the world was put away Euery Byshop of the world is not named a Byshop by God For some commeth into that office not by the holy ghost Iohn 10. not elect of God as Iohn sayeth not entring in ouile ouâ—um per ostium sed ascendens aliundè All bishops be not called of God Some there are that entreth into the folde of the sheep of GOD not by the dore Some there be that entreth in hauing charge and cure of soule not by God but by worldly meanes by worldly labour by importune sutes and intercession of frendes or by theyr owne vnlawfull labour by simony and such other wayes Such are not named Byshops by God Such entreth not by the dore not by him that sayth Ego sum ostium Ego sum via veritas vita I am the dore I am the way I am the life I am trueth I am pastor bonus the very true and good Byshop that entred by God Iohn 10. And all that entreth otherwise then by God Christ calleth them fures latrones theues spoylers raueners deuourers and deceiuers of the sheepe Theyr liuing shall declare the same For such as so wilfully do enter do study theyr owne profites and commodities Such receiueth the fruites and do nothing for them Such suffereth theyr sheepe to perish for lacke of bodily and ghostly foode and susteynaunce for lacke of preaching for lacke or geuing good counsell for lacke of good liuing for lacke of good ensample And suche for the most part liueth naughtily carnally fleshly viciously popously worldly not bishoply nor priestly For they came not in by God nor by grace Christ sayth Qui intrat per me saluabitur Iohn 14. ingredietur egredietur pascua inueniet He that entreth by me shal be saued Et ingredietur egredietur And he shall go in and he shall go out What is that to say he shall goe in and he shall goe out â— thinke he meaneth by going in that he shall haue grace to enter studiously into the holy Scripture daily and nightly to meditate to study and to profite in the lawes of God Et egredietur And he shall explayne and truely interpretate and publish it vnto the people Et pascua inueniet And he shall finde there plenty of spirituall food for himselfe for his people to edify their soules to instruct and call theÌ„ to the knowledge of God to feed theÌ„ pletifully that they shall not lack necessaryes to their soules Let vs therfore so liue that we may be called PoÌ„tifices appellati a Deo Hebr. 7. This our great Byshop Christ is also Pontifex sanctus innocens impolluâ—us segregatus à peccatoribus excelsior coelis sedens à dextris Dei emundans conscientias nostras à peccatis intrans sancta sanctorum per proprium sanguinem He is Sanctus A holy Bishop and willeth vs to be holy in our conuersation Sanctus applyeng our selues vnto godlynesse to the seruice of God to lyue like byshops like priestes pure cleane chaste deuout studious faythfully labouring in his word praying doing sacrifice and euer to be godly and vertuously occupyed He is InnoceÌ„s an innoceÌ„t He neuer sinned he neuer offeÌ„ded in word thought noâ— deed Innocens Innocens noying no creature profiting all folkes meekely suffering aduersities opprobries rages rebukes and reproches without grudge or contradiction Innocens simplex simplex sine plica An innoceÌ„t without pleit or wrincle Simplex without error or doublenes without hipocrisy or dissimulation without flattering or glosing without fraud or deceite not seruing the body nor the world but God In this we ought also to follow our heauenly Bishop Impollutus He was vndefiled He liued cleane without spot or blot Impollutus without wemme or strayne No immuÌ„dicity in him no vncleannesse nor filthinesse but all pure and cleane chaste and immaculate all bright and shining in grace and godlinesse In so mâ—ch that he was Segregatus à peccatoribus cleane segregate from all kinde of vncleanesse from all maner of sinnes and from sinners Segregate from them not from theyr company For as Mathew writeth Segregatus a peccatis Publicans and sinners came and eate and drank with him and his disciples in the house of Leui. And he also came as a Phisition to heale the sinner And yet he was segregate from them quantum ad participationem cum eis in peccato as touching theyr ill liuinges Math. 9. not being participant with them in sinne but came onely to heale them and to ridde them from sinne and sore of the soule He entred the heauens not with the bloud of kidde nor Goate but with his owne proper bloud For which and for his holynesse and perfectnes Excelsior coelis Excelsior coelis factus est He is extolled and exalted aboue all the Aungels and beatitudes aboue all the heauens sitting on the right hand of the father WhoÌ„ all the heauenly creatures doe worship honor and do reuerence vnto Where he prayeth for his people and is Mediatour in hys manhead to his father for vs. This our Bishop purgeth our consciences as witnesseth the Apostle he clenseth our soules he maketh vs inwardly beautious and fayre The Bishop of Rome lacketh manye of these notable vertues He hath few or none of these properties few or none of these qualities He is as we all are sinners a sinner To whom this word Magnus great is not conuenient nor can be in him any wayes verified Magnus For he cannot forgeue sinne as our Byshop doth nor iustify as he doth neither enter in Sancta Sanctorum with his owne bloud as he did How can he then be called a great Bishop that is as we be all sinners a sinner a breaker of the lawes of God and dayly doth or may fall and sinne And for that cause the law commaunded that euery bishop and Priest shoulde first offer hostes and sacrifice for his owne sinnes and afterward for the sinnes of the people How can he therfore be called a great Bishop or Priest Our Bishop we speake of is the very great bishop No dole no fraude no guile was euer founde in his mouth And when the Prince of the worlde the deuill came to him he coulde finde no poynt of sinne in him Wherefore Gabriell the Archaungell shewing his natiuity vnto Mary his mother sayd Hic erit magnus filâ—us altiâ—simi vocabitur Luke 1. He shal be great and shal be called the sonne of God And agayne it is written of him Propheta magnus surrexit inter nos Luke 7. A great Prophet is risen among vs. Sinne maketh a man small and litle litle in reputation before God and man Vertue maketh man great and of high reputation Shew me one place in Scripture where you haue reedde No sinner called great in the scripture that a sinner was called great I trow it shall not be founde Will you heare who were called great in
honour which notoriously will be disteined The 3. cause if they which most excell in nobility and authority among the Germaines shall not bend all theyr power to expell these heresyes First for that they shall appeare to degenerate from theyr progenitors who being present at the condemnatioÌ„ of Iohn Hus of other heretickes are sayd some of theÌ„ with theyr owne hands to haue led Iohn Hus to the fire Secondly for that they or the greater part of theÌ„ approuing with theyr authority * This edict of the Emperor aboue touched pag. 827. was deuised and set out not knowing to diuers of the Princes there And semeth chiefly to be brought about by the Pope and his flatterers about him Looke more hereof in the story of Sledan Lib. 3. the emperiall edict set forth of late in coÌ„demnatioÌ„ of M. Luther now except they shall folow the execution of y e same shall be noted inconstant or may be thought to fauor the same seing it is manifest that they may easily exterminate him if they were disposed The fourth cause is the iniury wrought by Luther to them their parentes The 4. cause and progenitors for as much as their fathers progenitors and themselues also haue alwayes holden the same fayth which the catholick church of Rome hath appoynted contrary to which fayth Luther with his sectaryes now doeth holde saying that many thinges are not to be beleued which theyr foresaid aunceters haue holden to be of fayth it is manifest therfore that they be condeÌ„ned of Luther for infidels and hereticks and so consequeÌ„tly by Luthers doctrine all theyr foreelders progenitors which haue deceased in this our fayth be in hell for errour in fayth importeth damnation The fift cause to moue them is that they should wel aduise consider the end The 5. reason or cause whereunto all these Lutherians do teÌ„d * The doctrine of Luther tendeth against the vsurped power of the Sea of Rome Ergo the doctrine of Luther dissolueth all obedience due to Magistrates This consequent is to be denied for the power of Magistrates is of God and he that resisteth them resisteth God So is not the vsurped power of the Pope which is that vnder the shadow of Euangelicall liberty they may abolish all superiority and power For although at the first beginning they pretended onely to adnul and represse our power ecclesiasticall as being falsely tyrannously vsurped agaynst the Gospell yet for as much as liberty is all theyr foundation and pretence by the which liberty the seculer power and magistrates can not binde men by any commaundementes be they neuer so iust or so reasonable * If the Pope doe say that no preceptes of Magistrates do oblige vnder paine of mortall sinne he sayth not true if hee say that Luther so teacheth he belyeth Luther who teacheth al men to be subiects vnto Magistrates no man more to obey theÌ„ vnder paine of mortall sinne it is manifest that theyr scope is to enfeeble and infringe as much or more the seculer state also although couertly they pretend to salue it to the end that when the seculer Princes shall beleue this theyr working not to be directed against them but onely agaynst the vsurped domination of the church and churchmeÌ„ then the laity which commonly hath bene alwayes agaynst men of the Church holding with them shall suffer the Church-men to be deuoured Which done no doubt but * Who so coÌ„sidereth the doctrine of Luther De Libertate Christiana shal finde this to be a false slaunder For how is it like that he meaneth any rebellion who describing a Christian calleth him a seruant and an vnderling to all men they will afterward practise the like vpon the secular Princes and potestates which now they attempt agaynst our ecclesiasticall iurisdiction The sixte cause to mooue and perswade them agaynst Luther is this for them to consider the fruites which folow of that sect The 6. cause as slaunders offences disturbaunce robberyes murders * The cause why the Pope doth charge the Lutherians with sedition dyd ryse vpon this because one Franciscus Sickyngus a valiant man and a great fauourer of Luther dyd warre agaynste the Archbyshop of Triers for 〈◊〉 two certain persons froÌ„ 〈◊〉 which should haue 〈◊〉 and by his meanes did not seditions dissentions which this sect hath and dayly doth styrre vp through whole Germany Also blasphemyes * As for sclaunderous words 〈◊〉 tauntes with what face 〈◊〉 Pope charge Luther being 〈◊〉 so impudent and bytter as in 〈◊〉 his present letter is manifest to 〈◊〉 seene wherein he sheweth himâ—â—â—â— in his own colours what he is slaunderous wordes scoffing iestes and bitter tauntes whiche are euer in theyr mouthes Agaynst which vnles that they shall finde a present remedy it is to be feared least the desolation of Gods wrath will fall vpon Germany being so diuided or rather vpoÌ„ the Princes of Germany who hauing the sword geuen of God into theyr hands for the suppression of malefactors suffer such enormities amongst theyr subiectes Ier. 48. Cursed is he sayth the Prophet which doth the worke of the Lorde negligently and holdeth backe his sworde from the bloud of wicked doers The seuenth reason is The 7. cause or reason that the princes should consider how Luther vseth the same way of seducing the people of Christ as hath the venimous vyper * If the doings properties of Mahumet be rightly considered 〈◊〉 should be found so aptly to resemâ—lâ— hym as the pope him self He decâ—â—neth from the word of God seâ—teth vp an other lawe so doeth 〈◊〉 Pope Hee killeth and sleyeth 〈◊〉 contrary part so doth the Pope He holdeth Saluation by workes of 〈◊〉 law so doth the Pope And if Mahumet giue liberty of flesh so 〈◊〉 not Luther but the Pope both â—â—keth it and also dispenseth with 〈◊〉 same Mahumet would not haue 〈◊〉 Religion reasoned vpon no 〈◊〉 will the Pope Briefly as the 〈◊〉 Mahumet is deuided into many suâ—dry sorts of Religion and of Religâ—ous meÌ„ so hath the sect of the pope hys Friers Monks Nunnes Hermâ—â— and other swarmes of an infinite varietie Mahumet practised in deceiuing so many thousands of soules in permitting to them the libertye of those thinges which flesh desireth and afterward in exempting them from such thinges as be more sharp in the law but that Luther a litle more temperately handleth the matter whereby he may deceiue more effectually For Mahumet geueth licence to haue many wiues and to diuorce and mary other at their pleasure This Luther to drawe vnto him the fauor of nunnes monks and priests such as be lasciuious in flesh preacheth that vowes of perpetuall continencye be vnlawfull much lesse to be obligatory and therfore permitteth vnto theÌ„ that they may mary forgetting by the way what the Apostle writeth of youÌ„g widowes saying 1. Tim. 5. That when they waxe wanton agaynst Christ then will they marrye hauing
his offence in such like maner as other malefactours are with the punishment apoynted by the common lawes of the Empire which thing without doubt wil please the true ministers of the church such as are honest and learned that they will not thincke their power and authoritie thereby in any case diminished By this meanes it shall be brought to passe that suche as are of the Clergie onely by name and otherwise naughty wicked men through the obedience due vnto their magistrates shal be compelled to liue more honestly and al sedition and priuie hatred betwene them and the laitie shall be put away and finally thereby the laitie shall be the more mooued and stirred to loue and reuerence such of the Clergie as be of a sounde life ¶ Complaint of excommunication abused ITem at Rome and in other places many Christiās are excōmunicate by the Archbyshops Byshops or by their Ecclesiastical iudges for prophane causes through the desire and couetousnes of money lucre Excōmunication abused in the church of Rome The cōsciences of men which are weake in fayth thereby are burthened and brought vnto desperation and finally for money luker a matter of no importaūce is made to tend to the destruction both of body soule contrary both to the law of God and mā for somuch as no mā ought to be excommunicate but onely for heresie or for some haynous fact perpetrate nor to be counted as separate frō the Christian Catholicke Church as the Scriptures do witnes Therfore the princes nobles states layty of the Sacred Empire desire require the Popes holynes that as a faythful Christian louyng father he will remoue the sayd burthen of excommunication vsed both in the sea of Rome also in the seas of all other Archbyshops and Ecclesiasticall Iudges and finally decree that no man shall hereafter be excommunicate but onely for a manifest conuict crime of heresie For it is to wicked a thyng that faythfull Christians for euery light offence touchyng any temporall goodes or gayne or for any other worldly matter but onely for obstinacie of heresie or some great enormitie should be excluded from almighty God and the Catholicke congregation ¶ The Churche burdened with number of holy dayes MOreouer the common people are not a litle oppressed with the great nūber of holy dayes for that there are now so many holy dayes that the husbādmē haue scarcely tyme to gather y e frutes of y e earth which they haue brought forth with so great labour trauayle The nūber of holydaies to be diminished beyng often in daūger of hayle rayne and other stormes which fruites notwithstandyng if they were not letted with so many holy daies they would gather bring home without any losse Besides that vpon those holy daies innumerable offences are committed done rather then God honoured or worshipped Which thing is so manifest that it nedeth no witnes For that cause the estates of the sacred Empire thinke it best most profitable for the Christian common wealth that this great nūber of holy dayes should be diminished whych ought rather to be celebrate in spirite veritie then wyth the externall worship and be better kept with abstinence from sinne Suspending and halowing of Churchyardes gainfull to the Pope and chargeable to the people FUrthermore if it happē that 2. or more do fight without any weapon in a Churchyard onely with their fists Hallowing of Churchyardes abused for money or by the heare that there be neuer so litle bloud shed by by y e clergy haue recourse to enterdiment doe not suffer any more Christen burials there to be done before that all the citizens with great pomp expenses do cause it to be consecrated halowed againe with no lesse charge then when at the first of a prophane place it was halowed for burial all which things do redound to the charges costes of the laity And though the churches or chapels be neuer so litle which are so hallowed yet the suffraganes do burden and oppresse the simple poore housholdes be they neuer so bare or nedy with superfluous expenses and require moreouer gifts of the people which is not for theyr ease to geue Also the suffragans haue inuēted that no other but only themselues may baptise belles for the lay people Baptising of Belles Wherby the simple people vpō the affirmation of the suffragans do beleue that such belles so baptised wil driue away euill spirits and tempests wherupon a great number of godfathers are appoynted especially such as are riche which at the time of the baptising holding the rope wherwithal the bel is tied the suffragan speaking before them as is accustomed in the baptising of young children they altogether do answere Bells weare coates A question whether these gossips which christen Belles may marry togeather by the Canon law geue the name to the bell The bell hauing a new garment put vpon it as is accustomed to be don vnto the Christians after this they go vnto sumptuous bākets wherunto also the gossips are biddē that therby they might geue the * Spoyling of the people by baptising of Belles greater reward and the suffraganes with their chaplaines and other ministers are sumptuously fed Yet doth not this suffise but that the suffragane also muste haue a rewarde which they doe call a small gifte or present whereby it happeneth oftentimes that euen in small villages a 100. florens are consumed and spent in such christnings which is not onely superstitious but also contrary vnto Christian religiō a seducing of the simple people and mere extortion Notwithstanding the Bishops for to enriche their Suffraganes doe suffer these things and other farre worse wherefore such wicked and vnlawfull things ought to be abolished Complaint against Officials and other Ecclesiasticall iudges THe Officials also of Archbishops for the most part are vnlearned vnable men Against Officials besides that men of euil conditions taking thought for nothing but onely for money Also howe corruptly they liue and continue in notorious crimes transgressions it is daily sene Wherby the laity whom they ought to correct and punish for their offences instruct in Christian godlinesse are not in any poynt by them amēded but rather by them encouraged and confirmed in their offences Besides this the laitie are miserably robbed spoiled of their goodes by these light vile officials In whose conscience there is no sparke of christian pity and godlines but only a wicked desire couetousnesse Which thing the archbishops and bishops if they were in dede such as they are called that is to say the pastours and shepheards of Christ without doubt they would no lōger suffer or commit Christes flocke to such wicked and offensiue pastors to be fed and nourished Howe the Ecclesiasticall iudges do annexe certaine special causes being lay matters vnto their owne iurisdiction and will by no meanes release the same WHensoeuer any
