felony but also by hys other reason of a woulfe in a lambys skynne all maner of witnesse in euery mater For in euery mater maye it happen that he that semeth a lambe maye be in dede a woulfe and be nought where he semeth good and swere false where he semeth to saye trewe And therfore thys patche of thys pacyfyâ—r concernyng wytnesses euery wysâ— man may bere wyt nesse 〈◊〉 there is 〈◊〉 wyt therin and lesse good wolde growe tâ—erof yf folke wolde folowe hys â—uencyon and make of the lawes a chaunge The .xlii. chapyter ANd in y â— chapyter there that begynneth Statuta queâ—â—â— yt is decreed that yf the bishoppe or othâ—â— enquereâ—â—s of herely se that any great daunger myghte come to the accusoâ—â—s or wytnes of heresye by the great power of them that be accused that then they may commaunde that the names of the accusâ—urs or witnes shal not be shewâ—d but to the bishoppe or enqueroâ—rs or such other lerned men as be called to them and that shall suffyce though they be not 〈◊〉 to the partye And for the more inâ—â—mpnytye of the sayde accusours and wytnesse yt is there decreed that the bysshoppe or enquerours may enioyne such as they haue shewed the names of such wytnes vnto to kepe them close vppon payn of 〈◊〉 for disclosyng that secrete wythout theyr lycenâ— And â—urely 〈…〉 that a man shall be coÌ„dâ—mâ—â—â—d and not knowe the names of tâ—â—m that be causeâ—â— thâ—rof â—nd though the sayde lawe seme to be 〈◊〉 vppon a good consyderaâ—yon for the 〈◊〉 of the accusours and witnes 〈…〉 that that coÌ„syderacyâ—n can 〈…〉 to proue the law reasonable Fâ—r yt semeth that the accusours wytnes myght be saued fro daunger by a nothâ—â— wâ—y and that is by this way If the 〈◊〉 or enquerâ—â—â— drede that the 〈◊〉 and wytnes myght take hurt as is sayde before then myght they shew yt 〈◊〉 the kynge and to his counsayle beseâ—â—â—â—g his grace of helpe in that behalfe to â—â—ue and defende the accusours and witâ—es fro the extort power of theym that be accâ—â—â—d And yf they wolde do so yt is not to suppose but that the kynge wolde sufyciently prouyde for theyr sauegarde But for as myche as yt sholde seme that spyrytuall men somwhat pretende to punyshe hereâ—yes onely of theyr own power wythout callyng for any assystence of the temporal power therfore they make such lawes as may helpe forth theyr purpose as they thynke but surely that is not thâ— charytable way to put the knowledge of the names of the accusours and wytnes fro hym that ys accused for yf he knewe them he myght percase alledge proue so great and so vehement cause of racour and malyce in them that accuse hym that theyr sayenges by no lawe ought not to stande agaynste hym And that spyrytuall men pretende that they onely shuld haue the hole inquyry and pynyshement of heresye yt appereth extra the heretices li. vi cap. Vtâ—inquisitionis perag Prohibemus where all powers and all lordes temporall and rulers be prohybyte that they shall not in any maner â—â—ke knoweledge or iudge vppon heresye syth yt ys mere spyrytuall and he that inquyreth of heresy taketh knowledge of heresy And so the somme called Summa rosella taketh yt titulo excommunicat perag iiij And yf that be â—rew yt semeth then that all instyces of peace in thys realme be excommunycate for they by authoryte of the kynges commyssyone and also by statute enquyre of heresyes And I thynke yt is not in the chyrch to prohybyte that for though yt were so that the temporal men maye not iudge what is heresye and what not yet they may as yt semeth by theyr own authoryte enquyre of yt and informe the ordynarye what they haue founde And also yf a metropolytane with all his clergye and people of his dyocyse fell into heresye yt wolde be harde to redresse yt wythout temporall power And therfore temporall men be redye and are bounde to be redye to oppresse heresyes wheÌ„ they ryse as spyrituall men be And therfore spyrytuall men may not take all the thanke to theym selfe when heresyes be punyshed as though theyr charytie power onely dyd yt for they haue thye fauour and helpe of temporall men to do yt or els many times it wold not be brought aboute The prouysyon