froÌ„ the king his letters of credence and withall to declare and extend the kinges most effectuous commendations with the harty good will and sincere affections whiche his hignes bare to the sayde Cardinall Chauncellour of Fraunce with no lesse desire also most gladly to do that thing which might be to his commoditie and benefite according as the manifold pleasures grauities and kindnes done on his part for the kinges highnes did worthily deserue Then after such words of mollification to enter into further communication with him in such sort as might best serue his honour And forasmuch as the Cardinall was theÌ„ noted much to be moued with the affections of vayn glory couetous therfore amongst other coÌ„munication The vaine glory and auarice of the Cardinall it was deuised to inferre mentioÌ„ of the Papalitie noting what wayes meanes might be vsed to attayne vnto that dignitie Wherein if the kinges hignes coulde stand him to anye steede as he thought the person of the sayd Chauncellour most meet for the same The fashyoâ— of Princes courtes to be noted so he would not fayle to moue and to procure it to the best furtheraunce of his aduauncement And finally to declare how desirous the kinges highnes was to retayne and make sure vnto him the amitie and friendship of the sayd Chauncellour and that hys hignes deuising by what meanes and wayes he might do the same albeit his grace knew wel that the fayth and sinceritie of the sayd Chauncellour towardes hys mayster was such as no gift pension or other offer could aduance or increase that good will which for hys maysters sake he would employ in the kinges highnes affayres thought that for declaration of hys hartye good will towardes the sayde Chauncellour it were conuenient to offer vnto hym some yearely remembraunce c. This was the summe and effect of the message of the king sent vnto the French king and to other of his counsayle by his ambassadour maister Edward Foxe whiche was especially to signifie and make manifest vnto the sayd French king the vniust dealinges and preiudiciall proceedinges of the pope in calling vp the king of Englande to appeare at Rome by Proxie which was derogatory to y e kinges dignitie and crowne and also preiudiciall both to generall Councels of the primitiue tyme and to the auncient lawes and statutes of this Realme as is afore declared and no lesse hurtfull for example to all other Princes and kinges likewise c. This message so done Steuen Gardiner Ambassadour to the FreÌ„ch king shortly after was sent to the said french king Stephen Gardinar bish of Winchester with the kings answere and message again on this maner y t for so much as the saying of the Frenche king to the ambassadors was this that notwithstanding all the kings Realm shuld agree and condescend neuer so muche to y e right title The French kings saying against the kinges succession which the succession procreated of this his lawfull matrimony hath in this hys realme yet when outward parties shall conceaue anye other or contrary opinion thereof great trouble and vexation might ensue Wherunto the K. made answere agayne declaring y t he could not but greatly marueyle y t the king his brother being so wise a Prince The kinges aunswere to the French king and there to well expert and learned in Chronicles and histories not onely of his owne realme but also of all others or any of his Counsayle being men of such experieÌ„ce as they were taken to be would thinke that the opinion consent of other outward Realms was so highly to be coÌ„sidered and regarded of any prince or king in stablishing or in executing of thinges which mighte be lawfully done and which touched the preseruation of the rightes preeminences dignitie and state of his realme and did also notably conferre vnto the singular benefite and tranquillitie of the same so as the words both of the sayde king hys brother and of the great master did pretend Who furthermore were not ignoraunt them selues 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 realm 〈…〉 bouÌ„d tâ— the agrement of outwarde realmes that many thinges haue bene by hys noble progenitours kinges of Fraunce attempted and done as well in cases of matrimonie as otherwise which in some part in the opinion of y e Popes of Rome then being in some part in the opinion of diuers other outwarde princes states seigniories and common people haue bene thought not perfectly good nor yet much acceptable vnto them and yet that notwithstanding hys said progenitors knowing them selues the prosecuting of those causes to be beneficial to them and to the realm haue not therfore desisted from their said purposes but diligeÌ„tly employing their owne strength and powers with the succours of their frends haue finally atchieued their sayd enterprises wythout requiring or greatly regarding the opinion or agreement therunto of outward princes Againe wheras the Chauncelour of France made thys ouerture to the â—ayde Bishop of Winchester whether the kyng woulde be content to haue indifferent Iudges to be appoynted by the authoritie of the Pope The ouerture of the Chauncellour 〈◊〉 Fraunce to the king to take indifferent iudges by the Popes authority The kinges aunswere to the ouerture to determine his cause wyth a commission decretall from y e same declaring Quid iuris c. The King by his ambassador therunto answearing declared that the Pope hauing done vnto hym so notable and euideÌ„t iniuries as he had done it were hys office and duetie now to labor him selfe to ende this matter and to studie how to make due satisfaction to God and his iustice which hee hath tam indignis modis offended and violated and to deliuer himselfe out of the danger and the perpetual infamie of the world which he hath incurred by reason of these his most vngodly doings and not to looke that the King shoulde make any request or suite vnto hym therfore or recompence for the same c. Furthermore where as the Pope at the request of the French king had in open Consistorie proroged execution of his censures and excommunication against the king vnto the first day of Nouember and woorde thereof was sent to the king by his ambassadours from the great maister of Fraunce that the king mighte haue the sayde prorogation made autentikely in wryting if he woulde The kyng answearing thereunto thought it not vnprofitable that hys ambassadors resident in France should receiue vnto theyr hands the possession of the saide newe prorogation conceiued and wrytten in autentike forme and maner according to the order of the lawes After this againe came other letters to the King from France namely froÌ„ the great maister of France tending to this ende that if the king would do nothing for the pope meaning by the reuocation of such actes of parlament The king requested by the FreÌ„ch king to relent to the Pope as were made in the Realme of England to the Popes preiudice it were
shoulde be maryed to Christ. And as shee shuld be burned vpoÌ„ a saterday vpoÌ„ Michaelmas euen vpon a saterday sayde shee I was first maryed and vpon a Saterday I shall be maryed agayn And seing the dongcart brought wherein she should be caryed she reioyced thereat shewing suche constancye in her martyrdome as made all the beholders to maruell Ex. Ioan. Crisp. Henry 2. FreÌ„ch king An Officer of the kings house petrus Castellanus Byshop Machonensis A poore Taylour of paris dwellynge in the streete of S. Antony At Paris An. 1549. Among many oother godly martyrs y t suffered in France A godlie Taylour in Paris martyr the story of this poore Tailor is not the least nor worst to be remeÌ„bred His name is not yet sought out in y t french storyes for lack of dilligence in those writers more is the pittie The story is this Not long after the coronation of Henry ii the Frenche king at whose coÌ„ming into Parris dyuers good Martyrs were there brought out and burned for a spectacle as is aboue said a certayne poore Taylour who then dwelt not farre from the kynges Pallace in the streete bearing the name of S. Antony was apprehended of a certayne officer in the kinges house for that vpon a certayne holy daye he followed hys occupation and did worke for his lyuing Before he was had to prison the officer asked hym why he dyd labour and worke geuing no obseruation of the holy day To whom he aunswered that he was a poore man liuing onely vpon hys labour and as for the day he knew no other but onely the Sonday wherein hee might not lawfully worke for the necessitie of his liuing The taylour imprisoned fâ—r breaking a pâ—â—â—e of an holy day Then the Officer began to aske of hym manye questions whereunto the poore Taylour dyd so aunswere y e eftsoones hee was clapt in prison After that the Officer comming into the Court to shewe what good seruice he had done for the holy Churche declared to certayne estates how he had taken a Lutherane workyng vpon the holy day shewing that he had suche answeres of hym that he commaunded hym to prison When the rumour hereof was noysed in y e kings chamber through the motioÌ„ of theÌ„ which were about the king the poore man was sent for to appeare that the king might haue y e hearing of him Whereupon the kinges chamber being voyded saue onely a fewe of the chiefe Pieres remayning about the king the simple Taylour was brought The king sitting in hys chayre The taylour brought before the kyng commaunded petrus Castellanus Byshop of Mascon a man very fitte for such Inquisitions to question wyth hym The Taylour being entred and nothyng appaulled at the kynges maiestie after hys reuerence done vnto the prince gaue thankes to God that he had so greatly dignified hym being such a wretch as to bring him where he might testifie his truth before such a mighty prince Then Castellanus entring talke began to to reason with hym touching the greatest and chiefest matter of Religion Whereunto the Taylour without feare or anye haltyng in hys speache The present boldnes of the taylor aunsweryng for his religion before the kyng with present audacitie witte and memory so aunswered for the sincere doctrine and simple truth of Gods Gospel as was both conuenient to the purpose and also to his questions aptly and fitly correspondent Notwithstandyng the nobles there present with cruell tauntes and rebukes did what they coulde to dashe him out of countenance Yet all this terrefied not hym but with boldnes of hart and free libertie of speach he defended his cause or rather the cause of Christ the Lorde neither flattering with their persons not fearing their threates which was to them all a singular admiration to behold that simple poore artificer to stand so firme and bold aunsweryng before a kyng to those questions propounded agaynst him Whereat when the kyng seemed to muse with him selfe as one somwhat amased and which might soone haue bene induced at that present to further knowledge the egregious Bishop Pestilent counsell about the kyng other courteours seeyng the king in such a muse sayd he was an obstinate a stubburne person obfirmed in his own opinioÌ„ and therfore was not to be maruelled at but to be sent to the iudges to be punished and therefore lest he should trouble the eares of the sayd Henry the kynge hee was commaunded agayne to the handes of the officer that his cause myght be informed and so within few daies after he was condemned by the hye Stuard of the kyngs house to be burned aliue And lest any deepe coÌ„sideration of that excellent fortitude of the poore man might further peraduenture pearsâ— the kinges mynde A fumish comparison of a fierie Cardinal the Cardinals and Byshops were euer in the kynges eare tellyng hym that these Lutheranes were nothyng els but such as caryed vaine smoke in their mouthes which being put to y e fire would soone vanish The death and martyrdome of this taylour Wherfore the king was appointed himself to be present at his executioÌ„ which was sharpe cruell before the Church of Mary the Uirgin where it pleased God to geue such strength and courage to his seruaunte in suffering his martyrdome that the beholding thereof did more astonish the kyng then all the other did before Ex Ioan. Crisp. Ex Henr. Pantall Lib. 7.  Claudius Thierry At Orleance An. 1549. The same yeare for the same doctrine of the Gospell one Claudius also was burned at the sayde Towne of Orleance Claudius Thierry Martyr being apprehended by the waye commyng from Geneua to hys Countrey Ex Ioan. Crisp.  Leonard Galimard At Paris An· 1549. This Leonard for the confession lykwise of Christ and his Gospel was takeÌ„ and brought to Paris Leonard Galimard martyr and there by the sentence of the couÌ„sayle was iudged to be burnt the same time as Florent Uenote aboue mentioned did suffer at Paris Ex IoaÌ„ Crisp.  Macaeus Moreou At Troyes An. 1549. He was burned in Troyes in Campaine a Towne in France remaining constant to the end in the Gospell Macaeus Moreau martyr for the whiche he was apprehended Ex eodeÌ„  Ioan Godeau Gabriell Berandinus An. 1550. These two were of the Churche of Geneua Afterwarde for theyr freindly admonishing a certayn priest which in his sermon had abused the name of God Ioh. Godeau Gabriell Berandine martyrs they were takeÌ„ at ChaÌ„beriace Godeau standyng to his confession was burned Gabriell thoughe he beganne a litle to shrynk for feare of the tormentes yet beyng confirmed by y e constant death of Godeau recouered agayne and standing likewise to his conclusion first had his tongue cut out Who notw tstanding through Gods might did speake so as hee might be vnderstand whereupon the hangman being accused for not cutting of his tongue rightly said that he could not stoppe him of
them how to aunswere to euery poynt of christian doctrine so well as if he had done no other thing in all his life but onely studyed diuinity and yet was he but very simply learned Then was he sent from them apart vnto an other Prison full of filthy stinche and vermine where notwithstāding he ceased not to sing Psalmes that the other might well heare him He had a young nephew in an other prison by being but a childe of whom he asked what he had sayd to the Iudges He sayde that he was constrayned to do reuerence to a crucifixe painted O thou noughty boy said he haue not I taught thee y e commandements of God Images forbidden Knowest thou not how it is written Thou shalt not make to thy selfe no grauen Image c. and so beganne to expound to hym the Commaundementes whereunto hee gaue good attention In their examinations many questiōs were propounded by the Doctors and Friers touching matters both of religion and also to know of them what Gentlemen and Gentlewomen were there present at the ministration of the Sacrament Whereunto they aunswered in such sort as was both sufficient for defence of theyr owne cause and also to saue theyr other brethren from blame saying that they woulde liue and dye in that they had sayd and maynteyned When the time of theyr execution was come they perceiued that the Iudges had intended that if they would relent they shoulde be strangled if not they should burne aliue and theyr tongues be cutte from them Which tormentes they being content to suffer for our Sauiour Iesus Christ offered their tongues willingly to the hangman to be cut Gabart began a little to sigh Their tounges cut for that he might no more prayse the Lord with his tongue Whome then Cene did comfort Then were they drawne out of prison in the dōg cart to the suburbes of S. Germane Whom the people in rage and madnes folowed with cruell iniuries and blasphemies as though they would haue done the execution themselues vpon them Maugre the hangman The cruelty of theyr death was suche as hath not lightly bene sene Crueltie for they were holden long in the ayre ouer a small fire and theyr lower partes burnt of before that the higher partes were much harmed with the fire Neuerthelesse these blessed sayntes ceased not in all these tormentes to turne vp theyr eyes to heauen and to shewe forth infinite testimonyes of theyr fayth constancy In the same fire many Testamentes and Bibles the same time also were burnt Upon the sight of this cruelty See heere howe the whole power of the world was confederate together against the poore saints of God according to the prophecie of the 2. Psalme Astiterunt Reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum c. the frendes of the other prisoners which remayned behinde fearyng the tyranny of these iudges presented certaine causes of refusall agaynst the sayd iudges requiring other Commissioners to be placed But the king beyng hereof aduertised by his Sollicitour sent out hys letters patentes commaunding the sayd causes of refusall to be frustrate and willed the former iudges to proceed all other letters and obstacles to the contrary notwithstanding and that the Presidentes should haue power to chuse to them other counsellers according to theyr owne arbitrement to supply the place of such as were absent amongest whome also the sayd Sollicitour was receyued in stead of the kinges Procurator to pursue the proces By the which letters patents it was decreed that these stubberne Sacramentaries as they were called should be iudged accordingly saue only that they should not proceed to the executiō before the king were aduertised These letters aforesaid stirred vp the fire of this persecution not a litle for that the Iudges at this refusall tooke great indignation and were mightily offended for that reproch Notwithstanding so it pleased God Albert Hartung deliuered that a yong man a Germane called Albert Hartung borne in the country of Brandeburge and godsonne to Albert Marques of Brandeburge by the kinges commaundement was deliuered through the importune sute of the sayde Marques Ex Ioan. Crisp lib. 6. 