proued London What say you then to the second scripture howe couple you that by the word to the other Phil. The text it selfe declareth that notwithstanding Chryst did abase himself in our humayne nature yet he is stil one in Deitie with the Father And this S. Paule to the Hebrues doth more at large set foorth And as I haue by the scriptures ioyned these two scriptures together so am I able to do in all other Articles of fayth which we ought to beleue and by the manifest word of God to expound them London How can that be seing saynct Paule sayth that the letter killeth but it is the spirite that geueth life Philpot. S. Paul meaneth not the worde of God written in it selfe killeth which is the word of life and the faythfull testimonie of the Lord but that the worde is vnprofitable and killeth him that is void of the spirite of God although he be the wisest man of the world and therfore S. Paule sayd That the Gospell to some was a sauour of life vnto lyfe and to some other a sauour of death vnto death Also an example hereof we haue in the vi of Iohn of them who hearing the worde of God without the spirite were offended thereby wherefore Christ sayd The flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirite that quickeneth London What do you vnderstand that of S. Paule and of S. Iohn so Philpot. It is not mine owne interpretation it is agreable to the word in other places and I haue learned the same of auncient fathers interpreting it likewise And to the Corinthians as it is written Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei spiritualis dijudicat omnia The natural man perceiueth not the thinges that bee of the spirite of God but the spirituall man whiche is indued with the spirite iudgeth all thinges London You see my Lordes that this man will haue but hys owne minde and will wilfully cast away himselfe I am sory for him Phil. The words that I haue spoken be none of mine but of the Gospell wheron I ought to stand And if you my lord of London can bring better authoritie for the faythe you would draw me vnto then that which I stand vpoÌ I wil gladly heare the same by you or by any other in this realm Wherfore I kneeling down besought the Lords to be good vnto me a poore Gentleman that would fayne lyue in the world if I might and to testifie as you haue heard me to say this day that if any man can approue that I ought to be of any other maner of faith then that of which I now am and can proue the same sufficiently I will be neyther wilâull neither desperate as my Lorde of London woulde make you beleue me to be Rich. What countrey man be you are you of the Philpots of Hampshyre Phil. Yea my Lorde I was Sir Peter Philpots sonne of Hampshyre Rich. He is my neare kinsman wherefore I am the more sory for him Phil. I thanke your Lordship that it pleaseth you to chalenge kinred of a poore prisoner Rich. In faith I would go an hundreth miles on my bare feete to do you good Cham. He may do well enough if he liSt S. Iohn M. Philpot you are my countryman I woulde be glad you should do well Rich. You said euen now that you would desire to mayntaine your beliefe before ten of the best in the realme You did not well to compare with the Nobilitie of the Realme But what if you haue tenne of the best in the Realme to heare you will you be tryed by them Phil. My Lord your Lordshippe mistaketh me to thinke that I challenge tenne of the best of the Nobilitie in thys realme It was no part of my minde but I meant of the best learned on the contrary side Rich. Wel I take your meaning What if meanes be made to the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue your request will you be iudged by them Phil. My Lord it is not meete that a man shoulde be iudged by his aduersaries Rich. By whom then would you be iudged Phil. I will make your honours iudges that shal be hearers of vs. Rich. I dare be bolde to procure for you of the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue tenne learned men to reason with you and twenty or forty of the Nobility to heare so you wil promise to abide theyr iudgement How say you will you promise here afore my Lordes so to do Phil. I will be contented to be iudged by them Rich. Yea but wil you promise to agree to theyr iudgemeÌt Phil. There be causes why I may not so do vnlesse I wer sure they would iudge according to the word of God Rich. O I perceaue you wil haue no man iudge but your selfe and thinke your selfe wiser then all the learned men of this Realme Phil. My Lorde I seeke not to be myne owne iudge but am conteÌt to be iudged by other so that the order of iudgement in matters of religion be kept that was in the primatiue Church which is first that Gods wil by his word was sought and thereunto both the spiritualty and temporaltie was gathered together and gaue theyr consentes iudgement such kind of iudgement I will stand to London My Lordes he would make you beleeue that hee were profoundly seene in auncient writers of the iudgementes of the primatiue Church and there was neuer any such maner of iudgement vsed as he now talketh of Phil. In the Epistles of S. Ciprian I am able to shewe it you London A I tell you there is no such thing fet me Cyprian hether Phil. You shall finde it otherwise when the booke commeth And D. Chedsay his Chaplayne whom he appointed to fet his booke whispered the Bishop in his care and fet not the booke by likelihoode that he should haue susteined the reproche thereof if the booke had bene fet Well my Lord quoth I mayster Doctor knoweth it is so or els he would haue fet the booke ere this Rich. You woulde haue none other iudge I see but the worde Phil. Yes my Lord I will be tryed by the word by such as will iudge according to the word As for an example if there were a controuersy betweene your Lordship and an other vpon the words of a statute must not the words of the statute iudge and determine the controuersie Rich. No mary the Iudges of the law may determine the meaning therof Load He hath brought as good an example agaynst hym selfe as can be And here the B. thought he had good handfast against me and therefore enlarged it with many wordes to the iudgement of the Church The Lordes Hee hath ouerthrowne himselfe by his owne argument Phil. My Lords it seemeth to your honours that you haue great aduauntage of me by the example I brought in to expresse my cause but if it be pondered throughly it maketh wholy
My body into dust Yet am I sure to saue a soule When death hath done hys worst And though I leaue a little dust Dissolued out of bloud I shall receaue it safe agayne When God shall see it good For my redeemer I am sure Doth liue for euermore And sitteth high vpon the heauens For whome I hunger sore Euen as the Deare with deadly wounds Escaped from the spoyle Doth hast by all the meanes he may To seeke vnto the soyle Of whome I hope to haue a crowne That alwayes shall remayne And eke enioy a perfect peace For all my woe and payne The God that geueth all encrease And seeketh still to saue Abound in thee that perfect peace Which I do hope to haue And I beseech the liuing God To hold thee in hys handes And wish thee euen with all my hart The blessing of my bandes Which I esteeme of hier price Then pearle or precious stone And shall endure for euermore When earthly thinges are gone For though the fire doe consume Our treasure and our store Yet shall the goodnes of the Lord Endure for euermore And where thou art a friend to him That is to me full deare That God of might make the amendes When all men shall appeare That hath shewed mercy to the meeke And rid them out of payne And thus the Lorde possesse thy spirite Till we do meete agayne If thou wilt haue a recompence Abide still in obedience ¶ The exhortation of Robert Smith vnto his children commonly set out in the name of maister Rogers GEue eare my children to my words Whome God hath dearely bought Lay vp my law within your harte And print it in your thought For I your father haue foreseene The frayle and filthy way Which flesh and bloud would follow fayne Euen to theyr owne decay For all and euery liuing beast Their crib do know full well But Adams heyres aboue the rest Are ready to rebell And all the creatures on the earth Full well can keepe their way But man aboue all other beastes is apte to go astray For earth and ashes is his strength His glory and his rayne And vnto ashes at the length Shall he returne agayne For flesh doth florish like a flower And grow vp like a grasse And is consumed in an houre As it is brought to passe In me the Image of your yeares Your treasure and your trust Whome ye do see before your face Dissolued into dust For as you see your fathers fleshe conuerâed into clay Euen so shall ye my children deare Consume and weare away The sonne and moone and eke the starres That serue the day and night The earth and euery earthly thing Shal be consumed quite And all the worship that is wrought That haue bene heard or seene Shall cleane consume and come to naught Ar it had neuer bene Therefore that ye may follow me Your Father and your frend And enter into that same lyfe Which neuer shall haue end I leaue you heare a little book For you to looke vpon That you may see your Fathers face When I am dead and gone Who for the hope of heauenly thinges While he dyd here remayne Gaue ouer all his golden yeares In prison and in payne Where I among myne iron bandes Enclosed in the darcke A few dayes before my death Did dedicate this worke To you myne heyres of earthly thinges Which I haue left behynde That ye may read and vnderstand And keepe it your minde That as you haue bene heyres of that Which once shall weare away Euen so ye may possesse the parte Which neuer shall decay In following of your fathers foote In truth and eke in loue That ye may also be his heyres For euermore aboue And in example to your youth To whome I wish all good I preache you here a perfite fayth And seale it with my bloud Haue God alwayes before your eyes In all your whole ententes Commit not sinne in any wise Keepe his commaundementes Abhorre that errant whoore of Rome And all her blasphemies And drincke not of her decretals Nor yet of her decrees Geue honour to your mother deare Remember well her payne And recompence her in her age In lyke with loue agayne Be alwayes ayding at her hand And let her not decay Remember well your fathers fall That should haue bene her stay Geue of your portion to the poore As riches doth arise And from the needy naked soule Turne not away your eyes For he that will not heare the cry Of such as are in neede Shall cry himselfe and not be heard When he would hope to speede If God haue geuen you great encrease And blessed well your store Remember ye are put in trust To minister the more Beware of foule and filthy lust Let whoredome haue no place Keepe cleane your vessels in the Lord That he may you embrace Ye are the temples of the Lord For ye are dearely bought And they that do defile the same Shall surely come to nought Possesse not pride in any case Build not your neastes to hye But haue alwayes before your face That ye be borne to dye Defraud not him that hyred is Your labours to sustayne But geue him alwayes out of hand His penny for hys payne And as ye would that other men Agaynst you should proceede Do ye the same agayne to them When they do stand in neede And part your portion with the poore In mony and in meate And feede the faynted feeble soule With that which ye should eate That when your meÌbers lacketh meate And clothing to your backe Ye may the better thinke on them That now do liue and lacke Aske counsell at the wise Geue eare vnto the end Refuse not you the sweete rebuke Of hym that is your frend Be thankefull alwayes to the Lord With prayer and with prayse Desire you him in all your deedes For to direct your wayes And sinne not like that swinish sorte Whose bellies beyng fed Consume theyr yeares vpon the earth From belly vnto bed Seeke first I say the liuing God Set him alwayes before And then be sure that he will blesse Your basket and your store And thus if you direct your dayes According to this booke Then shall they say that see your wayes How lyke me you do looke And when you haue so perfectly Vpon your fingers endes Possessed all within your booke Then geue it to your frendes And I beseeche the liuing God Replenish you with grace That I maye haue you in the heauens And see you face to face And though the sword haue cut me off Contrary to my kinde That I could not enioy your loue According to my minde Yet do I hope when that the heauens Shall vanish like a scrole I shall receaue your perfect shape In body and in soule And that I may enioy your loue And ye enioy the land I do beseeche the liuing
exorcistatus officio interdicto DegradatioÌ from the order of Readership Degradatio ab ordine Lectoratus Librum Lectionum aufert pontifex degradator dicens IN Ecclesia Dei non legas vlterius neque cantes neque panes aut fructus nouos vllatenus benedicas quia tuum officium non impleuisti fideliter deuote DegradatioÌ from the order of Dorekepership or Sextonship Degradatio ab ordine Hostiariatus Claues ecclesiae aufert pontifex degradator dicens QVia in clauibus errasti claues dimitte quia hostia cordis tui male daemonibus ob serasti amouemus à te officium hostiarij vt non percutias cymbalum non aperias ecclesiam non sacrarium non librum amplius praedicanti  Degradatio à prima tonsura Superpellicium degradando extrahit pontifex degradator dicens AVtoritate dei omnipotentis patris filij spiritus sancti ac qua fungimur in hac parte tibi auferimus habitum clericalem nudamus te religionis ornatu atque deponimus degradamus spoliamus exuimus te omni ordine beneficio priuilegio clericali velut clericali professione indignum redigimus te in seruitutem ignominiam habitus secularis ac status Eum forficibus toÌdere incipiat pontifex Degradator per Barbitonsorem ibidem praesentem totaliter tonderi faciat caput degradaÌdi dicens Te velut ingratum filium à sorte domini ad quam vocatus fueras abijcimus coronam tui capitis regale quidem signum sacerdotij de tuo capite amouemus propter tui regiminis prauitatem Deinde si velit pontifex dicat Quod ore cantasti corde non credidisti nec opere impleuisti ideò cantandi officium in ecclesia Dei à te amouemus Tum ministri pontificis exuunt degradatum veste habitu clericali ipsum induunt habitu seculari Si degradatus tradi debeat curiae seculari Pontifex degradator degradatum amplius non tangit sed in huÌc modum pronunciat dicens Denunciamus vt hunc exutum omni ordine ac priuilegio clericali curia secularis in suum forum recipiat Rogat iudicem seculareÌ vt citra mortis periculum c. Domine iudex rogamus vos cum omni effectu quo possumus vt amore Dei pietatis misericordiae intuitu nostrorum interuentu precaminum miserrimo huic nullum mortis vel mutilationis periculum inferas ¶ A Note concerning Doctor Cranmer in his disputation THat day wherein Doctour Cranmer late Bishoppe of Caunterbury aunswered in the diuinity schoole at Oxford there was alledged vnto him by Doctor Weston that he the sayd Cranmer in his booke of the Sacrament falsely falsified the saying of the Doctours and specially the saying of S. Hilary in these wordes Vero for Vere shewing a print or two thereof to haue defaced his doinges therein but Doctor Cranmer with a graue and fatherlye sobriety aunswered that the print of S. Hylaryes works whereout he tooke his notes was verbatim according to his booke and that coulde his bookes testify if they were there to be sene Saying further that he supposed Doctor Smith in that order rehearsed it in his booke of the SacrameÌt to the which Doctor Smith there present though he were demaunded the aunswere thereof stood in silence As Canis mutus non valens latrare But by and by Doctour Weston without shame to shadow Doctor Smithes silence spitefully sayde to Cranmer belike you tooke your learning out of M. Doctor Smithes booke All this already is testified pag. 1437. IT chaunced ât that present to be in the schole one William Holcot gentleman theÌ a soiourner in the Uniuersity Colledge he hearing the same vntruth remembring that he had amongest his bookes in his study the said book of Doctor Smith At his returne to his sayde study desirous to see the truth therein found it agreable to the writing and affirmation of Doctor Cranmer And the sayde Holcot then and there better remembring himselfe found emongest his bookes the booke of Stephan Gardiner intituled the Deuilles Sophistry In which booke the sayde saying of S. Hylary alledged by the said Stephen verbat both in Latine and English according to Doctor Cranmers confirmation Then the sayd William Holcot supposing for the manifest opening and tryall of the trueth therein to haue deliuered the sayde Gardiners booke to Doctour Cranmer brought it to Bocardo the Prison of Oxford where Doctor Cranmer then remayned but ther in the deliuery thereof he was apprehended by the Bayliefes and by them brought before Doctor Weston his Colleagues then at diner at Corpus Christi Coledge who strayt wayes layd treason to the charge of the sayd William Holcotte for the maynteinaunce of Cranmer in his naughtines as they called it and so vpon strayt examination to know who were priuy to his doinges in deliuery of the sayd Gardiners booke committed him to the sayde prison of Bocardo where he soiorned slept in the straw that night And in the morrow in the morning Doctor Cole yet aliue then Deane of Paules and Doctor Ieffrey two of theÌ then Uisitours further examined the sayd Holcotte of that his doinges Threatning him to lay treason to hys charge and so to send him for the triall thereof to the then Lord Chauncellor Stephen Gardiner willing him presently to subscribe to the Articles then in question but he refused desiring respite vntill the lawes of the realme had determined the same And so was he againe committed to the sayd Prison And after three dayes Doctor Weston the residue of the Uisitours solemnely in Saynt Maryes Church pronouncing sentence agaynst the late Bishops Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Amongest other called ther before them the sayd Holcot willing him to subscribe to theyr three Articles he demaunding them then these demaundes first whether they thought in theyr consciences that the articles whereunto they willed him to subscribe were according to the scriptures and that the religioÌ that they went about to plant were the true religion of Christ they aunswered all with one voyce yea yea Then asked he them whether they thought themselues able to aunswere and would aunswere before God for him if he subscribed thereunto as they willed him And they likewyse aunswered yea yea And so he the sayd Holcot through feare and frayltye of the fleshe As Neophitus vpon theyr threates subscribed Then they with many fayre flattering wordes deliuered him but would not let him haue again his book brought to Bocardo least as it semed he should shew it to theyr shame And they priuily willing the maister and the felowes of the sayd Uniuersity colledge to see the sayd William Holcot forth comming And if they with in a fortnight after did not heare froÌ the then L. Chauncellour what should be done with him that then they at the fortnightes end to expell him out of the said Colledge which they would haue done if the then Uicechauncellor had not willed theÌ to the contrary Which
God To holde you in hys hand Fare well my children from the world Where ye must yet remayne The Lorde of hostes be your defence Till we do meete againe Fare well my loue and louing wife My Children and my frendes I hope to God to haue you all When all thinges haue their endes And if you doe abide in God As ye haue now begonne Your course I warrant will be short Ye haue not farre to runne God graunt you so to end your yeares As he shall thinke it best That ye may enter into heauen Where I do hope to rest Written at the request of a Lady in her booke IF you will walke the way That Christ hath you assignde Then learne this little verse Which I haue left behinde Be feruent in the truth Although it beare the blame And eke apply your youth To sticke vnto the same That when the age is come And death beginneth to call The truth may be your staffe To stay you vp withall And though it bryng rebuke And cause you kisse the crosse Yet is it a reward To all that suffer losse For here we doe lay out The thinges that be but vayne But we are sure to reape The thinges that doe remayne For all that ye do lose Is but a sinnefull slime And lyke vnto a Rose That taryeth but a tyme. But if ye carry Christ And walke the perfect way Ye shall possesse the gold That neuer shall decay And all your fathers goodes Shal be your recompense If ye confesse the worde With double diligence Not onely for to heare His pure and perfite word But also to embrace The fire and eke the sword And if ye keepe this path And do not runne a croke Then shall ye meete the man That write this in your booke In that eternall Ioye That alwayes shall remayne Thus fare well faythfull frend Till we do meete agayne Legem pone TEache me O Lorde to walke thy waies My liuing to amend And I shall keepe it all my dayes Euen to my liues end Geue me a minde to vnderstand So shall I neuer starte But I shall keepe all thy preceptes Euen wholly with mine hart Make me to go a perfect pace In that I haue begonne For all my loue and my delight Is in thy wayes to runne Encline my hart vnto thy wayes Set thou thereon my thought And let me not consume my dayes To couet that is naught O quicken me in all thy wayes The world for to despise And from all fond and foolish toyes Turne thou away mine eyes O plant in me thy perfect word Which is to me so deare Lay vp thy lawes within my hart To keepe me still in feare And robbe me of that great rebuke Which I do feare full sore For all thy iudgementes and thy law Endure for euermore Behold O Lord in thy preceptes Is all my whole delight O quicken me in all my wayes That I may walke aright To hys brother AS nature doth me binde Because thou art my bloud According to my kinde To geue thee of my good That thou mayest haue in minde How I haue runne my race Although thou bide behynde But for a little space I yeaue thee here a pearle The price of all my good For whiche I leaue my life To buy it with my bloud More worth then all the world Or ought that I can note Although it be yclad In such a simple cote For when I had obtayned This pearle of such a price Then was I sure I gayned The way for to be wise It taught me for to fight My flesh for to despise To sticke vnto the light And for to leaue the lyes In sending out my seede With bondes and bitter teares That I might reape with Ioye In euerlasting yeares And haue for all my losse My trauayle and my payne A thousand tymes and more Of better goodes agayne And for because the good That hath bene gotte and gayned And that the Lordes elect Hath euermore obtayned Is closed in this booke Which I do geue to thee Wherein I haue my parte As thou thy selfe mayest see In which I hope thou hast A stocke also in store And wilt not cease to sayle Till God haue made it more I will thee to beware Be sure thou keepe it well For if thou do it lose Thy part shal be in hell And here I testifie Before the liuing God That I detest to doe The thinges that are forbod And as in iudgemente is My body to be brent My hart is surely sette Therewith to be content And sith it is his will To put in me his power Vpon his holy hill To fight agaynst this whore Full well I am content If he allowe it so To stand with all my might The whore to ouerthrow Euen with a willing minde The death I will outface And as I am assured The battayle to embrace That they which heare the truth How I haue past the pike May set aside theyr youth And learne to do the like And though it be my lotte to let her suck my bloud Yet am I well assured it shall do her no good For she is set to kill The thinges she thinkes accurst And shall not haue her fill of bloud vntill she burst And when that thou shalt see or heare of my disease Pray to the liuing God that I may passe in peace And when I am at rest and rid out of my paine Then will I do the like for thee to God agayne And to my woefull wyfe and widow desolate Whome I doe leaue behynd In such a simple state And compassed with teares and morninges many one Be thou her staying staffe when I am dead and gone My mouth may not expresse the dolours of my minde Nor yet my heauines to leaue her here behinde But as thou art my bone my brother and my bloud So let her haue thy hart if it may do her good I tooke her from the world and made her like the crosse But if she hold her owne she shall not suffer losse For where she had before a man vnto her make That by the force of fire was stranged at a stake Now shall she haue a king to be her helpyng hand To whom pertayne all thinge that are within the land And eke my daughter deare whome I bequeath to thee To be brought vp in feare and learne the A.B.C. That she may grow in grace and ruled by the rod To learne and lead her lyfe within the feare of God And alwayes haue in minde thy brother beyng dead That thou art lefte behynde a father in my stead And thou my brother deare and eke my mothers sonne Come forth out of all feare and do as I haue done And God shall be thy guide and geue thee such encrease That in the flames of fire thou shalt haue perfect peace Into eternall ioy and passe out of all payne Where we shall meete with mirth and neuer part agayne If thou wilt do my daughter good Be mindfull
Doctour Fuller you must vnderstand that Christ spake to the Scribes and Phariseys Nay Mayster Doctour sayth Wolsey Christ spake eueÌ to you and your felowes here present to al other such like as you be Away Mayster Doctor saith Christopherson for you can do no good with this man Yet sayth D. Fuller I will leane thee a booke to read I promise thee of a learned maÌs doing that is to say of Doctor Watsons doing who was then Bishop of Lincolne Wolsey receiuing the same booke did diligently reade it ouer which in many places did manifestly appeare contrary to the knowne trueth of Gods word At the length a fourtnight or three weekes folowing the sayde Doctour Fuller resorting agayne to the prison house to confer with the sayd Wolsey did aske him how he liked the sayd booke thinking that he had won him by the reading of the same who aunswered him and sayd Syr I like the booke no otherwise then I thought before I should find it Wherupon the Chauncellor taking his booke departed home At night when D. Fuller came to his chamber to looke on it he did finde in many places coÌtrary to his minde the booke raced with a pen by the sayd Wolsey The which hee seing and being vexed therwith sayd Oh this is an obstinate hereticke and hath quite marred my booke Then the Syse holden at Wisbich drawing nye Doctor Fuller commeth agayne to the sayd Wolsey and speaketh vnto him on this maner Thou doest much trouble my coÌscience wherfore I pray thee depart rule thy ãâã so that I heare no more complaint of thee and come to the Church when thou wilt and if thou be complayned vpon so farre as I may I promise thee I will not heare of it Mayster Doctour quoth Wolsey I was brought hyther by a law and by a law I will be deliuered Then being broughte to the Sessions before named Wolsey was layd in the Castle at Wisbich thinking to him and al his freÌdes that he should haue suffered there at that present time but it proued nothing so Then Robert Pygot the painter being at liberty was there presented by some euill disposed persons sworne meÌ as they called them for not comming to the Church The sayd Pygot being called in the Sessions woulde not absent himselfe but there did playnely appeare before Syr Clement Hygham being Iudge who sayd vnto him Ah are you the holy father the Paynter How chaunce ye came not to the Churche Syr quoth the Paynter I am not out of the Church I trust in God No Syr sayd the Iudge this is no Churche this is a Haule Ye sir sayd Pygot I know very wel it is a Haule but he that is in the true faith of Iesus Christ is neuer absent but present in the Church of God Ah Syrha sayd the Iudge you are to high learned for me to talke withall wherfore I will send you to them that be better learned then I strayght wayes commaundynge him to the Iayle where Wolsey lay So the SessioÌs being broken vp and ended the sayd Wolsey and Pigot were caryed agayne to Eley into yrison where they both did remayne till the day of theyr death In the meane time certaine of theyr neighbors of Wisbych aforesayd being at Eley came to see how they did There came thither also a Chapleine of Bishop Gooderikes a Frenchman borne one Peter Ualentius who said vnto the said Wolsey and Pygot My brethren according to mine office I am come to talk with you for I haue bene Amner here this xx yeares and aboue Wheerfore I must desire you my brethren to take it in good parte that I am come to talke with you I promise you not to pull you from your fayth But I both requyre and desire in the name of Iesus Christ that you stande to the truth of the Gospell and worde and I beseech the almighty God for his sonne Iesus Christes sake to preserue both you me in the same vnto the end For I knowe not myselfe my brethreÌ how soone I shal be at the same point that you now are Thus with many other like wordes he made an end causing all that were there present to water theyr cheekes contrary to al the hope they had in him god be praysed therfore Then within short time after Pygot and Wolsey wer called to iudgement about the ix daye of October before Doctor Fuller then Chauncellor with old Doctor Shaxton Christopherson and others in Commission who layd earnestly to theyr charge for theyr belief in diuers articles but especially of the Sacrament of the aultar Whereunto theyr auÌswere was that the Sacrament of the aultar was an Idoll and that the naturall body and bloud of Christe was not present really in the sayd Sacrament and to this opinion they sayd they would sticke beleuing perfectly the same to be no heresye that they had affirmed but the verye truth wherupoÌ they would stand Then said the Doctors that they were out of the Catholicke fayth Then Doctor Shaxton sayd vnto them good brethren remember your selues and become new men for I my self was in this âond opinion that you are nowe in but I am now become a new man Ah sayd Wolsey are you become a new man Wo be to thee thou wicked new man for God shal iustly iudge thee Doctour Fuller then spake saying this Wolsey is an obstinate felow and one that I could neuer do good vpon But as for the Paynter hee is a man quiet and indifferent as farre as I perceiue and is soone reformed and maye very well be deliuered for any euill opinion I find in him Then Christopherson called for penne and yncke and wrote these wordes folowing I Robert Pygot do beleue that after âhe wordes of consecration spoken by the Priest thâre remaineth no more bread and wine but the very body and bloud of Christ really substauntially the selfe same that was borne of the virgine Mary and reading it to the Paynter he sayd thus doest thou beleue all this according as it is written Pygot No Syr sayd the Paynter that is your fayth and not mine Christopher Loe Mayster Doctor Fuller you would haue letteÌ this felow go he is as much an heretick as the other And so immediately iudgemeÌt was geuen vpon theÌ to dye Which done after the seÌteÌce read they were sent again to the prison where they did lye till the day of theyr death At which day one Peacocke Bachelor of diuinity being appoynted to preach took his text out of the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corin. 5. chap. of one that had liued vnordinately by abusing his fathers wife likening the sayd Pygot and Wolsey to the same man often times saying that such members must be cut of from the congregation most maliciously reporting the sayd Wolsey to be cleane out of the fayth and in many places quite denying the Scripture So his Sermon being ended the forenamed Pygot
doe offende me in the Masse I will rehearse vnto you those thinges whiche be moste cleare and seeme to repugne most manifestly agaynst Gods worde And they be these The straunge tongue the want of the shewynge of the Lordes death The breaking of the Lordes commaundement of hauing a communion the sacrament is not coÌmunicated to all vnder both kindes according to the word of the Lord. The signe is seruilely worshipped for the thing signified Christes Passion is iniuried for asmuch as this Masse sacrifice is affirmed to remayne for the purging of sinnes to be shorte the manifolde superstitions and triflyng fondnesse whiche are in the Masse and aboute the same Better a few thinges well pondered then to trouble the memory with to much you shall preuayle more with praying theÌ with studying though mixture be best For so one shall alleuiate the tediousnes of the other I entend not to contend much with them in wordes after a reasonable account of my fayth geuen for it shall be but in vayne They will say as theyr fathers sayd when they haue no more to say We haue a law and by our law he ought to dye Be ye steadfast and vnmoueable sayeth Saynt Paule and agayne persistito stand fast And how oft is this repeated if ye abide if ye abide c. But we shall be called obstinate sturdy ignorant heady and what not So that a man hath need of much pacience hauing to do with such men But you knowe howe greate a crime it is to separate your selfe from the communion or felowship of the Churche and to make a schisme or diuision you haue bene reported to haue hated the secte of the Anabaptistes and alwayes to haue impugned the same Moreouer this was the pernitious errour of Nouatus and of the Heretickes called Cathari that they woulde not communicate wyth the Church I know that the vnity of the Church is to be reteyned by all meanes the same to be necessary to saluation But I doe not take the Masse as it is at this day for the communion of the Churche but a Popishe deuise whereby both the commaundement and institution of our Sauiour Christ for the ofte frequenting of the remembraunce of his death is eluded the people of God are miserablye deluded The sect of the Anabaptistes and the heresy of the Nouatians ought of right to be condemned for as muche as without any iust or necessary cause they wickedly separated themselues from the communion of the congregation for they did not alleadge that the Sacramentes were vnduely ministred but âurning away theyr eyes from theÌselues wherewith according to Saynt Paules rule they ought to examine themselues and caâing theyr eyes euer vpon others either Ministers or Communicantes with them they alwayes reprooued something for the whiche they absteined from the Communion as from an vnholy thing I remember that Caluin beginneth to confute the Interim after this sort with this saying of Hilary The name of peace is beautifull and the opinion of vnitye is fayre but who doubteth that to be the true and onely peace of the Church which is Christes I would you had that litle booke there should you see how much is to be geuen to vnity Saynt Paule when he requireth vnitye he ioyneth straight with al secundum Iesum Christum according to Iesus Christ no further Diotrephes nowe of late did euer harpe vpon vnity vnity Yea Syr quoth I but in verity not in popery Better is a diuersity then an vnitye in Popery I had nothing agayne but scornefull giers with commaundement to the Tower But admitte there be in the Masse that peraduenture might be amended or at least made better yea seing you will haue it so admit there be a fault if you do not consent therto Why do you trouble your selfe in vayne do not you know both by Cyprian and Augustine that communioÌ of sacramentes doth not defile a man but consent of deedes If it were any one trifling ceremony or if it were some one thing of it selfe indifferent although I woulde wishe nothing should be done in the Churche which doth not edify the same yet for the continuance of the common quietnesse I coulde be content to beare it But forasmuche as thinges done in the masse tend openly to the ouerthrow of Christes institution I iudge that by no meanes either in word or deed I ought to consent vnto it As for that which is obiected out of the Fathers I acknowledge it to be wel spoken if it be well vnderstanded But it is meant of them which suppose they are defiled if any secret vice be either in the ministers or in them that communicate with them is not ment of them which doe abhorre superstition and wicked traditions of men and will not suffer the same to be thrust vpon themselues or vpon the Church in stead of Gods word and the truth of the Gospell The very marowe bones of the masse are all together detestable and therefore by no meanes to be borne withal so that of necessity the mending of it is to abolish it for euer For if you take away oblation and oration which doe hang vpon consecration and transubstantiation the moste papistes of them all will not set a button by the masse as a thing which they esteme not but for the gayne that foloweth thereon For if the English communion whiche oâ late was vsed were as gaynefull to them as the Masse hath bene heretofore they would striue no more for theyr masse from thence groweth the griefe Consider into what dauÌgers you cast your selfe if you forsake the chuch you cannot but forsake it if you refuse to go to masse For the Masse is the Sacrament of vnity without the Arke there is no saluation The church is the Arke and Peters ship Ye know this saying wel enough He shall not haue God to be his Father which acknowledgeth not the church to be his mother Moreouer without the church sayth S. Augustine be the life neuer so wel spent it shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen The holy Catholicke or vniuersall church which is the communion of saintes the house of God the City of God the spouse of Christ the body of Christ the piller and stay of the trueth this Churche I beleeue accordinge to the Creede This Church I doe reuerence and honour in the Lord. But the rule of this Church is the word of God according to which rule we goe forwarde vnto life And as many as walk according to this rule I say with S. Paul peace be vpon them and vpon Israell which perteyneth vnto God The guid of this church is the holy ghost The markes whereby this church is knowne vnto me in this darâke worlde and in the middest of this crooked and froward generatioÌ are these The sincere preaching of Gods holy worde the due administration of the Sacramentes charitye and faythfull
now that counsels haue sometime erred it is manifest How many counsels were there in the East partes of the world whiche condemned the Nicene councell and all those which would not forsake the same they called by a sclaunderous name as they thought Homonsians Was not Athanasius Chrysostome Cyril Eustachius men very well learned and of godly lyfe banished and condemned as famous heretickes and that by wicked councels How many thinges are there in the Canons and constitutions of the councels which the papists themselues do much mislike But here peraduenture one man wil say vnto me We wil graunt you this in prouinciall councels or councelles of some one nation that they may sometimes erre for asmuch as they do not represent the vniuersall churche but it is not to be beleued that the generall and full councelles haue erred at any tyme. Here if I had my bookes of the councels or rather suche notes as I haue gathered out of those bookes I coulde brynge something which shoulde serue for this purpose But now seeing I haue them not I will recite one place onely out of sainct Austen which in my iudgement may suffise in this matter in stead of many Who knoweth not sayth he that the holy scripture is so set before vs that it is not lawfull to doubt of it and that the letters of Byshops may be reproued by other mens wordes and by councelles and that the councels themselues whiche are gathered by prouinces and countries do geue place to the authoritie of the generall and full councels and that the former and generall councels are amended by the latter when as by some experience of thinges eyther that which was shut vpp is opened or that which was hid is knowne Thus much of Augustine But I wil plead with our Antonian vpon matter confessed Here with vs when as Papistry raygned I pray you how doth that booke whiche was called the Byshops booke made in the tyme of king Henrye theight wherof the byshop of Winchester is thought to bee eyther the first father or chiefe gatherer Howe doth it I say sharpely reproue the Florentine counsell in whiche was decreed the supremacy of the Byshop of Rome and that with the consent of the Emperor of Constantinople and of the Grecians So that in those dayes our learned auncient fathers and byshops of Englande did not sticke to affirme that a generall councell might erre But me think I heare an other man despising all that I haue broughte forth and saying these which you haue called councels are not worthy to be called councels but rather assemblies conuenticles of heretickes I praye you sir why doe you iudge them worthye of so slaunderous a name Because sayth he they decreed thinges hereticall contrary to true godlines and sounde doctrine and agaynst the faythe of christian religion The cause is waightye for the whiche they ought of right so to be called But if it be so that all counsels ought to be despised which decree any thing contrary to sound doctrine and the true word which is according to godlines forasmuch as the Masse such as we had here of late is openly agaynst the word of God forsoothe it must follow of necessitie that all such councelâ as haue approoued such masses ought of right to be ãâã ând despised as conuenticles and assemblies of men ãâã stray from the truth An other man alleadgeth vnto me the authoâity of the Bishop of Rome without which neither âânne the Counsells sayth he be lawfully gathered neyâher being gathered determyne anye thinge concerning Religion But this obiection is only grounded vpon the ambytious and shameles maintenance of the Romish tirranny and vsurped dominion ouer the Clergy which tyrranny we Englishe men long agoe by the consent of the whole Realme haue expulsed and abiured And how rightely we haue done it a little booke set forth de vtraque potestate that is of both the powers doth clearely shew I graunt that the Romish ambition hath gone about to challenge to it self to vsurpe such a priuiledge of old time But the counsell of Carthage in the yeare of our Lord 457. did openly withstand it and also the councell at Milenite in the whiche S. Augustine was present did prohibite any appellations to be made to Byshops beyond the sea S. Augustine sayth the good men are not to be forsaken for the euill but the euill are to be borne with all for the good Ye will not say I trow that in our congregations all be euill I speake nothing of the goodnes or euilnes of youre congregations but I fight in Christes quarrel against the Masse which doth vtterly take away and ouerthrowe the ordinaunce of Christ. Let that be taken quite awaye and then the partition of the wall that made the strife shall be broken down Now to the place of S. Austen for bearing with the euill for the goodes sake there ought to be added other words which the same writer hath expressedly in other places that is if those euill men do cast abroad no seedes of false doctrine nor lead other to destruction by their example It is perillous to attempt any new thing in the Church which lacketh example of good men How much more perillous is it to commit any act vnto the whiche thexample of the prophetes of Christ and of thapostles are contrary But vnto this your facte in abstayning from the Churche by reason of the masse the example of the Prophetes of Christ and of thapostles are cleane contrarye Therefore c. The first part of the argument is euident and the second part I proue thus In the times of the prophetes of Christ and his Apostles all things were most corrupt The people was miserably geuen to superstition the priestes despised the law of God and yet notwithstaÌding we neither read that the prophets made any schismes or diuisions and Christ himselfe haunted the temple and taught in the temple of the Iewes Peter and Iohn went vp into the temple at the 9. houre of praier Paule after the readyng of the lawe being desired to say something to the people did not refuse to doe it Yea further no man can shewe that eyther the prophetes or Christ and his Apostles did refuse to pray together with others to sacrifice or to bee partakers of the Sacramentes of Moses law I graunt the former part of your argument and to the second part I saye that although it contayne manye true thinges as of the corrupt state in the times of the Prophetes of Christ and the Apostles and of the temple being haunted of Christ and his Apostles yet notwithstanding the second part of your argument is not sufficientlye prooued For ye ought to haue proued that eyther the prophetes eyther Christ or hys Apostles did in the temple communicate with the people in any kind of worshipping which is forbidden by the lawe of God or repugnaunt to word of
I may smite him againe with the sword of the spirit I learn also hereby to be in vre with armour and to assaye howe I can go armed In Tindall where I was borne not far from the Scottish borders I haue knowne my countreymen to watch night and day in theyr harnes suche as they had that is in theyr Iackes theyr speares in their hands you call them northern gads specially when they had any priuy warning of the comming of the Scottes And so doing although at euery such bickerings some of them spent their liues yet by such meanes like prettye men they defended their countrey And those that so dyed I thynke that before God they dyed in a good quarrell and theyr ofspring and progeny all the countrey loued them the better for theyr fathers sake And in the quarrell of Christ our sauiour in the defense of his owne diuine ordinaunces by the which he geueth vnto vs lyfe and immortalitie yea in the quarrell of fayth and christian religion wherin resteth our euerlasting saluation shall wee not watche shall wee not go alwayes armed euer looking when our aduersary whiche like a roaring Lyon seeketh whome hee may deuour shall come vpon vs by reason of oure slouthfulnes yea and woe be vnto vs if he can oppresse vs vnawares whiche vndoubtedly hee will doe if he finde vs sleepyng Let vs awake therefore For if the good man of the house knew what houre the theefe would come he would surely watch not suffer his house to be brokeÌ vp Let vs awake therfore I say Let vs not suffer our house to be brokeÌ vp Resist the deuill sayth S. Iames he will flee froÌ you Let vs therefore resist him manfully and taking the crosse vpon our shoulders let vs followe our captayne Christ who by hys owne bloud hath dedicated and hallowed the way whiche leadeath vnto the father that is to the light which no man can attayne the fountayn of the euerlasting ioyes Let vs follow I say whether hee calleth allureth vs that after these afflictions which last but for a moment whereby he tryeth our fayth as gold by the fire we may euerlastingly raygne and triumph with him in the glory of the father and that through the same our Lord and sauior Iesus Christe to whome with the father and the holye Ghost be all honour and glory nowe and for euer Amen Amen Good father forasmuche as I haue determined wyth my selfe to poure forth these my cogitations into your bosome here me thinketh I see you sodainly lifting vp your head towardes heauen after youre maner and then looking vpon me with your propheticall countenaunce and speaking vnto me with these or like woordes Trust not my sonne I beseethe you vouchsafe me the honour of this name for in so doing I shall thinke my selfe both honoured and loued of you Trust not I say my sonne to these worde weapons for the kingdom of God is not in words but in power And remember alwayes the wordes of the Lord do not imagine afore hand what and how you wil speake For it shall be geuen you euen in that same houre what ye shall speake For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you I pray you therfore father pray for me that I may cast my whole care vppon him trust vpon him in all perils For I know and am surely perswaded that whatsoeuer I can imagine or think afore hand it is nothing except he assist me with his spirite when the tyme is I beseeche you therefore Father pray for me that such a complet harnes of the spirite such boldnes of minde may be geuen vnto me that I may out of a true faith say with Dauid I wil not trust in my bow and it is not my sword that shal saue me For he hath no plesure in the strength of an horse c. But the Lordes delight is in them that feare him and put theyr trust in his merây I beseech you pray pray that I may enter this fight only in the name of God and that when all is past I being not ouercome through his gracious ayde may remayne and stand fast in him till that day of the Lord in that which to them that obtayne the victorye shall be geuen the liuely Manna to eate and a triumphant Crowne for euermore Now Father I pray you helpe me to buckle on thys geare a little better For ye know the deepenes of Sathan being an olde souldiar and you haue collored with him or now blessed be God that hath euer ayded you so well I suppose he may well hold you at the baye But truely hee will not be so willing I thinke to ioyne with you as with vs younglinges Syr I beseeche you let your seruaunt reade this my babling vnto you and now and then as it shal seeme vnto you best let your pen runne on my booke spare not to blotte my paper I geue you good leaue Syr I haue caused my man not onely to reade youre armour vnto me but also to write it out For it is not only no bare armure but also well buckled armure I see not how it coulde be better I thanke you euen from the bottome of my hart for it and my prayer shall you not lacke trusting that you doe the like for me For in deede there is the helpe c Many thinges make confusion in memory And if I were as well learned as sainct Paule I woulde not bestow much amongest them further then to gaul theÌ and spurgal too when and where as occasion were geuen and matter came to minde for the lawe shal be their shote anchor staye and refuge Therefore there is no remedye namely now wheÌ they haue the maister bowle in their hand and rule the roste but pacience Better it is to suffer what cruely they wil put vnto vs then to incurre Gods high indignation Wherefore good my Lord be of good cheare in the Lord with due consideration what hee requireth of you and what he doth promise you Our common enemy shall do no more then God will permit him God is faithfull which wil not suffer vs to be teÌpted aboue our streÌgth c. Be at a poynt what ye wil stand vnto sticke vnto that and let them both say and do what they list They can but kil the body whiche otherwise is of it selfe mortall Neyther yet shal they do that when they list but when God wil suffer them when the houre appoynted is come To vse many wordes with them it shal be but in vayne nowe that they haue a bloudy and deadly lawe prepared for theÌ But it is very requisite that ye geue a reasonable accompt of your fayth if they wil quietly heare you els ye knowe in a wicked place of iudgement a man may keepe silence after the example of Christ. Let them not deceiue you with
