his former life and labour euill spent and therefore beganne anew to tread another path which should lead him vnto perfect wisedome and learning whereof as then hee knew not one step Furthermore perceiuing his counseller to stand so long vpon that point which concerned the dutie of a good Preacher he took it to be a sufficient calling for him to that vocation whereof he knew he should neither reap commoditie nor estimation in this world Perhaps many will maruell to hear the party named that was the occasion of so suddaine a change and alteration of such a man in so short space taking vpon him to teach him the true way to perfect wisedome Truly I must needs disclose it to the end that the wonderful mysteries of Gods election may be manifested and reuerenced who by the foolish of this world confoundeth the wisedome of man His name was Roderico Valerio man long ago condemned at Siuill by the Inquisitors for a false Apostle a counterfait Prophet and a wicked deceiuer of the people and therevpon banished and in his exile suffred for the profession of the truth Whose wonderfull kind of calling to the true knowledge of Christ since I am occasioned to make mention of the person it shall neither be greatly impertinent briefly to speak of nor tedious to such as be godly disposed This Valerio a Citizen of Nebrissa a famous towne as any is in all the precinct of Granata both for the antiquitie thereof and chiefly for the fame of one Antonio de Nebrissa a notable Clerke as any was and one that first restored the puritie of the Latin tongue in Spaine in these our dayes was descended of a good house and of sufficient abilitie to maintaine the worship thereof howbeit he employed his wealth not to vertue but as commonly such men of abilitie doe which think all their honor to consist in the maintenance of a good stable the furniture thereof in games in costly and excessiue apparell in hunting other such like pastimes and exercises For in all these qualities he was singular aboue all the yong gentlemen of the whole citie insomuch that hee sought not only to match such as were his equalls in degree and abilitie but also to exceede them far In the middest of these vain phantasies a certaine motion came into his mind by what occasion or through whose perswasion or otherwise by what meanes God knoweth but he suddenly left all his old delights contemning the speech of the people which was a hard thing for a man to doe and bent himselfe wholly both body and soule to the exercise of vertue godlinesse that a man would searcely iudge him to bee a man of this world Moreouer the wonderfull change that appeared to be in him otherwise as well in his speech and behauiour as in his apparell that was fine and sutable before gorgious as might be and now quite altered into simple stuffe and plainest fashion was well liked of some but on the other side a great number thought it meere madnesse or starke folly But as the like false verdites giuen of the holy Apostles that were indued with the Holy Ghost were attainted by the effectes of the same spirit so the perfect feare of God with the bewayling of his former vanities the earnest desire of righteousnesse and his whole talke tending to these ends and concerning these matters alwayes framed according to the prescript rule of Gods word was a sufficient proofe and euidence to men of perfecter vnderstanding that the spirit of God most certainly possessed him In his youth time hee had gotten a little smack in the Latin by the help where of hee was conuersant in the holy Scriptures both day and night so that by continuall studie thereof hee had a great part of them by heart and could make application thereof to his purpose sensibly maruellous readily He had also dayly conflicts with the spiritual men as they call them the Priests and Monks which were the causes said he that not only the estate of the Clergy but also all Christendome was so fouly corrupted that they were almost hopelesse of remedy for which causes hee did also diuers and sundry times sharply rebuke them Whereat this pharisaicall generation much maruelling enquired of him how he attained so suddenly to all this skilin holy Scriptures how he durst presume so arrogantly to inuay against the very supporters and lights of the Church For indeed he spared none but would tell the proudest of them his minde being but a lay-man voide of all good learning and one that had spent the greater part of his time in vaine and vnprofitable studies Likewise they examined him by force of what commission hee did it who sent him how hee was called and by what tokens hee declared the same Alas for them good men when they cannot denie their abominations nor longer hold out the light which discouereth their darknesse euen now as in all other ages from time to time they are driuen to these shifts Howbeit Valerio answered them truly and with a bold courage to euery demand that he had not fished for that wisedome and caught it in their most filthie puddles and muddie ditches but had it by the only goodnesse of the Holy Ghost who poureth whole floods of grace into the hearts of true beleeuers most aboundantly As for his boldnesse he told them that both the goodnes of his quarrell and hee that sent him gaue him the encouragement and that the spirit of God which is bound to no estate or degree be it in name neuer so spirituall specially if it be corrupt hath heretofore chosen very idiots and fishermen and placed them in the roome of Apostles to controll the Synagogue of the learned touching the law to appeach them of ignorance to call the whole world to the knowledge of their own saluation that the same Christ had sent him whose name and authoritie hee had for his warrant but as for any signe to declare the same he said it was the token of a bastardly generation and of the branches degenerate from the true stocke of the children of God to aske for any signes in the time of such light when all things shine therewith yea verie darknesse it selfe as cleare as noone day At the length for these and such like matters he was called to his answer before the Inquisitors where he disputed very earnestly of the true Church of Christ and which were the markes to know it by how man was iustified in the sight of God and of such other points of religion the knowledge whereof he confessed that he had attained vnto by no meanes or help of man but by the onely handy worke of God and his wonderfull reuelation Howbeit his madnesse phrensie wherewith the Inquisitors supposed him to bee troubled excused him for this time yet to the end that he might the sooner come to himself again they condemned him in the losse of all his substance
