a daies for that wretched blynde kyngdome of the Romysh pope But trust vpon it trulye ye terryble termagantes of hell There is no practise there is no wisdome there is no counsell that can agaynst the lorde preuaile Prouerb xxi Ye loke to be obeyed in all deuilyshnesse But ye considre not that where God is dishonoured by your obedyence there belongeth none to yow Acto v. Ye haue moch ado here with sectes as though it were a great heresye rightlye to beleue in our lorde Iesus Christ after the Gospell not after your Romysh father But where was euer yet a more pestylent and deuilish secte than is that Sodomytyshe secte whom ye here so ernestlye maynteyne with tyrannye and mischefe How gredilye seke yow the slaughter of Gods true seruauntes ye bloud thurstye wolues as the holye Ghost doth call yow Psal. xxv If the vertuouse ladies most noble women whose liues ye cruellye seke in your madde ragynge furye as rauishynge lyons in the darke Psal. ix haue throwne of their shulders for Christes easye and gentill burden Mathey xi the popes vneasye and importable yoke Luce xi Happye are they that euer they were borne For therby haue they procured a greate quietnesse and helthe to their sowles For Christes worde is quicke and bringeth nothinge els to the sowle but life Hebreo iiii The popes olde tradicyons and customes beinge but the wisdome of the fleshe are verie poyson and deathe Roma viii Anne Askewe Then sayde they vnto me that the kynge was infourmed that I coulde name if I wolde a great nomber of my secte Thē I answered that the kynge was as wele deceyued in that behalfe as dissembled with in other matters Iohan Bale Great Assuerus kinge of the Perseanes Medes was infourmed also that the seruaunt of God Mardocheus was a traitour which neuerthelesse had discouered ii traytours a lyttle afore and so saued the kynges lyfe Hester iii. But Haman that false coūseller which so infourmed the kinge was in the ende proued a traitour in dede as I doubt it not but some of these wyll be founde after this and was worthelie hanged for it so fallinge into the snare that his selfe had prepared for other Psal. vii Albertus Pyghius Cochleus Eckius soch other pestilent papistes haue fylled all Christendome with railings bokes of our kinge for renouncinge the Romish popes obedience but therof ye infourme not his grace No neither excuse ye nor yet defende ye his godlie acte in that behalfe But ye are as apereth very well contented that he be yl spoken of for it It is not a yeare ago sens out wynchestre was at Vtrecht in hollād where as the sayd Pighius dwelt was for hys papistrye in great autoryte I know certaynlye the mā there was moch more easye to please in that cause than in another sleuelesse matter of hys owne cōcernynge Martyne Bucer Hys gallaūtes also warraūted there I knowe to whome that the Romysh pope by the Emprours good helpe shuld withī fewe yeares haue in Englāde as great autoryte as euer he had afore I doubt not but sūwhat they knewe of theyr masters good cōueyaūce but of this is not the kinge infourmed I coulde write here of manye other mysteryes cōcernynge the obseruaunt fryres other raūgynge Rome ronners what newes they receyue wekelye out of Englāde frō the papystes there in what hope they are put of their returne thydre agayne For I haue seane ther braggynge letters therof sent frō Emeryck to Frystāde frō the cōtraie of Coleyne into Westphalie Of this and soch other cōueyaūces the kinge is not yet infourmed but I trust he shall be Anne Askewe Then cōmaunded they me to shewe howe I was maynteyned in the Counter and who wylled me to stycke by my opynyon I sayd that there was no creature that therein dyd strengthen me And as for the helpe that I had in the counter it was by the meanes of my mayd For as she went abroad in the stretes she made to the prentyses and they by her dyd 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 fauourably handeled and no man forbidden to confort him Gen. xxxix Whā Iohan Baptist was in stronge duraunce vnder Herode the tyraunt of Galile hys discyples dyd frely vysyt hym and were not rebuked for it Mat. xi Paule beynge emprysoned and in cheynes at Rome vnder the most furyouse tyraunt Nero was neuer blamed for sendynge his seruaunt Onesimus abroad nor yet for writynge by hym to hys fryndes for socour Philem. i. Neither yet was Philemon troubled for releuyng hym there by the sayd Onesimus nor yet hys olde frynd Onesipherus for personally there vysytynge hym and supportyng hym wyth hys moneye lyke as he had done afore also at Ephesus Nowe conferre these storyes and soche other lyke with the present handelynge of Anne Askewe and ye shal well perceyue our Englyshe rulers and iudges in theyr newe Chrystyanyte of renouncynge the pope to excede all other tyrauntes in all cruelty spyght and vengeaunce But loke to haue it no otherwyse so longe as mytyred prelates are of counsell Be ashamed cruell beastes be ashamed for all Chrystendome wondereth on youre madnesse aboue all Anne Askewe Then they sayde that there were dyuerse gentylwomen that gaue me moneye But I knewe not theyr names Then they sayd that there were dyuerse Ladyes whyche hadde sente me moneye I answered that there was a man in a blewe coate whyche delyuered me x. shyllynges and sayde that my ladye of Hertforde sente it me And an other in a vyolette coate dyd geue me viii shyllynges and sayde that my lady Dennye sēt it me Whether it were true or no I cannot tell For I am not suer who sent it me but as the men dyd saye Iohan Bale In the tyme of Christes preachynge what thoughe the holye clergye were thā not pleased therwith but iudged it as they do styll to this daye most horryble heresye yet certen noble women is Marye Magdalene Iohan the wyfe of Chusa Herodes hygh stewarde Susanna manye other folowed hym frō Galile mynystred vnto hym of theyr substaūce cōcernynge his bodylye nedes Luce. viii These with other more after he was by the said clergye done to most cruell death for the veryte preachyng both prepared oyntementes and spyces to anoynte his bodye Luce. xxiiii also proclamed abroad hys gloryouse resurreccyon to his Apostles and other Ioā xx contrarye to the Byshoppes inhybycion Act. iii. Yet reade we not that anye man or womā was racked for the accusement of them A woman amōge the Macedonyanes dwellynge in the cytie of Thyatira called Lydia by name a purple seller verye rytche in marchaundyse receyued Paule Sylas and Timothe wyth other suspected brethrene into her