their sophistical Sophismes and fallacies you knowe that false thinges may haue more apparence of truth then thinges that be most true therefore Paule geueth vs a watcheÌ worde Let no man deceiue you with likelines of speache Neither is it requisite that with the contentious ye shulde follow strife of wordes which tend to no edification but to the subuersion of the hearers and the vayne braggyng and ostentation of the aduersaries Feare of deathe doth most perswade a great number Be well ware of that argument for that perswaded Shaxton as manye menne thought after that he had once made a good profession openly before the iudgement seate The flesh is weake but the willingnes of the spirite shal refresh the weakenesse of the fleshe The number of the cryars vnder the aultar must needs be fulfilled if we be segregated thereunto happy be wee That is the greatest promotion that God geueth in thys world to be such Phillippians to whome it is geuen not only to beleue but also to suffer c. But who is able to do these thinges Surely all our habilitie all our sufficiencye is of God He requireth and promiseth Let vs declare our obedience to his wil when it shal be requisite in the ryme of trouble yea in the middest of the fire When that number is fulfilled which I weene shal be shortly then haue at the papists when they shal say peace al things are safe when Christ shal come to keep his great Parliament to the redresse of al things that be amisse But he shal not come as the papistes fayne him to hide himself and to play bo piepe as it were vnder a peece of bread but he shal come gloriously to the terrour and feare of all Papistes but to the great consolation and comfort of all that wil here suffer for him Comfort your selues one an other with these wordes Lo syr here I haue blotted youre paper vaynely and played the foole egregiously but so I thought better theÌ not to doe your request at this time Pardon me and praye for me pray for me I say pray for me I saye For I am some time so feareful that I would creep vnto a mouse hoale some time God doth visite me agayne with his comforte So he commeth and goeth to teache me to feel to know mine infirmitie to thintent to geue thankes to him that is worthy least I shuld rob hym of hys duety as many do almost al the world Fare you well What credence is to be geueÌ to papists it may appeare by their racking writhing wrinching and moÌstrously iniuryng of Gods holy scripture as appeareth in the popes law But I dwell here now in a schole of obliuiousnesse Fare you well once agayne and be you steadfast and vnmoueable in the Lord. Paule loued Timothy meruelous well notwithstanding he sayth vnto him Be thou partetaker of the afflictions of the Gospell and agayne Harden thy selfe to suffer afflictions Bee faythfull vnto the death and I wyll geue thee a Crowne of life sayth the Lorde * Here followeth the letters of the reuerend Byshop and Martyr Nicholas Ridley * A letter sent from Bishop Ridley and his prison fellowes vnto M. Bradford and his prison fellowes in the Kynges Benche in Southwarke an 1554. WEll beloued in Christ our sauiour we all with one hart wish to you with all those that loue God in deede and truth grace and health and especially to oure dearely beloued companions which are in Christes cause and the cause both of theyr brethren and of theyr own saluation to put their neck willingly vnder the yoke of Christes crosse How ioyfull it was to vs to heare the reporte of Doctour Taylour and of hys godly confession c. I ensure you it is hard for me to expresse Blessed be God whiche was and is the geuer of that and of all godly strength and stomacke in the tyme of aduersitie As for the rumours that haue or doe goe abroad eyther of our relenting or massing we trust that they whiche knowe God and their duety towardes theyr brethren in Christ will not be too light of credence For it is not the slaunderers euill tongue but a mans euil deede that can with God defile a man and therefore with Gods grace ye shall neuer haue other cause to do otherwise then ye say ye do that is not to doubt but that we wiâl by Gods grace continue c. Like rumour as yee haue heard of our comming to London hath bene here spread of the comming of certayne learned men prisoners hither from London but as yet wee knowe no certaintie whether of these rumours is or shal be more true Know you that wee haue you in our dayly remembraunce and wishe you and al the rest of our foresayd companions well in Christ. It shuld do vs much comfort if we might haue knowledge of the state of the rest of oure most dearely beloued which in this troublesome tyme do stand in Christes cause and in the defence of the truth thereof Somewhat we haue heard of mayster Hoopers matter but of the rest neuer a deale We long to heare of father Crome Doctor Sandys M. Saunders Ueron Beacon Rogers c. wee are in good health thankes be to God and yet the maner of our entreating doth chaunge as sowre ale doth in summer It is reported to vs of our keepers that the Uniuersitie beareth vs heauily A cole chaunced to fall in the night out of the chimney and burnt a hole in the floore and no more harme was done the Balyffes seruauntes sittyng by the fire An other night there chaunced as mayster Bailiffes told vs a dronken fellow to multiply wordes and for the same he was set in Bocardo Upon these things as is reported there is risen a rumour in the towne and country about that we should haue broken the prison with such violence as if mayster Bayliffes had not playde the prettye men we should haue made a scape We had out of our pryson a wall that we might haue walked vpon and our seruauntes had libertie to goe abroad in the towne or fieldes but now both they and we are restrayned of both My Lord of Worcester passed by through Oxford but he did not visite vs. The same day beganne our restraynt to be more and the booke of the Communion was taken from vs by the Bayliffes at the Maiors commaundement as the Bayliffes did report to vs. No man is licensed to come vnto vs afore they might that woulde see vs vppon the wall but that is so grudged at and so euill reported that we are now restrayned c. Sir blessed be god with all our euill reportes grudges and restrayntes we are merry in God and all our cure and care is and shall be by Gods grace to please and serue him of whom we look and hope after this temporal and momentany miseries to haue eternall ioye and perpetuall felicitie with Abraham
first chapter that it is not onely geuen you to beleue in the Lord but also to suffer persecution for his sake Wherefore take this for a sure conclusion that there where the word of God is truely preached there is persecution aswell of the hearers as of the teachers and where as is quietnesse and rest in worldlye pleasure there is not the trueth For the world loueth all that are of the world hateth al thinges that is contrary to it And to be short S. Paule calleth the Gospell the word of the crosse the word of punishment And the holy Scripture doth promise nothing to the fauourers and followers of it in this worlde but trouble vexation and persecution which these worldly men cannot suffer nor away withall Therefore pleaseth it your good Grace to returne to this golden rule of our Mayster Sauiour Iesus Christ which is this by theyr fruites ye shall know them For where you set persecution there is the Gospell and there is the trueth and they that doe persecute be voyde and wythout all trueth not caryng for the cleare light which as our Sauior Iesus Christ sayth in the third Chapter of Saynt Iohns Gospell is come into the worlde and which shall vtter and shewe forth euery mans workes And they whose workes be nought dare not come to this light but goe aboute to stop it and hinder it letting as muche as they may that the holy scripture should not be read in our mother touÌg saying that it would cause heresye and insurrection and so they perswade at the least way they would faine perswade your Grace to keepe it back But here marke their shamelesse boldnesse which be not ashamed contrary to Christes doctrine to gather figges of Thornes and grapes of bushes and to cal light darckenesse and darckenesse light sweete sower and sower sweete good euill and euill good and to say that that whiche teacheth all obedience shoulde cause dissension and strife but suche is theyr bellye wysedome therewith they iudge and measure euery thing to holde and keepe still this wicked Mammon the goods of this worlde which is theyr GOD and hath so blinded the eyes of theyr hartes that they canne not see the cleare light of the Sacred Scripture though they bable neuer so much of it But as concerning this matter other men haue shewed your Grace theyr mindes howe necessarye it is to haue the Scripture in Englishe The whiche thing also your Grace hath promised by your last Proclamation the whiche promise I pray God that your gracious highnesse may shortly perfourme euen to day before to morrow Nor let not the wickednesse of these worldly men deceiue you from your Godly purpose and promise Remember the subtle worldly wise Counsellours of Hammon the sonne of Naas king of the Ammonites which when Dauid had sent his Seruauntes to comfort the young King for the death of his Father by craftye imaginations counselled Hammon not alonely not to receiue them gentlye but to entreate them moste shamefully and cruelly saying that they came not to comfort him but to espye and searche his lande so that afterward they bringing Dauid word how euery thing stood Dauid mighte come and conquere it And so they caused the young king to sheare theyr heades and cut theyr coates by the poyntes and sent theÌ away like fooles whom he ought rather to haue made much of and to haue entreated them gently and haue geuen them great thankes and rewards O wretched Councellers But see what followed of thys carnall and worldly wisedome Truly nothing but destruction of all the whole Realme and also of all them whiche tooke theyr partes Therefore good king seeyng that the right Dauid that is to say our Sauiour Christ hath sent his Seruauntes that is to say true preachers and his owne worde also to comfort our weake and sicke soules let not these worldlye menne make your Grace beleue that they wil cause insurrections and heresies and such mischiefes as they imagine of theyr owne madde braynes least that he be auenged vpon you and your Realme as was Dauid vpon the Ammonites and as he hath euer beene auenged vppon them which haue obstinately withstand and gainsayd his word But peraduenture they will lay this agaynst me and saye that experience doth shew how that such men as call them selues folowers of the Gospell regardeth not your Graces commaundement neither set by your Proclamation and that was well prooued by these persons which of late were punished in London for keeping of suche bookes as your grace had prohibited by proclamation and so like as they regarded not this so they will not regard or esteme other your Graces lawes statutes and ordinaunces But this is but a craftye perswasion For your grace knoweth that there is no manne liuing specially that loueth worldly promotion that is so foolish to set forth promote or enhaunce his enemy wherby he should be let of his worldly pleasures and fleshly desires but rather he will seek all the wayes possible that he can vtterly to confouÌd destroy and put him out of the way And so as coÌcerning your last proclamation prohibiting such books the very true cause of it and chiefe Counsellors as men saye and of likelyhoode it should be were they whose euill liuing and cloked hypocrisy these bookes vttered and disclosed And howbeit that there were 3. or 4. that would haue had the Scripture to go forth in Englishe yet it happened there as it is euermore sene that the most parte ouercommeth the better and so it might be that these men did not take this proclamation as yours but as theyrs set foorth in your name as they haue done many times moe which hath put this your Realme in great hinderaunce and trouble and brought it to great penury and more would haue done if God had not mercifully prouided to bring your Grace to knowledge of the falsehoode and priuy treason which theyr head and Captayne was about and be you sure not without adherents if the matter be duely searched For what maruel is it that they being so nigh of your Councell and so familiar wyth your Lordes shoulde prouoke both your Grace and them to prohibite these bookes which before by theyr owne authority haue forbidden the new Testament vnder payn of euerlasting damnation for such is theyr maner to sende a thousand men to hel ere they send one to God and yet the new Testament and so I thinke by the other was meâkely offered to euery man that would and could to amend it if there were any fault Moreouer I will aske them the causes of all insurrections whiche hath beene in this Realme heretofore And whence is it that there be so many Extortioners bribers murtherers and theeues which dayly do not breake onely your graces lawes ordinaunces and statutes but also the lawes and commaundementes of almighty God I think they will not say these bookes but rather
my neighbour c. How so good Mayster N Wherein Or how will you proue it to be true and when So you sayd that he had abused you and geuen you wrong information but the contrary is found true by good testimony of Mayster Chamber whiche heard aswell as you what my neighbour sayd and hath testified the same both to you and agaynst you full like himselfe Maister N. to forge and feine which argueth an ill cause that is one thing but to proue what a man doth say that is an other thyng As though you were priuiledged to outface poore men beare them in hand what you list as may seeme to make some mayntenaunce for your naughty cause Trust me Mayster N. I was but a very litle acquaynted with my neighbor when this matter begaÌ but now I haue found him so conformable to honesty vpright in his dealinges and so true in his talke that I esteme him better then I do some other whom I haue perceiued and founde otherwayes For I will flatter no man nor yet claw his backe in hys folly but esteeme all menne as I finde them allowing what is good and disalowing what is bad In omnibus hominibus siue amicis siue inimicis iuxta praeceptum Paulinum à filijs huius seculi in precio non habitum Sitis odio inquit prosequentes quod malum est adhaerentes autem ei quod bonum est Neque bonum malum nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus vnquam id quod filij huius seculi vulgo faciunt vt est videre vbique And nowe what maner of man doe you make me Mayster N. when you note me to bee so muche abused by so ignoraunt a man so simple so playne and so farre without all wrinckles Haue I liued so long in this tottering worlde and haue I bene so many wayes turmoyled and tossed vp and downe and so muche as it were seasoned with the powder of so many experiences to and fro to bee nowe so farre bewitched and alienated from my wyttes as thoughe I coulde not discerne cheese from chalke trueth from falsehoode but that euery sely soule and base witted man might easely abuse me to what enterprise he listed at his pleasure Well I say not nay but I may bee abused But why doe you not tell we howe your brother abused me promising before me and many moe that he woulde stand to your awardship and nowe doth denye it Why do you not tell me how those two false faythlesse wretches abused me promising also to abide your awarde and doth it not Yea why do you not tell me how you your selfe haue abused me promising me to redresse the iniury and wrong that your brother hath done to my neighbour and haue not fulfilled your promise These notable abuses bee nothing with you but onely you muste needes burthen me with my neighbours abusing me whiche is none at all as farreforth as euer I coulde perceiue so GOD helpe mee in my need For if he had abused me as you and other haue done I should be soone at a point with him for any thing further doing for him c. Item Syr you sayde further that I shall neuer bee able to proue that either your brother or the two tenauntes agreed to stand to your award c. No Syr Mayster N. you say belike as you would haue it to be or as your brother with his adherentes haue persuaded you to think it to be so inducing you to do their request to your owne shame and rebuke if you perseuer in the same beside the perill of your soule for consenting at least waâ to the mainteinance by falshood of your brothers iniquity For in that you would your awardship should take none effect you shew your selfe nothing inclinable to the redresse of your brothers vnright dealing with an honest poore man which hath bene readye at your request to doe you pleasure with his thinges or els hee had neuer come into this wrangle for his owne goodes with your brother Ah Mayster N. what maner of man do you shew your selfe to be or what maner of conscience do you shew your selfe to haue For first as touching your brother you know right well that Sir Thomas Cokin with a Letter of his owne hand writing hath witnessed vnto your brothers agreement which letter he sent to me vnsealed and I shewed the same to my neighbour and other mo ere I sealed it and perchaunce haue a copye of the same yet to shewe With what conscience then can you say that I shall neuer be able to prooue it Shall not three men vpon theyr othes make a sufficient proofe trow you vel ipso dicente Domino in ore duorum vel trium c. Yea you thinke it true I dare saye in your conscience if you haue any conscience though I were in my graue and so vnable to proue any thing And as for the two tenauntes they bee as they be and I trust to see them handled according as they be for there be three men yet aliue that dare sweare vpon a booke that they both did agree But what should we looke for at such mens handes when you your selfe play the part you do Verum viuit adhuc Deus qui videt omnia iudicat iustè c. Item Syr you sayd yet further that the Iustices of peace in the countrey thinke you verye vnnaturall in taking part with me before your brother c. Ah Mayster N. what a sentence is this to come out of your mouth For partaking is one thing and ministring of iustice is an other thing and a worthy minister of iustice will bee no Partaker but one indifferent betweene party and partye And did I require you to take my parte I praye you No I required you to minister iustice betweene your brother and mine neighbour without anye partaking with either other But what maner of Iustices bee they I praye you whiche would so fayne haue you to take parte naturally with your Brother when you ought and shoulde reforme and amende your brother as you your selfe know no man better What Iustices no Iuggelers you might more worthely call such as they be then Iustices Be they those Iustices whiche call you vnnaturall for that you will not take your brothers part agaynst all right conscience whom you had picked out appoynted to haue the final hearing and determining of my neighbours cause after your substantiall and fine award making Verely I thinke no lesse Forsooth he is much beholding to you I also for his sake Is that the wholesome couÌsell that you haue to geue your poore neighbours in theyr need In deed you shew your selfe a worthy Iuggler Oh I would haue sayd a Iusticier among other of your iuggling and partaking Iustices Deum bonum what is this worlde Mary Syr my neighbour had sponne a fayre thred if your partaking Iustices through your good counsell had had
appoint the same to Rome that there and no where els is the foundation of Christes churche But I am fully perswaded that Christes church is euery where founded in euery place where his Gospell is truly receaued effectually followed And in that the churche of God is in doubte I vse here in the wise counsayle of Vyncentinus Lyranensis whoÌ I am sure you will allow who geuing preceptes howe the catholicke churche maye be in all schismes and heresies knowne writeth in thys maner When sayth he one parte is corrupted with heresyes then preferre the whole worlde before that one part but if the greatest parte bee infected then preferre antyquitie In like sort now when I perceaue the greatest parte of Christianitie to be infected with the poyson of the sea of Rome I repayre to the vsage of the primitiue church which I finde cleane contrary to the Popes decrees as in that the Priest receaueth alone that it is made vnlawfull to to the Laitye to receaue in both kindes and such lyke Wherefore it requireth that I preferre the antiquitie of the primatiue church before the nouelty of the Romysh church Lincol. Mayster Ridley these faults which you charge the Sea of Rome withall are in deede no faultes For first it was neuer forbid the Laitie but that they myghte if they demaunded receaue vnder bothe kyndes You know also that Chryst after hys resurrection at what tyme he went wyth hys Apostles to Galile opened hym selfe by breaking of bread You know that saynct Paule after hys longe sayling towardes Rome brake breade and that the Apostles came together in breakyng of bread whiche declareth that it is not vnlawfull to minister the Sacrament vnder the forme of breade onely and yet the churche hadde iust occasion to decree that the laytye shoulde receaue in one kinde onely thereby to take away an opinion of the vnlearned that Chryst was not wholy both flesh and bloud vnder the forme of bread Therfore to take away theyr opinion and to establishe better the peoples faythe the holy Ghost in the churche thoughte good to decree that the Laitie woulde receaue onelye in one kynde and it is no newes for the Church vppon iust consideration to alter rites and ceremonies For you read in the Actes of the Apostles that saynct Paule writyng to certayne of the Gentiles whiche had receaued the Gospel biddeth them to abstayne a suffogato sanguine from thynges stifled and from bloud so that this seemeth to bee an expresse commaundement yet who will saye but that it is lawfull to eate bloudings how is it lawfull but by theyr permission of the Church Ridly My Lord such thinges as saynct Paule enioyned to the Gentiles for a sufferaunce by a little and little to win the Iewes to Christ were onely commandementes of tyme and respected not the successours but Chrystes commaundement do this that is that which he dyd in remembraunce which was not to minister in one kind onely was not a commaundement for a tyme but to perseuer to the worldes end But the Bishop of Lincolne not attending to this answere without any stay proceeded in his Oration So that the Churche seemeth to haue authoritie by the holy Ghost whome Christ sayd he woulde send after hys ascension whiche should teache the Apostles all truthe to haue power and iurisdiction to alter suche poyntes of the Scripture euer reseruing the foundation but wee came not as I sayd before in this sort to reason the matter wyth you but haue certayne instructions ministred vnto vs according to the tenour of the whiche wee must proceede proposing certayne articles vnto the which we require your aunswere directly eyther affirmatiuely eyther negatiuely to euery of them eyther denying them either graunting them without farther disputations or reasoning for we haue already stretched our instructions in that wee suffered you to debate and reason the matter in such sort as wee haue done the whiche articles you shall heare now and to morrow at eyght of the clocke in saynct Maryes Churche we will require and take youre aunsweres and then according to the same proceede if you require a copy of them you shall haue it pen inke and paper also all such bookes as you shall demaunde if they be to be gotten in the Uniuersitie The Articles IN dei nomine Amen Nos Iohannes Lincolne Iacobus Glocest Iohannes Bristol Episcopi per reuerendis dominum Reginaldum miseratione diuina S. Mariae in Cosmedin c. 1 We doe obiecte to the Nic. Ridley and to thee Hughe Latimer ioyntly and seuerally first that thou Nicholas Ridley in this high Uniuersitie of Oxford Anno. 1554. in the monthes of Aprill May Iune Iulye or in some one or moe of theÌ hast affirmed and openly defended maintayned and in many other tymes and places besides that the true and naturall body of Christe after the consecration of the priest is not really present in the sacrament of the altar 2. Item that in the yeare and monthes aforesayde thou hast publickely affirmed and defended that in the Sacrament of the altar remayneth still the substaunce of breade and wine 3. Item that in the sayde yeare and monthes thou hast openly affirmed and obstinately mayntayned that in the Masse is no propiciatory Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead 4. Item that in the yeare place and monthes aforesayd these thy foresayd assertions solemnly haue bene condemned by the scholasticall censure of this schoole as hereticall and contrarye to the Catholicke fayth by the worshipful M. Doctor Weston Prolocutour then of the conuocation house as also by other learned men of bothe the Uniuersities 5. Item that all and singular the premisses be true notorious famous and openly knowne by publicke fame as well to them neare hand as also to them in distaunt places farre of Examination vppon the sayd Articles ALl these articles I thought good here to place together that as often as hereafter rehearsall shall be of any of them the reader may haue recourse hether and peruse the same and not to trouble the storye with seuerall repeticions thereof Lincolne After these Articles were read the Bishoppes tooke counsayle togethers At the last the Bishop of Lincolne sayde these are the very same Articles whiche you in open disputation here in the Uniuersitie did mayntayn and defend What say you vnto the first I praye you aunswere affirmatiuely or negatiuely Ridly Why my Lorde I supposed your gentlenes had bene such that you would haue geuen me space vntyll to morow that vpon good aduisement I might bring a determinate aunswere Lincoln Yea M. Ridley I meane not that youre aunsweres nowe shall be preiudiciall to your aunsweres to morow I will take your aunsweres at this tyme and yet notwithstaÌding it shal be lawfull to you to adde diminish alter and chaunge of these answeres to morow what you will Ridly In deede in like maner at our laste disputations I hadde many thinges promised and fewe performed It was sayde
it remayned in the sea of Rome This if you shall confesse with vs acknowledge with all the realme your errours and false assertions then shall you doe that whiche we most desire then shall we rest vppon the first part of our Commission then shall we receiue you acknowledge you one of the Churche and according to the authoritie geuen vnto vs minister vnto you vpon due repentaunce the benefite of absolution to the whiche the Kyng and Queene their Maiesties were not ashamed to submit them selues although they of them selues were vnspotted and therefore needed no reconciliation yet lest the putrification and rottennesse of all the body myght be noysome and do damage to the head also they as I sayd most humbly submitted them selues to my Lorde Cardinall his grace by hym as Legate to the Popes holynes to bee partakers of the reconciliation but if you shall stubburnely perseuer in your blindnes if you wyll not acknowledge your errours if you as you stande nowe alone wyll be singular in your opinions if by schisme and heresie you wyll styll diuide your selfe from our Churche then must wee proceede to the seconde part of the Commission which we would be loth to do that is not to condemne you for that wee can not doe that the temporall sworde of the Realme and not wee will do but to separate you from vs acknowledge you to be none of vs to renounce you as no member of the Churche to declare that you are filius perditionis a lost chylde and as you are a rotten member of the Churche so to cut you of from the Church and so to commit you to the temporall Iudges permittyng them to proceede agaynst you accordyng to the tenor of their lawes Therefore M. Latimer for Gods loue consider your estate remember you are a learned man you haue taken degrees in the Schole borne the office of a Byshop remember you are an olde man spare your body accelerate not your death especially remember your soules health quiet of your conscience consyder that if you shoulde dye in this state you shall be a stinkyng sacrifice to God for it is the cause that maketh the Martyr and not the death consyder that if you dye in this state you dye without grace for without the Churche can be no saluation Let not vayne glory haue the vpper hande humiliate your selfe captiuate your vnderstandyng subdue your reason submit your selfe to the determination of the Churche doe not force vs to doe all that we may doe let vs rest in that parte whiche wee most hartely desyre and I for my part then the Byshop put of his cap agayne with all my hart exhort you After the Byshop had somewhat paused then M. Latimer lift vp his head for before he leaned on his elbowe and asked whether his Lordshyp had sayd and the Byshop answered yea Lati. Then will your Lordship geue me leaue to speake a worde oâ two Linc Yea M. Latimer so that you vse a modest kynd of talke without raysing or tauntes Lati. I beseech your Lordshyp licence me to sit downe Linc. At your pleasure M. Latimer take as much ease as you wyll Lati. Your Lordshyppe gentlye exhorted mee in manye woordes to come to the vnitie of the Churche I confesse my Lorde a Catholicke Churche spread throughout all the worlde in the whiche no man may erre without the whiche vnitie of the Churche no man can be saued but I knowe perfectly by Gods woorde that this Churche is in all the worlde and hath not his foundation in Rome only as you say and me thought your Lordshyp brought a place out of the Scriptures to confirme the same that there was a iurisdiction geuen to Peter in that Christe bad hym regere gouerne his people In deede my Lord sainct Peter did well and truely his office in that he was byd regere but since the Byshoppes of Rome haue taken a new kynd of regere In deede they ought to regere but how my Lord not as they will them selues but this regere must be hedged in and digged in They must regere but secundum verbum dei they must rule but accordyng to the worde of God But the Byshops of Rome haue turned regere secundum verbum dei into regere secundum voluntatem suam they haue turned the rule accordyng to the woorde of GOD into the rule accordyng to their owne pleasures and as it pleaseth them best as there is a booke set foorth whiche hath diuers poyntes in it and amongest other this poynt is one whiche your Lordshyppe went about to proue by this woorde regere and the argument whiche he bryngeth foorth for the proofe of that matter is taken out of Deuteronomie where it is sayde if there ryseth anye controuersie amonge the people the Priestes Leuitici generis of the order of Leuiticus shall decide the matter secundum legem dei accordyng to the lawe of GOD so it muste be taken This booke perceyuing this authoritie to be geuen to the Priestes of the olde lawe taketh occasion to proue the same to be geuen to the Byshops and other the Cleargy of the new law but in prouyng this matter where as it was sayde there as the Priestes of the order of Leuiticus shoulde determine the matter accordyng to Gods law that accordyng to Gods law is left out and onely is recited as the Priestes of the order of Leuiticus shall decide the matter so it ought to be taken of the people a large authoritie I ensure you What gelding of Scripture is this what clippyng of Gods coyne With the which termes the audience smiled This is muche like the regere whiche your Lordshyp talked of Nay nay my Lordes we may not geue such authoritie to the Clergie to rule all thynges as they wyll Let them keepe them selues within their commission Now I trust my Lord I do not rayle yet Linc. No M. Latimer your talke is more like tauntes then rayling but in that I haue not red the booke which you blame so much nor knowe not of any suche I can say nothyng therein Lati. Yes my Lorde the booke is open to be red and is intituled to one whiche is Bishop of Glocester whom I neuer knew neither did at any tyme see him to my knowledge With that the people laughed because the Byshop of Glocester sat there in commission Then the Byshop of Glocester stoode vp and sayd it was his booke Lati. Was it yours my Lorde In deede I knewe not your Lordshyp neither euer did see you before neither yet see you now through the brightnes of the Sunne shining betwixt you and me Then the audience laughed agayne and Maister Latimer spake vnto them saying Why my maisters this is no laughyng matter I aunsweare vppon lyfe and death Vae vobis qui redetis nunc quoniam flebitis The Byshoppe of Lincolne commaunded silence and then sayde Linc. M. Latimer if you had kept
your selfe within your boundes if you had not vsed such scoffes and tauntes this had not bene done After this the Byshop of Glocester sayde in excusing of his booke Gloc. M. Latimer hereby euery man may see what learnyng you haue Then M. Latimer interrupted hym saying Lati. Lo you looke for learnyng at my handes whiche haue gone so longe to the schole of obliuion makynge the bare walles my Librarie keepyng me so long in prison without booke or penne and inke and nowe you let me lose to come and aunsweare to Articles You deale with me as though two were appoynted to fyght for lyfe and death and ouer nyght the one through friendes and fauour is cheryshed hath good counsayle geuen hym howe to encounter with his enemie The other for enuye or lacke of friendes all the whole nyght is set in the stockes In the mornyng when they shall meete the one is in strength and lusty the other is starke of his limmes and almoste dead for feeblenes Thynke you that to runne through this man with a speare is not a goodly victory But the Byshoppe of Glocester interruptyng his aunswere proceeded saying Glo. I went not about to recite any places of Scripture in that place of my booke for then if I had not recited it faythfully you myght haue had iust occasion of reprehention but I only in that place formed an argument á maiorâ in this sense that if in the olde lawe the Priestes had power to decide matters of controuersies muche more then ought the authoritie to be geuen to the clergy in the new law and I pray you in this poynt what auayleth the rehersall secundum legem dei Lati. Yes my Lorde very muche For I acknowledge authoritie to be geuen to the spiritualtie to decide matter of Religion and as my Lord sayd euen nowe to regere but they must do it secundum verbum dei and not secundum voluntatem suam according to the worde and lawe of God and not after their owne will after their owne imaginations and fantasies The Byshop of Glocester woulde haue spoken more sauyng that the Byshop of Lincolne sayde that they came not to dispute with M. Latimer but to take his determinate aunsweres to their Articles and so began to propose the same Articles whiche were proposed to M. Ridley But M. Latimer interrupted him speaking to the bishop of Glocester well my Lord I could wish more faythfull dealyng with Gods woorde and not to leaue out a part and snatche a part here and an other there but to rehearse the whole faythfully But the Byshoppe of Lincolne not attendyng to this saying of Maister Latimer proceeded in rehearsing the Articles in forme and sense as I declared before in the examination of the Articles proposed to Maister Ridley and requyred Maister Latimers aunswere the fyrst Then Maister Latimer makyng his protestation that notwithstandyng these his aunsweres it shoulde not bee taken that thereby he would acknowledge any authoritie of the Byshoppe of Rome saying that he was the Kyng and Queene their Maiesties subiecte and not the Popes neyther coulde serue two maisters at one tyme except he should first renounce one of them required the Notaries so to take his protestation that what soeuer hee shoulde saye or do it shoulde not be taken as though he did thereby agree to any authoritie that came from the Byshop of Rome Linc. The Byshop of Lincolne sayd that his protestation shoulde be so taken but he required him to aunsweare briefly affirmatiuely or negatiuely to the first Article and so recited the same agayne and Maister Latimer aunswered as foloweth Lati. I doe not deny my Lorde that in the Sacrament by spirite and grace is the very body and bloud of Christ because that euery man by receiuyng bodylye that bread and wine spiritually receyueth the body and bloud of Christe and is made partaker thereby of the merites of Christes Passion but I denye that the body and bloud of Christe is in such sort in the Sacrament as you woulde haue it Linc. Then Maister Latimer you aunsweare affirmatiuely Lati. Yea if you meane of that grosse and carnall beyng which you do take The Notaries tooke his aunsweares to bee affirmatiuely Linc. What say you Maister Latimer to the seconde Article and recited the same Lati. There is my Lorde a chaunge in the bread and wine and suche a chaunge as no power but the omnipotencie of GOD can make in that that whiche before was bread shoulde nowe haue that dignitie to exhibite Christes body yet the bread is still bread and the wine still wine for the chaunge is not in the nature but in the dignitie because nowe that whiche was common bread hath the dignitie to exhibite Christes body for where as it was common bread it is nowe no more common bread neither ought it it to be so taken but as holy bread sanctified by Gods worde With that the Byshop of Lincolne smyled saying Linc. Lo Maister Latimer see what stedfastnesse is in your doctrine That whiche you abhorred and despised moste you now most establyshe for where as you moste rayled at holy bread you nowe make your communion holy bread Lati. Tush a rushe for holy bread I say the bread in the communion is an holy bread in deede But the Byshoppe of Lincolne interrupted hym and sayde Linc. O you make a difference betwene holy bread and holy bread with that the audience laughed Well maister Latimer is not this your aunsweare that the sustaunce of bread and wine remayneth after the wordes of consecration Lati. Yes verely it must nedes bee so for Christ him selfe calleth it bread Saint Paul calleth it bread the Doctours confesseth the same the nature of a Sacrament confirmeth the same and I call it holy bread not in that I make no difference betwixt your holy bread this but for the holy office whiche it beareth that is to be a figure of Christes body and not onely a bare figure but effectually to represent the same So the Notaries penned his aunsweare to be affirmatiuely Linc. What say you to the third question and recited the same Lati. No no my Lorde Christe made one perfect Sacrifice for all the whole world neither can any man offer him agayne neither can the Priest offer vp Christe agayne for the sinnes of man which he tooke away by offeryng hym selfe once for all as Saint Paul sayth vppon the crosse neither is there any propitiation for our sinnes sauyng his crosse onely So the Notaries penned his aunswere to this Article also to be affirmatiuely Linc. What say you to the fourth Maister Latimer and recited it After the recitall whereof when Maister Latimer aunsweared not the Byshop asked hym whether he heard him or no Lati. Yes but I doe not vnderstande what you meane thereby Linc. Mary onely this that these your assertions were condemned by M. Doctor Weston as heresies is it not so M. Latimer
Lati. Yes I thinke they were condemned But how vniustly he that shall be iudge of all knoweth So the Notaries tooke his aunswere to this Article also to be affirmatiuely Linc. What say you M. Latimer to the v. Article and recited it Lati. I knowe not what you meane by these termes I am no Lawyer I would you would propose the matter plainely Linc. In that we proceede accordyng to the lawe we muste vse their termes also The meanyng onely is this that these your assertions are notorious euill spoken of and yet common and recent in the mouthes of the people Lati. I can not tell howe muche nor what men talke of them I come not so muche among them in that I haue bene secluded a long tyme. What men report of them I knowe not nor care not This aunswere taken the Bishop of Lincolne sayd Linc. M. Latimer we meane not that these your aunsweres shal be preiudiciall to you To morowe you shall appeare before vs againe and then it shal be lawfull for you to alter and chaunge what you wyll We geue you respite till to morowe trustyng that after you haue pondered well all thynges against to morowe you wyll not be ashamed to confesse the truth Lati. Now my Lord I pray you geue me licence in three wordes to declare the causes why I haue refused the authoritie of the Pope Linc. Nay M. Latimer to morowe you shall haue lycence to speake xl wordes Lati. Nay my Lords I beseech you to do with me now as it shall please your Lordships I pray you let not me be troubled to morow agayne Linc. Yes M. Latimer you must needes appeare againe to morowe Lati. Truely my Lorde as for my part I require no respite for I am at a poynt you shall geue me respite in vayne Therefore I pray you let not me trouble you to morowe Linc Yes for wee trust God wyll woorke with you agaynst to morowe There is no remedy you must needes appeare agayne to morowe at eight of the clocke in sainct Maries Church And forthwith the Bishop charged the Maior with M. Latimer dismissed him and then brake vp their Session for that day about one of the clocke at after noone ¶ Here foloweth the second Session THE next day followyng which was the fyrst daye of October somewhat after eyght of the clocke the sayde Lordes repayred to S. Maries Churche and after they were set in a high throne well trimmed with clothe of tissewe and silke then appeared M. Ridley who was set at a framed table a good space from the Bishops feete which table had a silke clothe cast ouer it the which place was compassed about with framed seates in quadrate forme partly for Gentlemen which repaired thither for this was the Session day also of Gaile deliuery heades of the Uniuersitie to sit and partly to keepe of the preasse of the audience for the whole body as well of the Uniuersitie as of the towne came thither to see the end of these two persons After M. Ridleyes appearaunce and the silence of the audience the Bishoppe of Lincolne spake in maner folowyng Linc. M. Ridley yesterday when that we challenged you for not vncoueryng your head you excused your selfe of that whereof no man accused you in saying you dyd not put on your cap for any obstinacie towarde vs whiche as touchyng our owne persons desired no suche obedience of you but onely in respect of them whose persons we beare neyther you sayde for any contempt that you beare to this worshipfull audience whiche although iustly may yet in this case require no such humilitie of you neither for any derogation of honour to my Lorde Cardinalles grace in that he descended from the regall bloud in that he is a man most noble both for his excellent qualities singular learnyng for as touching those pointes you sayde you with all humilitie woulde honour reuerence and worshyp his grace but in that he is Legate to the most reuerent father in God the Popes holynes with that the Bishop with all then present put of their cappes but M. Ridley moued not his you sayd you ne coulde ne would by any meanes be induced to geue him honor but for as muche as this is the poynt as we tolde you yesterday why we require honour and reuerence of you we tel you nowe as wee did then except you take the paynes to moue your bonet we will take the paynes to cause your bonet to be taken from you except you pretend sicknesse as yesterday you did not Rid. I pretende now none other cause then I did yesterday that is onely that hereby it may appeare that not onely in worde and confession but also by all my gesture and behauiour in no poynt I agree or admit any authoritie or power that shall come from the Pope and nor for any pryde of mynde as GOD is my iudge neyther for contempt of your Lordshyps or of this worshypfull audience neither for derogation of honour due to my Lorde Cardinalles grace as concernyng those poyntes whiche your Lordshyp spake of that is his noble Parentage and singular graces in Learnyng And as for takyng my cap away your Lordshyp may doe as it shall please you it shall not offende me but I shall be content with your ordinance in that behalfe Linc. For as much as you do aunswere now as you did yesterday we must doe also as we did then and forthwith one of the Bedles very hastely snatched his cap from his head ¶ After this the Bishop of Lincolne began the examination in sense folowyng Linc. Maister Ridley yesterday wee tooke your aunswere to certayne Articles which we then proposed vnto you but because wee coulde not be throughly satisfied with your aunsweare then to the fyrste Article neyther coulde the Notaries take any determinate aunsweare of you we you requiryng the same graunted you lycence to bryng your aunswere in wryting and thereupon commaunded the Maior that you shoulde haue penne paper and inke yea any bookes also that you woulde require if they were to bee gotten we licenced you then also to alter your former aunsweares this day at your pleasure Therefore we are come nowe hether to see whether you are in the same mynde nowe that you were in yesterdaye whiche we woulde not wyshe or contrary contented to reuoke all your former assertions and in all poyntes content to submitte your selfe to the determination of the vniuersall Churche and I for my part moste earnestly exhort you and therewith he put of his cappe not because my conscience pricketh me as you sayde yesterday but because I see you a rotten member and in the way of perdition Yesterday I brought foorth amongest other S. Austen to proue that authorite hath alwayes bene geuen to the sea of Rome and you wrested the woordes farre contrary to S. Austens meanyng in that you woulde haue totus mundus to be applyed onely to
shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye then shall the Children of God appeare what they be euen like vnto Christ for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vnto Christes glorious body and that by the power wherby he is able to subdue vnto himselfe al thinges Then that which is now corruptible shall be made incorruptible that nowe is vile shall then bee made glorious that is now weake shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and haue the vnspeakable ioy and fruâtion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is Who or what then shall let vs to ieoparde to ieopard yea to spende this lyfe whiche wee haue here in Christes cause in our Lorde God his cause O thou therefore man of God thou yâ art loden so letted like vnto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after suche things as I haue spoken of stand fast what soeuer shall befall in thy maysters cause and take this thy letting to flye for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause Of this be thou certaine they can do nothing vnto thee whiche thy father is not aware of or hath not foreseene before they can do no more theÌ it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church and thine owne saluation Let theÌ then do what they shall seeing to thee O man of God all thinges shall be forced to serue and to worke with thee vnto the best before God O be not afrayd and remember the end All this whiche I haue spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnder the banner of the crosse of Chryste and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice and to sticke to him as men of trusty seruice in hys cause euen vnto death and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause is to win it in eternal glory for euermore Therfore now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise I say vnto all that loue God our heauenly father that loue Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure that loue to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all vnto al that loue Christs spouse and bodye the true catholicke Churche of Christe yea that loue lyfe and theyr owne soules health I say vnto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters all you that be of God of all sortes ages dignities or degrees hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel Feare not them whiche kill the body for they cannot kil the soule but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light vpon the ground without your father All the heares of your head be numbed Feare them not you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes Euery one that confesseth me before men him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen But who soeuer shall deny me before men I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen The Lord graunt vs therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation that he may confesse vs agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heaueÌ to his glory and our euerlasting comfort ioy and saluation To our heauenly Father to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost be all glory and honour now and for euer Amen Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ mayster Latimer and B. Ridley you haue dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed with the Farewels also of B. Ridley wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English to be remembred by the leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient The death and end of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester THe next moneth after the burning of Doctor Ridley and mayster Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember Stephen Gardiner Byshop and Chauncelloure a man hated of God and all good men ended hys wretched lyfe Concerning the quallities nature and disposition of which man for somuch as somewhat hath bene declared before in the storye of kinge Edwardes raygne I shall neede therefore the lesse now to stand greatly vpon the same First this Uipers byrd crept out of the towne of Bery in Suffolke brought vp most parte of his youth in Cambridge his wit capacitie memorye and other indumentes of nature not to bee complayned of if he hadde wel vsed and rightly applyed the same wherein ther was no great want of Gods part in hym if hee had not rather hymselfe wanted to the goodnes of his gifts Through this promptnes actiuitie towardnes of hys he profited not a little in such studyes as he gaue hys head vnto as first in the law ciuil then in languages and such other like especially in those artes and faculties which had any prospect to dignitie and preferment to be hoped for Besides other ornaments or helpes of nature memory chiefly seemed in hym very beneficiall rather then dilligence of study To these giftes and quallities were ioyned agayne is great or greater vices which not so much followed hym as ouertooke him not so muche burdened hym as made hym burdenous to the whole realme Hee was of a proude stomacke and high minded in hys owne opinion and conceit flattering himselfe to much in wit crafty and subtile towarde his superiour flattering and faire spoken to hys inferiours fierce agaynst hys equall stoute and enuious namely if in iudgement and sentence he any thyng withstoode hym as appeared betweene the good Lorde CroÌwell and hym in the raygne of kyng Henry being of like hauâinesse of stomacke as the Poets wryte of Pelides Cedere nescius Who although would geue no place to men yet notwtstanding I wish he woulde haue geuen place to truth according as he semed not altogether ignorant of the truth What his knowledge was therin it is euident partly to vnderstand as wel by his book De vera obedientia as also by his sermon before king Edward also by his aunsweres to the Councell the same time and
but yet at last perceauing that asmel sir Henry as also the other gentlemen did beholde him somewhat fixedly he brake of his talke Wherewith sir H. Knyuet making as though he had noted nothing did louingly dismisse him praying him that when he had receiued the B. letters he would also repaire to him for a packet to an Englyshe Gentleman of his acquaintaunce at Myllan which he promised to do and so departed againe When sir Henry had thus made sufficieÌt tryall of this matter he forthwith wrote his letters vnto the K. Maiestie signifiyng vnto him the whole at large as he had learned In the meane while Ludouicke the next morning repaired vnto the B. of Winchesters lodging to demaunde an answere of those letters the Legate had sent vnto hym but how he vsed him selfe or whether he vttered the talke he had with sir H. Knyuet and with Wolfe whom he supposed at the first to be the B. man it is not certainely knowen But the B. perceiuing that by mistaking one for an other and in supposing Wolfe to be the B. seruaunt Ludouicke had vttered all his message from the Legate vnto Wolfe and that thereby his practises would come to light in great hasty rage caused Ludouicke to be stayed in his owne house while in the meane time him self went to Grauuela one of themperors counsell so practised with him that Ludouick was secretly committed vnto prison in the custody of one of themperours Marshals so as he could be no more talked withall all the tyme of their aboad there And then sending in great hast to sir H. Knyuet to come and speake with him which he did he fell into very hot speach with him saying that he had poyson in his dysh and that a knaue was suborned to be his distructioÌ with many such like words Sir Henry told him again how he vnderstode it and prayed him that Ludouicke might be brought face to face to be examined in both their presentes Which the B. would in no case agree vnto affirming that he had so declared the case to Grauuela being indifferent as he thought to them both that he woulde not meddell with Ludouicke nor speake with him but that themperours counsell should examyne hym try what he was for hym To whom sir H. Knyuet againe very earnestly obiected that he maruayled that the B. in matter touching the K. Maiestie their Maister would vse the ayde or means of Grauuela a forraine Princes minister to make him priuie of their question But stay do what he would he would neuer come to the speach of Ludouicke any more euer after Whereupon there rose great and long controuersies betweene them both wryting letters vnto the K. about that matter vntill at last the K. Maiestie perceiuing his affayres otherwaies to slacke therby wrote vnto them both that they should lay all those things vnder foote and ioyne together in his seruice as before which they did accordingly But how soeuer this matter was afterwardes salued here with the K. Maiestie as eyther by the death of sir H. Knyuet which I thinke was not very long after or by other friendes the B. had here at home I know not yet Wolfe who within two monethes after died of a long cough of the Longues vpon his death bed did agayne affyrme the premisses to be most true and therefore in the presence of sir H. Knyuet diuerse other of his seruauÌts he protested that he had not inuented sought or procured this at Ludouickes handes for any malice or displeasure borne to the B. but only for discharge of his fayth duetie vnto the K. Maiesty desiring that the same his protestation might be inserted in the end of his last will and testament which was then presently done thereunto set his hand Now whether this was the matter that the K. moued so often M. Secretary Paget being after L. Keeper to keepe safe as sore matter agaynst the B. I know not but yet it appears by some depositions of the Nobilitie and others in the processe agaynst hym had in K. Edwardes dayes that the K. Maiestie Henry .8 had this matter euer in his mynd for in euery generall pardon that he graunted by Parliament after this practise he did styll except all treasons committed beyond the seas meaning thereby as it was supposed that the B. should not take any benefite by any general pardon if at any time his Maiestie would call him to accompt and therfore all thinges wel wayed he had smal cause to vaunt of his great fauour he had of K. Henry his M. How beit it seemeth he was brought into this fooles paradize by the L. Paget who as he himselâe reporteth in his depositions in his messages from the K. to the sayd B. deluded hym telling him muche otherwyse then the K. had spoken counsaling alwayes the K. hard speches agaynst him which thing puffed vp this vaine-glorious Thraso not a litle All whiche premises appeare more at large by the depositions of the Nobles others examined in the long processe against him in K. Edwardes raigne as appeares in our first edition of actes and monumentes from the .804 Page vnto the ende of that processe in that booke at large mentioned But whatsoeuer he was seeing he is nowe gone I referre him to his Iudge to whom he shall stand or fall As concerning his death and maner thereof I woulde they which were present thereat would testifie to vs what they saw This we haue all to thinke that his heath happened so opportunely that England hath a mighty cause to geue thankes to the Lord therfore not so much for the great hurt he had done in times past in peruerting his Princes in bringing in the vi Articles in murderyng Gods saintes in defacing Christes sincere Religion c. as also especially for that he had thought to haue brought to passe in murdring also our noble Queene that now is For what soeuer daunger it was of death that she was in it did no doubt proceede froÌ that bloudy bishop who was the cause therof And if it be certain which we haue heard that her highnes being in the Tower a writte came downe from certaine of the Counsell for her execution it is out of controuersie that wily Winchester was the onely Dedalus framer of that ingine Who no doubt in that one day had brought this whole Realme into wofull ruine had not the Lordes moste gratious counsell through M. Bridges then the Lieuetenaunt comming in hast to the Queene certified her of the matter and preuented Architophels bloudy deuises For the which thankes be to the same our Lord and sauiour in the congregacion of al English churches Amen Of thinges vncertaine I must speake vncertainely for lacke of fuller information or els peraduenture they be in the Realme that can say more then here I haue expressed For as Boner Story Thornton Harpsfielde Dunning with other were occupied in puttyng the poore braunches of
varietie of deuises in dwelling manye sondrye orders and fashions in moouing of the body These things were first ordained to admonishe them to their duetie to GOD to laboure for the necessitie of the poore and to spare from their owne bellies to the poore and therefore was their fare ordained and prepared And because they abused these thynges and sette them in an hygher place then they ought to doe not taking monition thereby the better to serue God but esteeming perfection to consist in them they were dissolued theyr houses and garmentes were taken away But one thing king Henrie woulde not take away that was the vowe of chastitie The vowe of obedience hee conuerted to hym selfe the vowe of chastitie he willeth still to remaine with them We had many Images whereto Pilgrimages were done and many tombes that menne vsed to visite by reason whereof they fell in a fansie of Idolatry and superstition aboue the things that they might haue bene taken for and because they hadde not the vse that they were ordained for they were left When men put the Images in a higher place then they serued for theÌ were they taken cleane away as geue a childe a gaye booke to learne vppon and then if he gase vppon the gorgeousnesse of hys booke and learne not his lesson according to the intent that that boke was geuen for the booke is taken away from him agayne So the Images when menne deuised and fell to haue them in hygher place and estimation then they were first sette vp in the Churche for then they mighte be taken awaye and I was neuer of other minde nor neuer had other opinion of them Diuers things there be in the Churche which be in the libertie of the ruler to order as he seeth cause and he that is ruler may either let them stande or els may cause them to be taken away There be two manner of reformations We haue had of both sortes There be things in the Church the which if they be abused may not be taken away As for baptisme if it be abused there may not an other thyng be putte in the place of it but the thing must be refourmed and broughte to the righte vse againe Also preaching if it be abused may not be taken awaye but must be refourmed and broughte to the righte vse but there be other thynges vsed in the Churche in which the rulers haue libertye either to refourme them or to take them awaye And because it was an easier way to take them away then to bryng them to the right vse that they were ordained for they were all cleane taken awaye and so they might be Yea Sir will yee saye but yee haue maintained and defended them and haue preached against such persones as despised them It is truthe I haue preached againste the despisers of them and haue sayd that Images might be suffered and vsed in the Churche as laye mennes bookes yet I neuer otherwise defended them but to be vsed for suche purpose as they were first sette vppe in the Church for but now that menne be waxed wanton they are cleane taken away wherein our religion is no more touched then when bookes were taken awaye for abusing of them There was an order taken for bookes not to be vsed wherein some might haue sayde the bookes are good and I know how to vse them I maye therefore vse them well ynough I will therefore vse them thoughe they be forbidden but if thou haue anye charitie thou oughtest to be contented rather to haue them cleane taken away then to declare thy selfe to haue an other opinion then thou oughtest to haue As touching ceremonies I esteeme them all as Paule esteemeth them things indifferent where he sayth Regnum Dei non esca potus So of Ceremonies Neuerthelesse wee haue time place and number as a certaine number of Psalmes to be sayde at times whiche maye be vsed without superstition but these thinges must serue vs and not wee serue them Yet if an order be sette in them by suche as haue power we must follow it and we must obey the Rulers that appoynt such time place and number to be kept Yee maye not saye if the time will serue mee then I will come an houre after No Syr yee must keepe thys time and thys houre because it is so appoynted by the rulers not for the thinges but for the order that is sette I haue bene euer of thys opinion Wee had palmes and candels taken awaye which things may indifferentlye haue either of the two reformations aboue sayde When they were in place they shoulde haue putte menne in remembraunce of their duetie and deuotion towardes God but because they were abused they were and might be taken away But the religion of Christe is not in these exercises and therfore in takyng away of them the Religion of Christe is nothynge touched nor hindered But men must in suche thynges be conformable not for the ceremonie but for obedience sake Saint Paule sayth that we shoulde rebuke euerye brother that walketh inordinately I haue tolde you myne opinion and my conscience telleth mee that I haue spoken playnely that ye may knowe what I am and that ye maye not bee deceyued in mee nor be sclaundered in me nor make no further search to knowe my hart I like well the communion because it prouoketh men more and more to deuotion I like well the proclamation because it stoppeth the mouthes of all such as vnreuerently speake or raile agaynst the Sacrament I lyke well the rest of the Kynges Maiesties proceedinges concerning the Sacrament I haue now told you what I lyke But shall I speake nothing of that I mislyke ye will then say I speake not playnely I will therefore shew my conscience playnely I mislyke that Preachers whiche preache by the Kynges lycence and those Readers whiche by the Kynges permission and suffraunce doe reade open lectures doe openlye and blasphemously talke agaynst the Masse and agaynst the Sacrament And to whom may I lyken suche Readers and Preachers I may lyken them vnto Postes for the Prouerbe sayth that Postes do beare trueth in their letters and lyes in their mouthes and so doe they and to speake so agaynst the Sacramente it is the most marueylous matter that euer I sawe or heard of I woulde wysh therfore that there were a stay and an order in this behalfe that there myght be but one order or rule for as the Poet sayth I may vse the verse of a Poet well ynough for so doth Paul of the great Poet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And let no man of his owne head begin mattars nor goe before the king They call it going before the Kyng and such make them selues Kynges Well what mislyketh me els It mislyketh mee that Priestes and men that vowed chastity shoulde openly marry and auow it openly whiche is a thyng that since the beginnyng of the Churche hath not
doctrine is hys fathers doctrine fol. 33. 5. He that sayth that the law of the Gospell ought onely to be holden in Christes church and is sufficient alone for it speaketh so far out of reason that he is not worthy to be reasoned withall fol. 37. 6. They that hold that the crosse of siluer or golde ought not to be worshipped with kissing of it bowyng kneeling to it are enemies to Christes true crosse take away the meanes that might set out the glory of Christes crosse fol. 49. 7. Neither Paule nor the crosse can be worshipped with godly honour fol. 61. 8. As Christ vsed clay for an instrument to heale the blind mans eyes withall hath saued diuers by fayth made it an instrument of saluation and as God hath ordained Timothy to be an instrument of saluation both to himselfe and for other so may the Pope ordaine holy water to bee an instrument of saluation both of body and soule to all them that are sprinkled with it fol. 64. 9. No man can commit Idolatry with his body alone in onely kissyng of an Image or Idol in only kneelyng to it can no Idolatry be committed fol. 52. 10. For as much as God vnderstandeth them that sing in Latin though they vnderstand not themselues their praier is acceptable before God fol. 76. 11. As a father may forbid certain of his children to marry so may a king in hys kingdom forbid certayne of hys subiects to marry that is to lay all the priests of his realme fol. 83. 12. He that would take away the Popes ceremonies out of the church should driue away all godlinesse and seemelines all religious and deuout behauiour out of the church fol. 94. Here hast thou good Reder this stout prelate of Winchest with all his properties doyngs qualities as in a certaine Anatomie proportioned out vnto thee whereby thou maiest boldly iudge and nothing erre in thy iudgement what is to be estemed of hym by his fruits as who neither was tene Protestant nor right papist neither coÌstant in hys error nor yet stedfast in the truth neither freÌd to the Pope yet a perfect enemy to Christ false in king Henries tyme a dissembler in K. Edwards tyme double periured and a murderer in Queene Maries tyme mutable and inconstaÌt in all tymes And finally where in his letters to the L. Protector and others vsually he vanteth so much of his late soueraign lord K. Henry the 8. of the great reputation that he was in with him read I beseech thee behold in the depositions of the L. Paget in the old booke pag. 806. col 1. also in the depositions of the Erle of Bedford pag. 824. and there ye shall see the king before his death both excepting hym out of his pardons quite strikyng hym out of his last wyll testament so detested abhorred hym as he did no english man more And where as the L. Paget beyng sent in message from the K. to the bishoppe by other words then the kings mynde and will was of his owne dexteritie gaue to hym good gracious words which in deed the kyng neither knew nor yet wer sent by hym the B. perswading himselfe otherwise of the kings fauor towards hym then it was in deed was therin far deceiued and brought into a fooles paradise wherof read both in the old booke before and also in this present volume To describe paint out the vnstable mutabilitie of this B. aforesaid albeit here need no more to be added besides that which is alredy declared yet notwithstanding seyng the matter is not long it shal not be out of the way to annexe withall vnto the premisses a piece of Drianders letter written to one Crispine phisition in Oxford sent from Antwerpe concerning the doyngs and behauiour of this B. of Winchester whose story we haue now in hand The copy of which Drianders letter written to the sayd Crispine hys friend beginneth thus ¶ Doctissimo viro Edmundo Crispino amico integerrimo Oxoniae ANte meam ex Lutetia profectioneÌ dedi literas ad te per Anglum illum communem amicum nostrum c. ¶ The English wherof as much as to the present purpose appertaineth here followeth translated BEfore my departure from the Citie of Paris I wrote vnto you by our friend the Englishman c. Now you shal be contented onely with the narration of your B. of Winchester who as appertained to the embassadour of so noble a Prince came to Louane with a great brauerie and was there receiued at one Ieremies house and most honourably entertained where the facultie of Diuines for honor sake presented him wyne in the name of the whole Uniuersitie But our famous doctors and learned Maisters for that they would more deepely search and vnderstand the learnyng and excellency of the Prelate perused and scanned a certaine Oration made by hym and now extant intituled De vera obedientia in the which hys Oration he did impugne the supremacy of the B. of Rome and preferred his Lords and kyngs authoritie before the holy Apostolike sea as they terme it whiche beyng read and considered by them they did not onely repent them for geuyng hym such honour but also recanted that which they had done and did not so much honor him afore but now they were as earnest as spitefull agaynst hym Richard Lathomus interpreter of termes with the fauourers of that fraternitie and other champions of the fallyng church disputed with hym concernyng the Popes supremacy This B. stoutely defended his sayd Oration The Diuines contrary stifly maintained their opinion diuers tymes openly with exclamations called the sayde B. an excommunicate person and a schismatike to no litle reproch and infamy of the English nation The Byshop not long after mindyng to say masse in S. Peters church they did deny vnto hym as to an excommunicate person the Ornamentes and Uestimentes meete for the same wherewyth he beyng hyghly offended sodaynely hastned hys iourney from thence The Deane the next day after made an eloquent Oration wherein hee openly disgraced and defamed hym You haue heard now a true storye for oure Doctour was a beholder of the whole Tragedie c. And this now beyng sufficient for Gardiners story to leaue hym to his iudge to let him go we shall returne proceed by the grace leaue of the Lord as the course of these dolefull dayes shall lead vs to prosecute the residue of Christes Martyrs as now in order followeth ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Webbe gentleman George Roper and Gregory Parke at Caunterbury as followeth NExt after the death constant Martyrdom of the two most worthy champions standerdbearers of Christes army D. Nich. Ridley and M. Hugh Latymer of whom ye haue heard at large followed three other stoute and bold souldiours that is to say Iohn Web gentlemaÌ George Roper and Gregory Parke This Iohn Web
knowledge that your Lordship oughte to proceed agaynst me And here Mayster Doctour would say nothing Worcest Doe you not thinke to finde before my Lord here as good equity in your cause as before your owne Ordinary Phil. I canne not blame my Lorde of Londons equitye with whom I thanke his Lordship I haue found more gentlenes since I came then of mine owne Ordinary I speak it for no flattery this twelue moneth and this halfe before who neuer woulde call me to aunswere as his Lordship hath done now twise Sed nemo prohibetur vti iure suo but I ought not to bee forestalled of my right and therefore I challenge the same for diuers other considerations Boner Nowe you can not saye hereafter but that ye haue bene gently coÌmuned withal of my Lordes here yet you be wilfull obstinate in your error and in your owne opinions will not shewe any cause why you will not come into the vnity of the Church with vs. Phil. My Lordes in that I doe not declare my minde according to your expectation is as I haue sayd because I can not speak without present daunger of my life But rather then you shoulde report me by this either ostinate or selfe willed without any iust ground wherupon I stand I will open vnto you somewhat of my minde or rather the whole desiring your lordships which seme to be pillers of the Church of Englande to satisfye me in the same and I will referre all other causes in the which I disseÌt from you vnto one or two articles or rather to one which includeth them both in the which if I can by the scriptures be satisfied at your mouthes I shall as willingly agree to you as any other in all poyntes Boner These heretickes come alwayes with their ifs as this man doth now saying if he can be satisfied by the scriptures so that he will alwayes haue this exception I am not satisfied although the matter be neuer so playnly proued agaynst him But wil you promise to be satisfied if my Lordes take some paynes about you Phil. I say my Lord I will be satisfied by the Scriptures in that wherein I stand And I protest here before God his eternall sonne Iesus Christ my Sauiour and the holy ghost and his Angels and you here present that be iudges of that I speak that I do not stand in any opinioÌ of wylfulnes or singularity but onely vpon my conscience certainly informed by gods word from the which I dare not go for feare of damnatioÌ and this is the cause of mine earnestnes in this behalfe Boner I will trouble my Lords no longer seing that you will not declare your minde Phil. I am about so to doe if it please your Lordshippe to heare me speake Bathe Geue him leaue my Lord to speake that he hath to say Phil. My Lordes it is not vnknowne to you that the chiefe cause why you do count me and such as I am for hereticks is because we be not at vnity with your Churche You say you are of the true Church and we say we are of the true Church You say that who is out of your church is damned and we thinke verily on the other side that if we depart from the true church wheron we are graffed in Gods word we should stand in the state of daÌnatioÌ Wherfore if your Lordship can bring any better authorityes for your church then we can do for ours proue by the scriptures that the Churche of Rome nowe of the which you are is the true Catholick Church as in al your sermons writinges and argumentes you doe vpholde and that all christen persons ought to be ruled by the same vnder pain of damnation as you say and that the same Churche as you pretend hath authority to interprete the scriptures as it semeth her good and that all men are bound to folow such interpretations onely I shal be as conformable to the same Church as you may desire me the whiche otherwise I dare not therfore I require you for Gods sake to satisfy me in this Cole If you stand vpon this poynt onely you may soone be satisfied if you list Phil. It is the thing that I require to this I haue sayd I will stand and refer all other controuersies wherein I stand now agaynst you and will put my haÌd therto if you mistrust my word Boner I pray you mayster Philpot what faith were you of twenty yeares ago This man will haue euery yeare a new fayth Phil. My Lorde to tell you playne I thinke I was of no fayth for I was then a wicked liuer and knewe not God then as I ought to do God forgeue me Boner No were that is not so I am sure you were of some fayth Phil. My lord I haue declared to you on my coÌscieÌce what I then was and iudge of my selfe And what is that to the purpose of the thing I desire to be satisfied of you Boner Mayster Doctour Cole I pray you say your mind to him Cole What will you say if I can proue that it was decreed by an vniuersall couÌcell in Athanasius time that all the christen church should folow the determinatioÌ of the church of Rome but I do not now remember were Phil. If you Mayster Doctour canne shewe me the same graunted to the Sea of Rome by the authority of the scripture I will gladly harken thereto But I thinke you be not able to shewe any suche thinge for Athanasius was President of Nicene councell and there was no such thing decreed I am sure Cole Though it were not then it might bee at an other time Phil. I desire to see the proofe thereof And vpon this M. Harpsfield Chauncellor to the Bishop of LondoÌ brought in a booke of Ireneus with certaine leaues turned in and layd it before the Bishops to helpe them in theyr perplexity if it might be the which after the Bishops of Bath and Glocester had read together the Bishop of Glocester gaue me the booke Gloc. Take the booke M. Philpot and looke vppon that place and there may you see how the church of Rome is to be folowed of all men Phil. I tooke the Booke and read the place the which after I had read I sayd it made nothing agaynst me but agaynst the Arians and other Heretickes agaynst whome Ireneus wrote prouing that they were not to be credited because they did teach and folowe after straunge doctrine in Europa and that the chiefe Churche of the same was founded by Peter and Paule and had to this time continued by faythfull succession of the faythfull Bishoppes in preaching the true Gospell as they had receiued of the Apostles and nothing like to the late sprong Heretickes c. Whereby hee concludeth agaynste them that they were not to be heard neither to bee credited the whiche thing if you my Lordes be able to prooue nowe of the Churche of Rome then had
Boner What De competente Iudice I will go fet thee my bookes There is a title in deed De officijs Iudâcis ordinarij Phil. Uerely that is the same De competente Iudice whiche I haue alledged With that he ran to his study broughte the whole course of the law betwene his hands which as it might appeare he had wel occupied by the dust they were embrued withall Boner There be the bookes finde it now if thou canst and I will promise thee to release thee out of prison Phil. My Lorde I stand not here to reason maâters of the Ciuill law although I am not altogether ignorant of the same for that I haue bene a Student in the same sixe or seuen yeares but to aunswere to the Articles of fayth wyth the which you may lawfully burtheÌ me And whereas you go about vnlawfully to proceede I chalenge according to my knowledge the benefite of the law in my defence Boner Why thou wilt aunswere directly to nothing thou art charged withall therefore saye not hereafter but you might haue bene satisfied here by learned meÌ if you would haue declared your minde Phil. My Lorde I haue declared my minde vnto you and to other of the Byshops at my last being before you desyring you to be satisfied but of one thing wherunto I haue referred all other controuersies the whiche if your Lordships now or other learned men can simply resolue me of I am as contented to be reformable in all thinges as you shall require the which is to proue that the church of Rome wherof you are is the Catholicke Church Couen Why do you not beleue your Creed Credo Ecclesiam Catholicam Phil. Yes that I do but I cannot vnderstaÌd Rome wherwith all you burden vs to be the same neither like to it S. Asse It is most euident that S. Peter did builde the Catholicke Church at Rome And Christ sayd Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Moreouer the succession of bishops in the sea of Rome can be proued from time to time as it can be of none other place so well which is a manifest probation of the Catholicke Church as diuers Doctors do write Phil. That you would haue to be vndoubted is most vncertaine that by the authority which you alledge of Christ saying vnto Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church vnles you can proue the rocke to signifye Rome as you would make me falsly beleue And althogh you can prooue the succession of Bishops from Peter yet this is not sufficient to proue Rome the catholicke church vnles you can proue the profession of Peters fayth wherevpon the catholick church is builded to haue continued in his successors at Rome and at this present to remayne Bon. Is there any mo churches theÌ one catholicke church And I pray you tel me into what faith were you baptised Philpot. I acknowledge one holy Catholicke and Apostolicke Church wherof I am a member I prayse God and I am of that catholicke fayth of Christ where into I was baptised Couen I pray you can you tell what this word Catholicke doth signify shew if you can Phil. Yes that I can I thanke God The catholicke fayth or the Catholicke Churche is not as now a dayes the people be taught to be that which is most vniuersall or of moste part of men receiued whereby you do inferre our fayth to hang vpoÌ the multitude which is not so but I esteme the Catholicke Church to be as S. Austen defineth the same Aestimamus fidem Catholicam a rebus praeteritis praesentibus futuris i. We iudge sayth he the catholicke fayth of that whiche hath bene is and shal be So that if you can be able to prooue that your fayth and Church hath bene from the beginning taught and is and shal be then may you couÌt your selues Catholicke otherwise not And Catholicke is a Greeke word compounded of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth after or according and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a summe or principle or whole So that catholicke Church or Catholicke fayth is as much to say as the first whole sound or chiefest fayth Boner Doth S. Austen say so as he alledgeth it or doth he meane as he taketh the same How say you M. Curtop Curtop In deed my Lord S. Augustine hath such a saying speaking agaynst the Donatistes that the Catholicke fayth ought to be estemed of thinges in times past and as they are practised according to the same and ought to bee through al ages and not after a new maner as the Donatistes began to professe Phil. You haue sayd well M. Curtop and after the meaning of S. Austen and to confirme that which I haue said for the signification of Catholicke Couen Let the booke be sene my Lord. Bon. I pray you my Lord be coÌteÌt or in good fayth I will breake euen of let al alone Do you thinke the Catholicke Church vntill it was within these few yeres in the which a few vpoÌ singularity haue swerued froÌ the same haue erred Phil. I do not thinke that the Catholicke Church can erre in doctrine but I require you to prooue this Churche of Rome to be the Catholicke Church Curtop I can proue that Ireneus which was within an hundred yeares after Christ came to victor then bishop of Rome to aske his aduise about the excoÌmunication of certayne heretickes the which he would not haue done by al likelihood if he had not taken him to be supreame head Couent Marke well this argument How are you able to aunswere to the same Aunswere if you can Phil. It is soone aunswered my Lorde for that it is of no force neither this fact of Ireneus maketh no more for the supremacy of the Bishoppe of Rome then mine hath done which haue bene at Rome as well as he and mighte haue spoken with the Pope if I had list and yet I would none in England did fauor his supremacy more then I. S. Asse You are the more to blame by the fayth of my body for that you fauor the same no better since all the Catholicke Church vntill this fewe yeares haue taken him to be supreame head of the Church besides this good man Ireneus Phil. That is not likely that Ireneus so tooke him or the primatiue Church for I am able to shewe seauen generall Councels after Ireneus time wherin he was neuer so taken which may be a sufficient proofe that the catholick primitiue church neuer tooke him for supreme head The other Bish. This man will neuer be satisfied say what we can It is but folly to reason any more with him Phil. O my Lordes would you haue me satisfied with nothing Iudge I pray you who of vs hath better authority he whiche bringeth the example of one manne going to Rome or I that by these many generall councels am able to proue that he
was neuer so takeÌ in many huÌdred yeares after Christ as by Nicene Ephesine the first and the seconde Calcedone Constantinopolitane Carthaginens Aquiliense Couen Why will ye not admit the Churche of Rome to be the Catholicke Church Phil. Because it followeth not the primitiue Catholicke church neither agreeth with the same no more then an apple is like a nut Couent Wherin doth it dissent Phil. It were to long to recite all but two thinges I will name the supremacy and transubstantiation Curtop As for transubstantiation albeit it was set forth decreed for an article of fayth not much aboue 300. yeares yet it was alwayes beleued in the church Bon. Yea that it was Uery well sayd of you M. Curtop Phil. Ye haue sayde right that Transubstantiation is but a late plantation of the byshop of Rome you are not able to shew any auncient writer that the primitiue church did beleue any such thing and with this Curtop shrank away And immediately after the Ambassadour of Spayne came in to whom my Lord of London went leauing the other with me To whome I sayde my Lordes if you can shew me that this church of Rome wherof you are members is the true Catholicke Church I shall be content to be one thereof and as conformable to the same as you can require me in all things for I know there is no saluation but within the Church Couen Can you disproue that the Church of Rome is not the Catholicke Church Phil. Yea that I am able but I desire rather to heare of you for the proofe thereof And seing I cannot haue my request at your haÌds neither be satisfied with any probable authority I will shewe you good proofe why it is not For if the primatiue Church were Catholicke as it was in deed and ought to be the form and scholemaysters of the Church to the worldes end then is not the church of Rome now the Catholicke church which dissenteth so farre from the same both in doctrine and vse of the sacramentes Couent How proue you that the Church of Rome nowe dissenteth in doctrine and vse of the sacramentes from the primitiue Church Phil. Compare the one with the other and it will soone appeare as ye may see both in Eusebius and other Ecclesiasticall and auncient writers Couent What haue you to say more why it is not the catholicke Church Phil. Because it is not by youre interpretation of Catholicke vniuersall neyther neuer was albeit you falsely perswade the people that it is so For the world being deuided in three partes Asia Africa and Europa ii partes therof Asia and Africa professing Christ as wel as we did neuer consent to the Church of Rome which is of Europa whiche is a sufficient testimony that your faith was neuer vniuersall Couent How proue you that Phil. At the Historiographers whiche write of the proceedinges of the Church doe testifie the same Besides that this present time doth declare that to be true which I say For at this present the Church of Asia and Africa doe not consent to the churche of Rome Yea and besides all thys most parte of Europa doth not agree neither allowe the Churche of Rome as Germanye the kingdome of Denmarke the kingdome of Poole a great part of Fraunce England and Zeland which is a manifest probation that your Church is not vniuersall And after this the Bishop of London called away the other Bishops and lefte with me diuers Gentlemen with certayne of his Chaplaynes as Doctor Sauerson an Englishman which had proceeded Doctor in Bonony who after began with me in this maner Doctour Sauer Mayster Philpot I remember you beyond sea since the time you reasoned with a Fryer a notable learned man commyng from Uenice to Padua in a barge Phil. I cannot forget that for the Fryer threatned me to accuse me of heresie as soone as he came to Padua for that I talked with him so boldly of the truth He was no suche learned manne as you name hym to be but onely in hys schole poyntes a good Purgatory Fryer Doct. Sauer Well he was a learned man for al that And I am sory to heare that you this day hauing coÌmoned wyth so many notable learned men are no more conformable to them then you be Phil. I will be conformable to all them that be conformable to Christ in his word And I praye you good mayster Doctour be not so conformable to please men more then GOD contrary to your learning for worldly estimations sake Doct. Sauer No that I am not Upon what occasion shuld you thinke thus of me Phil. Upon no euill that I doe knowe of you Mayster Doctour but I speake as one wishing that you shoulde not be led away from the truth for promotions sake as many Doctours be now a dayes Doct. Sauer I haue heard your argumentes hetherto and me thinketh that a great many of the olde ancient writers be agaynst you in that you doe not allowe the churche of Rome neyther the supremacie for sainct Cyprian whiche is an old ancient writer doth allowe the byshop of Rome to be the supreme head of the Church Phil. That I am sure of he doth not For he writing vnto Cornelius then Byshoppe of Rome calleth hym but his companion and fellow Byshop neither attributed to hym the name either of Pope or els of any vsurped terms which now be ascribed to the Bishop of Rome to the setting forth of his dignitie Doct. Sauer You cannot be able to shewe that S. Cyprian calleth Cornelius his fellow Byshop Phil. I will wager with you that I amble to make that I can shew it you in Cyprian as I haue sayd Doctor Sauer I will lay none other wager with you but booke for booke that it is not so Phil. I agree thereto and I praye you one of my Lordes Chaplaynes to fet vs Cyprian hether for the tryal hereof And with that one of them went to my Lordes study and brought forth Cyprian by and by he turned to the fyrst booke of his Epistles the 3. Epistle and there would haue seemed to haue gathered a strong Argument for the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome because he sayth It goeth not well with the Churche when the hygh Prieste is not obeyed which supplyeth the stead of Christ after Gods word and the coÌsent of hys fellow Byshops and the agreement of the people Doct. Sauer How can you auoyd this place which maketh so playnely for the Bishop of Romes supremacy Phil. It maketh not so playne mayster Doctour on your side as you gather as by and by I wil geue you to vnderstand But first I challenge the wager which wee made that your booke is mine For here you may see that hee calleth Cornelius his fellow byshop as he doth also in other places And now for the vnderstanding of that place you do misconstrue it to make the high Priest onely for the Bish. of Rome
book abroad of the report of the disputation to the contrary in the which there is neuer a true worde And where as you require to be satisfied of the sacrament I will shew you the trueth therof both by the scriptures and by the Doctors Philpot. It is a shrewed lykelihoode that you will conclude with any truth since you haue begonne with so many vntruthes as to say that I was aunswered whiles I had any thyng to say and that I wept for lacke of matter to say and that the booke of the reporte of the disputation is nothing true God be praysed there were a good many of Noble men Gentlemen and worshipfull men that heard and saw the doings therof which can testifie that you here haue made an vniust report before these honorable Lords And that I wept was not for lacke of matter as you slauÌder me for I thank God I haue more matter theÌ the best of you all shall euer be able to answere as litle learning as I haue but my weeping was as Christes was vpon Hierusalem seeing the destruction that should fall vppon her and I foreseeing then the destruction whiche you thorough violence and vnrighteousnesse which you there declared would worke agaynst the true Churche of Christ and his faythfull members as this daye beareth witnesse was compelled to weepe in remembraunce of that whiche I with infinite more haue felt and shall feele Al these words I did then speake out being interrupted by my Lord Rich saying that I shoulde suffer hym to proceede out in his matter and afterwardes I shuld haue leysure to aunswere him in euery Article But he promysed more then he could performe as the end did wel declare for he had not the consent of the spiritualtie to his promise which now rule the rost God shorten their cruell dayes for his electes sake And therfore I adde this which I had purposed to haue spoken if then I might haue bene suffered least any that perfectly know not the thinges done in the Conuocation house and now layd to my charge if they shoulde not be aunswered by me might recken Doctour Chadseys sayinges to bee true And as concerning the booke of the report of the disputations I wrote the same it is true in euery argument as M. Deane of Roochester and M. Cheyney Archdeacon of Herford yet being aliue and within the realme can testifie Chadsey You haue of scriptures the foure Euangelistes for the probation of Christes reall presence to be in the sacrament after the wordes of consecration with S. Paule to the Corinthians whiche all saye Hoc est corpus meum This is my body They say not as you woulde haue me to beleue this is not the bodye But specially the 6. of Iohn prooueth the same most manifestly where Christ promised to geue his body which hee performed in his last supper as it appeareth by these wordes Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam ego dabo pro muÌdi vita The bread whiche I wyll geue is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world Phil. My Lord Rich with your leaue I must needes interrupt him a litle because he speaketh open blasphemy against the death of Christ for if that promise brought in by s. Iohn was performed by Christ in his last supper theÌ needed he not to haue dyed after he had geuen the sacrament Rich. Let maister Doctour make an end of his argumeÌts and afterward obiect to him what you can Chadsey You must note that there is twise Dabo in thys saying of S. Iohn the first is referred to the sacrament of the auâtar the second to the sacrifice vpon the crosse and besides these manifest scriptures there bee many auncient Doctors proouing the same as Ignatius Irenaeus S. Cyprian whose authoritie he recited at large which I do omitte because I was not permitted to answere the same Rich. Now aunswere and obiect to him what you can you shal be heard Phil. My Lord the chiefest ground where he with the rest of his side do ground theÌselues agaynst vs be these words This is my body with a false pretence of the omnipotency of God And before I will come to the particular aunsweres of all that he hath alledged for that your Lordships may the better vnderstand me what I meane and whereuppon I stand I will require mayster Doctor to aunswere me one question But first of all I do protest to your honours that I thinke as reuerently of the sacrament as a christian maÌ ought to do and that I acknowledge the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe ministred after Christes Institution to bee one of the greatest treasures and comfortes that he left vs on the earth and contrariwise it is most discomfort and abhominable not being ministred as it ought to be as it is vsed now a dayes And now to my question which is this whether these wordes onely Hoc est corpus meum This is my body spoken by a priest ouer the bread and wine may make the body and bloud of Christ as you suppose or no Chedsey Staggering what he might say at last hee sayd that these wordes alone pronounced by the Priest be sufficient to make the bread and the wyne the very bodye and bloud of Christ really Philpot. That is blasphemy to say and agaynst al the scriptures and Doctours who affirme that the forme and substance in consideration must be obserued whiche Christ vsed and did institute as S. Cyprian sayth In sacrificio quod Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus In the sacrifice whiche is Christ onely is Christ to be followed And by the lawe it is forbidden to adde or take away from Gods word And S. Peter sayth If anye man speake let him speake as the worde of God Wherfore whosoeuer sayth that these wordes onely This is my body do make a presence of christ without blesse take and eate which be three as substanciall poyntes of the Sacramente as Thys is my bodye is he is highly deceiued Therfore S. Austen sayth Accedat verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it be commeth a sacrament So that if the entier worde of Christes Institution be not obserued in the ministration of a Sacrament it is no sacrament as the sacrifices which the ten tribes did offer at Bethell to God were not acceptable because they were not in all poyntes done according to Gods word Wherfore except blessing be made after the word whiche is a due thankesgeuing for our redemption in Christ and also a shewing forth of the Lordes death in such wise as the congregation may be edified and moreouer a taking and eating after Christes commaundement except I say these three partes be first performed which is not done in the Masse these wordes This is my bodye which are last placed in the Institution of