of the law that he speketh of was made as appereth vppon a greate cause in the aduoydynge of the great dauÌ„geour y â— myght in some specyall case happen to those by whose meanes heresyes were detected and conuycted But thys lawe thys pacifyer accompteth sore and vncherytable and deuyseth as he thynketh a better But his deuyce ê‘adueÌ„ture though it wolde serue in some one lande wolde yet not serue in some other they that made that law made it as it myght serue moste generally thorow chrystendome where as thys deuise though it myght serue in England myght not haue serued well in many places of Almayne that are peruerted synnys not euyn whyle y â— mater was in a mameryng before the chauÌ„ge was made But surely that lawe and other of olde made agaynste heresyes yf they had bene in Almayne dewly folowed in y â— begynnyng the mater hadde not there gone out at length to suche an vngracyouse endynge And vndowtedly yf the prynce and prelates the noble men of this realme the good peple of the same had not bene dylygent in the tyme of the prince of famouse memory kyng Henry the .iiii. bothe to haue agaynste heresies those lawes of the chyrch kepte wyth whyche thys pacyâ—ier fyndeth now these fautes and also to make greate prouisions agaynst it bysyde it was than very lykely and comynge to the poynt as vtterly to haue subuerted the fayth in thys realme here as it hath done synnys in any parte of Swycherlande or Saxony And also the dowte that this pacyfyer putteth iÌ„ excepcyoÌ„s to be layed by the party agaynst the accuâ—ours or wyâ—nesse syth the knowledge of the party lacketh must be supplyed the more effectually by the iudges to enquyre and enserch by theyr wysedomes whyther any suspycyon of â—â—â—yll wyl or other corrupcyoÌ„ myghte lede the wytnesse or accusers any thyng to depose or do in the mater wherin yf dylygence be by the iudges vsed it wyll be very harde y â— any suche thynge sholde be of any weyghte but they shall here therof and maye consyder the mater accordynge And on the tother syde the reâ—â—â—dy that he deuyseth for the sureiye of the wytnessys sholde not peradueÌ„ture make thâ— men so bold as in a cause of heresy to medle in y â— mater aâ—aynst some maner of man but that they rather wold for 〈◊〉 owne surety kepe theyr owne tonges styll than wyth all the suretye that coulde be founden theym bysyde haue theyr parsons dysclosed vnto the party And as touchynge the 〈◊〉 of thys pacyfyer that the spâ—rytualty pretende â—o that 〈◊〉 man shold haue the enquery and punysshemâ—nt of heresyes the lawes
they re adhereÌ„tes be playn abomynable heretikes in this one point at the lest which poynt while yt is so shamefull and full of fylthy bestelynes I dare be bold to say that neyther hath that man nor that womeÌ„ any respect or regarde of any clennesse or honeste that can with fauoure vouchsaufe to rede theyr bokes or here them tyll they fyrste forswere abiure the defence and mayntenauÌ„ce of that incestuouse sacrylege and very bestely bychery The .vii. chapyter BUt nowe to retorne to the poynt whych thys precher wold couertly colour in hys sayde wordes wolde make it seme that thapostles and euangelystes had wryten all thynges that god byndeth vs to bylyefe where he sayth But good lorde yf yt hadde not ben wryten by theuangelistes in those dayes how sholde we do in these dayes the whyche brynge forthe the scrypture for theym in dede and yet they wylt bere them in hand yt is no scrypture and yf yt hadde not ben wryten in bokes then â–ª These wordes seme to be myswriten eyther in the pryncypall booke or in the copye For I thynke it wold be yf it hadde not bene wryten by the euangelystes in those dayes how sholde we do in these dayes in whyche we brynge forth the scrypture for vs in dede and yet they beare vs in haâ—de that it is no scrypture How be it how so euer hys wordes were in dede he meneth by them as ye se to shew y â— there was a necessyte wherfore god caused all necessary thinges to be put in writyng But vnto that poynte as I haue all redy made answere vnto Tyndale in the confutacyon all the thynges that the chyrche techeth for necessare and saye