disgracyng him with all vile wordes and histories of his lyfe paste that possiblye hee could deuise he semed euen openly before the kyng to make a coÌ„batte with his spirit For as Plinye sayeth they that speake euel of dead menne seme to contende and fyghte with their spirites So this Prophete then to proue that his stoute diyng made not his quarell good had the wordes ensuing O say thei the maÌ„ died very boldly he would not haue done so had he not been in a iuste quarell This is no good argumente my frendes a man semeth not to feare death therfore his cause is good This is a deceiuable argument he wente to death boldely ergo he standeth in a iuste quarel The Anabaptistes that were burnt here in Englande in diuerâ— townes as I haue hearde of credible men I sawe theÌ„ not my selfe weÌ„t to their death euen intrepride as ye will saye without any feare in the world cherefully wel let them go There were in the olde doctors tymes another kynde of poysoned heretikes that were called Donatistes And these heretikes went to their executioÌ„ as though they shold haue gone to some â—oly recreation or banquet to some belly chere or to a plaie And will you argue then he goeth to his death boldly or cherefully ergo he dieth in a iust cause Nay that sequele foloweth no more theÌ„ this A maÌ„ semes to be afrayd of death ergo he dieth euill And yet our sauiour Christe was afrayde of death himself TheÌ„ he afterwards warneth his audience not to iudge those which are in authorite but to praie for them It becommeth not saith he to iudge great magistrates nor condempne their doynges Vnles their dedes be openly and apparantly wicked Charitie requireth the same for charitie iudgeth no maÌ„ but well of euery body c. Thus Latymer proueth that stoute diyng is no sure token of a good quarell and proueth it a false surmyse if anye doo beleue the cause of death to be true because of sturdines in the tyme of the same Also to proue that it is not the death that maketh a martir but the cause The cronicles make mencion of one Iohn Oldecastell a knyght a valiaunt man although he were wicked who with one Roger Acton togethers with him fauouriug Wickleffes opinioÌ„s coÌ„spired against the kynges maiestie then Henry the fyft onely to sette forwardes their conceiued opinions with a desperate company assembled thynkyng to obtayne the cytie of London from the kyng But beyng preuented he was takeÌ„ and put into the towre of London The sayd Acton also who within a whyle after was worthely put to death but Olde castell escaped pryson not withstandyng within a shorte space he was taken agayne then hanged drawen and quartered But he weÌ„t to his death so stoutly as though he had nothyng deserued to dye But if heresie and treason be no iust causes then he dyed wrongfully as in the cronycles more at large appereth If the stoutnes of death be a iust cause to proue a martyr then many whiche haue denyed Christe to be equall with the father which was the Arrians opynion were martyrs Then Ioane Butcher is a martir TheÌ„ the Flemyng whiche was burnt in Smythfielde in the tyme of kyng Edward is a martyr who lyued in such continencie and holynes of lyfe that before his goyng to meate he woulde fall prostrate vpon the grounde geue thankes to God the father hys dyete was so moderate that in two dayes space he vsed but one meale at the tyme of his death he was so frollicke that he fared muche lyke our martyrs in embracyng the redes kyssyng the poaste syngyng and suche other toyes In lyke sorte the grosse martyr Ioane Butcher handled the matter And where as one Skorie then preached before the people in tyme of her death she reuyled and spytted at hym makyng the sygne of the gallowes towardes him boldly affirming that all they that were not of her opinion shuld be dampned Yea she was so bold to say that a. M. in LondoÌ„ were of her sect Such the like was y â— charitie of Anne Askewe so ofte by Bale lykened to Blandina that true martyr of Christes churche in his furious boke which he wrote of her death a noble pece of worke mete for such a champion to be thauthor The sayde Anne Askewe was of suche charitie that when pardon was offered she defied them all reuyling the offerers therof with suche opprobrious names that are not worthy rehersall makyng the lyke sygnes too the preacher at her death as her pue fellowe systcr in Christ Ioane Butcher dyd at Skorie aforesayde These arrogant and presumptuous martirs in the time of their deathes doo lytle esteme the woordes of sayncte Paule sayinge If I had the spirite of prophecie and knew al misteries and all maner of cunnyng Also if I had all fayth in so muche as I could traÌ„slate and cary awaye mouÌ„taynes yet were I nothyng if I lacked charitie Moreouer if I dyd distribute all my goodes in fedyng the poore people and although I gaue my body to bee burned hauing no charitie it nothynge auayleth me Thus yf they estemed the Godly exhortacioÌ„s of holy scriptures they wold not so vncharitably vse theÌ„selfes especiallye at the extremitie of death But the deuel whose martyrs they bee dothe alwayes instructe his darlinges to followe hys ragyng steppes True are the wordes of the wyseman saying A sturdy harte shall susteine damage and he that loueth peril therin shal perish Therfore sturdynes and selfe loue is the onely cause of the martirdomes of our martyrs wherof do spryng innumerable faultes as Cicero saith When men puffed vp with stoutenes of opinion be shamefully inuolued in folish error Doutles a great faulte it is and coÌ„trary to ciuile life so to be addicted to self loue and arrogaÌ„cie as to thinke our selues to bee so learned that no perswasioÌ„ or terror can beate the mynde from that folly A pitifull case it is to see not only the learned which for waÌ„te of grace do fall but also blynde bayarde who although he be vtterly blind and dull yet his corage is suche that he careth not to leape ouer hedge and dytche I meane the symple ignoraunt whiche only for wante of knowledge do erre and yet haue such audacitie that they care not to spend their liues in their folly And for that these blynde bayardes doo so stycke in their opinions to death it is woÌ„dered at of many not of learned or godly men but of braynesicke foles which like fethers wyll be caried about with euery blast of newe doctrine At the deathes of whiche you shall see more people in Smythfeilde flockyng together on heapes in one daye then you shall see at a good sermon or exhortacion made by some learned man in a whole weke Their glorie is suche vpon these glorious martyrs And why is this because their myndes are geuen wholy to
such other holy and blessed sainctes are not nowe ashamed to reserue to theim selues the vyle bones of these blasphemous martyrs who neyther in puritie of lyfe or constancie in death were worthye the names of Christians Thus these protestantes contrarie to their owne doctrine striue with their owne shadowes They in their bookes and talke contempne reliques yet vsynge the same after thyr owne fancies they are contented to allowe theÌ„ Who cannot playe Democritus part continually too laughe at their folly or who can forbeare to saye Ocaecas hominum meÌ„tes o pectora caeca For what is blyndnes if this be none Moreouer when Rogers their pseudmartyr protomartyr I woulde saye was burnt in Smythfield were there not diuers marchaunt men and others which seing certayne pigions flying ouer the fire that haunted to a house harde adioyninge beyng amased with the smoke forsooke their nestes and flew ouer the fixe were not ashamed boldely to affirme that the same was the holy ghoste in the lykenes of a doue This thynge is sufficiently knowen by experience to them which were there present Then by the lyke argument they might haue sayde the crowes which the same time houered ouer the fyre were deuels But what blasphemy is this such opinionatiue fooles to beleue or credite suche fansies The Heathen poetes neuer deuysed more toyes vpon Iupiter Iuno Diana Actaeon Io or suche other counterfaites then the madbraynes of the protestantes haue inuented tales vpon these Ethnikes Whose lying lippes are so sugred with false reportes that y â— brethe therof is marueylous delectable to a great many of the same generation yea it is supposed that a great numbre be founde as hyrelinges to maintayne that arte which amonges the simple wander as pylgrymes too publyshe their hidde misteries much lyke Sinon who with his disguised habite and proporcion of body togethers with his vnhappy oracion begyled the poore Troianes But al wyse men whiche can beware of other mennes harmes no doubte wyll take heede of the loytering adders which hide theÌ„selues in the grasse And as for other whiche passe for no admonicion I feare me without God of his mercy spare them will verefie the prouerbe Sero sâ—â—iuâ—t â—br â—â—â—es and so will repent with hadde I wist as the vnhappy Troianes did But yet these ouerthwart neighbours thynkyng too caste another bone for the catholikes to gnawe vpon hyt them home as they thynke with this obiection Oh say thei what a beggerly religioÌ„ is theirs which hath no man valiauntly to sticke to the death in the defence therof For a good shepehearde wyll geue his owne lyfe for his shepe Therefore it appereth our religion is founde whiche hath had soo manye shepeheardes that hath bestowed their lyues in the defence of the verite But here they begynne too tryumphe like vnto a pestileÌ„t heretike in the primatiue churche called Montanus who affirmed that he was the holy ghoste And when he and his adherentes were conuicted of heresie thei boasted as our men do nowe that they had many men whiche spent their liues in theyr opinioÌ„ and that that was an infallible argument that they had the spirite of God Unto whome it was aunswered that that case was not alwayes true For certen other heretikes there were which boasted of their false martyrs as the Marcionites which denied Christe and other a great numbre And because they saye that in this Realme there were none which were coÌ„tent to geue their liues for the defeÌ„ce of their faith the matter is so apparantly knoweÌ„ to