then he was commaunded to answere Intergatories by signes and when any question was asked he strook vpon the Table so that he might be heard then he was demaunded whether he was any that were buried there then they reckoned vp diuers and at last the Mayors wife here he made a signe that he was the spirit of that woman then he was asked whether he was damned for Couetousnesse Pride Lecherie or not doing workes of Charitie or else for Lutheranisme then by striking twise or thrise vpon the Table gaue them to vnderstand that Luthers heresie was the cause of her damnation and being asked whether the bodie buried in holy ground should be digged vp and carried â—hence he made signes it should be so then the Friers desired the Citizens to set their handes to a writing testifying that which they had séene but for feare of the Mayor they refused to subscribe then the Friers took the Pixe with the Host and the Lords body and all the reliques of Saints and carried them to another place and there they said their masses then the officiall came thither and would faine haue seene the spirit coniured and one should go into the vault and sée if any spirit appeared but he could not get them to disturb the spirit any more â— Then the Mayor informed the King of the whole matter and the King sent certaine to know whether it were so or no then they put the dâ—ers thereof into seuerall Prisons and examined them apart and a great while they would confesse nothing at length the Iudges promising the nouice that he should haue no harme nor come no more into the Fryers hands he declared to them the whole matter in order wherupon they were committed to Orleance to prison And it was certainly reported that the King would haue plucked down the House but euen at the same time chanced a persecution against the Lutherans and they feared the punishment of these men should haue bin a reproch vnto the Order and a cause of much reioycing to the Lutherans These were Francisâ—an Fryers A Storie of certaine Monks of Sueuia GVnrame a noble Baron in the yeare 1130. builded an Abbey in Sueuia called Salmesuille of Cistercian Monks Amongst many Benefactors to the said House the Earles of Montfort had bestowed vpon that Monasterie many new Liberties and Priuiledges vpon condition that they should receiue with frée hospitalitie any stranger Horse-man or Foot-man for one night but this hospitalitie did not long continue through a subtile deuise of one of the Monks who would counterfeit the Diuell ratling and raging in chaynes at the lodgings where the strangers should lie and so continued this a long space At length an Earle of the house of Montfort was lodged at the Monasterie when the Earle was at his rest in the night the Monke after his wonted manner began to play the Diuell roring thundering spitting of fire and making a noyse the Earle hearing thereof tooke a good heart and taking his sword slew the Monk And thus the Diuell of the Abbey was coniured which stopped the guests from comming to the House Who lift to see more and worse pranks of Friers and Monks played in their Houses Cloysters let them resort to the Epistle of Erasmus and he shall find ynough to infect the aire IOHN BROVVNE a blessed Martyr burned at Ashford in the second yeare of Henrie the eighth Anno 1511. THe said Iohn Browne passing to Graues-end in a Barge a Priest began to swell and stomack that he should sit so neere him at length said Doest thou know who I am thou fittest so neere me and vpon my clothes No sir said the other I tell you said he I am a Priest What sir are you a Parson or Uicar or some Ladies Chaplain No said he I sing for a Soule I pray you said the other where find you the Soule when you go to Masse I cannot tel said he I pray where do you leaue it when you haue done Masse I know not said the Priest How then said the other can you saue the Soule I perceiue thou art an Heretick said the Priest Within three daies after by vertue of a Warrant â—rom the Archbishop with a Baylife and two of the Bishops men they came suddenly into the house of the said Browne as he was carrying a dish of meat to his guests for his wife was that day Churched they layd hands on him and carried him to Canterburie where they kept him fortie dayes in which time he was so pitifully entreated by Warram the Archbishop and Fisher Bishop of Rochester that he was set bare-footed vpon hote burning coales to make him denie his Faith which he bare patiently and continued in maintaining the Lords quarrell vnremoueable then he was sent to Ashford where he dwelt the next day to be burned where he was set in the Stocks all night his wife sate all the while by him to whom he declared the whole Tragedie of his handling how they burned his â—eâ—t to the bones that he could not set them to the ground to make him denie his Lord here which if I should haue done he would denie me hereafter therefore good wife continue as thou hast begun and bring vp thy children in the feare of God where the next day he was burned This Iohn Browne bare a Faggot seuen yeares before this whose sonnâ— named Richard Browne for the like cause of Religion was imprisoned at Canterburie in the later time of Queene Marie and should haue beene burned with two more but the next day after Queene Marie died and they escaped by the Proclamation of Queenâ— Elizabeth THE NINTH BOOKE CONtayning the Acts and things done in the Raigne of King EDVVARD the sixt AFter the death of Henrie the eight succeeded King Edward the sixt his sonne being of the age of nine yeares Touching his commendations I leaue you to the Booke at large who because he was so young and tender was committed to sixtéene Gouernours amongst whome especially the Lord Edward Semer Duke of Somerset his vncle was assigned as Protector of him and the Commonwealth a man of noble vertues especially for his fauour to Gods 〈◊〉 throâ—gh the industrie of whom that monstrous Hydra with sixe heads the 〈◊〉 Articles which deuoured so many were abolished whereby the proceedings of Gardner began to decay who storming thereat wrote to the Lord Protector in the cause thereof He restored the Scriptures to the Mother tongue and extinguished Masses and by little and little greater things followed in the reformation of Churches such as fled for the danger of the Truth were againe receiued to their Countrey the most part of Bishops were changed dumbe Prâ—lates were compelled to giue place to such as would Preach and learned men were sent for out of other Countries as Peter Martyr Martin Bucer Paulus Phagius the first of whom taught at Oxford and the other two at Cambridge with great commendations Bonner Bishop of London was committed to the Marshalsie
well the builders as they that were possessed in the same haue both runne the wrong way and béene deceiued for so much as they did these things seeking thereby merits with God remedy for â—heir soules and remission of sinnes as doth appeare testified in their owne Records besides the 7. or 8. Kings that forsooke their Kingdomes to be Monkes there were many Quéenes and Kings daughters entred into Nunneries at that time as thou maist sée them in the booke at large named THE THIRD BOOKE Containing the next 300. yeares from the raigne of King EGBERTVS vnto WILLIAM the Conquerour EGbertus King of the West Saxons hauing put downe all the other Kings he gouerned â—oly King Brithricus doubting Egbert because he was of the kings bloude was chased out of the land into France where hearing of the death of Brithricus hée came home and â—btained the Crowne King Bernulphus and other kings had him in deriâ—â—â—on and made diuerse scorning Rimes of him after he assembled his Knights and fought with Bernulphus in a place called Elmeden and there was ods six or eight against one yet Egbert through the helpe of God gat the victorie at length he subdued all the Kings and ioyned their Dominions to his Kingdome he wâ—nne also the towne of Chester from the Brittaines or Welchmen which they possessed vntill this time then he called a Counsell at Winchester where he was Crowned King ouer this land and where before it was called Brittaine he sent into all costs and charged them straitly that henceforth the Saxons should be called Angles and the land Anglia About the third yeare of his raigne the Danes which a little before had made horrible destruction in Northumberland as before entred the second time with a great Host and spoyled the Isle of Shâ—pâ— in Kent Egbert met with them at Carrum but he was compelled to forsake the Field but in the next Battell with a small company he ouerthrâ—w a great multitude oâ— them The next yeare they turned againe into the Land Westward and ioyning with the Britaines did much harme in many places of Egberts Dominions after that they aâ—â—aded in the Land so that many of them were maried to English women and many that now be English men descended of them Ethelwolfus the sonne of Egbert succéeded him in his raigne he was Bishop of Winchester and by the dispensation of the Pope was made King he being nuzled therein was alwaies deuout to holy Church he gaue thâ—m the Tythes of all his goods and Lands and fréedome from all serâ—age and ciuill charges Hee made his Donation to God the Uirgin Mary and all the Saints for remission of our Soules and sins and in that we haue in some part eased the seruitud of the Church they may the more diligently powre forth their praiers without â—easing to God for vs. It is no swall derogation to the merits of Christ thus to set remission of their sins and remedie of their Soules in this Donation and such like déeds Theâ— King Ethelwolfe went to Rome with his yongest Sonne Alfred and committed him to the bringing vp of Pope Leo the 4. and re-edified the English Schoole in Rome which was founded by King Offa or king Iue which in Egberts time was consumed with fire and as king Iue had done in his dominions he gaue a penny yearely to be paid for euery fire-house throughout the Realme to the Pope Also he granted 300. Markes yearely to Rome to maintaine lights in Saint Perters Church 100 Markes and to maintaine lights in Saint Pauls Church 100. Markes and to the Pope one other 100 Markes this done he maried Iudith the daughter of Carolus Caluus the French King whom he made Queene contrary to the Lawes of the West Saxons that no Kings wife should haue the name or place of a Queene because Ethelburge poisoned king Brithericus her husband The king was most ruled by the Counsell of two Bishops one of them was Swithinus Bishop of Winchester who had béene Scoole-master to the king the king shewed his kinde Nature in that he not oâ—â—y followed the aduertisments of his old Schoole-master but in that he ceased not vntill he had made him Bishop of Winchester but as concerning the Miracles which are read in the Church of Winchester of this Swithinus them I leaue to be read together with the Iliads of Homer or tales of Robin Hood Pope Leo the 3 succéeded Adrian Stephen the 4. succéeded him and Gregory the 4. succéeded him in whose time by the commandement of Lodouicus the Emperour a generall Synode was commanded at Aquisgrane where it was decreed that euery Church should haue sufficient of his owne Reuenewes to maintaine the Priests thereof and that none of the Clergie should weare any Uestures of any precious or scarlet colour nor Kings on their fingers except at Masse time or in giuing Consecraâ—ions and that they should not kéepe great ports or Families or vse great Horses or vse Dice or Harlots or vse any gold or siluer in their shooes slippers or girdles by this it may bee coniectured what pompe or pride in these daies was crept into the Clergie After him succeeded Pope Sergius the 2. he first brought vp the altering of Popes names because his name was Os Porci that is Swines snoute he ordained the Agnus twise to be sung in the Masse and the Host to be diuided into thrée parts Pope Leo the 4. succéeded him it was enacted in a Counsell of his that no Bishoppe should be condemned vnder 72. witnesses as you sée in the witnesses of Stephen Gardiner orderly practized he ordained the Crosse all set with precious stones and gold to be caried before him like a Pope Next to him succéeded the Whore of Babilon who appeared vnto the world not only after the spirituall sence but after the very letter and right forme of a whore indeed In stead of a man Pope they chose a Whore called by name Ione the 8 her proper name was Giâ—berta a Dutch woman of Magunce who went with an English Monke out of the Abbey of Fulâ—a in mans apparell vnto Athens after through her dexteritie of wit and learning she was promoted vnto the Popedome where she sate two yeares and sixe Moneths after in open Procession fell in trauell of childe and so died Pope Benedictus the 3. succeeded her in the whorish sea he ordained the Dirge to be said for the dead yet before him Gregorius the 3. had done his part therein Aâ—ter him succeeded Pope Nicholas the 1. who inlarged the Popes Decrees with many constitutions equalling the authoritie of them with the writings of the Apostles He ordained that no seculer Prince nor the Emperour should be present at their Counsels to the end they might murder such as they Iudged to be Hereticks and that no Lay man shold Iudge Clergy men or reason vpon the Popes power That no Magistrate should haue power ouer a Prelat alledging that a Prelat is called God
cause Henricus surnamed Niger the Emperour displaced these three monsters placing for them Clement the second and Enâ—cted that no Pope shouâ—d be chosen without the consent of the Emperour and the Romanes made an Oth to the Emperour to that effect But the Emperâ—ur being gone they forgot their Oath and poysoned the Pope which 〈◊〉 some impute to Damasus the 2. his successor and some to Erazutus which poysoned six Pâ—pâ—s Damasus within 23. daies after he was Pope was poysoned â—hen the Romaines and Cardinals sent to the Emperour for a Pope who gâ—ue them Leo the 9. He kept two Councels one at Uercellis where the Doctrine of Beriâ—garius against the Real presence was condemned the other was kâ—pt at Moguntia where amongst many decrees Priâ—sts were vtterly excluded from mariage and that no â—ay man â—ight giue â—eniâ—â—ce Bishopricke and Spirituall promoâ—ion Leo being at Wormes with the Emperour on Christmas day hee excommunicaâ—ed the Subâ—eacon for not reading the Episte in Latine the Archbishop being at Masse staid and would goâ— no further vnlesse his Subdeacon were restâ—red whereupon the Pope released him Leo was poysoned by Brazutus the first yeare of his Popedome Victor the â— succeeded him hee kept a Councell at Florence hee deposed diuerse Bishops and Priests for Simony and Fornication of Simony because they were tooke their liâ—ing of Secular mâ—n for moneyâ— for fornication because they were maried In his â—econd yeare he was poysoned also by the said Brazutus by the procurement of Hildebrand his master Stephanus the 9. succéeded him hee was chosen without the Emperour hee accused the Emperour of Heresie for deminishing the authoritie of the Romaine Sea Hée likewise called it Symony for secular men to present to a Spirituall Liuing He sent Cardinall Hildebrand with Commission to reforme the matter in the meane time he tasting Brazutus cup dyed After him the Romaines set vp Benedictus the tenth Pope but Hildebrand perswaded the Clergie to choose Nicolaus the second who by force caused the other Pope to vnpope himselfe Nicolas called the Councell of Lateran in which hée vnderminded the Emperours â—urisdiction and gaue the full authoritie or choosing the Pope vnto a fewe Cardinals and certaine Catholike persons and against such as be Popes without the full consent of the Cardinals he thundreth terrible blasts of excommunication accursing them and their children with denils giuing power to Cardinals with the Clergie and 〈◊〉 to depose such person and call a generall Councell where they will against them In this Councell Beringarius was forced to recant his Doctrine against the Reall presence in the Sacrament and the terme of transubstantiation was there first deuised Hée displaced the right Heire of the Dukedome of Apâ—â—lia and placed Robertus Quistardus to bée Duke and generall Captainâ— of Saint Peters land but it standeth not with the Gospell a Bishop with outward armes to conquer christian men and countries After hee had raigned three yeares and a halfe he met with Brazutus cup and turned vp his héeles Then the Emperour set vp Coralus Pope but Hildebrand set vp Alexander the second who ouercame Coralus Then there was a Councell kept at Mâ—ntus where Alexander was declared Pope and it was concluded that Priests should haue no wiues and those that had wiues should say no Masse no Benefices to bee bought for money Alleâ—uia to bee suspended in Lent that no â—pirituall man should enter into any Church by a Secular man that the Pope should be elected onely by the Cardinals this Alexander being at Masse as hee was preaching vnto the people told them he would not sit in the place except he had the licence of the Empeâ—our which strucke Heldebrand into such a furis that as soone as Masse was done he forced him into a Chamber and beat him with his 〈◊〉 rating him that he would séeke fauour of the Emperour and kept him in Custodie allâ—wing him but twenty pence a day and Heldebrand incroched all the reuenewes of the Church vnto himselfe At lâ—st Alexander vnder this miserable indurance died hauing béene Pope 11. yeares and a halfe THE FOVRTH BOOKE Containing other 300. yeares from WILLIAM the Conquerour to the time of IOHN WICKLIFFE WILLIAM the Conquerour was the base 〈◊〉 of Robert Duke of Normandy Nephew to Kiâ—g Edward after the 〈◊〉 said Uictory against Harald he was receiuer King ouer England and was Crowned vpon Christmas day The yeare before his comming was a great blasing Starre the space of seauen daies he made the Englishmen pay for euery twentie Acres of land 6. â— yearely wherefore many rebelled but he conquered them many of his Lords departed into Scotland wherefore hee kept them that â—aried the straiter Hee gaue the Nomaines the chiefest possessions of the Land hee changed all the temporall Lawes of the Realme and set straite Lawes vpon the Spiritualtie Hee builded foure strong Castles two at Yorke one at Nottingham and another at Lincolne In the 3. yeare of his raigne Harald and Canutus sonnes of Swanus King of Denmarke came into the North Contry but after much spoyle King William chased them to their Ships and he was so displeased with the Inhabitants for fauouring them that he destroyed the Land from Yorke to Duâ—ham so that nine yeares after the Prouince lay waste and vnmanâ—red In the 4. yeare of his raigne Malcoline King of the Scots entred into Northumberland and destroyed the Contry and slew men women and children but within two yeares King William made such warre with the Scots that hee forced Malcome their King to doe him Homage In the same 4. yeare of this King there was holden a Councell of the Clergie at Winchester at which was present two Cardinals from the Pope and the King was there present diuerse Bishops Abbots and Priors by the meanes of the King were depriued without any euident cause that the Normaines might bee proferred vnto the rule of the Church as his Knights were to the rule of the Temporalty Oâ—â— Thomas a Normaine was preferred vnto the Archbishoprick of Yorke and one Lanfranckus an Italian was made Archbishop of Canterbury betwixt them grew a contention about giuing and taking the Othe of obedience but the King appeased it and the Bishop of Yorke builded the Minster of Yorke and gaue possessions thereto But when these two Archbishops came to Rome for their Pale the contreuersie renewed betwixt them for the Primacie the Pope not disposed to decide the matter sent them home to haue their matter determined so the matâ—er came before the King and Clergie at Windsor the Archbishop of Canterbury said Since the time that Austin conuerted this Land to Christianitie and was made Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England by Popâ— Gregory the Primacie hath succéeded there euer since and being Yorke tooks the Christian Faith from thence it was reason it should bee subiect thereto The Bishop of Yorke answered that the Britaines the fiâ—st possessors of this Kingdome which indured from Brutus to
because he was repentant hee was content to assoile him for the same and the rather because he had suffered so great troubles for the liberties of the Church The next day the Pope and his Cardinals beeing assembled in his secret chamber Becket made an Oration to them to this effect he confessed with griefe the cause of these perturbations was because hee entred into the sould of Christ not by the doore of Christ because the King made him Bishop not the Pope and if I had resigned it to the King againe at his commandement I had left a dangegerous example vnto the Catholique Church therfore now recognising my ingresse not to be Canonicall and my abilitie not sufficient for such a charge therfore I render into your fatherly hands the Archbishoprick heere of Canturbury and putting his Ring from his finger offered it to the Pope and desired a Bishop to be prouided for the Church of Canturbury and so with teares ended This done hee was bid stand a part after consultation they concluded being he had ventred his goods dignity and authoritie and his life for the liberties of the Church if he should now be depriued at the Kings pleasure it would be an examplâ— to others hereafter none to resist his Prince in like case and so weaken the Catholick Church and derogate the Popes authoritie and his cause being maintained it would bee a president to others to doe the like so hee receiued his Pastoraâ—l Office at the Popes hand againe with commendation and much fauour and â—he Pope sent him vnto the Abbey of Pontiuiacke in France with a Monkes habit where he was two yeares thence he remoued to Senon where he was fiue yeares so he was in exile seuen yeares The King beeing certified by his Ambassadors that the Pope inclined more to Becket then vnto him was wrathfull and sayling into Normandie sent ouer certaine iniunctions against the Pope and the Arch-bishop to this effect 1 Whosoeuer brought any interdict or curse from the Pope or Becket so bee apprehended and executed as a Traytor 2 That no Clarke Monke or conuert of any other countrey without the Iustice and Kings Letters to passe ouer or returne into the Realme otherwise to be imprisoned 3 None to appeale to the Arch-bishop or bring any transcript from them 4 No Decrée from them to stand in force or be receiued in England vpon paine of imprisonment 5 If any person shall keep the sentence of their interdict they shall bee exiled with all their kindred and take none of their goods with them and be bound without speciall licence not to resort where the Arch-bishop was 6 All the possessions and goods of such as fauoured the Pope or Arch bishop to be confiscate for the King 7 All such of the Clergy as were out of the Realme to bee warned in euery Sheere within three monethes to repayre home or else their rents and goods to â—eturne to the King 8 That the Peter pence shall be no more paid vnto the Apostolick Sea but to be reserued vnto the Kings Coffers The Arch-bishop writ to a friend of his to write to him with speed what was done touching the Kings Decrees heere set out which are these that all Hauens be diligently kept that no interdict or curse be brought in if the bringer bee a religious man his feet to be cut off if a Priest to loose his prâ—uy members if a lay-man to bee hanged if a Leper to be burned if a Bishop will depart for feare of the Popes Interdict let him haue nothing with him but his Staffe and that aâ—l Schollers and Students beyond the Seas shaâ—l repaire home or loose their Benefices and if they remaine still to loose the libertie of all returning if any Priest for the Popes interdict wil refuse to sing to loose his priuy members In summe al such Priests as shew themselues Rebels to the King to bee depriued of their Benefices Further it was proclaimed that all of the kindred of Thomas Becket should bee exiled with their goods with them and sent to him which was no little vexation to him to behold Moreouer the King writ to the Abbot of Pontiuiack where he lay not to retaine him in his house or else he would driue out of his Realme all the Monkes of his Order wherevpon hee remoued by the French Kings appointment to Senon as aforesaid and found of him fiue yeares In the meane time messengers went daily from the King to the Pope and from the Pope to the King and betwixt the Archbishop and others where I finde onely rehearsals of matters which are declared sufficiently in the History whereof if the Reader be desirous to see let him resort to the booke at large After these Letters sent too and fro in the 15. yéere of Henry the second the King misdoubting that the Archbishop would procéed in excommunication against his own person made his appeale to the presence of the Pope requiring to haue certaine Legates sent from Rome from the Popes side to take vp the matter betwixt the Archbishop and him requiring also that they might be absolued that were interdicted wherevpon two Cardinals sent from the Pope with Letters from the Pope came into Normandie where they appointed the Bishop to meete before the King but the Arch-bishop delayed his comming vntill eight daies after neither would come any further then Grisorsium where the two Cardinals and the Archbishop with other Bishops conuenting together had a treatie of reconciliation which came to no conclusion The two Cardinals writ to the Pope to this effect comming to England we found the controuersie more vehement then we would for the King and the greater part about him said the Arch-bishop stirred vp the French King against him and made the Earle of Flanders his open aduersarie and after the King had receiued your Letters and brought forth other Letters diuers and altering from them receiued of vs be was moued with no little indignation saying that since wee came from you the Archbishop receiued of you other coâ—trarie Letters wherby he was exempted from our Iudgement Moreouer the King and the Bishops there did affirme that the complaint that was made vnto you of the ancient customes of his progenitors for the most paâ—t was false affirming farther to vs that if there were any customes and lawes in his time that seemed prâ—iudiciall to the Statutes of the Church he would willingly reuoke and disanull the same therefore we other Bishops and Abbots of the land hearing the King so reasonable laboured by al meanes that the King should not breake from vs but incline to vs and to haue the matter brought before vs betwixt him and the Archbishop Wherevpon we sent our owne Chaplains with Letters to him appointing him the time and place where safely hee might meete with vs yet he made his dilatories till eight dayes after which â—tirred the Kings heart more then is to be thought thus when hee refused to
