the fight of Beckets Church he lighted went barefoote to his toombe whose steps were found bloudy by the roughnâ—sse of the stones and receiued a whip with a rod of euery Monke of the Cloister whereby thou maist see the lamentable superstition and ignorance of those dayes and the slauery that Kings and Princes were brought too vnder the Popes Clergy the same yeere almost the whole Citie of Canturbury was consumed with fire and the said Minster church cleane burnt The next yeare in a conuocation of Bishops Abbots and other of the Clergie at Westminster there was great discention betwixt the two Arch-bishops whether Yorke must beare his Crosse in the Dioces of Canterbury and whether the Bishopricks of Lincoln Chichester Worcester and Hereford were of the sea of York Wherefore the one appealed the other vnto the presence of the Pope How much better had it beene if the Supremacie had remained in the King whereby much trauell and great wastfull expences had bin saued and there cause morâ— indifferently and more spéedily decided Diuers of Glocester in the Dioces of York were excommunicated by the Archb. of Canterbury because being summoned they refused to appeare a Cardinall by the Kings procurement was sent from Rome to make peace by the meanes of the King it was agreed that Canterbury should release his claime to Glocester and absolue the Clarks thereof the bearing the crosse and other matters was referred to the other Bishops and a league of truce for fiue yeares betwixt them The next yeare Henry the second denided the Realme into six parts ordained thrée Iustices of assise on euery part to the first Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge shire Huntingdon-shire Buckingham-shire Essex Hereford-shire to the second Lincoln-shire Nottingham-shire Derby-shire Stamford-shire Warwick-shire Northampton-shire Leicester-shire Thirdly Kent Surry South-hampton-shire Sussex Berk-shire Oxford-shire Fourthly Heriford-shire Glocester-shire Worcester-shire Salop-shire Fiftly Wilt-shire Dorcester-shire Sommerset-shire Deâ—â—n-shire Cornwall Euerwick-shire Richmond-shire Lancaster Copland Westmâ—r-land Northumberland Cumberland In this yéere the Archbishop of Canterbury made thrée Arch-deacons where there was but one and the K. granted the pope that no Clarke should be called before a temporall Iudge except for his offence in the Forrest or his lay-fée that he holdeth and that no Bishopricke or Abbey should remaine but one yeere in the Kings hands without great cause This yeare there was great controuersie betwixt the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Abbot of S. Austen he being Elect whether the Bishop should come to his house to consecrate him or he to come to the Metropolitan church of Canterbury to be consecrated The â—bbot appealed to the audience of the Pope and went thither with a fat purse procured letters to the Bishop of Worcester to command the Arch-bishop to consecrat him in his Monastery because it did properly belong to the Iurisdiction of Rome should do so likewise to his successors without exception of obedience if the â—rchb refuse to doe it then he should doe it the Archb. vnderstanding it loth to yéeld vsed policy he watched a time when the Abbot was froÌ„ home came to the Monastery with all things appointed for the busines called for the Abbat to be consecrated the Abbot not being at home he fained himself not a little gréeâ—ed wherevpon the Abbot was disappointed faine to fill his purse a new make a new course to Rome to the Pope of whom he receiued his consecration This yéere a Cardinal was sent into England as few yéeres there was not one sent to get mâ—ny he was to make peace betwixt the Archbishops of York Canterbury who kept a Councel at Westminster to which all the chiefe of the Clergy resorted with great confluence Yorke thinking to preuent Canterbury came first and placed himselfe on the right hand of the Cardinall Canterbury seeing the first place taken refused to take the second Yorke alledged the old Decree of Gregory by whom this order was taken betwixt these two Metropolitans that he that should be first in election should haue the preheminence in dignity and goe before the other From words they went to blowes Canterbury hauing more seruants was to strong for Yorke plucked him from the right hand of the Cardinall treading on him with their feet that it was well hee escaped aliue his Robes were all rent from his back this Noble Romane Cardinall which should haue ended the strife committed himselfe to flight the next day Yorke shewed his Rochet to the Cardinall to testifie his wrong and appealed and cited the Archbishop of Canterbury and certaine of his men to the Pope The kingdome of England in the Henry this second his time extended so farre as hath not béen seene The King of Scots with all the Lords spirituall and temporal did him homage for them and their successors Ireland England Normandie Aquitane Gaunt c. Unto the mountaine of Pireni in the vtmost parts of the Ocean in the Brittish sea protector of France and offered to bée King of Ierusalem by the Patriarke and Master of the Hospitall there which he refused alledging his great charge at home and it might be his sonnes would rebell in his absence The fame of his wisedome manhood riches was so renowned through all quarters that messengers came from the Emperor of Rome and from the Emperour of Constantinople and from many great Kings Dukes and other great men to determine questions of strife and aske councell of him he raigned thirty fiue yéeres and hauing great warres yet neuer set tribute or taxe vpon his subiects nor first fruits nor appropriations of benefits vpon the Clergy yet his treasure beeing weighed by King Richard his Sonne after his death weighed 900000. pounds besides Iewels and Houshold-stuffe of which 11000. pounds came by the death of Robert Arch-bishop of Yorke for hee had procured a Bull of the Pope that if any Priest dyed without Testament he should haue all his goods His Sonne Henry whom he ioyned with him in his Kingdome and at his Coronation serued him as a Steward and set the first dish at the Table renouncing the name of King the Archbishop of Yorke sitting at the right hand of the young King he told him he might greatly reioyce being no King had such an Officer as he had the young King disdaining his words said My Father is not dishonored for I am a King and a Quéenes Sonne and so is not he He tooke Armes with the French King against his Father and persecuted him but after hee had raigned a few yeares died in his youth by the iust iudgement of God After his death his Sonne Richard called Cor-de-Lyon rebelled against his Father and Iohn his youngest Sonne did not degenerate from his Brothers steps the said Richard brought his Father to such distresse of body and minde that for thought he fell into an Ague and within fouâ—e daies dyed Richard méeting his Corps beginning to wéepe the bloud burst out of the
then he was commaunded to answere Intergatories by signes and when any question was asked he strook vpon the Table so that he might be heard then he was demaunded whether he was any that were buried there then they reckoned vp diuers and at last the Mayors wife here he made a signe that he was the spirit of that woman then he was asked whether he was damned for Couetousnesse Pride Lecherie or not doing workes of Charitie or else for Lutheranisme then by striking twise or thrise vpon the Table gaue them to vnderstand that Luthers heresie was the cause of her damnation and being asked whether the bodie buried in holy ground should be digged vp and carried â—hence he made signes it should be so then the Friers desired the Citizens to set their handes to a writing testifying that which they had séene but for feare of the Mayor they refused to subscribe then the Friers took the Pixe with the Host and the Lords body and all the reliques of Saints and carried them to another place and there they said their masses then the officiall came thither and would faine haue seene the spirit coniured and one should go into the vault and sée if any spirit appeared but he could not get them to disturb the spirit any more â— Then the Mayor informed the King of the whole matter and the King sent certaine to know whether it were so or no then they put the dâ—ers thereof into seuerall Prisons and examined them apart and a great while they would confesse nothing at length the Iudges promising the nouice that he should haue no harme nor come no more into the Fryers hands he declared to them the whole matter in order wherupon they were committed to Orleance to prison And it was certainly reported that the King would haue plucked down the House but euen at the same time chanced a persecution against the Lutherans and they feared the punishment of these men should haue bin a reproch vnto the Order and a cause of much reioycing to the Lutherans These were Francisâ—an Fryers A Storie of certaine Monks of Sueuia GVnrame a noble Baron in the yeare 1130. builded an Abbey in Sueuia called Salmesuille of Cistercian Monks Amongst many Benefactors to the said House the Earles of Montfort had bestowed vpon that Monasterie many new Liberties and Priuiledges vpon condition that they should receiue with frée hospitalitie any stranger Horse-man or Foot-man for one night but this hospitalitie did not long continue through a subtile deuise of one of the Monks who would counterfeit the Diuell ratling and raging in chaynes at the lodgings where the strangers should lie and so continued this a long space At length an Earle of the house of Montfort was lodged at the Monasterie when the Earle was at his rest in the night the Monke after his wonted manner began to play the Diuell roring thundering spitting of fire and making a noyse the Earle hearing thereof tooke a good heart and taking his sword slew the Monk And thus the Diuell of the Abbey was coniured which stopped the guests from comming to the House Who lift to see more and worse pranks of Friers and Monks played in their Houses Cloysters let them resort to the Epistle of Erasmus and he shall find ynough to infect the aire IOHN BROVVNE a blessed Martyr burned at Ashford in the second yeare of Henrie the eighth Anno 1511. THe said Iohn Browne passing to Graues-end in a Barge a Priest began to swell and stomack that he should sit so neere him at length said Doest thou know who I am thou fittest so neere me and vpon my clothes No sir said the other I tell you said he I am a Priest What sir are you a Parson or Uicar or some Ladies Chaplain No said he I sing for a Soule I pray you said the other where find you the Soule when you go to Masse I cannot tel said he I pray where do you leaue it when you haue done Masse I know not said the Priest How then said the other can you saue the Soule I perceiue thou art an Heretick said the Priest Within three daies after by vertue of a Warrant â—rom the Archbishop with a Baylife and two of the Bishops men they came suddenly into the house of the said Browne as he was carrying a dish of meat to his guests for his wife was that day Churched they layd hands on him and carried him to Canterburie where they kept him fortie dayes in which time he was so pitifully entreated by Warram the Archbishop and Fisher Bishop of Rochester that he was set bare-footed vpon hote burning coales to make him denie his Faith which he bare patiently and continued in maintaining the Lords quarrell vnremoueable then he was sent to Ashford where he dwelt the next day to be burned where he was set in the Stocks all night his wife sate all the while by him to whom he declared the whole Tragedie of his handling how they burned his â—eâ—t to the bones that he could not set them to the ground to make him denie his Lord here which if I should haue done he would denie me hereafter therefore good wife continue as thou hast begun and bring vp thy children in the feare of God where the next day he was burned This Iohn Browne bare a Faggot seuen yeares before this whose sonnâ— named Richard Browne for the like cause of Religion was imprisoned at Canterburie in the later time of Queene Marie and should haue beene burned with two more but the next day after Queene Marie died and they escaped by the Proclamation of Queenâ— Elizabeth THE NINTH BOOKE CONtayning the Acts and things done in the Raigne of King EDVVARD the sixt AFter the death of Henrie the eight succeeded King Edward the sixt his sonne being of the age of nine yeares Touching his commendations I leaue you to the Booke at large who because he was so young and tender was committed to sixtéene Gouernours amongst whome especially the Lord Edward Semer Duke of Somerset his vncle was assigned as Protector of him and the Commonwealth a man of noble vertues especially for his fauour to Gods 〈◊〉 throâ—gh the industrie of whom that monstrous Hydra with sixe heads the 〈◊〉 Articles which deuoured so many were abolished whereby the proceedings of Gardner began to decay who storming thereat wrote to the Lord Protector in the cause thereof He restored the Scriptures to the Mother tongue and extinguished Masses and by little and little greater things followed in the reformation of Churches such as fled for the danger of the Truth were againe receiued to their Countrey the most part of Bishops were changed dumbe Prâ—lates were compelled to giue place to such as would Preach and learned men were sent for out of other Countries as Peter Martyr Martin Bucer Paulus Phagius the first of whom taught at Oxford and the other two at Cambridge with great commendations Bonner Bishop of London was committed to the Marshalsie
Touching his inward or spirituall seat S. Paule 2. Thess. 2. 24. saith He sitteth as God in the Temple of God Antichrist signifieth an aduersary of Christ and if it had bin meant of the Turke or any other aduersary that did not professe Christianitie he might easily be seene without so many reuelations but hee is according to the description of a false Prophet Mat. 7. 15. a most grieuous Wolfe to Christs Lambs and yet so couered with a sheeps skin that it is impossible to know him without the spirit of God Outwardly he seemeth to be a good tree but his fruit is nothing but thornes and thistles to destroy Gods children Matth. 24. 24. Christ calleth them false Christs and false Prophets prophecying that they shall do such wonders that if it were possible they should deceiue the elect so thou seest the Antichrist which is prophecied of must be a professor of Christ as the Pope is which calleth himselfe the Catholique Church but he is the onely aduersary thereof as this book will teach thee by experience Touching the third point to know him by his doctrines 1. Tim. 4. 1 They shall depart from the faith and follow doctrines of diuels and speake lies through hypocrisie they shall haue their consciences seared with an hote iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstain from meats and they teach the same superstitious doctrins that S. Paule warneth vs from Coloss. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of an holy-day or a new Moone nor Sabboths nor make you forsake Christ the head in worshipping Angels neither let them burden you with traditions as touch not tast not handle not which things haue a shew of wisedome in that the professors be voluntary religious and humble their mindes and spare not their bodies nor haue their bodies in any estimation but all is nothing but to fulfill a fleshly religion and Iude in his twelfth verse compareth them to clouds which in a drieth seem to bring raine but doe not for though they make great promises of feeding of soules yet there is no true hope of remission of sins nor assurance of eternall happinesse in their doctrines And in 2. Pet. 2. 17. he calleth them Wells not with a little water but quite without water for although by name they professe the Trinity yet their doctrins of euery person of the Trinitie and of al other points of religion are contrary to wholsome doctrine they maintaine their doctrines though falsely vnder the names of the Scriptures the Catholique Church and the auncient fathers this is the golden cup that the Church of Antichrist holdeth in her hand Reuel 17. 4. but it is full of abominations and filthines of her fornications so if thou marke this booke it is easie to know Antichrist by the falsenesse and wickednesse of all his doctrines yet coloured ouer with glorious shewes of truth and wholsomnesse yea although thou haddest no other meanes to discerne him by Touching the fourth point of the conditions of Antichrist Iude in the eleuenth verse saith They follow the way of Caine all the persecutions of Gods children before times were but types and prophecies of the Papists in killing their brethren as Caine did because they please God better then they The abominable desolations of Nabuchadnezzar and of Titus and Vespasian of the materiall Temples were but prophecies of the Papists abominable desolations of Gods Saints For this cause Antichrist is called in the Reuelation a great redde Dragon a Serpent and a cruell Beast S. Iohn Reuel 17. 6. foresaw the Church of Antichrist drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus Christ. And although he had seen all the persecutions that were before or in his time yet he wondred at the bloud that he foresaw that the Papists should shed with a great maruaile Iude in his 12. verse saith They are cast away in the deceit of Baalams wages for as Baalam though he knew the Israelites to bee the blessed of God yet he would haue cursed them for lucre sake if God would haue suffered him so the Papists maintaine doctrines which they know to be false and commit all their murders of Gods children only to maintaine their Kitchin pleasures honour glorie riches and other worldly respects as it shall plainly appear vnto thee in this Booke In 2. Pet. 2. 14. Their eyes are full of adultery and they cannot cease to sinne beguiling vnstable soules This Booke will shew thee how inspeakeably wicked they are according to this prophecie they are spiritually called Sodom because in that case they exceede in wickednesse the Sodomites These and many other wicked conditions of theirs are plentifully prophecied of in the Scriptures and thou shalt see the true performances of the prophecies in this book w ch wicked conditions shall plainly shew the Pope to be Antichrist Touching the height of Antichrists Kingdome Reuel 17. 3. the Church of Antichrist is said to sit vpon a skarlet coloured beast ful of names of blasphemy which is the Pope who is a bloudy beast to Gods children takes all Gods names blasphemously to himself and vers 4. he his Church are arrayed with purple skarlet and deckt with gold precious stones pearls and how gloriously the Pope and his Church hath bin set forth how rich they haue bin according to this prophecy this book wil shew thee In 2. Thess. 2. 14 He sitteth as God in the Temple of God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God C. Caesar Caligula the Emperor which vsed to sit in the Temples of the Idols to be honored as God caused his picture to be set vp to be worshipt in all Temples and in the Temple of Ierusalem yet was he not such an abominable Idol as the Pope maketh himselfe to be he is the Gaoler of Purgatory and thither comes as he saith all the soules of Christians except som few to whom for building some religious houses and for being otherwise a speciall maintainer of his kingdome hee giueth a speciall prerogatiue immediatly to go to heauen these soules his prisoners hee punisheth how and as long as he list and at his pleasure he throweth any of them into hell or sendeth any of them into heauen Of the reuenues of this Gaole hath all the Popes riches honour superioritie aboue Emperors and Kings proceeded he hath taken from Christ the honor of pardoning sins to himselfe God made man of clay but the Pope and all his shauelings can daily make God of a piece of bread In these and many other respects as this booke will teach thee doth the Pope exalt himself as God according to this prophecie and he exalts himselfe aboue all kings which are called Gods and at his pleasure with excommunications can cast them out of heauen and out of their kingdoms as himselfe saith he hath trode vpon Emperours made them kisse his feet hold his stirrups and leade his horse He
Rome to receiue the Faith the good Bishop sent him certaine Preachers which conuerted the King of the Brittaines and baptized them there were the twenty eight Priests called Flamines which they turned to twentie eight Bishoppes and thrée Arch-Flamins to thrée Arch-bishops to wit London Yorke and Glamargan by Wales Thus all the Realme setled in good order Lucius sent againe to Elutherius for the Romaine Lawes thereby likewise to gouerne the Realme Unto whom Elutherius wrote againe we may reprooue the Law of the Romaines but the Law of GOD wee cannot reprooue you haue with you both partes of the Scriptures out of them by Gods grace with the councell of your Realme take yea Law and rule your kingdome of Brittaine for you are Gods Uicar in your kingdome The Faith thus receiued of the Brittaines continued and flourished 216 yeares vntill the comming of the Saxons who then were Pagans whilst Brittaine had thus receiued the Faith the Emperors of Rome were Infidels wherefore much trouble wos sought against them as it was against all parts of Christendome Lucius after he had raigned about 77. yeares died without issue whereupon followed great misery and ruine to the Realme for sometime the idolatrous Romaines and sometimes the Brittaines raigned as violence and victory would serue one King murdering another vntill at length the Saxons depriued them both Some write but falsely that King Lucius after he was baptized forsooke his kingly Honor and the Land and became a Preacher in France and Germany and other places and was made Doctor and Rector of the Church of Cureac where hee was martyred but this fansie is contrary to all our English Stories which doe agrée that he hauing founded many Churches and giuen great liberalities to the same deceased in great tranquility in his owne Land and was buried at Glocester Betwéene the time of King Lucius and the entring of the Saxons there raigned after Lucius Seuerus a Romaine after him Bassianus a Romaine after him Cerausius a Brittaine after him Alectus a Romaine after him Asclepiodotus a Brittaine after him Coilus a Brittaine after him Constantius a Romain after him Constantinus a Brittain by Helena his Mother the Daughter of King Coilus and Wife of Constantius Constantine first made the wals of London and Colchester when the Romaines ruled it it was ruled by Infidels and when the Brittains ruled by Christians yet no persecution was raised in it vntill the tenth persecution which was so cruell that all our English Chronicles report that all Christianity almost in the whole land was destroyed Churches subuerted and the Scriptures burned as before is shewed It is worthy to be noted that Constantine that worthy Emperor was not onely a Brittaine borne but his Mother Helena Daughter of King Coilus a Brittaine but also by the helpe of the Brittaines Army which Constantine tooke with him with great victories he obtained the peace of the Uniuersall Church hauing thrée legions with him out of this Realme of chosen Souldiers After Maximinian tooke all the power that was left of fighting Men to subdue France and after sent for 100000. Souldiours more at once at which time Conanus his Partner sent for 11000. Uirgines out of Brittaine which were drowned and spoyled by the way by Infidels because they would not pollute themselues with them Thus Brittaine being destitute of strength had béene oppressed by Guanus and Melga had not Guethlâ—â—us Arch-bishop of London and Constantinus Brother to Aldranus defended the Realme and State of Religion Then came Vortigerne who murdred Constance his Prince and inuaâ—ed the Crowne and fearing Constance his two brothers he sent for ayde of the Saxons and married with the Daughter of Hengist but not long after he was dispossessed of his kingdome by the said Hengist and the Saxons beeing all Infidels and the Brittaines were driuen out of the Country Two hundred seuenty one of their Nobles at one méeting at Almesbury being subtilly slain by the Saxons or at a place cald Stonehenge by the Monument of which Stones there hanging it séemeth the Noble Brittaines were there buried I passe ouer the fabulous Story of the Welchmen of bringing these Stones from Ireland by Merlin Some Stories record they were slaine being bid to a banket Thus came the Angles and Saxons fiâ—st into this Realme being yet Infidels about the yeare 469. they were diuers times driuen out by Aurelius Ambrosius and his Brother Vter but they returned againe and at length possessed all and droue the Brittains into Wales Hengistus raigned 43. years and dyed in Kent Galfridus saith he was taken in the warre of Aurelius Ambrosius and beheaded in the 39. yeare of his raigne His Sonne Offa succeeded him twenty foure yeares Octa and Imericus his sons succéeded him 53. yeares and were slaine by Vter Pendragon The Saxons deuided the Realme into sâ—auen Kingdomes to the first Kent to the second Sussex and Surrey the third West-sex the fourth Eastâ—sex the fifth Cambridgeshire Norffolke and Suffolke the sixt the Countries of Lincolne Leicester Huntingdon Northampton Oxford Darby Warwicke the seauenth was King of Northumberland they continued so a while with great Warres amongst themselues at length all came to the possession of the West-Saxons This â—ingdome began in the yeare 522. and continued vntill about the comming of William the Conqueror which was 554. yeares Saint Paules Church in London was builded by Ethelbert King of Kent and Sigebert King of Essex when Ethelbert turned vnto the Faith Malmsburie writeth that Mauricius the Kinges Chancellour then Byshoppe of London did first begin this famous building of Paules and after Richard his Successour bestowed all the rents of his Byshoppricke vpon the same and it may be the first Church was ouerthrowne by the Danes and re-edified by these Byshops These Kings of the Brittaines raigned in Wales and Cornewall Vortiger Vortimer Vortiger againe Aurelius Ambrosius Vter Pendragon Arthur Constantius 3. Aurelius Conanus Vortiperius Malgo Carecius The sinnes of the Brittaines was the cause of the iust iudgement of God against them as out of an old Authour and partly out of Gildas doth appeare These bee the words of the Authour There following Constantinus and others aboue named out of the Realme all the Nobility when the rascall sort had gotten their places and through aboundance of riches were surprised with pride they fell into so great Fornication as neuer was heard of and vnto all manner of wickednesse that mans Nature is inclined vnto hating the truth louing lyes regarding euill in stead of goodnesse receiuing the Deuill in stead of an Angell of light choose such for their Kings as were most cruell and if any seemed to bee humble and fauour the truth they hated and backbited him as a destroyer of Brittaine and not onely the seculer men did thus but also the Byshoppes and Teachers therefore it was no maruell that such a people should loose their Country which they had so defiled As there were many wicked Kinges among the Saxons so there were some
