vppon thee for thine owne desertes Canst thou be content to heare thy faults told thee Alas thou hast heard ofte and wouldest neuer amende England thy faultes of all degrees and sortes of men of Magistrates of the ministers and of the common people were neuer more playnely tolde since thou barest that name then thou diddest heare them of late euen before the Magistrates in king Edwardes dayes but thou heardest them onely and diddest amend neuer a whitte For euen of thy greatest Magistrates some the kinges highnesse then that innocente that godly harted pereles young Christian Prince excepted euermore vnkindely and vngently agaynst those that went about most busely and most wholesomely to cure their sore backes spurned pryuely and woulde not spare to speake euill of them euen vnto the Prince himselfe and yet woulde they towardes the same preachers outwardly beare a ioly countenance and a fayre face I haue heard that Cranmer and an other whome I will not name were both in high displeasure the one for shewing his conscience secretly but playnly and fullye in the Duke of Somersettes cause and bothe of late but specially Cranmer for repugning as they might against the late spoyle of the Churche goodes taken away onely by commaundement of the higher powers wythout any lawe or order of iustice and without anye request of consent of them to whome they did belong As for Latimer Leuer Bradforde and Knoxe their tongues were so sharpe they ripped in so deepe in theyr galled backes to haue purged them no doubte of that filthy matter that was festred in theyr hartes of insaciable couetousnesse of filthy carnalitie and voluptuousnesse of intollerable ambition and pride of vngodly lothsomnes to heare poore mens causes and to heare Gods word that these men of all other these Magistrates then could neuer abide Other there were very godly men and well learned that went aboute by the wholesome plasters of Gods worde how be it after a more softe maner of handling the matter but alas all sped in like For all that could be done of all handes theyr disease did not minishe but dayly dyd encrease which no doubte is no small occasion in that state of the heauy plague of God that is poured vppon Englande at thys daye As for the common sorte of other inferiour Magistrates as Iudges of the lawes Iustices of peace Sergeantes common lawyers it may be truely said of them as of the most part of the Clergy of Curates Uicares Parsones Prebendaryes Doctours of the law Archdeacons Deanes yea and I may say of Byshoppes also I feare me for the moste parte although I doubte not but GOD had and hath euer whome hee in euery state knew and knoweth to be hys but for the most part I say they were neuer perswaded in theyr hartes but from the teethe forwarde and for the kinges sake in the trueth of Gods word and yet all these did dissemble and bare a copy of a countenaunce as if they hath bene sound within And this dissimulation Sathan knew well inoughe and therefore desired and hath euer gone about that the highe Magistrates by anye manner of meanes myght bee deceaued in matters of religion for then hee beyng of councell with the dissimulation in the worldlye knewe well enough that he should bring to passe and rule al euen after his owne will Hipocrisie and dissimulation sainct Hierome doth call well a double wickednesse for neyther it loueth the trueth whiche is one great euill and also falsely it pretendeth to deceiue the simple for an other thing This hipocrisie and dissimulation with God in matters of Religion no doubte hath wholy also prouoked the anger of God And as for the common people although there were manye good where they were well and dilligently taught yet God knoweth a great number receaued Gods true word and high benefites with vnthankfull harts For it was great pity and a lamentable thing to haue seene in many places the people so lothsomly and so vnreligiouslye to come to the holy Communion and to receaue it accordingly and to the common prayers and other Diuine seruice which were according to the true vayne of Gods holye word in all poyntes so godly and wholesomely set foorth in comparison of that blynde zeale and vndiscreete deuotion whiche they had afore tymes to those things wherof they vnderstoode neuer one whiâ— nor could be edified by them any thing at all And agayne as for almes deedes which are taughte in Gods word whereby we are certain that God is pleased with them and dothe and will require suche at oure handes whiche are a part of true religion as Sayncte Iames sayth and suche as he sayth himselfe hee setteth more by then by sacrifice as to prouide for the fatherlesse infantes and orphanes for the lame aged and impotent poore needye folke and to make publicke prouision that the pouerty that might labour shoulde haue wherwith to labour vppon and so be kept from shameful beggerry stealing in these works I say how wayward wer many in comparison I meane of that great prodigality whereby in times past they spared not to spend vpon flattering Fryers false Pardoners painting and gilting of stockes and stones to be set vp and honored in Churches playnely agaynst Gods worde And yet because no place is to be defrauded of theyr iust commendation London I must confesse for such godly workes in sir Rich. Dobs knight then Lorde Maior hys yeare began maruelous well the Lord graunt the same may so likewise perseuer continue yea and encrease to the comforte and reliefe of the needy and helpelesse that was so godly begunne Amen All these thinges doe minister matter of more mournyng and bewayling the miserable state that nowe is for by this it may be perceaued how England hath deserued this iust plague of God And also it is greatly to be feared that those good thinges what soeuer they were that had theyr beginning in the tyme when Gods woorde was so freely preached nowe with the exile and banishemente of the same will depart agayne But to returne agayne to the consideration of thys miserable state of Christes Churche in Englande and to leaue farther and more exquisite searchyng of the causes thereof vnto Gods secrete and vnsearchable iudgements let vs see what is best now to be done for Chrystes little flocke This is one maxime and principle in Chrystes law He that denyeth Christ before men hym shall Chryst deny afore hys father and all hys Aungels of heauen And therefore euery one that looketh to haue by Chryst our sauiour euerlasting lyfe let him prepare hymselfe so that he deny not hys mayster Chryst or els he is but a cast away and a wretche how soeuer he be counted or taken here in the world Now then seing the doctrine of Antichrist is returned agayne into this Realme and the higher powers alas are so deceaued and bewitched that they are perswaded it to be truthe and Christes true
thereof And S. Ambrose sayeth Diuina Imperatoriae maiestati non sunt subiecta that the thyngs of God are not subiect to the power and authoritie of Princes Cooke No may not the temporall power commit you to be examined of your fayth to the bishop Phil. Yea sir I deny not that but you will not grant that the same may examine any of their owne authoritie Cooke Let hym be had away Phil. Your maistership promised mee the last tyme I was before you I should see your commission by what authoritie you do call me and whether I by the same be bound to answer to so much as you demaund ⧠Maister Philpots beyng in the Colehouse where he found Thomas Whittle Priest sittyng in the Stockes Roper Let him see the Commission The Scribe Then he exhibited it to M. Roper and was about to open the same Cooke No what will you do he shall not see it Phil. Then do you me wrong to call me and vexe me not shewing your authority in this behalfe Cooke If we do you wrong complayne on vs and in the meane while thou shalt lye in the Lollardes tower Phil. Syr I am a poore Gentleman therefore I trust of your gentlenes you wil not commit me to so vile strait a place being found no haynous trespasser Cooke Thou art no Gentleman Phil. Yes that I am Cooke An hereticke is no Gentleman for he is a Gentleman that hath gentle conditions Phil. The offence can not take away the state of a Gentleman as long as he liueth although he were a traytor but I meane not to boast of my gentlemanship but will put it vnder my fâ—ot since you do no more esteme it Story What wil you suffer this heretick to prate with you all this day Cooke He sayth he is a Gentleman Story A gentleman quoth he he is a vile hereticke knaue for an hereticke is no Gentleman Let the Keeper of Lollardes Tower come in and haue him away The keeper Here Sir Story Take this man with you to the Lollardes Tower or els to the Bishops Colehouse Phil. Syr if I were a dogge you coulde not appoynt me a worse and more vile place but I must bee content wyth whatsoeuer iniury you do offer me God geue you a more mercifull hart you are very cruell vpon one that hath neuer offended you I pray you M. Cholmly shew me some freÌ„dship that I be not caryed to so vile a place And he called me aside and sayd Cholm I am not skilfull of theyr doinges neither of their lawes I cannot tell what they meane I woulde I coulde do you good Phil. I am content to goe whyther you wyll haue mee There was neuer man more cruelly handled theÌ„ I am at your handes that without any iust cause knowne should thus be entreated Story Shall we suffer this hereticke thus to reproue vs haue him hence Phil. God forgeue you geue you more mercifull harts shew you more mercy in the time of neede Et quod facis fac citius Do quickely that you haue in hand Story Do you not heare how he maketh vs Iudâ—sses Phil. That is after your owne vnderstanding After this I with foure other mo were brought to the Keepers house in Pater noster Row where we Supped and after supper I was called vp to a chamber by the archdeacon of Londons seruant that in his maysters name who offred me a bed for that night To whoÌ„ I gaue thankes saying that it shoulde be a griefe to me to lie well one night and the next worse wherfore I will begin sayde I as I am like to continue to take such part as my felowes do And with that we were brought through Pater noster row to my Lord of Londons Colehouse vnto the whiche is ioyned a litle blinde house with a great payre of stockes appoynted both for hand foot but thankes be to God we haue not playd of those organes yet although some before vs had tried theÌ„ there we founde a Minister of Essex a maried priest a man of godly zeale with one other poore maÌ„ And this minister at my coÌ„ming desired to speake with me did greatly lament his owne infirmity for that through extremity of imprisonmeÌ„t he was constrayned by writing to yelde to the bishop of London whereupon he was once set at liâ—erty and afterwarde felt suche a hell in his conscience that he could scarse refrayne from destroying himself and neuer could be at quiet vntill he had gone vnto the bishops Register desiring to see his bill again the which as soone as he had receiued he tare it in pieces after he was as ioyfull as any man might bee Of the whiche when my Lord of London had vnderstanding he sent for him and fell vpon him like a Lion and like a manly Bishop buffetted him well so that he made his face blacke and blew pluckt away a great piece of his beard but now thanks be to God he is as ioyfull vnder the crosse as any of vs and very sorye of his former infirmity I write this because I would all men to take heed how they do contrary to theyr conscience which is to fal into the paynes of hell And here an end * The maner of my calling first before the Bishop of London the second night of mine imprisonment in his Colehouse THe Bishop sent vnto me M. Iohnson his Register with a messe of meate and a good pot of drinke and breade saying that my Lord had no knowledge erst oâ— my beinge here for whiche he was sorry therefore he had sent me and my felowes that meat knowing whether I would receiue the same I thanked God for my Lordes charity that it pleased him to remember poore prisoners desiring almighty God to encrease the same in him and in all others and therefore I would not refuse his beneficence and therwith tooke the same vnto my brethren praysing God for his prouidence towardes his afflicted flocke that he styrred our aduersaries vp to helpe the same in their necessity Iohnson My Lorde woulde knowe the cause of your sending hither for he knoweth nothing thereof wondreth that he shoulde be troubled with prisoners of other dioces then his owne Philpot. I declared vnto him the whole cause After the which he sayd my Lordes will was that I should haue any frendship I would desire and so departed Within a while after one of my Lordes gentlemen coÌ„meth for me and I was brought into his presence where he sat at a table alone with three or foure of his chapleins waiting vpon him and his Register Bon. M. Philpot you are welcome geue me your hand Phil. With that because he so gently put forth his hand I to render curtesy for curtesy kissed my hande gaue hym the same Boner I am right sory for your trouble I promise you before it was within these two hours I knew not
his matter in ordering and finishing I pray God saue mee and all my frendes with all Gods flocke from the whole felowship of your so naturall and partaking Iustices Amen Lord God who would haue thought that there had beene so many partaking Iustices that is to say vniust Iustices in Warwickshire if Maister N. himselfe one of the same order but altogether out of order and therefore knoweth it best had not told vs the tale but these call you you saye verye vnnaturall c. And why not rather I pray you to much naturall For we reade de natura duplici integra corrupta Illa erat iusticiae plena haec nisi reparata semper manet iniusta iniusticiae fructus alios post alios paritura so that he that will not helpe his brother hauing a iust cause in his neede may be iustly called vnnaturall as not doing iuxta instinctu naturae siue integre siue reparate i. According to the instinct of nature either as it was at the beginning or as it was restored But hee that will take his brothers parte agaynst right as to ratifie his brothers wrong deceiuing he is too muche naturall tanquam sequens ingenium siue inclinationem naturae corruptae contra voluntatem Dei i. As one folowing the disposition and inclination of corrupt nature agaynst the wil of God and so to be naturall maye seeme to bee cater cosin or cosin germane with to be diabolicall I feare me we haue to many Iustices that be to much naturall to theyr owne perishment both body and soule For worthy Iustices hauing euer the feare and dread of God before their eies quales sunt pauciores apud nos quà m vellem will haue no respect at all in theyr iudgementes and proceedinges ad propinquitatem sanguinis but altogether ad dignitatem aequitatem causae vt quod iustum est semper iudicent intuitu Dei non quod iniustum est intuitu hominum of whiche number I pray God make you one Amen Iustus est sayth Iohn qui facit iusticiam At qui facit peccatum id quod facit quisquis iniuste facit in gratiam fauorem vllius hominis ex diabolo est i. He is iust that doth iustice But he that sinneth as they all do whiche doe vniustly for fauour and pleasure of men is of the deuill saith he which once all our pataking and vnnatural iustices be with all their partialitie and naturalitie Quare dignum iustum est that as many as be such Iustices iuste priuentur munere amplius quoque plectantur pro sui quisque facinoris quantitate vt vel sic tandem abscindantur tanquam nati in incommodum reipub nostrae qui nos conturbant cum adiuuare debeant Amen Quare seponite iustitiam sequimini naturam as your naturals and diabolicales woulde haue you to doe that is euen as iust as Germaines lippes which came not together by nine mile Vt Vulgo dicunt c. Item Sir finally and last of all you added these wordes following Well quod you let maister Latimer take heede howe hee medleth with my brother for he is like to finde as crabbed and as froward a peece of him as euer he found in his life c. Ah sir and is your brother such a one as you speake of in deede mercyfull GOD what a commendation is this for one brother to geue an other Est ne eiusmodi gloriatio tua mi amice And were it not possible trowe you to make hym better It is written Vexatio dat intellectum And againe Bonum mihi Domine quòd humiliasti me At least waye I may pray to God for hym as Dauid did for such like ad hunc modum Chamo freno maxillas eorum constringe qui non approximant at te In the mean season I would I had neuer knowne neither of you both for so shoulde I haue bene without this inward sorrow of my heart to see suche vntowardnes of you both to godlinesse for I can not be but heauy harted to see such men so wickedly minded Well let vs ponder a little better your woordes where you saye I shall finde him as crabbed and as frowarde a peece c. Marke well your owne wordes For by the tenour of the same it plainly appeareth that you confesse your brothers cause wherein he so stiffely standeth to be vniust and verye nought For hee that standeth so stiffly in a good quarrell and a iuste cause as manye good men haue done is called a fast man a constaunt a trustye man But he that is so obstable and vntractable in wickednesse and wronge doing is commonly called a crabbed and froward peece as you name your brother to be Wherefore knowing so well youre brothers cause to bee so naughtie why haue you not endeuoured youre selfe as a worthy Iustice to reforme him accordingly as I required you and you promised me to do now almost twelue monthes agoe if not altogether Summa Summarum Maister N. if you will not come of shortly and apply your selfe thereunto more effectually hereafter then you haue done heretofore be you well assured therof I shall detecte you to all the friendes that I haue in Englande both hye and lowe as well his crabbednes and frowardnes as your colourable supportation of the same that I trust I shal be able therby either to bring you both to some goodnes or at least waye I shall so warne my friendes and all honest heartes to beware of your ilnes that they shall take either no hurte at all or at least waye least harme by you through mine aduertisemente in that knowing you perfectly they may the better auoide and shunne youre companie You shall not staye me maister N. no though you would geue me all the landes and goodes you haue as riche as you are noted to bee Ego nolo tam iustam causam derelinquere ego nolo peccatis alienis in hac parte communicare For whether it be per detestabilem superbiam whether per abominabilem auaritiam or by both two linked to gether it is no small iniquitie to keep any one poore maÌ„ so long froÌ„ his right and duetie so stiffe neckedly and obstinately or whether yee will crabbedly and frowardly And what is it then anye manner of wayes to consent to the same You know I trowe Mayster N. furtum quid sit nempe quouismodo auferre vel retinere alienam â—em inuito Domino vt quidam definiunt Si fur sit qui sic palam facit quis erit qui facientem probat tutatur propugnat vel quibuscunque ambagibus suffulcit id est What thefte is that is to take or deteyne by any maner of way an other mans good against his will that is the owner as some define it If he be a theef that so doth openly what shall he be that approueth hym whiche is the doer defendeth mayntayneth and supporteth him by any maner of colour Consider with your selfe good maister
declared my iudgemeÌ„t vnto you in this because I caÌ„not speake hereof without the daunger of my life Rich. There is none of vs here that seeketh thy life or meane to take any aduauntage of that thou shalt speake Phil. Although I mistrust not your honorable Lordships yâ— be here of the teÌ„poralty yet here is one that sitteth against me pointing to my Lord of London that wil lay it to my charge euen to the death Notwithstanding seeing youre honours do require me to declare my minde of the preseÌ„ce of Christ in the sacrament that ye may perceaue that I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe neither doe mayntayne any opinion without probable and sufficient authoritie of the Scripture I will shewe franckly my minde without all colour what soeuer shall ensuâ— vnto me therfore so that my Lord of London wil not let me to vtter my minde Rich. My Lord permit him to say what he can seeyng hee is willing to shew his mind London I am content my Lordes let him say what he can I will heare him Phil. That which I doe entend to speake vnto you right honourable Lordes I do protest here first before God his Angels that I speake it not of vaynglory neyther of singularitie neither of wilfull stubburnes but truely vpon a good conscience grounded on Gods worde against the which I dare not do for feare of damnation which wil follow that which is done contrary to knowledge Neyther do I disagree to the proceedinges of this realme in the religion for that I loue not the Queene whom I loue from the bottome of my hart but because I ought to loue fear God in his word more then man in his lawes thoughe I stand as I seeme to do in this consideration and for none other as God I call to witnes There be two thinges principally by the which the clergy at this day doth deceiue the whole realm that is the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and the name of the Catholicke church yâ— which both they do vsurpe hauing in deed none of them both And as touching theyr Sacrament which they terme of the aulter I say now as I sayd in the Conuocation house that it is not the Sacramente of Christ neither in the same is there any maner of Chrystes presence Wherfore they deceiue the Queenes maiesty and you of the nobilitie of thys realme in making you to beleue that to be a sacrament which is none and cause you to commit manifest Idolatry in worshipping that for God whiche is no God And in testimony of this to be true besides manifest proofe which I am able to make to the Queenes maiesty and to all you of her nobility I will yeld my lyfe The which to do if it were not vpon a sure grouÌ„d it were to my vtter damnation And where they take on them the name of the Catholicke church wherby they blinde many folkes eyes they are nothing so calling you from the true religion whiche was reuealed taught in K. Edwardes time vnto vaine superstition And this I will say for the tryall hereof that if they can proue themselues to be the catholicke church as they shal neuer be able to do I wil neuer be agaynst their doynges but reuoke all that I haue sayd And I shall desire you my Lordes to be a meane for me to the Queenes maiestie that I may be brought to the iust triall hereof Yea I will not refuse to stand agaynst ten of the best of them in this realme And if they be able to proue otherwise then I haue sayd either by writing or by reasoning with good lawfull authoritie I will here promise to recant whatsoeuer I haue sayd to consent to them in all poyntes And in the declaratioÌ„ of these things more at large which now I write in summe the Bishop of London eftsones would haue interrupted me but the Lords procured me libertie to make out my tale to the great griefe of my Lord bishop of London as it appeared by his dumpes he was in LondoÌ„ It hath bene told me before that you loue to make a long tale Rich. Al heretickes do boast of the spirite of God and euery one would haue a church by himselfe as Ioan of Kent and the Anabaptistes I had my selfe Ioan of Kent a seuen night in my house after the writ was out for her to be burnt where my Lorde of Canterb. and Bishop Ridley resorted almost dayly vnto her but she was so high in the spirite that they could do nothing with her for all theyr learning But she went wilfully vnto the fire was burnt and so do you now Phil. As for Ioan of Kent shee was a vayne woman I knew her well an heretick indeed well worthye to bee burnt because she stoode agaynst one of the manifest artycles of our faith contrary to the scriptures and such vayne spirites be soone known from the true spirite of God hys church for that the same abideth wtin the limites of GODS word and will not go out of the same neither stubburnely mayntaine any thing coÌ„trary to the word as I haue gods word throughly on my side to shew for that I stand in London I pray you how will you ioyne me these ij scriptures together Pater maior me est pater ego vnum sumuê° I must enterprete the same because my Lordes here vnderstand not the Latin that is to saye The Father is greater then I and I and the father are one But I cry you mercye my Lordes I haue mispoken in saying you vnderstande no Latine for the most part of you vnderstand Latin as well as I. But I spake in consideration of my Lord ShaÌ„doys and M. Bridges his brother whom I take to be no great Latin men Now shew your cunning and ioine these two scriptures by the word if you can Phil. Yes that I can right well For we must vnderstande that in Christ there be two natures the diuinitie and Humanitie in respect of his humanitie it is spoken of christ The Father is greater then I. But in respect of hys Deitie he sayd agayne The Father and I be one London But what scripture haue you Phil. Yes I haue sufficient scripture for the proofe of that I haue sayd For the first it is written of Christ in the Psalmes Diminuisti eum paulominus ab Angelis Thou hast made him a little lesser then Aungels It is the xv Psalme beginning Coeli enarrant And there I misreckoned wherwithall my Lord tooke me London It is in Domine Dominus noster Yee may see my Lords how wel this man is vsed to say his Mattins Phil. Though I say not Mattins in suche order as youre Lordship meaneth yet I remember of olde that Domine Dominus noster and Coeli enarrant bee not farre asunder and albeit I misnamed the Psalme it is no preiudice to the truth of that I haue
Prayer and all other good deedes I maintained only bare faith to be sufficiēt to saluation what so euer a man did besides I maintained God to be the author of all sinne and wickednes Phil. Ha my Lord haue ye nothing of truth to charge me withal but ye must be faine to imagin these blasphemous lies against me You might as well haue sayd I had killed your father The Scriptures say That God wil destroye all them that speake lies And is not your Lordshippe ashamed to saye before this woorshipfull Gentleman who is vnknowen to mee that I maintaine these abhominable blasphemies whiche you haue rehearsed whyche if I did maintaine I were wel worthy to be counted an heretick and to be burned an hundred times if it were possible London I doe obiect them vnto thee to heare what thou wilt say in them and howe thou canst purge thy selfe of them Philpot. Then it was not iustly sayd of your Lordship in the beginning that I did maintaine them since almost I hold none of these Articles you haue read in form as they are wrytten London Howe sayest thou wilt thou aunswere to them or no Phil. I will first know you to be mine Ordinary and that you may lawfully charge me with suche things and then afterward being lawfully called in iudgemēt I wil shew my minde fully thereof and not otherwise London Well then I wil make thy fellowes to be witnes against thee where are they come Keeper They be heere my Lord. London Come hether Syrs holde them a booke you shall swere by the contents of that booke that you shal all maner of affections laid a part say the truth of all such Articles as you shal be demanded of concerning this mā here present which is a very naughty man and take you hede of him that he doth not deceiue you as I am afraid he doth you much hurt and strengtheneth you in your errours Prisoners My Lord we will not sweare except we know whereto we can accuse him of no euill we haue bene but a while acquainted with him Phil. I wonder your Lordship knowing the law wil go about contrary to the same to haue infamous persones to be witnesses for your Lordship doeth take them to be heretickes and by the law an hereticke can not be a witnes London Yes one hereticke against an other may be well inough And master Sheriffe I will make one of them to be witnesse against an other Phil. You haue the lawe in your hande and you will doe what you list Prisoners No my Lord. London No will I will make you sweare whether you will or no. I weene they be Anabaptists M. sheriffe they thinke it not lawfull to sweare before a Iudge Phil. Wee thinke it lawfull to sweare for a man iudicially called as we are not now but in a blinde corner London Whye then seeing you will not sweare againste your fellowe you shall sweare for your selues and I doe heere in the presence of maister sheriffe obiect the same Articles vnto you as I haue done vnto him and do require you vnder the paine of excommunication to answer particularly vnto euery one of them when you shal be examined as you shall be by and by examined after by my Register and some of my Chaplaines Prisoners My Lord we wil not accuse our selues If any man can laye any thing against vs we are heere ready to answere thereto otherwise we pray your Lordship not to burden vs for some of vs are heere before you we knowe no iust cause why London Maister Sheriffe I will trouble you no longer with these froward men And loe he rose vp and was going away talking with maister sheriffe Philpot. Maister Sheriffe I pray you recorde howe my Lorde proceedeth against vs in corners without all order of lawe hauing no iust cause to lay against vs. And after this were all commaunded to be put in the stockes where I set from morning vntill night and the Keeper at night vpon fauour let me out An other priuate conference betwene the Bishop and Maister Philpot in the Colehouse PHil. The Sonday after the bishop came into the Cole-house at night with the Keeper and viewed the house saying that he was neuer here afore whereby a man may gesse how he hath kept Gods commandement in visiting the prisoners seeing he was neuer with them that haue bene so nigh his nose And he came not then for any good zeale but to view the place thought it too good for me ◠therefore after supper betwene 8. and 9. he sent for me saying Lond. Sir I haue great displeasure of the Queene the Counsell for keeping you so long and letting you haue so much libertie And besides that you be yōder and strengthen the other prisoners in their errours as I haue layde waite for your doings am certified of you well inough I wil sequester you therfore from them and you shal hurt no mo as you haue done and I wil out of hand dispatche you as I am commaunded vnlesse you will be a conformable man Phil. My Lorde you haue my body in your custodye you may transport it whither it please you I am content And I wold you wold make as quicke expeditiō in my iudgement as you say I long therfore and as for cōformitie I am ready to yeld to all truth if any can bring better thē I. London Why you wil beleue no man but your self what so euer they say Phil. My belief must not hang vpon mens sayings without sure authority of gods word that which if any can shew me I wil be pliant to the same Otherwise I can not goe from my certaine faith to that which is vncertaine London Haue you then the truth onely Phil. My Lord I will speake my minde freely vnto you and vpō no malice I beare to you before God You haue not the truth neither are you of the church of God but you persecute both the truthe and the true churche of God for the which cause you cā not prosper long You see god doth not prosper your doinges according to your expectation He hath of late shewed his iust iudgement against one of your greatest doers who by reporte died miserably I enuie not your authority you are in You that haue learning should know best howe to rule And seeing God hath restored you to your dignity and liuing againe vse the same to Gods glory to the setting foorth of his true religion otherwise it wil not continue do what you can With this saying he was apaused and sayd at length Lon. That good man was punished for such as thou art Where is the Keeper Come let him haue him to the place that is prouided for him Go your way before Phil. And he followed me calling the Keeper aside commaunding to keepe all men from me narowly to search me as the sequele did declare and brought me to his
Doctor Cranmer minding to vnderstaÌ„d part of his opinion touching their great busines they had in haÌ„d And so as good occasion serued whiles they were at supper they conferred wyth Doctor Cranmer concerning the kings cause requesting him of his opinion what he thought therein Whereto D. Cranmer answered that he could say little to the matter for that he had not studied nor looked for it Notwtstanding he sayde to them that in hys opinion they made more ado in prosecuting the law Ecclesiastical then needed It were better as I suppose quod D. Cranmer that the question whether a maÌ„ may marry his brothers wife or no were decided and discussed by the diuines and by the authority of the woord of God whereby the conscience of the Prince might be better satisfied quieted then thus from yeare to yere by frustratorie delaies to prolong the time leauing the very truthe of the matter vnboulted out by the woorde of God There is but one trueth in it which the Scripture will soone declare make open manifest being by learned men wel handled and that may be aswell done in Englande in the Uniuersities heere as at Rome or els where in any forraine nation the aucthority whereof will compell any Iudge soone to come to a definitiue sentence and therfore as I take it you might thys way haue made an end of this matter long sithens When D. Cranmer had thus ended hys tale the other two well liked of his deuise and wished that they had so proceeded afore time and thereupon conceiued some matter of that deuise to instruct the king withall who then was minded to send to Rome againe for a new Commission Now the next day when the king remooued to Grenewich like as he tooke himselfe not wel handled by the cardinals in thus deferring his cause so his mind being vnquieted and desirous of an end of his long tedious sute he called to him these his two principall doers of his saide cause namely the saide D. Stephens and D. Foxe saying vnto them What now my maisters quoth the king shall we do in this infinite cause of mine I see by it there must be a new commission procured from Rome and when we shall haue an ende God knoweth and not I. When the king had said somewhat his minde heerein the Almosiner D. Foxe said vnto the king again We trust that there shal be better wayes deuised for your Maiestie then to make trauaile so farre as to Rome anye more in your highnesse cause which by chance was put into our heads this other night being at Waltham The King being very desirous to vnderstand his meaning said Who hath â—aken in hand to instruct you by any better or shorter way to proceede in our sayd cause Then sayd Doctor Foxe It chaunced vs to be lodged at Waltham in M. Cresseis house this other night your highnesse being there where we mette wyth an olde acquaintaunce of ours named Doctor Cranmer with whom hauing conference concerning your highnes cause he thought that the next way were first to instructe and quiet your maiesties conscience by trying your highnesse question out by the authoritye of the woorde of God therupon to procede to a final sentence With this report the Secretary was not content with the Almosiner for that hee did not vtter this deuise as of their owne inuention And when the Secretarie woulde haue seemed by colourable woordes to make it appeare to the king that they of them selues had deuised that meanes the king then said where is that Doctour Cranmer is he still at Waltham They aunsweared that they left him there Mary said the king I will surely speake with hym and therefore lette hym bee sent for out of hande I perceyue quoth the Kynge that that man hathe the sowe by the righte eare And if I had knowen this deuise but two yeare agoe it had beene in my way a great peece of money and had also ridde mee out of much disquietnesse Whereupon Doctor Cranmer was sent for and being remooued from Waltham to Cambridge and so towards his friendes in Notingham shire a Poste went for hym But when he came to London he began to quarell wyth these two his acquaintaunces that hee by theyr meanes was thus troubled and brought thither to be combred in a matter wherein hee had nothing at all trauailed in studie and therefore most instantly intreated them that they would make his excuse in such sorte that he might be dispatched away from comming in the kings presence They promised and tooke the matter vppon them so to doe if by any meanes they might compasse it But al was in vaine for the more they began to excuse Doctour Cranmers absence the more the King chid with them for that they brought him not out of hande to his presence so that no excuse seruing hee was faine vndelaiedly to come to the Courte vnto the king whome the gentle Prince benignely accepting demaunded his name and sayd vnto him Were you not at Waltham suche a time in the companye of my Secretarie and my Almosiner Doctour Cranmer affirming the same the king sayd againe had you not coÌ„ference with them concerning our matter of diuorce nowe in question after this sorte repeating the manner and order thereof That is right true if it please your highnesse quod Doctor Cranmer Well sayde the king I well perceiue that you haue the right scope of this matter You must vnderstand quoth the King that I haue bene long troubled in conscience and now I perceiue that by this meanes I might haue beene long agoe relieued one way or other from the same if we had this way proceeded And therefore maister Doctour I pray you and neuerthelesse because you are a subiecte I charge and commaund you al your other businesse and affaires sette aparte to take some paines to see this my cause to be furthered according to your deuise asmuche as it may lie in you so that I may shortly vnderstand whereunto I may trust For this I protest before God and the world that I seeke not to be deuorced from the Queene if by any meanes I were iustly perswaded that our matrimonie were inuiolable and not against the lawes of God for otherwise there was neuer cause to mooue me to seeke any such extremitie Neither there was euer Prince had a more gentler a more obedient and louing companion and wife then the Queene is nor I neuer fansied woman in all respectes better if thys doubte had not risen assuring you that for the singulare vertues wherewith she is indued besides the consideration of her noble stocke I could be right wel contented stil to remain with her if so it would stand with the will and pleasure of almighty God And thus greatly commending her many and singular qualities the King sayde I therefore praye you with an indifferent eye and with asmuch dexterity as lieth in you that you for
three daies ago bethought my selfe of and therewithall remembred how that Martin Luther appealed in his tyme frō Pope Leo the x. to a generall Councell lest I should seeme rashly and vnaduisedly to cast away my selfe I determined to apeale in like sort to some lawfull and free generall Councell But seeyng the order and forme of an Appeale pertaineth to the Lawyers wherof I my selfe am ignorant and seyng that Luthers Appeale commeth not to my hand I purposed to breake my mynd in this mater to some faithfull friend and skilfull in the law whose helpe I myght vse in this behalfe and you onely among other came to my remembraunce as a man most meete in this Vniuersitie for my purpose But this is a matter that requireth great silence so that no man know of it before it be done It is so that I am summoned to make myne aunswer at Rome the xvj day of this moneth before the which day I thinke it good after sentence pronounced to make myne Appeale But whether I should first Appeale from the Iudge Delegate to the Pope and so afterward to the generall Councell or els leauyng the Pope I should appeale immediately to the Councell herein I stande in neede of your counsaile Many causes there bee for the which I thinke good to appeale First because I am by an othe bound neuer to consent to the receiuyng of the B. of Romes authoritie into this realme Besides this where as I vtterly refused to make answer to the Articles obiected vnto me by the B. of Glocester appointed by the Pope to be my Iudge yet I was content to aunswer Martin and Story with this Protestation that myne aunswer should not bee taken as made before a Iudge nor yet in place of iudgemēt but as pertainyng nothyng to iudgement at all and moreouer after I had made myne answer I required to haue a copy of the same that I might either by addyng thereunto or by alteryng or takyng from it correct and amend it as I thought good The which though both the Bish. of Glocester and also the King Quenes Proctours promised me yet haue they altogether broken promise with me and haue not permitted me to correct my said answers accordyng to my request and yet notwithstandyng haue as I vnderstand registred the same as Actes formally done in place of iudgement Finally forasmuch as all this my trouble commeth vpon my departyng from the B. of Rome and from the Popish religion so that now the quarell is betwixt the Pope hymselfe and me and no man can be a lawfull and indifferent iudge in his owne cause it seemeth me thinke good reason that I should be suffered to appeale to some generall Councell in this matter specially seeyng the law of nature as they say denieth no man the remedy of appeale in such cases Now since it is very requisite that this matter should be kept as close as may be if perhaps for lacke of perfect skill herein you shall haue neede of further aduise then I beseech you euen for the fidelitie and loue you beare to me in Christ that you will open to no creature alyue whose the case is And forasmuch as the tyme is now at hand and the matter requireth great expedition let me obtaine this much of you I beseech you that laying aside all other your studies and businesse for the tyme you will apply this my matter onely till you haue brought it to passe The chiefest cause in very deede to tell you the truth of this myne Appeale is that I might gayne tyme if it shall so please God to lyue vntill I haue finished myne aunswer against Marcus Antonius Constantius which I haue now in hand But if the aduersaries of the truth will not admit myne Appeale as I feare they will not Gods will be done I passe not vpon it so that GOD may therein be glorified bee it by my lyfe or by my death For it is much better for me to dye in Christes quarell and to raigne with hym then here to be shutte vppe and kept in the prysonne of this body vnlesse it were to continue yet still a while in this warrefare for the commoditie and profite of my brethren and to the further aduauncing of Gods glory to whom be all glory for euermore Amen There is also yet an other cause why I thinke good to Appeale that where as I am cited to go to Rome to answer there for my selfe I am notwithstanding kept here fast in prison that I can not there appeare at the tyme appoynted And moreouer forasmuch as the state I stand in is a matter of lyfe and death so that I haue great neede of learned counsaile for my defence in this behalfe yet when I made my earnest request for the same all manner of counsaile and helpe of Proctors Aduocates and Lawyers was vtterly denyed me Your louyng friend Tho. Cranmer ¶ Another Letter of D. Cranmer Archbishop to Maistresse Wilkinson exhortyng her to flie in the tyme of persecution THe true comforter in all distresse is only God through his sonne Iesus Christ and whosoeuer hath him hath company enough although he were in a wildernesse all alone and he that hath xx thousand in his companye if God be absent is in a miserable wildernesse and desolation In hym is all comfort without hym is none Wherfore I beseech you seeke your dwellyng there as you may truly and rightly serue God and dwell in hym and haue him euer dwellyng in you What can be so heauy a burden as an vnquiet conscience to be in such a place as a mā can not be suffred to serue God in Christs religion If you be loth to depart from your kin and friends remember that Christ calleth them hys mother sisters and brothers that do hys fathers will Where we finde therefore God truely honoured accordyng to his will there we can lacke neyther friend nor kinne If you be loth to depart for slandering of gods word remember that Christ when his houre was not yet come departed out of his countrty into Samaria to auoyde the malice of the Scribes and Pharisies and commaunded his Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should flie to another And was not Paule let downe by a basket out at a window to auoyd the persecution of Aretas And what wisedome and pollicy he vsed from tyme to tyme to escape the malice of his enemies the Actes of the Apostles doe declare And after the same sort dyd the other Apostles albeit when it came to such a pointe that they could no longer escape danger of the persecutours of gods true religion then they shewed themselues that their flying before came not of feare but of godly wisdom to do more good that they would not rashly without vrgent necessitie offer themselues to death which had bene but a temptation of God Yea when they were apprehended could no longer auoyd then they stoode
are much offended for it felleth all mans righteousnes to the ground I had like to haue sayd to the bottome of hell extolleth onely the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ whiche is allowed before God and is freely geuen to al those that firmely beleue as blessed be God you doe Ah my good brother Tymmes Sathan hath put hys hand in a wrong boxe when he beginneth to tempte you either to vayne glory or mistrust for you are an old beaten souldier and haue had good experience of these manner of temptations both by your selfe and other whome you know well were the beloued of God Bee of good cheare therefore deare hart be of good cheare for now Satā hath wrought all his malice he hath done all that hee can and hath shot of all his last Peeces wherwith he had thought to haue done most mischiefe but now he seeth hee cannot preuaile the strong tower of your fayth being so inuincible he will plucke vp all his tentes and get him to some other place to practise the like assaultes and then will the Aungels of God come and minister vnto you the moste sweete heauenly consolations of the holy Ghost To hym therefore who is able to do exceeding aboundantly aboue all that euer we can desire or thinke I do most hartily cōmit you with all the reste of youre godly prison fellowes who comfort strengthen and defend you with his grace mighty operation of his holye spirit as hee hath hitherto done that you hauing a most glorious victory ouer the subtle serpent and all his wicked seede may also receaue the crowne of glory and immortalitie prepared for you before the foundations of the world were layde and is so surelye kept for you in the handes of him whose promise is vnfallible that the Deuill sinne death or hell shall neuer be able to depriue you of the same The blessing of God bee with you now for euermore Amen Pray pray pray for me Your owne for euer Iohn Careles * To my good sister M.C. THe peace of God in Iesus Christ the eternal comforts of his sweete spirite be with you my deare and faithful sister to the ful accomplishment of that good worke which hee hath most graciously begon in you that the same may be effectuall to the setting forth of his glory and to your euerlasting consolation in him Amen My louing and faythful Sister in the Lord I thanke you for all your louing kindnes shewed vnto me in youre feruent and faithfull prayers and for your most godly and comfortable letter wherby you do not only much encrease my ioy and comfort but also put me in remembraunce of my duetie towardes you Blessed be the Lord our God which of his great merhath so beautified his Church in these our dayes that euen vnto many godly women hee hathe geuen most excellent giftes of knowledge and vnderstanding of his truth so that they are not onely well able to enforme their owne consciences in all thinges necessarye to saluation but also moste sweetly to comfort their sorrowfull brethren sisters that susteine any trouble for the testimony of Gods trueth yea that which is more euen in the middest of their great cōflictes of conscience Of which most happy number of godly and vertuous women my deare hart you are one and that of the chiefest being plentifully endued with the gifts of Gods most gracious spirite as it doth full wel appeare in your dayly doinges God onely haue the prayse therefore For asmuch then as God hath geuen you the gift to write I shall moste hartily desire you to let me heare from you sometimes be it neuer so little for truely I take great cōfort and courage thereby specially in my poore conscience whiche is sore assaulted of subtile Satan and in a manner oppressed of my sinnes Pray deare sister that GOD may geue me true hartie and earnest repentaunce increase my fayth for they are bothe the good giftes of God onely and farre passe the reache of my power to take at my pleasure Therfore deare sister if you wil helpe me to begge the same of our deare louing father I am sure that he both cā and will geue them in his good time As for the feare of death or terrour of the fire I most hartily thanke my good God I feele it not onely it is mine owne sinnes and vnthankfulnes which holdeth hard battayle wageth strōg warre against me which onely goeth about to separate me from my good captayne Christ that I shoulde not enioye his glorious victory but God being on my side as I am sure hee is that cannot continually preuayle agaynst me Though God for a time permitte Satan to take his pleasure on me as he did vpon Iob yet I doubt not but in the end all shall turne to my profite through the merites of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ to whose most mercifull defence I commit you deare Sister with al the rest of the Lordes elect Farewell in Christ. Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles Pray pray pray pray * To my deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continuall comfortes of his most pure and holy spirite be with you my most deare frend and faythfull brother U. to the increase of your fayth and comfort of your sorrowful spirite which is to the father a sweete sacrifice through chryst for whose sake he will neuer despise your humble and contrite hart but doth fauourably accept the same and wil in most ample wise performe the desire thereof to his glorye your eternall comfort in him In the mids of my manifold crosses troubles wherin I am constrayned to flee vnto God for refuge succour by earnest faithful prayer I cannot forget you my deare hart in the Lord but esteeming your state for mine owne I do poure forth my complaynt for you as I do for my selfe rather more as I thinke present neede doth require desiring most hartily to heare the good successe of the same in you The lord God for his great mercies sake accomplish my desire as I doubt not but he wil when he seeth it good and most to his glory and to your comforte and commoditie Oh that I might once see you so merry in Christ as you haue iust cause to be that you might say with Dauid Awake my glory awake Lute and Harpe bring forth the Psalter with the merry song that I might sing a newe song of prayse and thankesgeuing vnto the Lord for the light of his fauourable coūtenaunce his helpe and deliueraunce Oh that would refresh me as a most precious oyle and gladden my poore heart whiche is assaulted with sorrow moe wayes then one I doubt not but the same shal by your meanes receiue much comfort though for a time it doth mourne with you that we may be made both glad together yea that with such gladnes as shal continue for
you be your selues You will go to hell all the sorte of you if you condemne me if you repent iâ— not with speede Wood. Then my keeper and the Sheriffes deputie Fuller rebuked me because I spake so sharpely to them And I sayde I praye you let me alone I aunswere for my life Then there was muche adoe that I shoulde keepe silence and so I held my peace Then spake the Bishop of Winchester and the Archdeacon of Caunterbury saying we go not about to condemne thee but goe aboute to saue thy soule if thou wilt be ruled ane doe as we would haue thee Wood. To saue my soule nay you can not saue my soule My soule is saued already I praise God therefore There can no man saue my soule but Iesus Christ and hee it is that hath saued my soule before the foundation of that would was layd The fat Priest What an heresie is that my Lorde here is an heresie He sayth hys soule was saued before the foundations weâ—e layd Thou canst not tell what thou saiest Was thy soule saued before it was Wood. Yes I prayse God I can tell what I say I say the truth Looke in the first of the Ephesians and there you shall finde it where Paule sayth Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ whiche hath blessâ—d vs with all maner of spirituall blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christ according as hee hathe chosen vs in himselfe before the foundation of the earth was layd that we shuld be holy and without blame before him through loue and thereto were wee predâ—stinated These be the wordes of Paule and I beleue they be moste true And therefore it is my fayth in and by Iesus Christe that saueth and not you or any man els The fat priest What fayth without workes Saint Iames sayth faythe without workes is dead and wee haue free will to do good workes Wood. I would not that any of you should think that I do disallow good workes For a good fayth cannot be wtout good works Yet not of our selues but it is the gift of God as sayth S. Paule to the Phillippians the 2. Chapt. It is God that worketh in vs both the wil and also the deed euen of good will Winchester Make an ende aunswere to me Here is your Ordinary the Archdeacon of Caunterbury hee is made your Ordinary by my Lord Cardinall and he hath authoritie to examine you of your fayth vppon a booke to aunswere to such Articles as he will laye to you And I praye you refuse it not for the daunger is great if you do Wherfore we desire you shew your selfe a subiect in this matter Then they spake al and said loe my Lord desireth you gently to aunswere to him and so we do all For if you refuse to take an othe hee may excommunicate you For my Lord Cardinall may put whom he wil in the Bishops office vntill he is consecrated Wood. I know not so much If you will geue me time to learne the trueth of it if I can proue it be as you saye I will tell you my mind in any thing that he shall demauÌ„d of me without any flattering Priest My Lord and all we tell thee it is true therefore aunswere to him Wood. I will beleue none of you all for you be turne coates chaungelinges be wauering minded as sayth S. Iames you be neither hoate nor colde as sayth S. Iohn therfore God will spue you out of his mouth Wherfore I can beleue none of you all I tell you truth Winchest What be we turne coates and chaungelinges what meanest thou by that Wood. I meane that in king Edwardes time you taught the doctrine that was set forth then euery one of you and now you teach the contrary and therfore I call you turne coates and chaungelinges as I may well enough Which wordes made the most part of them to quake Winc. Nay not all as it chaunced Wood No I pray you where were you then Winch. I was in the Tower as the Lieutenaunt wyll beare me record Wood. If you were in the Tower it was not therefore I dare say it was for some other matter TheÌ„ they tooke all hart of grace and sayd my Lord he coÌ„meth to examine you we think if he will not answere to the Articles you were best to excommunicate him Winch. He is the naughtiest verlet hereticke that euer I knew I will read the sentence agaynst him Wood. Then they spake all at once and I aunswered then as fast as I could But I can not remember it all the wordes came out so thicke that I spared them not I prayse God therfore for I spake freely Then they that stood by rebuked me sayd you caÌ„ not tell to whom you speake I thinke Wood. No thinke you so they be but men I am sure I haue spoken to as good as they bee and better then they will euer be for any thing that I can see if they repent not with speed Winc. Geue eare for I will read sentence agaynst you Wood. Will you so wherefore will you you haue no iuste cause to excommunicate me and therefore if you doe condemne me you wil be condemned in hell if you repent not and I prayse God I am not afrayd to dye for Gods sake if I had a hundred liues Winch. For Gods sake nay for the Deuilles sake Thou sayest thou art not afrayde to dye No more was Iudas that hanged himselfe as thou wilt kill thy selfe wilfully because thou wilt not be ruled Wood. Nay I defye the deuill Iudas and all their members And Iudas flesh was not afrayd but his spirite and conscience was afrayde and therefore despayred and hong himselfe But I prayse God I feele no lothsomnes in my flesh to dye but a ioyfull conscience and a willing mynde thereto Wherfore my flesh is subdued to it I prayse God and therfore I am not afrayd of death Chichester Woodman for Gods sake be ruled You know what you sayd to me at my house I coulde say more if I would Wood. Say what you can the most fault that you founde in me was because I praysed the liuing God and because I sayd I prayse God and the Lorde which you ought to be ashamed of if you haue any grace for I told you where the wordes were written Winc. Well how say you will you confesse that Iudas receiued the body of Christ vnworthely tell me playnely Wood. My Lord if you or any of you all can proue before all this audience in all the bible that any man euer eat the body of Christ vnworthely then I will be with you in all thinges that you will demaund of me of the which matter I desire all this people to be witnes Priest Will you so then we shall agree well enough S. Paule sayth so Woodman I pray you where sayeth he so rehearse the wordes Priest In
all this audience yea the Heathen speake shame of your fact For a City saith our sauiour that is builded on a hill can not be hid if they therefore haue the truth let it come to light For al that wel do come to the light and they that do euill hate the light Then my Lorde Maior hanginge downe his head sayd nothing but the Byshop tolde me I shoulde preache at a Stake and so the Shiriffe cryed with the Byshop away with me Thus came I in before theÌ„ foure times desiring Iustice but could haue none and at length my frendes requiring with one voyce the same coulde not haue it we had sentence and then â—eing caried out were brought in agayne and had it euery man seuerally geuen But before the Bishop gaue me sentence he told me in derision of my Brother Takerfielde a tale betweene a Gentleman and his Cooke To whiche I aunsweared My Lorde yee fill the peoples eares with fantasies and foolish tales and make a laughing matter at bloud but if ye were a true byshop ye should leaue these railing sentences and speak the wordes of God Boner Well I haue offred to that noughty felow mayster Speaker your companion the Cooke that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdaâ—ne forsaken it How sayest thou wilt thou haue him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith My Lorde if your Chauncellour shall doe me any good and take any paynes as ye say let him take mine articles in his handes that ye haue obiected agaynst me and either proue one of them heresy or any thing that you doe to be good and if he be able so to doe I stand here wyth all my hart to heare him if not I haue no neede I prayse God of his sermon for I come to answere for my life and not heare a sermon Then beganne the sentence In Dei nomine To whiche I answered that he beganne in a wrong name requiring of him where hee learned in Scriptures to geue sentence of death agaynste any man for his conscience sake To the which he made no aunsweare but went forwarde to the end and immediately cryed Away with me Then I turned me to the Maior and sayde Is it not enough for you my Lord Maior and ye that are the shiriffes that ye haue left the strayt way of the Lord but that ye must condemne Christ causeles Boner Well Mayster Controller nowe ye can not say but I haue offered you fayre to haue instruction And now I pray thee call me bloudy Bishop and say I seeke thy bloud Smith Wel my Lord although neither I nor any of this congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shal these stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Boner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good frendes yee haue seene and hearde the great wrong that we haue receiued this day ye are al recordes that we haue desired the probation of our cause by Gods booke and it hath not bene graunted but we are coÌ„demned and our cause not heard Neuerthelesse my Lord Maior for as much as here ye haue exercised Gods sword causelesse and will not heare the righte of the poore I committe my cause to almighty God that shall iudge all men according vnto right before whoÌ„ we shall both stand without authority and there will I stand in the right and haue true iudgement to your great confusion except ye repent which the Lord grauÌ„t you to do if it be his will And then was I with the rest of my brethren caryed awaye to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neare as I can I haue set out the truth of my examination and the verity of mine vniust condemnation for the truth requiring god that it may not be layd to the charge of thee O England requiring your harty prayers vnto God for his grace spirit of boldnes with hope euen shortlye to set to my seale at Uxbridge the 8. of August by Gods grace pray that it may be to his honor my saluation and your consolation I pray you Da gloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus hast thou good Reader not onely to note but also to folow in this man a singular example of Christian fortitude which so manâ—ully and valâ—auntly did stande in the defence of his maysters cause And as thou seest hym here boldly stand in examination before the Bishoppe and Doctours so was he no lesse comfortable also in the pryson among his felowes Whiche also is to be obserued no lesse in his other prison felowes who being there together cast in an outward house within Newgate had godly coÌ„ference with themselues with dayly praying and publick reading whiche they to theyr greate comforte vsed in that house together amongst whom this foresayd Smith was a chiefe doer Whose industry was alwayes solicitous not onely for them of his owne company but also his diligeÌ„ce was carefull for other prisoners whom he ceased not to dehort and diswade from theyr olde accustomed iniquity and many he conuerted vnto his Religion Diuers letters he wrote there in the prison to suÌ„dry his frendes partly in metre partly in prose And first in metre as followeth ⧠A Picture describing the maner and place of them which were in bondes for the testimony of the truth conferring together among themselues ¶ O ye that loue the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is euill THe God that geueth life and light And leadeth into rest That breaketh bondes and bringeth out The poore that are opprest And keepeth mercy for the meeke His treasure and his store Increase the life in perfect loue Both now and euermore That as thou hast begun to ground In fayth and feruent loue Thou mayest be made a mighty mount That neuer may remoue That thine ensample may be shewed Among all thine encrease That they may liue and learne the like And passe theyr time in peace Thy salutations that were sent I hartely retayne And send thee seuenty times as much To thee and thine agayne And for because I know the gole That thou doest most desire I send thee here a paper full Is fined in the fire In hope thou wilt accept it well Although it be but small Because I haue none other good To make amendes with all For all thy free and frendly factes Which thy good will hath wrought I send the surely for a shift The thing that cost me nought Absteyne from all vngodlines In dread direct your dayes Possesse not sinne in any wise Beware of wicked wayes Hold fast your fayth vnfaynedly Build as ye haue begon And arme your selfe in perfect fayth To do as ye haue done Least that the wicked make a mocke That ye haue take in hand In leauing of the perfect rocke To build vpon the sand Beware these filthy Pharisies Their building is in bloud Eate not with
Baptisme is a marke of Christes Church a seale and confirmation of our acception into the grace fauour of God for Christes sake For his innocencie his righteousnesse his holinesse his iustice is ours geuen vs of God and our sinnes and vnrighteousnesse by his obedience and abasing of him selfe to the death of the crosse are his whereof Baptisme is the signe seale and confirmation Baptisme is also a signe of repentaunce to testifie that we be borne to the waues of pearils and chaunges of life to the intent that we should die continually as loÌ„g as we liue from sinne and rise againe like new men vnto righteousnesse Rom. 6. The other Sacrament which is the supper and holy Maundie of our Sauiour Christ whereby the church of Christ is knowen I beleeue to be a remembraunce of Christes death and passion a seale and confirmation of his moste precious bodye geuen vnto death euen to the vile death of the crosse wherewith wee are redeemed and deliuered from sinne death hell and damnation It is a visible woorde because it worketh the same thing in the eyes which the worde worketh in the eares For like as the worde is a meane to the eares whereby the holy Ghost mooueth the heart to beleue Romanes 10. so this sacrament is a meane to the eyes whereby the holy Ghost moueth the hart to beleue it preacheth peace betweene God and man it exhorteth to mutuall loue and all godly life and teacheth to contemne the world for the life to come when as Christ shall appeare which now is in heauen and no where els as concerning his humane body Yet do I beleeue assuredly that his very body is present in his moste holy Supper at the contemplation of oure spirituall eyes and so verely eaten with the mouth of our faith For as soone as I heare these most comfortable and heauenly woordes spoken and pronouÌ„ced by the mouth of the Minister This is my body which is geuen for you when I heare I say this heauenly harmonie of Gods vnfallible promises and truthe I looke not vppon neyther doe I beholde breade and wine for I take and beleue the wordes simply and plainly euen as Christe spake them For hearing these wordes my senses be rapt and vtterly excluded for faith wholely taketh place and not flesh nor the carnall imaginations of our grosse fleshly and vnreuerent eating after the maner of our bodily foode whiche profiteth nothinge at all as Christe witnesseth Iohn 6 but with a sorrowfull and wounded conscience an hungry and thirsty soule a pure and faithfull mind do fully embrace beholde and feede and looke vppon that most glorious body of Christ in heauen at the right hande of God the father very God and very man which was crucified and slaine and his bloud shed for our sinnes there nowe making intercession offering and geuing his holy body for me for my body for my raunsome for my full price and satisfaction who is my Christ and all that euer hee hath and by this spirituall and faithfull eating of this liuelye and heauenlye breade I feele the moste sweete sâ—ppe and taste of the fruites benefites and vnspeakeable ioyes of Christes deathe and passion fullye disgested into the bowelles of my soule For my minde is quieted from all worldly aduersities tormoylinges and trouble my conscience is pacified from sinne deathe hell and damnation my soule is full and hathe euen enough and will no more for all things are but losse vile dounge and drosse vayne vanitie for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesu my Lord and Sauiour Thus nowe is Christes flesh my very meate in deede and hys bloud my very drinke in deede I am become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Nowe I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in me yea I dwell in him and he in mee for thorough faithe in Christe and for Christes sake we are one that is of one consente minde and fellowshippe with the Father the Sonne and the hol Ghost Iohn 17. Thus am I assured and fullye perswaded and on this rocke haue I builded by Gods grace my dwelling and resting place for body and soule life and death And thus I commit my cause vnto Christe the righteous and iust iudge who will an other day iudge these debates and controuersies whome I humbly beseeche to cast his tender and mercifull eyes vppon the afflicted and ruinous Churches and shortly to reduce them into a godly and perpetuall concorde Amen Thus do I beleeue and this is my faith and my vnderstanding in Christ my Sauiour and his true and holy religion And thys whosoeuer is ashamed to doe among this adulterous and sinnefull generation of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels Robert Samuel William Allen Martyr NExt after the suffering of Robert Samuel aboute the beginning of September was burned William Allen in Walsingam labouring man seruaunte sometime to Iohn Houghton of Somerton He being broughte before the Bishop and asked the cause why he was imprisoned aunsweared that he was put in prison because he woulde not followe the Crosse saying that he woulde neuer go on Procession Then being willed by the Bishoppe to returne againe to the Catholicke Churche he aunsweared that he would turne to the Catholicke Churche but not to the Romishe Church and said that if he saw the King and Quene and all other folowe the crosse or kneele downe to the crosse he would not For the which sentence of condemnation was geueÌ„ against him the 12. of August and he burned at Walsingham about the beginning of September who declared suche constancie at hys Martyrdome and hadde suche credite wyth the Iustices by reason of hys vprighte and well tried conuersation among them that he was suffered to goe vntied to hys suffering there being fastened with a chaine stoode quietly without shrinking vntill he dyed The Martyrdome of Roger Coo of Melforde in Suffolke Shereman first examined before the Byshop of Norwich and by him condemned Anno 1555. August 12. ROger Coo broughte before the Bishop first was asked why he was imprisoned Coo· At the Iustices commaundement Bishop There was some cause why Coo. Heere is my accuser let hym declare And his accuser sayde that hee woulde not receyue the Sacrament Bish. Then the Bishop sayde that he thought he had transgressed a lawe Coo. But Coo answered that there was no law to transgresse Bish. The Bishop then asked what he sayd to the law that then was Coo. He answered how he had bene in prison a long time and knew it not No sayd his accuser nor wilt not My Lord aske him when he receiued the Sacrament Coo. When Coo heard him say so he sayde I pray you my Lord let him sit downe and examine me him selfe Bish. But the Bishoppe woulde not heare that but sayde Coo why will ye not receiue
as it is as the holy Ghost calleth it the word of affliction that is it is seldom without hatred persecution peril danger of losse of lyfe and goods what so euer semeth pleasaunt in this world as experience teacheth you in this tyme call vpon God continually for his assistaunce alwayes as Christ teacheth castyng your accompts what it is like to cost you endeuoring your selfe thorough the helpe of the holy Ghost by continuaunce of prayer to lay your foundation so sure that no storme or tempest shal be able to ouerthrow or cast it down remembring always as Christ saith Lothes wyfe that is to beware of looking backe to that thyng that displeaseth God And because nothing displeaseth God so much as Idolatry that is false worshipping of God otherwise then hys word commandeth looke not backe I say nor turne not your face to their Idolatrous and blasphemous massing manifestly against the word practise example of Christ as it is most manifest to all that haue any taste of the true vnderstandyng of Gods word that there remayneth nothing in the church of England at this present profitable or edifieng to the church and congregation of the Lord all things beyng done in an vnknowen tong contrary to the expresse commandement of the holy Ghost They obiect that they be the church and therefore they must be beleued My aunswer was the Church of GOD knoweth and reknowledgeth no other head but Iesus Christ the sonne of God whome ye haue refused chosen the man of sinne the sonne of perdition enemy to Christ the deuils deputy and lieuetenant the Pope Christes church heareth teacheth and is ruled by hys word as he sayth My sheepe heare my voyce If you abyde in me and my word in you you be my Disciples Their Church repelleth Gods word and forceth all men to followe their traditions Christes Churche dare not adde or diminish alter or change his blessed Testament but they bee not afrayd to take away all that Christ instituted and go a whoryng as the Scripture saith with their owne inuentions Et laetari super operibus manuum suarum i. To glory and reioyce in the workes of their owne hands The Church of Christ is hath bene and shall be in all ages vnder the Crosse persecuted molested and afflicted the world euer hating thē because they be not o◠the worlde But these persecute murther slay and kil such as professe the true doctrine of Christ be they in learning liuing conuersation and other vertues neuer so excellent Christ his church reserued the triall of their doctrine to the worde of God and gaue the people leaue to iudge therof by the same worde Search the Scriptures But thys church taketh away the word from the people suffereth neither learned nor vnlearned to examine or prooue their doctrine by the word of God The true church of God laboureth by all means to resist withstand the lusts desires motions of the world the flesh and the deuil These for the most part geue themselues to all voluptuousnes secretly commit such things which as S. Paul sayth it is shame to speake of By these and such like manifest probations they do declare themselues to be none of the church of Christ but rather of the sinagoge of Sathan It shal be good for you oftentymes to conferre compare their procedings and doings with the practise of those whō the word of God doth reach to haue bene true members of the church of God it shal worke in you both knowledge erudition boldnes to withstand with suffering their doyngs I likened them therfore to Nemrod whom the scripture calleth a mighty hunter or a stout champion telling them that that which they could not haue by the worde they would haue by the sword be the church whether men will or no and called them with good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the deuill and as their father the deuill is a lyer and murtherer so their kingdom and church as they call it standeth by lying and murtheryng Haue no fellowship with them therfore my dere wife nor with their doctrine and traditions lest you be partaker of their sinnes for whom is reserued a heauy damnation without speedy repentaunce Beware of such as shal aduertise you somethyng to beare with the world as they do for a season There is no dallying with gods matters It is a fearefull thing as S. Paule sayth to fall into the handes of God Remember the prophet Helias Why halt you on both sides Remember what Christ sayth Hee that putteth hys handes to the plough and looketh backe is not worthy of mee And seyng God hath hetherto allowed you as a good souldior in the forward play not the coward neither drawe backe to the rereward S. Iohn numbreth among them that shall dwell in the fiery lake such as be fearefull in Gods cause Set before your eyes alwayes the examples of such as haue behaued themselues boldly in gods cause as Steuen Peter Paul Daniel the three children the widowes sonnes and in your days Anne Askew Laurence Saunders Iohn Bradford with many other faythfull witnesses of Christ. Be not afrayd in nothyng sayth Saint Paule of the aduersaries of Christes doctrine the which is to them the cause of perdition but to you of euerlasting saluation Christ commandeth the same saying Feare them not Let vs not follow the example of him which asked tyme first to take leaue of hys friends If we so doe we shall finde fewe of them that wil encourage vs to go forward in our busines please it God neuer so much We read not that Iames and Iohn Andrew and Symon when they were called put of the tyme till they had knowen their fathers and friends pleasure But the Scripture sayth They forsooke all and by and by followed Christ. Christ likened the kingdom of God to a precious perle the which whosoeuer findeth selleth al that he hath for to buy it Yea whosoeuer hath but a little taste or glimmering how precious a treasure the kingdom of heauen is will gladly forgo both life goods for the obtainyng of it But the most part now a dayes bee lyke to Esopes cocke which when he had found a precious stone wished rather to haue found a barley corne So ignorant be they how precious a iewell the word of God is that they choose rather the thyngs of this world which beyng compared to it be lesse in value then a barley corne If I would haue geuen place to worldly reasons these might haue moued me First the forgoyng of you and my children the consideration of the state of my children being yet tender of age and yong apt and inclinable to vertue learnyng and so hauyng the more neede of my assistance beyng not altogether destitute of gifts to helpe thē withall possessions aboue the common sort of men because