communed with him and was afraid to goe home the King deliuered him his Signet for a Token to deliâ—er to the Cardinall that he should not trouble him The Cardinall answered Though this discharged him yet he had no discharge for his Wife and sent for her and had troubled her if herâ—Daughter had not béene sicke of the plague of which sicknesse the said Fish within halfe a yeare after dyed and she marryed one Baynham which after was martyred as followeth in this Story To preuent the spreading abroad of this Libell there was a prohibition sent out â—y the Bishop of London for calling in this the New Testament and diuers other Books translated into English the names whereof because they are many I omit and leaue you to the booke at large King Henry about the twentith yeare of his raigne made an Oration vnto his Commons that though it had pleased God to send him a faire Daughter of a Noble woman and of him begotten to our great comfort and ioy yet it hath beene told vs by diuers great Clarks that neither she is Our lawfull Daughter nor her Mother Our lawfull wife but that we liue together abhominably in open adultery and when our Ambassadors were last in Fraunce motion was made that the Duke of Orleans should marry our said Daughter One of the chiefe Councellors said it were well done to know whether she be his lawfull Daughter or no because hee begat her on his brothers Wife which is directly against Gods Law Thinke you my Lords that these words touch not my body and soule and that it doth not daily and hourely trouble my Conscience I doubt not but euery one of you would seek remedy when the perill of your soule and losse of your inheritance is laid vnto you For this cause I haue asked Councell of the greatest Clarkes in Christeâ—dome and for this cause I haue sent for this Legate as a man indifferent to know the truth and settle my conscience and if the Queene be adiudged by the Lawe to bee my lawfull Wife it would be the most acceptable thing in my life both to cleere my conscience and for the good qualities which I know to bee in her besides her Noble parentage as almost this twenty yéeres I haue tried so that if I went to mary againe the mariage lawfull I would choose her before all women if the marriage proue vnlawfull I shall sorrow the departing from so good a Lady and louing a companion but much more lament that I haue so long liued in Adultery and haue no true heyre of my body to inherit this Realme Therefore I require you to make our minde knowne to our Subiects that they may pray for vs. The Quéene hearing thereof answered it was a great maruell that they would make question of this now after they had béene married twenty yeares and no question in the meane time and that all the learned at the time of the marriage did conclude it was lawfull and that both their fathers being so wise did not foresee it if there had béene any such doubt and the King my father sent to Rome and with great costs obtained a dispensation that I beeing one brothers wife procarâ—ally knowne might without scruple of conscience marry with the other brother lawfully which licence vnder lead I haue yet to shewe but I may thanke you my Lord Cardinall onely for this trouble this is of malice because I haue wonâ—red at your high pride and abhorred your voluptuous liuing and little regarded your tâ—ranny and for the malice you beare to my Nephew the Emperour because he would not make you Pope by force and the Quéene appealed to the Pope The King to try out the matter sent first to the Pope then to most part of alâ— Uniuersâ—ties first the Pope sent his two Legats Wolsey and Campeius to hearâ— and decide the Case they cited the King and Quéene personally to appeare or else by Proctors at the day the Legats with their crosses axes and pillers were set the King was ready to heare the determination requiring to haue an end notwithstanding from month to month they detracted the matter vntill August the King not taking it well to bee so vsed sent the Dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke vnto the Legats requiring them to hasten an end and to deferre no longer it is the manner of Rome about the beginning of August during the Dogge dayes to haue a solemne vacation in which neither Schooles bee vsed nor any Terme kept Cardinall Campeius pretending the order of Rome whereof he was a member answered hee neither could nor would goe against the ordinance thereof and before October he would procéed no further in the cause tâ—e Dukes séeing their pretended excuses and that by no wayes they would be intreated burst out in open defiance the Duke of Suffolke clapping his hands on the table sware by the Masse there neuer came Legate or Cardinall from Rome to doe good in England so in anger they departed from the Cardinall the King for quietnesse was content to tarryâ— vntill October but before October came Campeius was called home by letters frâ—m the Pope so the matter was left vndiscussed the King seeing himselfe thus deluded sent againe to Pope Clement desiring to hâ—ue an answere of the cause the Popâ— would take a pause and after send him word Twelue Uniuersities agreed in one consent that the mariage was vnlawfull and repugnant to the word of God and that no man is able to dispence with it but nothing was heard of from Rome wherefore the King assembling his Parliament sent the Lord Chancellour with twelue of the vpper house to notiâ—â—e the determinations of the Colleages as afore said vnto the lower house And the same yearâ— the King sent out a Proclamation for the abollishing of the Pope and establishing of the Kings Supremacy and hee brake off with the Cardinall and caused him to be attainted in Premuâ—ire and to bee apprehended and the Clergy maintaining thâ— power Legatiue of the Cardinall incurred the like premunire wherefore the Spirituall Lords were called by processe into the Kings Bench to answere but beforâ— the day of appearence they submitted themselues to the King offered him an hundred thousand pounds to pardon them by Act of Parliament and offered him the Title of Supreme head of the Church of England which they would neuer confesse beâ—ore whereby the Pope by the prouâ—dence of God lost his whole Iurisâ—iction anâ— Supremacy in England Patricke Hamelton a Scottish man hee was of the Kings bloud and family beeiâ—â— of the most ancient and Noble stocke and name in Scotland was of the Uniuersity of Marpurge in Germany he openly procéeding so intreated and iudged of matters of the Church with such praise as passed the expectation of his age that he made the common people and learned to admire him Francis Lambert in his Preface Dâ—â—icatory maketh mention of him then he tooke a companion with him and retâ—â—ned home
Cardinall signifying that he would drowne himselfe and to leaue his clothes there and another Letter to the Mayor of the Towne to search for him in the water because he had a Letter written in parchment wrapt in wax about his neck for the Cardinal which would teach all men to beware of him vpon this they were seuen daies a searching for him but he went to London in a poore mans apparell and thence to Anwerpe to Luther and there answered all the Bishops of the Realme and made a Booke called acta Romanorum pontificum and another Booke with a supplication to King Henry When it was told the Cardinall he was drowned he said perit memoria eius cum sonitu but this lighted vpon himselfe for shortly after he poyso-himselfe In the beginning of the Raigne of Quéene Anne he and others came againe into England and continued a faithfull Preacher in the Citie of London and in her Graces time well entertained and promoted and after sent by King Henry the eight Ambassador to the Duke of Cleaue for the marriage of the Lady Anne of Cleaue betwéene the King and her and was well accepted vntill Gardiner came out of France but then neither Religion nor the Queene prospered nor Cromwell nor the preachers Then followed alteration in marriage vntill hee had grafted the marriage into another stocke by the â—ccasion whereof hee began his bloudy worke Soone after Doctor Barnes and his Brethren were carried to the King to Hampton Court to be examined But the King seeking meanes of his safety bad him goe home with Gardiner and confer with him they not agréeing Gardiner sought opportunitie to dispatch Barnes and the rest as he had done by the Queâ—ne the Lady Anne of Cleue and the Lord Cromwell and he appointed them three to preach thrée Sermons at the Spittle which were baites to minister iust occasion of their condemnations A hen they were sent for to Hampton Court and from thence carried vnto the Tower and came not thence but to their deathes Then the Protestants went beyond Sea Priests were diuorced from there Wiues certaine Bishops deposed and other good men denied Christ and bore Faggots then they were put to dâ—ath without iudgement a Papist and a Protestant were laid vpon one hurdle and drawn to Smithfield This was Winchesters deuise to colour his tyrany Then Barnes hid the Sheriffe beare him witnes he died Christianly and Charitably and prayed them all to pray for him and if the dead may pray for the quick we will pray for you so they forgaue their enemies and kissed one another and stood hand in hand at the stake vntill the â—â—re came and so rested in Christ. The same day one Powell Fetherstone and Abel were hanged drawne and quartered in the same place for denying the Kings Supremacie and maintaining the Kings marriage with the Lady Katherine Dowager The reason was because as one halfe of the Councell being Papists called vpon Barnes Garet and Hierome to be executed so the other part of the Councell called vpon these thrée Papists to be executed In this yéers a Boy one Richard Mekins but fiftéene yeares old was burned in Smithfield for speaking somewhat against the Sacrament of the Altar In like manner Richard Spencer Priest leauing his papistry married a Wife and got his liuing by day-labour Hee was burnt in Salisbury because hee was thought to hold opinion against the Sacrament and one Andrew Hewet was burned with him About this time Cardinall Poole Brother to the Lord Mountegew was attainted of high treason and fled to Rome where he was made Cardinall of Saint Mary Cosmoden where he remained vntill Quéene Maries time Stokely Bishâ—p of London and Tunstone Bishop of Duresme writ to him to perswade him to abandon the Supremacy of the Pope and to conforme himselfe to the Religion of his King which Letter thou maist reade in the Booke at large which sufficiently proueth the Pope not to be supreme head of the Church but because this Doctrine is as sufficiently proued in other places I omit to abridge it In this yeere the King by the aduice of his Councell sent forth a Decree for the setting vp the Bible in the great volume in euery parish Church in England This yeare Iohn Porter a Taylor a lusty yong man was by Bonner Bishop of London cast into Newgate for reading in the Bible in Paules Church where he was miserably famished to death About this time Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne burned two vpon one day one Thomas Barnard and the other Iames Morton the one for teaching the Lords Prayer in Englâ—sh and the other for kéeping the Epistle of Saint Iames in English In this yeare the Kings Maiestie vnderstanding that all Idolatry and vainâ— pilgrimages were not vtterly abolished within these Dominions directed his Letters vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury for the spéedy amendment of the same Anthony Pierson Priest Robert Testwood singing man Henrie Finmore Taylor and Iohn Marbeck singing man were burned at VVindsor THese Articles were obiected against Pierson that he had said Euen as Christ once hanged betweene two theeues so when he is holden vp betwixt the Priests handes he hangs betwixt two theeues except the Priest sincerely preach Gods word That he preached that Christ should not be eaten as he did hang vpon the Crossâ— with his flesh torne and the bloud running about their mouthes but he was to be eaten this day that we might also feed on him to morrow and next day and continually and that he was of more power after his resurrection then he was before That Christ sitting amongst his Disciples commended the Scriptures vnto them when he said This is that bread this is that body of Christ so when hee brake bread and bade them deuide it amongst them and eate it for it was his bodie and likewise the cup saying This is my bloud hee signified to vs that wee should receiue the Scriptures and distribute them vnto the people It was obiected against Finmore that he had said that the Sacrament of the Altar was but a similitude and that if it were God he had eaten twenty Gods in his life He condemned Testwood for iesting with the Priest when he lifted vp the host saying Ho take héed that he fall not That Marbeck with his owne hands had writ notes out of certaine Authors which were repugnant to the masse and sacrament of the Altar and that he said The Masse was impure and defiled with much vngodlinesse and it spoyleth God of his honour and that the eleuation of the sacrament represents the Calues of Ieroboam and is worse Idolatrie then those were and that therein Christ was counted a mocking-stock There was a fift man named Bennet vnto whose charge it was laid that hée should say the daily Masses vsed in the Church were superfluous and that it were sufficient the seuenth day were kept holy Bennet and Marbeck were pardoned by the King the other thrée stoutly suffered
Latine VVALTER MILL AMongst the rest of the Martirs of Scotland the constancy of Walter Mill is not to be passed in silence out of whose Ashes sprang thousands of his opinion who chose rather to dye then to bee any longer ouer-trodden with the cruâ—â—l beastly and ignorant Byshops Abbots Monkes and Fryers and scone after his Martyrdome the Congregation began to debate true Religion against the Papists He climbing vp into a Pulpet to be examined before the Bishops they séeing him so weake partly by age and partly trauell and euill intreatment that hee could not climbe vp without helpe they thought they should not haue heard him but when he spake he made the Church sound with great stoutnesse that the Christions reioyced and the Aduersaries were ashamed At first hee knéeling praying long and was commaunded to rise and answere his Articles calling him Sir Walter Mill He said he ought to obay God more then Men and where you call me Sir Walter call me Walter for I haue bin ouer long one of the Popes Knights Oliphant What think you of Priests marriage Mille. I hold it a blessed band for Christ made it free to all men but you abhorre it and take other mens wiues and daughters you vow chastitie and breake it Paule hade rather marrie then burne the which I haue done for God neuer forbade marriage to any estate or degrée Oliph Thou sayest there is not seuen Sacraments Mille. Giue me the Lords Supper and Baptisme and take you the rest and if there be seuen why omit you one of them to wit marriage and giue your selues to whoredeme Oliph Thou art against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Mill. If a King bid many to a feast and when they sit downe to eate he turn his back to them and eate vp all himselfe doth he not mock them euen so do you mock the people eating and drinking the Sacrament and giuing them none the Sacrament of God is not to be taken carnally but spiritually and stands in faith onely Your masse is wrong for Christ was once offered vpon the Crosse for mans trespasse and will neuer be offered againe Oliph Thou deniest the office of a Bishop Mill. I affirme those which you call Bishops doe not the workes of Bishops but liue after their sensuall pleasures and take no care for the flocke nor yet regard the word of God but desire to be honoured and called Lords Oliph Thou speakest against pilgrimages Mill. I say it is not commaunded in Scripture and that there is no greater whoredom in no places then at your pilgrimages except in common Brothell-houses Oliph Thou preachest priuatly in houses and openly in fields Mill. Yea man and in the Sea also sayling in a ship Oliph If thou wilt not recant I will pronounce sentence Mill. You shall know that I will not recant for I am corne and not chaffe I will not be blowne away with the winde nor burst with the flaile but I will abide both When sentence was pronounced and he to be deliuered to the temporall Iudge his constancie so moued the hearts of many that the Prouost of the Towne Patricke Learmond though he were Steward of the Bishops regalitie refused to bee his temporall Iudge and the Bishops Chamberlaine being therewith charged would not take vpon him so vngodly an office the Bishops seruants could get neuer a cord in the whole towne for money to tye him to the stake withall nor a Tarre barrell to burne him when he came to the stake He said to Oliphant Put me vp with thy hands and take part in putting me to death for by Gods law I am forbidden to lay hands on my selfe Then he put him vp with his hands and he ascended gladly saying Introibo ad altare Dei and desired he might speake to the people which was denied him they saying he had spoken too much already Then some of the yong men committed the burners and the Bishops their Masters to the Diuell and bade him speake what he pleased Then after he had prayed standing vpon the coales said I die onely for the defence of the faith of Christ for the which the faithfull Martyrs haue offered themselues gladly before being assured after the death of their bodies of eternall felicitie And I praise God he hath called me of his mercie amongst the rest of his seruants to seale vp his truth with my life therefore as you will escape eternall death be not seduced with the lies of Priests Monks Friers and the rest of that Sect but depend onely vpon the death of Iesus Christ and his mercie that you may in the time to come be deliuered from condemnation All the while the multitude greatly mourned perceiuing his mighty patience constancie and boldnesse whereby their hearts were so much enkindled and inflamed that he was the last Martyr that died in Scotland euer after for religion After this by Gods iust iudgement in the same place where Walter Mill was burned the Images of the great Church of the Abbey which passed in number and costlines were burned in time of reformation Heere followeth in the booke of Martyrs the names of diuers which were omitted by him in King Henrie the eighth his time and an instrument of the Popes definitiue sentence against Henrie the eighth for his diuorse with Katharine Dowager and the instrument of the Bull of Pope Leo against Martin Luther and his answer to it in which for breuitie sake I leaue thee to the booke at large if thou be disposed to see them and also the last Will and Testament of King Henry and the manner of his death A Storie of certain Friers in France in the Citie of Orleance in the yeare 1534. THe Mayors wife of the Citie prouided in her Will that she should be buried without any pompe or solemnitie for the Bell did vse to warne euery one to pray for the dead corps and when it is carried forth all or the most part of the begging Friers goe before it with Torches and Tapers and the more pompe is vsed the greater is the concourse of people but this woman would none of this gears the which buriall of hers her husband performed according as she required in her Will. Then one Colman and Steuen Arras Doctors of Diuinitie and the first a Coniurer set a young man which was a nouice ouer the Uault of the Church and when they came according to their vse to Mattins at mid-night he made a wonderfull noyse and shrieking then this Colman went to crossing and coniuring but the other aboue would not speake and being charged to make a signe whether he were a dumbe spirit or no hee ratled and made a great noyse againe Then they tolde some of the chiefest of the Citie what a heauie chance had happened and intreated them to come to their seruice at night When they were there and the seruice begunne he aloft made a great noyse being demaunded what he would he made signes he could not speake
and for his contempt and misdemeanor deposed Gardener Bishop of Winchester with Tunstall Bishop of Durham were cast into the Tower for their disobedience In this time of King Edward vnder this noble Protectoâ— this one commendation is proper vnto them that amongst all the Popish â—ort of whom some priuily stâ—le out of the Realme manie were craftie dissemblers some open aduersaries â— yet there was not one that lost his life during the whole time of the Raigne of this King for any matter of Religion Papist or Protestant except lone of Kentan English woman and one George a Dutchman who died for certaine Articles not necessarie to be rehearsed THOMAS DOBBE THis man in the beginning of King Edwards Raigne comming from S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge to London as he passed through Paules Church there was a Priest at Masse at the South side of the Church being at the eleuation this yong man repleate with godly zeale pittying the ignorance and Idolatry of the people in honouring that which the Priest lifted vp he exhorted the people not to honour that visible bread as God which was neither God nor ordained of God to be honoured wherefore he was apprehended by the Mayor and accused to the Bishop of Canterburie and was committed to the Counter in Bread-stréete where shortly falling sicke he died whose pardon was obtained of the Lord Protector if he had liued IOHN HVNNE IN the first yeare of the Kings raigâ—e one Master Lewnax of Wresell and his wife sent this Iohn Hunne their seruant vnto the Bishop of Canterbury for denying the flesh and bloud of Christ to be really in the Sacrament of the Altar and saying he would neuer vaile his Hatte to it if he should be burned for it and that if he should heare masse he should be damned But because I finde nothing done therein I leaue it When this godly yong Prince was peaceably established in his Kingdome and had a godly wise and zealous Councell about him especially the Duke of Sommerset he earnestly desired the aduancement of the true honour of God and planting of sincere Religion and the sâ—ppressing of all Idolatry Superstition and hypocrisie throughout his Dominions Following the good example of the good King Iosias and being he found most of his Lawes repugnant to his zealous enterprise He by the aduice of his wise and Honorable Councell of his own regall authoritie did prosecute his godly purpose vntill by consent of the whole estate of Parliament he might establish a more free and vniforme order and those certaine wiâ—e learned and discreet personages for Commissioners generally to visit all the Bishopricks of this Realme to vnderstand and redresse the abuses of the same and diuided them into seuerall companies and assigned them seuerall Diocesses to be visited appointing to euery company one or two godly Preachers which should preach to the people at euery Sessions the true Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ and exhort them to all loue and obedience of the same and earnestly dehort them from their old superstition and wonted Idolatry and that they might the more orderly be directed in this their Commission there were deliuered vnto them certaine iniunctions and Ecclestasticall orders drawne out by the Kings learned Councell the which they should both inquire of and also command in his Maiesties behalfe to be thenceforth obserued of euery person to whom they did seuerally appertaine within their seuerall circuits the which Iniunctions if thou beest disposed for to reade I leaue thee for breuitie to the Booke at large Now during the time the Commissioners were in their circuits about diligent execution of their godly and zealous orders of the King and Councell deâ—iring a further reformation as well in Ecclesiasticall as in Ciuill gouernment appointed a Parliament to be summoned on the fourth of Nouember in the first yeare of his raigne which continued vntill the twenty foure day of December then next following Whereby he caused to be enacted that all Acts of Parliaments and Statutes touching menciâ—ning or any wise concerning Religion or opinions to wit the Statute of the first yeare of Richard the second and the statute made in the second yeare of the raign of Henry the fift and the statute madâ— in the fiftéenth yeare of the raigne of Henry the eight concerning the punishments and reformation of Hereticks and Lolards and the sixe Articles made in the thirty one yeare of Henry the eight and the statute made in the thirty thrée year of Henry the eight against the bookes of the old and new Testament in English and the printing and vttering of English or bookes writings and preaching the Scriptures an another Statute in the 35. yeare of Henry the eyght touching the qualification of the Statâ—te of sixe Articles and aâ—l and euery other Act or Acts of Parliament concerning Doctrine or matters of Religion should from thenceforth bee repealed and of none effect by occasion whereof all his godly subiects abiding within the Realme had free liberâ—y to professe the gospell and those beyond Sea wer not onely licensed to retâ—rne home but incouraged bouldly and faithfully to trauell in their calling so that God was much glorified and the people edified And in this Parliament it was enacted that the Sacrament should be ministred in both kinde and letters missiue were sent frâ—m the Councell to the Bishops of the Realme concerning the communion to bee ministred in both kinds and from Bishop to Bishop as thou maist sée in the booke at large Another Parliament was assembled in the second yeare of his Raigne beginning vppon the foorth day of Nouember 1548. continuing vntill the 14. day of March wherein a booke in English intituled the Booke of Common prayer and administration of the Sacraments and other Rightes and Ceremonies of the Church after the vse of the Church of England was concluded vppon by the Clergy which his highnesse receauing with great comfort did exhibiâ—â— it vnto the Lords and Commons of the Parliament who for the honour of God and great quietnesse which by the grace of God should ensue vppon that one vniforme right and order in such Common prayer rites and externe Ceremonies to bee vsed throughout England Wales Calice and the Marches of the same authoriseâ— the sayd Booke by Act of Parliament and set great penalty vpon them that woâ—ld bee disobeâ—ient thereto as is to be seene in the booke at large Aâ—so the mariage of Priests was authorized by the sayd Parliament by these procéedings and the Iniunctions which thou maiest see in the book at large thou maiest well perceaue the great zeale of the King and the Lord Protector in reformation of tâ—ue Religion and also the lingring slacknesse on the other side of others especially of the Bishops and old Popish Curats by whose cloked contempt and wilfull winking the Booke of Common prayers was long after the publishing thereof very irreuerently vsed throughout many places of this Realme which when the King by diuers