the Sacrament yet in all other states of doctrine they did accord as appeared in the Synode holdeÌ„ at Marpurge by prince Philip Lautgraue of Hesse which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1529. where both Luther and Zuinglius were present and conferryng together agreed in these Articles 1. On the vnitie and Trinitie of God The consent betweene Luther and Zuinglius in cases of doctrine 2. In the Incarnation of the word 3. In the passioÌ„ and resurrection of Christ. 4. In the Article of Originall sinne 5. In the Article of Fayth in Christ Iesu. 6 That this fayth commeth not of merites but by the gift of Cod 7. That this fayth is our righteousnesse 8. Touchyng the extreme word 9. Likewise they agreed in the Arricles of Baptisme 10. Of good workes 11. Of coÌ„fession 12 Of Magistrates 13. Of mens traditioÌ„s 14. Of Baptisme of infantes 15. Lastly concernyng the doctrine of the Lordes Supper this they did beleue and hold first that both the kyndes therof are to be ministred to the people accordyng to Christes institution and that the Masse is no such worke for the which a maÌ„ may obteine grace both for the quick and the dead Item that the Sacrament which they call of the altar is a true Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord. Item that the spirituall manducation of his body and bloud is necessary for euery Christen man And furthermore that the vse of the Sacrament tendeth to the same effect as doth the word geueÌ„ and ordeyned of the almightie God that thereby infirme consciences may be stirred to belefe by the holy Ghost c. Ex Paral. Abbat Vrsp. In all these summes of doctrine aboue recited Luther and Zuinglius did consent and agree Neither were their opinions so differeÌ„t in the matter of the Lordes Supper but that in the principall pointes they accorded For if the question be asked of them both what is the materiall substaunce of the Sacrament which our outward senses doe behold and feele they will both confesse bread and not the accidents onely of bread Further if the question be asked whether Christ be there present Luther Zuinglius agree in the presence only in the maner of the presence they diffâ—â— they will both confesse his true presence to be there onely in the manner of presence they differre Agayn aske whether the materiall substauÌ„ce layd before our eyes in the Sacrament is to be worshypped they will both deny it and iudge it Idolatry And likewise for transubstantiation and for the sacrifice of the Masse they both do abhorre and do deny the same As also the CommunioÌ„ to be in both kyndes administred they do both assent and graunt Onely their difference is in this concernyng the sense and meanyng of the wordes of Christ How wherein Luther and Zuinglius dissent in doctrine of the Lordes supper Luthers opinion in the SacrameÌ„t Zuinglius opinion in the Sacrament Hoc est corpus meum This is my body c. Which wordes Luther expoundeth to be taken nakedly and simply as the letter staÌ„deth without trope or figure and therfore holdeth the body and bloud of Christ truely to be in the bread and wine and so also to be receaued with the mouth Uldricus Zuinglius with Ioannes Oecolampadius and other moe do interprete these wordes otherwise as to be taken not litterally but to haue a spirituall meanyng to be expounded by a trope or figure so that the sense of these wordes This is my body is thus to be expouÌ„ded this signifieth my body and bloud Ex Ioan. Sled Lib. 5. With Luther coÌ„sented the SaxoÌ„s Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 5. With the other side of Zuinglius went the Heluetians And as tyme did grow so the diuision of these opinions increased in sides spread in farther Realmes and countreys the one part beyng called of Luther LutheriaÌ„s Lutherians Sacramentariâ—â— the other hauyng y e name of Sacramentaries NotwithstaÌ„dyng in this one vnitie of opinion both the Lutherians Sacramentaries do accorde agree Ex Paralip Abb. Vrsp. that the bread wine there present is not traÌ„substantiate into the body bloud of Christ as is sayd but is a true Sacrament of the body bloud But hereof sufficient touchyng this diuision betwene the Lutherans and Zuinglians In which diuisioÌ„ if there haue bene any defect in Martin Luther yet is that no cause why either the Papistes may greatly triuÌ„ph or why the Protestantes should despise Luther For neither is the doctrine of Luther touchyng the SacrameÌ„t so grosse that it maketh much with the Papistes nor yet so discrepaunt froÌ„ vs that therfore he ought to be exploded And though a full reconciliation of this difference caÌ„ not well be made as some haue gone about to do yet let vs geue to Luther a moderate interpretation if we will not make thinges better yet let vs not make them worse theÌ„ they be Lutherians and Zuinglians differ more in charitie then in doctrine let vs beare if not with the maner yet at least with the tyme of his teachyng and finally let it not be noted in vs that we should seeme to differre in Charitie more as Bucer sayd then we do in doctrine But of this hereafter more Christ willyng when we come to the history of Iohn Frith They which write the lyfe of Saintes vse to describe and to extoll their holy lyfe godly vertues and also to set forth such miracles as be wrought in them by God Wherof there lacketh no plenty in Martin Luther but rather time lacketh to vs and oportunitie to tary vpon them hauyng such hast to other things Otherwise what a miracle might this seeme to be for one man a poore Frier creepyng out of a blynd cloyster to be set vp agaynst the Pope the vniuersall Bishop and Gods mighty Uicare in earth to withstand all his Cardinals yea and to susteine the malice and hatred almost of the whole worlde being set against him and to worke that against the said Pope Cardinals and Church of Rome A notable miracle of God to ouerthrow the Pope by a poore Fryer which no King nor Emperour could euer do yea durst neuer attempt nor all the learned men before him could euer compasse Which miraculous worke of God I recount nothing inferiour to the miracle of Dauid ouerthrowing great Goliath Wherfore if miracles do make a Sainct after the Popes definition what lacketh in Martin Luther but age and tyme only to make him a Sainct who standing openly against the Pope Cardinals and prelates of the Church in number so many in power so terrible in practise so craftie hauing Emperours and all the Kings of the earth against him who teaching and preaching Christ the space of nine and twenty yeares could without touch of all his enemies so quietly in his owne countrey where he was borne die and sleepe in peace Three miracles noted in M. Luther In
not after forme of lawe If we had an accuser present which according to the rule of the Scripture either should proue by good demonstration out of the olde and new Testament that wherof we are accused or if he were not able should suffer punishment due vnto such as are heretickes I thinke he would be as greatly troubled to mainteine his accusations as we to aunswere vnto the same After that the Baylife had made this answere Iohn Palenc Iohn PaleÌ„c answereth one of the auncients of Merindol saide that he approued all that had bene sayd by the Syndiques and that he was able to say no more then had bene said by them before The Commissioner sayd vnto him you are I see a very auncient man and you haue not liued so long but that you haue some thing to aunswere for your part in defence of your cause And the sayde Palenc aunswered seeing it is your pleasure that I shâ—uld say something it seemeth vnto me vnpossible that say what we can we shoulde haue either victory or vantage for our iudges be our enemies The vnder Baylife of Merindoll answereth Then Iohn Bruneroll vnderbaylife at Merindoll answered that he would very faine know the authority of y e Counseller Durandus Commissioner in this cause for as much as the said Counseller had geueÌ„ them to vnderstaÌ„d that he had authority of the high Court to make them abiure their errours which should be found by good and sufficient information and to geue them so doing the pardon conteined in the Kings letters and quite them of all punishment and condemnation Durandus the Commissioner required to shew his CoÌ„mission But the said Commissioner did not geue them to vnderstand that if they could not be found by good and sufficient information that they were in errour he had any power or authoritie to quite and absolue them of the sayd sentence and condemnation Wherfore it seemed that it should be more vauntage for the sayd Merindolians if it shoulde appeare that they were heretickes then to be found to liue according to the doctrine of the Gospell For this cause he required that it woulde please the sayd Commissioner to make declaration therof concluding that if it did not appeare by good and sufficient information against them that they had swarued from the faith or if there were no accuser that woulde come foorth against them they ought to be fully absolued without being any more troubled eyther in body or goodes These things were thus in debating from seauen of the clocke in the morning vntill xj Then the Commissioner dismissed them till after dinner At one of the clocke at after noone they were called for agayne and demaunded whether they woulde say any thyng else The Bailyfe Sindickes of Merindol appeare the second time touchyng that which was propounded in the morning by the said Commissioner They aunswered no. Then sayd the Commissioner what do you conclude for your defence The two Syndiques aunswered we conclude that it would please you to declare vnto vs the errours and heresies whereof we are accused Then the Commissioner asked the Byshop of Cauaillon what informations he had agaynst them The Byshop spake vnto him in his eare and would not aunswere aloude This talke in the eare continued almost halfe an houre that the Commissioner and all other that stoode thereby were weary thereof In the ende the Commissioner sayd vnto them that the Byshop of Cauaillon had told him that it was not needefull to make it apparant by information for such was the coÌ„mon report Herevnto they aunswered that they required the causes and reasons alledged by the Byshop of Cauaillon against them should be put in writing The Byshop was earnest to the contrary They that do the workes of darckenes hate the light and woulde haue nothyng that eyther he sayd or alledged to be put in writing Then Iohn Bruneroll required the Commissioner that at the least he would put in writing that the Byshop would speake nothing agaynst them that they could vnderstand and that he woulde not speake before the Commissioner but only in his eare The Byshop on the coÌ„trarie part defended that he would not be named in processe There was great disputation vpon this matter and coÌ„tinued long TheÌ„ the CoÌ„missioner asked the Merindolians if they had the Articles of their confession which they had presented to the high Court of Parliament Then they required that their confession might be read and by the readyng thereof they might vnderstand whether it were the doctrine which they held the confession which they had presented or no. Then the confession was read publickely before theÌ„ The confession of the Merindolians exhibited and read which they did allow and acknowledged to be theirs This done the Commissioner asked the Doctour if he did finde in the sayd confessioÌ„s any hereticall opinions wherof he could make demoÌ„stration by the word of God either out of the old or the new TestameÌ„t Then spake the Doctour in Latin a good while After he had made an end Andrew Mainard the Bayliffe desired the Commissioner accordyng as he had propouÌ„ded to make the errours and heresies that they were accused of What were the articles doctrine of their confession read Sled Lib. 16. apparauÌ„t vnto them by good information or at the least to marke those Articles of their confession which the Byshop the Doctours preteÌ„ded to be hereticall requiryng him also to put in Register their refusall aswell of the Byshop as of the Doct. of whoÌ„ the one spake in his eare and the other in Latine so that they of Merindoll could not vnderstand one word Then the Commissioner promised theÌ„ to put in writyng all that should make for their cause And moreouer he sayd that it was not needefull to call the rest of the Merindolians if there were no more to be sayd to them then had bene sayd to those which were already called And this is y e summe of all that was done at the after noone Many which came thether to heare these disputations supposing that they should haue heard some goodly demoÌ„strations were greatly abashed to see the Byshop and the Doctour so confouÌ„ded which thyng afterward turned to the great benefite of many for hereby they were moued to require the copyes of y e confession of their fayth by meanes wherof they were conuerted and embraced the truth and namely iij. Doctours who weÌ„t about diuers tymes to diswade the MerindoliaÌ„s from their fayth whose ministery God afterwardes vsed in the preachyng of his Gospel Three Doctours coÌ„uerted by the confessioÌ„ of the Merindolians Of whom one was Doctour Combaudi Prior of S. Maximin afterwardes a Preacher in the territory of the Lords of Berne An other was Doctour Somati who was also a Preacher in the Bailiwycke of Tonon The other was Doctour Heraudi pastour and Minister in the Countie of Newcastle After this the inhabitaunts of Merindoll were in
by force and violence terror and oppression and sheding of bloud In this meane while the inhabitauntes of Merindoll and other places thereabout were among the mountains and rockes in great necessitie of viccualles and muche affliction who had procured certaine men whiche were in some fauour and authority with Miniers to make request for them vnto him that they might depart safely whether it shoulde please God to leade them with theyr wines and children although they had no more but their shirts to couer their nakednesse Antichrist here plaieth the deuill Whereunto Miniers made this aunswere I know what I haue to doe not one of them shall escape my handes I will send them to dwel in hel among the deuils After this there was a power sent vnto Costa which likewise they ouercame committed there great slaughter The towne of Costa destroyed Many of the inhabitantes fledde away and ranne into an orcharde where the souldiours rauished the women and maidens and when they had kept them there inclosed a day and a night they handled them so beastly that those which had great bellies and the younger maidens dyed shortly after It were impossible to comprehend all the lamentable and sorrowfull examples of this cruell persecution against the Merindolians and their fellowes Martyrs of-Costa In so muche that no kinde of cruell Tyrannie was vnpractised For they whych escaped by woodes and went wandering by mountaines were taken and set in galleis or else were slaine outright Many which did hide themselues in rockes and darke caues some were famished with hunger some were smothered with fire and smoke put vnto them All which may more fully be vnderstand by the recordes of the Court and by the pleas betweene them and theyr aduersaries in the highe Consistorie of the Courte of Paris Where all the doores being set open and in the publicke hearing of all the people the case of this trouble and persecution was shortly after solemnly debated betwene two great lawyers the one called Aubrius which accused Minerius the president committed to prison and the other called Robertus who was the defendant against him When the Merindolians were slaine their cause was pleaded The cause why this matter of Merindol was brought in plea and iudgement to be decided by the law was this Henry the second French king which newly succeeded Fraunces his father aboue mentioned considering howe this cruell and infamous persecution againste hys owne subiectes and people was greatly misliked of other Princes and also obiected both against him and his father as a note of shamefull Tyrannie by the Emperour hym selfe Charles the fift Fraūces the Frēch king noted of tyranny by Charles 5. Emperour The cause of the Merindolians after their death pleaded 50. times in the Court Minerius losed out of prison and that in the publicke Councel of all the states of Germany for so murthering spoyling his own naturall subiects without all reason and mercy he therefore to the entent to purge and cleare himselfe thereof caused the sayd matter to be brought into the Court and there to be decided by order of Iustice. Whiche cause after it was pleaded to and froe in publike audience no lesse then fiftie times and yet in the ende coulde not be determined so it brake of and was passed ouer and at length Minerius being loosed out of prisone was restored to his libertie and possessions agayne vppon this cōdition and promise made vnto the Cardinal Charles of Lorraine that he should banish and expell these new Christians terming so the true professors of the Gospell out of all Prouince Thus Minerius being restored returned againe into Prouince where hee began againe to attempt greater tyrannie then before The iust stroke of God vpon cruell Minerius Neither did his raging furye cease to proceede before the iust iudgement of God lighting vpon him brought him by a horrible disease vnto the torments of death which he most iustly had deserued For he being strocken with a strange kinde of bleding at the lower partes in maner of a bloudy flixe and not being able to voyde any vrine thus by little and little his guttes wythin hym rotted and when no remedy could be founde for this terrible disease and his entrals now began to be eaten of wormes a certaine famous surgeon named La Motte whych dwelt at Arles a man no lesse godly then expert in hys science was called for who after he had cured him of this difficultye of making water and therefore was in great estimation with him before he would procede further to searche the other partes of his putrified bodye and to searche out the inward cause of his malady he desired y t they which were present in the chamber with Minerius Good counsaile geuen to Minerius of his Surgeon wold depart a little a side Which being done he began to exhort Minerius with earnest wordes saying howe the time nowe required that he should aske forgeuenes of God by Christe for his enormous crimes and cruelty in sheding so muche innocent blud and declared the same to be the cause of this so straunge profusion of bloud comming from him Minerius seeketh the bloud of his Surgeon These woordes being hearde so pearsed the impure conscience of this miserable wretch that he was therewith more troubled then with the agonie of his disease in so much that hee cryed out to lay hande vppon the Surgeon as an hereticke La Motte hearing thys eftsoones conueyed him selfe out of sight and returned againe to Arles Notwythstanding it was not long but he was sent for againe being intreated by his frendes The wretched end of wretched Minerius the persecuter and promised most firmely that his comming should be without any perill or danger and so with much ado he returned againe to Minerius what time all nowe was past remedy and so Minerius raging and casting out moste horrible and blaspheming wordes and feeling a fire which burnt him from the nauill vpward with extreme stinch of the lower parts finished his wretched life Whereby we haue notoriously to vnderstand that God through his mighty arme at length confoundeth such persecuters of his innocent and faithful seruaunts bringeth them to nought to whome be praise and glory for euer Moreouer besides this Iustice of God shewed vpon Minerius here also is not to be forgotten which folowed likewise vpon certaine of the other which were the chiefe doers in this persecution vnder Minerius aforesaid namely Lewes de Uaine brother in lawe to the saide President and also the brother and the sonne in law to Peter Durāt The iust plague of God vpon 3. persecuters maister butcher of the Towne of Aix the which three dyd slay one an other vpon a certaine strife that fel amōg them And vppon the same day the Iudge of Aix who accompanied Minerius in y e same persecutiō as he returned homewarde going ouer the Riuer of Durance was drowned Ex Hist. Gallica Henr.
