they haue power ouer the other 2 Where any place of Scripture being in controuersie is to be decided they say No man may expound y e scripture or be iudged thereof but onely the Pope 3 When any Councell is brought against them they say that no man hath authoritie to call a Councell but onely the Pope Moreouer in the foresayd book diuers other matters he handleth and discourseth The booke of Luther to the Nobilitie with the matter therto conteyned That y e Pope can stop no free Councell Also what things ought to be handled in CouÌ„cels That the pryde of the pope is not to be suffered What money goeth out of Germany yearly to the pope mounting to the summe of 3000000. Florences The true meaning of this verse he expoundeth Tu supplex ora tu protege tuque labora Wherein the three estates with their offices and dueties are described to wyt the minister the magistrate the subiectes Furthermore in the sayd booke he prooueth and discusseth that the Emperour is not vnder the Pope but contrariwise that the donation of Constantine is not true but forged that priestes may haue wiues that y e voyces of the people ought not to be seperate from the election of ecclesiasticall persons that interdicting and suspending of matrimony at certayne times is brought in of auarice what is the right vse of excommunicatioÌ„ that there ought to be fewer holy daies that liberty ought not to be restrained in meates that wilfull pouerty and begging ought to be abolished what damage and inconuenience haue growen by the Councell of Constance and what misfortunes Sigismund the Emperour susteined for not keeping faith and promise with Iohn Hus and Hierom that hereticks should be conuinced not by fire and fagot but by euidence of Scripture and Gods word how schooles and vniuersities ought to be reformed what is to be sayd and iudged of the popes Decretals that y e first teaching of children ought to begin with the Gospell Item he writeth in the same booke agaynst excessiue apparell among the Germaines Also against their excesse in spyces c. In this yeare moreouer followed not long after Charles the Emperour crowned the coronation of the new Emperour Carolus quintus whiche was in the month of Octob. at Aquisgraue After whiche coronation being solemnised about the month of nouemb Pope Leo sent againe to Duke Fridericke two Cardinals hys Legates of whom the one was Hieronymus Aleander who after a few wordes of high coÌ„mendation first premised to the Duke touching his noble progenie and other his famous vertues they made two requestes vnto him in the Popes name First that he would cause all bookes of Luther to be burned Secondly that he woulde eyther see the said Luther there to be executed or els would make him sure and send him vp to Rome vnto the popes presence These two requestes seemed very strange vnto y e duke who answering again to the Cardinals said that he being long absent from thence Duke Friderickes answere to the Popes Legateâ— for Luther about other publique affayres could not tell what there was done neither did hee communicate with the doinges of Luther Notwithstandyng this he heard y e â—â—kius was a great perturber not only of Luther but of other diuers learned and good men of hys vniuersitie As for himselfe he was alwayes ready to doe his duety first in sending Luther to Châ—â—etanus the Cardinall at the cittie of Auguste and afterward at y e Popes commaundement would haue sent him away out of hys dominion had not Meltituis the popes owne Chamberlayne geuen contrary shewed 〈◊〉 him still in hys owne country fearing least y t in other countryes he might do more harme where he was lesse knowne and so nowe also was as ready to doe his duety where soeuer ryght 〈◊〉 did so require But for so much a◠〈◊〉 this cause he seeth muche hatred and violence 〈…〉 the one part and no errour yee conuicted on the other 〈◊〉 but that it had rather the approbation of diuers weâ— learned found men of iudgement and for so much as also the cause of Luther was not yet heard before the Emperour therefore he desired the sayd Legâ—tes to be a meane to the Popes holines that certaine learned persons of grauitie and vpright iudgement might be assigned to haue the hearing and determination of this matter that his errrour first might be known before he were made an heretique or his books burned Which being done when he should see his errour by manifest and sound testimonies of scriptures reâ—â—â—ced Luther should find no fauour at hys handes Otherwise he trusted that y e popes holines would exact no such thyng of him which he might not with equitie and honour of his place and estate reasonably performe c. Then the cardinals declaring to the duke agayn that they could no otherwise do but accordyng to the forme of theyr prescript commission The Popes Legates burne the bookes of Luther they must proceede tooke the books of Luther and shortly after set fire vpon them and openly burnt them Luther hearing this in like manner called all the multitude of studentes and learned men in Wittenberge and there taking the popes decrees and the Bull lately sent downe agaynst him Luther burneth the Popes decrees and Bulles at WitteÌ„berg openly and solemnly accompanied with a great number of people followyng him set them likewise on fire and burnt them which was the tenth of December A little before these thinges thus passed betweene the Pope and M. Luther the Emperour had commaunded ordayned a sitting or assemble of the states of al y e Empyre to be holden at the City of Wormes agaynst the sixt day of Ianuary next ensuing In the whiche assemble through y e meanes of Duke Fredericke the Emperor gaue forth that he woulde haue the cause of Luther there brought before him and so it was For at what tyme the assemble was commenced in the city of Wormes the daye and moneth aforesayd which was the 6. of Ianuary afterward vpon y e sixt day of marche following the Emperour through the instigation of Duke Fredericke The Emperours letter with his safe coÌ„duict sent to M. Luther directed hys letters vnto Luther signifying that for so muche as he had set abrod certayne bookes he therfore by the aduise of his pieres princes about him had ordayned to haue y e cause brought befor him in hys owne hearing and therefore he graunted hym licence to come and returne home agayne And that he might safely and quietly so doe and be therof assured he promised vnto him by publicke fayth and credite in the name of the whole Empyre his Pasport and safeconduite as by the instrument whiche he sent vnto hym he might more fully be ascertayned Wherefore without all doubte or distrust he willed him eftsoones to make hys repayre vnto him and to be there present the 21. day after the receit thereof
colourably or expresly priuily or apertly either in their houses or in other publike or priuate places to read hold preach print publishe or defend eyther by themselues or by others but straight wayes after the publishing hereof they doe burne or cause to be burned the sayd errors by their Ordinaries diligeÌ„tly beyng searched out and solemnely presented in the sight of the whole Clergy of the people vnder all and singular the penalties aforesayd Now as touching the sayd Martin O good lord what haue we left * * Let vs see here what ye haue not done Fyrst Luther gently submitted himseâ—fe but you reiected him He then referred him to the iudgement of 4. Vniuersiâ—ies in Germâ—nye it would not be taken he then appealed froÌ„ the Cardinal to the Pope the Pope refused himâ— then he appealed from the Pope to the Councell neyther did the pope admit that he required to be conuinced by the Scriptures the Pope neyther would nor could so do And yet the Pope sayeth he left nothing vndone vndone what haue we left vnattempted what fatherly charitie haue we not shewed whereby to haue reduced him from these errours For after that wee did cite hym thinking to proceed with him more fauourably we inuited and exhorted him as well by diuers tractations had with our Legate as by our owne letters that he would relinquish the foresayd errors or els hauing safe conduct offred to him with money necessary for his iourney to come to vs without any feare or dread which perfect charitie ought to cast out and so after the example of our sauiour and his Apostle S. Paule he would speake not in corners and in secret but openly to our face Which if he had done of truth we thinke no lesse but that reformyng himselfe he would haue recognised his errors neyther should haue found so many faults in y e court of Rome which he beyng seduced with the rumours of malitious people more theÌ„ he ought doth so much reprehend Where we would haue taught him to see more clearely then the light day that the holy fathers of Rome our predecessors whome he without all modestie most iniuriously doth rayle vpon did neuer erre in their Canons and constitutions which he so much depraueth For as saith the prophet Neither is there Rosine or Phisition lacking in Galaao But he hath alwayes shewed himselfe disobedient and refused at our Citation to appeare and yet to this present day continuing still in hys stubburne mynd and heart indurate hath remayned now more then a yeare vnder our curse yea moreouer adding mischiefe to mischief which is worst of all he hearing of this our Citation burst out into a presumptuous appellation from vs vnto the next generall Councell Ierem. 8. against the constitution both of Pope Pius the second and Pope Iulius the second our predecessours which so decreed that all they which so did appeale Here note good reader that Luther appealed froÌ„ the pope to the Councell two yeares before this Bull which was an 1518. should be punished as heretikes In vayne also he seeketh refuge to the generall Councell which professeth himselfe not greatly to regard such couÌ„cels So that now we might lawfully proceed against hym as against one notoriously suspected of his fayth yea a very heretike in deed without any further citation or delay to the condemnation of him as of an heretike and to the seueritie of all and singuler paynes and censures afore written Yet we notwithstandyng by the counsell of our brethren aforesayd following the clemencie of almighty God which wyll not the death of a sinner but rather that hee should conuert and lyue and forgetting all iniuries heretofore done vnto vs and to the See apostolike haue thoght good to vse all fauourable meanes toward hym that wee might and so to worke as much as in vs lyeth that he by this way of mansuetude might be brought to reformation so that he forsaking hys former errours might be receiued as the lost chyld and returne home againe into the lap of his mother the Church Wherfore in most harty wise we exhort and beseech the said Martin and all his adherents receiuers and fautors by the bowels of the mercy of our God The Popes exhortation to Luther and by the sprinklyng of the bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ in whome and by whom is made the redemption of mankind and the edification of holy mother church that they will cease to disturbe the peace vnitie and veritie of the said Church for the which our sauior so instantly prayed to his father and that they will absteine from such pernicious errors aforesaid Who in so doyng shall find with vs if they shal obey or shall certifie vs by lawfull witnesses to haue obeied effectually herein the affection of fatherly charitie and a ful fountayne opened of all mercy and clemencie willing and charging the said Martine notwithstanding from henceforth that he vtterly desist in the meane time from all preachyng and office of preaching Or els if the loue of Iustice and vertue shall not restraine the said Martin from sinne neither the hope of our pardon shall reduce hym to repentaunce to the intent that the terror of punishment and of discipline may bridle him we require and admonish y e said Martin and his adherents abbettors fautors and receyuers by the tenor hereof in the veritie of holy obedience vnder incurring all the penalties aforesaid districtly charging and commaunding that within fourty days whereof twenty we assign for the first twenty for the second and the other twenty for the third peremptory terme immediately following after the settyng vp of these present letters The Pope threatneth M. Luther with punishment that the sayd Martin his abettors fautors adhereÌ„ts and receiuers aforesayd do surcease from the foresayd errors and from the preching publishing mainteining and defending of the same also from settyng out of booke or scriptures vpon the said errors or any of them furthermore that they burne or cause to be burned all and singular such bookes and scriptures as containe the foresaid errors or any of them by any maner of way Also that the said Martin doe vtterly reuoke those errors and assertions and so to certifie vs of the reuokyng thereof by publike testimonie in due forme of lawe signed by the handes of two prelates to be sent vnto vs within the terme of other like xl daies or els to be brought by him vnto vs if he himselfe will come which would please vs much rather with a full safeconduct aboue mentioned which from henceforth we are content to offer vnto hym to the entent that no scruple of doubt touching hys true obedience The Popes safe conduct to Luther offered should hereafter remayne Contrarywise if the said Martin which God defend his abettors fautors adherents and mainteiners aforesaid shal otherwise do or shal not fulfill to euery effect and purpose all and singuler the premisses within the terme
misery ye make in all regions N ow your fraudes be almost at their latter cast O f God sore to be reuenged at the last ¶ P oore people to oppresse ye haue no shame Q uaking for feare of your double tyranny R ightfull iustice ye haue put out of frame S eeking the lust of your God the belly T herefore I dare you boldly certifie V ery little though ye be thereof a gast Y et God will be reuenged at the last By these and such like sayinges whiche may be collected innumerable it may soone be seen what harts iudgements the people had in those dayes of the Romish Clergy Which thing no doubt was of God as a secret prophecie that shortly religion shoulde be restored according as it came to passe about thys present tyme whē Doct. Martin Luther first began to write Laurentius Valla. Picus Mirādula Erasmus Roterodamus M. Luther The article of our free iustification beateth downe all errours after that Picus Mirandula and Laurentius Ualla last of all Erasmus Roterodamus had somewhat broken the way before hadd shaken the monkes houses But Luther gaue the stroke pluckt downe the foundation all by opening one vayne long hid before wherein lyeth the touchstone of all trueth doctrine as the onely principall origine of our saluation which is our free iustifying by faith onely in christ y e sonne of God The laborious trauailes and the whole processe the constant preachings of this worthy mā because they be sufficiētly declared in the history of Iohannes Sleidanus I shall the lesse neede to stand long thereupon but onely to runne ouer some principall matter of his life actes as they are briefly collected by Phillip Melanthon ¶ The history of D. Martine Luther with his lyfe and doctrine described MArtine Luther after he was growne in yeares The history of M. Luther with his life doctrine described being borne at Isleben in Saxonie an 1483. was set to the Uniuersity first of Magdeburg thē of Erford In this Uniuersitie of Erforde there was a certayne aged man in the Couēt of the Agustines who is thought to be Weselus aboue mentioned wyth whom Luther beyng then of the same order a fryer Augustine had conference vppon diuers thinges especially touching the Article of remission of sinnes the whiche Article the sayd aged father opened vnto Luther after this sorte declaring that wee must not generally beleue onely forgeunes of sinnes to be or to belong to Peter to Paule to Dauid or suche good men alone but that Gods expresse commaundements is that euery man should beleue particularly hys sinnes to be forgeuen him in Christ and further sayd that thys interpretation was confirmed by the testimonies of S. Barnerd and shewed him the place An excellent declaration of S. Bernard touching fayth in the Sermon of the Annunciation where it is thus set forth But adde thou that thou beleuest this that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee This is the testimony that the holy Ghost giueth thee in thy heart saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For this is the opinion of the Apostle that man is freely iustified by fayth By these wordes Luther was not onely strengthened but was also instructed of the full meaning of S. Paule who repeateth so many tymes this sentence We are iustified by fayth And hauing read the expositions of many vppon this place he then perceiued as well by the purpose of the old man as by the comfort he receiued in his spirit the vanitie of those interpretations which he had read before of the scholemen And so reading by litle and litle with cōferring the sayinges and examples of the Prophetes Apostles and continuall inuocation of God and excitatiō of fayth by force of prayer hee perceiued y e doctrine more euidently Then began he to read Saint Augustines bookes where he founde many comfortable sentēces among other in the exposition of the Psalmes and specially in the booke of the Spirite and Letter The profite of S. Augustines bookes which confirmed this doctrine of fayth and consolation in hys hart not a little And yet he layd not aside the Sentenciaries as Gabriell and Cameracensis Also he read the bookes of Occam whose subtilty he preferred aboue Thomas Aquine Scotus He read also and reuolued Gersō but aboue al the rest he perused all ouer S. Augustines workes with attentiue cogitation And thus continued he his study at Erford y e space of 4. yeares in the Couent of the Augustines About this tyme one Staupicius a famous mā The institution of the Vniuersitie at Wittenberge Staupitius who ministring his helpe to further the erection of an Uniuersitie in Wittenberg and endeuouring to haue schooles of Diuinitie founded in this new Uniuersitie when he had cōsidered the spirite towardnes of Luther he called him from Erford to place him in Wittenberg in y e yeare .1508 and of his age xxvi There his towardnes appeared in y e ordinary exercise both of hys disputations in the schooles preaching in churches where as manye wise and learned mē attentiuely heard Luther namely D. Mellerstad This Mellerstad would oftentimes say that Luther was of suche a marueilous spirit and so ingenious The iudgement of Doct. Mellerstad vpon M. Luther that he gaue apparant signifcation that he would introduce a more compendious easie and familier maner of teaching and altar and abolishe the order that then was vsed There first he expounded the Logick and Philosophy of Aristotle in the meane while Luther sent to Rome intermitted no whit his study in Theolagy Three yeares after he went to Rome about certayn contentions of the Monkes and returning the same yeare he was a graded Doctour Fridericke Duke of Saxonie Luther commensed doctour at the expenses of Elector Fredericke Duke of Saxonie according to the solemn maner of scholes for he had heard him preach well vnderstanded the quickenes of his spirite dilligently considered the vehemency of hys wordes and had in singular admiration those profound matters whiche in hys Sermons he ripely and exactly explaned This degree Stanpicius against his will enforced vpon him saying merely vnto him that God had many thinges to bring to passe in hys Church by him And though these wordes were spoken merely yet it came so to passe anone after as many predictions or presages proue true before a chaunge Doct. M. Luther beginneth to read the Epistle to the Romains After this he began to expound the Epistle to the Romayns consequently the Psalmes where he shewed the difference betwixt the lawe and the Gospell He also confounded the errour that raigned then in schooles and Sermons teaching that men may merite remission of sinnes by their proper works and that they be iust before God by outward discipline as the Phariseis taught Luther dilligently reduced the mindes of men to the sonne of God As Iohn Baptist demonstrated the lambe of God that
and because he shoulde not misdoubt anye fraude or iniurye herein he assured to him his warrant and promyse M. Luther accursed at Rome of the Pope M. Luther being thus prouided for his safeconduict by the Emperour after he had bene first accursed at Rome vpon Maundy Thursday by the popes censure shortly after Easter speedeth hys iourny toward the Emperour at Wormes Where the sayde Luther appearing before the Emperour and all the states of Germany how constantly he stoocke to the truth and defended hymselfe and aunswered his aduersaryes and what aduersaryes hee had here followeth in ful history with the actes and doings as there happened according as in our former edition partly was before described ¶ The actes and doynges of Martin Luther before the Emperour at the Citty of Wormes IN the yeare of our saluation .1521 about seuentene dayes after Easter Anno. 1521. Martin Luther entered into Wormes being sent for by the Emperour Charles the 5. of y e name c. who the first yeare of hys Empyre made an assemble of princes in the foresayd Cittie And whereas M. Luther had published three yeares before certayne propositions to be disputed in the towne of Wittenberge in Saxonie against the tyranny of the pope which notwithstanding were torne in peeces condemned and burned by y e papistes and yet by no manifest Scriptures nor probable reason conuinced the matter began to grow to a tumult vprore yet Luther mayntayned all this while openly his cause against y e clergy Luther is sent for to Wormes Wherupon it seemed good to certain y t Luther shoulde be called assigning vnto hym an Heraulde of armes with a letter of safe conduict by the Emperour and Princes Being sent for he came and was brought to the Knightes of the Rhodes place where he was lodged well entertayned and visited of many Erles Barons knightes of the order Gentlemen Priestes and the comminaltie who frequented his lodging til night To conclude he came contrary to the expectatioÌ„ of many as wel aduersaries as other For albeit he was seÌ„t for by the Emperours messenger and had letters of safeconduct yet for that a few dayes before his accesse his bookes were coÌ„demned by publique proclamations it was much doubted of by many y t he would not come and the rather for that his frendes deliberated together in a village nye hand called Oppenhime where Luther was first aduertised of these occurrentes many perswaded him not to aduenture him selfe to suche a present danger considering howe these begynninges answered not to the fayth of promise made Who wheÌ„ he had heard their whole perswasioÌ„ aduise he answered in this wise As touchyng mee Constancy in Luther since I am sent for I am resolued certainly determined to enter Wormes in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe yea although I knew there were so many deuils to resist me as there are tyles to couer the houses in Wormes The fourth daye after his repayre a Gentleman named Ulricke of Pappenhim Lieutenaunt generall of the men at armes of the empire was commanded by the emperour before dynner to repayre to Luther and inioyne hym at foure of the clocke in the after noone to appeare before the Emperial maiestie the Princes Electors Dukes and other estates of the Empire to vnderstande the cause of his sendyng for Wherunto he willingly agreed as hys duetie was And after iiij a clocke Ulricke Pappenhim and Casper Sturm the Emperors Heraulde who conducted M. Luther from Wittenberge to Wormes came for Luther and accompanied him through the garden of the knightes of the Rhodes place to the Earle Palatines pallace and least the people should molest him that throÌ„ged in he was led by secrete stayres to the place where he was appointed to haue audience Yet manye who perceyued the pretence violently rushed in and were resisted albeit in vaint many ascended the galleries because they desired to behold Luther Luther is brought before the Emperour Thus standing before the Emperour the Electours Dukes Earles and all the estates of the Empire assembled there he was first aduertised by Ulricke of Pappenhim to keepe silence vntil such time as he was required to speake Then Iohn Eckius aboue mentioned Iohn Eckius propoundeth against M. Luther who then was the Bishop of Triers general officiall with a loude and intelligible voyce first in Latine then in Dutche according to the Emperours commaundement saide proponed this sentence in maner as ensueth or like in effect Martyn Luther the sacred and inuincible Emperiall maiestie hath enioyntd by the consent of all the estates of the holye Empyre that thou shouldest be appealed before the throne of his maiestie to the ende I might demaunde of thee these twoo poyntes First whether thou confessest these bookes here for hee shewed a heape of Luthers bookes written in the Latine and Dutch tongues and which are in all places dispersed intituled with thy name be thine and thou doest affirme them to be thine or not Secondly whether thou wylt recant and reuoke them and al that is contayned in them or rather meanest to stand to that thou hast written Then before Luther prepared to aunswere Mayster Ierome Scurffus a Lawyer of Wittenberge Hierome Schâ—â—â—ie required that the tytles of the bookes should be read Forthwith the foresaid Eckius named certayne of the bookes and those principally whiche were imprinted at Basill among the whiche he nominated his Comentaries vpon the Psaltar his booke of good works his Commentary vpon y e Lords prayer and diuers other which were not contentions M. Luthers aunswere After this Luther answered thus in Latine in dutch Two things are proponed vnto me by the Emperial maiestie First whether I will auouche for mine all those books y t beare my name Secondly whether I will maintayne or reuoke any thing that hytherto I haue deuised published Whereunto I wil answere as breifly as I can In the first I can do none other then recognise those bookes to be mine Luther refuseth to reuoke his bookes which lastly were named certaynely I will neuer recant any clause therof In the second to declare whether I will wholy defend or call backe any thing coÌ„prised in them forasmuch as there be questioÌ„s of faith y e saluation of the soule this concerneth y e word of God which is the greatest most excellent matter that can be in heauen or earth the which we ought duely euermore to reuereÌ„ce this might be accouÌ„ted in me a rashnes of iudgemeÌ„t euen a most dangerous atteÌ„pt Iâ— I wold pronouÌ„ce any thing before I wer better aduised coÌ„sidering I might recite something lesse then the matter importeth and more then the truth requireth if I did not premeditate y e whiche I would speake The which two thinges well considered doth set before mine eyes this sentence of our Lord Iesus Christ wherin it is said Whosoeuer shall deny me before meÌ„ I
Renaudine de Francuile Certayne suffered at Tournay Michell Robilert of Aras Nicaise de le Tombe at Tournay Roger du Mont. ¶ To the Catologue of French Martyrs aboue rehearsed the story of Merindoll and Cabriers Touching the storye of Merindoll Vid. infr wyth the lamentable handling of them were also to be annexed But because the tractation thereof is prolixe and cannot well be contracted into a shorte discourse therefore we haue deferred the same to a more conuenient roome after the Table here following next of the Spanishe and Italian Martyrs Where better oportunitie shal be geuen to prosecute more at full that Tragicall persecution the Lord so permittyng ¶ A Table of such Martyrs as for the cause of Religion suffered in Spayne The Spanishe Martyrs Spanishe marchantes in Antwerp The Fryers of Antwerpe Franciscus San Romanus At Burges in Spayne AN. 1540. Thys Frances was sent by certayne Spanishe Marchantes of Antwerpe Fraunces San Romane martir to Breme to take vp money due to be payde of certayne Marchantes there Where hee being at a Sermon hearing M. Iacobus priour sometimes of the Austen friers of Antwerp preache was so touched drawne thorough the maruelous woorking of Gods spirite at the hearyng thereof albeit hauing no perfect vnderstanding of the Dutche tongue that not onely hee vnderstoode all that there was sayde but also comming to the preacher The cōuersion of San Romane accompanying him home all his other worldly busines set apart there recited the whole contentes of hys Sermon euery thing as they sayd which heard the sayd minister of Breme preach in perfect forme and order as he had preached After this little taste and happy beginning he proceeded further searching and conferring with learned men that in shorte space hee was growne in great towardnes ripe knowledge in y e word of lyfe The Minister marueling at the sodayn mutation of the man and also seeyng the vehemency of hys zeale ioyned withall began to exhort hym howe to temper hymselfe with circumspection and discretion still more and more instructyng hym in the worde and knowledge of the Gospell whiche he so gredely dyd receaue as one that coulde neuer be satisfied so remayned hee with the minister 3. dayes together committyng hys worldly busines and message that he was sent for vnto hys fellowe which came wyth hym Thus being inflamed with an other desire he ceased to seeke for temporall trifles seking rather for such french or dutch bookes which he could get to read and agayne read y e same so diligently that partly by the reading therof partly by M. Iacobus and also by M. Machabeus which was there the same time he was able in short time to iudge in the chiefe Articles of our religion In so much that he took vpō him to write letters vnto his coūtrymen the Marchaunts of Antwerpe in y t whiche letters first he gaue thanks to God for y e knowledge of his holy word Fraunces writeth to the Marchauntes of Antwerpe which he had receiued Secondly he bewayled the great cruelty grosse blindnes of his countrymen desiring God to open theyr eyes and eares to see vnderstand the word of their saluation Thirdly he promised shortly to come to thē at Antwerp to confer with them touching the grace of God which he had receiued Fourthly declareth to them his purpose in going also to Spaine intēding there likewise to impart to his parentes and other frēds at Burges the wholesom Doctrine which the Lord hath bestowed vpon him Beside this he addressed other letters also to charles the Emperor Frances writeth to the Emperour opening to him the calamities and miserable state of Christes Church desiring hym to tender the quietnes thereof especially that he would reforme the miserable corruption of the Churche of Spaine c. Ouer and besides al this he wrote there a Catechisme diuers other treatises in the spanish toung And all this he did in one monethes space In the meane time the Spanish Marchaunts of Antwerpe vnderstanding by his letters both hys chaunge of religiō also his purpose of comming to Antwerpe sent him letters agayne pretending outwardly a fayre countenaunce of much good will but secretly practising his destruction For at the day appointed of his cōming certaine Friers were set ready to receiue him Frances betrayed by Spanyshe Marchantes which tooke him comming downe from his horse rifled his books had him into a marchaūts house neare hād where they examined hym with whom he agayne disputed mightely and when they found him not agreing to theyr fayth they boūd him hand and foote crying out vpon him and calling him Lutherane burnt his bookes before hys face threatning to burne himselfe also At this disputatiō within the house diuers Spaniardes were present which made the Friers more bold Being demaūded to shew The fayth and confession of San Romane of what fayth and religiō he was my fayth sayd he is to cōfesse and preach Christ Iesus onely and him crucified which is the true fayth of the vniuersall Church of Christ through the whole world But this fayth and doctrine you haue corrupted taking an other abhominable kinde of life and by your impiety haue brought the most part of the world into blindnes most miserable and to explane his fayth to thē more expressely he recited al the Articles of the Creed Which done thē the Friers asked whether he beleued the Bishop of Rome to be Christes Uicar and head of the Churche hauing all the treasures of the Church in his owne power being able to binde and loose The Pope Antichrist also to make new articles abolish the olde at his owne will arbitrement Hereunto Fraunces aūswered agayne that he beleued none of al this but contrary did affirme that the Pope was Antichrist borne of the deuill being the enemy of Iesus Christ transferring to himselfe Gods honor which more ouer being incited by the deuill turned all things vp side downe corrupted the sinceritye of Christes religion partly by his false pretences beguiling partly by his extreme cruelty destroying the poore flocke of Christ. The Popes crowne and the Fryers bellies are not to be touched c. With the like boldnes he vttred his mind likewise agaynst the Masse Purgatory The Fryers could suffer him meanely well to speake till hee came to the pope began to speak against his dignity theyr profite then could they abide no lōger but thundred agaynst him woordes full of cruelty terror As they were burning of his bookes and began also to cast the new testament into the fire Fraunces seyng that began to thūder out against them again The Spaniardes thē supposing him not to be in his right senses conueied him into a Tower 6. miles distant from Antwarpe Frances brought into prison where he was deteined in a deep caue or dungeon with much misery the space of 8. monethes In which time of his imprisonment
hym Being in prison at Uenice he wrote an Epistle to the afflicted Saintes whiche for the notable sweetnes most wonderfull consolation conteined in the same in shewing forth the mighty operatiō of gods holy power working in hys afflicted Sayntes that suffer for hys sake I haue thought good and expedient to communicate as a principall monument amōgst al other Martyrs letters not onely with y e other letters which shal be inserted hereafter y e Lord willing in the end of the booke but also in this present place to be read to y e entent that both they which be or shal be hereafter in affliction may take consolation also and also that they whiche yet followe the trade of this present world in comparing the ioyes cōmodities therof with these ioyes here expressed may learne and consider with themselues what difference there is betwene them both and therby may learne to dispose themselues in such sort as maye be to theyr edification and perpetuall felicitie of theyr soules The copy of the letter first written in Latine we haue translated into English the tenour wherof here vnder ensueth ¶ A comfortable letter of Pomponius Algerius an Italian Martyr ¶ To his most dearly beloued brethren and fellow seruauntes in Christ which are departed out of Babylon into Mount Sion Crace peace and health from GOD our Father by Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour TO mitigate your sorrowe whiche you take for me I cannot but impart vnto you some portion of my delectations and ioyes which I feele and finde to the intent you with me may reioyce and sing before the Lord geuing thanks vnto him I shal vtter that which no man will beleue when I shall declare it I haue found a nest of hony and hony combe in the entrals of a Lyon Who will euer beleue that I shall say or what man wil euer think in the deepe darcke doungeon to finde a Paradise of pleasure in the place of sorrow and death to dwell in tranquillitie and hope of lyfe in a caue infernall to be found ioy of soule and where other men doe weepe there to be reioysing where other do shake and tremble theyr strength and boldnesse to be plenty Who will euer thinke or who will beleue thys in suche a woefull state suche delectation in a place so desolate such societye of good men in straite bandes and cold yrons such rest to be had Al these thinges the sweete hand of the Lorde my sweet brethren doth minister vnto me Behold he that was once farre from me now is present with me Whome once scarse I could feele now I see more apparantly whome once I saw a farre of now I beholde neare at hand whome once I hungered for the same nowe approcheth and reacheth his hand vnto me He doth comfort mee and heapeth me vp with gladnes he driueth away all bitternes hee ministreth strength and courage he healeth me refresheth aduanceth and comforteth me O how good is the Lord whiche suffereth not his seruauntes to be tempted aboue theyr strength O how easie and sweete is his yoke Is there any like vnto the hyest who receaueth the afflicted healeth the wounded and nourisheth them Is there any like vnto hym Learne ye welbeloued howe amiable the Lord is how meeke and mercifull he is whiche visiteth his seruauntes in tentations neither disdayneth he to keepe company with vs in such vile and stincking caues Will the blynd and incredulous worlde thinke you beleeue this or rather will it not say thus No thou wilt neuer be able to abide long the burning heate the cold snow and the pinching hardnes of that place the manifold miseries and other greuaunces innumerable the rebukes and frowning faces of men howe wilt thou suffer Doest thou not consider and reuolue in thy minde thy pleasaunt Country the riches of the world thy kinsfolke the dellicate pleasures and honours of this lyfe Doest thou forget the sollace of thy sciences and fruite of all thy laboures Wilt thou thus loose all thy labours which thou hast hitherto susteined so many nightes watched thy paynfull trauailes and all thy laudable enterprises wherin thou hast ben exercised continually euen from thy childhood Finally fearest thou not death which hangeth ouer thee and that for no crime committed O what a foole art thou which for one word speaking mayest salue all this and wilt not What a rude vnmanerly thing is this not to be intreated at the instant petitions and desires of suche so many and so mighty so iust so vertuous so prudent and gratious Senatoures and suche noble personages c. But now to aunswere let this blinde world harken to this againe What heate can there be more burning then that fire whiche is prepared for thee hereafter And likewise what snowe can be more colde then thy hart whiche is in darckenes and hath no light What thyng is more hard and sharpe or crooked then thys present lyfe which heare we leade What thing more odious and hatefull then this world here present And let these wordly men here aunswere me what country can we haue more sweete then the heauenly countrey aboue what treasures more riche or precious then euerlasting lyfe And who be our kinsmen but they which heare the word of God where be greater riches or dignities more honorable then in heauen And as touching the sciences let this foolish world consider be they not ordayned to learn to know God whom vnles we do know all our laboures oure night watchinges our studyes and all our enterprises serue to no vse or purpose all is but labour lost Furthermore let the miserable worldly man answere me what remedy or safe refuge cā there be vnto him if he lacke God who is the life and medicine of all men And howe can he be sayd to flye from death when he hymselfe is already dead in sinne If Christ be the way veritie and lyfe how can there be any lyfe then without Christ The sooly heate of the prison to me is coldnes the colde winter to me is a freshe spring time in the Lorde He that feareth not to be burned in the fire how will he feare the heate of weather or what careth hee for the pinching frost which burneth with the loue of the Lord the place is sharpe and tedious to them that be giltye but to the innocent and giltles it is mellifluous Here droppeth the delectable dewe here floweth the pleasaunt Nectar here runneth the sweete milke here is plenty of al good thinges And although the place it selfe be deserte and barren yet to mee it seemeth a large walke and a valley of pleasure here to me is the better and more noble part of the world Let the miserable worldling say and confesse if there be anye plot pastor or medowe so delightfull to the mind of man as here Here I see kinges princes Citties and people here I see warres where some be ouerthrown some be victors some thrust downe some lifted vp Here