testimony against this house Touching the disputations of Peter Martyr Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius because they are only touching the Sacrament which is so often handled in this book for breuitie I referre thee to the book at large The decease of King EDWARD ABout a yeare and a halfe after the death of the Duke of Sommerset King Edward died entring into the seuenteenth yeare of his age and in the seuenth yeare of his raigne As the time approached that it pleased Almighty God to call this yong King from vs which was on the sixth day of Iuly about thrée houres before his death his eyes being closed speaking to himselfe and thinking none had heard him he made this prayer as â—olloweth LOrd God deliuer me from this miserable and wretched life and take me amongst thy chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done for I commit my spirit vnto thee O Lord thou knowest how happie it were for me to be with thée yet for thy chosens sake send me life and health that I may truly serue thes O my Lord GOD blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance O Lord saue thy chosen people of England O my GOD defend this realme from Papistrie and maintain thy true religion that I and my people may prayse thy holy name for thy Sonne Iesu Christs sake Then he turned his face and séeing who was by him he said vnto them are you so nigh I thought you had beenâ— further off then smilingly he said I was praying to God The last words he spake were these I am faint Lord haue mercie vpon me and take my spirit And thus he yeelded vp the Ghâ—st leauing a wofull kingdome behinde vnto his sister THE TENTH BOOK WHEREIN is contained the most memorable things done in the Raigne of Queene MARY KIng Edward by his Testament did appoint Lady Iane daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whose mother was Mary second sister of King Henry who was first wife to the French King and after to the said Duke to succeed him in his Kingdome all the Councell and chief Nobilitie the Mayor of London and all the Iudges and chiefe Lawyers sauing Iudg Hales subscribed therto who stood for Q. Mary The matter thus concluded King Edward died when he was sixteene yeares of age then the said Iane was proclaymed Queene at London and other Cities she was about the age of King Edward in learning and wit she might be compared with the Uniuersitie men which haue taken many degrees of the schooles Then Queen Mary wrote to the Councel that they should proclaime her Quéen and she would pardon them for that which was done they answered her that by the Diuorse betwixt King Henry and her mother she was made illegitimate and vnheritable to the Crowne Then she speeded her selfe farre from the Citie hoping vpon the Commons whereupon the Councell sent forth the Duke of Northumberland with other Lords and Gentlemen with an Armie the Guard assisting the Duke Mary withdrew her selfe into Northfolke and Suffolke where she knew the Duke was hated and there gathering such aide of the Commons as she might kept her selfe in Fremingham Castle to whom Suffolk-men resorted and promised her their aide if she would not alter the religion which her brother had established to which she agreed with such promises as no man could haue misdoubted her and thus being guarded with the power of the Gospellers she vanquished the Duke and all that came against her But after the Suffolk-men making supplication vnto her Grace for performance of her promise she answerd You shall one day well perceiue that members must obey their head and not looke to rule the same and one Dobbe a Gentleman for aduertising her of her promise by humble request was three times set in the pillorie to be a gasing-stock to all men others deliuered her books and supplications out of the Scripture to exhort her to continue the doctrine then established who were sent to prison The Councell at London vnderstanding that the Ladie Marie increased in puisance and the peoples hearts mightily bent vnto her they turned their song and proclaymed for Quéen the Lady Mary eldest daughter of K. Henry the eight and appointed by Parliament to succeed King Edward dying without issue the Duke of Northumberland with some of his sonnes were left destitute at Cambridge as also the Earle of Huntingdon who were arrested and brought to the Tower as Traytors Then the Quéen came to the Tower where the Lady Iane and the Lord Gilford her husband were imprisoned fiue months but the Duke within a moneth was beheaded with Sir Iohn Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer the Papists promised the Duke pardon if he would openly recant vpon the Scaffold which in hope of pardon he did and yet he was beheaded whose recantation the papists published not a little reioycing at his conuersion but Sir Thomas Palmer confessed his faith in the Gospell and was sorie that he had not liued more Gospell-like Steuen Gardner was released out of the Tower and made Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor and Poynets displaced and Bonner restored to his Bishoprick againe and Ridley displaced and Day made Bishop of Chichester and Storie put out and Heath made Bishop of Worcester and Hooper committed to the Fleet and Vesie to Exeter and Couerdale put out Doctor Ridley Bishop of London had preached against Quéen Mary in Queene Ianes time shortly after the Sermon Queen Mary was proclaymed then he went to the Queen to salute her who dispoyled him of his Dignities and sent him to the Tower vpon a halting horse Then Queen Mary directed forth an inhibition by proclamation that no man should preach or reade openly in Churches the word of God One Bourne who after was Bishop of â—ath preached at Paules Crosse so much in the praise of Bonner being there present and in dispraise of King Edward that his words sounded euill to the hearers which caused them to murmur and stirre insomuch that the Maror and others feared an vprore one hurled a dagger at the Preacher who for feare pulled in his head Master Bradford stood forth and appeased the people and after he and Rogers conducted the Preacher safe into the Grammer-schoole but shortly after they were both rewarded with burning The next Sonday the preacher at the Crosse was guarded with the Queenes Guard then men withdrew themselues from the Sermon and the Mayor took order that the ancients of al Companies should be present lest the Preacher should be discouraged with his small auditorie Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie assisted with Peter Martyr and a few others offered to defend the doctrine of the booke of Common Prayer by the Scriptures and Doctors but whilst they hoped to come to disputation the Archbishop and others were imprisâ—ned but Peter Martyr was suffered to return from whence he came The first day of October the Queen was crowned and the tenth day a Parliament began where Taylor Bishop of Lincolne
in this waightie cause The next day the three estates sitting in the Parlament-house all on their knees exhibited a Supplication to their Highnesses the King and Queene that their humble sute by their Graces intercession and meane might be exhibited vnto the Cardinall declaring themselues sorie and repentant for the Schisme committed in this Realme against the Apostolike Sea promising in token of their repentance to be readie vnto the vttermost of their power to doe their endeauour for the repealing of the said lawes and we desire that your Maiesties will so set forth this our humble sute that we may obtayne from the Sea Apostolike by the sayd most Reuerend Father as well particular as vniuersall absolution and that we may be receiued into the bosome of Christs Church so that this whole Realme may in perfect obedience vnto the Sea Apostolike serue God and your Maiesties to the furtherance of his honour and glorie The king and Queene deliuered it vnto the Cardinall who perceauing the effect thereof to answere his expectation hee receiued it most gladly and after he had thanked Almighty God for the prosperous successe of his comming from Rome by the Popes authoritie he gaue them full absolution Then they went to the Chappell sung te Deum with great ioy of the reconciliation the report of this was sent to Rome with great speed as well by the King and Cardinals Letters which thou maist see in the Booke of Martyrs Wherevpon the Pope caused Processions to bee made with great ioy for the conuersion of England and praising the Cardinals deligence and the deuotion of the King and Queene on Christmas Euen by his Bulles hee set forth a generall pardon to all such as did truely reioyce for the same The Sonday following the second of December Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor preached at Paules Crosse Upon the third to the Romans It is time that we should awake out of sleepe for our saluation is neerer then when we beleeued First he shewed how the saying of Saint Paul was verified vpon the Gentils which had long time slept in ignorance therefore to stir vp their dulnes he desired them to wake out of sleepe then hee compared our time to theirs As the sacraments of Christ did declare Christ to come our Sacraments declare that he is come now that hee is come the Iewes sacrifices bee done away aâ—d ours only remaine they had him as a signe but we haue his very body in our Sacrament wherefore it is time that we now also awake who haue slept rather dreamed this twenty yeares as shall bee declared by the properties of sléepe or dreame As we going to sléepe separate our selues from company so we haue separated our selues from the Sea of Rome no Realme in Christendome like vs and as Shepheards dreame sometimes of killing mayning or drowning and sometimes of beastlinesse so we haue not onely dreamed of beastlinesse but also done it and as in sléepe all ones senses is stopped that hee cannot see not smell nor heare so the Ceremonies of the Church being to mooue our senses are taken away whereby our senses are stopped and further when a man would sleepe he wil put out the Candle least it wake him So lately all such Writers as did hold with the Apostolike Sea are forbidden to be read and Images which were Lay mens Books were cast downe and burned Wee haue beene this twenty yeares without a head for when King Henry first tooke vpon him the head of the Church it was then no Church at all After whom King Edward could not be head but was onely a shaddow of a head and in our Queenes time we had no head for she alone could not be head and her two Arch-bishoppes were both conuicted of one crime and deposed in Henry the eights time when the tumult was in the North the King would haue giuen the supremasie againe to the Pope but the houre was not then come least it had beene said he did it for feare After Master Kneuet and I were sent Ambassadors to the Emperor to be a means to reconcile the King to the Pope but the time was not come for it might be said it was done for policy the matter was likewise moued in the beginning of King Edwards raigne hut the time was not yet come for it might haue been said the King was bought sold in his infancy neither was the houre come in the beginning of the Queens raign for it would haue bin said it was done in weaknes and if it had been done when the King first came it might haue been said it had beene done by violence but now hora est when nothing can be obiected but that it is the prouidence of God Now Pope Iulius the hath sent vnto vs this most reuerend Father the Cardinall not to reuenge iniuries done but to giue his benediction to those which defamed and perscâ—uted him And that they may be the meeter to receiue it let vs acknowledge our selues ofâ—enders against his Holinesse I doe not exclude my selfe of the number I will wéepe with them that wéepe and reioyce with them that reioyce The King and Quéenes Maiesties haue restored the Pope to his supremacy and the thrée Estates of Parliament haue also submitted themselues to his Holinesse and his successors for euer therefore let vs no longer stay And as S. Paul saith to the Corinthians He was their Father so may the Pope say he is â—ur Father for we receiued our doctrine first from Rome therefore he may challenge vs as his owne he hath preuented vs before we sought him he hath sent one of our Brethren to speake vnto vs not as vnto strangers and now let vs awake which so long haue slept and in our sléep don so much naughtinesse against the Sacraments and pulling downe the Altars which thing Luther would not do but reproued them which did In his prayer he prayed for the Pope and Cardinals and for the soules departed liuing in paines of Purgatory Upon Newyeares day at night thirty Men and Women and one Maister Rose a Minister were taken in a house in Bow Church-yard at the Communion and committed to prison and Maister Rose was examined before Cranmer and committed vnto the Tower Néere Lancaster in Lankishire at Cockram the Church-wardens and Parishoners made bargaine with one for the framing of their Roode who made them one and set it vp in their Church but they misliked his workemanship and refused to pay him the matter was brought before the Mayor of Doucaster thâ—y shewed the Mayor that the Rood they had before was a welfauoured man and he promised to make vs such another but this is the worst fauored thing that euer was séene gaping and grinning that none of our Children dare looke on him and come néere him the Mayor concluded the poore man must bee paid for if it will not serue for a God put a paire of Hornes on his head and it will
saying he that leaueth father or mother praueth our pilgrimage with many moe Many dangerous hazards he suffered amongst the Popes friends and Gods enemies for the Gospell sake When there was a Proclamation set forth for the calling in of the Bible in English and many other good bookes he hazarded himselfe to write to King Henry the eight to disswade him therefrom which Letter thou mayest see in the booke at large at length by the means of Doctor Butts and of good Cromwell he was made Bishop of Worcester and continued so a few yeares instructing his Diocesse according to a diligent Pastor but as before both in the Uniuersitie and at his Benefiee he was tossed and turmoyled by the wicked so in his Bishopricke some sought his trouble insomuch that he was accused to the King for his Sermons Thus he continued in this laborious function of a Bishop for certaine yeares vntill the comming vp of the sixe Articles and altering of Religion so when he could not keepe his Bishopricke with a good conscience of his owne free will he resigned the same at which time Shaxton Bishop of Salesburie resigned also with him his Bishopricke These two remained a great space vnbishopped keeping silence vntill the time of King Edward A little after Latimer had renounced his Bishopricke hee was sore bruised with the fall of a tree and comming to London for remedy hee was troubled of the Bishops and at length was cast into the Tower where he continued prisoner vntill the Raigne of King Edward then the golden mouth of this preacher shut vp long before was opened againe and beginning a fresh to set forth his plough againe and continued all the time of the said King labouring in the Lords haruest most fruitfully hee preached for the most part twice euery Sunday to no small shame of vnpreaching prelates which occupied great rome to doe little good he did most euidently prophesâ—e of all these kinde of plagues which after ensued so plainely that if England euer had a Prophet he might seeme to be one and he did euer affirme that the preaching of the Gospel would cost him his life and he was certainely perswaded that Winchester was kept in the Tower to be his death which fell out right for after the death of King Edward and Queen Mary proclaimed a Purseuant was sent down vnto him by the doing no doubt of Winchester Latimer had warning thereof six houres before the Purseuant came whereby he might haue â—scaped but he prepared himselfe towards his iourney before the Purseâ—ant came who maruelled to sée him so prepared for his iourney he told the Purseuant he was a welcome guest and be it knowne vnto you and the whole World that I goe as willingly to London at this present being called of my Prince to giue a reckoning of my Faith and Doctrine as euer I was to goe vnto any place in the world and I doubt not but that God which hath made me worthy to preach to two most excellent Princes so he will able me to witnesse the same to the third either to her comfort or discomfort eternally When the Purseuant had deliuered his Letters he departed affirming that hee was not commaunded to tarry for him whereby it appeared they would not haue him appeare but rather to haue fled out of the Realme they knew his constancy would deface them in Popery and confirme the godly in the truth When he came through Smithfield he said merrily Smithfield bad long groned for him after he had béene before the Councell hee was sent to the Tower and from thence he was transported to Oxford with Cramer Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Ridley Bishop of London there to dispute as before is said Of the order of the disputations and bow they were condemned thou maist sée before where they continued vntill this time in continual prayer godly conference and writing Latimer sometimes continued so long knéeling at prayer that hee was not able to arise without helpe three thinges especially he prayed for in his Prayers First as God hath appointed him to preach his Word so hee would giue him grace to stand to the same vntill his death Secondly that God would restore his Gospel vnto England againe once more which once more hee inculcated oftentimes into the eares of the LORD as if he had spoken vnto him face to face Thirdly hee prayed for the preseruation of Queene ELIZABETH then but Lady ELIZABETH whom with â—eares he still named desiring God to make hee a comforter to this comfortles Realme the Lord most graciously granted al these things which he requested The twentith day of September a Commission was sent from the Cardinall to the Bishops of Lincolne Glocester and Bristow to examine Doctor Ridley and Maister Latimer vpon the points they were condemned for at Oxford and if they would not recant there opinions to disgrade them c. The first point was whether the reall presence of Christ was in the Sacrament D. Ridley first appeared before them when the Commission was read he standing bare-headed assoon as he heard the Cardinall named and the Popes Holines he put on his cap the Bishop of Lincolne reprehended him for it and told him if he would not of himselfe put off his cap another should doe it for him He answered that it was not done for any contumacy that he bare vnto their own persons nor for any derogation of the Cardinall in that he was borne of the Bloud Royall was indued with much leâ—rning excellent vertues â—ut in that he is Legate to the Pope and with that he put on his cap whose vsurped supremacie I vtterly renounce which I will not onely denounce in words but in gesture beâ—auiour and all my doings expresse the same wherevpon by the commandement of the Bishop of Lincoln his cap was taken off he appeared twice and thus he did at both times their answeres were both to one effect in substance First they made their protestation that notwithstanding their answers it should not be taken thereby that they would acknowledge any authority of the Pope but that they answered as subiects to the king and Queene to the first point they did confesse that in the sacrament by spirit and grace is the very body and bloud of Christ because that euery man receiuing bodily the bread and wine in the Sacrament spiritually receiue the body and bloud of Christ and thereby is partaker of the merits of his passion but they denied the naturall body and bloud of Christ to be really in the outward sacrament The second question was whether after consecration of the sacrament of the Altar there did remain any substance of bread and wine to that they answered there was such a change in the bread and wine as no man but God can make being the bread had that dignity to exhibit Christs body yet the bread is still bread and the wine still wine for the change is not in the nature but in the
learned men to be made a foole and laughing stocke but I weigh it not a rush For God knoweth that my whole study is to please him and I care not for mans pleasure or displeasure Then we fell againe in long talke of the Church wherin his learning and wit was much more then mine and being diuerse times examined by the Bishop and others standing stiffe in his opinion and neither by flattery nor fear could be wonne from the truth hee was condemned and burned as before Hee beeing in Prison in New-gate hauing perswaded many of the common goale to repentance and faith hee the day before he was executed wrote to diuers Gentlemen of the Innes of Court of his acquaintance in commendation of the true spirituall loue of Gods children how that it is the chiefe fruite of the spirit where it is the onely line that tieth Christs members to him and one to another and that neither prison nor distance of place nor time can breake this loue nor death it selfe For Faith and Hope haue finished their course when we are come to heauen but our loue to Gods children doth remaine there they in heauen loue vs pray for vs and we loue them Now for this loue sake he chargeth ye said Gentlemen his acquaintance by all menes to séek the deliuerance of these prisoners that he had conuerted to helpe them with necessaries Thomas Browne was borne in the Parish of Histon in the Diocesse of Ely and after dwelt in the Parish of S. Brides in Fléetstréet was brought to Bonner by the Constable and was condemned as before Iohn Tudson was borne in Ipswich in the County of Suffolke and after hee was prentice at London in the Parish of S. Buttolph and was sent by Story to Bonner and was condemned as before Iohn Went borne at Langham in Essex a Shere-man he was likewise sent by Story to Bonner and condemned as before Isabell Foster was wife to one Iohn Foster a Cutler of the Parish of S. Brides in Fléetstréet she was sent to Bonner for not comming to Church and condemned as aforesaid Ioane Lashford Alias Warne there is mention before of Elizabeth Warne with Iohn Warne her husband were apprehended at a Communion in Bow-Church-yard and both were burned for the same and now the daughter followed the Parents in the same Martyrdome Doctor Story procured their death and after their deaths he was charged with forty pounds that he owed them she confessed and protested there was no reall presence of Christs body and blood in â— Sacrament of the Altar and that auricular confession and absolution after the popish sort was not necessary nor the Masse good or according to the scriptures and saith that these all other supertiuous Sacraments ceremonies and diuine seruice now vsed in this realme of England was most vile contrary to Christs words and institutions so that they neither were at the beginning nor shall be at the latter end The Bishop exhorting her to returne to the holy mother Church she said boldly to him againe If you will leaue your abhomination so I will returne and otherwise I will not These seuen were all burned together in one fire as aforesaid Iohn Lomas Anne Albright Ioane Catmer Agnes Snoth Ioane Sole IOhn Lomas of the parish of Tenderden in Kent was cited to appeare at Canterbury being examined vpon diuers Articles he answered still that he beléeued as it was contained in Gods Booke and being examined whether hee beléeued the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Altar really vnder y â— formes of bread and wine after consecration hee answered that hee beléeued no realty of Christs body in the Sacrament neither vnder foorme nor trestle wherefore he was condemned the 18 day of Ianuary Agnes Snoth Maid of the parish of Smarden in Kent was likewise examined before the Pharisaical Iudges and for denying auricular confession and for saying none could receiue y â— Sacrament of the Altar as now it is vsed without danger of damnation and for denying penance to be a Sacrament for saying the popish absolution was not coÌ„sonant to Gods word she was likewise condemned Anne Albright alias Champnes being examined denied to bee confessed of a Priest saying you Priests are the children of perdition and can doe no good by your confession and told the Iudge and his assistants that they were subuerters of Christs truth and she said the Sacrament of the Altar was a naughty and aâ—ominable Idoll wherefore she was likewise condemned Ioane Sole of Horton in Kent was condemned of the same Pharises Priests for not allowing Auricular confession and for denying the reall presence in the Sacrament Ioane Cormer of the parish of Hithe in Kent the fifth and last of these heauenly Martyrs shee denyed Auricular confession she said the Sacrament of the altar was now made a very Idoll shee was likewise coudemned these fiue were buâ—ned at two stakes in one fire together at Canterbury the 31. of Ianuary Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Cauterbury HE was borne in Nottingham shire his fathers name was Thomas Cranmer his ancesters were worthy Esquires his mother was a gentle woman named Agnes Hâ—tfield he was of Cambridge in the time when good Authors were neglected and filthy barbarousnesse embraced in all schooles and vniuersities onely the names and number of liberall Arts did remaine the arts themselues were cleane lost Logicke was gone into sophisticall trifles Phylosophy both morrall and naturall was miserably defaced with infinite questions and subtilties the vse of tongues and eloquent learning was either small or none at all and diuinitie was so laden with articles and definitions that it serued rather for the gaine of a few then for the edification of many So hée was constrained to spend a part of his youth vntill he was twentie yeares old in the péeuish questions of Duns and other masters of that sort at length the tongs and other learning began a little to spring and the books of Erasmus began to be much estéemed with a number of good Authours besides on which Cranmer rubbed away his olde rufâ—inesse as vppon a whetstone then Luther rose the happy day of Gods knowledge who wakened mens minds to the cléere light of the truth At thirtie yeares olde he gaue his mind wholly to discusse matters of religion on both parts and hauing performed the same he spent thrée yeares in the study of the Scriptures then he read the old writers despising not the new weighing all mens opinions with secret iudgment he neuâ—r read any writers booke without pen and inkâ— in all controuersies hee gathered euery authors sentence briefly at 35. yeares olde hee procéeded Doctor of Diuinitie he was chosen one of the 12 that should decide y â— matter of kings Henries diuorce and by his arguments learning and meanes it was brought to passe then he was sent to Paris with diuers Noble men and Bishops where he behaued himselfe in that case