the madnesse of the Byshoppes and their speche men Reade burnynge plates of yron and of brasse had Blandina put to her sydes So had Anne Askewe the flamynge brādes of fyre Full of God and his veryte was Blandina So was Anne Askewe to the verye ende Christ wonderfullye tryumphed in Blandina So ded he in Anne Askewe whan she made no noyse on the racke and so ernestlye afterwarde reioyced in him Blandina was geuen fourth to wyld beastes to be deuoured So was Anne Askewe to cruel Bisshoppes prestes whom Christ calleth rauenynge wolues deuourers and theues Mathe. vii Iohan x. Blandina vpon the scaffolde boldelye reprehended the pagane prestes of theyr errour So dyd Anne Askewe when she was fast tied to the stake with stomack rebuked that blasphemous apostata Shaxton with the Bishoppes and prestes generacyon for theyr manyfest mayntenaunce of ydolatrye Blandina at the stake shewed a vysage vnterryfyed So ded Anne Askewe acountenaunce stowte myghtye and ernest Infatygable was the sprete of Blādina So was the sprete of Anne Askew The loue of Iesus Christ the gift of the holy Ghost and hope of the crowne of martirdome greatlye mytygated the paine in Blandina So ded those iii worthy graces the terrour of all tormentes in Anne Askewe The stronge sprete of Christ gaue stomack to Blandina both to laugh and daunce The same mightye sprete not the popes desperate sprete made Anne Askewe both to reioyce and synge in the preson So bolde was blandina saythe Eusebius that wyth a presumpciō of stomack she cōmoned with Christ vnsene I suppose Anne Askewes lattre examinaciō wyl shewe her not to doo moche lesse Gentyl was Blādina to the Christē beleuers terryble to their aduersatyes So was Anne Askewe very lowlye to true teachers but scorneful and hygh stomaked to the enemyes of truthe Many were conuerted by the sufferaunce of Blandina A farre greatter nombre by the burnynge of Anne Askewe Though Blandina were yonge yet was she called the mother of martyrs Manye men haue supposed Anne Askewe for her Chrysten constancye to be no lesse Blandina prayed for her persecuters So dyd Anne Askewe most feruentlye The ashes of blandina and of other martirs were throwne into the stood of Rhodanus What was done with the Ashes of Anne Askewe her companyons I can not yet tell All these former reportes of Blandina and manye more besydes hath Eusebius in Ecclesiastica historia libro v. cap. i. ii iii. Hugo Floriacensis Hermannus Contractus Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus other hystoryanes more And as touchinge Anne Askewe these ii examinacions with her other knowen handelynges in Englande are witnesse for her suffycyent Thus hath not the fyre taken Anne Askewe al whole from the world but left her here vnto it more pure perfyghte precious than afore as it wyl also Iohan Lassels within short space So that concernyng her it maye well be sayde that Paule verefyeth ii Cor. xii The strength of God is here made perfyght by weakenes Whan she semed most feble than was she most strōge And gladlye she reioyced in that weakenes that Christes power myght strongely dwell in her Thus choseth the lord the folysh of thys worlde to cōfounde the wyse the weake to deface the myghtye Yea thynges despysed thought verye vyle to brynge thynges vnto naught whych the worlde hath in most hyghe reputaciō I thincke if this martyr were rightly conferred with those canonysed martyrs whych haue had and yet hath styl sensynges and syngynges massynges ryngynges ī the popes English churche cause with cause and reason wyth reason as haplye here after they shal she shuld be a great blemysh vnto them An example of stronge sufferaunce myghte this holy martir be vnto all them that the Lorde shal after lyke manner put forewarde in this horryble furye of Antichriste to the glorye of hys persecuted Churche Amen The first examinacion of the worthye seruaunte of God mastres Anne Askewe the yonger doughter of Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyghte of Lyncolne shyre lately martyred in Smythfelde by the Romyshe popes vpholders The censure or iudgemēt of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles OF no lesse Christen cōstancie was this faithfull wytnes and holy martyr of God Anne Askewe nor no lesse a fast member of Christ by her myghtye persystēce in his verite at this tyme of mischife thā was the afore named Blandina in the prymatiue churche This shal wele apere in her ii examynacions or tyrannouse handelynges here folowinge whome she wrote with her owne hāde at the instāt desyre of certen faithfull men and wemē yea rather at the secrete mocyon of God that the truth therof myght be knowne the world ouer As within short space yt wyll be yf the latyne spech can carye yt Marke wel the cōmunycaciōs here both of her and of her examyners so prouing their spretes as S. Iohan the Apostle geuethe yow