be false as the yong infante can by report of his own parentes saye the contrary But what shall I nede to reherse the moste godly and no lesse learned whiche haue bene contented too haue not only ben depryued their nobilite and great possessioÌ„s but also to yelde their neckes too the stroke of the axe and sworde for the defence of the libertie of christes churche Whose fames are so registred in the volume of immortalite that no coÌ„tinuance of time nor inconstancie of fortune can wipe them out of memory What shall I nede to remembre Albanê° the fyrst martyr in this realme which with moste vile tormentes was persecuted of Dioclesian theÌ„peroure in the yeare of our lorde 286. for the faieth of the Gospell and the verite of the church that one Fortunatus wrytynge of the prayse of virgins saythe AlbanuÌ„ egregium foecuÌ„d a Britannia profert Britane of abundance and pleÌ„ty moste able Procreated Albane that martyr honorable Whiche worthy man was buried at a place then called VVarlingacester now called of his own name sainct Albons Where was exerted a notable monument or abbey for perpetuall memory of this worthy man Many other at that time likewise suffred for the cause of the churche What shal I stande here vpoÌ„ the prayse of that godly man sainct Thomas sometimes archebysshop of Cantorbury vnto whome I wil attribute none other praise then Polydorê° Virgilius other chrono graphers do Who called hym vir summa integritate atque prudentia a man of muche holynes and wysdome Who after he hadde bene in exile more then .vii. yeares banysshed by Henry the secoÌ„d into FrauÌ„ce not for ambicion as the malicious headdes of the protestantes conceiue but onely for admonyshing the kyng for misusing the liberties of the churche for peruerting godly orders for il wicked liuing for exterminating the spirituall promocions vpon noughty vses These were the causes why this man was banyshed not here rehersed for zeale but spoken for truthe not gathered without authoritie but reported vpon the wordes of chronicles the faythfull arbiters of thynges alredy past This maÌ„ I say to thintent the thinges aforesayde should not decaye had rather to haue geuen his life not of malice to withstand the king vnto whom he bare moste obedieÌ„ce but for the zeale he had to gods churche the chambre of the pore But as now there wanteth none if tyme serued whiche would not stycke too doo mischiefe euen so then their wanted not vnhappie harebraynes to rydde this godly man of his lyfe Who within a whyle after as a iuste rewarde for their cruell facte in a moste miserable maner as the history declareth ended their lyfes The deathe of whiche godly manne was not onely a cause of greate repentaunce to the king himself but the people vniuersally moste deuoutly be wailed his death saying VVe the people and flocke of Christ haue lost our good and godly shepeharde Thus this godlye man of the godly people theÌ„ was had in gret admiratioÌ„ although it pleaseth the gallantes of our time to saye otherwyse What shall I stande here vpoÌ„ the death of Iohn Fyssher semetyme Byshop of Rochester a man of notable learning innocencie of lyfe or the death of the second Cicero syr Thomas More a man endewed with heauenlye eloquence Qui demum ambo maluerunt de Vita quam de Ro pâ—ntificis autoritatis
sententia decedere Vt ocius in caelo quemadmodum ipsi sperabant fruerentur aeuo What shall I nede to stande vpon the poore Monkes of the Charterhouse who were contented to suffer their bodies to be dismembred in peces and to be hanged vpon sondry gybbettes rather then thei would yelde to the depriuacion of the Popes authoritie Whose worthy names worthy perpetuall memory hereafter followe That is to saye Iohn Houghten Robert Laurēce Augustine Webster Humfrey Middelmore William Exmewe Sebastian Nedigate Wylliā Horn Iohn Rochester Iames Walwerke Rychard Bere Thomas Ionson Thomas Grene Iohn Dauye William Grenewoode Tho. Screuen Robert Salte Walter Pereson and Thomas Reding What nede I els to stay vpon the deathes of the good mē the Abbotes of Colchester Glastonbury and Redyng or els of Powel Fetherstone Abell Germayne Stone Forrest manye others to whome death was nothyng ferefull for the quarell of God and his churche These and a greate number mo died for the cause of the catholyke fayeth that fayeth whiche hath euer cōtinued from age to age with the consente of all kyngdomes christen euen from the begynnyng whose memory shall be magnified tyll the ende of the worlde But the deathes of oure cranke Heretykes lye dead and are buryed in the graue of cankred obliuion couered with perpetuall infamye excepte they be enrolled in a fewe threehalfepennye bookes whiche steale oute of Germanye replete aswell with treason against the Kyng Quenes maiesties as with other abhominable lyes Moreouer in the late kynges tyme Edwarde the syxte wherein heresie expressed her game there were many godly mē which for the defence of the moste honorable ▪ Sacramente of the Altar and the other sacramentes yelded their bodies to pryson As the late worthye Prelate Doctour Stephen Gardiner byshop of Wynchester with other Bysshoppes and men of greate learning Yea if their deathes had bene required they woulde with moste willing heartes haue suffered the same But the proceders then knewe well inoughe that that was not the waye too procede in their doynges leaste they should haue become odious to all sortes of people But they fared lyke VVyat the late rebell of Kent who went aboute to achyue his enterprise not with rapine and spoyle according to the nature of rebellion but with all lenite and gentlenes thereby too allure the peoples hartes the rather to embrace and aide his attemptes but as his cloake was then spanishe so was the others of late time Iewishe Then hauing all these not onely wel learned but also godly men whiche aswell haue suffred paynes of death for their religion as these protestātes haue for theirs what haue they gayned then by this obiection If the stoute death of a man doeth approue his cause good then what cause haue the protestantes to refell the religion nowe vsed But here to finyshe this matter to procede in further explication of the fantasticall feates and abuses of the protestantes let vs learne further of Saint Paule who saith these wordes Knowe this saith he that in the last daies shal come perillous tymes For men shal be louers of thē selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to fathers and mothers vnthankeful vngodly vnkinde truce breakers false accusers Riotors dispisers of them that be good Trayters heddy hygh minded gredy vpon voluptuousnes more thē the louers of God hauing a similitude of godlinesse but deniing the power therof and suche abhorre For of this sorte are they which enter into houses and bring into bondage women laden with sinne whiche women are led with diuers lustes euer lerning and neuer able to come to knowledge of the trut he Nowe lette euerye man weyghe these wordes of s Paule And note if we haue not had amonges vs the like false prophetes with the lyke cōdicions First he sayeth they shall be louers of themselues Christ saieth He that loueth himselfe more then me is not worthy of me Who be they whiche loue them selfes more thē they do Christe Doubtes they that prefer y ◠loue of this worlde before Christ geuing place to the worlde and the lustes thereof Which vice is commen to al men and vsed of to many especially to suche whereof mencion is made before whiche neglectynge the brynging of their affections into bondage liue as their owne sensualitie doth leade them not caringe for the holsome preceptes of goddes moste holy worde but disobeying the lawes of the magistrates constituted too a good purpose to yoke the heauye carcase to thyntent he maye the better obeye the preceptes diuine For if the appetites do rule with out resistance they will soone ouercome y ◠imbecillitie of nature A victory or fielde is soone won if there be none to resiste Then the protestantes beynge maryed priestes yeldynge the seruyce of their bodye to the fraylitie of the fleshe was thereof ouercommed But if they had bene good souldiours and had fought vnder the standerd of continencie no doubt but they had wonne the fielde Thinke you Alexander the great had he geuen his minde too serue his appefites in his first warres had proued so valiant a conquerour ▪ No truely For after his first victory agaynst Darius kyng of Persia hauing alwayes in his hoste the wyfe of thesame Darius whiche incomparably excelled all other women in beautie woulde neuer after he had once sene her haue her to come into his presence albeit that he caused her estate styll to be maynteyned and with asmuche honor as euer it was And to them whiche wondryng at the ladies beautie marueyled why Alexander did not desyre too company with her he answered saying It shoud be to him a reproche to be subdued by the wyfe of him whome he had vanquyshed This was a ryght conquerour worthy to wynne all the worlde whiche in this sorte could haue the victory ouer his owne lustes being a cruel fight for a faint harted souldior This fight fought Scipio surnamed Aphricanus whē he hadde wonne Carthage For emonges diuers women whiche were taken one most fairest emōges the rest was ▪ brought vnto him to do with her his pleasure But when he knew that she was affiaunced to another called Indibilis he caused him to be sent for and perceiuyng the louyng tokens betwene them he deliuered her to Indibilis paying for her raūsome and adding further an honourable porcion of his owne treasure This was another excellente victorye gotten of a famous souldior which would not thoughe he had libertie violate his mynde vpon the beautie of a woman But our protestantes and married preistes neglecting their first fayth cared not vpon whom they had bestowed themselues lytle waying the counsell of saint Paule that he can bee no good souldiour to God which enwrappeth himselfe with secular affaires These be thei which pretended godlynes and vnder the hypocrisie of marrying deceiued the simple begyled their owne selues For when they thought themselues surest of their fained wyues they did the soner
