the proudest of you all shall repent this receiuing agayne of Antichrist and your tiranny that ye now shew agaynst the flocke of Christ. So was Doctor Taylour nowe condemned committed to the Clinke the keepers charged straitlye to keepe him for ye haue nowe an other maner of charge quoth the Lord Chauncellour then ye had before therefore looke ye take heed to it WheÌ the keeper brought him toward the prison y t people flocked about to gase vpoÌ him vnto whoÌ he sayd God be praysed good people I am come away from theÌ vndefiled will confirme the truth with my bloud So was he bestowed in the Clincke till it was toward night and theÌ he was remoued to the Counter by the Poultry When D. Taylour had lyen in the sayd Counter in the poultry a seuennight or there aboutes prisoner the fourth day of February Anno 1555. Edmund Boner Byshop of London with others came to the said Counter to disgrade him bringing with them such ornaments as do appertein to theyr massing MuÌmery Now being come he called for the sayd D. Taylor to be brought vnto him the bishop being then in the chamber where the keeper of the Counter and his wife lay So D. Taylour was brought downe froÌ the chamber aboue that to the sayd Boner And att his comming the Bishop sayd Mayster Doctour I woulde you would remember your selfe and turn to your mother holy Church so may you do wel enough and I wil sue for your pardon Wherunto M. Taylor aunswered I would you and your felowes would turne to Christ. As for me I will not turne to Antichrist Well quoth the byshop I am come to disgrade you wherfore put on these vestures No quoth Doct. Taylour I will not Wilt thou not said the Bishop I shall make thee ere I goe Quoth Doct. Taylor you shal not by the grace of God TheÌ he charged him vpon his obedience to do it but he would not do it for him So he willed another to put them on his backe wheÌ he was throughly furnished therwith he set his handes by his side walking vp and down and sayd how say you my Lord am I not a goodly foole how say you my maysters If I were in cheape should I not haue boyes enough to laugh at these apish toyes toying trumpery So the byshop scraped his fingers thuÌbes the crowne of his head and did the rest of such like deuilish obseruaunces At the last when he should haue geuen D. Taylour a stroke on the brest with his Crosierstaffe the Bishoppes Chapleine sayd my Lord strike him not for hee wyll sure strike agayne Yea by S. Peter will I quoth Doct. Taylour The cause is Christes and I were no good Christian if I would not fight in my Maysters quarrell So the byshop laid his curse vpon him but stroke him not Then D. Taylor sayd though you do curse me yet God doth blesse me D. Taylour ãâ¦ã the âope and ãâ¦ã of D. âaylour I haue the witnes of my conscience that ye haue done me wrong and violence And yet I pray God if it be hys will forgeue you But from the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome his detestable enormities good Lord deliuer vs. And in going vp to his chamber he still sayd God deliuer me from you God deliuer me froÌ you And when he came vp he told Maister Bradford for they both lay in one chaÌber that he had made the Byshop of London afearde for sayth he laughingly his Chapleine gaue him counsel not to strike me with his Crosierstaffe for that I would strike agayne and by my troth sayde he rubbing his handes I made him beleue I would do so in deed The night after that he was disgraded his wyfe and his sonne Thomas resorted to him âeepers of ãâã and were by the geÌtlenes of the keepers permitted to suppe with hym For this difference was euer found betweene the keepers of the byshops prisons and the keepers of the kinges prisons that the Bishops keepers were euer cruell blasphemous and tyrannous like theyr Maysters but the Keepers of the kinges prisons shewed for the most part as much fauor as they possible might So came Doctor Taylours wife his sonne and Iohn Hull his seruaunt to sup with him and at their comming in afore supper they kneeled downe and praied saying the Letany D Taylour âlessed his ãâã D. Taylours ãâ¦ã to ãâã sonne âârthy of al ãâã to be ãâã After supper walking vp and downe he gaue GOD thanks for his grace that had so called him and geuen him strength to abide by his holy worde and turning to hys sonne Thomas My deare sonne sayd he almighty God blesse thee geue thee his holy spirit to be a true seruaunt of Christ to learn his word and constantly to stand by his trueth all thy long life And my sonne see that thou feare God alwaies Flee from all sinne wicked liuing be vertuous serue God with dayly prayer and apply thy booke In any wise see thou be obedient to thy Mother loue her and serue her be ruled by her now in thy youth and folow her good counsell in all thinges Beware of lewd company of young men that feare not God but folowe theyr lewde lustes and vayne appitites Flye from Whooredome and hate all filthy liuing remembring that I thy father do dye in the defence of holy mariage And another day wheÌ god shall blesse thee loue cherish the poore people couÌt that thy chiefe riches is to be rich in almes and when thy mother is waxed old forsake her not but prouide for her to thy power and see that she lacke nothing For so will GOD blesse thee and geue the long life vpon earth and prosperity which I pray God to graunt thee Then turning to his wife D. Taylour councelleth hiâ wyfe My deare wife quoth he continue stedfast in the feare and loue of God keepe your selfe vndefiled from theyr Popysh Idolatryes and superstitions I haue bene vnto you a faythfull yokefelow and so haue you bene vnto me for the which I pray GOD to reward you and doubt you not deare wife but God wyll reward it Now the time is come that I shall be taken from you you discharged of the wedlocke bond towards me therfore I will geue you my counsell what I thinke most expedient for you You are yet a childbearing woman and therfore it will be most conuenient for you to marry For doubtlesse you shall neuer be at a conuenient stay for your selfe and our poore children nor out of trouble tyll you be maryed Therfore as soone as God will prouide it marry with some honest faythfull man that feareth God Doubt you not God will prouide an honest husband for you he wil be a mercifull father to you and to my children whom I pray you bring vp in the feare of God in learning to the vttermost of your power and keep them from
abuses of the place and order where he liued was cast in prison At length beyng weake and feable through imprisoÌment he sent for y e Warden of the Couent desiring and beâeching him to haue some respect of his woefull state pittifull case The Warden rebuking and accusing hym for that he had done spoken He aunswered againe and sayde that he had spoken nothyng whiche might be preiudiciall or hurtfull to their monkery or against their Religion Ex Phil. Melanct in Apologia cap. de vot Monast. But there shoulde come one and assigned the yeare an 1516. Who should vtterly subuert all monkery and they should neuer be able to resist him c. Long it were to induce here all Prophecies that be read in histories Certeine I minde briefly to touch passe ouer Ex Reuelat. Brigit lib. 4. cap. 17. And first to omit the reuelations of Brigit wherunto I doe not muche attribute who prophecying of the destruction of Rome in her 4. booke cap. 17. sayth That Rome shal be scoured and purged with three thinges with sworde fire and the plough Brigit prophesieth of reformaâion resembling moreouer the sayd Church of Rome to a plant remoued out of the old place into a new Also to a body condemned by a iudge to haue the skinne flayne off the bloud to be drawen from the fleshe the flesh to be cut out in peeces and the bones thereof to be broken and all the marow to be squiesed out from the same so that no part thereof remayne whole and perfect c. But to these speculations of Brigit I geue no great respect as neither I doe to the predictions of Katherine De Senis And yet notwithstanding Antoninus writing of the same Katherine in hys 3. part Antonia part 3. hist. titul 23. cap. 14. Tit. 23. cap. 14. reciteth her wordes thus prophesying of the reformation of the church to Fryer Reymund her ghostly father By these tribulations sayth she God after a secret maner vnknowne to man shall purge his holy Church and after those thinges shall follow such a reformation of the holy Church of God Katherina Senensis prophecying of reformation and such a renouation of the holy pastours that the onely cogitation and remembrance thereof maketh my spirite to reioyce in the Lord And as I haue oftentimes told you heretofore the spouse which is now all deformed and ragged shal be adourned and decked with most ritch and precious ouches and brouches and all the faythfull shal be glad and reioyse to see themselues so bewtified with so holye pastours Yea and also the infidels then allured by the sweete sauour of Christ shall returne to the catholicke folde and be conuerted to the true byshop and shepheard of theyr soules Geue thankes therefore to GOD for after this storme hee will geue a great calme c. Of the authoritie of this prophetisse I haue not to affirme or iudge but rather to heare what the Catholique iudge will say of this their owne saint and Prophet For if they do not credite her spirite of prophesie why then doe they authorise her for a pure saint amoÌg y e Sisters of deare S. Dominick If they warreÌt her prophesie let them say then when was this glorious reformation of the Churche euer true or like to be true if it be not true now in this maruellous alteration of the Churche in these our latter dayes Or when was there any such conuersion of Christian people in all countries euer heard of since the Apostles tyme as hath bene since the preaching of Martine Luther The prophesie of Hieron Sauonarola Vid. supra pag. 707. 753. Of Hieronimus Sauonarola I wrote before pag 000 shewing that he prophecied That one shoulde passe ouer the Alpes like to Cyrus who shoulde subuert and destroy all Italye Which may well be applyed to Gods word and the Gospell of Christ spreading nowe in all places since Luthers time The prophesie of Theodoricus Theodoricus Bishop of Croacia liued neare about the time when Hus and Hierome were martyred Who in y e ende of his propheticall verses which are extant in print declareth That the sea of Rome whiche is so horriblie polluted with Simonie and auarice shall fal and no more shal oppresse men with tyranny as it hath done and that it shal be subuerted by hys owne subiectes and that the Church and true pietie shal florish agayne more then euer it did before Nouiomagus testifieth that he in the yeare of our Lord 1520. heard Ostendorpius The prophesie of Doct. Weselus A prophesie of the popes head a Canon of Dauentrie say that when he was a young man Doctor Weselus a Phrysian which was then an old man told him That he should liue to see this new schoole diuinitie of Scotus Aquinas and Bonauenture to be vtterly forsaken and exployded of all true Christians In a booke of Carolus Bouillus mention is made of a certaine vision which one Nicholas an heretique of Heluetia had in which vision he saw the popes head crowned with 3. swordes proceeding from hys face and 3. swordes comming toward it This vision is also imprinted in the bookes of Martine Luther with hys preface before it Nicholas Medlerus being of late superintendent of BruÌswyke Ex Flacio de testibus veritatis affirmed and testified That he heard and knewe a certayne Priest in his country which told the priests there that they layd aside Paule vnder their deskes and pues but the time would come when as Paule should come abroad and driue them vnder the deskes and darcke stalles where they shoulde not appeare c. Matthias Flaccius in the ende of his booke intituled De testibus veritatis speaketh of one Michaell Stifelius which Michaell being an old man told him that he heard the Priestes and Monkes say many tymes by old prophecies that a violent reformation must needes come amongest them and also that the sayd Michaell heard CoÌradus Stifelius his father many tymes declare the same who also for the great hatred he bare agaynst this filthy sect of Monkes and priestes told to one Peter Piâer a friend and neighbour of hys that he should lyue and see the day and therefore desired him that when the day came besides those Priestes which he should kill for himselfe he woulde kill one priest more for hys sake Haec ex Flaccio This Stiteleus thought belike that this reformation shuld be wrought by outward violence The Gospel beginneth his reformation with peace and quietnes and force of sword but he was thereing deceiued Although the aduersarye vseth all forcible meanes and violent tyranny yet the proceeding of the Gospell alwaies beginneth with peace and quietnes In the table of Amersham men I signified a little before pag. 000. how one Haggar of LondoÌ speaking of this reformation to come declared That the Priestes should make battaile and haue the vpper hand a while but shortly they should be vanquished and
foorth his fruite so did it appeare by thys man Antichristians are those which are against Christ. For he daily seeing the glorye of God to be so blasphemed idolatrous religion so embraced and maintained that most false vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome so extolled was so greeued in conscience and troubled in his spirite that he could not be quiet till he did vtter his minde therein Wherefore dealing priuately with certaine of his frendes he did plainely open and disclose howe blasphemously and abhominably God was dishonoured his worde contemned and hys people whom he so dearely bought were by blinde guides caried headlong to euerlasting damnation and therefore hee coulde no longer endure but muste needes and would vtter theyr abhominations and for his owne parte for the testimonie of his conscience and for the defence of Gods true religion The godly zeale of Tho. Benet would yeelde hymself moste patiently as neare as God woulde geue him grace to die and to shedde hys bloude therein alleaging that his death shoulde be more profitable to the Churche of God and for the edifying of his people then his life shuld be To whose perswasions when hys friendes had yeelded they promysed to pray to God for hym that hee myght be strong in the cause and continue a faithfull souldiour to the ende Which done he gaue order for the bestowing of such bookes as he had and very shortlye after in the moneth of October hee wrote his minde in certaine scrolles of Paper whyche in secreate maner he set vp vpon the doores of the Cathedrall churche of the Citie in which was wrytten The Pope is Antichrist and we ought to worshippe God onely The Pope is Antichrist and no Saintes These bils being found there was no smal adde and no litle search made for the inquiry of the heretike that should set vp these bils Benet setteth vp billes against the Pope and the Maior his officers were not so busie to make searches to find this heretike but the bishop and all his doctors were as hote as coales enkindled as though they had bene stong w t a sort of waspes Wherefore to kepe y e people in their former blindnes order was taken that the doctors should in hast vp to the pulpit euery day and confute this heresie Neuerthelesse this Thom. Benet keping his own doings in secret went the sonday folowing to the cathedral church to the Sermon and by chaunce sate downe by 2. men which were the busiest in al the city in seking searching for this heretike and they beholding this Benet sayd the one to the other Surely thys fellowe by all likelyhoode is the heretike that hath set vp the billes and it is good to examine him Benet almost takâ in the church Neuertheles wheÌ they had wel behelde him and saw the quiet and sober behauiour of the man his attentiuenes to the preacher his godlinesse in the Church being alwayes occupied in hys Booke which was a Testament in the Latine tongue were astonied and had no power to speake vnto him The storyes a little vary touching the taking of Benet but departed left hym reading in his booke As touching this poynte of Benets behauior in the Church I finde the reportes of some other a litle to vary and yet not much contrary one to the other For in receiuing the letters and wrytings of a certain minister whych at the same time was present at the doynge hereof in Exeter thus I finde moreouer added concerning the behauiour of this Thomas Benet in the Church At that time sayth he as I remember doct Moreman Crispin Caseley wyth suche other bare the swinge there Beside these were there also preachers there Doctors friers in Exeter one Doctour Bascauild an vnlerned doctor God knoweth and one D. Dauid as wel learned as he both Gray friers and doctor I know not who a Blacke frier not much inferiour vnto them Gregory Bassed Fryer of Exeter Moreouer there was one Bacheler of Diuinitie a Gray frier named Gregory Bassed in deede learned more then they all but as blinde and superstitious as he whych was most Whych Gregorie not long before was reuolted from the way of righteousnes to the way of Beliall for in Bristowe sayth the author he lay in prison long almost famished for hauing a booke of M. Luther called his questions which he a long time priuily had studied for teaching of youth a certaine Cathechisme To be shorte the braines of the Canons and Priests the officers and commons of that Citie were very earnestly busied howe or by what meanes suche an enormious heretique whyche had pricked vp those billes might be espied and knowen but it was long first At last the Priestes founde out a toye to curse him what soeuer he were with booke bel and candle which curse at that day seemed most fearefull and terrible The maner of the curse was after this sort One of the Priestes apparelled all in white ascended vp into the pulpit The priestes curse they cannot tell whom The other rabblement wyth certaine of the two orders of Friers and certaine superstitious Monks of S. Nicholas house standing round about and the Crosse as the custome was being holdeÌ vp with holy candles of waxe fixed to the same he began his sermon w t this Theame of Iosue Est blasphemia in Castris There is blasphemie in the armie and so made a long protestation but not so long as tedious and superstitious and so concluded that that foule and abominable heretike which had put vp such blasphemous billes was for that his blasphemie damnably accursed and besought God our Lady S. Peter Patrone of that church with all the holy companie of martyrs confessors and virgines that it might be knowen what hereticke had put vp such blasphemous billes that Gods people might auoide the vengeance The maner of the cursing of the sayd Benet was maruelous to beholde for as muche as at that time there was fewe or none The manner of the popes blacke curse with booke bell and candle vnlesse a Sherman or two whose houses I well remember were searched for billes at that time and for bookes that knew any thing of Gods matters or how God doeth blesse theyr curses in such cases Then sayde the Prelate by the authoritie of God the father almighty and of the blessed virgin Mary of S. Peter and Paule and of the holy Saints we excommunicate we vtterly curse and banne commit and deliuer to the deuill of hell him or her what soeuer he or shee be that haue in spite of God and of S. Peter whose church this is in spite of all holy saintes and in spite of our most holy father the Pope Gods vicare heere in earth Here is colde charitye and in spite of the reuerend father in God Iohn our Diocesane and the worshipfull Canons Maisters and Priestes and Clarkes which serue God daily in this Cathedrall Church
of the Articles whyche are these 1 First the said booke damneth all holy Canons calling them ceremonies and statutes of sinfull men and vncunning Newe articles coÌmensed against Hunne after his death and calleth the Pope Sathanas and Antichrist 2 Item it damneth the Popes Pardons saieng they be but leasings 3 Item the sayd booke of Hunne saith that Kings and Lords called Christen in name and heathen in conditions defoyle the Sanctuarie of God bringing clarkes full of couetise heresie and malice to stop Gods law that it can not be knowne kept and freely preached 4 Item the saide booke saith that Lordes and Prelates pursue full cruelly them that would teach truly and freely the lawe of God and cherish them that preach sinful mens traditions and statutes by the which he meaneth the holy Canons of Christes Church 5 Item that poore men and idiotes haue the truth of the holy Scriptures more then a thousand Prelates and religious men and clarkes of the schole 6 Item that Christen Kings and Lordes set Idols in Gods house and excite the people to Idolatrie 7 Item that Princes Lords and Prelates so doyng be worse then Herode that pursued Christ and worse then Iewes and heathen men that crucified Christ. 8 Item that euery man swearing by our Lady or any other Saint or creature geueth more honour to the saints then to the holy Trinitie and so he sayth they be idolaters 9. Item he sayth that Saintes ought not to be honored 10. Item he damnethe adoratioÌ prayer kneelyng offeryng to Images which he calleth stockes and stones 11. Item he sayth that the very body of the Lord is not conteyned in the SacrameÌt of the aultar but that men receiuing it shall thereby keepe in mynde that Christes flesh was wounded and crucified for vs. 12. Item he daÌneth the Uniuersitie of Oxford with all degrees and faculties in it as Art Ciuile CanoÌ and Diuinitie saying that they let the true way to come to the knowledge of the lawes of God and holy Scripture 13. Item he defendeth the translation of the Bible and holy Scripture into the English tongue An holy mother Church which cannot abide the worde of God to be translated which is prohibited by the lawes of our mother holy Church These Articles thus collected as also the others before specified they caused for a more shew of their preteÌded iustice and innocencie to be opeÌly read the next Sonday folowing by the Preacher at Paules Crosse with this Protestation made before â Maisters and frendes for certaine causes and considerations I haue in commaundemeÌt to rehearse shew publish here vnto you the Articles of heresie vpoÌ which Richard Hunne was detected and examined The Bishops publication at Paules crosse against R. Hunne and also other great Articles and damnable poyntes and opinions of heresie conteined in some of his bookes be coÌmen to light and knowledge here ready to be shewed And therewith he read the Articles openly vnto the people concludyng with these wordes And maisters if there be any man desirous to see the specialtie of these Articles or doubt whether they be coÌteined in this booke or not for satisfying of his minde let him come to my Lord of London and he shall see it with good will Moreouer here I counsaile and admonishe that if there be any persons that of their simplenes haue bene familiar and acquainted with the sayd Richard Hunne in these Articles or haue heard him read vpon this booke or any other souÌdyng to heresie or haue any like bookes their selues let them come vnto my Lord of London betwixt this and Candlemasse next and knowledge their fault they shal be charitably intreated and dealt withall so that both their goodes and honestie shal be saued if they will not come of their owne offer but abyde the processe of the law then at their owne perill be it if the rigour of the law be executed agaynst them After which open publication admonition the Byshop at sundry tymes examined diuers of his Priests and other lay persons vpon the contentes of both these Articles Among which examinates there was a man seruauÌt and a mayde of the sayd Hunnes who although they had of long dwelt with him were not able to charge him with any great thing worthy repreheÌsion no not in such points as the Byshop chiefly obiected agaynst him But yet the Priestes through whose procurement this mischief was first begon spared no whit stoutly and maliciously to accuse him some in the contentes of the first Articles some in the second Wherefore hauyng now as they thought sufficient matter agaynst him they purposed speedely to proceede to his condemnation Ex Registro Fiâziames Lond. And because they would seeme to doe all thynges formally and by prescript order they first drew out certaine short and summary rules by the which the Byshop should be directed in this solemne Session which are these 1. First let the Byshop sit in his tribunall seate in our Ladyes Chappell 2. Secondly let him recite the cause of his comming Marke the manner of this proceeding and take Notaryes to him to enact that shal be there done 3. Thirdly let him declare how vppon Sonday last at Paules Crosse he caused to be published a generall monition or denunciation that all fautours and mainteyners of Richard Hunne should come in as by this day submit themselues and let him signifie withall how certaine haue come in and haue appeared already 4. Fourthly let him protest say that if there remayne any yet behynd which haue not appeared accordyng to the former monition and denunciation yet if they will come and appeare and submit themselues they shal be heard receiued with grace and fauour 5. Fiftly let the Byshop or some other at his appointmeÌt recite the Articles obiected agaynst Richard Hunne in the tyme of his life and theÌ the other Articles likewise which were out of his great booke of the Bible extracted 6. Sixtly let the aunsweres and confessions of the sayd Richard Hunne summarely be recited with the AttestatioÌs made to the same Articles Also let his bookes be exhibited and theÌ Thomas Brooke his seruaunt be called for 7. Seuently let it be openly cryed at the Quere doore that if there be any which will defend the articles opinions bookes or the memory of the said Richard Hunne let them come and appeare and they shall be heard as the lawe in that behalfe shall require 8 Eightly let it be openly cryed as in maner before for such as be receiuers fauourers defenders or beleeuers of the sayd Richard Hunne that all such do appear and submit themselues to the Bishop or else he intendeth to proceede to the excommunication of them in generall according to the exigence of the law in that behalfe 9 Ninthly then the Byshop speaking to the standers by and to them which sate with him vpon the bench of the Clergie demaunding of them what their iudgement
sayd one of them men speak much of the Sacrament of the aulter but this will I bide by Fol. 32. that vpoÌ share-thursday Christ brake bread vnto his disciples and bad theÌ eate it saying it was his flesh and bloud And then he weÌt from them and suffered passion and then he rose froÌ death to life and ascended into heauen and there sitteth on the right hande of the father and there hee is to come vnto the day of dome when he shal iudge both quick and dead And therefore how he shoulde be here in the forme of breade he sayd they could not see Such reasons and allegations as these and other lyke taken out of the scripture and out of the Shepheards Kalender Wickliffes wicket and out of other bookes they had amongest them And although there was no learned man with them to ground them in theyr doctrine yet they conferring and communing together among themselues dyd conuert one another the Lordes hand working with them maruellously So that in short space The Bishop complayneth to the kyng the number of these Knowne or Iust fast men as they were then termed did exceedinly increase in such sort that the Byshop seyng the matter almost past his power was driuen to make his coÌplaynt to the king and required his ayde for suppression of these men Wherupon king Henry being then young vnexpert in the bloudy practises and blind leadings of these apostolicall prelats incensed with his suggestions and cruell complayntes directed down letters to his Shirifs bailifs officers subiectes for the ayd of the bishop in this behalfe the tenor of which letters here ensueth ¶ The copy of the kinges letter for the ayde of Iohn Longland B. of Lincolne agaynst the seruauntes of Christ falsely then called heretickes HEnry the 8. by the grace of God king of England of FrauÌce Lord of Ireland defender of the fayth to all Mayors Shyriffes Bayliffes and Constables and to all other our Officers Ministers and Subiectes these our letters hearing or seeing and to euery of them greeting For as muche as the right reuerend father in God our trusty and right welbeloued Counsellour the Bishop of Lyncolne hath now within his Dioces no small number of hereticks as it is thought to his no little discomfort and heauines We therfore being in will and minde safely to prouide for the sayde right reuerend father in God and his officers that they ne none of theÌ shall bodily be hurt or damaged hy any of the sayde heretickes or theyr fautours The copie of the kings letter in the executing and ministring of Iustice vnto the sayd hereticks accordingly to the lawes of holy church do straitly charge and commaund you and euery of you as ye tender our hie displeasure to be ayding helping and assisting the sayd right reuerend Father in God and his sayde officers in the executing of Iustice in the premisses as they or any of them shal require you so to do not fayling to accomplishe our commandement pleasure in the premisses as ye entend to please vs and will aunswere to the contrary at your vttermost perils Yeuen vnder our signet at our castle of Wyndsour the 20. day of October the 13. yeare of our raign The bishop thus being armed no lesse with the authority of the kinges letter then incited with his owne fiercenes forslacked no time but eftsoones to accoÌplish his moody violence vpon the poore flock of Christ called before him sitting vpon his tribunall seat both these aforenamed persons and all other in his dioces which were neuer so little noted or suspected to incline toward those opinioÌs of whoÌ to such as had but newly bene taken and had not before abiured he inioyned most strayght rigorous penance The other in whoÌ he could find any relaps yea albeit they submitted themselues neuer so humbly to his fauourable curtesy The cruell falsehoode of Byshop Longland and though also at his request and for hope of pardoÌ they had shewed theÌselues great detecters of their brethreÌ being moreouer of him feed and flattered therunto yet not withstanding contrary to his fayre wordes their expectation he spared not but read senteÌce of relaps against theÌ comitting them to the secular arme to be burned And first as touching them who being brought to abiuration were put to theyr penaunce long it were to recite the names of all Certayne I thought to recite here in a catalogue first reciting the persons afterward the rigorous penaunce to them enioyned The names of them which were abiured in the Dioces of Lincolne the yeare of our Lord. 1521. William Colyns Ioh Colyns Ioane Colyns Rob Colyns Ioh. Hackar Ioh. Brabant the father Ioh. Brabant his sonne Ioh. BrabaÌt the yonger sonne Iohn Edmonds Edward Pope Henry Phip Ioh. Steuenton Ioane Steuenton Rob Bartlet Tho. Clerke Ioh. Clerke Rich. Bartlet William Phip Ioh. Phip Tho. Couper Wil. Littlepage Ioh. Litlepage Ione Litlepage Ioh. Say Ioh. Frier Rich. Vulford Tho. Tredway Wil. Gudgame Roger Heron. Fraunces Funge Rob. Pope Roger Dods Iohn Harris Rob. Bruges Iohn Stampe Ione Stampe Rich. White Bennet Ward Iohn Baker Agnes Wellis Marian Morden Isabell Morwin Io. Butler Io. Butler y e yoÌger R. Carder Rich. Bernard Ione Bernerd Io. Grace Io. French Ioh. Edings The townes and villages and countryes where these foresayd persons did inhabite are named chiefely to be these Amersham The names of the towns where they dwelled Chesham Hychenden Missenden the great Missenden the lesse Easthendred Westhendred Asthall Bekensfield Denham Gyng Betterton Cherney Stanlake Claufield Walton Marlow Dorney Iuer Burton Vxbridge Owburne Henley Wycame Westwycame Newbery Burford Wytney Hungerford Vpton Wynsore London Colmonstreet in LoÌ Chepeside in LondoÌ Shordich by London S. Gyles in London Essex Suffolke Northfolke Norwich The bookes opinioÌs which these were charged with all for the which they were abiured partly are before expressed partly here folow in a briefe summary to be seene ¶ A briefe summe of theyr opinions Ex Regist. Fol. 32. THe opinions of many of these persons were that he or she neuer beleued in the Sacrament of the aulter nor euer would and that it was not as men did take it Ibid. For that he was knowne of his neghbor to be a good felow meaning that he was a knowne man Fol. 33. For saying that he would geue 40. pence in coÌditioÌ that such a one knew so much as he did know Fol. 34. Some for saying y t they of AmershaÌ which had bene abiured before by Bishop Smyth were good men perfect Christians simple folk which could not answere for theÌselues therefore were oppressed by power of the bishop Some for hiding other in theyr barnes Ibid. Some for reading the Scriptures or treatises of Scripture in English some for hearing the same read Some for defending some for marying with theÌ whiche had bene abiured Fol. 36. Some for saying that matrimony was not a
Chaucer Gower commended for their studious exercise although it seemeth that Gower was a great deale his ancient both notably learned as the barbarous rudenes of that tyme did geue both great friends together and both in like kinde of study together occupyed so endeuoring themselues and employing their tyme that they excelling many other in study and exercise oâ good letters did passe forth their liues here right worshipfully godly to the worthye fame and commendation of theyr name Chaucers workes be all printed in one volume and therfore knowne to all men This I meruaile to see the idle lyfe of the priestes and clergye men of that tyme seeing these lay persons shewed themselues in these kinde of liberall studyes so industrious fruitfully occupyed but muche more I maruell to consider thys Chaucer a right Wickleuian how y t the bishops condemning and abolishing al maner of Englishe bookes and treatises whiche might bring y e people to anye light of knowledge did yet authorise the workes of Chaucer to remaine still to be occupyed Chaucers bokes Who no doubt saw in Religion as much almost as euen we do now vttereth in hys works no lesse and seemeth to be a right Wicleuian or els was neuer any and that all his workes almost if they be throughly aduised will testifie albeit it be done in mirth couertly especially y e latter end of hys thyrd booke of y e Testament of loue for there purely he toucheth the highest matter that is the communion Wherin except a man be altogether blind he may espy him at the full Although in the same book as in all other he vseth to do vnder shadows couertly as vnder a visour he suborneth trueth in suche sort Men brought to truth by reading Chaucers workes as both priuilye she may profite the godly minded and yet not be espyed of the crafty aduersary And therefore the bishops belike taking his woorkes but for iestes and toyes in condemning other bookes yet permitted his bookes to be read So it pleased God to blind then the eyes of them for y e more commoditie of his people to the intent that through the reading of his treatises some fruit might redound therof to his Church as no doubt it dyd to many As also I am partly enformed of certayne whiche knew the parties which to them reported y t by reading of Chaucers works The ploughmans tale in Chaucer they were brought to the true knowledge of religion And not vnlike to be true For to omitte other partes of his volume whereof some are more fabulous then other what tale can be more playnly tolde then the tale of the ploughman or what finger can poynt out more directly the Pope with his prelates to be Antichrist then doth the poore Pellican reasoning agaynst the greedy Griffon Under which Hypotyposis or Poesie who is so blind that seeth not by the Pellican the doctrine of Christ and of the Lollardes to be defended against the Church of Rome Or who is so impudent y t can deny that to be true which the PellicaÌ there affirmeth in describing the presumptuous pryde of that pretensed Church Agayne what egge can be more lyke or fig vnto an other then the wordes properties and conditioÌs of that rauening griphe resembleth the true Image that s the nature and quallities of that which we call y e church of Rome in euery poynt degree and therefore no great meruaile if that narratioÌ was exempted out of the copies of Chaucers workes whiche notwithstanding now is restored agayne and is extant for euery man to reade that is disposed This Geffrey Chaucer being borne as is thought in Oxfordshyre and dwelling in Woodstocke lyeth buryed in the Church of the minster of S. Peter at Westminster in an I le on the southside of the sayd Church not far from the dore leading to the Cloister and vpon his graue stone first were written these two old verses Galfridus Chaucer vates fama poesis Maternae hac sacra sum tumulatus humo Afterward about the yeare of our Lord. 1556. one M. Brickham bestowing more cost vpon his tombe did adde thereunto these verses following Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Galfridus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora mortis Ecee nota subsunt quae tibi cuncta notent 25. Octob. Anno. 1400. * Here beginneth the reformation of the church of Christ in the tyme of Martine Luther ALthough it can not be sufficiently expressed with touÌg or pen of man The corruption of the Church described into what miserable ruine desolation the church of Christ was brought in those latter dayes yet partly by the reading of these storyes aforepast some intelligence may be geuen to them whiche haue iudgement to marke or eyes to see in what blindnes and darckenes the world was drowned during the space of these 400. yeares heretofore and more By the viewing and considering of which times and histories thou mayst vnderstand gentle reader how the religion of Christ which onely consisteth in spirit and veritie was wholy turned into outward obseruations ceremonies and idolatry So many Sainctes we had so many gods so many monasteries so many pilgrimages As many churches as many reliques forged teyned we had Agayne so many reliques so many lyeng miracles wee beleued In stede of the onely liuing Lorde we worshipped dead stocks and stones In place of Christ immortall we adored mortall bread In stead of his bloud we worshipped the bloud of duckes How the people wer led so that the priestes were fed no care was taken In stead of Gods word mans worde was set vp In stead of Christes testament the Popes testament that is the Canon lawe in stead of Paule the mayster of sentence tooke place and almost full possession The law of God was litle read the vse and end therof was lesse knowne And as the ende of the lawe was vnknowne so the difference betweene the Gospell and the lawe was not vnderstanded y e benefite of Christ not considered the effect of faith not expended Through the ignoraunce wherof it cannot be told what infinite erroures sectes and religious crept into the church ouerwhelming the world as with a floud of ignoraunce and seduction And no maruell for where the foundation is not well layd what building can stand and prosper The foundation of all our Christianitie is onely this The promise of God The foundation of Christian religion in the bloud of Christ hys sonne geuing and promising life vnto all that beleeue in him Geuing sayth the Scripture vnto vs and not barganing or indenting with vs And that freely sayth the Scripture for Christes sake Rom 6. and not condicionally for our merites sake Rom. 4. Furthermore freely sayth the scripture by grace that the promise might be firme and sure and not by the workes that we doe Rom. 4. which are alwaies
ouerthrowne for euer In the tyme of pope Alexander the 6. and about the yeare of our Lord. 1500. as is before specified The fall of the Popedome signified by the fall of the Angel from the Church toppe of the popes Castle Ex Baleo Centur. 8. pag. 000. the hygh angell which stoode in the top of the popes churche and castle of S. Angell was throwne downe with a terrible thunder into the riuer of Tybris whereby might seeme to be declared the ruine and tall of the popedome To this may be adioyned whiche in certayne Chronicles and in Iohn Bale is recorded which sayth that in y e yeare of our Lord. 1516. whiche was the same yeare when Martine Luther began Pope Leo the x. dyd create 31. Cardinals In the which yeare and day of theyr creation there fell a teÌpest of thuÌder and lightning in Rome which so strake the church where the Cardinals were made that it remoued the little Childe Iesus out of the lappe of hys mother and the keyes out of Saint Peters hand An other signification of the popes subuersion Whiche thing many then did interprete to signifie and foreshow the subuersion and alteration of the sea of Rome Hetherto pertayneth also a strange portente and a prodigious token from heauen in the yeare of our Lord. 1505. Ex Ioan. Carione Fronc Mirandula alijs Bloudie markes of the Lordes passion seen vpon mens garments In the which yeare vnder the reigne of Maximilian Emperour there appeared in Germany vpon the vestures of men as well of Priestes as lay men vpon womens garmentes also and vpon theyr rockes as they were spynning diuerse printes and tokens of the nayles of the spunge of the spayre of the Lordes coate and of bloudy Crosses c. All which were seene vpon theyr cappes and gownes as is most certaynly testified and recorded by diuers which both did see also did write vpon the same Of whom first was Maximilian the Emperour who both had and shewed the same to Franciscus Mirandula which wrote thereupon a booke in Latine meter called Staurostichon wherin for the more credite these verses be conteyned Non ignota cano Caesar monstrauit ipsi Vidimus Innumeros prompsit Germania testes c. Of this also writeth Iohn Carion Functius The exposition of this portent Phil. Melanct. Flaccius with diuers other moe These markes and tokeÌs as they were very straunge so were they diuersly expounded of many some thinking that they pretended affliction and persecution of the churche to drawe neare some that God by that token did admonishe them or foreshewed vnto them the true doctrine of their iustification which onely is to be sought in the Crosse and passion of Christ and no other thing This I maruell that Christianus Masseus and other of that profession doe leaue it out Belike they sawe some thinge in it that made not to theyr liking For whether it signifieth persecution to come vpon the Germayns they cannot be euill that suffer and beare the Crosse wyth Christ Or whether it signifieth the true doctrine of Christ comming to the Germaynes it cannot otherwise be but that the doctrine of the Byshop of Rome must needes be wrong which is contrary to this which God hath styrred vp in Germany By this and such like prophecies it is euident to vnderstand the time not to be farre of when God of his determinate prouideÌce was disposed to reforme to restore his Churche And not onely by these prophecies the same might well appeare but also and much rather by y e hartes of the people at that tyme whose mindes were so insenced and inflamed with hatred agaynst the pompe and pryde of Rome both through all nations and especially the people of Germany that it was easie to perceaue the tyme was neare at hand wheÌ the pride of popish prelacy would haue a fall Such disdeyne there was such contempte and derision began to ryse on euery side then agaynst the pope and the Courte of Rome that it might soone appeare by the heartes of the people that God was not disposed to haue it long to stand For neither were their detestable doinges of secret that men did not see them neither did any man be hold them hauing any sparckle of godlines that could abide them And thereupon grewe these prouerbes to their derision in euery country As in Germany it hath bene Prouerb amongst them Prouerbes against the corrupt sea of Rome Was i st nu in der werlt fur ein wesen Wir moegen fur den pfaffen nicht genesen What is this to see the world now round about That for these shaueling priestes no man that once maye route Quà m primum clericus suscipit rasuram statim intrat in eum diabolus That is So soone as a Clerke is shorne into his order by and by the deuill enterth into him In nomine Domini incipit omne malum That is In the name of God beginneth all euill alluding to the Popes Bulles which commonly so begin Item when Bulles come from Rome bind well your purses The nearer Rome the farther from Christ. Item he that goeth once to Rome seeth a wicked man He that goeth twise learneth to know him He that goeth thrise bringeth him home with him Item the Courte of Rome neuer regardeth the sheepe without the woll Once were wodden chalices and golden priestes Ex Auen Now we haue golden chalices and wodden Priestes Once Christan men had blinde churches and light hartes Now they haue blinde hartes and light Churches Item many are worshipped for Saintes in heauen whose soules be burning in hell What should I speake of our English prouerbe which so vily esteemeth the filthy Friers that it compareth them sauing thy reuerence good Reader to a fart In Fraunce Gallus Senonensis writeth .400 yeares agoe that amongest them it was an old saying Romae solui Satanam in perniciem totius Ecclesiae That is That Sathan was let lose at Rome to destroy the whole Church Thomas Becket himselfe in his time writing to the Colledge of Cardinals denieth it not but to be a common word both through town and city Quod non sit iustitia Romae That is That there is no right at Rome To these may be adioyned also the A. B. C. Whiche we find in the margent of a certayne ould register to be attributed to William Thorp whose story we haue comprehended in the booke before ¶ A wake ye ghostly persons awake awake The A.B.C. against the pride of the Clergie B oth Priest pope Byshop and Cardinall C onsider wisely what wayes that ye take D aungerously beyng like to haue a fall E uery where the mischiefe of you all F arre and neare breaketh out very fast G od will needes be reuenged at the last ¶ H ow long haue ye the world captiued I n sore bondage of mens traditions K inges and Emperours ye haue depriued L ewdly vsurping theyr chiefe possessions M uch
them their office The aunswere of Luther to the place of S. Iohn Pasce Oues meas doeth teache what is to feede and what he ought to be that feedeth After thys Eckius came to the authoritie of the Councell of Constance alleging this amongst other articles De necessitate salutis est credere Rom. pontificem Occumenicum esse That is that it standeth vpon necessitie of our saluation to beleeue the Bishop of Rome to bee supreme heade of the Churche The authoritie of the councell of Constance alleging moreouer that in the same Councell was debated and discussed that the general Councel could not erre Whereunto Martin Luther againe did answere discreetly saying that al the articles which Iohn Hus dyd holde in that Councell were not condemned for hereticall with much other matter more Againe of what authoritie that Councel of Constance is to be estemed that he leaft to other mens iudgemeÌts This is most certain said he that no Councell hath such authoritie to make newe articles of faith Here M. Luther began to be cryed out of by Eckius and his complices for diminishing y e authority of generall Councels Although in deede he meane nothing lesse but euer labored to confirme the authority of the same yet was he called hereticke schismaticke and one of the Bohemes faction with many other termes moe of reprochful contumely Eckius then graunted the authoritie of the Apostles to be equal yet not to folow therby the authoritie of all Byshops therefore to be equall For betwene Apostleship and ministerie sayd he there is great difference To conclude Eckius in no case coulde abide that anye creature shoulde decline from any worde or sentence of the Popes decrees or the coÌstitutions of the forefathers To this againe Luther answeared grounding him selfe vpon the place ad Gal. 2. where S. Paule speaking of the principall Apostles Gala. 2. sayeth And of them which seemed to be great what they were before it maketh no matter to mee for God accepteth no mans person neuerthelesse they that were of some reputation dyd auayle nothing at all c. Eckius to this said that as touching the authoritie of the Apostles Here is good doctrine of Eckius I trowe they were all chosen of Christ but were ordeyned Bishops of Saint Peter And whereas Luther brought in the constitution of the decree which sayeth Ne Romanus pontifex vniuersalis Episcopus nominetur c. Yea let not the Bishop also of Rome bee called vniuersal Bishop c. To this Eckius aunsweared on this sort that the Bishop of Rome ought not to be called vniuersal Bishop yet he may be called sayd he Byshop of the vniuersall church And thus much touching the question of the Popes supremacie From this matter they entred nexte to Purgatorie wherein Eckius kept no order The question of Purgatorie For wheÌ they should haue disputed what power the Pope hath in Purgatorie Eckius turneth the scope of the question and prooueth that there is Purgatorie allegeth for him the place of Machab Luther leaning vpon the iudgement of Hierom affirmeth the booke of Machabees not to be Canonical 2. Mach. 12. Eckius againe replyeth the booke of Machabees to be of no lesse authoritie then the Gospels Also he alleged the place 1. Corinth 3. 1. Corint 3. Hee shall bee saued yet so as it were by fyre Moreouer he inferred the place of Math. 5. Agree thou with thine aduersary while thou art in the way with him Math. 5. least he commit thee into prison from whence thou shalt not escape tyll thou hast payed the vttermost farthing Psal. 65. c. To this he added also the place of the Psalmes We haue passed through the fire and water The question of Indulgences c. Howe these places be wrasted to purgatory let the reader discerne and iudge Then was inferred the question of indulgences wherof Eckius seemed to make but a toy a matter of nothing and so passed it ouer The question of Penaunce At last they came to the question of penance touching which matter the reasons of Eckius digressed much from the purpose which went about to proue that there be some maner of paynes of satisfaction whiche thing Luther dyd neuer deny But that for euery particuler offence such particuler penaunce is exacted of Gods iustice vpon the repeÌtant sinner as is in mans power to remitte or lâlease as pleaseth him such penance neither Luther nor anye other true Christian did admit And thus haue ye the chiefe effect of this disputation betweene Luther and Eckius at Lypsia When Vldericus Zuinglius came to Tigurie Which was in the month of Iuly an 151â About the beginning of the same yeare 151â Uldericke Zuinglius came first to Zuricke and there began to teach Who in the 16. article in his booke of articles recordeth that Luther and both at one time one not knowing nor hearing of an other began to write against the popes pardons and indulgences Albeit if the time be rightly counted I suppose we shall finde that Luther began a yeare or two before Zuinglius Luther and Zuinglus began both at one tyme to write against the Pope Notwithstanding this doth Sledan testifie that in this present yeare when Sampson a Franciscan came with the popes pardons to Zurick Uldericke Zuinglius did withstand him and declared hys chaffer and pardons to be but a vayne seducing of the people to inueagle away their money Ex Sled Lib. 1. The next yeare ensuing Luthers bookes condemned at Louen and Colen Pope Leos Bull against Luther which was 1250. the Fryers and Doctours of Louane and also of Colen condemned y e bookes of Luther as hereticall Agaynst whom Luther agayne effectuously defended himselfe and charged them with obstinate violence and malicious impiety After this within fewe dayes flasheth out from Rome the thunderbolt of pope Leo against the said Luther notwithstanding he so humbly and obediently before had reuerenced both the person of the pope and agnised the authoritie of his see and also had dedicated vnto him Lutherus de libertate Christiana and bookes intituled De Christiana libertate that is of Christian libertye In which booke these two poyntes principally hee discusseth and prooueth 1 That a Christen man is free and Lorde of all thinges and subiect to none 2 That a Christen man is a dilligent vnderling and seruaunt of all men and to euery man subiect Moreouer in the same yeare he set out a defence of all his articles which the popes Bull had before condemned An other book also he wrote to the nobilitie of Germanie Lutherus ad Nobilitatem Germaniae Three wall or bulwarkes of the papistes in the which booke he impugneth and shaketh y e three principall walles of the papistes the first whereof is this 1 Where as y e papistes say that no temporal or prophane magistrate hath any power vpon the spiritualtie but
martyrdome where no kinde of crueltie was sacking which the innocent Martyrs of Christ Iesus were wont to be put vnto Ex Henr. Pantal. hist Gallic The names of his persecutours in the story be not expressed Stephen Polliot Martyr Stephen Polliot At Paris An. 1546. Stephen Polliot comming out of Normandy where he was borne vnto Meaux taryed not there long but was compelled to flye went to a town called Fera where hee was appreheÌded and brought to Paris and there cast into a foule and darcke prison In whiche prison he was kept in bands and fetters a loÌg space where he saw almost nolight At length being called for before the Senate and his sentence geuen to haue his tongue cut out and to be burned aliue his satchell of bookes hangyng about his necke O Lord sayd he is the world in blindnes and darckenes still For he thought being in prison so long that the world had ben altered from his olde darckenes to better knowledge At laste the worthye Martyr of Iesus Christ hauyng his bookes about his necke was put into the fire where he with much pacience ended this transitory lyfe Ex Henr. Pantal. The high Senate of Paris Iohn Englishe An. 1547. He was executed burned at Sens in Burgundy Ioh. Englishe martyr being condemned by the hygh Courte of Paris for confessing y e true word of God Ex Crisp. Adrian  Michaell Michelote a Taylour An. 1547. This Taylour beyng apprehended for y e gospels sake Michaell Michelot martyr was iudged first if hee woulde turne to be beheaded and if hee woulde not turne then to be burned aliue Who beyng asked whether of these two he woulde chuse aunswered that hee trusted that hee which hath geuen him grace not to denye the truth woulde also geue him pacience to abide the fire He was burned at Werden by Turney Two false brethren Leonardus de Prato An. 1547. This Leonard goyng from Dyion to Bar Leonardus de Prato martyr a towne in Burgundy with two false brethren and talkyng with them about religion was bewrayed of theÌ and afterward burned  Iohn Taffingnon Vij Martyrs Ioan his wife Symon Mareschall Ioan his wife W. Michant Iames Boulerau Iames Bretany An. 1547. Al these 7. beyng of the Cittie of Langres for the word and truth of Christ Iesus were committed to the fire wherein they dyed w t much strength comfort But especially Ioanne which was Simons wife being reserued to the last place because she was y e yongest confirmed her husband and al the other with words of singular consolation declaring to her husband that they shoulde the same daye be maryed to the Lorde Iesus to liue with him for euer Ex. Pantal. Crisp. alijs The Senate of paris Mischaell Maâeschall Ioh. Cam. Great Iohn Camus Iohn Serarphin An. 1547. These also the same yeare and about the same tyme for the lyke confession of Christes Gospell wer condemned by the Senate of Paris in the same Cittye also with the like cruelty were burned Ex Pantal. Crisp. The host of Octouien at Lyons Gabriell of Saconnex Presenteur Octonien Blondell a Marchaunt of precious stones At paris An. 1548. This Octouien as he was a great occupyer in al fayres countryes of Fraunce Octouien martyr and well knowne both in Court els where so was he a singular honest man of great integritie and also a fauourer of Gods word Who beyng at his hostes house in Lyons rebuked the filthy talk and superstitious behauiour whiche there he heard saw Wherfore the host bearing to him a grudge chanced to haue certayne talke with Gabriell of Sacconex Presenteur concerning the riches and a sumptuous coller set with riche iewels of this Octouien Thus these two coÌsulting together dyd suborne a certayn person to borowe of hym a certayne summe of crownes Which because Octouien refused to lend the other caused hym to be apprehended for heresie thinking thereby to make atachment of hys goodes But such order as was taken by Blondels friendes that they were frustrate of their purpose Then Blondell being examined of hys fayth gaue a playne and ful confession of that doctrine which he had learned for the whiche he was committed to prison where he dyd much good to the prisoners there For some y t were in debt he payd theyr creditors and loosed them out To some he gaue meate to other rayment Faith ioyned with good workes At length thorough the importune perswasions of his parents and frendes he gaue ouer and chaunged hys confession Notwithstanding the Presenteur not leauyng so appealed hym vp to y e high court of Paris There Otouien beyng asked agayne touching hys fayth which of hys two confessions he woulde stick to he being before admonished of his fal and of the offence geuen thereby to the faithfull said he would liue dye in his first confession which he defeÌded to be consonaÌt to the verity of Gods word Which done he was coÌdemned to be burned and so hast was made to his execution least his frendes in the court might come betweene and saue his life Ex Ioan. Crisp. Lib. 6.  Hubert Cheriet Martyre Hubert Cheriet alias Burre a yong man a Taylour At Dyion An. 1549. Hubert beyng a young man of the age of xix yeares was burned for the Gospell at DyioÌ who neyther by any terroures of death nor allurementes of hys parentes coulde be otherwyse perswaded but constantly to remayne in the truth vnto death Ibid. peter Lisetus president of the Counsaile of paris and other Sorbonistes M. Florent Venote Florent Venote martyr priest At paris An. 1549. This Florent remayned in prison in Paris 4. yeares and 9 hours During which tyme there was no torment which he did not abide and ouercome Among al other kindes of torments he was put in a narrowe prisoÌ or brake so strait that he coulde neyther stand nor lye whiche they call the hoase or boote ad Nectar Hippocratis because it is strait beneath and wyder aboue like to the instrument where with Apocatheries are wont to make their hipocras In this he remayneth 7. weekes where the tormentors affirme that no thiefe nor murderer coulde euer endure xv dayes but was in daunger of lyfe or madnes At last when there was a great shew in Paris at the kings comming into the Citty and diuers other Martyrs in sondry places of the Cittye were put to death he hauing hys tongue cut off was brought to see the execution of them all and last of all in y e place of Maulbert was put in the fire and burned the ix of Iuly at after noone Ex Ioan Crisp.  Anne Audebert an Apothecaryes wife and wydow At Orleance An. 1549. She going to Geneua was taken brought to Paris Anne Audebert martyr and by the Counsayle there iudged to bee burned at Orleance WheÌ y e rope was put about her shee called it her wedding girdle wherwith she