2. Presidentes 25. Counsellers The Lieuetenant ciuil Doctors Friers Sorbonistes Benedictus Iacobin Demochares Maillard Fridericke Danuile Frances Rebezies At Paris An. 1558. Mentiō was made aboue of certaine yong scholers and studentes which were in the litle castle with Peter Gabart Of the which nūber of Scholers were these two Fridericke Danuile and Frances Rebezies neyther of them being past twēty yeres of age Fridericke Danuile Fraunces Rebezies martyrs How valiauntly they behaued thēselues in those tender yeares susteining the quarel of our Lord Iesus Christ what cōfession they made what conflictes they had disputing with the Doctors of Sorbone theyr own letters left in writing do make record y e effect wherof briefly to touch is this And first touchinge Fridericke Danuile The Lieuetenant criminall who before was halfe suspected but nowe thinking to proue himselfe a right catholick and to recouer his estimation agayne came to him beginninge with these wordes of Scripture Who so euer denyeth me before men him will I denye before my father c Math. 10. That done hee asked him what he thought of the Sacrament To whom Friderick aunswered that if he should thinke Christ Iesus to be betweene the Priestes handes after the Sacramentall wordes as they call them then should he beleue a thing contrary to the holy Scripture and to the Creed which saith Act. 2. that he sitteth on the right hād of the Father Also to the testimonye of the Aungelles whiche speake both of the ascending of Christ and of his commyng downe agayn Act. 1. After these questions with him touching Inuocation of Sayntes Purgatorye c. Wherunto he aunswered so that he rather did astonish the enemies then satisfy them Furthermore the 12. of September the sayd Fridericke agayne was brought before Benedictus Iacobin and his companion a Sorbonist called Noster Magister who thus began to argue with him The Doctor Which thinke you to bee the true Churche the Churche of the Protestantes or the Churche of Paris The Martyr I recognise that to be the true Church where the Gospell is truely preached and the Sacramentes rightly administred so as they bee lefte by Iesus Christ and his Apostles The Doctor And is the Church thinke you of Geneua such a one as you speake of The Martyr I so iudge it to be The Doctor And what if I doe prooue the contrary will you beleue me The Martyr Yea it you shall proue it by the Scripture The Doctor Or will you beleue S. Austen and other holy doctors innumerable The Martyr Yea so they dissent not from the scripture and the word of God The Doctor By the authority of S. Austen The Church the Church is there where is the succession of Byshops whereupon I frame this argument There is the Church
which he woulde not haue knowen and doubting that the king should cast his fauour agayne vnto Pacie beganne wythin a while after to quarrell and pike matters and to lay certaine things to Pacies charge whereas hee rather shoulde haue cleared himselfe of those things whyche Pacie layd vnto him before the King which was contrary to all good forme and order of iustice Pacie commauÌ„ded to the towâ—r by the Cardinall Pacie discharged out of the tower For where the king had willed the Cardinall to try himselfe of those things which Pacie had rightly charged him wythall hee sittinge in iudgement with the Duke of Northfolke and other states of the Realme not as a defendent but as a Iudge in hys owne cause so bare out himselfe and weied downe Pacie that Pacie was commaunded to the tower of London as prisoner where he continued by the space of two yeares or thereabout and afterwarde by the kynges commaundement was discharged But he being there prisonner was therewyth so deadly wounded and strocken that hee fell woorse from his wittes then euer he was before beyng in such a phreuesie or lunasie that to hys dying day he neuer came perfectly to himselfe againe Notwythstanding thys in hym was no perpetuall frensie but came by fittes and when the fitte was past he coulde looke on his Booke and reason and talke handsomely but that nowe and then hee shewed his disease And thus muche betweene the Cardinall and Pacie By this storye of Pacie and also by other places aboue mentioned ye may partly conceiue how greedy this Cardinal was to be made pope Touching which matter here by the way somthing to entreat The Cardinalls labour to be Pope first is to be vnderstaÌ„ded that forsomuche as Pacie either woulde not or coulde not serue the Cardinals purpose herein he thought to accomplysh hys desire by other names and namely by Steuen Gardiner who was then shortly after sent Ambassadour to Rome by the king and the Cardinal in the time of pope Clement the 7. and that for two special causes one was about the diuorcement the other for promoting the Cardinall to be Pope As touchinge the diuorcemente we will speake the Lorde willing heereafter In the meane tyme as concerning the aduauncement of the Cardinall greate labour was made as in letters may appeare sent from the Cardinall to the sayd Steuen Gardinar in whych letters he did sollicite the sayd Gardinar by all meanes to pursue the sute willing hym to sticke for no coste Steuen Gardiner Ambassadour at Rome for the king and the Cardinall so farre as sixe or seuen thousand poundes woulde stretche for more hee sayd he would not geue for the triple crowne Marke here Christian Reader what an holye Catholycke Churche thys is whych rather may be called a Burse or Marte of Marchauntes ne quid dicam durius then any true fourme of a Church Manye both of hys and also of the kinges letters I coulde heere inserte but for growing of the volume I let them passe One for example sake sent by the Cardinall to Gardiner an other also from the king to the sayde Gardinar shall at this time suffice concerning this matter And first the Copie of the Cardinalles ambitious letter here in forme foloweth ¶ The copie of an ambitious letter wrytten by Thom. Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke vnto Stephen Gardiner one of king Henries Oratours in the Court of Rome for the procuring of the Papall dignitie to the sayd Cardinall MAister Stephen all be it ye shal be sufficiently with your Colleages by suche instructions as be geuen to Monsieur Vincent informed of the kings minde and mine concerning my aduauncement vnto the dignitye Papall not doubting but that for the singular deuotion A letter of the Cardinall to Sâ—euen Gardiner Lieger at Rome whych you beare towardes the kynge and hys affaires both generall and particular and perfect loue which ye haue towardes me ye wyll omit nothyng that may be excogitate to serue and conduce to that purpose yet I thought conuenient for the more feruent expression of my mind in that behalf to wryte vnto you as to the person whome I most entierlye doe trust and by whom thys thyng shal be most pithely sette foorthe these fewe wordes folowing of my owne hande I doubt not but ye do profoundly consider as well the state wherein the Church and all Christendom doth stand now presently as also the state of this Realme and of the kings secrete matter which if it should be broughte to passe Crafty pretenses to serue ambytious purposes by any other meanes then by the authoritye of the Churche I accompt this Prince and Realme vtterlye vndone Wherfore it is expedient to haue such a one to be Pope and common father of all Princes as maye can and will geue remedye to the premisses And albeit I accompt my selfe muche vnhable and that it shal be now incommodious in thys myne old age to be the sayde common father yet when all thyngs be well pondered and the qualities of all the Cardinalles well considered Absit verbum iactantiae there shal be none found that can and will set remedye in the foresayde thynges but onely the Cardinall of Yorke O fayned hypocrisie Belike the Cardinall here lacketh good neighbors seing he is coÌ„pelled to praise himselfe You may long say so before we will be 〈◊〉 you whose good will and zeale is not to you of all men vnknown And were it not for the reintegration of the state of the Churche and sea Apostolicke to the pristine dignitie and for the conducing of peace amongst Christian princes and specially to relieue this Prince realme from the calamityes that the same be nowe in all the riches or honour of the worlde shoulde not cause me Ne dum aspirare sed ne consentire to accept the sayd dignitie althoughe the same with all commodities were offered vnto me Neuerthelesse conformyng my selfe to the necessitie of the tyme and the wiil and pleasure of these two Princes I am coÌ„tent to appone all my witte and study and to set forth all meanes and wayes Vt bene faciam rebus Christianitatis for the atteyning of the sayd dignitie For the atchieuyng and atteyning wherof for as much as thereupon dependeth the health and wealth not onely of these two Princes and their Realmes but of all Christendome nothyng is to be omitted that may conduce to the sayd ende and purpose Wherefore M. Stephen since you be so playnly aduertised of my mynde and intent I shall pray you to extend Omnes neruos ingenij tui vt ista res ad effectuÌ„ produci possit nullis parcendo sumptibus pollicitationibus siue laboribus ita vt hominuÌ„ videris ingenia affectiones siue ad priuata siue ad publica sic accommodes actiones tuas Non deest tibi collegis tuis amplissima potestas nullis terminis aut conditionibus limitata seu restricta quicquid feceris scito omnia apud hunc
borne Yet neuertheles his purpose was to prooue and feele what they both would say vnto it therefore sent Steuen Gardiner to Rome to way with Pope Clement To the Emperour was sent Syr Nicolas Heruy knight ambassador in the Court of Gaunt Firste Pope Clement not weying belike the full importaunce and sequele of the matter Campeius the Popes Legate sent Cardinal Campeius as is sayde into Englande ioyned with the Cardinal of Yorke At the comming of which Legates The kinges perswasion to the Legate the King first opening vnto them the griefe of hys conscience seemed wyth great reasons and persuasions sufficiently to haue drawne the good will of those two Legates to his side Who also of their owne accord pretended no lesse but to shew a willing inclination to further the kinges cause But yet the mouthes of the common people and in especial of women and such other as fauoured the Queene and talked their pleasure Euill language of the people about the kinges diuorce were not stopped Wherefore to satisfie the blinde surmises and foolishe communication of these also who seeing the comming of the Cardinalles cast out suche leaude wordes that the king woulde for his owne pleasure haue an other wife with like vnseeming talke he therefore willing that al men should know the truth of his procedings caused all his Nobilitie Iudges and Counsaillors wyth diuers other persons to resort to his Pallace of Bridewel the 8. day of Nouemb. An. 1529. where he openly speaking in his great chāber had these words in effect as followeth The kings Oration to his subiects OVr trustie welbeloued subiects both you of the nobility you of the meaner sort it is not vnknowē both how that we both by Gods prouision and true and lawfull inheritaunce haue raigned ouer this realme of England almost the terme of 20. yeares During whiche time we haue so ordered vs thanked be God that no outward enemy hath oppressed you nor taken anye thing from vs nor we haue inuaded no realme but we haue had victory honor so that we think that you nor none of your predecessors neuer liued more quietly more wealthely nor in more estimation vnder any of our noble progenitors But when we remēber our mortality and that we must die then we think that all our doings in our life time are clearely defaced worthy of no memory if we leaue you in trouble at the time of oure deathe for if our true heir be not known at the time of our death see what mischiefe and trouble shall succeede to you and to your children The experience thereof some of you haue seene after the death of our noble grandfather king Edward 4. and some haue heard what mischief and manslaughter continued in this realme betwene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster by the which dissention this realme was like to haue bene clearely destroyed And although it hath pleased almighty God to send vs a faire daughter of a noble woman and of me begotten to our greate comfort and ioy yet it hath bene tolde vs by diuers great Clearks that neither she is our lawfull daughter nor her mother our lawfull wife but that we liue together abhominably and detestably in open adulterie in somuch that when our Ambassade was last in France and motion was made that the Duke of Orleance should marry our sayde daughter one of the chiefe Counsailours to the French king sayd It were well done to know whether she be the king of Englands lawfull daughter or not for well knowen it is that he begot her on his brothers wife which is directly againste Gods law and his precept Thinke you my Lords that these words touch not my body and soule Thinke you that these doings doe not daily and hourely trouble my cōscience and vexe my spirits Yes we doubt not but and if it were your cause euery man wold seeke remedy when the pearil of your soule and the losse of your inheritance is openly laide to you For this onely cause I protest before God and in the word of a Prince I haue asked councell of the greatest Clearkes in Christendome and for this cause I haue sent for this Legate as a manne indifferent onely to knowe the truth and so to settle my conscience and for none other cause as God can iudge And as touching the Queene if it be adiudged by the law of God that she is my lawfull wife there was neuer thing more pleasant nor more acceptable to me in my life both for the discharge and clearing of my conscience and also for the good qualities and conditions the which I know to be in her For I assure you all that beside her noble parentage of the which shee is descended as you well know she is a woman of most gentlenesse of moste humilitie and buxumnesse yea and of all good qualities appertaining to nobilitie she is without comparison as I this 20. yeares almoste haue had the true experiment so that if I were to mary againe if the marriage might be good I would surely chose her aboue all other women But if it be determined by iudgement that our mariage was against Gods law and clearely voyde then I shall not onely sorowe the departing from so good a Ladie and louing companion but much more lamēt and bewaile my infortunate chance that I haue so long liued in adultery to Gods great displeasure and haue no true heire of my body to inherite thys Realme These be the sores that vexe my minde these be the pāgs that trouble my conscience and for these greeues I seeke a remedy Therefore I require of you all as our trust and confidence is in you to declare to our subiects our minde and entent according to our true meaning and desire them to pray with vs that the very truth may be knowen for the discharge of our conscience and sauing of our soule and for the declaration hereof I haue assembled you together and now you may depart Shortly after this Oration of the king wherewith he stirred the harts of a number then the two Legates being requested of the king for discharge of his conscience The legates talke with the Queene to iudge and determine vpon the cause went to the Queene lying then in the place of Bridewell and declared to her how they were deputed iudges indifferent betwene y e king and her to heare and determine whether the mariage betwene them stoode with Gods law nor not When she vnderstoode the cause of their comming being thereat some thing astonied at y e first after a litle pausing with her selfe Ex Edw. Hallo thus she began answering for her selfe ALas my Lorde said she is it nowe a question whether I be the kings lawfull wife or no when I haue bene maried to hym almost 20. yeres and in the meane season neuer question was made before Diuers Prelates yet being aliue and Lords also Queene Katherines aunswere to the Cardinalles
