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
embracinge the crosse and reioycing therein Matthew conuerted Ethiopia and Egypt Hercan the King sent one to run him through with a speare Matthias preached to the Iewes and they stoned and beheaded him Phillip preached to the barbarous Nations who crucified and stoned him at Hirapolis of Phrygia where hee and his Daughters with him were burned The Iewes required Iames to stand vppon the Battlement of the Temple and disswade the people from Christ but hee preached him there and was throwne downe headlong and stoned where hee was buried at which time the Iewes put many other to death for the testimony of Christ. The first Persecution by Nero Domitius NEro Domitius caused the first persecution hee regarded neither sect condition of life or age the streets were spread with dead bodies of Christians hee indeuored vtterly to abolish the name of Christians in this persecution Peter was crucified who required his head to be hanged downward as vnworthy to dye like Christ the cause was thought to bee because Symon Magus pretending to flye from the Mount Capitolinus to Heauen by Peters prayers was brought downe headlong and his ioynts beeing broken hee dyed at that time Peters wife suffred and the same day twelue-month Paule suffred The Second Persecution by Domitian THe Church had some rest vnder Vespatian but Domitian mooued the second persecution he killed all the Nephewes of Iuda called the Lords brothers and slew all hee could find of the stocke of Dauid as Vespatian did before him least any of that stocke should inioy the kingdome in his time Symon Bishop of Ierusalem after other torments was crucified and Iustus succéeded in his Bishopricke Hee banished Iohn to Pathmos and vnder Pertinax hee was released and came to Ephesus and continued there vnto the time of Trayanus Gouerned the Church of Asia and wrote his gospell there Flauia Daughter to Flauius Clemens a Consull of Rome suffred for Christs name and with many other was banished out of Rome to Pontia Some of the stocke of Dauid were brought to Domitian to bee slaine who séeing they were poore and vnderstanding by them that Christs Kingdome should bee heauenly and not worldly he let them go and stayed persecutions they after gouerned Churches and liued in peace vnto the time of Traianus in the time of which persecution no kind of torment was omitted that might empaire the credit of the Christians they would not suffer their bodies to bee buried and yet the Church dayly increased Euaristas Bishop of Rome next to Clement succéeded in the third yéere of Traianus and suffred nine yéeres after Alexander succéeded him and conuerted many of the Senators of Rome to the faith he raysed the son of Hermes from death to life and made his mayd being blind to sée which Adrianus the Emperour hearing of him sent word to the Gouernor of Rome to apprehend him and his two Deacons Euentus aâ—d Theodorus and the said Hermes and Quirinus a Tribune whose daughter Albina hee cured which Cure moued him to bee baptized and suffer for the faith of Christ and Aurelianus tooke Alexander with Hermes his wife Children and whole houshold 1250. put them in prison and burned them all in a furnace and martired the said Theodorus for rebuking him thereof and Quirinus had his tongue cut out then his hands and â—eete cut off after was beheaded and east to the Dogges The third Persecution THere was but one yeare betweene the second and the third persecution by the Emperour Traianus which was so grieuous that Plinius Secundus an Infidell wrote to the Emperour that so many thousands were put to death without cause sauing that they gathered themselues together before day to sing Hymmes to a God which they called Christ he reasoned why that sin should be punished more then all other sins and that he had put two Christian maides vpon the racke to proue if they could haue extorted confession of further crime but could not wherevpon the persecutions were greatly alayed Symeon sonne of Cleophas Bishop of Ierusalem was accused by the Iewes to be a Christian and of the stocke of Dauid wherefore Attalus commanded him to be scourged many dayes together beeing an hundred and twenty yeares old his constancy was greatly admired he was crucified Because Phocas Bishop of Pontus refused to sacrifice to Neptune Traianus cast him into a hotâ—e furnace and after into a scalding â—ath Sulpitius and Seruilia with there wiues whom Salma conuerted to the faith were also then martired Salma was beheaded and Lepidus in the Mount Auentine with whom suffred Seraphia a Uirgen of Antioch in this time Nereus and Achilleus suffred at Rome and one Sagaris who was martired in Asia In this time Ignatius suffred hee was sent from Siria to Rome comming to Asia hee confirmed the Churches and comming to Smirna where Policarpus was he wrote diuers Epistles to Ephesus to Magnesia and to Trallâ—â— hee was aiudged to be deuoured of Beasts and hearing the Lions roare I am the wheate of Christ said he and shall be ground with the teeth of wild beasts that I may be pure bread at this time many thousands died for the faith amongst them one Publius Bishop of Athens Hadrian the Emperour succéeded Traianus who slew Zenon a Noble man of Rome and 10023 for Christ. Borgomensis Lib 8. makes mention of ten thousand in Hadrians dayes to bee crucified in Mount Ararat crowned with thornes their sides pearced with Darts after the example of the Lords passion Eustachius a Captaine who was sent against the Barbarians and subdued them Hadrian met him honourably and doing sacrifice to Apollo for the victory willed Eustachius to doe so also which hee refusing hee was brought to Rome and with his wife and children suffred marterdome Faustinâ— us and Iobita Cittizens of Brixia suffred marterdome with grieuous torments Caelocerius seeing their great paâ—ience cryed out vere magnus deus Christianorum wherevpon he was apprehended and suffred with them Anthia a godly woman committed Eleutherius her sonne vnto Anicetus Bishop of Rome who after was Bishop of Apulia she with her sonn was beheaded and Iustus and Pastor two brethren suffred vnder Adrian at Complutum in Spaine About the same time Simpronissa the wife of Gerulus the Marter suffred with her seauen children beeing first often scourged then hanged by the haire of the head then a stone fastned about her necke she was cast into the Riuer after her children were martired wâ—th diuers punishments they were tied to seauen staâ—es so racked with a pully thrusting thorough one in the necke another in the brest another in the heart another about the nauell another cut in euery ioynt another runne thorough with a speare the last cut a sunder in the middle then were they cast into a déepe pit which the Idolatrous Priests intituled Ad septem Biathanatos Getulius also a preacher at Tiber with Cerdelis Amantius and Prinitiuus were condemned to the fire at Hadrians commandment Sophia with her
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
necessarie reformation of the Church and Christian Religion and effectually labour fâ—r the rooting out of all publike eâ—ils as well in the head as in the members as you haue often promised in our Kingdome in the Compositioâ—s and as our fourth Article touching the auoiding all publicke euils doth exact and require In this Councell was ordained the feast of the Conceâ—tion of our Lady and the feast of the Uisitation of our Lady In this Councell there was diligent caâ—e about reformation of the Church that through euery Church apt and méete Ministers might bee appâ—inted which may shine in vertue and knowledge to the glory of Christ and the healthfull edifying of the Christian people whereunto the multitude of expectatiue gifts haue béene a great impediment hereby often times vnméete Ministers are appointed for the Churches and they giue occasion to desire anothers death and many contentions are moâ—ed aâ—ongst the seruants of God and the ambition and gréedie desire of pluralities maintained and the substance of Kingdomes consumed poore men suffer vexations by running to Rome they are often by the way robbed murdered afflicted with diuerse plagues and hauing spent their paâ—rimony left them by their parents are constrained â—o liue in extreame pouertie Many craue benefices which haue no iust title and get the same and such as haue most craft and subtiltie to deceiue and greatest substaâ—â—â— to contend in the Lawe doo great wrongs the Eccleâ—â—asticall order is confounded whiles euery mans Iudgement is not preserued and the Pope by chalenging and taking vpon him too much the Office of Superiours is drowned from more waightie and fruitfull matters and intends not to the guiding and correction of the inferiours as publicke vtilitie requireth all which things bring a great confusion vnto the Clergie to the great preiudice of Gods true worship and the publike saluation THE SIXT SECTION OF this Ecclesiasticall Historie THIS Storie following and that before confuteth the vaine opinion of some that this Religion now vsed hath risen but twentie or thirtie yeares since and manifesteth that it hath béene spred in England this 220. yeares and often sparkled before that time although it flamed not so as it hath done within this 100. yeares and more wâ—o although they were not so strongly armed in their cause as of late yeares yet were they warriours in Christs Church and although they gaue back for tyranny yet Iudge the best and referre the cause to God who euealeth all things according to his determinate will and time there hath bin no realme more fertile for Marters then England Oxford was as a continuall sprâ—ng of Christian knowledge whence as out of the Troiane horse hath come so many inuincible witâ—esses of the truth amongst whom William Taylor Master of 〈◊〉 hath not deserued the least praise being a fauorer of Wickliffe who because he had written cerâ—ain things against the inuocation of saints and many other matters after he had recanted nine articles returned vnto thâ— right way and with a maruellous constancie 〈◊〉 buâ—â—t in Smithfield the 7 of March. Iohn Florence a Turner of Shelton in the Diâ—cesse of Norwich was attached because he held and taught that the Pope and Cardinals haue no power to constâ—tute Lawes that nor day is to be kept holiday but Sunday That there ought to be no fast but of the Quaâ—uor temporum That Images are not to be worshipped not lights to be set before them Not 〈◊〉 goe on Pilgrimage nor offeâ— for the dead or with women that are purified That Curates should not claime Tithes by any exaction and that they should be diuided amongst the poore That such as sweare by their life or power except they repent shall be damâ—â—d He was brought before the Chauncellour and forced to abiure and was sworne not to hold or teach any thing contrary to the determination of the Church of Rome nor to helpe or ayde any that should so doe He was inioyned for penanâ—â— thrâ—â— Sundâ—ies Solemne Procession in the Cathedral Church of Norwich to be whipped before all the people and three other Sundaies about his Parish Church of Shelton bare