in heauen where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God c. And where as I affirme the Sacrament not to be the body but bread speaking of bread remayning in his owne substaunce herein I do no other but as S. Paule doth which Cor. 11. doth call it bread likewise 4. or 5. times together The Frier Iesus Christ sayd that he was the bread of life The Officiall Thou noughty hereticke Iesus Christ sayd that he was a vyne a dore c. Where he is to be expouÌded to speak figuratiuely But the wordes of the Sacrament are not so to be expounded· The Martyr Those testimonyes which you alledge make more for me then for you The Officiall What sayst thou leud hereticke is the bread of the Lordes Supper and the bread that we eate at home all one and is there no difference betwene them The Martyr In nature and substance there is no difference in quality and in vse there is much difference For the bread of the Lordes table though it be of the same nature substance with the bread that we eat at home yet when it is applyed to be a sacrament it taketh an other quality and is set before vs to seale the promise of our spiritual and eternal life And this was the effect of their examinations Ex Crisp. The name of his persecutour appeareth not in his story Petrus Bergerius At Lyons An. 1553. About the same time Petrus Bergerius martyr when these 5. students aboue specified were apprehended this Bergerius also was taken at Lions with them examined and made also the like confession with them together shortly after them suffered the same martyrdome He had bene before an occupier or marchant of wines He had wife and children at Geneua to whom he wrote sweet and comfortable letters In the doungeon with him was a certayne Theefe and Malefactor which had lyen there the space of seauen or eyght monethes This Theefe for payne and torment cried out of God and cursed his parentes that begat him being almost eaten vp with lice miserably handled and fed with such bread as dogs and horses had refused to eat The notable coÌuersion of a theefe in prison So it pleased y e goodnes of almighty God that through the teaching and praiers of this Bergerius he was brought to repentaunce of hymselfe and knowledge of God learning much comfort and patience by the word of the Gospel preached vnto him Touching his conuersion he wrote a sweete letter to those 5. studentes aboue mentioned wherein he praiseth God for them and especially for this Bergerius declaring also in the same letter that the next day after that he had taken holde of the Gospell and framed himself to pacience according to the same his life whith he could plucke out before no lesse then 12· at once betwixte his fingers nowe were so gone from him that he had not one Furthermore so the almes of good men was extended towardes him that he was fed with white bread and that which was very good Such is the goodnes of the Lord toward theÌ that loue and seeke his trueth The name of this conuert was Iohn Chambone Ex Epist. Ioan. Cambon Ex Crisp. Pantal. c.  Stephanus Peloquinus Dionysius Peloquinus At Ville Franche about Lyons An. 1553. Steuen Peloquine Brother to this Dionysius Steuen and Dionyse Peloquine brethren and martyrs was taken about 2. or 3. yeares before with Anne Audebert aboue mentioned and also martyred for the testimonye of the Gospell at the same time with a smal fire After whome followed Dyonise Peloquine in the same steppes of Martyredome which was his Brother Thys Dionise had bene sometime a Monke and chaungyng hys weede tooke a Wyfe with whom he liued a certayne space at Geneua in Godly order and modesty of life Comming afterward to Uille Franche sixe myles from Lyons from thence he was had to Lyons where he remayned in prison 10. monethes FroÌ thence he was reuersed to Uille Franche where he was condemned degraded and burned The Articles wherupon he was condemned were for the Masse the Sacrament auricular confession Purgatory the Uirgine Mary and the Popes supremacy He suffered in the yeare of our Lord. 1553. Septemb 11. In his martyrdome such pacience and fortitude God gaue that wheÌ he was halfe burned yet he neuer ceased holding vp his handes to heauen and calling vpon the Lord to the great admiration of theÌ that looked on Ex Ioan Crisp. The kinges Lieuetenant at Lyons The Officiall The Fryers Lodouicus Marsacus Michael Gerard his cosin Steuen Granot Carpenter At Lyons An. 1553. At Lyons the same yere these 3. also were appreheÌded and sacrificed Lodouicke Marsac Michaell Gerard Steuen Granot Martyrs Ludouicus hadde bene of the order of the Dimilances whiche serued the king in hys warres Afterwarde comming to Geneua he was trayned vppe in the knowledge and doctrine of the Lorde Upon diuers Articles he was examined as inuocation to Saynts and of the Uyrgyne Mary free wyll merites and good woorkes auricular confession fasting the Lords supper In his second examinatioÌ they inquired of him and also of the other 2. touching vowes the Sacramentes the Masse and the Uicar of Christ. In all which articles because his and their iudgement dissented from the doctrine of the Popes Church they were condemned The aunsweres of Marsac to the articles are to be seene at large in the booke of the French martyrs set out by Ioan. Crisp. The blasphemies of the Papistes The Lieuetenant among other blasphemies had these woordes Of the iiij Euangelistes but ij were pure Mathew and Iohn The other two Marke Luke were but gatherers out of the other The Epistles of S. Paule but that the Doctors of the church had authorised them he would otherwise esteme theÌ no better then the fables of Aesope Item the sayde Lieuetenant sayd to M. Copes mayd Note what opinion the Papists haue of the law of God when it standeth not with their law speaking somewhat of the law Cursed be the God of that law When the sentence of condemnation was geuen agaynst these three they were so glad thereof that they went out praysing God and singing Psalmes Which troubled the iudges sore to see them so litle to esteme their death in so much that the Lieuetenaunt caused theÌ to be made to hold theyr peace saying shal these vile abiectes so vaunt themselues agaynst the whole state of the realme TheÌ as Marsac was going to a corner by to pray one of y e souldiors woulde not suffer him To whoÌ he sayd that litle time which we haue wil you not geue vs to pray With that the souldiour being astonished went his way As they should be brought out of prison to y e stake the hangman tyed a rope about the neckes of the other two Marsac seing himself to be spared because of his order and degree called by the way to the Lieuetenaunt that he
burned aliue at a little fire Moreouer he procured Caual and Caualieri the Consuls to threaten the Lieuetenaunt that they woulde complayne of him to the high Court of parliament if hee would not after that sort coÌdemne hym to be burnt In the meane time the faythfull Christians of y t sayd towne fearing least by his racking daunger might happen to the brethren sent to Romian again in the prison certayne instructions and meanes howe hee might be ayded such as should not be against God But when the Lieuetenaunt came Filij huius seculi prudentiores in sua generatione quam filij lucis the poore man forgot his instructions so simple he was and ignoraunt of the subtleties of this world When the time came that the Iudges were set and the proces should be read Barbosi with other whoÌ the Frier had procured had agreed before y t he shuld be fired aliue and put to the racke to disclose his fellowes also gagged that he might not speake infect the residue On the other parte one there was of the aduocates albeit a man wholly superstitious seing the rage of the other Good councell of an Aduocate gaue contrarye aduise saying that he should be sent home agayne for that hee was a town dweller of Geneua neither had ââught there any kinde of doctrine nor brought any bookes neyther had they any informations agaynst him that which he had spoken was as a thing coÌstrayned by hys othe forced by the Iustice. And as touchinge his opinion it was no other but as other younge men did follow which were eyther of the one parte or of the other and therefore that here remayned no more but onely the lieuetenaunt to geue his verdict c. Thus much being spoken and also because the Lieuetenaunt was before suspected and the tyme of dinner drewe neare they arose for that tyme differring the matter to an other season The Frier still bloweth the coale of persecution The Fryer obseruaunt in this meane while was not idle incityng still the Consuls and the people who at the ringing of a bell being assembled together with the Officiall and the priestes in a great route came crying to the Lieutenaunt to burne y e hereticke or els they would fire him and all his family and in semblable wyse did the same to the other Iudges and Aduocates The Officiall moreouer added that if it were not better seen to then so the Lutheranes would take such courage and so shut vp theyr Churche doores that no man shold enter in Then because the Liuetenant would not take to him other Iudges after their mindes in all posthast the people contributed together that at their owne charge the matter should be pursued at the parliament of Aix and so compelled the LiuetenaÌt to bring the proces vnto iudgemeÌt euery man crying to y e fire to the fire that he may be burned The Lieuetenaunt being not able otherwise to appease the people The cause of Romian remoued to the parliament of Aix promised to bring the matter to y e high court of Aix and so he did They hearing the information of the cause commaunded the Lieuetenaunt and the other Iudges to deal no further therin but to sende vp the proces and the prisoner to theÌ This went greatly agaynst the mindes of them of Draguignan which would fayne haue him condemned there Wherupon Barbosi was sent out to the parliament of Aix where he so practised and labored the matter that the cause was sent downe agayn to Lieuetenaunt and hee enioyned to take vnto hym such auncient Aduocates as their olde order requyred and to certifie them agayne within 8. dayes And so Romiane by the sentence of thoso olde Iudges was condemned to be burned aliue if he turned not if he did then to be strangled and before the executioÌ to be put vpon the racke to the intent he should disclose the rest of his company From the whiche sentence Romian then appealed saying that he was no hereticke Wherupon he was caryed vnto Aix singing the Commaundementes Romian brought to Aix as he passed by y e town of DraguignaÌ Which when the kings aduocate did see looking out of hys window he sayde vnto hym that hee was one of them that concluded hys death The kinges Aduocate repenteth but desired God to forgeue hym Romiane aunswered agayne and sayd God will iudge vs all in y e last day of IudgemeÌt After he was come to Aix he was brought before the Counsellers before whome he remayned no lesse constant and firme then afore TheÌ was a fumishe Fryer sent who beeing three houres with him and could not remoue him came out to the Lordes and sayd that he was damned By reason whereof the sentence geuen before his condemnatioÌ was confirmed and he sent backe agayn froÌ whence he came At his returne agayne from Aix the Consuls of Draguignan sent abroad by Parishes Romian returned againe from Aix to Draguignan vnto the Curates that they should signifie to theyr Parishners the day of his death to y e end that they should come also caused to be cryed through the town by y e sound of a trompe that all good Christians shoulde bring wood to the great market place to burne the Lutherane The day being come which was saterday the 16. day of May the poore seruaunt of God first was brought to the racke or torture where at his first entre were brought before hym The cordes yrons waightes to terrifie him Then sayde they hee must vtter his complices renounce his religion or els he should be burned aliue He answered wyth a constant hart that he had no other complices nor coÌpanions neyther would he hold any other fayth but that which Iesus Christ did preach by his apostles Then was he demaunded of hys fellowes taken w t him whether they did hold y e fayth of Rome or whether he did euer communicate with theÌ or did know them in the towne or in prouince to be of his fayth He sayd no. Item what he had to doe in that towne He sayd to sell hys Corall Item who gaue hym couÌsell to appeale God he sayd by his spirite Upon this he was put vpon the gynne or racke where he being torne most outragiously Romian draweÌ most piteously vpon the racke ceased not still to cry vnto God that he woulde haue pittie on him for the loue of Iesus Christ his sonne Then was he commanded to call to the virgin Mary but that he would not Wherupon his torture was renued a fresh in such cruell sort that they thought they had left hym for dead For the which they sent him to the Barbers and finding that hee coulde endure no longer were afraid least he had bene past RomiaÌ broken with the racke not able to goe was borne to the fire and hastened to bring him to the fire So after they had assayd hym by priestes and Fryers as much as
and sower sweete whiche mainteine abhominable and detestable bookes and pictures and reiect that which is holy Then the Bishop of Aix and the other Bishops began to rage and gnashed their teeth against this poore prisoner What neede you said they any more examination let him be sent straight vnto y e fire without any more words But the Iudge Laberius and certaine others were not of that mind neither founde they sufficient cause why to put him to death but went about to haue him put vnto hys fine and to make him confesse acknowledge the Byshop of Aix and other his companions to be the true pastors of the Church But the bookeseller aunswered that he could not do it with a good conscience forsomuch as he did see before his eies y t these Byshops mainteined filthy bookes and abhominable pictures reiecting and refusing the holy bookes of God and therefore he iudged them rather to be the Priests of Bacchus and Uenus then the true pastors of the Church of Christ. Whereupon he was immediately condemned to be burned and the sentence was executed y e very same day A godly bookeseller with two Bibles about his ãâã burned in Auinion And for a signe or token of the cause of hys condemnation he caried two Bibles hanging about hys necke the one before the other behind him but this pore man had also the word of God in his hart in his mouth and ceased not continually by the way vntill that he came to the place of execution to exhort and monish the people to reade the holy Scriptures in so much that diuers were thereby mooued to seeke after the truth The Prelates seeing a great dissention amongst the people of Auinion and that many murmured and grudged against them for the death of this good man and also for the dishonour which they had done vnto the holy Testament of God minding to put the people in a feare they proceeded the next day to make a proclamatioÌ by the sound of a Trumpet Proclamation agaynst French Bibles throughout the whole towne and Countie of Uenice that all such as had any bookes in the French tongue intreating vpon the holy Scriptures should bring them foorth and deliuer them into the hands of the Commissioners appointed for that purpose contrarywise they which had any suche bookes found about them should be put to death Then after that these Prelates had taken aduise to raise great persecution in Uenice the Bishop of Aix returned to prosecute the executioÌ of the arrest against Merindol trauelling earnestly with the President Cassaneus to that effect The Bishop of Aix stirreth vp Cassaneus the President to persecution The aunswere of Cassaneus to the Byshops for Merindoll declaring vnto him the good will of the Prelates of Auinion and Prouince the great affectioÌ they bare both to him and his with many faire promises if he would put the Arrest in execution The President aunswered hym that it was no small matter to put the Arrest of Merindoll in execution Also that the saiyd Arrest was geuen out more to keepe y e Lutheranes in feare which were a great number in Prouince then to execute it in effect as it was conteined in the sayd Arrest Moreouer he said that the arrest of Merindoll was not definitiue and that the lawes and statutes of the realme did not permit y e executioÌ thereof without further processe Then said the Bishop if there he either lawe or statute which doth hinder or let you we cary in our sleeues to dispence therwithall The President answered it were a great sinne to shed the innocent bloud Then sayd the Byshop the bloud of them of Merindoll be vpon vs and vpon our successours Then said the President Sanguis eius super nos filios nostros Math. 27. I am very well assured that if the Arrest of Merindoll be put in execution the kyng will not be well pleased to haue such destruction made of his subiectes Then sayd the Bishop although the kyng at the first do thinke it euil done we will so bring it to passe that within a short space he shall thinke it well done For we haue y e Cardinals on our side specially the most reuerent Cardinall of Tournon the which will take vpoÌ him the defence of our cause The Cardinall of Tournon the oâgane of Antichrist and we can doe him no greater pleasure then vtterly to roote out these Lutheranes so that if we haue any neede of his couÌsaile or ayde we shall be wel assured of him And is not he the principall the most excellent prudeÌt aduersary of these Lutheranes which is in all Christendome By this such other like talke the Byshop of Aix persuaded the PresideÌt Counsellours of the Court of Parliament to put the sayd Arrest in execution and by this meanes through the authoritie of the sayd Court the drum was sounded throughout all Prouince y t Captaines were prepared with their Ensignes displayd The popes army setteth forward toward Merindoll and a great number of footemeÌ and horsemen began to set forward marched out of the towne of Aix in order of battell well horsed and furnished agaynst Merindoll to execute the Arrest The inhabitauntes of Merindoll beyng aduertised hereof and seyng nothyng but present death to be at haÌd with great lamentation commended themselues their cause vnto God by prayer makyng theÌselues ready to be murthered and slayne as sheepe led vnto the butchery Whiles they were at this greeuous distresse pitiously mournyng and lamentyng together The army againe retyred by the meanes of the Lord of Alenc the father with the sonne the daughter with y e mother the wife with the husband sodenly there was newes brought vnto them that the army was retired and no maÌ knew at that tyme how or by what meanes notwithstandyng afterward it was knowen that the Lord of Alenc a wise man learned in the Scriptures in Ciuill law beyng moued with great zeale and loue of iustice declared vnto the PresideÌt Chassanee that he ought not so to proceede agaynst the inhabitantes of Merindoll by way of force of armes contrary to all forme and order of iustice without iudgement or condemnation or without making any differeÌce betwene the gilty the vngilty And furthermore he sayd I desire you my Lord PresideÌt call to remeÌbraunce the counsell which you haue written in your booke A story of excoÌmunycatyng the Rattes for eating vp the corne entituled Catalogus gloriae mundi in the which booke you haue intreated and brought forth the processes whiche were holden agaynst the Rats by the officers of the Court and iurisdiction of the Byshop of Authun For as it happened there was almost through out all the Bailiwyke of Laussois such a great number of Rats that they destroyed and deuoured all the corne of the couÌtrey Wherupon they tooke counsell to send vnto y e Byshop of Authuns Official for
Pantal alijs Notes vppon the storie of Merindoll aboue recited THus hast thou heard louing Reader the terrible troubles slaughters committed by the Bishops and Cardinals againste these faithfull men of Merindol whiche for the hainous tirannie and example of the facte moste vnmercifull maye be comparable with any of the first persecutions in the primitiue Churche done either by Decius or Dioclesianus Nowe touching the sayd storie and people of Merindol briefly by the way is to be noted The Gospellers of Merindoll came first of the Waldenses that this was not the firste time that these men of this countrey were vexed neither was it of late yeres that the doctrine and profession of them began For as by the course of time and by auncient Recordes it maye appeare these inhabitaunts of Prouince and other coastes bordering about the confines of Fraunce and Piemont had their continuance of auncient time and receiued their doctrine first from the Waldenses or Albigenses which were as some say about the yeare of oure Lord 1170. or as other doe recken about the yeare of our Lorde 1216. whereof thou haste gentle reader sufficiently to vnderstaÌd Vid. supra pag. 230. c. reading before pag. 230. Item pag. 260 Item pag. 267. c. These Waldenses otherwise called Pauperes de Lugduno beginning of one Petrus Waldus Citizen of Lyons as is before shewed Vid. supra pag. 231. pag. 231. by violence of persecution being driuen oute of Lions were disparcled abroad in diuers countreis of whom some fled to Massilia some to Germanie some to Sarmatia Liuonia Bohemia Calabria and Apulia diuers strayed to the Countreis of France especially about Prouince and Piemont of whoÌe came these Merindolians aboue mentioned and the Angrognians with others of whom now it foloweth likewise God willing to discourse Waldenses how and of whom they first began They which were in the countrey of Tolouse of the place where they frequented were called Albij or Albigenses Against the which Albigenses Frier Dominicus was a great doer labouring and preaching against them 10. yeres together and caused many of them to be burned for the which he was highly accepted and rewarded in the Apostolicall Court and at lengthe by Pope Honorius the 3. was made Patriarch of the blacke gard of the Dominicke Friers Dominicus Patriarch of the blacke Fryers enemie to the Waldenses Ex Antonino part 3. tit 19. cap. 1. These Albigenses against the Pope of Rome had set vppe to them selues a Bishop of their owne named Bartholomaeus remaining about the coastes of Croatia and Dalmatia as appeareth by a letter of one of the Popes Cardinals aboue specified pag 261. For the which cause the Sea of Rome tooke great indignation against the sayde Albygenses Vid. sâpra pag. 261. and caused all their faithfull Catholickes and obedienciaries to their Churche to rise vp in armour and to take the signe of the holy crosse vpon them to fight against them An. 1206 by reason wherof great multitudes of them were pitifully murdered not onely of them about Tolouse Auinion in France as is afore to be seene pag. 273. but also in al quarters miserable slaughters and burnings of them long continued from the raigne of Fridericke 2. Emperour almost to this present time through the instigation of the Romane Popes Paulus Aemylius the French Chronicler in his 6. booke wryting of these Pauperes de Lugduno Ex Paul Aemylio lib. 6 and Humiliati and deuiding these two orders from Albigenses reporteth that the two former orders were reiected of Pope Lucius 3. And in their place other two orders were approued to witte the order of the Dominicke Friers and of the Franciscanes Which seemeth not to be true for somuch as this Pope Lucius was 20. yeres before Innocent 3. and yet neither in the time of Pope Innocent the order of the Dominicke Friers was approued but in the time of Pope Honorius the 3. who was 40. yeres after Pope Lucius Again Bernardus Lutzenbergensis in Catal. haeret affirmeth that these Pauperes de Lugduno Ex Bernard Lutzenberg or Waldenses began first an 1218. Which if it be true then must the other report of Aemylius be fals wryting of the sect of Pauperes Lugdunenses to be refused by Pope Lucius the 3. who was long before this in the yeare of our Lord. 1181. Among other authours which wryte of these Waldenses Ioan Sleidan Lib. 16. intreating of their continuance and doctrine See the story of Sleidan thus wryteth of them There be sayeth he in the French Prouince a people called Waldoys These of an auncient trade and custome among them doe not acknowledge the Bishop of Rome and euer haue vsed a manner of doctrine somewhat more pure then the rest but especially since the comming of Luther they haue encresed in more knowledge and perfection of iudgement Wherefore they haue beene oftentimes complained vppon to the kinge as though they contemned the Magistrate and would moue rebellion with other suche matter falsely surmised against them more of despite and malice then of any iust cause of truthe There be of them certaine Townes and Villages among which Merindoll is one Against these Merindolians sentence was geuen fiue yeares past at Aix being the high tribunall seate or iudgement place of Prouince that all should be destroied without respecte of age or persone in such sort as that the houses being pluckt downe the Village shoulde be made plaine euen with the grounde the trees also should be cut downe and the place altogether made desolate and desert All beit though it were thus pronounced yet was it not then put in execution by the meanes of certaine that perswaded the king to the coÌtrary namely one William Bellay who was at the same time the kings Lieutenaunt in Piedmont But at the last the 12. day of April an 1545. Iohn Minerius President of the Counsell of Aix calling the Senate reade the kings letters commaunding them to execute the sentence giuen c. This confession worthy of perpetual memory you shall see more largely set out in Henr. Pantaleon wryting of the destruction of Cabriers and Merindoll and also in the French storye Moreouer concerning the confession and the doctrine of the sayde Merindolians receiued of auncient time from their forefathers the Waldenses thus it followeth in the sayd boke and place of Iohn Sleidan At last sayeth Sleidan after he had described what great crueltie was shewed against them when the reporte hereof was bruted in Germanie it offended the mindes of many and in deede the Suitzers who were then of a contrary Religion to the Pope entreated the King that he woulde shewe mercy to suche as were fled Whereunto the saide king Fraunces made aunswere in thys wise pretending that he had iust cause to doe as he did inferring moreouer that they ought not to be carefull what he did within his dominions or how he punished his offendours more then he was
wished and greatly groned for in tymes past of many godly learned men so much more ought wee nowe to reioyce and geue God thankes seeyng these dayes of reformation which God hath geuen vs. If Iohn Husse or good Hierome of Prage or Iohn Wickliffe before them both or William Brute Thorpe Swynderby or the Lord Cobham if Zisca with all the company of the Bohemians if the Earle Raymundus with all the Tholossians if the Waldoys or the Albingensis with infinite other had bene eyther in these our times now or else had seene then thys ruyne of the Pope and reuealing of Antichrist which the Lord now hath dispensed vnto vs what ioye and triumph would they haue made Wherefore now beholding that thyng which they so long tyme haue wished for let vs not thinke the benefite to be small but render therefore most humble thankes to the Lorde our God Who by his mightie power and brightnes of his word Antichrist longe hyd and now reueled hath reuealed this great enemie of his so manifestly to the eyes of all men who before was hid in the Church so coulourably that almost few Christians could espye him For who would euer haue iudged or suspected in hys mynde the Byshop of Rome commonly receyued and beleeued almost of all men to be the Vicare and Vicegerent of Christ heere in earth to be Antichrist and the great aduersary God whome S. Paule so expresly prophesieth of in these latter dayes to be reuealed by the brightnes of the Lords commyng as all men now for the most part may see is come to passe Wherefore to the Lord and Father of lightes who reuealeth all things in hys due tyme be prayse and glory for euer Amen The ende of the seauenth Booke The eyght Booke continuing the hystorie of English matters appertayning to both states as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and Temporall Martyrs of Couentrye Persecuters Martyrs The Causes Symon Mourton the bishops Somner The bishop of Couentry Frier Stafford Warden Maistres Smith Rob. Hatchets Archer Haukins Tho. Bond. Wrigsham Landsdale Martyrs Maistres Smyth widow Rob. Hatchets a shomaker Archer a shomaker Hawkins a shomaker Tho Bond a shomaker Wrigsham a Glouer Landsdale an Hosier At Couentry An. 1519. THE principall cause of the appreheÌsion of those persons was for teaching their children and familie the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundementes in English for which they were vpon Ashwednesday taken and put in prison some in places vnder the grounde some in chambers and other places about till Friday following Then they were sent to a Monasterye called Mackestocke Abbey sixe miles from Couentry During which time their children were sente for to the Gray friers in Couentry before y e Warden of the sayd friers called Frier Stafford Who straitly examining them of their beliefe and what heresie their fathers had taught them charged theÌ vppon payne of suffering suche deathe as their fathers should in no wyse to meddle any more with the Lords prayer The Lordes prayer in Englishe foâbyddeÌ of the Papists the Creede and Commaundements in English Which done vpon Palmesonday the fathers of these children were broughte backe agayne to Couentry and there the weeke next before Easter were condemned for relapse because most of them had borne fagots in the same Citie before to be burned Onely Maistres Smith was dimissed for that present and sent away And because it was in the euenyng beyng somewhat darke as she should go home the foresayd Symon Mourton the Somner offered him selfe to goe home with her Now as he was leadyng her by the arme and heard the rattelyng of a scrole within her sleeue yea sayth he What haue ye here And so tooke it from her espyed that it was the Lordes prayer the Articles of the fayth Maistres Smith coÌdeÌned for hauing the Lords prayer in Englishe the x. Commaundementes in Englishe Which when the wretched Somner vnderstood ah serrha sayd he come as good now as an other tyme so brought her backe agayne to the Byshop where she was immediately condemned and so burned with the vj. men before named the fourth of Aprill in a place thereby called the litle parke An. 1519. Â Robert Silkeb At Couentry An. 1521. IN y e same nuÌber of these CoueÌtry men aboue rehearsed was also Robert Silkeb Anno. 1521. who at the apprehension of these as is aboue recited fled away Robert Silkeb Martyr and for that tyme escaped But about two yeares after he was taken agayne brought to the sayd Citie of Couentry where he was also burned the morowe after hee came thether whiche was about the xiij day of Ianuary An. 1521. Thus when these were dispatched immediatly the Sheriffes went to theyr houses and tooke all their goodes and cattell to theyr owne vse not leauyng their wiues and children any parcell therof to helpe themselues with all And for somuch as the people began to grudge somewhat at the crueltie shewed and at the vniust death of these innocent Martyrs the Byshop with his Officers and Priestes caused it to bee noysed abroad by their Tenauntes seruantes and fermers y t they were not burned for hauyng the Lordes prayer and commaundementes in English but because they did eate fleshe on Fridayes and other fastyng dayes Which neither could he proued either before their death or after nor yet was any such matter greatly obiected to them in their examinations Testimony of this storye The witnesses of this history bee yet aliue whiche both saw them and knew them Of whom one is by name mother Halle dwelling now in Bagington two myles from Couentry By whom also this is testified of them Note how these Martirs holding with the popish sacramentes yet were burned of the papists only for a few Scriptures in English that they aboue all other in Couentry pretended most shew of worshyp and deuotion at the holdyng vp of the Sacrament whether to colour the matter or no it is not knowen This is certain that in godlinesse of life they differed from al the rest of the Citie Neither in their occupying they would vse any oth nor could abyde it in them that occupyed with them Iames BetoÌ Archb. of S. Andrew M. Hew SpeÌs dean of diuinity in the vniuersitie of S. Andrew M. Iohn Weddell Rector of the vniuersitie Iames Symson Officiall Tho. Ramsay Chanon and Deane of the Abbey of S. Andrewes Allane Meldrum Chanon Iohn Greson Principall of the Blacke Friers Iohn Dillidaffe Warden of the Gray Friers Martin Balbur Lawyer Iohn SpeÌs Lawyer Alexander Yong The godly zeale of M. Hamelton towardes his countrey bacheler of Diuinitie Chanon Iohn Annand Chanon Frier Alex. Chambell Priour of the Blacke Friers c. Patricke HalmentoÌ At Saint Andrewes in ScotlaÌd An. 1527. PAtricke Hamelton a Scottish man borne of an hygh and noble stocke and of the kynges bloud Anno. 1527. young and of flourishyng age and excelleÌt towardnesse of xxiij yeares called Abbot of Ferme
by our faith so freely to iustify vs they leauing this Iustification by faith set vp other markes partly of the lawe partly of their owne deuising for men to shoote at And here commeth in the manifest and manifolde absurdities of the B. of Romes doctrine which here the Lorde willing we will rehearse as in Catalogue here following Errours and absurdities of the Papists touching the doctrine of the Law and of the Gospel 1. THey erroniously conceiue opinion of saluation in the law which only is to be sought in the faith of Christ Errours in the Popes doctrine coÌcerning the doctrine of the lawe and in no other 2. They erroneously do seke Gods fauor by works of the law not knowing that the law in thys our corrupt nature worketh only the anger of God Rom. 3. 3. They erre also in this that where the office of the lawe is diuers and contrary from the Gospel they without any difference ãâ¦ã of God iâ tâe popes ãâ¦ã onely ãâ¦ã This aâticle ãâ¦ã Goâpell to euery creâture He that ãâ¦ã But they preach as ââough Christ ãâ¦ã Goe pâeach the law to euery creature This aâticle is contâary to the pâace Rom. 8. Tâat wâich the lawe coulde not peâforme in the behalfe of our weake flesh c. Rom. 8. Thâs article repâgneth against ãâã place Gal. 2. ãâã it righteousnes come by the lawe tâen Chrâst dyed in vaine Tââs article sauâreth oâ the pâice of the Pharisây which said I am not like this Pâblicane This article re pugneth agayâst this place They ãâ¦ã greeuous to ãâã and lay theâ on mens shoulde â Maâ 23. ãâã to you ãâ¦ã which for the ãâ¦ã the Commaundementes of God coÌfound the one with the other making the gospel to be a law and Christ to be a Moses 4. They erre in deuiding the law vnskilfully in 3. partes into the law naturall the law morall and the lawe Euangelicall 5. They erre againe in deuiding the lawe Euangelicall into precepts and counsailes making the precepts to serue for all men the counsailes onely to serue for them that be perfect 6. The chiefe substance of all their teaching and preaching resteth vpon the works of the law as may appear by theyr religion which wholy consisteth in mens merites traditions lawes canons decrees and ceremonies 7. In the doctrine of saluation of remission and iustification either they admixt the lawe equally with the Gospel or els cleane secluding the Gospel they teache and preache the law so that litle mention is made of the faith of Christ or none at all 8. They erre in thinking that the lawe of God requireth nothing in vs vnder paine of damnation but onely our obedience in externe actions as for the inwarde affections and concupiscence they esteeme but light matters 9. They not knowing the true nature and strength of the lawe do erroneously imagine that it is in mannes power to fulfill it 10. They erre in thinking not onely to be in mans power to keepe the law of God but also to performe more perfect workes then be in Gods law commanded and these they call the workes of perfection And heereof rise the workes of supererogation of satisfaction of congruitie and coÌdignitye to store vp the treasurehouse of the Popes Churche to be solde out to the people for money 11. They erre in saying that the state monasticall is more perfect for keeping the Counsailes of the Gospell then other states be in keping the law of the Gospell 12. The counsailes of the Gospell they call the vowes of theyr religious men as profound humilitie perfect chastitie and wilfull pouertie 13. They erre abhominably in equaling their laws constitutions with Gods law and in saying that mans lawe bindeth vnder paine of daÌnation no lesse then Gods law 14. They erre sinnefully in punyshing the transgressours of their lawes more sharply then the transgressours of the law of God as appeareth by their Inquisitions and theyr Canon lawe c. 15. Finally they erre most horribly in this that where the free promyse of God ascribeth our saluation onely to oure faith in Christ excluding woorkes they contrary ascribe saluation onely or principally to workes and merites excluding faith Wherupon riseth the applicatioÌ of the sacrifice of the Masse Ex opere operato for the quicke and deade application of the merites of Christes passion in Bulles application of the merites of all religious orders and such other moe aboue specified more at large in the former part of this history about the pag. 21.22 c. ¶ Here follow three cautions to be obserued and auoided in the true vnderstanding of the Law The first caution FIrst that we throughe the misunderstanding of the Scriptures do not take the law for the Gospel Three Cautions to be auoyded coÌcerning the right vnderstanding of the lawe nor the Gospel for the law but skilfully discerne and distincte the voyce of the one from the voyce of the other Many there be which reading the booke of the new Testament doe take and vnderstand whatsoeuer they see contained in the sayd boke to be only and meerely the voyce of the gospel And contrariwise whatsoeuer is contained in the coÌpasse of the old Testament that is within the law stories Psalmes and Prophets to be only and merely the worde and voyce of the law wherein many are deceiued For the preaching of the law of the Gospel are mixed together in both the Testaments as wel the old as the new Neither is the order of these two doctrines to be distincted by bookes and leaues but by the diuersitie of Gods spirite speaking vnto vs. The voice of the Gospell sometymes soundeth in the olde Testament For sometimes in the olde Testament God doth comfort as he comforted Adam with the voyce of the Gospell Sometimes also in the newe Testament he doth threaten and terrifie as when Christ threatned the Phariseis In some places againe Moses and the Prophets play the Euangelists In so much that Hierome doubteth whether he should call Esay a Prophet or an Euangelist In some places likewise Christe and the Apostles supply the part of Moses The voice of the lawe sometymes is vsed in the new Testament And as Christ himselfe vntill hys death was vnder the law which law he came not to breake but to fulfill so his Sermons made to the Iewes for the most part runne all vpon the perfect doctrine and workes of the law shewing and teaching what we ought to doe by the righte lawe of Iustice and what danger insueth in not performing the same Al which places though they be contained in the booke of the new Testament What places of the Scripture are to be referred to the law what to the Gospell Math. 5. yet are they to be referred to the doctrine of the lawe euer hauyng in them included a priuie exception of repentaÌce and faith in Christ Iesus As in example where Christ thus preacheth Blessed be they that be pure of heart
Lorde 1515. of all such penaunce as was enioyned him and his wife at their abiuration except these three Articles following and were discharged of their badges or signes of their fagots c. Only this penaunce folowing the Byshop continued Sub poena relapsus First that neyther of them during their life should dwell out of the parish of Amersham It was happy that they were not put to taste bread and water Item that eyther of them during their life shoulde fast bread and ale euery Corpus Christi euen Item that eyther of them should during theyr liues vppon Corpus Christi day euery yeare go in pilgrimage to Asherige and there make theyr offerings as other people did but not to do open penaunce Also they were licenced by the sayd Byshop to do theyr pilgrimage at Asherige vpon Corpus Christi euen or Corpus Christi day or some other vpon any cause reasonable This penance being to them enioyned ann 1515. they obserued to the yeare 1522. saue only in the last yere the foresayd Alice his wife omitted her pilgrimage going to Asherige vpon Corpus Christi daye Also the sayd Tho. Harding being put to his othe to detect other because he contrary to his othe dissembled and did not disclose them was therefore enioyned in penaunce for his periury to beare vpoÌ his right sleue both before and behinde a badge or patch of greene cloth or silke embrodered like a fagot during his whole life vnlesse he shoulde otherwise be dispensed withall And thus continued he from the yeare 1522. till the yeare 1532. At last the said Harding in the yeare abouesayd 1532. about Easter holydayes when the other people weÌt to the church to commit their wonted idolatry toke his way into the woods there solitarily to worship the true liuing God in spirit and truth Where as he was occupied in a booke of English prayers The taking of Thomas Harding leaning or sitting vppon a style by the woods side it chanced that one did espie hym where he was and came in great haste to the officers of the towne declaryng that he had sene Harding in the woodes lookyng on a booke WherupoÌ immediatly a rude rable of them like mad meÌ ranne desperatly to his house to search for bookes in searching went so nigh that vnder the bordes of his flore they fouÌd certain English bookes of holy Scripture WhereupoÌ this godly father with his bookes was brought before Iohn LonglaÌd Bish. of Lincolne theÌ lying at Wooburne Who with his Chapleins calling father Harding to examination begaÌ to reason with him proceedyng rather with checkes rebukes then with any sound arguments Thom. Hardyng seyng their folly and rude behauiour gaue theÌ but few wordes but fixing his trust and care in the Lord did let them say what they would Thus at last they sent him to the Bysh. prison called litle ease Tho. Harding put in little ease the Bishops prison where he did lye with huÌger payne enough for a certaine space till at leÌgth the Bish. sitting in his tribunall seat like a potestate coÌdeÌned him for relapse to be burned to ashes coÌmittyng the charge ouersight of his Martyrdome to RoulaÌd Messenger vicare of great WickhaÌ Tho. Harding condemned Which RoulaÌd the day appointed with a rable of other like to himselfe brought father Hardyng to Chesham agayne Where the next day after his returne the sayd RoulaÌd made a SermoÌ in CheshaÌ Church causing Tho. Hardyng to staÌd before him all the preachyng tyme which SermoÌ was nothing els but the mainteinyng of y e iurisdiction of the Bysh. of Rome the state of his Apostolicall sea w t the idolatry fantasies traditions beloÌgyng to the same WheÌ the SermoÌ was ended RoulaÌd tooke him vp to the high aulter asked whether he beleued that in y e bread after the consecratioÌ there remained any other substauÌce then the substaunce of Christes naturall body borne of the virgin Mary To this Tho. Harding auÌswered The faith and confession of Tho. Harding the Articles of our belief do teach vs that our Sauiour Christ was borne of the virgin Mary that he suffred death vnder Pilate and rose froÌ death the thyrd day that he then ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God in the glory of his father Then was he brought into a mans house in the towne where he remained all night in prayer and godly meditations So the next mornyng came the foresayd RoulaÌd agayne about x. of the clocke with a company of bils and staues to lead this godly father to his burnyng Whom a great number both of men and womeÌ did folow Of whom many bewayled his death coÌtrary the wicked reioyced thereat He was brought forth hauyng thrust in his handes a little crosse of wood but no idoll vpon it Then he was cheyned to the stake The pacient death and martirdome of Tho. Harding desiring the people to pray for him and forgiuyng all his enemyes and persecuters he commended his spirite to God and tooke his death most paciently quietly liftyng vp his hands to heauen saying Iesus receaue my spirite WheÌ they had set fire on him there was one that threw a byllet at him dashed out his braynes Of what purpose he so did it is not knowen but as it was supposed that he might haue xl dayes of pardoÌ as the proclamatioÌ was made at y e burnyng of WilliaÌ Tilseworth aboue mentioned pag. 774. whereas proclamation was made the same tyme 40. dayes of pardon for bringing fagots to burne good men that whosoeuer did bring a fagot or a stake to the burnyng of an hereticke should haue xl dayes of pardon Whereby many ignorauÌt people caused their children to beare byllets and fagottes to their burnyng In fine when the sacrifice and burnt offeryng of this godly Martyr was finished and he brent to ashes in the Dell goyng to Botley at the North end of the Towne of Chesham Rouland their Ruler of the rost commaundyng silence and thinking to send the people away with an Ite missa est with aloude voyce sayd to the people these wordes not aduising belyke what his tongue dyd speake Good people wheÌ ye come home do not say that you haue bene at the burnyng of an hereticke but of a good true Christian man and so they departed to dyner Rouland with y e rable of other Priestes much reioysing at the burnyng of this good man After dyner they went to Church to Euensong because it was Corpus Christi euen where they fell to singyng chauntyng with ryngyng and pypyng of the Organes Well was he that could reache the hyest note So much dyd they reioyce at this good mans burnyng He should haue bene burned on the Ascention euen but the matter was referred vnto the euen of Corpus Christi because they would honour their bready Messias with a bloudy sacrifice Thus Thomas Harding was consumed to ashes he being
of the age of lx yeares and aboue Ex testimonio scripto ciuium Amershamensium ¶ I finde in the recordes of Lincolne about the same time and in the same Countrey of Buckynghamshyre in the which the foresayd Thomas Hardyng did suffer that diuers other for the lyke doctrine were molested and troubled whose names with there causes here vnder folow Elizabeth Wighthill Doctour London Mistres Alice Doly Elizabeth Wighthill being brought before Doctor London in the personage at Staunton Harecourt and there put to her othe deposed against Maistres Alice Doly her maistres that the sayde Maistres Doly speaking of Iohn Hacker of Colmanstreete in London Waterbearer Alyce Doly accused saide that he was very expert in the Gospels and all other things beloÌging to diuine seruice and could expresse and declare it and the Pater noster in English as well as any Priest and it woulde doo one good to heare him sayeng moreouer that she woulde in no case y t this were knowne for hurting the poore man commaunding moreouer the said Elizabeth that she should tell no man hereof affirming at y e same time that the foresayde Hacker coulde tell of diuers prophesies what should happen in the Realme Ouer and besides the forenamed Elizabeth deposed that the sayde Mistresse Doly her Mistresse shewed vnto her that she had a booke which held against Pilgrimages and after that she caused Sir Iohn Boothe Parson of Britwell to reade vpon a booke which she called Legenda aurea one Saints life he read whiche did speake against Pilgrimages Agaynst Pilgrimage And after that was read her Mistresse sayde vnto her Loe daughter now yee may heare as I tolde you that this booke speaketh against Pilgrimages Furthermore it was deposed against Maistres Doly by the sayde Elizabeth that she beeing at Syr William Barentens place and seeing there in y e closet Images new gilded sayd to the sayd Elizabeth looke Against Images heere be my Lady Barentens Gods To whome the saide Elizabeth aunswered againe that they were set for remembraunce of good Saintes Then sayd she if I were in an house where no Images were I could remeÌber to pray vnto Saints as well as if I did see the Images Nay sayd the other Images do prouoke deuotion Then sayd her Maistresse ye shoulde not worship that thyng that hath cares and can not heare and hath eyes and can not see and hath mouth and can not speake and hath hands and can not feele Item the sayd M. Doly was reported by the sayd partie to haue a booke conteining the xij Articles of the Creede couered with boordes and red couering Also another blacke booke whiche she set most price by which booke she kept euer in her chamber or in her coffer with diuers other bookes And this was about y e yeare of our Lord 1520. Ex Registro Lincolne ¶ Note heere good reader in this tyme which was aboue 46. yeares ago what good matter heere was to accuse and molest good women for William Smith of Northstoke in Oxfordshire Thomas Ferrar. Roger Hachman At Northstoke in Oxfordshire An. 1525. Agaynste thys Roger Hachman it was layd by depositions brought in Rog. Hatchman accused that he sitting at the church Ale at Northstoke sayde these words I will neuer looke to be saued for no good deede that euer I did neither for any that euer I will doo without I may haue my saluation by petition as an outlawe shall haue his pardon of the King and said that if hee might not haue his saluation so he thought he shuld be lost Ex Regist. Lin. Doctour Wharton Chauncellor to Tonstall Bishop of London Roberte West priest of Saint Andrew vndershaft At London An. 1529. Agaynste this Roberte West Priest it was obiected that he had commended Martin Luther and thought that he had done well in many things Rob. West accused as in hauing wife and children c. Item for sayeng that where as the Doctors of the Church haue commanded Priestes to saye Mattens and Euensong they had no authoritie so to do for the whiche he was abiured and was enioyned penance Ex Regist. Lincol. Doctor Morgan Iohn Ryburne At Roshborough An. 1530. It was testified against Iohn Ryburne by his sister Elisabeth Ryburne being put to her othe that she comming to him vpon the Assumption euen fouÌd him at Supper with butter and egges Iohn Ryburne accused and beeyng bid to sit downe and eate with him she aunswered that it was no conuenient time theÌ to eate To whom he saide agayne that God neuer made suche fasting dayes but you quoth he are so farre in Limbo patrum that you can neuer turne agayne And in further communication wheÌ she sayd that she would go on pilgrimage to the holy crosse at Wendouer he said again that she did nought For there is neuer a step saide hee that you set in going on Pilgrimage but you go to the Diuell and you go to the Churche to woorship that the Prieste doth hold aboue his head which is but bread and if you cast it to the Mouse he will eate it and sayd that hee woulde neuer beleeue that the Priest hath power to make his Lord. Item it was testified by another sister named Alice Ryburne that she beyng with her brother in a close called Brimmers close heard him say these wordes That a time shall come that no eleuation shall be made A prophesy Whereunto she answering againe asked and what seruice shall wee haue then He sayd that seruice that we haue now Furthermore the sayd Iohn Ryburne was accused vpon these wordes saying that the seruice of the Church was nought because it was not in English Forsayde hee if wee had our Pater noster in English we would say it nine times against once now c. Ex Regist. Lincol. fol. 300. ¶ Note heere out of the records of the register that in this examination of Iohn Ryburne first his two sisters then his owne wife and at last hys owne father were called before Iohn Longland Byshop of Lincolne and compelled by his othe to depose against him Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne Richard Ryburne Iohn Eaton Cicilie his wyfe At Rosheborough An. 1530. Iohn Eaton and Cicilie hys wife of the parish of Spine Sister against brother wife agaânst husband Iohn Eaton and Cicilie his wife were detected by Richarde Ryburne that they were marked of certayne in the parish on the sonday then last past in the sacring tyme to holde downe their heads and would not looke vpon the Sacrament Item in the feast of exaltation of the holy crosse when the bels did ring solemnely betweene Mattens and high Masse for saieng in a butchers house what a clampering of bels is heere Item the sayde Iohn Ryburne was detected of Richard his father for saieng these wordes The priests do naught for they shoulde say their seruice in Englishe that euery man may knowe it Item for these wordes speaking to one of hys
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 recanteâh 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. LoÌd 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 obseruaÌde longe beatiorem me puto quòd ad tuae Paternitatis examinationem vocari me contigit Ea enim eruditione es ea vitae integâitate 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 reducâre 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 doceÌt 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 fateÌtur se Christum scire sed factis negant Denique hi sunt medici illi 1. Cor. 3. in quos mulier illa annis duodecim
vp chaffe Who shall graunt vnto vs the God shall say I haue looked downe and beholden the affliction of my people which is in Aegypt and haue heard theyr sighes and am come downe to deliuer them But whether hath thys zeale caryed me whether after knowledge or not I dare not say it perteyneth to you reuerent father to iudge thervpon Now you do looke y t I should shewe vnto you at large as you write how that they ought sincerely to preach to the better edefying hereafter of your flocke Here I coÌfesse I was afraide that you had spokeÌ in some derision vntill that I well perceiued that you had written it with your owne hand Then agayne I beganne to doubte for what intent Tonstall should require that of Bilney an old soldiour of a young beginner the cheife Pastor of London of a poore silly sheepe But for what intente so euer you did it I trust it was of a good minde And albeit that I am weake of bodie yet through the grace of Christ geuen vnto me I will attempt this matter although it doe farre passe my power vnder the which burden if I be oppressed yet I will not deceiue you for that I haue promised nothing but a prompte and readye will to do that which you haue commaunded As touching that pertayneth to y e preaching of the Gospell I would to God you would geue me leaue priuately to talke w t you that I mighte speake freely that which I haue learned in the holy Scriptures for the consolation of my conscieÌce which if you will so do I trust you shall not repent you All things shal be submitted vnto your iudgement Esay 42. who except I be vtterly deceaued will not breake the reede that is bruised and put out the flaxe that is smoking but rather if I shal be found in any error as in deed I am a man you as spirituall shal restore me thorough y e spirite of gentlenesse considering your selfe least that you also be tempted For euery Byshop which is taken from among men Hebr. 5. is ordayned for menne not violentlye to assaulte those which are ignoraunt and do erre for he hymselfe is compassed in with infirmitie that he beyng not voyde of euils should learn to haue compassion vpon other miserable people I desire you that you will remember me to morrowe that by your ayde I may be brought before the tribunall seate of my Lorde Cardinall before whome I had rather ââand then before any of his deputies Yours Thomas Bilney A letter of M. Bilney fruitfull and necessary for all Ministers to read MOst reuerent father salutations in Christ. You haue required me to write vnto you at large ãâ¦ã God preach their owne traditions Priestes of the Popes church âewe learned in the Scriptures Preachers in the popish tyme haue wâasted the Scriptures wherein men not preached as they ought how they should haue preached better This is a burdeÌ too heauy for my strength vnder y t which if I shall faint it belongeth to you which haue layd this burden vpon my shoulders to ease me therof As touching the first part they haue not preached as they ought which leauing the word of God haue taught theyr own traditioÌs of y e whiche sort there are not a few as it is very euideÌt in y t they do report those which preach y e worde of God sincerely to teach newe doctrine This is also no smal testimony therof y t in al England you shal scarse find one or two that are mightye in the Scriptures and what meruaile is it if al godly things do seeme newe vnto them vnto whom the Gospell is new and straunge being nousled in mens traditions now a long tyme Would to God these thinges were not true whiche I vtter vnto you but alas they are to true They haue also preached euill which either haue wrasted the scriptures themselues or haue rashly gathered theÌ out of olde rotten papers being wrasted by others And howe shoulde it bee but that they shoulde wrast them or els howe shuld they iudge them being falsly interpreted by others when as they haue not once read ouer the bible orderly Of this sort there is truely a very great number froÌ which number many great Rabines or maisters shal hardly excuse themselues whom the people haue hitherto reuerenced in stead of Gods And these are they whiche nowe serue theyr bellies Balaams Asieââ nât to be despysed âeâtyng forth Gods woâd ergo much lesse other ãâã 1. Cor. 1. seeking theyr owne glorye and not the true glory of God which might be set forth euen by Balaams Asse muche lesse then ought we to contemne such abiectes which preach the worde of God We haue sayth S. Paule âhis treasure in brickle vesselles that the glorye of the power might be of God and not of vs. God hath chosen the foolish thinges of the worlde to confounde the wise and the weake thinges God hath chosen to confound the mighty and vile things of the world and despised hath he chosen and things that are not to bring to nought thinges that are that no flesh shoulde glory in his sight But now all men in a maner will be wise therfore they are ashamed of the simple Gospel they are ashamed truely to say with Paule and to performe it in deede I brethren wheÌ I came vnto you 1. ãâ¦ã did not come with excellency of wordes or of wisedome preaching the testimony of Christ for I esteemed not my selfe to know any thing amongst you but onely Iesus Christ and him crucified O voyce of a true Euangelist But now we are ashamed of thys foolish preachyng by the which it hath pleased God to saue all those which beleue in him being puffed vp w t our own fleshly minde chuse rather proudly to walke in those thinges whiche we haue not seene preaching fables and lyes and not the lawe of God Psâl 18. which is vndefiled conuerting soules But how should they teach the law of God which they haue not once read in the bookes much lesse learned at the mouth of God But in a Pastor and a Byshop this is required ãâ¦ã of the ãâã of God in Prelate noted ãâã 3. Thou sonne of man sayth God lay vp in thy hart al my wordes which I do speake vnto thee c. And shortly after hee sayth Thou sonne of man I haue ordayned and geuen thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel I haue geuen thee sayth hee not comming in by ambition nor thrusting in thy selfe nor clyming in another way but I gaue thee when thou lookedst not for it that thou shouldest attend thereupon and geue warning from the toppe of the watch Tower if any enemies shoulde approche I haue geuen thee vnto the house of Israell and not the house of Israell vnto thee God gââeth to his ãâã and not hys floââe to pastâârs The ãâ¦ã sitteth ãâ¦ã The ãâ¦ã but ãâ¦ã that thou shouldest acknowledge
tuum Pasce gregem tuum vt cum venerit Dominus The wordes of Tho. Bilney to Doct. Warner inueniat te sic facientem That is Feede your flocke feede your flocke that when the Lord commeth he may finde you so doing and farewell good M. Doctour and pray for me and so he departed without any answere sobbing and weeping And while he thus stood vpon the ledge at the stake certayne Friers Doctours and Priors of theyr houses beyng there present as they were vncharitably and malitiously present at his examination and degradation The Fryers ãâã Bilny ãâã for them c. came to him and sayd O M. Bilney the people be perswaded that we be the causers of your death and that we haue procured the same and thereupon it is like that they will withdraw theyr charitable almes from vs al except you declare your charity towards vs and discharge vs of the matter Whervpon the sayd Tho. Bilney spake with a loud voyce to the people and sayd I pray you good people be neuer y e worse to these men for my sake as though they should be the authors of my death It was not they and so he ended Then the officers put reed and Fagots about hys body and set fire on the reed which made a very great flame which sparcled and deformed the visour of his face he holding vp his handes and knocking vpon his brest crying sometimes Iesus sometimes Credo Which flame was blowne away froÌ him by the violence of the winde which was that day 2. or 3. dayes before notable great in which it was sayd that the fieldes were maruellously plagued by the losse of corne and so for a litle pause The pacient death Martyrdome of M. Bilney he stoode without flame the flame departing recoursing thrise ere the wood tooke strength to be the sharper to consume him and theÌ he gaue vp the ghost and his body being withered âowed downeward vpon the chayne TheÌ one of the officers with his halbard smite out the staple in the stake behinde him suffered his body to fall into the bottome of the fire laying wood on it and so he was consumed Thus haue ye good readers the true history Martyrdome of this good man that is Saint Bilney of blessed Saint Bilney as M. Latimer doth call him without any recaÌtation testified and ratified by the authority abouesayd By the which authority and party being there present yet aliue it is furthermore constantly affirmed that Bilney not only did neuer recant but also that he neuer had any such bill or script or scrolle in his hand to read either softly or apertly as M. More per licentiaÌ Poeticam would beare vs downe M. Moââs false report refuted Wherfore euen as ye see M. More deale in this so ye may trust him in the residue of his other tales if ye will ¶ Mayster Stafford of Cambridge AS the death of this Godly Bilney did much good in Northfolke where he was burnt so his diligeÌt trauel M. Bilney the cheife ãâ¦ã Apostle of Cambridge in teaching and exhorting other and example of life correspondent to his doctrine left no small fruite behinde him in Cambridge beyng a great meanes of framing that Uniuersity drawing diuers vnto Christ. By reason of whoÌ and partly also of an other called M. Stafford the word of God begaÌ there most luckely to spread and many toward wittes to florish In the company of whom was M. Latimer D. Barnes D. Thistell of Penbroke hall M. Fooke of Benet Colledge and M. Soude of the same Colledge D. Warner aboue mentioned with diuers other moe This M. Stafford was then the publicke reader of the Diuinity lecture in that Uniuersity Who as he was an earnest professour of Christes Gospell so was he as diligeÌt a folower of that which he professed as by this exaÌple here folowing may appeare For as the plague was then sore in Cambridge The notable zeale of M. Stafforde in sauing a damnable Priest and amongest other a certaine Priest called Syr Henry Coniurer lay sore sicke of the sayd plague M. Stafford hearyng therof and seing the horrible daunger that his soule was in was so moued in conscience to helpe the dauÌgerous case of the Priest that he neglecting his owne bodely death to recouer the other from eternall damnatioÌ came vnto him exhorted and so labored him that he would not leaue him before he had conuerted him and saw his coniuring books burned before his face Which being done maister Stafford went home and immediatly sickened shortly after most christianly deceased Ex fideli testimonio D. Ridlei Edmund Episcoporum Lond. Concerning which M. Stafford this moreouer is to be noted how that M. Latimer being yet a feruent and a zealous Papist M. Latimer asketh M. Stafford forgeuenes standing in the Schooles when M. Stafford read bad the Scholers not to heare him and also preaching agaynst him exhorted the people not to beleue hym and yet the sayd Latimer confessed himselfe that he gaue thankes to God that he asked him forgeuenesse before hee departed And thus much by the way of good M. Stafford who for his constant and godly aduenture in such a cause may seeme not vnworthy to goe with blessed Bilney in the fellowship of holy and blessed Martyrs ¶ The story of M. Symon Fish BEfore the time of M. Bilney and the fall of the Cardinall M Symon Fishe author of the booke called the supplication of Beggars I should haue placed the story of SimoÌ Fish with the booke called the Supplication of Beggars declaring how and by what meanes it came to the kynges hand and what effect therof folowed after in the reformation of many thinges especially of the Clergy But the missing of a few yeares in this matter breaketh no great square in our story though it be now entred here which shold haue come in sixe yeares before The maner and circumstaunce of the matter is this After that the light of the gospell working mightely in Germany began to spread his beames here also in England great styrre alteration folowed in the harts of many so that colored hipocrisy and false doctrine paynted holynes began to be espyed more and more by the reading of Gods word The authority of the Bishop of Rome and y e glory of his Cardinals was not so high but such as had fresh wits sparcled with Gods grace began to espy Christ from Antichrist that is true sincerity from counterfait religion In the number of whom was the sayd M. Simon Fish a gentleman of Brayes Inne It happened the first yeare that this Gentleman came to LondoÌ to dwel which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525. that there was a certayne play or interlude made by one M. Roo of the same Inne gentlemaÌ in which play partly was matter agaynst the Cardinall Wolsey And where none durst take vpoÌ theÌ to play that part which
