the Martyrdome of Rich. Bayfield which in the month of Nouemb. the same yere which was the yere of our Lord 1531. was burned in Smithfield This Rich. Bayfield sometime a Monke of Bury was conuerted by D. Barnes and ij godly men of London Brickemakers M. Maxwell and M. Stacy Wardens of their company Who were grafted in the doctrine of Iesus Christ Maxwell 〈…〉 and through their godly conuersation of lyfe conuerted many men and wemen both in London and in the countrey and once a yeare of their owne cost went about to visite the brethren and sisterne scattered abroad Doctor Barnes at that tyme muche resorted to the Abbey of Bery where Bayfield was to one D. Ruffam who had bene at Louaine together studentes Riâ—h Bayfâ—â—â—â— Monke 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 Abbey of Berye At that time it happened that this Bayfield the Monke was Chamberlaine of the house to prouide lodging for the straungers and to see them well enterteined who delyted muche in Doctor Barnes talke and in the other lay mens talke afore rehearsed and at the last Doctor Barnes gaue him a new Testament in Latin and the other two gaue him Tyndals Testament in English with a booke called the wicked Mammon and the Obedience of a christen man 〈…〉 the Fryers wherein he prospered so mightely in two yeares space that he was cast into the prison of his house there sore whipped with a gagge in hys mouth and then stocked and so continued in the same torment .iij. quarters of a yeare before D. Barnes coulde get him oute whiche he brought to passe by the meanes of D. Ruffam aforesayd so he was committed to D. Barnes to goe to Cambridge with him By that tyme hee had bene there a good while he tasted so well of good letters that hee neuer returned home agayne to his Abbey but weÌ„t to LondoÌ„ to Maxwel and Stacy and they kept him secretly a while so conueyed him beyond the Sea D. Barnes beinge then in the Fleete for Gods word
his demerites by him done beside his abiuration The which religious persons and other Ecclesiasticall men aboue sayd Rich. Bayfilde geuen to the secular power thought it good and agreed y t the sayd Byshop should proceede agaynst hym in this case of relaps and should pronounce and giue forth the sentence against him in case aforesaid and so he was deliuered to the Shriffes to cary to Newgate beyng commaunded to bring him againe vpon Monday following into Paules vpper Queere there to giue attendaunce vpon the byshop of London with the residue till they haue done with him Rich. Bayfilde disgraded by and by the Sheriffes were commaunded to haue him into the Uestry and then to bring him forth agayne in Antichristes apparell to be disgraded afore them Bayfild throweÌ„ downe with the byshops stafâ—e When he had disgraded him kneeling vpon the highest steppe of the aultar he took his Crosier staffe and smote him on the breast that he threwe him downe backewardes and brake his head that he sounded and when he came to himselfe again he thanked God that he was deliuered from the malignaunt Church of Antichrist that he was come into the true sincere Church of Iesus Christ militaunt here in earth and I trust anone said he to be in heauen with Iesus Christ the Church triumphaunt for euer and so was he lead forth through y e Queere to Newgate and there rested about an houre in prayer and so went to the fire in his apparell manfully ioyfully and there for lacke of a speedy fire was two quarters of an houre aliue And when the left arme was on fire and burned he rubbed it with his right hand it fell from his body and he continued in praier to the end without mouing The Martyrdome of Richard Bayfield * Iohn Teukesbery Leatherseller of London Martyr IOhn Tewksbery was conuerted by the reading of Tindals Testament and the wicked Mammon He had the Bible written Ioh. Tewkesbery Leatherseller of London Martyr In all poyntes of religion he openlye did dispute in the Byshops Chappell in hys pallace Who in y e doctrine of iustification and all other articles of his fayth was very expert and prompt in hys aunsweres in suche sort as Tonstall and all his learned men were ashamed y t a Leatherseller should so dispute with them with such power of the Scriptures and heauenly wisedome that they were not able to resist hym This disputation continued a seuennight The processe of whose examinations Articles and aunsweres here follow as they are out of the bishops Register extracted On Wensday the 21. day of Aprill in the yeare of oure Lord. 1529. Ex Regist. London Iohn Stewkesbery was brought into the CoÌ„sistory at London before Cutbert Byshop of London and his assistaunces Henry Bishop of S. Asse and Iohn Abbot of Westminster Unto whom the Byshop of London declared that hee had at diuers times exhorted hym to recant the errors and heresies whiche he held and defended euen as hee did theÌ„ agayn exhort him not to trust to much to his own wit learning but vnto the doctrine of y e holy mother the Churche Who made aunswere that in his iudgement he did not erre from the doctrine of y e holy mother the Church And at the last being examined vppon erroures which they sayd were in the sayd booke called y t wicked Mammon he aunswered thus Take ye the book and read it ouer and I thinke in my conscieÌ„ce ye shal finde no fault in it And beyng asked by the sayd bysh whether he dyd rather geue credite to hys book or to the Gospell The examination of Iohn Tewkesbery before Tonstal Bishop of London he answered that the gospell is and euer hath bene true And moreouer being particularly examined what hee thought of this article that the Iewes of good intent and zeale slue Christ he answered look ye the booke through before and after as it lyeth and ye shall finde a better tale in it then ye make of it further thought that whosoeuer translated y e new testament and made the booke meaning the wicked Mammon he did it of good zeale and by the spirite of god Also being farther asked by the sayd Bishop of LondoÌ„ whether he would stand to the contentes of his booke hee aunswered looke ye the booke before and after and I wyll be coÌ„tent to stand to it The being examined whether that all good works must be done without respect of any thing he aunswere that a man should do good works for the loue of God only for no hope of any reward higher nor lower in heauen for if he should it were presumption Also being demaunded whether that Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen He answered and sayd that it was playne enough Which thinges being done the Bishoppe sayd further to Iohn Tewkesbery thus I tell thee before God and those which are here present in examination of my conscience that the Articles aboue named and many other more conteined in the same booke are false hereticall and condemned by the holy Church howe thinkest thou And further the sayd Bishop of London sayd vnto him agayne I tel thee before God and those which are here present c. and so asked him agayne what he thought of those Articles And after many exhortations he commaunded him to aunswere determinately vnder payne of the lawe saying further vnto him that if he refused to aunswere he must declare him an open and obstinate heretick according to the order of the law Which thinges so done the Bishop asked Iohn Tewkesbery agayne whether the sayd booke called the wicked Mammon were good To which interrogatory he aunswereth that he thinketh in his coÌ„science there is nothing in the booke but that which is true And to this article obiected that is that faith onely iustifieth without workes he aunswereth that it is well sayd Wherunto the Bishop inferred agayne that the articles before obiected with diuers other conteined in the booke called the wicked Mammon were false erronious damnable and hereticall and reproued and condemned by the Church and before God and all those that were preseÌ„t for the discharge of his conscience he had often very geÌ„tly exhorted the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery that he would reuoke and renouÌ„ce his errors otherwise if he did intend to perseuere in them he must declare him an hereticke which he would be very sory to do These thinges thus done the Bishop oftentimes offered him that he should choose what spirituall or temporall man he woulde to be his Counsellor and gaue him time as before to deliberate with himself vntill the next sitting Also in the same moneth of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord aforesayd An other examinatyoÌ„ of Iohn Tewâ—sbery the Bishop of London Cutbert Tonstal sitting in the Consistory with Nicolas of Elye Iohn of Lincolne and Iohn of Bathe and Welles c. This Iohn Tewkesbery was
brought before them After certeyne Articles being repeated vnto him the Byshoppe of London brought out before him a certeine booke called the wicked Mammon asking him whether the booke was of the same impression and making as was his booke that he had sold to others Who answered and sayd it was the same Whervpon the bishop of London asked him agayn whether the booke conteined the same errors or no. Who aunswered agayne saying I pray God that the condemnation of the Gospell and translation of the Testament be not to your shame and that ye be not in perill for it for the coÌ„demnatioÌ„ of it and of the other is all one Further he said that he had studyed holy Scripture by the space of these 17. yeares and as he may see the spottes of his face through the glasse so in reading the new Testament he knoweth the faultes of his soule Further he was examined vpon certeine points and articles extracted out of the sayd booke of the wicked Mammon as foloweth Artiâ—les 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 His opinion of Antichrist Antichrist no outward thiâ—g but a spirituall thing FIrst that Antechrist is not an outward thing that is to say a man that should sodenly appere with wonders as your forefathers talked of him but Antechrist is a spirituall thing Whereunto he answered and sayd that he findeth no fault in it Agayne it was demaunded of him touchyng the article whether fayth onely iustifieth a man To thys he sayd that if he should looke to deserue heauen by works he should do wickedly for workes folow fayth and Christ redemed vs all with the merites of his passion That the deuil holdeth our harts so hard that it is impossible for vs to consent to Gods law To that he answered that he findeth no fault in it No man iustified by merites That the law of God suffereth no merites neither any man to be iustified in the sight of God To that he aunswered that it is playne enough considering what the law is and he sayth that he findeth no ill in it The lawe reqâ—ireth thiâ—ges vnpossible That the law of God requireth of vs thinges impossible To that he answered that the law of God doth commaund that thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy neyghbors as thy selfe which neuer man could doe and in that he doth finde no fault in his conscience That as the good tree bringeth forth fruite No lawe to the iust man so there is no law put to him that beleueth is iustified throgh faith To that he aunswered and sayd he findeth no ill in it All good workes must be done without respect of any thing or any profite to be had thereof To that he aunswered it is truth Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen To that he aunswered that the text is true as it lyeth and findeth no fault in it The Saintes be frendes how to whom Peter and Paule and Saynts that be dead are not our frendes but theyr frendes whom they did helpe when they were aliue To that he sayd he findeth no ill in it Almes deserueth no reward of God To that he answered that the text of the booke is true The deuill not cast out by mans merites The deuill is not cast out by merits of fasting or prayer To that he answered thinking it good enough We can not loue except we see some benefite and kindnes as long as we liue vnder the law of God only The lawe worketh not in vs the loue of god where we see but sinne and damnation and the wrath of God vp on vs yea where we were damned afore we were borne We caÌ„not loue God nor can not but hate him as a tyrant vnrighteous vniust and flee from him as did Cain Man by nature is condemned To that he answereth and thinketh it good playne enough We are damned by nature as a tode is a tode by nature and a Serpent is a Serpent by nature To that he answered it to be true as it is in the booke Item as concerning the article of fasting He meaneth by communicatiâ—n not by vendicâ—tion and yet this pointe seemeth to be falsely gathered To that hee answered and sayd the booke declareth it selfe Euery one man is a Lord of whatsoeuer another man hath To that he answered what lawe canne be better then that for it is playnely ment there Loue in Christ putteth no difference betwixte one and another To that he aunswered and sayde it is playne enough of it selfe As concerning the preaching of the word of God and washing of dishes there is no difference as coÌ„cerning saluation and as touchinge the pleasing of God To that hee aunswered saying it is a playne text and as for pleasing of God it is all one That the Iewes of good intent and zeale put Christ to death To that he aunswered that it is true For if they had knowen the lord of glory they would not haue crucyfied him and the text is playne enough The sectes of S. Fraunces S. Dominicke and others be damnable To that he answered and sayd S. Paule repugneth agaynst them Loe here is no scripture broug to reueale these opynions but onely authoritye to oppresse them Which articles being so abiected answere made vnto them by Iohn Tewkesbery the sayd Bishop of London asked him whether hee woulde continue in his heresyes and errors aboue rehearsed or renouÌ„ce and forsake them Who answered thus I pray you reforme your selfe and if there be any error in the booke let it be reformed I thinke the booke be good enough Further the Bishop exhorted him to recant his errors To the which the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery aunswered as is aboue written to witte I pray you reforme your selfe and if there be any error in the booke let it be reformed I thinke it be good enough Which thing being done the bishop appoynted him to determine better with himselfe agaynst the morow in the presence of M. Iohn Cox Uicar generall to the Archbishop of Caunterbury M. Balfride Warton Rouland Philips Wiliam Philow and Robert Ridley professors of diuinity The 13. day of Aprill An other appearaÌ„ce of Iohn Tewkesbery in the yeare of our Lorde abouesayde in the Chappel within the Pallace of LondoÌ„ before Cutbert bishop of LondoÌ„ with his assistance Nicolas byshop of Elye c. Tewkesbery agayne appeared and was examined vpon the articles drawen out of the book called the wicked Mammon as foloweth First Christ is thine and all his deedes be thy deedes Christ is in thee and thou so knit in him inseperably neyther canst thou be damned except Christ be damned wyth thee neither caÌ„st thou be saued except Christ be saued with thee To this he answered that he found no fault in it Item we desire one an other to pray for vs. That done We are not saued by other mens prayers we must put our neighbour in remembraunce of his duty and that we
God This Benet was burned in a Ierkine of neates leather at whose burning such was the deuilishe rage of the blinde people that wel was he or shee that coulde catche a sticke or furse to cast into the fire HItherto we haue runne ouer good reader the names y e Acts and doings of them which haue susteined death and the tormēt of burning for Christes cause The king◠Proclamation Vid supra pag. 991. through the rigorous proclamation aboue specified set out as is sayd in the name of K. Henrie but in dede procured by the Bishops Which proclamation was so straitly looked vpon executed so to the vttermost in euery poynt by the sayd popish Prelates that no good man habens spiramentum 4. Esd. 7. wherof Esdras speaketh coulde peepe out wyth his head neuer so little but he was caught by the backe brought eyther to the fire as were these aboue mentioned or els compelled to abiure Wherof there was a great multitude as wel men as women whose names if they were sought oute through al registers in England no doubt it would make too long a discourse Neuerthelesse omitting the rest it shal content vs at this present briefly as in a shorte Table to insinuate the names with the speciall Articles of suche as in the diocesse of London vnder Bishop Stokesley were molested and vexed and at last cōpelled to abiure as heere vnder may appeare Persons abiured with their Articles Geffrey Lome 1528. HIs Articles were these For hauing and dispersing certain bookes of Luther Item Mē abiured for translatinge certaine chapters of his booke De bonis operibus For holding that faith without works is sufficient to bring vs to heauen That christen men ought to worship God onely and no Saintes That christen men shuld not offer to images in churches nor sette any lyghte before them That pardons granted by pope or bishop do not profite man Sygar Nycolson Stationer of Cambridge 1528. His Articles were like and moreouer for hauing in his house certayne Bookes of Luther and other prohibited and not presentyng them to the Ordinarie The handling of this man was too too cruell if the reporte be true that hee shoulde be hanged vp by those partes whych nature well suffreth not to be named Iohn Raymund a Dutchman 1528. For causing fiftene hundreth of Tindals new Testaments to be printed at Antwarpe and for bringing 500. into England Paule Luther Gray Frier and Warden of the house at Ware 1529. Hys Articles For preachyng and sayinge that it is pitie that there be so manye Images suffered in so manye places where as vndiscreate and vnlearned people be for they make theyr Prayer and Oblations so intirely and heartely before the Image that they beleeue it to be the very selfe Sainct in heauen Item that if he knewe hys father and mother were in heauen hee would counte them as good as S. Peter or Paule but for the paine they suffred for Christes sake Item that there is no nede to go on pilgrimage Item that if a manne were at the poynte of drowning or anye other daunger hee shoulde call onely vppon God and no Sainct for Saincts in heauen can not helpe vs neither know no more what men do here in this world then a man in the North countrey knoweth what is done in the South countrey Roger Whaplod Merchaunt Taylor 1529. Roger Whaplod sent by one Thomas Northfolke vnto Doctor Goderige this Bill following to be reade at his Sermon in the Spittell A byll read by the preacher at the Spittell If there be anye well disposed person willing to doe any coste vppon the reparation of the Cunduite in Fleetestreete let hym or them resort vnto the administratours of the goodes and cattell of one Richarde Hunne late Marchaunt Taylor of London which died intestate or els to mee and they shall haue toward the same vj. li.xiij.s.iiji.d and a better pennie of the goodes of the sayde Richarde Hunne vppon whose soule and all christen soules Iesu haue mercy For the which Bill both Whaplod and Northfolke were brought troubled before the Bishop and also Doctour Goderige which tooke a groate for reading the Bill It was the manner at this time to take money for reading of billes at Sermons Ex Regist. Lond. was suspended for a time from saying Masse and also was forced to reuoke the same at Paules Crosse reading this Bill as foloweth The reuocation of Doct. Wil. Goodrige read at Paules Crosse. MAisters so it is that where in my late Sermone at S. Mary spittle the Tewsday in Easter weeke last past I did pray specially for the soule of Richarde Hunne Doct. Goodrige reuoketh his praying for the soule of Richard Hunne late of London Marchant Tailer an heretike by the lawes of holy Church iustly condemned by reason wherof I greatly offended God and hys Churche and the lawes of the same for the which I haue submitted mee to my Ordinarie and done penaunce therefore for as muche as peraduenture the audience that was there offended by my sayde woordes myght take any occasion thereby to thincke that I did fauour the sayd heretike or any other I desire you at the instance of almighty God to forgeue mee and not so to thynke of me for I did it vnaduisedly Therefore heere before God and you I declare my selfe that I haue not fauoured him or any other heretike nor heereafter intend to do but at all times shall defend the Catholike faith of holy church according to my profession to the best of my power Rob West Priest 1529. Abiured for Bookes and opinyons contrary to the Proclamation Nicholas Whyte of Rye 1529. Hys Articles For speaking against the Priestes saying of Mattens For speaking against praying for them that be deade Againste praying to God for small trifles as for the cowe caluynge the henne hatching c. For speakynge againste the relique of S. Peters finger Againste oblations to Images Againste vowing of Pilgrimage Against Priesthoode Against holy bread and holy water c. Rich. Kitchin priest 1529. His Articles That pardons granted by the Pope are naughte and that menne should put no trust in them but onely in the Passion of Christe Via lata Via angusta That he being lead by the wordes of the Gospell Matt. 7. De via lata angusta and also by the Epistle of the Masse beginning Vir fortissimus Iudas hadde erred in the way of the Pope and thoughte that there were but two wayes and no Purgatorie That men ought to worship no Images nor set vp lights before them That Pilgrimage doth nothing auaile That the Gospell was not truely preached for the space of 300. yeares past c. Wil. Wegen priest at S. Mary hill 1529. Hys Articles That hee was not bounde to say hys Mattens nor other seruice but to sing with the Queere till they came to Prime and then sayinge no more seruice thought he myght wel goe to Masse That hee hadde saide Masse