that he was commended by the Ambassadors to the king for his singular wisedome grauitie and learning that he wonne such great credit that he was alone sent Ambassador to the Emperour to debate this businesse but the Emperour refused to determine the matter but remitted the whole question to the Popes court after he was sent to Rome Ambassadour to the Pope where he behaued himselfe with â—o lesse diligence that he compelled the Popes chiefe diuines by arguments to grant the mariage to be against the law but yet by the dispensation of the Pope it might be made lawfull Warram Archbishop of Canterbury dying he was sent for by king Henrie and made Archbishop of Canterbury then came in the question of the Popes supremacy and all the weight of the businesse was chiefly laid vpon Cranmers shoulders he therefore alone receiued answered and confuted all the obiections of the Papists he proued that the Popes Lordship was not brought in by any authoritie of Scriptures but by ambitious tyranny and that the chiefest power on earth belonged to the Emperor to kings and Potentates to whom the Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests by Gods commandement were no lesse subiect then other men and therefore it were best by the consent of the king and other estates the ambitious Lordship of the Pope being driuen out of England should keepe it selfe within his owne Italy as a riuer is kept within his bankes which was performed by act of Parliament then by little and little he reformed the Church into a more wholesome discipline of Christ and laboured to banish the Popes errours heresies and corruptions and he obtained of the king that certaine learned men should make a booke of Ecclesiasticall institutions which was called the Bishops Booke then the abolishing of Monasteries began to be talked of the kings desire was that all the Abbey lands should come vnto his coffers the Archbishop and others would haue them imployed to other good vses whereby the king being bent against Cranmer especially by the instigation of Gardiner Bishop of Winchester which sought all occasions to hinder the Gospel he set forth the 6. Articles by full consent of Parliament which contained the summe of Popish religion What slaughter by the space of 8. yeares these Articles made is already declared but after he forgoing his anger with the Archbishop séeing he stood against him in conscience not in stubburnesse he began to fauour him and thought to haue taken away the 6. Articles and reformed other matters if he had liued but Cranmer and the Lord protector brought it to passe in king Edwards dayes his story how he was vsed in Quéene Maries reign is mentioned before and his disputations at Oxeford and how he was condemned there and left in prison vntill this time And because the sentence was voyde in law because it was giuen by persons excommunicated for they were not then absolued by the Pope nor his authoritie receiued in the realme therefore there was a new commission sent from the Pope for the conuiction of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley and the Bishop of Glocester was appointed the Popes delegate and after they had condemned Latimer and Ridley as before is said The said Legate and his company being set in Saint Maries Church apparelled in his Pontificalibus as if the Pope in person had bene there the Bishop of Canterbury was brought before them putting off his cappe he did obeysance to the king and quéenes proctors then looking in the Legats face he put on his bonnet againe making no obedience toward him wherefore the Bishop sayd vnto him that it might beséeme him well waying the authoritie which he did represent to doe his duety to him he answered hee had sworne neuer to admit the Pope into this Realme and therefore he would commit nothing by signe or token which might argue his consent to the reâ—eiuing of him and that he did it not to any contempt of his person Then the Legate made an eloquent oration to put him in remembrance that from a meane gentleman he was raised to bee a Princes Ambassadour and further to be Archbishop and Primate of the Realmealmost 30 yeares and sâ— farre in trust with the king that he made him president of his councel and after left him in speciall trust for the gouernement of the young Prince during his minoritie such blessing God had giuen him whilest he continued in the Catholicke faith He exhorted him on the other side to consider how he was now fallen from his dignities and officices and in high displeasure of the King and Quéene iudged to die for high treason and all these things to haue happened vnto him only because he had seuered himself from the Sea of Rome and was become a father of new deuised religion and although your estate is so miserable that the meanest in this assembly will not change his condition and calling with you yet further he was like to fall by the iust iudgement of God into hell and euerlasting damnation if he did not repent of his errours and schismes whilest he had time of repentance whereunto he exhorted him earnestly repeating many places of Christs mercies to them that repent and shewed that to returne to the Church was the oâ—ely way to saue both body and soule and I doubt not but the King and Quéene will perdon your condemnation of treason if you will returne vnto the Church and forsake your opinions which I desire you to do Then Cranmer desired license to speake which was gently granted him first he made protestation that hee did not answere to him as to a lawfull Iudge because he was deputed for the Pope but to giue a reason of his faith which God hath commanded him to doe to euery one that shall demand a reason thereof Then he said My Lord you haue learnedly put me in remembrance of many things touching my selfe which I will not answere I acknowledge Gods goodnesse vnto me and thanke him as heartily for this estate that now I am in as euer I did for the time of my prosperity shewing that his greatest griefe was to sée the Popes Iurisdiction restored to England againe Alas what hath the Pope to do in England whose lawes are so farre different from the Lawes of this realme that whosoeuer sweareth to both must néedes incurre periury in the one And I am heartily sorry to thinke that her grace the day before her Coronation tooke an oath to obserue the lawes of this realme and also tooke an oath to the Bishop of Rome promising to maintaine that Sea which was impossible but shee must néeds be forsworne in the one And as for the matter of Heresie wherewith you charge mee I call God to witnesse I know none which I maintaine but if it be heresie to deny the Popes authority and the religion which the sea of Rome hath published vnto the world these latter yeares then all the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church the Apostles and Christ himselfe
which the Lord hath appointed him supreme head next vnder his Sonne Iesus Christ ouer all causes spirituall and temporall being that he maintaineth and defendeth the very same Doctrines and no other which Christ the Apostles and the Priâ—â—itiue Church taught as the Lord hath most wonderfully blessed and pâ—ospered them by the hands of Queen Elizabeth and his Maiestie this many yéeres so vndoubtedly his wings of most safe preseruation shall be still ouer this realme so long as no Idolatry is in Israel I meane maintained by the Lawes of the Realme For though there bee many Idolatrous Papists yet the Law is against them and though there bee many sinnes and wickednesses in England yet the Lawes of the Realme are most strict against them therefore the Realme is holy and righteous because the lawes bee holy and righteous and although there bee aboundance of wicked and abhominable people in this Realme yet there bee as many both holy and righteous men and women as euer were in them Therefore certainely the LORD will not destroy or plague this Realme for their sakes that bee wicked and prophane iâ— them but most surely still blesse and preserue them for their sakes that be righteous and holy therein as hetherto hee hath done wherefore vnto him bee all honour praise glory power and Dominion of all the inhabitants of this Realme and of all his Church world without end The last but not the least vse of these precedent Stories is therein diligently to mark the vnspeakeable cruelty tyranny and most subtill and wicked practises of Papists in many ages before Queen Mary but then it was at the heigth and then papists shewed their hearts truely without dissimulation and from them haue come all the treacherous practises against Queene Elizabeth and all the treacherous practises against our dread Soueraigne K. Iames onely Gowries treason excepted but they neuer deuised a more vngodly and inhumane tragedy most abhominable to God and odious in the iudgment of all men as their most diuellish practise to blow vp the Parliament house with Gunpowder to the destruction of his Maiestie his Queene and all his Royal issue with all the Nobilitie Bishops Iudges and chiefe of the Commons of this Realm with many thousands besides to the vtter vndoing of this most noble Kingdome Their cruelty in Spaine LIkewise of this their cruelty which no tongue is able to expresse sufficient testimony would appeare by the most cruell murders vpon Gods Saints committed from time to time in innumerable abundance both vpon our country men there own and others by the most diuelish and cruell inquisitoâ—s of the Spaniards but these serpents are become so wise and subtill that there is no certaine record to bée found in any writer of their doings therein since the booke of Martyrs but for all their subtilty they cannot hide it from Christ Iesus at the day of Iudgement The cruell practises of the Papists in France LIkewise there helâ—ish cruelty hath been declared in no place in the world so plainely as it hath been in France by the innumerable massacres and murders of Gods Saints that they haue there committed I will onely recite one massacre and the death of their two last Kings of France for by these and other such like crueltyes alreadie declared out of the Booke of Martyrs it is easily séene that they are the Brothers of Caine and Children of the Deuill In the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seauenty two the Duke of Guise by the aduice of the French King Charles the ninth came with a great company of Souldiours at midnight into the stréetes of Paris to massacre the Protestants the marke of the Executioners should be a hankerchéefe tyed about their Armes with a white Crosse in their Hats and the Pallace Bell ringing at the breake of the day should giue the Signall they beganne by knocking at the Admirals Gate who was a Protestant they stabbed him that came to open the Gate then they entred the Admirals Chamber one thrust him through the body and striketh him on the head another shot him thorough with a Pistoll another wounded him in the legs and euery one of them giue him a blow then the Duke of Guise commanded them to cast him to him out of the Widdow then the Duke spurned him with his foote and going into the stréete said Courage Companions we haue begunne happily let vs procéede to the rest the King commaunds it One carried the Admiralls head vnto the King and Queen his Mother who sent it imbalmed vnto the Pope and the Cardinall of Lorraine for assurance of the death of their Capitall enemy one cut off his head another his priuy members and three daies they dragged his carkase with all indignity thorough the streetes then they hanged it vppe by the feete They murdered all his Seruants and Gentlemen in his quarter with like fury they murdred all the other Protestants throughout the Citty and Subburbs of all ages conditions and Sexes Men Women and Children rich and poore There was heard in Paris a lamentable cry of people going vnto death a pittifull complaint of such as cryed for mercy the streete were strewed with carkases the pauements market place and riuer was died with blood they destroyed that day aboue ten thousand of innocent Protestants Henry the Third HENRIE the third King of France of the house of Valois a milde and tractable Prince courteous wittie eloquent and graue but of easie accesse deuout louing learning aduancing good wits a bountifull rewarder of men of merit a friend to peace and a Prince who deserued to be placed amongst the worthiest of that Monarchy was trayterously murdered by a deuillish Monke on this manner When as the Suisses and Lansquenets of Sansie and Pontoise were by force reduced to the Kings obedience The Duke of Longuevill gathered an Army of twenty thousand men and ioyned with them Whereupon the Kings forces being about fortie thousand men lodged about Paris and tooke Saint Cloud and made the Parisians ready to yeelde Whereat the Popish Monkes and Priests of that Citty were so much displeased that they vowed reuenge thereof And one Iames Clement a Monke an excrament of hell a Iacobine by profession of the age of twenty two or twenty thrée years old vowes to kill the Tyrant and to deliuer the Citty besiedged This damnable proiect he imparts to Doctour Bourgâ—ing Prior of his Couent to Father Commolet and other Iesuits and to the heads of the League to the cheefe of the sixeteene and to the forty Councellors at Paris All encourage him to doe this happy designe they promise him Abbaies and Byshopprickes and if hee chance to be made a Martyr no lesse then a place in heauen aboue the Apostles They caused the Preachers to perswade the people to patience seauen or eight daies for before the end of the weeke they should see a notable accident which should set all the people at libertie The Priests of Orleance Rouan and Amiens
CHRISTS VICTORIE OVER SATHANS TYRANNIE WHERIN JS CONTAINED A CATALOGVE OF ALL CHRISTS FAITHFVLL SOVLDIERS THAT THE DIVELL either by his grand Captaines the EMPEROVRS or by his most deerly beloued sonnes and heyres the POPES haue most cruelly Martyred for the TRVTH WITH ALL THE POYSONED DOCTRINS WHEREWITH THAT GREAT REDDE DRAGON hath made drunken the Kings and Inhabitants of the Earth with the confutations of them TOGETHER WITH ALL HIS TRAYTEROVS PRACTISES AND DESIGNES AGAINST ALL CHRISTIAN Princes to this day especially against our late Queen ELIZABETH of famous memorie and our most religious Soueraigne Lord King IAMES Faithfully abstracted out of the Book of Martyrs and diuers other Books By Thomas Mason Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by George Eld and Ralph Blower 1615. To the most Reuerend Father in GOD the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his GRACE PRIMATE and METROPOLITAN of all England and one of his MAIESTIES most Honourable Priuie Councell And to the Right Honourable SIR EDVVARD COKE Lord Cheefe Iustice of England and one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Councell THOMAS MASON wisheth all Happinesse in this Life and eternall Felicitie in the world to come MOST Reuerend and Right Honorable zealous Lords your daily and faithfull Orator being a professed Soldiour vnder Christs Banner in the behalfe of his spouse against Antichrist I could busie my selfe in no office so profitable for the Church and hurtfull vnto Antichrist as to gather together the bullets which haue been shot at him by Christs Souldiours in times past that now his children may shoote them at him againe with great facilitie And whereas venerable M r Fox of worthy memory hath gathered into one Booke the Acts and Monuments of the Church vnto his time one of the most profitablest Bookes that is for Gods Children except the Bible a Club able to beate downe the Popish Tower of Babell Yet what with the labour of reading so large a volume together with the deareness of the price thereof few that haue the Booke reade it ouer and the most part of men are not able to buy it whereby very little profit ariseth thereof vnto the Church I haue according to my power pared off the barke of this Club and made it tractable for all sorts of people they may buy it with little charge and peruse it with small paines and I dare promise them that they shall reape as much profit by reading this abridgement as by reading of the Booke at large I haue willingly omitted no matter of substance Here the Reader may see the cruelty of the Emperors vnto the Primitiue Church and whom they put to death and the manner of their deathes during the first ten Persecutions and how and when Christianitie began in this Realme And what successe it hath had at all times and when by what occasion and by whom most of the Monasteries and Cathedrall Churches of this Realme were builded and how when and by whom all points of Popery came into the Church and how the Pope hath exalted himself against Emperors Kings what iniuries he hath done to them With the Treasons Conspiracies that Papists haue practised against those that the Lord hath annointed vnto this day The Reader may also heere see the innumerable multitude of the Saints of God that the Papists haue from time to time murdered in all Countries for the testimonie of the Truth With all the points of Religion that the Martyrs did defend vnto death and all the reasons that the Papists vsed against their Arguments and how cruelly they handled them with many other most profitable things After I had done this Booke I was discouraged from putting of it to Print by reason I found another had abridged the Booke of Martyrs before me but when I perceiued it was done but superficially for all the points of Religion that the Martyrs defended or Papists obiected were omitted which disputations I chiefly labour to set forth therevpon I was resolued to goe forward When I had begun to quote all the Authors from whence M r Fox had his proofes for them that the Emperors put to death the Quotations were almost as large as the Story and made it very vnpleasant wherefore in most places for breuitie I haue omitted them leauing them that would see the proofes to the Book at large I haue herein abridged many bookes but especially the Booke of Martyrs as the Papists cannot abide the booke of Martyrs of all bookes so much more will they hate my booke which hath so truely and briefely discouered all their shame not onely out of that booke but out of diuers other bookes Wherefore most Reuerend and Right Honorable Lords your manifest dislike that you beare against the wickednes and falshood of Antichrist hath imboldned me to be an humble sutor vnto your Lordships to bee the Patrons of this my Booke and that you would vouchsafe to defend and further it by your Spirituall and Temporall Powers to the honour of Christ the great dishonour of Antichrist and the vnspeakeable benefit of Gods Children So with my hartie prayers I commit both your Honors your soules bodies and all that you haue vnto the safe preseruation of Christ Iesus and his holy Angels Your Lordships daily Oratour THOMAS MASON Preacher of Gods word in Odiham in the County of Southampton whose Father was Heire vnto S r IOHN MASON sometime a Priuy Councelor vnto Queene ELIZABETH THE EPISTLE VNTO THE RBADER EVen as the Reuelation and other places of Scriptures good Reader doâ— foretell Antichrist to come so this Historie declareth the fulfilling of those prophecies in all points all the Martyrs died in this faith that the Pope is Antichrist I could bethink my selfe of no instruction so profitable for the reading of this Booke as to giue thee a few rules to manifest vnto thee that the Popedome is that Antichrist which I will endeuor to declare vnto thee by these rules following first by his outward place of abode secondly by his inward and spirituall throne thirdly by his doctrine fourthly by his conditions fiftly by the height breadth length and ruine of his Kingdome I will but open the way vnto thee this Booke shall proue by experience my sayings to be true Touching his outward seate Reuel 17. 18. it is the Citie that then did raigne ouer the Kings of the earth which was Rome the place is also described in the ninth verse to be compassed about with seuen mountaines This Booke shall proue that Rome hath seuen mountaines about it In the same verse this Citie hath had fiue kings that were then falne another King did raign which was the Emperour when the Reuelation was made and another was to come afterward This book shall teach thee that the seuen Kings signifie seuen maner of Gouernments in Rome of which fiue was falne the Emperour then raigned and after the Pope should raigne there so the Holy Ghost hath pointed out Rome as plainly as can be the place of Antichrists Kingdome
made the Emperor Hen. 4. his wife and his child to wait three daies and three nights bare-foot in winter at his gates to sue to him for his fauor and gaue away his Empire in the meane time This prophecie of Antichrists exaltation aboue Princes is verified in none but the Pope Touching the breadth of his kingdom it is not said he shall exalt himselfe aboue one or two but aboue all that are called God w ch are all Christian rulers spiritual temporal to whom God vouchsafeth this name because hee ruleth and instructeth by them and dwelleth in them if they be good this declareth the large limits of his kingdome And as he is said heere to exalt himselfe aboue all Kings so Reu. 17. 3. he is said to haue ten horns and in ver 12. they are interpreted to be ten Kings which shal giue their power and authority vnto the beast that is to say the beastly Pope and fight with the Lambe that is they shal be the Popes Butchers to destroy Gods children and as the prophecies foretell such an Antichrist as shall raigne ouer all Christian Princes so this storie shall shew thee the true fulfilling of this prophesie in the Pope Touching the length of his Kingdome it is prophecied Antichrist shall raigne three yeares and a halfe and in Reuel 12. three times and a halfe these times and these yeares are all one so is the fortie two moneths Reuel 13. 5. for there be so many moneths in three years and a halfe the same likewise is the 1260. dayes in Reuel 12. 6. for there be iust so many daies in three yeares a halfe at 360. daies to the yeare which was the number of the dayes of the Iewes yeare And it is common with the prophets to set downe a day for a year so by these prophecies Antichrist must raign 1260. yeares which is iust so many yeares as Christ preached daies and Gregory the first sheweth that Antichrist began when one Bishop exalted himselfe aboue all others And though there were manie Popes before him which did exalt themselues aboue all other Bishops yet he would not but haue himself called Seruus seruoruÌ„ Dei Wherefore Sabinianus which succeeded him in the popedom was a malitious detractor of his works as thou maist see in this book Antichrist was not at his height vntill Hildebrand had gotten aboue the Emperor for then he was aboue all that was called God yet Antichrist began when the Bishop of Rome being the least of all the foure Patriarchs exalted himselfe aboue all other Bishops which was about the yeare of Christ 400. for then began pride and superstition to creep into the Church and Anno 666. according to the number of the name of the beast in Reu. 13. 18. Latin seruice was set vp in England and all other places and massâ—s ceremonies letanies and other Romish ware which was long before Hildebrands time And if we account the aforesaid 1260. yeares of Antichrists raigne from thence there remaineth but about 46. yeares to come vntil God shal call together the kings of the earth to destroy Rome Touching the fall of his kingdom Mat. 24. 22. If God should not shorten his kingdom none of Gods children could be saued from his cruelty but for the elects sake Reu. 11. 13. God first destroyed the tenth part of his Kingdom thou mayest note in this book when this prophecie was fulfilled and Reu. 8. at the blowing of the foure first Trumpets the third part of all his kingdom is destroyed which prophecie we see fulfilled at this day for the third part of his kingdom are wholly become Protestants yet Reuel 11. 22. the Church of Antichrist is not heerewith moued to repent of her murders sorceries fornications and thefts but Reu. 18. 7. glorieth her selfe that she is a Queene and shall be no widdow that is shee shall neuer lose her Spouse the Pope therfore shall her plagues come at one day death sorrow and famine and shee shall be burned with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her The meanes of her destruction is set forth Reu. 17. 16 the ten kingdomes that first tooke her part against Gods children shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and eate her flesh and burne her with fire for God doth put into their hearts to fulfill his will The manner of the destruction of Rome and the Popedome is declared Reu. 19. 17. as fowles gather together to a dead carkasse so God shall gather all Nations together to warre against Rome and shall take her and the Pope the false Prophet that worketh miracles wherby he deceiued all that receiued his marke and worshipped his Image and they shall not only be destroyed in this world but they shall bee cast aliue into a lake burning with fire and brimstone to wit into eternall damnation and Reu. 18. 20. the Angells and all Gods children are exhorted to reioyce at her destruction and vers 21. Rome shall be destroyed with such violence as a Mill-stone falleth into the Sea and there shall neuer any more Mill grinde any light corne or anie be married in Rome but it shall euer after be a desolate wildernesse as Babylon was They that cannot behold Antichrist in this Glasse 2. Cor. 4. 3. it is a signe the Diuell the God of this world hath blinded their eyes but as Salomon when hee dedicated the Temple prayed God to heare euery one that prayed therein so I beseech God with his holy spirit to illuminate all that shall reade this book that they may plainly see the pope to be Antichrist and to flie from him lest they be partakers of his punishment in this world and in the world to come AN ABSTRACT OF ALL THE HISTORIES OF THE CHVRCH from CHRIST to this day 1614. THE FIRST BOOKE IN describing the whole State of the Primâ—tiue and latter times of the Church First shall be declared the suffering time of the Church 300. yeares after Christ secondly the flourishing time of the Church 300. yeares more then the declining of true Religion 300. yeares more sourthly of the raigne of Antichrist since Sathan was loosed Lastly of the reforming of the Church in this last thrée hundred yeares In the tractation of all which things the Christian Reader may by experience obserue two special points First the Nature of the World Secondly the condition of the Kingdome of Christ By the World is meant all that by ignorance know not Christ and that will not beléeue him or that persecute him The Kingdome of Christ are the beléeuers in Christ and take his part against the World and though they be much fewer then the other and alwaies lightly hatâ—d and molested of the world yet they are they whom the Lord doth blesse and euer will and Christs Subiects which we call the Uiâ—â—bâ—e Church theâ—e are of two sorts first of such as onely outwardly professe Christ secondly of such as by eâ—ection inwardly are ioyned to Christ