ambassadors in Spaine there was again set at liberty When as the ambassador coÌ„plained hereof to y e Cardinal he laid al the fault vpon Clarentius laying also that Clarentius had defied y e Emperor w tout the kings knowledge at the request of the Herald of FraÌ„ce wherfore at his returne The Cardinâ—â— set Clarentius 〈◊〉 the Emperour and afterward would 〈…〉 death he should lose his head at Callis Wherof Clarentius being aduertised by the captaine of Bayon in hys returne tooke shipping at Bullen so priuely came into England and by meanes of certaine of his frends of y e kings priuy chamber hee was brought vnto the kings presence before the Cardinal knewe of it where as he shewed vnto y e king the Cardinals letters of Commission and declared the whole order and circumstance of theyr gentle intreaty When the king heard the whole circumstance thereof and had a while mused thereupon he sayde O Lord Iesus he that I trusted most told me all these things contrary Well Clarentius I wil no more be so light of credeÌ„ce hereafter for now I â—ee wel that I haue bene made beleue the thing that was neuer done and from that time forwarde y e king neuer put any more confidence or trust in the Cardinall The cause why the Cardinal should beare the Emperor all this malice grudge after some wryters it appeareth to be thus At what time as Pope Clement was takeÌ„ prisoner as is before sayd the Cardinal wrote vnto the Emperor that he shuld make him Pope But when he had receiued an answere that pleased him not he waxed furious madde The Cardiâ—â—â—s pâ—oâ—de 〈…〉 against the Emperour and sought al meanes to displease the Emperour wryting very sharpely vnto him many manacing letters that if he would not make him Pope he would make such a ruffling betwene christian Princes as was not this 100. yeares before to make the Emperor repent yea though it should cost the whole Realme of England Wherunto the Emperor made answer in a little booke Imprinted both in Spanish and Dutch answering vnto many manacings of the Cardinal and diuers of his Articles but specially to that his ruffling threate wherein he manaced him that if he wold not make him Pope he wold set such a ruffling betwixte Christian Princes as was not this 100. yeare though it should cost the whole Realme of England Wherunto the Emperor answering again biddeth him looke wel about him The Empeâ—ouâ—â— aunswere vnto the Cardinalls threates lest through his doings and attempts he might bring the matter in that case y t it shuld cost him the Realme of England in deede You haue heard before howe that when Pope Clement was prisoner in the Emperors army the Cardinal required the king because he did beare the title of defendor of the faith y t he would rescue the Pope also what the kings answere was thereunto and what summes of money he had obtained of the king Nowe because you shall not also be ignorant by what meanes and vppon what occasion this title of the defender of the faith was geuen vnto the King The title of defâ—â—dour of the faith we thinke it good somewhat to say in this place When as Martin Luther had vttered the abhomination of the Pope and his clergy diuers bookes were come into England our Cardinal here thinking to finde a remedy for that sent immediately vnto Rome for this title of defendour of the faith which afterward the vicare of CroydeÌ„ preached that the kings grace would not lose it for al London 20. mile about it Neither is it maruel for it cost more then London 40. mile about it considering the great summes whyche you haue heard the Cardinal obtained of the King for the Popes relief beside the effusion of much innocent bloud When thys gloryous title was come from Rome the Cardinall brought it vnto the kings grace at Grenewich and though that the king had it already and had read it yet against the morning were all the Lords and Gentlemen that could in so shorte space be gathered sent for to come receaue it with honour In the morning the cardinall gate him through the backe side into the Frier obseruants and parte of the Gentlemen went round about and welcomed him from Rome parte met him halfe way and some at the Court gate The king himselfe mette hym in the hall and brought him vp into a great chamber The glorious â—â—nitye 〈◊〉 the Cardinal laughâ—â— to 〈◊〉 whereas was a seat prepared on high for the king and the Cardinall to sit on whiles the Bull was read Which pompe all men of wisedome and vnderstanding laughed to scorne Thys done the kyng went to hys Chappell to heare Masse accompanied with many nobles of his realme and Ambassadours of sundry Princes The Cardinall being reuested to sing masse the earle of Essex brought the basen of water the Duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the Duke of Norfolke held the towel so he proceded to masse WheÌ„ masse was done the bull was againe published the trompets blew the shawmes and suckbuts played in honor of the kings newe stile Then the king went to dinner in the midst wherof the king of Herauldes and his company beganne the largesse crying The kinges stilâ— augmented Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Franciae defensor fidei Dominus Hiberniae Thus was all things ended with great solemnitie Not much vnlyke to thys was the receyuing of the Cardinalles hatte which when a ruffian had brought vnto him to Westminster vnder his cloke he clothed the messenger in riche aray and sent him backe againe to Douer appoynting the Bishop of Canterbury to meete hym The thrasonicall receauing of the Cardinalls hatte and then an other companye of the Lordes and Gentlemen I wote not how often before it came to Westminster where it was set vpon a cupbourd and tapers rounde about it so y t the greatest Duke in the lande must make curtesie thereuunto and to his emptie seate he being away And for somuch as we are in hande with the actes and doings of Cardinall Wolsey among many other thyngs The cruell dealing of the Cardinall against Richard Pacie Richard Pacie Deane of Paules whych of purpose we ouerpasse this is not to be exempted out of memorie touching hys vncourtuous or rather currish handling of Richard Pacie Deane of Paules Thys Pacie being the kinges Secretarie for the Latine tounge was of such ripenes of wit of learning eloquence also in forein laÌ„guages so expert that for the one he was thought most meete to succeede after Iohn Colet in the Deanery of Paules beside which he was also preferred to the Deanry of Excetour For the other he was sent in the kinges affayres Ambassadour to Uenice Which function there he so discharged that it is hard to say whether he procured more commendation or admiration amoÌ„g the Uenetians both for dexteritie of hys witte and especially
Rochester came vnto the Byshop of Norwiches house whereas likewise Ex officio they did sweare certayne witnesses against mayster Thomas Arthur in lyke sorte as they had done before agaynst mayster Bilney and so proceeded to the examination of mayster Arthur whiche being ended vpon certayne interrogatories the Byshop of London warned hym by vertue of hys othe Wâ—rke they neuer so secretly yet Gâ—d bringeth their practises to light at length that he should not reueale his examinations nor his answeres nor any parte or parcell thereof The seconde day of December the Bishops assembled agayne in the same place and sware more witnesse agaynst Mayster Bilney That done they called for Mayster Arthur vnto whose charge they layde these Articles folowing ¶ Articles agaynst Thomas Arthur Artiâ—les against Thomas Arthur 1 IN primis that he exhorted the people in his prayers to pray specially for those that now be in prison which Article he denyed 2 That he sayde though men be restrayned to preache now adayes which is agaynst Gods lawes yet I may preache First by the authoritie of my Lord Cardinall for I haue his licence Secondly by the authoritie of the Uniuersitie Thirdly by the Pope Fourthly by the authoritie of God where he sayeth Euntes in mundum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae By whyche authoritie euerye man may preach Authoritye to preache and there is neyther Byshop nor Ordinary nor yet the Pope that may make any lawe to let any man to preach the Gospell This Article he confessed that he spake 3 When he spake of Lawes he brought a similitude of Crosses set vp againste the walles of London that men should not pisse there When there was but one Crosse or a fewe more men did reuerence them and pissed not there but when there was in euery corner a Crosse set then men of necessitie were compelled to pisse vpon the Crosses So in lyke manner when there was but a fewe holy and deuoute lawes in the Churche then men were afrayde to offend them Afterwarde they made many lawes for their aduantage The multitude of lawes make lawes to be câ—ntemned and such as were pecuniall those they do obserue and such as are not pecuniall those they call Palea and regard them not and so now adayes there are so many lawes that whether a man do ill or well he shall be taken in the lawe He confessed that he spake the very same or the like words Palea in the Popes decrees The preaching of the Gospell is to be left for no persecution 4 He said Good people if I should suffer persecution for the preaching of the Gospel of God yet there is 7000. more that would preach y e Gospell of God as I do now Therfore good people good people whiche wordes be often rehearsed as it were lamenting thinke not that if these tyrants and persecuters put a man to death the preaching of the Gospell therefore is to be forsaken This Article he confessed that he spake in like words and sense sauing that he made no mention of tyrants 5 That euery man yea euery lay man is a priest He confessed that he spake such wordes declaring in hys Sermon that euery Christian man is a Priest offering vp the sacrifice of prayer and if they dyd murmure agaynste the order of Priesthoode they dyd murmure agaynst themselues 6 That men should praye to no Saintes in heauen but onely to God and they should vse no other Mediatour for them but Christ Iesu our redeemer only This Article he denyed 7 He preached that they shoulde worship no Images of Saintes Aaginst Images whiche were nothing but stockes and stones This he also denied 8 He did preache vpon Whitsonday last within the Uniuersitie of Cambridge such or like wordes and sentences That a Bachelor of Diuinitie admitted of the Uniuersitie or any other person hauing or knowing the Gospell of God shoulde go foorth and preache in euery place and let for no man of what estate or degree soeuer he were and if any Byshop did accurse them for so doing their curses should turne to the harme of themselues He confessed this Which aunsweres thus made and acknowledged the sayd M. Arthur did reuoke and condemne the sayd Articles agaynst him ministred Arthur submitteth himselfe and submitted him selfe to the punishment and iudgement of the Church The thyrd day of December the Byshop of London with the other Byshops assemblyng in the place aforesayd after that Bilney had denyed vtterly to returne to the Church of Rome the Byshop of London in discharge of his coÌ„science as he sayd least he should hide any thyng that had come to his hands he did really exhibite vnto the Notaries in the presence of the sayd Maister Bilney 5. letters of Bylney to the Bysh. of London certaine letters to witte fiue letters or Epistles with one Schedule in one of the Epistles conteyning his Articles and aunsweres folded therein and an other Epistle folded in maner of a booke with sixe leaues which all and euery one he commaunded to be written out and registred and the originals to be deliuered to him agayne This was done in the presence of Maister Bilney desiring a Copie of them and he bounde the Notaries with an othe for the safe keepyng of the Copies and true Registryng of the same Whiche Articles and aunsweres with three of the same Epistles with certaine depositions deposed by the foresayd witnesse Ex Regist Londinensi here followe truely drawen out partly of his owne hand writyng and partly out of the Register * Interrogatories whereupon Maister Thomas Arthur and Maister Bilney were accused and examined 1 WHether they did beleue with their hartes that the Assertions of Luther Interrogatories against Bilney Arthur which are impugned by the Byshop of Rochester were iustly and godly condemned and that Luther with his adherentes was a wicked and detestable hereticke 2. Whether they did beleue that the generall CouÌ„cels and Ecclesiasticall Constitutions once receiued and not abrogat agayn ought to be obserued of all men Constitutions euen for conscience sake and not onely for feare 3. Whether they did beleue that the Popes lawes were profitable and necessary to the preferrement of godlynesse not repugnaunt to the holy Scriptures neither by any meanes to be abrogate but to be reuerenced of all men 4. Whether they did beleue that the Catholicke Churche may erre in the fayth or no The Church and whether they thinke that Catholicke Church to be a sensible Church which may be demonstrate and poynted out as it were with a finger or that it is onely a spirituall Church intelligible knowen onely vnto God 5. Whether they thinke that the Images of Saintes are Christenly set in the Churches Images and ought to be worshypped of all true Christians 6. Whether that a man may beleue without hurt to his fayth or note of heresie the soules of Peter and Paule Whether
with Bilney for feare least he should appeale But at the last the Bishop enclining vnto him graunted him two nightes respite to deliberate that is to say till Saterday at 9. of the clocke afore noone and then to geue a playn determinate answere what he would do in the premisses The 7. day of December in the yeare and place aforesayd the Byshop of London with the other Byshops being assembled Bilney also personally appered Whom the Bishop of London asked whether he would now returne to the vnity of the Church and reuoke the errors and heresies wherof he stood accused detected and conuicted Who aunswered that now he was perswaded by Maister Dancaster and other his frendes he would submitte hymselfe trusting that they woulde deale gently with him both in his abiuration penaunce Bilney through infirmitie rather then by conuiction recanteâ—h Then he desired that he might read his abiuration which the Byshop graunted When he had read the same secretly by himselfe and was returned being demaunded what he would doe in the premisses he aunswered that he would abiure and submitte himselfe and there openly read his abiuration Ex Regist. LoÌ„d and subscribed it and deliuered it to the Bishoppe which then did absolue him and for his penaunce enioyned him M. Bilney enioyned penance that he should abide in prison appoynted by the Cardinall till he were by him released and moreouer the next day he shoulde go before the procession in the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule bare headed with a Fagot on his shoulder should stand before the Preacher at Paules Crosse all the SermoÌ„ time Ex Regist. Lond. Here for so much as mention is made before of v. letters or Epistles whiche this good man wrote to Cutbert Tonstall Bishop of London and by the sayd Byshop deliuered vnto the Registers we thought good to insert certayne thereof such as could come to our handes The Copy of which letters as they were written by him in Latin because they are in the former Edition to be seene and read in the same Latine wherein he wrote them it shall suffice in this booke to expresse the same onely in Englishe Concerning the first Epistle which conteyneth the whole story of his conuersion and seemeth more effectual in the Latine then in the Englishe we haue exhibited it in the second Edition pag. 1141. and therefore haue here onelye made mention of the same briefely The copy whereof beginneth thus ¶ Reuerendo in Christo patri D. Cutb. Tonstallo Lond. Episcopo T. Bilnaeus Salutem in Christo cum omni subiectione tanto presulidebitam HOc nomine pater in Christo obseruaÌ„de longe beatiorem me puto quòd ad tuae Paternitatis examinationem vocari me contigit Ea enim eruditione es ea vitae integâ—itate quod omnes fatentur vt ipsemet non possis alioqui diuinarum in te dotium estimator non admodum magnificus quoties tibi succurrit quanta tibi gratis fecerit Deus in illius laudes non erumpere ac tecum in corde tacitus exclamare Fecit mihi magna qui potens est sanctum nomen eius In talem nunc me iudicem incidisse gratulor ac Deo qui moderatur omnia gratiam pro virili habeo Luke 1. Et quanquam testis est mihi Deus nullius in omnibus meis concionibus erroris mihi conscius sum nedum haereseos aut factionis quod calumniantur quidam quaestus sui quà m animarum lucri auidiores tamen supra modum laetor diuina haud dubiè benignitate prouisum est vt ob veritatis testimonium ad Tunstalli tribunal sisterer qui si quis alius optimè nouit nunquam defuturos Iannes ac Iambres qui veritatem resistant nunquam defuturos * * Elymas magus Act. 13. Elymates qui conentur subuertere vias domini rectas denique nunquam defuturos Demetrios * * Pithonissa Act. .6 Pythonissas Balaamos * * Nicolaitae Apoc. 2. Nicolaitas Caynos Ismaeles qui omnes cum quae sua sunt non quae Iesu Christi auidissimè sectentur quaerant qui fieri potest vt Christum sincerè ac simpliciter annunciatum perferant Nam si populus semel in Christum pro se passum solidè ac purè confidere occeperit ruent mox in verè fidelium pectoribus quaecunque hactenus pro Christo amplexi sunt Tunc intelligent non hic aut illic Christum esse sed regnum Dei in semetipsis esse Tunc intelligent patrem neque in montibus Samariae neque Hierosolymis adorandum esse sed in omni loco in spiritu veritate Quod si fit actum de lucris suis putabunt bestiae agri quorum interest impleri illud Ezechielis 34. Dispersae sunt oues meae Ezech. 34. eo quòd non esset pastor factae sunt in deuorationem omnium bestiarum agri dispersae sunt Errauerunt greges mei in cunctis montibus in vniuerso colle excelso super omnem faciem terrae dispersi sunt greges mei non erat qui requireret non erat inquam qui requireret Imo si quis requirere velit ac in caulas Christi vnitatem dico fidei errabundos reducâ—re mox insurgunt nomine Pastores sed reuera lupi qui non aliud de grege quà m lac lanam pellem quaerunt animas cum suas tum gregis permittentes diabolo Insurgunt inquam Pseudopastores veri Demetrij ac Demetrij instar exclamant Hic hereticus vbiqui suadet auertitque multam turbam dicens quod non sunt dij qui manibus fiunt Hi sunt hi pater colende sunt qui sub pretextu persequendi Hereticos ventris sui negotium agunt inimici crucis Christi Qui quiduis potius ferre possunt quà m puraÌ„ Christi pro peccatis nostris crucifixi annunciationem Hi funt quibus Christus aeternam minatur damnationeÌ„ cum ait Vae vobis Scribae Pharisei Math. 23. Hypocritae qui clauditis regnum coelorum ante homines vos enim noÌ„ intratis nec introeuntes sinitis intrate Hi sunt qui cum ipse aliunde ascenderunt alios intrare non sinunt Quod patet quia si quis per me inquit Christus introierit saluabitur ingredietur egredietur pascua inueniet hi non inueniunt pascua nunquam enim doceÌ„t alios post se trahunt vt non per Christum qui solus est ostium per quod ad patrem peruenitur sed aliunde per opuscula quae ouibus tacito nonnunquam Christo Iohn 10. suadent proponunt iniungunt ad suum potius quaestum quà m animarum salutem spectantes hoc deteriores quà m illi qui super Christum fundamentum edificant lignum foenum stipulam Isti fateÌ„tur se Christum scire sed factis negant Denique hi sunt medici illi 1. Cor. 3. in quos mulier illa annis duodecim
the church My grief most bitter is turned to peace c. But the malignant church sayth Peace peace and there is no peace but onely that wherof it is written When the mighty armed man kepeth his gates he possesseth all thinges in quiet But when he seeth that he shal be vanquished of a stronger then he him selfe is he spoyleth and destroyeth all thinges What now a dayes beginneth agayne to be attempted I dare not say God graunt vs grace that we doe not refuse and reiect if it bee Christ him that commeth vnto vs 2. Thess. 2. least that we doe feele that terrible iudgement agaynst vs because sayth he they haue not receiued the loue of trueth that they might be saued therefore God will send vpon them the blindnesse of errour that they shall geue credite vnto lyes O terrible sentence whiche God knoweth whether a great number haue not alreadye incurred that all they might bee iudged which haue not geuen credite vnto the trueth Notes and argumentes prouing that it is not the true word of God which hath bene preached in the Popes Church but consented vnto iniquity The tyme shall come sayth he when that they will not suffer the true doctrine to be preached And what shall we theÌ„ say of that learning which hath now so loÌ„g time raigned and triumphed so that no man hath once opened his mouth agaynst it Shall we think it sound doctrine Truely iniquity did neuer more abound nor charity was neuer so cold And what should we say to be the cause therof hath the cause bene for lacke of preaching agaynst the vices of men and exhorting to charity That cannot be for many learned and greate Clearkes sufficiently can witnesse to the contrary And yet all these notwithstanding we see the life and maners of meÌ„ do greatly degenerate from true Christianity and seme to cry out in deede that it is fulfilled in vs which God in times past threatned by his Prophet Amos Amos 8. saying Beholde the day shall come sayth the Lord that I will send hunger vpon the earth not hunger of bread neither thirst of water but of hearing the word of God and the people shall be moued from sea to sea and from the West vnto East and shall runne about seekinge for the word of God but shall not finde it In those dayes the fayre Virgines and young men shall perish for thirst c. But now to passe ouer many thinges This letter may well answere to the note of D. Saunders booke intituled The rocke of the Church fol. 14. nota 5. whereby I am mooued to feare that the word of God hath not bene purely preached thys is not the leaste argument that they whiche come and are sent and endeuour themselues to preach Christ truely are euyll spoken of for his name which is the rocke of offence and stumbling blocke vnto them which stumble vpon hys woorde and doe not beleue on hym on whome they are builded But you will aske who are those men what is theyr doctrine Truely I say whosoeuer entreth in by the doore Christ into the sheepfolde which thing all such shall do as seeke nothing els but the glory of God and saluation of soules Of all such it may be truely said that whom y e Lord sendâ—th he speaketh the woord of God And why so Because he representeth the Aungel of the church of Philadelphia vnto whom Saynt Iohn writeth saying This sayth he Apoc. 3. which is holy and true which hath the keyes of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth behold saith he speaking in the name of Christ which is the dore and dorekeper I haue set before thee an open dore that is to say of the Scriptures opening thy senses that thou shouldest vnderstand the Scriptures and that because thou hast entred in by me which am the dore Iohn 3â— For whosoeuer entreth in by me which am the dore shal be saued he shall goe in and come out and find pasture for the dorekeeper openeth the dore vnto him and the sheepe heare his voyce But contrariwise they whiche haue not entred in by the doore Who 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 but haue clymed in some other way by ambition auarice or desire of rule they shall euen in a moment goe downe into hell except they repent And of them is the saying of Ieremy verefied All beautye is gone away from the daughter of Syon because her princes are become lyke rammes Lameâ—â— 1. not finding pasture And why so Because like theeues robbers they haue clymed an other way not being called nor sent And what meruaile is it if they doe not preach when as they are not sent but runne for lucre seeking theyr owne glory and not the glory of God and saluation of soules Outward callyng by kynges and princes in Christes ministry auayleth nothing without the inward calling of God And this is y e roote of all mischeife in the Church that they are not sent inwardly of God For without this inward calling it helpeth nothing before God to be a hundreth times electe and consecrate by a thousande Bulles eyther by Pope King or Emperour God beholdeth the harte whose iudgementes are according to truth howsoeuer we deceyue the iudgement of men for a tyme which also at the last shall see theyr abhomination This I say is the originall of all mischiefe in the Church that we thrust in our selues into the charge of soules whose saluation and the glory of God which is to enter in by the doore we doe not thirst nor seeke for but altogether our owne lucre profit Hereupon it commeth that wee knowe not howe to preach Christ purely For how should they preach Christ saith the Apostle except they be sent for otherwise many theeues and robbers do preach him but with theyr lippes onely for theyr hart is farre from him The roote of all mischiefe in the Church Ex Prudentio Neither yet do we suffer those which do know how to preach but persecute them and go about to oppresse the Scriptures now springing vnder the pretence of godlinesse fearing as I suppose least the Romaines should come take our place Ah thou wicked enemy Herode why art thou afrayd that Christe shoulde come he taketh not away mortall and earthly kingdomes Lay thys letter against Doct. Saunders booke aforesayd Exod. 5. which geueth heauenly kingdomes O blindnesse O our great blindnesse yea more then that of Egypt of the which if there be any that would admonish the people by and by sayth Pharao Moyses and Aaron why do ye cause the people to cease from theyr labours and truely called theyr labours Get you to your burdens Lay more worke vpon them and cause them to do it that they harken not vnto lyes The persecuters of our time compared to Pharao Thus the people was dispersed throughout all y e land of Egypt to gather vp chaffe I say to gather
the places or their Commissaries by indenture betweene them to be made within x. dayes after their arrest or sooner if it can be done thereof to be acquite or conuict by the lawes of holy church in case that those persons be not endicted of other thinges whereof the knowledge appeareth to the Iudges Officers secular In which case after they bee acquite and deliuered afore the Iustice seculare of those thinges pertayning to the Iudge seculare that they be conueyed in safegarde to ordinaries or their Commissaries and to them to be deliuered by Indentures as is abouesaid there to be acquite or conuicted of the said heresies errours and Lollordies as is abouesaide after the lawes of holy church Prouided that the Inditementes be not taken in euidence but for an information afore the Iudges spirytuall against such indicte but that the Ordinaries coÌ„mence their proces against those indicts in the same manner as no inditement had bene hauing no regard to such inditements Moreouer that no manner of person or persons of what estate degree or condition he or they be do from henceforth presume to bring into this realme or do sell receiue take or detayne anye booke or worke printed or written whiche is made or hereafter shall be made agaynst the fayth Catholike or against the holy decrees lawes and ordinaunces of holy Church or in reproche rebuke or slaunder of the kings his honourable counsayle or hys Lordes spirituall or temporall And in case they haue any suche booke or woorke they shall incontinent vppon the hauing of them bring the sayd booke or worke to the Bishop of the dioces without concealement or fraude or if they know any person hauing any of the sayd bookes they shall detect them to the sayd bishoppe all fauour or affection layde apart and that they fayle not thus to do as they will auoyd the kings high indignation and displeasure The bookes whiche in this Proclamation generallye are restrayned and forbidden be afterwarde in the Register more specially named by the Byshops Whereof the most part were in Latine as are aboue recited and some were in English as these and other partly also aboue expressed A disputation betwene the father and the sonne A booke of the olde God and new Godly prayers The Christian state of Matrimony The burying of the Masse The summe of the Scripture Mattens and Euensong vij Psalmes and other heauenlye Psalmes with the commendations in English An exposition vpon the vij Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinth The Chapters of Moses called Genesis The Chapters of Moses called Deuteronomos The Matrymonie of Tyndall Dauids Psalter in English The practise of Prelates Hotlulus animae in English A. B. C. against the Clergy The examination of William Thorpe c. Although these bookes wythall other of the lyke sort by the vertue of this proclamatioÌ„ were inhibited to al english men to vse or to reade yet licence was graunted before to sir Tho. More by Tonstall Bishop of London An. 1527. that he notwithstaÌ„ding might haue and peruse them with a letter also sent to him from the sayd Bishop or rather by y e aduise of other bishyps desiring him that he would shew his cunning and play the prety man lyke a Demosthenes in expugning the doctrine of these bookes opinions who albeit he was no great diuine yet because he saw some towardnes in him by his booke of Utopia other fine Poetrie of his therefore hee thought him a meete man for their purpose to withstand the procedings of the Gospel either in making some apparance of reason agaynst it or at least to outface it and dash it out of countenance Wherein there lacked in his part neyther good will nor labour to serue y e Bishops turne so farre forth as all his Rhethoricke coulde reache filling vp with finenes of wit and scoffing termes where true knowledge and iudgement of Scripture dyd fayle as by his workes wrytings agaynst Bilney Tyndall Frith Fish Barnes Luther c. may soone bee discerned if the reasons and maner of his haÌ„dling be wel waied rightlye examined with the touchstone of the scryptures But now to fall into our story agayne Upon this fierce and terrible proclamatioÌ„ aforesayde thus deuised and set out in the kinges name an 1529. the Bishops which were the procurers hereof had that now which they would haue neither dyd there lacke on their part any study vnapplyed any stone vnremoued any corner vnsearched for y e diligeÌ„t execution of y e same WherupoÌ„ ensued grieuous persecution slaughter of the faythfull Of whom the first that went to wrack was Thomas Bilney of whoÌ„ sufficiently afore hath bene said the next was Richard Bayfield as in the story here followeth ¶ Richarde Bayfield Martyr FOlowing the order of yeres and of tymes as the course of our hystory requireth next after the consummatioÌ„ of Tho. Bilney Rich. Bayfilde martir wee haue to entreate of the Martyrdome of Rich. Bayfield which in the month of Nouemb. the same yere which was the yere of our Lord 1531. was burned in Smithfield This Rich. Bayfield sometime a Monke of Bury was conuerted by D. Barnes and ij godly men of London Brickemakers M. Maxwell and M. Stacy Wardens of their company Who were grafted in the doctrine of Iesus Christ Maxwell 〈…〉 and through their godly conuersation of lyfe conuerted many men and wemen both in London and in the countrey and once a yeare of their owne cost went about to visite the brethren and sisterne scattered abroad Doctor Barnes at that tyme muche resorted to the Abbey of Bery where Bayfield was to one D. Ruffam who had bene at Louaine together studentes Riâ—h Bayfâ—â—â—â— Monke 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 Abbey of Berye At that time it happened that this Bayfield the Monke was Chamberlaine of the house to prouide lodging for the straungers and to see them well enterteined who delyted muche in Doctor Barnes talke and in the other lay mens talke afore rehearsed and at the last Doctor Barnes gaue him a new Testament in Latin and the other two gaue him Tyndals Testament in English with a booke called the wicked Mammon and the Obedience of a christen man 〈…〉 the Fryers wherein he prospered so mightely in two yeares space that he was cast into the prison of his house there sore whipped with a gagge in hys mouth and then stocked and so continued in the same torment .iij. quarters of a yeare before D. Barnes coulde get him oute whiche he brought to passe by the meanes of D. Ruffam aforesayd so he was committed to D. Barnes to goe to Cambridge with him By that tyme hee had bene there a good while he tasted so well of good letters that hee neuer returned home agayne to his Abbey but weÌ„t to LondoÌ„ to Maxwel and Stacy and they kept him secretly a while so conueyed him beyond the Sea D. Barnes beinge then in the Fleete for Gods word
forme of a publicke instrument wherunto and to the contents thereof we referre our selues as farre as is expedient and no otherwise And for somuche as we doe perceaue that thou diddest vnderstand the premisses and yet these things notwitstanding after thy abiuration made as is aforesayd thou hast brought in diuers sundry tymes many bookes of y e said Martin Luther and his adherentes and complices and of other heretickes the names titles and authors of which bookes here follow and are these Martine Luther of the abrogating of the priuate Masse The declarations of M. Luther vpon the Epistles of Peter Luther vppon the Epystles of Paule and Iude. A 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 brought by Richard Bayfilde Luther vppon monasticall vowers Luthers commentary vppon the Epistle of S. Paule to the Galathians Iohannes Oecolampadius vppon the exposition of these words Hoc est corpus meum The Annotations of OecolaÌ„padius vpon the Epistles of Paule vnto the Romains OecolaÌ„padius his CommeÌ„tary vpon the 3. last prophets Aggeus Zacharie and Malachie The Sermons of Oecolampadius vppon the Catholicke Epistles of Iohn A booke of Annotations vpon Genesis gathered of Huldecus Zwinglius The Commentaries of Pomeran vppon foure chapters of the 1. Epistle to the Corinth Annotations of Pomeran vpon Deut. and Samuell Pomeran vpon the Psalmes The Commentaries of Frances Lambert of Auinion vpon the Gospell of S. Luke A Congest of all matters of Diuinitie by Fraunces Lambert The Commentaries of Fraunces Lambert vpon the Prophet Ioel. The Commentaries of Fraunces Lambert vpoÌ„ the Prophetes Micheas Naum Abacuc Sophonias Aggeus Zacharias Amos Abdias Ionas and Osee. A new Gâ—ose of Philip Melancton vpon the Prouerbes of Salomon The Comentaries of Philip Melancton vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to the Colos. The Annotations of Philip Melancton vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romans and vpoÌ„ y e Epistle to the Colo. Salomons sentences translated according to the Hebrew by Philip Melancton Most wholesome Annotations vpon the Gospel of S. Marke by Christopher Hegendorphinus The CoÌ„mentaries of Iohn Brentius vpon Iob. The Commentary of Iohn Brentius vpoÌ„ Ecclesiastes of Salomon Homilies of Brentius vpoÌ„ the Gospel of S. Iohn The Annotations of Andrew Althomarus Brentius vpon the Epistle of S. Iames. The Commentaries of Bucer vpon Sophonias Bucer vpon the 4. Euangelistes The proces CoÌ„sistorial of the Martyrdome of Iohn Husse A briefe commendatory of M. Luther vnto Otho Brunfelsius as touching the life doctrine and Martirdome of Iohn Hus. Felmus vpon the psalter his exposition vpon Esay his expositions vpon Ieremie Capito vpon Oseas Capito vpon Abacuc Vnio dissidentium The Pandect of Otho The Cataloge of famous men An aunswere of Tyndall vnto Syr Thomas More A disputation of Purgatory made by Ioh. Frith in English A prologue to the v. book of Moyses called Deuteronomy The first booke of Moyses called Genesis A prologue to the iij. booke of Moyses called Leuiticus A prologue to the iiij booke of Moyses Num. A prologue to the ij booke of Moyses called Exod. The practise of prelates The new Testament in English with an introductioÌ„ to the Romaines The parable of the wicked Mammon The obedience of a Christian man A. B. C. of Thorpes The Summe of Scripture The primer in English The Primer and Psalter 〈◊〉 Englishe forbidden The Psalter in English A Dialogue betwixt the Gentleman and the Plowman Of all which kynde of books both in Latin and English translated set forth and imprinted containing not only Lutherian heresies but also the damnable heresies of other heretiks condemned for as much as thou hast brought ouer from the parties beyoÌ„d the Sea a great nomber into this Realme of England specially to our Citie and Dioces of London and hast procured them to be brought and conueied ouer also hast kept by thee and studied those books and hast published read them vnto diuers men and many of those bookes also hast dispersed and giuen vnto diuers persons dwelling within our Citie and Dioces of London hast confessed and affirmed before our Officiall that those books of M. Luther and other heretikes his complices and adherentes and all the contenâ—es in them are good agreable to the true faith saying thus that they are good and of the true faith and by this meanes and pretence hast commeÌ„ded and praised M. Luther his adherents and complices and hast fauoured beleued their errors heresies and opinions Therfore we Iohn the Bishop aforesaid first calling vpon the name of Christ If Christ were before youâ— eyes ye would not condemne this good man for these good 〈◊〉 and setting God only before our eyes by the counsell and consent of the Diuines and Lawiers with whom in this behalf we haue conferred do declare and decree thee the foresaide Richard Bayfild otherwise called Somersam for the contempt of thy abiuration as a fauorer of the foresaid M. Luther his adherentes complices fauourers and other condemned hereticks and for commending and studying reading hauing retaining publishing selling giuing and dispersing the bookes and writinges as well of the sayd M. Luther his adherentes and disciples as of other heretikes before named and also for crediting and maintayning the errours and heresies and damnable opinions contained in the said books and writings worthely to be and haue bene an hereticke and that thou by the pretence of the premisses art fallen again most damnably into heresie and we pronounce that thou art and hast bene a relapsed hereticke and hast incurred and oughtest to incurre the payne and punishment of a relapse and we so decree declare and also condemne thee thereunto and that by the pretence of the premisses thou hast euen by the law incurred the sentence of greater excommunication and thereby we pronounce and declare thee to haue bene and to be excommunicate and clearely discharge exonerate and disgrade thee from all priuiledge and prerogatiue of the Ecclesiasticall orders and also depriue thee of all Ecclesiasticall office and benefice also we pronounce and declare thee by this our sentence or decree the which wee here promulgate and declare in these writinges that thoâ— art actually to be disgraded deposed and depriued as followeth IN the name of God Amen We Iohn by the permission of God Byshop of London The sentence of degradation against blessed Bayfilde rightly and lawfully proceeding in this behalfe doe dimisse thee Richard Bayfild aliâs Somersam being pronounced by vs a relapsed hereticke and disgraded by vs froÌ„ all Ecclesiastical priuiledge out of the Ecclesiasticall Court pronouncing that the secular power here present should receiue thee vnder their iurisdiction earnestly requiring and desiring in the bowels of Iesu Christ And they shall cast you out of their Synagogue for my names sake that the execution of this worthy punishment to be done vpon thee and against thee in this behalfe may be so moderated that there be neither ouermuch crueltie neither to much fauorable gentlenes but y t
