the madnesse of the Byshoppes and their speche men Reade burnynge plates of yron and of brasse had Blandina put to her sydes So had Anne Askewe the flamynge brādes of fyre Full of God and his veryte was Blandina So was Anne Askewe to the verye ende Christ wonderfullye tryumphed in Blandina So ded he in Anne Askewe whan she made no noyse on the racke and so ernestlye afterwarde reioyced in him Blandina was geuen fourth to wyld beastes to be deuoured So was Anne Askewe to cruel Bisshoppes prestes whom Christ calleth rauenynge wolues deuourers and theues Mathe. vii Iohan x. Blandina vpon the scaffolde boldelye reprehended the pagane prestes of theyr errour So dyd Anne Askewe when she was fast tied to the stake with stomack rebuked that blasphemous apostata Shaxton with the Bishoppes and prestes generacyon for theyr manyfest mayntenaunce of ydolatrye Blandina at the stake shewed a vysage vnterryfyed So ded Anne Askewe acountenaunce stowte myghtye and ernest Infatygable was the sprete of Blādina So was the sprete of Anne Askew The loue of Iesus Christ the gift of the holy Ghost and hope of the crowne of martirdome greatlye mytygated the paine in Blandina So ded those iii worthy graces the terrour of all tormentes in Anne Askewe The stronge sprete of Christ gaue stomack to Blandina both to laugh and daunce The same mightye sprete not the popes desperate sprete made Anne Askewe both to reioyce and synge in the preson So bolde was blandina saythe Eusebius that wyth a presumpciō of stomack she cōmoned with Christ vnsene I suppose Anne Askewes lattre examinaciō wyl shewe her not to doo moche lesse Gentyl was Blādina to the Christē beleuers terryble to their aduersatyes So was Anne Askewe very lowlye to true teachers but scorneful and hygh stomaked to the enemyes of truthe Many were conuerted by the sufferaunce of Blandina A farre greatter nombre by the burnynge of Anne Askewe Though Blandina were yonge yet was she called the mother of martyrs Manye men haue supposed Anne Askewe for her Chrysten constancye to be no lesse Blandina prayed for her persecuters So dyd Anne Askewe most feruentlye The ashes of blandina and of other martirs were throwne into the stood of Rhodanus What was done with the Ashes of Anne Askewe her companyons I can not yet tell All these former reportes of Blandina and manye more besydes hath Eusebius in Ecclesiastica historia libro v. cap. i. ii iii. Hugo Floriacensis Hermannus Contractus Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus other hystoryanes more And as touchinge Anne Askewe these ii examinacions with her other knowen handelynges in Englande are witnesse for her suffycyent Thus hath not the fyre taken Anne Askewe al whole from the world but left her here vnto it more pure perfyghte precious than afore as it wyl also Iohan Lassels within short space So that concernyng her it maye well be sayde that Paule verefyeth ii Cor. xii The strength of God is here made perfyght by weakenes Whan she semed most feble than was she most strōge And gladlye she reioyced in that weakenes that Christes power myght strongely dwell in her Thus choseth the lord the folysh of thys worlde to cōfounde the wyse the weake to deface the myghtye Yea thynges despysed thought verye vyle to brynge thynges vnto naught whych the worlde hath in most hyghe reputaciō I thincke if this martyr were rightly conferred with those canonysed martyrs whych haue had and yet hath styl sensynges and syngynges massynges ryngynges ī the popes English churche cause with cause and reason wyth reason as haplye here after they shal she shuld be a great blemysh vnto them An example of stronge sufferaunce myghte this holy martir be vnto all them that the Lorde shal after lyke manner put forewarde in this horryble furye of Antichriste to the glorye of hys persecuted Churche Amen The first examinacion of the worthye seruaunte of God mastres Anne Askewe the yonger doughter of Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyghte of Lyncolne shyre lately martyred in Smythfelde by the Romyshe popes vpholders The censure or iudgemēt of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles OF no lesse Christen cōstancie was this faithfull wytnes and holy martyr of God Anne Askewe nor no lesse a fast member of Christ by her myghtye persystēce in his verite at this tyme of mischife thā was the afore named Blandina in the prymatiue churche This shal wele apere in her ii examynacions or tyrannouse handelynges here folowinge whome she wrote with her owne hāde at the instāt desyre of certen faithfull men and wemē yea rather at the secrete mocyon of God that the truth therof myght be knowne the world ouer As within short space yt wyll be yf the latyne spech can carye yt Marke wel the cōmunycaciōs here both of her and of her examyners so prouing their spretes as S. Iohan the Apostle geuethe yow counsell i. Io. iiii And than shall ye know the tree by his frute the man by hys