of late yeares past Let vs bee hartye and of good courage therefore and throughlye comforte our selues in the Lorde Bee in no wise afrayd of your aduersaries for that which is to them an occasion of perdition is to you a sure token of saluatiō and that of GOD. For vnto you it is geuen that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on hym but also suffer for hys sake And when ye are rayled vppon for the name of Christe remember that by the voyce of Peter yea and of Christe our Sauiour also ye are counted with the Prophetes with the Apostles and with the holy Martyrs of Christ happy and blessed therefore for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you On their part our Sauiour Christe is euill spoken of but on your part he is gloryfied For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you and working al crueltie villanie agaynst you but make your crownes more glorious yea beautifie multiply the same heape vpon them selues the horrible plagues and heauy wrath of God and therfore good brethrē though they rage neuer so fiercely against vs yet let vs not wish euill vnto thē againe knowing that whiles for Christes cause they vexe and persecute vs they are lyke mad men most outragious and cruell agaynst them selues heaping hot burning coles vpon their owne heades but rather let vs wish well vnto thē knowing that we are thereunto called in Christe Iesu that we should be heyres of the blessing Let vs pray therefore vnto God that he would driue out of their harts this darkenes of errours make the light of his truth to shine vnto thē that they acknowledging their blindnes may with al humble repentance be conuerted vnto the Lord together with vs confesse hym to be the onely true God which is the father of light his onely sonne Iesus Christ worshipping him in spirit and veritie Amen The spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ comfort your hartes in the loue of God and pacience of Christ. Amen Your brother in the Lord whose name this bearer shall signifie vnto you ready alwayes by the grace of God to liue and die with you ¶ To the breathren which constantly cleaue vnto Christ in suffering affliction with him and for his sake GRace and peace from God the father and frō our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied vnto you Amen Although brethren we haue of late heard nothing from you neither haue at this present any newes to send you yet we thought good somthing to write vnto you wherby ye might vnderstand that we haue good remembraunce of you continually as we doubt not but ye haue of vs also When this messenger comming vnto vs from you of late had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancie fortitude and patience in the Lord we were filled with much ioy gladnes geuing thankes to God the father through our Lord Iesus Christe which hath caused his face so to shine vpon you and with the light of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lightened your hartes that now being in captiuitie bandes for Christes cause ye haue not ceased as much as in you lyeth by wordes but much more by deede and by your example to stablysh and confirme that thing which when ye were at libertie in the world ye laboured to publish and set abrode by the word and doctrine that is to say holding fast the worde of life ye shine as lightes in the worlde in the middest of a wicked and crooked nation and that with so much the greater glory of our Lord Iesus Christe and profite of your brethren by how muche Satan more cruelly now rageth and busily laboureth to darken the light of the Gospel And as for the darkenes that Satan nowe bringeth vpon the Church of England who needeth to doubt therof Of late tyme our Sauiour Christe his Apostles Prophetes and Teachers spake in the Temple to the people of England in the Englishe tongue so that they might be vnderstanded playnly and without any hardnesse of the godly and such as sought for heauenly knowledge in matters whiche of necessitie of saluation perteyned to the obteyning of eternall life but now those thinges which once were written of them for the edifiyng of the congregation are read in a strange tongue without interpretatiō manifestly agaynst saint Paules commaundement so that there is no man able to vnderstand them which hath not learned that strange and vnknowen tongue Of late dayes those heauenly mysteries whereby Christe hath ingrafted vs into his body and hath vnited vs one to another whereby also being regenerate borne anew vnto God he hath nourished encreased and strengthened vs whereby moreouer eyther he hath taught and set foorth an order amongest them which are whole or els to the sicke in soule or body hath geuen as it were wholesome medicines and remedies those I say were al plainlye set foorth to the people in their owne language so that what great and exceeding good things euery man had receiued of God what duetie euery one owed to an other by Gods ordinaunce what euery one had professed in his vocation and was bound to obserue where remedy was to be had for the wicked and feeble he to whom God had geuen a desire and willing hart to vnderstand those thinges might soone perceiue and vnderstand But now all these thinges are taught set forth in such sort that the people redeemed with Christes bloud and for whose sakes they were by Christe himselfe ordeined can haue no maner of vnderstanding thereof at all Of late for as much as we knowe not how to pray as we ought our Lorde Iesus Christe in his Prayer wherof he would haue no man ignoraūt and also the holy Ghost in the Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes which are set foorth in the Bible did teache and instructe all the people of Englande in the Englyshe tongue that they might aske such thinges as are according to the will of the Father and might ioyne their hartes and lyppes in prayer together but nowe all these thynges are commaunded to be hid and shutte vp from them in a straunge tongue whereby it must needes followe that the people neyther can tell how to pray nor what to pray for and how can they ioyne their hartes and voyce together whē they vnderstande no more what the voyce signifieth than a bruite beast Finally I heare say that the Catechisme whiche was lately set foorth in the Englyshe tongue is now in euery Pulpite condemned O deuilishe malice and most spitefully iniurious to the saluation of mankinde purchased by Iesus Christe In deede Satan coulde not long suffer that so great light should be spread abrode in the world he sawe well enough that nothing was able to ouerthrow his kingdome so much as if childrē being godly instructed in Religion should learne to knowe Christe whilest they are yet young whereby not onely chyldren but the elder sort also
with the fore sayd Maister Bilney he went with hym to visite the prisoners in the Tower in Cambridge and beyng there among other prysoners there was a woman which was accused that she had killed her owne chylde which acte she playnly and stedfastly denied Whereby it gaue them occasion to searche for the matter and at length they founde that her husbande loued her not and therefore soughte all meanes he coulde to make her away The matter was thus A child of hers had bene sicke a whole yere at length died in haruest tyme as it were in a consumption Which when it was gone shee went to haue her neighboures to helpe her to the buriall but all were in Haruest abroade whereby she was enforced with heauinesse of heart alone to prepare the chyld to the buriall Her husband comming home and not louyng her accused her of murtheryng the child This was the cause of her trouble and M. Latimer by earnest inquisition of conscience thought the woman not guilty Thē immediatly after was he called to preach before king Henry the 8. at Windsore where after his sermon the kyngs maiestie sent for hym and talked with him familiarly At which tyme M. Latimer finding oportunitie kneeled downe opened hys whole matter to the kyng and begged her pardon which the kyng most graciously granted and gaue it hym at his return homeward In the meane tyme the woman was deliuered of a chylde in the prison whose Godfather was M. Latymer and maistres Cheeke Godmother But all that whyle he would not tel her of the pardone but laboured to haue her confesse the truth of the matter At length tyme came when she looked to suffer and Maister Latymer came as he was woont to instruct her vnto whome shee made great lamentation and moue to be purified before her suffring for she thoght to be damned if she should suffer without purification Then M. Bilney beyng with maister Latimer both told her that that law was made to the Iewes and not to vs and howe women bee as well in the fauour of GOD before they be purified as after and rather it was appointed for a ciuill and politike lawe for naturall honestye sake then that they should any thyng the more be purified from sinne thereby c. So thus they trauayled wyth this woman till they had brought her to a good trade and then at length shewed her the Kyngs pardon and let her goe This good act among many other at this tyme happened in Cambridge by M. Latimer and Maister Bilney But this was not alone for many mo lyke matters were wrought by them if all were known wherof partly some are touched before such especially as concerne M. Bilney mention whereof is aboue expressed But as it is commonly seene in the naturall course of thynges that as the fire beginneth more to kyndle so the more smoke aryseth withall in much lyke sort it happened with Maister Latymer whose towardnesse the more it beganne to spryng hys vertues to be seene and hys doynges to bee knowen the more hys aduersaries began to spurne and kindle against hym Concernyng these aduersaries and such as did molest him partly their names bee aboue expressed Among the rest of this number was Doct. Redman of whome mention is made before in the raigne of king Edward a man sauouring at that tyme somewhat more of superstition then of true religion after the zeale of the Phariseis yet not so malignant or harmfull but of a ciuill and quiet disposition and also so liberall in well doyng that few poore Scholers were in that vniuersitie which fared not better by his purse This Doct. Redman beyng of no little authoritie in Cambridge perceiuyng vnderstandyng the bold enterprise of M. Latymer in settyng abroad the word and doctrine of the Gospell at thys tyme or much about the same writeth to hym seeking by perswasion to reuoke the sayd Latimer from that kynde maner of teachyng to whom M. Latimer maketh aunswer agayne in few words The summe and effect of both their letters translated out of Latine here followe to bee seene ¶ The summe of the Epistle written by Doctor Redman to M. Latymer GRace be vnto you and true peace in Christ Iesu. I beseeche you hartily and require most earnestly euen for charities sake that you wyll not stand in your owne conceite with a mind so indurate nor preferre your owne singular iudgement in matters of religion and controuersies before so many learned men and that more is before the whole Catholike Church especially consideryng that you neither haue any thyng at all in the word of God to make for you nor yet the testimony of any autenticall wryter Nay nay I beseech you rather consider that you are a man and that lying and vanitie maye quickely bleare your eye which doth sometyme transforme it selfe into an Aungell of lyght Iudge not so rashly of vs as that wicked spirite hath tickled you in the eare Witte you well that we are carefull for you and that we wish you to be saued and that wee are carefull also for our owne saluation Lay downe your stomacke I pray you and humble your spirite and suffer not the Church to take offence with the hardnes of your hart nor that her vnitie and Christes coate without seame as much as lyeth in you should be torne a sunder Consider what the sayeng of the wyseman is and be obedient thereunto Trust not in your owne wisedom The Lord Iesus Christ c. ¶ The summe of M. Latymers aunswer to Doct. Redman REuerend M. Redman it is euen enough for me that Christes sheepe heare no mans voyce but Christ and as for you you haue no voyce of Christ agaynst me whereas for my part I haue a heart that is ready to harken to any voyce of Christ that you can bring me Thus fare you well and trouble me no more from the talkyng with the Lord my God After Maister Latymer had thus trauailed in preachyng and teachyng in the Uniuersitie of Cambridge about the space of three yeares at length he was called vp to the Cardinall for heresie by the procurement of certain of the sayd Uniuersitie where he was content to subscribe and graunt to such Articles as then they propounded vnto hym c. After that he returned to the Uniuersitie again where shortly after by the meanes of D. Buttes the kyngs Phisition a singuler good man and a special fauourer of good procedyngs he was in the number of them which laboured in the cause of the kyngs supremacie Then went he to the Court where he remayned a certaine tyme in the sayd D. Buttes chamber preachyng then in London very often At last beyng weary of the Court hauyng a benefice offred by the kyng at the sute of the L. Crumwell and D. Buttes was glad thereof seekyng by that meanes to bee rid out of the Court wherewith in no case he could agree and so hauyng a
his owne country and Dioces in taking the cause of right and equitye agaynste oppressiō and wrong As for an other example there was at that time not far from the dioces of Worcester a certayn Iustice of peace whom here I will not name being a good man afterward and now deceased This Iustice in purchasinge of certayne land for his brother or for himselfe wēt about to wrong or damnify a poore man who made his cōplaynt to M. Latimer He first hearing then tendering his rightfull cause wrote his letter to the Gentleman exhorting him to remember himselfe to consider the cause and to absteine from iniury The Iustice of peace not content withall as the fashion of men is when they are tolde of theyr fault sendeth word agayne in greate displeasure that hee would not so take it at his handes with suche threatnyng wordes c. M. Latimer hearing this aunswered agayne by writing to a certain gentleman the copy wherof amōg his letters hereafter foloweth in the sequele of this story to be sene It were a large long processe to story out all the doinges trauels writings of this christian Bishop neither yet haue we expressed all that came to our handes but this I thought sufficient for this present Thus he continued in this laborious function of a Bishop the space of certayne yeares till the comming in of the 6. Articles Then beyng distressed through the straightnesse of time so that either he must lose the quiet of a good conscience or els must forsake his Bishopricke he did of his owne free accord resigne his pastorship At which time Shaxton then bishop of Salisbury resigned likewise with hym his bishopricke And so these two remayned a great space vnbishopped keping silence till the time of king Edwarde of blessed memory At what time he first put of his Rochet in his chamber amōg his frendes sodenly he gaue askip in the floore for ioy feling his shoulders so light and being discharged as he sayd of such an heauy burden Howbeit neither was he so lightened but that troubles labors folowed him wheresoeuer he went For a litle after he had renounced his bishoprick first he was almost slayne but sore brused with the fall off a tree Then comming vp to London for remedye he was molested troubled of the bishops wherby he was again in no little daunger at length was cast into the Tower where he cōtinually remayned Prisoner till the time that blessed K. Edward entred his crown by meanes wherof the goldē mouth of this preacher long shut vp before was now opened agayne And so he beginning a freshe to sette forth his plough agayne continued all the time of the said king labouring in the Lordes haruest most fruitfully discharging his talent as well in diuers other places of this realme as in Stamford and before the Duches of Suffolk whose sermons be extant and set forth in print as also at London in the conuocation house and especially before the king at the Court in the same place of the inward garden which was before applied to lasciuious courtly pastimes there he dispensed the fruitefull word of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ preaching there before the king hys whole Court to the edification of many * A description of M. Latimer preaching before K. Edward the 6. in the preaching place at Westminster IN this his paynefull trauell he occupied himselfe all K. Edwardes dayes preaching for the most part euery sonday twise to no small shame of all other loytering and vnpreaching Prelates which occupy great roomes and do litle good and that so much more to theyr shame because he being a sore brused man by the fall of the Tree mentioned a little before and aboue lxvij yeares of age tooke so little case and care of sparing himselfe to doe the people good Now to speake here of his indefatigable trauell and diligence in his owne priuate studies who notwithstanding both hys yeares and other paynes in preaching euerye mornyng ordinaryly Wynter and Sommer about two of the clocke in the morninge was at his booke most diligently Howe carefull his hart was of the preseruation of the Churche and the good successe of the Gospell hys Letters canne testify wherewith he continuallye admonished such as then were in authority of theyr duty and assisted them with his godly counsell As the diligence of this man of God neuer ceased all the time of king Edward to profite the Church both publickely and priuately so among other doings in him to be noted this is not lightly to be ouerpassed but worthye to be obserued that God not onely gaue vnto him his spirite plenteously and comfortably to preache his word vnto hys Churche but also by the same spirite hee did so euidentlye foreshew and prophecye of all those kindes of plagues before which afterward ensued that if England euer had a Prophet he might seeme to be one And as touching hymselfe he euer affirmed that the preachinge of the Gospell would cost him his life to the which he no lesse chearefully prepared himselfe then certaynely was perswaded that Winchester was kept in the Tower for the same purpose as the euent did to truelye prooue the same For after the death of the sayde blessed King Edwarde not long after Queene Marye was proclaymed a Pursiuant was sente downe by the meanes no doubt of Winchester into the countrey to call him vp of whose comming although M. Latimer lacked no forewarning being premonished about sixe houres before by one Iohn Careles whose story here after foloweth yet so farre of was it that he thought to escape that he prepared himselfe towards his iorney before the sayd Pursiuant came to his house At the which thing when the Pursiuant maruelled seing him so prepared towardes his iourney he sayde vnto him My frend you be a welcome Messenger to me And be it knowne vnto you and to the whole world that I go as willingly to Londō at this present being called by my Prince to render a reckoning of my doctrine as euer I was at any place in the worlde And I doubt not but that God as he hath made me worthy to preache his word before two excellent Princes so he wil able me to witnes the same vnto the thyrd either to her comfort or discomfort eternally c. At the which time the Pursiuant whē he had deliuered his letters departed affirming that he had commaundement not to tary for him By whose sodein departure it was manifest that they would not haue him appere but rather to haue fled out of the realme They knewe that his constancy should deface them in theyr Popery and cōfirme the godly in the truth Thus Mayster Latimer being sent for and comming vp to London through Smithfield where merely he sayd that Smithfielde had long groaned for him was brought before the Counsell where hee pacientlye bearing all the mockes and tauntes
first chapter that it is not onely geuen you to beleue in the Lord but also to suffer persecution for his sake Wherefore take this for a sure conclusion that there where the word of God is truely preached there is persecution aswell of the hearers as of the teachers and where as is quietnesse and rest in worldlye pleasure there is not the trueth For the world loueth all that are of the world hateth al thinges that is contrary to it And to be short S. Paule calleth the Gospell the word of the crosse the word of punishment And the holy Scripture doth promise nothing to the fauourers and followers of it in this worlde but trouble vexation and persecution which these worldly men cannot suffer nor away withall Therefore pleaseth it your good Grace to returne to this golden rule of our Mayster Sauiour Iesus Christ which is this by theyr fruites ye shall know them For where you set persecution there is the Gospell and there is the trueth and they that doe persecute be voyde and wythout all trueth not caryng for the cleare light which as our Sauior Iesus Christ sayth in the third Chapter of Saynt Iohns Gospell is come into the worlde and which shall vtter and shewe forth euery mans workes And they whose workes be nought dare not come to this light but goe aboute to stop it and hinder it letting as muche as they may that the holy scripture should not be read in our mother touÌ„g saying that it would cause heresye and insurrection and so they perswade at the least way they would faine perswade your Grace to keepe it back But here marke their shamelesse boldnesse which be not ashamed contrary to Christes doctrine to gather figges of Thornes and grapes of bushes and to cal light darckenesse and darckenesse light sweete sower and sower sweete good euill and euill good and to say that that whiche teacheth all obedience shoulde cause dissension and strife but suche is theyr bellye wysedome therewith they iudge and measure euery thing to holde and keepe still this wicked Mammon the goods of this worlde which is theyr GOD and hath so blinded the eyes of theyr hartes that they canne not see the cleare light of the Sacred Scripture though they bable neuer so much of it But as concerning this matter other men haue shewed your Grace theyr mindes howe necessarye it is to haue the Scripture in Englishe The whiche thing also your Grace hath promised by your last Proclamation the whiche promise I pray God that your gracious highnesse may shortly perfourme euen to day before to morrow Nor let not the wickednesse of these worldly men deceiue you from your Godly purpose and promise Remember the subtle worldly wise Counsellours of Hammon the sonne of Naas king of the Ammonites which when Dauid had sent his Seruauntes to comfort the young King for the death of his Father by craftye imaginations counselled Hammon not alonely not to receiue them gentlye but to entreate them moste shamefully and cruelly saying that they came not to comfort him but to espye and searche his lande so that afterward they bringing Dauid word how euery thing stood Dauid mighte come and conquere it And so they caused the young king to sheare theyr heades and cut theyr coates by the poyntes and sent theÌ„ away like fooles whom he ought rather to haue made much of and to haue entreated them gently and haue geuen them great thankes and rewards O wretched Councellers But see what followed of thys carnall and worldly wisedome Truly nothing but destruction of all the whole Realme and also of all them whiche tooke theyr partes Therefore good king seeyng that the right Dauid that is to say our Sauiour Christ hath sent his Seruauntes that is to say true preachers and his owne worde also to comfort our weake and sicke soules let not these worldlye menne make your Grace beleue that they wil cause insurrections and heresies and such mischiefes as they imagine of theyr owne madde braynes least that he be auenged vpon you and your Realme as was Dauid vpon the Ammonites and as he hath euer beene auenged vppon them which haue obstinately withstand and gainsayd his word But peraduenture they will lay this agaynst me and saye that experience doth shew how that such men as call them selues folowers of the Gospell regardeth not your Graces commaundement neither set by your Proclamation and that was well prooued by these persons which of late were punished in London for keeping of suche bookes as your grace had prohibited by proclamation and so like as they regarded not this so they will not regard or esteme other your Graces lawes statutes and ordinaunces But this is but a craftye perswasion For your grace knoweth that there is no manne liuing specially that loueth worldly promotion that is so foolish to set forth promote or enhaunce his enemy wherby he should be let of his worldly pleasures and fleshly desires but rather he will seek all the wayes possible that he can vtterly to confouÌ„d destroy and put him out of the way And so as coÌ„cerning your last proclamation prohibiting such books the very true cause of it and chiefe Counsellors as men saye and of likelyhoode it should be were they whose euill liuing and cloked hypocrisy these bookes vttered and disclosed And howbeit that there were 3. or 4. that would haue had the Scripture to go forth in Englishe yet it happened there as it is euermore sene that the most parte ouercommeth the better and so it might be that these men did not take this proclamation as yours but as theyrs set foorth in your name as they haue done many times moe which hath put this your Realme in great hinderaunce and trouble and brought it to great penury and more would haue done if God had not mercifully prouided to bring your Grace to knowledge of the falsehoode and priuy treason which theyr head and Captayne was about and be you sure not without adherents if the matter be duely searched For what maruel is it that they being so nigh of your Councell and so familiar wyth your Lordes shoulde prouoke both your Grace and them to prohibite these bookes which before by theyr owne authority haue forbidden the new Testament vnder payn of euerlasting damnation for such is theyr maner to sende a thousand men to hel ere they send one to God and yet the new Testament and so I thinke by the other was meâ—kely offered to euery man that would and could to amend it if there were any fault Moreouer I will aske them the causes of all insurrections whiche hath beene in this Realme heretofore And whence is it that there be so many Extortioners bribers murtherers and theeues which dayly do not breake onely your graces lawes ordinaunces and statutes but also the lawes and commaundementes of almighty God I think they will not say these bookes but rather
theyr Pardons which causeth many a man to sinne in trust of them For as for those malefactours which I nowe rehearsed you shall not finde one amongest a hundreth but that he wil cry out both of these bookes and also of them that haue them yea will be glad to spend the good whiche he hath wrongfullye gotten vpon Fagots to burne both the bookes and them that haue them And as touching these men that were latelye punished for these bookes there is no man I heare say that can lay any word or deede agaynst them that shoulde sound to the breaking of any of your graces lawes this onely except if it be yours and not rather theyrs And be it so that there be some that haue these bookes that bee euill vnruely and selfe willed persons not regarding Gods lawes nor maÌ„s yet these bookes be not the cause therof no more then was the bodily presence of Christ and his wordes the cause that Iudas fell but theyr owne froward mind and carnal wit which shoulde be amended by the vertuous example of lyuing of their Curates by the true expositioÌ„ of the scripture If the lay people had suche Curates that would thus doe theyr office these bookes nor the Deuill himselfe coulde not hurte them nor make them to goe out of frame so that the lacke of good Curates is the destruction and cause of al mischiefe Neyther doe I write these thinges because that I will either excuse these menne lately punished or to affirme al to be true writteÌ„ in these books which I haue not all read but to shew that there can not such inconuenience folow of them and specially of the scripture as they would make men beleue should folow And though it bee so that your Grace maye by other bookes and namely by the Scripture it selfe know perceiue the hipocrite Wolues clad in sheepes clothing yet I thinke my selfe bounde in conscience to vtter vnto your grace such thinges as God put in mind to write And this I do God so iudge me not for hate of any person or persons liuing nor for that that I thinke the word of GOD should go forth without persecution if your Grace hadde commaunded that euery man within your Realme should haue it in his mothers tongue For the Gospell must needes haue persecution vnto the time that it bee preached throughout all the world which is the last signe that Christe shewed to his Disciples that should come before the daye of iudgement so that if your grace had once commaunded that the scripture shoulde be put forth the deuill would set forth some wyle or other to persecute the trueth But my purpose is for the loue that I haue to God principally the glory of his name which is only known by his word and for the true allegiaunce that I owe vnto your Grace and not to hide in the grounde of my hart the talent geuen me of God but to chaffer it forth to other that it may encrease to the pleasure of God to exhort your grace to auoid and beware of these mischieuous flatterers and their abhominable wayes and counsels And take heed whose counsels your grace doth take in this matter for there be some that for feare of losing of their worldly worship and honor will not leaue theyr opinion which rashly and that to please menne withall by whome they had great promotion they tooke vpon them to defend by writing so that now they thinke that all theyr felicity which they put in this life should be mard and their wisedome not so greatlye regarded if that whiche they haue so slaunderously oppressed should be now put forth and allowed But alas let these men remember S. Paul how feruent he was agaynst the truth and that of a good zeale before he was called he thought no shame to suffer punishment great persecutions for that which he before despised called heresy And I am sure that theyr liuing is not more perfect then S. Paules was as concerning the outward workes of the law before he was conuerted Also the king and Prophete Dauid was not ashamed to forsake his good intent in building of the Temple after that the Prophet Nathan had shewed him that it was not the pleasure of god that he should build any house for him and notwithstanding that Nathan had before allowed praysed the purpose of Dauid yet he was not ashamed to reuoke and eat his words againe when he knew that they were not according to Gods will and pleasure Wherefore they be sore drowned in worldly wisedome that thinke it agaynst theyr worship to knowledge theyr ignoraunce whom I pray to God that your grace may esâ—ye and take heede of theyr worldly wisedome whiche is foolishnes before God that you may do that that God coÌ„maundeth and not that seemeth good in your owne sighte without the word of God that your grace may be founde acceptable in his sight and one of the meÌ„bers of his church and according to the office that he hath called your Grace vnto you may be found a faythfull minister of his giftes and not a defender of his fayth for hee will not haue it defended by man or mans power but by his wordes onely by the whiche he hath euermore defended it and that by a way farre aboue mans power or reason as all the stories of the Bible maketh mention Wherefore gracious king remember your selfe haue pity vpon your soule and thinke that the daye is euen at hand when you shall geue accountes of your office and of the bloud that hath bene shedde with your sworde In the which day that your grace may stand stedfastly and be not ashamed but to be cleare and readye in your reckoning to haue as they say your Quites est sealed with the bloude of our Sauiour Christ whiche onely serueth at that day is my dayly prayer to him that suffered death for our sinnes which also prayeth to his father for grace for vs continually To whom be all honour and prayse for euer AmeÌ„ The spirit of God preserue your Grace Anno Domini 1530. 1. die Decembris In this Letter of Mayster Latimer to the king aboue prefixed many thinges we haue to consider First his good conscience to God his good will to the king the duety of a right Pastour vnto trueth his tender care to the common wealth and especially to the Church of Christ. Further we haue to consider the abuse of Princes courtes how kinges many times be abused with flatterers and wicked couÌ„sellers aboute them and especially wee maye note the subtle practises of prelates in abusing the name and authority of kinges to set forth theyr owne malignaunt proceedinges We may see moreouer and rather maruell at in the sayde letter the great boldnes and diuine stoutnes in this man who as yet being no Bishop so freely and playnely without all feare of death aduentring his owne life to
my neighbour c. How so good Mayster N Wherein Or how will you proue it to be true and when So you sayd that he had abused you and geuen you wrong information but the contrary is found true by good testimony of Mayster Chamber whiche heard aswell as you what my neighbour sayd and hath testified the same both to you and agaynst you full like himselfe Maister N. to forge and feine which argueth an ill cause that is one thing but to proue what a man doth say that is an other thyng As though you were priuiledged to outface poore men beare them in hand what you list as may seeme to make some mayntenaunce for your naughty cause Trust me Mayster N. I was but a very litle acquaynted with my neighbor when this matter begā but now I haue found him so conformable to honesty vpright in his dealinges and so true in his talke that I esteme him better then I do some other whom I haue perceiued and founde otherwayes For I will flatter no man nor yet claw his backe in hys folly but esteeme all menne as I finde them allowing what is good and disalowing what is bad In omnibus hominibus siue amicis siue inimicis iuxta praeceptum Paulinum à filijs huius seculi in precio non habitum Sitis odio inquit prosequentes quod malum est adhaerentes autem ei quod bonum est Neque bonum malum nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus vnquam id quod filij huius seculi vulgo faciunt vt est videre vbique And nowe what maner of man doe you make me Mayster N. when you note me to bee so muche abused by so ignoraunt a man so simple so playne and so farre without all wrinckles Haue I liued so long in this tottering worlde and haue I bene so many wayes turmoyled and tossed vp and downe and so muche as it were seasoned with the powder of so many experiences to and fro to bee nowe so farre bewitched and alienated from my wyttes as thoughe I coulde not discerne cheese from chalke trueth from falsehoode but that euery sely soule and base witted man might easely abuse me to what enterprise he listed at his pleasure Well I say not nay but I may bee abused But why doe you not tell we howe your brother abused me promising before me and many moe that he woulde stand to your awardship and nowe doth denye it Why do you not tell me how those two false faythlesse wretches abused me promising also to abide your awarde and doth it not Yea why do you not tell me how you your selfe haue abused me promising me to redresse the iniury and wrong that your brother hath done to my neighbour and haue not fulfilled your promise These notable abuses bee nothing with you but onely you muste needes burthen me with my neighbours abusing me whiche is none at all as farreforth as euer I coulde perceiue so GOD helpe mee in my need For if he had abused me as you and other haue done I should be soone at a point with him for any thing further doing for him c. Item Syr you sayde further that I shall neuer bee able to proue that either your brother or the two tenauntes agreed to stand to your award c. No Syr Mayster N. you say belike as you would haue it to be or as your brother with his adherentes haue persuaded you to think it to be so inducing you to do their request to your owne shame and rebuke if you perseuer in the same beside the perill of your soule for consenting at least wa◠to the mainteinance by falshood of your brothers iniquity For in that you would your awardship should take none effect you shew your selfe nothing inclinable to the redresse of your brothers vnright dealing with an honest poore man which hath bene readye at your request to doe you pleasure with his thinges or els hee had neuer come into this wrangle for his owne goodes with your brother Ah Mayster N. what maner of man do you shew your selfe to be or what maner of conscience do you shew your selfe to haue For first as touching your brother you know right well that Sir Thomas Cokin with a Letter of his owne hand writing hath witnessed vnto your brothers agreement which letter he sent to me vnsealed and I shewed the same to my neighbour and other mo ere I sealed it and perchaunce haue a copye of the same yet to shewe With what conscience then can you say that I shall neuer be able to prooue it Shall not three men vpon theyr othes make a sufficient proofe trow you vel ipso dicente Domino in ore duorum vel trium c. Yea you thinke it true I dare saye in your conscience if you haue any conscience though I were in my graue and so vnable to proue any thing And as for the two tenauntes they bee as they be and I trust to see them handled according as they be for there be three men yet aliue that dare sweare vpon a booke that they both did agree But what should we looke for at such mens handes when you your selfe play the part you do Verum viuit adhuc Deus qui videt omnia iudicat iustè c. Item Syr you sayd yet further that the Iustices of peace in the countrey thinke you verye vnnaturall in taking part with me before your brother c. Ah Mayster N. what a sentence is this to come out of your mouth For partaking is one thing and ministring of iustice is an other thing and a worthy minister of iustice will bee no Partaker but one indifferent betweene party and partye And did I require you to take my parte I praye you No I required you to minister iustice betweene your brother and mine neighbour without anye partaking with either other But what maner of Iustices bee they I praye you whiche would so fayne haue you to take parte naturally with your Brother when you ought and shoulde reforme and amende your brother as you your selfe know no man better What Iustices no Iuggelers you might more worthely call such as they be then Iustices Be they those Iustices whiche call you vnnaturall for that you will not take your brothers part agaynst all right conscience whom you had picked out appoynted to haue the final hearing and determining of my neighbours cause after your substantiall and fine award making Verely I thinke no lesse Forsooth he is much beholding to you I also for his sake Is that the wholesome coūsell that you haue to geue your poore neighbours in theyr need In deed you shew your selfe a worthy Iuggler Oh I would haue sayd a Iusticier among other of your iuggling and partaking Iustices Deum bonum what is this worlde Mary Syr my neighbour had sponne a fayre thred if your partaking Iustices through your good counsell had had
and sundrye erroneous opinyons whiche the sayde Hugh Latymer and Nicholas Ridley dyd holde and mayntayne in open disputations had in Oxford in the Monethes of Maye Iune and Iuly in the yeare of our Lorde 1554. as longe before in the tyme of perdition and sithen The whyche opynions if the named persons woulde now recant geuynge and yealdyng themselues to the determination of the vnyuersall and Catholicke Churche planted by Peter in the blessed Sea of Rome that then the deputed Iudges by the sayd authority of theyr Commission should haue power to receaue the sayde penitente persons and forthwith minister to them the reconciliation of the holye Father the Pope but if the sayd Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley woulde stoughtly and stubburnely defend and mayntaine these theyr erroneous and assertions that then the sayd Lordes by theyr Commission should proceede in forme of Iudgement accordyng to the lawe of Hereticks that is degradyng them from theyr promotion and dignitie of byshops priests al other Ecclesiastical orders shoulde pronounce them as Heretickes and therefore cleane to cut them off from the Churche and so to yealde them to receaue punishementes due to all such heresy and schisme Wherefore the last of September the sayde two persones Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer were ascited to appeare before the sayd Lordes in the diuinitie schoole at Oxforde at viij of the clocke At what time thether repayred the Lords placyng themselues in high seat made for publicke lectures and disputations accordynge to the vsage of that schoole beyng then fayre set and trymmed with clothe of Tissue and cushynges of Ueluet and after the sayde Lordes were placed and set the sayd Latymer Ridley were sent for and first appeared mayster Doctour Ridley and anone mayster Latymer But because it seemed good seuerally to examine them M. Latymer was kept backe vntill Doctour Ridley was throughly examined Therefore soone after the comming of Doctour Ridley into the schoole the Commission was published by an appoynted Notary and openly read But Doctour Ridley standing bare headed humblye expectinge the cause of that hys appearaunce eftsoones as he had heard the Cardinall named and the Popes holines put on hys cappe Wherefore after the commission was published in forme and sense aboue specified the Bishop of Lincolne spake in sense followyng Lincolne M. Ridley although neyther I neyther my Lordes here in respecte of our owne persones doe looke for cappe or knee yet because we beare represent such persones as we doe that is my Lorde Cardinalles grace Legate a latere to the popes holinesse as well in that he is of a noble parentage and therwith mayster Ridley mooued hys cappe with lowly obeysaunce descendyng from the regall bloud as in that he is a man worthy to be reuerenced with all humility for hys great knowledge and learning noble vertues and godly lyfe and especially in that he is here in Englande deputye to the popes holynesse it should haue becommed you at his name to haue discouered your head Wherefore excepte you will of youre owne selfe take the paynes to put your hand to your heade and at the nomination as well of the sayde Cardinall as of the Popes holines vncouer the same least that this your contumacy exhibited how before vs should be preiudiciall to the sayd moâ—â—e reuerende persones whiche thing we may in no case suffer you shall cause vs to take the payne to cause some manne to plucke off youre cappe from you To whome mayster Ridley makinge his petition for lycence aunswered Ridley As touching that you sayd my Lord that you of your owne persones desire no cappe nor knee but only require the same in consideration that you represent the Cardinalles graces persone I doe you to wit and thervpon make my protestation that I did put on my cappe at the naming of the Cardinalles grace neither for anye contumacye that I beare towardes your own persones neither for any derogation of honour towarde the Lorde Cardinalles grace For I know him to be a man worthy of all humilitie reuerence and honour in that he came of the most regall bloud in that he is a man indued wyth manifolde graces of learning and vertue and as touching these vertues and poynts I with all humilitie therwith he put of his cap and bowed his knee and obeysance that I may will reuerence and honour his grace but in that he is Legate to the Byshop of Rome and therewith put on his cap whose vsurped supremacy and abused authoritie I vtterly refuse and renouÌ„ce I may in no wise geue any obeysaunce or honour vnto him least that my so doing and behauiour might be preiudiciall to mine othe derogation to the veritie of Gods word and therfore that I might not onely by confession professe the veritye in not reuerencing the renounced authoritie contrarye to Gods worde but also in gesture in behauioure and all my doinges expresse the same I haue put on my cappe and for this consideration onely and not for anye contumacye to your Lorshipp neither contempt of this worshipfull audience neither derogation of any honour due to the Cardinall his grace both for his noble parentage and also his excellent quallities I haue kept on my cappe Lincolne M. Ridley you excuse your selfe of that with the whiche we pressed you not in that you proteste you keepe on your cappe neither for anye contumacie towardes vs which looke for no such honour of you neyther for anye contempt of this audieÌ„ce which although iustly they may yet as I suppose in this case do not require any suche obeysaunce of you neither in derogation of any honor but to my Lord Cardinalles grace for his regall discent at which worde M. Ridley moued his cap excellent quallities for although in all the premisses honour be due yet in these respects we require none of you but onely in that my Lorde Cardinals grace is here in England deputy of the Popes holinesse at whiche worde the Lordes and others put of their caps and mayster Ridley put on hys and therefore we say vnto you the second time that except you take the paynes your selfe to put your hande to your head and put of your cap you shall put vs to the payne to cause some man to take it from you except you alledge some infirmitie and sickenes or other more reasonable cause vpon the consideration whereof we may doe as 〈◊〉 thinke good Ridley The premisses I sayd onely for this end that it might as wel appeare to your Lordships as to this worshipfull audience why and for what consideration I vsed such kinde of behauiour in not humbling my selfe to youre Lordships with cap and knee and as for my sickenes I thanke my Lord GOD that I am as well at â—ase as I was this long season and therfore I doe not pretend that which is not but onely this that it might appeare by this my behauiour that I acknowledge
dignitie honour and estimation so necessary members sometime accounted so many godly vertues the study of so many yeares such excellent learnyng to be put into the fire and consumed in one moment Wel dead they are and the reward of this world they haue already What reward remayneth for them in heauen the day of the Lordes glory when he commeth with his saints shall shortly I trust declare Albeit I haue differred and put ouer many treatises letters exhortations belongyng to the story of the Martyrs vnto the latter appendix in the ende of this volume thinkyng also to haue done the lyke with these farewels exhortations followyng of D. Ridley yet for certain purposes moouing me thereunto and especially consideryng the fruitfull admonitions wholesome doctrine and necessary exhortations conteyned in the same I thought best here to bestow and consequently to adioyne the sayd tractations of that learned pastour with the lyfe and story of the authour Whereof the two first be in a manner of hys farewels the one to his kinsfolks and generally to all the faithfull of the number of Christes congregation the other more speciall to the prisoners and banished ChristiaÌ„s in the gospels cause the third containeth a fruitfull and a generall admonition to the citie of London and to all other with necessary precepts of christian office as by the tenour of them here followeth in order to be seene ¶ A treatise or a letter written by D. Ridley in steade of his last farewell to all hys true and faythfull friendes in God with a sharpe admonition withall vnto the Papistes AT the name of Iesus let euery knee bow both of thynges in heauen and thynges in earth and things vnder the earth and let euery tongue confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the Father Amen As a man mynding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commonly and naturally hath a desire to bidde his frendes farewell before his departure so lykewise now I looking daylye when I should be cauled to depart hence from you O all ye my dearely beloued brethren sisters in our Sauiour Christ that dwell here in this worlde hauing a lyke mynde towardes you all and blessed be God for such tyme and leasure whereof I right hartely thanke his heauenly goodnesse to byd you all my deare brethren sisters I saye in Christ that dwell vpon the earth after such maner as I can Farewell Farewell my deare brother George Shipside whom I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louyng in all sâ—ate and conditions and now in the tyme of my crosse ouer al other to me most frendly and stedfast and that which lyked me best ouer all other thynges in Gods cause euer hartye Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am glad to heare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse which is layd now blessed be God both on thy backe and myne in good part Thanke thou God that hath geuen thee a godly and louyng husband see thou honour hym and obey hym accordyng to Gods law Honour thy mother in law hys mother and loue all those that pertaine vnto him beyng redy to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy children I doubt not of thy husband but that hee which hath geuen him an hart to loue and feare God and in God them that pertaine vnto him shall also make hym friendly and beneficiall vnto thy children euen as if they had bene gotten of his owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Ridley of the Waltoun and you my gentle and louing sister Elizabeth whom besides the naturall league of amitie your tender loue which you were sayde euer to beare towardes mee aboue the rest of your brethren doth bynde mee to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this your louyng affection and to haue acquited it with deedes and not with wordes alone Your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell whome I loue for the meeke and gentle spirite that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the sight of God Farewell my beloued sister of Unthanke with al your children nephewes and neeces Since the departing of my brother Hugh my mynd was to haue bene vnto them in stead of their father but the Lord God must and wyll bee their father if they will loue hym and feare hym and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewel my welbeloued and worshipful Cosins M. Nich. Ridley of Willimountswike and your wyfe and I thanke you for all your kindnes shewed both to me and also to all your owne kinsfolke and myne Good Cosine as God hath set you in our stocke and kindered not for any respect of your person but of hys aboundaunt grace and goodnesse to be as it were the belweather to order conduct the rest and hath also endued you with hys manifold gyfts of grace both heauenly and worldly aboue others so I pray you good Cosin as my trust and hope is in you continue and encrease in the maintenaunce of the truth honesty righteousnesse and all true godlinesse and to the vttermost of your power to withstand falshoode vntruth vnrighteousnesse and all vngodlinesses whiche is forbidden and condemned by the worde and Lawes of God Farewell my young Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was very short with mee My mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caught in that litle time a losse but I trust it shall bee recompensed as it shall please almighty God Farewel all my whole kinred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lord which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that according to my harts desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you to haue brought with me aboundance of Christes blessed Gospell according to the duetie of that office and ministerie whereunto among you I was chosen named and appointed by the mouth of that our late peerelesse Prince K. Edward and so also denounced openly in his Court by his priuy Counsaile I warne you all my welbeloued kinsfolke countrymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thinke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my lyfe and therefore I thanke my Lord God hartily for it that it hath pleased him to call me of his great mercy vnto this high honour to suffer death willingly for his sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he hath called the holy Prophetes and dearely beloued Apostles and his blessed chosen Martyrs For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death are Gods causes and the causes of the truth then I doubt that the Gospell which Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christ or that Paules Epistles are the very word of God And to haue a hart willyng to abide and stand in
Gods cause and in Christes quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O maÌ„ it is an inestimable and an honourable gift of God geuen onely to the true elects and derely beloued childreÌ„ of God and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen For the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause S. Peter saith If ye suffer rebuke in the name of Christ that is in Christes cause and for hys truths sake then are ye happy and blessed for the glory of the spirit of God resteth vpon you If for rebukes sake suffred in Christes name a maÌ„ is pronounced by the mouth of that holy Apostle blessed happy How much more happy blessed is hee that hath the grace to suffer death also Wherefore all ye that bee my true louers and friends reioyce and reioyce with mee againe render with me hartie thanks to God our heaueÌ„ly father that for his sonnes sake my sauiour redeemer Christ he hath vouchsafed to call me beyng els without his gracious goodnes in my selfe but a sinnefull a vyle wretch to call me I say vnto this high dignitie of hys true Prophets of his faithfull Apostles of his holy elect chosen Martyrs that is to dye and to spend this temporall lyfe in the defence maintenance of his eternal and euerlasting truth Ye know that be my Countreymen dwelling vppon the borders where alas the true man suffereth oftentymes muche wrong at the thieues hande iâ— it chaunce a man to be slayne of a thiefe as it oft chanceth there which went out with his neighbour to helpe him to rescue hys goods agayne that the more cruelly he bee slayne and the more stedfastly he stucke by his neighbour in the fight agaynst the face of the thiefe the more fauour and frendship shall all his posteritie haue for the slayne mans sake of all them that be true as long as the memory of his fact and his posteritie doth endure Euen so ye that be my kinsefolke and countreymen know ye how so euer the blynd ignorant wicked world hereafter shall rayse vppon my death which thyng they caÌ„not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our Sauiour of his holye Prophets Apostles Martyrs know ye I say that both before God all them that be godly and that truly knâ—w follow the lawes of God ye haue and shall haue by gods grace euer cause to reioyce to thanke God highly and to thinke good of it and in God to reioyce of me your fleshe bloud whom God of his gracious goodnes hath vouchsafed to associate vnto the blessed coÌ„pany of his holy Martyrs in heauen and I doubt not in the infinite goodnes of my Lord God nor in the faithful fellowship of his elect chosen people but at both their hands in my cause ye shall rather finde the more fauour and grace For the Lord saieth that he will be both to them and theyrs that loue him the more louyng agayne in a thousand generations the Lord is so full of mercy to them I say and theirs which doe loue hym in deed And Christ saith againe that no maÌ„ can shew more loue then to geue his lyfe for his friend Now also knowe ye all my true louers in God my kinsfolke and Countreymen that the cause wherefore I am put to death is euen after the same sort and condition but touching more neere Gods cause in more waightie matters but in the general kynd all one For both is gods cause both is in the maintenance of right and both for the common wealth both for the weale also of the ChristiaÌ„ brother although yet there is in these two no small difference both concernyng the enimies the goods stolne the maner of the fight For know ye all that lyke as there wheÌ„ the poore true maÌ„ is robbed by the thiefe of his own goods truly gotten whereupon he and his househould should lyue he is greatly wronged the thiefe in stealing robbyng with violence the poore maÌ„s goods doth offend god doth transgres his law and is iniurious both to the poore man and to the common welth so I say know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the Church of England I meane the congregation of the true chosen children of GOD in this Realme of England whiche I knowledge not only to be my neighbours but rather the congregation of my spirituall brethren sisters in Christ yea members of one body wherein by Gods grace I am and haue bene grafted in Christ. This Church of England had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunt grace of almighty God great substaunce great riches of heauenly treasure great plenty of Gods true and sincere worde the true and wholesome administration of Christes holy Sacramentes the whole profession of Christes Religion truely and plainely set foorth in Baptisme the playne declaration vnderstandyng of the same taught in the holye Catechisme to haue bene learned of all true Christians This Church had also a true and sincere forme maner of the Lordes Supper wherein accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce and holy institution Christes commaundementes were executed and done For vpon the bread and wyne set vppon the Lordes Table thankes were geuen the commemoration of the Lords death was had the bread in the remembrance of Christes body torne vpon the crosse was broken and the cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shed was distributed and both communicated vnto all that were present and would receyue them and also they were exhorted of the Minister so to doe All was done openly in the vulgar tong so that euery thyng might be both easily heard plainly vnderstand of all the people to Gods high glorye and the edification of the whole Church This Church had of late the whole diuine seruice all common and publike prayers ordeined to be said and heard in the common congregation not onely framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holy scripture but also set foorth accordyng to the commaundement of the Lord and S. Paules doctrine for the peoples edification in their vulgare tong It had also holy and wholesome Homelies in commendation of the principall vertues which are commended in Scripture and likewyse other Homelies agaynst the most pernicious and capitall vices that vseth alas to raigne in this Realme of England This Church had in matters of controuersie Articles so penned and framed alter the holy Scripture and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods word that in short tyme if they had bene vniuersally receiued they should haue bene able to haue set in Christes Church much concorde and vnitie in Christes true religion and to haue expelled many false errors and heresies wherewith this Church alas was almost ouergone But alas of late into this spirituall possession of the heaueÌ„ly treasure of these godly riches are entred in theues that
that should do all the wonderfull thinges spoken in Iohn and yet of a Beast speaketh Iohn but I vnderstand hym so to be called not for that he shall be anye suche brute Beast but for that he is and shall bee the chylde of perdition whiche for hys crueltie and beastlye manners is well called a Beast The carnall Iewes knew there was a promise made that Helias should come before Christe the Messias the annoynted of God to prepare hys wayes they knew also there was a promise of Messias that he shoulde come and be a king and raygne in the house of Dauid for euermore but they vnderstoode al so grossely and so carnally that they neyther knewe Helias nor Messias when they came for they looked for Helias to come down from heauen in his own person and for Messias to come raigne in worldly pompe power riches and glorye when as the prophesies of both wer spiritually to haue bene vnderstāded of Helias that he shoulde come not in persone but in spirite that is one whiche shoulde be indued with the spirite and giftes of grace of Helias whiche was in deede Iohn Baptist as Christ hymselfe did declare to his Apostles And of Messias raygne all the Prophetes were to be vnderstanded of the raygne of hys spirituall kingdome ouer the house of Iacob and the true Israelites for euermore And so by that their grosse and carnall vnderstandyng they mistooke both Helias and the true Messias and when they came knew neither of them both So likewise I feare me nay it is certayne the world that wanteth the light of the spirite of God for the worlde is not able to receaue hym sayth Iohn neither dothe nor shall know the beast nor his markes though he rage cruellye and liue neuer so beastly and though his marked men be in number like the sand of the sea The Lord therfore vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blinde with the light of grace that they may see and perceaue and vnderstād the words of God after the minde of his spirite Amen Here remayneth two obiections whiche may seeme wayghty and the whiche may peraduenture moue many not to follow the former councel The former reason is A man will say O sir it is no small matter ye speake of to depart from a mans owne natiue countrey into a strange realme Many men haue so great lettes as how it is possible that they can or may do so Some haue landes possessions whiche they cannot carry with them some haue father mother wife children and kinsfolke from whome to depart is as hard a thing and all one almost as to suffer death and to go to a straunge country that thou knowest not neyther the maner of the people nor how thou mayst away either with the people or with the country Or what a hard thing it is to liue amonge a straunge people whose tongue thou doest not vnderstand c. I graunt here thou mayst heape a number of worldly incommodities which are surely very like to ensue the departure out of a mans owne natiue country I meane out of the whole realme into a straunge land but what of all these and a thousand moe of the lyke sorte I will sette vnto them one saying of our sauiour Christ whiche vnto the faythfull childe of God and to the true christian is able to counteruayle all these yea and to way them downe Christe oure sauioure sayth in Luke If any come to me and do not hate hys father and mother hee meaneth and wyll not in his cause forsake his father and mother hys wyfe children and brethren yea and hys lyfe too hee cannot bee my disciple and whosoeuer doth not beare hys crosse and come after me he cannot be my disciple And in the same place he declareth by the two parables one of a builder and the other of a king that is a warriour that euery man that wil not in Christes cause forsake all that euer he hath hee can not be his Disciple Look the places who will the matter is so playnely set forth that no gloses nor cloking of conscience to the manne of God can serue to the contrarye Many places there be for the same purpose for the imbrasing of Christes crosse when Christ and his cause layeth it vpon our backe but this is so playne that I neede here to rehearse no more This latter reason and obiection whereof I spake before is of more force and includeth a necessitie which after the common saying hath no lawe and therefore it is more hard to shape for it a good aunswere This may bee obiected of some alas sir I graunt al these thinges do greue me and because I vnderstand they doe not agree with Gods worde whiche is the rule of my conscience I loth eyther to looke on them or to heare them But sir alas I am an impotent man an aged man a sicke man a lame man or I haue so many small infantes and a lame wife which all liueth by my labour and by my prouision if I leaue them they shall sterue and I am not able to cary them with me suche is my state Alas sir what shal I do And these causes may chaunce to some men of God whereby eyther it shal be for them vtterly impossible to departe the country or els in departing they shal be inforced to forsake suche in extreme necessities of whom both God and nature hathe committed vnto them the care Alas what councel is here to be geuen O lamentable state O sorrowfull hart that neyther can depart and with out extreame daunger and perill is not able to tarye still And these are they whom our Sauiour Christe sawe before should be and called them in his prophesie of the latter time great bellyed or trauelling women and women that geue after they bee brought to bed their small babes suck The state of such are not able to flye the infection of the pestiferous plague of Antichristes abhominations Christ lamenting and not cursing sayth Wo be to the great bellyed and trauelling woman and women that geue sucke in those dayes For these alas my hart mourneth the more the lesse I am able to geue any comfortable councell but this that alwayes as they looke for euerlasting lyfe they abide still in the confession of his truth what soeuer shall befall and for the rest to put theyr trust now wholly in God whiche is able to saue them agaynst al apparance and commonly in extremities when all worldly comfort fayleth and the danger is at highest thē vnto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready for to put his helping hand Daniel God suffered to be caste into the Denne of Lyons and the three children into the hote burning furnace and yet he saued them all Paule was plucked out of the mouthe of the Lyon as he sayth of hymselfe and in Asia he was brought in suche trouble that he looked for no other
thing but for present death and yet hee that rayseth the dead to lyfe agayne did bring him out of all hys troubles taught him all other that be in troubles for christes cause not to trust to theÌ„selues but in almighty God Of Gods gracious ayde in extreeme perilles toward them that put theyr truste in hym all Scripture is full bothe olde and new What daungers were the Patriarcks ofteâ— brought vnto as Abraham Isaac and Iacob but of all other Ioseph and how mercifully were they deliuered agayne In what perilles was Moises when he was fayne to flye for the sauegard of hys life And when was he sent agayne to deliuer the Israelites from the seruyle bondage Not before they were brought into extreme misery And when did the Lorde mightely deliuer his people from Pharao hys sword Not before they were broughte into such straightes that they were so compassed on euery side the mayne sea on the one side and the maine hoste on the other that they could looke for none other yea what did they els in deede looke for but eyther to haue bene drowned in the sea or els to haue fallen on the edge of Pharao his sword These iudges whiche wrought most wonderfull thinges in the deliuerye of the people were euer geuen when the people was brought to most misery before as Othoniel Aioth Saugar Gedeon Iephthe Samson And so was Saull indued with strength and boldnes froÌ„ aboue agaynst the Ammonites Philistines and Amalechites for the defence of the people of God Dauid lykewise felt Gods helpe most sensibly euer in his extreme persecutions What shall I speake of the Prophetes of GOD whome God suffered so oft to be broughte into extreame perilles and so mightely deliuered them agayne as Helâ—as Ieremy Daniell Micheas and Ionas and many other whome it were but to long to rehearse and set out at large And did the Lord vse his seruauntes otherwise in the new lawe after Christes incarnation Read the Actes of the Apostles and you shall see no. Were not the Apostles cast into Prison and brought out by the mightye hande of God Dyd not the Aungell deliuer Peter out of the stroÌ„g prison and bryng hym out by the yron gates of the Cittie and set hym free And when I pray you Euen the same night before Herod appoynted to haue broughte him to iudgement for to haue slayne hym as he had a little before killed Iames the brother of Iohn Paule and Silas wheÌ„ after they had bene sore scourged and wer put into the inner prison and there were layde fast in the stockes I pray you what appearaunce was there that the Magistrates should be glad to come the next daye themselues to them to desire them to be content and to depart in peace Who prouided for Paule that hee shoulde bee safely conducted out of all daunger and brought to Felix the Emperoures Deputie when as both the hygh Priestes the Phariseis and rulers of the Iewes had conspired to require iudgement of death agaynst hym he being fast in prison and also more then xl men had sworne eche one to an other that they would neuer eate nor drynke vntill they hadde slayne Paule A thing wonderfull that no reason could haue inueÌ„ted or man could haue looked for God prouided Paule hys owne sisters sonne a younge man that disapoynted that conspiracie and all theyr former coniuration The maner how the thing came to passe thou mayst read in the xxiii of the Actes I will not be tedious vnto thee here with the rehearsall thereof Nowe to descend from the Apostles to the Martyrs that followed next in Christes Churche and in them likewise to declare how gracious oure good God euer hathe bene to worke wonderfully with them which in his cause haue bene in extreme perilles it were matter enoughe to write a longe booke I will here name but one manne and one woman that is Athanasius the greate clarke and godly man stoutely standing in Christes cause against the Arrians and that holy woman Blandina standinge so constantly in all extreme paynes in the simple confession of Christe If thou wilt haue examples of moe looke and thou shalt haue both these and a C. moe in Ecclesiastica historia of Eusebius and in Tripartita historia But for al these examples both of holy scripture and of other historyes I feare me the weake man of God incombred with the fraylty and infirmitie of the fleshe wil haue now and then such thoughtes and quawmes as they call them to run ouer hys hart and to thinke thus All these thinges which are rehearsed out of the scripture I beleue to be true and of the rest truely I do thinke well can beleue theÌ„ also to be true but all these we must needes grauÌ„t were speciall miracles of God which nowe in our dayes are ceased we see and to require them at Gods handes were it not to tempt God Welbeloued brother I graunt such were great wonderfull workes of God and wee haue not seene many of such myracles in our tyme eyther for that our sight is not cleare for truely God worketh with hys his parte in all tymes or els because we haue not the lyke faythe of them for whose cause God wrought suche thinges or because after that he had set forth the truth of his doctrine by such miracles then sufficiently the time of so many myracles to bee done was expired withall Which of these is the most speciall cause of all other or whether there be any other God knoweth I leaue that to God But knowe thou this my welbeloued in God that Gods hand is as strong as euer it was he may do what his gracious pleasure is hee is as good and gracious as euer he was Man changeth as the garment doth but God our heauenly father is euen the same now that he was and shal be for euermore The world without doubt this I do beleue and therfore I say draweth towardes an end and in al ages God hath had hys owne maner after hys secrete and vnsearchable wisedome to vse hys electe sometimes to delyuer them and to keepe them safe and sometymes to suffer theÌ„ to drinke of Christes cuppe that is to feele the smart and to feele of the whip And though the fleshe smarteth at the one and feeleth ease in the other is gladde of the one and sore vexed in the other yet the Lorde is all one towardes them in both and loueth them no lesse when hee suffereth theÌ„ to be beaten yea to be put to bodily deathe then when he worketh wonders for theyr marueilous deliuery Nay rather he doth more for them wheÌ„ in anguish of the torments he standeth by them strengthneth them in theyr fayth to suffer in the confession of the truth his fayth the bitter panges of death then when he openeth the prison dore and letteth them go lose for here hee doth but respite theÌ„ to an other time leaueth theÌ„ in
shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye then shall the Children of God appeare what they be euen like vnto Christ for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vnto Christes glorious body and that by the power wherby he is able to subdue vnto himselfe al thinges Then that which is now corruptible shall be made incorruptible that nowe is vile shall then bee made glorious that is now weake shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and haue the vnspeakable ioy and fruâ—tion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is Who or what then shall let vs to ieoparde to ieopard yea to spende this lyfe whiche wee haue here in Christes cause in our Lorde God his cause O thou therefore man of God thou yâ— art loden so letted like vnto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after suche things as I haue spoken of stand fast what soeuer shall befall in thy maysters cause and take this thy letting to flye for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause Of this be thou certaine they can do nothing vnto thee whiche thy father is not aware of or hath not foreseene before they can do no more theÌ„ it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church and thine owne saluation Let theÌ„ then do what they shall seeing to thee O man of God all thinges shall be forced to serue and to worke with thee vnto the best before God O be not afrayd and remember the end All this whiche I haue spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnder the banner of the crosse of Chryste and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice and to sticke to him as men of trusty seruice in hys cause euen vnto death and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause is to win it in eternal glory for euermore Therfore now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise I say vnto all that loue God our heauenly father that loue Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure that loue to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all vnto al that loue Christs spouse and bodye the true catholicke Churche of Christe yea that loue lyfe and theyr owne soules health I say vnto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters all you that be of God of all sortes ages dignities or degrees hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel Feare not them whiche kill the body for they cannot kil the soule but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light vpon the ground without your father All the heares of your head be numbed Feare them not you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes Euery one that confesseth me before men him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen But who soeuer shall deny me before men I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen The Lord graunt vs therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation that he may confesse vs agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heaueÌ„ to his glory and our euerlasting comfort ioy and saluation To our heauenly Father to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost be all glory and honour now and for euer Amen Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ mayster Latimer and B. Ridley you haue dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed with the Farewels also of B. Ridley wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English to be remembred by the leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient The death and end of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester THe next moneth after the burning of Doctor Ridley and mayster Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember Stephen Gardiner Byshop and Chauncelloure a man hated of God and all good men ended hys wretched lyfe Concerning the quallities nature and disposition of which man for somuch as somewhat hath bene declared before in the storye of kinge Edwardes raygne I shall neede therefore the lesse now to stand greatly vpon the same First this Uipers byrd crept out of the towne of Bery in Suffolke brought vp most parte of his youth in Cambridge his wit capacitie memorye and other indumentes of nature not to bee complayned of if he hadde wel vsed and rightly applyed the same wherein ther was no great want of Gods part in hym if hee had not rather hymselfe wanted to the goodnes of his gifts Through this promptnes actiuitie towardnes of hys he profited not a little in such studyes as he gaue hys head vnto as first in the law ciuil then in languages and such other like especially in those artes and faculties which had any prospect to dignitie and preferment to be hoped for Besides other ornaments or helpes of nature memory chiefly seemed in hym very beneficiall rather then dilligence of study To these giftes and quallities were ioyned agayne is great or greater vices which not so much followed hym as ouertooke him not so muche burdened hym as made hym burdenous to the whole realme Hee was of a proude stomacke and high minded in hys owne opinion and conceit flattering himselfe to much in wit crafty and subtile towarde his superiour flattering and faire spoken to hys inferiours fierce agaynst hys equall stoute and enuious namely if in iudgement and sentence he any thyng withstoode hym as appeared betweene the good Lorde CroÌ„well and hym in the raygne of kyng Henry being of like hauâ—inesse of stomacke as the Poets wryte of Pelides Cedere nescius Who although would geue no place to men yet notwtstanding I wish he woulde haue geuen place to truth according as he semed not altogether ignorant of the truth What his knowledge was therin it is euident partly to vnderstand as wel by his book De vera obedientia as also by his sermon before king Edward also by his aunsweres to the Councell the same time and
Commissioners M. Chomley M. Roper Doct. Story and one of the Scribes of the Arches at Newgate Sessions hall 2. Octob. 1555. DOct. Story before I was called into an inner Parler where they sate came out into the Hall where I was to view me among other that there were passing by me sayd Ha M. Philpot and in returnyng immediately agayne stayed against me beholdyng me and saying that I was well fed in deed Philpot. If I be fat and in good liking M. Doctor it is no maruell since I haue bene stalled vp in prison this twelue months and a halfe in a close corner I am come to know your pleasure wherfore you haue sent for me Story We heare that thou art a suspect person and of hereticall opinions and therfore we haue sent for thee Phil. I haue bene in prison thus long only vpon the occasion of disputation made in the Conuocation house and vpon suspect of settyng foorth the report thereof Story If thou wilt reuoke the same and become an honest man thou shalt be set at liberty and do right well or els thou shalt be committed to the Bish. of London How saiest thou wilt thou reuoke it or no Phil. I haue alredy answered in this behalfe to myne Ordinarie Story If thou answerest thus when thou commest before vs anone thou shalt heare more of our mynds and with this he went into the Parâ—er and I within a little whyle after was called in The Scribe Sir what is your name Phil. My name is Iohn Philpot. And so he intituled my name Story This man was Archdeacon of Winchester of Doct. Pomets presentment Phil. I was Archdeacon in deed but none of his presentment but by vertue of a former aduouson geuen by my L. Chancellor that now is Story Ye may be sure that my L. Chauncellor would not make any such as he is Archdeacon Roper Come hither to me M. Philpot. We heare say that you are out of the catholike church and haue ben a disturber of the same out of the which who so is hee cannot be the chyld of saluation Wherfore if you will come into the same you shall be receiued and finde fauour Phil. I am come before your worshipfull Maisterships at your apointmeÌ„t vnderstanding that you are magistrates authorised by the Queenes maiesty to whom I owe and wil do my due obedience to the vttermost Wherfore I desire to know what cause I haue offended in wherefore I am now called before you And if I caÌ„not be charged with any particuler matter done contrary to the lawes of this Realme I desire your maisterships that I may haue the benefit of a subiect and be deliuered out of my long wrong â—all imprisonment where I haue lyen this twelue month and this halfe without any calling to answer before now and my liuyng taken from me without all law Roper Though we haue no perticular matter to charge you withall yet we may both by our Commission and by the law driue you to answer to the suspicion of a slaunder goyng on you besides this we haue statutes to charge you herein withall Phil. If I haue offended any statute charge me therewithall and if I haue incurred the penaltie therof punish me accordingly And because you are magistrates and executors of the Queens maiesties lawes by force wherof you do now sit I desire that if I be found no notorious transgressor of any of them I may not be burdened with more then I haue done Cholm If the Iustice doe suspect a fellon he may examine him vpon suspition therof commit him to prison though there be no fault done Sto. I perceiue whereabout this man goeth He is playne in Cardmakers case for he made the selfe same allegatioÌ„s But they will not serue thee for thou art an heretike and holdest against the blessed masse how sayst thou to that Phil. I am no heretike Story I wil prooue thee an heretike Whosoeuer hath holden against the blessed masse is an heretike but thou hast holden agaynst the same therfore thou art an heretike Phil. That which I spake which you are able to charge me withal was in the conuocatioÌ„ where by the Queenes maiesties will her whole counsail liberty was geuen to euery man of the house to vtter his conscience to say hys mynd freely of such questioÌ„s in religioÌ„ as there were propounded by the Prolocutor for the which now I ought not to be molested and imprisoned as I haue bene neither now be compelled of you to answer to the same Story Thou shalt go to the Lollards Tower be handled there like an heretike as thou art and answer to the same that thou there didst speake and be iudged by the Byshop of London Phil. I haue already bene conuented of this matter before my Lord Chancellor myne Ordinary who this long time hath kept me in prison therfore if his Lordship will take my lyfe away as he hath done my liberty and liuyng hee may the which I thinke he cannot doe of hys conscience and therefore hath let me lye this long in prison wherefore I am content to abyde the ende of hym herein that is myne Ordinary and do refuse the auditorie of the Bishop of LondoÌ„ because he is an vncompetent iudge for me and not myne Ordinary Story But Sir thou spakest wordes in the Conuocation house which is of the B. of Londons Dioces therefore thou shalt be caried to the Lollardes Tower to be iudged by hym for the words thou spakest in his Dioces agaynst the blessed masse Phil. Sir you know by the law that I may haue Exceptionem fori and it is agaynst all equitie that I should bee twise vexed for one cause and that by such as by the lawe haue nothyng to do with me Roper You can not deny but that you spake agaynst the Masse in the Conuocation house Sto. Doest thou deny that which thou spakest there or no Phil. I cannot deny that I haue spoken there and if by the law you may put me to death therefore I am here redy to suffer whatsoeuer I shall be adiudged vnto The Scribe This man is fed of vayne glory Cholm Play the wise gentleman and be conformable and be not stubborne in your opinions neither cast your selfe away I would be glad to you good Phil. I desire you sir with the rest here that I be not charged further at your hands then the law chargeth me for that I haue done since there was then no law agaynst that directly wherewith I am now charged And you M. Doctor of old acquaintance in Oxford I trust will shew me some friendship and not extremitie Story I tell thee if thou wouldst be a good catholike man I would be thy friend and spend my gowne to doe thee good but I wyll be no friend to an hereticke as thou art but wil spend both my gowne my coat but I wil burne thee How sayest thou to
the Sacrament of the aultar Phil. Sir I am not come now to dispute with your maistership and the tyme now serueth not thereto but to answer to that I may be lawfully charged withall Story Wel since thou wilt not reuoke that thou hast done thou shalt be had into the Lollards Tower Phil. Sir since you will needes shew me this extremitie and charge me with my conscience I do desire to see your Commission whether you haue this autority so to do and after the view therof I shal according to my duety make you further answer if you may by the vertue therof burthen me with my conscience Roper Let hym see the Commission is it here Story Shall wee let euery vyle persone see our Commission Cholm Let him go from whence he came and on Thursday he shall see our Commission Story No let hym lie in the meane while in the Lollardes Tower for I will sweepe the Kings Bench all other prisons also of these heretikes they shall not haue that resort as they haue had to scatter their heresies Phil. You haue power to transferre my body from place to place at your pleasure but you haue no power ouer my soule And I passe not whether you commit me for I can not be worse entreated then I am kept all day in a close chamber wherfore it is no maruell that my flesh is puft vp wherewithall M. Doctor is offended Story Marshall take him home with you agayne and see that you bring him againe on Thursday and then we shal ridde your fingers of him and afterward of your other heretikes Philpot. God hath appointed a day shortly to come in the which he will iudge vs with righteousnesse how so euer you iudge of vs now Roper Be content to be ruled by M. Doctor shew your selfe a catholike man Phil. Sir if I should speake otherwise then my conscience is I should but dissemble with you why be you so earnest to haue me shew my self a dissembler both to God and you which I cannot do Roper We do not require you to dissemble with vs but to be a Catholike man Phil. If I do stand in any thing against that wherein any man is able to burthen me with one iote of the Scripture I shall be content to be counted no Catholike man or an heretike as you please Story Haue we Scripture Scripture and wyth that he rose vp saying who shal be Iudge I pray you This mā is lyke his fellow Woodman which the other day woulde haue nothyng els but scripture And this is the beginning of this tragedie ¶ The second examination of Iohn Philpot before the Queenes Commissioners M. Cholmley Roper D. Story D. Cooke and the Scribe the 24 day of Octo. 1555. at Newgate Sessions Hall AT my comming a man of Algate of myne acquaintāce said vnto me God haue mercy on you for you are alredy condemned in this world for D. Story said that my L. Chancellor hath commaunded to do you away After a little consultation had betwene them M. Cholmley called me vnto him saying Cholm M. Philpot shew your selfe a wise man be not stubburne in your owne opinion but bee conformable to the Queenes proceedyngs and lyue and you shall be wel assured of great fauour and reputation Phil. I shall do as it becommeth a Christian man to do Story This man is the rankest heretike that hath bene in all my L. Chancellors Dioces and hath done more hurt then any man els there therfore hys pleasure is that hee should haue the law to proceede against him and I haue spoken with my L. herein and he willeth him to be committed to the B. of London there to recant or els burne He houled and wept in the Conuocation house and made such adoe as neuer man did as all the heretikes doe when they lacke learnyng to aunswer He shall go after hys fellowes How sayst thou wilt thou recant Phil. I know nothyng I haue done that I ought to recant Story Well then I pray you let vs commit him to the Lollards Tower there to remaine vntil he be further examined before the B. of London for he is to fine fedde in the kings Bench and he hath too much fauour there For hys keper said at the doore yesterday that he was the finest fellow and one of the best lerned in England and with this he rose vp and went his way Cooke This man hath most stoutely mainteined heresies since the Queenes comming in as any that I haue heard of therfore it is most meete he should be adiudged by the B. of London for the heresies he hath mainteyned Phil. I haue mainteined no heresies Cooke No haue Did ye not openly speake against the sacrament of the aultar in the Conuocation house Call you that no heresie Wilt thou recant that or not Phil. It was the Quenes Maiesties pleasure that we should reason thereof not by my seeking but by other mens procuring in the hearyng of the Counsaile Cooke Did the Queene geue you leaue to be an heretike You may be sure her grace wyl not so do Wel we wil not dispute the matter with you my L. of London shall proceed by inquisition vpon thee and if thou wilt not recant thou shalt be burned Phil. My L. of London is not myne Ordinary in this behalfe and I haue already answered vnto myne Ordinary in this matter and therefore as I haue sayd before you shall do me great wrong to vexe me twise for one matter since I haue sustained this long imprisonment besides the losse of my liuyng Roper You were a very vnmeet man to be an Archdeacō Phil. I know I was as meet a mā as he that hath it now Cooke A meete man quoth he He troubled M. Roper and the whole countrey Phil. There was neuer poore Archdeacon so handled at your handes as I am and that without any iust cause ye be able to lay vnto me Cooke Thou art no Archdeacon Phil. I am Archdeacon still although another be in possession of my liuyng for I was neuer depriued by any law Cooke No sir that needeth not for a notorious heretike should haue no Ordinary proceeding about his depriuation but the B. may vpon knowledge thereof proceed to depriuation Phil. M. Doctor you know that the common law is other wise and besides this the statutes of this Realme be otherwyse which geueth this benefit to euery person thogh he be an heretike to enioy his liuyng vntill he bee put to death for the same Cholm No there thou art deceyued Phil. Upon the liuyng I passe not But the vniust dealing grieueth me that I should bee thus troubled for my conscience contrary to all law Cholm Why wyll you not agree that the Queenes Maiestie may cause you to be examined of your fayth Phil. Aske you M. Doctor Cooke and he will tell you that the temporall magistrates haue nothing to doe with matters of fayth for determination
before the Bishops of London Bath Worcester and Glocester BOner Mayster Philpot it hath pleased my Lordes to take paines here to day to dine with my poore archdeacon and in the diner time it chaunced vs to haue communication of you you were pitied here of many that knew you in the new Colledge in Oxforde and I also doe pitty your case because you seeme vnto me by the talke I hadde with you the other night to be learned therefore now I haue sent for you to come before them that it might not be sayd hereafter that I had so many learned Bishops at my house and yet would not vouchsafe them to talk with you and at my request I thanke them they are content so to do Now therfore vtter your mind freely you shal with all fauour be satisfied I am sory to see you lye in so euill a case as you doe and would fayne you should do better as you may if you list Bath My Lordes here haue not sent for you to fawn vpō you but for charities sake to exhorte you to come into the right catholicke way of the church Worc. Before he beginneth to speake it is best that he call to God for grace and to praye that it might please God to open his hart that he may conceiue the truth Phil. With that I fell downe vpon my knees before them and made my prayer on this maner Almighty God which art the geuer of all wisedome and vnderstanding I beseech thee of thine infinite goodnes and mercye in Iesus Christ to geue me most vile sinner in thy sight the spirite of wisedome to speake and make answere in thy cause that it may be to the contentation of the hearers before whom I stand also to my better vnderstanding if I be deceiued in any thing Boner Nay my Lorde of Worcester you did not well to exhort him to make any prayer For this is the thing they haue a singular pride in that they can oftē make their vain prayers in the which they glory much For in this poynt they are much like to certayne errant heretickes of whom Pliny maketh mention that didde dayly sing antelucanos Hymnos Prayse vnto God before the dawning of the day Phil. My Lord God make me all you here present suche hereticks as those were that soong those morning himnes for they were right christians with whom the tyrantes of the world were offendeh for their well doing Bath Proceede to that he hath to saye He hath prayed I can not tell for what Boner Say on M. Philpot my Lordes will gladly heare you Phil. I haue my Lordes bene this tweluemoneth and an halfe in Prison without any iust cause that I knowe and my liuing taken from me without any lawfull order and now I am brought contrary to righte from myne owne Territory and Ordinary into another mans iurisdiction I know not why Wherfore if your Lordships cā burden me with any euill done I stand here before you to purge me of the same And if no suche thing may bee iustly layd to my charge I desire to be released of this wrongful trouble Boner There is none here goeth about to trouble you but to do you good if we can For I promise you ye were sent hither to mee without my knowledge Therefore speake your conscience without any feare Phil. My Lord I haue learned to aunswere in matters of Religion In Ecclesia legitimè vocatus In the Congregation being thereto lawfully called but nowe I am not lawfullye called neither is here a iust congregation where I oughte to answere Boner In deede this man tolde mee the last time I spake with him that he was a Lawyer and woulde not vtter his conscience in matters of fayth vnlesse it were in the hearing of the people where hee mighte speake to vayne glory Phil. My Lord I sayd not I was a Lawyer neither do I arrogate to my selfe that name although I was once a nouice in the same where I learned something for mine owne defence whē I am called in iudgement to answere to any cause whereby I haue bene taught not to put my selfe further in daūger then I neede and so farre am I a Lawyer and no further Bath If you will not answere to my Lordes request you seme to be a wilfull man in your opinion Phil. My Lorde of London is not mine Ordinarye before whom I am bound to answere in this behalfe as maister D. Cole which is a Lawyer can well tell you by the lawe And I haue not offended my Lord of Londō wherfore he should call me Boner Yes I haue to laye to your charge that you haue offended in my dioces by speaking agaynst the blessed sacrament of the aultar and therefore I may call you proceed agaynst you to punish you by the law Phil. I haue not offended in your Dioces For that whiche I spake of the Sacrament was in Paules Churche in the Conuocation house which as I vnderstand is a peculiar iurisdiction belonging to the Deane of Paules and therefore is counted of your Lordships Dioces but not in your Dioces Boner Is not Paules Churche in my Dioces Well I wote it costeth me a good deale of money by the yeare the leading thereof Phil. That may be yet be exempted from your lordships iurisdiction And albeit I had so offended in your Dioces yet I ought by the law to be sent to mine Ordinarye if I require it not to bee punished by you that are not mine Ordinary And already as I haue told you I haue bene conuented of mine Ordinary for this cause which you goe about to enquire of me Boner How say you M. D. Cole may not I proceed against him by the law for that he hath done in my dioces Cole Me thinketh M. Philpot needeth not to stande so muche with your Lordship in that point as he doth sithen you seeke not to hinder him but to further him therfore I thinke it best that he go to the matter that is layde agaynst him of the Conuocation and make to longer delay Phil. I would willingly shew my mind of the matter but I am sure it will be layd agaynst me to my preiudice whē I come to iudgement Cole Why then you may speake by protestation Phil. But what shall my protestation auayle in a cause of heresy as you call it if I speake otherwise then you wyll haue me since that which I spake in the conuocatiō house being a place priuiledged can not now helpe me Boner But M. Doct. Cole may I not proceede agaynst him for that offence he hath done in my dioces Cole You may call him before you my Lord if he be foūd in your dioces Phil. But I haue by force bene brought out of mine owne Dioces to my Lordes and required to be iudged of myne owne Ordinary and therefore I know mayster Doctour will not say of his
knowledge that your Lordship oughte to proceed agaynst me And here Mayster Doctour would say nothing Worcest Doe you not thinke to finde before my Lord here as good equity in your cause as before your owne Ordinary Phil. I canne not blame my Lorde of Londons equitye with whom I thanke his Lordship I haue found more gentlenes since I came then of mine owne Ordinary I speak it for no flattery this twelue moneth and this halfe before who neuer woulde call me to aunswere as his Lordship hath done now twise Sed nemo prohibetur vti iure suo but I ought not to bee forestalled of my right and therefore I challenge the same for diuers other considerations Boner Nowe you can not saye hereafter but that ye haue bene gently cōmuned withal of my Lordes here yet you be wilfull obstinate in your error and in your owne opinions will not shewe any cause why you will not come into the vnity of the Church with vs. Phil. My Lordes in that I doe not declare my minde according to your expectation is as I haue sayd because I can not speak without present daunger of my life But rather then you shoulde report me by this either ostinate or selfe willed without any iust ground wherupon I stand I will open vnto you somewhat of my minde or rather the whole desiring your lordships which seme to be pillers of the Church of Englande to satisfye me in the same and I will referre all other causes in the which I dissēt from you vnto one or two articles or rather to one which includeth them both in the which if I can by the scriptures be satisfied at your mouthes I shall as willingly agree to you as any other in all poyntes Boner These heretickes come alwayes with their ifs as this man doth now saying if he can be satisfied by the scriptures so that he will alwayes haue this exception I am not satisfied although the matter be neuer so playnly proued agaynst him But wil you promise to be satisfied if my Lordes take some paynes about you Phil. I say my Lord I will be satisfied by the Scriptures in that wherein I stand And I protest here before God his eternall sonne Iesus Christ my Sauiour and the holy ghost and his Angels and you here present that be iudges of that I speak that I do not stand in any opiniō of wylfulnes or singularity but onely vpon my conscience certainly informed by gods word from the which I dare not go for feare of damnatiō and this is the cause of mine earnestnes in this behalfe Boner I will trouble my Lords no longer seing that you will not declare your minde Phil. I am about so to doe if it please your Lordshippe to heare me speake Bathe Geue him leaue my Lord to speake that he hath to say Phil. My Lordes it is not vnknowne to you that the chiefe cause why you do count me and such as I am for hereticks is because we be not at vnity with your Churche You say you are of the true Church and we say we are of the true Church You say that who is out of your church is damned and we thinke verily on the other side that if we depart from the true church wheron we are graffed in Gods word we should stand in the state of dānatiō Wherfore if your Lordship can bring any better authorityes for your church then we can do for ours proue by the scriptures that the Churche of Rome nowe of the which you are is the true Catholick Church as in al your sermons writinges and argumentes you doe vpholde and that all christen persons ought to be ruled by the same vnder pain of damnation as you say and that the same Churche as you pretend hath authority to interprete the scriptures as it semeth her good and that all men are bound to folow such interpretations onely I shal be as conformable to the same Church as you may desire me the whiche otherwise I dare not therfore I require you for Gods sake to satisfy me in this Cole If you stand vpon this poynt onely you may soone be satisfied if you list Phil. It is the thing that I require to this I haue sayd I will stand and refer all other controuersies wherein I stand now agaynst you and will put my hād therto if you mistrust my word Boner I pray you mayster Philpot what faith were you of twenty yeares ago This man will haue euery yeare a new fayth Phil. My Lorde to tell you playne I thinke I was of no fayth for I was then a wicked liuer and knewe not God then as I ought to do God forgeue me Boner No were that is not so I am sure you were of some fayth Phil. My lord I haue declared to you on my cōsciēce what I then was and iudge of my selfe And what is that to the purpose of the thing I desire to be satisfied of you Boner Mayster Doctour Cole I pray you say your mind to him Cole What will you say if I can proue that it was decreed by an vniuersall coūcell in Athanasius time that all the christen church should folow the determinatiō of the church of Rome but I do not now remember were Phil. If you Mayster Doctour canne shewe me the same graunted to the Sea of Rome by the authority of the scripture I will gladly harken thereto But I thinke you be not able to shewe any suche thinge for Athanasius was President of Nicene councell and there was no such thing decreed I am sure Cole Though it were not then it might bee at an other time Phil. I desire to see the proofe thereof And vpon this M. Harpsfield Chauncellor to the Bishop of Londō brought in a booke of Ireneus with certaine leaues turned in and layd it before the Bishops to helpe them in theyr perplexity if it might be the which after the Bishops of Bath and Glocester had read together the Bishop of Glocester gaue me the booke Gloc. Take the booke M. Philpot and looke vppon that place and there may you see how the church of Rome is to be folowed of all men Phil. I tooke the Booke and read the place the which after I had read I sayd it made nothing agaynst me but agaynst the Arians and other Heretickes agaynst whome Ireneus wrote prouing that they were not to be credited because they did teach and folowe after straunge doctrine in Europa and that the chiefe Churche of the same was founded by Peter and Paule and had to this time continued by faythfull succession of the faythfull Bishoppes in preaching the true Gospell as they had receiued of the Apostles and nothing like to the late sprong Heretickes c. Whereby hee concludeth agaynste them that they were not to be heard neither to bee credited the whiche thing if you my Lordes be able to prooue nowe of the Churche of Rome then had
you as good authoritye agaynst me in my cause now as Ireneus had agaynst those heretickes But the church of Rome hath swarued from the truth and simplicitye of the Gospell whiche it mainteined in Ireneus time and was vncorrupted from that whiche it is nowe wherefore your Lordships can not iustly apply the authority of Ireneus to the Church of Rome now which is so manifestly corrupted from the Primitiue Church Boner So will you saye still it maketh nothinge for the purpose whatsoeuer authority wee bring and will neuer be satisfied Phil. My Lorde when I doe by iust reason proue that the authorities which be brought agaynst me doe not make to the purpose as I haue alredy proued I trust you will receiue mine aunswere Worc. It is to be prooued most manifestly by all auncient writers that the Sea of Rome hath alwayes folowed the truth and neuer was deceiued vntill of late certayne heretickes had defaced the same Phil. Let that be proued and I haue done Worcest Nay you are of suche arrogancy singularitye and vayne glory that you will not see it be it neuer so wel proued Phil. Ha my Lordes is it nowe time thinke you for me to folow singularity or vayne glory since it is now vpon daunger of my life and death not onely presently but also before God to come and I know if I dye not in the true fayth I shall dye euerlastingly and agayne I knowe if I do not as you would haue me you will kill me and many thousandes moe yet had I leuer perish at your handes then to perishe eternally And at this time I haue lost all my coÌ„modities of this worlde and now lye in a colehouse where a man would not lay a dog with the whiche I am well contented Cole Where are you able to prooue that the Churche of Rome hath erred at any time and by what Historye certayne it is by Eusebius that the Church was stablished at Rome by Peter and Paul and that Peter was bishop 25. yeares at Rome Phil. I know well that Eusebius so writeth but if we coÌ„pare that which saynt Paul writeth to the Galathians the first it will manifestlye appeare the contrarye that he was not halfe so long there He liued not past 35. yeres after he was called to be an Apostle and Paul maketh mention of his abiding at Hierusalem after Christes death more then 18. yeares Cole What did Peter write to the Galathians Phil. No I say Paule maketh mention of Peter writing to the Galathians and of his abiding at Hierusalem And further I am able to proue both by Eusebius other Historiographers that the church of Rome hath manifestly erred and at this present doth erre because shee agreeth not with that which they wrote The primitiue Church didde vse according to the Gospell and there needeth none other proofe but compare the one with the other Bon. I may compare this man to a certayne man I reade of which fell into a desperation weÌ„t into a wood to hang himselfe and wheÌ„ he came there he went vewing of euery tree and could find none on the which he might vouchsafe to hange himselfe But I will not apply it as I mighte I pray you M. Doctor go forth with him Cole My Lord there be on euery side on me that be better able to answere him and I loue not to fall in disputation for that now a daies a man shal not but susteine shame and obloquy thereby of the people I had leuer shewe my mind in writing Phil. And I had leuer that you should do so then otherwise for then a man may better iudge of your words then by argument and I beseeche you so to do But if I were a rich man I durst wager an hundred pouÌ„des that you shal not be able to shew that you haue sayde to be decreed by a generall Counsell in Athanasius time For this I am sure of that it was concluded by a generall Councell in Africa many yeares after that none of Africa vnder payne of excommunication should appeale to Rome the which Decree I am sure they woulde not haue made if by the scriptures by an vniuersall Councell it had bene decreed that al meÌ„ should abide folow the determination of the churche at Rome Cole But I can shew that they reuoked that error again Phil. So you say M. Doctour but I pray you shewe me where I haue hitherto heard nothing of you for my conteÌ„tation but bare wordes without any authority Boner What I pray you ought we to dispute with you of our fayth Iustinian in the law hath a title De fide Catholica to the contrary Phil. I am certayne the Ciuill lawe hath such a constitution but our fayth must not depend vpon the ciuil law For as saynt Ambrose sayth Non lex sed fides congregauit Ecclesiam Not the lawe but the Gospell sayth hee hath gathered the church together Worcest M. Philpot you haue the spirit of pride wherewith ye be led which will not let you to yelde to the truth leaue it for shame Phil. Syr I am sure I haue the spirite of fayth by the which I speake at this present neyther am I ashamed to stand in my fayth Glocest. What do you thinke your selfe better learned then so many notable learned men as be here Phil. Elias alone had the truth when they were foure huÌ„dreth priestes agaynst him Worcest Oh you would be counted now for Helias And yet I tel thee he was deceiued for he thoght there had bene none good but himselfe and yet he was deceiued for there were seuen hundred besides him Phil. Yea but he was not deceiued in doctrine as the other seuen hundred were Worcest By my fayth you are greatly to blame that you can not be conteÌ„t to be of the Church which euer hath â—en of that faythfull antiquity Phil. My Lord I know Rome and haue bene there wher I saw your Lordship Worcest In deede I did flee from hence thither and I remember not that I saw you there But I am sory that you haue bene there for the wickednesse which you haue seene there peraduenture causeth you to do as you do Phil. No my Lord I doe not as I do for that cause for I am taught otherwise by the Gospell not altogether to refuse the minister for his euill liuing so that he bring sound doctrine out of Gods booke Worc. Doe you thinke that the vniuersall Church may be deceiued Phil. S. Paul to the Thessalonians prophesieth that there should come an vniuersall departing from the faith in the latter dayes before the coÌ„ming of Christ saying Non veniet Christus nisi venerit defectio prius that is Christ shal not come till there come a departing fyrst Cole Yea I pray you how take you the departyng there in S. Paule It is not meant of fayth but of the departing from the Empyre For it is in
proue that which I haue sayd by good authoritie I will be content to be counted an hereticke and an ignoraunt person and further what you please Story Let vs heare what wise authoritie thou canst bring in Phil. It is the saying of Christe in S. Iohn Verbum quod locutus sum iudicabit in nouissimo die The word which I haue spoken sayth Christ shall iudge in the last day If the worde shal iudge in the last day much more it ought to iudge our doings now And I am sure I haue my iudge on my side who shall absolue and iustifie me in an other world How soeuer now it shall please you by authoritie vnrighteously to iudge of me and others sure I am in an other world to iudge you Story What you purpose to be a stincking Martyr to sit in iudgement with Christ at the last day to iudge the 12. tribes of Israell Phil. Yea sir I doubte not thereof hauing the promise of Christ If I dye for righteousnes sake which you haue begon to persecute in me Story I told you it is but vayne to argue with this hereticke he is drowned in his heresies without all learning Phil. Syr I haue brought you for that I haue sayd good authoritie out of Gods booke to the whiche you answere nothing but go about still to geue rayling iudgement aagaynst me without any cause Story I will come to you by and by When as the Iudge in Westminster hall geueth sentence doth the worde geue sentence or the Iudge tell me Phil. Ciuill matters be subiect to Ciuell men they haue authoritie by the worde to bee iudge of them But the word of God is not subiect to mans iudgemeÌ„t but ought to iudge all the wisedome thoughtes and doynges of men and therefore your comparison disproueth nothing that I haue sayd neither answereth any whit therto Story Wilt thou not allow the interpretation of the church vpon the scriptures Phil. Yes if it be according to the word of the true church and this I say to you as I haue sayd heretofore that if yee can proue the church of Rome wherof ye are to be the true Catholicke Church which I ought to follow I wil be as ready to yeld therto as long as it can be so proued as you may desire me Story What a fellow is this He will beleeue nothing but what he list himselfe Are we not in possessioÌ„ of the church Haue not our forefathers these many hundred yeares takeÌ„ this church for the catholicke church wherof we are now And if we had none other proofe but this it were sufficieÌ„t for prescription of time maketh a good title in the law Philpot. You doe well mayster Doctour to alledge prescription of many yeares for it is all that you haue to shew for your selues But you must vnderstand Ex diuinis nulla occurrit praescriptio that prescription hath no place in matters belonging to God as I am abâ—e to shewe by the testimony of many Doctours Story Well sir you are like to go after your fathers Latimer the Sophister and Ridley who had nothing to alledge for hymselfe but that hee had learned his heresie of Cranmer Where I came to him with a poore Bacheler of Arte he trembleÌ„d as though hee had had the palsey as these heretickes haue alwayes some token of feare whereby a man may know them as you may see this mans eies do tremble in his head But I dispatched them and I tell thee that there hath bene yet neuer a one burnte but I haue spoken with him haue bene a cause of his dispatch Phil. You haue the more to aunswere for Mayster Doctor as you shall feele in an other world how much soeuer you do now triumph of your proceedinges Story I tell thee I will neuer be confessed therof And because I cannot now tary to speake with my Lord I pray one of you tell my Lord that my comming was to signifie to his Lordship that he must out of hand rid this hereticke away And going away he sayd vnto me I certifie thee that thou mayst thanke none other man but me Phil. I thanke you therfore with all mine hart and God forgeue it you Story What doest thou thanke me if I had thee in my study halfe an houre I thinke I should make you sing an other song Phil. No maister Doctour I stand vpon to sure a ground to be ouerthrowne by you now And thus they departed al away from me one after an other vntil I was left al alone And afterwards with my keeper going to my Cole-house as I went I met with my Lord of London who spake vnto me geÌ„tly as he hath hetherto in words saying London Philpot if there be any pleasure I may shewe you in my house I pray you require it and you shall haue it Philpot. My Lord the pleasure that I will require of your Lordship is to hasten my iudgement which is committed vnto you so dispatche me forth of this miserable world vnto my eternall rest And for all this fayre speache I can not attain hetherto this fortnight space neither fire nor caÌ„dle neither yet good lodging But it is good for a man to be brought low in this world to be counted amongst the vilest that hee may in time of rewarde receiue exaltation glory Therfore praised be God that hath humbled me geuen me grace with gladnes to be content there withall Let all that loue the truth say Amen Thus endeth the fift Tragedy * The sixt examination of Iohn Philpot had before the right honourable Lordes Lorde Chamberlayne to the kinges Maiesty the Vicount Herford commonly called Lord Ferrers the Lord Rich the Lord S. Iohns the Lord Winsor the Lord Shandoys Sir Ioh. Bridges Lieutenant of the Tower and two other moe whose names I know not with the B. of London and Doctour Chadsey the sixt day of Nouember An. 1555. PHilpot Before that I was called afore the Lordes and whiles they were in sitting downe the Byshop of LoÌ„don came aside to me and whispered in myne eare willing me to vse my selfe before the Lordes of the queenes maiesties Councell prudently and to take heede what I sayd thus he pretendeth to geue me counsaile because he wished me to do well as I might now do if I list And after the Lordes other worshipfull gentlemen of the queenes Maiesties seruauntes were set my Lorde of London placed himselfe at the end of the table called me to hym by the Lords I was placed at the vpper end agaynst him where I kneeling downe the Lordes commaunded me to stande vp and after in this manner the Byshop began to speake London M. Philpot I haue heretofore both priuately my selfe and openly before the Lordes of the Clergy mo times then once caused you to bee talked withall to reforme you of your errours but I haue not found you yet so
tractable as I would wish Wherfore now I haue desired these honorable Lordes of the temporaltie and of the Queenes Maiesties Counsayle who haue taken paynes with me this day I thanke them therefore to heare you what you can say that they may be iudges whether I haue sought all meanes to do you good or no and I dare be bold to say in theyr behalfe that if you shew your selfe conformable to the Queenes Maiesties proceedinges you shall finde as much fauour for your deliueraunce as you can wishe I speake not this to fawne vpō you but to bryng you home into the Church Now let them heare what you can say Phil. My Lorde I thanke God of this daye that I haue such an honorable audiēce to declare my mynd before And I cannot but commend your Lordships equity in this behalf which agreeth with the order of the primatiue church which was if any body had bene suspected of heresie as I am now he should be called first before the archbishop or byshop of the Dioces where he was suspected secondly in the presence of others his fellow byshops and learned elders and thirdly in hearyng of the layty where after the iudgement of Gods word declared and with the assent of other Bishops and consent of the people he was condemned to exile for an hereticke or absolued And the seconde poynt of that good order I haue found at your Lordships hands already in being called before you your fellow bishops now haue the third sort of mē at whose hands I trust to finde more righteousnes in my cause then I haue found with my Lordes of the Clergy God graunt I may haue at last the iudgement of Gods word concerning the same London M. Philpot. I praye you ere you go any further tell my Lordes here playnely whther you were by me or by my procurement committed to prison or not and whether I haue shewed you anye crueltie sithen yee haue bene committed to my prison Phil. If it shall please your Lordship to geue me leaue to declare forth my matter I wil touch that afterward Rich. Aunswere first of all to my Lordes two questions then proceede forth to the matter How say you wer you imprisoned by my Lorde or no can you finde anye faulte since with his cruell vsing of you Phil. I cannot laye to my Lordes charge the cause of my imprisonmēt neyther I may say that he hath vsed me cruelly but rather for my part I might say that I haue found more gentlenesse at his Lordships handes then I dyd at myne owne Ordinaries for the time I haue bene wythin his prison for that he hath called me three or foure times to mine answere to the which I was not called twelue mōth and a halfe before Rich. Well now go to your matter Phil. The matter is that I am imprisoned for the disputations had by me in the Conuocation house agaynst the sacrament of the aultar which matter was not moued principally by me but by the Prolocutor with the consent of the Queenes Maiestie and of the whole house and that house being a member of the Parliament house ought to be a place of free speeche for all men of the house by the ancient and laudable custome of this realme Wherefore I thynke my selfe to haue sustayned hetherto great iniury for speaking my conscience freely in suche a place as I might lawfully do it and I desire your honorable Lordships iudgement which be of the Parliament house whether of right I ought to be impeached therefore and sustayne the losse of my liuing as I haue done and moreouer of my life as it is sought Rich. You are deceaued herein for the Conuocation house is no part of the Parliament house Phil. My Lord I haue alwayes vnderstāded the contrary by suche as are more experte menne in thinges of thys realme then I and againe the title of euery Acte leadeth me to thinke otherwise which alledgeth the agreement of the spiritualitie and temporaltie assembled together Rich. Yea that is meant of the spirituall Lordes of the vpper house Winsor In deed the Conuocation house is called together by one writte of the Summons of the Parliament of an old custome notwithstanding that house is no part of the parliament house Phil. My Lordes I must be contēted to abide your iudgementes in this behalfe Rich. We haue told you the truth Mary yet wee woulde not that you should be troubled for any thinge that there was spoken so that you hauing spoken amisse do declare now that you are sory therfore Lond. My Lordes he hath spoken there manifest heresie yea and there stoutly mayntayned the same against the blessed sacramēt of the aultar and with that he put off his cap that al the Lords might reuerence vayle theyr bonets at that Idoll as they did and would not allow the reall presence of the body and bloude of Christe in the same yet my Lordes God forbid that I shoulde goe about to shewe him extremity for so doing in case he will repent reuoke his wicked sayings if in faith he wil so do with your lordships consent he shal be released by and by Mary if he wil not he shal look for the extremitie of the law that shortly Chamb. My Lorde of London speaketh reasonably vnto you take it whiles it is offered you Rich. How say you Will you acknowledge the reall presence of the bloud and body of Christ as a◠the learned mē of this realm do in the Masse and as I do and wil beleue as long as I liue I do protest it Phil. My Lord I do acknowledge in the sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ such a presence as the worde of God doth allow and teach me Rich That shal be none otherwise then you lift London A sacrament is the signe of a holy thing So that there is both the signe which is the accident as the whitenes roūdnes shape of bread and there is also the thyng it selfe as very Christ both God and man But these heretickes will haue the sacramentes to be but bare signes How say you declar◠vnto my Lordes here whether you do allow the thing it selfe in the sacrament or no Phil. I do confesse that in the Lordes supper there is in due respectes both the signe and the thing signified when it is duely ministred after the institution of Christ. London You may see how he goeth about the bush as he hath done before with my Lords of the Clergy and dare not vtter his minde playnly Rich. Shew vs what maner of presence you allowe in the sacrament Philpot. If it shall please you my Lord of London to geue me leaue to proceede orderly thereunto and to let me declare my minde without interruption I wil throughly open my minde therin L. Shand. I pray you my Lord let hym speake his mynde Phil. My Lordes that at the first I haue not plainly
ye all of this Do ye this in remembraunce of me to place in their steades Heare ye gase ye knocke ye worship ye offer ye sacrifice ye for the quicke and the dead If this be not blasphemy to God and hys Sacrament to adde and to pluck away in this sort and that contrary to the mynd of all ancient writers and contrary to the example of Christ hys Apostles tell me Harps I know you haue gathered the sayings of the Doctors together which make for your purpose I wyll talke no longer with you Phil. I pray God open both our harts to do more his wil then we haue in tymes past Harps O Keeper take hym away with you ¶ The tenth examination of Iohn Philpot before B. Boner his Register and others THe next day after diuer I was brought into my Lords vpper Hall and there he called me before hym and his Register and before Doct. Chedsey in the presence of two homely Gentlemen and a Priest which I knew not at what tyme the B. sayd London I do here lay vnto this man in your presence requiryng you to be a witnesse against him as much as you know in any of them these articles this booke of the Catechisme made in K. Edwards dayes also these conclusions agreed vpon both in Oxford and Cambridge also I lay vnto hym that he hath despised the Censures of the Church hath stood accursed more then this twelmonth and neuer required absolution thereof How say you wast thou not accursed by my L. Chancellor Phil. I was excommunicated by him wrongfully without any iust cause and without order of law beyng neuer personally cited Lond Didst not thou tell me the other day when I required thee to come to the masse that thou wast excommunicated therfore by the law couldest not heare masse How long hast thou â—ene thus excommunicate Phil. More then a xij month and a halfe Lond. Loe you may heare what he sayth Write it Phil. But as you would haue written that I haue sayd I haue bene thus long excoÌ„municated so also let him write that I did require of my L. Chauncellor that did excommunicate me my absolution but he would not geue it me saying that I was excoÌ„municatus ipso iure because I was an heretike as it pleased hym to call me therefore accursed by your law and so commaunded me to prison where I remayne Gentleman Why do you not require absolutioÌ„ at my lords hands here now Phil. Because hee is not myne Ordinary neither hath by the law any thing to do with me of right Lond. What an obstinate foole is this I tell thee I will be thine Ordinary whether thou wilt or no. Phil. And because of this your vnrighteous force towards me I haue appealed from you require you M. Register that my appeale may be entred in writyng Lond. Haue you heard such a froward fellow as this hee seemed yesterday to be very tractable I had a good hope in hym I tell thee thou art of my Diocesse Phil. I am of Winchester Diocesse and not of London Diocesse Lond. I pray you may not a man be of two Diocesses at oute Phil. No that he cannot Lond. Lo wyll you see what an ignoraunt foole is this in the law in that which he would seeme to be seene I tell thee a man may be of three Diocesses at once as if thou werâ— borne in London by reason therof thou shouldst bee of my dioces or els if thou wert not borne but haddest a dignitie here also thou art to be counted of my diocesse or els by reason of thy habitation in my dioces Phil. In none of these respects I am of your Lordshippes dioces But for all that this will not follow that I dwellyng at Winchester am at that present of London dioces London What will you lay thereof wilt thou recant if I prooue it Phil. But what shall I win if you do not Lond. I will geue thee my bishoprike if I prooue it not Phil. Yea but who shall deliuer it me if I win Lond. Thou art an arrogant foole Enter their othes and take these witnesses depositioÌ„s I must be gone to the parliament house After this spake vnto me a Priest standing by askyng me whether I was kin to my L. Rich or no Phil. I sayd he sayd so himselfe vnto me the other day but how I know not Chadsey I heard him say that he was his very nigh kinsman Baalamite Why then you I must be of kin for hee is my nigh kinsman How chance it that you and I be of contrary iudgements Phil. It is no meruail for Christ prophesied That the father shall be deuided agaynst the sonne and the sonne against the father for my truths sake Baala You do hold as I vnderstand agaynst the blessed sacrament of the aulter and agaynst the holy masse Phil. If you can prooue it a Sacrament I wil not hold agaynst you Baala What prooue it a Sacrament quoth he doth not S. Paul say Quae oculus non vidit auris non audiuit ea praeparauit Deus diligentibus se That such thinges as the eye hath not seene neither eare heard hath God prepared for them that loue hym Phil. That saying of S. Paule concerneth nothyng your sacrament but is ment of the heauenly ioyes that bee prepared for all faythfull beleeuers Baala Why then I perceiue you vnderstand not S. Paul By God you are deceiued Phil. You ought not to sweare kinsman if you will that I shall so cal you without disworship of our kinred I vnderstand S. Paul as wel as you and know what I say and with that shewed hym a Greeke Testament with Erasmus translation with the old also demaundyng him which text he was best acquainted withall Baala I knew Greeke too once as well as you I care not which you read Phil. You knowe them then all alike you vnderstand the one as well as the other With this my Baalamite kinsman departed in a fury The next day after I was brought down againe after dinner to the Chappel and there my Baalamite kinsman to verifie the scriptures as a mans owne kinsfolks shall be hys enemies came in with the B. as a witnes agaynst me and there the B. caused another that came to hym about other matters to sweare also to be a witnes against me which was a priest also saying London You shall sweare to depose all the truth of certain Articles you shall be enquired of concernyng this man here I accordyng to the lawe do bryng them forth in thy presence Phil. My Lord I doo not agree to the production of them but doo appeale from all these others your proceedinges agaynst me and require you Maister Register that my appeale may be entred I wil geue you for your labour Reg. Your appeale shal be entred at leasure Whom doe you appeale vnto tell me I
of Yorke was turning his booke for moe places to helpe forth his cause Yorke I haue found at length a very notable place which I haue looked for all this while of S. Austine De simplicitate credendi Chich. It is but folly my Lorde that your Grace doe read him any moe places for he esteemeth them not Phil. I esteeme them in as muche as they bee of force as your Lordship doth heare me deny no doctors you bring but onely require the true application of them according to the writers meaning as by his owne wordes may be proued Yorke I will reade him the place and so make an end After he had read the sentence he sayde that by foure speciall poynts here S. Austine proueth the catholick church The first is by the consent of all nations the secōd by the Apostolick Sea the third by vniuersalitie the fourth by this word Catholicke Chich. That is a notable place in deede and it please your Grace Phil. I pray you my Lord of what church doth S. Austine write the same of Rome or not Yorke Yea he writeth it of the Church of Rome Phil. I will lay with your Lordshippe as much as I can make it is not so and let the booke be sene Bath What art thou able to lay that hast nothing Yorke Doth he not make mention here of the Apostolicke sea whereby he meaneth Rome Phil. That is very straitly interpreted my lord as though the Apostolicke Sea had bene no where els but at Rome But let it be Rome and yet shall you neuer verify the same vnlesse all the other conditions do go therewith as S. Augustine doth proceed withal wherof none except the Apostolicke sea can now bee verified of the Churche of Rome For the fayth which that Sea now maynteineth hath not the consent of al nations neither hath had Besides that it cannot haue the name of Catholick because it differeth frō the Catholicke Churches which the Apostles planted almost in all thinges Yorke Nay he goeth about here to proue the Catholicke Church by vniuersality how can you shew your church to be vniuersall fifty or an hundreth yeares ago Phil. That is not materiall neither any thing agaynst S. Augustine For my church wherof I am were to be coūted vniuersal though it were but in x. persōs because it agreeth with the same that the Apostles vniuersally did plant Yorke I perceiue you are an obstinate man in your opinion will not be taught wherefore it is but lost labour to talke with you any lenger you are a member to be cut of Chichester I haue heard of you before how you troubled the good Bishop of Winchester and now I see in you that I haue heard Phil. I trust you see no euill in me by this I desire of you a sure ground to build my fayth on if you shew ne none I pray you speake not ill of him that meaneth well Chichester Thou art as impudent a felow as I haue cōmuned withall Phil. That is spoken vncharitably my Lord to blaspheme him whom you can not iustly reproue Chich. Why you are not God Blasphemy is counted a rebuke to Godward and not to man Phil. Yes it may be as well verified of an infamy layde to man speaking in Gods cause as you now do lay vnto me for speaking freely the truth afore GOD to maynteyne your vayne Religion You are voyd of all good ground I perceiue you are blind guides and leaders of the blinde therfore as I am bounde to tell you very hipocrites tyrannously persecuting the trueth which otherwise by iust order you are able to conuince by no meanes Your owne doctors and testimonies which you bring be euidently agaynst you and yet you will not see the truth Chichest Haue we this thanke for our good will comming to instruct thee Phil. My Lordes you must beare with me since I speake in Christes cause and because his glory is defaced and his people cruelly and wrongfully slayne by you because they will not consent to the dishonor of God and to hypocrisie with you If I told you not your fault it should be required at my hands in the day of iudgement Therfore know you ye hypocrites in deed that it is the spirit of God that telleth you your sinne not I. I passe not I thank God of al your cruelty God forgeue it you geue you grace to repent And so they departed ¶ An other talke the same day THe same day at night before supper the bishop sent for me into his chappell in the presence of the archdeacon Harpesfield Doctor Chadsey other his Chapleines and his seruauntes at what time he sayd Lond. Maister Philpot I haue by sundry meanes gone about to do you good and I maruell you do so litle consider it by my trueth I can not tell what to say to you Tell me directly whether you will be a conformable man or no wherupon you chiefly stand Phil. I haue tolde your Lordships oftentimes playne enough wheron I stand chiefly requiring a sure probation of the Church wherunto you call me Harps S. Austen writing agaynst the Donatistes declareth foure speciall notes to know the Church by the cōsent of many nations the fayth of the Sacramentes confirmed by antiquity succession of Bishops and vniuersality Lond. I pray you Mayster Archdeacon fette the booke hither it is a notable place let him see it And the booke was brought and the bishop read it demaunding how I could aunswere the same Phil. My Lorde I like S. Austens foure poyntes for the triall of the catholicke churche whereof I am for it can abide euery poynt therof together which yours can not do Harps Haue not we succession of Bishops in the Sea and church of Rome Wherfore then do you deny our Church to be the catholicke church Phil. D. Austine doth not put succession of Bishops onely to be sufficient but he addeth the vse of the Sacramentes according to antiquity and doctrine vniuersally taughte receiued of most nations from the beginning of the primatiue Church the whiche your Churche is farre from But my church can auouch all these better then yours therfore by S. Austins iudgement which you here bring mine is the catholicke church and not yours Harps Chad. It is but folly my Lord for you to reason with him for he is irrecuperable Phil. That is a good shift for you to runne vnto when you be confounded in your owne sayinges haue nothing else to say you are euidently deceiued and yet will not see it when it is layd to your face THus haue I at large set forth as many of the sayd Iohn Philpot his examinations priuy conferences as are yet come to light being faythfully written with his owne hand And although he was diuers other times after this examined both openly in the Consistory at Paules also secretly in the bishops house yet what was
Gods spirite in vs accordyng to the rule of the Gospell he that coÌ„formeth not him selfe to the same in godly conuersation may iustly treÌ„ble doubt that he is none of the elect children of God but of the viperous generation and a child of darkenesse For the children of light will walke in the workes of light and not of darkenes though they fall they do not lye still Let all vayne excusations be set a part and whiles ye haue light as Christ commaundeth beleue the light and abide in the same lest eternall darkenesse ouertake you vnwares The light is come into the world but alas men loue darkenesse more theÌ„ the light God geue vs his pure eyesalue to heale our blindnes in this behalfe O that men and women would be healed and not seeke to be wilfully blinded The Lord open their eyes that they may see how dauÌ„gerous a thyng it is to decline from the knowledge of truth contrary to their conscience But what sayd I conscience many affirme their conscience will beare them well enough to do all that they do and to go to the Idolatrous Church to seruice whose coÌ„scieÌ„ce is very large to satisfie man more then God And although their conscience can beare them so to do yet I am sure that a good conscience will not permit them so to doe which caÌ„ not be good vnlesse it be directed after the knowledge of Gods word and therfore in Latin this feelyng of mynde is called Conscientia which souÌ„deth by interpretation as much as with knowledge And therfore if our conscience be led of her selfe not after true knowledge yet we are not so to be excused as S. Paul beareth witnes saying Although my coÌ„science acseth me not yet in this I am not iustified And he ioineth a good coÌ„science with these 3. sisters charitie a pure heart vnfayned fayth Charitie keepeth Gods commaundements a pure hart loueth and feareth God aboue all vnfayned fayth is neuer ashamed of the profession of the Gospell whatsoeuer damage he shal suffer in body therby the lord which hath reuealed hys holy will vnto vs by hys word graunt vs neuer to be ashamed of it and geue vs grace so earnestly to cleaue to hys holy word and true church that for no maner of worldly respecte we become partakers of the workes of hipocrisie which God doth abhorre so that we may be found faythfull in the Lords Testament to the end both in hart word and deede to the glory of God and our euerlasting saluation Amen Ioh. Philpot prisoner in the Kinges Benche for the testimony of the truth 1555. * To hys deare frend in the Lord Iohn Careles prisoner in the kinges Benche MY dearely beloued brother Careles I haue receaued youre louing letters full of loue and compassion in somuch that they made my hard hart to weepe to see you so carefull for one that hath bene so vnprofitable a member as I haue bene and am in Christes church God make me worthy of that I am called vnto and I pray you cease not to pray for me but cease to weep for him who hath not deserued such gentle teares and prayse God with me for that I now approch to the company of them whose want you may worthily lament God geue your pittiful hart his inward consolation In deede my deare Careles I am in thys world in hell and in the shadow of death but he that hath brought me for my desertes downe vnto hell shall shortly lift me vpp to heauen where I shall looke continually for your commyng others my faythfull brethren in the kinges Benche And though I tell you that I am in hell in the iudgement of this world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen I prayse God and thys lothsome and horrible prison is as pleasaunt to me as the walke in the garden of the kinges Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauen out of this life is very narrow and wee must striue to enter in at a narrowe gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of myne imprisonment what will he do in the rage of the fire whereunto I am appoynted And this hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of comfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethren with you in these cruell dayes in the which the deuill so rageth at the faythfull flock of Chryst but in vayne I trust against any of vs who be perswaded that neither lyfe neither death is able to seperate vs from the loue of Christs Gospell which is Gods high treasure committed to your brittle vessels to glorifie vs by the same God of hys mercye make vs faythfull stewardes to the end and geue vs grace to feare nothing what soeuer in hys good pleasure we shal suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you eâ—st the cause is our strayt keepyng and the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writteÌ„ since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinations and I am fayne to scribble it out in hast Commend me to al our faythfull brethren and bid theÌ„ with a good courage looke for theyr redemption frame themselues to be harty souldiours in Christ. They haue taken his prest money a great while and now let them shew themselues readye to serue hym faythfully and not to fly out of the Lordes campe into the world as many do Let them remeÌ„ber that in the Apocalips the fearfull be excluded the kingdome Let vs be of good cheare for our Lord ouercame the world that wee shoulde doe the like Blessed is the seruaunt whome when the Lord commeth he findeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into teÌ„ptation Be ioyful vnder the crosse prayse the Lord coÌ„tinually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the Lord delighteth in CoÌ„meÌ„d me to my father Hunt and desire him to loue and continue in the vnitie of Christs true Church which he hath begon and then shal he make me more more to ioy vnder my crosse with him Tel my brother Clements that he hath coÌ„forted me much by his louing token in significatioÌ„ of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encrease my ioy vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you al. Salute al my louyng frends M. Mering M. Crooche with the rest and specially M. Marshal his wife with great thaÌ„ks for his kindnes shewed vnto me Farewel my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuil a while but now I am ouer the shoes God sende me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter to Iohn Careles profitable to be read of all them which mourne in repentaunce for theyr sinnes THe God
wil of God be don We are not so good as Iohn the Baptist which was beheaded in prison Darknes cannot abide the light Therefore their doings must declare what they are We are as shepe appoynted for a sacrifice to the Lord. We must not feare the fire for our Lord is a cōsuming fire which will put out the fiercenes of raging torments from vs. Be not afraid of them that can kil the body but feare him that can cast both body and soul into hel fire God forbid that we should reioyce otherwise then in the crosse of Christ pray that he would make vs worthy to suffer for his sake God wil haue our faith tried knowen and therefore let vs willingly humble our selues vnder the mighty hād of God that he may gloriously lifte vs vp in his good time There is none perfectly faithfull in deede till he can say with S. Paule I am perswaded that neither death neither life neyther aungels neither princes or powers neither things present neither things to come neither highnes neither lownes neither any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. This faith God plant both in you and me vnmooueably In this faith we haue to reioyce and in none other All the tribulations of the worlde are not worthy of the eternall weighte of glory which is prepared for them that here do with pacience abide the crosse Wherefore let vs be stronge with the strengthe in him that is able to make vs strong lament the weakenes I might say the infidelitie of our faint gospellers Christ whome we woulde pretend to haue put vpon vs is the strēgth of God and how then may they be weake where Christe is We haue more to be glad touching our selues of this time then we haue had of any time before in the which we haue so ready a way to goe vnto God and so good occasion to shew our duety in glorifying his holy name For if we be imprisonned in this cause we are blessed If we loose all that we haue we are blessed a 100. fold If we die we are blessed eternally so that in suffering of persecutions all is full of blessings Be blessed therefore O elect Lady of God with the blessed of God and flee as you do the concupiscence of the worlde Embrace that which is perfect and ioyfully looke for the comming and crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. Thus desiring God to preserue you to his true peace to geue you victorie of that temptation which now is come to try our faith Christe be with you and blesse you both in body and soule and my praier shal folow you wheresoeuer you goe as I desire that you may be with me The last weeke I sent your beneficence to Oxforde I coulde not before haue a conuenient messenger As soone as I haue worde you shall be satisfied of your request Loue me as you doe and the God of loue be with you The 20. day of August By yours with all his power in the Lord Iohn Philpot. An other Letter full of spiritual consolation to the sayd Ladie THe mercye of God the father the consolation of the holy ghost thorow Iesus Christ be with you strengthē you my deare mother and sister in the Lord in these daungerous dayes to the crowne of eternall glorye whiche is nowe offered to all faithfull souldiours in the Gospell Amen As your good Ladiship doeth desire to heare from me so am I desirous to wryte as your gentlenesse and daily goodnes binedeth me But Sathan of late hath letted me who enuying al good exercises which I haue had and receiued by mine easie imprisonment in times past hath brought me out of the kings Bench into the bishop of Londons Colehouse a darke and a vgly prison as any is about London but my darke body of sinne hathe well deserued the same and the Lord now hath brought me into outward darkenes that I might the more be lightened by him as he is moste present with his children in the middest of darkenesse where I can not be suffred to haue any candle light neither inke nor paper but by stealth Wherefore I can not wryte to you as I would neither as my duety is As Christ my maister was sent frō Annas to Caiphas so am I sent from Winchester Dioces to London I trust to make a speedye ende of my course God geue mee grace and patience to be a faithfull follower of my master I haue beene already this seuennight in his Colehouse and haue of late bene foure times called to mine answere but hitherto not called to iudgement which I do daily looke for but I feare they wil prolong me and trie me by straight imprisonmēt a whyle in the which Gods will be done Pray deare Lady that my faith faint not which I praise God is presently more liuely wyth mee then it hathe beene in tymes past I taste and feele the faithfulnesse of God in his promise who hathe promised to be wyth hys in their trouble and to delyuer them I thanke the Lorde I am not alone but haue sixe other faithfull companions who in our darknesse doe chearfully sing Hymnes and praises vnto God for his great goodnesse Wee are so ioyful that I wish you part of my ioy For you that are so carefull of my bodely reliefe howe can I but wish you spirituall consolation and that aboundantly Let not deare heart my straite imprisonment any thing molest you for it hath added and daily doth vnto my ioy but rather be glad and thankfull vnto GOD with me that it hath pleased him to make me most wretched sinner woorthy to suffer any thing for his sake Hitherto we haue not resisted vnto bloud God make vs neuer to count our bloud more precious in our eyes then his truth Ah my deare sister I thanke you againe for your last letter you sent me it is a singular comfort vnto me as oft as I reade the same I haue it in my bosome and wil carie the same euen to the stake with me in witnesse that Christ hath so constant and faithfull a Ladie in Englande God succoure and keepe that spirite in you for it is the verye spirite of adoption of the childe of God Suche chearefull and holy spirites vnder the crosse bee acceptable sacrifices in the sight of God for Christ came to cast fire into the earth and looketh that it shoulde be kindled Be you feruent in spirite in our Christes cause as you haue begonne for that is the principall spirite wherewithall Dauid desired to be confirmed O howe I doe reioyce your Ladiship to goe arme in arme with me vnto Christe or rather before me I can not but ioye of suche a worshipfull fellowe Me thinketh I see you to mourne and desire to be loosed out of the earthly and fraile habitacle of this body O how amiable and pleasant is it