were like to perish a Legion of the Christian Soldiers withdrew themselues and prayed whereby they obtained raine for them selues lightenings and haâ—le to discomfort and put to flight their enemies wherevppon the Emperour wrote to the Gouernours to giue thankes to the Christians and giue them peace of whom came the victory Anthonius Comodus sonne to Verus succeeded and raigned 13. yeares some thinke the persecution slaked in his time by the fauour of Martia the Emperors Concubine who fauored the Christians by reason whereof many Nobles in Rome receiued the Gospell amongst whem one Apollonius being accused by Seuerus his seruant but this accuser was sound false and therefore had his legges broken yet hee was driuen to confesse his faith and for the same beheaded by an ancient law that no Christian should be released without recantation The Emperour and the cittizens of Rome on his birth day assembled to offer sacrifices to Hercules and Iupiter proclaiming that Hercules was Patron oâ— the Citty but Vincentius Eusebius Perigrinus Potentianus instructers of the people hearing thereof preached against the same and conuerted Iulius a Senator with others to the faith whereof the Emperor hearing caused them to be tormented and then prest to death sauing that Iulius was beaten to death with Cudgels at the commandement of Vitellus maister of the soldiers Perigrinus was sent of Xistus Bishop of Rome to teach in France where the persecution had made wast who established the Churches and returned to Rome was Martired this Xistus was the 6. Bishop of Rome after Peter and gouerned the ministry there 10. yeares Telesphorus succeeded him and was Bishop 11. yeares and was martired after him succeeded Hyginus and died a martyr after him succeeded Pius after them Anicetus Soter Elutherius about the yeare 180. In the time of Comodus amongst others were martired Serapion Bishop of Antioch Egesippus a writer of Ecclesiasticall histories from Christ to his time also Miltiades who wrote his Apology for Christian Religion About this time wrote Hiraclitus who first writ Anotations vppon the new Testament also Theophilus Bishop of Cesaria Dionisius Bishop of Corinth a famous learned man who wrote diuers Epistles to diuers Churches and exhorteth Penitus a Bishop that he would lay no yoke of chastity vpon any necessity vpon his Brethren also Clemens Alexandrinus a famous learned man liued in that time and Gautenus who was the first that read in open schoole in Alexandria of whom is thought first to rise the order of Uniuersities in Christendome he was sent to preach to the Indians by Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria In this tranquility of the Church grew contention for Easter day which had beene stirred before of Policarpus and Anicetus forthey of the west Church pretending the tradition of Paul and Peter but indeed it was of Hermes and Pius kept Easter the 14. day of the first month the Church of Asia followed the example of Iohn the Apostle and obserued another day The fifth Persecution AFter Comodus raigned Pertinax after whom succeeded Seuerus vnder whom was raised the fift Persecution hee raigned 18. yeares in the first ten hee was very fauorable after through false accusations hee proclaimed that no Christian should be suffered wherevppon an infinite number were slaine in the yeare 205. The crimes obiected was rebellion to the Emperour Sacriledge and murdering of Infants incestuous pollutions eating raw flesh libidinous commixture worshipping the head of an asse which waâ— raised by the Iewes also for worshipping of the Sunne in rising because they vsed daily to sing vnto the Lord or because they vsed to pray towards the East but the speciall matter was because they would not worship Idols these Persecutions raged in Affrica Alexandria Cappadocia and Carthage the number that were slaine was infinite The first that suffered was Leonides father of Origen who but 17. yeares old desired to haue suffred with his father but that his mother in the night stole away his garments and his shirt yet he wrote to his father take heed you alter not your purpose for our sakes hee was so toward in knowledge of Scripture and vertue that his father would often in his sleepe kisse his breast thanking God that he had made him so happy a father of so happy a sonne his father being dead and his goods confiscate to the Emperour hee sustained himselfe his mother and sixe brethren by keeping schoole at length hee applied himselfe wholly to Scripture and profited in the Hebrew and Greeke tongues which hee conferred with other translations as that of the 70. and found out other translations of Aquila of Symachus and Theodocian with which he also ioyned 4. others he wrote 7000. Bookes the Copies whereof hee vsed to sell for three-pence a peece to sustaine his liuing hee had diuers Schollers as Plutarchus Serenus his brother who was burned and Heraclitus and Heron which were beheaded another Serenus which was beheaded and Rahis and Potamiena shee was tormented with pitch poured on her and martired with her mother Marcella she was executed by one Basilides who shewed her some kindnes in repressing the rage of the multitude shee thanked him and promised to pray for him hee being required after to giue an oth touching the Idols and Emperour as the manner was refused it confessing himselfe to be a Christian and therefore was beheaded There was one Alexander who after great torments escaped and was Bishop of Ierusalem Narcissus who was 61. yeares old he was vnwildy to gouerne alone he was 40. yeares Bishop of Ierusalem vntill the Persecution of Decius he erected a famous Library where Eusebius had his cheefe helpe in directing his Ecclesiasticall History hee wrote many Epistles he licensed Origen to teach openly in his Church after vnder Decius in Cesaria for his constant confession dyed in prison Policarpus sent Andoclus into France Seuerus apprehending him and first being beaten with bats he was after beheaded in that time Asclepiades suffred much for his confession and was made Bishop of Antioch and continued there seauen yeares About this time Ireneus with a great multitude beside were martired hee was Scholler to Policarpus and Bishop of Lyons 23. yeares in his time the question of keeping Easter was renewed betwixt Victor Bishop of Rome and the Churches of Asia and when Victor would haue excommunicated them Ireneus with others wrote to him to stay his purpose and not to excommunicate them for such a matter Not long after followed Tertullian who writ learned Apologies for the Christians and confuted all that the slanderours obiected hee wrote many bookes whereof part yet remaine Victor Bishop of Rome died a Martyr after he had sitten there 10. or 12. yeares he was earnest in the matter of Easter and would haue excommunicated them that were contrary but for Ireneus and others who agreed to haue Easter vppon the Sunday because they would differ from the 〈◊〉 and because Christ rose on that day On the other
it reioyced and the next day suffered with an 100. more Pusices séeing an old Father shrinke in the sight of the Martyrâ— said shut thine eies be strong and shortly thou shalt sée God wherefore the King caused an hole to be made in his necke and thereout pulled his tongue and so he was put to death and his Daughter a Uirgine died with him in Christs cause the number of them that were martyred in Persia was 15000. This comming to Constantines eares mooued him he graunted Sapores his Ambassadors all they requested thinking thereby to mooue him to fauour the Christians and wrote to them to take compassion on the Innocents and shewed how the hand of God had béene against Tyrants of the Church Beniamin for preaching Christ was thrust vnder the nailes with twenty sharpe prickes when hee laughed at it a sharpe Réede was thrust into his yard and a long thorny stalke vp into his body vntill hee died Under Iulianus Apostata Emilianus was burned Domitius was slaine in his Caue Theodorus singing a Psalme was tormented from morning to night hardly escaped with life and being asked how hee could abide the torments said at first I felt some paine but after there stood a young man by me who so refreshed me that it greeued me more when I was let down from the Ingine then before The Arethusians of Syria tooke a company of Uirgines Christians whom first they set sorth naked to bee scorned of the multitude then shaued them then couered them with draffe and caused them to bee deuoured of Swine their cruelty was the greater because Constantine restrained them from defiling Uirgines and destroyed the Temple of Venus Marcus Arethusius because at the commaundement of Constantine he pulled down a Temple of Idols and builded a Church for Christians in the place they stripped him naked and beat him gréeuously then put him in a filthy sincke then they caused Boyes to thrust him in with sharpe stickes then they annointed him with Hony and Broath and hung him in the Sunne as meat for Waspes and Flyes then they required somewhat towards the building of the Temple againe he answered it were as great impiety to conferre one halfe-peny to a matter of impiety as a great summe Constantine raigned about thirty yeares he was borne in Brittaine his Mothers name was Helena Daughter of King Coilus hee trauailed greatly for the peace of Christians he set peace amongst the Byshops at dissention hee made prouision for Preachers and caused all to bee restored vnto the Christians that was taken from them by Persecutors He wrote to his chéefe Captaine that Ministers should be fréed from all publique duties and burthens He wrote to Eusebius for the edifying of new Churches and after he had gathered the Nicene Councel for the vnity of the Church he writeth to Alexander and Arius for the same intent He inioyned a Prayer to his Souldiers in stead of Catechisme We knowledge thee onely to be our GOD we confesse thee onely to bee our King we call vpon thée our onely helper by thée we obtaine our victories by thee we vanquish our enemies to thee be attributed whatsoeuer commodities we presently enioy by thee we hope for good thinges to come vnto thee we direct all our sutes and petitions most humbly befeeching thee to keepe Constantinus our Emperour and his Noble Children to continue in long liâ—e and to giue them victory ouer their enemies through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen He graunted great immunities vnto the Ministers that they might appeale from the ciuill Iudge to their Byshop whose sentence was of as great value as if the Emperor had pronounced it He prouided maintenance for liberall Sciences and Arts for the Prosessors there Wiues and Children and gaue them great immunities He wrote to Eusebius Byshop of Nicomedia to procure fifty Uolumes of Parchment well bound and cause to bee written out of the Scripture therein in a leageable hand such things as were profitable for the instruction of the Church allowed him two Ministers for the businesse he was a Father to the Church and inforced himselfe euery way to set forth the Gospell and to suppresse the contrary The end of the tenth Persecution THE SECOND BOOKE Containing the next 300. yeares BY these Persecutions hitherto we may vnderstand that what the fury of Sathan and rage of men could deuise to do by death or torments all was to the vtmost attempted to extinguish the Name and Religion of Christ yet notwithstanding the wisedome of the world and the strength of men Christ hath the vpper hand as thou seest Now because the tying vp of Sathan giueth the Church rest we will leaue the affaires of the Uniuersall Church and prosecute the Histories of our Country of England and Scotland beginning with King Lucius with whom the Faith began first in this Realme The Papists doe earnestly contend that the Faith of Christ was first brought and receiued into England from Rome both in the time of Eleutherius their Byshop in the yeare 180. and also in the time of Augustine whom Gregory sent hither in the yeare 600. but it is proued otherwise by these seauen Arguments 1 Gildas affirmeth that Brittain receiued the Gospel in the time of Tyberius the Emperor vnder whom Christ suffered saith farther that Ioseph of Arimathia was sent of Philip the Apostle from France to Brittaine in the yeare 63. and remained héere all his time and founded the Faith amongst the Brittaines 2 Tertullian liuing about the time of Elutherius testifieth how the Gospell was dispersed by the Apostles reckoneth Brittany amongst the Countries conuerted by them 3 Origen before the daies of Elutherius said the Brittaines consented to Christianity 4 Bede affirmeth that 1000. yeares after Christ Easter was kept in Brittaine after the manner of the East Church on the fouretéenth day after the full Moone what day soeuer it was and not on sunday as we doe whereby is gathered the first Preacher came from the East rather then from Rome 5 Nicephorus Lib. 2. Cap. 4. saith Simon Zelotes spread the Gospell in Brittany 6 Petrus Cluniensis saith that the Scots in his time celebrated Easter after the manner of the Gréekes and as the Brittaines were not vnder the Romain order nor vnder their Legate in the time of Gregory nor would admit any primasie of the Byshop of Rome aboue them 7 By the Epistle of Elutherius to Lucius it appeareth that Lucius had receiued the Faith before he wrote to Elutherius for the Romaine Lawes Elutherius might help some-thing to conuert the King and to increase the Faith but was not the first that planted it but if it were so it maketh nothing for them for he challenged no such Supremacy as they doe and was farre from their errours and superstitions The Chroniles write that about the yeare 180. King Lucius Sonne of Coylus which builded Colchester hearing of the myracles of Christians in his time writ to Elutherius Bishop of
number of Holly daies and the increase of vice thereby whoores say they vantage more in one Holy day then in fiftie other dayes and of the curious singing in Cathedrall Churches wherein much time is spent that might better be beâ—towed in other Sciences and learning And of the multitude of begging Fryers and other professed men and women the cause of Idlenesse and vncomely life of promotion of euill Prelates and their negligence in reprouing vice Of the wantonnesse of their seruants and their excesse in apparell Of the excessiue gaines of the prelates and their officers for their Seales giuing them they care not for what so they get money That Prelates bée too slacke in looking to non residents Of giuing benifices not for godlinesse and learning but for fauour friendship or hope of gaine of which commeth the great ignorance in the Church How Prelates wast the Church goods in superfluitie on kinsfolkes or worse wayes and not on the poore How by negligence the Bookes of the olde Coâ—ncels and oâ— the new are not to be found which should be kept in all Cathedral Churches The negligence of Preâ—ates and their voluptuousnesse by example of Storks whose nature is if one leauâ— his mate and ioyne with another all the rest fly on him and plucke his feathers off so and much more should prelates dâ—e to their fellowes that defile so many and stinke in the whole Church And as Eâ—dras in purging Israel from strange women began with the priests so now the purgation ought to begin with them as it is written in Ezechiâ—ll Begin with my Sarctuary c. Againe if the whole Realme of France was interdicted because Phillip the King had but one Concubine which was not his lawfull wife And the King of Portugall sequestred from his Dominion and thought by the Clergie insufficient to rule What shall be said to prelates which abuse mens Wiues Uirgings Nunnes and are insufficient to take charge of Soules About this tiâ—â—e the Order of the Knights of the Rhodes called Iohannits and the Order of the Teâ—â—lers rose vp After Honorius succéeded Pope Innocentius the 2. At euery mutation of new Popes came new troubles sometime two Popes sometimes thrée together The Romaines elected another Pope called Anacletus betwixt whom was great conflicts The Duke of Sicile taking with Anacletus vntill Lotharius the Emperour droue Anacletus 〈◊〉 of Italy This Pope decréed that whose strucke a shauen Priest should be excommunicated and not absolued but onely by the Pope Steuen king of England reserued to himselfe the authoritie of bestowing Spirituall liuings and of inuesting Prelates At which time Lodouicus the Emperoue would haue done the like had not Bernardus giue in him contrary councell At this time came in the manner of cursing with Booke Bell and Candle in a Councell of London holden by William Bishop of Winchester vnder Pope Celestinus successor of Innocentius After Lotharius succeeded in the Emperiall Crowne Conradus Nephew of Henry the fift he raigned 15. yeares There was diuerse Popes in his dayes as Celestinus the 2. Lucius the 2. Eâ—genius the 3. at which times the Romaines endeauored to recouer the old manner of chusing Conâ—uls and Senators but the Popes being in their ruffe would not abide it which caused much ciuill warre insomuch that Pope Lucius sent 〈◊〉 the Emperour for ayde who thought to haue destâ—oyed them in the Senate but they were ware oâ— it and were all in aray the Pope being in the fight was well pelted with stones and blowes that he liued not long after Eugenius cursed the Romaines for that matter with excommunication which when he saw would not serue came vpon them with his Host and compelled them to abolish their Consuls and to take such presidents as the Pope should assigne Then followed Anastatius the 4. after him Adrianus the 4. an English man called Breakespeare belonging once to Saint Albons he likewise kept great slurâ—e with the Citizens of Rome to abolish Consuls with cursing and warres vntill he had brought them vnder In the meane time Fredericus called Barbarossa succeeded Conradus in the Empire marched to Italy to subdue rebels the Pope and his Clergie met him to haue ayde against their enemies the Emperour lighted to receiue him and held his left stirrop where he should the right the Pope displeased he smiling excused himselfe as not vsed to hold stirrops and that it was not of duetie the next day the emperour sent for him receiued him and held his right stirrop and all was well When they came in the Pope told the Emperour that his predecessors left some token of beneuolence for crowning of them as Carolus Magnus subdued the Lumbards Otho the Bexingarians Lotharius the Normans therefore required him to restore the Country of Apâ—lia to the Church of Rome He and his Princes seeing he could not otherwaies â—e crowned promised to doe it and the next day was crowned Whilst the Emperour was prouiding for Apulia the Pope excommunicated William Duke thereof and sent Emanuell Emperour of Constantinople incensing him to warre against the said Duke Thâ— Duke hearing it sent vnto the Pope for peace promising to restore what hee would which the Pope by the Councell of the Cardinals would not grant The Duke put Emanuell the Emperour to flight and besieged the Câ—tie Beneâ—entum where the Pope and Cardinals were looking for victory that they were glad to intreat for the peace they refused the Duke onely granted not to inuade the possessions of Rome and the Pâ—pe made him King of both Sicils The Pope was so troubled with the Senators and Consuls of Rome that when his curses would not auaile he was faine to remoue from Rome to Ariminium The Emperour considering the wrongs the Pope had done to his predecessors required of the Bishops of Germany Homage and Oath of alegiance commaunding if the Popes Legats came thither without sending for they should not be receiued charging his subiects not to appeale to Rome and prefixed his name in his Letters before the Popes name Whereupon the Pope wrote to him that God promiseth long life to thâ—m that honoured their Parents and death to them that cursed them and the word of truth saith He that exalâ—eth himselfe shall be brought lowe He maruelled not a little that he shewed not the reuerence he ought to blessed Saint Peter and the holy Church of Rome 〈◊〉 preferre your name before Ours wherein your incurre the note of insolencie or rather arrogancie How kéepe you the Oath of fidelitie to Saint Peter and vs séeing you require Homage and Alegiance of them that be Gods and all the sonnes of the high God and presume to ioyne their holy hands with yours and exclude from your Churches and Cities our Cardinals Legates from our side amend amend â—hile you goâ— about to obtaine the things you haue not I feare mée your Honour will loose the things which you haue The Emperour wrote againe that Iustice giueth to