to haue killed the fatlings but to cherish the weakelings to binde the broken to seeke the straâ—-sheep and bring them home to the folde like good and carefull shepheards without vsing such force and violence or cla 〈…〉 ing any iurisdiction or superioritie ouer them to whom they should rather submit themselues and become seruants considering that they are the folde of Christ But as for seeking they sought indeed and daily doe inquiring with great diligence after the wandring sheepe panting and fainting but it is to slay them not to saâ—e them But to proceed As the D 〈…〉 ane were the first authors therof so for the authoritie and estimation that they were in with Princes they obtained the execution of this tyrannie vnder the preâ—ence of teaching the true christian faith whereof they had of long time bin accounted the patrons But afterwards by meanes of their vnsatiable couetousnesse and ambition for the whech two vices they are already discredited among the common people as also for their crueltie and tyrannie which they practised being exalted to that high estate and dignitie they became so intolerable that the Princes themselues who lately before had aduanced them to those estates were enforced to displace them pretending diuers reasonable causes and allegations and so committed it vnto the Clergie Whereof the ancient Churches of the Dominicans hung round about with ancients and ensignes of victorie ouer such as they conquered during the time that they were in authoritie is proofe sufficient Ne from her heart the causes old of wrath and sore disdaine Was slaked yet but in her brest high spight did still remaine How Paris Venus beautie praised and hers esteem'd at nought She abhors the stock of Ganimede who loue to heauen had raught Howbeit they retaine till this day the title and name of Inquisitours still with tooth and naile and will one day no doubt haue a cast at the office againe and claime their right So that we may thanke these wicked counsellors and none other for the Inquisition at this day most diuellishly peruerting the godly purposes of Princes which tended to the weale of the Church and conuerting them wholly to the aduancement of their owne commoditie and estimation Or else whereto I beseech you appertained it that they which would be accounted diligent and faithfull sowers of the seede of christianitie and the zealous furtherers of the same should erect a new kind of Consistory so rare and strange to the whole world which is not set vp to informe the ignorant or to conuince the obstinate and bring them to the knowledge of true religion either by perswasion of learning or by charitable dealing the only meanes that Christ would haue his ministers to work by but to compell them by force and might by rigour and extremitie by commissions and authoritie by Racks Torments Chaines Halters Barnacles Sambenites by Fire and by Fagots which holy Consistorie of theirs is not assisted with men of godly conuersation or knowne to be learned in the mysteries of holy Scripture such as would labour painfully in the Lords vineyard and set forward his haruest but is garded with Sherifes Treasurers Notaries Sumâ—ers Iaylers Proctors Promoters or Familiars as they call them a foule and an insinite company And who would not iudge think ye that all these things were devised rather to lay new taxes and impositions vpon the people and to encrease the reuenues of the Eschequer than for the furtherance of religion As for the purpose if a man would chuse out a cunning huntsman with all his furniture hauing his artâ—â—lery about him his 〈…〉 tres grinnes heyes dogges c. and send him thus arayed to preach the Gospel and publish Christ's religion what man I pray you that were well advised and should behold such a man hauing his hands daily imbrued with the change of preyes and spoiles would not account him a better hunter than a preacher For doubtlesse the commission an dauthoritie of preaching was giuen to good and godly Bishops and pastours if any such there were both by the lawes of God and constitutions of man that they should teach and instruct as well the young nouices as the elder schollers to tread the path of true godlinesse But these men being so blind or so carelesse or both that either they couldnot or wouldnot see to their office and duetie in this behalfe there was neuer a man of them all either Bishop or Diuine but he thought that a great part of his dutie touching his function was abbridged dispensed withall by meanes of erecting the court of Inquisition all good and godly laws concerning christianitie are so cleane raced out of the tables of their hearts And this Inquisition being erected in this wise at the first and ratisied afterwards by the greatest authoritie in the worâ—d that is to say the Kings and the Popes though it had the opinion of holinesse to countenance it so that it should seeme to deserue the approbation of most men yet was it neuer generally receuied oâ— all For at what time king Ferdinando went about to establish it in Arragon which was