captaine at Calice Hāmes Gynes Iarnsie and Gernsie or sent them to Ireland and into the North and so occupyed them tyll the kyng had forgot them and other were in theyr rowmes or till hee had sped what he entended And in like maner played he wyth the Ladyes and gentlewemen Whosoeuer of them was great wyth her was he familiar and to her gaue he giftes Yea and where Saint Thomas of Canterbury was wont to come after Thomas Cardinall went oft before preuenting his Prince and peruerted the order of y ◠holy man If any were suttill witted mete for hys purpose her made he sworne to betray the Queene likewise to tel him what she sayd or did I know one that departed y e Court for no other cause thē that she would no lenger betray her mastresse And after the same example he furnished the Court with Chaplaines of his owne sworne Disciples and children of his owne bringing vp to be alway present and to dispute of vanities and to water what soeuer the Cardinall had planted If among those cormoraūtes any yet began to be to much in fauour with the kyng to be somewhat busie in the Court and to drawe any other way then as my Lord Cardinall had appointed that the plowe should go anone he was sent to Italy or to Spayne or some quarel was picked agaynst him and so was thrust out of the Court as Stokesly was He promoted the Byshop of Lyncolne that now is his most faythfull trend and old companion made him confessour to whom of what soeuer the kynges grace shroue him selfe thinke ye not that hee spake so loude that the Cardinall heard it and not vnright for as Gods creatures ought to obey God and serue his honor so ought the Popes creatures to obey the pope and serue his Maiestie Finally Thomas Wolfsey became what he would euen porter of heauen so that no mā could enter into promotion but through him ¶ The cause of all that we haue suffred this xx yeares ABout the beginnyng of the kinges grace that now is Fraunce was mighty so that I suppose it was not mightyer this v. hundred yeares King Lewes of Fraunce had wonne Naples and had taken Bonony from S. Peters see Wherefore Pope Iuly was wroth cast how to bring the Frenchmen downe yet soberly lest while he brought him lower he should geue an occasion to lift vp y ◠Emperour higher Our first viage into Spayne was to bryng the Frenchmen lower For our meynye were set in the forefront and borders of Spaine toward Gascoyne partly to kepe those parties and partly to feare the Gascoynes and to kepe them at home whyle in the meane time the Spanyardes wanne Nauerne When Nauerne was wonne our men came to house as many as dyed not there and brought al their mony with them home againe saue that they spent there Howbeit for all the losse of Nauerne the Frenchmen were yet able enough to match Spayne the Venetians and the Pope with all the souchenars that he could make so that there was yet no remedy but we must set on the Frenchmen also if they should be brought out of Italie Then pope Iulie wrote vnto hys deare sonne Thomas Wolfse that he would be as good as louing and as helping to holy church as any Thomas euer was seeing he was as able Then the new Thomas as glorious as the old tooke the matter in hand perswaded the kinges grace And then the kinges grace tooke a dispensation for his oth made vpon the appointmēt of peace betweene him and the french king and promised to helpe the holy seat wherein Pope Peter neuer sate But the Emperor Maximilian might in no wise stand still least the Frenchmen should mony him and get ayd of him since the Almaines refuse not mony whence soeuer it be proffered then quod Thomas Wolfse Oh and like your grace what an honour should it be vnto your grace if the Emperour were your souldiar so great honour neuer chaunced any King christened it should be spoken of while the world stood the glory and honour shall hyde and darken the cost that it shall neuer be seene though it shoulde coste halfe your Realme Dixit factum est It was euen so And then a Parlament and then pay then vpon the French dogs with cleane remission of all hys sinnes that slew one of them or if he be slain for y ◠pardons haue no strēgth to saue in this life but in y ◠life to come only then to heauen straight without feeling of the paynes of purgatory Then came our king with all hys might by sea and by land and the Emperour with a strong army and the Spaniardes and the Pope the Venecians al at once against king Lewes of Fraunce Assoue as the Pope had that he desired in Italy then peace immediatly And Frenchmen were christen men and pitie yea and great sinne also were it to shed their bloud the French King was the most Christen king againe And thus was peace concluded and our Englishmen or rather sheep came home against winter and left their flecces behind them Wherefore no small number of them while they sought them better rayment at home were hanged for their labour Why the kinges sister was turned vnto Fraunce WHen this peace was made our holy Cardinalles and Bisshops as their old guise is to calke and cast xl l. yea an hundred yeare before what is like to chaunce vnto their kingdome considered how the Emperour that now is was most like to be chosē emperour after his graundfather Maximilian for Maximilian had already obtayned of diuers of the Electours that it should so be They considered also how mighty he shuld be first king of Spaine with all that perteyneth thereto which was wont to be v. vj. or vij kingdomes then duke ot Burgaine erle of Flaunders of Hollonde Zelande and Braband with all that pertaine therto thē Emperour and his brother Duke of Austrie and his sister Quene of Hungrie Wherfore thought our prelates if we take not heed betimes our kingdome is like to be troubled and we to be brought vnder y t feet for this mā shall be so mighty that he shall with power take out of the French kinges handes out of the hands of the Venetians and from the pope also whatsoeuer pertaineth vnto the Empire and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto his other kingdomes and dominions thereto and then will he come to Rome be crowned there and so shall he ouerlooke our holy father and see what he doth and then shall the old heretikes rise vp againe and say that the pope is Antichrist and stir vp againe bring to light that we haue hid and brought a sleep with much cost payne bloudshedding more then this hundred yere long Considered also that his Aunte is Queene of England and his wife the King of Englands
sister considered the old amitie betweene the house of Burgaine the old kings of England so that they could neuer do ought in Fraunce without their helpe last of al considered the course of marchandise that Englād hath in those parties also the naturall hate that Englishmen beare to Frenchmen Wherefore if we shall vse our old practise and set the French king against him then he shall lightly obtayne the fauour of the King of Englande by the meanes of his aunt and his wife ayd with men and money Wherefore we must take heed betimes and breake this amitye Which thing we may by this our old craft easely bring to passe Let vs take a dispensation and breake this mariage and turne the Kinges sister vnto the French King If the Frenche King gette a male of her then wee shall lightly make our king protector of Fraunce and so shall England and Fraunce be coupled together and as for the Queene of England we shall trim hir well enough and occupy the king with strainge loue and keepe hir that she shall beare no rule And as the goddes had spoken so it came to passe Our fayre yong doughter was sent to the old pocky king of Fraunce y ◠yeare before our mortall enemie and a miscreant worse them a Turke and disobedient vnto our holy father and no more obedient then he was compelled to be against his will The cause of the iorny to Callice IN shorte space thereafter Thomas Wolfse now cardinall and Legate a latere and greatly desirous to be pope also thought it exceding expedient for his many secret purposes to bring our king the king of Fraunce that now is together both to make a perpetuall peace and amitie betweene them and that while the two Kinges and theyr lordes dalied together the great Cardinales and Bisshops of both parties might betray them both and the Emperour and all christen kinges therto Then he made a iourney of gentlemen arayed altogether in silk so much as their very shoes and lining of their bootes more like their mothers then men of warre yea I am sure that many of their mothers would haue bene ashamed of so nice and wanton array Howbeit they went not to make war but peace for euer a day longer But to speake of the pompous apparell of my Lord himself of his chaplaines it passeth y ◠xij Apostles I dare swere that if Peter and Paule had sene them sodenly at a blush they would haue bene harder in beleefe that they or any such should be their successoures then Thomas Didimus was to beleeue that Christ was risen againe from death When all was concluded betweene the King of Fraunce and oures that Thomas Wolfse had deuised and whē the Prelates of both parties had cast their peniworthes against all chaūces and deuised remedies for al mischeifs Thē the right reuerend father in God Thomas Cardinal Legate wold go see the yong Emperour newly chosen to the roome and haue a certaine secreat communication with some of his prelates also And gatte him to Bridges in Flaunders where he was receaued with great solemnity as belongeth vnto so mighty a pillar of Christes church and was saluted at the entring into the towne of a mery fellow which sayd Salue rex Regis tui atquè regni sui Hayle both king of thy king and also of his Realme And though there were neuer so greate striffe bewene the Emperour and the French king yet my lord Cardinal iugled him fauour of them both finally brought the Emperour to Cales to the kinges grace where was great triumph and great loue and amitie shewed on both parties insomuch that a certaine man marueiling at it asked the old Bishop of Deram How it might be that we were so great with the Emperour so shortly vpon so strong and euerlasting a peace made betwene vs the frenchmen the Emperour and the King of Fraūce being so mortall enemies My lord aunswered that it might be well enough if he wist all but there was a certaine secret sayd he wherof all men knew not Yea verily they haue had secrets this vi◠hundred yeres which though all the lay men haue felt them yet few haue spyed them saue a few Iudases which for lucre haue bene confederate with them to betray their own kinges and all other Then were we indifferent stood still and the Emperour the French king wrasled together and Ferdinādus the Emperors brother wan Millane of the frenchmen and the Emperour Turnay our great cōquest which yet after so great cost in building a castle we deliuered vp againe vnto the Frenchmen in earnest and hope of a mariage betweene the Dolphine and our Princesse How the Emperour came thorow England AFter that the Emperour would into Spaine came through England where he was receaued w t great honour and with all that partaineth to loue and amitie The kings grace lent him mony and promised him more the Emperour should tary a certayne yeres and mary our princesse not that the Cardinal entended that thou maist be sure for it was not profitable for their kingdome but his minde was to daly with the Emperour and to keepe him without a wife that insomuch as he was yong and lusty he might haue bene nozeled entangled with hores which is their nurturing of kinges made so effeminate and beastly that he should neuer haue bene able to lift vp hys hart to any goodnesse or vertue that Cardinals and Bishoppes might haue administred hys dominions in the meane time vnto our holy fathers profite The king of Fraunce hearing the fauour that was shewed vnto the Emperour sent imediatly a defiaunce vnto our king not without our Cardinals and Bishops counsell thou mayst well wite For frenchmen are not so folish to haue done it so vnaduisedly and so rashly seing they had to many in their toppes already Then our king spake many great woordes that he would driue the frenchking out of his realme or els the frenchking should driue him out of his But had he added as the legate Pandulph taught king Iohn with the Popes licence his words had soūded much better For there can no vow stand in effecte except the holy father confirmed it We sent out our souldiers two summers agaynst the Frenchmen vnto whose cheef Captayne 's the Cardinall had appointed how far they should go and what they should do and therfore the French king was nothing afrayd but brought all his power against the Emperour in other places so was the Emperor euer betrayed And thus the Cardinall was the Emperours frend openly and the french kinges secreatly For at the meeting with the french king beside Cales he vtterly betrayed the Emperour yet for no loue that he had to Fraunce but to helpe the Pope and to haue bene Pope happly to saue their kingdome Which treason
though they were annointed by Gods commaundement and appoynted to serue God in his temple and exempte from all offices ministering of wordly matters were yet neuerthelesse vnder the temporall sword if they brake y e lawes Christ sayth to Peter all that take y e sword shal perish by the sword Here is none exception Paul saith all soules must obey Here is none exception Paule hym selfe is here not exempt God sayth Gene. ix Who soeuer sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed agayn Here is none exception Moreouer Christ became poore to make other men riche and bound to make other free He left also with his Disciples the law of loue Now loue seketh not her owne profite but her neighbours loue sceketh not her own fredome but becommeth suretie and bonde to make her neighbour fre Dāned therfore are the spiritualtie by all the lawes of God which through falshead disguised hipocrisie haue sought so great profit so great riches so great authoritie and so great liberties and haue so bedgerd the lay so brought them in subiectiō and bondage and so despised thē that they haue set vp frāchises in all townes and villages for who soeuer robbeth murthereth or slayeth them and euen for traytours vnto the kynges person also I proued also that no kyng hath power to graūt them such libertie but are as well damned for their geuyng as they for their false purchasing For as God geueth the father power ouer his children euen so geueth he hym a commaundement to execute it and not to suffer them to do wickedly vnpunished but vnto his damnation as thou mayst see by Hely the hygh Priest c. And as the master hath authoritie ouer his seruauntes euen so hath he a commaundement to gouerne them And as the husband is head ouer hys wife euen so hath he commaundemēt to rule her appetites and is damned if he suffer her to be an whore a misse liuer or submit him self to her make her his head And euen in lyke maner as God maketh the kyng head ouer his Realme euen so geueth he him cōmaundement to execute the lawes vppon all men indifferently For the law is Gods and not the kyngs The king is but a seruaunt to execute the law of God and not to rule after his owne imagination I shewed also that the law and the kyng are to be feared as thinges that were geuēin fire and in thunder and lightning terrible signes I shewed the cause why rulers are euill and by what meanes we might obtaine better I shewed also how wholesome those bitter medicines euill Princes are to right Christen men I declared how they whiche God hath made gouerners in the worlde ought to rule if they be Christē They ought to remēber that they are heades and armes to defend the body to minister peace health wealth and euē to saue the body and that they haue receaued their offices of God to minister to do seruice vnto their brethrē Kyng subiect Master seruaunt are names in the world but not in Christ In Christ we are all one and euen brethren No man is his own but we are all Christes seruauntes bought with Christes bloud Therfore ought no mā to seke him selfe or his owne profite but Christ and his will In Christ no man ruleth as a kyng his subiectes or a master his seruaunts but serueth as one hand doth to an other and as the handes do vnto the feete and the feete to the handes as thou seest 1. Cor. xij We also serue not as seruauntes vnto masters but as they which are bought with Christes bloud serue Christ hym selfe We be here all seruauntes vnto Christ For what soeuer we do one to an other in Christes name that do we vnto Christ the reward of that shall we receaue of Christ The kyng counteth his cōmōs Christ himselfe therfore doth thē seruice willingly seeking no more of thē thē is sufficiēt to mainteine peace vnitie to defēde the realme And they obey agayne willingly and louingly as vnto Christ And of Christ euery man seketh his reward I warned the iudges that they take not an ensample how to minister their offices of our spiritualtie whiche are bought and solo to do the will of Sathā but of the Scripture whence they haue their authoritie Let that which is secret abyde secret till God open it which is the iudge of secretes For it is more then a cruell thyng to breake vp into a mans hart to compell him to put either soule or body in ieopardy or to shame him selfe If Peter that great piller for feare of death forsoke hys master ought we not to spare weake consciences I declared how the kyng ought to ridde his Realme from the wily tyrāny of the hypocrites and to bryng the hypocrites vnder his lawes yea and how he ought to be learned to heare and to looke vpon the causes him selfe which he wil punish and not to beleue the hypocrites and to geue them his sword to kill whom they will The kyng ought to count what he hath spent in the Popes quarell sens he was kyng The first viage cost vpō xiiij hundred thousand poundes Rekē sens what hath bene spēt by sea and land betwene vs and Frenchmen and Scottes and then in triumphes and in Ambasiasies and what hath bene sent out of the Realme secretly and all to mainteine our holy father and I doubt not but that will surmount the some of xl or l. hundred thousand poūdes For we had no cause to spend one peny but for our holy father The king therfore ought to make them pay this money euery farthing and fette it out of their myters croses shrines and all maner treasure of the Church and pay it to his commons again not that onely which the Cardinal and his Bishops compelled the commōs to lend and made thē sweare with such an ensample of tyrāny as was neuer before thought on but also all that he hath gathered of them Or els by the cōsent of the commons to keepe it in store for the defence of the realme Yea the kyng ought to loke in the Chronicles what the Popes haue done to kings in time past and make them restore it also And ought to take away from them theyr landes whiche they haue gotten with their false prayers restore it vnto the right heyres agayne or with consent aduisemēt turne them vnto the maynteinyng of the poore and bringyng vp of youth vertuously and to maynteine necessary officers and ministers for to defend the common wealth If he will not do it then ought the commons to take pacience and to take it for Gods scourge and to thinke that God hath blynded the kyng for theyr sinnes sake and commit their cause to God And then shall God make a scourge for them and driue them out of his Temple after hys wonderfull iudgement ON the other side I haue also
cum lucro for lucre say they maketh the labour light euer noselyng them in ceremonyes in their owne constitutions decrees ordinaunces and lawes of holy Church And the promises and Testament which the Sacrament of Christes body bloud did preach dayly vnto the people that they put out of knowledge and say now that it is a sacrifice for the soules of Purgatory that they might the better sell their Masse And in the Vniuersities they haue ordeined that no man shall looke on the Scripture vntill he be noseled in heatheÌ„ learning viij or nyne yeare armed with false principles with whiche he is cleane shut out of the vnderstandyng of the Scripture And at his first commyng vnto Vniuersitie he is sworne that he shall not defame the Vniuersitie what soeuer he seeth And when he taketh first degree he is sworne that he shall hold none opinion condemned by the Churche but what such opinions be that he shall not know And they wheÌ„ they be admitted to studye Diuinitye because y e Scripture is locked vp with such false expositions with false principles of natural Philosophy that they can not enter in they go about the out side and dispute all their lyues about words vaine opinioÌ„s pertaining as much vnto the healyng of a mans hele as health of his soule Prouided yet all way lest god geue his singulare grace vnto any person that none may preach except he be admitted of the Byshops Then came Thomas de Aquino and he made the Pope a God with his sophistrie and the Pope made him a Sainte for his labour and called him Doctour Sanctus for whose holynesse no man may deny what so euer he sayth saue in certaine places where among so many lyes he sayd now and then true And in like maner who soeuer defendeth hys traditioÌ„s decrees and priuileges him he made a Sainte also for his labour were his liuyng neuer so contrary vnto the Scripture as Thomas of Canterbury with many other like whose life was like Thomas Cardinalles but not Christes neither is Thomas Cardinals life any thyng saue a counterfaytyng of saint Thomas of Canterbury Thomas Becket was first sene in marchaundise temporall and then to learne spirituall marchaundise he gat hym to Theobald Archbyshop of Canterbury which sent him diuers times to Rome about businesse of holy Churche And when Theobald had spyed his actiuitie he shore him Deacon lest he should go backe made him Archdeacon of Canterbury and vppon that presented him to the kyng And the kyng made hym his Chaunceller in which office he passed the pompe pride of Thomas Cardinall as farre as the ones shrine passeth the others tombe in glory and riches And after that he was a man of warre and captayneÌ„ ouer fiue or sixe thousand men in ful harnesse as bright as S. George his speare in his hand encountred who soeuer came against him and ouerthrew the iolyest rutter that was in all the host of FrauÌ„ce And out of the siâ—ld hoate from bloud shedyng was he made Bishop of Canterbury and did put of his helme and put on his mitre put of his harnesse on with his robes and layde downe hys speare tooke his crosse yer his haÌ„des were cold and so came with a lusty corage of a maÌ„ of warre to fight an other while against his Prince for the Pope Where his Princes causes were with the law of God and the Popes cleane contrary And the pompe of his consecration was after his old worldly fashioÌ„ Howbeit yet he is made a Saint for his worshyppyng of the holy seate of saint Peter not that seate of Peter whiche is Christes Gospell but an other lyed to be Peters and is in deede Cathedra pestilentiae a chayre of false do ctrine And because he could no skill of our Lordes Gospell he sayd of Matene with our Lady Such as vnderstand the Latin read his life and compare it vnto the Scripture and theÌ„ he shall see such holynesse as were here to long to be rehearsed And euery Abbay euery Cathedrall Church did shrine them one God or other and myngled the lyues of the very Saintes with starke lyes to moue meÌ„ to offer whiche thing they call deuotion And though in all their doings they oppresse the temporaltie and their coÌ„mon wealth and be greuous vnto the rich and paynfull to the poore yet they be so many and so exercised in wyles so sutill and so knit and sworne together that they compasse the temporalitie and make them beare theÌ„ whether they will or will not as the Oke doth the Iuye partly with iugglyng and beside that with worldly policy For euery Abbot will make him that may do most in the shyre or with the kyng the stuard of his landes and geue him a feeyearely and will lend vnto some and feast other that by such meanes they do what they will And litle master ParsoÌ„ after the same maner if he come into an house and the wife be snoutefaire he will roote him selfe there by one craft or other either by vsing such pastime as the good maÌ„ doth or in beyng beneficiall by one way or other or he will lend him and so bryng him into his daunger that he can not thrust him out when he would but must be compelled to beare him and to let him be homely whether he will or no. An example of practise out of our owne Chronicles TAke an exaÌ„ple of their practise out of our owne stories Kyng Herold exiled or banished Robert Archbyshop of CaÌ„terbury For what cause the English PolychronicoÌ„ specifieth not But if the cause were not somwhat suspect I thinke they would not haue passed it ouer with sileÌ„ce This Robert gat him immediatly vnto king William the coÌ„querour then Duke of NormaÌ„dy And the pope Alexander sent Duke William a baner to go and conquere England and cleane remission vnto who soeuer would folow the baner and go with kyng WilliaÌ„ Here marke how streight the Pope folowed Christes steppes his Apostles they preached forgeuenesse of sinnes to all that repented thorough Christes bloud shedyng y t pope preacheth forgeuenesse of sinnes to all that wil sâ—ea their brethreÌ„â—ought with Christes bloud to subdue them vnto his tyranny What soeuer other cause Duke William had agaynst K. Herold thou maist be sure y t the pope wold not haue medled if Herold had not troubled his kyngdome neither should Duke William haue bene able to coÌ„quere the land at that tyme except the spiritualtie had wrought on his side What bloud did that conquest cost England thorow which almost all the Lords of the Englishe bloud were slayne and the Normandes became rulers all the lawes were chaunged into French But what careth the holy father for sheding of laye mens bloude It were better that ten hundred thousand laye knaues lost their liues then that holy Church should lose one
wise The body of our Sauiour which was broken on the crosse for the sinne of all that repent and haue good hartes and would fayne keepe his law be broke vnto my danmation if I breake this othe then is it a terrible othe and they had nede to take hede how they make it and if it be lawfully made not to breake it at all But as they care for their othe whiche they make in wedlocke so they care for this What soeuer nede the Pope hath he wil not send to the Emperour to come and helpe him in Italy for feare lest he would take to him selfe what soeuer he conquered of the Frenchmen and waxe to strong and minish our holy fathers power and become our holy fathers Vicare as he is S. Peters Neuerthelesse if we Englishmen wil hyre the Emperour to come and fight agaynste Fraunce for the right of the Churche in these quarters that be next vnto vs his fatherhode is content to admitte his seruice When our kyng hath graunted to take our holy fathers part then the pretence and cloke outward must be that the kyng will chalenge his right in Fraunce And to ayde the kyng in hys right must the commons be milked till they blede agayne Thē to do the kyng seruice the Lordes sel or lay their lādes to morgage Then is cleane remission geuen to flea French dogges He that dyeth in the quarell shall neuer see Purgatory but flye to heauen streight euē with a thought WHen the Pope hath what he desireth in Italy then must we make peace with the Frēchmen agayn immediatly that Fraunce be not all to gether troden vnder the foote but that it remayne alwaye in a meane state strōg inough to match the Emperour and to keepe him downe but not to mighty for oppressing the Pope And then our Prelates to bryng the peace about send immediatly a Frier Forest or a Vicare of Croyden to preach before the Kyng and his Lordes which preacher roareth and crieth vnto them as though he halowed his houndes maketh exclamations saying Alas what will ye do spare Christen bloud will ye sea your owne soules Be not the Frenchmen as wel Christen as ye Moreouer ye slea poore innocētes that neuer offended Make peace for the passion of Christ Kill not one an other as though Christ had not dyed for you but fight rather agaynst the Turkes Then come in the Ambassadours of Fraunce and money a few Prelates certaine other the kinges playfelowes that be sworne with them to betray both the kyng and the Realme to And then is peace concluded But outwardly there is nothyng saue a truce taken for halfe an yeare till our souldiers be at home agayn for feare lest they wold not bee content Then commeth the whole host home beggarde both great and small And the poore that can not sodenly get worke fall to stealyng and be hanged at home This could More tell in hys Vtopia before he was the Cardinals sworne Secretary and fallen at his foote to betray the truth for to get promotion Take an example the Bishops sent kyng Henry the fifte out to conquere Fraūce The cause was saith the Chronicles that the kyng wēt about to take their temporalities from them And therfore to bryng the kyng into an other imagination they monyed hym sent him into Fraunce When they had sent out the kyng he conquered more then was their will and more then they supposed possible for him in so short space and brought Fraunce cleane vnder the foote so that our Prelates had much secret businesse to set it vp agayne but what is impossible vnto so great Gods In kyng Henryes dayes the vi our holy father of Rome made the Bishop of winchester a Cardinal which went shortly after into Fraunce to treate of a truce betwene England Fraunce And him mette a Legate of Rome a Cardinall also after which meatyng Englishemen had euer the woorse in Fraunce and their chiefest frende the Duke of Burgaine forsoke them For when Cardinals and Byshops mete together they haue their secret counsell by them selues wherin they conclude neither what is good for England nor yet for Fraunce but what is best for our holy fathers profite to kepe him in his state When kyng Henry was of age there was a mariage made betwen him and the Earle of Arminackes daughter in Gyan with the which should haue ben geuen many Castles and Townes in Gyan a great somme of money therto But that mariage was broken not without the secret working of our Prelates and dispensation of our holy father thou maist be sure And a mariage was made betwen him and the kyngs daughter of Cecile for which England gaue vp the whole Dukedome of Gyā and Earledome of Mayne wherby we lost all Normandy whereof they were the kaye And beside that the commons gaue a fiftene and an halfe to fette her in wyth pompe And then was the good Duke of Glocester trayterously murthered partly because he coulde iudge false myracles partly because of the deliueraunce of these two countryes For he beyng a liue they durste not do it And when kyng Edwarde had put downe kyng Harry a mariage was made and concluded betwene him and the kyng of Spayne this quenes mother that now is But yet the Embassadours were come home our Prelates had bewitched kyng Edwarde by their apostle Fryer Bongaye and maryed hym vnto a wydow that was a knyghtes wyfe least if Spayne and England had bene ioyned together kyng Edwarde should haue recouered Fraunce agayne But what folowed after the breaking of the mariage betwene kyng Edwarde and the Erle of Warwicke and what came of his children yea and what came on king Hēry of Windsores children also But what care our prelates what vēgeaūce or mischiefe fall on Princes or on their realmes so their kingdome prosper In kyng Henryes dayes the vij the Cardinall Murton and Byshop Fox of Winchester deliuered vnto y t kinges grace the confessions of as many Lordes as his grace lusted Who so euer was mistrusted if he shroue himselfe at the Charter houses Sion Grenewich at Saint Iohns or wheresoeuer it was the confessour was commaunded by the auctoritie of the Pope to deliuer his confession written sworne that it was all And Cardinall Murton had a licēce of the Pope for xiiij to to studie Necromācy of which he him self was one other I haue heard named which at this tyme I passe ouer with silence And how the holy Friers obseruauntes caryed fayned letters to trye who was true I passe ouer with silence also Howbeit such tēptations fayned profers were inough to moue thē that neuer would haue thought amysse yea in cōfession mē will shrine thē selues of thoughtes which they neuer went about in the outward deede Whē any great man is put to death how his confessour entreateth him what
were here with his nette on his necke I thinke you would bid hym walke beggar if you called him not heretik Why doe you not sweare to folowe hys lyuing and to preach and teach his doctrine but that maketh nothing for your purpose Therefore you swerre all onely to S. Peters name But wherein wyll you bée faythfull to S. Peter to mayntane his worldly honours dignities or riches you know well hée sayth that hée hath forsaken all these thinges for Christes sake And for these thinges I thinke hée will require none othe of you Wherfore if you will néedes bée faythfull sworne vnto S. Peter it muste bée in mayntayning and in defending spirituall thynges as preaching of Christes Gospell purely and sincerely mynystring truelye after the institution of our master Christ y e blessed sacramentes of holy church and in vertuous lyuyng geuing example to the holy church of Christe But now if this bée your othe truely you are periured worthy to weare papers for you doe reken your selues to hye and to honorable to goe aboute such simple thinges as these bée And therfore you haue applyed your selues to other greater matters as to christening of belles to halowing of churches to blessing of candels to consecrating of holy oyle to halowing of chalesies vestementes and aulters and to geuing 40. dayes of pardon to them that receiueth your blessings in the streate and to some that visyte holy saintes such like greate matters which partayneth nothing to your othe wherefore I doe recken y e after the true forme of your othe we haue but few byshops but y e bée periured or abiured call it as you will both against God agaynst S. Peter and against their prince It foloweth And to the holy church of Rome what néedeth this what good can you doe to y e holy church of Rome Or what profyte is it to her that you sweare where is any request of her in holy scripture that you shoulde sweare Thinke you that she will compell you by your othe to bée true to her then must shee néedes sue you of periurie if you breake your othe But marke how y e church of Rome is set in your othe as the better person before the Pope wherefore it must néedes followe that y e Pope is vnder y e church and lesse then the church and no hed of the church except you will make hym a third person that neither pertayneth to S. Peter nor yet to holy Churche but is a thyng of him selfe and as your law sayth neither God nor man but middle betwéene them both that is as much to say after my learnyng as the deuill hym selfe But what meaneth it that you sweare onely to the holy Churche of Rome will you bée traytours to the holy Church of Constātinople or els to the holy Churche of England Or doe you thinke other Churches not holy tell vs what you meane for it séemeth a marueilous thyng and also a speciall thyng that you make such an othe all onely to the holy Church of Rome naming none other church Why are you not rather sworne to kéepe and to féede to norish and to bée true to your owne Church of the which you haue taken cure charge As S. Peter commaundeth you Sée that you féede Christes flocke which is among you For of these you haue taken your name lyuyng and dignitie You are called Byshop of Winchester of London and of Lyncolne And of these you are fed but these bée forgotten in your othe and these you litle regarde but to mayntayne the holy Churche of Rome that geueth you neuer a peny but robbeth all other Churches you must bée straitly sworne And why Antichrist must haue a cloke for his treason For now if hée bée a traytour hée is to bée excused why for hée is sworne to it But shall I tell you what I doe take out of it The truth is that you sweare to betray to kil and slay all members of all other Churches sauyng those that liueth after the whoredome and mischief that is vsed in Rome For if you should bee bounde to séeke out in Rome Christened men and those that doth liue after the liuyng of holy church I thinke you should finde but few Yea and vnto those you would thinke scorne to bée sworne Ergo it must folow that you are sworne to the worst sort of Rome and that your holy Churche of Rome is taken for such a sorte as liueth agaynst God agaynst his blessed worde agaynst the liuyng of holy Aposties agaynst the cōditiōs of our holy mother y e church I could say in all whoredome in all oppression in all Sodomytrie in all murther in all pōpe pride summa summarum in all maner of mischief what toung cā tell or hart can thinke But I will not say so for men would reken me vncharitable and to vehement Neuerthelesse all the worlde knoweth that you doe recken your selfe by the vertue of your oth boūde to no men but vnto such as in very déede liueth after this vngracious maner and yet will you bée faithfull and true vnto them agaynst all men Yea I dare say if that their conscience had not cōdemned them of such mischief they would neuer haue desired this assistence of you or els haue thought it necessary to haue required an othe of you But the veritie is they bée naught and haue néede of mayntainers in their mischief And also suspect you not to bée true except you made an othe to them yea and scarsly then onles that you in very déede at tyme and place conuenient doe betray your Princes for that is y e cause of your othe and other profite hath not the kyng by it I will bée reported by all practise that euer came out of your othe It foloweth And to my Lord the Pope I would gladly learne where the Pope hath got the dignitie of a Lord. This thyng is litle regarded of my Lordes the Byshops to bryng in such a worldly dignitie yea they will say it is but a trifle and mocke men for speaking agaynst it But the truth is if they durst as much now as in times past they would burne for this litle trifle the best Lord in England For I dare say it hath cost many a mans lyfe or euer they brought the Pope to Lordshyp Blessed S. Peter whose successour the Pope boasteth him selfe to bée knew nothing of this Lordshyp for bée sayth vnto hys felowes they shall not exercise no Lordshyp ouer the congregation And likewise S. Paule durst not take vppon him to commaunde as a Lord collections to bée made for poore men but mekely desires thē without any Lordshyp Also in an other place Let no man iudge vs but as the Ministers of Christ Blessed S. Paule rekeneth him selfe but a minister a seruaunt And yet y e day hath béene that he was so good as my Lord the Pope Our master Christ that
after my coūsell say that you can not come for you bée lawfully let It foloweth I shal honourably entreate the popes Legate both going and comming and in his necessitie I shal helpe him I pray you sée and prouide well that hée goe not a begging as Peter did And sée also that he neither preach nor teach but pyll and poull with all mischiefe and vnshamefastnes And why because you are sworne this to maintayne It foloweth I shall visite yearely my selfe or by some other messenger the pope of Rome vnles I bée dispenced with of them I pray you what pertaineth this to the office of a Byshop yearely to visite Rome Christ and the most of his Apostles were neuer at Rome and yet they were méetely good Christen men But I reade in the traditions of the Turke that certayne of them must yearly visite their Mahomet From whom I thinke you haue taken this custome Your owne law saith that vnto this clause must these bishops all only bée boūde that bée immediatly vnderneth the Pope Now are not you such for you sweare in your othe to the kyng that you will immediatly take your Byshopprick of him and holde it all onely of his grace Wherefore then doe you here sweare against your owne lawe And also against your othe made to your prince Moreouer you know that there was an olde custome in the dayes of kyng Henry the second that no Byshop shoulde goe out of the Realme without the kinges licence Are you not bound to kéepe this custome but answere that the Pope hath dispensed with you and that you are not bounde to kéepe any obedience towarde the actes that your prince maketh Moreouer I meruaile sore that you be all so straitly sworne of so long tyme and neuer one of you that euer went in my dayes to Rome to discharge his othe And why because you are dispensed with But were it not as good to leaue it out of your othe at the first séeing you entende not to kéepe it as afterwarde to dispence with you for it No forsothe for than the Pope coulde not bynde you to come to Rome at hys pleasure and betraye your kyng all his counselles But in your othe that is newly made that you haue sworne laste is added That if the pope bée on this side y e mountaines you shall visite him euery yeare But if hée bée beyond the moūtaines then euery three yeares One that knew not your practise and the circumstaūces of your factes y e hath béene done would litle suspect this additiō But the very truth is there is a mischieuous and abhominable treason in it agaynst Princes For if it chaunced the Emperour or els any temporall Prince neare vnto Rome to fall at variaunce with the Pope then dyd y e Pope straight runne into Fraunce that is to say on this side the mountaines where you must visite hym yearely And why Bicause your god is in distresse and hath conceiued a deadly hatered agaynst a Prince and can not bring it to passe without your helpe and counsell Wherefore you must come yearely And also hée must know through your betraying how your Prince is mynded and whether hée bée addicted to his contrary parte or not If hée bée then must you betraye his counsell and that yearely And why bicause the pope is on this side the mountaines But and if hée bée in Rome and hath all Princes neckes vnder hys gyrdell then is it sufficient that you come euery thyrd yeare For you cā at ones commyng deuise as much treason as Princes shall auoyde in fiue yeares But what belongeth this vnto a Bishop that the Pope is on this side the moūtaines or beyonde If ye bée bounde by Gods law yearely to visite the Pope then must you visite him where soeuer hée bée though hée were either with God or the deuill And if you bée not bounde by Gods law what a presumption is it of him to bynde you Yea what an ouersight is it of you to let your selfe thus to bée bounde And what a wickednes is it of you so straitely to kéepe this othe to the which you are not boūde by Scripture against your obedience made to your Prince whiche is commaunded by Gods word But I pray you what example hath either hée or you of blessed S. Peter to bynde by the vertue of an othe the other Apostles yearely to visite him at Rome All the world may perceiue that this othe is inuented of insaciable couetousnes that the Pope and you haue toward honours and dignities And that is well declared by these wordes that foloweth in your othe The possessions of my Church I shal not sell geue lay to morgage or make any feoffement or by any other meanes alienate the same without the counsell of y e pope But I pray you tell me one thing why doe you not sweare that you shall neither bye nor yet receiue any possessions to your church nor you shall neither pill nor poull nor shaue to encrease the possessions of your Church But the truth is all is fish that commeth to the nette with you And if it come ones within your cloukes it neuer cōmeth out agayne thoughe the Kyng and his Realme should stand in neuer so great néede But to receiue all his lande you are alwayes ready and it is not agaynst your othe I do not say thus bicause I would ye should sell or alienate the possessions of the Churche but bicause I sée that there is nothyng maintained by them but all onely your mischeuous pompe and your pride Your owne law commaundeth that the fourth part of the spiritual goodes should bée distributed among poore men And for that cause they bée called Bona pauperum but how litle their part is all the world can testifie Wherfore doe you sweare not to alienate your goodes without the popes licence The pope gaue them not to you but the kyng his subiectes How commeth hée now to bée so neare of your counsell in alienating them and the king is thrust out the whiche hath deserued best to bée of your counsell But doe you not remember your own law the which doth forbid that the pope in any wise or sor any necessitie should alienate the goodes of the Church except it bée old houses whiche can not bée kept without great charges This is your owne law and agaynst this will you sweare Then must you néedes bée periured for if you alienate your goodes with the Popes licence then is this Decrée agaynst you and curseth you Wherfore then put you this in your othe seyng you can not alienate your goodes with his consent nor yet without it It foloweth in your new othe decrées ordinaunces sentences disposions reseruations prouisions and commaundementes apostolike with all my power I will obserue shall and cause other men to obserue them These things were added when this Idole was brought so highe that no man durste wynche