of late to set forth hys pestilent malice the more Cardinal Poole traytor to England hath allured to his purpose a subiect of this Realme Reginald Poole comeÌ„ of a noble blood and therby the more errant traytor to go about froÌ„ Prince to Prince and from country to countrey to styrre them to warre agaynst this Realme and to destroy the same being his natiue countrey whose pestilent purpose the Princes that he breaketh it vnto haue in much abhomination both for that the Bishop of Rome who being a Bishop should procure peace is a styrrer of warre and because this most errant and vnkind traytour is his minister to so deuilish a purpose to destroy the couÌ„try that he was borne in which any heathen man would abhorre to do And so continuing in his discourse agaynst Cardinall Poole and the Bishop of Rome for styrring the people to warre and mischiefe he further sayth sayth truely The popes name and memory abolished that for these many yeares past little warre hath bene in these partes of Christendome but the Bishop of Rome eyther hath bene a styrrer of it or a nourisher of it and seldome any coÌ„pounder of it vnlesse it were for his ambition or profite Wherfore since as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 14. that God is not the God of dissention but of peace who commaundeth by hys word peace alway to be kept we are sure that all those that go about to breake peace betwene Realmes and to bring them to warre are the childreÌ„ of the deuill what holy names soeuer they pretend to cloke their pestilent malice withall which cloking vnder hipocrisy is double deuilishnes and of Christ most detested because vnder his blessed name they do play the deuils part Ezech. 39. And in the latter end of his Sermon concluding wyth the 39. Chapiter of Ezechiell where the Prophet speaketh against Gog and Magog going about to destroy the people of God and prophecyeth agaynst them that the people of God shall vanquish and ouerthrow them on the mountaynes of Israell that none of them shall escape but theyr carcases shal there be deuoured of kytes and crowes and byrds of the ayre so likewise sayth he of these our enemies wishing that if they shall persist in theyr pestilent malice to make inuasion into this Realme then theyr great Captayne Gog the bishop of Rome he meaneth may come w t them to drinke with them of the same cup The Pope compared to Gog. which he maliciously goeth about to prepare for vs that y e people of God might after quietly liue in peace We haue heard hetherto the othes censures and iudgementes of certayne particulare Byshoppes of Yorke Testimonies out of the byshops booke against the Popes supremacye of Winchester of London of Duresme and also of Edmund Bonor Archdeacon then of Leycester agaynst the Popes vnlawfull vsurpatioÌ„ Now for the more fortification of the matter and satisfying of the Reader it shall not be much out of purpose besides the consent and approbatioÌ„ of these aforesayd to inferre also the publicke and generall agreement of the whole Clergy of EnglaÌ„d as in a totall summe together confirmed and ratified in theyr owne publicke booke made and set forth by them about the same tyme called then the Bishops booke In the which booke although many thinges were very slender vnperfect yet as touching this cause of the Bishop of Romes regalty we wyll heare God willing what theyr whole opinion prouinciall determinatioÌ„ did conclude according as by their own words in the same book is to be sene word for word as foloweth subscribed also with theyr owne names the Catologue of whom vnder theyr owne confession shall appere WE thinke it conuenient that all Bishops and Preachers shal instruct and teach the people coÌ„mitted vnto theyr spirituall charge y t where as certayne men doe imagine and affirme that Christ should geue vnto the Byshop of Rome power and authority not only to be head gouernor of all Priestes Bishops in Christes Church but also to haue and occupye the whole Monarchy of the world in his handes and that he may therby lawfully depose kinges and Princes from theyr realmes dominions and seignories and so transferre and geue the same to such persons as him liketh that is vtterly false and vntrue For Christ neuer gaue vnto S. Peter or vnto any of the Apostles or their successâ—rs any such authoritie And the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule do teach and commauÌ„d that all Christen people as well Priestes and Bishops as others should be obedieÌ„t and subiect vnto the Princes and Potentates of the world although they were infidels And as for the Bishop of Rome it was many huÌ„dreth yeares after Christ before he could acquire or get any primacy or gouernance aboue any other Bishops out of hys prouince in Italy sith the which time he hath euer vsurpeâ— more and more And though some part of his power was geuen vnto him by the consent of the Emperours Kinges and Princes and by the consent also of the Clergy in generall Counsels assembled yet surely he atteyned the most part therof by maruellous subtlety and craft and specially by colluding with great kings and princes sometime trayning them into his deuotion by pretence and colour of holynesse and sanctimony and sometime constraining them by force and tyranny Whereby the sayde Byshops of Rome aspired and roâ—e at length vnto such greatnes in strength and authority How the Bishop of Rome roâ—e by Ambition that they presumed and took vpon theÌ„ to be heads to put lawes by thyr own authority not onely vnto al other Bishops within ChristeÌ„dome but also vnto the Emperours Kings other the Princes and Lordes of the worlde and that vnder the pretence of the authority committed vnto them by the Gospell Wherin the sayd Bishops of Rome do not onely abuse and peruert the true sense and meaning of Christes word but they do also cleane contrarye to the vse and custome of the priprimitiue Church and so do manifestly violate as wel the holy Canons made in the Churche immediately after the time of the Apostles as also the degrees and constitutions made in that behalfe Fyrst the generall CouÌ„cell of Nice decreed that the Patriarkes of Alexandria Antiochia should haue like power ouer the countreis about those cities as the Byshops of Rome had ouer the countreis about Rome In the Councell of Mileuitane it was decreed that if a clerke of Aphrick would appeale out of Aphrick vnto any Byshop beyonde the sea he should be takeÌ„ as a person excommunicate In the generall Councel of Constantinople the firste it was likewise decreed that euery cause betwene any persons should be determined within the prouynces where the maâ—ters did 〈◊〉 And that no Bishop shoulde exercise any power out of his owne dioces or prouinc And this was also the minde of holy S. Cyprian of other holy men of â—phrica To conclude
sunt omnia Mandauit creata sunt vniuersa Potens ergo est He is a mighty bishop Wee are not so Fidelis Pontifex He is a faythfull bishop faythfull He is a faythfull bishop to God referring all laudes Fidelis all honour and glory to his father In all thinges that he did miracles or other he tooke neuer the more vpon himselfe He was also a faythfull Bishop to the world For he did all that belonged to the office of a good Byshop The very office of a byshop is praedicare orare sacricare siue offerre To preach to pray to do sacrifice or to offer Three offices of a byshop If he had placed here administraâ—â— sacramenta for sacâ—ificaâ—e his partitioÌ„ so might haue stand Math. 14. He preached to his people He taught the worlde most wholesome doctrine whereby he called the people to God he conuerted sinners he called them to penaunce He made them weepe and lameÌ„t their sinnes They folowed his person they folowed his word they folowed his ensample They came out of all costs to see him to heare him to learne of him They forsooke meat and drinke house and home and folowed him wheresoeuer he went as well in wildernes as els where In so much that after they had folowed him three dayes he being moued with pity least they shoulde perish for lacke of food being in wildernesse farre from succour he fed them twise miraculously Once in the desert with fiue loaues and two fishes he fed v. M. men besides women and children and there were left xij great baskets xij maundes full of the brokelets and offals at that meale Math. 15. At another time he fed in wildernesse to the number of 4. M. men besides women and children with seuen loues and a few litle fishes and there was left of fragmentes 7 maundes full The second office of a byshop he fulfilled also For he prayed The second office of a Byshop is to pray He was most deuout in prayer so to teach all byshops and Preachers not to presume in theyr witte or learning neither in their capacity memory fayre tongue or vtteraunce but that the Preacher do studiously apply his booke with all diligence to studye how to speake what to speake afore whom he shall speake and to shape his sermon after the audience The preacher ought also besides his study preaching to pray For by deuout prayer he shal attein percase as much or more as by study or learning For with out prayer the wordes will litle preuayle Looke in Christ his life and thou shalt find that in euery thing he weÌ„t about he prayd Luke 6. to shew the valiancy the vertue and strength of prayer to shew our necessities our weakenes feblenes of nature He prayd for his people as Luke witnesseth the space of one whole night And what a maruailous deuout prayer made he for his people in the Mount the night afore his passion Math. 26. wheÌ„ the Chalice of death was represeÌ„ted vnto him when he swet water bloud when he cried thrise Transeat à me Calix iste let this Chalice let this passion bloud let the vertue therof passe from me vnto all mankinde Let euery man haue the vertue and merite thereof let it worke in all folkes let euery faythfull man and woman he perteyner thereof let it not be lost but worke to the worldes end This was a maruellous deuoute mercifull prayer And agayne he suffering and hanging on the crosse offered vp for his people Heb. 5. The cry of Christ on the Crosse. The heaueÌ„s trembled The Angels mourned The Sunne lost his light· The veile riued The earth quaued The stones rent The graues opened The dead rose Preces supplicationes cum clamore valido lachrymis He offred vp his praiers and supplications with a huge cry with a piteous voyce with a lamentable and deadly shrich and with weeping teares to God his father he hanging on the crosse euen when the spirit shoulde departe the body not then forgetting his people at the houre when all the people forgetteth both the worlde and themselues Which cry was so huge and great so maruelous and of that effect that the heauens trembled thereat the Angels mourned for pity the Sunne lost his light the vaile in the temple riued in two the earth quaued the stones rent asonder and brast in gobbetes the graues opened the dead bodies rose to life appeared in the City Centurio those that kept Christ to see the execution done cried Verè filius Dei erat iste This was the vndoubted sonne of God His prayer and weeping teares were so pleasaunt vnto the father that it was heard Exauditus est pro reuerentia sua He was heard why For it was so entire so deuout so reuerently done in such a maner and fashion with such a zeale grounded vpoÌ„ such a charity suffering for our guilt and not for his owne And for that he did the very office of a byshop so entyrely to pray and so reuerently to offer vp himselfe in sacrifice for his people he was heard he was heard his prayer was heard of God And that is the third property of a good Bishop to offer sacrifice for his people Euery Bishop euery Bishoppe for his Diocesanes and for the whole vniuersall Church In these three we ought as much as we may to folow Christ. The third 〈◊〉 of a â—â—shop is to â—â—nister and 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 oâ— offer Thus this Christ was and is Pontifex fidelis a faythfull Byshop Faythfull faythfull in his word true in his promise deceyuing no man but profiting all â—n al that he did or spake he sought nothing his own glory but the glory of God teaching therby all Byshops of the world in all that go about to doe it to the laude prayse and glory of God And herein we ought also to followe hym â—agnus Magnus Pontifex He is the great Bishop the high Byshoppe the supreme Byshop the vniuersall Bishop ouer all the world No great bishop but he No great Bishop but 〈◊〉 Christ. None high none supreme nor vniuersall Byshop but he And herein the byshop of Rome outragiously vsurpeth vpon God as he doth vpon the world to take the honor and names onely to God appropriate to himselfe â—he Pope blaspheâ—eth God and doth greuously blaspheme and offend God therein Greater blasphemy can not be then to ascribe to God that that no wayes belongeth vnto him or to take froÌ„ God that that is vnto him appropriate It is meete therefore he do betimes and in season leaue his vniust encrochmentes both agaynst his Lord God and also agaynst the world least he do prouoke God to poure out all his vialles of wrath vpon him That is â—â—asphemie the Vaees I meane the maledictions and vengeaunce that Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalips Apoc. 9. I woulde aduise hym to cease the iniuries which he hath dayly
ful of softnes and lenitie lowlines and humilitie patience and temperancie voyde of all wilfulnes tiranny yea it should cause them not to preuent 1. Thess. 5. but easily to followe the counsaile and doctrine of Christes Apostles holy saintes that be their interpretours Christians bidden to try spirites 1. Iohn 4. As S. Paul which writing vnto the Thessalonians would them all to proue al things and to retaine or hold that only which is good in refraining froÌ„ all that hath semblance of euil And Saint Iohn would haue Christian people 1. Iohn 1. to try the spirite of them that shoulde speake whether they were of God or no. Also he writing in another Epistle vnto a noble woman and vnto her children sayth If any person shall come vnto you bringing with them the doctrine that is not of Christ receiue hym not into your house ne make him any cheare So that in this he would haue women to knowe the doctrine of Christ and to loue that refusing to giue credence vnto forraine teaching not sauouring the same In the 1. Epistle also to the Corinthians S. Paule writing in general to all the inhabitants of that city saith Brethren 1. Cor. 14. be you not children in wit and vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnes be you children In wit I would haue you perfite and why Uerily for none other cause but that we should as he writeth vnto the Hebrues haue discretion to iudge the good from ill and the ill from the good and so to be like men differing from beasts Psal· 32. according to y e saying of the prophet See that ye be not like vnto an horse or a mule which lacke vnderstanding And we should pray with him in another Psalme O Lord teach me the way that I should walke in Psal. 143. for I lift vp my soule vnto thee Saint Chrysostome according vnto this in a certaine of hys Commentaries vpon Mathew Chrisost. in opere imperfecto the booke is called Opus imperfectum writeth after this fashion so neare as my remembrance doth serue and certaine I am that I shall not misreport him and that I will be tried when soeuer it shall please you to bring the booke The priestes that were Pharises in the time sayth he of Christe made an ordinance that who so euer shoulde knowledge Iesus to be Christe should be accursed and excommunicate If then the Pharises or Priestes that now do occupy their rowmes should make a like ordinance because they would not haue Christes doctrine to be professed for hindring of their lucre should we therefore giue in all poyntes credence vnto them and leaue of to seeke after the knowledge of Christes doctrine Nay truely Why quoth he shal we not be excused herein by ignoraunce Authority of rulers wil not discharge our ignorance leeing we be forefended by the rulers to haue knowledge He aunswereth no verily for if saith he when thou desirest to buy cloth thou wilt not be content to see one merchaunts ware but go from the first to the second from the second to the third and so further to knowe where is the best cloth and best cheape thou vsing such careful diligence for a temporal profite art well worthy great reproche that wilt be more remisse and negligent for thy soule health Seeke therfore about from one Doctor or teacher vnto an other that thou mayest know who doth most duely and truely teache Christ and him follow accordâ—ng to the saying of the Apostle Prooue all and holde the good 1. Thess. 5. and as it is sayde in the Gospell that thou maist know Qui funt probati nummularij qui non That is to wit Math. â—5 know who be true or lawful chaungers or coyners Chris. Ibid. and who be not He also addeth another similitude or parable When thou goest quoth he a iourney not knowing perfitely the way thou wilt lest thou should fayle of the right way enquire of one man and after of an other and if thou shouldest chaunce to go somewhat wyde yet thou wilt not so leaue of the iourney vndone but make inquisition againe to come where thou wouldest rest So likewise sayth he ought wee to seeke about intentiuely for the wealth of our soule Qui sunt probi clauigeri qui non that is to saye who are the right key bearers and who not meaning thereby the key bearers Christes apostles and bearers of his testimony or message Which saying although it were written of no autenticall authour howbeit it is written euen of him whome I shewed you in the sayde worke but vttered of one that were in little estimation euery indifferent person hauing wit and reason would assent I doubt not that it is full true The same author also in an Epistle which you shall find in a work called Psegmata Chrysostomi Psegmata Chrisost. sheweth as I remember how certain men deemed ill of him for because he did study Origenes workes which afore was condemned for an heretick Lawfull to 〈◊〉 and try 〈◊〉 bookes but he maketh an Apologie to the same shewing that Christian men ought not to be reprehended for so doing In whiche Apologie he bringeth for his defence Hierome the saying of Paul aboue rehearsed Proue all thinges c. Likewise did S. Hierome I wote not well in what place of his works but you shal find it in a treatise called vnio dissidentium where he entreateth De maÌ„datis hominû When it was obiected agiynst him that he retained by him the workes of Eusebius of Origine studying vpon theÌ„ he bringeth for him that it was so lawfull the sayde place of the Apostle making therwith an aunswere worthye to be greatly noted The same is also reported in the booke called Ecclesiastica historia or els Historia Tripartita I wote not now precisely whether So that these and other moe authorities of the scripture and semblable ensamples of holy interpretours shall proue that I and other may safely no good law inhibiting vnles constitutions Pharisaical read and search the woorkes not onely of Luther but also of all other be they neuer so ill or good namely seeing I am a Priest whoÌ„ the bish of Norwich ought not to haue admitted into orders vnles he had seene me to haue had iudgement to discerne good from ill neither ought any of you to geue orders to any such in whom you do not finde like habilitie for to iudge the light from darckenes and the trueth from falshood and therefore if for this you would punish me I cannot see but you shall condemne your selues iudgyng rather of sensuall pleasure then of equitie which in men of your order were a great shame and much vncomely ¶ Unto your third demaund wherto you do aske whether I was constitute a Priest and in what dioces Answere to the third article Lambeâ—t made priest in Norwich and of what Bishop I say that I was made Priest in Norwich
by some meane be brought to passe that as the Serpent deceiued Eue thorow wilines so your mindes may be corrupt from the simple veritie that is in Christ. And also in his Commentaries vpon the epistle to the Coloss vpon this text In Christ Iesus is all treasure of wisedome and in other diuers places of the same worke 2. Tim 3. Chrysost. in Epist. Paulâ— in opere imperfecto The preacher must not sweâ—â—e neither on the right hand or left from the expresse word of God S. Chrysostome also in his Commentaries vppon Paul declaring this saying Omnis scriptura diuinitus inspirata c. The whole Scripture giuen by inspiration of GOD. c. And in his Booke called Opus imperfectum I wote not precisely vpon what text but there you shal finde that he would haue a true preacher of gods law not swaruing therefro neither vpon the right hand neither vpon y e left but keeping thereafter according to the teaching of SalomoÌ„ for he that should thervnto adde or withdraw should enterprise as sayeth Chrysostome to be wiser then God These or els such like wordes doth he say I will be deemed by the booke brought forth because my remembraunce cannot retayne perfectly all such thinges S. Cyprian mainteineth well the same in an Epistle that â—e writeth ad Cecilium fratrem Cyprianus ad Ceciliâ—â— fratrem Which I woulde to God were in English that al men might learn the deuout goodnes in it conteined In the same he teacheth clearely how we ought to heare Christ onely and his learning not regarding ne attending to the traditions of men lyke as he doth also in many other places And this agreeth well with Scripture which is called the word of Saluation Scripture how many names it hath the administration of righteousnes the word of truth yea and the truth it selfe the rod of direction our spirituall food the spirituall sword that we ought to fight with against all temptations and assaultes of our ghostly enemies the seede of God the kingdome of heauen keyes of the same the power of God the light of the worlde which who so followeth shal not be ouercome with darknes the law of God his wisedome and Testament Of which wordes and such like The word sufficient 〈◊〉 all our direction euery one will giue matâ—er of substantial argument that we following the same doctrine onely shall haue sufficient safe conduict to come vnto the inheritaunce promised albeit none other wayes or meanes were annexed with the same And certaine I am that in this blessed doctrine of Christ is taught Scripture sufficient to saluation without any other addition Psal. 25. howe we ought to do truth and mercy which is all that we neede to do as testifieth the Psalme in these wordes Vniuersae viae domini misericordia veritas c. All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and truth And againe the Prophet willing vs to do as he did sayth in this maner Adhaesi testimonijs tuis domine noli me confundere I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord confound me not In lyke maner the sayd whole Psalme warneth vs. Psal. 118. Yea all the Scripture biddeth vs sticke fast to the steady and true worde of God saying that he is verax viae eius veritas omnis autem homo vanitas mendax For he is true and all his wayes are trueth but all men are vaine and lyers For that is the sure foundation which cannot fayle them that grounde therevppon as reporteth Christ Euery one sayth he that heareth my words doth them is like to a wise man that buildeth vppon a sure foundation And there ought to be none other foundation to christen men but only the vndoubted truth of Iesus to build our faith vpon and direct our liuing thereafter as sheweth s. Paul saying FundamentuÌ„ aliud nemo c. Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. And likewise in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians 1. Cor. 3. where he sayth I am non estis hospites aduenae sed conciues sanctorum domestici dei c. Nowe ye are no more strangers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 〈◊〉 1. And in the same epistle S. Paul dilating of Christes benificence sheweth how that he ordained in the Churche diuers officers to the edifying of Christen people that he calleth Christes body vntill all we may come vnto the vnitie of faith which coÌ„meth by following of one doctrine whiche is Christes wherby wee may growe to bee perfect men and that we should not be here like to children caried about with euery winde of doctrine by deceipte and wilines of men that study to deceiue vs. Heb. 13. In like forme doeth he warne vs in the Epistle to the Hebrues that we should not be caried about as the wind with diuers and straunge doctrines but continue in that which euer continueth like and all one agreeable for all men in all partes The inconstancy and variablenes of mens coÌ„stitutions The popes lawes were neuer wholy receiued of all men and that at all times not being chaungeable as mens constitutions be whereof looke what one doth counsaile or ordaine to be of effecte another annulleth the same according as mens mindes doe alway alter and are full vnstedy Neither doe such pertaine vnto all men for the Greekes with other whome the Pope ne none of his people wil yet deny to be of Christes Church will in no condition admitte such neither for men to liue after them nor to beleeue them as pertaining to theyr faith But they allowe well the doctrine that perseuereth euer one Heb. 13. and is immutable as sheweth Saint Paule saying Iesus Christ yesterday and to day is all one and so euer shal be He is white breade without any sower leuen of Pharisaical traditions veritie without guile light without any darkenes the very straight way that hath neither hooke ne croke From this ought we not to turne neither vpon one hand ne other vnlesse we will go from him that is our felicitie and anker of safetie But what should I more entreate of this excepte I would recite all scripture which in euery parte is full of admonitions exhorting and warning vs to cleaue fast vnto this way which is the doctrine of the Gospel which God I beseech him graunt vs all both to knowe and loue taking heede that in no wise wee be seduced therefro by lawes doctrines of men Looke also in the ij chap. to the Colossians and in the epistle of Timothe and Titus So that I conclude in holy scripture to be conteined sufficiently enough of doctrine The chiefe article obiected againsâ— Iohn Lambert for the regiment and saluation of our soules And this because learned men do call the head Article laid against me I would that all men should well note it and record my saying