more within Temples Monastâ—ries or Chappels then any where els Priests apparell ornaments of Altars Uestments Corporaces Chalices patenes and other Church-plate to serue in no steed It maketh no matter in what place the Priest consecrateth the Sacrament and that it is sufficient to vse only the Sacramental words without other superstitious ceremonies Prayers to Saints vaine they not able to helpe In saying and singing the houres and Mattens of the day the time lost A man ought to cease from his labour no day but Sunday The Feasts of Saints to be reiected coacted feasts haue no merite The truth oâ— these Articles be the lesse to be doubted being set out by a Popes pen. They being accused slaunderously by one Doctor Augustine vnto the Bohemian King gaue vp their confession with an Apology of their Faith They held Thomas Aquinas author of Purgatory Concerning the Supper of the Lord their Faith was it was to be eaten and not to be shewed and worshipped That it was for a memorial and not for a Sacrifice to serue for the present not to be reserued to be receiued at the table not to be caried out of doores according to the vse of the primitiue Church when they vsed to communicate sitting this they proued by Cronicles â— and by Origen vpon the third of Moses Doctor Austin asked them whether it were not the same Christ in the Sacrament which is in heauen else how can it be said there is but one Faith and one Christ then why he should not bee worshipped in the Sacrament as well as in Heauen They answered to this effect that the same Christ that is in Heauen is in the Sacrament but after diuerse manners in Heauen he is corporally locally with the full proportion and quantitie of the same body wherewith hee ascended and to be séene in the Sacrament he is but sacramentally to be remembred not to bee séene our bodies receiue the signe our spirit the thing signified They asked him againe whether Christ was not aswell in them that receiue the Sacrament as in the Sacrament before it was receiued and why it should not be worshipped as well in the brest of the receiuer as before it is receiued seeing â—e is in a more perfect manner in â—an then in the Sacrament in it he is but for a time not for the sacrament sâ—ke but fâ—r mans sake In man he is for his owne sake not for a time but for euer as it is written Quâ— manducat hunc panem viuat in aeternum Then they asked whether he was there wholly God and man which if hee grant it it is contrary to Nature and Faith that any creature should be changed into the Creator If he say it is changed into his body and soule and not into the Godhead then hâ—e separates the natures of Christ if hee say into the body alone and not the soule then hée separateth the Natures of the true manhoode and so cannot be the same Christ that was betrayed for vs so to what part soeuer he should answere he could not defend transubstantiation without great inconueniâ—â—ce of all sides It appeareth in a certaine Libell of Inquisition that vpon their kneâ—s with great reuerence they vsed to pray euery morning and euery euening and that they vsed to say grace before meate and after and after meate to edifie one another with some instruction They were so diligent and painefull in teaching that Reynerius an old Inquisitor against them writeth that one of them to bring another vnto the faith in the night and in winter swamme ouer the Riuer Ibis to come to him to teach him and they were so perfect in the Scripture that he heard an vnlettered man that could say the booke of Iob word by word without booke with others which had the New Testament perfectly by hart Hee writeth moreouer that none durst stop them for the number of their fauourers saying I haue often béen at their examination and there were numbred forty Churches of their opinions in sâ—much that in one parish of Cammaâ—h were ten open schooles of them and when he had spoken what he could against them he is driuen to confesse that they both liue iustly before men and beléeue all things welâ— of God and hold all the Articles contained in the Creede onely they blaspheme the Church of Rome and hate it Touching theâ—r persecution which commonly followeth true preaching they being scattered from Lions that the sound of their doctrine might gee abroad â—n the world some went as it is said into Bohemia many into other prouinces of France some into Lombardy and other places but these could not be suffered to liue at rest as may appeare by the consultations made by the Lawyers Bishops of France against them writ aboue three hundred yeares agone remaining yet in writing whereby it appeareth there were a great many in France Besides there was a Counsell kept in Tolâ—se about 355. yeares agone and all against these Waldenses they also were condemned in another Counsell at Rome before that What persecutions they had in France by three Archbishops appeareth by their writings who is such a stranger that knoweth not the condemnation of the Waldenses done so many yeeres agone so famous so publique followed vpon with so great labour expences and trauell and sealed with so many of their deaths so solemnely being condemned and openly punished wherâ— by we may know persecution to be no new thing in the church of Christ when Antichrist three hundred yéeres agone did rage against the Waldenses But there was neuer more trouble then was against them of late in the yeare â—545 in France by the French King which followeth in this booke when we come to the yeare wherein it was done where it shall be set forth more at large In which persecution is declared that in one towne Cabria by Miuerias were slayne eight hundred persons at once not respecting women children nor any age and forty women most of them great with child were thrust into a Barne the windowes kept with pikes were fired and consumed besides in a Caue not farre from Mussin were fiue and twenty persons fired and destroyed the same time the same tyrant at Merindolum seeing all the rest were fled away finding one yong man caused him to be tyed to an Oliue tree and destroyed with torments most cruel the foresaid Reynerius speaketh of a Glouer one of them in the towne of Cheron that in his time was brought to execution There is an old Monument of processes wherein appeareth 443. brought to examination in Pomarina Marchia and places there abâ—ut in the yeere 1391. thus much of the original doctrine and lamentable persecutions of the Waldenses who as it is said began about the time of Pope Alexander Now for as much as Thomas Becket happened in this Popes time let vs somewhat story of him THE HISTORY OF THOMAS BECKET Arch-bishop of Canterbury KIng Henry the second K. of England conuenting his Nobles
hee lamented oft to them about him that none would reuenge him of his enemy vpon occasion of which words 4. addressed theÌ„selues in great heat of hast within 4. daies after the said Christmas day they came to Canterbury they pressed at length into the palace where the Arch-b was sitting with his company about him they said they brought him a commandement from the king bad him chuse whether he would receiue it openly or secretly the company being commanded away and he alone they told him the King commanded him to repaire to the King his sonne to doe his duety and sweare fidelitie for your Baronage and to amend those things you haue committed against him in denying to be sworne to him he perceiued their intent and called for his company and they commanded him in the Kings name that he should absolue the 4. Bishops he answered he did not excommunicate them but the Pope if that were their griefe they should resort to him séeing you thus stand against the Coronation of our new King it séemeth you aspire to take his Crowne from him and to bee King your selfe he said nay if he had thrée crownes he would set them all vpon him except his father there is none whose honour I now tender and loue and touching the sequestring of the Bishops there was nothing done without the assent of the King for I complaine to him what iniury my Church had by their crowning the â—ing hee gaue me leaue to seeke my remedy at the Popes hand they said what doest thou maâ—e the King a Traytor and bewrayer of his own sonne when he commanded them to crâ—wne him and then gaue thee leaue to suspend them for so doing and they said thinkest thou we the kings subiects wil suffer this thou hast spoken enough against thine own head the Achbishop said since my comming ouer â—e hath suffered many iniuries and rebukes concâ—rning my selfe my men cattell wines and other goods yet the King writ to his sonne I should liue in safety and peace and now you come hether to threaten me they answered if you haue any â—niury the law is open and â—e said he sought for remedy at the Kings hands as long as hee could be suffered to speake with him but now I am stopped and can find no redresse nor can haue the benefit of law or reason such law as an Arch-bishop may haue I will Realme then they denounced he had spoken words to the ieopardie of his head so they depart charging the Monkes in the Kings name to keep him forthâ—comming the Arch-bishop would not fly for the king nor any man the names of the foure Souldiers were first Renold Berison Secondly Hugh Morteuill Thirdly William Thracy Fourthly Richard Britto who going to harnesse themselues returned the same day but the Hall doore being shut they went to a back doore and broke vp a window the Monkes had gotten the Arch-bishop into the Church and caused his crosse to be borne before him and procéeded into the Quiere the Haruest men following came to the Church doore the Monkes would haue shut the doore but as the Story saith the Bishop would not suffer them so they came into the church and the Bishop méeting them on the stayres was slaine euery man striking him with his swâ—rd in the head who fied into the north and at length were pardoned of the Pope by the Kings meanes and went to Ierusalem Newbergensis an ancient Chronographer condemneth the doings of Becket Cesarius a Monke in his eighth booke of Dialogues 48. yeares after the death of Becket writeth that it was a question amongst the Masters of Paris whether Thomas Becket were saued or damned But it is certaine this antheme collected and primered in his praise is blasphemous Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas asendit Wherein is a double lye first that hee dyed for Christ secondly that his bond should purchase heauen which none of the Apostles durst challenge for then Christ died in vaine After his death the king fearing the popes curse which the French king helped forwards what he could the King sent his excuse vnto the pope which he would not heare And after second messengers which some of the Cardinals receiued shewing them that the pope vsed to curse assoile on good-Friday which was néer at hand and it was noised that the King Bishops realme should be interdicted and herevpon the kings messengers were put into prison some of the Cardinals shewed the pope that the Kings messengers had power to sweare that the King should obey his penance which was taken both for the King the Archb. of Yorke so that in the said day the pope only cursed the déed doers consenters ayders harbourers of them the deed-doerâ— had in penance to goe in linnen clothes barefoote in fasting prayer to Ierusalem who by this hard penance are said to die in few yéeres after Two Cardinals were sent to inquire who were consenters to his death the king being not certaine wherefore their comming was with a great power entred into Ireland giuing charge that no bringer of any briefe should come into the realme or passe out without speciall license and an assurance to bring nothing preiudiciall to the Realme the King in short time subdued the whole land of Ireland which was gouerned by fiue Kings of whom foure submitted themselues only the fift the king Tonacta denied to be subdued kéeping himselfe in woods and Marshes In this time the two Cardinals were come to Normandy the next yéere in October the king went to them made his purgation touching the death of Beckeâ— taking his othe he was neuer aiding nor consenting but onely spake rigorous words against him wherefore for penance hee was sworne to send so much money to the holy land should find two hundred Knights for the defence thereof and should set forth by Christmas following his own person to fight for thrée yéeres excâ—pt the pope should dispence with him and that if he went into Spaine fought with the Sarracâ—ns as long as he was there he might prolong his iourney to Ierusalem IteÌ„ that he should not hinder or cause to be hindred any appellatioâ—s made to Râ—me Item That he nor his Sonne should dissent from Pope Alexander nor his Catholick successors Item That the goods and possessions taken from the Church of Canterbury should be restored Item that the foresaid decrées established against the church should be extinct and repealed besides other secret fastings and almes inioyned him All these conditions the King and his Son agreed vnto debasing himselfe with humilitie and submission before them whereof the Cardinals tooke no little glory vsing this versâ— of the Psalme Qui respicit terram facit eam tremere qui tangit montes fumigant The returning from Normandie by reason the Scots had made a road into England by the way as soon as he came to
destruction that is comming towards you and your Realmâ— Prince Lodowicke hath sworne a great oath and sixtéene of his Earles and Nobâ—es are of 〈◊〉 with him that if he obtaine the Crowne of England he will â—anish and depriue of their Lands and goods all that hâ— now findeth to goe against their leach King and are Traytors to him vpon my Faith nâ—w lying at Gods mercie I was one that was 〈◊〉 to the same and with teares he said take héede in time your King for a 〈◊〉 hath kept you vnder but if Lodowicke preuaile he will put you from all hee had them kéepe his counceâ—l and so he dyed This trobled the Barons and seeing withall 〈◊〉 Prince Lodowicke obtained by warres he gaue to French men in spite of them saying they were but Traytors They at length concluded to submit themselues 〈…〉 neuer drunke before I trust this Wassell shall make all England glad and dranke a great draught thereof the king pledged him the Munke went away and 〈◊〉 buâ—st out and hee dyed and had euer after thrée Monkes to sing continually Masse for his Soule confirmed by their generall Chapter I would you would see how religiously they bestow heir confessions absolutions and Masses King Iohn feeling himselfe not well asked for Symon the Monke they answered he was dead then the tooke his Chariot and departed and dyed within three dayes He admonished that his Sonne Henry would learne by his example to be genâ—le and leuing to his natiue people He being imbalmed his bowels were burâ—â—ed in Crompton Abbey his Soldiers â—olded his Corps triumphantly in Armour and honourably buried him in the Cathedrall Church or Worcester hauing raigned 17. yeares 6. monethâ— and odde daies After whose death the Princes Lords Barons and strangers that were on the kings part with the Councell of the Legate Gualdo proclaimed Henry his sonne king and at Gloster with the Earle there they annointed and Crowned him King bâ— the Legate Gualdo assisted with the Bishops of Winchester and Bath and called him Henry the third The Pope sent with all spéede that they should mightily stand â—ith the young king being but ten yeares old and defend England with Armâ—ur and his thundring curses against Lodowicke Hée confirmed his Legat Gualdo and committed to his discretion all that appertained to his Office none to appeale from him Hee compelled the Prelates to bée sworne to the young King and punished them which refused Thâ— Bishop of Winchester laid a heauie talke vpon his beneficed men to helpe the king in his warres Gualdo left not one beneficed man vnpunished that had taken part with the French King In this yeare Gualdo was sent for home to Rome for by this time he had welfaâ—oredly vnladen the purses of the Clergie men and returned with all his bags well stuffed leauing Cardinall Pandulfe behind him to supply his Baliwicke The Bishop of Lincolne not long before paid 1000. markes for recouery of his Office and an hundred markes to the Legate for his goodwill so were other holy Prelates and Priests taught by his example Inocentius Pope condemned Almeriâ—us a worthy Bishop for an hereticke for teaching and holding against Images also he condemned the Doctrine of Ioachim Abbas as before for heresie He brought in first the paying of priuie tyâ—hes and the receiuing once at Easter and the reseruation of the Sacrament and the going before it with a bell and a light He stirred vp Otho against Phillip the Emperour because he was elected without his will whereupon followed much slaughter in Germany and against Otho which he had made Emperour he set vp Fredericke king of Ciâ—le and caused the Archbishop of Mayence to excommunicate him and depose him of his Empire for which cause the Princes of Germany did inuade his Bishopricke and burned his possession all was because Otho held certaine Cities Townes and Câ—stles which the Pope said belonged to him In his time came the order of Blacke Friers called the Preaching Fryers it began of one Dominicke a Spaniard who after he had Preached ten yeares against the Albigenses and others that held against the Pope comming to Lateran desired to haue his Order of Preaching Fryers confirmed which the Pope refused vntill hee dreamt that the Church of Lateran was readie to fall vntill Dominicke came and propped it vp with his sholders and so preserued it The Pope waking called Dominicke to him and grâ—nted his request Dominicks mother being great with child dreameâ— she had a wolfe in her wombe which had a burning torâ—ch in his mouth the which dreame the Preachers of that order aduance to their glory In his time came vp the order of the Minorits of one Frances an Italian hee left off shooes had but one cote of vile cloth and an hempen cord about his middle and so apparelled his Disciples teaching them to fulfill the perfection of the Gospell walke in pouertie and holy simplicitie this rule was confirmed by Pope Innocent Many Nobles and others in Rome builded manflons for him and his disciples he was likewise strâ—â—t to his flesh leauing clothes in winter he 〈◊〉 himselfe in Ice and snow he called pouerty his Lady he kept nothing ouer night he was so desirous of Martyrdome that he went to Siria to the Soldaâ— who receiued him honourably it is written that Christ and his Saints marked him with fiue wounds These Franciscans or begging Fâ—â—ers though they haue but one Rule they haue many Orders there by 101. seueral sorts of Friers and Nunnes which the reader if he be disposed may see in the booke at lâ—rge with their names Fol 70. Hildegardis a Nunne a Prophetesse liued in the yeare 1170. She reprehendeth grieuously the abhominations of the lâ—ues of the Spiritual Papists the contempt of their Office and destruction of Gods children with these words Now is the Law neglected amongst the Spirituall which neglâ—ct to Preach and to doe good things The masters and Prelates sleepe and neglâ—ct Iustice. The Church appeared to her in the shape of a 〈◊〉 her face 〈◊〉 with dirt and her 〈◊〉 rent complaining that the Priests did not shine ouer the people neither in Doctrine not example but contrary did driue the innocent lambe from them that Ecclesâ—asticall order grew worse and worse and Priests destroyed the law of God and did not teach it and prophâ—â—eth to them Gods heauie wrath and punishments She prophesieth likewise of the reformation of Religion and saith it shall be most godly saying Then shall the Crowne of the Apostolicall honour bee deuided because there shall be found no religion amongst them and the name of that dignity shall bée despised and they shall sâ—t ouer them other men and other Archbishops and the Apostolicall order shall haue scarce Rome and a â—ew other Countries thereabout vnder his Crownâ— and this shall be done partly be warâ—es and partly by a common consent of Spirituall and Seculer persons then Iustice shall florish and men shall honestly apply themselues to the
by entring into any priuate Religion 10 That those that haue instituted priuate Religions or haue indâ—wed them with possessions or the begging Fryers that haue no possessions haue grieuously offended 11 That those of Priuate Religions are not of the Christian Religion 12 That Fryers are bound to get their liuings by labour and not by begging 13 That he is accursed that giueth Almes to begging Fryers When these Articles were condemned it was commanded that the condemnation should bee published through the whole vniuersitie the Chancellor hindred as much as hee could and when there must needs be Sermons made he committed the preaching to the fauourers of Wickliffe of which Repington was one who said in his Sermon hee that commends the Pope or Bishops aboue Temporall Lords doe against the Scripture and that Maister Wickliffe was a true Catholick Doctor that hee taught no otherwise of the Sacrament of the Altar then according to the intent of the Uniuersall Church his opinion therof most true and concluded he would kéep silence touching the Sacrament vntill God had better â—nlightned the Clergy The Archbishop hearing hereof sent for the Commissary and the Proctors of the Uniuersitie and one Maister Brightwell and accused them as fauourers of Wickliffe and forced them to confesse his Articles hereticall and erroneous the Commissarie fell on his knees and desired pardon which was granted vpon condition he should make inquirie and put to silence all that he found fauouring Wickliffe Harford Repington Ashton and Bedman and that hee should publish in the head Church of the Uniuersitie the condemnation of Wickliffes conclusâ—ons and that hee should put all his adherents he found to purgation or cause them to abiure he answered he durst not doe it for death what said the Bishop is Oxford a nestler of heresies that the Catholick truth cannot be published Oxford was the first Uniuersitie that maintained the truth that is now spread farrâ— and néere the next day the Bishop shewed the matter to the Kings Councell who sent commandement with all diligence to execute the Arch-bishops iniunction One Henry Crompe a Cistertian Monke which after was accused of Heresie now was suspended by the said Commissarie for calling the Heretickes Lolards he complained to the Archbishop who sent for the Commissarie and Proctors in the Kings and Councels name where he receiued a new commandement to punish the Wickliffes then Philip Repington and Nickolas Harford beeing priuily warned by the Uice-chancellor they fled to the Duke of Lancaster but they were apprehended and sent by him to the Archbishop Wickliffe was exiled and after returned againe to his parish of Lutterworth where he died the prouidence of God is to be noted in this man and many other whom the Lord prâ—serued in such rages of enemies from all their hands vntilll his old age whom the Lord will keepe nothing can hurt All his bookes were condemned and forbidden to be read by the Councell of Constance and by the Dâ—crée thereof forty yéeres after his death by the commandement of the Bishop his bones were digged vp and burned the ashes powred into the Riuer he had written diuers works which in the yéere 1410. were burned at Oxford the Abbot of Shrewsbury being Commissary sent to ouersée the matter his bookes were likewise burned in Boheme by the Archb of Prage he burned 200. of his books richly adorned with bosses of Gold and rich couerings In the yeare 1384. he wrot an Epistle to Pope Vrban the sixt that the Gospell of Christ was the whole body of the Law and that Christ was very God and very man and that the Pope Christs Uicar was bound most of all other vnto the Gospel for the greatnes of Christs Disciples consisteth not in worldly honour but in néere â—ollowing the life and manners of Christ Christ was a most poore man casting off all worldly rule and honour therefore none ought to follow the Pope nor other holy man but as they follow Christ for Peter and the sonnes of Zebedy in desiring worldly honours offended and therein they are not to be followed therefore the pope ought to leaue his temporall dominion to the seculer power and therevnto exhort his whole Clergy There was none so great enemies to him as the Clergy yet he had many good frends both of the meaner sort the Nobility amongst whom these men are numbred Iohn Clenton Lewis Clifford Richard Sturius Thomas Latimer William Neuil Iohn Mountegew who plucked downe all the Images in his Church the Earle of Salesbury when hee died refused the Sacrament of the Altar and confession and one Iohn of Northampton Mayor of London who vsed such seuere punishment against the fornicators and adulterers that they were ashamed of their offences others afeard to offend the Lord Cobham who confessed he neuer hated sinne with his heart before he was instructed by Wickliffe all these were Noble men and there was no want of the meaner sort of such as did with all their diligence defend his Doctrine especially Oxford men who were most shamefully forced to recantation and most cruelly iudged to the fire One Iohn Ashton Maister of Arte beeing examined confessed that the bread by the sacramentall words was the very same body of Christ in number which was borne of the Uâ—rgin Mary yet because hee did not answere simply according to the tradition of Rome as touching the subiect and accident of transmuting the substance of the bread he was committed to the secular powers and cast into prison where he died many other notable Clarkes some were burned some died in prison but all were afflicted as William Swinderby Iohn Puruey Henry Crompe Richard White William Thorpe Raynold Peacock Bishop of Saint Asaph and after of Chichester Lawrence Redman Dauid Sawtry Iohn Ashwarbie Uicar of S. Maries in Oxford William Iames Thomas Brightwell VVilliam Hawlam Raffe Greâ—hurst Iohn Scut Philip Noris which being excommunicated by the Pope appealed to a generall councell Peter Paine who flying from Oxford into Bohemia stoutly contended against the Sophisters about both â—indes of the Sacrament and was one of the fourteene that was sent to the Councell of Basil and disputed three daies touching the Ciuill Dominion of the Clergy Also the Lord Cobham thus much touching the adherents of Wickliffe The Uice-chancellor of Oxford with the whole congregation of the Maisters made a publike testimonie of the learning and good life of Iohn Wickliffe that his conditions throughout his whole life were sincere and commendable whose honest manners and conditions profoundnes of learning and most redolâ—nt renowne and fame we desire the more earnestly to be notified to all the faithfull for that wee vnderstand his maturitie and ripenes of conuersation his diligent labours to tend to the praise of God the help and safegard of others and the profit of the Church there was neuer note or spot of suspition raised of him in answering reading preaching and determining he behaued himselfe laudably and as a stout
