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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45326	The life & death of that renowned John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state, in the reign of King Henry the 8th, with divers morall, historicall and political animadversions upon Cardinall Wolsey, Sir Thomas Moor, Martin Luther : with a full relation of Qu. Katharines divorce / carefully selected from severall ancient records by Tho. Baily ...	Hall, Richard, 1535 or 6-1604.; Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. Testamentum.; Bayly, Thomas, d. 1657?	1655 (1655)	Wing H424; ESTC R230	97,933	254

stair-case whereby we climb unto pre●erment But so small a B●shoprick a competent height whereby he might so over● look the plaines that were under him that in the end with too large a prospect he did not lose his owne eyes Thus being mounted in the Kings favour there will not be wanting those who will be ready to say concerning such a one thus shall it be done to the Man ●●om the King honnour 's and accordingly the University of Ca●bridge considering with themselves what bene●it they had received already at his hand and what future benefit they might receive with a greatefull and prudent minde and forecast unanimously chose and ordained him their high Chancellour a Magistracy that hath no les●e authority and jurisdiction thereunto belonging than of an Arch Bishop in causes Spirituall and of a high Judge in causes that are Temporall Hitherto we have traced him to his Bishoprick and high dignity of Chancellorship of the most renowned University of Cambridge how he behaved himselfe in both these places we shall leave the mentioning of those particulars to the post fu●era of this History as most proper for them onely it shall suffice for the present that his whole life seemed to the world to be no otherwise than as if he had used the Church as if it had been his Cloister and his Study as his Cell Governing his Family with such Temperance Chastity and Devotion as if his Palace for continency had been a Mo●nastery and for Learning an University In the yeare of our Redemption 1509. it happened that the most wise and fortunate King Hen. 7. departed this life upon the twentieth day of May being upon a Sunday whereupon he had the opportunity to performe two acceptable and good Offices and both of them deeds of Charity whereby he gained unto himselfe great applause and commendation the one in comforting the sorrowfull Mother of the King his Mistresse who seemed to be overwhelmed with griefe who received great contentment in his consolations The other in edifying the people by his Sermon which he preached at the Funerall solemnity of the Kings buriall exhorting them to the imitation of those noble and virtuous actions which they saw to have raigned more over his Passions than himselfe had exercised authority over his Subjects powring into every ●are an antidote against the feare of Death and a preservative unto eternall Life About the yeare 15●7 at the time when this worthy Bishop of Rochester had governed his See 12 yeares Luther began in Germany to set up his new found Doctrine then as himselfe reports unknown to the world But the Divine Providence who never suffered an Athanasius a Lyberius or an Hillary to be wanting where there was an Aris risen up to rend and teare the undesiled spouse of Christ his Church in pieces nor a Damasus Gregorius Basilius or a Nazianzen where there was a Macedonius Nor a C●lestin or a Cyrill where there was a Nestorius nor a Leo where there was an En●yches Nor an Irenaus where there was a Valentine nor a Tertullian where there was a Martian nor an Origen where there was a Celsus nor a Cyprian where there was a Novatus nor a Ierome where there were Helvidians Iovinians Vigilantians and Luciferians nor an Austin where there was a Donatus or a Pellagius did not suffer such a Leviathan to roule about and beat the sides of that Ship into which Christ entred out of which he taught and of which S. Peter was the onely Master but that there should be still a Fisher to oppose and wound the Monster with such harping irons as that this Kingdome never was much troubled with his Doctrines whiles this good Bishop lived nor ever could have had its entrance till the others Exit brought it in For Hearing how that severall of Luther's Bookes and Writings were brought over by Merchants whose profession though it deserves to be ranked among the best of Educations yet like Solomons Merchants they sometimes bring home together with their Gold from Ophir Apes and Peacocks Feathers and dispersed among the people too apt to entertaine any new fashion of their Soules as well as of their Bodies and how the people swallowed downe the novelty that was so taudred with pretences like unto some Generall who hearing of the approach and march of an enemy hasts to his army with no lesse a cause of vigilancy did so great a Champion of the Chu●ch hasten to so great a charge the University of which he was their Chancelour that he might take an account in what condition the main body of all Learning stood whereby ability might be drawn up in the saf●st posture to defend the Faith But No sooner was he come amongst them but he might perceive t●res to be already sprung in so faire a Seminary where so much good seed was sown For About the same time it fell out that Pope Leo the I0 had granted forth a generall and free pardon commonly called indulgences according