an orator Emperor fo 39 Example of a Mason fol. 82 F. FAble of the Crabbe fol. 94 False accusers fol. 99 Fast fol. 33 Feruencie of She Apostles fol. 77 Freer Peyto hurt with a stone fo 100 Freer Bale reuenged vpon a worshypfull man of Hampshere fol. 101 Iohn Fissher bishop of Rochester fo 68 G. GEneua fol. 116 Gestures of an assembly that repayred to Browne the shepehearde at Islyngton fol. 122 Glorious wordes of y â— protestaÌ„tes fo 114 Gosseps and parrotes of the newefound worlde fol. 74 Gosseps promoters of heresie fol. 75 Graues of dead men ouerthrowen fo 85 Gyges tale out of Plato applied to the protestantes fol. 6 Gyges kinge and the straunge nature thereof ibidem H. HEresie the definicion therof fo 1â— Heresy a common womaÌ„ fo 32. 103 Heretikes in the primatiue churche 16 Heretikes why thei wer not punished in the primatiue churche 60 The heauens disposed to wonderful inclinacions in the beginning of Luthers doctrine fol. 15 Hilâ—ne Simon Magus winche fol. 75 The Heathen punished the despisers of their religion fol. 41 A notable historie of a true martyr fo 52 The historie of certen assemblies which repayred to father Browne lying at Islyngton fol. 12â— S. Hierome for y e punishing of heretikes 62 Hoper fol. 17 Hornes apologie fol. 118 Hospitalitie of our late Apostles fo 85 Hâ—ssiâ—es a secte in Germany fol. 17 Hydra the serpent fol. 14 I. IAcke prentice with his testament fol. 123. 124 Ignatius a true martyr fol. 53 Ingratitude fol. 96 Infidelitie fol. â—â— Ioane Butcher of kent and her opinion fol. 19. 75 Ioane Bucher and her stoutnes when she was burnt fol. 47. 17 Iohn Cawode the Quenes prynter whose name the brethren in Germany put to some of their libelles as Imprinter therof fol. 118 Iulianus apostata fol. 82 Iustification not by fayth only fu 112 Iustinus martyr fo 53 Ixion fol. 14 K. QUene Katheryne deuorced fo 104 Quene Katherins letters written to her husbande kyng Henry theyght vpon her death bedde fol. 106 The kynges maiestie that nowe is kyng Phylip. fol. 89 L. LAmentacion made by the people for y e death of s Thomas of CaÌ„torbury â—8 Latymers combate with sir Thomas Seamer his spirite fol. 44 Latymers wordes to proue that it is the cause and not the death that maketh the quarell good fol. 45 London ladies fol. 77 Lucilla fol. 75 Lucius king of this Realme fol. 91 Lucretia of Rome fol. 79 Luther and his opinion fol. 16 Libertie of life fol. 116 M. MArcion the heretike fol. 75 Marcionites people of his secte fo 66 Makebraies boke fol. 118 Maâ—solus king of Carsa fol. 63 Menippus wordes Embassadour to Antiochus fol. 115 Michol kyng Dauides wyfe fol. 78 CouÌ„terfayte martirs and their deathes with their toyes vsed in the tyme of the same fol. 47 Monasteries Abbaies subuerted 110 Montanus an heretike in the primatiue churche fol. 66. 75 Monkes of the charterhouse with the causes of their death fol. 68 Sir Thomas More ibidem A Monster brought forth in Germany in the beginning of Luthers doctrine with the discription thereof fol. 15 Musculus fol. 17 Mutius Scaeuola and his stoutnes fol. 54 N. NAsturtium an herbe fol. 29 Nature coÌ„tented with a litle fo 28 Nicolaus the heretike fol. 75 Noxes doctrinal of the Masseboke fo 118 O. OBiectioÌ„s of y â— heretikes 13. 22. 65. 108 Obstinacie the cause of error fol. 10 Oblacions or offringes to Browne the shepeharde fol. 122 Oecolampadius and his opinion fol. 17 Iohn Oldecastel and the cause of his death fol. Oldecastell a traitor fol. 102 Ordre fol. 30 P. PAulus an auncient father fol. 28 The Persians abstinencie fol. 29 Peter Martyr fol. 17 Pet penyale fol. 121 Phaeton and of his climming vp to his fathers chariot fol. 7 A Pilgrym of Goddes churche fol. 117 Philomena fol. 75 Philip Sannio fol. 86 Pompeius apohthegma to Marcellinus fol. 97 The parable of the Cockle obiected by the protestantes and the meanyng thereof fol. 57 The Popes authoritie banyshed fo 104 Polycarpus a true martyr â–ª fol. 53 Poynetes doctrine with his two wiâ—es 24 Poynetes falshode fol. 25 Poynetes boke against the learned treatise of doctor Martyn fo 118 Mointes specially to be required in a martyr fol. 50 Power of godlynes denyed fol. 111 Practices of the protestauntes fol. 22 Practise of prelates newe reuiued fo 118 Presumption and the rewarde therof 8 A Priest and of his straunge opinion about twenty yeares past fol. 18 Priestes married what womeÌ„ they vsed to marrye fol. 74 Prisca and Maximilla fol. 75 Procedynges fol. 80. 81. 82 Proude protestantes fol. 88 The Protestantes how thei plaied their partes after thei had corrupted the no bilâ—tie fol. 6. 7 The worde Protestant what it is fol. 8 The protestantes without vnitie of doctrine fol. 14 The protestaÌ„tes how thei peruert a text of S. Paule 21. et deinceps The protestantes in shepes appâ—râ—tâ—e 35 The protestantes faâ—â— fol. 36 The protestantes with one truthe sâ—me to confounde another fol. 3â— The protestantes consciences fo 36 The protestantes are bastardes fol. 96 Prayer fol. 34 Pâ—tto a Tanner his opinion fol. 18 Q. Quene katheryn deuorced fol. 104 Quintus Fabius Labeo fol. 110 R. REmedies to auoyde synne fol. 32 A rynge of a straunge nature fol. 6 Rogers burnt in Smythfielde and of the fonde Imaginations of many in the tyme of his death fol. 64 S. THe SacrameÌ„t of the Altar fo 83. 112 Semiramis poesie in reproche of couetousnes fol. 86 Sectes that did forbidde meates to be eaten fol. 26 Sermons pleasaunt fol. 30 Scipio Aphricanus and his contineÌ„cie fo 73 Selfloue and yelding to the fleshe fo 71 Scriptures to proue the burnynge of heretikes fol. 41. 42 Similitudes of Godliuâ—s fol. â—03 Simon Magus fol. 75 Sinâ—n that begiled the Troianes fol. 65 Shoting of a gonne at the preacher at Paules crosse fol. 100 Sir Thomas Seymer rayled vpon by Latymer before the late kynges Maiestie fol. 44 Scorye the preacher fol. 47 Sister wiues fol. 124 Socrates fol. 41 A spiritual hoape loÌ„ged for by Brownes mother the Shepehearde fol. 123 Strasâ—orouâ—h a cytie in Germany 116 Striking of y e priest at westminster 100 Foure Sussex men of late burnt their opinions fol. 19 Syrenes wherof Homere maketh mencioÌ„ 22 Sympering Sysse fol. 1â—1 T. TAunies whiche procede out of the mouthes of our martyrs fol. 50 Thâ—â—s the harlot fol. 76 Thalestris quene of the Amazones fol. 76 Saint Thomas of Cantorbury and his martyrdome fol. 69 S. Thomas picture disfigured fol. 1â—0 Thaborites â— lâ—te seâ—â—â— in Germany fo 1â— A sort of saynt Paule peruerted by the protestauntes fo 2â— Toyes of our false martyrs in the tyme of their deathes fol. 47 Themistocles Apothegma to the Atheniens fol. 97 Traitors fol. 10â— Throwyng of a dagger at the preacher at Paules crosse fol. 100 Trucebreakers fol. 98 Turia a Romaine maâ—roue fol. 79 Turnors solempne boke of the wolfe
â–ª 118 True reliques contempned fol. 6â— A Tyler and his opinion fol. 18 V. VNthankefull fol. 95 Virgins of the cytie of Separta fo 79 The vnitie of the churche fo 20. 21. 126 Vnitie the badge of the churche fol. â—0 VV. WEakenes of women fol. 76 Women euer learnyng and neuer able to attayne vnto the truthe fol 74 Women promoters of heresie fol. 75 Whether it be the cause or the death that maketh a martyr fol. 44 What tyme the temporall â—worde begin to serue the ghospell fol. 60 Wyues of certen men called Miâ—i fo 79 Wyat and his practise fol. 7â— Wyat and his treason â–ª fol. 102 Wordes of the ignoraunt people vpon the heretikes passing to death fol. 43 Wordes of father Peyloe a freer of Grene wiche touchyng the partie that dyd hurte hym fol. 101 Y. YAcob and â—ance of Straâ—â—orough folâ—o 116 Z. Zwynglins and his opinion fol. 16 FINIS Imprâ—nted at London by Robert Caly within the precinâ—t of the late dessolued house of the graye Freers nowe conuerted to an Hospitall called Christes Hospitall MENSE IV LII Annâ— 1556. Plato lib. 2. De Re Pub. Herodotus in Cliâ— Libro primâ— â–ª Seneca in Agamemnone Act. 2. The â—â—â— causes of our miseriâ— Ioan. 9. et 15. Obstinacie of opinions is the cause of errour Officiorum lib primo Infidelitie The definicion of heresie The catholike churche what it is Howe to knowe the catholike churche Matth. v. Daniel ii Psal xviii â— Tim. iii. Lib. i. de veritate fidei Homeri odyss libro decimo The heretikes obiections The answere of the catholikes Psal xviii ii Peter iii. Aeneido 6. Virgi anâ—id 8. Lucianus in deoruÌ„ dialog Cicero officiorum lib. 2. This monster was a iust token manifested by God to geue meÌ„ aduertisement to take hede ofsuch false prophetes whiche vnder the godly habites of religious men should seke the subuersion of his churche â—ib 13. histor sui temporis A rebersall of sundryâ— sectes deuised by dyuers heretikes As this good minister loued good ale so he had .iii. ale knights to stande in defence of his opinion called Good alâ— Newe ale â— Rastale Iohn .iii. Vnitie the badge or coâ—â—izance of Christes churche Marc. ix Lu. x. xxiiii Iohn 14. â—1 â— Cor. xii i. Tim. iiii The words of the protestantes In all thinges the protestaÌ„tes sekemeanes to discredit the church Odyss 12. Libertie a pleasaÌ„t harmony to theÌ„ that are coÌ„teÌ„ted to embrace it as the protestantes are This place of s Paule was wonte to be paynted vpoÌ„ the walles of churches to begyle the simple But when thou readest this place waye it wel in the minde theÌ„ giue seÌ„tâ—ce Mariage is not discommendid of y e church but it is magnefied for out of the .vii. Iewels thereof â— Tim. v. Nu. 6. 