and valiant Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of Scripture all such who by wilfuâ—l beggery blasphemed Christs Religion neither was he conâ—ict of heresie or burned by our prelates after his buriall God forbid our Prelates should condemne a man of such honesty for an heretick who amongst all the rest of our Uniuersitie had written in Logick Philosophy Diuinity Morality and the Speculatiue arte without pâ—are In witnes whereof we seale this testimonial with our common Seale 5. October 1406. Iohn Hus hauing read ouer Wickliffes Bookes concludeth by many infallible presumptions and reasons that hee was no Heretick but in the number of the saued and that it was a foolish consequent because the number of Prelates and Clergy in England France and Boheme doe count him for an Heretick that therefore he is one like is the reason for burning of his bookes for in the first Chapter of the Booke of Machabees they burned the Bookes of the Lord and tore them and whosoeuer was found to haue or vse them was put to death by the Kings commandement if this argued the wickednes of the bookes then the Law of God was wicked so likewise of the burning of S. Gregories bookes and of diuers other good men it followeth not because the Scribes and Pharisies condemned Christ as an Heretick that therefore he was one so Iohn Chrysostome was twice condemned an Hereticke by the Bishops and Clergy Besides the Articles afore there were other Articles gathered out of his Bookes which his malicious aduersaries peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibit to the Councell of Constance They sinne in Simony that be hired by temporal liuings to pray for others The prayer of the Reprobate preuaileth for no man Hallowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders bee reserued to the Pope and Bishops onely for temporall lucre Graduation and Doctor-ships in Uniuersities and Colledges as they bee vsed conduce nothing to the Church The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antichrist Such as founded Monasteries offend and all such as enter into them be members of the Diuell A Deacon or Priest may teach Gods word without the authority of the apostolike Sea They that enter into Monasticall Order or Religion are vnable to keep Gods commandements or to come to heauen except they returne The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan neither is the Pope the immediate vicar of Christ nor of the Apostles The decretals of the popes be Apocripha and seduce from the faith of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles It is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the Church of Rome to be supreme â—ead ouer all Churches It is but folly to beleeue the Popes pardons All othes made for any contract or ciuill bargaine betwixt man and man bée vnlawfull Benedick Francis Dominick Bernard and al other that haue béen patrons of priuat religions except they haue repented with such as entred into the same be in damnable state and from the pope vnto the lowest nouis they are all hereticks Thus you haue the whole summe of Wickliffes Articles albeit not as hee vttered them but as his froward aduersaries collected them out of his writings if some of them séeme hard or strange thinke it rather to be imputed to their euill will then to his good meaning as it might appeare if his bookes had now been extant but this is certaine howsoeuer his Articles were taken of the euill disposed with all good men he was highly fauoured and had in such estimation for his profound knowledge and great learning that all forren Nations were moued with his authoritie especially the Bohemians had him insuch reuerence that Iohn Hus the greatest doer in the Uniuersitie of Prage tooke profit of his Doctrine and openly defended his Articles Wickliffes Doctrine came into Bohemia by reason of a Student of Bohemia that was at Oxford being of Noble stock who returning to Prage carried certaine bookes of Wickliffes with him De realibus vniuersalibus De ciuili iure et Diuino De Ecclesia De questionibus varâ—â—s contra clerum c. a Noble man of Prage builded a Church called Bethelem giuing lands to it and finding two preachers euery day to preach to the people of the which Iohn Hus was one hee beeing familiar with the yong man reading and perusing these bookes tooke such pleasure and fruit thereby that he defended and commended them in schooles and sermons commending him for a good man wishing when he died to be there placed where his soule was We think it worth labour to shew certaine prophesies whereby so many persâ—cutions were figured and first the aforesaid Abbot Ioachim told King Richard as hée went to Ierusalem that the last of the seuen Kings spoken of in the Reuelation was Antichrist and that at that present hee should be bred at Rome and be exalted into the apostolick Sea according to the Apostle hee is exalted aboue all that is called God hee was in the yeare 1290. And in the Prophesie of Hildegardis afore mentioned she saith in the yeare 1200. the Doctrine of the Apostles and Iustice which God appointed to spirituall Christians beganne to war flack and doubtfull but this womanly time shall not so long continue as it hath done Bishop Fluensius doubted not openly to preach that Antichrist was borne in his daies Biâ—h Gerardus in the yeare of our Lord 1239. in his Book of the preseruation of Gods seruants doth coniecture Antichrist to be at hand by the rarity of prophesie and the gift of curing Hierome Sauanorol 69. yeares before prophesied that Italy shall be plagued by the scourge of God for the manifold sinnes thereof amongst the Princes as well Ecclesiasticall as secular and when the Cities of Rome and Florence are ouerthrowne then shall the Church bee renewed which shall happen very shortly and the Turkes and the Mauritanians shall bee conuerted vnto the knowledge of Christ and that one should passe the Alpes like vnto Cyrus and hee shall subuert all Italy I thinke it lacketh not his prophesie which happened in the yeare of our Lord 1501. that throughout all Germany there was scene vpon mens garments Crosses crownes of thornes similitude of Nailes and drops of bloud fâ—ll from heauen and oftentimes they fell within the houses insomuch that many women wore the same long time vpon their railes One Iohn a Franciscane Fryer in the yeare of our Lord 1346. fore-shewed that the Ecclesiasticall order should suffer much through the Ambitious auarice and pride of the Pope wherevpon Pope Clement the sixt cast him in the prison One Manfredus a Dominick Frier fore-shewed that Antichrist should rise vp in his time after the yeare of our Lord 1300. and should fully rage ouer the godly and that there should be persecution in the Church and hee said that the Cloyster Monkes did falsifie the Doctrine of Christ that the sacrifice of the Altar
was not profitable to the quick nor dead and that there was no knowledge iâ— the consolations of the Pope but onely of mens workes at last Frederick King of Cicill sent him to the Pope where he died vpon the Sea by the way Peter Iohn Aquine a Franciscane Frier prophecied that in the later daies the law of Liberty should appeare Pope Clement 4. pronounced him an hereticke after his death and caused his bones to be digged vp and burned There was so many Christian Martyrs in all parts of the world whereof a great number were câ—mpassed in with craft and deceit some were poisoned others tormented with torments many oppressed with priuate and vnknowne deaths others dyed in prison some by famine some by other meanes were openly and priuately destroyed that it is scarsely possible to attaine to the knowledge of a small number of them or if I happen to attaine to the knowledge of the names of them yet I can not finde out the manner of the execution of them and their causes no one man is able to doe it but by the example of some of them you may â—asily Iudge what hath happened to all for the cruelty of Bishops haue been alike against them and the forme of their Iudgements all one the reason of their condemnation agreeing and the order and kinde of their death It was fiue hundred yeeres since Satan was set at libertie this Story were wonderfully to be enlarged if all that were put to death by the Primates of the Church should be recited for in Narbone 140. chose rather to suffer the fire then giue any credit to decretals and in the yeare 1210. at Paris were foure and twenty put to death and in the yeare after foure hundred burned and fourescore beheaded the Prince Armericus hanged and the Lady of Castele stoned to death At Erphurd Begardus was burned 1218. and a Deacon burned at Oxford 1222 aâ—d in the County of Cambray diuers more were burned by the Dominicans The Pope commendeth a King in Boetius that for one that the Pope had slaine he had slaine foure hundred cutting away the genitals there were many burned in France 1392. not long before Wickliffe Eckhardus a Dominick Fryer was condemned at Hedelberge I passe ouer the Aluenses that were burned in K. Iohns time and I passe ouer the Hermite that disputed in Paules Church that the Sacrament then vsed was not ordained by Christ of this number were two Gray-Friers that were burned at London Certaine Conclusions were put vp vnto the Parliament house first when the Church of England began first to dote in temporalties according to her Mother in law the Church of Rome and Churches were appropriated Faith Hope and Charitie began to vanish away because pride with her Genealogy of mortall and deadly sinne did challenge the title of truth 2 Our priesthood that tooke originall from Rome is not that which Christ ordained to his Disciples because it is done by signes and pontificiall ceremonies and benedictions of no effect hauing no ground in Scripture neither see wee the Holy Ghost giuen by any such ceremonies it is a dolorous mockery to sée Bishops play with the Holy Ghost by giuing of crownes when they giue orders in steed of white hearts the marke of Antechrist brought in to cloâ—e their idlenes 3 The law of Chastitie inioined vnto Priests which was to the preiudice of women induceth Sodomy into the Church by reason the delicate fare of the Clergy will haue a naturall purgation or worse and the secret proofe of them is they doe delight in women the primate religions must be disanulled the originall of that sinne 4 The fained mâ—racles of the Sacrament of bread induceth almost all to Idolatry because they thinke the body which is neuer out of heauen is included in the little bread which they shew the people the Feast of Corpus Christi and the seruice thereof inuented by Thomas Aquinas fained and full of false myracles for hee would haue made a myracle of an Hens Egge these lies openly preached turne to the approbry of him that is alwaies true The Orcismes or blessings ouer the Wine Bread Water Oyle Salt Incence the Altar Stone about the Church walles ouer the Uestment Chalice Myter Crosse and Pilgrim-staues are the practices of Negromancers for by it the Creatures are honored to be of more vertue then by nature they are and we sée no change in any creature exercised except it be by false faith which is the principall point of diuellish Art if the coniuring of Holy Water were true it would bee an excellent Medicine for all kinde of sicknesses and sores the contrarie whereof dayly experience teacheth 6 One man to be a King and a Priest a Prelate and a Temporall Iudge maketh the Kingdome out of order the Temporaltie and Spiritualtie are two parts of the Church to be called Amphradite or Ambidextri are good names for such men of double States we shew this to the Parliament that it bee enacted that the Clergy should onely occupy themselues with their owne charge and not meddle with others charge 7 Prayers made for the soules of the dead is a false foundation of Almes wherin all the almes houses in England are falsely founded meritorious prayers ought to proceed of Charitie but the gift is the cause of their prayers which is Simony againe a prayer made for one in hell is vnpleasant to God and it is most like the Founders of such Almes houses for their wicked indowings are most of them passed the broad way euery prayer of effect proceedeth of Charitie and comprehendeth generally all such as God would haue saued these strong Priests are able to labour and serue the Realme let them not be retained in idlenes for it hath been proued in a Booke to the King that a hundred almes-houses are sufficient for the whole Realme 8 Pilgrimages prayers and offerings to blind Crosses or Roods and deaâ—e Images are Idoâ—atry and farre from almes though these be forbidden yet they are thought Bookes of error to the common people and the common Image of the Trinitie is especially abhominable but God commands almes to be giuen to the poore and not to Idols the seruice of the Crosse celebrated twice euery yeare is full of idolatry for if the nailes and the speare ought so profoundly to be honored then were Iudas his lips a maruellous good relike if one could get them Thou Pilgrime when thou offerest vnto the bones of Saints whether doest thou relieue their soules being in ioy 9 Auricular Confession and the fained power of Absolution setteth vp the Priest of Priests and giueth them opportunitie of other secret talkes Lords and Ladies doe witnes that for feare of their Confessors they dare not speake the truth and in time of confession is opportunity ministred to play the Bawdes and make other secret conuentions to deadly sinne they say they are Commissaries from God to Iudge and discerne all sinnes to pardon what they
body of Christ really which was Sacramentally vâ—ed in the Church Hee was caâ—yed to the place of execution and included in â— Pipe or Tunne The Prince the eldest Sonne of King Henry was present hee endeauoured to saue him pâ—rswading him from his opinions adding often threatnings which might haue daunted any mans stomacke but this valliant Champion of Christ neglâ—cting the Princes faire words â—ather determined to suffer any torments then so great Idolatry Beeing inclosed in the Pipe hee was tormentâ—d by the raging of the fâ—re and miserably roaring in the middest thereof the Prince beeing moued came to him againe commaunded the fâ—re to bee taken away comforted him and promised him life and a yearely stypâ—nd during his life if â—ee would consent to his Councell But beeing more inflamed with the Spirit of God thâ—n with any earthly desire hee continued vnmoueably in his former minde The Prince commaunded him to bee put in againe and that after hee should looke for no grace So this Lay-man persâ—uered inuincible vnto the end not without a great and cruell battell but with so much the more tryumph and victorie As soone as King Henry the fift was Crowned at the same time the Lord Cobham was cast into the Towre the Bishoppes and Prelates came to the King complaining that they and the whole Clergie were despised and their censurâ—s and Sacraments not regarded and all iending to vtter ruine and decay and all by suffering of Heretickes which holde assemblyes in secret places aâ—d corners which if it were any longer suffered would ouerthrowe the Common-wealth Whereupon the King held a Parliament at Lecester and made an act that they that held Wicliffes opinion were Heretickes and Traytors and to bee hanged and burned The Bishops beeing armed herewith exercised wonderfull crueltie against many guiltlesse men amongst which besides the Lord Cobham whose Story is deferred was Sir Roger Acton Knight Iohn Browne Gentleman and Iohn Beuerley a Preacher who were condemned by the Lawe aforesaid and crowned with the double Martyrdome of hanging and burning at Saint Gyles iâ— the Field At that time there was 36. together all of Noble and gentle bloâ—ds condemmed by the Bishops for Heretickes whom this cruell Lawe draue vnto the 〈◊〉 Also one Iohn Claydon a Currier and Richard Turmine a Baker were burned in Smithfield I passe ouer such whom Iohn Mayor in his sixth Booke reporteth to be condemned for Heretickes in the yeare 1447. amoâ—st which such as were found most constant were burned About the same time a Fryer Minor an English-man being Ambassador of Pope Benedict 13. vnto Scotland if he had not escaped by flight had beene burned for certaine herisies that were laid against him About this time was a Sermon written whether by Wickliffe or Thorpe or any other it is vncertaine it is mentioned to be in the yeare 1388. Christ likeneth the Kingdome of Heauen to a Housholder that went in the morning to hyre Worke-men into his Uineyard so did he about the third houre the sixt houre and the ninth and the eluenth and as he found men standing idle Hee said to them Why stand you beere vn-occupyed goe into my Vineyard and that which is duty I shall giue you and when the day was ended he called his Steward and bad him giue euery man a penny This Housholder is Christ head of the Church on Earth which calleth in diuers ages as in the time of Nature he called by inspiration Abell Enoch Noah Abraham and diuers others In the time of the olde Law Moses Dauid Esau Ieremy with the Prophets In the time of Grace the Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Uirgines some in youth some in middle age some in the latter dayes it is to labour in his Uineyard which is his Church as there be diuers Officers in trimming of the maternall Uine no lesse néedfull in the Church be these thrée Officers Priest-hood Knight-hood and Laborers The Priests must cut away the branches of sinne with the Sword of Gods Word the Knights must maintaine Gods Word the Teachers thereof and the Land from wrongs and Enemies the Labourers must by their sore sweat get sustenance for themselues and others if Priests want the people for want of Gods Word all will grow wilde in vices and dye ghostly and were not men to rule people Théeues and Enemies would so increase that none could liue in peace and were it not for Labourers Priests and Knights must be Artificers Plough-men and Heard-men or else die for want of sustenance as the great Clarke Auicenna saith euery vnreasonable Beast if he haue that which belongs to Nature can liue of himselfe alone But if there were but one man in the World if he had all the goods in the World yet for default he would dye or his life worse then if he were not because that which is prepared for mans sustenance must be altered or else it accordeth not with him therefore he saith it is very needfull to haue men of diuers trades and callings This should be a great cause that euery calling should loue and not hate one another and this I dare say that they which doe not diligently labour in some one necessary calling or other when the day of reckoning shall come which is the end of this life as he liued without trauell so shall hee want the reward of the Penny the endlesse ioyes of Heauen and be cast into Hell Wherefore if thou be a labouring man doe it truelie if thou be a Seruant be subiect feare to displease thy Maister for Christs sake if thou be a Marchant deceiue not thy Brother in chaffering if a King defend the poore and needy if a Iudge goe not to the right hand for fauour nor to the left for hate If thou be a Priest instruct the ignorant praise the obedient and reprooue the disobedient to God for in the end of the world you shall euery one haue a reward a good or a bad then Christ wil say to euery of these three States Come giue a reckoning of thy Bayliwicke First Priests that haue cure of Soules shall bee called and they shall answer for themselues and others The second is Temporall Lords shall answere for themselues and others The third Baily shall account but for himselfe or at least haue lesse charge then the other and euery one shall answere three questions How entrest thou How rulest thou How liuest thou To the Priest how entrest thou by Truth or Symony God or the Deuill for that thou wouldst labour in thy calling or for that thou wouldst bee richly arrayed Answere in thy conscience to thine offence now or thou shalt ere it be long answere to GOD and I aske the question why men set their Children to schoole whether for their worldly aduancement or to make them the better to know GOD and serue him They set them to the Law not to be Ministers of Iustice to defend the poore but because it is a meanes to make them great men
it is easie to know the tree by the fruit not by the blossomes often repeating in his Oration that this admonition was giuen of singular good will and great clemâ—ncie in the shutting vp of his Oration he added menasings that if he would abide in his purposed intent the Emperour would exterminate him his Empire Luther answered to this effect That the Councell of Constance had erred in condemning this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the communion of the predestinat and that we ought rather to obey God then man There is an offence of faith and an offence of charitie the slander of charity consisteth in manners and life the offence of faith and doctrine consisteth in the word of God and they commit this offence which make not Christ the corner stone And if Christs sheepe were fed with the pure pasture of the Gospell and the faith of Christ sincerely preached and if there were good Eclesiasticall Magistrates who duely executed their office wee should not néede to charge the Church with mens traditions And that hee knew and taught that wee ought to obay the higher powers how peruâ—rsly soeuer they liued so that they inforce vs not to deny the word of God Then they admonished him to submit himselfe to the Emperour and the Empires Iudgment hee answered hee was well content so that this were done with authority of the word of God and that he would not giue place except they taught sound Doctrine by the word of God and that St. Augustine writeth hee had learned to giue honor onely to the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and touching other Doctors though they excell in holinâ—sse and learning hee would not credit them vnlesse they pronouced truth and St. Paule saith proue all things follow that which is good and againe if an Angell teach otherwise let him bee accursed finally hee meekely besought them not to vrge his conscience captiued in the bands of the word of God to deny that excellent word After the Arch-bishop sent for Luther to his Chamber and tould him for the most part that at all times holy Scriptures haue ingendred errors and went about to ouerthrow this proposition that the Catholike Church is the communion of Saints presuming of cockle to make wheate and of bodily excrements to compact members Martin Luther and one Ierome Schuâ—ffe his companion reproued their follies Hee was oftentimes assayled to reforme the censure of his bookes vnto the Emperour and Empire or to the Generall Councell which he was content to doe so they would iudge them according to the word of God otherwise not aleaging the words of the Prophet trust you not in Princes nor in the children of men wherein is no health also cursed be hee that trusteth in men and when newes came hee should returne home hee sayd euen as it hath pleased God so it is come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed and sayd hee thanked the Emperour and Princes that they had giuen him gracious audience and graunted him safe conduct to come and returne and said hee desired in his heart they were reformed according to the sacred word of God and sayd hee was content to suffer any thing in himselfe for the Emperour but only the word of God he would constantly confesse vnto the latter end About a yeare after this Luther dyed when hee had liued almost thrée score and thrée yeares and had béene Doctor thrée and thirty yeares hee sayd at his death O heauenly eternall and mercifull Father thou hast manifested in mee thy deare Sonne Christ I haue taught and knowne him I loue him as my life health and redemption whom the wicked persecuted maligned and iniured drawe my soule to thée and saâ—d thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redéemed me God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely Sonne that all that beleeue in him should haue eternall life and so he dyed whose death was much lamented In the yeare 1516. the aforesaid French King receaued from Pope Leo a Iubile and pardons to be sould and so in England vnder the pretence of warre against the Turke they perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue tenne shillings should deliuer his soule from the paine of Purgatory but if it lacked any thing of tenne shillings it would profit them nothing at that time Martin Luther was in Germany who vehemently inueyed against these indulgences agaâ—nst whom Iohn Eckius put forth himselfe they disputed before the people at last eyther of their arguments were sent to Paris to bee iudged by the Sorbonists the iudgment was long protracted In the meane time Pope Leo condemned Luther for Heresie and excommunicated him he appealed to the next Councell Pope Leo commanded Luthers bookes to bee burned openly Luther also burned the Popes decrees and Decretalls in the Uniuersity of Wittenberge In the yeere 1517. the Pope hauing creaâ—ed one and thirty Cardinalls thunder and lightening so strake the Church where the Cardinalls were created that it stroke the little child Iesus out of the lappe of his mother and the keyes out of St. Peters hands being Images in the Church of Rome In the yeare 1519. newes was brought to Pope Leo at supper that the Frenchmen were driuen out of Italy hee reioycing said God hath giuen me thrée things I returned from banishment with glory to Florence I haue deserued to bee called Apostolike and thereby I haue driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy as soone as he had spoken hee was stricken with a suddaine feuer and dyed shortly after What Godly man hath there euer beene for this fiue hundred yeares either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disproued the misordered and corrupt examples of the Sea and Bishop of Rome from time to time vntill the comming of Luther yet none euer could preuaile before the comming of this man the cause to bee supposed is this other men spake but against the pompe pride whoredome and auarice of the Pope Luther went further with him charged him with his Doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote charging him with plaine Heresie as resisting against the blood of Christ for whereas the Gospell leadeth vs to bee iustified onely by the worthinesse of Christ and his bloud the Pope teacheth vs to séeke our saluation by mans merits and deseruings by workes whereupon rose all the Religious sects some professing one thing some another euery man seeking his owne righteousnes but Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darkenesse to behold that glorious benefit of the great liberty frée iustification set vp in Christ Iesus but the more glorious this benefit appeared to the world the greater persecution followed the same and where the Elect tooke most comfort of saluation the aduersaries tooke most vexation according as Christ sayd I came not to send peace but a sword therefore so great persecutions in all the world followed after Luther but in no