they were goddes wordes all those I mene whyche these heretykes saye be not specyfyed in scrypture and that therfore they be not goddes wordes nor any necessary treuthes but false inuencyoÌ„s of Sathan as Tindale sayth daÌ„pnable dremys of men as Barns sayeth this precher yet can not denye but kepte haue such thynges ben in remeÌ„braunce and obserued this thousand yere ye twelue or thyrtene hundred amonge chrysten people ye as longe as the gospels of Cryste hath bene wryten happely somewhat before to as may be gathered of olde auncyent wrytynges How be it though it were somwhat lesse shall lytle force for the mater For if they may abyde by any meane in remeÌ„braunce a thousande yere by the selfe same meanes maye they abyde in remembraunce another thousande to Than sych these folkes saye that these thynges beyng so longe preserued and kepte in remeÌ„braunce be out of the scrypture now wolde I wytte of thys preacher whyther they haue bene so â—onge kepte and preserued by god or by man or by the deuyll If he saye by god than be they of likelyhed good thynges not falsedes but treuthes And yf he saye that they be false and that yet god hath kepte them than foloweth it at the leste that he could haue kept them as well all thys longe whyle though they had bene â—rewe and that wythout the scrypture as he hath kepte theym hytherto And thereof foloweth it also that he hadde no necessyte to cause â—uery necessary trouth that he wolde haue kepte in remembraunce to be putte in y â— scrypture as thys precher wolâ—e haue it seme But now yf thys preacher wyll saye on the tother syde that these thynges haue not ben preserued by god among chrysten people but be false thynges and haue all thys longe whyle bene kept eyther by man or deuyll yet syth god is as strong as mighty as man and deuyll bothe it foloweth ye se well that the thyng whych they haue done in kepynge of false thynges god coulde as well do in the kepynge of trewe thynges neded to the kepyng no more scrypture then they And thus good readers euery way ye se that this reason of thys precher â–ª whyche Tyndale layed agaynste me before hym y â— god dyd cause all necessary thynges to be wryten in scrypture bycause that els they coulde not haue contynued in remembrauÌ„ce thys reason I saye ye se can not holde For those thynges haue contynued as longe in remembraunce whych thynges theym selfe saye be not in the scrypture For where this precher protesteth the necessyte of y â— puttynge of all thynge in scrypture wyth a fygure of apostrophe and turnynge his tale to god cryenge oute O good lorde yf yt had not ben writen by the euaÌ„gelystes in those dayes howe sholde we do in these dayes the whych bryng forth the scripture for theÌ„ in dede yet they wil bere them in hand that yt is no scrypture These wordes lo proue playnely for my parte that there is as great suerty in the worde of god vnwryten and taught vnto the chyrch by the spyryt without the scrypture as in his word wryten in the scrypture For who so byleue the chyrch wyll graunt both who so byleue not y â— chirch wyll deny both as this preacher here sayth hym selfe For he knoweth not whych is the scrypture but by the chyrche And therfore where he saith y â— men now a days yf we lay theÌ„ forth y â— scrypture in dede they wyll bere them in hande yt is no scripâ—ure veryly yf yt hap as yt happeth often that the preachers of these new sectes do lay forth for them very scripture in dede whyche scrypture maketh not for theym in dede but som fals gloses that they geue the scrypture in dede there wyll the trewe catholyque preachers say that they abuse the scrypture in dede But they wyl neuer say that the scrypture whych they brought forth is no scripture in dede For y â— way doth none vse but these heretikes onely nor they can not all saye that there is any lefe or lyne thaâ— euer them self haue taken for scrypture hytherto but the catholyque chyrche of whome they lerned yt dothe afferme the same But on the tother syde there are some partes of scrypture whyche the whole catholyque chyrche affermeth for scrypture whyche partes yet these heretyques afferme for