tribulations that being founde constant to the end he may crowne his owne giftes in them in heauen highly reward thē Whether I trust to goe before looking for you to followe my faythfull frend that we maye sing perpetuall praise to our louing Lord God for victory ouer Sathan and sinne won for vs by Iesus Christ God and man our onely and sufficient Sauiour and Aduocate Amen Farewell and pray in fayth Yours Thomas Whittell Minister and nowe condemned to dye for the Gospels sake 1556. Ianuary 21. ¶ All my felowes salute you Salute all our faythful brethren with you ¶ To my deare frend and brother Iohn Went and other his prison felowes in Lollardes Tower HE that preserued Ioseph prisoner in Egypt fed Daniel in the Lions denne and deliuered Paul Peter and the Apostles out of prison vouchsafe of his goodnes to keep feed and deliuer you my good brother Went with the other our felow souldiors your prison felowes as may be most to his glory to your consolatiō and the edification of his Church I cannot but praise God most earnestly when I heare of your constancy in the fayth and ioye in the crosse of Christ which you now beare and suffer together with many other good members of Christ which is a token that by Christ you are counted worthy the kingdome of God as Paule sayth And though the world counteth the yoake and crosse of Christ as a most pernicious and hurtfull thing yet we which haue tasted how frendly the Lord is cannot but reioice in this persecution as touching our selues in as much as the cause for the which we suffer is the Lordes cause and not ours at whose hand if we endure to the end we shall receiue through his liberall promise in Christ not onely a greate reward in heauen but also the kingdome of heauen it selfe also in the meane season be sure to bee defended and cared for so that we shall lacke no necessarye thinges neither a heare of our heades shall perishe without his knowledge Oh what is he that would mistrust or not gladly serue so louing a father O how vnhappy are they that forsake him and put theyr trust in man But how blessed are they that for his loue and for his holy woordes sake in these troublesome dayes doe committe theyr soules and bodyes into his handes with wel doing counting it greater happines and riches to suffer rebuke with Christ and his Church thē to enioy the pleasures of this life for a litle short seasō This crosse that we nowe beare hath bene common to all the faythfull from Abell hitherto and shal be to the end because the Deuill hauyng great wrath agaynst God and his Christ can not abide that hee should for his manifolde mercies bee lauded and magnified and Christ to be taken and beleued vpon for our onely and sufficient redemer Sauiour and aduocate and therefore because we will not deny Christ nor dissemble with out fayth but openly protest and professe the same before the world he seeketh by all meanes to styrre vp his wicked members to persecute and kill the bodies of the true Christians as S. Iohn sayth the Deuill shall cast some of you into prison And Dauid sayth I beleued and therfore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled This notwithstanding goe forward deare brethren as ye haue begon to fight the Lords battel considering Christe the Captayne of your warre who will both fight for you geue you victorye and also highlye rewarde your paynes Consider to your comfort the notable and chiefe shepheardes and souldiours of Christe whiche are gone before vs in these dayes I meane those learned and godly Bishops Doctours other ministers of Gods word whose fayth and examples we that be inferiours ought to folowe as S. Paule sayth Remember them that haue declared vnto you the worde of God the ende of whose conuersation see that ye look vpon and folow theyr faith The grace blessing of God with the ministery of his holy Angels be with you for euer Amen All my prison felowes greete you From the Colehouse this 4. of December By your poore brother Thomas Whittell an vnworthy Minister of Christ nowe his prisoner for the Gospels sake Amen ¶ To all the true professors and louers of Gods holy Gospell within the City of London THe same faith for the whiche Abraham was counted righteous and Mary blessed the Lorde GOD encrease and make stable in your hartes my deare and faithfull brethren sisters of London for euer and euer Amen Dearely beloued be not troubled in this heat which is now come amongest you to try you as though some straunge thing had happened vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth ye may be mery and glad c. Out of these wordes of S. Peter I gather most specially these 4. notes First the persecution happeneth to Christes Church for their triall that is for the probation and proofe of their fayth Which fayth like as it is knowne with God in the depth of our hartes so will he haue it made manifest to the whole worlde through persecution that so it may euidently appeare that hee hath such a Churche and people vpon earth which so trusteth in hym and feareth his holy name that no kinde of persecution paynes nor death shal be able to seperate them from the loue of hym And thus was Abraham tried and Iob tempted that their fayth whiche before laye hid almost in their hartes might bee made knowne to the whole world to be so stedfast and stronge that the deuill naturall loue nor no other enemie coulde bee able to bereaue them thereof Whereby also GOD was to be magnefied who both tryeth his people by many tribulations and also standeth by them in the middest of their troubles to deliuer them by lyfe or death as he seeth best like as he assisted Loth and deliuered hym out of his enemies handes Ioseph out of the handes of his Brethren and out of Prison Paule from his enemies in Damasco and the Apostles out of the Stockes and Prison These with many mo he deliuered to lyfe And also he deliuered Abell Eleazar Steuen and Iohn Baptist with other manye by deathe and hathe also by the tryall of their fayth made them good presidentes and examples to vs and all that come after to suffer affliction in the like cause as Saynt Iames sayeth Take my brethren sayth he the prophets for an ensample of suffering aduersity and of long pacience which spake vnto you in the name of the Lord beholde we count them happy which endure Y◠haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lord made with him for the Lord is very pitifull and mercifull Also the Lorde tryeth vs to let vs see our owne hartes and thoughtes that no Hypocrisy or Ambitiō deceiue vs that the strong
in Christ may pray that he fall not but endure to the ende and that those that fall through fearefull infirmity might speedely repent and rise agayne with Peter and also that the weake ones mighte bewayle theyr weakenes and crye with Dauid haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heale me for all my bones are vexed Of this opening of the heart by persecution spake holy Simion to Mary Christes mother when he sayde the Sworde that is the Crosse of persecution shall pearse thy Soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened For like as a king that should go to battell is cōpelled to looke in his cofers what treasure he hath and also what number and puisaunce of menne and weapons hee hath so that if he himselfe be vnready and vnarmed to bicker with hys enemye he surceaseth and taketh truice for a time euen so wee by persecutions haue our heartes opened that wee maye looke therein to see what fayth in Christ we haue and what strength to withstand the enemies and to beare the Crosse that if we be riche in these treasures we might reioyce and valiauntly go to Battell or if we want these thinges with all speede to call and crye vppon him which geueth all good giftes to those that aske them Item the crosse trieth the good people from the bad the faythfull from the worldlinges and hipocrites and also cleanseth and scoureth the faythfull hartes from all corruption and filthinesse both of the flesh and the spirit And euen as yron except it be often scoured will soone waxe rusty so except our sinnefull hartes and flesh be often scoured with the whetstone of the Crosse they will soone corrupt ouergrowe with the ruste of all filthinesse and sinne And therefore it is meete and good for vs as the wise man sayeth that as gold siluer are tryed in the fire so should the hartes of acceptable men be tried in the fornace of aduersity Abide the triall deare frendes that yee may obteyne the Crowne of life Fighte manfully in this the Lordes cause that ye may obteyne a glorious victorye here and receiue a greate rewarde in heauen hereafter As yee are called Christians and woulde be angry to be called Iewes or Turkes so declare your Christianity by folowing the steps of Christ whose name ye beare suffer with hym and for his Gospelles sake rather then to denye him or to defile your fayth and conscience with false worshipping of Romish religion Take vp your Crosse my deare hartes now when it is offered you and go vp with Christ to Ierusalem amōgest the Bishoppes Priestes and Rulers if God call you thereto and they will anone sende you to Caluery from whence dying in the cause of the Gospell wherein our good Preachers and Brethren haue geuen theyr liues your soules I warrant you through Christ Iesu shall ascend to God that gaue them and the body shall come after at the last day and so shal ye dwell with the Lord for euer in vnspeakeable ioy and blisse O blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake as Christes people in this Iewish Englande nowe doth for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen O my beloued set your mindes on this kingdome where Christ our head and king is considering that as the brute beast tooketh downewardes with the face towardes the earth so man is made contrariwise with his face looking vpward towardes the heauens because his conuersation should be in heauen and heauenlye thinges and not vpon the earth and earthly thinges and S. Paule sayth set your mindes on thinges whiche are aboue where Christ is And agayne he sayth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour who will chaunge our vile bodyes and make them like to his glorious body Oh the glorious estate that we be called vnto The Lord preserue vs harmeles to his eternal kingdome through Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen The second thing that I note in the foresayde wordes of Peter is that he calleth persecution no straunge thinge And trueth it is for which of the Prophetes were not persecuted with Christ and his Apostles and some of them in the end cruelly killed for the truthes sake Cain killed Abell Isaac was persecuted of Ismaell Iacob was hated of Esau Ioseph was prisoned and set in the Stockes the Prophet Esay was cut in two with a Saw Ieremy was stoned Micheas was buffeted and fed with bread and water Helias was sore persecuted Eleazar and the woman with her 7. sonnes were cruelly killed What Christ and the Apostles suffered it is well knowne So that by many tribulations as Paul sayth we must enter into the kingdome of Heauen All the holy Prophetes Christ and hys Apostles suffered such afflictions not for euill doing but for preaching Gods word for rebuking the world of sinne and for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ. This is the ordinance of GOD my Frendes this is the high way to heauen by corporall death to eternall life as Christ sayth he that heareth my woordes and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into iudgement but is escaped from death to life Let vs neuer feare death which is killed by Christ but beleue in him and liue for euer as Paule sayth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the Spirit And agayne Paule sayth Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory Thankes be to God which hath geuen vs victory through Iesu Christe Besides this ye haue seene and dayly doe see the bloud of your good Preachers and Brethren which hath bene shed in the Gospelles cause in this sinnefull Sodome this bloudy Ierusalem this vnhappy City of London Lette not theyr bloud be forgotten nor the bloud of your good Bishop Ridley who like a Shepheard to your comforte exāple hath geuen his life for his sheepe good S. Paule sath remember them that haue spoken to you the word of God and looke vpon the end of theyr conuersation and folow theyr fayth The Deuill euer stirreth vp false teachers as he hath done now ouer all Englande as Peter Paule and Iude prophesied it should be to poyson and kill our soules with the false doctrine And where he fayleth of his purpose that way then mooueth he his members to persecute the seely carcases of the Saynctes because they will not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuing Christ and confesse a dead breadye Christ and honour the same as Christ God and man contrary to Gods commaūdement This is the working of Sathan who knowing hys owne iust damnation woulde all mankinde to be partakers wyth him of the same such a mortall hatred beareth he agaynst GOD and his people And therefore when this wicked Tempter coulde not kill Christe with subtle tentation to fall downe and worship him then
him so farre abhorring from aâ— pryde and arrogancie that as he could not abide any thinge that was spoken to his aduauncement or prayse so neither did there appeare in hym any shewe or bragge in those things wherein he might iustly glorye whiche were his punishmentes and sufferinges for the cause and quarrel of christ For when hee was beaten and scourged with roddes by Byshoppe Boner which scarse any man would beleue nor I neither but that I heard it of him whiche hearde it of his mouth and he greatly reioyced in the same yet his shamefast modestie was suche that neuer hee woulde expresse any mention therof least he shoulde seeme to glorye to muche in hymselfe saue that onely he opened the same to one M. Cotten of the Temple a friend of hys a little before his death Moreouer to this rare and maydenly modestie in him was also adioyned the like nature of mercye and pittifull compassion whiche affection though it seemed to be little regarded of some yet in my minde is there no other thing wrought in nature wherein man resembleth more truely the image of the high maiestie of almightye GOD then thys And as in thys respecte of mercifull tendernesse manne onely excelleth all other beastes so almost no lesse may thys manne seeme to passe many other men whose customable propertie and exercise was to visite the poore prysoners wyth hym in prison both with bodily reliefe and also wyth spirituall comforte and finding manye of them I meane suche as were there for thefte and other naughty factes verye penitent and sorye for theyr euill demeanours in hope of theyr amendment dyd not onely by mouthe but also by hys letters require yea as it were of duetye in loue dyd charge his friendes to trauayle for theyr deliueraunces such was the pittye and charritable mercye of thys godlye and most true member of Christes Churche as appeareth by this letter here following To my very louing frendes and maysters M Goringe M. Ferneham M. Fleetwood M. Rusewll M. Bel M Hussey M. Calthrop M. Boyer and other my maisters of the Temple Bartlet Greene wisheth health of bodye and soule VEry friendes are they whiche are knitte together wyth the knotte of Charitie Charitie doth not decaye but increase in them that dye faythfully whereof it followeth that thoughe we be absent in body yet are we present in the spirite coupled together with the vnity of fayth in the bonde of peace whyche is loue How hee is worthy the name of a friend that measureth hys frendship with the distaunce of place or parting of persons If thy frend be out of sight is thy friendshyp ended If he be gone into the Countrey wilt thou cease to loue hym If hee be passed the seas will you so for sake hym If hee be caryed into heauen is Charitie hindred thereby On the one side we haue the vse of the fathers from the primatiue Church that gaue thankes for theyr frendes that dyed in the fayth to proue that Charitie dyed not with death On the other side sayth Horace Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt What speake I of Horrace Sayth not saincte Paule the same thynge For we are members of hys bodye of his flesh and of his bloud yea we are members one of an other Is the hand or arme foote or legge a member when it is disseuered from the bodye How can we be members excepte we be ioyned together What is the line that coupleth vs but loue When all thinges shal fayle loue fayleth neuer Hope hath hys ende when wee get that wee hoped for Fayth is finished in heauen loue endureth for euer Loue I say that proceedeth of charitie for carnall loue when that which he loued is lost doth pearish wyth the fleshe Neyther was that euer but fleshly loue which by distaunce of place or seuering of bodyes is parted asunder If loue be the ende or suÌ„me of the lawe if heauen and yearth shall pearishe it one iote of Gods wordes shall not decaye why shouldee we thinke that loue lasteth not euer I neede not to write much to you my frendes neyther can I haue laysure nowe that the keepers are risen but thys I saye if we keepe Chrystes commaundemente in louynge eache other as he loued vs then should our loue be euerlasting This frendship Paule felt when it moued him to saye that neyther lengthe nor bredth meanyng no distaunce of place neyther height nor depth shoulde seuere hym from the loue of Christe Waighe well thys place and meate it wyth Paules measures so shall we find that if our loue be vnfayned it can neuer bee ended Nowe may you saye why wrytest thou this Certes to the ende that if oure frendshippe bee stable you may accomplishe thys the laste request of your friende and performe after my death the friendshippe wee beganne in oure lyfe that amitie maye encrease vntill GOD make it perfecte at oure next meetynge together Mayster Feetewood I beseeche you remember Wittrance and Cooke two singular men amongest common prisoners M Fernham and mayster Bell with M. Hussey as I hope wyll dispatch Palmer and Richardson with his companions I praye you M. Calthrop thinke on Iohn Groue an honest poore man Traiford and Rice Aprice his accomplices My cosin Thomas Witton a Scriuener in Lombardstreete hath promised to further their deliuerie at the least hee can instruct you whiche waye to worke I doubt not but that Maister Boyer will labour for the good wife Cooper for she is worthy to bee holpen and Berard the Frenchman There bee also diuers other well disposed men whose deliueraunce if ye will not labour for yet I humbly beseeche you to seeke their reliefe as you shall see cause namely of Henry Aprice Lancelot Hobbes Lother Homes Câ—rre and Bockyngham a young man of goodly giftes in witte and learnyng and sauyng that he is somewhat wilde likely to doe well hereafter There bee also two women Conyngham and Alice Alexander that may proue honest For these and all other poore prisoners here I make this my humble sute and prayer to you all my Maisters and especiall good frendes beseechyng you of all bondes of amitie for the precious bloud of Iesus Christ in the bowelles of mercie to tender the causes of miserable captiues helpe to clothe Christ visite the afflicted comfort the sorrowfull and releue the needy The very God of peace guide your hartes to haue mercy on the poore and loue faythfully together Amen This present Monday when I looke to dye and liue for euer Yours as euer Bartlet Greene. * An other letter of M. Greene to Mistres Elizabeth Clarke WOuld GOD if it were his pleasure that with this Letter I might send you may harte and mynde and whatsoeuer there is in me elles that pertayneth vnto GOD So should I thinke it the beste message and happyest Letter that euer I could write But though I obtaine not my desire yet shall I
not cease with continuall prayer to labour for you desiryng almighty GOD to encrease that which he hath long sith begonne in you of sober lyfe and earnest zeale towardes his Religion In fayth as sayth Sainct Paule she that is a true widowe and frendlesse putteth her trust in GOD continuyng day and night in Supplication and prayer but she that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet aliue And verely a true widowe is she that hath maryed Christ forsakyng the vanities of the worlde and luste of the fleshe For as the maryed woman careth howe to loue please and serue her husband so ought the widowe to geue all her hart and soule thoughtes and wordes studies and labours faythfully to loue GOD vertuously to bryng vp her children and houshold and diligently to prouide for the poore and oppressed Therefore Sainct Paule first instructeth a widow how to behaue her selfe that is Not to liue in pleasure then to watche vnto prayer as the onely meanes to obtayne all our desires stedfastly laying vppe all our trust in GOD as Dauid right well sayeth First eschew euill then doe good Of Anna the prayse was written that shee neuer went out of the Temple but serued GOD with fastyng and prayer night and day so well had she espoused Christ. Iudith ware a smocke of heare continuyng in fastyng and had good report of all men The next care that belongeth to a widowe is that she bryng vppe her children and houshold godly in the nourture and information of the Lorde Whereof Saincte Paule sayeth If any haue Children or Nephewes lette them learne firste to rule their owne house Godly and to recompence their elders The incontinencie and coueteousnesse of Phinees and Ophny not corrected by Ely their Father prouoked GODS vengeaunce vppon him and all his kynred The ouer tender loue of Absolon expelled Dauid from his kyngdome The vnrebuked sinnes of Ammon encouraged Absolon to flea his brother most manifest examples agaynste the parentes for the offences of their Children Contrarywise how greatly might Hannah reioyce ouer Samuell her Sonne whome she had brought vppe in the house of the Lorde What thankes might Tobias wife giue for her Sonne Toby How happy was Salomō to be taught by the prophet Nathan But aboue all widowes thrise blessed was the happy mother of the vij Sonnes that so had instructed them by the feare of GOD that by no tormentes they would shrincke from the loue of his truth Of the last parte Saincte Paule sheweth that a widowe shoulde bee chosen If shee haue nourished her Children if shee haue been liberall to straungers if shee haue washed the Sainctes feete and if shee haue ministred to them in aduersitie Herein it is euident howe earnestly Saincte Paule would haue widowes bent towardes the poore for that as though they onely had been therefore meete hee appointed onely widowes to minister to the Sainctes and to gather for the poore Whiche vse also continued almost throughout the primitiue Churche that widowes had the charge and gatheryng for the poore men and straungers Of your neighboures I neede not to put you in remembraunce seeynge you dayly feede them with good Hospitalitie by whiche meanes also many foreners are of you relieued but of the poore Almes houses and miserable prisoners here in London many lacking their libertie wythout cause some vnder the colour of Religion some onely kept for fees and some on priuate mennes displeasure Alas that Christe so hungereth and no man will feede hym is so sore opprest with thyrst and no man will geue him to drinke destitute of all lodgyng and not relieued naked and not cloathed sicke and not visited imprisoned and not seene In tyme past menne could bestowe large summes of money on copes vestimentes and ornamentes of the Churche Why rather follow we not S. Ambroses example whiche solde the same to the reliefe of the poore or Chrysostomes commaundement which willeth first to decke and garnish the liuing temple of God But alas suche is the wickednesse of these our last dayes that nothing moueth vs neyther the pure doctrine the godlines of life nor good examples of the auncient Fathers If in any thing they erred if they haue written anye thynge that serueth for sectes and dissension that will their charitable children embrace publishe and mayntayne with sworde Fagot and fire But all in vayne they stryue agaynst the streame For though in despite of the truth by force of the oers of crafty perswasion they maye bringe themselues into the hauen of hell yet can they not make all menne bebeleue that the bankes moue whilest the shippe sayleth nor euer shall be able to turne the directe course of the streame of Gods truth Our Lord Iesus Christ strengthen you in al pure doctrine and vpright liuing and geue you grace vertuously to bring vp your children and family and carefully to prouide for the poore and oppressed Amen At Newgate the 20. of Ianuary Ann. 1556. Your assured Bartlet Greene. An other certayne writing of M. Bartlet Greene. BEtter is the day of death sayth Salomon then the daye of birth Man that is borne of woman liueth but a shorte tyme and is replenished with many miseries but happye are the dead that dye in the Lord. Man of woman is borne in trauell to liue in misery manne thorough Christe dothe dye in ioye and lyue in felicitie He is borne to dye and dyeth to liue Straight as he cōmeth into the world with cryes he vttereth his miserable estate straight as he departeth with songes hee prayseth God for euer Scarse yet in his cradle 3. deadly enemies assault him after death no aduersary may annoy him Whilest hee is here he displeaseth God when he is dead he fulfilleth his will In this lyfe here he dyeth through sinne in the life to come he liueth in righteousnesse Through many tribulations in earth he is still purged with ioye vnspeakeable in heauen is he made pure for euer Here he dyeth euery houre there hee liueth continuallye Here is sinne there is righteousnes Here is tyme there is eternitie Here is hatred there is loue Here is payne there is pleasure Here is miserye there is felicity Here is corruption there is immortalitie Here we see vanitie there shall we behold the maiestie of god with triumphant and vnspeakeable ioy in glory euerlasting Seeke therefore the thinges that are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God the father vnto whom with the sonne and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Yours in Christ Bartlet Grene. Diuers other letters and matters there were beside which this seruaunt of God did write as namely certayn notes extractes in Latine out of the Doct. other authours for his memory wherby is declared how studious he was in the searching and knowledge of the law of God although his profession was the temporall lawe Where I would 〈◊〉 God
by friendshippe onelye and of some other esteemed vnwoorthy of so high a vocation It is first therefore to be noted and considered that the same Thomas Cranmer comming of an ancient Parentage from the conquest to be deducted and continuing sithens in the name and familie of a Gentleman was borne in a Uillage called Arselacton in Notingham shire Of whose saide name and family there remaineth at these daies one Manour and mansion house in Lincolne shire called Cranmer Hall c. Some times of heritage of the saide stocke and familie Who being from his infancie kept at schoole and brought vp not without much good ciuilitie came in processe of time vnto the Uniuersitye of Cambridge there prospering in right good knowledge amongst the better sort of students was chosen fellow of Iesus Colledge in Cambridge And so being maister of Arte and fellow of the same Colledge it chaunced him to marrye a Gentlemans daughter by meanes whereof he lost and gaue ouer his fellowship there and became the reader in Buckingham Colledge and for that hee woulde with more diligence apply that his office of reading placed his sayd wâ—te in an Inne called the Dolphin in Cambridge the wife of the house being of affinitie vnto her By reason wherof and for that his often resorte vnto his wife in that Inne he was muche marked of some Popish marchaunts whereupon rose the slaunderous noyse and report against him after he was preferred to the Archbyshopricke of Canterb. raised vp by the malicious disdaine of certaine malignant aduersaries to Christ and his truth bruting abroad euery where that he was but an Hostler and therfore without all good learning Of whose malicious reportes one of their practises in that behalfe shall heereafter be declared as place and time shall serue But in the meane time to retourne to the matter present Whilest this saide M. Cranmer continued as reader in Buckingham Colledge his wife died in childebed After whose death the maisters and fellowes of Iesus Colledge desirous againe of their old companion namely for his towardnes in learning chose him againe fellow of the same Colledge Where he remaining at his studie became in fewe yeares after the reader of Diuinitie lecture in the same Colledge and in such special estimation and reputation with the whole vniuersitâ—e that being Doctor of diuinitie hee was commonly appoynted one of the heades which are two or three of the chiefest learned men to examine suche as yearely professe in commencement eyther Bachelers or Doctors of Diuinitie by whose approbation the whole vniuersitie licenceth them to proceede vnto their degree and againe by whose disallowance the Uniuersitie also reiecteth them for a time to proceede vntill they be better furnished with more knowledge Nowe Doctour Cranmer euer muche fauouringe the knowledge of the Scripture would neuer admitte any to proceede in Diuinitie vnlesse they were substantially sene in the storie of the Bible by meanes where of certayne friers and other religious persons who were principally brought vp in the studie of schoole authoâ—s wythout regard had to the aucthoritie of scriptures were commonly reiected by him so that hee was greatly for that his seuere examination of the religious sort much hated and had in great indignation and yet it came to passe in the end that diuers of them being thus compelled to study the Scriptures became afterwardes very wel learned and wel 〈◊〉 in so much that when they proceeded Doctours of diuinitie could not ouermuch extol and commend master Doc. Cranmers goodnesse towardes them who had for a time put them backe to aspire vnto better knowledge and perfection Among whom D. Barret a white Frier who afterwardes dwelt at Norwich was after that sort haÌ„dled geuing him no lesse commendation for his happye reiecting of him for a better amendement Thus muche I repeat that our â—pish and popish sort of ignorant priestes may well vnderstande that this his exercise kinde of life and vocation was not altogether Hostlerlike Well to goe forwardes Like as hee was neyther in fame vnknowen nor in knowledge obscure so was hee greatly solicited by Doct. Capon to haue beene one of the felowes in the foundation of Cardinal Wolseis Colledge in Oxforde which he vtterly refused not without danger of indignation Notwithstanding foreseeing that whyche after chaunced to the vtter confusion of many wel affected learned men there without consideration because mans glory was there more sought for then Gods hee stoode to the danger of the sayd indignation whych chaunced more prosperously vnto him within fewe yeares after then hee looked for For whiles hee thus continued in Cambridge The great and weighty cause of king Henry the viij hys diuorce with the Lady Katherine Dowager of Spayne came into question which being many waies by the space of ij or iij. yeares amongst the Canonists Ciuilians and other learned men diuersly disputed and debated it came to passe that this sayde Doct. Cranmer by reason that the plague was in Cambridge resorted to Waltham Abbey to one M. Cresses house there whose wife was of kinne to the sayde M. Cranmer And for that he had ij sonnes of the said Cressey with him at Cambridge as his pupulles he rested at Waltham crosse at the house of the sayd master Cressey with the sayde ij children during that somer time whiles the plague reigned In this somer time Cardinall Campeius and Cardinall Wolsey being in commission from the Pope to here and determine that greate cause in controuersie betweene the K. the Queene his pretended wife dalyed and delaied all the sommer time vntill the moneth of Aug. came in hearing the said cause in controuersie debated When August was come the sayd Cardinals little minding to procede to sentence geuing tooke occasion to finish their commission and not further to determine therein pretending not to be permitted by the lawes to kepe courts of Ecclesiasticall matters in haruest time which sodeine stay geuing ouer of the said commissioÌ„ by both the cardinals being vnknowen to the king it so much mooued him that he taking it as a mocke at the cardinals hands commanded the dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke to dispatch forthw t cardinal Campeius home againe to Rome and so in hast remooued him selfe from London to Waltham for a night or twaine whiles his houshold remooued to Grenewich by meanes wherof it chanced that the harbengers lodged D. Stephens Secretarie and D. Foxe Almosiner who were the chief furtherers preferrers and defendors on the kings behalfe of the said cause in the house of the sayd M. Cressey where the sayd doctor Cranmer was also lodged and resident When supper time came they all iij. Doctors met together Doctor Stephens and Doctor Foxe muche marueiling of Doctor Cranmers being there Who declared to them the cause of his there being namely for that the plague was in Cambridge And as they were of olde acquaintance so the Secretarie and the Almosiner right wel entertained
Apostle s. Paul wryting to two Bishops Timothie and Titus setteth oute vnto vs a perfecte description of a true Bishop wyth all the properties and conditions belonging to the same vnto the which exemplare it shall be harde in these straunge daies to finde the image of any Bishop correspondent yet for example sake let vs take thys Archbishop of Canterburie and trie him by the rule thereof to see either howe neere hee commeth to the description of S. Paule or els howe farre off he swarueth from the common course of other in his time of his calling The rule of S. Paule is to be found first 1. Timothie 3. also in his Epistle to Titus chap. 1. in these woordes A Bishoppe must be faultlesse as becommeth the Minister of God Not stubburne nor angrie no drunkard no fighter not geuen to filthy luker but harberous one that loueth goodnesse sober minded righteous holy temperate and such as cleaueth vnto the true word and doctrine that he may be able to exhort c. Unto this rule and touchstone to lay now the life and conuersation of this Archb. we will first begin wyth that which is thus wrytten A Bishop must be faultlesse as becommeth the Minister of God Like as no man is without sinne and euery man carieth with him his especiall vice fault so yet neuerthelesse the Apostle meaneth that the Bishop and minister must be fautlesse in comparison of the common conuersation of men of the world which seeme more licentiously to liue at their owne liberties and pleasures then the bishop or minister ought to doe hauing small regard vnto good example geuing which a bishop and minister most carefully ought to consider least by hys dissolute life the woord of God be sclandered euill spoken of Which thing to auoide and the better to accomplish thys precept of the Apostle this woorthy man euermore gaue him selfe to continuall studie not breaking that order that he in the Uniuersitie commonly vsed that is by 5. of the clocke in the morning at his booke and so consuming that time in studie and praier vntill 9. of the clocke he then applied himselfe if the Princes affaires did not call hym away vntill dinner time to heare suters and to dispatche suche matters as appertained vnto his speciall cure and charge coÌ„mitting his temporall affaires both of his housholde and other forraine businesse vnto his officers So that such things were neuer impediments neither to hys studie nor to his pastoral charge which principally consisted in reformation of corrupt religion in setting foorth of true and sincere doctrine For the most parte alwaies being in Commission he associated himselfe with learned men for sifting and boulting out of one matter or other for the commoditie and profite of the Church of Englande By meanes wherof what for his priuate studie he was neuer idle besides that he accounted it no idle poynte to bestow one houre or twaine of the day in ouer reading such woorkes and bookes as daily came from beyond the seas After dinner if any suters were attendant he woulde very diligently heare them and dispatch them in such sort as euery man commended hys lenitie and gentlenesse althoughe the case required that some whiles diuers of them were committed by him to prisone And hauing no suters after dinner for an houre or thereabout he would play at the Chests or behold such as could play That done then againe to his ordinarye study at the which commonly he for the most part stoode and seldome sate and there continuing vntill 5. of the clocke bestowed that houre in hearing the common prayer and walking or vsing some honest pastime vntill supper time At supper if he had appetite as many times he would not suppe yet would he sit downe at the table hauing his ordinarie prouision of hys mâ—sse furnished with expedient companye he wearing on his haÌ„ds his gloues because he would as it were therby weane himself froÌ„ eating of meat but yet keping the company with such fruitful talke as did repast much delight the hearers so that by this meanes hospitalitie was well furnished and the almes chest well maintained for reliefe of the poore After supper he would consume one houre at the least in walking or some other honest pastime and then againe vntill 9. of the clocke at one kinde of study or other So that no houre of the day was spent in vaine but the same was so bestowed as tended to the glory of God the seruice of the Prince or to the commoditie of the Church Which his well bestowing of his time procured to him most happely a good report of all men to be in respecte of other mennes conuersation fautlesse as it became the Minister of God That a Bishop ought not to be stubberne Secondly it is required That a Bishop ought not to bee stubberne With which kinde of vice without great wrong thys Archbyshop in no wise oughte to be charged whose nature was such as none more gentle or sooner wonne to any honest sute or purpose specially in such things wherin by hys woord wryting counsell or deede he might gratifie either any gentle or noble manne or doe good to anye meane person or els relieue the needy and poore Onely in causes pertaining to God or his Prince no man more stoute more constant or more harde to be wonne as in that part hys earnest defence in the Parliament house aboue three dayes together in disputing against the six articles of Gardiners deuice can testifie And thoughe the King would needes haue them vpon some politicke consideration to goe forwarde yet hee so handled himselfe aswell in the Parliament house as afterwardes by wryting so obediently and with suche humble behauioure in woordes towardes hys Prince protesting the cause not to be his but almighty Gods who was the authoure of all truthe that the King did not onely well like hys defence willing hym to departe out of the Parliament house into the Counsaile chamber whilest the Acte should passe and be graunted for safegard of hys conscience which he wyth humble protestation refused hoping that his Maiestie in processe of time woulde reuoke them againe but also after the Parliament was finished the King perceiuing the zealous affection that the Archbishop bare towardes the defence of hys cause whiche many wayes by Scriptures and manifolde authorities and reasons he had substantially confirmed and defended sent the Lorde Cromwell then Uicegerent with the two dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke and all the Lordes of the Parliament to dine wyth hym at Lambeth Where it was declared by the Uicegerent and the two Dukes that it was the Kinges pleasure that they all shoulde in hys highnesse behalfe chearish comfort and animate him as one that for his trauaile in that Parliament had shewed hymself both greatly learned and also discrete and wise and therefore they willed hym not to be discouraged for any thyng that
like Lucifer sate in the place of Christ vppon an aultar to iudge other and nowe is come before an aultar to be iudged him selfe Whereunto the Archbishop interrupting hym sayde that in that he belied him as he did in many other things For that which he would now seeme to charge him withal was his owne fault if it was any and none of his For the thing you meane off was in Paules church sayde he where I came to sit in Commission and there was a scaffold prepared for me and others by you your Officers whether there were any aultar vnder it or not I could not perceiue it nor once suspected it wherfore you do wittingly euill to charge me wyth it But Boner went on still in hys Rhetoricall repetition lying and railing against the Archbyshop beginning euery sentence wyth This is the man this is the man til at lengthe there was neuer a man but was wearye of the vnmannerly vsage of hym in that time and place In so much that the bishop of Ely aforesaide diuers times pulled him by the sleeue to make an ende and sayd to hym afterward when they went to dinner that he hadde broken promise with him for hee had entreated him earnestly to vse him wyth reuerence After all this done finished they began then to bustle toward his disgrading and first to take from him hys Crosiar staffe out of his hands which he held fast and refused to deliuer withall imitating the example of Martin Luther pulled an Appeale oute of his left sleeue vnder the wrest which hee there and then deliuered vnto them saying I appeale to the next general Councel and herein I haue comprehended my cause and forme of it whych I desire may be admitted and praied diuers of the standers by by name to be witnesses and especially M. Curtop to whom he spake twise c. The Copie of whych his Appellation because it was not printed before I thoughte heere to exhibite ad rei memoriam as in forme heere followeth The tenour of the Appeale of the Archb. of Cant. from the Pope to the next generall Councell IN the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Firste my plaine protestation made that I entende to speake nothing against one holy catholicke and Apostolical church or the authority thereof the which authority I haue in great reuerence and to whom my minde is in all things to obey and if any thing peraduenture eyther by slippernesse of tongue or by indignation of abuses or els by the prouocation of mine aduersaries be spoken or done otherwise then wel or not with such reuerence as becommeth me I am most ready to amend it Although the bishop of Rome whom they cal Pope beareth the roume of Christ in earth and hath authoritye of God yet by y◠power or authority he is not become vnsmable neither hathe hee receiued that power to destroy but to edify the congregation Therfore if he shal cōmand any thing that is not right to be done he ought to take it paciētly and in good part in case he be not therin obeied And he must not be obeied if he commaund any thing agaynst the preceptes of God no rather he may lawfully be resisted euen as Paul withstoode Peter And if he be aided by helpe of princes deceiued perchance by a false suggestion or with euill counsell can not be resisted but the remedies of withstanding him be taken away there is neuertheles one remedy of appealing which no prince cā take away vttered by the very lawe of nature for as muche as it is a certaine defence which is meete for euery body by the law of God of nature and of man And whereas the lawes do permit a man to appeale not onely from the griefes iniuries done but also from suche as shall be done hereafter or threatned to be done in so much that the inferior cannot make lawes of not appealing to a superiour power and since it is openly inoughe confessed that a holy generall counsell lawfully gathered together in the holy Ghost and representing the holy catholicke Church is aboue the Pope especially in matters concerning faith that he can not make decrees that men shal not appeale frō him to a general councel therfore I Tho. Cranmer Archbishop of Caunterbury or in time past ruler of the Metropolical church of Canterb. doctor in diuinitie do say and publish before you the publike Notarie and witnesses here present with minde and intent to chalēge and appeale from the persons and griefs vnderneath wrytten and to profer my selfe in place and time conuenient and meete to prooue the Articles that followe And I openly cōfesse that I wold lawfully haue published them before this day if I might haue had either liberty to come abroad my self or licence of a Notary and witnesses But further then I am able to doe I knowe wel is not required of the lawes 1 First I say and publishe that Iames by the mercye of God Priest called Cardinall of the Pit and of the title of our Lady in the way of the churche of Rome Iudge and Commissary specially deputed of our most holy Lorde the Pope as he affirmed caused me to be cited to Rome ther to appeare lxxx daies after the Citation serued on mee to make answer to certaine articles touching the peril of my state and lyfe And where as I was kept in prisone wyth most strait warde so that I could in no wise be suffered to go to Rome nor to come out of prison and in so grieuous causes concerning state and life no man is bound to send a proctour and thoughe I would neuer so faine sende my Proctour yet by reason of pouertie I am not able for all that euer I had wherewith I should beare my Proctors costes and charges is quite taken from me neuerthelesse the most reuerend Cardinall aforesayde doth sore threaten me that whether I shal appeare or not he wil neuerthelesse yet proceede in iudgement against me Wherin I fele my selfe so greeued that nothing can be imagined more mischieuous or further from reason 2 Secondly the reuerend father Iames Brookes by the mercy of God bish of Glocester Iudge and vnderdeputy as he affirmed of the most reuerend cardinall caused me to be cited at Oxford where I was then kept in prison to answer to certaine articles concerning the daunger of my state and life And when I being vnlearned and ignorant in the lawes desired coūsel of the learned in the lawe that thing was most vnrighteously denied me contrary to the equitie of al lawes both of God and man Wherin againe I feele me most wrongfully grieued 3 And when I refused the sayde Bishop of Glocester to be my Iudge for most iust causes which I then declared he neuerthelesse went on still and made processe agaynste me contrary to the rule of the
lawes of appealing whych say A iudge that is refused ought not to proceede in the cause but to leaue off And when he had required of me answers to certaine articles I refused to make him any answeare I sayde I would yet gladly make answeare to the moste renoumed Kinges and Queenes deputies or Attourneis then present wyth this condition notwythstanding that mine answeare should be extraiudicial and that was permitted me And with thys my protestation made and admitted I made aunsweare but mine aunsweare was sodaine and vnprouided for and therefore I desired to haue a Copie of mine aunsweares that I myght putte too take awaye chaunge and amende them and thys was also permitted mee Neuerthelesse contrarye to hys promyse made vnto mee no respecte hadde to my protestation nor licence geuen to amende myne aunsweare the saide reuerende Father Bishop of Glocester as I heare commanded mine aunsweares to be enacted contrary to the equitie of the lawe In which thing againe I feele mee muche grieued 4 Furthermore I coulde not for many causes admit the bishop of Romes vsurped authority in this Realme nor consent to it first my solemne othe letting mee whyche I made in the time of most famous memorie of king Henry the eight according to the lawes of Englande Secondly because I knewe the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome whych he vsurpeth to be againste the crowne customes and lawes of this realme of Englād in so much that neither the king can be crowned in thys realme without the most grieuous crime of periurie nor may Bishops enioy their Bishoprickes nor iudgements be vsed accordyng to the lawes and customes of this Realme except by the byshop of Romes authoritie be accursed both the King and Queene the Iudges wryters and executors of the lawes and customes with all that consent to them Finally the whole Realme shal be accursed 5 Moreouer that heinous and vsurped authoritie of the bishop of Rome through reseruations of the Bishoprickes Prouisions Annuates Dispensations Pardones Appellations Bulles and other cursed Marchaundice of Rome was woont exceedingly to spoyle and consume the richesse and substaunce of this Realme which all thinges shoulde followe againe by recognising and receyuing of that vsurped authoritye vnto the vnmeasurable losse of thys Realme 6 Finally it is most euident by that vsurped authority not onely the Crowne of Englande to be vnder yoke the lawes and customes of this realme to be throwen downe and troden vnder foote but also the most holy Decrees of Councels together with the precepts both of the gospel and of God When in times past the sonne of righteousnesse being risen in the world Christian religion by the preaching of the Apostles began to be spred verye farre abroade and to floorish in so much that theyr sounde went out into all the worlde innumerable people which walked in darknesse saw a great light Gods glory euery where published did flourishe the onely carke and care of the Ministers of the church was purely sincerely to preache Christ the people to imbrace and followe Christes doctrine Then the church of Rome as it were Lady of the world both was also was coūted worthily the mother of other churches for as much as then she first begat to Christ nourished with the foode of pure doctrine did help them with their riches succoured the oppressed and was a sanctuarie for the miserable she reioyced with them that reioyced and wept with them that wept Then by the examples of the Bishops of Rome riches were despised worldly glory pompe was troden vnder foote pleasures and riot nothyng regarded Then this fraile vncertain life being ful of al miseries was laughed to scorne whiles thorow the example of Romish martyrs men did euery where presse foorth warde to the life to come But afterward the vngratiousnes of dānable ambition neuer satisfied auarice and the horrible enormitie of vices had corrupted taken the see of Rome there followed euery where almost the deformities of all churches growing out of kinde into the manners of the churche their mother leauing their former innocencie and puritie and slipping into foule and heinous vsages For the foresayde and many other griefes and abuses which I intend to prooue and doe profer my selfe in time conuenient to prooue heereafter since reformation of the aboue mentioned abuses is not to be looked for of the byshop of Rome neither can I hope by reason of hys wicked abuses and vsurped authority to haue hym an equall iudge in hys owne cause therefore I do chalenge and appeale in these wrytinges from the Pope hauing no good counsell and from the aboue named pretenses commissions and iudges from their citations processes and from all other things that haue or shal folow therupon from euery one of them and from all their sentences censures paines and punishmēts of cursing suspension and interdicting and from all others what soeuer theyr denouncinges and declarations as they pretende of schisme of heresie adulterie depriuation disgrading by them or by any of them in any manner wise attempted done and set forwarde to be attempted to be done and to be sette foorth hereafter sauing alwayes their honors and reuerences as vnequal and vnrighteous more tyrannicall violent and from euery griefe to come which shall happen to me as wel for my selfe as for al and euery one that cleaueth to me or will heereafter be on my side vnto a free generall councel that shal heereafter lawfully be in a sure place to the which place I or a Proctour deputed by mee maye freely and with safety come and to him or them to whom a man may by the lawe priuiledge custome or otherwyse challenge and appeale And I desire the first the seconde and the thirde time instantly more instantly and most instantly that I maye haue messengers if there be any man that wil can geue me them And I make open promise of prosecuting thys mine appellation by the way of disanulling abuse inequalitie and vnrighteousnes or otherwise as I shal be better able choise and liberty reserued to me to put too diminish chaunge correcte and interpretate my sayings and to reforme all thinges after a better fashion sauing alwaies to me euery other benefit of the law and to them that either be or will be on my parte And touching my doctrine of the sacrament and other my doctrine of what kinde soeuer it be I protest that it was neuer my minde to wryte speake or vnderstand any thing contrary to the moste holy woorde of God or else against the holy catholicke church of Christ but purely and simply to imitate and teach those things onely whyche I had learned of the sacred scripture and of the holy catholicke church of Christe from the beginning and also according to the exposition of the moste holye and learned Fathers and Martyrs of the Church And if any thing hath peraduenture chaunced otherwise then I
Church in fortifieng the same wyth the testimony and bloud of such a Martyr and so good also to the man with this crosse of tribulation to purge his offences in this world not onely of his recantation but also of his standyng agaynst Iohn Lambert and M. Allen or if there were any other with whose burnyng and bloude hys hands had bene before any thyng polluted But especially he had to reioyce that dying in such a cause he was to be numbred amongst Christes Martyrs muche more worthy the name of S. Thomas of Caunterbury then he whom the Pope falsly before did Canonise And thus haue you the full story concernyng the lyfe and death of this reuerend Archbish. and Martyr of God Thomas Cranmer and also of diuers other the learned sort of Christs Martyrs burned in Queene Maries time of whom this Archb. was the last beyng burnt about the very middle tyme of the raign of that Queene and almost the very middle man of all the Martyrs which were burned in all her raigne besides Now after the lyfe and story of this foresayde Archbishop discoursed let vs adioyne withall his letters beginning first with his famous letter to Quene Mary which he wrote vnto her incontinent after he was cited vp to Rome by bishop Brookes and his fellowes the tenour whereof here followeth ⧠Letters of Doctor Tho. Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury ¶ The Archbishop of Canterburies letter to the Queenes highnesse IT may please your Maiestie to pardone my presumption that I dare be so bold to write to your highnes But very necessitie constraineth me that your Maiestie may know my mynde rather by myne owne writyng then by other mens reports So it is that vppon Wednesday beyng the 12. day of this moneth I was cited to appeare at Rome the 80. day after there to make answer to such matters as should be obiected agaynst me vpon the behalfe of the K. your most excelleÌ„t maiestie which matters the thursday following were obiected against me by D. Martin and D. Story your Maiesties Proctors before the B. of Glocester sitting in iudgement by commissioÌ„ from Rome But alas it cannot but grieue the heart of a naturall subiect to be accused of the King and Queene of his owne realm and specially before an outward Iudge or by authoritie commyng from any person out of this realme where the king and Queene as they were subiects within their own Realme shall complaine and require Iustice at a straungers hands agaynst their owne subiectes beyng alreadye condemned to death by their owne lawes As though the king and Queene could not do or haue iustice within their owne Realmes agaynst their own subiects but they must seeke it at a strangers hands in a straunge land the lyke whereof I thinke was neuer seene I would haue wished to haue had some meaner aduersaries and I thinke that death shal not grieue me much more then to haue my most dread and most gracious soueraigne Lord and Lady to whome vnder God I do owe all obedience to bee myne accusers in iudgement within their owne Realme before any stranger and outward power But forasmuch as in the tyme of the prince of most famous memory kyng Henry the 8. your graces father I was sworne neuer to consent that the B. of Rome should haue or exercise any authoritie or iurisdiction in this realme of England therfore least I should allow hys authoritie contrary to myne othe I refused to make answer to the B. of Glocester sittyng here in iudgement by the Popes authoritie least I should run into periurie An other cause why I refused the Popes authoritie is this that his authoritie as he claimeth it repugneth to the crowne imperiall of this Realme and to the lawes of the same which euery true subiect is bound to defend First so that the Pope sayeth that all manner of power as well temporall as spirituall is geuen first to hym of God and that the temporall power hee geueth vnto Emperors and kyngs to vse it vnder hym but so as it be alwayes at hys commandement and becke But contrary to this claime the Imperiall crowne and iurisdiction temporal of this Realme is taken immediately from God to be vsed vnder hym onely and is subiect vnto none but to God alone Moreouer to the Imperiall lawes customes of this realme the kyng in his Coronation all Iustices when they receiue their offices be sworne all the whole realm is bound to defend and maintayne But contrary hereunto the Pope by his authoritie maketh voyde commandeth to blot out of our bookes all lawes and customes beyng repugnant to his lawes and declareth accursed al rulers and gouernours all the makers writers executors of such lawes or customes as it appeareth by many of the Popes lawes whereof one or two I shall reherse In the decrees Distinct. 10. is written thus Constitutiones contra Canones decreta praesulum RomanoruÌ„ vel bonos mores nullius sunt momenti That is The constitutioÌ„s or statutes enacted agaynst the Canons and decrees of the Bishops of Rome or their good customes are of none effect Also Extra de sententia excommunicationis nouerit Excommunicamus omnes haereticos vtriusque sexus quocunque nomine censeantur fautores receptores defensores eorum nec noÌ„ qui de caetero seruari fecerint statuta edita consuetudines contra Ecclesiae libertatem nisi ea de capitularibus suis intra duos menses post huiusmodi publicationem sententiae fecerint amoueâ—i Item excommunicamus statutarios scriptores statutorum ipsorum nec non potestates consules rectores consiliarios locorum vbi de caetero huiusmodi statuta consuetudines editae fuerint vel seruatae nec non illos qui secundum ea praesumpserint iudicare vel in publicam formam scribere iudicata That is to say We excommunicate all heretikes of both sexes what name so euer they be called by and theyr fautors and receptors and defenders and also them that shall hereafter cause to be obserued the statutes customs made agaynst the libertie of the Church except they cause the same to be put out of their recordes and chapters with in two moneths after the publication hereof Also we excommunicate the statute makers and writers of those statutes and all the potestates consuls gouernours counsellors of places where such statutes and customes shall be made or kept and also those that shall presume to geue iudgement accordyng to them or shall notifie in publike forme the matters so iudged Now by these lawes if the Bish. of Romes authoritie which he claymeth by God be lawfull all your Graces lawes and customes of your Realme being contrary to the Popes lawes be naught and as well your Maiestie as your Iudges Iustices and all other executors of the same stand accursed amongest heretikes which God forbid And yet this curse can neuer be auoyded if the
Pope haue such power as he claimeth vntill such tyme as the lawes and customes of this Realme beyng contrary to his lawes be taken away blotted out of the law books And although there be many lawes of this Realme contrary to the lawes of Rome yet I named but a fewe as to conuict a Clarke before any temporall Iudge of this Realme for debt fellony murther or for any other crime which Clarkes by the Popes lawes bee so exempt frō the Kyngs lawes that they can be no where sued but before their ordinary Also the Pope by his lawes may geue all bishoprikes and benefices spiritual which by the lawes of this realm can be geuen but onely by the kyng and other patrones of the same except they fall into the lapse By the Popes lawes Ius patronatus shall be sued only before the Ecclesiasticall Iudge but by the lawes of the Realme it shall be sued before the temporall Iudge And to be short the lawes of this realm do agree with the Popes lawes like fire and water And yet the Kings of this realm haue prouided for their lawes by the premunire so that if any man haue let the execution of the lawes of this realme by any authority from the Sea of Rome he falleth into the premunire But to meete with this the Popes haue prouided for their lawes by cursing For whosoeuer letteth the Popes lawes to haue ful course within this realm by the Popes power standeth accursed So that the Popes power treadeth all the lawes and customs of this Realme vnder his feete cursing all that execute them vntil such tyme as they geue place vnto his lawes But it may be sayd that notwithstanding all the Popes decrees yet we do execute still the lawes and customes of this realme Nay not all quietly without interruption of the Pope And where we do execute them yet we do it vniustly if the Popes power be of force and for the same we stand excommunicate and shall do vntill we leaue the execution of our owne lawes and customes Thus we bee wel reconciled to Rome allowyng such authority wherby the Realme standeth accursed before God if the Pope haue any such authority These thynges as I suppose were not fully opened in the Parliament house when the Popes authority was receiued agayne within this realme for if they had I doe not beleeue that either the kyng or Queenes Maiesty or the noblest of this Realme or the Commons of the same would euer haue consented to receiue agayne such a forraine authority so iniurious hurtfull and preiudiciall as well to the crowne as to the lawes and customs and state of this Realme as whereby they must needes acknowledge themselues to be accursed But none coulde open this matter well but the Clergy and such of them as had red the Popes lawes whereby the Pope had made hymselfe as it were a God These seeke to maintaine the Pope whom they desired to haue their chiefe head to the intent they might haue as it were a kyngdome and lawes within themselues distinct from the lawes of the crowne and wherewith the crowne may not meddle and so being exempted from the lawes of the Realme might liue in this Realme lyke lordes and kings without damage or feare of any man so that they please their high and supreme hed at Rome For this consideration I weene some that knew the truth held their peace in the Parliament whereas if they had done their duties to the crowne whole realme they should haue opened their mouths declared the truth and shewed the perils and daungers that might ensue to the crowne and realme And if I should agree to allow such authoritie within this Realme whereby I must needes confesse that your most gracious highnes and also your realme should euer continue accursed vntill ye shall cease from the execution of your own lawes and customs of your realme I could not thinke myselfe true either to your highnesse or to this my naturall countrey knowyng that I do know Ignorance I know may excuse other men but he that knoweth how preiudiciall and iniurious the power and authoritie which he chalengeth euery where is to the crowne lawes and customes of this realme and yet wil allow the same I cannot see in any wyse how he can keepe his due allegeaunce fidelitie and truth to the crowne and state of this realme An other cause I alledged why I could not allow the authoritie of the Pope which is this That by his autoritie he subuerteth not onely the lawes of this realme but also the lawes of God so that whosoeuer be vnder hys authority he suffreth them not to be vnder Christes religion purely as Christ did commaund And for one example I brought foorth that wheras by gods lawes all christian people bee bounden diligently to learne his worde that they may know how to beleeue and liue accordingly for that purpose he ordeined holydayes when they ought leauyng apart al other businesse to geue themselues wholy to know and serue God Therefore Gods will commandement is that when the people be gathered together that Ministers should vse such language as the people may vnderstand and take profite thereby or els hold their peace For as an harpe or lute if it geue no certaine sounde that men may know what is striken who can dance after it for all the sound is in vayne so is it vayne profiteth nothyng sayth almighty God by the mouth of S. Paule if the priest speake to the people in a language which they know not For els he may profite hymselfe but profiteth not the people saith S. Paul But herein I was answered thus that Saint Paule spake onely of preachyng that the preacher should speake in a tong which the people did know or els his preaching auaileth nothing but if the preaching auaileth nothing beyng spoken in a language which the people vnderstand not how should any other seruice auaile them beyng spoken in the same language And yet that S. Paule ment not onely of preachyng it appeareth plainly by his owne words For he speaking by name expressely of praying singyng and thanking of God and of all other thynges which the priestes say in the Churches whereunto the people say Amen whiche they vse not in preaching but in other diuine seruice that whether the Priests reherse the wonderfull workes of God or the great benefites of God vnto mankynd aboue al other cretures or geue thanks vnto God or make open professiō of their fayth or humble confession of their sinnes with earnest request of mercy and forgeuenes or make sute or request vnto God for any thing then all the people vnderstāding what the priests say might geue their mynds and voyces with them and say Amen that is to say allowe what the priests say that the rehearsall of Gods vniuersall workes and benefites the geuyng of thanks the professiō of fayth the confession of sinnes
me thinketh your apparell doth as much vary from an Apostle So then there spake one of the Bishops Gentlemen My Lord sayd he in mockadge geue him a chaire a toste and drinke and he wil be lusty But the Byshop bad haue him away and cōmaunded him to come before him agayn the next day at an houre appoynted But winchester for lacke of leasure or because of sickenes growing vpon him or for what cause els I know not either would not or could not attend vnto him but returned him agayne to his Ordinary Bishop from whence he came So william Tyms being put of agayne to Bishop Boner was placed together and coupled with the other fiue Martyrs aboue named and with them brought together to publicke examination before the Bishop the 21. day of March first in the Bishops Palace of London where the sayd Bishop after his accustomed maner proceeding agaynst them enquyred of them theyr fayth vpon the Sacrament of the aultar To whom they aunswered that the body of Christ was not in the sacrament of the aultar really and corporally after the wordes of consecration spoken by the Prieste of the whiche opinion they had bene of long time some later some sooner euē as God of his mercy dyd call them vnto the knowledge of his Gospell Then the Bishops Chapleines began to reason with thē but with no great authorities either of the scriptures or of the auncient fathers ye may be sure as other theyr large conferences with the learned do already declare An other examination of Tyms and Drakes and the rest before the Bishop of London THe xxiij day of the same moneth next after the Bishop sent agayne for Tyms and Drakes and Ex officio did obiect vnto them certayne Articles the summe and maner wherof were the same which before obiected to Whittell Greene Tudson Went Burn Eliza◠Foster Lashford looke pag. 1589. And the 26. day of the same month he sent for the other foure ministring vnto thē also the same generall articles Unto the which they all in effect answered in matters touching theyr fayth as did the sayd Bartl Grene and the rest Other appearinges they had as the Bishops common maner of proceding was more as I haue often sayd for order and forme of law thē for any zeale of iustice But in conclusion the xxviij day of this Moneth of March William Tyms and Robert Drakes with the other 4. aboue named were brought to the open Consistory in Paules before the sayd Bishop of London to be condēned for heresy The bishop first began in this or like sort Tyms quoth he I will begin with thee firste for thou art and hast bene the ringleader of these thy companions thou hast taughte them heresies confirmed them in their erroneous opinions and hast indeuored as much as in thee lyeth to make them like vnto thy selfe If thy faulte had not tended to the hurt of other I would thē haue vsed thee more charitably and not haue brought thee to this open rebuke I woulde according to the rule of Christ in the 18. of Mathew haue told thee thy fault betwene me thee if thou wouldest not haue heard me I would not so haue lefte thee but I wyth two or thre other would haue exhorted thee if that would not haue serued then woulde I haue told the Church c. But for that thy fault is open manifest to the world and thou thy selfe remainest stout in thine error this charitable dealing is not to be extended towardes thee I haue therfore thought good to proceed by an other rule whereof S. Paule speaketh 1. Tim. 5. Such as sinne rebuke thē openly that other may feare For this cause art thou brought before me in the face of this people to receiue iudgemēt according to thy deserts Let me see what thou canst say why I should not proceed agaynst thee as thine Ordinary My Lord quoth Tyms will you now geue me leaue to speake yea quoth the Bishop Then sayde Tyms My Lord I maruell that you will begin with a lye You call me the ringleader teacher of this cōpany but how vntruly you haue sayd shall shortly appeare for there is none of all these my brethren whiche are brought hither as prisoners but when they were at liberty and out of prison they dissented from you and your doinges as much as they do at this present and for that cause they are now prisoners So it is euident that they learned not their Religiō in prison And as for me I neuer knew them vntil such time as I by your commaundement was prisoner with them how could I then be their ringleader and teacher So that al the world may see how vntruly you haue spokē And as for my fault which you make so greuous whatsoeuer you iudge of me I am wel assured that I hold none other religiō thē Christ preached the Apostles witnessed the primatiue church receiued now of late the Apostolicall and Euangelical preachers of this realm haue faithfully taught for the which you haue cruelly burned them and now you seeke our bloud also Proceed on hardly by what rule you will I force not I do not refuse you for my Ordinary Then sayd the Bishoppe I perceyue thou wilt not be coūted their ringleader How sayst thou wilt thou submit thy selfe to the catholicke Church as an obedient childe in so doing thou shalt be receiued and do wel enough otherwise thou shalt haue iudgement as an hereticke Then one of the prisoners whose name is not certainly knowne sayd my Lord you are no vpright Iudge for you iudge after your owne lust But if you will iudge vs according to the holy Testament of Christe whiche is the word of truth we will accord to your iudgement for vnto that word we wholy submit our selues But as for your iudgement without that truth God shall condemne And this prisoner was very earnestly in hand with the bishop that they might be iudged by the word of God With this the Bishop was offended calling him busye knaue and commaunded him to holde his toung or els he should be had away to a place of smaller ease Then Tyms aunswered and sayd My Lord I doubt not but I am of the Catholicke Church whatsoeuer you iudge of me But as for your Church you haue before this day renounced it and by corporall oth promised neuer to consēt to the same Contrary to the which you haue receyued into this realme the Popes authority therefore you are falsly periured forsworne all the sort of you Besides this you haue both spoken and written very earnestly agaynst that vsurped power now you do burne men that will not acknowledge the Pope to be supreme head Haue I quoth the bishop Where haue I written any thing agaynst the church of Rome My Lord quoth Tyms the Bishoppe of Winchester wrote a very learned Oration intituled De vera obedientia