Cadwalader 2076. yearâ—s vnder an hundred and two Kings and they receiued the Christian Faith in the yeare of Christ 162. In the time of Lucius their King Elutherius being Pope who sent thither Fagamus and Damianus Preachers who ordained in the realme 28. Bishops with two Archbishopes Theonus Archbishop of London and Theodosius Archbishop of Yorke so it continued 300. yeares vntill the Saxons being Infidels subdued the Realme and diuided it into seauen Kingdome and so it continued vntill Gregory sent hither Austin to conuert the Realme who was after made Archbishop of Canterbury and it was Gregories purpose to reduce the new Church of the Saxons to the order that was in the old time amongst the Britaines vnder the two Metropolitaines of London and Yorke yet hée gaue Austen this prerogatiue during his life time to haue the Iurisdiction aboue all the Bishops and Priests in England but after his decâ—ase London and Yorke to ouersée the charge and he willed no distinction of Honour to be betwixt London and Yorke but that he that had béene longest Bishop of the place should be preferred Upon this it was decréed that Yorke should be subiect to Canterbury and that wheresoeuer Canterbury would hold a Councell Yorke with his Bishops should come thither and be obedient to his Decrées and when Canterbury should decease Yorke should come to Duer to consecrate the new Archbishop but if Yorke decease his successor should resort to Canterbury and where the Bishop of Canterbury should appoint to receiue his consecration swearing obedience In the 9 yeare of King Williams reigne another Counsell was holden at London wâ—ere was decreed that the Bishop of Yorke should sit on the right hand of Canterbury and London on the left and in his absence Winchester and that Bishops should translate the Seas from vâ—â—lages to cities that Monks should haue nothing propper and if any so had he dying vnconfâ—ssed should not be buried in the Churchyard that no Clarke or Monke should be retained in another Diâ—cesse without Letters testimoniall that none should speake in the Councell without leaue but Bishops and Abbots that none should buy or sell any â—ffice in the Church that neither Bishop Abbot nor any of the Clergie should be at the Iudgement of any mans death or dismembring At this time diuerse good Bishops displaced Monkes and restored maried Priests againe the Bishop of Winchester placed aboue 40. Canons in stead of Monkes for his part but this godly enterprise was stopped by Lanfranke the Archbishop of Canterbury he plucked downe the old Church of Canterbury and builded vp the new After the death of the Pope Hildebrand succéeded who was surnamed Gregory the 7. he was a Sorcerer and the principal cause of all the perâ—urbation that hath beene since in the Church for before he wrought his feats setting vp and displacing what Bishops he listed setting them against Emperours and destroying Matrimony vnder colour of chastiâ—ie the Chuch was in some order and Popes quietly ruled vnder Christian Emperours and were defended by them He first contemning the authoritie of the Emperor thrust in himselfe to be Pope vanting himselfe to haue both the Ecclesiasticall and the Temporall sword committed to him of Christ and full power to binde and loose what he lifted he challenged all the Dominion both of the East and West Church he set at light Kings and Emperours who raigned but at his godamercie Bishops and Prelates as his vnderlings he kept in awe suspending cursing and chopping off their heads He â—â—irred vp warres releasing Othes Fidelitie and due allegiance of Subiects to their Princes To this scope tended chiefly all his practises to abolish the mariage of Priests and to translate the authoritie Emperiall vnto the Clergy as appeared before in the Councell of Laterâ—n for though he was not then Pope in name yet was he Pope indéed and ruled the Pope as he listed In a Councell which he held at Rome he enacted that no Priest hereafter should mary that those that were maried should be Diuorced and that none hereafter should be admitted Priest but should sweare perpetuall Chastitie The Clergie of France resisted this Decree and said it was repugnant to the word of God that the Pope should take from Priests that which God and Nature had giuen them and against the Doctrine of Saint Paul I haue no commaundement of God touching Virginitie and he that cannot liue continent let him mary And that it was against the Canons of the Apostles and the Nicen Councell and that thereby would be opened a pernicious window to vncleanesse and fornication and concludâ—d they had rather giue vp their benefices then forsake their lawful wiues against the word of Christ. Likewise the Priests of Germany were as stout against the Pope but at last this gréedinesse of Liuings in weake Priests made them to yéeld vp their godly libertie to wicked tyranny He preached in a great assembly that the Emperour should die before Saint Peters day next and should be so deiected that he should not be able to gather together aboue sixe knights and that if this prophesie were not fulfilled they should plucke him from the Altar and he would be no more Pope And when he had gone about diuerse waies to murder the Emperour and yet God preserued him beyond the appointed time them subtily he turned his tale and said he ment of the soule of the King About the time Hildebrand was made Pope there was great warres betwixt Otho Duke of Saxony and the Emperour which was a fit occasion for the Pope to worke his seats First he excommunicated all that receiued Spirituall liuings of Lay-men and all the giuers thereof which he called symony whereupon he sent Legats to the emperour to appeare before him at the Councell of Lateran The Emperour appeared not whereupon hee threatned him excommunication and to depriue him of his Crowne If he would not renounce the heresie of Symony which was giuing of Spituall Liuings Wherefore Centius a Romaine Captaine caught the Pope and shut him vp into a Tower the next day the citizens plucked downe the Tower and deliuered the Pope and cut off the noses of the men of Centius but he escaped to the Emperour The emperour being moued with this arrogancie called a Councell at Wormes where all the Bishops of Germany deposed Hildebrand The Pope in his Councell of Lateran excommunicated and depriued as many as tooke the Emperours part and excommunicated the emperour depriued him of his empire and all his subiects of their Oath of alleagiance As soone as he rose out of his papal seat to excommunicate the Emperour the seat being but new and of strong tymber suddenly shiuered and rent vs pieces The princes of Almany all concluded to forsake Henry and choose another emperour except he would submit himselfe and obtaine the Popes pardon The Emperour with his wife and young sonne all hauing forsaken him laying apart his regall ornaments in sharpe winter came bare fooâ—â—d to the
in any cause without great guifts and expences whereof the pouertie of the Church is the cause therefore it is sit that you as naturall Children should helpe and succour your Mother for if wee should not receiue of you and other good men we should lacke which were a great dishonour to our dignity The King answered Hee could doe nothing because it concerned the Commons and he assâ—mbled a Councell hee was answered they could conclude nothing because the Arch-Byshoppe the King and other whom it concerâ—ed were not there The next yeare the same Cardinall came againe into England and summoned all the Clâ—argy to another Councell to be held in the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule in London for redressing of diuers and sundry matters concerning Benifices Religion and other abuses of the Church putting them in feare and hope some to lose and some to obtaine spirituall promotions at his handes Diuers preâ—ious rewards were offered him in Palâ—ries in rich Plate and Iewels in costly and sumptuous Garments richly furred in Coyne and Uictuall c. The Bishop of Winchester sent him fifty fat Oxen and hundred coome of pure Wheat eight tun of chosen Wâ—ne likewise other Bishops offered to the Cardinals Boxe after their ability The Cardinall commaunded at the West end of Saint Paules Church a high solemne Throne of great State to bee prepared rising vp with a glorious Scaffold before the Cardinall begunne his Sermon there happened a great discord betwixt the Arch-byshops of Canterbury and Yorke about sitting on the right hand of the glorious Cardinall the Cardinall shewed them a Bull of the Pope in the middest of which was pictured the Crosse and Paule pictured on the right side of the Crosse and Peter on the left saying yet there is no contention betwixt these two yet Saint Peter for the Prerogatiue of his Keyes and for the Preheminence of his Apostle-ship and Cathedrall Dignitie séemeth most worthy to be placed on the right side and from that time foorth the Arch-Byshop of Canterbury hath enioyed the Dignity and Prâ—heminence of the â—ight hand The Cardinall sitting like a God in the middest betwixt them made his Sermon vpon these words In the middest of the Seate and round about were foure Beasts full of eyes behind and before He compared them about him to the foure Beasts declaring how they ought to haue eyes before and behind that is they must be carefull and prouident as well in disposing secular thinges as wise and circumspect in spirituall matters contriuing and ioyning wiselie thinges past with thinges to come And this was the greatest effect of his Clearkely Sermon Then he gaue forth sundry Constitutions and Statutes for ordering of Churches dedicating Temples for seauen Sacraments for giuing Orders farming Benefices Collations and resignations Priests apparell and single life for eating of flesh in religious Houses for Arch-deacons Byshops Proctors c. The King dreading the Commons willed him to repaire home to Rome but he could not so be rid of him but hee renued his commission and still applyed himselfe to his Haruest gleaning and raking what hee could writing his Letters to euery Byshop or Arch-Deacon for procurations to beare his charges and withall to be spéedily collected and sent to him Prouided that the summe collected should not excéede aboue foure Markes of a Liuing and where small Liuings were two Liuings to ioyne and if any contradicted or gaine-sayed him to excommunicate them And they sent forth Preachers and Fryers in all places to perswade men to fight against the common enemy the Turke whom when they haue bound with a vow and signed with the crosse then they send their Bulles to release them for money and the Bishops and Arch-deacons to proclaime it The Pope was not ashamed to require the fift part of euery Ecclesiasticall liuing and further hee promised and gaue to the Romanes for helping him in warrs against Fredericke the Emperour which had married King Iohns daughter the gift of all the spirituall liuings in England belonging to the religious houses and therevpon sent expresse Commandement to the Archbishop of Canterbury and other foure Bishops ioined with him that they should prouide spirituall liuings for three hundred Romanes in the best Benefites in England at the next voidance so that the said Bishoppes should bee suspended in the meane time from all collation of Benefice the Arch-bishop séeing their vnreasonable oppressions being not able to endure it went into France And further one Petrus Rubeus was sent from the Pope to goe from Bishop to Bishop Abbot and Abbot telling them such a Bishop such an Abbot hath giuen thus much vnto the Popes Holines trusting you also will not be behinde in a matter that so much concernes the good of the Church by which cunning subtiltie he gathered together into the treasurie of the Church such a Masse of money as is almost incredible to beleeue At length the Bishoppes Abbots and Arch-deacons came to the King whose Father they had so obstinately resisted and repugned lamentably complaining of their extreame miseries of the vnmeasurable exactions of the Pope so all the Prelates were called together and vppon talking together made many exceptions agaâ—nst the same the Legate and his followe hearing these allegations seeing their owne vtter confusâ—on were the lesse importunate Not long after this followed a generall Councell at Lyons in the Kingdomâ— of France called by Pope Innocentius in the which Councell the English Nation did exhibite sundry Articles of all their greeuances and that the Italians did succeed one another in the benefices whose language they could not vnderstand and that there was no preaching in their Churches nor no almes giuen to the poore and that there came fresh Letters from the Pope commanding the Prelates to finde at their proper costs and charge for a whole yeare some ten armed souldiers some more some lesse to be ready at the Popes commandement when or where be should appoint After these terrible greeuances and enormities the States of England consulting together directed their Letters to the Pope for Reformation First the Abbots and Priors then the Bishoppes and Suffragans after the Nobles and Barons and last of all the King but all was neuer the better Not long after the Pope sent for new tallage and exactions which when it came to the Kings eare hee vehemently disturbed writ seuerally to euery Bishop in manner following THat whereas wee haue heeretofore written to you once twice thrice both by our Priuy Seale and our Letters Patents that you should leuy for the pope no exactions either vpon the Clergy or Laitie yet you vilepending our commandement and contrarie to our prouision made in our last Councell at London haue proceeded in collecting the said your taxes and tallages wherevpon wee greatly maruell and are mooued Wherefore we straitly will and command you that you doe so no more as you will enioy our â—auour and your possessions and if you haue made any such collection or gathering that
these I heart them whilst they sate in Christs chaire but after the workes they now doe I will not doe by Gods â—elpe for they faine would hide and contrary the trueth which before they taught plainly and truely and some of them haue confessed they doe it because they are constrained by paine to leaue the truth so they blaspheame God rather then suffer a little though Christ shed his heart bloud for vs. Bishop That which thou callest truth is slander to holy Church and though Wicliffe were a great Clerke and a perfect liuer yet holy Church hath damned many of his Doctrines and well worthy but Phillip Rampington Bishop of Lincolne wil not hold the learning that he taught nor no Bishop pursueth more sharpely them that hold thy way then he doth Thorpe Many wonder at him and speake him mickle shame and hold him a cursed eâ—nemie of the trueth Bishop Then the Bishop read a Certificate that the bailiffes of Shrewesbury sent to him vnder their Seale the third Sunday after Easâ—er 1407. William Thorpe preaching in Saint Chaddes Church in his Sermon said that the Sacrament after conâ—ecration was materiall bread and that Images should not be worshipped and that men should not goe on Pilgrimages that Priests haue no title to Tythes and that it is not lawfull to sweare Then he said is this wholsome learning to be amongst the people Thorpe I am sory and ashamed of them I neuer taught such Doctrine Bishop I will beléeue those worshipfull men before thée thou hast troubled them and they pray mee that if thou suffer for thy heresies that thou most be executed there that such other â—oâ—els for feare may be reconciled and they that stand in Faith of holy Church more stablished by my thirft this feruent requâ—st shall bâ— thought on Thorpe I thanke God for all this I was not afraid but my heart reioyced and still doth for I then thought and yet thinke that grace shall come to all the Church of God herethorow and I said I doubt not but I can proue that they which are fained to bee out of holy Church at Shrewsbury and other places are in true Faith of holy Church for they dread to offend God and loue to please him iâ— true and faithfull keeping his commaundements and they that are said to be in faith of holy Church there and in other places are proud eâ—â—ious coâ—etous lecheroâ—s and foule in words and deeds and know not nor will know the right Faith of holy Church their customable swearing and shamefull workes witnesse it And sir where you say I haue troubled the Communaltie with Preaching it is not to be wondred at of wise men seeing all the Communaltie of Ierusalem was troubled at Christ all the Synagogue of Nazaret moued against him that they led him to a mountaine and would haue cast him downe headlong Bishop Thou and such lâ—sâ—ls presume to Preach without licence of any Bishop Thorpe It is euery Priests duetie to Preach busily freely and truely the word of God and they should take the Order of Priesthood chiefly to make Gods word knâ—wne to the people and approuing the truth of the word by his vertuous workes and for this purpose chiefly Bishops and Prelates should take their Prelacie and for this cause Bishops should giue their Orders and should accept none to be Priest except he were well disposed and well learned to Preach Wherefore by the example and Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and Prophets wée are bound vnder full great paine so to doe Bishop Leâ—â—de losell why makest thou mée such vaine reasons asketh not Saint Paul How should Priests Preach except they be sent And I sent thée not to Preach And saith not Saiâ—t Paul Subiects ought to obey their Soueraignes and not only the good and vertuous but tyrants and vicious Thorpe None of you will grant vs any such licence but we must oblige vs to youâ— by vnlawfull Othes not to passe the bonds you will limmit vs and we darâ— not so oblige our selues Wherefore though we haue no such licenses we dare not leaue the â—ffice of Preaching for so muâ—h as we haue taken vpon vs the Office of Priesthood trusting God will bo our sufficient letters and witnesse if we occupie vs faithfully to dâ—e our Office iustly yea the hearers shall be our Letters for the truth where it is sâ—wne cannot be vnwitnessed as Saint Paul saith Wee neede no Letters of commendations aâ— some doe which Preach for couetousnesse and mens praisings Touching obedience to superiours good superiours with sound Doctrine and holy couersation to them wée must willingly and gladly obey consenting to their charitable biddings and working after their fruitfull workes of these Saint Paul speaketh Bee mindfull of your Soueraignes that speake to you in the word of God and follow the faith of them whose conuersation you know to be vertuous These Soueraignes make feruent prayers that they and their Subiects may liue in the feare and loue of God and liue so vertuously that they that will liue well may take example by them but Subiects ought not to obey Tyrants whose biddings and workes are vicious that they ought to be hated and left But if they menace oppressions and punishings Saint Peter biddeth the seruants of such Tyrants to Obey meekely suffering patiently their malicious cruelty but hée councelleth not any seruant or subiect to obey any Lord Prince or Soueraigne in any thing not pleasing to God Bishop If a Soueraigne bid a Subiect doe the thing that is vicious the Soueraigne is to blame but the Subiect deserueth méede of God for obedience pleaseth God more then Sacrifice Thorpe Samuel told Saul that God was more pleased with the obedience of his commandement then with Sacrifices but Dauid S. Paul and S. Gregory accordeth therto that they that doe euil are not only worthy condemnation but they that consent thereto Bishop All these aâ—â—agings are nothing else buâ— proud presumptions for hereby yoâ— inforce you are iust and ought not to â—bey the Prelates and of your owne authoritiâ— you will Preach and doe what you list Thorpe Presenteth not euery Priest the Office of the Apostles and Disciples 〈◊〉 Christ He said yea the tenth of Mathew and the last of Mathew witnesseth Christ sent his Apostles to Preach And in the tenth of Luke He sent his 72. Disciples to Preach in euery place that Christ was come to And Saint Gregory saith He that taketh vppon him the Office of Priesthoode taketh on him the Office of Preaching and that the Priest stirreth God to great wrath whose mouth is not heard to Preach and Ezekiel saith The Priest that preacheth not busily to the people shall bee partaker of their damnation that perish by their default And though the people bee saued by other means yet if the Priest Preach not he is a manâ—â—â—per bâ—cause they hold from the people the word of God the life of their soules Saint Isidore saith Priests shall be damned
dignity because that which was common bread hath the dignitie to exhibit Christs body for now it is an holy bread sanctified by Gods word The third question was whether the masse were a liuely and propitiatorie sacrifice for them aliue and for them that be dead this article they denied to be true because Christ made one perfect sacrifice for the whole world neither can the Priests offer vp Christ againe for the sinnes of man neither is there any propitiation for our sins but his Crosse only And because neither for feare nor flatterie they could be made to recant at their second sitting they were condemned disgraded and deliuered to the secular power Upon the North-side of the towne of Oxford in the ditch ouer against Baliol Colledge the place of execution was appointed Doctor Ridley came vnto the stake in a faire black gowne such as he was wont to weare when he was Bishop with a tippet of sables about his neck M. Latimer came in a poore frize frock in one they might behold the honor they sometimes had in the other the calamitie whereunto they were now descended after Doctor Ridley had prayed seeing the chéerfulnes of M. Latimer he ran vnto him imbraced him and kissed him saying be of good heart brother for God will either asswage the fury of the flame or else strengthen vs to abide it Then Doctor Smith began his Sermon vpon 1. Co. 13. If I giue my body to the fire to be burned and haue not charity I shall gaine nothing thereby wherein he alledged that neither the holinesse of the person nor the manner of the death but the goodnes of the cause made a martyr this he prâ—ued by the example of Iudas and many others which then might be counted righteous because they desperatly sundred their liues from their bodies as he feared these men that stood before him would do and still he cried vnto the people to beware of them for they were hereticks died out of the Church at last he exhorted them to recant and come home again vnto the Church saue their liues and soules which else were condemned They would haue answered him but some ran to them stopt their mouthes with their hands would not suffer them to speak Then Doctor Ridley said Heauenly father I giue thée most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thée euen vnto death I beséech thée be mercifull to this Realme of England and deliuer the same from all her enemies When the fire was kindled he cried Into thy hands I commit my spirit Lord receiue my spirit crying often Lord Lord receiue my spirit M. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side O Father of heauen receiue my soule Latimer died quickly but Ridley was long a 〈◊〉 by reason of the bad making of the fire yet he remained constant to the end The death of Stephen Gardner IN Nouember the next moneth after the burning of Ridley and Latimer in which moneth the Quéen died thrée years after Stephen Gardner a man hated of God and good men ended his wretched life He was borne in Berry in Suffolk and brought vp in Oxford his wit capacity and memory were excellent if they had bin well applied he was high-minded flattering his own conceit too much towards his superiours he was politick and pleasant to his inferiors fierce against his equals stout and enuious if they any thing withstood him in iudgment it was constantly reported that the nayles of his toes were crooked and sharp downward like the clawes of a beast his death happened so opportunely that England hath a great cause therefore to praise God not so much for the great hurt it had done in times past in peruerting his Princes in bringing in the sixe Articles in murthering GODS Saints and in defacing Christs most true Religion but especially for that he had thought to haue murthered our noble and religious Quéene Elizabeth for hee was the cause of all her danger and if it bee certaine which we haue heard that a Writ came downe from certaine of the Councell to the Tower where the Lady Elizabeth was for her execution it is sure this vile wily Winchester was the only Dedalus and framer of that Ingine but M. Brigs Lieutenant of the Tower certified the Quéen of the matter and there by preuented Achitophels bloudy deuices as Bonner Storie Thornton Harpsfield Downing with others were occupied in putting the branches to death so Gardner bent his deuices in assaying the root in casting such a plot to build vp his Poperie as he thought it should stand for euer whether he died with his tongue swolne out of his mouth as Arundell Bishop of Canterburie did or whether he stunke before he died as Cardinall Wolsey did who after he had vsed coniuration before so after he had poysoned himselfe by the way at his buriall he was so heauie that they let him fall and he gaue such a sauor that they could not abide him with such a suddaine tempest about him that all the Torches went out and could beare no light or whether he died in dispaire I referre all this vnto their reports of whom I heard it A great doer about Winchester reported that the Bishop of Chichester comming vnto Gardner began to comfort him with Gods promises and with frée Iustification in the bloud of Christ he said what my Lord will you open that gap now then farewell altogether to me and such other you may speake it but open this window to the people and then farewell altogether Iohn Web Gentleman George Roper and George Parke THese were condemned by the Bishop of Douer and Harpsfield for deâ—ying the reall presence in the sacrament of the Altar and were burned in one fire at Canterburie abiding most patiently their torments and counting themselues blessed that they were worthy to suffer for the Gospell William Wiseman and Iames Gore THis Wiseman died in Lollards Tower being there for religion the holy Catholike Church cast him out into the fields and commaunded that no man should burie him according as their deuout manner is to all that die in that sort whom they account not worthy of buriall but to be cast to dogges and birds yet good men buried him in the night Iames Gore being in the prison at Colchester for the truth of Gods word died much about this time IOHN PHILPOT HEe was Sir Peter Philpots sonne in Hampshire brought vp in new Colledge in Oxford going from Oxford into Italy comming from Uenice to Padua he was in danger through a Franciscan Frier accompanying him in his iourney who comming to Padua accused him of heresie In King Edwards time he had diuers conflicts with Gardner Bishop of Winchester after he was made Archdeacon of Winchester where he continued during King Edwards time to no small profit of those parts in Quéen Maries time he being one of the Conuocation with a few other sustained the cause of the Gospell manfully
yeare 310 and wee buried at Yorke Aâ—bon the fiâ—st that suâ—â—â—red Martyrdome in England he was conuerâ—â—d by Aâ— phibolus a persecuted Clarke which he loâ—ged the Prince hearting thereof sent out 〈◊〉 for him Albon came to the Souldiers who brought him to the Iudge and 〈…〉 would not sacrifice to Diuels after he was grieuoâ—sly scourged he was beheaded the Clarke fled into Wales where he was set and made to runne about a Stake his bâ—lly being opened whilst 〈◊〉 owels were drawne out hee was stabbed with waggers and after stoned this was Anno 301. It is to be noted that England was noâ— touched with any of the nine Persecutions but onely with the tenth in which almost all Christiantie was in the 〈◊〉 exâ—inguished Galerius threatning the Christians in Antioch Romanus a Noble man encouraged them he was strangely tormented he requâ—red the Tyrant that a childe should be presented vnto him he asked the childe whether it was â—ore reasonâ—ble to serue one God rathâ—r thâ—n â—umerable the Childe answered the Tyrant that one God was to be worshipped the Tyrant scourged the Childe and pulled off the skinne of his head the mother being by exhorted the Childe to patience the Childe was beheaded and Romanus cast in the fire which when it would not burne him hee was â—â—angled in prison Gordius a Centurion liued in the Desert a long time but at a â—eest of Mars he got vpon the highest pâ—ace of the Theaâ—or and vâ—tered himselfe to all the people to bee a Christian after many torments he was â—urned Menas likewise a Souldier conâ—essed himselfe a Christiâ—n in Colis and afâ—er diuerse torments waâ— beheaded Basilius writeth of 40. Martyres young Gentlemen professing themselues Christians they were caused to stand in winter in a Pond all night and in the morning bnrneâ— Nicephorus reporteth of 40. Martyres drowned in a Ponde at Sebestia Cirus a Poysition with one Ioannes led a solitary life in Arabia in Persecuâ—ion they hearing of the imprisonment of Athanasia with her three daughters Theoâ—â—ste Theodota and Eudoxa they came to confiâ—me them and being accused and would not doe Sacrâ—fice they were put to death Sebastian Lieutenant or Diaclesian was accused to the Emperour for encouraging diuers Martyres he was brought into the Fielde and of his owne Souldiers shot through with innumerable Darts after threw his body into a Iakes Nicostratus with Zoe his Wife Tranquillinus with Martia his Wife Traglianus Claudius Castor Tiburtus Castullus Marcus and Marcellus with others moe suffered with him Barla a Nobleman whom Basilius mentions in a Sermon after many torments he was sacrificed on an Altar of their Idols they put Fire and Incense into his hand thinking he would scatter it vpon the Altar and so haue sacrificed but the fire burning about his hand it endured as if it had béene couered about with Embers he saying the Psalme Blessed is my God which teacheth in hands to fight Vincentius was so racked that all the ioynts of his body cracked then there was many wounds made in his body then his flesh was combed with Iron Combes sharply filed then they scourged him then they laid his body vpon an Iron Grate and opened it with Hooks then they seared it with diuers plates sprinkling the same with hot Salt then they drew him into a Dungeon sprinkled with sharpe shels and locked his féete in the stockes Philoronimus forsooke great possessions for Christ and was beheaded and neither Friends Wife or Children could moue him also Procopius being conuerted brake his Siluer Images and gaue them to the poore after gréeuous torments his hands and féet being cut off he was beheaded so was Grigotius a young man vsed Panthion Theodorus and Gerion with 318. were martyred Hermogines Eugraphus Samonas Gurias Abilus Hieron Indes Dominas with two thousand were martired Enclasius and Maximinius whom Fausta the Uirgin conuerted in her torments also Thusus Lucius Callinicus Apollonius Philemon Asilas Leonides Arianus Cyprian Byshop of Antioch before his conuersion being a Magitian suffered with Iustina a Uirgine Glicerius Felix Fortunatus Achileus Arthemius Ciriacus Anthonius Marcellinus Cucusatus Barcimonia Felix Byshop Audactus Ianuarius Fortunatus Septimus these suffered vnder Dioclesian Cassianus was stabbed of his Schollers with Iron Penâ— wherewith they vsed to write Eulalia was shut vp of her Parents least she should be cause of her death shee brake out in the night came to the Iudge confessed her selfe a Christian and reprooued the cruelty of the Iudge and their vanity in worshipping Images she threw downe the Idols and scattered the Incense when she was brought to worship them she had one ioynt pulled from another her flesh was scraped off with clawes of beasts to the bones she reioysing and praising God they seared her breasts with torches when they had caught her haire which hanged downe to her féet and couered her shame shee opened her mouth ouer the flame and died Agnes a Romaine virgine not marriageable for her constancy in Christ was condemned to be committed to the common Stewes and Younkers appointed to assayle her whom when she refused she was tied to a corner of a stréet naked one beholding the Uirgine with vnchast eyes was striken with lightning his eies dashed out of his head whom Agnes prayed for and restored after â—he was beheaded she preferred the sight of her Executioners more then of her louers There are many myracles reported of her Katherine openly resisted the Emperor Maxentius to his face and rebuked him of his cruelty after she had felt the racke and the fouresharp cutting wheeles she was beheaded Iulitta sued to the Emperor for goods wrongfully detained from her her aduersary accused her of Christianity being commanded to doe sacrifice with Incense shee refused it and encouraged others and was burned Barbara a Noble woman suffering cruell torments as cords and burning of her sides was lastly beheaded for her Faith Fausta Iuliana Anisia Iustina Lucia Agatha and Tecla with all holy Uirgines suffered in the tenth Persecution â—aius succéeded Xistus B. of Rome Marcellinus Marcellus Eusebius were Byshops afterward and then Miltiades which was the last Bishop of Rome that was martyred These all were Martyrs Sapores King of Persia put to death Acyndiuus Pegasius Anempodistus Epidephorus Simeon Arch-byshop of Seleuâ—ia Câ—esiphon B. in Persia with other religious men 128. Symon chéefe Bishop of Persia was accused by the Magitians as he was leading to Prison Vâ—â—hazares who was the Kings Schoole-maister and had fallen from Christianity who sitting at the Kings Gate rose vp and reuerenced him but Simion rebuked him with sharpe words which made him put on mourning wéeds sit wéeping at the gate saying what hope haue I of God when my familiar friend Simion disdaineth me which being knowne to the King and he confessing himselfe a Christian the King commaunded he should be beheaded He desired of the King to certifie that he died for nothing but Christianity which he obtained Simion being in prison and hearing of
