Vtrecht in hollaÌ„de where as the seyd Pyghius dwelt was for hys papystrye in great autoryte I knowe certaynlye the maÌ„ there was moch more casye to please in that cause thaÌ„ in an other sleuelesse matter of hys owne coÌ„cernynge Martyne Bucer Hys gallauÌ„tes also warranÌ„ted there I knowe to whome that the Romysh pope by the Emprours good helpe shuld withiÌ„ fewe yeares haue in EnglaÌ„de as great autoryte as euer he had afore I doubt not but suÌ„ what they knewe of their masters good coÌ„ueyanÌ„ce but of thys is not the kynge infourmed I coulde write here of manye other mysteryes coÌ„cernynge the obseruaunt fryres other ranÌ„gynge Rome ronners what newes they receyue wekelye out of EnglaÌ„de froÌ„ the papystes there in what hope they are put of their returne thydre agayne For I haue seane ther braggynge letters therof sent froÌ„ Emeryck to FrislaÌ„de froÌ„ the cuÌ„traye of Coleyne into Westphalye Of thys and soch other coÌ„ueyanÌ„ces the kynge is not yet in fourmed that I trust he shall be Anne Askewe TheÌ„ coÌ„maunded they me to shewe how I was maynteyned in the Counter and who wylled me to stycke by my opynyon I sayd that there was no creature that therin ded strengthen me And as for the helpe that I had in the Counter it was by the meanes of my mayde For as she went abroade in the stretes she made to the prentyses and they by her ded sende me moneye But who they were I neuer knewe Iohan Bale Ioseph was in pryson vndre Pharao the fearce kynge of Egypte yet was he fauourablye handeled and no man forbydden to consort hym Gene. 39. Whan Iohan Baptist was in stronge duraunce vndre Herode the tyraunt of Galile hys dyscyples ded frelye vysytt hym and were not rebuked for it Math. 11. Paule beynge emprysoned aud in cheanes at Rome vndre the most furyouse tyraâ—Ì„te Nero was neuer blamed for sendynge hys seruaunt Onesimus abroade not yet for writynge by hym to hys fryndes for socour Philem. 1. Neyther yet was Philemon troubled for releuynge hym there by the seyd Onesimus nor yet hys olde frynde Onesipherus for personallye there vysytynge hym and supportynge hym with hys moneye lyke as he had done afore also at Ephesus Now conferre these storyes aud soch other lyke with the present handelynge of Anne Askewe and ye shall wele perceyue our Englysh rulers and iudges in their newe Christyanyte of renouncynge the pope to excede all other tyrauntes in all crueltye spyght and vengeaunce But loke to haue it no otherwyse so longe as mytred prelates are of counsell Be ashamed cruell beastes be ashamed for all Christendome wondereth on your madnesse aboue all Anne Askewe Then they sayd that there were dyuerse gentyl womeÌ„ that gaue me moneye But I knewe not their names TheÌ„ they sayd that there were dyuerse ladyes whych had sent me moneye I answered that there was a maÌ„ in a blewe coate whych delyuered me x shyllynges and sayd that my ladye of Hertforde seÌ„t it me And an other in a vyolet coate ded geue me viij shyllynges and sayd that my ladye Dennye sent it me Whether it were true or no I can not tell For I am not suer who sent it me but as the men ded saye Iohan Bale In the tyme of Christes preachynge what though the holye clergye wer than not pleased therwith but iudged it as they do styll to thys daye most horryble heresye yet serten noble women as Mar ye Magdalene IoaÌ„na the wyfe of Chusa Herodes hygh stewarde Susanna manye other folowed hym froÌ„ Galile mynystred vnto hym of their substauÌ„ce coÌ„cernynge hys bodylye nedes Luce 8. These with other more after he was by the seyd clergye done to most cruell deathe for the veryte preachynge both prepared oyntmentes and spyces to anoynte hys bodye Luce 24. and also proclamed abroade hys gloryouse resurreccyon to hys Apostles and other IoaÌ„ 20 contrarye to the Byhoppes in hybycyon Acto 4. Yet reade we not that anye man or womaÌ„ was racked for the accusement of them A woman amoÌ„ge the Macedonyanes dwellynge in the cytie of Thyaâ—â—ra called Lydia by name a purple seller verye rytche in merchauÌ„dyse receyued Paule Sylas and Timothe with other suspected bretherne in to her howse habnÌ„dauntlye releued theÌ„ there Act. 16. yet was she not troubled for it In lyke maner at Thessalonica a great noÌ„bre of the Grekes and manye noble woman amonge theÌ„ beleued Paules forbydden doctryne and resorted boldelye both to hym and to Sylas Acto 17. yet were they not cruellye handeled for it Be ashamed than ye