fâ—â—ted bare necked his bodie being couered with a canuâ—s shirt and canuâ—s briches carying in his hand a Taper of a pound waight so was dismissed Richard Belward of Erisam in the Diocesse of Norwich was accused for holding and teaching that Ecclesiasticall Ministâ—re and Ordinaries haue no power to excommunicate and though the Bishop excommunicate any God doth absolâ—e them And that he held the opinion of Sir Iohn Oldcastle And that such as goe on Pilgrimage offering to Images are excommunicated because they ought to giue to the poore which are aliue and not to the dead And that the Curates sell God on Easter day when they receiue Offerings before they minister the Sacraments And that hee councelled â—â—uerse women that they should not offer for the dead nor with women that were puriâ—â—â—â— and for that he called his neighbours fooles for not learning his sect and that they of 〈◊〉 sect were able to confute all others and that we ought not to pray vnto the Saints 〈◊〉 heauen but onely to God and that he kéept schooles of Lolardie in Dichingham 〈◊〉 that a Parchment maker bringeth him bookes from London containing 〈◊〉 Doctrine The Bishop of Norwich siâ—ting in Iudgement vpon him he denied his articles and was purged by 〈◊〉 of his neighbours swearing that he would not teach or defend any thinâ— contrary to the Church of Rome and the aforesaid parchment-maker was likewise accused vpon the aforesaid Articâ—es who dâ—nyed them and was likewise purged by his neighbâ—urs and sword in like manner Also sir Hugh Pie Chaplen of Lâ—dney was likewiâ—e accused before the said Bishop of Norwich for holding that the people ought not to goe on pilgrimage and that people ought not to giue almes to Images but to the poore That the Image of the Crosse other Images are not to be worshiped and that he had cast the Crosse of Brome hold into the fire to be burnt which he tooke from one of Ludney which he denied purged himselfe by three Laymen and three Priests was sworne as before In this yeare Henry the fift sent a most cruell Commission vnto Iohn Exeter and Iacolet Germaine kéeper of the Castle of Colchester for the apprehending of sir William White Priest and Thomas Chaplin of Setling in Northfolke and William Northamton Priest and all other suspected of Lolardy and to commit them to prison by vertue of which Commiâ—â—ion sixe persons were attached in Buâ—gay of Norwich whose names were so defaced through antiquitie that there remained but three names in the worne booke to be red to wit Iohn Teaderton in Kent Bartholomew Monke of Ensham in Norfolke Corneleader a maâ—ieâ— man these three were in the custodie of the Duke of Norfolke in the Castle of Fremingham We finde also in the Diocesse of Norfolke and Suffolke specially in the townes of Bechels Ersham
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
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
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
destruction that is comming towards you and your Realmâ— Prince Lodowicke hath sworne a great oath and sixtéene of his Earles and Nobâ—es are of 〈◊〉 with him that if he obtaine the Crowne of England he will â—anish and depriue of their Lands and goods all that hâ— now findeth to goe against their leach King and are Traytors to him vpon my Faith nâ—w lying at Gods mercie I was one that was 〈◊〉 to the same and with teares he said take héede in time your King for a 〈◊〉 hath kept you vnder but if Lodowicke preuaile he will put you from all hee had them kéepe his counceâ—l and so he dyed This trobled the Barons and seeing withall 〈◊〉 Prince Lodowicke obtained by warres he gaue to French men in spite of them saying they were but Traytors They at length concluded to submit themselues 〈…〉 neuer drunke before I trust this Wassell shall make all England glad and dranke a great draught thereof the king pledged him the Munke went away and 〈◊〉 buâ—st out and hee dyed and had euer after thrée Monkes to sing continually Masse for his Soule confirmed by their generall Chapter I would you would see how religiously they bestow heir confessions absolutions and Masses King Iohn feeling himselfe not well asked for Symon the Monke they answered he was dead then the tooke his Chariot and departed and dyed within three dayes He admonished that his Sonne Henry would learne by his example to be genâ—le and leuing to his natiue people He being imbalmed his bowels were burâ—â—ed in Crompton Abbey his Soldiers â—olded his Corps triumphantly in Armour and honourably buried him in the Cathedrall Church or Worcester hauing raigned 17. yeares 6. monethâ— and odde daies After whose death the Princes Lords Barons and strangers that were on the kings part with the Councell of the Legate Gualdo proclaimed Henry his sonne king and at Gloster with the Earle there they annointed and Crowned him King bâ— the Legate Gualdo assisted with the Bishops of Winchester and Bath and called him Henry the third The Pope sent with all spéede that they should mightily stand â—ith the young king being but ten yeares old and defend England with Armâ—ur and his thundring curses against Lodowicke Hée confirmed his Legat Gualdo and committed to his discretion all that appertained to his Office none to appeale from him Hee compelled the Prelates to bée sworne to the young King and punished them which refused Thâ— Bishop of Winchester laid a heauie talke vpon his beneficed men to helpe the king in his warres Gualdo left not one beneficed man vnpunished that had taken part with the French King In this yeare Gualdo was sent for home to Rome for by this time he had welfaâ—oredly vnladen the purses of the Clergie men and returned with all his bags well stuffed leauing Cardinall Pandulfe behind him to supply his Baliwicke The Bishop of Lincolne not long before paid 1000. markes for recouery of his Office and an hundred markes to the Legate for his goodwill so were other holy Prelates and Priests taught by his example Inocentius Pope condemned Almeriâ—us a worthy Bishop for an hereticke for teaching and holding against Images also he condemned the Doctrine of Ioachim Abbas as before for heresie He brought in first the paying of priuie tyâ—hes and the receiuing once at Easter and the reseruation of the Sacrament and the going before it with a bell and a light He stirred vp Otho against Phillip the Emperour because he was elected without his will whereupon followed much slaughter in Germany and against Otho which he had made Emperour he set vp Fredericke king of Ciâ—le and caused the Archbishop of Mayence to excommunicate him and depose him of his Empire for which cause the Princes of Germany did inuade his Bishopricke and burned his possession all was because Otho held certaine Cities Townes and Câ—stles which the Pope said belonged to him In his time came the order of Blacke Friers called the Preaching Fryers it began of one Dominicke a Spaniard who after he had Preached ten yeares against the Albigenses and others that held against the Pope comming to Lateran desired to haue his Order of Preaching Fryers confirmed which the Pope refused vntill hee dreamt that the Church of Lateran was readie to fall vntill Dominicke came and propped it vp with his sholders and so preserued it The Pope waking called Dominicke to him and grâ—nted his request Dominicks mother being great with child dreameâ— she had a wolfe in her wombe which had a burning torâ—ch in his mouth the which dreame the Preachers of that order aduance to their glory In his time came vp the order of the Minorits of one Frances an Italian hee left off shooes had but one cote of vile cloth and an hempen cord about his middle and so apparelled his Disciples teaching them to fulfill the perfection of the Gospell walke in pouertie and holy simplicitie this rule was confirmed by Pope Innocent Many Nobles and others in Rome builded manflons for him and his disciples he was likewise strâ—â—t to his flesh leauing clothes in winter he 〈◊〉 himselfe in Ice and snow he called pouerty his Lady he kept nothing ouer night he was so desirous of Martyrdome that he went to Siria to the Soldaâ— who receiued him honourably it is written that Christ and his Saints marked him with fiue wounds These Franciscans or begging Fâ—â—ers though they haue but one Rule they haue many Orders there by 101. seueral sorts of Friers and Nunnes which the reader if he be disposed may see in the booke at lâ—rge with their names Fol 70. Hildegardis a Nunne a Prophetesse liued in the yeare 1170. She reprehendeth grieuously the abhominations of the lâ—ues of the Spiritual Papists the contempt of their Office and destruction of Gods children with these words Now is the Law neglected amongst the Spirituall which neglâ—ct to Preach and to doe good things The masters and Prelates sleepe and neglâ—ct Iustice. The Church appeared to her in the shape of a 〈◊〉 her face 〈◊〉 with dirt and her 〈◊〉 rent complaining that the Priests did not shine ouer the people neither in Doctrine not example but contrary did driue the innocent lambe from them that Ecclesâ—asticall order grew worse and worse and Priests destroyed the law of God and did not teach it and prophâ—â—eth to them Gods heauie wrath and punishments She prophesieth likewise of the reformation of Religion and saith it shall be most godly saying Then shall the Crowne of the Apostolicall honour bee deuided because there shall be found no religion amongst them and the name of that dignity shall bée despised and they shall sâ—t ouer them other men and other Archbishops and the Apostolicall order shall haue scarce Rome and a â—ew other Countries thereabout vnder his Crownâ— and this shall be done partly be warâ—es and partly by a common consent of Spirituall and Seculer persons then Iustice shall florish and men shall honestly apply themselues to the
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