it reioyced and the next day suffered with an 100. more Pusices séeing an old Father shrinke in the sight of the Martyrâ— said shut thine eies be strong and shortly thou shalt sée God wherefore the King caused an hole to be made in his necke and thereout pulled his tongue and so he was put to death and his Daughter a Uirgine died with him in Christs cause the number of them that were martyred in Persia was 15000. This comming to Constantines eares mooued him he graunted Sapores his Ambassadors all they requested thinking thereby to mooue him to fauour the Christians and wrote to them to take compassion on the Innocents and shewed how the hand of God had béene against Tyrants of the Church Beniamin for preaching Christ was thrust vnder the nailes with twenty sharpe prickes when hee laughed at it a sharpe Réede was thrust into his yard and a long thorny stalke vp into his body vntill hee died Under Iulianus Apostata Emilianus was burned Domitius was slaine in his Caue Theodorus singing a Psalme was tormented from morning to night hardly escaped with life and being asked how hee could abide the torments said at first I felt some paine but after there stood a young man by me who so refreshed me that it greeued me more when I was let down from the Ingine then before The Arethusians of Syria tooke a company of Uirgines Christians whom first they set sorth naked to bee scorned of the multitude then shaued them then couered them with draffe and caused them to bee deuoured of Swine their cruelty was the greater because Constantine restrained them from defiling Uirgines and destroyed the Temple of Venus Marcus Arethusius because at the commaundement of Constantine he pulled down a Temple of Idols and builded a Church for Christians in the place they stripped him naked and beat him gréeuously then put him in a filthy sincke then they caused Boyes to thrust him in with sharpe stickes then they annointed him with Hony and Broath and hung him in the Sunne as meat for Waspes and Flyes then they required somewhat towards the building of the Temple againe he answered it were as great impiety to conferre one halfe-peny to a matter of impiety as a great summe Constantine raigned about thirty yeares he was borne in Brittaine his Mothers name was Helena Daughter of King Coilus hee trauailed greatly for the peace of Christians he set peace amongst the Byshops at dissention hee made prouision for Preachers and caused all to bee restored vnto the Christians that was taken from them by Persecutors He wrote to his chéefe Captaine that Ministers should be fréed from all publique duties and burthens He wrote to Eusebius for the edifying of new Churches and after he had gathered the Nicene Councel for the vnity of the Church he writeth to Alexander and Arius for the same intent He inioyned a Prayer to his Souldiers in stead of Catechisme We knowledge thee onely to be our GOD we confesse thee onely to bee our King we call vpon thée our onely helper by thée we obtaine our victories by thee we vanquish our enemies to thee be attributed whatsoeuer commodities we presently enioy by thee we hope for good thinges to come vnto thee we direct all our sutes and petitions most humbly befeeching thee to keepe Constantinus our Emperour and his Noble Children to continue in long liâ—e and to giue them victory ouer their enemies through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen He graunted great immunities vnto the Ministers that they might appeale from the ciuill Iudge to their Byshop whose sentence was of as great value as if the Emperor had pronounced it He prouided maintenance for liberall Sciences and Arts for the Prosessors there Wiues and Children and gaue them great immunities He wrote to Eusebius Byshop of Nicomedia to procure fifty Uolumes of Parchment well bound and cause to bee written out of the Scripture therein in a leageable hand such things as were profitable for the instruction of the Church allowed him two Ministers for the businesse he was a Father to the Church and inforced himselfe euery way to set forth the Gospell and to suppresse the contrary The end of the tenth Persecution THE SECOND BOOKE Containing the next 300. yeares BY these Persecutions hitherto we may vnderstand that what the fury of Sathan and rage of men could deuise to do by death or torments all was to the vtmost attempted to extinguish the Name and Religion of Christ yet notwithstanding the wisedome of the world and the strength of men Christ hath the vpper hand as thou seest Now because the tying vp of Sathan giueth the Church rest we will leaue the affaires of the Uniuersall Church and prosecute the Histories of our Country of England and Scotland beginning with King Lucius with whom the Faith began first in this Realme The Papists doe earnestly contend that the Faith of Christ was first brought and receiued into England from Rome both in the time of Eleutherius their Byshop in the yeare 180. and also in the time of Augustine whom Gregory sent hither in the yeare 600. but it is proued otherwise by these seauen Arguments 1 Gildas affirmeth that Brittain receiued the Gospel in the time of Tyberius the Emperor vnder whom Christ suffered saith farther that Ioseph of Arimathia was sent of Philip the Apostle from France to Brittaine in the yeare 63. and remained héere all his time and founded the Faith amongst the Brittaines 2 Tertullian liuing about the time of Elutherius testifieth how the Gospell was dispersed by the Apostles reckoneth Brittany amongst the Countries conuerted by them 3 Origen before the daies of Elutherius said the Brittaines consented to Christianity 4 Bede affirmeth that 1000. yeares after Christ Easter was kept in Brittaine after the manner of the East Church on the fouretéenth day after the full Moone what day soeuer it was and not on sunday as we doe whereby is gathered the first Preacher came from the East rather then from Rome 5 Nicephorus Lib. 2. Cap. 4. saith Simon Zelotes spread the Gospell in Brittany 6 Petrus Cluniensis saith that the Scots in his time celebrated Easter after the manner of the Gréekes and as the Brittaines were not vnder the Romain order nor vnder their Legate in the time of Gregory nor would admit any primasie of the Byshop of Rome aboue them 7 By the Epistle of Elutherius to Lucius it appeareth that Lucius had receiued the Faith before he wrote to Elutherius for the Romaine Lawes Elutherius might help some-thing to conuert the King and to increase the Faith but was not the first that planted it but if it were so it maketh nothing for them for he challenged no such Supremacy as they doe and was farre from their errours and superstitions The Chroniles write that about the yeare 180. King Lucius Sonne of Coylus which builded Colchester hearing of the myracles of Christians in his time writ to Elutherius Bishop of
him buried in Christian buriall at length by perswasion of his kinred he was buried in Christian buriall Ater the death of Sythericus King of Northumberland King Adelstone seazed that Prouince into his hands and put out his sonne Alanus who fled into Scotland maried the daughter of Constantine King of Scots by whose stirring gathered a company of Danes Scots and others and entred the North of Humber with a strong Nauie of 615. shippes King Adelstone and his people ioyned in fight with them at a place called Binford where fighting with them from morning till night after a terrible slaughter on both sides the like hath not béene seene in England King Adelstone had the victorie fiue vnder kings were slaine in that battell with Constantine King of Scots and twelue Dukes with the most part of the strangers that were there Then King Adelstone subdued the Brittaines and forced them to grant to him yearely tribute 20. lib. of gold 300 lib. of â—iluer 2500. heads of neate with a certaine number of hawkes and dogs King Adelstone caused his guiltlesse brother Edwine through sinister suggestion of his Cup-bearer to be set in an old rotten bote in the broad sea onely with one Esquire with him without any tackling where the tender Prince dismaiâ—e with the â—age oâ— Windes and Flouds weary of his life cast himselfe into the Sea the Esquire shifâ—ed for himselfe and recouered the body of his maister and brought it to Sandich were it was buried The reason the King the more doubled of his brother was because he was by his mother of a base bloud and begotten before wedlocke for King Edward his Father comming into his Nurses house was rauished with the beautie of one Edwina a beautifull maide begat that night of her King Adelstone and afterward married her after the King was stricken with great repentance for the death of his brother by the space of seauen yeares at length the Cup-bearer his accuser bearing the Cuppe vnto the King stumbled with one foote and recouering himselfe with the other saying Thus one brother helpeth another These words so moued the king that forthwith he commaunded the false accuser of his brother to bee had out to execution and he builded two Monasteries of Middleton and Michlenes for his brothers Soule Whereby it appeareth what was the speciall cause of building of Monasteries to wit for releasing of sinnes for them departed and them aliue which is contrarie to the grace and veritie of Christs Gospell He deuised diuers good and wholsome lawes as well of the state Ecclesiasticall as Seculer which thou maist see in the booke at large whereby it is to bee vnderstoode that the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome did not then extend or derogate from the authoritie of Christian Princes but that euery one in â—is owne Dominion had the doing of all causes whether they were spirituall or temporall he raigned 16. yeares and because he had no Issue his brother Edmond succéeded him This Edmond expelled the Danes Scots Normanes and all forraine enemies out of the Land and recouered such Cities as were in their hands from them then the King set his minde to building of Monasteries and furnishing of Churches with possessions in his time Monks were dispersed out of the Monastery of Esham and Canons substituted in their place At the first Religious houses were replenished with Priests and Canons which were Clergie men after Monkes succéeded they professed Chastitie that is to 〈◊〉 vnmaried for so they defined Chastitie in those blinde daies the Priests and Canons liued more frée from Monkish rules and obseruations were commonâ—y marieâ— and in their life came néerer to seculer Christians so there was great enmitie betweene them one â—uer sought to expell the other Thus Monkes first beganne about the time of this King Edmond when straitnes of life with superstition was had in veneration which men either to haue publike fame with men or merit of God gaue themselues to leade a strict life There was a Monastery in Fraunce called Floriake of the rule of Benedict from whence came our English Monkes for after they were professed there returning into England they daily congregated men to their profession and for their outward holinesse and straite life weâ—e in great admiration not onely with the rude sort but with Kings and Princes who founded them Houses maintained their rules and inlarged them with possessions After King Edmund had raigned 6. yeares and a halfe he was slaine and buried at Glastenbury leauing bebing him two children Edwine and Edgar but because they were vnder age Edred brother to King Edmund gouerned as Protector nine yeares with great moderation and fidelity to the young children Edwine eldest sonne of King Edmond was crowned at Kingstone the day of his Coronation he forsooke his Nobles and went into a Chamber to a woman whom he inordinately had retained Dunstone Abot of Gâ—astenbury followed the King into the Chamber and brought him out by the hand and accused him to Odo Archbishop causing him to be separated from her company for which â—act Odo suspended the king out of the Church The king being displeased banished Dunstone who went into Flanders where hée was in the Monastery of Aâ—andus about that time the order of Benedict Monkes or blacke Monkes beganne to multiply in England so that Priests and Canons were put out in many places and Monkes put in their 〈◊〉 but King Edwine for the displeasure he bare to Dunstone so vexed all the Order of the said Monkes that in Malmesbury Glastenbury and other places he thrust out the Monks and set seculer Priests in their steed Edwine being hated of his Subiects for his misdemeaners was remoued from his kingly honour and his brother Edgar receiued in his stéede yet one raigned ouer all on the one side of the Thâ—mes and the other on the other side of the Thames but Edwine after hee had raigned 4. yeares dyed leauing no Heire wherefore all fell to Edgar Edgar at the age of 16 yeares began to raigne but was not crowned vntill 14. yeares after He sent for Dunstone home againe whom Edwin had exiled he was made Bishop of Woster and after of London and not long after of Canterbury By his intreâ—tie to the King Oswoldus was made Bishop of Woster and by his meanes also Ethelwaldus Abbot of Abendon was made Bishoppe of Winchester By the meanes of these thrée Bishoppes the multitnde of Monkes began first to swarme in this Realme of England By the meanes of them King Edgar builded 40. Monasteries and by the instigation of them King Edgar in diuerse great houses and Cathedrall Churches where Prebends and Priests were before displaced them and set in Monkes and many seculer Priests being put to their choyce whether they would change their habit or leaue their roomes departed out of their houses After Oswaldus was made Archbishop of Yorke and then they had their minde and when he by no perswasion could make
cause Henricus surnamed Niger the Emperour displaced these three monsters placing for them Clement the second and Enâ—cted that no Pope shouâ—d be chosen without the consent of the Emperour and the Romanes made an Oth to the Emperour to that effect But the Emperâ—ur being gone they forgot their Oath and poysoned the Pope which 〈◊〉 some impute to Damasus the 2. his successor and some to Erazutus which poysoned six Pâ—pâ—s Damasus within 23. daies after he was Pope was poysoned â—hen the Romaines and Cardinals sent to the Emperour for a Pope who gâ—ue them Leo the 9. He kept two Councels one at Uercellis where the Doctrine of Beriâ—garius against the Real presence was condemned the other was kâ—pt at Moguntia where amongst many decrees Priâ—sts were vtterly excluded from mariage and that no â—ay man â—ight giue â—eniâ—â—ce Bishopricke and Spirituall promoâ—ion Leo being at Wormes with the Emperour on Christmas day hee excommunicaâ—ed the Subâ—eacon for not reading the Episte in Latine the Archbishop being at Masse staid and would goâ— no further vnlesse his Subdeacon were restâ—red whereupon the Pope released him Leo was poysoned by Brazutus the first yeare of his Popedome Victor the â— succeeded him hee kept a Councell at Florence hee deposed diuerse Bishops and Priests for Simony and Fornication of Simony because they were tooke their liâ—ing of Secular mâ—n for moneyâ— for fornication because they were maried In his â—econd yeare he was poysoned also by the said Brazutus by the procurement of Hildebrand his master Stephanus the 9. succéeded him hee was chosen without the Emperour hee accused the Emperour of Heresie for deminishing the authoritie of the Romaine Sea Hée likewise called it Symony for secular men to present to a Spirituall Liuing He sent Cardinall Hildebrand with Commission to reforme the matter in the meane time he tasting Brazutus cup dyed After him the Romaines set vp Benedictus the tenth Pope but Hildebrand perswaded the Clergie to choose Nicolaus the second who by force caused the other Pope to vnpope himselfe Nicolas called the Councell of Lateran in which hée vnderminded the Emperours â—urisdiction and gaue the full authoritie or choosing the Pope vnto a fewe Cardinals and certaine Catholike persons and against such as be Popes without the full consent of the Cardinals he thundreth terrible blasts of excommunication accursing them and their children with denils giuing power to Cardinals with the Clergie and 〈◊〉 to depose such person and call a generall Councell where they will against them In this Councell Beringarius was forced to recant his Doctrine against the Reall presence in the Sacrament and the terme of transubstantiation was there first deuised Hée displaced the right Heire of the Dukedome of Apâ—â—lia and placed Robertus Quistardus to bée Duke and generall Captainâ— of Saint Peters land but it standeth not with the Gospell a Bishop with outward armes to conquer christian men and countries After hee had raigned three yeares and a halfe he met with Brazutus cup and turned vp his héeles Then the Emperour set vp Coralus Pope but Hildebrand set vp Alexander the second who ouercame Coralus Then there was a Councell kept at Mâ—ntus where Alexander was declared Pope and it was concluded that Priests should haue no wiues and those that had wiues should say no Masse no Benefices to bee bought for money Alleâ—uia to bee suspended in Lent that no â—pirituall man should enter into any Church by a Secular man that the Pope should be elected onely by the Cardinals this Alexander being at Masse as hee was preaching vnto the people told them he would not sit in the place except he had the licence of the Empeâ—our which strucke Heldebrand into such a furis that as soone as Masse was done he forced him into a Chamber and beat him with his 〈◊〉 rating him that he would séeke fauour of the Emperour and kept him in Custodie allâ—wing him but twenty pence a day and Heldebrand incroched all the reuenewes of the Church vnto himselfe At lâ—st Alexander vnder this miserable indurance died hauing béene Pope 11. yeares and a halfe THE FOVRTH BOOKE Containing other 300. yeares from WILLIAM the Conquerour to the time of IOHN WICKLIFFE WILLIAM the Conquerour was the base 〈◊〉 of Robert Duke of Normandy Nephew to Kiâ—g Edward after the 〈◊〉 said Uictory against Harald he was receiuer King ouer England and was Crowned vpon Christmas day The yeare before his comming was a great blasing Starre the space of seauen daies he made the Englishmen pay for euery twentie Acres of land 6. â— yearely wherefore many rebelled but he conquered them many of his Lords departed into Scotland wherefore hee kept them that â—aried the straiter Hee gaue the Nomaines the chiefest possessions of the Land hee changed all the temporall Lawes of the Realme and set straite Lawes vpon the Spiritualtie Hee builded foure strong Castles two at Yorke one at Nottingham and another at Lincolne In the 3. yeare of his raigne Harald and Canutus sonnes of Swanus King of Denmarke came into the North Contry but after much spoyle King William chased them to their Ships and he was so displeased with the Inhabitants for fauouring them that he destroyed the Land from Yorke to Duâ—ham so that nine yeares after the Prouince lay waste and vnmanâ—red In the 4. yeare of his raigne Malcoline King of the Scots entred into Northumberland and destroyed the Contry and slew men women and children but within two yeares King William made such warre with the Scots that hee forced Malcome their King to doe him Homage In the same 4. yeare of this King there was holden a Councell of the Clergie at Winchester at which was present two Cardinals from the Pope and the King was there present diuerse Bishops Abbots and Priors by the meanes of the King were depriued without any euident cause that the Normaines might bee proferred vnto the rule of the Church as his Knights were to the rule of the Temporalty Oâ—â— Thomas a Normaine was preferred vnto the Archbishoprick of Yorke and one Lanfranckus an Italian was made Archbishop of Canterbury betwixt them grew a contention about giuing and taking the Othe of obedience but the King appeased it and the Bishop of Yorke builded the Minster of Yorke and gaue possessions thereto But when these two Archbishops came to Rome for their Pale the contreuersie renewed betwixt them for the Primacie the Pope not disposed to decide the matter sent them home to haue their matter determined so the matâ—er came before the King and Clergie at Windsor the Archbishop of Canterbury said Since the time that Austin conuerted this Land to Christianitie and was made Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England by Popâ— Gregory the Primacie hath succéeded there euer since and being Yorke tooks the Christian Faith from thence it was reason it should bee subiect thereto The Bishop of Yorke answered that the Britaines the fiâ—st possessors of this Kingdome which indured from Brutus to
gate of Canossus where fasting from morning to night humbly he desired to be absolued and to come in and speake with the Pope Thus he continued and could not be let in in thrée daies the fourth day being brought to the Pope he surrendred his Crowne and princely ornaments vnto him desiring he might be forgiuen and he would neuer doe against him againe He told him he would not absolue him but vpon condition he should doe such penance as hee should enioyne him and appeare at the Councell when he should send for him and answere there all obiections laid against him and stand to his pleasure whether hee should haue his Kingdome restored or loose it and should doe nothing as a King vntill the cause were tryed and vpon his Oath for performance hereof he was absolued For all this the Pope sent to France for their consents that Rodulphus should be Emperor Then there was sent to Rodulphus bâ—ing Duke or Swâ—â—ia a crowne from the pope with this verie Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodulpho Then he gaue in commaundement to the Archbishop of Ments and of Cullen to elect Rodulphus emperour and annoint him King and defend him with all their strength Whilst this conspiracie was in hand the Emperour was absent and the Popes Ambassadors with him and vnknowne to him Rodulphus was elected Emperour the Bishop of Stasbrough 〈◊〉 Henry the emperour thereof who seeing the Saxons so bent against him marched forward with his Souldiers to defend his right but first sent to Rome requiring the Pope to excommunicate Rodulphus But he minding nothing lesse sent word that he would not condemne any person without hearing the cause so vnder colour of Lawe disappâ—inted Henry who being forsaken on euery side with his men attempted battell with Rodulphus there was great slaughter on both sides but no victory so yet both chalâ—nged the Empire Then they both sent to Rome for the Popes determination to whether of them the Empire appertained the Pope willed them to breake vp their Aâ—mies promising shortly to call a Councell where this matter should be disputed but before the messengers returned they had another conflict but no victory So both being wearied in warre the Romish beast being the cause therof and the Pope perceiuing these warres would be to the great calamitie not onely of Germany but to other Nations deuised another way to helpe Rodulphus sent a Commission to the Archbishop of Treuers and others giuing them in charge to call a Councell to sit at Almany to determine â—he right promising what they determined he by the auâ—horitie of God omnipotent and of Saint Peter and of Sant Paul would ratifie the same but Henry the Emperour would not permit a Councell to be had in Germany except they would first depriue Rodulphus The Legatâ— perceiuing that was against the Popes drift returned The Pope hearing his purpose disappointed drue another excommunication against Henry the Emperour hereauing him of his Kingdome sending them through all places thinking thereby to further Rodulphus part biginning his excommunication with these words Blessed Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles and thou Paul also teacher of the Gentiles giue eare vnto me a little I beseech you and gently heare me c. I take this matter in hand that my brethren whose saluation I seeke may the more obey me and knowe that I trust vpon your defence next to Christ and his mother and thereby resist the wicked and am ready to helpe the faithfull I entred this Seat against my will with teares thinking my selfe vnworthy to occupy so high a Throne I chose not you but you chose me and â—ayd this great burden vpon Our shoulders Then reciting the whole matter of the Story before concludeth therefore â— trusting in the Iudgement and mercie of God and in the supportation of the blessed Uirgin and bold vpon your authoritie meaning S. Peter S. Paul do lay the sentence of Curse vpon Henry his adherents And againe I take his regall Gouernment from him discharging all Christian men of their Oathes to him and forbidding them hereafter to obey him in any thing but to take Rodulphus for their King c. Therefore O blessed Princes of the Apostles confirme this your authoritie that all may know as you haue power to binde and loose in Heauen you haue also power on earth to giue and take away Empires Kingdomes Principaâ—ities and whatsoeuer belongeth to mortall men on earth For if you haue power to Iudgâ— of matters of God how much more of prophane things and if you can Iudge the Angels which rule proud Princes how much more the princes Let all Kings and princes by this example know your power that they may feare to contemne the commaundement of the holy Church Exercisâ— quickly this Iudgement vpon Henry that all may see him fall from his Kingdom not by chance but by your onely worke notwithstanding this I would craue of you that he being brought to repentance through your intercession yet in the day of Iudgement may finde grace with the Lord. Pope Hildebrand further deposed the Archbishop of Rauenna for taking his part commaunding all priests not to obey him and sent another with full authoritie thither Upon this Henry and Rodulphus tryed the matter with sword with much bloud whereas Henry with Gods fauour against the Iudgement of Hildebrand had the victory Rodulphus greatly wounded was carried to Herbipolis where he commanding the Bishops and doers of this conspiracie to be brought to him and lifting vp his right hand which was deadly wounded said This hand gaue the Oath to Henry my prince and hath so often fought against him by your inâ—â—igation but in vaine goe and performe you Oath and alegiance to him your King for I must go to my Fathers and so dyed Henry after his enemy subdued and warres ceased in Germany remembring the iniuries of Hildebrand by whom he was twise excommunicated expulsed from his Kingdome and making sute thrée daies in sharpe winter and could finde no fauour and by him his enemy was incited and ayded against him assembled a Councell of 1083. Bishops at Brixiencâ— where hee purged himselfe and accused Hildebrand of diuerse câ—imes to be an vsurper periured a Nigromaâ—cer a Sorcerer a sower of discord and that his Father had set in diuerse Popes in Rome by his assignement without other election and now this Bishop contrary to his Oath thrust in himselfe without the will and knowledge of him being their King and Magistrate For in the time of Henry the third his Father this Hildebrand and others had tooke a corporall Oath that during the life of him and this Henry his sonne now king they should noâ— presume themselues norsuffer any other to aspire to the Papall Seat without the approbation of the said Emperours Wherefore the aforesaid Councell with one agréement condemned this Gregory that he should be deposed ¶ The Sentence of the Councell of Brixia against Hildebrand BEcause it