agaynst y e proud vsurpation of the Bishop of Rome The Byshops of England then good Lutherans then these men haue done If they dissembled otherwise then they meant who coulde euer dissemble so deepely speaking so pithily If they meant as they spake who coulde euer turne head to tayle so sodenly so shortly as these men did But because these thinges we write for edification of other rather then for commendation of them let vs marke therefore theyr reasons and let the persons goe And although the sayd proufes and argumentes heretofore alledged might suffice to the full discussion of this matter agaynst y e Popes vsurped primacy yet because many do yet remayne which wil not be satisfied to refel therfore confute this popishe article of the popes vayne and proud primacie with as much matter and furniture of reasons allegations as the writinges and testimonies of these Bishops and others do minister vnto vs we mynde the Lord willing to annexe to thâ—se former confirmatioÌ„s of the bishops aforesayd The epistle of Tonstall Stokesly to Cardinal Poole an other supplement also of a certayne Epistle sent by Bishop Tonstall and by Iohn Stokesley byshop of London to Cardinall Poole for a more ample confutation of the vsurped power Concerning the argument of whiche Epistle here is first to be vnderstanded that about thys time or not much ouer Cardinall Poole brother to the Lord Montagew was attaynted of high treasoÌ„ and fled away vnto Rome where within a short time after he was made Cardinall of S. Mary Cosmeden of whoÌ„ more is to be spoken hereafter the Lord so permitting when we come to the tyme of Queene Mary In the meane tyme hee remayning at Rome there was directed vnto hym a certayne Epistle exhortatory by Stokesley Byshop of London and Tonstal Byshop of Duresme perswading hym to relinquishe and abandon the supremacy of the Pope and to conforme himselfe to the religion of his king The copy of which his Epistle for the reasons and argumentes therein conteined about the same matter we thought here not vnworthely to be put in or vnprofitable to be read The tenour wherof here followeth * The true copy of a certayne letter written by Cutbert Tonstall Byshop of Duresme and Iohn Stokesley Byshop of London to Cardinall Poole prouing the Byshop of Rome to haue no speciall superioritie aboue other Byshoppes This letter was testified by Cutbert Tonstall to Mathew Archb. of Canterbury and others to be his owne about 14. dayes before his death Read his trayterous Oration to 〈◊〉 Emperour in his booke intituled De Ecclesiae Concordia mouing him to seeke the destruction of king HeÌ„ry and the whole realme of England FOr the good will that we haue borne vnto you in times past as long as you continued the kinges true subiect we cannot a little lament mourne that you neyther regarding the inestimable kindnes of the kings highnes heretofore shewed vnto you in your bringing vp nor the honor of the house that you be come of nor the wealth of the countrey that you were borne in should so decline from your duety to your prince that you shuld be seduced by fayre words and vaine promises of the Bishop of Rome to winde with him going about by all meanes to him possible to pull downe and put vnder foote your naturall Prince Maister to the destruction of the countrey that hath brought you vp and for a vayne glory of a red Hat to make your selfe an instrument to set forth his malice who hath styrred by all meanes that he could all such ChristiaÌ„ Princes as would geue eares vnto him to depose the kinges hignes from his Kingdome and to offer it as a pray for them that should execute his malice and to styrre if hee could his subiectes agaynst him in styrring and nourishing rebellions in his realme where the office duety of all good ChristiaÌ„ men and namely of vs that be priestes should be to bring all commotion to tranquillity all trouble to quietnes all discord to concord and in doing contrary we do shew our selues to be but the ministers of Satan and not of Christ who ordeined all vs that bee priestes to vse in all places the legatioÌ„ of peace not of discord But since that can not be vndone that is done second it is to make amendes and to followe the doing of the prodigall sonne spoken of in the Gospell who returned home to his father was well accepted as no doubt you might be if you will say as he said in knowledging your folly Luke 15. and doe as he did in returning home agayne from your wandring abroad in seruice of him who little careth what come of you so that their purpose by you bee serued And if you be moued by your conscience that you can not take the king your mayster as supreme head of the Church of England because the Bishop of Rome hath heretofore many yeares vsurped that name vniuersally ouer all the Church Math. 18. vnder pretence of the Gospell of S Mathew The place of Mathew 〈◊〉 Petrus expounded saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Surely the text many of the most holy auncient expositors wholy doe take to be ment of the fayth then first confessed by the mouth of Peter vppon whiche fayth confessing Christ to be the sonne of God 1. Cor. 3. the church is builded Christe being the very lowest foundation stone whereupon both the Apostles themselues Luke 22. The place of Luke expounded and also the whole fayth of the Churche of Christ by them preached through the world is founded and builded and other foundation none can be but that onely as S. Paule sayth No other foundation can any man lay besides that which is layd which is Christ Iesus And where you thinke that the Gospell of Luke proueth the same authority of the Bishoppe of Rome saying Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth shoulde not fayle and thou beynge once conuerted confirme thy brethren Surely that speaketh onely of the fall of Peter knowne to Christ by his godly prescience whereof he gaue an inkling that after the time of his fal he should not despayre but returne agayne and confirme his brethren as he euer being most feruent of them was wont to do The place doth playnely open it selfe that it can not be otherwise taken but thys to be the very meaning of it and not to be spoken but to Peter The place of Iohn 21. expouÌ„ded For els his successours must first fayle in the fayth and then conuert and so confirme theyr brethren And where as you thinke that this place of the Gospell of Iohn Feede my sheepe was spokeÌ„ onely to Peter and that those woordes make him shepheard ouer all and aboue all 1. Pet. 5. S. Peter himselfe testifieth the contrary in his canonicall Epistle where he sayth to all priestes Feede the flocke
Phil. 3. for great is your reward in heauen For we suffer with him that wee may also be glorified with him who shall chaunge our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working wherby he is able euen to subiect al things vnto him Dearely beloued be of good courage and comfort your soule with the hope of this hye reward and beare the image of Christ in your mortall body Boldnes of spirite that it may at his comming be made like to his immortall and followe the example of all youre other deare breethren which choose to suffer in hope of a better resurrection Keepe your conscience pure and vndefiled and say against that nothing Sticke at necessary things and remember the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ Woâ—nde not Conscience Standing â—pon things necessarye saieng they finde none but that wil abiure rather then suffer the extremitie Moreouer the death of them that come againe after they haue once denied though it bee accepted wyth God and all that beleeue yet is it not glorious for the hypocrites say he must needes dye denyeng helpeth not But might it haue holpen they would haue denied fiue hundreth times Death after denying euil spoken of by the aduersaryes but seeing it would not helpe them therefore of pure pride and meere malice together they spake with their mouthes that their conscience knoweth false If you geue your selfe cast your selfe yeeld your selfe commit your selfe wholy and onely to your louing father then shall his power be in you and make you stroÌ„g and that so strong that you shall feele no payne which should be to another present death and his spirite shall speake in you and teach you what to aunswere Obedience to God according to his promise He shall set out his truth by you wonderfully and worke for you aboue all that your hart can imagine Yea and you are not yet dead though the hypocrites all To looke for no mans helpe bringeth Gods helpe Conâ—tancye in standing Patience in suffering with all they can make haue sworne your death Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem To looke for no mans helpe bringeth the helpe of God to them that seeme to be ouercome in the eyes of the hypocrites Yea it shall make God to carry you through thicke and thinne for his truthes sake in spite of all the enemies of hys truth There falleth not an heare till his houre be come and when his houre is come necessitie carieth vs hence though we be not willing But if we be willing then haue we a reward and thanke Feare not threatening therefore neyther be ouercome of sweet words Bilney with which twayne the hypocrites shall assayle you Neyther let the persuasions of worldly wisedome beare rule in your hart PerseueraÌ„ce to the ende no though they be your friends that counsayle you Let Bilney be a warning to you Let not their visure beguile your eyes Let not your body faynt He that endureth to the end shall be saued If the payne be aboue your strength Math. 22. remember Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will geue it you And pray to youre father in that name and he shall cease your payne or shorten it The Lord of peace of hope and of fayth be with you Amen William Tyndall TWo haue suffred in Antwerpe In die sanctae Crucis vnto the great glory of the Gospell Two Martirs at Antwerpe Foure Martyrs in FlauÌ„ders one at S. Luke Persecution at Roane Fiue Doctors at Paris taken for the Gospel four at Rysels in Flanders and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered and all the same day At Roane in Fraunce they persecute And at Paris are fiue Doctors taken for the Gospell See you are not alone Be cheerefull and remember that among the hard harted in England there is a number reserued by grace for whose sakes if neede be you must be ready to suffer Sir if you may write how short soeuer it be forget it not that we may knowe howe it goeth with you for oure harts ease The Lord be yet againe with you with all his plenteousnes and fill you that you flowe ouer Amen If when you haue read this you may send it to Adrian do I pray you that he may knowe howe that our harte is with you George Ioy at Candlemas being at Barrow printed ij leaues of Genes in a great forme and sent one copy to the King and another to the new Quene with a letter to N. for to deliuer them and to purchase licence that he might so go through all the Bible Out of this is sprong the noise of the new Bible and out of that is the great seeking for English bookes at all printers and bookebinders in Antwerpe and for an English Priest that should print This chaunced the 9. day of May. Sir your wyfe is well content with the will of God and would not for her sake haue the glory of God hindred William Tyndall Another notable and woorthy letter of Maister William Tyndall sent to the sayd Iohn Frith vnder the name of Iacob ¶ The grace of our Sauiour Iesus his pacience meekenesse humblenesse circumspection and wisedome be with your hart Amen DErely beloued brother Iacob mine harts desire in our Sauiour Iesus is An other letter of W. Tindal that you arme your selfe with pacience and bee cold sober wyse and circumspect and that you keepe you alowe by the ground auoiding hie questions that passe the common capacitie But expound the law truly and open the vayle of Moses to condemne all flesh High questions to be auoyded proue all men sinners all deedes vnder the law before mercy haue taken away the coÌ„demnatioÌ„ therof to be sinne and damnable and then as a faythfull minister set abroche the mercy of our Lord Iesus All deedes before they be iustified by faith are sinne Preaching the lawe of God mercy of Christ. Sacraments without significations to be refused and let the wounded coÌ„sciences drinke of the water of him And then shall your preaching be with power not as the doctrine of the hypocrites and the spirite of God shall worke with you and all coÌ„scieÌ„ces shall beare record vnto you and feele that it is so And all doctrine that casteth a miste on those two to shadow and hide them I meane the law of God and mercy of Christ that resist you withall your power Sacramentes without signification refuse If they put significations to them receiue them if you see it may helpe though it be not necessary Of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament meddle as little as you can M. Tindall here beareth with tyme. that there appeare no diuision among vs. Barnes will be whote agaynst you The Saxons be sore on the affirmatiue whether constant or obstinate I omitte it to God Phillip Melancthon is sayd to be with the
beyng fast bound to a stake and Furse set on fire round about him was so scorâ—hed that he was as blacke as soote one Doctour Redyng there staÌ„ding before him with Doctour Heyre and Doct. Springwell hauyng a long white wande in his hand did knocke him vpon the right shoulder and sayd Peke recant and beleue that the Sacrament of the aultar is the very body of Christ fleshe bloud and bone after that the Priest hath spoken the words of Consecration ouer it and heere haue I in my hande to absolue thee for thy misbeliefe that hath ben in thee hauing a scrole of paper in his hande When he had spoken these wordes Peke answeared and sayde I defie it and thee also with a great violence he spit from him very bloud whiche came by reason y t his vaynes brake in his body for extreame anguishe And when the sayde Peke had so spoken then D. Reding sayd To as many as shall cast a sticke to the burning of this heretique Forty dayes of parâ—on proclaymed for casting sticks into Pekes fyer is graunted fortye dayes of pardon by my Lord Byshop of Norwich Then Barne Curson Sir Iohn Audley Knight with many others of estimation being there present did rise from their seates and wyth their swords did cut downe boughes and throw them into the fire and so did all the multitude of the people Witnes Iohn Ramsey and others who did see this acte In the yeare last before this whiche was of the Lorde 1537. it was declared how Pope Paul the third indicted a general Councel to be holden at Mantua Of this CouÌ„cell of Mantua reade before 1084. Whereunto the king of England among other Princes being called refused either to come or to sende at the Popes call and for defence of himselfe directed out a publique Apologie or Protestation rendring iust and sufficient matter why neyther he would nor was bound to obey the Popes commandement Which Protestation is before to be read page 1084. This Councell appointed to begin the 23. daye of Maye the yeare aforesayde was then stopped by the Duke of Mantua pretending that hee woulde suffer no Councell there vnlesse the Pope would fortifie the Citie with a sufficient armye c. For whiche cause the Pope proroged the sayd Councell to be celebrate in the moneth of Nouember folowing appointing at y e first no certaine place At length named and determined the citie of Uincence lyeng within the dominion of the Uenetians to be the place for the Councell Whereunto when the King the yeare next folowing which is this present yeare of the Lorde 1538. was requested by the Emperour and other states to resort eyther hymselfe or to sende he agayne refusing as hee dyd before sendeth this Protestation in waye of defence and aunsweare for hymselfe to the Emperour and other Christen princes the copie and effect whereof heere vnder foloweth and is this Henry the eight by the grace of God King of Englande and Fraunce c. saluteth the Emperour Christian princes and all true Christen men desiring peace and concord amongst them WHereas not long sithens a booke came forth in our and al our Counsailes names Anno. 1538. which coÌ„teined many causes why we refused the Councell then by the Byshop of Romes vsurped power first indicted at Mantua The kings letter to the Emperor to be kept the xxiij day of May after proroged to Nouember no place appoynted where it should be kept and whereas the same booke doth sufficiently proue that our cause could take no hurt Of thiâ— book 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 neither with any thing done or decreed in such a company of addict men to one sect nor in any other Councell called by his vsurped power we thinke it nothing necessarie so oft to make newe protestations The Poâ—â— doth but mocke the world with his 〈◊〉 Councelâ—â— as the Bishop of Rome and his Courts by suttletie and craft do inuent wayes to mocke the world by newe pretensed generall Councels Yet notwithstanding because that some things haue now occurred either vpon occasion geuen vs by change of the place or else through other consideratioÌ„s which now being knowne to the worlde may do muche good we thought we should do but euen as that loue enforceth vs which we owe vnto Christes fayth and religion to adde this Epistle And yet we protest Generall Councells are to be wished so they might be free vniuersally 〈◊〉 all partes that we neyther put forthe that booke neither yet wee woulde this Epistle to be set afore it that thereby we should seeme lesse to desire a generall Councell then any other Prince or Potentate but rather to be more desirous of it so it were free for all partes and vniuersall And further wee desire all good Princes Potentates and people to esteeme and thinke that no Prince would more willingly be presente at such a Councell then we suche a one we meane as we speake of in our protestation made concerning the Councell of Mantua Truely as our forefathers inuented nothyng more holyer then generall Councels vsed as they ought to be so there is almost nothing that may do more hurt to y e Christian coÌ„mon wealth to y e faith to our religion Nothing more petrâ—cious to the Church then general Councels if they be abused then general CouÌ„cels if they be abused to lucre to gaines to y e establishment of errours They be called general and euen by their name do admonish vs that all Christen meÌ„ which do dissent in any opinion may in theÌ„ openly frankly without feare of punishment or displeasure say their mind For seeing suche thyngs as are decreed in generall Councels touche equally all men that geue assent thereunto it is meete that euery man may boldly say there that hee thinketh And verily we suppose that it ought not to be called a generall Councell where alonely those men are heard which are determined for euer in all pointes to defend the Popish parte and to arme themselues to fight in the Byshop of Romes quarrell though it were against God and his Scriptures It is no generall Councell neyther it ought to be called generall where the same men be onely Aduocates and aduersaries the same accused and iudges Thâ— Popes Councels are no generall Councells The Pope in his CouÌ„cels is the party accused and also the iudge No it is against the lawe of nature either that we shoulde condescend to so vnreasonable a law against our selues eyther that we should suffer our selues to be lefte without all defence and beeing oppressed with greatest iniuries to haue no refuge to succour our selues at The Byshop of Rome and his be our great enemies as wee and all the world may well perceyue by his doings He desireth nothing more then our hurt and the destruction of our Realme Do not we then violate the iudgement of nature if we geue him power and authoritie to be our Iudge Agaynst all reason that
Archb. of Canterbury y e third from Dunstane and fourth from Odo not onely the Priestes of England but also the Archbishop himself wer not yet brought to the beliefe of this transubstantiatioÌ„ but taught the very same doctrine of the sacrament theÌ„ whiche we doe nowe as most clearly appeareth both by the Epistles and Homelies of the foresayde Archbishop Elfricus whiche herunder for the more euidence Christ willing wee will annexe This Elfricus as sayth Capgraue in the life of Oswald bishop of Worceter was first Abbot of S. Alboâ—es and after made archbishop of Canterbury Aelfricus Archb. of Cant. ¶ Anno. 996. Capgraue in vita Oâ—waldi Episâ— Wigorn. about the yere of our Lord 996. in the time of king Etheldred of Wulfsinus B. of Scyrburne Elfricus also as witnesseth Wil. of Malmesbery in Vita Adelmi was Abbot of Malmesbery Furthermore the sayd Wil. of Malmesbery writing of Elfricus Archbishop of Caunterbury saith that he was before bishop of Welles and afterward archbishop of CaÌ„terbury So that Elfricus was Archbishop of Canterbury it is out of al ambiguitie W. Malmesberiens in vita Adelmi But whether Elfricus which was Abbot of whom we doe here intreate were the same Archbishop or not by this diuersitie of Capgraue Malmesbery it may be doubtful But whether he were or no to this our present purpose is not greatly materiall for so much as the said Elfricus Elfricus although they were diuers persons yet were they both in one age and liued in one time together Furthermore the same Elfricus of whome nowe we speake of what calling soeuer he was The writinges of Aelfricus authentike yet notwithstanding hee was of suche estimation and good liking in those dayes among the most learned that for his learnyng authoritie and eloquence hys writings were accepted and authorised among y e Chanons constitutions of y e Church in that time as hereby may appeare For where as the bishops and Priestes before the comming of William Conquerour had collected together a certayn booke of Canons and ordinaunces to gouerne the Clergie A booke of Canons in the Saxons tongue gathered out of generall and particular councels out of the bookes of Gildas out of the poenitentiall bookes of Theodorus Archbyshop of Canterbury out of the writings of Egbertus archbishop of Yorke out of the Epistles of Aleuinus as also out of the writynges of the olde Fathers of the primitiue Church c. among the same Canons Constitutions be placed these two Epistles of the sayd Elfricus here vnder folowing wherof the one was sent to Wulfsinus Bysh. of Scyrburne the other to Wulfstane Archb. of Yorke as yet are to be sene in ij bookes belongyng to the Library of the Church of Worceter Ex Archiuis Ecclesiae Wigo mensis the one written in the old Saxones tongue intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other for the most part in Latine with this title Admonitio spiritualis doctrinae Which booke of Saxon Canons Constitutions belongyng sometyme to Wulfstane Byshop of Worceter was geuen by him as for a great iewell to the Church oâ— Worceter as by the same booke appeareth Moreouer besides this booke of Worceter aboue touched Ex archiuis ecclesiae ExonieÌ„sis there is yet extant also another like booke of Canons beloÌ„gyng to the Church of Exeter wherein the same two Epistles of Elfricus be conteined in the old Saxon toÌ„gue and also in Latine and prescribed yearely to be read to the Clerkes and Priestes of that Church Which booke in like maner was geuen to the Church of Exeter by Leofricus the first and most famous Bishop of that sea Of this Elfricus further is to be vnderstanded The bookes of Sermons translated by Aelfricus out of Latine into the Saxons speach that hee translated two bookes of 80. sermons out of Latin into the Saxon speach vsed then orderly to be read in Churches on sondayes other festiual dayes of the yeare as by his own words may appeare in the end of one of y e said books of sermons whose woordes be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We let passe many good Gospels whiche he that lyst may translate For we dare not enlarge this booke muche further left it be ouergreat and so be a cause of lothsomnes to men through the bignes therof c. Also in an other place he confesseth the same of himselfe whose wordes in the preface before his grammer be these Ic AElfric Æ¿olde þa listlan boc aÆ¿endan to engliscum gereorde of ðam staef craefte ðe is gehaten grammatica syððan ic tÆ¿a bec aÆ¿ende on hund eahtatigum spellum 80. Sermons translated by Aelfricus into the English or Saxon tongue I Elfrike was desirous to turne into our English tongue from the arte of letters called grammer this little booke after that I had translated the two bookes of fourescore sermons c. Of his Epistles especially we read of foure which he wrote One to the monkes of Egnesham De consuetudine monachorum An other to Wulfstane Arch. of Yorke wherin is touched the matter of the Sacrament The thirde he wrote against priestes marriage 4. Epistles written of Aelfricus in the Saxon or English tongue to one Sygeferth with whom there was a certaine Anker abiding which defended the marriage of priests affirming it to be lawfull The fourth he wrote to Wulfsinus B. of Scyrburne touching the matter of the sacrameÌ„t In the which epistle he taking occasion by a certaine abuse in his time which was that priests on Easter day filled their housel boxe and so kept it for the space of the whole yeare till Easter came againe for sicke persons writeth vppon that occasion in these words as follow in his owne Saxons tongue A writing of Aelfrike to wulfstne The wordes of Aelfricus writteÌ„ to Wulfstne Bishop of Scyrburne agaynst transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ Man sceal healden þaet halige husel mid mycelre gymene ne forhealdan hit ac halgian oþen edniÆ¿e to sceocum mannum a. embe VII niht oððe embe XIIII night ê§ hit huru fynig ne sy forðon ðe eal sÆ¿a ê§ Ã°e on easterdaeg Æ¿aes gehadgod Ãaet husel is Cristes lichama na lichamlice ac gastlice Na se lichama ðe he on ðroÆ¿ode ac se lichama ðe he embe spraec ða ða h bletsode hlaf Æ¿in to husel anre nihte aer his ðroÆ¿unge cÆ¿aeþ be þam gebletsode hlaf ðis is min lichama eft be ðam halgan Æ¿ine ðis is min blode þe bið for manegum agoten on synna forgifenesse Vnderstandaþ nu ê§ se drighten ðe mihte aÆ¿endon ðone hlaf aer his ðroÆ¿unge to his lichaman ê§ Æ¿in to his blode gastlice þaet se ylca daeghÆ¿amlice bletsah ðurh sacerda handa hlaf Æ¿in to his gastlican lichaman and to his gastlican blode The same in English Men shal reserue more carefully that holy housell not reserue it to long but halow other
y e realm and establishment of the kings succession to haue an English Queene and Prince that were meere English so that in conclusion the kings affection the more it was diminished from the late married Anne of Cleue the lesse fauour he bare vnto Cromwell Besides this Gardiner there lacked not other backe friends also and ilwillers in the court about the king which little made for Cromwell both for his religion which they maligned and for other priuate grudges also incident by the way Ouer and besides all which it is moreouer supposed that some part of displeasure might ryse agaynst hym by reason of a certaine talke which happened a little before at Lambeth at what tyme the king after the makyng of the vi Articles sent the sayd Lord Cromwell his Uicegerēt with the two Dukes of Northfolke Suffolke with all the Lordes of the Parliament to Lambeth to dyne with the Archbishop who mightily had disputed and alledged in the Parliament agaynst the said Articles to cheare and comfort his daunted spirits agayne There the said Cromwell with the other noble Lordes sitting with the Archbishop at his table in talke The talke betwene the L. Cromwel certeine of the Lordes at Lambeth as euerie lord brought forth his sentence in commendation of Cranmer to signifie what good will both the kyng they bare vnto him among the rest one of the company entring into a comparison betweene the sayd Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Wolsey late Cardinall of Yorke declared in his iudgement that Cranmer was much to bee preferred for his myld and gentle nature where as the Cardinall was a stubburne and a churlish prelate and one that could neuer abide any noble man and that sayd he knowe you well enough my Lord Cromwell for he was your Maister c. At these wordes the Lord Cromwell beyng somewhat touched to heare the Cardinals seruice cast in hys teeth inferred agayne saying that he could not deny but he was seruant sometyme to Cardinall Wolsey neyther did repent the same for he receiued of hym both fee meate and drinke and other commodities but yet he was neuer so farre in loue with hym as to haue wayted vpon him to Rome if he had bene chosen Pope as he vnderstoode that he would haue done if the case had so fallen out Whiche when the other had denied to be true Cromwell still persisted affirmyng the same and shewyng moreouer what number of Florens he should haue receyued to be his Admirall and to haue safe conducted hym to Rome in case he had bene elected Bishop of Rome The partie not a little mooued with these wordes told hym he lyed The other agayne affirmed it to be true Upon this great and hygh wordes rose betwene them Which contention although it was through intreatie of the Archbishop and other nobles somewhat pacified for the tyme yet it might be that some bitter roote of grudge remayned behynd which afterward grew vnto him to some displeasure And this was an 1540. in the moneth of Iuly Ex testimonio Secretarij Cantuar. After this the next yeare followyng which was 1541. in the month of Aprill was holden a Parliament Anno 1541. which after diuers prorogations was continued till the moneth of Iuly the sayd yeare A Parliament In the which month of Iuly the Lord Cromwell beyng in the counsaile chamber was sodenly apprehended and committed to the tower of London Whereat as many good men which knewe nothyng but truth by him did lament The Lord Cromwell apprehēded and prayed hartily for him so moe there were on the contrary side that reioyced especially of the religious sort and of the clergy such as had bene in some dignitie before in the Churche and nowe by hys meanes were put from it For in deed such was hys nature that in all his doyngs he could not abyde any kynde of Poperie nor of false religion creepyng vnder hypocrisie and lesse could abyde the ambitious pryde of Popishe Prelacie which professing all humilitie was so elated in pride that kinges coulde not rule in their owne Realmes for them These snuffing Prelates as he could neuer abide so they agayne hated him as much whiche was the cause of shortnyng his dayes and to bryng him to his ende So that the xix day of the moneth aforesaid he was attainted by Parliament In the which Atteinder diuers and sondry crimes surmises obiections and accusations were brought against hym but chiefly and aboue all other Crimes and accusatiōs brought agaynst the L. Cromwell he was charged and accused of heresie for that he was a supporter of them whō they recounted for heretikes as Barnes Clarke and many other whom he by his authoritie and letters written to Shiriffes and Iustices in diuers Shires rescued and discharged out of prison Also that he did euulgate disperse abroad amongst the Kings subiects great numbers of bookes conteming as they said manifest matter of much heresie diffidence and misbeliefe Item that he caused to be translated into our English tongue bookes comprising matter expresly against the Sacrament of the aulter that after the translation thereof he commended and mainteyned the same for good and christian doctrine· Ouer and besides all this they brought in certaine witnesses what they were the atteinder expresseth not which most especially pressed or rather oppressed him with heinous wordes spoken agaynst the king in the Church of s. Peter the poore in the moneth of March in the xxx yeare of the kings raigne Which wordes if they be true as the Atteinder doth purport three things I haue here much to meruaile at First if his aduersaries had so sure holde and matter against hym Witnesses agaynst Cromwell suspected then what would mooue thē to make such hastie speede in all post haste to haue him dispatched and rid out of the way and in no case could abyde hym to come to his purgation Which if he might haue done it is not otherwise to be thought but he would easily haue clered himselfe thereof Secondly this I maruell What mischiefe malicious make-bates make in a commō wealth that if the wordes had bene so hainous against the kyng as his enemies did pretend why then did those witnesses which heard those words in S. Peters Church in the xxx yeare of the kyngs raigne conceale the sayd wordes of such treason so long the space almost of ij yeares Examples of mē falsely accused wrongfully iudged and now vttered the same in the xxxij yeare of the kings reigne in the moneth of Iuly Thirdly here is agayne to be marueled if the king had known or beleued these words to be true and that Cromwell had bene in deede such a traytour to his person why then did the kyng so shortly after lamēt his death wishing to haue his Cromwell aliue agayne What Prince will wish the lyfe of hym whom he suspecteth vndoubtedly to be a traitor to his life and person wherby it may appeare what
y e same The 〈◊〉 hereof were Rich. GraftoÌ„ and Whyt-church And in like maner at the same time the said king wrote vnto his ambassadour who then was Edmund Boner Bishop of Herford lying in Paris that he should ayde and assist the doers thereof in all their reasonable sutes The which Bishop outwardly shewed great friendship to y e merchants that were the imprinters of the same and moreouer did diuers and sundrie times call and commande the said persons to be in maner daily at his table both dinner and supper Edmund Boner a great furtherer in printing the Bibles in Engliâ—he and so much reioyced in the workemanship of the said Bible that he himselfe would visite the imprinters house where the same bibles were printed also would take part of such dinners as the Englishmen there had and that to his cost which as it seemed he little wayed And further the sayd Boner was so feruent that he caused the said Englishmen to put in print a new testament in english latine The new testament in Englishe Latine put in print by Boner Edmund Boner made Byshop of London and himselfe took a great many of them and payd for them gaue them to his friends And it chaunced the meane time while the said Bible was in printing the king Henry the 8. preferred the said Boner from the said bishopricke of Herford to be bishop of LondoÌ„ at which time y e said Boner according to the statute law of England tooke his othe to the king knowledging his supremacie and called one of y e aforesaid Englishmen that printed y e bible whom he then loued although afterward vppon the change of the worlde he did hate him as much whose name was Richard Grafton to whom the said Boner saide when he tooke his othe maister Grafton so it is that the kings most excellent maiestie hath by his gracious gift presented me to the Bishopricke of London Boners wordes to Grafton when he toooke his othe to the king for the which I am sory for if it would haue pleased his grace I could haue bene well content to haue kept mine old bishopricke of Herford Then said Grafton I am right glad to heare of it and so I am sure will bee a great number of the Citie of London for though they yet know you not yet they haue heard so much goodnes of you froÌ„ hence Boner reproueth Stokesley for his persecuting as no doubt they wil hartily reioyce of your placing Then said Boner I pray God I may doe that may content them and to tel you M. Grafton Before god for that was commonly his othe the greatest fault that I euer found in Stokesley was for vexing and troubling of poore men as Lobley the bookebinder and other for hauing the scripture in english and God willing he did not so much hinder it but I wil as much further it and I wil haue of your Bibles set vp in the Church of Paules at the least in sundrie places sixe of them Boners promise to set forth the Scriptuâ—e in Englishe and I will pay you honestly for them and giue you hartie thankes Which wordes hee then spake in the hearing of diuers credible persons as Edmund Stile Grocer and other But now M Grafton at this time I haue specially called you to be a witnes with me that vpon this translation of Bishops Sees I must according to the statute take an othe vnto the kings maiestie knowledging his Supremacie which before God I take with my heart and so thinke him to be Boner sweareth hartely to the kinges supremacy Myles Couerdale corrector in printing the Bible of the large volume and beseech almightie God to saue him and long to prosper his grace holde the booke sirah and reade you the oth said he to one of his chapleins he layd his hand on the booke and so he tooke his othe And after this he shewed great friendship to the saide Grafton and to his partener Edward Whitchurch but specially to Myles Couerdail who was the corrector of the great Bible Now after that the foresaid letters were deliuered the French kyng gaue very good wordes and was well content to permit the doing therof And so the printer went forward and printed forth the booke euen to the last part and then was the quarell picked to the printer and he was sent for to the inquisitors of the fayth The printing of the Bible stayed at Paris thorough the 〈◊〉 of Englishe Bishopâ— and there charged with certaine articles of heresie Then were sent for the Englishmen that were at the cost and charge thereof and also such as had the correction of the same which was Myles Couerdale but hauing some warning what would folow the said EnglishmeÌ„ posted away as fast they could to saue themselues leauing behynd them all their Bibles which were to the number of 2500. called the Bibles of the great volume and neuer recouered any of them sauing that the Lieftenaunt criminal hauing them deliuered vnto hym to burne in a place of Paris like Smithfield called Mauibert place was somewhat mooued with couetousnes English Bibles burnt at Paris and sold 4. great dry fattes of them to a Haberdasher to lap in caps and those were bought againe but the rest were burned to the great and importunate losse of those that bare the charge of them But notwithstandyng the sayd losse after they had recouered some part of the foresayde bookes and were comforted and encouraged by the Lord Cromwell the said Englishmen went agayne to Paris there got the presses letters and seruants of the aforesayd Printer and brought them to London and there they became printers themselues which before they neuer entended and printed out the said Bible in London How Grafton Whitchurch became printers and after that printed sundry impressions of them but yet not without great trouble and losse for the hatred of the bishops namely Steuen Gardiner and his fellowes who mightily did stomacke and maligne the printing thereof Here by the way for the more direction to the story thou hast louyng Reader to note and vnderstand that in those daies there were ij sundry Bibles in English printed and set forth bearing diuers titles and printed in diuers places The first was called Thomas Mathews Bible printed at Hambrough about the yeare of our Lord 1532. the corrector of which print was then Iohn Rogers of whom ye shall heare more Christ willing hereafter The Printers were Richard Grafton and Whitchurch In the translation of this Bible the greatest doer was in deede William Tyndall who with the helpe of Miles Coueâ—â—ale had translated all the bookes thereof except onely the Apocrypha and certaine notes in the margent which were added after But because the said William Tyndall in the meane tyme was apprehended before this Bible was fully perfected Tho. Mathewes Bible by whom and how it was thought good to theÌ„