worke Anne Askewe To satisfye youre expectacion good people saithe she thys was my firste examynacyon in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.xlv. and in the monethe of Marche firste Christofer Dare examyned me at Sadlers hall beynge one of the queste and asked yf I dyd not beleue that the sacramente hangynge ouer the aultre was the verye bodye of Chryste reallye Thē I demaunded this question of him wherfore S. Steuē was stoned to death And he said he coulde not tell Then I answered that no more wolde I assoyle his vayne questyon Iohan Bale A sacrament sayth Saynt Augustyne is a sygne shappe or symylytude of that it representith and no God nor yet thynge represented This worde reall or reallye is not of beleue for it is not in all the sacred scriptures Onlye is it sophistycallye borowed of the paganes lernynge by wynchestre his fellowes to corrupt our Christen fayth Be ware of that fylthye poyson The perfyght beleue of Steuen Actoru vii of Paule Act. xvii of Salomon iii. Reg. viii ii Par◠vi was that god dwelleth not in temples made with handes Agreable vnto this was the faythe of thys Godlye woman whych neyther coulde beleue that he dwellethe in the boxe God sayth Esaye lxvi Heauen is my seate not the boxe Dauid saythe Psal. cxiii oure God is in heauen not in the pyxe Christ taught vs to saye whā we praye Mat. vi Luce. xi our father which arte in heauen and not our father which art in the boxe Now discerne and iudge Anne Askewe Secondly he sayde that there was a woman whyche dyd testyfye that I should reade howe God was not in temples made wyth handes Then I shewed hym the. vii and the. xvii chapitre of the Apostles actes what Steuen and Paule had said therin Wherupon he asked me howe I
neuer teach soche fylthye lernynge More of this shall I wryte God willing in the answere of their bokes Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppes chaunceller rebuked me and sayde that I was moche to blame for vtterynge the scryptures For S. Paule he sayde forbode women to speake or to talke of the worde of God I answered hym that I knewe Paules meanynge so well as he whyche is i. Corintheorum xiiii that a woman oughte not to speake in the congregacyon by the waye of teachynge And then I asked hym how manye women he hadde seane go into the pulpette preache He sayde he neuer sawe none TheÌ„ I said he oughte to fynd no faute in poore women excepte they had offended the lawe Iohan Bale PleÌ„teouse ynough is her answer here vnto this quarellinge and as apereth vnlerned chancelloure Manye godlye women both in the olde lawe the newe were lerned in the scriptures and made vtterauÌ„ce of theÌ„ to the glorie of god As we reade of Helisabeth Mary and Anna the wydowe Lu. i. ii yet were they not rebuked for it yea Marye Christes mother retained all that was afterwarde wrytten of hym Luc. ii yet was it not imputed vnto her an offence Christ blamed not the woman that cryed whyls he was in preachynge happye is the wombe that beat the Luce. xi The women which gaue knowlege to his discyples that he was rysen from death to lyfe discomfited not he but solaced them with hys most gloriouse aperauÌ„ce Mat. xxviii Io. xx In the primatyue churche specially in Saint Hieromes time was it a great praise vnto womeÌ„ to be lerned in the scriptures Great commendacioÌ„s geueth our Englysh Cronicles to Helena Vrsula and Hilda womeÌ„ of our nacyon for beynge lerned also in the scriptures Soch a woman was the seid Hilda as openlye disputed in them against the superstycyons of certen byshoppes But thys chancellour by like chaunced vpon that blynde popysh worke whych Walter Hunte a whyte fryre wrot iiii score yeares ago Contra doctrices mulieres against scole women or els some other lyke blynde Romysh beggeryes Anne askewe Then my Lorde Mayre commaunded me to warde I asked him if suertees woulde not serue me And he made me short answer that he wold take non Then was I had to the Counter and there remayned xii dayes no frynde admytted to speake with me Iohan Bale Here is Christ yet troden on the hele by that wycked serpent whych tempted Eua. Gene. iii. His faithful membre for beleuyng in him is here throwne in preson And no maruel for it was his owne ê“mes ye shall be brought before rulers debitees saith he for my truthes sake Mat. x. ye shal be betraied of your owne nacyon and kindred so throwne in presoÌ„ Luc. xxi If they haue persecuted methinke not but they wyll also persecute yow Io. v. This serpent is agayne becomeÌ„ the prince of this world holdeth the gouerners therof captyue Io. xiiii Suertees wold haue ben takeÌ„ for a thefe or a mourtherer but not for Chrystes meÌ„ber the bishoppes chauÌ„cellour being at hande nor yet her fryndes permitted to confort her Anne Askewe But in the meane tyme there was a prest sent to me whiche sayd that he was comaunded of the byshopp to examyne me and to geue me good counsell which he dyd not But fyrst he asked me for