tyrauntes of EnglaÌ„de that your horryble tyraÌ„nyes shuld excede all other Iewes or Gentyles turkes or Idolaters More noble were these wâ—meÌ„ here rehearced forthus releuynge Christ and hys members than for anye other acte eyther yet degre of nobylyte For where as all other haue peryshed these shall neuer perysh but be censerued in the most noble and worthy eÌ„ scriptures of God the tyrannouse Byshoppes and prestes with their tyrannouse maynteners there condempned A through ChristeÌ„ charyte is not lightlye terryfyed with the tempestes of worldlye affliccyons nomore than true faythe is changed in men that be Christenlye coÌ„staunt Soch can not chose but consydre that it is both gloryouse to be afflicted for Christ 1. Petri 3. and also most merytoryouse to releue them here in their afflyccyons Math. 25. Vnto that Christen offyce hath Christ promysed the lyfe euerlastynge at the lattre daye where as Masse hearynge is lyke to remayne without rewarde except it be in helle for ydolatrye and blasphemye Not vnto them that in pryson vysyteth murtherers and theues if ye marke wele the texte is thys rewarde promysed For they are not there allowed for Christes dere meÌ„bers but vnto them that releue the afflicted for hys verytees sake Anne Askewe Then they sayd there were of the counsell that ded maynteyne me And I sayd no. Then they ded put me on the racke bycause I confessed no ladyes nor gentyll women to be of my opynyon and theron they kepte me a longe tyme. And bycause I laye styll and ded not crye my lorde Chauncellour and mastre Ryche toke peynes to racke me their owne handes tyll I was nygh dead Iohan Bale Nicodemus one of the hygh counsell was sore rebuked amonge the senyours of the Iewes for defeÌ„dyng Christes innoceÌ„cye whaÌ„ they weÌ„t aboute to slee hym Ioan. 7. And therfor it is no newe thynge that Christes doctryne hath suppâ—rtacyon amonge the counsels of thys worlde All men be not of one corrupted appetyte nor yet of one vngracyouse dyete Christ promysed hys dyscyples that they in one how sholde shuld fynde both hys enemyes and fryndes I am come sayth he to set man at varyaunce agaynst hys father and the doughter agaynst her mother and the doughter in lawe agaynst the mother in lawe He that loueth
Who so euer lyâ—eth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. 11. He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hath euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. 5. The lattre examinacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Synagoge of Antichrist with the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Anne Askewe stode fast by thys veryte of God to the ende Psalme 116. The veryte of the lorde endureth foreuer I wyll poure out my sprete vpoÌ„ all flesh sayth God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the lorde shall be saued Iohel ij Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the prymatyne churche as the horryble peâ—secucyoÌ„s increased manye dylygeÌ„t wryters collected the godlye answers and tryumphanÌ„t sufferynges of the mattyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of thys noÌ„bre was Lucas whych wrote the Apostles actes Sowere after hym Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton 〈◊〉 Abdias Babylonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexandrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius â—icephorus a great sort more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshopp of Rome ordayned in hys tyme for that onlye offyce vij deacoÌ„s so manye notayres aboute the yeare of our lorde CC.XXXVI that they shuld faythfullye regestre ther martyrdomes to holde theÌ„ in contynuall remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No lesse necessarye is that offyce now though fewe meÌ„ attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christeÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„welth than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucyoÌ„s all Christendome ouer so wele as were than Now are the true Christyanes vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as than Now are they reuyled ponnyshed imprysoned haue all euyll spoken agaynst them for Christes verytees sake Math. 5. so wele as than And what can be more confortable to the sufferers than to knowe the ernest constancye of their troubled companyons in that kyngedome of pacyeÌ„ce Apo. 1. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonyes what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Bernarde sayth in hys homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer ded the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some be sterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late years by the bolde callynge on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes and answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of the olde canonysed martyrs whych in the popes Englysh churche haue had so manye solempnytees seruyces and sensynges Manye haue also most desperatlye recanted through their most wycked persuasyons and threttenynges in whose vayne recantacyons are both to be seane their blasphemyes agaynst God and manyfest treasons agaynst their kynge Now in conferrynge these martyrs the olde with the newe and the popes with Christes I seclude first of all the Brytayne churche or the prymatyue churche of thys realme whych neuer had autoryte of the Romysh pope Her martyrs in dede were agreable to that Christ spake afore in the Gospell concernynge hys martyrs wherby we shuld knowe theÌ„ as we euydentlye fynde in the lyues of Emerita kynge Lucyes syster Amphibalus Albanus Aaron Iulius â—iâ—nothus soch other I â—ende yow forth sayth he as shepe amonge wolâ—es MeÌ„ shall delyuer ye vp in their counsels and synagoges Ye shall be brought before rulers and kynges and be hated of all men in a maner for my names sake Mathei 10. Cast not afore in your myndes what answere to make For I in that houre shall geue ye both vtteraunce and wysdome whych all your aduersaryes shall not be hable to withstande Luce 21. They shall excommunycate yow or condeÌ„pne yow for heretykes Yea they shall brynge yow in soche hate of the world that who so euer kylleth yow wyll thynke he doth God great good seruyce And thys shall they do bycause they knowe ryghtlye neyther the father nor yet me Ioan. 16. Manye other lyke senteÌ„ces left the forde Iesê° Christ in hys holye Gospell that we shuld alwayes by theÌ„ dyscerne hys true martyrs froÌ„ the popes Mahomeâ—es conÌ„terfeâ—t martyrs In EnglaÌ„d here sens the first plaÌ„tacyon of the popes Englysh churche by Augustyne other Romysh monkes of Benettes superstycyoÌ„ ij kyndes of martyrs hath bene â—ne of monasterye buylders and chaunterye founders whom the temporall prynces secular magistrates haue dyuersiye done to deathe sumtyme for dysobedyence sumtyme for manyfest treason as we haue of Wallenus of Crowlande Thomas of LaÌ„castre Rycharde Scrope Becket soch other The ymages of these haue bene setâ— vp in their teÌ„ples lyke the olde goddes of the paganes haue had ther vygyls holye dayes ryngynges sacryfysynges caÌ„dels offerynges feastynges moch a do besydes as they had The other sort were preachers of the Gospell or poore teachers therof iÌ„ corners whaÌ„ the persecucyoÌ„ was soche that it myght not be taught abroade And these poore sowles or true seruauntes of God were put to deathe by the holye spirytuall fathers Byshoppes prestes monkes chanons fryers for heresye Iollerye they saye These Christen martyrs were neuer soleÌ„pnysed of theÌ„ No they had not so moch â—s a penye dyrge or a grote masse of Requâ—em nomore than had Iohan Baptyst and Steuen amonge the Iewes But they haue bene holden for condempned heretykes euer sens Who euer hearde anye goodnesse yet reported of Dionothus with hys M. CC. companyons whom Augustyne caused to be slayne at Westchestre in hys churches begynnynge bycause they wolde not preache as he ded apoynt them nor baptyse after the Romysh maner neyther yet hallowe the eastre feast as they ded Manye a blessed creature both men womeÌ„ haue bene breÌ„t sens IohaÌ„ Wyclenes tyme afore for onlye dysclosynge the pharysees yokes teachynge the Gospels lyberte And theÌ„ haue that bawdye bloudye Synagoge of SathaÌ„ dyffamed blasphemed condeÌ„pned execrated cursed to hell as most detestable heretykes and dogges Where as if they were of Christ they ought in case they were their haters or enemyes to suffre theÌ„ to saye wele of them to do them good to praye for them Math. 5. Luce 6. and not thus to vse more tyrannye ouer them than euer ded Saracene Turke Tyraâ—Ì„t or deuyll A great dyfference is there of the martyrs whom they make from the martyrs whom they canonyse Of them whom they dampne from them whom they worshypp Yea so great a dyfference or dyuersyte betwyn them if ye marke them wele as is betwixt golde and