and forgiuen your sinnes nowe cleaue vnto him and be at defiance with his enemyes the Papistes as they doe beare witnesse with their Father the Deuill by goinge to the Church and shedding of the innocent bloud of all those that will not goe with them euen so do you beare witnes with Christ by not comming there for all those that do go thither shal be partakers of their brethrens bloud that is shed for the testimonye of Christ except they repent amend which grace that they may so doe I beseech the eternall God for his Christes sake if it be his good will to geue them in his good tyme. And the same good God that hath bene so mercifull vnto you to call you to repentance him I beseech to keepe you in his feare loue that you may haue alwayes affiance in him and euermore seeke his honour glory to your euerlasting comfort in Christ Amen Thus fare you well from the kinges bench this 28. of August By me William Tyms ¶ An other letter of W. Tyms to certayne godly women of his parish folowers of the Gospell GRace mercy and peace from GOD the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ be with you both now and euermore Amen Deare sisters I haue me most hartely commended vnto you thanking you for the great kindnes shewed vnto me in this tyme of my imprisonment and not onely vnto me but also vnto my poore wife and children and also for the great kindnesse that you shew vnto all the liuing saints that be dispersed abroad and are fayne to hide their heades for feare of this cruell persecution Deare sisters when I do remember your constancy in christ I call to remembraunce the constancy of diuers godly women as Susanna Iudith Hester and the good wife of Nabal that thorow her godly conditions saued both her husbandes life and all her housholde when Dauid had thoughte to haue slayne him for his churlish aunswere that he sent him Also I do remember Rahab that lodged the Lordes Spyes howe God preserued her and her whole housholde for her faythfulnesse that she bare to Gods people So I doe beleue that when the Lord shall send his Aungell to destroy these Idolatrous Egyptians here in England and shall finde the bloud of the Lambe sprinkled on the dore postes of your harts he wil go by not hurt you but spare your whole housholdes for your sakes Also I do remember Mary Magdalen how faythfull she was for she was the first that preached the resurrection of Christ. Remember the blessed Martir Anne Askew in our time folow her example of constancy And for the loue of God take heede that in no case you doe consent to Idolatrye but stande fast to the Lorde as the good woman did that had her seuen sonnes put to death before her face and she alwayes comforting them yea and last of all suffered death her selfe for the testimony of her God which is the liuing God Thus I beseech God to send you grace and strength to stand fast to the Lorde as shee did and then you shall be sure of the same kingdome that she is sure of to the which kingdome I pray God bring both you and me Amen By me William Tyms prisoner in the Kinges Bench. ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms to his frend in Hockley THe grace of God the Father through the merites of his deare sonne Iesus our Lord and onely Sauiour with the continuall ayde of his holy and mighty spirit to the performance of his wil to our euerlasting comfort be with you my deare brethren both now and euermore Amen My dearely beloued I beseeche God to rewarde the greate goodnesse that you haue shewed vnto me seuen folde into your bosomes and as you haue alwayes had a moste godly loue vnto his word euen so I beseech him to geue you grace to loue your owne soule and then I trust that you will flee from al those thinges that shoulde displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhorre all the companye of those that woulde haue you to worship God any otherwise then is conteined in his holy worde And beware of those maysters of Idolatrye that is these papisticall Priestes My deare brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I haue sayd vnto you and also written the which I am now ready to seale with my bloud I prayse God that euer I liue to see the daye and blessed bee my good and mercifull God that euer he gaue me a body to glorify his name And deare hartes I do now write vnto you for none other cause but to put you in remembraunce that I haue not forgotten you to the end that I woulde not haue you forgette me but to remember well what I haue simply by worde of mouth and writing taught you The which although it were moste simplye done yet truely as your owne conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own conscience doth condemne Therefore come out of Sodome and goe to heauen ward with the seruauntes and martyrs of God least you be pertakers of the vengeance of God that is comming vpō this wicked natiō from the which the Lord our God defend you and send vs a ioyfull meeting in the kingdome of heauen vnto the which God bring you all Amen Thus now I take my leaue of you for euer in this world except I be burned amongst you whiche thing is vncertayne vnto me as yet By me your poorest and most vnworthy brother in Christ W. Tyms in Newgate the 12. day of April condemned to dye for Christes verity ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms geuing thankes to his parishioners for theyr charity shewed to his wife being brought to bed of a childe in his captiuity THe euerlasting peace of our deare Lord and only sauiour Iesus Christ with the sweete comfort of his holy mighty spirite to the encrease of your fayth to the perfourmance of his will and to your eternall cōfort in the euerlasting kingdome of heauen be with you my deare brethren and sisterne both now and euer Amen My most deare brethren sisterne in our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ I haue me most hartely cōmended vnto you with harty thankes for all the great liberality that you haue shewed vnto me specially now in this time of my necessity whē that God hath sēt my poore wife a childe in my captiuity which is no litle care to me so to prouide that I might keepe both the child my wife from the Antichristian church the which thing I thanke my good god through his most gracious prouidence I haue yet done though it be as you know great charge not to me but to the congregation of God it greueth me that I haue bene so chargeable to thē as I haue bene specially you my deare brethrē I being so vnworthy a
reuoke her selfe vnto the fellowshyp of the Catholicke faith openly protested saying I deny it to be God because it is a dumme God and made wyth mans handes Wherein the good and faithfull Martyr of Christe firmely persisting so receiued her sentence being condemned of Boner to the fire which shee wyth great constancie sustained by the grace and strength of the Lorde and dyd abide for the cause and loue of Christ. Ioane Hornes maid producted likewise to her iudgement and condemnation wyth like firmnesse and Christian fortitude declared her selfe a true Martyr and folower of Christes Testament geuing no place to the aduersary but being charged that she did not beleeue the Sacrament of Christes body and bloude to be Christe himselfe of the which Sacrament contrary to the nature of a Sacrament the aduersaries are woont to make an idoll seruice to this shee protesting openly her minde sayde as followeth If you can make your God to shed bloud or to shew any cōdition of a true liuely body then will I beleeue you but it is but bread as touching the substaunce therof meaning the matter whereof the Sacrament cōsisteth and that you call heresie I trust to serue my Lord God in c. And as concerning the Romish sea she said my Lord speaking to Boner I forsake all his abhominatiōs and from them good lord deliuer vs. From this her stable and constant assertion when the Bishop was too weake to remooue her and too ignorant to conuince her he knockt her downe wyth the butcherly axe of hys sentence And so the holy Uirgine and Martyr committed to the shambles of the secular sword was offered vp with her other felowes a burnt sacrifice to the Lord In odorem bonae fragrantiae in the sauour of a sweete and pleasant smell As touching Margaret Ellis shee likewise perseuering in her foresayde confession and resisting the false Catholicke errours and heresies of the Papistes was by the sayd Boner adiudged and condemned but before the time of her burning came preuented by death in Newgate prison departed and slept in the Lord. No lesse strength in the grace of the Lorde appeared in the other maide Elizabeth Thackuell whose hearte and minde the Lorde had so confirmed in hys truth so armed with patience that as her aduersaries could by no sufficient knowledge of Scripture conuicte her affirmation so by no forceable attempts they could remooue her confession Whereuppon shee standing to the death being in lyke sorte condemned by the sayd vnbyshoplyke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaue her life willingly and mildely for the confirmation sealing vp of the sincere truth of Gods woord The Martyrdome of three women Thomas Drowry a blinde boy and Thomas Croker Bricklayer Martyrs YEe heard a litle before of two men the one blinde the other lame which suffered about the 15. of Maye And heere is not to be forgotten an other as Godly a couple whiche suffered the like passion and Martyrdome for the same cause of Religion at Glocester of the which two the one was the blind boy named Tho. Drowrie mentioned before in the hystorie of B. Hooper whom the sayd vertuous Byshop confirmed then in the Lorde and in the doctrine of hys woorde With him also was burned an other in the same place and at the same fire in Glocester about the fifth of Maye whose name was Thomas Croker Bricklayer Concerning the which blinde boy howe long he was in prison and in what yere he suffered I am not certaine Of this credible intelligence I haue receiued by the testimonie of the Register then of Glocester named Ihon Tailer aliàs Barker that the sayde blinde boy at his last examination and finall condemnation was brought by the Officers vnder whose custodie he had remained before doctour Williams then Chauncellour of Glocester sittinge Iudicially wyth the sayd Register in the consistorie neare vnto the Southe doore in the neather ende of the Churche of Glocester Where the sayde Chauncellour then ministred vnto the sayde Boye such vsuall articles as they are accustomed in such cases and are sondry times mentioned in thys booke Amongest which he chiefly vrged the article of Transubstantiation saying in effect as followeth Chauncellor Doest thou not beleue that after the words of consecration spoken by the Priest there remayneth the very reall body of Christ in the Sacrament of the altare Tho. To whome the blinde Boy answeared No that I doe not Chauncel Then thou art an hereticke and shalt be burned But who hath taught thee thys heresie Thom. You M. Chancellor Chancel Where I pray thee Thom. Euen in yonder place Poynting with his hande and tourning towardes the Pulpet standinge vppon the North side of the Church Chancel When did I teache thee so Tho. When you preached there namyng the day a Sermon to all men as well as to me vppon the Sacrament You sayd the Sacrament was to bee receiued spiritually by fayth and not carnally and really as the papistes haue heretofore taught Chanc. Then do as I haue done and thou shalt lyue as I do and escape burnyng Tho. Though you can so easily dispense with your self and mocke with God the world and your conscience yet I will not so do Chanc. Then God haue mercy vpon thee for I will read the condemnatory sentence against thee Tho. Gods will be fulfilled The Register beyng herewith somwhat mooued stood vp and said to the Chancellor Register Fie for shame man will you read the sentence against hym and condemne your selfe away away substitute some other to geue sentence and iudgement Chanc. No Register I will obey the lawe and geue sentence my selfe accordyng to myne office And so he red the sentence condemnatory agaynst the boy with an vnhappy tongue and a more vnhappy conscience deliuering him ouer vnto the secular power Who the said v. day of May brought the said blinde boy to the place of execution at Glocester together with one Thomas Croker a Bricklayer condemned also for the like testimony of the truth Where both together in one fire most constantly and ioyfully yelded their soules into the hands of the Lord Iesus Ex testimo Io. Lond. ¶ Persecution in Suffolke Three burnt at Beckles May. 21. AFter the death of these aboue rehersed were three men burnt at Beckles in Suffolke in one fire about the 21. day of May anno 1556. Whose names are here vnder specified Thomas Spicer of Winston Labourer Iohn Deny and Edmund Poole This Thomas Spicer was a single man of the age of 19. yeres and by vocation a Labourer dwellyng in Winston in the County of Suffolke there taken in his maisters house in Sommer about or anone after the rising of the Sunne beyng in his bed by Iames Ling and Iohn Keretch of the same towne and Wil. Dauies of Debnam in the sayd Countie The occasion of his taking was for that he would not go to their popish church to heare Masse and receiue their
Idole at the commandement of sir Iohn Tirrell knight of Gippyng hall in Suffolke and certaine other Iustices there who sent both hym and them to Eay dungeon in Suffolke till at length they were all three together broght before Dunnyng then Chauncellor of Norwich and M. Myngs the Register sittyng at the Towne of Beckles to be examined And there the sayd Chancellour perswading what he could to turne them from the truth could by no meanes preuaile of his purpose Whereby mynding in the ende to geue sentence on them he burst out in teares intreatyng them to remember themselues and to turne agayne to the holy mother church for that they were deceiued and out of the truth and that they should not wilfully cast away thēselues with such like wordes Now as he was thus labouryng them and semed very loth to read the sentence for they were the first that he condemned in that dioces the Register there sittyng by beyng weary belike of tarying or els perceiuyng the constant Martyrs to be at a point called vpon the Chauncellour in hast to ridde them out of the way and to make an ende At which wordes the Chauncellour read the condemnation ouer them with teares and deliuered them to the secular power ¶ Their Articles THe Articles obiected to these and commonly to all other condemned in that Diocesse by Doctor Hopton Bishop of Norwich and by Dunnyng his Chauncellor were these 1. First was articulate agaynst them that they beleeued not the Pope of Rome to bee supreme head immediately vnder Christ in earth of the vniuersall Catholike Church 2. Item that they beleeued not holy bread and holy water ashes palmes and all other lyke ceremonies vsed in the Churche to be good and laudable for stirring vp the people to deuotion 3. Item that they beleeued not after the wordes of consecration spoken by the Priest the very naturall body of Christ and no other substance of bread and wine to be in the sacrament of the Altar 4. Item that they beleeued it to be Idolatry to worship Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar 5. Item that they tooke bread and wine in remembrance of Christes Passion 6. Item that they would not follow the Crosse in procession nor be confessed to a Priest 7. Item that they affirmed no mortall man to haue in himselfe free will to do good or euill For this doctrine and articles aboue prefixed these three as is aforesayd were condemned by Doctor Dunning committed to the secular power Syr Iohn Sylliard being the same tyme hyghe Sheriffe of Northfolke and Suffolke And the next day following vpon the same they were all burnt together in the sayd towne of Beckles Whereupon it is to be thought that the writte De comburendo was not yet come downe nor could not be the Lord Chaunlour Bish. Heath being the same time at London Which if it be true then it is playne that both they went beyond their Commission that were the executioners also the Clergy which were the instigatours thereof cannot make good that they now pretend saying that they did nothing but by a lawe But this let the Lord finde out when he seeth his tyme. In the meane tyme while these good men were at the stake had prayed they sayd there beliefe and when they came to the reciting of the Catholicke Church Syr Iohn Silliard spake to them That is well sayd Syrs quoth he I am glad to heare you say you do beleeue the Catholicke Church That is the best word I heard of you yet To which his sayinges Edmund Pole aunswered that though they beleeue the Catholicke Churche yet doe they not beleeue in their Popish Church which is no part of Christes Catholicke Churche and therefore no part of their beliefe When they rose from prayer they all went ioyfully to the stake and being bounde thereto and the fire burning about them they praysed God in such an audible voyce that it was wonderfull to all those which stoode by and heard them Then one Robert Bacon dwelling in the sayd Beckles a very enemye to Gods truth and a persecutour of his people being there present within hearing thereof willed the tormentours to throw on fagots to stoppe the knaues breathes as he termed them so hotte was his burning charitye But these good men not regarding there malice confessed the truth and yelded their liues to the death for the testimony of the same very gloriously ioyfully The which their constancye in the lyke cause the Lord graunt we may imitate and follow vnto the ende Whether it be death or lyfe to glorifye the name of Christ Amen And forasmuch as we haue here entred into the persecution of Northfolke and Suffolke it commeth therefore to minde by occasion hereof brieflye to touche by the way some part for the whole matter cannot bee so exprest as it was done touching the troubles of the towns of Winson and Mendlesam in Suffolke raysed and stirred by the sayd Syr Iohn Tyrrell other Iustices there of the lyke affinitye The summe and effecte of which briefly is thus signifyed to me by writing * The persecution in the Townes of Winson and Mendlesam in Suffolke BY the procurement of Syr Iohn Tyrrell Knight and other of his Colleagues there were persecuted out of the Towne of Winson in Suffolke these persons hereafter following Anno. 1556. Maistresse Alice Twaites Gentlewoman of the age of three score yeres and more and two of her seruaunts Humfrey Smith and his wyfe William Katchpoole and his wyfe Iohn Maulyng and his wyfe Nicholas Burlingham and his wyfe And one Rought and his wyfe Such as were persecuted and driuen out of the towne of Mendlesam in the Countie of Suffolke Symon Harlstone and Katherine his wife with his fiue children William Whitting and Katherin his wife Thomas Dobson and his wife Thomas Hubbard and his wife Iohn Doncon and his wife his maide William Doncon Thomas Woodward the elder One Konnoldes wife A poore widow One mother Semons maide Besides those that were constrained to do against their conscience by the helpe of the parishe Priest whose name was sir Iohn Brodish ¶ These be the chiefest causes why those aboue named were persecuted FIrst they did hold and beleeue the holy word of God to be the sufficient doctrine vnto their saluation Secondly they denied the Popes vsurped authoritie and did hold all that church of Antichrist to be Christs aduersaries And further refused the abused sacraments defied the masse and all popish seruice and ceremonies saying they robbed God of his honour Christ of his death and glory and would not come at the Church without it were to the defacyng of that they did there Thirdly they did hold that the ministers of the church by Gods word might lawfully marry Fourthly they helde the Queene to be as chiefe head and wicked rulers to bee a great plague sent of God for sinne c. Fiftly
Lorde of all mercy and Father of all comfort through the merites and mediation of his deare sonne thy onely Lord and Sauiour hath clearely remitted and pardoned all thy offences whatsoeuer they bee that euer hitherto thou hast committed agaynst his maiesty and therefore he hath geuen to thee as to his childe deare Brother Iohn Careles in token that thy sinnes are pardoned he I say hath geuen vnto thee a penitent and beleuing hart that is a hart which desireth to repent and beleue For suche a one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleuing hart in deed Wherefore my good Brother be mery gladde and of good cheare for the Lorde hath taken away thy sinnes thou shalt not dye Goe thy wayes the Lord hath put away thy sinnes The East is not so farre from the West as the Lord now hath put thy sinnes from thee Looke how the heauēs be in comparison of the earth so far hath his mercy preuayled towardes thee his deare chylde Iohn Careles through Christ the beloued Say therfore with Dauid prayse the Lord oh my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy name for he hath forgeuen thee all thy sinnes as truely he hath And hereof I desire to be a witnesse God make me worthy to heare from you the like true message for my selfe Myne owne dearly beloued you haue great cause to thanke God moste hartily that he hath geuen you such repētance and fayth the lord encrease the same in you and me a most miserable wretch whose hart is harder then the Adamant stone or elles I coulde not thus long haue stayed from writing vnto you If I liue and may I purpose and promise you to make amendes Praye for me my moste deare brother I hartely beseech you and forgeue me my long silence God our father be with vs for euer Amen Yours in the Lord Iohn Bradford ¶ To my most deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to dye for the testimony of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength and comfort of his most pure holy mighty spirite with the increase of fayth liuely feeling of his eternall mercy be with you my most deare faythfull louing brother Tyms with all the rest of my deare hartes in the Lord your faithfull felow souldiers most constant cōpanions in bonds yea of men condēned most cruelly for the sincere testimony of Gods euerlasting truth to the full finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begon in you all that the same may be to his glory the commodity of his poore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most sweet and louing brethrē and dearest hartes in the Lord what shall I say or how shall I write vnto you in the least poynt or part to vtter the great ioy that my poore hart hath cōceiued in God through the most godly example of your christian constancy and sincere confession of Christes verity Truely my tongue can not declare nor my pen expresse the aboūdance of spirituall myrth and gladnes that my minde and inward man hath felte euer since I heard of your harty boldnes and modest behauior before that bloudy butcher in the time of al your crafty examinations especially at your cruell condēnation in theyr cursed Consistory place Blessed be God the Father of all mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciously performed vpon you his deare darlinges his most sweete and comfortable promises in not onely geuing you the cōtinuall aide strength and comfort of his holye and mighty spirite to the faythfull confession of his Christ for whose cause O most happy mē ye are condemned to dye but also in geuing you such a mouth wisedom as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were fayne to cry Peace peace not suffer you to speake As truely as God liueth my deare brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euident probation that God is on our side and a sure certainty of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather gods cursed enemies a plaine demōstration of their iust eternall woe damnatiō which they shal be full sure shortly to feele whē ye shal ful sweetly possesse the place of felicity pleasure prepared for you frō the beginning Therefore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to prayse the Lord with a lusty courage for that of his great mercy and infinite goodnesse he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not onely the losse of goodes wife and childrē long imprisonment cruell oppressiō c. but also the very depriuation of this mortall life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fire The which is the greatest promotion that GOD can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue yet hath the Lord for his dere sonne Christs sake reputed you worthy of the same yea and that before me and many other which haue both long looked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Tyms whose time resteth altogether in the handes of the Lorde in a full happy time camest thou into this troublesome world but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the sweete saying of Salomon or rather of the holye ghost shall be full well verified vpon thee yea and all thy faythfull fellowes Better is the day of death sayth hee then the day of byrth This saying cannot be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and suche as thou art whose death is most precious before God full deare shal your bloud be in his sight Blessed be God for thee my deare brother Tymmes and blessed be God agayn that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came first into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God will once vouch me worthye of that great dignitie whereunto he hath now brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth now nigh vnto God of whom you haue receiued the same ful glad may you be that euer God gaue you a life to leaue for his sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wife Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I beseeche you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my sins of that great dignitie whereunto the Lord hath called you and the rest of your godly brethren whome I beseech you to comfort in the Lorde as you can full well praysed be God for his giftes which you haue hartily applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the commoditie of his
euer But in the meane space I saye most happy are you that so hartily mourne the absence of the bridegrome If you were not a wedding child you could neuer doe it Onely Christes true Disciples doe mourne for his absence therefore shall they doubtles reioyce at his presence which will be so muche more ioyfull by how much the absence is more sorrowfull Therfore my good brother take a good hart vnto you be of good cheare Say with the Prophet Dauid O my soule why art thou so heauy and why art thou so disquieted with in me O put thy trust in God for I will yet geue him thankes for the helpe of his louing countenance and because he is my God Read the Psal the xli and the xlij for your comfort consider that the holy kng and Prophet at the making first saying of them was euē in the same case that you are now in but he still comforted himselfe with the sweet promises of God and so do you my deare hart for to you they do as well pertayne as they did to him and as surely shall they be performed vpon you as they were vpon him for he is one God and deare father vnto you both for his mercy truth and promise sake he must needes make good vnto you all that he hath sayd If his loue towardes you stoode in the respect of your own merite or worthines you might well mourne lamēt and complayne yea you had good cause to doubt feare mistrust But seeing he loueth you onely for and in Iesus christ who is your whole holines righteousnesse and redemption lay away all mourning lamenting and complayning banish from you all feare mistrust and infidelitie and know that as long as Christ doth continue Gods sonne so lōg must the loue of the father continue towards you immutable and his good will vnchangeable and can not be altered through any of your infirmities For this is most true that as long as the cause of any thinge doth last so long must the effect remayne but Christ is the whole cause why the father loueth you and hee also continueth for euer then must I needes conclude that the loue of the father continueth towardes you for euer and as the Psalmist most ioyfully so often singeth His mercye endureth for euer and euer This is most true mine owne deare hart although the Lorde for a time hide it from your senses that you might be the more earneste in prayer to him for the feeling of it also the more thankefull for it when he doth geue the liuely tast of it as doubtles he will do ere euer it be long and then shall you be well able to comforte other in the same state that you are now in with the same comforte wherewith you are and further shal be comforted of God Therefore lifte vp youre handes that are now a little fallen downe and stretche forth the weake knees of youre troubled minde whiche now mourneth with a godly mourning and therefore shal it be full well comforted with that sweete peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and you are sure already to enioy the blessing that Christ gaue vnto the Godly mourners of Sion vppon the Mount at the first sermon that he made Oh happy U. in whose mourning company I had rather be then in the house of mirth and banqueting of such as see not what cause they haue to mourne and be sory But yet my good brother vse a measure in this your godly mourning make not your faithfull frendes too much sory for you Let the perswasions of such godly louers as you do dayly company withal or rather the perswasions of the holy Ghoste by them moue you to some godly mirth and reioising Consider that you are commaunded of God by the mouth of Sainct Paule thereto Reioyce in the Lord sayth he and I say again reioyce Marke how he doubleth the sentence that wee may perceaue it is a most earnest and necessary thing he requireth Obey the commaundement of God in this behalfe wherin as you cannot but highly please him so I assure you you shall very much reioyce my poore hart and the harts of other whiche pray for you with mourning teares and make that cruell enemy Sathan and all your aduersaryes sory which will reioyce and laugh to see you mourne Oh my good brother let it manifestly appeare that the Lorde of his great mercy hath heard our faythfull and harty requestes for you Oh how would that reioyce me in the midst of my troubles Therfore now to conclude because the darkenes constrayneth me to make an end for this time I say my deare faithful brother U. in respect of the great cause you haue of your own part through Christ for the glory and honor of almighty God the comfort ioy and reioysing of your deare brethren and sisters in Christ also your owne duetie by the commaundement of God and last of all to vexe molest and greeue Satan withall reioyce in the lord and be most hartily glad in him who is wholy yours and you are his and shal be for euermore Selah Farewel mine own bowels in the Lord praise God with ioyfull lips a mery hart pray for me his most vnprofitable seruant which haue more cause concerning my selfe to lament then any one man liuing but my good bridegrome is present biddeth me cast away my mourning garmentes and therfore I must needes be merry with him and so he biddeth you to be by my mouth for hee is present with you although for sorow you cannot know him as Magdalen could not in the garden vntill he spake vnto her The Lorde God speake these wordes of comforte in your hart open the eyes of your minde that you may perfectly perceiue and feele his blessed presence so reioyce in the same for euermore Amen Comfort your hart in christ and cast your care vpon him for he careth for you Your brother in the Lord abiding his good pleasure Iohn Careles * To my deare and faythfull brother Augustine Bernher The peace of God in Iesus Christ the helpe comforte and assistance of his eternall spirite be with you my deare and faythfull brother Augustine and with all the rest of my good brethren and sisters of the houses of Baxterley Manceter which mourneth for the miserye of Gods people to your euerlasting consolation in hym Amen Right glad I am to heare my deare and faithfull brother Augustine that God of his greate mercy and infinite goodnes hath yet so graciously deliuered preserued you out of your enemyes handes beseeching almighty God also from the bottome of my hart to be your continuall defence vnto the ende as hitherto he hath most graciously bene that you may liue dye both to Gods glory the commodity of his Church and to the increase of your owne euerlasting ioy and comfort in hym Knowe you deare brother
that I haue receaued your letter for the which I hartely thanke you In dede I thinke it very shorte although it seemeth something sharpely to rebuke me in the beginning for the breach of my promise in not writing to you of this long tyme. Well brother I am contente to beare it with pacience considering that you are troubled otherwise the Lorde comforte you and all heauy hartes neyther will I spende ynke paper for my purgation in this poynte God he knoweth whether I bee so mindeles of my promise as it appeareth in your sight I am Your request I will truely performe to the vttermost of my power as gladly as any poore wretch shall do in the world and I thanke God I haue done no lesse of longe tyme. And as my poore prayer shall be a handmayd to waite vpon you which way soeuer you ryde or go so I beseech you that my simple counsell may take some place in you in this tyme of your pilgrimage whiche you passe in no small perill God keepe and preserue you for his names sake I doe not disalowe but muche prayse and commende your harty boldenesse in putting your selfe in preasse when any one of Gods people needeth your helpe in any poynte But yet I would not haue you thrust your selfe in daunger when you canne doe them no good or at least wise when they may well inough spare that good you woulde doe them For if you should then chaunce to be taken you shall not onely be no comfort vnto them but also a great discomfort adding sorrow vnto their sorrow I doe not perswade you to absent your selfe from any place where your presence of necessity is required for in all such places I know God will preserue you as he hath hitherto wonderfully done praysed be his name therefore or if it shall please him to permit you in any such place to be taken I know he will most sweetely cōfort your consciēce with this consideratiō that it is the very prouidēce appointmēt of God that you should there and then be taken vp for a witnes of his truthe vnto the worlde but I cannot alowe nor be contented that you shoulde rashly or negligently thrust your selfe into that place where your wicked enemyes do continually haunt yea and lay wayte for you when no necessitye of your selfe nor of any other of Gods people dothe require your company If they neede any of your godly counsel you may write vnto them that thinge that you thinke good which I dare say will be sufficient vnto them For continuall thankes and prayses be giuen vnto the euerlasting God there is none of those that be cruelly condemned for Gods truthe that now be weakelings for they haue manfully passed throughe the pikes and they haue boldly abidden the brunt of the battell and therefore I recken the worste is paste with them alreadye So that nowe and thē a godly letter from you to them shall doe as much good as your company shall doe and perchaunce more too for writing sticketh longer in the memorye then wordes doe yea though your letters were as shorte to them as your laste was to me so that the same bee something sweeter and not althing so sharpe This deare brother is the simple counsell which I woulde gladly haue you obserue partely for that I hartely pray for your preseruation to the commoditye of Christes Church and partly for that I vnfainedly wish the peace comfort and tranquility of your owne conscience which I knowe will be quickely ready to accuse you if you do any thing wherein you haue not the worde of God for your warrante For in a glasse that is cleare a small mote will soone appeare euen so the good conscience of Gods chosen children being more cleare then Cristall will quickely accuse them at the least fault they do commit whereas the wicked worldlinges haue their conscience so clogged corrupted thorough the custome of sinne that they cannot once see or perceiue their owne shamefull deedes wicked workes vntill God set the same before them for their vtter destruction then dispayre they immediately But seing that God hathe geuen you a cleare conscience and a pure sharpe quicke and liuely sight in your soule I woulde wishe you to beware that you doe nothing vnaduisedly but vpon a good ground For an accusing conscience is a sore thing when death doth approche and then Sathan will not sticke to tell you that you haue to much tempted God when peraduenture you haue done nothing so at all For thys cause I say partly I haue thought it good to admonishe you as I haue done often to be cirumspecte according to the counsell of Christ whiche biddeth you to beware of men Other thynges I haue not to write for I knowe this bearer can certifie you of all thinges at large better then I can declare it by writing I beseeche you good Augustine helpe me forwardes with your harty prayers for I trust I haue but a small time to tary in this troublesome worlde Doctour Story tolde oure Marshall that we should all be dispatched so soone as hee came from Oxford whether he and other bloudy butchers bee gone to make slaughter of Christes sheepe that lye there appoynted to be slain God for Christes sake put them and such like besides theyr cruell purpose if it be his good will and pleasure Amen good Lord. I pray you doe my moste harty commendations to my deare sister and faythfull friend good Mistres Mary glouer I beseeche God be her comforte as I doubte not but hee is I am verye glad to heare that she doth so ioyfully and so patiently beare this great crosse that God hath layde vppon her I pray God strengthen her and all other his deare Sayntes vnto the end Amen Commende me vnto my deare and faythfull sister Elizabeth B. I thanke her most hartily for my napkin and so I doe youre deare brother for my sherte Truely that day that wee were appoynted to come to oure aunswere before the Commissioners which had sent word the same morning that they woulde come to the kinges Benche by viii of the clocke and the house and all thinges were trimmed and made ready for them I got that sherte on my backe and that napkin in my hand and me thoughte that they did helpe to harnesse me and weapon me well to goe fight agaynst that bloudy beast of Babilon And trust me truely if they had come I woulde haue stricken three strokes the more for your two sakes as well as God would haue abled me to haue set them on as by Gods grace I will not fayle to do at the next skirmish that I come to Wherfore I pray you pray for me that I may be stronge and hardy to laye on good loade Oh that I might so strike him downe that hee should neuer be able for to rise agayne But that stroke belongeth onely vnto the Lorde to strike at his comming
sake we suffer whose cause we defend and what glorious reward we shall haue at the day of our victory then doubtles the consolation of these things will make sweete all our suffringes soone swallowe vp all the sorrowes that we are sowâ—ed in for Gods sake I coulde recite diuers textes of the Scriptures to confirme this pointe But I neede not for I am well assured that you do knowe them most perfectly alreadye The Lorde geue you strength and assist you with his holy spirite that you may continually walke in all pointes according to your godly knowledge And then shall you not doe as the moste parte of our Gospellers doe nowe adaies the more is the pitie There are a greate manye in Englande that doe perfectlye knowe that the Idolatrous Masse is abhominable Deuelishe and detestable in the sight of God And yet alasse they be not afrayde to pollute and defile theyr bodyes whych oughte to be the temples of the holy Ghoste with being present at it so sinning against God and theyr owne conscience But dere sister K. do you flie from it both in body soule as you would flie from the very Deuill himselfe Drinke not of the whore of Babylons cuppe by no meanes for it will infecte the body and poyson the soule Be not partakers of her sinnes sayth the Aungell least you be partakers of the plagues that shortly shall be powred vppon her O what an aray is this that so many that know Gods truth wil nowe tourne againe and defile them selues in the filthy puddle of antichristes stinking religion They goe about to saue theyr liues wyth their dowble dissimulation but doubtlesse they shall loose euerlastinge life by it if they doe not repent in time and tourne vnto the Lorde But deare sister my trust is that you doe vtterly abhorre the comming to anye such thyng I hope that you wil not by any meanes turne backe into Egypt nowe but that you will boldly venter throughe the wildernesse of trouble and persecution that you may come into the lande that floweth with all kinde of heauenly pleasures and ioyfull delectations and possesse the same for euer Lette vs consider howe that euery one of vs doeth owe vnto God a death by nature and howe soone the Lord wil require it of vs we knowe not O howe happye are we then if God of hys goodnesse appoynt vs to pay natures dette wyth sufferyng for hys trueth and Gospels sake and so making vs his faithfull witnesses wyth the Prophetes Apostles Martyrs and Confessours yea wyth his dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christe to whome he doeth heere begin to fashion vs lyke in suffering that we myght be like hym also in glory Thus my dearely beloued sister I haue ben bold to trouble you a little with my rude simple letter being made in hast as it doth appeare Yet I desire you to take it in good woorthe as a token of my poore zeale vnto you and to accept my good will And if it please God to spaâ—e me life and libertye I trust heereafter to wryte vnto you more largely Fare yee well deare sister E.K. the Lorde blesse you and all yours and powre vpon you the heauenly dewe of his grace The Lorde endue you wyth plentifull knowledge of hys verity and fill you with hys holy and mighty spirite that you may continuallye reioyce in the comfortes of the same nowe and euer Amen Pray pray pray with stedfast faith Your daily Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lord. ¶ In the letters of William Tymmes ye heard before page 1897. much mention made of Agnes Glascock Thys Agnes Glascocke through infirmity and her husbandes perswasion was allured to goe to Masse For whyche cause shee falling in great sorrow and repentance was raised vppe againe by the comfortable Letters of William Tymmes and Iohn Careles as before you maye reade and after that was constante in the syncere profession of the verity and in danger for the same of persecution vnto whome Iohn Careles wryteth therefore thys letter as followeth A letter of Careles to Agnes Glascocke THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continuall aide strengthe and comfortes of his moste pure holye and mighty spirite be with you my deare faithfull sister Glascock to the good performance of that good woorke which God hath so graciously begun in you to his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflâ—cted Churche and to your owne eternall comfort in hym Amen In our Lorde I haue my most humble and hearty commendations vnto you my deare sister most faithfull mother Glascocke with all remembrance of you in my daily prayers geuing God most hearty laude praise and thankes for you and on your behalfe in that he of his great mercye hath hetherto so mightely strengthened you constantly to cleaue vnto youre Captayne Christ notwithstanding the great assaultes and manifold temptations that you haue had to the contrary Doubtles deare heart it can not be expressed what ioy and comfort it is vnto my very soule to see howe mightely the Lorde hathe magnified hym selfe in you and other his deare electe darlings whome hee will shortly glorify with himselfe as he hath done other of his sweete Sainctes that are gone before you Reioyce therefore be glad for verilye you haue good cause if you diligentlye consider the great dignitie that God hath called you vnto euen now in your olde age to be one of his woorthy witnesses vnto the worlde and I thinke you shall wyth mee and other youre brethren in bonds seale the Lords verity with the testimony of your bloud Surely sweete sister this is the greatest promotion that God caÌ„ bring you or any other vnto in this life and an honour that the highest aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue Therefore happye are you Oh faithfull daughter of Abraham that the Lorde will nowe preferre you before many other yea or any other of your age that I doe know in Englande Oh faithfull and vertuous matrone which wilt not be moued from the sure rocke Christe vppon whome you haue so firmely built your house that neither stormes nor tempestes neither yet bell gates or any other temptations shall euer be able once to preuaile against it Full wel doeth it appeare by your constant continuance that you haue played the parte of a wise builder in counting the cost afore hand belonging to the finishing of your tower And I doubt not but through Gods gift you haue sufficient to the performaunce thereof that the hypocrites of theyr parte shall haue no iuste cause to triumphe againste you or to mocke you saying loe thys woman beganne to builde but is not able to make an ende Therefore goe on boldlye and feare not for God is faithfull as S. Paule sayeth which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but eyther will hee geue you grace and strength to stande vnto the death whych is the gate and entraunce into
great quietnesse if hee coulde haue dissembled and bothe done and spoken against his conscience as many stirring Papistes then did And likewise he mighte haue escaped burning in Queene Maries time if he woulde either haue spoke◠or kept silence against his conscience as manye weake Gospellers did But Palmer could in no wise dissemble Now within short space God so wrought in his hart that he became very inquisitiue and carefull to heare and vnderstand howe the Martyrs were apprehended what articles they died for how they were vsed and after what sort they tooke theyr death In so much that he spared not at his owne charges to sende ouer one of his schollers in the companye of a Bacheler of that house to Glocester to see vnderstand the whole order of B. Hoopers deth and to bring him true report therof Which thing some thinke he the rather did because he was woont in king Edwards time to say that none of them all would stand to death for their religion Thus he learned with what extreme horrible cruelty the martyrs of God were tried and how valiauntly they ouercame all kinde of torments to the ende Wherof he himself also did see more experience afterward at the examination and death of those holy confessors and martyrs which were burned at Oxford before his eyes in so muche that the first hope which the godly conceyued of him was at the retourne from the burning of B. Ridley and B. Latimer At what time in the hearing of diuers of his frendes he brast out into these woordes and suche like O raging crueltie O tyrannie tragicall and more than barbarous From that day forward he studiously sought to vnderstand the truth and therefore with all speede he borrowed Peter Martyrs Commentaries vpon the first to the Corinthes of one of Magdalenes yet aliue and other good bookes of other men And so through harty praier and diligent search and conference of the scriptures at length he beleeued and imbraced the truth with great ioy and so profited in the same that daily more and more hee declared it both in word and dede In such sort as he neuer hated the truth more stubbornly before then afterward he willingly embraced the same whē it pleased God to open his eies and to reueale vnto him the light of his woord And nowe againe when he should come to Church in those dayes of Poperie there to be occupied among the rest in singing of Respondes reading of Legendes and suche like stuffe allotted vnto him he had as much pleasure he sayd to be at them as a Beare to be baited and wearied wyth dogs When he came it was as it appeared more to auoid displeasure and daunger then for any good will and readye affection At length through Gods grace he grew vp to suche maturitie and ripenes in the truth that he spared not to declare certaine sparkes thereof in his outward behauior and doyngs For when he should keepe his bowing measures at Confiteor as the custome there was in turning hymselfe to and fro sometyme Eastward somtyme Westward and afterward knocke his brest at the eleuatiō time agaynst which Idolatrous adoration hys hart did so vehemently rise that sometyme hee would absent hymselfe from them and sometyme beyng there he would euen at the sucring tyme as they termed it gette hym out of the church to auoyd those vngodly gestures and Idolatrous adoration To be shorte perceiuing after a while that hee was greatly suspected and abhorred of the President then being which was M. Cole and of diuers other whiche before were his friendes and therewithall feeling great conflict and torment of conscience daily to grow with his conuersation with idolaters seeing also that his newe life and old liuing might not wel nor quietly stande together he addressed himselfe to depart the house For he thoughte it not best to abide the dāger of expulsion as he did at the first seeing the weather was now waxed warmer And being demanded at that time of a special frend who wold gladly haue perswaded him to stay there longer whether he would go or how he would liue he made this answer Domini est terra plenitudo eius i. The earth is the Lordes and the fulnesse thereof Let the Lord woorke I will commit my selfe to God and the wide worlde Here I thinke it expedient before I wryte of the painfull surges that he suffered after he came abroade into the perillous gulphes and deepe Sea of this wretched wyde world first to reherse one or two exāples of his outward behauioure at suche tymes as he hadde recourse to the Colledge after his last departure whereby the Reader may yet better vnderstand of his simplicitie playnenesse and how farre wide he was from all cloked dissimulation in Gods cause which certayne godlesse personnes haue sought maliciously to charge hym with all Beyng at Oxford on a certayne tyme in Magdalene Colledge and hauyng knowledge that the Spanish Frier Iohn who succeeded D. Peter Martyr in the office of the Diuinitie Lecture would preach there that present Sonday he would not at the first graunt to be present at it At length a friend of his a fellow of that house persuaded so much with him that he was content to accompany his sayde friend to the church But sodainly as the Frier vehemently inueyed against Gods truth in defendyng certayne popish heresies Palmer hauyng many eyes bente and directed towardes hym departed from amongst the middest of the auditorie and was found in hys friends chamber weepyng bitterly Afterward beyng demaunded why he slipt away vpon such a sodayne Oh sayd he if I had not openly departed I should haue openly stopped myne eares For the Friers blasphemous talke in disproouyng or rather deprauyng the veritie made myne eares not to glowe but my hart worse to smart then if myne eares had bene cut from myne head It chanced another tyme that the same friend of hys called M. Shipper beyng then Bursar of the house bade hym to dinner in hys chamber Palmer not knowyng what ghestes were also thither inuited and bidden hapned there contrary to his expectation to meete with the foresayd Frier with whom were present D. Smith Doc. Tresham and diuers other papists whose company Palmer coulde not well beare and therefore whisperyng a friend in the eare he sayd he would be gone for that was no place for hym I will sayth he to the Bursars Table in the great hall The Bursar vnderstandyng his mynde desired hym of all friendshippe not so to depart alledgyng that it were the next way to be wray hymselfe as it were of purpose to cast hymselfe into the Briers with many other perswasions as the shortnes of tyme would permit In the end he condescēded to his request and taried Now as he came to the fire side the Frier saluted hym cherefully in Latine for he could not speake Englishe Palmer with an amiable countenaunce resaluted him
for that there was a Peuter dishe whereof the name was scraped out theyr bodyes vpon the same were attached put in prison theyr moueable goodes taken by inuētory Within a few daies after these things this done past these 3. sely women abiding thus in durance in the castle made theyr supplication to the Iustices to haue iustice ministred vnto them videlicet If they had offended the law then to let them haue the law if not beseeching to graunt them the benefite of Subiects c. Which supplication put vp thereupon were they appoynted to come to theyr answere the fift day of Iune in the yeare aforesayd Uppon which day after straight examining of the matter and the honest aunswering of the cause by the sayde good woman at the last they submitted them to the report of their neighbours that they were no theeues nor euill disposed persons but liued truely and honestly as became Christian women to do the false and vntrue report of theyr accusers notwithstanding So the cause being thus debated after the inquirye made by the kinges Officers they were founde by theyr said neighbors not guilty of that they were charged wyth but had liued alwayes as honest women among them sauing onely that to the commaundementes of holy church they had not bene obedient c. Upon this triall verdit of the neighbours it was in fine adiudged firste that the sayd Uincent Gosset being atteinted of fellonye and condemned for the same should be whipped and after her eare being nailed to the pillory should so be banished out of the Isle without further punishment And as touching the other three women the Mother with her two daughters for theyr not comming to the Church they were returned prisoners agayn into the Castle the first of Iuly And thus farre concerning the true discourse of this matter with all the circumstaunces and appurtenaunce of the same in euery poynt as the case stoode according to the faythfull tenour and testimony of the Garnesey menne written with theyr owne handes both in Frenche and English tongue Wherein you see what false surmised matter was pretended agaynst these women and nothing proued and howe by the attestation of theyr neighbours they were fully clered of that facte and should by the temporall Courte haue bene dismissed had not the spirituall Clergy men picking matter of religion agaynst them exercised such extremitye in persecuting these miserable prisoners that in no case they could escape theyr bloudye handes till at length they had brought them as you shall heare to theyr finall ende For after the time of this declaration aboue mentioned made by the neighbours whereby they were purged of al other thinges being then known of theyr not comming to the Church the Bailiefes Lieutenaunt and the Iustice thinking the matter not to perteyne to them but to the Clergy forthwith wrote theyr letters or Mandate vnder theyr signes to the deane whose name was Iaques Amy and Curates of the sayd Isle The contentes wherof here foloweth ¶ A Letter sent from the Bailieffes Lieutenaunt and Iurates of Saynt Peters Port to the Deane and Curates of the Isle of Garnesey MAyster Deane and Iustices in your Court and iurisdiction after all amiable recommendations pleaseth you to know that we are informed by the deposition of certayn honest men past before vs in maner of an inquiry in the which inquiry Katherine Cawches and her two daughters haue submitted themselues in a certayne matter criminall Wherein we be informed that they haue bene disobedient to the commaundementes and ordinances of the Church in contēning and forsaking the masse and the ordinances of the same agaynst the will and commaundement of our souereigne Lord the king and the Queene Wherof we send you the sayd matter for as much as the matter is spirituall to the end you may proceed therein after your good discretions and as brieflye as you can possible and also that it perteined to your office recommēding you to God the which geue you grace to do that perteineth to right and iustice Written the first day of the moneth of Iuly the yeare of our Lord. 1556. After these letters and information thus addressed to Iaques Amy Deane and to other of the Clergy the sayde women were agayne commensed before the Iustice aforesaid with his assistances In the presence of whom they being examined of theyr fayth concerning the ordinances of the Romish church made their aunswere that they would obey and keepe the ordinaunces of the king Queene the cōmaundementes of the church notwithstanding that they had sayd and done the contrary in the time of K. Edward the 6. in shewing obedience to his ordinaunces and commaundementes before After which aunswere taken they were returned againe to prison vntill the other had an answere of their letter frō the deane his cōplices During which time the Deane curates gaue their information touching the sayd women and deliuered the same to the Bailiefe and Iurates cōdemning and reputing them for hereticks the women neither hearing of any information neither yet being euer examined at any time before of theyr fayth and religion Wherupon when the said Bailife Iurates vnderstood that the sayd Deane Curates had not examined the women of theyr fayth would not fitte in iudgement on that day but ordeined the women to come first before the Deane and Curates to be examined of their fayth And so the Officers at the commaundement of the Iustices did fetch and present them before the sayd Deane and Curates The which being accomplished and done they were examined a parte seuerally one from an other After which examination they incontinently were returned agayne into prison Then the xiiij day of the sayd moneth of Iuly in the yeare aforesayd after the examination aboue specified before Elyer Gosselin Bailiffe in the presence of Thomas Deuicke Pierres Martine Nicolas Cary Iohn Blondel Nicolas de Lisle Iohn Lauerchaunt Iohn le Feuer Pierres Bonnamy Nicolas Martin Iohn de la March Iurates Syr Iaques Amy Deane and the Curates dyd deliuer before the Iustice vnder the seale of the Deane vnder the signes of the Curates a certayne Act and Sentence the summe whereof was that Katherine Cawches and her two daughters were found heretickes and suche they reputed them and haue deliuered them to Iustice to do execution according to the Sentence of the which the tenour foloweth ¶ The Sentence AN. dom millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo sexto die verò .xiij. mensis Iulij apud Ecclesiam diui Petri in portu maris insula promotor per nos Dominum Decanum inquisitio facta fuit de fide Catholica super Sacramenta Ecclesiastica videlicet super Sacramentum Baptismi confirmationis poenitentiae ordinis Matrimonij Eucharistiae extremae vnctionis nec non super ceremonias Ecclesiae ac de veneratione honoratione beatae Mariae sanctorum de Missa eius efficacia
de ceremonijs Ecclesiae videlicet Katherinae Cawches eiusdemque duarum filiarum Guilleminae Parotinae nuncupatarum harum tam coniunctim quam separatim via iuris Et quamuis pluries ad veniam petendam ad delicta sua cognoscenda hortauimus inuitauimus quae quidem praedicta omnino negauerunt negant quod locutae fuerunt aliquod verbum inane inhonestum ociosum vanum contra fidem catholicam Sacramenta Ecclesiae alias ceremonias Ecclesiae Quapròpter auditis negationibus praedictarum attestatÃonibus depositionibus testium per nos visis consideratis bene ponderatis per opiniones Curatorum Vicariorum ibidem assistentium super easdem Katherinam Parotinam nec non Guilleminam crimine hereticas inuenimus reputamus Quapropter coram vobis Domino Baliuo omnino remittimus vt antea remissimus Thomas le Coll de mandato Iohn Alles Guillielmus Panquet Petrus Tardise Iohannes Manatiell When this was done commaundement was geuen to the kinges officers to go to the Castle to fetche the sayde women to heare the sentence agaynst them in the presence aforesayd And they appearing before theÌ„ sayd in the eares of all the auditory that they woulde see theyr accusers and know them that haue deposed agaynst them because they might make aunsweres to theyr sayinges and personages and to haue theyr libell accordingly for they knew not to haue offended the maiesties of the King and Queene nor of the Church but intyrely would obey obserue and keepe the ordinances of the King and Queene and of the Church as all good and true Subiectes are bound to do And for any breach of the Kyng and Queenes lawes that they had done they required iustice All whiche theyr reasons and allegations notwithstanding the sayd poore women were condemned and adiudged to be burnt vntill they were consumed into Ashes according to a sentence geuen by Elyer Gosseline Bailife of the which sentence the tenour hereafter foloweth ¶ The effect of the sentence in English THe xvij or as some other thinke the xxvij day of the Moneth of Iuly 1556. Elier Gosselin Bailiffe in the presence of Thomas Deuicke Pierres Martine Nicholas Cary Iohn Bloundell Nicholas Deuise Iohn le Marchaunt Iohn le Feauer Pierres Bonamy Nicholas Martine and Iohn de la March Iurates Katherine Cowches Perotine Massey and Guillemyne Guilbert the sayd Perotine and Guillemyne daughters to the sayd Katherine are all condemned iudged this day to be burned vntil they be consumed to ashes in the place accustomed with the confiscation of all theyr goodes moueables and heritages to be in the handes of the king and Queenes maiesties according and after the effect of a sentence deliuered in iustice by Mayster Deane and the Curates the xiij day of the moneth of Iuly in the yeare aforesayd in the which they haue bene approued heretickes ⧠A Lamentable Spectacle of three women with a sely infant brasting out of the Mothers Wombe being first taken out of the fire and cast in agayne and so all burned together in the Isle of Garnesey 1556. Iuly 18. After which sentence pronounced the sayd women did appeale vnto the Kyng and the Queene and theyr honorable Counsell saying that agaynst reason and right they were condemned for that cause they made their appeale notwithstanding they coulde not be heard but were deliuered by the sayd Bayliffe to the King and Quenes Officers to see the execution done on them according to the sayd sentence The time then being come when these three good seruauntes and holy Sayntes of GOD the Innocent mother with her two daughters shoulde suffer in the place where they should consummate theyr Martyrdome were three stakes set vp At the middle post was the mother the eldest daughter on the right hande the youngest on the other They were first strangled but the Rope brake before they were dead and so the poore women fell in the fire Perrotine who was then great with childe did fall on her side where happened a ruefull sight not onely to the eyes of all that there stood but also to the eares of all true harted christians that shall read this historye For as the belly of the woman brast a sonder by vehemency of the flame the Infant being a fayre man childe fel into the fire and eftsoones being taken out of the fire by one W. House was layd vpon the grasse Then was the child had to the Prouost and from him to the Bayliffe who gaue censure that it should be caryed backe agayne and cast into the fire And so the infant Baptised in his own bloud to fill vp the number of Gods innocent Sayntes was both borne and dyed a Martyr leauing behinde to the world which it neuer saw a spectacle wherein the whole world may see the Herodian cruelty of this gracelesse generation of catholicke Tormentors Ad perpetuam rei infamiam Now forsomuch as this story percase for the horrible straungenes of the fact will be hardly beleued of some but rather thought to be forged or els more amplified of me then truth will beare me out therefore to discharge my credite herein I haue not onely foretolde thee a little before how I reciued this story by the faythfull relation both of french and English of them which were there preseÌ„t witnesses and lookers vpon but also haue hereto annexed the true supplication of the sayd inhabitauntes of Garnesey of the brother of the sayde two sisters complayning to the Queene and her Commissioners concerning the horriblenes of the acte which Supplication for the more euidence here vnder foloweth to be sene * To the right honorable and the Queenes highnesse most gracious Commissioners for the hearing and determining of matters of Religion and causes Ecclesiasticall MOst lamentably and woefully complayning sheweth vnto your gracious and honorable Lordships your poore huÌ„ble Orator Mathew Cawches of the Isle of Garnesey that where Iaques Amy Clerke Deane of the Isle aforesayd assisted by the Curates there agaynst all order lawe and reason by colour of a sentence of heresie pronounced agaynst Katherine Cawches the Sister of your honours sayd suppliant and Perrotine and Guillemine her two daughters did cause the same Katherine beyng a poore widowe and her sayd two daughters moste cruelly to bee burned although the said persons ne any of them did hold mainteine or defend any thing directly agaynst the Ecclesiasticall lawes then in place vnder the raigne of the late Queene Mary but in all thinges submitted themselues obediently to the lawes theÌ„ in force and yet the cruelty of the said Deane and his accomplices in perpetrating such murther as aforesayd raged so farre that whereas whilest the sayd persons did consume with violent fire the wombe of the sayd Perrotine being burned there did issue froÌ„ her a goodly man childe which by the Officers was taken vp handled and after in a most despightful maner throwne into the
time out she intended no lesse but honestly to be brought to bed and to nurse vp her childe neither caryng for shame of the world nor fearyng anye sclaunder to the Gospell Whereby may be argued that no suche intent of murder was euer in her thoughte For how is it like that shee whiche had gone so longe with childe almost to the full time of her deliueraunce neuer thought nor wrought any hurt to the infant al that while shoulde nowe goyng to her owne death mynde more hurte to her childe then she did before hopyng her selfe to liue Secondly how knoweth M.H. to the contrarye but that she was knowne in the towne to be with childe and went boldly abroad without note of any shame before the time she came in trouble Whiche being true shame then could be no cause why she should conceale her child more now after her condemnation then she did before she was condemned Thirdly admitte the case it was not knowne before what aduauntage thereby should ryse to her beyng nowe appoynted to dye by concealing her being with childe She should haue eschued sayth M.H. the publike shame and obloquie of the worlde in that none should haue knowen her to be with childe First what shame was it for a maryed wife to be noted to be with childe Agayne what gayne had that bene to her to auoyde the shame and fame of the world which hadde not to liue in the worlde being now condemned to dye Fourthly how is it like that for shame shee meant to conceale that from the world which both knew she shuld not liue in the worlde and also suffer that kinde of death whereby her childe could not be hidden from the sight of the worlde though she had gone about her self neuer so much to conceale it Fiftly how is it to be thought that any woman going to suche a sharpe punishment of fire to bee consumed would let for any worldly shame to reschue her owne life from so bitter torment at least so long as she might beside the safegard also of her childe if by any meanes she hadde knowne any remedy Sixtly for so much as M. Harding doth so haynouslye charge her with the wilfull murdering of her owne naturall childe let all indifferente consciences thys consider with themselues what was the cause that moued her so willinglye to recant as shee did but partly to saue her owne life and especially the poore innocent Whereby it is manifest to be vnderstanded what a motherly affection she had to saue her infant if the fathers of the spiritualtie had not bene so cruell agaynst all order of law to cast both her and her childe away all this her sayd recantation not withstanding Seuenthly and lastly when M.H. hath inueyed al that euer he can agaynst this poore Perotine yet is all the same but a by matter from this principall purpose pretented supposing thereby through his deprauing of her to iustifie and excuse the Pope holye Clergy which wrought her death Which will not bee For what soeuer her lyfe was besides yet for so much as the cause of her death condemnation was neither for their whoredome nor murder but onely and merely for Religion whiche deserued no death I therefore hauing in my story no further to deale as I sayd before so doe I say agayne that the cause of her condemning was wrongfully her deathe was cruell the sight of the babe was ruefull the proceding of the Iudges was vnlawfull the whole story is pittifull and of al thys the priestes and Clergye were the authors principall All which being considered and well expended M.H. I trust may stand sufficiently contented Or if hee thinke murder to be a thing whiche ought not as it ought not in deede lightly to bee passed ouer let him then finde out murder where it is and tell vs truely without affection of partialitie where the true murder lyeth whether in the poore woman whiche together with her childe was murdered or in them which without all law and conscience brought them both to death Briefly and finally to conclude with this manne what soeuer the woman was she is now gone To bite so bitterly agaynst the dead it is little honesty And thoughe the accusation had in it some truth yet this accusatiō here needed not Now the same being false it is to much vnmercifull At least being doubtfull and to him vnknown charytie would haue iudged the best Humanitie woulde haue spared the dead And if he coulde not foorde her his good word yet he might haue left her cause vnto the Lord whiche shall iudge bothe her and him To pray for the dead he findeth in his Masse but to backbite the dead he neyther findeth in his Masse Mattens nor Euensong And no doubt but in hys Dirige commendations he commēdeth many one lesse deseruing to be commēded then this woman let Catholicke affection be set aside And thoughe the merites of her cause deserued not his commendations yet did she neuer deserue at M. Hardinges handes to geue her suche a Kyrieleson as they saye after her departure Cruelty she suffered enough aliue thoughe M. H. hadde not added this cruell inuectiue to her former afflictions wherein notwithstanding he hurteth not her but hurtethe peraduenture himself neither so much destaineth her honesty as he blemisheth his owne It hath bene the maner of learned men in time past with theyr defending oration euer to be more ready then to accuse And if they dyd at anye tyme accuse yet neuer but enforced neyther did they accuse any but such onely as were aliue and that neyther but in such matters wherein eyther the common wealth or themselues were vehemently touched Now if this greue hym so greatly that in my storye I haue termed her to be a martyr let him consider the cause wherfore she suffered which was neyther for felony murder nor whoredome but onely for the religion in K. Edwardes time receaued and when hee hath confuted that religion I shall crosse her out of the booke and fellowship of Martyrs In the meane time my exhortation shall be this to M. Harding First that if he will needes become a writer in these so furious and outragious dayes of ours he will season hys veyne of writing with more mildenes and charitie not to geue such example of rayling to others Secondly that hee will moderate hys iudging condemning of other with more equitie and indifferencie and not to be so rash and partiall For if shee be to be accompted a murderer which so carefully went about by recantation to saue both her selfe and her childe from the fire what is to be sayd of them which condemned her so cruelly and caused both her and the infant to be burned notwithstanding that she for safegard of theyr lyues had as I sayd recanted And yet so partiall is hee that in all this inuectiue crying out so intemperately agaynst the woman and the childe that
desiring him that he might not liue so long as to cal euill good and good euill or light darkenes or darkenes light and so departed he home toward hys house where by the way homeward as it is affirmed he took his death and shortly after departed according to his prayer after he had endured in prison xii weekes After this Ioane his wife continued still in prison with her tender infant till at last she was brought before that Bishop to be examined Whereunto what her aunswers were it is not certainely knowne Howbeit most like it is what soeuer they were they pleased not the Bishoppe as appeared by his ire increased agaynst the poore woman her long continuance in the prison together with her tender babe which also remayned with her in the Iayle partaker of her Martyrdome so long as her milke would serue to geue it sucke till at length the childe being starued for colde and famine was sent away when it was past al remedie and so shortly after dyed And not long after the mother also followed besides the olde woman whiche was mother of the husband of the age of 80. yeares and vpwarde Who being left in the house after their apprehēsion for lacke of comfort there perished also And thus haue ye in one story the deathe of foure together first of the old woman then of the husband after that of the innocent childe and lastly of the mother What became of the other nine children I am not perfectly sure but that I partly vnderstand that they were all vndone by the same This story is reported and testified as well by other as namely by Mistres Bridges dwelling in the same town and partaker then of the like afflictions and hardly escaped with her life A Shomaker suffering in Northamton IN the moneth of October folowing was burned at the towne of Northampton a Shomaker a true witnesse and disciple of the Lorde who accordinge to the grace of God geuen vnto him cleauing fast to the sounde doctrin and preaching of Gods woord renounced the vntrue and false coloured religion of the Romish sea wherein manye a good man hath bene drowned After whom not long after in the same month of October died also in the Castle of Chichester thre godly confessors being there in bonds for the like cause of Christes Gospel who also should haue suffred the like Martyrdom had not theyr naturall deathe or rather as it is to be suspected the cruel handling of the papists made them away before and afterward buried them in the fielde I reade moreouer that in this present yeare to witte An. 1556. was burnt one called Hooke a true witnes of the Lordes truthe at Chester ¶ Fiue famished in Caunterbury Castell by the vnmercifull tyrannie of the Papistes about the beginning of Nouember AS among all the Bishops Boner bishop of London principally excelled in persecuting the poore members and Saintes of Christe so of all Archdeacons Nicholas Harpesfield Archdeacon of Cāterburie as may by mans sight appeare was the forest and of least compassion only Dunning of Norwich excepted by whose vnmercifull nature and agrest disposition verye many were putte to death in that dioces of Canterbury not onely in the bloudy time of that Queene but some also in the blessed beginning of this our moste renowmed Queene that nowe is as by the grace of Christ heereafter shall appeare Of those that suffered in Queene Maries time within the foresayd diocesse of Canterburie some be recited already with the order and fourme set downe of suche Articles as then were most commōly ministred to the examinates by Thorneton Suffragane of Douer and the sayde Nicholas Harpsefielde and other as before in the volume of this hystorie may appeare pag. 1683. Now to proceede in the order and course of time where we left next followeth the moneth of Nouember In the beginning whereof were together in the Castell of Caunterburie 15. godly and innocent Martyrs of which number not one escaped with theyr life but either were burned or els were famished in prisone Of that which two sortes which is the easier death God knoweth it is hard to iudge Notwithstāding the truth is that of these 15.10 were burned and suffered in the fire of whom in the next booke more shall follow hereafter the Lord willing The other 5. were pined and famished most vnmercifully in the straite prisone of whome we haue heere presently to entreate Whose names were these Whiche two were yet vncondemned 1. Iohn Clearke 2. Dunston Chittenden These were condemned to bee burnt 3. W. Foster of Stone 4. Alice Potkins wife of Stapleherst 5. Iohn Archer of Cranbroke weauer Of these 5. prisonners the firste two were vncondemned the other thre last were condemned and should haue bene burned but suffered no lesse tormentes then if they had abidde the fire being macerate and pined to death by famine What theyr articles and answers were it needeth not heere to recite seeing all they in that time of Queene Mary commonly suffered for one maner sort of cause that is for holding against the 7. Sacraments against the realtie of Christes being in his supper for speaking against the churche of Rome and determinations of the same against Images set vp and woorshipped in the churche for not comming to the church and such other like c. First William Foster answearing to these and like articles sayde that he beleeued well in all the Articles of the Creede but to beleeue to be m0e Sacraments then two and to pray to Saintes either to profite vs or to praye for soules in purgatorie to profit them that faith and works doe iustifie or to alow the popish ceremonies in the church that he denied Moreouer hee sayde to carie Candels vpon Candelmasse daye were as good for him as to carye a dungforke and that it is as necessary to cary the galowes about if his father were hanged as the crosse To come to the church he cannot sayd he with a safe conscience Concerning fish daies and flesh daies hee graunted it good to put difference therein except where necessity required the contrary This William Foster was a labouring man of the age of xl yeares He was apprehended and imprisoned by Sir Thomas Moyle Knight Alice Potkins for the like confession was condemned to be burned for that she was not neyther would be confessed to the Priest for that shee receiued not the sacrament of the aultare because shee would not pray to saincts nor creepe to the Crosse. c. Being demaunded of her age she sayde that shee was xlix yeares olde according to her olde age according to her yong age since she learned Christ shee was of one yeares age and was committed by maister Roberts to prisone The answer and confession of Iohn Archer of Crambroke was muche in like sorte And although certayne of these vpon ignorant simplicitie swarued a litle in the