was Schoolemaster to one Master Welch and for translating certain religious books into English and for arguing with a certain Priest that often vsed to his Masters house and confounding diuers points of their religion by the word of God he was pursued glad to go out of the Realme into Germany and there translated the Bible into English compiled diuers other books sâ—nt them into England wherby the dore and light vnto the Scriptures was daily more and more opened which before was many years closed in darknesse from thence he went to Aâ—twarp and had his abiding there and was lodged about a yeare in the house of one Thomas Poynets an English man which kept a house of English Merchants then came thither one Henry Philips hauing a seruant waiting on him M. Tindall became acquainted with him and had great confidence in him and had him often to dinner and supper with him and got him a lodging in M. Poynets house At length Philips wâ—nt to the high Court of Bruxelles to betray M. Tindall and procured to bring from thence with him the Procurator generall with othâ—r Officers which was not done with small charges from whom soeuer it came After Philips returning would haue M. Tindall to dine with him then hee desired M. Tindall to lend him fortie shillings which he did he told Philips he could not diâ—e with him for he was bid forth to dinner and he should goe with him And going forth to dâ—nner Philips hauing appointed the officers in the way he gaue them a signe that this was he they should apprehend then they took him and brought him to the Procurator generall who sent him to the Casâ—le of Filford and the Procurator generall went to Poynets house and sent away all that was there of M. Tindals The said Poynets and certain Merchants went ouer into England and got letters from the Coâ—ncell for M. Tindals deliuery vpon the deliuery wherof to the Councel of Bruxelles M. Tindall should haue bin deliuered vnto him which when Philips vnderstood he accused Poynets â—o be an heretick and a receiuer of such caused him to be apprehended kept 13. or 14. wéeks in prison but he escaped by night and got into England but M. Tindall was condemned and the same morning as he was had to the fire he deliuered a letter to the chiefe Kéeper of the Castle which the Kéeper himselfe brought to Poynets house who compared him to be fellow to the Apostles being in prison both for his conuersation and conuerting and preaching to the peoâ—le M. Tindall hearing by certaine Merchants what wonderfull feats a Iugler did he desired thâ—m that he might be present also at supper to see him play his parts accordingly the supper was appointed and the Merchants with Tindall were there present The Iugler being desired to vttâ—r his cunning shâ—wed all that he could do but all was in vaine at last with his labour sweating and toyle he saw nothing would go forward he confessed there was some man present at supper which disâ—urbed his doings For his letters that he wrote I refer thée to the book at large if thou dispose to sée them The Lord Cromwell keeper of the Kings priuie Seale Uicegerent of all the Kings iurisdiction ecclâ—siasticall sent out certaâ—n iniuncâ—ions by the Kâ—ngs authoritâ— for the preaching thâ— word of God for the bâ—tter publishing of the kings supremaâ—â—â— against idols 〈◊〉 on pilgrimage trusâ—ing in saints and to abrogate diuers holy-daies and for reformation to be had in diuers othâ—r ecclesiastical matters In the begiâ—â—g of this year the most noble and worthy Lady Queen Anne of Bullen after she had liued Qâ—â—â—ne three â—ears was cast into the Tower together with her brother the Lord Rochford and diuers others which shortly after were executed The words of the Queene at the time of her death Good Christian people I ame come hither to die I am iudged therto by the law therefore I will not speake against it I pray God preserue the King for there was neuer a gentler Prince and to me he was euer a good soueraigne and I râ—quire euery one to iudge the best of my cause so â— take my leaue of the world and of you all desiring you to praâ—â—or me Then she kneeled down and said Into thy hands I commend my soule Iesus receiue my soule diuers times vntill her head was striken off Fiue burned in Scotland SEauen years after Patrick Hamelton aforesaid there were fiue burned in Edenborough the chief Citie in Scotland two were Dominican Friers one Priest one Cannon and one Gentleman adiudged by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes Petrus Chappeâ—anus and the Franciscan Friers whose labour is neuer wanting in such matters The murther of ROBERT PACKINGTON HEe was a rich Mercer dwelling in Cheap side and was one of the â—urgesses of the Parliament for the Citie of London and had spoken against the couetousnesse and cruelty of the Clergie wherefore he was had in contempt with them therfore one Doctor Vincent Deane of Paules hired a stranger for sixtie crownes to kill him which he did in this manner this Packington vsed by foure of the clocke euery morning to go to a Church neare Cheap-side and in a mistie morning tâ—e hyred stranger shot him and killed him with a gunne as he crossed the street This could not be knowne vntill the death of the Deane then he repented the fact at his death and confessed it to his ghostly father In this yeare the Kings Maiestie by his Uicegerent the L. Cromwell sent out againe certaine Iniunctions vnto the Spiritualty for the reformation of religion for the maintenance of reading the Bible in English and for taking downe of Images with such other like The history of Iohn Lambert alias Nicolson BEing beyond Sea by reason of the persecution here he returned hoping the time had bin amended by the means of Quéen Anne and Cromwell and the abolishing of the Pope he became a Schoolemaster and being present at a Sermon preached by Doctor Taylor one that was a Bishop in K. Edwards time and died in the Tower in Queen Maries time after the Sermon hee vttered diuers arguments to the Preachers and desired to be resolued Taylor alledged businesse and desired him to write his minde which he did The first was vpon The cup is the new Testament and if these words doe not change neither the cup nor the wine into the new Testament by like reason the words spoken of the bread should not turn it corporally into the body of Christ. The second it is not agreeable to a naturall body to be in â—wo or more places ot one time therfore Christ hauing a naturall bodie cannot be in heauen on the right hand of his father and in the Sacrament Thirdly a naturall body cannot be without his forme and conditions as he cannot be without substance iâ— the Sacrament there is no forme and condition of the body of Christ no not
beloued friends I am brought hether to suffer death albeit I neuer offended against the King in word nor deed and haue alwaies béene as faithfull as any man vnto this Realme but because I am by Law condemned to die to testifie my obedience which I owe vnto the Lawes I am come hither to suffer death Wherefore I thanke God that he hath giuen me this time of repentance who might so suddenly haue béen taken with death that I could not haue acknowledged God nor my selfe I would something put you in minde of the Christian Religion which so long as I was in authoritie I did alwaies diligently set forth and I reioice therein sith now the state of Christian Religion commeth most neere to the order of the Primatiue Church which I esteeme as a great benefit of God to me and vnto you most heartily exhorting you all that you will most thankefully imbrace it set out the same in your liuing which if you do not no doubt great calamitie will follow Upon these words there was heard a terrible noise as it had beene of some great tempest from aboue as if a great deale of Gun-powder being inclosed in an armory hauing caught fire had violently broke out or as if a great company of horsemen had been running together vpon them whereby the people were so amazed that they ranne away sâ—me into Ditches and Puddles and some into the houses others with their Halberts fell vnto the ground Crying out Iesus saue vs Iesus saue vs and those which tarried in their places knew not where they were It happened heere euen as when the officers of the High Priests came to take Christ They runne back and fell to the ground in so great slaughter of Dukes within this few yeares there were neuer so many weeping eyes at one time and the people seeing Sir Anthony Browne ride to the Scaffold they coniectured that the King had sent his Unkle pardon therefore with great reioycing they cast vp their caps and cryed out pardon pardon is come God saue the king Thus the good Duke although he was destitute of mans help yet hee saw before his departure in what great loue and fauour he was with all men Then said the Duke dearely beloued friends there is no such matter as you vainely beleeue Therefore I pray you be contented with my death which I most willingly suffer let vs ioine in prayer for the King vnto whom I haue alwaies shewed my selfe a faithfull Subiect and haue béen most diligent to seeke the commoditie of the whole Realme at which words all the people cryed out and said it was most true And praying for the King and Councell and exhorting the people to obedience forgiuing all his enemies and desiring forgiuenes of them which heâ— had offended and praying them to beare witnes he died in the faith of Christ. Then he knéeled downe and prayed and rising againe without any trouble of minde he tooke them all on the Scaffold by the hand and bid them all farewell when he lay vpon the block he called thrice on the name of Iesus saying Lord Iesus saue me And as the name of Iesu was repeating the third time in a moment he was bereft both of head and life The Lady MARY THe King his Councell had much trauell by Letters and messengers to reduce the Lady Mary to obedient conâ—ormitie of Religion yet she would not be reclaimed from her owne singuler opinion fixed vpon custome to giue any indifferent hearing vnto the word and voice of verity the which set will of the said Lady Mary the yong King and also his Father King Henry right well perceiuing they were both much displeased against her insomuch that not only her brother did sequester her in his Will but also her owne father considering her inclination did conceiue such a hate against her that for a great space he did seclude her from the title of Princesse yea and seemed so greatly incensed against her that he was fully purposed to haue procéeded further with her as it is reported had not the intercession of Thomas Cranmer the Archbishop reconciled the King againe to fauour and pardon his owne daughter And about the eighth of September 1552. Doctor Ridley Bishop of London went to visit the Lady Mary and was gently entertained of Sir Thomas Wharton and other her officers About eleuen of the clocke the Lady Mary came forth of her chamber of presence then the Bishop saluted her Grace and said he was come to doe his dutie vnto her Grace she thanked him and for a quarter of an houre talked with him pleasantly and said she knew him when he was Chaplain to her father and remembred a Sermon that he made before her father at the Lady Clintons marriage and so dismissed him to dine with her officers After dinner the Bishop being called resorted againe vnto her Grace then said the Bishop Madam I come not only to doe my duety to sée your Grace but also to offer my selfe to preach before you on Sonday next if it please you to heare me she said I pray make the answere your selfe for you know the answere well enough but if I must make answere this shall be your answere The doore of the Church shall be open for you if you come but neither I nor none of mine shall heare you The Bishop said Madam I trust you will not refuse GODS word She answered I cannot tell what you call GODS word that is not GODS word now that was GODS word in my fathers dayes The Bishop said GODS word is one in all times but it hath beene better vnderstood and practised in some ages then in others She said you durst not for your eares haue auouched that for GODS word in my fathers dayes that now you doe as for your new books I thanke GOD for it I neuer read none of them nor neuer will doe After many bitter words against the forme of Religion then established and against the gouernment of the Realme and the lawes made in the young yeares of her brother which she said she was not bound to obey vntill her brother came to perfect age and then affirmed she would obey them Then she asked him whether he were one of the Priuie Councell he answered no you might well enough quoth she as the Councell goeth now-a-dayes so she concluded that she thanked him for his gentlenesse to come and see her but for your offering to preach before me I thank you neuer a whit Then was the Bishop brought by Sir Thomas Wharton vnto the place where he dined who desired him to drinke after he had drunke he looked very sadly and brake out in these words Surely I haue done amisse in that I haue drunke in that place where GODS word hath beene offered and refused whereas indeed if I had beene mindfull of my duety I ought not to haue stayed but to haue departed immediatly and to haue shaken off the dust of my feete for a
Lord he renounced the false coloured Religion of the Romish Sea wherein many a good man hath beene drowned he was burned at Northampton Thrée in the Castle of Cicester being in like bonds for the like cause of Christs Gospell died in Prison and were buried in the fields who had béene burned if the cruell handling of Papists had not made them away before John Clarke Dunstone Chittenden vncondemned William Foster of Stone Allice Potkins of Staplehurst Iohn Archer of Cranbroke VVeauer THe first of Nouember these fiue were macerate and pined to death by famine in the Castle of Canterbury they answered all to this effect that they beleeue the Articles of the Creed but they beleeue no more Sacraments but two that praiers to Saints or soules in purgatory profit not that faith only iustifieth they denied the Popish ceremonies in the Church that it was as good to carry a Dungfork as Candles on Candlemas day and that it is as necessary to carry the Gallowes about if ones father were hanged as to cary the Crosse that they could not come to Church with a safe conscience There was fifteene of them in prison and it seemeth the Bishops and Priests had appointed to starue them al had not a Certificate of the manner of their cruell handling bin throwne out of the Castle window wherby their doings were made manifest so the other ten were burned as after appeareth In the Months of September Nouember and December there was a great persecution in Couentry and Lichfield the cruell Bishop Radulph Bane and his cruell Chancellor Doctor Draycot and nine Priests and a number of others were compelled to recant and one Hoke was burned at Chester as thou mayst see in the Booke at large THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF the Acts of the Church TOuching the processe and whole discourse concerning the condemning taking vp and burning the bones and bookes of Bucer Paulus Phagius by the commaundement of Cardinall Poole with all the rites and ceremonies therunto appertaining with all the ridiculous procéeding of the Commissioners whilst they were at Cambridge and also the Oration of M. Acworth Orator of the Uniuersitie at the restitution of Martine Bucer and Paulus Phagius in Quéene Elizabeths time and also the dispitefull handling and madnesse of the Papists towards Peter Martires Wife at Oxford taking her vp from her grauâ— at the commandement of Cardinall Poole and after buried in a Dunghil Concerning the processe of these things I refer thee if thou béest disposed to sée them to the booke at large The 18. of Ianuary the ten that remained of the aforesaid fiftéene that were in prison in the Castle of Canterbury whereof fiue of them were starued the â—ther ten were burned for the same points of Religion in effect as the other fiue held as before is expressed the names of these ten follow Iohn Philpot of Tenderden William Waterer of Bedingdy Stephen Kempe of Norgate William Hay of Hith Thomas Hudson of Sellenge Mathew Bradbridge of Tenderden Thomas Stephens of Bedingham Nicholas Finall of Tenderden VVilliam Lowicke of Cranbroke VVilliam Prowting of Thorneham The 8. of February a most bloody Commission was giuen forth by King Philip and Quéene Marie to prosecute the poore members of Christ. Whereupon twenty two were apprehended in Essex and brought vp to London at once to Bonner all of them tyed to a rope by two and two and so lead in a rope through the stréetes to Bonner Now the Bishops and Councell perceiuing the number and fearing to put them to death being so many together least I some disturbance might rise vpon the same they bad them make their submission and confession as they would themselues that they might make a colour of recantation wherupon they were discharged for their names I referre thée to the Booke at large Thomas Loseby Henry Ramsey Tho Thyrtell Margaret Hyde Agnes Stanley THe twelfth of Aprill these were burned at one fire in Smithfield Bonner framed now Articles vnto them and confessing these points of his Articles they were condemned 1 For speaking against the Faith Religion and Ecclesiasticall seruice especially concerning the Masse and the seauen Sacraments saying they agréed not wâ—th Gods word 2 For being perswaded that the English seruice in King Edwards time was godly and Catholike 3 That they did not thinke themselues bound to come to Church to heare the Mattins Masse and Euening song 4. That they did not thinke themselues bound to go a Procession nor to beare Tapers and Candles at Candlemas nor take Ashes vpon Ashwednesday nor beare Palmes vpon Palme-sunday nor to créepe to the Crosse vpon daies accustomed not to receiue and kisse the Paxe at Masse time not to receiue holy water or holy bread nor to except or allow the Ceremonies and vsages of the Church as they are vsed in this Realme 5 For thinking they were not bound to confesse their sinnes vnto a Priest nor to receiue absolution at his hand nor to receiue the Sacrament of the Altar 6 For thinking prayers to Saints or prayers for the dead are not lawdable profitable not allowed by Gods Word and that the soules departed goe straight waies to Heauen or Hell so that there is no Purgatory 7 For thinking all those that were burned in King Henry the eights time and in Quéene Maries time as Heretickes were no Heretickes but faithfull and good people and for approuing their opinions and misâ—iking their condemnations 8 For thinking the Sacrament of the Altar to bee an Idoll and to reserue it to be honoured to be Idolatry and likewise of the Masse and â—lâ—uation of the Sacrament After this they were conuented againe before the Bishop in the Conâ—â—story where these being asked what they had to say against iudgement Thomas Losâ—by said God giue me strength to stand against you and your 〈◊〉 your Lawâ—s a deâ—ouring Law I perceiue there is no way with me but death except I will beléeue in that Idoll the Masse Thomas Thirtle said If you make me an Heretick then you make Christ and al the twelue Apostles Hereticks for I am in the true faith and I will stand to it for I know I shall haue eternall life Râ—msey said my opinion is the very truth which I will not goe from There are two Churches and we the Martyrs of Christ are the true Church and yee be not Margaret Hide affirmed shee was in that true Faith and would neuer forsake it Agnes Stanly said if euery haire of her head were neuer so much worth I had rather they were reburned then I will for sake my true faith Then they were put off vntill the afternoone then as Loseby his answere was reading mention being made of the Sacrament Boner put off his Cap and Loseby put on his hat and he said I trust I haue the Spirit of truth which you detest for the wisedome of God is foolishnesse vnto you whereupon they had iudgement Margaret Hide saide My Lord I will not depart from my sayings till I be
sicke and died and one Maister Simonds the Commissary commanded straightly that she should not be burâ—ed in any Christian buriall Wherevpon her friends were faine to bury her vnder a mote side Mother Benet THis old woman likewise was persecuted from Whetherset by the aforesaid Mendlesam because she would not goe vnto the Masse and other beggerly ceremonies and returning home secretly vnto her house shee dyed most ioifully but Sir Iohn Tyrill and the said Maister Simonds Commissionary would not let her be buried in the Church-yard but her graue was made by the high-way side Her husband would say vnto her that if shee had been sparing they might haue been worth a hundred markes more then they were She would answere O man be content I cannot barrell my Butter and keepe my Cheese in the Chamber to waite a great price and let the poore want and so displease God but let vs be rich in good workes so shall we please God and haue all good things giuen vs. William Harris Richard Day and Christian George THe twenty sixe day of May these were burned at Colchester in Essex when they were brought vnto the stake and had ioyfully and feruently made their prayers the fire was set vnto them in the midst of the fire they triumphantly praised God The same Christian Eagles Husband had another Wise named Anne which likewise suffered for the truth with the aforesaid thirteene at Stratâ—ord the Bow after he married another Wife and they both were laid in prison for the truth where they remained vntill the death of Queene Marie and were deliuered by Queene Elizabeth Henry Pond Reynald Estland Robert Southam Mathew Richarby Iohn Floyd Iohn Holiday Roger Holand THe twenty seauen of Iune these with others to the number of forty Men and Women were assembled together in a field by Islington at Prayer and meditating vpon the word of God at length the Constable of Islington with sixe or seauen others came vnto them and bad them deliuer their Bookes and bad them stand and not depart then they were carried vnto Sir Roger Cholmeley by the way all sauing two and twenty escaped which were sent to Newgate where word was sent to them by Alexander the Kéeper that if they would heare Masse they should all bee deliuered seauen of them escaped though not without much trouble and two to wit Mathew Withers and Thomas Tyler died the rest were burned as before They answered that they were not at Church since Lattine seruice was deuised becauâ—e it was against the Word of GOD and that Idolatry was committed in créeping to the Crosse and because the Churches were furnished with Idols and because they beléeued the Sacrament of the Altar to be an Idoll and because the Customes Rites and Ceremonies of the Church then vsed are not agréeable vnto Gods word They said that they beléeued that no Priest had power to remit siâ—s and that those that knéele vnto the Sacrament and worship it commit Idolatry Reynald Estland refused to be sworne to answer alleadging that to end a strife an oath is lawfull but to begin a strife an oath is not lawfull thus they standing vnto their answeres and refusing to acknowledge the Doctrine of the Romish Church they were all together condemned The aforesaid Roger Holand was a Merchant Taylor of London he was sometime Prentice vnto one Maister Kempton at the Blacke Boy in Watling-stréete In his prentiship hee was a Papist and very licentious and hauing plaid away thirty pounds of his Maisters Money he purposed to haue conueyed himselfe beyond Sea but a religious Maid in the house vnderstanding his minde lent him thirty pounds to saue his credit and made him premise her to refuse all leud and wilde company and all swearing and â—ibaâ—ory talke and to leaue Papistry and to resort euery day vnto the Lecture of Alhollowes and to the Sermon of Paules euery Sunday and to cast away all his Papistry Bookes and to pray to God for remission of sinnes and grace to feare and breake his lawes and then shall God kéepe thée and send thée they harts desire Halfe a yeare after God wrote such a changing in this man that he was become an earnest professor of the truth and detested all Papistry and euill company then he repayred vnto Lancashire vnto his Father and brought diuers good Bookes with him and bestowed them vpon his friends so that his father and others began to â—ast the Gospell and to detest the Masse Idolatry and superstition and his father giuing him a stocke of Money he maried the aforesaid Maid called Elizabeth and hauing a childe by her in the first yeare of Quéen Mary he caused Maister Rose to baptise his Child in his house and being â—one into the Country to conuey away the Child that the Papists should not haue it in their annointing hands hee was bewrayed and Bonner caused his goods to be seased vpon and vsed his wife most cruelly after this he remained closely in the Citty vntill he was taken as before When hee came before Bonner who was acquainted with his friends and for his friends sake and his he perswaded him what he could to Papistry and a Kinsman of his standing by said I thanke your good Lordship your Honor meaneth good vnto my Cozen I pray God he haue grace to follow your councell Holand Sir you craue of God you cannot tell what I beseech God to open your eyeâ— to sée the light of his word Then the Bishop and others perswaded him to submit himselfe vnto my Lord before he were entred into the Booke of contempt Holand I neuer meant but to submit my selfe vnto the Magistrate as I learne of Saint Paul in the 13. to the Romaines Chedsey I sée you are not an Anabaptist Holand The Papists and the Anabaptists agrée in this point not to submit themselues vnto any other Prince or Magistrate then those that must first bee sworne to maintaine them and their doings Bonner I perceiue you will not be rul'd by any good councell for any thing that either I or your friends or any other can say Holand I may say vnto you my Lord as Saint Paul said vnto Foelix and to the Iewes It is not vnknowne vnto my Maister vnto whom I was Prentise that I was of your blind Religion vntill the latter end of King Edwaâ—ds raigne hauing that liberty vnder your auriculer confession that I made no conscience to sinne but trusted in the Priests absolution and hee for money did some pennance for me which after I had giuen I cared no more what offence I had done no more the Priest cared after he had got my money whether hee fasted with Bread and Water for me or no so I accounted Letchery swearing and other vices no offtence of danger as long as I could for my Money haue them absolued I so frailty obseruedâ—y our Rules of Religion that I would haue Ashes vppon Ashwednesday though I had vsed neuer so much wickednesse at night and
Placentia was accused vnto the Pope that he had a wife