which had the doing therof to chaunge the name of William Tyndall because that name then was odious and to farther it by a straÌ„ge name of Thomas Mathew Iohn Rogers the same time beyng corrector to the print who had then translated the residue of the Apocripha and added also certaine notes thereto in the margent The Byble presented to the king by the Lord Cromwell The Byble put forth with the kinges priuiledge and therof came it to be called Thomas Mathewes Bible Which Bible of Thomas Mathew after it was imprinted and presented to the Lord Cromwell the Lord Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who liked very well of it the sayd Cromwell presented it to y e kyng and obteined that the same might freely passe to be read of hys subiectes with hys graces licence So that there was Printed vpon the same booke one lyue in red letters with these wordes Set forth with the Kings most gracious licence The setting forth of this booke did not a little offend the Clergy namely the Bishop aforesayd both for the Prologues specially because in the same booke was one special table collected of the common places in the Bible and the scriptures for the approbation of the same chiefly about the supper of the lord and mariage of priests and the masse which there was said not to be found in Scripture Furthermore after the restraint of this foresayde Bible of Mathew An other Byble of the great volume printed at Paris another Bible began to be printed at Paris an 1540. Which was called the Bible of the large Uolume The Printers whereof were the foresayde Richard Grafton and Whitchurche which bare the charges A great helper thereto was the lord Cromwell The chiefest ouerseer was Myles Couerdale who taking the translation of Tyndall conferred the same with the Hebrue and amended many things In this Bible although the former notes of Thomas Mathew was omitted The Byshops offended at the Byble translated into Englishe yet sondry markes handes were annexed in the sides which ment that in those places shuld be made certeine notes wherwith also the clergy was offended though the notes were not made After this the bishops bringing their purpose to passe brought the Lord Cromwell out of fauour and shortly to his death and not long after great complaint was made to the king of the translation of the Bible and of y e preface of the same The sale of the Byble stayd by the king throug the Byshops meanes· and then was the sale of the Bible commaunded to be stayed the B. promising to amend correct it but neuer performing the same Then Grafton was called first charged with the printing of Mathewes Bible but he being feareful of trouble made excuses for himselfe in all things Then was he examined of the great Bible and what notes he was purposed to make To the which he aunswered that he knewe none For his purpose was to haue retayned learned men to haue made the notes Rich. Grafton imprisoned for printing the Bible but when he perceyued the kynges maiestie and his Clergye not willing to haue any he proceded no further But for al these excuses Grafton was sent to the Fleet and there remayned vi wekes and before he came out was bound in CCC.li that he should neither sell nor imprint or cause to be imprinted any moe Bibles vntill the king the clergy should agree vpon a translation And thus was the Bible from that tyme stayed during the raigne of Kyng Henry the viij But yet one thing more is to be noted that after the imprinters had lost their Bibles they continued suiters to Boner as is aforesaid to be a meane for to obteyne of the French king their bookes againe but so long they continued suters and Boner euer fed them with faire wordes promising them much but did nothing for them till at the last Boner was discharged of his ambassade and returned home where he was right ioyfully welcomed home by the lord Cromwell who loued him dearely and had a maruelous good opinion of him Edm. Boner a great frend to L. Cromwell al the tyme of his prosperitye And so long as Cromwell remained in autoritie so long was Boner at his beck and friend to his friends and enimy to his enimies as namely at that tyme to Gardmer B. of Winchester who neuer fauoured Cromwell therefore Boner could not fauour him but that he and Winchester were the greatest enemies that might be Steph. Gardiner and Boner of enemyes made frendes But so soone as Cromwell fel immediatly Boner and Winchester pretended to be the greatest men that liued and no good word could Boner speake of Cromwell but the lewdest vilest and bitterest that he could speake calling him the rankest heretike that euer liued and then such as the sayd Boner knew to be in good fauour with Cromwell Doct. Boner altereth his frendship religion he could neuer abide their sight Insomuch as the next day after that Cromwell was appreheÌ„ded the abouenamed Grafton who before had bene very famâ—liarâ— with Boner met with the sayd Boner sodenly and sayd vnto hym that he was sory to heare of the newes that then was abroad What are they sayd he Of the apprehension of the L. Cromwell sayd Grafton Are ye sory for that sayd he It had bene good that he had bene dispatched long ago With that Grafton looked vpon hym and knew not what to say but came no more to Boner Howbeit afterward the sayd Grafton beyng charged for the imprinting of a ballet made in the fauour of Cromwel was called before the Councel Doctor Boner agaynst the L. Cromwell where Boner was present and there Boner charged hym with the wordes that hee spake to hym of Cromwell and told out a great long tale But the lord Awdeley who then was Lord Chauncellor right discretly and honourably cut of the matter and entered into other talke The history of Robert Barnes Thomas Garret and William Hierome diuines LIke as in forreine battails the chiefe poynt of victorie consisteth in the safetie of the Generall or captayne Rob. Barnes T. Garret W. Hierome Martyrs euen so when the valiaunt standerd bearer and stay of the church of England Tho. Cromwell I meane was made away pitie it is to behold what miserable slaghter of good men and good women ensued thereupon wherof we haue now Christ willing to entreat For Winchester hauyng now gotten his full purpose free swinge to exercise his cruelty wonder it was to see that Aper Calydonius or as the scripture speaketh that Ferus singularis Psal. 40. what troubles he raised in the Lordes vineyard And least by delayes he might loose the occasion presently offered he straight wais made his first assaultes vpon Robert Barnes Thomas Garret and William Hierome whom in y e very same moneth within ij dayes after Cromwels death he caused to be put to execution Whose
or not Which question rose vpon a certaine contētion which had beene betwene them before For Barnes had affirmed that albeit God requireth of vs to forgeue our neighbour God forgeueth vs first before we forgeue our neighbour Rom. 15. to obtaine forgeuenesse of hym yet he sayd that God must forgeue vs first before we forgeue our neighboure For els to forgeue our neyghbour were sinne by the text that sayeth All that is not of faith is sinne c. Thus the matter being propounded Gardiner to proue the contrary came foorth wyth hys arguments two or three to the which argumentes sayeth Gardiner Barnes coulde not aunswere but desired to be spared that nyght Gardiners report Disputation betweene Barnes Gardiner and the next morning he would answer his arguments In the morning Gardiner wyth the hearers being againe assembled D. Barnes according to the appoyntment was present who then went about to assoil his arguments To his solutions Gardiner againe replied And thus continued they in thys altercation by y e space of two houres Steuen Gardiner in his preface to George Ioye In the ende of thys Cockfight Winchester thus cōcludeth thys glorious tale and croweth vp the triumph declaring howe Barnes besought him to haue pitie of hym to forgeue hym and to take hym to be hys scholer whome then the sayd Winchester as he confesseth himself receiuing not as his scholer but as hys companion offred to hym a portion oute of his liuing to the summe of xl li a yere Steuen Gardiner offereth to Doct. Barnes 40. pounde a yeare Which if it be true as Steuen Gardiner himselfe reporteth why then doth this glorious Cackatrice crowe so much against Barnes afterward and cast him in the teeth bearing all the world in hand that Barnes was his scholler whereas he himselfe heere refuseth Barnes to be hys scholer but receiueth hym as hys companion fellowlyke But to the storie This done the king being aduertised of the conclusion of this matter betweene Barnes and Winchester was cōtent that Barnes shoulde repaire to the Bishoppes house at London the mōday folowing Which he did with a certaine other cōpanion ioyned vnto him Who he was Winchester there doth not expresse only he saith y t it was neyther Hierome nor Garret In this next meeting betweene Barnes and the bishop vpon the foresaid monday the said bishop studying to instruct Barnes vttered to him certain articles or conclusions to the number of x. the effect wherof here followeth Winchesters Articles against Barnes THe effect of Christes passion hath a condition The fulfilling of the condition diminisheth nothing the effecte of Christes passion They that wil enioy the effect of Christes passion must fulfill the condition The fulfilling of the condition requireth firste knowledge of the cōdition which knowledge we haue by faith Faith commeth of God and thys faith is a good gifte It is good and profitable to me it is profitable to me to do well and to exercise thys faith Ergo by the gifte of God I may do well before I am iustified Therfore I may do wel by the gift of God before I am iustified towardes the attainment of iustification There is euer as muche Charitie towardes God as faith And as faith encreaseth so doth charitie encrease To the attainment of iustification is required faith and charitie Euery thing is to be called freely done wherof the beginning is free and at liberty wythout any cause of prouocation Faith muste be to me the assuraunce of the promyses of God made in Christ if I fulfil the condition loue must accomplish the condition wherupon foloweth the attainment of the promise according to Gods truth A man being in deadly sinne maye haue grace to do the workes of penaunce whereby he may attaine to hys iustification These Articles for somuch as they be sufficiently aunswered and replyed vnto by George Ioy in his Ioynder Reioynder agaynst Winchester I shall not neede to cūber this work with any new adoe therewith but onely referre the reader to the bookes aforesayd where he may see matter enough to answere to these popish articles I told you before how the king was contented y e Barnes shuld resort to the house of the bishop of Winchester to be traded and directed by the bishop which Barnes then hearing the talk of y e people hauing also conference with certayne learned men within two dayes after his comming to y e bishops house waxed weary thereof so comming to the bish signified vnto him that if he would take him as one y t came to conferre he would come still but els he would come no more so cleane gaue ouer the bishop This beinge knowen vnto the king thorough sinister complaints of popish Sycophantes Barnes againe was sent for and cōuented before the king who grieuously being incensed against him enioyned both him Hierom and Garret at the solemne Easter sermons at S. Mary spittle opēly in wryting to reuoke the doctrine whych they before had taught At which sermons Ste. Gardiner also himself was present to heare theyr recantation First Doctor Barnes according to hys promise made to the king solempnely and formally beganne to make his recantation whych done he wyth much circumstance and obtestation called vpon the Byshop as is aboue touched and asking of hym forgeuenes required hym in token of a graunt to holde vp hys hand to the entent that he there openly declaring his charitie before the worlde the Byshop also would declare his charitie in like maner Which when the bishoppe refused to doe at the first as he was required Barnes againe called for it desiring him to shew his charitie and to holde vp his hande Which when he had done w t much a do wagging his finger a litle then Barnes entring to his Sermon after his prayer made beginneth the processe of a matter preaching contrarye to that which before he had recanted In so much that the Maior whē the Sermon was finished sittinge wyth the Bishop of Winchester asked him whether he should from the pulpit sende hym to warde to be forth comming for that his bold preaching contrary to hys recantation The like also did Hierome and Garret after hym The king had appointed before certain to make report of the sermons Besides them there was one who wryting to a frende of hys in the Court in the fauour of these preachers declared how gayly they had all handled the matter both to satisfie the recantation and also in the same Sermons to vtter out the truth that it might spread without let of the world Wherfore partly by these reporters partly by the negligent looking to this letter Barnes Garret and Hierome commaunded to the 〈◊〉 which came to the Lord Cromwels hands sayeth Gardiner Barnes wyth his other fellowes were apprehended and committed to the Tower Steuen Gardiner in his foresayde booke against George Ioye woulde needes cleare himselfe that he was in
and yet will he vtter none of them Alas my Lord quoth she my husband was neuer beyond the seas nor no great trauailer in the Realme to be so acquainted therfore good my Lord let me goe see him But all her earnest sute from day to day would not help but still he put her of harping always vpon this string thy husband wil vtter nothing At the last she finding him in the court at s. Iames going toward his chamber was so bold to take him by y e ratchet and say O my Lord these 18. dayes I haue troubled your Lordship now for the loue of God and as euer ye came of a woman put me of no longer but let me go to my husband Winchesâ—â—â— argument He hath read much Scripture Ergo he 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 Henry Câ—â—â—ricke playeth the 〈◊〉 of a good neighbâ—â—â— And as she was standing with the Bishop his men in a blynd corner goyng to his chamber one of the kings seruantes called Henry Carrike and her nexte neighbor chanced to be by hearing the talke betweene the B. and her desired his Lordship to be good Lord vnto the poore woman which had her owne mother lying bedred vpon her hands beside 5. or 6. children I promise you quoth the B. her husband is a great heretike hath reade more scripture then any man in the Realme hath done I cannot tel my Lord quoth Carrike what he is inwardly but outwardly he is as honest a quiet neighbour as euer I dwelt by He will tell nothing quoth the B. He knoweth a great sort of false harlots and will not vtter theÌ„ Yes my Lord quoth Carrike he will tell I dare say for hee is an honest man Well quoth the B. speaking to the wyfe thou seemest to be an honest woman and if thou loue thy husband well go to him and geue him good counsayle to vtter such naughty felowes as he knoweth and I promise thee he shall haue what I can doe for him for I doe fansie him well for his Art wherin he had pleased me as well as any man and so stepping into his chamber said she shold haue his letter to the keper Marbecâ—â—â— wife permitted at last to go 〈◊〉 her husband But his mynd being changed he sent out his ring by a Gentleman which Gentleman deliuered the ring to his man charging him with the Bishops message And so his man went with the woman to the water side tooke boat who neuer rested rayling on her husband all the way till they came to y e prison which was no small crosse vnto the poore woman And when they were come to the Marshalsey the messenger shewed the B. ring to the Porter saying Maister Stokes my Lord willeth you by this token that ye suffer this woman to haue recourse to her husband but he straitly chargeth you that ye search her both comming going least she bring or cary any letters to or fro that she bryng no body vnto him nor no word from no maÌ„ Gods bloud quoth the Porter who was a foule swearer what wil my Lord haue me to do Like 〈◊〉 man Can I let her to bring word from any man Either let her go to her husband or let her not go for I see nothyng by him but an honest man The poore woman fearing to be repulsed spake the Porter faire saying Good maister be content for I haue found my Lorde very good Lord vnto me This yong man is but the Gentlemans seruant which brought the ring from my Lord I thinke doth his message a great deale more straiter then my Lord commanded the Gentleman or that the Gentleman his maister commanded him But neuerthelesse good M. quoth she I shal be content to strip my selfe before you both commyng and goyng The part 〈◊〉 good 〈…〉 so farre as any honest woman may do with honesty For I entend no such thyng but only to comfort and helpe my husband Then the Messenger sayd no more but went his way leauing the womaÌ„ there who from that tyme forth was suffered to come and go at her pleasure The fourth examination of Marbecke before the Commissioners in the Bishop of Londons house ABout a three weekes before Whitsonday was Marbecke sent for to the B. of Londons house where sat in Commission Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury Doctor Skyp Bishop of Harford Doct. Goodricke Bishop of Ely Doct. Okyng Doct. May and the Bishop of Londons Scribe hauyng before them all Marbeckes bookes Then sayd the Byshop of Salisbury Marbecke we are here in commission sent froÌ„ the kings maiesty to examine thee of certaine things wherof thou must be sworne to answer vs faithfully truly I am content my lord quoth he to tell you the truth so far as I can and so tooke hys othe Then the Bishop of Salisbury layd forth before hym hys 3. bookes of notes demaunding whose hand they were He answered they were his owne hand notes which he had gathered out of other mens works 6. yeres ago For what cause quoth the Byshop of Salisbury diddest thou gather them For none other cause my Lorde quoth he but to come by knowledge For I being vnlerned desirous to vnderstaÌ„d some part of scripture thought by readyng of lerned mens works to come the sooner therby where as I found any place of Scripture opened and expounded by theÌ„ that I noted as ye see with a letter of his name in the margent that had set out the worke So me thinke quoth the Byshop of Ely who had one of the bookes of notes in his hand al y e time of their sitting thou hast read of al sorts of bookes both good and bad as seemeth by the notes So I haue my Lorde quoth he And to what purpose quoth the Byshop of Salis. by my trouth quoth he for no other purpose but to see euery mans minde Then the B. of Salis drew out a quire of the Concordance and layd it before the B. of Harford who looking vppon it a while lifted vp hys eyes to D. Oking standing next him and sayd Thys man hath ben better occupied then a great sort of our priestes To the which he made no answer Then sayd the Byshop of Salisbury whose helpe hadst thou in setting foorth this booke Truely my Lorde quoth he no helpe at al. How couldest thou quoth the bishop inuent such a booke or know what a Concordance meant w tout an instructer I wil tell your Lordship quoth he what instructer I had to begin it The occasioÌ„ why Marbecke began the Concordance in Englishe When Thomas Mathewes bible came first out in print I was much desirous to haue one of them and being a poore man not able to buye one of them determined wyth my selfe to borrow one among my frends to wryte it foorth And when I had wrytten oute the 5. bookes of Moises in faire greate paper was entred into the booke of Iosua M. Richard
and his honorable Counsell and what frendship they of the Kings Counsell there coulde shew them All that good Friday euen till x. of the clocke at night those wicked and malicious persons occupyed their time in aunswering to diuers and sondry questions These things were not so secretly done but they were bewrayed and came to honest mens knowledge Whereupon such feare and distrust assaulted all men that neighbour mistrusted neighbour the maister the seruaunt the seruaunt the maister the husband the wife the wife the husband Great perturbation at Calice and almost euery one the other that lamentable it was to see how mourningly men and women went in the streetes hanging downe their heads shewing euident tokens of the anguish of their harts The second trouble of Thomas Brooke VPon Easter Monday one Hugh Councell an honest man seruaunt to the sayd Brooke was conuented before them and by the space of xiiij dayes not suffered to returne to his maisters house but kepte in custody and many times examined vpon Articles and Interrogatories in hope to haue found worthy matter either of heresie or treason against the sayde Brooke and the same daye that Brooke was committed to Warde the sayde Hugh Councell was discharged The Wednesday in the Easter weeke sundry Questes were charged by their othes to make inquisition for all maner of heresies erroneous opinions and seditions as a Quest of Aldermen an other of men at armes and an other of Constables and Uintners an other of common Souldiours and an other of Commoners And shortly after theyr presentments on good Friday there was conuented before the Commissioners and straighte were sente to close prison Xiij Calice men imprisoned for theyr fayth Anthony Pickering Gentleman Harry Tourney Gentleman Syr George Darby Priest Iohn Shepheard William Pellam William Keuerdale Iohn Whitwoode Iohn Boote Roberte Clodder Copen de Hane Mathew de Hound Upon whome ran sundry brutes Some said they should be hanged some said burnt some said hanged drawne and quartered some said nailed to the Pillery so that pitifull it was to see the lamentation that their wiues their children seruaunts and frendes made secretely where they durst for that they founde euery where words of discomfort and no where of comfort but still Inquisition was made The second trouble of William Steuens THe foresayd William Steuens after hys returne from London aboue meÌ„tioned besides many other Articles laid to him for religion to y e number of 40. or welnie was by y e Lord Deputie charged y t he had stayed the foresaid Adam Damlip hyred him to preache and gaue him meate drinke and lodging coÌ„ming from the arrant traytor Cardinall Poole False crimes forged agaynst W. Steuens and suborned by him and that he had receyued money of him to the intent he should preach in Calice false erroneous doctrine wherby y e towne being deuided at contention within it selfe might easely be ouercome wonne by the Frenchmen Whereunto the sayde Steuens aunswered that whatsoeuer he had done vnto the sayd Adam Damlip he had done it at the earnest request commaundement of the sayd Lord Deputie Whereupon if it had bene treason in deede he must haue bene more faultie W. Steuens committed to the Tower Then the said William Steuens was againe the second time by the said Commissioners sent ouer into England clapt in the tower afterwarde to wit immediately after the said Commissioners repaire vnto the Kings highnes y e said Lord Deputy was sent for ouer L. Lislie deputy of Calice committed to the Tower likewise put into the Tower where he continued a long time And wheÌ„ the Kings Maiestie minded to haue bene gracious vnto him to haue let him come forth God tooke hym out of thys world whose body resteth in y e Tower his soule w t God I trust Example of Gods punishment vpon hys persecuters in heauen for he died very repentaunt But y e wicked Lady his wife immediately vpon his apprehensioÌ„ fell distraught of minde so coÌ„tinued many yeares after God for his mercy if she yet liue geue her his grace to repent The second Monday after Easter the foresayd Brooke was conuented before the Commissioners and committed to close prison in the Mayors Gayle Then the Counsell of Calice doubting lest there should not be any sedition or heresie proued against him did call one George Bradway before them who occupied y e Controllers office in the custome house This maÌ„ was kept in close prison so as neither his wife then great with childe nor any other his frends might repaire vnto him Where after y t he had often times beene borne in hande that there were diuers concealements come to light that were made by Brooke in the office of Custome and y t the said Bradway should be greeuously punished if he would acknowledge none of theÌ„ nor burden y e said Brooke with no kind of concealement the poore simple man hoping thereby to get release of his imprisonment accused the sayd Brooke that he had for a long time concealed foure grotes euery day for his Clarkes wages to that accusation they caused the simple man to set his owne hand before witnesses Wherevpon after a day or two the said Bradway greeued in his conscience for the same his most vntrue accusation did with a knife enterprise to cut his own throte False accusation punished by Gods hâ—â—d but God of his mercy so directed his wicked purpose that the backe of his knife was towarde his wesande Whereby though the wound were broad yet he escaped with lyfe Gods meâ—cy in punishing And as he gaue a grone with the sodaine paine that he felt the Gayler came vp and bereft him of the knife But thorough the giltines of the false accusation and shame of the world the maÌ„ lost his wits who then staring and dismaid was dismissed out of prison and a long time after went in piteous case so dismayed about the streete to the great impouerishing of him his poore wife and familie This kynde of handling of the said Brooke made all his frendes but specially his wife to be greatly afeard of the malice of his enemies the rather also for that all his goods and landes were ceised And his wife thrust into the meanest place of all his house with her children and family the keyes of al y e dores and chestes beside taken from her Who for y t she was rigorously entreated at sir Edward Ringleis hand Controller of the Towne an office of no small charge though he knew not a B from a battledore nor euer a letter of the booke sayeng vnto her that if she lyked not the roome he woulde thrust her quite out of the dores well Sir sayd she well the Kings slaughter house had wrong when you were made a Gentleman and with all speede she wrote a letter to the Lorde Cromwell Letters sent to the Lord Cromwell from Calice therein
to the Byshop at Westminster for abolishing of Images Hyberniae Regem fidei defensorem in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hybernicae supremum caput sufficienter legitimae autorisatus Reuerendo in Christo confratri nostro domino Thomae eadem permissione Westm. Episcopo salutem fraternam in Domino charitatem Literas reuerendissimi in Christo patris domini D. Thomae permissione diuina Cantuar. Archiepiscopi totius Angliae primatis Metropolitani tenorem literarum missâ—â—uÌ„ clarissimorum prudentissimorum dominorum de priuatis consilijs dicti illustrissimi domini Regis in se continen nuper cum ea qua decuit reuerentia humiliter recepimus exequend in haec verba Thomas permissione diuina Cant. c. And then makyng a full recitall as well of the Archbishops precept as also of the Counsels letters aboue specified he concluded with these wordes Quocirca nos Edmund Episc. antedictus Literis praedictis pro nostro officio obtemperare vti decet summopere cupientes vestrae fraternitati tam ex parte dicti excellentissimi Domini nostri Regis ac praefatoâ—um clarissimorum dominoruÌ„ de priuatis suis consilijs quà m praedicti Reuer patris domini Cant. Archiepiscopi tenore praesentium committimus mandamus quatenus attentis per vos diligenter consideratis Literarum huiusmodi tenoribus eos in omnibus per omnia iuxta vim formam effectum earundem cum omni qua poteris celeritate accommoda per totam Dioces vestram West debite effectualiter exequi faciatis procuretis Datum in aedibus nostris London vicesimo die Febr. An. Dom. 1548. Et regni dicti illustrissimi domini nostri Regis Anno secundo Now by the tyme that these things were thus determined the learned men which the kyng had appointed as ye haue heard before to assemble together for the true and right maner of administring the Sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ An vniforme order of the Communion accordyng to the rule of the Scriptures of God and first vsage of the Primatiue Churche after theyr long learned wyse and deliberate aduises dyd finally conclude and agree vppon one godly and vniforme order of receiuing the same not much differyng from the maner at this present vsed authorised within this realm and church of England commonly called the Communion Which agreement beyng by them exhibited vnto the kyng and of hym most gladly accepted was thereupon publikely imprinted and by his maiesties Councell perticularly deuided and sent vnto euery bishop of the realme requiring and commaundyng them by their letters on the kings Maiesties behalfe that both they in their own persons should forthwith haue diligent and carefull respect to the due execution thereof and also should with all diligeÌ„ce cause the bookes which they then sent them to be deliuered vnto euery Parson Uicar and Curate within their Dioces that they likewise might well and sufficiently aduise themselues for the better distribution of the sayd communion according to the tenour of the sayd booke agaynst the feast of Easter then next ensuyng as more fully appeareth by these their letters here followyng ¶ Letters Missiue from the Counsaile to the Bishops of the Realme concernyng the Communion to be ministred in both kyndes Anno 1548. AFter our most harty commendatioÌ„s to your Lordship where in the Parliament late holden at Westminster The Communion in both kindes to be ministred it was amongest other things most godly established that according to the first institution and vse of the primatiue church the most holy sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ shuld be distributed to the people vnder the kyndes of bread wyne according to the effect whereof the kinges maiestie mynding with the aduice and consent of the Lord Protectors grace the rest of the Counsaile to haue the sayd Statute well executed in such sort or lyke as it is agreeable with the word of God so the same may be also faithfully and reuerently receiued of his most louing subiects to their comforts and wealth hath caused sundry of his maiesties most graue and well learned Prelates and other learned men in the Scriptures to assemble themselues for this matter who after long conference together haue with deliberate aduise finally agreed vpon such an order to be vsed in all places of the kings maiesties dominions in the distribution of the sayd most holy sacrament as may apeare to you by the booke thereof which we send herewith vnto you Albeit knowing your Lordships knowledge in the Scriptures and earnest good will zeale to the settyng foorth of all things accordyng to the truth thereof we be well assured you will of your owne good will and vpon respect to your duetie diligently set forth this most godly order here agreed vpon and commaunded to be vsed by the authoritie of the kyngs maiestie yet remembryng the crafty pratise of the deuill who ceaseth not by his members to worke by al wayes and meanes the hinderance of all godlines And consideryng furthermore that a great number of the Curates of the Realme eyther for lacke of knowledge can not or for want of good mynd will not be so redy to set forth the same as we would wish and as the importance of the matter and their owne bounden duties requireth we haue thought good to pray and require your Lordship and neuerthelesse in the kings maiesties our most dread Lordes name to commaund you to haue an earnest diligence and carefull respect both in your owne person and by all your officers and Ministers also to cause these bookes to be deliuered to euery Person Vicar and Curate within your Diocesse with such diligence as they may haue sufficient tyme well to instruct and aduise themselues for the distribution of the most holy Communion accordyng to the order of this booke before this Easter tyme and that they may by your good meanes be well directed to vse such good gentle and charitable instruction of their simple and vnlearned parishioners as may be to all their good satisfactions as much as may be praying you to consider that this order is set forth to the intent there should be in all partes of the Realme and among all men one vniforme manner quietly vsed The execution whereof lyke as it shall stand very much in the diligence of you and others of your vocation so doe we eftsoones require you to haue a diligent respect thereunto as ye tender the kings Maiesties pleasure and will aunswer for the contrary And thus we bidde your Lordship right hartily farewell From Westminster the 13. of March 1548. Your Lordships louyng friends Tho. Canterbury R. Rich. W. Saint Iohn Iohn Russell Hen. Arundel Anth. Wingfield W. Peter Edward North. Ed. Wootton By meanes as well of this letter and the godly order of the learned as also of the statute and acte of parliament before mentioned made for the stablishyng thereof all priuate blasphemous Masses
offend and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he shuld for the same 3. offence suffer imprisonment during his life If any such person or persons aforesaid so offending had not any benefice or spiritual promotion y t then he shoulde for his first offence suffer imprisonment by the space of vi monthes without bayle or maynprise and for his second offence imprisonment during hys life Which request or rather actuall agreement of y e lordes and commons of the Parliament beyng once vnderstoode of the kyng was also soone ratified and confirmed by hys regall consent and authoritie and therupon the sayd booke of common prayer was presently imprinted and commaÌ„ded to be exercised throughout the whole Realme and dominions thereof accordyng to the tenure and effect of the sayd Statute Moreouer in the same Session of the sayd ParliameÌ„t it was enacted and established by the authoritie thereof that for as much as great horrible and not to be rehearsed inconueniences had from tyme to tyme risen amongst the priests ministers and other officers of the clergy through their compelled chastitie Lawes and 〈…〉 againâ—t 〈…〉 and by such lawes as prohibited them the godly and lawfull vse of mariage that therefore all and euery law and lawes positiue canons constitutions and ordinances theretofore made by the authoritie of man onely which did prohibite or forbid mariage to any ecclesiasticall or spirituall person or persones of what estate condition or degree so euer they were or by what name or names they were called which by gods law may lawfully marry in all and euery article braunche and sentence concernyng onely the prohibition for the mariage of the persons aforesayd should be vtterly voyd and of none effect And that all maner of forfaitures paynes penalties crimes or actions Mariage of Priestes â—et â—ree which were in the sayd lawes conteyned and of the same dyd follow concernyng the prohibition for the mariage of the sayd Ecclesiastical persons shuld be thencefoorth also clearely and vtterly voyde frustrate and of none effect By occasion whereof it was thenceafter ryght lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall person not hauyng the gift of chastitie most godly to liue in the pure and holy estate of matrimony according to the lawes worde of God But if the first Iniunctions statutes and decrees of the Prince were of many but slenderly regarded with muche lesse good affection were these especially the booke of common praier of diuers now receiued yea and that of some of them Edmund Boner B. of London which had alwayes before in outward shew willingly allowed the former doings as appereth most plainly amongst others by Boner the B. of London Who although by his former letters other mandates he seemed hitherto to fauour all the kings proceedings yet did he at that present notwithstanding both the first statute for the stablishing of the Communion and the abolishyng of all priuate masses and also this Statute of the ratifieng and confirming of the booke of Common prayer still suffer suÌ„dry idolatrous priuate masses of peculiar names as the Apostles masse the Lady masse and such lyke to be dailye solemnly sung within certaine perticular chappels of hys cathedral church of Paules cloking them with the names of the apostles communion and our Ladies communion not once findyng any fault therewith vntill such tyme as the Lordes of the Counsaile hauyng intelligence thereof were fayne by their letters to commaund hym to looke better thereunto And then beyng therewith somewhat pricked forwards perhaps by feare he was content to direct hys letters vnto the Deane and Chapter of his cathedrall church of Paules thereby requesting them forthwith to take such order therein as the tenure of the Counsailes sayd letters therwithall sent vnto them did import Which both two letters I haue for the more credite here followyng inserted ¶ A Letter directed from the Kings Counsaile to Edmund Boner B. of London for abrogating of priuate Masses namely the Apostles Masse within the church of S. Paule vsed vnder the name of the Apostles Communion 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 progating priuate Masses AFter harty commendations Hauing very credible notice that within that your cathedral church there be as yet the Apostles masse and our Ladies masse and other masses of such peculiar name vnder the defence nomination of our Ladies communion and the Apostles communion vsed in priuate chappels and other remote places of the same and not in the Chauncell The Apoâ—â—les 〈…〉 Paul contrary vnto the kings maiesties proceedings the same beyng for the misuse displeasing to God for the place of Paules in example not tollerable for the fondnes of the name a scorne to the reuerence of the communion of the Lords body and bloud we for the augmentation of gods glory and honour and the consonance of his maiesties lawes and the auoyding of murmure haue thought good to will command you that from henceforth no such masses in this manner be in your church any longer vsed but that the holy blessed communion according to the acte of Parliament be ministred at the high aultar of the church and in no other places of the same only at such tyme as your high masses were wont to be vsed except some number of people desire for their necessary businesse to haue a communion in the mornyng and yet the same to bee executed in the Chauncell at the high aulter as it is appoynted in the booke of the publike seruice without cautele or digression from the common order And herein you shal not onlye satisfie our expectation of your conformitie in all lawfull things but also auoyd the murmure of sundry that be therwith iustly offended And so we bid your Lordship hartely farewell From Richmond the 24. of Iune an 1549. Your louing friendes E. Somerset W. Saint Iohn Ed. Montague R. Rich. Chan. Fra. Shrewsbury W. Cecill ¶ To my right worshipfull friendes and most louyng good brethren M. Deane of Paules with all the Canons Residentaries Prebendaries Subdeanes and Ministers of the same and euery of them with speede RIght worshipfull with most harty commendations So it is this Wensday the xxvi of Iune goyng to dynner Boners letter to the Deane and Chapter of Paules I receaued letters from the kynges Counsell by a Pursiuaunt and the same I doe send now herewith vnto you to the intent you may peruse them well and proceede accordyngly praying you in case all be not present yet those that be now resident and supplying the places may in their absence call the company together of the Church and make declaratioÌ„ hereof vnto them Thus committyng you to God right well to fare Written with speede this xxvi of Iune at one of the clocke Your louyng brother Ed. London Ouer and besides all this the Lord Protectour wyth the residue of the kings priuie and learned Counsel assemblyng together in the Starre chamber about the same mater that is for the aduancement and setting forward of the kings so godly