30. Eccle. v. Iohn ii Poinettes doctrine No doctrin can be ill if it serue for the practise of the hotte protestaÌ„ces who rather then they would lyue chaste wold say theâ—cold not chose but burne i. Cor. vii A question A place of Chrisostom to proue that yong wydowes did vowe The church forbiddeth no meates as the folly of the protestantes doth imagine Act. iiii Sundrye sectes of heretikes that verefied S. Paules prophecie â—ere â—osen gerâ—aines to the protestantes â—uido de hâ— resibus 〈…〉 e profitable abstinence is Leui â–ª lx Numeri vi Matth. xv Roma xiii Gala. v. â— Reg. vii Macha iii. Daniel â— iii. Reg. xiâ— â–ª Iudith .ix. Hester â–ª â—â—iâ— Epist 18. Iosephus â—â—lli Iudâ—â—ci lib. 2. cap. 7. Tâ—â—pertiâ—â— historia Cicero Tusculan quest lib. â— Abstinence of the Persians â—obi iiii The churche in all thinges kepeth an ordre Officiorum Libro i. In definitionibus ecclesiast dâ—gmatum Cap. 66. Gene. ix i. Timo. iiii Roma xiiii Maâ—c xv Gene. iii. Pleasaunt sermons Eras Apotheg libro 8. Plutarch in Sylla Aeneid Virgi Ephe. v. Remedies to auoyde synne Math. iii. Math. ix Math. vi Prayer and almesdedes The catholike church perswadeth austerite of lyfe Math. vii The shepish apparell of the protestaÌ„tes The protestantes consciences A stuÌ„bling stocke very muche vsed in y e mouth of Gospellers The protestaÌ„tes with one trueth do seme to confounde another Heb. xâ— â–ª â—â—â—ot in his booke called the Gouernor A pretie example A discoure touchynge the burning of heretikes and of the fonde imaginatioÌ„s of many coÌ„cernynge the same The HetheÌ„ coulde not abide the despisers of their religion Iustinus librâ— quinto De factis dictis Socratis Deu. xiiii Deu. xviii â–ª ii Thes iii Roma â—vii The maner of our heretikes Gala. iiii ii Cor. x. Gala. v. The fonde woordes of the simple rude people exclamed to the heretikes passing to death Augustinus super Ioannem â–ª Act. xix Whether it be the cause or the death that maketh a martyr Latimers coÌ„bâ—t with syr Thomas Seamers spirit In his .iiii. sermon Polidorus Libro 2 2. Olde castel in a booke that Bale maketh of his death is canoâ—â—zed for a martir A FleÌ„ming of the heresie of y e ArriaÌ„s burnt in Smythfielde Toys vsed of our martyrs Ioane Butcher otherwyse called Ioane of Kent Anne Askewe Officiorum Libro primo Blynde Bayarde Laertins in â—us vita Specialâ— poynces to be required in a martyr Eusebius lib. â— â–ª Cap. â— Act. xxiii Exod xxiâ— Philip. iii. Matth. xxii Paule wasory for hiâ— taunt but the protestaÌ„tes reioyse in theire The constaÌ„cie wher in our martyrs triuÌ„ph De natura deo â—um lib. i. The gouernor y e third boke A true martyr A merueilous resistaÌ„ce of the spirite against the fleshe and a good lesson for our maried votaries Ignatius Policarpus Iustinus In what causes men ought cheifly to spende their lyues A notable death to die for the causes of the kyng and Quenes maiesties Inslinus lib .ii. Actes v. Math. â—v â— Tim. â— Tit. iii. Contra Crescomum gram libro 4. cap. 4. The cauâ—â— why heretikes wernot punyshed in the 〈…〉 tiâ—e â—hu 〈…〉 At what tyme the sword begaÌ„ to serue the Gospell â—◠〈…〉 aâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 Epistola ad Galath cap. 1. The bones of our martirs of some preserued for reliques De â—octibus attiâ—is lib. x. cap. xviii True reliques contempned Rogers burnt in Smithfield the fond imaginations of diuers in the tyme of his death Virgil aeneiâ— Sâ—â—urâ—do Loyteryng Adders Another obiection of y e protestaÌ„tes Eusâ—â—ius â—â— â— â–ª â—edaecclesiast historiae gentis AngloriÌ„s lib. 1. Capit. seprâ—mo Saint Thomas of CaÌ„torbury Polydori Virg. Angl. hist li. 13 Charion cromcor lib. 3. quart monar terâ—iae aetatis Georg. Liuius Anno do â–ª â—â—â—â— The lamentatioÌ„ of the people vpoÌ„ the death of s Thomas Iohn Fiswer the bisshop of Rochester Sir Thomas More Polidor lib. 27. The poore monkes of the Charterhouse The abbottes of Rending Colchester and others Wyâ—t the Kentish rebell ii Tim. iii. Math. â— Selfe loue and yelding â—o the flesh Q. Curtius librâ— â— A notable example of Alexander touchinge the brydelinge of his own lustes Titus
that rather then they would forsake their drossie diuinitie whiche they haue gathered by their curiositie they thoughte with fagotes to ende their lyues miserably And in this kynde of death they so arrogātly reioyce that they be so bolde to compare themselfes with the Martyrs of christes church But forasmuche as this is a cause whiche of some men is thought marueilous that men should die in the quarel of religion and therefore the quarell good It shall be worth the traueill to say somwhat therein rather for the ignorance of the vnskilful then for the matter itself As in the bodye of a common welth politike if anye malefactor these or murderer be founde giltie in the cryme or offēce wherin he is accused forthwith the lawe doth prosecute by the verdicte of the .xii. men and sentence of death is pronoūced for his deserte as a man not worthye too lyue being an enemie to y ◠weale publike Euen so in the church of Christe whiche is the spirituall kingdome suche malefactours and miscreantes as do trāsgresse the faith other holsome constitucions enacted first by the prouidence of the holye Ghoste and afterwarde diligently put in execution by the holy Patriarches Bysshops and other gouernors of the same are iustly by the censure of the same cōmitted to the politike magistrates to be punished either by death or els by some other meanes laufull for the same as enemies to God haters of his true religion and cōtemners of all good ordres The Heathen being noseled in their supersticions vaine veneration of their fained goddes yet bare suche reuerence to their religion that in no wyse thei could abide the despisers therof The Atheniens for that Alcibiades a stoute capteine in their warres was supposed to haue neglected the sacrifices of Ceres was in his absence by death cōdempned The iust Socrates lykewyse was condēpned for the like insomuch that Xenophon writing of him marueiled muche therof considering he bare himselfe so vpright If the Heathen had suche a regarde to their fayned religions what woulde they haue doone if they had knowen the true and liuing god our creator And what oughte we christians to doe touching the contemners of our true religion Christe himselfe commaundeth that if any man doth not geue attendance to the churches admonition he willeth him to be taken for an Heathen and publicane Therfore if that man be worthy to be taken for a Publicane or Heathē persone which wyll not here the churche Then the heretike whiche not onely is incorrigible but also a contemptuous persone against God and his churche is worthye the name of an Heathen man according to Christes owne sentence and not worthy to lyue or be conuersant amonges christians If not worthy too lyue then he is worthye death In the olde lawe we reade in Deuteronomie this sentence That man which is proude and will not obey the priestes cōmandement which that time doth minister to thy lorde thy God the iudgement of the iudge let hym die wherin thou shalt take away an euell out of Israell Also in another place it is wrytten The Prophete whiche beyng inflate with arrogance wyll speake those thinges in my name which I haue not commaūded him let him be put to death Forasmuche then as al proude mē cōtemning the churches anthoritie and the priest are by the manifest scriptures worthy to be slayne then it is not contrary to Gods woorde as the brethren affirme to punishe anye man for his opinions S. Paule admonisheth vs yea entreateth vs too take heede of thē which sowe sedicion amōges the people to eschewe their cōpanie for such as they be do not serue their lord Christ but their owne belly seducing the mindes of the innocent with swete talke and faire perswasiōs Suche are our martyrs in these dayes who in their lyfe tyme go aboute nothinge els but to sowe sedicion either conspiracie againste their prince and magistrates or els to peruerte the innocent with their vaine perswasiōs folishe talke I would to God saieth Paule that thei which trouble you wer cutte of from the congregacion The whiche wordes of s Paule semeth to bee an infallible rule touching the punishment of heretikes But our men not regarding the discommodities whiche myght ensue by meanes of their false perswasions crye out with one voyce saying VVhat crueltie is this to put to death the brethren in christ where do we reade in scriptures that christ or his Apostles sought the death of any man Therefore saie they it is mere tyrannie thus to persecute the litle flocke the chosen and elect vessels of God crying by the waie as they passe to deaah Be cōstant dere brethren be constante in the faith sticke to it it is not this temporall paine which you ought to regarde your brekefast is sharpe your supper shal be merye Therefore the lorde strengthen you With these suche like vayne woordes they brynge the poore men in suche foles paradise that thei with suche vaine arrogance and small Charitee sticke not to aduenture themselfes into the fiery flambes O ye folishe and blynde Galathiens who hath so bewytched you too thynke that that man whiche sticketh to hys opinion to death and sealeth the same with his bloude as you terme it therefore his opinion is good But to answere your fōde obiection touching Christe his Apostles whether they soughte the death of anye man or not ye shal be answered by s Augustine For the Donatistes in his tyme iustlye condempned for their heresies alleged the very lyke obiection whom he answered thus What Emperour thē did beleue in Christe The cause why the Apostles required not the death of heretikes was for that the sworde of Heathen Prynces dyd not serue the Gospel But assoue as Constantine the fyrst christian Emperour was baptized the catholykes then cried out agaynste heretikes For if Emperours do punishe theft murder rape adulterie and periurie why shuld thei not as well punyshe heresie and sacrilege Thus saint Augustine allegeth the cause whye heresye was not punyshed in the primatiue churche For if the Princes then had yelded to the Gospell not followed their supersticious Idolatrye doubtles the quarell of Goddes enemies had been reuenged aswell as nowe And yet wee reade that one thynge was obserued then aswell as nowe whiche was that all vayne and curious bokes wherof we want no stoore at thys presente were burned openlye before al menne and the summe which the bokes die amount vnto was fyue hundreth thousande pence as appereth in the Actes of thapostles But here to note whether it be the cause or els the death that maketh a martyr we will alledge the saying of the late Prophete ofte by the protestantes cōpared to the old Prophetes called Latymer in his booke of sermons made before the late kynges maiestie Edwarde the sixte where shamefully raylyng vpon a dead man syr Thomas Seamer lorde Admyrall