long hath your church stand I pray you Phil. Euen from the beginning from Christ and from his Apostles and from their immediate successors Chaun He will prooue his church to be before Christ. Phil. If I did so I goe not amisse for there was a church before the comming of Christe which maketh one catholicke church Chaun It is so in deede Phil. I will desire no better rule then the same whiche is oftentimes brought in of your side to proue both my faith and the catholicke church that is antiquitie vniuersality and vnitie Lond. Do you not see what a bragging foolish felow this is He would seeme to be very well seene in the Doctors and he is but a foole By what Doctour arte thou able to proue thy Church Name him and thou shalt haue him Phil. My Lorde lette me haue all your auncient wryters with pen and inke and paper and I will prooue both my faith and my Church out of euery one of them Lond. No that thou shalt not haue You shall see howe he lieth S. Cyprian sayeth there must be one high Priest to the which the residue must obey and they will allowe no heade neither Uicar generall Phil. S. Cyprian saith not that there shoulde be a Uicare general ouer al. For in his booke De simplicitate PraelatoruÌ I am sure he saith the contrary Vnus episcopatus est cuius pars in solidum a singulis tenetur i. There is but one bishopricke which is wholy possessed of euery Bishop in part London Fet hether the booke thou shalt see the manifest place against thee D. Chadsey brought the booke and turned to the place in an Epistle wrytteÌ vnto Cornelius then bish of Rome and recited these words in summe that it went not wel with the Church where the high Priest was not obeied so would haue concluded for the confirmation of the Bishops saying Phil. M. Doctour you misconstrue the place of S. Cyprian for he meaneth not thereby the high Priest the bishop of Rome but euery Patriarke in his precincte of whome there were 4. appoynted in his time And in wryting vnto Cornelius he meaneth by the high priest himselfe which was then chief Bishop of Africa whose authority the heretickes began to despise Wherof he complaineth to Cornelius sayth the church can not be well ordered where the chief minister by order after the iudgement of the scriptures after the agreement of the people and the consent of his fellow Bishops is not obeied Lond. Hath not the Bishop of Rome alwaies bene supreme head of the Church and Christes Uicare in earth euen from Peter Phil. No that he was not For by the word of God he hath no more authoritie then the Bishop of London hath London Was not Peter head of the Churche And hathe not the Bishop of Rome which is his successour the same authoritie Phil. I graunt that the B. of Rome as he is the successor of Peter hath the same authority as Peter had but Peter had no more authority then euery one of the apostles had Chauncel Yes that S. Peter had for Christ said specially vnto him Tibi dabo claues regni coelorum I wil geue thee the keies of the kingdom of heauen The which he spake to none other of his Disciples singularly but to him Phil. S. Augustine answereth otherwise to the obiection and sayeth That if in Peter there had not bene the figure of the Church the Lord hadde not saide to him to thee will I geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen The which if Peter receiued not the Churche hath them not If the Churche hath them then Peter hath them not Lond. What if I can prooue and shew you out of the Ciuill lawe that all Christendome ought to folowe the holy Catholicke Churche of Rome as there is a speciall title thereof De Catholica fide sancta Romana Ecclesia Phil. That is nothing material seeing the things of God be not subiect to mans lawes and Diuine matters must be ordered by the word of God and not of man A Doctour What will you say if I can prooue that Christ builded his Church vppon Peter and that out of S. Cyprian Wil you then beleue that the B. of Rome ought to be supreme head of the Church Phil. I know what S. Cyprian wryteth in that behalfe but he meaneth nothing as you take it A Doctour S. Cyprian hath these woordes Quòd super Petrum fundata fuit Ecclesia tanquam super originem vnitatis That vpon Peter was builded the Church as vppon the first beginning of vnitie Phil. He declareth that in an example that vnitie must be in the church he grounded on Peter his church alone and not vpoÌ men The which he doth more manifestly declare in the booke De simplicitate Praelatorum saying In persona vnius Christus dedit omnibus claues vt omnium vnitatem denotaret In the person of one man God gaue the keyes to al that he in signification thereby might declare the vnitie of all men A Doctour What will you vnderstande S. Cyprian so That were good in deede Phil I thinke you can not vnderstand s. Cyprian better then he doth declare him selfe Lond. I will desire you M. Chauncellour to take some paines with M. Doctor Chadsey aboute his examination for I must go to the Parlament house And I wil desire you to dine with me Phil. Then the D. tooke againe his former authoritie in hand for want of another and would haue made a farther circumstance digressing from his purpose To whome I said he knew not whereabout he went and therewith he laughed And I saide his diuinitie was nothing but scoffing M D. Yea then I haue done with you and so went away Phil. You are too yong in diuinitie to teach me in the matters of my faith Though you be learned in other things more then I yet in Diuinitie I haue ben longer practised then you for any thing I can heare of you therfore be not too hastie to iudge that you doe not perfectly know Chauncel Peter and his successours from the beginning haue bene allowed for the supreme head of the Church and that by the Scriptures for that Christ sayde vnto hym in S. Iohn thrise Feede my sheepe pasce oues meas Phil. That is none otherwise to be taken then Ite praedicate go ye preach which was spoken to all the Apostles as well as vnto Peter And that Christ sayd thrise Pasce oues meas Feede my sheepe it signifieth nothing else but the earnest studie that the ministers of God oughte to haue in preaching the woord God graunt that you of the Cleargie would way your duetie in this behalfe more then you doe Is this a iust interpretation of the Scripture to take pasce oues meas for to be lord of the whole world In this meane while came in a Batcheler of Diuinitie which is a reader
of Greeke in Oxford belonging to the Bishop and he tooke vpon him to helpe M. Chancellor Scholer What wil you say if I can shew you a Greke author called Theophilact to interprete it so wil you beleue his interpretation Phil. Theophilacte is a late wryter and one that was a fauourer of the B. of Rome and therefore not to be credited since his interpretation is contrary to the manifest words of the scripture and contrary to the determination of many general Councels Scholer In what general Councel was it otherwise that the Bishop of Rome was not supreme head ouer all Phil. In Nice Councell I am sure it was otherwise for Athanasius was there the chiefe Bishop and president of the Counsell and not the Bishop of Rome Scholer Nay that is not so Phil. Then I perceiue you are better sene in wordes then in knowledge of things and I will gage with you what you will it is so as you maye see in the Epitome of the Councels Scholer I will set Eusebius and shew the contrary and the booke of general Councels He went into my Lordes closet and brought Eusebius but the generall Councels he brought not saying for sauing of his honestie that hee could not come by them and there he wold haue defended that it was otherwise in Eusebius but was not able to shew the same and so shranke away confounded Chaun The church of Rome hath bene alwaies taken for the whole catholike church therefore I would aduise you to come into the same with vs. You see all the men of this realme do coÌdemne you And why wil you be so singular Phil. I haue said and stil do say that if you can be able to proue it vnto me that I wil be of the same But I am sure that the Churche whiche you make so muche of is a false church and a synagoge of satan And you with the learned men of the realme doe persecute the true church and condemne such as be more righteous then you Chaun Do you heare M. doctor what he sayeth that the church of Rome is the deuill Chad. I wish you did thinke more reuerently of the church of Rome What will you say if I can shewe you out of S. Austen in his Epistle wrytten vnto Pope Innocentius that the whole general Councell of Carthage did allowe the church of Rome to be chiefest ouer all other Phil. I am sure you can shewe no such thing And with that he set the booke of S. Austine and tourned to the Epistle but he could not prooue his allegation manifestly but by coniectures in this wise Chad. Here you may see that the councel of Carthage writing to Innocent the bish calleth the sea of Rome the apostolike sea And besides this they write vnto him certifying him of thinges done in the councel for the condemnation of the Donatistes requiring his approbations in the same which they would not haue done if they had not taken the church of Rome for the supreme head of others And moreouer you may see howe s. Austine doth proue the church of Rome to be the catholike church by coÌtinuall succession of the B. vntil his time which succession we can proue vntil our daies therfore by the same reason of s. Austine we say now that the church of Rome is the catholicke church Phil. M. Doctour I haue considered how you do weigh S. Augustine and contrary to his meaning and wordes you wouâd inferre your false coÌclusion As coÌcerning that it was called by him the Apostolicall Sea that is not material to proue the church of Rome now to be the catholicke church I will grauât it now that it is the Apostolicke sea in reâpect that Paule and Peter did once there preach the Gospell and abode there for a certaine season I woulde you could prooue it to be the Apostolicall sea of yâ true religion and sinceritie as the Apostle left it and did teach the same the which if ye could doe you might boast of Rome as of the Apostolicall sea otherwise it is nowe of no more force then if the Turke at Antioch at Ierusalem should boast of the Apostolike seas because the Apostles once did there abide and founded the church of Christ. And where as that the whole Councell of Carthage did wryte vnto Pope Innocentius certifying him of that was done in the general councell willing him to set his helping hand to the suppressing of the Donatistes as they had done that facte of the Councell prooueth nothing the supremacie of the B. of Rome no more then if the whole Conuocation house now gathered together and agreeing vpon certaine articles might send the same to some bishop that vppon certaine impediments is not present willing him to agree therto to set them forth in his dioces The which fact doth not make any such bish of greater authoritie then the rest because his consent is brotherly required And touching the succession of the Bishops of Rome brought in by s. Austen it maketh nothing nowe thereby to proue the same catholike church vnles you can conclude with the same reason as s. Austen doth And the rehersall of the succession of the bishops doth tende to this only to proue yâ Donatistes to be heretickes because they began aswell at Rome as in Affrica to founde an other church of their own setting vp then was grounded by Peter and Paul and by their successors whome he reciteth vntill his time which all taughte no such doctrine neither no suche church as the Donatists And if presently you be able to prooue by the bishops of Rome wherof you do glory that such doctrine hath ben taught by any of the successors of Peters sea as is nowe taught beleeued of vs you haue good reason against vs otherwise it is of no force as I am able to declare Chaunc Wel M. Doctour you see we can doe no good in persuading of him let vs minister the Articles which my Lord hath left vs vnto him How say you M. Philpot to these articles M. IhonsoÌ I pray you write his answers Phil M. Chauncellor you haue no authoritie to enquire ãâã my beliefe in such articles as you goe about for that I am not of my Lord of Londons Dioces and to be brief with you I will make no further answere heerein then I haue already to the Bishop Chaunc Why then let vs go our waies and let his keper take him away Thus endeth the vij part of this Tragedie The summe of a priuate conference or talke betwene M. Philpot and the Bishop PHil. The next day in the morning betime the Byshop sent one of his meÌ vnto me to cal me vp into his chappell to heare Masse Bishops man Maister Philpot where be you Phil. Who is that calleth me Bishops man My Lords wil is you should rise and come to heare Masse wil you come or no Phil. My stomacke is not verye good this morning
haue pacience to beare and abide al your cruel intents against me notwythstanding I speake this earnestly being mooued thereto iustly to notifie your vniust and cruell dealing with men in corners without all due order of lawe After this at nighte I was conducted againe by three or foure into the Colehouse The ninth examination of M. Philpot before Boner and his Chaplaines IN the morning the nexte daye I was called downe betunes by my keper and brought againe into the Wardrobe where I remained vntil the Byshop had heard hys Masse and afterwarde he sent vp for me into his inwarde Parlour and there he called for a chaire to sit downe and brought his infamous Libell of his forged Articles in his hande and sate downe willing me to drawe neare vnto him and saide Lond. I am this day appoynted to tarry at home from the Parlament house to examine you and your fellowes vpon these Articles and you stande dalying with me and will neither answere to nor fro Ywis al your exceptions will not serue you Will it not be a faire honestie for you thinke ye that when thou commest afore my Lorde Maior and the Sheriffes other worshipful audience when I shall say before them all that I haue had thee these many times before me and before so many learned men and then thou couldest saye nothing for that thou standest in for all thy bragges of learning neither wouldest answere directly to any thing Phil. My Lord I haue told you my mind plaine enough but yet I do not intend to lose that priuiledge the law geueth me the which is free choise to aunswere where I am not bound and this priuiledge wil I cleaue vnto vntil I be compelled otherwise Lon. Well I perceiue you will playe the obstinate foole Lay thine appellation when thou commest in iudgement and answere in the meane while to these articles Phil. No my Lord by your leaue I wil not answeare to them vntill my lawfull appeale be tried Lon. Wel thou shalt heare them and with that he began to reade them Phil. I shranke backe into the windowe and looked on a booke and after he had read them ouer he said vnto me Lon. I haue read them ouer although it hath not pleased you to heare mee I marueile in good faith what thou meanest to be so wilful and stubborne seeing thou mayest doe wel enough if thou list It is but a singularitie Doest thou not see all the realme against thee Phil. My Lord I speake vnto you in the witnes of God before whom I stand that I am neither wedded vnto mine owne will neither stand vpon mine owne stubbernesse or singularitie but vpon my conscience instructed by Gods word and if your Lordship can shew better euidence then I haue for a good faith I will folowe the same Lon. What thou wilt not loe for all that Well all that is past shall be forgotten and be conformable vnto vs. Iwis thou mightest find as much fauour as thou wouldest desire Phil. Then I perceiuing that he fawned so muche vpon me thought it good to geue hym some comfort of releÌting to the end I might openly geue him and his hypocriticall generation openly a further foyle perceiuing that they dare reason opeÌly with none but with such as be vnlearned and for lacke of knowledge not able to aunsweare or els with such as they haue a hope that for feare or loue of the worlde will recant I sayde My Lorde it is not vnknowen to you that I haue openlye in the audience of a great number stand to the maintenance of these opinions I am in by learning did offer to defende them therefore my Lord I would it might openly appeare to the world that I am wonne by learnyng or els what wyll they say but that eyther for feare or loue of the worlde I am without any ground turned from the truth and if I haue any kinde of learning openly shewed I shal be as conformable as you may require me Lond. Yea mary now ye speake somwhat like a reasonable man I wis you might haue had a great deale more fauour in my house and libertie then you haue had and you shall lacke nothing that is within my house call for it and you shall haue it And what is it that you woulde openly by learnyng somewhat be satisfied in tell me Phil. My Lord I haue openly sayd and do beleeue it also that your sacrifice of the Masse is no Sacrament Lond. What doe you deny the presence of Christe in the Sacrament Phil. No my Lorde I deny not the presence of Christ in the Sacrament but I haue denyed the Sacrament of the Alter as it is vsed in your Masse to be the true Sacrament of Christes institution And first it must be proued a sacrament ere there can be any kind of presence graunted Lond. Why do you deny the Masse to be a Sacrament I pray you what is a Sacrament Is it not a signe of a holy thyng as saint Austine doth define it Phil. Yes verily that it is Lond. Then I make this argument vnto you A Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing but the Masse is a signe of a holy thing Ergo it is a Sacrament Phil. You must adde this to your Maior or fyrst proposition as saint Austine doth meane that a Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing instituted of God and commaunded for otherwise it can be no Sacrament for all men can not make a Sacrament Lond. I graunt that and such a signe of a holy thyng is the Masse of Christes institution Phil. I deny that my Lord Lond. I will proue this by S. Austine by and by I will go shew you the booke you shall haue any booke I haue that you wyll demaund Hoe who is without there call me M. Doct. Chadsey M. Archdeacon M. Cosins and other Chapleynes hyther Here my Lorde Maister Doctour Chadsey in gone to Westminster and Maister Archdeacon was here euen nowe Lond. M. Cosins I pray you examine him vpon these Articles and write his aunswere he maketh to euery one of them I will go examine his felowes and sende you S. Austine by and by I finde this man more conformable then he was before Cosins I trust my Lord you shall finde him at length a good Catholicke man Mary here be a sight of heresies I dare say you will hold none of them neither stand in any of them How say you to the first Phil. M. Cosins I haue tolde my Lord already that I will aunswere to none of these articles he hath obiected against me but if you will with learning aunswere to that which is in question betweene my Lorde and me I wyll gladly heare and common with you Cosins No wyll you Why what is that then which is in question betweene my Lord and you Phil. Whether your Masse be a Sacrament or no Cosins What the Masse to bee a Sacrament who euer
of Yorke was turning his booke for moe places to helpe forth his cause Yorke I haue found at length a very notable place which I haue looked for all this while of S. Austine De simplicitate credendi Chich. It is but folly my Lorde that your Grace doe read him any moe places for he esteemeth them not Phil. I esteeme them in as muche as they bee of force as your Lordship doth heare me deny no doctors you bring but onely require the true application of them according to the writers meaning as by his owne wordes may be proued Yorke I will reade him the place and so make an end After he had read the sentence he sayde that by foure speciall poynts here S. Austine proueth the catholick church The first is by the consent of all nations the secoÌd by the Apostolick Sea the third by vniuersalitie the fourth by this word Catholicke Chich. That is a notable place in deede and it please your Grace Phil. I pray you my Lord of what church doth S. Austine write the same of Rome or not Yorke Yea he writeth it of the Church of Rome Phil. I will lay with your Lordshippe as much as I can make it is not so and let the booke be sene Bath What art thou able to lay that hast nothing Yorke Doth he not make mention here of the Apostolicke sea whereby he meaneth Rome Phil. That is very straitly interpreted my lord as though the Apostolicke Sea had bene no where els but at Rome But let it be Rome and yet shall you neuer verify the same vnlesse all the other conditions do go therewith as S. Augustine doth proceed withal wherof none except the Apostolicke sea can now bee verified of the Churche of Rome For the fayth which that Sea now maynteineth hath not the consent of al nations neither hath had Besides that it cannot haue the name of Catholick because it differeth froÌ the Catholicke Churches which the Apostles planted almost in all thinges Yorke Nay he goeth about here to proue the Catholicke Church by vniuersality how can you shew your church to be vniuersall fifty or an hundreth yeares ago Phil. That is not materiall neither any thing agaynst S. Augustine For my church wherof I am were to be couÌted vniuersal though it were but in x. persoÌs because it agreeth with the same that the Apostles vniuersally did plant Yorke I perceiue you are an obstinate man in your opinion will not be taught wherefore it is but lost labour to talke with you any lenger you are a member to be cut of Chichester I haue heard of you before how you troubled the good Bishop of Winchester and now I see in you that I haue heard Phil. I trust you see no euill in me by this I desire of you a sure ground to build my fayth on if you shew ne none I pray you speake not ill of him that meaneth well Chichester Thou art as impudent a felow as I haue coÌmuned withall Phil. That is spoken vncharitably my Lord to blaspheme him whom you can not iustly reproue Chich. Why you are not God Blasphemy is counted a rebuke to Godward and not to man Phil. Yes it may be as well verified of an infamy layde to man speaking in Gods cause as you now do lay vnto me for speaking freely the truth afore GOD to maynteyne your vayne Religion You are voyd of all good ground I perceiue you are blind guides and leaders of the blinde therfore as I am bounde to tell you very hipocrites tyrannously persecuting the trueth which otherwise by iust order you are able to conuince by no meanes Your owne doctors and testimonies which you bring be euidently agaynst you and yet you will not see the truth Chichest Haue we this thanke for our good will comming to instruct thee Phil. My Lordes you must beare with me since I speake in Christes cause and because his glory is defaced and his people cruelly and wrongfully slayne by you because they will not consent to the dishonor of God and to hypocrisie with you If I told you not your fault it should be required at my hands in the day of iudgement Therfore know you ye hypocrites in deed that it is the spirit of God that telleth you your sinne not I. I passe not I thank God of al your cruelty God forgeue it you geue you grace to repent And so they departed ¶ An other talke the same day THe same day at night before supper the bishop sent for me into his chappell in the presence of the archdeacon Harpesfield Doctor Chadsey other his Chapleines and his seruauntes at what time he sayd Lond. Maister Philpot I haue by sundry meanes gone about to do you good and I maruell you do so litle consider it by my trueth I can not tell what to say to you Tell me directly whether you will be a conformable man or no wherupon you chiefly stand Phil. I haue tolde your Lordships oftentimes playne enough wheron I stand chiefly requiring a sure probation of the Church wherunto you call me Harps S. Austen writing agaynst the Donatistes declareth foure speciall notes to know the Church by the coÌsent of many nations the fayth of the Sacramentes confirmed by antiquity succession of Bishops and vniuersality Lond. I pray you Mayster Archdeacon fette the booke hither it is a notable place let him see it And the booke was brought and the bishop read it demaunding how I could aunswere the same Phil. My Lorde I like S. Austens foure poyntes for the triall of the catholicke churche whereof I am for it can abide euery poynt therof together which yours can not do Harps Haue not we succession of Bishops in the Sea and church of Rome Wherfore then do you deny our Church to be the catholicke church Phil. D. Austine doth not put succession of Bishops onely to be sufficient but he addeth the vse of the Sacramentes according to antiquity and doctrine vniuersally taughte receiued of most nations from the beginning of the primatiue Church the whiche your Churche is farre from But my church can auouch all these better then yours therfore by S. Austins iudgement which you here bring mine is the catholicke church and not yours Harps Chad. It is but folly my Lord for you to reason with him for he is irrecuperable Phil. That is a good shift for you to runne vnto when you be confounded in your owne sayinges haue nothing else to say you are euidently deceiued and yet will not see it when it is layd to your face THus haue I at large set forth as many of the sayd Iohn Philpot his examinations priuy conferences as are yet come to light being faythfully written with his owne hand And although he was diuers other times after this examined both openly in the Consistory at Paules also secretly in the bishops house yet what was
the Bishop deliuered vnto Philpot two books one of the ciuill law and the other of the Canon out of the which he would haue proued that he had authority to proceede agaynst him in such sorte as he did M. Philpot then perusing the same and seeing the small and slender proofe that was there alledged sayd vnto the Bishop Philpot. I perceiue your law and Diuinity is all one for you haue knowledge in neither of them and I woulde ye did know your owne ignoraunce but ye daunce in a net and thinke that no man doth see you Hereupon they hadde much talke but what it was it is not yet knowne At last Boner spake vnto him and sayd Lond. Philpot as concerning your abiections agaynste my iurisdiction ye shall vnderstand that both the Ciuill Canon lawes make against you and as for your appeal it is not allowed in this case For it is written in the law A iudice dispositionem iuris exequente non est appellandum Phil. My Lord it appeareth by your interpretation of the law that ye haue no knowledge therin nor that ye do vnderstand the lawe for if ye did ye would not bring in that Text. Hereupon the Bishop recited a law of the Romaines that it was not lawful for a Iew to keepe a Christian man in captiuity and to vse him as his slaue laying then to the sayd Philpots charge that he did not vnderstand the law but did like a Iew. Wherunto Philpot aunswered Phil. No I am no Iewe but you my Lord are a Iewe. For you professe Christ and mainteine Antichrist you professe the Gospell maynteine superstition ye bee able to charge me with nothing Lond. and other Bish. With what can you charge vs Phil. You are enemies to all truth and all your doinges be noughte full of Idolatrye sauing the Article of the Trinity Whilest they were thus debating the matter there came thither syr William Garret knight then Maior of LondoÌ Sir Martin Bowes knight and Thomas Leigh then Shiriffe of the same City and sat downe with the sayd byshops in the sayd Consistory where and what time bishop Boner spake these wordes in effect as foloweth Lond. Philpot before the comming of my Lord Maior because I would not enter with you into the matter wherewith I haue heretofore now intend to charge you with all vntill his comming I did rehearse vnto you a prayer both in English and in Latin which bishop Stokesly my predecessor vsed when he entended to proceede to geue sentence agaynst an hereticke And here they did agayne reade the sayd prayer both in English and also in Latin which being ended he spake agayne vnto him and sayd Lond. Philpot amongest other I haue to charge you especially with three thinges 1. First where you haue fallen from the vnity of Christs catholicke church you haue therupon bene inuited and required not onely by me but also by many diuers others catholicke Bishops and other learned men to return and come agayne to the same and also you haue bene offred by me that if you would so returne and confesse your errors and heresyes you should be mercifully receiued and haue so much fauour as I could shew vnto you 2. The second is that you haue blasphemously spoken agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse calling it Idolatry and abomination 3. And thirdly that you haue spoken and holden agaynst the Sacrament of the aulter denying the reall presence of Christes body and bloud to be in the same This being spoken the Bishop recited vnto him a certayne exhortation in English the tenour and forme wherof is this * Bishop Boners exhortation MAyster Philpot this is to be told you that if you not being yet reconciled to the vnity of the catholicke churche from whence ye did fall in the time of the late schisme here in this realme of England agaynst the sea Apostolick of Rome will now hartely obediently be reconciled to the vnity of the same catholicke church professing and promising to obserue keep to the best of your power the faith and christian Religion obserued and kept of all faythfull people of the same moreouer if ye whiche heretofore especially in the yere of our Lord. 1553. 1554. 1555. or in one of them haue offended and trespassed grieuously agaynst the sacrifice of the masse calling it idolatry and abominable and likewise haue offended trespassed agaynst the sacrament of the aulter denying the real presence of Christes body bloud to be there in the sacrameÌt of the aulter affirming also withal material bread and materiall wine to be in the sacrament of the aulter not the substaunce of the body and bloud of Christ if yee I say wil be reconciled as is afore and wil forsake your heresies and erroures before touched being heretical and damnable and will allowe also the sacrament of the Masse yee shal be mercifully receiued and charitable vsed with as muche fauoure as may be if not ye shal be reputed taken and iudged for an hereticke as yee be in deede Now do you chuse what ye wil doe you are counselled herein friendly and fauourable Ita est quod Ed. Boner Epis. Lond. The Bishoppes exhortation thus ended M. Philpot turned himselfe vnto the Lord Maior and sayd Phil. To you my Lorde Mayor bearing the sworde I am glad that it is my chance now to stand before that authoritie that hath defended the Gospell and the truth of gods word but I am sory to see that that authoritie whiche representeth the king and Queenes persons should now be chaunged and be at the commaundement of Antichrist And ye speaking to the Bishoppes pretend to be the fellowes of the Apostles of Christ yet be very Antichristes and deceauers of the people and I am glad that GOD hath geuen me power to stand here this daye and to declare and defend my faith which is founded on Christ. Therefore as touching your first obiection I say that I am of the Cotholicke church wherof I was neuer out and that your church whiche ye pretend to be the Catholicke churche is the churche of Rome and so the Babilonicall and not the catholicke church of that Church I am not As touching youre second obiection whiche is that I should speake agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse I doe say that I haue not spoken agaynst the true sacrifice but I haue spoken agaynst your priuate Masses that you vse in corners whiche is blasphemy to the true sacrifice for your sacrifice dayly reitered is a blasphemye agaynst Chrystes death and it is a lye of your own inuention And that abhominable sacrifice which ye set vppon the aulter and vse in your priuate Masses in steade of the liuing sacrifice is Idolatry and ye shal neuer proue it by Gods word therfore ye haue deceiued the people with that your sacrifice of the Masse which ye make a masking Thirdly where you lay to my charge that I
the booke to hym willyng hym to peruse the same When the Archb. had red the Articles and saw hymselfe so vncurteously handled of his owne church whereof he was head I meane of the Prebendaries of his Cathedral Church and of such his neighbours as he had many wayes gratified I meane the Iustices of the Peace it much grieued hym NotwithstaÌding he kneeled downe to the kyng and besought hys Maiesty to graunt out a Commission to whomsoeuer it plesed his highnesse for them to try out the truth of this accusation In very deede sayde the kyng I doe so meane and you yourselfe shall be chiefe Commissioner to adioyne to you such two or three more as you shall thinke good your self Then it will bee thought quoth the Archb. to the kyng that it is not indifferent if it please your grace that I should be myne owne iudge and my Chaplains also Well sayde the kyng I will haue none other but your selfe suche as you will appoynt For I am sure that you will not halt with me in any thyng although you bee driuen to accuse your selfe and I know partly how this geare proceedeth and if you handle the matter wisely you shall find a prety conspiracy deuised agaynst you Whome will you haue wyth you sayde the kyng Whome it shall please your grace to name quoth the Archb. I will appoynt Doc. Belhouse for one name you the other said the kyng meete for that purpose My Chancellor D. Coxe and Hussey my Register sayd the Archb. are men expert to examine such troublesome matters Well sayd the kyng let there be a Commission made forth and out of hand get you into Kent aduertise me of your doyngs They came into Kent and there they sate aboue three weekes to bult out who was the first occasion of this accusation for thereof the kyng would chiefly be aduertised Now the Inquisition beyng begunne by the Commissioners euery man shronke in his hornes and no maÌ would confesse any thyng to the purpose For D. Coxe and Hussey being friendly vnto the Papistes handled the matter so that they would permit nothyng materiall to come to sight This thyng beyng well perceyued by one of the Archbishops seruants his Secretary he wrote incontinently vnto Doct. Buttes and Master Deny declaring that if the Kynges Maiestie did not send some other to assist my Lord then those that then were there with him it were not possible that any thing should come to light and therefore wished that Doct. Lee or some other stoute man that had beene exercised in the Kings Ecclesiasticall affaires in his visitations might be sent to the Archbishop Upon these letters Doct. Lee was sent for to yorke by the King and hauing the kings farther mind declared vnto him when he came to the Court he resorted incontinently into Kent so that on Alhallow euen he deliuered to the Archbishop the kings Ring with a declaration of his highnes farther pleasure and by and by vpon his message done he appointed the Archbishop aforesaid to name him a dosen or xvi of his Officers and gentlemen such as had both discretion wit and audacitie to whom he gaue in Commission from the King to search both the purses Chestes and chambers of all those that were deemed or suspected to be of this confederacie both within the Cathedrall church and without and such letters or writinges as they could find about them to bring them to the Archbishop and him These men thus appointed went in one houre and instant to the persons houses and places that they were appointed vnto and within foure houres afterwardes the whole conspiracie was disclosed by finding of letters some from the Bishop of Winchester some from D. London at Oxford and from Iustices of the Shiere with other so that the first beginning the proceeding and what should haue beene the ende of their conspiracie was now made manifest Certaine chambers and Chests of Gentlemen of the shiere were also searched where also were found letters seruing to this purpose Amongst all other came to my Lords hands two letters one of the Suffragan of Douer and an other of Doct. Barbar a Ciuilian whom continually the Archbishop reteined with him in housholde for expedition of matters in sute before him as a counsellour in the Law when need required These two men being well promoted by the Archbishop he vsed euer in such familiarity that when the Suffragan being a prebend of Caunterbury came to him he alwaies set him at his owne messe and the other neuer from his table as men in whom he had much delight and comfort when time of care and pensiuenes chaunced But that which they did was altogither counterfait and the Deuill was turned into the Aungell of light for they both were of this confederacy When my Lord had gotten these their letters into his hands he on a day when it chanced the Suffragan to come to him to his house at Bekisburne called to him into his studie the said Suffragan of Douer and D. Barbar saieng come your waies with me for I must haue your aduise in a matter When they were with him in his study all togethers he said to them you twaine be men in whom I haue had much confidence and trust you must now giue me some good counsaile for I am shamfully abused with one or twaine to whom I haue shewed all my secretes from time to time and did trust them as my selfe The matter is so nowe fallen out that they not onelie haue disclosed my secretes but also haue taken vpon them to accuse me of heresie and are become witnes against me I require you therfore of your good aduice how I shall behaue my selfe towards them You are both my frends and such as I alwaies haue vsed when I needed counsell What say you to the matter quoth the Archbishop Mary quoth Doct. Barbar such vilens and knaues sauing your honour were worthy to be hanged out of hand without any other law Hanging were to good quoth the Suffragan and if there lacked one to do execution I would be hangman my selfe At these words the Archbishop cast vp hys handes to heauen and sayd Oh Lord most mercifull God whome may a man trust now adayes It is most true whiche is sayde Maledictus qui confidit in homine ponit carnem brachium suum There was neuer man handled as I am but oh Lord thou hast euermore defended me and lent me one great friend and maister meanyng the kyng wythout whose protection I wer not able to stand vpright one day vnouerthrowen I prayse thy holy name therfore and with that he pulled out of his bosome their two letters sayd Know ye these letters my maisters With that they fell downe vpon their knees and desired forgiuenesse declaring how they a yeare before were attempted to do the same and so verye lamentably weeping and bewailyng their doynges besought hys grace to pardon
his wife in secret many yeares Auns And though he so did he sayde there was no cause why he should be ashamed therof 7. Inter. Item that the sayde Thomas Cranmer fallynge afterward into the deep bottome of erroures did flye and recuse the authoritie of the Church did hold and followe the heresie concerning the sacramente of the aultar and also did compile and caused to be set abroade diuers bookes Auns Whereunto when the names of the bookes were recited to hym he denyed not such bookes whiche he was the true authour of As touchinge the treatise of Peter Martyr vpon the sacrament he denyed that he euer sawe it before it was abroad yet did approue and well lyke of the same As for the Catechisme the booke of Articles with the other booke agaynst Winchester he graunted the same to be his doinges 8. Inter. Item that he coÌpelled many agaynst their willes to subscribe to the same Articles Auns He exhorted he sayd such as were willing to subscribe but agaynst theyr willes he compelled none 9. Inter. Item for so much hee surceased not to perpetrate enorme and inordinate crimes he was therefore cast into the Tower and from thence was brought to Oxforde at what tyme it was commonly thought that the ParliameÌt there should be holden Auns To this he sayd that he knew no such enorme and inordinate crimes that euer he committed 10. Inter. Item that in the sayd City of Oxforde he dyd openly mayntayn his heresie and there was conuicted vpon the same Auns He defended he sayd there the cause of the Sacrament but to be conuicted in the same that he denyed 11. Inter. Item when hee perseuered still in the same hee was by the publicke censure of the vniuersitie pronounced an hereticke and his books to be hereticall Auns That he was so denounced he denyed not but that he was an hereticke or his bookes hereticall that he denyed 12. Inter. Item that hee was and is notoriouslye infamed with the note of Schisme as who not onely himselfe receded from the Catholicke Churche and Sea of Rome but also moued the king and subiectes of this Realme to the same Auns As touching the receding that hee well graunted but that receding or departing sayd he was onely from the sea of Rome and had in it no matter of any Schisme 13. Inter. Item that he had bene twise sworne to the Pope and withall D. Martin brought out the instrument of the Publicke Notary wherein was contayned his protestation made when he should be consecrated asking if he had any thing els protested Auns Whereunto he aunswered that he did nothing but by the lawes of the Realme 14. Inter. Item that he the sayde Archbishop of Caunterbury did not onely offeÌd in the Premisses but also in taking vpon him the authoritie of the sea of Rome in that without leaue or licence from the sayd Sea he consecrated Byshoppes and priestes Auns He graunted that he did execute suche thinges as were wont to be referred to the pope at what time it was permitted to him by the publicke lawes and determinatioÌ of the Realme 15. Inter. Item that when the whole Realme had subscribed to the authoritie of the pope he onely still persisted in his errour Auns That he did not admit the popes authoritie he confessed to be true But that hee erred in the same that hee denyed 16 Inter. Item that all and singular the Premisses bee true Auns That likewise he graunted excepting those thinges whereunto he had now aunswered After hee had thus aunswered to the obiections aforesayd and the Publicke Notarye had entred the same the Iudges and Commissioners as hauing now accomplyshed that wherefore they came were about to ryse and depart But the Bishop of Glocester thinking it not the best so to dismisse the people being somewhat stirred with the wordes of the Archbishop began this Oration in the hearing of the people to declame The Oration of Byshop Brookes in closing vp this examination agaynst Doctour Cranmer Archbishop of Caunterbury MAister Cranmer I cannot otherwise terme you coÌsidering your obstinacy I am right sory I am ryght hartely sory to heare suche wordes escape your mouthe so vnaduisedly I had conceaued a right good hope of your amendement I supposed that this obstinacy of youres came not of a vayne glory but rather of a corrupte conscience which was the occasion that I hoped so well of your returne But now I perceaue by your foolish bable that it is farre otherwise Ye are so puffed vp with vayn glory there is such a cauteria of heresie crept into your conscience that I am cleane voyd of hope and my hope is turned into perdition who can saue that which will be lost GOD woulde haue you to be saued and you refuse it Perditio tua super te Israel tantummodo in me saluatio tua ait Dominus per Prophetam i. Thy perdition is onely vpon thy selfe O Israell onely in me is thy saluation sayth the Lord by hys Prophet You haue vttered so erronious talke with such open malice agaynst the popes holines with such open liyng against the church of Rome with such open blasphemy agaynst the sacrament of the Aultar that no mouthe could haue expressed more maliciously more lyingly more blasphemously To reason with you although I would of my selfe to satisfie this audience yet may I not by our Commission neither can I finde how I may doe it with the scriptures For the Apostle doth commaund that suche a one shoulde not onely not be talked withall but also shunned and auoyded saying Hereticum hominem post vnum aut alterum conuentum deuita sciens quòd huiusmodi peruersus est delinquit quum sit proprio iudicio condemnatus i. An heretical person after once or twise conferring shunne knowing that he is peruerse and sinneth being of his owne iudgement condemned Ye haue bene conferred withall not once or twise but oftentimes ye haue oft bene louingly admonyshed ye haue bene oft secretly disputed with And the last yeare in the opeÌ schoole in open disputations ye haue bene openly conuict ye haue bene openly driuen out of the schole with hisses your bookes which ye bragge you made seuen yeares agoe and no man aunswered it Marcus Antonius hath sufficiently detected and confuted and ye persist styll in your wonted heresie Wherefore being so oft admonished conferred withal and conuicted if ye deny you to be the manne whome the Apostle noteth heare then what Origine sayth who wrote aboue 1300. yeares ago and interpreteth the saying of the Apostle in this wise in Apologia Pamphili Hereticus est omnis ille habendus qui Christo se credere profitetur aliter de Christi veritate sentit quà m se habet Ecclesiastica traditio Euen now ye professed a kinde of Christianitie and holines vnto vs for at your beginning you fell downe vppon youre knees and sayde the Lordes prayer God wotte lyke an hipocrite and then standing vppon youre feete
which conteineth worthy matter agaynst the Romish authority Unto the which booke you made a Preface inueying largely agaynst the Bishop of Rome reprouing hys tyranny and falshood calling his power false and preteÌced The booke is extant and you cannot deny it Then was the Bishoppe somewhat abashed and looking vpoÌ such as were preseÌt spake very geÌtly saying Lo here is a goodly matter in deed My Lord of Winchester being a great learned man did write a booke agaynst the supremacy of the Popes holynes and I also did write a preface before the same booke tending to the same effect And thus did we because of the perilous world that then was For then was it made treason by the Lawes of this realme to mainteine the Popes authority and great daunger it was to be suspected a fauourer of the See of Rome and therefore feare compelled vs to beare with the time for otherwise there had bene no way but one You know when any vttered his conscience in mainteining the Popes authority he suffered death for it And then turning his tale vnto Tyms he sayd But since that time euen sithence the coÌming in of the queenes maiesty when we might be bold to speake our conscience we haue acknowledged our faults and my Lord of Winchester himselfe shamed not to recant the same at Paules Crosse. And also thou thy selfe seest that I stande not in it but willingly haue submitted my selfe Do thou also as we haue done My Lord quoth Tyms that which you haue written agaynst the supremacy of the pope may be wel approued by the scriptures But that which you now do is against the word of God as I can well proue Then an other I suppose it was Doctor Cooke sayd Tyms I pray thee let me talke with thee a little for I thinke we two are learned alike Thou speakest much of the scripture and yet vnderstandest it not I will tell thee to whom thou mayest be compared Thou art like to one which intending to goe on hunting riseth vp earely in the morning taketh his houndes and forth he goeth vp to the hils and downe into the vallyes he passeth ouer the fieldes ouer hedge and ditch he searcheth the woods and thickets thus laboureth he all the whole day without finding any game At night home he coÌmeth weery of his trauell not hauing caught any thing at all and thus fareth it by thee Thou labourest in reading of the Scriptures thou takest the letter but the meaning thou knowest not and thus thy reading is as vnprofitable vnto thee as huÌting was vnto the man I spake of euen now Syr quoth Tyms you haue not well applyed your similitude for I prayse God I haue not read the scriptures vnprofitably but God I thanke hym hath reuealed vnto me so much as I doubt not is sufficient for my saluation Then said the Bishop You brag much of knowledge yet you know nothing you speake much of scripture you know not what scripture is I pray thee tel me How knowest thou that thing to be the worde of God whiche thou callest Scripture To this aunswered Rob. Drakes that he did know it to be the word of God for that it doth shew vnto theÌ theyr saluation in Christ and doth reuoke call backe all meÌ froÌ wicked life vnto a pure and vndefiled conuersation The bishop replied that the heatheÌ writers haue taught precepts of good liuing as wel as the scripture yet theyr writings are not estemed to be Gods word To this answered Tyms saying the olde Testament beareth witnes of those things which are writteÌ in the new for quoth he there is nothing taught in the new Testament but it was foreshewed in the law and Prophets I will denye all quoth the Bishop I wyll denye all what sayest thou then Then Robert Drakes alledged a sentence in Latin out of the Prophet Esay in the 59. chap. of his prophecy Spiritus meus qui est in te c My spirit whiche is in thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seede of thy seede from hence forth euen for euer meaning therby to proue that he which had the spirit of God could thereby discerne and iudge truely which was Gods word but before he could explicate his minde he was interrupted by the bishop who spake vnto Doctor Pendleton saying Mayster Doctor I pray you say somewhat vnto these folkes that may do them some good Then D. Pendleton as hee leaned nere vnto the Bishop couered his face with both his handes to the end he might the more quietly deuise what to say but other talke was presently ministred so that for that time he sayd nothing And thus much William Alesbury witnesse hereof being present thereat so farre as he heard hath faythfully recorded and reported What more was spokeÌ and there said for they made not yet an end a good while after because he departed then out of the house he doth not know nor dyd not heare Then the bishop after this and such like communicatioÌ thus passed betwene them proceding at length in forme of law caused both his articles and aunsweres to the same there and then to be openly read the summe of which hys confession recorded and left by his owne hand writing teÌded to this effect as foloweth * The Articles for the which William Tyms of Hockley in Essex was condemned in the Consistory in Paules the xxviij day of March with his aunsweres and confession vpon the same FFrst I did truely confesse and beleeue that I was baptised in the true Catholicke Church of Christ for when I was baptised there was the Element and the word of God according to Christes institution And my Godfathers and Godmother did promise for me and that I shoulde forsake the Deuill and all his workes and that I shoulde keepe Gods commaundements and beleue al the articles of the Christian fayth the which I doe beleue at this day and with Gods help I trust to do while I liue for it was not the wickednes of the Minister that made the Sacrament of none effect c. Item I confessed two Sacramentes and but two in Christes true Churche that is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and that Christ is present with his sacraments as it pleaseth him Item I confessed that Christe hath a visible Churche wherin the word of God is truely preached and the sacramentes truely ministred Item I confessed the See of Rome to be as the late bishop of Winchester hath written in his bookes De vera obediencia to the which I sayde vnto the Bishop of London that he had made a godly Preface also Iohn Bale hath plainly declared in his book called the Image of both churches euen so much as I beleue therof Item