Pope the whole matter to whom the Pope writeth againe wee are not a little disquieted in our spirits for your sake being our most déere Brother remember that the Apostles departed away reioycing from the face of the Councell receiue consolation that wâ— may reioice with you in the Lord who hath preserued you in this distresse to the corroboration of the Catholick verity and God through his punishment of afflicâ—ions hath wiped away the blot of your offences that they might not be called to account in the day of Iudgement bee not greeued that you are appealed to the Apostolike Sea which to vs is gratefull and accepted draw not you backe spare not to follow the appeale for the authoritie of the Church of Rome tendreth your constancie our diligence shall bee to preserue the right and preheminence of your Church to you as one working for the Church a constant and valiant Champion I thought good especially to premonish you neither for aduersitie nor whatsoeuer happens renounce not the right and dignitie of your Church The Archbishop sitting with his Crosse in his hand as before was not abashed at al that was the King sent for him presently to render account for thirty thousand markes and fruits and reuenewes of the Realme in the time when he was Chancellor he answered the King knew how often hee had made reckonings of those things and that Henry his Sonne and heyre with all the Barrons and the Lord chiefe Iustice of England told him was frée and quit to god and holy Church from all receipts computations on the Kings behalfe and so taking his discharge entred into his office for other accounts he would make none when his answere was brought to the King he required the Barons to doe their office who adiudged him to be apprehended and laid in prison the King sent the Earl of Cornwall and Deuonshire and the Earle of Leicester to shew him his Iudgement to whom he said heare my Sonne and good Earle how much the soule is more precious then the body so much ought you to obey me rather then your terrene King no Law doth permit the child to condemne their Father wherefore to auoide all your iudgements before you all I appeale to the Sea Apostolicke and as for you my fellow Bishops which rather obey man then God you also I call and claime to the Iudgement of the Pope and I doe depart from you as from the enemies of the Catholick Church and of the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea whilst they returned this answere to the King the Archbishop passed through the throng and tooke horse holding the bridle in one hand and his Crosse in the other the Courtiers followed saying tarrie Traytor and héere thy Iudgement the vtmost gate being locked one of his seruants found a bunch of Keyes trying them found the right and opened the gate he went to the house of the Cannons where hee did lie and calling to him the poore where they could be found after supper he caused a bed to be made him betwixt two Altars but whilst the King was at supper he changed his garments and named himselfe Derman and made an escape to the Sea and taking ship sayled into Flanders and thence iournied vnto France the King sent the Bishop of London and the Earle of Arundell vnto the King of France to require him not to receiue the Archbishop nor retaine him in his Dominion and that he would be a meanes to the Pope not to shew any familiaritie vnto him but the French King contrarie to the Kings Letters and request not only harboured and cherished him but writ to the Pope intreating him vpon all loues as euer he would haue his fauour to tender the cause of the Archbishop Becket The King sent another ambassage to Pope Alexander by the Archbishop of York the Bishops of London Winchester Chichester Exeter with other Doctors and Clarkes with the Earle of Arundel with certaine moe Lords and Barrons they were friendly accepted at the Popes Court the next day following the Pope sitting in the Consistorie with his Cardinals when the Ambassadours were called for the hearing of Beckets matter and the Bishops euery one in order had made his Oration the Pope did not accept some of their spéeches and disdained some wherefore the Earle of Arundell disdained in this manner spake Though I am vnlettered and cannot vnderstand what these Bishops haue said neither can vtter my minde in that tongue which they haue done yet I must declare the cause of my sending as well as I may which was not to contend with or iniury any man especially in presence of such a one at whose beck all the world doth stoope but our Legacie is to present in the presence of the whole Church of Rome the deuotion and loue of our King which hee euer had and still hath towards you and that it might the better appeare to your excellencie hee hath appointed for the furniture of this Legacy his greatest and cheefest subiects of such worthines and parentage that if hee could haue found greater in his Realme hee would haue sent them for the reuerence of your person and holy Church of Rome I might adde more which your Sainctitude hath already proued the harty fidelity of our King towards you who at the entrance to his Kingdome submitted himselfe and all his wholly to your will and pleasure and wee beleeue there is none more faithfull in Christ then he nor more deuout to God nor more moderate in kéeping the vnity of peace neither doe I deny touching the Archbishop of Canterbury a man not vnfurnished with gifts in his calling being both sage and discréete sauing that hee seemeth to some more quick and sharpe then needeth if this blot had not beene the King and he had not discented then both the temporaltie and spiritualty might haue flourished one with the other in much peace vnder so worthy a Prince and so vertuous a pastor therefore our message and supplication to your vigilant prudence is that through your fauour and wisedome the neck of this discention may be broken and reformation of vnitie and loue by some good meanes may be sought But the Pope would not condiscend to their sute which was to haue two Legates sent from his popish side into England to examine and take vp the controuersie betweene the King and the Archbishop but because Becket was absent hee willed them to tarry his comming vp for hee being absent hee would in no case procéede against him but they alledged there time appointed to be ended and hauing other lets they could not waite for the comming of Becket and so returned back there cause frustrated without the Popes blessing to the King Within foure dayes after Becket commeth to the Popes Court offered the pope a scroule of the custome and ordinances of the King the Pope condemned and cursed the most part of them and blamed Becket for so much yeelding to them at the beginning yet
twentie yeares he was deposed and being in prison was striken in with a hot Spit After whom succeeded Edward the third in whose raigne Calis was first wonne and after the French King taken Prisoner and brought into England and ransomed for 3000000. Florens At which time happened the great conflict betwixt the Townes-men of Oxford and the Uniuersitie whereof a remembrance remaineth to this day In whose raigne two Friers Minorites were burned in Auignion and in his raigne was Maister Iohn Wiclife Reader of Diuinity in Oxford THE FIFT PART OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL History containing the Actes of Martyrs ALthough the Holy Ghost raised vp many before Wickliffe to vanquish the great errors which daily did preuaile in the world as Berengarius Bruno of Aniow Oklens the second Valden Marsilius of Padoâ— Iohn of Gandauo Okchammus with diuers others of that schoole yet because they were not very famous nor notable we will begin at Wickliffe at whose time the furious fire of persecution seemed to take his originall In those great and troubelous times and horrible darknes of ignorance what time there séemed in a manner to bee no one so little sparke of pure doctrine remaining this foresaid Wickliffe by Gods prouidence sprang vp throgh whom the Lord would first waken and raise vp againe the world which was ouermuch drowned in the déepe streames of humane traditions when hee had long time professed Diuinitie in Oxford and perceiuing the true doctrine of Christs Gospel to bee adulterate with so many filthy inuentions of Bishops sects of Monkes and dark errors first he began to touch the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in which he tooke much paines protesting in open schoole that it was his purpose to call back the Church from her Idolatry in this point but this sore could not bee touched without the great griefe of the whole world first the whole glut of Mâ—nkes and Fryers were mad with him fighting for their altars panches and bellies after them the Priests after them the Bishops took the matter in hand at last when there power seemed not sufficient to withstand the truth which then was breaking out they ran whollâ— to the thunder-bolts of the Bishop of Rome against them all this valiant Wickliffe happely maintained the cause of the Sacrament prouing it by Scriptures and the ancient Doetors hee refused the Doctors since the thousand yeares after Christ saying that after these yeares Satan was loosed and the life of man hath been most subiect to errors and that the simple and plaine truth doth appeare and consist in the Scriptures when all humane traditions must be referred he proued most stoutly in the Sacrament the substance with bread the accident not to be present As long as King Edward the third liued he was well enough defended by him against all there woluish cruelty yet in the last yeare of his raigne hee was taken by the Bishop of Canterbury at the instigation of the Pope and put to silence in presence of the Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Henry Piercy yet after by the fauour of certaine Noble-men he kept not long silence but King Edward being dead Pope Gregory neuer ceased to moue King Richards minde by his Letters Bishops and Bulles to persecute Wickliffe and his adherents by this meanes the examination of Wickliffe being at hand before the Bishops of Canterbury and London a certaine Noble man called Lewis Clifford comming in amongst the Bishops commanded them that they should not proceede with any definâ—tiue sentence against Wickliffe wherewith they were so amazed and their combes so cut that they had not a word in their mouthes to answere and when the Bishops and Wickliffe were come together in the Archbishops Chappell at Lambeth the Citizens and common people of London by force brake in vpon them and disturbing the Session were not afraid to intreat in the cause of Wickliffe by which meanes he escaped after hee had made a short protestation to be a true Christian and to professe and defend the law of Christ as long as hee breathed and if hee should erre hee would aske God forgiuenes and submit himselfe to the correction of our holy Mother the Church and that hee wouâ—d set forth in writing the Articles hee was now accused for the which to death hee would defend which all Christians especially the Pope and all Priests â—ught to defend for vnderstand the conclusions after the sence of the Scriptures and holy Doctors and I am ready to expound them if they seeme contrarie to the faith The first conclusion of IOHN WICKLIFFE exhibited in the Conuocation of certaine Bishops at Lambeth 1 THat none but Christ was ordained and not Peter and all his off-spring politiquely to rule ouer the world for euer for in the 1 Cor. 15. Then shall the end come when he shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God his Father when hee shall haue made voide all princely dominion it seemeth probable that they defraud her of her reward and vniustly defer to take vengeance vpon the body of the diuell which he hath deserued 2 The substance of the second was that by no power any writing was to be canonized contemning the Scripture this was spoke to one that commended mans writing and contemned the Scripture 3 That euery man in grace iustifying hath not onely right to all things but aboue all the good things of God as appeareth by the 24. of Mathew verily hee shall make him ruler ouer all his goods and in the eight to the Romans God spared not his Sonne but gaue him for vs how then did hee not giue vs all things with him this allureth vs to loue God that hath chosen vs to so many great and true riches 4 None can giue any temporall Dominion or gift but as the Minister of God the Apostle saith Iesus Christ was a Minister let not his Uicar then which should be a seruant of seruants be ashamed to vse the ministerie of the Church for his pride of seculer Dominion with his worldly stile seemeth blasphemie and the aduancement of Antichrist especially where they repute the Scriptures as cockle and the determination of all controuersies of Scripture in themselues 5 As sure as God is the Temporall Lords may lawfully and meritoriously take away the riches from the Church when they doe offend yet I say that it is not lawfull to doe it by the authoritie of the Church and for lacke of some spirituall gouernour and in case when the Ecclesiasticall Minister being strayed from the Catholique faith is to be corected and punished 6 The Uicar of Christ is not able by his Buls of himselfe not by the consent of his colledge to make a man the more able or disable a man that ought to procéed of God but he onely in the Name of God to notifie to the Church whom God hath enabled else he is as presumptuous as Lucifer for in the 1. Cor. 3. All our sufficiency commeth of God 7
to know kéep Gods commandements fearing to offend him and louing to please him hoping stedfastly in his mercy continuing in Charity gladly suffering persecutions by the example of Christ and his Apostles all these haue their names written in the Booke of life The gathering together of these that be aliue is the Church fighting against the fiâ—nd the prosperity of the World and the fleshly lusâ—s and I wil submit my selfe only to the rule and gouernance of them whom after my knowledge I may perceiue by the hauing and vsing of the foresaid vertues to be members of the holy Church These Articles and all other that I ought to beléeue by the word of God I verily beléeue in my Soule and I beleeue that the word of God is sufficient to saluation if I haue erred that I submit my selfe to be â—econciled and I beleeue the authorities of Saints and Doctors as farre as they may be approued by the word of God and no further for any earthly power or dignity Sir I pray shall I lay my hand on the Booke to sweare by it yea said he wherefore else Sir I say a Booke is a thing coupled together of diuers Creatures and Gods and Mans Law is against swearing by any Creature but I will sweare vnto you as I ought by Gods Law but for Charity tell me wherein I shall submit my selfe and wherein you will correct mâ— Bishop I will that you swear to forsake all the opinions of the Sect of Lollards which I shall rehearse after you haue sworne and that you will neither priuily nor openly teach none of them nor fauour none of that opinion but withstand them and them that will not yéeld make knowne to the Byshop of the Diocesse and that thou preach no more vntill I do know that thy hart and mouth accord Thorp If I consent vnto you hereâ—n I should be euery Bishops spy Sommoner of al England yea I should deceiue many persons and be y â— cause of their death bodily and ghostly for many of them that stand now in the truth and are in the way of saluation would rather chuse to forsake the way of truth then to be scorned slandered and punished as Byshops and their Ministers now vse to d ee and I finde not in the Scripture that this office you would now enfeoff me with accordeth to any Priest or Christian therefore to do thus were to me a full noyous band for many trust so mickle in me that I would not doe it to saue my life and they might well account me a Traytor to God and man and that I had faâ—sly and cowardly forsaken the truth and slandered shamefully the Word of GOD If I doe thus for feare of bondcheefe and mischeefe in this life I deeme in my conscience I were worthy to bee cursed of GOD and all his Saints from which keepe me and all Christians Almighty God Bishop Thy heart is full hard indurate as the hart of Pharaoh the Diuell hath blinded thy wits that thou hast no grace to know the truth nor the measure of mercy that I haue proâ—â—ered thee but I say to thee lewd Lossell eyther quickly consent to me or by Saint Thomas thou shalt be disgraded and follow thy fellow â—o Smithfield Thorp I thought with my selfe God did me great grace if of his mercy he would bring me to such an end and my heart was not afraid of his menasing but I considered in him that he was not sorrowfull that he had burned William Santry wrongfully and that he thiâ—steth to shed more innocent blood and I was fast mooued to hold him to be no Priest of God and mine inward Man was departed from him to haue no feare of him and I was right heauy that there was no audience of seculer men by and I prayed the Lord to comfort me against them that were against the sothfastnesse and I purposed to speake no more then my neede behooued All the while I prayed God for his grace to speake with a méeke and easie Spirit and that I might haue authorities of Scriptures or open reason for my words and his Clearks said Why muse you do as my Lord commands you Byshop Hast thou not yet bethought thee whether thou wilt doe as I haue said Thorp My Parents spent mickle Mony about my learning to make me a Priest but I had no will to be a Priest wherefore they were right heauy to mee that I thought to leaue theÌ„ at length I desired that I might go to such as were named wise and of vertuous conuersaâ—ion to haue theâ—â— Councell so I communed with such till I perceiued their honest and charitable workes to passe their fame wherefore 〈◊〉 by the example of the Doctrine of them after my cunning and power I haue exercised me to know perfectly Gods Law hauing a desire to liue thereafter and that others exercised themselues faithfully there abouts Then he sheweth the reasons aforesaid and what would follow if he should forsake so suddenly the learning that he had exercised this 30. winters according to the example of some whose name I wil now recite and according to the present doing of Phillip Rampington now Bishop of Lincolne by Gods grace I will learne by them to fly such slander as thâ—y haue defiled themselues with and as much as is in them they haue enuenomed all the Church of God by their flaunderous reuoking at Paules Crosse and how now Phillip Rampington pursueth Christs people which will not be vnpunished of God Bishop These were fooles and heretickes when they were counted wise of thée and sâ—ch loseâ—s but now they are wise though ye deeme them vnwise Thorpe I thinke they are wise concerning this world I did thinke by their former doings that they had earnest of the wisdome of God and deserued â—â—ckie grace of him to haue saued themselues and many others if they had continued faithfull and in their buâ—â—e fâ—â—itfull sowing of Gods word but woe worth false couetousnesse euill councell and tâ—ranny by which they and many be led blindly to an euill end Bishop Which are those holy and wise men of whom thou hast taken thine information Thorpe Sir master Iohn Wicliffe holden of â—ull many the greatest Clarke then liuing â—usâ—ing rulâ— anâ— innocent in his liuing great men communed oft with him they so loued his learning that they wrote it and bâ—sâ—ly inforced themselues to â—ollow it and his learning is yet holden most agréeable to the learning of Christ and his Apostles and master Iohn Ayston taught and wrote accordingly and vsed himselfe right perfectly to his liues end And sometimes Phillip Rampington Nichols Herford Dauid Gotray of Pakâ—ing and Iohn Puruay and many other which were holden right wise and prodent taught and writ busily his foresaid learning with alâ— these men I was right homely and communed with them but of all other I â—hose to â—ollow Wicliffe himselfe as the most wise and godly man that I heard of or know Some of
worldly goods profit not the Getters but others that comes after as Owles see better by night then by day so the couetous are blinde in heauenly matters and quicke-eyed in earthly matters The Lead is obstinacy the Woman is called Impietie because Piety is lost by Auarice the Pot is couered with Lead which stoppeth in Impiety to shew that Couetousnesse hardeneth the heart that Impiety cannot goe out by repentance the two Woemen that bare the Pot are Pride and Lust of the Flesh which in Scripture are called the two Daughters of the Water each crying bring bring The first Winge is Pride of Spirituall guifts The second Wing Pride of Temporall guifts The Winges of the second Woman be Gluttony and Sloth Doctor Gregorie speaking of Gluttony when the belly is filled the prickes of Lecherie are stirred And of Sloath Doctor Augustine saith Lot was a good man whilst he was in businesse in Sodome when hee was idle in drunkennesse he lay with his Daughters Saint Augustine saith rauening Fishes when they are full be satisfied but onely couetous men cannot bee satisfied he is not affraid of GOD nor ashamed of Men he spareth not Father nor Mother Brother or Friend oppresseth the Widdow and motherlesse Children hee maketh frée men bond hee bringeth forth false Witnesse and occupyeth dead mens goods What madnesse is this to looselife and grace to win damnation and to loose Heauen to win Goâ—d And Innocentius saith how many hath Couetousnesse deceiued for Balacks rewards Balaam would haue cursed Gods people notwithstanding his Asse reproued him Couetousnes made Achan steale the accursed things to the destruction of him and his house Gehesie was stricken with Leprosie for selling a mans health that came by the grace of God Iudas for couetousnes sold Christ and after hanged himselfe Couetousneâ— was the cause of the lying and sudden death of Ananias and Saphira If a rich man haue a whole streete or a great field and a poore man haue an Acre of Land or but one House neere eyther by intreaty or pursuing hee neuer ceasâ—th vntill he hath gotten the poore mans House and Land as Achab and Iezabell sâ—â—w Naball for his Uineyard Saint Ambrose saith to the rich how long will you scratch out your couetousnes will you dwell alone and haue no poore dwell with you why put you out your kinde and challenge the earth which Nature hath made common to poore and rich Nature bringeth forth all men poore naked and needy of meate and drinke without riches or gay clothes and the earth taketh vs naked againe and closeth none of our riches he that maketh difference betwixt poore and rich when they haue lien a little in the graue looke vpon them who was poore and who was rich and thou shalt seâ— no difference in their bones except there be more clothes rotten with the rich then the poore which is a hurt to the liuing and no good to the dead of such extortioners it is written they reape other mens fields and they pluck away the Grapes of the vine of the oppressed they pluck away their clothes and leaue them naked and in that the aforesaid pot was lift vp betwixt heauen and earth sheweth that couetousnesse hath no Charitie to God or Man and they carry the pot to the Land of Synear that is the land of stench or Hell Héere wee should aske how thou hast gouerned thy Wife thy Children and seruants whether thou hast brought them vp in Gods Lawes and continued them therin according to thy power otherwise thou shalt giue an account and to auoide these hard accounts I councell euery one to trust in the mercy of God through Christs demerites with a liuely Faith and repenting heart of thine iniquities and Amend else who shall graunt thee pardon and release of thy accounts Now we will consider who shall call vs to this reckoning before whom and what punishment to the wicked and what reward to the faithfull there bee two Iudgements one at separation of body and soule which is the particular doome and the second at the generall resurrection that is vniuersall to the first we shall be called one after another to the second we shal come altogether in the twinckling of an eye we are called to the first by thrée summons sicknes age death the first warneth the second threatneth the third taketh some are slayne without sicknes or age and the most part without age and there is a sicknes that makes the body feâ—ble and a sicknes of the soule which is generall to all men and the continuance therof is cause of corruption if a man cast all worldly things out of his minde yet can he scantly thinke onely of God a Pater-noster while O God what a sicknes is this to the sonnes of Adam of this sicknes spake S. Paul I see another Law of my members rebelling against the Law of my Spirit as a man looking on the Sunne cannot long indure yet the fault is not in the Sunne for it is most cleere but in the féeblenes of mans eyes so since Adam was put out of Paradice all his off-spring haue been thus sickâ— the second sicknes is of the body as hunger thirst cold heat sorrow wearinesse and many others as Iob saith A man borne of a woman is full of many miseries and is but for a little time there be other sicknesses that happen to some as Feuers Dropsie Blindnes and such like as it is said of the Israelites if thou keep not the comman dements of God I shall increase the sorrows and sicknesses of thy seed but God sendeth such sicknesses sometimes to good men and tribulations for two causes First to know that it is of God and to increase in méekenes of this saith Saint Paul least my great reuelations should extoll me in pride to mee is giuen the pricke of the flesh I three times prayed God it should goe from me he answered my grace is sufficient for my power is manifested in weaknes the Diuell asking Iob to be tempted was heard and not the Apostle asking his temptation to be remooued he heard the damned and heard not him that should bee saued also God sendeth sometime his Saints to giue vs sinners example of patience being we haue deserued much more as Toby came from the Charitable worke of burying the dead Swallowes were suffered to dung in his eyes being asleepe and make him blind it is written that it was for an example of patience to them that should come after and though he euer feared God he was not agreeued with God but feared him still and thanked him alwaies and the sicknesses of wicked men be for two causes first that they should leaue their sinnes and loue God we see often men in sicknesses know God that neuer would turne to him whilst they were whole Also God sendeth sicknes and troubles often to the wicked to make others afraid to folow their sinnes as Antiochus wormes crauled out of his body whilst he