bee burnte or otherwyse persecuted and not in christendome where Christ is sufficieÌ„tly knowen to all men if they wyll nedes dye to be renowmed after their death let them do as many notable menne among the Romaynes other haue done fight for their common welthes sake and for the cause of their princes Brutus the fyrst consull of Rome with suche a zeale sought to defende the libertie of his countre that hee encountred so fiercely with Aruns sonne to Tarquinius the proude whiche was banished for the rape of Lucrece that in the cloase with their launces they both perished Mutius Sceuola a worthy gentleman emonges the Romaines to deliuer his countrie from the siege of Porsenna king of Hetrurie boldly entred into his caÌ„pe thinking to kyll the kyng but when he came into the pauilion where the souldiours were wont to be paâ—ed he discouered his dagger stroke at the kynges secretarie supposing it had been the kyng because their apparail was much like But being taken demaunded what he was why he toke vpoÌ„ him such an enterprise with a sterne countenance answered I am a citizen of Rome quod he my name is Mutius and I beyng an enemie would faine haue kylled myne enemy my stomake is no lesse to dye for the cause then it was ready to do the slaughter For it is the parte of a Romaine both to do to suffre valiantly with other y â— like wordes Wherwith the king beyng moued said vnto him that vnlesse he would disclose vnto him what treason was imagined against his person he should with fyre bee tormented to death Then beholdâ— O kyng quod he what a smale matter the fyre is to them which seke to be renowmed with glory and immediatly thrust his hand into the fyre and burnte it quite of By whiche facte his countre was deliuered from the extremitie of that siege Moreouer Codrus kyng of Athenes at suche tyme as the citie was in great distresse by reason of the siege layde to the same repared to Appollo by Oracle to know what should become of the citie The answere was that vnlesse he himselfe shuld be slain the citie should be wonne Codrus therfore bearing a natural pietie to his countree rather contented to geue his owne life then the citie shuld be geuen into the haÌ„des of his enemies put on a beggers apparel and conueyed himselfe into the campe of his enemies and there gaue an occasion to one of the souldiors to strike him and so was slaine with a byll Wherby the siege not longe after brake vp These examples are sufficient to spurre these wylfull men forwardes rather to geue their liues for the defence of the coÌ„mon welth Princes against the enemies then with suche obstinacie to consume it in the fyre and no cause why They might in spendynge their lyues in the cause of their Princes or els in defence of Gods religion deserue bothe rewarde at the handes of God and also immortall fame in merityng well of their coÌ„mon wealth This is the death wherin a man ought to triumphe In this death a man heapeth vp in heauen treasures inspeakable in erth fame immortal a worthy death and worthy a christen maÌ„ For this cause it is that the feast of S. Stephens martyrdome is yerely celebrated For this cause it is that the blessed feastes of the Apostles haue their yerely recourse For this cause it is that the memories of Martyrs be registred in the Churche of God For this cause it is that the annual celebracions of all the saintes of Christ are hadde in yerely remembrance Then all men which entende to embrace the benefites of Christ and seke meanes therby to attaine to saluation let theÌ„ rather by this kynde of deathe that is to say either to fight and suffer death for the defenâ— of the name of Christ or els in the quarell of his Princes and other magistrates But it is thoughte of many of these protâ—stantes that no man ought to suffer death for his coÌ„science And they lerned the same of Luther who in dede is of that opinion In Turkey saye they a man may liue with his coÌ„science why then should a christeÌ„ man amonges christians be punyshed for his conscience Then may I aske them the like questioÌ„ if a Turke or heretike maye vse his conscience Why did they punishe Ioane Butcher the Flemming whiche were of the secte of the Arrians For their conscience led them so to beleue Why maye not the Turkes vse Mahomeâ—es lawe amonges vs Why did Peter in â—â—e Actes of the Apostles destroye Ananias and Saphyra for makyng a ley For their conscience conceiled the portioÌ„ which they kepte bâ—â—ke If it be not laufull for a man to dye for his conscience than they did ill too punyshe heresye by death in the like tyme of procedinges wherevnto I am sure they wyll not graunt For in any wyse they must be no lyers although it be proued manifestlye to their faces Tushe saye they suffre the Cockell too growe with the good corne tyll the haruest come Then the lorde of the haruest shall deuide theÌ„ shall put the good corne in to his barne and cast the cockle into the fyre But this parable GOD wote maketh nomore for their purpose than it doth against the hangyng of theues and other offenders For if the offenders and breakers of the lawe I meane such as coÌ„cerne treason murdre or fellony should liue how should a kyng or ruler gouerne his common wealth wherin the honor maistie of a kyng consisteth And like as if such malefactors shuld â—ee suffred to continue in a common wealth withoute anye restrainte of punishement the same comon wealth with the gouernor thereof were lyke to fall too ruine Euen so in the state of the churche if heresie should be mainteined the fautours thereof escake vnpunyshed it woulde not onely brynge the iuste plague of God vpon the sufferers but also it woulde vtterly consume all faieth good orders so bringe the soule of man to euerlastynge confusion And that a kyng may punyshe suche malefactours by death aswell such as offende the churche as suche as noye the coÌ„mon welth it doth appere by S. Paules wordes to Timothe Vve know saith he the lawe is good if a man vse it laufully knowing this howe that the lawe is not giuen vnto a rightuous man but to the vnrightuous and disobedient to wicked men and synners to vnreuereÌ„t and prophane with suche other And then concludeth that if ther be any other thinge contrary too holsome doctrine of the Gospell the glorie of the blessed GOD which gospel is committed vnto me Now note here that he saith the law is not geuen vnto rightuous men whose wicked dedes rehersing to the Romaines aswell as he doth in this place he sayth is worthye of death May not a kyng iustly put them to death by the lawe whiche lawe he saith is good if a man vseth it
laufullye Then to execute it vpon the vnrightuous which committed any falte against the Gospell whiche reproueth true religioÌ„ is a thing moste laufull whiche fautes are adiudged by the churche worthy excommunication that is to say to cut them of whiche are obstinate as s Paule wysheth Titus Nowe if the lawe be good to cut them of as rotteÌ„ branches which either be authors of sectes or offenders otherwise the lawe iudging them worthy death then it is a thing perswaded by scriptur to burne suche braunches which are dampned by their owne iudgemeÌ„t no iniurie done to th one or thotheâ— but charitie in cuttig them of that thei should sinne no more in y â— like faultes to encresse their own daÌ„pnation VVe wold not saith saynt Augustine haue them cut of meaning heretikes from the other ioyntes and meÌ„bers of the body but forasmuche as the wounde by cutting away the dead flesh may soner be healed then if it were suffered to remaine stil Therfore a more holsom remedy is foùd with a short paine to ease the grief then to suffer it to fester and rankcâ—e the other membres So it appereth that it is a most pestilent error to thinke that noone for any opinion or conscience oughte too be put to death But peraduenture they wyll alledge agayne saying why doth God say which is the lorde of the haruest suffre the cockle and the good corne to growe together till the haruesâ— leste you pull vp the good corne therwith â–ª Doutles euen for this cause We se by experience when seedes good and bad are throweÌ„ vpon the earth together whyle they be yonge it is daungerous to plucke vp the one leste the other be plucked vp also But iâ— they be suffered to growe till the good corne haue a stronge roote then the cockle growing vp therwith may be easely discerned without daunger of hurtyng the good corne the cockle may be roted out Euen so in the infancie of the churche at suche tyme as the fayth was not throughly roted in the hartes of men muche lenite and genlenes was vsed in ouercommynge the stubburnes of heretikes least the weake christians not fully instructed in the fayth might haue falleÌ„ therby So that there was no sharpnes shewed vpoÌ„ any till the time of Maximus theÌ„perour by whose authorite heretikes began to bee odible and were cut of by the teÌ„porall swoorde After whome Theodosius Valentinianus Martianus the like Emperours raigned in whose times also lawes were made for the punyshyng of heretikes and such as were authors of euill doctrine the cause was for that the fayeth of Iesus began firmely to take holde aswell in Emperoures Kynges and Princes as also in others And the churche as it is nowe soo growen that it hathe soo stronge roote that hell gates shall not preuayle againste it that is too saye neyther the persecution of tyrantes nor the peruersite of heretikes can ouerthrowe it the churche I saye nowe beyng in this state that heretikes maye easly be discerned as cockle is in haruest which is then weded for ouergrowing the good corne doth by by excommunication cut them of as scripture commaundeth For euery peruerse doctrine is as saint Hierome saith LeaueÌ„ And leanen oughte to bee taken from the doughe A sparckle as soone as is doth appeare ought to be quenched rotten flesh ought to be cut awaye a skabby shepe ought too be repealed from the flocke least the house the doughthe body the flocke be throughly corrupted do burne do putrifie and marre