number of Sacraments some graunting one sacrament that is the body of Christ hanging vpon the crosse some moe some lesse c. yet in the principal matter touching the doctrins of saluation for faith to stay vpon and in disagreing from the dreaming determinations of the Popish church they moste agreed Concerning the not praying to saints and for the deade in Purgatorie for not creepynge to the crosse for faith onely to iustifie for taking of an oth such other like he graunted as the other had done This father Archer by his occupation a Weauer of the towne of CraÌ„broke of the age of 50. yeres was attached and imprisonned by syr Iohn Gilforde knighte And thus haue yee the cause and imprisonment of these 5. godly prisoners Now as touching the cruelty of theyr death for that yee shal not surmise the suspicion or relation thereof to proceede of my selfe ye shall heare theyr own testimonie and certification by their owne letter thrown out of the prison concerning the vnmercifull dealing of the Catholicke tyrantes in famishing them as is aforesayde The woordes and copye of theyr letter is this The copie of a Letter wrytten and cast out of the Castle of Cant. by the prisoners there in bands for Gods word declaring how the Papistes went aboute to famishe them to death of the which companie fiue were famished amongest them all ready BE it knowen to all men that shall read or heare redde these our letters that we the pore prisoners of the Castle of Canterburie for Gods truth are kept and lie in cold yrons our keepers wil not suffer any meat to be brought to vs to comfort vs. And if any man do bring any thyng as bread butter cheese or any other foode the saide keeper wil charge them that so bring vs any thing except mony or raiment to carie it with them againe or els if he do receiue any foode of any for vs he doeth keepe it for himself and he and his seruaunts do spend it so that we haue nothing thereof and thus the keeper keepeth away our victuals from vs. In so muche that there are 4. of vs prisonners there for Gods truthe famished already and thus is it his minde to famish vs all and we thinke he is apoynted thereunto of the Bishops and priestes and also of the iustices so to famish vs and not onely vs of the saide Castel but also all other prisoners in other prisons for the lyke cause to be also famished notwithstanding we wryte not these our letters to that entent we moughte not aforde to be famished for the Lord Iesus sake but for this cause and entent that they hauing no law so to famish vs in prison should not doe it priuely but that the murtherers heartes should be openly knowen to all the world that all menne may know of what church they are who is their father Out of the Castel of Canterburie The trouble and vexation of good people in the Diocesse of Lichfield THese foresayde monethes of September Nouember and December as they were troublesome to diuers other places and especially to the Dioces of Canterburie by reason of the Archdeacon aboue named so likewyse they brought no little busines in the countrey of Lichfield and Couentrie by a cruel bishop there called Rafe Bane and a more cruell Chauncellor named Doctour Draycot through the fierce inquisition of whome great stirre was there amonge the people being called to examination for theyr Faith and many caused to beare fagottes Who althoâ—h they were not put to the torment of death yet because it may appeare what a number there is in the countrys of England abroade which in theyr hearts haue a misliking of the Popes Romish lawes and religion if for fear they durst vtter theyr mindes I thought to make a rehearsall of theyr names which in the foresayde Diocesse of Couentrie and Lichfielde were taken in suspicion and examined for theyr Religion And first amongst them that were detected and inioyned to the popish penance that is to beare a fagot candel and beades about in procession were Agnes Forman detected examined and by witnesse conuicted and bare a fagot the 12. of Septemb. Likewise Margery Kirry Thomas Norreis Thomas Stiffe William Kayme Robert Katrenes Thomas Smith Iohn Borsley the younger Iteâ— Iohn Waterhouse against whom came in witnesse and accusers Richarde Caterbanke I. Edge William Smith Robert Cooke laying against him for seldome coÌ„ming to the Churche for geuing no reuerence at the leuation of the Sacrament but looking vpon his booke for not kissing the paxe c. Robert Bissel Leonard West Richard Baily of the parish of Whiteacre These were depriued Nicholas Cartwright Doctor Richard Iurdian Priest Edmund Crokel Priest Thomas Whitehead Priest William Taylour Priest Anselme Sele Priest Richard Slauie Priest maryed Edward Hawes Priest maried Robert Aston Priest depriued Henry Tecka Priest depriued Rob. Mossey priest maried depriued Beside these were diuers other which in like sort were detected accused and examined although they bare no fagot but were dimissed as Richard Kempe Iohn Frankling William Marler Ielius Dudley Eustache Bysacre William Shene Antonie Afterwittel Tho. Steilbe Henry Birdlim William Mosley Iohn Leeche Iohn Richardson Anthony Iones alias Pulton Thom. Wilson Thomas Lynacres and Hugh Lynacres hys sonne Isabel Parker Martine Newman William Enderby Cicely Preston Thomas Saulter Ihon Stamford shomaker Richard Woodburne Thomas Arnall Shoomaker Iohn Robinson Hugh More Shoomaker Iohn Adale Thomas Arche Fraunces Warde Iohn Auines Richard Foxal Thomas Underdoune Rich. Weauer The next moneth following being October came vnder examination Ioyce Lewes gentlewoman of whome we deferre to speake vntil the next yeare at what time she was burned These forenamed persones with many moe folowing in the next yeare after although they did subscribe and relent through feare of death yet for thys cause I doe heere recite them that by them it myght appeare what a number there were not onely in the countrey of Lichfield but also in other parties in heart set against the Popes procedings if that feare rather then conscience had not compelled them to the contrary ⧠The conclusion of this XI Booke with a briefe storie of Syr Iohn Cheeke c. ANd thus haue yee the whole persecution of thys yere declared which was the yeare of our Lord 1556. and the fourth of Quene Maries raigne with the names and causes of all them which suffered Martyrdome within the compasse of the sayd yeare the number of all which slayne Martyred in diuers places of England at sundry times this yere came to aboue 84. persons whereof many were women wines widowes and maidens besides them which otherwise by secreate practise were made awaye or driuen out of goodes and houses or out of the Realme or els within the realme were put to penaunce and coacted by forceable violence to recante saue onely that I haue omitted the story of Sir Iohn Cheeke Knight
and scholemaster sometimes to king Edwarde The worthinesse of which man deserueth much to be sayd but his fall woulde rather be couered in silence and obliuion Onely to note a woorde or two of a few things to the present storye moste principally appertaining it shall suffice First M. Cheeke being in the countrey of Germanie out of all danger of persecution with many moe of his owne countreymen and acquaintance was not onely in safetie but also with reputation accordingly esteemed among the Germaines and also well placed in the Citie of Strausbourgh Where if he had contented himself to haue remained rather geuing place to time then to presume vppon aduentures peraduenture it had bene better wyth hym But what fatall instigatiō wrought in his mynd I know not In the ende so it fell that he woulde needes take hys iourney with Sir Peter Carew from hie Germanie vnto Bruxels and that as I haue credibly hearde of them which knew somwhat not without the forecasting of his aduentured iourney by the constellation of starres disposition of the heauens aboue For as he was a man famously expert and trauailed in the knowledge of sundrye artes and sciences so was he a little too much addicted to the curious practising of this Starre diuinitie which we call Astrologie But how soeuer it was or what soeuer it was that the starres did promise him truth was that mē heere in earth kept litle promise with him For hauing as it is sayde king Phillips safeconduct to passe and repasse and that by the meanes as I find of the Lord Paget and Sir Iohn Mas. pledging for his safegarde king Phillips fidelitie he came to Bruxels to see the Quenes Ambassadors and hauing brought the lord Paget on his way toward England in the retourne betweene Bruxels Anwarpe was taken with sir Peter Carewe by the Prouest Marshal spoiled of their horses and clapped into a carte theyr legges armes and bodies tied wyth halters to the body of the carte and so shipped being blindfielde vnder the hatches and so brought to the tower of London Thus the good man being intrapped in the handes now of his enemies had but one of these 2. wayes to take either to chaunge his religion or to chaunge his life Other remedy with those holy catholikes there was none Neither could his conscience excuse him nor truth defend him nor learning helpe him Albeit M. Fecknam whether by the Queene suborned or vppon his owne deuotion and frendship towarde his olde acquaintance tooke vpon him the defence commendation of M. Cheeke speaking in his behalfe yet no mercy coulde be had with the Queene but he must needes recant and so did he The copie of whose recantation prescribed vnto him because it is knowen and in the handes of diuers it needeth not heere to be expressed Then after his recantation he was throughe the craftie handling of the Catholickes allured firste to dine and companie with them at lengthe drawen vnwares to sitte in place where the poore Martyrs were broughte before Boner and other Bishops to be condempned the remorse whereof so mightely wroughte in hys heart that not long after he left thys mortall life Whose fall although it was full of infirmitie yet his rising againe by repentaunce was great and hys ende comfortable the Lorde bee praysed ⧠The ende of the XI Booke ⧠Heere beginneth the XII Booke containing the bloudye doings and persecutions of the aduersaries against the Faithfull and true seruantes of Christ with the particular processes and names of such as were put to slaughter from the beginning of Ian. An. 1557. and the fifte of Queene Marie The order and maner of the Cardinals visitation in Cambridge with the condemning taking vp and burning the bones and Bookes of Bucer and Paulus Phagius An. 1557. Ian. 9. CArdinall Poole three yeares after his retourne into Englande hauinge somwhat withdrawn his mind from other affaires of the realme and hauing in all poyntes established the Romish religion began to haue an eye to the vniuersity of Cambridge whiche place amōg other speciallye seemed to haue neede of reformation out of hand To perform this charge were chosen Cuthbert Scot not long before consecrated Bishop of Chester Nicholas Ormanet an Italian Archpriest of the people of Bodolon in the dioces of Ueron professed in bothe the lawes and bearing the name of the popes Datary Tho. Watson elected Bish. of Lincolne Iohn Chrystopherson elected bish of Chichester and Henry Cole Prouost of the colledge of Eaton There was good cause why the matter was especially cōmitted to these persons For as touching Ormanet it is wel knowen that he was a man of much estimation with Iulius the 3. at that time B. of Rome and was appoynted to come into Englande with Cardinall Poole because without his knowledge as in whome hee put his chief trust and confidence the B. would haue nothing done that was of any importance or weight These persones thus appoynted in the meane while as the visitors were addressing themselues to their iourney sent their letters with the Cardinals Citation before doctor Andrew Perne Uicechācellor then of Cambridge with the other Commissioners associate commāding him to warne all the Graduates of the Uniuersitie in theyr name to be in a readinesse against the 11. day of Ianuarie betwixt 8. and 10. of the clocke in the churche of S. Marye the virgin willing him especially to be there hym selfe in presence and also to sette forward all the residue to whose charge it belonged that they should search out all Statutes Bookes Priuiledges and Monuments appertaining to the Uniuersitie or to any of the Colledges or finally to any of thēselues and these to present the same before them at the day appoynted and euery mā to appeare there personally for they woulde not faile but be there at the same time to lay before them such things as should seme necessary to this charge of reforming the vniuersitye and further to geue charge of all such things as should seeme most for the profit behoue of the same together with such thyngs as were to be done on theyr parte accordinge as shoulde seeme most agreeable to the Decrees of the Canon lawe This citation of the Cardinal being brought to Cambridge by master bullocke was first exhibited in the Conuocation house of Regents and there openly redde by the Orator of the Uniuersitie the 11. of December After thys vppon the 24. of December whyche was Christenmasse euen the Uicechancellor wyth the heads of houses meeting together in the Schooles it was there cōcluded that the visitors charges should be borne by the vniuersitie and Colledges which then cost the Uniuersitie an 100. pound thicke and also that no master of any Colledge should suffer any of the fellowes scholers or ministers to goe foorth of the towne but to retourne before the Uisitation On friday the 8. of Ianuarie the Queenes Commissioners
videlicet Doctor Perne Uicechauncellor Doctor Segewicke Doctor Haruy M. Francke Kust and an other who is here namelesse also with sir Iames Dyer the Recorder M. Chapman Euered sitting together in the Hal certaine were there called by the appoyntment of L. Hawes and charge giuen what should be done And first the Commission was read Then were all the high Constables called to bring in theyr precepts and sworne Also 2. of euery Parishe of 10. or 12. hundredes were sworne to inquire of heresie lollardie conspiracie seditious words tales and rumors against the King and Queene Item for hereticall and seditious bookes for negligences misdemeanour in the church for obseruation of Ceremonies for Ornaments and stocke of the church We sayd at the first that the Cardinall thought the Uniuersitie to haue neede of reformation The reason whye hee shoulde thinke so was this either because the same of long continuance since any man could remember had cast of the Yoke of the B. of Rome and cleaued to the wholesome doctrine of the gospel or els by reason that bothe for the late schisme not yet worne out of memorie and for the doctrine of Martine Bucer who not long before openlye in the sayd Uniuersitie interpreated holy Scripture they saw many so sore corrupted and spotted with thys infection that euen as when a fire is spred in a towne vnlesse a speedy remedy were adhibited out of hande it were not possible to their thinking to quench it many yeares after Who also feared if it were not looked to in time least this mischief should take rote and by litle and litle infect al the members next vnto it which yet were whole and sounde This was the yeare of our Lorde 1556. To the intent therfore to make a salue for this sore the Inquisitours of whome we spake before came vnto Cambridge the 9. day of Ianuarie And as they were yet on theyr iourney not farre from the towne diuers of the Masters Presidents of the colledges met them and brought them courteously first into the town and after to their lodging They were entertained in Trinity colledge by M. Iohn Christopherson Master of the same house and lately before elected B. of Chichester Notwithstanding they were desired some to one place and some to an other as occasion serued eyther to do theyr dueties or to shew theyr good wils Cole to the kings Colledge and D. Watson to S. Iohns But whether it were for the acquaintaunce of Christopherson or for the largenes of the house which semed most conuenient for theyr purpose they al tooke vp their lodgings in the sayd Colledge with M. Christopherson At theyr comming thether an Oration was made by a felowe of the house who in the name of all the rest with long Protestation declared that they were moste heartely welcome thether that he and his fellowes gaue them great thanks that it had pleased theyr lordships to haue so good opiniō of them as to chuse their house especially to lodge in whereby they had bothe encouraged them to stande in hope of some further beneuolence towardes them and also done great worship to theyr Colledge by theyr being there wherefore they should looke at theyr hand agayne for as much duetie and reuerence as lay in theyr power to perfourme To this Oration Watson made answer that this forewarde and earnest good willes and mindes of theyrs in doing suche curtesie was right thankefully taken both of hun and his exhortinge them to continue stedfastly in the same and to procede also when nede should require for it was so far from any of their thoughts to stop thē in this theyr race that they would rather haste them forwarde to runne throughe more speedely being not wtout good cause perswaded to conceiue good hope of their beneuolēce towardes them in asmuch as they would do for them what soeuer might tourne to theyr profit and commoditie Thys day for asmuch as it was towarde euening ere they came and the sunne was going down was nothing els done The next day being the 10. of Ianuarie they bestowed in recreating them selues after theyr iourney and in setting other things at a stay Neuerthelesse to the entent the same should not escape altogether without doing of somewhat they interdited the 2. Churches namely S. Maries where Martin Bucer and S. Michaels where Paulus Phagius lay buried These menne were dead a good while before Paulus Phagius had scarce yet shewed the proofe of his wit and learning when he departed to God 1549. Bucer lyued but a little after During which time somewhat by wryting but chiefly by reading and preaching openly wherein the old man being painfull in the woorde of God neuer spared himselfe nor regarded his health hee broughte all men into such admiration of him that neyther his frends could sufficiently praise him neither his ennemies in anye poynt finde fault with his singular life sincere doctrine A most certaine token wherof may be his sumptuous buriall solempnised with so great assistence and gladnesse of all the degrees of the Uniuersitie that it was not possible to deuise more to the settinge oute and amplifyinge of the same The whole maner and order of the doyng whereof beyng wrytten by M. Nicholas Carre a learned man in a little treatise to Syr Iohn Cheeke Knight wyth an Epistle full of consolation as concerning his departure added thereunto was sent afterwarde vnto Peter Martyr then abiding at Oxford From the burial of Bucer and Phagius vnto the cōming of these visitours were passed aboute 3. or 4. yeares more or lesse And from the time that that blessed Kynge Edward the vj. deceased vnto that day the Priests neuer ceased to celebrate theyr Masses and other kinde of Ceremonies in those places and that without scruple of conscience as farre as men could perceiue But after the time that these Commissioners came thether those things that before were accompted for sacred and holy beganne to be denounced for prophane and vnholy For they commanded that al those assemblies that should hereafter be made for the executing of holy Ceremonies should be remoued to the kings Chappell which is a place farre more stately then all the other Now was come the 11. day in the which the Uicechācellor of the Uniuersitie with the maisters and presidents of the Colledges and all the other Graduates of euerye house were commanded to appeare before the said Commissioners in their habites It was commanded that the scholers also should come in theyr surplises but that was not done They assembled in great nūber to Trinitie colledge hauinge the Uniuersitie crosse borne before them in the gatehouse a forme was sette and couered with cusshings and carpet on the ground for the visitours Where the Uicechancellor hauing on a Tishewe cope sprinkeled holy water on them and purposed to sence them but they refused it there which notwithstanding afterwarde in the Queenes Colledge and elswhere they
id nos ita sumus interpretati vt maÌ„cam alienam Christi vocem iudicaremus nisi illa Epicuri propria particula quasi adderetur quod Christiani corpus sanguinem id nos quasi corpus sanguinem diceremus Sed non est istius temporis praeterita nimium meminisse quae vtinam eterna obliuione obrui possent neque vlla tantae labis memoria ad posteros nostros propagetur tamen fuerunt attingenda generatim quidem quòd erranti confessio salutaris sit membratim verò quod Academia his vulneribus á Censoria potestate confecta à Censoria medicina ad salutem reduci postulat Ipsa vero pro se suis spondet omnes in authoritate vestra futuros quos assiduis concionibus adeo ad poenitentiam edocuit vt eos ad sanam religionem fidissime transijsse in eadem diligenti praesentis vitae vsu superioris aetatis damna sarcituros putetis Nam qui primi in hoc cursu sunt acerrime contendunt in eo quod tam voluntarie susceperunt qui pigrius egressi quasi pomeridianis horis ad hoc certamen accesserunt ea certè praebent iam immutatae voluntatis indicia vt quomodo temerè iuueniliter à sana religione defecerunt ita non nisi maturi cum iudicio ab haeresi desciuisse videantur Vniuersis vero simul restituta desiderata religio magis placere videtur quia si assiduè praecepta neque ad tempus obscurata fuisset Quapropter Academia supplex prostrata primùm à Deo immortali pacem veniam petit precaturque ab eo vt hodiernum diem ad suorum salutem conseruandam rempublicam hanc constituendam illuxisse patiatur Deinde pro se pro suis pro vniuersis pro singulis hanc petitionem ad celsitudines vestras affert vt superiorum temporum offensas ex errore iustitia profectas praesenti hominum industriae condonetis De reliquis vero pro summa prudentia vestra singulari in nos amore eam senteÌ„tiam feratis vt suâ—rum causas vel iustitia vestra bonas inueâ—at vel clementia bonas esse faciat In vtroque parerit beneficium siâ—e Academiam pro causarum aequitate iudicaueritis siâ—e pro amoris vestri abundantia innocentem eam esse volueritis Nos pro referenda gratia summam in sacris modestiam assiduam in literis operam perpetuum verae religionis amorem sempiternam vestri beneficij memoriam repromittimus When he had made an ende of speaking the Byshop of Chester answeared thereunto that they tooke in ryghte good part that the mother the Uniuersitie had made so open a declaration of her good will towardes them for the whych he gaue most hearty thanckes desiring her to perfourme in deede and in her woorkes the thyngs that shee had so largely promised of her selfe in woordes and communication AS concerning their good willes there was no cause to mistrust For theyr comming thether was not to deale any thyng roughly wyth such as fell to the amendement but both the Cardinall hymselfe and they also were fully minded to shew fauour deuising howe to bring al thyngs to peace and tranquillitie desiring nothing more earnestly then that they which haue erred gone astray shoulde retourne in the right pathe againe The right reuerende father the Lord Cardinall whom he wished to haue bene present wished the self same thing also desiring nothyng so much as he with hys owne hands to sustaine and hold vp nowe ready to fall or rather to raise vp already fallen to the ground the Uniuersitie hys ward for he gladly taketh vpon him the name and duety of her Garden whom it greatly grieued that the infections of the times past had spreade abroade so grieuous diseases that euen the Uniuersitie it self was touched with the contagious aire therof For he woulde gladlier haue come thither to visite and salute it then to correcte it if the waightye affayres of the realme would haue permitted it But now seing he could not so do he had appoynted thys Commission in the which he had assigned them to be his deputies which for because they knew him to set much store by the vniuersity should extend the more fauor to it and for because they theÌ„selues had bene there brought vppe woulde the more earnestly embrace it The chiefe matter that they came for tended to this ende that such as had erred should confesse their faults and retourne into the right way againe For they were in good forwardnesse of healing that acknowledged themselues to haue offended And therefore it was wisely propounded on hys part that he would not altogether excuse the faultes of the Uniuersitie nor of other men but confesse and acknowledge the crime as that there were many thyngs had neede to be corrected and amended The cause why they were sent thither was to raise vp them that were fallen and to receiue into fauour suche as were sory and would amend wherin if contrary to theyr expectation they shoulde not be able to do so much wyth some men as they would yet notwithstanding according to their duety they wold shew themselues so dilygent for theyr parte as that no lacke myghte be founde in them For it was more openlye knowne than that it coulde be denied that manye men did diuers thyngs of a frowarde wilfulnesse and take stoutlye vppon them wherewith as they were greatly mooued and agrieued as reason was so they coueted to remedy the mischiefe Against whom if any thing shuld seeme hereafter to be straitly determined it was to be imputed to theyr own deserts and not to the willes of them Neither ought such as are whole sound to be mooued at the chastisement of others forasmuch as it pertained not onely to the wiping out of the foule blotte which now sticked in the vniuersitie but also to the health of many others whych had taken much hurt by the infection of them For their owne partes they more enclyned vnto mercy then to rigour Howbeit considering that so greate diseases coulde not by gentle medicines be healed they were driuen of necessitie to vse stronger And yet if they would be contented to bee broughte againe to theyr ryght mindes whych thing they chiefly coueted for they wished that all shoulde amende and be led by wholesome counsel would yet at length waxe wery of their errors and in stead of them frequent againe the ancient customes of themselues of theyr forefathers they myghte boldlye looke for all kinde of humanitie and gentlenesse at theyr hands in al this theyr busines of reformation which they had now entred and begon requesting no more of the Uniuersity but to doe as became them which being performed he promised that theyr beneuolence neyther in anye publike nor in any priuate personnes case shoulde in any wise be behinde hand These things being finished they were broughte processionaliter to the kinge colledge
For nowe after the deathe of Kinge Edwarde since the time that the gouernement of the Realme came to the hande of Queene Marye all suche personnes being dryuen awaye as hadde reiected the Romishe Religion in whom wel nie alone rested whatsoeuer wit and learning was in the whole Uniuersitie besides such a sort of Raskals were put in their roumes that all places now swarmed with vnlerned and vnnurtured chaplains To whoÌ„ nothyng was greater pleasure then to cause all men to speake slander and reproch of Bucer There were dyuers yet left among them that spake agaynst their demaunds But they because as it commonly commeth to passe that might ouercommeth right could nothing auaile For this is a common custome in all such matters ordinaÌ„ces that looke what the greater number decreeth is published in the name of all and that which the better part disallowed semeth as though no man at all disallowed it The next day beyng the 14. of Ianuary all the Uisitors onely Christopherson elect of Chichester excepted came to the Kings Colledge Where first goyng into the Church and there makyng their prayers at the gresings they so proceeded into the stalles there sitting all the masse tyme the company standyng in their copes and singing a solemne Respond in honour of the Uisitors After the respond done the Prouost in the best Cope made to them his protestation vnto whom the B. of Chester made aunswer also in Latine declaryng that he could not perceyue to what purpose his protestation was notwithstandyng they would accept it and beare with him Then went they to Masse which ended the Catholike Uisitors approched vp to the aulter tooke downe the Sacrament searched the pixe but first the two Bishops sensed the Sacrament Then they went to the reuestry and opened the Chalices corporas cases and crismatory and viewed all those thyngs And so reâ—urnyng into the Prouosts chamber deuided themselues in examination of the Prouost Uiceprouost and the rest of the company The same day D. Bacon M. of Gonwell hall bad the Uicechauncellor D. Young D. Haruy Swineborne Maptide with others home to dinner These men immediately after diner caused the coÌ„mon seale of the Uniuersitie to bee put to the foresayd instrument of condemnation accordyng as was determined the day before by the generall consent of the Graduates of the Uniuersitie And by and by after they caried the same to the Commissioners to their lodgyng The which when they had receiued forasmuch as after more diligent perusing thereof it liked them not in all points some thynges they rased out some they enterlined other some they changed so that in fine they were faine to take the payne to engrosse it new agayne To the signing wherof a congregation was eftsoones called of all the Graduates of the Uniuersitie agaynst the next day which there beyng red ouer a new grace againe was asked and granted for settyng to the seale TheÌ„ were the Graduates dismissed with commaundement to resort forthwith to S. Mary Church whether the Commissioners also repayred When they had taken their places D. Harny presented to them before all the company a newe commission to make enquest vpon heresie then newly sent from the Cardinall which was red immediately by Uincent of Noally Ormanets Clarke This done D. Perne who as ye heard was factor for the Uniuersitie exhibited to the coÌ„missioners in the name of the Uniuersitie the sentence of the foresayd condemnation The copy and tenour whereof hereafter God willyng shall follow This coÌ„demnation beyng openly red then D. Perne aforesaid desired to send out processe to cite Bucer and Phagius to appeare or any other that would take vpon them to pleade their cause to stand to the order of the court agaynst the next Monday to the intent that when they had exhibited themselues the Courte might the better determine what ought to be done to them by order of law The commissioners condescended to hys request and the next day processe went out to cite the offenders This citation Uincent of Noally their common Notarie hauyng first red it ouer before certayne witnesses appointed for the same purpose caused to bee fixed vp in places conuenient to witte vpon S. Mary church doore the doore of the common Schooles and the crosse in the market steade of the same towne In this was specified that whosoeuer woulde maintayne Bucer and Phagius or stande in defence of their doctrine should at the xviij day of the same moneth stand foorth before the L. Commissioners in S. Mary Church which was appoynted the place of iudgement and there euery man should be sufficientlye heard what he could say This Commaundement was set out with many wordes Shortly after the matter drewe toward Iudgement Therefore the next day before the day limited which was the xvij of Ianuary the Uicechauncellor called to hym to Peterhouse whereof he was M. D. Young D. Segiswike with them Bullocke Taylor Parker and Redman Whitlocke Mitch certaine others These men cast their heds togither how they might beare witnes against Bucer Phagius to conuince them of heresie For seyng the matter was brought in face of open court because it might so come to passe that some Patrones of their cause would come out they thought it needfull to haue witnesses to depose of their doctrine What came of this their coÌ„sultation it is not perfectly knowen The xviij day the Uicechauncellor goyng to the Inquisitors sittyng at the Kyngs Colledge did put them in remembrance that the same was the day in which by their processe sent forth the xvj day before they had commanded to appeare in S. Mary Church such as would take vpon them to defend Bucer and Phagius by the law He desired therefore that they would vouchsafe to sitte there if perchaunce any man would try the aduenture of the law They lightly condescended thereunto When the Uicechauncellor had brought them thether hee exhibited vnto them the processe of the Citation which he had receyued of them to publish a little before saying that he had diligently executed whatsoeuer the contents of the same required After that they had taken their places and that no maÌ„ put forth hymself to answer for the offenders the Iudges called aside D. Yong D. Segiswike Bullock Tailor Maptide Hunter Parker Redman aboue mentioned Also Browne Gogman Rud Iohnson Mitch Rauen and Carre who had before written out the buriall of Bucer with a singular commendation of hym and sent it to Sir Iohn Cheeke Knight These men takyng first their othe vpon a booke were commanded to beare witnes agaynst the heresies and doctrine of Bucer and Phagius The 22. day of the same month was limited to this Iurie to bryng in their verdict In the meane while Ormanet and Doctor Watson abode at home in their lodgyng to take the depositions of them whom we shewed you before to haue bene called to Peterhouse to haue communicated with the
there certaine bookes as Psalters Bibles and other wrytings All which bookes with the money were deliuered to the foresaid Priest Thomas Henden parson of Stapleherst and after in the raigne of this Queene an 5. Reg. Elisab was by right law recouered from him againe as in Recordes remaineth to be seene Thus good Edmund Allen and his wife being maliciously accused wrōgfully imprisoned cruelly spoiled and robbed of al their goods were brought as is aforesaid before sir Iohn Baker the iustice to be examined who taūting and reuiling him wtout all mercy and pity asked him if those were the fruits of his gospell to haue cōuenticles to gather people together to make conspiracies to sow sedition and rebellion and thus he began with him to reason The talke or reasoning betwene Sir Iohn Baker Colins his chaplaine and Edmund Allen. BAker Who gaue thee authority to preache interprete Art thou a priest art thou admitted thereunto Let me see thy licence Mart. Collins sir Ihon Bakers scholemaster said surely he is an arrāt heretike worthy to be burned Alen. And it may plese your honor to geue me leaue to answer in the cause of my faith I am persuaded that God hath geuē me this autority as he hath geuē to al other christiās Why are we called christians if we do not folow Christ if we do not read his law if we do not interpret it to others that haue not so much vnderstāding Is not Christ our Father shal not the son folowe the fathers steps is not Christ our master and shal the scholer be inhibited to lern preach his precepts Is not Christ our redemer and shal not we praise his name serue him that hath redemed vs from sin dānation Did not christ being but 12. yeres of age dispute with the doctors interprete the prophet Esay and notwtstāding hee was neither of the tribe of Leuie whiche were Priestes but of the royal tribe of Iuda neither had taken any outward priesthode wherfore if we be christians we must do the same Col. And it shal like your honor what a knaue is this that cōpareth himself with Christ. Baker Let him alone he wil pump out anon an infinite heap of heresies Hast thou any more to say for thy self Alen. Yea that I haue Adam was licēced of God Abraham was cōmanded to teach his children posteritye so Dauid teacheth in diuers psalmes and Salomon also preached to the people as the boke of the precher proueth very wel where he teacheth that there is no immortal felicity in this life but in the next And Noe taught them that were disobediēt in his daies and therfore is called the 8. Preacher of righteousnes in the 2. epistle of Peter Also in the 11. of Numb where Moses had chosen 52. elders to helpe him to teach rule the rest Eldad Medad preached in the tents wherfore Iosua being offended cōplained to Moses the Eldad Medad did preach wtout licēce To whō Moses answered wished that al the people could do the like What shuld I be long most of the priests were not of the tribe of Leuy Aaron Col. These are authorities of the olde testament therefore abrogated but the art a foole knowest no schoole poynts Is not the law deuided into the lawe ceremonial moral iudicial Allen. I graunt that the ceremonies ceased when Christ came as S. Paul proueth to the Heb. to the Col. where he saith Let no man iudge you in any part of a sabboth day new moone or other ceremonies which are figures of things to come for Christ is the body Collins And are not the iudicials abrogated by Christ Allin They are confirmed both by Christ in the 5. of Mathew and by Paule in the 1. Epistle to Timothe 4. The law saith he is not set foorth for the vertuous godly but for men slayers periured aduouterers such like Collins Thou art an hereticke Wilt thou call the Iudicials of Moses againe wilt thou haue adultery punished with death disobedient children to their parēts to be stoned wilt thou haue Legem talionis But thou arte an Asse Why shoulde I speake Latine to thee thou erroneous rebell shall we now smite out eye for eye toothe for toothe thou art worthy to haue thy teeth and tonge plucked out Allin If we had that law we should neither haue disobedient children neither adulterers neither false witnesse bearers neither ruffians Baker Master Collins lette vs returne to our first matter Why diddest thou teach the people whom thou saidst thou didst fede both bodely and spiritually being no Priest Allin Because that we are al kings to rule our affections preests to preach out the vertues woorde of God as Peter wryteth liuely stones to geue light to other For as out of flint stones commeth foorthe that that is able to set al the world on fire so out of Christians shoulde springe the beames of the Gospell whiche should inflame al the world If we must geue a reckening of our faith to euery man and now to you demanding it then must we study the Scriptures practise them What auaileth it a man to haue meate and will eate none and apparell and will weare none or to haue an occupation and to teach none or to be a lawyer and vtter none Shall euery artificer be suffered yea and commended to practise his facultie and science and the Christian forbidden to exercise his Doth not euery lawyer practise his law Is not euery christiā a folower of Christ Shall ignorance which is condēned in al sciences be practised of christians Doth not s. Paul forbid any mās spirit to be quenched Doth he prohibite any man that hath any of these giftes which he repeateth 1. Cor. 14. to practise the same Only he forbiddeth womē but no man The Iewes neuer forbad any Read the Acts of the apostles And the restraint was made by Gre. the 9. pope of that name as I hard one a learned mā preach in K. Ed. daies Col. This villen it like your honor is madde By my Priesthoode I beleeue that her wil saye a Priest hath no more authoritye then an other man Doth not a Priest binde and loose Allin No my sinne bindeth me and my repētance loseth God forgiueth sin only and no priest For euery Christian when he sinneth bindeth himselfe and when he repēteth loseth him self And if any other be losed from his sinne by my exhortation I am saide to lose him and if he perseuere in sin notwtstanding my exhortation I am saide to binde him althoughe it is God that bindeth and loseth and geueth the increase Therefore saith Christ. Mat. 18. Wheresoeuer 2. or 3. are gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them whosoeuer sinnes they forgeue they are forgeuen and whosoeuer they retaine they are retained Neither hath the Pope any keies saue the keies of
me to my Lord Chamberlaine that was then to the Queene Sir Iohn Gage shewyng him that I baptised children and married folks with many such lyes to bryng me into their hands agayne Then the Commissioners sent out certaine Citations to bring me to the Court My L. Chamberlain had directed out 4. or 5. Warrantes for me that if I had come there I should haue bene attached and sent to prisō straite way Which was not Gods will for I had warnyng of their laying await for me and came not there but sent my deputie he brought me word that the Bailifs waited for me there but they mist of their pray for that tyme wherevpon they were displeased Then within 3. dayes after my L. sent 3. of his men to take me whose names were Deane Ieffrey and Frāces I beyng at plough with my folkes right in the waye as they were commyng to my house least mistrusting thē of all other came to them and spake to them asking thē how they did And they sayd they arested me in the Kyng and Queenes name and that I must goe with them to their Maister the L. Chamberlaine Which wordes made my flesh to tremble and quake because of that sodayne But I answered them that I would go with them Yet I desired them that they would go to my house with me that I might breake my fast and put on some other geare and they said I should Then I remembred my selfe saying in my hart Why am I thus afraid they can lay no euill to my charge If they kill me for well doyng I may thinke my self happy I remembred how I was contented gladly before to dye in that quarell and so had continued euer since and should I now feare to dye God forbid that I should for then were all my labour in vayne So by and by I was perswaded I praise God considering it was but the frailty of my flesh which was loth to forgo my wife childrē and goods for I saw nothing but present death before mine eyes And as soone as I was perswaded in my mynd to die I had no regard of nothing in this worlde but was as mery and glad and ioyfull I prayse GOD as euer I was This battaile lasted not a quarter of an houre but it was sharper then death it selfe for the tyme I dare say So when I had my breakfast I desired them to shew me their warrant thinkyng thereby I should haue seene wherfore I was arested to the intent I might the better answer for my self whē I came before their maister And one of them answered they had not their warrāt there Which words made me astonied and it was put in my mynde by God that I neede not to goe with them vnlesse they had their warrant Then said I to them that is meruaile that you will come to take a man without a warrant It seemeth to me that you come of your owne mind to get thāke of your maister for in deed I heard say sayd I that there was 4. or 5. warrants out for me but they were called in agayne because I had certified my L. and the Commissary by a letter that I sent to the Commissaries court that I was not faulty in that they layd to my charge which was for baptising of children and marying of folks the which I neuer did for I was neuer minister appointed to do any such thyng wherfore set your hartes at rest I will not go with you said I vnlesse you will cary me by force and if you will do so at your owne aduentures And so I rose from the boord and stepped into my chamber meanyng to goe from them if I could possible seeyng God had made the way so open for me I ment to play Peters part with them but God would not it should be so but sent a feare amongst them that as soone as I was gone into my chāber ere euer I could come out againe they were gone out of my house When I saw that I knew it was Gods doyng to set me at liberty once againe Yet I was compelled to speake to them and said If you haue a warrant I desire you for Gods sake to shew it me and I wil go with you with all my hart if not I desire you to depart in Gods peace and the kings for surely I will not go with you without the order of the law for I haue bene too simple in such things already For before I was sent to prison first I went to the Iustices to two Sessions without any warrant or cōmandement but had word by one of their men I went gently to them they sent me to prison and kept me there almost a yere and thre quarters without all right or equitie as it is openly known not hearing my cause iustly debated And it semeth to me that I should be thus euil hādled and therefore I will not go to none of them all henceforth without the extremitie of the law Then one of them answered me and said we haue not the warrant here but it is at home at my house the worst is you can but make vs fetch it Then I said Fetch it if you wil but if you come in my house before you haue it at your owne aduenture So I shut my doore and went my way out of the other doore So they got helpe to watch my house while one of them fet the Constable and many moe thinking to haue had me in my house and to haue takē me in my house caried me away with a licence but I was gone before as god would haue it Notwithstanding they sought euery corner of my house but could not preuaile I mistrusted they would search it again that night and kept me abroad and in deed there came seuen of his men the Constable and searched my house And when they sawe that they could not meete with me they were redy to rent their coats that I had scaped them so knowing they should haue such a checke of their maister When I heard that they had sought so for me againe I perceiuyng that they were greedy of their pray came home and my wyfe told me all thyngs Then I supposed that they would lay all the countrey for me and the sea coast because I should not go ouer and thē I thought that they would not mistrust that I would dare bee nigh home So I tolde my wyfe that I woulde make my lodgyng in a woode not past a flight shotte from my house as I did in deede euen vnder a tree and there had my Bible my penne and myne inke and other necessaries and there continued a sixe or seuen weekes my wife bringing me meate daily as I had neede Yea I thought my selfe blessed of God that I was counted worthy to lye in the woodes for the name of Christ. Then there came word into the countrey that
leaped downe hauing no shoes on So I tooke downe a lane that was ful of sharpe synders and they came running after with a great crie with theyr swordes drawne crying Strike him strike hym Which woordes made me looke backe and there was neuer a one nigh me by a 100. fote and that was but one for all the rest were a great way behinde And I tourned about hastily to goe my way and stepped vppon a sharpe Sinder with one foote sauing of it I stepped in a great miery hole and fell downe withall and ere euer I coulde arise and get away he was come in with mee His name is Parker the wilde as he is counted in all Sussex But if I had had on my shooes they had bene like to haue gone away arrandlesse if there had beene 500. more if I hadde caught the plaine grounde once to the which I had not a stones cast But it was not Gods will for if it hadde I shoulde haue scaped from them all if there had bene tenne thousand of them Then they tooke me and led me home again to put on my shooes and suche geare as I had neede off Then sayde Iohn Fancouer Nowe your maister hath deceiued you You sayd you were an Angel and if you had bene an Angell whye did you not flee away from vs Then sayde I what be they that euer heard me say that I was an Aungel It is not the first lie by a thousande the they haue made of mee Angels were neuer begotten of men nor borne of women but if they had saide that they had heard me saye that I doe trust I am a Saint they hadde not said amisse What do you thinke to be a Saint Yea that I do and am already in Gods sight I trust in God for he that is not a Saint in Gods sight already is a deuil Therefore he that thinketh scorne to be a Saint let him be a deuil And with the woord they had brought me to mine owne doore where met with me my father and willed me to remember my self To whom I answeared I praise God I am wel remembred wherabout I go This way was appoynted of God for me to be deliuered into the handes of mine ennemies but woe vnto him by whom I am betraied It had bene good for that man that he had neuer ben borne if he repent not with speede The Scriptures are nowe fulfilled on me For the father shall be against the sonne and the brother shall deliuer the brother to death as it is this daye come to passe Then sayd one He doth accuse his Father a good childe in deede I accuse him not but say my minde for there was no man knewe me at home but my father my brother and one more the which I dare saye woulde not hurt me for all the good in this towne There was one George Bechinge that marryed one of my sisters he thoughte that I had meant him that he had betraied me and he said Brother I would you shuld not thinke that I was the cause of your taking To whō I answered that I ment him not I meant one that was nearer of my bloud then he was Then said one of Lause that had bene a gospeller stood from them when I was brought to a sessions to Lause and he said I thought you would haue ben an honest man when you were at Lause and I offered Hussey the sheriffe to be bound for you that you shuld go home to your wife and come to him againe Then I remembred what he was and saide Be you the Peauterer And he saide Yea. Then saide I It is happened to you according to the true Prouerbe as sayeth S. Peter The dogge is tourned to his vomit againe and the sowe that is washed to wallow in the mire and the ende of all suche will be worse then the beginning Then his mouth was stopped so that he had nothing to say All this while I stoode at my doore without for they would not let me goe in So I put on my shooes and my cloathes and then they putte on an harnesse aboute mine armes made of a dogs slip which reioyced my heart that I was counted woorthy to be boūd for the name of God So I tooke my leaue of my wife and children my father other of my friendes neuer thinking to see them more in this world For it was so thought of all the country that I should not liue 6. daies after my taking for they had so reported But yet I knew it was not as they would vnlesse God wold graunt it I know what God can do but what he wil do I know not but I am sure he wil worke al things for the best for them that loue and feare him So we dranke and went our way and came to Firle about 3. of the clocke And thus much touching the causes effecte of the troubles of Rich. Woodman Nowe let vs see his examinations which follow in this order The first examination of Rich. Woodman before Doctor Christopherson Bishop of Chichester Doctor Story Doctor Cooke and other FIrst you shal vnderstād that I was sent from the sheriffes to London the 12. day of Aprill in the yere of our Lord. 1557. and afterwarde vppon the 14. daye of the same moneth I was brought before the Bishop of Chichester and doctor Story and doctor Cooke So the sheriffs man deliuered my warrant and me to the bishop Then the bishop asked me what my name was My name quoth I is Richard Woodman Chichester I am sory for you and so are all the worshipfull men of your Countrey For it hath bene reported to me that you haue bene a man of good estimation in all the Countrey amongest the poore and riche till nowe of late Wherefore looke wel vpon your selfe your wife and children your Father and other of your frends and be ruled Thinke not your selfe wiser then all the Realme Be enfourmed and you shal haue theyr fauors all as muche as euer you had Wood. You haue charged me with many things wherin I haue neuer offended and if you will geue mee leaue I will shewe you Chichester Yes I pray you say your minde Wood. If it please you you haue charged me as thoughe I made my selfe wiser then all the Realme God doeth knowe I stande to learne of euerye man that will or can teache me the truthe And where as you say I haue beene wel estemed both of the poore and riche God doth know I knowe not that I haue geuen any iust offence either to rich or poore And as for my wife and children God doeth know how I loue them in him and my life also My life my wife and my children are all in Gods handes and I haue them all as I had them not I trust according to S. Paules woords But if I had x. M. pound of gold I had rather forgoe it all then them
deede these be the wordes of S. Paule Who so eateth of this bread and drinketh of this cuppe vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because hee maketh no difference of the Lordes body that is because hee presumeth to eat the sacrament of the Lordes body without sayth making no difference betwixt the sacrament and other bread and drynke And that is S. Paules meaning and not that any man doth or can eate the body of Christ vnworthely For who soeuer eateth the body of christ hath euerlasting life as is aforesayd in the 6. of Iohn With which wordes one came from them to come to dinner in all the hast Gage I am sory I woulde fayne heare more of this talke but we shall haue an other day wel inough Lang. Nay M. Gage I will neuer talke with him more for he is the vnreasonablest man that euer I talked wyth in all my life Wood. Then M. Gage put of hys capp and desired hym that he would not refuse to talk with me and that it might not bee greeuous to hym For he sayde wee wyll seeke al the meanes possible to make him an honest man and to keepe him from burning if we coulde For if my brother and I had not bene he had bene burned ere this tyme. Thē there was great curtisie betwixt them Lang. Sir for your sake for my mayster your brothers sakes and for his fathers sake and other of his fryendes sakes that haue spoken to me many tymes with weeping teares I will doe the best to hym that I can but for no loue nor fauour that I beare to him I tell you truth Gage Woodman you heare what M.D. sayth When wyl you come agayne Wood. Euen when you will send for me For I am a prysoner and cannot come when I woulde Or if I shoulde desire to come it will cost me money and I haue none to geue but if you send for me it shall cost me none Gage Well I will send for you on Friday or Saterdaye at the farthest for to morow I must ride forth of towne I would fayne heare your talke Wood. Sir I would be very glad you should heare oure talke alway and I trust in God you shall heare me say no thing but the word of God shall be my warrant So M. Gage tooke his leaue and went his way to his lodgyng which was right in my way as I went vnto prisonward agayne and when hee came without my Lorde Mountagues gates there we met with one Hode of Buxted a Smith Then sayd M. Gage Gage Woodman I had forgot one thing that Hode hath brought me in remembraunce of as soone as I saw hym for hee heard when the tale was tolde me Gage Hode did not you heare when Smith of Framfield tolde me that hee sawe Woodman abroad in the Cittie at libertie Hoode Yea forsooth that I did Gage Yea surely and I was very glad for I had wel hoped you had bene conformable But I heard otherwise afterward agayne that you had leaue of the keeper to go abroad and speake openly in the streetes as you went vpp and downe Wood. In deede so the Marshall told me to day But in deed I was neuer abroad since I came to prison but whē I was sent for and in deede the same time I was abroad with my keeper comming from the Bysh. and as I was comming euen not farre from the Marshalsey I saw goodman Smith stād in a Wayne vnlading of Cheese I asked him how he did euen as I went by and neuer stayed for the matter and therupon it did rise So I departed frō them with my keeper to the Marshalsea agayne where I now am mery I prayse God therefore as a sheepe appoynted to be slayne * The fourthe examination of Richard Woodman had before the Byshop of Winchester the Byshop of Rochester and a certayn Doctour with diuers other Priests and Gentlemen the xxv day of May. Anno. 1557. Woodman I Was fet from the Marshalsea to the sayd Byshops and Priestes sitting in S. Georges Churche in Southwark by one of the Marshals men and one of the Sheriffes mē When I came before them and had done my duty to them as nigh as I could then sayd the Bishop of Winchester Winchester What is your name Wood. My name is Richard Woodman forsooth Winchester Ah Woodman you were taken and apprehended for heresie about a three yeares agone and were sente to prison in the kinges Bench and there remayned a long time Mine olde Lorde of Chichester being a learned famous man well knowne in this realme of England and almost throughout all Christendome I think came to prison to you and there and at other places called you before him diuers times trauayling and perswading with you many wayes because hee was your Ordinary to plucke you from your heresies that you held but he coulde by no meanes aduertise you Wherupon you were deliuered to the Commissioners and they could do no good with you neyther Then they sent you vnto my Lord of Lond. My Lorde of Lond. calling you before him diuers times labour was made vnto him of your frendes that you might be released My Lord hauing a good hope in you that you woulde become an honest man because he had heard so of you in tymes past yea you your selfe promising him that you would go home and recant your heresies that you held deliuered you sending also a letter of your recantation to the Commissary that he should see it done But as soone as you were out of his hands you were as bad as euer you were would neuer fulfill your promise but haue hid your selfe in the woodes Bushes Dennes Caues and thus haue continued euer since til it was now of late Thē the Sheriffe of that Shyre being a worshipfull man hearing thereof sent certayn of his mē took you in a wood so caried you to his house I cannot tell his name What is your Sheriffes name Wood. Forsooth his name is sir Edward Gage Winc. Well you were apprehended for heresie and beyng at M. Gages three weekes or more yee were gentlye entreated there he and other Gentlemen perswading wyth you diuers tymes little preuayled Then you appealed to the Bishop of Chichester that now is The Sheriffe like a worshipfull man sent you to him and he hath trauelled with you and other also can do no good with you whereupon we haue sent for you Wood. Then I spake to him For I thought he would be long before hee woulde make an end I thought hee was a yeare in telling of those lyes that he had told there agaynst me already Yea I kept silence from good wordes but it was great payne and griefe vnto me as Dauid sayd At length the fire was so kindled within my hart that I could not chuse but speake with my tongue for I feared least any of the company shoulde haue departed or
too was not lawfully authorised nor hadde not put away his wife Wherefore it was not lawfull for him to preache by your owne lawe and therefore I brake not the Statute though I spake to him Winch. I am glad I perceaue thys man speaketh against Priestes Maryages hee is not contented with Pryestes that haue wiues He is honester man then I tooke hym for M. Sheriffe haue him away I am glad he loueth not Priestes Mariages Wood. Then I would haue aunswered to hys sayinges but he would in no wise heare me but bad the Sheriffe haue me away So the Sheriffe took me by the hand plucked me away and would not let me speake but goyng out of the Chauncell dore I sayd I would shew him the whole matter if he would haue geuen me leaue but seeing he wil not if he will let me go so they shall see whether I wyll not goe home to my wife and children and keepe them as my bounden duety is by the helpe of God So I was sent to the Marshalsea agayne where I now am mery I prayse God therefore as a sheepe appoynted to be slayne Moreouer I was credibly enformed by one of oure brethren that heard our talke that the Byshop sayd when I was gone that they would take me whilest I was somewhat good Which wordes seemed to many of the people that were there that I spake agaynst priestes Maryages but I did not but did not onely aunswere to suche questyons as he asked me as you shall perceaue wel by the words if you marke them which wordes were these How can you purge your self from heresie for talking to the Curate in the Pulpit and not offende the Statute sayd the Bishops meaning thereby I thinke to haue taken vauntage of my wordes but it was not Gods will that he should at that tyme. For I aunswered hym by the words of the Statute which wordes bee as hereafter followeth that is whosoeuer doth interrupt any preacher or preachers lawfully authorised by the Queenes Maiestie or by any other lawfull Ordinary that all such shall suffer three monthes imprisonment But I proued that this mā was not lawfully authorised to preach by their owne law because he had not put away his wife For their law is that no Priest may say Masse nor preach with the Masse but he must first be separated from his wife That is because honest Maryages be good and commendable and theyrs nought and abhominable therefore they cannot dwell together Now I geue you al to vnderstand that I did not reproue this Priest he cause he had a wife but because hee taught false doctrine which greeued my soule because hee had bene a feruent Preacher agaynst the Masse and all the Idolatry therof seuen yeares before and then came held with it agayne for the which cause I reproued him in the Pulpit And the words that I spake to him are written in diuers of my examinations of my first imprisonment for that same But in very deede I knew not of the Statute when I reproued him But because I was sent to prison vpon the breache of it I bought a Statute booke when I had perused it I perceiue I had not offended by theyr owne lawe and therefore still when I was called to aunswere I aunswered them with their owne lawe But yet they kept me in prison a yeare and almost three quarters or euer I was released I was at mine aunswere for that eighten times If any thinke I doe not allow Bishoppes and priestes mariages let them looke in my first examination before the Bishop of Chichester that nowe is duryng this my imprisonment and there they shall finde what I haue found in the matter The truth is I looked to be cōdemned with my brother that same day But we may also see that they can do nothing but as God will permit them to do But when the time is full come I trust in God I shall runne that ioyfull race that my brethren haue done Thus I commit you all into the handes of God who is the preseruer defender and keeper of all his electe for euermore Amen * The fift examination of Richard Woodman had before the Bishop of Winchester the Archdeacon of Cant. Doct. Langdale with a fat headed Priest and other whose names I know not with certain also of the Cōmissioners at S. Maryes Oueries church in Southwarke in the presence of three C. people at the least the xv day of Iune An. 1557. WInchester Woodman you were before vs the last day and would not be acknowne in anye wise that you were sent to prison for heresie and called for your accusers and stoode stoutly in defending of your selfe and in youre departing I had thought you had spoken agaynst priestes Mariages thinking by youre wordes wee shoulde haue found you an honest man and conformable when we had called you before vs agayne You tolde such a fayre tale for your selfe as though you had bene free from all that was layd to your charge For you sayde it was all lyes that I tolde agaynst you but since I haue proued the contrarye as here is your owne hand to shew By the which I haue proued that you reproued not the priest for lacking of authoritie and because he had not put away his wife but because you liked not hys preaching For in deede I tooke it that you reproued him for because hee was not lawfully authorised but I haue proued the contrary since Wood. I told you not that I did either reproue hym for lacke of authoritie or because I liked not his preachynge but I told you wherefore I was first sent to prison For you sayd I was sēt to prison for heresie made a long tale agaynst me And in deede I told you that there was neuer a word of your sayinges true but was all lyes as it was in deed For I neuer was sent to prison for heresie neither held I any then nor do now I take heauen and earthe to witnesse but I tolde you I was sent to prison vppon the breach of a Statute which was for speaking to a Priest in the Pulpit and for that cause the Iustices of that country had thought I had offended the Statute and called me before them and would haue had me to haue bene bound to my good abearing and because I refused it they sent me to prisō And these be the wordes of the Statute as I told you the last day If any man do interrupt any preacher or preachers lawfully authorised by the Queenes Maiestie or by any other lawfull Ordinary that then euery partie that so offendeth shall suffer three monthes imprisonment and furthermore be brought to the quarter Sessions and there being sorye for the the same aad also bound for his good abearing one whole yeare to be released or els to remayne to prison agayne And when I was in prison I bought a Statute book which when I had perused
Robert Maynard the Bayliffe and such like which Maynard commonly when he sate in iudgment vpon life and death would sit sleeping on the Bench many times so careful was his mind on his Office Further shee willed halting Gospellers to beware of bloud for that would cry for vengeaunce c. And in the end she told them all laying her hand on the Barre if they dâ—d not repent their wicked doynges therin that vndoubtedly the very barre should be a witnes agaynst them at the day of iudgement that they had there that day shed innocente bloud This Elizabeth Folkes the day before she was condemned was examined onely vpon this article whether she beleued that there was a Catholicke Church of Christ or no. Unto which she answered Yea. Then was she immediately by Bowsels meanes the Scribe deliuered vnto her vncle Holt of the same towne of Colchester to keep who caried her home vnto hys house shee being there might haue departed thence many tymes if she had wold for there was meanes offered to conuey her awaye But she hearyng that some doubted that shee hadde yealded to the Pope although it was most vntrue would in no wise content her selfe but wept and was in suche anguishe of minde and terrour of conscience that no remedye shee woulde to the Papistes agayne for any perswasions that could bee and commyng before them at Cosins house at the white Harte in Colchester she was at vtter defiaunce with them and their doctrine and so had as ye haue heard in the end a papisticall reward as the rest of her brethren had ¶ The Lordes faythfull prisoners in Colchester Castle WIlliam Munt of Muchbentley in Essex of the age of 61. yeares sayde that the sacrament of the Aultar was an abhominable Idoll and that if he should obserue any part of their popish proceedinges he should dysplease God and bring his curse vpon him and therfore for feare of his vengeaÌ„ce he durst not doe it This good father was examined of many thinges but God be thanked he stoode to the truth and in the end therfore had sentence of condemnation read agaynst hym Iohn Iohnson of Thorpe in Essex wydower of the age of xxxiiii yeares was examined as the rest and made answere in suche sorte as the Papistes counted them none of theirs and therefore condemned him with theyr bloudye senteÌ„ce as they had done the rest before This Ioh. Iohnson affirmed that in the receauing of the sacrament accordyng to Christes institution he receiueth the body of christ spiritually c. Alice Munt the wife of the sayde William Munt of the age of xli yeares being also examined as the rest sayd and confirmed the same in effect as her husband dyd and was therefore also condemned by their bloudy sentence in lyke maner Rose Allyn mayd the daughter of the sayd Alice Munt of the age of twenty yeares being examined of auricular confession goyng to the church to heare Masse of the Popish seuen sacramentes c. aunswered stoutlye that they stanke in the face of God and she durst not haue to do with them for her life neyther was she she sayde anye member of theirs for they were the members of Antichriste and so shuld haue if they repented not the reward of Antichrist Being asked further what she could saye of the Sea of the Bishop of Rome whethere she would obey hys authoritie or no she aunswered boldly that she was none of hys As for hys See quoth she it is for Crowes kytes owles and Rauens to swimme in such as you be for by the grace of God I shall not swimme in that See while I lyue neither will I haue any thing to doe therewith Then read they the sentence of condemnation agaynst her and so sent her vnto prison agayne vnto the rest where she song with great ioy to the wonder of many Thus these poore condemned Lambes beyng deliuered into the handes of the secular power were committed agayn euery one vnto the Prison from whence they came where they remayned with much ioy great comfort in continuall reading and inuocating the name of God euer looking and expecting the happy day of their dissolution In which time the cruell Papistes left not their mischieuous attemptes agaynst them although they would seeme now to haue no more to doe with theÌ„ for bloudy Boner whose throte neuer cryed ho shortly aâ—ter got a writ for the burning of the foresayd ten good creatures and to shewe the more dilligence in the cause he sent hys owne trusty man downe with it named Edward Cosin and with hym also his letter for the furtheraunce of the matter the thirtye day of Iuly the next month after the condemnation The writ being thus receiued of the sayde Bayliffes they hauing then no leysure thereaboutes appoynted the day of the executioÌ„ therof to be the second day of August next following And because the faythfull soules were in two seuerall Prisons as the Castle was for the Countrey and Mote Hall for the Towne therfore it was agreed among them that they in Mote Hall should be burnt in the forenoone and those at the Castle by the Sheriffe of the Shyre in the after noone as here thou mayest see it more playne how it came to passe accordingly ¶ The martyrdome of three men and three women at Colchester burned in the forenoone besides 4 other burned at after noone When all sixe were also nayled likewise at their stakes and the fire about them they clapped their handes for ioy in the fire that the standers by which were by estimation thousandes cryed generally all almost The Lord strengtheÌ„ them the Lord comfort them the Lord poure his mercies vpon them with such like wordes as was wonderfull to heare Thus yealded they vp theyr soules and bodyes into the Lordes handes for the true testimony of his trueth The Lord graunt we may imitate the same in the like quarrell if hee so vouche vs worthye for hys mercies sake Amen In like manner the sayde day in the afternoone was brought forth into the Castle yard to a place appoynted for the same W. Munt Iohn Iohnson Alice Munt and Rose Allyn aforesayd which godly constant persons after they had made theyr praiers and were ioyfully â—yed to the stakes calling vpon the name of God and exhorting the people earnestly to flee from Idolatry suffered their martyrdome with such triumphe and ioye that the people did no lesse showte therat to see it then at the other that were burnt the same day in the morning Thus ended all these glorious x. soules that day their happy liues vnto the Lord whose ages all did growe to the summe of 406. yeares or thereaboutes The Lord graunt we may well spend our yeares and dayes likewise to his glory Amen ¶ Iohn Thurston dyed in Colchester Castle BEfore you haue heard of the taking of one I. Thurston at Muchbentley in the house of one William Munt