member as I haue bene also of so small acquintance but such is the mercifull goodnes of God so to moue your hartes with charity towards me And as he hath moued your hartes so to doe euen so I beseech God to geue you power to forsake refuse al thinges the which be displeasant in his sight to do al things which be requisite to a ChristiaÌ send you grace to go forwardes in the same as you haue godly begon neither fearing fire nor sword And my most deare hartes remember well the simple playne doctrine the which I haue taught you also writteÌ vnto you which was the trueth for a testimony of the same I trust that you shall shortly heare or els see that I wil seale the same with my bloud And in the meane time I desire you al to remember me in your praiers as I know you do as with Gods helpe I will doe for you that God for his deare sonne Christes sake will so finish the dayes of our pilgrimage that we may rest together with AbrahaÌ Isaac Iacob in the euerlasting kingdome of heaueÌ to the which I beseech the eternall God for his Christes sake to bring both you and all yours Amen By me William Tyms ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms to his sister Colfoxe and Agnes Glascocke GRace peace from God the father of al mercy through the merites of our deare sauiour Iesus Christ be perceiued felt in the harts of you my dearely beloued sisters in the Lord by the mighty working of the holy Ghost the comforter both now and euermore Amen My most dear and entyrely beloued sisters in the Lord after my most harty commendatioÌs according to my most bouÌden duty I do as I am accustomed or at least bouÌd to doe that is I geue you warning of your enemies which be the Papistes and take good heed to them for they serue a crafty mayster yea and as S. Peter saith he slepeth not but goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whoÌ he may deuour For your old familiar frendes or worldly companions when they see that you will not runne to the Idols Temple with them it will seeme a straunge thing vnto them that ye runne not to the same excesse of ryot as S. Peter sayth and therfore they will speak euill of you rayle on you and persecute you But my deare sisters let it not trouble you for it is but to try you and let it not seeme a straunge thing vnto you But when they doe so remember wherefore it is and for whose sake euen because you wil not forsake God as they doe For the hatred they beare you is for the word of God and then it is Gods cause and I tell you hee will reuenge it And therefore if ye bee rayled on and troubled for his sake thinke your selues most happy For if you suffer with the Patriarches Prophetes and Apostles then shall you be sure to be partakers of the same ioy that they are in Yea you haue heard by the worde of God howe cruelly the tyrauntes alwayes haue persecuted the true members of Christ as he himselfe hath promised that they shall do vnto the end of the word By the way I will bring to your remembraunce the holy Martyr S. Stephen who for fauouring maynteyning and defending the same doctrine that we now suffer for was called a blasphemer and stoned to death at Ierusalem And Christes Apostles were diuerslye afflicted the world ouer for the same by this viperous generation Antipas the faythfull witnes of Christ was slayne at Pergamus Iasan for receiuing of Paule and Silas with other disciples teachers of the Gospel was brought before the couÌsell at Thessalonica and accused for a seditious traytor agaynst Cesar. No maruell therefore though at this daye we be vexed on the same sort mainteining the same cause fauoring the teachers therof Is there any other reward folowing the true seruantes of God now theÌ hath bene afore times No surely for so hath Christ promised And if they haue persecuted him needes must they persecute his members if they haue called the mayster of the house Belzebub so will they do his houshold You shall be hated of all men sayth Christ for my names sake It is no new thing my deare hartes to see the true meÌbers of Christ handled as in our dayes they be as it is not vnknown to you how they be cruelly entreated blasphemed wtout any reasonable cause For heretickes must they be taken which folow not theyr traditions And then they may as wel cal christ an heretick for he neuer alowed their dirty ceremonyes He neuer went a procession with a Cope Crosse or Candlesticke He neuer censed Image nor sang Latine seruice He neuer sate in confession He neuer preached of Purgatory nor of the popes pardoÌs He neuer honored sayntes nor prayd for the dead He neuer said masse mattins nor euensong He neuer coÌmaunded to fast Fryday nor Uigil Lent nor AdueÌt He neuer halowed church nor chalice ashes nor palmes candles nor bels He neuer made holy water nor holy bread with such like But suche dumbe ceremonies not hauing the expresse coÌmauÌdement of God he calleth the leauen of the Phariseis and daÌnable hypocrisy admonishing his disciples to beware of theÌ He curseth al those that addeth to his word such beggerly shadowes wiping their names cleane out of the booke of life S. Paule sayth they haue no portion with Christ whiche wrap themselues agayne with such yokes of bondage Therefore my deare hartes seeing that our good God hath by the light of his holy word deliuered vs froÌ al such darck blind dumbe beggerly traditions of men stand fast in the libertye wherewith Christ hath made you free and wrap not your selues againe in the yoke of bondage But let vs alwayes be ready looking for the comming of oure Lord sauior Iesus Christ which as S. Peter sayth will come as a theefe in the night And as our Captayne Chryst sayth If the good man of the house knew what houre the theefe would come he would surely watche Therfore my deare harts be of good comfort although the worlde neuer rage so sore agaynst you And for youre comfort make wel the great mercy of God who according to his promise for the weaknes of our nature hath so asswaged the heate of the fire that our deare brethren which are gone before vs to the sight of all men haue found it rather to be ioy then payne And thinke you surely that God wil be as mercifull vnto you as he hath bene vnto them and say with S. Paule Who shall seperate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation or anguish or persecution eyther hunger either nakednes either perill either sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long c. Therfore my deare sisters if to saue your liues any dissembling
Iesus Yet I thinke there be some that will say that I needed not to haue ben takeÌ if I would haue kepte me out of the way But I say vnto that the shrinking away of so many of our shepheardes as be gone maketh so many of the flock to scatter which will be required at theyr handes of the maister of the sheepe What shall he saye to them at the daye of accompt when they shall come to receaue their wages He shall say to them Departe from me ye wicked hyrâlinges for when ye saw the Wolfe come ye ran away and left my sheep in the wildernes If you had bene good shepheards ye would rather haue lost your liues then haue loste one sheepe committed to your charge through your fault And I pray you what case bee the sheepe in when their shepheard runneth awaye from them I neede not to tell you you know the daunger that followeth so well Therefore let vs pray to God to send vs faithful shepheardes also obedient sheep that will not heare a strangers voyce I would all men woulde marke well the saying of s. Paule in the 8. to the Rom. wher he sayth in these wordes Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution either nakednes eyther perill eyther sword As it is written For thy sake are wee killed all day long and are counted as sheepe appoynted to bee slayne neuerthelesse wee ouercome strongly through his helpe that loued vs. Yea I am sure that neither death neither lyfe neither Angels neyther rule neyther power neyther thinges present neyther thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neyther anye other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God and so forth Also he sayth in an other plac All that wil liue godly in Christe Iesus must suffer persecution Thus I proue it to be our heauenly fathers rod therefore let vs thankefully receaue it like obedient Children and then our father will loue vs. Yet heare what S. Peter saith in his first Epistle and the fourth Chapiter Dearely beloued sayth he be not troubled in this heate whiche is now come among you to try you as though some strange thinge had happened vnto you but reioyce in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth you may bee mery and glad If ye be rayled on for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirite of glorye and the spirite of God resteth vppon you On their parte hee is euill spoken of but on your parte hee is glorified Here S. Peter sayth it is no straunge thing and that I haue partly prooued before because wee haue nothinge els promised vs in this world Therefore let vs call on God for grace Be ye sure that they can do nothing to vs till God permittt it As for ensample looke in the first booke of kinges the xix chapiter you shall see how Saule persecuted Dauid purposing to kill hym but hys labour was in vayne Also in the 3. booke of kings the 19. cha Iesabel threatned sware to slea Elias but the Lord preferred him Also in the 2. chap. of Iob you see that Satan could doe nothinge to Iob till God suffered him neither exercise hys cruelnesse any further then God had appoynted him The godly woman Susanna in the 8. of Daniell thorough the false accusation of the wicked iudges was euen at a poynt to dye yet God wonderfully deliuered her These haue I written to put you in remembrance that man can doe no more then is the will of God therefore let vs not resist his will but referre all to him and let vs bee doing that thing that God hath commaunded vs in his holy word Deare brethren for the bloud of Christ refuse not the Crosse of Christ but remember the saying of the godly maÌ Dauid in his .119 Psalme where he sayth It is good for me that I haue bene in trouble that I may learne thy statutes In the same place he sayth Before I was in trouble I went wrong but now I haue kept thy word Euen so it is in trouble wyth vs for the word of God was neuer so sweete and comfortable as it is now that we be in trouble Also S. Paule sayth in the fift chapter to the Rom. We reioyce in tribulation For wee knowe that tribulation bringeth patience pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed Also I pray you remember the saying of S. Paule in the second to Timothe and the first chapter where he saith Be not ashamed to testifie the Lorde neither be ashamed of me Euen so say I vnto you deare brethren Be not ashamed of my imprisonment neither sorye but reioyce with me that it hath pleased God of his goodnes to call me to suche a dignitie as this shal be vnto me if I may haue his grace to loose my life which I regard as most vile for his names sake for then I shal be sure to find it agayne with aduantage Therefore I desire you all that you will praye with me vnto almighty god that he of his mercifull goodnes wil send me his grace strength that I may continue vnto the end as I will pray for you that God will preserue you froÌ all the wicked wayes of Antichrist strengthen comfort you if it be his good pleasure that you shall suffer any thyng for his names sake as he hath faythfully promised to doe And I certify you that if all meÌ knew the comfort they should receiue at the hande of God being in prison I thinke there would come mo to prison theÌ there do For surely we find such comfort at the hand of God since we haue bene in prisoÌ that we had rather dye then to be abroad to see theyr idolatry that is committed amoÌg them that be abroad beside the seeking one of an others bloud with other wickednes to much God send me more grace But I trust amongst you there be none such if there be repent and amend least it be verified on you that is spokeÌ by the Prophet Ierem. 2. cha where hee sayth My people hathe committed two great euils They haue forsaken me the fountayne of the liuing waters and digged them pittes pittes I say that are broken and canne hold no water Also in the vii he sayth Take heede ye truste in counsels that beguile you and do you no good In the 23. he sayth Heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that preach theyr owne dreames Good brethren beware of those false Prophetes that I haue geuen you warning of Dearely beloued heare I make an end of this tyme desiring the same health both of body and soule vnto you al that I would haue my selfe and I end with the same that S. Pter sayth in his first Epistle and the 5. chap. Submitte your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God
came to the ship to see hym many of them Some gaue hym a petycoate and some a shyrt some hosen and some money alwayes noting how he cast away his money and kept his booke And many of the women wept when they heard and sawe hym And Maister Gouernour of the English nation there had hym before hym and talked with hym of all the matter and pitieng hys case commaunded the Officer of the English house to goe with hym to the free oste houses amongst the English merchaunts and I with them and at three houses there was giuen him vj. pound x. shillyngs And so from thence hee went with me to Roane where the people also came to hym to see hym meruailing at the great workes of God And thus much concerning this poore man with hys new Testament preserued in the sea which testament the Popes clergy condemneth on the land ye haue heard as I receiued by the relation of the partie aboue named who was the doer thereof and yet alyue dwellyng in Lee well knowen to all merchants of London In which story this by the way vnderstand good Reader which rightly may be supposed that if this poore man thus found preserued in the sea with a new Testament in his bosome had had in stead of that a pixe with a consecrated hoste about hym no doubt it had bene rong ere this tyme all christendom ouer for a miracle so far as the Pope hath any land But to let the Pope with his false miracles go let vs returne againe to our matter begun adioine another history of much lyke condition testified likewise by the information of the sayd Tho. Morse aboue meÌtioned to the intent to make known the worthy acts of the almighty that he may be magnified in all hys wonderous works The story is thus declared which happened an 1565. about Michaelmas ¶ Another like story of Gods prouidence vpon three men deliuered vpon the Sea THere was a ship saith the sayd Tho. Morse whereof I had a part goyng toward the Bay for salt with two ships of Bricklesey which were altogether goyng for salt as before is sayd At what tyme they were within x. myle of the North Foreland otherwyse called Tennet the wynd did come so contrary to our ship that they were forced to go cleane out of the way and the other two shippes kept their course still vntill our ship was almost out of sight of them And then they sawe a thing driuyng vpon the sea hoysed out their boat and went vnto it and it was three men sittyng vpon a piece of their ship which had sitten so two dayes and two nights There had bene in their shippe eight men more which were drowned beyng all Frenchmen dwelling in a place in France called Olloronne They had bene at Danswike and lost their ship about Orford Nas as might be learned by their words They were men that feared God the one of them was owner of the ship Their exercise while they wer in our ship was that after the comming in they gaue thankes for their deliueraunce both mornyng and euenyng they exercised praier and also before after meat and when they came into Fraunce our ships went to the same place where these men dwelled and one of them dyd sell vnto our men their ships lading of salt and did vse theÌ very curteously and friendly and not at that tyme onely but alwayes whensoeuer that ship commeth thether as she hath bene there twise since he alwayes doth for them so that they can lacke nothyng I should haue noted that after our ship had taken vp those iij. men out of the Sea they had the wynd fayre presently and came and ouertooke the other two ships agayne and so they proceeded in their voiage together ¶ For the more credite of this story aboue recited to satisfie eyther the doubtfull or to preuent the quareller I haue not only alledged the name of the partie which was the doer thereof but also expressed the matter in his owne wordes as I of him receiued it the partie reporter hymself beyng yet alyue dwellyng at Lee a man so wel known amongst the Merchants of London that who so heareth the name of Thomas Morse will neuer doubt thereof And agayne the matter it selfe beyng so notoriously knowen to Merchaunts as well here as at Andwerpe that though hys name were not expressed the story can lacke no witnesses ¶ The death of William Slech in the Kinges Bench. THe last day of the sayd moneth of May in the yeare aforesayde Wil. Slech beyng in prison for the sayd doctrine of the Lordes Gospel and the confession of his truth died in the kyngs Bench and was buried on the backside of the sayd prison for that the Romish catholike spiritualtie thought hym not worthy to come within their Pope-holy churchyards neither in any other christian burial as they call it ¶ The story of foure men condemned at Lewys the 6. day of Iune IN Iune next followyng about the sixt day of the same moneth 4. Martyrs suffered together at Lewys whose names were these Thomas Harland of Woodmancote Carpenter Iohn Oswald of Woodmancote Husbandman Thomas Auington of Ardingly Turner Thomas Read To Thomas Harland I finde in the bishop of Londons registers to be obiected for not comming to church Whereunto he answered that after the Masse was restored he neuer had will to heare the same because sayd he it was in Latine whiche hee dyd not vnderstande and therefore as good quoth hee neuer a whit as neuer the better Ioh. Oswalde denyed to aunswere any thyng vntill hys accusers should bee brought face to face before hym and neuerthelesse sayd that fire and Fagottes coulde not make hym afraid but as the good Preachers which were in Kyng Edwardes tyme haue suffered and gone before so was he ready to suffer and come after and woulde bee glad thereof These foure after long imprisonment in the Kynges Bench were burned together at Lewys in Sussex in one fire the day of the moneth aforesayd ¶ The Martyrdome of Thomas Whood and Thomas Milles. IN the same towne of Lewys and in the same moneth likewyse were burned Thomas Whoode Minister and Thomas Milles about the xx day of the same moneth for resisting the erroneous and hereticall doctrine of the pretensed catholike church of Rome ¶ Two dead in the Kyngs Bench. IN the which moneth likewyse William Adherall Minister imprisoned in the Kyngs Bench there dyed the xxiiij day of the same moneth was buried on the backside Also Iohn Clement Wheelewright who dying in the sayd pryson in lyke sort vpon the dunghill was buried in the backeside two dayes after videlicet the xxv day of Iune ¶ A Merchauntes seruaunt burnt at Leycester THe next day followyng of the sayd month of Iune we read of a certaine yong man a merchants seruant who for the lyke godlynes suffred cruell persecution of the Papists and
there is the reall substance of the body of Christ Fort. And I aunswered him that it is the greatest plague that euer came into England Bish. Why so Fort. I sayd if I were a Bishop and you a poore man as I am I would be ashamed to aske such a question For a Bishop should be apt to teach and not to learne Bish. I am appoynted by the law to teach so are not you Fort. And I sayd Your lawe breaketh out very well for you haue burned vp the true Bishops and preachers and mainteined lyers to be in theyr steed Bish. Now you may vnderstand that he is a traytour for he denyeth the higher powers Fort. I am no traytour for S. Paule sayth All soules must obey the higher powers and I resist not the higher powers concerning my body but I must resist your euill doctrine wherwith you would infect my soule A Doct. Then sayd a Doctor my Lord you doe not well let him aunswere shortly to his articles Bish. How sayst thou make aunswere quickly to these articles Fort. S. Paule sayth Christ did one sacrifice once for all and set him downe on the right hand of his father triumphing ouer hell and death making intercession for sinnes Bish. I aske thee no suche question but make aunswere to this article Fort. If it be not GOD before the consecration it is not God after for God is without beginning and without ending Bish. Then sayd he lo what a stiffe hereticke is this He hath denyed altogether how sayest thou Is it idolatry to worship the blessed sacrament or no. Fort. God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and trueth Bish. I aske thee no such question answere me directly Fort. I answere that this is the God Mauzzim that robbeth God of his honor Bish. It is pity that the grounde beareth thee or that thou hast a toung to speak TheÌ sayd the scribe here are a great many more articles Bish. Then sayde the Bishop Away with him for he hath spoken to much ¶ An other examination of I. Fortune ANd when I came to mine examination agayne the bishoppe asked me if I would stand vnto mine answere that I had made before and I sayd yea for I had spoken nothing but the truth And after that he made a great circumstance vpon the Sacrament Then I desired him to stand to the text he read the Gospell on Corpus Christi day whiche sayd I am the breade which came downe from heauen beleuest thou not this And I sayd yea truely And he sayd why doest thou deny the Sacrament Because your doctrine is false sayd I. Then sayd he how can that be false which is spoken in the Scripture And I sayd Christ sayd I am the bread and you say the breade is he Therefore your doctrine is false sayd I. And he sayd doest thou not beleue that the bread is he And I sayd no. Bish. I will bring thee to it by the Scriptures Fort. Hold that fast my Lord for that is the best ArgumeÌt that you haue yet Bish. Thou shalt be burned like an hereticke Fort. Who shall geue iudgement vpon me Bish. I will iudge an hundred such as thou art and neuer be shriuen vpon it Fort. Is there not a lawe for the spiritualty as well as for the temporaltye and Syr Clement Higham sayde yes what meanest thou by that Fort. When a man is periured by the law he is cast ouer the barre and sitteth no more in iudgement And the Byshop is a periured man and ought to sit in iudgement of no maÌ Bish. How prouest thou that Fort. Because you tooke an oth by king Henries dayes to resist the Pope So both spirituall and temporall are periured that here can be no true iudgement Bish. Thinkest thou to escape iudgement by that no for my ChauÌcellor shall iudge thee He took no oth for he was out then of the Realme M. Hygham It is time to weede out such felowes as you be in deed Bysh. Good fellowe why beleuest not thou in the Sacrament of the aultar Fort. Because I finde it not in Gods booke nor yet in the Doctors If it were there I would beleue it with al my hart Bysh. How knowest thou it is not there Fort. Because it is contrary to the second coÌmaundement and seing it is not written in Gods booke why do you theÌ robbe me of my life Then the Bishop hauing no more to saye commaunded the Bailiffe to take him away And thus much touching the examinations of this man Now whether he died in fire or otherwise preuented with death as I sayd before I am vncertayne In the Registers of Norwich this I do finde that his sentence of condemnation was drawne and Registred but whether it was pronounced in the said Register it is not expressed according as the vsuall maner of the Notary is so to declare in the end of the seÌteÌce Neuertheles this is most certayne that he neuer abiured nor recanted howsoeuer it pleased the Lord by death to call him out of this world ¶ The death of Iohn Careles in the Kynges Benche ABout this time the first day of Iuly amongest diuers other prisoners which dyed the same yeare in the Kinges Bench was also one Iohn Careles of Couentry a weauer Who though he were by the secret iudgemeÌt of almighty God preuented by death so that he came not to the full Martyrdome of his body yet is he no lesse worthy to be counted in honor place of Christes martyrs then other that suffered most cruell torments aswell for that he was for the same truthes sake a long time imprisoned as also for his willing mind zelous affection he had thereunto if the Lord had so determined it as well may appeare by his examinatioÌ had before Doct. Martin Which examination because it conteineth nothing almost but wrangling interrogations and matters of contentioÌ wherin Doctour Martin would enter into no communication about the articles of his accusation but onely vrged him to detect his felowes it shall not be greatly materiall therfore to expresse the whole but onely to excerpt so much as perteining to the question of predestination may bring some fruit to the Reader ¶ The effect of Iohn Careles examination before Doctour Martin briefly declared FIrst Doctour Martin calling Iohn Careles to hym in his Chamber demaunded what was his name To whom when the other had answered that his name was Iohn Careles then began Doctour Martin to descant at his pleasure vpon that name saying that it would appere by his conditions by that time he had done with him that he would be a true careles man in deed And so after other by talke there spent about much needelesse matter then he asked him where he was borne Careles Forsooth sayth he at Couentry Mart. At Couentry what so farre man How camest thou hither Who sent thee to the kinges Bench to prison Carel. I was
indued with humanity vtterly to be abhorred Wherfore M. Calfield then Subdeane of the Colledge diligeÌtly prouided that from Marshals dunghill she was restored and translated to her proper place agayne yea withall coupled her with Frideswides boanes that in case any Cardinall wil be so mad hereafter to remoue this womaÌs bones agayne it shall be hard for theÌ to discerne the bones of her from the other And because to the intent the same might be notified to the mindes of men the better the next day after which was sonday M. Rogerson preached vnto the people in whiche Sermon by the way he declared the rough dealing of the aduersaries which were not contented to practise their cruelty against the liuing but that they must also rage agaynst one that was dead and had lien 2. yeares in her graue God graunt theÌ once to see their own wickednes Amen And thus much touching the noble actes and straungenes of this worthy Cardinal in both the vniuersities whervnto it shall not be impertinent here also consequently to adioyne and set forth to the eyes of the worlde the blinde and bloudy articles set out by Cardinal Poole to be inquired vpoÌ within his dioces of Canterbury whereby it may the better appeare what yokes and snares of fond fruitles traditions were layd vpon the poore flock of Christ to entangle and oppresse them with losse of life and libertye By the which wise meÌ haue to see what godly fruits proceeded from that catholicke Church and See of Rome In which albeit thou seest good Reader some good Articles insparsed withall let that nothing moue thee for els how could such poysoÌ be ministred but it must haue some hony to relish the readers taste ¶ Here folow the articles set forth by Cardinall Poole to be inquired in his ordinary visitation within his Dioces of Caunterbury ⧠Touching the Clergy 1 FIrste whether the Diuine Seruice in the Churche at times dayes houres be obserued and kept duly or no. 2 Item whether the Parsons Uicars and Curates do comely and decently in theyr maners and doinges behaue themselues or no. 3 Item whether they do reuerently and duely minister the sacraments or sacramentals or no. 4 Item whether any of theyr parishioners do die without ministration of the sacraments through the negligeÌce of theyr Curates or no. 5 Item whether the sayd parsons vicars or curates do haunt Tauernes or Alehouses increasing thereby infamy and sclaunder or no. 6 Item whether they be diligent in teaching the Mydwiues how to christen children in time of necessity according to the Canons of the Church or no. 7 Item whether they see that the Font be comely kept and haue holy water alwaies ready for children to be christened 8 Item if they do keepe a book of all the names of them that be reconciled to the duety of the Church 9 Item whether there be any Priestes that late vnlawfully had women vnder pretensed maryage and hytherto are not recoÌciled and to declare theyr names and dwelling places 10 Item whether they doe diligently teach theyr Parishioners the articles of the fayth and the ten commaundementes 11 Item whether they do decently obserue those thinges that do concerne the seruice of the church al those things that tend to a good and Christian life according to the Canons of the Church 12 Item whether they do deuoutly in theyr prayers pray for the prosperous estate of the Kyng and Queenes Maiestyes 13 Item whether the sayd Parsons and Uicars do sufficiently repayre theyr Chauncels Rectoryes and vicarages and do keep and mayntein them sufficiently repayred and amended 14 Item whether any of them do preach or teach any erroneous doctrine contrary to the catholicke fayth vnity of the church 15 Item whether any of them do say the diuine seruice or do minister the sacraments in the English tongue contrary to the vsuall order of the church 16 Item whether any of them do suspiciously keepe any women in theyr houses or do keepe coÌpany with men suspected of heresies or of euill opinions 17 Item whether any of theÌ that were vnder pretence of lawfull matrimony maried and now reconciled do priuily resort to theyr presented wiues or that the sayd women do priuily resort vnto them 18 Item whether they do goe decently apparelled as it becommeth sad sober and discreet ministers and whether they haue theyr crownes and beardes shauen 19 IteÌ whether any of theÌ do vse any vnlawfull games as diâe cardes other like wherby they grow to sclaunder and euill report 20 Item whether they do keepe residence and hospitality vpon theyr Benefices and do make charitable coÌtributions according to all the lawes Ecclesiasticall 21 Item whether they do keepe the booke or Register of Christening Burying and Mariages with the names of the godfathers and godmothers ⧠Touching the lay people 1 FIrst whether any maner of person of what estate degree or condition so euer he be do hold maintein or affirme any heresies errors or erroneous opinions coÌtrary to the lawes Ecclesiasticall and the vnity of the Catholicke Church 2 Item whether any person doe holde affirme or saye that in the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar there is not coÌteined the reall and substantiall presence of Christ or that by any maner of meanes do contemne and despite the sayd blessed Sacrament or do refuse to do reuereÌce or worship thereunto 3 Item whether they doe contemne or despise by anye maner of meanes any other of the Sacramentes Rites or Ceremonies of the Church or do refuse or deny auricular confession 4 Item whether any do absent or refrayne without vrgent and lawfull impedement to come to the Church and reuerently to heare the diuine seruice vpon Sondaies and holy dayes 5 Item whether being in the Church they do not apply themselues to heare the diuine seruice and to be contemplatiue in holy prayer and not to walke iangle or talk in the time of the diuine seruice 6 Item whether any be fornicatours adulterers or doe commit incest or be baudes and receiuers of euill persons or be vehemently suspected of any of them 7 Item whether any do blaspheme and take the name of God in vayne or be common swearers 8 Item whether any be periured or haue coÌmitted Simony or vsury or do still remayne in the same 9 Item whether the Churches churchyardes be well and honestly repared and inclosed 10 Item whether the Churches be sufficiently garnished and adorned with all ornaments and bookes necessary and whether they haue a Roode in theyr church of a decent stature with Mary and Iohn and an Image of the Patrone of the same church 11 Item whether any do withholde or doth draw from the church any maner of mony or goodes or that do withhold theyr due and accustomed tithes froÌ theyr Parsons Uicars 12 Item whether any be common drunkardes ribalds or meÌ of euill liuing or do exercise any lew pastimes especially in the time
that day or the daye following I should haue sent thence 22. heretickes indited before the Commissioners in dede so I had compelled to beare theyr charges as I did of the other which both stoode me aboue 20. nobles a summe of money that I thought full euill bestowed And these heretickes notwithstanding they had honest Catholicke keepers to conduct and bring them vp to me and in all the way froÌ Colchester to Stradford of the Bow did goe quietly and obediently yet comming to Stratford they began to take hart of grace and to doe as pleased themselues for there they beganne to haue theyr garde which generally increased till they came to Algatâ where they were lodged Friday night And albeit I tooke order that the sayde heretickes shoulde be with me very early on saterday mornyng to the intent they mighte quietlye come and bee examined by me yet it was ¶ The Picture of xxij godly and faythfull Christians apprehended about Colchester prisoned together in one band and so with three leaders at the most brought vp to London betweene x. and a xi of the clocke before they would come and no waye woulde they take but through Cheapside so that they were brought to my house with about a thousande Persons Which thing I tooke very strange and spake to sir Iohn Gressam then being with me to tell the Mayor and the Sheriffes that thys thing was not well suffered in the City These naughty hereticks all the way they came through Cheapside both exhorted the people to their part and had much comfort à promiscua plebe and being entred into my house and talked withall they shewed theÌselues desperate and very obstinate yet I vsed al the honest meanes I could both by my self and other to haue wonne them causing diuers learned men to talke with them and finding nothing in them but pride and wilfulnes I thought to haue had them all hether to Fulham and here to geue sentence agaynst them Neuerthelesse perceiuing by my last doing that your grace was offended I thought it my duetie before I any thing further proceded herein to aduertise first your grace hereof and knowe your good pleasure whiche I beseeche your grace I may doe by thys trusty bearer And thus most humblye I take my leaue of youre good grace beseeching almighty God alwayes to preserue the same At Fulllam postridie Natiu .1556 Your graces most bounden Bedesman and seruaunt Edmond Boner By this letter of Bishop Boner to the Cardinall is to be vnderstand what good will was in this Bish. to haue the bloud of these men and to haue past with sentence of condemnation agaynst them had not the Cardinal somwhat as it seemed haue stayed his feruent headines Concerning the which Cardinal although it cannot be denyed by his Actes and writings but that he was a professed enemy and no otherwise to be reputed but for a papist yet agayne it is to be supposed that he was none of the bloudy cruell sort of papistes as may appeare not only by staying the rage of this Byshop but also by his solicitous writing and long letters written to Cranmer also by the complaintes of certayne papistes accusing him to the Pope to bee a bearer with the heretickes by the popes letters sent to him vpon the same calling him vp to Rome setting Fryer Peto in his place had not Q. Mary by special entreaty haue kept him out of the popes danger All whiche letters I haue if neede be to shewe besides also that it is thought of him that toward his latter end a little before his comming from Rome to England he begaÌ somwhat to sauour the doctrine of Luther and was no lesse suspected at Rome Yea furthermore did there at Rome conuert a certayne learned Spanyarde from papisme to Luthers side notwithstanding the pompe and glory of the world afterward caryed him away to play the papist thus as he did But of this Cardinall enough To returne now to this godly company agayne first how they were brought vp in bandes to London ye haue heard Also how Boner was about to haue red the Sentence of death vpon them how he was stayed by the Cardinall ye vnderstand As touching their confession which they articled vp in writing it were to tedious to recite the whole at length Briefly touching the article of the Lords Supper for the whiche they were chieflye troubled thus they wrote as here followeth The supper of the Lord. WHeras Christ at his last supper took bread wheÌ he had geueÌ thanks he brake it gaue it to hys disciples and sayd take eate this is my body likewise tooke the cup and thanked c. We do vnderstand it to be a figuratiue speache as the most maner of his language was in parrables darke sentences that they which are carnally minded should see with their eyes and not perceiue and heare with their eares not vnderstand signifying this that as he did breake the breade among them being but one loafe they al were partakers thereof so we through his body in that it was broken and offered vpon the crosse for vs are all partakers thereof and his bloud clenseth vs from our sinnes hath pacified Gods wrath towards vs and made the attonement betwene God vs if we walke henceforth in the light euen as he is the true light And in that he sayd further do this in the remembrance of me it is a memoriall and token of the suffering death of Iesu Christ and he commaunded it for this cause that the congregatioÌ of Christ should come together to shew his death and to thanke and laud him for all his benefites magnifye his holy name so to breake the bread drinke the wine in remembrance that Christ had geuen his body and shed his bloud for vs. Thus you may well perceiue though Christe called the bread his body the wine his bloud yet it followeth not that the substaunce of his body shoulde be in the bread and wine as diuers places in Scripture are spoken by Christ and the Apostles in lyke phrase of speach as in Iohn 15. I am the true vine also in Iohn the .10 I am the doore and as it is written in the 9. to the Hebrues and in Exodus 24. how Moyses tooke the bloud of the Calues and sprinckled both the booke and all the people saying This is the bloud of the couenant or Testament And also in the 5. chapter of Ezechiell how the Lord said vnto him concerning the third parte of his heare saying This is Hierusalem c. Thus we see the Scriptures how they are spoken in figures and ought to be spiritually examined and not as they would haue vs to say that the bodily preseÌce of christ is in the bread which is a blasphemous vnderstanding of the godly word and is contrary to all holy scriptures Also we do see
there certaine bookes as Psalters Bibles and other wrytings All which bookes with the money were deliuered to the foresaid Priest Thomas Henden parson of Stapleherst and after in the raigne of this Queene an 5. Reg. Elisab was by right law recouered from him againe as in Recordes remaineth to be seene Thus good Edmund Allen and his wife being maliciously accused wroÌgfully imprisoned cruelly spoiled and robbed of al their goods were brought as is aforesaid before sir Iohn Baker the iustice to be examined who tauÌting and reuiling him wtout all mercy and pity asked him if those were the fruits of his gospell to haue coÌuenticles to gather people together to make conspiracies to sow sedition and rebellion and thus he began with him to reason The talke or reasoning betwene Sir Iohn Baker Colins his chaplaine and Edmund Allen. BAker Who gaue thee authority to preache interprete Art thou a priest art thou admitted thereunto Let me see thy licence Mart. Collins sir Ihon Bakers scholemaster said surely he is an arraÌt heretike worthy to be burned Alen. And it may plese your honor to geue me leaue to answer in the cause of my faith I am persuaded that God hath geueÌ me this autority as he hath geueÌ to al other christiaÌs Why are we called christians if we do not folow Christ if we do not read his law if we do not interpret it to others that haue not so much vnderstaÌding Is not Christ our Father shal not the son folowe the fathers steps is not Christ our master and shal the scholer be inhibited to lern preach his precepts Is not Christ our redemer and shal not we praise his name serue him that hath redemed vs from sin daÌnation Did not christ being but 12. yeres of age dispute with the doctors interprete the prophet Esay and notwtstaÌding hee was neither of the tribe of Leuie whiche were Priestes but of the royal tribe of Iuda neither had taken any outward priesthode wherfore if we be christians we must do the same Col. And it shal like your honor what a knaue is this that coÌpareth himself with Christ. Baker Let him alone he wil pump out anon an infinite heap of heresies Hast thou any more to say for thy self Alen. Yea that I haue Adam was liceÌced of God Abraham was coÌmanded to teach his children posteritye so Dauid teacheth in diuers psalmes and Salomon also preached to the people as the boke of the precher proueth very wel where he teacheth that there is no immortal felicity in this life but in the next And Noe taught them that were disobedieÌt in his daies and therfore is called the 8. Preacher of righteousnes in the 2. epistle of Peter Also in the 11. of Numb where Moses had chosen 52. elders to helpe him to teach rule the rest Eldad Medad preached in the tents wherfore Iosua being offended coÌplained to Moses the Eldad Medad did preach wtout liceÌce To whoÌ Moses answered wished that al the people could do the like What shuld I be long most of the priests were not of the tribe of Leuy Aaron Col. These are authorities of the olde testament therefore abrogated but the art a foole knowest no schoole poynts Is not the law deuided into the lawe ceremonial moral iudicial Allen. I graunt that the ceremonies ceased when Christ came as S. Paul proueth to the Heb. to the Col. where he saith Let no man iudge you in any part of a sabboth day new moone or other ceremonies which are figures of things to come for Christ is the body Collins And are not the iudicials abrogated by Christ Allin They are confirmed both by Christ in the 5. of Mathew and by Paule in the 1. Epistle to Timothe 4. The law saith he is not set foorth for the vertuous godly but for men slayers periured aduouterers such like Collins Thou art an hereticke Wilt thou call the Iudicials of Moses againe wilt thou haue adultery punished with death disobedient children to their pareÌts to be stoned wilt thou haue Legem talionis But thou arte an Asse Why shoulde I speake Latine to thee thou erroneous rebell shall we now smite out eye for eye toothe for toothe thou art worthy to haue thy teeth and tonge plucked out Allin If we had that law we should neither haue disobedient children neither adulterers neither false witnesse bearers neither ruffians Baker Master Collins lette vs returne to our first matter Why diddest thou teach the people whom thou saidst thou didst fede both bodely and spiritually being no Priest Allin Because that we are al kings to rule our affections preests to preach out the vertues woorde of God as Peter wryteth liuely stones to geue light to other For as out of flint stones commeth foorthe that that is able to set al the world on fire so out of Christians shoulde springe the beames of the Gospell whiche should inflame al the world If we must geue a reckening of our faith to euery man and now to you demanding it then must we study the Scriptures practise them What auaileth it a man to haue meate and will eate none and apparell and will weare none or to haue an occupation and to teach none or to be a lawyer and vtter none Shall euery artificer be suffered yea and commended to practise his facultie and science and the Christian forbidden to exercise his Doth not euery lawyer practise his law Is not euery christiaÌ a folower of Christ Shall ignorance which is condeÌned in al sciences be practised of christians Doth not s. Paul forbid any maÌs spirit to be quenched Doth he prohibite any man that hath any of these giftes which he repeateth 1. Cor. 14. to practise the same Only he forbiddeth womeÌ but no man The Iewes neuer forbad any Read the Acts of the apostles And the restraint was made by Gre. the 9. pope of that name as I hard one a learned maÌ preach in K. Ed. daies Col. This villen it like your honor is madde By my Priesthoode I beleeue that her wil saye a Priest hath no more authoritye then an other man Doth not a Priest binde and loose Allin No my sinne bindeth me and my repeÌtance loseth God forgiueth sin only and no priest For euery Christian when he sinneth bindeth himselfe and when he repeÌteth loseth him self And if any other be losed from his sinne by my exhortation I am saide to lose him and if he perseuere in sin notwtstanding my exhortation I am saide to binde him althoughe it is God that bindeth and loseth and geueth the increase Therefore saith Christ. Mat. 18. Wheresoeuer 2. or 3. are gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them whosoeuer sinnes they forgeue they are forgeuen and whosoeuer they retaine they are retained Neither hath the Pope any keies saue the keies of