none As for ensample the selfe same pystle of saynt Iames which this precher made that sermon vppon whyche pystle frere Luther and frere Barns both lette not boldely to deny for scrypture bycause in many places yt destroyeth theyr heresyes And yet is there neuer an heretyque of them for all that but where yt may serue to seme to proue hys purpose there wyll he brynge yt forth for saynt Iames owne and fynd no faute therwyth And thus good crysten readers here haue I somewhat shewed you howe lytle cause the brethern haue to bost that pyece of that sermon and say that it hath well defeÌ„ded Tindales sayde chapiter and clerely coÌ„foded meuÌ„ in that part of my conâ—utacyon And thys haue I shewed you somwhat the more at length because yt toucheth a poynte that is eyther for the maynteynynge or coÌ„fouÌ„dyng of many great he resyes a very specyall kay The .viii.
onward in his vnhappy iourney and maye by suche maner and meane of pacyfyenge within short processe be conuayed rounde aboute the realme and leue no place in peace Not y â— I wolde thynke the man that made that boke to be of suche malycyouse mynde as wyllyngly to sowe dyssensyon but that as me semeth he taketh at the lest wise vnware a wronge waye towarde the contrary and that the maner of his handelynge is farre froÌ„ such indyffereÌ„cye as he sholde vse that wolde make a loue day and appease any murmur and grudge of the laye people agaynste the prestes For he sheweth in the progresse of all hys processe that the grudge is borne by the teÌ„poraltye and the causes and occasions therof growen and gyuen in effecte all by the spyrytualtye â–ª whyche handelyng is not as me thynketh very myche indyfferent I lette passe that he which veryly wolde entende to pacyfye swage and appease a grudge wolde as myche as he conuenyentely myght extenuate the causes and occasions of the grudge But yf he wold nedes walke playnly forthe and take no such bye wayes he wold not yet at the leste wyse not accumulate exaggerate the greuys and by all the meanes he myghte make y â— greues appere many great and mooste odyouse Or fynally yf for hatered of theyr fawtes no fauour of theyr persons coulde cause hym to forbere that yet wold he forbere at the leste wyse to seke vppe and reherse causes of grudge before vnknowen vnto the partye whose dyspleasure he wolde asswage pacyfye But now thys appeasoure contrary wyse not onely dothe in all these thynges the coÌ„trary but bryngeth forthe also bysyde all thys some suche fautes mo as yf they were trewe were of the greatest weyghte and telleth theym as though they were trâ—we where they be very playne false in dede But now the good bretherne that boste it laye forthe for a greate token of temperaunce and good mynde towarde the spyrytualty that he forbereth to speke any thyng of y â— great open fawtes that many prestes be openly taken in as thefte robbery sacrilege and murder whereof in soundry shyres of the realme there are at euery sessyons openly fouÌ„den some And yet the moste parte of such fawtes as he speketh of he saith theÌ„ not as of him self nor affermeth theym not for trew â–ª nor as thynges neyther spokeÌ„ by the mouthes of very many but to mytygate the mater wyth he sayth no more but that thus by the clergye some say and some finde this fawte wyth theym and some fynde that and though that many smale sommes make a great what can he do therto can he lette men to speke or is he bounde to stoppe hys earys and here theym not or maye he not tell what he heareth some other saye And yet saye they ferther that he telleth indyfferentely the fawtes as well of the temporalty as of the spyritualty and wolde there shold not be bytwene the temporaltye and the spyrytualtye so myche as any one angry worde And therfore they saye that it can not be possyble that he wrote of any euyll entente syth no man can vse hym self neyther more myldely nor wyth more indyfference nor fynally with more tender cheryte But now to these excuses some other men answere agayne that the leuyng out of felonye sacrylege murder is rather a token of wylynes theÌ„ any forbering or fauour For syth he saw well y