bishop of Rome should sodainly arriue in some place of England eyther driuen by tempest or of purpose to do hurt ye should see such order kept by firing of their Becons as hath already bene written vnto you by our letters to repulse the same in so good aray as you can as we do not doubt but you will for the safegard of your countrey so that the enemy shall haue little ioy of his comming and for that purpose you shall see diligently that men haue horse harnesse and other furniture of weapon ready according to the Statutes and good orders of the realme and the kings maiesties commandements And so for this tyme ye may depart What zealous care was in this yong kyng and in the L. Protector his vncle Tâ—e singular zeale of king Edward and his Vncle in reforming religion concerning reformatioÌ„ of Christes Church and sincere religion by these Iniunctions letters precepts and exhortations as well to the bishops as to y e Iustices of the realme aboue premised it may right well appeare Wherby we haue to note not so much the careful diligence of the king and his learned counsaile as the lingering slacknes and drawing backe on the other side of diuers the said Iustices and Lawyers but especially of Bishops The slacknes of Popish Curates in furthering the kinges proceedinges and old popish curates by whose cloked contempt wilfull winkyng and stubburne disobedience the booke of common prayer was long after the publishing therof eyther not knowen at all or els very irreuerently vsed thoroughout many places of this realme Which when y e king by complaint of diuers perfectly vnderstood beyng not a little agreued to see the godly agrement of the learned the willyng consent of the Parliament and his graces owne zealous desire to take so small effect among his subiects decreed presently with the aduise of his whole Counsaile agayne to write vnto all the bishops of his realme for spedy and diligent redresse therin willing and commanding them therby that as well they themselues should thenceforth haue a more speciall regard to the due executioÌ„ of the premisses as also that all others within their seuerall precincts and iurisdiction should by their good instructions willing example be the more oftener and with better deuotion mooued to vse and frequent the same As further appeareth by the contents of hys letter here ensuyng ¶ Another letter directed by the King and hys Counsaile to Boner Bish. of London partly rebuking hym of negligence partly chargyng hym to see to the better settyng out of the seruice booke within his Diocesse RIght reuerend father in God right trusty and welbeloued we greete you well An other letter to Boner Byshop of London and where as after great and serious debating and long conference of the bishops and other graue and well learned men in the holy Scriptures one vniforme order for common prayers and administration of the Sacramentes hath bene and is most godly set forth not only by the common agreement and full assent of the nobilitie and Commons of the late Session of our late Parliament but also by the lyke assent of the bishops in the same Parliament and of all others the learned mâ— of this our realme in their Synodes and conuocations prouinciall Like as it was much to our comfort to vnderstand the godly trauaile then diligently willingly taken for the true openyng of things mentioned in the sayd booke whereby the true seruice and honour of almighty God and the right ministration of the Sacraments beyng well and sincerely set forth accordyng to the Scriptures vse of the primatiue church much idolatry vayne superstition great and slanderous abuses be taken away so it is no small occasion of sorow vnto vs to vnderstand by the complaints of many that our sayd booke so much traueled for also sincerely set forth as is aforesaid remayneth in many places of this our realme eyther not knowen at all or not vsed or at the least if it be vsed very seldome The kinges booke neglected and that in such light and irreuerent sort as the people in many places either haue herd nothing or if they heare they neither vnderstand nor haue that spirituall delectation in the same that to good christians appertaineth The fault wherof lyke as we must of reason impute to you and other of your vocation called by God thorough our appointment to haue due respect to this and such lyke matters so consideryng that by these and such like occasions our louyng subiectes remaâ—ne yet still in their old blyndnes and superstitious errors and in some places in an irreligious forgetfulnes of God wherby his wrath may be prouoked vpon vs and them and remembring with all that amongst other cures committed to our princely charge we thinke this the greatest to see the glory and true seruice of hym maintained extolled by whose clemency we knowledge our selues to haue all that we haue we could not but by aduise and consent of our deerest vncle Edward duke of Somerset gouernour of our person and protector of our realme dominions and subiects and the rest of our priuy counsaile Anno 1549. admonish you of the premisses Wherein as it had bene your office to haue vsed an earnest diligence and to haue preferred the same in all places within your Diocesse as the case required so haue we thought good to pray and require you Boners neâ—â—ligence noted and neuerthelesse straightly to charge and commaund you that from henceforth ye haue an earnest and speciall regard to the reduce of these things so as the Curates may do their dueties more often and in more reuerent sort the people be occasioned by the good aduises and examples of your selfe your Chauncellor Archdeacons and other inferior ministers to come with oftener and more deuotioÌ„ to their sayd common prayers to geue thanks to God and to be pertakers of the most holy Communion Wherein shewyng your selfe diligent and geuyng good example in your owne person you shall both discharge your duty to the great pastor to whom we all haue to accompt and also do vs good seruice and on the other side if we shall hereafter these our letters and commaundement notwithstandyng haue eftsoones complaint and finde the lyke faults in your dioces we shall haue iust cause to impute the fault thereof and of all that ensue thereof vnto you and consequently be occasioned therby to see otherwyse to the redresse of these things wherof we would be sory And therfore we do eftsoones charge and commaund you vpon your allegiance to loke well vpon your duety herein as ye tender our pleasure Geuen vnder our signet at our Manor of Richmond the 23. of Iuly the 3. yeare of our raigne 1549. The B. of London among the rest of the bishops receiuyng these letters did as alwayes tofore in outward shew willingly accept the same and therfore immediately with the sayd letters directed this his precept
had ben belied of euil men and misreported not to â—eare a true hart to his grace but a rebellious minde in denying his royall power in his minoritie where in deede he sayeth his grace should finde hym alwayes during life both in heart woorde and deede to do and acknowledge otherwise to be most willing to shew c. and to doe all other thinges for his grace as willingly as any other subiecte or as those that were his denouÌ„cers who hee thought were not sent of his grace but pretensed Commissioners c. Further he complained of his denuntiation by certain commissioners who sayde they were sent by his grace alleaging the same not to be lawful and of his long sharpe imprisonment that the commissioners obserued neyther law nor reasonable order but extremitie And wher he had made appeale to his grace and he coulde not haue it he desired to haue lawe to prosecute sue his appeale for his remedy that he coÌ„sidering his vocation might not be shut vp put from libertie which his meanest subiects haue Then he desired hys graces letters of Supersedeas against the commissioners and that the matter might be heard before the counsaile and then he doubted not but to be found a true faithfull man and heerein to haue wrong So in the ende hee concluded this prostrating him selfe euen to the very ground and humbly kissing his graces fete to be the thing onely which he humbly desired c. THis done the supplication perused the King eftsoone geueth in charge and commaundement Boners appellation to the king perused tryed and found by the Lawe vneffectuall and vnreasonable to certain men of honor and worship persons skilfull in the lawe as to Lorde Rich high Chancelor the L. treasurer the L. Marques Dorset the B. of Ely Lord Wentworth sir Anthony Wingfield sir W. Harbert knightes Doc. Nich. Wootton Ed. Mountague Lorde chiefe Iustice Sir Iohn Baker knight with Iudge Hales Ioh. Gosnold D. Oliuer and also Doctour Leyson that they scanning and perusing all such actes matters and muniments of the sayd Boner by him exhibited produced propounded and alleaged with al and singular his protestations recusations appellatioÌ„s should vpon mature consideration therof geue their directed answere vpon the same The sentence of Boners depriuation by the Peeres learned men of the realme found to be iust and lawfull whether the appellation of the said Boner were to be deferred vnto and whether the sentence defined against him stood by the law sufficient and effectual or not Who eftsoones after diligent discussion and considerate aduisement had of all singular the premisses gaue their resolute answere that the pretensed appellation of Edmund Boner aforesayde was nought and vnreasonable and in no wise to be deferred vnto and that the sentence by the Commissioners against him was rightly and iustly pronounced And this was the coÌ„clusion of Boners whole matter and depriuation for that time Thus then leauing doctor Boner a while in the Marshalsey with his keeper The first trouble of the L. Protector was about the moneth of Octob. an 1549. we will proceede the Lorde permitting further in the course of our storie as the order of yeres and time requireth And although the trouble of the Lord Protector falleth heere ioyntly with the depriuatioÌ„ of D. Boner yet because he was shortly again deliuered out of the same throughe the Lordes mightye woorking I will therefore delay the tractation thereof till the time of his seconde trouble whych was two yeares after and so in the meane time returning agâ—ine into our discourse inteÌ„d by the Lords leaue to collect and continue the matters begoÌ„ touching y e kings godly proceedings for reformatioÌ„ of religion in the foresaid yere of our lord concurring an 1549. And heere first a note woulde be made of Peter Martyr and of his learned trauels Disputation of Pete Martyr with Doct. Chedsey in Oxforde and disputation in the vniuersitie of Oxford the sayde present yeare with doct Chedsey other moe about the matter of the sacrament which was that the substance of breade and wine was not changed in the sacrament that the body and bloude of Christe was not carnally and bodily in the bread and wine but vnited to the same sacramentally In like maner some touch or mention here also would be made of the Ecclesiasticall lawes Ecclesiasticall lawes by Acte of Parlament to be compyled by 32. persons Statut. an 3. Edou 6. for the gathering and compiling wherof 32. persons were assigned by Act of parlament the sayde present yeare 1549. But because these bee rather matters of tractation then Hystoricall I meane God willing to deferre the further consideration thereof vnto the ende of the historie of this kinges dayes and so to passe forward to other matters in the meane while Bookes of Latine seruice called in and abolished IT followeth then in storie that certaine of the vulgare multitude Euill disposed people thinking to haue their latin seruice again after the apprehension of the L. Protectour hearing of the apprehension of the Lord Protectour and supposinge the alteration of publicke Seruice into Englishe and administration of the Sacramente and other rites lately appoynted in the Churche had beene the Acte chiefly or only of the sayd Lorde Protectour beganne vppon the same to noyse and brute abroad that they shuld nowe haue theyr olde Latine seruice wyth holy bread and holy water The kings commaundement to the Byshops and theyr other like superstitious ceremonies againe whereuppon the King wyth the body and state of the priuie Counsell then being directed oute his letters of request and straite commaundement to the Byshoppes in their diocesse to cause and warne the Deane and Prebendaries of their Cathedrall Churches all Persons vicares and Curates with the Churchwardens of euery Parishe wythin their Diocesse to bring in and deliuer vp all Antiphoners Missales Grailes Processionals Manuals Legendes Bookes of Latinâ— seruice called in Pies Portuases Iournals and Ordinals after the vse of Sarum Lincolne Yorke Bangor Herforde or any other priuate vse Anno 1549. and all other bookes of seruice the hauing wherof might be any let to y e seruice now set foorth in English charging also and commaunding all suche as should be found stubborne or disobedient in this behalf to be committed vnto warde And because the Kinge moreouer was aduertised that there was a slacknes and a frowardnes among the people refusing to pay towarde the finding of breade and wine for the holy Communion by reason wherof the Communion in many places was omitted the Bishops in like manner had geuen in charge to prouide for redresse therof Common bread vsed in the holy Communion to punish them which should refuse so to do Wherby it may appeare to vs now that no wafer cakes but common bread was then by the kinges appoyntment ordinarily receiued and vsed in Churches This was about the
in the Kings Maiesties name most straightly forbid the Chaplaynes eyther to say or vse any Masse or kinde of seruice other then by the lawe is authorised and likewise yee shall forbid all the rest of the company to be present at any suche prohibited seruice vpon paine to be most straightly punished as worthely falling into the daunger of the Kings indignation and a like charge to them all that if any such offence shall be openly or secretly committed they shall aduertise some of his Maiesties Counsayle In the which clause ye shall vse the reasons of theyr naturall duty and allegeance that they owe as subiectes to theyr soueraigne Lord which derogateth all other earthly dueties Item if you shall finde eyther any of the priestes or any other person disobedient to this order ye shall commit them forthwith to prison as ye shall thinke conuenient Item for as much as yee were priuy to the determination at Richmond and there vnderstoode how necessary it was to haue reformation heerein his Maiesty vpon the great confidence he hath in your wisedome and vprightnes remitteth to your discretions the manner of the proceeding heerein if any thing shall chaunce to arise there that in your opinions might otherwise then according to these instructions conduce you to the execution of your charge which in one summe is to auoyde the vse of the priuate Masse and other vnlawfull seruice in the house of the sayd Lady Mary Item ye shall deuise by some meanes as you may to haue vnderstanding after your departure how the order you geue is obserued and as you shall iudge fit to certifie hither E.S. W.W. I.W. I.B. W.N. W.H. F.H. I.G. T.D. W.C. * The story of Steuen Gardiner Bish. of Winchester briefly collected the residue whereof concerning hys actes and doings may further appeare in the booke of Actes and Monuments in the first edition page 728. ALthough the first imprisonment of Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester The story 〈◊〉 SteueÌ„ Garâ—diner in order of time was before the depriuation of Byshop Boner yet for so much as hee was not deposed from his Bishopricke till the nexte or seconde yeare after which was 1551. I haue therefore driuen off the history of the sayde Byshop of Winchester to this present place intending neuertheles heere not to extende and prosecute the explication of that busie matter with all circumstances and particularities thereof so amply at full as I might partly for that being done in my first volume of Actes and Monuments may heere suffice and content the reader being disposed there to search and further to reade touching the same partly also considering how this present volume is growne already very large and great I thought not to pâ—ster the same with any more superfluitie then â—eedes must and therefore leauing out his idle letters his long processe of Articles and examinations hys tedious talke with the multitude of depositions brought in against him and other his actes and interlocutories superfluous For the fuâ—â— tractation of Steuen Gardiners story read in the booke of Actes and Monumenâ— of the first edition pag. 728. I minde heere the Lord willing briefly and summarily to excerpe only the principall effectes as to the story may seeme most appertinent referring the residue to be searched if any reader â—o list to do to the booke of Monuments aforesayd beginning in the page 728. Briefly therefore as touching the actes dooings deseruings and misdemeanours of this stoute Prelate and Bishop of Winchester first we will set before the reader the copy of a certayne writte or euidence against the sayd Byshop wherein as in a briefe summe generally is described the whole order and maner of his misordred demeanour copied out of the publike records in maner as followeth ¶ The copy of a writte or euidence touching the order and maner of the misdemeanour of Winchester with declaration of the faultes where with he was iustly charged WHere as the Kings Maiestie by the aduise of the Lord Protector The 〈◊〉 or euidenâ—â— geuen out against Sâ—â—â—uen Gardâ—â—ner B. of Winchestâ—â— and the rest of his highnes priuie Counsell thinking requisite for sundry vrgent considerations to haue a generall visitation throughout the whole Realme did about tenne monethes past addresse foorth Commissions and by the aduise of sondry Byshopps and other the best learned men of the Realme appointed certayne orders or Iniunctions to be generally obserued which being such as in some part touched the reformation of many abuses and in other parts concerned the good gouernaunce quiet of the Realme were as reason would of all men of all sorts obediently receiued and reuerently obserued and executed sauing only of the Bishop of Winchester who as well by conference with other as by open protestation and letters also shewed such a wilfull disobedience therein as if it had not bene quickly espied myght haue bred much vnquietnes and trouble vpon the knowledge whereof he being sent for and his lewd proceedings layd to his charge he in the presence of the whole Councell so vsed himselfe as well in denying to receiue the sayd orders and Iniunctions as otherwise as he was thought worthy most sharpe punishmente Wyncheâ—â—â—â— misusing himselfe before thâ— Councell Winchesâ—â—â— coÌ„mitted the Fleeâ—â— Wynchesâ—â—â— deliuereâ— out of thâ— Fleete at liberty Wyncheâ—â—â—â— forgetteâ—â— himselfe gaine in 〈◊〉 Dioces and yet considering the place he had bene in he was only sequestred to the Fleete where after he had remained a certaine time as muche aâ— his ease as if he had bene at his owne house vpon hys promise of conformitie he was both set at libertie againe and also licenced to repaire and remaine in his dioces at hys pleasure where when he was forgetting his duety and what promise he had made he began forthwith to set forth such matters as 〈◊〉 againe more strife variance and contention in that one small Citie and Shire then was almost in the whole Realme after besides that the Lorde Protectors grace and the Counsayle were enformed that to withstande such as he thought to haue bene senâ—e from their grace and Lordships into those parties he had caused all his seruaunts to be secretly armed and harnessed and moreouer when such preachers as being men of godly life and learning were sent into that Dioces by his grace and Lordship to preache the worde of God had appoynted to preach the Bishop to disapoint and disgrace them and to hinder his Maiesties proceedings did occupie the Pulpit himselfe not fearing in his Sermon to warne the people to beware of such new Preachers and to embrace none other doctrine then that which he had taught them then the which words none could haue bene spoken more perilous and seditions Wâ—â—chester 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 by the â—â—unsayle Winchester â—â—â—manded keepe his 〈◊〉 â—ynchester â—ine 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 Counâ—â—â—le whereupon being eftsoones sente for and their grace and Lordships obiecting to him many particular matters wherewith they had iust cause to
charge him they did in the end vpon his second promise leaue him at libertie onely willing him to remaine at his house at London because they thought it most meete to sequester him from his Dioces for a time and beeing come to hys house he began afreshe to ruffle and meddle in matters wherein he had neither Commission nor authority parte whereof touched the Kings Maiestie whereof being yet once againe admonished by his grace and their Lordships he did not only promise to conforme himselfe in all things like a good subiect but also because he vnderstoode that he was diuersly reported of many were also offended with him he offered to declare to the world his conformitie and promised in an open Sermon so to open his minde in sondry articles agreed vpon Wynchester â—â—â—miseth 〈◊〉 shew his â—â—â—formitie 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 y t such as had ben offended shuld haue no more cause to be offended but well satisfied in all things declaring further that as his own conscience was well satisfied and liked well the Kings procedings within this Realme so would he vtter his coÌ„science abroade to the satisfaction good quiet of others and yet all this notwithstanding at the daye appoynted he did not only most arrogantly and disobedieÌ„tly and that in the presence of his Maiestie their grace and Lordships and of such an audience as the like wherof hath not lightly ben sene speake of certaine matters contrary to an expresse commandement geuen to him on his Maiesties behalfe both by mouth and by letters Wynchester 〈◊〉 his sermoÌ„ warâ—eth â—â—om his â—wne promise the 〈◊〉 comâ—andemeÌ„t but also in the rest of the articles whereunto hee had agreed before vsed such a maner of vtteraunce as was very like euen there presently to haue sturred a greate tumult and in certaine great matters touching the policie of the Realme handled himselfe so colourably as therein hee shewed himselfe an open great offender a very sedicious maÌ„ for as much as these his procedings were of such sort as being suffred to escape vnpunished might breede innumerable incoÌ„ueniences that the clemency shewed to him afore by their grace Lordships did worke in him no good effect but rather a pride and boldnes to demeane himselfe more and more disobediently against his Maiestie and his graces proceedings it was determined by their grace and Lordships that he should be committed to the Tower and be conueyed thether by Sir Anthony Wingfield â—ynchester 〈◊〉 his sediâ—â—ous disoâ—edience 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 and that at the time of his Commission Sir Rafe Sadler and William Hunnings Clerke of the Counsaile should seale vp the dores of such places in his house as they should thinke meeâ—e all which was done accordingly By this euidence aboue mentioned first heere is of the reader to be noted how â—ewdly and disobediently the sayd Sir Gardiner misused himselfe in the Kings generall visitation in denying to receiue such orders and iniunctioÌ„s as for the which he iustly deserued much more seueare punishment Albeit the King with his Uncle the Lord Protectour more gently proceding with him were contented only to make him taste the Fleete In the which house as his durance was not long so his entreating and ordering was very easie Out of the whiche Fleete diuers and sondry letters he wrote to the Lord Protectour and other of the Counsaile certayne also to the Archbishop of Canterbury and some to M. Ridley Bishop of London the particulars were too loÌ„g here to rehearse coÌ„sidering how this booke is so ouercharged as ye see already 〈◊〉 the letâ—â—s of winâ—â—ester read the booke 〈◊〉 Actes â—â—â—uments the first 〈◊〉 pag. 〈◊〉 and especially seeing the same be notified in our first edition sufficiently as is aforesayd Wherfore omitting the rehearsall of the said letters and referring the reader to the booke aforesayde I will onely repeate one letter of the said Byshop with the aunsweres of the Lord Protectour vnto the same the contents whereof be these as followeth ¶ A Letter of Winchester to Mayster Vaughan MAister Vaughan after my right hartye commendations In my last letters to my Lord Protectour signifying according to the generall commaundemet by letters geuen to all Iustices of peace the state of this Shire I declared as I supposed true the Shire to be in good order quiet conformity for I had not then herd of any alteratioÌ„ in this Shire which the said letters of coÌ„maÌ„dement did forbid Now of late within these two dayes I haue heard of a great and detestable if it be true that is tolde me innouation in the towne of Portesmouth Images plucked downe at Portesmouth where the Images of Christ and his sayntes haue bene most contemptuously pulled downe and spitefully handled Herein I thought good both to write to you and the Mayor the kinges maiesties chiefe ministers as well to know the trueth as to consult with you for the reformation of it to the intent I may be seene to discharge my duety and discharging it in deede both to God and the kinges maiesty vnder whome I am here appoynted to haue cure and care to relieue suche as be by any wayes fallen and preserue the rest that stand from like daunger Ye are a Gentleman with whom I haue had acquayntance and whom I know to be wise esteeme to haue more knowledge wisedome and discretion then to allow any such enormities and therefore do the more willingly consult with you herein with request freÌ„dly to know of you the very truth in the matter who be the doers and the circumstances of it whether ye thinke the matter so farre gone with the multitude whether the reproofe and disprouing of the deed might without a further daunger be enterprised in the Pulpit or not minding if it may so be to send one thether for that purpose vpon Sonday next comming I would vse preaching as it shoulde not be occasion of anye further folly where a folly is begun and to a multitude perswaded in that opinion of destruction of Images I would neuer preach Then were the old fathers and bishops in the primitiue Church with Epiphanius and Carolus Magnus and all the Councell of Franckford hogs and dogs For as scripture willeth vs we should cast no precious stones before Hogs Such as be infected with that opinion they be Hogs and worse then Hogs if there be any grosser beastes then hogs be and haue bene euer so taken and in England they are called Lollards who denying images thought therewithall the craftes of paynting grauing to be generally superfluous and nought and agaynst Gods lawes In Germany suche as maintained that opinion of destroying of Images were accompted the dregges cast out by Luther after he had tunned all his brewinges in Christes religion and so taken as Hogges meate For the reproufe of whom Luther wrote a booke specially and I haue with myne eyes seene the Images standing in all Churches where Luther
was had in estimation For the destruction of Images contayneth an enterprise to subuert religion and the state of the worlde with it and especially the nobilitie who by images set forth spread abroad to be read of al people their linage parentage with remembraunce of their state and actes and the Pursiuaunt carieth not on his brest the kinges names written in such letters as a few can spell but such as all can read be they neuer so rude being great knowne letters in Images of three Lyons and three floures deluce and other beastes holding those armes And he that caÌ„not read the Scripture written about the kings great Seale Winchesters reason The pursiuant caryeth about Saint George on horsebacke and the kinges picture Ergo Images must stand in Churches yet he can read S. George on horsebacke on the one side and the king sitting in his maiestie on the other side and readeth so much written in those images as if he be an honest man he will put of his cap and although if the Seale were broken by chaunce he woulde and might make a candell of it yet he woulde not be noted to haue broken the seale for that purpose or to call it a piece of waxe onely whilest it continueth whole And if by reuiling of stockes and stones in whiche matter Images be grauen the setting of the trueth to be read in them of all men shall be contemned how shall suche wryting continue in honour as is comprised in cloutes and pitch whereof and whereupon our bookes be made Bookes serue onely to be read and not to be kneeled vnto worshipped for so are they no bookes but are made Idols and are to be brokeÌ„ such as few can skill of and not the hundreth parte of the realme And if we a few that can read because we read in one sort of letters so priuiledged as they haue many reliefes shal pull away the books of the rest and would haue our letters onely in estimation and blinde all theÌ„ shall not they haue iust cause to mistrust what is ment And if the crosse be a trueth and if it be true that Christ suffered why may we not haue a writing thereof suche as all can read that is to say an Image If this opinion shoulde proceede when the kings maiestie hereafter should shew his person his liuely image the honour due by Gods law among such might continue but as for the kinges Standardes his banners his armes shoulde hardly continue in their due reuerence for feare of Lollardes Idolatry whiche they gather vpon scripture beastly not onely vntruely The scripture reprooueth false Images made of stockes and stones and so it doth false men made of flesh and bones When the Emperours mony was shewed to Christ wherin was the image of the Emperour Christ contemned not that Image calling it an Idoll nor noted not that mony to be against gods law because it had an image in it as thogh it were against the precept of God Thou shalt haue no grauen image but taught theÌ„ good ciuilitie in calling it the Emperors image bad theÌ„ vse the mony as it was ordered to be vsed in his right vse There is no scripture that reprooueth trueth and all Scripture reproueth falshoode False writinges false bookes false Images and false men all be nought to be contemned and despised as for paper inke parchment stones wood bones A.B. of the Chauncery hand and a. b. of the Secretary hand a letter of Germany fashion or of any other forme be all of one estimation and may be of man enclining to the Deuill vsed for falsehoode or applying to Gods gratious calling vsed to set foorth truth It is a terrible matter to thinke If euery Image representing a thing of truth may stand in place of worship then let Winchesters face stand in the Church also that this false opinion coâ—ceaued against Images should trouble any mans head and suche as I haue knowne vexed with that deuill as I haue knowne some be neuerthelesse wondrously obstinate in it and if they can finde one that can spell Latin to helpe foorth their madnes they be more obdurate then euer were the Iewes and slaunder whatsoeuer is sayd to them for their reliefe Of this sort I know them to be and therefore if I wist there were many of that sort with you I would not irritate them by preaching without fruite but labour for reformation to my Lorde Protectour But if you thought there might be other wayes vsed first to a good effect I would followe your aduise and proceeding with you and the Mayor wyth both your helpes to do that may lye in me to the redresse of the matter which I take to be such an enterprise against Christes Religion as there can not be a greater by man excogitate wyth the deuils instigation and at this time much hurtfull to the common estate as ye can of your wisedome consider Whome I hartily desire and pray to send me aunswere by thys bearer to these my letters to the intent I may vse my selfe in sending of a preacher thither or writing to my Lorde Protectour as the case shall require accordingly And thus fare you hartely well From my house at Woluesay the third of May. 1547. Steph. Wint. ¶ A Letter of the Lord Protector aunswering to the letter aboue AFter harty commendations receauing of late two letters from your Lordship the one inclosed in a letter of Maister Uaughans to vs and directed to him the other directed straight vnto vs very wittely learnedly writteÌ„ whereby we do perceiue how earnest you are that no innouations should be had The whiche minde of yours as we do highly esteeme and allow proceeding from one that would quietnes so we woulde likewise wishe that you should take good heede that too much feare of innouation or disturbance do not cause both to be Many times in an hoste he that crieth enemies enemies when there be none causeth not only disturbance but sometimes a mutinie or rebellion to be made and hee that for feare of sickenes to come taketh vnaduisedly a purgation sometime maketh himselfe sicke in deede We perceaue by the sayde your letters that haynouser factes and words haue bene brought to your eares then there was cause why and those â—actes which were punishable be already by him redrest For the matter of Images an order was taken in y e late king of famous memory our soueraigne lords daies WheÌ„ the abused Images yet lurking in some places by negligence of them who should ere this time haue looked vnto y e same be now abolished For Images let not that be a matter of y e abolishing of all Images Though felons adulterers be punished all men be not slayne Though the Images which did adulterate gods glory be takeÌ„ away Distinction of Images we may not think by by all maner of Images to be destroyed Yet after our aduise better it were for a time to
be greatly weake bring your selfe in dauÌ„ger of one part when parties be therwith one to scourge the other Wheras in coÌ„cord they â—e both yours in an honest reuereÌ„t louely feare to do theyr duty which I doubt not your wisedoÌ„e can consider And coÌ„sider also how noisome any other outward encoÌ„ber might be in the time of y e minority of our soueraign Lord. I told y e Emperors couÌ„sell that our late souereign Lord did much for the Emperor to enter war with him put his realme in his old dayes in y e adueÌ„ture of fortune whether he should enioy it or no for y t is the nature of war And sometime the coÌ„teÌ„ned abiect haue had y e vpper hand And wheÌ„ ye administer y e realme for another it were a maruelous question of him y t shall enioy y e realme to say what ment you in the time of administratioÌ„ to adueÌ„ture my realme why tooke ye not rather for the time of my minoritye any peace whatsoeuer it were which is better theÌ„ y e best waâ— as some meÌ„ haue writteÌ„ I know you haue authority sufficient wisdome pleÌ„ty yet being entred to write I forget for y e time what ye be coÌ„men 〈◊〉 you as I were talking at Brusels with you Wynchester agaynst the expedition into Scotland deuising of the worlde at large And if I were sworne to say what I thinke in the state of the world I would for a time let scots be scots with dispayre to haue theÌ„ vnlesse it were by coÌ„quest which shall be a godly enterprise for our yong maister wheÌ„ he coÌ„meth to age And in y e meane time prepare him mony for it see y e realme in an order which hath need of it And for a stay if the Emperor would offer the king of Romains daughter as he did do w t him in our maisters minority Winchester here meaneth a fetch if he could haue brought it about as he dyd w t vs in his Wherby all this hath chauÌ„ced vnto him And by this allians your estimation shal encrease our souereign Lordes surety not a little increase be augmented For of Fraunce it must be takeÌ„ for a rule They be so wantoÌ„ they cannot do well leÌ„ger theÌ„ they see how they may be scourged if they do not Here is all the wit that I haue which I offer vnto you vpon this occasion of writing shall pray God to put in your mind y t shal be for the best as I trust he will in y e meane time to extinct this barbarous coÌ„teÌ„tion at home which can serue onely to do hurt no good I had fashioned a letter to master Ridley which I seÌ„d vnto your grace and encomber you with these malencoly writinges engendred of this fondnes which be not worth y e reading And so it may like you to vse theÌ„ for hauing heard that ye haue sayd vnto me and otherwise heard and seene what you do I shall go occupy my wit in other matters now such as haue fonde enterprises shall see that I letted not theyr follyes which they called Gods worde Winchesters letters against Ridley Gods word is folly to Winchester but to them that be wise in the Lord it is the Wisedome of the Lord to saluation ¶ This place here eyther seemeth to lacke something or eâ—s Winchester to lackesome of his wits But for hys time the king our souereigne Lord that dead is and after his time you much to your honor and reputation * Winchester wrangleth agaynst Dales bookes howsoeuer any shal be here not contented which miscontentation hath bene so fond in some as they haue burst out and wished that they might without breach of his lawes kill me which is to me a tokeÌ„ of a maruelous fury which hath bene cause why I am glad both to depart hence and to depart the sooner pray to God to order all thinges for the best With preseruatioÌ„ of our soueraigne L. and encrease of your graces honor At my house in Sothworke the last of February Your Graces humble beadman S. W. An other letter of S.W. AFter my humble commeÌ„dations to your grace it may like the same to vnderstand I haue sene of late 2. books set forth in english by Bale very pernitious seditious and slaunderous And albeit that your grace needeth not mine aduertisement in y e matter yet I am so bolde to trouble your Grace with my letters for mine owne commodity wherwith to satisfy mine own conscience to write say as becommeth me in such matters which I desire your grace to take in good part For it greueth me not a little to see so soone after my late soueraigne Lord and maisters death a booke spread abroad more to his dishonor if a princes honor may be by vile inferior subiectes impeached then professed enemies haue imagined to note a womaÌ„ to haue suffered vnder him as a martyr the woman therewith to be by Bales owne elucidation as he calleth it so set foorth painted as she appeareth to be is boasted to be a sacrameÌ„tary by the lawes worthy as she suffered the paynes of death such like things haue by stealth in our late soueraign Lords dayes gone abroad as they do now And as I am woÌ„t in such cases to speak I keep my woÌ„t to write to your grace now in whose hands I know the estate of y e realme to be foretime in gouernment to whoÌ„ for respectes of old acquayntaunce I wish al felicity In these matters of religion I haue bene long exercised and haue thankes be to God liued so long as I haue sene them throughly tryed and besides that I haue learned in written bookes of Authority I haue perceiued by bookes written without authority as by M. Bale Ioye and other and specially as Bale vseth nowe that Scripture doth by abuse seruice to the right hand and the left at once in so much as at one time Bale prayseth Luther * Luther and Anne Askew why not as well Saintes both in heauen though they varied in one small poynt here as well as you Smith both the Popes friendes though ye vary as ye sayde your selfe in diuers and setteth his death forth in English with commendation as of a Saynt whych Luther whatsoeuer he was otherwise stoutly affirmed the presence really of Christes naturall body in the Sacrament of the aultar And yet Bale the noble clerk would haue Anne Askew blasphemously denying the presence of Christes naturall bodye to be taken for a Saynte also So as Bales Saynctes may vary in heauen if they chaunce not by the way which might suffice to disproue the mans creditte if thwarting talke were not more desired of many then the trueth in deede which trueth was supposed to haue bene both in writing and exercise well established long before our late Lordes death And Bale his adherentes in their madnes playnely reproued condemned I