her first comming into this place she did greuously bewaile with great sorrowe lamentation and reasoned with her selfe why her Lorde God did with his so heauy iustice suffer her to be sequestred from her louing fellowes into so extreeme miserie In these dolorous mournings did shee continue til on a night as shee was in her sorrowful supplications in rehearsing thys verse of the Psalme Why arte thou so heauie O my soule And againe The right hande of the most highest can chaunge all shee receiued comforte in the middest of her miseries And after that continued very ioyfull vntill her deliuerie from the same About the 25. day of March in the yeare of our Lorde 1557. shee was called before the Bishop who demaunded of her whether shee would nowe goe home and go to the church or no promising her great fauour if she woulde be reformed and doe as they did To whom she answered I am throughly perswaded by the great extremitie that you haue already shewed me that you are not of God neither can your doings be godly and I see sayeth she that you seeke my vtter destruction shewing how lame she then was of cold taken for lacke of foode while she lay in that painful prison whereby shee was not able to mooue her selfe without great paine Then did the bish deliuer her froÌ that filthy hole and sent her to Westgate whereas after she had bene changed and for a while ben cleane kept her skin did wholy so pill scale off as if she had bene with some mortal venome poysoned Heere she continued till the latter end of Aprill At which time they called her before them and with others condemned her committing her then to the prisone called the Castle Where shee continued till the slaughter daye which was the 19. day of Iune when by terrible fire they tooke away her life When she was at the stake she cast her handkerchiefe vnto one Iohn Bankes requiring him to kepe the same in the memorie of her and from about her middle she tooke a white lace which she gaue to the keeper desiring him to geue the same to her brother Roger Hall and to tell hym that it was the last band that she was bound with except the chaine A shilling also of Phillip and Mary shee tooke foorth which her father had bowed and sent her when shee was first sent to prison desiring that her said brother should with obedient salutations render the same to her father againe shew him that it was the first peece of mony that he sent her after her troubles begon which as shee protested she had kept now sent him to do him to vnderstand that shee neuer lacked money while shee was in prison With this Alice Benden were burned also the residue of the other blessed Martyrs aboue named being seuen in number Who being brought to the place where they shuld suffer for the Lordes cause at Canterbury vndressed them selues ioyfully to the fire and being ready thereto they all like the communion of Saints kneled downe and made their humble praiers vnto the Lorde with such zeale and affection as euen the enemies of the Crosse of Christ coulde not but like it When they had made inuocation together they roase and went to the stake where being compassed with horrible flames of fire they yeelded their soules and liues gloriously into the handes of the Lord. The burning of seuen Martyrs at Caunterburie The troubles and examinations of Mathew Plase VNto these holy martyrs of Kent aboue specified wher of seuen suffered at Maidstone and seuen at Canterb. I thought not vnmeete heere also to be adioyned the examination of Mathew Plase a Weauer of the same Countie of Kent and a faithful christian Who being apprehended and imprisoned likewise for the testimonie of a good conscience in the Castell of Canterbury was brought to examination before the Bishop of Douer and Harpsfield the Archdeacon as here is to be red and seene The examination and answeres of Mathewe Plase Weauer of the Parish of Stone in the Countie of Kent before Thornton Bishop of Douer Harpesfield Archdeacon Collins Commissarie other Inquisitours An. 1557. FIrst when I came before the bishop he asked me whether I were not of that Dioces and where I dwelt for that was my first Article Ans. I aunsweared I was of the Parishe of Stone in Kent and subiect vnto the King Queene of England Bish. Then he sayd I was indicted by xij men at Ashford at the Sessions for heresie Auns I sayd that was sooner sayd then prooued Bish. Then he sayde it was the truthe that he had spoken to me for he had whereby to prooue it Auns Then I desired him to let me heare it and I would answere to it Bish. But he sayd he would not so do but I should aunswere to my Article yea or nay Auns I said he could not for I was not at Ashforde and therfore he had nothing to lay to my charge But nowe I perceiue you goe about to lay a net to haue my bloud Arch. After many woordes betwixt the bishop and me the Archdeacon said peace peace we do not desire thy bloud but we are glad to heare that thou art no hereticke wyth many flattering woordes and said yet I was suspected of heresie and if I woulde be content to confesse howe I did beleeue as concerning those Articles they woulde gladly teache me Auns But I sayd I did not so thinke for I talked wyth one of your doctors and after long talke he would nedes know how I did beleeue in the Sacrament and I recited vnto him the text and because I would not make him an exposition he would teach me nothing yet I praied hym for my learning to wryte his minde if it were the truth I would beleeue him and this I did desire him for the loue of God but it would not be Arch. Then sayd he it was not so he durst sweare vpon a booke Auns I sayd it would be so prooued Arch. Then he stoode vp with a long processe and sayd he would tell me the truth and was sure that the same Doctour did beleeue as he did Auns I asked him how he knew that seing S. Paul doth say that no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite which dwelleth in him but if you wist what Christ meant by these woords I require mercy and not sacrifice you wold not kill innocents Bishop The Bishop began with me againe and charged me in the king and Queenes name and the Lord Cardinals to answere yea or nay to the Articles that followed Auns Then I commanded him in his name that should come in flaming fire with his mighty Aungels to render vengeance to the disobedient and to all those that beleued not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which should be punished with euerlasting damnation that he should speake nothing but the truth grounded vpon Christ and
himselfe about towards the East and exhorted the people there likewise Now it chaunced on a bancke to stande three Archpapistes George Boyes Henry Barley Gray all three of Trinity Colledge This Boyes was one of the Proctors of the Uniuersity that yeare To whome Mayster Graye spake saying heare ye not maister Proctor what blasphemy this felow vttereth surely it is euil done to suffer him At whose words this Boyes spake with a loud voice M. Maior what meane ye if ye suffer him thus to talke at liberty I tell ye the Counsell shall heare of it and we take you not to be the Queenes frend He is a pernitious person and may do more harme then ye wote of Wherat simple Hullier as meeke as a Lambe taking the matter very patiently made no answere but made him ready vttering his prayer Which done he went meekely himselfe to the stake and with chaines being bound was beset with reed wood staÌding in a pitchbarrell the fire being set to not marking the winde it blew the flame to his backe TheÌ he feeling it began earnestly to call vpon God Neuertheles his frendes perceiuing the fire to be ill kindled caused the Sergeantes to turne it and fire it in that place where the winde might blow it to his face That done there was a coÌpany of bookes which were cast into the fire and by chaunce a Communion booke fell betwene his handes who receyuing it ioyfully opened it read so long as the force of the flame smoke caused him that he could see no more and then he fell agayne to prayer holding his handes vp to heauen the booke betwixte his armes next his hart thanking God for sending him it and at that time the day being a very fayre day a whote yet the winde was somewhat vp and it caused the fier to be the fiercer and when al the people thought he bad bene dead he sodenly vttered these wordes Lord Iesu receaue my spirit dying very meekely The place where he was burned is called Iesus grene not farre from Iesus Colledge Seager gaue him certeine gunpouder but little to the purpose for he was dead before it took fire All the people praied for him and many a teare was shed for him Which the Papistes seing cried he was not to be prayed for being but a daÌned man it could profit him nothing neuertheles they coÌtinued praying Wherat the Papistes fell in such a rage that they manaced them with terrible threatninges to ward His flesh beyng coÌsumed his bones stood vpright eueÌ as if they had bene aliue Of the people some took as they could get of him as pieces of bones One had his hartâ the which was distributed so farre as it would go one took the scalpe and looked for the toung but it was consumed except the very roote One rouÌded him in the eare and desired him to be constaunt to the end at which he spake nothing but shewed a ioyful countenaunce and so continued both constaunt and ioyfull to the end A Note of Thomas Rede THo Rede who was burned at Lewes as it appeareth aboue pag. 1807. before he was in prison determined with himselfe to go to church The night following he sawe in a vision a company of talle young men in white very pleasant to behold to whoÌ he would haue ioyned himself but it would not be Then he looked on himselfe and he was full of spottes therewith waked tooke hold and stood to the truth god be thanked therefore and so constantly was burned wyth his felowes as is aboue specified pag. 2095. ¶ Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper burnt at Norwich IN the Moneth of Iulye nexte ensued the Martyrdome of Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper This Simon dwelling then in the Towne of Linne a Godly and zealous man in the knowledge of the Lord and of his trueth detesting and abhorring the contrary enforced ReligioÌ theÌ set forth came from Linne to Norwich where he standing in the prease and hearing of the people comming out the same time from their popish seruice ended in the Churche began to aske them comming out of the Church where he might go to haue the communioÌ At which wordes diuers much maruelling to heare see his boldnes one that was an euill disposed Papist hearing the same said that if he would needs go to a communion he would go bring him thither where he should be sped of his purpose WherupoÌ shortly after hee was brought to the Chauncellour of Norwiche whose name was Dunning who after a few wordes small talk passed with this examinate committed him to Warde In the meane while as he was in examination he had in his shoo his confession written in a certein paper wherof a peece appearing aboue his shoo was spyed and taken out The Chauncellour asking if he would stand to the coÌfession of the same fayth therin conteined he constantly affirmed the same WherupoÌ as is sayd he was committed Thus the sayd Simon being in the Bishops house vnder custody of the keper there called M. Felow how it happened it is not certayne whether by gentlenesse of the keper who was somewhat gentle that wayes or by leaue geueÌ of the Bishop or els whether he had coÌdescended of a purpose to theyr articles he was dismissed and went home to his house at Linne Where hee continued a certayne space while he had disposed and set there all things in order That done he returned againe to the bishops house to his prison and keeper till the time at length he coÌstantly abiding in his professed purpose defence of Gods trueth was by the sayd byshop and his Chauncellour coÌdemned and committed to the fire about the xiij day of Iuly ¶ Elizabeth Cooper Martyr WIth this Simon Miller also was burnt one Elizabeth Cooper as is aforesayde a Pewterers Wife dwelling in Saynt Andrewes parish in Norwich where she had before recanted and beyng vnquyet for the same and greatlye troubled inwardlye at the last came into the sayd Saynt Andrewes Church the people beyng at theyr popish seruice and there standing in the same sayde she reuoked her recantation before made in that place and was hartely sorye that euer she did it willing the people not to bee deceiued neither to take her doynges before for an example c. These or suche like woordes shee spake in the Church Then cryed one Bacon of the sayd Parish laying hys armes abroade saying Mayster Shiriffe will you suffer this and repeating the same vrged hym to goe from the church to her house at whose knocking she came downe was taken and sent to prison This Shiriffe named M. Thomas Sutterton she had bene seruauntes together before in one house for the frendship he bare vnto her the more for the gospels sake he was very loth to do it but that he was inforced by those other persons before
of hys former life it well appereth of what sort he is the queenes highnes hath willed vs to remit him vnto your Lordship to the ende that being called before you out of prison as ofte as your Lordship shall think good ye may proceed both to his further examination and otherwise ordering of him according to the lawes as the case shall require And thus we bidde your Lordshippe hartely well to fare From Saynt Iames the 15. day of December 1557. Your Lordships louing frendes Nicholas Ebor. F. Shrewsbery Edward Hastinges Antony Mountague Iohn Bourne Henry Iernegam Boner nowe minding to make quicke dispatche dyd wythin three dayes after the receipt of the Letter the xviij day of December send for this Rough out of Newgate and in his Palace at London ministred vnto him 12. Articles Many whereof because they conteine onely questions of the profession and Religion of that age wherein both he and his Parentes were Christened which in suÌdry places are already mentioned I doe here for breuity omitte minding to touche suche onely as perteyne to matters of fayth now in controuersy and then chiefely obiected agaynst the Martyrs and Saynts of God which in effect are these 1. FIrst that thou Iohn Rough diddest directly speake agaynst the 7. Sacramentes vsed commonlye and reuerently as thinges of estimation and great worthines in the catholick churche and also diddest reproue and condemne the substance of the sayd Sacramentes but especially the Sacrament of the aultar affirming that in that same is not really and truely the very body bloud of Christ and that confession to the priest and absolution geuen by him as the minister of Christ for sinnes is not necessary or auayleable in any wise 2. Item thou hast misliked and reproued the religion and ecclesiasticall seruice as it is now vsed in this realme and hast allowed the religion and seruice vsed in the latter yeares of king Edward the 6. and so much as in thee hath leyne hast by word writing deed set forwardes taught and preached the same openly and in sundry places affirmed that the sayde Englishe seruice and doctrine therein conteined is agreable in all poyntes to Gods word and vnto the truth condemning vtterly the Latine seruice nowe vsed in the Queenes reigne and inducing other by thine example to do the like 3. Item thou hast in sundrye places within this Realme commended and approued the opinion doctrine of Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridley Hugh Latimer concerning the Sacrament of the aultar affirming that in the Sacrament there remayneth after the wordes of consecration materiall breade and materiall wine without any transubstantiation 4. Item thou hast in sundrye places of this Realme since the Queenes reigne ministred and receiued the Communion as it was vsed in the late daies of king Edward the sixt and thou knowest or credibly hast heard of diuers that yet do keepe bookes of the sayd Communion and vse the same in priuate houses ouâ of the Church and are of opinion agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar 5. Item that thou in sundry places of this realme hast spoken agaynst the Pope of Rome and his Apostolicke sea hast plainely contemned despised the authority of the same misliking not allowing the faith and doctrine therof but directly speaking agaynst it and by thine example hast induced other the subiects of this realme to speake and do the like 6. Item thou doest knowe and hast bene conuersaunt with all or a great part of such English men as haue fledde out of this Realme for Religion and hast consented and agreed with them in theyr opinions and hast succoured maynteyned and holpen them and hast beene a conueyer of theyr seditious Letters and bookes into this realme 7. Item that thou hast sayd that thou hast bene at Rome and taryed there about 30. dayes or more and that thou hast sene litle good or none there but very much euill Amongest the which thou sawest one great abhomination that is to say a man or the Pope that shoulde goe on the ground to bee carried vppon the shoulders of foure men as though he had bene God and no maÌ Also a Cardinall to haue his harlot riding openly behinde hym And thirdly a Popes Bull that gaue expresse licence to haue and vse the stewes and to keepe open bawdry by the Popes approbation and authority 8. Item that thou sithens thy last comming into England out of the parties beyond the sea hast perniciously allured and comforted diuers of the subiectes of this Realme both young olde men and women to haue and vse the booke of Communion set forth in this Realme in the latter daies of king Edward the sixt and hast also thy selfe read and sette forth the same causing others to doe the like and to leaue theyr comming to their parish churches to heare the Latine seruice now vsed 9. Item that thou the thirde sondaye of Aduent the xij daye of this December 1557. wast apprehended at the Saracens heade at Islington in the county of Middlesexe and dioces of London by the Queenes Vicechamberlayne with one Cutbert a Taylour Hugh a hosier and diuers other there assembled vnder the colour of hearing a playe to haue read the communion booke and to haue vsed the accustomed fashion as was in the latter dayes of king Edward the sixt The aunsweres of Iohn Rowgh to the foresayd Articles 1. TO the first he said and confessed that he had spoken against the number of the sayde sacramentes being fully perswaded that there be but onely two Sacramentes to wit baptisme and the supper of the Lord and as for the other fiue he denyed them to be sacramentes and therefore hath spoken agaynste them And as concerning the sacrament of the aultar which he then called the supper of the Lord he confessed that he had spoken and taught that in the sayde sacrament there is not really and substantially the very body and bloud of Christ but that the substance of bread and wine doth remayne in the sayde Sacrament withou any transubstantiation at all Farther as touching confession of sinnes to the priest he answered that he thought it necessary if the offence were done vnto the priest but if the offeÌce were done to another then confession made to the priest is not necessary but reconciliation onely to bee made to the partye so offended 2. To the second he aunswered that he then did and had before misliked the order of latine seruice then vsed and also did allowe the seruice vsed in the latter time of King Edwardes reigne for that the holy scripture doth the same and therefore he graunted that he did teach and set forth the sayd Englishe seruice as in the same article is obiected 3. To the third he graunted that he had approued the doctrine of the parties articulate as agreable to Gods word and that they were godly learned men and such as had perfect
playne Cup of fornication and the whore of Babilon And as concerning the Sacrament of the aultar she sayd she beleued there was no such sacrament in the catholicke Church Also she sayd that she vtterly abhorred the authoritye of the Byshop of Rome with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichristes Church 6 Item she aunswered to the sixt Article as to the first before specified 7 Item that she hath refused to come to her Parish Church because the true Religion of Christ was not then vsed in the same and farther sayd that she had not come vnto the Churche by the space of one yeare and three quarters then last paste neither yet did meane any more to come vnto the same in these Idolatrous dayes 8 Item as touching the maner of her apprehension she said that Cluney the Bishops Somner did fetch her to the Bishop These aunsweres being then registered they were agayne with the sayd Articles propounded agaynste her the xx day of December and there being demaunded if she would stand vnto those her aunsweres she sayde I wyll stand to them vnto the death for the very Aungels of heauen do laugh you to scorne to see your abhomination that you vse in the Churche After the whiche wordes the Byshop pronounced the sentence of condemnation and then deliuering her vnto the Sheriffes she was wyth the forenamed Iohn Roughe caryed vnto Newgate From whence they were both together led vnto Smithfield the xxij day of the same Moneth of December and there most ioyfullye gaue theyr liues for the profession of Christes Gospell When the latter end of this history of Mayster Rough and Margarete Mearing was in finishing there came to our hands one necessary thing of the said Margaret Mearyng which wee thought not good to omit The matter is this Mayster Rough being chiefe Pastour to the congregation in the said time of Queene Mary as before ye haue heard of which companye this Margaret Mearyng was one did not well like the sayd Margaret but greatly suspected her as many other of them did besides because she would often times bring in straungers among them and in her talke seemed as they thought somewhat âo busye c. Nowe what they sawe or vnderstoode further in her we know not but this followed the euill suspition conceiued of her Mayster Rough the Fridaye before hee was taken in the open face of the Congregation did excommunicate her out of the same company and so seemed with the rest to exclude and cut her of from theyr fellowship and society Whereat she being mooued did not well take it nor in good part but thought her selfe not indifferently handled amonge them Whereupon to one of her frendes in a heate she threatned to remoue them all But the prouidence of God was otherwise For the Sondaye after Mayster Rough being taken by the information of one Roger Sergeaunt to the Bishop of London as here after thou shalt heare was layd prisoner in the Gatehouse at Westminster where none of his frendes coulde come to him to visite him Then this sayd Margaret hearing therof gotte her a basket and a cleane shyrt in it and went to Westminster where she fayning her selfe to be his Sister got into the prison to him and did there to her power not a litle comfort him Then comming abroade agayne shee vnderstandinge that the Congregation suspected the said Sergeaunt to be his Promoter went to his house and asked whether Iudas dwelt not there Unto whom aunswere was made there dwelt no such No sayd she Dwelleth not Iudas here that betrayed Christ His name is Sergeaunt WheÌ she saw she could not speake with him she went her way So the Friday after she standing at Marke lane ende in London with an other woman a frende of hers sawe Cluney Boners Somner commyng in the Streete towardes her house Whome when she sawe she sayed to the other woman standyng with her whether goeth yonder fine felowe sayde she I thinke surely he goeth to my house and in viewing him still at the last she saw him enter in at her doore So immediately she went home and asked him whome hee sought Whereunto Cluney made answere and sayd for you you must go with me Mary quoth she here I am I will go with you and comming to the Bishoppe she was layde in prison and the Wednesday after burnt with Mayster Rough in Smithfielde as ye haue heard Anno. 1558. ¶ The Suffering cruell tormentes of Cutbert Symson Deacon of the Christian Congregation in London in Queene Maries dayes most paciently abiding the cruell rage of the Papistes for Christes sake NExt after the Martyrdome of M. Rough Minister of the Congregation aboue mentioned succeded in like Martyrdome the Deacon also of that sayde Godly company or Congregation in London named Cutbert Symson being committed to the fire the yeare of our Lord. 1558. the 28. day of March. This Cutbert Symson was a manne of a faythfull and zealous hart to Christ and his true flocke in so much that he neuer ceased labouryng and Studying most earnestly not onely how to preserue them without corruption of the Popish religion but also hys care was euer vigilant how to keepe them together wythout peryll or daunger of persecution The paynes trauayle zeale pacience and fidelity of this man in caryng and prouiding for thys Congregation as it is not lightly to be expressed so is it wonderfull to beholde the prouidence of the Lord by vision concerning the troubles of this faythfull minister and godly Deacon as in this here folowyng may appeare The Fridaye at nighte before Maister Rough Minister of the congregation of whom meÌtion is made before was takeÌ being in his bed he dreamed that he saw 2. of the Gard leading Cutbert Simson Deacon of the sayde congregation and that he had the booke about hym wherin were written the names of all them which were of the Congregation Whereupon being sore troubled hee awaked and called hys wife saying Kate strike lighte For I am much troubled with my brother Cutbert thys nyght When she hadde so done he gaue himselfe to reade in his booke a while and there feeling sleepe to come vpon him he put out the candle so gaue himselfe agayn to rest Being a sleepe hee dreamed the like dreame agayn awaked therwith hee sayde O Kate my brother Cutbert is gone So they lighted a candle againe and rose And as the âayd M. Rough was making him ready to go to Cutbert to see how he did in the meane time the sayd Cutbert came in with the book conteining the names accompts of the congregation Whom when Maister Rough hadde seene he sayd brother Cutbert ye are welcome for I haue bene sore troubled with you this night and so tolde hym his dreame After he had so done he willed him to lay the booke away from him and to cary it no more about him Unto which Cutbert aunswered he would not so doe
I will shewe this thy bill vnto my maister And furthermore thou shalt promise me to resort euery day to the lecture at Alhallowes and the sermon at Pauls euery Sondaye and to cast away all thy bookes of papistrie and vaine ballets and get thee the Testament and the Booke of seruice and read the scriptures with reuereÌce and fear calling vnto God still for his grace to directe thee in hys truth And pray vnto God ferueÌtly desiring hym to pardon thy former offences and not to remember the sinnes of thy youth and euer be afraid to breake his lawes or offend his maiestie Then shall God keepe thee and sende thee thy hearts desire After this time wtin one halfe yeare God had wrought such a change in this man that he was become an earnest professor of the truth and detested al papistrie euil company so that he was in admiration to all them that hadde knowen him and seene his former life and wickednesse Then he repaired into Lankeshiere vnto hys Father and brought diuers good bookes with him and bestowed them vppon his frendes so that his father and others began to taste of the Gospell and detest the Masse idolatrie and superstition and in the ende his father gaue hym a stocke of money to begin the world withall to the summe of fiftie pound Then he repaired to London againe and came to the maide that lent him the money to pay his master withall and sayd vnto her Elizabeth here is thy money I borrowed of thee and for the frendship good will and the good counsel I haue receiued at thy hands to recompence thee I am not able otherwise then to make thee my wife and soone after they were maried which was in the first yeare of Queene Marie And hauing a childe by her hee caused maister Rose to baptise his said childe in his owne house Notwithstanding he was bewrayed vnto the ennemies and hee being gone into the countrey to conuey the childe away that the papists shoulde not haue it in their anoynting handes Boner caused his goodes to be seaâed vppon and most cruelly vsed his wife After this he remained closely in the Citie and in the Countrey in the congregations of the faithfull vntill the last yeare of Queene Marie Then hee with the vj. other aforesaid were taken in or not farre from s. Iohns wood and so brought to Newgate vppon May day in the morning An. 1558. Then being called before the bishop D. Chedsey both the Harpsfieldes certaine other after many other faire and craftie perswasions of doctor Chedsey to allure hym to theyr Babylonicall churche thus the Bishop beganne with him Holland I for my part do wish well vnto thee the more for thy frendes sake And as doctour Standish telleth me you and he were both borne in one parish he knoweth your father to be a verye honest Catholicke Gentleman And maister Doctour tolde me that he talked wyth you a yeare a goe and founde you very wilfully addicte to your owne conceit Diuers of the Citie also haue shewed me of you that you haue bene a great procurer of mens seruaÌts to be of your religion to come to your congregations but since you be now in the daunger of the law I would wish you to playe a wise mannes parte So shall you not want any fauoure I can doe or procure for you bothe for your owne sake and also for your friendes which be men of worship and credite and wish you well by my trooth Roger so doe I. Then sayd M. Egleston a gentleman of Lankeshire and nere kinsman to Roger being there present I thank your good Lordship your honour meaneth good vnto my cousin I beseeche God he haue the grace to followe your counsaile Holland Syr you craue of God you knowe not what I beseech God open your eies to see the light of his worde Egleston Roger holde your peace least you fare the worse at my Lordes handes Holland No I shall fare as pleaseth God for man can do no more then God doth permit him Then the bishop and the Doctors with Iohnson the Register casting their heades together in the ende sayeth Iohnson Roger how sayest thou wilt thou submitte thy selfe vnto my Lorde before thou be entred into the booke of contempt Holland I neuer meant but to submit my selfe vnto the Magistrate as I learne of S. Paul to the Romaines the 13. chap. and so he recited the text Chedsey Then I see you are no Anabaptist Holland I meane not yet to be no Papist for they and the Anabaptists agree in this poynt not to submit theÌselues to any other prince or magistrate then those that must first âe sworne to maintaine them and their doings Chedsey Roger remember what I haue said also what my Lorde hath promised he will perfourme wyth further frendship Take heede Roger for your ripenesse of witte hath brought you into these errours Holland M. Doctor I haue yet your words in memorie though they are of no such force to preuail with me Then they whispered together againe and at the last saide Boner Roger I perceiue thou wilt be ruled by no good counsell for any thing that either I or your frieÌds or any other caÌ say Holland I may say to you my lorde as Paul said to Felix vnto the Iewes as doth appeare in the 22. of the Actes and in the 15. of the 1. Epistle to the Corinth It is not vnknowen vnto my master whom I was prentise withall that I was of this your blind religion that nowe is taught and therein did obstinately wilfully remaine vntill the later end of K. Edward in maner hauing the liberty vnder your auriculare Confession that I made no conscience of sinne but trusted in the Priests absolution hee for money doing some penance also for me which after I had geuen I cared no further what offences I did no more then hee passed after he had my mony whether he fasted bread and water for me or no so that lecherie swearing all other vices I accompted no offence of danger so long as I could for money haue them absolued So straitly did I obserue your rules of religion that I woulde haue ashes vppon Ashwensday though I had vsed neuer so muche wickednes at night And albeit I could not of conscience eat flesh vpon the friday yet in swearing drinking or dising al the night long I made no conscience at all And thus was I brought vp and herein haue I continued til now of late that God hath opened the light of his word and called me by his grace to repentaunce of my former idolatrie wicked life for in Lankeshire their blindnes and whoredom is ouermuch more then may with chaste eares be hearde Yet these my friends which are not cleare in these notable crimes thinke the Priest with his Masse can saue them though they blaspheme God keepe concubines besides their
the 13. and 14. articles they confesse and graunt the contents of them to be true in euery part When at the daies before specified these good men were produced before Boners Chancellour Thomas Darbishire and had the foresaide articles ministred vnto them and they as ye haue heard had made aunswere vnto the same in the ende the Chauncellor commaunded them to appeare before them againe the 11. day of Iuly after in the sayde place at Paules Where when they came he required of them whether they woulde tourne from their opinions to the mother holy church and if not that then whether there were anye cause to the contrarye but that they might procede with the sentence of condemnation Wherunto they all answeared that they would not go from the truthe nor relent from any part of the same while they liââed Then he charged them to appeare before him againe the next daye in the afternoone betweene one and two of the clocke to heare the definitiue sentence redde agaynste them according to the Ecclesiasticall lawes then in force At which time he sitting in iudgemeÌt talking with these godly and vertuous men at the last came into the sayde place syr Edwarde Hastings sir Thomas Cornewales knights two of Quene Maries officers of her house and being there they sate them down ouer against the Chancellor in whose presence the sayde Chancellor condemned those good poore Lambes and deliuered them ouer to the secular power who receiued and caried them to prisonne immediately and there kept them in safetie till the daye of their deathe In the meane time this naughty Chancellor slept not I warrant you but that day in which they were condemned he made certificate into the Lorde Chancellors office from whence the next daye after was sent a writ to burne them at Brainforde aforesaid which accordingly was accomplished in the same place the said 14. daye of Iulye Whereunto they being brought made theyr humble praiers vnto the Lorde Iesus vndressed themselues wente ioyfully to the stake whereto they were bounde and the fire flaming about them they yelded their soules bodies and liues into the handes of the omnipotent Lorde for whose cause they didde suffer and to whose protection I commend thee gentle Reader Amen The burning of sixe Martyrs at Brainforde Among these 6. was due William Pikes as yee haue heard who sometime dwelt in Ipswiche in Suffolke by his occupation a Tanner a very honest godly man of a vertuous disposition a good keper of hospitalitie and beneâicial to the persecuted in Queene Maries daies Thys saide William Pikes in the 3. yeare of Queene Maries raigne a little after Midsomer being then at libertie weÌt into his Garden and tooke wyth him a Bible of Rogers translation where hee sitting wyth his face towardes the South reading on the said Bible sodenly fell downe vpon his booke betwene a 11. and 12. a clocke of the day foure drops of fresh bloud he knew not from whence it came Then he seeing the same was sore astonished coulde by no meanes learne as I sayd from whence it should fall and wiping out one of the droppes with his finger called his wife and said In the vertue of God wife what meaneth this Wil the Lord haue 4. sacrifices I see wel enough the Lorde will haue bloude his wil be done and geue me grace to abide the triall Wife let vs pray sayde hee for I feare the day draweth nigh Afterwarde he daily looked to be apprehended of the papistes and it came to passe accordingly as yee haue heard Thus much thought I good to wryte heereof to stirre vp our dull senses in considering the Lordes woorkes and reuerently to honour the same His name therefore be praised for euermore Amen Moreouer concerning the sayd William Pikes as he was in Newgate sore sicke and at the poynte of deathe so that no man looked he should liue 6. houres there declared to them that stoode by that he had bene twise in persecution before and that now he desired the Lord if it were his will that he might glorifie his name at the stake and so as he prayed it came to passe at Brainford Ye hard before of those 22. taken at Islington 13. were burned and 6. escaped albeit very hardly some of them not without scourging by the hands of the bishop In the which number was Thomas Hinshaw Ihon Milles according to the expresse Picture here after purported Ex epigrammate Ennij apud Ciceronem allusio Si fas caedendo coelestia scandere cuiquam est Bonnero coeli maxima porta patet In effigiem Boneri carmen QVae noua forma viri quid virga quid ora quid aluus Pondera quid ventris crassitiesîue velit Corpus amaxaeum disten to abdomine pigrum Rides anne stupes lector amice magis Vasta quid ista velint si nescis pondera dicam Nam nihil hic mirum venter obesus habet Carnibus humanis sanguine vescitur atro Ducentos annis hauserat ille tribus Ergo quid hoc monstri est recto vis nomine dicam Nomen nec patris nec gerit ille matris Qui patre Sauago natus falso que Bonerus Dicitur hunc melius dixeris Orbilium The same in English MUse not so much that natures woorke is thus deformed now With belly blowen and head so swolne for I shall tell you how This Canniball in three yeares space three hundreth Martyrs slew They were his foode he loued so bloud he spared none he knew It should appeare that bloud feedes fat if men lie well and soft For Boners bellie waxt with bloud though he semde to fast oft O bloudy beast bewaile the death of those that thou hast slaine In time repent since thou canst not their liues restore againe G. G. In Bonerum CArnificis nomen debetur iure Bonero Qui sine Christicolas crimine mactat oues Certe carnificis immitis nomine gaudet Siîue isto peius nomine nomen amat Carnificem vocitas ridet crudelia facta Narrisâ rem gratam non facis ipse magis Det Deus vt sapias meliora Bonere vel istis Te feriant meritis munera digna precor The scourging of Thomas Hinshaw ⧠The right Picture and true Counterfet of Boner and his crueltie in scourging of Gods Sainctes in his Orchard a Fulham The next mornyng the Bish. came and examined hym himselfe and perceiuyng no yelding to his mynde he sent M. Harpsfield to talke with him who after long talke in the end fell to raging words callyng the sayd Thomas Hinshaw pâeuish boy and asked him whether he thought he went about to damne his soule or no c. Unto whiche the sayd Tho. answered that he was perswaded that they laboured to maintaine their darke and diuelish kingdom and not for any loue to truth Then Harpsfield beyng in a mighty rage told the B. thereof Whereat the B. fumed fretted that scant for anger beyng able
Religion tooke such effect agaynst the enemye that within sixe dayes after Queene Mary dyed and the tyranny of all Englishe Papistes with her Albeit notwithstanding the sicknes and death of that queene wherof they were not ignorant yet the Archdeacon with other of Caunterbury thought to dispatch the Martyrdome of these men before ¶ The burning of fiue Martyrs at Caunterbury In the which fact the tyranny of this Archdeacon seemeth to exceede the crueltye of Boner who notwithstanding he had certayne the same time vnder his custodye yet he was not so importune in haling them to the fire as appeareth by father Liuing and his wife and diuers other who being the same time vnder the custody and dauÌger of Boner deliuered by the death of Queene Mary remayne yet some of them aliue These godly martirs in theyr prayers which they made before their martirdome desired God that theyr bloud might be the last that should be shed and so it was This Katherine Tynley was the mother of one Robert Tynley now dwelling in Maydstone which Robert was in trouble all Queene Maryes time To whom hys Mother comming to visite him asked him how he tooke this place of Scripture which she had seene not by reading of the Scripture for she had yet in maner no taste of Religion but had found it by chaunce in a Booke of prayers I will poure out my spirite vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesy your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions And also vpon the seruantes and vpon the maydes in those dayes will I poure my spirite c. Which place after that he had expounded to her she began to take hold on the Gospell growing more and more in zeale and loue thereof and so continued vnto her Martyrdome Among such young women as were burned at Caunterbury it is recorded of a certayne mayd and supposed to be this Alice Snoth here in this story mentioned or els to be Agnes Snoth aboue storied pag. 1751. for they were both burned that when she was brought to bee executed she being at the stake called for her godfather and godmothers The Iustice hearing her sent for theÌ but they durste not come Notwithstanding the Iustice willed the messeÌger to go agayne and to shew them that they should incur no daunger therfore Then they hearing that came to knowe the matter of theyr sending for When the maide saw them she asked theÌ what they had promised for her and so she immediatly rehearsed her fayth and the commaundements of God and required of them if there were any more that they had promised in her behalfe and they sayd no. Then sayd shee I dye a Christian woman beare witnes of me and so cruelly in fire was she consumed gaue ioyfully her life vp for the testimony of Christes Gospell to the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly and also to the stopping of the sclaunderous mouthes of suche as falsly doe quarrell agaynst these faythfull Martyrs for going from that religion wherein by theyr Godfathers Godmothers they were first baptised ¶ The story and condemnation of Iohn Hunt and Richard White ready to be burnt but by the death of Queene Mary escaped the fire BEsides these Martyrs aboue named diuers there were in diuers other places of the Realme imprisoned whereof some were but newly taken and not yet examined some begon to be examined but were not yet condemned certayne both examined and condemned but for lacke of the writ escaped Other there were also both condemned and the writ also was brought downe for theyr burning and yet by the death of the ChauÌcellor the bishop and of Queene Mary happening together about one time they most happely maruellously were preserued and liued many yeres after In the number of whom was one Iohn Hunt and Rich. White imprisoned at Salisbury Touching which historie something here is to be shewed First these two good men and faythfull seruauntes of the Lord aboue named to wit Iohn Hunt and Richarde White had remayned long time in prison at Salisburye other places therabout the space of two yeares and more During which time oft times they were called to examination manifold waies were impugned by the Bishop and the Priestes All whose examinations as I thoughte not much needefull here to prosecute or to searche out for the length of the volume so neither agayne did I thinke it good to leaue no memorye at all of the same but some part to expresse namely of the examination of Richarde White before the Bishop of Salisbury the Bishop of Glocester with the Chauncellour and other Priestes not vnworthy perchaunce to be rehearsed * The examination of Richard White before the Byshop of Salisbury in his chamber in Salisbury the 26. day of Aprill an 1557. THe Bishop of Salisbury at that time was Docor Capon The Bishop of Glocester was Doctor Brookes These with Doctour Geffrey the Chauncelour of Salisbury and a great number of Priestes sitting in iudgemeÌt Richarde White was brought before them With whome first the Bishop of Glocester which had the examination of him beginneth thus Bishop Brookes Is this the prisoner The chauncellour Yea my Lord. Brookes Frend wherefore camest thou hether White My Lord I trust to know the cause for the lawe saith in the mouth of two or three witnesses things must stand Doctour Capon Did not I examine thee of thy fayth wheÌ thou camest hether White No my Lord you did not examine me but coÌmauÌded me to the Lollardes Tower and that no man should speake with me And now I do require mine accuser Then the Register said the Maior of Marlborow did apprehend you for wordes that you spake there for that I commaunded you to be conueyed hither to prison White You had the examination of me in Marlborow Say you what I haue sayd And I will aunswere you Geffray Thou shalt confesse thy fayth ere thou depart and therfore say thy minde freely and be not ashamed so to do White I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ because it is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleue S. Peter sayth If any man do aske thee a reasoÌ of the hope that is in thee make him a direct aunswere and that with meekenes Who shall haue the examination of me Chaunc My Lord of Glocester shall haue the examinatioÌ of thee White My Lorde will you take the paynes to wet your coate in my bloud be not guilty thereof I warne you before hand Brookes I will do nothing to the contrary to our law White My Lorde what is it that you doe request at my handes Brookes I will appose thee vpon certayne articles principally vpon the sacrameÌt of the aultar How doest thou beleue of the blessed Sacrament of the aulter Beleuest thou not the reall carnall and corporall presence of Christ in the same euen
right hand of God I made him aunswere I thought it was his glory Then sayd he so they say all And he asked me wheÌ he would âe wery of sitting there Then inferred my Lord of Windsors Chaplayne asking me what I said by the masse I sayd I neuer knew what it was nor what it ment for I vnderstoode it not because I neuer learned any Latin and since the time that I had any knowledge I had bene brought vp in nothing but in reading of English and with such men as haue taught the same with many moe questions which I cannot rehearse Moreouer he asked me if there were not the very body of Christ flesh bloud and bone in the Masse after the Priest had consecrated it And I made him aunswere as for the Masse I cannot vnderstand it but in the new Testament I read that as the Apostles stoode looking after the Lord when he ascended vp into heauen an Angel sayd to them Euen as you see him ascend vp so shal he come agayne And I told them an other senteÌce where Christ saith The poore shall you haue alwayes with you but me shall you not haue alwayes Then M. Chaplaine put to me many questions more to the which I could make hym no aunswere Among all other he brought Chrisostome and S. Hierome for hys purpose To whome I aunswered that I neyther mynded nor was able to answere their Doctors neither knew whether they alledged them right or no but to that whiche is written in the new Testament I would aunswere Here they laughed me to scorne and called me foole sayd they would reason no more with me Then Doctor Storye called for Cluny and bad hym take me away and set me fast and let no man speak with me So was I sent to the Colehouse where I hadde not ben a week but there came in xiiii prisoners but I was kept still alone without company in a prison called the Salthouse hauing vpon my legge a bolt and a fetter and my handes manacled together with yrons and there continued x. dayes hauing nothing to lye on but bare stones or a boorde On a time whiles I lay there in prison the Byshop of London comming downe a payre of stayres on the backside vntrust in his hose and doublet looked in at the grate and asked wherfore I was put in and who put me in I made him aunswere that I was put in for a booke called Antichrist by Doctor Story And he sayde you are not ashamed to declare wherefore you were put in and said it was a very wicked booke and bad me confesse the truth to Story I sayd I had told the truth to him already desired him to be good vnto me and helpe me out of prison for they had kept me there long And he sayd he could not medle with it Story hath begon it and he must end it Then I was remoued out of the Salthouse to geue place to two women and caryed to the Lollardes Tower and put in the stockes and there I founde two prisoners one called Lyon a Frenchman and an other with hym and so I was kept in the stockes more then a month both day and night and no man to come to me or to speake with me but onely my keeper which brought me meate Thus we three being together Lyon the Frenchman song a Psalme in the Frenche tongue and wee sang with him so that we were heard down into the street and the keeper comming vp in a greate rage sware that he would put vs all in the stockes and so tooke the Frenchman and commaunded him to kneel downe vppon his knees and put both his handes in the flockes where hee remayned all that night till the next day After this I beyng in the Lollardes Tower 7. dayes at my last being with Story hee sware a great othe that he would racke me and make me tell the truth TheÌ Story sending for me commaunded me for to bee brought to Walbroke wher he the CoÌmissioners dyned and by the way my keeper told me that I should go to the Tower be racked So when they had dyned Story called for me in and so there I stoode before theÌ some sayd I was worthy to be hanged for hauing such hereticall books After I had stayde a little while before them Story called for the keeper and commaunded him to cary me to the Lollards Tower agayne and sayde I haue other matters of the Queenes to do with the Commissioners but I will finde an other time for him Whilest I lay yet in the Lollardes Tower the womaÌ which brought the bookes ouer being taken and her bookes was put in the Clinke in Southwarke by Hussy one of the Arches and I Tho. Greene testifie before God now that I neyther descryed the man nor the woman the whiche I had the bookes of Then I lying in the Lollardes Tower being sent for before M. Hussy he required of me wherefore I was put into the Lollardes Tower and by whome To whome I made aunswere that I was put there by Doctor Story for a booke called Antichrist Then he made as though hee would be my friend and sayd he knewe my friendes and my father and mother and bad me tel him of whom I had the booke and sayd come on tell me the truth I told hym as I had told Doctor Story before Then he was very angry and sayd I loue thee well therfore I sent for thee and looked for a further truth but I would tell him no other whereupon he sent me agayne to the Lollardes Tower At my going away he called me backe agayn and sayd that Dixon gaue me the books being an old man dwelling in Birchin lane and I sayde he knew the matter better then I. So he seÌt me away to the Lollardes Tower where I remayned vij dayes more Then M. Hussy sent for me agayne and required of me to tell him the truth I told him I could tell him no other truth then I had told Doctor Story before Then hee began to tell me of Dixon of whome I had the bookes the which had made the matter manifest afore and he told me of all thinges touching Dixon and the books more then I could my selfe in so much that he told me howe many I had and that he had a sacke full of the books in his house and knew where the woman lay better then I my selfe Then I sawe the matter so open and manifest before my face that it profited not me to stand in the matter Hee asked me where I had done the books and I told hym I had but one that Doct. Story had He sayd I lyed for I had three at one time hee required we to tell him of one Then I tolde hym of one that Iohn Beane had of me being prentise with Mayster Tottle So he promised me before and after and as he