â— euery wyse man wolde answere in hym selfe that those greate horryble open euyls of suche desperate noughty wreches were not to be layed agaynst the clergy as the lyke in temporall wreches are not to be layed agaynste the teÌ„poralty he wolde therfore rather seke oute and hepe vppe a sorte of those thynges that myght by hys maner of handelynge sowne in the readers eares to be suche as the temporaltye myghte ascrybe and impute vnto therfore bere a gruge vnto the mayne multitude of the whole clergy and extende in substauÌ„ce vnto euery part And as touchyâ—ge that â–ª he sayth not the thynges as of hym selfe but bryngeth them in wyth a fygure of Some say to that poynt some other say that for that curtesy no man hath any cause to can hym any thanke For vnder hys fayre fygure of some say he maye ye wote well some saye that he so doth deuyse to brynge in all the myschyefe that any man can saye And yet ouer thys wythout hys masker of Some say he saith open faced some of the wurste hym selfe and that in some thynges y â— are as some trewe men saye not trewe Then as touchyng his indyfferency in tellynge the fautes of y â— teÌ„poralty to of trouth among a grete hepe of shrewd fautes rehersed agaynste the clergy for whyche the temporalty myghte yf the thynges were all trewe seme to haue great cause of grudge he reherseth also some fautes of y â— temporalty to as that they be to blame bycause they vse the prestes ouer familyarely and geue them ouer gay gownes or lyght coloured lyuereys one or two such thynges 〈◊〉 as though they might 〈◊〉 mended yet were of no such kynd as the prestes that so be â—elte wyth all haue ben wonte to fynd any cause 〈…〉 How be yt yet in one place to shewe his farther indyffeâ—ency he layeth against them both that the prestes agaynst laye people and laye people agaynste prestes haue vsed to haue euyll language and eyther agaynst other to speke vnsyttynge wordes And ther uppon she sheweth his tender charyte and sayth If all these wordes were prohybyted on bothe sydes â—ppon great payneâ— I thynke yâ— wolde do great good in this behalfe The .xiii. chapyter BUt now good readers yf that yt so were that one â—ounde two men staÌ„dyng to gether wold come steppe in betwene theym and berâ— them in hand they were about to fyght and wold wyth that worde putte the tone preteâ—â— backe with his hande and all to buffer the tother about the face and then go forth and say that he had parted a fray pacyfyed the partyes some men wolde say agayne as I suppose that he had as lyuâ— hys enmy were let alone with hym and therof abyde the aduenture as haue such a frend steppe in betwene to parte theym How be it yf this pacyfyer of this dyuysyon wyl say that this is nothyng lyke the present mater bycause he stryketh neyther parte but onely telleth the tone y â— tother 's fautes or ellys as he wyll saye telleth theÌ„ theyr fautes both yf yt so happeth good readers he found a man that were angry with his wife and happely not all wythoute cause yf this maker of the boke of dyuysâ—on wolde take vpon hym to go reconcyle them agayn to gether and helpe to make them at one and therin wold vse this waye that when he hadde theym both before hym and before all they re neyghbours to then sauynge for some chaung to make yt metâ— for they re persones â—lles he wolde
felowes foly myght appere called good worshippefull witnesses vnto theÌ„ And then bycause his lord shyppe perceyued Fryth loth to haue it knowen abrode out of the bretherhed as yet at that tyâ—e that he went about to poysene the realme wyth y â— pestilent heresy agaynst the sacrament my lorde I say sayd vnto hym that yt was nowe to late for hym to thynke that he couâ—â—e kepe close reuoke it Frytâ— qâ—od his lordshyppe ye may and repent yt and so were yt well done ye dyd but kepe it fro knowledge you can not ye be gone nowe so farre For your bokes of this mater haue ben sene abrode in many mennes handes and that so longe that lo here is an answere all redy made vnto yt and shewed hym my boke in prent but of trouth he delyuered yt not vnto hym How be yt sone after he gate myne answere I can not tell of whom and