A man cannot he excommunicated to his hurt except hee be first excommunicated of himselfe as Chrysostome saith None can be hurt except sinne hurt him which takes away Gods helpe and ayde as in Esay 59. Your sinnes haue seperated betwixt God and you 8 That none ought to be exâ—ommunicated but in Gods cause and wee ought to forgiue all priuate iniuries Math. 18. If thy brother offend thee forgiue him euen to 70. times 7. times 9 An Excommunication doth not binde except pronounced against the aduersarie of Gods Law For if God iustifie who can condemne 10 There is no power giuen by the example of Christ or his Apostles to excommunicate any for denying of Temporalties in the ninth of Luke Christ rebuketh his Disciples when they would haue fire come downe from Heauen to excommunicate them that would not entertaine them You know not said he what Spirit you are of 11 The Disciples of Christ haue no power to exact by any Ciuill authoritie Temporalties by censures vntil Churches were indued with possessions Christs Disciples what need soâ—uer they had they did onely exhort men to willing almes 12 It is not possible by the absolute power of God that the Pope or any Christian can binde or loose at their pleasure by what meanes soâ—uer yet may they exact temporall things by Ecclesiasticall Censures incidentally if case be that it appertaine to the reuengement of their God He that doth pretend to haue such Power is the man spoken of in the 2. Thess. 2. that sitteth in the Temple of God and sheweth himselfe as though he were God 13 All the power that Christs Uicar hath is then only lawfull in effect so long as it is ruled by the good will of Christ the Head of the Church 14 That euery Priest duely ordered by the Law of Grace hath power to Minister the Sacraments and to absolue any man confessing his fault and being penitent for the same whereby it appeareth that the power is aliâ—e to all Christian Priests as Hugo in his 2. Booke of Sacraments declareth 15 That the K. maâ— take away the Temporalties of the Clergie abusing the same habitually in cases by Law limited according to the 2. Thess. 3. We declared vnto you that they that would not worke should not eate 16 The â—ndowment of Churches are giuen conditionally that God should be honoured thereby and the Church edified with condicion if it be left vndoâ—e in any point the title of the gift is lost the Lord which gaue the gift ought to correct and amend the fault and not to bâ— stopped from the execution of Iustice â—or any excommunication And yet God forbid that by these words occasion should be giuen to the Lords Temporall to take away the goods of Fortune from the Church 17 An Ecclesiasticall Minister also the Pope may be rebuked of his subiects either of the Clergie or Laitie Gal. 2. Peter was rebuked by Paul for the Church is aboue the Bishop and to say he ought not â—o be rebuked but only of God what offence soeuer he commit he should be aboue the Church the Spouse of Christ. These be the effect of the conclusions of Wickliffe at that time which either being not read or vnderstood they granted him free libertie to depart Soone afâ—er died Pope Gregorie which was happâ—e to Wickliffe for presently after fell a great dissention betwixt the Romish and French Pope which continued 30. yeares with great â—orrow destruction of men on both parts and about 3. yeares after there fell a great dissention in England betwixt the Commâ—ns Nobilitie in which trouble Sudburie Archbishop of Canterburie was taken by the rude people beheaded to whom William Couâ—tnay succéeded who was no lesse diligent to root out hereticks then his predecessor Notwithstanding Wickliffes sect daily encreased and grâ—w to greater strength vntill one William Barton Uicechancelor of Oxford calling together 8. Monasticall Doctors and 4. other with the rest of his affinitie putting the common seale of the Uniuersitie vnto certaine writings set forth an Edict threatning euerie man vnder â—rieuous penaltie not to assemble themselues with any of Wickliffes fauorers and threatned to Wickliffe greater excommunication imprisonment and all his fauorers vnlesse after three daies canonicall admonition they doe repent and amend Wickliffe appealed to the King but the Duke of Lancaster forbad him to begin such matters but rather submit himselfe to the censure of his Ordinarie whereby Wickliffe being in the midst of the waues was inforced again to make confession of his Doctrine wherein he answered with intricate words and a gentler kind of phrase whereby he either persuaded or deluded his enemies William Archbishop of Canterbury held a Conuocation at London where Wickliffe was commanded to be when as they were gathered together at the Gray-friers in London to consult about Wickliffes Bookes the whole Sect a wonderfull Earthquake fell diuers doubting thought good to leaue off their purpose but the Archbishop interpreting the chance to another meaning strengthned their hearts to proceed who discoursing Wickliffes Articles not according to the Scriptures but to their priuate affections they condemned some Articles of Heresie and others of Error These of Heresie 1 The substance of Bread and Wine remaineth in the Sacrament after consecration 2 The accidents remaine not without the subiect after consecration 3 Christ is not truely and really in his proper corporall Person in the Sacrament 4 That a Bishop or Priest in deadly sinne doth not Order Consecrate or Baptize 5 That outward Confession is needlâ—sse if one be inwardly truely penitent 6 That it is not found in the Gospell that Christ ordained Masse 7 If the Pope be a Reprobate and a member of the Diuell he hath no power giuen him ouer the faithfull except by the Emperour 8 That none is to be receiued for Pope since Vrban the sixt but to liue as the Greekes euery man vnder his owne Law These as erroneous 1 That no Prelate ought to excommunicate any except he knew him first to be excommunicated of God 2 He that doth so excommunicate is an Hereticke and excommunicated 3 He that excommunicateth any of the Clergie which appealed to the Councell is a Traytor to the King and Realme 4 All that leaue off preaching or hearing the Word for feare of Excommunication are excommunicated and at the day of Iudgement shall be counted as Traytors to God 5 That it is lawfull for any man Deacon or Priest to preach without licence of the Pope or any his Catholikes that one is no Prelate so long as he is in deadly sinne 6 Temporall Lords may take away goods from Church-men if they offend 7 The Tenths are pure Almes the Parishioner for the offence of the Curate may bestow them vpon others 8 That Spirituall Prayers applyed particularly to any profit them no more then Generall Prayers profit others in the same case 9 That one is more vnapt and vnable to kéepe the Commandements of God
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
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
authority of thy word to be knit and made one in truth faith and stedfast hope in perfect charitie Amen ¶ Another Treatise of the said WILLIAM THORPE CHrist in Saint Matthew likeneth them that heare his word and kéepe it to a wise man that buildeth his house vppon a stone this house is mans Soule in which Christ desireth to dwâ—ll if it bee stablished in Christes liuing and teaching adorned with his faire Uertues and chiefly Charitie without â—edling of any â—rrour vppon none other ground none may make any building or house but vpon the teaching and liuing of Christ as Saint Paule teacheth to the Corinthians and to comfort these Saint Paul writeth to the people of Ephesus Now ye are not strangers guests nor comelings but Citizens and of the houshold of God builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets in which foundation euery building that is builded it increasâ—th to a holy Temple This is the stable Stone Christ fast holding together two wals for through him â—he Father is pitious and mercifully ioyned and made one together to mankinde and through dread so offend God and feruent loue to please him men bee inseparably made one to God â—nd â—â—â—ended surely vnder his protection This stone Christ was figured by the square Stones of the Temple for wheresoeuer a square stone is laid it abideth stedfâ—st so Christ and euery faithfull member of his Church by example of him abideth â—â—ably in true Faith and in all heauenly vertues in all aduersities that they suffer in this valley of â—eares When these â—quared stones were laid in the wals and Pillars of Gods Temple no noyse or stroke of the workemen was heard this â—lence signifieth Christ and his faithfull members which haue béene are and euer shall bee meeke and patient in euery aduersâ—tie and no sound of grudgiâ—g perceiued in them This Stone and ground of all vertues proud beggers reproued Christ suffered it most méekely in his owne person to giue example of méekenesse to his faithfull followers This world is now so full of proud beggers called Priests but are farre from such as Christ approueth Priests â— For from the highest to the lowest they doe all to please the World and the Flesh since I had discretion all the Popes Cardinals Bishoppes and all the contagious flocke of the Priest-hoode haue increased damnably 〈◊〉 sinne to sinne â—â—oud Hereticks couetous Symoners desouled Adulterers abusing the Sacramâ—ntes especially the Sacrament of the Altar the highest Priests occupie vnlawfully Temporall Lordships for fauour and gaine they sell Benefices to vnworthy and vnable persons Their Somnâ—rs sell sinne suffering men and women so lye in diuerse vices The Priestes sell the Sacramentes full deare to the people and thus the Priest-hoode is blowne vp into pride and vaine-glory of their dignitie that they disdaine to follow Christ in meekenesse holinesse and busie Preaching of his worde and to take their liuing at the peoples hands as pure almes and if they Preach not to labour for their liuing And they inforce that all holy Scripture should bee expounded according to their manners Therefore all Kings and Rulers that knowe the trueth of this Testimony of Priesthoode and will not inforce themselues to withstand these enemies and Traitors of Christ and his Church all these striue with Antichrist against Iesus and they shall beare the indignation of God Almightie without end if in conuenient time they amend them not and repent doing due mourning and sorrow For through the presumptuousnesse and negligence of the Prelates wicked men are wrongfully named Hermits and haue leaue to defraude the poore and liue by their false winnings and begging in sloth and other vices and the copper nosed Prelates are suffered to liue in pride and hypocrisie and to defile themselues bodily and Ghostly Also by the sufferance of these Prelates there bee vaine brotherhoodes and Priesthoodes full of pride they are cause of much dissention and exercise themselues in eating and drinking vnmeasurably and out of time and they are of one cloathing and holde together and in all vnlawfull doings they are Partners medlers and Councellers Also Prelates admit Pardoners and strange beggers with flatterings to beguile the people against true beliefe and to increase diuerse vices in them and thus the viciousnesse of Prelates haue beene are and shall bée cause of Warres within this Realme and without and cause of Pestilence of men and murren of beastes and barrennesse of earth and all other mischiefes vntill the Lords and Commons able them with grace accordring to Gods will to redresse this foresaid Priesthood vnto the innocent â—eaching and liuing of Christ and his Apostles Therefore all that know the viciousnesse that now raigneth cursedly in these Priestes and in their learning let them pray for the health of his Church and abstaine from these indurate enemies of Christ and his people and from all their Sacraments which are fleshly and false Saint Ciprian and other great Doctors witnesse That not onely vitious Priests but they which fauour and consent to them shall perish with them as they perished that consented to Dathan and Abiram for nothing were more confusion to them then refusing their Sacraments which are most vnlawfull and none needs to â—eace to dye without taking any Sacrament of these Christs enemies since Christ himselfe will not faile to minister all healthfull Sacramentes to all them that are in true Faith Hope and Charitie But some madde fooles to eschewe slaunders will bee shrieued once a years of their propper Priest though they knowe him defouled with slaunderous vices no doubt these are culpable of great sinne since Saint Paule witnesseth that Not onely they that doe euill are worthy of damnation but they that consent to euill doers And the vicious Priestes despise and cast from them heauenly wisdome that is giuen of the Holy Ghost Therefore the Lord throweth such dispisers from him so that they doe no Priesthoode vnto â—im Therefore they that tooke or consent that any other should take any Sacrament of any sâ—ch Priest sinneth against the Trinitie and are vnable to any Sacrament of health And that this Sentence is â—rue and in the hope of the remission of all my sins trusting stedfastly in the mercie of God I offâ—â— to him my Soule and to proue that this is true I suffer méekely and gladly my wrâ—tched body to be tormented to his praise and the edification of the Church And I wretched caiâ—â—â—e shall now through the spirituall grace of God make him a pleasant Sacrifice with my most sinfull body I beseech all that reade or heare this my Testament that they iâ—deauour by all meanes to vnderstand truely and kéepe faithfully the commaundements of God and to pray deuoutly to â—he blessed Trinitie that I may haue grâ—ce and wisdome from aboue to ende my life for his cause in a true and liuâ—ly faith stedfast hope and perfect charitie A Handicrafts man dyed constantly in the opinion that it was not the