his owne inheritance descended from his father the Nobles of the realme did first make humble supplication that it might not be established Afterwards being by violence forced vpon them they did also with force and violence withstand it alledging that it tended rather to the impeachment of the libertie of their countrie then to the reformation of religion In so much that it was not received if a man may say it were receiued at all that was forced vpon them against their wils till the settling of it had cost many a mans life And besides the hatred which the Nobles and Commons of that Realme beare against this their holy Inquisition at this day it dâ—th well appeare by the death of Seignor Aepila who being sent thither by the King with large commissions to execute the same was slaine of the Noble men at Sarragossâ— in the Cathedrall Church The which caused many of the foolish superstitious people to worship him euen as a Saint For it is very certainely reported that the bloud issuing out of his body being newly slaine sprang out in such aboundance that it spirted to the Altar By the which miracle say they God declared both the innocencie of the person and the goodnesse of the quarrell wherein was slaine Notwithstanding all this and that diuers other miracles are sundry times seene vpon his tombe to confirme the same opinion and faâ—sie of the common people such is the folly of men and the power of the diuell as Paul saith to deceiue men which haue re 〈…〉 ed the loue and zeale of the truth he could neuer yet 〈◊〉 to be canonized a Saint and called Saint Aepila forasmuch as enterprising a iust quarrell he was not only found to haue a sâ—â—rt of male on at the time of his death which thing notwithstanding they say he might wellenough haue enioyed
kept all and singular the customes rites and ceremonies of the Church of Rome and vsed to come often to shrift and to receiue his maker and in passing by any image or crosse if he haue done to them their due reuerence that it may appeare that he is none of Luthers sect Finally if hee can auerre generally that he hath beene quite contrary to that whereof he is now accused Which things if he proffer to prooue particularly the Inquisitors by solemne act in law doe openly declare in Court that they are content that he make his purgation accordingly within 9. dayes next after The whole charge whereof after that the party hath giuen in the names of those witnesses that deposed against him resteth wholly on the Aduocate as I haue said a little before Howbeit euery man hath not thus much fauor shewed him to make his purgation on this sort but onely in such cases where the witnesses in their depositions agreed not with their fellowes nor greatly with themselues in their owne tales For otherwise they haue but small succour or none at all to auoyd them by making their owne purgation but onely are admitted to take exception against the witnesses as I said before if they can deuise who they be And when the party is proceeded thus farre let him perswade himselfe that God hath brought him thither for tryall of his fayth whether it be pure and perfect yea or no. For if he vpon hope to auoide the present perill of the body determine to use such shifts for his succour in procuring his purgation by meanes aforesaid albeit he be throughly quit in this Court concerning his duty obedience to the Church of Rome and her Idolatries yet bee he well assured in that generall day of doome which will be so terrible to all creatures in the judgement of Gods true Church it will fall out against him farre otherwise It shall therefore stand a man vpon in this case to look well about him and to enter into his owne conscience and secretly debate with himselfe the causes of his imprisonment diligently For if it be for the glory of God and the free professing of the truth and he forsweare Christ treading the bloud of his testament vnder his feet denying the truth wherunto God hath called and raised him out of that deep dungeon of darknesse ignorance and sin hoping by these cursed and damnable meanes to escape the tyranny of men perhaps he may doe so for a season and purchase the favor of men again but let him him be most assured that he shall never escape the sharp and most just judgement of God from whose truth he is revolted whose power is not only over the carcasse to kill the body but afterwards to throw the soule into vtter darknesse Therefore if hee haue any sparke of grace left aliue within him or any zeale either of Gods glory or loue of his owne salvation or that the authority of our Redeemer may waigh with him any thing at all saying Whoso denieth mee before men him will I deny before my heavenly Father and he that acknowledgeth me before men him will I also acknowledge before my Father and his Angels in heaven c. he will wholly rest vpon that authority and sticke to his tackling in that pinch and vtterly renouncing with heart and mouth all these meanes to saue this temporall life offred vnto him by his Advocate and the Iudge whereunto he cannot giue his consent without great dishonour to his Creator and danger of his owne soule will yeeld a plaine and open confession of his faith thinking himselfe a thousand times in better case that God hath preserued him to that instant to suffer some affliction for Christs sake battering in pieces this earthly tabernacle that is to say a full weak and wearyish body for so noble a quarrell as is the honor of God and the building vp of his Church For these cursed meanes to saue a mans life which that holy house the very sinke of sin and iniquity vseth of like curtesie and compassion as is in the Crocodile to grant to these poore soules are not here reported to the end that the godly should learn hereby the shifts to saue themselues but rather that by knowing them they should vtterly auoyde and abhorre them and that