touched the sayd Cardinall thys foresayd M. Fish tooke vpon him to do it wherupon great displeasure ensued agaynst him vpon the Cardinals part In so much as he being pursued by the sayd Cardinall Ex certa relatione ãâ¦ã propriae ipsius coniugis the same night that this Tragedy was playd was compelled of force to voyd his owne house so fled ouer the Sea vnto Tindall vpon occasion wherof the next yeare folowing this booke was made being about the yeare .1527 and so not long after in the yeare as I suppose 1528. was sent ouer to the Lady Anne Buileyne who then lay at a place not farre from the Court. Which book her brother seing in her hand tooke it and read it gaue it her agayne willing her earnestly to geue it to the king which thing she so dyd This was as I gather about the yeare of our Lord. 1528. The booke of the supplication of beggars geueÌ to the king The king after he had receiued the booke demaunded of her who made it Wherunto she aunswered and said a certayne subiect of his one Fish who was fled out of the Realme for feare of the Cardinall After the king had kept the booke in his bosome 3. or 4. dayes as is credibly reported such knowledge was geuen by the kinges seruaunts to the wife of the sayd Simon Fish that she might boldely send for her husband without all perill or daunger Whervpon she therby being incouraged came first made sute to the king for the safe returne of her husband Who vnderstanding whose wife she was shewed a maruellous geÌtle chearefull countenance towardes her asking where her husband was She answered if it like your grace not farre of Then sayth he fetch him and he shall come and goe safe without perill no man shal do him harme saying moreouer that he had much wrong that he was from her so loÌg who had bene absent now the space of two yeares and a halfe In the which meane time the Cardinall was deposed as is aforeshewed and M. More set in his place of the Chauncellorship Thus Fishes wife being emboldened by the kinges words M. Fiâhe brought and gently entertayned of the king went immediatly to her husband being lately come ouer and lying priuily within a myle of the Courte and brought him to the king which appeareth to be about the yeare of our Lord 1530. When the king saw him and vnderstood he was the author of the booke he came and embraced him with louing countenance who after long talke for the space of 3. or 4. houres as they were riding together on hunting at length dimitted him and bad him take home his wife for she had takeÌ great paynes for him Who aunswered the king agayne and said he durst not so do for ââare of Syr Thomas More then Chauncellour Stoksley then Bishop of London This seemeth to be about the yeare of our Lord. 1530. The king taking his signet of his finger wylled hym to haue him recommended to the Lord Chauncellor M. Fishe rescued by the king charging him not to be so hardy to worke him any harme M. Fish receiuing the kinges signet went and declared hys message to the Lord Chauncellour who tooke it as sufficient for his owne discharge but he asked him if he had any thing for the discharge of his wife for she a litle before had by chaunce displeased the Friers for not suffering them to say theyr Gospels in Latine in her house as they did in others vnlesse they would say it in English Whereupon the Lord Chauncellor though he had discharged the man yet leauing not his grudge towardes the wife Syr Thomas More persecuteth M. Fishes wââe the next morning sent his man for her to appeare before him who had it not bene for her young daughter which then lay sicke of the plague had bene like to come to much trouble Of the which plague her husband the sayd M. Fish deceasing w t in halfe a yeare M. Fishe dyeth oâ the Plague she afterward maryed to one M. Iames Baynham Syr Alexander Baynhams sonne a worshypfull knight of glostershyre The which foresaid M. Iames Baynham not long after was burned as incontinently after in the processe of this story shall appeare And thus much concerning Symon Fishe the author of the booke of beggars The summe of the Scripture traââlated by M. Fyshe who also translated a booke called the Summe of the Scripture out of the Dutch Now commeth an other note of one Edmund Moddys the kinges footman touching the same matter This M. Moddys being with the king in talke of religion and of the new bookes that were come from beyond the seas sayd if it might please his grace to pardon hym such as he would bring to his grace M. Moddys the kinges âooâman he shoulde see such a booke as was maruell to heare of The king demaunded what they were He sayd two of your Marchauntes George Elyot George RobinsoÌ The king poynted a time to speake with them WheÌ they came afore his presence in a priuy closet he demauÌded what they had to say or to shew him One of theÌ said y t there was a book come to their hââs which they had there to shew his grace When he saw it he demaunded if any of them could read it Yea sayd George Elyot if it please your grace to heare it I thought so sayd the king for if need were thou canst say it without booke The whole booke being read out the king made a long pause then sayd if a man should pull downe an old stone wall and begin at the lower part the vpper part thereof might chaunce to fall vpon his head and then he tooke the book and âut it into his deske and commaunded them vpon theyr allegiance that they should not tell to any man that he had seene the booke c. The Copy of the foresayde booke intituled of the Beggars here ensueth ¶ A certaine Libell or booke intituled the Supplication of Beggars throwne and scattered at the procession in Westminster on Candlemas day before king Henry the 8. for him to read and peruse made compiled by M. Fish ¶ To the king our Soueraigne Lord. MOst lamentably coÌplayneth theyr wofull misery vnto your highnes A libell oââled the âââplication ãâã beggars your poore daily bedemen the wretched hydious monsters on whoÌ scarsely for horror any eye dare looke the soule vnhappy sort of lepers and other sore people needy impotent blind lame and sick that liue only by almes how that their nuÌber is dayly so sore increased that all the almes of all the well disposed people of this your realme is not halfe enough for to susteine them but that for very constraint they dye for hunger And this most pestilent mischiefe is come vpon your sayd poore bedemen by the reason y t there is in the times of your noble predecessors passed
sore impotent miserable people your bedemeÌ TheÌ shal as wel y e number of our foresayd monstrous sort as of the bandes whores theeues and idle people decrease Then shall these great yearely exactions cease Then shall not your sword power crown dignity obedience of your people be traÌslated from you TheÌ shall you haue full obedience of your people Then shall the idle people be set to worke Then shall matrimony be much better kept Then shall the generation of your people be encreased Then shall your commons encrease in riches TheÌ shall y e Gospell be preached Then shall none beg our almes froÌ vs. TheÌ shall we haue enough and more then shall suffice vs which shall be the best hospitall that euer was founded for vs. TheÌ shall we daily pray to God for your most noble estate loÌg to endure Against this booke of the Beggers aboue prefixed being written in the time of the Cardinall The supplicatâââ of Purgatorye made by Syr Thâ More against the ãâã of beggars another contrary booke or supplication was deuised and writteÌ shortly vpoÌ the same by one sir Thomas More knight Chauncellour of the Duchy of Lancaster vnder the name and title of the poore sely soules pewling out of Purgatory In the which booke after that the sayd M. More writer therof had fyrst deuided y e whole world into foure partes that is into heauen hell middle earth and purgatory then he maketh the dead mens soules by a Rhetoricall Prosopopoea to speake out of Purgatory pynfolde sometimes lamentably complayning sometimes pleasauntly dalying scoffing at the authour of the Beggers booke sometymes scoldyng and rayling at him calling him foole witlesse frantike an asse a goose a mad dog an hereticke all that nought is And no maruell if these sely soules of purgatory seme so fumish â testy For heat ye know is testy soon inflameth choler but yet these Purgatory soules must take good heed how they call a man a foole and hereticke so often For if the sentence of the Gospell doth pronounce theÌ guilty of hell fyre Math. 5. which say fatue foole it may be doubted lest those poore sely melancholy soules of Purgatory calling this man foole so oft as they haue done doe bring themselues therby out of purgatory fire to the fire of hel by y e iust senteÌce of the gospell so that neither the 5. woundes of S. Fraunces nor all the merites of S. Dominicke nor yet of all the Friers can release them poore wretches But yet for so much as I doe not nor cannot thinke that those departed soules eyther would so farre ouershoote themselues if they were in purgatory or els that there is any such fourth place of Purgatory at all vnlesse it be in M Mores Utopia as Mayster Mores Poeticall vayne doth imagine ãâã that is to say ãâ¦ã I cease therefore to burden the soules departed and lay all the witte in maister More the authour and contriuer of this Poeticall booke for not keeping Decorum personae as a perfect Poet should haue done They that geue preceptes of Arte do note this in all Poeticall fictions as a special obseruation to foresee and expresse what is conuenient for euery persoÌ according to his degree and condition to speake and vtter Wherefore if it be true that M. More sayth in the sequele of his booke that grace charity increaseth in theÌ that lye in the paynes of Purgatory then is it not agreable that such soules lying so long in Purgatory should so soon forget their charity and âall a rayling in theyr supplication so fumishly both against this man with such opprobrious vnââcting termes also agaynst Iohn Badby Richard Howndon Iohn Goose Lord Cobham and other Martirs of y e Lord burned for his word also agaynst Luther WilliaÌ Tindall Richard Hunne and other moe falsly belying the doctrine by them taught defended which is not like that such charitably soules of Purgatory would euer doe neither were it conuenient for them in that case which in deede though theyr doctrine were false shoulde redound to the more encrease of theyr payne Agayne where the B. of Rochester defineth the Aungels to be ministers to Purgatory soules some will thinke peraduenture M. More to haue missed some part of his Decorum in making the euill spirite of the author the deuill to be messenger betwene middle earth Purgatory in bringing tidinges to the prisoned soules both of the booke and of the name of the maker Now as touching the maner how this deuil came into Purgatory laughing grinning and gnashing his teeth M. Mores Anticâes in âothe it maketh me to laugh to see the merye Antiques of M. More Belike theÌ this was some mery deuil or els haâ eaten w t his teeth some Nasturcium before which commyng into Purgatory to shewe the name of this man Satan nasturciatur could not tell his tale without laughing But this was sayth he an ââmious and an enuious laughing ioyned with grinning and gnashing of teeth And immediatly vpoÌ the same was contriued this scoffing rayling supplication of the pewling soules of Purgatory as he himselfe doth terme them So then here was enmying enuying laughing grinning gnashing of teeth pewling scoffing rayling and begging and altogether to make a very black Sanctus in Purgatory In deed we read in Sâripture that there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell wher the soules and bodyes of men shal be tormented A Blacke SaÌctus in Purgatorye But who would euer haue thought before that the euill aungell of thys man y t made the booke of Beggers being a spirituall and no corporall substaunce had teeth to gnashe and a mouth to grinne But where then stood M. More I meruaile all this meane while to see the deuill laugh with hys mouth so wide that the soules of purgatory might see all his teeth Belike this was in Utopia where M. Mores Purgatory is founded but because M. More is hence departed I leaue him wyth hys mery Antiques The aunswere of Iohn Fryth agaynst M. Mores purgatorye And as touching his book of Purgatory which he hath left behynde because Iohn Frith hath learnedly and effectuously ouerthrowne the same I will therefore referre the reader to hym while I repayre again the Lord willing to the history After that the clergy of Englande and especially the Cardinall vnderstood these bookes of the beggers supplications foresayde to be strawne abroad in the streetes of London and also before the king the sayd Cardinall caused not onely his seruantes dilligently to attend to gather them vp that they shuld not come into the kynges hands but also when he vnderstood that the kyng has receaued one or two of them he came vnto the kings Maiestie saying If it shall please your grace here are diuers seditious persons which haue scattered abroad bookes contayning manifest errours and heresies desiring his grace to beware of them Wherupon the king putting his hand
the places or their Commissaries by indenture betweene them to be made within x. dayes after their arrest or sooner if it can be done thereof to be acquite or conuict by the lawes of holy church in case that those persons be not endicted of other thinges whereof the knowledge appeareth to the Iudges Officers secular In which case after they bee acquite and deliuered afore the Iustice seculare of those thinges pertayning to the Iudge seculare that they be conueyed in safegarde to ordinaries or their Commissaries and to them to be deliuered by Indentures as is abouesaid there to be acquite or conuicted of the said heresies errours and Lollordies as is abouesaide after the lawes of holy church Prouided that the Inditementes be not taken in euidence but for an information afore the Iudges spirytuall against such indicte but that the Ordinaries coÌmence 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 notwithstaÌding 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 haÌdling 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 diligeÌt 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 ãâ¦ã 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 Riâh Bayfââââ Monke ãâ¦ã of ãâã 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 ãâ¦ã 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 weÌt 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
brought before them After certeyne Articles being repeated vnto him the Byshoppe of London brought out before him a certeine booke called the wicked Mammon asking him whether the booke was of the same impression and making as was his booke that he had sold to others Who answered and sayd it was the same Whervpon the bishop of London asked him agayn whether the booke conteined the same errors or no. Who aunswered agayne saying I pray God that the condemnation of the Gospell and translation of the Testament be not to your shame and that ye be not in perill for it for the coÌdemnatioÌ of it and of the other is all one Further he said that he had studyed holy Scripture by the space of these 17. yeares and as he may see the spottes of his face through the glasse so in reading the new Testament he knoweth the faultes of his soule Further he was examined vpon certeine points and articles extracted out of the sayd booke of the wicked Mammon as foloweth Artiâles ãâ¦ã of ãâ¦ã His opinion of Antichrist Antichrist no outward thiâg but a spirituall thing FIrst that Antechrist is not an outward thing that is to say a man that should sodenly appere with wonders as your forefathers talked of him but Antechrist is a spirituall thing Whereunto he answered and sayd that he findeth no fault in it Agayne it was demaunded of him touchyng the article whether fayth onely iustifieth a man To thys he sayd that if he should looke to deserue heauen by works he should do wickedly for workes folow fayth and Christ redemed vs all with the merites of his passion That the deuil holdeth our harts so hard that it is impossible for vs to consent to Gods law To that he answered that he findeth no fault in it No man iustified by merites That the law of God suffereth no merites neither any man to be iustified in the sight of God To that he aunswered that it is playne enough considering what the law is and he sayth that he findeth no ill in it The lawe reqâireth thiâges vnpossible That the law of God requireth of vs thinges impossible To that he answered that the law of God doth commaund that thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy neyghbors as thy selfe which neuer man could doe and in that he doth finde no fault in his conscience That as the good tree bringeth forth fruite No lawe to the iust man so there is no law put to him that beleueth is iustified throgh faith To that he aunswered and sayd he findeth no ill in it All good workes must be done without respect of any thing or any profite to be had thereof To that he aunswered it is truth Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen To that he aunswered that the text is true as it lyeth and findeth no fault in it The Saintes be frendes how to whom Peter and Paule and Saynts that be dead are not our frendes but theyr frendes whom they did helpe when they were aliue To that he sayd he findeth no ill in it Almes deserueth no reward of God To that he answered that the text of the booke is true The deuill not cast out by mans merites The deuill is not cast out by merits of fasting or prayer To that he answered thinking it good enough We can not loue except we see some benefite and kindnes as long as we liue vnder the law of God only The lawe worketh not in vs the loue of god where we see but sinne and damnation and the wrath of God vp on vs yea where we were damned afore we were borne We caÌnot loue God nor can not but hate him as a tyrant vnrighteous vniust and flee from him as did Cain Man by nature is condemned To that he answereth and thinketh it good playne enough We are damned by nature as a tode is a tode by nature and a Serpent is a Serpent by nature To that he answered it to be true as it is in the booke Item as concerning the article of fasting He meaneth by communicatiân not by vendicâtion and yet this pointe seemeth to be falsely gathered To that hee answered and sayd the booke declareth it selfe Euery one man is a Lord of whatsoeuer another man hath To that he answered what lawe canne be better then that for it is playnely ment there Loue in Christ putteth no difference betwixte one and another To that he aunswered and sayde it is playne enough of it selfe As concerning the preaching of the word of God and washing of dishes there is no difference as coÌcerning saluation and as touchinge the pleasing of God To that hee aunswered saying it is a playne text and as for pleasing of God it is all one That the Iewes of good intent and zeale put Christ to death To that he aunswered that it is true For if they had knowen the lord of glory they would not haue crucyfied him and the text is playne enough The sectes of S. Fraunces S. Dominicke and others be damnable To that he answered and sayd S. Paule repugneth agaynst them Loe here is no scripture broug to reueale these opynions but onely authoritye to oppresse them Which articles being so abiected answere made vnto them by Iohn Tewkesbery the sayd Bishop of London asked him whether hee woulde continue in his heresyes and errors aboue rehearsed or renouÌce and forsake them Who answered thus I pray you reforme your selfe and if there be any error in the booke let it be reformed I thinke the booke be good enough Further the Bishop exhorted him to recant his errors To the which the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery aunswered as is aboue written to witte I pray you reforme your selfe and if there be any error in the booke let it be reformed I thinke it be good enough Which thing being done the bishop appoynted him to determine better with himselfe agaynst the morow in the presence of M. Iohn Cox Uicar generall to the Archbishop of Caunterbury M. Balfride Warton Rouland Philips Wiliam Philow and Robert Ridley professors of diuinity The 13. day of Aprill An other appearaÌce of Iohn Tewkesbery in the yeare of our Lorde abouesayde in the Chappel within the Pallace of LondoÌ before Cutbert bishop of LondoÌ with his assistance Nicolas byshop of Elye c. Tewkesbery agayne appeared and was examined vpon the articles drawen out of the book called the wicked Mammon as foloweth First Christ is thine and all his deedes be thy deedes Christ is in thee and thou so knit in him inseperably neyther canst thou be damned except Christ be damned wyth thee neither caÌst thou be saued except Christ be saued with thee To this he answered that he found no fault in it Item we desire one an other to pray for vs. That done We are not saued by other mens prayers we must put our neighbour in remembraunce of his duty and that we
trust not in his holynesse To this he aunswered take ye it as ye will I will take it well enough Item Almes whom and how farre it profiteth now seest thou what almes meaneth and wherfore it serueth He that seeketh with his almes more then to be mercifull to be a neighbour to succour his brothers need to do his duty to his brother to geue his brother that he ought him the same is blind seeth not Christes bloud Here he answereth God to be serued and worshipped onely as he commaundeth otherwise not that he findeth no fault throughout all the booke but all the booke is good and it hath geuen him great comfort and light to his conscience Item that ye do nothing to please God but that he coÌmaunded To that he answereth and thinketh it good by his truth Item so God is honored on all sides in that we couÌt him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces And to worship him otherwise then so it is Idolatry To that he answered that it pleaseth him well The examination of these Articles being done the Bishop of London did exhort the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery to recant his errors abouesayde and after some other coÌmunication had by the Bishop with him the sayd Bishop did exhort him again to recant his errors and appoynted him to determine with himselfe against the next Session what he would do Iohn Tewkesbery submitteth himselfe IN this next Session he submitted himselfe and abiured his opinions and was enioyned penaunce as foloweth which was the 8. of May. In primis that he should keepe well his abiuration vnder payne of relaps Secondly that the next Sonday folowing in Paules Church in the open procession he should cary a Fagot and stand at Paules Crosse with the same That the Wednesday folowing he should cary the same Fagot about Newgate market and Chepeside That on Friday after he should take the same fagot agayne at S. Peters church in Cornehill and cary it about the market of Ledenhall That he should haue 2. signes of Fagots embrothered one on his left sleue the other on his right sleue which he should weare all his life time vnles he were otherwise dispensed withall That on Whitsonday eueÌ he should enter into the Monastery of S. Bartholomew in Smithfield and there to abide and not to come out vnles he were released by the bishop of London That he should not depart out of y e city or dioces of London without the speciall licence of the B. or his successors Which penance he entred into the 8 day of May. an 1229. And thus much concerning his first examinatioÌ which was in the yeare .1529 at what time he was inforced thorow infirmitye as is before expressed to retract and abiure his doctrine Tewkesbery returned againe to the truth NotwithstaÌding the same Iohn Tewkesbery afterward coÌfirmed by the grace of God and moued by y e example of Bayfild aforesayd that was burned in smithfield did returne and constantly abide in the testimonye of the truth and suffered for the same Who recouering more grace better strength at the hand of the Lord two yeares after being apprehended agayne was brought before Syr Thomas More and the Bishop of LondoÌ where certaine Articles were obiected to him the chiefe wherof we inteÌd briefly to recite for the matter is prolixe In primis that he confesseth that he was baptised and intendeth to keepe the Catholicke fayth Articles agayne obiected to Tewkesbery Secondly that he affirmeth that the abiuration othe subscription that he made before Cutbert late Byshop of London was done by compulsion Thirdlye that he had the bookes of the obedience of a Christian man and of the wicked Mammon in his custody and hath read them since his abiuration Fourthly that he affirmeth that he suffered the two fagots that were embrothered vpon his sleue to be taken froÌ him for that he deserued not to weare them Fiftly he sayth that fayth onely iustifieth which lacketh not charity Sixtly he sayth that Christ is a sufficient Mediator for vs therfore no prayer is to be made vnto any Sayntes Wherupon they layd vnto him this verse of the Antheme Salue Regina aduocata nostra c. To the which he aunswered that he knew no other Aduocate but Christ alone Seuenthly he affirmeth that there is no Purgatory after this life Christ is our Purgatorye but that Christ our Sauior is a sufficient purgation for vs. Eightly he affirmeth that the soules of the faythful departing this life rest with Christ. Ninthly he affirmeth y t a priest by receiuing of orders receiueth more grace if his fayth be increased or els not Tenthly and last of all he beleueth that the sacrament of the flesh bloud of Christ is not the very body of Christ in flesh bloud as it was borne of y e virgin Mary Whervpon the Byshops Chauncellor asked the sayd Tewkesbery if he could shew any cause why he should not be takeÌ for an hereticke falling into his heresy agayne and receiue the punishment of an hereticke Wherunto he aunswered that he had wrong before and if he be condemned now he reckoneth that he hath wrong agayne Then the ChauÌcellor caused the articles to be read opeÌly with the aunsweres vnto the same the which the sayde Tewkesbery confessed therupon the Bishop pronounced sentence agaynst him deliuered him vnto the Shyriffes of LondoÌ for y e time being who were Rich. GreshaÌ Edward Altam who burned him in Smithfield vpoÌ S. Thomas euen being the 20. of DeceÌber in the yeare aforesayd the tenor of whose sentence pronounced agaynst hym by the Bishop doth here ensue word for word IN the name of God Amen The deseruinges and circuÌstances of a certein cause of hereticall prauity falling again thereunto by thee Iohn Tewkesbery of the Parish of S. Michaels in the Querne of the City of LondoÌ of our iurisdiction appearing before vs sitting in iudgement being heard seene vnderstand fully discussed by vs Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of LondoÌ because we do find by inquisitions manifestly enough that thou didst abiure freely voluntarily before Cutbert late Bishop of LondoÌ thy ordinary diuers sundry heresies errors damnable opinions contrary to y e determination of our mother holy church as well speciall as generall that since and beside thy foresaid abiuration thou art agayne fallen into y e same damnable heresies opinioÌs errors which is greatly to be lameÌted the same doest hold affirme beleue we therfore Iohn the Bishop aforesayd the name of God first being called vpon the same only God set before our eyes with the couÌsell of learned men assisting vs in this behalfe with whoÌ in this cause we haue coÌmunicated of our definitiue sentence finall decree in this behalfe to be done do inteÌd to proceed do proceed in this maner Because as it is aforesayd we do finde thee
was demauÌded further for what cause holy Scripture hath bene better declared within these 6. yeares then it hath bene these 800. yeares before Aunswere Wherunto he answered To say playnly he knew no maÌ to haue preached the word of God sincerely purely The truth of the Scripture longe hyd and after the vayne of Scripture except M. Crome and M. Latimer and sayd moreouer that the new Testament now translated into Englishe doth preach and teach the word of God that before that time men did preach but onely that folkes should beleue as the churche did beleue and then if the Church erred men should erre to Howbeit the church sayd he Two Churches of Christ can not erre that there were 2. Churches that is the Church of Christ militant and the Church of Antechrist and that this church of Antechrist may doth erre but the Church of Christ doth not 7. Seuenthly whether he knew any person that dyed in the true fayth of Christ since the Apostles time Aunswere He sayd He knew Bayfild and thought that he dyed in the true fayth of Christ. Aunswere 8. Eightly he was asked what he thought of Purgatory and of vowes He aunswered If any such thing had bene moued to Saynct Paule of Purgatory after this life Purgatorye he thought S. Paule would haue condemnede it for an heresy And when hee heard M. Crome preach and say Crome belyke was now slipte froÌ that he had before taughte that he thought there was a Purgatory after this life he thought in his minde that the sayd M. Crome lyed spake against his conscience and that there was a hundreth moe which thought the same as he did saying moreouer that he had seene the confession of M. Crome in print God wot a very foolish thing as he iudged And as concerning vowes he graunted that there was lawfull vowes as Ananias vowed Act. 5. for it was in his owne power Vowes whether he woulde haue solde his possession or not therefore he did offend But vowes of chastity and all godlynesse is geuen of God by his aboundant grace the which no man of himself can keep but it must be geueÌ him of God And therfore a Monke Frier or Nunne that haue vowed the vowes of Religion if they thinke after theyr vowes made that they can not keep theyr promises that they made at Baptisme they may go forth and mary so that they keepe after theyr mariage the promise that they made at Baptisme And finally he concluded that he thought there were no other vowes but onely the vow of Baptisme 9. Ninthly he was demaunded whether Luther beyng a Frier taking a Nunne out of religion afterward marying her Aunswere did well or no and what he thought therein He aunswered That he thought nothing And when they asked him whether it was lechery or no. He made aunswere he could not say so As concerning the Sacrament of anneling being willed to say his minde Aunswere Extreme vnctioÌ He aunswered sayd It was but a ceremony neither dyd he wotte what a man should be the better for such an oyling and annoynting The best was that some good prayers he saw to bee sayd thereat Aunswere Likewise touching the Sacrament of Baptisme hys wordes were these That as many as repent and do on them Christ shal be saued that is as many as die concerning sinne shall liue by fayth wyth Christ. The sacrament of Baptisme Therefore it is not we that liue after that but Christ in vs. And so whether we liue or dye we are Gods by adoption not by the water onely but by water and fayth that is by keping the promise made For ye are kept by grace and fayth sayth S. Paule that not of your selfe for it is the gift of God He was asked moreouer of matrimony whether it was a Sacrament or not and whether it conferreth grace being commaunded in the old law and not yet taken away His answere was that Matrimony is an order or law that the Church of Christ hath made Aunswere and ordeined by the which menne may take to them women and sinne not Matâimonye Lastly for his bookes of scripture for his iudgemeÌt of Tindall because he was vrged to coÌfesse the troth he sayd That he had the new Testament translated into the English touÌg by Tindall Aunswere Reading of within this moneth and thought he offeÌded not God in vsing and keeping the same notwithstanding that he knewe the kinges proclamation to the contrary and that it was prohibited in the name of the Church at Paules crosse But for all that hee thought the word of God had not forbid it confessing moreouer that he had in his keeping within this moneth these bookes the wicked Mammon the obedience of a Christen man the practise of Prelates the aunswere of Tindall to Tho. Mores Dialogue the booke of Frith agaynst Purgatory the Epistle of George Gee aliâs George Clerke adding furthermore that in all these bookes he neuer saw any errors And if there were any such in them then if they were corrected it were good that the people had the sayde bookes bookeâ forbiddeÌ And as concerning the newe Testament in Englishe he thought it vtterly good and that the people should haue it as it is· Neither did he euer know sayde he that Tindall was a noughtye felow And to these answeres he subscribed his name This examination as is sayd was the 15. day of December The next day folowing which was the 16. day of December the sayd Iames Bainham appeared agayn before the Bishop of London in the foresayd place of Syr Thomas More at Chelsey M. BaynhaÌ submitteth himself where after the guise and forme of theyr proceedinges first his former Articles with his aunsweres were agayn repeated and his hand brought forth Which done they asked him whether he would persiste in that which he had said or els would returne to the Catholicke Church from whence he was fallen and to the which he might be yet receiued as they said adding moreouer many fayre intising alluring wordes that he would reconcile himself saying the time was yet that he might be receiued the bosome of his mother was open for him Otherwise if he would continue stubbern there was no remedy Now was the time either to saue or els vtterly to cast himselfe away Which of these wayes he would take the case present now required a present aunswere for else the sentence definitiue was there ready to be read c. To conclude loÌg matter in few words BainhaÌ wauering in a doubtfull perplexity betwene life on y e one hand Ex Regiâ Lond. death on y e other at leÌgth geuing ouer to the aduersaries gaue answere vnto theÌ that he was coÌteÌted to submit himself in those things wherin he had offeÌded excusing that he was deceiued by ignoraÌce TheÌ y e bishop requiring him to
to learne howe to make their confession with a contrite hart vnto God and how to hope for forgeuensse and also in what maner they should aske forgeuenes of their neighbor whom they haue offended c. Item for sayeng that Luther was a good man A welspring where Wickliffs bones were burned Item that he reported through the credence and report of M. Patmore Parson of Hadham y t where Wickliffes bones were brent sprang vp a well or welspring Ioh. Haymond Milwright 1531. His Articles For speaking and holding against pilgrimage and images and against prescribed fasting dayes That Priests and religious men notwithstanding their vowes made may lawfully forsake their vowes and mary Item for hauing bookes of Luther and Tyndall Rob. Lamb a Harper 1531. Hys Article for that he standing accursed two yeares together and not fearing y e censures of the Popes church went about with a song in the coÌmendation of Martine Luther Against kneling to the crosse Ioh. Hewes Draper 1531. Hys Articles For speaking against Purgatory and Thomas Becket Item at the towne of Farnsham he seeing Edward Frensham kneeling in the street to a crosse caried before a corse asked to whome he kneeled He sayd to his maker Much Baudery in Pilgrymage Thou art a foole said he it is not thy maker it is but a peece of copper or wood c. Item for these words Maisters ye vse to go on pilgrimage it were better first that yee looke vpon youre poore neighbours which lacke succour c. Also for sayeng that he heard the Uicar of Croidon thus preache openly That there is as much bawdry kept by going in Pilgrimage to Wilsedone or Mousswell as in the stewes side c. Tho. Patmore Draper 1531. This Patmore was brother to mayster Patmore Parson of Hadham who was prisoned in the Lollards tower for marying a Priest and in the same prison continued three yeare This Patmore was accused by diuers witnesses vpon these Articles That he had as lene pray to yonder hunter pointing to a maÌ painted there in a stayned cloth for a peece of flesh as to pray to stockes that stand in walles meaning Images Item that men should not praye to Saints but to God only for why shuld we pray to Saints said he they are but blockes and stockes The truth of Scripture a long time kepte from vs. Item that the truth of Scripture hath bene kept from vs a long time and hath not appeared till nowe Item comming by a tree wherein stoode an image he tooke away the waxe which hanged there offered Item that he regarded not the place whether it was halowed or no where he should be buryed after he was dead Also in talke with the Curate of S. Peters he defended that Priests might mary  This Patmore had long hold wyth the Byshop of London First he would not sweare infamia noÌ praecedente Then he would appeale to the King but all would not serue He was so wrapt in the Byshops nets that he could not get out but at last he was forced to abiure and fined to the King an C. pound A note Note in the communication betwene this Patmore and the priest of S. Peters that where as the priest obiected against him as is in y e register that priests haue liued vnmaried The Papists say falsely that priestes haue bene vnmaried these 1500. yeares without wiues these 1500. yeres in the Church he all other such priestes therin say falsly and deceiue the people as by story is proued in this volume that priests here in England had wiues by the law within these 500. yeres lesse Simon Smith maister of Arte of Gunwell hall in CaÌbridge and Benore his wife 1531. This Simon Smith and Benoro his wife were the parties whome M. Patmore Parson of Hadham aboue mentioned did mary was condemned for the same to perpetuall prison For the which mariage both the sayde Simon and Benore his wife were called to examination before the Byshop and hee caused to make the whole discourse of all his doings how where he maried Then after his mariage how long he taried whether he wente beyond Sea where he was and wyth whome After his returne whether he resorted how he liued what mercery ware he occupied what fayres he frequented where he left his wyfe how he caried her ouer and brought her home agayne and how she was founde c. All this they made him confesse put it in their register And though they coulde fasten no other crime of heresie vpon him but onely his mariage yet calling both him and her being greate with child to examination they caused them both to abiure suffer penaunce Tho. Patmore Patson of Hadham 1531. This Thomas Patmore being learned and godly was preferred to the Parsonage of Hadham in Hertfordshire by Richard Fitz Iames Byshop of London and there continued instructing and teaching his flocke during the time of the sayde Fitz Iames and also of Tunstall his successor by the space of sixteene yeares or more behauing himselfe in life and conuersation without any publike blame or reproch vntil that Iohn Stokesley was preferred vnto the sayd Byshopricke Who Priestes mariage not very long after his enstalling either for malice not greatly lyking of the said Patmore or else desirous to preferre some other vnto the benefice as it is supposed and alleaged by his brethren in sundry supplications exhibited vnto the King as also vnto Queene Anne then Marchionesse of Pembroke caused him to be attached and brought before him and then keepyng him prisoner in his owne Pallace a certayne tyme afterwardes committed hym to Lollards tower where hee kepte him most extreamely aboue two yeares without fire or candle or any other reliefe but such as his frends sent him not suffering any of them notwithstanding to come vnto him no not in his sicknes Howbeit sundry times in the meane while he called him iudicially eyther before himselfe or else his vicare generall Foxford that great persecutor charging him with these sundry Articles viz. as first whether he had bene at Wittenberge 2. and had seene or talked with Luther 3. or with any english man abiding there 4. who went with hym or attended vpon him thether 5. also what bookes he bought there either Lattin or English 6. and whether he had read or studied any workes of Luther Oecolampadius Pomeran or Melancton Besides these he ministred also other Articles vnto him touching the mariage of Maister Symon Smith before mentioned wyth one Ioane Bennore charging hym that he both knewe of and also consented vnto theyr mariage the one being a Priest and his Curate and the other hys maydeseruant and that he had perswaded hys sayde maydeseruant to marry with hys sayde Curate alleadging vnto her that though it were not lawfull in Englande for Priestes to marry yet it was in other Countreys beyonde Seas And that after theyr sayd marriage he knowing the same did yet
tooke what stirre hee kept and what practises hee wrought wyth Cardinall Poole to stirre vp other natioÌs to warre against vs what difficultie also there was w t the Emperor with the French king and with the king of Scottes about the matter and what labour was vsed on the kings parte to concile these Princes for hys owne indemnitie to keepe him from their warres and inuasions and especially to obtein the Popes approbation and to auoide his censures of excommunication and finally what despitefull iniuries open wrongs the Pope wrought against hym vpon the which Pope the king had bestowed so much money and great treasors before all this likewise by the premisses may appeare Wherefore to end now with these and to go forwarde in our storie as the order and computation of yeares doe giue we haue now consequently to enter into the storie of the good Martyr of God William Tindal being this present yeare falsly betraied and put to death Whych William Tyndall as he was a speciall organe of the Lord appoynted and as Gods mattock to shake the inward rootes and foundation of the Popes proud prelacie so the great prince of darknes with his impious impes hauing a special malice against him left no way vnsought how craftely to entrap him and falsly to betray him maliciously to spil his life as by the proces of his story here folowing may apear ¶ The life and storie of the true seruaunt and Martyr of God William Tyndall Who for his notable paines and trauell maye well be called the Apostle of England in this our latter age WIlliam Tindall the faithfull Minister and constant Martyr of Christ W. Tindall Martyr was borne about the borders of Wales and brought vp from a childe in the Uniuersitie of Oxforde Anno 1536. where he by long continuance grewe vp and increased as well in the knowledge of tounges and other liberall Artes as especially in the knowledge of the Scriptures The first taste of gods truth in Magdalen Coâledge by the meanes of M. âindall wherunto his mind was singularly addicted In so much that hee lying then in Magdalene Hall read priuely to certaine students and felowes of Magdalen Colledge some parcell of Diuinitie instructinge them in the knowledge and truth of the Scriptures Whose maners also and conuersation being correspondent to the same were suche that all they which knewe him reputed and esteemed hym to be a manne of most vertuous disposition and of life vnspotted Thus he in the Uniuersitie of Oxforde increasing more and more in learning and proceeding in degrees of the schooles spying his time remoued from thence to the Uniuersitie of Cambridge where after hee had likewyse made his aboade a certaine space being nowe further ripened in the knowledge of Gods worde leauing that Uniuersitie also he resorted to one M. Welche a Knight of Glocestershire and was there Scholemaister to his children and in good fauour with his master This Gentleman as he kept a good ordinarie commoÌly at his table ther resorted to him many times sondry Abbots Deanes Archdeacons wyth other diuers Doctors and great beneficed men who there together with M. Tindall sitting at the same table did vse many times to enter communication and talke of learned men as of Luther and of Erasmus Also of diuers other controuersies and questions vpon the Scripture Then maister Tindall Tindall dispâting with the Doctours as hee was learned and well practised in Gods matters so he spared not to shewe vnto them simply and plainely hys iudgement in matters as hee thought and when as they at any time did varie from Tyndal in opinions and iudgement he would shew them in the booke and lay plainly before them the open and manifest places of the Scriptures to confute their errors and to confirme his sayings And thus coÌtinued they for a certaine season reasoning and conteÌding together diuers and sondry times till at lengthe they waxed weary and bare a secrete grudge in their hearts against him Not longe after thys it happened that certaine of these great Doctours had inuited M. Welche and his wife to a banket where they had talke at wil and pleasure vttering their blindnesse and ignoraunce without any resistance or gainesaying Then M. Welche and his wife commynge home and calling for M. Tyndall began to reason w t him about those matters whereof the Priestes had talked before at their banket M. Tyndall answering by scriptures maintained the truthe and reproued their false opinions Then sayde the Ladye Welche a stoute and a wise woman as Tyndall reported Well sayd shee there was suche a Doctour which may dispend a C.li. and an other CC.li. an other CCC.li and what were it reason think you Tindall instructeth M. Welch and his wyfe in the truth that we should beleue you before them Maister Tindall gaue her no answere at that time nor also after that because hee sawe it would not auaile he talked but little in those matters At that time hee was about the translation of a booke called Enchiridion militâs Christiani which being translated he deliuered to his maister and Ladie Who after they had read well perused the same Enchiridion a booke of Erasmus translated by Tindall the Doctorly Prelates were no more so often called to the house neyther had they the cheare countenance when they came as before they had Which thyng they marking and well perceiuing and supposing no lesse but it came by the meanes of M. Tyndall refrained them selues and at last vtterly withdrew themselues and came no more there As thys grewe on the Priestes of the Countrey clustring together The priestes stârme agaynst Tindall began to grudge and storme against Tindall railing againste him in Alehouses and other places Of whome Tyndall him selfe in his Prologue before the first booke of Moses this testifieth in his own words and reporteth that he suffred much in that countrey by a sort of vnlearned Priestes being full rude and ignoraunt sayeth hee God knoweth which haue seene no more Latine then that onely which they read in their Portesses Missalles whyche yet many of them can scarsely reade excepte it be Albertus de secretis mulierum The rudenes of the countrey priestes in which yet thoughe they be neuer so sorily learned they pore day and night and make notes therein and all to teache the midwiues as they say and also an other called Lynwood a booke of constitutions to gather tythes mortuaries offerings customes and other pillage which they call not theirs but Gods part the duetie of holy Church to discharge theyr consciences withall For they are bound that they shal not diminish but encrease all things vnto y e vttermost of theyr powers which pertaine to holy church Thus these blind rude Priestes flocking together to the Alehouse for that was their preaching place raged and raiâed againste him affirming that his sayings were heresie Tindal troubled by the priests of the
also conferring with Iohn Frith The causeâ mouing Tindall to translate the Scripture into the Englishe tongue thought wyth him selfe no way more to conduce therunto then if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar speach that the poore people might also reade and see the simple plaine woord of God For first hee wisely casting in hys minde perceiued by experience how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any truth except the Scripture were so plainly layde before theyr eyes in theyr mother tongue that they myght see the processe order and meaning of the text For els what so euer truth shuld be taught them these enemies of the truth would quenche it againe either wyth apparant reasons of Sophistrie and traditions of their own making founded without all ground of Scripture either els iuggling with the text expouÌding it in such a sense as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order meaning thereof were seene Againe right wel he perceiued and considered this only or most chiefly to be y e cause of all mischief in the church Hiding of Scripture the cause of mischiefe that the Scriptures of God were hidden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doings and idolatries maintained by the Pharisaicall Clergie could not be espied and therefore al theyr labour was wyth might maine to keepe it downe so that eyther it should not be red at all or if it were they would darken the right sense with y e misâ of theyr Sophistrie and so entangle them whych rebuked or despised theyr abhominations wyth arguments of philosophie and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedom and with wresting the scripturâ vnto their owne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meanyng of the texte woulde so delude them in descanting vppon it with Allegories and amaze them expounding it in many senses layed before the vnlearned lay people that though thou felt in thy hart were sure that all were false that they said yet couldest not thou solue their subtle ridles For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubt styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue The newe testament and the 5. bookes of Moyses translated with Tindalls prologues for the publicke vtility and profit of the simple vulgar people of the country first setting in hand with the newe Testament whiche he first translated about the yeare of our Lord 1527. After that he tooke in hand to translate the olde Testament finishing the fiue bookes of Moyses with sondry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before euery one most worthy to be read and read againe of all good Christians as the lyke also he did vpon the new Testament Hee wrote also diuers other woorkes vnder sundry titles among the which is that most worthy monument of his intituled The obedience of a Christian man wherin with singulare dexteritie he instructeth all men in the office and duetie of Christian obedience wyth diuers other treatises as The wicked Mammon The practise of Prelates wyth expositions vppon certaine partes of the Scripture and other Bookes also aunswearing to Syr Thom. More and other aduersaries of the truthe no lesse delectable then also most fruitfull to be read which partly before beyng vnknowen vnto many partly also being almost abolished and worne out by time the Printer heereof good Reader for conseruing and restoring such singulare treasures hath collected and set foorth in Print the same in one generall volume all and whole together as also the woorkes of Iohn Frith Barnes and other as are to be seene most special and profitable for thy reading These bookes of W. Tyndal being compiled published sent ouer into England it cannot be spoken what a dore of light they opened to the eies of the whole English nation which before were many yeres shut vp in darkenesse At his first departing out of y e realme he toke his iorny into y e further parts of Germany as into Saxony Tindal weââ into Saxony where he had conference w t Luther and other learned meÌ in those quarters Where after y t he had continued a certen season he came down from thence into the netherlands Tindal came to Antwerpe had his most abiding in the town of Antwerp vntil y e time of hys appreheÌsioÌ wherof more shal be said god willing hereafter Amongst his other bokes which he compiled one work he made also for the declaration of the sacrament as it was then called of the alter the which he kept by him considering how the people were not as yet fully persuaded in other matters tending to superstitious ceremonies grose idolatry Wherefore he thought as yet time was not come to put forth that work but rather that it should hinder the people from other instructions supposing that it woulde seeme to them odious to heare any such thing spoken or set foorth at that time sounding againste their great Goddesse Diana that is againste their Masse being had euery where in great estimation as was the Goddesse Diana amongest the Ephesians whom they thought to come from heauen Wherfore M. Tindall being a man both prudent in his doings and no lesse zealous in the setting foorth of Gods holy truth Tindal bearing with âyme after such sort as it might take most effect wyth the people did forbeare the putting forth of that work not doubting but by Gods mercifull grace a time shuld come to haue that abhomination openly declared as it is at this present day the Lorde almighty be alwaies praised therefore Amen These godly bookes of Tindall and specially the newe Testament of his translation after that they begaÌ to come into mens handes and to spread abroad as they wroughte great and singuler profite to the godly Darckenes hateth light so the vngodly enuying and disdaining that the people should be any thing wiser then they againe fearing least by the shining beames of truth their false hypocrisie workes of darkenesse should be discerned began to stirre with no small ado like as at the birth of Christ Herode al Ierusalem was troubled with him Sathan an enemye to all good purposes especially to the Gospell But especially Sathan the prince of darkenes maligning y e happy course and successe of the Gospel set to his might also how to empeache and hinder y e blessed trauailes of that man as by this and also by sondry other wayes may appeare For at what time Tindall had translated the fift booke of Moises called Deuteronomium minding to Printe the same at Hamborough hee sailed thereward where by the way vpon the coast of Holland he suffred shipwracke by the which he loste all his bookes wrytings and copies and so was compelled to begin al againe a new to his hinderaÌce and doubling of his labors Thus hauing lost by that ship both money his copies and time he
suspect of me amisse and euill report of me Seing moreouer it is sayd in the Gospell Vae vobis cum laudauerint vos omnes homines c. Woe be to you when all men speak well of you Luke 6. Prayse of the worlde not to be regarded for so did theyr fathers to the false prophets If therfore at any season such infamy was put vpon me I am glad that I haue so litle regarded the same that now I haue forgotteÌ it And though I did remember any such yet were I more then twise a foole to shew you thereof for it is written in your owne law Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum No man bound to bewray himselfe No man is bound to bewray himselfe But this I ensure you I was neuer so charged with suspition or infamy of this crime that I was therefore at any tyme conuented and reproued afore any iudge afore that I was troubled for these causes for which I was at the first put into your handes and of them seing you could not prooue me faulty I wonder why you would neuer yet pronouÌce me quite and innocent according as I haue euen lowely desired of you and required full instantly the same But letting those passe you haue imagined new matters to charge me with wherein I thinke certaynely that you coulde no more haue proued me culpable theÌ you did in the first that is to wytt no whit culpable in neither had it not bene that by long imprisonment you enforced me to tell what I thought in them which I haue and will freely do and that indifferently considered I suppose shall not deserue anye sore punishment vnlesse you will beare the truth wherevnto I hope it shall not disagree ¶ To your second demaund Answere to the second Article where you do inquire whether euer I had any of Luthers bookes and namely sith they wer coÌdemned and how long I kept them and whether euer I haue spent any study in theÌ I say that in deade I haue had of them and that both before they were condeÌned also sith but I neither will ne can tell you how long I kept them The profite of Luthen bookes but truth it is that I haue studied vpon thâ and I thanke God that euer I so did For by them hath god shewed vnto mee and also to an huge multitude of other such light as the deceiueable darcknes of them I beseech God amend it that name themselues but amisse to be the holy Church cannot abide And that appeareth euidently for they dare not stand to any triall He coueteth aboue all things as all his aduersaryes do well know y t all his writings the writinges of all his aduersaries myght be translated into al languages to the intent that al people might see know what is saide of euery part wherby meÌ should the better iudge what the trueth is And in this me thinketh he requireth nothing but equity for y e law would haue no body condemned me yet iustified vntill his cause were both heard and knowne But the contrary part I meane our ouer riche prelacy which is so drowned in voluptuous liuing that they can not attend to studye Gods Scripture ne preach the same Ouer âiche prelacie which should be the principall part of theyr office Popishe doctrine will abide no tryall abhorre this fashion albeit it is right indiffereÌt and full of equity no lesse theÌ they do abhor death And no maruell for doubt lesse if it so could be obteined that the writinges of all parties might be openly seene and confered we shoulde soone see theyr sleightly dealing and facing doctrine The facing doctrine of the Papistes Tryall and reading of bookes fââe in Germany with all other cloked abusion lightly ouerthrowne As appeareth well in Almayne for there be y e bookes of euery party sene openly and translated in the vulgar language that al people may see and read vpon them and so vpon the sight of the books they lightly folow the true light of Gods word refusing the horror of darcknes and false doctrine whereby before they haue beene seduced from the right teaching and way shewed in the Bible And this is done not of an hundreth ne of a thousand but generally of whole Cities countreies both high and low few or none except But our Prelates seeing thys and that there dealinge should if this light were set vp Why Luthers bookes be restrained of Popishe Prelates soone be detecte and discouered haue sent out commauÌdements that if any persons shall aduenture to keepe any such bookes they shal be in so doing excommunicate from God and al his Saintes and cursed as blacke as pitch whether the bookes be in Latin English French Dutch or any other tongue as in deede men seing the fruite conteined in them haue set them foorth in all languages But this ought not ChristeÌ men to think any newelty for so did theyr forefathers the Prelates in Christes time and after to the Apostles yea and if it were well tried I thinke it should be soone founde out that they haue so dealt euer since vnto this daye The tyme of Popish Prelates and of the Pharises resembled â compared together For when Christ went about preaching the Scribes and Pharise is whiche were Bishops then Prelates gaue a generall coÌmauÌdement that whosoeuer confessed him to be Christ should be cursed and put out of the Synagogue y t we call the church and so they were Looke in the Actes of the Apostles and you shall finde howe they were in like maner serued yea looke in the olde Testament and you shall finde as I remember how they procured of one that was a temporall ruler at that season to haue the prophecy of Ieremy for he of all other is most vehement agaynst the dissimulation of priestes to be burned why then should we eschew them or theyr workes vnles we knew a better cause why The Papists render no reason of their doing The proââ proceedings of the Papistes ãâã vpon will â commaundemeÌt without all ãâã whom our prelates reiect and cast away seing they render no reasonable cause of theyr enterprise but presuming of theyr power without any due authority that I can finde grauÌted vnto them so to do will because they so commaund so haue all done according to the tyrannicall saying as I trow of Sardanapalus Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas That is to say So will I so doe I commaund and that my will for reason stand But I would to God y t such knew what spirit they haue in theÌ The spiâite of Christ the spirite of the Papistes ãâã vnlyke For if they had in deed the spirit which they claime pretend to haue I meane y e spirit of Christ I dare say it should soone alter them from such hautie language doting and cause them to turne a new leafe for that spirite is