and priuie coūsailors with the king at that time then adiudged our mariage lawful and honest and nowe to say it is detestable and abhominable I thinke it great maruel and in especiall when I consider what a wise prince the kings father was also the loue natural affectiō that K. Ferdinādo my father bare vnto me I think in my self that neither of our fathers were so vncircumspect so vnwise of so small imagination but they foresaw what might folowe of oure Mariage and in especiall the king my father sent to the Courte of Rome and there after long sute with great cost and charge obteined a licence and dispēsation that I being the one brothers wife and peraduenture carnally known might without scruple of cōscience mary with the other brother lawfully which licēce vnder lead I haue yet to shewe which things make me to say and surely beleue that our mariage was both lawful good and godly But of this trouble I only may thanke you my L. Cardinal of Yorke For because I haue wondered at your high pride and vaineglory and abhorred your voluptuous life and abhominable lecherie litle regarded your presumptuous power and tyrānie therfore of malice you haue kindled this fire set this matter abroache The Cardinall cause of this diuorce and why and in especiall for the great malice that you beare to my nephewe the Emperor whom I perfectly know you hate worse then a Scorpion because he woulde not satisfie your ambition and make you Pope by force therfore you haue said more then once that you wold trouble him and his frends you haue kept him true promise for of all his warres vexations he onely may thanke you And as for me his poore Aunt and kinswoman what trouble you haue put me too by this newe found dout God knoweth to whō I commit my cause according to the truth The Cardinal of Yorke excused himself saying that he was not the beginner nor the mouer of the doubt and that it was sore against his wil that euer the mariage shuld come in question but he sayd that by his superiour the B. of Rome he was deputed as a iudge to hear the cause which he sware on his profession to heare indifferently But whatsoeuer was said she beleeued him not so the Legates tooke their leaue of her departed These words were spoken in French wrytten by Cardinal Campeius Secretarie which was present and afterward by Edward Hall translated into English In the next yeare ensuing an 1530. at the blacke Fryers of London was prepared a solemne place for two Legates who comming with their crosses pillers axes The vaine pompe of the Romish Legates and all other Romish ceremonies accordingly were set in two chayres couered with cloth of gold and cushiōs of y e same When all things were ready then the king the Qeuene were ascited by Doct. Sampson to appeare before the said Legates the 28. day of May The king Queene ascited before the Legates where the commission of the Cardinals first being read wherein it was appoynted by the Court of Rome that they should be the hearers iudges in the cause betweene them both the king was called by name who appeared by two Proctors * These 4. byshops were Warhā of Canterbury West of Ely Fysher of Rochester Standishe of S. Assaph The Quene appealeth from the Cardinal to the Pope Then the Queene was called who being accompanied with 4. Byshops and other of her counsayle and a great company of Ladyes came personally her selfe before the Legates who there after her obeysance with a sadde grauitie of countenaunce hauing not many wordes with them appealed frō the Legates as iudges not competent to y e court of Rome and so departed Notwithstanding this appeale the Cardinals sate weekely euery day arguments on both sides were brought but nothing definitiuely was determined As the tyme passed on in the month of Iune the king being desirous to see an ende came to the Courte and the Queene also where he standing vnder his cloth of estate vttered these or like wordes in effect as followeth MY Lordes Legates of the Sea Apostolicke whiche be deputed iudges in this great and waighty matter The kinges oration to the Legates I most hartely beseech you to ponder my mynde and intent whiche onely is to haue a finall ende for the discharge of my conscience for euerye good Christen man knoweth what payne and what vnquietnesse he suffereth which hath hys conscience greeued For I assure you on mine honour that this matter hath so vexed my minde and troubled my spirites that I can scantly study any thinge whiche should be profitable for my realme and people and for to haue a quietnes of body and soule is my desire and request and not for any grudge that I beare to her that I haue maryed for I dare say that for her womanhoode wisedome nobilitie and gentlenes neuer Prince had such an other and therefore if I woulde willinglye chaunge I were not wise Wherefore my suite is to my Lordes at this time to haue a speedie ende according to right for the quietnesse of my minde and conscience onely and for no other cause as God knoweth When the king had said the Queene departed without any thing saying Then she was called to know whether she would abide by her appeale The Quene abideth by her appeale or answer there before the Legates Her Proctor aunswered that she would abide by her appeale That notwythstanding the Counsaillers on both sides euery day almost met and debated this matter substātially so y t at the last the diuines were all of opinion that the mariage was against the lawe of God if she were carnally known by the first brother which thing she clearly denied But to that was answeared that prince Arthur her husband confessed the act done by certaine words spoken which beinge recorded in other Chronicles I had rather should there be red then by me here vttered Furthermore at the time of the death of prince Arthur she thought and iudged that she was with childe and for that cause the king was deferred from the title creation of the Prince of Wales almoste halfe a yeare whych thing coulde not haue bene iudged if she had not bene carnally knowen Also she her self caused a bul to be purchased in y t which were these words Vel forsan cognitam which is as much to say as peraduenture carnally known which words were not in the first Bull graunted by Iuly at her second mariage to the kinge which seconde Bull with that clause was onely purchased to dispence wyth the second matrimonie although there were carnal copulation before which Bul needed not to haue bene purchased if there had ben no carnall copulation for then the first Bull had bene sufficient Moreouer for the more cleare euidence of thys matter that Prince Arthur had carnal knowledge of the sayd Lady
Agnes Grebyll Or if no such witnesse at all can be found then are they strayned vpon the racke or by other bitter tormentes forced to confesse theyr knowledge and to peach other Neyther must any be suffered to come to them what neede so euer they haue Neither must any publicke or quiet audience be geuen them to speake for themselues till at last sentence be readde agaynst them to geue them vp to the secular arme or to degrade thē if they be Priestes and so to burne them Ex hist. Cochlaei contra Hussitas And yet the malignity of these Aduersaryes doth not here cease For after that the fire hath consumed their bodyes then they fal vpon theyr bookes and condemne them in like maner to be burned no man so hardy to read thē or keep them vnder payne of heresy The vse and maner how the Papistes draw out articles of bookes after the authors be condemned But before they haue abolished these bookes first they gather articles out of thē such as they list themselues so peruersly wrast wringe them after theyr owne purpose falsely cōtrary to y e right meaning of the author as may seeme after theyr putting down to be most heretical execrable Which being done the bookes then abolished that no man may confer them with theyr articles to espy theyr falshood thē they diuulge and set abroad those articles in such sort as princes people may see what heretickes they were And this is the rigor of theyr processe and proceeding against these persons whom thus they purpose to condemne and burne To the second order belongeth that sort of heretickes whom these Papistes do not condemne to death but assigne them vnto Monasteries there to continue The punishmēt of them whom the Papistes cōdemne to perpetuall prison after their submission and to fast all theyr life In pane doloris aqua angustiae that is wyth bread of sorow and water of afflictiō and that they should not remoue one mile out of the precinct of the sayd Monastery so long as they liued without they were otherwise by the archbishop himselfe or his successors dispensed with all Albeit many times the sayd persons were so dispensed withall that theyr penaunce of bread and water was turned for them to wollward Wednesdaies and fridayes euery weeke or some other like punishment c. The thyrd kinde of heretickes were those whom these Prelates did iudge not to perpetuall prison but onely inioyned them penaunce either to stand before the preacher or els to beare a fagot about the market or in processiō or els to weare the picture of a fagotte bordered on theyr lefte sleeues without any cloke or gowne vpon the same The punishmēt of them which be inioyned penaunce after their recantation or else to kneele at the saying of certain masses or to say so many Pater nosters Aues and Creedes to such or such a Saynct or to go in pilgrimage to such or such a place or els to beare a Fagot to the burning of some hereticke either els to fast certaine Fridayes bread water Or if it were a woman to weare no smocke on Fridayes but to go wolward c as appeareth Regist. fol. 159. And thus much by the way out of the Register of William Warrham aforesayd like as also out of other bishops registers many mo such like matters and examples might be collected if either leysure would serue me to search or if the largenes of this Uolume would suffer al to be inserted that might be found Howbeit amōgst many other things omitted the story and Martyrdome of Lancelot and hys felowes is not to be forgottē The story of whō with their names is this ¶ The Martyrdome of Lancelot one of the kinges garde Iohn a Paynter and Gyles Germane Lancelot Iohn a Painter Gyles Germane Martyrs ABout the yeare of our Lord. 1539. one Iohn a Paynter and Giles Germaine were accused of heresy and whilest they were in examination at London before the Byshop and other Iudges by chaunce there came in one of the kinges seruantes named Lancelot a very tall man and of no lesse godly minde and disposition then strong tall of body This man standing by seemed by his countenaunce gesture to fauour both the cause the poore men his frēds Wherupon he being apprehended was examined and condemned together with them and the next day at v. of the clocke in the morning was caryed with thē into S. Giles in the field and there burned being but a small concourse or company of people at theyr death One Style martyr burned in Smithfield with the Apocalyps In the company and felowship of these blessed Saints and Martyrs of Christ which innocently suffered within y e time of K. Henryes raigne for the testimony of Gods word and truth an other good man also commeth to mind not to be excluded out of this number who was with like cruelty oppressed and burned in Smithfield about the latter end of Cuth Tonstals time Byshop of Londō whose name was called Stile Ex testimonio D. Rob. Outradi as is credibly reported vnto vs by a worthy auncient Knight named Syr Robert Outred who was the same time present himselfe at his burning and witnes of the same With him there was burned also a book of the Apocalips which belike he was wont to read vpon This book when he saw fastened vnto the stake to be burned with him lifting vp his voyce O blessed Apocalips sayd he how happy am I that shal be burned with thee And so this good man and the blessed Apocalips were both together in the fire consumed ANd thus through the gracious supportatiō of Christ our Lord we haue runne ouer these 37. laborious yeares of king Henries race Under whose tyme and gouernance such actes and recordes troubles persecutions recantations practises alterations and reformations as thē happened in the church we haue here discoursed with such statutes iniunctions and proclamations as by him were set forth in causes matters to the sayd church apperteyning Albeit not cōprehending all things so fully as might be yet pretermitting so few thinges as we could of suche matters as came to our handes Pope Leo his Bull agaynst Luther M. Luthers appeale from the Pope to a generall Councell saue onely that certayne instruments with a few other occurrentes somewhat perteining to the course of this kinges history haue past our hands as the false lying bul of pope Leo x. against M. Luther with the forme also of the sayd M. Luthers appeale from the Pope vnto a generall counsel All which w t other matters moe besides omitted we haue differred by themselues hereafter to be exhibited and declared in the sequele of this present story as in his due place shall appeare In the meane season amongst other omissions here ouerpast The sentence definitiue of Pope Clement 7. agaynst the diuorce of king Henry forsomuch
conuented and compelled to make aunswer against his will I therefore Edmond Bishop of London hauing perceiued and felt by all the sayings proceedings and doyngs of you sir Thomas Smith Knight one of the two principall Secretaries to the kings Maiestie in this matter attempted and mooued agaynst me that ye haue bene and yet continually are a notorious and manifest enemy of me the sayd Edmond and much offended that I should in any wyse alledge and say or vse any such things for my most defence as the law geueth me licence and libertie to do yea hearyng most fauourably and effectually my denouncers and enemies with both eares in any thyng that they shall alledge purpose attempt or do agaynst me though their persons in lawe are not in any wyse to be heard or admitted ne yet their sayinges true and not hearing me so much as with one eare in my lawfull saiengs and doinges in this behalfe but contrarywise openyng your mouth at large ye haue sundry tymes against good wisedome and reason outraged in wordes and deedes against me the sayd Edmond saying among other wordes that I did as theeues murtherers and traytors are woont to doe beyng my selfe as ye vntruly did say inward in deed culpable and yet outward otherwyse vnable to defend the matter against me but onely by takyng exceptions and making friuolous allegations agaynst my Iudges and Commissioners and that I haue bene and am as sturdye wilfull and disobedient as may be in your iudgement and opinion maintaining and vpholding the rebels and their opinions and that I shall aunswer by mouth or els smart and doe worse or els ye will send me to the Tower there to sit and be ioyned with Kette and Humfrey Arundell the Rebels ouer and besides diuers other threatnings and comminatorie wordes by you pronounced and vttered vnseemely and far vnmeet to proceed out of the mouth of you that are in such rowme and place as ye be in And moreouer increasing your malice euil will and grudge borne agaynst me ye haue amongest other thynges vntruly surmised written alledged and sayd that a certayne booke of Articles and Iniunctions by the Lord Protectours Grace in the full counsayle after a certayne prescribed fashion and fourme in the denunciation commission and Articles which de facto were induced brought in and obiected agaynst me Here Boner most proudly shametâ— not to belye the kinges Secretary and one of his Maiesties CouÌ„saile charging him with alteâ—ing adding vnto the Counsailes Iniunctions was deliuered vnto me and moreouer of an euill will and vngodly intent purpose contrary to the truth ye haue withdrawen added altered and qualified diuers thynges in the same otherwyse then they were spoken or done and yet ye are not ashamed to alleadge write and say that all is true and one consonant and agreeable in all poyntes with the other where in deede it is not so And ye haue further de facto agaynst the law and agaynst the Commission to you directed and agaynst my iust and lawfull allegations saiengs proceeded vnlawfully vniustly agaynst me atteÌ„pting many things agaynst me vnlawfully vniustly as appeareth ni the acts of this matter to the which I do referre me so far forth as they make for me Anno 1550. and be expedient by me and for me to bee alledged and referred vnto your selfe also vnlawfully and vniustly de facto with your Colleagues the which without you had begun the sayd matters proceedyng where by the law ye so ought not to haue done in deede but abstained there from as heretofore sondry tymes I haue alleaged appearyng in the actes of this Court doe vpon these iust and reasonable causes accordyng to the order of the Kings Maiesties Ecclesiasticall lawes refuse The popes lawes