syns haue I herd of late that he sweteth aboute y â— mater a freshe and hathe I here saye the deuylyshe bokes of wyclefe Swynglius frere Huyskyn secretly coÌ„ueyed vnto hym into the toure hath begonne and gone on a great way in a newe boke agaynste the sacrament But the thynge that I tell you this tale for is this I am well enformed y â— he knoweth very wel that I made that answere and yt is not very lykely but that by one or other he hath the boke in prent and of lykelyhed he neuer had yt otherwyse For that was as easy a waye ye wote well as one to wryte it out that hadde it in prent all redy and before yt was prented I know very wel he could neuer get it And at the lest wise I know it well that he knoweth wel ynough that the answere was made by me and yet he dyssymuleth that and faynynge hym selfe not to know who made it but to thynke yt rather that my sayd lord of wynchester made yt then any maÌ„ elles maketh his newe boke as I am very certaynly enfourmed not agaynste me by name but all agaynste my sayde lorde of a solempne pryde that he wolde haue his boke seme a dysputacyon betwene the boy and the byshoppe But there shall not greatly nede suche a byshoppe so lerned as my sayde lorde is to dyspute wyth any suche as Fryth is for fyue suche bokes as that is yf yt be no wyser then was his other or theÌ„ this his new is eyther yf it be no wyser then one telleth me that both can good skyll and hath herd a great part redde nor how so euer he haue handeled it wyse wyll it neuer be while y â— mater therof is so false And therfore wheÌ„ y â— boke shal hereafter be finyshed and happeth to come to myne handes I trust to make almost euery boy able to perceyue the false foly thereof though he couer hys roten frute as close and as comely as euer any costerdmonger couered hys basket But this as I sayde ye may good reders se that as Fryth taketh myne answere fro me whyche hym selfe and euery man elles knoweth well for myne and imputeth yt to the byshop of wynchester it were not myche vnlykely that he wolde when he had herde of a thyng that I had sayd wheÌ„ hym selfe had made yt worse then chaunge yt fro me and impute it vnto maister chauncellour of London The .xxxviii. chapyter WHyche if he do he doth yt not alone For this poynt played also Thomas Philippis of LoÌ„don letherseller nowe prysoner in y â— towre â–ª whom when I was chauncellour vpon certayn thynges y â— I found out by him by thexamynacyon of dyuerse heretyques whome I hadde spoken wyth vppon the occasyon of the heretyques forboden bokes I sent for and when I hadde spoken wyth hym and honestely intreated hym one day or twayn in myne house and laboured about his ameÌ„dement in as harty louynge maner as I coulde when I perceyued fynally the person suche that I coulde fynde no trouth neyther in his worde nor his othe and saw the lykelyhed that he was in the settynge forth of suche heresyes closely a man mete and lykely to do many folke myche harme I by endenture delyuered hym to his ordynary And yet for bycause I perceyued in hym a great vayne gloryouse lykynge of hym selfe and a great spyce of the same spyryt of pryde that I perceyued byfore in Rycharde HuÌ„ne when I talked with him and fered that yf he were in y â— bysshoppes prysone his gostely enymy y â— deuyll myghte make hym there destroy hym selfe and then myght suche a new besynes aryse agaynste mayster chauncellour that now is as at that tyme arose vppon the chauncelloure that was then whyche thynge I fered in Thomas Philyppys somwhat also the more bycause a cosyn of his a â—arbour in Pater noster row called 〈◊〉 IohnÌ„ after that he was â—uâ—spected of heresye and spoken to therof 〈◊〉 the shame of the worlde drowned hym self in a well â— for these 〈◊〉 aduysed by my meanes holpe that Thomas Philips whychâ— all be yt that he saâ—d that y â— clergy â—oued hym not sâ—med noâ— yet very loth 〈…〉 to the byshoppes prâ—â—on was receyued prysoâ—â—r into 〈◊〉 towre of London â—nd yet 〈◊〉 that he 〈…〉 to know how the mater stode whyche knowen and reported to y â— kynges grace his hyghnes as a most vertuouse catholyque prynce gaue vnto Thomas Philippis