Les illustrarions de gaulles Les illustrations de gaulles Whosoeuer please may there read it as it standeth within 6. leaues afore the end of the same how the author with deepe sorrow lamenteth the ordinance that decreed first priests to liue vnmaried shewing that amply the miseries that haue ensued in France therby imputing it vnto Calixt the pope of whom he maketh a doleful mention in Meter wherof the first I yet remember And it is thus O sancte Calixte totus mundus odit te c. O holy Calixte al the world hateth thee Which followeth in writing to all that lust to behold therin But what nede I to make longer treatise hereof for so much as you do dayly both heare and see what soule abhomination ariseth in euery corner of this pitious law made of men y t would presume to be wiser then God Men will be wiser then God thinking as we euer do that eyther he would not or els for lack of wisdom he could not shew vs a sufficient law or way to direct our lyfe and conuersation to come to the ioy and resting place of him promised and so of vs longed and looked for Wherby we both be farre vnreasonable in so deeming of him after our vnwise wit and he much dishonoured The which I beseech him to helpe Amen Answere to the 5. Article ¶ Unto the v. where ye do aske whether I beleeue that whatsoeuer it done of man whether it be good or ill commeth of necessity that is as you construe to wit whether man hath free will so that he may deserue ioy or paine I say as I sayd at the beginning that vnto the first parte of your riddle I neyther can ne wil giue any diffinitiue answer forsomuch as it surmounteth my capacitie trusting that God shall sende hereafter Free will to deserue ioy or payne other that shall be of better learning and wit then I for to endite it As coÌcerning the second part wheras you do interpret that is to say whether man haue free will or no so that he may deserue ioy or payne as for our deseruing specially of ioy I thinke it very slender or none euen when we do the very commandementes and law of God and that am I taught by our sauiour in s. Luke where he sayth thus Which of you quod he hauing a seruaunt that hath eared your land or fed your beastes wil say vnto him when he commeth home out of the field go thy way quickly sit down to thy meat and rather will not say vnto him make ready my supper seruing me therat vntill I haue made an end thereof and afterwarde take thy selfe meate and drinke Thinke you that he is bound to thanke his seruaunt which thus shall doe his commaundement I trowe sayth he nay Euen so you sayth he when you haue done all thinges to you commaunded say yet you be vnprofitable seruaunts haue done that which you were bound to do In which words you may clearly see that he would not haue vs greatly esteeme our merites when we haue done that is commaunded by God Meriteâ ãâã to be esteemed but rather reckoning our selues to be but seruants vnprofitable to God for so much as he hath no neede of our wel doing for his own aduancement but onely that he loueth to see vs doe well for our owne behoufe and moreouer that when we haue done his bidding we ought not so to magnify neither our selfe ne our owne free will but laud him with a meeke heart thorowe whose benefite we haue done if at any time we doe it his lyking and pleasure not regarding our merite but his grace and benefite Wherby onely is done all that in any wise is to him acceptable And thus if we ought not to attend our merites in doing the commandement of God Obseruing of Gods workes worketh in vs no meriâââ Ergo much less the obseruing of mennes traditions much lesse should we looke for merite for obseruing of our owne inuentions or traditions of men vnto which there is no benefite in all Scripture which Paul calleth y e word of truth and of faith promised But here may be obiected against me that the rewarde is promised in many places to them that do obserue y e preceptes of God That I affirm to be very sooth Notwithstanding such reward shall neuer be atteyned of vs except by the grace and benefite of him which worketh all things in all creatures And this affirmeth well S. Augustine S. Ambrose Fulgentius with other as you may see euery where in their workes Vnio dissidentium and specially in the treatise called Vnio dissidentium wherein he entreateth de gratia meritis And of S. Augustine I remember ij or iij. right notable sentences concerning the same Rewarde how it is promysed to workes August libe Confessioâ One is in the 9. booke of hys Confessions in this fourme Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Quia verè non exquiris delicta vehementer fiducialiter speramus aliquem locum apud te inuenire indulgentiae Quisquis autem tibi enumerat vera merita sua quid tibi enumerat nisi munera tua O si cognoscerent se omnes qui gloriatur in Domino gloriaretur Woe be to the life of men be they neuer so holy it thou shalt examine them setting thy mercy aside Because thou doest not exactly examine the faultes of men therefore we haue a vehement hope and trust to find some place of mercy with thee And whosoeuer recounteth vnto thee his merites what other thing doth he recount but thy benefits O would God all men would see and knowe themselues and that he which glorieth would glorie in the Lord. Againe in the first booke he sayth thus vnto God Nunquid inops es gaudes lucris Nunquid auarus vsuras exigis Superogatur tibi vt debeas quis habet quicquam non tuuÌ Conf. lib. 1. Reddis debita nulli debens donas debita nihil perdens Doth any man giue that he oweth not vnto thee that thou shouldest be in his debte and hath any man ought that is not thine Thou rendrest debt and yet owest to no man Thou forgiuest debte and yet losest nothing And therefore his vsuall prayer was this Domine da quod iubes iube quod vis Lord giue that thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt Also in the booke called Manuale Augustini or De contemplatione Christi he sayth in this wise Tota spes mea est in morte Domini Mors eius meritum meum refugium meum salus vita resurrectio mea Meritum meum miseratio Domini Non sum meriti inops quamdiu ille miserationum Dominus non defuerit Et si misericordiae Domini multae multus ego sum in meritis All my hope is in the Lordes death His death is my merite my refuge my health and my
this fourme ignoraunce sayth the Lawe marke it well I beseeche you al is the mother of all errours Ignorance mother of errour Which ought to be eschewed especially of Priests that among the people of God haue taken vpon theÌ the office of preaching priests are commaunded to reade holy Scriptures as sayth Paul the Apostle to Timothe Giue heede to reading exhortation 1. Tim. 4. and teaching and continue alwayes in the same Let priests therefore knowe holy Scripture and let all their labour be in preaching and teaching and let them edifie all men both in knowledge of fayth and in discipline of good workes Dist. 38. These be the wordes of the lawe in the Decrees Dist. 38. Where you see howe the Lawe lamenteth ignorance in al persons for it is the original of al errours God send vs therfore the knowledge of his true gospel Priestes to geue theÌselues rather to study theÌ to saying of mattens It biddeth that ignorance should be vtterly eschewed and principally of priestes whose labour and diligence shoulde be bestowed al in reading of scripture preaching the same bringing in for the same purpose the saying of the Apostle which willeth in like manner Moreouer it requireth that priests should giue al their study to edifie other in faith and vertuous liuing What priests ought to study Whereof I do gather both by the saying of the Prophet that willeth vs to be studyous in the Law of God day and night and by the saying of the Apostle whiche woulde haue Timothe to be occupied euer in reading and teaching and by the report of your owne Lawe which saith likewise that a priest ought to bestow al his labor in reading preaching So that a priest set thus truely to studye that hee may stablishe himselfe in the fayth of Christes doctrine intending after to helpe other with true preaching oâ the same or doing other like deedes of charity assigned in the law of god shall not offend deadly if so spending his time he omitteth to say Mattens which is an ordinaunce of men Neuertheles concerning the huge multitude of such as be now made priestes by negligent admission of Bishops and their own presumption Negligence of Byshops in making priestes noted that labour to be made priests before they be any Clerkes and ere euer they knowe what is the very office of a priest do not feare to take vpon them if they may attayne therto to be a curate they recke not of how many so they may get a good lumpe of mony neuer minding after that the study of Scripture aâter they are come to Dominus vobiscum for such I doe think long mattens to be needfull to restrayne them from other enormities that they should else runne in Of whiche you may be weary to see the experience thereof dayly arising Yea and if such woulde be content to admit it I woulde euery one mattens were as long to them as fiue except they could be stow theyr time better In the 26. where you doe aske whether I beleeue that the heades or rulers by necessity of saluation are bounde to geue vnto the people To the 26. article holy scripture in their mother language I say y t I think they are bound to see that the people may truely know holy Scripture I do not knowe how that may be done so well Scrypture in the vulgare tongue as by geuing it to them truly translated in the mother tongue that they may haue it by theÌ at al times to passe y e time godly when soeuer they haue leysure thereto like as they haue in Fraunce vnder y e French kings priuelege The French Byble translated into the French tongue with the kinges priuâledge aboue 50. yeares before Lambertes time also with the priuiledge of the Emperour and so do I knowe that they haue had it these 50. yeres and 4. in Fraunce at the least and it was translated at the request of a king called I trowe Lewes as appeareth by the priueledge put in the beginning of the book In like manner haue they it in Flanders printed with y e priueledge of the Emperour In almayne also and Italy I suppose through all nations of ChristendoÌe Likewise hath it bene in England The Psalter translated by the king of England into the Saxon tongue Reade before pag. 145. S. Guthlakes Psalter as you may finde in the Englishe story called Polychronicon There it is shewed how wheÌ y e Saxons did inhabite the land the K. at that tyme which was a Saxon did himselfe translate the Psalter into the language that then was generally vsed Yea I haue seene a booke at Crowland Abbey whiche is kept there for a relique the booke is called S. Guthlakes Psalter and I ween verily it is a copy of the same that the king did translate for it is neither English Latine Greeke Hebrue nor Dutch but somewhat sounding to our English and as I haue perceiued sith the time I was last there being at Antwerpe the Saxon tongue doth sound likewise after ours and it is to ours partly agreable In the same story of Polychronicon is also shewed Bede translated the Gospell of S. Iohn into Englishe howe that S. Bede did translate the Gospell of Iohn into Englishe and the author of the same booke promised that he would translate into English all the Bible yea and perhaps hee did so but I wot not howe it commeth to passe all suche thinges be kept away They may not come to light for there are some walking priuily in darckenes that will not haue theyr doyngs knowen It is no lye that is spoken in the Gospel of Iohn Omnis qui male agit odit lucem All that doth noughtily Ioh. 3. hateth the light and will not haue theyr doynges knowne And therefore they keepe downe the light strongly for that opened and generally knowne The causes why the Scripture is not suffered to come to lighte all wrongfull conueyance should anone be disclosed and reprooued yea and all men shuld see anone whether those that hold agaynst vnrighteousnes being therfore sometime horribly infamed sclandered named heretickes and schismatickes were in deede as they be called or no. Yea moreouer I did once see a booke of the new Testament Diuers such testamentes are yet to be seene in diuers places of a longe continuance whiche was not vnwritten by my estimation thys C. yeares and in my minde right well translated after the example of that which is read in the church in Latine But he that shewed it me sayd he durst not be knowne to haue it by him for manye had bene punished aforetime for keeping of such and were conuict therefore of heresie Moreouer I was at Paules Crosse when the newe TestameÌt imprinted of late beyond the sea Errours found in the translated testameÌt where none was Malice neuer saith well was first forefended truely my hart lamented greatly to heare a
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. Alboâes and after made archbishop of Canterbury Aelfricus Archb. of Cant. ¶ Anno. 996. Capgraue in vita Oâwaldi 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 CaÌterbury 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ExonieÌsis there is yet extant also another like booke of Canons beloÌgyng to the Church of Exeter wherein the same two Epistles of Elfricus be conteined in the old Saxon toÌgue 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 sacrameÌt 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 transubstaÌtiatioÌ 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
is like vnto those heretickes who doe christen twise one childe Christ himselfe blessed houssel before his suffering he blessed the bread and brake it thus speaking to his Apostles Eate this bread it is my body And againe he blessed one Chalice with wyne thus also spake vnto them Drinke ye al of this it is mine owne bloude of the newe Testament which is shed for many for the forgiuenesse of sinnes The Lord which hallowed housel before his suffering saith that the bread was his own body that the wyne was truly his bloud haloweth daily by the handes of the prieste breade to his body and wine to his bloud in ghostly mystery as we read in bookes And yet notwithstaÌding that liuely bread is not Bodely ââesence ãâã bodily so nor the self same body that Christ suffered in nor that holy wine is the Sauiours bloud which was shed for vs in bodily thinge but in Ghostly vnderstanding Both be truely y e bread is his body that wine also is his bloud as was the heauenly bread which we call manna that fedde forty yeares Gods people And the cleare water which did then runne from the stone in the wildernesse was truely his bloud as S. Paul wrote in one of his Epistles Omnes patres nostri candemescam spiritualem manducauerunt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt c. Al our fathers did eat in the wildernes the same ghostly meat and dranke y e same ghostly drinke They dranke of that Ghostly stone and that stone was Christ. The Apostle hath saide as you nowe haue heard that they all did eate the same ghostly meate they all did drinke the same ghostly drinke And he saith not bodily but ghostly And Christe was not yet borne nor his bloud shedde when that the people of Israel did eate that meat and dranke of that stone And the stone was not bodily Christ though he so said It was the That is a ââstery of ãâã same ãâã that ãâã as in the ãâã law same mystery in the olde lawe and they did ghostly signifie that ghostly housell of our Sauiours body which we consecrate nowe Besides these Epistles aboue prefixed of Elfricus to Wulfsinus Sermons ââânslated ãâã of ãâã into ãâã by ââfricus and Wulfstane whiche fight directly against transubstantiatioÌ mention was touched also before of certein Sermons to the number of lxxx translated by the said Elfricus out of Latine into the Saxon that is into our English tongue as ye partly haue heard before Of the which lxxx Sermons xxiiij were chiefly selected to bee read âoâie of ãâã speciall ãâ¦ã out of ãâ¦ã Serââns ãâ¦ã as in stede of Homâlies or treatises vnto the people in such order as the first xij Sermons or treatises intreating of general matters as De initio creaturae de augurils de die iudicij vnius confessoris de vaniloâuio negligentia dâ auaritia de falsis dijs c. were apointed to be read at pleasure at the discretion of the Minister The other xij sermons were prescribed of proper feasts as De annuÌtiatione beate Mariae de natiuitate domini de circumcisione domini de Epiphania de purificatione sanctae Mariae Dominica prima in Quadragesima Dominica palmarum Die Pascae c. Wherof this testimony remaineth in y e same book yet to be sene both in the Saxon tongue and also in the Preface of the latter xij Sermons in Latine in these wordes following In hoc codicillo con tinentur sermones Anglice quos accepimus de libris quos Abbas Anglicè transtulit c. Furthermore as touching these lxxx Sermons aforesayd which Elâricus translated into Englishe here is to be vnderstanded that in the said Sermons vsed then orderly to be recited to y e people there is one appointed to be red in die Sancto Pascae that is vpon Easter day Which Sermon being translated by the sayd Elfricus we haue here exhibited both in Saxon speache and in English to the entent that the Christen and indifferent reader perusing the same may iudge therby how the fantastical doctrine of traÌsubstantiation in those daies of Elfricus before his time was not yet receiued nor knowen in the Churche of England for so much as the sayd Sermon being in Latine before doth leaue vnto vs an euident declaratioÌ what was the common opinion of this Sacrament in the Church receaued before that Elfricus did euer set hande to translate the same out of the Latin And thogh the Latin copies and exemplars of these foresaid Sermons are not remaining in our Libraries The Latine bookes written agaynst transubstantiation craftely by the Papistes abolished let y t be no maruel to thee louing reader but vnderstand therby the craftie packing of the Popes Clergie who in the time of Lanfrancus Pope Innocent studying by al meanes how to preferre and further this their newcome doctrine of transubstantiation did abolish and rase out of Libraries and Churches all such bookes which made to the contrary And therefore because Lanfrancus and other Italian Priestes here in England vnderstood not y e Saxon bookes as they did the Latine all that whiche they vnderstoode they made away The Saxon bookes because they knewe them not they let remaine And this is the cause why our Latine copies now are not to be found Which to be true by iij. reasons coniectural it may probably be supposed First Three coÌiectures prouing that the Papistes haue made away of purpose the olde Latine bookes against their transubstantiation for that these Saxon Sermons being translated out of the Latine as ye haue heard by the wordes of Elfricus already proued onely we see the Saxon bookes reserued of the Latin none doth appeare Secondly there is yet remaining one certaine peece or fragment of an epistle of Elfricus in the Library of Worceter wherin so muche as maketh agaynst the matter of transubstantiation we haue found in the middle of the said Latin epistle vtterly rased out so that no letter or piece of a letter doth there appeare The woordes cut out were these Non est tamen hoc sacrifiâium corpus eius in quo passus est pro nobis neque sanguis eius quem pro nobis effudit The words craftely rased out by the Papistes restored agayne by the Saxon booke of Exeter sed spiritualiter corpus eius efficitur sanguis sicut Manna quod de caelo pluit aqua quae de petra fluxit Sicut Paulus c. 1. Notwithstanding this sacrifice is not the same body of hys wherin he suffered for vs nor the same bloud of hys whiche he shed for vs but spiritually it is made his body and bloud as that Manna whiche rayned from heauen and the water whiche did flowe out of the rocke as Paule c. These woordes so rased out are to be restored agayne by an other Saxon booke found in Exceter By the rasing of whiche one place it
may easily be coniectured what these practisers haue likewyse done in the rest Thirdly by one Italian tricke of Polydore Uirgill in our daies An ItaliaÌ tricke of Polydore Virgill to burne his bookes which he had gotten into his handes the properties and doinges of all other Italian papists of elder time may partly be coniectured For so I am informed by such as precisely will affirme it to be true y t when Polydore being licensed by the king to viewe and searche all Libraries had once accomplished his storye by the help of such books as he had compiled out of Libraries in y e end when he had taken out what he would like a true factor for y e popes own tooth he piled his bookes together set them al on a light fire For what cause he so did I can not certaynly pronounce but who so considereth well his religion may shrewdly suspect him For a probatioÌ wherof this may serue for a sufficient tryall that whereas of all other writers of historyes that haue bene in EnglaÌd as of Fabian Lanquer Rastall More Leland Balle Halle such other some of their bookes which they then occupyed yet remayn in hands to be seene Onely of suche books as Polydore vsed and which past his handes what Englishe man is he that hath seene or can shewe me one Whereby it may wel be thought the foresaid information to be true As also by this one Italian tricke of Polydore may other Italians likewise be suspected in making away such Latin books within this land as made not for their purpose But for somuch as those Latine bookes be nâw abolished and can not be had let vs returne to our Saxon tongue agayne and see what this Saxon sermon of Elfricus translation doth say for transubstantiation The copy whereof here ensueth ¶ A Sermon translated out of Latin into the Saxon tongue by Aelfricus against Transubstantiation An. 996. In die Sanctae Pascae ¶ The Alphabet of the Saxon tongue ¶ a. b. c. d. d. e. f. f. È g. h. i. l. m. n. o. p. r. r. s. s. t. t u. Æ¿. w. x. y. y. z. z. Abbreuiations AE Ae. Ã. Th. Ã. Th. S. S. Æ¿. W. and. ð. th þ. th This Sermon was vsuall to be read in the Church here in England in the Saxons time An. 366. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The same in English A Sermon on Easter day MEn beloued it hathe bene often sayde vnto you about our Sauiours resurrection A Sermon ãâã Saxon ãâã into transâââed into Englishe howe hee on this present day after his suffering mightely rose from deathe Nowe will we open vnto you through Gods grace of the holye housell which ye should nowe go vnto and instruct your vnderstanding about this mysterie both after the olde couenaunt and also after the newe that no doubting maye trouble you about thys liuely foode The almightye God bad Moses hys Captaine in the Lande of Egypt to commaund the people of Israel to take to euery family a lamb of one yere old the night they departed out of the countrey to the land of promise and to offer that lambe to God and after to cutte it and to make the â â This signe of the crosse is beside the text but here we must beare with the ignorance of that time Exod. 12. signe of the Crosse wyth the lambes bloud vpon the side postes and the vpper post of theyr doore and afterwarde to eate the Lambes flesh rosted and vnleauened bread with wilde lettisse God sayeth vnto Moyses Eate of the Lambe nothing rawe nor sodden in water but rosted at the fire Eate the heade the feete and the inwardes and lette nothing of it be left vntill the morning if anye thing therof remaine that shall you burne with fire Eate it in this wise Girde your loynes and doe your shoes on your feete haue you staues in your handes and eate it in haste The tyme is the Lordes Passeouer And there was slaine on that night in euery house through oute Pharaos raigne the firste borne childe and Gods people of Israel were deliuered froÌ that sodaine death through the Lambes offering his bloudes marking Then sayde God vnto Moyses Keepe this day in your remembraunce and holde it a great feaste in your kindredes wyth a perpetuall obseruation and eate vnleauened breade alwayes seuen dayes at this feaste Exod. 14. After thys deede God led the people of Israel ouer the red Sea with drye foote drowned therein Pharao and all his army together with theyr possessions and fedde afterward the Israelites 40. yeares wyth heauenly foode Exod. 17. and gaue them water out of the hard rocke vntill they came to the promised land Parte of thys storie we haue treated off in an other place partly we shall nowe declare to witte that which belongeth to the holye housell Christen men may not nowe keepe that olde lawe bodely but it behooueth them to knowe what it Ghostlye signifieth That innocent Lambe which the old Israelites did then kil had signification after Ghostly vnderstanding of Christes suffering who vnguiltie shedde his holy bloud for our redemption Hereof sing Gods seruaunts at euery * * This Masse was not theÌ ãâã to these ãâã Popishe ãâã blasphemous masâes ãâã Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vppon vs. Those Israelites were deliuered from that sodaine deathe and from Pharaos bondage by the lambes offeryng which signified Christes suffering through which we be deliuered from euerlasting death and from the deuils cruell raigne if we rightly beleue in the true redemer of the whole world Christ the Sauiour That Lambe was offered in the euening and our sauiour suffered in the sixt age of this world This age of this corruptible worlde is reckened vnto the euening They marked with the lambes bloud vppon the doores and the vpper postes * * This Hebrewe letter Thau was not marked for the signe of the crosse but for the word âorat that ãâã the law of God the first letter for the whole world Ezech. 9. Thau that is the signe of the crosse and wer so defended from the Angels that killed the Egyptians first borne childe And wee * * That oneây crosse is it wherewith we are marked that S. Paule speaketh of Ephe 2. Christ reconciled both to God ãâã one body through ãâã crosse ought to marke our foreheades and our bodies with the token of Christes roode y t we may be also deliuered from destruction when we shal be marked both on forehead and also in heart with the bloude of oure Lordes suffering Those Israelites dyd eate the lambes flesh at their Easter time when they were deliuered and we receiue ghostly Christes body
but by y e word Clericus as by diuers places as well in the printed bookes as in old Registers and writings of the Lawyers as well in the common law as Statute law remayneth of Recorde very euident to be seene Some special notes wherof as well for the ease of the Reader in the search of the same as also for the further satisfying of some who peraduenture shall want the bookes I thought good here to exhibite in forme and tenour as foloweth Certaine notes how this word Clericus is taken in the Lawe bookes Stat. de Mârlebri An. 52. ãâã 3. ãâã â7 SI Clericus aliquis pro reatu vel crimine aliquo quod ad CoronaÌ pertineat arestatus fuerit postmodum per praeceptum domini regis in BalliuÌ traditus vel replegiatus extiterit ita quòd hi quibus traditus fuerit in Ballium eum habeant coram Iusticiarijs non amercientur de caetero illi quibus traditus fuerit in Ballium nec alij plegij sui si corpus suum habeaÌt coram Iusticiarijs licet coram eis propter priuilegium clericale respondere noluerit vel non potuerit propter Ordinarios suos An other Note Rex antecessores sui a tempore cuius contrarij memoria non existit vsi sunt quòd Clerici suis immorantes obsequijs dum obsequijs illis intenderint ãâ¦ã 2. in ãâ¦ã 8. ad residentiam in suis beneficijs faciendam minime compellantur nec debet dici tendere in praeiudicium Ecclesiasticae libertatis quòd pro Rege republica necessarium inuenitur An other Note Clericus ad Ecclesiam confugiens pro felonia pro immunitate Ecclesiastica obtinenda si asserit se esse Clericum regnuÌ non compellatur abiurare sed legi regni se reddens gaudebit Ecclesiastica libertate iuxta laudabilem consuetudinem regni hactenus vsitatam An other Note Appellatori in forma debita tanquam Clerico per Ordinarium petito libertatis Ecclesiasticae beneficium non negabitur In cap. 16. In the Statute intituled Articuli Cleri made onely for the benefite of the Clergie An. R. Edwardi R 2. nono are diuers notes to like effect But what nedeth many arguments for the proufe hereof The Statutes and law bookes of this Realme are very full of them in diuers and many places besides the presidents for the forme of geuing of benefices whereof none are capable but such as are spiritual men of the Clergie wherein they are not called or termed by any other title or terme in the Latin tong ââericus in ãâã law ãâã taken for a Priest then Clerici for the most part not in the kyngs owne graunt or the Lord Chauncellours or any other subiectes of his as very well appeareth both by diuers olde wrytten Presidents whych haue bene shewed vnto me also by the formes of presentations collected set foorth for the instruction of such as are ignoraunt or not very perfite in the order of them in a Printed booke called The booke of sundrie Instrumentes In whyche fourme in the sayd booke the words in the kings graunt be these Rex Reuerendissimo in Christo. c. ad Ecclesiam Parochialem de N. vestrae diocaesis modo per mortem vltimi incumbentis ibidem vacantem ad nostram donationem pleno iure spectantem dilectum Capellanum nostrum A.B. ClericuÌ intuitu charitatis vobis praesentamus mandamus vti dictum A. Capellanum nostrum ad praefatam Ecclesiam admittere eumque Rectorem eiusdem instituere cum suis iuribus c. But if the presentation be from a Knight an Esquier or a Gentleman then these words Capellanum nostrum are alwayes left out as in the sayd booke apeareth in this sort Reuerendo in Christo patri c. A.B. de N. ad Ecclesiam de N predictam vestrae dioc modo per mortem T.D. vltimi incumbentis ibidem vacantem ad meam praesentationem pleno iure spectantem dilectum mihi in Christo Iacobum P. Clericum vestrae paternitati praesento humiliter rogans quatenus prefatum I. ad dictam Ecclesiam admittere ipsumque in Rectorem eiusdem Ecclesiae institui induci facere velitis cum suis Iuribus pertinentijs vniuersis c. As in the saide booke is more at large to be sene or perused Thus I doubt not louing reader but by these so plaine Euidences aboue prefixed thou hast sufficiently to vnderstand that thys violent restrainte of Priestes lawful Mariage wythin this Realme of England is of no suche long reach and antiquitie as hath bene thought of many and al by reason of ignoraÌce of hystories and course of times So that briefly as in a Summary Table to comprehende that whole effect hereof First about the yeare of our Lord. 946. to the profession of single life ãâã 46. and displacing of mariage began to come into exaÌple here in England Pâiestes marââge how ãâã when it ãâã first ãâã excluded out of ââârches by reason of s. Benets monks which then began to encrease hereabout the time of King Edgar and especially by the meanes of Oswald bishop of Yorke Odo and Dunstane Archbishops of Canterburie and Ethelwolde Bishop of Wint. so that in diuers Cathedral churches and bishops Seas monkes with theyr professed singlenes of life crept in maried Ministers which were then called secular Priestes with their wiues out of sondry Churches were dispossessed not from wyues but onely from their places and yet not in all Churches but onely in certaine wherof read before page 198. â 1067. Not long after that about the time of Pope Nicolas 2. An. 1060. of Alexander and Hildebrande came into y e sea of Canterbury an other Monke called Lanfranke who also being a promoter of thys professed chastitie made the Decree more generall that all Prebendaries being maried in anye Churches shoulde be displaced yet the Priestes in Townes and villages shoulde not be compelled to leaue theyr maried wiues vnlesse they would Last of all folowed monkish Anselme an 1106. by whoÌ was made this law of Winchester aforesayd that Priests Archdeacons Deacons subdeacons whiche had wyues spiritual liuing shoulde be put from them both ¶ 1166. and also that none after shuld be admitted to their orders but shuld first professe single life that is to liue without wiues And thus much concerning priestes mariage forbidden Let vs adde moreouer to these euidences aboue rehearsed for more confirmation of the ancient vse and liberty of priests mariage an other testimonie or two out of like ancient records with like plaine wordes declaring vnto vs howe the matrimony of Priests before the time of Lanckfranke aforesaid was no straunge example in the Church and first we wil inferre the words of an old Martyrologe pertaining to the Recordes of Canterburie The wordes of whych Martyrologe be these Ex antiq Martyrilogio Ecclesiae Cant. LAnfrancus Archiep. reddidit Ecclesiae S. Andreae Liuingus
Beares in the water ouer agaynst the banke These foresayd yeomen of the gard when they came agaynst the kinges Barge they durst not passe by towards Paules wharfe least they should be espyed therfore entreated the Secretary to goe with them to the Bearebayting and they would finde the meanes being of the garde to make rowme and to see all the pastime the Secretary perceiuing no other remedy asseÌted therto WheÌ the whirry came nye the multitude of the boats Talle yâmen but ill keepers A Bearebayting vpoÌ Thamis before the king The booke of D. Cranmer agaynst the 6. articles lost in the Thamys they with pollaxes got in the whirry so farre that being compassed with many other whirryes and boates there was no refuge if the Beare should breake loose and come vpon them as in very deede within one pater noster while the Beare brake lose and came in to the boate where the yeomen of the gard were and the sayd Secretary The gard forsook the wherry and went into an other barge one or two of them leaping short and so fell into the water The Beare and the dogs so shaked the whirry wherin the Secretary was that the boate being ful of water soncke to the ground being also as it chauÌced an ebbing tide he there sate in the end of y e whirry vp to y e middle in water To whoÌ came the Beare and all the dogges The Beare seking as it were aide and succor of him came backe with his hinder parts vpon him and so rushing vpoÌ him the booke was losed froÌ his girdle and fell into the Thames out of his reach The flying of the people after that the beare was lose from one boat to an other was so comberous that diuers persons were throwne into the Thames the king commaunding certayne men that could swimme to strip them selues naked and to helpe to saue them that were in daunger This pastime so displeased the king that he bad away away with the Beare and let vs all go hence The Secretary perceiuing his booke to fleete away in the Thames called to the Beareward to take vp y e booke This Beareward was Pâincesse Elizabethes seruaunt When the Beareward had the booke in his custody being an errant Papist farre from the Religion of his Mystres for he was the Lady Elizabethes Beareward now the Queânes maiesty ere that the Secretary coulde come to land D. Cranmers booke agaynst the 6. Articles deliuered to a Popishe priest he had deliuered the booke to a Priest of his owne affinity in Religion standing on the bancke who reading in the booke and perceiuing that it was a manifest refutation of the 6. Articles made much a doe and tolde the Beareward that whosoeuer claymed the booke should surely be hanged Anone the Secretary came to the Beareward for his booke What quoth the Beareward dare you chalenge this booke Whose seruaunt be you I am seruaunt to one of the CouÌsell sayd the Secretary and my Lord of Caunterbury is my maister Yea mary quoth the Beareward I thought so much You belike I trust quoth the Beareward to be both hanged for this booke Well sayd he it is not so euill as you take it and I warrant you my L. will auouch the booke to the kinges Maiesty But I pray you let me haue my booke and I will geue you a Crowne to drink If you would geue me v. C. crownes you shall not haue it quoth the Beareward With that y e Secretary departed from him vnderstanding the malicious frowardnes of the Beareward he learned that Blage the Grocer in Cheapeside might doe muche with the Beareward to whom the Secretary brake this matter requiring hym to send for the Beareward to supper and he would pay for y e whole charge therof and besides that rather theÌ he would forgo his book after this sort the Beareward should haue xx shillinges to drinke The supper was prepared The Beareward was sent for and came After supper the matter was entreated of and xx shillings offered for the book But do what could be done neither frendship acquayntaunce nor yet reward of mony could obteine the book out of his handes but that the same shoulde be deliuered vnto some of the Counsell that woulde not so sleightly looke on so waighty a matter as to haue it redeemed for a supper or a piece of money The honest man M. Blage with many good reasons would haue perswaded him not to be stiffe in his owne conceit declaring that in the end he shoulde nothing at all preuayle of his purpose but be laught to scorn getting neither peny nor prayse for his trauel He hearing that rushed sodenly out of the doores from his friend M. Blage without any maner of thankes geuing for his supper more like a Beareward then like an honest man WheÌ the Secretary saw y e matter so extremely to be vsed against him he then thought it expedient to fall from any farther practising of entreaty with the Beareward as with him that seemed rather to be a Beare himselfe then the Maister of the beast determining the next morning to make the L. Cromwell priuy of the chaunce that happened So on the next day as the Lord Cromwell went to y e Court the Secretary declared the whole matter vnto him how he had offered him xx s for the finding therof Wher is the felow quoth the Lord Cromwell I suppose sayd the Secretary that he is now in the Court atteÌding to deliuer the booke vnto some of the Counsell Well sayd the Lord Cromwell it maketh no matter go with me thether and I shall get you your booke agayne When the Lorde Cromwell came into the hall of the Court there stood the Beareward with the booke in his hand wayting to haue deliuered the same vnto Syr Anthony Browne or vnto the Bishop of Winchester The Beareward wayting to geue Cranmers booke to the Councell The L. Cromâell getteth the booke from the Beareward as it was reported To whom the Lord Cromwell sayd come hither felow What booke hast thou there in thy hand and with that snatched the booke out of his hand and looking in the booke he sayd I know this hand well enough This is your hand sayd he to the Secretary But where haddest thou this booke quoth the Lord Cromwel to the Beareward This Gentleman lost it two dayes agoe in the Thames sayde the Beareward Doest thou know whose seruaunt he is sayd the Lord Cromwell He sayth quoth the Beareward that he is my Lord of Canterburies seruaunt Why then dyddest not thou deliuer to him the booke wheÌ he required it sayd the L. Cromwell Who made thee so bold as to detein and withhold any booke or writing from a CouÌsellers seruaunt specially being his Secretary It is more meter for thee to medle with thy Beares theÌ with such writing it were not for thy maisters sake I would set thee fast by the feet to teach such malepert
thou art sent for No my Lord quoth he No quoth the Byshop That is a meruailous thing Forsooth my Lord quoth he vnles it be for a certaine search made of late in Windsore I cannot tell wherfore it should be Then thou knowest the matter well enough quoth the Bishop and takyng vp a quire of the Concordance in his hand sayd Understandest thou the Latine tongue No my Lord quoth he but simply No quoth the Bishop And with that spake M. Wrisley then secretary to the king he saith but simply I cannot tell quoth the B. but the booke is translated worde for word out of the Latin Concordaunce and so began to declare to the rest of the Counsaile the nature of a Concordance and how it was first compiled in Latin by the great diligence of the learned men for the ease of preachers concluding with this reason that if such a booke should goe foorth in English it would destroy the Latin tongue And so casting down the quire again he reached another booke which was the booke of Esay the prophet and turnyng to the last chap. gaue the booke to Marbecke and asked hym who had written the note in the margent The other looking vpon it said forsooth my Lord I wrote it Read it quoth the B. Then he read it thus Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestoole Nay quoth the B. read it as thou hadst written it Then shall I read it wrong quoth he for I had written it false How hadst thou written it quoth y e bishop I had written it quoth he thus Heauen is my seat and the earth is not my footestoole Yea mary quoth the Bishop that was thy meanyng No my Lord quoth he it was but an ouersight in writyng for as your Lordshippe seeth this worde Not is blotted out At this tyme came other matters into the Counsaile so that Marbecke was had out to the next chamber And when he had stood there a while one of the Counsaile named sir Anthony Wingfield Captaine of the Garde came foorth and callyng for Marbecke committed him to one Belson of the gard saying vnto him on this wise Take this man and haue him to the Marshalsey and tell the keeper that it is the Counsailes pleasure that he shall entreat him gently And if hee haue any mony in his purse as I think he hath not much take you it from him left the prisoners do take it and minister it vnto him as he shall haue need And so the messenger departed with Marbecke to the Marshalsey and dyd his commission most faithfully and truly both to the keper and to the prisoner as he was commanded The second examination of Marbecke before the Bishops Gentleman in the Marshalsey ON the next day which was Tuesday by 8. of the clock in the morning there came one of the B. of Winchesters Gentlemen into the Marshalsey whose maÌ brought after him two great books vnder his arme finding Marbecke walking vp and downe in the Chappell demanded of the keeper why he was not in irons I had no such coÌmaundement quoth he for the messenger which brought hym yesternight from the Counsaile sayd It was theyr pleasure he should he geÌtly vsed My Lord quoth the gentleman will not be content with you and so takyng the bookes of his man called for a chamber vp to the which he caried the prisoner and casting the bookes from him vpon a bed sate him downe and said Marbecke my Lord doth fauour thee well for certaine good qualities thou hast and hath sent me hither to admonish thee to beware and take heed least thou cast away thy selfe wilfully If thou wylt be plaine thou shalt doe thy selfe much good if not thou shalt do thy selfe much harme I assure thee my Lord lamenteth thy case for as much as he hath alwayes hearde good report of thee wherfore now see to thy selfe and play the wise man Thou art acquainted with a great sort of heretikes as Hobby and Heynes with other mo knowest much of their secrets if thou wilt nowe open them at my Lords request he will procure thy deliueraunce out of hand and preferre thee to better liuing Alas sir quoth he what secretes doe I knowe I am but a poore man and was neuer worthy to be so conuersant eyther with M. Hobby or M. Heynes to know any part of their myndes Wel quoth the Gentleman make it not so strange for my lord doth know wel inough in what estimation they had both thee and Anth. Person for your religion Of Anth. Person quoth he I can say nothyng for I neuer saw him with them in all my lyfe And as for my selfe I can not denye but that they haue alwayes I thanke them taken me for an honest poore man and shewed me much kindnes but as for their secrets they were to wise to commit them to any such as I am Peraduenture quoth the Gentleman thou fearest to vtter any thing of them Marbecke cannot be perswaded to ãâ¦ã because they were thy frends lest they hearing therof might hereafter withdraw their frendship from thee which thou nedest not to feare I warrant thee for they are sure enough and neuer like to pleasure thee more ner no man els With that the water stoode in Marbeckes eyes Why weepest thou quoth the Gentleman Oh sir quoth he I pray you pardon me these men haue done me good wherfore I beseech the liuing God to comfort them as I would be comforted my selfe Well quoth the Gentleman I perceiue thou wilt play the foole and then he opened one of the bookes and asked him if he vnderstood any Latine But a little sir quoth he How is it then quoth the gentleman that thou hast translated thy booke out of the latin Concordance yet vnderstandest not the tongue I will tell you quoth he In my youth I learned the principles of my Grammar wherby I haue some vnderstaÌding therin though it be very smal Then the gentleman began to try him in the latin Concordance English Bible which he had brought and when he had so done was satisfied he called vp his man to fet away the bookes so departed leauing Marbecke alone in the chamber the dore fast shut vnto him About two houres after the Gentleman came againe with a sheet of paper folded in his hand Another talke betweene Winchesters gentleman and Marbecke sate him down vpon the beds side as before sayd by my troth Marbecke my lord seeth so much wilfulnes in thee that he saith it is pity to do thee good When wast thou last w t Haynes Forsooth quoth he about a three weekes agoe I was at dinner with him And what talke quoth the Gentleman had he at his boord I caÌ not tel now quoth he No quoth y e gentleman thou art not so dull witted to forget a thyng in so short space Yes sir quoth he such familiar talk as meÌ
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 Winchesâââ argument He hath read much Scripture Ergo he ãâã an ãâã Henry Câââricke playeth the ãâã of a good neighbâââ 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 Marbecâââ wife permitted at last to go ãâã 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 ãâã 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 ãâã good ãâ¦ã 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 vnderstaÌd 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
Turner of Magdalen Colledg in Oxford and after of Windsore a godly lerned ãâã and a ââod preaââer who in Queene Maryes tyme fled into Germanye and there dyed my frende M. Turner chaunced to steale vpon me vnwares seeing me wryting out the Bible asked me what I meant therby And when I had told him the cause Tush quoth he thou goest about a vain and tedious labour But this were a profitable worke for thee to set out a Concordance in English A Concordance sayde I what is that Then he tolde me it was a booke to finde out any word in the whole Bible by the letter that there was such a one in Latin already Then I tolde him I had no learning to goe about such a thing Enough quoth he for that mater for it requireth not so much learning as diligence And seeing thou art so painful a man and one that cannot be vnoccupied it wer a goodly exercise for thee And this my Lord is all the instruction that euer I had before or after of any man What is that Turner quoth the B. of Salis. Mary quoth D May an honest learned man and a Bacheler of Diuinitie and sometime a felow in Magdalene colledge in Oxford Howe couldest thou quoth the B. of Salisb. with thys instruction bring it to thys order and forme as it is I borrowed a Latine Concordance quoth he and began to practise my wit and at last wyth great labor and diligence brought it into this order as your lordship doth see A good wit with diligence quoth the bysh of Harford may bring hard things to passe It is great pitie quoth the Bish. of Ely he had not the Latine toung So it is quoth D. May. Yet can not I beleue quoth the Bishop of Salisb. that he hath done any more in thys worke then wrytten it out after some other that is learned My Lordes quoth Marbecke I shall beseech you all to pardon me what I shall say Marbeckes wordes to the Bishops and graunt to my request if it shall seeme good vnto you Say what thou wilt quoth the Byshops I do maruaile greatly wherfore I should be so much examined for this booke whether I haue committed any offence in doing of it or no If I haue then were I loathe any other to be molested or punyshed for my faulte Therefore to cleare all men in this matter thys is my request that ye wil trie me in the rest of the boke y t is vndon Ye see that I am yet but in the letter L. Beginning now at M. take out what word ye wil of that letter so in euery letter folowing and geue me the wordes in a pece of paper and set me in a place alone where it shall please you wyth inke and paper the English Bible and the Latine concordance and if I bring you not these wordes wrytten in the same order forme that the rest before is then was it not I that did it but some other By my trouth Marbecke quoth the Byshop of Elye that is honestly spokeÌ and then shalt thou bring many out of suspition That he shal quoth they all Then they badde Doct. Oking draw out such wordes as he thought best in a peece of paper and so rose vp and in the meane time fel into other familiar talke with Marbecke for the Byshop of Ely and Harford both were acquainted w t hym afore and his frendes so farre as they durst who perceiuing the Bishops so pleasauntly disposed besought them to tel hym in what daunger he stoode The bishops ãâã Salisbury ãâã Harford ãâã wel the ãâã of âââbecke Shal I tell thee Marbecke quoth the Byshop of Sarum Thou art in better case then anye of thy felowes of whom there be some would geue 40 li to be in no worse case then thou art whose sayinges the other affirmed Then came D. Oking wyth the wordes hee had wrytten while the Byshops were perusing them ouer Doctour Oking sayd to Marbecke very frendly on thys wise D. Skippes comfortable wordes to Marbecke Good M. Marbecke make hast for the sooner ye haue done the sooner ye shall be deliuered And as the Byshops were going away the bishop of Harforde tooke Marbecke a litle aside and enformed him of a word whych D. Oking had written false and also to comfort him sayd Feare not there can no law condemne you for any thing that ye haue done for if ye had wrytten a 1000. heresies so longe as they be not your sayings nor your opinioÌs the law caÌnot hurt you And so went they all with the Byshop of Sarum to dinner who taking the pore man with them who dined in the hall at the Stewardes borde and beside that had wine and meate sent downe from the bishops table When dinner was done the Bishoppe of Sarum came downe into the Hall commaunding inke and paper to be geuen to Marbecke and the 2. bookes to one of his men to go with him at whose going he demanded of the Byshop what time hys Lordship would appoynt him to doe it in Against to morrowe this time quoth the Byshop whyche was about 2. of the clocke and so departed Marbecke now being in his prison chamber fel to his busines so applied the thing that by the nexte day when the Bishop sent for him againe he had written so much in the same order forme hee had done the rest before A false dissembling Byshop as conteined iij. sheetes of paper and more The whych when he had deliuered to the Bishop of Sarum Doc. Oking standing by he marueiled and sayd Well Marbecke thou hast now put me out of all doubt I assure thee quoth hee putting vp the paper into his bosome the king shal see this or I be 24. houres elder but he dissembled euery worde and thought nothing lesse then so For afterwarde the matter being come to light and knowen to his grace what a boke the poore man had begon which the Byshops woulde not suffer him to finish the king saide he was better occupyed then they that tooke it from him So Marbecke departed from the byshop of Sarum to prison againe and heard no more of hys booke The 5. examination of Marbecke before D. Oking and M. Knight Secretary to the Bishop of Winchester in S. Mary Ouers Church VPon Whitsonday following at after noone The 5. examination of Marbecke was Marbecke sent for once againe to S. Mary Ouers where he found D. Oking with an other gentleman in a gowne of Damaske with a cheyne of gold about his neck no mo in all the churche but they two sitting together in one of the stalles their backes toward the church dore lookyng vpon an Epistle of M. Iohn Caluins whiche Marbecke had written out And when they sawe the prisoner come they rose and had him vp to a side alter leauing his keeper in the body of the church alone Nowe as soone as Marbecke saw the face of
manner of their condemnations and howe they dyed Ann. 1544. WHen the time drewe nie that the kings maiestie who was newly maried to that good and vertuous Ladie Katherine Parre should make his progresse abroade The king maryed to the Lady Katherin Parre Stephen Gardiner great about the king Stephen Gardiners bow bent to shoote at the head Deare the foresayde Steuen Gardiner B. of Winchester had so compassed hys matters that no man bare so great a swinge about the king as he did Wherewith the Gospellers were so quailed that the best of them all looked euery houre to be clapt in the necke For the saying went abroad that the B. had bent his bowe to shoote at some of the head Deare but in the meane time 3. or 4. of the poore rascals were caught that is to saye Anthony Person Henry Filmer and Iohn Marbecke and sent to Wyndsore by the sheriffes men Parson Filmer and Mââbecke ãâã to ãâ¦ã the Saterday before S. Iames day and laid fast in the towns Gaile and Testwood who had kept his bed brought out of his house vpoÌ crouches and laide with them But as for Bennet whych should haue bene the fift man hys chance was to be sicke of the Pestilence and hauing a greate sore vpon him was left behinde in the bish of Londons gaile whereby he escaped the fire Now these men being brought to Wyndsore there was a sessions speciall procured to be holdeÌ the Thursday after which was S. Annes day Against the which Sessions by the counsell of D. London and Symons were all the farmers belonging to the Colledge of Wyndesore warned to appeare because they coulde not pike oute Papistes enough in the towne to go vpon the iury The iudges that day were these Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisburie Syr William Essex Knight Syr Thomas Bridges Knight Syr Humfrey Foster Knight Maister Franklen Deane of Wyndsore And Fachel of Reading When these had taken theyr places and the prisonners brought forth before them then Robert Ockam occupying for that day the Clarke of peace his âoume called Anthony Person according to the maner of the Courte and red hys Inditement which was this First that he should preach two yeares before in a place called Wyngfield and there should say that like as Christe was hanged betwene two theeues euen so wheÌ the priest is at masse and hath coÌsecrated and lifted him vp ouer hys head then he hangeth betweene 2. theues except he preach the word of God truely as he hath taken vpon hym to do Also that he sayde to the people in the Pulpet yee shall not eate the body of Christ as it did hang vpon the Crosse gnawing it with your teeth that the bloude runne aboute your lippes but you shall eate him thys day as ye eat him to morow the next day and euery day for it refresheth not the body but the soule Also after he had preached and commended the Scripture calling it the word of God he sayd as foloweth This is the word this is the bread this is the body of Christ. Also hee sayde that Christ sittinge with hys Disciples tooke bread and blessed and brake it and gaue it to his disciples saying Take and eate it This is my body What is thys to vs but to take the Scripture of God and to breake it to the people To this Anthony answered sayde I wil be tryed by God and his holy word and by the true Church of Christ whether thys be heresie or no wherof ye haue Indited me this day So long as I preached the Bishop of Rome and his filthy traditions I was neuer troubled but since I haue taken vppon me to preach Christ and his Gospel yee haue alwaies sought my life But it maketh no matter for when you haue taken your pleasure of my body I trust it shal not lye in your powers to hurt my soule Thou callest vs theeues quoth the Byshop I say quoth Anthony yee are not only theeues but murtherers except ye preach and teach the worde of God purely and sincerely to the people whych ye do not nor neuer did but haue allured them to al Idolatry superstition and hypocrisie for your owne lucre glory sake through the which ye are become rather bitesheepes then true byshops biting and deuouring the poore sheepe of Christ like rauening wolues neuer satisfied with bloud which God wil require at your haÌds one day dout it not Then spake Symons his accuser standing wythin the barre saying It is pitie this fellow had not bene burnt long agoe as he deserued In faith quoth Anthonie if you had as you haue deserued you were more worthy to stand in this place then I but I trust in the last daye when wee shall both appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ that then it wil be known which of vs 2. hath best deserued this place Shal I haue so long a day quoth Symons holding vp hys finger Nay then I care not and so the matter was iested out Robert Testwoode THen was Testwoode called and his Inditement read which was that he should say in the time that the priest was lifting vp the Sacrament what wilt thou lift hym so hie What yet hier Take heede let him not fall To thys Testwoode aunsweared sayinge it was but a thing maliciously forged of his enemies to bring him to his death Yes quoth the B. thou hast bene sene that wheÌ the Priest shoulde lift vp the Sacrament ouer hys heade then wouldest thou looke downe vpon thy booke or some other way because thou wouldest not abide to looke vpon y e blessed Sacrament I beseech you my Lord quoth Testwood whereon did he looke that marked me so wel Mary quoth Bucklayer the Kynges Atturney hee coulde not be better occupied theÌ to marke suche heretickes that so despised the blessed Sacrament Henry Filmer THen was Filmer called and his Inditement read that he should say that the Sacrament of the saultare is nothing els but a âimilitude and a ceremony and also if God be in the Sacrament of the aultare I haue eaten twentie Gods in my dayes Here ye must vnderstand that these wordes were gathered of certaine communication which shuld be betwene Filmer and his brother The tale went thus This Henry Filmer comminge vpon a Sonday from Clewer his Parish churche in the company of one or two of his neighbors chaunced in the way to meete his brother whych was a verye poore labouring man and asked hym whether he went To the Church sayd he And what to do quoth Filmer To doe quoth hee as other men doe Nay quoth Filmer you go to heare masse and to see your God What if I do so quoth he If that be God should Filmer say I haue eaten 20. Gods in my dayes Tourne agayne foole and go home with me and I wil read thee a Chapter out of the Bible that shal be better then all that thou shalt heare
or see there This tale was no sooner brought to Doct. London by William Symons Filmers vtter ennemie but he sent for the poore man home to his house ãâã London ãâã broâââ agâynst âââther where he chearished hym with meat and money telling him he shoulde neuer lacke so long as he liued that y e seely poore man thinking to haue had a daily frend of D. London was content to do and say whatsoeuer he and Symons would haue hym say or do against his owne brother And when D. London had thus won the pore man he retained him as one of his houshold men vntill the court day was come and then sent him vp to witnes this foresaid tale against his brother Which âale Filmer denied vtterly saying that D. London for a little meat and drinke sake had set him on and made him to say what his pleasure was âââmers own âââther ãâã agaynst ãâã wherfore my Lord quoth Filmer to the bishop I beseeche your Lordship weigh the matter indifferently ãâã witnes stand is aââânst the ãâã for as muche as there is no man in all thys towne y t can or will testifie with him that euer he heard any such talke betwene him and me and if he can bring forth any that wil witnes the same with him I refuse not to die But say what he could it would not preuaile Then Filmer seeing no remedy but that hys brothers accusemeÌt shuld take place he sayd Ah brother what cause hast thou to shew me this vnkindnes I haue alwaies ben a naturall brother vnto thee and thine and helped you all to my power from time to time as thou thy selfe knowest and is this a brotherly part ãâã cast ãâã by his ãâ¦ã thus to rewarde me nowe for my kindnesse God forgeue it thee my brother geue thee grace to repent Then Filmer looking ouer his shoulder desired some good body to let him see the booke of statutes Hys wife being at the end of the hall and hearing her husband call for the booke of statutes ran downe to the keper and brought vp the booke gat it conueied to her husbaÌd The Bishop seeing the booke in his hand starte hym vp from the bench in a great sume ãâã Bishops âââdemne ãâã not one without ãâã but ãâ¦ã that ââould not ãâ¦ã by ãâ¦ã the ãâã and ãâã do the ãâ¦ã say that ãâã did ãâã but by ãâã ãâã of ãâã iust ãâ¦ã a ãâã accuser ãâã his ãâã demanding who had geueÌ the prisoner that booke commaunding it to be taken from him and to make searche who had brought it swearing by the faith of hys body he should go to prison Some sayd it was his wife some sayd the keeper Like inough my lord quoth Symons for he is one of the same sort as worthy to be heere as the best if he were rightly serued But howsoeuer it was the truthe would not be knowen and so the Bishop sate him downe againe Then sayd Filmer O my Lord I am this day iudged by a lawe why should not I see the lawe that I am iudged by The law is I should haue two lawfull witnesses and here is but one which would not doe as he doeth but that he is forced thereunto by the suggestion of mine ennemies Nay quoth Bucklayer the kynges atturney thyne heresie is so heinous and abhorteth thine owne brother so much that it forceth him to witnesse against thee which is more then two other witnesses Thus as ye see was Filmer brought vniustly to hys death by the malice of Symons and D. London who had enticed that wretched caitiffe his brother to be their minister to worke his confusion But God which is a iust reueÌger of all falsehode wrongs would not suffer that wretch long to liue vppon earth but the next yeare followyng he beyng taken vp for a labourer to goe to Bullaine had not bene there three daies ere that in exonerating of nature a Gunne tooke him and tore him all to peeces And so was these woordes of Salomon fulfilled A false witnesse shall not remaine vnpunished Iohn Marbecke THen was Marbecke called and hys Inditement read The inditement of Marbecke whiche was that he shoulde say That the holy Masse when the Priest doeth consecrate the body of our Lorde is poluted deformed sinnefull and open robbery of the glory of God from the which a Christian hart ought both to abhorre and flee And the eleuation of the Sacramente is the similitude of the setting vp of Images of the calues in the Temple builded by Ieroboam and that it is more abhomination then the sacrifices done by the Iewes in Ieroboams temple to those calues And that certaine and sure it is that Christ himself is made in the masse mans laughing stocke To thys hee aunswered and sayde Marbecke aunswereth to his inditement that these woordes wherof they had indited him were not his but the wordes of a learned man called Iohn Caluine and drawn out of a certaine Epistle which the sayd Caluine had made whych Epistle he had but onely wrytten out and that long before the 6. Articles came foorth so that nowe he was discharged of that offence by the kings generall pardon desiring that he might enioy the benefite thereof Then was the Iurye called which were all Farmers belonging to the Colledge of Wyndsore Partiall dealing in calling the Iurye whereof fewe or none had euer sene those men before vppon whose life and death they went Wherfore the prisoners counting the farmers as partial desired to haue the Townes men or such as did know them and had sene their daily conuersations in the place of the Farmers or els to be equally ioyned w t them but that would not be for the matter was otherwise foreseene and determined Now when the Iury had taken theyr oth and al Bucklayer the kynges atturney began to speake Buclayer the kinges atturney a persecuter and first he alledged many reasons against Anth. Person to prooue him an hereticke Whych when Anth. woulde haue disprooued the Bishop sayd let him alone Syr he speaketh for the K. so went Bucklayer foorth with his matter making euery mans cause as hainous to the hearers as he coulde deuise And when he had done and sayd what he would then Sir Humfrey Foster spake to the Quest in the fauor of Marbecke on thys wise Maisters quoth hee Syr Humfrey Foster speaketh for Marbecke yee see there is no man here that accuseth or layeth any thyng to the charge of this poore man Marbecke sauing he hath written certaine things of other mens sayings with his owne hand wherof he is discharged by the kings generall pardon therfore ye ought to haue a conscience therin Then start vp Fachel at the lower ende of the benche and sayd Fachell a persecuter What can we tel whether they were wrytten before the pardone or after They may as well be wrytten since as afore for any thing that we