proposition is mine and confirmed by the saying of Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn 2 Saint Paul was neuer a member of the Diuell though he did many things like the malignant Church nor Saint Peter though he horribly sinned in periury and denying his Master Answere It was by Gods permission that they might more stedfastly rise againe and be confirmed I answere according to S. Augustine that it is expedient that the Elect should offend there be two separations from the Church the Elect are diuided from the Church but not to perdition the second is to perdition by the which certaine Heretieks are through there deadly sinne diuided from the Church 3 No member of the Church doth at any time fall away from the body because the Charitie of Predestination which is the bond of the same doth neuer fall Answere this is proued by 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 8. All things turne to good to them that loue God Also I am certaine that neither death nor life can seperate vs from the loue of God c. 4 The Prâ—destinate although he be not in the state of Grace according to present Iustice yet he is alwaies a member of the Church Answere I declared in my booke that there be diuers manners of being in the Church there be some in the Church according to a mishapen Faith and some according to Predestination which are now in sinne but shall returne to grace 5 No degree of dignitie nor election of man nor any sensible signe can make a man a member of the Church Answere I say Predestination maketh vs members of the Church and prepareth for vs grace heere and glory in the world to come and not degree of dignitie nor the election of a man nor sensible signe for Iudas though Christ elected him an Apostle and gaue him Temporall Graces and that he was so reputed of men yet was he a Woolfe in a sheeps-skin as Saint Augustine saith 6 A Reprobate man is neuer no member of the Church Answere It is in my Booke with sufficient long probation of the Psalme 26. and the 5. Ephes. and by Saint Bernards saying the Church of Christ is more plainely his body then the body that was crucified the Church is the flower of the Lord in which is corne and chaffe the Elect and Reprobate 7 Iudas was no true Disciple of Christ Answere This I confesse S. Augustine in his Booke of penance where he expounds 1. Iohn 2. They came out from vs but were not of vs Christ knew from the beginning who should beleeue and him that should betray him and said none commeth to mee except it be giuen him of my Father from that time many departed from him though they were called by the Gospell they were no true Disciples because they did not continue in the word of Christ as it is said if you remaine in my word you bee my Disciples it is euident that Iudas could not be the Disciple of Christ by meanes of his couetousnes For Christ saith except a man forsake that hee hath he cannot be my Disciple therefore because Iudas was a Theefe Iohn 12. and a Diuell Iohn 6. It is euident that Iudas was no true but a fained Disciple Saint Augustine vpon Saint Iohn that Christs sheepe heare his voice saith what manner of hearers were his sheepe Iudas heard him but was a Woolfe yet he followed the shepheard but being clothed in a sheep-skin he laid waite for the shepheard 8 The predestinate whether they bee in the state of grace or no according to there present Iustice is the same Church which hath neither wrinkle nor spot but is holy and vndefiled which Christ calleth his owne Answer In the fift to the Ephesians Christ so loued his Church that he offered himselfe for it I pray you then is there any faithfull man that doubteth that the Church doth not signifie all the Elect the glorious spouse of Christ holy and without spot This is an Article of faith which we ought firmely to beleeue 9 Peter neuer was nor is the vniuersall head of the Church Answere All men agree that Peter receiued of Christ which is the Rock of the Church humility stedfastnesse and blessednes When Christ said vpon this Rock I will build my church he did not meane that he would build euery Militant Church vpon Peter but vpon Christ which is the Rock from whom Peter receiued his Faith for he is the head and foundation of euery Church and not Peter 10 If he that is called the Uicar of Christ follow Christ in his life then he is his true Uicar otherwise he is the messenger of Antichrist the enemy of Peter and Christ and the Uicar of Iudas Answere For this cause Saint Bernard in his fourth Booke did write vnto Pope Eâ—genius thou delightest to walke in great pride being gorgeously arrayed what fruit doth the flooke receiue by thee If I durst say it these be rather the pastures of the Diuels then of sheepe Saint Peter and Saint Paul did not so thou séemest to succéede Constantine and not Peter It followeth in my Booke if thy life be contrary to Peters or giuen to auarice then he is the Uicar of Iudas which loued the reward of iniquity and sold the Lord As soone as they reade the same the Rulers of the Councell looked one vpon another and making mockes and moes nodded their heads at him 11 Priests that vse Symony and liue desolutely haue an vntrue opinion of seuen Sacraments as Bastards and not Children not knowing the Oâ—â—ice of the Keyes of Censures neither of the rights of Cerimonies and seruice of the Church nor of worship of Relikes nor of Orders of the Church nor of indulgences and pardons Answere It is in this manner in my Booke the authoritie is abused by such as sell Orders and get riches by Symony making markets of holy Sacraments liuing voluptuously desolutely a filthy villanous kind of life They pollute the Ecclesiasticall estate and though they professe they know God they deny him indéede and beléeue not in him but as vnbeléeuing Bastards hold a contrary opinion as aforesaid to whom Malachy in his first Chapter saith Vnto you Priests be it spoken which despise my name 12 The papall dignity hath his originall from the Emperors of Rome Answer This is proued by the 96. distinction for Constantine granted this priuiledge to the Byshop of Rome and others after confirmed the same that as Augustus is counted the most high King aboue all others so the Bishop of Rome shall be called the principall Father aboue other Bishops then a Cardinall said in Constantines time there was a generall councell at Nice in which the highest place in the Church was giuen to the Byshop of Rome why did you not then say it tooke his dignity rather from the Councell 13 No Man with reason without reuelation can affirme that hee or any other is head of any particular Church Answere I confesse it but it followeth that he ought to hope
King to be heâ—d of a Kingdome 4 Christ would better rule his Church by his true Apostles dispierced throughout the world without such a monstrous head I answere Albeit that Doctor doth say that the body of the Church is often without a head yet we verily beleeue that Christ is the head of euery Church ruling it without lacke or default powring on it motion and sence euen vnto the latter day then they said behold now hee prophesieth but Iohn Hus said the Church in the time of the Apostles was faâ— better gouerned then now it is 5 Peter was no vniuersall Shepheard of the shéep of Christ much lesse is the Bishop of Rome Answer It appeareth by the words of Christ that he did not limit vnto Peter for his iurisdiction the whole world no not one only Pronince nor to any other of the Apostles some walked through many regions some fewer as Paule trauailed more then all the rest and did coâ—uert more to the Faith of Christ. Wherefore it is lawfull for any Apostle or Uicar to conuert and confirme as much people and as many Prouinces as they are able 6 The Apostles and faithfull Priests of the Lord haue stoutly ruled the Church in all thinges necessary to saluation before the office of the Pope was brought into the Church and would doe so to the end of the world Then they cryed out againe Behold the Prophet Certaine other Articles which were brought vnto IOHN HVS in Prison 1 THE first Article Paul according to present Iustice was a Blasphemer and none of the Church and withall in Grace according to Predestination of eternall life Answer This proposition is not in the Booke but thus as Paul was both a blasphemer according to present Iustice and also a faithfull child of our holy Mother the Church according to Predestination So Iscariot was both in Grace according to present Iustice and withall was neuer of our holy Mother the Church because he lacked Predestination of life euerlasting 2 Christ doth more loue a predestinate Ban being sinfull then any Reprobate in what grace soeuer he be Answere The reason is because the predestinate shall haue perpetuall blessednesse and the Reprobate eternall fire therefore GOD infinitely loueth them both as his Creatures and much more because he giueth them greater graces to wit euerlasting life which is far more excellent then onely grace according to present Iustice and the predestinated cannot fall from Grace for they haue a certaine redicall grace rooted in them although they be depriued of the aboundance of grace for the time 3 All the sinfull according to present Iustice are vnfaithfull swaruing from the true Catholike faith for none can commit deadly sinne but in the point he swarueth from the faith Answer I acknowledge it to be my sentence for if they did beléeue the punishment that shall be laid vpon sinners and had faith of the diuine vnderstanding c. then they would not so offend This is verified by the Prophet Esay Thy fellows are misbeleeuers and fellowes of theeues they loue bribes and are followers of rewards so he calleth them Infidels for their offences also in the first of Titus They confesse they know God but in workes they deny him 4 Iohn 22. Math. 16. and the 18. Receiue the holy Ghost whatsoeuer you shall binde in earth shall be bound in heauen c. Many for lack of vnderstanding shal be terrified by the Priests and be deceiued presuming vpon their power and authority Answer I allow this sentence it is not possible for a Priest to binde and lose except that binding and losing be in heauen but many are made afraid thinking whether they be iust or vniust the Priests may at their pleasures bind them and the ignorant Priests presume to haue such power saying they haue such power to absolue euery man confessing himselfe of what sinne soeuer it be though many sins are forbidden theÌ„ And an Hypocrite may confesse himselfe that is not contrite for his sin whereof proofe is often found is euident because the Letter killeth but the spirit quickneth 5 The binding and losing of God is plainely the cheefe and principall Answere This is verie euident for it were a blasphemous presumption that a man may forgiue an offence to GOD hee not allowing the same for it is necessarie that GOD doe first forgiue before his Uicar can doe the same and no Article of our Faith ought to be more common and knowne to vs then this and whosoeuer granteth this authority to the Pope graunteth he is without sin and that he is God the fact of the Pope proueth this same for alwaies in his Absolutions hâ— presupposeth contrition and confession but vnto true Absolution there is required first contrition secondly the purpose to sin no more thirdly true confession fourthly stedfast hope of forgiuenes the first appeareth by Ezechiel If the wicked repent the second in the 5. and 8. of Iohn Sinne no more the third by Luke shew your selues to the Priests the fourth Christ saith My Son beleeue and thy sins shall be forgiuen 6 The Priests heap vp out of the Scriptures such things as serue the belly but such as pertaine to the imitation of Christ they reiect as impertinent to saluation Answere This Saint Augustine prooueth in his seuenteenth Homily The Haruest is great but there are few Haruest-folke and speaking that which I cannot without gréefe though there be many that would heare good things there lacks such as should declare the same vnto them The world is full of Priests yet there are few Worke-men in the Haruest of the Lord we would be willingly Priests but we do not the office of Priest-hood we are fallen into outward affaires and take vpon vs an office for honor and hire another to ease our labour we leaue preaching we are called Bishops to our paine we retaine the name of honour but not the vertue we daily call for our stipend but care not for our flocke wee gape after earthly things and glory and leaue the cause of God vndone we take vpon vs the place of holinesse and are wholy wrapped in cares and troubles And S. Barnard saith in his 33. Sermon vpon the Canonicals all are friends and all enemies all kinsfolkes and all aduersaries all of an houshold and no peace-makers they are the Ministers of Christ and serue Antichrist they goe honorably honoured with the goods of the Church and yet they do no honor 7 The power of the Pope which doth not follow Christ is not to be feared Answere Subiects are bound willingly to obay their good Rulers and those which are wicked yet if the Pope do abuse his power it is not to be feared as by bondage so his Cardinals as I suppose did not feare Gregory the 12. before he was deposed when as they resisted him saying He did abuse his power 8 A wicked Pope is not the Successor of Peter but of Iudas Answere If the Pope be humble neglecting the
and Ludney within the space of three or foure yeares 120. men and women which sustained great vexation for the profession of Christs Faith whose names are recited in the booke at large the Articles that were generally obiected against them were That auriculer confession is not to bee made vnto a Priest but vnto God because no Priest hath no power to absolue a sinner That no Priest can make the body of Christ in the Sacrament and that material bread remaineth after consecation That euery true Christian man is a Priest to God That none is bound vnder paine of damnation to Lent or other dayes prohibited That the Pope is Antichrist and his Prelates Antichrists disciples and that the Pope hath no power to binde and lose on earth and that it is lawfull to doe any worke except sinne vpon the holy daies That Priests may haue wiues lawfully That the Communications of the Prelates are not to be regarded That it is not lawfull to sweare in priuate causes That men ought no goe on Pilgrimage nor giue honour vnto Images of the Crosse of our Lady or other Saints That holy water hath no more vertue then other water That the death of Thomas Becket was neither holy nor meritorious That relickes as dead mens bones ought not to be worshipped or digged out of graues or set vp in Shrines That prayers made in all places are acceptable to God That men ought not to pray to any Saints but onely to God That bels and ringing in the Church were ordained to fill the Priests purses That it is no sinne to withstand the Ecclesiasticall precepts That the Catholicke Church is only the Congregation of the elect they did so agree in vniforme faith that whatsoeuer one did hold all did maintaine William White being a follower of Iohn Wickliffe yet laboured continually vnto the glory of his spoute Christ by reading writing and preaching The principall points of his Doctrine were these which he was forced to recant at Canterbury That men should seeke for forgiuenesse of sins only at Gods hands that the wicked liuing of the Pope and his holinesse is nothing else but a diuelish estate and heauie yoke of Antichrist therfore an enemy to Christs truth that men ought not to worship Images or other Idolatrous paintings nor the holy men which are deade That the Romish Church is the figtree that Christ cursed because it brought forth no fruit of the true belief That such as weare Coules or are annointed and shorne are the Lance-knights and soldiers of Lucifer and that all of them because their lamps are not burning shal be shut out when the Lord Christ shall come after his said recantation he was much more stronger in Christ and confessed his errour and offence and busying himselfe in preaching and conuerting the people to the doctrine of Christ in Norfolke he was apprehended by vertue of the Kings letters aforesaid and brought before the Bishop of Norwich by whom hee was contemned of 30. Articles and burned the said yeare in Norwich who was of so deuout and holy life that all the people had him in great reuerence One Margery wright confessed if any Saints were to be prayd vnto she would rather pray vnto him then any other when he was come to the stake thinking to open his mouth to exhort the people one of the Bishops seruants strooke him in the mouth Thus he receiued the Crowne of Marterdome to the grife of all good men in Norfolke his wife following his steps by â—er teaching confirmed many in the trueth Wherefore shee suffered much trouble and punishment that yeare By the saide Bishoppe the same yeare also was burned father Abraham of â—olchester and Iohn Waddon Priest for the like Article Amongst them that were arrested and caused to abiure in this yeare as aforesaid was Thomas Pie and Iohn Mendham of Aldborâ—ough who being conuicted vpon diuerse Articles before mentioned were ioyned penance sixe whippings about the 〈◊〉 Church of Alborrough before a solemne Procession sixe seuerall Sundaies and three whippings three seueral Market daies about the Market Place of 〈…〉 heads necks legs and feete bare their bodies onely couered with their 〈◊〉 and breeches either of them carying a taper in his hand of a pound waighâ— which tâ—pe the last Sunday after the Penance 〈◊〉 they should deuoutly offeâ— vnto the high Altar of the Church of Alborrough at the time of the â—ffeâ—tory of the high Masse and that going about the Market plâ—ce aforesaid they shal make foure stays euery one to receiue deuoutly thrée whips and if they would not obey this monition they were to be cited to appeare before the Bishop to shew cause why they should not bee excommunicated and to receiue such punishment as Iustice shall prouide in that behalfe this was their 〈…〉 of penance howbeit some were often more cruelly handled and after banished out of the Dioces and others were more straâ—ly vsed by lâ—ng imprisonment whereof we will briefly rehearse one or two for example Iohn Beuerley alias Batâ—ile a labourer hauing lyeâ— long in Irons and hauing nothing proued against him the Commissary made him sweare that euery yeare after he would confesse is slune once a yeare vnto his Curate and receiue the Sacrament at Easter and for his penance the Friday and Saturday next following hee should fast brâ—ad and water and vpon the Saturday be whipped from the Bishops Palace 〈◊〉 Norwich about all the streets and the Market place hauing in his hand a waxe candle of two pence to offer to the Image of the Trinitie after he had done his penance and because he had eaten flesh on Easter day and was not shriuen in Lent nor receiued on Easter day the Iudge inioyned him he should fast Tuesday Wednesday and Friday in Whitsun weeke hauing but one meale a day of Fish and other white meates and depart out of the Dioces and neuer come there againe Iohn Skilley of Flixton Miller was forced to abiure for holding the Articles aforesaid and for receiuing certaine godly men into his house had a most sharpe penance seauen yeares imprisonment in the Monastery of Langly and to fast with bread water euery Friday and to appeare euery Wednesday in the beginning of Lent and euery Munday and Thursday for two yeares after the seauen yeares before the Bishop his successor and Commissary in the Cathedrall Church of Norwich together with other penitâ—ntiaries to doe open penance for his offence diuerse others the same yeare were forced to abiuration and penance In this next yeare in the same Register were sixteene or seauenteene that were examined and did penance likewise amongst whom was Iohn Baker otherwise called Vsher Tunstall who for hauing a booke with the Pater noster Aue and Creede in English and for other Articles of Fasting Confession and inuocation was constrained to abiure and doe such penance as others did before him Another was Margerie Baâ—kster wife of Willam Backster against whom one Ioane Cliffe and
cast into the riuer of Arâ—e This man foreshewed of the destruction of Florence Rome and the reuenues of the Church and that the Turks and Moores in the latter day should be conuerted to Christ and that one like vnto Cyrus should passe the Alpes into Italy and vtterly destroy it Philip Norice an Irishman professor at Oxford though he was not burned yet he was long time troubled with the religious rout Thomas Norice for the profession of the Gospell was by the Bishop condemned and burned in Norwich Elizabeth Sampson was conuented in the Consistorie of London for saying our Lady of Wildesdon was a burnt arst else and stock and if she could helpe men and women which goe to her on pilgrimage she would not haue suffered her tayle to be burnt and why would she or the Lady Crome that puppet be worshipped It were better to giue almes to the poore then to goe on pilgrimage and that she called the Image of S. Sauiour Sin Sauiour with Kite lips and that she said she could make as good bread as that which the Priest occupied and that it was not the body of Christ for that Christ could not be both in heauen and earth at one time wherefore she was compelled to abiure One Thomas a Priest of Norwich was burned in the village of Eckels When he was in prison by perswasions he was led away from his former opinions wherfore for pennance he went to be burned vpon sharp hurdles made of Thornes Ioane Baker of S. Margets in new Fish-stréete in London for saying to the Parish Priest of Bow that the Crucifixe was not to be worshipped and that she was sorry she had gone so many times on pilgrimage to S. Sauiour and others being they were but Mammots and false Gods and that she could heare a better Sermon at home then at Pauls Crosse and that she said the Lady Yong died a Martire and that Sampsons Wife was punished for saying the truth and that the Pope hath no power to forgiue sinnes she was constrained to abiure One Thomas Bingy an old reuerend man was burned at Norwich because hee had not receiued the Sacrament in 14. yeares and abhorred the Popish kind of administration thereof One Pope a Weauer in Eye an old man about the quarrell of the Sacrament was martired About the same time one Peake was burned at Ipswich because he gaue one of the Sacrament Cakes vnto a Dog the Dog was burned in the fire with him wherat he laughed saying they did the Dog great wrong because he was not abiured for it was the manner that those which they called Heretickes might bee saued if they would recant Complaints of the Germaines to Maximillian the Emperour against the Popes oppression FIrst the Popes think themselues not bound to obserue the Buls and priuiledges granted by their Predecessors but will dispence with and rebuke the same at the instance of euery vile person That the election of Prelats is oft put backe and the election of Presidentship of mony-places obtained with great cost as the church of Spire and Hasels whose Bull for the election of their President is made frustrate in the life of him that granted it That the greatest Ecclesiasticall Dignities are reserued for Cardinals and Notaries That expectatiue Aduousons are graunted without number so that much Money is laid out for such Aduousons and in going to Law for them whereupon is this prouerbe He that will haue an Aduouson at Rome must haue 100. or 200. péeces of Gold for the obtaining thereof that he need noâ— to prosecute Law That yearely Reuenues are exacted without mercy for new Offices and new Seruants That the rule of Churches are giuen at Rome to them that are more fit to féeds Mules That new indulgences are graunted with reuocation of the old to scrape Mony together That tenths are exacted by pretence of making warre against the Turke and no expedition followeth thereon and that the causes which might bee determined in Germany are carried vnto the Court of Rome That it is intollerable to the Germaines to pay so great Aâ—mats for the confirmation of the Byshops and Arch-bishops where the Arch-bishop of Ments was wont to pay but 10000. Florens for his confirmation It was after augmented to 20000. Florens then to 25000. Florens and at last to 27000. Florens And in one Popes time this was seauen times paid out of the Arch-bishopprick of Ments that the Arch-bishop hath beene faine to borrow it of Marchants and to pay them againe forced to exact a Subsidy vpon his poore Husbandmen so that our people are brought to extreame pouerty and mooued to rebellion to seeke their libertie greeuously murmuring against the Cleargy Iames Arch-byshop of Ments said at his death he was sorry for nothing as for that his poore Subiects should after his death be forced againe to pay a greeuous exaction for the Pall therefore let the Pope as a godly Father deale more fauourably with his Children the Germaines least men follow the example of the Bohemians and swarue from him especially let him be more fauorable vnto the Bishops that die so soone one after another whereof there be fiftie Bishoppricks besides many Abbots in Germany that are confirmed at Rome otherwise Germany will want treasure and Munition of warre against their enemies and to preserue peace and minister Iustice to euerie man and banish away murderers and theeues and repaire Churches and Monasteries and Hospitals and other necessaries There were besides these 100. grieuances complained vpon to the Popes Legats in the raign of the Emperor Charles the fift out of which we haue but touched certaine which we thought to be most effectuall First that many things are commaunded and forbidden by mens Constitutions contrary to the commandement of God as innumerable lets of Matrimony and the vse of meats forbidden which are created for mans vse are indifferently to be receiued with thanks-giuing by which Constitutions men are brought into bondage vntill by Money they obtaine dispensations so that Money maketh that lawfull to the rich which is prohibited to the poore by which snares of mens Lawes great summes of Money are gathered out of Germany and it bréeds priuate offences of the poore when they see themselues intangled in these snares onely because they haue not the thornes of the Gospell for so Christ often calleth riches That those that haue receiued Ecclesiasticall orders being free from the punishment of Secular Magistrates doe presume in sinning and are maintained therein by the principall estates of the Cleargy They attempt the chastity of Matrons and Uirgins and by gifts and flattering they bring to passe and by their secret confessions that many which otherwise would liue honest haue beene ouercome and moued to sinne and often they keepe wiues from their husbands and daughters from their Fathers threatning them with fire and sword that require them They offend liuewise daily in robbery murders accusing of Innocents burning
rapine theft and counterfeiting Coyne besides many other mischiefes and the Bishops cannot openly punish them except hee disgrade them and they are bound by their Charters that they dare not punnish them therefore necessity and Iustice doth require that the said priuiledges of the Cleargy should bee abrogated and that they should haue the same iudgement as the Layty for such offences That Christians are excommunicated for vaine and prophane causes for desire of filthy luker whereby the weake in faith are burdened and brought to dispaire where a man ought to be excommunicated only for heresie That there are so many holydaies that Husbandmen haue scarce time to gather the fruits of the earth which were brought forth with so great trauell and vpon these holidaies innumerable offences are committed If any fight or shed blood in any hollowed place it is interdicted and cannot haue any more seruice done in it vntill all the Cittizens with great pompe and expences haue caused it to be now consecrated which charge redound vpon the Laity and none but the Suffragans can baptize Bels who do affirme that Bels so baptized will driue away euill Spirits and Tâ—mpests Whereupon many Godfathers are appointed and such as bee rich at the baptising hold the Bell-rope the Suffragan speaking for them and they all answere and name the Bell it hauing a new Garment vpon it then they goe to sumptuous banquets to which the Gossips are bidden the Suffragan and his Chaplaines are sumptuously fed and yet he must haue a reward that in small Uillages 100. Florens are often spent about such Christenings The Officialls of the Arch-bishops for the most part are vnlearned men and of euill conditions taking thought for nothing but money where they ought to correct the offences of the Laity they burthen them with most grieuous offences and spoyle and robbe them of their goods When causes belonging to the temporall Court are handled in the Spirituall Court the Eclesiastiâ—all Iudges will by no meanes be intreated to remit them to their ordinary Iurisdiction but if the Temporall Court hoâ—d any Pley which belongeth to the Spirituall Court the Iudge shall be excommunicated they say they may take prophane matters into their hands if the ciuill Magistrate bee negligent in executing iustice but contrariwise they will not suffer that the like order shall be kept with them by the ciuill Magistrate if they be negligent and for their vnsatiable desire of money they suffer and mainetaine vsury and they take yearely pensions to suffer the Cleargy vnlawfully to dwell with their Concubines and beget children by them this none can deny except hee will make himselfe as blinde as a mole and if a man and his wife bee long one from another by reason of warre or otherwise the Officialls for money will suffer them to commit adultery calling it sufferaâ—ce not without great offence and contempt of matrimony The Cannons Cathedrall and other Colleagiall Churches which haue power to chuse their Superiour and Bishop they will choose none except he sweare and bee bound by déed insealed that in no matter neuer so greiuous he shall be against them and not to punish any of them if he do offend The Bishops and Officials in some places doe not only suffer Priests to haue Concubines so they pay for them but compell chast Priests which liue without Concubines to pay tribute for Concubines affirming the Bishop to be worthy of such money whereby it is lawfull for them either to kéepe Concubines or no. These and many other Articles were offered vp to the Emperour in the next assembly of the Princes and States at Wormes the Archbishops and other States of the Clergy but hitherto they haue not begunne to amend any thing After Nicholas the fift succéeded Pope Calixtus the third hee ordayned at noone and euening the bell to tole the Aues to helpe the souldiers that fought against the Turkes and for that purpose ordayned the Feast of the transfiguration of Christ solemnizing it with like pardons and indulgences as Corpus Christi day and contrary to the Councels of Constance and Basell hee decreed none should appeale from the Pope to the Councell and he Canonized for Saints S. Edmond of Canterbury with diuers others after him succeeded Pius secundus which was AEneas Siluius whâ—ch wrote the two bookes aforesaid of the Councell of Basill at that time he was a man of indifferent iudgment from which beeing Pope hee swarned seeking by all meanes to abollish the bookes which before he had written The Prouerbs of this Pius THe diuine nature of God may rather be comprehended by faith then by disputation Christian faith is to bée considered not by what reason it is prooued but from whom it procéedeth A couetous man cannot be satisfied with mony nor a learned man with knowledge Learning ought to be to a poore man as siluer to noble-men as gold and to Princes in steed of precious stones An artificiall Oration moueth fooles but not wise men Sutors in the Law be as birds the Court is the bayt the Iudges the nets and the Lawyers the fowlers Men are to be giuen to dignities and not dignities to men The office of a Bishop is heauy but it is blessed to him that doth well beare it A Bishop without learning may be likened to an Asse An euill Phisition destroyeth bodies but an vnlearned Priest destroyeth soules Marriage was taken from Priests not without great reason but with much greater reason it ought to be restored againe He dissolued certaine Nunnes of the orders of Saint Bridget and Saint Clare bidding them depart out that they should burne no more nor couer a harlot vnder the vesture of Religion The Epistle of Hulderick is abridged in this Booke before therefore omitted now After this Pius secundus succeeded Pope Paulus secundus who was wholly set vpon his belly and ambition voide of all learning and a hater of all learned men because his Daughter was reproched for that shee was gotten in fornication Hes went about to reforme the Lawe of the single life of Priests had not death preuented him After him succeeded Sixtus the fourth which builded in Rome Stewes of both kindes and thereby got great Reuenues and Rents vnto the Church of Rome He reduced the yeare of Iubile from fifty to fiue and twenty yeares hee instituted the Feasts of the Conception and of the presentation of Mary and of Anna her Mother and of Ioseph he canonized Bonauenture and Saint Francis for Saints he brought in Beades and made our Ladies Psalter through Alanus and his Order He made two and thirty Cardinals in his time Petrus Ruerius was the first who in two yeares spent in luxurious ryot 200000. Floreines and was left six thousand in debt This Pope licenced the whole Family of the Cardinals to play the Sodâ—mites the three hot monethes Iune Iuly and August After him succéeded Innocentius the eight as rude vnlearned as his predecessor at Polus he caused eight men and