termed by the name of the kinges Ecclesiasticall lawes decline and recuse you the sayd Sir Thomas Smith as an vncompetent vnmeete and suspect Iudge agaynst me in this behalfe and decline your pretensed iurisdiction in this matter for causes aforesayd desiring nothyng but Iustice and offeryng my selfe prompt and ready to prooue them so farre as I am bound and accordyng to the order of the Kings Maiesties Ecclesiasticall lawes of this Realme in this behalfe as tyme place and otherwyse shall require This recusation ended the Secretary told him plaine that that notwithstandyng he would proceed in his Commission and would be still his Iudge The reply of Secretary Smith to Boners allegations vntill he were otherwise inhibited and sayd vnto him farther My Lord where as you say in your recusation that I sayd that you did like thieues murtherers and traytors in deed I sayd it and may and will so say agayne since we perceiue it by your doings Whereunto the Bishop in a great and stoute rage replied Boner saying Well sir because you sit here by vertue of the Kings Commission and for that ye be Secretary to hys maiestie and also one of his highnes counsail I must and do honour and reuerence you but as you be but sir Thomas Smith say as ye haue said that I do lyke theeues murtherers Boner in a pelting chafe agaynst Syr Tho. Smyth The Archb. and traytors I say ye lye vpon me in that case I defie you and doe what ye can to me I feare you not and therfore quod facis fac citius Whereat the Archbishop with the other Commissioners said vnto him that for such his vnreuerent behauior he was worthy imprisonment Boner Then the Bishop in more mad fury then before sayd againe vnto them A Gods name ye may do de facto send me whether you will and I must obey you and so wil except ye send me to the deuill for thether I will not go * I pray God ye gâ—e not for your selfe for you Three things I haue to wit a small portioÌ„ of goods a poore carcase and myne owne soule the two first ye may take though vniustly to you but as for my soule ye get not quia anima mea in manibus meis semper Secretary Smyth Well sayd then the Secretary ye shal know that there is a kyng Yea Sir saith the Bishop but that is not you neither I am sure Boner will you take it vpon you No Sir sayd agayne the Secretary but we will make you know who it is Secretary Smyth and with that the Commissioners commanded the bishop and all the rest to depart the chamber vntill they called for him agayne Now in the meane whyle that the Commissioners were in consultation the Bishop with Gilbert Bourne his chapleine Rob. Warnington his Commissary Rob. Iohnson his Register were tarying in a quadrant voyde place before the dore of the same chamber Where the Bishop leanyng on a cupboord and seyng his Chapleins very sad Boners talke to his Chapleins in the quadrant place before the chamber of presence at Lambeth sayd vnto them in effect as followeth Syrs what meane you Why
his offence in such like maner as other malefactours are with the punishment apoynted by the common lawes of the Empire which thing without doubt wil please the true ministers of the church such as are honest and learned that they will not thincke their power and authoritie thereby in any case diminished By this meanes it shall be brought to passe that suche as are of the Clergie onely by name and otherwise naughty wicked men through the obedience due vnto their magistrates shal be compelled to liue more honestly and al sedition and priuie hatred betwene them and the laitie shall be put away and finally thereby the laitie shall be the more mooued and stirred to loue and reuerence such of the Clergie as be of a sounde life ¶ Complaint of excommunication abused ITem at Rome and in other places many Christiās are excōmunicate by the Archbyshops Byshops or by their Ecclesiastical iudges for prophane causes through the desire and couetousnes of money lucre Excōmunication abused in the church of Rome The cōsciences of men which are weake in fayth thereby are burthened and brought vnto desperation and finally for money luker a matter of no importaūce is made to tend to the destruction both of body soule contrary both to the law of God and mā for somuch as no mā ought to be excommunicate but onely for heresie or for some haynous fact perpetrate nor to be counted as separate frō the Christian Catholicke Church as the Scriptures do witnes Therfore the princes nobles states layty of the Sacred Empire desire require the Popes holynes that as a faythful Christian louyng father he will remoue the sayd burthen of excommunication vsed both in the sea of Rome also in the seas of all other Archbyshops and Ecclesiasticall Iudges and finally decree that no man shall hereafter be excommunicate but onely for a manifest conuict crime of heresie For it is to wicked a thyng that faythfull Christians for euery light offence touchyng any temporall goodes or gayne or for any other worldly matter but onely for obstinacie of heresie or some great enormitie should be excluded from almighty God and the Catholicke congregation ¶ The Churche burdened with number of holy dayes MOreouer the common people are not a litle oppressed with the great nūber of holy dayes for that there are now so many holy dayes that the husbādmē haue scarcely tyme to gather y e frutes of y e earth which they haue brought forth with so great labour trauayle The nūber of holydaies to be diminished beyng often in daūger of hayle rayne and other stormes which fruites notwithstandyng if they were not letted with so many holy daies they would gather bring home without any losse Besides that vpon those holy daies innumerable offences are committed done rather then God honoured or worshipped Which thing is so manifest that it nedeth no witnes For that cause the estates of the sacred Empire thinke it best most profitable for the Christian common wealth that this great nūber of holy dayes should be diminished whych ought rather to be celebrate in spirite veritie then wyth the externall worship and be better kept with abstinence from sinne Suspending and halowing of Churchyardes gainfull to the Pope and chargeable to the people FUrthermore if it happē that 2. or more do fight without any weapon in a Churchyard onely with their fists Hallowing of Churchyardes abused for money or by the heare that there be neuer so litle bloud shed by by y e clergy haue recourse to enterdiment doe not suffer any more Christen burials there to be done before that all the citizens with great pomp expenses do cause it to be consecrated halowed againe with no lesse charge then when at the first of a prophane place it was halowed for burial all which things do redound to the charges costes of the laity And though the churches or chapels be neuer so litle which are so hallowed yet the suffraganes do burden and oppresse the simple poore housholdes be they neuer so bare or nedy with superfluous expenses and require moreouer gifts of the people which is not for theyr ease to geue Also the suffragans haue inuēted that no other but only themselues may baptise belles for the lay people Baptising of Belles Wherby the simple people vpō the affirmation of the suffragans do beleue that such belles so baptised wil driue away euill spirits and tempests wherupon a great number of godfathers are appoynted especially such as are riche which at the time of the baptising holding the rope wherwithal the bel is tied the suffragan speaking before them as is accustomed in the baptising of young children they altogether do answere Bells weare coates A question whether these gossips which christen Belles may marry togeather by the Canon law geue the name to the bell The bell hauing a new garment put vpon it as is accustomed to be don vnto the Christians after this they go vnto sumptuous bākets wherunto also the gossips are biddē that therby they might geue the * Spoyling of the people by baptising of Belles greater reward and the suffraganes with their chaplaines and other ministers are sumptuously fed Yet doth not this suffise but that the suffragane also muste haue a rewarde which they doe call a small gifte or present whereby it happeneth oftentimes that euen in small villages a 100. florens are consumed and spent in such christnings which is not onely superstitious but also contrary vnto Christian religiō a seducing of the simple people and mere extortion Notwithstanding the Bishops for to enriche their Suffraganes doe suffer these things and other farre worse wherefore such wicked and vnlawfull things ought to be abolished Complaint against Officials and other Ecclesiasticall iudges THe Officials also of Archbishops for the most part are vnlearned vnable men Against Officials besides that men of euil conditions taking thought for nothing but onely for money Also howe corruptly they liue and continue in notorious crimes transgressions it is daily sene Wherby the laity whom they ought to correct and punish for their offences instruct in Christian godlinesse are not in any poynt by them amēded but rather by them encouraged and confirmed in their offences Besides this the laitie are miserably robbed spoiled of their goodes by these light vile officials In whose conscience there is no sparke of christian pity and godlines but only a wicked desire couetousnesse Which thing the archbishops and bishops if they were in dede such as they are called that is to say the pastours and shepheards of Christ without doubt they would no lōger suffer or commit Christes flocke to such wicked and offensiue pastors to be fed and nourished Howe the Ecclesiasticall iudges do annexe certaine special causes being lay matters vnto their owne iurisdiction and will by no meanes release the same WHensoeuer any
causes are pleaded in iudgement before an Ecclesiasticall iudge Lay matters brought into the spirituall court for money either for rauishyng of virgins or for children vnlawfully borne out of wedlocke or for seruants wages or any other matters touching widowes the Ecclesiasticall iudges being called vpon by the superiors of the laitie which do contend they will neyther deferre that iudgement or by any meanes wil be intreated to remit them to theyr ordinarie iurisdiction The gaine that riseth to the Clergie by false sclaunders and rumours Scoulding matters brought to the spiritual court for gayne and lucre IT happeneth oftentimes that men and women through sinister and false reports sclanders are brought before the Official or Ecclesiasticall iudge as men gilty and shall not be declared innocēt before they haue cleared thēselues by an othe Whych purgation so made they are restored again to their former estimation And albeit that the damages costes ought to be repaide againe vnto such as be so falsly accused yet notwithstāding the innocents thēselues are forced to pay two gildernes and a quarter for their letters of absolution And this is the cause why that the Officials other Ecclesiastical iudges do so greedely folowe the action of such vnlawful false slanderous accusatiōs chalenging the hearinge thereof onelye vnto them selues which thyng no doubt redoundeth to the great and most singular hurt and detriment of all men For oftentimes it happeneth that women falling together in cōtention thorowe anger hatred or some other affection do speake euill or slaunder one an other and outrage somuch that the one oftentimes accuseth the other either of adoultry or witchery Which thinge being brought before the Officiall shee which throughe her anger had so slaundered the other is forced by an othe to excuse and purge her selfe that whatsoeuer iniurious or slanderous word she had spoken came not of any deliberate purpose or intent but through wrath and displeasure In like maner the other whiche is accused either of adoultrie or sorcerie is commaunded by an othe to declare her innocencie that shee is not guiltie of those factes so that it is euident vnto all men that in such cases whether they be guiltie or not guiltie they must sweare if they will keepe theyr good name and fame Whereby not onely the vnlawfull luker of gaine and money is soughte but also wilful periurie forced and the seculare power and iudges letted from the punishment therof so that contrary to all reason offences do remaine vnpunished Complaint against spirituall iudges taking Seculare causes from the Ciuile Magistrate ALl be it there be many causes so indifferent to both iurisdictions The wrasting of temporall causes vnto the spirituall court for gayne of money that they may be pleaded and punished as wel by the ciuill Magistrate as ecclesiasticall iudge notw tstanding it happeneth oftentimes that when as the ciuill Magistrates would exercise their office and iurisdiction in this behalfe they are forbidden and letted by the Ecclesiastical iudges vnder paine of excōmunication Which thing if it should long continue and be suffred the Ecclesiasticall iudges would shortly take away all maner of causes from the ciuil Magistrate his iurisdiction which is vntolerable and derogatorie both vnto the Emperors maiesty and other states of the Empire And albeit that by the common lawes manifest periuries adulteries withcrafts and such other like may indifferently be punished by Ecclesiastical or ciuil iudges for the time being so that preuention in this behalfe taketh place notw tstanding the Ecclesiasticall iudges goe about to vsurpe vnto themselues and theyr iurisdiction all suche maner of causes which burthen and greuance the ciuill iurisdiction and power ought not to suffer A complaint against Ecclesiastical iudges intermedling with cases of the secular Court but will not suffer their cases once to be touched of the other MOreouer the Ecclesiasticall iudges saye The clergy may deale in ciuill causes but the ciuill magistrate must not deale in theirs that in suche case it is lawful for them to take prophane matters in to their hands if the ciuil magistrate be found negligent in executing of iustice but contrariwise they will not suffer y t the like order shoulde be kept with them neither will they permit that in Ecclesiasticall matters any man may complaine vnto the ciuil Magistrate for lack of iustice and require the administration of iustice at his hand Albeit they do define all lawes generally common determine howe the Canon lawes may help and assist the ciuil and contrariwise the ciuil lawes the Canon Complaint against certaine misorders of the Cathedral Churches for vsing double punishment for one offence against the lawe FOrsomuch as it is forbidden both by gods law mans Certaine orders of Cathedrall churches reproueable y t no man shuld be beaten with 2. rods that is to say be punished with 2. kinds of torments worthely therefore do all wise men detest abhorre the odious statutes of diuers cathedral churches wherby murtherers both men women other as wel light as greuous offenders haue ben hetherto vexed tormented for hetherto it hath bene accustomed y t such as wer gilty of murther such other crimes which they cal cases reserued vnto the bishops after they had made their auricular confession were cōpelled to their great ignominy shame to do penaunce in the sight of all the people which penāce were not so much to be disalowed hearing some semblance of the institution of the primatiue churche if so be it these busie officials being contente therew t wold not extort more and greater summes of money then were right and lawful and so punish those offenders with double punishment wherew tall it is to be marueiled how many be offended and greeued Howe wicked a thynge thys is and howe farre it differeth from Christes instititution we will referre it to euery good conscience to iudge Complaint of Officials for mainteining vnlawfull vsuries Officials taking pensions of priestes for keeping concubines FUrthermore the Officials being allured thoroughe the greedy and vnsatiable desire of money do not only not forbid vnlawful vsuries and gaines of mony but also suffer and maintaine the same Moreouer they taking a yerely stipend and pension do suffer the Clergy and other religious persons vnlawfully to dwel with their concubines and harlots and to beget children by them Bothe whych things howe great pearil offence and detriment they doe bring bothe vnto body and soule euery man may plainely see so that it neede not to be rehearsed except he wil make himselfe as blinde as a mole Complaint of Officials permitting vnlawfull cohabitation with other when the husband or wife are long absent FUurthermore where it so happeneth as it doeth oftentymes that either the good manne or the good wife by meanes of warre or some other vowe hath taken in hande some long iourney and so tarieth longer then serueth the appetite of the other the Officiall