Rich. Bonfeld Tho. Couper Humfrey Skinner Ioh. Sneudnam Rich. Philips Iohn Celos These ix persons were presented for that they were not confessed in Lente nor had receiued at Easter Iohn Iones Wil. Wright Peter Butcher Roger Butcher S. Nicholas in â—he fleshe shambles These foure were presented for not keeping the diuine seruice in the holydayes Brisleys wife Brisleys wife for busie reasoning on the newe learning and not keeping the Church Mistres Castle S. Anâ—â—ewes in Holborne M. Castle for being a medler and a reader of the Scripture in the Church M. Galias of Bernardes Inne M. Galias for withstanding the Curate sensing the alters on Corpus Christi euen and saieng openly that he did nought M. Pates of Dauids Inne M. Pates and M. Galias for vexing the Curate in the body of the Churche in declaring the Kings Iniunctions reading the Byshops booke so that hee had muche adoe to make an end Wil. Beckes and his wife S. Mildred in Bredstret Beckes and his wife suspected to be Sacramentaries and for not creeping to the crosse on good Friday Thomas LanghaÌ„ Wil. Thomas Rich. Beckes Wil. Beckes These foure were presented for interruptyng the deuyne seruice Rafe Symonds Symondes for not keeping our Ladies Masse whiche he was bound to keepe Ioh. Smith preÌ„tise Smith for sayeng that he had rather heare the crieng of dogges then Priestes singing Mattins or Euensong Tho. Bele Ioh. Sturgion Ioh. Wilshire Tho. Symon Rafe Cleruis and his wife Iames Banaster Nicolas Barker Iohn Sterky Christofer Smith Thom. Net These xj persons of Saint Magnus parish S. Magnus parishe were presented and accused for mainteyning of certayne preachers as then it was called of the newe learning as Wisedome Rose frier Ward sir Wil. Smith aliâs Wright Nich. Philips Philips for mainteing heretikes and scripture bookes and for vsing neyther fasting nor prayer Rich. Bygges Bigges for despising holye bread putting it in the throte of a bitch and for not looking vp to the eleuation Mistres Elizabeth Statham For mainteining in her house Latimer Barnes Garret S. Mary Magdalene in Milkestreâ—e Hierome and diuers other Iohn Duffet Duffet for marrieng a woman which was thought to be a Nunne Wil. Hilliard Hilliard Duffet for mainteining Barnes Hierome S. Owens parishe in Newgate market and Garret with other mo Grafton Whitchurch Grafton and Whitchurch suspected not to haue bene confessed S. Martins at the well with two buckets Ioh. Grene. Mother Palmer Christop Cootes Wil. Selly Alexander Frere Wil. Bredy Iohn Bushe W. Somerton George Durant M. Dauids preÌ„tise All these being of the parish of S. Martins at the wel with ij buckets were presented for coÌ„temning the ceremonies of the Church Also some for walking in the sacring tyme with theyr caps on Some for turning their heads awaye Some for sitting at their dores when sermons were in the Church c. Rob. Andrew Andrew for receiuing heretikes into his house S. Michaels in Woodstrete and keeping disputatioÌ„ of heresie there Ioh. Williamson Tho. Buge Tho. Gilbert W. Hickson Rob. Daniel Rob. Smitton These other sixe were suspected to bee Sacramentaries and rancke heretikes and procurers of heretikes to preache and to bee followers of theyr doctrine Ioh. Mayler To be a Sacramentary and a rayler against the Masse S. Buttolphes 〈◊〉 Billingesgate Rich. Bilby Draper Bilby presented for sayeng these words that Christ is not present in y e blessed sacrament Henry Patinson Anthony Barber Rob. Norman These two were detected for maynteyning theyr boyes to sing a song against y e sacrameÌ„t of y e alter S Gyles without Criplegate Also Patinson came not to confession Norman also refused to come to coÌ„fession saieng that none of his seruants shuld be shriueÌ„ of a kna priest Ioh. Humfrey For speaking against the sacramentes and ceremonies of the Church Ex Reg. Lond. Wil. Smith and his wife Iohn Cooke and his wife These ij couples were presented for not comming to seruice in their Parish Churche and for sayeng it was lawfull for Priests to haue wiues W. Gate or Cote Wil. Aston Iohn Humfrey Iohn Cooke To these foure it was layde for sayeng that the Masse was made of peeces and patches Also for deprauing of mattins Masse and Euensong Ioh. Miles and his wife Ioh. Millen Ioh. Robinson Rich. Millar Ioh. Greene and his wife Arnold Chost All these were put vp for railing against the Sacramentes and Ceremonies Ioh. Crosdall Ioh. Clerke Ioh. Owell These three labouring men for not comming to diuine seruice on holydayes and for labouring in the same S. Gyles without Cryplegate Tho. Granger Ioh. Dictier Noted for common syngars against the sacraments and ceremonies Ioh. Sutton and his wyfe Ioh. Segar These three were noted to be despisers of auriculare confession Ioh. Raulins Ioh. Shiler W. Chalinger Ioh. Edmunds Ioh. Richmond his wife For despising holy bread and holy water and lettyng diuine seruice Margaret Smith For dressing fleshemeate in Lent Tho. Trentham Rob. Granger For reasoning agaynste the sacramente of the aultere and saieng that the sacrament was a good thing but it was not as men tooke it very God W. Petyngale Wil. May and his wife Iohn Henrison his wife Rob. Welsh S. Thomas the Apostle Ioh. Benglosse Ioh. Pitly Henry Foster Rob. Causy W. Pinchbecke his wife All these thirteene were put vp by the Inquisition for giuing small reuerence at the sacring of the Masse Martin Byshops wyfe She was presented by her Curate for being not shriuen in Lente S. Benet Fynch nor receiuing at Easter Also she did set light by the curate when he told her therof Rob. Platte and his wife These were great reasoners in Scripture sayeng that they had it of the spirite and that confession auayleth nothing and that hee not able to reade would vse no beades Tho. Aduet Ioh. Palmer Rob. Cooke S. Michaell at Queene hyth The cause layd to these three persons was for reasoning of the scripture of y e sacrameÌ„ts The Register saith that they denied all the Sacramentes But this Popish hiperbole wil finde little credite where experience acquaynted with popish practises sitteth to be y e iudge Ioh. Cockes This man was noted for a great searcher out of new preachers mainteiner of Barnes opinions Ioh. Boultes * Tho. Kelde Forbidding his wife to vse beades * He refused to take penaÌ„ce absolutioÌ„ did eate flesh vpon a Friday before Lent S. Mary Wolchurch Nich Newell Newel a frenchmaÌ„ presented to be a man far gone in y e newe sect that he was a great iester at y e saints at our Lady Ioh. Hawkins and his seruant Ex Regist. Lond. Tho. Chamberlain and his wife Iohn Curteys M. Dissel his wife and his seruant These eight were great reasoners and despisers of ceremonies The Curate of S. Katherine ColmaÌ„ He was noted for calling of suspecte persons to hys Sermons by a bedle without ringing of any bell
in the world might better be wanting dogs or priests And if it were answered that dogs might rather be spared to that he woulde replie againe and inferre that if there were no dogs wee coulde make no moe but if there lacked ignoraunt Priestes we might soone and too soone make too many of them It happened that in the time of D. Darley Parson of our Ladies Church in Calice being Commissary there so Archbishop Warham there came a blacke Frier to Calice with the Popes pardons who for iiij d. would deliuer a soule out of Purgatory The frier was full of romish vertues for what money came for pardons by day he bought no land with it at night This foresayd William Button aliâs Crosbowmaker comming to the pardons and pretending that he would deliuer his father frends soules asked if the holy father the Pope could deliuer soules out of purgatory The frier said there is no doubt of that Why then quoth Button dooth he not of charitye deliuer all the soules thereout Of which wordes he was accused to the Commissary who at his appearing before the sayd Commissary confessed to haue asked such questions The Commissary being angrye thereat sayd Doubtest thou thereof thou hereticke There was standing by a blacke fryer named Capel an English man who sayd to the Commissary There is Tenne thousand of these heretickes betwene Graueling and Trere Button aunswered Maister fryer of all men you may keepe silence For your coat hath bene twise cut of from the fayth The first time your order was enioyned to haue your blacke coat shorter thē your white and for the second time your order must goe to the furthest part of their church This Antheme the blacke friers were 〈…〉 euery nighte to our Lady in prayse of her Conception and there sing an Antheme of our Lady The Commissarye at these wordes chafed called Button hereticke with many other opprobrious words Thē sayd Button to the Commissary if your holy father the Pope may deliuer soules out of purgatory and wil not of charity deliuer them thē I would to God the king would make me Pope and I would surely deliuer all out without money At these wordes the Comissary raged and reuiled Button exceedingly causing him to beare a billet procured his wages which was 6. d. a day to be taken from him Then went Button to the kinges maiesty declaring all the whole matter to his grace who sent him to Calice agayne and gaue him after that 8 d. a day W. Crosbowmaker pardoned of the king A notable example wherin may appeare as well the despite of D. London and other papistes agaynst the Gospellers as also the fidelity of a matrone towardes her husband FOr so much as mention was made a little before of D. London we will somewhat more adde of him because the matter seemeth neither impertinent nor vnfruitefull The cruell malice of D. London agaynst the Gospell to the entent it maye more euidently appeare what trueth and trust is to be looked for of this cruell kinde of papists This Doctor London was warden of the new Colledge in Oxford where it happened that certayne plate was stolen and conueied Ex. Edw. Hallo and brought vp to London and sold to a Goldsmith named William Calaway Thys Calaway was a man of good and honest name and reputation amongest his neighbours W Calaway Goldsmith of London but specially earnest and zelous towardes the Gospell and a great maynteiner therof He had oftentimes before bought much plate of the same man without any peril or daunger wherfore he doubted y e lesse of his fidelity At the last the principall of the theft being taken and the Goldsmith also that was the byer being knowne D. London This principall was a chaplein of the sayd Colledge when he vnderstoode him to be a fauourer of the Gospel wherof he was an extreme aduersary began strait wayes to be in a rage and to sweare grea◠and deep othes that he woulde spare neither labour nor cost but woulde bring the Goldsmith to the gallowes although it shoulde cost him fiue hundred pound To be short this good goldsmith was arraigned as accessary and an action of Felony brought agaynst him He contrariwise alledged that they ought not to proceed agaynst him the principall beyng aliue D. London on the contrary part affirmed that the principall was hanged which was most false for he was one of the same Colledge Calaway 〈◊〉 the priueledge of his booke and was aliue and but lately set at liberty To be briefe he being found gylty the Iudge asked him what he coulde alledge why he should not dye He required to haue the priuiledge of his booke according to y e aūcient custome and maner But here it was obiected agaynst him that he was Bigamus and therfore he might not haue his booke by the lawe notwithstanding that he neuer had two wiues Bigamus that is a man that hath had two Wiues but because his wife had two husbandes it was imputed to him for Bigamia Thus this good Goldsmith being secluded from all hope of life by the craftye spite of his malignant aduersaries his wife beyng a woman of proued honesty and good fame A singular example of ◠faithfull 〈◊〉 toward 〈◊〉 husband came in before the Iudges and perceiuing her former marriage to be hurtfull vnto her husband to saue her husbandes life she tooke an othe before the Iudges that she was not Bigama and that she was neuer marryed to moe men then to the sayd Goldsmith and although she had children by her other husband and continued diuers yeares with him yet she sware that she was neuer married vnto him Thus this woman by defaming of her selfe to her great praise True loue 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 and singuler example of loue deliuered her innocent husband thinking it better for her to lyue w t ignominy and reproche then for her husband to die lesse esteming the losse of her good name then of his life Ez Ed. Hallo As touching the qualitye of this facte or periury I intermeddle not here to discusse but leaue it at large to the iudgement of Lawyers to define vpon Trueth it is that periury neither in man nor woman is to be cōmmended neither ought to be defended But yet the true hart faithfull loue betwene this man and his wife counterpeasing agayne as much or more on the other side the more rare straūge I see it in many couples now a dayes the more I thinke it worthy not onely to be praised but also for examples sake to be notified But in the meane time what shall we say to these priestes and aduersaries who in such sorte violently do presse and force the poore sheepe of Christ with perill of theyr consciences vnto such periury that in such causes where no such trueth is sought but innocency oppressed true religion persecuted only their spite wrath agaynst Gods word
sitting in Smithfield Hetherto we haue entreated of this good woman Now it remayneth that we touch somewhat as concernyng her ende and Martyrdome After that she beyng borne of such stocke and kynred that she might haue liued in great wealth and prosperitie if she would rather haue followed the world then Christ now had bene so tormented that she could neyther lyue long in so great distresse An. Askew brought â—â—to the 〈◊〉 neyther yet by her aduersaries be suffered to die in secret the daye of her execution beyng appoynted she was brought into Smithfield in a chayre because she could not goe on her feete An. Askew 〈◊〉 vpon the racke by meanes of her great tormentes When she was brought vnto the stake she was tyed by the middle with a chayne that held vp her body When all things were thus prepared to the fire D. Shaxton who was then appoynted to preach â—â—axton â—reached at Anne 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 began his Sermon Anne Askew hearyng and answering agayne vnto him where he sayd wel confirmed the same where he sayd amisse there sayde she he misseth and speaketh without the booke The Sermon beyng finished the Martyrs standyng there tyed at three seuerall Stakes ready to theyr Martirdome beganne theyr prayers The multitude and concourse of the people was exceedyng the place where they stoode beyng rayled about to keepe out the prease Upon the Benche vnder Saint Bartlemewes Church sate Wrisley Chauncellour of England the old Duke of Norfolke the olde Earle of Bedford the Lord Mayor wyth dyuers other moe Before the fire should be set vnto them one of the Benche hearyng that they had gunnepouder about them and beyng afrayde least the fagots by strength of the gunnepouder would come â—lieng about their eares began to be afraid but the Erle of Bedford declaring vnto him how y e gunpouder was not laid vnder the fagots but onely about theyr bodies to rydde them out of their paine which hauyng vente there was no daunger to them of the fagottes so diminished that feare Anne Askew refuseth the kinges pardon Then Wrisley Lord Chauncellour sent to Anne Askew letters offring to her the kyngs pardon if she would recant Who refusing once to looke vpon them made this answer agayne that she came not thether to deny her lord and Maister Then were the letters likewise offered vnto the other who in lyke manner followyng the constancie of the woman denied not onely to receyue them Iusâ—titia iniusta but also to looke vpon them Whereupon the Lord Mayor commaundyng fire to be put vnto them cryed wyth a lowde voyce Fiat iustitia And thus the good Anne Askew with these blessed Martyrs beyng troubled so many maner of ways and hauing passed through so many torments hauyng now ended the long course of her agonies beyng coÌ„passed in with flames of fire as a blessed sacrifice vnto God she slept in the lord an 1546. leauyng behynd her a singular example of christian constancy for all men to follow John Lacels Iohn Adams and Nicholas Belenian The Martyrdome of Anne Askew Io. Lacels Io. Adams Nich. Belenian THere was at the same time also burnt together wyth her one Nicholas Belenian priest of Shropshire I. Adams a Taylor and Iohn Lacels Gentleman of the court and houshold of king Henry It happened well for them that they dyed together with Anne Askew For albeit that of themselues they wer strong and stout men yet through the example and exhortation of her they beyng the more boldened receyued occasion of greater comfort in that so paynefull and dolefull kynd of death who beholdyng her inuincible constancie and also stirred vp thorough her perswasions did set apart all kynd of feare Thus they confirming one another with mutual exhortations taried looking for the tormenter and fire which at the last flaming round about them consumeb their blessed bodies in happy Martyrdome in the yeare of our saluation 1546. about the month of Iune There is also a certayne letter extant which the sayd I. Lacels briefly wrote beyng in prison touchyng the sacrament of Christes body and bloud wherin he doth both coÌ„fute the errour of them which being not contented wyth the spirituall receyuing of the sacrament wil leaue no substance of bread therin and also confuteth the sinister interpretation of many therupon The tenor of which letter is as here vnder followeth The copy of the letter of Iohn Lacels written out of prison SAint Paule because of sectes and dissention among the Corinthians The letter of M. Iohn Lacels written out of prison wrote his epistle vnto them and in lyke case pertaining to my conscience I doe protest my whole hart in the blessed supper of the Lord wherein I trust in God to bryng nothyng for me but I shall be able wyth Gods holy worde to declare and manifest the same And herein I take occasion to recite the saying of saint Paule in the sayd Epistle the xi chapter That which I deliuered vnto you â— Cor. 11. I receyued of the Lorde For the Lorde Iesus the same night in which he was betrayed tooke breade gaue thankes and brake it and sayd take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you Here me seemeth S. Paule durst not take vpon hym hys Lord and maisters authoritie Wherefore as at Gods hand the breaking of the most innocent and immaculate body and bloud of Christ is the quietnes of all mens consciences the onely remedy of our sinnes and the redemption of mankynd which is called in the scripture the dailye offering so the Masse whiche is the inuention of man whose author is the Pope of Rome as it doth appeare in Polydore Uirgill and many others is the vnquietnesse of all Christendome The blasphemy wickednes of the Masse a blasphemy vnto Christes bloud and as Daniel calleth it the abhominable desolation as the Scripture shall hereafter more manifest it S. Paule was belyke to learne of the Romaines church A prophesie the manner of the consecration as they call it wyth the breathyng ouer the hoste and other ceremonies besides that he durst not take vpon him to say Hoc est corpus meum S. Paule did not take vpon him in the person of Christ to say Hoc est corpus meum as our Priestes doe But this I will admitte it was the Lord Iesus that made the supper which also did finish it and made an end of the onely acte of our saluation not onely here in this world but with his father in heauen as he declareth hym selfe that he will drinke no more of this bitter cuppe tyll he drinke it new in his fathers kingdom where all bitternes shall be taken away Now if any man be able to finish the acte of our Sauiour in breakyng of hys body and sheadyng of his bloude here and also to finish it with the father in heauen then let hym say it But I thinke that if men will looke vpon saint Paules wordes well