suffered theyr enemies to approche neare to the Bulwarke without any gunshot or other defence whereat the enemies much marueiled But when they were euen at hand they fell vppon them some with throwing of stones some wyth rollynge downe mighty stones some with harquebushes Behold the Artillary of this simple people with what weapoÌ„s they fought There was a huge stone rolled downe whych passed throughout y e whole army and slue diuers The souldiers at that time had wonne a litle cotage neare to the said bulwark which did much hurt to the poore men But among them one deuised to roll downe a great huge stone against the cottage which so shooke it and amased the soldiors that they thought they had bene all destroyed and incontinent they fled and neuer would enter into it againe Then the souldiors made certaine fences of woode fiue foote long three foote broade and of the thicknesse of three boardes but they were so sore vexed w t the shot of the harquebushes that they were faine to lay al those fences aside The miners also made others of earth for the souldiours But al these policies of the enemies auailed them nothing for the slaughter was so great that in diuers places you might haue sene three lyâ—ng dead one vpon an other God so wrought wyth the poore Christians that the shot of two harquebushes slewe foure men It was sayd for a certaintie that the shot of an harquebush came so neare the Lorde of Trinities heade that it brake a wande which he bare in his hand and made him to retire six score pases backward The Lord of Trinitye with his army driuen backe and seeing his soldiors in suche great numbers murthered wounded on euery side he wept bitterly Then hee retired the rest of his army That day he thought assuredly to haue entred into the medowe of Tour. Moreouer he was determined if that dayes iourney had not succeeded to encampe therby and the next morning very early to renewe the assault Many gentlemeÌ„ and others came thither to see the discomfiture of the pore Waldois and likewise those of the Plaine looked for nothing but to heare y e piteous ruine and desolation of thys poore people But God disposed it otherwise For the Lorde of Trinitie had muche adoe to saue himselfe and his and seeing the mischiefe which they intended to do vnto others was fallen nowe vppon their owne heads they were wonderfully astonished They of y e plaine also when they saw the number of the dead bodies the wounded to be so great for from noone vntil the euening The papistes astonished and dismayde on euery side by the wonderfull iudgement of God they ceased not to cary them away were likewise exceedingly dismaied Albeit they caried not away al for ther were many that lay nere to the bulwarks whiche the people couered with winding sheetes the next morning The souldiers them selues confessed to them of the medowe of Tour that if they had pursued them they had ben al slain they were so tired and cleane out of heart Many marueiled why the people did not followe the army but especially the souldiers seeing the great discomfiture which they had done and that they had gotten suche vantage of them already But this was done for two causes The one was because they had alredy determined not to folow the army being once retired Gods people auoyde the shedding of bloud to auoid the effusion of bloud meaning onely to defend them selues The other cause was for that they were weary and had speÌ„t all theyr munition For many of them had shot of about 30. times and none of them vnder tweÌ„ty spending great store bothe of pellets and haileshot The rest of the army retired crying with a loude voyce God fighteth for them and we doe them wrong The next day one of the principal captaines of the army surrendred his charge to the L. of Trinitie saying vnto him that he would neuer fight against this people anye more and vpon that he departed It is a maruelous thing and worthy of perpetual memorie that in y e combate there were but two of the Waldoys slaine and two hurt Thorow y e whole countrey of Piemont euery man sayde God fighteth for them One of the Captaines confessed that hee had bene at many fierce assaultes and combates and sundry battailes wel fought but yet he neuer sawe souldiers so faint hearted and amased yea the souldiours themselues told him they wer so astonished God fighteth for his people that they could not stryke Moreouer they sayde that thys people neuer shotte but they hurte or killed some of the Souldiours Some other sayd that the ministers by their prayers coniured and bewitched them that they could not fight and in dede wonderful is it and maruellous are the iudgements of God that notwithstanding so many combates and conflicts so great assaults and aduentures so much so terrible shot continually made against this poore people yet all in a maner came to no effecte So mightily Gods holy power wrought for his people In so much that for al y e sayd combates skirmishes and so many conflicts of all the Angrongnians there were but 9. only that miscaried and the whole number of those that were slaine were but only 14. persons Onely 14. of all the Waldoys slaine in all these conflictes Where also is to be noted not without great admiration how few there were and those also but poore sely shepherds and neatherds to encounter w t such a mighty power of so strong and braue souldiours comming against them with weapon and armor being so well furnished and appoynted with munition as they were in all poynts accordingly and the other on the contrary side being vnarmed and vnprouided of all habiliment of warre hauing for their defence for the most parte nothing els but slings and stones and a fewe harquebushes The 9. day of Marche there was a hotte skirmishe at Angrongne For 3. companies of souldiours went to Angrongne to burn and spoile all that remained to destroy the wines which were hidden in the grounde Where amongest themselues they mocked flouted the poore people saying these Lutherane Waldoys are valiant felowes behinde their bulwarkes but if they had bene in the plain field they had bene wel canuased After this it chanced that 30. of the Waldoys weÌ„t and assailed these foresayd companies in the plain field An other skirmishe betweene the enemies and the AngroÌ„gniaÌ„s They fought a long season and that so neere that some of them fought hande to hande In this conflict one of those of Angrongne wrestled w t a captaine of the enemies strong and mighty and cast him downe vpon the ground Many of the souldiours were slayne and many hurt But of y e Angronians there was but one slaine and an other hurt a little which notwithstaÌ„ding gaue not ouer to fight manfully Then the souldiours seing the losse of their men
or some other In the conducing whereof two wayes be specially to be remembred As though the Popes election had any thing to doe with the holy Ghost One is if the Cardinals present hauing God the holy Ghost before them shal be mineded as to their duetie appertaineth to haue respect vnto the present calamitie of the Churche and all Christendome intending the reliefe succour and restauration of the same and to preserue themselues and the dignitie of the sea Apostolicke then looking profouÌ„dly vpon the state of the things they can not faile * * He might as well haue sayd easely as facily if it had pleased hym but our grosse termes are to lowe for this high Prelate as here commonly you may see facily of themselues to finde and perceiue that to conduce their purpose there is onely the said Lord Legate of Yorke And in this case it is verely to be thought that very reason it selfe and their owne conscience shal lead them like vertuous fathers to haue their principall respecte heereunto and particular affections set a parte to accorde and agree wythout difficultie to that which so manifestly is knowen to be the thyng aboue all other expedient Neuertheles because percase humaine fragilitie suffereth not all things to be pondered trutinate and weyed in iust balance but that as we be men errours may runne vnlesse then remedy be prouided it appeâ—taineth in matter of so high importaunce to the comfort and releue of all Christendom to succour the infirmitie that may chaunce not for corruption or to any peruerse vnlefull or euill entent but rather to helpe to the lackes and defaultes which by suche fragilitie might else take place and therefore expedient shall it be that the kings sayde Oratours Yea sir now ye speake to the purpose Now we begin to feele you when ye bring your bribes and rewardes of money to so notable a purpose where they shall perceiue the coÌ„sideration and respect whereunto reason leadeth to be in any part to be aided or supplied doe the same with pollicitations of promotions spirituall offices dignities rewardes of money or other things such as to them shal seeme meete to the purpose inculking into the mindes of such persones as shall be requisite firste what things the sayd Lorde Legate of Yorke shall leaue if he shoulde be aduaunced to the sayde dignitie which be suche as the establishment of his state considered be farre more to his commoditie if he should regarde his priuate weale then to enter into thys dangerous storme and troublous tempest for the relief of the church and al Christendom whereunto his said priuate weale set a part he is totally deuoued and dedicate to the exposition of his body bloud and life glad and ready with the sacrifice thereof to do seruice to God his church his faith and religion which sayde promotions the kings highnesse finding cause geuen vnto him by the gratitude and conformity of his frendes will not faile to bestowe to their benefite besides large rewardes to haue thys so vertuous an acte brought to perfection For policitation wherof the kings sayd Ambassadors be furnished at this time with ample Commission as by the same they shall perceiue the effect wherof they shall execute without exception as by their wisedomes shall be thought conuenient so alwayes as it be done wyth such circumspection as may be apparaunce of good fruite to ensue And semblably they be furnished with letters as well to the Colledge of Cardinals in generall as to them all that be like to be present in particular which they shall nowe deliuer to the best furtheraunce and auauncement of their purpose not sparing to declare vnto them the liberalitie of the said Lord Legate of Yorke the substance that he is of the assured assistaÌ„ce that he shall haue of these Princes their confederates whereby he shall be able aboue any other that they can deuise to rewarde promote aduaunce and recompence his frendes to the vttermost assuring them that these two Princes will not faile also highly and in the best sort to consider their gratitudes with any thing that they may excogitate to their profites and promotions Well byd and lyke a good chapman or any of their frends So that by this meane and with such good pollicitations grounded vpon a leful honorable and iust cause and not vpon any corrupt or indue intent to conduce things to sinister purpose the kings sayd Oratours by theyr good pollicies shall attaine the perfite and sure good will of a great many of them Thou must imagine â—ere good reader to be no corruption but honorable pollicitation and by that way shall with good dexteritie combine and knit those which will adhere hereunto in a perfite fastnesse and in an indissoluble knot firmely to sticke and holde together without variation or declining from their purpose for any perswasion practise or meane that can be made to the contrary Which thing surely to be prouided and suche a knot of 20.18 or at the least if it may be of 16. Cardinals to be had is in any wise expedient For they persisting in their determination shall not faile to impeach that no aduerse part can haue a full nuÌ„ber to make a due and lawfull election And yet they being founde in a constantnesse to this good purpose shall by little and little allure and bring other vnto them so as the residue perceiuing so greate a towardnesse and fearing a sufficient number To acceede that is to come to accede without them and thereby the election to passe against their wils shal percase be the more prone and ready to come vnto that party wherunto nothing shoulde of reason sooner moue them then the very respect to the infinite goodnes that therby to themselues in particular and the vniuersall church and religion in general is apparant to ensue Neuerthelesse if leauing the directe way they will be abused with any other incantations An other shift if the worst fall or for priuate ambition persiste in contending for themselues then is it euident they search nothing more then the ruine of the See apostolicke In whiche case other wayes be to be deuised and their * * That is not due indue demeanour to be remedied resisted For this cause and to be sure in all eueÌ„ts the kings sayd Oratours shall by their wisedomes finde the meanes to haue some fast and sure persons in the Conclaue such as may not only practise and set foorth things there to the purpose but also geue such knowledge outwarde as the kings sayd Oratours may therby the better know how to order their procedings And amongst other it is thought that Monsieur de Vaulx one of the Frenche Ambassadors whom the French king hath commanded expresly to further this matter by all the meanes to him possible shoulde be one to enter the sayde Conclaue not as an ambassadour but as the minister of some Cardinal frend of the French
Cardinals in perfecte hope of recouery of the patrimonies of the Churche to containe the Venetians in good trust of a reasonable way to be taken for Saruia and Rauenna to their contentment and also to shewe the Duke of Ferraâ—e howe the sayd L. Legate was the meane of the coniunction of him in league with the Frenche king with assured promise of his continuance in as much loue and fauour as hee maye beare vnto him in all his causes affaires And thus hauing those folkes to their frendes whose Oratours shall haue the vttermoste custodye of the Conclaue and the kings Ambassadours and the French Ambassadours being in the interiour partes thereof they being so amply instructed and furnished shall not faile God willing by one or other of the sayde two wayes and specially by the direct election at Rome if it be possible or at the least by the way of the sayde protestation and departure of the Cardinall to conduce the kings purpose in the sayd election to the desired ende In the doinge whereof albeit there is no doubt but that the Frenche Oratours will ioyne with them sincerely How politike the children of this worlde be in their generation to the perfection of the premisses in omnem euentum it shall be well done that the kyngs sayd Oratours haue a substantiall and politike regard to the proceeding of the same Frenche Oratours least that if percase they shoulde finde any dispaire in the election to passe in the person of the sayd Lord Legate of Yorke they making some other Cardinals to their side for the aduauncement of any of them to the sayde dignity should be the more straunge aliene or peraduenture refuse to come vnto the sayde protestation and departure oute of the Conclaue which is the onely remedy and refuge the Cardinalles persisting in their wilfulnesse to interrupt disappoynte infringe and make voide their election Is not here an holy electioÌ„ meete for such an holy Sea One other thing there is to be wel noted by the sayde ambassadours and by them to be inculcate in the mindes of the Cardinals that if any maner of difficulty shall be made by the Imperials to condescend vnto this election vpon the sayd L. Legate of York and that they of the Emperours part wold refuse alwaies of good order and reason proceeding to any election without the consent of the residue that would protest they may be sure that vnto their sinister and indue way they should haue no Prince or Potentate adherente Sides against the Emperour but onely the Emperour and his brother and that the other part should haue the rest of all Christendome that is to say the kings highnes the French king the king of Hungarie Polonie Scotland and Denmarke with the Venetians the Dukes of Ferrare Millan the Florentines and the rest of all Italye besides the marchants of the Almaine or Hanse and other leagues beyng in the dominion of the sayde king of Polonie and ouer that the king of Portugale who is loth and sory to see the Emperor come vnto so great hyght as he aspireth vnto So that hauing these mighty and noble puissances to their assistaunce and the corroboration of their acte it is facile to thinke the other could be of no validitie ne haue or take any manner of place whiche is no small grounde whereuppon the sayde Cardinals may be the better animate to the kings and the French kings sayde deuotion and therfore it is to be imprinted in their mindes accordingly Finally if the kings sayde Orators endeuoring them selues to the conducing of the sayd election in the person of the sayd L. Legate of Yorke should at the last finde out that there were none other difficulty but only that the electioÌ„ in his person being totally desperate By this one election note the commoÌ„ order of Rome in canâ—esing for the Popedome the same were conducible to the Cardinall Campegius then rather theÌ„ al should faile if the other could by no meanes be brought to passe the kings pleasure is that being assured it may the other lacking be conduced to the same Cardinall Campegius they take such waye as in that case the protestation be suborne and for the last refuge if the other may not be the election at the least to passe in the person of the said Cardinal Campegius whereof there is no apparance considering that the respectes for the which the said lord Legate of Yorke shoulde by the kings and the French kings meanes be brought heereunto do for the greatest part faile and cease by the election of any other then himself which is in thys case to be remembred accordingly Thus be the kings sayd Oratours instructed as farre as mans reason can here deuise what is to be done for coÌ„ducing the kings purpose to effect knowing wel of what importaunce the thing is and what consequences depende vpon it namely for the perfection of the kings high and waightye matter which otherwise then by election of the sayde Lorde Legate of Yorke hath no manner way to be conduced by authoritye of the See Apostolike There resteth no more but they who well knowe the same great matter to suffer no nay ne repulse but by the election in the persone of the sayd L. Legate doe imploy the vttermost that in their heartes powers wittes bodies and mindes that may be to the perfection thereof whereby they shall doe the greatest seruice that can be for this time excogitate to doe vnto their Prince deserue immortall laude thankes and praise and be sure to consecute thereby such rewarde as shall be to their comforts reioyce and honoure besides manifolde other notable goodnesses whereof they shal be the procurers and soliciters to their merite perpetual All whych they may be sure shal be considered accordingly Out of the Original subscribed by king Henry the eight his owne hand Epilogus In these so great labors pursuits trauailes of y e king of the Cardinall as in these their instructions aboue inserted may appeare thou hast for thine instruction louing reader to note learne howe man purposeth one thyng howe God disposeth another For the kings purpose was to haue the Cardinal Legate of Yorke placed in the See Papal Man purposeth and God disposeth thinking by that meanes if thys Cardinal had ben pope y e cause of his diuorce more easily might be compassed which otherwise he thought vnpossible to contriue But God omnipotent which only is directour of all affaires brought it otherwise to passe not as the king deuised but after his owne wisedome so that both the diuorcemeÌ„t was concluded and yet neither Cardinall Wolsey made Pope nor yet Pope Clement was dead Yea so he ruled the mater that notw tstanding Pope Clement was aliue yet both the diuorce proceeded and also the Popes authoritye was therby vtterly extinct and abolished out of this Realme of England to the singular admiration of Gods wondrous workes and perpetuall praise