what cause I was put in the CouÌ„ter And I tolde hym I coulde not tell Then he sayde it was great pitie that I shulde be there with out cause and concluded that he was verye sorye for me Iohan Bale O temptacion of Sathan Christ beinge in the solitarie wildernesse alone was after thys flattering sort assaulted first of his enemye Matt. iiii This Iudas was sente afore to geue a frindelie kisse the more depelie to trappe the innoceÌ„t in snare But Gods wisdom made her to perceiue what he was A false prophete is sone knowne by hys frutes amonge theÌ„ that are godlye wyse Mat. vii She coÌ„sidered with Salomon that more to profyght are the strypes of a frinde thaÌ„ the fraudâ—lent kysses of a deceitful enemye Prouerb xxxvii Anne Askewe Secondly he sayd it was tolde hym that I shuld denye the sacrament of the aultre And I answered hym agayne that that I had sayd I had sayd Iohan Bale In this brefe answere she remeÌ„bred SalomoÌ„s couÌ„sell Answer not a fole all after his folishnesse Beware of theÌ„ saith Christ which come in shepes clothinge for inwardlye they are most rauenynge wolues Mat. vii God destroieth the craftes of the wicked sayth Iob so that they are not hable to perfourme that they take in hande Iob. v. Anne Askewe Thirdly he asked me yf I were shryuen I tolde hym no. Then he sayde he wolde brynge one to me for to shryue me And I tolde hym so that I myghte haue one of these iii. that is to saye doctor Crome syr Gyllam or Huntyngton I was contented bycause I knewe them to be men of wysedome As for yow or anye other I wyll not dysprayse bycause I knowe ye not Then he sayde I woulde not haue yow thynke but that I or an other that shall be broughte yow shall be as honest as they For yf we were not ye may be sure the king wolde not suffer vs to preache Then I answered by the saynge of Salomon By commonynge with the wise I maye lerne wysedome but by talkynge with a fole I shall take skath Prou. i. Iohan Bale Se how thys aduersary coÌ„paseth lyke a rauenyng lyon to deuoure this lambe i. Pet. v. Now temptethhe her with CoÌ„fession which hath bene such a bayte of theirs as hath broughte into theyr nettes and snares the myghtiest prynces of the worlde both kynges and emprours Se here yf they leaue anye subtylte vnsought to obtaine theyr praie He reckened by this to winne his purpose which waye so euer he had taken Yf she hadde bene confessed to hym he had knowen whyche waye she had bene bente If she had vtterlye refused confessyon he had more matter to accuse her of O subtyle sede of the serpeÌ„t This part plaied your olde generacion the Pharisees and prestes with Christ to bring him in dauÌ„ger of the lawe Mat. xxii Ioha viii No ChristeÌ„ erudicioÌ„ bringeth this prest nor yet good counsels of scripture But as Esay sayth The hypocryte ymagyneth abhomynacion agaynst God to famysh the hungry and witholde drinke from the thirstye Yet shall not the eyes of the seynge be dymme nor the eares of the hearyng be deffe Esa. xxxii Yf the king admit soch preachers as I can not thinke it a sore plage remaineth both to him and to his people Anne Askewe Forthly he asked me yf the hoste shulde fall and a beaste dyd eate it whether the beaste dyd receyue God or no I answered Seynge ye haue taken the paynes to aske thys questyon I desyre yow also to take so moche payne
conscience woulde both accuse me and condempne me of the vnconsyderaunce of my lorde God More precyouse is the thynge which is in daylye controuersye and parell whiche is nowe Goddes true honoure than is al thys worldes treasure here What Christen hart can abyde it to se the creature yea not of God but of man to be worshypped in the stede of God and saye nothynge therin Salomon saythe there is as well a tyme to speake as a tyme to kepe sylence and a tyme as well to hate as a time to loue Ecclesiast iii. With a perfyght hate lorde saythe Dauid haue I hated those bloud thursty enemyes which were in they presumpcion agaynst the Psalm cxviii Strongly and with most myghtye stomacke are hypocrytes to be inuaded whyche wyll not geue place to the veryte Marke how myghtelye Moses resysted Pharao Helyas kynge Achab Helyseus Ioram zachary Ioas Daniell the ydolaters Iohan Baptyst the Pharysees and Herode Steuen the Iewes the Apostles the Byshoppes and prestes Christ rebuked hys discyple Peter and bad him come after hym deuyll Math. xvi Yet called he Iudas his frinde Mat. xxvi Necessary is it that the elect flocke of God do hate the vncleane fowles whych yet holde theyr habytacion in Babylō Apoca. xviii Iohā wycleue and Iohan Huse confesse in theyr writynges that they were by stronge force inwardlye constrayned of God to worke against the great antichrist Erasmus boldely vttered it that God for the euyls of this latter age hath prouyded sharpe phesycyanes Quenche not the sprete sayth S. Paule despyse not prophecyes i Thessalon v. I put my ernest wordes into thy mouthe sayde the Lorde to Hieremye that thou