to celebrate y e holy communion were accused of filthy commixion of meÌ„ and women together and the king the same time Henry 2. was made to beleue that beds with pillowes and mats were founde there in the floore where they laye together wherupon the same time diuers were condeÌ„ned to the fire and burned pag. 862. Finally what innocency is so pure or truth so perfect which can be voyd of these sclaunders or crimynatioÌ„s Read â—â—fore pag. 8 â— 2. wheÌ„ also our Sauior Christ himselfe was noted for a wine drinker a common haunter of the Publicanes c. Euen so likewise it pleaseth our Lorde and Sauiour Christ to keepe vnder and to exercise his church vnder the like kinde of aduersaries now raigning in the church No truth safe from false detraction who vnder the name of the church will nedes mayntain a portly state and kingdome in this world and because they can not vpholde theyr cause by playne scripture and the word of God they beare it ouâ— with facing rayling and slaundering making Princes and the simple people beleue that all be heretickes schismatickes blasphemers rebels subuerters of all authority commoÌ„ weales whosoeuer dare reply with any scripture agaynst theyr doings It is writteÌ„ of Nero that when he himselfe had burnt the Citty of Rome sixe dayes and seuen nightes Suetonius in Neâ—oâ—â—e he made open proclamations that the innocent Christians had set the City on fire to styrre the people agaynst them wherby he might burne and destroy them as rebels and traytors Not much vnlike seemeth the dealing of these religious Catholickes who when they be the true heretickes themselues and haue burnt and destroyed the Church of Christ make out theyr exclamatioÌ„s Buls briefes articles bookes Papistes 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 them selues censures letters and Edicts against the poore Lutheranes to make the people beleue that they be the heretickes schismatickes disturbers of the whole world Who if they could proue them as they reproue them to be heretickes they were worthy to be heard But nowe they cry out vpon them heretickes and can proue no heresy they accuse them of errour and can proue no errour they call them schismatickes and what Church since the worlde stood hath bene the mother of so many schismes as the mother Church of Rome They charge them with dissention and rebellion And what dissention can be greater then to disseÌ„t from the scripture and word of God or what rebellion is like as to rebell against the sonne of God against the will of hys eternall Testamente They are disturbers they say of peace and of publicke authority Which is as true as that the Christians set the Citty of Rome on fire What doctrine did euer attribute so much to publicke authority of Magistrates as do the protestantes or who euer attributed lesse to magistrates or deposed moe dukes kinges and Emperours theÌ„ the Papistes They that say that the Bishop of Rome is no more but the Bishoppe of Rome and ought to weare no crowne is not by and by a rebell agaynst his king and Magistrates but rather a maynteyner of theyr authority which in deed the Byshop of Rome cannot abide Briefely wilt thou see whether be the greater heretickes the Protestantes or the Papistes Let vs try it by a measure A measure betweene the Protestantes and the Papists to try whether of them two are the greater heretickes ComparisoÌ„ betwene the doctrine of Papistes and of the Protestantes and let this measure be the glory onely of the sonne of God which cannot fayle Nowe iudge I beseeche thee whosoeuer knowest the doctrine of them both whether of these two do ascribe more or lesse to the Maiestye of Christ Iesus our king and Lord the Protestantes which admit none other head of the Church nor iustifier of our soules nor forgeuer of our sinnes nor Aduocate to his father but him alone Or els the papistes which can abide none of all these articles but condemn the same for heresy Which being so as they themselues wyll not deny now iudge good reader who hath set the Citty of Rome on fire Nero or els the Christians But to returne agayne to the purpose of our former matter which was to shew forth the proclamation of the Byshops for the abolishing of English bookes aboue rehearsed as being corrupt and full of heresye whiche not withstanding we haue declared to conteine no heresye but sounde and wholesome doctrine according to the perfect word and Scripture of God Here nowe when the Prelates of the Popes side had procured this Edict proclamation aforesayd for the condemnation of al such English bookes printed or vnprinted which made agaynst theyr aduantage they triumphed not a litle wening they had made a great hand against y e Gospell for euer to rise againe that they had established their kingdome for euer as in deed to all maÌ„s thinking it might seme no lesse For who would haue thought Gods mercifull helpe in time of neede after so strayt so precise and so solemne a proclamation set forth armed with the kinges terrible authority also after the cruel execution of Anne Askewe Lacels and the rest Item after the busy search moreouer and names taking of many other of whom some were chased away some apprehended and layd vp diuers in present perill expectation of theyr attachment who would haue thought I say otherwyse possible but that y e gospel must nedes haue an ouerthrow seing what sure worke the papistes here had made in setting vp theyr side and throwing downe the contrary But it is no new thing in the Lord to shew his power agaynst mans presuÌ„ption Gods power worketh commonly agaynst mans presumption that when he counteth himselfe most sure then is he furthest of and when he supposeth to haue done all then is he new to begin agayne So was it in the primitiue Church before Constantinus time that when Nero Domitianus Maxentius Decius and other Emperours impugning the gospell profession of Christ did not onely constitute lawes and proclamations against the Christians but also did ingraue the same lawes in tables of brasse minding to make all thinges firme for euer and a day yet we see how with a litle turning of Gods hand all theyr puissant deuises brasen lawes turned all to wind and dust So little doth it auayle for man to wrastle agaynst the Lord and his procedinges Howe so euer mans building is mortall and ruinous of brickle bricke and mouldring stones the Lord neuer taketh in hande to builde that either time can waste or man can pluck down What God setteth vp there is neither power nor striuing to the contrary What he entendeth standeth what he blesseth that preuayleth And yet mans vnquiet presumption will not cease still to erect vp towers of Babell against the Lord which the higher they are builded vp Towers of Babell agaynst the Lorde fall with the great ruine For what can
to the Byshop at Westminster for abolishing of Images Hyberniae Regem fidei defensorem in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hybernicae supremum caput sufficienter legitimae autorisatus Reuerendo in Christo confratri nostro domino Thomae eadem permissione Westm. Episcopo salutem fraternam in Domino charitatem Literas reuerendissimi in Christo patris domini D. Thomae permissione diuina Cantuar. Archiepiscopi totius Angliae primatis Metropolitani tenorem literarum missâ—â—uÌ„ clarissimorum prudentissimorum dominorum de priuatis consilijs dicti illustrissimi domini Regis in se continen nuper cum ea qua decuit reuerentia humiliter recepimus exequend in haec verba Thomas permissione diuina Cant. c. And then makyng a full recitall as well of the Archbishops precept as also of the Counsels letters aboue specified he concluded with these wordes Quocirca nos Edmund Episc. antedictus Literis praedictis pro nostro officio obtemperare vti decet summopere cupientes vestrae fraternitati tam ex parte dicti excellentissimi Domini nostri Regis ac praefatoâ—um clarissimorum dominoruÌ„ de priuatis suis consilijs quà m praedicti Reuer patris domini Cant. Archiepiscopi tenore praesentium committimus mandamus quatenus attentis per vos diligenter consideratis Literarum huiusmodi tenoribus eos in omnibus per omnia iuxta vim formam effectum earundem cum omni qua poteris celeritate accommoda per totam Dioces vestram West debite effectualiter exequi faciatis procuretis Datum in aedibus nostris London vicesimo die Febr. An. Dom. 1548. Et regni dicti illustrissimi domini nostri Regis Anno secundo Now by the tyme that these things were thus determined the learned men which the kyng had appointed as ye haue heard before to assemble together for the true and right maner of administring the Sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ An vniforme order of the Communion accordyng to the rule of the Scriptures of God and first vsage of the Primatiue Churche after theyr long learned wyse and deliberate aduises dyd finally conclude and agree vppon one godly and vniforme order of receiuing the same not much differyng from the maner at this present vsed authorised within this realm and church of England commonly called the Communion Which agreement beyng by them exhibited vnto the kyng and of hym most gladly accepted was thereupon publikely imprinted and by his maiesties Councell perticularly deuided and sent vnto euery bishop of the realme requiring and commaundyng them by their letters on the kings Maiesties behalfe that both they in their own persons should forthwith haue diligent and carefull respect to the due execution thereof and also should with all diligeÌ„ce cause the bookes which they then sent them to be deliuered vnto euery Parson Uicar and Curate within their Dioces that they likewise might well and sufficiently aduise themselues for the better distribution of the sayd communion according to the tenour of the sayd booke agaynst the feast of Easter then next ensuyng as more fully appeareth by these their letters here followyng ¶ Letters Missiue from the Counsaile to the Bishops of the Realme concernyng the Communion to be ministred in both kyndes Anno 1548. AFter our most harty commendatioÌ„s to your Lordship where in the Parliament late holden at Westminster The Communion in both kindes to be ministred it was amongest other things most godly established that according to the first institution and vse of the primatiue church the most holy sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ shuld be distributed to the people vnder the kyndes of bread wyne according to the effect whereof the kinges maiestie mynding with the aduice and consent of the Lord Protectors grace the rest of the Counsaile to haue the sayd Statute well executed in such sort or lyke as it is agreeable with the word of God so the same may be also faithfully and reuerently receiued of his most louing subiects to their comforts and wealth hath caused sundry of his maiesties most graue and well learned Prelates and other learned men in the Scriptures to assemble themselues for this matter who after long conference together haue with deliberate aduise finally agreed vpon such an order to be vsed in all places of the kings maiesties dominions in the distribution of the sayd most holy sacrament as may apeare to you by the booke thereof which we send herewith vnto you Albeit knowing your Lordships knowledge in the Scriptures and earnest good will zeale to the settyng foorth of all things accordyng to the truth thereof we be well assured you will of your owne good will and vpon respect to your duetie diligently set forth this most godly order here agreed vpon and commaunded to be vsed by the authoritie of the kyngs maiestie yet remembryng the crafty pratise of the deuill who ceaseth not by his members to worke by al wayes and meanes the hinderance of all godlines And consideryng furthermore that a great number of the Curates of the Realme eyther for lacke of knowledge can not or for want of good mynd will not be so redy to set forth the same as we would wish and as the importance of the matter and their owne bounden duties requireth we haue thought good to pray and require your Lordship and neuerthelesse in the kings maiesties our most dread Lordes name to commaund you to haue an earnest diligence and carefull respect both in your owne person and by all your officers and Ministers also to cause these bookes to be deliuered to euery Person Vicar and Curate within your Diocesse with such diligence as they may haue sufficient tyme well to instruct and aduise themselues for the distribution of the most holy Communion accordyng to the order of this booke before this Easter tyme and that they may by your good meanes be well directed to vse such good gentle and charitable instruction of their simple and vnlearned parishioners as may be to all their good satisfactions as much as may be praying you to consider that this order is set forth to the intent there should be in all partes of the Realme and among all men one vniforme manner quietly vsed The execution whereof lyke as it shall stand very much in the diligence of you and others of your vocation so doe we eftsoones require you to haue a diligent respect thereunto as ye tender the kings Maiesties pleasure and will aunswer for the contrary And thus we bidde your Lordship right hartily farewell From Westminster the 13. of March 1548. Your Lordships louyng friends Tho. Canterbury R. Rich. W. Saint Iohn Iohn Russell Hen. Arundel Anth. Wingfield W. Peter Edward North. Ed. Wootton By meanes as well of this letter and the godly order of the learned as also of the statute and acte of parliament before mentioned made for the stablishyng thereof all priuate blasphemous Masses
abuses we haue thought good to geue you these Iniunctions following 1 First ye shall preach at Paules Crosse in London Certayne priuat Articles inioyned to Boneâ— by the Counsaile Boner admonished to preach euery quaâ—ter at Paules Crosse. in proper person the Sonday after the date hereof iij. weeks and in the same Sermon declare and set forth the Articles hereunto annexed and ye shall preach hereafter once euery quarter of the yere there exhorting in your Sermon the people to obedience prayer and godly liuyng and ye shall be present at euery sermon hereafter made at Paules Crosse if sickenesse or some other reasonable cause doe not let you 2 Secondly you your selfe in person shall from hencefoorth euery day which heeetofore was accounted in this Church of England principall feast or Maius duplex and at all such tymes as the Bishops of London your predecessours were woont to celebrate and sing high masse now celebrate and execute the Communion at the hygh aultare in Paules for the better example of all other except sickenes do let 3 Thirdly ye shall your selfe according to your duetie the office of a bishop cal before you all such as do not come vnto and frequent the Common prayer and seruice in the Church or do not come vnto gods boord and receyue the Communion at the lest once a yeare or whosoeuer do frequent or go vnto any other rite or seruice then is appointed by our booke either of Mattins Euensong or masse in any church Chappell or other priuate places within your Dioces and ye shall see all such offenders conuented before you and punished accordyng vnto the Ecclesiasticall lawes with seuere and strait punishment therfore Lykewise ye shall see one onely order vsed in your Diocesse according to our sayd booke and none other 4 Fourthly ye shall both by your selfe and all your officers vnder you search out conuent before you more diligently then heretofore ye haue done as appertaineth to your office all adulterers and see the same punished according to the ecclesiastical lawes and to the authority geuen you in that behalfe 5 We haue heard also complaintes that the Churche of Paules and other Churches of London are of late more neglected as wel in reparation of the glasse as other buildings and ordinaunces of the same then they were heretofore woont and that diuers and many persons in the citie of malice denyeth the payment of their due tith to their Curates wherby the Curates are both iniured and made not so well able and in maner discouraged to do theyr dueties The which thyng also our will and commaundement is ye shall diligently looke vnto and see redressed as appertaineth 6 And forasmuch as al these complaints be made as most done committed in London Boner Bishop of LondoÌ„ commaunded to keepe his owne house to the intent you may looke more earnestly better and more diligently to the reformation of them our pleasure is that you shal abide and keepe residence in your house there as in the citie sea and principall place of your Dioces and none other where for a certaine tyme vntill you shal be otherwise licensed by vs. And thus hauing brought B. Boner home to his own house there to leaue hym a while to take his ease in hys owne lodging til we returne to him againe we wil in the meane tyme make a little intercourse into Cornewall and Deuonshire to discourse some part of the disordered and disloyall doings of those men against their so meeke and excellent a prince The rebels in Cornewall and Deuonshyre hauing no cause ministred therunto yea hauyng cause rather to yeld prayse and thanks to the lord for such a quiet and peaceable prince in his mercy geueÌ„ vnto them But such is the condition of vnquiet natures that they cannot skill of peace And where due discretioÌ„ lacketh there lewd disposed persons cannot tel when they be wel againe some be so crooked and so peruersly geuen that the more curteously they be intreated the worse they are and when by honest diligence they lift not to get their liuyng by publike disturbance of common weales they thinke to thriue And so seemed it to fare with this seditious people of Cornewall and Deuonshire who hauyng so good and vertuous a kyng that if they should haue sought hym as Diogenes they say did seeke for a man with a candle a meeker and better soueraigne they could not haue found a crueller they well deserued yet were they not with him contented but contrary to al order reason nature and loialtie aduaunced themselues in a rebellious conspiracie against hym and agaynst his proceedings through the pernitious instigation first as it seemeth of certaine popish priestes who grudgyng and disdainyng agaynst the Iniunctions and godly order of reformation set forward by the king Popishe priestes first stirrers of this rebellion and specially mourning to see their olde popishe Church of Rome to decay ceased not by all sinister subtile meanes first vnder Gods name and the kings vnder coulour of religion to perswade the people then to gather sides and to assemble in companies to gather Captaines All wickednes first beginneth vnder faire pretenses and at last to brast out in ranke rebellion Neither lacked there amongst the lay sort some as seditiously disposed as they to mischiefe and madnesse as well Gentlemen as other Of whom the chiefe Gentlemen Captains were Humfrey Arundell Esquire gouernour of the Mount Iames Rosogan Iohn Rosogan Iohn Payne Thomas Underhil Captaines of the rebelles in Deuonshyre Iohn Soleman William Segar Of priests which were principall stirrers and some of them gouernours of the Camps and after executed were to the number of 8. whose names were Rob. Bochim Iohn Tompson Roger Barret Priestes rebelles and traytors against the king Iohn Wolcoke Wil. Asa Iames Mourton Iohn Barow Rich. Benet besides a multitude of other popish priests which to the same faction were adioyned The number of the whole rebellion speakyng with y e lest mounted litle lesse then to the summe of ten thousand stout traitors These hearing first of the commotions which began about the same tyme in other parts to broyle as in Oxfordshire Diuers Commotions in K. Edwardes tyme suppressed Yorkeshire and especially in Northfolke Suffolk began to take therin some courage hoping that they shold haue well fortified the same with quarell But afterward perceiuyng how the mischieuous mutterings and enterprises of their conspiracie did sodenly fayle eyther beyng preueÌ„ted by tyme or repressed by power or that their cause beyng but onely about pluckyng down of enclosures and enlarging of commons was deuided from theirs so that eyther they would not or could not ioyne their ayde together then began they againe to quayle and their courage to debate Notwithstanding for so much as they had gone so far that they thought there was no shrinking back they fell to new deuises and inuentions for the best furtherance of
haue the truth knowne Say you so to me quoth the Byshop I thanke you Well I could say somewhat to you also were it not in the place ye be but let it passe As for my matter Boner I feare it not it is not so euill as you make it for I haue your owne handwriting for my discharge whiche when I shall see time I shall shew foorth My hand quoth the Secretary Let me see it Secretary Smyth Boner Secretary Smyth Boner 〈◊〉 M. Boner Articles â—â—â—liuered 〈◊〉 agaynst Boner let it be read openly So it shal said the Byshop when I see tyme. Then sayd M. Smith you do vse vs thus to be seene a cunning Lawyer In deede quoth the Byshop I knewe the law ere you could reade it With that Secretary Peter willed the Byshop to proceede in reading of his aunsweres who so dyd and when he had finished Latymer deliuered vp a writing in paper vnto the Archbyshop and the rest of the Commissioners who then sayd vnto the Byshop of London heere be certayne Articles which we intend to minister vnto you The Byshop therewith sayde do you minister them of your office or at the promotion of these men Boner poynting to Latimer Hoper for I perceaue they gaue theÌ„ vnto you Secretary Peter Nay sayd Secretary Peter we will minister them vnto you ex officio mero and thereupon tooke an othe of the Byshop de fideliter respondendo Boner reâ—uireth â—espite to â—unswere Who desiring a copie of the Articles required also a competent time to be geuen vnto him to make aunswere therevnto To whom Secretary Peter replied saying My Lord heere be certaine of the Articles touching your owne fact which you may aunswere vnto forthwith Secretary Peter as whether you wrote your Sermon or not before you preached it Whereunto the Byshop aunswered Boner that he wrote it not but he drewe certaine notes of it Then whose counsell sayd he and aduise vsed you in making your Sermon Secretary Peter To which he also aunswered that he had therein vsed his own counsell bookes Boner and yet my Chapleins quoth he be much suspected for my doings in many things and sometimes I for theirs when there is no cause why These wordes ended the Commissioners assigned him Monday the 16. of September then nexte to appeare before them and to make his full aunsweres vnto all the Articles ministred vnto him by them this daye the contentes whereof are as foloweth ¶ The forme and tenour of the Articles ministred vnto the Byshop of London by the Kyngs Commissioners MOnday the xvj of September the Archbish. associated with the Bishop of Rochester Secretary Smith and Doctor May Deane of Paules sat iudicially within his Chappill at Lambeth before whom there and then appeared the Byshop of London according as he was assigned in the last Session at which time he exhibited vnto the Commissioners in 〈…〉 his answeres vnto the last former Articles But before the same were there read the Archbyshop sayd vnto him that his 〈◊〉 aâ—â—sweres made y e 13. of September vnto the denuncâ—aâ—â—â—â— were very obscure therwith also conteined much matter of slaunder agaynst Latimer and Hooper and much vntruth and therfore they desired there to purge themselues Whereupon Latimer first obeâ—â—ing leaue to speake sayd that the Byshop of LondoÌ„ had most falsely vntruely and vncharitably accused him â—aying to his charge many fayned and vntrue matters in his former aunsweres to the denunciation and such as he should neuer be able to proue For whereiâ— his sayd aunswere he alleadged that Hugh Latimer and Iohn Hooper with other heretickes conspiring agaynst him did the first day of September after the Bishoppes Sermon assemble themselues together vnlawfully against the sayd Bishop that saying of his was most vntrue For neyther that day nor yet before that day nor vntill certayne dayes after he euer knew or spake with Hooper And as touching hys owne preaching there openly accused by the Byshoppe he sayd he neuer helde taught or preached any thing concerning the blessed Sacrament otherwise then he ought to do nor otherwise then according to the Scriptures true Catholicke fayth of Christes Church and therefore offered himselfe to be tryed by the Archbishop or other suche learned men as it should please the Kings Maiesty or the said Commissioners to appoynt and farther to suffer to be haÌ„ged drawne and quartered if the Byshoppe coulde iustly proue true the thinges that he had there shamefully layde to his charge Then M. Hooper vpon like 〈◊〉 obteined sayd to this effect This vngodly man pointing to the Bishop hath most vncharitably and vngodly accused me before your grace this audience and hath layd to my charge that I am an hereticke Whereas I take God to recorde I neuer spake read taught or preached any heresy but only the most true and pure word of God And where he sayth I frequeÌ„t the company of heretickes I doe muche maruell of his so saying for it hath pleased my Lord Protectours Grace my singuler good Lord and Mayster and my Ladyes Grace to haue me with them and I haue preached before them and much vsed theyr company with diuers other worshipfull persons and therefore I suppose this man meaneth them And farther where as he sayth that I haue made hereticall bookes agaynst the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ calling it Mathematicall I perceiue that this man knoweth not what this word Mathematicall there meaneth and therefore vnderstandeth not my booke which I take God to my Iudge I haue made truely and sincerely and according to his holy word and by the same his holy worde and Scriptures I am alwayes shall be ready to submit my selfe to your Graces iudgemeÌ„t and the superiour powers to be tryed with many suche more wordes of like importance Which ended the Archbishop to shorten this matter asked the bishop how he could proue that Hooper and Latimer assembled together agaynst him the first of September as he had alleadged seing they now denyed it and therfore willed him to aunswere forthwith thereunto The Byshop then aunswered that hee woulde duelye proue it so that he might be admitted to do it according to lawe and with that hee pulled out of his slieue certayne bookes saying I haue this Uarlets bookes whyche hee made agaynst the blessed sacrament which you shal heare Then as he was turning certayne leaues thereof Hooper beganne agayne to speake but the Byshop turning hymselfe towardes him tauntingly sayd put vp your pypes you haue spokeÌ„ for your part I wil meddle no more with you and therewith read a certayn sentence vpon the book Wâ—ich done he sayd Lo here you may see his opinion and what it is At which wordes the people standing behind and seeing his vnreuerent and vnsemely demeanor and raylyng 〈◊〉 people 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 fell sodenly into great laughing Whereat the Bishop being