dyrt or lyght and darkenesse The martyrs whose deathes they haue procured by all ages of their bloudthurstye church harkened vnto Christ he alde of ryghtousnesse sought their lorde God in sprete Esa. 51. but the martyrs for the most part whom they haue with so manye latyne wawlynges torches candell burnynges magnyfyed in their temples harkened to the pope healde of hys vnryghtousnesse sought out hys superstycyouse ydolatryes In the conferrynge of their olde canonysed martyrs with our newlye condempned martyrs here Anne Askewe and her other iij. companyons with soch lyke their dyfference wyll be moch more easelye perceyued First lete vs begynne with Thomas Becket whych was so gloryouse a martyr and precyouse aduocate of theirs that they made hys bloude equall with Christes bloude and desyred to clyme to heauen therby Manye wonderfull myracles coulde that mytred patrone of theirs do in those dayes whan the monkes had fryre Bakons bokes and knewe the bestowynge of fryre â—oÌ„â—ayes mystes but now he can do non at all Thys Becket in all hys floryshynge doynges harkened to the pope defended hys pomponse kyngedome supported hys churches excesse wretchedlye dyed for the synnefullly bertees of the same Anne Askewe her sort gaue dylygeÌ„t hede to their lorde Iesus Christ sought the kyngedome of heauen in daylye repentaunce myghtelye detested all ydolatrouse worshyppynges in conclusyon suffered most tryumphaunt deathe for the same CoÌ„cernynge other martyrs As Wene fryd otherwyse called Bonyface an Englysh moÌ„ke archebyshopp of Magunce was flayne coÌ„firmynge neophytes orprofessyng hys newlye baptysed brode to the Romysh popes obedyeÌ„ce There was fouÌ„de aboute hym a casket full of rellyckes or dead meÌ„nys bones whaÌ„ he was put to deathe in the yeare of our lorde 755. Anne Askewe her felyshypp had non other rellyckes aboute theÌ„ whaÌ„ they stode at the stake to be brent in Smyth felde but a bundell of the sacred scriptures enclosed in ther hartes and redye to be vttered agaynst Antichristes ydolatryes Saynâ— Clarâ— of Orchestre contemnynge lawfull marryage made hym selfe an ydell prest was byheaded in hys owne gardene by procuremeÌ„t of a woman S. Elytanke of Southwales was in lyke case stabbed in with a dagger bycause a yonge mayden loued hym The onlye true honoure of God was it no wordlye cause that Anne Askewe her companye dyed for Saynt Edwyne beynge weleanned was slayne in battayle at â—at felde in the North and S. Edwardery dynge a Huntynge in the forest of Warham in the weast was kylled vpon hys horse in drynkynge a cuppe of wyne And all thys was done for the kyngedomes of thys worlde The martyrdome of Anne Askewe and her Bretherne was neyther in battelynge nor huntynge rydynge nor drykynge but in that ryght course whych Christ prescrybed vnto hys dyscyples vndre the cruell Byshoppes for hys onlye glorye Saynce Cadock of Cowbridge a Byshopp was pearced through with a speare as he stode at hys Masse at one of the clocke at after none bycause he wolde be of the order of martyrs Saynt Elphege archebyshopp of Caunterburye was stoned to deathe of the Danes bycause he wolde not paye them thre M. Marke in the yeare of our lorde M. and xij Of soch martyrs moch doubted Lanfrancus whych succeded hym in that offyce about a iiij score years after and dysputed therof with Anselmus The cause of Anne Askewe and her companyons was neyther madnesse noâ— moneye but the onlye sekynge of their lorde God a ryght As Saynt Indract with other deuoute pylgrymes of Rome laye in bed in their inne at Shapwyck by Glastenbury their throtes were cut in the nyght for moneye whych was reckened to be in their pylgrymes scryppes Saynt Iuthware a vyrgyne was by headed also for layenge fresh chese or cruddes whether ye wyll to her brestes The cause of Anne Askewe and her other fellawes conferred with Christes sriptures semeth a farre other matter Hewalde the blacke and Hewalde the whyght ij Englysh moÌ„kes goynge froÌ„ place to place with cruettes chalyce and superaltare to do their daylye sacryfyces were done to deathe in Frislande by the bowers of the cuntraye for teachynge a straâ—nge relygyon and are worshypped at Coleyne for martyrs For bearynge about Christes testament whych is most heauenlye treasure and for spredynge the wholsom doctryne therof was Anne Askewe and her sort brent by the prestes procurement yet axe they no honour for it Osytha runnynge awaye from her