behind him The death of Duke Fridericke for that he liued a single life and was neuer maried wherfore after him succeeded Iohn Fridericke D. of Saxony Mention was made a little before page 859. of the Ministers of Strausburgh which because of their Mariage Disceptatiō betweene the Senate of Strausburgh and Cardinall Campeius about married ministers were in trouble and cited by the Bishop to appeare before him and thereto be iudged without the precinct of the Citie of Strausburgh wheras there had bene a contrary order taken before betweene the Bishop and the Citie that the Bishop should execute no iudgement vpon any but vnder some of the Magistrates of the said City of Strausburgh Whereupon the Senate and Citizens taking into their hands the cause of these maried Ministers in defence of their owne right and liberties wrote as is sayd to their Byshop of Strausburgh and caused the iudgement thereof a while to be stayed By reason whereof the matter was brought at lēgth before Cardinall Campeius Legate sent by Pope Clemēt to the assemble of Norenberge an 1524. The chiefe doer in this matter was one Thomas Murnerus a Franciscane Frier who had commenced a greeuous complaint against the Senate and Citie of Strausburgh before the foresayde Cardinall Campeius Murnerus a Frier an accuser of maried ministers The Senate of Strausburgh purgeth themselues to Cardinall Campeius Wherefore the Senate to purge themselues sent their Ambassadours thus clearing their cause and aunswering to theyr accusation That they neither had bene nor would be any let to the Byshop but had signified to him before by theyr letters that whatsoeuer he could lay against those maried Priests consonant to the lawe of God they woulde be no stay but rather a furtherance vnto him to proceede in hys action But the Senate heerein was not a little greeued that the Bishop contrary to the order and compact which was taken betweene him and them did call the sayde Ministers out of the liberties of their Citie For so it was betweene them agreed that no Ecclesiasticall person should be adiudged but vnder some iudge of their owne Citie But now contrary to the said agreement the Bishop called those Ministers out of their liberties The Bishop of Strausburgh breaketh the agreement made the liberties of the Citie and so the Ministers claiming the right and priuiledge of the Citie were condemned their cause being neither heard nor knowne And now if the Senate should shew themselues any thing more sharpe or rigorous vnto those Ministers in claiming the right of the Citie the people no doubt woulde not take it well but happely woulde rise vp in some commotion against them in the quarell and defence of their fraunchises and liberties And where it is obiected that they receaue Priests and men of the Clergy into the fredome and protection of their Citie to this they answered that they did nothing herein but which was correspondent to the auncient vsage and maner of the Citie before and moreouer that it was the Byshops owne request desire made vnto them so to do To this the Cardinall againe aduising well the letters of the Bishop The answer of Campeius to the ambassadours The Popes prelates be lawles and can breake no order whatsoeuer they doe The ambassadours reply against the Cardinall the whole order of the matter which was sent vnto him declared that he right wel vnderstood by the letters sent that the Ministers in deede as the Ambassadours sayd were called out from the freedome liberties of the Citie and yet no order of law was broken therein for as much as the Bishop said he had there no lesse power and authoritie then if he were his owne Uicare delegate and therefore he desired them that they woulde assist the Bishop in punishing the foresayd Ministers c. After much other talke and reasoning on both partes wherein the Ambassadours argued in defence of their freedome that the iudgement should not be transferred out of the Citie among other cōmunication they inferred moreouer and declared how in the Citie of Strausburgh were many yea the most part of the Cleargy which liued viciously and wickedly with their strumpets harlots whom they kept in their houses Holy matrimony punished wicked whoredome escapeth to the great offence of the people shame to Christes Church and pernitious example of other and yet the Bishop would neuer once stirre to see any punishing or correction thereof Wherefore if the Senate said the Ambassadours should permit the Bishop to extend his crueltie and extremitie against these married Ministers for not obseruing the Bishop of Roomes law and leaue the other notorious whoremaisters whiche brake the law of God to escape vnpunished doubtles it would redound to their great danger and perill not onely before God but also among the commons of their Citie readie to rise vpon them To this Campeius aunswered what composition or bargaine was betwixt the Bishop and thē Campeius answereth he knew not but surely the Acte of the one was manifest and needed no great triall in law of prouing and confessing and therefore they were sequestred and abandoned from the communion of the Church ipso facto As for the other sorte of them which keepe harlots and concubines although said he it be not well done Ipso facto that is vpon the very doing of the acte without any further iudgement or triall by the lawe yet doth it not excuse the enormitie of their Mariage Neither was he ignorant but that it was the maner of the Bishops of Germany for money to winke at Priests lemans and the same also was euil done in deede and farther that the time should come when they shall be called to an accompt for the same but yet neuerthelesse it is not sufferable that Priestes therefore shoulde haue wiues And if comparison should be made sayd he much greater offence it were a Priest to haue a wife then to haue and keepe at home many harlots His reason was this For they that keepe harlots sayd he as it is naught that they do A fitt reasō for a carnall Cardinall better it is to haue many concubines then one wife .. Touching the Greeke church how vntruely this Cardinall speaketh turne to the pag. 187. The Ambassadours reply so do they acknowledge their sinne the other perswade themselues to do well and so continue stil without repentance or conscience of their fact All men said he can not be chaste as Iohn Baptist was yet can it not be proued by any example to be lawfull for Priests professing chastitie to leaue their single life and to marrie no not the Greekes themselues which in rites be differing from vs do geue this libertie to their owne Priestes to marry wherefore he prayed them to geue their ayde to the Bishop in this behalfe Whereunto the Ambassadours replyed againe sayeng that if he would first punish the whoremasters then might the Senate assist him
beyng taken wythin the precinct and limites of the Citie of Zuricke coÌ„trary to lawe and order Finally after much discoursing wherein they in a long letter declared their diligence and fidelitie at all times in keeping their league and maintaining the libertie and dignitie of their country as touching the cause of religion if that were all the matter of their offence they offered themselues willing to heare and more glad to amende if anye could prooue any errour in them by the Scripture Otherwise if none so could or would proue wherin they did erre by the worde of God they coulde not they sayd alter any thing in the state of that Religion wherein their consciences were already staide by the woorde of God and setled what soeuer pearill or daunger should happen to them for the same Although here was no cause why these Pages or Cantons which were so confederate together in the league of peace What loue and hatred doth among men should disagree among themselues yet heerein may we see the course and trade of the worlde that when difference of religioÌ„ beginneth a litle to breake the knot of amitie by and by how friends be turned to foes what suspitions do rise what quarels and grudge do folow howe nothing there liketh men but euery thing is taken to y e worst part smal â—otes are made mountaines vertues made vices and one vice made a thousand and all for lacke only of a litle good wil betwixt party party For as loue charity commonly among men either couereth or seeth not the faultes of their frendes so hatred and disdaine taking all things to blame can finde nothyng in their foes that they can like And thus did it happen betweene these good men of Zuricke and these other Suitzers aboue named These letters of the Tigurines to the other Cantons were written vpon the occasion of theyr apprehending the preacher Ioan. Oxlinus aboue named the 4. day of Ianuary Anno 1525. and in the moneth of Aprill next following The Masse with all his ceremoâ—eâ— put downe in Zuricke the maiestrates and Senate of the sayd Citie of Zuricke commanded the Masse with all his ceremonies and appurtenaunce therto belonging to be put downe as wel wythin the City as without throughout all their iurisdiction and in steade thereof was placed the Lordes Supper the reading of the Prophets prayer and preaching A law in Zurick made against adulterers Also a lawe was made against whoredome and adulterie and iudges ordained to heare the causes of matrimony Anno. 1525. Ex Comment Sled lib. 4. All this while the Gospel was not as yet receiued in any other Page of Heluetia but only in Zuricke Disputation at BadeÌ„ in Heluetia Wherfore y e other 12. pages or townes appoynted among themselues concerning a meting or a disputation to be had at Baden Where were present amoÌ„g other diuines Ioannes Faber Eckius Murnerus aboue mentioned The bishops also of Lucerna Basill Curiake Lausanna sent thither theyr legates The conclusions there propounded were these That the true body and bloud of Christ Theames or propositions propounded in the disputation at Baden is in the Sacrament That the masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and deade That the blessed virgine and other saintes are to be inuocated as mediatours and intercessours That Images ought not to be abolished That there is a purgatorie Which conclusions or assertions Eckius tooke vppon him stoutly to defend Eckius defeÌ„ded Against him reasoned Oecolampadius who was then chiefe preacher at Basill wyth certaine other moe Zuinglius at that time was not there present but by wrytinge confuted the doctrine of Eckius Oecolampadius against Eckius· declaring withall the causes of hys absence whych were for that he durst not for feare of his lyfe committe himselfe to the handes of the Lucernates Urani Suitij Unterualdij and Tugiani his enemies and that hee refused not to dispute but the place onely of the disputation Zuinglius excuseth himself for not comming to the disputation excusing moreouer y t he was not permitted of the Senate to come neuertheles if they would assigne the place of disputation either at Zuricke or at Berna or at Sangallum thether he woulde not refuse to come Briefly the conclusion of the disputation was this that all should remaine in that Religion which hetherto they had kept and should follow the authoritie of the Councell neither should admit any other newe doctrine within theyr dominions c Thys was in the moneth of Iune the sayd yeare aboue mentioned As the time proceded and dissention about religion encreased it folowed the next yere after The disputation at Berne An. 1527. in the moÌ„th of December that the Senate people of Berne whose power amongst al the Suitzers chieflye excelleth considering how neither they could haue the Actes of the disputation of Baden communicated vnto them and that the variance about religion still more more encreased Disputation at Berne in Heluetia assigned an other disputation within their owne Citie and sending forth wrytings therof called vnto the same al the bishops bordering nere about them as the Bishops of Constance Basill Sedune Lausanna warning them bothe to come themselues and to bring their diuines wyth them or else to lose all such possessions which they had lying within the boundes of theyr precinct After this they appoynted oute certeine Ecclesiasticall persons of their iurisdiction to dispute prescribing and determining the whole disputation to be decided only by the authority of the old and new TestameÌ„t Godly lawes of a disputation To all that would come thether they grauÌ„ted safeconduict Also they appoynted that all things there should be done modestly without iniurie and brauling woordes and that euery one shoulde haue leaue to speake his minde freely and with such deliberation that euery mans saying might be receiued by the notarye penned with this prouiso made before that what soeuer there shoulde be agreed vpon the same should be ratified and obserued through al their dominions and to the intent meÌ„ might come thether better prepared before they propounded in publike wryting 10. conclusions in the sayde disputation to be defended of their ministers by the scriptures which ministers wer Franciscus Colbus and Bertholdus Hallerus The theames or conclusions were these 1. That the true Church whereof Christ is the head riseth out of gods word Theames to be disputed and persisteth in the same and heareth the voice of no other 2. That the same Church maketh no lawes without the worde of God 3. That traditions ordeined in the name of the Church doe not binde but so farre foorth as they be consonante to Gods worde 4. That Christ only hath made satisfactioÌ„ for the sinnes of the world and therefore if any man say that there is any other way of saluation or meane to putte away sinne the same denieth Christ. 5. That the body bloude of Christe
sayd Vengeance is myne and I will punish Rom. 12. And for so much as he was a very leane man he added thys moreouer saying It is all one for shortly I must haue forsaken thys skin which already scarsely hangeth to my bones I know well that I am a mortall and a corruptible worme and haue nothing in me but corruption I haue long time desired my latter day haue made my request that I might be deliuered out of this mortall body to be ioyned with my Sauiour Christ. I haue deserued through my manifold sinnes committed agaynst my Sauior Christ my crosse and my Sauiour Christ hath borne the crosse and hath died vpon the crosse and for my part I will not glory in any other thing but onely in the crosse of Iesus Christ. There were present by This blessed Martyr drowned certayne naughtye persons which tould not endure to heare this godly exhortatiō but made a signe vnto the hangman to cast him down into the riuer After he was throwne downe he moued by a certayne space in the water in such sort that the riuer whereinto he was cast was redde with bloud This was a certayne signe and token that innocent bloud was that daye shed They which were there present beholding that whiche had happened The water miraculously couloured with bloud where he was drowned were greatly amazed and astonyed cōsidering with themselues what the stayning of the water with the bloud should signify Euery man returned home pēsiue and sad maruelling at the cruel deed that was done that day notwithstanding no man durst open his mouth to speake one word because that all thinges were exercised with such cruelty This was done in the towne of Ensissheim an 1525. These thinges I did vnderstand by one which did behold them with his eyes The Lord of his great grace be mercifull vnto vs and forgeue vs our sinnes Ex Oecolam Such was the wickednes then of those dayes and yet is still that who so euer was perceiued to fauour the Gospel or any thing to dislike the doctrine of the popes church he was hated and despited of the Rulers Lawiers and al other Papistes through the whole countrey about but especially of priestes monks and friers And though the life of the Gospellers were neuer so sound vpright yet such was the hatred and malice of the Popes frendes agaynste them that they neuer ceased to seek all occasiōs and deuise matters how to bring them to death It so happened a litle before this present time that there was a commotion of the rude and rusticall people of the country rising in armour inordinately agaynst theyr Rulers to the great disturbance of the whole country of Germany no lesse to theyr owne destruction of whom were slayn aboue 20000. At length when this rebellion was appeased and all things quiet such as were the popes frēds to worke theyr malice agaynst the Gospell tooke occasion thereby not long after to accuse and entangle such as they knew to be Gospellers Protestantes And although the sayd Gospellers were neuer so inculpable cleare from al rebellion yet that sufficed not for causes were made false witnesses brought corrupt Iudges suborned to condemne the innocent many were put to death theyr cause neither being heard nor knowne By reason whereof a great nūber of good innocent Christians were miserably brought to theyr end and martyrdome In the number of whome was this poore man also whose story by Oecolampadius is thus described ¶ An other