such answere as yf he had ben eyther halfe so good as I wolde he were or halfe so wyse as hym selfe weneth he were he wold forth wyth haue folowed and not stande styll in his obstynacye so longe as he hath now put hym selfe therby in a nother deper parell Other haue besydes thys complayned that they haue ben vntrewly and vniustely handeled and thys haue they not letted to do after that they haue ben conuycted and abâ—â—red and theyr iuste condemnacyons after theyr open examynacyons and playn and clere proues so well and openly knowen y â— they haue by theyr shamelesse clamoure nothyng goten but rebuke and shame And yet were some of theym yf theyr ordynaryes had ben so sore so cruell as this boke of this pacifyer maketh them fallen agayne in the daunger and parell of relapse And some hath ben herd vppon importune clamour and the cause and handelyng examyned by the greatest lordes temporall of the kynges most honorable couÌ„sayle and that synnes that I left the offyce and the complaynour fouÌ„den in his complaynynge so very shamelesse false that he hath ben answered that he was to easely delt wyth and hadde wronge that he was no worse serued And suche haue these folke euer be fouÌ„den and euer shall For when they fall to a false fayth in herte theyr wordes can not be trew And therfore if this pacifier well thorowly knewe them I bare say he wolde lesse byleue theyr lameÌ„table â—ales theÌ„ I fere me that he hath byleued some in complaynyng vpon theyr ordynaâ—â—es agaynst whome he seâ—â—â—th vppon such folkes
may not so do at the seconde whan the man is relapsed And the lawes haue determyned who shall be taken reputed foâ— an heretyke and who not as well as thys pacyfyer can teache vs â–ª a lâ—tell better to And they haue both had a respecte and a sure eye to prouyde that neyther innocentes or playne symple folke sholde be for any sleyght offeÌ„ce sore haÌ„deled or vntrewly cyrcumueÌ„ted aud punysshed nor that wyly false wreched heretykes sholde by crafte sophems be suffered to seme wyse among vnlerned peple and fayne simplycyte and say they repente and so be sente awaye lyghtely to go teache theyr heresyes and sow theyr poyson into mennys soulys agayne For yf that way were tâ—ken whych it semeth that this pacyfyer wolde haue that euery man myghte be holde excused that wolde saye he spake heresye of ignorauÌ„ce or of ouersyghte or of symplycyte or of a passyon or whyche as often as he wolde not defende his heresye and stobornly stycke therto or though he dyd for the whyle wolde afterwarde yet offer to be reformed and promyse y â— he wolde amende yf all these I saye sholde all waye passe vnpunysshed the chyrche of Cryste at the makyng of the lawes foresawe and all chrystendome sholde shortely fynde how lytel frute wolde growe therof And whan thys pacyfyer hath tolde thus myche mysse handelynge and crueltye of the clergy wherin yf he sayde trew it towched yet very few and hath proued it by a some saye of as fewe and fyndeth some such thynges for fautes as yf they were chaunged after the fasshyon of hys boke wolde of heretykes in many places for a very few make a very greate many the lyes that heretykes of malice blow about agaynst theyr iudges laboreth to make men byleue them for trewe by hys repetynge and reportynge vnder a pretext of cheryte than endeth he that paynted processe with his deuout prayour full holyly and sayth This is a very 〈◊〉 way our lorde be more mercyfull to 〈◊〉 soules then so greuousely to punyshe 〈◊〉 for euery lyght defaute Whan he hath proued those euyll deuyses good and those false lyes trewe than let thys good syr Iohâ—Ì„ Some saye take hys portuouse and hys bedys and praye But in the meane whyle those good men whome by suche fygurys and such holy pretertes he goeth aboute vngodly to dyffame do ernestely praye god for him to gyue hym the grace to câ—aunge thys euyll fasshyon and thys very sore waye And they praye god hartely to be more mercyfull to thys pacyfyers pore soule â–ª than thys pacyfyer is to other mennys whose souâ—ys byleue hym self neuer so well and meane he neuer so well therwyth â—et hys â—ooke goâ—â—â— abouâ—e