diuers good men were in hold in diuers quarters of the realme some at Burie some at Salisb. as Iohn Hunt and Richard White of whome we haue storied before and some at London amongest whome was Wil. Liuing with hys wife and Iohn Lithall of whome something remaineth now compendiously to be touched The trouble and deliueraunce of William Liuing with his wife and of Iohn Lithall Ministers ABout the time of the latter end of Queene Marie she then beinge sicke came one Coxe a Promoter to the house of William Liuing about 6. of the clocke accompanied with one Iohn Launce of the Graihound They being not ready they demaunded for buttons sayinge they shoulde be as well payed for them as euer was any and he would come about 3. houres after againe for them In the meane while he had gotten the Constable called maister Deane and George Hancocke the Beadle of that Ward and searching his bookes founde a booke of Astronomie called the worke of Ioannes de sacro busto de sphaera with figures some round some triangle some quadrate which booke because it was gilted seemed to him the chiefest booke there and that he caried open in the streate saying I haue founde him at length It is no maruaile the Queene be sicke seeing there be suche coniurers in priuie corners but now I trust he shall coniure no more and so brought him and his wife from Shoe lane through Fleet streete into Paules Churchyarde with the Constable the Beadle and 2. other following them til they were entred into Darbishires house who was bishop Boners Chancellour And after the Constable and they had talked wyth Darbishire he came foorth and walked in his yard saying these woordes Darbishire What is your name Liuing William Liuing Darb. What are you a Priest Liuing Yea. Darb. Is this your wife that is come with you Liuing That shee is Darb. Where were you made Priest Liuing At Obourne Darb. In what Bishops daies Liuing By the Bishop of Lincolne that was king Henries ghostly father in Cardinall Wolsies time Darb. You are a schismaticke and a traytor Liuing I would be sorie that were true I am certaine I neuer was traitor but alwais haue taught obedience according to the tenour of Gods woord and when tumults and Schismes haue beene stirred I haue preached Gods word and swaged them as in the time of king Edwarde Darb. What you are a Schismaticke You be not in the vnitie of the catholike church for you pray not as the church of Rome doth You pray in English Liuing We are certaine we be in the true church Darb. There be that doubteth therof for so much as there is but one true Church Well you will learne against I talke with you againe to know the church of Rome and to be a member thereof Liuing If the church of Rome be of that Churche whereof Christ is the head then am I a member thereof for I know no other Church but that Darb. Wel Cluny take him with thee to the Colehouse Then called he Cluny again and spake secretly to him what I know not Then sayde Cluny wilt thou not come and so pluckt me away violently and brought me to his owne house in Pater noster Rowe where hee robbed mee of my pursse my girdle and my Psalter and a new TestameÌt of Geneua and then broughte me to the Colehouse to put mee in the stockes saying put in both your legges and your handes also and except you fine with me I will put a collor about your necke What is the fine quoth I Fortie shillinges quoth he I am neuer able to pay it sayd I. Then said he you haue friendes that be able I denyed it and so he put both my legges into the stockes til supper time whyche was 6. of the clocke and then a cosine of my wiues brought me meat who seeing me so sit there sayd I will geue you 40. pence and let him goe at libertie and he tooke her mony and presently let me forth in her sighte to eate my supper And at 7. of the clocke he put mee into the stockes againe and so I remained till 2. of the clocke the next day and so he let mee foorth till nighte This woman aboue mentioned was Griffins first wife a brother dwelling then in Aldermanberie and yet aliue in Chepeside The thursday following at afternoone was I called to the Lollardes tower and there put in the stockes hauing the fauour to put my legge in that hole that Master Iohn Philpots legge was in and so lay all that night no body comming to me either with meat or drinke At 11. of the clocke on the Fridaye Clunie came to mee with meat and let me forth and about one of the clocke he brought me to Darbishires house who drew forth a scroll of names and asked me if I knew none of them I said I know none of them but Foster And so I kneeled downe vpon my knees and praied him that he wold not enquire thereof any farther And with that came foorth two godly women which sayd Master Darbishire it is inough and so became sureties for mee and paied to Clunie xv s. for my fees and bad me goe with them And thus muche concerning William Liuing After this came his wife to examination whose answeares to Darbishire the Chancellor here likewise follow The examination of Iulian Liuing wife to William Liuing DArbishire Ah syrha I see by your gowne you be one of the Sisters Iulian. I weare not my gowne for Sisterhood neither for nunnerie but to keepe me warme Darb Nunne No I dare say you be none Is that man your husband Iulian. Yea. Darb. He is a Priest Iulian. No he sayeth no Masse Darb. What then He is a priest How darest thou marry him Then he shewed me a rolle of certaine names of Citizens To whom I answeared I knew none of them Then sayd he you shall be made to know them Then said I do no other but Iustice and right for the day will come that you shall answere for it Iulian. Why womaÌ thinkest thou not that I haue a soul. Iulian. Yes I knowe you haue a soule but whether it be to saluation or damnation I can not tell Darb. Ho Cluny haue her to the Lollardes tower And so he tooke me and caryed me to his house where was one Dale a Promoter which sayde to me Alas good woman wherefore be you heere What is that to you sayd I You be not ashamed quoth Dale to tel wherfore you came hither No quoth I that I am not for it is for Christes Testament Christes Testament quoth hee it is the Deuils Testament Oh Lorde quoth I God forbid that any man shoulde speake any such woorde Well well quoth he you shall be ordered wel enough You care not for burning quoth he By Gods bloud there must be some other meanes founde for you What quoth I will you find any worse then
them for the Sermon Wherunto they made but a small answer Then the Sheriffe made a Bill and so feared the men that 2. or 3. of them set to their hands and one of them neuer ioyed after but it was a griefe to him till he died Then did they take men with them vnto the Parsones house and in the night they tooke him and wyth watchmeÌ kept him vntill it was day Then should he haue bene caried the next day to the Counsell but the said Rob. Blomefield was taken so sicke that hee was like to die so that he could not carie him for his life Then the sayd sheriffe sent him to Ipswich againe and there he was for a time Then hee was sent to Burie prison from thence to the Councel and then into the Flete and so he lay in prisone from the beginning of haruest till it was nigh Christmasse and he sayd God gaue him âuche answeres to make when he was examined that hee was deliuered with quietnes of conscience And hauing his libertie he came againe vnto the foresayd Towne and because he would not goe to Masse his liuing was taken away and he his wife were constrained to flie heere and there for his life conscience In the last yeare of Queene Maries raigne God did take him out of this life in peace Where moreouer is to be noted that this Robert Blomfield aboue named immediately after he had apprehended the saide Browne fell very sicke And though at that time he was a welthy man and of a great substance beside his land which was better then twentie pound a yeare after thys time God so plagued his housholde that hys eldest sonne died and his wife had a pining sickenesse till she departed this life also Then maried he an other a richer widow but all wold not helpe and nothing would prosper For hee had a sore pining sicknesse being full of botches and sores whereby he wasted away both body and goodes till he died So when he died he was aboue ix âcore pounds in det and it was neuer heard of any repentaunce he had But a litle before his death he bragged threatned a good man one Symon Hariston to putte him foorth to the Officers because he did weare no Surplis when he sayd seruice Wherefore it is pitie suche baites of Poperie are lefte to the enemies to take Christians in God take them away or els from them for God knoweth they be the cause of much blindnesse and strife amongest men Furthermore out of the sayde Towne were constrayned to flye Robert Boele and Iohn Trapne because they woulde not goe to Masse and receiue their Sacrament of the aultare Elizabeth Young YE heard before in the treatise of the scourging of Thomas Grene how he was troubled and beaten by doctour Storie for a certaine booke called Antichriste which he receiued of a woman because in no case he woulde detect her This woman was one Elizabeth Young who comming from Emden to England brought with her diuers bookes and sparsed them abroad in London for the which shee being at length espied and laied fast was broughte to examination 13. times before the Catholicke Inquisitours of heretical prauitie O. the which her examinations nine haue come to our handes Wherein how fiercely she was assaulted how shamefully shee was reuiled how miserably handled and what answeres she made vnto the aduersaries in her owne defence and finally after all this how she escaped and passed through the pikes being yet as I heare say aliue I thought to geue the reader here to see and vnderstande The first examination of Elizabeth Young before maister Hussie WHo examined her of many thinges First where she was borne and who was her father and mother Elizabeth Young Syr all this is but vaine talke and very superfluous It is to fil my head with fantasies that I shoulde not be able to aunswere vnto suche thinges as I came for Ye haue not I thinke put me in prison to know who is my father and mother But I pray you goe to the matter that I came hether for M. Hussie Wherfore wentest thou out of the realme Elizabeth To keepe my conscience cleane Hussie When wast thou at Masse Eliz. Not this three yeares Hussie Then wast thou not there iij. yeares before that Eliz. No Syr nor yet iij. yeares more before that for and if I were I had euill lucke Hussie How old art thou Eliz. Fourty and vpwardes Hussie Twentie of those yeares thou wentest to Masse Eliz. Yea and twentie more I may and yet come home as wise as I went thether first for I vnderstand it not Hussie Why wilt not thou go to the Masse Elizabeth Syr my conscience will not suffer me For I had rather that all the world should accuse me then mine owne conscience Hussy What and if a louse or a flea sticke vpon thy skinne and bite thy flesh thou must make a conscience in the taking her off is there not a conscience in it Elizabeth That is but an easie Argument to displace the Scriptures and especially in such a part as my saluation dependeth vppon for it is but an easie conscience that a man can make Hussy But why wilte thou not sweare vpon the Euangelist before a Iudge Eliz. Because I know not what a booke oth is Hussy Then he began to teach her the booke oth Eliz. Syr I do not vnderstand it and therefore I wil not learne it Hussy Then sayde hee thou wilt not vnderstand it and with that rose vp and went his way Her second examination before Doctour Martin WHo sayd to her Woman thou art come from beyoÌd the sea and hast brought with thee bookes of heresie and treason and thou must confesse to vs who translated them Printed them and who sent them ouer for once I knowe thee to be but a messenger and in so doynge the Queenes highnesse will be good to thee for shee hath forgeuen greater things then this thou shalt find as much fauour as is possible But if thou be stubborne and wilte not confesse thou wilt be wondrous euill handled for we know the truth already but thus we do only to see whether thou wilt be true of thy woord or no. Eliz. Syr ye haue my confession and more then that I can not say Martin Thou must say more and shalt say more Doest thou thinke that we wil be full answeared by this examination that thou hast made Thou rebell whoore and traitorly heretike thou dost refuse to sweare vpon the Euangelist before a Iudge I heare say Thou shalt be racked inch meale thou traitourly whoore and hereticke but thou shalt sweare afore a Iudge before thou goe yea and thou shalt be made to confesse how many bookes thou hast sold and to whom Eliz. Syr I vnderstand not what an oth is and therfore I will take no suche thing vppon me And no man hathe boughte any bookes of mee
brought them ouer to sell for gaine D. Cooke Let her heade be trussed in a small line make her to confesse Martin The booke is called Antichrist and so may it be wel called for it speaketh against Iesus Christ the Queene And besides that shee hathe a certaine sparke of the Anabaptists for she refuseth to sweare vpon the iiij Euangelistes before a Iudge For I my selfe and M. Hussy haue had her before vs foure times but we can not bring her to sweare Wherfore my Lord Chauncellor would that shee should absteine fast for she hath not fasted a great while For she hathe laine in the Clincke a good while where she hath had too much her libertie Then said the bishop why wilt thou not sweare before a Iudge that is the right trade of the Anabaptists Eliz. My Lord I wil not sweare that this hand is mine No sayd the bishop and why Eliz. My Lorde Christ sayeth that what soeuer is more then yea yea or nay nay it commeth of euill And moreouer I know not what an oth is and therefore I wil take no such thing vpon me Then saide Cholmley xx pounde it is a man in a woman clothes xx pound it is a man Boner Thinke you so my Lord Cholm Yea my Lord. c. Eliz. My Lord I am a woman Bish. Sweare her vpon a booke seeing it is but a question asked Then said Cholmley I will lay twentie pounde it is a man Then D. Cooke brought her a booke commanding her to lay thereon her hande Eliz. No my Lorde I will not sweare for I knowe not what an oth is But I say that I am a woman and haue children Bish. That know not we wherefore sweare Cholmley Thou yll fauoured whore lay thy hande vpon the booke I will lay on myne and so he laied his hande vpon the booke Eliz So will not I mine Then the Bishop spake a woorde in Latine out of S. Paule as concerning swearing Elizab. My Lorde if you speake to mee of S. Paule then speake English for I vnderstand you not The bish I dare sweare that thou doest not Eliz. My Lord S. Paul saith that fiue wordes spoken in a language that may be vnderstand is better then manye in a foreine or strange tongue which is vnknowen Doctor Cooke Sweare before vs whether thou be a man or a woman Eliz. If ye wil not beleue me then send for women into a secrete place and I will be tried Cholm Thou art an ill fauored whore Then said the Bishop How beleeuest thou in the Sacrament of the altar Eliza. My Lorde if it will please you that I shall declare mine owne faith I will The bish Tell me how thou beleeuest in the sacrament of the altar Eliza. Will it please you that I shall declare my Faithe And if it be not good then teach me a better and I wil beleeue it D. Cooke That is well sayd declare thy faith Eliz. I beleeue in God the Father almighty the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God I beleue all the Articles of my Crede I beleeue al things wrytten in the holy Scripture and all thinges agreeable wyth the Scripture geuen by the holy Ghoste into the Churche of Christ set forth and taught by the church of Christ. I beleue that Iesus Christ the only sonne of God that immaculate Lamb came into the world to saue sinners that in him by him throughe him I am made cleane froÌ my sinnes and without him I coulde not I beleeue that in the holy sacrament of Christes body and bloud which he did institute and ordaine and left among his Disciples the nyght before he was betraied wheÌ I do receiue his Sacrament in faith and spirite I do receiue Christ. Bish. No more I warrant you but the sacrameÌt of Christes body and bloud receiued but in spirit and faith wyth those heretiques Cholm Ah whoore spirite and faith whoore Eliz. This sacrament neuer man coulde or did make but only he that did which no man could do Mart. Then thou must allowe that grasse is a sacrament for who could make grasse but he only Eliz. Syr he hathe suffered and made a sufficient Sacrifice once for all and so hath he made hys Sacrament sufficient once for all for there was neuer man that could say Take eate this is my body that is broken for you but only Iesus Christ who had his body broken for the sinnes of the world which Sacrament he hath left here amongst vs for a testimonial of his death euen to the worldes ende Mart. Who taught thee this doctrine did Scorie Eliz. Yea Bishop Scorie and other that I haue heard Bish. Why is Scory Bishop now Eliz. If that doe offende you call him Docteur Scorie if yee will Roper I knew when he was but a poore Doctour Mart. What doe ye call Scorie Eliz. Our Superintendent Bish. Loe their Superindent Mart. And what are ye called Eliz. Christes congregation Bish. Lo Christes congregation I warrant you Doctor Cooke What liuing hath Scorie Eliz. Sir as farre as I do know he liueth by his owne for I know no man that geueth him ought Recorder Yes I warrant you he hath enough sent hym out of England Eliz. Syr I know no such thing Cholm Harke whore harke harke how I do beleeue Eliz. My Lord I haue tolde you my beliefe Cholmley Harke thou yll fauoured whoore howe I doe beleeue When the Priest hath spoken the wordes of Consecration I do beleue that there remaineth the very body that was borne of the virgine Marie was hanged on the crosse was deade and buried and descended into hell and rose againe on the thirde day and ascended to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God The same body when the priest hath spoken the woords commeth down and when the priest lifteth vp his body on this wise he lifting vp his handes sayd there it is Eliz. I haue tolde you also how I do beleeue Mart. Away with her Cholmley Ah euill fauoured whore nothing but spirit and faith whore Mart. Away with her we haue more to talke withall Then was shee caried into the Colehouse and searched for bookes and then put into the stockhouse and her knife girdle and aporne taken from her The fifth examination before the Bishop of Londons Chancellour c. THen was she brought out of the stockhouse brought before the bishops Chauncellour who required of her what age shee was of Eliz. Sir fortie yeares and vpwardes The Chauncellour Why thou art a woman of a faire yeares what shouldest thou meddle with the Scriptures it is necessary for thee to beleeue and that is inoughe It is more sitte for thee to meddle with thy distaff then to meddle with the Scriptures What is thy beliefe I woulde heare it for it can not be good in that thou art brought into prison Eliz. Syr if it will please you to heare
of Easter who is yet alyue and a profitable Minister this day in the Church of England Blessed bee the Lord qui facit mirabilia solus ¶ Maistresse Roberts FUrthermore to both these may also be associate another Gentlewoman to make the third named maistres Robertes yet liuyng and dwellyng as I vnderstand in the towne of Haukehurst in Sussex She beyng earnestly addicted to the truth of Christes Gospell and no lesse constaunt in that whiche shee had learned therein so kepte her selfe duryng all the brunte of Queene Maries tyme that she neuer came to their popish seruice nor would pollute her conscience with hearyng their Idolatrous masse There dwelt the same tyme not farre of a Iustice called sir Iohn Gilford who beyng as feruent on the contrary side to set forward the proceedyngs of Q. Mary thought to prooue masteries with this Gentlewoman in forcyng her to the Church And first sendyng his wyfe he attempted her by faire wordes and gentle perswasions to conforme herselfe to the Princes lawes and to come as other christian people did to the Church Notwithstanding she constantly persisting in the sinceritie of the truth woulde by no perswasions be won to do therein against her conscience and so kept at home a certayne space till agayne the second tyme Maister Gilford thinkyng not to geue her ouer so sent his Officers and seruauntes to her by force ond power to hale her out of her house to the church and so dyd Where by the way she for griefe of conscience swounded and so of necessitie was brought home againe and fallyng into an Ague was for that tyme dispensed withall The third tyme yet the vnquiete spirite of M. Gilford beyng not content after the tyme that she recouered helth againe would needes come his owne person to compell her wild she nild she to come to Church But as the Prouerbe goeth who can let that God would haue done For when M. Gilford had purposed as pleased hym the Lord so disposed for his seruaunt that as the sayde M. Gilford was commyng vp the staires toward her chamber sodainly hys olde disease the Goute so tooke hym and terribly tormented hym that he could goe no further And so he that purposed to cary her to the church against âer wil was fayne hymselfe to be caried home to his house to hys payne protestyng and swearyng that hee woulde neuer from henceforth trouble that Gentlewoman more and no more he dyd ¶ Maistresse Anne Lacie IN this number of good Gentlewomen beyng in trouble and danger for Gods word is not to be omitted the memory of one maistresse Anne Lacie widowe in NotinghaÌshiere who was in great danger in Queene Maries time in so much that the processe was forth against her and she ready to haue bene apprehended beyng so neerely pursued that she was driuen to hide her Bible and other bookes in a dunghill M. Lacy her brother was then Iustice of peace but to whom as I haue heard she was but smally beholden Neuertheles where kindred faileth yet gods grace neuer fayleth such as sticke to hym for in this mean tyme as the processe came out against her Queene Mary dyed and so she escaped ¶ Crosmans wyfe ONe Crosmans wyfe of Tibnam longrowe in Norfolke in Queen Maries tyme for not going to church was sought for at her house by one Barbour of the sayde towne then Constable of the hundreth who wheÌ he came to her house shee beyng at home with a childe sucking in her armes stept into a corner on the one side of the chimney and they seeking the chambers the child neuer cryed although before they came it did as long as they were there so by this meanes the Lord preserued her The congregation at Stoke in Suffolke THere were some likewise which auoyded the violent rage of the aduersaries by meanes onely of their number and mutuall concord in godlinesse wherein they dyd so holde together that without muche adoe none well could be troubled whereof we haue example in a certain towne of Suffolke called Stoke After the three sharpe yeares of Queene Maries persecution beyng past yet notwithstandyng the inhabitantes of the towne aforesaid specially the women came not to their Church to receyue after the Popish maner the Sacrament Who if they had bene but fewe they could by no meanes haue escaped imprisonment But because there were so many the Papists thought it not best to lay handes vpon them Onely they appoynted them 16. dayes respite after Easter wherein as many as would should receiue the Sacrament those that would not should stand to the peril that would folow Of this company which were many geuing theyr handes together the chiefest doers were these Eaue an old woman of three score yeares Alice Coker her daugher Elizabeth Foxe Agnes Cutting Alice Spenser Henry Cauker Ioane Fouke Agnes Spaulding Iohn Steyre and hys brother Iohn Foxe These after the order was taken for theyr not comming to the Church tooke aduisement among themselues what was best to be done and at length concluded by promise one to another that they woulde not receiue at all Yet some of them afterwarde being perswaded with fayre promises that the Communion should be ministred vnto them according to Kyng Edwardes booke gat them vnto the parish Priest whose name was Cotes and asked him after whiche sort he woulde minister the Sacrament He aunswered to such as he fauoured that he woulde geue it aâter the right sort the rest should haue it after the papisticall maner To be short none did communicate so but onely Iohn Steyre and Iohn Foxe of whiche the one gaue his Wyfe leaue to do as she thought best The other weÌt about with threates to compell his wife saying that otherwise hee would diuorce himselfe from her As for the rest they dyd withdraw themselues from church resorting to their woÌted company Onely Foxes wife taried still at home all in her dumpes and heauines whose husband practised wyth the Curate in the meane time that the nexte daye after he shoulde geue her the sacrament whiche was the xvij daye after Easter But the very same day vnknowing vnto her husband she gat her selfe secretly to her companye with teares declared how violently her husband had delt wyth her The other women had her notwithstanding to be of a good cheare and sayde that they woulde make theyr earnest prayers vnto the Lord both for her and her husband and in deed when they had so done the matter tooke verye good successe For the next day after goodman Foxe came of his owne accorde vnto them a farre other man then hee was before and bewayled his owne headines and rashnesse praying theÌ that they would forgeue him promising euer after to be more strong in fayth to the great reioysing both of them and his wife About halfe a yeare after this the Bishop of Norwich sendeth forth certaine of his Officers or Apparatours thither which gaue them
Officers could not tell what to say nor whom to accuse And thus much concerning the congregation of the faythfull assembling together at London in the time of Queene Mary The said M. Bentham an other time as he passed thorow S. Katherines intending to walke and take the ayre abroad was enforced by two or three men approching vpon him needes to go with them to a place whether they would lead him M. BeÌtham astonied at the sodeinnes of the matter and maruelling what the thing shoulde be required what theyr purpose was or whether they woulde haue him They aunswered that by the occasion of a man there found drowned the Crowners quest was called and charged to sit vpon him of the whiche quest he must of necessity be one c. He agayne loth to medle in the matter excused himselfe alledging that in such kind of matters he had no skill and lesse experience if it would please them to let him goe they should meete with other more meete for theyr purpose But when with this they would not be satisfied he alledged further that he was a scholer of Oxford and thereby was priuiledged from being of any inquest The Crowner demaunded the sight of his priuiledge He sayd if he woulde geue him leaue he would fetch it Then sayd the Crowner the queene must be serued without all delay so coÌstrayned him notwithstanding to be with theÌ in hearing the matter Beyng brought to the house where the Crowner and the rest of the quest were sitting as the maner is a booke was offered him to sweare vpon M. Bentham opening the booke and seing it was a papisticall Primer refused to sweare thereupon and declared moreouer what superstition in that booke was conteined What sayde the Crowner I thinke we shall haue here an hereticke among vs. And vpon that after much reasoning amongest them he was committed to the custody of an officer till further examination by occasion wherof to all mens reason hard it had bene and ineuitable for M. Bentham to haue escaped had not the Lord helped where man was not able What folowed Incontinent as they were thus contending and debating about matters of heresye sodeynly commeth the Crowner of the Admiralty disanulling and repealing the order calling of that inquest for that it was as he sayde perteining to his office and therefore the other Crowner and his company in that place had nothing to do And so the first Crowner was discharged and displaced by reasoÌ whereof M. Bentham escaped theyr handes hauing no more sayd vnto him * English men preserued at the taking of Calice THe worthy workes of the Lordes mercy toward hys people be manifolde and can not be comprehended so that who is he liuing in the earth almost who hath not experienced the helping hand of the Lord at some time or other vpon him AmoÌgst many other what a piece of gods tender prouidence was shewed of late vpon our English brethren and country men what time Calice was takeÌ by the Tyrant Guise a cruell enemy both to Gods truth and to our English nation And yet by the gracious prouision of the Lorde few or none at all of so many that fauoured Christ and his Gospell in that terryble spoyle miscaried In the number of whome there was a godly couple one Iohn Thorpe and his wife which feared the Lord and loued his trueth who being sicke the same time and cast out into the wild fieldes harbourles desolate and despayring of all hope of life hauing theyr young infant moreouer taken from them in the sayd fieldes and caried awaye of the souldiors yet the Lord so wrought that the poore woman being almost past recouery of life was fet and caried the space welnigh of a mile by straungers whome they neuer knewe into a village where both shee was recouered for that night also the next day comming toward England they chaunced into the same Inne at the next town where they found theyr young child sitting by the fire side ¶ Edward Benet ONe Edw. Benet about the second yeare of the reigne of Q. Mary then dwelling at Quenehieth with one Grynocke a Baker was desired of one Tyngle prisoner then in Newgate to bring him a new testament He procuring one of M. Couerdals translatioÌ wrapt it in a handkerchiefe saying to George the keeper whiche asked hym what he had that it was a piece of pondred biefe Let mee see it sayd he Perceiuing what it was he brought him to Syr Roger Cholmley who examined him why he did so saying that booke was not lawfull so committed him to the Counter in woodstreet wher he continued 25. weekes Doctor Story comming to the prison to examine other Prisoners this Benet looking out at the grate spake to him desiring him to be good vnto him and to helpe hym out for he had lien long in prison To whom D. Story theÌ aunswering What sayd he wast not thou before me in Christes Church Yes forsooth sayd Benet Ah sayd Story thou doest not beleue in the Sacrament of the Aultar Mary I will helpe thee out come sayd he to the keeper turne him out I will helpe him and so tooke Benet wyth him and brought him to Cluney in Pater noster Row and bade him bring him to the Colehouse and there he was in the stockes a weeke Then the Bishoppe sent for him to talke with him and first asked him if he were shriuen No sayd Benet He asked him if he would be shriuen No sayd he Then he asked him if the Priest could take away his sinnes No sayd Benet I do not so beleue Then he and Harpsfielde laughed at him and mocked him asking him if he did not beleue that what so euer the Prieste here bounde in earth should be bound in heauen and what so euer he loosed in earth shoulde be loosed in heauen No quoth Benet But I beleue that the Minister of God preaching Gods word truely and ministring the Sacramentes accordyng to the same whatsoeuer he bindeth in earth shal be bound in heauen and what so euer he looseth c. Then the Bishop putting him aside sayd he should go to Fulham and be whipped Then came to him M. Buswell a Priesâ lying in the Colehouse in the stockes and brought Cranmers recantation saying that he had recanted My fayth sayth the other lyeth in no mans booke but in him which hath redeemed me The next saterday Benet with fiue other was called for to come to masse into the Chappell The Masse being done and they comming out fiue of theÌ went to prison and were after burned Benet being behind and comming toward the gate the porter opening to a company goyng out asked if there were no prisoners there No sayd they Benet standing in open sight before him with other seruing men whiche were there by reason that Boner made many priestes that day hauing one of his sleues and halfe the fore part of his coat
burned of in prisoÌ being more like a prisoner then any of the other when the gate was opened went out amongest them and so escaped Agayne in the last yeare of Queene Mary the same Benet being taken againe with the 24. beyond Islington and brought to Syr Roger Cholmleys the people comming very thicke did cut of some of them to the number of 8. which were behinde among whom was Benet Then he knocking at the gate to come in the Porter sayd that he was none of the company He sayde yes and knocked agayne TheÌ there stood one by of the congregation named Iohnson dwelling now at Hamersmith which sayd Edward thou hast done well do not tempt God go thy way And so taking the warning as sent of God with a quyet conscience eschued burning ¶ Ieffrey Hurst brother in law to George Marsh the Martyr IN the Towne of Shakerley in Lancashyre dwelled one Ieffrey Hurst the sonne of an honest yeoman who had besides him 11. children the sayd Ieffrey being the xij and eldest of the rest and for that theyr father being willyng to bring them vp so that they should be able another day to helpe themselues he did binde this Ieffrey prentise vnto the craft of nayling to make all kinde of nayles which occupation he learned and serued out the time of 7. yeares The which yeres being expired he gaue himselfe at times to learne of his other Brethren which went to schole and as he was very willing to the same so GOD sent hym knowledge wherein he did perseuer and go forwardes in such sort that he could write and read indifferently and in longer continuaunce came by more knowledge and so hauing the Bible and diuers other bookes in his house dyd come by preâye knowledge in the Scripture After this he tooke vnto him a wife being the Sister of Maister George Marsh of whose Martyrdome mention is made before pag. 1484. and being much familiar with him did mend his knowledge not a little Now wheÌ queene Mary was entred the first yeare of her reigne he kept himselfe awaye from their doings came not at the church Wherupon he was layd in wayt for and called hereticke and Lollard so for feare of further daunger he was compelled to leaue his wife and his child and all and fled into Yorkeshyre there beyng not knowne did lead his life returning sometimes by night to his house to comfort his wife and bringing with him some preacher or other who vsed to preach vnto them so long as the time would serue and so departed by night agayne The names of the Preachers were M. Reneses M. Best M. Brodbanke M. Russell euery time they came thither they were about 20. or 24. sometimes but 16. at least who had there also somtimes a CoÌmunioÌ And thus in much feare did he with other lead his life till the last yeare of the reigne of Queene Mary TheÌ it chaunced that the sayde Ieffrey Hurst after the death of his father came home and kept himself close for vij or viij weekes There dwelt not farre of at Morlesse a certayne Iustice of peace and of quorum named M. Thomas Lelond who hearing of him appoynted a time to come to hys Fathers house where he then dwelt to rifle the house for bookes and to search for him also and so did Ieffrey and hys company hauing knowledge of his comming tooke the books which were in the house as the Bible the Communion booke the new testament of Tindals translation and diuers others and threw them all vnderneath a tubbe or âat conueying also the sayd Ieffrey vnder the same with a greate deale of strawe vnderneath him for as it chaunced they had the more time because that wheÌ the Iustice came almoste to the doore he stayed and woulde not enter the house till he had sent for Hurstes mothers Landlady M. Shakerley and then with her consent to go forwards In the meane time Ieffrey by such as were with him was willed to lay in his window the testameÌt of Tindals traÌslation and a litle booke conteining the third part of the bible with the booke of Ecclesiasticus to try what they would say vnto them This done Mistres Shakerley came Unto whoÌ eftsoones the Iustice declareth the cause of his comming and how he was sory to attempt any such thing agaynst any of her tenauntes for her sake but notwithstanding he muste needes execute his office And agayne you must sayde he note this that a skabbed sheepe is able to infect a great nuÌber and especially hauing as he hath so many brethren sisters he is able to marre them all if he be not looked vnto in time And thus concluding M. Lelond entred into the house being come in set himselfe in a chayre in the midle of the house and sending Syr Rafe Parkinson his Priest and one of his men and one of Mistres Shakerleys men about the house to searche and rifle the chestes for bookes whiche so did in the meane time he talked with Hurstes mother being of the age almost of lx yeares And chiding with her that she would suffer her sonne so to order and be haue himselfe like an heretick said thou olde foole I know my selfe that this new learning shall come agayne but for how long euen for three moneths or foure monethes and no longer But I will lay thee olde foole in Lancaster duÌgeon for this geare and well worthy Now as concerning the searchers they fouÌd nothyng but latin books as Grammer and such like These be not they that we looke for sayde they we must see further and so looked into Hurstes chamber where they found the foresayd books Then syr Rafe taking vp the testament looked on it and smiled His Mayster seing that sayd nowe Syr Rafe what haue we there Forsooth sayth he a testament of Tindals translation plaine heresy and none worse then it Then is all theyr goodes sayth he lost to the Queene theyr bodyes to prison and was wonderfully hasty notwithstanding through Mistres Shakerley for a space hee was content to see farther Then the Priest looked on the other booke What saye ye to that Syr Rafe is that as euill as the other No sayde he but it is not good that they should haue such Englishe Bookes to looke on for this and suche others maye doe much harme Then he asked the Mother where her eldest sonne was and her daughter Alyce She aunswered she could not tell they were not with her of long time before And he swore by Gods bodye hee woulde make her tell where they were or he would lay her in Lancaster Dungeon and yet he would haue them notwithstandyng too To be shorte for feare he hadde hys Brother Iohn Hurst and hys Mother bounde in an hundreth pounde to bring the partyes before him within xiiij dayes and so departed he and the Priest put both the bookes in his bosome and caryed them
away with him Then Iohn Hurst went after them desiring that he mighte haue the booke which the Priest found no fault with but he sayd they should aunswere to them both and which so euer was the better was not good As this past on when the time was come that Ieffrey Hurst and his sister shoulde be examined the Iustice sent for them betimes in the morning had prepared a masse to beginne withall asking Ieffrey Hurst if he would first go and see his maker and theÌ he would talke further with him To whom then Ieffrey answered and sayd Syr my Maker is in heauen and I am assured in goyng to your Masse I shall finde no edification thereby and therefore I pray you hold me excused Well well sayd he I perceiue I shall finde you an hereticke by God but I will go to Masse I will not lose it for all your pratling Then into his Chappell he went and when masse was done he sent for them and caused his Priest to read a scrole vnto them as concerning the 7. Sacraments euer as he spake of the body bloud of Christ he put of his cappe and sayd loe ye may see you will deny these thinges and care not for your Prince but you shall feele it ere I haue done with you all the faculty of you with other talke more betwene them I know not what but in the end they were licensed to depart vnder suretyes to appeare agayne before him within 3. weekes and then to go to Lancaster Howbeit in the meane while it so pleased God that within foure dayes of the day appoynted it was noysed that the Queene was deade and within xiiij dayes after the sayd Ieffrey Hurst fet home his 2. bookes and nothing was sayd vnto him It folowed after this that Gods word begon to take place and the Queenes visitors came down into that couÌtry who did choose foure men in the parish to wit SimoÌd Smith Ieffrey Hurst Henry Browne George Eccersly which foure were Protestantes to see the Queenes procedinges to take place which according to theyr power dyd the same notwithstanding it did little preuayle therfore the sayd Ieffrey being sore greued with the office fell sick in which sickenes it pleased God to call him making a very godly end God haue the prayse for it Nowe to returne to the foresayde Thomas Lelond agayne he continuing in his office still did very few tymes come to the Church but sayd he was aged and might not labor and there kept with him Syr Rafe Parkinson hys Priest which could as it was said minister the Communion vnto the people and sing Masse to his mayster Yea and as the fame reported did a pretyer feate then all that for he begat two children by a seruant in a house his mayster knowing it and saying nothing for that he would not lose his good masse Priest Furthermore this was noted in the same Iustice Lelondes behauiour at seruice tyme that he had a little dog which he would play with all seruice time and the same Dogge had a coller full of Bels so that the noyse of them did molest and trouble others as well as himselfe from hearing the seruice Also in the same Iustice it was noted obserued that as he sate in his Chappell at seruice time his maner was on a willow barke to knitte knottes for that he could not be suffered to haue his beades and to put the same vpoÌ a string also Witnes hereof Edward Hurst with others Furthermore as concerning Henry Browne one of the 4. chosen men aboue mencioned this is also to be added that the sayd Henry Browne dwelling in the towne of Pinington in the same Parish an 1564. had a litle boy who as he was playing in the Towne one Glaues wyfe gaue vnto the boye a payre of Beades made of woode to play him withall The little boy being glad therof to haue suche a trim thing went home shewed his father of theÌ His Father seing the Beades tooke them and burned theÌ and when he had so done went forth and asked who had geuen vnto his litle boy that payre of Beades That did I sayd Glaues wife Well sayd he I haue burned them Hast thou so sayd she and thrust him from her They shal be the dearest Beades that euer thou sawest incoÌtinent went coÌplayned vnto the said Iustice how Brown had burned her beades This matter the Iustice tooke sore to snuffe and was very angry and did direct his letter vnto the constables of the same Towne by his owne hand subscribed the title of which superscription on the backeside was this To the CoÌstables of Pinington geue this This done the Constables according to this their charge did bring him afore the Iustice at tyme appointed and when the Iustâce came to talke with him he was in suche a chafe that he called him theefe and sayde that he had robbed his neighbour in burning of her beades and that there was ringes and other Iuels on them and that he might as well haue picked her purse wherefore I will lay thee sayd he in Lancaster for this geare Whilest they were thus talking there came all hys seruauntes about them from theyr worke saying is thys M. Doctor Browne that will burne Beades I pray you Syr let vs haue him here and preach I will geue a quarters wages sayth one and I will geue mony sayth an other and he shall be mayster Doctour with much derision and scoffing at this poore man He hearing this spake agayn boldly and sayd did you send for me to make a laughing stocke of me You be in office and ought rather to come to the Church and see suche Papistry abolished your selfe then thus to trouble me for doyng my duety but I tell you playnely you do not come to Church as you ought to doe and wherefore with more thinges that I haue to charge you withall I say you doe not well When all this misdemeanour of the Iustice layd to his charge woulde not preuayle and also witnes came in of the Papistes which did know the Beades testified that they were playne cost but a halfepeny he then went into his Parlor in a chafe and one M. Erberston a papist with him· Which Erberston turned backe and sayd is it you Henry Browne that keepeth this styrre you are one of them that pulled downe Crosses in the church and pulled downe the Roode seller and all the Sayntes you were best now to goe paynt a blacke Deuill and set him vp and worship him for that will serue well for your religioÌ And thus vnder suretiship he did depart til Iuly folowing and then he sayd he should go to Lancaster prison and so came he away The time drew on that he should appeare but GOD stayed the matter and in Iuly as the foresayde Thomas Lelond sate in his chaire
his course till at length he came to a steepe downe hil at the hedge end downe the which hil he ran from them for they could not ride downe the hill but must fetch a great compasse about and so this Thomas Sprat ran almost a mile and as god would got a Wood. By that tyme he came to the Wood they were euen at hys heeles but the night drew on and it began to rayne and so the malice of these persecutors was at an ende the Lord working for his seruauntes whose name be praised for euer and euer Amen Not long after this one of the two Blanchendens aforesayd which so cruelly sought the destruction of other was cruelly murdered by hys owne seruauntes ¶ Iohn Cornet HEre might also be recited the hard adueÌtures and sufferinges of Iohn Cornet and at lengthe his deliueraunce by Gods good working out of the same Who being a prentise with a minstrell at Colchester was sent by hys mayster about the 2. yeare of Queene Maryes raygne to a wedding in a towne thereby called Roughhedge where hee being requested by a companye there of good men the Constables also of the parish being present thereat so sing some songes of the scripture chanced to sing a song called Newes out of London whiche tended agaynst the Masse and agaynst the Queenes misproceedinges Whereupon the next day he was accused by the Parson of Roughhedge called Yackesley and so committed first to the Constable where both his mayster gaue hym ouer and hys mother forsooke and cursed him From thence hee was sent to the next Iustice named M. CaÌnall and then to the Earle of Oxford where he was first put in yrons chaynes and after that so manacled that the bloude spurt out of hys fingers endes because he woulde not confesse the names of them which allured hym to sing And marueile it was that the cruell Papistes were so contended that they sent him not also to Bishop Boner to suffer the extremitie of the fire But Gods gracious prouidence disposed otherwise for hys seruaunt For after hee was manacled the Earle coÌmaunded hym to be brought agayne to the towne of Roughhedge there to be whipped till the bloud followed and to be banished the towne for euer and so hee was during all the time of Queene Mary ¶ Thomas Bryce IF our story should proceede so wide and so large as dyd the exceeding mercy of Gods prouidence in helpyng hys seruauntes out of wretchednes and thraldome of those bloudy dayes our treatise I thinke would extende to an endlesse processe For what good man or woman was there almost in all this tyme of Queene Mary who eyther in carying a good conscience out of the land or tarying within the realm could well escape the Papistes handes but by some notable experience of the Lordes mightye power and helpyng hand working for him What shoulde I here speake of the myraculous deliueraunce of Thomas Bryce who beyng in the house of Iohn Seale in the parish of Horting and the Bayliffe with other neighbours comming in sent by Sir Iohn Baker to search and apprehend hym knowing perfectly both hys stature and colour of his garments yet had no power to see or know him standing before their faces So mightely the Lorde did blinde their eyes that they asking for him and looking vpon him yet notwithstanding he quietly tooke vpp his bagge of books and so departed out of the house wythout anye hand layd vpon him Also an other time about the 2. yeare of Queene Mary the sayde Thomas Bryce with Iohn Bryce his elder brother comming then from Wesell meeting together at their fathers house as they iornyed towardes London to geue warning there to one Springfield whiche els was like to bee taken vnawares by his enemies wayting for him vpon Gaddes hill fell in company with a promoter which dogged them and followed them again to Grauesâad into the towne and layed the house for them where they were and all the waies as they should go to the water side so that it had not bene possible for them to haue auoyded the present daunger of those persecutors had not the Lordes prouident care otherwise disposed for hys seruauntes through the Hostler of the Inne couertly to conuey them by a secret passage whereby they tooke Barge a mile out of the towne and so in the ende both the liues of them and also of Springfield was preserued through the Lordes gracious protection ¶ Gertrude Crockhey GErtrude Crokehey dwelling at S. Katherines by the Towne of London and being then in her husbandes house it happened in the yeare 1556. that the Popes childish S. Nicholas went about the parish Whiche shee vnderstanding shut her dore agaynst him not suffering him to enter into her house Then Doct. Mallet hearing thereof and being then Mayster of the sayd S. Katherines the next daye came to her wyth twenty at hys tayle thinking belike to fray her and asked why shee woulde not the night before let in S. Nicolas and receaue hys blessing c. To whom she aunswered thus Syr I knowe no S. Nicholas sayd she that came hether Yes quoth Mallet here was one that represented S. Nicolas In deede sir sayd she here was one that was my neighbours childe but not S. Nicolas for S. Nicholas is in heauen I was afrayde of them that came with him to haue had my purse cut by them for I haue hearde of men robbed by S. Nicolas clerkes c. So Mallet perceiuyng that nothing could be gotten at her handes went his way as he came and she for that time so escaped Then in the yeare 1557. a little before Whitsontide it happened that the sayde Gertrude aunswered for a childe that was baptised of one Thomas Saunders whyche childe was christened secretly in a house after the order of the seruice booke in king Edwardes time and that beyng shortly knowne to her enemies she was sought for Whiche vnderstanding nothing therof went beyond the Sea into Gilderland to see certayne landes that should come to her children in the right of her first husband who was a straunger borne being there about a quarter of a yeare at the lengthe comming homeward by Andwarpe shee chaunced to meete with one Iohn Iohnson a Ducth manne alias Iohn de Uilla of Andwerpe shipper who seeing her there went of malice to the Margraue and accused her to be an Anabaptist whereby shee was taken and caryed to prison The cause why this naughty manne did thus was for that he claymed of M. Crokhay her husband a peece of mony whiche was not his due for a ship that Mayster Crokhay bought of him and for that hee coulde not get it he wrought this displeasure Well she being in prison lay there a fortnight In the whiche time she sawe some that were prisoners there who priuily were drowned in Renish wine fattes and after secretly put in sackes and cast into