trust not in his holynesse To this he aunswered take ye it as ye will I will take it well enough Item Almes whom and how farre it profiteth now seest thou what almes meaneth and wherfore it serueth He that seeketh with his almes more then to be mercifull to be a neighbour to succour his brothers need to do his duty to his brother to geue his brother that he ought him the same is blind seeth not Christes bloud Here he answereth God to be serued and worshipped onely as he commaundeth otherwise not that he findeth no fault throughout all the booke but all the booke is good and it hath geuen him great comfort and light to his conscience Item that ye do nothing to please God but that he cōmaunded To that he answereth and thinketh it good by his truth Item so God is honored on all sides in that we coūt him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces And to worship him otherwise then so it is Idolatry To that he answered that it pleaseth him well The examination of these Articles being done the Bishop of London did exhort the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery to recant his errors abouesayde and after some other cōmunication had by the Bishop with him the sayd Bishop did exhort him again to recant his errors and appoynted him to determine with himselfe against the next Session what he would do Iohn Tewkesbery submitteth himselfe IN this next Session he submitted himselfe and abiured his opinions and was enioyned penaunce as foloweth which was the 8. of May. In primis that he should keepe well his abiuration vnder payne of relaps Secondly that the next Sonday folowing in Paules Church in the open procession he should cary a Fagot and stand at Paules Crosse with the same That the Wednesday folowing he should cary the same Fagot about Newgate market and Chepeside That on Friday after he should take the same fagot agayne at S. Peters church in Cornehill and cary it about the market of Ledenhall That he should haue 2. signes of Fagots embrothered one on his left sleue the other on his right sleue which he should weare all his life time vnles he were otherwise dispensed withall That on Whitsonday euē he should enter into the Monastery of S. Bartholomew in Smithfield and there to abide and not to come out vnles he were released by the bishop of London That he should not depart out of y e city or dioces of London without the speciall licence of the B. or his successors Which penance he entred into the 8 day of May. an 1229. And thus much concerning his first examinatiō which was in the yeare .1529 at what time he was inforced thorow infirmitye as is before expressed to retract and abiure his doctrine Tewkesbery returned againe to the truth Notwithstāding the same Iohn Tewkesbery afterward cōfirmed by the grace of God and moued by y e example of Bayfild aforesayd that was burned in smithfield did returne and constantly abide in the testimonye of the truth and suffered for the same Who recouering more grace better strength at the hand of the Lord two yeares after being apprehended agayne was brought before Syr Thomas More and the Bishop of Londō where certaine Articles were obiected to him the chiefe wherof we intēd briefly to recite for the matter is prolixe In primis that he confesseth that he was baptised and intendeth to keepe the Catholicke fayth Articles agayne obiected to Tewkesbery Secondly that he affirmeth that the abiuration othe subscription that he made before Cutbert late Byshop of London was done by compulsion Thirdlye that he had the bookes of the obedience of a Christian man and of the wicked Mammon in his custody and hath read them since his abiuration Fourthly that he affirmeth that he suffered the two fagots that were embrothered vpon his sleue to be taken frō him for that he deserued not to weare them Fiftly he sayth that fayth onely iustifieth which lacketh not charity Sixtly he sayth that Christ is a sufficient Mediator for vs therfore no prayer is to be made vnto any Sayntes Wherupon they layd vnto him this verse of the Antheme Salue Regina aduocata nostra c. To the which he aunswered that he knew no other Aduocate but Christ alone Seuenthly he affirmeth that there is no Purgatory after this life Christ is our Purgatorye but that Christ our Sauior is a sufficient purgation for vs. Eightly he affirmeth that the soules of the faythful departing this life rest with Christ. Ninthly he affirmeth y t a priest by receiuing of orders receiueth more grace if his fayth be increased or els not Tenthly and last of all he beleueth that the sacrament of the flesh bloud of Christ is not the very body of Christ in flesh bloud as it was borne of y e virgin Mary Whervpon the Byshops Chauncellor asked the sayd Tewkesbery if he could shew any cause why he should not be takē for an hereticke falling into his heresy agayne and receiue the punishment of an hereticke Wherunto he aunswered that he had wrong before and if he be condemned now he reckoneth that he hath wrong agayne Then the Chaūcellor caused the articles to be read opēly with the aunsweres vnto the same the which the sayde Tewkesbery confessed therupon the Bishop pronounced sentence agaynst him deliuered him vnto the Shyriffes of Londō for y e time being who were Rich. Greshā Edward Altam who burned him in Smithfield vpō S. Thomas euen being the 20. of Decēber in the yeare aforesayd the tenor of whose sentence pronounced agaynst hym by the Bishop doth here ensue word for word IN the name of God Amen The deseruinges and circūstances of a certein cause of hereticall prauity falling again thereunto by thee Iohn Tewkesbery of the Parish of S. Michaels in the Querne of the City of Londō of our iurisdiction appearing before vs sitting in iudgement being heard seene vnderstand fully discussed by vs Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of Londō because we do find by inquisitions manifestly enough that thou didst abiure freely voluntarily before Cutbert late Bishop of Londō thy ordinary diuers sundry heresies errors damnable opinions contrary to y e determination of our mother holy church as well speciall as generall that since and beside thy foresaid abiuration thou art agayne fallen into y e same damnable heresies opiniōs errors which is greatly to be lamēted the same doest hold affirme beleue we therfore Iohn the Bishop aforesayd the name of God first being called vpon the same only God set before our eyes with the coūsell of learned men assisting vs in this behalfe with whō in this cause we haue cōmunicated of our definitiue sentence finall decree in this behalfe to be done do intēd to proceed do proceed in this maner Because as it is aforesayd we do finde thee
foorth his fruite so did it appeare by thys man Antichristians are those which are against Christ. For he daily seeing the glorye of God to be so blasphemed idolatrous religion so embraced and maintained that most false vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome so extolled was so greeued in conscience and troubled in his spirite that he could not be quiet till he did vtter his minde therein Wherefore dealing priuately with certaine of his frendes he did plainely open and disclose howe blasphemously and abhominably God was dishonoured his worde contemned and hys people whom he so dearely bought were by blinde guides caried headlong to euerlasting damnation and therefore hee coulde no longer endure but muste needes and would vtter theyr abhominations and for his owne parte for the testimonie of his conscience and for the defence of Gods true religion The godly zeale of Tho. Benet would yeelde hymself moste patiently as neare as God woulde geue him grace to die and to shedde hys bloude therein alleaging that his death shoulde be more profitable to the Churche of God and for the edifying of his people then his life shuld be To whose perswasions when hys friendes had yeelded they promysed to pray to God for hym that hee myght be strong in the cause and continue a faithfull souldiour to the ende Which done he gaue order for the bestowing of such bookes as he had and very shortlye after in the moneth of October hee wrote his minde in certaine scrolles of Paper whyche in secreate maner he set vp vpon the doores of the Cathedrall churche of the Citie in which was wrytten The Pope is Antichrist and we ought to worshippe God onely The Pope is Antichrist and no Saintes These bils being found there was no smal adde and no litle search made for the inquiry of the heretike that should set vp these bils Benet setteth vp billes against the Pope and the Maior his officers were not so busie to make searches to find this heretike but the bishop and all his doctors were as hote as coales enkindled as though they had bene stong w t a sort of waspes Wherefore to kepe y e people in their former blindnes order was taken that the doctors should in hast vp to the pulpit euery day and confute this heresie Neuerthelesse this Thom. Benet keping his own doings in secret went the sonday folowing to the cathedral church to the Sermon and by chaunce sate downe by 2. men which were the busiest in al the city in seking searching for this heretike and they beholding this Benet sayd the one to the other Surely thys fellowe by all likelyhoode is the heretike that hath set vp the billes and it is good to examine him Benet almost tak◠in the church Neuertheles whē they had wel behelde him and saw the quiet and sober behauiour of the man his attentiuenes to the preacher his godlinesse in the Church being alwayes occupied in hys Booke which was a Testament in the Latine tongue were astonied and had no power to speake vnto him The storyes a little vary touching the taking of Benet but departed left hym reading in his booke As touching this poynte of Benets behauior in the Church I finde the reportes of some other a litle to vary and yet not much contrary one to the other For in receiuing the letters and wrytings of a certain minister whych at the same time was present at the doynge hereof in Exeter thus I finde moreouer added concerning the behauiour of this Thomas Benet in the Church At that time sayth he as I remember doct Moreman Crispin Caseley wyth suche other bare the swinge there Beside these were there also preachers there Doctors friers in Exeter one Doctour Bascauild an vnlerned doctor God knoweth and one D. Dauid as wel learned as he both Gray friers and doctor I know not who a Blacke frier not much inferiour vnto them Gregory Bassed Fryer of Exeter Moreouer there was one Bacheler of Diuinitie a Gray frier named Gregory Bassed in deede learned more then they all but as blinde and superstitious as he whych was most Whych Gregorie not long before was reuolted from the way of righteousnes to the way of Beliall for in Bristowe sayth the author he lay in prison long almost famished for hauing a booke of M. Luther called his questions which he a long time priuily had studied for teaching of youth a certaine Cathechisme To be shorte the braines of the Canons and Priests the officers and commons of that Citie were very earnestly busied howe or by what meanes suche an enormious heretique whyche had pricked vp those billes might be espied and knowen but it was long first At last the Priestes founde out a toye to curse him what soeuer he were with booke bel and candle which curse at that day seemed most fearefull and terrible The maner of the curse was after this sort One of the Priestes apparelled all in white ascended vp into the pulpit The priestes curse they cannot tell whom The other rabblement wyth certaine of the two orders of Friers and certaine superstitious Monks of S. Nicholas house standing round about and the Crosse as the custome was being holdē vp with holy candles of waxe fixed to the same he began his sermon w t this Theame of Iosue Est blasphemia in Castris There is blasphemie in the armie and so made a long protestation but not so long as tedious and superstitious and so concluded that that foule and abominable heretike which had put vp such blasphemous billes was for that his blasphemie damnably accursed and besought God our Lady S. Peter Patrone of that church with all the holy companie of martyrs confessors and virgines that it might be knowen what hereticke had put vp such blasphemous billes that Gods people might auoide the vengeance The maner of the cursing of the sayd Benet was maruelous to beholde for as muche as at that time there was fewe or none The manner of the popes blacke curse with booke bell and candle vnlesse a Sherman or two whose houses I well remember were searched for billes at that time and for bookes that knew any thing of Gods matters or how God doeth blesse theyr curses in such cases Then sayde the Prelate by the authoritie of God the father almighty and of the blessed virgin Mary of S. Peter and Paule and of the holy Saints we excommunicate we vtterly curse and banne commit and deliuer to the deuill of hell him or her what soeuer he or shee be that haue in spite of God and of S. Peter whose church this is in spite of all holy saintes and in spite of our most holy father the Pope Gods vicare heere in earth Here is colde charitye and in spite of the reuerend father in God Iohn our Diocesane and the worshipfull Canons Maisters and Priestes and Clarkes which serue God daily in this Cathedrall Church