to the ancient custome and tradition of the Catholique Church to all Christian people that were contrite through 〈◊〉 the Provinces of Christendome which is no otherwise than an application by that Ministry of the superabundant merits of our blessed Saviour who shed so many when the least one drop of his most precious blood was able to have redeemed a thousand worlds to the soul●s of true Believers This Luther formerly having written against and the Bishop and Chancelour of the University being carefull the Students there as well as others standing in need of such a remedy might be partakers of the heavenly bounty and causing certain copies of those Pardons to be set up in sundry places of the University one where of was fixed upon the School● gate A man without a name came secretly in the night time and wrote over the Pardon which was there fixed these word Beatus vir cu●us est nomen Domi●i spes ●jus non resp●xit va●itates insantas fals●s istas thinking the word istas which he had added would have brought the Pope and all his Clergy within the premunire of the Statute of Gods Word for setting up that Pardon whilest he forgot the severall pun●shments which are threatned by the same Word to all those who shall adde or diminish to the book of Life In the morning the schoole doores being opened and the Schollers resorting thither according to their wonted manner and beholding this strange spectacle there needed no Shiboleth to distinguish C●tholiques were much offended at so great an abuse of holy Scripture others approved the fact and thought it a fine thing as they were severally addicted The Chancellour having notice hereof was struck with horrour at the no lesse boldnesse than wickednesse of the fact whereupon he endeavoured to finde out the party by the knowledge of his hand but that in vaine then he call'd a Convocation where he declared unto them for what cause they were conven'd layes before them the foulenesse of

himselfe wholly to sensuality 6. Laies his whole trust in the C●rdinall Wolsey's character 7. His solicitation for the Bishoprick of Toledo afterwards for the Papacy is r●fused both ABout this time it was that Luther an● wered the Kings Book wherein he used such scur●ilou● railing against the King as is not to be m●ntioned far beneath the appro●ement of a sanctified spirit and the dignity of a sacred person Whereupon This Bishop in vindication of the Kings honour and defence of the truth w●it an Apologie whereby he rebuked the Authors vilany and abuse of a P●ince of so great dignity the title of which Book was A defence of the King of England 's assertion of the Catholique Faith against Martin Luther's Book of the Captivity of Babylon which Book he dedicated to his deare friend and old acqu●intance Dr. West Bishop of Ely Shortly afterwards he writ another book intituled A defence of the holy order of Priesthood against Martin Luther Upon the Quinquagesima Sunday which was in the yeare of our redemption 1525. this holy and most learned Bishop preached a most excellent Sermon at S. Paul's Crosse where Cardinall Wolsey Legate a latere with eleven Bishops great resort of the Nobility and G●ntry were present which was performed with such fe●veney of faith zeal● to the Catholique Church and force of arguments grounded upon Scripture that one Robert Barnes an Augustin Friar and five more infected with Lutheranism were thereby converted and abjured their Errors and for their Penance stood openly at St. Paul's Crosse. Upon the Octaves of the Ascension he preached also another most admirable Sermon in the presence of the Cardinall and all the Bishops c. wherein he shewed himself a most stout and zealous Champion and Defender of his Faith ta●ing no l●sse the severall curers of soules with n●glig●nce than the people with levity About this time ●rose out of Lather's Schoole one O●colampadius like a mighty and fierce Giant who as his Master had gone beyond the Church went beyond his Master or else it had been impossible he could have been reputed the better Scholler who denied the reall preseuce him this worthy Champion sets upon and with five bookes like so many smooth stones taken out of the River that doth always run with living water slays the Philistine which five books were written in the year of our Lord 1526. at which time he had governed the See of Rochester twenty years which books of his nor any other of his books that he ever writ were ever answered About this time it was that the King left off the Kingly Occupation as they called it wherein he had governed this Realme with great wisdome and moderation whereby he became as all wise Kings doe aim at beloved at home and feared abroad and addicted himself wholy to sensuall pleasure and delight leaving the Ministry of his state wholy to the disposition of the Cardinall who was a man though but meanly and obs●urely borne yet of an excellent wit voluble speech quicknesse of memory haugh●inesse of courage well bred sufficiently learned and one that knew how to behave himself among persons of the greatest rank and quality and that in businesses of greatest weight and importance who besides that he was Arch bishop of York and Bishop of Winchester at the same time and Abbot of S. Alb●ns and had the B●shopricks of Bath Woroester and Hereford in Farm at small rents the Incumbents being Strangers and continually living in their owne countries whereby he might dispose of all presentations and promotions of those Bishopricks