that all menne are bound to keepe the lent in the forme receiued but this I reckon that no christen man may contemne the forme receiued being suche a deuoute and profitable immitation of Christe to celebrate his faste and in that time suche as haue bene in the rest of the yeare worldlye to prepare themselues to come as they should come to the feast of Easter wherof S. Chrisostome speaketh expressely And for auoyding contempt a licence truely obteyned of the superiour serueth And so I hearde the kinges Maiesty our Soueraigne Lord declare when your grace was present And therfore he himselfe was very scrupulous in graunting of licences and to declare that himselfe contemned not the fast he was at charge to haue as your Grace knoweth the lent diet dayly prepared as it had bene for himselfe and the like hereof I heare say your Grace hath ordered for the kinges Maiestye that now is which agreeth not with certaine preaching in this matter ne the rimes set abroade Lent is among Christen men a godly feast to exercise men to forbeare and in England both godly and polliticke such as without confusion we can not forbeare as the experience shall shew if it be euer attempted which God forbid And yet lent is buried in rime and Steuen Stockefishe bequeathed not to me though my name be noted wherwith for mine owne part I cannot be angry for that is mitigated by theyr fondnes But I woulde desire of God to haue the strength of thys realme encreased with report of concord How well you remembred this leâ—â—on of anger in Queene Maryes time let others iudge which doth queÌ„ch many vayne deuices and imaginations And if all men be lyers as it is now to my vnderstanding straungely published me thinke Bale and such new men as be new liers should be most abhorred and detested so much the more daungerous as they be newe That whiche in Italye and Fraunce is a matter of combate is now found to be appropriate to all men God graunt the trueth to be desired of all menne truely But as one asked when he sawe an olde Philosopher dispute with an other what they talked on And it was aunswered how the olde man was discussing what was vertue it was replied if the old man yet dispute of vertue when will he vse it So it may be sayd in our religion If we be yet searching for it when shal we begin to put it in executioÌ„ I would make an end of my letters and cannot wherein I account my selfe faulty And though I may erre as euery man may yet I lye not for I say as I think for as much as I haue sayd and further think your grace hath no trouble troublesome but this matter of religion vnseasonably brought into the defamation of our late soueraigne Lordes actes doinges lawes I beseech your grace take my meaning and wordes in good part pardon my boldnes which groweth of the familiaritye I haue heretofore had with your grace which I cannot forget And thus enforcing my selfe to an end shall pray to almighty God to preserue your grace in much felicity wyth encrease of honor and the atchieuing of your hartes desire At Winchester the 21. of May. Your Graces humble beadman S.W. ¶ The Letter of the L. Protector answering to Winchester YOur letters dated the 21. day of May as concerning 2. bookes new set forth by one Bale and certayne sermoÌ„s preached here were with conuenient speede deliuered vnto vs. And like as in your letters to Edw. Uaughan of Portesmouth so in those to vs we perceiue that you haue a vigilant and diligeÌ„t eye and very fearefull of innouatioÌ„ which as it cannot be blamed proceeding of one which is desirous of quiet good order and continuance of the godly state of this realme So we do maruell that so soone so far of and so playnely you canne heare tell and say of so many thinges done here which in deed we being here and attendant vpoÌ„ the same cannot yet be aduertised of The world neuer was so quiet or so vnite but that priuily or openlye those iij. which you write of Printers players and Preachers woulde sette forth somewhat of theyr owne heades which the Maiestrates were vnwares of And the whiche already be banished and hath forsaken the realme as suffering the last punishmeÌ„t be boldest to set forth theyr mind And dare vse their extreme liceÌ„ce or liberty of speaking as out of the handes or rule of correction either because they be gone or because they be hidde There hath foolishe and naughty rimes and bookes bene made and set forth of the which as it appeareth you haue sene more then we and yet to our knowledge to many be brought but yet after our minde it is to sore and to cruelly done to lay al those to our charge and to aske as it were account of vs of them all In the most exact cruelty and tiranny of the Bishop of Rome yet Pasquill as we here say writeth his mind and many times agaynst the Bishops tyranny and some time toucheth other great princes which thing for the most part he doth safely not that the Bishop alloweth Pasquils rimes and verses specially agaynst himselfe but because he cannot punish the authour whom either he knoweth not or hath not In the late kings daies of famous memory who was both a learned wise and polliticke Prince a diligeÌ„t executor of his lawes And when your Lordshippe was most diligent in the same yet as your Lordship it selfe writeth and it is to manifest to be vnknowne there were that wrote such leud rimes and plaies as you speake of some agaynst the kinges proceedinges who were yet vnpunished because they were vnknowne or vngotten And wheÌ„ we do wey the matter we do very much maruel why that about iack of lentes leud balad and certayne as it was reported vnto vs Godly sermons whiche be euill in your letters ioyned together you be so earnest When agaynst D. Smithes booke being a man learned in the doctors scripture which made so playne agaynst the kinges highnesse authority And for the furtherance of the Bishops of Romes vsurped power your Lorship neither wrote nor sayd nothing And as it appeared you be so angry with his retractation which frankly w tout feare dread coÌ„pulsion or imprisonmeÌ„t onely with learning truth ouercommed he came vnto that you cannot abide his beginning although hauing the very woordes of scripture Except peraduenture you thinke that the saying of Dauid omnis homo mendax cannot be enterpreted euery man is a lier which how soeuer your Lordship taketh it at pleasure it appeared vnto vs then of him taken but godly to declare the infirmitye of man and the trueth of God and his word And we are not able to reason so clerkly with you yet we haue heard of the subtle difference of lying and telling of a lye or as it is in latin called mentiri and mendacium discere
et Zelo. Sorcerers and Coniurers with such a wrong fayth ioyned to dumme creatures may and do with lyke reason call vp deuils as holy-water may driue them away cum fide zelo after which sort if our holy water were vsed I doubt not but there be many Marcellus and many Elizeus and many at whose prayer God forgeueth sinne if such as will enioy y e prayer haue faith and zeale as Equitius and were as desirous to driue the deuil out of the temple of their body and soule as Equitius out of the temple of Iupiter So as if holy vse were coupled with holy water there should be more plentie of holynesse then there is but as men be prophane in their liuyng so they cannot bide to haue any thing effectually holy not so much as bread and water fearing lest they should take away sinne from vs which we loue so well Solus Christus peccata diluit who sprinckleth hys bloud by hys ministers as he hath taught hys spouse the Church in which those ministers be ordered wherein many wayes maketh not many sauiours as ignorants do iest whereof I neede not speake further vnto you no more I neded not in the rest in respect of you but me thought ye coniured all men in your sermon to say what they thought to you id quod hanc mihi expressit Epistolam quam boni consules Et Vale. Your louyng friend Ste. Winchester AS I haue set foorth here gentle Reader the cauillyng letter of Winchester agaynst M. Ridleys Sermon so am I right sory that I haue not likewyse the aunswer of the sayd Ridley agayne to ioyne withall For so I vnderstand that not onely M. Ridley but also M. Barlow B. of S. Dauids for Winchester wrote agaynst them both had written and sent immediately their aunsweres to the same refutyng the friuolous and vnsauory reasons of this popish prelate as may well appeare by a parcell additionall of a letter sent by the L. Protector to the sayd Byshop in these wordes And because we haue begun to write to you we are put in remembraunce of a certayne letter or booke which you wrote vnto vs agaynst the bishop of S. Dauids sermon and D. Ridleys to the whiche aunswer beyng immediately made was by negligence of vs forgottē to be sent Now we both send you that and also the aunswer which the B. of s. Dauids wrote to the same booke of yours ¶ Articles and positions ministred and obiected eche of them ioyntly and seuerally to the B. of Winchester as foloweth The 1. Article IN primis that the kings Maiesty iustly and rightfully is and by the lawes of God ought to be the supreme head in earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland Articles layd agaynst Winchester and so is by the Clergy of this realme in theyr conuocation and by acte of Parliament iustly and accordyng to the lawes of God recognised Winchester This first article the B. granteth Winchester graunteth to the kings supremacy The 2. Article Item that hys Maiestie as supreme hed of the sayd Churches hath full power and authoritie to make and set forth lawes Iniunctions and ordinances for and concerning religion orders in the sayd churches for the encrease of vertue and repressing of all errours heresies and other enormities and abuses Winchester grūnteth to the full authority of the king 〈◊〉 setting forth his lawes Winchester To this second article he answereth affirmatiuely The 3. Article Item that all and euery his graces subiects are bound by the lawe of God to obey all hys Maiesties sayd lawes Iniunctions procedings concerning religion and orders in the sayd church Winchester To the third article the laid B. answereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 4. Article Item that you Steuen B. of Winchester haue sworne obedience to his maiestie as supreme head of this Church of England and also of Ireland Wynchester hath sworne obedience to the kinges supremacye Winchester To the fourth article the sayd B. aunswereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 5. Article Item that all and euery his graces subiectes that disobey any his sayd maiesties lawes Iniunctions ordinaunces and proceedings already set forth and published or hereafter to be set forth and published ought worthily to be punished according to hys Ecclesiasticall law vsed within this his realme Winchester To this fift article the sayd B. answereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 6. Article Item that you the sayd Bishop as well in the Kings Maiesties late visitation within your dioces Wynchester complayned of as at sondry tymes haue bene cōplained vpō sondry informatiōs made against you for your doyngs sayings and preachings agaynst sundry Iniunctions orders and other proceedings of hys maiesty set foorth for reformation of errors superstitions and other abuses of religion Winchester This article toucheth other mens actes who or how they are complayned or enformed I cannot throughly tel For at the tyme of the kings Maiesties visitation I was in the Fleete and the morrow after twelfe day I was deliuered at Hampton court my L. of Somerset and my L. of Caunterbury then being in counsaile with many other counsailors was deliuered by these words The kings maiesty hath granted a generall pardon and by the benefit thereof I was discharged Wherunto I answered that I was learned neuer to refuse the kings maiesties pardon Winchester released out of the Fleete by the kinges generall pardon The article of Iustification put to Winchester Winchester prisoner in his own house Winchester denyeth to subscribe to the article of Iustification M. Cicill sent to Winchester Winchester agayne set free and in strength as that was and I would did humbly thanke his maiesty therfore and then they began with me in an article of learnyng touching iustification whereunto they willed me to say my mynd adding therwith that because other learned men had agreed to a forme deliuered vnto me that I should not thinke I could alter it which I receiued of them and promised the Thursday after to repayre to my L. of Somersets house at Sheene with my mynd written which I did and that day seuennight followyng appearing before hym and other of the counsaile was committed to my house for prisoner because I refused to subscribe to the forme of words sentēces that other had agreed vnto as they said In which tyme of imprisonment in my house the Bish. of Rochester then being as sent to me and after M. Smith then M. Cecil to which M. Cecil when I had by learnyng resolued my mynde in the matter I deliuered it and he deliuering it to my lords Grace wrote me in hys name thanks for it and then it was within the tyme of Lent ere I was discharged of y e trouble and so went to Winchester as a man clearely out of all trauell of busines And within 14. daies after that or there abouts began other trauell with me vpon a request made by my Lord of
offend him and much lesse in his yong age My L. Chancelor then shewed me the beginning of the acte for common prayer how dangerous it was to breake the order of it I told him that it was true therefore if I came abroade I would be wel ware of it But it is quoth I after in the act how no man should be troubled for this act vnles he were first indited and therefore quoth I I may not be kept in prisone for this acte Ah quoth he I perceiue ye knowe the lawe well enough I tolde hym my Chaplaine had brought it vnto mee the after noone before Then they required me to looke on the boke and to say my minde in it I answeared that I thought not mete to yelde my selfe a scholler to go to schoole in prison then slaunder my selfe as though I redemed my faults with my conscience As touching the law which I know not Winchester wil not go to scoole in prison I wil honor it like a subiect and if I keepe it not I wil willingly suffer the paine of it And what more conformitie I should shew I cannot tell for mine offences be past if there be any If I haue not suffred enough I will suffer more if vpon examination I be found faulty as for this new law if I keepe it not punish me likewise Then my Lorde Chaunceloure asked mee whether I would not desire the kings Maiestie to be my good Lorde At which worde I sayde alas my Lorde quoth I doe yee thinke that I haue so forgotten my selfe Wynchester desireth the king to be his good Lord. My duety quoth I requireth so and I will on my knees desire hym to be my good Lord and my Lord Protectour also quoth I that is wel sayd quoth my Lord Chaunceler And what will ye say further quoth my L. Chanceler In good faith quoth I thys that I thought when I had preached that I had not offended at all and thinke so still and had it not ben for the article of the supremacie I woulde haue rather fayned my selfe sicke then be occasion of this that hathe followed but going to the Pulpit I must needes say as I sayde Well quoth my lord Chanceler let vs go to our purpose again Ye will quoth he desire the kings maiestie to be your good Lord and my Lord Protectour also and ye say ye thought not to haue offended All this I will say quoth I. Winchester yet will not confesse himselfe to be an offender Winchester will not submit himselfe to the Lord Protector but to the law And yee wil quoth my Lord Chanceler submit your selfe to be ordered by my Lorde Protector Nay quoth I by the lawe for my Lord Protectour quoth I hath scourged mee ouersore this yere to put my matter in his hands now And in the latter poynte I varyed with my Lorde Chauncellour when I could not refer my order to my Lord Protectour but to the law and staying at this poynt they were cōtent to graunt me of their gentlenes to make their sute to procure me to be heard and to obtaine me libertie to goe in the galery and that I should heare of one of them within two daies following I desired them to remember that I refused not the boke by way of contempt nor in no euil maner but y t I was loth to yelde my selfe a scholer in the Tower and to be seene to redeme my faults if I had any with my conscience My body I sayde shoulde serue my conscience but not contrariwise And this is the truth vpon my conscience and othe that was done and said at their comming There was more sayde to the purposes aforesayde And I binde not my selfe to the precise forme of wordes but to the substaunce of the matter and fashion of the intreating So neare as I can remember I haue truely discharged mine oth But I heard no more of my matter in one whole yere after almost wythin 14. dayes notwithstāding two letters wrytten by me to the Counsaile of most humble request to be heard according to iustice And then at y e ende of 2. yeres almost came vnto me the Duke of Somerset with other of the counsel which matter because it is left out here I shall not touch but prepare it in a matter aparte for declaration of my behauiour at all times The 12. Article Item that after that c. the 9. day of Iuly in the 4. yeare of his Maiesties raign his highnes sent vnto you his graces letters with a certaine submission and Articles whereunto his grace willed and commaunded you to subscribe to whiche submission you contemptuously refused to subscribe Winchester To the 12. article for answer therunto he graunted that about the time mentioned in this Article the Lorde Treasurer the Erle of Warwike lord great maister The kings letter deliuered to Winchester in the tower sir William Harbert and M. Secretary Peter came to the tower and called me before them and deliuered vnto me the Kynges maiesties letters which I haue to shew and receiued them at the handes of the lord Treasurer vpon my knees kissed them as my duety was and still vpon my knees red them where as they right gently required me to take more ease to go apart with them consider them which after that I had throughly read I much lamented that I should be commaunded to say of my selfe as was there wrytten and to say otherwise of my selfe then my conscience will suffer me where I trust my dedes wil not condemne me therto condemne my selfe w t my tongue I should sooner quoth I to them by commaundement thinke if ye would bid me to tumble my selfe desperately into the Thames My lord of Warwicke seeing me in that agonye sayde What say ye my Lorde quoth he to the other Articles I aunswered that I was loth to disobey where I might obey and not wrast my conscience destroying the comfort of it as to say vntruely of my selfe Well quoth my Lorde of Warwicke Other articles put to Winchester will ye subscribe to the other Articles I tolde him I would But then quoth I the Article that toucheth me must be put out I was answered that needeth not for I might wryte on the one side what I woulde say vnto it and then my Lorde of Warwicke entertained mee verye gently The article which touched him was the first article prescribing him to subscribe which article he wisheth here to be put out and would needes whiles I should write haue me sit downe by him and when hee sawe me make somewhat straunge so to do he pulled me nearer him and said we had ere this sit together trusted we should do so againe And then hauing pen inke geuen me I wrote as I remember on the Article that touched me these words I can not with my conscience say this of my selfe or such like words And there folowed an Article of the
de eo qui se dixit panem esse aeternae vitae All mysteries must be considered with inwarde eyes that is to say spiritually As the inwarde eyes when they see the bread they passe ouer the creatures neither do they thinke of that bread which is baked of the baker but of him which called himself the bread of eternal life For these two causes the bread and wine are called the body and bloud of Christe Nowe I thinke you are satisfied concerning the meaning of these woordes This is my body Cust. Yet one thing mooueth me very much Veri What is that Cust. The Doctors and old wryters men inspired with the holy Ghost haue euermore bene against your doctrine Custome standeth vpon authority coÌ„mon voyce Yea and in these daies the wisest men and best learned call you heretickes and your learning heresie Veri As touching the olde wryters I remember well they speake reuerently of the Sacramentes like as euery man ought to doe The right meaning of the Doctours misconstrued of custome keepers But where as they deliuer their minde wyth the right hand you Custome receiue it wyth the lefte For where as they say that it is the bodye of Christe and that it must be verely eaten meaning that it doeth effectually lay before the eyes Christes body and that it is to the faithfull man no lesse then if it were Christe him selfe and that Christe must be eaten in faith not torne nor rent wyth the teeth The Doctours how they call the Sacrament the body of Christ why The wordes of the Doctours against the Popes doctrine you say that howsoeuer it be taken it is Christes bodye and that there is none other eatyng but wyth the mouth And that the fathers meant no other thing then I haue sayde it shall appeare by their wordes But as touching the learned and wise men of these dayes I can not blame them if they call my doctrine heresie for they would condemne al auncient wryters of heresie if they were now aliue But I will aunsweare you to them anone In the meane while marke you how well their learning agreeth They say you must follow the letter you must sticke to the letter Origines in Leuit Hom. 17. But Origenes sayeth Si secundum literam sequaris id quod scriptum est nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis non erit vita in vobis ea litera occidit If ye folow after the letter that which is wrytten vnlesse yee shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man August de doctrina Christiana Lib. 3 cap. 16. there shal be no life in you this letter killeth Augustine in the third booke De doctrina Christiana Principio cauendum est ne figuratam dictionem secundum literam accipias Ad hoc enim pertinet id quod ait Apostolus 2. Cor. 3. litera occidit Cum enim figuratè dictum sic accipitur tanquam propriè dictum sit carnaliter sapitur neque vlla animae mors congruentius appellatur i. First thou muste beware that thou take not a figuratiue speache after the letter For thereto pertaineth that the Apostle sayeth The letter killeth For when a thing is spiritually meant and the same is takeÌ„ litterally and properly spoken that is a carnall taking Neither can any other be called the killing of the soule rather then that And in the same booke he teacheth a man to know the plain sense from a figure August de doctrina Christiana Lib. 3. cap. 16. saying thus Si praeceptiua loquntio est flagitium iubens aut beneficentiam vetans figurata est Nisi mâ—nducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non erit vita in vobis Flagitium videtur iubere Ergo Figura est praecipiens passioni Domini esse communicandum A rule to know a figuratiue speach from the litterall suauiter in memoria recoÌ„dendum quòd pro nobis caro eius crucifixa sit i. If the commaunding speach be such as commandeth a thing wicked and horrible to be done or a charitable thing to be vndone then this is a figuratiue speach Unlesse ye shal eat the flesh of the sonne of man and shall drinke his bloud there shall be no life in you Because in this speach he seemeth to commaund a wicked thing it is therefore a figuratiue speache commaunding that we should communicate with the passion of our Lorde and sweetely to retaine it in our remembraunce In like manner Chrysostome plucketh you from the plaine letter and the bare woordes by this saying Caro non prodest hoc est secundum spiritum verba mea intelligenda sunt Quia qui secundum carnem audit nihil lucratur Quid est autem carnaliter intelligere Chrisost. in Ioan. hom 46. Simpliciter vt res dicuntur neque aliud quip piam cogitare Non enim ita iudicanda sunt quae videntur sed mysteria omnia interioribus oculis videnda sunt hoc est spiritualiter i. The flesh profiteth not that is to say my wordes must be taken and expounded after the spirite For hee that heareth after the flesh gaineth nothing Nowe what is it to vnderstaÌ„d carnally To take things simply as they be spoken and not to consider any meaning further therein For things must not be iudged as they are seene but all mysteries must be seene with inwarde eyes that is to say spiritually What is so hainous in these dayes as to cal the Sacrament the token or the remembrance of Christes body Yet did the olde wryters in manner neuer call it other Tertullian in the 4. booke against the Martionistes Christus accepit panem â—â—rtullianus â—â—ntra Martion Lib. 4. corpus suum fecit Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ dicendo id est figura corporis mei Christ took bread made it hys body saying This is my body that is to say a figure of my body Ambrose vpon the 11. to the Corinthians Quia morte Domini liberati sumus huius rei memores in edendo potando Ambros. â— 1. Cor. 1â— carnem sanguinem quae pro nobis oblata sunt significamus Because we are deliuered by the Lords death in y e remembraunce of the same by eating and drinking we signify the body and bloud which were offered vp for vs. Chrisost. Matth. Hom. â—3 Chrysostome in the lxxxiij Homily vpon the Gospel of Mathew Quando dicunt vndè patet Christum immolatum fuisse haec adferentes eorum ora consuimus Si enim mortuus Christus non est cuius Symbolum ac signum hoc sacrificium est When they obiect vnto vs and aske howe knowe you that Christe was offered vppe then alledging these things we stoppe theyr mouthes For if Christ died not then whose signe or token is this sacrifice Augustine to Adimantus Non dubitauit Christus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui August 〈◊〉 Adimanâ—â—â— Christ doubted
father that speaketh within you Euen the very heaâ—es of your head are all numbred Lay vp treasure for your selues sayth he where no theefe commeth nor moth corrupteth Feare not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but feare hym that hath power to destroy both soule and body If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne Iohn 15. but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Let these and suche like consolations taken out of the Scriptures strengthen you to godward Let not the examples of holy men and women go out of your minde as Daniel and the rest of the prophets of the three children of Eleazarus that constaÌ„t father of the vij of the Machabies children of Peter Paule Steuen and other Apostles and holy Martyrs in the beginning of the Church As of good Symeon Archbishop of Seloma and Zetrophone with infinite other vnder Sapores the King of the Persians and Indians who contemned all torments deuised by the tyraunts for their sauiours sake Returne returne agayne into Christes warre Ephes. 6. and as becommeth a faithfull warriour put on that armour that S. Paule teacheth to be most necessary for a Christian man And aboue all things take to you the shield of fayth and be you prouoked by Christes own example to withstand the diuell to forsake the world and to become a true and faythfull member of his mysticall body who spared not his owne body for our sinnes Throw downe your selfe with the feare of his threatned vengeaunce for this so great and haynous an offence of Apostasie and comfort your selfe on the other part wyth the mercy bloud and promise of him that is ready to turne vnto you whensoeuer you turne vnto him Disdayne not to come agayne with the lost sonne seing you haue so waÌ„dred with him Be not ashamed to turne againe with hym from the swill of straungers to the delicates of your most benigne and louing father acknowledging that you haue sinned against heauen and earth Against heauen by stayning the glorious name of God and causing his most sincere and pure word to be euill spoken of through you Against earth by offending so many of your weake brethren to whom you haue bene a stumbling blocke through your sodaine sliding Be not abashed to come home againe with Mary and weepe bitterly with Peter not only with sheding the teares of your bodily eyes but also powring out the streames of your hart to wash away out of the sight of God the filth and mire of your offensiue fall Be not abashed to say with the Publicane Luke 1â— Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner Remember the horrible hystory of Iulian of olde and the lamentable case of Spyra of late whose case me thinke should be yet so greene in your remembrance that being a thing of our time you should feare the like inconuenience seeing you are falne into the like offence Last of all let the liuely remembrance of the last day be alwayes afore your eyes remembring the terrour that suche shall bee in at that time with the runnagates and fugitiues from Christ which setting more by the worlde then by heauen more by theyr lyfe then by him that gaue them lyfe dyd shrinke yea did cleane fall away from him that forsooke not them and contrarywise the inestimable ioyes prepared for them that fearing no perill nor dreading death haue manfully fought and victoriously triumphed ouer all power of darkenesse ouer hell deathe and damnation thorough theyr most redoubted Captaine Christ who nowe stretcheth out his armes to receaue you ready to fall vppon your necke and kysse you and last of all to feast you with the deynties and delicates of his owne precious bloud which vndoubtedly if it might stand with his determinate purpose he woulde not set to shed againe rather then you should be lost To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour prayse and glory euerlasting Amen Be constant be constant feare not for no payne Christ hath redeemed thee and heauen is thy gayne ¶ A Letter written by the Lady Iane in the ende of the new Testament in Greeke the which she sent vnto her sister Lady Katherine the night before she suffered I Haue heere sent you good Sister Katherine a booke which although it be not outwardly trimmed with gold 〈…〉 of the â—â—dy Iane the â—ady 〈…〉 yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Sister of the law of the Lord. It is his Testament and last will which he bequeathed vnto vs wretches which shall leade you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good minde reade it and with an earnest mind do purpose to follow it it shall bring you to an immortall and euerlasting life It shall teache you to liue and learne you to die It shall winne you more then you should haue gained by the possession of your wofull fathers landes For as if God had prospered him you should haue inherited his landes so if you apply diligently this booke seeking to direct your lyfe after it you shall be an inheritour of such riches as neither the couetous shall withdrawe from you neither theefe shall steale neyther yet the mothes corrupt Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstande the lawe of the Lorde your God Liue still to dye that you by death may purchase eternall life 〈◊〉 liue to 〈◊〉 that by 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 liue And trust not that the tendernesse of your age shall lengthen your life For as soone if God call goeth the yong as the olde and labour alwayes to learne to dye Defye the world denie the deuill and despise the fleshe and delite your selfe onely in the Lorde Be penitent for your sinnes and yet despayre not be strong in fayth and yet presume not and desire with S. Paule to be dissolued and to be wyth Christ with whome euen in death there is lyfe Be like the good seruaunt and euen at midnight be waking least when death commeth and stealeth vpon you like a theefe in the night you be wyth the euill seruaunt found sleeping and least for lacke of oyle you be found like the fyue foolish women and lyke hym that had not on the wedding garment and then yee be cast out from the marriage Reioyce in Christ as I do Follow the steps of your mayster Christ and take vp your Crosse lay your sinnes on hys backe and alwayes embrace hym And as touching my death reioyce as I do good Sister that I shall be deliuered of this corruption and put on incorruption For I am assured that I shall for losing of a mortall life winne an immortall life the which I pray God graunt you and send you of his grace to liue in hys feare and to dye in the true Christian fayth from the which in Gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarue
should be nothing sayde he but that he might talke a few words with his wife before his burning But that coulde not bee obteined of hym Then said he you declare your charitie what it is and so he was brought into Smithfield by Maister Chester and Maister Woodrofe then Shiriffes of London there to bee burnt where he shewed most constant paciencie not vsing many wordes for he could not be permitted but onely exhorting the people constantly to remaine in that faith and true doctrine which he before had taught and they had learned and for the confirmation whereof he was not only content paciently to suffer and beare all such bitternes and cruelty as had bene shewed him but also most gladly to resigne vp his life and to geue his flesh to the consuming fire for the testimonie of the same Briefly and in few wordes to comprehend the whole order of his lyfe doynges and Martyrdome first this godly M. Rogers was committed to prison as is abouesayd there continued a yeare and halfe In prison he was mery and earnest in all he went about He wrote much his examinations he penned with his owne hand The copie of M. Rogers 〈…〉 gods prouidence preserued which else had neuer come to light Wherein is to be noted by the way a memorable working of Gods prouidence Ye heard a litle aboue how M. Rogers craued of Boner going to hys burning y t he might speake a few wordes before with hys wife whiche coulde not be graunted What these wordes were which he had to say to his wife it is for no man certeinly to define Likely it may be supposed that his purpose was amongst other things to signifie vnto her of the booke written of his examinations and aunsweres whych he had priuily hid in a secret corner of the prison where he lay But where mans power lacketh see how Gods prouidence worketh For notwithstanding y t during the tyme of his imprisonment straite search there was to take away his letters and writings yet after his death his wyfe and one of her sonnes called Daniell coÌ„ming into y e place wher he lay to seeke for his bookes and writings and now ready to go away it chaunced her sonne aforenamed castâ—ng his eye aside to spy a blacke thing for it had a blacke couer belike because it shuld not be known lying in a blind corner vnder a payre of stayres Who willing his mother to see what it was found it to be the booke written with his own hand contayning these his examinatioÌ„s answers with other matter aboue specified In the latter end where of this also was conteyned which because it concerneth a Propheticall forewarning of thinges pertayning to the Church I thought to place the same his woordes as they be there written which are these If God looke not mercifully vppon Englande the seedes of vtter destruction are sowne in it already by these hipocritical tyrauntes Antichristian Prelates Popish Papists and double traytors to their naturall country And yet they speake of mercy M. Rogers seemeth to prophesie here of England and that truely of blessing of the Catholicke Churche of vnitie of power strengthning of the realm This double dissimulation will shewe it selfe one daye when the plague commeth whiche will vndoubtedly light vppon these crowneshorne Captaines and that shortly whatsoeuer the godly and y e poore realme suffer in the meane while by Gods sufferaunce and will Spite of Nabuchodonozers beard and maugre hys hart y e captiue thral miserable Iewes must come home agayne and haue their Citie and temple builded vp again by Zorobabell Esdras Nehemias c. And the whole kingdome of Babilon must goe to ruine and be taken of straungers the Persians and Medes So shal y e disperâ—kled english flock of Christ be brought agayn into their former estate or to a better I trust in the Lorde God then it was in innocent king Edwardes dayes and our bloudye Babilonicall Bishops He meaneth here of the returne of the exiles into England and the whole crowneshorn company brought to vtter shame rebuke ruine decay and destruction for God cannot and vndoubtedly will not suffer for euer theyr abhominable lying false doctrine their hipocrisie bloudthirst whoredome idlenes their pestilent life pampred in all kinde of pleasure their thrasonicall boasting pride their malicious enuious and poysoned stomackes which they beare towardes his poore and miserable Christians Peter truely warneth that if iudgement beginneth in the house of God 1. Pet. 4. what shal be the end of them that beleeue not the Gospell If the righteous shall scant bee saued where shall the vngodly and sinfull appeare Some shall haue their punishment here in this world and in the worlde to come and they that doe escape in this worlde shall not escape euerlasting damnation This shall be your sauce O ye wicked Papistes make yee merye here as long as ye may Furthermore amongest other his wordes sayinges which may seeme prophetically to be spoken of hym thys also may be added and is notoriously to be marked M. Rogers prophesieth of the returne of the Gospell that he spake being then in prison to the Printer of this presente booke who then also was laid vp for like cause of religion Thou sayd he shalt liue to see the alteration of this religioÌ„ and the gospell to be freely preached againe And therefore haue me commended to my brethren as well in exile as others and bid them be circumspect in displacing the Papists putting good ministers into churches or els their ende will be worse then ours And for lacke of good ministers to furnish churches M. Rogers couÌ„sell in placing good ministers his deuise was M. Hooper also agreeing to the same that for euery x. Churches some one good and learned superintendent shuld be appointed which should haue vnder him faythfull Readers suche as might well be got so that popish Priests shoulde cleane be put out and the bishop once a yeare to ouersee the profiting of the Parishes and if the minister did not his dutye as well in profiting himselfe in his book and his Parishioners in good instructions so that they may be trayned by little litle to geue a reckoning how they do profite theÌ„ he to be expelled and an other put in his place And the Byshop to do the like with the superintendent this was hys counsell and request Shewing moreouer and protestyng in his commendations to hys brethren by the Printer aforesayd that if they woulde not so doe their ende he sayde would be worse then theirs Ouer and besides diuers other thinges touching M. Rogers this is not to be forgotteÌ„ A note touching Priestes cappes how in the dayes of K. Edward the sixt there was a controuersie among the Bishops and clergye for wearing of priestes caps and other attire belonging to that order M. Rogers beyng one of y e number which neuer went otherwise then in a round cap during all