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
Iacke of lentes Testament was openly sold in Winchester market before I wrot vnto your Grace of it And as for Bales booke called the Elucidiation of Anne Askewes Martyredome they were in these partes common some with leaues vnglewed where maister Paget was spoken of and some with leaues glued And I call them common because I saw at the least foure of them As for Bales booke touching the death of Luther wherein was the Duke Saxons prayer whereof I wrote was brought downe into this countrey by an honest Gentleman to whome it was as I remember hee tolde me geuen at London for newes and had it a good while ere I wrote to your Grace I had not then receiued the inhibition for preaching whereof men spake otherwise then they knewe D. Smyth reproued of Winchester And in the meane time Doctour Smith recanted with a Prieste of this Towne who to mine owne mouth boasted himselfe to be your Graces Chaplayne but I beleeued it not brought downe with speed made by meanes to haue it brought to my knowledge which I knew besides for they had by and by filled all the Countrey here aboutes of tales of me And when I saw Doctour Smithes recantation beginne with Omnis homo mendax so englished and suche a new humility as he would make all the Doctors of the Church Lyers with himselfe knowing what opinions were abroade it enforced me to write vnto your Grace for the ease of my conscience geuing this Iudgement of Smith that I neither liked his tractation of vnwritten verityes ner yet hys retractation and was gladde of my former Iudgement that I neuer had familiaritye with him I saw him not that I wotte these three yeares ne talked with him these seuen yeares as curious as I am noted in the common wealth And where as in his vnwritten verityes he was so mad to say Bishops in this Realme may make lawes I haue witnesse that I sayd at that worde we should bee then dawes and was by and by sory that euer he had writted of the Sacrament of the aultar which was not as it was noysed vntouched with that word all men be Liers which is a maruellous word as it soundeth in our toung when we say a man were better haue a thiefe in his house then a lyer And the deprauing of mans nature in that sort is not the setting out of the authority of the Scripture For albeit the authority of the Scripture dependeth not vpon man yet the ministration of y e letter which is writing and speaking is exercised and hath bene from the beginninge deliuered through mans hand and taught by mās mouth which men in the Scripture calleth holy men and that is contrary to lyers And therefore S Augustine in his book De mendacio sayth omnis homo mendax signifieth omnis homo peccans If Smyth had onely written of Bishops lawes and then sayd he had sauing your honor lyed loudly or to mittigate the matter sayd he had erred by ignorāce that had bene done truely and humbly for he that seeketh for much company in lying as he did hath small humility for he woulde hide himselfe by the nūber this muche as touching Smith of whō nor his booke till he was in trouble I neuer heard talking But to the matter I wrote of I haue told your Grace how I came to knowledge of thē very scarsely in time but in the thing ouer quickely neuer had any suche thought in my life as I denyed to your Grace to be worthely charged with thē by them I meane that may hereafter charge for I know no such yet in thys world and I neuer was in mine opinion so madde as to write to your Grace in that sort when all thinges be well I haue many causes to reioyce but where things were otherwise as I trust they shall not I haue nothing to doe to aske any accompt I trust I shall neuer forget my selfe so much I thanke God I am euen aswell learned to lyue in the place of obedience as I was in the place of directiō in our late soueraigne Lordes life And for my quietnes in this estate accompt my self to haue a great treasure of your Graces rule and authority and therfore will worship and and honor it otherwise then to vse such maner of presumption to aske any accompt And I know your Grace cannot stay these matters so sodenly and I esteeme it a great matter that thinges be stauld hitherto thus but if thinges had encreased as the rumours purported your Grace might haue bene encombred more in the execution of your good determination And why then did ye not follow the same your soueraigne Lord in abolishing the Pope in Queene Maryes tyme. Now thankes be to GOD your Grace goeth well about to stay it As for my selfe I know mine inward determination to doe as I may my duty to God and the world and haue no cause to complayne of the vniuersall Disposition of them in my Dioces I know but one way of quiet to keep and follow such lawes and orders in Religion as our late soueraigne Lorde lefte with vs which by his life as the Byshops and Clergye sayd was the very trueth and I neuer read yet or heard any thing why to swarue from it ne thinke it expedient to call any one thing in doubte during the Kinges Maiestyes minority whereby to empayre the strength of the accorde established whiche I write not mistrusting your Grace in the contrary but declaring my selfe and wishing the same minde to other about you as I trust they haue for which I shal◠pray to GOD who prospered out late Soueraigne Lord in that rebellion as we haue seene experience and by your Graces foresight and polliticke Gouernement shall send the like prosperity to our Soueraygne Lord that now is wherein I shall doe my parte as a Subiect most bounden many wayes thereunto I send vnto your Grace herewith my discussion of my Lord of S. Dauies Purgation wherein I walke somewhat more at libertye then writing to your Grace and yet I take my selfe liberty enough with a reuerent mind neuerthelesse to keepe me within my bondes whiche if I at any time exceede I trust your Grace will beare with me after your accustomed goodnesse for whose prosperitye I shall continually pray with encrease of honor At Winchester the 6. of Iune ¶ Certayne additions after these Leters aboue specified with notes and solutions aunswering to the same THus haue we set out to thee gentle and studious reader an extract of certayn letters af Byshop Gardiner not of all that he wrote but of suche as coulde come to our handes Neither of these also that we haue for any good stuffe or any great profit in thē conteined or that they dyd cleare him or his cause any thing for y e which he was most worthely condemned For if there did or might appeare any such thing in all his writinges that might cleare the ill
this deliberation and aduise his mind being fully setled and thinking that the matter ought not to be any longer differred he renounced the world making vp all his accompts so exactly as well of that whiche was due vnto him William Gardiner cleareth his bookes of accomptes as that whiche he ought vnto others that no man coulde iustly aske so muche as one farthing Which thyng done he continued night and day in prayer calling vppon God and continuall meditation of the Scriptures that scarsely he would take any meate by day William Gardiner continuing in watching and prayer or slepe by night or that most aboue an houre or two of rest in the night as Pendigrace his felow companion both at bed and boord being yet aliue can testifie The Sonday came againe to be celebrate either wyth like pompe solemnitie William Gardiners aduised preparation to the accomplishment of his purpose or not much lesse wheras the sayd William was present earely in the morning very cleanely apparelled euen of purpose that he might stand neare the altar without repulse Within a while after commeth the King with all his Nobles Then Gardiner setteth hymselfe as neare the alter as he might hauing a Testament in his hand the which he diligently read vpon and prayed vntill the time was come that he had appointed to worke his feate The Cardinall at his Masse The Masse began which was then solemnised by a Cardinall Yet he sate still He which said Masse proceeded he consecrated sacrificed lifted vp on high shewed his God vnto the people all the people gaue great reuerence and as yet he stirred nothing At the last they came vnto that place of the Masse whereas they vse to take the ceremoniall Hoste and tosse it too and fro round about the Chalice making certaine circles and semicircles Then the sayd William Gardiner not being able to suffer any longer ranne speedily vnto the Cardinall and which is vncredible to be spoken euen in the presence of the King and all his Nobles and Citizens William Gardiner plucketh the Cardinals Idoll out of his hands at Masse as he was leaping about the Chalice William Gardiner wounded with a dagger with the one hande he snatched away the cake from the Priest and trode it vnder hys feete and with the other hand ouerthrew the chalice Thys matter at the first made them all abashed but by and by there rose a great tumult and the people began to cry out The Nobles and the common people ranne together amongst whome one drawing out his dagger gaue him a great wounde in the shoulder and as he was aboute to strike him againe to haue slaine him the King twise commaunded to haue him saued So by that meanes they absteined from murther William Gardiner brought before the king After the tumult was ceased he was brought vnto the King by whome he was demaunded what countreyman he was The 〈◊〉 of William Gardiner before the king and how he durst be so bold to worke such a contumely against his Maiestie and the Sacramentes of the Church He answered Most noble King I am not ashamed of my Countrey which am an Englishman both by birth and religion and am come hether only for traffike of Marchaundise And when I saw in this famous assembly so great Idolatry committed my conscience neither ought neither could any longer suâ—â—er but that I must needes do that which you haue scene me presently do Whiche thyng most noble Prince was not done nor thought of me for any contumely or reproche of your presence but onely for this purpose as before God I do clearely confesse to seeke the only saluation of this people When they heard that he was an Englishman The suspition of thâ— Portugalâ— vpon the 〈◊〉 of â— Gardiner and called to remembraunce how the Religion was restored by K. Edward they were by and by brought in suspition that he had bene suborned by Englishmen thus to do to mocke and deride their religion Wherefore they were the more earnest vpon him to knowe who was the author and procurer that he should commit that act Unto whome he answered desiring them that they would conceiue no suche suspition of him for so much as he was not moued thereunto by any man but only by his owne conscience The ansâ—â—â— of Williaâ— Gardiner 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 suspition the Portâ—â—gallâ— For otherwise there was no man vnder the heauen for whose sake he would haue put himselfe into so manifest daunger but that he ought this seruice first vnto God and secondarily vnto their saluation wherefore if he had done anye thing which were displeasaunt vnto them they ought to impute it vnto no man but vnto themselues which so vnreuereÌ„tly vsed the holy Supper of the Lord vnto so great Idolatry not without great ignominie vnto the Church violation of the Sacraments and the perill of their owne soules without they repented Whilest that he spake these with many other thynges more vnto this effect very grauely and stoutly the bloud ran aboundantly out of the wounde so that he was ready to faint Whereupon Surgeons were sent for whereby he might be cured if it were possible and be reserued for further examination and more greeuous torment For they were fully perswaded that this deede had diuers abbettors and setters on which was the cause that all the other englishmen also in the same citie came into suspition and were commaunded to safe custody Amongst whome Pendigrace bedâ—elloâ— to W. Gâ—â—â—diner imprisoned vpon 〈◊〉 Pendigrace because he was his bedfellow was greeuously tormented and examined more then the residue and scarcely was deliuered after two yeares imprisonment The other were much sooner set at libertie at the intercession of a certaine Duke Notwithstanding their suspition coulde not yet be satisfied but they came vnto his chamber to seeke if there were any letters William Gardinâ—â— chamber searcheâ— to vnderstand and find out the author of this enterprise And when as they coulde finde nothing there they came againe vnto him being greeuously wounded with tormentes to extort of him the author of this fact and to accuse him as gilty of most greeuous heresie Of both whiche pointes with suche dexteritie as hee could he cleered himselfe Wherein albeit he spake in the Spanish tong well yet he vsed the Latin tong much more exactly But they not being therewith satisfied added another straunge kynde of torment which as I suppose passeth the Bull of Phalaris Because there shoulde no kynde of extreme crueltie be left vnassayed The 〈…〉 certaine 〈◊〉 ranne 〈◊〉 kinde oâ— tormenâ— made oâ— Brasse 〈◊〉 a Bull 〈◊〉 fire vnto tormâ—â—â— such as were 〈◊〉 into it 〈◊〉 make 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 a Bull. they caused a linnen cloth to be sowed round like a ball the which they wyth violence put downe his throate vnto the bottome of hys stomacke tied with a small string which they held in their hands and when it was downe they
prayers of thankes gyuing As we now in our Communion vse like prayers and these prayers make not the Communion to be a Masse And like is to be sayde of Sainct Peter who though he dyd celebrate the Communion at Rome yet it followeth not that he sayde Masse at Rome as some report him to do Neither is it hard to fetch out the origine how this errour first came vp among the people Ex Eusebio lib. 2. How it commeth that S. Iames is thought to be the first setter vp of the masse that Sainct Iames sayd Masse at Ierusalem if a man consider well histories and authors which haue written For in the history of Eusebius Egesippus thus writeth of Sainct Iames Eum ab Apostolis primum constitutum fuisse Episcopum liturgum c. vpon the which word liturgus it is not vnlike and diuers suppose this errour to come that Sainct Iames dyd first set and institute the order of Masse For so lightly the old translators wheresoeuer they synde liturgia or collecta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they translated it Missa whereupon the greatest occasion of this errour riseth to make the people beleeue the Masse to be so auncient to proceede from the Apostles and from Sainct Iames. Notwithstanding that errour as it lightly came vp so it may be as lightly exploded For how could Sainct Iames say Masse then at Ierusalem or Sainct Peter at Rome when as yet neyther the name of Masse was heard nor the partes thereof inuented And although Sigibertus in his Chronicles reporte that in the Citie of Uasath being delyuered from the siege of the Hâ—â—es the pastor of that Churche dyd celebrate Masse with thankes geuing aboute the yeare 453. yet Sigibert in so saying is to be taken as speaking rather after the vse and maner of his time Siâ—â—bertus in Chronico when he wrote it then of that time when it was done For in all the workes of Saint Augustine and of Chrisostome and in all that age the name of Masse is not founde but is called eyther the Supper of the Lord or the Lords boord or communion Synaxis sacrifice oblation mistery celebration of the Sacrament Eucharistia the misticall table Mistagogia coena mystica or with some other like tearme they nominate it The name of Masse was not yet deuised nor the patches thereof compiled Platina Platina testifieth that before Celestinus Pope only the Epistle and Gospell were read at the Communion which being done the Communion ended And Gregory sayeth Gregor in Regist. lib. 7. cap. 63. that the Apostles afore the ministration of the Sacrament did vse only the Lords prayer that is the Pater noster Let vs heare what Walafridus Strabo writeth of that matter lib. de rebus Ecclesiastic Capitu. 22. Quod nunc agimus multiplici orationum lectionum cantilenarum consecrationum officio totum hoc Apostoli post ipsos proximi vt creditur orationibus commemoratione passionis dominicae sicut ipse praecepit agebant simpliciter c. i. That which nowe is done in the Church with such a long circumstance of so manie orisons lessons or readings songs and consecrations all that the Apostles and they that nexte succeeded the Apostles as it is thought dyd accomplishe simply with prayer onely and wyth the commemoration of the Lords passion c. it followeth in the same Authour And as the report is like as it is in the Romane Church vpon Good Friday where the Communion is wont to be taken without any Masse so it was in the old time with them c. Now how this Masse hath growne vp and increased since let vs search out by the Lords helpe out of Authors so much as may be found The Introitâ— Coelestinus Pope gaue the first Introite as Platina and Sigibertus writeth The Psalme Iudica me deus c. And before the Priest do prepare himselfe to his Masse Platina Sigibertus in vita Serâ—gij Sigibertus first with the Psalme Iudica me deus decerne causam meam c. that was ordeined by the sayd Coelestinus ☞ And where they ascribe to Sainct Ambrose the two prayers which be vsed in the preparation to the Masse and be added to the bookes of Ambrose Erasmus iudgeth the same to be none of his and that rightly as it seemeth for therein is conteined errors not else to be found in the bookes of Ambrose both in geuing adoration to the bread in the Sacrament and making inuocation to Sainctes namely to blessed Mary as in the second prayer where he sayth Vt efficax haec mea sit deprecatio beatae Mariae virginis suffragia peto c. i. And that this my prayer may be of efficacie I desire the suffrage and intercession of blessed Mary the virgine c. Whereby it may appeare learned Ambrose not to be the authour of such an errour Chrysostome in the xj homely vpon the Gospell of Math. sayth Chrisost. â—om 11. in Mat. that in his time and afore his time the vse was to sing whole psalmes till they were entred and assembled together And so belike Coelestinus borowed thys custome of the Greekes Rupertus Tuitiensis i. â— de diui â—ffic ca. 21. and brought it into the Laten Church as Rupertus writeth Gregory the great as some write called a Sinode at Rome about the yeare of our Lord 594. In which Synode he appointed Chro. chro â—asci temp that the introite of the Masse should be taken out of some psalme The Confiteor The Confiteor Pope Damasus brought into the Masse as it is written Confiteor brought in by Pope Damasus albeit peraduenture not this popish confiteor which in the latter Church hath bin vsed stuft full of Idolatry inuocation of Saints against y e word of God The Kyrie eleyson The Kyrie eleyson ix times to be repeated in such a tong Gregorius â—oanni episâ—opo Siraâ—â—sa lib. 7. Epist. 63. as few priests either vnderstand or do rightly pronounce Gregory did institute about 600. yeares after Christ taking it out of the Greekes Church and yet transposing it otherwise then there was vsed For among the Greekes this Kyrie eleyson which they called their Letany was song of all the people The which Gregory ordeined to be song only of the Quere adding thereto also Christe eleyson which the Grecians vsed not Valafridus cap. 22. as Gregory himselfe writing to the Byshop of Siracuse doth testifie Gloria in excelsis Next followeth Gloria in excelsis c. Which words were song of the Angels at the birth of our sauiour Albeit these words also were corrupted as many other things were in the Church For where the words of the Angels himne were hominibus bona voluntas i. to men good wil y e Masse sayd hominibus bonae voluntatis i. to men of good will c. This himne was brought into the Masse by Pope Symmachus and not by Telesphorus as some not truely write that he ordeined