shuldest bothe destroye and buylde Hieremye i Let this suffice ye concernynge oure rebukes for they are Gods enemyes whō we inuade Yf ye perceyue it and fele it on the other syde that the waues of the see are greate also and doth horryblye rage in these dayes Psa. xcii Considre agayne sayth Dauid that the Lorde whyche dwelleth on hygh is a great dele myghtyer than they As he is of power to cease the storme and to make the wether caulme Psalme cvi So is he able to change a kynges indignacion which is but death into mooste peaceable fauer and louynge gentylnes Prouerbiorum xvi For the hart of a kynge is euermore in the hande of God and he maye turne it which waye he wyl Proue xxi Hys eternall pleasure it is that ye shuld honoure your kynge as his immediate mynyster cōcerning your bodyes and lyues i. Petri. ii and that ye shuld with al gentylnesse obeye the temporall rulers Romano xiii But suche spirituall hypocrites both Byshoppes and prestes as are continuall haters of hys heauenlye verite wolde he that we shulde hold for most detestable apostates and blasphemouse reprobates as did Christ and his Apostles which neuer obeyed them but most sharpelye rebuked them Matthei xxiii Acto xx and. ii Pet. xi The grace of that lorde Iesus Christ be euer wyth thē whyche ryghtly hate that sinagoge of Sathan as dyd Anne Askewe Amen God standeth by the generacyon of the ryghteouse Psal. xiii Thus endeth the firste examynacion of Anne Askewe latelye done to deathe by the Romyshe popes malycious remnaunte and nowe canonysed in the preciouse blode of the lord Iesus Christ. Imprynted at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen in Nouembre Anno. 1546. ¶ The voyce of Anne Askewe oute of the. 54. Psalme of Dauid called Deus in nomine tuo FOr thy names sake be my refuge And in thy truth my quarel iudge Before the Lorde let me be harde And wyth fauer my tale regarde Loo faythles men agaynst me ryse And for thy sake my death practyse My lyfe they seke with mayne myght Which haue not the afore their sight Yet helpest thou me in this distresse Sauynge my soule from cruelnesse I wote thou wylt reuenge my wronge And vysyte them ere it be longe I wyll therfore my whole hart bende Thy gracyouse name Lorde to commende From euyl thou hast delyuered me Declarynge what myne enemyes be Prayse to God Who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. xi He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. v. ¶ The latter examynacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Sinagoge of Antychrist wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psalme cxvi The verite of the lord endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by this verite of god to the ende I wyll poure oute my sprete vpon all fleshe saith God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Iohel ii ¶ Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the primatiue churche as the horible persecucyons increased many dyligēt writers collected the godly answers tryumphaūte sufferinges of the martyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of this nombre was Lucas which wrote the Apostles actes So were after him Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton Asianus Abdias Babilonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexaūdrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius Nicephorus a greate sorte more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshop of Rome ordayned in his tyme for that onely offyce vii deacōs so many notayres aboute the yeare of oure lorde CC. XXXVI that they shuld faithfully regestre theyr martyrdomes to holde thē in contynual remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No les necessary is that offyce now though fewe mē attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christē cōmō welthe than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucions all Christendome ouer so we le as were than Now are the true Christians vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as thā Now are they reuiled punyshed imprisoned haue all euyll spoken against them for Christes verites sake Math. v. so wele as than And what can be more confortable to the sufferers than to knowe the ernest constancye of their troubled companyons in that kingedome of pacience Apo. i. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonies what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Barnard sayth in his homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer dyd the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some besterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late yeares by the bolde calling on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of