agaynst hym and when hée might saye and doe what he would And as your lawe commaundeth no man so hardye to aske hym why hée doth so Then began decrées ordinances depocytions disposycyons reseruations prouysions with like shamefulnes sor to spring and there is no remedy but they must contynue And why Because you are sworne to kéepe them your selfe and to compel other men also to kéepe them And out of the kéepinge of this part of your othe springeth out an other sentence that foloweth which is this All heretykes sysmatikes and rebelles towardes our sayd Lorde y e Pope to my power I shall persecute and withstand This is the cause that hath made vs poore men so great heretykes For it can neuer bée proued that euer we spake agaynst God or our king and yet bée we heretikes And why Forsooth because the Byshops are sworne to the Popes decrées the which condemneth all them for heretikes that speaketh against his holynes though hée bée as holy as my horse For hée sayth hym selfe in his lawe that hée nedeth not to bée holy hym selfe but it is sufficient that hée sytteth in an holy seat These be his wordes who doubteth but hée is holy y e which is exalted to so great a dignitie In whō though good workes of his owne merites be wantinge yet are those good workes sufficyent the which were done by his predecessours Vpon the which texte their glose sayth that if it bée openly knowen that the Pope bée an aduoulterer or a murderer yet ought hée not to bée accused c. Now we poore men can not suffre such myscheuous vyces wherefore we must bée heretikes But why because my lords y e byshops are sworne to persecute vs. But neuertheles I trust to Gods grace and the Kinges that my Lordes the Byshops wyll not bée so hard in this poynt of their othe as they haue béene And why Because mē may nowe come to their aunswere Surely there bée many clauses in his last othe added that bée cleare iniury vnto princes against Gods lawe and mans lawe And yet our Byshops will swere them yea that which is worst of all they will accuse other men of treason rebelliō And there is no mā sworne to treason nor rebellion but they onely ¶ Wherfore most gracious prince with all mekenes and lowlynes that is due to soe noble a prince and also that doth béecome a true subiecte to doe I lowly and méekely require and desire your grace to Iudge betwéene the Byshops and me whiche of vs is trewest and faythfullest to God and to your grace I speake all onelye of those that hath and also would nowe if they durste defende the Pope and his lawes Agaynst them I make this supplication and agaynst them haue I declared the learning and doctrine that I haue both taught and wrytten And as for my factes déedes what I haue done agaynst God and your grace I require them to say their vttermost that they can proue or elles by your gracious fauour I am bere presente and offer my selfe to proue thē lyars And that vnder any maner of payne that your grace shal assigne And agaynst them I haue declared the learnyng and doctrine of theyr Churche and also brought examples of their factes and déedes with the whiche they haue put theyr doctrine in exercise Nowe if they bée gréeued or thinke thē selues wrongfully handled of mée then I require no more of your grace but indifferētly and graciously to here both them and me the which thing no doubt as your grace doth knowe our heauēly father doth require of you who preserue your highnes in all honor dignite Amen The cause of my condemnation MOste gracious Prince y e your grace shoulde knowe what cause of heresye the Byshops had agaynst me for y e which they so vncharitablye and so cruelly hath cast me away Therefore haue I set out y e articles y e were layde agaynst me And as they were layd agaynst me as I will bée reported by their owne actes and bookes The which articles doubtles were vncharitably falsly gathered agaynst me in a sermon y e I made in Cābridge in S. Edwardes Churrh Wherfore I will beséech your grace with all méekenes lowlynes to bée my gracious Lord Prince And not to suffer me thus shamefully cruelly agaynst all law conscience vtterly to bée vndone cast away But of your most highe goodnes to suffer me to come to mine aunswere and then if I can not iustifie my cause I will be at your gracious commaundement to bée punished after right and conscience IF thou beléeue that thou art more boūd to serue God to morow which is Christmas day or of easter day or of whitsonday for an holynes that is in one day more then in an other then art thou no faythfull christean man but supersticious And S. Paule is against thée saying You doe obserue dayes yeares monthes and tydes For vnto a faythfull christean man euery day ought to bée Christmas day Easter day and whitsonday The which thinge the fathers considering that thou diddest not obserue yea that thou wouldest neuer obserue if it were lefte to thy iudgmēt because thou art geuen so much to worldly businesses For that cause they haue assigned thee certaine dayes to come to the certayn dayes to come to y e church to pray togither to heare the worde of God togither and to receaue the blessed sacramēt togither what faulte fynde you in this article because I say that one daye is not holyer then an other I pray you what is y e cause or what nature is in one day that is not in an other wherby that it should bée holyer then the other Because you will say that we halowe the remembraunce of Christes birthe and of Christes resurrection in one day and not in an other This thing I say must you doe euery daye for Christe is euery day borne euery day rysen euery day ascended vp And this must you beléeue euery day stedfastly This must you sanctifie in your hartes dayly and not one day ¶ Now vary we but in this thing You say that we are bound to sanctifie but one Christmas day in the yeare and that is supersticiousnes heresy say I not that I condemne your one day but that you set it to one daye all onely that we are bound to do euery daye Briefely my Lord of Rochester alowed this article saying he would not condemne it for heresy for an C. li. this was a great sūme of money but it was folishely sayde quod hée to preach this afore the butchers of Cambryge As who say they were all butchers that were at the sermon And not y e most parte of y e vniuersity But the byshop of Bathe asked me whether we mighte labour on the holy dayes or not séeing it is written Thou shalt obserue thy holy day I aunswered
of forgeuenesse of synnes through fayth in Christes bloud And now seing that fayth onely letteth a man in vnto rest and vnbelief excludeth him what is the cause of this vnbeliefe verely no sinne y t the world seeth but a Pope holinesse and a righteousnes of their own imagination as Paule sayth Roma x. They bee ignoraunt of the righteousnes wherewith God iustifieth and haue set vp a righteousnes of their owne makyng thorough which they be disobedient vnto the righteousnes of God And Christ rebuketh not the Phariseys for grosse sinnes whiche the world sawe but for those holy deedes whiche so blered the eies of the world that they were taken as Gods euen for long prayers for fastyng for tythyng so diligently that they lefte not so much as their herbes vntithed for their clennesse in washyng before meate and for washyng of cups dishes and all maner vessels for buildyng y e Prophetes sepulchers and for kepyng the holy day and for turnyng y t heathē vnto the fayth for geuyng of almes For vnto such holy dedes they ascribed righteousnes and therefore when the righteousnesse of GOD was preached vnto them they could not but persecute it the deuill was so strong in them Whiche thyng Christ well describeth Luke xj saying That after the deuill is cast out he commeth agayne and findeth hys house swept and made gay and then taketh seuen woorse then hym selfe and dwelleth therein and so is the ende of that man worse then the beginnyng That is whē they be a litle clēsed from grosse sinnes which the world seyth and then made gaye in their own sight with the righteousnes of traditions then commeth seuen that is to say the whole power of the deuill for vij with the Hebrues signifieth a multitude without number and the extremitie of a thyng and is a speach borowed I suppose out of Leuiticus where is so ofte mention made of seuen Where I would say I wil punish thee that all the world shal take an example of thee there the Iew would saye I will Circumcise thee or Baptise thee seuen tymes And so here by seuen is ment all the deuils of hel and all the might and power of the deuill For vnto what further blindnesse could all the deuils in hell bring them then to make thē beleue that they were iustified thoroughe their owne good workes For when they once beleued that they were purged frō their sinnes and made righteous thoroughe theyr owne holy workes what rowme was there left for the righteousnes that is in Christes bloudshedyng And therfore whē they be fallen into this blindnesse they can not but hate and persecute the light And the more cleare and euidently their deedes be rebuked the furiousser and maliciousser blinde are they vntill they breake out into open blasphemy and synnyng agaynste the holy ghost which is the malicious persecutyng of the cleare trouth so manifestly proued that they can not once hish agaynst it as the Phariseis persecuted Christ because hee rebuked their holy dedes And when he proued hys doctrine with the Scripture and miracles yet thoughe they could not improue hym nor reason agaynst him they taught y ◠the scripture must haue some other meanyng because his inter pretation vndermined their foundatiō and plucked vp by the rootes the sects which they had plāted and they ascribed also his miracles to the deuill And in lyke maner thoughe our hypocrites can not deny but this is the scripture yet because there can be no other sense gathered therof but that ouerthoweth their buildynges therefore they euer thinke that it hath some other meanyng then as the wordes sounde and that no man vnderstandeth it or vnderstode it since the tyme of the Apostles Or if they thinke that some that wrote vpon it since the Apostles vnderstode it they yet thinke that w◅ like maner as we vnderstand not the text it selfe so we vnderstand not the meanyng of the wordes of that Doctour For when thou layest the iustifying of holy workes and deniest the iustifying of fayth how canst thou vnderstand S. Paule Peter Iohn and the Actes of y e Apostles or any Scripture at all seyng the iustifying of fayth is almost all that they entēde to proue Finally concernyng vowes wherof thou readest in the xxx Chapter there may be many questions whereunto I aūswere shortly that we ought to put salt to all our offerynges that is we ought to minister knowledge in all our workes and to doe nothyng whereof we could not geue a reason out of Gods wordes We be now in the day light and all the secretes of God and all hys counsell and wil is opened vnto vs and he that was promised should come and blesse vs is come alredy and hath shed hys bloud for vs and hath blessed vs with al maner blessinges and hathe obtayned all grace for vs and in hym we haue all Wherfore God henceforth wil receiue no more sacrifices of beastes of vs as thou readest Hebr. 10. If thou burne vnto god the bloud or fatte of beastes to obtaine forgeuenesse of sinnes therby or that God should the better heare thy request then thou doest wrong vnto the bloud of Christ and Christ vnto thee is dead in vayne For in him God hath promised not forgeuenesse of sins onely but also what soeuer we aske to keepe vs from sinne and temptation with all And what if thou burne frankencens vnto him what if thou burne a candle what if thou burne thy chastitie or virginitie vnto him for the same purpose doest thou not lyke rebuke vnto Christs bloud Moreouer if thou offer gold siluer or any other good for the same entēt is there any difference And euen so if thou go in pilgrimage or fastest or goest wolward or sprynelest thy selfe with holy water or elles what soeuer dede it is or obseruest what soeuer ceremonie it be for lyke meanyng then it is lyke abhominatiō We must therfore bryng the salt of the knowledge of Gods word with al our sacrifices or elles we shall make no swete sauour vnto God therof Thou wilt aske me shall I vow nothyng at all yes Gods commaundemēt which thou hast vowed in thy Baptisme For what entent verelye for the loue of Christe which hath bought thee with his bloud and made the sonne heyre of God with him that thou shouldest wayte on hys will and commaundementes and purifie thy members accordyng to the same doctrine that hath purified thyne harte for if the knowledge of Gods word hath not purified thine hart so y t thou consentest vnto the law of god y t it is righteous and good sorowest y t thy members moue thee vnto the contrary so hast thou no part with Christ For if thou repent not of thy sinne so it is impossible that thou shouldest beleue that Christe had deliuered thee from the daunger therof If thou beleue not that Christ hath deliuered thee so is
and God deliuered you and hath brought you vnto a land where ye bee at home Loue the straunger therefore for his sake In the xj he exhorteth them to loue and feare God and rehearceth the terrible dedes of God vpoÌ„ his enemyes on them that rebelled agaynst hym And he testifieth vnto them both what wil folow if they loue and feare God and what also if they despise hym and breake his commaundement In the xij hee commaundeth to put out of the way all that might be an occasion to hurt the fayth and forbiddeth to do ought after their owne myndes or to alter the word of God In the xiij he forbiddeth to herken vnto ought saue vnto Gods word no though he whiche counseleth contrary should come with miracles as Paule doth vnto the Galathians In the xiiij the beasts are forbidden partly for vncleannesse of them and partly to cause hate betwene the heathen and them that they haue no conuersation together in that one abhorreth what the other eateth Vnto this xv chapter all pertaine vnto faith and loue chiefly And in this xv hee begynneth to entreate more specially of thinges pertainyng vnto the common welth and equitie and exhorteth vnto the loue of a mans neighbour And in the xvj among other he forgetteth not the same And in the xvij he entreateth of right and equitie chiefly in so much that when hee looketh vnto faith and vnto the punishment of Idolaters hee yet endeth in a law of loue and equitie forbiddyng to condemne any man vnder lesse then two witnesses at the lest and commaundeth to bryng the trespassers vnto the open gate of the citie where all men go in and out that all men might heare the cause and see that he had but right But the Pope hath founde a better way euen to oppose him with out any accuser and that secretly that no man know whether hee haue right or no either heare his Articles or aunswere for feare lest the people should searche whether it were so or no. In the xviij hee forbiddeth all false and deuilish crafts that hurt true faith Moreouer because the people could not heare the voyce of the law spoken to them in fire he promiseth them an other Prophet to bring them better tydynges whiche was spoken of Christ our Sauiour The xix and so forth vnto the end of the xxvij is almost altogether of loue vnto our neighbours and of lawes of equitie and honesty with now and theÌ„ a respect vnto faith The xxviij is a terrible Chapter and to be trembled at A Chrisren maÌ„s hart might well bleed for sorrow at the readyng of it for feare of the wrath that is like to come vpon vs accordyng vnto all the curses which thou there readest For accordyng vnto these curse hath God delt with with all nations after they were fallen into the abhominations of blindnesse The xxix is like terrible with a godly lesson in the end that we shold leaue searchyng of Gods secrets geue diligence to walke accordyng to that hee hath opened vnto vs. For the keepyng of the commaundementes of God teacheth wisedome as thou maiest see in the same Chapter where Moses saith keepe the commaundementes that ye may vnderstand what ye ought to doe But to search Gods secretes blindeth a maÌ„ as it wel proued by the swarmes of our sophisters whose wise bookes are now when we looke in the Scripture founde but full of foolishnesse The Prologue of the Prophete Ionas made by William Tyndall AS the enuious Philislines stopped y e welles of Abraham and filled them vp with earth to put the memoriall out of mynde to the entent that they might chalenge the grounde euen so the fleshly minded hipocrites stoppe vp the vaynes of life which are in the scripture with the earth of their traditions false similitudes and lying allegories that of lyke zeale to make the Scripture their owne possession and merchaundice and so shut vp the kyngdome of heauen which is Gods worde neither entring in themselues nor suffering them that would The Scripture hath a body without and within a soule spirite lyfe It hath without a barke a shel and as it were an harde bone for the fleshlye mynded to gnaw vpon And within it hath pith cornell mary and all swetenes for Gods elect which he hath chosen to geue them hys spirite to write hys law and the fayth of hys sonne in their hartes The scripture conteineth iij. thinges in it First the lawe to condemne all flesh Secondarily the Gospel that is to say promises of mercy for al that repente and knowledge theyr sinnes at the preachyng of the lawe and consent in their hartes that the lawe is good and submit themselues to bee scholers to learne to kepe the law and to learn to beleue the mercye that is promised them and thirdly the stories lyues of those scholers both what chaunces fortuned them also by what meanes their scholemaister taughte them and made them perfect and how he tried y e true from the false When the hipocrites come to the law they put gloses to and make no more of it theÌ„ of a worldly law which is satisfied with the outwarde worke and whiche a Turke may also fulfill When yet Gods law neuer ceaseth to condemne a man vntil it be written in hys harte and vntill he keepe it naturally without compulsion and all other respect saue onely of pure loue to God and his neighbour as he naturally eateth when he is an hungred without compulsion and all other respect saue to slake hys hunger onely And when they come to the Gospell there they mingle their leuen and say GOD now receiueth vs no more to mercy but of mercy receueth vs to penaunce that is to witte holy deedes y â— make them fatte bellies and vs their captiues both in soule and body And yet they fayne their Idole the Pope so mercifull that if that thou make a litle money glister in hys Balaams eyes there is neither penance nor purgatory nor any fastyng at all but to flye to heauen as swift as a thought at the twincklyng of an eye And the liues stories and giftes of men whith are contayned in the bible they reade as thinges no more pertaining vnto them then a tale of Robin hood as things they wot not wherto they serue saue to faine false discant and iuglyng allegories to stablishe their kyngdome with all And one of the chiefest and fleshliest studies they haue is to magnifie the â—aintes aboue measure and aboue the truth with their Poetry to make them greter theÌ„ euer God made them And if they find any infirmitie or sinne ascribed vnto the sayntes that they excuse with all diligence diminishyng the glory of the mercy of god and robbyng wretched sinners of all theyr comforte thinke therby to flatter the saintes and to obtayne their fauour and to make speciall aduocates
offering and hys going in once in the yeare into the inner temple signifie the offering wherewyth Christ offered hymselfe and Christes goyng in vnto the father to be an euerlasting mediator or intercessor for vs. Neuerthelesse Rochester proueth the contrary by a shadow by a shadow verely For in shadowes they walke with out all shame and the light will they not come at but enforce to stoppe and quench it with all craft and falshod lest their abhominable iugling shoulde be sene If any man looke in the light of y e new testament he shal clearely see that that shadow may not be so vnderstād Vnderstand therfore that one thing in the Scripture representeth diuers thynges A Serpent figureth Christ in one place and the Deuill in an other And a Lyon doth lykewise Christ by Leuen signifieth Gods worde in one place and in an other signifieth thereby the traditions of y t Phareseis which sowred altered Gods word for theyr auauntage Now Moyses verely in y ◠sayd place representeth Christ and Aaron which was not yet hye Priest represēted not Peter onely or hys successour as my Lord of Rochester woulde haue it for Peter was to litle to beare Christes message vnto all the world but signifieth euery disciple of Christ euery true preacher of Gods worde For Moyses put in Aarons mouth what he should say and Aaron was Moyses Prophet and spake not hys owne message as the Pope and Byshoppes doe but that which Moyses had receaued of God and deliuered vnto hym Exod. 4. and also 7. So ought euery preacher to preach Gods worde purely and neither to adde nor minish A true messenger must doe his message truely and say neither more nor lesse then he is commaunded Aaron when he is hye priest and offereth and purgeth the people of their worldly sinne which they had fallē in in touching vncleanly thynges and in eating meates forbidden as we sinne in handling the chalice and the Alter stone are purged wyth the Bishops blessing representeth Christ which purgeth vs from all sinne in the sight of God as the epistle vnto the Hebrues maketh mentiō When Moyses was gone vp into the mounte and Aaron left behynde and made the golden Calfe there Aaron representeth all false preachers and namely our most holy father y ◠Pope which in like maner maketh vs beleue in a Bull as y t Bishop of Rochester ful wel alleageth the place in hys sermon If the Pope be signified by Aaron and Christ by Moyses why is not the Pope as well content with Christes law and doctrine as Aaron was with Moyses What is the cause that our Bishops preach the pope and not Christ seyng the Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paul ij Cor. iiij sayth of hym selfe and of his felowapostles we preache not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and preach our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake And. i. Cor. iij. Let no mā reioyse in men For all thynges are yours whether it bee Paul or Apollo or Peter whether it be the world or life or death whether they be present thinges or thynges to come all are yours ye are Christes Christ is Gods He leueth out ye are Peters or ye are the popes And in the Chapter folowyng he sayth Let men thus wise esteme vs euē the ministers of Christ c. And. ij Cor. xj Paul was gelous ouer his Corinthians because they fell from Christ to whom he had maried thē did cleaue vnto the authoritie of men for euē then false Prophetes sought authoritie in the name of the hye Apostles I am sayth he gelouse ouer you with godly gelousie For I coupled you to one mā to make you a chast virgine to Christ but I feare lest as the Serpent deceaued ◅e through his suttiltie euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the singlenesse that is in Christ And it followeth If he that commeth to you preached an other Iesus or if ye receaue an other spirite or another Gospell then might ye well haue ben content that is ye might haue well suffered him to haue authoritie aboue me But I suppose sayth he that I was not behynd the hye Apostles meaning in preaching Iesus his Gospell and in ministring the spirite And in the said xj Chapter he proueth by y ◠doctrine of Christ that he is greater then the hye Apostles For Christ sayth to be great in the kingdome of God is to do seruice and take payne for other Vpon which rule Paul disputeth saying if they be the ministers of Christ I am more In labours more aboundaunt in stripes about measure in prison more plenteously in death oft and so forth If Paul preached Christ more then Peter and suffered more for hys congregation then is he greater then Peter by y e testimony of Christ And in the xij he sayth In nothing was I inferior vnto y ◠hye Apostles Though I be nothing yet the tokēs of an Apostle were wrought amōg you with all pacience with signes wōders mighty dedes So proued he his authority not with a bulle frō Peter sealed with cold lead either with shadowes of the old Testament falsly expounded Moreouer the Apostles were sent immediatly of Christ and of Christ receaued they their authoritie as Paul boasteth him selfe euery where Christ sayth he sent me to preach the Gospell i. Corint i. And I receaued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you i. Cor. xi And Gal. i. I certifie you brethrē that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after the maner of men that is to witte carnal or fleshly neither receaued I it of man neyther was it taught me but I receaued it by y t reuelation of Iesus Christ And Gal. ij He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision was mighty in me among the Gētiles And 1. Timoth. 1. Readest thou lykewyse And Iohn xx Christ sent them forth indifferently and gaue them lyke power As my father sent me sayth he so send I you that is to preach and to suffer as I haue done and not to conquer enemyes and kyngdomes and to subdue all temporall power vnder you wyth disguised hypocrisie He gaue thē the holy Ghost to bynde and loose indifferently as thou seest And afterward he sent forth Paule wyth like authority as thou seest in the Actes And in the last of Mathew sayth he all power is geuen me in heauē and in earth goe therfore and teach all naciōs baptising them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I commaunded you The authoritie that Christ gaue thē was to preach yet not what they would imagine but what he had commaunded Loe sayth he I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He sayde not I goe my way and loe here is Peter in my stede But sent them euery man to
to mary and commauÌ„ding to absteine from meates which God hath created to be receaued wyth geuing thaÌ„kes Which two thynges who euer did saue y e Pope Rochesters God makyng sinne in the creatures which God hath created for maÌ„s vse to be receaued wyth thankes The kyngdome of heaueÌ„ is not meate and drinke sayth Paule but righteousnes peace and ioye in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these thynges serueth Christ pleaseth God and is alowed of men Rom. xiiij Had Rochester therfore not a coÌ„science marked wyth the hote yron of malice so that he can not consent vnto the will of God and glory of Christ he woulde not haue so alleaged the texte which is contrary to none saue themselues He alleageth an other text of Paule in the second chapter of his second epistle to the Thessalonians Erit dissessiâ— primum that is sayth Rochester before the comming of Antichrist there shall be a notable departing from the fayth And Paule sayth The Lord commeth not except there come a departing first Paules meaning is that the last day commeth not so shortly but that Antichrist shall come first and destroy the faith and sit in the temple of God and make all men worship him and beleue in hym as the Pope doth and then shal Gods worde come to light againe as it doth at thys tyme and destroy hym and vtter his iuggling and then coÌ„meth Christ vnto iudgement What say ye of this crafty coÌ„ueyar Would he spare suppose ye to alleage to wrest other doctours pestilently which feareth not for to iugle wyth y â— holy scripture of God expounding y â— vnto Antichrist which Paule speaketh of Christ No be ye sure But euen after this maner wise peruert they the whole scripture and all doctours wresting theÌ„ vnto their abhominable purpose cleane contrary to the meaning of the text to the circumstaunces that goe before and after Which deuelishe falshod lest the lay men should perceaue is the very cause why y â— they will not suffer the Scripture to be had in the Englishe tounge neither any worke to be made that should bring the people to knowledge of the truth He alleageth for the Popes authoritie Saint Ciprian Saint Augustine Ambrose Hierome and Origene of which neuer one knew of any authoritie that one Bishop should haue aboue an other And Saint Gregory alleageth he which would receaue no such authoritie aboue hys brethren when it was profered hym As the maner is to call Tully chiefe of Oratours for hys singular cloquence and Aristotle chiefe of Philosophers and Virgill chiefe of Poets for thir singular learnyng and not for any authoritie that they had ouer other so was it the maner to call Peter chiefe of the Apostles for his singular actiuitie and boldnes and not that he shoulde be Lord ouer his brethren contrary to hys owne doctrine Yet compare that chiefe Apostle vnto Paule and he is found a great way inferior This I say not that I woulde that any man shoulde make a God of Paule contrary vnto hys owne learning NotwithstaÌ„ding yet this maner of speaking is left vnto vs of our elders that when we say the Apostle sayth so we vnderstand Paule for hys excellency aboue other Apostles I would he would tel you how Hieroin Augustine Bede Origene and other doctours expound this texte vpon this rocke I wyll builde my congregation and how they enterpret the keyes also Thereto Pasce pasce pasce which Rochester leaueth without any Englishe signifieth not Polâ— shere and shaue Vpon which texte beholde the faithfull exposition of Bede Note also how craftely he would enfeoffe the Apostles of Christ with their wicked traditions and false Ceremonies which they themselues haue fayned alleaging Paule ij Thessal ij I aunswere that Paule taught by mouth such things as he wrote in his epistles And his traditions were the Gospell of Christ and honest maners liuing and such a good order as becommeth the doctrine of Christ As that a woman obey her husband haue her head couered keepe silence and goe womanly and christenly apparelled that children and seruauntes be in subiection and that the younge obey their elders that no man eate but he that laboureth and worketh and that men make an earnest thing of Gods word and of hys holy Sacramentes and to watch fast and pray and such lyke as the Scripture commaundeth Which thynges he that woulde breake were no christen man But we may well coÌ„playne and crye to God for helpe that it is not lawful for the Popes tyranny to teach y â— people what prayer is what fasting is and wherefore it serueth There were also certayne customes alway which were not commaunded in paine of hell or euerlasting daÌ„natioÌ„ as to watch all night and to kysse one an other which as soone as the people abused then they brake theÌ„ For which cause the Byshops myght breake many thynges now in lyke maner Paule also in many thynges which God had made free gaue pure and faythfull couÌ„cell without tangling of any mans coÌ„science and without all maner commaundyng vnder payne of cursing payne of excommunication payne of heresie payne of burnyng payne of deadly sinne payne of hell and payne of damnatioÌ„ As thou mayst see i. Cor. 7. Where he counceleth the vnmaried the widowes and virgines that it is good so to abyde if they haue the gift of chastitie Not to winne heaueÌ„ therby for neither Circumcision neither vncircumcision is any thyng at all but the kepyng of the commaundementes is altogether But that they might be without trouble and might also the better wayte on Gods worde and sâ—elyer serue their brethren And sayth as a faithfull seruaunt that he had none authority of the Lord to geue them any commaundement But that the Apostles gaue vs any blynd ceremonies wherof we should not know the reason that I denye and also defie as a thyng cleane contrary vnto the learnyng of Paul euery where For Paul commaundeth that no man once speake in the Church that is in the congregation but in a toung that all men vnderstand except that there be an interpreter by he coÌ„maundeth to labour for knowledge vnderstandyng and feelyng and to beware of superstition persuasions of worldly wisedome philosophy and of hypocrisie and ceremonies and of all maner disguising to walke in y â— playne and open truth Ye were once darkenes sayth he but now are ye light in the Lord walke therefore as the children of light Ephe. v. how doth Paul also wish them encrease of grace in euery Epistle How crieth he to God to augment their knowledge that they should be no more children waueryng with euery winde of doctrine but would vouchsafe to make them full men in Christ and in the vnderstandyng of the mysteries or secretes of Christ so that it should no be possible for any man to disceaue them with any entisyng reasons of worldly wisedom or to beguile them with blind
vttered the wickednes of the spiritualtie the falshead of the Byshops and iugglyng of the Pope and how they haue disguised them selues borowyng some of their pompe of y e Iewes and some of the Gentiles and haue with suttill wyles turned the obedience that should be geuen to Gods ordinaunce vnto them selues And how they haue put out Gods Testament and Gods truth and set vp their owne traditions and lyes in which they haue taught y e people to beleue there by sit in their consciences as God and haue by that meanes robbed the world of landes goodes of peace and vnitie and of all temporal authoritie and haue brought the people into the ignoraunce of God haue heaped the wrath of God vpon all realmes namely vpon the kings Whom they haue robbed I speake not of worldly thinges onely but euen of their very natural wittes They make theÌ„ beleue that they are most Christen wheÌ„ they lyue most abhominably and will suffer no man in their Realmes that beleueth on Christ and that they are defenders of the fayth when they burne the Gospell promises of God out of which all fayth springeth I shewed how they haue ministred Christ Kyng and Emperour out of their rowmes how they haue made them a seuerall kyngdome which they gote at the first in deceauyng of Princes and now peruert the whole scripture to proue that they haue such authoritie of God And lest the lay men should see how falsely they alledge the places of the Scripture is the greatest cause of this persecution They haue fained confession for the same purpose to stablish their kyngdome with all All secretes know they therby The Bishop knoweth the confession of whom he lusteth throughout all his Dioces Yea and his Chaunceler commaundeth the ghostly father to deliuer it written The pope his Cardinals and Byshops know the confession of the Emperour Kyngs of all Lordes by confession they know all their captiues If any beleue in Christ by confession they know him Shriue thy selfe where thou wilt whether at Sion charterhouse or at the obseruaÌ„ts thy confession is knowen wel inough And thou if thou beleue in Christ art wayted vppon Wonderfull are the thinges that therby are wrought The wife is feared and compelled to utter not her own onely but also the secretes of her husband and the seruaunt the secretes of his master Besides that thoraugh confession they quench the fayth of all the promises of God and take away the effect and vertue of all y e Sacramentes of Christ They haue also corrupted y â— Saintes liues with lyes and fayned miracles haue put many thinges out of the sentence or great curse as raysing of â—ente and fines and hyring men out of their houses and whatsoeuer wickednes they them selues do haue put a great part of the stories and Chronicles on t of the waye lest their falshead shoulde be sene For there is no mischieues or disorder whether it be in the temporall regiment or els in the spiritual wherof they are not the chief causes and eueÌ„ the very fountayne and springes and as we say the wel head so that it is impossible to preach agaynst mischief except thou begyn at them or to set any reformation in the world except thou reforme them first Now are they indurate and tough as Pharao and will not bow vnto any right way or order And therefore persecute they Gods word and the preachers therof and on the other side lye awayte vnto all princes stirre vp all mischief in the world and send them to warre and occupy their myndes therewith or with other voluptuousnes lest they should haue laysure to heare the word of God and to set an order in their realmes By them is all thing ministred and by them are all kynges ruled yea in euery kynges conscience sit they â—re he be king and persuade euery king what they lust and make theÌ„ both to beleue what they will and to doe what they will Neither can any kyng or any realme haue rest for their businesses Behold kyng Henry the v. whom they seÌ„t out for such a purpose as they sent out our kyng that now is See how the Realme is inhabited Aske where the goodly townes and their walles and the people that was wont to be in theÌ„ are become and where the bloud royal of the Realme is become also Turne thine eyes whether thou wilt thou shalt see nothing prosperons but their suttle pollyng With that it is flowyng water yea and I trust it wil be shortly a full see In all their doynges though they pretend outwardly the honour of God or a common wealth their entent and secret Councell is onely to bryng all vnder their power and to take out of the way who soeuer letteth them or is to mighty for them As wheÌ„ they send the Princes to Hierusalem to coÌ„quere the holy land and to fight agaynst the Turkes What soeuer they pretende outwardly their secret entent is while the Princes there conquere them more Bishoprikes to conquere their landes in the meane season with their false hipocrisie and to bryng all vnder them which thou mayest easely perceaue by that they will not let vs know y â— fayth of Christ And when they are ones on hye then are they tyrauntes aboue all tyrauntes whether they be Turkes or Saracenes How minister they prouyng of testamentes How causes of wedlocke or if any man dye intestate If a poore man dye and leaue his wiâ—e and halfe a dosen young children but one cow to finde them that will they haue for a mortuary mercylesse let come of wife and children what will Yea let any thyng be done agaynst their pleasure and they will interdite the whole realme sparyng no person Read the Chronicles of England out of which yet they haue put a great part of their wickednesse thou shalt finde them all wayes both rebellious and disobedient to the kinges and also churiish and vnthankeful so that wheÌ„ all the Realme gaue the kyng somewhat to maynteine him in his right they would not geue a myte Consider the story of K. Iohn where I dout not but they haue put the best fayrest for them selues the worst of kyng Iohn For I suppose they make the Chronicles them selues Compare the doings of their holy Church as they euer call it vnto the learnyng of Christ and of his Apostles Did not the Legate of Rome assoyle all the Lordes of the realme of their due obedieÌ„ce which they ought to the king by the ordinaunce of God would he not haue cursed y â— king with his solemne pompe because he would haue done that office whiche God commaundeth euery kyng to do and wherfore God hath put the sword in euery kynges hand that is to wete because kyng Iohn would haue punished a wicked Clerke that had coyned false money The lay men that had not done halfe so great fautes must dye but
promise fayre and so drawe them and â—…te them not but if they may in no wise be holpe referre the punishment to the father and mother and so foorth And by these iudgeth he all other lawes of God and vnderstaÌ„deth the true vse and meanyng of them And by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whiche are right and which tyranny If God should coÌ„maunde hym to drinke no wine as he commauÌ„ded in the olde testament that the priestes should not when they ministred in the temple and forbad diuerse meaâ—es the spirituall because he knoweth that man is Lord ouer all other creatures they his seruauntes made to be at his pleasure and that it is not commaunded for the wyue or meate it selfe that man should be in bondage vnto his owne seruaunt the inferiour creature ceaseth not to search the cause And when he findeth it that it is to tame the fleshe and that he be alway sober he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that the tyme of his disease he would not drinke wine in y e way of a medicine to recouer his health as Dauid eat of the halowed bread and as Moses for necessitie left the children of Israell vncircumcised xl yeares where of likelyhoode some dyed vncircumcised and were yet thought to be in no worse case then they that were circumcised as the children that dyed within the viij day were counted in as good case as they that were circuÌ„cised which ensamples might teach vs many thinges if there were spirite in vs. And likewise of the holy day he knoweth that the day is seruaunt to man and therfore when he findeth that it is done because he should not be let from hearing the worde of God he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that he would not helpe his neighbour on the holy day and let the sermoÌ„ alone for one day or that he would not worke on the holyday neede requiring it at such tyme as men be not wont to be at church and so throughout all lawes And euen likewise in all ceremonies and sacramentes he searcheth the significations will not serue â—he visible thinges It is as good to him that the priest say Masse in his gowne as in his other apparell if they teach him not somewhat and that his soule be edified thereby And as soone will he gape while thou puttest sande as holy salt in his mouth if thou shew hym no reason thereof He had as lefe be sâ—â—ered wyth vnhalowed butter as annointed wyth charmed oyle if his soule be not taught to vnderstand somewhat thereby and so forth But the world captiuateth his wit and about the law of God maketh him wonderfull imaginations vnto which he so fast cleaueth that ten Iohn Baptistes were not able to dispute them out of his head He beleueth that he loueth God because he is ready to kill a Turke for his sake that beleueth better in God then he whom God also commaundeth vs to loue and to leaue nothyng vnsought to winne him vnto the knowledge of the truth though with the losse of our â—â—ues He supposeth that he loueth his neighbour as much as he is bounde if he be not actually angry with him whom yet he will not helpe freely with an halfepenny but for a vauntage or vayneglory or for a worldly purpose If any man haue displeased him he keepeth his malice in and will not chafe him selfe about it till he see an occasion to aueÌ„ge it craftely and thinketh that well inough And the rulers of the world he obeyeth thinketh he when he flattereth them and blindeth them with giftes and corrupteth the officers with rewardes and â—eguiâ—th the lawe with cautels and subtilties And because the loue of God and of hys neighbour which is the spirite and the life of all lawes wherfore all lawes are made is not written in his hart therefore in all inferiour â—awes and in all worldly ordinaunces is he betell blinde If he be commaunded to absteyne from wine that will he obserue vnto the death to as the Charterhouse MoÌ„kes had leuer dye then eate fleshe and as for the sobernesse and chastising of the members will he not looke for but will poure male bere of the strongest without measure and heat them with spices and so forth And the holyday will he keepe so straight that if he meete a sâ—ee in his bed he dare not kill her not once regarde wherfore the holyday was ordayned to seeke for Gods worde and so forth in all lawes And in ceremonies and sacramentes there he captiuateth his witte vnderstanding to obey holy Church without asking what they meane or desiring to know but onely careth for the keeping and looketh euer wyth a payre of narrow eyes and wyth all hys spectacles vppon them lest ought be lefte out For if the priest shoulde say Masse baptise or heare confession without a stole about his necke he would thinke all were marred and doubt whether he had power to consecrate and thinke that the vertue of the Masse were lost and the childe not well baptised or not baptised at all and that his absolution were not worth a mite He had leuer that the Byshop should wag two fingers ouer him then that an other man should say God saue him and so forth Wherfore beloued reader in as much as the holy ghost rebuketh the worlde for lacke of iudgement and in as much also as their ignorauÌ„ce is without excuse before whose faces inough is set to iudge by if they woulde open their eyes to see and not captiuate their vnderstanding to beleue lyes and in as much as the spirituall iudgeth all thing euen the very bottome of Gods secretes that is to say the causes of the thinges which God commaundeth how much more ought we to iudge our holy fathers secretes not to be as an Oxe or an Asse without vnderstanding Iudge therfore reader whether the Pope with his be the Church whether their authoritie bee aboue the Scripture whether all they teach without Scripture be equall with the Scripture whether they haue erred and not onely whether they can And against the myst of their sophistry take the examples that are past in the old Testament authentike stories and the present practise whiche thou seest before thyne eyes Iudge whether it be possible that any good should come out of their domme ceremonies Sacramentes into thy soule Iudge their penaunce pilgrimages pardons purgatorie praying to postes domme blessynges domme absolutioÌ„s their domme pateryng and howlyng their domme straunge holy gestures with all their domme disguisinges their satisfactioÌ„s and iustifyinges And because thou findest them false in so many thynges trust them in nothyng but iudge theÌ„ in all thinges Marke at the last the practise of our fleshly spiritualtie and their wayes by whiche they haue walked aboue eight hundred yeares how they stablish their lyes first wtth falsifiyng the Scripture