good aunswere sayd the Byshop of Bathe Then Butler made lowe curtesie and said the shirt is aunswered Then Chichester said thou mockest vs. But he sayde no. And thus muche concerning that time ¶ The story of William Smyth THen after Butler was Sir William Smith Curate of our Lady Parish in Calice The trouble examination of Syr W. Smith Curatââ called before them and charged in a manner with the same haynous errours and pernitious opinions that were obiected against the sayde Rafe Hare and therto was added that he had spoken and preached against our blessed Lady against prayeng to Saincts against doing of good workes and many other like things and therewithall one Richard Long a man of armes of Calice prooued against the said Sir Smyth and y e foresaid Brook by an othe taken vpon a booke that the sayd Smith and Brooke did eate flesh together in Lent in the sayd Brookes house For a Millers boy sayd hee came into Brookes kitchen and sawe halfe a Lambe lye a roasting at the fire Where as the truth is that the sayde Sir William Smith during all the Lent came neuer once within the sayd Brookes house And it is as true also that the sayd Richard Long vpon a displeasure taken with his wife went shortly after out of his owne house to the Iuârie end of the hauen at Calice where desperately he drowned himselfe False accusation periury punished of God not one boy but many men women girles and boyes seeing him miserably taken vp againe starke dead all which lamented his pitifull ruine A terrible example vnto all such as are ready to forsweare themselues on a booke vpon malice or whatsoeuer other cause it be a thing in these dayes ouer rise euery where and almost no where regarded as it ought to be ¶ The trouble of Iohn Butler THere was also called before them sir Iohn Butler then Commissary of Calice The trouble of Iohn Butler Commissarye whom they would haue burdened with the maintenance or at y e leastwise sufferaunce of the foresayd Adam Damlip which preached so loÌg time there and was not by him punished Who for his defence aunswered that the Lord Deputie and the whole Counsell there so highly entertained and so frendly vsed the said Damlyp and with their owne presence high commendations outwardly so allowed and coÌmeÌded his doctrine that it lay not in him to do otherwise theÌ he did therfore humbly besought their Lordships and other the Commissioners to be good vnto him At whose handes after long attendance geuen he was discharged so returned home againe being also dismissed of his Commissaryship The recantation of certayne Calyce men NOw to declare what order was taken with these foresayd Calycemen it was appointed that sir W. Smith Rafe Hare Iames Cocke and Iames Barber The recantation and pennance of Syr W· Smith Rafe Hare Iames Cocke Iames Barber at Calice should be sent to Calice there to abiure and to do penaunce Where sir W. Smith was enioined to make the Sermon Rafe Hare Iames Cocke and Iames Barber standyng wyth fagots vpoÌ their shoulders The Sermon was made in y e market of Calice Which being done they went with their fagottes about the market place the Drumme and Fife going before them and then returning to the Commissioners with testimoniall of the same they departed Albeit in this recaÌtation the said W. Smith Curate of our Ladyes Church handled his Sermon after that sort as in effect he denied nothing at all that he had before preached or taught but yet it satisfied somewhat hys aduersaries malicious harts in that it bare the name of a recantation according to the Commissioners order appointing him thus openly to preach and so to depart the towne and marches As touching Iames Barber aforesayde for so much as his dwelling was not at Calice Iames Barber but foure miles off from the towne it was therfore enioyned him to beare his Fagot not at Calice but on the Saterday next following to stand in the market there where he dwelled with his Fagot vpon his shoulder and the sayd Syr William Smyth likewise there preached as before And thus much concerning the firste Commission sente ouer to Calice to enquire vpon the heretickes there Another Commission sent ouer to Calice AFter all these thynges done and past the grudgyng mindes of the aduersaries yet were not satisfied but still suggested new coÌplaints to the Kings eares against the towne of Calice making the king beleue A new commission sent downe to Calice that through new opinions the towne was so diuided that it was in great daunger of the aduersary to be ouercome Whereupon shortly after the weeke before Easter next folowing other newe Commissioners were sent ouer by the King to Calice to witte the Earle of Sussex Lorde great Chamberlaine the Lord S. Iohn False accusation agaynst the towne of Calice Sir Iohn Gage Knight Sir Iohn Barker Knight M. Layton Clerke of the closet and Doctor Currin with speciall instructioÌs besides signed by the Kings Maiesties owne hand for his highnes had bene incensed once againe from the Counsell at Calice that the towne was in perill through dissension The Commissioners appointed and diuersitie of opinions Upon their arriuall M. Doct. Currin preached a notable Sermon exhorting all men to charitie hauing nothing in his mouth but charitie charitie But as it seemed afterwarde such a burning charitie was in him and the rest of the Commissioners that had not God pitied the innocencie of mens causes there had a hundred bene burnt or hanged shortly after But it happened farre otherwise For of the number of those accusers four were by those Commissioners sent ouer into England to witte Clement Philpot seruaunt to the Lorde Lisle sir Edmund Curate of our Ladyes Church W. Touchet a Postmaister Peter Bequet of the which four Example of Gods punishment vpon false accusers Touchet and Bequet were sente to theyr places againe the other two were drawne hanged and quartered at London But contrary of all them that were accused there was not one that lost one heare of his head After the Sermon was done on the morowe to witte on Sherethurseday all the Commissioners solemnely receiued the Sacramente And at after noone the Counsell were with the Commissioners and after their consultation tipped staues warned aboue the number of foure score so peruerse persons as the like were not in y e towne or marches to appeare on the morrow at viij of the clocke before the Counsell at the Staple Inne who at their appearance were commaunded vpon their allegiance to present all such heretickes schismatickes and seditious persons as they did know and in no wise to doubt or dread so to do for they shoulde haue great aduauntage thereby yea they should haue eyther their linings An other inquisition at Calice agaynst heretickes or their goodes and besides that they shoulde haue greate thankes at the Kings Maiesties hand
or no. seing you haue taken the paynes to aske y e questioÌ I desire you also to assoyle it your selfe for I will not doe it because I perceiue you come to tempt me And he said it was agaynst the order of scholes y t he which asked the question should answere it I told him I was but a woman and knew not the course of scholes Fiftly he asked me if I entended to receiue the Sacrament at Easter or no I aunswered that els I were no Christen woman and thereat I did reioyce that the time was so neare at hand M. Britayne seeketh to baile Anne Askew his cosin and then he departed thence wyth many fayre wordes The xxiij day of March my coosin Britaine came into the Counter vnto me and asked me whether I might bee put to bayle or no TheÌ went he immediately vnto my L. Mayor desiring of him to be so good vnto me That I might be bayled My Lord aunswered him and sayd that he would be glad to doe the best that in him say How be it he could not bayle me without the consent of a spiritual officer requiring him to go speak with the Chauncellor of London For he sayde like as he could not committe me to prison without the consent of a spirituall Officer no more could he bayle me without the consent of the same So vpon that he went to the ChauÌcellor requiring of him as he did before of my Lord Maior He answered him the that matter was so haynous that he durst not of him selfe do it without my Lord of London were made priuy thereunto But he sayd he would speake vnto my Lord in it badde him repayre vnto him the nexte morow and he should wel know my Lords pleasure And vpon the morrow after he came thither and spake both with the ChauÌcellor with the Bishop of LondoÌ The Bishop declared vnto him that he was very well contented that I should come forth to a communication appoynted me to appere before him the next day after at 3 of the clock at afternoone Moreouer he sayd vnto him that he would there shold be at the examination such learned men as I was affectioned to that they might see also make report that I was haÌdled with no rigor He answered him that he knew no man that I had more affection to then to other Then sayd the Byshop yes as I vnderstand she is affectioned to Doct. Crome Syr Guillam Whitehead HuntingtoÌ that they might heare the matter for she did know theÌ to be learned of a godly iudgemeÌt Also he required my coâin Britayn that he should earnestly perswade me to vtter eueÌ the very bottome of my hart and he sware by his fidelitye that no man should take any aduantage of my words neyther yet would he lay ought to my charge for any thing y t I should there speake but if I sayde any maner of thing amisse he with other more would be glad to reforme me therin with most godly counsell On the morow after the Bishop of LondoÌ sent for me at one of the clocke his houre being appoynted at three as I came before him he said he was very sory of my trouble desired to know my opinioÌ in such matters as were layd against me He required me also in any wise boldly to vtter the secrets of my hart bidding me not to feare in any poynt for whatsoeuer I did say in his house no maÌ should hurt me for it I answered forsomuch as your lordship appoynted three of the clocke my frendes shall not come til that houre I desire you to pardoÌ me of geuing answere til they come TheÌ sayd he that he thought it meet to send for those 4. men which were afore named appointed TheÌ I desired him not to put them to the payne for it should not need because the two gentlemen which were my frendes were able enough to testify that I should say Anone after he went into his gallary with M. Spilman willed him in any wise that he shoulde exhorte me to vtter all that I thought In the meane while he coÌmaunded his Archdeacon to coÌmon with me who sayd vnto me Mistres wherfore are you accused thus troubled here before y e Bishop To whom I answered agayne and sayd Syr aske I pray you my accusers for I know not as yet TheÌ tooke he my booke out of my hand and sayd such bookes as this haue brought you to the trouble you are in Beware sayth he beware for he that made this booke and was the author therof was an hereticke I warrant you burnt in smithfield Then I asked him if he were certayne and sure that it was true that he had spoken And he sayd he knew well the booke was of I. Frithes making Then I asked him if he were not ashamed for to iudge of the booke before heâ saw it within or yet knew the truth therof I said also that such vnaduised and hasty iudgement is a token apparant of a very slender wit Then I opened the booke shewed it him He said he thought it had bene an other for he could finde no fault therein Then I desired him no more to bee so vnaduisedly rash swift in iudgement till he throughly knew the truth and so he departed from me Immediately after came my cosin Britaine in with dyuers other as M. Hall of Grayes Inne such other like Then my Lord of London perswaded my cosine Britaine as he had done oft before which was that I shoulde vtter y e bottom of my hart in any wise My Lord said after y t vnto me that he would I should credite the counsayle of such as were my frendes and wel willers in this behalf which was that I should vtter all thinges that burdened my coÌscience for he ensured me that I shoulde not neede to stand in doubt to say any thing For like as he promised them he said he promised me would performe it which was that neither he nor any man for him should take me at aduauntage of any word I should speake and therefore he had me say my minde without feare I aunswered him that I had nought to say for my conscience I thanked God was burdened with nothing Then brought he forth this vnsauery similitude that if a man had a wound no wise Surgeon would minister helpe vnto it before he had seene it vncouered In like case saith he can I geue you no good counsaile vnles I know wherwith your conscience is burdened I answered that my conscience was cleare in all things for to lay a plaister vnto the whole skin it might appeare much folly Then you driue me saith he to lay to your charge your own report ãâã first ãâã agaânst Anne Askew which is this you did say he that doth receue the Sacrament by the hands of an ill priest or a sinner receiueth the
With that he went foorth into his great chamber and read the same Bil before the audience which enueigled and willed me to set to my haÌd saieng also that I had fauour shewed me Then sayd the B. I might thaÌke other and not my selfe of the fauour that I found at hys hand for he considered he sayd that I had good frendes and also that I was come of a worshipfull stocke Then answered one Christopher a seruant to M. Dennie Rather ought you my L. to haue done it in such case for Gods sake then for mans Then my L. sate down and tooke me the writing to set therto my hand and I writ after this maner I Anne Askew do beleue all maner things conteined in the faith of the catholike church And for as much as mention here is made of the writyng of Boner The wordes of the Registers which this godly woman sayd before she had not in memory therefore I thought in this place to inferre the same both with the whole circumstance of Boner and with the title thereunto prefixed by the Register and also with her owne subscription to the intent the Reader seyng the same subscription neyther to agree with the tyme of the title aboue prefixed nor with the subscription after the writing annexed might the better vnderstand thereby what credite is to be geuen hereafter to suche Byshops and to such Registers The tenour of Boners writyng proceedeth thus The true copy of the confession and beliefe of Anne Askew otherwise called Anne Kime made before the B. of London the xx day of March in the yere of our lord God after the computation of the Church of England 1545. and subscribed with her owne hand in the presence of the âayd B. and other whose names hereafter are recited set foorth and published at this present to the entent the world may see what credence is now to be geuen vnto the same woman who in so short a tyme hath most damnably altered and changed her opinion and beliefe Ex Regist. therfore rightfully in open court arrained and condemned Ex Regist. BE it known to all faythfull people that as touching the blessed sacrament of the aultar I do firmely vndoubtedly beleue that after the wordes of consecration be spoken by the Priest according to the common vsage of thys Church of England The copy of the Byshops reporte vpon the confession of Anne Askew as it staÌdeth ãâã the Registers there is present really the bodye and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ whether the minister which doth consecrate be a good man or a bad man that also whensoeuer the sayd Sacrament is receiued whether the receiuer be a good man or a bad man he doth receiue it really corporally And moreouer I do beleue that whether the said Sacrament then receiued of the Minister or els reserued to be put into the pixe or to be brought to any person that is impotent or sicke yet there is the very bodie and bloud of our sayd sauiour so that whether the Minister or the receiuer be good or bad yea whether the Sacrament be receiued or reserued alwayes there is the blessed body of Christ really And this thing with all other things touching the Sacrament other sacraments of the Church and all things els touching the christian beliefe which are taught and declared in the kings Maiesties booke lately set forth for the erudition of the christiaÌ people I Anne Askew otherwise called Anne Kyme do truely and perfectly beleeue and so here presently confesse and knowledge And here I do promise that henceforth I shall neuer say or doe any thyng agaynst the premisses or against any of them In witnesse whereof I the sayd Anne haue subscribed my name vnto these presents Written the xx day of March in the yere of our Lord God 1545. Ex Regist. Ex Reg. Lond. By me Anne Askew otherwise called Anne Kyme Edmund Bish. of London Iohn Bish of Bathe Owen Oglethorpe Doct. of Diuinitie Witnesses Rich. Smith Doct. of Diuinitie Ioh. Rudde Bacheler of Diuinitie Wil. Pie Bacheler of Diuinitie Iohn Wymsley Archdeacon of London Iohn Cooke Rob. Iohn Frances Spilman Edward Hall Alexander Bret. Edmund Buts With diuers other mo beyng then present Here mayest thou note gentle Reader in this confession both in the B. and his register a double sleight of false conueiaunce For although the confession porporteth the words of the bishops writing Bonner and hys Register reproued with an vntruth whereunto she did set her hand yeâ by the title prefixed before mayest thou see that both she was arraigned condemned before this was registred and also that she is falsly reported to haue put to her hand which in deed by this her owne booke appeareth not so to be but after this maner and condition I Anne Askew doe beleeue all maner thinges conteyned in the fayth of the Catholike Church and not otherwise It followeth more in the story Then because I did adde vnto it the catholike church he âang into his chamber in a great fury With that my cosin Britaine followed him desiring him for Gods sake to bee gooâ L. vnto me Bonner Byshop of London in a chafe agaynst Anne Askew He answered that I was a woman and that âe was nothing deceiued in me Then my cosine Britayne desired him to take me as a woman and not to set my weake womans wit to his lordships great wisdome Then went in vnto him Doct. Westen and sayd that the cause why I did write there the catholike church Doct. Westen was that I vnderstoode not the Church written afore So with much adoe they perswaded my Lord to come out agayne and to take my name with y e names of my sureties which were my cosin Britaine and Maister Spilman of Graies Inne This beyng done we thought that I should haue bene put to bayle immediatly according to the order of the law Howbeit he would not suffer it but committed me from thence to prison agayne Anne Askew brought to the Guilde Hall vntill the next morrow and then he willed me to appeare in the Guild hall so I did Notwithstanding they would not put me to bayle there neyther but red the B. writing vnto me as before and so commanded me againe to prison Then were my sureties appointed to come before theÌ on the next morrow in Paules Church which dyd so in deede Notwithstandyng they would once agayne haue brokeÌ of with them because they would not be bound also for another woman at their plesure whom they knew not nor yet what matter was laid vnto her charge Anne Askew bayled at last vnder sâertyes with much adoe Notwithstanding at the last after much ado and reasoning to fro they toke a bond of them of recognisance for my forth comming And thus I was at the last deliuered Written by me Anne Askew The latter apprehension and examination of the worthy Martyr of
and Articles these men gather out of their bookes for errours and heresies Secondly how wittingly and willingly they wrast peruert and miscoÌstrue their sayings and writings in such sense as the wryters neuer spake nor ment and all to bryng them into hatred of the worlde after they haue burned their bookes So did they before wyth Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Hus Hierome So did they with M. Luther Tindal Frithe Lambert Barnes Ioy Roy Seron Articles of Wickliffe and others falsified by the Papistes and briefly yet do stil wyth all the Protestants either peruerting their sayings otherwise then they meante or noting for heresies suche as are manifest principles grounds of our religion Or els falsly belying them or vntruely mistaking them eyther in mangling y e places or adding to their words as may serue for their most aduauntage to bring them out of credite w t Princes and all the people For the more euident probation and experience wherof thou shalt see here Christen reader as in a table laid before thine eyes the booke or cataloge of such errours blasphemies and heresies whiche the Catholicke Papistes in their own registers haue extracted out of their bokes whoÌ in this other proclamatioÌs they haue condemned Wher vnto moreouer we haue annexed y t very places also of the Authors out of which euery Article is gathered keepyng the same signature of verse and page whyche they in theyr registers doe send vs vnto So that with a little diligence thou maist now louing reader easely perceiue conferring the Articles and places together what trueth and fidelitie these bloudye Catholickes haue vsed towarde the children of God First in burning vp theyr bodies then in consuming and abolishing theyr bokes and afterward drawing out Articles such as they list theÌselues out of their workes to make the people beleue what damnable heretickes they were as by these articles here vnder ensuing collected and contained in their owne registers may wel appeare In al which articles there is not one speaking of these wryters which here they haue condemned but either it is a perfect truth and a principle of Christen doctrine or els it is falsly gathered or peruersly recited or craftely handled maliciously mangled hauing either something cut froÌ it or some more added or els rackt out of his right place or wrasted to a wroÌg meaning which the place geueth not or els whych some other place folowing doth better expound declare This false malitious dealing hath alwayes bene a common practise amongst Gods enemies from the beginning to falsifie wrast and depraue all thinges what soeuer maketh not to their faction affection be it neuer so true and iust So began they w t Steuen y e 1. martyr of Iesus Christ The wordes of S. Steuen falsely depraued Act. 6.7 and so haue they continued stil yet do to this present day Long it were to recite but more greuous to behold what spite and falshoode was vsed in the articles of y e Albingenses Waldenses Wickliffe Swinderby Brute Thorpe Armachanus syr Iohn Oldcastle Iohn Hus the Bohemians and such other Which thing if the bookes and places when these Articles were gathered againste them had bene suffered to remayne we might more playnely vnderstand In the meane season as touching these Articles here present for so much as the Bishops owne Registers haue offered them vnto vs and doe yet remaine with the selfe same bookes from whence they be excerpted I shall therefore desire thee frendly reader first to coÌsider the Articles and laye them with the places which the Registers themselues doe assigne and then iudge thy selfe what is to bee thought thereof The Articles gathered out of the foresayd bookes wyth the Bishops decree prefixed before the same is as here vnder followeth A publike Instrument by the Byshops for the abolishing of the Scripture and other bookes to be ãâã English IN the name of God Amen Be it knowen to all and singulare true A writing of the Bishops agaynst Englishe books and faithfull people to whome these present letters testimoniall or this present publicke and authenticke instrument shall come to be seene reade hearde or vnderstande and whome this vnder wrytten shall or may teache or appertaine vnto in any maner of wise in time to come William by the sufferaunce of almightye God Archbishop of Caunterburie Primate of all the Realme of Englande sendeth greeting in our Lorde God euerlasting We signifie vnto you all and let you well wit and know by these presents that the king our soueraigne Lorde hearing of many bookes in the English tongue containing many detestable errours and damnable opinions printed in the parties beyond the Seas to be brought into diuers townes and sondrye parties of this his Realme of Englande and sowen abroade in the same to the great decay of our faith Catholicke and perillous corruption of hys people vnlesse speedy remedy were briefely prouided hys highnesse willinge euermore to employ all his studie and mynde in the high degree which almighty God hath called hym vnto to the wealth of his subiectes that they might liue not only in tranquillitie and peace but also be kept pure and cleane of all contagion and wrong opinions in Christes Religion considering also that he being defendour of the faith woulde be full loth to suffer such euill seede sowne amongst his people and so take roote that it might ouergrowe the corne of the Catholicke doctrine before spronge in the soules of hys subiectes for the repellinge of suche booke calling vnto him of his great goodnesse gratious dispositioÌ not onely certein of the chief prelates clerks of his realm but also of eache Vniuersitie a certaine number of the chiefe learned men proposed such of those bookes as his grace had readye to be read vnto them requiring to heare in that behalfe their aduise and iudgement of them Who both by great diligence and mature deliberation perusing ouer the sayde bookes founde in them manye errours and heresies both detestable and damnable being of such a sort that they were like briefly to corrupt a greate parte of his people if they mighte be suffered to remaine in theyr handes any space gathering also out of them many great errors and pestilent heresies and noting them in wryting to the intente to shewe for what cause they reputed the sayd bookes damnable of which hereafter out of eache booke gathered many do ensue albeit many more there be in the said bookes which bookes totally do swarue full of heresies and detestable opinions Heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke of Tyndall named the wicked Mammon with the places of the booke annexed to the same Heresies falsly gathered by the Papistes out of wicked MaÌmon oute of which euery Article is collected 1. FAith onely iustifieth Fol. 59. 1. Article This Article being a principle of the Scripture and the ground of our saluation is playne enoughe by S. Paule and the
be troubled nor disquieted for the matter neither am I to be counted heretike erroneous or offensiue so long as I shall not be prooued and plainly coÌuicted with simple and manifest wordes in what Article I am so iudged Neither do I here charge my Papists these blockheds that I will put them to their proofes but onely that they will shew me at least my errour that is that they wil shew me if they know what it is that they themselues do prattle of or haue any feelyng of their owne doyngs For so long as they assigne me no hereticall Article I am at free liberty to deny what Article so euer they lay vnto me to be heretical and say it is Catholike Agayne what a rudenes is it in this wicked doltishe Antichrist worthy to be laughed at where as these drummedaries do distinct hereticall Articles from those that be erroneous and the erroneous from offensiue The ãâã distinctioÌ ãâã the Papiââ betweenâ ãâã articles hââreticall eââroneous sclauÌderoââ offeÌsiuâ Luke 9. and those agayne from slaunderous By the which subtle distinction of those grosseheaded dolts this we do gather that that article which is erroneous is not heretical and if it be not heretical what doth it then appertaine to these Ecclesiastical condemners which ought to condemne those things only which be hereticall For that which is not hereticall is catholike as Christ himselfe saith He that is not against vs is with vs. Yea I would wish that these iolly Sophisters would shew me in all the Church an Article that is erroneous and not heretical for if it be erroneous it differeth nothyng from hereticall but onely in stiffenesse of defendyng For all things be equally either true or false Hereticaâ althogh affection in some one thing which is true or false may be greater or lesser Ye see therfore agayne how these men for all theyr braggyng Buls are not able to produce me one Article which is erroneous and not heretical Erroneouâ and yet lyke wise brainsike men they will needs babble they know not themselues what condemning that which they finde erroneous and not hereticall which cannot stand eyther in matter or in words so that such as are the Articles such is the condemnation The lyke wisedome also they shew in affirmyng that to be Scandalous Scandaloââ which is neither hereticall nor erroneous That Article I would fayne see eyther in my bookes or in the words and workes of any writer els from the beginnyng of the world to the latter end What made my papists then to excogitate these so prodigious monsters but onely their monstrous fury and madnesse Unlesse peraduenture they meane those Articles so to be Scandalous as commonly all true and Catholike Articles are wont to be For what is more scandalous then Ueritie Yea onely truth and veritie is scandalous to all proud and senselesse persons and is sayd of Christ 1. Cor. 1. We preach saith S. Paule Christe crucified a stumblynge stone to the Iewes and to the Gentiles foolishnesse And in Luke 2. 1. Cor. 1 Luke 2. He is set to be the fall and rising vp of many in Israell Wherefore where as my Papistes do distinguish scandalous Articles from hereticall and erroneous and forasmuch as that which is not hereticall or erroneous must needes be Catholicke and true it followeth thereof that these scandalous Articles be vnderstanded and condeÌned of them for such as be very Catholike and sound O worthy commendation meâte for the Papists Marke here good Reader Offensiââ the impietie of these blynde Bussards whether they roll themselues how they deride and mocke themselues how easily they are taken in theyr owne words how fond and foolish they are in their studies not only in not proouyng any error or slander in these Articles but also in goyng about only to expresse them how they cast out things impossible and most foolishly repugnant to themselues Where is then thou most presumptuous and shameles Bull thy doltish respectiue nowe become whether respectedst thou Uerily into the bottomles pit of impiety and thine owne brutish stoliditie The like also is to be sayd touching the Articles offensiue which must be neyther slaunderous neyther erroneous nor hereticall seyng they are distincted by such great Rabbines Who wyll not now maruell at the depe profound wisedome of these Papistes which could finde out that to be offensiue in the Church which is neyther false neyther hereticall nor slaunderous but true sound Catholike and edifieng and yet must that also be condemned And who would not now desire couet to be condemned also of such harebrained Idiotes who by their owne condemning do vtter themselues to approoue things damnable and to condemne things iustifiable that is whyche openly shew themselues to their owne great ignominy and shame to be more senseles then stockes rockes or blocks Goe ye nowe therefore O ye impious and brainelesse Papistes and if yee wil needes wryte shew your selues more sober for this Bull it appeareth was spued out in youre night feasts amongs other drabs and harlots or els hudled vp in the Caniculare dayes or mad midsomer Moone For neuer were there any dissardes that would shew them selues so madde Lette vs now retourne this dirt of Antichrist and cast it in hys owne teethe and of hys owne words let vs iudge hym and condemne him The popes ãâ¦ã owne ãâã that heereafter hee maye learne to take better heede and be better aduised in his lyinge For as the Prouerbe sayth a lyer had neede to haue a good memorye If some Articles be offensiue and other hereticall and thou condemnest him whych is no hereticke and consequently a true Catholicke although hee be sixe hundreth times offensiue Doth not thy shamelesse mouth then condemne thy selfe not onely of heresie but of extreeme impietie blasphemye and treason against Gods holy trueth shewing thy selfe to be the manne in dede whych is the aduersarye and is extolled aboue all that which is called God or is worshipped Art not thou then the manne of sinne and the sonne of perdition â Thes. 2. which denieth God hys redeamer and taketh away the loue of trueth to stablishe the settinge foorth of his errour for men to beleeue iniquitie as Paule foretolde For if the Article be not hereticall it can not be offensiue or slaunderous but onely to suche heretickes as Antichrist is and Sathanistes of all pietie See theeefore howe his shamelesse and moste foolish Bull whiles it condemneth in me one thinge to be hereticall and an other offensiue doeth manifestly declare the authours thereof to be true heretickes and the enemies of God in deede Prouerb 12 So that nowe it maye appeare that there is no knowledge nor counsell against the Lorde seeing blinde impietie is thus caughte in the woordes of hys owne mouth so truely it is sayd that he whiche casteth vpp a stone on highe it falleth downe againe vpon his owne pate And whych is chiefest of all
it not be dispensed with all by the keyes If these Bull founders doe charg me with any other thing besides in this article they do nothing els but as they are wont to do For what matter or marueile is it if Antichrist do lye The 6. article Contrition whiche is gotten by examining The answere of M. Luther to the 6. article remembryng and detesting our sinnes whereby a man calleth to mynde hys yeares past in the bitternes of his soule in pondring the greatnes the multitude and filthines of his sinnes the loosing of eternall blisse and purchasing of eternall damnation this contrition maketh an hypocrite yea rather a manne to be more a sinner The Answere O the incredible blindnes and brutishnes of these Romish bulles This Article is truely mine very christian which I will not suffer to be wreasted from mee for all the Popes and papists in the world The answere of mayster Luther to the 6. aâticle For thys I meant by that doctrine that repentaunce is of no force vnlesse it be done in faithe and charitie whiche thinge they also teache them selues but that they do not knowe nor teach neither what faith nor charitie is And therefore in condemning my doctrine they condemne also their owne foolishly repugnyng against themselues in their owne coÌtradiction I say therfore that he which teacheth repentaunce in such wise maner that he hath not a greater regard to the promised mercye of God and faith in the same then to this afflicting and vexing of the minde he teacheth the repentaunce of Iudas Iscarioth he is pestilent a deuil to mens soules and a tormentor of consciences Read the bookes of those sophisters where they wryte of repentaunce and thou shalt see there no meÌtion made eyther of promise or faith For these liuely parts of repeÌtance they cleane omitte onely do vexe meÌ with these dead contritions But heereof we haue and wil hereafter entreat more at large But what should I here stand vpon euery Article seeing my bookes be abroade wherein I haue geuen a reason of all sufficiently and more woulde haue done if mine aduersaries also had brought to light theirs The purpose of Luther in setting forth hys articles For what folishnesse is this that they thinke to answere me with thys one saying that they count all my sayings as damned wheras I did wryte to this ende onely that they shoulde acknowledge their errours wherewith they haue so long bewitched the people of God Neither did I looke that I should be condemned which vnderstanding knowing the same right wel haue iustified those things which they haue condemned before with sufficient authoritie bothe of scripture and reason Neither looked I that they should tel me what they thought for I knew all that well enough but that I sought of them was to knowe whether they thought right therin or not Here looked I to be taught and behold none of them all durst once put foorth his head Wherefore I see these asses nothing to vnderstand either the things that I say or yet themselues But they be suche blinde bussardes that they perceiue not what it is that I seeke in my bookes For they dreame that I haue suche an opinion of them as though they had the truthe of their side when there is nothing that I lesse thinke to be true For I foreseeing that they had condemned al these things before came foorth and shewed my selfe as one not to be condemned but as already condemned of them to accuse their condemnation to be wicked hereticall and blasphemous and so openly to denounce them as heretikes and erroneous vnles they shewed some better reason and ground of their doings doctrine where as they on the other side like foolish minstrels harping all on one string haue nothing else in theyr mouthes â Pet. 3. but we condemne that we haue condemned proouing after a newe kinde of Logike the same thing by it selfe O most idiote huddypeaks and blockish condemners where is the saying of Peter Be alwayes ready to reÌder a count of that faith and hope which is in you Wherefore seeing these ignorant Papists being thus confounded doe so flie away from the face of the manifest veritie that they dare not once open their mouthes in defence of themselues or of their cause and haue blasted oute with much ado this timerous Bul of theirs I being comforted with the flight of these mine aduersaries do account this theyr dastardly damnation in sted of full allowing and iustifying of my cause and so rebounde againe theyr owne damnation vppon their owne heads for howe coulde they more condemne themselues then whiles they fearing to be founde themselues culpable of heresie if they shoulde be driuen to geue account of their doctrine do flie to this miserable and desperate refuge willingly to shutte their eyes and stop their eares and to say I will not I damne thee I heare thee not I allow thee not If I should haue plaid any such mad part how would they I pray you haue triumphed against me This dastardly feare declareth what cowardes they are Wherefore not to burden the reader with any tedious prolixitie of matter in prosecutinge euery Article I heere protest in these presents that I * * Note here good reader that amongest these articles certayne there be which because they seemed somewhat to beare wyth the Pope and his pardons Luther comming after to more knowledge that the pope was Antichrist confesseth himselfe in his ãâã that he vtterly calleth ãâã the same not ãâã king them as the ãâã would ãâã had him but rather aggrauaâââ them agaynst the Pope confesse all these thinges here condemned by this miserable Bull for pure clear and Catholike doctrine whereof I haue sufficiently geuen accompt in my bookes which be extant abroade Furthermore I wil also that the sayd my bokes being extant abroad shal be taken as a publike accusation against these wicked Sophisters seducers of the people of God so that vnlesse they shall geue a count of their doctrine and shall conuicte me with good grounde of Scripture I doe here as muche as in me lieth denounce theÌ as guiltie of errour heresie and sacriledge admonishing desiring and in the Lorde exhorting all them which truely confesse Christ that they will beware and take heede of their pestiferous doctrine and not to dout but that the true Antichrist raigneth by them in the world amongst vs. And if any shal contemne thys my brotherly admonition lette him knowe that I am pure and cleane from hys bloud excused froÌ the laste iudgement of Christe For I haue left nothing vndone whiche Christian charitie dyd binde me to doe Finally if there be no other way whereby I may resist these babling and trifeling condemners the vttermost and last which I haue I will geue and bestow in the quarrell that is this life and bloude of mine For better it were for me a thousande times to be slaine then
the workes of fayth mercy prescribed in the same word Differeââ betweeâ worââs câââmaundeâ God ãâã workes ãâã of ãâã and not vnto workes deuised by mans fantasy as going on pilgrimages and other lyke idolatrous superstitions the which they should also to the vttermost of theyr powers reproue and speak agaynst declaring that all grace goodnes ought onely to be soughte for at gods hand as the alone geuer therof not at any other câeature And that they shoulde not onely foorthwyth take down and destroy all such Images as had bene thertofore abused by pilgrimage or offerings within theyr said cures Images ââbused ãâã Pilgrimâââ to be deâstroyed but also should not thenceforth suffer any lightes or other idolatrous oblation to be made or set vp before any other image then was yet suffered in the Church Also that euery holy day hauing no Sermon in theyr Church they should immediatly after the gospel distinctly read in the Pulpit the Lordes prayer Annâ 154â the beliefe and the x. commauÌdemeÌts of almighty God in the english toung The ãâ¦ã the ãâã prayer ãâã English be read Parentâ maister charged trading of their childreâ Sacramââââ to be ãâ¦ã exhorting the people not only to learn theÌ theyr selues but also to teach them to theyr childreÌ families also should charge all Parentes and gouernors of housholds to bring vp their youth in some good exercise or occupation wherby they might afterwards serue the common wealth and not runne and like vagabondes and idle loyterers thereby encur the daunger of the lawes And furthermore that the sayd persons hauing cure should see the holy Sacramentes of Christ reuerently ministred within theyr cures that if any of them by speciall licence or other cases expressed in the Statutes of thys realme should be at any time absent from theyr benefices that then they should leaue in theyr rowmes some Godly learned and discreet Curate that were able to instruct the people in all truth and godlines not seking theÌselues but rather the profit of theyr flocke And likewise that they should see prouided and set vp some most conuenient and open place of euery their seuerall Churches one great Bibe in english one book of the Paraphrases of Erasmus vpon the gospels both in English that the people might reuerentlye without any argument or contention read heare the same at such times as they listed and not to be inhibited therfroÌ by the Parson or Curate but rather to be the more encouraged and prouoked thereto And that the sayd Parsons and Curates should not at any time but for necessary causes haunt anye Tauerne or Ale house neither should spend their time idlely in vnlawfull games but at all theyr conuenient leasures shoulde geue theÌselues to the reading or hearing of the holy scriptures Moreouer that in the time of confession euery Lent they should examine theyr parishners whether they could say the Lordes prayer the ten commaundementes and the articles of the Christian fayth and that if they coulde not they should then reproue them declaring further vnto theÌ that they ought not to presume to come vnto y e Lordes table without the true knowledge therof and earnest desire to fulfill the same Also that they shoulde not admitte any man to preache within theyr cures but suche as were lawefully licensed thereunto None to preach ãâã ââfficiently ãâã and that they hauing at anye tyme before extolled and praysed any Idolatrous Pilgrimage or other superstition should now openly recant the same before the people That all hinderers of Gods word and fauourers of the contrary proceedings should ãâã detected Ecclesiaâticall and beneficed persons what they must ãâã to the ãâ¦ã beneâââ of a ãâã pouâd to finde a scholer at the vniuersitye And if there were any open hinderer or disturber of the reading or preaching of the word of God within their parishes that then they should forthwith detect the same vnto the kinges counsell or vnto some Iustice of peace to theÌ next inhabiting And further that learning and knowledge might be y e better mayntayned it was also ordeined herein that euery beneficed persoÌ y t inought yerely dispend twenty pouÌdes or vpward and not resident vpon their cures should pay towardes the reliefe of the poore within theyr parishes euery yeare the fourty part of theyr fruites and profites likewise that euery suche as might dispende one hundreth poundes yearely or more should for euery hundreth pouÌd geue a competent exhibition vnto some poore scholer within one of the Uniuersityes of Oxford or Cambridge or els in some other grammer schole of the realme And also that euery priest being vnder the degree of a Bacheler of Diuinity should haue of his owne one newe Testament in English and Latine with the Paraphrases of Erasmus vpon the same and should diligeÌtly read and study therupon and should collect and keep in memory all such comfortable places of the scripture as do set forth the mercy benefites and goodnes of almighty God towardes all penitent beleuing persons that they might therby coÌfort theyr flock in al dauÌger of death Certaine âhinges to âe prouided ãâã of the ââârchmen dispayre or trouble of conscience and that therfore euery bishop in theyr visitations should from time to time try and examine them how they had profited in these theyr studyes And although the Masse was then still by the Law reteyned yet was it enioyned that at euery high masse the sayer or singer therof should openly and distinctly read the Gospell and Epistle in English in the Pulpit or in some other conuenient place that the people mought heare the same The Gospel ãâã epistle to ãâã read in ãâ¦ã And in like place and maner should read euery holy day and Sonday at Mattins one chapter of the new Testament in English omitting therfore three of theyr 9. Latine Lessons with theyr Respondes and at Euensong like wise immediately after Magnificat one chapter of the old Testament in stead of theyr wonted Respondes and Memories Furthermore because of the vayne contention that often fall among the people for goyng on Procession it was ordeined that thenceforth the Priests and Clerkes should kneele in the midst of the Church there distinctly sing or reade the Letany in English sette forth by the authority of K. Henry the eight and that no person should depart the church in the time of reading the Scripture or the Letany or during the time of any Sermon without iust and vrgent cause Likewise that the people should spend the holydaies in hearing the word of God in priuate and publick prayers in knowledging theyr offences vnto God and amendmeÌt of the same in reconciling themselues charitablye to theyr neighbors where displeasure hath bene in often receiuing the Communnion of the body and bloud of Christ in visiting the poore sicke in all sober and godly conuersatioÌ and not in vanity idlenes or dronkenes
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 Tâe 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 remaâne 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 neââligence 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
abuses we haue thought good to geue you these Iniunctions following 1 First ye shall preach at Paules Crosse in London Certayne priuat Articles inioyned to Boneâ by the Counsaile Boner admonished to preach euery quaâter at Paules Crosse. in proper person the Sonday after the date hereof iij. weeks and in the same Sermon declare and set forth the Articles hereunto annexed and ye shall preach hereafter once euery quarter of the yere there exhorting in your Sermon the people to obedience prayer and godly liuyng and ye shall be present at euery sermon hereafter made at Paules Crosse if sickenesse or some other reasonable cause doe not let you 2 Secondly you your selfe in person shall from hencefoorth euery day which heeetofore was accounted in this Church of England principall feast or Maius duplex and at all such tymes as the Bishops of London your predecessours were woont to celebrate and sing high masse now celebrate and execute the Communion at the hygh aultare in Paules for the better example of all other except sickenes do let 3 Thirdly ye shall your selfe according to your duetie the office of a bishop cal before you all such as do not come vnto and frequent the Common prayer and seruice in the Church or do not come vnto gods boord and receyue the Communion at the lest once a yeare or whosoeuer do frequent or go vnto any other rite or seruice then is appointed by our booke either of Mattins Euensong or masse in any church Chappell or other priuate places within your Dioces and ye shall see all such offenders conuented before you and punished accordyng vnto the Ecclesiasticall lawes with seuere and strait punishment therfore Lykewise ye shall see one onely order vsed in your Diocesse according to our sayd booke and none other 4 Fourthly ye shall both by your selfe and all your officers vnder you search out conuent before you more diligently then heretofore ye haue done as appertaineth to your office all adulterers and see the same punished according to the ecclesiastical lawes and to the authority geuen you in that behalfe 5 We haue heard also complaintes that the Churche of Paules and other Churches of London are of late more neglected as wel in reparation of the glasse as other buildings and ordinaunces of the same then they were heretofore woont and that diuers and many persons in the citie of malice denyeth the payment of their due tith to their Curates wherby the Curates are both iniured and made not so well able and in maner discouraged to do theyr dueties The which thyng also our will and commaundement is ye shall diligently looke vnto and see redressed as appertaineth 6 And forasmuch as al these complaints be made as most done committed in London Boner Bishop of LondoÌ commaunded to keepe his owne house to the intent you may looke more earnestly better and more diligently to the reformation of them our pleasure is that you shal abide and keepe residence in your house there as in the citie sea and principall place of your Dioces and none other where for a certaine tyme vntill you shal be otherwise licensed by vs. And thus hauing brought B. Boner home to his own house there to leaue hym a while to take his ease in hys owne lodging til we returne to him againe we wil in the meane tyme make a little intercourse into Cornewall and Deuonshire to discourse some part of the disordered and disloyall doings of those men against their so meeke and excellent a prince The rebels in Cornewall and Deuonshyre hauing no cause ministred therunto yea hauyng cause rather to yeld prayse and thanks to the lord for such a quiet and peaceable prince in his mercy geueÌ vnto them But such is the condition of vnquiet natures that they cannot skill of peace And where due discretioÌ lacketh there lewd disposed persons cannot tel when they be wel againe some be so crooked and so peruersly geuen that the more curteously they be intreated the worse they are and when by honest diligence they lift not to get their liuyng by publike disturbance of common weales they thinke to thriue And so seemed it to fare with this seditious people of Cornewall and Deuonshire who hauyng so good and vertuous a kyng that if they should haue sought hym as Diogenes they say did seeke for a man with a candle a meeker and better soueraigne they could not haue found a crueller they well deserued yet were they not with him contented but contrary to al order reason nature and loialtie aduaunced themselues in a rebellious conspiracie against hym and agaynst his proceedings through the pernitious instigation first as it seemeth of certaine popish priestes who grudgyng and disdainyng agaynst the Iniunctions and godly order of reformation set forward by the king Popishe priestes first stirrers of this rebellion and specially mourning to see their olde popishe Church of Rome to decay ceased not by all sinister subtile meanes first vnder Gods name and the kings vnder coulour of religion to perswade the people then to gather sides and to assemble in companies to gather Captaines All wickednes first beginneth vnder faire pretenses and at last to brast out in ranke rebellion Neither lacked there amongst the lay sort some as seditiously disposed as they to mischiefe and madnesse as well Gentlemen as other Of whom the chiefe Gentlemen Captains were Humfrey Arundell Esquire gouernour of the Mount Iames Rosogan Iohn Rosogan Iohn Payne Thomas Underhil Captaines of the rebelles in Deuonshyre Iohn Soleman William Segar Of priests which were principall stirrers and some of them gouernours of the Camps and after executed were to the number of 8. whose names were Rob. Bochim Iohn Tompson Roger Barret Priestes rebelles and traytors against the king Iohn Wolcoke Wil. Asa Iames Mourton Iohn Barow Rich. Benet besides a multitude of other popish priests which to the same faction were adioyned The number of the whole rebellion speakyng with y e lest mounted litle lesse then to the summe of ten thousand stout traitors These hearing first of the commotions which began about the same tyme in other parts to broyle as in Oxfordshire Diuers Commotions in K. Edwardes tyme suppressed Yorkeshire and especially in Northfolke Suffolk began to take therin some courage hoping that they shold haue well fortified the same with quarell But afterward perceiuyng how the mischieuous mutterings and enterprises of their conspiracie did sodenly fayle eyther beyng preueÌted by tyme or repressed by power or that their cause beyng but onely about pluckyng down of enclosures and enlarging of commons was deuided from theirs so that eyther they would not or could not ioyne their ayde together then began they againe to quayle and their courage to debate Notwithstanding for so much as they had gone so far that they thought there was no shrinking back they fell to new deuises and inuentions for the best furtherance of
haue the truth knowne Say you so to me quoth the Byshop I thanke you Well I could say somewhat to you also were it not in the place ye be but let it passe As for my matter Boner I feare it not it is not so euill as you make it for I haue your owne handwriting for my discharge whiche when I shall see time I shall shew foorth My hand quoth the Secretary Let me see it Secretary Smyth Boner Secretary Smyth Boner ãâã M. Boner Articles âââliuered ãâã agaynst Boner let it be read openly So it shal said the Byshop when I see tyme. Then sayd M. Smith you do vse vs thus to be seene a cunning Lawyer In deede quoth the Byshop I knewe the law ere you could reade it With that Secretary Peter willed the Byshop to proceede in reading of his aunsweres who so dyd and when he had finished Latymer deliuered vp a writing in paper vnto the Archbyshop and the rest of the Commissioners who then sayd vnto the Byshop of London heere be certayne Articles which we intend to minister vnto you The Byshop therewith sayde do you minister them of your office or at the promotion of these men Boner poynting to Latimer Hoper for I perceaue they gaue theÌ vnto you Secretary Peter Nay sayd Secretary Peter we will minister them vnto you ex officio mero and thereupon tooke an othe of the Byshop de fideliter respondendo Boner reâuireth âespite to âunswere Who desiring a copie of the Articles required also a competent time to be geuen vnto him to make aunswere therevnto To whom Secretary Peter replied saying My Lord heere be certaine of the Articles touching your owne fact which you may aunswere vnto forthwith Secretary Peter as whether you wrote your Sermon or not before you preached it Whereunto the Byshop aunswered Boner that he wrote it not but he drewe certaine notes of it Then whose counsell sayd he and aduise vsed you in making your Sermon Secretary Peter To which he also aunswered that he had therein vsed his own counsell bookes Boner and yet my Chapleins quoth he be much suspected for my doings in many things and sometimes I for theirs when there is no cause why These wordes ended the Commissioners assigned him Monday the 16. of September then nexte to appeare before them and to make his full aunsweres vnto all the Articles ministred vnto him by them this daye the contentes whereof are as foloweth ¶ The forme and tenour of the Articles ministred vnto the Byshop of London by the Kyngs Commissioners MOnday the xvj of September the Archbish. associated with the Bishop of Rochester Secretary Smith and Doctor May Deane of Paules sat iudicially within his Chappill at Lambeth before whom there and then appeared the Byshop of London according as he was assigned in the last Session at which time he exhibited vnto the Commissioners in ãâ¦ã his answeres vnto the last former Articles But before the same were there read the Archbyshop sayd vnto him that his ãâã aââsweres made y e 13. of September vnto the denuncâaââââ were very obscure therwith also conteined much matter of slaunder agaynst Latimer and Hooper and much vntruth and therfore they desired there to purge themselues Whereupon Latimer first obeââing leaue to speake sayd that the Byshop of LondoÌ had most falsely vntruely and vncharitably accused him âaying to his charge many fayned and vntrue matters in his former aunsweres to the denunciation and such as he should neuer be able to proue For whereiâ his sayd aunswere he alleadged that Hugh Latimer and Iohn Hooper with other heretickes conspiring agaynst him did the first day of September after the Bishoppes Sermon assemble themselues together vnlawfully against the sayd Bishop that saying of his was most vntrue For neyther that day nor yet before that day nor vntill certayne dayes after he euer knew or spake with Hooper And as touching hys owne preaching there openly accused by the Byshoppe he sayd he neuer helde taught or preached any thing concerning the blessed Sacrament otherwise then he ought to do nor otherwise then according to the Scriptures true Catholicke fayth of Christes Church and therefore offered himselfe to be tryed by the Archbishop or other suche learned men as it should please the Kings Maiesty or the said Commissioners to appoynt and farther to suffer to be haÌged drawne and quartered if the Byshoppe coulde iustly proue true the thinges that he had there shamefully layde to his charge Then M. Hooper vpon like ãâã obteined sayd to this effect This vngodly man pointing to the Bishop hath most vncharitably and vngodly accused me before your grace this audience and hath layd to my charge that I am an hereticke Whereas I take God to recorde I neuer spake read taught or preached any heresy but only the most true and pure word of God And where he sayth I frequeÌt the company of heretickes I doe muche maruell of his so saying for it hath pleased my Lord Protectours Grace my singuler good Lord and Mayster and my Ladyes Grace to haue me with them and I haue preached before them and much vsed theyr company with diuers other worshipfull persons and therefore I suppose this man meaneth them And farther where as he sayth that I haue made hereticall bookes agaynst the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ calling it Mathematicall I perceiue that this man knoweth not what this word Mathematicall there meaneth and therefore vnderstandeth not my booke which I take God to my Iudge I haue made truely and sincerely and according to his holy word and by the same his holy worde and Scriptures I am alwayes shall be ready to submit my selfe to your Graces iudgemeÌt and the superiour powers to be tryed with many suche more wordes of like importance Which ended the Archbishop to shorten this matter asked the bishop how he could proue that Hooper and Latimer assembled together agaynst him the first of September as he had alleadged seing they now denyed it and therfore willed him to aunswere forthwith thereunto The Byshop then aunswered that hee woulde duelye proue it so that he might be admitted to do it according to lawe and with that hee pulled out of his slieue certayne bookes saying I haue this Uarlets bookes whyche hee made agaynst the blessed sacrament which you shal heare Then as he was turning certayne leaues thereof Hooper beganne agayne to speake but the Byshop turning hymselfe towardes him tauntingly sayd put vp your pypes you haue spokeÌ for your part I wil meddle no more with you and therewith read a certayn sentence vpon the book Wâich done he sayd Lo here you may see his opinion and what it is At which wordes the people standing behind and seeing his vnreuerent and vnsemely demeanor and raylyng ãâã people ãâ¦ã to ãâã fell sodenly into great laughing Whereat the Bishop being