the Christian Preachers Vnorderly proceeding of the aduersaryes aâ—gainst Goâ—â— people their goodes and bookes taken from them and they slandered to be most hainous heretikes their enemies themselues being both witnesses accusers and Iudges belying slandering and misreportyng your said subiectes at their pleasure whereas your sayd subiectes beyng straightly kept in prison cannot yet be suffred to come forth and make aunswer accordingly In consideration whereof it may please your most excellent Maiesties and this your high court of Parliament graciously to tender the present calamitie of your sayd poore subiects and to call them before your presence graunting them liberty either by mouth or writing in the playne English tong to aunswer before you or before indifferent Arbiters to be appointed by your Maiesties vnto such articles of controuersie in religion as their sayd aduersaries haue already condemned them of Request of the Preachers to stand to thâ— triall of their doctrine befoâ—â— indifferenâ— Iudges as of hainous heresies Prouided that all things may be done with such moderation quiet behauior as becommeth subiectes and children of peace that your said subiects may haue the free vse of all their owne bookes and conference together among themselues Which thing beyng granted your said subiects doubt not but it shall plainly appeare that your sayd subiects are true and faithful christians neither heretikes neither teachers of heresie nor cut of from the true catholike vniuersal church of Christ Yea that rather their aduersaries themselues be vnto your Maiesties as were the charmers of Egypt vnto Pharao Sedechias his adherents vnto the king of Israel Actes 1â— and Bariesu to the Proconsul Sergius Paulus And if your said subiects be not able by the testimonie of Christ his prophets Apostles godly fathers of his church to prooue that the doctrine of the church homilies and seruice taught and set forth in the tyme of our late most godly prince and king Edward the 6. is the true doctrine of Christes Catholicke church and most agreeable to the articles of the christian fayth your sayd subiects offer themselues then to the most heauy punishment that it shall please your maiesties to appoynt Wherfore for the tender mercy of God in Christ which you looke for at the day of iudgement your sayd poore subiectes in bonds most humbly beseech your most excellent maiesties and this your high court of Parliament beningly and graciously to heare and graunt this their petition tendyng so greatly to the glory of God to the edifiyng of his church to the honor of your maiesties to the commendation and maintenaÌ„ce of iustice right and equitie both before God and man And your sayd subiectes according to their bounden duety shall not cease to pray vnto almighty God for the gracious preseruation of your most excellent maiesties long to endure ⧠The ende of the tenth Booke Anâ—â— 1554. â—â—bruaâ—◠¶ Here beginneth the eleuenth Booke wherein is discoursed the bloudy murthering of Gods Saintes with the particular Processes and Names of such good Martyrs both Men and Women as in this tyme of Queene Mary were put to death ⧠The Story Life and Martyrdome of Maister IOHN ROGERS THE fourth daye of February suffered the constant Martyr of God M. Iohn Rogers concernynge whose life examinations and suffring here followeth in order set forth And first touching his lyfe and bringing vp Iohn Rogers brought vp in the Uniuersitie of Cambridge where hee profitably trauelled in good learning â— Rogers â—haplayne 〈◊〉 the â—archaunt 〈…〉 Rogers brought to the03 Goâ—pell 〈◊〉 M. W. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 at the length was chosen and called by the Merchants Aduenturers to be their Chaplaine at Antwerpe in Brabant whome he serued to their good contentation many yeares It chaunced him there to fal in company with that worthy seruant and Martyr of God William Tindall and with Miles Couerdale which both for the hatred they bare to popish superstition and idolatry and loue to true religion had forsaken their natiue country In conferring with them the scriptures he came to great knowledge in the Gospell of God in so much that he cast of the heauy yoke of Popery perceiuyng it to be impure and filthy Idolatry and ioyned himselfe with them two in that paynefull most profitable labour of translating the Bible into the Englishe tongue which is intituled The Translation of Thomas Mathew He knowing by the scriptures that vnlawful vows may lawfully be broken and that Matrimony is both honest and honourable amongest all men ioyned hymselfe in lawfull matrimonye and so went to Wittemberge in Saxony where he with much sobernes of liuyng did not onely greatly encrease in all good and godly learnyng but also so much profited in the knowledge of the Dutch tong that the charge of a congregation was orderly committed to his cure In which ministery he diligently and faithfully serued many yeares vntil such tyme as it pleased God by y e faithfull trauell of his chosen and deare seruant king Edward the sixt vtterly to banish all Popery forth of England to receiue in true Religion settyng Gods Gospell at liberty He then beyng orderly called hauyng both a conscience and a ready good will to helpe forward the worke of the Lord in his natiue country left such honest and certaine conditions as he had in Saxony and came into England to preach the Gospel without certaintie of any condition In which office after he had a space diligently and faithfully trauailed Nicholas Ridley then bishop of London gaue him a Prebende in the Cathedrall Churche of Paules and the Deane and the Chapter chose hym to be the Reader of the Diuinitie lesson there wherein he diligently trauailed vntill such tyme as Queene Mary obtaining the crowne banished the Gospell and true religion and brought in the Antichrist of Rome with his Idolatry and superstition After the Queene was come to the Tower of LondoÌ„ he beyng orderly called thereunto made a godly and vehement Sermon at Paules Crosse confirmyng such true doctrine as he and other had there taught in K. Edwards dayes exhortyng the people constantly to remayne in the same and to beware of all pestilent Popery Idolatry and superstition The Councel beyng then ouermatched with popish and bloudy bishops M. Rogers called to accompt for his Sermon at Paules Crosse. called hym to accompt for his Sermon To whom he made a stout wittie godly answer and yet in such sort handled himself that at that time he was clearely dismissed But after that Proclamation was set foorth by the Queene to prohibite true preachyng he was called agayne before the Counsel for the bishops thirsted after his bloud The Counsell quarelled wyth hym concerning his doctrine and in conclusion commanded hym as prisoner to keepe his owne house and so hee did although by flying he might easily haue escaped their cruell hands and many thyngs there were M. Rogers agaâ—ne called before the Counsell and commaunded
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
though nowe they were good doctrine vertuous and true Religion In the beginning of this rage of Antichrist a certayne Petigentleman after the sort of a Lawyer called Foster being Steward and keeper of Courtes Foster a lawyer and Ioh. Clerke of Hadley two notorious Papistes a man of no great skil but a bitter persecutour in those daies with one Iohn Clerke of Hadley which Foster had euer bene a secrete fauourer of all Romish Idolatry coÌ„spired w t the said Clerke to bring in the Pope his maumentry againe into Hadley Church For as yet Doct. Taylour as a good shepheard had retained and kept in his Church the godly Churchseruice and reformation made by king Edward most faithfully and earnestly preached against the popish corruptions which had infected the whole countrey round about Therefore the foresayde Foster and Clerke hyred one Iohn Auerth Iohn Auerth a right popishe Priest Person of Aldam a very money Mammonist a blinde leader of the blinde a Popish Idolatour and an open Aduouterer and whoremonger a very fit Minister for their purpose to come to Hadley and there to geue the onset to begin againe the Popish Masse To this purpose they builded vp with all haste possible the aultar entending to bring in their Masse agayn about the Palme Monday Marke how vnwillingly the people were to receiue the papacy agayne But this their deuise tooke none effect for in the night the aultar was beaten down Wherefore they built it vp againe the second time and layde diligent watch least any should againe breake it downe On the day following came Foster and Iohn Clerke bringing with them their Popish Sacrificer who brought with him all his implements and garmentes to play his Popish Pageant whome they and their men garded with swords and buklers least any man should disturbe him in his Missall Sacrfice When Doctour Taylour who according to hys custome sate at his booke studying y e word of God D. Taylours custome â—o study heard the bels ring he arose and went into the Churche supposing some thing had bene there to be done according to his Pastorall office and comming to the Churche he founde the Church dores shut and fast barred sauing the Chauncell dore which was onely latched Where he entring in and comming into the Chauncell Masse brought inâ—to Hadley with swoâ—â— and bucklers D. Taylor rebuked thâ— deuill The Papiâ—â— call al thâ— trumpery 〈◊〉 the Quenâ— proceedinâ— For you must remâ—â—â—ber that Antichrist rayneth by an others arme and not by hyâ— owne poâ—â—er Read Daniell 〈◊〉 the king 〈◊〉 faces the 〈◊〉 chapter D. Tayloâ— here playeth a righâ— Elias 3. Râ—â— 18. saw a Popishe Sacrificer in his robes with a broad new shauen crown ready to begin his Popish sacrifice beset rouÌ„d about with drawne swords and bucklers lest any maÌ„ should approch to disturbe him Then said Doctour Taylour Thou Deuill who made thee so bold to enter into this church of Christ to prophane and defile it with this abhominable Idolatry Wyth that start vp Foster and with an irefull and furious countenaunce sayd to Doctour Taylour thou Traytour what doest thou heere to let and disturbe the Queenes proceedings Doctour Taylour aunswered I am no traytour but I am the shepheard that God my Lord Christ hath appointed to feed this his flocke wherfore I haue good authoritie to be here I command thee thou popish Wolfe in the name of God to auoyd heÌ„ce and not to presume here with such a Popish Idolatry to poyson Christes flocke Then said Foster wilt thou traytourly hereticke make a commotion resist violently the Queenes proceedings Doctour Taylour answered I make no coÌ„motion but it is you Papistes that maketh commotions and tumults I resist onely with Gods word agaynst your Popish Idolatries which are against Gods word y e Queenes honor tend to y e vtter subuersioÌ„ of this realme of England And further thou doest against the Canon law which coÌ„mandeth that no Masse be said but at a consecrate aultar When the Parson of Aldam heard that hee began to shrinke backe would haue left his saying of Masse TheÌ„ start vp Iohn Clerke and said M. Auerth be not afrayd ye haue a * Super alâ—tare is a stone conâ—â—â—crated by the bishoâ— commonlâ— of a footâ—â— long 〈◊〉 the Papiâ—â— cary in 〈◊〉 of an 〈◊〉 when thâ— masse for money in gentlemâ—â— houses The Papâ—â—â— argumenâ— wherewiâ—â— they mainâ—tayne the doctrine Sap. 2. Superaltare Go forth with your busines man Then Foster with his armed meÌ„ tooke Doctour Taylour and led him with strong hand out of the Church and the Popish Prelate proceeded in his Romishe Idolatry Doct. Taylours wife who folowed her husband into the Church when she saw her husband thus violently thrust out of his Church she kneeled downe held vp her haÌ„ds and with loude voyce sayd I beseeche God the righteous Iudge to auenge this iniury that this Popish Idolatour this day doth to the bloud of Christ. Then they thrust her out of the Church also and shut to the dores for they feared that the people woulde haue rent their Sacrificer in peeces NotwithstaÌ„ding one or two threw in great stones at the windowes and missed very little the popish masser Thus you see how without consente of the people the Popishe Masse was agayne set vp wyth battayle aray with swordes and buckelers with violence and tyranny which practise the Papistes haue euer yet vsed As for reason lawe or Scripture they haue none on their parte Therefore they are the same that saith The law of vnrighteousnes is our strength Come let vs oppresse the righteous without any feare c. Within a day or two after with all haste possible this Foster and Clerke made a complaint of Doctour Taylour by a letter written to Steuen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester and Lord Chauncellour When the Byshop heard this he sent a letter missiue to Doct. Taylour commaunding him within certaine daies to come and to appeare before him vpon his allegiance D. Tayloâ— cited by a letter misâ—siue to aunswere such complayntes as were made against him When Doctour Taylours frends heard of thys they were exceeding sory and agreeued in minde which then foreseing to what end the same matter would come seeing also all truth and iustice were troden vnder foote and falsehode with cruell tyranny were set aloft and ruled all the whole route his frendes I say came to him and earnestly counselled him to departe and flye alledging and declaring vnto him D. Tayloâ— frendes would 〈◊〉 him to fly that he could neyther be indifferently heard to speake his conscience and mind nor yet looke for iustice or fauour at the sayd Chauncellours handes who as it was well knowne was most fierce and cruell but must needes if he went vp to him wayte for imprisonment and cruell death at his hands Then sayd D. Taylour to his frends Deare frendes The valiaâ—â— courage of D. Tayloâ— in Christes cause
Christian schooles Churches Prisons turned into churches churches into dens of theeues so that there was no greater comfort for Christian harts then to come to the prisons to beholde their vertuous conuersation and to heare their prayers preachings most godly exhortations and consolations Now were placed in Churches blinde and ignoraunt Massemongers with their Latine bablings and apishe ceremonies who lyke cruell Wolues spared not to murther all such as any thing at all but once whispered against their Popery As for the godly preachers which were in King Edwardes tyme they were either fled the Realme or else The lamantable distresse of gods true worshippers in those dayes as the Prophets did in Kinge Achabs dayes they were priuely kept in corners As for as many as the Papistes could lay hold on they were sent into prison there as Lambes waiting when the Butchers would call them to the slaughter When Doctour Taylour was come into y e prison called the Kings Bench hee founde therein the vertuous and vigilant preacher of Gods word M. Bradford which maÌ„ for his innocent and godly liuing Iohn Bradford and D. Taylour prison fellowes in the kinges Bench. his deuout vertuous preaching was worthyly counted a miracle of our time as euen his aduersaries must needes coÌ„fesse Finding this man in prison he began to exhort him to faith strength patience and to perseuere constant vnto the end M. Bradford hearing this thanked God that he had prouided hym such a coÌ„fortable prison felow so they both together lauded God and coÌ„tinued in prayer reading exhorting one the other In so much that D. Taylour told his friends y t came to visite him that God had most graciously prouided for him to send him to that prison where he founde such an angell of God to be in his company to comfort him ¶ Doctour Taylour brought foorth to be depriued ¶ After that Doct. Taylour had lyen in prison a whyle he was cited to appeare in the Arches at Bow Church to aunswere vnto such matter as there should be obiected against him At the day appoynted he was led thether hys keeper wayting vpon him Where wheÌ„ he came he stoutly and strongly defended his Mariage affirming by the Scriptures of God by the Doctours of the primitiue Church D. Taylour defenneth maryage of Priestes by both Lawes Ciuill and Canon that it is lawfull for Priests to marry and y t such as haue not the gift of continencie are bounde in paine of damnation to marry This did he so plainely proue that the Iudge could geue no sentence of diuorce against him but gaue sentence hee should be depriued of his benefice because he was maried D. Taylour depriued hâ—s Benefice because of his mariage You do me wrong then quoth Doctour Taylour and alledged many lawes and constitutions for himselfe but al preuailed not For he was againe caried into prison his liuings taken away and geuen to other As for Hadley benefice it was geuen or sold I wote not whether Seldome commeth a better to one Maister Newealle whose great vertues were altogether vnlike to Doctour Taylour his predecessour as the poore Parishioners full well haue proued * Doctour Taylour brought agayne before Winchester and other Byshops AFter a yeare and three quarters or thereabout in the which time the Papistes got certaine olde tyrannous lawes which were put downe by King Henry the eight The papiste rule and raigne and by king Edward to be againe reuiued by Parlament so that now they might Ex officio cite whome they would vpon their owne suspicion and charge hym wyth what Articles they lusted and except they in all things agreed to their purpose burne them when these lawes were once stablished they sent for Doctour Taylour with certaine other prisoners which were agayne conuented before the Chauncellour and other Commissioners about the 22. of Ianuary The purpose and effect of which talke betwene them because it is sufficiently described by himselfe in hys owne letter written to a frend of his I haue annexed the sayd letter heere vnder as foloweth ¶ A Letter of Doctour Taylour contayning and reporting the talke had betweene him and the Lord Chauncellour and other Commissioners the 22. of Ianuary WHereas you would haue me to write the talke betweene the King and Queenes most honourable Counsell and me on Tuesday the xxij of Ianuary so farre as I remember First my Lord Chauncellour sayd You among other are at this present time sent for The pardon is profered to enioy the Kings and Queenes Maiestis fauour and mercy if you will now rise againe with vs from the fall whiche wee generally haue receaued in this Realme from the which God be praised we are now clearely deliuered miraculously If you will not rise with vs now and receaue mercy now offered you shall haue iudgement according to your demerites To this I aunswered that so to rise should be the greatest fall that euer I could receiue for I should so fall from my deare Sauiour Christ to Antichrist Note thys aunswere The religion set forth in king Edwardes dayes Secretary Bourne cauilleth aagaynst the religion set forth in K. Edwardes dayes A testimony of the book of seruice set out in K. Edwardes dayes For I do beleeue that the Religion set foorth in King Edwards dayes was according to the veyne of the holy Scripture which conteineth fully all the rules of our Christian Religion from the which I do not intend to decline so long as I liue by Gods grace Then Mayster Secretary Bourne sayde whyche of the Religions meane ye of in King Edwards dayes For ye knowe there were diuers bookes of Religion set foorth in his dayes There was a Religion set foorth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caunterbury Do you meane that you will sticke to that I aunswered My Lorde of Caunterbury made a Cathechisme to be translated into English which booke was not of his owne making yet he set it foorth in his owne name and truely that booke for the time did much good But there was after that set foorth by the most innocent King Edward for whome God bee praysed euerlastingly the whole Churchseruice with great deliberation and the aduise of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited according to the rules of our Christian Religion in euery behalfe that no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein contayned I meane of that booke reformed Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd Diddest thou neuer reade the booke that I set foorth of the Sacrament I aunswered that I had read it Then he sayd How likest thou that booke With that His right name might be Syr Iohn Clawback one of the Counsell whose name I know not sayd My Lord that is a good
his counsell that my life mother children brethren sisters and frendes with other delightes of life G. Marsh forsaketâ— kindred al togethâ—â— to sticke 〈◊〉 Christ. were as deare sweet vnto me as vnto any other man and that I would be as loth to lose them as an other would if I might hold them with good conscience and without the ignominy of Christ and seeing I could not doe that my trust was that God would strenthen me with his holy spirit to lose them all for his sake for I take my selfe sayd I for a sheepe appaynted to be slayne paciently to suffer what crosse so euer it shal please my merciful father to lay on me And so after I had desired them that if I were committed to prison my frendes might be suffered to relieue me they departed Mayster More afore this brought vnto me a booke of one Alphonsus a Spanish Frier Alphonsuâ— booke brought 〈◊〉 G. Marsh of all heresies wherwith the church of Rome which he called Christes true church had bene troubled since Christes time willing me to read and take Counsell of that booke appoynted me a place where this author did write agaynst them that say the lay people ought to receiue vnder both kindes This Authour I perceiued did vehementlye write agaynst Luther Melancthon PellicaÌ„ other Germaynes of this our time in all pointes defeÌ„ding y e blasphemous abuses and enormities of the Romish Church condeÌ„ning as detestable heresies whatsoeuer was written taught or beleued contrary to the same vsing for his stroÌ„gest and surest argumentes the consent agrement and determinatioÌ„ of the Romish Church So within a fewe dayes Mayster More came to me againe asking me how I liked the book I sayd the authour of the booke did in all poyntes beyng a Papist allow the rites and abuses of the Romish church Marshes iudgement of Alphoâ—sus booke and shewed him further that this author without authority and contrary both to the Scriptures olde Doctors did condemn for heresy the lay people receiuing of this sacrament vnder both kindes where as this Authour witnesseth his owne selfe that Christes church 900. yeares after Christ vsed the contrary So in conclusion he rebuketh me saying I was vnlearned erred from the Catholicke fayth stubburne and stoode altogether in mine owne conceite I aunswered for my learning I knowledge my selfe to know nothing but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified and that my fayth was grounded vpon Gods holy word onely such as I doubted not pleased God and as I would stand in vntill the last day God assisting me and that I did not say or do any thing either of stubbernes selfe wilfulnes vayn glory or any other worldly purpose but with good conscience and in the feare of God and desired him to speake to my Lord and his Counsell that I might finde some geÌ„tlenes and mercy at theyr handes He made me but short answere Then I sayd I commit my cause vnto God who hath numbred the hayres of my head and appoynted the dayes of my life saying I am sure God which is a righteous Iudge would make inquisition for my bloude according as he hath promised Then he tooke his booke froÌ„ me and departed I continued still in Ward vntill Low sonday and after dinner my keeper Richard Scot came to mee into my chamber G. Marsh 〈◊〉 to Lancaster Castell and told me that two young men were come to cary me to Lancaster and so deliuered me vnto them a great company both of my Lordes seruauntes and others accompanying and bringing mee on the way vnto Rich. Addertons and somewhat further counselling and perswading like as is aforesayd To whome I made playne aunswere that in matters of faith I would geue place to no earthly creature So they comforted me and sayd y t they wer sory for me saying if I knew mine opinion to be good I did wel and so they departed willing my bringers to entreate me honestly My bringers by the way shewed me they were willed aduised to binde me and that they desired first to see me and after they had looked on me sitting at dinner they answered they would take charge of me beyng loose for they sayd I seemed to be an honest man The first night we were all night at Broughton and the second day we came to LaÌ„caster betimes at after noone and so they kept me all night with them of their geÌ„tlenes and on the morow deliuered me to y e Iaylor who brought me into the highest prison where I do remaine G. Marsh caused to â—old vp his handes at Lancaster amongest other malefactours After that the sayd George came to Lancaster Castle there being brought with other prisoners vnto the Sessions was made to hold vp his haÌ„ds w t other malefactors The Earle of Darby had this communication with him as here followeth Communication betweene George Marsh and the Earle of Darby Talke betweene G. Marsh and the Earle of Darby I Sayd vnto my Lord I had not dwelled in the countrey these three or foure yeares past and came home but lately to visite my mother children and other my friends and to haue departed out of the country before Easter theÌ„ next to haue gone out of the realme Wherfore I trusted seing nothing could be layd against me wherein I had offended agaynst the lawes of this realme his Lordship would not with captious questions examine me to bring my body into daunger of death to the great discomfort of my mother but suffer me to auoyd peaceably seeing I might haue fled out of the country and yet of mine owne will came to hys Lordship He sayd to his Counsell he had heard tell of me aboue at London and intended to make search for me and take me either in Lancashyre or aboue at London and asked me into what land I would haue gone The Earle of Darby chaâ—geth the calme of 〈◊〉 of heresie I aunswered I would haue gone either into Almain or els into Denmarke He sayd to his Counsell in Denmarke they vsed suche heresie as they haue done in England but as for Almayne hee sayde the Emperour had destroyed them So after such like woordes I sayde vnto him my trust was that his Lordship being of the honourable Counsell of the late king Edward consenting and agreeing to acts concerning fayth toward God and religion vnder great payne woulde not so soone after consent to put poore men to shamefull death as he had threatned me for embrasing the same with so good a conscience He aunswered that he with the Lord Windsor Lord Dacars The Earle of Darby L. 〈◊〉 and Lord Dacars in â— Edwards 〈◊〉 agreed 〈…〉 with one moe whose name I haue forgotten did not consent to those Actes and that the nay of them foure would be to be seene as long as y e ParliameÌ„t house stode Then my Lord did rehearse the euill luck of the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke with