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
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
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
it is easie to know the tree by the fruit not by the blossomes often repeating in his Oration that this admonition was giuen of singular good will and great clemâ—ncie in the shutting vp of his Oration he added menasings that if he would abide in his purposed intent the Emperour would exterminate him his Empire Luther answered to this effect That the Councell of Constance had erred in condemning this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the communion of the predestinat and that we ought rather to obey God then man There is an offence of faith and an offence of charitie the slander of charity consisteth in manners and life the offence of faith and doctrine consisteth in the word of God and they commit this offence which make not Christ the corner stone And if Christs sheepe were fed with the pure pasture of the Gospell and the faith of Christ sincerely preached and if there were good Eclesiasticall Magistrates who duely executed their office wee should not néede to charge the Church with mens traditions And that hee knew and taught that wee ought to obay the higher powers how peruâ—rsly soeuer they liued so that they inforce vs not to deny the word of God Then they admonished him to submit himselfe to the Emperour and the Empires Iudgment hee answered hee was well content so that this were done with authority of the word of God and that he would not giue place except they taught sound Doctrine by the word of God and that St. Augustine writeth hee had learned to giue honor onely to the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and touching other Doctors though they excell in holinâ—sse and learning hee would not credit them vnlesse they pronouced truth and St. Paule saith proue all things follow that which is good and againe if an Angell teach otherwise let him bee accursed finally hee meekely besought them not to vrge his conscience captiued in the bands of the word of God to deny that excellent word After the Arch-bishop sent for Luther to his Chamber and tould him for the most part that at all times holy Scriptures haue ingendred errors and went about to ouerthrow this proposition that the Catholike Church is the communion of Saints presuming of cockle to make wheate and of bodily excrements to compact members Martin Luther and one Ierome Schuâ—ffe his companion reproued their follies Hee was oftentimes assayled to reforme the censure of his bookes vnto the Emperour and Empire or to the Generall Councell which he was content to doe so they would iudge them according to the word of God otherwise not aleaging the words of the Prophet trust you not in Princes nor in the children of men wherein is no health also cursed be hee that trusteth in men and when newes came hee should returne home hee sayd euen as it hath pleased God so it is come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed and sayd hee thanked the Emperour and Princes that they had giuen him gracious audience and graunted him safe conduct to come and returne and said hee desired in his heart they were reformed according to the sacred word of God and sayd hee was content to suffer any thing in himselfe for the Emperour but only the word of God he would constantly confesse vnto the latter end About a yeare after this Luther dyed when hee had liued almost thrée score and thrée yeares and had béene Doctor thrée and thirty yeares hee sayd at his death O heauenly eternall and mercifull Father thou hast manifested in mee thy deare Sonne Christ I haue taught and knowne him I loue him as my life health and redemption whom the wicked persecuted maligned and iniured drawe my soule to thée and saâ—d thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redéemed me God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely Sonne that all that beleeue in him should haue eternall life and so he dyed whose death was much lamented In the yeare 1516. the aforesaid French King receaued from Pope Leo a Iubile and pardons to be sould and so in England vnder the pretence of warre against the Turke they perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue tenne shillings should deliuer his soule from the paine of Purgatory but if it lacked any thing of tenne shillings it would profit them nothing at that time Martin Luther was in Germany who vehemently inueyed against these indulgences agaâ—nst whom Iohn Eckius put forth himselfe they disputed before the people at last eyther of their arguments were sent to Paris to bee iudged by the Sorbonists the iudgment was long protracted In the meane time Pope Leo condemned Luther for Heresie and excommunicated him he appealed to the next Councell Pope Leo commanded Luthers bookes to bee burned openly Luther also burned the Popes decrees and Decretalls in the Uniuersity of Wittenberge In the yeere 1517. the Pope hauing creaâ—ed one and thirty Cardinalls thunder and lightening so strake the Church where the Cardinalls were created that it stroke the little child Iesus out of the lappe of his mother and the keyes out of St. Peters hands being Images in the Church of Rome In the yeare 1519. newes was brought to Pope Leo at supper that the Frenchmen were driuen out of Italy hee reioycing said God hath giuen me thrée things I returned from banishment with glory to Florence I haue deserued to bee called Apostolike and thereby I haue driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy as soone as he had spoken hee was stricken with a suddaine feuer and dyed shortly after What Godly man hath there euer beene for this fiue hundred yeares either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disproued the misordered and corrupt examples of the Sea and Bishop of Rome from time to time vntill the comming of Luther yet none euer could preuaile before the comming of this man the cause to bee supposed is this other men spake but against the pompe pride whoredome and auarice of the Pope Luther went further with him charged him with his Doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote charging him with plaine Heresie as resisting against the blood of Christ for whereas the Gospell leadeth vs to bee iustified onely by the worthinesse of Christ and his bloud the Pope teacheth vs to séeke our saluation by mans merits and deseruings by workes whereupon rose all the Religious sects some professing one thing some another euery man seeking his owne righteousnes but Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darkenesse to behold that glorious benefit of the great liberty frée iustification set vp in Christ Iesus but the more glorious this benefit appeared to the world the greater persecution followed the same and where the Elect tooke most comfort of saluation the aduersaries tooke most vexation according as Christ sayd I came not to send peace but a sword therefore so great persecutions in all the world followed after Luther but in no
was Schoolemaster to one Master Welch and for translating certain religious books into English and for arguing with a certain Priest that often vsed to his Masters house and confounding diuers points of their religion by the word of God he was pursued glad to go out of the Realme into Germany and there translated the Bible into English compiled diuers other books sâ—nt them into England wherby the dore and light vnto the Scriptures was daily more and more opened which before was many years closed in darknesse from thence he went to Aâ—twarp and had his abiding there and was lodged about a yeare in the house of one Thomas Poynets an English man which kept a house of English Merchants then came thither one Henry Philips hauing a seruant waiting on him M. Tindall became acquainted with him and had great confidence in him and had him often to dinner and supper with him and got him a lodging in M. Poynets house At length Philips wâ—nt to the high Court of Bruxelles to betray M. Tindall and procured to bring from thence with him the Procurator generall with othâ—r Officers which was not done with small charges from whom soeuer it came After Philips returning would haue M. Tindall to dine with him then hee desired M. Tindall to lend him fortie shillings which he did he told Philips he could not diâ—e with him for he was bid forth to dinner and he should goe with him And going forth to dâ—nner Philips hauing appointed the officers in the way he gaue them a signe that this was he they should apprehend then they took him and brought him to the Procurator generall who sent him to the Casâ—le of Filford and the Procurator generall went to Poynets house and sent away all that was there of M. Tindals The said Poynets and certain Merchants went ouer into England and got letters from the Coâ—ncell for M. Tindals deliuery vpon the deliuery wherof to the Councel of Bruxelles M. Tindall should haue bin deliuered vnto him which when Philips vnderstood he accused Poynets â—o be an heretick and a receiuer of such caused him to be apprehended kept 13. or 14. wéeks in prison but he escaped by night and got into England but M. Tindall was condemned and the same morning as he was had to the fire he deliuered a letter to the chiefe Kéeper of the Castle which the Kéeper himselfe brought to Poynets house who compared him to be fellow to the Apostles being in prison both for his conuersation and conuerting and preaching to the peoâ—le M. Tindall hearing by certaine Merchants what wonderfull feats a Iugler did he desired thâ—m that he might be present also