they can not depart they seke a thousand gloses to turne it into an other sense to make it agree vnto their beastlynesse and where it will receaue no such gloses theyr they thinke that no man vnderstandeth it Then in the end of the Chapter M. More coÌ„meth vnto his wise conclusion and proueth nothing saue sheweth his ignoraunce as in all thyng He sayth we beleue the doctrine of the Scripture without Scripture as for an example the Popes pardons because onely that the Church so teacheth though no Scripture confirmeth it Why so because sayth he the holy ghost by inspiration if I doe my endeuour and captiuate mine vnderstandyng teacheth me to beleue the Church concernyng Gods worde taught by the Churche and grauen in mens hartes with out Scripture as well as he teacheth vs to beleue wordes written in the Scripture Marke where hee is now Afore hee saith the Scripture causeth vs not to beleue the Scripture for a man may read it beleue it not And much more the preacher maketh vs not to beleue y e preacher for a man may heare him and beleue him not also As we see the Apostles could not cause all men to beleue them For though the Scripture be an outward instrument and the preacher also to moue meÌ„ to beleue yet the chief and principall cause why a man beleueth or beleueth not is within That is the spirite of God teacheth his children to beleue and the deuill blyndeth his children and kepeth them in vnbeleffe and maketh them to consent vnto lyes thinke good euill euill good As the Actes of the Apostles say in many places there beleued as many as were ordeyned vnto euerlastyng lyfe And Christ sayth Iohn viij they that be of God heare Gods word And vnto the wicked Iewes he saith ye caÌ„ not beleue because ye be not of God And in the same place sayth he ye be of your father the deuill and his will ye will do and he bode not in the truth therfore will not suffer his children to consent to the truth And Iohn in y e x. saith Christ all that came before me be theeues murtherers but my shepe heard not theyr voyces That is all that preach any saluatioÌ„ saue in Christ murther y e soules Howbeit Christes shepe could not consent to their lyes as the rest caÌ„ not but beleue lyes so that there is euer a remanaunt kepte by grace And of this I haue sene diuers examples I haue knowen as holy men as might be as the world counteth holynesse which at the houre of death had no trust in God at all but cryed cast holy water light the holy candell and so forth sore lamentyng that they must dye And I haue knowen other which were despised as men that cared not for their diuine seruice which at death haue falsen so flat vppon the bloud of Christ as is possible and haue preached vnto other mightyly as it had bene an Apostle of our Sauiour and comforted them with comfort of the lyfe to come haue dyed so gladly that they would haue receaued no worlds good to bide still in the flesh And thus is M. More fallen vpoÌ„ predestination and is compelled wish violence of Scripture to confesse that which he hateth and studieth to make appeare false to stablish freewill with all not so much of ignoraunce I feare as for lucres sake and to get honour promotioÌ„ dignitie and money by helpe of our mitred monsters Take exaÌ„ple of Balam the false Prophet which gaue counsell sought meanes through like blynd couetousnesse to make the truth and prophesie which God had shewed him false He had the knowledge of y e truth but with out loue therto and therfore for vauntage became enemy vnto the truth but what came of hym But M. More pepereth his conclusioÌ„ lest men should feele the tast saying if we endeuour our selues and captiue our vnderstandyng to beleue O how betleblynd is fleshly reason the will hath none operation at all in the workyng of fayth in my soule no more then the child hath in the begettyng of hys father For sayth Paule it is the gift of God and not of vs. My witte must coÌ„clude good or bad yer my will can loue or hate My witte must shew me a true cause or an apparent cause why yer my will haue any workyng at all And of that peperyng it well appeareth what the Popes fayth is euen a blynd imagination of their naturall witte wrought without the light of the spirite of God agreing vnto their voluptuous lustes in which their beastly wil so deliteth that hee will not let their wittes atteÌ„de vnto any other learning for vnquietyng hym selfe and styrring from his pleasure and delectation And thus we be as farre a sunder as euer we were and his mighty argumentes proue not the value of a poding pricke M. More feeleth in his hart by inspiration and with his endeueryng him self and captiuatyng his vnderstandyng to beleue it that there is a Purgatory as whot as hell Wherein if a sily soule were appointed by God to lye a thousand yeares to purge him with all the Pope for the value of a groat shall commaunde him thence ful purged in the twinkelyng of an eye by as good reason if her were goyng thence kepe him there still He feeleth by inspiration and in captiuatyng hys wittes that the Pope can worke wonders with a Caiues skinne that he can commaunde one to eate fâ—esh though he be neuer so lusty and that an other eate none on payne of daÌ„natioÌ„ though he should dye for lacke of it and that he can forgeue sinne and not the payne as much and as litle of the payne or all if he lust and yet can neither helpe hym to loue the law or to beleue or to hate the flesh seyng he preacheth not And such thinges innumerable M. More feleth true and therfore beleueth that the Pope is the true Church And I cleane coÌ„trary fele that there is no such worldly and fleshly imagined Purgatory For I feele that the soules be purged onely by the word of God doctrine of Christ as it is written Iohn xv ye be cleane through the word saith Christ to his Apostles And I feele agayne that he which is cleane through the doctrine needeth not but to washe his feete onely for his head handes are cleane all ready Iohn xiij that is he must tame his flesh kepe it vnder for his soule is cleane all ready through the doctrine I feele also that bodyly payne doth but purge the body onely in so much that the payne not onely purgeth not the soule but maketh it more foule except that there be kynde learning by to purge the soule so that the more a maÌ„ beateth his soÌ„ne the worse he is except he teach him louingly shew him kindnesse besides partly to kepe hym from
ensamples that are gone before And finally I haue better reasons for my feeling that the Pope is Antichrist then M. More hath for his endeuoring himselfe and captiuing his wits that h◠is the true Church For the church that was the true messenger of God hath euer shewed a signe and a badge therof eyther a present myracle or autentickescripture in so much that Moses when he was sent asked how shall they beleue me God gaue him a signe as euer before and since Neither was there any other cause of the writing of the new last euerlasting testamēt then that when miracles ceased we might haue wherwith to detende our selues against false doctrine and heresies Which we coulde not do if we were bound to beleue that were no where written And agayne if the Pope coulde not erre in his doctrine he coulde not sinne of purpose and profession abhominably and opēly aboue the Turkes and all the heathen that euer were and defend it so maliciously as he hath viij hundred yeares long and will not be reformed and maketh them his Saintes and his defenders y ◠sinne as he doth He persecuteth as the carnall church euer did Whē the scripture is away he proueth his doctrine with the scripture and assoone as the scripture commeth to light he runneth away vnto his sophistrie and vnto his sworde We see also by stories how your confession penaunce pardons are come vppe and whence your purgatory is sprong And your falshead in the sacraments we see by opē scripture And all your workes we rebuke with the scripture and therwith proue that the false beleife that ye couple to them may not stand with the true faith that is in our Sauiour Iesus The second chapter IN the end of y e secōd chapter he bringeth in Euticus that fell out at a window Act. 20. whō saith he S. Paules merites did recouer Verely Paule durst not say so but that Christes merites did it Peter sayth Act. 3. Ye men of Israell why gase ye and stare vppon vs as though we by our power and godlines had made this man go Nay the name of Iesus and faith that is in him hath geuen him strength made him sounde And euen here it was the name of Iesus thorow Paules fayth that did that miracle and not Paules merits though he were neuer so holy The third Chap. IN the iij. chapter he sayth that Bilneyes iudges which he yet nameth not for feare of sclaundering thē were indifferent Nay they that take rewardes be not indifferent For rewardes and giftes blinde the eyes of the seeing and peruert the woordes of the righteous Deut. 17. Now al they that be shoren take great rewardes to defende Pilgrimages Purgatory and praying vnto Saintes euen the third part I trow of all Christendome For all they haue they haue receaued in the name of purgatory and of Saintes on that foundation be all their bishopprickes Abbeyes colledges and Cathedrall churches built If they be indifferent Iudges they must be made seruaunts and do seruice as their dutie is And whē they haue done a quarters seruice then geue them wages as right is vnto euery mā that laboureth in Christes haruest a sufficient liuyng and no more and that in the name of his labour and not of Saintes and so forth And then they shall be more indifferent Iudges when there cōmeth no vauntage to iudge more on one side then an other The fourth Chap. IN the ende of the fourth he saith the man tooke an othe secretly and was dismissed with secret penaunce O ypocrites why dare ye not do it openly The fift Chapter IN the fift the messenger asketh hym whether he were present And hee denyeth and sayth euer hee heard saye Alas Sir why take you bribes to defende that you know not why suffer you not them that were present and to whom the matter perteineth to lye for themselues Then he iesteth out the matter with Wilken and Simken as he doth Hunne and euery thing because men shoulde not consider their falshead earnestly Wherein behold his suttle cōueiaunce He asketh What if Simken would haue sworne that he saw men make those printes Whereunto M. More aunswereth vnder the name of quod he that he would sware that besides the losse of the wager he had lost his honesty and hys soule thereto Beholde this mans grauitie how coulde you that do whē the case is possible You should haue put him to his proues and bid him bring recorde Then sayth he the church receaueth no mā conuict of heresie vnto mercy but of mercy receaueth him to open shame Of such mercy God geue them plenty that are so mercyfull Then he sheweth how mercyful they were to receaue the man to penaūce that abode still in periury and deadly sinne O shamelesse hypocrites how can ye receaue into the congregation of Christ an open obstinate sinner that repētet◠not when ye are commaūded of Christ to cast all such out And agayn O Scribes and Phariseis by what example of Christ and of his doctrine can ye put a man that repenteth vnto opē shame and to that thyng whereby euer after he is had in derision among his brethren of whom he ought to be loued not mocked Ye might enioyne honest thynges to tame his flesh as prayer and fasting and not that which should be to him shame euer after and such as ye your selues would not do The vij Chapter IN the vij chapter he maketh much to do about swearyng and that for a suttle purpose Notwithstandyng the truth is that no iudge ought to make a man sweare agaynst hys will for many inconuenients If a man receaue an office he that putteth hym in the rowme ought to charge him to do it truly and may and happly ought to take an oth of him If a man offer him selfe to beare witnesse the iudge may of some haply ought to take an othe of them but to compell a man to beare witnesse ought he not And Moreouer if a iudge put a man to an othe that he shall aunswere vnto all that he shal be demaūded of he ought to refuse How beit if he haue sworne and thē the wicked iudge aske him of thinges hurtfull vnto his neighbour agaynst the loue that is in Christ then he must repent that he hath sworne but not sinne agayne to fulfill his othe For it is agaynst Gods commaundement that a man should hurt his neighbour that hath not deserued it The viij Chapter VNto Church priest charity grace confession and penaūce is aunswered him in the beginning of the booke And when he sayth Tyndall was confederate with Luther that is not truth The ix Chapter THē his ix chapter is there nothing more foolish For if he would haue any wise man to beleue that my translation would destroy the Masse any otherwise then the Latine or Greeke text he should
to hurt my neighbour and to shame y t doctrine of Christ And in like maner if I had forsworne flesh al the world had bound me yet if necessitie require it of me to saue my life or my health I ought to breake it And againe though I had sworne chastitie and the cōmon wealth or the necessitie of an other required the contrary I must breake it But on the one side of all that euer burnt in the Popes chastitie he neuer gaue priest licence to take wife but to keepe whores onely And on the other side all that vow any vow do it for the thing it selfe as though it were as I sayd seruice or sacrifice to God that had delite in the deede as young children haue in Apples and that for that deede they shall haue an higher roome in heauē then their neighbours which is the Idolatry of the heathen whē he ought to bestow his vow vppon hys neighbour to bryng him to heauen not to enuie him to seeke thereby an higher roome not caring whether his neighbour come thether or no. And finally to burne and not to vse the naturall remedy that God hath made is but to tempt God as in all other thinges But if God haue brought thee into a straite and haue therto takē the naturall remedy from thee then to resiste and to crie vnto God for helpe to suffer is a signe y t thou louest Gods lawes And to loue Gods law is to be sure that thou art Gods childe elect to mercy For in all his children onely he writeth that token And then he sayth euery man hath his choyce whether he will be Priest or no. But what nettes and snares doth Antichrist lay for them First his false doctrine where with the Elders beguiled cōpell their children and sacrifice them to burne in the Popes chastitie with no other mynde then those olde Idolaters sacrificed their children vnto the false God Moloch so that they thinke by the merites of their childrens burning after the Popes false doctrine to please god and to get heauen cleane ignoraunt of the testament made in Christes bloud Then what a multitude are blinded and drawen into the net with the baite of promotion honour dignitie pleasures freedome and libertie to sinne to do all mischiefe vnpunished things which all euill that feare not God do desire And what a number brought vp idely vnto xx and aboue then put their heades in his halter because they haue no other crast to get their liuinges not because they can liue chast Also some liue chast at xxiiij which same burne at xxx And that to be true dayly experience teacheth and good naturall causes there be And thē looke on the Apostles learning and ordinaunce When one or two young wydowes had brokē their chastitie he would neuer after let any moe bee chosen of the same age How commeth it then that the Pope for so many hundred thousandes that miscary will neither breake the ordinaunce or mitigat it or let any goe backe but if any burne sendeth them vnto the shame of Christes doctrine and offending and hurt of hys Church neuer vnto the lawfull remedie of mariage And when M. More calleth it heresie to thinke that the maried were as pleasaunt to God as the vnmaryed he is surely an hereticke that thinketh the cōtrary Christes kingdom is neither meate nor drinke nor husband nor wife nor widow nor virgine but the keepyng of the commaundementes and seruing of a mans neighbour louingly by the doctrine of S. Paul where not to eate helpeth me to keepe the commmaūdementes better then to eate there it is better not to eate then to eate And where to eate helpeth me to keepe the commaundementes and to do my dutie vnto my neighbour there it is better to eate then not to eate And in like case where to be without a wife helpeth more to keepe the cōmaundemētes and to serue a mans neighboure there it is better to be vnmaryed then maried and where a wife helpeth to keepe the commaundementes better then to be without there it is better to haue a wife then to be wythout That hart onely which is ready to do or let vndone all thinges for his neighbours sake is a pleasaunt thing in the sight of God And when he will haue the Priestes to liue chast for reuerence of the Sacramentes it is deuillishe doctrine hauing the similitude of godlines but the pith marow is away If he meane water oyle salt and such like then is y ◠wyfe with her body and all her vses in the lawes of God incomparable purer holyer If he meane the sacrament of Christes body I aunswere that the handes defile not the man nor ought that goeth thorow the handes be they neuer so vnwashed by the testimony of Christ and much lesse can they then defile Christ Moreouer the Priest toucheth not Christes naturall body wyth his handes by your owne doctrine nor seeth it with his eyes nor breaketh it wyth hys fingers nor eateth it wyth hys mouth nor chāmeth it with his teeth nor drinketh his bloud with his lippes for Christ is impassible But he that repenteth toward the lawe of God and at the sight of the sacrament or of the breaking feling eating chamming or drinking calleth to remembraunce the death of Christ his body breaking and bloud shedding for our sinnes and all his passion the same eateth our Sauiours body and drinketh his bloud thorow fayth onely receaueth forgeuenes of all his sinnes therby and other not And all that haue not this doctrine of the Sacrament come therto in vaine And therfore there is no more cause that he which sayth the Masse should liue chast then he that heareth it or he that ministreth the Sacramēt then he that receaueth it It is to me great maruell that vnlawfull whoredome couetousnes and extortion can not defile their handes as well as law full matrimonye Curssed therefore be their deuillishe doctrine wyth false appearing godlines the fruit and power away out of the hartes of all Christen men And when he bringeth the ensample of the heathen I prayse him For the heathen because they could not vnderstand God spiritually to serue hym in the spirit to beleue in him and to loue his lawes therfore they turned hys glory vnto an Image and serued hym after their owne imagination with bodely seruice as the whole kingdome of the Pope doth hauing lesse power to serue hym in spirite then the Turkes For when the heathē made an Image of the axes or feuers and sacrificed ther to they knew that y e Image was not the feuers but vnder y e similitude of y e Image they worshipped the power of God which plagued them with the feuers with bodely seruice as the Pope doth aboue all the Idolaters that euer were in the worlde As when we paint Saint Machael weying the soules
things that do to thy brother whom thou hast offended and vnto God offer the repeÌ„taunce of thine hart and the satisfaction of Christes bloud M. Tyndall saith that the confessour vttereth the confessions of them that be rich But yet we see that both rich and poore keepe whores openly without paying peny Tyndall If they be very rich they be suffered because they may be good defenders of the spiritualty and if they be very poore because they haue no money to pay or els they fine with one or other secretly More Vppon that lye Tyndall buildeth the destruction of the sacrament of penaunce Tyndall Sacrament is a signe signifiyng what I should do or beleue or both As Baptim is the signe of repeÌ„taunce signifiyng that I must repent of euill and beleue to be saued therfroÌ„ by the bloud of Christ Now Syr in your penaunce describe vs which is y e signe and the outward sacrament and what is the thing that â–ª I must do or beleue and then we will ensearch whether it may be a sacrament or no. More Tyndall saith that confession is the worst inuention that euer was Tyndall As ye fashion it meane I and of that filthy priapishe confession which ye spew in the eare wherewyth ye exclude y e forgeuenes that is in Christes bloud for all that repent and beleue therein and make the people beleue that their sinnes be neuer forgeuen vntill they be shriuen vnto the Priest and theÌ„ for no other cause saue that they haue there tolde them and for the holy deedes to come which the confessour hath enioyned them more proâ—itable ofttimes for himselfe then any man els More Neuer man had grace to spie that before Tyndall Tyndall Yes very many For many nacions neuer receaued it And the Greekes when they had proued it and saw the baudery that folowed of it put it downe agayne For which cause and to know all secretes and to leade the consciences captiue the Pope falsely maintaineth it M. What fruit would then come of penaunce Tyndall â–ª Of your iugglyng terme penaunce I can not affirme But of repentaunce would come this fruit that no man that had it should sinne wyllingly but euery man should continually fight against his fleshe More He teacheth that the sacrament hath no vertue at all but by faith onely Tynd. The fayth of a repeÌ„ting soule in Christes bloude doth iustifie onely And the sacrameÌ„t standeth in as good stead as a liuely preacher And as the preacher iustifieth me not but my faith in the doctrine euen so the signe iustifieth not but the faith in the promise which the sacrament signifieth preacheth And to preach is all the vertue of the sacrament And where the sacramentes preach not there they haue no vertue at all And sir we teach not as ye do to beleue in the sacrament or in holy church but to beleue the sacrament and holy church More He teacheth that fayth suffiseth vnto saluation without good workes Tyndall The Scripture sayth that assoone as a man repenteth of euill beleueth in Christes bloud he obtayneth mercy immediatly because he should loue God and of that loue do good woorkes and that he tarieth not in sinne stil till he haue done good workes and then is first forgeuen for hys workes sake as the Pope beareth his in hand excluding the vertue of Christes bloud For a man must be first reconciled vnto God by Christ and in Gods fauour yer his workes can be good and pleasaunt in the sight of god But we say not as some damnably lye on vs that we should do euill to be iustified by faith as thou maist see Rom. iij. how they sayde of the Apostles for like preaching M. He calleth it sacrilege to please god with good workes Tyndall To referre the worke vnto the person of God to buy out thy sin therewith is to make an Idole of god or a creature But if thou referâ—e thy worke vnto thy neighbours profite or taming of thine owne fleshe then thou pleasest God therwith More Item that a man can do no good woorke Tyndall It is false But he sayth a man can do no good woorke till he beleue that his sinnes be forgeuen hym in Christ and till he loue Gods lawe and haue obtayned grace to woorke with And then sayth he that we caÌ„ not do our workes so perfectly by the reason of our corrupte fleshe but that there is some imperâ—ectnes therein as in the workes of them that be not their craftes master Which is yet not reckoned because they do their good willes and be scholers goe to schole to learne to do better M. Item that the good and righteous man sinneth alway in doing well Tyndall In all his woorkes there lacketh somewhat and is a faulte vntil he do theÌ„ with as great loue vnto his neighbour as Christ did for him and as long as there is more resistaunce in his flesh then was in Christes or lesse hope in God and then no lenger M. Item that no sinne damneth a man saue vnbeleffe Tyndall What soeuer a man hath done if he repent and beleue in Christ it is forgeuen him And so it foloweth that no sinne daÌ„neth saue there where there is no belefe M. Item that we haue no frewill to do ought therewith though the grace of God be ioined therto and that God doth all in vs both good and bad and we doe but suffer as waxe doth of the workemaÌ„ Tyndall First where hee affirmeth that we say our will is not free to doe good and to helpe to compel the members when God hath geuen vs grace to loue his lawes is false But we say that we haue no frewill to captiuate our wittes and vnderstandyng for to beleue the pope in what soeuer he saith without reason geuing when we find in the Scripture contrary testimonie and see in hym so great falsehead and deedes so abhominable and thereto all the signes by which the Scripture teacheth vs to know Antichrist And we affirme that we haue no frewill to preuent God his grace before grace prepare our selues thereto neither caÌ„ we consent vnto God before grace be come For vntil god haue preueÌ„ted vs powred y e spirit of his grace into our soules to loue his lawes and hath graueÌ„ theÌ„ in our harts by the outward ministration of his true preacher and inward workyng of his spirite or by inspiratioÌ„ onely we know noâ— God as he is to be knowen nor feele y e good nesse or any swetnesse in his law How then can we consent thereto â–ª Sayth not the text that we can do no good while we be euill and they which seke glorie and to clyme in honour aboue their brethren can not beleue the truth and that whores theues murtherers extortioners such like haue no parte
violence euen so once our hartes sinned as naturally with full lust and consent vnto the fleshe the deuill possessing our hartes and keeping out the light of grace What good towardnesse and endeuour can we haue to hate sinne as long as we loue it What good towardnes can we haue vnto the will of God while we hate it and be ignoraunt therof Can the will desire that the witte seeth not Can the will long for and sigh for that the witte knoweth not of Can a maÌ„ take thought for that losse that he wotteth not of what good endeuour can the Turkes children the Iewes children and the Popes infantes haue when they be taught all falshead onely with like perswasions of worldly reason to be all iustified with workes It is not therefore as Paule saith of the running or willing but of the mercy of God that a man is called and chosen to grace The first grace the first fayth and the first iustifiyng is geuen vs freely sayth M. More which I would faine wete how it will stand with his other doctrine whether he meane any other thyng by chosyng them to haue Gods spirite geuen me and fayth to see the mercy that is layd vp for me to haue my sinnes forgeuen without all deseruyng preparyng of my self God did not see onely that the these that was saued at Christes death should come thether but God chose him to shew his mercy vnto vs that should after beleue and prouided actually wrought for the bringyng of him thether that day to make him see and to receaue the mercy that was layd vp for him in store before the world was made The xij Chaptâ—… IN y t xij in chaffyng himself to heape lye vpon lye he vttereth his feleable blindnesse For he axeth this question wherfore serueth exhortatioÌ„s vnto faith if the hearers haue not libertie of their frewill by whiche together with Gods grace a man may labour to submitte the rebellion of reason vnto the obedieÌ„ce of faith and credence of the worde of God Wherof ye see that besides his graunt that reason rebelleth agaynst fayth coÌ„trary to the doctrine of his first booke he will that the will shall compell the witte to beleue Whiche is as much to say as the carte must draw the horses and the sonne beget the father and the authoritie of the Church is greater theÌ„ Gods word For the wil can not teach the wit nor lead her but foloweth naturally so that what soeuer the witte iudgeth good or euill that the will loueth or hateth If the witte see and leade straight the will foloweth If the witte be blynde and leade amisse the will foloweth cleane out of y t way I can not loue Gods worde before I beleue it nor hate it before I iudge it false and vanitie He might haue wiselier spoken on this maner wherfore serueth the preachyng of fayth if the wit haue no power to draw the will to loue that whiche the wit iudgeth true and good If the will be nought teach the wit better the will shall alter and turne to good immediatly Blindnesse is the cause of ali euil and light the cause of all good so that where the fayth is right there the hart can not consent vnto euill to folow the lustes of the flesh as the popes fayth doth And this conclusion hath he halfe a doseÌ„ tymes in his boke that the will may compell the witte and captiuate it to beleue what a maÌ„ lusteth Verely it is like that his wittes be in captiuitie and for vauntage tangled with out holy fathers sophistrie His doctrine is after his owne feelyng and as the profession of his hart is For the Popish haue yelded theÌ„ selues to folow the lustes of their flesh compel their witte to absteine froÌ„ looking on y e truth lest she should vnquiet them and draw them out of the podell of their filthy voluptuousnesse As a carte that is ouerladen goyng vp an hill draweth the horses backe and in a tough mire maketh them stand still And then the carter the deuill whiche driueth theÌ„ is euer by and whistelleth vnto them and biddeth them captiuate their vnderstaÌ„dyng vnto profitable doctrine for which they shal haue no persecution but shal reigne and be kynges and enioy the pleasures of the world at their owne will The xiij Chapter IN the xiij hee sayth that the Clergie burneth no man As though the pope had not first fouÌ„d the law as though all his preachers babled not that in euery Sermon burne these heretickes burne them for we haue no other argument to conuince them and as though they compelled not both Kyng Emperour to sweare that they shall so do yer they crowne them Then hee bringeth in prouisions of Kyng Henry the v. Of whom I aske M. More whether he were right heyre vnto England or held hee the land with the sworde as an heathen tyraunt agaynst all right Whom the Prelates lest he should haue had leysure to hearken vnto the truth sent into Fraunce to occupie his mynde in warre and led hym at their will And I aske whether his father slew not his leige kyng and true inheritour vnto the crowne and was therefore set vp of the Byshops a false kyng to mainteine theyr falshead And I aske whether after that wicked deede folowed not the destruction of the comminaltie and quenchyng of all noble bloud The xiiij Chapter IN the xiiij he affirmeth that Martine Luther sayth it is not lawfull to resiste the Turke I wonder that hee shameth not so to lye seyng that Martine hath written a singular treatise for the contrary Besides that in many other workes he proueth it lawfull if he inuade vs. The xvi Chapter IN the xvi he alledgeth Councels I aske whether Councels haue authoritie to make Articles of the faith with out Gods worde yea and of thynges improued by Gods word He alledgeth Augustine Hierome Cypriane Let him put their workes in English and S. Prosperus with them Why damned they the vnion of Doctours but because the Doctours are agaynst them And when he alledgeth Martyrs let him shew one and take the calfe for his labour And in the end he biddeth beware of theÌ„ that liue well in any wise As though they whiche lyue euill can not teach amisse And if that be true then they be of the surest side M. When Tyndall was apposed of his doctrine yer hee went ouer see he sayde and sweare he ment no harme Tyndall He sware not neither was there any man that required an othe of him but he now sweareth by him whoÌ„ â—e trusteth to be saued by that hee neuer ment or yet meaneth any other harme then to suffer all that God hath prepared to be leyd on his backe for to bryng his brethreÌ„ vnto the light of our Sauiour Iesus which the Pope thorough falshead and corruptyng such Poetes as ye are ready vnto
thou feâ—e theÌ„ and that thine hart mourne for them and that with al thy power thou helpe to amende them and cease not to crye to God for theÌ„ neither day nor night and that thou let nothing be founde in thee that any man may rebuke but whatsoeuer thou teachest them that â—e thou and that thou be not a Wolfe in a Lambes skinne as our holy â—ather y e Pope is which commeth vnto vs in a name of hypocrisie and in the â—…e of curssed Cham or Ham calling hymselfe Seruus seruorum the seruaunt of all seruauntes and is yet founde tyrannus tyraâ—norum of all tyrauntes y e most cruell This is to receaue young children in Christes name and to receaue young children in Christes name is to beare rule in the kingdome of Christ Thus ye see that Christes kingdome is all together spirituall and the bearing of rule in it is cleane coÌ„trary vnto the bearing of rule temporally Wherfore none that beareth rule in it may haue any temporall iurisdiction or minister any temporall office that requireth violence to compell withall ¶ Peter was not greater then the other Apostles by any authoritie geuen him of Christ THey saye that Peter was chiefe of the Apostles verely as Appeâ—â—â—s was called chief of Painters for his excellent cunninge aboue other euen so Peter may be called chiefe of the Apostles for his actiuitie and boldnes aboue the other but that Peter had any auctoritie or rule ouer his brethren and felow Apostles is false and contrary to y e scripture Christ forbad it the last euen before his passion and in diuers tunes before and taught alway the contrary as I haue rehearsed Thou wilt say thou caust not see how there should be any good order in that kyngdome where none were better then other and where the superior had not a lawe and authoritie to compell the inferior with violeÌ„ce The worlde truely can see no other way to rule then with violence For there no man absteineth from euil but for feare because the loue of righteousnes is not written in their hartes And therefore the Popes kingdome is of the world For there one sorte are your grace your holines your fatherhode An other my Lord Byshop my Lord Abbot my Lord Pryor An other master Doctour Father Bachelar mayster Parson maister Vicar and at the last commeth in simple syr Iohn And euery man raigneth ouer other wyth might and haue euery ruler his prison his iayler his chaynes his tormentes euen so much as the Fryers obâ—eruauntes obserue that rule and compell euery man other with violeÌ„ce aboue the cruelnesse of the heathen tyrauntes so that what commeth once in may neuer out for feare of telling taâ—es out of schole They rule ouer the bodye with violence and compell 〈◊〉 whether the harte will or not to obserue thinges of their owne making But in the kingdome of God it is contrary For the spirite that bringeth them thether maketh them wilâ—ing and geueth them lust vnto the law of God loue coÌ„pelleth them to worke and loue maketh euerty maÌ„s good all that he can do coÌ„mune vnto his neighbours nede And as euery maÌ„ is stroÌ„g in that kyngdome so loue compelleth him to take the weake by the hand and to helpe hym and to take him that can not go vppon his shoulders and beare him And so to do seruice vnto the weaker is to beare rule in that kingdome And because Peter did excede the other Apostles in ferueÌ„t seruice toward his brethren therefore is â—e called noâ— in the Scripture but in the vse of speakyng the chiefest of the Apostles not that he had any dominion ouer them Of which truth thou mayst see also the practise in the Actes of the Apostles after the resurrection For when Peter had bene and preached in the house of Cornelius an heathen maÌ„ the other that were Circumcised chode him because he had bene in an vncircumcised mans house had eaten with him for it was forbidden in the law neither wist they yet that the heathen should be called And Peter was fayne to geue accountes vnto them which is no token of superioritie and to shew them how he was warned of the holy ghost so to do Actes xj And Actes xv when a CouÌ„cell was gathered of the Apostles and disciples about the Circumcision of the heatheÌ„ Peter brought forth not his commauÌ„dement and the authoritie of his Vicarshyp but the miracle that the holy ghost had shewed for the heathen how at y â— preachyng of the Gospell the holy ghost had lighted vppon them and purified â—heir hartes through fayth and therefore proued that they ought not to be Circumcised And Paule and Barnabas brought soorth the miracles also that God had shewed by them among the heathen through preachyng of saith And then Iames brought soorth a prophecie of the olde Testament for the sayd part And therewith the aduersaries gaue ouer their hold and they coÌ„cluded with one assent by the authoritie of the scripture and of the holy ghost that the heathen should not be Circumcised not by the commaundement of Peter vnder payne of cursing excommunicatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 interditing and like bugges to make fooles and children afrayed withall And Actes viij Peter was sent of the other Apostles vnto the Samaritanes whiche is an euident token that he had no iurisdiction ouer them for then they could not haue sent him But rather as the truth is that the congregation had authoritie ouer him ouer all other priuate persones to admitte them for ministers and send them forth to preach whether so euer the spirite of God moued them and as they saw occasion And in the Epistle vnto the Galathians thou seest also how Paule corrected Peter when he walked not the straight way after the truth of the Gospel So now thou seest that in the kingdome of Christ and in his Churche or congregation and in his couÌ„sels the ruler is the Scripture approued through the miracles of the holy ghost and men be seruauntes onely and Christ is the head and we all brethren And wheÌ„ we call men our heades that we do not be cause they be shorne or shauen or because of their names Parson Vicare Byshop Pope But onely because of the word whiche they preach If they erre froÌ„ the word theÌ„ may whosoeuer God moueth his hart play Paule and correct hym If he will not obey the Scripture then haue his brethren authoritie by the Scripture to put hym downe and send hym out of Christes Church among the heretickes whiche preferre their false doctrine aboue the true word of Christ ¶ How the Gospell punisheth trespassers and how by the Gospell we ought to go to law with our aduersaries THough that they of Christes coÌ„gregation be all willyng yet because that the most paâ—t is alway weake because also that the occasions of the world be euer many and great in so much that
be kept The softnesse of this Lewes did him much care For he was after prisoned of his owne sonne with helpe of Pope Gregory the fourth After this mans dayes the Popes neuer regarded the Emperours nor did the clergie of Rome sue any more to the Emperour either for the election or confirmation of the Pope More ouer after this Lewes there was neuer Emperour in Christendome of any power or able of his owne might to correct any Pope neyther was there any kyng that coulde correct the outragious vices of the spiritualtie of his own realme after this time For this Lewes left three sonnes among which he deuided y e realme of FrauÌ„ce all Douchland Which same for pride disdayne that one should haue more then an other fell together as we say by the eares ech destroying others power so that Fraunce was afterwarde of no might to do any great thyng And theÌ„ the Pope raigned in Italy alone with out care of any Emperour in so much that Nicholaus the first decreed that no secular Prince or Emperour should haue ought to do or be at the counsels of the clergie And after that Adrian the secoÌ„d was chosen Pope the Emperours deputie being in Rome and not once spokeÌ„ to of the matter And when the Emperours embassadours disdained they answered who can resiste the rage of the people and prayed them to be coÌ„tent and to salute him as Pope And Adrian the thyrde decreed that they should not abide or tarie for the Emperours confirmation or authoritie in chusing the Pope and that the Pope onely should call a general counsel and not the Emperour or if the Emperour would presume y t to do the counsell should be of none effect though all the prelates of ChristeÌ„dome were there and though what soeuer they did were but Gods word So mighty was the beast now waxed when he once began to raygne alone And from this tyme hetherto perished the power of the Emperours and the vertue of the Popes sayth Platina in y e lyfe of Popes For since that tyme as there was none Emperour of might so was there no Pope of any vertue After this Lewes the Empyre of Fraunce and of all DouchlaÌ„d was deuided betwene his three sonnes which as I sayde fought one with another and destroyed the strength of the Empyre of Fraunce And from that tyme to this which is aboue vij hundred yeares thou shalt reade of few Popes that haue not led their liues in bloudshedding in so much that if thou consider the stories well thou shalt easely perceaue that there hath bene flayne about their cause farre aboue xl huÌ„dred thousand men besides that there hath bene but few Princes in ChristeÌ„dome that hath not bene busied and combred a great part of his life about their matter Either in warres begunne at their setting on eyther in ceasing scismes or diuision that hath bene amoÌ„g the clergie who should be Pope or striuing of byshops who should be greatest as betwene the Byshop of Yorke Canterbury in England and betwene the Byshops of England Wales wherof all the chronicles be full or in reforming Fryers or Monkes or in sleying them that vttered their false hypocrisie wyth Gods worde When the Emperour was downe and no man in Christendome of any power to be feared then euery nacion fell vppon other and all landes were at variaunce betwene theÌ„selues And then as the Danes came into England and vexed the Englishmen and dwelt there in spite of their hartes euen so came straunge nacions whose names were scarce heard of before in these quarters as the Vandales Hunnes and Gothes and ran thorowout all Christendome by C. thousands together and subdued the landes and dwelt therin maâ—gre the inhabitours as thou mayst see in Douchland how diuers nacions are inclosed in y e middes of the lande of a straunge tongue which no Douchmen vnderstande and that rule continued well viij or ix score or two hundred yeares And in all this ceason whosoeuer wan the maystrye hym the spiritualtie receaued and him they crowned kyng and to him they claue And whatsoeuer any tyraunt had robbed all hys life that or the most part thereof must he deale among them at hys death for feare of Purgatory The spiritualtie all that ceason preached the Pope mightely built Abbayes for recreation and quyetnes shrining them alway for saintes which purchased them priuileges or fought for their liberties or disputed for the Popes power howsoeuer they liued but after l. yeare wheÌ„ their liues were forgotten and if any resisted theÌ„ whatsoeuer mischief they went about hym they noted in the chronicles as a cruell tyraunt ye and whatsoeuer misfortune chaunced any of hys posteritie after him that they noted also as though God had plagued them because their forefather was disobedient vnto holy church and euer put the stories that vttered their wickednes out of the way and gathered reliques froÌ„ whence they coulde get them and fayned myracles and gaue theÌ„selues only vnto Poetry and shut vp the scripture so that this was the very tyme of which Christ speaketh Math. xxiiij in which false Prophetes should arise shew myracles and wonders to deceaue the very electe if it had bene possible FInally in thys busie worlde the kynges of Lumbardy gatte a little might and came vp agayne and were diuers tymes Emperours though of no great might And one Beringarius kyng of Lumbardy began to meddle with our holy fathers busines Wherfore y e Poge fled vnto Ottho kyng of y e Saxons which by that tyme had gotten might and brought him into Italy against Beringarium which Ottho ouercame Beringarium and was made Emperour for his labour and thus came the Empyre first vnto Douchlande And Ottho receaued the Empyre of one Pope Iohn say they with thys othe I Ottho do promise and sweare vnto the Lord Iohn by the father the sonne and the holy Ghost and by this wod of the crosse that maketh liuing and by these reliques of Saintes that if I come to Rome with Gods helpe I will exalte the holy church of Rome and the gouernour of the same vnto my power Neyther shalt thou lose lyfe nor members or that honour that thou hast by my will counsell consent or setting a worke Moreouer I wyll make in Rome no constitution or ordinaunce of any thing that pertayneth vnto thee or vnto the Romaines with out thy counsell And what so euer of the landes of Saint Peter commeth vnto our hands I will deliuer it thee And vnto whosoeuer I shall commit the rule of Italy I will make hym sweare that he shall helpe thee to defende the landes of Saint Peter vnto his power And Gregory the fift when they had got at the last that which they long gaped for made this ordinaunce of chusing y e Emperour to stablishe it withall that vi Lordes of Almany iij.