six women with the Lord of the place to be condemned for Hereticks because they said since Peter none was true Uicar of Christ but they onely which followed the pouerty of Christ. Hee condemned of heresie George the King of Boheme and depriued him made his whole stocke to be reiected and gaue his Kingdome to Mathias King of Panonia Pope Alexander the sixt succéeded him Hee receiued two thousand Florens for poisoning Gemen the Turkes brother at Rome Hee sent for help of the Turkes against the French King He was vngratefull to the Cardinals that chose him He commanded Marcinellus one of them to haue his hands and tongue cut off for speaking against his vices After sitting with his Cardinals and the rich Seâ—ators of Rome at dinner his man vnawares bringing a wrong Bottle vnto him he with his Cardinals about him were poisoned In his time the Angel which stood on the top of the Popes Church was beaten down with thunder which thing seemed to declare the ruine of the Pope-dome Pius the third succéeded Pope after him Iulius the second passing all other in iniquitie as he was going to warre he cast the keyes of S. Peter into the riuer Tybris saying being the keyes of Peter would not serue him to his purpose he would take himselfe to the sword of Paul By this Iulius partly with warre partly with cursings in seuen yeares 200000. Christians were destroyed he got many Citties out of Princes hands by bloudshed when he was made Pope he tooke an oath to haue a Councel within two yeares but breaking his Oath he was occupied in warres whervpon nine of his Cardinals departed from him and appointed a Councell at Pâ—sa they alledged the cause for that the Pope was forsworne and that they had diuers other crimes to accuse him of purposing to remooue him from his seate which hee had obtained through bribes and ambition Iulius commanded vnder great paine that none obeyed them the next yéere he called a Councell The French King seeing the Pope take part with the Uenetians against him called a Councell at Thurin in which Councell they agréed that the Pope ought not to war against any Prince without cause and that it was lawfull for the King to defend himselfe against him and that vniust excommunications were not to bée feared After the King sent to the Pope the decrées of the Councell who accursed the French King with all his Kingdome and the next yeare after this warlike Pope dyed The lamentable handling of RICHARD HVN who was priuily murdered in Lolards Tower in London HVN had a Child died in his house the Curate claiming the bearing-shéet for a Mortuarâ— Hun answered The Infant had no property therein whereupon he was cited to the Spirituall Court he sued the Curate in a Premunire and then the Priests of mallice accused him of heresie and brought him to Lolards Tower where he was found dead hanging by the necke in a girdle of silke The Bishop of London called Richard Fitziames and Doctor Horsey his Chancelor said â—e hanged himselfe and the Temporalty said he was murdered The Coronor summoned a Iury and viewed the body and many times they were with the Kings Councell and heard their opinions but in the mean season the Bishop burnt the dead carkase in Smithfield to the abhomination of the people but after the matter had beeâ—e heard by the Kings Iudges and after by the Kings Councell the King being present at lasâ— Doctor Horsey the Chancelor and one Charles the Bel-ringer of Pauls anâ— Ioseph the Bishops Somner were indicted of murder and the said Charles being in the Tower of London of his owne frée will said that Maister Chancelor deuised and wrote with his own hand all the heresies that were laid to Huns charge and that when Richard Hunne was slaine Iohn Bell-ringer bare vp a Waxe Candle and I went next to him and Maister Chancelor came vp last and Hunne was lying in his bed and Maister Chancelor said Lay hands on the Theefe and so all we murdered him and I put the girdle about his necke and Iohn Bell-ringer and I did heaue him vp and maister Chancelor pulled the girdle ouer the staple and so Hun was hanged The said Charles told Iulian Little his maid he killed him by putting a Wyer vp into his nose Before that time the Chanceller commaunded to be put vpon Huns necke a great coller of Iron with a great Chaine which is to heauy for any man or beast to weare and long to endure And before Huns death the Chanceller came into the Lolards Tower and kneeled downe before Hunne holding vp his hands and asked him forgiuenesse of all he had done and must doe to him And on the Sonday before the night in which he was destroyed he caused the Penitentiary of Paules to go to Hun and say a Gospell and make for him Holy Water and Holy bread and giue him which was done The Bishop did all he could by word or writing to the King and Cardinals and the Councell to smother the matter affirming that he hanged himselfe and that the Iury was forsworne and that the said Charles spoke that which he had done as before by reason of durance of imprisonment and that if the King and Councel should fauour this matter he should not be able to goe abroad for Heretickes and by the meanes of him and the spiritualty and money the Chancelor caused the Kinges Atturney to confesse on his arraignement him not to be guilty so he escaped to Excester and for shame neuer durst after come to London The Historie of Doctor VVESALIANVS THis Wesalia was complained vpon to Piorherus Archbishop of Mentz by the Thomists which is an Order holding of Thomas de Aquino The Bishop made him answer he should giue vp all his workes and writings which he had made and preached This being done they deuided them amongst themselues that euery man might finde out what errours and heresies they could His Articles and opinions were these That all men be saued fréely and through méere grace by faith in Christ Iesus frée-will to be nothing only that we should beléeue the word of God and not the glosse of any man or fathers that the word of God is to be expounded by the collation of one place with another that Prelats haue no authoritie to make lawes or expound the Scriptures by any peculiar right more then another that mens traditions as Fastings Feasts long prayers Pilgrimations and such like are to be reiected Extream vnction and confirmation to be reproued confession and satisfaction to be reprehended the primacy of the Pope he also affirmed to be nothing Upon which Articles this Wesalia by a generall assembly was condemned and his books to be burned He bring required of the Councell what he thought of the Uicar of Christ in earth He said he beléeued that Christ left no such Uicar in earth for ascending into heauen hee said Behold I am with you c. By
the houses in Wormes The fourth or fift day after he came to Wormes he was enioyned at foure of the clock in the afternoone to appeare before the Emperor Dukes and other estates of the Empire to vnderstand the cause he was sent for And standing before them he was commanded silence vntill he was interrogated Then was asked him whether those books were his which were written in his name a great company of them lying before them and if they were thine whether thou wilt recant and reuoke them and all that is contained in them or rather meanest to stand to that which is written in them Then Luthers Aduocate desired that the titles of the books might be read which was done Luther answered Hée could not but acknowledge those bookes to be his and that he would neuer recant any clause thereof and for the iustifying of them he desired some time to consider because there be questions of faith and the saluation of the soule wherein it were dangerous and a rash thing to pronounce any thing without good aduisement After they had consulted the Officiall said Though thou doest not deserue to haue opportunity giuen thée to determine yet the Emperour of his méere clemencie gâ—anteth thée one day to morrow at this time thou shalt render before him conditionally thou do not exhibit thine opinion in writing but pronounce the same with liuely voyce At which time when he was appointed to answer he answered to this effect All my books are not of one sort there be some in which I haue so simplie and Euangelically intreated of the religion of faith and honest conuersation that my very enemies are compelled to confesse they be profitable and worthy to be read of all Christians and the Popes Bull iudgeth certaine of my books inculpable if I should reuoke these I should condemne that truth which friends and foes confesse There is another sort of my books which containe inuectiues against the Pope and doctrine of the Papists as against those which haue corrupted all Christendom bodily and spiritually with their pestiferous doctrine and pernicious examples for I cannot dissemble this when the vniuersall experience and common complaint of all beare witnesse that the consciences of all faithfull men haue béen most miserably intrapped vexed and most cruelly tormented by the Popes lawes and doctrine of men and further their substance deuoured specially in this famous Countrey of Germanie If then I should reuoke these I can doe none other but augment force to their tyrannie and not only open windowes but wide gates to such an infernall impietie the which will extend more wide and with more libertie then yet she durst and by the testimonie of this my retractation their insolent and malitious Kingdome shall be made most licentious and lesse subiect to punishment If I Luther should do this by the authoritie of your most excellent maiestie The third sort of my books I haue written against priuat persons such as with tooth and nayle labor to protect the Romish tyrannie and deface true religion which I haue taught and professed I confesse against these I haue been more violent then my profession required if I should recant these it would come to passe that tyranny and impietie shall raigne sâ—pported by my meanes â— Neuerthelesse as Christ when he was examined of his doctrine before Annas and hauing receiued a buffet of the Minister said If I haue spoken ill beare witnesse of the euill If Christ which was assured he could not erre refused not to haue testimony giuen against his doctrine how much more I that cannot but erre ought earnestly to intreat if any will beare witnesse against my doctrine and if any can by Scripture conuince me of error I will reuoke any manner of error and be the first that shall consume my books with fire I conceiue no greater delectation in any thing then when I behold dissentions stirred vp for the word of God for such is the course of the Gospell as Christ saith I came not to send peace vpon the earth but a sword I came to set a man at variance against his father And we must thinke our god is terrible in his Councels against his aduersaries lest the condemning of the word of God turne to a huge Sea of euils lest the Empire of this yong and bounteous Prince Charles bee lamentably and miserably begun I could amplifie this with authorities of Scripture and Pharo the King of Babylon and the Kings of Israell who then most obscured the bright Sunne of their glorie and procured their owne ruine when they attempted to pacifie their Realmes in this manner Then the Emperours Ambassador checked Luther saying he had not answered to any purpose and that he ought not to call in question things long time agoe defined by generall Councels therefore they required whether he would reuoke or no. Then he answered If I be not conuicted by testimonies of Scriptures and probable reasons for I beléeue not the Pope nor his generall Councels I will not nor may not reuoke any thing for it is vngodly to doe against my conscience Then the Embassador replied if all such as impugne that which was decréed by the Church and Councels may once get this aduantage to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing established in Christâ—ndom Luther answered the Councells oft gainsaid themselues and that he was able to proue that Councels haue erred and night approaching the Lords arose and after Luther had taken his leaue of the Emperor diuers Spaniards scorned and scoffed at him hollowing and whopping after him a long time After there were bills set vp against Luther and others with him but this was subtilly done of his enemies as it was thought that there might be occasion offered to infringe the safe conduct giuen him the which the Romane Embassador with all diligence indeuoured to bring to passe When he was sent for to the Archbishop of Triers they protested vnto him they sent not for him for disputation but beningly and brotherly to exhort him and they said though the Councels had erred yet their authoritie was not thereby abased neither was it lawfull for euery man to impugne their opinions and that Decrées Traditions of men and Ceremonies were established to represse vices according to the qualities of times and that the Church could not be destitute of them the trée is knowne by his fruits These lawes haue much profited And they alleadged that Luthers books would breed great tumult and incredible troubles and that he abused the common sort with his booke of Christian liberty incouraging them to shake off their yoake and to confirme in them a disobedience and that now the world was at another stay then when the beleeuers were all of one minde And albeit he had written many good things and doubtlesse with a good spirit yet now the Diuell hath attempted by wily meanes that all his works for euermore should be condemned and by these last workes
it is easie to know the tree by the fruit not by the blossomes often repeating in his Oration that this admonition was giuen of singular good will and great clemâ—ncie in the shutting vp of his Oration he added menasings that if he would abide in his purposed intent the Emperour would exterminate him his Empire Luther answered to this effect That the Councell of Constance had erred in condemning this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the communion of the predestinat and that we ought rather to obey God then man There is an offence of faith and an offence of charitie the slander of charity consisteth in manners and life the offence of faith and doctrine consisteth in the word of God and they commit this offence which make not Christ the corner stone And if Christs sheepe were fed with the pure pasture of the Gospell and the faith of Christ sincerely preached and if there were good Eclesiasticall Magistrates who duely executed their office wee should not néede to charge the Church with mens traditions And that hee knew and taught that wee ought to obay the higher powers how peruâ—rsly soeuer they liued so that they inforce vs not to deny the word of God Then they admonished him to submit himselfe to the Emperour and the Empires Iudgment hee answered hee was well content so that this were done with authority of the word of God and that he would not giue place except they taught sound Doctrine by the word of God and that St. Augustine writeth hee had learned to giue honor onely to the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and touching other Doctors though they excell in holinâ—sse and learning hee would not credit them vnlesse they pronouced truth and St. Paule saith proue all things follow that which is good and againe if an Angell teach otherwise let him bee accursed finally hee meekely besought them not to vrge his conscience captiued in the bands of the word of God to deny that excellent word After the Arch-bishop sent for Luther to his Chamber and tould him for the most part that at all times holy Scriptures haue ingendred errors and went about to ouerthrow this proposition that the Catholike Church is the communion of Saints presuming of cockle to make wheate and of bodily excrements to compact members Martin Luther and one Ierome Schuâ—ffe his companion reproued their follies Hee was oftentimes assayled to reforme the censure of his bookes vnto the Emperour and Empire or to the Generall Councell which he was content to doe so they would iudge them according to the word of God otherwise not aleaging the words of the Prophet trust you not in Princes nor in the children of men wherein is no health also cursed be hee that trusteth in men and when newes came hee should returne home hee sayd euen as it hath pleased God so it is come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed and sayd hee thanked the Emperour and Princes that they had giuen him gracious audience and graunted him safe conduct to come and returne and said hee desired in his heart they were reformed according to the sacred word of God and sayd hee was content to suffer any thing in himselfe for the Emperour but only the word of God he would constantly confesse vnto the latter end About a yeare after this Luther dyed when hee had liued almost thrée score and thrée yeares and had béene Doctor thrée and thirty yeares hee sayd at his death O heauenly eternall and mercifull Father thou hast manifested in mee thy deare Sonne Christ I haue taught and knowne him I loue him as my life health and redemption whom the wicked persecuted maligned and iniured drawe my soule to thée and saâ—d thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redéemed me God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely Sonne that all that beleeue in him should haue eternall life and so he dyed whose death was much lamented In the yeare 1516. the aforesaid French King receaued from Pope Leo a Iubile and pardons to be sould and so in England vnder the pretence of warre against the Turke they perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue tenne shillings should deliuer his soule from the paine of Purgatory but if it lacked any thing of tenne shillings it would profit them nothing at that time Martin Luther was in Germany who vehemently inueyed against these indulgences agaâ—nst whom Iohn Eckius put forth himselfe they disputed before the people at last eyther of their arguments were sent to Paris to bee iudged by the Sorbonists the iudgment was long protracted In the meane time Pope Leo condemned Luther for Heresie and excommunicated him he appealed to the next Councell Pope Leo commanded Luthers bookes to bee burned openly Luther also burned the Popes decrees and Decretalls in the Uniuersity of Wittenberge In the yeere 1517. the Pope hauing creaâ—ed one and thirty Cardinalls thunder and lightening so strake the Church where the Cardinalls were created that it stroke the little child Iesus out of the lappe of his mother and the keyes out of St. Peters hands being Images in the Church of Rome In the yeare 1519. newes was brought to Pope Leo at supper that the Frenchmen were driuen out of Italy hee reioycing said God hath giuen me thrée things I returned from banishment with glory to Florence I haue deserued to bee called Apostolike and thereby I haue driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy as soone as he had spoken hee was stricken with a suddaine feuer and dyed shortly after What Godly man hath there euer beene for this fiue hundred yeares either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disproued the misordered and corrupt examples of the Sea and Bishop of Rome from time to time vntill the comming of Luther yet none euer could preuaile before the comming of this man the cause to bee supposed is this other men spake but against the pompe pride whoredome and auarice of the Pope Luther went further with him charged him with his Doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote charging him with plaine Heresie as resisting against the blood of Christ for whereas the Gospell leadeth vs to bee iustified onely by the worthinesse of Christ and his bloud the Pope teacheth vs to séeke our saluation by mans merits and deseruings by workes whereupon rose all the Religious sects some professing one thing some another euery man seeking his owne righteousnes but Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darkenesse to behold that glorious benefit of the great liberty frée iustification set vp in Christ Iesus but the more glorious this benefit appeared to the world the greater persecution followed the same and where the Elect tooke most comfort of saluation the aduersaries tooke most vexation according as Christ sayd I came not to send peace but a sword therefore so great persecutions in all the world followed after Luther but in no
communed with him and was afraid to goe home the King deliuered him his Signet for a Token to deliâ—er to the Cardinall that he should not trouble him The Cardinall answered Though this discharged him yet he had no discharge for his Wife and sent for her and had troubled her if herâ—Daughter had not béene sicke of the plague of which sicknesse the said Fish within halfe a yeare after dyed and she marryed one Baynham which after was martyred as followeth in this Story To preuent the spreading abroad of this Libell there was a prohibition sent out â—y the Bishop of London for calling in this the New Testament and diuers other Books translated into English the names whereof because they are many I omit and leaue you to the booke at large King Henry about the twentith yeare of his raigne made an Oration vnto his Commons that though it had pleased God to send him a faire Daughter of a Noble woman and of him begotten to our great comfort and ioy yet it hath beene told vs by diuers great Clarks that neither she is Our lawfull Daughter nor her Mother Our lawfull wife but that we liue together abhominably in open adultery and when our Ambassadors were last in Fraunce motion was made that the Duke of Orleans should marry our said Daughter One of the chiefe Councellors said it were well done to know whether she be his lawfull Daughter or no because hee begat her on his brothers Wife which is directly against Gods Law Thinke you my Lords that these words touch not my body and soule and that it doth not daily and hourely trouble my Conscience I doubt not but euery one of you would seek remedy when the perill of your soule and losse of your inheritance is laid vnto you For this cause I haue asked Councell of the greatest Clarkes in Christeâ—dome and for this cause I haue sent for this Legate as a man indifferent to know the truth and settle my conscience and if the Queene be adiudged by the Lawe to bee my lawfull Wife it would be the most acceptable thing in my life both to cleere my conscience and for the good qualities which I know to bee in her besides her Noble parentage as almost this twenty yéeres I haue tried so that if I went to mary againe the mariage lawfull I would choose her before all women if the marriage proue vnlawfull I shall sorrow the departing from so good a Lady and louing a companion but much more lament that I haue so long liued in Adultery and haue no true heyre of my body to inherit this Realme Therefore I require you to make our minde knowne to our Subiects that they may pray for vs. The Quéene hearing thereof answered it was a great maruell that they would make question of this now after they had béene married twenty yeares and no question in the meane time and that all the learned at the time of the marriage did conclude it was lawfull and that both their fathers being so wise did not foresee it if there had béene any such doubt and the King my father sent to Rome and with great costs obtained a dispensation that I beeing one brothers wife procarâ—ally knowne might without scruple of conscience marry with the other brother lawfully which licence vnder lead I haue yet to shewe but I may thanke you my Lord Cardinall onely for this trouble this is of malice because I haue wonâ—red at your high pride and abhorred your voluptuous liuing and little regarded your tâ—ranny and for the malice you beare to my Nephew the Emperour because he would not make you Pope by force and the Quéene appealed to the Pope The King to try out the matter sent first to the Pope then to most part of alâ— Uniuersâ—ties first the Pope sent his two Legats Wolsey and Campeius to hearâ— and decide the Case they cited the King and Quéene personally to appeare or else by Proctors at the day the Legats with their crosses axes and pillers were set the King was ready to heare the determination requiring to haue an end notwithstanding from month to month they detracted the matter vntill August the King not taking it well to bee so vsed sent the Dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke vnto the Legats requiring them to hasten an end and to deferre no longer it is the manner of Rome about the beginning of August during the Dogge dayes to haue a solemne vacation in which neither Schooles bee vsed nor any Terme kept Cardinall Campeius pretending the order of Rome whereof he was a member answered hee neither could nor would goe against the ordinance thereof and before October he would procéed no further in the cause tâ—e Dukes séeing their pretended excuses and that by no wayes they would be intreated burst out in open defiance the Duke of Suffolke clapping his hands on the table sware by the Masse there neuer came Legate or Cardinall from Rome to doe good in England so in anger they departed from the Cardinall the King for quietnesse was content to tarryâ— vntill October but before October came Campeius was called home by letters frâ—m the Pope so the matter was left vndiscussed the King seeing himselfe thus deluded sent againe to Pope Clement desiring to hâ—ue an answere of the cause the Popâ— would take a pause and after send him word Twelue Uniuersities agreed in one consent that the mariage was vnlawfull and repugnant to the word of God and that no man is able to dispence with it but nothing was heard of from Rome wherefore the King assembling his Parliament sent the Lord Chancellour with twelue of the vpper house to notiâ—â—e the determinations of the Colleages as afore said vnto the lower house And the same yearâ— the King sent out a Proclamation for the abollishing of the Pope and establishing of the Kings Supremacy and hee brake off with the Cardinall and caused him to be attainted in Premuâ—ire and to bee apprehended and the Clergy maintaining thâ— power Legatiue of the Cardinall incurred the like premunire wherefore the Spirituall Lords were called by processe into the Kings Bench to answere but beforâ— the day of appearence they submitted themselues to the King offered him an hundred thousand pounds to pardon them by Act of Parliament and offered him the Title of Supreme head of the Church of England which they would neuer confesse beâ—ore whereby the Pope by the prouâ—dence of God lost his whole Iurisâ—iction anâ— Supremacy in England Patricke Hamelton a Scottish man hee was of the Kings bloud and family beeiâ—â— of the most ancient and Noble stocke and name in Scotland was of the Uniuersity of Marpurge in Germany he openly procéeding so intreated and iudged of matters of the Church with such praise as passed the expectation of his age that he made the common people and learned to admire him Francis Lambert in his Preface Dâ—â—icatory maketh mention of him then he tooke a companion with him and retâ—â—ned home