heauier lumpe of this vile carkase ought therfore of nature to be more frayle then you yet sayth he The stouâ— bragges 〈◊〉 D. Pendlâ—â—ton at thâ— first begiâ—â—ning God geueth strength where feâ—â—blenes is confessed I will see the vttermost drop of this grease of mine molteÌ„ away the last gobbet of this flesh consumed to ashes before I wil forsake God and his truth Wherunto the other answering but litle wishing that almighty God woulde geue him more strength theÌ„ he presently felt in himselfe acknowledging his owne weaknes conseÌ„ted notwithstanding though it were somewhat fayntly to ioyne w t him in the profession of the Gospell so to go vp to London set forth the same wherupon they gaue ech other theyr haÌ„ds Now when they were come to London Lord what a great chaunge was there betwene these two persons The poore feeble faynt harted Saunders by the goodnes of almighty God taking hart of grace to him seking the same in humility boldly stoutly confirmed his flock out of the pulpit where his charge lay mightely beating down Antichrist lustely preached Christ his maister for the which he afterward suffered most willingly as is afore declared Wheras on the other side Pendleton the proud who as it appeared by the sequele had bene more stout in words Example how feebâ—â— man is 〈◊〉 himselfe without the Lord support him theÌ„ constant in deeds and a greater bragger then a good warrior folowed Peter so iustly in crackes howsoeuer he did in repentance which God onely knoweth that he came not so soone to London but he chauÌ„ged his tipet playd y e Apostata preaching in stede of sound doctrine nothing almost but errors lyes aduauncing Antichrist and ouerthrowing poore Christ with all his mayne so his former boldnes came to nothing vnlesse it were a contrarye key becomming of a faithfull pastour a false runnagate and of a true Preacher a sworne enemy of Gods euerlasting Testament to the great offence of his brethren the hurt of hys flock and the vtter vndoing with our Gods greater mercy of his owne soule Wherein are specially to be considered the deepe and maruellous iudgementes of God who as he can and doth make strong whome it pleaseth hym when he seeth his time most commonly such as appeare most feeblest euen so contrariwise throweth he downe other some seeme they neuer so stoute stand they neuer so much in theyr own conceites Wherefore let him that standeth take heed he fall not and let vs pray continually to almighty God though we haue fayth that he will helpe and encrease our faith that in him it may be made stroÌ„g which of it selfe is so weake that it is soone ouerthrowne Anno 1555. February This blessed man of God enduring long time in prisoÌ„ did not passe all his time in vnfruitfull idlenes but still froÌ„ time to time did visite his frendes as is sayd and especially his wife with many letters full of godly instruction consolatioÌ„ All which letters it shall not be greatly needful here to insert partly because they are to be found in the booke of letters partly because we enteÌ„d also if God will to prosecute the same more at large In the meane time it shall not be out of place here preseÌ„tly to coÌ„prehend certein of them as in order foloweth ¶ A letter sent to M. Farrar Bishop of S. Dauids Doctor Tailor M. Bradford and M. Philpot. A letter of M Saundeâ—s sent to B. Farrar D. Taylor M. Bradford and M. Pâ—ilpot 〈◊〉 8. GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our Lord. c. Good fathers and deare brethren be thankefull vnto our most gracious God which hath preserued vs and shall I doubt not from blaspheming his blessed name yea not onely that but also ex ore Infantium Lactentium perficiet laudem c. i. Out of the mouthes of very babes and sucklinges shall be set forth his praise They offer vs forsooth our liberty pardon so that we will rise with them vnto that faith which we with them were fallen from Yea or no must be answered in hast They will not admit any need full circumstances but all as heretofore most detestable abhominable Rise with them we must vnto the vnity And pardon say I of me must not be so dearely purchased A pardon I desire for to liue with an vnclogged coÌ„science The Donatists say they sought for such singularitye but they were not meete to liue in a common wealth no more be you as you shall shortly vnderstand Wherefore away with him yea the time was named within thys seuen night There be 12. houres in the day Death shall be wellcome say I as being looked for long since and yet do iustice ye were best for Abels bloud cryed ye wot what The spirite of God be vpon you Iohn 11. God saue your honors Thus departed I from theÌ„ Pray pray Ah ah puer sum nescio loqui i. I am a childe I cannot speake My brother P. shall shew you more herein By him send me word what you haue done Fare ye well and pray pray I woulde gladly meet with my good brother Bradford on the backeside about 11. of the clock Before that time I cannot start out we haue such outwalkers but then will they be at dinner Yours as you know Laurence Saunders ¶ A Letter which L. Saunders did write to his wife and others of the faythfull after his condemnation to the fire written the last of Ianua 1555. out of the Counter in Breadstreete THe grace of Christ w t the coÌ„solation of the holy Ghost to the keeping of fayth and a good conscience coÌ„firme keep you for euer vessels to Gods glory A comforâ—â—ble letter â—f M. Saunders to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 Amen Oh what worthy thanks can be geueÌ„ to our gracious God for his vnmeasurable mercies pleÌ„tifully poured vpoÌ„ vs And I most vnworthy wretch cannot but poure forth at this present eueÌ„ from the bottom of my hart the bewayling of my great ingratitude and vnkindnes towardes so gracious a good God and louing father I beseech you all as for my other many sinnes so especially for that sinne of my vnthankefulnesse craue pardon for me in your earnest prayers commendyng me to Goddes greate mercyes in Christ. To number these mercies in particular where to number the drops of water which are in the Sea the sandes on the shore the starres in the skie O my deare wife ye the rest of my frends reioyce with me I say reioyce w t thanksgeuing for this my present promotion The sweete comfort of 〈…〉 away 〈◊〉 feare of death from 〈…〉 in that I am made worthy to magnifye my God not onely in my life by my slow mouth vncircuÌ„cised lips bearing witnes vnto hys truth but also by my bloud to seale the same to the glory of my God and confirming of his true church And as
death yet ministred to him a quicke dispatch mooued belike by some compassion not to haue him stande in the torment where the tormentors of M. Hooper suffred him without all compassion to stand three quarters of an houre in the fire And as touching the chiefe doers and authors of his martyrdome what Consul or Proconsul was there to be conferred with the Chancelour heere which brought this Martyr to burning Let this suffice Bookes and treatises written by M. Hooper This good Bishop and seruaunte of God being in prison wrote diuers Bookes and Treatises to the number of 24. wherof some he wrote to the parlament in Latine and one to the Bishop of Chichester D. Day besides he wrote of the sacraments of the Lordes praier and of the x. Commaundements with diuers other Here folowe certaine of M. Hoopers letters AS you haue hearde the whole storie of the life and martyrdome of thys good manne declared More of his letters ye shall read in the book of Letters of the Marâ—â—â— so nowe let vs consequently adioyne some parte of hys letters wrytten in the time of hys imprisonment moste fruitfull and worthy to be read especially in these daungerous dayes of all true Christians which by true mortification seeke to serue and followe the Lorde through all tempests and stormes of thys malignaunt worlde as by the readyng and perusing of the sayde letters you shall better feele and vnderstande A letter of M. Hooper to certaine godly professors and louers of the truth instructing them howe to behaue them selues in that wofull alteration and change of Religion THe grace mercye and peace of God the father through oure Lorde Iesus Christ be w t you my deareâ— brethren A letter of â— Hooper and withal those that vnfainedly loue and embrace his holy Gospel Amen It is told me that the wicked Idol the Masse is stablished again by a law passed in the parlameÌ„t house Learn the truth of it I pray you what penaltie is appointed in the Acte to such as speake against it also whether there be any compulsion to constraine men to be at it The statute thorowly knowen such as be abroad at liberty The fauourers oâ— Gods word secluded out of the Parliament both in the hye house and lower agaynst all right and reason may prouide for themselues auoid the danger the better Doubtles there hath not bene seene before our time such a parliament as this is y t as many as were suspected to be fauourers of Gods word shuld be banished out of both houses But we must geue God thanks for that truth he hath opened in the time of his blessed seruant king Edward y e sixth and pray vnto him that we deny it not nor dishonour it w t Idolatrie but that we may haue strength and pacience rather to die ten times then to denie him once Blessed shall we be if euer God make vs worthy of that honor to shed our bloude for hys names sake And blessed then shall we thinke y e parents which brought vs into this worlde that we shoulde from this mortalitie be caried into immortalitie If we followe the commaundement of S. Paule that sayth If ye then be risen againe with Christ Colos. 3. seeke those thynges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hande of God We shall neither departe from the vaine transitorie goodes of this world nor from this wretched and mortal life with so great paines as other doe Let vs pray to our heauenly father that we may know and loue his blessed will and the glorious ioy prepared for vs in time to come and that we maye knowe and hate all things contrary to his blessed will and also the paine prepared for the wicked in the world to come Ther is no better waye to be vsed in this troublesome time for your consolation then many times to haue assemblies together of such men and women as be of your religion in Christ and there to talke and renewe among your selues the truthe of your Religion to see what ye be by the worde of God He exhorteth the brethren to resorte and conferre among theÌ„ selues together and to remember what yee were before yee came to the knowledge thereof to weigh and conferre the dreames and false lies of the Preachers that nowe preache with the worde of God that retaineth all truth and by such talke and familiar resorting together ye shall the better find out all their lies that nowe goe about to deceiue you also both know and loue the truth that God hath opened to vs. It is much requisite that the members of Christe comfort one an other make prayers together conferre one wyth an other Conference amongest brethren comfortable so shal ye be the stronger and Gods spirite shal not be absent froÌ„ you but in the middest of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in all godly things pacient in aduersitie and strong in persecution Ye see how the congregation of the wicked by helping one an other make their wicked religion and them selues strong against Gods truth and his people If ye may haue some learned man that can oute of the Scriptures speake vnto you of faith and true honouring of God also that can shewe you the descent of Christes Church from the beginning of it vntill this day that ye may perceiue by the life of youre forefathers these two things the one that Christes worde which said that all his must suffer persecution and trouble in the worlde be true the other that none of al his before our time escaped trouble then shal yee perceiue that it is but a follie for one that professeth Christ truely to looke for the loue of the world Thus shal ye learne to beare trouble Iohn 10. to exercise your religion and feele in dede that Christes wordes be true In the worlde ye shall suffer persecution And when ye feele your religion in dede say ye be no better then your forefathers but be glad that ye may be counted worthy souldiours for this warre and pray to God when yee come together that hee will vse and order you and youre doings to these three endes which ye must take heede of the first that ye glorifie God the next Three thinges to be taken heede of that yee edifie the Church and Congregation the thirde that ye profite your owne soules In all your doings beware ye be not deceiued For although thys time be not yet so bloudye and tyrannous as the time of our forefathers that coulde not beare the name of Christ wythout daunger of lyfe and goodes Luke 18. yet is oure time more perillous both for body and soule Therefore of vs Christ sayde Thinke ye when the sonne of manne commeth hee shall finde faithe vppon the earthe Hee sayd not Thinke ye he shal find any man or woman Christened in name a Christian but he spake of the faith
as the rest of the examinates doe and that this sayd Iurate was present there at the deed doyng After the depositions of these foresayd witnesses being taken published and denounced the sayd B. speakyng to Wil. Flower asked hym if he knew any matter or cause why his sentence should not be red and he to be pronounced as an heretike Wherevnto the martyr of God answereth agayne as followeth I haue nothyng at all to say for I haue already sayd vnto you all that I haue to say that I haue said I will not go from and therfore do what you wyll c. ⧠The burning of William Flower at Westminster the 24. of Aprill An. 1555. ¶ A prayer and confession of W. Flower OH eternall God most mighty and mercifull father who hast sent downe thy sonne vpon the earth Flowers prayer to saue me all mankynd who ascended vp into heauen agayne and left hys bloud here vpon the earth behynd hym for the redemption of our sins haue mercy vpon me haue mercy vppon me for thy deare sonne our sauiour Iesus Christes sake in whom I confesse onely to bee all saluation and iustification and that there is none other mean nor way nor holynes in which or by which any man can be saued in this world This is my fayth which I beseech all men here to beare witnesse of Then he sayd the Lords prayer and so made an end Then M. Cholmley came to him willyng hym to recant his heresie Talke betweene W. Flower and M. Cholmely whereby he might do good to the people or els he would be damned Flower answered as followeth Sir I beseech you for Gods sake be contented for that I haue sayd I haue said and I haue bene of this fayth from the beginnyng and I trust to the liuyng God hee will geue me his holy spirite to continue to the ende Then he desired all the world to forgeue hym whome he had offended as he forgaue all the world This done first his hand beyng held vp agaynst the stake was stroken of his left hand beyng stayed behynde hym At the which striking of his hand certaine that were present beholders of the matter and purposely obseruyng the same credibly enformed vs that he in no part of hys body did once shrinke at the strikyng therof but once a little he stirred his shoulders And thus fire was set vnto hym who burning therein cried with a loud voyce Oh the sonne of God haue mercye vpon me Oh the sonne of God receyue my soule three tymes and so his spech beyng taken from hym he spake no more liftyng vp notwithstandyng his stumpe with hys other arme as long as he could And thus endured this constant witnes and faythfull seruaunt of God the extremitie of the fire beyng therein cruelly handled by reason that to his burning little wood was brought so that for lacke of fagots there not sufficient to burne hym they were fayne to strike hym downe into the fire Where he lying along which was dolefull to behold vpon the ground hys nether part was consumed in the fire whilest hys vpper part was cleane without the fire hys tongue in all mens sight still moouyng in hys mouth May. 1555. The 3. of May a letter was sent to George Colte and Thom. Daniell to make search for and apprehend Iohn Bernard and Iohn Walshe who vsed to repaire to Sudbury and carying about with them the bones of Pigotte that was burned do shew them to the people persuading them to be constant in his religion and vpon examination to commit them to further orderyng accordyng to the lawes This day Stephen Appes was committed to the litle ease in the Tower there to remayne two or three dayes vntill further examination The 12. day M. Thomas Rosse preacher was by the counsailes letters deliuered from the Tower to the Shiriffe of Northfolke to be conueyed and deliuered to the B. of Norwich and he eyther to reduce hym to recant or els proceed agaynst hym according to the law The 16. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer signifiyng what the L. had done for Rosse and that order should be geuen according to his L. request for letters to the Bishops as Appes whom the Lieuetenant of the Tower reporteth to be mad his L. perceiuyng the same to be true should commit hym to Bedlem there to remayne vntill their further order The 26. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer to conferre with the B. of London and the Iustices of Peace of that Countie wherein they are to be executed that are alredy condemned for religion vpon agrement of places to geue order for their execution accordingly· The 28. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer to cause speedie preparation to be made of such mony as was appoynted for such persons as should cary the ioyful tidings of Queene Maries good deliuery of chyld to diuers princes so as they be not compelled to stay when tyme shall come The Embassadors were to the Emperour the L. Admirall to the French King the L. Fitzwaters to the kyng of Romains Sir Henry Sidney to the K. of Portingall Rich. Shelley whose free passage through France M. Doctor Wootton was willed to procure by letters the 24. of Iune The 29. was a letter directed to Sir Frances Inglefield to make search for one Iohn D. at LondoÌ„ Anno 15â—5 May. and to apprehend him and send him to the Counsaile and to make search for such papers bookes as may thinke may touch the same D. or one Benger ⧠The burning and Martyrdome of Iohn Cardmaker Iohn Warne Vpholster which suffered both together in Smithfield An. 1555. May. 30. 〈◊〉 Cardâ—â—â—er and 〈◊〉 Warne â—â—â—tyrs VPon the 30. day of May suffred together in Smithfield Iohn Cardmaker otherwise called Tailour Prebendarie of the church of Wels Ioh. Warne Upholster of the parish of S. Iohn in Walbrooke Of whome it remaineth now particularly to entreat beginning first with M. Cardmaker who first was an obseruant Frier before the dissolution of the Abbeys then after was a maried Minister and in king Edwards time appointed to be Reader in Paules where the Papistes were so much agrieued with hym for his doctrines sake that in his reading they cut and mangled his gowne with their kniues This Cardmaker being apprehended in the beginnyng of Queene Maries raigne Cardmaker 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 apâ—â—â—hended 〈◊〉 layd in 〈◊〉 Fleete with M. Barlowe Bishop of Bathe was brought to London and layde in prison in the Fleete king Edwards lawes yet beyng in force But after the Parliament was ended in which the Pope was againe admitted as supreme hed of the church and the Byshops had also gotten power and authoritie Ex officio to exercise their tyranny these two were both brought before Winchester Chauncellour and others appointed by Commission as before is mentioned to examine the fayth of such as were then prisoners and as vnto others before so now vnto
limitted and appoynted vppon paine that euerye offender contrary to this Proclamation shal incurre the daunger and penalties contained in the sayde Statute and as they will auoide theyr Maiesties high indignation and displeasure and further answere at their vttermost pearils The powâ—â— of this world 〈…〉 Christ. And their Maiesties by this Proclamation geue full power and authoritie to all Byshops and Ordinaries and all Iustices of peace Maiors Sheriffes Bailiffes of Cities and Townes corporate and other head Officers wythin this Realme and the dominions thereof and expresly commaundeth and willeth the same and euery of them that they and euerye of them within their seuerall limites and iurisdictions shall in the default negligence of the sayde Subiectes after the sayde fifteene dayes expired enquire and searche out the sayde bookes wrytings and woorkes and for this purpose enter into the house or houses closets and secreate places of euery persone of what so euer degree beynge negligent in thys behalfe and suspected to keepe any such boke wryting or woorkes contrary to this Proclamation And that the sayde Iustices Maiors Sheriffes Bailiffes and other heade Officers aboue specified and euery of them wythin theyr sayde limites and iurisdictions fineding any of the sayde subiectes negligent and faultie in this behalfe shall commit euery such offender to Warde there to remaine without baile or mainprise till the same offender or offenders haue receiued such punishment as the sayde Statute doeth limite and appoynte in this behalfe Geuen vnder our Signes Manuel at oure Honour of Hampton Courte the thirteene day of Iune the first and second yeares of our raignes Imprinted by Iohn Cawood Anno. 1555. Articles to be enquired vppon by the wardones of euery companie touching seditious bookes especially touching the booke called A Warning for England 1 WHether they haue seene any of the forsaid bookes This 〈◊〉 called a warning England looke 〈◊〉 hereafter when 〈◊〉 come 〈◊〉 willing 〈◊〉 Inquiâ—â—tiâ—â— the 〈…〉 Articles be 〈◊〉 vpon 2 Whether they haue hearde of anye of the sayde bookes 3 Where they were and in what place they haue seene them 4 Whome they know to haue lately come from beyonde the sea especially from Zurik Strausbrough Frankford Wezel Emden and Disburge 5 Whome they knowe or vehemently suspect to be common cariers of letters or money thether from hence 6 That they bring to my Lord Maior all suche seditious bookes as they haue or shall haue found hereafter In this proclamation thou hast hearde Christian reader the profounde and learned Censure of the Catholike Churche of Englande what bookes they mislike and reiect as heretical schismatical and pernicious Against the which Catholicke censure of these learned fathers I haue not at this time to inferre neither doeth my laisure serue now to wryte Apologies in defence of these Authors here condemned Onely so much leaue it may please the reader to grauÌ„t me to set before him here a pair of balance where in to waigh the bookes on the one side condemned wyth y e bookes on the other side allowed to the end that we waying the one with the other may discern the better betwene them â—he bookes 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Papists which part wayeth best with Gods holy trueth and true catholicke church against manifest idolatrie and palpable abomination And nowe therefore as they haue in this present proclamation geuen their condemnation vpon these bookes aboue recited so I desire thee to geue thy censure vpon their bookes by them allowed and vpon the matter in them contained and marke wel what good stuff it is The Primer 〈◊〉 forth in â— Maryes 〈…〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 And first to begin with the Primer in English for children after the vse of Salisburye Imprinted wyth Priueledge according vnto the Kinge and Queenes Maiesties letters paâ—entes in the raigne of Queene Mary Lette vs repeate and suruey some part of the said Primer for to expresse all it were too long beginning wyth the firste lesson of our Ladye in these wordes Holye Marye mother most pure of virgines all mother and daughter of the king celestiall So comfort vs in our desolation That by thy prayer and special meditation we enioy the reward of the heauenly raigne c. Conferre this with the Scriptures good reader and iudge vprightly whether this doctrine â—e tollerable in the Church or not It followeth more in the second Lesson Holy Mary of all godly the godliest Pray for vs of all holy the holiest That he our praiers accept may in good wise which of thee was borne and raigneth aboue the skies c. In the third lesson Thy sonne beseeche with humble intercession To purge vs cleane of our transgression That so being redeemed we may the place ascende Where thou dwellest with him world without ende The Uersicle Pray for the people entreat for the Clergie make enter cession for the deuout womankinde 〈◊〉 meditour beâ—wene God and men the man 〈◊〉 Christ. â—alse merite let al feele thy helpe that worthely solemnise thy memoriall c. An other Uersicle Holy Mother of God make thy petition that wee maye deserue Christes promission c. And in the Antheme after Benedictus thus it followeth We beseech thee of thy pitie to haue vs in remembraunce to make meanes for vs vnto Christ that we being supported by thy helpe may deserue to attaine the kingdome of heauen Furthermore in the Collect after it followeth Wrong mediation And graunte that through the gracious intercession of the virgine thy mother wee may be deliuered from this present heauinesse and haue the fruition of eternall gladnesse It followeth moreouer in the sayde Primer thus concerning the materiall Crosse. Idolatrye to the material Crosse. O God which haste ascended thy most holy Crosse and hast geuen light to the darkenesse of the world vouchsafe by the vertue of thy Crosse to illumine visite and comfort both our hearts and bodies c. Moreouer in the name of S. Iohn Baptiste thus it prayeth Let no man 〈◊〉 in any 〈…〉 c. 1. Cor. 3. O Lord defend vs alway through the continuall succours of S. Iohn Baptist. For the more fraile we be the more nede we haue to be relieued with necessary prayers c. In which wordes note good reader not only the absurditie of doctrine but also the stolidity of the reason For where their doctrine pretendeth that saint Iohn Baptiste should pray for vs 〈◊〉 is â—aule â—â—at is â—pollo but 〈◊〉 seruants 〈…〉 â—hom you â—â—leeue â—â— Cor. 3. here we pray to God for s. Iohn Baptist that he wil heare his praier praying for vs. It followeth furthermore in the name of Peter and Paul Heare vs mercifully and graunt that through the merites of them both we may obtaine the glory euerlasting c. And of S. Andrew So lette hym O Lorde be a continuall petitioner for vs to thee c. Of S. Laurence thus S. Laurence the Deacon did worke a good worke For by the
Bill with his bloud already * The behauyour of M. Iohn Bradford Preacher and the young man that suffered with him in Smithfield named Iohn Leafe a Prentise which both suffered for the testimony of Christ. FIrst when they came to the stake in Smithfielde to bee burned Bradford Iohn Leafe at the stake how they behaued themselues M. Bradford lying prostrate on the one side of the stake and the youÌ„g man Iohn Leafe on the other side they lay flat on theyr faces praying to theÌ„selues the space of a minute of an houre Then one of the Sheriffes sayde to M. Bradford Arise and make an end for the prease of the people is great At that word they both stoode vp vpon their feete and then M. Bradford tooke a fagot in his hand and kissed it and so likewise the stake And when he had so done he desired of the Sheriffes that his seruant might haue his rayment For sayde he I haue nothing els to geue him and besides that he is a poore man And the Shiriffe sayde hee should haue it And so forthwith M. Bradford did put off his rayment and went to the stake and holding vp hys handes and casting his countenaunce to heauen he sayde thus O England England repent thee of thy sinnes repeÌ„t thee of thy sinnes Beware of Idolatrye The wordes of M. Bradâ—ford to England beware of false Antichristes take heede they do not deceiue you And as he was speaking these wordes the Sheriffe bade tye his hands if he would not be quiet O M. Sheriffe sayd M. Bradford I am quiet God forgeue you this Mayster Sheriffe And one of the officers wich made the fire hearing Mayster Bradford so speaking to the Shiriffe sayde If you haue no better learninge then that you are but a foole and were best to hold your peace To the which wordes M. Bradford gaue no answere but asked all the world forgeuenesse and forgaue all the world and prayed the people to pray for him and turned hys head vnto the young man that suffered with him and sayd Bee of good comfort Brother for we shall haue a mery supper with the Lorde thys night and so spake no more wordes that any man did heare but imbracing the Reedes sayd thus Strayt is the way and narrow is the Gate that leadeth to eternall saluation The saying of M. Braâ—â—ford at his death and fewe there bee that finde it And thus they both ended theyr mortall liues moste likest two Lambes without any alteration of their countenaunce beyng voyde of all feare hoping to obteine the price of the game that they had long runne at to the which I beseeche Almightye God happily to conducte vs thorow the merites of Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior Amen ⧠The description of the burning of M. Iohn Bradford Preacher and Iohn Leafe a Prentise TOuching M. Wodroffe the Sheriffe mention is made a little before A notable 〈…〉 Godâ— hand â—pon M. Woâ—droffe how churlishly here hee aunswered M. Bradford at the stake not suffering him to speake but coÌ„maunding his handes to be tyed c. The like extremity or worse he vsed also before to M. Rogers whereof ye haue heard before The sayd Wodroffe Sheriffe aboue mentioned was ioyned in office with an other Syr William Chester â—ommended called Syr William Chester for the yeare 1555. Betweene these two Sheriffes such difference there was of iudgement and Religion that the one that is Maister Wodroffe was woont commonly to laugh Difference betweene 2. Shriâ—â—es M. Woodroffe y e other to shedde teares at the death of Christs people And where as the other was woont to restrayne and to beate the people whiche were desirous to take them by the handes that should be burned the other Sheriffe contrariwise agayne with muche sorrow and mildnesse behaued himselfe which I wish here to be spoken known to the commendation of him although I doe not greatly know the partie Furthermore here by the way to note the seuere punishmeÌ„t of Gods hand agaynst the sayde Wodroffe as agaynst all other such cruell persecutours so it happened that within halfe a yeare after the burning of this blessed Martyr the sayde Sheriffe was so striken on the right side with such a paulsie or stroke of Gods hand whatsoeuer it was that for the space of eight yeares after till hys dying day hee was not able to turne himselfe in his bed but as two men with a sheete were fayn to stirre him and withall such an insaciable deuouring came vpon him that it was monstrous to see And thus continued he the space of eight yeares together ¶ In mortem Iohannis Bradfordi constantissimi Martyris Epitâ—phium iâ— Ioan Bâ—â—dfordum per Ioan 〈◊〉 Discipulo nulli supra licet esse magistrum Quique Deo seruit tristia multa feret Corripit omnipotens natum quem diligit omnem Ad coelum stricta est difficilisque via Has Bradforde tuo dum condis pictore voces Non hominum rigidas terribilesque minas Sed nec blanditias non vim nec vincula curas Tradis accensae membra cremanda pyrae Here follow the letters of M. Bradford THis godly Bradford and heauenly martyr The letters of M. Bradford duryng the tyme of his imprisonment wrote sondrye comfortable Treatises and many godly Letters of whiche some hee wrote to the Citty of London Cambridge Walden to Lankeshyre and Chesshyre diuers to his other priuate friendes By the which foresayd Letters to the intent it may appeare how godly this man occupyed hys time being prisoner what speciall zeale he bare to the state of christes Church what care he had to performe his office how earnestly he admonished all men howe tenderly he comforted the heauy harted how fruitfully he confirmed theÌ„ whom he had taught I thought here good to place y e same although to exhibite here all the letters that he wrote Read the booke of letters of the Martyrs being in number so many that they are able to fill a booke it cannot well be compassed yet neuerthelesse we mynde to excerpt the principal of them referring the reader for the residue to the booke of Letters of the martyrs where they may be found And first for so much as yee heard in the storye before The copy of M. Bradfordes letter whereof the Earle of Darby complayned in in the Parliament how the Earle of Darby complayned in the Parliament house of certayne Letters written of Iohn Bradford out of prison to Lancashyre and also howe hee was charged both of the Bishop of Winchester and of M. Allen wyth the same letters to the intent the Reader more perfectly may vnderstand what letters they were being written in deede to his mother brethren and sisters out of the Tower before his condemnation we wil beginne first with the same letters the copy with the contentes wherof is thys as followeth ¶ A comfortable letter of M. Bradford to hys Mother a godly
geue vs a bishop But they obtrude vnto vs a butcher rather or a bitesheepe then a Bishop They brag of Peters succession of Christes vicare this is alwayes in theyr mouth But alas how can we call hym Christes Vicare that resisteth Christ oppugneth his veritie persecuteth hys people and lyke a Prelate preferreth himselfe aboue God and man How or wherein doth the Pope and Christ agree How supplieth hee Peters ministery that boasteth of hys succession Therfore to beginne withall which I will vse presently for a conclusion The Bishop of Rome seemeth in deede rather a Butcher then a Bishop if the Papists will haue the B. of Rome supreme head of the Churche of Christ in earth they must afore they attayne this gâ—ue vs a Bishop in deed and not in name For whosoeuer he be that will make this the bond of vnitie whatsoeuer the Bishop of Rome be surely this must needes folow that they do nothyng els but teach a most wicked defection and departing from Christ. But of this if God lend me lyfe I purpose to speake more at large hereafter Now will I betake your Ladyship vnto the tuition of God our father and Christ our onely head pastour keeper to whom see that you cleaue by true fayth which dependeth onely vpon the word of God which if you doe follow as a lanterne to your feete and a light to your steps you shall theÌ„ auoyd darkenes and the daungerous deepes whereinto the Papists are fallen by the iust iudgement of God and seeke to bryng vs into the same dungeon with them that the blynd following the blind they both mayfall into the ditch out of the which God deliuer them accordyng to hys good will and preserue vs for his names sake that we beyng in his lyght may continue therein and walke in it whilest it is day so shall the night neuer ouerpresse vs wee goyng from lyght to lyght from vertue to vertue from fayth to fayth from glory to glory by the gouernaunce of Gods good spirite which God our father geue vnto vs all for euer and euer Amen Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Ioh. Bradford Here followeth another letter of M. Bradford to one Richard Hopkins shiriffe sometimes of Couentry He wrote also an other fruitefull letter to this Richard Hopkins which you may read in the booke of letters of the Martyrs yet beyng as I heare say alyue This Hopkins whom M. Bradford commendeth so much in this letter duryng the tyme of his shiriâ—ealtie was detected and accused by certaine malignant aduersaries of matter pertaing to religion What matter it was I am not yet certainly informed vnles it were for sending and lendyng vnto a theefe being then in prison ready to be hanged a certain English booke of scripture for his spirituall comfort Whereupon or els vpon some such like matter he being maliciously accused was sent for and committed to the Fleete and there endured a sufficient tyme not wythout great perill of lyfe Notwithstandyng the sayd Hopkins beyng at length deliuered out of prison followyng thys counsaile of M. Bradford and mindyng to keepe his conscience pure from Idolatry was driuen with his wife and 8. yong children to auoyde the realme and so leauyng all other worldly respects with his great losse and dammage went into high Germany where he contiued in the Citie of Basill till the death of Queene Mary being like a good Tobias to his power a frendly helper and a comfortable relieuer of other Englishe exiles there about him Gods holy blessing so working with hym therefore that in those far countries neither he fell in any great decay neither any one of all his houshold during all that tyme there miscaried but so many as he brought out so many he recaried home againe yea that with aduantage and gods pleÌ„ty withall vpon him Now the letter written to this Richard Hopkins by M. Bradford is this ¶ A Letter to Maister Richard Hopkins then Shiriffe of Couentry and prisoner in the Fleete for the faythfull and constant confessing of Gods holy Gospell DEarely beloued in the Lord I wish vnto you as vnto myne owne brother yea as to myne owne hart roote A letter of M. Bradford to Richard Hopkins prisoner the same tyme for his conscience Gods mercy the feelyng of the same plentifully in Christ our sweete sauiour who gaue himselfe a raunsome for our sinnes and price for our redemption praysed therefore bee his holy name for euer and euer Amen I will not go about to excuse my selfe for not sendyng vnto you hetherto suffring for the Lordes sake as you do to the comfort of mee and of all that loue you in the truth but rather accuse my selfe both before God and you desiring you of forgiuenesse and with me to pray to God for pardon of this my vnkind forgetting you and al other my sinnes which I beseech the Lord in his mercy to do away for his Christes sake Amen Now to make amends to you ward I would be glad if I could but because I cannot I shall hartily desire you to accept that will and this which I shal now write vnto you there after I meane after my will and not after the deed to accept and take it At this present my deare hart in the Lord you are in a blessed state although it seem otherwise to you or rather vnto your olde Adam the which I dare now be so bold as to discerne from you because you would haue him not onely discerned but also vtterly destroyed For if God be true then is his word true Nowe his worde pronounceth of your state that it is happy therefore it must needes bee so To prooue this I thinke it need not for you know that the holy ghost saith That they are happy which suffer for righteousnes sake and that Gods glory and spirit resteth on them which suffer for conscieÌ„ce to God Now this you cannot but know that this your suffering is for righteousnesse sake and for conscience to Godwards for els you might be out of trouble eueÌ„ out of hand I know in very deed that you haue felt and do feele your vnthankfulnesse to God and other sinnes to witnes to you that you haue deserued this prisonment and lacke of libertie Martyrs persecuted not for their sinnes but for Christ onely the Gospell betwixt God and your selfe and I would you so would confesse vnto God in your prayers with petition for pardon and thanks geuing for his correctyng you here But you know that the Magistrates doe not persecute in you your sinnes your vnthankfulnesse c. But they persecute in you Christ hymselfe his righteousnesse his veritie and therefore happy be you that haue founde such fauor with God your father as to accompt you worthy to suffer for his sake in the sight of man surely you shall reioyce therfore one day with a ioy vnspeakeable in the sight of man also You may thinke