these articles thus ministred and layd to Cutbert Simson with his aunsweres likewise vnto the same the Bishop calling them altogether obiected to them other positions and articles the same whiche before are mentioned in the story of Bartlet Greene. pag. 1736. onely the 8. Article out of the same omitted and excepted which Articles because they are already expressed in the page aboue mentioned we neede not here to make anye newe reporte thereof but onely referre the Reader to the place assigned ¶ The aunsweres generall of Cutbert Simson Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuinishe to the Articles by the Bishop to them generally proposed TO the first Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely but Iohn Deuenishe added that that Churche is grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christe being the head corner stone and how in that Churche there is the true fayth and religion of Christ. To the second Article they all confessed and beleeued that in Christes Catholicke Churche there are but two Sacramentes that is to witte Baptisme and the supper of the Lord otherwise they do not beleue the contentes of this Article to be true in any part therof To the 3. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely To the 4. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely ¶ Three godly Martirs burned in Smithfield To the sixt Article they al answered and denied to acknowledge the authoritie of the sea of Rome to be lawfull and good eyther yet his religion To the seuenth Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely that they haue and will doe still while they liue and Iohn Deuinishe adding thereto sayde that the sacrament of the aultar as it is now vsed is no sacrament at all To the 8. Article they all confessed and beleued all thynges aboue by them acknowledged and declared to be true and that they be of the Dioces of London and iurisdiction of the same These three aboue named persons and blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ Cutbert Foxe and Deuenish as they were altogether apprehended at Islington as is aboue declared so the same all three together suffered in Smithfield about the xxviii day of March in whose perfect constancie the same Lorde in whose cause and quarrell they suffered giuer of all grace and gouernour of all thinges be exalted for euer Amen ¶ The suffering and Martyrdome of William Nichole put to death by the wicked hands of the papistes at Herefordwest in Wales WE finde in al ages from the beginning that Sathan hath not ceassed at all times to molest the Churche of Christ with one affliction or other to the tryall of theyr fayth but yet neuer so aparauntly at anye time to all the worlde as when the Lorde hath permitted him power ouer the bodyes of hys saynctes to the shedding of theyr bloud and peruerting of religion for then sleepeth he not I warrant you from murdering of the same vnlesse they will fall downe with Achab and Iesabell to worship him and so kill and poyson their owne soules eternally as in The burning of W. Nicole at Herefordwest in Wales these miserable latter dayes of Queene Mary we haue felt heard and seene practised vppon Gods people Amonge whome wee finde recorded an honest good simple poore man one William Nicole who was apprehended by the Champions of the pope for speaking certayne wordes agaynst the cruell kingdome of Antichriste and the ninth day of Aprill 1558. was butcherly burnt and tormented at Herefordwest in Wales where he ended his life in a most happy and blessed state and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lorde whose goodnes bee praysed for euer Amen This William Nicoll as we are informed was so simple a good soule that many esteemed him half foolish But what he was we know not but this are we sure he died a good man and in a good cause what soeuer they iudge of hym And the more simplicitie of feeblenes of wit appeared in him the more beastly and wretched dothe it declare their cruell tyrannicall acte therin The Lord geue them repentaunce therefore if it bee his blessed will Amen Amen The Martyrdome of William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson put to death by the persecuting papists at Norwich in the county of Norfolke IMmediately after William Nicoll succeeded in that honourable and glorious vocation of Martyrdome three constaunt godly menne at Norwiche in Northfolk who were cruelly and tyrannically put to death for the true testimony of Iesus Christ the xix of May. an 1558. Whose names be these William Seaman Thomas Carman Thomas Hudson The sayde William Seaman was an Husbandman of the age of xxvi yeares dwelling in Mendlesham in the county of Suffolke who was sūdry sought for tymes by the commandement of Sir Iohn Tirrell knight at laste he himselfe in the night searched his house and other places for him notwithstanding hee somewhat mist of his purpose God be thanked Then he gaue charge to hys Seruauntes Robert Baulding and Iames Clarke wyth others to seek for him Who hauing no officer went in the euening to hys house where he being at home they took him and caryed him to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tirrell This Baulding being Seamans nighe neighbour and whome the sayde Seaman greatly trusted as a speciall friend notwithstanding to doe hys Mayster a pleasure now became enemy to hys chiefe friend and was one of the busiest in the taking of him Now as they were goyng to cary hym to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tyrrell in the night it is credibly reported that there fell a lyghte betweene them out of the element and parted them Thys Baulding being in company with the rest when the light fell and albeit he was then in hys best age yet after the time neuer enioyed good daye but pyned away euen vnto the death Well for all that straunge sight as I sayd they caried him to theyr Mayster Who when he came asked him why he would not goe to Masse and to receaue the sacrament and so to worship it Unto which William Seaman aunswered denying it to bee a sacrament but sayde it was an Idoll and therefore would not receaue it After whiche wordes spoken sir Iohn Tirrel shortly sent hym to Norwiche to Hopton then Bishop and there after conference and examination had with him the bishop read his bloudy sentence of condemnation agaynst him and afterward deliuered him to the secular power who kepte him vnto the day of Martyrdome This sayd William Seaman left behynde him when he dyed a wife and three children very young and wyth the sayd young children hys wife was persecuted oute of the sayde towne also of Mendlesham because that shee would not go to heare Masse and all her corne and goods seased and taken awaye by Mayster Christopher Coles officers he being Lorde of the sayd towne Thomas Carman who as is sayd pledged Richarde Crashfield at hys burning and thereupon was apprehended being prisoner in Norwiche was about
Religion tooke such effect agaynst the enemye that within sixe dayes after Queene Mary dyed and the tyranny of all Englishe Papistes with her Albeit notwithstanding the sicknes and death of that queene wherof they were not ignorant yet the Archdeacon with other of Caunterbury thought to dispatch the Martyrdome of these men before ¶ The burning of fiue Martyrs at Caunterbury In the which fact the tyranny of this Archdeacon seemeth to exceede the crueltye of Boner who notwithstanding he had certayne the same time vnder his custodye yet he was not so importune in haling them to the fire as appeareth by father Liuing and his wife and diuers other who being the same time vnder the custody and daūger of Boner deliuered by the death of Queene Mary remayne yet some of them aliue These godly martirs in theyr prayers which they made before their martirdome desired God that theyr bloud might be the last that should be shed and so it was This Katherine Tynley was the mother of one Robert Tynley now dwelling in Maydstone which Robert was in trouble all Queene Maryes time To whom hys Mother comming to visite him asked him how he tooke this place of Scripture which she had seene not by reading of the Scripture for she had yet in maner no taste of Religion but had found it by chaunce in a Booke of prayers I will poure out my spirite vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesy your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions And also vpon the seruantes and vpon the maydes in those dayes will I poure my spirite c. Which place after that he had expounded to her she began to take hold on the Gospell growing more and more in zeale and loue thereof and so continued vnto her Martyrdome Among such young women as were burned at Caunterbury it is recorded of a certayne mayd and supposed to be this Alice Snoth here in this story mentioned or els to be Agnes Snoth aboue storied pag. 1751. for they were both burned that when she was brought to bee executed she being at the stake called for her godfather and godmothers The Iustice hearing her sent for thē but they durste not come Notwithstanding the Iustice willed the messēger to go agayne and to shew them that they should incur no daunger therfore Then they hearing that came to knowe the matter of theyr sending for When the maide saw them she asked thē what they had promised for her and so she immediatly rehearsed her fayth and the commaundements of God and required of them if there were any more that they had promised in her behalfe and they sayd no. Then sayd shee I dye a Christian woman beare witnes of me and so cruelly in fire was she consumed gaue ioyfully her life vp for the testimony of Christes Gospell to the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly and also to the stopping of the sclaunderous mouthes of suche as falsly doe quarrell agaynst these faythfull Martyrs for going from that religion wherein by theyr Godfathers Godmothers they were first baptised ¶ The story and condemnation of Iohn Hunt and Richard White ready to be burnt but by the death of Queene Mary escaped the fire BEsides these Martyrs aboue named diuers there were in diuers other places of the Realme imprisoned whereof some were but newly taken and not yet examined some begon to be examined but were not yet condemned certayne both examined and condemned but for lacke of the writ escaped Other there were also both condemned and the writ also was brought downe for theyr burning and yet by the death of the Chaūcellor the bishop and of Queene Mary happening together about one time they most happely maruellously were preserued and liued many yeres after In the number of whom was one Iohn Hunt and Rich. White imprisoned at Salisbury Touching which historie something here is to be shewed First these two good men and faythfull seruauntes of the Lord aboue named to wit Iohn Hunt and Richarde White had remayned long time in prison at Salisburye other places therabout the space of two yeares and more During which time oft times they were called to examination manifold waies were impugned by the Bishop and the Priestes All whose examinations as I thoughte not much needefull here to prosecute or to searche out for the length of the volume so neither agayne did I thinke it good to leaue no memorye at all of the same but some part to expresse namely of the examination of Richarde White before the Bishop of Salisbury the Bishop of Glocester with the Chauncellour and other Priestes not vnworthy perchaunce to be rehearsed * The examination of Richard White before the Byshop of Salisbury in his chamber in Salisbury the 26. day of Aprill an 1557. THe Bishop of Salisbury at that time was Docor Capon The Bishop of Glocester was Doctor Brookes These with Doctour Geffrey the Chauncelour of Salisbury and a great number of Priestes sitting in iudgemēt Richarde White was brought before them With whome first the Bishop of Glocester which had the examination of him beginneth thus Bishop Brookes Is this the prisoner The chauncellour Yea my Lord. Brookes Frend wherefore camest thou hether White My Lord I trust to know the cause for the lawe saith in the mouth of two or three witnesses things must stand Doctour Capon Did not I examine thee of thy fayth whē thou camest hether White No my Lord you did not examine me but cōmaūded me to the Lollardes Tower and that no man should speake with me And now I do require mine accuser Then the Register said the Maior of Marlborow did apprehend you for wordes that you spake there for that I commaunded you to be conueyed hither to prison White You had the examination of me in Marlborow Say you what I haue sayd And I will aunswere you Geffray Thou shalt confesse thy fayth ere thou depart and therfore say thy minde freely and be not ashamed so to do White I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ because it is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleue S. Peter sayth If any man do aske thee a reasō of the hope that is in thee make him a direct aunswere and that with meekenes Who shall haue the examination of me Chaunc My Lord of Glocester shall haue the examinatiō of thee White My Lorde will you take the paynes to wet your coate in my bloud be not guilty thereof I warne you before hand Brookes I will do nothing to the contrary to our law White My Lorde what is it that you doe request at my handes Brookes I will appose thee vpon certayne articles principally vpon the sacramēt of the aultar How doest thou beleue of the blessed Sacrament of the aulter Beleuest thou not the reall carnall and corporall presence of Christ in the same euen
haue done But within two or three dayes after he was brought forth into the Court where he beganne to demaunde hys goodes and because it was a deuise that well serued their turne without any more circumstance they bad him saye his Aue Maria. The party began said it after this maner Aue Maria gratia plena Dominus te cum benedicta tu in mulieribus benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus Amen The same was written word by word as hee spake it and without anye more talke of clayming his goodes because it was booteles they commaunde him to prison agayne and enter an action agaynst him as an hereticke for asmuch as he did not say his Aue Maria after the romish fashion but ended it very suspiciously for he should haue added moreouer Sancta Maria mater Dei ora pro nobis pecca toribus by abbreuiating whereof it was euident enough sayd they that he did not allow the mediation of saintes Thus they picked a quarrell to deteine him in prison a longer season and afterwardes brought him forth into their stage disguised after theyr manner where sentence was geuen that he should loose all the goodes whiche he sued for though they were not his own and besides this suffer a yeares imprisonment ¶ The Martyrdome of an other Englishman in Spayne AT what tyme this blessed Martyr of Christe suffered which was the yeare of our Lord .1560 December 22. there suffered also an other Englishman with other xiii one of them being a Nunne an other a Fryer both constant in the Lord. Of which xiii read before pag. 934. * Iohn Baker and Willam Burgate Martyrs IOhn Baker and William Burgate bothe Englishmen in Cales in the countrey of Spayne were apprehended and in the Citty of Siuill burned the second day of Nouember ¶ Marke Burges and William Hoker Martyrs MArke Burges an Englishman Mayster of an English ship called the Minion was burned in Lushborn a citty in Portingale an 1560. William Hoker a young manne about the age of xvi yeares being an Englishman was stoned to death of certayne young men there in the Citty of Siuill for the confession of his fayth an 1560. But of these and such other actes and matters paste in Spayne because they fell not within the compasse of Q. Maryes raygne but since her tyme an other place shall serue hereafter the Lord willing to entreat more at large of the same when we come to the yeares and raygne of the Queene that now is where we haue more conueniently to inferre not onely of these matters of the Martyrs wherof somewhat also hath bene touched before pag. 907. but also of the whole Inquisition of Spayne and Plackarde of Flanders with the tragical tumults troubles happening wtin the last memory of these our latter dayes according as it shall please the mercy of the Lord to enable our endeuor with grace and space to the accomplishment therof ¶ A chapter or treatise concerning such as were scourged and whipped by the Papistes in the true cause of Christes Gospel ANd thus through the mercifull assistaunce and fauourable ayd of Christ our Sauiour thou hast as in a generall Register good Reader the story collected if not of all yet of the most part or at least not many I trust omitted of such good Sayntes and Martyrs as haue lost theyr lyues and geuen theyr bloud or dyed in prison for the testimony of Christes true doctrine and sacramentes from the time of the cruell Statute first geuen out by king HeÌ„ry the 4. Ex officio pag. 523. vnto this present tyme especially vnder the raygne of Queene Mary Now after this bloudy slaughter of GODS good sayntes and seruauâ—tes thus ended and discoursed let vs proceede by the good pleasure of the Lord somewhat like wise to entreate of such as for the same cause of Religyon haue bene although not put to death yet whipped and scourged by the aduersaryes of Gods worde first begynning with Richard Wilmot and Thomas Farefaxe who about the tyme of Anne Aschue wer pittifully rent tormented with scourges and stripes for theyr faythfull standing to christ and to hys truth as by the story and examination both of the sayde Rich. Wilmot and of Thomas Farefaxe nowe following may appeare The scourging of Richard Wilmot and Thomas Fayrefaxe AFter the first recantation of Doct. Crome for his Sermon which he made the fift Sonday in Lent at Saint Thomas Acons being the mercers Chappell his Sermon was on the Epistle of the same day written in the x. chap. to the Hebrues wherein he proued very learnedly by the same place of Scripture and others that Christ was the onely and sufficient Sacrifice vnto God the Father for the sinnes of the whole world and that there was no more sacrifice to be offered for sinne by the Priestes for as muche as Christ had offered his body on the Crosse and shed his bloud for the sinnes of the people that once for all For the which Sermon he was apprehended of Boner brought before Stephen Gardyner other of the Counsell where he promised to recant his Doctrine at Paules Crosse the second Sonday after Easter And accordingly he was there Preached Boner with all his Doctours sitting before him but he so Preached and handled his matter that he rather verified his former saying then denyed any parte of that which he before had Preached For the whiche the Protestantes praysed God and hartely reioysed But Byshop Boner with his Champions were not therewith pleased but yet notwithstanding they had hym home with them so handled him amongest the woluish generation that they made him come to the Crosse agayne the next Sonday And because the Magistrates shoulde now heare him be witnesses of this recantation which was moste blasphemous to deny Christes sacrifice to be sufficient for penitent sinners to say that the sacrifice of the Masse was good godly and a holy sacrifice propitiatorye and auayleable both for the quicke and the deade Because I saye that they would haue the nobles to heare this blasphemous doctrine the viperous generation procured all the chiefe of the Counsell to be there present Nowe to come to our matter at this tyme the same weeke betweene his first Sermon and the last and while Doct. Crome was in duraunce one Rich. Wilmot being Prentise in Bow lane being of the age of eighteene yeares and sytting at his worke in his Maysters shop the Tuesday in the moneth of Iuly One Lewes a WelchmaÌ„ being one of the Garde came into the shoppe hauing things to doe for himselfe One asked him what newes at the Court and he answered that the old hereticke D. Crome had recanted now in deede before the Counsell and that he should on Sonday nexte bee at Paules Crosse agayne and there declare it Then Wilmot sitting at his Maysters worke hearing hym speake these
Lord Bishop and before Maister Chauncellour three times and haue declared my fayth Deane And yet I know that M. Chancellor will say that thou art a ranke heretike Story Away with her Bish. M. Deane ye knowe that I may not tary nor you neither Let her keeper bryng her home to your own chāber soone at foure a clocke at after noone and if that ye find her reasonable then let her goe for I would that she were gone Then sayd the Deane with a good will my Lord and so she was sent vnto the place from whence she came vntill it was 4. of the clocke at afternoone ¶ The ix examination before the Deane before whom it pleased God to deliuer her WHen it was 4. of the clock at afternoone as the houre was appointed the Deane was set he asked her Art thou a foole now as thou wast to day Eliz. Sir I haue learned but small wisedome since Deane Doest thou thynke that I am better learned then thou Eliz. Yes sir that I do Deane Thinkest thou that I can do thee good Eliz. Yea sir and if it please God that ye will Deane Then I wyll doe thee good in deede What doest thou receyue when thou receyuest the Sacrament which Christ left among his Disciples the night before hee was betrayed Eliz. Sir that that his Disciples did receiue Deane What did they receyue Eliz. Sir that that Christ gaue them they receyued Deane What aunswere is this Was Christ there present Eliz. Sir he was there present for he instituted his owne sacrament Deane He tooke bread and he brake it and gaue it to hys disciples and sayd Take eate this is my body which shall bee broken for you When thou receiuest it doest thou beleeue that thou receiuest his body Eliz Sir when I receiue I beleeue that through faith I do receiue Christ. Deane Doest thou beleeue that Christ is there Eliz. Sir I beleeue that he is there to me and by fayth I do receyue hym Deane He also tooke the cup and gaue thanks and gaue it to his Disciples and sayd Drinke ye all hereof This is the cup of the new Testament in my bloude which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes When thou doest receiue it after the institution that Christ ordained among his Disciples the night before he was betraied doest thou beleeue that Christ is there Eliz. Sir by faith I beleeue that he is there and by fayth I do beleeue that I do receiue hym Deane Now thou hast answered me Remēber that thou sayest that when thou doest receiue according to the institution of Christ thou doest receiue Christ. Eliz. Sir I beleeue Christ not to be absent from his owne sacrament Deane How long wilt thou continue in that beliefe Eliz. Sir as long as I do lyue by the help of God for it is and hath bene my beliefe Deane Wilt thou say this before my Lord Eliz. Yea sir. Deane Then I dare deliuer thee Why thou Calfe why wouldst thou not say so to day Eliz. Sir ye asked me no such question Deane Then ye would stande in disputation how manye bodies Christ had Eliz. Sir in deed that question ye did aske me Deane Who shall bee thy Sureties that thou wylte appeare before my Lorde of London and me vpon Friday nexte Eliz. Sir I haue no Sureties nor knowe not where to haue Then spake the Deane vnto two women that stoode there who had earnestly sued for her saying women wil ye be her sureties that she shall appeare before my Lord of London and me vpon Friday next The Women Yea sir and it please you Deane Take heede that I finde you no more a brabler in the Scripture Eliz. Sir I am no brabler in the Scripture nor yet any man can burthen me therewith Deane Yes I haue hearde of you well enough what ye are Then sayde hee to the two Women what if a man should touch your conscience do ye not smell a little of heresie also The women No sir. Deane Yes a litle of the frying pan or els wherefore haue ye twaine so earnestly sued for her The one woman aunswered because that her children were lyke to perish and therefore God put me in mynd to sue for her Then sayd the other woman And I gate her chyld a Nurse and I am threatened to stande to the keepyng of her chylde and therfore it standeth me in hand for to sue to haue her out Deane Woman geue thankes vnto these honest women who haue so earnestly sued for thee and I promise thee so haue I. These great heretikes will receiue nothyng but in spirit and fayth and so he rose and departed Eliz. Sir God be praysed I thanke you for your goodnes and theirs also and so he went away vpon the friday next because she was acrased her two sureties wente thither and were discharged ¶ Elizabeth Lawson IN the towne of Bedfield and in the countie of Suffolk was dwellyng a godly auncient Matrone named Elizabeth Lawson about the age of lx yeares This Elizabeth was apprehended as an heretike by the Constables of the same towne named Robert Kitrich and Thomas Elas in the yeare of our Lorde 1556. because she woulde not go to Church to heare Masse and receyue the Sacrament and beleeue in it First they layd her in a dungeon and after that shee was caried vnto Norwich and from thence to Bury Gaole where at last she was condemned to be burnt In the mean tyme sir Iohn Sylliard had her home vnty hys house hee beyng high Shiriffe that yere where she was hardly kept and wrapped in irons till at length when they by no wise could mooue her co recant shee was sent to prison agayne with shamefull reuilings Thus she continued in prison the space of two yeares and three quarters In the meane tyme there was burnt her sonne and many other whereby she would often say Good Lord what is the cause that I may not yet come to thee with thy children well good Lord thy blessed will be done not myne Not long after this most happily followed the death of Queene Mary after whom succeded our Queene that now is At which tyme this Elizabeth Lawson remained yet still in Bury prison till at last she was bayled vppon sureties or els she could not be deliuered For she beyng a condemned person neither the temporalty nor yet spirituall authoritie would discharge her without sureties Now she beyng abroad and her sureties made afrayd by wicked men sayd they would cast her againe in prison except she would see them discharged Then she got a supplication to go vnto the Queenes maiestie and came to a friend of hers to haue his counsail therein who willed her to stay a while because she was old the dayes short and the expenses great and Winter fowle for it was a little before Christmas to tary vntill Sommer In the meane tyme
Berty found so good successe that he in fewe dayes obteined the Queenes licence not onely to passe the seas but to passe and repasse then so ofteÌ„ as to him semed good till he had finished all his busines and causes beyonde the seas So he passed the seas at Douer about the beginning of Iune in the first yeare of her reign leauing the Duchesse behinde who by agreement and consent beewixt her her husband folowed taking Barge at Lyon Key very early in the morning on the first day of Ianuary next ensuyng not without some perill There was none of those that weÌ„t with her made priuy to her going till the instant but an old Gentleman called M. Robert Cranwell whom M. Berty had specially prouided for that purpose She tooke with her her daughter an infant of one yeare the meanest of her seruaunts for she doubted the best would not aduenture that fortune with her They were in nuÌ„ber 4. men one a Greek borne which was a rider of horses an other a Ioyner the thyrde a Brewer the fourth a foole one of the kitchin one gâ—ntlewoman and a Laundreue As she departed her house called the Barbican betwixt 4. and 5. of the clocke in the morning with her company baggage one Atkinson a Herauld keper of her house hearing noyse about the house rose and came out with a torch in his hand as she was yet issuing out of the gate wherewith being amased shee was forced to leaue a male wyth necessaryes for her young daughter and a milke pot wyth milke in the same gatehouse commauÌ„ding all her seruantes to speed them away before to Lyon Key and takyng with her onely the two womeÌ„ and her child so soone as she was forth of her owne house perceiuing the Herauld to folow she stept in at Garter house hard by The Herauld comming out of the Duchesse house and seeing no bodye stirring not assured though by the male suspecting that she was departed returned in and while he stayed ransacking parcelles left in the male the Duchesse issued into the street and proceeded in her iourney he knowing the place only by name where she should take her boate but not the way thither nor none with her Likewise her seruauntes hauing diuided themselues none but one knewe the way to the sayd key So she apparelled like a meane Marchantes wife and the rest like meane seruantes walking in the streetes vnknowne she tooke the way that led to Finesbury field and the others walked the city streetes as they lay open before them till by chaunce more then discretion they met all sodeinly together a litle within Mooregate froÌ„ whence they passed directly to Lyon keye there tooke barge in a morning so misty that the stearesman was loth to launch out but that they vrged him So soone as the day permitted the Councell was informed of her departure and some of theÌ„ came forthwith to her house to enquire of the maner thereof and tooke an inuentory of her goodes besides further order deuised for search and watch to apprehend and staye her The fame of her departure reached to Leigh a towne at the lands end before her approching thither By Leigh dwelt one Gosling a marchant of LondoÌ„ an old acquaintaunce of Cranwels whither the sayd Cranwell brought the Duchesse naming her Mistres White the daughter of Mayster Gosling for such a daughter he had which neuer was in that couÌ„try There she reposed her and made new garmentes for her daughter hauing lost her owne in the male at Barbican When the time came that she shoulde take ship being constrayned that night to lye at an Inne in Leigh where she was agayne almost be wrayed yet notwithstanding by Gods good working she escaping that hassard at leÌ„gth as the tyde and wind did serue they went aboord being caryed twise into the seas almost into the coast of Zeland by contrary wind were driueÌ„ to the place from wheÌ„ce they came and at the last recuile certayne parsons came to the shore suspecting shee was within that shippe yet hauing examined one of her company that was a land for fresh Achates and finding by the simplicitye of his tale onely the appearaunce of a meane Marchauntes wife to be a shipboord he ceased any further search To bee shorte so soone as the Duchesse had landed in Brabant she and her womeÌ„ were apparelled like the women of Netherlande with hukes and so she and her husband tooke theyr iourney towardeÌ„s Cleueland and being ariued at a towne therin called Santon took a house there vntill they might further deuise of some sure place where to settle themselues About fiue miles from Santon is a free towne called Wesell vnder the sayd Duke of Cleues dominion and one of the HauÌ„s townes priuiledged with the company of the Steelyard in London whether diues Wallons were fled for religion and had for theyr Minister one Frances Perusell then called Frances de Riuers who had receiued some curtesy in England at the Duchesse handes Maister Berty being yet at Santon practised with him to obteine a protection from the Magistrates for his abode his wiues at Wesell whiche was the sooner procured because the state of the Duchesse was not discouered but onely to the chiefe Magistrate earnestly bent to shewe them pleasure whiles this protection was in seeking In the meane while at the Towne of Santon was a muttering that the Duchesse her husbande were greater personages then they gaue themselues forth and the Magistrates not very well inclined to religion the Bishop of Arras also being Deane of the great Minster order was taken that the Dutches and her husband should be examined oâ— their condition and Religion vppon the sodayne Which practise discouered by a gentleman of that country to Maystâ—r Bertie he without delay taking no more then the Duches her daughter and two other with them as though he meant no more but to take the ayre about three of the clock in the afternoone in February on foot without hiering of horse or wagon for feare of disclosing hys purpose meant priuily that night to get to Wesel leauing his other family still at Santon After the Duches and he were one englishe mile from the town there fell a mighty rayne of continuance wherby a long frost and I se before congealed was thawed whiche doubled more the wearines of those new lacquies But being now on the way and ouertakeÌ„ with the night they sent their two seruauntes which onely went with them to villages as they past to hyre some carre for theyr ease but none could be hyred In the meane time M. Bertye was forced to cary the childe and the Duches his cloke and rapier At last betwixt vi vii of the clocke in the dark night they came to Weesell and repayring to theyr Innes for lodging and some repose after such a paynfull iourney found hard intertaynment for goyng from Inne
I cannot with one mouth blow whote and cold after this sort Upon this his stable was robbed of foure notable good geldinges the best of them Maister Hudlestone tooke for hys owne Saddle and roade on hym to London in hys sight An Inuentory was taken of all his goodes by M. Moore Bedle for the Uniuersitie He was set vpon a lame horse that halted to the ground which thyng a friend of his perceiuyng prayed that he myght lend hym a nagge The yeomen of the Gard were content As he departed forth at the Townes ende some Papists resorted thither to giere at hym some of his friends to mourne for hym He came into the ranke to London the people beyng full of outcryes And as he came in at Bishops gate 〈◊〉 like a milk wife hurled a stone at hym and hit 〈…〉 brest wyth such a blow that he was lyke to fall of 〈…〉 To whō he mildly sayd Woman God forgeue it thee Truth is that iourney and euill intreatyng so mortified him that he was more ready to die then to lyue As hee came through Tower hill streete one woman standing in her doore cried Fie on thee thou knaue thou Knaue thou Traitor thou Hereticke Whereat hee smiled Looke the desperate Hereticke sayeth shee laugheth at this geare A woman on the other side of the streat answeared saying Fie on thee neighbor thou art not woorthy to be called a woman railing vpon thys Gentleman whome thou knowest not neither yet the cause why he is thus intreated Then shee sayd good Gentleman God be thy comfort and geue thee strēgth to stand in Gods cause euen to the ende And thus he passed thorow fire and water into the Tower The first prisoner that entred in that day which was S. Iames day The yeomen of the garde tooke from him his borrowed Nagge and what els so euer he had His man one Quinting Suainton broght after him a Bible and some shirtes and suche like thinges The Bible was sent in to him but the shirtes and suche like serued the yeomen of the Garde After he had bene in the Tower three weekes in a bad prison he was lifte vp into Nonnes bower a better prison where was put to him maister Iohn Bradforde At the day of Queene Maries Coronation their pryson doore was sette open euer shutte before One maister Mitchel his olde acquaintance and had bene prisoner before in the same place came in to him and sayde Maister Sandes there is suche a stirre in the Tower that neyther gates doores nor prisoners are looked to this day Take my Cloake my Hatte and my Rapier and get you gon you may goe oute of the gates without questioning saue your selfe and let me doe as I may A rare friendship but he refused the offer saying I knowe no iust cause whye I should be in prison And thus to do were to make my selfe guiltie I will expect Gods good will yet must I thinke my selfe most bound vnto you and so maister Michell departed While D. Sands and M. Bradford were thus in close prison together 29. weekes one Iohn Bowler was their Keeper a very peruerse Papist yet by often perswading of him for he would geue care and by gentle vsing of him at the length he began to mislike Poperie and to fauor the Gospell and so perswaded in true religion that on a sonday when they had Masse in the Chappell he bringeth vp a Seruice booke a manchet and a glasse of wine and there D. Sandes ministred the Communion to Bradforde and to Bowler Thus Bowler was their sonne begotten in bondes when Wiate was in armes and the olde Duke of Northfolke sent foorth with a power of men to apprehend him that roume might be made in the Tower for him and other his complices Doctor Cranmer D. Ridly and M. Bradford were cast into one prison and Doctour Sands with 9. other preachers were sent into the Marshalsea The Keeper of the Marshalsea appoynted to euerye preacher a man to leade him in the streate he caused them goe farre before and he and Doc. Sandes came behinde whom he woulde not lead but walked familiarlye wyth him Yet D. Sandes was knowne and the people euery where prayed to GOD to comfort him and to strength him in the truthe By that time the peoples mindes were altered Poperie began to be vnsauerie After they passed the Bridge the keeper Thomas Way sayd to D. Sands I perceiue the vaine people would set you forward to the fire yee are as vaine as they if you being a yong man wil stande in youre owne conceite and preferre youre owne knowledge before the iudgement of so many worthy Prelates auncient learned and graue menne as be in thys Realme If you so doe you shall finde me as strait a keeper as one that vtterly misliketh your Religion Doctour Sandes answeared I knowe my yeares young and my learning small it is enoughe to knowe Christe crucified and he hath learned nothing that seeth not the greate blasphemie that is in Poperie I will yeelde vnto God and not vnto man I haue reade in the Scriptures of manye godly and courteous Keepers God may make you one If not I trust hee will geue me strengthe and patience to beare your hard dealing with me Sayth Thomas Way doe yee then minde to stande to your Religion Yea sayth Doctor Sandes by Gods grace Truely sayeth the Keeper I loue you the better I did but tempt you What fauour I can shew you you shal be sure of and I shal think my selfe happie if I maye die at the stake with you The sayde Keeper shewed Doctour Sandes euer after all frendship he trusted him to goe into the fieldes alone and there mette with M. Bradforde who than was remooued into the Benche and there founde like fauour of his Keeper He laid him in the best chamber in the house he wold not suffer the Knight Marshals man to lay fetters on him as others had And at his request he put M. Sandes into him to be his bedfellowe and sondrye times suffered hys wife who was M. Sandes daughter of Essex a Gentlewoman beutifull both in body and soule to resort to hym There was great resort to Doctor Sands and M. Sanders they had much money offered them but they would receiue none They hadde the Communion there 3. or 4. times and a great sort of Communicants Doctor Sands gaue such exhortation to the people for at that time being young he was thoughte verye eloquent that hee mooued many teares and made the people abhorre the Masse and defie all Poperie When Wyat with his armie came into Southwarke he sent two Gentlemen into the Marshalsea to D. Sandes Saying that maister Wyat would be glad of his companie and aduice and that the gates should be sette open for all the prisonners He aunsweared Tell maister Wyat if this his rising be of God it will take place If not it will fall For my part I was committed hether by order I wil be discharged by
contented for that order was taken that no stranger should come within their Offices At which answer beyng sore displeased he brake out into these threatnyng wordes well sayd he I will handle you well enough Then went hee into the kitchin and there would needs haue his meat rosted with her Graces meate and sayd that his Cooke should come thether and dresse it To that her Graces Cooke answered my Lord I will neuer suffer any stranger to come about her diete but her owne sworne men so long as I lyue He said they should But the Cooke sayd his Lordship should pardon hym for that matter Thus did hee trouble her poore seruants very stoutly though afterward he were otherwise aduised and they more curteously vsed at his handes And good cause why For he had good â—here fared of the best her grace payed well for it Wherefore he vsed himselfe afterward more reuerently toward her grace After this sort hauyng lyen a whole moneth there in close prison and beyng very euill at ease therewithall she sent for the L. Chamberlaine and the Lord Shandoys to come and speake with her Who commyng she requested them that she might haue liberty to walk in some place for that she felt her selfe not well To the which they aunswered that they were right sorye that they coulde not satisfie her graces request for that they had commaundement to the contrary which they durst not in any wise break Furthermore she desired of them if that could not be granted that she might walke but into the Queenes lodgyng No nor yet that they answered could by any meanes bee obtained without a further sute to the Queene her Counsaile Well sayd she my Lordes if the matter be so harde that they must be sued vnto for so small a thyng that friendship be so strait God comfort me and so they departed she remaining in her old dungeon still without any kynde of comfort but onely God The next day after the L. Shandoyes came again vnto her grace declaryng vnto her that he had sued vnto the counsail for further liberty Some of them consented therunto diuers other dissented for that there were so manye prisoners in the tower But in conclusion they did al agree that her grace might walke into those lodgings so that he and the L. Chamberlaine and three of the Queens Gentlewomen did accompany her the windowes beyng shut and she not suffred to looke out at any of them wherwith she contented her selfe and gaue him thankes for hys good will in that behalfe Afterwards there was libertie graunted to her grace to walke in a little garden the dores and gates being shut vp which notwithstanding was as much discomfort vnto her as the walke in the garden was pleasaunt acceptable At which times of her walking there the prisoners on that side straightly were commaunded not to speake or looke out at the windowes into the garden till her grace were gone out agayne hauing in consideration thereof their kepers waiting vpon them for that time Thus her grace with this small libertie contented her selfe in God to whom be prayse therfore During this tyme there vsed a little boy a mans child in the Tower to resort to their chaÌ„bers and many times to bring her grace floures which likewise he did to the other prisoners that were there Wherupon naughty suspicious heades thinking to make and wring out some matter therof called on a time the childe vnto theÌ„ promising him figges and apples and asked of him wheÌ„ he had bene with the Earle of Deuonshyre not ignoraunt of the childes wounted frequenting vnto him The boy answered that he would go by and by thether Further they demanded of him when he was with the Lady Elizabethes grace He answered euery day Furthermore they examyned him what the Lord of Deuonshyre sent by him to her grace The childe sayd I will go know what he will geue to cary to her Such was the discretion of the childe being yet but foure yeares of age This same is a craftye boye quoth the Lord Chamberlayne Howe say you my Lorde Shandoyes I pray you my L. quoth the boy geue me the figges you promised me No Mary quoth he thou shalt be whipped if thou come any more to the Lady Elizabeth or the Lorde Courtny The boy aunswered I will bryng my Lady my mistres more floures Wherupon the childs father was commaunded to permit the boye no more to come vp into theyr chambers The next day as her grace was walking in the gardeÌ„ the childe peeping in at a hole in the dore cryed vnto her saying mistres I can bring you no more floures Wherat she smiled but sayd nothing vnderstanding thereby what they had done Wherefore afterwards the Chamberlaine rebuked highly his father commaunding him to put him out of the house Alasse poore infant quoth the father It is a craftie knaue quoth the Lorde Chamberlaine let me see him heere no more The 5. day of May the Constable was discharged of hys office of the Tower and one Syr Henrye Benifielde placed in his rowme a man vnknowen to her grace and therefore the more feared which so sodaine mutation was vnto her no little amaze Hee brought with him an 100. souldiers in blew coates wherwith she was marueilously discomforted demaunded of such as were about her whether the Lady Ianes scaffold were taken away or no fearing by reason of their comming least she should haue played her part To whom aunswere was made that the scaffolde was taken awaye and that her grace needed not to doubt of any suche tyrannie for God woulde not suffer any such treason against her Person Wherewith beyng contented but not altogether satisfied shee asked what syr Henry Benefield was and whether hee was of that conscience or no that if her murdering were secretly committed to his charge he would see the execution thereof She was answeared that they were ignoraunt what maner of man he was Howbeit they perswaded her that God would not suffer such wickednesse to proceede Wel quoth shee God graunt it be so For thou O God canste mollifie all suche tyrannous heartes and disappoynte all such cruell purposes and I beseeche thee to heare me thy creature which am thy seruaunt and at thy commaundement trusting by thy grace euer so to remaine About which time it was spred abroad that her grace should be caried from thence by this newe iolly Captaine and his souldiours but whether it coulde not be learned Which was vnto her a great grief especially for that such a company was appoynted to her gard requesting rather to continue there still then to be ledde thence with suche a sort of rascals At last plaine answer was made by the L. Shandoyes that there was no remedye but from thence she must needes depart to the Manour of Woodstocke as he thought Being demaunded of her for what cause for that quoth he the Tower is like
further to be furnished Shee being desirous to knowe what hee meant thereby demaunded wherewith He answeared with such matter as the Queene and Counsail were determined in that behalfe whereof he had no knowledge and so departed In conclusion on Trinitie Sonday being the 19. day of Maye shee was remooued from the Tower the Lorde Treasurer being then there for the lading of her Carâ—es and discharging the place of the same Where Syr Henry Benifielde being appoynted her Gailer did receiue her wyth a companie of rakehelles to Garde her besides the Lorde of Darbies bandâ— wayting in the Countrey about for the mooneshine in the water Unto whome at lengthe came my Lorde of Tame ioyned in Commission with the sayd Syr Henry for the safe guiding of her to prisone and they together conueied her grace to Woodstocke as hereafter followeth The first day they conducted her to Richmond where she continued al night being restrained of her owne men whych were lodged in oute Chambers and Syr Henrye Benifields souldiours appointed in their roumes to geue attendance on her person Wherat she being maruelously dismaid thinking verely some secret mischief to be a working towards her called her Gentleman Usher and desired him with the rest of his company to pray for her For this night quoth she I thinke to die Wherwith he being stricken to the heart sayde God forbid that any such wickednes should be pretended against your grace So comforting her as well as he coulde at last hee brust oute into teares and went from her downe into the Courte where were walking the Lorde of Tame and Syr Henrye Benifielde Then he comming to the Lorde of Tame who hadde profered to him muche friendship desired to speake wyth him a woord or two Unto whome he familiarly sayde he should with all his heart Which when Syr Henry standing by heard he asked what the matter was To whom the Gentleman Usher answeared no great matter Syr sayd he but to speake with my Lord a woord or two Then when the Lorde of Tame came to him he spake on this wise My Lord quoth he you haue ben alwayes my good Lord and so I beseech you to remain The cause why I come to you at this time is to desire your honor vnfainedly to declare vnto mee whether any daunger is meant towardes my Mistresse this nighte or no that I and my poore fellowes may take suche part as shall please God to appoynt for certainely we wil rather die then she should secretely and innocently miscarie Mary sayde the Lord of Tame God forbid that any such wicked purpose should be wrought and rather then it shuld be so I with my men are ready to die at her foote also and so praised be God they passed that dolefull nighte wyth no â—â—â—tle heauinesse of heart Afterwards passing ouer the water at Richmond going towardes Wyndsore her grace espied certaine of her poore seruauntes standing on the other side whiche were very desirous to see her Whom when she beheld turning to one of her men standing by she sayde yonder I see certaine of my men goe to them and say these woordes from me Tanquam ouis So she passing forward to Windsore was lodged there that night in the Deane of Windsores house a place more meete in deede for a Priest then a Princesse And from thence her Grace was garded and brought the next night to M. Dormers house where much people standing by the waye some presented to her one gifte and some an other so that sir Henry was greatly moued therwith and troubled the poore people very sore for shewing their louing hearts in suche a maner calling them rebels and traitors with such like vile woordes Besides as she passed through the villages the townes men rang the bels as being ioyful of her comming thinking verely it had bene otherwise then it was in deede as the sequele prooued after to the sayd poore men For immediately the saide syr Henry hearing the same sent his souldiours thether who appreheÌ„ded some of the ringers setting them in the stockes otherwise vncourteously misusing other some for their good willes On the morrow her grace passing from maister Dormers where was for the time of her abode there a straight watch kept came to the Lord of Tames house where she lay all the night being very princely entertained bothe of Knightes and Ladies Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Whereat Syr Henry Benifield grunted and was highly offended saying vnto them that they coulde not tell what they did and were not able to answere to their doings in that behalfe letting them to vnderstand that shee was the Queenes Maiesties prisoner and no otherwise aduising them therefore to take heede and beware of after clappes Wherunto the Lord of Tame answered in this wise that he was wel aduised of his doings being ioyned in Commission as well as he adding with warraÌ„t that her grace might and should in his house be merry The next day as she should take her iourney froÌ„ Richmond toward Woodstocke the Lord of Tame with an other Gentleman being at Tables playing and droppyng vie crownes the Ladie Elizabeth passing by stayed and sayde she would see the game plaied out which sir Henry Benifield would scarse permit The game running longe about and they playing drop vie crownes come on sayth he I will tarie sayth she and will see this game out After this sir Henry went vp into a chamber where was appointed for her grace a chaire two cushions and a foote carpet very faire princelike wherein presumptuously he sate and called one Barwike his maÌ„ to puâ— of his bootes Which as soone as it was known among the ladies and Gentles euery one mused therat and laughed him to scorne obseruing his vndiscrete maners in that behalf as they might very well When supper was done he called my L. and willed him that all the Gentlemen and Ladies should withdraw themselues euery one to his lodging meruailing much that he would permit there such a coÌ„pany considering so great a charge committed to him Sir Henry quoth my Lord content your self all shal be voyded your men and all Nay my souldiours quoth sir Henry shall watch all night The Lord of Tame aunswered it shall not need Well sayd he neede or neede noâ— they shall so do mistrusting belike the company whiche God knoweth was without cause The next day her grace tooke her iourney from thence to Woodstocke where she was inclosed as before in the Tower of London the souldiors garding and wardyng both within and without the walles euery day to the number of three score and in the night without the wals xl during the tyme of her imprisonment there At length shee had gardens appointed for her walke which was very comfortable to her grace But alwayes when she did recreate her selfe therein the dores were â—ast locked vp in as straite maner as they were in the Tower beyng at the least v.
or vj lockes betwene her lodging and her walkes Sir Henry himselfe keping the keyes and trusting no man therewith Wherupon she called him her Gaoler and he kneling downe desired her grace not to cal him so for he was appointed there to be one of her officers From such officers quoth she good Lord deliuer me And nowe by the way as disgressing or rather refreshing the reader if it be lawfull in so serious a story to recite a matter incident yet not impertinent to the same occasion here moueth or rather inforceth me to touch briefelye what hapned in the same place and time by a certayne mery conceited man being then about her grace who noting the strayt and straunge keeping of his Lady and Mistres by the sayd Syr Henry Benifield with so many lockes dores with such watch ward about her as was strauÌ„ge wonderful spyed a Goate in the ward where her grace was and whether to refresh her oppressed mind or to notify her strayt handling by Syr Henry either els both he tooke it vp on his necke and folowed her grace therewyth as she was going into her lodging Which when she saw she asked him what he would do with it willing to let it alone Unto whom the sayd party aunswered no by Saynt Mary if it like your grace will I not for I cannot tell whether he be one of the Queenes frendes or no. I will cary him to Syr Henry Benifielde God willing to know what he is So leauing her grace he went with the Goate on his necke and caryed it to syr Henry Benifield Who when he saw him comming wyth it asked him halfe angerly what he had there Unto whom the party aunswered saying Syr quoth he I can not tell what he is I pray you examine him for I founde him in the place where my Ladyes Grace was walking and what talke they haue had I can not tell For I vnderstaÌ„d him not but he should seme to me to be some straunger and I thinke verely a Welchman for he hath a white frieâ—e coate on his back And forsomuch as I being the Queenes Subiect and perceiuing the strayte charge committed to you of her keeping that no straunger should haue accesse to her without sufficient licence I haue here fouÌ„d a straunger what he is I cannot tell in place where her Grace was walking therefore for the necessary discharge of my duety I thought it good to bring the sayde straunger to you to examine as you see cause and so he set him down At which his words Syr Henry semed much displeased and sayd Well well you will neuer leaue this geare I see and so they departed Now to returne to the matter from whence we haue digressed after her Grace had bene there a time she made suite to the Counsell that she might be suffered to write to the Queene Which at last was permitted So that Syr Henry Benifield brought her penne inke and paper and standing by her while she wrote which he straitly obserued always she being wery he would cary away her letters and bring them agayne when she called for them In the finishing thereof he would haue bene messenger to the Queene of the same Whose request her grace denied saying one of her owne men should cary them and that she would neither trust him nor none of his therein Then he answering agayne said none of them durst be so bold he trowed to cary her letters beyng in that case Yes quoth she I am assured I haue none so dishonest that would deny my request in that behalf but wil be as willyng to serue me now as before Well sayd he my commission is to the contrary and I may not so suffer it Her grace replying againe said you charge me very ofteÌ„ with your commission I pray God you may iustly aunswer the cruel dealing you vse towards me Then he kneeling downe desired her grace to thinke and consider how he was a seruant put in trust there by the Queene to serue her Maiestie protesting that if the case were hers he would as willingly serue her grace as now he did the Queenes highnesse For the which his aunswer her grace thanked hym desiring God that she might neuer haue neede of such seruauntes as he was declaryng further to hym that his doynges towardes her were not good nor answerable but more then all the friends he had would stand by To whome Sir Henry replied and sayde that there was no remedy but his doyngs must be aunswered and so they should trusting to make good accompt therof The cause which mooued her grace so to say was for that hee would not permit her letters to be caried iiij or v. dayes after the writyng thereof But in fine hee was content to send for her Gentleman from the Towne of Woodstocke demaunding of him whether he durst enterprise the cariage of her Graces letters to the Queene or no he aunswered yea Sir that I dare and will withall my heart Whereupon sir Henry halfe agaynst his stomacke tooke them vnto hym Then about the viij of Iune came downe Doctour Owen and Doctour Wendye sent by the Queene to her grace for that she was sickly who ministring to her and lettyng her bloud taried there and attended on her grace v. or vj. dayes Then she being wel ameÌ„ded they returned againe to the Courte making theyr good reporte to the Queene and the Counsaile of her graces behauioure and humblenesse towards the Queenes highnesse Which her Maiestie hearing tooke very thankefully but the bishops thereat repined looked blacke in the mouth and tolde the Queene they marueiled that she submitted not her selfe to her maiesties mercye considering that shee had offended her highnesse About this time her Grace was requested by a secrete frende to submit her selfe to the Queenes maiestie whych woulde be very well taken and to her great quiet commoditie Unto whom she answered that she would neuer submitte her selfe to them whome she neuer offended For quoth she if I haue offended and am giltie I then craue no mercy but the law which I am certaine quoth she I should haue had ere this if it coulde be prooued by me For I know my selfe I thanke God to be out of the daunger thereof wishing that I were as cleare out of the pearil of my ennemies and then I am assured I shoulde not so be locked and bolted vp within walles and doores as I am God geue them a better minde when it pleaseth him About this time was there a great consulting among the Bishops and Gentlemen touching a Mariage for her grace which some of the Spanyardes wished to be wyth some straunger that she might go out of the Realme with her portion some saying one thing and some an other A Lorde who shal be heere namelesse being there at last sayd that the King should neuer haue any quiet common wealth in Englande vnlesse her head
leaue it to the reporte of them which in this matter know more then I here will vtter But notwithstanding al these cracks and threatnings of the king to see what the Lord can doe in making hygh kinges to stoupe euen the same day when the king was in his most rage agaynst these good men almightye God taking the cause in hand to fight for his Church so turned the matter that he made the great enemy of hys both with his mouth and with his hand to worke his own destruction with his mouth in commaunding with his hanâ— in geuing him the Lance into hys hand which the same day gaue him his deathes wound as by the sequele hereof in reading ye may vnderstand ¶ The stroke of Gods hand vpon Henry .2 French king KIng Henry being in the ParliameÌ„t house which was kept at the Fryer Augustines at Paris because the Pallace was in preparing agaynst the mariage of hys daughter and his sister and hauing heard the opinion in religioÌ„ of Anne du Bourg Counsaylour in the lawe a man eloquent and learned he caused the sayd Anne du Bourg and Loys du Faur Counsaylours to be taken prisoners by the Constable of Fraunce who apprehended them and delyuered them into the handes of the Countye of Mongommery the which caryed them to prison Agaynst whom the king being wrathfull and angry among other talke sayd to the sayd Anne du Bourg These eyes of mine shall see thee burnt And so on the 19. of Iune Commission was geuen to the Iudges to make his Proces During this meane while great feastes and banquets were preparing in the Courte for ioy and gladnes of the mariage that should be of the kinges daughter and sister agaynst the last day of Iune saue one So when the day tyme aboue prefixed was come the king employed all the morning in examining as wel the Presidentes as Counsaylours of the sayde Parliament agaynst these prisoners and other theyr companions that were charged with the same doctrine which being done they went to dinner The king after he had dyned for that he was one of the defendauntes at the Tourney which was solemnly made in S. Anthonies Streate neare to the prison where the foresayde Prisoners were committed hee entred into the Lystes and there in iusting as the manner is had broken many Staues right valiauntly as could be runnyng as well agaynste the Countye of Montgommery as other moe Whereupon he was highly commended of the lookers on And because he had done so valiauntly and was thought nowe to haue done enough hee was desired to cease with praise But he being the more inflamed with hearing of hys prayse woulde needes runne an other course wyth Montgommery who then refusing to runne agaynst the king and kneling vpon his knees for pardon not to run the king being egerly set commanded him vpon his allegeance to runne and as some affirme did also him selfe put the staffe in his hand vnto whose handes he had committed the foresayd prisoners a little before Montgommery thus being enforced whether he would or no to run agaynst the king addressed hymselfe after the best wyse to obey the kinges commaundement Whereupon he and the king met together so stoutly that in breaking theyr Speares the king was striken with the counter blowe so right in one of hys eyes by reasonne that the visour of his Helmet so sodenly fell downe at the same instaunt that the shiuers entred into hys head so that the braynes was peryshed thereupon so festred that no remedy could bee founde although Phisitions and Surgeons were sent for from all places in the Realme as also froÌ„ Brabant by king Philip but nothing auayled so that the xj day after that is the x. of Iuly 1559. he ended his life in great dolour hauing raigned xij yeares three monethes and ten dayes Some report that among other wordes he said that he feared he was strickeÌ„ for casting the poore christians wrongfully in prisoÌ„ but the Cardinal of Loraine standing by as he was alwayes at haÌ„d sayd vnto him that it was the enemy that tempted him that he should be stedfast in the fayth By this meanes the Hall which was prepared for a place of ioy and gladnes did now serue for a Chappel to keep the corps being dressed with blacke mourning cloth night and day tâ—ere was nothing heard but mournyng and lamenting for the space of xl dayes About two yeares after this which was the yeare of our Lord .1561 there were certayne Gentlemen put to death at Amboise for taking armes agaynst the house of Guise Touching which Gentlemen this is to be noted that as one of theÌ„ should be brought to the place of executioÌ„ where the other lay dead before him he thrust his handes into the bloud of two of his companions which were there beheaded and then lifting them vp to heauen cryed with a loud voyce Lord behold the bloud of thy childreÌ„ thou wilt in time and place reuenge it Not long after the same the Chancellor Oliuier who was condemner of theÌ„ at the instigatioÌ„ and pursuit of the Cardinall of Loraine through great remorse of coÌ„science fell sicke and in a frensy casting out sighes vncessauntly afflicting himselfe after a fearefull and strauÌ„ge fashion for his vnrighteous sentence and more then barbarous cruelty shriked vpon a sodeyne with an horrible cry sayd O Cardinall thou wilt make vs all to be damned And within a very few dayes after he dyed Fraunces the second of that name king of Fraunce at the perswasion of the Cardinall of Loraine of certeyne others caused an asseÌ„bly of the Estates of the realm in the towne of Orleans among other things to mainteine the Papall See to the ouerthrow of those which would lyue after the sincerity of the gospel but being fallen sick shortly after in the foresayd place of a feuer through an Impostume in his left eare he dyed the fourth of Decemb. 1561. hauing raigned but one yeare and about fiue monethes It was sayd of this king Fraunces as the authour aboue mentioned reporteth that when he was drawyng toward his end the Cardinal of Loraine made him to say and pronounce these words which folow Lord forgeue me my trespasses and impute not vnto me the faultes which my ministers haue done vnder my name and authority Neither is it vnworthy of obseruation that after the father happened in much like sort by gods mighty iudgement vpon Carol. 9. his second sonne brother to Frances aboue mentioned in these our latter dayes who after the horrible and bloudy murder of the Admyrall other true professors of Christes Gospell both men womeÌ„ and children to the nuÌ„ber of many thousandes of diuers Cityes in so much that the prisoÌ„s streetes are said to be coloured with bloud smoking after such a cruell sort as in our time or country the like hath not hitherto bene sene by the terrible
realme of England then the king For as I said before it was ordeined for the conseruation of the libertie of the whole realme and to exclude the vsurped authoritie of the B. of Rome And therfore no K. or Queene alone could renounce such title but it ought if they wold haue it taken away be taken away orderly and formally by acte of Parliament sufficiently called and summoned For the naturall and right way to loose vndoe things is to dissolue them by that meanes they were ordeined And so it most manifestly appeareth that all their doings from the beginning to the end were and be of none effect force nor authoritie but all that they haue done hath ben meere tyrannie O most maruelous prouidence of almighty god that alwayes and in all thinges doth that is best for the welth of his people O most mighty power that so sodenly ouerthroweth the counsails of the wicked and bringeth their deuises to naught O infinite mercy that so gently dealeth with his people that hee saueth them whome hee might most iustly destroy O most ioyfull most mery and neuer to be forgotten Hopwednesday in which it hath pleased thee O God to deliuer thy church this realm and thy people from so horrible tyrannie No tongue can expresse no penne can endite no eloquence can worthely set out much lesse exornate these thy meruailous doings No no hart is able to render vnto thy goodnes sufficiēt thanks for the benefites we haue receyued Who could euer haue hoped this most ioyfull tyme Yea who dyd not looke rather for thy most sharpe visitation and vtter destruction of this Realme as of Sodome Gomorra and Hierusalem But we see and feele good Lord that thy mercy is greter then all mens sinnes and farre aboue all thy workes And albeit there is no Christian and natural Englishmā woman or child eyther present or that shall succeede vs which is not or shall bee pertaker of this most exceedyng mercy and wonderfull benefite of almighty God therefore is bound continually to prayse and thanke hym yet there is not one creature that is more bound so to do then you noble Queene Elizabeth For in this horrible tiranny and most cruell persecution your grace hath bene more hunted for then any other Diuers tymes they haue taken you sometyme haue had you in strong hold secluded from all liberty sometime at libertie but not without most cruell Gaolers custody and many tymes they determined that without iustice ye should be murthered priuily They thought if your grace had bene suppressed they shoulde haue fully preuailed If ye had bene destroyed their doyngs for euer should be stablished If ye had bene taken out of the way there were none left that would or coulde vndoe that they ordeined But he that sitteth on high and laugheth at their madnesse would not suffer that the malicious purposes most cruell deuised iniustice should haue successe He tooke vpon hym the protection of you He only hath bene your Ieoseba that preserued you from this wicked Athalia He onely was the Ioiada that destroyed this cruell Athalia Hee onely hath made you Queene of this Realme in steade of this mischieuous Marana No earthly creature can claime any piece of thanke therefore no mans force no mans counsail no mans ayd hath bene the cause thereof Wherfore the greater his benefites hath bene toward you the more are you bounde to seeke hys glory and to set forth his honour Ye see his power what he is able to do he can alone saue and hee can destroy hee can pull downe and he can set vp If ye feare hym seeke to do his will then will he fauour you and preserue you to the end from all enemies as he did king Dauid If ye now fall from him or iuggle with hym looke for no more fauour then Saule had shewed to hym But I haue a good hope that both his iustice and benefites bee so printed in your hart that ye will neuer forget them but seeke by all meanes to haue the one and to feare to fall into the other I trust also your wisedome will not onely consider the causes of this late most sharpe visitation but also to your vttermost power endeuour to out roote them And forasmuch as besides this infinit mercy poured on your grace it hath pleased his deuine prouidence to constitute your highnesse to be our Debora to be the gouernesse and heade of the bodye of this Realme to haue the charge and cure thereof it is requisite aboue all things as well for his glory and honour as for your discharge quietnesse and safety to labour that the same body now at the first be cleansed made whole and then kept in good order For as if the body of man be corrupted and diseased he is not able to manage his thinges at home much lesse to doe any thing abroad so if the body of a Realme be corrupt out of order it shal neither be able to do any thing abroad if necessitie should require nor yet prosper in it selfe But this may not be done with piecing patching coblyng botching as was vsed in tyme past whilest your most noble father and brother raigned For as if a man cut of one hed of the serpent Hidra and destroy not the whole body many will growe in stead of that one and as in a corrupt body that hath many diseases if the Phisition should labour to heale one part and not the whole it will in short tyme breake out a fresh so vnlesse the body of a Realme or common wealth be cleane purged from corruption all the perticular lawes and statutes that can be deuised shall not profite it We need no forraine examples to prooue it looke vpon this Realme it selfe it will plainely declare it And as it is not enough to cleanse the bodye from his corruption but there must be also preseruatiues ministred to keep it from putrefaction for naturally of it selfe it is disposed to putrifie so after the body of a realme is purged vnles there be godly ordinances for the preseruation thereof ordeined and duely ministred it will returne to the olde state For this body which is the people is vniuersally naturally disposed to euill and without compulsion will hardly do that is his duety This must your grace do if ye mynd the aduancement of Gods glory your owne quietnesse and safetie and the wealth of this your politike body And they be not hard to bring to passe where goodwill will vouchsafe to take to her a little payne The Realm will soone be purged if vice and selfloue be vtterly condemned It will be in good state preserued if these three things Gods word truely taught and preached Youth well brought vp in godly and honest exercises and Iustice rightly ministred may bee perfectly constituted And without this foundation let men imagine what it pleaseth them the spiritual house of God shal neuer be well framed or builded nor
herevnto we haue taken as good order as we might which lieth not in me to chaunge Carlile We are of the catholicke church and abide therein and stand in the possessions of the truth and therfore must they say what they haue to answere against vs and so we to mainteine and defend our cause Lich. Couen Yea euen so must the matter be ordered Chester When they bring any thing agaynst vs it is sufficient for vs to deny it Therfore must they begin Lich. And when they affirme any thing and we say naye the proofe belongeth to them and so it behoueth them to shew first what they affirme and for what cause and purpose L. Keper Here resteth our purpose whole matter whether you will begin if they do not sith it was determined ye should begin Lich. Couen We heard of no such order L. Keper No did Yes and in the first question ye begâ—n willingly How commeth it to passe that ye will not now do so Chester Then had we the affirmation which sith that our aduersaries haue now they should presently begin This the Protestantes denyed saying that they in the first day had the negatiue wherein they did not yet refuse to begin L. Keper If you haue any thing to say my Lordes to the purpose say on Lich. A particular sorte of men can neuer breake an Uniuersall Churche which wee nowe mainteine and as for these men our Aduersary part I neuer thought that they would haue done so much as haue named themselues to be of the catholicke Church challenging the name as wel as we Protestantes We doe so and we are of the true Catholicke church and maynteyne the verity therof Lincolne Yet woulde ye ouerthrowe all Catholicke order Horne I wonder that ye so much stand in who shoulde begin Lincolne You count it requisite that we shoulde followe your orders as we haue takeÌ„ the question at your hands in that sort as you haue assigned them Lich. Couen Yea euen so are we driuen to do now L. Keper Nay I iudge if ye marke the matter well the questions are neither of their propounding them to you nor of your deuise to them but offred indifferently to you both Horne In deed my Lordes of the Queenes most honourable Counsell these questions or propositions were proposed vnto vs by your honors and they then hauing the preheminence chose to themselues the negatiue yet frely began first now agayne why do they not the like Liechfield being angred that he shoulde so straightlye speake agaynst them went quite from the matter saying My Lord keeper of the great seale and you the rest of the Queenes most honorable Counsel I hope that you all the Queenes Maiesty her selfe are inclined to fauour the verity in all thinges the truth of the catholicke church which we must will or can do no otherwise but earnestly maynteyne to the vttermost of our power and to thys purpose let vs now well way who are of the true Catholicke church they or we L Keeper Tary now you goe from the matter and make questions of your owne Lichfield Yet not straying from his digression sayd thus we must needes goe to worke and trye that first of what Church they be of For there are many Churches in Germany Mayster Horne maister Horne I pray you which of these Churches are you of Horne I am of Christes catholicke Church L. Keeper Ye ought not thus to runne into voluntary talk of your owne inuenting nor to deuise newe questions of your owne appoyntment and thereby enter into that talke ye ought not so to doe But say on if you haue anye thing to say in this matter Lich. Nay we must first thus go to worke with them as I haue sayd if that we will search a truth howbeit of the truth we haue no doubt for that we assuredly stande in it These men come in and they pretend to bee doubtfull Therefore they shoulde first bring what they haue to impugne or withstand vs withall Winch. Let them begin so will we goe onward with our matter Chester Otherwise my Lordes if they should not begin but end the talke then shoulde the verity on our sides bee not so well marked for they should depart speaking last cum applausu populi with the reioising triumph of the people Winch. Therefore I am resolued that they shall begin or that we say any thing Chester I am sory my Lordes that wee shoulde so longe stand in the matter with your honours and make so many wordes and so much adoe with you whom we ought to obey howbeit there is no indifferency if they begin not and surely we thinke it meete that they shoulde for theyr partes geue vs place Lich. Yea that they shoulde and ought to doe where anye indifferencie is vsed Aelmer We giue you the place do we not and depriue you not of the preeminence because you are Byshoppes therefore I pray you begin The Byshop A goodly geuing of place I assure you yea marie ye gaue place suche wordes they vsed wyth more scoffes L. Keeper If ye make this assembly gathered in vayne and will not go to the matter let vs rise and depart Winch. Contented let vs be gone for we will not in this poynt geue ouer I pray you my Lords require not at our hands that we should be anye cause of hinderaunce or lett to our religion or geue any such euil example to our posteritie whiche we shoulde doe if we gaue ouer to them whiche in no wise we may or will do L. Keeper Let vs then breake vp if you bee thus minded With these wordes the Bishoppes were strayght wayes rising But then sayd the Lord keeper let vs see whether euery one of you be thus minded How say you my Lorde of Winchester will you not begin to read your writing Winch. No surely I am full determined and fully at a poynt therein how soeuer my brethren do Then the Lord Keeper asked how the Bishoppe was called who sate next to Winchester in order It was the Bishoppe of Exceter who being enquired his mind herein answered that he was none of theÌ„ TheÌ„ the Lord Keeper asked the other in order and first Lincolne who sayde he was of the same minde that Winchester was of likewise answered Lichfield Couen Cole and Chedsy Then Chester being asked his sentence sayd My Lordes I say not that I will not read it if yee commaund vs but wee ought not to do it yet I desire your honors not so to take it as though I would not haue read it I meane not so L. Keeper How say you to it my Lord of Carlile Carlile If they should not read theyrs this daye so that our writing may be last read so am I contented that ours shall be first read L. Keeper So would ye make orders your selues and appoynt that we should spend one day in hearing you Abbot Then the Abbot of Westminst was asked his mind who sayd and if it