had learued their crafte and had buylt them goodly and costly nestes and their limiters had denided all countryes amōg them to begge in and had prepared liuinges of a certain tie though with begging then they also tooke dispeusations of the Pope for to liue as largely and as lewdly as the Monkes And yet vnto the laye men whome they haue thus falsely robbed and frō which they haue deuided themselues and made them a seuerall kyngdome among themselnes they leaue the pay ing of tolle custome and tribute for vnto all y t charges of the realmes will they not pay one mite and the finding of all the poore the finding of scholers for the most part the finding of these foresayd horseleches and caterpillers the begging Fryers the repayring of the hye wayes and bridges the building and reparations of their Abbaies and Cathedrall Churches Chapels Coledges for which they sende out their pardons dayly by heapes and gather a thousand pounde for euery hundred that they bestow truely If the laye people haue warre or what soeuer charge it be they will not beare a mite If the warre be theirs as the one part almost of all warre is to desende them they will with falshead make thē beare the greatest part besides that they must leaue their wines and children and go fight for them and lose their liues And likewise in al their charges they haue a cast to poule the laye people The Scottes cast downe a castel of y e Byshop of Durhams on the Scottishe bancke called Norant castell And he gat a pardon frō Rome for the bulding of it againe wherwith I doubt not but he gat for euery peny that he bestowed three And what do they with their store that they haue in so great plenty euery where so that the very begging Fryers in short space to make a Cardinall or a Pope of their secte or to do what feate it were for their profite woulde not stick to bring aboue a kynges raūsom verely make goodly places and parkes of pleasure and gaye shrynes and painted postes and purchase pardons wherewyth they yet still poule and plucke away that little wherwith the poore which perishe for neede and fall into great inconueniences myght be somewhat holpen and releued And lay vppe in store to haue alway to pay for the defending of their faith and for to oppresse the truth ¶ How the Pope made him a lawe and why AFter that the Pope with tyranny was clom vp aboue his brethren and had made all the spiritualtie hys subiectes and had made of them hym a seuerall kingdome among thēselues and had seperated them from the lay in all things and had got priuileges that whatsoeuer they did no man shoulde meddle with them and after also he had receaued the kingdomes of the earth of Sathan and was become his Vicar to distribute thē and after that the Emperour was fallen in like maner at his feete and had worshipped him as God to receaue his Empyre of him and all kinges had done likewise to be annointed of him and to be crowned of hym and after that the worlde both great small had submitted them selues to receaue the beastes badge then because y t Christes doctrine was contrary vnto all such kingdomes therefore had no law therein how to rule it he went and made him a seuerall lawe of his owne makyng which passed in cruelty and tyranny y e lawes of all heathen Princes And in his lawe he thrust in fayned giftes of olde Emperours that were out of memory saying y t the Emperor Constantinus had geuen vp the Empyre of Rome vnto Saint Siluester which is proued a false lye for diuers causes One that Saint Siluester being so holy a man as he was would not haue receaued it contrary to his masters commaundementes doctrine Another that the Emperours raigned in Rome many yeares after and all Byshops sued vnto the Emperour not to the pope which was but bishop of Rome onely not called father of fathers Moreouer that no autentike story maketh meution that any Emperour gaue them their patrimony but that Pipine which falsely and wyth strength inuaded the Empyre gaue it vnto hym Then put he in the graunt of Phocas then the gift of Pipine confirmed by the great Charles then a fayned release of the election of the Pope geuen vp agayne vnto Pope Paschale by the Emperour Lewes For they thē selues had graunted vnto Charlemaine and his successours for euer the election or denomination of the Pope and Byshops to flatter him withall and to make him a faithfull defender and that in a generall counsell which as they say cannot erre Neuerthelesse Pope Paschall though he beleued the counsell coulde not erre yet he thought them somewhat ouer seene to make so long a grannt and therefore he purchased a release of gētle Lewes as they pretend But verely it is more likely that they fayned that graunt to excuse their tyranny after they had taken the election into their handes againe with violēce when the Emperours were weake not able to resist them as they fayned the gift of Constantine after they had inuaded the Empyre with subtiltie falsehead And last of all they brought in the othe of Ottho with the order that now is vsed to chuse the Emperour How the Pope corrupteth the Scripture and why MOreouer lest these his lyes should be spyed and lest happly the Emperours folowyng might say our predecessours had no power to bynde vs nor to minish our might And lest kynges folowyng should say after the same maner that the sword ful power to punish euil doers indifferently is geuen of God to euery kyng for hys tyme and therfore that their predecessour could not binde them cōtrary vnto the ordinaunce of God but rather y t it was vnto their damnation to make such grauntes and that they did not execute their office And therfore thefoule and mishapen monster gate him to the Scripture and corrupted it with false expositions to proue that such authoritie was geuen him of God and chalenged it by the authoritie of Peter say ing that Peter was the head of Christes Church and that Christ had made him Lord ouer y e Apostles his felowes in that he bade him fede his shepe and lambes Iohn the last as who should say that Paule ▪ which came long after was not cōmaunded to feed as specially as Peter which yet wold take none authoritie ouer the bodyes or ouer the faythes of them which he fed but was their seruaunt for Christes sake Christ euer the lord and head And as though the other Apostles were not lykewise as specially commaunded as Peter And as though we now all that here after shall loue Christ were not commaunded to fede Christes flocke euery man in his measure as well as Peter Are not we commaunded to loue our neighbours as our selues as well as Peter Why then are we
inch of her honour or Saint Peters seate one iot of her right And Anselmus that was Byshop in short tyme after neuer left striumge with that mighty prince kyng William the second vntill he had compelled him maugre his teeth to deliuer vp the inuestiture or election of Byshops vnto Saint Peters vicar which inuestiture was of olde tyme the kynges dutie And agayne when the sayde kyng William woulde haue had the tribute that Priestes gaue yearely vnto theyr Byshoppes for their whores payde to hym did not Rāfe Byshop of Chichester forbid Gods seruice as they call it and stoppe vp the Church doores with thornes thoroughout all his diocesse vntill the kyng had yelded hym vp his tribute agayne For when the holy father had forbode Priestes theyr wyues the Byshop permitted them whores of their owne for a yearely tribute do still yet in all landes saue in England where they may not haue any other saue mens wiues onely And agayne for the election of Steuē Langton Archbyshop of Canterbury what mysery and wretchednes was in the realme a long season Then was y e land interdited many yeares And whē that holpe not then Ireland rebelled agaynst kyng Iohn immediatly not without the secrete workinge of our Prelates I dare well say But finally when neither the interditing neither that secrete subtiltie holpe and when Iohn would in no meanes consent that Saint Peters vicar should raigne alone ouer the spiritualtie and ouer all that pertayned vnto them and y t they should sinne and do all mischiefe vnpunished the Pope sent remission of sinnes to the kyng of Fraunce for to goe and conquere his land Whereof kyng Iohn was so sore afrayde that he yelded vp his crowne vnto the Pope and sware to holde the land of him and that his successours should do so likewyse And againe in king Richardes dayes the second Thomas Arundell Archbyshop of Canterbury and Chauncellar was exiled wyth the Earle of Darby The outward pretence of the variaūce betwene the king and hys Lords was for the deliueraunce of the towne of Breste in Britayne But our prelates had an other secrete mistery a bruyng They could not at their owne lust slea the poore wretches which at that tyme were conuerted vnto repētaunce to y t true fayth to put their trust in Christes death bloud sheding for the remissiō of their sinnes by the preaching of Iohn Wiclefe As soone as the Archbyshop was out of the realme the Irishmen began to rebell agaynst kyng Richarde as before agaynst kyng Iohn But not hardly without the inuisible inspiration of thē that rule both in the courte and also in the consciences of all men They be one kyngdome sworne together one to helpe an other scatered abroad in all realines And howbeit that they striue amōg themselues who shal be greatest yet agaynst the temporal power they be alwayes at one though they dissemble it faine as though one helde agaynst the other to know their enemies secretes to betray them withall They can enspyre priuely into the brestes of the people what mischiefe they liste no man shall know whence it cōmeth Their letters go secretly from one to an other thoroughout all kingdomes Saint Peters vicar shall haue worde in xv or xvj dayes from the vttermost part of Christendome The Byshops of Englande at their neede can write vnto the Byshops of Ireland Scotland Denmarke Douchland Fraūce and Spayne promising them as good a turne an other tyme putting thē 〈◊〉 remembraunce that they be all one holy Church and that the cause of y t tone is the cause of the tother saying if our iugglinge breake out youres can not belong hid And the other shall serue their turne and bring the game vnto their handes and no man shall know how it commeth about Assoone as kyng Richard was gone to Ireland to subdue these rebellions the Byshop came in againe and preuēted the kyng and tooke vp his power agaynst hym and tooke him prisoner and put him downe and to death most cruelly and crowned the Erle of Darbye Kyng O mercifull Christ what bloud hath that coronacion cost England but what care they their causes must be auenged He is not worthy to bee kyng that will not auenge their quarels For do not the kyngs receaue their kyngdome of the beast sweare to worship hym and maintayne hys throne And thē whē the Erle of Darbye which was king Henry the fourth was crowned the prelates tooke hys sworde and his sonnes Henry the fift after hym as all the kynges swordes since and abused them to shed Christē bloud at their pleasure And they coupled their cause vnto the kynges cause as now and made it treasō to beleue in Christ as the scripture teacheth and to resiste the Byshops as now and thrust them in the kinges prisons as now so that it is no new inuention that they now do but euen an olde practise though they haue done theyr busie cure to hide their sciēce that their conueyaunce should not be espyed And in kyng Henry the sixt dayes how raged they as fierce Liōs against good Duke Humfrey of Glocester the kynges vncle and protectour of the realme in the kynges youth and childhod because that for him they myght not slea whom they would and make what cheuysaunce they lusted Would not the Byshoppe of winchester haue fallen vpon him and oppressed him openly with might and power in the citie of London had not the Citizens come to his helpe But at the last they founde y t meanes to contriue a drift to bring their matters to passe and made a Parlyament farre from the Cityzens of London where was slayne the good Duke and onely wealth of the realme and the mighty shylde that so long before that kept it from sorow which shortly after his death fell theron by heapes But the chronicles can not tell wherfore he dyed nor by what meanes No maruell verely For he had neede of other eyes then such as y e worlde seeth withall that should spye out their priuy pathes Neuerthelesse the chronicles testifie that he was a vertuous man a godly and good to the commō wealth Moreouer the proctour of purgatory saith in his Dialoge quod I and quod he and quod your frende how that the foresayd Duke of Glocester was a noble mā and a great clarcke and so wise that he coulde spye false myracles and disclose them and iudge them from the true which is an hatefull science vnto our spiritualtie and more abhorred amongest them then Necromancye or witchcrafte and a thyng wherfore a man by their lawe I dare well say is worthy to dye and that secretly if it be possible Now to be good to the common wealth and to see false myracles and thyrdly to withstand that Fraūce then brought vnder the foote of the Englishmen should not be set vp agayne by whose power the
penaunce is enioyned him concerning what he shall say when he coÌ„meth vnto the place of execution I coulde gesse at a practise y t might make mens eares glow And did not the subtile counsell of the sayde two prelates fayne the siege of Bolen to make a pretence to gather in afiftene when there was no more warre betwene the kyng of Fraunce and of EnglaÌ„d thaÌ„ is betwene a maÌ„s head that hath lust to sleepe hys pyllow Which siege yet cost many a man their lyues yea and some great men thereto which knew not of that fayning The kynges grace went ouer wyth a ten thousand men to conquere all Fraunce and spent haply an hundred thousand pounde of which he saued the fourth part in the dandy prats and gathered at home v. or vi hundred or more And two other such fayned viages coulde I haply rehearse which I passe ouer for diuerse causes where many an Englishe man lost hys lyfe But what care they for mens liues And did not our Cardinall with like policy thinke ye to gather that which he thought would not well be payde except the commons sawe some cause bring a great multitude of Scots vnto the Englishe pale eyther by some Byshoppes of Scotland or by some great man whom he corrupted wyth some yearely pension agaynst which the poore Northen men must goe on their owne coste to keepe them out And general procession was coÌ„maunded at London thrise in the weeke and thoroughout all the land whyle the kynges receauers gathered the taxe of the common people Which plague such like after the threatening of God Leuit. xxvj and Deut. xxviij and xxix I am sure will fall on all ChristeÌ„dome without cease vntill they either defie y t name of Christ with the Turckes or if they wil be called christen they turne and looke on his doctrine Yea and what fained the Cardinall at that great loue to beguile his owne Priestes to make them sweare what they were worth and the better wyllyng to pay for the common priestes be not so obedient vnto theyr ordinaryes that they will pay money except they know why Now it is not expedient that euery rascall should know y â— secretes of the very true cause for many considerations And therefore another pretence must be made and another cause alleaged And therefore the priestes were charged by their ordinaryes to appeare before the gentlemeÌ„ of the countrey and temporall officers sweare what euery man was worth Now the priestes had leuer be slayne and dye martyrs after the ensample of Saint Thomas of Caunterbury then to sweare before a laye iudge for they thinke it greater sinne then to slea their owne fathers and that then the libertyes of the Church were cleane lost they no better theÌ„ the vile lay people And when they were in that perplexitie that they must eyther sweare or run into the kinges daunger and lose their goddes I would say their goods theÌ„ my Lord Cardinall sent downe hys gracious power y t they should sweare vnto their ordinaries onely And then the Priestes for ioy that they were rid out of the lay mens handes were so glad ioyous that they wist not what thankes to geue my Lord Cardinall and so were obedient to sweare and to lende or els for all the cursses that my Lord Cardinall hath and the Pope to they woulde neither haue sworne or payde a peny ¶ The practise of our tyme. WHen the kynges grace came first to the right of the crowne vnto the gouernaunce of the realme youÌ„g and vnexpert Thomas Wolfsee a maÌ„ of lust and courage and bodely streÌ„gth to do and to suffer great thinges and to endure in all maner of voluptuousnes expert and exercised in the course of the worlde as he which had heard read and seene much policy and had done many thynges hymselfe and had bene of the secrete counsell of weighty matters as suttle as Sinon that betrayed Troy veterly appointed to seÌ„ble and dissemble to haue one thing in the hart and an other in the mouth being therto as eloquent as subtile and able to perswade what he lusted to theÌ„ that were vnexpert so desirous gredy of honour that he cared not but for the next and most compendious way thereto whether godly or vngodly this wyly Wolfe I say and raging sea and shipwracke of all EnglaÌ„d though he shewed himselfe pleasaunt câ—…e at the first as whores do vnto theyr louers came vnto the kynges grace and wayted vppon hym and was no man so obsequyous and seruiceable in all games and sportes the first and next at hand and as a captayne to corage other a gaye sinder out of new pastymes to obtayne fauour withall And therto as the secrete communication went which by many tokens thou mayst well coniecture and gather to be true he calked the kynges natiuitie and byrth which is a common practise among Prelates in all landes wherby he saw whereunto the kynges grace should be enclined all hys lyfe what should be like to chaunce hym at all tymes And as I heard it spoken of diuers he made by craft of Necromancy grauen imagery to beare vppon hym wherwith he bewitched the Kynges mynde and made the kyng to dote vppon hym more then euer he did on any Lady or gentlewoman so that now y â— kinges grace folowed him as he before folowed the kyng And then what he sayd that was wisdome what he praysed that was honourable onely More ouer in the meane tyme he spyed out y e natures and dispositions of y t kynges play felowes of all that were great and whom he spyed meete for his purpose him he slattered him he made faithfull w t great promises to him he sware of him he toke an oth againe that the one should helpe the other for without a secrete othe he admitted no man vnto any part of hys priuities And euer as he grew in promotions and dignitie so gathered he vnto hym of the most suttle witted and of them that were dronke in the desire of honour most like vnto himselfe And after they were sworne he promoted theÌ„ and with great promises made theÌ„ in falsehead faithfull and of them euer presented vnto the kynges grace and put them into his seruice saying thys is a man meete for your grace And by these spyes if ought were done or spoken in the court agaynst the Cardinal of that he had worde within an houre or two And then came the Cardinall to courte with all his magicke to perswade to y e coÌ„trary If any in the court had spoken agaynst the Cardinall and the same not great in the kynges fauour the Cardinall bad him walcke a vilayne and thrust hym out of y e courte hedlong If he were in conceite wyth the kinges grace then he flattered and perswaded corrupt some with giftes and sent some Embassadours some he made
b Dead men 408. a. not holpen by man 13. b. rewarded of the Pope 362. a Dead Saintes their miracles in the Popish Church 302. a Death of Christe why so necessary 462. a. way to saluation 257. b Death and resurrection of Christe shewed by Ionas 27. b. figured by the paschall lambe 439. b Death of Christ purchased grace for our soules 279. a Death of Christ blasphemed by Papistes 16. b Deceauyng of our selues 392. b Declaration of Adames heyres 381. b. of Christ in the old Testament 23. a Decrees deuilish 262. a Decrees of Byshops aboue Gods word 124. b Deedes not allowed without fayth 85. b. how farreforth acceptable to God 154. b Deedes of ours why euill 328. b. procedyng and not procedyng of our selues 47. b Deedes of Christ and ours their effectes 35. b Deedes not iustified by fayth are sinne 155. a Definition of the Church 250. a. of fayth in generall 42. b. of â—rue faith 64 b Definition of Popish penauÌ„ce 398. a Defender of the fayth 374. b Defiance sent from the French kyng to kyng Henry the viij 371. b Degrees of nature altered by mariage 108. b Deliueraunce by Christ why 22. a DeliuerauÌ„ce out of purgatory 366. a Deliberation of Princes in makyng warre 193. b Delight of the faithfull 379. b Deniaâ—l of helpe to our neighbour dishonoreth hym 270. a Derogation froÌ„ the dignitie of Christes bloud 70. a Derogation from Christes fayth is agaynst hys Church 187. b Description of swyne 238. a DescriptioÌ„ of Baptisme 14. b. of our iustification 330. b Desert and free gift are contraryes 19. b Desperation how it commeth 219 â–ª a. assayleth fayth 259. a Despere of mans helpe bryngeth Gods helpe 454. a Desiderius 359. a Deuilish doctrine 415. a. practises 368. b. pride 353. a. expoundyng the Scriptures by Papistes 175. a Deuill is darknes 392. a. blyndeth vs from Gods wil. 329. a. to be resisted with the sheild of fayth 62. b. euerthrowen by Christ 278. b Deuill driuen away by fayth 131. b. aduauncer of Popes 301. b Deuils and stifnecked sinners destitute of the fayth that Paule speaketh of 130. b Deuils confessed Christe to bee the sonne of God 95. b Deuils wages 100. a Deuises of the Cardinall 372. b Deuteronomium a booke of Moses commended 21. b Differences of fayth 197. a. betwene the old and new Testament 444. a. betwene the Iewes and the 〈◊〉 â—ls 44. a. betwne true faith and fayned 66. b. betwene false fayth and right 66. a Differences betwene Goddes children and the deuils 99. b. betwene Gods sinners and the deuill 199. b. betwene the fall of Peter Iudas 337. a. betwene true Sacramentes and false 156. betwene Sacramentes and sacrifices 13. b. betwene Christes naturall body and a paynted Image 281. b. betwene teachyng the people and a preacher 252. b Difference none of dayes to do good 237. a Diggyng of AbrahaÌ„s welles 184. a Dignities of shauelynges 353. a Diligence althoughe in vayne towardes our neighbour to be excused 203. b Direction of our lyfe to what ende 387. b Disciples of Antichrist 134. a Disciples of Christe were worldly mynded 106. a. had a wicked opinion of hym 25. b. doubtfull in fayth 261. a Disciples of Christe vnderstoode Christ spiritually 465. a. refuse not death for his sake 199. a Discipline vsed in y e primitiue church 496. b Dishonour of God and neighbour 269. b Dispensations purchased of the pope 329. b Dispensations for concubines 134. a Disobedience 290. b. counted a spirituall thyng 109. a Disputations backward 67. a. for superioritie 347. a Disputations of predestination not rashly to be enterprised 48. b Dissimulation of the Pope 352. a. of Papistes 19. a Dissimulation not culpable in some causes 209 a Dissembled truce 366. a Distemperaunce in eatyng and drinkyng 227. b Distrust ought not to bee in Gods prolongation of helpe 240. a Diuersities of fayth 331. b Diuision in the Church 347. b Doctrine of the Pope 412. a. 415. b. abhominable 316. b. wicked 29. b. Papisticall 360. b. of Phariseis blynd 30. a. of shauelynges vayne and obstinate 137. b. of More superstitions 317. a. of Papistes concernyng Purgatory 306 b Doctrine false causeth euill workes 199. b Doctrine of hypocrites 87. a. of Papistes nedeth miracles 301. b. with out Scripture not to be beleued 304. b Doctrine vniuersally must be examined by Gods word 414. b Doctrine of Christ peaceable 106. b Doctrine Apostolicall 408. b. of the true Church 304. a. of the Scripture 388. b. and. 304. b. of Sacramentes 320. a Doctrine of the Apostles confirmed with miracles 298. b Doctrine sincere causeth good workes 199. b Doctrine of Christ must be defended of euery man in hys owne person 198. b Doctours doubt at Christes playne wordes 205. b. differ in the opinion of the Sacrament 446. b Doctours generally call the Sacrament a sacrifice 447. b Doctour Colct 318. b Doctour Ferman a vertuous man and godly 330. a Documentes of Scripture necessary 389. b Dogges 187. a. who they be 238. a Downe fallyng sinner hath a false fayth 432. a Double signification of this woorde Church 250. a Dregges of Papistes 406. b Duns 302. a. his doctrine aduaunced 278. a Dunsticall dreames and termes 104. a Duke Hâ—â—frey 363. b. hys death 364. a Duty of kynges 137. a. of Priestes 133. b. of Ministers at the communion 476. b Duty must be done with loue 212. a E. EAre confession 339. a. a wicked deuise 367. a. destroyeth Christes benefites 320. a Eare confession and pardons neuer confirmed by miracle 319. b Earth geuen to man of God 121. b Eatyng Christes fleshe is beleuyng in Christ 467. a Eatyng Christes body bloud truly what it meaneth 463. a Eatyng y e whores flesh what 455. b Ecclesia 250. b Effect of Christe bloude 380. b. of Gods word 247. a. of his lawes 22. b. of our good deedes 158. b Effectes of fayth spirituall 43. b Elders haue erred 303. b Elders and Priestes why so named 38. a Eldest sonne of the holy seat 349. b Elect must be patient and tryed 260. a. b. haue Gods will writteÌ„ in your hartes 255. b Elect euer meditate vppon Christes kyndnes 382. b Election of the Pope confirmed by the Emperour 346. a Elias and More contrary 284. a Emanuell 408. a Emperours election to whom beloÌ„gyng 352. a Emperours haue deposed Popes Popes Emperours 364. b. theyr oth to the Pope 352. a. must not be very strong by the Popes will 365. b. abused by the Pope 350. b. not estemed of the Pope ibidem doteth 350. a Emperour setteth on the French kyng by night 372. a. came through England 371. a End of the law 193. a. of all lawes 240. b. of hypocrites 306. a End must be cast before we begyn 99. a Enemyes to Gods word 14. a Enemyes of the truth to be hated 216. a Enemyes must be ouercome with well doyng 117. b Englishmen 365. a English Byshops 114. a Enormities of auricular confession 180. b Enormities
to aduenge and no man els 136. b. onely ought to punish open sinne 137. a Kyng geuen to the Israelites 118. a Kinges why chosen 109. b Kinges and Emperours once elected the Pope onely 352. b. throwen downe by Papistes 127. a. how instructed of Byshops 98. b. captiues through flatterers 137. a. become hangmen to Antichrist 138. a in subiection to the Clergy 140. b. sinne in geuyng and Prelates in reuyng exemptioÌ„s 115. b. wayt on the Popes pleasure 114. b. defeÌ„ded the Popes false authoritie 114. b. sworne to Byshops and not Byshops to kynges 155. b Kinges must make their accompt to to God onely 111. b. must kepe law-promise with all men 124. a. must execute their office them selues and commit the same to wicked Popish Byshops 138. a Kinges law is Gods law 137. b Kinges must be learned 198. a. may not rule after their owne Imagination 179. a. must folowe Gods word in all their doynges 222. a Kinges and subiectes one afore God 224. b Kingdome of heauen what 235. a. of Christ spirituall 343. a. of heauen of this world not alyke 160. a Kingdome of the pope of this world 343. b Kingdome of Lombardy deuided 349. a Knauery in shrift 147. b Knowledge of God 408. b. of the true way 298. b. of Scriptures pertayneth to all men 138. a Knowledge of Christ not taught vs by Papistes 159. a Knowledge al darke saue harty knowledge of Christes bloudshedyng 197. b Knowledge why vsed and not coÌ„fession 254. a L. LAdders sold of Papistes to clime to heauen 123. b Lambes 187. a Landes why first geuen to spirituall officers 134. a Landes temporall small in respect of the spirituall landes 135. b Landlordes should not rayse rentes 121. b. shoulde not suffer their tenauntes to be damaged 122. a Last farthyng expounded 204. b Latine seruice 151. b Latin toung onely vsed to all 134. b Latin text coÌ„demned of More 251. b Latria 299. a Lawes of Papistes seuerall 102. a Law spirituall of the Arches how it spoyleth 136. b Law condeÌ„neth 77. b. bringeth death 62. a. how geuen 117. b. what it requireth 47. a. a marke to see how we are purged 165. a. must be in â—ight and why 379. a. requireth impossible thynges of vs. 378. b. driueth to desperation 442. a Law her office 186. a. how fulfilled 186. a. accuseth the holyest of all 120. a. cannot iustifie 64. a. leadeth to Christ 184. a. cannot geue lyfe 9. b. fulfilled with loue 22. a. fulfilled with Christes mercy 31. b. geueÌ„ by Moses 184. b. 378. how read of hypocrites 24. a Law walkyng 74. a. requireth all our hartes 39. b. condemneth and why 389. a. must be fulfilled spiritually 41. a. byndeth the Gospell lowseth 383. b. is spiritual 26. a. and 40. b. fulfilled by Christ onely 40. a. condemneth Christ geueth pardoÌ„ 378. b. how satisfied 40. a. wholly conteined in the x. commaundementes 33. b Law her subiection what 46. b Law and sinne wordes to be noted 39. b Law vttereth what sinne is 47. b. encreaseth sinne 40. b Lawes temporall 10. b. not executed no law 311. a Law of nature byndeth vs to helpe our neighbour 72. a Law kepyng and breakyng what foloweth 206. b Law breakers cursed of God 23. b Layty why they rule not 131. a. kept from halfe the Sacrament 428. a. must néedes now haue the Gospell 148. a Leadyng in darknes 310. a Learned men haue doubted of Paule his Epistle to the Hebrues who is author therof 56. a Leauen of many sortes 225. a. of the Pope 307. b Lechery 267. a. 405. b Lechery and couetousnes no sinnes with Papistes 267. b Legend of Popish lyes 301. a Left hand 141. a Leo the iij. Pope 349. b Leper a good example 15. a Lesser ceasseth in presence of the greater 358. b Lesson very frutefull 31. b. godly 309. b. good for ministers 477. a. tellyng vs when we haue Gods spirite 92. b Leude Cardinall and a false Pope 371. b Lewes the milde 350. b Libertie 105. b. commeth through patience 119. a Liberties graunted by Papistes to all maner malâ—factours 179. a Liberalitie to our brethren 425. a Light continuaunce therein what 404. a Litle flocke 292. b. receiueth the promises 292. a. goeth to wracke 293. a Litle master Parson hys practises 362. b Life of Gods elect Scripture 389. b Life not geuen by the law 9. b Litterall sense is spirituall 169. a. proueth an allegory 167. b Litterall seÌ„se of More dashed 466. a Loafe of bread signifieth one body in Christ 472. a Loane forgeuen of the Clergy 374. a and by the temporaltie ibidem Losing and bindyng 357. a. the ryght maner thereof 150. a. signification therof 174. b Losse for Christes sake a C. tymes restored 89. a Lottes castyng lawfull 27. a Lone 10. b. 205. a. 225. b. and 246. b. office therof 188. a. diuersly vnderstode 253. b. is righteousnes 225. a. prayeth 201. b. expelleth feare 419. a. causeth boldnes 418. b. maketh vs Gods sonnes 417. a. maketh all thynges common 40â— a. helpeth at neede 201. a. careth for our brethreÌ„ 418. b Loue of the world 97. a. 405. a. of our neighbour 211. a. towardes god and our neighbour how to be tryed 22. b. must woorke in all thynges 281. a Loue of God and the contrary what they be 23. a Loue to the law is coupled with true fayth 187. a Loue fulfilleth the law 49. a. 22. a. 50 keepeth the lawe 203. a. fulfilleth Gods will 419. a Loue towardes God fruites therof 22. b. seketh not her owne 84. a Loue of our selues â—90 b. of our neighbour Gods commaundement 419. b Loue is not charitie generally econtra 253. b Loue vnderstandeth the lawe 36. b. breaketh the law 411. a Loue towardes God what 78. a. among ChristiaÌ„s maketh all things commoÌ„ 83. a. beautifieth all things 248. b. not paynfull 418. b. signified to vs by Gods correction 25. a Loue of God to vs before ours to hym 416. b Loue both frend and foe 216. b Louers of God loue their neighbour 332. b Lucretia the Romane Lady 113. b Lucifer 353. a. his broode iustifie theÌ„ selues 224. a Lustes euill how purged 186. b. diuerse in one man 113. a Luther his submission to kyng Henry the viij 375. a M. MAgistrates reuengers of temporall causes 191. a Mahomet waxed great how 348. b. his doctrine and continuaunce therof 301. a Mahomet and the pope began at one tyme. 348. a Mayd of Ipswich 284. b Mayd of Kent inspired 285. a. receiued small pleasure of our Lady 285. a Maister in Gods stede to hys seruaunt 109. a Malice of the Iewes toward Christ 459. b Malicious blindnes in More Mammon what it is 71. b. 233. a. a God ibidem his seruaunt who and how knowen 233. b. disguiseth meÌ„ 233. a. his seruauÌ„t no true preacher 233. b. may purchase frendes for vs. 71. 〈◊〉 Man is first good 412. a. first euill ibidem cannot helpe the dead 13. b. Lord ouer all creatures 248. a.