Arrius in Alexandria was but one sparcle but because it was not immediatly put out y â— flame therof destroyed the hole worlde What mercy is this to fauour â—â— to bryng all other in peril of their liues Meaning heretikes who if they myght bee suffered too reigne would bryng all thynges to ruine as is aforesayd Of that mynde is Chrisostome that eloquent Atlas one of the pillers of goddes veritie saying Haue you not hearde saieth he that he whiche in the olde testament gathered styckes vpoÌ„ the Sabboth daye for that he offended that one commaundement was destroyed with extreame death Haue you not heard also that Ozi whiche did but staye vp the Arke from falling was immediatly stroken starke dead because he toke vpon hym an vnfit ministerie Therefore dothe the violacion of the Saboth and the touchyng of the Arke so muche offende God that the offendours could obtayne no pardon What Pardon and excuse shall he haue then that doth corrupte holsome doctrine and in place thereof soweth wycked opinions Thus Chrysostome and the other Doctours of Christes churche iudge them whiche by their euell suggestions corrupte the symple membres of the churche worthy temporall deathe and punyshement Then that opinion whiche the Protestantes conceyue of their owne brayne vpon the aforesayde parable of the gospell and also that no man oughte too suffer death for his conscience is quite frustrate of none effecte And because our heretikes wil nedes haue their men to be taken for martyrs some of them counterfayting the trade of the auncient state of the true churche gather together the burnt bones of these stynking martyrs entendyng thereby by lyke to shryne the same or to preserue them for relykes that at suche a tyme as wheÌ„ an heretike is burnt ye shal see a route enclosing the fyer for that purpose And when the fyer is done they lye wallowyng like pygges in a stie to scrape in that hereticall dongehill for the sayde bones Yea and as it is reported some gossyps and fellowe disciples of these wicked apostles vse the same nexte to their hartes in the mornyng beyng grated in a cuppe of Ale too preserue them from the chyncoughe and suche other maladies incident to suche hoote burning stomakes A prety medicine apte for such brainesicke pacientes Thei may be well compared to Artemisia of whome we rede in Aulus Gellius which was wife to Mausolê° king of Caria who when her husbande was dead she was of such an affectioÌ„ being beyond al measure rapt w t his loue that after the funeralles was done she gathered together all the bones and ashes of her husbande and minglinge the same with perfumes and other swete odours she dranke them vp declaring by suche outwarde tokens her immesurable affection Many of our gosseps taken with the same spirite in loue not with their owne husbandes whose lyke examples I neuer herd of but with their mery martyrs that for their sakes they care not to quaffe vppe the poudet of their durtye bones too declare their burning affections A pityfull case and wyth teares too be lamented that the innumerable relyques of Christes true martirs were so wyckedlye neglected as they haue bene in the late malicious tyme. But thei were theÌ„ rediculous to these sortes of menne who cryed oute with al wehemence to what purpose are the reseruacion of the dead bones and so contempning the reliques of thapostles Iohn Baptist and
forgo them A iust plague of God vpon such dissolute preistes who cared not what wemen they married common or other so they might gette them wyues For true are S. Paules wordes they enter into houses bringing into bondage women laden with synne The wemen of these married preistes were such for the most part that either they were kept of other before or els as coÌ„mon as the cart-way so bound them to incesluous lecherye whiche wemen are led with diuers lustes euer learning neuer able to attaine vnto the truth Were not the sayd women euer lerning neuer able to come to the knowlege of y e truth beyng led with diuers lustes vsing their bodies with other men aswell as with their supposed husbaÌ„des yea one of them with anothers woman taking it as it is thought for a brotherly loue one to helpe another after the doctrine of Freer Luther the first authour of their marriage â–ª Is it not seen nowe by experieÌ„ce that some of their women beyng diuorced are married againe to ruffians suche other gallantes folowing the opinion of sir Ihon Hoper in his booke of the ten coÌ„maundementes What shall I reherse their sundrye abhominacions which shame constraineth to say no more And these women were not onely learnyng neuer hable to attaine to the truth but many other simpering gosseppes and parottes of the newe founde worldes are euer learnyng but as farre from the trueth as they that neuer went to schole These dames are lyke the wanderyng gyllottes that folowed the heretikes of olde time which vnder the color of sticking to the gospell couered their euill lyues And by saint Mary a numbre are contented to runne from their husbandes into Germanie the dongion of heretikes beyng a meete couer for suche cuppes And these are thought to be suche mates to matche with the protestantes in their doinges that in nowise thei can be w t out them Simon Magus to maintayne his opinions had one Helene a faire weÌ„che to matche w t him Nicolaus the heretike and furbisher of all fylthynes in Antioche had manye women to toyne with him in his art MarcioÌ„ to prepare the mindes of the people in Rome to fauour his heresy sent a woman before muche lyke Ioane Butcher whiche in the beginnyng of our newfound opinions was greatly maintayned by Cranmer in Cantorbury other places of Kent Apelles had one Philomena not his owne wyfe but the wyfe of another man as a companion in his procedinges Montanus another heretike indued with a wicked ghost throughe the helpe of Prisca and Maximilla first with money corrupted manye women of honoure and great substance and after polluted them with heresye Arrius the rather to deceyue the worlde procured a kynges doughter to susteine him and to beare him out Donatus in Aphrica had releife of one Lucilla Finally in all ages at any ryme when one had deuised some folishe errour or other straight waye wemen were readye to apply to their faÌ„ries Thus as one heresye begatte another so one heretike brought furth another Doutles the weaknes of womeÌ„ is suche that they be euer prone and ready to mischeif to bryng men to their confusion Dyd not Eue deceiue her husbande in perswadyng him to eate the apple at the suggestion of the serpent Did not Dalida deceiue Sampson by perswasion to vtter vnto her where the force of his strength coÌ„sisted Dyd not the Concubines deceiue Salamon to make him coÌ„mit idolatry Did not Ieroboams wyfe deceiue him in fayning her selfe to be another woman â–ª How did wicked Iesabel inueÌ„t meanes to procure the death of Naboth by bearyng false wytnes Many other suche examples there be in holy wryte to proue the redynes of wemen in deceiuyng of menne with their vayne perswasions For the deuil hath many suche prancking dames in league with him to the ende to bryng men to mischeife What brought Alexander the great to growe insolent but only the vayne perswasion of Thalestris the quene of the Amazons who from her owne countrey repaired vnto him to haue his carnal companye What caused him to destroy the noble citie Persepolis but the perswasion of Thais the dronken harlot Therfore let al men beware of the subteltie of women and to folowe their vain perswasions For they bee euer learnyng and neuer hable to attaine vnto the truth euer busye lyke waspes rather to do hurte then good I speake not here of matrones whiche are modest sobre obedieÌ„t to their husbaÌ„des contented to applie their myndes to the gouernement of housholde matters and to bryng vp their children in a goodly ordre but of suche onely whiche are curious in all matters especially of that wherof they haue nothing to do I meane these London ladies other the lyke whose talke is nothing but of religion of Peter Paule and other places of scripture Whose scripture mouthes are ready to allure their husbandes to dye in the lordes veritie because they would fayne haue newe muche like to the wyfe of Aman who gaue her husbande counsell to make a gallowes to hange vp Mardocheus and yet at length he was hanged vpon the same himselfe Diuers other also are euer learning neuer able to come to the knowlege of y â— truth as are those whiche are of suche colde deuotion towardes Gods churche that they are contented with heate to ende their liues Wemen as sayth saint Paule ought to be silent amoÌ„ges â—he coÌ„gregacion But these hote soules are so feruent in sprite that because they may not preache they are coÌ„tented to burne O wicked doughters of heresie and dames of the deuil himselfe Is this your profession at your mariage daye to bee at commaundement to your husbandes And manye of you contrarye to their wylles maintayne youre obstinacie by death You ought beyng Christians and traded vp in Christes fayth rather to spend your liues for the defence of your chastitie and the liues of your deare husbandes then in the cause of herisie the cause of your confusion We rede of many notable womeÌ„ which were worthy martyrs for the defence of Christes moste holy name and suffered sundry tormeÌ„tes for the quarel of his fayth But you not coÌ„pelled neither to abiure his name nor yet to forsake his faith what should be the cause of your folly For soth euen the deuil who goeth about lyke a roaryng Lyon to seke whoÌ„ he may deuoure I knowe the woman and her seuen soÌ„nes wherof we rede in the Machabees offered her selfe to death What against the churche of God No doubtles but for obseruyng the commaundement of God prescribed vnto her by the churche We rede of manye other godly women whiche dyed for Christes fayth and the vnitie of his churche but not as you do against his church and the vnitie therof But peraduenture you wyll say wee are his churche and wee are