extant in his workes to be seene and woorthy in all ages to be marked the tenour whereof tendeth to this effect as followeth Tyndals supplications to the King Nobles and subiects of England I Beseech the Kings most noble grace well to consider all the wayes Tindals supplicatioÌ„ to the king and states of England by the whiche the Cardinall and oure holy Byshops haue led hym since he was first King and to see whereunto all the pride pompe and vaine boast of y e Cardinall is come and how God hath resisted hym and oure Prelates in all their wiles We hauing nothing to do at all haue medled yet with all matters and haue spente for our Prelates causes more then all Christendome euen vnto the vtter beggering of our selues and haue gotten nothing but rebuke and hate amoÌ„g all nations a mocke and a scorne of them whom we haue most holpen For the Frenchmen as the saieng is of late dayes made a play or a disguising at Paris in whiche the Emperour daunsed with the Pope and the French King and weeryed them the King of England sitting on a hye bench and lookyng on The king of England payes for all And when it was asked why he daunced not it was aunswered that he sat there but to pay the minstrels their wages As who shoulde say we payd for all mens dauncing We monied the Emperour openly and gaue y e french King double and treble secretly and to the Pope also Yea and though Ferdinandus had money sent openly to blind the world withall yet the saieng is through all Dutchland that we sent money to the King of Pole c. Furthermore The secoÌ„â— petition of Tindall I beseech his grace also to haue mercy of his owne soule and not to suffer Christ and his holy Testament to be persecuted vnder his name any longer that the sword of the wrath of God may be put vp agayne which for that cause no doubt is most chiefly drawne Thirdly my petition is to his grace The third petition of Tindall to haue compassion on his poore subiectes that the Realme vtterly perish not with the wicked counsayle of our pestilente Prelates For if his grace which is but a man should die the Lords and commons not knowing who hath most right to enioy the crowne the realme could not but stand in great daunger My fourth sute and exhortation is to all the Lords temporall of the realme Thâ— 4. pâ—â—â—tion of Tindall Limitation of succession to the Crowne I pray God this be not a prophesie agaynst England The 5. petition of M. Tindall that they come and fall before y e kings grace and humbly desire his Maiestie to suffer it to be tried who of right ought to succeede And if he or shee fayle who next and who third And let it be proclaimed openly and let all the Lords temporall be sworne therto and all y e knightes and squiers and gentlmen and the commons aboue xviij yeares old that there be no strife for the succession If they trie it by the sword I promise them I see no other likelyhode but it will cost the realme of England c. Further of all the subiects of England this I craue that they repent For the cause of euill rulers is the sinne of the subiects as testifieth the Scripture And the cause of false Preachers is that the people haue no loue vnto the truth sayth Paule in the 2. Chapter of the 2. Epistle to the Thessalonians We be all sinners an hundred times greater then all that we suffer Let vs therefore eche forgiue other remembring the greater sinners the more welcome if we repent according to the similitude of the riotous son Luk. xv For Christ died for sinners and is their Sauiour and his bloud their treasure to pay for their sinnes He is that fatted calfe which is slaine to make them good cheare withall if they wil repent and come to their father againe and his merites is the goodly rayment to couer the naked deformities of their sinnes Finally if the persecution of the Kings grace and of other temporall persons conspiring with the spiritualtie be of ignoraunce I doubt not but that their eyes shal be opened shortly and they shal see repent and God shal shew them mercy But if it be of a set malice against the truth and of a grounded hate against the law of God by the reason of a full coÌ„sent they haue to sinne and to walke in their old wayes of ignoraunce whereunto beeing now past all repentance they haue vtterly yeelded themselues to followe with full lust without bridle or snaffle which is the sinne against the holy Ghost then ye shall see euen shortly that God shall turne the poynt of the sword wherewith they now shed Christes bloud homewarde to shed theyr owne againe after all the examples of the Bible These thinges thus discoursed pertayning to the story and doings of Tindall finally it remayneth to inferre certayne of his priuate letters and epistles whereof among diuers other which haue not come to our hands two speciall he wrote to Iohn Frith one properly vnder his own name another vnder the name of Iacob but in very deede was written and deliuered to Iohn Frith being prisoner then in the Tower as ye shall further vnderstand by the sequeale heereafter The copie and tenour of the Epistles heere followeth A letter sent from Tyndall vnto Mayster Frith being in the Tower THE grace and peace of God our Father and of Iesus Christe our Lord be with you Amen Dearely beloued brother Iohn A letter of Tindall to M. Fryth I haue heard say how the hipocrits now that they haue ouercome that great busines whiche letted them or at the least way haue brought it at a stay they returne to their olde nature againe The will of God be fulfilled and that which he hath ordeyned to be ere the world was made that come and his glory raigne ouer all Dearely beloued how euer the matter be commit your selfe wholy and onely vnto your most louyng Father and most kynde Lorde and feare not men that threate nor trust men that speake faire but trust him that is true of promise and able to make hys word good Your cause is Christes Gospell a light that must be fed with the bloud of fayth The lampe must be dressed and snuffed dayly and that oyle poured in euery euening and morning that the light go not out Though we be sinners Pet. 2. yet is the cause right If when we be buffeted for well doing we suffer paciently and endure that is acceptable to God for to that end we are called For Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steps who did no sin Herby haue we perceiued loue that he layd downe his life for vs 1. Iohn 3. therefore we ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren Reioyce and be glad Math. 5. Rom. 8.
of your power and that from hencefoorth ye shall accept repute and take the Kings Maiestie to be the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England and that to your cunning witte and vttermost of your power without guile fraude or other vndue meane ye shall obserue keepe mainteine and defend the whole effects and contents of all and singular Actes and Statutes made and to be made within this Realme in derogation extirpation and extinguishment of the Byshop of Rome and his authoritie and all other Actes and Statutes made and to be made in reformation and corroboration of the Kings power of supreme head in earth of the Church of England and this ye shall do agaynst all maner of persons of what estate dignitie degree or condition they be and in no wise do nor attempt nor to your power suffer to be done or attempted directly or indirectly any thing or things priuely or apertly to the let hinderance dammage or derogation thereof or of any part thereof by any maner of meanes or for any maner of pretense And in case any othe bee made or hath bene made by you to any person or persons in maintenance or fauour of the Bishop of Rome or his authority iurisdiction or power ye repute the same as vaine and adnihilate so helpe you God c. In fidem praemissorum ego Edmundus Boner electus confirmatus Londonensis Episcopus huic praesenti chartae subscripsi ¶ Ecclesiasticall matters an 1538. It will be iudged that I haue lingred peraduenture too much in these outward affaires of Princes and Ambassadours Anno 1538. Wherefore leauing with these by matters perteynyng to the Ciuill state a while I mynde the Lord willyng to put my story in order agayne of such occurreÌ„ts as belong vnto the Church first shewyng such Iniunctions and Articles as were deuised and set forth by the kyng for the behoofe of his subiectes Wherein first is to be vnderstaÌ„ded that the kyng when he had taken the title of supremacie from the Byshop of Rome and had translated the same to himselfe and was now a full Prince in his owne realme although he wel perceiued The king and his counsaile bearing with the weakenes of the people by y e wisedome and aduise of the Lord Cromwell and other of his CouÌ„saile that the corrupt state of the Church had neede of reformatioÌ„ in many thyngs yet because he saw how stubburne and vntoward the hartes of many Papistes were to be brought from their old persuasions and customes and what businesse he had with them onely about the matter of the Popes title he durst not by and by reforme all at once which notwithstaÌ„dyng had bene to be wished but leadyng them fayre and softely as he might proceeded by litle and litle to bryng greater purposes to perfectioÌ„ which he no doubt would haue done The booke of articles deuised by the king for queitnes of the people c. if the Lord Cromwell had lyued and therfore first he began with a litle booke of Articles partly aboue touched bearyng this title Articles deuised by the Kynges highnesse to stable Christen quietnesse and vnitie among the people c. * Articles deuised by the kyng IN the contentes of which booke first be set forth the Articles of our ChristiaÌ„ Creede which are necessarely and expressely to be beleued of all men Of 3. SacrameÌ„ts Then with the kynges Preface goyng before foloweth the declaration of iij. Sacramentes to witte of Baptisme of Penaunce and of the Sacrament of the Aultar In the tractation wherof he altereth nothyng from the old trade receaued heretofore froÌ„ the Church of Rome Further then procâ—edyng to the order and cause of our iustificatioÌ„ he declareth that the onely mercy and grace of the father promised freely vnto vs for his sonnes sake Iesu Christ and the merites of his Passion and bloud Of iustification be the onely sufficient and worthy causes of our iustification yet good workes with inward contrition hope and charitie and all other spirituall graces and motions be necessarily required and must needes coÌ„curre also in remission of our sinnes that is our iustification and afterward we beyng iustified must also haue good workes of charitie and obedieÌ„ce towardes God in the obseruyng and fulfillyng outwardly of his lawes and commaundementes c. As touching Images Of Images he willeth all Byshops preachers to teach the people in such sorte as they may know how they may vse them safely in Churches and not abuse them to Idolatry as thus that they be represeÌ„ters of vertue and good example and also by occasioÌ„ may be styrrers of meÌ„s myndes and make them to remember themselues and to lameÌ„t their sinnes and so farre he permitteth them to stand in Churches But otherwise for auoydyng of Idolatrie he chargeth all Byshops preachers diligently to instruct the people that they coÌ„mit no Idolatry vnto them in sensyng of them in kneelyng and offeryng to theÌ„ with other like worshyppynges whiche ought not to be done but onely to God And likewise for honoryng of Saintes the Byshops and preachers be commauÌ„ded to informe the people Of honoring of Saintes how Saints hence departed ought to be reuerenced honored how not That is that they are to be praysed honored as the elect seruauÌ„ts of Christ or rather Christ to be praysed in them for their excellent vertues plaÌ„ted in them for their good example left vs teachyng vs to lyue in vertue goodnes not to feare to dye for Christ as they did also as aduauncers of our prayers in that they may but yet no confidence nor any such honour to be geuen vnto them which is onely due to God And so forth charging the sayd spirituall persons to teache their flocke that all grace and remission of sinnes and saluation can no otherwise be obteined but of God onely No mediation but by Christ. by the mediation of our Sauiour Christ who is onely a sufficient Mediatour for our sinnes and that all grace and remission of sinne must proceede onely by mediation of Christ and no other From that he commeth further to speake of rites ceremonies in Christes Church Of rites and ceremonyes as in hauyng vestimentes vsed in Gods seruice sprinklyng of holy water giuyng of holy bread bearyng of CaÌ„dles on Candlemas day taking of ashes bearyng of Palmes creepyng to the Crosse settyng vp the Sepulcher hallowing of the fonte with other like customes rites ceremonies all which old riâ—es and customes the foresayd booke doth not by and by repeale but so farre admitteth them for good and laudable as they put men in remeÌ„braunce of spirituall thynges but so that the people withall must be instructed how the sayd ceremonies conteine in them no such power to remitte sinne but onely that to be referred vnto God by whome onely our sinnes be forgeuen vs. And so concluding with Purgatory he maketh an ende of those Articles
well geuyng drinke as bread c. And thirdly howsoeuer those places De fractione panis be taken yet it maketh little for them but rather against them For if the Sacrament were administred amongst them in fractione panis i. in breakinge of breade then must they nedes grauÌ„t that if bread was there broken Ergo there was breade Exod. 12. forasmuche as neither the accidences of bread without breade can be broken neither can the naturall body of Christ be subiect to any fraction or breakyng by the Scripture which sayeth The natural body of Chryst may not be broken Accidences no man can breake No bread is there to be brokeÌ„ Ergo there is nothing in the Sacrament broken And yee shall breake no bone of him c. Wherfore take away the substance of breade and there can be no fraction And take away fraction how then do they make a Sacrament of this breaking whereas neither the substance of Christes body neither yet the accidences wythout their substance can be broken neither agayne will they admit any bread there remaining to be broken And what then was it in thys their Fractione panis that they did breake if it were not Panis that is Substantia panis quae frangebatur To conclude if they say that this fraction of bread was a Sacramentall breaking of Christes bodye so by the like figure let them saye that the being of Christes naturall body in the Sacrament is a Sacramental being and we are agreed Item they obiecte further and say An other obiection agaynst both kindes that the churche vpon due consideration may alter as they see cause in rites ceremonies and Sacraments Aunswer The institution of this sacrament standeth vpon the order example commandement of Christ. Aunswere This order he tooke First he deuided the breade seuerally froÌ„ the cuppe and afterward the cuppe seuerally from the breade 1. Order 2. Example 3. commauÌ„dement Secondly this he did not for any neede on his behalfe but onely to geue vs example how to do the same after him in remembraunce of his death to the worldes ende Thirdly beside this order taken and example left hee added also an expresse commaundement Hoc facite Doe thys Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this c. Against this order example and commaundement of the Gospel no Church nor councell of men nor aungell in heauen hath any power or authoritie to change or alter according as we are warned If any bring to you any other Gospell beside that ye haue receiued holde him accursed c. Item an other Obiection Galat. â— An other obiection agaynst both kindes Act. â— And why maye not the Churche say they as well alter the fourme of thys Sacramente as the Apostles did the fourme of Baptisme where in the Actes S. Peter sayth Let euery one be baptised in the name of Iesu Christ. c. Aunswere Thys text sayeth not that the Apostles vsed thys fourme of baptising I baptise thee in the name of Christ. Aunswere c. but they vsed many times this manner of speache to be baptised in the name of Christe not as expressing thereby the formable words of baptising but as meaning this that they would haue them to become members of Christe The Apostles changeâ—â— the 〈◊〉 Baptiâ—â—â— and to be baptised as Christians entring into his baptism and not only to the Baptisme of Iohn and therfore althoughe the apostles thus spake to the people yet notwithstanding when they baptised any themselues they vsed no doubte the forme of Christ prescribed and no other Item among many other obiections they alledge certaine perils and causes of waight and importance as spilling sheding or shaking the bloud out of the cuppe or souring or els sticking vpon mens beardes c. for the which they say it is wel prouided the halfe communion to suffice Wherunto it is soone aunswered that as these causes were no let to Christ to the Apostles to the Corinthians and to the brethren of the Primitiue Churche but that in theyr publike assemblies they receiued al the whole Communion as well in the one part as in the other Mans 〈◊〉 sin in 〈…〉 owne 〈…〉 God so neither be the sayd causes so important nowe to adnull and euacuate the necessarye commaundement of the Gospell if we were as carefull to obey the Lorde as wee are curious to magnifie oure owne deuises to strayne gnattes to stumble at strawes and to seeke knottes in rushes whych rather are in oure owne phantasies growing then there where they are sought 〈…〉 Eccle. 〈…〉 Cap. 5. In summa diuers other obiections and cauillations are in Popish bookes to be found as in Gabriell the difference made betwene the laitie and Priests also the distinction vsed to be made betweene the Priestes communion and the laicall communion Where is to be vnderstand that when Priests were bidde to vse the laicall communion thereby was ment not receauing vnder one kinde as lay men doe nowe but to absteyne from consecrating and onely to receaue as the lay men then did Some also alledge certeyne speciall or particular examples as of the cuppe onely seruing for the bread or of the bread only sent to certeine sicke folke for the cuppe And heere they inferre the story of Sozomenus touching the woman in whose mouth the Sacrament of bread whiche she onely receaued without the cuppe was turned to a stone c. other alledge other priuate examples likewise of infants aged meÌ„ sicke persons men excommunicate phrentickes and madde men or men dwelling farre off from Churches All respects 〈◊〉 geue 〈◊〉 to the â—â—â—dience of the worde in mountaynes or wildernes c. All which priuate examples neither make any instance against the auncient custome of publicke congregations frequented from the Apostles time and much lesse ought they to derogate from the expresse and necessarye precept of the Gospell which saith to all men without exception Hoc facite c. Bibite ex hoc omnes c. The third Article Priuate Masses trentall Masses and dirige Masses as they were neuer vsed before the time of Gregory The 3. article vi C. yeares after Christ so the same do fight directly agaynste our christian doctrine as by the definition therof may wel appeare The Masse is a worke or action of the priest applied vnto men for meriting of grace Ex opere operato in the which Action the Sacrament is first worshipped Definition of the Masse and then offered vp for a sacrifice for remission of sinnes à poena culpa for the quicke and the dead Of this definition as there is no part but it agreeth with their owne teaching so there is no part thereof which disagreeth not from the rules of christian doctrine especially these as follow The first rule of Christian doctrine 1. The first rule is Sacramentes be instituted for some principall end and vse out of the which vse they are no sacraments