the world may see that all the deuices and policies of this holy Inquisition tend to no other end but after they haue layd their cruell hands continually stained with the bloud of some of the Saints vpon any person if he relent and recant Gods glorious truth so to destroy him both body and soule if otherwise yet at the least to kill his body ouer which alone their power is able to extend it selfe in such as liue in the feare and seruice of God duly and truly Thus after that the party hath endured two or three months in prison at the discretion of these good Fathers they send for him foorth once againe to the place of this combate where the Inquisitor beginneth to declare vnto him how that the witnesses which he brought for his purgation haue beene heard what they can say and therefore he desireth to see what he can say for himselfe or else to draw to an end Then he after their accustomed manner falleth to exhortation that hee tell the truth which is alwayes one peece of their talke so that I beleeue a man should tell them a good long tale ere they would be satisfied Whereunto the party maketh them such reasonable answer as he thinketh best for his owne case Howbeit vnto diuers they vse to put sundry questions oppose them in their owne answer exhibited vp by thē in writing quarrelling at euery letter and syllable like to subtill Sophisters When the party hath spoken all that he hath to say the Fiscall concludeth vpon his sayings and lastly the Inquisitors with the assent of their Councell and Assistants giue sentence when and what they list or like themselues the Diuines Monks and other of the Clergy first waighing and considering such things as the party hath vttered touching doctrine and faith and so valuing it after their owne rate and measure and trying it by their own touch which they call the qualification of doctrine At what time if the party be able to prooue substantially that he neuer dealt in Christs Gospell which they by a new name of their owne coyning commonly call Luthers heresies either they absolue him and giue him his Quiet us est or else most commonly vse to order the matter and giue iudgement accordingly as they haue him in a certaine iealousie and suspicion stil either more or lesse Prouiding alwayes that none passe their hands without such markes and badges as he shall carry with him to his graue in token that hee hath bin within the Inquisitors paw◠The marks are commonly these Confiscation of their goods imprisonment during life or for a great part of it A white
cōmonly called is Burri or Aselli and the maner of it is this There is a bench made of massie timber wrought somewhat hollow on the vpper part like a trough so large that a man may lie open in it on his back and thereabouts as his midriffe lieth there is a sharpe bar going crosse ouerthwart whereon a mans back resteth that it cannot settle to the bottome because the partie should find the lesse ease where otherwise he might stay or rest his back against the bottome of the trough being also placed in such sort that his heeles shall lie higher than his head When the partie is laied hereon his armes thighes and legs are bound with very stiffe and small cords about the middest of the maine bone which afterwards they straine with certaine stiffe wresting stickes or truncheons put vnderneath the cordes till the cords be settled downe within the flesh and pearce almost to the very bone insomuch that they bee cleane out of sight and then commeth in this deuice of their owne addition First they take a very fine and a close laund or linnen cloth and ouerspread the parties mouth therewith as hee lieth vpright so as it may stop his nostrils also that when the water is poured into his mouth he should take in no ayre at his nose Then take they a certaine quantity of water so much as it pleaseth the Inquisitours to appoint which they poure vpon the cloth not by drops but in the maner of a long streame like a thread which having somewhat a high fall beareth downe with it the fine linnen cloth into the furthest part of his throat And here whoso should behold the poor wretch in this pitifull case would thinke him I dare say to bee in as great an agony as any man is at the giuing vp of the ghost For in all other torments a man may haue liberty to draw his breath onely here he cannot by reason that the water stoppeth his mouth and the cloth his nostrils so that when they plucke it out of the bottome of his throat as manie times they doe to see whether hee will answer to their demands yea or no the cloth is so wet with water and bloud together that a man would thinke the verie intralles would come out of his bodie And thus the partie continueth in these pangs so long as pleaseth them with promises of sharper sauces than any that hee hath tasted as yet and so they send him to prison againe But if these good Fathers be disposed to deal with him further proceed to other greater tortures for their lust is law in this their lawlesse Court where right reason can take no place then within a month or two vnder or ouer as they think best the party is once againe brought to the rack some twice thrice foure fiue or six times therein entreated easily or roughly as it pleaseth the Inquisitors to appoint And some are tormented in another sort that is no where els vsed but in this holy House the which is termed by fire the description wherof is shorter to shew than the rest but the paines and cruelty as great altogether They take a charcole pan of Iron full of hot coles which they setiust ouer against the soles of a mans feete before he goe to the foresaid rack and to the end that the fire might haue the more force to burne them they baste them with lard or bacon Thus after they haue occupyed and vnedged all their tooles one after another and are past hope of hauing any thing at the parties hands they respite