dyscyples vnder the cruell Byshoppes for his onlye glorye Saynet Cadocke of Cowbridge a Bysshop was pearced through with a speare as he stode at his Masse at one of the clocke at after non bicause he wolde be of the ordre of martyrs Saynte Elphege archebishopp of Caunterburye was stoned to deathe of the Danes bycause he wolde not pase them thre M. Marke in the yeare of our lorde M. xii Of soch martyrs moch doubted Lāfrancus which suceeded him in that office about a iiii score years after and disputed therof with Anselmus The cause of Anne Askewe and her companions was neither madnesse nor moneye but the onlie sekinge of their lord God righte As Sainte Indract with other deuoute pilgrimes of Rome laie in bed in their inne at Shapwyck by Blastenbury their throtes were cut in the night for moneie which was reckened to be in their pylgrymes scryppes Saynt Iuthware a virgine was behedded also for layenge fresh chese or cruddes whether ye will to her brestes The cause of Anne Askewe and her other fellowes conferred with Christes scriptures semeth a farre other matter Hewalde the blacke and Hewalde the whyght ii Englysh mōkes goynge frō place to place with cruettes chalyce and superaltare to do their daylye sacrifices were done to deathe in Frislande by the bowers of the contrey for teachynge a straunge relygyon and are worshypped at Coleyne for martyrs For bearynge about Christes testament which is most heauenlye treasure and for spredynge the wholsom doctrine therof was Anne Askewe and her sort brēt by the prestes procuremēt yet are they no honour for it Osytha runnynge awaye frome her husbande by the intysement of ii monkes became a professed nonne and was murthered of the Danes Wenefryda by counsell of a prest dysdaynouslye refusynge the marryage of a prynce chrystened lost her head for it Maxentia also played a parte not al vnlyke to thys Soch pylde popysh martyrdomes compared to the martyrdome of Anne Askewe and her faythful companye is as is rustye yron compared to pure syluer S. William of Rochestre a Scotte leauynge both wife houshold ydly to trudge on pylgrymage was strycken in the heade wyth an axe of his owne companyon by the waye Saynte Thomas of Douer a monke was suche a wone as was slayne of the frenche men for hydynge the churches iewels crosses chalyces copes No such light corruptible vanytees were they that Anne Askewe her constaunt bretherne dyed for but for the precyouse veryte of God Yonge S. Wyllyam of Norwych yonge S Robert of Burye yonge S. Hugh of Lyncolne yōge S. Melor of Cornewayle yōg s. Kenelme of Glocestre yonge S. Eldrede of Rāsaye his brother wyth soch other lyke were but verye babes they saye were martyred of the Iewes of other enemyes Wherfore their martyrdomes shal be but babysh in cōparysō of these the verite hauing by thē so smal furtheraūce Foillanus his iii. bretherne goynge homeward in the nyghte after they had well banketed wyth S. Gertrude her nonnes were killed in a wod of one murtherer and their horses solde in the next market towne Iustinanus S. Dauyes ghostlye father in Wales was slayne in a gardene of hys iii. monkes bycause he compelled them to do more laboure than he wolde do hys selfe After Kilianus was come home frome Rome he was murthered in his selle wyth other holye pylgrymes by a woman as they laye there a slepe in the nyght Saynt Vrsula also and her she pylgrymes with theyr chaplaynes nurses and suckyng babes were but homely handeled at Coleyne of the hunnes and pietes if that legende be true as they were commynge homewardes from Rome Compare me Anne Askewe and her condempned companye wyth these clowted canonysed solempnysed sensed matrensed and massed martyrs and tell me by the Gosples trial whyche of them seme moste Christenlyke martyres Yea brynge saynte Edmound of Burye saynt Fremūd of Dunstable saynt Ethelbert of Herforde S. Oswalde of Glocestre saynte Oswyne of Tynmoth and Saynte Wynstane of Euesham whych are the best of the Englyshe martyres to the touche stone of Goddes worde and ye shall fynde theyr martyrdomes and causes full vnlyke to theyrs whome the Byshoppes murther now apace in Englande In all these Englysh martyrs reherced here afore ye shall fynde verye fewe coloures or yet tokens that Christ sayd his martyrs shuld be knowne by on lesse ye take pylgrimages pōpes rellyckes women battels hūtynges ydelnes monkeryes moneye treasure worldlye kingdomes contēpt of marryage superstycyōs suche other vanitees for thē And than wyll I saye and not lye in it that ye are moch better ouerseane thā lerned in the scriptures of God as youre olde blynde bludderynge predecessours hath bene Ye wyll axe me here if I reckē Englāde thā all barrē of Christē martyrs Naye marry do I not For I knowe it hathe had good store sēs the popes faith came first into Englande to the Gospels obscuracyō though their names be not knowne to al mē Greate tyrānye was shewed by the heythnysh emprours kynges at the fyrst preachynge of the Gospel in the primatyue churche of the brytaynes by the cruel callynge on of the pagane prestes But nothinge lyke to that hath bene shewed sēs in the Englysh church by the spiritual tyraūt of Rome his