counsell i. Io. iiii And than shall ye know the tree by his frute the man by hys worke Anne Askewe To satisfye youre expectacion good people saithe she thys was my firste examynacyon in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.xlv. and in the monethe of Marche firste Christofer Dare examyned me at Sadlers hall beynge one of the queste and asked yf I dyd not beleue that the sacramente hangynge ouer the aultre was the verye bodye of Chryste reallye Thē I demaunded this question of him wherfore S. Steuē was stoned to death And he said he coulde not tell Then I answered that no more wolde I assoyle his vayne questyon Iohan Bale A sacrament sayth Saynt Augustyne is a sygne shappe or symylytude of that it representith and no God nor yet thynge represented This worde reall or reallye is not of beleue for it is not in all the sacred scriptures Onlye is it sophistycallye borowed of the paganes lernynge by wynchestre his fellowes to corrupt our Christen fayth Be ware of that fylthye poyson The perfyght beleue of Steuen Actoru vii of Paule Act. xvii of Salomon iii. Reg. viii ii Par◠vi was that god dwelleth not in temples made with handes Agreable vnto this was the faythe of thys Godlye woman whych neyther coulde beleue that he dwellethe in the boxe God sayth Esaye lxvi Heauen is my seate not the boxe Dauid saythe Psal. cxiii oure God is in heauen not in the pyxe Christ taught vs to saye whā we praye Mat. vi Luce. xi our father which arte in heauen and not our father which art in the boxe Now discerne and iudge Anne Askewe Secondly he sayde that there was a woman whyche dyd testyfye that I should reade howe God was not in temples made wyth handes Then I shewed hym the. vii and the. xvii chapitre of the Apostles actes what Steuen and Paule had said therin Wherupon he asked me howe I
neuer teach soche fylthye lernynge More of this shall I wryte God willing in the answere of their bokes Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppes chaunceller rebuked me and sayde that I was moche to blame for vtterynge the scryptures For S. Paule he sayde forbode women to speake or to talke of the worde of God I answered hym that I knewe Paules meanynge so well as he whyche is i. Corintheorum xiiii that a woman oughte not to speake in the congregacyon by the waye of teachynge And then I asked hym how manye women he hadde seane go into the pulpette preache He sayde he neuer sawe none TheÌ„ I said he oughte to fynd no faute in poore women excepte they had offended the lawe Iohan Bale PleÌ„teouse ynough is her answer here vnto this quarellinge and as apereth vnlerned chancelloure Manye godlye women both in the olde lawe the newe were lerned in the scriptures and made vtterauÌ„ce of theÌ„ to the glorie of god As we reade of Helisabeth Mary and Anna the wydowe Lu. i. ii yet were they not rebuked for it yea Marye Christes mother retained all that was afterwarde wrytten of hym Luc. ii yet was it not imputed vnto her an offence Christ blamed not the woman that cryed whyls he was in preachynge happye is the wombe that beat the Luce. xi The women which gaue knowlege to his discyples that he was rysen from death to lyfe discomfited not he but solaced them with hys most gloriouse aperauÌ„ce Mat. xxviii Io. xx In the primatyue churche specially in Saint Hieromes time was it a great praise vnto womeÌ„ to be lerned in the scriptures Great commendacioÌ„s geueth our Englysh Cronicles to Helena Vrsula and Hilda womeÌ„ of our nacyon for beynge lerned also in the scriptures Soch a woman was the seid Hilda as openlye disputed in them against the superstycyons of certen byshoppes But thys chancellour by like chaunced vpon that blynde popysh worke whych Walter Hunte a whyte fryre wrot iiii score yeares ago Contra doctrices mulieres against scole women or els some other lyke blynde Romysh beggeryes Anne askewe Then my Lorde Mayre commaunded me to warde I asked him if suertees woulde not serue me And he made me short answer that he wold take non Then was I had to the Counter and there remayned xii dayes no frynde admytted to speake with me Iohan Bale Here is Christ yet troden on the hele by that wycked serpent whych tempted Eua. Gene. iii. His faithful membre for beleuyng in him is here throwne in preson And no maruel for it was his owne ê“mes ye shall be brought before rulers debitees saith he for my truthes sake Mat. x. ye shal be betraied of your owne nacyon and kindred so throwne in presoÌ„ Luc. xxi If they haue persecuted methinke not but they wyll also persecute yow Io. v. This serpent is agayne becomeÌ„ the prince of this world holdeth the gouerners therof captyue Io. xiiii Suertees wold haue ben takeÌ„ for a thefe or a mourtherer but not for Chrystes meÌ„ber the bishoppes chauÌ„cellour being at hande nor yet her fryndes permitted to confort her Anne Askewe But in the meane tyme there was a prest sent to me whiche sayd that he was comaunded of the byshopp to examyne me and to geue me good counsell which he dyd not But fyrst he asked me for what cause I was put in the CouÌ„ter And I tolde hym I coulde not tell Then he sayde it was great pitie that I shulde be there with out cause and concluded that he was verye sorye for me Iohan Bale O temptacion of Sathan Christ beinge in the solitarie wildernesse alone was after thys flattering sort assaulted first of his enemye Matt. iiii This Iudas was sente afore to geue a frindelie kisse the more depelie to trappe the innoceÌ„t in snare But Gods wisdom made her to perceiue what he was A false prophete is sone knowne by hys frutes amonge theÌ„ that are godlye wyse Mat. vii She coÌ„sidered with Salomon that more to profyght are the strypes of a