moued and perceiuing not the cause wherfore they did so laugh turned him towardes theÌ in a great rage saying ah Woodcockes woodcockes Then sayd one of the Commissioners why say you so my Lord mary quoth he I may wel cal them Woodcocks that thus will laugh and know not wherat nor yet heard what I sayd or read Well my Lord of London sayd the Archbyshop then I perceiue you would perswade this audience y t you wer called hither for preaching of your beliefe in the SacrameÌt of the aultar and therefore you lay to these mens charge meaning Hooper and Latimer that they haue accused you of that Howbeit there is no such thing layd to your charge and therefore this audience shal heare openly read the denunciation that is put vp agaynst you to the intent they may the better perceiue your dealing herein And therewithall he sayd vnto the people My Lord of LondoÌ would make you beleue that he is called hyther for declaring and preaching his opinion touching the sacrament of the aultar The wordes of the Archb. to the people but to the intent you may perceiue how he goeth about to deceiue you you shall heare the denunciation that is layd in agaynst him read vnto you Syr Iohn Mason readeth the denunciation vnto the people and therupoÌ he deliuered the denunciatioÌ vnto Syr Iohn Mason knight who there read it openly Which done the Archbishop said agayne vnto the audience Loe here you heare how the bishop of London is called for no such matter as he woulde perswade you With this the Bishop being in a raging heate as one cleane voyd of all humanity Boner in a rage Boner for his contumacy not suffered to speak to the people turned himselfe aboute vnto the people saying Well now heare what the Byshop of London sayth for his part But the Commissioners seing his inordinate contumacy denyed him to speak any more saying that he vsed himselfe very disobediently with moe like wordes Notwithstanding he still persisting in his vnreuerent maner of dealing with the Commissioners Boner chargeth the Archb. with coÌtrarietie in his owne bookes pulled out of his slieue an other booke and then sayde vnto the Archbyshop My Lord of Caunterbury I haue here a note out of your bookes that you made touching the blessed Sacrament wherein you do affirme the verity of the body and bloud of Christ to be in the sacrameÌt and I haue an other booke also of yours of the coÌtrary opinioÌ which is a maruellous matter To which the Archbishop aunswered that he made no bookes contrary one to another The Archb purgeth himselfe his bookes and that he would defend his bookes how be it he thought the Byshop vnderstoode them not For I promise you quoth he I will finde a boy of ten yeares old that shal be more apt to vnderstand that matter then you my L. of London be Thus after much multiplying of like words the Commissioners thinking not good to spend any more wast time with him willed him to shewe forth his aunsweres vnto the Articles obiected the last day agaynst him Whereupon he hauing them ready did read the same openly vnto theÌ Boner commauÌded to aunswere to the Articles Wherein after many woordes of his former Protestation recited with a maruellous lamentation to see that one of his vocation at the malicious denunciation of vile heretickes should be vsed after such a straunge sort hauing neuerthelesse done the best he could to declare his obedience vnto the kinges Maiesty for the repressing and discouraging of rebellion and all Rebels and also for the aduancement of the verity of Christes true body and his presence in the Sacrament of the aultar for which onely the malicious denouncers with theyr complices had studied to molest and trouble him Boner ' aunswereth to the Articles he then commeth to aunswering the Articles and sayth that to the first second and fourth hee hath already in his former aunsweres to the denounciation sufficiently aunswered and therfore was not bound by law to answere any further As to the thyrd and fift he sayd he began to write hys Sermon but being soone wery did onely make certayne notes therof without help of any other sauing that he shewed them to his Chaplaynes requiring them to put hym in remembraunce therof amongest the which for the better setting forth of the kinges Maiestyes power and authority in his minority he had collected aswell out of historyes as also out of the Scriptures the names of diuers young kinges who notwithstanding theyr minority Examples of kinges that were young and yet sufficient kinges were faithfully obediently honored reputed for very true lawfull kinges As Henry 3. being but 9. yeares olde Edw. 3. being but 13 yeares Rich. 2. being but 11. yeares Henry 6. being not fully one yere Edw. 5. being but 11. yeres Hen 8. being but 18. yeares of age And out of the old Testament Osias Achas who were but 16. yeares olde Boner excuseth his obliuion A good Prelate that had lost his memory for lack of Preaching Salomon Manasses being but 12. yeares Iosias Ioachim Ioas being but 8. yeres of age wheÌ they entred their raignes Al which notes w t many other he had purposed to declare if they had come vnto his memory as indeed they did not because y e same was disturbed partly for lacke of vse of preaching partly by reasoÌ of a bill y t was deliuered him froÌ y e kings counsell Boners booke of notes fell from him at his Sermon as he excuseth· to declare the victory then had against the rebels in Northfolke Deuonshyre which being of some good length confounded his memory partly also for that his book in his Sermon time fell away from him wherein were diuers of his notes whiche hee had collected for that purpose So that he could not remember what he would but yet in generality he perswaded the people to obedieÌce to the kinges Maiestye whose minoritye was manifestly knowne to them and all other Then as to the 6. he sayd he knew not the rebels opinion Boner knew not the rebells opinion if ye will beleue him and therfore could not answere therunto And as for aunswere to the 7.8.9 and 11. Articles which touched hys pastoral office he sayd that notwithstanding his manifold and great troubles aswel by his owne busines and his families sicknes as also by vncharitable informatioÌs made agaynst him yet he hath not failed to geue order vnto his officers straitly to look vnto such matters and such as he hath knowne which were very few or none he caused to be punished according to the lawes Al which answeres w t other written with his owne hand here vnder folow ¶ The aunsweres of Boner vnto the Articles obiected to him by the kinges Commissioners the first time I Edmond Byshop of London vnder protestation heretofore by me made exhibited and repeated
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 âââmiseth ãâã shew his âââformitie ãâã in ãâã 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 coÌscience abroade to the satisfaction good quiet of others and yet all this notwithstanding at the daye appoynted he did not only most arrogantly and disobedieÌtly 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 ãâã his sermoÌ warâeth ââom his âwne promise the ãâã comâandemeÌt 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 incoÌueniences 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 âynchester ãâã his sediââous disoâedience ãâã to the ãâã 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 meeâe all which was done accordingly By this euidence aboue mentioned first heere is of the reader to be noted how âewdly and disobediently the sayd Sir Gardiner misused himselfe in the Kings generall visitation in denying to receiue such orders and iniunctioÌs 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 loÌg here to rehearse coÌsidering how this booke is so ouercharged as ye see already ãâã the letââs of winââester read the booke ãâã Actes âââuments the first ãâã pag. ãâã 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 coÌmaÌdement 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 freÌdly 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
abolish them all then for the dead Images the Kings louing subiects being faythfull and true to the kings maiestie should be put to variaÌce and disturbance With quietnes the Magistrates and Rulers shall keepe theÌ well in order whom coÌtentious preachers might iritate and prouoke to disorder strife So it must be prouided that the kings Maiest Images Armes and Ensignes should be honoured and worshipped after y e decent order and inuention of humane lawes and ceremonies and neuertheles that other Images coÌtrary to Gods ordinance and lawes shuld not be made partakers of that reuerence adoration and inuocation which forbidden by God should derogate his honor be occasion to accumulate Gods wrath vpon vs. Where they be takeÌ for a remeÌbrance it maketh no great matter though they stand still in the Church or Marketstead and folowing the late king of famous memory his counsell order More gentlenes shewed to the bookes of Images then to the bookes of Gods worde in King Henryes tyme. yet more gentlenesse was shewed to those bookes of Images then to the true and vnfained bookes of Gods word both being abused the one with Idolatry the other with coÌtentioÌ The scripture was remoued for a time from certaine persons and almost from all the Images were left still to them who most dyd abuse them y e thing yet being closed froÌ them which should teach y e vse Wherefore it may appeare vnto vs meete more diligenter heede to be takeÌ that the abused before be not abused againe the aduantage of some Priests simplicitie of lay men and great inclination of mans nature to Idolatry geuing cause thereunto They that contemne Images because the matter they are made of is but vile as stockes and stones may likewise despise printing in paper because the meke hath pitch in â the paper is made of old ragges And if they be both like it might be reasoned why a man should be more agreeued that an Image of wood though it were of S. Anne or S. Margaret should be burned Papistes ãâã better abidâ the booke of Gods word then Images to be burned then hee will that the Byble wherein the vndoubted word of God is comprised should be torne in peces burned or made paste of Nor we do not now speake of false Bibles nor false gospels but of y e very true Gospell either in Latin Greeke or english which we see euery day done sometime commaunded because the Translator displeaseth vs yet herein no man exclaimeth as of a terrible and detestable fact done But let one image either for age because it is wormeaten or because it hath ben foolishly abused be burnt or abolished by and by some men are in exceeding rage as though not a stocke or stone but a true saint of flesh and bone should be cast in the fire which were a detestable and a terrible sight We cannot see but that Images may be counted marueylous bookes to whom we haue kneeled whom we haue kissed vpoÌ whom we haue rubbed our beades and handkerchers to whome we haue lighted candels Images falsely called and counted ãâã lay mens bookes of whome we haue asked pardon and helpe which thing hath seldome bene sene done to the Gospell of God or to the very true Bible For who kisseth y t but the priest at y e Masse at a painted picture or in such a ceremony Or who kneeleth vnto it or setteth a candle before it And yet it seeth or heareth as well as the Images or pictures eyther of S. Iohn our Lady or Christ. In deede Images be great letters yet as big as they be we haue seene many which haue read them amisse And belike they are so likely to be read amisse that God himselfe fearing y e Iewes to become euill readers of theÌ generally did forbid them Nor it is no great maruell though in reading of them the lay people are many times deceaued Winchesâââ ouerseene in mistakâââ the kingeâ Image foâ S. Georgâ on horseâ backe wheÌ your Lordship as appeareth hath not truly read a most true and a most commoÌ Image Your Lordship hath fouÌd out in the Kings highnes great seale S. George on horseback which the grauer neuer made in it nor y e sealer neuer sealed with it and in this the inscription is not very little and if it were it could not escape your Lordships eyes As the inscription testifieth the Kings Image is on both the sides on the one side as in war the chiefe Captaine on the other side as in peace the liege soueraigne in harnes with his sword drawne to defend his subiects in his robes in the seate of Iustice with his Scepter rightfully to rule and gouerne them as he whome both in peace and war we acknowledge our most natural and chiefest head ruler gouernour If it were S. George my Lord where is hys speare and dragon And why should the inscription round about tell an vntruth and not agree to the Image Yet it is called sometime so of the rude and ignorant people but not by and by that that is commonly called so is alwayes truest And some haue thought that by like deceauing as your Lordship herein appeareth to haue ben deceaued the image of Bellerephon or Perseus was turned first appointed to be S. George of Poliphemus of Hercules or of other some Colossus to be S. Christopher bicause autenticall histories haue not fully proued their two lyues But those be indifferent to be true or not true either thus inuented vpoÌ some deuise or rising of a true fact or history whether it were true or not it maketh no great matter If it be agaynst ãâã that learââ men shoâ take froÌ ãâã vnlearneâ the bookâ of their ââmages much ãâã is it agaââ reason ãâã take froâ them the bookeâ ãâã Gods ãâã It were hardly done in deede my Lord if that you and a few which can reade should take away from the vnlearned multitude their bookes of their Images but it were more hardly done if that you or a few which can reade in one or two languages as Greeke and Latin the word of God and haue had thereby many relieues and priuiledges should pull away the english bookes from the rest whych only vnderstandeth english and would haue only youre letters of Greeke and Latin in estimation and blinde all them which vnderstandeth not these languages from the knowledge of Gods word And indeede my Lord by your saying they haue iust occasion to suspect what is meant What meane you by true Images and false Images it is not so easie to perceaue If they be onely false Images which haue nothing that they represent 1. Cor. â Wincheââ distinctâââ betweeâ true ãâã Images futed as s. Paul writeth An idol is nothing bicause ther is no such God therfore the Crosse can be no false image because it is true y t Christ suffered vpon it then the Image of y e Sun and
be greatly weake bring your selfe in dauÌger of one part when parties be therwith one to scourge the other Wheras in coÌcord they âe both yours in an honest reuereÌt louely feare to do theyr duty which I doubt not your wisedoÌe can consider And coÌsider also how noisome any other outward encoÌber might be in the time of y e minority of our soueraign Lord. I told y e Emperors couÌsell 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 adueÌture of fortune whether he should enioy it or no for y t is the nature of war And sometime the coÌteÌned 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 adueÌture 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 pleÌty yet being entred to write I forget for y e time what ye be coÌmen ãâã 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 coÌquest which shall be a godly enterprise for our yong maister wheÌ he coÌmeth 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 chauÌced 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 leÌger 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 coÌteÌtion at home which can serue onely to do hurt no good I had fashioned a letter to master Ridley which I seÌd 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 eâs 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 commeÌdations 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 sacrameÌtary 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 woÌt in such cases to speak I keep my woÌt 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
Iacke of lentes Testament was openly sold in Winchester market before I wrot vnto your Grace of it And as for Bales booke called the Elucidiation of Anne Askewes Martyredome they were in these partes common some with leaues vnglewed where maister Paget was spoken of and some with leaues glued And I call them common because I saw at the least foure of them As for Bales booke touching the death of Luther wherein was the Duke Saxons prayer whereof I wrote was brought downe into this countrey by an honest Gentleman to whome it was as I remember hee tolde me geuen at London for newes and had it a good while ere I wrote to your Grace I had not then receiued the inhibition for preaching whereof men spake otherwise then they knewe D. Smyth reproued of Winchester And in the meane time Doctour Smith recanted with a Prieste of this Towne who to mine owne mouth boasted himselfe to be your Graces Chaplayne but I beleeued it not brought downe with speed made by meanes to haue it brought to my knowledge which I knew besides for they had by and by filled all the Countrey here aboutes of tales of me And when I saw Doctour Smithes recantation beginne with Omnis homo mendax so englished and suche a new humility as he would make all the Doctors of the Church Lyers with himselfe knowing what opinions were abroade it enforced me to write vnto your Grace for the ease of my conscience geuing this Iudgement of Smith that I neither liked his tractation of vnwritten verityes ner yet hys retractation and was gladde of my former Iudgement that I neuer had familiaritye with him I saw him not that I wotte these three yeares ne talked with him these seuen yeares as curious as I am noted in the common wealth And where as in his vnwritten verityes he was so mad to say Bishops in this Realme may make lawes I haue witnesse that I sayd at that worde we should bee then dawes and was by and by sory that euer he had writted of the Sacrament of the aultar which was not as it was noysed vntouched with that word all men be Liers which is a maruellous word as it soundeth in our toung when we say a man were better haue a thiefe in his house then a lyer And the deprauing of mans nature in that sort is not the setting out of the authority of the Scripture For albeit the authority of the Scripture dependeth not vpon man yet the ministration of y e letter which is writing and speaking is exercised and hath bene from the beginninge deliuered through mans hand and taught by maÌs mouth which men in the Scripture calleth holy men and that is contrary to lyers And therefore S Augustine in his book De mendacio sayth omnis homo mendax signifieth omnis homo peccans If Smyth had onely written of Bishops lawes and then sayd he had sauing your honor lyed loudly or to mittigate the matter sayd he had erred by ignoraÌce that had bene done truely and humbly for he that seeketh for much company in lying as he did hath small humility for he woulde hide himselfe by the nuÌber this muche as touching Smith of whoÌ nor his booke till he was in trouble I neuer heard talking But to the matter I wrote of I haue told your Grace how I came to knowledge of theÌ very scarsely in time but in the thing ouer quickely neuer had any suche thought in my life as I denyed to your Grace to be worthely charged with theÌ by them I meane that may hereafter charge for I know no such yet in thys world and I neuer was in mine opinion so madde as to write to your Grace in that sort when all thinges be well I haue many causes to reioyce but where things were otherwise as I trust they shall not I haue nothing to doe to aske any accompt I trust I shall neuer forget my selfe so much I thanke God I am euen aswell learned to lyue in the place of obedience as I was in the place of directioÌ in our late soueraigne Lordes life And for my quietnes in this estate accompt my self to haue a great treasure of your Graces rule and authority and therfore will worship and and honor it otherwise then to vse such maner of presumption to aske any accompt And I know your Grace cannot stay these matters so sodenly and I esteeme it a great matter that thinges be stauld hitherto thus but if thinges had encreased as the rumours purported your Grace might haue bene encombred more in the execution of your good determination And why then did ye not follow the same your soueraigne Lord in abolishing the Pope in Queene Maryes tyme. Now thankes be to GOD your Grace goeth well about to stay it As for my selfe I know mine inward determination to doe as I may my duty to God and the world and haue no cause to complayne of the vniuersall Disposition of them in my Dioces I know but one way of quiet to keep and follow such lawes and orders in Religion as our late soueraigne Lorde lefte with vs which by his life as the Byshops and Clergye sayd was the very trueth and I neuer read yet or heard any thing why to swarue from it ne thinke it expedient to call any one thing in doubte during the Kinges Maiestyes minority whereby to empayre the strength of the accorde established whiche I write not mistrusting your Grace in the contrary but declaring my selfe and wishing the same minde to other about you as I trust they haue for which I shalâ pray to GOD who prospered out late Soueraigne Lord in that rebellion as we haue seene experience and by your Graces foresight and polliticke Gouernement shall send the like prosperity to our Soueraygne Lord that now is wherein I shall doe my parte as a Subiect most bounden many wayes thereunto I send vnto your Grace herewith my discussion of my Lord of S. Dauies Purgation wherein I walke somewhat more at libertye then writing to your Grace and yet I take my selfe liberty enough with a reuerent mind neuerthelesse to keepe me within my bondes whiche if I at any time exceede I trust your Grace will beare with me after your accustomed goodnesse for whose prosperitye I shall continually pray with encrease of honor At Winchester the 6. of Iune ¶ Certayne additions after these Leters aboue specified with notes and solutions aunswering to the same THus haue we set out to thee gentle and studious reader an extract of certayn letters af Byshop Gardiner not of all that he wrote but of suche as coulde come to our handes Neither of these also that we haue for any good stuffe or any great profit in theÌ conteined or that they dyd cleare him or his cause any thing for y e which he was most worthely condemned For if there did or might appeare any such thing in all his writinges that might cleare the ill
dijs neque spem salutis ponunt in eis neque ab eis ex spectant futurum iudicium sed ad memoriam recordationeÌ primitiuorum venerantur eas adorant sed non seruiunt eis cultu diuino nec alicui creaturae By which doctrine all idolatry is plainly excluded in euident wordes So as we cannot say that the worshipping of Images had his beginnyng by popery for Gregory forbad it vnlesse we shall call that Synode Popery because there were so many bishops And yet there is forbidden cultus Diuinus and agreeth with our beforesaid doctrine by which we may creepe before the crosse on good Friday wherein we haue the Image of the crucifixe in honour vse it in a worshipfull place and so earnestly looke on it and conceyue that it signifieth as we kneele a) a) What worke Winchester maketh to creepe to dead crosses to worship blockish Images But the liuely Images of Christ theÌ he brought to the crosse burned cruelly Therfoâe it is woorthely sayde of Clemens lib. 5. Quis est iste honor Dei per lapideas ligneas formas discurrere atque exanimes figuras venerari hominem in quo vera Dei Imago est spernere But Winchester was so busied in his lay mens bookes that hee had no laysure to vnderstand learned bookes and creepe before it whiles it lyeth there and whiles that remembrance is in exercise with which crosse neuertheles the Sexten when he goeth for a corse will not be afrayd to be homely and holde it vnder hys gowne whiles he drinketh a potte of ale a point of homelinesse that myght bee left but yet it declareth that he esteemed no Diuinitie in the Image But euer since I was borne a poore parishioner a lay man durst be so bold at a shift if he weee also churchwarden to sell to the vse of the Church at length and his own in the meane tyme the siluer crosse on Easter Monday that was creeped vnto on good Friday In specialties there haue bene speciall abuses but generally Images haue bene taken for Images with an (b) (b) If things hauing the office to signifie and worke in vs the vnderstaÌding of Christ and holy things are therefore to be worshipped censed and crept vnto why then do ye not worshippe the preacher the Bible booke the Epistler and Gospeller whiche geue a much more liuely vnderstanding to our myndes of holy and heauenly things then Images do office to signifie an holy remembraunce of Christ and his saints And as the sounde of speache vttered by a liuely Image and representing to the vnderstanding by the sense of hearing godly matter doth stirre vp the mynde and therewith the body to consent in outward gesture of worshipfull regard to that sound (c) (c) The argument of Winchester reuerted against hymselfe For if Gods word such other sounds geuyng a liuely vnderstandyng to vs yet bee not had in such a worshipfull regard that any doth cense them or creepe and offer to them Ergo much lesse should you doe the same to these your dead and insensible Images So doth the obiect of the Image by the sight worke like effect in maÌ within and without wherin is verily worshipped that we vnderstand and yet reuerence and worship also shewed to that wherby we attaine that vnderstanding and is to vs in the place of an instrument So as it hath no worship of it selfe but remayneth in his nature of stone or tymber siluer copper or gold But when it is in office and worketh a godly remembraunce in vs by representation of the thyng signified vnto vs then we vse it worshipfully and honourably as many do the (d) (d) One Idoll well compared with another priest at Masse whome they little regard all the day after And me thinketh euer that like as it is an ouer grosse error to take an image for God or to worship it with godly (e) (e) Because you say that godly honor or cultus diuinus is taken away by you from Images I pray you what could ye doe to God if he were hâre materially hymselfe more then you do to them to cense them to candle them to tabernacle them to sette them vp in churches to adore and inuocate them to kneele and knocke to them to creepe and offer to them to seeke vertue and to require health at them to make them your patrons and to make your vowes vnto them c. If this be not Diuinus cultus tell me what geue you to God more then this honour So to graunt that we may not haue Images of Christ and that we may do no worship before them or not vse them worshipfully it is inexplicable For it is one kynde of worship to place them worshipfully So as if a man place an Image in the church or hang it about his necke as (f) (f) All papists perchance all vse to do the Image of the crosse and the knight of the order (g) (g) Yea but what knight of that order kneeleth or prayeth to that George that hangeth about his necke Saint George this is some piece of worship And if we may not contemne the images of Christ and his saintes when we haue them for that were villanie not neglect them for that were to haue them without vse which were inconuenient quia nec natura nec arte quicquam fit frustra wee must haue them in estimation and reputation whiche is not without some honour and worship and at the least in the place where we conueniently vse them as in the church as where they serue vs rather then we them and because their (h) (h) A worshipfull seruice to disworship God worship creatures seruice is worshipfull they be so regarded accordingly for that time of seruice and therefore they be called Venerabiles Imagines and be worshipfully ordered before whom we kneele and bowe and cense not at that the Images be but at that the Images signifie which in our kneeling bowyng and censing we knowledge to vnderstand and read in that fashion of contract writing You sayd before they were lay mens bookes now ye make theÌ learned mens books also wherein you read ye say many thinges at one openyng And what read you or see you in those bookes I pray you nimtrum id quod puerâ vident in nuhibus And where be you bid to looke vpon these fantasticall bookes Scrutamini scripturas sayth the Lorde Contemplamini picturas writeth Winchester But rather Winchester should haue read the booke of Epiphanius contra Encratitas where these woordes be opened to him Non decet Christianum per oculos suspensum teneri sed per occupationâm mentiâ c. wherein is wrapped vp a great many of sentences sodenly opened with one sodaine sight to hym that hath bene exercised in readyng of them And me seemeth after the faith of Christ receiued known and throughly purged from heresies if by case there were offered a choise
either to retein painting and grauing and forbeare writing or chosing writing to forbeare both the other gifts it would be a probleme seeing if grauing were taken away we could haue no printing And therefore they that presse so much the wordes of Non facies tibi sculptile euer me thincketh they condemne printed bookes the originall wherof is of grauing to make * * If ye did see any prinâeâ yet to do worship to his grauen letterâ then might you well seeke thus as ye do a knot ãâã in a rushe matrrices literarum Sed hoc est furiosum sunt tamen qui putaÌt palmarium And therfore now it is englished Thou shalt make no grauen Images least thou worship them which I here is newly written in the new church I know not the name but not farre froÌ the old Iury. But to y e matter of Images wherin I haue discoursed at large I thinke and ye consider as I doubt not but ye will the doctrine set foorth by our late Soueraigne Lord Ye shall in y e matter see y e truth set forth by such as had that committed vnto them vnder his highnes amongest whome I was not nor was not priuie vnto it till it was done And yet the clause in the booke for discussion of the Lord and our Lorde hath made manye thinke otherwise but I take our Lorde to witnes I was not that declaratioÌ of our Lord was his highnes own deuise ex se. For he saw the fond Englishing of the Lord disseuered in speach whom our Lord had congregate And this I adde lest geuing authoritie to the booke Holy water I shoulde seeme to aduaunt my selfe Now will I speake somewhat of holy water wherein I seÌd vnto you the xxxiiij chapter in the ix book of thistory Tripartite where Marcellus the bishop bad Equitius his Deacon to cast abroad water by him first hallowed wherwith to driue away the deuill And it is noted howe the deuil could not abide the vertue of the water but vanished away And for my part it seemeth the history may be true (:) (:) Consecration of water and salt to ãâã the people is attribute to Alexander 1. but what credite is to be geuen to those decââes falsly ãâã vpon those auncient Byshops ãâ¦ã In nomine ãâã c. If the name of Christ do can serue only to cast out deuils What should water doe where Christ may and should serue onely to worke that mastery for we be assured by scripture that in the name of God the churche is able and strong to cast out Deuils according to the Gospel In nomine meo daemonia eijcient c. So as if the water were away by only calling of the name of God that maystry may be wrought And being the vertrue of theffect onely attributed to the name of God the question shuld be onely whether y e creature of water may haue the office to conuey the effect of the holines of thinuocation of Gods name And first in Christ the skirt of hys garment had such an office to minister health to the womaÌ and speâcle and cley to the blinde and S. Peters shadow S. Paules handkerchers And leauing old stories here at home the special gift of curation ministred by the kings of this realme not of their owne strength but by inuocation of the name of God hath bene vsed to be distributed in rings of gold and siluer And I thinke effectually wherin the mettall hath only an office and the strength is in the name of God wherein all is wrought And Elizeus put his staffe in like office And why the whole church myght not put water in like office to conuey abroad the inuocation of gods name there is no scripture to the contrary but there is scripture how other inferiour creatures haue bene promooted to like dignitie and much scripture how water hath bene vsed in like and greater seruice And the story I send vnto you sheweth how water hath bene vsed in the same seruice to driue away deuils In which matter if any shall say he beleeueth not the story and he is not bound to beleue it being no scripture that man is not to be reasoned with for the effect of the kings crampe rings And yet for such effect as they haue wroght when I was in FraÌce * * The kingâ ring geueth ãâã Ergo holy water may haue also his effect operation Resp. Non ãâ¦ã thing of corporall things wiââ spirituall ioyneth in ãâã compaâison together ãâã the ãâã playne answere this Bââh be ãâã and aâgaynst the ãâã of God I haue bene my selfe much honoured and of all sortes entreated to haue them with offer of as much for them as they were double worth Some will say what is rings to holy water Marrie thus I say if the mettall of gold and siluer may doe seruice to cary abroad the inuocatioÌ of the name of God effectually for one purpose water may also serue to cary abroad the inuocation of the name of God wherewith to driue awaye deuils Hereto will be sayde Non valet argumentum a posse ad esse But the story saith the water did that seruice and other straungers say and affirme by experience the kings Maiesties rings haue done the seruice And our late maister continued all his life the exercise of that gift of God and vsed siluer and gold to doe that seruice to cary abroad the strength of the inuocation of the name of God by him and he vsed it among vs that serued him in it when hee had throughly heard and seene what might be sayd in the matter and yet he had no scripture especially for it that spake of rings of siluer or gold no more then is for the ashes ministred a little before ye last preached And as our young soueraigne Lord hath receiued them reuerently so I trust he shall be aduertised ne negligat gratiam Dei in dono curationum but follow his father therein also not doubting but God will heare him as he hath heard his father and others his progenitors kyngs of this realme to whose dignitie God addeth this prerogatiue as he doth also to inferior ministers of his church in the effect of their prayer when it pleaseth hym A man might finde some yonglings percase y t would say how worldly wily wittie bishops haue enueigled simple kings heretofore and to confirme their blessinges haue also deuised Anno 1550. how kings should blesse also and so authoritie to maintayne where truth fayled and I haue had it obiected to me that I vsed to prooue one piece of myne argument euer by a king as when I reasoned thus If ye allow nothing but scripture what say you to the Kinges rings but they be allowed Ergo somwhat is to be allowed besides scripture And another if Images be forbidden * * ãâ¦ã ârgumeÌt ãâã King ãâ¦ã weare S. George ãâã brest if Images ãâ¦ã The Kyng ãâã S. George vpon hys ãâã
Nihil mihi conscius sum sed non in hoc iustificatus sum Wherefore if any specially be obiected vnto me wherein by ignorance or ouersight negligence any mine offence may appeare against the kings Maiesties lawes Statutes and Iniunctions I shal desire and protest that it be not preiudiciall to mine aunsweare for thys present credo as lawyers in ciuill matters vse that terme to be true y t is to say suche as w tout any alteration in my conscience presently I may of my selfe say in affirmation or denial as afore is answered And whereas I speake of commaundement to be made to me against Gods lawe I protest not to touch my soueraigne Lordes honor therin which my duetie is by al meanes to preserue but that the commaÌdement geuen resolueth to be against Gods law on my part in the obedieÌce to be geueÌ because I may not answer or say otherwise but Est est non non So as my wordes and heart may agree together or els I should offend Gods lawe which my soueraigne if he knew my conscience would not command me After these things thus passed certaine of the Counsail by the kings appoyntment had sondry daies and times accesse to him in the Tower to perswade with hym whiche were these the Duke of Somerset the lord Treasurer the Lord priuie Seale the Lord great Chamberlaine and M. Secretary Peter Winchester requireth the sight of the kinges booke of proceedinges Who repairing to him the x. day of Iune an 1550. he desired of them to see the kings booke of proceedings vpon the sight wherof he would make a ful answer seeming to be willinge in all thinges to conforme himselfe therunto and promising that in case any thing offeÌded his conscience he would open it to none but to the Counsaile Whereupon it was agreed the booke should be sent him to see his answer that his case might be resolued vpon that for the meane time he should haue the libertie of the galery and gardine in the Tower when the Duke of Northfolke were absent The king then was lying at Grenewich at which time the Lieftenant of the tower was appoynted to deliuer the kings booke to the bishop of Winchester winchester denyeth to make any direct aunswere to the booke vnlesse he were at liberty Who within thre dayes after which was the 13. of Iune made declaration againe vnto the counsaile that the Bishop hauing perused it said vnto him he could make no direct answer vnlesse he were at libertie and so being he woulde say hys conscience Whereupon the Lordes and other that had bene with him the other day were apointed to go to him againe to receiue a direct aunswer that the Counsail therupon might determine further order for him The aunswer of the bishop being receiued through the report of the Lordes which had ben with him Winchesters aunswers euer doubtfull declaration was made again the 8. day of Iuly 1550. that his answers were euer doutful refusing while he were in prisoÌ to make any direct aunswer Wherefore it was determined that he shoulde be directly examined whether he woulde sincerely conforme himself vnto the kings maiesties proceedings or not For which purpose it was agreed y t particulare articles should be drawne Articles and letters sent to Winchester to see whether he woulde subscribe them or not and a letter also directed vnto hym from the kinges highnesse with the which the L. Treasurer the L. great maister the maister of the horse and master Secretarie Peter shoulde repaire vnto hym the tenour of whyche letter heereafter ensueth ¶ A letter sent to the Bishop of Winchester signed by the king and subscribed by the Counsaile IT is not we thinke vnknowen vnto you with what clemency and fauour The kings letter to Winchester we by the aduise of our Counsayle caused you to be heard and vsed vpon these sundry complaintes and informations that were made to vs our said Counsaile of your disordered doinges and wordes both at the tyme of our late visitation and otherwise Which notwithstaÌding considering that the fauour both then and many other tymes ministred vnto you wrought rather an insolent wilfulnes in your selfe theÌ any obediente conformitie such as would haue beseemed a man of your vocation we could not but use some demonstration of iustice towardes you Notorious contemptes in Winchester noted as well for such notorious and apparaunt contemptes and other inobediences as after and contrary to our commaundement were openly knowen in you as also for some example and terrour of such others as by your example seemed to take courage to mutter and grudge agaynst our most godly proceedinges whereof great discord inconuenience at that tyme might haue ensued For the auoyding whereof for your iust deseruinges you were by our sayde Counsayle committed to warde Where albeit we haue suffred you to remaine a long space sending vnto you in the meane tyme at sundry tymes diuers of the Noble men and others of our priuy Counsayle and trauayling by them with clemencye and fauour to haue reduced you to the knowledge of your duety yet in al this time haue you neyther knowledged your faultes nor made any such submission as might haue beseemed you nor yet shewed any apparaÌce either of repeÌtaÌce or of any good conformitye to our godly proceedinges Wherewith albeit we both haue good cause to be offeÌded might also iustly by the order of our lawes cause your former doinges to be reformed and punished to the exaÌple of others yet for that we would both the world your self also shuld know that we delite more in clemency then in the straight administratioÌ of iustice we haue vouchsafed not only to a dresse vnto you these our letters but also to seÌd eftsones vnto you 4. of our priuy couÌsel with certain articles which being by vs with the aduise of our sayde Counsaile considered Anno 1551. we thinke requisite for sondry considerations to be subscribed by you and therefore woulde and commaunde you to subscribe the saide Articles vpon paine of incurring such punishment and penalties as by our lawes may be put vppon you for not doing the same Geuen at our palace of Westminster the 8. day of Iulye the 4. yeare of oure raigne With this letter addressed from the king and his Counsaile these Articles also were deliuered to the B. of Winchester here following The copie of the Articles The Bishopâ aunswere to this article in the margent WHereas I Steuen bishop of Winchester haue ben suspected as one too much fauouring the bishop of Romes aucthoritie decrees and ordinaunces and as one that did not approoue or allow the kings maiesties proceedinges in alteration of certayne rites in religion was conuented before the kings highnes counsaile and admonished therof and hauing certaine things appoynted for me to doe and preache for my declaration haue not done that as I ought to do although I promised to do the same
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 coÌmon 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 mânducaueritis 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 recoÌdendum 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 vnderstaÌd 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 âârtullianus âântra 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. â3 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 ãâã Adimanâââ Christ doubted
constantly kepte as they did willingly preserue her with theyr bodyes and weapons she had done a deed both worthy her bloud had also made her raygne more stable to her selfe through former tranquility For though a man be neuer so puissant of power yet brech of promise is an euill vpholder of quietnes feare is worser but cruelty is y e worst of all Thus Mary being garded with the power of y e Gospellers did vanquish the Duke and all those that came agaynst her In consideration wherof it was me thinksâ an heauy word that she aunswered to the suffolke men afterwardes which did make supplication vnto her grace to performe her promise Q Marieâ aunswere the Surfolâ men and one M. Dobbeââânished For so muche sayth she as you being but meÌbers desire to rule your head you shall one day well perceiue that members must obey theyr head and not looke to beare rule ouer the same And not onely that but also to cause the more terror vnto other a certaine Gentleman named M. Dobbe dwelling about Wyndam side for the same cause that is for aduertising her by humble request of her promise was punished beyng three sundrye times set on the pillory to be a gasing stocke vnto all men Diuers other deliuered her books and supplications made out of the Scripture to exhorte her to continue in the true doctrine then stablished and for theyr good wils were sent to prison But such is the coÌditioÌ of mans nature as here you see that we are for the most part more ready alway to seeke frendship wheÌ we stand in need of helpe Perfite fâdââlitie shut out of the dores yet ãâã to be ãâã in heauen theÌ ready to requite a benefit once past receiued Howbeit against all this one shoote anker we haue which may be a sure coÌfort to all miserable creatures y e equity fidelity are euer perfect and certeinely found with the Lord aboue though the same being shut out of the doores in this world be not to be founde here among menne But seeing our intent is to write a story not to treat of office let vs lay Suffolke men aside for a while whose desertes for theyr redines and diligence with the Queene I will not here stand vpon What she performed on her part the thing it selfe and the whole storye of this persecution doth testifye as hereafter more playnely will appeare On the contrary side the Duke of Northumberlande hauing his warrant vnder the broade Seale with all furniture in readines as he tooke his voyage and was nowe forward in his way what ado ther was what stirring on euery side what sending what riding and posting what letters messages and instructions went to and fro what talking among the souldiers what hartburning among y e people what fayre preteÌses outwardly inwardly what priuy practises there were what speeding of Ordinance dayly and hourely out of the Tower what rumors and comming downe of soulders from all quarters there was a world it was to see a processe to declare enough to make a whole Ilias The greatest helpe that made for the Ladye Mary was the short iourneis of the Duke which by commission were assigned to him before as is aboue mentioned For the longer the Duke lingered in his voyage the Lady Marye the more encreased in puissaunce the hartes of the people being mightily bent vnto her Which after the Counsell at London perceiued and vnderstoode howe the common multitude did withdraw theyr hartes from them to stand with her Queene Mary proclaymed at London and that certaine Noble men begaÌ to go the other way they turned theyr song and proclaymed for Queene the Lady Mary eldest daughter to kyng Henrye the eight and appoynted by Parliament to succeed K. Edward dying without issue The Duke of Northuââberland ouerthrown And so the Duke of Northumberland being by counsell and aduise sent forth agaynst her was left destitute and forsaken alone at Cambridge with some of his sonnes a few other among whome the Earle of Huntington was one The Duke of NorthuÌâberland brought to the Tower as a Traytour who there were arrested and broughte to the Tower of London as traytors to the Crowne notwithstandinge that he had there proclaymed her Queene before Thus haue you Mary nowe made a Queene and the sword of authority put into her haÌd which how she afterward did vse we may see in sequele of this booke Therefore as I say when she had bene thus aduauÌced by y e gospellers Queene Mary commeth vp to London saw all in quiet by meanes y t her enemies were conquered sending the Duke captiue to the Tower before which was the xxv of Iuly she folowed not long after being brought vp the third day of August to LondoÌ with the great reioysing of many men but with a greater feare of moe and yet with flatterye peraduenture most great of fayned hartes Thus comming vp to London her first lodgyng shee took at the Tower The Lady Iane and thâ Lord Gilford priâoners in the Tower where as the foresaid Lady Iane with her husband the Lord Gilford a litle before her commyng were imprisoned where they remained waiting her pleasure almost fiue monethes But the Duke within a moneth after his comming to the Tower being adiudged to death was brought forth to the scaffolde and there beheaded Albeit he hauing a promise The Duke of NorthuââberlaÌd condemned to dye and being put in hope of pardon yea though his head were vpon the blocke if he would recant and heare masse consented therto and denied in wordes that true religion which before time as well in K. Henry the 8. dayes as in K. Edwards he had oft euidently declared hymselfe both to fauour and further exhortyng also the people to returne to the Catholike fayth as he termed it Whose recantation the papistes foorthwith did publish and set abroad reioysing not a litle at his conuersion or rather subuersion as then appeared Thus the Duke of Northumberland with Sir Iohn Gates and sir Thomas Palmer which Palmer on the other side confessed his fayth that he had learned in the gospel and lamented that he had not lyued more Gospellike beyng put to death In the meane tyme Queene Marye entring thus her raigne with the bloud of these men besides hearyng Masse her selfe in the Tower gaue a heauy shewe and signification hereby but especially by the sodaine deliuering of Steuen Gardiner out of the Tower that she was not mynded to stand to that which she so deeply had promised to the Suffolke men before concernyng the not subuertyng or alteryng the state of religion as in very deede the surmise of the people was therein nothyng deceyued Besides the premisses other things also folowed which euery day more and more discomforted the people declaring the Queene to beare no good will to the present state of religion as not onely the releasing of Gardiner beyng then made Lord Chauncellor
only by his opinioÌ Against which opinioÌ Theodoret writeth and by the similitude of the sacrament prooueth the contrary against the hereticke that like as in the sacrament of the body of Christ after the consecratioÌ there is the substance of Christes humanitie with the substance of bread remaining as it was befor not beyng absorpt of y e humanitie of Christ but ioyned by the deuine operation therunto euen so in the person of Christ being now in heauen of whom this sacrament is a representation there bee two seueral substances that is his diuinitie humanitie vnited in one hypostasie or person which is Christ the humanitie not beyng absorpt by the coniunction of the diuinitie but remaining in his former substance And this similitude quoth Philpot brought in of Theodoret to confound Eutiches should prooue nothing at al if the very substance of the sacramentall bread dyd not remayne as it did before But if D. Moremans interpretation might take place for transubstantiatioÌ then should the heretike haue thereby a strong argument by Theodorets authoritie so taken to maintayne his heresie The placâ of Theodââret falsely taken of ãâã Papistes and to prooue hymselfe a good christen man and he might well say thus vnto Theodoret. Like as thou Theodoret if thou were of D. Moremans mynd doest say that after the consecration in the sacrament the substaunce of the bread is absorpt or transubstantiate into the humane body of Christ commyng thereunto so that in the sacrament is now but one substance of the humanitie alone and not the substance of bread as it was before euen likewise may I affirme and conclude by thine owne similitude that the humanitie ascending vp by the power of God into heauen adioyned vnto the deitie was by the might therof absorpt turned into one substance with the deitie so that now there remayneth but one diuine substance in Christ no more then in the sacramental signes of the Lords supper The falsâ expositioâ of D. Moâââman vpoâ Theodoâââtus ouerâthroweâ after y e consecration doth remayne any more then one substaunce accordyng to your beliefe and construction In aunsweryng to this D. Moreman stackerd whose defect Philpot perceiuyng spake on this wyse Well M. Moreman if you haue no answer at this present ready I pray you deuise one if you can conueniently agaynst our next meetyng here agayne Weston ãâã offendeâ Philpotâ replycaââ aunswerâ by commaundinâ him to silence With that his saying the Prolocutor was grieuously offended tellyng hym that he should not bragge there but that he should be fully answered· Then sayd Philpot it is the thing that I only desire to be answered directly in this behalfe I desire of you of all the house at this present that I may be sufficiently answered which I am sure you are not able to do sauyng Theodoretus authoritie and similitude vpright as he ought to be taken None other answer then was made to Philpots reasons but that hee was commaunded to silence Then stoode vp the Deane of Rochester offeryng hym selfe to reason in the first question agaynst the natural presence wishing that the scripture and the auncient Doctors in this poynt might be weyghed beleeued and followed And agaynst this naturall presence he thought the saying of Christ in Saint Mathew to make sufficiently enough if men would credite and follow scripture who sayd there of hymselfe that poore men wee should haue alway with vs but hym we should not haue alwayes which was spoken quoth he concernyng the naturall presence of Christes body therefore we ought to beleeue as hee hath taught that Christ is not naturally present on earth in the sacrament of the aultar To this was aunswered by the Prolocutor that we should not haue Christ present alwayes to exercise almes deeds vpon hym but vpon the poore But the Deane prosecuted his argument and shewed it out of S. Austen further that the same interpretation of the scripture alledged was no sufficient aunswere who writeth in the 50. treatise of S. Iohn on this wise on the same sentence When as he sayd sayth S. Austen me shal ye not haue always with you he spake of the presence of his bodye For by his maiestie August in ãâã tract ââ by his prouidence by his vnspeakable vnuisible grace that is fulfilled which is sayd of him Behold I am with you vntill the consummation of the world But in the fleshe which the worde tooke vpon hym in that which was borne of the virgin A notable authority ãâã of Saint Augustyââ in that which was apprehended of the Iewes whiche was crucified on the Crosse which was let down from the crosse which was wrapped in cloutes which was hid in the Sepulchre which was manifested in the resurrection you shall not haue me alwayes with you And why for after a bodily presence he was conuersant with his disciples fortie dayes and they accompanying him seyng and not folowing him he ascended is not here for there he sitteth at the right hand of the father and yet here he is because he is not departed in the presence of hys maiestie After another maner we haue Christ alwayes by presence of hys maiesty but after the presence of his flesh it is rightly sayd You shall not verily haue me alwayes with you For the Church had hym in the presence of his flesh a few dayes and now by fayth it apprehendeth hym and seeth hym not with eyes Watsons aunswere to Saint Augustine August in ãâã tract â70 To this authority D. Watson tooke vpon him to aunswer and sayd he would answer S. Austen by S. Austen and hauyng a certaine booke in hys hand of notes he alledged out of the 70. treatise vpon S. Iohn that after that mortall condition and maner we haue not now Christ on the earth as he was heretofore before his passion Agaynst whose aunswer Iohn Philpot replyed and said Philpot against Watson that M. Watson had not fully answered S. Augustine by S. Augustine as he would seeme to haue done for that in the place aboue mentioned by M. Deane of Rochester he doth not onely teach the mortall state of Christes body before his passion but also the immortall condition of the same after his resurrection in the which mortal body S. Augustine seemeth plainely to affirme that Christ is not present vpon the earth neither in forme visibly neither in corporall substance inuisibly as in few lynes after y e place aboue alledged S. Augustine doth more plainely declare by these wordes saying Now these two manners of Christes presence declared which is by his maiestie prouidence grace now present in the world which before his ascension was present in flesh and beyng now placed at the right hand of the father is absent in the same from the world I thinke saith Saint Augustine that there remayneth no other question in thys mâtâer Now quoth Philpot if S. Augustine acknowledged no more presence of
people Ergo There is the naturall bloud of Christ. You aunswer that wordes make it bloud to them that receiue it not that bloude is in the cuppe but because it is made bloud to them that receiue it That all men maye see how falsely you would auoid the fathers heare what Ambrose sayth in the 6. booke and 1. chap. Forte dicas quomodo vera qui similitudinem video noÌ video sanguinis veritatem Primum omnium dixi tibi de sermone Christi qui operatur vt possit mutare conuertere genera instituta naturae Deinde vbi non tulerunt sermonem discipuli eius sed audientes quod carnem suam dedit manducari sanguinem suum dedit bibendum recedebant Solus tamen Petrus dixit Verba vitae eternae habes ego a te quò recedam Ne igitur plures hoc dicerent veluti quidam esset horror cruoris sed maneret gratia redemptionis ideò in similitudinem quidem accipis sacramentuÌ sed verè naturae gratiam virtutemque consequeris That is to say Peraduenture thou wilt say how be they true I which see the similitude do not see the trueth of the bloud First of all I told thee of y e word of Christ which so worketh that it can chaunge turne kindes ordained of nature Afterward when the Disciples coulde not abide the woordes of Christe but hearing that he gaue hys flesh to eate and hys bloud to drinke they departed Only Peter sayd thou hast the wordes of eternal life whether should I go from thee Least therefore moe should say this thing as though there should be a certain horror of bloud and yet the grace of redemption should remaine therfore in a similitude thou receiuest the sacrament but in deede thou obtainest the grace and power of his nature Cranmer These wordes of themselues are plaine enough And he read this place againe Aunswâââ to Ambââ Thou receiuest the Sacrament for a similitude But what is that he sayth Thou receiuest for a similitude I thinke he vnderstandeth the sacrament to be the similitude of his bloud Ched That you may vnderstand that trueth discenteth not from trueth to ouerthrow that which you say of that similitude heare what Ambrose sayth lib. 4. De sacrament Si operatus est sermo coelestis in alijs rebus non operatur in sacramentis coelestibus Ambros. sacram ãâã Ergo didicisti quod e pane corpus fiat Christi quod vinum aqua in calicem mittitur sed fit sanguis consecratione verbi coelestis Sed forte dices speciem sanguinis non videri Sed habet similitudinem Sicut enim mortis similitudinem sumpsisti ita etiam similitudinem preciosi sanguinis bibis vt nullus horror cruoris sit pretium tamen operetur redemptionis Didicisti ergo quia quod accipis corpus est Christâ That is to say If the heauenly word did worke in other things doth it not worke in the heauenly sacramentes Therefore thou hast learned that of bread is made the body of Christe and that wine and water is put into that cuppe but by consecration of the heauenly worde it is made bloude But thou wilt say peradueÌture that the likenes of bloud is not sent But it hath a similitude For as thou hast receiued the similitude of hys death so also thou drinkest the similitude of his precious bloud Note thâ Ambrose sayth ãâã drinke ãâã Christeâ bloud Answerâ the placâ Ambrosâ Sacramâââ be called the namââ the thingâ Ambrosâ 1. Cor. ãâã so y t there is no horror of bloud yet it worketh the price of redemptioÌ Therfore thou hast learned that that which thou receiuest is the body of Christ. Cran. He speaketh of sacraments sacramentally He calleth the sacraments by the names of the things for he vseth the signes for the things signified and therefore y e bread is not called bread but his body for the excellencie and dignitie of the thyng signified by it So doth Ambrose interpreat hym selfe when hee sayeth In cuius typum nos calicem mysticum sanguinis ad tuitionem corporis animae nostrae percepimus 1. Cor. 11. That is For a type or figure wherof we receiue the mystical cup of his bloud for the safegard of our bodies and soules Ched A type hee calleth not the bloud of Christe a type or signe but the bloude of Buls and Goates in that respecte was a type or signe Cran. This is new learning you shall neuer read this among the fathers Ched But Ambrose sayeth so Cran. He calleth the bread and the cup a type or signe of the bloud of Christ and of his benefite West Ambrose vnderstandeth for a type of his benefit that is of redemption not of the bloud of Christ but of his passion The cuppe is the type or signe of his death seeing it is hys bloud Cran. He sayeth most plainely that the cuppe is the type of Christes bloud Da Ched As Christe is truely and really incarnate so is he truely and really in the Sacrament ri But Christ is really and truely incarnate j. Ergo the body of Christ is truely and really in the sacrament Cran. ââgument I deny the Maior Ched I prooue the Maior out of Iustine in hys 2. Apologie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Cran. âânswere ãâã the place Iustinus This place hath ben falsified by Marcus Constantius Iustine meant nothing els but that the bread which nourisheth vs is called the body of Christ. Ched To the Argument As Christ is truely and naturally incarnate c. vt supra Cran. I deny your Maior Ched The woordes of Iustine are thus to bee interpreated woord for woord Quemadmodum per verbum Dei caro factus Iesus Christus Saluator noster * Mutationem carnem habuit sanguinem pro salute nostra sic cibum illum consecratum per sermonem precationis ab ipso institutae quo sanguis carnesîue nostrae per communionem nutriuntur eiusdem Iesu qui caro factus est carnem sanguinem esse accepimus That is to say As by the worde of God Iesus Christ our sauiour being made flesh had both flesh and bloud for our saluation so we are taught that the meat * Of thankes geuing consecrated by the word of prayer instituted of him whereby our bloude and flesh are nourished by * Mutation coÌmunion is the flesh and bloud of the same Iesus which was made flesh Cran. You haue translated it wel But I deny your Maior Thys is the sence of Iustine Aunswere that that breade is called the body of Christ and yet of that sanctified meate our bodyes are nourished Ched Nay he sayeth of that sanctified meate bothe oure bodies and soules are nourished Cran. He sayth not so but he sayth that it nourisheth our flesh and bloud and howe can that nourish the soule that nourisheth the flesh and bloud ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I.