at supper to see him play his parts accordingly the supper was appointed and the Merchants with Tindall were there present The Iugler being desired to vttâ—r his cunning shâ—wed all that he could do but all was in vaine at last with his labour sweating and toyle he saw nothing would go forward he confessed there was some man present at supper which disâ—urbed his doings For his letters that he wrote I refer thée to the book at large if thou dispose to sée them The Lord Cromwell keeper of the Kings priuie Seale Uicegerent of all the Kings iurisdiction ecclâ—siasticall sent out certaâ—n iniuncâ—ions by the Kâ—ngs authoritâ— for the preaching thâ— word of God for the bâ—tter publishing of the kings supremaâ—â—â— against idols 〈◊〉 on pilgrimage trusâ—ing in saints and to abrogate diuers holy-daies and for reformation to be had in diuers othâ—r ecclesiastical matters In the begiâ—â—g of this year the most noble and worthy Lady Queen Anne of Bullen after she had liued Qâ—â—â—ne three â—ears was cast into the Tower together with her brother the Lord Rochford and diuers others which shortly after were executed The words of the Queene at the time of her death Good Christian people I ame come hither to die I am iudged therto by the law therefore I will not speake against it I pray God preserue the King for there was neuer a gentler Prince and to me he was euer a good soueraigne and I râ—quire euery one to iudge the best of my cause so â— take my leaue of the world and of you all desiring you to praâ—â—or me Then she kneeled down and said Into thy hands I commend my soule Iesus receiue my soule diuers times vntill her head was striken off Fiue burned in Scotland SEauen years after Patrick Hamelton aforesaid there were fiue burned in Edenborough the chief Citie in Scotland two were Dominican Friers one Priest one Cannon and one Gentleman adiudged by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes Petrus Chappeâ—anus and the Franciscan Friers whose labour is neuer wanting in such matters The murther of ROBERT PACKINGTON HEe was a rich Mercer dwelling in Cheap side and was one of the â—urgesses of the Parliament for the Citie of London and had spoken against the couetousnesse and cruelty of the Clergie wherefore he was had in contempt with them therfore one Doctor Vincent Deane of Paules hired a stranger for sixtie crownes to kill him which he did in this manner this Packington vsed by foure of the clocke euery morning to go to a Church neare Cheap-side and in a mistie morning tâ—e hyred stranger shot him and killed him with a gunne as he crossed the street This could not be knowne vntill the death of the Deane then he repented the fact at his death and confessed it to his ghostly father In this yeare the Kings Maiestie by his Uicegerent the L. Cromwell sent out againe certaine Iniunctions vnto the Spiritualty for the reformation of religion for the maintenance of reading the Bible in English and for taking downe of Images with such other like The history of Iohn Lambert alias Nicolson BEing beyond Sea by reason of the persecution here he returned hoping the time had bin amended by the means of Quéen Anne and Cromwell and the abolishing of the Pope he became a Schoolemaster and being present at a Sermon preached by Doctor Taylor one that was a Bishop in K. Edwards time and died in the Tower in Queen Maries time after the Sermon hee vttered diuers arguments to the Preachers and desired to be resolued Taylor alledged businesse and desired him to write his minde which he did The first was vpon The cup is the new Testament and if these words doe not change neither the cup nor the wine into the new Testament by like reason the words spoken of the bread should not turn it corporally into the body of Christ. The second it is not agreeable to a naturall body to be in â—wo or more places ot one time therfore Christ hauing a naturall bodie cannot be in heauen on the right hand of his father and in the Sacrament Thirdly a naturall body cannot be without his forme and conditions as he cannot be without substance iâ— the Sacrament there is no forme and condition of the body of Christ no not
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
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
death as fruitfull seede hath taken such fruit in some that it is yet a linely and diligent preaching vnto some against superstition and Idolatry vsed in their Churches The tragicall History of the worthy Duke of Sommerset KIng Edward had three vnckles by his mothers side Edward Thomas Henry Semer Edward was made protector of the Realme and Thomas was made high Admirall of the same so long as they were ioined together in amitie they preserued themselues and the King and the Common-wealth Sir Thomas Semer high Admirall married Queene Katherine late wife of King Henry as you haue heard betwixt the said Queene and the Dutchesse of Somerset there fell great displeasure And therevpon in the behalfe of their wiues grudge began betweene the brethren after it was laid vnto the Lord Admirals charge that hee purposed to destroy the yong Kingâ— and transâ—ate the Crowne vnto himselfe and for the same he was attainted and condemned and did suffer at Tower Hill the twentith of March one thousand fiue hundred forty and nine many reported that the Duchesse of Sommerset had wrought his death whereby it came to passe whether by Gods iust iudgement or no In October after that there was great consultation amongst the Lords in the house of Maister Yorke and at Baynards Castle and in the Lord Mayor of Londons house against the Lord Protector remaining then with the King at Hampton Court The King with his Councell hearing thereof first Secretary Peter with the Kings message was sent vnto them whom the Lords retained still with them making no answer wherevpon the Lord Protector writ vnto them that the King was informed of your assembly wherefore we sent Maister Secretary Peter vnto you His Maiestie and wee of his Councell héere doe not a little maruell that you stay héere â—he said M. Peter and haue not answered his Maiesty and we are sory to sée your doings bent with violence to bring the King and vs to these extremities which if you will take no other way we intend with violence to defend with death and to put it in Gods hand who giueth victory as it pleaseth him as touching priuate matters â—o auoide the effusion of Christian bloud and to preserue the Kings Maiesties person his Realme and Subiects you shall finde vs agréeable to any reasonable conditions that you will require for wee esteemâ— the Kings wealth and tranquilitie of the Realme more then other worldly things yea then our life praying them to send their determinate answere by Maister Peter or some other Notwithstanding this Letter the Lords persisted still in their purpose and took aduice to kéep themselues in the Citie of London as strong as they might and willed the Mayor and Aldermen to prouide a substantiall watch by night and by day for the safegard of the Citie and gates Then they demanded fiue hundred men to ayde them to fetch the Lord Protector out of Windsor from the King and they published a Proclamation against the said Protector to this effect First that the Protector by his euill gouernment was the cause of all the sedition that of late happened within the Realme and of the losses of the Kings ordinance in France and that it appeared by the building of his sumptuous houses in the time of the Kings warre that he sought his owne glory that he esteemed nothing the graue counsell of the Councellors that he had sowed diuisions betwéen the Nobles Gentlemen and Commons That the Nobles assembled themselues only to cause the protector to haue liued within limits to haue put such order for the surety of the King as was fit That the protector slandered the Councell vnto the King and that hee was a great traytor and therefore the Lords defired the Citie Commons to ayde them to take him from the King Then the King sent a Letter vnto the Mayor and Citizens commanding them to ayde him with a thousand men out of their Citie well armed and to send them with all speed vnto the Castle of Windsor These contrary commandements comming both at one instant vnto the Mayor Citizens of London it séemed very doubtfull to them which way to take at the last stepped vp a Citizen George Studlaw and said I remember in the time of Henry the third the Barons as the Lords doe now demanded ayde of the Mayor and Citizens of London and the Citie ayded them against the King and it came to an open battell and the Lords preuailed against the King and took the King and his son prisoners and vpon certaine conditions the King his Son were restored againe and the King openly granted his pardon to the Lords and Citizens it was ratified by Act of Parliament but it was neuer forgotten during the Kings life the Liberties of the Citie were taken away and strangers appointed to be our gouernors and the Citizens giuen away body and goods and from one persecution vnto another were most miserably afflicted such it is to enter into the wrath of a Prince for Salomon saith the wrath of a Prince is death Therefore I would councell the Lords with vs to make sute to the King that he would please to heare the complaints that may be iustly proued against the L. Protector and I doubt not but this matter will be pacified and that the King nor yet the Lords haue cause to seeke for further ayde neither we to offend any of them both Then the Lords sent Sir Philip Hobby with their Letter of credence vnto the King beséeching him to giue credit to that which he should say who so handled the matter that the Lord Protector was commanded from the Kings presence and shortly committed to warde in the Castle of Windsor The same day the Lords of the Councell resorted vnto the King and the next day they brought the Lord Protector vnto the Tower Shortly after the Lords resorted vnto the Tower and there charged the Lord Protector with sundry Articles the effect of them is contained in the proclamation aforesaid and although these purposes of man intended the spilling of his life and the Lord so ordered the matter by the meanes of the Kings so laboring for his vnkle that in short while he was let out of the Tower and continued at liberty two yeares and two daies After he was againe apprehended committed againe to the Tower after hee was brought to Westminister Hall to be arraigned and there was charged with felony treason he put himselfe to be tried by his Péeres who discharged him of treason but they accounted him guilty of Felony for purposing the death of the Duke of Northumberland and others and was returned vnto the Tower againe When he was brought to his execution vpon tower Hill he came with the same gesture which he vsed changing neither voice nor countenance and knéeling down he commended himselfe to God and his prayers ended he turned toward the people as it were with a certaine fatherly loue to children and said Dearely
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