his litle ones But if you so be you are an ill fauoured churche a deformed churche a cornered churche a dispersed coÌ„gregacion altogethers deuided as partely is proued before You ought rather as I sayd before to spende your life for the sauegarde of your husbandes the defence of your chastitie the bande of matrimonye as many good wemen haue done in tyme past Michol like a faythfull woman preserued her husband Dauid when he was sought for of her owne father kyng Saul We rede of a noble womaÌ„ called Turia who to saue her husbande named Q. Lucretius froÌ„ the crueltie of the Romaines offered her selfe into many daungers Also the wyues of certaine notable menne called Mimi haue lefte behinde them their worthye praise For their husbandes beyng committed to prison by the Lacedemoniens condempned to dye their wyues to the intent they might speake with their husbandes before their death had leue to entre into prison who chaunging their apparel with their husbandes they beyng in their wyues garmeÌ„tes counterfaiting also their sorowes escaped prison leauyng their wyues behinde them who were contented for their husbandes sakes to yelde them selues to death These were wyues worthy of immortall fame vouchsafed to haue their images to be erected of golde for their perpetual fame Lucrece the Romaine matrone for the losse of her chastitie kylled her selfe saying what can be safe to a womaÌ„ when she hath lost her chastitie The fyftie virgyns of the citie of Sparta beyng sent by their fathers to Micenae a cicie of Achaia to do sacrifice the citezens beyng enflamed with their beauties required that they might accoÌ„plishe their lustes Who not graunting to their desires they were in maner constrained But rather then they would loose their maydenheades they were contented to lease their lyues whiche afterward was reuenged by the Lacedemoniens These were valiant wemen whiche rather then they would yelde to the seruice of Venus and violate their innocente myndes were contente to suffre death I would that our wemen martyrs if they would nedes be martyrs as I caÌ„ se no cause therof but onely arrogancie thus should imploye their lyues not for a fantasticall opinion newely crept out of the shell It should be wished of all godly men that it would please God of his surpassing goodness to poure grace into the heartes of these graceles persones most huÌ„bly to falle downe prostrate before the magistrates of his Churche to aske mercye and at length to acknowledge the vanitie of their errors But yet there were other in y â— late malicious tyme as the effeminate bishops other whiche were euer lerning neuer able to come to the truth as it appeared by their oftè alteracions of their procedinges And touching their CoÌ„munion they were euer learning and in th ende so well learned that thei fell to the denial of Christes own wordes not attaining to the knowlege of y â— truth but to the knowlege of errours Howe long were they learnyng to set their table to minister the sayd coÌ„munion vpon Fyrst they placed it a lofte where the hygh altare stode Then must it be set from the walle that one might goo betwene the ministers beynge in contention on whether parte to turne their faces either towardes the Weste the Northe or South Some would stande Southward some Northward and some Westwarde Thus turning euery waye they myste the right waye but yet they coulde not hytte it Then downe it must come from Sursum to Deorsum In some places benethe the steppes in the quier couering it round about with Curtens for feare of bugges Within a whyle after it skipped out of the quier into the body of the churche And in some places neyther in the quier nor yet in the body of the churche but betwene bothe And some because they would hitte it ryght pulled downe the Rodeloftes making suche a confusion that neyther was there quyer nor bodye of the churche but makyng if lyke Westminster hail They stailed it aboute â—n maner of a Cocke pytte where all the people myght see them and their coÌ„munion In many places the table stoode very nere the churche porch that it myght the soner go out into the churcheyarde Thus they proceded not vpwardes but outwardes downe wardes Ab equis ad aâ—inos that the churche belles and all was redy to leepe out of the wyndowes Then touchyng the ministration whether it should be leuened or vnleuened bread oh what a doe there was First it must be vnleuened but brooder and thicker then the olde maner was and in anywyse the prynte of the name of Iesus left out whiche was as odious a sight to theÌ„ as y e signe of y â— crosse was to Iulianus Apostata who in anye wyse coulde not abyde the sayde sygne neyther in churche wyndowe or other place Then these Iulianistes to bryng the Sacrament to a more prophane vse they deuised that the bread shuld be leuened lyke to other common bread from the whiche though many crommes did fall they forced not so lytle they estemed the matter For suche Sacramente suche minister suche carpenters suche toles And too colour the matter for the better deceyuinge of the vnlearned people they folowed the ensample of a Mason wheÌ„ he worketh stones to build a house For firste he doeth rough hewe them somewhat to proportion theÌ„ he polysheth theÌ„ to make them pleasant to the eye In like maner sayde the Protestantes and authors of our late religion do we The first and second Communion booke were but rough hewen wherein they sayd truth for god knoweth thei were but homely stuffe But this boke quod they meaning their laste boke of CommunioÌ„ which was the worste of all is wrought too the perfectioÌ„ Wherin they seined muche lyke vnto a poore blynde Mason that should come to stones that were purely wrought to a perfite forme by the finest workeman that could be founde who poring on them with his dymme spectacles of ignoraunce doeth thinke with his blunt rusty croked toles to amende the workemanshyp of the stones and bunglyng longe about them made them euer worse and worse tyll at length they serued for no purpose touching th enteÌ„t of the first workeman Euen so did thei For the holy ghost hath wrought in the catholike churche the perfit faith and righte vse of the sacrament of the altar to be offred to the father as a moste swete sacrifice in remeÌ„braunce of the death of his sonne and to be receiued of al faithfull people in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the same death of christ Which is both the offerer the sacrifice offred in the holy masse till these bunglers toke in hande the same meaniÌ„g as thei thought to ameÌ„d it But as their presumptioÌ„ was vayne so in th ende it proued For God seing their inconstant vanities in misusing his sacrameÌ„tes brought all their attemptes to a vaine effect And touching the ordre in receiuing
doctours argued of theirs The oldedoctors would committe the same to the censure and iudgement of the churche But the newe doctours woulde preferre theyr woorkes vpon theyr owne iudgementes Pride the mother of heresie begatte these her chyldren to resist their predecessors But god from time to time hath resisted the proude and hath endewed the meke with his grace The prophet Esaye saieth Woe be vnto you which seme wyse in your owne eies and prudent before your selues Therefore God requireth suche to be ministers interpreters of his worde which are humble and meke Suche I saye whiche wyll mistruste theyr owne wittes and crye with the prophete Dauid Giue me vnder standing O lord and I wyl serche thy lawe to thintente I may learne thy commaundementes Doubtles the showers of that heauenlye wysedome haue not their discourse vpon hyghe mouÌ„taynes but into the lowe valleys Therfore they that wyll be partakers of the true vnderstanding of goddes misteries ought not to contempne the godly expositions of the auncient fathers but with all humilitie to submit themselfes as scholars glad too learne willing to embrace such holsome doctrine as is taught in the churche of God And not to play the partes of vnthriftie and proude scholars as the moste part of our hereticall preachers were who went about to correct their maisters but with attentife eares to heare reade peruse and then to receiue as God shall put in minde CVrsed speakers also in vsing their tongues after a most vile sort not only agaist y â— church the spouse of Christe but also against our princes the Kyng and Quenes maiesties and other magistrates appointed by God too the rule and gouernemeÌ„t of this realme And howe abhominablie they haue from tyme to tyme yll sayd of the kynges maiestie reuerence and shame constrayneth silence vnto whome they oughte to beare al obedience considering it hath pleased the Quenes maiestie to ioyne her selfe with hym in marriage being as nowe one body so that any iniurie or slauÌ„der doone or spoken against hys grace thesame is doone to them both I can not chose but wonder to consider what cause shuld prouoke them to malice his persone What vice haue thei harde wherin his grace is speciallye noted â–ª Unles temperaÌ„ce sobrietie and deuocion be counted for vices What ill proportioÌ„ of body or deformitie of vysage vnlesse they wil seme to correcte nature â–ª Wel fieth the note of any special vice or lacke of natures dutie hathe not moued them what should be the cause then With what vertue are they offended Not with temperance I am sure for that is a decent qualitie in a king and as Tully sayeth It is the ornament of mannes lyfe and the appeasemeÌ„t of the passions of the mynde Nor with sobrietie I dare saye for that garnisheth all other qualities And if deuocion be the cause of offences they muste or oughte to be angrye with themselfes For what man is there that lyueth but he hath a certeÌ„ zeale or sparcle of feare towardes the power diuine Then the kinges maiestie being a vertuous prince of himselfe a noble personage let vs cease of all sclaunder if not for his owne sake yet for the Queenes maiesties sake his true and laufull wyfe and our vertuous and godlye soueraygne But as the protestauntes haue vttered their vncharitable stomakes vpon the temporall magistrates so haue thei vsed the like vpon the spiritual But these are they mencioned in sainte Iude whiche despyse Rulers speake yll of those whiche are in authoritie Yet Michael