frinde thaÌ„ the fraudâ—lent kysses of a deceitful enemye Prouerb xxxvii Anne Askewe Secondly he sayd it was tolde hym that I shuld denye the sacrament of the aultre And I answered hym agayne that that I had sayd I had sayd Iohan Bale In this brefe answere she remeÌ„bred SalomoÌ„s couÌ„sell Answer not a fole all after his folishnesse Beware of theÌ„ saith Christ which come in shepes clothinge for inwardlye they are most rauenynge wolues Mat. vii God destroieth the craftes of the wicked sayth Iob so that they are not hable to perfourme that they take in hande Iob. v. Anne Askewe Thirdly he asked me yf I were shryuen I tolde hym no. Then he sayde he wolde brynge one to me for to shryue me And I tolde hym so that I myghte haue one of these iii. that is to saye doctor Crome syr Gyllam or Huntyngton I was contented bycause I knewe them to be men of wysedome As for yow or anye other I wyll not dysprayse bycause I knowe ye not Then he sayde I woulde not haue yow thynke but that I or an other that shall be broughte yow shall be as honest as they For yf we were not ye may be sure the king wolde not suffer vs to preache Then I answered by the saynge of Salomon By commonynge with the wise I maye lerne wysedome but by talkynge with a fole I shall take skath Prou. i. Iohan Bale Se how thys aduersary coÌ„paseth lyke a rauenyng lyon to deuoure this lambe i. Pet. v. Now temptethhe her with CoÌ„fession which hath bene such a bayte of theirs as hath broughte into theyr nettes and snares the myghtiest prynces of the worlde both kynges and emprours Se here yf they leaue anye subtylte vnsought to obtaine theyr praie He reckened by this to winne his purpose which waye so euer he had taken Yf she hadde bene confessed to hym he had knowen whyche waye she had bene bente If she had vtterlye refused confessyon he had more matter to accuse her of O subtyle sede of the serpeÌ„t This part plaied your olde generacion the Pharisees and prestes with Christ to bring him in dauÌ„ger of the lawe Mat. xxii Ioha viii No ChristeÌ„ erudicioÌ„ bringeth this prest nor yet good counsels of scripture But as Esay sayth The hypocryte ymagyneth abhomynacion agaynst God to famysh the hungry and witholde drinke from the thirstye Yet shall not the eyes of the seynge be dymme nor the eares of the hearyng be deffe Esa. xxxii Yf the king admit soch preachers as I can not thinke it a sore plage remaineth both to him and to his people Anne Askewe Forthly he asked me yf the hoste shulde fall and a beaste dyd eate it whether the beaste dyd receyue God or no I answered Seynge ye haue taken the paynes to aske thys questyon I desyre yow also to take so moche payne
that he wente forthe in to hys greate chamber and redde the same byll afore the audyence whiche enuegled and wylled me to sette to my hande saynge also that I hade fauer shewed me Iohan Bale In euerye matter concernynge our Christen beleue is the scripture reckened vnsuffycyent of this wycked generacyon God was not wyse ynough in settynge the order therof but they muste adde therunto their swybber swylle that he may abhorre it in vs as he dyd the Iewes ceremonies Esa. i. Hiere vii zacha vii Amos. v. Michee vi But thys godly woman wolde corrupt her fayth with no suche beggerye leaste she in so doynge shuld admit them and theyr pope to syt in her conscience aboute the eternall God whyche is their daylye study ii Thes. ii A virgin was she in that behalfe redemed frō the earth folowynge the lambe and hauinge in her forehead the fathers name written Apocalypses xiiii Anne Askewe Then sayde the Byshoppe I myght thanke other and not my selfe of the fauer I founde at hys hande For he consydered he sayd that I hadde good fryndes and also that I was come of a worshypfull stocke Then answered one Christofer a seruaunte to master Dennye Rather ought ye my lorde to haue done it in suche case for Gods sake thā for mānes Iohan Bale Spirituall wyll these fathers be named and yet they doo all to be seane of men Mat. xxiii Theyr olde condicions wyl they change whan the blacke moreane change his skynne and the catte of the mountayne her spottes Hieremy xiii Yf I sought to please mē saith S. Paule I were not the seruaunte of Christ. Gala. i. Whan thys tyrannouse Byshoppe can do no more myschefe than flattereth he the worlde sekynge to haue thanke where he hath non deserued And as concerning the loue or true feare of God as is here layed vnto hym he hath non at all Psal. xiii Anne Askewe Then my lorde sate downe and toke me the wrytynge to set therto my hande and I wrytte after this maner I Anne Askewe do beleue al maner thinges contayned in the faythe of the Catholycke Churche Then because I dyd adde vnto it the Catholycke Churche he flonge into hys chambre in a greate furye Wyth that my cosyne Bryttayne folowed hym desyerynge hym for Gods sake to be good lorde vnto me He answered that I was a woman and that he was nothynge deceyued in me Then my cosyne Brittaine desyred hym to take me as a woman and not to sette my weake womānes wytte to hys lordshippes greate wisdome Iohan Bale Was not this thinke yow a sore matter to be so greuously taken of this prelate But that they are naturallye geuen to soch quarellinges Math. xxiii This worde Catholyck was not wonte to offend them How becometh it than now a name so odeose Parauēture through thys onlye occasion They knewe not till now of late years for it came of the Greke the true sygnyfycacyon therof As that it is so moche to saye in the Englysh as the vnyuersall or whole Afore tyme they toke it to mean their oyled cōgregaciō alone But now they perceyue that it includeth the layte so wel as thē no lōgar they do esteme it Other