history of a certayne man of the country wrongfully put to death collected by the sayd Iohn Oecolampadius Ex Ioan. Occolampadio THere was sayth he a certayne manne of the countrey which in my iudgement was a good man and louer of iustice and a mortall enemye of all the cruell exactions of the Gentlemen which oppressed the poore people Thys man after the tumult and commotion of the countrey was appeased was grieuously vexed and tormented because he had cryed Alarme when as a great number of horsemen raunged about the countrey to seeke out those which had bene the authours of that sedition This poore man was taken by pollicy so vpholden with fayre promises that they made him cōfesse whatsoeuer they requyred He thinking that they would not haue put him to death was cast in prison wheras he was long time deteined well cherished to take away all suspition from him but after he had taried a long time in prison they put him to the Pinbank laying diuers and many grieuous offences to his charge where they kept him hanging in the trusse of the corde The trusse of the corde is a certaine hanging vp by the handes behinde hauing a waightie stone fastened at their feete the space of sixe houres hanging a great stone fastened at hys feete The sweat that dropped from his body for very payne and anguish was almost bloud In this distresse he cryed out pitifully but all that could not once moue the tormenters hartes When as all the power strength in his body beganne to fayle him with great violence they let him fall downe There this poore man lay euen as a stocke not mouing any part or member of his body but a little drawing his breath which was a token that there was some life in him Here the tormenters were in great doubt what to do with the man whom they sought by al meanes to destroy in what place they might put him that he should not die of that torment Amongest them there was one which brought vineger and rose water and rubbing him therewithall they dyd somewhat recouer him After that they had caused hym to eate and drinke such as they had prouided for him they let him downe into a deepe dungeon where he could see neyther Sunne nor Moone All this was done to the intent to put him to more torment when he had somewhat recouered his strength agayne There they let him continue xviij dayes after which time they brought him agayne to examination propoūding certaine articles vnto him whiche he constantly denyed They deuised diuers and sundry kindes of tormentes to the intent they might euen of force extorte something of this poore man which might seeme woorthy of death yet for all that they were fayne to depart without theyr purpose The xx day after these tyrauntes hyred a hangman a man sure worthy of his office whiche lefte no kinde of cruelty vnpractised The innocent man againe tormented Yet did he misse of his purpose also and was constrained to leaue his cruelty and to pronounce euē with his own mouth that the man was innocēt in that he had so constantly endured so many horrible and grieuous tormentes Yet these tyrauntes came agayne the fourth time False witnes suborned two witnesses agaynst him thus cōcluding that he was worthy of death because he had cried Alarme after the truice was taken woulde haue moued a new sedition The day was appointed
Nicholas Frenchman Nicholas Frenchman MarioÌ„ wyfe of Augustinus Martyrs Marion wife of Augustinus An. 1549. M. Nicholas and Barbara hys Wyfe also Augustinus a Barber and Marion hys Wyfe borne about Hennegow after they had bene at Geneua a space came into Germanye thinkyng that way to passe ouer into England By the way comming to HeÌ„negow Augustine desired M Nicholas because he was learned to come to Bergis to visite and comfort certeyne brethren there which he willingly did From thence passing by Dornic or Tornay they held on theyr iourney toward England But in the way Austen and his wife being knowen were detected to the Lieuetenaunt of Dornic who in all speedy hast folowing after them ouertooke them 4. myles beyond Donic Augustine how I can not tell escaped that time out of theyr handes and could not be found The souldiours then laying handes vpon Nicholas and the 2. women brought them backe agayne to Dornic In returninge by the waye when M. Nicholas at the table gaue thankes as the maner is of the faythfull the wicked Ruler scorning them and swearing like a tyraunt sayd Now let vs see thou lewd heretick whether thy God can deliuer thee out of my hand To whome Nicholas aunswering againe modestly asked what had Christ euer offended him that he with his blasphemous swearing did so teare him in pieces desiring him Blasphemy of a Papist that if he had any thing against Christ rather he would wreke his anger vpon his poore body and let the Lord alone Thus they being bound hands feet were brought to Bergis and there laid in the doungeon TheÌ„ duke Ariscote accompanyed with a great number of priestes and Franciscan Friers and with a Doctor whiche was theyr warden came to talke with them Nicholas sâ—anding in the middest of them being asked what he was and whither he would aunswered theÌ„ perfectly to all theyr questions and moreouer so confounded the Friers that they went away ashamed saying that be had a deuil and crying The Fryers confounded to the fire with him Lutherane As they continued looking still for the day of their execution it came to the Riuers myndes to aske of Nicolas in what house he was lodged wheÌ„ he came to Bergis Nicolas sayd he had neuer bene there before and therefore being a straunger he could not tell the name of the house When Nicolas would confesse nothing Duke Ariscotus came to Barbara Nicholas hys Wyfe to know where they were lodged at Bergis promising many fayre woordes of deliuery if she would tell Barbarn reuolted She being a weake and a timorous woman vttered all By the occasion whereof great persecution folowed and many were apprehended Where this is to be noted that shortlye Gods punishment vpon persecutours euen vpon the same the sonne of the sayd Duke Ariscotus was slayne and buryed the same day when Augustinus was burned To be short Nicolas shortly after was brought before the Iudges and there condemned to be burned to ashes At which sentence geuing Nicholas condemned Nicolas blessed the Lord which had counted him worthy to be a witnesse in the cause of hys deare and welbeloued sonne Going to the place of execution he was commaunded to speake nothing to the people or els he should haue a balle of wood thrust in his mouth Being at the stake and seeyng a great multitude aboute him forgetting his silence promised he cryed with a loud voyce O Charles Charles how long shall thy hart be hardened And with y t one of y e souldiours gaue him a blow Then saide Nicholas again Ah miserable people thou art not woorthy to whom the word of God should be preached And thus hee spake as they were binding him to the stake The â—riers came out with theyr olde song crying that he had a deuill To whom Nicholas spake the Uerse of the Psalme Depart from me all ye wicked for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weepyng And thus this holye Martyr paciently taking his death commended vp his spirit vnto God in the middest of the fire Ex Lud. Rab. Pantal. et alijs  Marion Wife of Austen aboue mentioned At Bergis in Hennegow An. 1549. After the Martyrdome of this M. Nicolas MarioÌ„ the wife of Austen was called for The martyrdom of Marion With whome they had much talke about the maner and state of Geneua asking her how the Sacraments wer administred ther and whether shee had celebrated there the Lordes Supper To whom she aunswered that the Sacramentes there were celebrated after the Lordes institution of the which she was no Celebrator but a Partaker The sentence of her condemnation was this that she should be interred quicke When she was let downe to the graue Marion buryed quicke kneeling vpon her knees she desired the Lord to help her and before she should be throwne downe she desired her face might be couered with a napkin or some linnen cloth who being so couered and the earth thrown vpon her face and her body the hangman stamped vpon her with hys feet till her breath was past Ibidem The watchmeÌ„ or souldiours of Bellimont Augustine the husband of Marion At Bellimont in Hennegow An. 1549. Ye heard before how Austen escaped before at the taking of Nicholas and the 2. women After this he gaue himselfe to sell spices other pedlary ware from place to place Who at length coÌ„ming to the Towne of Bellimont in Hennegow there was knowne detected to the Magistrate Whereof he hauing some intelligence before left his ware ran away And seeing moreouer the house beset about with harnised men where he was hosted he began to be more afeard and hid himself in a bush for he was very timorous and a weake spirited man But the houre beyng come which the Lord hath appoynted for him it happened that certayne standing vpon the towne walle which might well see him go into the thicket or bushe gaue knowledge therof to the souldiours Augustine againe taken which folowed hym to the bushe and tooke him Beyng taken he was had to Bergis the head towne of Hennegow where being examined valiauntly standyng to the defence of his doctrine aunswered his aduersaryes with great boldnes Wherein here is to be noted and maruelled to see the worke of the Lord Example of Gods goodnes in strengthening the weake harted how this man being before of nature so timorous now was so strengthened wyth Gods grace that he nothing feared the force of al his enemies Among other came to him the Warden of the Gray Friers with a long Oration perswadyng him to relent or els he shoulde be damned in hell fyre perpetually To whom Austen aunsweryng agayn sayd proue that which you say by the authority of Gods woord that a man may beleue you you saye much but you proue nothing rather lyke a Doctor of lyes then of truth c. At last he being there condemned to be burnt at Bellimont was brought to the Inne
resurrection of flesh and briefly al the articles of true religioÌ„ Lying 〈◊〉 And thus he charged them without any proofe moouyng both the king and people without any forme of law to destroy and cut them in pieces c. The third that wrote against theÌ„ was Cenalis Cenalis â—â—â—shop of Aâ—â—ranches pâ—â—secutouâ— bishop of Auranches which debated the same marter but w t lesse vehemency then the other defending impudently that theyr assembles were to mainteine whoredome coÌ„playning of the Iudges because they were no sharper with theÌ„ saying that theyr softnesse was y e cause why the nuÌ„ber of theÌ„ so much encreased Among other pointes of his booke this one thing he disputeth maruelous pleasauntly touching y e signes markes of the true Church first presupposing this one thing which is true Note 〈◊〉 the true notes of 〈◊〉 pope holy church that y e true Church hath hys signes by y e which it may be knowne froÌ„ y e false churche and therupoÌ„ making no mention at all either of preaching or ministratioÌ„ of sacrameÌ„ts thus he inferreth y t theyr church which was the catholick church had belles by the which theyr assembles be ordinarily called together the other church which is of the Lutherans hath clappes of harquebuses pistelets for signes wherby they as it is coÌ„monly bruted are wont to coÌ„gregate together Upon this supposall as vpon a sure foundation he grounding his matter vaunted triumphed as one hauing gotten a greate conquest and made a long Antithesis or comparison by the which he would proue that bels were y e markes of the true church The belles said he do sound Belles to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the true Church the harquebuses do cracke or thunder The belles do geue a sweete tune and melodious the signes of the Lutheranes make a foule noyse and terrible The belles do open heauen the other do open hell Bels chase away cloudes and thunder The 〈◊〉 Belles in the Pope church the other gender cloudes and counterfeite thunder with many other propertyes moe which he brought out to proue that the Church of Rome is the true Church because it hath those belles Marke good Reader the profound reasons and argumentes which these great doctors had either to defeÌ„d theyr own church or to impugne the Apologies of the Christians Briefly to finish the residue of this story as the faythfull Christians were thus occupied in writing theyr Apologyes and in comforting theyr brethreÌ„ in prison with theyr letters the aduersaryes agayne w t theyr faction were not idle but sought all meanes possible to hasten forward the execution geuing diligent attendance about the prison and other open places to satisfy theyr vncharitable desire with y e death of them whose religion they hated Finally the 17. day of September commission was directed out by the king and certayne Presidentes and counsellers appoynted to ouersee the expedition of the matter WherupoÌ„ diuers of the poore afflicted Gospellers were brought forth to theyr iudgement and martyrdome as anon Christ willing you shall heare Henricus Pantal. lib. 11. partly touching this persecution of the Parisians referreth the tyme thereof to the yeare of our Sauiour .1557 whyche the Frenche Chronicles doe assigne to the yeare .1558 and addeth moreouer that the Germanes beyng the same time in a certayne colloquy at wormes diuers learned men resorted thither froÌ„ Geneua and other quarters desiring of the princes protestants there that they by theyr Ambassadours sent by the French king would become suters vnto him for the innoceÌ„t prisoners which for the cause abouesayd were deteined in handes at Paris by the meanes of whose intercession sayth he and especially for that the french king was then in warre as GOD prouided with Philip king of Spayne Gods helpe in tyme of neede a great part of the captiues were rescued and deliuered albeit certayn of the sayd number were executed before the comming of the Germaine Ambassadours the names and Martyrdome of whom here vnder do ensue Ex Crisp. Pantal Lib. 11. Priestes of the College of Plessis Doctour Maillard Doc. Maillard confuted Sorbonist Nicholas Clinet At Paris An. 1558. Of this godly company thus brought to iudgemeÌ„t and to martyrdome Nicholas Clinet Seniour of the church and martyr the first was Nicolas Clinet of the age of 80. yeares who first being a scholemaister to youth at Sainâ—onge where he was borne was there pursued had his Image burned From thence hee came to Paris where for his godlye conuersation hee was made one of the Elders or Gouernours of the Churche For his age he was suspected of the Iudges to be a minister therefore was set to dispute agaynst the chiefest of y e Sorbonistes namely Maillard whom he did so confute both in the Scriptures and also in theyr owne Sorbonicall Diuinity wherein he had bene well exercised expert in the presence of the Lieutenant ciuile that the sayd Lieutenant confessed that he neuer heard a man better learned and of more intelligence Doctour Maillard Taurin Grauelle martyr Sorbonist Taurin Grauelle a Lawyer At Paris An. 1558. Taurin Grauelle first was a student of the lawe at Toulouse after that hee was made an aduocate in the Court of Paris lastly for his godlines hee was ordeyned an Elder to the sayd congregation with Clinet aboue mentioned This Taurin hauyng in his handes the keeping of a certayn house of one M. Barthomier his kinsman and seing the congregation destitute of a roome receiued them into the house And when he perceiued the house to be compassed with enemies albeit he might haue escaped with the rest yet he would not but did abyde the aduenture to the intent he woulde aunswere for the fact in receiuing the sayd assemble into the house The constancy of this man was inuincible in susteining his conflictes with the Sorbonistes With Doctour Maillarde especially he was of olde acquayntaunce whom he did knowe so well euen from hys youth vpwarde that whensoeuer the sayd Doctour would open his mouth to speake agaynst the Saintes for theyr nightlye assembles he agayne did approch him with so filthy actes of buggerye and infamous Sodomitry that neyther they which hearde could abide it neyther yet coulde hee deny it being so notorious that almost all the children in the streetes did know it and yet that Sorbonicall Doctour shamed not to empeach good men of whoredome for theyr Godly assembles in the night Whose lyfe was so farre from all chastity as were there holy assembles cleare from all impurity Note the holie lyfe of these Sorbonicall Doctours in â—ine these twoe Godly Elders in cruell paynes of the fire finished theyr martyrdome The Lieutenant ciuile Doctour Maillard Sorbonist Mosnior Lieutenant Euil neighbours Bertrand Lord keeper of the seale and Cardinal of Sens. The Marques of Tran. Philip de Luns Gâ—tlewoman At Paris An. 1558. Next vnto these abouesaid was brought out maistres Philip Gentlewoman of the age of 23.