haue found in scripture Then sayd the accuser thou hast preached sayd and openly taught diuers sundry other great errours and abhominable heresies against all the vij sacramentes which for shortnes of time I pretermit and ouerpasse Whether doest thou graunt thy foresayd Articles that thou art accused of or no and thou shalt heare them shortly and then repeated the accuser the three Articles aforesayd shortly ouer and asked him whether he graunted or denied them He aunswered that before he had said of his aunsweres and that he sayd nothing but agreeing to the holy word as he vnderstoode so God iudge him and his owne conscience accuse him and thereby would he abide vnto the time he were better instructed by scripture and the contrary proued The wordes of Adam Wallace to the L. Gouernour and the Lordes euen to the death and said to the Lord Gouernour and other Lords if you cōdemne me for holding by Gods word my innocent bloud shall be required at your hands when ye shall be brought before the iudgemente seate of Christ who is mightie to defend my innocent cause before whome ye shall not denie it nor yet be able to resiste hys wrath Heb. 10 to whome I referre the vengeaunce as it is written Vengeance is mine and I will reward Then gaue they forth sentence and condemned him by the lawes Sentence of condemnation geuen agaynst Adam Wallace and so lefte him to the secular power in the hands of Sir Iohn Campbell Iustice deputie who delyuered him to the Prouost of Edenbrough to be burnt on the Castle hill who incontinent made him to be put in the vppermost house in the towne with yrons about his legs and necke Syr Hugh Terry an impe of Sathan and gaue charge to Sir Hugh Terry to keepe the key of the sayd house an ignoraunt Minister and impe of Sathan and of the Bishops who by direction sente to the poore man two Gray Friers to instructe hym wyth whome he would enter into no communing Soone after that was sent in two blacke Friers an Englishe Frier and another subtile sophister Fryers sent to instructe Adam Wallace called Arbirtromy with the which English Frier he would haue reasoned and declared his faith by the scriptures Who aunswered he had no commission to enter in disputation with him and so departed and left him Then was sent to him a worldly wise man and not vngodly in the vnderstanding of the truth The Deane of Roscalridge sent to Adā Wallace the Deane of Roscalrige who gaue him Christian consolatiō amongst the which he exhorted him to beleue the realtie of the sacramēt after the cōsecration But he would cōsent to nothing that had not euidēce in the holy scripture so passed ouer that night in singing landing God to the eares of diuers hearers The bookes of the good man taken from him hauing learned the psalter of Dauid w tout booke to his consolation For before they had spoyled him of his Bible which alwaies til after he was cōdēned was w t him where euer he wēt After y t sir Hugh knew that he had certaine bookes to read cōfort his spirit who came in a rage tooke y e same frō him leauing him desolat to his power of all cōsolatiō and gaue diuers vngodly iniurious prouocatiōs by his diuelish venome to haue peruerted him a poore innocent frō the patience hope he had in Christ his sauiour but God suffered him not to be moued therwith as plainely appeared to the hearers and seers for the time So all the next morning abode this poore man in yrons and prouision was commaunded to be made for his burning against the next day Whiche daye the Lord Gouernour and all the principall both spirituall and temporall Lords departed from Edenbrough to their other busines After they were departed The Deane commeth agayne to Adā Wallace came y e Deane of Roscalrige to him againe reasoned with him after his wit Who answered as before he would say nothing cōcerning his faith but as the scripture testifieth yea though an Aungell came from heauen to perswade him to the same sauing that he confessed himselfe to haue receaued good consolation of the said Deane in other behalfes as becommeth a Christian. Then after came in the said Terry again examined him after his old manner and said Syr Hugh Terry commeth againe to Adam Wallace he would garre deuils to come forth of him ere euen To whome he aunswered you should be a godly man to geue me rather cōsolation in my case When I knewe you were come I prayed God I might resiste your temptations which I thanke hym he hath made me able to doe therfore I pray you let me alone in peace Then he asked of one of the Officers that stoode by is your fire making ready Who tolde hym it was He answered as it pleaseth God I am ready soone or late as it shall please him then he spake to one faithful in that company bad him cōmend him to all the faithfull being sure to meete together with thē in heauen From that time to his forth comming to the fire spake no man with hym At his foorth comming the Prouost with great manasing words forbad him to speake to any mā or any to him The Prouost of Edenbrough forbiddeth him to speake to any man The worde◠of Adam Wallace to the people as belike he had commandement of his superiours Comming from the towne to the Castell hill the commō people sayd God haue mercy vpon him And on you to sayd he Being beside y e fire he lifted vp his eyen to heauē twise or thrise and said to the people Let it not offend you that I suffer the death this day for the truthes sake for the Disciple is not aboue his maister Then was y e Prouost angry that he spake Then looked he to heauen againe and sayd They will not let me speake The corde being about hys necke the fire was lighted and so departed he to God constantly and with good countenance to our sightes Ex testimonijs literis è Scotia petitis an 1550. The burning of the blessed Martyr Adam Wallace ¶ The schisme that arose in Scotland for the Pater noster AFter that Richard Mershal Doctour of Diuinitie and Priour of the blacke Friers at the new Castle in England had declared in his preachings of S. Andrewes in Scotland that the Lordes Prayer commonly called the Pater noster should be done only to God not to Saints neither to any other creature the Doctours of the Uniuersitie of S. Andrewes together with the Gray Friers who had long ago taught the people to pray the Pater noster to Saints had great indignatiō that their old doctrine shuld be repugned stirred vp a Gray Frier called Frier Toittis to preach again to the people that they should might pray the Pater noster to Saintes Who finding no
ordeined the paxe to be geuen to the people 〈◊〉 decretis Inâ—â—â—entij PP 〈◊〉 â— Pacis ait osculum dandum post confecta mysteria vt constet populum ad omnia quae in mysterijs aguntur praebuisse consensum c. ☞ Peter Martyr in his commeÌ„taryes in Iud. saith that it it was brought in by Pope Leo .2 as it is said and yet supposeth the same not to be so saying that this was an auncient custome in the Apostles time for Christians to salute one an other with the kisse of peace c. To this of Peter Martyr agreeth also Gabriell Biel. writing in these wordes 〈◊〉 Biel. 〈◊〉 â—ect 81. Porrexit in primitiua ecclesia sacerdos osculum pacis ministro caeteris impartiednum vt per hoc significaret c. i. In the primitiue Church the priest gaue a kisse of peace to the minister to be geuen by him to the people The distribution and communion After this foloweth the comunion where in our popish Masse and Ministers therof do much alter and degenerate from auncient antiquity two maner of wayes First in that they make no communion thereof receyuing onely to theÌ„selues coÌ„trary both to theyr own words where they say after theyr receiuing Sacramenta que sumpsimus c. and also to the auncient examples and decrees of the Apostles and others And where it is decreed in the Epistle of Anacletus Paracta auteÌ„ consecratione omnes communicent qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus Sic enim Apostoli statuerunt S. Romana tenet ecclesia c. i. The consecration being done let all communicate together vnles they will be thrust out of the church dores c. ☞ Here note by the way gentle Reader how Gratianus the writer of the Popes decrees is ouersene Anacletâ—â— Epist 1. De consâ—â—crat 〈…〉 Cocleuâ— coÌ„tra Mâ—â—â—culum 〈◊〉 officio misse Gratianâ—â— Cochlâ—â— taken in vntruth Cano. 〈◊〉 Cap. 9. Cano. 〈◊〉 Cap. 8. Microloâ—â—â— de ecclesiâ—astica obseruat which in hys booke De consecrat dist 2. referreth this saying of Anacletus to Pope Calixtus And likewise also Chocleus writing agaynst Musculus followeth Gracianus in the same error Likewise in the Canons of the Apostles if the CanoÌ„s were theyrs we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. All the faithfull which resort to the Church and tary not out the end of the seruice and receiue not the holy communion suche as bringing in disorder to the Church ought to be disseuered c. And agayne Si quis episcopus praesbiter aut diaconus aut quicunue ex sacerdotali consortio oblatione factaâ— non coÌ„municauerint causam dicito c. For how can that be a communion called which is not common but priuate to one As Micrologus writeth Nec enim proprie communio dici potest nisi plures de eodem sacrificio participent i. It can not be called a communion except mo then one do participate of one sacrifice c. And Durandus In primitiua ecclesia omnes qui celebrationi Missarum intererant singulis diebus communicare solebaÌ„t Guliel Durand Ration 〈◊〉 4 cap. 53. eo uod Apostoli omnes de calice biberunt c. i. In the primitiue time all that were present at the ministration were wont euery day to communicate because that the apostles did altogether drinke of the cup. c. Secondly they alter and degenerate therein from auÌ„cient antiquity in that when they communicate also wyth the people yet they depriue them of the holy cup which deprauation was not in the church before the counsel oâ— CoÌ„stance about the yere of our Lord .1414 For before it was so autentikly receiued that it was counted a sacriledge to receiue the one without the other Gelasius Ioan. 〈◊〉 Maioricoâ— episc as appeareth by the wordes of Pope Gelasius CoÌ„perimus quod quidam sumpta tantum modo corporis sacri portione c. the whole in english is thus we vnderstand that there be some which receiuing the one part onely of the holy body De consâ—crat Dist. 1. 〈◊〉 coÌ„perimuâ— absteine from the cup of the sacrate bloud who because they be taught so to do by what superstition I cannot tell eyther let theÌ„ receiue the sacrament whole together or let them absteine from the whole sacrament altogether because the diuision of that one and whole sacrament cannot be without great sacriledge c. Hytherto also perteineth the testimony of S. Austen in these wordes Et ibi vos estis in mensa August sermone ferie 2. pasche in calice nobiscum vos estis Simul enim hoc sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus c. i. There be you at the table and at the cup there also be you with vs for together we receiue and together we drinke because we liue together As also out of the booke of Gregory it is manifest that not onely the people receiued then in both kindes Ex libro sacramentorum Grâ—â—gorij but also the words were prescribed to the minister what he should say in geuing the cup Item sacerdos calicem dando dicat Sanguis Domini nostri Iesu Christi custodiat te ad vitam aeternam i. Let the priest say in geuing the cup The bloud of our lord Iesus Christ keepe thee to euerlasting life Amen Further in reÌ„dering the cause why it should so be done Thomas Aquine writeth Thomas parte que 76. Aâ—t Nam hoc valet ad repraesentandâ—m passionem Christi in qua seorsum fuit sanguis a corpore separatus c. Secundo hoc est conueniens vsui huius sacramenti vt seorsum exhibeatur corpus Christi fidelibus in cibum sanguis in potum i. For that serueth to represent the passion of Christ wherein his bloud was parted seuerally from the body c Secondly for that is conuenient to the vse of the sacrameÌ„t that the body shoulde seuerally be geuen to the faythfull to meat and the bloud to drinke And therfore serued the office of the deacoÌ„s as we read vt oblata a populo super altare consecranda disponant Amb. 〈◊〉 de omni Diuiniâ— officijs perfectis mysterijs calicem sacrosancti sanguinis Domini fidelibus propinent i. To lay the offeringes of the people vpon the altar to be halowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cup of the sacrate bloud of the Lord to the faythfull c. But among all other testimonies to proue that the sacrament ought to be common to all people in both kinds there is none more euident then the place of Hierome Hieronimus in epist 1. 〈◊〉 cap. 11. Conuenâ—â—entibus Caeterum dominica caena omnibus debet esse communis quia ille omnibus discipulis suis qui aderant aequaliter tradidit sacramenta i. The supper of the Lord ought to be indifferently commen to all his disciples there present c. And thus haue ye heard the Canon
ridden 40. miles on horsebacke as their busines doth sometime require they should not be able to say at night that they sawe their horses all y e day but only the colour of theyr horsses and by hys reason Christe must go to schole learne of Aristotle to speake For when he saw Nathanaell vnder the fig tree if Aristotle had stand by he would haue said no Christe thou sawest not him but the colour of him After this Watson sayde what if it were graunted that Theodoret was on the other side whereas they had one of that opinion there were an hundred on the other side Then the Prolocutor called for M. Morgan to helpe and sayd Morgan is called for 〈◊〉 helpe at 〈◊〉 pinche that Theodoret did not more then he might lawfully do For first he graunted the truthe and then for feare of suche as were not fully instructed in the faythe he spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is couertly and in a mysterie and thys was lawfull for him to do for first he graunted the trueth and called them the body of Christ bloud of Christ. Then afterward he seemed to geue somwhat to the sences and to reason but that Theodorete is of the same minde that they were of the words folowing quoth he do declare For that which followeth is a cause of that whiche went before and therefore he sayth The immortalitie c. Morgan is taken with false alleaâ—ging of thâ— texte Whereby it doth appeare that he meante the diuine nature not the humane Then was Morgan taken w t misalleging of the text For the booke had not this word for For the Greeke word did rather signify truly not for so that it mighte manifestly appeare that it was the beginning of a newe matter not a sentence rendring a cause of that he had sayd before Then was it said by Watson again suppose that Theodoret be wyth you whych is one that we neuer hearde 〈◊〉 printed but two or three yeres ago Yet he is but one and what is one against the whole consent of the church After this M. Cheyney inferred that not only Theodorete was of that minde that the substance of bread and wine doe remaine but diuers other also speciallye Irenaeus who making mention of this sacrament sayth thus when the cuppe whych is mingled with wine and the breade that is broken Irenaeus Lib. 5. contra Valenâ—â—um doe receiue the worde of God it is made the Euchariste of the bodye and bloude of Christ by the whiche the substaunce of our flesh is nourished and doeth consist If the thankes geuing doe nourish our body then ther is some substance besides Christes body To the which reason both Watson and Morgan aunsweared that Ex quibus By the whych Watson in the sentence of Irenaeus was referred to the next antecedent that is to the body and bloud of Christ and not to the wine which is in the cup and the bread that is broken Master Cheiney replied M. Cheynâ—â— that it was not the bodye of Christ which norished our bodies And let it be that Christes flesh norisheth to immortalitie yet it doth not answere that argument although it be true no more then that aunswere which was made to my allegation out of S. Paule The bread which we breake c. w t certaine other like whereunto you answered that bread was not taken there in hys proper signification but for that it had bene no more then the rod of Aaron which was taken for the serpent because it had beene a serpent After this M. Cheyney broughte in Hesechius Anno 1553. and vsed the same reason that hee did of the custome of burning of Symboles and hee asked them what was burnt Master Watson sayd we must not enquire nor aske but if there were any faulte impute it to Christ. Then sayde M. Cheiney whereof came those ashes not of a substance or can anye substance arise of accidents Then was M. Harpsfield called in to see what he could say in the matter Harpesfield calle◠〈◊〉 to helpe watson Who told a faire tale of the omnipotencie of God and of the imbecilitie and weaknesse of mans reasons not able to attaine to godly things And he sayde that it was conuenient whatsoeuer we sawe felt or tasted not to trust our sences And he tolde a tale out of S. Cyprian how a woman sawe the Sacrament burning in her cofer Here is goodly 〈◊〉 as if 〈◊〉 were out of the Legends of â—yes and that which burned there quoth Harpsfielde burneth heere and becoÌ„meth ashes But what that was that burnt he could not tell But M. Cheiney continued still and forced them with this question what it was that was burnt It was eyther sayde he the substance of breade or els the substaunce of the body of Christe which were too much absurditie to graunt At length they answeared that it was a miracle wherat M. Cheiney smiled and sayd that he could then say no more Then D. Weston asked of the company there whether those menne were sufficiently answeared or no Westâ—â— woulde know whether they were sufficiently answered when he and his had answered no argument Certaine Priestes cried Yea but they were not heard at all for the great multitude which cried No no. Which cry was heard and noised almost to the ende of Paules Whereat D. Weston being much mooued answered bitterly that hee asked not the iudgement of the rude multitude vnlearned people but of them which were of the house Then asked he of M. Haddon and his fellowes whether they woulde aunswere them other three dayes Haddon Cheiney and Elmar sayd No. But the Archdeacon of Winchester stoode vp and sayde that they should not say but they should be aunsweared and though all other did refuse to answer yet he would not M. Philpot. but offered to answere them all one after another Marke Westonâ— impudencie wyth whose profer the Prolocutor was not conteÌ„ted but raised on him and sayd that he should goe to Bedlem to whome the Archdeacon soberly made this answer that he was more worthy to be sent thether who vsed himselfe so ragingly in that disputation without any indifferent equalitie Then rose D. Weston vp and sayde All the company hath subscribed to our Article sauing only these men which you see A strong argument of Weston Where he is not able to answere he would out face What their reasons are you haue heard We haue answeared them 3. daies vppon promise as it pleased him to descaÌ„t wythout truth for no such promise was made that they should answer vs againe as long as the order of disputation doeth require and if they be able to defend theyr doctrine let them so doe Then M. Elmar stood vp prooued how vaine a man Weston was M. Elmers reason why they would not answer for hee affirmed that they neuer promised to dispute but only to open testifye to