to the Tower of London and there remained vntill Queene Elizabeth was proclaimed Queene at whych time he being deliuered fell sicke and dyed The common talke was that if he had not so sodeÌly ended his life hee woulde haue opened and reuealed the purpose of the chiefe of the Cleargy meaning the Cardinall whyche was to haue taken vp K. Henries body at Windsore and to haue burned it And thus much of doctor Weston The residue that remained of the persecuting Clergy and escaped the stroke of deathe were depriued and committed to prisones the Catalogue of whose names heere followeth In the Tower Nicholas Death Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chauncellour Thomas Thurlby B. of Ely Thomas Watson B. of Lincolne Gilbert Burne B. of Bath and Welles Richard Pates B. of Worcester Troublefield B. of Exetor Iohn Fecknam Abbot of Westminster Iohn Boxal Deane of Windsore and Peterborough Of Dauid Poole B. of Peterborough I doubte whether he was in the Tower or in some other prisone Ran away Goldwell B. of S. Asse Maurice Elect of Bangor Edmunde Boner B. of London in the Marshalsea Thomas Wood B. Elect in the Marshalsea Cutbert Scothish of Chester was in the Fleete from whence he escaped to Louane and there died In the Fleet. Henry Cole Deane of Paules Iohn Harpesfield Archdeacon of London and Deane of Norwich Nicholas Harpesfield Archd. of Cant. Anthony Draycot Archdeacon of HuÌtington W. Chadsey Archdeacon of Midlesex ¶ Concerning which Doctour Chadsey here is to be noted that in the beginning of king Edwards raigne he recanted and subscribed to 34. Articles wherein hee then fully consented and agreed with his owne hand wryting to the whole forme of doctrine approoued allowed then in the church as well concerning iustification by faith only as also the doctrine of the two sacramentes then receaued denying as well the Popes supremacie transubstantiation Purgatory Inuocation of Saints eleuation and adoration of the Sacrament the sacrifice veneration of the Masse as also all other like excrements of Popish superstition according to the kings booke then set foorth Wherefore the more maruel it is that he being counted such a famous and learned Clearke would shew himselfe so fickle and vnstable in hys assertions so double in hys doinges to alter hys Religion according to time and to maintein for truth not what he thought best but what he myght most safely defend So long as the state of the lord Protectour and of hys brother stoode vprighte what was then the conformitie of this D. Chadsey hys owne Articles in Latine wrytten and subscribed wyth hys owne hand doe declare which I haue to shewe if he will denye them But after the decay of the kings vncles the fortune of them turned not so fast but his Religion turned withall and eftsoones he tooke vppon hym to dispute agaynste Peter Martyr in vpholding Transubstantiation at Oxforde which a little before with his owne haÌd wryting he had ouerthrowen After this ensued the time of Queene Mary wherein doctor Chadsey to shew hys double diligence was so eger in his commission to sit in iudgement to bring poore meÌ to their death that in the last yeare of Quene Mary when the Lord Chauncellor Syr Thomas Cornwalles Lorde Clinton diuers other of the Counsell had sent for hym by a special letter to repaire vnto London out of Essex he wryting againe to the bishop of London sought meanes not to come at the Counsels bidding but to continue still in his persecuting progresse The Copie of whose letter I haue also in my handes if neede were to bring foorth Mention was made not long before of one William Mauldon who in king Henries time suffered stripes and scourgings for confessing the veritie of Gods true religion It happened in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth that the sayd W. Mauldon was bound seruaunt with one named Maister Hugh Aparry then a wheat taker for the Quene dwelling at Grenewich Who being newly come vnto him and hauing neuer a booke there to looke vpon being desirous to occupie himself vertuously loked about the house and founde a Primer in English whereon hee read in a winters euening Whiles he was reading there sat one Iohn Apowel that had ben a Seruing man about 30. yeres of age borne toward Wales whom the said M. Hugh gaue meat and drink vnto til such time as he could get a seruice And as the foresayd William Mauldon read on the Booke the sayde Iohn Apowell mocked hym after euery worde with contrary gaudes and flouting wordes vnreuerently in so muche that he coulde no longer abide him for grief of hart but turned vnto him and sayd Iohn take heede what thou doest Thou doest not mocke mee but thou mockest God For in mocking of his word thou mockest hym and thys is the word of God though I be simple that read it and therfore beware what thou doest Then Mauldon fell to reading agayne and still hee proceeded on in hys mocking and when Mauldon had redde certayne Englyshe Prayers in the ende he redde Lorde haue mercye vppon vs Christe haue mercye vpon vs. c. And as Mauldon was reciting these wordes the other with a start sodenly sayd Lord haue mercy vpon me With that Mauldon tourned and sayde what ailest thou Iohn He sayee I was afraide Whereon wast thou afraide said Mauldon Nothing now sayd the other and so he would not tel hym After thys when Mauldon and he went to bedde Mauldon asked him whereof he was afraide He sayde when you red Lord haue mercye vppon vs Christ haue mercy vppon vs me thought the haire of my head stoode vpright with a great feare which came vpon me Then sayd Mauldon Iohn thou mayest see the euill spirite could not abide that Christ should haue mercy vppon vs. Wel Iohn said Mauldon repent and amend thy life for God will not be mocked If we mocke and iest at his woord he will punish vs. Also you vse rebauldry woordes and swearing verye much therfore for Gods sake Iohn amend thy life So I will sayd he by the grace of God I pray God I may Amen said the other with other words and so went to bed On the next day about 8. of the clocke in the morning the foresaid Iohn came running downe out of his chamber in his shirt into the Hall and wrasteled with hys mistresse as he would haue throwen her downe Wherat she shriked out and her seruauntes holpe her and tooke hym by strength and caried him vp vnto his bed bound him downe to his bed for they perceiued plainely that he was out of his right minde After that as he lay almoste day and night his toung neuer ceased but he cried out of the deuill of hell and hys woordes were euer stil O the deuill of hell now the deuill of hell I would see the deuill of hell thou shalt see the deuil of hel there he was there he goeth with other words but
not to alleadge for themselues any reason they assay to make odious to your maiesty the Lutherans as they call vs and say if their sayinges take place ye shall be faine to remaine a priuate person that there is neuer change of religion but there is also chaunge of princedome A thyng as false as when they accuse vs to be Sacramentaries and that we deny the authoritie of Magistrates vnder the shadow of certaine furious Anabaptists which Satan hath raysed in our tyme to darken the light of the Gospell For the histories of the Emperours which haue begun to receiue the Christian religion and that which is come to passe in our tyme shew the contrary Was there euer Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine in receiuing the Christian Religion was hee therefore put from the Empire No he was thereby the more confirmed established in the same and also his posterity which ruled themselues by his prouidence But such as haue fallen away and folowed mens traditions God hath destroyed and theyr race is no more knowne in earth So much doth God detest them that forsake him And in our time the late kinges of England and Germanye were they coÌstrayned in reprouing superstitions which the wickednes of the time had brought in to forsake their kingdomes princedomes Al men see the contrary and what honor fidelity and obedience the people in our time that haue receiued the reformation of the Gospell do vnder theyr princes and superiors Yea I may say that the princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed at that time when the rude and ignoraunt people receiued so readily the dispeÌsations of the Pope to dâiue out their owne kinges and naturall Lordes The true and onely remedy sir is that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Counsell where ye shouâd be chiefe and not the Pope his who ought but onely to defende their causes by the holy scriptures that in the meane while ye may seeke out meÌ not corrupted suspected nor partial whoÌ ye may charge to geue report faythfully vnto you of the true sence of the holy scriptures And this done after the example of the good kinges Iosaphath Ezechias Iosias ye shall take out of the Churche all Idolatry superstition abuse which is found directly contrary to the holy scriptures of the old and new testament by that meanes ye shall guid youâ people in the true pure seruiâe of God not regarding in the meane time the cauilling pretenses of the papists which say that such questioÌs haue bene already answered at generall Counsels for it is knowne well enougâ thaâ no Counsell hath bene lawfull since the Popes haue ãâã the principality tyranny vpon mens soules but they haue made them serue to their couetousnes ambition and cruelây ãâã the contrariety which is amoÌg those couÌsels maketh enough for their disproofe beside a hundred thousand other absurdities agâinââ the word of God which be in them The true proofe for such matters is in the true holy Scriptures to the which no time nor age hath any prescription to be alledged agaynst theÌ foâ by them we receiue the Counsels founded vpon the worde of God and also by the same we reiect that doctrine which is repugnant And if ye do thus Syr God will blesse your enterprise he will encrease confirme your raigne and Empyre and your posterity If otherwise destruction is at your gate and vnhappy are the people which shall dwell vnder your obedieÌce There is no doubt but God will hardeÌ your hart as he did Phaâaos and take of the crowne from your head as he did to Ieroboam Nâdab Baza Achab and to many other kinges which haue folowed mâns traditions agaynst the commaundemeÌt of God and geue it to your enemies to triumph ouer you and your children And if the Emperour Antonine the meek although he were a Pagan Idolater seing himselfe bewrapt with so many wars ceased the persecutioÌs which were in his time agaynst the christians and determined in the ende to heare their causes and reasons how muche more ought you that beare the name of moste Christian king to be carefull and diligent to cease ãâã persecutions agaynst the poore Christians seing they hâue not tâoubled nor doe trouble in any wise the state of your kingdome your affayres considering also that the Iewes be suffeâed through all Christendome although they be mortall enemies oâ our Lorde Iesus Christ which we holde by common accorde and consent for our God Redeemer and Sauiour and that vntill you haue heard lawfully debated and vnderstand our reasons takeÌ of the holy Scriptures and that your Maiestye haue iudged if we bee worthy of such punishmentes For if we be not ouercome by the worde of God the fires the sworde nor the cââââlest tormentes shall make vs afrayd These be the exercises that God hath promised to his of the which he foretolde shoulde come in the laste times that they should not be troubled when such persecutions shall come vpon them Translated out of the French booke intituled Commentaries of the state of the Church and publicke weale c. pag. 7. ¶ The story and end of the french king WHosoeuer was the authour or authours of this letter aboue prefixed herein thou seest good Reader good counsell geuen to the king if he had the grace to receiue it and had folowed the same no doubt but Gods blessing working with him he had not onely set that Realme in a blessed staye from much disturbaunce but also had continued himselfe in all florishing felicity of princely honour and dignity For so doth the lord commonly blesse and aduaunce such kinges Princes as seeke hys honor and submit their wils to his obedience But coÌmonly the fault of kinges and Potentates of this world is that being set about with Parasites either they seldom heare the truth told theÌ or if they do yet will they not lightly be put from theyr owne willes disdayning to be admonished by their inferiors be theyr counsell neuer so holsom godly Which thing many times turneth them to great plages calamitie as by plentiful exaÌples of kings destroyed wouÌded imprisoned deposed drowned poysoned c. may wel to theÌ that read histories appeare but especially in this preseÌt example of Henry French king the seconde of that name is in this our age notoriously to be considered Who bâing well warned before as may seeme would not yet surcease his cruell persecution agaynst the Lordes people but rather was the more hardened in hart and inflamed against them in so muche that he sayd to Anne du Bourg one of the high Court of Parliament in Paris threatning hym that he would see him burne with his own eyes Further how his purpose was to extende his power and force likewise agaynst other places moe in persecutyng the Gospell of Christe and professours thereof to the vttermost of his abilitie I
please your honours I iudge that my Lordes here stay most on this poynt that they feare when they shall begin first and the other aunswere thereupon there shall be no time geuen to them to speake whiche my Lord misliketh L. Keeper Howe can it otherwise be in a talke appoynted in such assembly and audience thinke you that there can be continuall aunswering one another when shouldeââ after that sort haue an end Lich. Couen It must bee so in a disputation to seeke out the trueth L. Keper But how say you my Lord Abbot are you of the mynde it shal be read Abbot Yea forsooth my lord I am very wel pleased with all Harpesfield being inquired his mind thought as the other did L. Keper My Lordes sith that ye are not willing but refuse to read your writing after the order taken wee wyll breake vp and departe and for that ye willl not that wee should heare you you may perhaps shortly heare of vs. THus haue we declared the order and maner of this coÌmunication or conference at Westminster betweene these two parties wherin if any law or order were brokeÌ iudge good reader wher the fault was and consider with al what these Papistes be from whoÌ if ye take away their sword and authority from them you see all their cunning how soone it lyeth in the dust or els why would they not abide the triall of writing why would they or durst they not stande to the order agreed vpon Whether shoulde we say ignoraunce or stubbernes to be in them more or both together Who first being gently as is sayd and fauorably required to keep the order appointed they would not Then being secondly as appeared by the Lord Keepers words pressed more earnestly they neither regarding the authority c. of that place nor their owne reputation nor the credite of the cause vtterly refused that to doe And finally being agayne particularly euery of them aparte distinctly by name required to vnderstande theyr opinions therin they al sauing one which was the Abbot of Westminster hauing some more consideratioÌ of order and hys duety of obedience then the other vtterly and playnly denyed to haue theyr booke read some of them as more earnestly then other some so also some other more vndiscretly and vnreuerently then others Wherupon geuing such example of disorder stubbernes and selfe will as hath not bene seene and suffered in such an honorable assembly being of the two estates of this Realme the nobility and the commons beside the presence of the Queenes Maiestyes most honorable priuy counsell the same assembly was dis missed and the Godly and most Christian purpose of the Queenes Maiesty made frustrate And afterward for the contempt so notoriously made the Byshop of Wincester Lincolne hauing most obstinatly both disobeyed commoÌ authority and varyed manifestly from theyr owne order and specially Lincoln who shewed more folly then the other were condignely committed to the Tower of London and the rest sauing the Abbot of Westminster stoode bound to make dayly theyr personall appearaunce before the counsell and not to depart the Cittye of London and Westminster vntill further order were taken with theÌ for their disobedience and contempt Besides the former protestation or libell written and exhibited by the Protestantes concerning the first question there was also an other like writing of the fayde Protestantes made of the second question but not published which if it come to our hand we wil likewise impart vnto thee As these Byshops aboue named were committed to the Tower so Boner Bishop of London about the same time was commaunded to the Marshalsea whereas hee both in his blinde bloudy heresy and also in his deserued captiuity long remayned abiding the Queenes pleasure gods pleasure I beseech him so be wrought on that person that the Church of Christes flocke if they can take or looke for no goodnesse of that man to come yet they maye take of him and of other no more harme herafter theÌ they haue done alredy We al beseech thee this O Lord eternal per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Aboute this time at the beginning of the flourishing reigne of Queene Elizabeth was a Parliament summoned and holden at Westminster wherin was much debating about matters touching religion and great study on both parties employed the one to reteine still the other to impugne the doctrine and faction which before in queene Maries time had bene established But especially here is to be noted that though ther lacked no industry on the papistes side to holde fast that which they most cruelly from time to time had studied by al meanes practised to come by Yet notwithstanding such was the prouidence of God at that time that for lacke of the other bishops whome the Lorde had taken away by death a little before the residue that there were left could doe the lesse and in very deede God be praysed therefore did nothing at all in effect Although yet notwithstanding there lacked in them neyther will nor labour to do what they could if their cruell abilitie there might haue serued But namely amongest all other not onely the industrious courage of Doctor Story but also his wordes in this Parliament are worthy to be knowne of posteritie who like a stout and furious champion of the popes side to declare himselfe howe lustie hee was what he had and would do in his maisters quarrell shamed not openly in the saide Parliament house to brast out into such impudent sort of words as was wonder to all good eares to heare and no lesse worthy of history The summe of which his shameles talke was vttered to this effect First beginning with himselfe hee declared that where as he was noted commonly abroad and much complayned of to haue bene a great doer and a âeâter forth of such religion orders and proceedinges as of hys late soueraigne that dead is Queene Mary were set forth in this Realme hee denied nothing the same protestyng moreouer that he therein had done nothing but that both his conscience did lead him thereunto and also his commission did as wel then commaund him as now also doth discharge hym for the same being no lesse ready now also to doe the like and more in case hee by this Queene were authorised likewise and commaunded thereunto Wherefore as I see sayth he nothing to be ashamed of so lesse I see to be sory for but rather sayd that he was sory for thys because he had done no more theÌ he did and that in executing those lawes they had not bene more vehement and seuere Wherein he sayd there was no default in him but in them whom he both ofte and earnestly had exhorted to the same being therefore not a little greeued with them for that they laboured onely about the young and little sprigges and twigges whyle they should haue stroken at the roote and cleane haue rooted it out c. And concerning his persecuting
as is mentioned before pag. 1894. Doctor Ieffray the Chauncellour spake to him wishing him to yelde to the Doctoures who many hundreth yeares had taught otherwise then hee doth beleue c. Unto whome Mandrell aunswered M. Chauncellour sayd he trouble me with none of youre Doctours whatsoeuer they say but bring me the booke of God the olde Testament and the new and I will aunswere you What sayest thou Mandrel quod he by the sayntes in the Church the image of our Lady of the crucifixe and other holy Sayntes be they not necessary c. yes M. Chauncellour sayd hee very necessary to rost a shoulder of mutton Then Doctor Billing a frier once standing by sayd Mayster Chauncellour quod hee heare howe these heretickes speake agaynst the crucifixe and the holy crosse and yet the holy Crosse is mentioned in all the tongues both Hebrew Greek and Latine For in Latine it is called t. in Greeke tau c. Whereupon one Thomas Gilford a marchaunt of Poole standing by sayd ah mercifull Lord sayd he is not this a maruellous matter for a poore man thus to be charged and put to the paynes of fire for t. tau When Maundrell and Spicer were examined before the Chauncellour the Chauncellour called them saying Come on come on sayth he thou Spicer art to blame for thou haste taught Maundrell these heresies Thou arte by thy occupation a Brickeleyer Yea that I am And can sing in the Quyre Yea that I can sayth he And can play on the Orgaynes True sayth hee Well then sayde the Chauncellour and thou hast marred this poore man and hast taught him all these heresies No Mayster Chauncellour quoth he I haue not taught him but I haue read to him He is able thankes be to God to teache both you and me ¶ A note of Elizabeth Pepper ELizabeth Pepper before mentioned pag. 1916. when she was burned at Stratford was xj weekes gone with child as she then testified to one Bosomes wife who then vnloosed her neckerchiefe saying moreouer wheÌ she was asked why she did not tell them aunswered why quoth she they know it well enough Oh suche is the bloudy hartes of this cruell generation that no occasion can stay them from their mischieuous murdering of the saintes of the Lord that truly professe Christ crucified onely and alone for the satisfaction of their sinnes ¶ A note of one confessing Gods truth at the Gallowes A Notorious fellone one Dick Adams beyng vpon the gallowes making his confession and ready to be caste downe from the ladder was desired at that instant by one maistres Harries the Grammer schoolemaisters wyfe to remember the blessed sacrament before he died to whome the said Adams sayde marrie maistresse neuer in better tyme who went vp to the toppe of the ladder and sayde it was the most abhominable idoll that euer was and willed all men to take it so for we haue bene greatly deceyued thereby Whereupon the Shiriffe caused him to holde his peace and to take his death patiently He went down to his place and was cast from the ladder speaking to his last worde that it was an abhominable Idoll his bodye therfore was buryed out of the Church yarde by the high way who although he was a chiefe in his life yet he earnestly repented thereof that I doubt not but he dyed the childe of God and not vnworthy to be put in the register of the Lordes accepted Confessors ¶ A note of Gertrude Crokehay IN the late dayes of queene Mary among other strauÌge dealinge of the Papistes with the faythfull this is not with the rest to be forgotten that a godly Matrone named Gertrude Crokhay the wife of Mayster Robert Crokehay dwellinge then at S. Katherins by the Tower of London absteyned her selfe from the Popish church And she being in her husbands house it happened in an 1556. that the foolish popishe Saynt Nicholas went aboute the Parish which she vnderstanding shut her doores agaynst him and would not suffer him to come within her house Then Doctor Mallet hearing therof and being theÌ maister of the sayd Saint Katherins the next day came to her with xx at his tayle thinking belike to fray her and asked why she would not the night before let in Saynt Nicholas and receiue his blessing c. To whom she aunswered thus Syr I know no Saynt Nicholas sayd she that came hither Yes quoth Mallet here was one that represeÌted S. Nicolas In deed sir sayd she here was one that is my neighbours childe but not S. Nicholas For S. Nicholas is in heauen I was afrayd of them that came with him to haue had my purse cutte by them For I haue heard of men robbed by Saint Nicholas Clerkes c. So Mallet perceiuing nothing to be gotten at her handes went his way as he came and she for that time so escaped Then in an 1557. a litle before Whitsontide it happened that the sayd Gertrude aunswered for a childe that was baptised of one Thomas Saunders whiche childe was christened secretly in a house after the order of the seruice booke in king Edwardes time and that being shortly knowne to her enemies she was sought for which vnderstanding nothing therof weÌt beyond the sea into Gelderland for to see certayne lands that should haue come to her childreÌ in the right of her first husband who was a strauÌger borne And being there about a quarter of a yeare at the length comming homeward by Antwarpe chaunced to meet with one Iohn Iohnson a dutch man alias Iohn Dewille of Antwarpe shipper who seing her there went of malice to the Margraue and accused her to be an Anabaptist whereby she was taken and caried to prison The cause why this noughtye man did thus was for that hee claymed of Mayster Crokhay her husband a piece of money which was not his due for a shippe that the sayd master Crokhay bought of him and for that he could not get it wrought this displeasure Well she being in prison lay there a fortnight in whiche time she sawe some that were Prisoners there who priuily were drowned in Renishe wine fattes and after secretly put in sackes and cast into the Riuer Now she good woman thinking to be so serued tooke thereby such feare that it brought the beginning of her sickenes of the which at length she dyed Then at the last she was called before the Margraue and charged with Anabaptistrye which shee there vtterly denyed detested the error declaring before him in dutch her fayth boldly without any feare So the Margraue hearing the same in the ende being well pleased with her profession at the sute of some of her frendes deliuered her out of prison but tooke away her booke and so she came ouer into England agayne And being at home in her husbandes house he thinking to finde meanes to gette her to go abroad made one Uicars a yeoman of the Tower hys frend who was great with Boner to worke that liberty for her
began at the second if not at the first dash to demaund her beliefe in theyr popish sacrament of the aulter The good poore woman who had learned not to bee ashamed to confesse her mayster Christ before menne and to render accoÌptes of her fayth when it was asked tould freely and franckly her opinion therein and hid backe nothing that eyther shee thought might profite them if they had anye grace to receiue it or els might sounde to Gods glory and prayse though it were neuer so muche by them threatned and rebuked Whereupon shee was forthwyth committed to the Gayle of Launceston where she remayned a quarter of a yeare or thereaboutes and afterwards was dispatched of that vile and filthy prison and deliuered ouer to the handes of two champions of the Popes the one called Doctor Raynoldes Deane of Exceter and the other named mayster Blaxton treasurer of the same church men surely feruent hote in the furtheraunce of the romysh affayres and in withstanding the truth of the pure euangelicall gospell So the time that this good poore woman was vnder theyr handes shee had many sore conflictes by them And the sayd Blaxton hauing a Concubine whiche sondry tymes resorted to him with other of his gossippes alwayes when they came this sayde good woman was called forth to his house and there to make his minion with the rest of his company some mirth hee woulde examine her with such mocking maner in deriding the truth that it would haue vexed any christian soule to haue seene it Then when he had long vsed his foolishnes in this sort and had sported himselfe enough in deriding this chrysten martyr in the end sent her to prison agayn and there kept her very miserably sauing sometimes he woulde send for her when hys foresayd gest came to him to vse with her his accustomed folly aforesayd But in fine the vile wretches after many combattes and scoffing perswasions when they had played the parte of a cat with a mouse at length they condemned her deliuered her ouer to the secular power who within shorte space after most cruelly brought her forth to the place where she should suffer and there in great contempt of the truth which she most constantly confessed they consumed her carcas immediately with fire into ashes which she very patieÌtly suffered and most ioyfully receiued yelding her soule and lyfe to the Lord and her body to the tormentors for the whiche the Lordes name therefore be praysed Amen ¶ The martirdome of one Snel burned about Richmond in Queene Maryes tyme omitted in this history AT Bedaile a market towne in Yorkshyre were two men in the latter dayes of Queene Mary the one named Iohn Snel and the other Richard Snel Who being suspected for Religion were sent vnto Richmond where Doctor Dakins had commission from the Bishop of Chester to haue the examination of them This Doctor Dakins many times conferred wyth them sometimes threatning fire and fagot if they woulde not recant and sometimes flattering them with fayre fables if they would returne into the holy catholick church But they stood constantly to the sure rocke Iesus Christ in whome they put theyr whole trust and confidence whiles at last being so sore imprisoned that theyr toes rotted of and the one of them could not go without crouches they brought theÌ to the church by compulsion where the one of them heard their abhominable Masse hauing a certaine summe of mony geuen him by the beneuolence of the people and so departed thence but the first newes that was heard of hym within three or foure dayes was that he had drowned him self in a riuer running by Richmond called Swaile Immediately after D. Dakins geuing sentence that the other should be burnt came home to hys house and neuer ioyed after but dyed The Commissary of Richmond named Hillinges preached at his burning exhorting him to returne to the Churche but hys labour was in vayne the constant martyr standing strongly to the fayth which hee professed Then being brought to the stake whereunto hee was tyed by a girdle of iron there was geuen vnto him gunpouder and a little straw was layd vnder his feete and set round about with smale woode and tarre barrels the fire was put in the straw which by and by flamyng about his head he cryed thrise together Christ helpe me Insomuch that one Robert Atkinson being present sayde hold fast there we wil all pray for thee Thus this blessed martyr ended his life ¶ A story of one Laremouth omitted in the body of the story ALbeit I am loth to insert any thing in this book which may seeme incredible or strange to ordinary working for quarelling aduersaryes whiche doe nothing but spye what they may cauill yet forsomuch as besides other reporters the person is yet aliue called Thorne a godly minister which heard it of the mouth of the party himselfe I thought therefore first for the incredible strangenes therof neither to place this storye in the bodye of these Actes and Monumentes and yet in some outcorner of the booke not vtterly to passe it vntouched for the reader to consider it and to credite it as he seeth cause The story is this There was one Laremouth otherwise called Williamson Chaplayne to Lady Anne of Cleue a Scotishman to whome being in prison in Queene Maryes daies it was sayd as he thought thus sounding in hys eares arise and go thy wayes Whereunto when he gaue no great heed at the first the second time it was sayd to him agayne in the same wordes Upon this as he fell to his prayers it was sayd the thyrd time likewise to him arise and go thy way which was about halfe an houre after So he arising vpon the same immediately a peece of the prison wall fell downe and as the officers came in at the outwarde gate of the Castle or prison he leaping ouer the ditche escaped and in the way meeting a certayne beggar chaunged hys cote with him and comming to the Sea shore where hee found a vessell ready to go ouer was taken in and escaped the search which was straytly layd for hym in all the couÌtry ouer ¶ A little short letter of William Hunter sent out of prison to his mother a little before hys martirdome to be referred and placed in his story pag. 1538. MOst reuerent louing mother after my most humble wyfe I haue me harty commeÌded vnto you desiring you to pray vnto God most hartely for me that I may haue his blessing and yours the which I esteeme more worth vnto me theÌ any worldly treasure In this present letter you shall vnderstand the cause of my writing vnto you at this tyme that I am in good health and prosperitie as euer I was in this present life Wherefore I render thankes vnto almightye God for it who alone is moste woorthye of all prayse trusting in God you bee in health also Furthermore I certifie you wherefore
my father contÃnueth here to the intent to heare some godly and ioyfull tidynges both for soule and body whiche I trust it shal be to your singular comfort and consolation and to the great reioysing of all other of my frendes Therefore I desire you gentle mother to admonish my brother vnto a godly life with dilligent attendance and to pray for me considering his bound duety that God may by your faythfull prayer ayd and strengthen me in this my prosperous iourney and course whiche I run trusting to obtayne a crowne of euerlasting life whiche doth euer endure No more vnto you at this time but God preserue you vnto euerlasting life So be it ¶ The Oration in effecte of Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England spoken in the Starre Chamber the 29. of December in the 10. yeare of the reigne of our Souereigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England Fraunce and Ireland Queene Defender of the fayth c. And in the yeare of our Lord God .1567 Then being present Mathew Archbishop of Caunterbury William Marques of Northhampton Fraunces Earle of Bedford Lord Clinton Admirall of England William Howard Lord Chamberleyne Byshop of London Lord Gray of Wilton Sir Edward Rogers Knight Controler Sir Ambrose Caue Knight Chanc. of the duchy Sir William Cicill Knight principall Secretary Sir Fraunces Knolles Knight Vicechamberleyne Sir Walter Mildemay Knight Chauncelor of the Eschequer Lord Cattelene chiefe Iustice of the kings bench Lord Dyer chiefe Iustice of the common place Sir William Cordale Knight M. of the Rolles Iustice Weston Iustice Welch Iustice Southcotes Iustice Carowes IT is geuen to the Queenes Maiestye to vnderstand that certayne of her Subiectes by theyr euill dispositions do sow and spread abroad diuers sedicions to the derogation and dishonor first of almighty God in the state of Religion stablished by the lawes of this Realme and also to the dishonor of her highnesse in disprouing her lawfull right of supremacy amongest her subiectes And this that they doe is not done as in secrecy or by stealth but openly auouched in all companyes disputed on And thus by theyr bold attemptes seme not to obey or regard the authority of lawes nor the quiet of her subiectes As for example by bringing in and spreading abroad diuers leud libels and sedicious bookes from beyonde the seas and in suche boldnes that they do commend those writers in their sedicious bookes conteining manifest matter agaynste the estate established Which boldnesse of men so Vniuersally and euery where seene and heard cannot be thought to be done but by the comfort and ayd or at the least way winckt at by theÌ whoÌ the Queenes highnes hath placed in authority to repres these insolencyes And the Queenes highnes can not more iustlye charge any for this disorder then such who be in commissioÌs chosen to represse these disorders If it be aunswered me that they cannot see such opeÌ boldnes factious disorders I must say that they haue no eyes to see if they heare not of suche contemptuous talke and speeche I may say that they haue no eares I would haue those men iudge what will come of these vnbridled speeches in the end if reformatioÌs be not had therof What coÌmeth of factions seditions we haue bene taught of late yeares what the fruites be which I beseech God long to defend vs from If such disorders be hot redressed by law then must force violence reforme Which when they take place may fortune fall assoone on theÌ that seeme to haue least consideration in this matter If force and violence preuayle then ye know that law is put to silence and cannot be executed which should onely maynteine good order If it be replyed agaynst me that to the suppressing of these open talkes there is no law which by speciall letter can charge any man offender I must say that whatsoeuer the letter of the law be the meaning of the law was and is cleane contrary to the liberty of these doinges If it be sayd that no man can be charged by the law except it can be proued agaynst him that his speeche and deedes be done maliciously what ye call malice I can not tel But if the bringing in of these sedicious bookes make meÌs mindes to be at variance one with one another destruction of mindes maketh sedicions seditions bring in tumults tumults worke insurrections and rebellion Insurrections make depopulations and desolations and bringeth in vtter ruine destruction of mens bodies goodes landes And if any sow the roote wherof these men come yet can be sayd that he hath no mallice or that he doth not maliciously labour to destroye both publicke priuate wealth I can not tell what act may be thought to be done maliciously And further if it be sayd to me that the man which should be charged with offeÌce must be proued to haue done his acte aduisedly To that I answere If any bring in those hookes distribute them to others commend defend them yet can not be charged to haue done aduisedly I haue no skill of their aduisednesse If it be sayde that the law intreateth of such actes as be directly derogatory and of none other what is direct ouerthwarting the Law when the contrary thereof is playnely treated holden and defended and the truth by argumentes condemned It maye be sayd agayne that the worlde doth not now like extremitye in lawes penal and calleth them bloudy lawes As for extreme and bloudy lawes I haue neuer liked of them But where the execution of such lawes touching halfe a dosen offenders and the not execution may bring in daunger halfe a hundred I thinke this law nor the execution therof may iustly be called extreme and bloudy In such like comparison I may vtter my meaning as to make a difference betwene whipping hanging In deed though whipping may be thought extreme yet if by whipping a man may escape hanging in this respect not whipping bringeth in this bloudinesse and extremity and not the execution of the law And better it were a man to bee twise whipped then once hanged The paynes do differre but wise men will soone consider the diuersity The truth is to suffer disobedient subiectes to take boldnes agaynst the lawes of God their prince to wincke at the obstinate minds of such as be vnbridled in theyr affections to mainteine a forraigne power of the Byshop of Rome directly agaynst the Princes prerogatiue stablished by lawes is not this to hatch dissentioÌ to chearish sedition To extoll the writinges of such who by all their wittes deuise to supplant the princes lawfull authority If these doinges be not meanes to the disturbance vtter ruine of the Realme I know not what is good gouernance If these be not the sparkes of Rebellion What be they Thus much hauing spoken to your wisedomes I doubt not of your assenting with me the rather also because I vtter them vnto
sayde by the fayth I owe to God I take this man here my L. of Canterbury to bee of all other a most faythfull subiect vnto vs and one to whom we are much beholding geuyng him great commendations otherwise And with that one or two of the chiefest of the Counsaile makyng their excuse declared that in requesting his induraunce it was rather ment for hys triall and his purgation agaynst the common fame and slaunder of the world then for any malice conceyued agaynst hym Well well my Lordes quoth the kyng take hym and well vse hym as he is worthy to be and make no more adoe And with that euery man caught hym by the hand and made fayre weather of altogethers which might easily bee done with that man And it was much to be meruailed that they would go so far with hym thus to seeke his vndoyng this well vnderstandyng before that the kyng most entirely loued him and always would stand in hys defence whosoeuer spake against hym as many other tymes the Kynges pacience was by sinister informations agaynst hym tried In so much that the Lorde Cromwell was euermore woont to say vnto hym My Lord of Caunterbury you are most happy of all men for you may doe and speake what you list and say what all men can agaynst you the kyng wyll neuer beleeue one worde to your detriment or hinderance I am sure I take more paynes then all the counsaile doth and spend more largely in the Kings affayres as well beyond the seas as on this side yea I assure you euen very spies in other forreine Realmes and at Rome else where costeth me aboue one 1000. markes a yeare and doe what I can to bryng matters to knowledge for the commoditie of the King and the Realme I am euery day chidden and many false tales now and then beleeued agaynst me and therefore you are most happy for in no poynt can you be discredited with the kyng To this the Archbishop agayne aunsweryng If the kyngs Maiestie were not good to me that way I were not able to stande and endure one whole weeke but your wisedome and pollicy is such that you are able to shift well enough for your selfe Now when the kyngs highnes had thus benignly mercifully dispatched the sayd Archbishop from this sore accusation by the Counsaile layd agaynst hym all wise meÌ would haue thought that it had bene meere follye afterwards to haue atteÌpted any matter agaynst hym but yet looke where malice raigneth there neither reason nor honesty can take place Such therfore as had conceiued deep rancor and displeasure agaynst hym ceased not to persecute hym by all possible meanes Then brought they against him a new kynde of accusation and caused sir Iohn Gostwike knight a man of a contrary religion to accuse the Archb. openly in the Parliament house laying to hys charge his sermons preched at Sandwich his Lectures red at Canterbury wherein should be conteined manifest heresies agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar c. Whiche accusation came to the kyngs eare Why quoth the kyng where dwelleth Gostwike As I take it eyther in Bedfordshire or Buckinghamshire and hath he so opeÌ an eare that he can heare my L. of Cant. preachyng out of Kent This is very like sayde the kyng If hee had bene a Kentishman there had bene some thyng worthy of consideration but as for Gostwike I know him well enough and what good religion he is of Go to hym and tell hym sayd the king to one of his priuy chamber if he go not to my L. of Cant. and so reconcile hymselfe to hym that he may become hys good Lord I will pull the Goslings fethers so that hereafter he shall haue little lust to slaunder the Metropolitane or any other learned man When sir I. Gostwike heard these words it was no neede to bid hym hast hymselfe to Lambheth vnto the Metropolitane makyng to hym as many friends as possible he myght When hee came to the Archb. he was fayne to disclose vnto hym by what meanes he was procured to doe that he did requestyng hys clemency to be his good lord or els he tooke him selfe vtterly vndone beyng so in the kyngs indignation as he vnderstood he was by that afore declared which sute was soone wonne at hys hand and so the Archb. castyng into the satchell behynd him all those sir Iohn Gostwikes ingratitudes went to the king and wan to sir Iohn hys princes fauour agayne And thus the kyng made a short end of this accusation Well here you may perceyue that malicious inuention went not the wisest way to worke to procure a stranger dwellyng a farre of to accuse the Archbishoppe of hys doctrine preached in his Diocesse and therfore hath blind malice learned some more wisedome nowe to accuse the Archbishop in such sort as he shall neuer be able to auoyd it And therfore it was procured by hys ancient enemies that not onely the Prebendaries of his Cathedral Church in Caunterbury but also the moste famous Iustices of Peace in the Shire should accuse hym and Article against hym which in very deed was most substantially brought to passe and the Articles both well written and subscribed were deliuered to the kyngs highnesse as a thyng of such effect that there must needes follow to the said Archbishop both indignation of the prince and condigne punishment for hys grieuous offence committed by him and his chaplaines in preachyng such erroneous doctrine as they did within his Diocesse of Cant. whereof they beyng such witnesse of credite no man had cause to doubt of their circumspect doyngs This accusation articularly sent out was deliuered to the Kyng by some of the Counsailes meanes When the kyng had perused the booke he wrapt it vp and put it into hys sleeue and findyng occasion to solace hymselfe vpon the Thames came with hys Barge furnished with hys Musitions a long by Lambeth bridge towards Chelsey The noyse of the Musitions prouoked the Archb. to resort to the bridge to do his duety and to salute hys prince Whome when the kyng had perceyued to stand at the bridge eftsoones he commaunded the Watermen to draw towards the shore and so came straite to the Bridge Ah my Chaplaine sayd the kyng to the Archb. Come into the barge to me The Archb. declared to his highnes that he would take his owne barge and waite vppon hys maiestie No sayd the kyng you must come into my barge for I haue to talke with you When the kyng the Archbishop all alone in the barge were set together sayde the kyng to the Archb. I haue newes out of Kent for you my Lord. The Archb. answered Good I hope if it please your highnes Marry sayd the king they be so good that I now know the greatest heretike in Kent and with that pulled out of hys sleeue the booke of Articles agaynst both the said Archb. and his preachers and gaue