him for a season to take his rest and after a while call him before them againe and fall to questioning with him inquiring and requiring many things in a farre other order than they vsed before in such tearms as euery word may minister matter enough to quarrell at The questions also are framed so cunningly and Point de vice for this is their onely shift that neuer fayleth them that by granting one thing they must needes grant another and deny the contrary to that For these Fathers are passing good Logicians and maruellous subtil Sophisters their crafts-masters I warrant them which notwithstanding that they are dayly in vre with such matters will not sticke to take a little paines and vpon study to coyne cases and questions for the nonce which to help their memory withall lest when the time commeth that they should haue vse thereof they might forget them are written and laid open before them so that if the party when any thing is demanded of him be neuer so little retchlesse it is not possible for him to auoyde them but that one way or other they will ouertake him The onely helpe for a man therefore in this case is to haue a perfect remembrance of all such things as he hath deliuered vp into their hands for it is but in vaine for him to craue to haue them read vnto him because either they will not grant him that or if they doe yet will they read much amisse Wherefore if he doe mistrust his owne memory let his answer be this that he wholly referreth them to his former doings and sayings and in any case auoyde reasoning with them Or if by their subtilties of Logicke they inferre any thing thereupon which either he knew not of or else neuer affirmed let him take heed in any case how he answereth it lest either they entrap him in some new matter or else driue him to the denying of Gods truth most wickedly And the readiest way will be to cut off all their questions with a quicke and a round answer and to tell them plainly that he was neuer set to schoole in all his life to learne these quiddities in argument nor exercised in any manner of disputation For these fellowes are so cunning herein and so full of interrogations and strange deuices besides so troublesome therewithall and so importunate that many times they will get that out of a man by these meanes when all the racking in the world will doe no good As at Siuil not long agone they apprehended a certaine godly Matron whose husband they had burned a little before and so made her a widow But because her confession while she was on the racke and there tormented most cruelly was by their owne decrees insufficient either to condemne her to the stake or to confiscate her goods such as they were and yet if they could but get onely thus much out of her that she knew full well that the Church of Rome had determined clean contrary to that which she affirmed this should be sufficient cause to make her to forfeit that poore remnant of her riches that she had to keep her selfe withall in her widdow-hood though poorely God knows they did rather compell her by their importunity than compasse it by their Sophistry that she was content to say so much For perceiuing that else they would neuer make an end
thus to molest and trouble her Indeed saith she I confesse that the Church of Rome hath so determined and therefore I pray you enter in mine answer to be so and let me depart quietly and afterward as you shall see cause determine what shall become of me or mine at your pleasure Whereunto they gaue her neuer a word but only wrot as she had said and sought no further For whether it were so yea or no what care they so the party say so much that they may haue the spoyles whatsoeuer either by hooke or by crooke CHAP. VIII Certaine other deuices to driue the prisoners to confesse such matters as the Inquisitors are desirous to vnderstand of WHen the extreamity of torments with the subtill practices before expressed will doe no good but that the party constantly endureth the one and anoydeth the other very cunningly then fall these good Fathers to other farre better fetches to their thinking wherein whoso is able in a deuice to go beyond the rest is counted a chief Champion and therfore hath yielded vnto him the preheminence of place aboue other in this holy House Being therefore past all hope of hauing any thing at the parties hands by foule meanes they deuise to compasse him by faire shewing themselues very mild and mercifull and so affectioned as though the misery and affliction which they see the other in went to their own hearts They weep with him they entreat him they cōfort him they giue him their aduice and deuise for him some secret meanes to rid him out of his misery making him beleeue that they tell him that in secret which they would scarce tell to their owne fathers or brethren or dearest friend that they haue aliue with many other like words And this they vse commonly to doe to such as bee the simpler sort of people but specially to women which for the most part are not so cunning to discerne forced and fayned tears Therfore when the Inquisitors begin to vse them so gently and to proffer them such kindnesse then let the party see to himselfe warily and learne betimes to discerne whereabouts they goe in vsing such flattering speeches assuring himselfe that they are but faire baites put vpon sharpe hookes whereof I will of a number report vnto you one example The very first time that they began to burne for religion at Siuill which was diuerse yeares since among certaine other that were for the same cause apprehended there was a very godly Matrone with two of her owne Daughters and one of her sisters children who hauing passed all these aforesaid pikes with manlike constancy were pressed very sore to betray some of their brethren but especially one to appeach another One of the Inquisitors counterfaiting a maruellous