hee was a man altogether cast away in this worlde if hee did not looke wisely to himselfe And yet though his cause were neuer so daungerous he might somewhat in relenting to aucthoritie and so to geue place for a time helpe both hym selfe out of trouble and when oportunitie and occasion should serue preferre his cause which he then went about to defend declaring farther that he had many welwillers and friendes whiche woulde stande on his side so farre forth as possible then were able and durst do adding hereunto that it were great pitty that he being of such singuler knowledge both in the Latine Greeke both ready and rype in all kind of learning and that namely aswell in the Scriptures as in the auncient Doctours should now sodeinly suffer all those singuler giftes to perishe with him without little commoditie or profite to the world and lesse comfort to his wife and children and other his kinsfolkes friendes And as for the veritie of your opinion in the sacrament of the body and bloud of our sauiour Christ It is so vntimely opened here among vs in England that you shall rather do harme then good wherefore be wyse and be ruled by good counsell vntill a better oportunitie may serue This I am sure of quoth the gentleman that my Lord Cromwell and my Lorde of Caunterbury much fauouring you and knowyng you to bee an eloquent learned young man and nowe towardes the felicitie of your lyfe young in yeares olde in knowledge and of great forwardnes and likelihoode to be a most profitable member for this Realme will neuer permitte you to susteyne any open shame if you will somewhat bee aduised by theyr Counsayle on the other side if you stand stiffe to your opinion it is not possible to saue your lyfe For like as you haue good friendes so haue you mortall foes and enemies I most hartily thanke you quoth Mayster Frith vnto the generall both for your good will and for your counsayle by the which I well perceaue that you minde well vnto me howbeit my cause and conscience is suche that in no wise I may not nor cannot for no worldly respect without daunger of damnation starte aside and flye from the true knowledge and doctrine whiche I haue conceyued of the supper of the Lorde or the Communion otherwise called the sacrament of the aultar for if it be my chance to be demaunded what I thinke in that behalfe I must needes saue my knowledge and my conscience as partly I haue written therein already though I should presently lose xx lyues if I had so many And this you shall well vnderstand that I am not so furnished eyther of Scriptures or auncient Doctors Scholemen or other for my defence so that if I may be indifferently heard I am sure that mine aduersaryes cannot iustly cōdemne me or mine assertion but that they shall condemne with me both S. Augustine and the most parte of the olde writers yea the very Byshoppes of Rome of the oldest sorte shall also say for me defend my cause Yea mary quoth the gentleman you say well if you might be indifferently heard But I muche doubt thereof for that our Mayster Christ was not indifferently hearde nor shoulde bee as I thinke if he were nowe present agayne in the worlde specially in this your opinion the same beeing so odious vnto the worlde and wee so farre off from the true knowledge thereof Well well quoth Fryth then vnto the Gentleman I know very wel that this doctrine of the Sacrament of the Aultar which I holde and haue opened contrarye to the opinion of this Realme is very hard meate to be digested both of the Cleargye and Layety thereof But this I will say to you taking the gentleman by the hand that if you liue but twenty yeares more whatsoeuer become of me you shall see this whole Realme of mine opinion concerning this Sacrament of the Aulter namely the whole estate of the same though some sort of men perticularly shall not be fully perswaded therein And if it come not so to passe then account me the vaynest man that euer you heard speake with tongue Besides this you saye that my death woulde bee sorrowfull and vncomfortable vnto my frendes I graunt quoth he that for a small tyme it would so be But if I should so mollify qualifye and temper my cause in such sort as to deserue onely to be kept in prison that would not onely be a much long griefe vnto me but also to my friendes woulde breede no small disquietnesse both of body and of minde And therfore all thinges well and rightly pondered my deathe in this cause shall bee better vnto me and all mine then life in continuall bondage and penuryes And almightye GOD knoweth what he hath to doe with his poore seruaunt whose cause I now defend and not mine owne from the which I assuredly doe entend GOD willing neuer to start or otherwise to geue place so long as God will geue me life This communication or like in effecte my Lorde of Caunterburyes Gentleman and Fryth had comming in a Whery vpon the Thames frō the Tower to Lambeth Now when they were landed after some repast by them taken at Lambeth the Gentleman the Porter and Fryth went forward towardes Croydon on foote This Gentleman still lamenting with himselfe the harde and cruell destiny towardes the sayde Fryth namely if hee once came amongst the bishops nowe also perceiuing the exciding constancye of Fryth deuised with himselfe some waye or meanes to conuey him cleane out of theyr handes and thereupon considering that there was no mo persons there to conuey the Prisoner but the Porter and himselfe he tooke in hand to winne the Porter to his purpose Quoth the Gentleman vnto Perlebeane the Porter they twayne priuately walking by themseues wythout the hearing of Fryth you haue heard this man I am sure and noted hys talke since he came from the Tower Yea that I haue righte well marked him quoth the Porter and I neuer hard so constant a man nor so eloquent a person You haue heard nothing quoth the gentleman in respecte of his both knowledge and eloquence if he might liberally either in Uniuersity or pulpit declare his learning you woulde then much more maruell at his knowledge I take him to be suche a one of his age in all kind of learning and knowledge of tonges as this Realme neuer yet in mine opinion brought forth yet those singuler giftes in him are no more considered of our Byshops then if he were a very Dolte or an Idiot yea they abhorre him as a deuill therfore couet vtterly to extinguish him as a member of the Deuill without any consideration of gods speciall gifts Mary quoth the Porter if there were nothing els in him but the consideratiō of his personage both comly and amiable of naturall disposition gentle meek and humble it were pity that he should be cast away Cast away quoth the
greene The loue of God within her hart Shall beutifie her grace The feare of God on the other part Shall stablish her in place This Loue and Feare her colours are Whereby if she be known She may compare both nie and farre Unable to be ouerthrown The loue of God it will her cause Unfained if it bee To haue respect vnto his lawes And hate idolatrie If that she haue the feare of God And be thereto right bent She will do that he her bode And not her owne intent O noble Queene take heed take heed Beware of your owne intent Looke or you leape then shall you speed Haste maketh many shent Remember Saule that noble king What shame did him befall Because that vnto the Lords â—idding He had no lust at all The Lord hath bid you shall loue him And other Gods defye Alas take heéde do not beginne To place Idolatry What greater disobedience Agaynst God may be wrought Then this to moue mens conscience To worship thinges of nought What greater folly can you inuent Then such men to obey How can you serue your owne intent Not foreseing your owne decay And where as first ye should mainteine Your Realme in perfect vnity To rent the peoples hartes in twayne Thorow false Idolatry Is this the way to get you fame Is this to get you loue Is this to purchase you a name To fight with God aboue Is this your care to set vp Masse Your Subiectes soules to stroy Is this your study no more to passe Gods people to anoy Is this to reigne to serue your will Good men in bondes to keépe And to exalt such as be euill And for your grace vnmeét Such as made that fond diuorce Your mother to deface Are nighest you in power and force And most bounden vnto your Grace Well yet take heéd of had I wist Let Gods word beare the bell If you will reigne learne to know Christ As Dauid doth you tell What great presumption doth appeare Thus in a weéke or twayne To worke more shame then in vij yeare Can be redrest agayne All is done without a law For will doth worke in place And this all men may seé and know The weakenes of your case That miserable masking Masse Which all good men doth hate Is now by you brought vp agayne The roote of all debate Your Ministers that loue Gods worde They feéle this bitter rodde Who are robbed from house and goodes As though there were no God And yet you would seeme mercifull In the midds of Tyranny And holy whereas you mayntayne Most vile Idolatry For feare that you should heare the truthe True preachers may not speake But on good Prophetes you make ruthe And vnkindely them intreate Him haue you made Lord Chauncellor Who did your bloud most stayne That he may sucke the righteous bloud As he was wont agayne Those whome our late king did loue You doe them most disdayne These thinges doth manifestly proue Your colours to be but vayne Gods word you cannot abide But as your Prophetes tell In this you may be well compared To wicked Iesabell Who had 400. Prophettes false And fiftie on a rought Through whose false preaching Poore Ely was chased in and out Gods Prophetes you do euill entreate Balles Priestes defend your grace Thus did the Iewes put Christ to death And let go Barrabas Hath God thus high exalted you And set you on a trone That you should prison and deface His flocke that maketh mone The Lord which doth his flock defend As the Aple of an eye Of this full quickly will make an end And banish crueltie Therfore my Counsell I you take And thinke thereof no scorne You shall finde it the best counsell Ye had since you were borne Put away blinde affection Let Gods word be vnpere To try out true religion From this euill fauoured geere Finis ê™ W.M. as it is supposed * The instruction of king Edward the sixt geuen to Sir Anthony Seyntleger Knight of his priuie chamber being of a corrupt iudgement of the Eucharist Vpon this saying of an ancient D. of the Catholicke Church Dicimus Eucharistiam Panem vocari in scripturis Panis in quo gratiae actae sunt c. IN Euchariste then there is bread Wherto I do consent Then with bread is our bodyes fed But farther what is ment I say that Christ in flesh and bloud Is there continually Unto our soule a speciall food Taking it spiritually And this transubstantiation I Beleue as I haue read That Christ sacramentally Is there in forme of bread S. Austen sayth the word doth come Unto the element And there is made he sayth in somme A perfect sacrament The Element then doth remayne Or els must needes ensue S. Austens wordes be nothing playne Nor cannot be found tâ—ue For if the words as he doth say Come to the element Then is not the element away But bides there verament Yet who so eateth that liuely foode And hath a perfect fayth Receiueth Christes flesh and bloud For Christ himselfe so sayth Not with our teeth hys flesh to teare Nor take bloud for our drinke To great an absurditie it were So grossely for to thinke For we must eate hym spiritually If we be spirituall And who so eates hym carnally Thereby shall haue a fall For he is now a spirituall meate And spiritually we must That spirituall meate spiritually eate And leaue our carnall lust Thus by the spirite I spiritually Beleeue say what men list None other Transubstantiation I Beleeue of the Eucharist But that there is both bread and wyne Which we see with our eye Yet Christ is there by power diuine To those that spiritually Do eate that bread and drinke that cup Esteemyng it but lyght As Iudas did which eate that soppe Not iudgyng it aryght For I was taught not long agone I should leane to the sprite And let the carnall flesh alone For dyd it not profite God saue hym that teachyng me taught For I thereby did winne To put me from that carnall thought That I before was in For I beleeue Christ corporally In heauen doth keepe his place And yet Christ sacramentally Is here with vs by grace So that in this high mysterie We must eate spirituall meate To keepe hys death in memory Least we should it forget This do I say this haue I sayd This saying say wyll I This saying though I once denaid I will no more to dye FINIS ¶ This yong Prince became a perfect schoolemaister vnto old erroneous men so as no Diuine could amende hym and therfore this piece is worthy of perpetuall memory to his immortall fame and glory ¶ When Queene Mary came to her raigne a friend of maister Sentlegers charged him with this his Pamphlet Well ê™ he content your selfe I perceiue that a man may haue too much of Gods blessing And euen here Peter began to deny Christ such is mens frailtie ¶ A note of a Letter of one Iohn Meluyn Prisoner in Newgate * Christi
Christ. 63 Examination of Stephen Gratwicke Martyr with his aunsweres 1977.1978 Exam Battayle with the successe thereof 713 Example notable of a souldiour biting off his tongue and spitting it in the face of an harlot 63 Examples of Gods plagues vpon the deniers of his sacred trueth 64 Example of Peter slaying of Ananias and Saphira falsely wrested by the Papistes 490 Exaltation of the Pope aboue kinges and princes 782 Excommunicatiō of Henricus the Emperor by Hildebrand 179 Excommunication the seconde of Hildebrand agaynst the Emperour 180 Excommunication was in the olde time the greatest punishment in matters of fayth and conscience that could be 1854 Excommunication how to be feared and when 612 Excommunication requireth consent of the church 1113 Excommunication abused by the papistes manifolde wise 19.193 Excommunication in the Churche of Rome abused 860 Exeter Colledge built 372 Execution at Norwich 339 Exiles in Queene Maryes tyme for religion how many 800 Exorcising of Priestes 497 Extreame vnction reproued 725 F. A. FAbian chosen bishop of Rome miraculously 60. Fathers their testimonies against Images 2130.2131 Fabianus martyr .60 hys ordinances suspected ibid. Fachell geueth iudgement agaynst faynting of certaine Christians 46. Fayth recouereth that which was lost by the law .22 Fayth why it onely iustifieth 22.977 Fayth in Christ what it is 977. Fayth of the godfathers and godmothers sanctifieth not the child but theyr dilligence may helpe in seeing him catechised 1995. Fayth the meane wherby we are known to be elected .1658 what it is .1656 whereof it taketh his force and strength ibid. Faith planted in Rome in the days of Tiberius before Peter came there .1758.1803 faith the foundation of the church ibid. not grounded on the ciuill Law 1802. Fayth of the Pope hangeth vppon the multitude .1805 was neuer vniuersall 1804. Fayth ought not to be compelled 1817. Fayth wherein it consisteth 1824. Fayth sometimes to bee couered with loue 1933. Fayth onely iustifieth 26.21.22.1116.1117.1658 Fayth in Souldiers notable 78. Fyyth defined 677.1659 Fayth first planted in Englande whether it came from Rome or not 106 Fayth came out of Britayne not from Rome 480. Fayth of the Turkes Iewes and Papistes 22. Fayth of the olde Romaynes good 20. Faith iustifieth 3. maner of wayes 23. Fayth not babtisme in water saueth 1994. Fayth cause of good workes 26. Fayth and iustification falsly applied by the Papistes 25.26 Farrar Bishop hys tragicall story with articles agaynst hym exhibited .1544 hys aunswere to the same .1546 hys condemnation and Martyrdome .1555 hys letters 1556 Famyne and death in Englande 369. Fast to be perswaded not coacted 1110. Fayrefaxe scourged for the Gospel 2058.2059 Fathers how farre they ought to be followed 1823. Faustinus Martyr 41. Fasting straight of Alcibiades corrected 50. Faustus Martyr 73. Faukes de breut rebelleth agaynst king Henry 258. F. E. Feast of the speare of the nayles 393. Feastes ordayned by the Pope 557 Feast of Corpus Christi by whome inuented 507. Feastes of all soules Alhallowes by whome 1404. Feete of the Pope kissed of the Emperoures 129. Feare of sinne death and distrust in Gods promises two pellettes wherwith the Deuill assaulteth Gods seruauntes .1925.1926 the remedies therof 1926. Fetties wife strocken by Gods hād for persecuting of his saints 2103. Feare of God consisteth in three thinges 357. Fecknam hys talke with the Lady Iane. 1419. Felicitas with her 7. Children martyred 44. Felix B. of Rome Martyr 75 Felix 5. Pope hys coronation royaltie valuation of hys Crowne 690. Ferdinandus king of Hungary .748 hys decree at Spires 872. Fetty with the martyrdome of hys childe 2055.2056 Fewrus Martyr hys story martirdome 914. F I. Fire in hell whether materiall or not 1741. Fire thought to be in S. Maries Church in Oxford 1208. Figuratiue speache howe to bee knowne .1393 what it is 1950. Filmer Testwood Marbeck and Bennet their story 1219. Fisher Bishop of Rochester persecutor hys end 2101 Filmer hys trouble and persecution .1213 his wife her suite for hym .1217 hys death 1220. Finall Martyr his story and martyrdome 1970. First fruits brought in by the pope 352. denied to be paid vnto him ibid. First fruites and impropriations brought in by the pope and abused 5. Fishcock Martyr his story martyrdome 1980.1981 Fish Author of the booke called the supplication of beggers 1013 1014 Fisher Bishop of Rochester an enemy to Christes Gospell .1068 beheaded 1069 Fifte parte of all the goodes of the Cleargy graunted to the Pope 285. Fitziames Bishop of London hys death 804 Fiue Martyrs burnt at Canterb. 1708 Fiuetene Martyrs and confessors imprisoned at one time in Caunterbury for the truth .1954 fiue famished ibid. F L. Flauia a Consuls daughter banished for the Christian fayth 48 Flying in time of persecution whether it be lawfull or not 1781 1782 Florence a Turner his trouble and displing 656 Flower Martyr his story and persecution .1574 his communicatiō with Robert Smith ibid. Articles agaynst him .1575 his condemnation and martyrdome 1577 Floyd Martyr his story 2037.2038.2039 F O. Foreman Martyr 1949 Formosus .1 Pope of Rome 145 Forme of prayers appoynted by Constantine to his souldiours 104 Forret Martyr his story with other his companions 1206 Forrest Martyr 982 Fortune his story 1918.1919 Forme of disgrading an Archbyshop after the maner that the papistes vse it 2133.2134.2135 Fonte halowing after the maner of the Papistes 1405 Foster Martyr famished for the Gospell 1954 Foster Lawyer of Suffolke with Iohn Clearke of Hadley Papistes 1519 Foster Martyr his story persecucution and cruell Martyrdome 1917.1918 Foure thinges considered in the church of Rome title iurisdictiō life and doctrine 1 Foure thinges to bee considered of all men vnder affliction of the Crosse. 1646 Foxford Doctor and Chauncellor to Byshop Stokesley hys sodeyne death 2101 Fox Byshop of Herford .1183 his Oration to the Byshops ibid. Foure Martyrs at Mayfield 1953 F R. Frances the French K. his death 2112 Franciscus 2. burned at Auinion 391 Frances San Romaine Martyr his godly story .928.929 his cōstant death and martyrdom 930 France interdicted and why 200 Frebarne his trouble and persecution 1184 French kyng a persecuter slayne in iustyng by Montgomery 2110 Frebarnes wyfe her story who beyng with child longed for a piece of meat in Lent cast into pryson for eatyng thereof with her husband also their extreme misery in the prison 1184. Friers in France their tragicall history 1291 Frederike the Emperour relieueth the French army 293.265 Frederike cursed of the Pope but God blesseth hym 204.2947 Frederike 2. his contention wyth Honorius 3. Pope .298.299 hys voyage towardes Ierusalem to warre agaynst the Turke .300 hys sicknesse .301 he is excommunicate by the Pope purgeth hymselfe writeth to the kyng of England and is crowned kyng of Ierusalem 301.302 Fredericus 1. called Barbarossa holdeth the Popes stirrop and is blamed for holdyng it on the left side 202.789.174 Frederike 2. Emperor crowned in Ierusalem .302 hys letter to all the world agaynst the
Mary by one Ladye Anne Wharton 2128 Lady Iane her talke with Fecknam .1419 her letters 1420. her death and prayer at the same 1422 Lady Katharine duchesse of Suffolke her tragicall story 2078 2080 Lady Kneuet her trouble and deliuerie 2072 Lady Mary her letters to K. Edward 6. and the councell .1332.1333.1335.1336.1338.1339 with answers to the same ibid. Lady Uane a great benefactor to Gods saints 1838 Ladislaus a yong Pope 720 Ladislaus and his dominions 722 Ladislaus an enemy to the gospell .721 his strange fact at his death ibid. Laishford Martyr her story and martyrdome 1689.1702 Lannam men in Suffolke ryse against the proud bishop of Norwich 428. Lambert Martyr his story .1101 articles obiected agaynst him his aunsweres to the articles .1101.1102 set at liberty .1121 hys disputation before the Kyng nobles .1122 his constant martyrdome for the truth of Christs gospell 1124 Lacels death and martyrdom .1240 his letter of the sacrament 1241 Lambe Martyr his story Martyrdome 1267 Lampes in the church 1404 Lambeth when and by whom first built 233 Lambrith Archb. of Canterbury 129 Launcelot Martyr his story 1279 Landesdale one of the gard his story and terrible end 2104.2105 Lanfrancus Archb. of Cant. 172 Lane Martyr his story 2047 Landes restored to Abbeys by Q. Mary 1559.1560 Larke and Germain Gardine traitors agaynst the kings supremacie 1230 Laremouth his history and death 2150 Latimer Preacher and Martyr his excellent story 17â—0 made Bish. of Worcester .1738 cast into the Tower .1740 appeareth before the Commissioners .1762 his examination and aunsweres .1763.1764.1766 his Letters .1746.1748.1749.1750 hys death and constant martyrdome at Oxford 1769.1770 Latimer coÌ„plained of Boner .1311 disputeth at Oxford .1454.1455 1456.1428 condemned with doctor Cranmer and doctor Ridley 1463 Latimer his sermon at Cambridge of the Cardes conteinyng most excellent and comfortable doctrine for euery christian man to follow 2142.2143 Latine seruice reprooued edifieth not 1903 Latine seruice defended .1588 confuted 1617 Latine masse first song at ConstaÌ„tinople 1404 Laurence his worthy history .71 tormented on a firie gridiron to the death 72 Laurence Martyr 1542 Laurence Pernam Martyr 1914.1915 Laurence Martyr with v. other burned in Cant. 1688 Laurence Gest Martyr his story 775 Laurentius Anglicus condemned by the Pope 322 Laurentius Archb. after Austen 119 Laurence Shiriffe sworne friende and seruant to the good lady Elizabeth his maistresse .2097 his faithfulnes towards her ibid. Launder Martyr his story 1680 1681 Lawson her trouble deliuerance 2070.2071 Lawson Martyr his story 1917 1918 Lauerocke Martyr 1910 Lawes by the king and Nobles at Oxford 329 Law of premunire with the penalties 419 Lawes of king Edward others 165.166 Law and the gospell their differeÌ„ce 26.27 Lawes of Egelred agaynst wicked Iudges and Iusticers 162 Lawes of Claredon 207 Lawes of king Ethelstane concernyng Ecclesiasticall causes and tithes .149 hys lawes coÌ„cerning thieues 150 Laws of K. Alfrede K. Edward 147 Lawes of Canutus 164 Lands restored to Abbeis by Q. Mary 1559.1560 Lawes of king Henry the 1. 191 Lawes whereto Becket Archb. of Cant. agreed and agreed not 206.207 Law how loosed how not loosed by Christ. 483 Lawe of Moises of all lawes the iustest 488 Lawes Ecclesiasticall by kings of this realme before the conquest 779 Law with the doctrine thereof 976. Law and the Gospell wherto they serue 1655 Lawes of the Pope and of England differ and wherein 1889 1890 L E. Leaden hall built 712 Learned men increase in christendome 730 League betwixt the Pages of Zuitzerland 866 Leafe Martyr his story .1623 his examination condemnation and martyrdome 1623.1624 Learned men agaynst the Pope 398 Learned men agaynst Friers 409 Learned men sent for into England 1296 Legate commanding chastity takeÌ„ himselfe with an Harlot 199 Legates of the Popes not admitted of the Nobles .369 robbed of theyr treasure in the North couÌ„trey 370 Legate of the Popes restrayned from comming into England 707 Legate du prat persecutor his fearfull death 2109 Legend and Masse booke of the papistes full of filthy and blasphemous lyes 584 Legend of S. Albane disproued 88 Legittimation of Priestes childreÌ„ 1176 Leicester interdicted 505 Leicester menne persecuted for the Gospell 505 Lent fast and the ordinances therof falsely ascribed to Telesphorus 53 Lent and fasting the originall therof .52 diuersly kept ibid. Lelond Iustice his sodeine death 2101 Lent fast brought in 665.1404 Lennam towne riseth agaynst their Bishop and swingeth him well 428 Leonard Keisar martyr his story 885 Leonard Cox scholemaister at Reding 1032 Leo .8 Pope 159 Leo .9 Pope 168 Leonides Martyr 54 Leofricus Earle of Mercia 165 Lesson good for Ministers to seeke theyr lost sheepe 36 Letter of Anselme to Ualtram bishop of Norenberge 187 Letter of Anselme to K. Henry .1 192 Letters of Anselme agaynst Priestes mariage 195 Letter most excellent and worthy of all Christian men to be redde of Pomponius Algerius an Italian Martyr 939 Letter of Tho. Becket to the Bishop of Norwich 217 Letter of Boner to the L. Cromwell against Winchester 1090 Letter of a certaine godly woman written to Boner rebukyng him for his bloudy crueltie to Gods saints 1842.1844.1845 Letter of Boniface B. of Mentz and Martyr to Ethelbald the kyng 128 Letter of the brethren of France to the brethren of Asia 46 Letters of the Councel of Calice against the Protestants 1224 Letter of Iohn Kingstone commissary to Byshop Boner concernyng the 22. prisoners apprehended at Colchester for the truth 1971.1972.1973 Letter of king Phillip out of England to the Pope 1478. Letter of king Henry 1. to the pope 192. Leiton martyr hys story and martyrdome 1131. Letter of Earle Lewes to Bishop Waltram 190.191 Letter of Lucifer to the Popes Clergy 502. Letter of Marcus Aurelius Antonius Emperour to the senate of Rome concerning the Christians 51 Letters of Queene Mary to king Edward the 6. and the Councel with aunsweres to the same 1332.1334.1335.1336.1337.1338.1339 Lewes Gentlewoman Martyr burned at Lichfield 2012.2013 Letters of the Lady Mary and the councell each to other 1406.1407.1408 Letters of the nobles and commonaltie of Englande to the Pope 291 Letters of Otho Archbishoppe of Caunterbury to the Prelates 151. Letter of Pope Urbane to Baldwine Archbishop of Canterbury 240. Letters to the Pope concerning Becket 220.221 Letter of Pope Hadrian to Fredericke the Emperour with aunswere to the same 203. Letter of Pope Alexander to Becket Archbishop of Canterbury with aunswere to the same 208 209.216 Letter of the Pope concerning the degradation of Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury 2132.2133 Letter of William Symmes to a certayne frend of hys 2142. Letter layd vpon Queene Maryes deske agaynst shee shoulde come to prayer conteining an expostulation and dehortation from the abhominable sinne of idolatry 2139. Letter of William Hunter to hys mother 2150. Letter of Queene Mary to the Duke of Northfolke 2128. Letter of one Iohn Meluine prisoner for Gods truth in Newgate 2140. Letters of Constantine 103. Letters of Doctor
commoÌ„ly of English women 〈◊〉 1. Tim. â— Ghosâ—â—ly 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of â—â—ristian 〈◊〉 1. Peter 4. Iohn 12. 1. Cor. 1. Luke 17. Example of Lots wyfe Nothing vseâ— in Q. Maâ—yâ—s 〈…〉 The first note prouing the Church of the Papistes not to be the true Church 2. Note Iohn 10. 3. Note Actes 7. 4. Note to know the Church 5. Note Iohn 5 6. Note to know the Church Ephes. 5. Compare the proceedinges doinges of the Popes Church with the true members of Christs Church and you shall see what they are The Church of the valiant Papistes compared to Nemrod and why The Popes Church standeth all in lying and murdering 3. Reg. 18. Luke 9. The Popes Church vnder payne of damnation is to be auoyded Apoc. 2. Phil. 1. He exhorteth to be bolde in Christ. Math. 13. Worldly Christians resembled to Aesops Cocke Worldly allurements motions of drawing backe by Gods grace with standed Experience of the Lordes assistance in confirming his seruantes M. Glouer coÌ„mitted to the Iayle before any cause was declared Gods mighty consolation vpon Rob. Glouer in prison M. Glouer weepeth for ioy in prison M. Glouer couÌ„selled to put in bondes Rober Glouer refuseth to enter into bondes Worldly persuasions not receiued M. Glouer agâ—yne visited with Gods holy comfort M Glouer reasoning with himselfe M. Glouer taketh courage al 〈◊〉 and daungerâ— set aside M. Glouer resolued in himselfe to abyde the vttermost for the Gospells cause The Papistâ— proceede with M. Glouer agaynst the lawes of the realme Commaundement geuen to the Sumner agaynst Iohn Glouer and not agaynst Robert Glouer This Byshops name was Doct. Banes M. Warren of Couentry persecutor of Rob. Glouer A lesson for all persecutors Luke 16. R· Glouer brought before Banes B. of Lichfield and Couentrye M. Robert Glouer M. of Art in Cambridge R. Glouer charged for not comming to the Church The Bishop refuseth to be iudged by the primatiue Church Robert Glouer and his fellow prisoners remoued from Couentry to Lichfield in the face of the open market Iephcot the Chauncellours seruaunt Papistes keepe no promise Iephcot Persey cruell and straite agaynst M. Glouer Talke betweene M. Glouer and the Chancellor in prison * The Church geueth witnes which be the true bookes and writings of the Apostles as also the olde Sinagogue of the Iewes doth witnes which be the true bookes of the holy Prophetes yet it followeth not thereby that the Iewes haue authority ouer the Scripture The comforts sweete feelinges of M. Glouer in prison M. Glouer assaulted by the enemy in prison concerning vnworthynes Actes 24. Rom. 11. Rom. 4. Iohn 2. Gods election bound to no worthines or person Rom. 10. Psalme 145. It is no arrogaÌ„cye to presume vpon Gods promise Psalm 50. Robert Glouer replyeth against the tentation of the enemy in that he is a sinner M. Glouer brought agayne before the Bishop Reasoning betwene M. Glouer and the Byshop * The true Church is alwayes builded vp on the doctrine of the Apostles which though it appeare not alwaies alyke in outward â—â—ght the faulte is in the tyme not in the Church Tymes do alter and with the tymes the outward face of the Church may alter sometymes appearing more sometymes lesse sometymes very little sometymes nothing at all according as the persecution is Neuertheles the truth of the church abydeth alwayes one Neyther doth it goe by number of meÌ„ but by soundnes of truth Many agreeing in one may make an vnitye but the veritye of the word maketh the Church whether it be in few or in many The first question Power by Gods word in the ministery to remit sinnes 2. questioâ— 3. question Robert Glouer destitute foâ—â— tyme of the Lords comfort The Lord for a tyme may withdraw his comfortes but at leÌ„gth he visiteth his seruantâ— R. Glouer receaueth agayne coÌ„fort of the Lord. Cornelius Bongey Martyr Articles obiected to Cornelius Bongey Hâ—s Aunsweres to the articles Iohn Glouer William Glouer after their deaâ—h condemned and cast out for heretickes A new search made for Iohn Glouer The prouidence of God agayne in sauing Iohn Glouer Agnes Glouer wyfe to Iohn Glouer apprehended D. Dracot not suffering Iohn Glouer to be buryed in the Churchyearde Iohn Glouer after his death iudged of Doct. Dracot to be a damned soule Testimony of this story The maner of handling the body of WilliaÌ„ Glouer after his death Bernard a Popish Curate of Weme Iohn Thorlyne agaynst the burying of W. Glouers brother The letter of Raufe Bayne B. of Chester for the not burying of W. Glouers body The dead corpeâ— of W. Glouer dragged with horse into the field M. Edward Burton not suffered to be buryed in Christian buriall the same day when Q. Elizabeth was crowned Oliuer Richardine in Hartford West Martyr William Wolsey Robert Pigot Martyrs Richard Euerard extreame agaynst WilliaÌ„ Wolsey W. Wolsey commaunded to the Iayle D. Fuller Christopherson D. Yong come to conferre with Wolsey Wolsey putteth a question to the 〈…〉 D. Watsons booke of Sermons or Homelyes D. Fuller agayne resorteth to W. Wolsey The Chauncellour geâ—eth leaue to Wolsey to depart W. Wolsey layd in the Castle of Wisbich Rob. Pigot Painter presented for not coÌ„ming to the Chuâ—ch Talke betweene Syr Clement Higham Iudge and Rob. Pigot Rob. Pigot brought to the Iayle where W. Wolsey 〈◊〉 Anno 1555. October Wolsey and Pâ—got returned to Eley to prison Tho. Goodâ—â—â—e Biâ—â—hop of Eley The Bishops Câ—â—playne a FrenchmaÌ„ 〈◊〉 the prisoners in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Woâ—sey called to iudgment in the Bâ—shops 〈◊〉 Wolseys aunswere to Sâ—â—xton M. Christopherson writeth what he would haue Pâ—got conâ—â—â— of the â—acrâ—ment 〈◊〉 refuseth to 〈◊〉 to Christophersons 〈◊〉 M. Peacoke appoynted to preach at tâ—e burning of Wolsey and Pigot â— Wolsey 〈◊〉 himselfe to be â—ound in all pointes of the scripture belonging to his 〈…〉 The MartyrdoÌ„e of W. Wolsey and Rob. Pigot at Eley Anno 1555. Octob. 16. Bookes burned with Wolsey Pigot The natures of Wolsey and Pigot described The zelous spirite of William Wolsey W. Wolsey desirous of Martirdome Wolsey calleth the day of his Martirdome his glad day Thomas Hodilo Berebruer of Cambridge witnes of this story Richard Denton first conuerter of Wolsey Money sent by Wolsey to Denton Wolsey exhorting Richard Denton to persist in the truth Denton afraydâ— of burning Richard DentoÌ„ burned in his owne house which before would not burne for Christ. Anno. 1564. Aprill 18 Doct. Nicholas Ridley Martyr Nicholas Ridley borne in Noâ—thumberland Nicholas Ridley learned at Newcastle Nicholas Ridley mayster of Pembroke hall in Cambridge Nicholas Ridley made D. of Diuinitye Nicholas Ridley king Henryes Chapleine Nicholas Ridley made Bishop of Rochester Nicholas Ridley made Byshop of LondoÌ„ The fruitefull dilligence of B. Ridley in preaching Gods word B. Ridley of great memory and reading B· Ridley comely of proportion and complexion The fayre conditions of Byshop Ridley tender to his kinred yeâ— not otherwise then truth and right
did preuayle A practise of Prelates to conuey their owne proclamations vnder the kinges name and authoritye He meaneth of the Pope which went about to driue K. Henry out of his kingdome and that not without some adherentes nere about the king The cause of insurrections is falsly layed vpon English bookes but rather is to be lyed vpon the Popes pardoÌ„s Extortioners Bribers theeues be the greatest enemyes to the Gospell to be in Englishe The froward lyfe of the Gospellers is not to be layd to the Gospel Lacke of good Curates is the cause of all mischiefe in the Realme 〈…〉 to Gods word By Nathan we may learne not 〈…〉 to call 〈◊〉 our wâ—rdes when we 〈◊〉 Gods pleasure to 〈…〉 The Popes 〈◊〉 geuen to K. Henry Defender of the â—ayth no 〈◊〉 title for man The â—ayth of Christ is 〈…〉 by man 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 〈…〉 of M. Latimer to the 〈◊〉 to be coâ—â—idered The heauenly courage of M. Latimer in discharging his conscience The King well pleased with the playnnes of M. Latimer Example for Bishops and alâ— good Pastors to follow Warning to Iustices of peace A letter of M. Latimer to a certayne gentleman i. God turne â—â— to good I refuse no iudgement Let vs accuse one another that one of vs may amend an other in the name of the Lord. Let iustice proceede in iudgement i. I cannot chuse but much alow such diligence i. And then will I gladly geue place confessing my fault humbly as one conquered with iust reasons As may wel appeaâ—e by his letter sent to the King before i. To rebuke the world of sinne i. Which thing vndoubtedly is the peculiar office of the holy ghost in the church of God so that it be practised by lawfull Preachers i. vnlesse perhaps to rebuke sinne sharpely be now to lacke all charitye friendship and truth M. Latimer flattereth no man i. Among al meÌ„ eyther frendes or enemyes according to Paules precept not esteemed of the children of this world hate you sayth he that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good And let vs not at any tyme for the fauour of men call good euill and euill good as the children of this world are commonly wont to doe as it is euery where to be seene Bolstring of falsehood and iniquitie Brother ought not to beare with brother to beare down right and truth especially being a Iustice. i. The Lord himselfe saying in the mouth of two or three c. i. Corrupte tenantes i. But God is yet aliue which seeth all and iudgeth iustly Were not here a good sorâ—e of Iustices trow you Iustices turned to Iugglers Partaking Iustices i. O good God i. Of a double nature sound corrupte That was full of Iustice This vnlesse it be restored abideth alwayes vniust bringing forth the fruites of wickednes one after an other i. Of which sorte we haue fewer amongest vs then I would i. To vicinity of bloud 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 also be 〈◊〉 aâ—â—ording to the 〈…〉 of their 〈…〉 wealth which tâ—ouble vs when they 〈◊〉 to â—elpe vs 〈◊〉 this 〈…〉 Vexation 〈◊〉 vnderstanding 〈◊〉 good O â—ord that thou hâ—mâ—â—eâ— me 1. After this 〈◊〉 bind 〈◊〉 Asses with â—riâ—le and sâ—aâ—le 〈◊〉 they approch not 〈◊〉 vnto thee 〈◊〉 will not such 〈◊〉 cause â—â—yther wil communicate with other mens 〈…〉 deteâ—â—ble pride 〈…〉 â— What is to oppresse to defraud your brother in his 〈◊〉 â— The sinne is not forgeuen except the thing be restored agayne that iâ— taken away i. Of thinges gotteÌ„ by fraude guile deceite as of thinges gotten by open theft and robbery Godly threates of M. Latimer to saue the soule of his friend M. Latimers Newyeares gift sent to K. Henry B. Ridley and M. Latimer brought forth to examination October 1. M. White B. of Lincolne M. Brokes B. of Glocester the Popes deputies The last examination of M. Ridley and M. Latimer The effect of the Cardinalls Commission sent downe to Oxford D. Ridley and M. Latimer ascited to appeare the last of September B. Ridley putteth on his cap at hearing of the Popes name The wordes of the Bishop of Lincolne to D. Ridley for not putting of his cappe Answere of D Ridley to the B of Lincolne D. Ridley reuerenceth the person of the Cardinall but not his Legacye D. Ridley oâ—eth no reuerence to the pope D. White Bishop of Lincolne replyeth agayne Putting of caps at the naming of the Pope D. Ridley answereth The vsurped supremacye of Rome defied D. Ridleys cap pluckâ—â— of perforce * Though the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 yet the doctrine 〈◊〉 Rome is straunge * * The words of D. Ridley falsly repoâ—ted The Bishop of Lincolne perswadeth D. Ridley 〈◊〉 tâ— the Popes Church Answere 〈◊〉 D. â—idley to the B. of Lincoâ—â—e â— Pointes 〈◊〉 in the B. of Lincolnes Oration 2 The sea of Rome conâ—â—med by old Doctours 3. D. Ridley once of the same sea The church not builded vpon Peter The church builded vpon faithâ— not vpon any person The wordes of Christ to Peterâ— Math· 16. expounded Fayth is the foundation of the Church Lineall discent of the Bishop of Rome Why the Bishops of Râ—me haue bene more esteemed then the Bishops of other cities The prerogatiue that the Doctours geue to the sea of Rome and for what cause The sea of Rome so long as it continued in sound doctrine was worthy to be reuerenced The Bishop of Rome proued to be Antichrist The place of S. Austen aunswered 4. Patriarches in the Church in Austines tyme. Countreys beyond the sea subiect to Rome how and in what respect Rome may be mother of churches and yet no supreme head of Churches D. Ridley falsly charged to preach transubstantiation at Paules Crosse. D. Ridley mistaken in his Sermon Lincolne againe replyeth D. Ridley agaynâ—â—â—â—swereth 〈◊〉 the wordâ— of Austen Lincolne returneth agayne to his oration * And why then do you alligate it to the city of Româ— 2. Powers of the keyes and of the sword England how subiect to the King and how to the Pope B. Ridley exhorted to submitte himselfe to the Pope Feare of punishment set before him * But that office you your selues haue assigned vnto them Aâ—â—were to D. Ridley to Lincolne * He meaneth in which no generall errour can be â—â—nally The church 〈◊〉 to no 〈◊〉 〈…〉 doe 〈◊〉 the Church to â—â—certayne place and that onely 〈◊〉 Rome The 〈…〉 bind the Church to no one 〈…〉 what Church to 〈…〉 infected with the Church of 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 * Articles ioyntly and seuerally ministred to D. Ridley and M. Latymer by the Popes deputies B. Ridley examined vpon the Articles aforesayd The Catholicke promise fayre but they performe nothing The hie Priestes had not power to put Christ to death but they had power to commit him to Pilate neyther would they suffer him to abâ—solue Christ. D. WestoÌ„ shooteth his bolte The protestatioÌ„ of D. Ridley D. Ridley cannot be suffered to speake The reall
Oraâ—ion of D. Martyn Temporall gouernment 〈◊〉 in Spirituall 〈◊〉 Temporall Magistrates 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 The Popes Charitye 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Archbishop Causes alleadged why Doct. Cranmer cannot receaue the Pope The Lawes of this realme and the Popes contrary The Popes proceedinges contrary to God The reall presence is not to be proued by any Doctour aboue a 1000. yeares after Christ. The Pope likened to the deuil and wherein The Pope proued Antichrist Anno 1556. Ianuary Math 16. Marke 8. The Popes lawes agaynst the lawes of this Realme To be called vniuersall head is a marke of Antichrist Gregor The Bishop of Glocester charged with penury Warham Archbishop gaue vp first the supremacye to the King Both the vniuersities subscribed to the kinges supremacye before Cranmer was Archbishop D. Storyes Oration agaynst the Archb. Wordes of the Popes Canon Note the worshipful reasons of D. Story wherewith he proueth the Popes supremacy Doct. Story reasoneth aâ— though to feede with the word and to gouerne with the sword were all one A maxime in the law A rule of law Doct. Story chargeth the Archb. with stubbornes Partialitye 〈◊〉 the reporter Take betweene D. Martyn and 〈◊〉 Arch-bâ—â—hop Iephthes 〈◊〉 * That is it 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 The Archb. 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 not 〈…〉 the pope The Archb. 〈◊〉 first to the pope 〈…〉 Doct. Martyn would proue the Archb. periured in forswearing his othe made to the Pope Doct. Cranmer vnwilling to be made Arâ—hb False slaunder of D. Martyn * Nay the Phariseys cryed not Verbum Domini but Templâ— Domini as the Papists do now agaynst the Protestantes So did King Ezechias and Iosies downe with Monumentes of Idolatry and 〈◊〉 commended * An other false slaunder of D. Martyn Whether these be the fruites of the Gospellers or of the Papistâ— more let the conuersation of them both geue iudgement Anno 1556. March Doctrine of the Sacrament So was Saint Augustine first a Pagane then a Manichee then a Catholicke Doct. Cranmer first wonne to the knowledge of the SacrameÌ„t by B. Ridley Supremacye of the Pope King Henry was not Supreame head but onely of his owne Realme The Pope will be vniuersall head ouer all The aunswere of the Archb. not sincerâ—ly reported Interrogatories layed agaynst the Archbish. The first mariage of the Archb. The second mariage of the Archb. The Archb. charged with his doctrine bookes The Archb. 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Pope by 〈◊〉 Origines in Apologia Pamphili What an hereticke is after thâ— Popes making B. Bâ—ookes râ—canteth his oth made to the king agaynst the Pope Supremacye The Church builded vpon Peter Pasce expouÌ„ded by Chrisostome Aug. Quest. 75. Seruice in latin Sacrament in one kind Authoritye of the Church in changing rites Rites and ceremonyes Subiect to the dispositioÌ„ of the Church Reasons why lay men receaue not vnder both kindes Reall presence proued by B. Brookes August Psal. 33. Cyprian De Coena Domini D. Storyâ—â— talke to thâ— Archb. 3. Thinges required in an othe D. Story calleth for witnesses Witnesses sworne agaynst the Archb. The Archb. refuseth those Iurates periured The Archb. sent agayne to Bocardo The Archb. agayne geâ—ueth no reuerence to the Popes Delegate The aunsweres 〈◊〉 the Archb. not indifferently reported The Popes priâ—e and tyrranny Markes of Antichrist The Pope dispenseth agaynst the new and old Testament If any can go before the Pope in pride let him be called Antichrist His aunsweres to their articles How Cranmer was made Archb. agaynst his will D. Cranmer denyed that he tooke the Archbishopricke at the Popes handes Cranmers aunswere to K. HeÌ„ry refusing to be Archbishop First breaking of the matter of the Popes supremacye to K. Henry Cranmer sworne to the Pope vnder Protestation Cranmer in in swearing to the Pope did nothing without aduise of the best learned in this Realme The Archb. aunswereth for his wyfe and children Because there was offence takeÌ„ at this word Supreame head it was declared in the Queenes style to be Supreame gouernour The Archb. cited to appeare at Rome A poynt to be noted in the crafty practise of Romish hipocrites Of this 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Pope 〈◊〉 in the first booke pag. 1490. A new CoÌ„mission sent downe 〈◊〉 Rome agaynst the Archbish. D. Thurlby D. Boner Commissioners The olde benefites familiaritye betweene the Archb. and Doct. Thurlby A new sitting of the Popes delegates in Christes Church agaynst the Archb. of Cant. The Popes CommissioÌ„ groundeth vpon lyâ—â— The order of Archbishops degradation The inferiour cannot forbid to appeale to the superiour Generall CouÌ„sell is superiour to the Pope The causes why he doth appeale The .1 cause The Archb. cyted to appeare at Rome when he was â—ast in prison that he could not come Note with what iustice and sinceritye this Catholicke Church doth proceede The 2. cause The Archb. denyed to haue counsell of the law The 3. cause The Papistes proceede contrary to law The Papistes contrary to their owne promise The 4. cause Causes mouing the Archb. why he could not admit the Popes authoritye The Popes authoritye cannot be admitted in this Realme without periury The 5. cause Inconuenience to this Realme in receiuing the popes authority The 6. cause The primatiue state of the church of Rome sincere pure The Church of Rome how and where it began to alter Deformityes of the Church of Rome infecting all other Churches The B. of Rome no equall iudge in his owne cause Appellation froÌ„ the Pope to a generall Counsell * i. Letters of protection and defence Defence of his doctrine He proâ—â—â—steth himselfe to be Catholike New termes of the Sacrament brought in by the pope vnknowen to the scripture and old Doctours Talke betweene D. Thurlby the Archb. about the appeale Thurlby weepeth for the Archb. Of this forme of degradatioÌ„ read in the fâ—rst booke of Actes pag. 1493. Lord Boner vnlordeth the Archbishop It is happy this Bishop had so much maner yet to call him gentleman The Archb. contented to recant Causes mouing the Archb. to geue with time The coppy of Cranmers recantation sâ—ars ed abroad by the Papistes The Queeneâ— hart set agaynst Cranmer Cranmer in a miserable case The Queenâ— conferreth with D. Cole about Cranmers burning L. Williams of Tame L. Shandoys Syr Tho. Briâ—eâ— Syr Iohn Browne appoynted to be at Cranmers execution Cranmer writeth and subscribeth the articles with his owne hand D. Cranmer brought to D. Coles Sermon Cranâ—â—â— set 〈◊〉 a stagâ— D. Coles Sermon diuided into 3. partes The summe and effect of D. Coles Sermon at Oxford If Cole gaue this iudgement vpon Cranmer when he had repented what iudgment is theÌ„ to be geuen of Cole which alwayes peâ—â—dured in error and neuer yet repented If all herâ—tickes in England should be burned where should D. Cole haue bene ere now Lex non aequalitatis sed iniquitatis â— Cor. 10. The prayer of Archb. CraÌ„mer The last wordes of Exhortation of the Archb. to the people Exhortation to contempt of the
world Exhortation to obedience Exhortation to brotherly loue Exhortation to rich men of this world mouing them to charitable almes Luke 18. 1. Iohn 3. The Archb. declareth the true confession of his fayth without all colour or dissembling The Archb. rereuoketh his former recantation and repenteth the same The Archb. refuseth the Pope as Christes enemy and Antichrist The Archb. stâ—â—deth to his booke written agaynst Winchester 〈…〉 Papists â—â—ceaued The Papists in a great chase agaynst the Archb. Cranmers aunswere to the Papists Cranmer pulled downe froÌ„ the stage Cranmer led to the fire â— Ely 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 to the Archbishop The Archâ—â—â—â—op tyed 〈…〉 stake Cranmer â—â—tteth his 〈◊〉 hand wâ—ich subscribed first 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 The last wordes of Cranmeâ— at 〈◊〉 death The Fryers lying report of Cranmer Archb. Cranmer the middle Martyr of all the Martyrs burnt in Q Maryes tyme. A writâ—ng or letter of the Archb. sent to Queene Mary The king and Queene make themselues no better then subiectes complayning of their owne subiect vnto the Pope The first cause why the Archb. would not make aunswere to the Popes delegate is to auoyd periury The second cause is that the Popes lawes are contrary to the Crowne and lawes of England The othe of the King Iustices and the duety of Subiectes Dist. 10. Constitutiones Extran De Sentâ—â—ti et reindit Nouerit The Popes lawes and the lawes of England do vary how and whereiâ— Cases wherin the popes lawes repugne agaynst our lawes Prouision agaynst the popes lawes by Premunire The prouiso of the Pope agaynst our Premunire Marke this well * The Clergyes duety in the Parlament The Clergy of England more addicted to the Pope then to their true alleageance to their Countrey The Pope commaundeth both agaynst God naturall reason The SacrameÌ„t ought to be receaued in both kindes of all Christians Ex Theophilo Alexandrino The excuse of the Papistes why they take away the cup. Misorder in the Pope in assoyling the disobedieÌ„ce of Subiects toward their Princes Note the saying of Gregory The deuill and the Pope are lyke Emperours and kinges made the Popes footmen The Pope is Antichrist that is Christes enemy True markes proâ—iâ—g that the Pope is Antichrist Note this conclusion The cause why the Archb. spake and wrote thus Math. 10. The Sacrament A double error of 〈◊〉 Papistâ—s in the 〈◊〉 of the sacrâ—meÌ„t Cranmer 〈◊〉 to the iuâ—ged by the old Church The Papistes not able to bring forth one olde author aboue a thousand yeares to make with the Sacrament With the substance the vse also changed of the Sacrament The Papists make Christ 2. bodyes Neyther truth nor comfort in the Popes doctrine of the Sacrament Marke the errours of the Papists in their doctrine of the Sacrament The Protestantes doctrine of the Sacrament more comfortable then the doctrine of the Papistes An other respecte why the Archb. refused B. Brookes to be his iudge Double periury in B. Brookes A peece of an other letter to the Queene Contradiction in the Queenes othes sworne both to the Realme to the Pope in one day This Constantinus was Stephen Gardiner as constant in deede as a Wethercocke who thus named himselfe writing agaynst this good Archbish. An other letter of the Archb. to Mistres Wilkinson Math 3. Iohn 4. Math. 5. 2. Cor. 12. A letter written to D. Cranmer his felloweâ— by D. Taylour Many professe God ad ignem exclusiue that is in wordes outward profession but few sticke to him ad ignem inclusiuè that is in deede and in suffering for his sake Agnes Potten Ioane Trunchfield Martyrs The opinions of these two Matrons and Martyrs The streÌ„gth of God in weake vessels The burning of Agnes Potten reuealed to her before in her sleepe â—he story 〈◊〉 Iohn Maundrell Mâ—â—ndrell â—â—â—rted 〈◊〉 Tinâ—â—â—l Testament Mâ—â—ndrell 〈…〉 and â—â—arer of Gods word Maâ—ndrell 〈◊〉 for speaking agaynst holy bread and holy water Maundrell 〈◊〉 to open 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Henryes â—â—yes Maundrell 〈◊〉 and Coberley 〈…〉 Maundrell Spicer Coberly seÌ„t to Salisbury D. Capon B. of Salisbury Confession of their beliefe Sacrament of the Aultar Agaynst the Popes supremacye Christ onely Supreame head of his Church vnder him euery Prince in his own dominion Purgatory Images Sentence read agaynst these 3. Martyrs March 23. Maundrell Spicer Coberly brought to the place of Martyrdome The wordes of Maundrell Alice Coberley being indurance how she was brought by the keepers to reuoke Aprill 14. 6. Martyrs burnt in Smithfield at one stake These Martyrs were sent vp by the Lord Rich by M. Tyrrell and others A supplication to the Lord Chauncellour Names subscribed to the supplication Richard Spurge examined The Parson of Bocking accuser For not coÌ„ming to the Popish Church Thomâ—â— Spurge â—â—â—â—mined Not coâ—ming 〈◊〉 Church why Sacramâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 George Ambrose examined Iohn Caâ—â—ll examined The causâ—â— why Iohn Cauell came not to Church The Parson of Bocking false and contrary to his owne doctrine Robert Drakes Parson of Thundersley examined Drakes placed in the benefice of Thundersley by the Lord Rich. The first occasion of taking W. Tyme M. Tyrrell offended with Sermons preached in his woodes 〈◊〉 Gye 〈◊〉 Tyrrell◠〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 man Talke betweene the Bishop of Winchester and W. Tyms These 5. Martyrs were R. Drakes Tho. Spurge Richard Spurge Cauell Ambrose Their examinations before the B. of London Sacrament of the Aultar March 2â— Drakes and W. Tyms with the rest agayne exmined March 2â— B. Boners wordes to W. Tyms Math. 18. 1. Tym. 5. The aunswere of W. Tyms to B. Boner B. Boners wordes One of the prisoners aunswereth to B. Boner W. Tyms agayne aunswereth B. Boner charged with periury and inconstancye Boners preface to Winchesters booke De obedientia B. Boner excuseth himselfe by feare Tyms agayne replyeth to the Bishop An hunters parable against W. Tyms wisely applyed The answere 〈◊〉 Tym◠〈…〉 B. Boners reason Robert Drakes answereth Boner replyeth Tyms â—â—swereâ—â— to Boner Boner denying the principleâ— of diuinitye Esay 59. B. Boner calleth for more helpâ— D. Pendleton studieth for talke Articles aunswered by William Tyms His baptisme by his godfathers Onely â— Sacraments The true visible Church Winchesters booke De obedientia The Masse blasphemous Sacrament of the Altar an Idoll The Popes Church The Sea of 〈◊〉 the Sea of 〈◊〉 Sentence 〈◊〉 against W. Tyms The aunâ—were of R. Draâ—â—â— Sentence geuen against 〈◊〉 The aunswâ—re of T. Spurge Sentence 〈◊〉 agaynâ—t Tho. Spurge R. Spurge 〈◊〉 Ambrose A letter of W. Tyms to Agnes Gâ—ascocke An other letter of Will Tyms to Mistres Glascocke An other letter of W. Tyms to certayne godly women of his Parish Anno 1556. March An other letter of Will Tyms to his friendes in Hocley An other letter of W. Tyms to the faythfull brethren in his parish A letter of W. Tyms to his sisters in the Lord Colfoxe Glascocke 1. Pet. 5. 1. Pet. 4. Rom. 1â— Stephen for the same Gospell put to death
the Sea The summe of his money cast into the Sea restored him agayne An other 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 Seas 〈…〉 vpon a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 â—hippe 〈◊〉 dayes 〈◊〉 two 〈◊〉 in the Sea May. 31. 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Beâ—ch 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 〈◊〉 6. â— Martyrs 〈…〉 Eâ— Regist. Aâ—â—swere 〈◊〉 Thomas â—arland Aunswere of Iohn Oswald Iune 23. 2. Martyrs burnt at Lewes Iune 23. William Adhâ—rall Iune 25. Iohn Clement Iune 26. A marchaunteâ— seruaunt Iune 27.13 Martyrs suffering at Stratford the Bowe Aunswere to their articles Aunswere to the 2. article Aunswere to the 3 article Aunswere to the 4. article Aunswere to the .5 article Aunswere to â—he 6. article Aunswere to the 7. Article To the 8. article heir answeares To the 9. article their aunsweres Henry 〈◊〉 W. Hallâ—â—well Rafe Iackson Laurence Pernam Iohn Derisall Edmund Hurst Thomas Bowyer George Searles Lion Cauch Henry Adlington Anno 1556. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Ex Regist. A letter or Apologye of the Martyr purging themselues of the false sclaunder of M. Fecknam Vniforme agrement in ther fayth The profession of their Baptisme Sacramentes of the Church The visible Church The Sea of Rome The Masse Transubstantiation denyed 13. of these were Martyrs as is before sayd Iune 14. Rafe Bane B. of Couentrye and Lichfield a cruell persecuter Marying in Lent punished Iune 26. Thomas Iohnson for swearing by the holy Masse did pennauce Thomas Flyer slayne in Gods quarrell Iune 27. Thomas Parret Iune 26. Martyn Hunt Iohn Norice Confessours Iune 30. Roger Bernard Martyr Roger Bernard refuseth auricular confession Note the Catholicke charitye of this prelate An other examinatioÌ„ of Roger Bernard One of the Garde taketh Bernard to schoole A wholesome company of Caterpillers Roger Bernard condeÌ„ned by the Bishop of Norwich Bernard taken by Tamages men Iune 30. Adam Foster Martyr George Reuet Thomas Mouse Syr Iohn Tyrrell persecutors Gods stroke vpon wilful persecutors A youngâ— man 〈…〉 Clarke agaynst his conscience Anno 1556. Iuly 〈…〉 straunge token 〈◊〉 dyed 〈◊〉 strange 〈◊〉 The Lordes 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Martyr Robert Kereth a persecutor 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 Bernard Adam Foster Robert Lawson at Bâ—ry Anno 1â—â—6 Iune â—◠〈◊〉 examiâ—â—â—ion of 〈…〉 before â— Parker 〈◊〉 M. Foâ—â—er The Sacrament of the Aultar M. Foster threatneth Iohn Fortune to be whipped Psal. 49. The Pope likened to a Belwether or a Master Bee Poysoned Popes Ceremonyes of the Church Math. 15. Gal. 4. Math. 15. It is pitty that popish prelates cannot lye An other examination of Iohn Fortune Sacrament of the Aultarr Catholicke prelates obsequious to higher powers so long as they make for their dignity but when they do otherwise then they excommunicate them Heb. 10. Dan. 11. Other talke betweene Iohn Fortune and the B. of Norwich Iohn 6. The B. of Norwich charged with periâ—ry The death of Iohn Fortune Iuly 1. The death of Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kinges Bench. Iohn Careles examined before D. Martyn The effect of Iohn Careles examination How Iohn Careles was brought to the Kinges Bench. Iohn Careles examineâ— vpon predestinatâ—â—n Doct. Marâ—â—â— declareth his Commission Why Doct. Martyn woulde not 〈…〉 the Sacrament Careles opinion of Gods election Doctour Martyn 〈◊〉 Careles iudgement of Godâ— election A wrong fayth of Predestination beleeâ—â—ng to be elected in respect of good 〈◊〉 D. Martyn pretendeth fauor to Careles More variety in the Popes 〈◊〉 Church then is amongest the Protestantes Doctour Martin taketh his leaue gently of Careles Iohn Careles dyed in prison and was buryed in the fieldes A letter of Iohn Careles to M. Philpot. 1. Reg. 1. Iohn Careles raysed vp by the Lord out of great heauines This comfort receaued of M. Philpot read in M. Philpots letters pag. 1726. Ierem. 10. Ierem. 26. Ierem. 1. Ierem. 1â— Math. 7. The circumspect behauiour of M. Philpot Iohn Careles aduise to M. Philpot Psal. 68. I. Careles care turned into ioy Gods gracious worke through M. Philpots letter Iohn Careles drunken with ioy of the spirite 2. Reg. 6. Careles accused to the Councell by certayne backe friendes in Couentrye Note how comfortably the Lord worketh in 〈◊〉 prisoned Saintes Gods prouidence towad his people An other 〈◊〉 of Iohn Careâ—â—â— to his wyfe Here is a 〈◊〉 marke 〈…〉 Chriâ—â—â—an forsaâ—iâ—g wyfe 〈◊〉 childreÌ„ 〈◊〉 Christes 〈◊〉 Math. 10. Good counâ—â—â—â— geuen 〈…〉 wyfe 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 Lord. The 〈◊〉 duety 〈◊〉 â—ringing 〈…〉 chilâ—â—en A sweete letter of Iohn Careles to M. Bradford a little before his Martirdome He mourneth for the losse and lacke of M. Bradford in the Church He reioyceth for the honour of M. Bradfords Martyrdome Iohn Careles taketh his leaâ—e of M. Bradford Testimony of Gods spirite Iohn Careles doth Gods message to Master Bradford Power and practise of the keyes of the Gospell A comfortable letter of M. Bradford to Iohn Careles Practise of the keyes of the Gospell An other letter of Iohn Carles to the constant brethren in Newgate condemned Example of true loue charitye among the Martyrs The enemyes not able to withstand the wisedome of God in his Saintes but compelled to bydde them hold their peace Iohn Careles longeth to dye a Martyr in the Gospells causâ— Of the Martyrs 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Tyms read before pag 1895. 〈…〉 both the Spurges 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 pag. â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—19 Psal. 103. Triumph of Martyrs Gen. 3. Apoc. 11. An other letter of Iohn Careless wherein he doth animate Grene Whittell and the rest of that company vnto their Martyrdome Apoc 11. To dye in the Lord and for the Lord. Of this Barthelet Grene read before pag. 1846. Luke 12. Of this Thomas Whittell read before pag. 1833. Luke 21. Apoc. 16. Of Ioane Warner read before pag. 1850. He meaneth Elizabeth Foster pag. 1750. Math. 25. Iohn 5. B. Boner called the slaughter slaue of England Psal. 60. 4. Reg. 2. An other letter of Iohn Careles priuately written to his bâ—dfellow W. Tyms Gods children neuer tempted aboue their strength He confirmeth W. Tyms being condemned to the day of his Martyrdome It is the nature of Gods children to be tempted Math. 4. Sathans tempting tooles 2. Cor. 2. Two principal pelletâ— of Sathan whereby he assaulteth Gods seruauntes 1. Feare of sinne and death and infâ—delity of Gods 〈◊〉 Remedy agaynst feare and infideâ—â—tye Anno 1556. Iuly The second 〈…〉 Remedy agaynst the â— Peller Eâ—ay 64. An other 〈◊〉 of Iohn Careâ—â—â— to M. Coâ—ton a faythfull 〈◊〉 and fauourer of the Gospel Gods great 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Note how God sometyme geueth comfort by weaker vessels Iohn Careles nothing touched with feare of death or of the fire but onely of his sinnes An other letter of Iohn Careles wherein he comforteth the afflicted minde of a certayne good brother mourning for lacke of Gods feeling Psalm 57. Psalm 45. Comfort for a sicke conscience Math. 9. Psalm 42. Gods loue goeth not by our deseruinges but by fayth in Iesus Christ onely is the cause why his father loueth vs. Why God somtyme hydeth himselfe from vs. Heb. 12. Eccle.
proued London What say you then to the second scripture howe couple you that by the word to the other Phil. The text it selfe declareth that notwithstanding Chryst did abase himself in our humayne nature yet he is stil one in Deitie with the Father And this S. Paule to the Hebrues doth more at large set foorth And as I haue by the scriptures ioyned these two scriptures together so am I able to do in all other Articles of fayth which we ought to beleue and by the manifest word of God to expound them London How can that be seing saynct Paule sayth that the letter killeth but it is the spirite that geueth life Philpot. S. Paul meaneth not the worde of God written in it selfe killeth which is the word of life and the faythfull testimonie of the Lord but that the worde is vnprofitable and killeth him that is void of the spirite of God although he be the wisest man of the world and therfore S. Paule sayd That the Gospell to some was a sauour of life vnto lyfe and to some other a sauour of death vnto death Also an example hereof we haue in the vi of Iohn of them who hearing the worde of God without the spirite were offended thereby wherefore Christ sayd The flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirite that quickeneth London What do you vnderstand that of S. Paule and of S. Iohn so Philpot. It is not mine owne interpretation it is agreable to the word in other places and I haue learned the same of auncient fathers interpreting it likewise And to the Corinthians as it is written Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei spiritualis dijudicat omnia The natural man perceiueth not the thinges that bee of the spirite of God but the spirituall man whiche is indued with the spirite iudgeth all thinges London You see my Lordes that this man will haue but hys owne minde and will wilfully cast away himselfe I am sory for him Phil. The words that I haue spoken be none of mine but of the Gospell wheron I ought to stand And if you my lord of London can bring better authoritie for the faythe you would draw me vnto then that which I stand vpoÌ„ I wil gladly heare the same by you or by any other in this realm Wherfore I kneeling down besought the Lords to be good vnto me a poore Gentleman that would fayne lyue in the world if I might and to testifie as you haue heard me to say this day that if any man can approue that I ought to be of any other maner of faith then that of which I now am and can proue the same sufficiently I will be neyther wilâ—ull neither desperate as my Lorde of London woulde make you beleue me to be Rich. What countrey man be you are you of the Philpots of Hampshyre Phil. Yea my Lorde I was Sir Peter Philpots sonne of Hampshyre Rich. He is my neare kinsman wherefore I am the more sory for him Phil. I thanke your Lordship that it pleaseth you to chalenge kinred of a poore prisoner Rich. In faith I would go an hundreth miles on my bare feete to do you good Cham. He may do well enough if he liSt S. Iohn M. Philpot you are my countryman I woulde be glad you should do well Rich. You said euen now that you would desire to mayntaine your beliefe before ten of the best in the realme You did not well to compare with the Nobilitie of the Realme But what if you haue tenne of the best in the Realme to heare you will you be tryed by them Phil. My Lord your Lordshippe mistaketh me to thinke that I challenge tenne of the best of the Nobilitie in thys realme It was no part of my minde but I meant of the best learned on the contrary side Rich. Wel I take your meaning What if meanes be made to the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue your request will you be iudged by them Phil. My Lord it is not meete that a man shoulde be iudged by his aduersaries Rich. By whom then would you be iudged Phil. I will make your honours iudges that shal be hearers of vs. Rich. I dare be bolde to procure for you of the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue tenne learned men to reason with you and twenty or forty of the Nobility to heare so you wil promise to abide theyr iudgement How say you will you promise here afore my Lordes so to do Phil. I will be contented to be iudged by them Rich. Yea but wil you promise to agree to theyr iudgemeÌ„t Phil. There be causes why I may not so do vnlesse I wer sure they would iudge according to the word of God Rich. O I perceaue you wil haue no man iudge but your selfe and thinke your selfe wiser then all the learned men of this Realme Phil. My Lorde I seeke not to be myne owne iudge but am conteÌ„t to be iudged by other so that the order of iudgement in matters of religion be kept that was in the primatiue Church which is first that Gods wil by his word was sought and thereunto both the spiritualty and temporaltie was gathered together and gaue theyr consentes iudgement such kind of iudgement I will stand to London My Lordes he would make you beleeue that hee were profoundly seene in auncient writers of the iudgementes of the primatiue Church and there was neuer any such maner of iudgement vsed as he now talketh of Phil. In the Epistles of S. Ciprian I am able to shewe it you London A I tell you there is no such thing fet me Cyprian hether Phil. You shall finde it otherwise when the booke commeth And D. Chedsay his Chaplayne whom he appointed to fet his booke whispered the Bishop in his care and fet not the booke by likelihoode that he should haue susteined the reproche thereof if the booke had bene fet Well my Lord quoth I mayster Doctor knoweth it is so or els he would haue fet the booke ere this Rich. You woulde haue none other iudge I see but the worde Phil. Yes my Lord I will be tryed by the word by such as will iudge according to the word As for an example if there were a controuersy betweene your Lordship and an other vpon the words of a statute must not the words of the statute iudge and determine the controuersie Rich. No mary the Iudges of the law may determine the meaning therof Load He hath brought as good an example agaynst hym selfe as can be And here the B. thought he had good handfast against me and therefore enlarged it with many wordes to the iudgement of the Church The Lordes Hee hath ouerthrowne himselfe by his owne argument Phil. My Lords it seemeth to your honours that you haue great aduauntage of me by the example I brought in to expresse my cause but if it be pondered throughly it maketh wholy
with me and nothing against me as my Lord of London hath pretended For I will aske of my Lorde Rich here whom I know to haue good knowledge in the lawes and statutes of this realm albeit a Iudge may discerne the meaning of a statute agreable to the wordes whether the same may iudge a meaning contrary to the expres wordes or no Rich. He cannot so do Phil. Euen so say I that no man ought to iudge the word of God to haue a meaning contrary to the expresse words therof as this false church of Rome doth in many things and with this the Lordes seemed to be satisfied and made no further replication herein Rich. I meruaile thē why you do deny the expresse words of Christ in the sacrament saying This is my body and yet you will not sticke to say it is not his body Is not GOD omnipotent and is not he able as well by his omnipotencie to make it his body as he was to make man flesh of a peece of clay Did not he say This is my body whiche shal be betrayed for you and was not his very bodye betrayed for vs therfore it must needes be his body London My Lord Rich you haue sayde wonderfull well and learnedly But you might haue begon with hym before also in the 6. of Iohn where Christe promised to geue his body in the sacrament of the aultar saying Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est The bread which I will geue is my fleshe How can you answere to that Phil. If it please you to geue me leaue to answere first my Lord Rich I will also answere this obiection Rich. Answere my lord of Lōdon first after come to me Philpot. My Lord of London may be soone answered that that the saying of S. Iohn is that the humanitie of chryst which he took vpon him for the redemption of man is the bread of life whereby our bodyes soules be susteined to eternall lyfe of the which the sacramentall bread is a liuely representation and an effectuall cohabitation to all suche as beleue on his Passion and as Christ sayth in the same 6 of Iohn I am the bread that came downe from heauen but yet he is not materiall neither naturall bread Likewise the bread is his flesh not naturall or substantiall but by signification and by grace in a sacrament And now to my Lord Riches argument I do not deny the expresse wordes of Christ in the sacrament This is my body but I deny that they are naturally and corporally to be taken they must be taken sacramentally and spiritually according to the expresse declaration of Christ saying that the wordes of the sacrament whiche the Capernites tooke carnally as the papistes nowe doe ought to be taken spiritually not carnally as they falsly imagine not waying what interpretation of Christe hath made in this behalfe neither follow the Institution of Christ neyther the vse of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche who neuer taught neither declared no such carnall maner of presence as is now exacted of vs violently without any ground of scripture or antiquitie who vsed to put oute of the Church all such as did not receiue the sacrament wyth the rest and also to burne that which was left after the receiuing as by the Canon of the Apostles and by the decree of the Councell of Antioch may appeare London No that is not so they were onely Cathecumeni which went out of the Church at the celebration of the cōmunion and none other Phil. It was not onely of such as were Nouices in fayth but all others that did not receaue London What say you to the omnipotencie of God is not be able to performe that which he spake as my Lord Rich hath very well said I tell thee that God by his omnipotency may make himselfe to be this carpet if he will Phil. As concerning the omnipotencie of God I say that God is able to do as the Prophet Dauid sayth what soeuer he willeth but he willeth nothing that is not agreeable to hys word as that is blasphemy which my Lorde of London hath spoken that God may become a Carpet For as I haue learned of auncient writers Non potest Deus facere quae sunt naturae suae contraria That is God cannot doe that which is contrary to his nature as it is contrary to the nature of God to be a Carpet A Carpet is a creature God is the creator and the creator cānot be the creature wherfore vnlesse you can declare by the worde that Christ is otherwise present with vs then spiritually and sacramentally by grace as he hath taught vs you pretend the omnipotencie of God in vayne London Why wilt thou not say that Christ is really present in the sacrament Or do you deny it Phil. I deny not that Christ is really in the Sacrament to the receauer therof according to Christes institution London What meane you by really present Phil. I meane by really present present in deed London Is God really present euery where Phil. He is so London How proue you that Phil. The Prophet Esay sayth That God filleth all places and where soeuer there be two or three gathered together in Christes name there is he in the middest of them London What his humanitie Phil. No my Lord I meane the deitie accordinge to that you demaunded Rich. My Lord of London I praye you let mayster Doctour Chedsey reason with him and let vs see how hee can aunswere him for I tell thee he is a learned man in deede one that I do credite before a great many of you whose doctrine the Queenes maiestie and the whole realme doth well allow therefore heare him Lond. My Lordes I pray you wil it please you to drinke you haue talked a great while and much talke is thursty I will leaue M. Doctour and him reasoning together a while with your leaue and will come to you by and by agayne He went as I suppose to make rowme for more drinke after the Lordes had dronken Rich. My Lord Rich sayde to the Lordes I praye you let the poore man drinke for hee is thirsty and with that hee called for a cup of drinke and gaue it me and I dranke before them all God requite it hym for I was a thyrst indeede Afterwardes Doctor Chadsey began in this wise making a great processe of the which this is the effect Chadsey M. Philpot findeth fault with the Conuocation house before your Lordships that he hath layne this long in prison and that he had there a dosen Arguments wherof he could not be suffred to prosecute one throughly whiche is not so for he had leaue to say what he could was aunswered to asmuche as he was able to bring and when he had nothing els to say he fell to weeping I was there present and can testifie therof albeit there is a