Apostles and other holy Martirs did Fridericke asked them if they required anye miracle No sayd they and so stoode mute saue onelye that Democares prayed them to consider wel what they had sayd vnto them Doct. Maillard gageth hys soule Maillard also added that he woulde gage his soule to be damned but it was true Fridericke aunswered that he knewe it was contrary At last being brought to the place of execution a Crosse agayne was offered them which they refused Then a Priest standing by bad them beleeue in the virgine Mary Let God sayd they reigne alone The people standing by ah mischieuous Lutherane sayd they Nay a true Christian I am said he When they were tyed to theyr stakes after theyr prayers made when they were bid to be dispatched one of them comforting the other sayde be strong my brother be strong Satan away from vs. As they were thus exhorting one standing by sayd These Lutheranes do call vpon Satan Iohn Morel was afterward burned One Iohn Morell whiche afterward dyed a martyr then standing by at liberty aunswered I pray you let vs heare sayd hee what they say and we shall heare them inuocate the name of God Whereupon the people listened better vnto them to harkeÌ„ as wel as they could what they said they crying stil as much as much as their mouthes being stopped could vtter The death and martyrdome of Ribezies and Danuile Assiste vs O Lorde and so they rendring vp their spirites to the handes of the Lord did consummate their valiant Martyrdome Ex Crisp. Lib. 6. ¶ After the martyrdome of these two abouesayd the intention of the Iudges was to dispatch y e rest one after an other in like sorte and had procured already proces agaynst xij or xiij ready to be iudged But a certayne gentlewoman then prisoner amoÌ„gst them had presented causes of exceptions or refusals agaynst them wherby the cruel rage of the enemies was stayed to the month of Iuly following In the which meane time as this persecution was spread into other countryes The Suitzers make supplication to the French king for the martyrs first the faythfull Cantons of Suitziers perceiuing these good men to be afflicted for the same doctrine which they preached in theyr Churches sent their Ambassadours to the kinge to make supplication for them The same time also came letters from the county Palatine Elector tendyng to the same end to sollicite the king for them Countie Palatine maketh intercession to the French kyng for the Châ—istian prisoners the king standing the same tyme in great neede of the Germaynes for his warres was contented at least that they should proceed more gently with them and so the fire for the same tyme ceased Most of them were sent to Abbayes where they were kept at the charge of the Priours to bee constrayned to bee present at the seruice of Idolatry especially the young schollers of whome some shronke backe other being more loosly kept escaped away The most part were brought before the Officiall to make their confession and to receiue absolution ordinary Diuers made their confession ambiguous and doubtful c. Ex. Ioan. Crisp. lib. 6. Ex PaÌ„tal lib. xi  René Seau Iohn Almaricke At Paris An. 1552. These two young men were also of the company aboue specified René Seaâ— Iohn Almaricke dyed in prison and were in prison where they sustayned such cruelty beyng almost racked to death that Almericke coulde not go when hee was called to the courte to be iudged and beyng vpon the racke he rebuked their crueltye and spake so freely as though he had felt no grief and as they sayd whiche came to visite hym he testified vnto them that hee felte no dolour so long as hee was vppon it Both these dyed in prison continuing still firme and constant in y e pure confession of Christes church Ibidem VillegagnoÌ„ a Frenche captayne Iohn Bordel Math· Vermeil Peter Bourdon Andrew de Fou. At the countrey of Bresill Ann. 1558. Mention is made in the French storye of one Uillegaignon Iohn Bordell Math. Vermeil Pet. BurdoÌ„ martyrs Lieuetenaunt for the Frenche kinge who made a vyage into the land of Bresill wyth certaine French ships and tooke an Ilande nere to the same adioyning and made therin a fortresse After they had bene there a while Uillegaignon for lack of victuals as he pretended sent certayn of them away in a shippe to y e riuer of Plate toward the Pole Antarticke Hee sent them farre enough because they should neuer returne pretending that he lacked victuall but the cause was religion a thousand miles of in the whiche shipp were these foure here mentioned Who forsaking their shyp by occasion of tempest were caryed backe agayne and so came to the laÌ„de of Bresill and afterward to theyr owne countreyman Uillegaignon being much agreeued thereat first charged them with departing without his leaue Moreouer being terrified in hys minde with false suspicion and vayne dreames fearing and dreaming least they had bene sent as priuye spyes by the Bresilians because they came from them and had bene friendly intertained of them he began to deuise howe he might put them to death vndersome colour of treason but the cause was religion For albeit some tyme he had ben a professour of the Gospell yet afterward growing in some dignitie he fell to be an Apostata and cruell persecutor of hys fellowes But when no proofe or coniecture probable could be found to serue his cruell purpose he knowing them to be earnest protestantes drew out certayn articles of religion for theÌ„ to aunswere and so intrapping them vppon theyr confession he layd them in irons and in prison and secretly with one executor and his page he took one after an other beginning with Iohn Bordell first brought hym to the topp of a rocke and there being halfe strangled without any iudgement threw hym into the sea and after the like maner ordered also the rest Of whoÌ„ 3. were thus cruelly murdered drowned to wit Iohn Bordel Mat. Uermeil and Peter Burdon The 4. which was Andrew de Fou he caused by manifold allurementes somewhat to inclyne to hys sayinges and so he escaped the daunger not without great offence taken of a great part of the Frenchmen in that country Ex Crisp. lib. 6. Ex CoÌ„ment Gallic de statu Religionis Reipub. The kynges Lieuetenaunt Geffrey Varagle Geffrey Varagle martyr At Thurin in Piedmont Ann. 1558. In the same yeare 1558. suffered also Gefreye Uaragle preacher in the Ualley of Angroigne at y e town of Thurin in Piedmont who first was a monkâ— and sayd masse the space of xxvii yeares Afterward returning from Busque toward Angroigne to preach as he had vsed before to doe sent by the ministers of Geneneua and other faythfull brethren was apprehended in the town of Barges brought before the kings Lieutenant Where he was questioned with touching diuers Articles of religion as of iustification
diuinitie a frier Iacobine named Bassinet who then answered againe with this Oration This is a weyghty matter sayd he and of great importaunce The oration of Bassinet answering to the Byshop of Aix We muste therefore proceede wisely and in the feare of God and beware that we do nothing rashly For if we seeke the deathe and destruction of these poore and miserable people wrongfully whē the King and the Nobilitie shall heare of suche an horrible slaughter we shall be in great daunger least they doe to vs as we reade in the Scriptures was done to the priestes of Baal For my parte I must say and vnfainedly confesse that I haue too rashly and lightly signed many processes against those which haue bene accused of hereticall doctrine but nowe I do protest before God whyche seeth and knoweth the hearts of men that seeing the lamentable end and effect of mine assigments I haue had no quietnesse in my conscience considering that the secular iudges at the reporte of the iudgement and sentence geuen by mee and other Doctours my companions haue condemned all those vnto most cruel death whome wee haue iudged to bee heretickes The godly repentance of Bassinet And the cause why in conscience I am thus disquieted is this that now of late since I haue geuē my self more diligently to the reading cōtēplatiō of the holy scriptures I haue perceiued that the most part of those Articles which they that are called Lutheranes doe maintayne are so conformable and agreeing to the Scriptures The testimony of Bassinet for Lutherans that for my part I can no longer gainesay them except I should euen wilfully and maliciously resist and striue against the holy ordinances of God Al be it hetherto to maintaine the honour of our holy mother the Churche and of our holy father the Pope and of our order I haue consented to the opinions doings of the other Doctours as well through ignoraunce as also because I woulde not seeme to attempt any thing against the will and pleasure of the Prelates and Vicares generall But now it seemeth vnto mee that wee ought not any more to proceede in this matter as wee haue done in time past It shall be sufficient to punish them with fines or to banish them which shall speake too intemperately or rashly against the constitutions of the Churche and of the Pope and such as shall be manifestly conuicted by the holy Scriptures to be blasphemers or obstinate heretickes to be condemned to deathe according to the enormity of the crimes or errours or els to perpetuall prisone And this my aduise and counsaile I desire you to take in good part With this counsaile of Bassinet al the company was offended but especially the Bish. of Aix who lifting vp his voyce aboue all the rest sayd thus vnto hym O thou man of litle faith God and the Pope and the obedience to them two compared together whereof art thou in doubt Doest thou repent thee of that thou haste well done Thou haste tolde heere a tale that smelleth of fagottes and brimstone Is there any differēce thinkest thou betwene herisies and blasphemies spoken and mainteined againste the holy Scriptures and opinions holden against our holy mother the Church and contrary to our holy father the Pope a most vndouted and true God in earth Iohn 3. Art thou a maister in Israel and knowest not these things Then said the Bishop of Arles could any man entreat better of the little Barke of Christ Iesus then my Lorde of Aix hath done Then stoode vp Bassinet agayne and made thys Oration It is true that my Lorde the Bishop of Aix hathe very well set out the manners and state of the Clergie An other Oration of Bassinet and hath aptly reprooued the vices and heresies of this present time and therefore so soone as mention was made of the shippe of Christ Iesus it came in my minde first of all of the high Bishop of Hierusalem the Priestes the Doctours of the lawe the Scribes and Phariseys whyche sometime had the gouernaunce of this shippe being ordeined pastours in the Church of God But when they forsooke the lawe of God and serued him with mennes inuentions and traditions he destroyed those Hypocrites in his great indignation and hauing compassion and pitie vppon the people which were lyke sheepe without a shepheard hee sent diligent fishers to fishe for menne faithfull workemen into his haruest and labourers into hys vineyeard which shall all bring foorth true fruites in their season Secondly considering the purpose and entent of the reuerent Lord Bishop of Aix I called to minde the saying of the Apostle in his ◠Epistle and 4. chapter vnto Timothe That in the latter daies some shall fall away from the faith following after deceitfull spirites and the doctrine of deuils And the Apostle geueth a marke whereby a man shall know them Likewise our Lord Iesus Christ in the 7. chapter of Mathew sayeth That the false Prophetes shall come clothed in sheepes skinnes but inwardly they are rauening Wolues and by their fruites they shall be knowen By these two and diuers such other places it is easy to vnderstand who are they that goe about to drowne this little barke of Christ. False pastors in Christes church described Are they not these which fill the same wyth filthy and vncleane thinges With mire and dirt with puddle and stinking water Are they not those which haue forsaken Iesus Christe the fountaine of liuing water and haue digged vnto them selues pittes or cesternes whych will holde no water Truely euen those they are which vaunt themselues to be the salte of the earth and yet haue no sauour at all which cal them selues pastours yet are nothing lesse then true pastours for they minister not vnto the shepe the true pasture and feeding neither deuide and distribute the true bread of the word of life And if I may be bolde to speake it would it not be at this present as a great wonder to heare a Bishop preache as to see an Asse flie Are not they curssed of God whych glorye and vaunte them selues to haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and neither enter in them selues Math. 23. nor suffer them that wold enter to come in They may be knowen right well by their fruites for they haue forsaken faith iudgement and mercy there is no honest cleane or vndefiled thing in them but their habite theyr rochet theyr surplesse and such other Outwardly they are exceeding neat and trimme but wythin they are full of al abhomination rauine gluttonie Take heede of those that come to you in shepes skinnes but inwardly they are rauening Wolues filthy luste and all manner of vncleannesse They are like painted sepulchers which outwardly appeare beautifull faire but wythin they are full of filth and corruption A man shal know I say these rauening Wolues by their fruites which deuour the quicke and the dead
and sower sweete whiche mainteine abhominable and detestable bookes and pictures and reiect that which is holy Then the Bishop of Aix and the other Bishops began to rage and gnashed their teeth against this poore prisoner What neede you said they any more examination let him be sent straight vnto y e fire without any more words But the Iudge Laberius and certaine others were not of that mind neither founde they sufficient cause why to put him to death but went about to haue him put vnto hys fine and to make him confesse acknowledge the Byshop of Aix and other his companions to be the true pastors of the Church But the bookeseller aunswered that he could not do it with a good conscience forsomuch as he did see before his eies y t these Byshops mainteined filthy bookes and abhominable pictures reiecting and refusing the holy bookes of God and therefore he iudged them rather to be the Priests of Bacchus and Uenus then the true pastors of the Church of Christ. Whereupon he was immediately condemned to be burned and the sentence was executed y e very same day A godly bookeseller with two Bibles about his 〈◊〉 burned in Auinion And for a signe or token of the cause of hys condemnation he caried two Bibles hanging about hys necke the one before the other behind him but this pore man had also the word of God in his hart in his mouth and ceased not continually by the way vntill that he came to the place of execution to exhort and monish the people to reade the holy Scriptures in so much that diuers were thereby mooued to seeke after the truth The Prelates seeing a great dissention amongst the people of Auinion and that many murmured and grudged against them for the death of this good man and also for the dishonour which they had done vnto the holy Testament of God minding to put the people in a feare they proceeded the next day to make a proclamatioÌ„ by the sound of a Trumpet Proclamation agaynst French Bibles throughout the whole towne and Countie of Uenice that all such as had any bookes in the French tongue intreating vpon the holy Scriptures should bring them foorth and deliuer them into the hands of the Commissioners appointed for that purpose contrarywise they which had any suche bookes found about them should be put to death Then after that these Prelates had taken aduise to raise great persecution in Uenice the Bishop of Aix returned to prosecute the executioÌ„ of the arrest against Merindol trauelling earnestly with the President Cassaneus to that effect The Bishop of Aix stirreth vp Cassaneus the President to persecution The aunswere of Cassaneus to the Byshops for Merindoll declaring vnto him the good will of the Prelates of Auinion and Prouince the great affectioÌ„ they bare both to him and his with many faire promises if he would put the Arrest in execution The President aunswered hym that it was no small matter to put the Arrest of Merindoll in execution Also that the saiyd Arrest was geuen out more to keepe y e Lutheranes in feare which were a great number in Prouince then to execute it in effect as it was conteined in the sayd Arrest Moreouer he said that the arrest of Merindoll was not definitiue and that the lawes and statutes of the realme did not permit y e executioÌ„ thereof without further processe Then said the Bishop if there he either lawe or statute which doth hinder or let you we cary in our sleeues to dispence therwithall The President answered it were a great sinne to shed the innocent bloud Then sayd the Byshop the bloud of them of Merindoll be vpon vs and vpon our successours Then said the President Sanguis eius super nos filios nostros Math. 27. I am very well assured that if the Arrest of Merindoll be put in execution the kyng will not be well pleased to haue such destruction made of his subiectes Then sayd the Bishop although the kyng at the first do thinke it euil done we will so bring it to passe that within a short space he shall thinke it well done For we haue y e Cardinals on our side specially the most reuerent Cardinall of Tournon the which will take vpoÌ„ him the defence of our cause The Cardinall of Tournon the oâ—gane of Antichrist and we can doe him no greater pleasure then vtterly to roote out these Lutheranes so that if we haue any neede of his couÌ„saile or ayde we shall be wel assured of him And is not he the principall the most excellent prudeÌ„t aduersary of these Lutheranes which is in all Christendome By this such other like talke the Byshop of Aix persuaded the PresideÌ„t Counsellours of the Court of Parliament to put the sayd Arrest in execution and by this meanes through the authoritie of the sayd Court the drum was sounded throughout all Prouince y t Captaines were prepared with their Ensignes displayd The popes army setteth forward toward Merindoll and a great number of footemeÌ„ and horsemen began to set forward marched out of the towne of Aix in order of battell well horsed and furnished agaynst Merindoll to execute the Arrest The inhabitauntes of Merindoll beyng aduertised hereof and seyng nothyng but present death to be at haÌ„d with great lamentation commended themselues their cause vnto God by prayer makyng theÌ„selues ready to be murthered and slayne as sheepe led vnto the butchery Whiles they were at this greeuous distresse pitiously mournyng and lamentyng together The army againe retyred by the meanes of the Lord of Alenc the father with the sonne the daughter with y e mother the wife with the husband sodenly there was newes brought vnto them that the army was retired and no maÌ„ knew at that tyme how or by what meanes notwithstandyng afterward it was knowen that the Lord of Alenc a wise man learned in the Scriptures in Ciuill law beyng moued with great zeale and loue of iustice declared vnto the PresideÌ„t Chassanee that he ought not so to proceede agaynst the inhabitantes of Merindoll by way of force of armes contrary to all forme and order of iustice without iudgement or condemnation or without making any differeÌ„ce betwene the gilty the vngilty And furthermore he sayd I desire you my Lord PresideÌ„t call to remeÌ„braunce the counsell which you haue written in your booke A story of excoÌ„munycatyng the Rattes for eating vp the corne entituled Catalogus gloriae mundi in the which booke you haue intreated and brought forth the processes whiche were holden agaynst the Rats by the officers of the Court and iurisdiction of the Byshop of Authun For as it happened there was almost through out all the Bailiwyke of Laussois such a great number of Rats that they destroyed and deuoured all the corne of the couÌ„trey Wherupon they tooke counsell to send vnto y e Byshop of Authuns Official for