kind of compassion towards these silly women sent for one of the daughters to come vnto him And when shee was come they two being alone together hee began to make a long speech vnto her in way of consolation and afterwardes sent her to prison againe This he vsed to doe diuers times and vpon seuerall dayes alwayes towards the euening and there held her a great while declaring vnto her how great a griefe it was to him to see her in these troubles and therewithal would interlace some other pleasant communication more familiarly many times than did well become him Which tended to none other end as it fell out in proofe but to perswade the mayden that he of very good affection sorrowed to see her in such distresse that in seeing him so fatherly aduise her what the best were both for her self her mother sister to do in this case she should wholly commit her selfe and her cause to his ordering After that two or three dayes had been thus spent in such like conference and familiar communication weeping as it were ouer her for the misery which she was in with other many moe arguments and tokens of compassion wherin he vttered the affections and sorrowes of his heart for her pitifull estate with often protestation of his good will and best furtherance to his power after all these polices I say when the wilie Wolfe was sure that the simple sheepe was within his reach he beginneth to perswade with her to disclose vnto him the truth of the matter aswel in such things as touched her mother sister and aunt as any other that were not as yet apprehended binding himselfe by an oath that if she would so do and disclose to him whatsoeuer she knew concerning these matters hee himselfe would stop all these gappes well enough and find a meanes that they should all depart home againe quietly to their own houses The maiden being but simple witted was soone induced to credit the faire promises and allurenents of this flattering Father and thereupon beginneth to open vnto him certaine points of religion whereof they were wont to conferre among themselues in maner almost as if one should giue holy things to a dogge or cast pearles before a swine The Inquisitour hauing gotten this thred by the end laboured to vnwind the whole clew and therefore calling in the maiden many times before him to the end that her depositions might bee entred by order of law made her beleeue that hee would take it vp and end it so reasonably that she should receiue no manner of harme thereby and in the last day of hearing made a repetition vnto her of all his former promises as to set her at liberty againe and such like But when the time came that she looked verily for the performance thereof there was no such matter but contrariwise my Lord the Inquisitour and his adherents perceiuing how this deuice had brought somwhat to light which al their extremities otherwise could in no case doe to the end to make her confesse◠the residue determined once againe to haue her vpon the rack wherein she indured most intolerable paynes both vpon the Pullie and the Trough vntill they had as it were in a presse wrung out of her aswell her beliefe as also forced her to accuse those persons whom they had hunted after so long For the damosell through very extremity of pangs and torments was driuen to betray her owne naturall mother and sisters and diuers others that were thereupon immediately apprehended and afterward put to the torments and at the length sent to the fire Moreouer the selfe same maiden within a while after plaied a notable part in testimony of her beliefe For when shee was brought vp vnto the solemne scaffold with other ofher companions there to be seene of all the people and euery one to heare sentence of death pronounced vpon them as shee returned thence to her place againe hauing heard her iudgement which was to bee burned shee came to her Aunt who had beene her Schoolemistresse and taught her her catechisme and beliefe for the profession whereof shee should presently bee executed and with a bold courage without change of countenance bending her head downeward
vpon diuers godly Martyrs of Christ who dying very constantly like good Chrstians for the profession of the Gospel yet the Inquisitors notwithstanding deuised to defame and slander them with Apostacie and reuolting THe Inquisitours thinke it not sufficient to execute such by most cruell death as contemning all their tyrannie remaine firme and constant in the profession of the Gospel of Christ before their faces and in open Court but seek by all meanes possible as much as lieth in them vtterly to extinguish in them the life of their soules which is Christ lesus dwelling in their hearts by faith of whom they haue declared themselues to be faithfull Confessours as well at their death as in their life For when they see all their polices void and to haue none effect because Christ taketh into his mightie protection and safegard all his seruants so that no man is able to take them out of his hands as he saith himselfe then deuise they meanes to rob them as much as in them lyeth of their name and renowne of constancie by scattering abroad false tales and misreports of them after their deaths yea sometimes ere they be dead as they stand vpon the stage clapping their engines vpon their tongues because they should not contrarie them reporting by them that they haue forsaken their former faith and returned to the Romish religion And this is a double deuice of the diuels owne brain for two speciall considerations which doe euidently proue that they are assisted by his wicked spirit For hereby they doe not onely rob the Martyrs themselues of their due deserued praise for their constancie and perseuerance but also the Church of Christ is spoiled of those examples wherin she should otherwise reioice in making her reckoning Therefore sith that in diuers Acts of faith as