mytred termagaūtes at the prouocacyō of theyr oyled swylbolles blīd Baalamites For they most cruellye brēt those innocētes whych dyd but only read the testamēt of God in their mother runge do not yet repente them of that myschefe but contynewe therin Yf ye marke wel these ii examinaciōs of Anne Askewe ye shal fynde in her in her other iii. cōmpaniōs besydes other whō the Byshoppes in our tyme afore hath brēt the expresse tokēs that Christ sealeth his martyrs wt. Thei apered as shepe amonge wolues They were throwne in strōg presō They were brought forth into coūsels synagoges Their answeres were out of gods spret as herin apereth not out of their own They were reuyled mocked stocked racked execrated condempned and murthered as is sayde afore By a spiritualte also as he promised they shuld be Mat. xxiii and xxiiii Yea those spiritual tyrauntes besydes theyr mortal malyce vpō the innocent bodyes haue most blasphemouslye vttered in theyr spyghtful sermons and writynges that their sowles are dampned as is to be seane in the bokes of winchestre and Peryn But let them be ware lest they dampne not theyr own wretched soules For ful sure we are by Christes stronge promes Luce. xii That theyr sowles they can not harme wyth all theyr popes blacke curses Ful swetelye rest they now in the peace of God where theyr slaunderous and malyciouse iudgementes can not hurte them at al Sapi. iii. Lette those Epycures pygges dampne them with as manye blasphemouse
a daies for that wretched blynde kyngdome of the Romysh pope But trust vpon it trulye ye terryble termagantes of hell There is no practise there is no wisdome there is no counsell that can agaynst the lorde preuaile Prouerb xxi Ye loke to be obeyed in all deuilyshnesse But ye considre not that where God is dishonoured by your obedyence there belongeth none to yow Acto v. Ye haue moch ado here with sectes as though it were a great heresye rightlye to beleue in our lorde Iesus Christ after the Gospell not after your Romysh father But where was euer yet a more pestylent and deuilish secte than is that Sodomytyshe secte whom ye here so ernestlye maynteyne with tyrannye and mischefe How gredilye seke yow the slaughter of Gods true seruauntes ye bloud thurstye wolues as the holye Ghost doth call yow Psal. xxv If the vertuouse ladies most noble women whose liues ye cruellye seke in your madde ragynge furye as rauishynge lyons in the darke Psal. ix haue throwne of their shulders for Christes easye and gentill burden Mathey xi the popes vneasye and importable yoke Luce xi Happye are they that euer they were borne For therby haue they procured a greate quietnesse and helthe to their sowles For Christes worde is quicke and bringeth nothinge els to the sowle but life Hebreo iiii The popes olde tradicyons and customes beinge but the wisdome of the fleshe are verie poyson and deathe Roma viii Anne Askewe Then sayde they vnto me that the kynge was infourmed that I coulde name if I wolde a great nomber of my secte Thē I answered that the kynge was as wele deceyued in that behalfe as dissembled with in other matters Iohan Bale Great Assuerus kinge of the Perseanes Medes was infourmed also that the seruaunt of God Mardocheus was a traitour which neuerthelesse had discouered ii traytours a lyttle afore and so saued the kynges lyfe Hester iii. But Haman that false coūseller which so infourmed the kinge was in the ende proued a traitour in dede as I doubt it not but some of these wyll be founde after this and was worthelie hanged for it so fallinge into the snare that his selfe had prepared for other Psal. vii Albertus Pyghius Cochleus Eckius soch other pestilent papistes haue fylled all Christendome with railings bokes of our kinge for renouncinge the Romish popes obedience but therof ye infourme not his grace No neither excuse ye nor yet defende ye his godlie acte in that behalfe But ye are as apereth very well contented that he be yl spoken of for it It is not a yeare ago sens out wynchestre was at Vtrecht in hollād where as the sayd Pighius dwelt was for hys papistrye in great autoryte I know certaynlye the mā there was moch more easye to please in that cause than in another sleuelesse matter of hys owne cōcernynge Martyne Bucer Hys gallaūtes also warraūted there I knowe to whome that the Romysh pope by the Emprours good helpe shuld withī fewe yeares haue in Englāde as great autoryte as euer he had afore I doubt not but sūwhat they knewe of theyr masters good cōueyaūce but of this is not the kinge infourmed I coulde write here of manye other mysteryes cōcernynge the obseruaunt fryres other raūgynge Rome ronners what newes they receyue wekelye out of Englāde frō the papystes there in what hope they are put of their returne thydre agayne For I haue seane ther braggynge letters therof sent frō Emeryck to Frystāde frō the cōtraie of Coleyne into Westphalie Of this and soch other cōueyaūces the kinge is not yet infourmed but