cause can I non coniecture whye they shulde now more contempne it than afore Anne Askewe Then went in vnto him doctor weston and sayde that the cause whye I dyd wrytte there the Catholyke churche was that I vnderstode not the churche written afore So with moche a do they persuaded my lorde to come oute againe and to take my name with the names of my suerties whiche were my cosyn Brittayne and mastre Spylman of Grayes inne Iohan Bale For an holye churche wyl they be taken and seme moche to differ frome the lewde lowsye layte or prophane multitude of the common people by reason of their holye vnccyons and shauynges whych came from theyr pope Most specyallye because they haue nothyng a do with marryage reckened a most cōtagiouse poyson to holy orders as theyr for sayd Romysh father hath taught why she bryngeth vp al his chyldrē in Sodō Gomor Iude. i. Apoca. xi And thys point haue they lerned of theyr predecessours the olde pharyses and prestes which were not sicut ceteri hominū as the cōmon sort of men are but holie spirituall gostly fathers Luce xviii Wherfore they wyl not now be called a catholyck but an holy spiritual churche Anne Askewe Thys beinge done we thought that I shulde haue bene put to bayle immedyatlye accordynge to the order of the lawe Howbeit he wolde not so suffre it but commytted me from thens to preson agayne vntyll the nexte morowe And than he wylled me to apere in the guylde halle and so I dyd Notwithstandynge they wolde not put me to bayle there neyther but redde the Byshoppes wrytynge vnto me as before and so commaunded me agayne to preson Iohan Bale A verye seruitude of Egypte is it to be in daunger of these papystyck Bysshoppes as in thys acte doth apere Se what cauillaciōs this Pharao dyd seke here to holde this Christē womā still vndre his captiuite so louth is the gredye wolfe to depart from his desyred praye Ioan. x. These delaies and these sendinges from Cayphas to Pilat and frō Pylate agayne to Annas in Paules were not els but to seke more matter agaynste her and to knowe more depelye who were her fryndes and maynteners They that shall conferre the fashyons of thys termagaunt Byshoppe concernynge thys woman with the cruell maners of great Parao in the delyueraunce of the people of Israel at Gods commaūdemēt Exo. v. or with the handelinges of the Iewes spirytualte cōcerning Christ Math. xxvi Iohan. xviii they shall not fynde them all vnlyke Anne Askewe Then were my suerties appoynted to come before them on the nexte morowe in Paules churche whyche dyd so in dede Notwithstandinge they wolde ones agayne heaue broken of with them bycause they woulde not be boūde also for an other womā at theyr pleasure whom they knewe not nor yet what matter was layed vnto her charge Notwythstandynge at the laste after moche a do and reasonyng to and fro they toke a bonde of them of recognisaunce for my fourth commynge And thus I was at the last delyuered Written by me Anne Askewe Iohan Bale No veryte sayth Oseas the Prophet no mercy nor yet knowlege of God is now in the earth but abhomynable vyces haue euerye where gotten the ouerhande one bloud gyltynesse folowynge an other Osee. iiii Thinke you that the Byshoppes and prestes coulde take so cruel wayes wolde worke so false feates if they had the true feare of God or yet reckened to fele a ryght wyse iudge at the lattre daye Suppose it not Not onlye mynded they to shew no mercy to this womā but also to werie al her frindes and acquayntaunce whych is most extreme cruelte and
conscience woulde both accuse me and condempne me of the vnconsyderaunce of my lorde God More precyouse is the thynge which is in daylye controuersye and parell whiche is nowe Goddes true honoure than is al thys worldes treasure here What Christen hart can abyde it to se the creature yea not of God but of man to be worshypped in the stede of God and saye nothynge therin Salomon saythe there is as well a tyme to speake as a tyme to kepe sylence and a tyme as well to hate as a time to loue Ecclesiast iii. With a perfyght hate lorde saythe Dauid haue I hated those bloud thursty enemyes which were in they presumpcion agaynst the Psalm cxviii Strongly and with most myghtye stomacke are hypocrytes to be inuaded whyche wyll not geue place to the veryte Marke how myghtelye Moses resysted Pharao Helyas kynge Achab Helyseus Ioram zachary Ioas Daniell the ydolaters Iohan Baptyst the Pharysees and Herode Steuen the Iewes the Apostles the Byshoppes and prestes Christ rebuked hys discyple Peter and bad him come after hym deuyll Math. xvi Yet called he Iudas his frinde Mat. xxvi Necessary is it that the elect flocke of God do hate the vncleane fowles whych yet holde theyr habytacion in Babylō Apoca. xviii Iohā wycleue and Iohan Huse confesse in theyr writynges that they were by stronge force inwardlye constrayned of God to worke against the great antichrist Erasmus boldely vttered it that God for the euyls of this latter age hath prouyded sharpe phesycyanes Quenche not the sprete sayth S. Paule despyse not prophecyes i Thessalon v. I put my ernest wordes into thy mouthe sayde the Lorde to Hieremye that thou shuldest bothe destroye and buylde Hieremye i Let this suffice ye concernynge oure rebukes for they are Gods enemyes whō we inuade Yf ye perceyue it and fele it on the other syde that the waues of the see are greate also and doth horryblye rage in these dayes Psa. xcii Considre agayne sayth Dauid that the Lorde whyche dwelleth on hygh is a great dele myghtyer than they As he is of power to cease the storme and to make the wether caulme Psalme cvi So is he able to change a kynges indignacion which is but death into mooste peaceable fauer and