for that being besides his wits by chance he came into a Church where a Priest was saying masse and was come to the holding vp and shewing the Sacrament Collins in like manner took vp a little Dogge holding it ouer his head shewing him vnto the people wherefore hee was condemned and burned and the Dogge with him LEYTON and PVTTEDVE LEyton was a Monke of Aye in Suffolke and was burned at Norwich for speaking against a certaine Idoll which they of Aye were wont to carry about in processions and for affirming both kindes in the Sacrament and Puttedue comming into a Church merily taunted the Priest that after he had drunke vp all the wine alone he blessed the hungry people with the empty Chalice wherefore hee was condemned and burned Cowbridge THis Cowbridge came of a good stocke his auncestors euen from Wickliffes time hetherto had been alwaies fauourers of the Gospell and addicted to the setting sorth thereof in English Hee was borne in Colchester his Father was head Bayly thereof hee was burned at Oxenford for affirming that euery poore Priest being neuer so poore and needy being of a good conâ—ersation hath as great power and authoritie in the Church of God and ministration of the Sacraments as the Pope or any other Bishops they almoststerued him whilst hee was in prison in Bocardo and a little before his examination they promised him meate if at his execution he would say such things as they would minister vnto him which he promised to do whereupon he was well cherished and recouered some part of his sense When he was come to execution contrary to their expectation often times calling vpon the Name of the Lord Iesuâ— with great quietnesse and méeknesse he yéelded his spirit into the hanâ—s of the Lord. This yeare one Peter a Germaine and another with him constantly indured death by the fire at Colchester for the Lords Supper Fryer Forrest hanged for Papistry HE was an obseruant Fryer and had secretly in confessiâ—ns declared to certaine of the Kings Subiects in confessions that the King was not supreame head of the Church and being examined how he could say the King was not supreme head being sworne to the contrary he answered he took his oath with his outward man and his inward man neuer consented thereto he was further accused of diuers damnable Articles conuicted after he was hanged in Smithfâ—eld aliue in chaines by the arme-holes and middle and fire made vnder him and so he was consumed to death There was a scaffold prepared for the Priuy Cauncell and the Nobles to sit on to graunt him pardon if he repented there was also a Pulpit where Mâ—ster Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester declared his errours and conâ—uted them by Scripture with many exhortations to repent but he would neither heare nor speak A little before the execution a great Image was brought out of Wales to the gallows which was called Daruell Gatheren whom the Welch-men much worshipped and had a prophesie amongst them That this Image should set a whole Forest on fire which took effect for he set this Forest on fire consumed him to nothing When the Frier saw the fire comming vnto him he took hold on the ladder and would not let it goe but died so vnpatiently as neuer did any that put his trust in God Certaine Iniunctions giuen out in the thirtieth yeare of King HENRIES raigne AGainst printing and bringing from beyond Sea any books and offering to sell them without acquainting the King or some of his Councell first vpon paine of forfeyting their goods and chattels and their bodies to be imprisoned at the Kings pleasure That there shall none argue about the Sacrament of the Altar vpon paine of death and loosing their goods except it be the learned in Diuinity in their schooles and appoyâ—ted places for such matters And that holy bread holy water and procession creeping to the Crosse setting vp of lights before the Corpus Christi bearing of candles on Candlemas day Puriâ—â—cation of women deliuered with childe offâ—ring of Chrisomes kéeping of the foure offering dayes paying their Tithes these to be obserued vntill the King doe abrogate any of them Married Priests to be counted Laymen and loose their Spirituall promotion That all Cleargy men should diligently in their cures preach and teach the people the glory of God and the truth of his word declaring the difference betwixt the things that God commands and the rightes and ceremonies then vsed least the people thereby grow into further superstition And that Thomas Becket was a trayâ—or and not a saint his Images to be plucked downe in euery place and his holy dayes not to bee kept and that the Anthiphens Collects and prayers to him be not read but raced out of the bookes Launcelot Iohn a Painter Gyles Germaine Iohn Painter and Gyles Germaine were accused of Heresie and whilst they were 〈◊〉 examination at London before the Bishoppe and other Iudges by chance there came one of the Kings guarde one Launcelot a tall man and of as goodly a mind hee standing by séemed by his gesture to fauour the cause and the poore men whereuppon he was apprâ—hended examined and condemned with them and the next day at â—â—ue of the clocke in the morning was burned in St. Giles in the fields Sir Iohn Bortrucke a Scotish Knight his confutation of certaine Arcicles vpon which hee was condemned by the Cardinall and most of the Nobles and chiefe of Scotland FIrst touching the Popes Supremacy these holy ones magnisse their Lord as common theâ—ues preâ—erre their Captaines calling them euery where most honest men for it is euident that none in the whole world is giuen to more ryot noâ— séeketh more gréedily to all kind of delicates and wantonnesse and aboundeth with al vices as treason murther rapine and all kind of such euills as He. And where they affirme him to bee Christ Uicar on earth it shall appeare that he cannot exercise more power then other Bishops for whereas they say Peter had power ouer the Apostâ—es and consequently ouer the whole Church the which power succéeds to the Bishop of Rome but by the Scriptures wee may easily sée how 〈◊〉 they lie in the Councell in the 15. of the Acts Peter heard them speake theiâ— minds receaued their Iudgment and followed their decree is this to haue powâ—r ouer others and in his first Epistle writting to the Bishops and Pasâ—ors he saith â— beséech the Bishops and Pastors which are amongst you for so much as I my selfe 〈◊〉 also a Bishop and witnesse of the afflitions of Christ partaker of the glory which shall be reuealed that they diligently feed the flocke committed vnto them why then doe they challenge the authority of S. Peter which he neuer acknowledged in himselfe I doubt not but it Peter were here he would rebuke their madnes as Moses did Iosua which was so zealous towards him And in the eight of the Acts he is
nor old Law therefore said the Bishop I will know nothing but my portous and my pontificall if you forgoe not these fantasies you shall repent it Thomas said my cause is iust before God and I passe not what followeth thereon After he was summoned by the Cardinall of Saint Andrewes and the said Bishop of Dunkelden and with him were summoned Frier Iohn Kellow Frier Beuarage Duncane Simson Priest Robert Foster a Gentleman with thrée or foure other men of Striueling who at theiâ— day of apparance were condemned to death without any place of recantation because they were chiefe hereticks and teachers of heresies and because many of them were at the marriage of the Priest of Twybody and eate flesh in Lent at their Bridall and they were all together burnâ—d vpon the Castle Hill of Edenbrough where they comforted one another merueilously The Persecution of certaine in the towne of Perth THere was an Act of Parliament in the gouernment of the Earle of Arrai giuing priuilege to reade the scriptures in their mother tongue but secluding al conference thereof wherby y â— eyes of the elect of God were opened to sée the truâ—h and abhorre Papisticall abhominations at which time Fryer Spencer preached that Prayers made to Saints were necessary and without it no hope of saluation Then Robert Lambe a Burges of Perth accused him opâ—nlâ— in the Church of erronious Doctrine and adiured him in Gods name to vtter the truth whereupon trouble and tumulâ— of people arose so that the said Robert with great danger of his life escaped euen the Women addressed themselues to great cruelty against him Shortly after the Cardinall and the Earle of Argile sat about the matter before these persons were brought Robert Lambe William Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Rauelson Iames Fouleson and Hellen Sirke his Wife and the next day were condemned to death by an Assize for violating the foresaid Act of Parliment by conferring together of the Scripture and for that the said Robert Lambe William Anderson and Iames Raueleson hanged the Image of Saint Francis in a cord nayling Rammes hornes to his head and a Cowes rump to his taâ—le and for eating a Goose of Alhollow Eue and Iames Hunter for kéeping company with thâ—m Heâ—len Sirke for saying Mary merited not by workes to be the Mother of Christ and to be preferred before other Women but Gods free mercy â—xalted her to that estate Iohn Raueleson for setting vp in his house a triple Crowne of Saint Peter which the Cardinaâ—l tooke to be done in mockage of his Cardâ—nals haâ— At the place of execution Robert Lambe exhorted the people to feare God and to leaue the leauen of Papisticall abhominations and prophesied of the ruine of the Cardinall which after came to passe and comforting one another that they should sup together in the Kingdome of heauen The Woman desired to die with her Husband but was not suffered then she kissed him saying We haue liued together ioyfull daies but this day is most ioyful because we must haue ioy for euer I will not bid you God night for we shall all this night méete with ioy in heauen The condemnation of GEORGE VVISHARD Gentleman and his Articles before the Cardinall of Scotland and others 1 TOuching Preaching when he was forbidden hee answered I haue read in the Acts of the Apostles that it is not lawfull to desist from preaching the Gospell for menaces of men therefore it is written wee must rather obey God then men and I beléeue that the Lord will turne your cursings of mee vnto blessings and as in the second of Malachy I will curse your blessings blessâ— your cursings 2 He affirmed the mouing of the body outward of the Priest at Masse without the inward mouing of the heart is but the playing of an ape and not the seruing of God who must be honored in spirit and verity 3 That auriculer confession hath no promise of the Euangell and therefore it cannot be a Sacrament but there are many testimonies of confession made to God 4 As none will make marchandise with one of a strange Language except that he doe vnderstand the promise made by the Stranger So I would that we vnderstood what wee promise in the Name of the Infant to GOD in Baptisme then saide one Bleiter a Chaplaine Theâ— hast the Deuill and Spirit of errour then said a Child the Deuill cannot speake such words as he doth 5 The lawfull vse of the Sacraments is most acceptable vnto God but the great abuse is very detestable vnto him I once met with a Iew as I was sayling on the Sea I inquired of him what was the cause of his pertinacy that he did not beléeue the true Messias was come being that he saw the prophesies of him fulfilled and the Prophesies and the Scepter of Iuda was likewise takâ—n away He answered me When the Messias commeth he shall restore all things and he shall not abrogate the Law giuen vnto our fore-fathers as yee doe for we sée the poore almost ready to perish for hunger amongst you and you pitty them not and amongst vs Iewes though we are poore there are no beggars found And it is forbidden by the Law to faine an Image of any thing in Heauen or Earth but onely to honour God but your Churches are full of Idols and ye adore a péece of Bread baked vpon the ashes and that it is your God then the Bishops shooke their heads and spitted on the earth 6 He reproued coniurings and exorcismes of holy Water and said that they were contrary to Gods word 7 Saint Peter saith God hath made vs Kings and Priests and againe hee hath made vs a kinglie Priest-hood therefore I affirme that any man cunning in the Word of GOD and the Faith of Christ he hath power from God by the Word of God to binde and lose and a man that is not conuersant in Gods Word nor constant in Faith what estate or order soeuer he be of hath no power to binde or lose being he wanteth the word of God the instrument to binde and lose with 8 Touching fréewill he said as many as firmely beléeue in Christ haue liberty as in the 8. of Iohn If the Sonne make you free then verily shall you be free but as many as beleeue not in Christ are bond seruants of sinne he that sinneth is bond to sinne 9 Touching praying to Saints he said it is certaine in Scripture that we should worship and honour one God but for honouring of Saints it is doubtfull whether they heare our inuocation made to them therefore I exhort all men that they would leaue the vnsure way and follow that way which our Maister Christ taught vs He is our onely Mediator and maketh intercession for vs hee is the doore he that entreth not in by this doore but climbeth in another way is a Theefe and a Murderer he is the verity and life he that goeth out of this way is fallen into the mire 10
complaintes vnderstood hee wrote spéedily to all the Bishope of the Realme for the spéedy redresse thereof and because Bonner was one of the backwardest hee was peremtorâ—ly admonished vnder paine of depriuation to preach the next Sunday three weekes after the date there of at Paules Crosse none but such Doctrine as was appoynted him in the said Iniuntion and should preach the same Doctrines euery quarter of a yeare yearely â—f sicknesse or some reasonable cause did not let Secondly you your selfe in person shall from henceforth celebrate the Communion at the high Altar in Paules euery such dayes as your Predecessors were wont to sing Masse The Popish Priests grudging and mourning to see their old Popâ—sh Church of Rome to decay ceased not by all subtile and sinister meanes first vnder Gods name and the Kings and vnder colour of religion to perswade the people to rebellion This first burst out in Cornwell and Deuonshire of whom the chiefe Gentlemen Captaines were Humfrey Arundell Esquire Iames Rosogan Iohn Rosogan Iohn Walkock Iohn Payne Thomas Vnderhill Iohn Soleman and William Segar There were eâ—ght Priests gouernours of the Campes and principall stirrers besideâ—â— multitude of other Popish Priests there was ten thousand stout traytors in this rebellion Commotions likewise beganne to broyle in Oxford-shire Yorke-shire and especially in Northfolke and Suffolke these aforesaid hearing thereof tooke courage hoping they should well â—aue fortiâ—ied the same quarrell their intent was to inuade the Citty of Exeter and twise they burned the gates thereof but gayned thing but shotte beeing put from Exeter they fell on spoyling and robbing where or howsoeuer they might catche then laying their heads together they consulted of certaine Articles to be sent vp to the King as followeth First they would haue that their Curats should minister the Sacrament of baptisme at all times of néede as well in the weeke dayes as on the holydayes and their Children confirmed of the Bishop whensoeuer wee resort to him Secondly because they did constantly beléeue that in the Sacrament after consecration there is the very body and blood of Christ and no substance of bread and wine remaineth therefore we will haue the Masse celebrated as in times past without any man communicating with the Priests because many presuming vnworthâ—â—y to receiue the same put no difference betwixt the Lords body and other bread and wée will haue the consecrated body of our Lord reserued in our Churches Thirdly wée will haue holy bread and holy water in remembrance of Christs body and blood Fourthly we will that our Priests shall sing and say with an audible voyce Gods seruice in the Quire of the Parish Churches and not to haue it set forth as a Christmas play Fiftly because Priests be men dedicated to God to celebrate the blessed sacraments and preaching of Gods word wee will that they shall liâ—e chast without marriage Sixtly we will the sixe Articles shall stand in force To which Articles the King did particularly answer and set forth reasons against them in writing and shewed that he would spend his life and all that hee had to maintaine the Godly reformation which was begun yet hee offred them pardon if they would desist from the deceitfull counsell of the séekers of dissention who sought for nothing els but to vndâ—e them their wiues and children and if they would not be moued to repentance with his fatherly kindnes shewed vnto them hee would procéed against them as against the Heathen with force and Armes Aâ—d because they would not accept mercy Sir Iohn Russell Knight Lord priuy seale was sent by the King and councell against them and next to him were ioyned Sir William Harbert Sir Iohn Paulet Sir Hugh Paulet Sir Thomas Speck with the Lord Gray and others Thus the Lord Priuy seale accompanied with the Lord Gray aduancing his power against the rebells yet by Gods prouidence they gaue them the repulse who recouering themselues againe encountred the second time the Lord priuy seale but by Gods helpe they with their whole cause of false religion were vtterly vanquished the popish rebells not onely lost the field but a great part of them lost their liues lying slaine the compasse of two miles diuers were taken as Humphry Arundell Berry Thomas Vnderhill Iohn Soleman William Seger and two Priests Tempson and Barret and two Mayors Henry Bray and Henry Lee with diuers mo all which afterward were executed These rebells to make their part more sure by the presence of their consecrated God brought with them vnto the Battaile the pixe vnder his Canopy riding and in a Cart neither was there lacking Masses Crosses Banners Candlestickes with Holy-bread and Holy-water plenty to defend them from Diuells and all enemies which could not saue them from their enemies but both the consecrated God and all the trumpery about him was taken in the Cart leaâ—ing a Lesson of better experience how to put their confidence in such vaine Idolls Like vnto this was the field of Musclebrough fought in Scotland the yeare before this when the Scots incamping theÌ„selues against the Lord Protector the Kings power sent into Scotland they likwise brought into the field the Gods of their Altars with Masses Crosses Banners and all their popish stuffe hauing great affiance therein to haue a great day against the English army as to mans indgement might seeme not vnlike The number of the Scots armie farre excéeded ours but the arme of the Lord so turned the viâ—tory that the Scots in the end with all their Masses and Trinkets were put to the worsâ— of whom were slaine betweene thirtéene and fourtéene thousands and not passing a hundred English men The cause of this warre was because the Scots had promised King Henry the eight that the yong Scottish Queeâ—e should marry with King Edward which promise they afterward brake and payed therefore and this victory was the same day and houre when the Images were burned openly in London There was the like commotion in Oxford and Buckingham but that was soon appeased by the Lord Gray of whom two hundred were taken and twelue of them ringleaders deliuered to him where of certaine were executed In Norfolk the parts thereabouts the Marquesse of Northampton was sent to represse the rebellion who was appointed to kéep the field and passages to stop them from victuals whereby they might the sooner be brought to acknowledge their fault and séeke pardon who pined himselfe within the Citie of Norwich but the Rebels pressed vpon the Citie and at length obtained it yet there was but a hundred on both sides slaine and the Lord Shefield then the Earle of Warwick was sent against them by whom the confused rabble was ouerthrown to the number of foure thousand and both the Kets chiefe stirrers of that Commotion were put to death and one of them hanged in chains In this yeare likewise the like commotion began at Semer in the North-riding of Yorke shire and continued in the East-riding of
Doctor I would you would remember your selfe and turne to your holy Mother the Church and I will sue for your pardon Taylor answered I would you and your fellowes would turne to Christ as for me I will not turne to Antichrist Then Bonner had him put on the Uestures to bee disgraded but hee would not when they were put vpon him he put his handes by his side and said How say you my Lord am not I a goodlie Foole How say you my Maisters it I were in Cheape-side should I not haue Boyes enough to laugh at these apish toyes and toying trumperie and when the Bishoppe should strike him vpon the breast with his Crossier Staffe his Chaplaines said Strike him not my Lord for he will surely strike you againe That I will said hee for it is our Sauiour Christes cause so the Byshoppe laid his cursâ— oll him but strucke him not When he came to Maister Bradford for they both lay in one Chamber hee told him laughinglie how he had made the Bishop affraid to strike him that night his Wife his Sonne Thomas and his man Iohn Hull were suffered to sup with him after Supper he thanked GOD that hee had giuen him strength to abide by his holie Word Then he said vnto his Sonne My deare Sonne God giue thee his Spirit truly to serue Christ to learne his word and to stand by it all thy life my Sonne feare God fly sinne pray to him and apply thy booke and sée thou be obedient vnto thy Mother cherish the poore and count that try chéefe riches is to be rich in aâ—mes Then he said my deare Wife be steadfast in the â—eare and loue of God be not defiled with Popish Idolatries wee haue béene faithfull yoke-fellowes together the Lord will reward you for your faithfulnesse towards me I now must be taken from you and I would aduise you to marrie with some honest man that feareth GOD he will prouide such a one for you and he will bee a mercifull Father to you and your Children whom I pray bring vp in the feare of God and learning and kéep them from Romish Idolatry then with wéeping feares they prayed together and kissed each other The next day he was carried away towards Hadley to be burned there diuers Gentlemen and Iustices came to him there who laboured him to returne vnto the Romish Religion shewed him his pardon and promised him great promotions yea a Bishoprick if he would but all was vaine for he had not builded his Rocke vpon the sands in perill of euery winde but on the sure Rocke Christ. When hee went through Hadley to execution the stréetes being full they cried out with lamentable voyces Ah good Lord there goeth our Shepheard from vs that hath so faithfully taught vs so fatherly cared for vs and so godly gouerned vs what shall wee poore scattred Lambes doe What shall become of this wicked world good Lord comfort him wherefore the people were fore rebuked and Doctor Taylor euer said to the people I haue preached vnto you Gods word and truth and am come this day to seale it with my blood Comming against the Almes-heuses he cast to the poore people all the Money which remained of that which good people had giuen vnto him in Prison for his Liuing was taken away from him so soone as he was put in Prison so that hee was sustained during the time of his imprisonment by the charitable Almes of good people When he saw the place of execution and the multitude of people that were gathered together then said he thanked be God I am euen at home They had clipped his head ill-fauoredly like a Fooles head by Bonners perswasions when he was disgraded when he came there all the people said God saue thée good Maister Doctor Taylor Iesus strengthen you the Holy Ghost comfort you When he would haue spoken vnto the people one or other thrust a tipstaffe in his month then he desired license of the Sheriffe to speake but he denied him and had him remember his promise made vnto the Councell It was a common fame that the Councell sent for such as were condemned and threatned them they would cut their tongues out except they would promise them at their deathes to kéepe silence and not to speake vnto the people When he was in his Shirt hee was set in a Pitch Barrell to bee burned then he said with a loud voyce Good people I haue taught you nothing but GODS Word and those Lessons which I haue taken out of GODS blessed Booke I am therefore come hither this day to seale it with my blood then one Homes a Yeoman of the Gard who had vsed him verie cruelly all the way gaue him a great stroke on the head The Sheriffe called one Richard Doningham a Butcher to set vp the Faggots but he would not then he got others and one of them called Warwicke cruellie cast a Faggot at him and brake his face that the blood ranne downe Doctor Taylor said Ah friend I haue harme enough what néedeth this When the fire was set to him he said Mercifull Father of Heauen for Iesus Christs sake receiue my Soule into thy hands and so stood still without either crying or moouing with his hands folded together vntill one Soyce strucke him vpon the head that the Braines fell out and his Corps fell into the Fire and was burned The foureteenth of February the Lord Chanceller and the Bishops caused the Image of Thomas Becket to be set vp ouer the Mercers Chappeâ—l doore in Cheape-side in London in the forme of a Bishop with Miter and Crosier within two dayes after his two blessing fingers were broken away and the next day his head was stricken off Whereupon many were suspected and one Maister Barnes Mercer being a Professor of the truth was charged therewith and he and three of his Seruants were committed to Prison and though it could not be proued against him he was bound in a great summe to builde it vp againe now and as often as it should be broken downe and to watch and keepe the same The next day after that it was set vp againe the head was the second time broken off then there was a Proclamation set forth that he that could tell who did it he should haue an hundred Crownes with thanks but it was not knowne who did it The vertuous and godly King Christianus King of Denmarke hearing of the captiuitie of Miles Couerdale whom hee knew by reason hee was in Denmarke in King Henry the eight his time and lamenting his dangerous case made intercession by Letters to Quéene Mary desiring the said Miles Couerdalo to be sent vnto him after the King had written two letters Queene Mary after long delay made full answer to the King of Denmarkes Letters by which prouidence of God Miles Couerdale was deliuered ROBERT FARRAR Bishop of Saint Dauids in Wales THis Bishop by the fauour of the Lord Protector was first promoted vnto that
forced thereto by the law but this ought not to be against them which cannot bear superstitions nor the ouerthrow of Christs institutions but detesteth such procéedings for the glorie of God and they that loue their Country in God will rather obey God then man they that obey mans lawes against Gods lawes in pretence of the loue of their countrey they make their countrey fight against God in whom consisteth the very stay of the countrey such are the most deadly eeemies and traytors of their countrey for they goe about to bring vpon theâ—r countrey a present ruâ—â—e Sathan had euer this dart in readines to hurle against Gods children so accuse them of sodition that he may bring them in danger of the higher powers so he hath vp his ministers alwayes charged the Prophets Acab said to Elias Thou art he that troubleth Israel and the false Prophets complained to their Princes of Ieremy that his wordes were seditious and not to be suffered the Scribes and Pharises accused Christ as a seditious person that spake against Caesar and at length â—ryed If thou let him goe thou art not Caesars friend Tertullian accused Paule before Felix that he was a pestilent fellow and a stirrer of sedition But these men were not so but of false men falsly accused onely because they openly reproued their guiles superstitions and deceits A man ought to obey his Prince but in the Lord and neuer against the law of the Lord for he that louingly obeyeth his Prince against God is a deceiuer of his Prince and helpeth him to worke his owne destruction wee must giue vnto the Prince that which is his and vnto God that which is his Valentinianus the Emperour chusing the Bishop of Millan said He set him in his seat for this cause that if we doe offend we may submit our selues vnto him Polycarpus the most constant Martyr when he â—â—ood before the chiefe Ruler was commaunded to blasphâ—me Christ and to sweare by the fortune of Caesar we are taught quoth he to giue honour vnto Princes but such honour as is not contrary to Gods Religion HVGH LATIMER THis constant Martyr was the sonne of one Hugh Latimer of Thirkesson in the Countie of Leicester a husbandman of wealthy and good estimation he studying Diuinitie in Cambridge at the first was zealous in the popish Religion and so scrupelous as hee himselfe confesseth that being a Priest and vsing to say Masse hee did so obserue the Romish Decrees that he thought he had neuer mingled enough his massing Wine with water and hee was of the opinion that he should neuer be damned if once he were a professed Frier with diuers such superstitious fantasies and in his blind zeale hee was a very enemy vnto the professors of the Truth and when he tooke the degree of proceeding Batcheler of Diuinitie he made his oration against Philpot Melancton his works Then Maister Bilney as before is said perswaded him to forsake his former studie of the Schoole Doctors and such fooleries and to become a true scholler in true Diuinitie so that where before hee was an enemy and almost a persecutor of the Gospell of Christ hee was now an earnest seeker after CHRIST IESUS and became both a publike preacher and a priuate instructer of his brethren in the Uniuersitie two yeares but Sathan neuer sleepeth when he seeth his Kingdome decay he raised his Children to trouble him Latimer in his Sermons before Christmas gaue the people certaine Cardes out of the fift sixt and seuenth of Mathew Wherevpon they might occupy the time for the chiefe Carde he limited the Heart as the principall thing they should serue GOD with and thereby hee ouerthrew all hypocriticall and externall Ceremonies to that end he wished the Scriptures to bee read altogether in the English tongue that the common people might thereby learne their dueties to GOD and their Neighbours hereby hee wrought in the hearers much fruit to the ouerthrow of Popish Superstition and setting vp of true Religion The Sonday before Christmas day in his Sermon he deliuered his Cards as aforesaid making the heart the chiefe Carde inuiting all men to serue the Lord with inward heart and true affection and not with outward ceremonies that in the seruicâ— of the heart consisteth true religion and not in the outward deeds of the letter or in the glistering shew of mens traditions of pardons pilgrimages ceremonies vowes deuotions voluntarie workes and works of supererogation foundations oblations the Popes supremacie you may sée two Sermons of his to this effect in the booke at large Doctor Bucknam about the same time of Christmas to deface Master Latimer brought forth his Christmas Dice casting to his audience Cinque and Quater wherby to proue that it were not expedient that the Scriptures should be in English lest the vulgar people by the occasion thereof should be brought to leaue their vocation or to runne into some inconuenience as the Plowman when he heares that No man laying his hand vnto the Plough and looking backe is meete for the Kingdome of heauen might perhaps cease from his Plough likewise the Baker when he heareth that a little leauen corrupteth a whole lump of dough may perchance leaue our bread vnleauened and so our bodies shall be vnseasoned and when the simple man heareth If thine eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee may make himselfe blinde and so fill the world full of beggers These with other moe he brought to the number of fiue yet Master Latimer notwithstanding all his aduersaries which were manâ— together with Master Bilney continued in Cambridge a certaine space they vsed much to conferre and to walke together in the fields the place of their conference was long time after called by the name of Hereticks hill These two did often visit the prisoners relieâ—e the needy and feed the hungry There was a woman laide in prison for suspition of murdering her childe she denying it they searching into the matter found that her husband loued her not and therefore sought to make her away The matter was thus her childe hauing bin sicke a whole yeare died in haruest then she went to haue her neighbours to helpe to burie it but all ware at haruest whereby she was inforced to prepare the child to buriall her selfe her husband comming home accused her of murthering the childe Master Latimer thinking in his conscience that she was not guiltie and being called to preach before King Henry the eighth after the Sermon the King sent for him and talked with him at which time Master Latiâ—er knéeled downe and opened the whole matter to the King and begged her pardon which the King graunted and gaue it him when he went home In the meane time the woman was brought a bedde in prison and Master Latimer was God-father but hee told her not of the pardon but laboured to haue her confesse the truth When the time came that she looked to suffer she greatly lamented