they tearm them they haue dealt in this sort with diuers of whose constancie God hath many wayes assured vs it will be expedient that vnto this former treatise I doe also adde these seuerall and particular histories to the intent that the honour and estimation that is due to good and godly Martyrs may be yeelded vnto them accordingly the Church like wise reioice as she hath good cause lastly that the memorie of them may be preserued and kept both to the glorie of God the increase of his Church and the vtter shame and confusion of this their holy House Iohn Pontio de Leon. IN the first session holden at Siuill against the Professours of Christian religion whom they call Lutherans there was brought forth in the triumph at the same time one Iohn Pontio de Leon sonne to Rhoderico Pontio de Leon Earle of Balen borne of a noble House and a very good gospeller as well for his learning and knowledge as for the practice thereof with the continuance of many yeares as I my selfe am able to make report for the great familiaritie and acquaintance that I had with him a long season and therefore if need were could giue a true and a faithfull testimonie thereof before God I speake it but that all that euer knew him or that had occasion to marke his conuersation will with one consent I dare say testifie the same Among other vertues that appeared to bee in him vnsainedly and without hypocrisie he was singular in one thing in that he had an exceeding loue compassion towards his poor needy brethrē insomuch that being left very wealthie by his father able to continue that port that his Ancestors kept fell by such meanes almost into starke beggery howbeit such as was to him neither noisome nor grieuous Not with standing diuers haue giuen their blind and foolish verdits of him therefore attributing that to folly prodigalitie which he did of a rare singular vertue But since he liued so well that none could iustly so much as suspect any euill example of life to be in him and many were in their extremities relieued by his goodnesse besides this accepted in so good part his poor hard estate as by all mens iudgements he did very patiently and in such sort as a great deale meaner men would scarce haue taken a farre better estate than hee was in these things must needs be euident proofes of a singular grace of God to be in him and such a perfect kind of vertue as was void of all hypocrisie Yet in recompence of that singular pitty compassion which he shewed in this world towards others he was apprehended by the Inquisitours for professing the Gospel and after he had manfully maintained his quarrell against their malicious falshoods during the time of his imprisonment which was the space of two or three moneths whether it were the very extremitie of their torments that enforced him or their faire and flattering promises of safetie and deliuerance that allured him but hee shrunke at the length and yeelded where erst hee was inuincible stooping and submitting himselfe to the obedience of the Romish Church The first that euer enticed him so shamefully to reuolt was one of these stinging and venemous flies whom they had cast into prison with him in maner as hath beene already declared who being a man verie well learned and besides that a deepe dissembler did rather by his cunning enchantments bewitch him than by any force of reasons disswade or seduce him Howbeit though God suffered him so to fall for a while that hee might somewhat vnderstand the frailtie of man and sensibly feele it in himselfe yet still remembring his owne word and promise that none shall take anie of his flocke from vnder his hands did not long time thus leaue him to himselfe but raising him vp againe most mightily restored vnto him the double strength that he had before For the very night immediately before his execution hee did most manfully defend the truth against his Confessor in the hearing of diuers as well prisoners as also the Officers of the holy House for at such times their confession is not meer auricular insomuch that being demanded by the Priest whether he would bee shriuen or no where before the time of his apprehension and imprisonment hee vsed commonly to goe to shrift he now refused rebuking the Priest for his labour And being vrged with his former doings answered that hee did it to serue the weaknesse of his brethren and for feare of offence to them that as yet were not proceeded so farre and yet made his choice of his ghostly father so as his shrift was more like a godly collation than a popish confession Mary now saith he as the case standeth there needeth no such yeelding The next day when sentence was pronounced vpon him were openly read these articles among others for the which he was chiefly and principally condemned First that he should say that hee from the bottome of his heart abhorred the Idolatrie that was committed in the adoration of the bread therfore so oft as it was his chance to meet it being caried
two plagues that haue alwaies infected the Church of Christ couetousnesse and ambition In so much that being offered a good Canonship in the Church of Toledo which many a man of his order would think himselfe in happy case if he might attaine vnto he was so farre from the greedy desire thereof that he contemned it rather not caring for it 〈…〉 t after his accustomed manner jeasted at it merily Foâ—â—mmediatly after the death of the Bishop of Vtica that was preacher in the Cathedrall Church the whole Chapiter with one consent offered him that place which they commonly call the Opposition and sent for him thither very honourably But he made them answer without any great deliberation that he had great cause to yeeld them many thankes for their good opinions conceaved of him in that they thought him worthy of so great a dignitie saying that hee would doe the best he could to requite their