louynge gentylnes Prouerbiorum xvi For the hart of a kynge is euermore in the hande of God and he maye turne it which waye he wyl Proue xxi Hys eternall pleasure it is that ye shuld honoure your kynge as his immediate mynyster cōcerning your bodyes and lyues i. Petri. ii and that ye shuld with al gentylnesse obeye the temporall rulers Romano xiii But suche spirituall hypocrites both Byshoppes and prestes as are continuall haters of hys heauenlye verite wolde he that we shulde hold for most detestable apostates and blasphemouse reprobates as did Christ and his Apostles which neuer obeyed them but most sharpelye rebuked them Matthei xxiii Acto xx and. ii Pet. xi The grace of that lorde Iesus Christ be euer wyth thē whyche ryghtly hate that sinagoge of Sathan as dyd Anne Askewe Amen God standeth by the generacyon of the ryghteouse Psal. xiii Thus endeth the firste examynacion of Anne Askewe latelye done to deathe by the Romyshe popes malycious remnaunte and nowe canonysed in the preciouse blode of the lord Iesus Christ. Imprynted at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen in Nouembre Anno. 1546. ¶ The voyce of Anne Askewe oute of the. 54. Psalme of Dauid called Deus in nomine tuo FOr thy names sake be my refuge And in thy truth my quarel iudge Before the Lorde let me be harde And wyth fauer my tale regarde Loo faythles men agaynst me ryse And for thy sake my death practyse My lyfe they seke with mayne myght Which haue not the afore their sight Yet helpest thou me in this distresse Sauynge my soule from cruelnesse I wote thou wylt reuenge my wronge And vysyte them ere it be longe I wyll therfore my whole hart bende Thy gracyouse name Lorde to commende From euyl thou hast delyuered me Declarynge what myne enemyes be Prayse to God Who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. xi He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. v. ¶ The latter examynacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Sinagoge of Antychrist wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psalme cxvi The verite of the lord endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by this verite of god to the ende I wyll poure oute my sprete vpon all fleshe saith God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Iohel ii ¶ Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the primatiue churche as the horible persecucyons increased many dyligēt writers collected the godly answers tryumphaūte sufferinges of the martyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of this nombre was Lucas which wrote the Apostles actes So were after him Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton Asianus Abdias Babilonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexaūdrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius Nicephorus a greate sorte more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshop of Rome ordayned in his tyme for that onely offyce vii deacōs so many notayres aboute the yeare of oure lorde CC. XXXVI that they shuld faithfully regestre theyr martyrdomes to holde thē in contynual remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No les necessary is that offyce now though fewe mē attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christē cōmō welthe than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucions all Christendome ouer so we le as were than Now are the true Christians vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as thā Now are they reuiled punyshed imprisoned haue all euyll spoken against them for Christes verites sake Math. v. 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 kingedome of pacience Apo. i. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonies what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Barnard sayth in his homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer dyd the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some besterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late yeares by the bolde calling on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of
dyscyples vnder the cruell Byshoppes for his onlye glorye Saynet Cadocke of Cowbridge a Bysshop was pearced through with a speare as he stode at his Masse at one of the clocke at after non bicause he wolde be of the ordre of martyrs Saynte Elphege archebishopp of Caunterburye was stoned to deathe of the Danes bycause he wolde not pase them thre M. Marke in the yeare of our lorde M. xii Of soch martyrs moch doubted Lāfrancus which suceeded him in that office about a iiii score years after and disputed therof with Anselmus The cause of Anne Askewe and her companions was neither madnesse nor moneye but the onlie sekinge of their lord God righte As Sainte Indract with other deuoute pilgrimes of Rome laie in bed in their inne at Shapwyck by Blastenbury their throtes were cut in the night for moneie which was reckened to be in their pylgrymes scryppes Saynt Iuthware a virgine was behedded also for layenge fresh chese or cruddes whether ye will to her brestes The cause of Anne Askewe and her other fellowes conferred with Christes scriptures semeth a farre other matter Hewalde the blacke and Hewalde the whyght ii Englysh mōkes goynge frō place to place with cruettes chalyce and superaltare to do their daylye sacrifices were done to deathe in Frislande by the bowers of the contrey for teachynge a straunge relygyon and are worshypped at Coleyne for martyrs For bearynge about Christes testament which is most heauenlye treasure and for spredynge the wholsom doctrine therof was Anne Askewe and her sort brēt by the prestes procuremēt yet are they no honour for it Osytha