sinnes 95. b Phocas an Emperour 347. b. hys priuiledge to the see of Rome ibid. Phrases of speach expounded 77. b Pilgrimages 282. a. how lawfull 20 a. not needefull to a ChristiaÌ„ for his saluation 155 a Pilgrimages true what they be 272 a Pitie 282. b Pipinus 348. a Places of Scripture shewing Christes departure hence as touchyng his naturall body 470. b Places hauing prerogatiue for prayer 283. a Plerophoria how knowen 414. a Pluralitie of benefices 373. b Poetry Scripture to Popish schole men 168. a Pollaxes borne before high Legates what they signifie 142. b Pope with his Prelates set foorth 53. b. a God on earth 349. a. Antichrist 262. a 289. a. 308. a. the deuilles vicare 359. a. persecuteth Gods word 25. b. 290. a. a deniâ—…h blasphemer ibid. hath no Martyrs 294. a. a peacebreaker 365. b. a tyrauÌ„t 318. a. a breaker of bondes of Matrimony 350. a commaundeth murder 106. a. cause of great periury 115. a Popes haue ben bloudsheders aboue this 700. yeares 351. a Pope a mercyles tyraunt 362. b. curseth his enemyes 395. b. wilnot be rebuked 364. b. onely forbyddeth mariage 127. b. halfe a God 461. b aloft ouer all Byshops and Kings 353. a. aduaunceth his in worldlynes 353. b. hath moe kyngdomes then God 135. b. a maker of lawes 356. a. selleth Gods free gift 151. a. chalengeth authoritie ouer God and man 159. a. commauÌ„deth God to curse 151. b. may doe all at his pleasure 364. b. wilnot obey Princes 286. a. made a God for his dispensations 230. a. coÌ„meth in Christes name with miracles 301. b. sayth he cannot erre 264. a. distributeth his fathers kyngdome 354. a thrusteth downe Christ 292. a. lycenseth all thynges to bee read sauyng the truth 21. a. forbiddeth that God commaundeth 21. a Pope how hee remitteth and retayneth sinnes 306. b. maketh heretikes of true preachers 134. b selleth all thynges 289. b. receiueth hys possessions of the deuill 354. a. howe he raigneth vnder Christ 151. a. expoundeth Scripture contrary to Christ and his Apostles 173. b. byndeth that Christ louseth 102. a Pope not to be beleued why 304. b. lonseth all honesty 123. a. more mercyfull for money then God for Christes death 151. a. deuideth poore people and how 354. b chosen without consent of the Emperour 360. b. purposed to be Emperour 349. made two Empyres of one 349. b Pope Pipine put downe the right French kyng 348. a Pope and Cardinals their opinions concernyng kyng Henry the eight 288 b Pope Iuly 369. a Pope his fast 229. b. his traditions are wicked and breake Gods commaundements 108. a. his authoritie improued 12. 4. b. his clergy subtill 1. a. his doctrine corrupt 24. a. his doctrine doth persecute 97. a. his sect not of Christes church 261 b. his doctrine bloudy 106. b. his saying of the scripture 306. b. his authoritie is onely to preach Gods word 123. b. his false authority defended by kynges 114. b. his false workes 289. a. his iugglyng 114. b. his widowes 354. b. his priests ibideÌ„ his law 355. a. his fayth 410 b. his Church 292. b. his practise with all Princes 365. a. his Deacons 354. b. his Prelates taught of Caiphas 122. b Popish tyranny 475. b. ceremonyes more obstinate mo in nuÌ„ber then the Iewes 101. b. forgiuenes 395 a. Purgatory not feared of a true ChristiaÌ„ 434. b. Prelates would be highest 341. a. superstition 425 b. doctrine 447. a. hath caused the truth to be set forth more playnely 476. a. woorkes 396. a. oyle more feared then Gods commaundementes 131. a. confirmation 277. a Pope holy woorkes a cloke for the wicked 27. a Possessed with deuines fled from Christ 285. a Poore meÌ„ 408. a. in spirite who 189 a. must be cared for next our owne houshold 84. a. called of Paule Gods Churche 473. b. pouertie 242. b Pouertie wilfull 16. b. her vow 19. a Power good and euill whence 321. b Poyson of our byrth resisteth the spirite 165. a A prayer 228. a Prayer 22. b. 242. b. 219. b. defined 81. b. of how many sortes 220. a. a commaundement 238. b. heard in all places of God 282. b. the fruite of fayth 93. a. heard of God at all tymes 20. b. winneth the victory 238. b. of fayth doth miracles 152. b vayne without hart and toungue 221. a. of shauelynges breaketh Gods commaundement 139. b. of Monkes robbeth 201. a. not sold in old tyme. 139. b. to Saintes superilitious 296. a. without fayth nothyng 274. b. to Saintes not before Christes tyme. 296. a Practises 371. a. of Parliamentes 315. a. of Prelates 363. a. of Popish Prelates in these dayes 340. b. with poore Priestes 367. b. of fleshly spiritualitie 249. a Prayers and our deedes accepted accordyng to our fayth 154. b Prayers of all good women accepted aswell as our Ladyes 326. a. to Saintes damnable 433 b. all in Latin 151. b. commaunded to the ignoraunt 135. a Prayse sought of hypocrites 373. b Prayse of Paule Epistle to the Romanes 39. a Preacher his office 206. a. may not preache vnlesse he be sent of God 156. why accused of heresie treason 202. 〈◊〉 Preachers who are sent and who not how to knowe 156. a. of Gods word their miracles 302. a. neede no miracles 301. a. must preach repentaunce 86. b. why not beleued wheÌ„ they preach truth 101. b. must haue a competent lyuyng allowed them 133. b. must not be violent 214. b. who ought to be 198. b Preachyng is byndyng and lousing 359. a. of Christ 391. the authoritie of Peter his successour 173. b. the chief authoritie that Christ gaue his Apostles 126. a. extinct with ceremonies 278. a Predestination 306. a. in Gods haÌ„d 48. b. not rashly to be disputed vppon 48. b. how farre to be proceded in ibidem Presbyter 144. b Priestes 310. b. must be vertuous 314. b Priestes how truly annoynted 133. a ought not to bee annoynted with oyle 144. b. tell the confessions of the rich to the Officials and Commissaries and why 136. b. may haue whores but no wiues 311. b. must haue wiues for two causes 133. b Prieste disguiseth hym selfe with Christes passion 132. a Priestes vnderstand no Latin 103. a Prelates why so wicked 118. b. Courtiers 347. a. vnderstand not Scriptures and why 287. b. why clothed in red 142. b Pride 405. b. of the Pope 363. a. of the Cardinals 372. b Princes why ordained 117. a. not to be resisted though they be infidels 111. a. whether they may be resisted or no. 213. a Principles of Scriptures 386. b Processions abused 299. b Profession of our Baptisme 388. b. first to be learned 387. a Profession of newe lyfe procureth Christes mercy 219. b Promise how we may chaleÌ„ge 218. b Promise of God fulfilled for Christes and not for Saintes merites 160. a. left out in all thynges by the Pope 154. a Promises of the Gospell comfortable to a sinner 378. a Promise commeth of the promisers goodnes 196. a Promises of
is written Abac. ij the righteous man lyueth by his fayth And Roma v. because we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ c. WheÌ„ these faithfull or righteous departe theÌ„ sayth this text that they are fooles which thinke them to be in payne or affliction for it affirmeth that they are in peace Now sith their Purgatory whiche they imagine is payne and affliction and yet fayne that the righteous onely shal enter into it after their death then are they fooles that suppose there is a Purgatory or els this text can not be true For what entent will God haue vs tormented in Purgatory to make satisfaction for our sinnes verely theÌ„ is Christ dead in vayne as we haue often proued before But thinke you not rather that our purgation should be to encrease our fayth or grace or charitie for these thrée couer the multitude of sinnes no verely we can not fayne a purgatory for any such cause For fayth springeth by hearing of the word Roma x. But the Pope sendeth theÌ„ no preachers thether Ergo theyr fayth can not there be encreased And agayne payne ingendreth and kyndleth hate against God and not loue or charitie Furthermore My Lord of Rochester is coÌ„pelled to graunt that the soules in Purgatorye obtayne there neither more fayth nor grace nor charitie then they brought in with them and so can I sée no reasonable cause why there should be a purgatory Neuerthelesse M. More sayth that both their grace and charitie is encreased And so may you perceaue that lyes can neuer agrée how wyttie so euer they be that fayne and cloke them For in some poyntes they shall be founde contrary so that at the length they may be disclosed when thou hast no power to accomplish the outward fact For the wiseman sayth Prou. xxiij sonne geue me God is fully pacified with thy will thy hart Now if thy will be vpright and so that thou haue a desire to fulfill the law then doth God reken that will vnto thée for the full fact If then through the frayltie of thy members thou fall into sinne thou mayest well say with the Apostle Roma vâ—j The good that I would doe that do I not that is I haue a will and desire to fulfill the law of God not to displease my heauenly father yet that I do not But the euill which I hate that do I that is I do committe sinne whiche in déede I hate Now if I hate the sinne whiche I do then loue I the law of God whiche forbiddeth sinne and do consent vnto this law that it is good righteous and holy And so the sinne whiche I hate and yet commit it thorough the frayltie of my members is not imputed or rekened vnto me for sinne Neither will S. Paule graunt that it is I which do that sinne but he sayd I haue a will to doe good but I can not performe that will For I do not that good which I would but the euill whiche I would not that do I. Now if I doe that thyng whiche I would not do then is it not I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth with in me I delight in the law of God with myne inward man that is with my will and minde which is renued with the spirite of God but I sée an other law in my members which rebelleth agaynst the law of my mynde and maketh me bonde vnto the law of sinne which is in my members So that I my selfe in my will and mynde do obey the law of God hatyng sinne as the law coÌ„maundeth me and not consentyng vnto it in my mynde will but in my flesh and members I serue the law of sinne for the frayltie of my members compelleth me to sinne Rom. 7. As by example if I sée a poore man whiche is not of abilitie to do me any pleasure and neuertheles doth all his diligence to séeke my fauour would with hart and mynde geue me some acceptable preseÌ„t if he were of power beyng also sory that hee can not performe his will â—nd mynde towardes me Now if there be any point of humanitie or gentlenesse in me I will count this man for my frende and accept his good will as well as though he had in dede performed his wil. For his habilitie extendeth no further If his power were better better should I haue Euen so sith we are not of power and habilitie to performe the law of God and yet beare a good hart towardes God and his law lamentyng our imbecillitie that we can do him no further pleasure then will God recount vs not as his enemyes but as his deare children and beloued frendes Neither will hee afterward thrust vs into Purgatory but as a tender father pardon vs our trespasses and accept our good will for the full déede S. Paule exhorteth vs Gal. vj. that we worke well while we haue tyme for what soeuer a man doth sow that shall he réepe by this may we euidently perceaue that hée shall not receaue according to his doing or sufferyng in an other world and therfore caÌ„ there be no Purgatory The wiseman sayth Eccle. xiiij worke righteousnes before thy death for after this lyfe there is no méete that is to say succour to bee founde There are some which wil vnderstaÌ„d this place also the text in the xlviij argument on this maner that there should be no place of deseruyng but yet there may well bee a place of punishment But this solution besides that it is not grounded on Scripture is very slender For I pray you wherfore should their inuention of Purgatory serue but to bee a place of purgyng punishment and penaunce by the which the soule should make satisfaction that it might so deserue to enter into the rest of heauen Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from heÌ„ce forward yea truly sayth the spirite that they may rest froÌ„ their labours But theyr workes folow with them This text they vse in theyr soule masses as thoughe it made for Purgatory But surely me thinketh that it maketh much against them For let vs enquire of all the proctours and fautours of Purgatory whether y â— soules that must be prayed for are departed in the Lord or not And they must néedes aunswere that they are departed in the Lord for the vnfaithfull which dye not in the Lord must not be prayed for And therfore must they be vpright Christen soules which are tormeÌ„ted for the other are all damned Now sayth the text that all such dead as dye in the Lord are blessed but what blessednesse were that to broyle in Purgatory And if they would here fayne a glose as their maner is when they are in a straite euer to séeke a startyng hole say that they are blessed because they are in a good hope
should recount the soule to be mortall whiche thyng after my iudgement is more suttelly gathered then either truly or charitably for seyng there was neuer Christen man that euer so thought no not the very Paganes what godly zeale or brotherly loue was there whiche caused them so to surmise for a good man would not once dreame such a thyng but I pray you why should we not say that the soule doth verely rise which through Christ rising from the filth of sinne doth enter with the body into a new conuersation of life whiche they shall leade together without possibilitie of sinnyng we say also of God by a certaine phrase of Scripture that he ariseth when he openeth vnto vs hys power and presence And why may we not say the same thing of the soule which in the meane season semeth to lye secret then shal expresse vnto vs through Christ her power and presence in takyng agayne her naturall body why should ye then condemne these thynges There is no man that can receiue venome by those wordes except hee haue such a spyderous nature that he can turne an hony combe into perilous poyson Therfore let vs looke on the residue Master Tracie And as touching the wealth of my soule c. Frith Héere he onely cleaueth to God and hys mercye being surely persuaded that according to the testimony of Peter who so euer beléeueth in hym thorowe hys name shall receyue remissyon of synnes Act. 15. Paule also affirmeth that who so euer trusteth in him shall not be cōfounded Ro. 10. And who can denye but thys is moste true when it is vnderstande of that fayth which is formed wyth hope and charitie which y t Apostle calleth faith that worketh by charitie Gal. 5. Now sith these things may be expounded so purely forsoothe he vttereth his owne enuie which woulde otherwise wrest the mynde of the maker of thys Testament And as touchyng the addition of this particle wtout any other mannes worke or woorkes it séemeth that he had respect vnto thys saying of Peter whych declareth that there is none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men in whych we shoulde be saued Act. 4. Besides that S. Paule committeth the power of sanctifying to Christ only Heb. 2. where he sayth bothe he that sanctifyeth that is to say Christe and they that are sanctified that is to say the faithfull are all of one that is God and surely if we labored to precel eche other in loue and charitie we should not condempne this innocent but we shoulde rather measure hys wordes by the rule of charitie in so muche that if a thyng at the first sight did appeare wycked yet shoulde we take it in the best sense not iudging wickedly of oure brother but referring that secreate iudgemente vnto Christe whych can not be disceyued and thoughe they be disceiued by the pretence of charitie yet therein they may reioyse and therfore they would be lothe to condempne the innocent but lette vs passe these things and sée what foloweth Master Tracie My ground my beleefe is that there is but one God c. Frith Why looke you so sowerly good brethren why do you not rather giue hym great thankes syth he hathe opened vnto you suche a proper distinction by the whiche you may escape the scholasticall snares and mases he only deserueth the name of a mid dealer which being God became man to make men Gods And who cā by right be called a mid dealer betwéene God and man but he that is both God and man therefore sithe we haue suche a mid dealer which in all poyntes hath proued our infirmitie sauing only in sinne which is exalted aboue the heauens and sitteth on the right hande of God and hath in all thyngs obtayned the nexte power vnto him of whose Emperie all things depende lette vs come wyth sure confidence vnto the throne of grace Heb. 4. All other be calleth peticioners whyche receyue grace but are not able to empresse power therof into any other man for that dothe only God distribute wyth hys finger that is to say the spirite of God thorowe Christe I maruell that you are angrye with him that hathe done you such a great pleasure howe be it I doe ascribe this condemnation rather vnto the canonistes than vnto deuines For the godly deuines wold neuer dote so farre as to condemne so proper sayings but peraduenture this myght moue theyr pacience that he will distribute no portion of hys goodes for that entent that anye man should say or doe for the weale of hys soule are you so sore afraide of youre market Be not afraid ye haue salues inoughe to souple that sore ye knowe that he is not bounde vnder payne of dampnation to distribute his goodes on that fashion for then those holy fathers were in shreud cause which cōtinuing in long penurie scant lefte at theyr departing a halfe pennie Thou wilt peraduenture say that they shall suffer the gréenous paines of purgatorie be it so yet may they be quēched both with lesse cost labor the popes pardon is ready at hand where bothe the crime and the paine are remytted at once and verily there is such plentie of them in all places that I canne scantly beléeue that there liueth anye man that is worth an halfe peny but that he is sure of some pardones in store And as for thys man he had innumerable Notwithstanding this distribution is not of necessitie for vnto him that is dampned it profiteth nothing and he that is not dampned is sure of saluation why are ye so hot against thys man are not hys goodes in his owne power he shall giue a reckoning of them vnto God and not vnto you héere you maye sée of howe light iudgement you haue condempned these things nowe let vs ponder the residue Master Tracie And as touching the burying of my body c. Frith What hath he here offēded which rehearseth nothing but the woords of S. Austine If you improue these thinges then reproue you S. Austine himselfe Now if you can finde the meanes to allow S. Austen and charitably to expound his woordes why do you not admit the same fauour vnto your brother especially séeing charitie requireth it Besides that no man can deny but that these thinges are true although S. Austines auctoritie were of no reputation with you for if these thinges were of so great value before God then Christ had euill prouided for his martyres whose bodies are commonly cast out to be consumed with fire and wild beastes notwithstanding I would be afrayde to say that they were any thing the worse for the burning of theyr bodies or tearing of it in péeces Be therefore charitable towards your brother and ponder his woordes which are rather Saint Austines somewhat more iustly M. Tracie As touching the distribution of my temporall goods my purpose is c. Frith There is no man doubteth but that fayth is the roote of the trée and the quickning power
the world and to preach the Gospell to euery creature The Pope and hys Byshops forbyd it in the payne of disobedieÌ„ce and excommunication saue onely such as they will assigne 16. Christ was naked beaten scourged and false witnesse brought agaynst hym The Pope and his adherentes are wel clothed with precious garments and haue chaunge for ech day false witnes they haue inough not against them but to testifie with them what soeuer they will haue agaynst the innocentes 17. Christ came to séeke the poore comfort them he was not chargefull vnto them but was milde and had pitie on them The Pope and Byshops somon cite them be they neuer so poore not regarding their aduersitie But curse if they come not So that they go away soryer and sicker in soule and in purse then they were before 18. Christ commaunded that we should not sweare at all neither by heaueÌ„ neither by the temple c. But that our wordes should be yea yea nay nay The Pope sayth if any man wyll receaue any office vnder vs he shal be sworne before yea and geue a great summe of money Ca. Signifi de elect 19. Christ had a crowne of thorne thrust vpon his head so that y e bloude ranne downe vpoÌ„ his amiable countenaunce and sharpe nayles thorow his precious handes The Pope must weare thrée crownes of golde set with riche precious stones he lacketh no Diademes hys handes and fingers with owches and ringes are royally dight he passeth poore Christ farre 20. Christ tooke the crosse of painfull affliction vpon himselfe and coÌ„mauÌ„ded his disciples to folow him saying he that taketh not his crosse and folow me is not méete for me The Pope and hys Byshops take the crosse of pryde and haue it borne before them well gilt and amelde to haue a worshippe of thys worlde as for other crosse know they none 21. Christ prayed his father to forgeue them that trespassed hym yea and for them that put him to death Our Byshoppes pray the kyng to be auenged on them that resiste their mindes with forgeuenes they haue no acquaintance 22. Christ bad his disciples to preach the Gospell The Pope and his Byshops wyll haue men to preach fables and therto graunt letter and seall and many dayes of pardon 23. Christ commaunded hys disciples to know his lawe and bad the Iewes to serche the Scriptures And Moses exhorted y e Israelites to teach the lawe of God to their younge children And that they shoulde haue it bounde as a signe in their handes that it myght euer be before theyr eyes And caused them to write it on the postes and doores of their houses The Pope and his Bishoppes say that it is not méete for vs to know it they make it heresie and treason to y e kyng to know Christ or his lawes they haue digged cisternes of theyr owne traditions and haue stopped vp the pure fountaynes of Israell Oh Lord in whom is all our trust come downe from the heauens why doost thou tary so long seyng thyne aduersary thus preuayling agaynst thée 24. Christ approued hys lawe and confirmed it with his owne death The Pope and Bâ—shoppes vs full busie how they may destroy it and magnifie more theyr owne lawe then Christes to maintayne theyr fatte bellyes 25. Christ would men visited prisoners to comfort and deliuer them The Pope with his adherentes discomfort the poore and the true and put them in prison for the truth 26. Christ whom they call their example did neuer prison nor persecute any The Pope and his champyons persecute punishe prison and put to death them that are disobedient to their voluptuous pleasures Ye sée how strayghte they followe Christes steppes 27. Christ coÌ„maunded his disciples that if any man trespassed agaynst them they shoulde go reproue hym priuely if he would not obey and be reconcyled then shoulde they take with them one witnes or twayne if he would not then heare them that they should tell it to the whole coÌ„gregation And if he would still continue in his stubbernes that they should auoyde his company The Pope and Byshoppes wyll cast straight into prison there to remaine in yrons to make them reuoke the truth and graunt to their willes and if he be stronge and will not forsake the truth they will condemne him without audience for feare of losing of their temporall winning And offering to their wombes and taking away of their temporaltyes wherewith the church is venomed 28. Christ charged Peter thrise to kéepe well and nourishe his shéepe The Pope chargeth much more to kéepe well his money As for the shéepe he shereth and punisheth wyth infinite exactions 29. Christ healing the sicke and doing many myracles did lightly euer commaunde that they shoulde tell no man who did heale them The Pope and Byshoppes geue great giftes to minstrelles and messengers to leude lyers and flatterers to crye their name about that they may haue worshyppe in this worlde 30. Christ had no secular courtes to pleade y e matters of his disciples for they would not resist euill The Pope and Bishoppes haue many with men of lawe to oppresse y e poore against mercy forgeue they will not but euer be auenged 31. Christ in cities and townes hunted the féendes out of men that they dwelled in with the wordes of hys mouth The Pope and Byshoppes hunt the wilde Deare the For and the Hare in their closed parkes wyth great cryes and hornes blowinge with Hâ—undes and ratches running 32. God was called the holy father of Iesu Christ his sonne The Pope is called most holy father of SathaÌ„s children taketh that name on him wyth Lucifers pride his disciples say y e he is god on earth and we are taught by Christes lawe to haue but one God 33. Christ sate in the middes of the Doctors asking and hearing them The Pope and Byshoppes sit in thrones wyth glorious myters iudgeing and condemning by theyr owne made lawes A litle matter long in pleating which myght be soone determined by the lawe of God if they would vse it but then were their winning the lesse and their lawe wythout profite 34 Christ taught that a man shoulde forsake his wife for no cause but for aduoutry The Pope and Byshoppes wyll make deuorces for money as often as they list and so they pille the poore and make themselues rich nothyng regardyng to breake the law of God 35. Christ sent the holy ghost in feruent loue to teach all the truth vnto them which were chosen of God The Pope and Byshoppes sende commaundements all about to curse and aske auengeaunce on them that resiste theyr tyranny And absoile theÌ„ agayne cleane for money all their doctrines haue golden tayles for money is euer the ende geue them money and you haue fulfilled all theyr lawes 36. Christ fulfilled and kept the olde lawe and the new and all
righteousnesse The Pope and Byshoppes kéepe their owne traditions and lawes but the lawe of God is cleane out of their myndes 37. Christ sayd that men shoulde know his disciples by their charitie because they should loue one another as he hath loued them The Pope causeth his to be knowen by theyr shauen crownes by gathering vp of tithes masse pence and offeringes by the gylden trentalles and salaryes to sing by Peter pence gathering and shriuing for monye by peny wedding and holy water sprinkling and many mo markes hath he geuen them As for charitie they know it not at all 38. Christ bad them that hee healed to go and sinne no more The Pope and Bishops haue fayned penaunce and commaunde men to fast bread water to go barefoote without a shurt to offer to certaine idols money or cattell some Masses must be song for them because theyr confessours should haue some profite Some must go about the church and Churchyard with a taper burnyng in hys hand And euer some be punished by the purse though they offend not 39. Christ sent to preach seueÌ„ty and and two Disciples whiche promised fréely heauen to them that would beleue in the name of Christ The Pope and Byshops sende about foure sectes of beggers to geue pardon vnder their master Antichrist And to sell heauen to whom so euer they liste the Apostles knew no such thynges 40. Christ was buryed in a garden in a poore monument without any funerall pompe The Pope and Byshops are buryed in tombes well gilt with many a torch and great solemnitie with angels gloriously portered that beare their soules to heauen Notwithstandyng it is to be feared that they go to supper with the deuill 41. Christ sayth if thou wilt be perfite go and sell all thy goodes and geue it vnto the poore for then shalt thou haue treasure in heauen The pope saith if thou wilt be perfite geue me thy money I will geue thée a pardon that shall absolue thée cleane a poena culpa I will for thy money geue thée the kaye of heauen gates 42. Christ said vnto his Apostles the Kynges and Princes of the Gentiles haue rule and power ouer them but you shall not so haue The Pope sayth all Emperours Kynges and Lordes be my subiectes This is dayly read in his Buls wher in he commaundeth the nobilitie like as a master doth his seruaunt 43. Christ sayth he that among you wil be greatest let him be all your seruauntes The Pope sayth The Emperour must sweare an oth vnto me as vnto his Lord that he will be my subiect eralte and worshyp me with honour Ca. Tibi Domino Di. 63. 44. Christ sayth that we worshyppe hym in vayne with mens doctrines traditions The Pope sayth my traditions in the spiritual law shall be kept as duely as if God had commaunded it him selfe or S. Peter had preached it hym selfe Ca. Si omnes Dist 19. 45. Christ sayth I am the way and the truth folow me in my learnyng And rule you by y e Scripture for that shall be your iudge The Pope sayth ye shall in all thynges folow the Church of Rome by that meaneth he him self and his Cardinals Dist xi Cap. quis ne sciat And as for the Scripture it standeth in my power authoritie for I may make of it what soeuer I will Dist xix Cap. Si romanorum 46. Christ saith he that beleueth and is baptised he shall be saued but he that beleueth not shal be damned The Pope sayth hee that geueth much money for my pardoÌ„ shal be absoyled a poena a culpa And theÌ„ must he néedes be saued And he that teacheth otherwise is an hereticke this testifieth his bulles and pardons 47. Christ promiseth forgeuenes of sinne And the kyngdome of heauen vnto them that repeÌ„t and will amend their lyues The Pope sayth that no man can be saued except he bee first shreuen of his Priestes Friers for they bryng in money Cap. omnes 48. Christ sayth you shall loue your enemyes and shall do good vnto them that hate you The Pope sayth they that be enemyes to me my Cardinals be cursed with the great excommunication and caÌ„ not be absoyled without much money this is euident inough 49. Christ commaunded his Disciples not to resist euill but if a man strike them on y e one cheke that they should offer him the other also The Pope sayth we may auenge and driue away force with force Dâ— sen excom cap. dilecto 50. Christ sayth God the father is my deare sonne hym shall you heare for hys yoke is swéete and his burden lyght The Pope sayth you shall heare me and my commaundement shall be kept and receaued of euery maÌ„ Dist 93. cap. Si cuiâ—s And if my coÌ„maundement and burthen were so heauy that it caÌ„ not well be sustained and borne yet shall ye obey me Dist 19. cap. In memoriam 51. Christ sayd vnto the. ij brethren who hath set me to be your iudge in temporal goodes As though he should say It pertaineth not to me but vnto worldly iudges The Pope sayth I am iudge in all maner of causes for they bryng money vnto me 9. q. 3. Conquestus 52. Christ saith geue the Emperour such as pertayneth vnto hym as tribute and custome for I haue payde tolle for me and Peter The Pope saith I care not for this But I excommunicate all them that aske any toll or tribute of me and my shauelynges for I haue made them all frée Cap. Nouit de senten excom Et ca. Si quis de cons dist i. 53. Christ sayth Peter put vppe thy sword into the sheath for he that striketh with sword shall perishe with the sword The Pope sayth you Emperours Kynges Princes and Lordes take swordes speares halberdes clubbes and gunnes and helpe me to slea theÌ„ that will not obey my tyranny This must an Emperour do or els he must be periured After this maner hath Iulius the Pope slayne xvi thousand men in one day was not that wel pastored Dyd not he well nourish the shéepe which Christ dyd committe vnto his tuition 54. Christ sayde Drinke you all of this cuppe for this is the bloude of my promise The Pope sayth I will not grauÌ„t this for my priestes alone shal drinke of it because it may crye auengeauÌ„ce on them alone the other shall not drinke of it in the payne of heresy 55. Christ sayth Ye are my frendes if you do all thinges that I my selfe commaunde you The Pope sayth you shall do as I bid you for I haue power and authoritie to make lawes And after them shall you liue 25. q. j. ca. Sunt quidam 56. Christ sayth that chastitie is not geuen vnto euery maÌ„ they that haue it geuen let them take it geuing thaÌ„kes to God And let the other vse the remedy which God hath prepared
for it is better to mary then to burne The Pope sayth all monkes Fryers and Nunnes shall vowe and sweare chastitie be it geuen them or not my Priestes also shall not be wedded but as for to kéepe whores and rauishe other mens daughters wiues shal be dispensed withall I will sée no such thinges for my Byshoppes haue yearely great mony by it like as baudes be wont to haue 57. Christ sayth all meates that maÌ„ taketh with thankes staineth not the soule for all things are pure to them that are pure The Pope sayth he that eateth egges butter or fleshe in these dayes that I haue commauÌ„ded to be fasted doth not onely stayne his soule wyth sinne but also is to be denounced an hereticke Dist 4. ca. Statuimus This agréeth with Christ euen as the lyght doth with the darcknes And yet haue we bene thus blynded long that we could neuer perceaue this Antichrist till now in the last dayes 58. Christ sayd vnto his Disciples that you bynde in earth shal be bouÌ„de in heauen and that you lose in earth shal be losed in heauen The Pope chalengeth greater authoritie for he will lose soules out of Purgatory and commaunde the angels to fetch them out and all for money without money you get nothing 59. Christ sayth wheÌ„ you haue done all thynges that I haue commaunded you yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes The Pope sayth do those thynges that I commauÌ„d thée and take a sure conscience vnto thée that thou art a iust and a religious maÌ„ and that thou hast deserued heaueÌ„ And as for I myselfe If I do wrong in euery thyng 〈◊〉 bring many thousandes with me into damnation yet shall no man rebuke me but cal me the most holiest father Dist. 40. ca. Si Papa 60. Christ teacheth vs to fulfill the woorkes of mercy to the poore euer commendyng mercy aboue offerings and sacrifice The Pope teacheth vs to geue our money for pardons masses diriges to images and Churches so that we may offer vnto their bellyes And he that sayth it is better to geue our charitie to the poore as Christ sayth is counted halfe an hereticke because he goeth aboute to marre the Popes market 61. Christe suffered death for our sinnes and arose for our iustification or els we all should haue perished The Pope sayth if thou bye my pardoÌ„ or els be buried in a gray Friers coate thou must néedes be saued so that Christ hath suffered in vayne sith a Friers coate will saue a man 62. Christ onely is our mediatour which maketh vnite betwixt hys father vs howbeit the prayer of a iust man is very good and profitable The Pope sayth The greatest power and saluation next to Christ is myne Dist 60. cap. Si Papa I maruell then why he is so curious to cause vs to worship the Saintes y â— are a sléepe And not rather hym selfe sith he chalengeth a greater power then euer they dyd while they lyued 63. Christ sayth who soeuer breake one of my lest coÌ„maundementes shal be called the lest that is to say none in the kyngdome of heauen The Pope sayth what pertaineth his law vnto me I am subiect to no lawes 25. q. 1. cap. Omnia therefore doth the Pope but seldome right And is alwayes agaynst right yea and agaynst his owne lawes as often as men do bryng hym money for that loueth he aboue all thynges 64. Christes law is fulfilled through charitie The Popes law is fulfilled by money if thou haue no money to geue them thou shalt carye a fagot though thou offende not money them they sée thée not do what thou wilt 65. Christ is the head of the Church as the Apostle doth testifie And also the stone whereon the Church is builded And this Church is the coÌ„gregation of the faythfull and the very body of Christ The Pope sayth I am the head of the Church Dist 19. cap. Enim vero And the seate of Rome is the stone wheron the Church is builded Dist 19. Ita Dominus Can any thyng be more contrary vnto the honour and glory of God then thus to dispoyle hym of his kyngdome whiche he so dearely hath bought shedyng his precious bloud for it 66. Christes law whiche is the holy Scripture came by the inspiryng of the holy ghost whiche dyd infuse it aboundauntly into the hartes of the Apostles and of the same spirite hath it his enduraunce and interpretation The Pope sayth I am Lord of the Scripture to alow and disalow it for of me doth it take his full authoritie ca â–ª Si omnes And for a token of this is the Scripture of Christ layd vnder his féete when he is at Masse 67. Christes Apostle sayth that a Byshop ought to be so well learned that he with the Scripture be able to ouercome all them that be agaynst the fayth The Pope and Byshops will dispute in Scripture with no man but cast them first in prison and proper engynes they haue inueÌ„ted to wring their fingers so sore that the bloude shall braste out at their fingers endes they pyne them and scourge theÌ„ with infinite other tormeÌ„tes payning theÌ„ to forsake the truth And after make them sweare on a booke that they shal tell no man of it thus cruelly do they entreate them against iustice And if they can not subdue them to theyr willes then do they committe them vnto y e seculare power to be burned 68. Christes accusation and cause why he was condemned vnto death was writteÌ„ ouer his head in Hebrew Gréeke Latine that all men might know the cause this was an argument that they vsed iustice although they condemned him vniustly sithe men might sée the offence and iudgement ioyned together The Pope and Byshoppes condemne men and committe them vnto the seculare power that they shold execute the sentence But this is a mischeuous abomination that they will not suffer the seculare power to know the cause why they put men to death worshipfull dis diuines Master Doctor O you gentle nobilitie ponder this matter indifferently Beware how you do execution except you know the cause why Thinke you the bloude shall not be requyred on you if for an others pleasure you destroy the worke of God They will say vnto you as the Iewes sayde vnto Pilate concerning Christ If he were not an euill doer we would not haue deliuered him vnto you Trust not their wordes for no doubt they are lyers know the cause your selues and heare the matter vnfaynedly Thinke you they woulde not let you know the cause and iudgement if they did iustice and not tyrannye Be therefore no longer â—oyes to theÌ„ which ought to be your seruauntes God hath geueÌ„ you his spirite grace and vnderstanding hide not the talent that God hath geuen you but do your diligence to sée iustice executed secluding all tyranny for that is your office appoynted you of