the let I neither send you spectacles the price of the Paraphrases nor thanks for your cheese as by the next that coÌ„meth I will God willyng send the premisses to you and a goodly Testament for Sir Thomas Hall which is at the bindyng But be not acknowen that I haue now written to you for so I haue prayed this bringer God be with vs and pray for me and abhorre not my rude scribling which if it were as well written as it is ment woulde deserue pardon Thus make I an ende imputing to the hastines of this bringer all blame which you may lay vnto me From the Temple this Sonday immediately after M. Latimers famous Sermon whiche this bringer as hee sayth did heare By your poorest friend Iohn Bradford It shall not be long God willyng but you shall both haue and heare from me Keepe with you Melancthons Common places for I haue an other ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues GRace mercy and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ with encrease of all manner godly knowledge and liuing bee with you and all your houshold now and euer Amen To excuse this my long silence within v. or vj. dayes after my like foolish letters writteÌ„ to you by Ioh. Mâ—sse it pleased God to send my M. hither to London whome as I lately tofore had aduertised by letters I mooued you know wherein and prayed him to discharge y e same or els I would submit my selfe c. Whereunto he answered that if the bookes would declare it he would satisfy c The bookes I shewed whereupon he promised as much as I could aske But beyng herein something more mooued then he had cause God be praysed therefore which of his meere good pleasure wrought it at tymes as I could I desired to know how and in what tyme he would discharge vs both He thinking me to be ouer curious herein was not therewith contented and hearyng me to alledge the vncertaintie of tyme and the feare of Gods iustice which oh gracious Lord graunt me to feele in deede as much as thou knowest good for me he aunswered me to be scrupulous and of a superstitious conscience for animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Dei and plainely sayde further that I shold not know nor by these words haue his head so vnder my girdle And wheÌ„ I shewed him that God witnessed with me I went about no suche thyng He sayd that there was no godly conscience seyng he promised afore the face of God to discharge me and to pay the thing but it ought so to be quieted And thus at dyuers sundry tymes moouing eftsoones to know of hym the way and tyme of discharging the debt and hauyng none other aunsweres then tofore I doubting worldly wisedome which vseth delayes to raigne in hym with this Mammon the which oh merciful God eradicate out of his hart mynd and all others I was somethyng more sharp and told hym non ego tamen sed gratia tua Domine I would obey God more then man the which hee lightly regardyng as seemed I departed and went to M. Latimer to haue had hym to haue brought me to my L. Protector whose grace than was purposed shortly to take his iourney to visite the Ports M. Latimer I say willed me to stay vntill his returne which will be not long tofore Easter In this meane tyme I bade my bedfellow my maisters sonne whom my M. had vsed as his instrument to mooue mee carnally for my M. discharged him of hys exhibitioÌ„ tellyng hym that he could not be able to keep eyther house or chyld for I purposed to vndoe both hym and all hys vntruly thou knowest good Lord and bade hym to take that as a warnyng that both he and his brethren should prouide for themselues as they could I bade I say my sayde bedfellow to shew my M. as of himself my further purpose which thyng when he knew so mooued feared him that he began somethyng to relent then made faire promises that looke what I would deuise that would he do I deuised but my deuises pleased hym not And thus but not vainly I trust as I now do with you but I knowe your gentlenes which euer hath borne with me I spended the tyme in which I haue bene silent to write nay bable to you And he departing out of LondoÌ„ tofore I knew did send me word by an other of his said sonnes not so giuen to the Gospell and a lyfe accordyng as my bedfellow and therefore more to be suspected for though pietas non est suspiciosa as I should thinke my selfe rather impius yet Christ bade vs to be prudeÌ„tes sicut serpentes this other brother I say told me that my M. would do all thyngs onely his fame and abilitie preserued quid prodest totum mundum lucrari animae vero iacturam facere And with the sayd brother my M. sent me a little billet also wherein he confessed that he was contented within 12. months to deliuer to my hands the whole money which bill I thinking not so good as it might haue bene haue deuised an other and haue sent it downe to hym in the countrey with request that he will seale and signe it For thus M. Latymer thinketh sufficieÌ„t but as yet I heare not of it doubting worldly wisedome which was the whore that ouercame Sampson y t mooued Dauid to slay Urias that brought wyse Salomon to idolatry that crucified Christ the which moued mee to perpetrate hoc facinus the whiche worketh in my maisters hart hauyng higher place there than Timor Dâ—mini What say I there ye ye with me it sitteth in the holy place the Lord deliuer vs doubtyng I say worldly wisedome I remaine in that same state now for this matter though in worse for my soule which is more lamented pray therfore I beseech you pray with me and for me that I may do so earnestly than I was in at my last writyng vnto you And as I than was purposed so I doubt not graunt it Lord but that I shall perseuere if in the meane season I shall not heare from my M. accordingly Thus I haue like my selfe folishly but truely declared vnto you in many babling wordes which wit if I had it would haue shortly and briefly comprehended Arrogant nay Gods working vnthankfull wretch my workyng in this matter which is and was the onely cause as I now do I troubled you not afore to the intent I might aduertise you some certaintie in this thyng And though silence had bene much better then this foolish pratyng yet your fatherly kyndnesse euer towardes me in expectyng from you a correction as I haue herein geuen cause may thogh not to you yet to me be profitable In hope whereof I proceed in requiring you to continue your remembraunce of mee a most vnkynde wretche to God and you in your prayers with the almighty mercyfull Lorde that I maye more regard
me God I should say through it vnto a more contempt of worldly thyngs through the sequestration of such his busines as tofore I had ado withall I call it a contempt well take the word euen as it is hypocritically and vayne gloriously spoken for the whiche fault amongst my others innumerable I trust you remeÌ„ber in your prayers whereof I haue I would I knew how much neede There is yet another thyng whereof I will aduertise you euen to this ende that you might pray if it be Gods will that as I trust shortly to beginne so he may vouchsafe to confirme that he hath begun as if I be not deceyued I beleeue it is his workyng If the thyng seeme by Gods sprite in you that I presume then for the Lords sake aduertise me for I am much geuen to that disease the Lord deliuer me I haue mooued my M. therein already by letters to see if I shall haue any liuyng of hym as hitherto I haue had but I haue thereof no answer nor as our naturall speech is any likelyhood of any grant Yet that I haue alredy I trust be able for me for 3. yeres you looke what my purpose meaneth I am so long afore I come to it Therefore I doe it because my long bablyng should be lesse tedious Now shall you haue it If Gods will be whereunto pray I may be obedient I am mynded afore Midsomer to leaue London to goe to my booke at Cambridge and if God shall geue me grace to be a minister of his worde Thus you haue of a â—lie an Elephant Well take it in good part though you see my etiam non and not etiam etiam A tumblyng stone gathereth no mosse so therfore pray for me Perchaunce I do foolishly to forsake so good a liuyng as I haue I will say no more hereof but pray for me I trust as I said for three yeres study I haue sufficient if my Maister take all from me and when this is spent God wil send more I do not write this that you should thinke me to be in need of worldly helpe And therfore as Friers were woont secretly to beg No in y e Lords name I require you not to take it so for I had rather neuer send letter afore I should be herein a crosse to you for sufficit sua diei afflictio we are more set by then many sparowes But if my Mother or Sir Thomas Hall murmure at it or be offended with me as you can remedy it with your counsaile Howbeit as yet I will not write to them of it vntill such tyme as I bee goyng I am somethyng fickle mynded and vnconstant therefore praye for me that my hande beyng put to the plough presumptuously spoken I looke not backe You may gather by my wordes in this letter the Herodicall heart whiche lyeth in mee I haue sent you a booke of Bucer agaynst Winchester in English lately translated which I neuer red therefore I cannot prayse it And as I call to remembraunce I did send you with the other bookes moe then you receyued at the least one of them I remember which is called The Common places or the Declaration of the fayth by Urbanus Rhegius Aske for it or send me worde in whome the default is you haue it not Hereafter and that shortly by God grace I will send you primitiae laborum meorum a worke or two which I haue translated into English so soone as they bee printed which will bee afore Whitsontide Pray for me good father Traues and God send you health of soule and body as I would myne owne or any mans liuyng But yet to warne you of that you knowe not in writyng your letters to me you hit me home and geue mee that I looke for You are deceyued and so is all that knoweth me I neuer came to any poynt of mortification therefore a little ticklyng sets me a flote God help me and geue God thankes for me as all men bee most bounden Thus when Iones beginne to write to you I run as the Priest sayth Mattins for I thinke I may bee bold on you The holy Ghost preserue you your wife and family and perseuere his grace in you vnto the ende I pray you pray for me a most what should I call me miserable and blasphemous sinner The peace of God bee with vs. From the Temple this xij of May 1548. Sir Thomas Hall hath deceyued mee but hymselfe most I desire to speake with hym as this Winter it may chaunce if I discharge not my self of myne office to see him Pray for hym and for me A very hypocrite Iohn Bradford ¶ An other letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe perseuerance of Gods grace with the knowledge of his good will encrease with you vnto the ende To declare my selfe as I am a carnall man which vnderstandeth not the thyngs that be of the spirit These my letters though I counterfeit and meddle amongest them the spirituall wordes as the Deuill did in hys temptations to Christ will declare no lesse For I beginne with carnall thyngs in effect and no meruaile if I so ende for how can a man gather figs of bryers These wordes as they seeme so they are spoken for a cloke to make you thynke otherwyse but father Traues you can not thinke so euil of me as I am to the matter This present day by Gods grace I take my iourney towards Cambridge where I praye God and so earnestly pray you to pray for me that I may circumspectly redeme this tyme which God hath appointed to me vnknowen to lend me for alas I haue spent most wickedly the tyme past for the which I must account euen for euery haire bredth as they say for God hath not geuen here tyme to sine But if I considered this as I do nothyng lesse custome of sinne and pleasing my selfe hath so hardened my hart I should then come to the feelyng of my selfe then should I hate sinne which I now loue then should I feare Gods wrath which I now contemne theÌ„ should I cry out and wepe and continually pray as now I am as dry as a stone as dumbe as a nayle as far from pâ—aying as he that neuer knew any tast of it Which thing once I felte thankes to the Lord but now for myne vnthankfulnesse I am almost but most worthily depriued I feare me God will take hys grace from me I am so vnthankefull Alas why do I lye in saying I feare me nay God grant I may do so for then should I pray and pray but seyng I can not speake you for me pray for me that the Lord would remember his old compassions towards me for his mercies sake drawe me ye compel me to serue to feare and to loue hym Thus may you see how I presume for myne entent was to haue bene a Minister of Gods worde to haue bene hys instrument to cal from as I haue called to sinne but you see how that God
the same constancie as dyd the other and therfore were both deliuered vnto the sheriffes who were there present but afterwards were conueyed to the places aboue named there moste ioyfully gaue their houses to bee burned in the fire and their soules into the handes of Almighty God by Iesus Christ who hath assured them to a better hope of life This Diricke was a man whome the Lorde had blessed as well with temporall riches as with hys spirituall treasures which riches yet were no clogge or let vnto hys true professing of Christe the Lord by his grace so woorking in him of the which there was such hauocke made by the greedye raueners of that time that hys poore wyfe and children had little or none thereof During his imprisonment although he was well stricken in yeares and as it were past the time of learning yet he so spente his time that being at hys firste apprehension vtterly ignoraunt of any letter of the booke he coulde before his death read perfectly any Printed English Whos 's diligence and zeale is worthy no small commendation and therefore I thought it good not to lette it passe ouer in silence for the good encouragement and example of others Moreouer at his comming into the towne of Lewes to be burned the people called vpon him beseeching God to strengthen him in the faith of Iesus Christe Hee thanked them and prayed vnto God that of hys mercye hee woulde strengthen them in the lyke Faith And when hee came to the signe of the Starre the people drew neare vnto hym where the Sheriffe sayde that he had founde him a faithfull man in all hys aunsweres And as he came to the stake hee kneeled downe and made hys prayers and the Sheriffe made haste Then hys Booke was throwne into the barrell and when he had stript him selfe as a ioyfull member of God he went into the barrell him selfe And as soone as euer hee came in he tooke vp the booke and threw it among the people and then the Sheriffe commaunded in the Kynge and Queenes name in paine of death to throw in the booke againe And immediately that faithful member spake with a ioyfull voyce saying Deare brethren and sisterne witnes to you all that I am come to seale with my bloude Christes Gospell for because I know that it is true it is not vnknowen vnto all you but that it hath bene truely preached heere in Lewes and in all places of Englande and nowe it is not And for because that I wil not deny heere Gods Gospel and be obedient to mans lawes I am condemned to die Dear brethren and sisterne as many of you as doe beleeue vpon the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste vnto euerlasting life see you do the woorkes appertaining to the same And as many of you as doe beleeue vppon the Pope of Rome or any of his lawes which he sets foorth in these daies you do beleeue to your vtter condēnation and except the great mercy of God you shall burne in hell perpetually The Martyrdome of Diricke Caruer And then spake hee againe to all the people there present with a loude voyce saying deare brethren Horrible prouoking of Gods iudgement and all you whom I haue offended in woordes or in deede I aske you for the Lordes sake to forgeue mee and I heartely forgeue all you which haue offended me in thought word or dede And he sayd further in his praier Oh Lord my God thou hast wrytten Hee that wil not forsake wife children house Dirickes prayer at his death and all that euer he hath and take vp thy crosse and folow thee is not woorthy of thee But thou Lorde knowest that I haue forsaken all to come vnto thee Lord haue mercy vppon me for vnto thee I commend my spirit and my soule doth reioyce in thee These were the last wordes of that Faythfull member of Christe before the fire was put to hym And afterward that the fire came to him he cried Oh Lorde haue mercy vpon me and spronge vp in the fire calling vppon the name of Iesus and so ended Thomas Iueson Martyr AT Chichester Tho. Iueson of Euerson apprehended with Diricke and other suffered at Chichester about the same moneth was burned one Thomas Iueson of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey Carpenter whose apprehension examination and condemnation for as much as it was at one time and in one forme with Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder I doe here omit referring the reader to their hystorie processe before mentioned sauing onely this his seuerall confession and priuate answers made before B. Boner at hys last examination in the Consistorie I thought not to pretermit who being examined vppon the foresayd Articles answered as followeth The aunsweres of Thomas Iueson to the obiections of Boner bishop of London in a chamber at his house in the moneth of Iuly 1. FIrst that he beleued that there is but one Catholike Aunsweres of Thomas Iueson vniuersall and whole Church of Christ thorough the whole worlde which hathe and holdeth the true faith and all the necessarye Articles of Christen beliefe all the Sacraments of Christe with the true vse and administration of the same 2. Item that he is necessarily bounden to beleeue geue credite in all the sayd faith Articles of the beliefe religion and the Sacraments of Christe and the administration of the same 3. Item that that faithe religion and administration of Sacraments which now is beleeued vsed taught and set forth in this our church of England is not agreeing wyth the truth and faith of Christ nor with the faith of the sayde Catholicke and vniuersall Church of Christ. 4. Item concerning the Sacrament of the aultar he beleueth that it is a very Idol and detestable before God as it is now ministred 5. Item that the Masse is nought and not of the institution of Christ but y t it is of mans inuention and demaunded whether any thing vsed in the Masse be good he sayde that he would answere no further 6. Item that hee had not receiued the Sacrament of the aultar since it hath ben ministred as now it is in England neither was confessed at any time within this seuen yeres nor he hath not heard Masse by the same space 7. Item that auricular confession is not necessarye to be made to a priest for that he cānot forgeue nor absolue him from sinnes 8. Item concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme that it is a signe and token of Christe as circumcision was and none otherwise and he beleeueth that his sinnes are * He meaneth not by the mere vertue of the element Two Sacramentes not washed away thereby but his body onely washed for his sinnes be washed away onely by Christes bloud 9. Item that there be in the Catholike Church of Christ onely two Sacraments that is to saye the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord and no
heretikes also y t such as leaue to Martin Luther be heretikes Also he cōfessed that being beyond the sea he heard say before be brought into this realme the bookes cōtained in the said bils that y e king had by proclamation prohibited that no man should bring into this realme any of Martin Luthers bookes or of his sect Which confession thus ended y e Bishop appointed him to appeare the next day Saterday being the xj of Nouember Richard Baifield appeared acknowledged the aunswers that he had made in the Session the day before Which thing done y e Officiall obiected the 4 Article vnto him wherunto he aunswered y t he could not tell whether there be any heresies in thē for he had read no heresies in thē And being demaūded whether he had read any of those bookes he aūswered y t he had read y e greater part of thē here there but not throughout He was demaunded whether he beleeued the forenamed bookes to be good and of the true faith Hee aunswered that he iudged they were good and of the true faith Beyng enquired what bookes he read in the realme he sayd that hee had read the newe Testament in Latine and other bookes mencioned in the bils The booke of Thorps examynation The booke of I. Fryth agaynst Purgatory The practise of Prelats wicked Mammon The booke of obedience The summe of holy Scripture A Dialogue betwene the plowman the gentleman but he read none trāslated notwithstanding he did confesse that he read a booke called Thorpe in the presence and audience of others and also a booke of Iohn Friths purgatory which he had read to himselfe alone as he sayd and also had read to himselfe a booke called the practise of Prelates also said that he had read a booke called the parable of y e wicked Mammon but in y e presence and hearing of others which he knew not Also he confessed that he had read the obedience of a christian man and the summe of scripture among company also the dialogue betwixt the Plowman the Gentleman among company as he thought also he had read a piece of y e answer of Tindall made to sir Thomas More likewise he had read the dialogue of Frith to himself he had read also the Prologues of the v. bookes of Moses contained in y e long scedule and in company as he thought All which bookes hee had read vnder maner aforesayde within these ij yeres last past And as for y e new testament in english he read it before he had these bookes specified in the scedules before rehearsed To the third article as touching Zwinglius and others he supposed that they held y e same doctrine that Luther did but that he thought them to vary in some points The 16. day of Nouember Richard Bayfield appeared again before the Bishop who inquired of him of what sect Zwinglius was He said he thought y t hee helde with Luther in some points c. Also he confessed that first he brought bookes of y e sortes abouenamed into this realme about Midsomer was xij moneth landed them at Colchester afterward brought part of them to this city some hee dispersed and solde in this city The second tyme that he brought bookes was about all Hollowntide was xij month and landed them at S. Catherines the which bookes y t L. Chaūcelor tooke frō him Also that at Easter last was the 3. time y t hee brought ouer the bookes now shewed vnto him cōtained in these two bils landed with them in Norffolke from thence brought them to the city of London in a male To the v. vj. and vij articles he aunswered and confessed them to be true To the viij he aunswered that it was enioyned him as is cōteined in the article y e which iniunction he fulfilled To the ix he answered that he did not remember it To the x. he answered that it was adioined him that hee should go to the Abbey of Bery there cōtinue the which he said he dyd 3. tymes but he did not weare his Monkes cowle as he was enioyned The xi Article he confessed For the xij Article y t he did not weare his monkes habit according to the abiuration he referred hymselfe to y e actes whether he were so enioyned or no. To y e xiij Article he said y t he did not remēber y e contents therof but referred him selfe to the actes Notwithstāding he confessed that he had no licence of the Bishop of Londō to come to the citie or diocesse of London nor to make anie abode there Ex Registro Lond. ¶ The sentence geuen against him in a case of relapse IN the name of God Amen We Iohn by the sufferance of God Byshop of London The 〈◊〉 geuē 〈◊〉 Richard Bayfilde in a case of inquisition of heresie and relapse of the same first begun before M. Rich. Foxfard Doctor of both lawes our officiall now dependynge before vs vndecided against thee Rich. Bayfild Priest and Monke professed to the order rule of S. Benedict in the Monastery of S. Edmondes Bery in the dioces of Norwich and by the meanes of the causes within written vnder our iurisdiction withal fauour rightly and lawfullye proceeding with al fauour possible y e merites and circumstances of the cause of this inquisition heard waied vnderstand fully discussed by vs the said Bishop reseruing vnto our selues y e which by lawe ought to bee reserued haue thought good to proceede in this maner to the pronoūcing of our definitiue sentence Forsomuch as by the Actes enacted inquired propounded and alledged by thee iudicially confessed we do finde that thou hast abiured certaine errours heresies damnable opinions by thee confessed aswel particularly as generally before our reuerent fellowe and brother then thy Ordinary according to the forme and order of the Churche and that one M. Luther together with his adherentes and complices receiuers and fauourers what soeuer they bee was cōdempned as an heriticke by the authoritie of Pope Leo the x. of most happy memory and by the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea and the bookes al writings scedules and Sermons of the sayde maister Luther his adherentes and complices whether they be found in Latine or in anye other languages imprinted or translated for the manifold heresies and errours and damnable opinions that are in them are condemned reproued and vtterly reiected and inhibition made by the authoritie of the said Sea to al faithful Christians vnder the payne of excommunication and other punishments in that behalfe to bee incurred by the law that no man by any meanes presume to read teache heare imprint or publishe or by any meanes do defend directly or vndirectly secretly or openly in their houses or in any other publike or priuat places any such maner of writings bookes errours or Articles as are contained more at large in the Apostolike letters drawne out in
French kyng There be in Antwerpe that say they saw him come into Paris with an C. and L. horses and that they spake with him If the Frenchmē receiue the word of God he will plant the * * By the affirmatiue he meaneth the opiniō which M. Luther and the Saxons do hold◠of the sacramēt M. Tindall againe beareth with tyme. affirmatiue in thē George Ioy would haue put forth a Treatise of the matter but I haue stopt him as yet what he wil do if he get money I wot not I beleue he would make many reasons little seruing to the purpose My mynd is that nothyng be put forth till we heare how you shall haue sped I would haue the right vse preached and the presence to be an indifferent thyng till the matter might be reasoned in peace at laysure of both parties If you be required shew the phrases of the Scripture and let them talke what they will For as to beleue that God is euery where hurteth no man that worshippeth him no where but within in the hart in spirite and veritie Vbiquitie cānot be proued euen so to beleue that the body of Christ is euery where though it cannot be◠proued hurteth no man that worshyppeth hym no where saue in the faith of his Gospell You perceiue my mynde howbeit if God shewe you otherwise it is free for you to doe as he moueth you I gessed long agoe that God would send a dasing into the head of the spiritualitie Eating the Whores fleshe is to spoyle the Popes Church onely for the pray and spoile thereof Worldly wisedome so farre as it may serue to Gods glory may be vsed to catche them selues in their owne subtletie and I trust it is come to passe And now me thinketh I smell a counsaile to be taken litle for their profites in tyme to come But you must vnderstand that it is not of a pure hart and for loue of the truth but to aduenge them selues and to eate the whores fleshe and to sucke the mary of her bones Wherefore cleaue fast to the rocke of the helpe of God and commit the ende of all thynges to him and if God shall call you that you may then vse the wisedome of the worldly as farre as you perceiue the glory of God may come thereof refuse it not and euer among thrust in that the Scripture may be in the mother toung and learnyng set vp in the Vniuersities But and if ought be required contrary to the glory of God and his Christ then stand fast and commit your selfe to God and be not ouercome of mens persuasions whiche happely shall say we see no other way to bryng in the truth Brother Iacob beloued in my hart there lyueth not in whom I haue so good hope and trust and in whom myne hart reioyseth and my soule comforteth her selfe as in you Low walking not the thousand part so much for your learnyng and what other gifts els you haue as that you will creepe allow by the ground and walke in those thynges that the conscience may feele and not in the imaginations of the brayne in feare and not in boldnesse in open necessary thynges and not to pronounce or define of hyd secretes or thynges that neither helpe or hynder whether they be so or no in vnitie and not in seditious opinions in so much that if you be sure you know yet in thynges that may abide laysure you will deferre or say till other agree with you◠me thinke the text requireth this sense or vnderstādyng Yea and that if you be sure that your part be good and an other hold the contrary yet if it be a thyng that maketh no matter you will laugh and let it passe and referre the thyng to other men and sticke you stifly and stubburnely in earnest and necessary thynges And I trust you bee perswaded euen so of me For I call GOD to recorde agaynst the day we shall appeare before our Lord Iesus The vpright handling in the translation of M. Tindall to geue a reckenyng of our doynges that I neuer altered one syllable of Gods word agaynst my conscience nor would this day if all that is in the earth whether it be pleasure honour or riches might be geuen me Moreouer I take God to recorde to my conscience that I desire of God to my selfe in this world no more then that without which I can not keepe his lawes Finally if there were in me any gift that could helpe at hād and ayde you if neede required I promise you I would not be farre of and commit the ende to God my soule is not faynt though my body be wery But God hath made me euill fauoured in this world and without grace in the sight of mē speachlesse and rude dull and slow wytted your part shal be to supply that lacketh in me remembryng that as lowlynesse of hart shall make you hygh with GOD euen so meekenesse of wordes shall make you sinke into the hartes of men Nature geueth age authoritie but meekenesse is the glory of youth and geueth them honour Aboundance of loue maketh me exceede in babling A low hart maketh a man high with God Authority is the glory of age Syr as concerning Purgatory and many other things if you be demaunded you may say if you erre the spiritualtie hath so led you and that they haue taught you to beleeue as you do For they preached you all such things out of Gods word and alledged a thousand textes by reason of which textes you beleeued as they taught you Meeknes is the glory of youth But now you finde thē lyers and that the textes meane no suche things and therefore you can beleeue them no longer but are as you were before they taught you and beleeue no such thing howbeit you are ready to beleeue if they haue any other way to prooue it for without proofe you can not beleeue them when you haue found them with so many lies c. If you perceyue wherein we may helpe other in being still or doyng somewhat let vs haue word and I will do mine vttermost My Lord of London hath a seruaunt called Iohn Tisen with a red beard and a blacke reddish head and was once my scholler he was seene in Antwerpe but came not among the Englishmen whether he is gone an Ambassadour secret I wot not The mighty God of Iacob be with you to supplant his enemies and geue you the fauour of Ioseph and the wisedome and the spirit of Stephen be with your hart and with your mouth Purgatory hath no proofe by Scripture and teach your lippes what they shall say and how to aunswere to all things He is our God if we despaire in our selues and trust in hym and his is the glory Amen William Tyndall ¶ I hope our redemption is nygh ¶ This letter was written an 1533. in the moneth of Ianuary Which letter although it do pretend the name of
Iacob yet vnderstand good Reader that it was written in very deede to Iohn Frith as is aboue tolde thee For the more proofe and euidence whereof read Frithes booke of the Sacramente and there thou shalte finde a certayne place of this Epistle repeated word for word beginning thus I call God to record against the day we shall appeare before our Lorde Iesus to geue a reckening of oure doings that I neuer altered one sillable of Gods word against my conscience c. Which Epistle Iohn Frith hymselfe witnesseth that he receaued from Tyndall as in hys testimonie aboue appeareth ¶ The death of the Lady Katherine and of Queene Anne THe same yeare in the which W. Tyndall was burned which was the yeare of our Lord 1536. in the begynning of the yeare Anno. 1536. first died Lady Katherine Princes Dowager in the moneth of Ianuary The death of Lady Katherine 〈◊〉 Dowagar After whome the same yeare also in the moneth of May next following followed the death also of Queene Anne who had now bene married to the King the space of three yeares In certeine records thus we finde that the Kyng being in his Iustes at Greenewich sodenly with a fewe persons departed to Westminster and the next daye after Queene Anne his wife was had to the Tower The death of Queene Anne with the Lord Rochford her brother and certayne other and the xix day after was beheaded The wordes of this worthy and Christian Lady at her death were these Good Christen people I am come hether to die for according to the Law and by y e Lawe I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it The wordes of Queene Anne at her death I am come hether to accuse no man nor to speake any thing of that whereof I am accused and condemned to die but I pray God saue the King and sende him long to raigne ouer you for a gentler or a more mercifull Prince was there neuer and to me he was euer a good a gentle and soueraigne Lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause I require them to iudge the best And thus I take my leaue of the world and of you all and I hartely desire you all to pray for me O Lord haue mercy on me To God I commend my soule And so she kneeled downe sayeng To Christ I commend my soule Iesu receiue my soule repeating the same diuers times till at length the stroke was geuen and her head was striken off And this was the end of that godly Lady and Queene Godly I call her Queene Anne beheaded CommendatioÌ„s of Quene Anne for sundry respectes whatsoeuer the cause was or quarell obiected against her Fyrst her last wordes spoken at her death declared no lesse her sincere fayth and trust in Christ then dyd her quiet modestie vtter forth the goodnesse of the cause and matter whatsoeuer it was Besides that to such as wisely can iudge vpon cases occurrent this also may seeme to geue a great clearing vnto her that the King the third day after was maried in his whites vnto an other Certaine this was that for the rare and singular giftes of her minde so well instructed and geuen toward God with suche a feruent desire vnto the trueth and setting foorth of sincere Religion ioyned wyth like gentlenes modestie and pitie toward all men there hath not many suche Queenes before her borne the Crowne of England Principally this one commendation she left behinde her that during her life the Religion of Christ most happely florished and had a right prosperous course Many things might be written more of the manyfolde vertues and the quiet moderation of her milde nature how lowly she would beare not onely to be admonished The milde nature of Queene Anne in taking admâ—nition but also of her owne accorde woulde require her Chapleynes playnely and freely to tell whatsoeuer they sawe in her amisse Also how bountifull shee was to the poore passing not only the common example of other Queenes but also the reuenues almost of her estate in so much that the almose which she gaue in three quarters of a yeare in distribution is summed to the number of xiiij or xv thousand pounds Beside the great peece of money which her grace intended to impart into foure sundry quarters of the Realme as for a stocke there to be employed to the behoofe of poore artificers and occupyers Agayne The great Almose of Queene Annne what a zelous defender she was of Christes Gospell all the world doth knowe and her actes doe and will declare to the worldes ende Amongst which other her actes this is one that shee placed M. Hugh Latymer in the Byshopricke of Worcester and also preferred Doctor Shaxton to his Byshopricke being then accompted a good man Furthermore what a true fayth she bare vnto the Lorde this one example may stande for many for that when King Henry was with her at Wodstocke and there being afrayde of an olde blinde prophesie for the which neyther he nor other Kings before him durst hunt in the sayde parke of Woodstocke nor enter into the Towne of Oxford at last thorough the Christian and faithfull counsayle of that Queene he was so armed against all infidelitie that both he hunted in the foresayde parke and also entred in the Towne of Oxford and had no harme But because touching the memorable vertues of this worthy Queene partly we haue sayd something before partly because more also is promised to be declared of her vertuous life the Lord so permitting by other who then were about her I will cease in this matter further to proceede This I can not but meruayle why the Parlament holden this yeare that is the xxviij yeare of the King which Parliament three yeares before had established and confirmed this Mariage as most lawfull shoulde now so sodeinly and contrary to their owne doings Statuâ— An. 28. Hen. 8. cap. 7. repeale and disable the sayd Mariage agayne as vnlawfull beeyng so lawfully before contracted But more I meruayle why the saide Parliament after the illegitimation of the Mariage enacted not contented with that should further proceede and charge her with such carnall desires of her body as to misuse her selfe with her owne naturall brother the Lorde Rochford and others Parliamentâ— not alwayes constant being so contrary to all nature that no naturall man will beleeue it But in this Acte of Parliament did lie no doubt some great mistery which heere I will not stand to discusse but onely that it may be suspected some secrete practising of the Papistes here not to be lacking considering what a mightie stoppe she was to their purposes and proceedings and on the contrary side what a strong Bulwarke she was for the maintenance of Christes Gospell and sincere religion which they then in no case could abide By reason wherof it may easily be considered that this Christian and deuout Debora could lacke no enemies