as freely as if they had been his own and was Legat● à latere whereby he might convocate the Clergy at his pleasure besides what he received from Italy by reason of his dignity of Cardinall he was also Lord Chancelour of England whereby in a manner he formerly ruled all under the King also in matters temporall and to g●ve him his due he so beh●ved himselfe in Government that he won from all wise men great praise for his indifferency to all sorts of people whether they were rich or poore onely his fault was that he governed himself the worst of all for all this was not sufficient except he was more and more was nothing except he was most of all For The Arch-bishoprick of Toledo in Spaine being void he made meanes unto the Emperour Charles the fifth and to that purpose procured the Kings Letters whereby that great dignity might be conferred upon him but the Emperour noting his ambition would in no wise condescend thereto That failing it happened that Pope Leo the tenth died whereby the Papacy became void then he bestirred himself exceedingly together with all his friends and besides his own Master the King of England he made means unto the King of France who upon certain grounds moving him thereto took great paines in his behalfe but all was disappointed by the Emperor who had so wrought with the Conclave of Cardinalls that they elected Cardinall Hadrian one who formerly had been Tutor to the Emperour for their Pope a man of singular and rare Vertue and Learning CHAP. VI. 1. The Revenge which the Cardinall took again●● the Empero●● for withstanding his ambition● 2. The Scruple which he put into the Kings head concerning Queen Katherine This Scruple the ruine of the Clergie 3 The King is fallen in love with Anne Bullein 4. Her Character 5. The King resolved to go thorough-stitch with the Div●rce 6. The Kings dealing with Fisher in that behalfe Fisher's answer to the King THis lay boyling in the Cardinals stomach so hot that he never rested till he had set variance between the King his Master and the Emperour which he performed by causing the King to enter into a strict league and amity with the King of Fr●nce whereby the Emperours occasions were much hindred and to aff●ont him the more together with the feare of a blind Prophesie which was told him viz. that a woman should be the confusion of him and fearing it might be the Queen Katherine in regard she was Aunt unto the Emperour whom he thus purposed to ma●gne he began to set the straw on fire that was under her bed by putting a new Scruple into the Kings head of marrying his Brothers Wife wherefore taking his opportunity when he saw the King best disposed he fell into discourse with him of the great unhappinesse that was befalne the nation and how great a pity it was he had not issue M●l● to succeed him in the Crown of England whereat the King began to stare upon him but answered him not a word while the Cardinall proceeds to tell him that there might be a way found out how with Gods blessing he might have plenty whereat the King began to thrust his thumbs under his girdle and to cry Hob man hoh lawfully begotten Cardinall lawfully begotten Yet lawfully begotten replied the Card. I speak no more than what I am able to make good and justly whereupon he

to have used any indirect or sorcible meanes if such kinde of loyalty had been consistent with their Religion to have impugn●d that alteration in Religion then evidently foreseen to ensue how the Catholique B●shops although she was a Princesse of a contrary Religion were so farre from holding their crosirers over that they set the Crown upon her head insomuch that they are commended by Holinsheaa for peaceable and quiet B●shops and the Catholique and temporall Lord there by him recorded to be so farre from opposing themselves against her interest as that they are there said to offer her Majestie in her defence to impugne and resist any forraigne force though it should come from the Pope himself insomuch that they also are there commended by Holinshead himself for Loyalty and Obedience and had seen how the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury himselfe and Chancellour of England a Catholique B●shop how instead of inveighing against her or casting forth Libells against her Authority as Archbishop Cranmer did against Queen Mary her entrance into the Government he made a publique oration in her behalfe to perswade the people to Obedience and acknowledge of her Highnesse just Power and Authority insomuch that the said Archbishops faithfulness was left to the commendation of a Protestant Bishop adverse to him in his Religion how all the Catholique Lords and Catholique Bishops repaired with all speed to London to proclaime her Queene who not long after turned them all out of their severall Offices and Bishopricks And On the contrary how when Qu. Mary was to be invested in her right Protestants would not receive her as their Queen but upon Conditions nor assist her without Indentures nor acknowledge her but upon such and such termes how Warre was waged against her by the Duke of Northumberland a Protestant Duke bills spread abroad and severall treacherous practises contrived against her her Right and Dignity by Archbishop Cranmer a Protestant Archbishop for which he was afterwards arraigned and condemned of high Treason what great commotions and insurrections were made against her by Wiat upon the score of Religion how Townes and Castles were taken and held