West * This he repeated in Englishe to the people also Aunswere to Bernard Here I bring Bernard vnto you againe Euen from the West vnto the East from the North vnto the South there is one and the selfesame Christ in many and diuers places Rid. The aunswere is soone made that one Christe is here and in diuers places For God according to hys Maiestie and according to his prouidence as S. Austen sayeth is euery where with the godly according to his indiuisible and vnspeakeable grace The Papistss make Christ to haue a monsterous body Or else if we should vnderstande Bernard according to the corporall presence how monstrous or huge giantlike a body would you then make Christes body to be which should reach euen from North to South from West to East West Nay nay you make a monstrous aunswer and vnlearned Ward Before I come in with those reasons which I had purposed to bring against you Here they returne agayne to Latin B. Ridley falsly charged to set forth the Catechisme I am minded to come again to M. Doctours argument by which you being brought into the briers seemed to doubt of Christes presence on the earth To y e proofe of which matter I will bring nothyng else then that which was agreed vpon in the Catechisme of the Synode of London set out not long ago by you Rid. Syr I geue you to witte before you goe any farther that I did set out no Catechisme West D. Weston in K. Edwards dayes subscribed Yes you made me subscribe to it when you were a Byshop in your ruffe Rid. I compelled no man to subscribe Warde Yes by roode you are the very author of that heresie Rid. I put foorth no Catechisme Cole Did you neuer consent to the setting out of those things which you allowed Rid. Of this Catechisme read before pag. 1357. I graunt that I sawe the booke But I deny that I wrote it I perused it after it was made and I noted many things for it So I consented to the booke I was not the author of it Iudges * The Iudges geue an vntrue verdite for D. Cranmer meaning by the Counsell spake no word of Ridley The Catechisme is so set foorth as though the whole conuocation house had agreed to it Cranmer sayd yesterday that you made it Rid. I thinke surely that he would not say so Ward The Catechisme hath this clause Si visibiliter in terra c. i. If visibly on the earth c. Rid. I aunswere that those articles were set out I both witting and consenting to them Myne owne hand will testifie the same and M. Cranmer put hys hand to them likewise and gaue them to other afterward Now as for the place which you alledge out of it that may easely be expounded and without any inconuenience Ward Christ is the power and vertue of his Father A possibili ad esse non valet consequentia Ergo he was not of so little strength that he coulde not bring to passe whatsoeuer he would himselfe Rid. I graunt Ward Christ was the wisedome of the father Ergo that he spake he spake wisely and so as euery man might vnderstand neither was it hys mynde to speake one thing in steede of another Rid. All this I graunt Ward Christ was likewise the very truth Ergo he made and perfourmed in deede Argument of the wisedome truth of Christ. Hillar in Psal. 118. that which he intended to make And likely it is that he doth neither deceiue nor coulde be deceiued nor yet would go about to deceiue other West Hilarius in Psalmum 118. hath these words Vera omnia sunt neque ociosè neque inutiliter constituta dei verba sed extra omnem ambiguitatem superfluae inanitatis ignita ignita vehementer ne quid illic esse quod non perfectum ac proprium sit existimetur That is All Gods wordes or sayings are true and neither idlely placed nor vnprofitably but fiery and wonderfull fiery without all doubtfulnes of superfluous vanitie that ther may be nothing thought to be there which is not absolute and proper Ward He is the truth of the father Ergo he can neyther deceiue nor yet be deceyued especially I meane when he spake at his latter end and his testament Rid. Christ is the very truth of the father and I perceyue well to what scope you driue your reason Aunswerâ to Master Wardes arâgument This is but a farre set compasse of words If that these words of Christ This is my body which you meane be rightly vnderstoode they are most true Ward He tooke he brake he gaue c. what tooke he Ridley Bread his body Ward What brake he Ridley Bread Ward What gaue he Ridley Bread Ward Gaue he bread made of wheate materiall bread Rid. I know not whether he gaue bread of wheate but he gaue true and materiall bread Ward I will proue the contrary by Scriptures He deliuered to them that which he had them take This argument is noâ formall in the 2. figurâ But he had not them take materiall bread but his owne body Ergo he gaue not materiall bread but his owne body Rid. I deny the Minor Aunswereâ For he bad them take his body Sacramentally in materiall bread and after that sort it was both bread which he bad them take because the substaunce was bread and it was also his body because it was the Sacrament of his body for the sanctifying and the comming to of the holy Ghost which is alwayes assistentio those mysteries which were instituted of Christ and lawfully administred Harps What is he that so sayeth By the comming vnto of the holy spirite Rid. I haue Theophilact for mine author for this maner of speaking And heere I bring him Theophilact in Math. 26. that ye may vnderstand that phrase not to be mine vpon Mathew 26. Furthermore the said Theophilact writing vppon these wordes This is my body sheweth that the body of the Lord is bread whih is sanctifyed on the aultar Ogle That place of Theophilact maketh openly agaynst you For he sayth in that place that Christ sayd not This is a figure of my body but my body For sayeth he by an vnspeakeable operation it is transformed although it seeme to vs to be bread Rid. It is not a figure The word of Theophil he sayd not this is a figure of my body aunâswered that is to say non tantum est figura i. it is not only a figure of his body West Where haue you that word tantum onely Rid. It is not in that place but he hath it in another Augustine doth so speake many times other Doctours mo West Heere Weston repeating the words of Theophilact in English sayd He sayth it is not a figure and you say it is a figure And the same Theophilact sayth moreouer that the coÌuersioÌ or turning of the
well remember not except it be against the Epistles of Petilian Who so euer saith he teacheth any thyng necessarily to be beleued which is not contayned in the olde or new Testament the same is accursed Oh beware of this curse if you be wise I am much deceyued if Basilius haue not such like words ãâã What so euer saith he is besides the holy scripture if the same be taught as necessarily to be beleeued that is sinne Oh therefore take heede of this sinne There be some that speake many false things more probable and more like to the truth then to the truth it selfe Therefore Paule geueth a watch word Let no man saith he deceiue you with probabilitie and perswasions of woordes But what meane you saith one by this talke so far from the matter Well I hope good maisters you will suffer an old man a little to play the child and to speake one thyng twise Oh Lord God you haue chaunged the most holy Communion into a priuate action and you deny to the Laitie the Lordes cup contrary to Christes commaundement The ãâã of the ãâ¦ã in ãâã the âords Supâer and you do blemish the annuntiation of the Lordes death till he come for you haue chaunged the Common prayer called the diuine seruice with the administration of the sacramentes from the vulgar and knowen language into a strange tongue contrary to the wyll of the Lord reuealed in his word God open the dore of your hart to see the things you should see herein I would as fayne obey my soueraigne as any in this realme but in these things I can neuer do it with an vpright conscieÌce God be mercifull vnto vs. Amen Weston Then refuse you to dispute Will you here then subscribe Lat. No good maister I pray you be good to an olde man You may if it please God be once old as I am ye may come to this age and to this debilitie West But God saw it good that WestoÌ ãâã câme to his age Ye said vpon saterday last that ye could not find the masse nor the marybones thereof in your booke but wee will finde a masse in that booke Lat. No good M. Doctor ye cannot West What find you then there Lat. Forsooth a Communion I find there West Which Communion * By this first and second coââunion he âeaneth the two ãâã of ââblicke ãâã set forth in ãâã Edwards daies ãâã one in ãâã beginââng the ãâã in the ãâã end of ãâã reigne ãâã Weston ãâ¦ã the ãâã of the âords Supper ãâ¦ã Doâânica âhrisost in Cor. cap. the first or the last Lat. I find no great diuersitie in them they are one supper of the Lord but I like the last very well West Then the first was nought belike Lat. I do not wel remember wherin they differ West Then cake bread loafe bread are all one with you Ye call it the Supper of the Lord but you are deceyued in that for they had done the supper before and therfore the Scripture sayth Postquam coenatum est that is After they had supped For ye know that S. Paul findeth fault wyth the Corrinthians for that some of them were drunken at this supper and ye know no man can be dronken at your Communion Lat. The first was called Coena Iudaica that is The Iewish Supper when they did eate the Paschall Lambe together the other was called Coena dominica that is The Lordes supper West That is false for Chrysostome denieth that And S. Ambrose in cap. 19. prioris ad Corinthios saith that Mysterium Eucharistiae inter coenandum datum non est coena dominica that is The mysterie of the sacrament geuen as they were at supper is not the supper of the Lord. And Gregory Nazianzene sayth the same Rursus Pasche sacra cum discipulis in coenaculo ac post coenam dieque vnica ante passionem celebrat Nos verò ea in orationis domibus ante coenam post resurrectionem peragimus that is Agayne he kept he holy feast of Passeouer with his Disciples in the dinyng chamber after the supper âreg Naâââzenus and one day before his passion But we keepe it both in the Churches and houses of prayer both before the supper and also after the resurrection ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1. ãâ¦ã âeastes ãâã wont ãâã be geuen the ãâ¦ã in his ãâã And that first Supper was called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã can you tell what that is Lat. I vnderstande no Greeke Yet I thinke it meaneth charitie West Will you haue all thing done that Christ did then Why then must the Priest be hanged on the morrow And where find you I pray you that a woman should receyue the sacrament Lat. Will you geue me leaue to turne my booke I finde it in the xi chapter to the Corinthians I trow these be hys wordes Probetautem seipsum homo c. I pray you good maister what Gender is homo West Marrie the common gender Cole It is in the Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1. Cor. 11. Har. It is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is vir Lat. It is in my booke of Erasmus translation Probet seipsum homo Feck It is Probet seipsum in deed and therfore it importeth the Masculine gender Latimer What then I trowe when the woman touched Christ he said Quis tetigit me Scio quod aliquis me tetigit that is Who touched me I know that some man touched me Weston I will be at host with you anone When Christ was at his supper none were with hym Argument but his Apostles onely Ergo he ment no woman if you will haue this institution kept Lati. In the twelue Apostles was represented the whole Church The Apostles represented the whole Church in which you will graunt both men and women to bee West So thorough the whole hereticall translated Bible ye neuer make mention of Priest Weston scorneth the name of Minister tyll ye come to the putting of Christ to death Where find you then that a priest or minster a minstrel I may cal him wel enough should do it of necessitie Lat. A minister is a more fit name for that office The name of Minister more fit theÌ the name of Priest for y e name of a priest importeth a sacrifice West Well remember that ye cannot finde that a woman may receiue by scripture M. Opponent fall to it Smith Because I perceiue that this charge is layd vppon my necke to dispute with you to the ende that the same may go forward after a right maner and order I wil propose three questions so as they are put forth vnto me And first I aske this question of you although the same in deed ought not to be called in question but such is the condition of the Church that it is alwayes vexed of the wycked sort I aske I say whether Christes body be really in the sacrament Lat.
within the Dioces of London as were married were diuorced from theyr liuings and commaunded to bring in their wiues within a fortnight that they might likewise be diuorced from them This the Byshop did of his owne power Upon the Tuesday in the same weeke being the 27. of February Gentlemen sent into Kent to be executed M. Rudston with certain others pardoned certayne Gentlemen of Kent were sente into Kent to be executed there Their names were these the two Mantels two Kneuets and Bret with these Maister Rudston also and certayne other were condemned and should haue bene executed but they had their pardon As touching the foresayde Maister Mantell the elder heere by the way is to be noted that as he was lead to execution and at his first casting vnder the Gallowes the rope brake Then they woulde haue had him recanted the trueth and receiued the sacrament of the aultar as they tearme it and then they sayd he should haue the Queenes pardon but Maister Mantell like a worthy Gentleman refused their serpentine counsell and chose rather to dye then to haue lyfe for dishonouring of God Moreouer as touching the sayid M. Mantell for that he was reported falsely to haue fallen from the constancie of his profession to cleare himselfe thereof and to reproue the sinister surmise of his recantation he wrote this briefe Apologie in purgation of himselfe the copie whereof you shall heare ¶ The Apologie of M. Mantell the elder PErceiuing that already certayne false reports are raysed of me concerning my aunsweres in the behalfe of my beliefe Math. 20. whiles I was prisoner in the Tower of London and considering how sore a matter it is to be an occasion of offence to any of those little ones that beleeue in Christ The beliefe of M. Mantell the elder â haue thought it the duty of a Christian man as neare as I can with the truth to take away thys offence It pleased the Queenes Maiesty to send vnto me M. Doct. Bourne D. Bourne sent to M. Mantell vnto whome at the first meeting I acknowledged my fayth in all points to agree with the foure Creedes that is the common Creede the Creede of Nicene Quicunque vult and Te Deum laudamus Further as concerning confession and penaunce I declared that I could be contente to shewe vnto anye learned Minister of Christes Church any thing that troubled my conscience and of such a maÌ I would most willingly heare absolution pronounced Touching the Sacrament of the aulter as he termed it I sayd that I beleeued Christ to be there present as the holy Ghost ment when these words were written M. Mantell opposed in the Sacrament Hoc est corpus meum Further when this would not satisfye I desired him to consider that I was a condemned man to dye by a law and that it was more meeâe for me to seeke a readines and preparation to death And in so much as I dissented not from him in any article of the Christian fayth necessary to saluation I desired him for Gods sake no more to trouble me with such matters as whiche to beleeue is neyther saluation nor not to beleeue damnation He aunswered that if I dissented but in the least matter froÌ the catholick Church my soule was in great daunger therefore much more in thys great matter alleadging this text Qui offenderit in minimo factus est reus omnium He that offendeth in the least of these is gilty of them all Yea quoth I Verum est Math. 5. Iacob 2. ex hisce mandatis i. It is true of these commaundementes of God To this I desired him to consider that it was not my matter neither was I able in these matters to keepe disputation nor minded so to doe and therefore to take these few wordes for a full aunswere that I not onely in the matter of the sacrament but also in all other matters of Religion The Church Beleeue as the holy Catholicke Church of Christ grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles beleeueth But vppon this worde Church we agreed not for I tooke exceptionat the Antichristian Popish Church Then fell we in talke of the Masse wherein wee agreed not D. Bourne and M. Mantell disagree in the Masse for I both for the occasion of Idolatry and also the cleare subuersion of Christes institution thought it nought and he è coÌtra vppon certaine considerations supposed it good I founde fault that it was accounted a Sacrifice propiciatory for sinne and at certaine other applications of it But he sayde that it was not a propiciatory sacrifice for sinne for the death of Christ onely was the Sacrifice and this but a commemoration of the same Then I if ye thinke so certaine blasphemous collectes left out I could be content were it not for offending my poore brethren that beleeue in Christ which know not so muche to heare your Masse See quoth he howe vayne glory toucheth you Not so sir quoth I I am not now I thanke God in case to be vayne glorious Then I found further faulte with it that it was not a communion Yes sayth he one Priest saying Masse here Bourne maketh the Masse a communion and an other there and the third in an other place c. is a communion This agreeth scarcely with these words of Paule sayd I Non in melius sed in deterius conuenitis i. Ye come not after a better maner but after a worse Yea 1. Cor. 11. and it is a communion to said he when they come together Now draweth on the time quoth hee that I must depart from you to the Court to saye Masse before the Queene and must signifie vnto her in what case I finde you and me thinke I finde you sore seduced Then I sayd I pray you report the best for I trust you finde me not obstinate What shall I say are ye content to heare Masse Mantell neither obstinate nor stubborne and to receaue the sacrament in the Masse I beseeche you sayd I signifie vnto her Maiestie that I am neither obstinate nor stubburne for time and perswasion may altar me but as yet my coÌscience is such that I can neither heare Masse nor receaue the sacrament after that sort Thus after certaine requestes made to the Queenes Maiestie concerning other matters he departed The next daye hee came to me agayne and brought with him S. Cyprians woorkes for so I had required him to doe the day before because I woulde see his sermon De mortalitate He had in thys booke turned in and interlyned certaine places both concerning the Church and the sacrament which he willed me to read I read as much as my time would serue and at his next coÌming I sayd that I was wholy of Cypâians mynd in the matter of the Sacrament Doctour Weston and Doctour Mallet came after to me whome I aunswered muche after that sorte as I did the other Doctour Weston brought in the place
si gens inimica volet Pontifices fati quasi Cayphas omina dantes Nolebant at grex cacolucos voluit Elegere pij connubia talia nolle Velle quidem demens haeresis illa fuit Consilium multo praestantius octo mariti Quinque cathenatis ob malefacta dabant Noluit hos iungi thalamos Northumbrius heros O consultores qui voluere malos Noluit haud aequo confligens marte Viatus Solaque quae voluit turba Papalis erat Nolebat Graius neque terra Britanna volebat Nos quoniam Dominus sic voluit tulimus Sed tulimus pariter fata infoelicia quando Infoelix Maria est nupta Philippe tibi * Other verses aunswering likewise NVbat vt Hispano Regina Maria Philippo Dic age Whyte mihi quos voluisse vides Noluit aut voluit quid inanis turba refert nil Velle nolle Dei est quid volet ille refert Hoc quoniam voluit inquis Dominus voluistis Quid voluit quoniam nescis inepte scias Scilicet hoc voluit vates vt vanus augur Et mendax Whitus pseudopropheta foret Regi non regi nupsit non nupserat Angla est NoÌ Angla est grauida est noÌ grauida est grauius est Parturit atque parit sic vos voluistis ouantes Nil tamen illa parit hoc voluit Dominus Duxerat ad paucos menses mox deserit idem Sponsa est mox vidua est hoc voluit Dominus Irrita frustrentur semper sic vota malorum Perniciem patriae qui voluere suae Sit nomen Domini benedictum â Phillip ââmmeth to âindsore The Armed ãâã England ãâã down ãâã the ãâã of After the consummation of which mariage they both remoued froÌ Winchester to sondry other places and by easy iourneyes came to Windsore Castle where he was stalled in the order of the Garter vppon Sonday being the xij of August At which tyme an Herald tooke downe the armes of England at Windsore and in the place of them woulde haue set the armes of Spaine but he was commaunded to set them vp againe by certayne Lordes From thence they both remoued to Richmond Spayne set vp K. Phillip commeth to London and froÌ thence by water came to London and landed at y e Bishop of Winchesters house through which they passed both into Southwark parke so to Southwarke house called Suffolk place where they lay that night being the 18. of August And y e next day being Saterday and the xix of August the king and Queenes maiesties rode from Suffolk place accompanied with a great number August 19. as wel of noble men as gentlemen through the City of London to White Hall and at LondoÌ bridge as he entred at the draw bridge was a vayne great spectacle set vp Vayne pageants of London two Images representyng 2. Gyantes one named Corineus and the other Gogmagoge holding betweene them certain Latin verses which for the vayne ostentation of flattery I ouerpasse And as they passed ouer the bridge there was a number of ordinaunce shot at the Tower such as by old mens report the like hath not bene heard or seene these hundreth yeares From London Bridge they passed to the Conduit in Gracious streete whiche was finely painted and among other thinges the ix worthies whereof king Henry the 8. was one He was paynted in harnesse hauing in one hand a sworde and in the other hand a booke wherupon was written Verbum Dei Winchester cannot abide the booke called Verbum Dei deliuering the same booke as it were to his sonne ãâã Edward who was paynted in a corner by him But hereupon was no small matter made for the Bishop of winchester Lord Chauncellour seÌt for the painter and not onely called him knaue for paynting a booke in K. Henries hand and specially for writing therupon Verbum Dei but also rancke Traytour and Uillaine saying to hym that he should rather haue put the book into the Queenes hand who was also paynted there for that she had reformed the church and religion The paynter sent for to the B. of Winchester with other things according to the pure and sincere word of God in deede The Paynter answered and sayd that if he had knoweÌ that that had bene the matter wherfore his Lordship sent for him he coulde haue remedied it and not haue troubled his Lordship The paynters aunswere The bishop answered said that it was the Queenes maiesties will and commaundement that he shoulde send for him and so commaunding him to wype out the booke and Verbum Dei too he sent him home So the Paynter departed but fearing least he should leaue some parte eyther of the booke or of Verbum Dei in king Henries hand hee wiped away a piece of his fingers withall Here I passe ouer and cut of other gaudes Pageantes of pastime shewed vnto him in passing through London with the flattering verses set vp in Latine wherein were blased out in one place the fiue philips as the fiue worthies of the worlde Philip of Macedonia Philip y e Emperor Philippus Audax Philippus Bonus Philip Prince of Spayne and king of England In an other Poetry K. Philip was resembled by an Image representing Orpheus V. Phillips and all Englishe people resembled to brute sauage beastes following after Orpheus harpe and daunsing after king Philips pipe Not that I reprehend the arte of the Latine verses which was fine and cunning but that I passe ouer y e matter hauing other grauer thinges in hand and therefore passe ouer also the sight at Paules church side of him that came downe vpon a rope tyed to the batilmentes with his head before neyther staying himselfe with hand or foote which shortly after cost him his life But one thing by the way I cannot let passe touchyng the young florishing Roode newly set vp agaynst this present timâ ãâã welcome king Phillip into Paules Churche The setting vp of which Roode was this and may make as good a Pageant as the best An 2. Mariae Boner in his royaltie and all his Prebendaries about him in Paules Quiere the Roode layde a long vpon the pauement The erecting vp of the Roode at Paules and also all the doores of Paules being shut the Bishop with other sayde and song diuers prayers by the Rood that being done they annoynted the Roode with oyle in diuers places and after the annoynting crept vnto it and kissed it After that they tooke the sayd Roode and weyed hym vppe and set him in his olde accustomed place B. Boners God the Roode of Paules set vp with âe Deum and all the while they were doing thereof the whole Quiere sang Te Deum and when that was ended they rang the Belles not only for ioy but also for the notable and great fact they had done therein Not long after this a mery fellow came into Paules and spyed the Roode with Mary and Iohn new set vppe whereto among a
holy fathers Church sauyng that one of these ix was not asked the question other wyse then thus whether hee would be an honest man as his father was before hym and aunswering yea he was so discharged by the friendship of my Lord William Haward as I haue vnderstanded He bade me tell hym what I would doe whether I would enter into one Church with the whole Realme as it is now or not No sayd I I will first see it prooued by the Scriptures Let me haue pen inke and bookes c. And I shall take vpon me plainly to set out the matter so that the contrary shall be prooued to be true let any man that wil conferre with me by writyng Steph Gardiner refused to haue the truth to be tryed by learning L. Chan. Nay that shall not be permitted thee Thou shalt neuer haue so much profered thee as thou hast now if thou refuse it and wilt not now condescend and agree to the catholike church Here are ij things Mercy and Iustice If thou refuse the Queenes mercy now then shalt thou haue Iustice ministred vnto thee Rog. I neuer offended nor was disobedieÌt vnto her grace The Bââshopâ ãâ¦ã stand bâ theyr ãâ¦ã yet wiââ suffer ãâã men so doe and yet I will not refuse her mercy But if this shal be denied me to conferre by writing and to try out the truth then it is not wel but to far out of the way Ye your selues all the Bishops of the Realme brought me to the knowledge of the pretensed primacie of the Bishop of Rome when I was a yong man twenty yeares past and wil ye now without collation haue me to say and do the contrary I cannot be so perswaded L. Chan. If thou wilt not receiue the Bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the Catholike Church A fayrââ tense to ââcuse yoââ ignoraâââ then thou shalt neuer haue her mercy thou maist be sure And as touching conferring and triall I am forbidden by the Scriptures to vse any conferring and triall with thee For S. Paule teacheth me that I shall shun and eschew an heretike after one or two monitions knowing that such an one is ouerthrowen and is faulty in as much as he is condemned by his owne iudgement Rog. My L. I deny that I am an heretike prooue ye that first and then alledge the foresayd text But still the Lord Chancellor played on one string saying L. Chan. If thou wilt enter into one Church with vs c. tell vs that Gardineâ wil ãâã to that ãâã which ãâã caÌnot ãâã to be ãâã or els thou shalt neuer haue so much proferred thee agayne as thou hast now Rog. I will fynd it first in the Scripture and see it tryed therby before I receiue hym to be supreme head Wor. Why do ye not know what is in your Creed Credo ecclesiam sanctam catholicam I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Rog. I fynde not the bishop of Rome there For Catholike signifieth not the Romish Church It signifieth the consent of all true teaching Churches of all tymes The Popâ church pâââued not to be Catholicke and all ages But how should the Bishop of Romes Church bee one of them which teacheth so many doctrines y t are plainly and directly against the word of God Can that bishop be the true head of the Catholike Church that doth so that is not possible L. Chancellor Shew me one of them one one let me heare one Rog. I remembred my selfe that amongst so many I were best to shew one and sayd I will shew you one L. Chan. Let me heare that let me heare that Rog. The B. of Rome and hys Church say read and sing all that they do in their congregations in Latin Latin Seââuice which is directly and plainly against the first to the Corrinthians the 14. chapter L. Chan. I deny that I deny that that is against the word of God Let me see you prooue that how prooue ye that Rog. Thus I began to say the text from the beginning of the chap. Qui loquitur lingua Speaking a straungâ tongue ââgaynst S. Paule c. to speake with tonge sayd I is to speake with a strange tong as Latine or Greeke c. and so to speake is not to speake vnto meÌ but to God But ye speak in Latin which is a strange tong wherfore ye speake not vnto men but vnto God * Imperfâââtion meanyng God only at the most This he graunted that they speake not vnto men but vnto God L. Chan. Well then it is in vayne vnto men Rog. No not in vaine For one man speaketh in one tong and another in another tong and all well L. Chan. Nay I wil prooue then that he speaketh neyther to God nor to man but vnto the wynde Rog. I was willing to haue declared how and after what sort these two textes do agree for they must agree 1. Cor. 1â To speakâ ãâã God ãâã To speakâ both to ãâã and man To speakâ neyther ãâã God not ãâã maÌ but ãâã the ãâã they be both the sayings of the holy Ghost spoken by the Apostle Paule as to witte to speake not to men but vnto God and to speake into the wynd and so to haue gone forward with the proofe of my matter begon but here arose a noyse and a confusion Then sayd the L. Chancellor L. Chan. To speake vnto God and not vnto God were vnpossible Rog. I will prooue them possible L. Haward No sayd my Lorde William Haward to my L. Chauncellour nowe will I beare you witnesse that hee is out of the way For he graunted first that they whiche speake in a straunge speach speake vnto God and now he sayth the contrary that they speake neither to God nor to man Rog. I haue not graunted or sayde turning me to my L. Haward as ye report I haue alledged the one text and now I am come to the other They must agree and I can make them to agree But as for you you vnderstand not the matter L. Haward I vnderstand so much that that is not possible This is a poynte of Sophistrie Secretary Bourne A ãâã Suaueâ quoth Secretarye Bourne L. Chan. Then the Lord Chauncellor began to tell the L. Hawarde Anno 1555. âebruaââ that when hee was in high Dutchlande they at Hale which had before prayed and vsed their seruice all in dutch began theÌ to turne part into latin part into dutch Worcest Yea and at Wittembergh to Rog. Yea but I could not be heard for the noise in an Uniuersitie were men for the most part vnderstande the Latine and yet not all in Latine And I would haue tolde the order haue gone forward both to haue answered my lord and to haue proued the thing that I had taken in hand but perceiuing their talking and noyse to be too noysome I was faine to thinke this in my heart suffering them in the meane while
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 ãâ¦ã 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 coÌming 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 castâng 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 examinatioÌs 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 disperâkled 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 couÌsell 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
not after Christ c. And thus much out of M. Sanders letter so much as remained thereof The residue because it was rent away I could not adioine hereunto NotwithstaÌding by this alredy expressed it is sufficient to vnderstand how good was y e cause estate of this blessed child of god being prisoner for Christes cause Ann. 1555. February For y e defence wherof he wholy bestowed resigned himself in such sort as he forbad his wife to sue for his deliuery wheÌ other of his friends had by suite almost obtained it he discouraged them so that they did not folow their suite as by this letter following may appeare ¶ A letter of M. Saunders to his wife GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our Lord. Entirely beloued wife euen as vnto mine owne soule and body so do I dayly in my harty prayer wish vnto you for I doo dayly twise at the least in this sort remember you And I do not doubt deare wife but that both I and you as we be written in the booke of life so we shall together enioy the same euerlastingly through the grace and mercy of God our deare father in hys sonne our Christ. And for this present life let vs wholy appoynt our selues to the will of our good God to glorifie him either by life or by death and euen that same mercifull Lord make vs worthy to honour him either way as pleaseth him Amen I am mery I thanke my God and my Christ 1. Tim. 4. in whome and through whome I shall I knowe be able to fight a good fight and finishe a good course and then receiue the crowne which is layde vp in store for me and all the true Soldiours of Christ. Wherefore wife let vs in the name of our God fight lustely to ouercome the flesh the deuil and the world What our harnesse and weapons be in this kind of fight looke the 6. vnto the Ephesians and pray pray pray I would that you make no suite for me in any wise M Saunders would haue no suite made for him Thanke you knowe whome for her most sweete and comfortable putting me in remembrance of my iourney whether I am passing God send vs all good speede and a ioyfull meeting I haue too fewe suche frends to further me in that iourney which is in deede the greatest friendship The blessing of God be with you all Amen A prisoner in the Lord Laurence Saunders This his constancie is sufficiently commended and declared by his valiant buckling with two mighty enemies Antichrist and death two enemies Antichrist and death To neither of these did he geue place but by suffering their malice got y e victory ouer them both One of the conflictes which he had with Antichrist hys members I haue gathered out of a letter of his own hand writing It was with Doctour Weston a man whome though I should prayse yet would all good and godly meÌ worthely disprayse Of this the said Laurence Saunders thus writeth in a letter which he sent to one of his frends which wrote to him to knowe what Doct. Weston dyd at the Marshalsey whereunto he thus aunswereth M. Weston came to conferre with M. Grimoald What he hath coÌcluded with him This Doct. Weston and M. Griâmoald dyed both about the Coronation of Q. Elizabeth I know not I wish it may be to Gods glory Amen Amen M. Weston of his gentlenes visited me ofâred me frendship in his worldly wily sort c. I had not so much good maner as to take it at his haÌd for I said that I was well inough and ready cherefully to abide the extremity to keepe thereby a good coÌscience You be a sleepe in sin said he I would awake quoth I and do not forget Vigilate orate i. Watch pray What church was there The church goeth not alwayes by number said he 30. yeres past What church was there quoth I in Helias time Ioane of Kent sayd he was of youre Church No quoth I we did coÌdemne her as an heretick Who was of your Church sayd he 30. yeares past Such quoth I as that Romish Antichrist and his rabble haue reputed and condemned as heretickes Wicklife sayd he Thorpe Old castle c. Yea quoth I with many moe as storyes do tell The B. of Rome hath sayd he long tyme played a part in your tayling sermons but now be ye sure he must play another maner of part The more pitie quoth I and yet some coÌfort it is to see how that the best learned Winchesters booke De Vera Obedientia wisest holiest of you all haue heeretofore had him to play a part likewise in your sermoÌs writings though now to please the world you do turne with the weathercocke Did you euer said he heare me preach against the Bishop of Rome No quoth I for I neuer heard you preach But I trowe you haue ben no wiser then other c. with more about the Sacrament Pray pray God keepe your family blesse it What a blessed taste thys good man had of Gods holy spirit by diuers and sondry his letters may right wel appeare to him that is disposed to peruse the same What a blessed taste of M. Sanders had of christes comforts whereof certayne we haue here thought good the Lord willing to expresse first beginning with that whiche he wrote out of the Marshalsey to D. Cranmer Ridley and Latimer prisoners for the like cause of Christ in Oxford To the Archbishop Cranmer Bish. Ridley and M. Latimer being prisoned in Oxford IN my most humble wise I salute you most reuerend fathers in Christ Iesus our Lord M. Saunders writeth to D. Cranmer Ridley c. Coloss. 1. Immortall thanks and euerlasting prayses be geuen vnto that our father of mercies Whiche hath made vs meete to be pertakers of the inheritaunce of Saintes in light whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darckenes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne by whome we haue redemption through his bloud c O most happy estate that in an vnspeakable wise our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. But whensoeuer Christ which is our life shall shew himselfe then shall we also appeare with him in glory In y e meane season as our sight is but in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking 1. Cor. 13. so wee walke in fayth not after outward appearaunce the which fayth although for want of outward appearaunce reason reputeth but as vaine yea the chosen of God do know the effect thereof to bring a more substanciall taste and liuely fruition of very felicitie and perfect blessednes then reason can reach or sences receaue By this fayth we haue in our profession all good thinges yea euen them whiche the eye hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neither hath entred the hart of man c. Esay 54. 1. Cor. 2. Then
and lawfull but Gods commaundemeÌt also to mary for such as cannot otherwise liue chaste neither auoyd fornication 1. Tim. 4. Bishops sinne agaynst their owne conscieÌce that for 9. or 10. causes 1. Cor. 7. Gene. 2. They know that such as do mary do not sinne They know that God before sinne was ordeined matrimony that in Paradise betwene two of his principall creatures man and woman They knowe what spirite they haue whiche saye it is euill to mary seing God sayd it is not good for man to be alone without a wife hauing no speciall gift contrary to the generall commaundemeÌt and ordinance diuers times repeated in the booke of Genesis Gene. 1. which is to encrease and multiply They know that Abraham caried into the laÌd of Canaan his old yet barrayne wife the vertuous womaÌ Sara with him leauing father and mother Gene. 12. Mariage is no impediment for a good man to walke in âhe obedieÌe of Gods coÌmaundement and country otherwise at Gods commaundement For though father mother and other frendes are deare and neare yet none are so dearely and nearely ioyned together as man wife in matrimony which must needes be holy for that it is a figure similitude of Christ and his Church They know that S. Paul geueth a great prayse to matrimony calling it honorable Ephe. 5. Aeb 13. and that not onely to and among many but to and among all men without exceptioÌ whosoeuer haue need of that Gods remedy for mans and womans infirmity They know y t if there were any sinne in Matrimony Gene. 18. Exod. 18. Gene. 25. Gene. 31. 1. Reg. 7. it were chiefly to be thought to be in the bedcompany But S. Paul sayth that the bedcompany is vndefiled They know that the hauing of a wife was not an impediment for Abraham Moyses Isaac Iacob Dauid c. to talke with God neither to y e Leuites bishops priests office in the time of the old Testament or the New They know y t Christ would not be coÌceiued Math. 1. or borne of his blessed mother the virgine Mary before she was espoused in mariage his owne ordinaunce They know by S. Cyprian and Sainct Augustine that a vow is not an impediment sufficient to let Matrimony or to diuorce the same They know that S. Chrysostome sayth it is heresie to affirme that a bishop may not haue a wife Chrisostome It is heresie to deny Priestes Mariage Ambros. 3. Q. 1. Integritat They know that Ambrose will haue no commaundement but counsaile onely to be geuen touching the obseruing of virginitie They know that Christ with his blessed mother the Apostles were at a mariage and beautified and honoured the same with hys presence and first miracle To be short they know that al that I haue here written touching the mariage of Priestes is true they know that the papistes themselues do not obserue touching that matter their owne lawes and Canons and yet they continue marked in conscience with an hote iron as detetestable heretickes in this behalfe The Lorde geue them grace to repent if it be his good will Amen My second cause why I was condemned an hereticke is The 2 cause of D. Taylours codemnation Transubâtantiation and Concomitation two iuggling words of the Papistes that I denyed Transubstantiation and Concomitation two iuggling wordes of the papistes by the whiche they doe beleue and will compel al other to beleue y t Christes natural body is made of bread the Godhead by and by to be ioyned thereunto so y t immediately after y e words called the wordes of consecration there is no more bread and wine in the sacrament but the substaunce onely of the bodye and bloud of Christ together with his Godhead so that the same being now Christ both God and man ought to be worshipped with godly honour and to be offered to God both for the quick the dead as a sacrifice propiciatory and satisfactory for the same This matter was not loÌg debated in words but because I denyed the foresaid papisticall doctrine yea rather playne most wicked Idolatry blasphemy and heresie I was iudged an hereticke The 3. article agaynst Doct. Taylour The 4. article agaynst Doct. Taylour I did also affirme the pope to be Antichrist and popery Antichristianitie And I confessed the Doctrine of the Bible to be a sufficient doctrine touching all and singular matters of Christian Religion and of saluation I also alledged that the othe against the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was a lawfull othe The 5. article agaynst Doct. Taylour and so was the othe made by vs all touching the kings or Queenes preeminence For Chrisostomus sayth That Apostles Euangelistes and all men in euery realme were euer and ought to be euer touching both body and goodes in subiection to the kingly authority who hath the sworde in his hand as Gods principall officer and Gouernour in euery Realme I desired the Bishops to repent for bringing the Realme from Christ to Antichrist All men must obey kinges from light to darkenes from verity to vanity Thus you know the summe of my last examination condemnation Pray for me and I will pray for you God be praysed since my condemnation I was neuer frayd to dye D. Taylour neuer afrayd of dââth Gods will be done If I shrinke from Gods truth I am sure of an other maner of death theÌ had Iudge Hales But God be praysed euen from the bottome of my hart I am vnmoueably setled vppon the Rocke nothyng doubting but that my deare God will performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me and other To him be al honor both now and euer through Christ our onely and whole Sauior Amen And thus much wrote Doctour Taylour concerning this matter to his frend You heard in the former aunsweres a little before certeine allegations touched of Doctour Taylour out of S. Cyprian Augustine Chrysostome and Ambrose touching the lawfulnes of Priestes mariage Now ye shal heare the places of the sayd Doctors cited and produced out of their owne bookes as here ensueth ¶ The places of the Doctours alledged before in Doctour Taylours Letter S. Cyprian in his 11. Epistle Lib. 1. Cyprian lib. 1. Epist. 11. A Deacon or Virgin or any other that hath dedicate himself to virginitye if he cannot liue chaste by S. Cyprians iudgement ought to mary THis question was asked of S. Cyprian what shoulde be done with those religious persons that could not keepe their chastity as they had vowed He answered thus Thou doest aske what we do iudge of Virgins whiche after they hadde decreed to liue chastly are afterward found in one bed with a man Of the which thou sayst that one of them was a Deacon We do with great sorrow see the great ruine of many persons whiche commeth by the reason of such vnlawfull and perilous coÌpanying together Wherfore if they
Hunter led to the place of Matirdome The Shriffes sonne geueth comfortable wordes to W. Hunter and embraced him in his right arme saying William be not afraid of these men which are here present with bowes bils weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned To whom William aunswered I thanke God I am not afraide for I haue cast my coumpt what it wil cost me already Then the sheriffes sonne could speake no more to him for weeping Then William Hunter plucked vp his gowne stepped ouer the Parlour grounsel and went forward chearefully the sheriffes seruaunt taking him by the arme and I his brother by an other and thus going in the way met w t his father according to his dreame he spake to his sonne W. Hunters dreame verefied weeping and saying God be with thee sonne William and William sayd God be with you father be of a good comfort for I hope we shall meete againe when we shal be mery His father said I hope so William and so departed His wordes to his father So W. went to the place where the stake stoode euen according to hys dreame whereas all thinges were very vnready Then William tooke a wet broome fagot kneeled downe thereon and red the 51. Psalme till he came to these words the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Then sayd M. Tirrel of the Beaches called W. Tirel thou lyest sayd he thou readest false M. William Tyrell of the Beaches carpeth where he hath no cause for the wordes are an humble spirit But W. said the translation sayth a contrite heart Yea quoth M. Tirel the translation is fals ye translate bokes as ye list your selues like hereticks Wel quoth William there is no great difference in those words Then sayd the sheriffe heere is a letter from the Queene If thou wilt recant thou shalt liue if not thou shalt be burned No W. Hunter refuseth the Quenes pardon quoth W. I will not recante God willing Then W. roase and went to the stake and stoode vpright to it Then came one Richard Ponde a Bailiffe and made fast the chaine about William The burning of William Hunter Martyr Then sayde M. Browne here is not woode enough to burne a legge of him Then said William good people pray for me and make speede and dispatch quickly and pray for me while ye see me aliue good people and I praye for you likewise Now quoth M. Browne pray for thee A dogged saying of M. Browne I will pray no more for thee then I wil pray for a dogge To whom William aunsweared M. Browne now you haue that whych you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day howbeit I forgeue you Then sayde maister Browne I aske no forgeuenes of thee Wel sayd William if God forgeue you not I shall require my bloude at your handes Then sayd William Sonne of God shine vppon mee and immediately the sunne in the element shone oute of a darke cloude so full in his face that he was constrayned to looke an other way whereat the people mused because it was so darke a little time afore An externall shew of Chriââs âauour vpon W. Hunter Williamâ dreamâ verified Then William tooke vppe a fagot of broome and embraced it in his armes Then this Priest which William dreamed of came to his brother Robert with a popish booke to carye to William that he might recant which booke his brother woulde not meddle withall Then William seeing the priest and perceiuing how he woulde haue shewed hym the booke sayd away Hunters wordes to a Popish Priest thou false prophet Beware of them good people come awaye from their abominatioÌs lest y t you be partakers of their plagues Then quoth the Priest looke howe thou burnest heere so shalt thou burne in hel William answered thou liest thou false prophet away thou false prophet away Then was there a Gentleman whiche sayde I praye God haue mercy vpon his soule The people sayd Amen Amen Immediatly fire was made Then William cast his Psalter right into his brothers hande Hunter comforted by his brother Robert who sayde William thinke on the holy Passion of Christ and be not afraid of death And William aunsweared I am not afraid Then lifte he vp his handes to heauen and sayd Lorde Lorde Lord receiue my spirit and casting downe hys head againe into the smothering smoke he yeelded vp his life for the truthe sealing it with hys bloud to the praise of God Nowe by and by after M. Browne commaunded one old Hunt to take his brother Robert Hunter lay him in the stockes till he returned from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the hill Rob. Hunter set ân âhe stocks Rob. Hunter had before M. Browne the same day Which thing olde Hunt did Then maister Browne when Robert Hunter came before him asked if he would doe as his brother had done But Robert Hunter answered if I do as my brother hath done I shall haue as he hath had Mary quoth M. Browne thou mayest be sure of it Then M. Browne sayde I maruell that thy brother stoode so to hys tackling and moreouer asked Robert if Williams Maister of London were not at hys burnynge Rob. Hunter by Gods prouideÌce deliuered But Roberte sayde that hee was not there but Mayster Browne bare hym in hande that his master was there and howe that he did see him there but Robert denied it Then master Browne commaunded the Constable and Robert Hunter to goe theyr wayes home and so had no further talke wyth them Here followeth the hystorie of master Higbed and master Causton two worthy Gentlemen of Essex which for the syncere confession of theyr faith vnder Boner B. of London were Martyred and burned in Essex An. 1555. Marche 26. ALthough the coÌdemnation of maister Higbed and master Causton followed after the condemning of those other Martyrs Marke 26. The story of M. Higbed and M. Causton Martirs which were condemned with Tomkyns and Hunter aboue mentioned yet because the time of their execution was before the burning of the foresaid four martyrs for so muche as they suffered the same day that William Hunter did which was the 26. of Marche I thoughte therefore next after the storie of the sayde William Hunter folowing the order of time here to place the same This maister Higbed and maister Causton two worshipfull Gentlemen in the Countie of Essex the one at Hornden of the hill the other of the parishe of Thunderst being zealous and religious in the true seruice of God as they could not dissemble with the Lord their God nor flatter with the world so in time of blind superstition wretched idolatrie they could not long lie hidde and obscure in such a number of malignant aduersaries accusers and seruaunts of thys worlde
bottle of wine For he had lost his lyuing because hee had a wife Then the Bishop called me agayne into the Orchard and sayd to the old Bishop this young man hath a childe and will not haue it christened Haukes I deny not Baptisme Boner Thou art a foole thou canst not tell what y u wouldest haue and that he spake with much anger Haukes A bishop must be blamelesse or faultles sober discreete no chider not geuen to anger Boner Thou iudgest me to be angry no by my fayth am I not and stroke himselfe vpon the brest Then sayd the old Bishop Alas good youÌg man you must be taught by y e church and by your auncients and do as your forefathers haue done before you Boner No no he will haue nothing but the Scriptures and God wot he doth not vnderstaÌd them He will haue no ceremonies in the Church no not one What say you to holy water Haukes I say to it as to the rest and to all that be of hys making that made them Boner Why the scriptures doth allow it Haukes Where proue you that Boner In the booke of kinges where Eliseus threw salt into the water See how Boner proueth holy water by the scripture Elizeus put salt in the water not to washe away sinne but onely to make the water sweete Boner proueth holy bread by the 5. loaues and 3. fishes Haukes Ye say truth it is so written in the fourth booke of Kinges the second chapter the children of the Prophetes came to Elizeus saying The dwelling of the city is pleasant but the waters be corrupted This was the cause that Elizeus threw salt into the water and it became sweete good and so when our waters be corrupted if ye can by putting in of salte make them sweete cleare and wholesome wee will the better beleue your ceremonies Boner How say ye to holy bread Haukes Euen as I sayde to the others What Scripture haue you to defend it Boner Haue ye not read where Christ fedde fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and three fishes Haukes Will ye make that holy bread There Christ dealt fish with his holy bread Boner Looke I pray you how captious this man is Haukes Christ did not this miracle or other because wee should doe the like miracle but because we should beleeue and credite his doctrine thereby Boner Ye beleue no doctrine but that whiche is wrought by miracles Haukes No forsooth for Christ sayth These tokens shall follow them that beleue in me they shall speake with new tongues they shall cast out Deuils Marke 16. and if they drinke any deadly poyson it shall not hurt them Boner With what newe tongues doe ye speake Haukes Forsooth where before that I came to the knowledge of Gods word I was a soule blasphemer and filthy talker since I came to the knowledge thereof I haue lauded God praysed God and geuen thankes vnto God eueÌ with the same tongue and is not this a new tongue Boner How do ye cast out Deuils Haukes Christ did cast them out by hys word and he hath left the same word that whosoeuer doth credite and beleue it shall cast out deuils Boner Did you euer drinke any deadly poyson Haukes Ye forsooth that I haue for I haue dronken of y e pestilent traditions and ceremonies of the Byshoppe of Rome Boner Now you shew your selfe to be a right hereticke Haukes I pray you what is heresie Boner B. Boner an ãâã by ãâã owne definition All thinges that are contrary to Gods word Haukes If I stand in any thing contrary thereto then am I worthy so to be called Boner Thou art one and thou shalt be burned if y u stand and continue in this opinion Ye thinke we are afrayd to put one of you to death yes yes there is a brotherhead of you but I will breake it I warrant you Haukes Where proue you that Christ or his Apostles dyd kill any man for his fayth Boner Did not Paule excommunicate The Papistes doe besides Gods booke in burning men for their fayth Haukes Yes my Lorde but there is a great difference betweene excommunicating and burning Boner Haue ye not read of the man and the woman in the Actes of the Apostles whome Peter destroyed Haukes Yes forsooth I haue read of one Ananias Saphira his wife which were destroied for lying agaynst the holy Ghost which serueth nothing your purpose Boner Well you will graunt one yet This Bishop here forgetteth his lesson Benedicite persequâtibus vos Haukes Well if you will haue vs to graunt you be of god then shew mercy for that God requireth Boner We will shew such mercy vnto you as ye shewed vnto vs for my benefice or bishopricke was taken awaye from me so that I had not one penny to liue vpon Haukes I pray you my Lord what do ye geue him nowe that was in the bishopricke or benefice before that ye came agayne to it whereunto he aunswered me neuer a word for he turned his backe vnto me talked with other men saying that he was very sory for me but he trusted that I would turne with S. Paul because I was so earnest and so he departed and went to dinner Thomas Haukes afterward called for agayne to talke with the old Bishop and I to the Porters lodge agayne After dinner I was called into the Hall agayne and the Bishop desired the old bishop to take me into his chamber for I would be glad sayd he if ye tould conuert him So he took me into his chamber sate him down in a chayre and sayde to me I woulde to God I coulde doe you some good Ye are a young man and I woulde not wishe you to go to farre but learn of your elders to beare somewhat Haukes I will beare with nothing that is contrary to the word of God And I looked that the olde Bishop shoulde haue made me an aunswere and he was fast a sleepe Then I departed out of y e chamber alone and went to the Porters lodge againe and there saw I the old Bishop last I suppose he is not yet awake Talke betweene Fecknam and Hawkes The next dayes talke with Fecknam THe next day came Fecknam vnto me and said are ye he that will haue no ceremonies Haukes What meane you by that Fecknam Ye will not haue your childe christened but in English and you will haue no ceremonies Haukes What soeuer the scripture coÌmaundeth to be done I refuse not Fecknam Ceremonies are to be vsed by the scriptures Fecknams reasoÌ lyeth in Paules Breches Haukes Which be those Fecknam How say you by Paules breeches Haukes I haue read no such thing Fecknam Haue yee not read in the Actes of the Apostles how thinges went from Paules body and they receaued health thereby Haukes I haue read in the xix of the Acts how there went partlets and napkins from Paules bodye Is it that that ye meane Actes
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌchild vpoÌ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ dwellyng theÌ about old Fish streete demauÌdyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ also of whoÌ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâlumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good ãâã pâââhibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâleâ ãâã or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What ãâã is here to kept ãâã Christ ãâã his sepulâchre and will he ãâã in spite oâ his ãâã printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case
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 powââ of this world ãâ¦ã 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 ãâã called a warning England looke ãâã hereafter when ãâã come ãâã willing ãâã Inquiââtiââ the ãâ¦ã Articles be ãâã 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 grauÌt 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 âhe bookes ãâ¦ã the ãâã of ãâã 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 ãâã forth in â Maryes ãâ¦ã Iohn ãâã 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 paâentes 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 âe 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 ãâã meditour beâwene God and men the man ãâã Christ. âalse 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 ãâã in any ãâ¦ã 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 ãâã is âaule ââat is âpollo but ãâã seruants ãâ¦ã âhom you ââleeue ââ 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