runnynge awaye frome her husbande by the intysement of ii monkes became a professed nonne and was murthered of the Danes Wenefryda by counsell of a prest dysdaynouslye refusynge the marryage of a prynce chrystened lost her head for it Maxentia also played a parte not al vnlyke to thys Soch pylde popysh martyrdomes compared to the martyrdome of Anne Askewe and her faythful companye is as is rustye yron compared to pure syluer S. William of Rochestre a Scotte leauynge both wife houshold ydly to trudge on pylgrymage was strycken in the heade wyth an axe of his owne companyon by the waye Saynte Thomas of Douer a monke was suche a wone as was slayne of the frenche men for hydynge the churches iewels crosses chalyces copes No such light corruptible vanytees 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 yōge S. Melor of Cornewayle yōg s. Kenelme of Glocestre yonge S. Eldrede of Rāsaye his brother wyth soch other lyke were but verye babes they saye were martyred of the Iewes of other enemyes Wherfore their martyrdomes shal be but babysh in cōparysō of these the verite hauing by thē so smal furtheraūce Foillanus his iii. bretherne goynge homeward in the nyghte after they had well banketed wyth S. Gertrude her nonnes were killed in a wod of one murtherer and their horses solde in the next market towne Iustinanus S. Dauyes ghostlye father in Wales was slayne in a gardene of hys iii. monkes bycause he compelled them to do more laboure than he wolde do hys selfe After Kilianus was come home frome Rome he was murthered in his selle wyth other holye pylgrymes by a woman as they laye there a slepe in the nyght Saynt Vrsula also and her she pylgrymes with theyr chaplaynes nurses and suckyng babes were but homely handeled at Coleyne of the hunnes and pietes if that legende be true as they were commynge homewardes from Rome Compare me Anne Askewe and her condempned companye wyth these clowted canonysed solempnysed sensed matrensed and massed martyrs and tell me by the Gosples trial whyche of them seme moste Christenlyke martyres Yea brynge saynte Edmound of Burye saynt Fremūd of Dunstable saynt Ethelbert of Herforde S. Oswalde of Glocestre saynte Oswyne of Tynmoth and Saynte Wynstane of Euesham whych are the best of the Englyshe martyres to the touche stone of Goddes worde and ye shall fynde theyr martyrdomes and causes full vnlyke to theyrs whome the Byshoppes murther now apace in Englande In all these Englysh martyrs reherced here afore ye shall fynde verye fewe coloures or yet tokens that Christ sayd his martyrs shuld be knowne by on lesse ye take pylgrimages pōpes rellyckes women battels hūtynges ydelnes monkeryes moneye treasure worldlye kingdomes contēpt of marryage superstycyōs suche other vanitees for thē And than wyll I saye and not lye in it that ye are moch better ouerseane thā lerned in the scriptures of God as youre olde blynde bludderynge predecessours hath bene Ye wyll axe me here if I reckē Englāde thā all barrē of Christē martyrs Naye marry do I not For I knowe it hathe had good store sēs the popes faith came first into Englande to the Gospels obscuracyō though their names be not knowne to al mē Greate tyrānye was shewed by the heythnysh emprours kynges at the fyrst preachynge of the Gospel in the primatyue churche of the brytaynes by the cruel callynge on of the pagane prestes But nothinge lyke to that hath bene shewed sēs in the Englysh church by the spiritual tyraūt of Rome his mytred termagaūtes at the prouocacyō of theyr oyled swylbolles blīd Baalamites For they most cruellye brēt those innocētes whych dyd but only read the testamēt of God in their mother runge do not yet repente them of that myschefe but contynewe therin Yf ye marke wel these ii examinaciōs of Anne Askewe ye shal fynde in her in her other iii. cōmpaniōs besydes other whō the Byshoppes in our tyme afore hath brēt the expresse tokēs that Christ sealeth his martyrs wt. Thei apered as shepe amonge wolues They were throwne in strōg presō They were brought forth into coūsels synagoges Their answeres were out of gods spret as herin apereth not out of their own They were reuyled mocked stocked racked execrated condempned and murthered as is sayde afore By a spiritualte also as he promised they shuld be Mat. xxiii and xxiiii Yea those spiritual tyrauntes besydes theyr mortal malyce vpō the innocent bodyes haue most blasphemouslye vttered in theyr spyghtful sermons and writynges that their sowles are dampned as is to be seane in the bokes of winchestre and Peryn But let them be ware lest they dampne not theyr own wretched soules For ful sure we are by Christes stronge promes Luce. xii That theyr sowles they can not harme wyth all theyr popes blacke curses Ful swetelye rest they now in the peace of God where theyr slaunderous and malyciouse iudgementes can not hurte them at al Sapi. iii. Lette those Epycures pygges dampne them with as manye blasphemouse