I trust he shall be Anne Askewe Then cōmaunded they me to shewe howe I was maynteyned in the Counter and who wylled me to stycke by my opynyon I sayd that there was no creature that therein dyd strengthen me And as for the helpe that I had in the counter it was by the meanes of my mayd For as she went abroad in the stretes she made to the prentyses and they by her dyd sende me moneye But who they were I neuer knewe Iohan Bale Ioseph was in pryson vndre Pharao the fearce kynge of Egypte yet was he fauourably handeled and no man forbidden to confort him Gen. xxxix Whā Iohan Baptist was in stronge duraunce vnder Herode the tyraunt of Galile hys discyples dyd frely vysyt hym and were not rebuked for it Mat. xi Paule beynge emprysoned and in cheynes at Rome vnder the most furyouse tyraunt Nero was neuer blamed for sendynge his seruaunt Onesimus abroad nor yet for writynge by hym to hys fryndes for socour Philem. i. Neither yet was Philemon troubled for releuyng hym there by the sayd Onesimus nor yet hys olde frynd Onesipherus for personally there vysytynge hym and supportyng hym wyth hys moneye lyke as he had done afore also at Ephesus Nowe conferre these storyes and soche other lyke with the present handelynge of Anne Askewe and ye shal well perceyue our Englyshe rulers and iudges in theyr newe Chrystyanyte of renouncynge the pope to excede all other tyrauntes in all cruelty spyght and vengeaunce But loke to haue it no otherwyse so longe as mytyred prelates are of counsell Be ashamed cruell beastes be ashamed for all Chrystendome wondereth on youre madnesse aboue all Anne Askewe Then they sayde that there were dyuerse gentylwomen that gaue me moneye But I knewe not theyr names Then they sayd that there were dyuerse Ladyes whyche hadde sente me moneye I answered that there was a man in a blewe coate whyche delyuered me x. shyllynges and sayde that my ladye of Hertforde sente it me And an other in a vyolette coate dyd geue me viii shyllynges and sayde that my lady Dennye sēt it me Whether it were true or no I cannot tell For I am not suer who sent it me but as the men dyd saye Iohan Bale In the tyme of Christes preachynge what thoughe the holye clergye were thā not pleased therwith but iudged it as they do styll to this daye most horryble heresye yet certen noble women is Marye Magdalene Iohan the wyfe of Chusa Herodes hygh stewarde Susanna manye other folowed hym frō Galile mynystred vnto hym of theyr substaūce cōcernynge his bodylye nedes Luce. viii These with other more after he was by the said clergye done to most cruell death for the veryte preachyng both prepared oyntementes and spyces to anoynte his bodye Luce. xxiiii also proclamed abroad hys gloryouse resurreccyon to his Apostles and other Ioā xx contrarye to the Byshoppes inhybycion Act. iii. Yet reade we not that anye man or womā was racked for the accusement of them A woman amōge the Macedonyanes dwellynge in the cytie of Thyatira called Lydia by name a purple seller verye rytche in marchaundyse receyued Paule Sylas and Timothe wyth other suspected brethrene into her
the olde canonysed martirs which in the popes Englysh churche haue had so many solempnitees seruices and sensinges Manye haue also moste desperatly recanted through their most wicked persuacions and threttenynges in whose vaine recantacioÌ„s are both to be seane theyr blasphemyes agaynste God and manyfest treasons agaynste their kinge Now in conferrynge these martyrs the olde with the newe and the popes with Christes I seclude first of all the Brytayne churche or the primatiue churche of thys realme which neuer had autoryte of the Romishe pope Her martirs in dede were agreable to that Chryste spake a fore in the Gospell concernyng his martyrs wherby we shulde knowe theÌ„ as we euydentlye finde in the liues of Emerita kinge Lucyes syster Amphibalus Albanus Aaron Iulius Dionothus soche other I sende yow forthe saith he as shâ—pe amonge wolues MeÌ„ shall delyuer ye vp in their counsels sinagoges Ye shall be brought before rulers and kinges and be hated of all men in a maner for my names sake Mathei x. Caste not afore in your mindes what answere to make For I in that houre shal gyue ye both vtteraunce and wisdome which al your aduersaries shall not be hable to withstande Luce xxi They shall excommunycate yow or condeÌ„pne yow for heretikes Yea they shall bring yow in soch hate of the world that who so euer killeth yow will thynke he doth God great good seruyce And thys shall they do bycause they knowe rightly neither father nor yet me Iohan. xvi Manye other lyke sentences left the lorde Iesus Christ in his holie Gospell that we shulde alwayes by theÌ„ discerne hys true martyrs froÌ„ the popes Mahomettes couÌ„terfet martyrs In EnglaÌ„de here sens the first plaÌ„tacion of the popes Englysh churche by Augustine other Romish moÌ„kes of Benettes supersticioÌ„ ii kindes of martyrs hath bene One of monasterye buylders and chaunterye