vertue of the holy crosse he gaue sight to the blinde c. And howe can this be true when the holy Crosse was not yet found in the time of s. Laurence For Helen whych first found the crosse as they saye came after S. Laurence more then 40. yeares To Tho. Becket Archbishop of Canterburye By the bloud of Thomas which he for thee did spende Make vs Christ to clime whether Thomas did ascende Of S. Nicholas O God which hast glorified blessed Nicholas thy holy Bishop with innumerable myracles graunt we beseeche thee False merites that by his merites prayers we may be deliuered from the fire of hell Of Mary Magdalen Graunt we beseeche thee through thy mercy to let her purchase for vs the blisse euerlasting c. An other prayer of our Ladie The dolorous compassion of Gods sweete mother Bring vs to the blisse of almighty God the father c. An other prayer in the sayd Primer to our Lady Establish vs in peace and tranquillitie And chaunge the name of sinfull Eua Loose thy prisoners from captiuitie Vnto the blinde geue sight againe The office of Christ geuen to our Lady Deliuer vs from malignitie To the ende we may some grace attaine Shewe thy selfe to be a mother So that he accept our petition Deliuer vs from bondage of sinne c. Item Holy mother succour the miserable comfort the weake spirited geue courage to the desperate praye for the people make intercession for the Cleargy and be a meane for the deuout womankinde c. An other blasphemous prayer O thou meeke mother haue mercy therefore On wretches for whom thou haddest these paines all Blasphemy Seeing thy sonne that vine cluster pressed sore And from the pestilence of death eternall Keepe vs by voiding the feende infernall And ioyne vs with them which rewarded be With eternall life seeing the Deitie An other blasphemie in the sayde Primer Haile Queene mother of mercy our life our sweetnes Idolatrye oure hope Vnto thee do we crie and sigh weeping and wailing Come of therefore our Patronesse cast vpon vs thy pitiful eyes and after this oure banishmente shewe to vs the blessed fruite of thy wombe O gate of glory be for vs a reconciliation vnto the father and the sonne From the wretched their faultes expell wype the spots of sinnes vncleane c. Item to our Lady The fruite of thy wombe euerlasting We may behold through thy deseruing c. Item Graunt we beseeche thee If Maryes merites might helpe vs then Christ dyed in vayne Like Primer like Psalter that by her merites and praiers we may attaine to that vnspeakeable ioy wheras she being assumpt doth now enioy with thee in heauen for euer And thus much hitherto of this catholike Primer called our Ladies mattens Wherunto if it were not tedious for the Reader we would also adioyne our Ladies Psalter to the intent that all indifferent Readers as they haue seene what bookes these Catholike fathers haue condemned and do coÌdemne for hereticall so the same may also see iudge what bokes on y e other side they approue as lawfull and Catholike And for as muche as it is not knowen peraduenture to all men what our Ladies Psalter is or what it meaneth yea and some peraduenture will denie any such booke of our ladies psalter to be writteÌ or approued here therfore we wil first produce the name of the author who was Bonauenture a Seraphical doctor bishop also Cardinall canonised moreouer by Pope Sixtus 4. an 1482. for a saint in the CaleÌdar who in his boke thus entituled in Latine Incipit Psalterium beatae virginis Bonauenture compiler of our Ladyes Psalter compilatum per Seraphicum Doctorem Sanctum Bonauenturam Episcopum Albanensem necnon sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Praesbyterum Cardinalem in honorem genetricis c. Fol. 84. in the second part of his whole woorkes which were imprinted at Argentine This Bonauenture liuedâ an 1170. and was Canonised an 1482. An. 1495. to shewe him selfe a deuout seruant to his Ladie hath taken euery Psalme of Dauids Psalter which he peculiarly made and referred to almighty God and hath in diuers of the sayde Psalmes and verses putte out the name of the Lorde and hath placed in the name of our Ladye This being done through the whole Psalmes euery one of them it is now called our Ladies Psalter vsed to be song saide in the praise and seruice of our Lady A briefe tast wherof for examples sake for to shewe all it were too long we thought here to exhibite vnto the reader in order as foloweth The title in English of this Psalter â Here beginneth the Psalter of the blessed Uirgine made by the Seraphicall Doctoure S. Bonauenture the Bishop of Albane The title of the booke called our Ladyes Psalter and Cardinall of the holy Church of Rome c. 1 BEatus vir qui intelligit nomen tuum Maria virgo gratia tua animam eius confortabit Tanquam aquarum fontibus irrigatum vberrimum in eo fructum iusticiae propagabis c. Vniuersas enim foeminas vincis pulchritudine carnis superas Angelos Archangelos excellentia sanctitatis Misericordia tua gratia vbique praedicatur c. Gloria patri That is to say The booke called our Ladyes Psalter Ex 2. parte opeââm S Bonauenturae Blessed is the man which vnderstandeth thy name O virgine Marie thy grace shall comforte hys soule Thou shalt bring foorth in him the most plentiful fruite of iustice being watered as it were wyth fountaines of water All women thou passest in the beautie of thy body all Angels and Archaungels in the excellencie of thy holinesse Our Ladyes beautye Thy mercy and thy grace is magnified euery where c. Glorie be to the father c. 2 Quare fremuerunt inimici nostri aduersum nos meditati sunt inania Protegat nos dextera tua Mater Dei vt acies terribiliter confundens destruens eos Venite ad eam qui laboratis tribulati estis dabit refrigerium animabus vestris Accedite ad eam in tentationibus vestris stabiliet vos serenitas vultus eius Benedicite illam in toto corde vestro misericordia enim illius plena est teâra c. Gloria patri c. Why doe our enemies freat and imagine vaine things against vs Treason agaynst Christes person and dignitye Let thy right hand defend vs o mother of god terribly coÌâounding destroying them as a sword Come vnto her all ye y t labor and are troubled and shee wil geue rest vnto your soules Come vnto her in your temptations and her louing countenaunce shall stablish comfort you Blesse her with all your heart for the earth is full of her mercy Glory be to the father c. 3 Domina quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me In tempestate tua persequeris dissipabis eos Dissolue
forgeue the debt the debter would say No you can not do it for I am forsworne then Brad. Here Bradford desired my Lord Chancellour not to trifle it saying that he wondred his honour would make solemne othes made to God trifles in that sort and make so great a matter concerning vowes as they call it made to the Bishop for Mariage of Priestes L. Chaunc At these wordes the Lorde Chauncellour was much offended and sayd he dyd not trifle but quoth hee thou goest about to deny obedience to the Queene which now requireth obedience to the Bishop of Rome Brad. No my Lorde I doe not denye obedience to the queene if you would discerne betwene Genus and Species Argument A specie ad genus negatiue non valeâ Because I may not obey in this Ergo I may not obey in the other is no good reason As if a man let or sell a piece of his inheritance yet this notwithstaÌding all his inheritaÌce is not let or sold so in this case all obedience I deny not because I deny obedience in this branch L. Chaunc I will none of these similitudes Brad. I would not vse them if that you went not about to perswade the people that I meane that whiche I neuer meant for I my selfe not onely meane obedience but wyll geue ensample of all most humble obedience to y e queenes highnesse so long as she requireth not obedience agaynst God L. Chaunc No no all men may see your meaning well enough There is no man though he be sworne to the king that doth therefore breake his othe if he afterwardes bee sworne to the French king and to the Emperor Brad. It is true my lord but the cases be not like For here is an exception thou shalt not sweare to y e bishop of Rome at any time If in like maner we were sworne thou shalt not serue the Emperor c. you see there were some alteratioÌ and more doubt But I beseech your honor remember what ye your selfe haue written answering the obiections here agaynst in your booke De vera obedientia Vincat modo diuini verbi veritas i. Let Gods word and the reason therof beare the bell away L. Chaunc Here the Lorde Chauncelloure was throughly moued and sayd still how that Bradford had written seditious letters and peruerted the people therby Winchester pretendeth as though Bradford for feare durst not aunswere did stoutly stand as though he would defeÌd the erronious doctrine in king Edwardes tyme against all men and now quoth he he sayth he dare not aunswere Brad. I haue written no seditious letters I haue not peruerted the people but that which I haue writteÌ spoken that will I neuer deny by Gods grace And where your Lordshippe sayth that I dare not aunswere you that all men may know I am not afrayd sauing myne othe aske me what you will and I will playnely make you answere by Gods grace although I now see my life lyeth thereon But Oh Lord into thy handes I committe it come what come wyll onely sanctify thy name in me as in an instrument of thy grace Amen Nowe aske what you will and you shall see I am not afrayd Bradford ready to render a reason of his fayth by Gods grace flatly to answere L. Chaunc Well then how say you to the blessed sacrameÌt Doe you not beleue there Christ to be present concernyng his naturall body Brad. My Lord I do beleue that Christ is corporally present at and in the due administration of the sacrament By this word corporally I meane that Christ is there preseÌt corporally vnto fayth Christ present corporally in the Sacrament to fayth L. Chaunc Unto fayth we must haue many mo wordes to make it more playne Brad. You shall so but first geue me leaue to speake two wordes L. Chaunc Speake on Brad. I haue bene now a yeare and almost three quarters in Prison and of all this tyme you neuer questioned with me hereabout Note well the Popes way to bring men to fayth when I might haue spoken my conscience franckly without perill but now haue you a law to hang vp and put to death if a man answere freely not to your appetite and so now you come to demaund this question Ah my Lorde Christ vsed not this way to bring men to fayth No more did the Prophetes or Apostles Remember what Bernard writeth to Eugenius the pope Apostolos lego stetisse iudicandos The Popes iudging condemning men for their fayth reproued by Bernard sedisse iudicantes non lego Hoc erit illud fuit c. that is I read that the Apostles stoode to be iudged but I read not that they sate to iudge This shall be that was c. L. Chaunc Here the Lord Chauncellour was appalled as it seemed and sayde most gently that hee vsed not thys meanes It was not my doyng quoth he although some there be that thinke this to be the best way For I for my part haue bene chalenged for being too gentle oftentimes Winchester blamed without a cause as he saith Which thing the Bishop of London confirmed and so did almost all the audience that he had bene euer to milde and too gentle Brad. At which wordes Bradford spake thus My Lorde I pray you stretch out your gentlenes that I may feele it for hitherto I neuer felt it L. Chaunc As soone as euer he had spoken thus the Lorde chancelor belike thinking that Bradford would haue had mercy and pardon said that with all his hart not only he but the Queenes highnes would stretch out mercy if with them he would returne Brad. Bradford three quarters of a yeare in the Tower kept from pen and inke M. Bradford imprisoned not for matter they had but for mattâr they would haue agaynst him Returne my Lord God saue me from that goyng backe I meane it not so but I meane that I was three quarters of a yeare in the Tower you forbad me paper pen and ynke and neuer in all that time nor sithens did I feele any gentlenesse from you I haue rather hytherto found as I looked for extremitye And I thanke God that I perceiue nowe ye haue kept me in prison thus long not for any matter you had but for matter you woulde haue Gods good will be done Here was now diuers telling my Lord it was dinner tyme. And so he rose vp leauing Bradford speaking and saying that in the after noone they would speak more with hym Bradford kept in the Vestrey till darke night And so was he had into the Uestry and was there al that day till darcke night and so was conueyed agayne to prison In the meane tyme about iiij of the clocke the same after noone a gentleman called Mayster Thomas Hussey of Lincolneshyre which was once an Officer in the Duke of Northfolkes house did come into the Reuestrye to enquire for one Stoning and when
hould me c. Lo quoth he how say you to this of Saint Augustine paynt me out your Church thus Bradford My Lord these wordes of S. Augustine make as muche for me as for you although I might aunswere that all this if they had bene so firme as you make them might haue bene alledged against Christ and his apostles For there was the lawe and the ceremonies consented on by the whole people confirmed with myracles antiquitie and continuall succession of Byshops from Aarons tyme vntill that present Chich. In good fayth M. Bradford you make to much of the state of the Church before Christes comming All this might be obiected agaynst Christe his Apostles by the Scribes Phariseys Brad. Therein I doe but as Peter teacheth 2. Pet. 2. and Paule very often You would gladly haue your Churche here very glorious and as a most pleasant Lady But as Christ sayde Beatus est quicunque non fuerit offensus per me So may his Churche say Blessed are they that are not offended at me Yorke Yea you thinke that none is of the Churche but such as suffer persecution Brad. What I thinke God knoweth I pray your Grace iudge mee by my woordes and speaking The Church commonly not glorious in this world but poore and persecuted and marke that Paule sayth Omnes qui. c. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution Sometimes Christes Churche hath rest here but commonly it is not so and specially towardes the end her forme will be more vnseemely Yorke But what say you to Saint Augustine where is your Church that hath the consent of people and nations Bradford Euen all people and nations that be Gods people haue consented with me Consent of the Godly and I with them in y e docrine of fayth Yorke Lo ye go about to shift off all thinges Bradford No my Lorde I meane simply and so speake God knoweth Yorke Sainct Austen doth here talke of succession euen froÌ Peters seate Succession from Peter Brad. Yea that seate then was nothing so muche corrupte as it is now Yorke Well you alwayes iudge the church Bradford Christes people may discerne the Church though they iudge not the Church The Church of of Rome swarueth from the voyce of Christ and wherein No my Lord Christes sheepe discerne Christes voyce but they iudge it not so they discerne the Churche but iudge her not Yorke Yes that you do Bradford No and it like your grace and yet full well may one not onely doubt but iudge also of the Romish church for she obeyeth not christes voyce as Christes true church doth Yorke Wherein Brad. In latin seruice and robbing the Laitie of Christes cup in the sacrament and in many other thinges in which it committeth most horrible sacrilege Chic Why Latin seruice was in England when the pope was gone Brad. True the tyme was in England wheÌ the pope was away but not all popery as in king Henries dayes Yorke Latin seruice was appointed to be song and had in the Queere where onely were Clerici that is Latin sâââuice deâââded such as vnderstode latin the people sitting in the body of the Church praying theyr owne priuate prayers and this may wel be yet seene by making of the Chauncell and Queere so as y e people could not come in or heare them Brad. Yea but in Chrisostomes time and also in the latin church in Saint Ieromes tyme Agaynââ Latin seââuice all the Church sayth he reboat Amen That is aunswereth agayn mightely Amen Whereby we may see that the prayers were made so that both the people heard them and vnderstoode them Chic Ye are to blame to say that the Churche robbeth the people of the cup. Bradford Well my Lorde terme it as it please you all men knowe that laytie hath none of it Chic In deede I would wish the Church would define agayne that they might haue it for my part Brad. If God make it free who caÌ define to make it bond Yorke Well mayster Bradford we leese our labour The peoâââ robbed ãâã the cupââ for ye seeke to put away all thinges which are tolde you to your good your Church no man can know Brad. Yes that ye may well Yorke I pray you whereby Brad. Forsooth Chrisostome sayth The ãâã knowen ãâã by the Scripturââ Chrisostâââ oper impâââfect Lyra sup Math. Tantummodo per Scripturas alonely by the Scriptures and this speaketh he very oftentimes as ye well know Yorke In deede that is of Chrysostome ââ in opere imperfecto whiche may be doubted of The thing whereby the Church may be knowne best is succession of Byshops Bradford No my Lorde Lyra full well writeth vppon Mathew that Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis secularis aut Ecclesiasticae sed in hominibus in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis That is Hilarius Auâentâââ The church consisteth not in men by reason either of secular or temporall power but in men indued with true knowledge and confession of fayth and of veritie And in Hylarius tyme you knowe he wryteth to Aurentius that the Church did rather delitescere in cauerââs then eminere in primarijs sedibus That is was hidden rather in caues and holes then did glister and shyne in thrones of preeminence Then came one of the seruauntes and tolde them that my Lord of Duresme taryed for them at Mayster Yorkes house and this was after that they had taryed three houres with Bradford And after that their man was come they put vp theyr writtten bookes of common places and sayde that they lamented his case they willed him to read ouer a booke which did Doct. Crome good so wishyng hym good in woordes they went their waye and poore Bradford to his prison After this communication with the Bishops ended The comming of 2. Spanish frââerâ to M. Bradford within two dayes following came into the Counter two Spanish Friers to talke with maister Bradford sent as they sayd by the Earle of Darby Of whome the one was y e kinges Confessor y e other was Alphonsus who had before written a popish booke agaynst heresies the effecte of which their reasoning here likewise followeth Talke betweene mayster Bradford and two Spanishe Fryers VPpon the 25. day of February The talke betweene certayne âriers and M. Bradfoââ about 8. of the clock in the morning two Spanish Fryers came to the CouÌter where Bradford was prisoner to whoÌ Bradford was called Then the one Fryer which was the kinges Confessor asked in Latin for all their talke was in Latin of Bradford whether he had not seene nor heard of one Alphonsus that had written agaynst heresies Brad. I do not know him Confes. Well this man poynting to Alphonsus is he This Alphonsus had write a booke ãâ¦ã Latin agaynââ heresies Wee are come to you of loue and charitie by the meanes of the
for her exceeding goodnes extended towarde them with theyr singulare commendation and testimonie also of her Christian zeale towarde Gods afflicted prisonners and to the veritie of his Gospell Shee departed of late at Holburne Anno 1568. whose ende was more like a sleepe then anye death âote how God comâonly ãâ¦ã helpers ãâ¦ã his ãâã so quietly and meekely shee deceased and departed hence in the Lord. Amongest other which wrote vnto her M. Bradforde also sent these letters to the said Lady the tenour whereof heere followeth To my good Lady Vane THe true sense and sweete feeling of Gods eternal mercies in Christe Iesus be euer more and more liuely wrought in your heart by the holy Ghost â letter of Bâaâford âritten to ãâã good ãâã Vane ãâ¦ã he ãâ¦ã Amen I moste heartily thanke you good Madame for your comfortable Letters and whereas you woulde be aduertised what were best to be done on your behalfe concerning your three questions the truth is that the questions are neuer wel seene nor answeared vntill the thing wherof they arise be well considered I meane vntill it be seene howe great an euill the thing is If it be once in deede in your heart perceiued vpon probable pithy places gathered out of Gods booke that there was neuer thing vppon the earthe so greate and so muche an aduersarie to Gods true Seruice to Christes Death Passion Priesthood Sacrifice and kingdome to the Ministerie of Gods woorde and sacraments to the church of God to repentance faith and all true godlines of life as that is whereof the questions arise as moste assuredly it is in deede then can not a Christian heart but so muche the more abhorre it and all thyngs that in any poynt might seeme to allowe it or any thing pertaining to y e same by how much it hath the name of Gods seruice Againe your Ladiship doth knowe that as all is to be discommended and auoided which is folowed or fled from in respecte of oure selues in respecte of auoiding Christes Crosse so the ende of all oure doings shoulde be to God-wards to his glory to our neighbours to edification and good example wherof none can be geuen in allowing any of the three questioÌs by you propounded But because this which I write nowe is briefe and needeth the more consideration or explication as I doubte not of the one in you so from me by Gods grace you shall receiue y e other shortly For I haue already wrytten a little booke of it whiche I will sende vnto you in the whiche you shall haue youre questions fully answeared and satisfied and therefore I omit to write any more hereaboutes presently beseeching God our good Father to guide you as his deare childe w t his spirite of wisedome power and comfort vnto eternall lyâe that you may be strong and reioyce in hym and wyth his Church to carie Christes crosse if hee shall so thinke it nede 1. Peter 1. Which is a thing to be desired wished and imbraced if wee looked on thinges after the iudgement of Gods word and tried them by that touchstone If you be accustomed to thinke on the breuitie vanitie and miserye of this life and on the eternitye truth and felicity of euerlasting life if you looke on things after their endes and not after their present appearance onely if you vse your selfe to set Gods presence power and mercy alwaies before your eies to see them as God by euery creature woulde you shoulde I doubt not but you shall finde suche strength and comforte in the Lorde as you shall not be shaken with all the power of Satan Gods mercye in Christ be with you and his good spirit guide you for euer Amen An other letter to the Lady Vane AS to mine owne soule I wishe to your Ladishippe An other letter of M. Bradford to the foresayd Lady Vane grace and mercy from God our deare father in Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour I thanke God that something he hath eased you and mitigated hys fatherly correction in vs both I woulde to God hee had done so muche in the behalfe of the griefe of the body to you as he hath done to mee For as for the soule I truste you feele that which I pray God increase in you I meane his fatherly loue and graunt that I may with you feele the same in suche degree as may please him I will not say as you feele least I should seeme to aske too much at one time God doeth often much more plentifully visite with the sense of his mercy them that humble them selues vnder his mighty hande and are sore exercised as you long haue bene then others whiche to the face of the worlde haue a more shewe and appearance Therefore I wish as I doe and that not onely for mine owne commoditie but also that I might occasion you to the consideration of the goodnesse of God whiche I by your letters doe well espâe whych is in deede the hye waye whereby as God encreaseth his giftes so sheweth he more liuely his saluation Psalme 50.107 I haue receiued Gods blessing from you the whiche I haue partly distributed vnto my three felowe prisonners Maister Farrar Maister Tailour Maister Philpot and the residue I will bestowe vppon foure poore soules whiche are imprisonned in the common Gayle for Religion also As for mine owne parte if I hadde neede I woulde haue serued my tourne also But because I hadde not nor I thanke God haue not I haue bene and wil be your Almner in such sorte as I haue already aduertised you God rewarde you and geue you to finde it spiritually and corporally Because otherwise I canne not talke with you therefore on thys sort as occasion and opportunitie will serue I am ready to shewe my good will and desire of youre helpe and furtheraunce in the Lorde to euerlasting life whereunto God bringe vs shortly for his mercies sake Amen Good Madame bee thankefull to God as I hope you be bee earnest in prayer continue in reading and hearing Gods worde and if Gods further Crosse come as therein God doeth serue hys prouidence for els it shall not come vnto you so be certaine the same shall turne to your eternall ioy and comfort Amen Iohn Bradford To my deare friendes and brethren R. and E. with their wiues and families THe comforte of Christe fealt commonly of his children in their Crosse for his sake An other letter of M. Bradford to 2. faythfull frends of his onâ Royden and Elâing the euerlasting God worke in both your heartes my good brethren and in the hearts of both your yokefelows especially of good Mary my good sister in the Lord. Amen If I had not somthing heard of the hazard which you are in for the Gospels sake if you continue the profession confession therof as I trust you do wil do and that vnto the ende God enabling you as hee will doubtlesse for hys mercies sake if you hope in him for
priuately with me in this matter seing ye say ye would so gladly win me Harps With all my hart will I take the paynes I will also borowe my Lorde of Douers Library to haue what bookes thou wilt and thus they departed Now the xvij of May at Ashford I could not be released although I was called to the spirituall Court for y e same matter but was bound to appeare at the Sessions holden at Crambroke the third day of Iuly ¶ An other appearaunce of M. Bland before the Archdeacon and his felowes THe 21. day of Maye I appeared in the Chapter house wher was a great multitude of people The second appearancâ of M. BlaÌd vnlooked for of me M. ArchdeacoÌ sayd thus to me Ye are come here according as ye were appointed and the cause is that it hath pleased the Quenes highnes here to place me to see gods holy word set forth to reforme those that are here falleÌ in to great heinous errors to the great displeasure of god the decay of Christes sacrameÌts M. Harâââfieldes wordeâ M. Blanâ coÌtrary to the fayth of y e catholick church wherof thou art notably knowne to be one that is sore poysoned with the same hast infected deceiued many with thy euil preaching which if thou wilt renounce come home agayn to the catholick church both I and many other moe would be very glad and I for my part shal be right glad to shew you the fauour that lyeth in me as I sayd vnto you when you were appoynted hither because ye then refused to satisfy agayne the people that ye had deceiued And wheras it is fayned by you y t I should openly dispute the matter with you this day False surmise ãâ¦ã M. Blaââ although I did neither to inteÌd nor appoynt yet I am coÌteÌt to dispute the matter with thee if thou wylt not without disputatioÌ helpe to heale the soules that are brought to helwarde by thee What sayst thou Bland I do protest before God you all that neither is my conscience guilty of any error or heresy The aâââswere oâ Bland ãâã wordes neither that I euer taught any error or heresy willingly And where your mastership sayth that I haue fayned an open disputatioÌ with you it is not true as I can thus approue vpon saterday I was at Ugdens there M. BinghaÌ laid it to my charge that such an opeÌ disputation as ye haue here offred should be this day betwene you me wherat I much marueiled sayd to him M. Bland cleareth himselfe oâ the false rââport of M. Harpsfield that before that present I neuer hearde any such word neither would I answere nor dispute to this can master Uaghan master Oxenden master Seth of Ouerland and master Ugden witnes and further I sayd to them that I neuer spake to you of any disputatioÌ nor you to me Now if your maystership haue any thing to say to me by the law I will make answere to it Harps Heare ye what he sayth his conscience is cleare I pray thee wheron groundest thou thy conscience lette me heare what thy fayth is Bland I knowe not why ye should more aske me a reason of my fayth then any other man in this open audience Harps Why thou heretick art thou ashamed of thy faith if it were a christeÌ beliefe thou nedest not to be ashamed of it Bland I am not ashamed of my faith To ãâã 12. ãâã of our ãâ¦ã neuer ãâã well ãâã not ãâã the ãâã For I beleue in god the father almighty maker of heauen earth and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. c. withall the other articles of the Creed and I do beleue all the holy scriptures of God to be most certayne and true Harps Wilt thou declare no more then this Bland No. Harps Well I will tell thee wheron I grouÌd my fayth I do beleue grouÌd my fayth coÌscience vpoÌ all the articles of the Creed vpon all the holy scriptures sacramentes The ãâã fayth ãâ¦ã holy doctors of the church vpon all the generall couÌcels that euer were since the apostles time Loe hereupoÌ grouÌd I my fayth with many wordes moe which I well remeÌber not And when he coulde get no other answere of me theÌ I had sayd before he called for a Scribe to make an act agaynst me And after much coÌmunicatioÌ I sayd by what law and authority wil ye proceed agaynst me M. Collins sayd By the Canon law Bland I doubt whether it be in strength or no. M. Blaââ requirââ haue hiâ Counseââ Yet I pray you let me haue a Counseller in the law and I will make answere according to the law Harps Why thou hereticke thou wilt not confesse thy fayth to me that haue authority to demaund it of thee and yet I haue confessed my fayth to thee before all this audience As coÌcerning the blessed sacrameÌt of y e aultar thou hast taught that after the consecration it is bread and wine and not the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. How sayest thou The Papistâ ãâã false ãâã promise hast thou not thus taught Bland Syr as concerning this matter of the SacrameÌt when I was with you and mayster Collins ye sayd then it was for other matters that I shoulde come hither for and further that ye would be content at my desire to conâerre scriptures with me to see if ye coulde winne me and ye sayd ye woulde borowe my Lord of Douers Librarye that I should haue what booke I would and now ye require me thus to answere coÌtrary to your promise ere any conference be had seek rather to bring me into trouble then to winne me Harps I will as God shall helpe me doe the best to thee that I can if thou wilt be any thing conformable and I trust to dissolue al thy doubtes if thou be willing to heare And I also will desire these two worshipful men my Lord of Douer and mayster Collins to heare vs. Bland No ye shall pardon me of that there shal be no such witnesse But when we agree sette to our handes Hereat made the people a noyse against me for refusing y e witnes and here had we many moe wordes then I can rehearse But at the last I sayd sir will ye geue me leaue to aske you one questioÌ And he sayd yea with all my hart For in that thou askest any thing there is some hope that thou mayest be wonne Bland Syr when it pleased almighty God to send his angell vnto the virgine Mary to salute her sayd Haile ful of grace c. came any substance from God our father into the virgins wombe to become man whereat as well M. Archdeacon as my Lord of Douer and mayster Collins stayd But my Lord spake the first and sayd the holy ghost came to her and ere he had brought out his sentence
see thy booke and I tooke him a Latine Testament Baker Will ye go to the Church and obey and followe the queenes procedings and do as an honest man should do Bland I trust in God to do no otherwise but as an honest man should do Baker Will ye do as I sayd Bland Will it please your maystership to geue me leaue to aske you a question A question propounded to Syr Iohn Bakeâ Baker Yea. Bland Syr may a man doe any thing that his conscience is not satisfied in to be good Baker Away away and threwe downe the Booke and sayd It is no Testament And I sayd Yes And mayster Webbe tooke it vp and sayde vnto me maruellous gently mayster Bland I knewe you when ye were not of this opinion I would to God ye would reforme your self with better wordes then I will write And I sayde If ye haue known me of an other opinion then I am of now it was for lacke of knowledge Baker Yea sayest thou so by S. Mary and thou hold thee there I wil geue sixe fagots to burne thee withall or thou shouldest be vnburned Hasty iudgemeÌt of a Iustyce Hence knaue hence And so were we repriued into our place agayne within the Barre And at night when iudgement of felons and all was done we were called M. Bland and his fellowes sent to the Ordinary by Syr Iohn Baker and the Iudge sayd to the Gaoler Take theÌ with you and deliuer them to the Ordinary if they wyll not be reformed let them be deliuered to vs againe they shall haue iudgement execution And one of our company sayd My Lord if we be killed at your hands for Christes sake we shall liue with him for euer * An other appearaunce of M. Bland in the Spirituall Court THen came we to the Castle of Caunterbury there we remayned till the second day of march at which day we were brought into the Chapterhouse of Crechurch where were set the Suffragane of Canterbury M. Bland brought agayne to the castle of Canterbury Thâ B. of Douer M. Collins M. Milles with others mayster Collins mayster Mylles with other and then went to them mayster Oxenden mayster Petit and mayster Webbe maister Hardes Iustices And wheÌ I was called mayster Webbe sayd Here we present this man vnto you as one vehemently suspect of heresy Bland And I sayde Mayster Webbe ye haue no cause to suspect me of heresye I haue bene a prisoner this whole yere and no matter proued agaynst me I pray you wherfore I bene so long kept in prison Webbe Leaue your arrogant asking of questions aunswere to that that is layd to your charge Bland I do so for I say you haue no cause to suspect me of heresy The aunsweres of M. Bland first to the Iustices Webbe Yes ye denyed to Sir Iohn Baker to be conformable to the Queenes proceedinges Bland Is it a iust cause to suspect me of heresy for asking a question with leaue So we had moe wordes there then I well remember Then stood vp mayster Petit and sayd Ye were cast in to prison because ye fled away from your Ordinary Bland Then haue I had wrong For I neuer fled nor disobeyed mine Ordinary nor did any thing contrary to the law Let theÌ now say of I did but they sayd nothing And when I saw they held theyr peace I sayd M. Commissary haue you bene y e cause of this mine imprisoÌmeÌt No quoth he ye know that when ye went from me ye were appointed to appeare the friday after the Sessions Here I was suffered to speake no more but shut vp in a corner tyll my companions were likewise presented and then wee were sent to Westgate into Prison and were put in seueral close holdes that neuer one of vs could speake to an other nor no maÌ was permitted to come to vs. We were foure times at this appearaunce Cornewall a Tanner dispatched in secret prison But one they dispatched by what meanes I can not tell whose name was Cornewall a Tanner And thus hytherto passed the talke betweene Blande and the Iustices and certayne Gentlemen of the shyre Now foloweth the order of the reasoning betwene hym the Clergy men before whome he was exmained But for as much as the chiefest doer and Iudge against him was the B. of Douer or Suffragan of Caunterbury called D. Richard Thornton to the intent it may appere what litle trueth or constancye is in these catholicke persecuters I thought here to exhibite by the way a certayne popish letter written of a papist vnto him Wherin is declared what a gospeller the sayd Rich. Thornton was in K. Ed. time which now turning with the world sheweth himselfe such a bitter persecuter agaynst Gods seruants in Q. Maryes tyme. The copy of this letter here foloweth * A copy of a popish letter written to the Byshop of Douer by one Thomas Goldwell a priest declaring what a professour he was in king Edwardes tyme. RIght reuerende and my good Lorde after my hartye thankes for your good chere at my last being with your Lordship this shal be to certify you that as soone as I arriued with my Lords Grace I gaue him your letters but I had muche woorke to obteyne any thing of him for you He meaneth of the ariuall of Cardinall Poole For there hath bene geuen very euill informations of you and it hath bene sayd that you haue concurred with al maner of euill proceedinges the which hath these yeares past bene in England as wel agaynst the holy sacrament of the aultar and agaynst the supreme authority of Christs vicar in earth Thornââ B. of ãâã a greaâ agaynââ Pope ãâã Sacramâââ of the ãâã in king ãâã as with the vse of the abhominable late Communion and with the mariage of priestes as well religious as secular and that you haue geuen orders to I can not tell how many base vnlearned euill disposed people by reason of the which they haue taken vpon them to preach and to doe much hurt in Kent So that menne thinke that yet if any new mutation the which God forbydde should chauÌce you woulde be as ready to chaunge as any other And in deed it maketh me to feare the same by reason that notwithstaÌding it hath pleased almighty God to prouide y t your absolution was sent vnto you not looking I dare say for any such thing of all manner of matters past yet your Lordship more regarding y e vanity of the world theÌ the offeÌce of God the which he onely knoweth how much it greeues me for the due loue I beare vnto you presumed to sing Masse in Pontificalibus the holy dayes immediatelie folowing and also to ministrate to childreÌ the sacrament of Confirmation because that one beyng a meÌber of the Deuill did somewhat comfort you so to do Oh my Lord what honour should it haue bene both to God and your selfe and also edefication to all
should see the Law whereby ye may compell me to aunswere Douer My Lord tooke the Scribes book and read the answere that I made to D. Faucets reason which I knewe not that they had written Bland My Lord I made you no such aunswere when ye asked me I take M. Collins and M. Glasier to witnes Then they brought forth a Decretall a booke of the bishop of Romes law to bind me to answere whiche my hart abhorred to looke vpon The effecte was that the Ordinarye had authority to examine The popes Kay and that they so examined must needes aunswere But I sayde that it meaned of suche as were iustly suspect as I was not And here we had muche communication For I charged them with vniust imprisonment which they could not auoyd M. Oxenden helpeth the Catholickes But M. Oxenden would haue helped them and said the Iustices put me in prison for a sermon sediously spokeÌ and for troubling a priest at masse Bland That is not true For after I had bene 10. weekes in prison I was bayled till I was cast in agayne and as the Iustice sayd for the disobeying mine Ordinary which I neuer did Collins Will ye be content to conferre with some It will be better for you nowe we offer it you because ye woulde not desire it Bland As I did not refuse before no more will I nowe But I did not perceyue before but that one mighte haue come without any leaue asking to conferre the scriptures and therfore I looked that D. Faucet would haue come to me without desiring M. Bland was tutor to Doct. Faucet if any commodity to me had bene in confereÌce for though I was neuer able to do him good yet once I was his tutor Collins Aâe ye content to come to his Chamber at after noone Bland Syr I am a Prisoner and therefore it is meete that I obey These 3. belyke were Bland Shetterden and Middleton Miller a clothier excommunicate let go and come whyther you will and so departed At this tyme wee were three But they tooke an other to appeare before them the Tewesday seuennight after And when he came I knewe not what was done but that I heare they excoÌmunicated hym and let him go His name was Myller a Clothyer ¶ Here foloweth a certayne confutation of M. Bland agaynst false and manifest absurdities graunted by M. Mylles priest of Christes Church in Caunterbury MYlles The Popish fayth of the Sacrament We say that Christ is in or vnder the sacrameÌt really and corporally which are the formes of bread wyne and that there is his body conteined inuisibly and the qualities which we do see as whitenes and rouÌdnes be there without substance by Gods power as quantitye and weight be there also by inuisible measure Bland This is your owne Diuinity to make accidences the Sacrament and Christes reall body inuisibly conteyned in them and so to destroy the Sacrament And yet the Doctors saye * 1. The matter of the SacrameÌt is bread and wine Materia Sacramenti est panis vinum And GOD by his power woorkerh no myracles with Hoc est Corpus meum so to chaunge the substaunce of breade and wine into hys bodye and bloud in that hee maketh accidences to bee without theyr substaunce by inuisible measure I am ashamed to see you so destroy Christes Sacrament contrary to your owne Doctours and trifle so with Gods worke Mylles To Christe is geuen all power in heauen and in earth * If christ be able to be where he liste occupy no place why then is not he able to be aswell vnder the substance of bread as vnder the accidences of breade seeing he is omnipotent so that by his omnipotent power of his Godhead he may be and is where he listeth and is in the Sacramente really and corporally without occupying of place for a glorified body occupyeth on place Bland Marke your owne reason All power is geuen to Christ both in heauen and earth by the omnipotent power of his Godhead he may be where he list Ergo hee is in the sacrament really and corporally without occupying of place I denye your argument for it foloweth neyther of your Maior nor Minor And first I woulde learne of you * Christ ãâã be ãâã liste ãâã Christ ãâã in the Saâcrament âut ãâã of place ãâã true and ãâã false howe you know that Christ listeth to be present at euerye Priestes list For if the Priest list not to say your Masse theÌ Christ listeth not to be there Agayne ye say all power is geuen vnto Christ both in heauen and in earth so that that is the cause by your reason that by the omnipoteÌt power of his Godhead he may be where he list and by that reason he had not the power of his Godhead till he had his humayne body and then he was not equall with the father in diuinity for all power was not geuen to Christe before the humanitye and the Godhead were knit together neither was he Filius Here is more daunger then ye are ware of if ye would stand to it with iust Iudges Milles. We eate Christes flesh and bloud spiritually when wee receiue it with fayth and charitye And wee also doe eate it corporally in the Sacrament ane the body that we so receiue hath life For the Godhead is annexed thereto Which although it be receiued with the body of Christ yet it is not inuisible after a grosse sort and the flesh of Christe that we receiue is liuely for it hath the spirite of God ioyned to it And if a man be drunken it is not by receiuinge of the bloud of Christe for it is contrary to the nature of Christes bloud Case being put that the ãâã king a great quantity in thâ ãâã hee be made dronke ãâã these three is it that maketh dronke the nature of ãâã accidences onely of Wine ãâã the true substance of Wine ãâã reasonable man iudge If he be drunken it is by the qualities and quaÌtities without substance of bloud Bland I am glad that you are so muche agaynst all men to saye that Christes body is aliue in the Sacramente it may fortune to bring you to the truth in time to come Me thinke it is euill to keepe Christes body aliue in the Pixe or els must ye graunt that he is aliue in receiuing dead in the Pixe And ye say truth that it is * Christes bloud hath not thâ qualitye to make a man ãâã Receauing of that in the ãâã can make a man dronke Ergo that in the ãâã not be the bloud of Christ. not the naturall receiuing of Christes bloud that maketh a man drunken Argument for it is the nature of wine that doth that which ye denye not And a more truth ye confesse then ye dyd thinke when ye sayd If a man be drunken it is by the qualities and quantities without the substaunce of bloud for
as before ye heard Nicholas Sheterden and Umfrey Middleton answered to the first and second articles affirmatiuely To the third concerning the Catholicke Churche after a sorte they graunted To the fourth and fift and sixt touching the reall presence and the sacrameÌt to be ministred in the Latin tongue and in one kind they refused vtterly to sweare Sheterden sayd he would not aunswere thereto before the cause were determined why he was imprisoned and so stil remayned prisoners before the lawes of Parliament receiued c. Middleton added moreouer and confessed that he beleued in hys owne God saying my liuyng God no dead God c. Thacker onely relented and was content to take penaunce Thus the foresayd foure vpon these aunsweres were condemned by the Byshop of Douer the 25. day of Iune an 1555. The burning of foure Martyrs And so being geuen to the seculer power they were burned at Cant. the 12. of Iuly at two seuerall stakes ãâã Châiâtian ââayer of âicholas âheterden ââfore his âeath but all in one fire together where they in the sight of God and of his Aungels and before men like true souldiours of Iesus Christ gaue a constant testimony to the truth of his holy Gospell The prayer of Nicholas Sheterden before his death O Lord my God and Sauiour whiche art Lord in heauen and earth maker of all things visible and inuisible I am the creature and worke of thy handes Lord God looke vppon me and other thy people which at this time are oppressed of the worldly minded for thy lawes sake Yea lord thy law it self is now trodeÌ vnder foote and mens inuentions exalted aboue it and for that cause do I and many thy creatures refuse the glory prayse and commoditie of this life and do chuse to suffer aduersitie and to be banished yea to be burnt with the bookes of thy worde for the hopes sake that it is layd vp in store For Lorde thou knowest if we would but seeme to please men in thinges contrary to thy word we might by thy permission enioy these commodities that other do as wife children goodes and frendes which al I knowledge to be thy giftes geuen to the end I should serue thee And now Lord that the worlde will not suffer me to enioye them except I offend thy lawes behold I geue vnto thee my whole spirite soule and body and loe I leaue here all the pleasures of this life and doe nowe leaue the vse of them for the hope sake of eternall life purchased in Christes bloud Sacrifice of obedience to God and promised to all them that fight on his side and are content to suffer with hym for his truth when soeuer the world and the deuill shall persecute the same O father I doe not presume vnto thee Sacrifice of thankes for redemption in mine owne righteousnes no but onely in the merites of thy deare sonne my sauiour For the whiche excellent gifte of saluation I cannot worthily prayse thee neither is any sacrifice worthy or to be accepted with thee in comparison of oure bodyes mortified and obedient vnto thy will and now Lorde Sacrifice of the body what soeuer rebellion hathe bene or is found in my members agaynst thy will yet do I here geue vnto thee my body to the death rather then I will vse anye straunge worshipping whiche I beseech the accept at my hande for a pure sacrifice let this torment be to me the last enemye destroyed euen death the ende of misery and the beginning of all ioy peace and solace and when the tyme of resurrection commeth then let me enioy agayne these members then glorified which now be spoyled and consumed by the fire O Lord Iesu receaue my spirite into thy handes Amen Letters of Nicholas Shetterden and first a letter to his mother AFter my humble and bounden duety remembred welbeloued Mother A letter of Nicholas Sheterden to his mother this shal be to wishe you increase of grace and and godly wisedome that yee may see and perceiue the craftye bewitching of Sathan our mortal enemy which as I haue diuers times declared vnto you doth not openly shewe himselfe in hys owne likenes but vnder colour of deuotion deceiueth them that keep not a dilligent eye vpon him Sathan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light but hauing confidence in mans traditions and customes of the worlde leauing the commaundementes of God and Testament of his Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord doe grow more into superstition hipocrisie then into wisedome and true holynesse For this is most true that Sathan the enemy of soules dothe by his ministers make many beleue that those thinges whiche they compell vs vnto for theyr bellye 's sake haue many godly significations although they be most contrary to Gods will as doubtlesse they be euen as did the serpent in Paradise to our first mother Eue. What sayd he hath God commaunded yee shall not eate of all the trees in the Garden The woman sayd of the fruites of the trees in the Garden we may eate but of the tree in the middest of the Garden sayd God see ye eate not least ye dye As the Serpent seduced Eue by an Aple so Priestes seduce the people by Images EueÌ so our Ministers now a dayes say hath God commaunded ye shall not make you anye Image or likenes of any thing Yea forsoothe Tush say they what harme can they doe May we not remember God the better wheÌ we see his Image or Picture For they are good bookes for the lay men but in deed they be better for the priestes because they receiue the offeringes And looke howe truely the promise of the serpent was kepte with Eue so is the perswasion of our Priests found true to vs. Images more profitable bookes for Priests then for lay men For as Adam and Eue did become like God in knowing good and euill so are we in remembring God by hys Image For Adams eyes were so open that he lost both innocencye and righteousnes and was become most miserable of all creatures and euen so we remember Christ so well by Images that we forget his commaundements and count his Testament confirmed in his bloud for starke madnesse or heresie so miserably haue wee remembred him that of all people we are most blinde Sheterden prophesieth of Gods plagues and this doth followe vpon our presumption when wee remember God by breking of hys law and therefore surely except we repent shortly God wil remember vs in his wrath reward vs with his plagues as sure as there is a God it will come to passe But I know the craftines of them herein I thanke God whiche wil say Where went he to schoole Learning against or without Gods word is vayne and to no purpose Antichrist hath turned the Church cleare vpside downe Is he wiser then our great Doctours that studyed all their life And loe they saye that it is good hay although we smell
vpholding of iustice wythin it selfe much lesse then to minister aid and succor to the kingdom of Hungary to the Croatians against the Turke And wheras al the states of the sacred Romane Empire doe not doubte but the Popes holines doth right well vnderstaÌd how the Germane princes did graunt condescend for the money of Annates to be leaued to the see of Rome for terme of certen yeres Annates falsely pretended of the Pope to maintaine warre against the turke vpon condition that the said mony shuld be conuerted to maintain warre against the turkish infidels and for defence of the catholike faith wheras the terme of these yeres is now expired long since when as the said Annates should be gathered and yet that mony hath not ben so bestowed to that vse whereto it was first graunted therefore if any such necessitie should nowe come that any publike helpes or contributions against the Turke should be demanded of the Germane people they would aunswer againe why is not that money of Annates reserued many yeares before to that vse nowe to bee bestowed and applied and so woulde they refuse to receiue anye more such burdens for that cause to be laid vpon them Wherefore the said Lord Lieutenant and other Princes degrees of the Empire make earnest petition that the Popes holines wil with a fatherly consideration expend the premisses and surcease hereafter to require such Annates Annates is a certaine portion of money wont to be paide to the court of Rome one of the one yeares fruites at the vacation of an ecclesiasticall lyuing which are accustomed after the death of bishops and other prelats or ecclesiasticall persons to be payd to the court of Rome and suffer them to remaine to the chamber of the Empire whereby iustice peace may be more coÌmodiously administred the tranquilitie of the publike state of Germanie mainteined and also by the same due helpes may be ordeined and disposed to other Christen potentates in Germanie agaynst the Turke which otherwise without the same is not to be hoped for Item wheras the Popes holines desireth to be informed what way were best to take in resisting these errors of the Lutherians to this the Lord Lieutenant with other Princes add nobles do answere that whatsoeuer helpe or counsell they can deuise with willing harts they will be ready therevnto Seeing therefore the state aswell ecclesiasticall as temporall is farre out of frame and haue so much corrupted their wayes and seeing not onely of Luthers part and of his sect but also by diuers other occasions besides so many errors abuses corruptions haue crept in much requisite and necessary it is that some effectuall remedie be prouided as well for redresse of the church as also for repressing of the Turks tyrannie Now what more present or effectuall remedy can be had the Lord Lieutenant with other estates and princes do not see then this that the Popes holines Remedye of reformatyoÌ by the consent of the Emperors maiestie do summon a free Christen Councell in some conuenient place of Germanie as at Strausburgh or at Mentz or at Colen or at Metz and that with as much speede as conueniently may be so that the congregating of the said Councel be not deferred aboue one yere A generall Councell in Germany required in the which Councel it may be lawfull for euery person that there shall haue interest either temporal or ecclesiastical freely to speake consult to the glory of God and health of soules and the publike wealth of Christendome without impeachment or restraynt whatsoeuer oth or other bond to the contrary notwithstanding yea and it shal be euery good mans part there to speake not onely freely but to speake that which is true to the purpose and to edifying not to pleasing or flattering but simply and vprightly to declare his iudgemsnt without all fraud or guile And as touching by what waies these errors tumultes of the Germane people may best be staid and pacified in the meane time vntil the councell be set the foresaid L. Lieutenant An interim before the Councell with the other princes therupon haue coÌsulted deliberated that for as much as Luth. and certaine of his fellowes be within the territorye and dominion of the noble duke Friderike the saide L. Lieutenant and other states of the Empire shall so labour the matter wyth the aforenamed Prince duke of Saxonie Wryting Printing for a time suspended that Luther and his followers shall not wryte sette foorth or print any thing during the sayde meane space neither doe they doubte but that the sayde noble prince of Saxonie for his Christian pietie and obedience to the Romane Empire as becoÌmeth a Prince of such excellent vertue will effectually condescend to the same Item the said L. Lieutenant and princes shal labour so with the preachers of Germany that they shall not in their sermoÌs teach or blow into the peoples eares such matters whereby the multitude may be moued to rebellioÌ or vpror or be induced into error and that they shall preach teach nothing but the true pure sincere The office of preaching tempered holy gospell aproued scripture godly mildly christianly according to the doctrine and exposition of the Scripture being approued and receiued of Christes Churche abstaining from all suche thynges whych are better vnknowen then learned of the people and which to be subtilly searched or deepely discussed it is not expedient Also that they shall mooue no contention of disputation among the vulgare sorte but what so euer hangeth in controuersie the same they shall reserue to the determination of the Councell to come Item the Archbishops Bishops and other prelates wythin their diocesse shall assigne godly and learned men hauing good iudgement in the scripture which shall diligently and faithfully attende vppon such preachers Preachers limited within certaine boÌdes and if they shall perceiue the sayde preachers either to haue erred or to haue vttered any thing vnconueniently they shall godly mildely and modestly aduertise and informe them thereof in such sort as no man shall iustly complaine the trueth of the Gospell to be impeached But if the preachers continuing still in their stubbernesse shall refuse to be admonished and will not desist from their lewdnesse then shall they be restrained and punished by the Ordinaries of the place wyth punishment for the same conuenient Furthermore the sayde Princes and nobles shall prouide and vndertake so much as shall be possible that from hencefoorth during the foresaide time Against selling and printing of famous libells no new booke shal be imprinted especially none of these famous libels neither shall they priuily or apertly be sold. Also order shal be taken amongst al potestates that if any shall set out sell or imprint any newe worke it shall first be seene and perused of certaine godly learned and discrete men appoynted for the same Famouse
libels be such bookes as raile against the fame of any person shewing no name of the author thereof so that if it be not admitted and approoued by them it shal not be permitted to be published in print or to come abrode Thus by these meanes they hope wel that the tumults errours and offensions among the people shal cease especially if the Popes holinesse himselfe shall begin with an orderly due reformation in the foresaid greuances aboue mentioned and wil procure such a free and Christian Councel as hath bene sayde and so shall the people be well contented and satisfied Or if the tumult shall not so fully be calmed as they desire yet the greater parte thus will be quieted for all such as be honest and good menne no doubt will be in great expectation of that generall Councell so shortly and now ready at hand to come For priestes or religious men that marry Finally as concerning priests which contract matrimonie religious men leauing their cloisters wherof intimation was also made by the Apostolicall Legate the foresaid princes do consider that forsomuch as in the ciuile lawe there is no penaltie for them ordeined they shal be referred to the Canonicall constitutions to be punished therafter accordingly that is by the losse of their benefices and priuiledges or other condigne censures and that the said Ordinaries shall in no case be stopped or inhibited by the seculer powers from the correction of such but that they shal adde their helpe and fauour to the maintenance of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and shal direct out their publike edicts and precepts that none shal impeach or prohibite the said ordinaries in their ecclesiastical castigation vpon such transgressors to be administred To conclude the redoubted prince L. Lieutenaunt and other princes estates orders of the publike Empire vehemently and most heartily do pray and beseech that the Popes holinesse the reuerend Lord his legate will accept and take all the premisses to be no otherwise spoken and meant then of a good free sincere a Christian minde Neither is there any thing that al the aforesaid princes estates and nobles do more wish and desire then the furtherance and prosperous estate of the holy Catholique church of Rome and of his holinesse To whose wishes desires obedience they offer and commend themselues most ready and obsequious as faithfull children Ex Orth. Grat. Thus hast thou louing reader the full discourse both of the popes letter and of his Legates instructions with the aunswere also of the states of Germanie to the sayde letter and instructions to them exhibited in the diete of Norenberge In the which diet what was concluded and what order and consultation was taken first touching the greeuances of Germanie whych they exhibited to the Pope then concerning a general councell to be called in Germanie also for printing and preaching for priests mariage hath bene likewise declared Ex Ioan. Sledano c. The occasion of this matter mooued against priests mariage came first by the ministers of Strausburgh which about this time began to take wiues and therfore were cited by the bishop of Strausburgh to appeare before him at a certaine day Ministers of Strausbrough troubled for their wiues as violaters of the lawes of holy Churche the holy fathers the Bishops of Rome and of the Emperours maiestie to the preiudice both of their owne order of priesthood and maiestie of almighty God But they referred theyr cause to the hearing of the magistrats of the same citie who being suiters for them vnto the Bishops labored to haue the matter either released or at least to be delaied for a time Luther expoundeth the decree of Norenberge Long it were to recite all the circumstances following vpon this diete or assemble of Norenberge howe their decree was receiued of some of some neglected of diuers diuersly wrasted and expounded Luther wryting his letters vpon the same decree to the Princes thus made his exposition of the meaning thereof that where as the preachers were commanded to preach the pure Gospel after the doctrine of the church receiued he expouÌded the meaning therof to be not after the doctrine of Tho. Aquine or Scotus or suche other late schoole wryters but after the doctrine of Hilarie Cyprian Austen and other ancient doctors and yet the doctrine of the said aunciters no farther to be receiued but as they should agree with the Scripture Secondly as concerning new bokes not to be sold nor prinâed he expounded the meaning therof to extend no farther but y e text of the Bible and bookes of the holy Scripture might be Printed notwithstanding and published to all men And as for the prohibition of Priestes mariage he wryteth to the Princes and desireth them to beare wyth the weakenes of men declaring that braunch of their decree to be very hard which though it stand with the Popes law yet it accordeth not with the Gospell neither conduceth to good maners nor to honestie of life c. Furthermore where as in the same session of Norenberge meÌtion was made before of certaine greuances collected to the number of an hundreth An hundreth greeuaunces of the Germainââ against the pope and exhibited to the Bishop of Rome it were tedious likewise to inserte them all yet to geue some tasâ of a few I iudge it not vnprofitable to the enteÌt that the world may see and iudge not only what abuses and corruptions moste monstruous and incredible lay hid vnder the glorious title of the holy church of Rome but also may vnderstand with what hipocrisie impudeÌcie the pope taketh vpon him so greuously to complaine vpon M. Luther and other when in all the vniuersall Church of Christe there is none so muche to be blamed all manner of wayes as he himselfe according as by these hainous complaints of the Germain princes here folowing against the popes intolerable oppressions greuances may right well appeare Which greuances being collected by the Princes of Germanie at Norenberge to the number of an hundreth I wish might be fully and at large setfoorth to the studious Reader whereby might appeare the subtile sleightes and intolerable fraudes of that pretensed Church But for somuch as it were to long to comprehend the whole I haue thought good to exhibite some part therof for example as geuing only a certain tast wherby thou mayest more easely conceiue what to thinke and esteeme of all the residue which both to me wold be tedious to write and perhaps more greeuous to thee to heare * Certaine greuances or oppressions of Germanie against the courte of Rome collected and exhibited by the Princes at the councel of Norenberge to the number of an C. wherof certaine specialties here folow AMongest other burthens greuances this is not least to be regarded y t many things are prohibited by mens constitutions many things exacted whiche are not prohibited or commaÌded by any precept of God as the