curtesies Howbeit forasmuch as his fathers and his grandfathers bones buried many yeares agoe were now in rest and quiet he would in no case doe any thing whereby the rest that they were in might be interrupted And this I suppose was the summe of his answer and the very words which hee spake For about that time there grew hot quarrells betwixt the Archbishop surnamed Siliceus a man of famous memorie forsooth and the chapiter of the same Church The Archbishop was hated of the chief men of the chapiter because he had openly in opprobrious maner reported them to be descended of the loine of the Iewes and they on the other side being men in good estate and not able to beare these reproaches thought to be euen with this foolish Bishop that came from cart plough and by good hap as a man may say without all respect of learning or honesty was preferred to the highest dignity in all Spain next vnder the king and because he was a troubler of common quiet they purposed to work him all the spight that might be by meanes wherof none were spared that had been buried by the space of a 100 yeares but that this good Archbishop vnder pretence of religion made inquiry of the Canons fathers grandfathers and great grandfathers driuing them to deriue their pedigree out of their graues The which foolish vngodly controuersies Constantino took occasion to quip them for at such time as he was sent for to supply that place In like 〈…〉 not long before he refused a Canonship in the Church oâ— â—uenca both rich to the purse worshipful besides for estimation situate in his own natiue foil Moreouer being the first man that brought the knowledge of true religion into Siuill he did so plainly set it forth and so sincerely so sharply rebuked those pedlers that sold all their packs of pardons and other fancies for pence laying such things so sore to their charge that notwithstanding they saw full well that he would proue a plague both to them and their whole generation yet could they not finde any iust cause to accuse him of but to their owne shame and yet ceased they not to hate him deadly Howbeit he took away their stings so cleane that they could neuer come conueniently to poison him neither did hee slacke for all that to set forth the truth notwithstanding that hee knew they lay in wait for him priuily And surely it was the singular prouidence of God which so blessed that Citie that there should be in that Church at once three such notable men and so excellently learned Constantino Aegidio Varquio which before times were Students together in Diuinitie and now furtherers of vertue and good religion with one consent and with like zeale For Varquio did read vpon the Gospell after Matthew in the Cathedrall Church and that being done did afterwards take in hand to expound the Psalter Aegidio preached dayly Constantino not so often as Aegidio but to as great fruit and edifying continuing all together each man in his roome till afterwards that God sent stormie tempestes to the end to try each mans building that Varquio in the middest of this hurly burly while hee and his aduersaries were bickering together died Constantino was sent for by the Emperour and his sonne Philip and forced to forsake Siuill So that Doct. Aegidio was left alone like a lambe among a sort of wolues to minister matter for a tragedy the which is already declared in this historie After whose death Constantino left the Emperours Court where hee had gotten both wisedome and learning and returned to Siuil againe to set forward the light of the Gospell that had beene stopped for a while The which thing he did with as much zeale as euer he did before time so that both he himselfe was very well esteemed and his sermons liked of all the people exceedingly It was also his chance by reason of a certaine order taken by the whole Chapiter to bee appointed the next lent after his comming to preach euery other day in the Cathedrall Church The which when he refused to take vpon him because of his late sicknes being scarcely well recouered he was compelled to do it perforce notwithstanding that he was so weak a creature that he was somtime carried thither for faintnes once or twise in a sermon compelled to drink a draught of wine to refresh himself withal and to make him able to hold out til the end of his howre The which doubtlesse was a very strange sight to behold and yet such fauour euery man bare towards him that hee was dispensed withall to vse that libertie Afterwards being restored to his health he deuised a ready way to set forward his purpose and such as none had troden in before him For by his meanes one Seignior Scobario a famous man in Siuill both in life and learning to whom the Senate of the Citie by common consent had committed the charge and ouersight of the Colledge of children commonly called the house of learning conferring with Constantino about the matter translated the reuenue that some drunken chaplen would haue deuoutly drunk for his soule into a yearely stipend towards the maintenance of a Diuinitie-lecture in the same Colledge whereof this Constantino was chosen reader Who both happily tooke in hand and effectually pursued that profitable exercise beginning first with Salomons Prouerbs the booke of the Preacher and Cantica Canticorum Which after hee had passed through very learnedly he proceeded into â—ob and expounded it more than halfe All which workes are extant at this day in written hand gathered very painefully by one of his auditors named Bab. Wherein it shall appeare hereafter as I can haue leasure to publish them how farre hee hath exceeded all that haue written vpon these books hitherto and how excellently wel learned he was But some euill spirit enuying the good successe of that Citie vnder the pretence of feruent zeale caused him to forsake that course wherein hee ranne before and afterward incombered him