Ezech. xxiiii Anne Askewe My beleue whyche I wrote to the counsell was thys That the sacramentall breade was left vs to be receyued with thankes geuynge in remembraunce of Chrystes deathe the onlye remedye of our sowles recouer And that therby we also receyue the whole benefyghtes and frutes of hys mooste gloryouse passyon Iohan Bale We reade not in the Gospell that the materyall breade at Christes holye supper was anye other wise taken of the Apostles thā thus Neither yet that Chryste our mastre sauer requyred anye other takynge of them If so manye straunge doubtes had bene therin and so hygh dyffycultees as be moued and are in controuersye amonge men now a dayes both papystes and other they coulde no more haue bene left vndyscussed of hym than other high matters were The discyples axed here neyther how nor what as doubtlesse they woulde haue done if he hade mynded them to haue taken the breade for him They thought it ynough to take it in hys remembraunce lyke as he than playnelye taught them Luce xxii The eating of his fleshe and drynkynge of hys bloude therin to the releuynge of their sowles thyrst and hunger they knewe to perteyne vnto fayth accordynge to hys instruccyons in the vi of Iohan. What haue thys godlye woman than offended whyche neyther haue denyed hys incarnacyon nor deathe in thys her confessyon of faythe but most firmelye and groundedlye trusted to receyue the frutes of them bothe Anne Askewe Then wolde they nedes knowe whether the bred in the boxe were God or no I sayde God is a sprete and wyll be worshypped in sprete and truthe Ioan. iiii Then they demaunded Wyl yow playnlye denye Christ to be in the sacrament I answered that I beleued faythfullye the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnes wher of I recyted agayne the hystorye of Bel and the. ix chaptre of Daniel ye. vii and the. xvii of the Actes and the. xxiiii of Mathew concludynge thus I neyther wyshe death nor yet feare his myghte God haue the prayse therof with thankes Iohan Bale Amonge the olde ydolaters some toke the sūne some the mone some the fyre some the water with soch other lyke for their Godes as witnesseth Dioderus Siculus Herodotus Plynius Lactantius dyuerse autours more Now come our dottinge papistes here wadinge yet more deper in ydolatrye and they must haue breade for theyr God yea a waffer cake whyche is scarse worthy to be called bread In what sorowful case are Christen people nowe a dayes that they maye worshypp their lorde and redemer Ihesus Christe in no shappe that hys heauenly father hath set hym forth in but in such a shappe only as the waffer baker hath ymagined by his slendre wyt Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for theyr Gods 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 worshyp soche a God either yet to haue himself honoured in such a symylytude No thynge is here spoken agaynst the moste holye table of the lord but agaynst that abhomynable ydol of the prestes which hath moste detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse wytnesse of the lorde dyd this blessed woman sheweth her selfe in the answere makynge to thys blasphemous beggerye whā she sayde that god was a sprete and no waffer cake woulde be worshypped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and inglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydol but moch more godly to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in tēples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her selfe a most constaunt martyr praysynge her Lorde God for hys gyfte She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shulde se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan viii Agayn they that beleued on him shuld ioyfully passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Iohan. v. And vpon these promises she most strōgely trusted She considered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyfe i. Petri iii. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme hadde the rule of death Hebreorum ii And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it selfe Osee. xiii Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The Lorde God by whom all creatures have theyr beynge blesse yow wyth the lyghte of hys knowledge Amen My dutye to your lordshyppe remembred c. It myghte please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whyche vpon due consyderacions is moued to the same and hopethe to obtayne My requeste to youre lordeshyppe is only that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kynges magestye that hys grace maye be certyfyed of these fewe lynes whiche I haue wrytten concernynge my beleue Whyche whan it shall be trulye conferred wyth the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thynke hys grace shall well perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuen payer of balaunces But I remyt my matter cause to almyghtye God whyche ryghtlye iudgeth al secretes And thus I commende youre lordeshyppe to the gouernance of him and felyshipp of all sayntes Amen By youre handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In this byl to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyōs sequestred what this womā was She is not here defected with the desperat for vnryghteouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowyng as they do commōlye But stādynge vp strongely in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers and wysheth them the lyghte of Goddes necessarye knowledge Luce. vi She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum xiii And though theyr autoryte be sore abused yet wyth Christe and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herselfe to them thynkynge to suffer vnder them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunte i. Peter iiii Notwithstandyng she layeth forth here both before chauncelloure kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to theyr bounde dewtye myghte more ryghtlye waye it iii. Regu x. Not that she coueted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembraunce of theyr offyce concernynge the swerd which they ought not vaynely to ministre Roman xiii and that they shulde also be wythout excuse of ignoraunce in the greate daye of reckenynge for permitting soch vyolēce to be done Roma ii In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherein she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalme cxlv Anne