out against her by Stafford how daggers were thrown at and gunnes shot off at the Priests of her Religion whiles they were preaching at Paul's Cross insomuch that it is notorioslny evident that there were more open Rebellions during the five years of her short government than during the four and forty yeares of her late Majesties after-reigne and yet these and such like men as these are accounted Martyrs whiles we onely suffered Martyrdome Had this good Bishop I say lived to have seen and to have observed all these particulars how much more able would he have been to have answered Master Rich his Objection from his Majesty concerning the inconsistency of the Pope of Rome's spirituall with his temporall Supremacy but now both the Fish and the F●sher himself is caught within the Net that was laid for him for Mr. Rich was no sooner departed from him but immediately after the King commanded a Commission to be drawn and given to Mr. Audely his Lord Chancellour and certaine other persons commissionated under his great Seale to enquire and determine Treasons which Commission was dated the first day of Iune in the 27. yeare of the Kings reigne against which time the Kings learned Councell among the rest had drawn up an Indictment of high Treason against the Bishop of Rochester and three Monks of the Charter-house of London whose names were William Exmew Humphrey Midlemore and Schastian Nudigate This Indictment was not long in finding for on St. Barnaby's day the Apostl● being the 11. of Iune it was presented to the Commissioners sitting in the Kings Bench at Westminster whereupon the Carthusians were shortly after arraigned and condemned and having sentence of high Treason pronounced upon them they were all three put to death at Tyburne the 19. day of Iune next following all in their Religious habits But this good Bishop of Rochester now Cardinall if it be lawfull to call him so chanced at that time to be very sick insomuch that he had likely to have saved the Commissioners and divers others a great deale of paines which afterwards they bestowed upon him and it is conceived would willingly have spared wherefore the King sent unto him his owne Physitians to administer unto him to his great charges as I have it in my Record to the value of fifty pounds onely that he might be e●served for fu●ther ●riall In the mean time lest any conveyance might be made of his good remaining at Roch●●ter or elsewhere in Kent the King sent one Sir Richard Morison of his Privy chamber and one Gostwick together with divers other Commissioners down into that Countrey to make seisure of all his moveable goods that they could finde there who being come unto Rochester according to their Commission entred his house and the first thing which they did they turned out all his Servants then they fell to rifling his goods whereof the chief part of them were taken for the Kings use the rest they took for themselves then they came into his Library which they found so replenished and with such kind of Books as it was thought the like was not to be found againe in the possession of any one private man in Christendom with which they ●russed up and filled 32. great fats or pipes besides those that were imbezel'd away spoyl'd and scatter'd and whereas many yeares before he had made a deed of gift of all these books and other his housholdstuffe to the Colledge of St. Iohne in Cambridge as in the beginning of this History it was mentioned two frauds were committed in this tr●spasse the Colledge were bereaved of their gif● and the Bishop of his purpose yet both found out a way through gratitude to a reception for the Colledge accepted the good will for the deed and the Almighty received the giver for his good-will and whereas a summe of money of 3001. was given by a Predecessor of the Bishop to remaine as a D●positum for ever to the said See of Rochester in the custody of the Bishop for the time being against any occasion that might happen to the Bishoprick to which this good B●shop had added one hundred pounds out of his own purse with this inscription upon a labell which hung out at the bags mouth Tu quoque fac simile and notwithstanding that there was there written in an old character upon the inside of the Chest Let no man offer to lay hands on this for it is the Churches Treasure yet they swept it all away And I cannot omit as a Scaene of mirth in this sad Tragedie to relate unto you one merry passage which hapned in this quaerendum There was a wooden coffer strongly girded about with hoops of iron and double l●cked which stood in his Oratory where commonly no man came but himself for

nor any man else shall have occasion to m●st●ke of my words With which answer the Lieutenant departed from him and so the Prisoner falling againe to rest sl●p● soundly two houres and more And after h● was waked he called to his man to help him up but first of all he commanded him to take away the shirt of haire which accustomably he wore on his back and to convey it privlly out of the house and instead thereof to lay him forth a clean white sh●●● and all the best apa●rel he had as cleanly brushed as may be and as he was in arraying 〈…〉 Abou● nine of the Clock the Lieutenant came againe to his prisoner and finding him almost 〈◊〉 said that he was come now for him I will wait upon you straight said he as fast as this thin body of mine will give me leave Then said he to his man reach me my 〈◊〉 ●ppet to put about my neck O my Lord said the