God 69. Christ sayth blessed are ye when men hate you curse you and excommunicate you for the righteousnes that is to say you nothing giltye nor worthy such affliction The Pope and Byshoppes saye that their curse is sore to be feared yea and that it maketh men as blacke as a coale in the sight of God though they haue not offended In so much that they must néedes be damned except they absoile them agayne howbeit Christ sayth that they are blessed wherfore Christ is false or els they are most vayne lyers 70. Christ sayde when thou makest a dinner or feast call not thy frendes kinsmen and neighbours that are riche but the poore lame and blinde which are not able to recompeÌ„ce thée then shalt thou be happye for it shall be rewarded thée in the resurrection of the iust The Pope and Byshoppes wyll call none such for they thinke it great shame but they call men of great authoritie and riches which wil receiue them wyth an other feast they had leuer haue their bellies well stuffed in this world then to tary for the promise of Christ They thinke it long a comming 71. Christ sayth eyther make y e trée good and his fruite good also or els make the trée naught and his fruite naught also meaning that the trée first shoulde be good and then bringe forth good fruite the fruite maketh not the trée good but the trée maketh the fruite good although we can not know that the trée is good but by hys fruite for we can iudge nothing but by his outward operation yet God séeth the quicknes in the roote which in the tyme that God hath appointed him shall bring forth his fruite And approueth y e trée to be good although he séeme dead vnto vs. The trée is fayth which is the mother of all good workes which euer worketh by charitie when he séeth occasion The Pope and Byshops say that the fruite maketh the trée good cleane contrary to all Scripture and reason And thus turne they the trées and the rootes vpwarde while they affirme that fayth springeth and is made good of workes And not the contrary eueÌ„ as a man would say the fruite bringeth forth and maketh good the trée And not the contrary O what madnes is is They woulde make men beleue if they shoulde longe continue that y e Moone is made of grene chese 72. Christ sayth I am the doore of the folde he that entreth not in by the doore but by some other waye is a théefe a murtherer and regardeth not the shéepe The Pope yea and all the cleargie for the most part enter not in by Christ but they runne in and are not called nor sent of Christ One entreth by a bagge of money wherewyth he buyeth a fatte benefice An other entreth by seruing great men and corying fauour An other because he is a great man borne must be made a Cardinall or els a Bpshop Some haue voysons of Abbayes and other places to speake a good worde for them to the kyng or other great men Some enter thorowe their curious singing and minyon daunsing fewe or none for vertue learninge 73. Christ sayth I am a good shepheard A good shephead geueth hys lyfe for hys shéepe The Pope and Byshoppes say also that they are good shepheards how be it they pille and shere the sheepe so nigh that they leaue not one locke of wolle on their backes And in all pointes may be likened vnto the shepheardes that Zacharias prophesied of which sayth I shall rayse vp a shepheard in the earth which shal not visite the thinges that are forsaken and shall not séeke that which is gone astray neither yet heale the diseased nor nourishe and mayntayne that which standeth but such a shepheard that shall norishe himselfe and not the shéepe and cryeth out of hym saying O thou shepheard and idoll thynke you that this shepheard wyll geue his lyfe for the shéepe 74. Christ sayth desire you not to be called master for you haue but one master which is Christ and all you are brothers The Pope will be called most holy hys Cardinalles most reuerend hys Byshoppes reuerend hys Abbottes and Priors most and other glorious titles haue they that passe master farre And except thou call them by those names and titles thou shalt runne farre into their indignation let Christ say what he wyll 75. Christ commaunded his Disciples that they should call no man father on the earth shewing them that they had but one father which is in heauen The Pope must be called most holy father if thou geue him not that name he will excommunicate you out of his sinagoge reason not with him you may shew him the scripture but it auayleth not for he will wrest it wring it into a thousand fashions And will neuer leaue it vntill he haue brought it vnto his owne purpose 76. Christes faithfull seruaunt Stephen sayd that God almighty dwelleth not in temples y â— are made with mans hands according vnto the prophetes saying Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestole What house will you builde for me sayth the Lorde which is the place of my reste Did not my handes make all these thinges The Pope and his adhereÌ„tes say that he dwelleth in this place and that place the Friers say we haue hym you must bye hym of vs the Monkes say he is with vs be good to our monastery and you shall be sure to haue hym And so runne the sely soules froÌ„ Herode to Pilate But they finde not Christ for he dwelleth in no place but in the hart of a faithful maÌ„ which is the very temple of God 77. Christes Apostle Paule sayth We ought not to thinke that God is like gold siluer karâ—ed stones or any such thyng as man imagineth The Pope and his adherentes say that he is lyke a stocke and a stone causeth men to make images of hym though God commaunded contrary saying Thou shalt make no grauen image neither any maner of similitude of those thynges whiche are in heaueÌ„ aboue or on the earth beneath Neither of those thynges whiche are in the water or vnder the earth neither shalt thou honour or worshyppe them Good Christen beware of these Idolles as Saint Iohn councelleth thée truely I thinke it be one of the greatest causes of this exceâ—ation which God hath sent into the world for sinne 78. Christ sayd vnto Peter thou art Symon the sonne of Iona thou shalt be called Cephas which if it be enterpreted signifieth a stone as S. Iohn sayth in his Gospell The Pope sayth that Cephas signifieth the head and of that gathereth he to be head of all the Byshops here doth he playnly contrary to Gospell whiche expoundeth Cephas to bee a stone what impudencie is this I thinke he would say also that an Asse were a man if he thought to get any auauntage through it There
lege Lord. Ye I doe beléeue that if the kynges grace at this same day should desire of y e spirituality but halfe of this summe I dare say they wold neuer graūt him with their good will nor there shoulde not bée found one Diuine in England of the holy Popes Churche that could and would proue by good Diuinitie that the kyng might take it and the spiritualitie were bounde to geue it Alas what shall I say beléeue me I doe want wordes to y e settyng out of this matter where is natural affectiō where is naturall loue where is fidelitie where is truth of hart that men ought to haue and to beare toward their naturall Prince toward their natiue countrey toward their fathers and mothers toward their wiues and childrē yea toward their liues God of his infinite goodnesse hath geuen vs a noble Prince to the maintaynyng and defence of all these thynges and toward hym we haue litle or none affection But vnto this idole of Rome are we ready to geue both body and goodes and the more we geue the better we are content Was not this a merueilous poueryshyng to this Realme to sende out so many thousandes and to receiue nothyng agayne but deceitfull Bulles and shéepes skynnes and a litle péece of leade yea and worst of all to make men beléeue that their saluation dyd hange on it I dare say boldly that if we poore men which bée now condēned for heretickes and also for traytours against our kyng had not béen the Realme of England had not stād in so good a condition as it is for men had béene bounde still in their conscience for to obey this wretched idole Who durst haue kept y e innumerable summe of money within the realme y e yearely was sucked out by this adder if our godly learnyng had not instructed their conscience Let all the Liberaries bée sought in Englād and there shall not be one booke writtē in iiij C. yeares and admitted by the Church of Rome and by our spiritualtie founde that doth teach this obedience and fidelitie toward Princes and deliuereth our Realme from the bondage of this wicked Sathan the pope or els that is able to satisfie and to quiete any mans conscience within this Realme and yet I dare say hée is not in Englād that cā reproue our learnyng by the doctrine of our master Christ or els of his holy Apostles Yea mē haue studyed and deuised how they might bryng our mighty Prince and his noble Realme vnder y e féete of this deuill There could bée nothyng handled so secretly within this Realme but if it were either pleasaunt or profitable to the Pope to know then were all the Byshops in England sworne to reuelate that matter to him This may bee wel proued by their shamefull trayterous oth that they contrary to Gods law mans law and order of nature haue made to this false man the Pope The wordes of their othe written in their owne law be these I Byshop N. frō this houre forth shal be faithfull to S. Peter to the holy Church of Rome and to my Lord the Pope to his successours lawfully entryng into the Popedome I shall not consent in counsell nor in déede that hée shoulde lose either lyfe or lymme or that hée should bée taken in any euill trap His councell that shall bée shewed vnto me either by hym selfe or els by his letters or by his Legates I shall open to no man to hys hurt or damage I shall helpe to defend mayntaine the Papacie of the Church of Rome the rules of the holy fathers sauyng myne order agaynst all men liuyng I shall come to the Councell when soeuer I bée called onles I bée lawfully let The Popes Legate I shall honorablye entreate both goyng and commyng in his necessities I shall helpe him I shall visite yearely either by myne owne proper person or els by some sure messenger the sea of Rome onles I bée dispensed with So helpe me God and this holy Euangelist There hath béene wonderous packing vsed and hath cost many a thousand mens liues ere that the spiritualitie brought it to passe that all they should bée sworne to the Pope owe none obedience to any man but to him onely This matter hath béene wonderous craftely conueyed for at the beginnyng the Bishops were not sworne so straitely vnto the Pope as now For I doe read in the tyme of Gregory the thyrd which was in the yeare of our Lord. vij C. lix how their othe was no more but to sweare for to kéepe the fayth of holy Church and to abide in the vnity of the same and not to consent for any mans pleasure to the contrary to promise also to séeke the profites of the Church of Rome And if any Byshops did lyue agaynst the olde statutes of holy fathers with him they should haue no conuersation but rather forbidde it if they coulde or els trewly to shewe the Pope of it This othe cōtinued a great many of yeares tyll that a mortall hatred sprang betwene the Emperour and the Pope for confirming of Byshops than as many Byshops as were confirmed of the Pope did sweare the othe that I haue first written For this othe that Gregory maketh mention of was not sufficient because that by it the Byshops were not bounde to betray their Princes nor to reuelate their counselles to the Pope The which thing y e pope must néedes know or els hee coulde not bring to passe his purpose that is to say he coulde not bée Lord ouer the worlde and cause Emperours and kynges to fetch their confirmation of him and to knéele downe and kisse his féete The which when hée had broght to passe hée procéeded farther adding more thinges in the Byshops othe to the maintayning of his worldly honour and dignitie as it shall afterward appeare But first wée wyll examine this othe how it standeth with Gods worde and with the true obedience to our prince I pray you tell me out of what Scripture or els out of what example of our mayster Christ his holy Apostles you haue takē this doctrine to learne to swere to Saint Peter or els to the Church of Rome or els to the Pope What néede you to sweare to Saint Peter ye cā neither doe hym good by your fidelitie nor yet hurt by your falshode Othes be taken that hée that the othe is made vnto might bée sure of the true helpe and succour of hym that sweareth agaynst all men that could hurte hym Now Saint Peter hath none enymies and though hée had yet is not hée afearde of them neyther can you helpe hym nor deliuer hym if hée had néede But the verytie is that good S. Peter must here stand in the fore frunt to make men afrayde with and to make men beléeue that you are his frendes but God knoweth that you neyther fauour his person lrarnyng nor lyuyng For if S. Peters person
that dare moste boldelye and with least shame depose Princes without a cause hée is best able to bée pope He that can by any trayne craft or subtyltye bring vnder hym any byshop or any spirituall person or inuent any newe clausein their othe hée is to bée alowed afore other Moreouer hée y e kéepeth fewest women and hath most of them that you wote of hée is holyest apte to bée head of your church And hée y e can most tyranously burne mē for preaching of y e Gospel and hée hym selfe to take no labours therein Item to burne priestes y e mary wiues and hée hym selfe to liue in all myschefe whordome yea in such abhominablenes as no man may with honestye speake you knowe what I meane this man I say hath a good testimony afore his spirituality that hée is a lawfull man to that office Furthermore hée that is a whores sonne as our holy father is now and can finde the meanes that 12. men will forswere them selfe that hée is lawfully borne as this holy Clement dyd This is a fitte father for such children Finally hée y e can geue most mony and bye y e greatest part of cardinales of hys syde hée is best worthy to bée called Pope to sit on Peters stoole For it can not bée vnknowen to you how y e Thomas Woulcy an holy piller of your Church woulde haue béene Pope whē this Clement was chosen and did offer for it a resonable peny But Clement dasshed hym out of consayte with 20000. li. more then hée offered and so hée was iudged best worthy and entered in lawfully and regularly and vnto him our bishops bée sworne and obedient And why because they will haue such a head as they bee members for how coulde els their kingdome stand For if one should bee chosen after the rule of blessed S. Paule or els after the lyuynge of these newe heretykes which bée simple and poore and care not for no dignityes nor will neuer swere nor fyght and would rather mary a wyfe of their owne then take other mens and alwayes studying preaching Gods worde séeking onely the honour of God and the profyt of his neighbour and will bée subiect and obedient in all thinges desiring none exception to his prince This man I say shoulde bée vnlawfull not eligible for hée were able to destroy y e whole kingdome of y e papistes and not worthy to receiue an othe of my Lordes y e byshops which will not gladly be periured for such a mās sake For he were able to destroy y e whole church of Rome vnto the which our Byshops haue béene before sworne It foloweth in your othe I shall not consent in counsell or in déede that they shoulde lose eyther lyfe or member or that they shoulde bée taken or trapped by any euill meane What néede you to sweare thus vnto the Pope doth not the order of charitie binde you thus to vse your selfe towarde all men that is to say neither to hurt them nor to harme them neither to intrappe them nor betraye them But all men must bée betrayde and with crafte and subtiltie vndone for the mayntenaunce of thys one wretched person The truth is that neuer man spake against this popet but you destroyde him and betrayde him But this popet hath blasphemed and betrayde all potestates and yet you were neuer against hym And why because you be sworne to hym And you will kéepe your othe bée it right or wrong But in your last othe which hath béene newely made is added thys clause That no man should lay violent bandes vpon them in any wyse or any wrong shoulde bee done vnto them by any maner of colour This part is newly brought in since the fleshe of the Pope hath béene so holy that no man might touch it but harlottes Christen men must patiently suffer iniuries and wrōges but your head will forsweare that point and mayntaine himselfe through your power against all men How neare that this is the Apostles liuing all Christen men can well iudge It foloweth in your othe Their counsell that shal bée shewed vnto mée either by theyr letters or by their messengers I shal open to no man to their hurte or damage Let Princes beware whan the pope sendeth coūselles vnto you for the meaning is to betraye them For all the worlde knoweth that the pope and you doth litle regarde what the beggars of the worlde doth handle But what Emperours kyngs and Dukes doth handle that must you let and destroye For that is the Popes counsell And you may shewe it to no man No not to your kyng And why because you are sworne to the pope But what say you to your othe made vnto your prince wherein you sweare that you shall be faithfull and true and beare vnto him aboue all creatures loue and fauour to lyue and to dye with hym and to open vnto him all maner of counselles that may bée hurtful vnto his grace Now is it well knowne that the pope hath done and dayly doth handle such coūselles as bée against our princes honour and conseruation And yet you may neyther tell it to your prince nor let it And why because you be sworn to the pope and for sworne to your prince Tell me when any thyng was opened vnto our prince by you that the pope had handeled in counsell agaynst our prince Of this thing I will take recorde of his noble grace whether I say true or false And yet must I bee accused of treason And why because you are sworne to the pope And I am true to the kyng It foloweth I shall helpe to defend and mayntaine the papistry of Rome against all men sauing myne order And in your new othe now in oure dayes made is added The regalles of Saint Peter What and in all mē bée contained your prince you must néedes defend him And why because ye bée sworne to the pope forsworn to your prince For your othe to your prince is to defend him with all your wit reason against all men Now must you forsake one of them And your practise hath béene alwayes to forsake your prince and sticke to the pope For of your othe made to your prince you haue béene oftentimes assoiled And as your lawe sayth the Church of Rome is wont so do doe But of your othe made vnto y e pope there is no absolution neither in heauen nor earth Neither was it euer redde heard nor séene that there could bée any dispensation for it Let mée bée reported by all y e bookes that euer were written and by all the bulles that euer were graunted and by all the experience that euer was vsed And if I bée found false let mée bée blamed And yet I am sure many mē will recken that I speake vncharitably But I would faine learne of all y e charitable mē in England with what other English wordes I coulde
your owne doctrine Looke in Alexander de Hales in Duns and in Bonauenture in the 4. booke of the sentences Now if you will condemne mée then must you fyrist condemne this your owne doctrine WHat is the cause that they forbid vs that we shoulde not discusse how greate their power is but because that they would make all mē fooles and holde vs in ignoraunce Your owne scholemen say the popes power is so greate that no man can nor may discusse it Also your lawe cōmaundeth That no mā bée so hardy as to aske y e pope Lord why doe you so But put the case that this were a lye yet is it farre from heresie Yet my Lordes say that I shall bée an heretyke And why say I Because we will haue it so say they Yea and thou béest not so content y u shalt bée burnt Mary I thank you hartely my Lords Pro bona vestra informacione THey haue a lawe moste abhominable contrarye to Gods lawe and charitie to excommunicate the people 4. tymes in a yeare that is to say those men that raise the rent of an house that must you vnderstand if it béelong not to the church For if it béelong vnto y e church thou maist raise it in euery moneth on s and no man shall curse thée Also they curse them that bée not buried in their parishe church y e must bée vnderstāded if that they bée rich men for if they bée poore they may bée buried amōg the friers The Byshop of Bath sayd ther was no such maner to curse men And all y e world knoweth the contrary More ouer I red these articles in the booke of the generall curse that belongeth to saynt Benets church in Cambrige and there did I marke it with myne owne hand and yet the byshop was not ashamed to denye it And why Because I muste bée an heretyke there is no remedye the holy fathers hath so determined it THey haue myters with glystering precious stones they haue gloues for catching colde in y e middest of their ceremonies They haue rynges and ouches other ceremonies so many y e there is in a manner now nothing els in the church but all iewyshe maners wyll you make this heresy because I speake against your dānable and pompous myters I thinke such ornamentes were to bée condemned euen among heathen men I will not say among christean men But this dare I say that there was neuer no God among heathen men that euer delighted in such ornamentes And yet you will serue the God of heauen by thē And your poore brother whom Christ hath redéemed with his precious bloud dyeth in prison and openly in the streate hangeth him selfe for necessitie yet wil you not bestow on hym so much as one of your precious stones Tell me of one byshop that euer brake his myter to the helping of a poore man was there neuer man in necessitye in England but all y e world may sée what you bée These thinges bée sensible inough THese myters I can not tell from whence they do come except they take them from the iewes byshops if they take them from y e Iewes then let them also take theyr sacrifices and their oblations from them and offer calues and lambes as they dyd and then haue we nothing to doe with them for wee bée christen men and no Iewes I pray you tell mée where yée finde but one pricke in holy scripture of your myters Our mayster did institute byshops And S. Paule setteth out what is their office and also what is their ornamēt yet speaketh neuer a worde of your myters But I dare boldelye say y e if you bée put to y e tryall you shall bée fayne to rūne to the olde lawe But can I bée an heretyke if I condemned clearely your myters and sayde they were of the deuyll when you proue them to bée of Christes institution then will I be an heretyke Is not that Inough I praye you let mée so long bée taken for a christean man And if you bée not cōtent with this truely then doe yée me wronge THese myters with 2. hornes I cānot tell what they should signifye except it be the hornes of the false prophet of whome It is spoken with these hornes shalt y u blowe afore thée all Syria And so dyd hée mocke their ringes and all their ornamentes and ecclesiasticall ceremonyes It wil com to my saying that you bée byshops of the olde lawe for you haue nothing to defende your rynges your ornamentes and your ceremonies but very tyranny Wherefore to mayntaine these depose you kynges and princes interdite landes burne man wyfe and chylde And when you haue all done you haue defended but a deuelysh token of prid The doctours that wolde fauour your proude tokens expound them to the best haue declared that the two hornes of your myters dyd sygnify the new and the olde testament that is how you should be learned in them both Now I saw that this exposition did not agrée with that thyng for no man can bée lesse learned in them thē you bée I speake of a great many Wherefore me thought it was but a vaine exposition and therfore I compared them to the two hornes of the false Prophet bicause as you know this false Prophet sayde vnto the kyng that hée shoulde with these two hornes blow afore him all Syria And yet hée lyed for the kyng was the first mā that was slayne So likewise you say vnto kynges if they folowe your coūsell and mayntaine your authoritie and bée ruled after you Thē shal they ouercome all their enemies As sinne death and hell and yet Saluo ordine vestro you lye for you haue no word of God for you Wherefore you must be false Prophetes Here haue I cōpared with a similitude your myters to the two hornes and you to false Prophetes what if this bée false what if I can not proue it yet can you make me none hereticke For then must you make those men heretickes that haue compared the forkes of your myters to the new and to the old Testamentes and you to the true Apostles for they haue made a greater lye then I haue done and they are neuer able to proue it And as for me I will proue my saying true if ye will stād to Scripture or els wil I be taken for an hereticke THey haue baculum pastoralem to take shéepe with but it is not like a shepheardes hooke for it is intricate and manifold crooked and turneth alwayes in so that it may bee called a mase for it hath neither begynnyng nor endyng and it is more like to knocke swine and woules in the head with then to take shéepe They haue also pyllers and pollaxes and other ceremonies whiche no doubt bée but tryfles and thynges of naught I pray you what is the cause that you call your staffe a
compared to the vyne and all the members of holy Churche to the branches that as the braunches can bring foorth no frute of them selues so cā holy church of her selfe bring foorth no goodnes except shee remaine in Christ by persite fayth This is wel proued by your owne law whose wordes bée these therfore is the Church holy because she beléeueth righteously in God c. Here you not the cause wherfore the Church is holy because she beléeueth righteously in God that is she beléeueth in nothyng but in him and she beléeueth nor heareth no worde but his as our master Christe beareth witnesse my shéepe heare my voyce and an other mans voyce doe they not know Also in an other place hée that is of God heareth the wordes of God How cōmeth this that y e Church of God hath so sure a iudgemēt that she knoweth the voyce of Christ frō other voyces can not erre in her iudgement Because that Christ hath chosen her and because she is learned of God as our master Christ sayth and because she hath as S. Iohn sayth the inwarde oyntmēt of God y ◠teacheth his all maner of verity so that she can not erre But why can shee not erre because she may doe what she will Because that all thing that she doth is well done because she may make new rules and newe lawes at her pleasure Because she may inuent a newe seruice of God that is not in Scripture at her wil Nay nay my Lordes For she is but a woman and must bée ruled by her husbande yea she is but a shéepe and must heare y e voyce of her shepheard and so long as she doth so long cā she not erre because the voyce of her shepheard can not bée false This may be proued by your own law whose wordes bée these y e whole Church can not erre Also in an other place the congregation of faythfull men must néedes bée which also can not erre c. These wordes bée playne what Church it is that can not erre that is the congregation of faythfull men that bée gathered in Christes name whiche haue Christes spirite whiche haue the holy oyntement of God whiche abyde fast by Christes word and heare no other mās voyce but his Now my Lordes gather you all togither with all the lawes that you cā make and all the holynes that you can deuise and crye the Church the Churche and the Councels the Councels that were lawfully gathered in the power of the holy ghost all this may you say yet lye and if you haue not in déede the holy ghost with in you and if you doe heare any other voyce then Christes then are you not of the Churche but of the deuill and théenes murtherers as Christ saith For you come into the fold of Christ without him you bring not his voice but you come with your owne voyce with your owne statutes with your owne word your owne mandamus mandamus precipimus precipimus excommunicamus excommunicamus These bée the voyces of murtherers and Théeues and not of Christ therfore you can not but erre for you bée not taught of God you haue not the holy oyntment you haue not the worde of God for you you heare not the voyce of the true shepheard therfore must you néedes erre in all your counsells This is an other maner of rule then my Lorde of Rochester doth assigne to examine your counsels by for hée sayth where that the Pope and the counsell doth not agrée all in one there will hée suspect the counsell not to bée right Who did euer heare such a rule of a Christean man yea and of a bishop yea and of a doctor of Diuinite where hath hée learned this Diuinite to recken a counsell to bée trew because y e the Pope and so many men doe agree in one yea and that such men as haue so often tymes erred in their coūcels as hée doth declare hym self rekening the counsell of Constantinople that had 330. Byshops and yet did erre and hée knew no other cause but bée cause the Pope did not agrée to them Is not this a resonable cause cā not the Pope erre let hym read his own lawe Distinctio 19. Anastasius Distinctio 40. Si Papa and also 24. q 1. Arecta in the glose and there shall hée fynde that the Pope hath erred Wherefore then should the matter stande in his iudgment Now how will hée by thys rule saue the counsels of constance and of Basell where in both counsels the Popes were condemned for heretykes As the same counsels make mencion also that the councels haue erred that graūted hée hymselfe but peraduenture hée will saye that they were not full Councels Now is it well amended what distinction is as conscernyng the veritie in a counsell that hath a thowsand byshops and in an other that hath fyve thowsand can the multitude helpe to the veritie Then had the Turke the veritie and we the falsed then had the Prophet Micheas the worsse part for hée was alone against iiij hundred so was y e verytie by y e Prophets of Ball and not by Elyas for they were foure hundred and fyftye hee was but one man Briefely Christes flocke is alwayes y e smallest nūber in this world but yet it is the best not the smallest number maketh Christes flocke but that Christes Church stādeth neyther by the greatest number nor yet by the smallest nor by the iudgmēt or numbring of man but by the callyng and eleccion of God Wherefore let my Lorde bring forth what counsell that hée will and if they haue not the word of God I will not all onely say they may erre but also that they doe erre in verye déede And that will I proue by the greatest lawyer that they haue called Panormitanus whose wordes bée these that Councels may erre as they haue erred as concernyng that contract of matrimony inter raptorem raptam and the saying of Saint Hierome was afterward preferred a boue the statute of the counsel as it is proued 36. q. 2. Tria for in thinges concerning the fayth is the saying of a priuat person to bee preferred afore the saying of the pope if hée haue better reasōs and scriptures of the new and of the olde testamēt for him then the Pope nor it can not helpe to say that the counsell can not erre because that Christ did pray for his Church y e her fayth should not fayle For I aūswere to this that though y e generall coūcell doe represent y e whole vniuersall church neuertheles in very déede there is not y e very vniuersall church but representatiue For the vniuersal church stādeth in y e election of all fayth full men all faithfull mē of y ◠world make that vniuersall Church whose head and spouse is Christ Iesus the Pope is but the vicar of Christ and not the
I wil beléeue them But alonely they séeke an eâ—asion how to defende the matter by For I dare say if any man should goe aboute to chuse a maried man to bée a byshop or els a person they would thinke hée were mad In so much that some of them hath sayd that mariage was so vnlawfull for Piestes that they haue fayned yâ—â—olye Apostles for to forsake their wiues after their election How staÌ„deth these two togeathers that maryed men may bée bishops I feare me the byshoprickes will soone bée gotten out of their handes and most parte also of all benefices Wherefore I woulde counsell them rather to graunt that Priestes myght haue wiues then for maried men to bée made byshops Furthermore marke that the holy counsell made no lawe whether y â— Priest should marry after their conseâ—ration or not Wherefore it must néedes bée taken away of them as frée and an indiffereÌ„t thing for a priest to marry after his coÌ„secratioÌ„ or not For if they had reckened it vnlawfull for hym to marry then would they haue forbidden it For the counsell was gathered for to reforme those thinges y â— were aâ—…sse as the text saith clearely Moreouer if it had chaunced then a priest to haue maried after his consecration hee had not offended for there was no lawe at that day that did forbyd hym Therefore it is now no necessary artycle If men will not bée content with these auctorities yet somewhat to satisfye them I will bringe them an other lawe which the Papistes calleth Canon Apostolorum the wordes bée these If any man doth teach that a Priest by y â— reason of his order ought to forsake his wyfe cursed bée hée c. Marke of this lawe that for colour of holines no maÌ„ ought to forsake their wyues Wherefore it must néedes folowe that for priests to marry wiues after their consecration is not against their holynes Note also that the text sayth how Priests had wiues of their owne and went not a borowing as they doe now We reade in the counsell of Gangrens how they made this decrée If any man doth iudge or condemne a Priest that is maried that hée may not by the reason of his mariage doe sacrifyce but will abstayne from his masse by the reason thereof cursed bée hée c. Fyrst you shall know the occasion wherfore this counsell was gathered There was a certayne heretyke called Eustachius the which dyd among all other heresyes teach that no mariâ—d man could be saued Also be taught that Priests which dyd marry ought for to bée despised and in no wise for to handle the blessed sacramentes Against this heretick is this decrée made Now let euery maÌ„ iudge what diuersitie is betwéene this heretyke and the Popes doctrine This heretyke sayth that mariage is vnpure vncleane and that a maryed Priest may not touch the sacramentes The selfe and the same doctrine sayth the Pope in diuers places and especially in a chapter y â— beginneth w t Nullum Where hée sayth that no byshop shall pre ume to consecrate any Deacon except hée will fyrst vow chastitie For no man ought to bée admitted sayth hée to serue at the aulter except his chastitie bée fyrst knowen Also in an other chapter hée sayth They that eyther kéepe whores or els marry wiues shal be priuated of their benefices For they are vnworthy for to bée in the temple of God to touch the holy vessels of the Church that doth vse them selues in such vncleanenes sayth hée What is condemning of matrymony if this bée not Hée coÌ„pareth whordome and matrymony to bée like cleane the which did neuer none heretyke The Pope goeth further and sayth No man may bée eyther Priest or Deacon that is maryed except they will promise to forsake their wiues c. These lawes make against them that say how that maryed men may bée Priestes The same thyng doth the Pope also confyrme in dyuers other places of his lawe hauing none other cause why but only because as hée sayth Priestes must bée pure and cleane This same cause had also Eustachius For he reckened as the Pope doth how maryage was vnpure and vncleane and dyd therefore forbyd Priests to marry Yea in our dayes I dare say that no man forbiddeth Priests to marry but only they that reckeÌ„ mariage vncleane But let â—s goe farther and sée what holy counsels haue decréed as conserning Priestes matrimony We doe reade in a counsell that is called the syxt Sinod these words Considering y t it is decréed amongest the lawes made by theÌ„ of Rome that no deacon nor Priest shall company with their wiues Therefore we not withstanding that decrée folowing y t rules of the Apostles and the constitutions of holy men wyll that from thys day forth maryage shal bée lawfull in no wyse dissoluyng the matrimony betwéene them their wiues nor depriuing theÌ„ of their familiarity in time conuenient Whosoeuer therfore shall bee founde able of the order of Deacon Subdeacon or of Priesthoode wée wyll that no such men bée prohibited to ascende the dignities aforesayd for the cohabitation of their wyues Nor that they bée constrained at the receite of theyr orders to professe chastitie or to abstayne from the company of their lawfull wyues It foloweth if any man presume therfore agaynst the Canons of the Apostles to depriue Priestes or Deacons from the copulation and felowship of theyr lawfull wyues let such a man bée deposed Semblably both priests and Deacons which putteth away their wyues vnder the colour of holynes let them bée excommunicated But if they continue in the same let them bée deposed Note how thys counsell doth condemne by name the Popes decrée which hath commaunded spirituall men to forsake their wyues And in thys is also to bée obserued that the euasion of the Papistes when they say that marryed meÌ„ may be priests is a false lye For the Pope and they dyd neuer admit that as this counsell witnesseth but alonely that they are driuen to a narrow exigent by y t violence of our argumentes they haue none other euasion to delude the people by Wherefore they bée compelled to helpe themselues with such a lye For here is it playnely in thys Counsell declared how the Pope they haue prohibited those Priestes y t were marryed to coÌ„pany with their wyues and would not admit them to mynister béefore they had forsaken their wiues Farthermore note how that thys counsell doth alleadge for them the rules of the holy Apostles and the coÌ„stitutions of blessed men What Christen man wyll nowe set hym selfe agaynst thys holy counsell the which hath so good auctoritie for it Afterwarde it is to bée marked how that this counsell doth commaunde that no man shall vowe chastitie wheÌ„ hée shall bée consecrated the which thing is clearely agaynst the Pope that coÌ„pelleth all hys priestes to vowe chastitie béefore they bée
kéepe theyr chastitie Would it not abhorre a Christen maÌ„ to heare tell of the innumerable baudes that are made by y t reason y t priests caÌ„ not lyue chaste What a petious case is it to sée so many young men cast away thâ—… whiche doth sée dayly their maisters vncleane liuyng Here were many thynges to bée recited but honesty compelleth me to passe theÌ„ ouer But I thinke there is no good man but hée will thinke as much in hym selfe as I either would say or can say I could tell if If I would the occasion why y t those Cardinals of Rome which kéepeth whores bée noted of the common people to bée of the best sort of Cardinals But I will passe it ouer Neuertheles it gréeueth mée a lyttell that I may not somewhat opeÌ„ my hart But this I promyse them if any of these proiectours of this fylthy chastitie doth take in hand to defende it agaynst mée I will not bée ashamed to writeâ— that they haue not béene ashamed to doe Nor I will not kéepe secrete how certayne byshops of England and also of other countries doth let whores to ferme vnto priests And all béecause they will not suffer them to marry Yet heare will I tell you one prety tale There is a byshop lyuyng at this same day in Germanye which had néede of a great some of money I could tell his name if I would this byshop called vnto hym a gentilman a great frend of his which smelled a littell of the new learning so called Vnto this maÌ„ hée made his complaint how that hee must néedes make shifte shortly for a great somme of money desyring hym both to helpe hym and also of his counsell This man sayde vnto hym if hée would folow his couÌ„sell hée would shortly helpe him The byshop was very glad and grauÌ„ted to folowe his counsell Then sayde the gentylman My Lord your Lordship shall geue a strayte commaundement that all your Priestes within your diocese shall put away their whores within this two monethes vnder the payne of heresye at the least After this your Lordship shall send ij of your couÌ„sellers that bée knowen to bée greately in your fauour to handle with the priestes in their owne names for to take vp thys matter betwéene your Lordeship and them But vnder this condition that the priests shall grauÌ„t vnto them a certayne some of money and they shall promise the priestes y t they will bring it to passe that your Lordship notwithstaÌ„ding your strait commaundement shall bée contented to suffer them to liue as they haue done in tymes past and after the olde custome of the Church The byshop was contented with this counsell incontinent gaue out y t commaundement and afterward sent out two of his best frendes priuelye to treate with the Priestes in their names but not in his For hée woulde not bée knowen of it because hée had vowed chastitie But what thinke you that these two meÌ„ did gather in this one byshoppricke within y t space of ij moneths Verely â—xx M. guyldens the which money the byshop receiued very deuoutly and thought it not against the vowe of chastitie What shall men say to these mens conscience that will not sticke to burne a poore priest that maryeth a wife but yet they will receyue xx M. guyldens to mayntayne open whoredome O lord God thou knowest this yet doubtles thou sufferest it And all béecause they should haue space and respite to amende vnto which God geue them grace Amen But agayne to our purpose men may perceaue that this holy byshop Hulderyke was agaynst the pope dyd also alowe my doctrine and declare that S. Gregorie did repeÌ„t him of y t statute y t hée had made for priests â—…astitie Wherefore I conclude here yet agayne that Gods holy worde olde doctours holy counselles the Emperours lawe olde decrées of the Church the practice of the holy Apostels the lyuing of holy men Gods lawe and mans lawe nature reason doth alowe this article of myne Wherefore I trust no good nor reasonable man will withstand mée in this case There runneth a greate voyce of mée that I haue maried a wife and for that cause men doth recken that I will something proue my witte and also stretch my learning to mayntain that priestes myght haue wyues But the very trueth is béefore God maÌ„ that I haue no wife â—or neuer went about to marry I thanke God of his grace And of this I haue as noble princes as bée in Germany to beare mée witnesse and also many other worshipfull and honest men y t doth knowe mée and my conuersation I haue also the ryght worshipfull man Doctour Lée which was the kinges Embassadour with vs and all his seruauntes to testifye for mée which bée honest men and sufficient in a greater cause then this is Finally here is also the byshop of our citie with whom I doe dwell am most conuersant with Heare is also the Embassadours of Lubycke which doth also know mée and my conuersation And I doubt not but all they will testifye for mée as farre as any lawe shall require Yea I dare boldly say y t myne aduersaries haue not so good testemony that they kéepe theyr vowe of chastitie as I haue that I am not maryed But all is done to bringe mée in defamation Let God prouide Neuertheles what if I had a wyfe is y so great a crime What can men make of it Hath not many noble Princes and good men wyues Will meÌ„ make more articles of saluation for mée then for princes or for other Christen men what haue I deserued thus to bée taken Men will haue to doe with mée but I promise them they shall get no good by it if I may come to my aunswere I wil bée able alwayes to defend a wyfe if I weare disposed to marry agaynst all those that kéepe whores Let them begin when they will Notwithstandyng I doe not abstayne from a wife béecause that is euell and vncleane to marry but I haue other lawfull considerations Let no man doubt but this is of trueth if I had a wyfe I would not haue medled with this article because that men myght haue suspected mée that then I would haue defended this article for the maintenaunce of my facte But now on the other syde that men should not think how I despised mariage or thought it vnlawfull for a Priest to marry in as much as I my selfe doe not marry Therfore haue I takeÌ„ this labour on mée to wryte my meaning so much the more boldely béecause that men haue no cause to suspect mée that I speake to defende myne owne cause but all onely to set out the veretye so God helpe mée Amen But now will I goe to the Popes lawe and sée what tyme that thys thyng begunne to take strength It had beene often times attempted but it was alwayes repelled by one good man or