the aduersaries therof should be neuer able to resist and by this wee know wee are of the truth because neither by reasoning nor writing your Synagogue of Rome is able to answere one of the learned Ministers of Germany who hath disclosed your counterset Religion which of all you is able to answere Caluins institutions Then Doctor Story came in to whom I said you haue done me great iniury without Law you haue imprisoned me more like a dog then a man and you promised mee I should be iudged the next day after Story I am come now to kéep my promise with you was there euer such a fantasticall man as he is may he is no man but a beast yea these hereticks bee worse then beasts for they will take vpon them to be wiser then all men being very asseheads not able to maintaine that which they stand in Phil. I am content to abide your rayling Iudgement God forgiue you yet I am no heretick neither you nor any other can proue that I hold any iot against the Word of God Story The Word of God whom wilt thou appoint to be a iudge of the word Phil. The word it selfe Story Doe you not sée the Ignorance of this beastly Heretick hee willeth the word to be iudge of the word can the word speake Phil. Christ saith in S. Iohn The word which I haue spoken shall Iudge in the last day therefore much more it ought to iudge our doing now and I am sure I haue my Iudge on my side which shall absolue and iustifie me in another world howsoeuer you iudge me and other vnrighteously sure I am in another World to iudge you Story What you purpose to be a stinking Martyr and to sit in iudgment with Christ at the last day to iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell Phil. Yea I doubt not thereof I haue the promise of Christ if I die for righteousnesse sake which you haue begun to persecute in me Story When the Iudge in Westminster hall giueth sentence doth the word giue sentence or the Iudge tell me Phil. Ciuill men haue authority by the word of God to be Iudges of ciuill matters but the word of God is not subiect to mans iudgement but ought to iudge al the wisedome thoughts and doings of men therefore your comparison disproueth nothing which I haue said nor answereth thereto Story Wilt thou not allow the interpretation of the Church vpon the Scripture Phil. Yes if it be according vnto the word of the true Church Story And not wee in possession of the Church and haue not our fore-fathers this many hundred yeares taken this Church for the Catholike Church and if we had no other proofe this were sufficient for presumption of time maketh a good title in Law Phil. You doe well to alleadge prescription for it is all that you haue to shew for your selues but you must vnderstand that presciption hath no place in matters appertaining vnto GOD as I can shew you by the testimonie of many Doctors Story Well Sirs you are like to go after your Fathers Latimer and Ridley who had nothing to alledge for himselfe but that he had learned his heresie of Cranmer where I came vnto him with a poore Bacheler of Art he trembled as though he had had the Palsie as these hereticks haue alwaies some token of feare whereby a man may know them as you may sée this mans eies to tremble in his head but I dispatched them and I tell thée that there hath yet béen neuer a one burned but I haue spoken with him and béene a cause of his dispatch Phil. You haue the more to answer for you shall féele it in another world howsoeuer you do now triumph thereof Story I will neuer be confessed thereof I cannot tarry to speake with my Lord I pray one of you tell my Lord my comming is to signifie vnto him that hee must put of hand rid this Hereticke out of the way and going he said vnto me I tel thée thou must thank no other man but me for this Phil. I thanke you with all my heart and God forgiue you Story What dost thou thanke me if I had thée in my study halfe an houre I thinke I should make you sing another song Phil. No I stand vpon to sure a ground to be ouerthrowne by you now The ninth examination Harps MY Lord hath sent you S. Augustine to looke vpon I will read you an Epistle where you may heare the celebration of the Masse Phil. Héere is nothing that maketh for the proofe of the Masse Saint Augustine meaneth of the celebration of the Communion and the true vse of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and not of your priuate Masse which you lately haue erected in the stead thereof for this word Masse hath bin an old terme attributed to the Communion euen from the Primitiue Church I pray you tell me what Missa doth signifie I thinke many that say Masse cannot tell but then Cousins and the Masse-Priests were dumbe Harps You think it commeth of the Hebrew word Massah as though none were séene in the Hebrew but you Phil. I take the communion to be called Missa a mittendo of such things as were sent by the rich to the reléefe of the poore alwaies when the communion was celebrated for this cause was it called Missa as learned men do witnes at the which celebration of the Masse all that were present did communicate vnder both kinds according to Christs institution as they did in S. Augustines time so being you cannot proue the Masse vsed at that time as you now vse it you can neuer proue it a Sacrament by the name of the Masse which name was giuen to the communion Harps What do you deny the Masse to be a Sacrament it is a sacrifice which is more then a Sacrament Phil. You can neuer make it a sacrifice but first you must make it a Sacrament for of the Sacrament you deduce your Sacrifice Harps Doth not Christ say This is my body and doth not the Priest pronounce the same Phil. The pronuntiation of the words is not enough except they be applied vnto the vse that Christ appointed them for though you speake the words of Baptisme ouer the water yet if there be none baptized it is no Baptisme Harps That this is not like for this is my body is an Indicatiue proposition shewing the worke of God in the substance of bread and wine Phil. It is not only an Indicatiue proposition but an Imparatiue or commaunding for he that said This is my body said also take ye eate ye and except it bée taken and eaten the words This is my body can haue no verification Masse Chapl. Will you make the Sacrament to stand in the receiuing and that the receiuing maketh it a Sacrament Phil. I say the common receiuing must néeds be concurrant with the true Sacrament without which it cannot be a Sacrament because Christ hath made this a
day night for now my foule is turned vnto her old rest again hath taken a swéet naâ— in Christs lap I haue cast my care vpon the Lord which will care for mee and will be careles according vnto my name as soon as I had read your comfortable Letter my sorrowes vanished away as smoke in the wind I am sure the spirit of God was aâ—thor of it Good M. Philpot thou art a principal Pot indéed filled with most precious liquor Oh pot most happy of the high Potter ordained to honour which doest containe such heauenly treasure in the earthen vessell Oh pot most happy in whom Christ hath turned water into wine and that of the best whereof the Master of the Feast hath fiâ—led my cup so full that it hath made mee drunken in the ioy of the spirit When martyrdome shall breake thee oh vessell of honour the fragrant sauour of the precious ointments will much reioyce the heaâ—y hearts of Christs true members Iohn Gwinne Askin Iulines Palmer THe 16. of Iuly these thrée godly and constant martyrs were burned at Newbery in Barkshire Iulines Palmer had been student in Magdalen Colledge in Oxford and was Schoolemaister of Redding all King Edwards daies hee was an obstinate Papist abhorring all godly prayer and sincere preaching and was abhorred and put out of the Colledge for the same yet after in Quéene Maries time suffered a most cruel death at the Papists hands He was born in Couentry his father had sometimes béene Mayor of the Citty When Quéene Mary came to her raign he was receiued into the fellowship of the Colledge again but his mind was â—o far altered that hee would not come to prayers for feare of suspition but when he should kéepe his bowing measures at the Confiteor in turning vpward downeward and knocke his breast with Idolatrous adoration at the lifting vp of the Sacrament his heart rose against it that hee would get him out of the Church wherefore he left the Colledge and became Schoolemaister in Redding and béeing vexed with the consideration of the cruelty that was then shewed to the Christians he made a testimony of his Faith and deliuered it to Doctor Geffery in his visitation who reading the same put him in Prison and within a fortnight after burned him as before where he yéelded vp as ioyfull a Soule to God as euer any did Katherine Cauches mother and Paratine and Guillimiue her Daughters THE said Katherine was a Widdow they were of the Isle of Garnesey the 10. of Iuly they were there burned for herâ—ticks for professing the truth Paratiue being great with childe and ready to bee brought a bed the wombe of the said Paratine being buâ—ned there issued from her a goodly man Child which by the officer was taken vp and after most spitefull manner throwne into the fire and most cruelly burned with her seely mother The cause was thiâ— a woman had stollen a cup and pawned it to this Katherine for six pence she perceiuing whose cup it was thought to haue carried it home In the meane time the owner of the cup missed it and charged ber with it that stole it who confessed it and brought the owner of the cup to the Widdow who deliuered him the Cup shortly after the Bayliffâ—s hearing thereof searched her house they finding one Platter which had no marke and another that had the mark scraped out Whereupon they brought her and her two Daughters to the Iustices who committed them vnto prison and the Bayliffs seized vpon all their goods and when they could proue nothing against them the Bayliffs accused them of heresie and caused them to be committed againe and the Bayliffs wrote to Iaques Amy Deane of the I le aforesaid to desire him to proceed against them in the cause of heresie whereupon the said Deane assisted by the Curats there did make an inquirie of the said widdow and her daughters and condemned them for hereticks the widdow and her daughters neuer hearing therof and deliuered it to the Bayliffs and Iurats whereupon when the Bayliffs did know that the said Deane and Curats had not examined the woman they would not sit in iudgement that day but ordained that the women should first be examined of their Faith before the Deane and Curats wherefore the women were presented before the said Deane and Curats who answered that they would obeâ— the Ordinances of the King and Queene and the commandements of the Church notwithstanding they were condemned and thereupon burned and the Bayliffs had all their goods as before but in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the Gernâ—â—y men and one Matthew Cauches brother to â—he said two Sisters presented a supplication to the Quéenes Commissioners touching that matter who sitting vpon the cause found the matter probable and commitâ—ed the Deane to prison and dispossessed him of all his liuings and possessions Thomas Dungate Iohn Forman