was about the tyme that the Spaniardes began first to keepe a stur in EnglaÌ„d one Io. Tooly a citizen Pulter in London who conspired with certain other of his society to rob a Spaniard at s. Iames although the deed wer heinous wicked of it self yet was it aggrauated made greater then it was by other beyng coÌ„mitted agaynst such a person agaynst such a countrey which both the queene her whole court did highly fauor The robbery being known brought into iudgemeÌ„t this Tooly was found guilty and iudged to be haÌ„ged wheras notwithstanding in this Realme there are many mo theâ—tes committed then theeues executed The foresayd Tooly being lead to the gallowes whiche stood fast by Charing Crosse a litle before he dyed standing vpon the Carte readde a certayne prayer in a printed booke and two other prayers written in two seuerall papers who then hauing the haltar about his necke desired the people there present to pray for him and to beare hym witnes that he dyed a true Christian man and that he trusted to be saued onely by the merites of Christes passion Iohn Tooâ—â— dyed a 〈◊〉 Christian man The Chrâ—â—stian confession of Tooly The coueâ—â—tâ—usnes of the Pope shedding of his precious bloud and not by any masses or Trentalles Images or Saintes which were as he said mere Idolatry and superstition and deuised by the bishop of Rome and as he the same Tooly and two other his fellowes which were there hanged with him did steale and robbe for couetousnes so the bishop of Rome did sell hys Masses and Trentalles with such other peltrye for couetousnes and there being in a great anger as appeared agaynst the bishop of Rome spake with a loud voyce these wordes folowing From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities From false doctrine and heresy and from the contempt of the word and commaundement good Lord deliuer vs. And then adding further to the same he spake vnto the people All you that be true Christian men saye with me Amen And immediately therupon three hundred persons and more to the iudgement estimatioÌ„ of those that were there present answered and sayd Amen three tymes together at the least After this it happened that when Toolye had readde the Byll the fyrste tyme it fell from him and a certayne young man who was thought to be a Prentise stouped downe and tooke vp the Byll and clymed vp by the Cart and deliuered it vnto Tooly agayne which he agayne diâ— reade to the people That done he deliuered vnto one of the Marshialles Officers the booke aforesayd and wylled hym to deliuer it to one Haukes saying that it was hys Booke Furthermore hee deliuered one of the Prayers written in a paper to one Robert Bromley Sergeaunt which desired to haue it of him Upon the toppe of whiche Byll was written a line conteyning these wordes Beware of Antichrist and subscribed vnderneath Per me Thomam Harold prysoner in the Marshalsea enemy to Antechriste For the Byll aforesayde Robert Bromley was brought afterward Coram nobis and was faine to aske pardon of the bishop and to detest all the wordes of Tooly and glad so to escape Thus while Tooly had made his prayers as is aboue sayd to be diliuered from the Popes tyranny by the same prayer he fel into great tyranny For so soon as the brute of this fact came vnto the eares of the Priests Mitred prelates they were not a litle mad therat thinking it not tollerable that so great a reproch should be done agaynst the holy father Calling therfore a couÌ„sell together as though it had bene a matter of great importance A Councell called agaynst â—ooly Toolyes talke at his death was debated among themselues At the last after much Pro and Contra they all consented to those mens iudgements which thought it meet that the vyolating of the Popes holynes shoulde be reuenged with fire and fagot And I do easely beleue that Cardinal Poole was no small doer in this sentence Cardinall Poole a great doer in burning dead mens Bones for as Winchester and Boner did alwayes thirst after the bloud of the liuing so Pooles lightning was for the most part kindled agaynst the dead and he reserued this charge onely to hymselfe I knowe not for what purpose except peraduenture being loth to be so cruel as the other he thought neuerthelesse by this meanes to discharge his duetye towarde the Pope By the same Cardinalles like lightening and fierye fist the bones of Martine Bucer and Paulus Phagius which had lyen almost two yeares in theyr graues M. Bucer Paulus Phagius Peter Martyrs wyfe Iohn Tooly â—urned for heretickes after their death were taken vp and burned at Cambridge as Toolyes carkase was here at London And besides this because he woulde shew some token of his diligence in both Uniuersities he caused Peter Martirs wife a woman of worthy memory to be digged out of the Churchyarde and to be buryed on the dunghill Of these two prodigious actes ye shal heare more hereafter But now to our purpose of Tooly which hauinge ended his prayer was hanged and put into hys graue out of the which he was digged agayne by the coÌ„maundement of the Bishops and because he was so bolde to derogate the authority of the Bishop of Rome at y e time of his death it pleased them to iudge and coÌ„demne him as an hereticke vpon the commaundement of the Counselles letter as here appeareth ¶ A Letter sent vnto Boner Byshop of London from the Counsell AFter our very harty commendations to your Lordship vnder standing that of late amongest others that haue suffered about London for theyr offences The Counsells letter 〈◊〉 B. Boner concerning Tooly one leude person that was condemned for felony dyed very obstinately professing at the tyme of his death sundry hereticall and erronious opinions like as we thinke it not conuenient that such a matter should be ouerpassed without some example to the world so we thought good to pray your Lordshyppe to cause further enquirye to be made thereof and thereupon to proceede to the making out of such processe as by the Ecclesiasticall lawes is prouided in that behalfe And so we bid your Lordship hartily well to fare From HamptoÌ„ Courte the 28. of April 1555. Your Lordships louing frendes Ste. Winton Cancel F. Shrewsbury Iohn Gage Thomas Cheney R. Rochester William Peter Rich Southwell Anon after a Citation was set vpon Paules Church doore vnder the Bishop of Londons great seale the tenor wherof here ensueth ¶ The writ of Mandate of Boner B. of London set vp at Charing Crosse on Paules Church doore and at S. Martins in the field for the cityng and further inquiring out of the case of Iohn Tooly EDmond by the sufferaunce of God Bishop of London A Citation set vp by Boner that in Latin commaunding his kinne and kinsfolkes to lay for him what they
as ye haue ministred vnto the Saintes so shall ye receiue y e reward which I am fully persuaded assured shal be plenteously poured vppon you all for y e great goodnes shewed vnto the seruants of the liuing God And I most hartely beseeche almighty God to poure forth a plenteous reward vpon you for y e same that he wil assist you wyth his holy spirite in al your doings that ye may growe as you haue begon vnto such a perfection as may be to gods honour your owne saluation and the strengthning of the weake members of christ Gods elect alwayes beare the sclaunder in this worlde For though the world rage and blaspheme the elect of God ye knowe that it did so vnto Christ his Apostles and to all that were in the primitiue Church and shal be vnto the worldes end Therefore beleue in the light while ye haue it least it be taken away from you If you shall seeme to neglect the great mercy of God that hath bene opened vnto you and your harts coÌ„sented vnto it y t it is the very and onely truth pronouÌ„ced by Gods onely sonne Iesus Christ by the good will of our heauenly father Therfore I say in the bowels of my Lord Iesus Christ sticke fast vnto it let it neuer departe out of your harts and couersation that you with vs and we with you at the great day being one flocke as we haue one shepheard may rise to the life immortall through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour Amen ¶ Yours in him that liueth for euer Thomas Haukes Here followeth an other letter of Tho. Haukes sent to his wife after his condemnation being prisoner in Newgate the copy wherof is this ¶ The copy of Thomas Haukes letter to his wife GRace be with you and peace from God the father A letter of Tho. Haukâ—â— vnto his wyfe and from our Lord Iesus Christ which gaue himselfe for our sinnes to deliuer vs from this present euill worlde through the good will of God our father to whoÌ„ be praise for euer and euer Amen My deare Yokefellow in the Lord for as much as the Lord hath not onely called me to worke in his vineyarde but hath also fulfilled his good worke in me I trust to his glory to the comfort of al those y t looke for his comming I thought it my duety deare yokefellowe to write vnto you some lessons out of Gods booke and if you will direct your selfe therafter doubt not of it but God who refuseth none that will come to him with theyr whole hart will assist you with his holy spirit and direct you in al his wayes to his honour and glory who grauÌ„t it for his mercies sake Amen First I exhort you to feare God Lessons 〈◊〉 instruction to his wyâ—â— to serue and honor his holye name loue hym with all your hart soule and minde to beleue faithfully al his promises to lay sure hold vpon them that in al your troubles what so euer they are ye may runne straight to the great mercye of God and hee will bring you forth of them keepe you within hys wings then shall ye be sure that neither deuill flesh nor hell shall be able to hurt you But take heede If ye wil not keepe his holy preceptes and lawes and to the vttermost of your power cal for the help of God to walke in the same but will leaue them and runne to all abhominations with the wicked world doe as they do then be sure to haue your part with the wicked world in the burning lake that neuer shall bee quenched He exhorteth her to beware of Idolatry Therefore beware of Idolatrye whiche doth most of all stincke before the face of almighty God and was of al good men most detested from the beginning of the worlde For the which what kingdomes nations and realmes God hath punished with most terrible plagues w t fire Idolatry punished 〈◊〉 God brymstone hunger sword and pestilence c. to the vtter subuersion of them it is manifestly to be seene through the whole Byble Yea his owne peculiar people whome he had done so muche for when they fell from him and went serued other Gods contrary to his commaundement he vtterly destroyed and rooted them out from of the earth and as many as dyed in that damnable state not repenting their abhominable euill he threw them into y e pit of hell Again how he hath preserued those that abhorre superstition and Idolatry and that haue onely taken hold vpon God with their whole hart to serue him to loue him to feare him c. it is most manifestly to be seene euen froÌ„ the beginning out of what great daungers he hath euer deliuered them yea wheÌ„ al hope of deliueraÌ„ce was past as touchyng their expectation euen then in y e sight of all his enemies would he work his godly will and purpose to the vtter amazing and destructioÌ„ of all those that were his manifest enemies Further I exhort you in the bowels of Christ Exhortaâ—â—â—â— to prayer that you will exercise and be steadfast in prayer for prayer is y e onely meane to pearce the heauens to obtayne at the hand of God what soeuer we desire so y t it be asked in fayth Oh what notable thinges do we read in Scriptures that hath bene obtayned through feruent praier Praying to God not to creature We are commaunded to call vpon him for helpe ayde and succour in necessities troubles he hath promised to help vs. Again they that will not cal vpon him with thesr whole hart but vpon other dead creatures in whoÌ„ there is no help for there was none found worthy to open the booke but onely the Lambe Christ whiche was killed for our sinnes I saye who that wil refuse his help must euen by y e terrible iudgment of God come vtterly to confusion as it hath and is dayly manifest to be seene And whatsoeuer you desire of God in your prayer aske it for Iesus Christes sake To continue in prayer 〈◊〉 to pray in the name onely of Christ. for whom in whoÌ„ God hath promised to geue vs all things necessary And though that which ye aske come not by and by at y e first and second calling yet continue still knocking and hee will at the length open his trasures of mercye so that ye shal be sure to obtaine for he hath so promised if ye continue in faith hoping surely in him These former lessons w t all such instructioÌ„s as I haue told you by mouth I do wish that ye would most earnestly learne and then I doubt not but God who is the geuer of all grace wyll assist you in all your doings that ye may be found worthy of his kingdome which is prepared through Christ. 〈◊〉 for his 〈…〉 meaneth â— Clement 〈◊〉 who 〈…〉 his child Further where it hath pleased God to send vs childreÌ„ my desire is that they may
promise to returne agayne that night to go into London without any keeper to visite one that was sicke lying by the Stilyard Neither did he fayle his promise but returned vnto his prison againe rather preuenting his houre then breaking his fidelitie so constant was he in word in deede Of personage he was somewhat tall and slēder spare of body of a faint sanguine colour w t an Awburne beard He slept not commonly aboue foure houres in the night in his bedde till sleep came his booke went not out of his hand His chief recreation was in no gaming or other pastime but onely in honest company comely talke wherin he would spend a little time after dinner at the bourde and so to prayer and his booke agayne He counted that houre not well spent wherin he did not some good Bradford visited the theeues pickpurses c. either with his pen study or in exhorting of others c. He was no niggard of his purse but would liberally participate y t he had to hys fellowe prisoners And commonly once a weeke he visited the theeues pickpurses and such others that were with him in the prison where he lay on the other side vnto whō he would geue godly exhortation to learne the amendment of their liues by their troubles and after that so done distribute among them some portion of money to theyr comfort By the way this I thought not to conceale While he was in the kinges Bench The meeting conference betwene Laurence Saunders and Iohn Bradford and Mayster Saunders in the Marshalsey both prisoners on the backside of those two prisons they mette many times and conferred together when they would so mercifully did the Lorde worke for them euen in the middest of theyr troubles and the sayde Bradford was so trusted with his keeper Bradford refusing to escape out of prison though be mighte and had such libertie in the backeside that there was no day but that he might haue easily escaped away if he would but that the Lord had an other worke to doe for him In the sommer tyme while he was in the sayd Kinges Benche he had libertie of his keeper to ryde into Oxfordshyre to a Marchauntes house of his acquayntaunce and horse and all thinges prepared for him for that iourney and the partie in a readines that should ride with him but God preuented him by sicknes that he went not at all One of his old friends and acquaintaunce came vnto him whilest he was prisoner and asked hym if he sited to get hym out what then he would do or whether he would go Unto whom he made answer as not caring whether he went out or no but if he did he said hee would marry Bradford would not flye out of England though he mighte and abyde still in England secretly teaching the people as the tyme would suffer him and occupy himselfe that way He was had in so great reuerence and admiration wyth all good men that a multitude which neuer knew him but by fame greatly lamented his death yea Bradford beleued and a number also of the Papistes themselues wished hartily hys lyfe There were fewe dayes in which he was thought not to spend some tears before he went to bed Bradfordes teares neyther was there euer any prisoner with hym but by his company he greatly profited as all they will yet witnes and haue confessed of hym no lesse to the glory of God whose societie he frequented as among many one speciall thyng I thought to note which is this Bishop Farrer beyng in the kynges Bench prisoner as before you haue hard was trauailed withall of the Papists in the end of Lent to receiue the sacrament at Easter in one kind who after much perswading yelded to them Byshop Farrat confirmed in the truth by Iohn Bradford and promised so to do Then so it happened by gods prouidence the Easter euen the day before hee should haue done it was Bradford brought to the Kings Benche prisoner where the Lord making him his instrument Bradford only was the meane that the said B. Farrer reuoked his promise and word and would neuer after yeeld to bee spotted with that papisticall pitch so effectually the Lord wrought by this worthy seruaunt of his Such an instrument was he in gods church that few or none there were that knew him but estemed him as a precious iewell and Gods true messenger Bradford dreameth of his burning according as it came to passe The night before he was had to Newgate which was the saterday night he was sore troubled diuers tymes in his sleepe by dreams how the chaine for his burning was brought to the Counter gate and how the next day beyng Sonday he should be had to Newgate and on the Monday after burned in Smithfield as in deed it came to passe accordingly which hereafter shal be shewed Now he beyng vexed so often tymes in this sort with these dreames about 3. of the clocke in the morning hee waked hym that lay with hym and told him his vnquiet sleepe what he was troubled withall Then after a little talke Maister Bradford rose out of the bed and gaue hymselfe to his olde exercise of readyng and prayer as alwayes he had vsed before and at dinner according to his accustomed maner he did eat his meat and was very mery no body being with hym from mornyng till night but he that lay with hym with whom he had many tymes on that day communication of death of the kingdome of heauen and of the ripenes of sinne in that tyme. In the after noone they two walking together in the keepers chamber sodainly the keepers wife came vp as one halfe amazed Bradford hath word of his burning seeming much troubled beyng almost wyndles said Oh M. Bradford I come to bring you heauy newes What is that said he Marry quoth she to morow you must be burned your chaine is now a buying soone you must go to Newgate With that M. Bradford put of his cap and lifting vp his eyes to heauen sayd I thanke God for it I haue looked for the same a long time and therfore it commeth not now to me sodainly but as a thing waited for euery day and houre the Lord make me worthy therof so thanking her for her gentlenes departed vp into his chamber and called his friend with hym who when he came thither he went secretly himselfe alone a long tyme and prayed Which done he came agayne to him that was in his chamber and tooke him diuers writings and papers shewed him his mind in those things what he would haue done and after they had spent the after noone till night in many and sundry such things at last came to him halfe a dosen of his friends more with whom all the euening he spent the tyme in prayer and other good exercises so wonderfully that it was meruailous to heare and see his doyngs A