founders whom the temporall princes secular magystrates haue dyuerslie done to death sumtyme for disobedience and sumtyme for manifest treason as we haue of Wallenus of Crowland Thomas of LaÌ„castre Rycharde Scrope Becket soch other The ymages of these haue bene set vp in their teÌ„ples lyke the olde Gods of the paganes haue had theyr vigyls holy dayes ringinges sacrifisiÌ„ges caÌ„dels offeriÌ„ges feastiÌ„ges moch a do besides as they had The other sort were preachers of the Gospell or poore teachers therof iÌ„ corners whaÌ„ the persecucioÌ„ was soche that it myght not be taught abroade And these poore sowles or true seruauntes of God were put to deathe by the holy spirituall fathers Byshoppes prestes monkes chanons fryers for heresye lollerye they saye These Christen martyrs were neuer soleÌ„pnysed of them No they had not so moch as a peny dirge or a grote masse of Requiem no more thaÌ„ had Iohan Baptyst and Steuen amonge the Iewes But they haue bene holden for condempned heretykes euer sens Who euer hearde anye goodnesse yet reported of Dionothus with his M. CC. companyous whom Augustyne can sed to be slayne at Westchestre in hys churches begynnynge bycause they wolde not preache as he dyd apoynt theÌ„ nor baptyse after the Romysh maner neyther yet hallow the Eastre feast as they dyd Many a blessed creature both men womeÌ„ haue bene breÌ„t sens Iohan Wycleues tyme a fore for onlye disclosynge the pharysees yokes teachynge the Gospels liberte And theÌ„ haue that bawdye bloudie Synagoge of SathaÌ„ dyffamed blasphemed condeÌ„pned execrated cursed to hell as most detestable heretykes and dogges Wher as if they were of Christ they ought in case they were their haters or enemies to suffre theÌ„ to saye wele of them to do them good to praye for them Math. v. Luce. vi not thus to vse more tyrannie ouer them than euer dyd Saracene Turke TirauÌ„t or deuyll A great dyfference is there of the martyrs whom they make from the martyrs whom they canonyse Of them whom they dampne from them whom they worshypp yea so great a difference or dyuersyte betwine them if ye marke them wele as is betwyxt golde and dyrt or light and darkenesse The martyrs whose deathes they haue procured by all ages of theyr bloud-thursty church harkned vnto Christ healde of ryghtousnesse and sought their lorde God in sprete Esa. li but the martyrs for the most part whom they haue with so manye latyne wawlynges torches candell burnynges magnyfyed in their temples harkened to the pope healde of hys vnrightousnesse sought out hys superstycyouse ydolatryes In the conferrynge of their olde canonysed martyrs with our newly condempned martyrs here Anne Askewe and her other iii. companyons with soche like their difference will be moch more easelie perceiued First lete vs beginne with Thomas Becket which was so gloryouse a martyr and precyouse aduocate of theirs that they made his bloude equal with Christes bloude and desyred to clime to heauen therby Manie wonderful miracles coulde that mitred patrone of theirs do in those dayes whan the monkes had fryre Bakons bokes and knew the bestowynge of fryre BoÌ„gaies mystes but now he can do none at al. Thys Becket in all hys floryshynge doynges harkened to the pope defended his pompouse kingedome supported his churches excesse wretchedlye dyed for the synnefull lybertees of the same Anne Askew her sort gaue diligeÌ„t hede to their lorde Iesus Christ soughte the kingedome of heauen in daylye repentaunce mightelye detested all ydolatrouse worshippynges in conclusyon suffered moste tryumphaunt deathe for the same CoÌ„cernynge other martyrs As Wenefrid otherwyse called Boniface an Englysh moÌ„ke archebyshopp of Magunce was slaine coÌ„firminge neophytes or professynge his newlie baptysed brode to the Romysh popes obedieÌ„ce There was fouÌ„de aboute hym a casket full of rellickes or dead meÌ„nis bones whaÌ„ he was put to death in the year of our lorde vii c. lv Anne Askewe here felyshyp had none other rellyckes aboute theÌ„ whaÌ„ they stode at the stake to be brent in Smythfelde but a bundell of the sacred scriptures inclosed in their hartes and redye to be vttered aganist Antichristes ydolatries Saynt Clare of Orchestre contemninge lawfull marryage made hym selfe an ydel prest was by headed in his owne gardene by procurimente of a womaÌ„ S. ClitaÌ„ke of Southwales was in like case stabbed in with a dagger bycause a yonge maiden loued him The only true honoure of God was it no worldlye cause that Anne Askewe her companye dyed for Saynt Edwyne being wel armed was slayne in battayle at Hatfelde in the North and S. Edwarde rydynge a Huntinge in the forest of Warham in the weast was killed vpon hys horse in drinkinge a cuppe of wine And all thys was done for the kyngedomes of thys worlde The martyrdome of Anne Askewe and her Bretherne was neyther in battelinge nor huntynge rydynge nor drynkynge but in that ryght course which Christ prescribed vnto his