Lieutenant what need you be so careful for your health for this little t●me being as your self knoweth not much above an houre I think no otherwise said this bless●d Father but yet in the mean time I will keep my selfe as well as I can till the very time of my execution for I tell you truth though I have I thank our Lord a very good desire and a w●lling minde to die at this present an● so trust of his infinite mercy and goodnesse he will continue it yet will I not willingly hinder my health in the mean●t me one minute of an houre but still prolong the same as long as I can by such reasonable waies and meanes as Almighty God hath provid●d f●r me With that taking a little book in his hand which was a N. Test. lying by h●m he made a Crosse on his forehead and went out of 〈…〉 doore with the 〈◊〉 being to weak that he was scarce able to go downe staires wherefore at the 〈◊〉 foo● he was taken up in a chaire between two of the 〈…〉 and carried to the Tower gate with a great number of weapons about him to be delivered to the Sher●ffs of London for execution And as they were come to the uttermost pr●cinct of the liberty of the Tower they rested there with him a space till such time as one was sent before to know in what readinesse the Sheriffs were to receive him during which space he rose out of his chaire and standing on his feet leaded his shoulder to the wall and lifting his eyes towards 〈◊〉 opened his little book in his hand and said O Lord this is the last time that ●ver I shall open this book let some comfortable place now chance unto me whereby I thy poore servant may glorisie thee in this my last house and with that looking into the book the first thing that came to his sight were these words Haec est ●utem vita aeterna ut cognoscant 〈◊〉 solum verum Deum quem 〈◊〉 Iesum Christum Ego te glorificavi sup●r terram opi●us consummavi quod dedists mihi ut faciam Et nunc clarific●tu me 〈◊〉 apud 〈◊〉 〈…〉 c. and with that he shut the book together and said Here is even learning enough for me to my lives end And so the S●eriff being ready for him he was taken up again among certain of the Sheriffs men with a new and much greater company of weapons than was before and carried to the Scaffold on the Tower-hill otherwise called East-●smith●●●lt himselfe praying all the way and recording upon the words which he before had read and when he was come to the foot of the Scaffold they that carried him offered to help him up the staires But then said he nay Masters seeing I am come so farre lee me alone and ye shall see me shift for my self well enough and so went up the staires without any help so lively that it was mervail● to them th●● knew before of his debility and weaknesse but as he was mounting up the staires the South-east Sun shined very bright in his face whereupon he said to himselfe these words lifting up his hands Accedite ad eum illuminamini facies vestrae non consundentur By that time he was upon the Scaffold it was about ten of the clock where the Executioner being ready to doe his office kneeled downe to him as the fashion is and asked him forgivenesse I forgive thee said he with all my heart and I trust thou shalt see me overcome thi● storme lustily Then was his Gown and Tippet taken from him and he stood in his Doublet and Hose in sight of all the people whereof was no small number assembled to see this Execution there was to be seen a long lean and slender body having on it little other substance b●sides skin and bones insomuch as most part of the beholders mervailed much to see a living man so farre consumed for he seemed a very Image of Death and as it were Death in a mans shape using a mans voice and therefore it was thought the King was something cruell to put such a man to death being so neere his end and to kill that which was dying already except it were for pity sake to rid him of his pain When the innocent and holy Man was come upon the Scaffold he spake to the people in effect as followeth Christian people I am come hither to die for the faith of Christs holy Catholique Church and I thank God hitherto my stomack hath served me very well thereunto so that yet I have not feared death wherefore I desire you all to help and assist with your prayers that at the very point and instant of deaths stroke I may in that very moment stand stedfast without fainting in any one point of the Cathol Faith●free from any fear And I beseech Almighty God of his infinite goodnesse to save the King and this Realme and that it may please him to bold his hand over it and s●nd the King good Councel These or the like words he spake with such a cheerefull countenance such a stou● and constant courage and such a reverend gravity that he appeared to all men not onely void of Feare but also glad of Death B●sides this he uttered his words so distinctly and with so loud and cleare a voice that the people were astonished thereat and noted it for a miraculous thing to heare so plain and audible a voice come from so weak and sickly an old body for the youngest man in that presence being in good and perfect health could not have spoken to be better heard and perceived than he was Then after these few words by him uttered he kneeled down on both his knees and said certain Prayers among which one was the Hymn of Te Deum Laudamus to the end and the Psalm In te Domine Speravi Then came the Executioner and bound a handkercheif about his eyes and so this holy Father lifting up his hands and heart towards heaven