he doth communicate to vs hys owne nature Ex exâ—â—â—plari 〈◊〉 Cranmer descriptoâ— and so is Christ made one with vs carnally and corporally because he tooke our nature of the Uirgine Mary And Hillary doth not onely say that Christ is naturally in vs but that we also are naturally in him and in the father that is that we are partakers of their nature which is eternitie or euerlastingnes For as the worde receiuing our nature did ioyne it vnto himselfe in vnitie of person and did coÌ„municate vnto that our nature the nature of his eternitie Naturallâ— expoundâ—â— that is 〈◊〉 bodyes to participatâ— the naturâ— propertâ— of Christ holy iâ—â—mortall bâ—â—dy that like as he being the euerlasting word of the Father had euerlasting life of the Father euen so he gaue the same nature to hys flesh Likewise also did he communicate with vs the same nature of eternitie which he and the father haue and that we should be one with them not onely in wil loue but that we should be also partakers of y e nature of euerlasting life West Hilary where he saith Christ coÌ„municated to vs his nature he meaneth y t not by his natiuity but by y e sacrament Cranmer He hath communicated to vs his flesh by hys natiuitie West We haue communicated to him * Then 〈◊〉 Christ a sinfull flesh our flesh when he was borne Cran. Nay he communicated to vs his flesh wheÌ„ he was borne and that I will shew you out of Cyrill vppon this place Et homo factus est West Ergo Christ being borne gaue vs his flesh Cran. In his natiuity he made vs * That is made vs partakers the propeâ—â—ties life iâ—â—nocencye resurrectioâ— of his bodâ— D Chadâ—â— agayne dâ—â—â—puteth Hillar 8. 〈◊〉 Trinitate partakers of his flesh West Write Sirs Cran. Yea write Ched This place of Hilary is so dark that you were compelled to falsifie it in your booke because you coulde not draw it to confirme your purpose If Christ haue taken verily the flesh of our body and the man that was verely borne of the Virgin Mary is Christ and also wee receaue vnder the true mistery the fleshe of his body by meanes wherof we shal be one for the father is in Christ and Christ in vs how shall that be called the vnitie of will when the naturall propertie brought to passe by the Sacrament is the Sacrament of vnitie we must not speake in the sence of man or of the worlde in matters concerning God neither must wee peruersly wrast anye straunge or wicked sence out of the wholesome meaning of the holy scripture through impudent and vile contentioÌ„ Let vs read those thinges that are written and let vs vnderstand those thinges that wee read and then wee shall performe the duetie of perfect fayth For as touching that naturall and true being of Christ in vs except wee learne of him wee speake foolishly and vngodly that thing that we doe speake For he sayth My flesh is meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him As touching the veritie of his fleshe and bloud there is left no place of doubt for now both by the testimonie of the Lord and also by our fayth it is verily flesh and verily bloud Here you haue falsified Hillary Thus 〈◊〉 was their talke in Englishe Seing M Cranmeâ— had twyâ—â— veré 〈◊〉 once verâ— they had cause to 〈◊〉 greeued 〈◊〉 that they were 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 a knot in rushe for you haue set verò sub mysterio for verè sub mysterio we receiue truly vnder a mystery Hillary thrise reporteth verè sub mysterio and you interprete it twise verè sub mysterio but the third tyme you haue verò for verè Cran. Assuredly I am not guilty of any deceite herein It may be that the copy which I followed had Sub vero mysterio i. vnder a true mysterye although touching y e sense it differeth little God I call to witnesse I haue alway hated falsifieng and if you had laisure and lust to heare false citations I could recite vnto you vj. hundred West Here shall be shewed you two copies of Hilary the one printed at Basill the other at Paris Cran. I suppose that D. Smiths bookes hath vero Weston Here is Doctour Smith let him aunswere for hymselfe M. Smith M. Doctor what say you for your selfe speake if you know it ¶ Here Doctor Smith eyther for the truth in hys booke alledged or els astonied with Doctor Westons hasty calling stayd to answer For he onely put of his cappe and kept silence West But your owne booke printed by Wolfe your owne Printer hath vero Cran. That Booke is taken from me which easily myght haue ended this controuersie I am sure the booke of Decrees hath vero Cole Now you admit the booke of Decrees when it maketh for you Cran. Touching the sence of the matter there is little difference The chaunge of one letter for an other is but a small matter West Noâ—s Pastor as you know signifieth a Byshop and Pistor signifieth a Baker But Pastor shal be Pistor a Bishop shall be a Baker by this your chaunge of one letter If verè and vero doe nothing chaunge the sence Cran. Let it be so that in Pistor and Pastor one letter maketh some difference Yet let Pistor be either a Baker or maker of bread ye see here the change of a letter and yet no great difference to be in the sence Young This disputation is taken in hand that the truth myght appeare I perceiue that I must goe an other waye to worke then I had thought It is a common saying againste hym that denyeth principles we must not dispute Therfore that we may agree of the principles I demaund whether there be any other body of Christ then his instrumentall body Cran. There is no naturall body of Christe but his organicall body Young Againe I demande whether sence reason ought to geue place to faith Cran. They ought Yong. Thirdly whether Christ be true in all his wordes Cran. Yea he is most true and trueth it selfe Yong. Fourthly whether Christ at his supper mineded to doe that which he spake or no Cran. Dicendo dixit non fecit dicendo sed fecit Discipulis Sacramentum That is In saying he spake but in sayinge hee made not but made the sacrament to his disciples Yong. Answer according to the truthe whether did Christ that as God and man 〈◊〉 Yonges â—â—ophisticall 〈◊〉 whych he spake when he sayde This is my body Cran. This is a sophistical cauillation go plainly to work There is some deceite in these questions You seeke subtlenesse leaue your craftie fetches Young I demaunde whether Christe by these woordes wrought any thing or no Cran. He did institute the Sacrament Yong. But answere whether did he worke any thing Cran. He did worke in instituting the
bene maruelously mooued with great affections and passions as well of myrth and gladnes as of heauines sorrow Of gladnes in this that I perceyued how ye be bent geuen to prayer and inuocation of gods helpe in these darke wicked proceedings of men agaynst Gods glory I haue bene sory to perceiue the malice and wickednes of men to be so cruel diuelish tyrannicall to persecute the people of God for seruyng of God saying hearing of the holy Psalmes and the word of eternall life These cruell doings do declare that the Papistes Church is more bloudy and tyrannicall then euer was the sword of the Ethnikes and Gentiles When I heard of your taking and what ye were doing wherfore and by whom ye were takeÌ„ I remembred how the Christians in the Primatiue Church were vsed by the crueltie of vnchristened heathens in the tyme of Traiane the Emperour about 77. yeares after Christes ascension into heauen Of this persecution 〈◊〉 before and how the Christians were persecuted very sore as though they had bene traytors and moouers of sedition Wherupon the gentle Emperor Traiane required to know the true cause of Christian mens trouble A great learned man called Plinius wrote vnto him said it was because the Christians said certaine psalmes before day The Pope 〈◊〉 then Traians the Heaâ—â—â— Emperour vnto one called Christ whoÌ„ they worshipped for god When Traiane the Emperour vnderstood it was for nothyng but for conscience religion he caused by hys commaundements euery where that no man should be persecuted for seruing of God But the Pope his church hath cast you into prison beyng taken euen doyng the worke of God and one of the excellents workes that is required of Christian men that is to wit whiles ye were in praier not in such wicked superstitious prayers as the papists vse but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray And in his name onely ye gaue God thanks for that ye haue receiued and for his sake ye asked for such thyngs as ye want O glad may ye be that euer ye were borne to be apprehended whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousnesse sake For if God had suffred them that tooke your bodies then to haue taken your life also now had ye bene following the Lamb in perpetual ioyes away from the company and assembly of wicked men But the Lord would not haue you sodainly so to depart but reserueth you gloriously to speake and maintaine his truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shall say for God will go out in with you and will be present in your harts in your mouthes to speake his wisedome although it seemeth foolishnes to the world He that hath begun this good worke in you continue you in the same vnto the end pray vnto him that ye may feare him only that hath power to kill both body soule and to cast them into hel fire Be of good comfort All the haires of your hed are numbred and there is not one of them can perish Math. 10. 〈◊〉 12. except your heauenly father suffer it to perish Now ye be in the field placed in y e forefront of Christs battel Doubtles it is a singuler fauour of God a special loue of him towards you to geue you this foreward preeminence a signe that he trusteth you before others of his people The first onset of this persecution geuen in Bowchurchyarde Wherfore deare brethren and sisters continually fight this fight of the Lord. Your cause is most iust and godly ye stand for the true Christ who is after the flesh in heauen for his true religion and honor which is amply fully sufficiently and abundantly conteyned in the holy Testament sealed with Christes owne bloud How much be ye bound to God to put you in trust with so holy and iust a cause Remember what lookers vpon you haue to see behold you in your sight God all his Angels who be ready alway to take you vp into heauen if ye be slaine in his fight Also you haue standing at your backes all the multitude of the faithfull who shal take courage strength 1. Iohn 4. and desire to follow such noble valiant Christians as you be Be not afraid of your aduersaries for he that is in you is stronger then he that is in them Shrinke not although it be payne to you your paynes be not now so great as here after your ioyes shall be Read the comfortable chapiters to the Romans 8.10.15 Heb. 11.12 Comfort taken out of Scriptures And vpon your knees thanke God that euer ye were accompted worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake Read the 2. chap. of s. Lukes gospell there you shal see how the shepeherds that watched vpon their sheep all night as soone as they heard that Christ was borne at Bethlem True obedience putteth no doubtes by and by they went to see him They did not reason nor debate with theÌ„selues who should keepe the Wolfe from the sheep in the meane time but did as they were commanded committed their sheep vnto him whose pleasure they obeyed So let vs do now we be called commit all other thinges to him that calleth vs. He will take heed that all things shall be well He wil helpe the husband he will comfort the wyfe he will guide the seruaunts he will keepe the house All carefulnes to be cast vpon the Lorde he will preserue the goods yea rather then it should be vndone he will wash the dishes and rocke the cradle Cast therfore all your care vpon God for he careth for you Besides this you may perceiue by your imprisonment that your aduersaries weapons against you be nothyng but flesh bloud and tyrannie For if they were able All the streÌ„gth of the Popes religioÌ„ standeth in outward force they would maintaine their wicked religion by Gods worde but for lacke of that they would violently compell such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade because the holy word of God and all Christes doyngs be contrary vnto them I pray you pray for me I will pray for you And although we be asunder after the world yet in Christ I trust for euer ioyning in the spirite and so shall meete in the pallace of the heauenly ioyes after this short and transitorie lyfe is ended Gods peace be with you Amen The 14 of Ianuary 1554. Upon the Friday after this following being the 18. of Ianuary all the Counsaile went vnto the Tower there the same day discharged and set at libertie all the prisoners of the Tower or the most part of them namely Ianuary 18. Gentlemen deliuered out of the Tower by the Queens pardon the late duke of Northumberlands sonnes Ambrose Robert and Henry sir Andrew Dudley sir Iohn Rogers sir Iames Crofts sir Nich. Throgmorton sir