into the Ministerye when I had a Prebend geuen me and when I was sworne to serue the king a litle before his death Chaunc Tush Herodes oth quoth Winchester Herodes othes a man should make no coÌ„science at Brad. But my Lord these were no Herodes othes no vnlawfull othes but othes according to Gods word as you your selfe haue well affirmed in your booke De vera obedientia Winchest De vera obedientia M. Roch. My Lordes quoth an other of the Counsell that stoode by the table M. Rochester speaketh Mayster Rochester I weene I neuer knew wherfore this man was in prison before now but I see well that it had not bene good that this man had bene abroad What the cause was that he was put in prison I know not but I now wel know that not without a cause he was and is to be kept in prison Bourne Yea it was reported this Parliament time by the Earle of Darbye that he hath done more hurt by Letters The Earle of Darbyeâ— complaynt agaynst Bradford and exhorting those that haue come to him in Religion then euer he did wheÌ„ he was abroad by preaching In his letters he curseth all that teach any false doctrine for so he calleth that whiche is not according to that he taught and most hartily exhorteth them to whom he writeth to continue styll in that they haue receyued by hym This letter was written to his mother brethreÌ„ and sisters and followeth hereafter M Bradford falsely charged with sedition and suche lyke as he is All which wordes diuers of the CouÌ„sell affirmed Wherunto the sayde M. Bourne added saying how saye you sir haue you not thus seditiously writteÌ„ and exhorted the people Brad. I haue not written nor spoken any thing seditiously neither I thanke God therfore haue I admitted any sedious cogitation nor I trust neuer shall do Bourne Yea but thou hast written letters Chaunc Why speakest thou not Hast thou not written as he sayth Brad. That I haue written I haue written South Lord God Syr Richard Southwell speaketh what an arrogant and stubborne boy is this that thus stoutly and dallyingly behaueth himselfe before the Queenes Counsel Wherat one looked vpon an other with disdaynfull countenaunces Brad. My Lordes and Maysters the Lord God which is and will be iudge to vs all knoweth that as I am certain I stand now before his maiesty so with reuerence in hys sight I stand before you vnto you accordingly in words and gesture I desire to behaue my selfe Yf you otherwyse take it I doubt not but God in his time wil reueale it In the meane season I shall suffer with all due obedieÌ„ce your sayinges and doynges too I hope Chaunc These be gay glorious woordes of reuerence but as in all other thinges All is lyes that pleaseth not Winchester so herein also thou doest nothyng but lye Brad. Well I would God the author of truth and abhorrer of lyes would pull my tong out of my head before you all and shew a terrible iudgement on me here present if I haue purposed or do purpose to lie before you whatsoeuer you shall aske me Chaunc Why theÌ„ doest thou not answere Hast thou written such letters as here is obiected agaynst thee Brad. As I sayde my Lorde that I haue written I haue written I stand now before you which eyther can lay my Letters to my charge or no Winchester holden at a bay if you laye anye thing to my charge that I haue written if I deny it I am then a lyer Chaunc We shall neuer haue done with thee I perceiue now be short be short wilt thou haue mercy Brad. I pray God geue me his mercy and if therwith you will extende yours I will not refuse it but otherwise I will none Here now was much adoe one speaking this and an other that of his arrogancy in refusing the Queenes pardon whiche shee so louingly did offer vnto him whereto Bradford answered thus Brad. My Lordes if I may liue as a quiet Subiect without clog of conscience M. Bradford desireth to liue that he may haue lyfe without clogge of conscience I shall hartily thanke you for your pardon if otherwise I behaue my selfe then I am in danger of the law in the meane season I aske no more but the benefite of a Subiect till I be conuinced of transgression Iâ— I can not haue this as hitherto I haue not had Gods good will be done Chaunc Uppon these wordes my Lorde Chauncelloure beganne a long processe of the false doctrine wherwith the people were deceiued in the dayes of Kyng Edwarde Winchester speaketh agaynst the doctrine taught in K. Edwaâ—des tyme. and so turned the ende of his talke to Bradford saying Howe sayest thou Brad. My Lorde the doctrine taught in king Edwardes dayes was Gods pure Religion the which as I then beleued so do I now more beleue it then euer I did therin I am more confirmed and readye to declare it by Gods grace M. Bradford standeth in defence of the doctrine taught in K. Edwardes tyme. euen as he will to the worlde then I was when I first came into prison Dures What religion meane you in king Edwards daies What yeare of his raigne Brad. Forsooth euen the same yeare my Lord that the king dyed I was a Preacher Here wrote Secretary Bourne I wote not what Chaunc Nowe after a litle pausing my Lorde Chauncellour beginneth agayne to declare The reason of Winchester wherâ— with he disproueth the doctrine of K. Edwardes dayes that the doctrine taught in king Edwardes dayes was heresy vsing for probation demonstration thereof no scripture nor reason but this that it ended with treason and rebellion so that quoth he the very end were enough to improue that doctrine to bee nought Brad. Ah my Lord that you could enter into Gods Sanctuary and marke the end of this preseÌ„t doctrine that you now so magnify Chaunc What meanest thou by that I weene wee shall haue a snatch of rebellion euen now Brad. My Lord. I meane no such ende as you woulde gather I meane an end which no man seeth but such as enter into Gods Sanctuary If a man looke on present thinges he will soone deceiue himselfe The Queenes mercy agayne offered to M. Bradford Here nowe did my Lorde Chauncellour offer agayne mercy and Bradforde aunswered as before Mercy wyth Gods mercy should be welcome but otherwise he woulde none Whereupon the Lord Chauncellour did ryng a litle bell belike to call in some body for there was present none in maner but onely those before named and the Byshoppe of Worcester Nowe when one was come in it is best quoth Mayster Secretary Bourne that you geue the keper a charge of this fellowe So was the vnder Marshall called in Chaunc M. Bradford returned agayne into prison Ye shall take this man to you and keep him close without confereÌ„ce with
and plagues behoâ—d hys iudgements where through learne to feare hym Beware of sinne as the serpent of the soule which spoileth vs of all our oâ— nature and seemely apparel in Gods sight Let Christ crucified be your booke to study on and that both night and day Marke your vocation and be diligent in the workes thereof Vse harty earnest prayer and that in spirit In all thyngs geue thanks to God our father through Christ. Labour to haue here lyfe euerlastyng begun in you for els it will not be elsewhere enioyed Set Gods iudgement often before your eyes that nowe examinyng your selfe you may make diligent sute and obtaine neuer to come into iudgement Vncouer your euils to God that he may couer theÌ„ Beware of this Antichristian trash defile not your selfe in soule or body therewith but accomplish holynes in the feare of God beare no yoke with vnbeleeuers Looke for the commyng of the Lord which is at hand by earnest prayer and godly 〈…〉 it God our father accomplish his good worke in you Amâ— Commend me to my good mother maistres Wilkinson to my very deare sister maistresse Warcuppe I shall daily commend you all to God and I pray you do the lyke for me Iohn Bradford ¶ To a friend of his instructing hym how he should aunswer his aduersaries MY good brother our mercifull God and deare Father through christ opeÌ„ your eyes effectually to see An other letter 〈◊〉 Bradfâ—â—â— his friâ—â—â— with iâ—â—structiâ—â— how â—â—â—swere 〈◊〉 aduersâ—â—â—â—â— your heart ardently to desire the euerlasting ioy which he hath prepared for his slaughter sheep that is for such as shrink not from his truth for any such stormes sake Amen When you shall come before the Magistrates to geue an aunswer of the hope which is in you do it with all reuerence and simplicity And because you may be somthing afrayd by the power of the Maiestrates cruelty which they will threaten against you I would you set before you the good father Moses to follow his example Exampâ—â— Moyses â—â—â—swering â—â—â—fore king Pharao for hee set the inuisible God before his eyes of fayth and with them looked vpon God and his glorious Maiestie and power as with his corporal eies he saw Pharao and all his fearefull terrors So doe you my dearely beloued let your inward eies geue such light vnto you that as you know you arâ— before the magistrates so and much more you they also are present before the face of God which will geue such wisedome to you fearing him and seeking his prayse as the enemies shall wonder at and further he will so order their harts and doyngs that they shall will they â—ill they serue Gods prouidence towards you which you can not auoyd though you would as shall be most to his glory and your euerlasting comfort Therefore my good brother let your whole study bee onely to please God put hym alwayes before your eies for he is on your right hand lest you should be mooued he is faithfull and neuer will suffer you to be tempted aboue that hee will make you able to beare Yea euery haire of your hed he hath numbred so that one of them shal not perish without his good will which cannot be but bee good vnto you in that he is become your father through Christ and therfore as he hath geuen you to beleue in hym God increase this beliefe in vs all so doth hee now graciously geue vnto you to suffer for his names sake the which you ought with all thankefulnesse to receiue in that you are made worthy to drinke of the self same cup which not only the very sonnes of God haue dronke of before you but euen the very natural sonne of God himself hath brought you good lucke Oh he of his mercy make vs thankefull to pledge him agayne Amen Because the chiefest matter they will trouble you and go about to deceiue you withall is the Sacrament not of Christes body and bloud but of the aulter as they call it thereby destroieng the Sacrament which Christ instituted I would you noted these two things First that the Sacrament of the aulter which the Priest offereth in the Masse and eateth priuately with himselfe is not the Sacrament of Christes body add bloud instituted by him as Christes institution plainely written and set foorth in the scriptures beyng compared to their vsing of it playnely doth declare Againe if they talke with you of Christes Sacrament instituted by him whether it be Christes body or no aunswer them that as to the eyes of your reason to your tast and corporall senses it is bread and wyne and therfore the Scripture calleth it after the consecration so eueÌ„ so to the eyes taste and senses of your faith which ascendeth to the right hand of God in heauen where Christ sitteth it is in very deed Christs body and bloud which spiritually your soule feedeth on to euerlasting life in faith and by faith eueÌ„ as your body presently feedeth on the sacramentall bread and sacramentall wyne By this meanes as you shall not allow transubstantiation nor none of their popish opinions so shal you declare the Sacrament to be a matter of faith and not of reason as the Papistes make it For they deny Gods omnipotencie in that they say Christ is not there if bread bee there but fayth looketh on the omnipotencie of God ioined with this promise and doubteth not but that Christ is able to geue that he promiseth vs spiritually by fayth the bread still remaining in substaÌ„ce as wel as if the substance of bread were takeÌ„ away for Christ saith not in any place this is no bread But of this geare God shal instruct you if you hang on his promise and pray for the power wisdome of his spirit which vnâ—oubtedly as you are bounde to looke for praying for it so he hath bound himselfe by his promise to geue it the which thing graunt vnto vs both and to all his people for his names sake thorough Christ our Lord Amen Iohn Bradford ¶ To certaine godly men whome he exhorteth to bee pacient vnder the crosse and constant in the true doctrine which they had professed MY dearely beloued in the Lord as in him I wish you well to fare so I pray God I and you may continue in his true seruice that perpetually we may enioy the same welfare as here in hope so in heauen in deed and eternally You know this world is not your home but a pilgrimage place wherein God trieth hys children and therfore as it knoweth you not nor can know you so I trust you know not it that is you allow it not nor in any poynt will seeme so to doe although by many you be occasioned thereto For this hote sunne which now shineth burneth so sore that the corne which is sowen vppon sande and stony ground beginneth to wither that is many which before tymes were taken for harty
vpon the bourd and the Bishop in washing standing so betweene me and the dore that I could not get out The straūgenes betweene Winchester and Boner Winchesters bookē of instructions to Boner Thyrlebye and Winchester great togeather and there would he needes that I should wash with hym and sup and I suppose all the way from Barella to Bloys he talked not aboue foure times with me and at euery time sauing at Molyns where he by mouth told me somewhat of the Kings affaires heere in Fraunce and at Veronne when he aunswering to my requests in writing deliuered me his booke of his owne hand for mine instructions the copie whereof is now sent heere withall there was quicke communication betweene vs. His talking by the way was with M. Thirleby who I thinke knoweth a great deale of his doing and will if he be the man I take him for tell it plainely to your Lordship I my selfe was out of * * Why Boner was out of credite with Wynchester Winchesters fleshe trembled at the first comming of Doct· Thirleby to succeede him credence with the Byshop not being appliable to his manners and desires And surely as M. Thirleby told me at his first comming to Lyons and then speaking with the Bishop the Bishop seemed to be so well content to returne and so glad of his comming to succeede him that his fleshe in his face began all to tremble and yet would the Bishop make men beleeue that he would gladly come home Which thing beleeue it who will I will neuer beleeue for euer he was looking of letters out of England from M. Wallop and M. Brian whome he taketh for his great frends and M. Wyat himselfe reckoned that the Bishop should haue come into Spaine or else my Lord of Durham Winchester loth to returne into England so that the Bishop of Winchester euer coueted to protract the time desiring yet withall to haue some shadow to excuse and hide himselfe as tarieng at Barella he made excuse by my not comming to Lyons and comming to Varennes and there hearing by the Embassadors of the Venetians a flieng tale of the going of the Frenche King towardes Bayon to meete the Emperour Boner called M. diligence by and by he said lo where is mayster diligence now If he were now heere as then I was that night wee would to the Court and present him and take our leaue But whē I in the morning was vp afore him and ready to horse hee was nothing hasty No comming to Molyns afore him and there tarrieng for him the Frenche King lieng at Schauenna three small leagues off hee made not halfe the speede and haste that hee pretended I mislike in the Byshop of Winchester that he cannot be content that any ioined in commission with him The second complainte should keepe house but to be at his table Wherein eyther he searcheth thereby a vaine glory and pride to himselfe with some dishonour to the King Winchester would be alone as who saith there were among all the Kings Embassadors but one able to mainteine a table and that were he either else he doth the same for an euill entent and purpose to bring them therby into his daunger that they shall say and do as liketh him alone which I suppose verily hath bene his entent I mislike in the sayd Bishop that where he for his owne pompe and glory hath a great number of seruaunts in their veluets and silkes The thyrd complaynte The Pompe and glory of Winchester with their chaines about their neckes and keepeth a costly table with excessiue fare and exceeding expenses many other waies he doth say and is not ashamed to report that he is so commaunded to do by the Kings grace and that is his aunswere commonly when his frends telleth him of his great charges and so vnder colour of the Kings commaundement and honour he hydeth his pride which is heere disdained The fourth complaynte Wynchester geuen more to hys owne affections thē to the kings affayres I mislike in the said Bishop that he hauing priuate hatred against a man will rather satisfie his owne stomacke and affection hindering and neglecting the Kings affaires then relenting in any part of his sturdy and stubburne will geue familiar and harty counsaile whereby the Kings highnes matters and busines may be aduaunced and set foorth to him that he taketh for his aduersary I mislike in the said Bishop that he euer continually heere in this Court of Fraunce made incomparably more of the Emperours The 5. cōplaint Wynchester suspected to be imperiall King of Portugals Venetians and Duke of Ferraries Ambassadours then of any Frenchmen in the Court which with hys pride caused them to disdaine him and to thinke that he fauoured not the French King but was imperiall I mislike in the Bishop that there is so great familiaritie and acquaintance The 6. cōplaint Boner like a true Gospeller complayneth of Papistes yea and suche mutuall confidence betweene the said Bishop and M. as naughty a fellow and as very a Papist as any that I know where he dare expresse it The Bishop in his letters to M. Wyat euer sendeth speciall commendations to Mason and yet refuseth to send any to M. Heynes and me being with M. Wyat as we perceiued by the sayde letters And Mason maketh such foundation of the Bishop that he thinketh there is none suche And hee telled me at Villa Franca that the Byshop vpon a time when he had fallen out wyth Germaine so trusted him that weeping and sobbing he came vnto him desiring and praieng hym that hee woulde speake wyth Germaine and reconcile him Winchester suspected of vntrue dealing so that no wordes were spoken of it and what the matter was hee would not tell me That yong fellowe Germaine knoweth all and Preston which is seruaunt to the Byshop of Winchester shewed me one night in my chamber at Bloys after supper that Germaine is euer busie in shewing the Kings letters to straungers and that he himselfe hath geuen him warning thereof This thing Preston told me the night before that the Byshop departed hence and when I woulde haue more of him therein hee considering how the Bywop and I stoode kept him more close and woulde say no further In this declaration of D. Edmund Boner sente to the Lord Cromwell aboue prefixed Thinges in the foresayd declaration to be noted The rancour and pride of Steuen Gardiner diuers things we haue to note First as touching Steuen Gardiner Bish. of Wint. heere we haue a plaine demonstration of his vile nature and pestilent pride ioyned with malice and disdaine intollerable whereof worthely complaineth D. Boner aforesayd shewing sixe speciall causes why and wherefore he misliketh that person according as he was willed before by the Kings commaundement so to do Secondly in the said Steuen Wint. this we haue also to note and vnderstand that as he heere declareth a secret inclination from
the truth which he defended before in his booke De obedientia to papistry Steuen Gardiner reuolteth to Papistry ioining part and side with suche as were knowne papists so he seemeth likewyse to beare a like secret grudge against the Lord Cromwell and all such whomsoeuer he fauoured Thirdly as concerning the forenamed D. Edmund Boner the author of this declaration heere is to be seene and noted that he all this while appeared a good man and diligent friend to the truth and that he was fauoured of the Lord Cromwell for the same Fourthly that the said D. Boner was not onely fauoured of the Lord Cromwell but also by him was aduaunced first to the office of Legation D. Boners comming vp onely by the Gospell then to the Bishoprike of Hereford and lastly to the Bishoprike of London whome the said D. Boner in his letters agniseth and confesseth to be his only Patron and singular Mecaenas Which being so we haue in this said D. Boner greatly to meruayle what should be the cause that he seing all his setting vp making and preferring came only by the Gospell and by theÌ„ of the Gospels side he being then so hated of Steuen Gardiner and such as he was being also at that time such a furtherer and defender of the Gospell as appeared both by his Preface before Gardinars booke De obedientia and by his writings to the Lord Cromwell also by helping forward the printed Bibles at Paris could euer be a man so vngratefull vnkind afterward to ioyne part with the said Steuen Gardiner against the Gospell without y t which Gospel he had neuer come to be bishop neither of Hereford nor yet of London and now to abuse y e same bishopricke of London to persecute y t so vehemently which before so openly he defended Wherin y e same may well be said to him in this case y t he himselfe was reported once to say to the french King in the cause of Grancetor to witte that he had done therein against his honour against iustice against reason against honesty Boners owne wordes retorted against himselfe against freÌ„dship against his own promise and his othe so often made against his owne doctrine and iudgement which then he professed against all truth against the treates and leagues betwene him and his setters vp and against all together and to conclude against the saluation of his owne soule But to referre this to the booke of his accomptes who shall iudge one day all things vprightly let vs proceede further in y e coÌ„tinue of this D. Boners legation Who being now Ambassadour in the court of Fraunce as he haue heard had geuen in commission from the king to entreate with the French King for sondry pointes as for the printing of the new Testament in English Printing the newe testament in English and the Byble at Paris and the Bible at Paris also for slanderous preachers and malicious speakers against the King for goods of merchaunts taken and spoiled for the kings pension to be paid for the matters of the Duke of Suffolke for certaine prisoners in Fraunce Item for Grancetor the traitour and certain other rebels to be sent into England c. Touching all which affayres the sayd D. Boner did employ his diligence trauaile to the good satisfaction and contentment of the kings minde The diligeÌ„ce trust of D. Boner in legatyon and discharge of his duetie in such sort as no default could be found in him saue only that the French King one time tooke displeasure with him for that the said Boner beyng now made bishop of Hereford and bearing himself somewhat more seriously and boldly before the king in the cause of Grancetor the traytour wherein he was willed by the aduertisement of the Kings pleasure The wordes of D. Boner 〈◊〉 to the French king to wade more deepely and instantly vsed these words to the French King as y e french king himself did afterward report them saieng that he had done in deliueraÌ„ce of that foresaid Grancetor being an Englishman The French king disâ—lesed with â—ishop Boner Bish. Boner 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to the king his mâ—â—ster 3. thinges agaynst God agaynst his honor agaynst iustice agaynst reason agaynst honesty against friendship against all law against the treates leagues betwene him and his brother the King of England yea and against all together c. These words of Bishop Boner although he denieth to haue spoken them in that forme and qualitie yet howsoeuer they were spoken did stirre vp the stomack of the French King to conceiue high displeasure agaynst him in so much that he answering the Lord Ambassadour againe bad him write these three things vnto his maister First among other thinges that his Embassadour was a greate foole Secondarily that he caused to be done better iustice there in his Realme in one houre then they did in Englande in a whole yeare Thirdly that if it were not for the loue of his maister he should haue an hundreth strokes with an Haulbard c. And furthermore the sayde Frenche King beside thys sending a speciall messenger with his letters to the king of England willed him to reuoke and cal this Ambassadour home and to send him an other The cause why the french King tooke these wordes of Bishop Boner so to stomacke as the L. Chauncelour said was this for that the Kings of Fraunce standing chiefly and in maner only vpon theyr honour can suffer that in no case to be touched Otherwise in those wordes if they had bene well taken was not so much blame perchaunce as boldnes being spoken somwhat vehemently in his maisters behalfe Bishop coÌ„moÌ„ly boldder in Princes matters then in the cause of Christ. But this one thing seemeth to me much blameworthy both in this Byshop and many other that they in earthly matters and to please terrene Kings will put forth themselues to such a boldnes and forwardnes and in Christes cause the King of all kings whose cause they should onely attend vppon and tender they are so remisse cold and cowardly To these letters of the French King the King of England sent aunswer againe by other letters in which he reuoked and called home againe bishop Boner geuing vnto him about the same time the Bishopricke of London and sente in supply of his place Sir Iohn Wallop a greate frend to Steuen Gardiner Whiche was in February about the beginning of the yeare of our Lord 1540. Heere now followeth the othe of Boner to the King when hee was made Byshop of London ¶ The othe of Doctor Edmund Boner when hee was made Byshop of London agaynst the Pope of Rome YE shall neuer consent nor agree that the Byshop of Rome shall practise D. Boners othe against the Pope exercise or haue any maner of authority iurisdiction or power within this Realme or any other the Kings dominion but that you shall resist the same at all times to the vttermost