Mother Tree THe 18 of Iuly these gaue themselues to the fire for righteousnes sake patiently abiding what the rage of man could say or doe against them they were burned at Grinsted in Sussex Ioane Wast was of the Parish of Alhallowes in Darby shee was condemned by Radulph Bane Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield his Chancellor and others for that she did hold the Sacrament of the Popish Altar to be but a representation of Christs body and materiall bread and wine and not his naturall body vnlesse it were receiued and that it ought not to be reserued from time to time ouer the Altar but immediatly to be receiued She was burned at the aforesaid Darby when she suffered she made her prayer to the Lord Iesâ—s to assist and strengthen her and being bound to the stake with flames about her she suffered with ioy and triumph as though she had rather béene going to a banket then to yéeld vp her life Edward Sharp was an aged man borne in Wilshire he was condemned the 8. of September where hee constantly and manfully persisted in the iust quarrell of Christs Gospell for misliking renouncing the ordinances of the Romish Church He was tryed as pure gold and made a liuely sacrifice in the fire Iohn Hart Tho Rauensdale and two whose names we haue not the one a Shomaker the other a Coriar THese foure were burned at Mayfield in Sussex the 24. of September being at the place where they should suffer after they had made their Prayer they constantly and ioyfully ended their liues for the testimony of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ. The next day a yong man a Carpenter whose name we know not was burned for the Testimony of Christ at Bristow he died with much ioy constancy and triumph Thomas Horne and a woman THe 25. of September thâ—se two godly Martirs were consumed by the fire at Watton Underhedge in Glocestershire who died very gloriously in a constant Faith to the terror of the wicked and comfort of the godly A Shoemaker was a true Witnesse and Disciple of the
perswaded her to leaue her wicked opinion of the Sacrament but she answered that it was nothing but bread and wine that they might be ashamed to say that a péece of bread should be turned by a man into the naturall body of Christ which bread doth sennew and Mice oftentimes do eate it and it doth mould and is burned Gods owne body will not be so handled or kept in prison or Boxes let it be your GOD it shall not be mine for my Sauiour sitteth at the right hand of God and doth pray for me and to make it the very body of Christ and to worship it is foolish and deuillish deceit Then an old Frier asâ—ed her what she said of the holy Pope I say quoth she he is Antichrist and the Deuill then they all laughed â—ay said she you had more néed to weep then laugh in that you are Chaplaines vnto that whâ—re of Babylon I defie him and all his falshood you damne soules when you teach the people to worship Idolls and to worship a false God of your owne making of a peece of Bread and that the Pope is Gods Uicar and can forgiue sinnes and that there is a Purgatory when Gods Sonne hath by his Passion purged all and say you make God and sacrifice him when Christs body was a Sacrifice once for all you teach the people to number their sinnes in your eares and say they bee damned â—f they doe not confesse all when GOD saith Who can number his sinnes You promise them Trentalls and Dirges and Masses for Soules and sell your prayers for Money and make them buy pardons and trust in such foolish inuâ—ntions you teach vs to pray vpon Beads and to pray vnto Saints you make Holy bread and holy water to fray Deuils and you do make a thousand moe abhominations yet you say you came to saue my soule no no one hath saued me farewell with your saluation In Saint Peters Church shee beheld a cunning Duch-man how he made new Noses to certaine Images which were disfigured in King EDVVARDS time What a mad man art thou said she to make new noses which within a few daies shall all loose their heads thou thine Images are acccursed hee called her whore nay said the thine Images are whoores and thou art a whoore-hunter For God saith you goe a whoring after strange Gods Then she was clapped fast and after had no liberty and not long after she was condemned Then she said I thanke God this day I haue found that which I haue long sought and being then exhorted to recant she said I will neuer lose eternall life for this short life I will not turne from my heauenly husband to my earthly husband from the fellowship of Angels to mortall Children God is my Father God is my Mother God is my Sister my Brother my Kinsman God is my Friend most faithfull shee was burned at Execester Iohn Sharpe Thomas Hall Thomas Benion THese were burned in the towne of Bristow for saying that the Sacrament of the Altar was the greatest and most abhominable Idol that euer was and Thomas Benion denied fiue of their Sacraments and affirmed two that is the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptisme they died godly constantly and patiently Iohn Corneford of Wortham Christopher Browne of Maidstone Iohn Herst of Ashford Alice Snoth Katherine Knight alias Tinley THese were the last that suffered in Quéen Maries raigne They were burned at Canterbury but six daies before the death of Queene Mary The Arch-deacon of Canterbury being at London and vnderstanding the danger of the Quéene made post-hast home to dispatch these They were condemned for not beleeuing the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Altar vnlesse it be receiued and for confessing that an euill man doth not receiue Christs body and that it is Idolatry to créepe to the crosse and that we should not pray vnto our Lady and other Saints when there sentence should beâ— read against them Iohn Cornefield excommunicated the Papists in these words as follow In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ the Son of the most mighty God and by the power of his holy Spirit and of the authority of his holy Cathothick and Apostolick Church wee doe giue here into the hands of Sathan to bee destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers and hereticks that doâ— maintaine any error against his most holy word or doe condemne his most holy truth for heresie to the maintâ—nance of any false Church or fained religion so that by this thy iust Iudgement O most mighty God against thy Aduersaries thy true religion may be knowne to thy great glory and our comfort and to the edifying of all our Nation good Lord so be it This procéeded as it seemed from an inward faith and harty zeale to Gods truth and it tooke such effect against the enemies that within six daies Queene Mary died and all tyranny with her These godly Martyrs in their prayers which they made at their martyrdom desired God that their bloud might be the last that should be shed and so it was Katherine Tinley was the mother of one Robert Tinley dwelling in Maidestone The Story of Nicholas Burton Marchant of London dwelling in little S. Bartholomew THe fift of Nouember he being in the Citie of Cadix in the parts of Aâ—doâ—azia in Spaine about his marchandize there came one of the inquisition vnto his lodging who fained to hâ—ue a Letter to deliuer vnto his hands when he came vnto him he inuented another lye and said that he would take lading vnto London in his ships delaying the time vntill the Alquisyell or Sergeants of the inquiâ—ition might apprehend them and seeking to know his ships that they might attache them when they had arrested him he boldly asked them what cause they had against him and he would answere them They carried him vnto a filthy common prison of the towne of Cadix where he remained in Irons amongst theeues thirteene daies all which time he instructed the poore prisoners in the word of God that he had reclaimed sundry of them from superstitions to embrace the Word of God which being known they conuayed him thence vnto the Citie of Siuill into a more cruell prison called Triane where the Fathers of the inquisition proceeded against him secretly that neuer after he could be suffered to speake or write vnto any of his Nation And the twentith day of December they brought him with a great number of other prisoners into the Citie of Siuil into a place where the Inquisiâ—ion sate in Iudgement they put on him a Canuas coat wheron was painted in diuers parts the figure of a huge Diuell tormenting a soule in fire and on his head a long cap of the same worke his tongue was forced out of his mouth with a clouen sticke fastened vpon it that he should not vtter his Faith and conscience vnto the people and so he was set with
an other Englishman of Southampton and diuers others condemned for Religion as well Frenchmen as Spaniards vpon a Scaffold ouer against the inquisition where they were condemned and they most cruelly burned him for his most constant Faith Hee shewed such a cheerefull countenance patience and gladnes in the flames of fire that the tormentors said that the Diuell had his soule before he came vnto the fire there sufferâ—d with him another Englishman and thirteene more One a Nun another a Frier constant in the Lord. Iohn Baker and William Burgate THey were both Englishmen and apprehended the second of Nouember at Cales in Spaine and were burned at Siuill Marke Burges and William Hooker THey were both Englishmen Burges was Maister of a Ship called the Minion He was burned at Lysborne in Portugall Hooker was about sixteene yeares old and was stoned vnto death of certaine yong men in the Citie of Siuill for the confession of his Faith Franciscus Euzenas wrote to Philip Melancton as followeth In Sant Lucar in Spaine dwelt a Brabander called Rochus a maker of Images Hee liked not his science because he maintained Idolatry yet he was â—aine to vse it for maintenance for excellent workmanship he was commended of all men Upon a time he had framed the Image of our Lady in wood with singular dexteritie setting it out to be sold One of the Inquisitors offered money for it He answered he had rather breake it then to sell it at his price Hee bid him breake it if he dare At which word he flung a toole at the Image and blemished the face thereof By and by he was carried away vnto prison May I not said he make and marre mine owne worke as I thinke good perhaps I did not well like the countenance of it and therefore did intend to make it better vnto my minde Notwithstanding within three daies he was carried vnto the stake and burned because he was an heretick against the blessed Lady Touching the Treatise and names of them who by reason of persecution weâ—â— forced to forsake their houses and goods in the time of Quéene Mary I haue omitted it and the Reader that is desirous to reade them may repaire to the booke at large Likewise I haue omitted the Treatise concerning such as were scourged and whipped by the Papists in the true cause of Christs Gospell because all the Stories of them be elsewhere in the Booke Likewise touching the story of such as by the prouidence of God haue been preserued from danger in the time of persecution I referre the Reader to the booke at large THE