by sowynge of dyssensyon and emboldynge of heretykes to enfecte and enuenome wyth a grudge hatered agaynste the spyrytualty and wyth the cankar of pestylent poysened heresyes all agaynste theyr owne saluacyon The .xlvi. chapyter FOr here shall ye se to the ferther encoragyng of heretykes what an other goodly Some say thys good syr IohnÌ„ Some saye fyndeth Lo thus he sayth And here some say that bycause there is so great a desyre in spyrytuall men to haue menaâ—iâ—â—e and to be noted with heâ—esye and that some as yt were of a polyâ—ye dâ— noyse yt thâ—t the realme is full of heretykes more then yt is in dede that it iâ— very peryllonâ—e that spyrytuall men â—ulde haue authorytie to 〈◊〉 a man for euery lyght suspeccyon or complaynte of heresye tyll that desyre of punyshement in spyrytuall men be ceased and gone but that they shulde make processe agaynste them to brynge theym in vppon payne of cursynge and then yf they tarye fourty dayes the kynges lawes to bryng them in by a wryt De excommunicato capien do and so to be brought forth out of the kynges Gaole to answere But surely aâ— yt is somwhat touched before in the .vii. chapyter yt semeth that the chyrche in tyme paste hath done what they coulde to brynge about that they myghte punyshe heresye of them selfe wythout callynge for any helpe therin of the seculer power And therfore they haue made lawes that heretykes myght be arrested putte in pryson and fâ—okes yf nede were as appereth Clementinis de hereticis Capi. Multorâ—m querela And after at the specyall callyng on of the spyritualty it was enacted by parlyament that ordynaryes myghte aresâ—e men for heresye for some men thynke that the sayde Clementyne was not of effecte in the kynges lawe to areâ—â— any maÌ„ for heresy but if a man were 〈◊〉 and notably suspected of heresye and that there were suffycient recorde and wytnes agaynâ—t hym and there were also a dout that he welde flee not appeâ—â—◠〈◊〉 he myght infect other yt 〈…〉 that he be 〈◊〉 by the bodyeâ— but not vpon euery â—yght complaynt that full lyghâ—ly may 〈◊〉 And yt wyll be right expedyeÌ„t that the kyngeâ— hyâ—â—nes and hys counsayle 〈◊〉 specyaâ—ly â—ppon thys mater and not to cease 〈◊〉 yt be broughte to more quyetnes then yt iâ— yet and to se wyth great dylygence that pryde couetyse nor worldly 〈◊〉 be no 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 be punyshed ne yet 〈◊〉 t wylfull oâ—â—enders go not wythoute 〈…〉 In this processe lo good readers this pacyfyer declaâ—eâ—h that he wold haue the kynges hyghnes and his couÌ„sayle so specyally loke vppon this mater that neyther innocentes sholde be punyshed nor yet wylfull offenders go without dew correccyon â–ª who coulde ende and conclude all his mater more frutefully But now the specyall ways wherby he deuyâ—eth that the kynges hyghnes and his couÌ„sayle sholde bryng this chyng about betwayne The tone is yf they prouyde that neyther men that be proude nor couetouse nor haue any loue to the worlde be suffered to be iudges iÌ„ any cause of heresy The tother is that the bysshoppes shall arrest no man for heresy tyll the desyre that spyrytuall men haue to cause men abiure heresyes and to punyshe them for heresyes be ceased and gone And surely I thynke that his two dyuises will serue suffycyently for the tone parte that ys to wyt that none innocentes shal be punyshed But I fere me very sore that they wyll not serue halfe so suffycyently for y â— tother parte y â— is to wyt that wylfull offendours go not wythout correccyon For now to begynne wyth his fyrst dyuyce y â— none be susfered to be iudges in cause of heresye that are proude or couetouse or haue loue to the worlde yf he meane of suche as haue none of these affeccyons wyth notable enormyte then tyll he proue theym that are all redy worse then he proueth theym yet that is to say tyll he proue yt otherwyse by some of theyr outragyouse dedes in the dealynge and myshandelynge of men for heresy that he here defameth them of then he hath yet proued that he proue they re cruell wrongful dealyng otherwise then by some sayes or by his owne sayenge the kynges hyghnes and his counsayle