shamefully abuseth the holy Church 243 Popes Church glory in trash 251 Popes Clergy is condemned by S. Augustine as heretickes 264 Pope and Christ are contrary 284 Pope and his Clergye are the very Antechristes 288 Pope a persecutour of holy church 242 Pope selleth God and all hys ordidinaunces 265 Popes condeÌ„ned for heretickes 247 Popes own lawes both agaynst him selfe and his Clergy 305 Pope defameth Priesthode 324 Pope and his Clergye feare not to breake Christes institution 306 Pope forbyddeth mariage 315 Pope accompteth whoredome matrimony to bee all one 321 Popes doctrine condeÌ„ned by a CouÌ„cell 322 Popes lawes agaynste mariage of Priestes 316 Pope alloweth y t kepyng of whores 317 Pope wil not suffer any persoÌ„s maryed to bee Byshops 320 Pope is a renter and tearer of the Scriptures 334 Pope maketh a hotchpot of mariage ibidem Pope accompteth whoredome better then Matrimony 335 Pope a blasphemer of God ibidem Practise of Prelates 203 Practises of Papistes to cause Images to worke miracles 343 Preachers of true doctrine teach obedience 185 Preachers of true doctrine are sufferers 184 Preachers of false doctrine are persecuters 184 Preachers agaynst the Pope are accompted heretickes 205 Prelates caÌ„not vse obedience to their Prince 202 Prelates are blynd guides ibidem Prelates will obey the pope but not the Prince 203 Priestes rore and mumble out their Diriges and Masses 216 Priestes may marry wyues by the law of God lawfully 309 Priestes must marry for auoydyng of fornication 310 Prophetes neuer styrred the people agaynst the Prince 184 ProtestaÌ„tes and Papistes how they differre 191 Power temporall described 292 R. REason deuotion that is agaynst the will of God is mere blyndnes 307 Righteous man lyueth by fayth 233 Rochester agaynst Winchester 206 Rochesters great iudgement ibidem Rochesters vayne distinction 237 Rochesters rule to know the difference betweene the Pope and the Councell 247 Rochesters wordes vppon Christes wordes 303 S. SAcrament forbydden to bee receaued in both kyndes 301 Sacrament vnder both kyndes 305 Saintes can obteine nothyng for vs. 347 Saintes how they ought to bee honored 349 Saintes are boly but they are no Gods 351. Scriptures are to be read of all men 182 Scriptures in the common tounge teach all obedience 184 Scriptures iudge the true Church 250 Scroupe Richard Archbyshoppe of yorke a rebell 188 Scriptures are the iudges of Councels 248 Scriptures not suffered by the Popes Clergye to bee in the mother toung 283 Scriptures teache the commaundementes of God 288 Scripture is profitable to bee read 289 Scriptures is to bee made knowen to all men 291 Solutions and argumentes to the Scriptures 236 Spiritualtie ready to helpe the pope 194 Spirituall power 297 Stafford George a learned maÌ„ 22â— Stokesly Byshop of London a foolish and malicious Papist 291 Stockes and stones the Papistes honor as Goddes 342 Subiectes must obey and in what maner 294. 295 Supplication made by D. Barnes to kyng Henry the viij 183 Supersâ—â—tion of the Monkes of the Charterhouse 299 T. TRaditions agaynst God are to be rooted vp by the rootes 298 Tunstall Byshop of London 215 V. VIrginitie is a state indiffereÌ„t 313 Vncharitable sutes are to bee reproued 209 Vniuersall Church is not a generall Councell 248 Vowes that haue vnlawfull conditions are not to bee obserued 319 Vrbane Pope agaynste Clement Pope 193 W. WOrkes which bee of greatest value and are accompted for the best 228 Workes are good and helpe to iustification 231 Workes without fayth are but sinne 233 Workes of the new law 234 Whoredome is lawfull in no case 311 ¶ FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye and are to bee sold at hys shop vnder Aldersgate An. 1572. ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis A liuely picture describyng the authoritie and substaunce of Gods most blessed word weyghing agaynst Popish traditions ☞ Iudgement indifferent How light is chaffe of Popish toyes if thou desire to trye Loe Iustice holdes true beame without respect of partiall eye One ballance holdes Gods holy word and on the other parte Is layde the dregs of Antichrist deuisde by Popish arte Let Friers and Nunnes and baldpate Priestes with triple crowne of Pope The Cardinals hatt and deuill him selfe by force plucke downe the rope Bryng bell booke candle crosse beades and mitred Basan bull Bryng buls of leade and Popes Decrees the ballance downe to pull Yet shall these tares and filthy dregs inuented by mans brayne Through force of Gods most mighty word be fouÌ„d both light and vayne Magna est veritas preualet Great is the trueth and preuayleth 3. Esdra 4. Tyndall a vertuous and godly man Wilfull malice agaynst opeÌ„ trueth The authors that Popishe Pristes doe studie Vniust dcaling of the Papistes Notorious blasphemy of a Papist Tyndall remoueth from M. Welshe Tyndall sueth to be with Tonstall Byshop of London but coulde not obtayne The Scripture in the vulgare tongue a speciall manifesting of the trueth IgnorauÌ„ce of Scripture cause all mischife erroures in religion The reprobate are alwayes offended at y e trueth Henry Phillippes a wicked and dissembling Iudas Tyndals simplicitie pitied of the officers Tyndals godly zeale to his Prince A testimony of Tyndals godly life euen by his aduersarye The fayth of Tyndall shewed by a manifest myracle The reason that the papistes make agaynst the translation of the scripture into English A subtile shift of the popes clergy to couer their euill How the Papistes were vexed with Tindals translation of the new testament The Papistes shamed not to wrest the scriptures The Papistes haue wrought wonderfully to haue suppressed y â— scripture As owles abide not the brightnes of the day so cannot the papists abide the lyght of the gospell What first moued W. Tyndale to translate y â— Scripture into englssh This bishop of LoÌ„don was then Tunstall which afterward was bishop of Durham The popes chaplens pulpet is the alâ—house Christes apoitles dyd mekely admonish but the Popes sectaryes dyd braule and skold Parcialitie sometyme in men of great learnyng How Tindale was deceaued Roome enough in my Lordes house for belly chere but none to translate the new testament Tindale could get no place in the bishop of LondoÌ„s house Tyndals submission is to all such as submit themselues to God Not the toung but the life proueth a true Gospeller The truest touchestone or Religion is Christes Gospell The scripture of god is y â— sworde of the Spirite TribulatioÌ„ is the gifte of God What we ought to seeke in the Scriptures A goodly comfort agaynst desperation EnsaÌ„ples of their euils not to bolden vs but to feare vs froÌ„ sinne and desperation Howe we ought to prepare our selues to the reading of the scriptures Fayth our surest shield in all assaultes We may not trust in our workâ— but in the word and promise of God God burdened with hys promise The holy ghost breateth where and when it pleaseth hym Conscience of euill doynges fyndeth out 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 men Of
do not take their vocation to seke Gods glory and honour but to liue easilie promote themselues to dignitie Libertie God destroyeth one wicked with an other Gods word is not the cause of euill Christes Disciples were long weake and worldly mynded What the Popes doctrine causeth he coÌ„maundeth murther The popes doctrine is bloudy Christes doctrine to peaceable God auengeth hys doctrine him selfe How a maÌ„ ought to behaue him selfe in readyng of doctours and also in the Scripture Our fathers and mothers are to vs in Gods stede What wee doe to our fathers mothers that we do to God The reward of obedience The reward of disobedience God auengeth disobedience hym selfe though the officer will not Mariage couetousnes maketh our spiritualitie that they cannot see that which a Turke is ashamed of Get her with child say they so shall thy cause bee best Gods commaundementes breake they throughe their owne traditions Money maketh marchaundise Iugglers Mariage altereth the degree of nature The husband is 〈◊〉 the wife in gods stede In sufferynge wronges patieÌ„tly â—e folow the steppes of Christ The master is vnto the seruanÌ„t in Gods stede Our spiritualtie retayne mens seruauntes not to honour God but their traditions and ceremonies onely Christes doctrine the Popes differre If thy master please thee not shaue thy selfe a Monke a Frier or a Priest To obey no man is a spirituall thyng Rom. 13. Kyngs are chosen to suppresse the wicked support the good An â—pte similitude Iudges are called Gods Blessyng Curse God rewardeth aâ— obedience though no maÌ„ els do God auengeth all disobedience though no maÌ„ els do VeÌ„geance is Gods Dauid God destroyeth one wicked by an other God prouideth a meanes to take the euil out of the way when they haue fulfilled their wickednes Why Dauid slewe not Saul The kyng 〈◊〉 in the roâ—â—â—e of god in this world The kyng must be reserued vnto the vengeaunce of God It iâ— not lawfull for a Christen subiect to resiste hys Prince though he be an heathen man Kynges must make accompt of their doynges onely to God The kyng hath no power but to his damnation to priuiledge the spiritualtie to sinne vnpunished A king is a great benefite though he be neuer so euill Princes are ordeined to pâ—uill doâ—rs The damnation of Princes Sanctuaries Neckeuerse Three natures What it is to looke Moyses in the face Heauen commeth by Christ A Christen man seketh no more but Gods will Lustes Freâ—ill Worldly witte The will is bond and â—ed Fredome All is sinne that springeth not of the spirite of God and all that is not done in the light of Gods worde So do our spiritualtie in all their workes True miracles are wrought to coÌ„firme the preaching and not the God head of the preacher Our hypocrites are blinde The religious looke vpon the out side onely The sprituall man The naturall man Feate is the last â—emedy Kinges defend y â— false authoritie of the pope their office punishing of sinne loyd apart Bishoppes minister the kinges dutie their owne layde apart yea they persecute their owne office Kynges do but waite on y â— Popes pleasure The iugling of the Pope Bishops of Almany Mylane Byshops of Fraunce A cappe of maintenaunce Most Christen kyng Defendre of the Popes Fayth The eldest sonne of the holy 〈◊〉 Blâ—â—â—ng of armes The English Bysshops The falsehode of the Bishops O a cruell and an abhominable example of tyranny iudge them by theyr dedes saith Christ The whore of BabyloÌ„ Confession Not Peter onely but Christ also was vnder the temporall sword The kings sinne in geuing exeÌ„ptions the Prelates in receauyng them When the spiritualitie payeth tribute Shameles iugglers They make no conscieÌ„ce at any euill doyng They care for theyr neighbours as y â— wolfe doth for the shepe The euill ensample of the spiritualtie causeth the lay to beleue that they are not bound to obey There is no ChristeÌ„ loue in theÌ„ What purpose euen to flatter the princes that they may abuse their authoritie to sleâ— who soeuer beleueth 〈◊〉 Christ and to mainteine the Pope Confessiâ— Prelates know all mens secretes 〈…〉 man theâ—… â—oue fulfilleth the law before God not the outward dede Agaynste workemen The deede fulfilleth the law before the world Faith maketh a man to loue Iustifiyng The office or dutie of the law The beleuyng of Gods promises iustifieth The spirite and the inward vertues are knowen by the outward dede Ouercome thyne enemy with well doing The law The kyng Rulers are Gods gift Why the rulers are euill Euill rulers are a signe that God is angry with vs. Why the Prelates are so wicked The cause of false miracles is that we haue no lust vnto the truth The right way to came of bondage Euill rulers ought not to be resisted God is alwayes one alwayes true alwayes mercifull and excludeth no maÌ„ from his promises A Christâ— man doth but suffer onely Euill rulers are wholesome medicines A Christen man receaueth How profitable aduersitie is The greatest sinner is righteous in Christ and the promises And the perfectest and holyest is a sinner in the lawe the fleshe Rigour in parentes towardes their chilchildren is to be eschued The right bringing vp of children The destruction marring of children The maryage of children without conâ—… of their parenâ—es is vnlawfull In Christ we are all seruaunts and he that hath knowledge is bounde MeÌ„ ought to rule their wiues by Gods worde Why the man is stronger then the woman Teach thy seruaunt to know Christ and after Christes doctrine deale with hym Do all thyng with Gods worde Landlordes should raise no rentes nor bring vp new customes God gaue â—he earth to men Landlordes should withstand the worng of the Tenauntes There is no respect of person afore God Moyses Iudges O tyranny to compell a man to accuse himselfe Our Prelates learned of Cayphas Secret sinnes pertayne vnto God to punishe and open sinnes vnto the kyng ☜ Parcialitie in Iudges is wicked Parcialitie bribe takyng is the pestilence of Iudges ☞ Women pride and coÌ„tempt of subiectes are the pestilence of Princes Vayne names The holy father lonseth peace and vmâ—â—e trace trâ—uth and aâ— honesty What the keyes arâ— why they are so called The keyes are promised The keyes are payde To bynde and loose Repentaunce and forgeuenes come by preachyng Peter practiseth his keyes The popes authoritie is to preach gods word onely Beware of the net and of the leuen and of the counterfet keyes of our holy father Not w t an hereticke sayth the Pope Vnlawfull vowes or othes men are commaunded to breake Byshops Behold the face of the Pope and of the Byshops in this glasse Peters patrimonie The popes authoritie is improued Byshops haue captiued Gods word with theyr owne decrees Rochester They walke in shadowes Aaron is euery true preacher Aaron representeth Christ Aaron addeth nothyng to Moses law The Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paule is greater thaÌ„ hye
and of his Apostles and iudge their fruites What blessing meaneth The commaundement maketh Priestes Putting on of haÌ„ds What Iudas is now A point of practise ☞ Repentaunce Repentaunce is signified by Baptime ☜ One confession is to knowledge wherein thou puttest thy trust If when tyrauntes oppose thee thou haue power to confesse then art thou sure that thou art sate An other confession is to knowledge thy sinnes in 〈…〉 vnto God Shrift Shrift was put downe for knauery among the Greekes But is stablished theâ— by among vs. How a maÌ„ shall know that 〈◊〉 sinnes are forgeuen Blind reason to their guide and not Gods spirite Learne to know them for they are verely lepers in theyr hartes AttritioÌ„ is of the leues of the phariseis Whom a man offendeth 〈◊〉 must hee confesse It hath no recorde in 〈◊〉 y â— Scripture that God shuld crepe in hyde him 〈◊〉 in Antichristes eare Christ is 〈◊〉 euerlastyng satisfaction Baptisme â—…steth eâ—er Of byndyng and loosing and of the Popes authoritie or power The Pope chalengeth power not ouer man onely but ouer God also Purgatory is the Popes creature he may therfore be bold there The Pope bindeth the aungels The true byndyng loosing S. Hierome agaynst Bishops and Priestes The curse is to bee feared The right maner of loosing ☜ Christ vnderstode this texte all power is geueÌ„ me in heauen in earth also vsed it farre other wise then the Pope ☜ What authoritie Christ gaue hys Apostles The right byndyng loosyng How the Pope reigneth vnder Christ A poena et a culia is a proper breaâ—… The Pope is more mightie more mercifull for money theÌ„ God is for the death of his onely sonne The merites of saintes The merites of Christ The Pope selleth that which God geueth frely Fryers Sinne is y â— best marchaundise that is Christ prophesied of Antichrist and tolde why he shoulde come The promises are either put out or leauened and why All is in Latin The Pope commaundeth God to curse A custome that is vsed in the marches of waies Gods sacramentes preach Gods promises The popes sacraments are dumme Christening of belles Why SuffragaÌ„s are ordeined The Byshops deuide all among theÌ„ Ceremonies bring not the holy Ghost Putting on of haÌ„ds Prayer of fayth doth the miracles The â—…ting on oâ— hands doth neither helpe nor hinder What soeuer is not of fayth is sinne The latine tounge destroyeth the sayth That the worke without y â— promise saueth is unproued The prople beleue in y â— worke without y â— prâ—…e Volowâ—…g ☜ The worke saueth not but the worde that is to say 〈◊〉 promise ☜ Workes be they neuer so glorious iustifie not In all thing they leaue ouâ— the promises How farre forth the deede is acceptable to God Our prayers acceptable according to our fayth ouâ— deedes according to the measure of loue A ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saued therby Saluation is with in vs. Confession ☞ Byshops worke there treason thorough confession Kynges be sworne to the bishops and not the Byshops vnto the kynges How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded Howe to know who is sent of God and who is not No man may preach but he that is called sent of god ☜ The difference betwene true Sacraments and false A sayth without Gods promise is idolatrie The Byshops blessing How the Apostles blessed vs. RepentaÌ„ce and sure fayth in in Christ purgeth our sinnes The protestation of the author Confession robbeth the Sacraments and maketh theÌ„ frutelesse What grace is Howe to knowe what iustifieth and what not or what bringeth grace and what not With their Chaplayns quoth hee God geue grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say seruice alone while they True miracles draw to Christ The effect and force of our good deedes False miracles driue from Christ He that teacheth to trust in a saint is a false Prophet What he should pray that prayeth for his neighbour The 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 and not deceaued The spiriâ—… pray not that we might come to y â— knowledge of Christ The 〈◊〉 are but an enâ—… 〈◊〉 Offerings cause of the miracles God y â— father fulfilleth his promises to vs for Christes sake not for the merites of saintes as y â— Papistes taught All such Martyrs are the popes martyrs not Gods For martyr signifieth a witnes bearer now is he not Gods witnes that testifieth not his worde The reasons which they make for y â— worshipping of Saintes are solued It is not like wyth kynges and God Christ is no sinner Nothyng bringeth a man sooner to confusioÌ„ then the Idolatry of his owne imaginatioÌ„ â—hrist is a 〈◊〉 geue to â—…rs God loueth mercy Hypocrites loue oâ—â—eâ—ynges We are at peace in our consciences when we beleue constantly ouâ— sinnes are remitted throughe Iesus Christ Why we come not to Christ God looketh on our good dedes Intichrist turneth the rootes of the trees vnword In Christâ— we are one as good as an other equally beloued indifferently heard Christ is all to a Christen man The childreÌ„ of faith worke of loue and nede no law to coÌ„pâ—ll them We are all Christes seruauntes and serue Christ The contempt or loue we shewe one to another the same shewe we to Christ Christ knoweth nothyng worldly 〈◊〉 not his â—…ry mother As long as Christ abydeth so loÌ„g a Christen maÌ„ loueth Money byndeth not Christâ— people to pray God careth for his The bely to a God cause of all vnto our spiritualty â—â—ll is of the bely nothyng of Christ Christes loue forget teth her selfe but Monkes loue thinketh on the bely Friers and Monkes ought not to preach Christ is the whole cause why God loueth vs. Howe to know that we are Goddes sonnes The lawe is y â— mark yea and the touch stone where w t we ought to trye our selues see how farre â—orth we are purged Our byrth poyson that remayneth in vs. resisteth the spirite ☞ The right crosse of Christ Hee that loueth not the law hateth sin hath no part with Christ Howe to try the do â–ª ctrine of our spiritualtie If the prayers merites of our religious men purge our lustes then are they of value and els not ☞ What the spiritualtis taketh away with their prayers WheÌ„ other wept they sing and wheÌ„ other loose they wynne All is of Purgatory â—…ese Phisitions geue none other medicines saue purgations onely Allegory what it signifieth The scripture hath but one sence â—oroweâ—â—peach â–ª ☜ The right vse of allegories Allegories are no sense of Scripture ☞ Allegories proue nothyng If thou câ— not proue the allegory with an open text then is it false doctrine The litterall sense proueth the allegory They thâ—â— iustifie theÌ„ selues by their workes are the bond children of the law The fayth was lost thorough Allegories Chopologicall sophisters Poetry is as good diuinitie as the Scripture to our schole
contrary The mayde of Kent The mayde of Ipswich 〈◊〉 the mayde of KeÌ„t were both false dissembling haâ—â—â—tes The mayd of Kent Such as were possessed with deuils fled froÌ„ Christ A false delusion to bryng vs to Idolatry S. Bartholomew Our Lady dyd the mayde of Kent small pleasure Orestes Traditâ—… Allegory â–ª A true exposition of the parable of the â—aâ—…tan All that God hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes Byshops should be seruaunted and not Lordes Actes 15. The Pope will not obey princes though God haue commaunded hym so to do TraditioÌ„s Christes burthen is easie and gentle Math. 5. ☞ The salt of our Prelates iâ— vnâ—…ery Fayth loue charitie arâ— iij. sisters We must beleue neither to much nor yet litle We are promised all thinges for our Sauiour Christes sake â–ª not for the Saintes Iohn 21. The virginitie of our Lady Antichrist is knowen Paules traditions were the doctrine of the Gospel Christes Supper not Masse The consecration Water mixed with the wyne 1. Cor. 14. Iustification of workes Saboth The Saboth day holy dayes are made for be not â—…e for theÌ„ Why women Baptise Why the Prelates vnderstand not the Scripture A good tale if it were long enough Ye can not spede well if ye trye the doctrine of our Prelates by the Scripture All beleue in God that haue the lawe written in their hartâ— The Churche must shewe a reason of theyr doctrine Popes may not be beleued without Scripture Corusailes ought to conclude eccordyng to the Scriptures Luke 16. Luke 10. Math. 18. Math. 〈◊〉 The cause why the Apostles wrote the Gospels Iohn 20. 1. Iohn 2. The Pope and hys Cardinals erred in K. Henry the â—ights case M. Mores conclusion â–ª ☜ The furest way to oppresse true doctrine is to say the preachers fall The Pope is 〈◊〉 â—…st 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. Rom. 3. A swarme of sectes set vp by the Pope The Pope by setting vp of false workes denieth the truth of gods word The Pope selleth sinne and paine all that 〈◊〉 be solde Math. 24 â–ª The popish church are 〈◊〉 but no sufferes 1. Cor. 10. The church of Chriâ—… euer persecuted 2. Thess 〈◊〉 The church of Antichrist is the false church â–ª and euer y e greater number The Pope is a deuelishe blasphemer of God The Pope is aboue kyng and Emperor The Pope persecuteth the word of God S. Paule describeth the Pope his in their coâ—ters Gods worde is y t power and pith of all goodnes Confession Loue is of theÌ„selues Couetous Hye mynded Proude Raylers Disobedient Vnthankefull Vngodly â–ª Churlishe Promise breaketh Accusâ—rs Headyâ— Leuyng lustes Appearaunce of godlynesse The Pope and his are mighty iugglers ☞ In the Churche shall there be for euer both good and euill This word Church is taken ij maner wayes The spirituall Churche of God are called LutheraÌ„s and heretickes The fleshly Churche serue God with workes of their owne Friers ☜ The blasing of hypocrites Calil is a sacrifice that no mâ— may haue any parte therof The small flocke of Christ commeth to the word and promises of God Actes 9. Actes 2. Christ onely is the perfect coÌ„forteâ— of the Christian ☞ The Christian maÌ„ in all thinges seketh â—he honour of Christ The Christian selâ—eth his saluatioÌ„ onely in Christ A pretye 〈◊〉 nâ—â—thesis betwen the Popes Churche Christes litle flocke ☜ The Popish church auÌ„swereth The litle flocke The Popes church The maner oâ— y t Popes cleargie Little flock gâ—â—th euer to wracke The Pope 〈…〉 be â—â—â—d by scripture by scripture must be iudged 〈◊〉 ☞ Iohn 5. None can minister the Sacramentes superâ—…ly but the Popes generation 1. Cor. 2. The naturall carnall man sauoreth not the thinge that be of God Rom. 5. God is fatherly to his elect members Rom. 7. Iâ— we sinne of frailtie God is mercifull ready to forgeue The new life doth tame the fleshe and serue her neighbour â–ª God seketh vs and we not hym More a lying papist Sir Thomas Hitton The Pope hath no martyrs 1. Iohn 3. There is a church that sinneth not The churh is double Gal. 5. The carnall church sinneth Two maner faithes Iohn 15. The â—aith of them that be called â–ª but not elect The Pope hideth the scripture The heretikes be fallen out of the mist Why many â—all Councels ☜ Saintes Luke 1â—… Luke 7. Christ dyâ— such seruice as all the Saintes could not do 1. Cor. 3. We may not trust to Saintes Prayer to Saintes is a great superstition Before Christ we vsed not to pray to Saintes M. More destroyeth the resurrection Math. 2â— 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. The more trust we haue in Saintes the lesse we haue in Christ Phisitions We must first call vppon God then sende for the phisition The fleshly mynded caÌ„not iudge the thinges that be of God 1. Cor. 3. More driueth from God Heb. 4. Iohn 1â— Ephes 2. We may be bolde to â—â—sort to god for he â—…leth vs so to do M. More is against the Popes profite Purgatory â–ª 〈◊〉 purgatory visible and a purgatory inâ—â—sible Canonisâ—… How you may know who be Saintes in heauen King Henry of Windsore A straunge doctrine to pray to him for helpe that is dead damned The Israelites were â—o in number theÌ„ the Iewes The Iewes committed Idolatry God euer reserueth a litle flocke More feareth not to worship an vncoÌ„secrated hosâ—e 1. Cor. 1. We must first know the true way then agree in the same Christ rebuked the false trust the Iewes had in their wil works The myracles done by the prophetes and Apostles was to coÌ„firme their doctrine Christ made the woman whole and not hys coate Miracles were done for the confirmation of doctrine A filthy chapter Latriâ— Moses Moses â–ª bones The brasen Serpent God is a spirite and wil be worshipped spiritually The Idolatrouâ— persoÌ„ worshippeth the Image for y t Saint Processionâ— though they be abused may not be put downe Wilde Irishe Welch meÌ„ Many thinges are altered for the abuses sake Ezechâ—as The true preaching of Gods worde remoueth theft and an other wickednes ☞ A good maÌ„ may erre yet not be dampned Thâ— myracles of Saintes confirme mans imaginations There were no doctours neither Apostles that did myracles to establishe the worshipping of â—amages Witches where true doctrine is set forth â–ª there needeth no myracle ☜ Let y â— Papistes for lacke of scriptures come torch and do miracles Gods worâ— to y â— touchstone to triâ— myracles The â—ectes in y â— popists church are almost innumerable Mahomets doctrine hath preuailed these viij hundred yeares The cause of false miracles Where the Scripture is there nedeth no miracles The preachers of the worde of God nede no miracles False docctrine was neuer persecuted The Papistes are ashamed of their LegeÌ„d of lyes The deuill hath holpeÌ„ Popes to their dignities The cause why the Turkes Iewes caâ— not come to to the truth Popish doctrine nedeth miracles but Christes
doctrine nedeth not now of miracles for it was confirmed by Christ with myracles Math. 24. The Pope commeth 〈◊〉 Christes name with false miracles The preachers of gods word confirmed the same with miracles whyle they were alyue God suffeâ—eth such as haue no loue to hys truth to be deceaued with lying miracles Why the Pope tell In the Popish church all miracles are wrought by dead Saintes S. Thomas of CaÌ„terbury Thomas de Aquino Dunce ☜ Miracles Our fayth may not be grounded onely vpon miracles but vpon the worde of God Math. 1â— Iohn 21. The Apostles of Christe knew no such authoritie as the Pope now vsurpeth What iâ— there had bene no scripture Grekes God to 〈…〉 â—…de heresâ—… caused the scriptures to be written â–ª Noe. What faith â—…th Where true faith is there is repentauÌ„ce and ameÌ„dment of 〈◊〉 ☜ Abraham The elderâ— did erre The elders in y e time of the Iewes did erre The Scribes Phariseis and Elders did erre The scripture was aucthorised by true myracles False bookes set forth by the Papistes Erasmus The true church teacheth nothing but that which the scripture proueth and mainteineth The Pope hideth the scripture The Papistes hide y e scripture The scripture is the cause why men beleue y â— scripture The Papistes docctrine is nâ—â— to be beleued wiihouâ— scripture Why the 〈◊〉 is not to be beleued wtout scripture why he is not the true church The doctrine of the Papistes hath bene 〈◊〉 resisted by y e scripture What thinges 〈◊〉 finde in scripture Rom. 〈◊〉 1. Cor. â— 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Heb. 8. The Papistes will neither by Gods lawe nor mans refraine froÌ„ their wicked liuyng Iohn 10. The Papistes will lose nothing that belongeth to them Christ deliuered the Iewes out of errour ☜ None haue more care of the scripture then those that beleue it not M. More reasoneth agaynst himselfe ☜ Actes 13. Iohn 8. They that preach not Christ truty are murtherers The end of hipocrites Predestination Balam Wit must first shew a cause and then will is sturted to worke More feeleth Purgatory Popish doe trine concernyng Purgatory The pope how he can both forgeue and receiue sinne Tyndall feeleth Purgatory Iohn 15. Iohn 13. Bodyly payne purgeth the body and not y e soule M. More â—o of an euil opinion Faith in Châ—… 〈◊〉 purchaseth forgâ—… of sinne Ephe. 5. There is no purgatory for hym that dyeth repentâ—unt beleueth Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 〈◊〉 Payne of sinne 〈◊〉 popes 〈◊〉 Purgatory prâ—… to y â— Pope Purgatory to a tormenting Iayle as y â— Pope maketh it Money dispatcheth Purgatory The Pope is Antichrist The fleshly children do naturally consent vnto lyes The fleshly mynded can neuer consent vnto Gods law The fleshly persecute them of the spirite The true church is not w t out a signe of a miracle to proue that it is Gods church The popes life doctrine is more wicked theÌ„ the Turkes all y e heatheÌ„ that euer were Euticus Actes 3. All glory and honour is to be geuen to the name of Iesu Iudges Deut. 17. Purgatory to the foundation of Abbeyes Colledges c. M. More is a commoÌ„â—ester and a scouÌ„er ☞ The Papistes are cruell and vnmercyfull Sweryng The oth of a witnes may be taken but no maÌ„ may be coÌ„pelled to sweare be a witnes A godly lesson M. More is a lyer The Papistes are obstinate will not repent Iudas Prayers of an euill Priest profite not A fond saying To minister SacrameÌ„ts with out signification is to be lead in darkenesse Sacrifice Heb. 10. Christes body in the SacrameÌ„t is not carnall but spirituall Christe was sacrificed on the crosse once for all More Deacons Tyndall Christes Deaâ—…s and the pâ—â—eâ— Deacons differ much More Priestes Tyndall More Tyndall 1. Iohn 4. M. Mores fayth was a common fayth More Tyndall More Tyndall As good no lawe as a law not executed Age is to be preferred before â—outh The chast vnchastirie of the Papistes is abhominable both to God and man S. Hierome The Pope iudgeth no sinne to bee sinne and sinne to be no sinne A Priest by the Popes order may haue a whore but not a wife Rom. 14. Mores doctrine is superstitious 1. Tim. 4. The Pope forbiddeth mariage Apparant godlynesse why the Priest may not haue y â— secoÌ„d wife Christes benefites toward vs are figured by matrimony We were Idolaters when we came to Christ S. Paules doctrine is that priests shuld haue wiues Widowes More is a scoâ—fer The office of the wâ—ddowes in y e primatine church Rom. 13 â–ª Young widowes were forbiddeÌ„ to minister in the commoÌ„ seruice Fishe no better then fleshe nor fleshe no better then fishe in the kingdame of Christ 〈◊〉 ☞ Tyndall More Tyndall Three lyes at â—…ce 〈…〉 Priestes must be endued wyth vertue and honesty Generall counsell Parlâ—…ment The 〈◊〉 vsed both in generall to â–ª â—…es and also 〈◊〉 parliamentes A practise vsed in all counsayles and Parlamentes The spiritualtie make heretickes of them that resist theyr power and will Why Priestes may haue no wyues The chastitie of the â—â—ergy pertâ—â—neth to the tempoâ—…ie as much as to the spiritualtie Vowes No oth is to be kept that is agaynst charitie or necessitie The popes snares 〈◊〉 2. 3. 4. 5. Tyndall doth here playnly proue More an hereticke That is euer best that moueth man to the kepyng of Gods commaundementes ☜ Deuilish doctrine Math. 15. Christes natural body is not in the Sacrament The Sacrament of the body 〈◊〉 bloud of Christ how it must be receiued ☞ S. Michael wayeth 〈◊〉 soules The true seruice of God what it is Whether it were best that priestes were gelded ☜ Leuit. 10. More Tyndall Paphnutius More had two wiues therefore was Bigamus More Tyndall The Pope a cruell tyraâ—nt More Tyndall The spiritualtie would not haue the scripture in Englishe Hunne More Horsey Tyndall If we be not giltie we neede no pardon More woulde excuse the murther of Hunne Hunne ☜ More Tyndall Doetour Lolet Olde translation More was a subtill Poet. The hauyng of the Scripture in English is vtterly agaynst the myndes of the Popish Clergie More Tyndall The scripture was first deliuered to the pâ—opâ—e in their vulgere toung More Tyndall More Tyndall The ordinaâ—… are hangmeÌ„ to such as desire the knowledge of the scripture None can vnderstand the Scripture except he knewe Christ to be his iustification More Tyndall More Tyndall Eare confession and pardons were neuer confirmed by miracle More Tyndall The Popish spiritualitie are tyrâ—unts persecutors More Tyndall Pope forbiddeth matrimony the eatyng of meates The wicked monstrous doynges of the Pope More Tyndall More Tyndall More Tyndall All Sacramentes teach vs what to do or what to beleue More Tyndall Eare confession destroyeth the beneâ—ite of Christes bloud More Tyndall More Tyndall RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce More Tyndall SacrameÌ„t More Fayth Tyndall The Pâ—pistes aâ—â— slaundâ—â—â—s of the Gospell More Woâ—… Tyndall â–ª More Tyndall We can do no
vsed by hypocrites The Popes clergie are lyers The wrath of God styrreth vp the people to destroy the enemieâ— and persecutors of the truth God is the defender of kynges and princes Wicked kynges and rulers that persecute Gods ministers are the troublers of themselues and their realme and not the preachers As many as will be the disciples of Christ must learne of him meekenes obedience to the higher powers Ye must suffer wyth Christ that ye may ioye with him in the lyfe to come God will be reuenged vpon cruell tyrauntes In the treatise folowing is shewed who are the causeâ—s of insurrection Iohn 18. Math. 1â— â–ª The mâ—…sters of Christes doctrine may not haue any temporall offices Math. 6 â–ª Math. 1â— â–ª The officers in Christes kingdome may haue no temporall dominion Math. 1â— â—o receiue a child in Christes name what it is 〈◊〉 Thes 3. The Pope is a Wolfe in a lambes skinne Why Peter was called chief of the Apostles Peter had no authoritie aboue the rest of the Apostles The â—opes kyngdome is of the world â—…able of the Popes gâ—…e 〈◊〉 â—…e his badge The ministers of the kyngdome of God must gouerne with all loue mekenes pacience Peter in y â— vse of speakyng for his diligeÌ„ce is called but not in the Scripture the chief of the Apostles Peter was inforced to render an accompt to his brethreÌ„ of his doynges Peter shewed no paâ—t of hys aâ— hoâ—…e 〈◊〉 the mighty power of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostles alledge the authoritie of God in Christ and no authoritie of their own Peter was sent by the other Apostles to preach 〈◊〉 Samaria Gal. Paul 〈…〉 to his 〈◊〉 Scripture is the châ—efest of the Apostles We geâ—e the 〈…〉 〈◊〉 reueâ—â—nce noâ— for them â—…es bâ—â— because of the word thâ—â—â—…y minister â–ª Math. 18. Oâ—â— brethren 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 must bâ— reformed by loue â–ª a 〈◊〉 â—y 〈◊〉 how we may go to the lawe wythout trespassers Math. 6. Open and 〈◊〉 offeÌ„dâ—urs are to be râ—buked openly The kingdome of Christ is spirituall Lukâ—… Officers first ordayned in Christes church Byshop Honour the aged In y e aged is experience Deacon In the primitiue Church they chose Deacons to minister to y â— poore Widowes Common goodes The â—reat and ferueÌ„t charitie in the primatiue church The couetousnes of y t Prelates was the decay of Christendome and y e encreasing of the kingdome of Mahomete The proud clergie how they spent the treasure 〈◊〉 yâ—â—oore Isacius The election was coÌ„firmed by the Emperour Note here the treasure that y e Byshops of Rome had at thys tyme. The Byshop of Rome in y â— primatiue Church was a dauÌ„gerous office At the first entry of Christes Churche there was no tythes payde to y e ministers All corruption of the Churche came first out of the Deacons Money purchased prefermeÌ„t The Prelates must bide still in the courte How the clergie first by riches theÌ„ by â—…attery aduaunced theÌ„selues When the Prelates waxed riche then they disputed who shoulde be highest Ierusalem was y â— firâ—t seaâ— of ou◠〈◊〉 byshop Constantinople Rome Hâ—â— Rome come to be y â— chifest citie Rome the seate and mother of all wickednesse Phocas Pope Boniface the thirde Phocas the Emperour first gaue priuilege to the Byshop of Rome â—o be the chief Byshop The chastitie of Priestes how it came vp Note 〈◊〉 the climing vp of the Pope Diuision in the Church The Grekes will not be vnder the Popes tyranny Mahomet the Pope began at one tyme. Gregory The Pope came vp by the French meÌ„ and by them he coÌ„tinueth his estate still Pope Zacharias the first Hildericus Pipinns The Pope put downe the right French kyng and set vppe Pipine The kyng of Fraunce was made a Monke Pope Steuen the second Estulphus kyng of Lumbardy How the Pope was aduaunced By what meanes Mahomet waxed great Carolus magnus The Pope become a great God on y â— earth Desiderius Pope Adrian the first The Pope purposed to be Emperour him selfe Charles the Pope deuided the kyngdome of Lombardy The Pope gathered a Councell and gaue vnto Charles the Empâ—re of Rome Leo the 〈◊〉 Pope Oâ—…ne whoâ—e Empyre the Pope made â—â—o Most Christen kyng Defender of the faith The eldest sonne of the holy seate Who is a Christian kyng The lyfe of Charles Charles coÌ„pelled aâ— men to the obedience of the pope Practise The Pope is a dispenser a breaker of the bondes of Matrimonie Charles a filthy whoremonger Charles hath hys whore caâ—â—ed with hym This was an Emperour for the â—â—pes own mouth Idoâ—yng Emperour The Pope made this lecherous Emperour a Saint Lewes the milde Pope Steuen the iiij The Pope elected and set vp with out the assent of the Emperour Pope Paschale The Pope how hee abused the Emperour The Pope setteth noâ— by the Emperour â—…ne Pope Nicholaus the first Pope Adrian the second Pope Adrian the third The vertue of the Pope and power oâ— y â— Emperour perished together The popes haue bene onely bloud shedeâ—â— aboue vij C. peates All Christâ—dome hath bene troubled wyth the Popes causes Vandales Hunnes Gothes The spiritualtie obeâ—ed to him that gat the victory how wicked soeuer he was Building of Abbeyes Shrining of saintes This was the tyme that false prophetes did arise in the church Beringarius Ottho Pope Iohn the. xij The oth of the Emperour made to the pope Notâ— here the dissimulation of y â— Pope in callyng his possessions S. Peters possessions Pope Gregory the fiâ—t The election of the Emperour apperteyneth to the Lordes of Germany The Iuytree springeth The maner how y â— pope did spring vp to hys great auctoritie The chusing of the Pope all Bishoppes perteyned vnto the Emperour and kinges once The almes geuen vnto the poore is become S. Peters patrimony Dani. xiiij The Pope first gat aboue all the Bishops then aboue the Emperour O Lucifer Note this deuilish â—…nable pride â—…e â—…e by the Pope The Pope createth his shauelyngs into dignities Qualis pater talis filius good naturall children The popes order compared with Christes Christ aâ—d the Pope compared together Christ bringeth a man lowe but the Pope lifteth vp a hygh The Pope receaueth his riches and kyngdomes of the deuill The Pope distributeth his fathers kyng dome The popes order compared with the order of the Apostles The popes Priestes The popes widowes The popes Deacons How the Pope deuideth the poore peoples almes Monkes Monkes made ministers to the poore Monkes robbe the poore â–ª Begging friers The charge of the â—ay people How the spiritualtie bestow their treasure The Pope maketh lawes What subtiltie the Pope vseth to stablishe his kingdome The Pope hath feined the gift of Constantine The Pope corrupteth the scripture and why Peter sayth the Pope was the head of Christes church All ministers haue as great a charge geuen them of God as Peter had Peter preached but the Pope preached not Fayth is the rocke whercon Christes Churche