ACTS THAT HAPPENED in the flourishing Raigne of Queene ELIZABETH HAUING by the power of Almightie God truely displayed the cruell practises of Queene Maries Raigne now orderly comming to the flourishing and long wished for Raigne of the most vertuous and religious Queene Elizabeth who can number the singular ornaments and noble graces giuen of God vnto this so princely a Lady and puisant Princesse the mildnes of her Nature the clemencie of her Royall estate the peaceablenes of her Raigne who a Uirgine so mildely ruled her subiects kept all things in order quieted forraine Nations recouered townes inlarged her Kingdome nourisheth and reconcileth amitie vniteth hearts and loue with forraine enemies helpeth neighbours reformed Religion quenched persecution Shee was feared with loue and loued with feare how can we but giue vertue her commendations which in all persons as Plato saith stirreth vp great loue but especially in a Prince and what cause haue all wee Englishmen to render most ample thankes to the mercifulnes of God who hath granted conserued and aduanced vnto the Seate Regall of this Realme so good godly and vertuous a Queene such a chosen instrument of his clemencie through whom wee cannot deny but that God hath made amends and recompence now vnto England for the cruell dayes that were before for as then moderation had no place but all was ruled by rigour Contrary now clemencie hath all the operation as then was no end of butcherly killing now is no bâ—ginning of spilling any drop of bloud She came in like a mother not like a stâ—pdame like a Lambe not liâ—e a Lyon First iâ— begin with her princely birth beâ—ing borne at Greenewich Annâ— 1534. of the victorious Prince King Henry the eight and of the Noble and most vertuous Lady Queene Anne her mother Sheâ— was Christened in the Gray-Friers Church of Greenewich hauing vnto her Godfather Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury after shee was committed vnto godly Tutors vnder whose institution her Grace did so greatly increase in vertue and knowledge of learning so that she vnderstood all tongues and spake all languages she was well learned in the liberall arts and sciences and her noble brest was gernished with all vertue councell and wisedome that none of her Councell could goe beyond her maiestie it is wonderfull in euery mans conscience to behold in that age that sâ—xe in such state and fortune in so great occasions so many entisements in all these to refaine so sober conuersation so temperate condition such mildnes of manners such humblenesse of stomack such clemencie in forgiuing such trauelling in studie Tully saith a good man in other places is no matter but in Asia to keepe a sober and temperate life that is indéed a matter praise worthy But shee in thâ— middest of Asia did so much degenerate from all Asia as hath not lightly been in Europa Her first schoolemaister reported of her to a friend of his that he learned euery day more of her then she of him which hee expounded thus I teach her words quoth he and she teacheth me things I teach her tongue to speake and her modest and maidenly life teacheth me to doe for I think she is the best disposed of any in Europe and an Italian that was her teacher said he found in her tâ—o qualities which are neuer lightly yâ—ke-fellowes in one woman which are a singular wit and a maruellous meeke stomack But none of her princely qualities are more worthy of commendations thâ—â— her Christian patience shewed in her afflictions and her incredible clemencie declared towards her enemies for though she was such a high Princes and a Kings Daughter and a Queenes Sisâ—er and heyre apparant vnto the Crowne could she not escape without the â—rosse Yea her troubles were far aboue the condition of a Kings Daughter for there was no more behinds to make a very Iphigenia of her but her offring vp vpon the Altar of the Scaffold It was no small iniury that shee suffered in the Lord Protectors dayes by certaine venemous vipers And after the death of King Edward the Councell sought to defeate both her and her Sister from the naturall inheritance and right of the Crowne And in the daies of Queene Mary into what trouble of minde and feare of death was she brought vnto First with â—ands of haâ—nished men to bee fetched vp as a great Traytor and clapped into the
him but in them whom hee both oft and earnestly exhorted vnto the same beeing not a little greeued with them for that they laboured onely vpon the yong and little springs and twigges whereas they should haue striken at the roote cleane haue rooted it out and he said that he was once at the burning of an herewigge at Uxbridge meaning Maister Denley where he tossed a Fagget at his face as hee was singing of Psalmes and set a bush of thornes vnder his feete and he named Sir Philip Hobby and another Knight in Kent with such other of the richer and higher degree whom his Councell was to pluck at wherein if they had followed my aduice they had done wisely In this Parliament through the goodnes of the Lord the true cause of the Gospel had the vpper hand the papists hope was frustrated their rage abated The proceedings in K Edwards time was reuiâ—â—d and the bloudy statutes of Q. Mary repealed The old Bishops were deposed for refusing the othe in renouncing the Pope and not subscribing vnto the Queenes lawfull supremacy In the place of Cardinall Poole succeeded Doctor Mathew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury In the place of Heath succeeded Doctor Yong Insteed of Boner Edmund Grindall was Bishop of London For Hopton Thurleby Tunstall Pates Christopherson Peto Coats Morgan Feasie White Oglethorpe were placed Doctor Iohn Parkust in Norwich D. Cox in Ely Iuell in Salisbury Pilkinton in Duresme D. Sands in Worcester Benton in Couentry and Lichfield Downam in Westchester Dauid in S. Dauids Ally in Exeter Horne in Winchester Story in Lincolne Scamler in Peterborough Bartlet in Bathe Gest in Rochester Barlow in Chichester The seuere punishment of God vpon persecutors and blasphemers STephen Gardiner the Arch persecutor whom the Lord tooke away in the middest of Queene Maries Raigne of whose poisoned life and stinking end mention is made already He said in his death-bed I haue denied my Master with Peter but neuer repented with Peter Bishop Morgan who condemned Master Farrar Bishop of Saint Dauids and vsurped his roome not long after he was striken in such a strange sort that the meate he eat would not goe downe but rise vp againe sometimes at his mouth sometimes blow out of his nose most horrible to behold and so continued vnto his death Also when Doctor Leyson the Sheriffe had fet away the said Bishops cattell diuers of the Cattell would neuer eate meat but lay bellowing and roaring and so dyed One Richard a Priest of Carmarthen a little after the martyrdome of the said B. Farrar standing vpon the top of a stayre in one Maister Downings house iesting at the death of the said B. Farrar fell downe suddenly and brake his neck Iustice Morgan after he had set vpon the death of the Lady Iane fell mad and so died hauing euer in his mouth Lady Iane Lady Iane. Doctor Dunning the cruell Chancellor of Norwich was striken wish sodaine death as he sate in his chayre Berry the wicked Comissary of Norfolke foure daies after Queene Maries death made a feast and had one of his Concubines therein the afternoone comming from Euensong he fell downe by the way and neuer sâ—irreâ— Bishop Thorneton Suffragan of Douer who was a most cruell tyrant hee fell in a palsey as he looked vpon his men playing at Bowles and so was had to bed he was willed to remember God yea so I doe said he and my Lord Cardinall and so he dyed After him succeeded another Bishop or Suffragan who was Suffragan before vnto Boner he brake his neck downe a payre of staires in the Cardinals chamber at Greenewich as he had receiued the Cardinals blessing The Parson of Crundall in Kent hauing receiued the Popes Pardon hee exhorted the people to receiue remission of sinnes as he had done And hee said that he stood now as cleere in conscience as when he was first borne and cared not if he should die the same houre in so saying he was suddenly striken in the pulpit and leaning back he was found dead Not long after the death of Queene Mary dyed Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury and the cruell Chancellor of Salisbury Doctor Geffrey about the same time in the middest of his buildings was suddenly taken with the mighty hand of God and so ended his life The day before he departed hee had appointed to call before him 90. persons to examine them by inquisition Cruell Maister Woodroofe Sheriffe of London which reioyced at the death of the Saints of Christ A weeke after he was out of his office the one halfe of his body was striken by the hand of God that hee was bedrid and not able to moue himselfe and so he continued seuen or eight yeares vntill he dyed Rafe Sardine that betrayed George Eagles was attached himselfe arraigned and hanged Maister Swingefield an Aldermans Deputy in Thames stréet vnderstanding a Midwife which absented her selfe from the Church to bee at the labour of one Mistris Walter at Crooked Lane end he apprehended her being great with child and carried her vnto Boner who sent her vnto Lolards Tower where for feâ—re she was deliuered of a child could haue no woman to help her after she had lien there fiue wéekes she was deliuered vpon sureties Doctor Story hearing thereof charged her with felony and sent her vnto Newgate shortly after the said Master Swingfield and three more that came to take her died One Burton a Bayliffe of Crowland in Lincolneshire who made shew to be a great friend of the Gospel in King Edwards time but in Quéene Maries time he moued the parish to shew themselues the Queenes friends and set vp Masse speedily and he called on them still in the Queenes name and when hee saw his words were not regarded he got him to Church vpon a Sunday morning when the Curate began to say seruice according vnto King Edwards time he came to him and said Sirra will you not say Masse buckle your selfe to Masse you knaue or by Gods bloud I will sheath my Dagger in your shoulders The poore Curate for feare setled himselfe vnto Masse But not long after riding from home with one of his neighbours as he returned home a Crow flew ouer his head singing after her wonted manner knauâ— knaue and dunged vpon his nose which ranne downe vpon his mouth beard The poisoned sauour thereof so annoyed his stomack that he neuer ceased vomiting vntill he came home whereof within few daies he dyed without any toâ—en of â—epentance As Iames Abbes was a leading to be burned poore people asking almes hee pulled off all his apparell vnto his shirt and gaue it amongst them to some one thing and to some another and he exhorted them to stand stedfast in the truth of the Gospel which hee with Gods help would seale with his bloud in their sight Then a seruant of the Sheriffes cryed out beléeue him not good people he is an heretick a mad man and it is heresie that he saith
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