and forme as before is declared Iem that thou ouer and besides the paynes due vnto thee for the doing of the cruell facte art also by the order of the ecclesiasticall lawes of the churche and the laudable custome ordinaunce of the same to be reputed taken iudged as thou arte in deede a very heritike and to be punyshed by and with the pains due for heresie by reason of thy sayd heresie and damnable opinion Item that al the premisses be true manifest and notorious and famous and that vpon the same and euery part thereof there was and is wythin the sayd parish of Saint Margaretes and other places thereabout a publike voice and fame The answeare of William Flower made to the articles aforesayde TO the first article he answereth and confesseth the same to be true in euery part thereof Flower â—â—â—swere tâ— the 〈◊〉 except that he sayth and confesseth that he neuer consented and agreed in hys heart to be a Monke To the second article he answeareth Flower made 〈◊〉 agaynst will and confesseth the same to be true in euery part therof Howbeit he saith that he neuer did nor yet doth esteme y e said order of priesthoode according to the said order of the Catholike church because he was offended therewith in his conscience To the thirde article he answeareth and confesseth that he intending to liue in godly matrimonie not forgetting God Flower â—â—â—â—fesseth 〈◊〉 matrimonâ— to be hoâ—nest and lawfull W. Floâ—â—â— more dâ—â—uout to being in state of â—â—â—trimony theÌ„ 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 striking Priest 〈◊〉 aultar Note 〈◊〉 the sayâ— Flower â—â—â—terward his next â—â—â—pearauâ—â—â— correctâ—â— reformeâ— this aunâ—swere Flower will noâ— aunsweâ— whetheâ— he intenâ— to kill thâ— Priest did mary with the saide Alice Pulton named in thys article wherein he beleueth that he did well and according to Gods lawes Further confessing and beleeuing that al the time when he was professed Monke and made priest he did therby vtterly forget God but when he did so mary the sayd Alice Pulton and in continuing with her did beget three children he did remember God as he sayeth and beleeueth that he did then lawfully To the fourth article he answeareth and beleeueth the same to be true in euery part thereof To the fifth article hee answeareth and confesseth that hys coÌ„science being greatly offended with the said sir Iohn Cheltam priest for ministring of the sacrament of the altar to the people at the place and time specified in this article he did smite and strike the same priest wyth hys hanger or woodknife as wel vpon his head as vpon other partes places of his body which he remembreth not whereby the bloud ran out and was shed in the saide Church as he beleueth hauing as he sayth none other cause or matter so to doe but onely that his conscience was offended and greeued in that the same Priest did so geue and minister the sayd Sacrament to the people which people he beleeueth was greatly abashed and offended with his saide facte and doyng and were enforced and compelled to goe out of the Churche and to repaire to an other to receiue the sayde sacrament And further being then demaunded and examined whether he did then minde and intende to haue killed the said priest or not he said he would not answeare thereunto And being further examined whether he did well or euil in striking the sayd priest he would make no answere thereunto as he sayd To the sixt he answereth saith that whether he be so excommunicate or accursed as is conteined in this article he referreth him selfe herein to the Ecclesiasticall lawes To the seuenth he aunsweareth and sayeth that by the space of sixe and twentie yeares now past he hath alwaies bene and yet is of this opinion touching the saide Sacrament of the aultare as followeth videlicet that in the Sacrament of the aultar after the words of consecration there is not really truely and in very dede contained vnder the forme of breade the very true naturall body of our sauiour Iesus Christ. To the eight he answeareth and beleeueth the same to be true in euery part thereof To the ninth he answeareth herein he referreth hym selfe to the said lawes custome and ordinaunce specified in this article that is to say the Canonicall lawes To the last he answeareth beleueth that those things before by him confessed be true and those which he hath denied be vntrue and that the said common voyce and fame hath and doth only labor and go vpon those things by him before confessed By me William Flower alias Branch After this examination done the bishop began after the best sort of his fine Diuinitie to instruct him W. Floâ—â—â— exhorteâ— to recanâ— and to exhort him to returne againe to the vnitie of his mother the Catholike church with such reasons as he is commonly woÌ„t to vse to others promising many faire things if he woulde so do besides the remitting of that was past To this William Flower answearing againe thanked him for hys offer and where it was in his power to kill or not to kil his body he stode therwith contented W. Floâ—â—â— refuseth 〈◊〉 reuoke 〈◊〉 fayth anâ— doctrine let him do therein what he thought yet ouer his soule he had no suche power whych being once separated from the bodye is in the handes of no man but onely of God eyther to saue or spill As concerning his opinion of the sacrament he sayd he would neuer goe from y t he had spoken do he wyth him what he would Then the B. assigned him againe to appeare in y e same place at after noone betwixte 3. or 4. In the meane time to aduise himselfe of his former answeres whether he would stand to the same his opinions or no which if hee so did he would further proceede against him c. At after noone the sayd William Flower appeared agayne before the sayd B. the houre and place appoynted To whome the B. sittyng in his Consistorie spake these wordes Branch ye were this forenoone here before me and made aunswer to certaine articles and thereupon I respited you till now to the intent you shoulde consider and weigh with your selfe your state and to remember while you haue tyme both your abhominable act and also that euill opinion which ye haue conceyued touchyng the veritie of Christes true natural body in the sacrament of the aultar To whom the sayd Branch answered agayne and said as followeth That which I haue sayd I will stand too and therfore I require that the lawe may proceed agaynst me Wherupon the Bish. commanded his Notary Harward by name to read to him agayne his articles as before Which beyng read the said W. Flower persistyng in his godly sentence answered to all partes of the articles as in the forenoone before saue onely that he requested the B. concernyng the fift article he might alter somthing his answer therein after this
by meanes which meanes is faith in Christ Iesus crucified For so much as by hys faith in Christe a man is iustified and thereby made the childe of saluation reason must needes lead the same to be then the childe of election chosen of God vnto euerlasting life For howe can a man be iustified but he must needes be saued and howe can a man be saued but by consequence it foloweth that he must also be elected And therefore of Election it is truely sayd De electione iudicandum est à posteriore that is to say Fayth is the meanes wherby we be certified of our Election wee must iudge of election by that which commeth after that is by oure faith and beliefe in Christ which faith although in time it followeth after election yet is it the proper and immediat cause assigned by the scripture which not onely iustifieth vs but also certifieth vs of thys election of God Whereunto likewise well agreeth thys present letter of M. Bradford wherein he sayeth Election allbeit in God it be the first yet to vs it is the last opened And therefore beginning first sayth he wyth creation De electione iudicandum est a posterâ—ore Election fiâ—st knowen to God and last opened to man I come froÌ„ thence to the redemption and iustification by faith and so to election Not that faith is the cause efficient of election being rather the effect thereof but is to vs the cause certificatory or the cause of our certification wherby we are brought to the feeling and knowledge of our election in Christe For all be it that election first be certaine in the knowledge of God yet in our knowledge Faith onely that wee haue in Christe is the thynge that geueth to vs our certificate and comfort of thys election Wherefore who soeuer desireth to be assured that he is one of the electe number of God lette hym not clyme vp to heauen to knowe but let hym descende into hym selfe and there searche hys Faith in Christe the sonne of God whyche if hee finde in hym not fained by the working of Gods holy spirite accordingly thereuppon let hym staye Euery man to stay himsâ—lfe vpon Gods generall promise and so wrappe hym selfe wholely both body and soule vnder Gods generall promise and cumber hys heade wyth no further speculations knowing thys that who so euer beleueth in him shall not perish Ihon. 3. shall not be confounded Ro. 9. shal not see death Ih. 8. shal not enter into iudgemeÌ„t Ih. 5. shall haue euerlasting life Iâ— 3.7 shall be saued Mat. 28. Act. 16. shal haue remission of al his sinnes Act. 10. shal be iustified Rom. 3. Ga. 2. shal haue flouds flowing oute of him of water of life Iohn 7. shall neuer die Iohn 11. shal be raised in the last day Iohn 6 shal finde rest to hys soule and shal be refreshed Math. 11. Now then for so much as we see faith to be the ground wherupon depeÌ„deth the whole coÌ„dition of our iustifying let vs discusse in like maner what is this faith whereof the scripture so much speaketh What fayth is Diuers kindes of fayth for the more plaine vnderstanding of the simple For many kindes there be of faith as a man maye beleeue euery thing that is true yet not euery truth doeth saue neither doth the beleeuing of euery truth iustifie a man Euery truth hath his fayth but euery truth iustifieth not no more doth euery fayth He y t beeleueth that God created all things of nought beleueth truely He that beleueth that God is a iust God that he is omnipoteÌ„t that he is mercifull that he is true of promise beleeueth well and holdeth the truthe So hee that beleeueth that God hath his election from the beginning and that he also is one of the same electe predestinate hath a good beliefe and thinketh wel but yet this beliefe alone except it be seasoned with an other thing wil not serue to saluation as it auailed not the olde Iewes which so thought of them selues and yet thinke to this day to be only Gods elect people Fayth the action Christ the obiect of fayth Fayth Christ correlatiues Onely the faithe whiche auaileth to saluation is that whose obiect is the body and passion of Iesus Christe crucified So that in the act of iustifying these two fayth and Christ haue a mutual relation and must alwaies concurre together faith as the action which apprehendeth Christe as the obiect which is apprehended For neither doeth the passion of Christe saue wythout faith Christ without faith saueth not Fayth without Christ helpeth not neither doeth faith helpe except it be in Christ As we see the body of man sustained by bread drinke not except the same be receiued and conueied into the stomacke and yet neither doeth y e receiuing of euery thing sustaine mans body except it be meate and drinke whych haue power to geue nourishment In like sort it is with faith for neither doth the beleuing of euery thing saue but onely faith in the bloud of Christ neither again doth y e same bloud of Christ profite vs except by faith it be receiued And as the sunne being the cause of all lighte shineth not but to them onely which haue eyes to see nor yet to them neither vnlesse they will open their eyes to receiue the light so the Passion of Christ is the efficient cause of saluation but faith is the coÌ„dition wherby the sayd passion is to vs effectuall Grace Election Vocation Christes death causes externe of our saluatioÌ„ Fayth the onely interne cause of mans saluation Fayth is an action in man but not of man Vertues and workes of charitye though they be good giftes of God in man yet they serue not to iustification Fayth taketh his dignitye of his obiect Looking vp to the brasen Serpent and beleeuing vpon the body of Christ compared The error of the Papistes peruerting the mind of Gods testament how and wherin And that is the cause why we say with the Scripture that faith only iustifieth vs not excluding thereby al other externe causes that goe before faith as grace mercy election vocation the death of Christe c. all whiche be externe causes working our saluation through faith But when we say that faith only iustifieth vs the meaning thereof is thys that of all internall actions motions or operations in man geuen to him of God there is none other that contenteth pleaseth God or standeth before hys iudgement or can helpe any thing to the iustifying of man before him but only this one action of faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God For although the action of praying fasting almes pacience charity repentance the feare and loue of God be hie giftes in man and not of man geuen of God to man yet be none of al these actions in man imputed of God to saluation but only this one action of faith in maÌ„ vpon Christ Iesus the sonne
wrongullye and therfore I desire to be iustified or condemned first for that I suffered suche imprisonment and then I will not refuse to aunswere your articles though there were a bushell of them But to say that I woulde aunswere whereby you shoulde heale all your wrong done to me agaynst the law of God and the realme I will not Here much adoe there was to proue that hee hadde no wrong and agayn y t it was not they that did it Sheterden refuseth to aunswere before it be tryed wherefore he was imprisoned But hee sayde the Commissary was one of them he aunswereth no it was the Archdeacon He sayd you sate wyth hym and he asked youre counsell in it and yet if it were hee it was your Churche except the archdeacon and you be deuided one from an other Well sayd they will ye now deny that ye sayd then and promise here to submit your selfe henceforth and ye shal be deliuered Shet I am not to much bound to you to graunt any such promise Sheterden refuseth to submit himselfe and agayne you shall well know that I woulde not promise to goe crosse the streete for you but if I did at any tyme offend your law let me haue the punishment I aske no fauour Then sayd they that it was obstinacie in hym that hee would not aunswere and a token that his faythe was naught seeing he was ashamed to vtter it Shet Nay sayd he ye shal wel know I am not ashamed of my fayth but because you do so greedely seeke bloude I will aunswere onely to that you haue agaynst me Suffr Nay you shall aunswere to the articles or els bee condemned vpon suspicion Shet I am content with that yet all men shall know that as ye suspect and can proue no cause so shall ye condemne me without a matter and then shall all men knowe yee seeke bloud and not iustice Suffr No we seeke not thy bloud but thy conuersion Shet That we shall see For then shal you proue my peruersion first before you condemne me on your owne suspicion without proofe of the same and by that I shal know whether you seeke bloud or no. Many other wordes were betweene them At last stept vp one Louels a Lawyer whiche woulde proue his prisonment not to be wrong but right One Louel a loueles Lawyer by olde statutes of Edward the fourth and Henry c. but at last hee was compelled to forsake those statutes from Michaelmas to Christmas and then he sayd it was no wronge To this Nicholas sayde if he coulde proue that men might wrongfully imprison before a law and in y e meane while make lawes and theÌ„ vnder that hide the first wroÌ„g then he sayd true or els not Thus hee kepte the Bandogs at staues ende not as thinking to escape them but that I woulde see sayde hee the Foxes leape aboue the ground for my bloud if they can reach it so it be the will of God yet we shal see them gape and leape for it From Westgate in hast By yours Nicholas Sheterden Notes of Nicholas Sheterden agaynst the false worshippe and oblation of the Sacrament THe holy signe in steede of the thing signified is seruiâ—e seruitude as S. Augustine termeth it when the breade in the sacrament is by common and solemne errour worshipped in steade of the fleshe assumpted of the worde of God There was no mension of worshipping the creatures at the feast or first supper that Christ did celebrate False worshipping of the Sacrament therfore the saying of Christ concerning diuorce may well be applyed to them it was not so from the beginning nor shall be to the end The once made oblation of Christes is hereby derogate when this sacramentall oblation and offeryng of thankesgeuing is beleued to be propiciatory and that it purgeth the soule as well of the liuing as of the dead agaynst this saying to the Hebrues Agaynst Sacramentall oblatioÌ„ Heb. 9. With one onely oblation he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified Agayne Where is remission there is no more oblation for sinnes making vs cleane by him This word by hymselfe hath a vehemencye and pyth that driueth all Priestes froÌ„ authoritie to enterprise suche oblation where as what he himselfe doth by himselfe hee leaueth not for other to do So seemeth our Purgatorye already past and done not to come and remayning to be done His examination before the Byshop of Winchester then Lord Chauncellour I Was called into a Chamber before the L. Chauncellour the SuffragaÌ„ A note of the wordes or talke passed betwene Nicholas Sheterden and the B. of Winchester and other Priestes I thinke for the moste part He standing to the table called me to him because I saw the Cardinall was not there I bowed my selfe and stoode neare Then sayd hee I haue sent for you because I heare you are indyted of heresie and being called before y e CoÌ„missioners yee will nor aunswere not submit your selfe I sayd if it like you I did not refuse to aunswer but I did playnely aunswere that I had bene in prison long tyme and reason it was that I shoulde be charged or discharged for y t not to be examined of articles to hide my wrong imprisonment neither did I know any inditemeÌ„t agaynst me If there were any it could not be iuste for I was not abroad since the law was made Winchest Well yet if suche suspition be of you if you bee a Christian ye will declare that it is not true Vniust imprisonment of Sheterden and so purge your selfe Shet I thought it sufficient to answere to myne offences c. trusting that they would lay no such burden vpon me whereby the wrong done to me might bee couered but I would be proued to haue wrong or right Winch. He sayd if thou wilt declare thy selfe to y e Church to be a Christian thou shalt go and then haue a writte of wrong imprisonment c. Shet I sayd I was not minded to sue nowe but require to haue right iustice but to make a promise I wil not but if I offend the law then punish accordingly For it might be that my conscience was not perswaded nor woulde be in prison seeing those things which I haue learned were by Gods law openly taught and receaued by authoritie of the Realme And he sayd it was neuer receaued that I might speake agaynst the sacrament I sayd agaynst some opinion of the sacrament it was openly taught Winch. Winchest maketh a miracle that there was no lawe in K. Edwardes tyme agaynst the Sacrament of the altar By no law and that was notable to consider y t all that while God preserued that so that no lawe coulde passe agaynst it Shet I sayd their law did not only perswade me but this most when they preached vnto vs they tooke payne to set out the word of God in our tongue so that we may read iudge whether they say