is built Bindyng and losyng how it is to be vnderstand The keyes Behold here Antichrist how he wresteth the Scriptures Christes power is 〈◊〉 saue sinners Of this maner iuggleth â—ee with all textes At the sufferyng of Christ the offeryng of sacrifices ceremonies â–ª ceassed for Christ offered hym selfe once for all Christ gaue all his Apostles like authoritie To bynde and lose is to preach Christ sent out all hys Apostles not Peter â—â—â—nâ— Note We are bound to forgeue our neighbours aswell as Peter was Christ builded his Churche vpon the confession of Peter not vppon Peter A woman hath power to bynd How 〈…〉 man may bynde and lose To bynde the conscience and to reproue opeÌ„ sinners perteineth to the congregation Reasons that Peter was not y â— greatest by authoritie geuen hym of Christ Peter had first his seate at Antioche Christes power is in the Gospel Paul is called to helpe In the presence of the greater the power of the lesser doth 〈◊〉 Paule is made equal felow with Peter Peters seate what it is Peters seate Peters doctrine Peters keyes are all but one thyng Peters seate is Christes Gospell The Pope sitteth in thâ— deuils seate whose Vicare he is Purgatory The Pope sayth that Purgatory â—s in â—arth Vowes Othes TestameÌ„ts The Pope altereth meÌ„s willes testameÌ„ts at his pleasure The popes marchaundise Vnion The great and shamefull abuse of â—bbeyes DispeÌ„sations purchased of the Pope Choppyng and chaungyng vsed by the pope The wicked bestowing of benefices by the Pope The church can â—ot erre The Pope sayth that the Scripture is true not of it selfe but because he alloweth 〈◊〉 approueth it A similitude This doctrine the papistes vsed in those dayes The câ—â—mon and 〈◊〉 and â—…ching of â—he Papistes The Abbotes keep the monks in ignoraÌ„ce and the bisshops y e priestes â—alne ioyned w t pain maketh â—â—yne nothing The vse of vniuersities â–ª Prouiso S. Tho. de Aquino Saintes Thomas of Canterbury Tho. â—eâ—ket Tho. Wolsey copared together The Pope rewardeth his seruaÌ„ts highly wheÌ„ they be dead Policie The practise of little master parson K. Herold Robert of CaÌ„terbury Remission of sinnes to conquere England Note here how well Christ and the pope agre Christ biddeth saue the pope biddeth kill The pope is a cruell mercilesse tyrant Anselmus a chapleine of y e popes ☜ The pope is well pleased to admit priestes to haue whores but not wiues Note here the pryde and wickednes of the Pope Remission of sinnes to coÌ„quere England Thomas Arundell Practise of Prelates The popes clergy are secret and subtile conspirators ☞ A trayterous practise ☜ The Papistes are styrers vppe of warres sheders of bloud Duke HuÌ„frey Papistes are cruell A Parliament kept at Bury The death of Homfrey Duke of Gloucester protectour of the Realme of England This is Syr Tho. More The Clergy cannot abyde them that can iudge talse miracles Thre causes why the Duke of Gloucester was murthered The Pope is the whore of Babylon An other practise of Prelates Popes haue deposed Emperours and lykewise Emperours haue deposed Popes No man may rebuke the Pope for any mischief that he doth Venetians The Pope may geue and take agayne at hys will pleasure The Venetians â—aâ—e not for the popes cursing nor blessing FrenchmeÌ„ EnglishmeÌ„ The practise of the pope with all kinges princes The pope a breaker of peace The abuse of the sacrament How y â— sacrament should be broken betwene kinges and princes The Pope would not haue the Emperour to strong Remission of sinnes cleane deliuerance out of puâ—gatoâ—ye A frier Forest or a vicar of Croiden Popish practises Dissembled â—ruce Henry v. K. Henry v. conquered more then the prelates thought he would do Henry vi The crafty practise of the popes legate The mariage of king Henry vi The Duke of Glocester trayterously murthered ☜ Frier Bongaye Cruel war betwene k. Henry and the erle of Warwike Confession in the eare was a wicked inuention Lycence of the Pope for xiiij to study Nicromancy A subtile practise of Prelates He meaneth Cardinal Wolâ—ey Leut. 2â— Deut. 28. 29. A practise of the Prelates with their poore Priestes Thomas Wolffe The description of Cardinall Wolsey The kings byrth calked by the Cardinall Byshops talke kings natiuities Kyng Henry the viij had Cardinall Wolsey in great estimation The maner practise of Cardinal Wolsey The kyng is betrayed The quene is betrayeâ— Note this deuilish practise The Byshop of Lyncolne Cardinall Wolsey ruled altogether K. Lewes Pope Iulye This is a true story The new Thomas Maximilian the Emperour was K. Henry 〈◊〉 his souldier Remission of sinnes Note here the subtletie craft of the pope Now King Henry 8. with aâ— his army was abused The Prelates see euer before-hand what is like to folow Papistes are great forecasters of perils Practise The kinges sister 〈◊〉 to Fraunce Traiterous Prelates ☜ The pomp and apparell of the Cardinall his chapâ—aines passed the xij Apostles Prelates SalutatioÌ„ Cardinall Wolsey was a subâ—… worker A certaine secreat Milane Turnay The Emperor came thorough England Nurturing of kinges Practâ—â—e The french king sendeth a defiance to K. Henry viâ— Armies sée into stance The Cardinal was the Emperours freÌ„d openly and the french kinges secreatly The sege of Pauie Pauie A false pope and leud Cardinall Pace the 〈◊〉 of Englands Ambassadour Burbon The Emperour setteth vpon y â— french king by night These shippes were english Angels of gold At the taking of the french king Te Deum was song and great triumph made in England Subtile practises of the Cardinall The marte shold haue bene at Cales A ruffelar The pride and arrogancie of Cardinall Wolsey Cardinall Wolsey a great traytor Cardinall Wolsey coÌ„mitted treason agaynst the Emperour Cardinall Wolsey preferred More to he Chauncelour Treason layd to the Cardinall charge Mortunries probate of Testamentes Pluralitie of benefices Tithes The Churchewardens haue bene accustomed to gather the tithes and to geue the Paâ—â—o his reasonable stipend and to geue the reâ— to the poore Princes haue herein much to aunswere The loane first forgeuen by the Clergie The loane forgeueÌ„ by the temporalitie The Byshoprieke of DurhaÌ„ Tunstall Byshop of Durham brent the new Testament A Bishopricke is a superfluous honor and a lew de liberty The Carnall clearely discharged DefeÌ„der of the fayth The title of the defeÌ„dour of the fayth came froÌ„ Rome The Popishe and vayne glorious maner of Cardinal Wolsey The Cardinals hat The falsest and vainest Cardinall that euer was The chirch erreth if y â— pope and bishops be the chirch Marten Luther submitted him self to king Henry viij More is proued a lyer Sir Thomas HittoÌ„ A daunce in Paris Here Tindal prayeth for y â— ceasing of persecution Tindall proâ—eth the vnderstanding of such as of right should succeed to the crowne Tindall warneth al the Cardinals secretaries to repent and turne to God A generall exhortation to all kinds of people Popish
geuen vs his commaundementes to bee kept De temp ser lxiij De lib. arb cap. xvi Eccl. 12. Gods commaundementes bee impossible to our nature Whereof our good will commeth De coÌ„gruo De lib. arb cap. xvi The Pelagians sayth that God giueth good lawes man may keepe them of his natural strength or els the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts were frustrate iiij sen dist xiiij quest ij Hee that hath not y t grace of God caÌ„not abhorre sin Roma 18. De gredeâ—iâ— cap. 8. Grace findeth our hartes stony Meritum de congruo Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Eccl. 16. Mans Lordshyp ouer all creatures of God Mans dominion restreined Aug. de lib. arb cap. xvi August de verb. Apost sent xiij Wherefore the lawe is giuen Math. 23. Two wils in God Gene. 2. Howe Christ willed to saue the Iewe â–ª Iohn 11. Wherin thâ— libertie of freewill consisteth Magist sen in ij It was not in their handes to chaunge their will We may not â—ee to inquisiâ—â—ue of Gods secâ—etes Nothyng that God doth caÌ„ bee amended Note here the wicked and sinnefull state of man Fayth doth not come of exterior causes but is the mere gift of God God disposeth hys mercy to whom it pleaseth hym Math. 20. Roma 9. God hath no delight in our damnation A comfortable and wholesome doctrine Scâ—â—â—s i. s dâ—st 〈◊〉 Bonauenture Iacob Esau Meritum de congruo Iacob is elected and Esau reiected Rom. 9. Gods mercy is y e cause onely of our saluation August super Ioannem tract lxxxviij God is mercyfull MaÌ„s good intent to saue hym selfe Origine in perâ—arcon Glos Rom. 5 Hierâ— super Esaiam which bee newe men Howe the Papistes schoole men peruert the holy scriptures How God indurateth Ephe. 2. All thyngs are subiect to the will of God Gods actioÌ„ is good As y t faithfull take profite by the hearing of the word of God so the wicked and vnfaith full take hurt thereby The Pope and his cleargie wil not allow y t scripture to bee in y t mother vulgar tongue of y t people This was Byshoppe Stokesley A common practise of Prelates to deface the scriptures The cleargie were more willing to finde faulte wyth the translating of the Scripture then to amende it W. Tyndal The onely cause why the Scriptures were condemned by the Byshops Esay 61. Hebr. 10. The words of God was firste written to all nations and people and not to priestes onely The Byshoppes worse then the great Turke A worshyp full counsell of an vnpreachyng Prelate The earnest zeale of Doctour Barnes Doctour Barnes most earnestly defeÌ„deth Christes cause Deut. 32. Psal 118. Psal 1. The Pope and Christ are contrary Ephes 6. A godly saying of S. Ihon. The Pharisies iudged better of the scriptures of God then our Byshops dyd 1. Tim. 3. Papistes S. Paule are contrarye 2. Tim. 3. One of the chiefest workes of Antichrist is to condemne the scriutures of God Mar. vlt. Mat. vlt. The Papistes are blasphemers of Gods heaueÌ„ly word Papistes abyde the true preachers of the Gospell Psal 9. The euangelistes and Apostles did not onely preache but also wrote the Scripture that all meÌ„ might read it Actes 17. Papistes preach lyes Dect Alen expoundeth Scripture A Popish Doctors interpretation A foolish tale of a tubbe The Papisticall and vayne doctrine of Papistes Authorities to prooue that the scriptures ought to bee in the mother toungue Actes 18. Acte 8. Collos 3. The Pope and hys Clergy are the very â—lntechristes August ad fratres s 3â— In epis ad Ephes c. 6. Scriptures reache the commaundementes of God In Gen. 〈◊〉 9. ho 28. A notable saying of S. Chrisostome Iâ— Mat. c. 〈◊〉 hom 2. The scripture is meete to bee knowen of all states and sortes of people Di. 38. Si iuxta 7. Sinod c. Omnes et dâ— 38. The readyng of the Scripture allowed by a counsell In prohe In Epist ad Ephes Li. 1. What benefites we may receaue by readyng of Scripture The great arrogancy pride tyranny that is in Papistes Psal 5. Doctour Barnes is vehement The Papistes first reason to prooue that lay men ought not to read Scriptures Euill men will take occasion of euill of euery good thyng 1. Cor. 1. Math. 13. An other reason of the Papistes What is meant by this saying to you is geuen the true vnderstyng and interpretation of scriptures Scotus 11. Sent. di 3. q. 3. Scriptures must bee first knowen therby you may iudge the opinion of the Doctours whether they say right or not A third reason of the Papistes CouÌ„sâ—…s are to bee kept secret but the Scripture must bee made knowen to all men Mar. vâ—â— Ti. 1. 2. Tim. 2. Iohn 3. Math. 5. A foolishe similitude made by Stokesley Byshop of London There are two maner of powers A temporal power The description of the temporall power Roma 13. 1. Pet. 2. Roma 13. 1. Cor. 13. Math. 6. A man wrongfully imprisoned by a tyraunt maye in quyet maner make his escape 1. Cor. 7. Such as haue made offeÌ„ces to the common weale ought not to breake prison 4. Kyng 6. 3. King 89. Actes 12. idem 9. and. 14. What were to bee done if the kyng should forbyd vs the readyng of the Scripture Roma 1. Note here what is to bee done if the kyng doe sorbid the Scripture â—o bee read of his subiectes Subiectes must obey but here is shewed in what sorte and maner Note here how a Christian subiecte must shewe himselfe obedient 1. Cor. 15. Math. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tim. 2. Act. 4. 5. God is to bee obeyed beefore meÌ„ Luke 13 Daniell 3. Dan. 6. Math. 10. 1. Pet. 3. God doth woÌ„derfully worke to saue and defend hys poore flock Dan. 13. Gene. 37. and. 39. Exod. 2. Psal 〈◊〉 Actes 12. Math. 27. and. 28. Christ is for euer to bee set beefore vs for an example to comforte vs in our persecutioÌ„ Wee must rather suffer perâ—ecution then in any wise resiste A spirituall power The spirituall power hath no auctoritie to make lawes to rule the worlde by 2. Tim. 3. Roma 16. Gala. 1. Ierem. 23. Luke 10. Math. 23. Super Ioan. Trac 46. By the chayre of Moses â–ª is vnderstand the lawe of God which Moses deliuered to the Iewes Act. 5. Hylarius in Mat. canâ— 14. All traditions of men that are agaynst God must bee rooted vp by the rootes Ezechi â–ª 20. Thynges that are indifferent to bee done or not done are to bee obeyed so that y e same bee not commauÌ„ded vnder the peine of deadly sinne 1. Cor. 7. Galat. 2. Note here that things that oâ— the selues are indifferent and yet are comaunded to bee of necessitie obserued those are to bee disobeyed 1. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 8. Roma 15. Superstition of the Monkes of the Charterhouse Coll. 2. A notable saying of S. Paule Ad Paul Epi. 59. Collos 2. ΣÏι. ad ro propo 72. Our bodyes are subiect to princes but our soules
Pope holdeth downe the Emperour and raygneth in his steade be causes why he myght die though by what meanes be not knowne For to be good to the coÌ„mon wealth is to be hurtfull to the spiritualtie seyng the one is the others pray as the Lambe is the Wolues Secondaryly if a man be so cleare eyed that he can spye false myracles how can iugglers get theyr liuing and be in price where such a felow is Thyrdly to keepe downe the kyngdome of Fraunce is to pull Saint Peters Vicar out of his seate Now if the great baude the whore of BabyloÌ„ were destroyed theÌ„ woulde the bordell and stues of our Prelates shortly perishe If Abadon that destroyer king of the grashoppers which deuoure all that is greene were destroyed then were the kyngdome of our caterpillars at an ende ¶ By what crafte the Pope keepeth the Emperour downe MArke an other practise of our most holy prelates When the Empyre was translated vnto the Germaynes though y e Emperour was falleÌ„ downe and had kyssed the Popes feete and was become his sworne seruaunt yet there was much strife and open warre ofttymes betwene the popes and the Emperours And the popes haue put downe many good Emperours by helpe of the Byshoppes which euery where secretly perswaded the Lordes to forsake the Emperours and to take dispensations of y t pope for their othes And contrarywise the Emperours haue now and then deposed diuerse popes at request of the Cardinalles other great prelates by whose helpe onely they were able to do it For els verely though all kynges christened had sworne to depose one pope out of hys seat if they had not the fauour of other prelates therto they might haply by the secrete practise of them to be put out of their owne seates in the meane tyme. The pope therfore to be sure of him selfe and out of the feare and daunger of the Emperour were he neuer so mighty and that y e Emperour should not see hys dayly open pastimes made frendship and amitie wyth the Venecians on the one side of him and let theÌ„ come into certaine cities of the Emperours in Italy and with the French kyng on the other side and let him also vp into certayne cities and possessions of the Emperours and he hymselfe in the middes shut out the Emperour from commyng any more to Rome and euer sent him his coronation home to him And then he made a law that no man should rebuke the Pope for what soeuer mischief he did saying that the Pope was aboue all iudge ouer all and none ouer him and therfore forbad in his law Distinctio xl Si Papa saying though the pope be proued negligent about him selfe and also the soule health of his brethren slacke in his workes speachlesse as concernyng any good draw w t him by his example innumerable people to hell to be punished with him with diuers tormeÌ„tes euerlasting yet see that no mortall man presume once to rebuke hys faultes here For he shall iudge all men and no man him O Antichrist Is he not Antichrist that will not haue his life tried by Gods word If the Venetians ketch any of our holy fathers Townes or possessions whether by warre or that they haue bought it or that it be layd to morgage vnto theÌ„ or that the old Pope hath geuen it with the mariage of some daughter vnto the Duke of Venice then the holy father that succedeth wheÌ„ he seeth his season sendeth for it agayne saying that it is not lawfull for lay men to withhold S. Peters patrimonie If they alledge that they bought it and so forth his fatherhode aunswereth that the old Pope had none authoritie to make any such cheuisauÌ„ce with S. Peters inheritauÌ„ce he could haue but the vse of it his life long and after it must needes returne vnto his successour agayne And vppon that he interditeth them curseth theÌ„ as blacke as coales downe to the pit of hell But the Venicians knowing more of our holy fathers practise for their nyenesse then we which dwell a farre of wiser then we of cold countreys perceauyng also that their colour chaungeth not with his cursing that they sincke not and that their meate digesteth as well as before and that as Erasmus sayth they shyte as easily as before with reuerence of the holy course I speake it and therfore feare not his interdiction nor excommunication Then our holy father rayseth vp all the power that he is able to make in Italy agaynst them and sendeth for theÌ„ Sochenars to come and helpe If he be not yet strong inough then he sendeth vnto the bishops of FrauÌ„ce warning them that if his seate decay theirs can not long prosper and therfore that they put their kyng in remembraunce how that he is called â—…ost Christian kyng and that they desire him to doe somewhat for his title agaynst this disobedient rebellions vnto the most holy sea of Rome our mother holy Church If an other tyme the Frenchmen come to our holy father as they be euer gaping for Italy to bryng the Empire home agayne to Fraunce Then y â— most holy Vicare bringeth his whole power agaynst them with the power of the Venicians with his old freÌ„des the Sochenars If he be not yet stroÌ„ge inough theÌ„ he sendeth to the Byshops of England to helpe their God and to moue â–ª their kyng to do somewhat for holy Church puttyng him in remembrauÌ„ce of whom he holdeth his crown and of his othe and how many cappes of mainteinaunce haue bene euer sent vnto his forefathers and what honour it was vnto them and that he may easely get as great honour as they and happly a more excellent title if he will take our holy fathers part besides that hee shall purchase remission of all his synnes Then must the peace and all the appointementes made betwene vs and Fraunce be broken and the kyng must take a dispeÌ„sation for his othe For the king of Fraunce will attempt nothing in Italy vntil he haue seÌ„t his ambassadours haue made a perpetuall peace with our kyng the Sacrament of the body of our Sauiour broke betwene them to coÌ„firme the appointment But I suppose that the breaking signifieth that the appointement shall not long endure for a greate deale of flower would not make so many hostes as they call theÌ„ or singyng loues as hath bene brokeÌ„ in our dayes betwen Christen Princes as they will be called to confirme promises that haue not long bene kept Other vse of that blessed sacrament will the Princes none know but Christ ordeined it to be a perpetuall memory that his body was broken for our sinnes vpon the crosse and that all that repent should receaue as oft as they eate of it forgeuenesse of their misdedes through faith If the kynges of the earth when they breake that Sacrament betwene theÌ„ do say on this
king to kéepe thys contracte But yet you were not so content but afterward you found the meanes that this good kyng was poysoned by a traytorous Monke of Swinested because he should say that hée would make a halfepeny loafe worth xx shillinges if hée liued a yeare For the whiche word your holy Monke was moued and went and confessed hym selfe to the Abbot how that he would poyson the king for thys and the one deuill as good as the other the holy traytor absolued the holy murtherer before the déede was done and for thys holy murtherer is there founded v. masses for euer This is the blessed obedience of your holy Church How would you cry how would you yaulpe if wée had handled a gentlemans dogge on this fashion but you can call vs poore men traytors and in the meane season you bring both king kingdome into seruitude and bondage What is treason if this bée no treason to bring so honourable a kinge and hys lande into such bondage and compell hym to receiue his naturall and frée kingdome of such a vyllayne and lymme of y e deuell What can bée said or thought to defend this matter you haue not all onely done wrong to the kinge but vnto the yongest childe y e lyeth in the cradell y e which by your meanes is bonde And thinke it not sufficient to say that it is not your déede for first you are the children of these fathers and you haue alwayes alowed this acte This hath béene blased blowen preached and cryed out and all your bookes full of this matter and many a true mans bloud hath béene shed for speaking agaynst thys And yet was there neuer none of you y e did euer preach against this damnable facte but with full consent with full agréement both in worde déede and in wrytyng you haue alowed this treason Therfore I take you for the auctors as well as your forefathers I would not speake how dampnable it is to institute masses for a willing traytor and murtherer there was neuer no learninge that could allow this But there is no remedy hée that dyes agaynst his king and for the maintayning of your treason must néedes bée a saynt if masses blessinges and myracles wil helpe for all these bée at your commaundement to geue where you list So that we pore men must bée accused of insurrection and treason and we must bere al the blame we must bée driuen out of y e realme we must bée burned for it and as God knoweth there is no people vnder heauen that more abhorreth and with earnester hart resisteth more diligenly doth preach agaynst disobedience then we doe Yea I dare say boldely let all your bookes bée serched that were written this 500. years all they shall not declare the auctorite of a prince and the true obedience towarde hym as one of our litle bookes shall doe that bee condemned by you for heresy and all this will not helpe vs. But as for you you may preach you may wryte you may doe you maye sweare against your Princes and also assoyle all other men of their obedience towardes their princes You may compell princes to bée sworne to you and yet are you children of obedience and good christen men And if ye dye for this doctrine then is there no remedy but you must bée saintes and rather then fayle ye shall doe myracles To proue this I will tell you of a holy saynt of yours of whom your legend and cronicles maketh mencyon hys name as ye call him is s Germayne So it chaunced y e in the tyme of king Vortiger he came into England into a place where the king lay desired for hym his company lodging The king because hée kept no cōmō Inne would not receiue hym So hée departed very angerly and went to the kinges Neteherdes house and there desired lodginge and meate and drinke for hym and his companye The Neteherde was contēt to lodge him but hée sayd hée had no meate for hym sauyng a yong calfe that stode suckyng of the damme by the crybbe The byshop commaunded the calfe to bée slayne and to bée drest brought afore hym and hée and his company eate it vp and after commaunded the bones of the calfe to bée gathered togither and put in the calues skinne agayne and to bée layde in the cribbe by the damme and by and by y e calfe starte vp aliue agayne The next day the byshop went to king Vortiger reprooued him merueilous straightly because hée would not lodge hym and sayde that hée was vnworthey to bée kyng and therefore deposed hym made his Neteherde kyng in hys stede Of the which Neteherde as y e cronicles maketh mension came afterward many kings This is writen by one called Petrus de netalibus the which writeth the liues of all saintes I thinke no man will binde mée to proue this thing a lye but yet it must bee preached taught in your church it must bée writtē in holy saints liues hée must bée a saynt that did it and why because hée deposed a king and set in a Neteherde These shamefull and abhominable thinges doe you prayse and alowe and in the meane season condemne vs for heretickes and for traytours And if we chaunce moued by the abhomynablenes of your doctrine to geue you but one euyll worde then all the world rekoneth vs vncharitable But as for my parte I take God to recorde afore whome I shall bée saued or damned that though you haue done mée shamefull wronge and intollerable violēce yet with your owne persons am I neuer displeased nor angry but agaynst that horrible deuyll y e dwelleth in you that is the causer auctor and mayntayner of such abhominable doctrine that is against God and his blessed worde agaynst hym I say is my quarell and agaynst hym doe I striue this is the truth let men take my wordes as they will Is it not abhominable thinke you so shamfully to depose princes so to rebuke them so to handle them to compell them to bée sworne to you and to holde their lands of you to bée your ministers to the greate dishonour of the liuyng God and blaspheming of his blessed worde and to the great dispight of all noble potentates Ye remember the facte that is declared in your lawe of the noble Emperour Friderike and that wretch Innocent the fourth the thing was this The Pope by y e reasō of certayne complaintes made by the Emperours enemyes cited the Emperour to appeare at Rome and because the Emperour would not appeare he cursed hym with booke bell and candell and afterwarde deposed hym and commaunded the electours to chose an other This is the cause of your lawe briefely But your text declareth certayne artycles agaynst the Emperour which bée these The first that hée had sworne to kéepe peace with y e church of Rome which oth hée brake sayth y e
Pope The second that hee had done sacrilege in takyng 22. Gallyes laden with holy spiritual prelates the which would haue gone to y e councell gathered agaynst the Emperour in Lugdune The third because y e Emperour was accused of certaine articles of heresye the which bée not set out The fourth because that hee had not payed the annuall pencyon for the kingdome of Sicill Sicill the which the Pope calleth the spirituall patrimony of S. Peter in the space of ix yeares For these same thinges dyd hée depose y e Emperour and pryuate hym of all hys dignity and assoyleth all hys subiectes of their othe and obedience and commaundeth euery man not to obey hym but all men y e eyther gaue hym councell helpe or fauour to bée excommunicate cursed This is your facte this is your déede this is your doctrine in this learning you bée promoted doctours vnto this learnyng you are sworne these bookes bée read openly in your vnyuersities Marke now which of vs twayne bée traytours Eyther you that doe depose Emperours kings for such trifles yea and also make a lawe thereof and swere vnto it and compell all other to swere vnto it or els we that speake agaynst it say y e you doe wronge both to God to his blessed ordynaunce and to all noble potentates For Fyrste ye ought to bée vnder them and not they vnder you more can you not doe but repreue by Gods worde their vnlawfull factes but to depose them though they bée infydelles and heretickes haue you none authoritye Ye sée howe our master Christ and all hys blessed Apostles did vse them selues towarde vnbeléeuyng Princes they neither deposed them nor yet caused them to bee sworne vnto them What a matter is it to depose an Emperour bicause hée layeth handes of a carnall Cardinall Is not Paule and Peter as holy as all the College of you And yet for laying handes of them was no mā deposed What and if hée kéepe no peace is that a sufficiēt cause to depose hym your owne law testifieth otherwise The holy church of God hath no sworde but the spirituall sword with the whiche she doth not kill but quicken Lykewise in an other place blessed S. Ambrose sayth willyngly will I neuer forsake you but if I bee cōpelled I may not resist I may sorow I may wéepe I may wayle Agaynst weapons agaynst souldiers agaynst the Gothans my teares are my weapons For such thynges bée the defence of a Priest otherwise ought I not nor may not resist c. Blessed S. Ambrose durst not depose the Emperour neither for laying hand of him nor yet for heresie neither for defendyng the liberties of holy Church But S. Ambrose was a simple foole knew not what the liberties of the Church ment nor yet what the holy spirituall fleshe of Cardinals is worth and therfore hée could do nothing but wéepe wayle But if hée had béene halfe so wise as I read of a certaine Bishop of Salisbury was hée had done more in this matter In the tyme of kyng Richard the second it chaūced a baker of London to beare horsebread in a basket and there came a seruaunt of the Byshop of Salisbury and tooke by violence a loafe frō hym The baker asked why hée dyd so hée made hym none aunswere but brake his head the pore felow cryed for helpe against this violence whereby the people were moued in the strete to come out kéepe the kinges peace so that the Byshops seruaunt was compelled to flye into a house Neuerthelesse the people moued at this great violence caused the Constable to come for to take hym to bryng him to prison but anone the Maior and the Shriues came and pacified the multitude and so departed did the Byshops seruaunt no more hurt Notwithstandyng the Byshop of Salisbury and the Archbyshop of Yorke were so moued with the Citie for makyng an asaute to the Bishops house that they made such a cōplaynt to the kynges grace that hée put the Maior and both the Shriues out and set in a Knight called Syr Edward to rule y t Citie and all this was done for a horseloafe What shall a mā say to the pacience of these spiritual men They doe open violence they breake the kynges peace they robbe men of their goodes yea that in the kynges chamber and also in the kynges hygh strete to the great disdayne of iustice to the rebuke of the kyng and to the great dispeasure of his subiectes and yet they can packe the matter so that they bée white sonnes and other men must suffer for it I can beléeue none otherwise but that they haue witched the worlde that men could neither heare nor sée For if this bée not a shamefull fact I can not tell what is shamefull It had becommed them a great deale better to haue punished their seruaūt in example of all other But that was neuer the wont of the spirituall Churche and yet they will accuse all other men of insurrection but I dare say there was no rebellion in this Realme this v. C. yeares if the kyng had displeased them but they were at the begynnyng of it We doe read in the time of kyng Henry the second that hée required of his spirituall Byshops that none of them should departe out of y t land but they should finde hym sureties that they should purchase nothyng to the hurt of the kyngs person his Realme But the spirite of the spirituall fathers would not agrée to it but rather founde the meanes that Pope Alexander the thyrd the whiche was an vsurper of the sea of Rome condemned this article for heresie and afterward one of the Bishops but agaynst his will dyed for this and such lyke articles mo and you declared him a stynkyng martyr but of this holy martyr I wil speake more an other time If this bée obedience to Princes to intende and purpose to betray them and their Realmes then are ye the best obedient children that euer were But if makyng of dissention debate and strife settyng men togither by the eares assoylyng men of their othe towarde their Princes may be cause of insurrection and treason then are ye the master of all masters and the best conueyers of all iugglers What true Englishe hart would thinke but that the kynges request was both godly lawfull what learnyng is able to defende the contrary Standeth it not with our fidelity that we owe toward our Prince yea with the truth that we owe to our father and mother to our brethren and sisterne and to all our coūtrey men Doth not our othe made to our Prince bynde vs to it yet you will not agrée to it but all your bookes must rather bee fulfilled with contrary doctrine and all men must bée cōdēned for heretickes that speaketh agaynst thē Beleeue me if I were your mortall enemy as you reken me to
bee and as you haue wel deserued that I should bée I could so set out this matter that all mē should spytte at you but I will vse my selfe charitable toward you and if the matter had not béene so haynously and so violently hādled of you I would not haue geuen you one ill woorde But now let no man require of me that I should vnto such an abhominable detestable deuill as hath brought in this wicked and shamefull learnyng and maners put of my cappe make low curtesie and geue fayre wordes and say God geue you good morow syr deuill how fare you I am glad of your welfare and prosperity your Lordship doth rule very graciously and all men prayseth you I doubte not but God shall prosper you I say let no man require this of me for I am and will bée so taken for his mortall enemy whersoeuer I doe finde hym whether hée bée Lord or Byshop sauing peraduenture if I spye hym dwelling in a Byshoppe I wyll not hādle him with so rough wordes for the weaknes of certayne men as I would if I founde him in an other place It were not vncharitable if I recited here by name the innocent bloud that you haue shed in my time for the speaking against your vnlawfull doctrine Alas what fault coulde ye sinde in good mayster Bylney whō ye haue cast away so violently I dare say there is not one among you that knew hym but must commende and prayse his vertuous lyuinge And though you had founde him with a litle faulte the which I thinke and hée were now aliue should be no faulte alas would you cast away so cruelly so good a man and so true a mā both to God and to his kyng But I will returne agayne to my purpose and shewe an other example how you haue learned and taught to set kings and kingdomes togither by y e eares for the maintenance of your dignities and doctrines Pope Vrban the vj. which was chosē in the yeare of our Lord 1378. by sedition violence of Romaines which would haue no Cardinall of Fraunce because they woulde the Pope shoulde bee resident in Rome This Vrban I say deuising how to mayntaine his secte and part agaynst his aduersary which was called Clement of whose side y e kyng of Fraūce helde sent to the kyng of England Ed. the 3. the which as than was not well content with the Frenche kyng certayne Bulles contaynyng cleane remission a poena a culpa for all them that would wage battayle against the kyng of Fraunce against them that were of Clementes side And because the kyng and his Lords shoulde bée the willinger to take battayle on them hée sent a commaundement to the Byshops to rayse of the spiritualtie a taxe for to pay the souldiours wyth Moreouer because the Duke of Lancaster had a tytle to the kyngdome of Castell the which helde of Clementes side therefore y e Pope graunted that part of this money should also bée deliuered to hym if hée would wage battayle agaynst y e kyng of Castell promysing hym also that hée would styrre the kyng of Portyngale which than had also varyaunce with the sayde kyng of Castelll to warre agaynst the sayd kyng and to the mayntaynyng of his warre hée would graūt y t kyng of Portyngale a demy of his spiritualty thorow all his Realme How much was gathered in Portyngale our stories maketh no mension but in London and in the diocese was gathered a tūne of golde and in the whole realme of England was gathered xxv C. M. frankes whiche makes in Englishe money CC. lxxvij M. vij C. lxxvij 〈◊〉 And because this money was gathered of y e spiritualitie and by their diligence therefore the Pope ordayned Henry Spenser the Byshop of Norwych to bée the chiefe captayne of this warre but or euer the Pope coulde brynge this matter to passe he sent to y e king to his Lordes and to his Byshoppes xxx Bulles So that at the last thys foresayd Byshop of Norwyche was sent foorth with a greate number of men in the wages of the Church And the Duke of Lankester likewise agaynst the kyng of Castell Theyr oth was geuen them to fight agaynst no man nor countrey that helde with Pope Vrban And our chronicle saith that Pope Vrban would haue made peace betwene the Frēch king and ours at the last How thinke you is not this a pretie practise to set men together by the eares and than to make them beleeue that he woulde make a peace Fyrst we must haue cleane remission to fight and thā wée shall bée curssed as blacke as a potte if wée will make no peace And why because the Pope hath hys purpose Is not this a goodly packyng of spirituall men Is not here goodly obedience taught toward Princes Bée not mens soules well fed wyth thys doctrine Bée not these good fathers that thus watcheth nyght and daye for y t cure and charge that they haue of mens soules Marke how charitable and liberall that the holy Fathers bée in distributing of Christes merites Euery man that fighteth in his cause shall haue cleane remission a pena a culpa and must néedes bée the childe of saluation Let Christ say and doe what hée can for the holye Church hath so determined And that no man shoulde doubt of it there bée xxx Bulles graunted and that vnder leade And the Church of Rome can not erre for the spirituall lawe sayth what the sea of Rome doth approue that must néedes bée allowed and that that she reproueth must bée of no strength Likewise in an other place So must the decrées of the sea of Rome bée accepted as though they were spoken by the godly voyce of Peter hymselfe Agaynst these thinges dare I not speake for I would fayne bee taken for a Christen man but yet I muste bee so bolde to speake one worde the truth is the deuill himselfe hath blowen out these presumptuous voyces And yet mē must set both life soule on these wordes For there bée xxx Bulles of leade to confirme the matter And that is a weightye thynge But when kyng Iohn our naturall prince shoulde haue had of the pyed Mōkes for the defēce of this realme but a small summe of money Than was there neuer a Bull to gette nor yet one Byshop in Englād to preach on his side But now CC. M. pound gathered in one Lent and a greate deale more for the maintainaūce of y e pope his holy flesh Was not this a marueilous subiectiō that we should suffer our selues so lightly to bée moued to geue not onely so greate a sūme of money but also to send forth in the defence of such a wicked person our naturall brethren kinsemen and countreymen I dare say of my conscience that in fiue hūdred yeares there was not such a summe of money so lightly graunted were the cause neuer so great vnto our right naturall and