husbande by the intysement of ij monkes bycame a professed nonne and was murthered of the Danes Wenefryda by counsell of a prest dysdaynouslye refusynge the marryage of a prynce christened lost her head for it Maxentia also played a part not all vnlyke to thys Soch pylde popysh martyrdomes compared to the martyrdome of Anne Askewe and her faythfull cumpanye is as is rustye yron compared to pure syluer S. Wyllyam of Rochestre a Scotte leauynge both wyfe and howsholde ydellye to trudge on pylgrymage was strycken in the head with an axâ— of hys owne companyon by the waye Saynt Thomas of Douer a monke was soch a wone as was slayne of the frenche men for hydynge the churcâ—e 〈◊〉 crosses â—â—â—lyces cepes No soch lyght corruptyble vanyrees were they that Anne Askewe her constaunt bretherne dyed for but for the precyouse veryte of God Yonge S. Wyllyam of Norwych yonge S. Robert of Burye yonge S. Hugh of Lyncolne yoÌ„ge S. Melor of Cornewayle yoÌ„g S. Renelme of Glocestre yoÌ„ge S. Eldrede of RaÌ„saye hys brother with soch other lyke were but verye babes they saye were martyred of the Iewes of other enemyes Wherfor their martyrdomes shall be but babysh in comparyson of these the veryte hauynge by them so small furtheraunce Foillanus hys iij. bretherne goynge homeward in the nyght after they had wele bankered with S. Gertrude her nonnes were kylled in a wood of one murtherer and their horses solde in the next market rowne Iustinanus S. Dauyes ghostlye father in Wales was slayne in a gardene of hys iij. monkes bycause he compelled them to do more laboure than he wolde do hys selfe After Rilianus was come home from Rome he was murthered in hys selle with other holye pylgrymes by a woman as they laye there a slâ—pâ— in the nyght Saynt Vrsula also and her she pylgrymes with their chaplaynes nurses and suckynge babes were but homelye handeled at Coleynâ— of the hunnes and pycâ—â—s if that legende be true as they were commynge homewardes from Rome Compare me Anne Askewe and her condempned cumpanye with these clowâ—ed canonysed solempnysed sensed mattensed and massed martyrs and tell me by the Gospels tryall whych of them seme most Christenlyke martyrs Yea brynge saynt Edmonde of Burye S. FremuÌ„de of Dunstable S. Ethelbert of Herforde S. Oswalde of Glocestre S. Oswyne of Tynmoth and Saynt
set hym forth in but in soch a shappe onlye as the waffer baker hath ymagyned by hys slendre wytte Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for their Goddes but thys cake is onlye the bakers creature for he alone made it breade if it be breade And so moch is it a more vnworthye God than the other Farre was it from Christ to teache hys dyscyples to worshypp soch a God eyther yet to haue hymself honoured in soch a symylytude Nothynge is here spoken agaynst the most holye table of the lorde but agaynst that abhomynable ydoll of the prestes whych hath most detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse witnesse of the lorde ded thys blessyd woman shewe her self in the answere makynge to thys blasphemouse beggerye whaÌ„ she sayd that god was a sprete and no waffer cake wolde be worshipped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and iuglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydoll but moch more godlye to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in teÌ„ples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her self a most constaunt martyr praysynge her lorde God for hys gyft She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shuld se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan 8. Agayne they that beleued on hym shuld ioyfullye passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. 5. And vpon these promyses she most stroÌ„gelye trusted She consydered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyke 1. Petri 3. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme had the rule of deathe Hebre. 2. And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it self â—see 13. Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The lorde God by whome all creatures haue their beynge blesse yow with the lyght of hys knowlege amen My dutye to â–ª your lordshyppe remeÌ„bred c. It myght please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whych vpoÌ„ due coÌ„syderacyons is moued to the same and hopeth to obtayne My request to your lordeshypp is only that it may please the same to be ameane for me to the kynges magestie that hys grace maye be certifyed of these fewe lynes whych I haue writteÌ„ coÌ„cernynge my beleue Whych whan it shall be trulye coÌ„ferred with the harde iudgemeÌ„t geueÌ„ me for the same I thynke hys grace shall wele perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuenpayer of balauÌ„ces But I remytt my matter and cause to almyghtye god whych ryghtlye iudgeth all secretes And thus I commende your lordeshypp to the gouernaunce of hym and felyshypp of all sayntes Amen By your handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In thys byll to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyoÌ„s sequestred what thys womaÌ„ was She is not here deiected with the desperate for vnryghtouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowynge as they do commoÌ„lye But staÌ„dynge vp stroÌ„gelye in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers wysheth them the lyght of Gods necessarye knowlege Luce 6. She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum 13. And though their autoryte be sore abused yet with Christ and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herself to them thynkynge to suffer vndre them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunt 1. Pet. 4. Notwithstandynge she layeth forth here both before chauÌ„cellour kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to their bâ—unde dewtye myght more ryghtlye waye it 3. Regum 10. Not that she coâ—â—ted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembyaunce of their offyce concernynge the swerde whych they ought not vaynelye to mynystre Roma 13. and that they shuld also be without excuse of ignoraunce in the great daye of reckenynge for permittynge soch vyoleÌ„ce to be done Roma 2. In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherin she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalm 145. Anne Askewe My faythe breuelye written to the kynges grace I Anne Askewe of good memorie although God hath geueÌ„ me the breade of aduersyte and the water of trouble yet not so moch as my synnes haue deserued desyre thys to be knowne to your grace That for as moch as I am by the lawe coÌ„deÌ„pned for an euyll doer Here I take heauen and earthe to recorde that I shall dye in my innocencye And accordynge to that I haue sayd first and wyll saye last I vtterlye abhorre and detest all heresyes And as coÌ„cernynge the supper of the lorde I beleue so moch as Christ hath sayd therin whych he confirmed wyth hys most blessyd bloude I beleue also so moch as he wylled me to folowe beleue and so moch as the catholyck churche of hym doth teache For I wyll not forsake the commaundemeÌ„t of hys holye lyppes But loke what God hath charged me with hys mouthe that haue I shutte vp iÌ„ my harte And thus breuelye I ende for lacke of lernynge Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In thys she dyschargeth her self to the worlde agaynst all wrongefull accusacyons iudgemeÌ„tes of heresye what though it be not accepted to that blynde worlde vnto whome the lorde sayd by hysprophete Your thoughtes are not my thoughtes neyther yet are your wayes my wayes But so farre as the heauens are hyer than the earthe so farre do my wayes excede yours my thoughtes yours Esa. 55. Heresye is not to dyssent froÌ„ the churche of Rome in the doctryne of faythe as LaÌ„fraÌ„cus in hys boke de Eucharistia aduersus BerengariuÌ„ Thomas waldeÌ„ in hys worke of sermoÌ„s Ser .21 Dyffyneth it But heresye is a voluntarye dysseÌ„tynge froÌ„ the veryte of the scriptures of God and also a blasphemouse deprauyuge of them for the wretched bellyes sake to maynteyne the pompes of thys worlde Thus is it dyffyned of S. Hierome in coÌ„mâ—ntarâ—â—â— Hiere S. Augustyne and Isidorus a greynge to the same CoÌ„sydre thaÌ„ whether he be the these that sytteth vpoÌ„ the beÌ„che or he that standeth at the barre The popysh clergye that condempneth or the innocent that is condempned Athanasius in hys boke defuga aduersus Arrianos calleth them the heretykes whych seketh to haue the Christen beleuers murthered as ded the seyd Arryanes Thys godlye womau hyr innocencye to clere laboureth not here to an inferyour membre of the realme but to the head therof the kynges owne persone Whome she beleueth to be the hygh mynyster of God the father of the lande and vpholder of the people Sapi. 6. that he myght faythfullye and ryghtlye iudge her cause But who can thynke that euer it