and thus he did vntill hee came vnto the stake but as soone as the fire was put vnto Abbes this blasphemer was striken with madnes wherewith he had charged the good martyr he cast off his shooes the rest of his clothes cried out thus did Abbes that true seruant of God who is saued but I am damned Thus hee ranne about the towne of Berry still crying Iames Abbes was a good man and saued but I am damned The Sheriffe tyed him vp in a darke house but he continued his old note and being brought to his Masters house in a Cart within halfe a yeere he died And beeing ready to die the parish Priest came to him with the Crucifix and the Host of the Altar but he cryed out of the Priest and defied all that baggage saying that the Priest aâ—d such other as he was were the cause of his damnation And that Iames Abbes was a good man and saued Clarke an open enemie of the Gospell and all good preâ—chers in King Edwards dayes hanged himselfe in the Tower of London The great and notable Papist called Troling Smith of late fell downe suddenly in the street and died Dalâ— the Promoter was eaten in his body with Lice and so died Cox a Protestant in King Edwards daies and in Quéene Maries daies a Papist and a Promoter being well when he went to bed he was dead before morning Alexander the keeper of Newgate who to hasten the poore lambes vnto the slaughter hee would goe to Boner Story and Colmley and others crying out rid my prison I am too much pestered with hereticks and he dyed very miserably being swollen and so rotten within that no man could abide the smell of him and Iames his son being left very rich in three yeares brought it to nâ—ght and shortly after as he went in Newgate market he fell downe suddenly and died Iohn Pether sonne in law to this Alexander ad horrible blasphemer of God and no lesse cruell vnto the prisoners rotted away and so died who commonly when he affirmed any thing he would say if it be not true I pray God I rot ere I die Iustice Lelon persecutor of Ieffrey Hurst died suddenly Robert Baulding aâ— the taking of William Seaman was striken with lightning wherevpon he pined away and died Beard the Promoter died wretchedly Robert Blomfield persecutor of VVilliam Browne consumed away miserably In K. Henries time Iohn Rockwood who in his horrible end cried All to late which were the words that he vsed in persecuting Gods children at Callice The Lady Honer a persecutor and George Bradway a false accuser were both bereft of their wits Richard Long a persecutor drowned himselfe Sir Rafe Ellerker as he was desirous to see the heart taken out of Adam Damlip he being slaine of the Frenchmen after they had mangled him and cut off his priuy members would not leaue him vntill they saw his heart cut out Doctor Foxford Chancelor to Bishop Stokely a cruell persecutor died suddenly Pauier or Pauie towne Clarke of London a bitter enemy vnto the Gospel hanged himselfe Doctor Pendleton died miserably and at his death he repented that euer he had yeelded to the Doctrine of the Papists Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochestâ—â— and Sir Thomas Moore after they had broâ—ght Iohn Frith Bayfield and Bainham and diuers others to death shortly after they themselues were made a publike spectacle of bloudy death at tower hil These persecuting Bishops died a little before Quéene Mary Coates Parfew Glune Brookes King Peto Day Holiman After Quéene Mary immediately followed Cardinall Poole and these persecuting Bishops Iohn Christopherson Hopton Morgan Iohn VVhite Rafe Bayne Owen Oglethorpe Cutbert Tonstall Thomas Raynolds And about the same timâ— died Doctor VVeston Maister Slethurst Seth Holland VVilliam Copinger and Doctor Steward great persecutors The residue that remained of the persecuting Clergy and escaped the stroke of death were depriued and committed vnto prisons these Bishops were committed vnto the Tower Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke Thomas Thurlby Thomas Watson Dauid Poole Gilbert Burne Richard Pates Troublefield and Iohn Fecknam Abbot of Wesâ—minster and Iohn Boxell Dean of Windsor and Peterborough were committed with the said Bishops vnto the Tower Gouldwell Bishop of Saint Asse aâ—d Maurice Elect of Bangor ranne away Boner Thomas Wood Bishops were committed to the Marshalsey Cutbert Scot Bishop of Chester was in the Fleete from whence he escaped to Loâ—ane and there dyed These were committed vnto the Fleete Henry Cole Deane of Paules Iohn Harpsfield Arch-deacon of London Nicholas Harpsfield Arch-deacon of Canterbury Anthony Draycot Archdeacon of Huntington William Chadsey Archdeacon of Middlesex One Iohn Apowell mockeâ— one William Maulden as he was reading an English Seruice Booke in a Winters Euening mocking him at euery word with contrariâ— gaudes and flouting words Wherefore the said William checked him saying hee mocked not him but God As the said William was reading these words Lord haue mercy vpon vs Christ haue mercy vpon vs The other with a start suddenly said Lord haue mercy vpon me The said William asked him wherfore he was afrayd He answered when you reade Lord haue mercy vpon vs me thought the hayre of my head stood vpright with a great feare that came vpon me The next day in the morning he fell mad and after that hee lay day and night and his tongue neuer ceased crying out of the Diuell of hell I would see the Diuell of hell there he is there he goeth and such like words Thus he lay six daies that his Maister and all the rest of the house was weary of the noise and sent him to Bedlam At Waltamstow six miles from London certaine children were talking what God was and one said he was a good Old Father and a Maide of twelue yéeres old named Denys Benifield said what he is an old doting Foole The next day she was suddenly striken by the hand of God that all one side of her was black and she speechlesse and so she died the same night Some beeing in communication about Cranmer Ridley and Latimer in an house of Abingdon in Barkeshire One Leâ—ar â— plowman dwelling at Brightwell said that he saw that euill fauoured knaue Latimer when hee was burned and that he had téeth like a horse at which time and houre the son of the said Leauer most wickedly hanged himselfe in Shepton a mile from Abbington Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury gaue sentence against the Lord Cobham and died himselfe before him being sâ— striken in his tongue that he could neither swallow nor speake a good while before his death When Patrick Hamelton was burned for the truth in Scotland in the fire hee cited and appealed Frier Campbell that accused him to appeare before the High God to answere whether his accusation was iust or not betwixt that and a day of the next moneth which he named The said Frier dyed immediatly before the day came Haruy a Commissary which condemned a
her touching the said Articles deuised against her and gaue her warning of that mischiefe which hanged ouer her head beséeching her to be secret and to conforme her selfe to the Kings minde and no doubt she should finde him gracious After the King came to her himselfe vnto whom after she had vttered her griefe how it was for feare his Maiestie had forsaken her hee so refreshed her with comfortable words that she began to recouer Then shee commanded her Ladies to conuay away her Bookes which were against the Law and then she went to the King he courteously welcomed her and entred into talke of Religion séeming desirous to be resolued of the Queene of certaine doubts The Queene perceiuing to what purpose this his talke tended your Maiestie doth well know quoth shee and I am not ignorant of what great weaknesse by our first Creation is allotted to vs women to bee subiect vnto man as our head from which head all our direction must proceed and as God made man after his own Image that being indued with more speciall gifts of perfection might bee stirred to meditate heauenly things and obay his commandements so he made woman of man of whom and by whom she is to bee commanded and gouerned whose womanly weaknesse ought to bee tolerated and ayded that by his wisedome such things as be lacking in her might be supplied Therefore your Maiestie being so excellent in ornaments of wisedome and I so much inferiour in all respects of Nature Why doth your Maiestie in such defuse causes of Religion require my Iudgement which when I haue vttered said what I can yet I must and will referre my Iudgement in this and all causes to your Maiesties wisedome as my onely Anker supreme head and the gouernor heere in earth next vnto God Not so by Saint Mary said the King you are become a Doctor late to instruct vs. Shee answered your Maiestie hath much mistaken mee who haue euer thought it preposterous for the woman to instruct her husband but rather to learn of him and where I haue beene bold to hold talke with your Maiestie wherein there hath seemed some difference in opinion I haue not done it to maintaine opinion but to minister talke that your Maiestie might with lesse griefe passe the paine of your infirmitie being attentiue to your talke and that I might receiue some profit by your Maiesties learned Discourse wherein I haue not missed any part of my desire alwaies referring my selfe in such matters to your Maiestie â—hen said the King tendeth your Argument to no worse end then wee are now as perfect friends as euere we were and he imbraced her and kissed her saying it did him more good to heare these words then if he had heard newes of a hundred thousand pound fallen to him On the day that was appointed for the aforesaid Tragedy the King went into his Garden whether the Queene being sent for came onely the three Ladies aboue named waiting on her with whom the King was as pleasant as euer hee was in his life In the middest of his mirth the houre appointed being come the Lord Chancelor commeth into the Garden with forty of the Kings guard at his heâ—les with purpose to take the Queene with the three Ladies to the the Tower whom the King sternely beholding called him to him who on his knees whispered to the King the King cal'd him knaue arrant knaue and beastly foole and commanded him to auant out of his presence which words the Quéene heard though they were low spoken then he departed with his traine the whole mould of his deuice broken The Queene seeing the King so chaâ—ed spoke for the Lord Chancellor Ah poore soule quoth hee thou little knowest how euill hee deserueth this grace at thy hands he hath been towards thee sweet heart an arrant knaue and so let him goe If King Henry had liued hee and the French King had been at this point within halfe a yeere after to haue changed the Masse in both their Realmes into a Communion as wee now vse it and also vtterly to haue extirped the Popes vsurped power out of both their Realmes and they ment to exhort the Emperour to doe the like in Flanders and his other countreyes or else to breake off from him and herein quoth the Archbishop Cranmer the King willed mee to pen a forme thereof to be sent to the French King but that it was letten by the death of King Henry When the Bishops had brought ANNE ASKEVV and her fellow Martyrs to death being now in their triumph as the Pharisies were when they had killed Christ they deuised how to euer read the truth for euer wherevpon they made a strait Procâ—amation authorised by the Kings 〈◊〉 for abolishing of the Scripture and all other English Bookes which miâ—ht gâ—â—e light to the setting forth of Gods Word and the grace of the Gospell which thou maist see in the Booke at large which no doubt had done much hurt in the Church amongst the godly in bringing them to danger or keeping 〈◊〉 in blindnes had not the shortnes of the Kings daies stopped the malignant purposes of the Prâ—latâ—s causing the King to leaue that to the people by his death which by his life he would not grant for within foure monethes after the proclamation he deceased the eight and thirty yeare of his raigne The History touching the Persecutions in Scotland Deane Thomas Forret THis Deane Thomas Forret preached euery Sunday in his parish vpon the Epistle and Gospell which was nouelâ—y in Scotland to see any preach but the Black Friâ—r or the Gray Wherefore the Friers enuied him and accused him to the Bishop of Donkelden as an heretick which shewed the mysteries of the Scripture vnto the vulgar people to make the Clergy detestable The Bishop sending for him said my Ioy Deane Thomas I leue you well â— am informed you preach the Epistle and Gospel euery Sunday and that you take not the Cow for mortuarie nor the vpper Cloth for Crisome of your parishioners which is very preiudiciall to the Church men My ioy Deane Thomas take your Cow and your vpper Cloth and preach not euery Sunday for in so doing you will make the people thinke we should preach likewise But when you finde a good Epistle or a good Gospell that setteth forth the lâ—bertie of the Church preach that and let the rest be Thomas answered my parishioners pay me my duetiâ—s willingly and wâ—e agree well and where your Lordship saith it is too much â—o preach euery Sonday I thinke it too little and also would wish that your Lordship would doe the like nay nay we are not ordained to preach M. Forret and where your Lordship speaketh of a good and an euill Epistle I could neuer finde none but good Then spake my Lord I thanke God I neuer knew what the Old New Testament ment Wherevpon grew a prouerb you are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knâ—w neither new
taught heresie And hee desired all them present to beare him witnesse that he tooke the Traditions and Religion of the Pope to bée most erronious false and against the doctrine of holy Scriptures which hee had often proued by preaching and writing and the Pope to bee very Antichrist so often preached by the Apostles and Prophets in whom most euidently doth concurre all the signes and tokens whereby hee was painted vnto the world to bee knowne by for hee aduanceth himselfe aboue all Emperours and Kings of the world whom he affirmeth to hold of him and to be at his commandement and the stories make mention of his intollerable pride and tyranny vsed to them as no King would haue done to his subiects nor a good maister to his seruants setting his féet vpon Emperours necks and making others to hold his stirrops and remoued others from their Empires hath not onely occupied the highest places in the world aboue Kings but hath presumed to fit in the seat of Almighty God which is the conscience of man to kéepe the possession thereof he hath promised forgiuenesse of sins he hath brought in Gods of his own framing and inuented a new religion full of lucre quite contrary to the Scriptures only for maintaining of his kingdome displacing Christ from his glory holding his people in miserable seruitude of blindnesse to the losse of a number of soules which God at the latter day shall exact at his hands boasting in his Canons decrées that he can dispense against Peter Paul the old Testament New that in his fulnesse of power he can do as much as God If any man can be aduanced aboue him let him be iudged Antichrist This enemy of God and our redemption is so euidently painted out in the Scriptuers with such manifest tokens which all sée clearely appeare in him that except a man will shut his eyes and heart against the light hee cannot but know him therefore I will neuer giue my consent to the receiuing of him into the Church of England and my Lord sand you that be here examine your own consciences you are sworne against him you are learned and can iudge the truth I pray God you be not wilfully blind I haue discharged my conscience to the world I will write my mind to her grace which letter you may sée in the book at large Storie and Martine diuers times interrupted him saying he spake blasphemy and would faine haue the Bishop put him to silence who notwithstanding suffered him to end his spéech Then they charged him that he was sworne vnto the Pope when he was made Archbishop but he denied it and said It appeareth that he did not by the record of the countrey which one of them confessed Many maruelled that in so perilous a time he had so sincerely proceeded choosing rather to venture the losse of his life and all his glorious pompe then to do any thing that might spill his conscience Then they obiected that he was married which he confessed Doctor Martine said his children were bond-men to the Sea of Canterbury At which he smiled saying If a benificed Priest had a Concubine and had bastards by her they are not bond-men to the benifice I trust you wil make my childrens cause no worse Then D. Martine demanded of him who was the supreme head of the Church he said Christ Martine said you made K. Henry supreme head of the Church He said of the people of England Ecclesiasticall Temporal and not of the Church for Christ is the onely head of the Church and of the Faith and Religion of the same The Articles of religion touching the Sacrament denying transubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Masse and the reall presence he affirmed as he taught in his Booke Then they cited him to appeare 80 daies after at Rome and then sent him to prison where thou maist sée their visored face of Iustice as though the Court of Rome would condemne no man before hee answered for himselfe but the same time the Pope sent letters executory vnto the King and Queene to disgrade and depriue him which was done before twenty dayes were done And though he were kept in prison at the end of the 80 dayes hee was decreed Contumax and thereupon condemned Upon S. Valentines day next after the Archbishop was disgraded and condemned by Bonner Thurlby Bishop of Ely who sometimes was Cranmers Chaplaine and preferred by him at which time Bonner which a long time had borne great malice towards him and reioyced greatly see this day wherein he might triumph ouer him at his pleasure made an Oration to the people in this sort This is the man who hath euer despised the Popes holinesse and now is to be iudged by him this is the man that hath pulled downe so many Churches and now is come to be iudged in a Church this is the man that contemned y â— blessed Sacrament of the Altar and now is come to be condemned before the said Sacrament hanging ouer the Altar this is the man that like Lucifer sate in the place of Christ vpon an Altar to iudge others and now is come before the Altar to bee iudged himselfe Thus he continued halfe an houre heaping vp a number of lies together beginning euery one with This is the man so lothsomly that he made euery man weary When they had disgraded him they stript him of his gowne put vpon him a poore yeoman Bedles gowne thrid-bare and as ill-fauouredly made as could be and a Townsmans cap vpon his head and so deliuered him to the secular power in this filthie gowne he was carried vnto prison The Queene Bishops hauing kept the Archbishop now almost three yeares in prison seeing by no means they could preuaile with him all this while to turn him from his religion they suborned certaine men which should by intreaty and faire promises or any other means allure him to recantation so the wily Papists flocked about him labouring to draw him from his former sentence to recantation especially Henry Sidall and Frier Iohn a Spaniard they shewed him how acceptable it would be to the Kings Queene and how gainfull it would be both bodily spiritually they added that the Councell Noble-men bare him good wil promising him both his life ancient dignity saying the matter was but small the setting of his hand to a few words but if hee refused there was no hope of pardon for the Queene was purposed that shee would haue Cranmer a Catholique or else no Cranmer at all By these and such like prouocations they at last wâ—nne him to subscribe It may bee supposed that it was for hope of life and better dayes to come But it appeareth by a Letter of his to a Lawyer that the most cause why hee desired his life to bee delayed was that hee might make an end of a Booke against Marcus Antonius a Papist which hee had begun but it is manifest
that it was against his conscience it pleased God that so great vertues in this man should not be without some blemish and that y â— falshood of the Popâ—sh generation by this meanes might be the more euident and that we should haue the lesse confidence of our owne strength presently this recantation was put in Print and published notwithstanding it was decréed that Cranmer should be burned out of hand and the Quéene commanded a funerall Sermon to be made for him by Doctor Cole and hauing his lesson giuen him he went spéedily to Oxford to play his part The morning before hee should bee executed Cole gaue him 15 crownes to giue to y â— poore The Archbishop surmised whereabouts they went after the Spanish Frier came vnto him with a paper of Articles which Cranmer should openly professe in his recantation before the people desiring him to write his name vnto it then he prayed him to write a Copy of it and kéepe it with him which he did knowing wherunto their deuices tended he put secretly into his bosome his prayer with his exhortation written in another paper Cranmer was brought from prison to S. Maries Church betwixt two Friers which mumbled certaine Psalmes in the stréets as they went when they came vnto the Church they sung Nunc dimittis then they brought him to his standing where they left him there he stood all y â— Sermon in a bare ragged gowne ill-fauouredly clothed with an old square cap exposed to the contempt of all men In this habite when he had stood a good while vpon the stage he turned vnto a pillar knéeling lifting vp his hands to heauen he praied vnto God once or twice After a while Cole came began his Sermon altogether to the disgrace of Cranmer shewing that he was the onely man that began this heresie schisme from the Catholique Church that he was the cause of the diuorce betwixt the Quéenes father and mother and that for these and other maine causes the Quéene and Councell did thinke fit that he should be burned although he had recanted At the end of his Sermon he brought many scriptures to comfort him that such as die in Gods faith he will either abate y â— fury of y â— flame or else giue him strength to abide it he glorified God much in his conuersiâ—n because it appeared to be only his worke shewing what great meanes was vsed to conuert him but none could preuaile vntill God reclaimed him saying whilst he flowed in riches honor he was vnworthy of death but lest he should carry with him no comfort he promised that immediatly after his death there should be Dirges Masses Funerals executed in all the Churches in Oxford for â—uccour of his soule But Cranmer during the Sermon lifted vp his hands eyes to heauen the very shape of forrow was liuely expressed in him more then twenty times he shed aboundant teares from his fatherly face but especially when he made his prayer before the people After Cole had done his Sermon he had Cranmer performe his promise to expresse your faith that you may take away suspicion from men that they may vnvnderstand you a Catholique indéed I wil do it said the Archbishop with a good will then he desired y â— people to pray for him that God would forgiue him his sins and one offence doth trouble me more then all the rest whereof in processe of my talke you shall heare and after he had made a very pithy praier with y â— people which you may sée in y â— book at large then he said euery man at the time of his death desireth to giue some god exhortation vnto others so I pray God at this my departing I may speake somwhat whereby God may be glorified you edified His first exhortation was that we should not set our minds too much vpon this glozing world but vpon God the world to come His next exhortation was to obedience to y â— King Quéenâ— His third exhortation was that they should loue together like brothers sisters The fourth was that rich men would weigh three sayings in y â— scripture First Christ saith it is hard for a rich man to enter into y â— kingdome of heauen Secondly S. Iohn saith he that hath this worlds goods and shutteth his compassion vpon his needy brother how can he say he loueth God Thirdly Saint Iames biddeth them weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon you your clothes be moth-eaten your gold and siluer cankred and rusty and the rust shall witnesse against you and consume you like fire you hoord vp treasure of Gods indignation against the last day Let them that be rich ponder well these thrée sentences for if euer they had occasion to shew their charity it is now the poore beeing so many and victuals so deere Now being I am come to the end of my life whereupon hangeth my life past and my life to come either to liue with my Maister Christ for euer in ioy or else for euer in paine with the Diuell Therefore I will declare my faith vnto you without dissembling I beleeue all the Articles of the Créede and all the Doctrine of Christ his Apostles and Prophets in the new and old Testament and now I come vnto the great thing that so much troubled my conscience more then all that euer I did in all my life and that is in setting abroad a writing contrary to truth which now I renounce as written with my hand contrary to my heart for feare of death and that is all such Billes and Papers which I haue written or signed with my hand since my degradation and because my hand writ contrary to my heart it shall be first burned And as for the Pope I refuse him as Christs enemy and Antichrist with all his false Doctrine And as for the Sacrament I beléeue as I haue taught in my Booke and my Booke shall stand at the last day before the iudgement of God when the Papisticall doctrine shall be ashamed to shewe her face It was a world to sée the Doctors beguiled of so great a hope I thinke there was neuer cruelty more notably deluded and when he began to speake more of the Sacrament and of the Papacie Cole cried to stop the Heretiques mouth then the Friers pulled him from his seate and led him to the fire then they cried to him What madnesse hath brought thee againe into this error by which thou wilt draw innumerable soules with thee into hell Hee answered them not but directed his talke vnto the people But the Spanish Barker raged and foamed almost out of his wits and he and the other Spanish Frier began to exhort him afresh but all in vaine When the fire began to burne neere him he put his right hand into the flame which he held so stedfastly that it was burned before his body was touched he abode the fire with such constancy