tharchaungell sayeth he when he stroue against the deuel about the body of Moyses durst not geue a railing sentence but sayde our lorde rebuke the. A wonder it is to se these cursed speakers triumphe vpon their knowledge of the scriptures and yet haue no power to followe the same I praye God they may be lesse bablers and make both theÌ„ and all meÌ„ better followers For we se manifestlye the plagues of God imminent for misusing his grace blaspheming his name Yet many especially the proteuÌ„aÌ„tes haue no grace to impute it to impietie of lyfe But they obiecte the sayde plagues of God to the cause of religion as though their owne synnes were free and vnworthye punyshement and as though the catholike religioÌ„ now vsed were a thinge of late inuented whiche religion hathe continued firme and stedfast sithe the raigne of kynge Ethelbert who was conuerted to embrace christianitie by saint Augustine in the yere of our Lorde after the computation of Beda D. lxxx vi tyll within these .xxi. yeres And also long before the time of Ethelbert the faith of Christ was yet receiued by one Lucius kynge of this realme who sent Ambassadours to Rome too Pope Eleutherius that it might please him to sende some of his learned men to preache the name of Christe and too minister Baptisme Who moste willingly accoÌ„plyshed the kinges desire in the yeare of our lorde a hundred fiftie syxe Soo that it appereth the religion nowe restored by the Quenes maiestie is not of newe inuencion but of great antiquitie And so longe as this Realme was in vnitie thereof vndiuided it continued in inspeakeable welth and prosperitie in marueylous loue and amitie in true dealing and honest simplicitie and in al kinde of god lines and pietie But since it fell from vnitie of religioÌ„ it hath fallen from the grace of God into al kyndes of wickednes skarcitie falshode deceyt and other abhominable vices and from the accustomed valiaunce in feates of armes into effeminate myndes coÌ„taminated with horrible leâ—herie The experieÌ„ce of which vices piteously we dayly fele as a iust rewarde of GOD for breache of the vnitie of his religion DIsobedient to fathers mothers whiche vice our lord knoweth is vniuersally frequented For what childe for the most parte doth honour his parentes according to his dutie What reuereÌ„ce doth he vse towardes theÌ„ whiche of their owne fleshe and bloud hath brought him forth in to the world A dere collope it is â—hat is cut from the owne fleshe yet that degenerate collope I meane the childe vnnaturally resisteth disobeieth the parentes But hereof the parentes maye thanke them selues whiche for wante of good education nosel them vp with wantonnes suffring the raynes of youthe to bee let go and vnbridled not considering the heate of youth too be prone and redy to al vices as He rodiane sayeth The myndes of youth from good and honest discipline are prone and apt to vanitie pleasures The auncient trade of this Realme in education of youthe before the late tyme replenyshed with all myschief was to yoke the same with the feare of God in teachyng the same to vse prayer mornyng and euening to be reuereÌ„t in the church at their first enteraunce into the same too make the sygne of the crosse in their foreheades too make beysaunce to the magistrates to discouer their heades when they mete with men
not y â— outwarde formes of bread and wyne but the body of Christ inuisibly therin contained The churche teacheth all kyndes of lyuely and holsome doctrine as Fasting Prayer Charitie Almesdedes Amendement of lyfe Penaunce and all other good workes mete to be obserued of a christian man Therfore waye with your selues ones more what cause haue these gracelesse menne thus to misreport the church or to spende their lyues against the churche Then fynally consider whether those vices rehersed by saint Paule whiche should be moste frequented in the latter tyme were not moste practised of the saied Protestantes Whiche thynges duely considered I shall moste humbly exhorte all menne for the loue of God and in the Passion of his sonne Iesus Christe and in his name that ye al speake one thing and that there be no dissension emonges you accordyng to the counsaile of saint Paule to the Corinthians And that ye maye be a whole body of one mynde meanyng entreating you also in like maner as he doth in another place saying Whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer thinges are conuenient whatsoeuer thynges are of honest reporte if there bee any vertue if there be any praise of learning those same haue you in your mynde whiche you haue bothe learned receiued heard and also seene in me the same thinges do and the God of peace shal be with you â–ª Whiche couÌ„saile if we followe doubtles we shal be the membres of one bodie not repugnant or obstinate but meke obedient Then shall we banishe all sectes and opinions and remayne in concorde vnitie TheÌ„ shall wee saye with the prophetâ— Dauid Beholde what a pleasant thing it is for brethren to lyue in vnitie Then shall we reedifie our auncient common wealthe whiche by discorde we haue lost Then shall the membres agree with the belly whiche with discorde in maner was coÌ„sumed for hunger as Menenius Agrippa telleth the histore when he went about to recoÌ„cile the commons to the obedieÌ„ce of the Senators TheÌ„ shall we be inuincible without feare of forein realmes The shall we be impregnable without feare of any nacioÌ„ And finally we shal be acceptable to hym that is the author of attonemente whiche is Iesus Christe the sonne of the the lyuing God To whome with the holy ghoste be all prayse and honor for euer ⸫ Amen An Index or Table mencioning suche speciall matter as is before conteigned in this present volume A. ABbotes of Reding Colchester and Glastonburye and of theyr death fol. 69 Abstinence how profitable a thing fo 27 Abstinence of the Persians fol. 29 Acton a traytor hereteâ— fol. 46. 103 Adoraciâ—Ì„ of the sacrameÌ„t of thalter fo 128 Aeneas verses to Dido fol. 32 AgÌ„amemnon and his sentence recited out of Seneca fol. 9 Albanus a true martir and died for the catholike fayth fol. 66 Alcibiades fol. 41 Alexander the great his coÌ„tineÌ„cie fo 72 Almesdedes fol. 34 Anabaptistes in Englande fol. 18 Anne Askewe with her stoâ—tnes and behauiour in the time of her death fo 47 Antonius an olde father fol. 28 Anncient ordres in this realme for bringing vp of youthe fo 93. Apelles the heretike fol. 75 Aunsweres of catholikes too obiections fol. 13. 108 Apostles purchasing fol. 84 Apostrophe to the vice of libertie our countreymen in Germany fol. 116 â—pohtheÌ„gma of Papinianus Bassianus fo 31 Apprentices their ill education fol. 9â— Aristotels rebuke to Calisthenes his scolleâ— folio 31 Arrius of Alexandria fol. 61. 75 Arrogancie and selfloue the causes why our couÌ„terfaite martirs do burn fo 48 Artemisia quene of Caria compared to our gosseps whiche are in loue with oure mery martyrs fol. 6â— S. Augustine for the burning of heretikes folio 43. 59 B. BAaras a rote medicinable against ill spirites fol. 11â— Bale the freer reuenged vpon a worshypfull man of Hampshere fol. 101 Bales boke called his vocation fol. 118 Beastes be not ingrate fol. 97 Bishops effeminate fol. 80 Blandina a virgine and true martir of Christe fol. 47 Blynde Bayarde and his corage fol. 48 Boasters fol. 8â— Bones of our supposed martirs of some of their confessors preserued for reliques fol. 6â— Bokes of the brethrâ— in Germany 〈…〉 A Bricâ—laier taking vpon him the â—â—â—ice of preaching fol â–ª 19 Browne the shepeheard commoÌ„ly called father browne fol. 〈…〉 Brownes mother fol. 123 Brownes mothers exposition vpon a place of scripture fol. 1â—3 Browne and his Iade fol. 1â—4 Brownes sermone ibideâ— Brutus the fyrst consul in â–ª Rome fol. 54 Burning of heretikes fol. 40 Byrde in the wall in Aldersgate â—â—â—ete fol. 120 C. CAius Pontius the Samnite fol. 14 Caluine fol. 17 Candaules kyng of Lydia fol. 6 Cranmere fol. 17 Cranmere late byshop of Cantorbury a traytor fol. 10â— The Catholiques how they auoyde the place of S. Paule to Timothe obiected by the heretikes and the ryghte sense therof fol. 23 Catholike churche in all thinges obserueth an ordre fol. 29 Catholike churche perswadeth good lyfe â–ª fol. 34 Catholike relegion in this realme how long it hath continued fol. 91 The Catte that was haÌ„ged vp in chepeâ—yde fol. 120 Catholike churche what it is fol. 12 Catholike church how to know it fo 12 Carolstadius and his 〈…〉 fol. 16 Causes of our myseriâ— fol. 10 Causes wherein men ought to spende their lyues fol. 54 Causes why the protestantes in kynge Edwardes tyme did not punyshe the catholikes by death fol. 70 Causes wherin women ought to spende their lyues fol. 78 Causes of Goddes plagues fol. 91 Causes why EnglyÌ„shmen be welcomed in Germany fol. 117 Centaurâ— certen monsters fol. 14 Chrisostome proueth that yonge wydowes did vowe fol. 25 Chrisostome for y e punishing of heretikes 6 The Champion of the fayth fo 118 Circes cuppes fol. â—â— Codrus kyng of Athenes fol. 55 Communion table procedinges about the same fol. 80 Confused ordres about the late communion fol. 83 Constancie wherin our martirs triumphe fol. 5â— Maister Christophersonnes booke against rebellion fol. 103 Couetonsnes â–ª fol. 84. 8â— Crumwell fol. â—0â— The croche of the lame man that was burned at Stratford fol. 12â— Curssed speakers fol. 89 D. THe death of quene Katherine fo 107 Demosthenes tale of an asses shadow 49 Despysers of the godly fol. 99 The difference betwene the catholike Scismaticall churche fol. 127 A discourse touching the burning of heretikes fol. 40 Disobedience to parentes fol. 92 The doctrine of the churche fol. 127 Donatus the heretike fol. 75 A duche man and his opinion fol. 19 A duche man and his hypocrysie fo 46. 57 The Duke of Northumberland fo 102 E. Elders and ministers and of their late wicked preceptes in the church fo 5. 6 Emden a cytie in Frieslande fol. 116 Englande the mother of vs all fol. 6 Essai and their abstinence fol. 28 A text of Esaie the prophet very mysused of the protestantes against fasting 37 Ethelbert fol. 9â— Example of