to haue the Rats excommunicate Whereupon it was ordeined decreed by the sayd Officiall after he had heard the plaintife of the Procurator fiscall that before he would proceede to excommunication they should haue admonition and warning accordyng to the order of iustice For this cause it was ordeined that by the sound of a trūpet open proclamation made throughout all y e streetes of the towne of Authun the Rats should be cited to appeare within three dayes and if they did not appeare then to proceede agaynst them The three dayes were passed the Procurator came into the Court agaynst the rats for lacke of appearaūce obteyned default by vertue whereof he required that they would proceede to the excōmunication Wherupon it was iudicially acknowledged that the said Rats beyng absent should haue their Aduocate appointed them to heare their defence for somuch as y e question was for y e whole destructiō banishyng of the sayd Rats The President Chassane chosen Aduocat for the Rattes And you my Lord Presidēt beyng at that tyme the kynges Aduocate at Authun were then chosen to be the Aduocate to defend the Rattes And hauyng takē the charge vpō you in pleadyng y e matter it was by you there declared that the citatiō was of no effect for certaine causes reasons by you there alledged Then was it decreed that the sayd Rats should be once againe cited throughout the Parishes whereas they were Then after the citatiōs were duely serued the Procurator came agayne into the Court as before there it was alledged by you my Lord President how that y e terme of appearaunce geuen vnto the Rats was to short that there were so many Cats in euery Towne and Uillage as they should passe through that they had iust cause to be absent The perswation of the Lord of Alenc to Chassane to returne his army from Merindoll Wherfore my Lord Presidēt you ought not so lightly to proceede agaynst these poore mē but you ought to looke vpon the holy Scriptures and there you shall finde how you ought to proceede in this matter and you my Lord haue alleged many places of the Scripture concerning the same as appeareth more at large in your sayd booke and by this plea of a matter which seemeth to be but of small importance you haue obteined great fame and honour for the vpright declaration of the maner forme how iudges ought grauely to proceede in criminall causes Then my Lord President you which haue taught others will you not also learne by your owne bookes the which will manifestly condemne you if you proceede any further to the destruction of these poore men of Merindoll For are not they Christian men and ought you not as well to minister right and iustice vnto them as you haue done vnto the Rattes By these and such like demonstrations the President was persuaded and immediately called backe his commission which he had geuen out and caused the army to retire the which was already come neere vnto Merindoll euen within one mile and a halfe Then the Merindolians vnderstanding that the army was retired gaue thankes vnto God comforting one another with admonition and exhortation alwaies to haue y e feare of God before their eies to be obediēt vnto his holy commandements The Lords prouidence for the Merindolians subiect to his most holy wil and euery man to submit himselfe vnto his prouidence paciently attending and looking for the hope of the blessed that is to say the true life and the euerlasting riches hauing alwaies before their eies for example our Lord Iesu Christ the very sonne of God who hath entred into his glory by many tribulations Thus the Merindolians prepared themselues to endure and abide all the afflictions that it should please God to lay vpon them and such was their answere to all those that either pitied or else sought their destructiō Wherupon the brute and noise was so great as well of the Arrest Fraunces the French kyng sēdeth Mounsieur Langeay to enquire better of the Merindolians as of the enterprise of the execution and also of the pacience and constancie of the Merindolians that it was not hidden or kepte secrete from King Fraunces a Kyng of noble courage and great iudgement Who gaue cōmandement vnto the noble and vertuous Lorde Mounsieur de Langeay which then was his Lieutenant in Thurin a Citie in Piemont that he should diligently enquire and search out the truth of all this matter Whereupon the sayd Mounsieur de Langeay sent vnto Prouince two men of fame and estimation geuing them in charge to bring vnto him the copie of the Arrest and diligently to enquire out all that followed and ensued thereupon and likewise to make diligent inquisition of the life and maners of the said Merindolians and others which were persecuted in the countrey of Prouince These deputies brought the copie of the Arrest and of all that happened thereupon vnto the sayd Mounsieur de Langeay declaring vnto him the great iniuries polings extorcions exactions tirannies cruelties which y e Iudges A testimonie in the commenda-of the Merindolians as well secular as Ecclesiasticall vsed agaynst them of Merindoll and others As touching the behauiour and disposition of those which were persecuted they reported that the most part of the men of Prouince affirmed them to be men geuen to great labour and trauaile and that about 200. yeares passed as it is reported they came out of the countrey of Piemont to dwell in Prouince and tooke to tillage and to inhabite many hamlets villages destroyed by the warres and other desert and waste places which they had so well occupied that now there was great store of wynes The godly conuersation of the Merindolians oyles hony and cattell wherewith straungers were greatly relieued and holpē Besides that before they came into the countrey to dwell the place of Merindoll was taxed but at foure crownes which before the last destruction payed yearely vnto the Lord for taxes and tallages aboue 350. crownes beside other charges The like was also reported of Lormarin and diuers other places of Prouince whereas there was nothyng but robberie before they came to inhabite there so that none coulde passe that way but in great daunger Moreouer they of the countrey of Prouince affirmed that the inhabitaunts of Merindoll and the other that were persecuted were peaceable quiet people beloued of all their neighbours men of good behauiour cōstant in keeping of their promise and paieng of their debtes without trauersing or pleading of the law That they were also charitable men geuing of almes releeuing the poore and suffered none amongst them to lacke or be in necessitie Also they gaue almes to strangers and to y e poore passengers harbouring nourishing and helping them in all their necessities according to their power Moreouer that they were knowne by this throughout all y e countrey of Prouince that they would not
sweare or name the diuell or easly be brought to take an othe except it were in iudgemente or makyng some solemne couenant They were also knowne by thys that they could neuer be moued nor prouoked to talke of any dishonest matters but in what company soeuer they came where they heard any wanton talke swearing of blasphemy to the dishonour of God they straight way departed out of that company Also they sayd that they neuer sawe them go vnto their busines but first they made theyr prayers The sayd people of Prouince furthermore affirmed that wheÌ„ they came to any fayres or markets or came to their cities by any occasion they neuer in a maner were seene in their Churches and if they were wheÌ„ they praied they turned away their faces froÌ„ the images and neyther offred candels to theÌ„ nor kissed their feete Neither would they worship the reliques of Saints nor once looke vpon them And moreouer Crimes laid against the Merindolians if they passed by any crosse or Image of the crucifixe or any other Sainct by the way as they went they would do no reuerence vnto them Also the Priestes did testifie that they neuer caused them to say any Masses neyther diriges neither yet De profundis neyther woulde they take any holy water and if it were carryed home vnto their houses they woulde not saye once God a mercy yea they semed vtterly to abhorre it To go on pilgrimage to make any vowes to Saints to buy pardons or remission of sinnes with money yea though it might be gotten for a halfepeny they thought it not lawfull Likewise wheÌ„ it thundered or lightened they would not crosse themselues but casting vp their eies to heauen fetch deepe sighes Some of theÌ„ would kneele downe pray without blessing themselues with y e signe of the crosse or taking of holy water Also they were neuer seene to offer Mans lawe preferred before Gods lawe or cast into the bason any thing for y e maintenance of lightes brotherhoods churches or to geue any offering either for y e quicke or the dead But if any were in affliction or pouertie those they releeued gladly and thought nothing too much This was y e whole tenor of the report made vnto MouÌ„sieur de Langeay touching the life and behauiour of y e inhabitants of Merindoll and the other which were persecuted also as touching the Arrest and that which ensued therupon Of all those things the sayd Monsieur de Langeay according to the charge that was geuen him aduertised the king who vnderstanding these things as a good prince moued with mercy and pity sent letters of grace pardon The kinges pardon procured sent downe for the Merindolians not only for those which were coÌ„demned for lacke of appearance but also for all the rest of y e countrey of Prouince which were accused and suspected in like case expresly charging and commanding the said parliameÌ„t that they shoulde not heereafter proceede so rigorously as they had done before against this people but if there were anye that could be found or proued by sufficient information to haue swarned from y e christian religion that then he should haue good demonstration made vnto him by the word of God both out of the old and of the new Testament and so as well by the gentlenes as by the rigour of the same he should be reduced againe vnto the Church of Christ declaring also y t the kings pleasure was that all such as should be conuict of heresie in maner aforesaid should abiure forbidding also all maner of persons of what estate or condition soeuer they were to attempt any thing against them of Merindoll or other that were persecuted by any other maner of meanes or to molest or trouble them in person or goodes reuoking and disanulling all maner of sentences and condemnations of what iudges soeuer they were and commaunding to set at libertie all prisoners which either were accused or suspected of Lutheranisme By vertue of these letters they were now permitted to declare their cause and to say what they coulde in defence thereof Whereupon they made a confession of their fayth the effect whereof you shall see in the end of the story This * This most godly and Christian confession you shall finde more largely set out in HeÌ„ Pantaleon and also in the French story entreating of the destruction of Merindoll and Cabriers also touching theâ—â— faith and confession you shall partly see hereafter pag. 917. confession was presented first to the Court of Parliament and afterward being declared more at large wyth Articles also annexed thereunto it was deliuered to the Bishop of Cauaillon who required y e same Also to Cardinall Sadolet Bishop of Carpentras with the lyke Articles and also a supplication to this effect That the inhabitants of Cabriers in the Countie of Uenice most humbly desired him that he would vouchsafe to receiue reade the confession and declaration of their fayth and doctrine in the which they and also their fathers before them had bene of a loÌ„g time instructed and taught which they were persuaded to be agreable to the doctrine conteined in y e old and new Testament And because he was learned in the holy Scriptures they desired hym that he woulde marke such articles as he thought to be against the Scriptures and if he should make it to appeare vnto them y t ther was any thing coÌ„trary to the same they would not only submit themselues vnto abiuration but also to suffer such punishment as should be adiudged vnto them euen to the losse not only of all that they had but also their liues And more ouer if there were any Iudge in all the countie of Uenice which by good and sufficieÌ„t information should be able to charge them that they had holden any erroneous doctrine 〈◊〉 Merindolians require the iudgement of Cardinall Sadolet touching their articles or mainteined any other religion then was coÌ„teined in the articles of their confession they desired him that he would coÌ„municate the same vnto them and with all obedience they offered themselues to whatsoeuer should be thought iust and reasonable Upon this request Cardinal Sadolet answered by his letters writteÌ„ by his Secretary and signed with his owne hand the tenor whereof heere ensueth I haue seene your request and haue red the Articles of youre confession The answer of Cardinal Sadolet to the Merindolians wherein there is much matter conteined and do not vnderstand that you are accused for any other doctrine but for the very same which you haue confessed It is most true that many haue reported diuers things of you worthy of reproofe which after diligent enquiry made we haue found to be nothing else but false reports and slaunders As touching the rest of youre Articles it seemeth vnto me that there are many wordes therein which might well be chaunged without preiudice vnto your confession And likewise it seemeth to me that it is
to make it appeare by the word of God and so being conuict to make them abiure and renounce the sayd heresies Whereupon the said Counceller Durandus certified the day that he would be present at Merindoll to the end purpose that none of the inhabitaunts should be absent At the day appointed the said Counseller Durandus the Byshop of Cauaillon Durandus the commissioner commeth to Merindoll a Doctour of Diuinitie a Secretary came vnto Merindoll where as was also present diuers Gentlemen and men of vnderstanding of all sorts to see this commission executed Then they of Merindoll were aduertised that they should not appeare all at once but y t they should keepe themselues apart and appeare as they should be called in such order number as should be appointed vnto them After that Durandus the Byshop of Cauaillon the Doctour of Diuinitie and the Secretary were set in place where iustice was accustomed to be kept there was called forth Andrew Maynard the baylife of Merindoll Ienon Romane and Michelin Maynard * Syndiâ—â— is a Greeke word and signifieth as much as an aduocate oâ— patrone oâ— deputy sent to plead our cause The wordes of DuraÌ„duâ— to the Merindolianâ— Syndiques Iohn Cabrie and Iohn Palene auncients of Merindoll and Iohn Bruneroll vnderbaylife After they had presented themselues with all due reuerence the Counseller Durandus spake thus vnto them You are not ignoraunt that by the Arrest geuen out by the high Court of Prouince you were all condemned to be burned both men women and children your houses also to be beaten downe and your towne to be rased and made desolate c. as is more largely conteined in the said arrest Notwithstanding it hath pleased the King our most gracious Prince to send his letters vnto the said Court commanding that the sayd arrest should not so rigorously proceede against you but if it could by sufficient information be proued that you or any of you had swarued froÌ„ the true Religion demonstratioÌ„ should be made thereof vnto you by the word of God wherby you might be reduced againe to the flocke of Christ. Wherefore it was determined in the saide Court of Parlament that the Bishop of Cauaillon with a Doctour of Diuinitie should in my presence declare vnto you the errours and heresies wherewith they say you are infected and after good demonstration made by the word of God you should publikely and solemnely renounce and abiure the sayde heresies and in so doyng shoulde obteine the grace and pardon conteined in the Kings letters Wherefore shew your selues this day that you be obedient vnto God the King and y e Magistrates When he had thus spoken what aunswere you sayd he to that which I haue propounded Then Andrew Maynard the Baylife desired that they would graunt them an Aduocate to answere according to the instructioÌ„s which they would giue him The Merindolians denied to geue answere by counsaile or writing for so much as they were men vnlearned and knew not how to answere as in such a case was requisite The Counseller aunswered that he would heare their aunswere neither by Aduocate nor by writing but woulde heare them aunswere in their owne persons Notwithstanding he woulde giue them leaue to go apart and talke together but not to aske any counsell but onely amongst themselues and then to aunswere one after another Upon this determination the Bayliffe and the two Syndiques with other two ancient men talked together a while and determined that the two Syndiques should speake first and after them the Baylife then the two auncient men euery man accordyng as God should geue them grace and by and by presented themselues Whereat the Counseller Durandus was greatly abashed The answer of the MerindoliaÌ„s to Durandus to see that they had agreed and determined so speedely Then Michelin Maynard began to aunswere desiring the Counseller and the Byshop with the other assistance to pardon him if that he aunswered ouerrudely hauing regard that they were poore rude and ignoraunt men His aunswere heere followeth We are greatly bound sayth he to geue God thankes that besides other his benefites bestowed vpoÌ„ vs The Baylife of 〈◊〉 answereth he hath now deliuered vs froÌ„ these great assaultes and that it hath pleased him to touch the hart of our noble King that our cause might be intreated with iustice and not by violence In like maner are we also bounde to pray for our noble King which following y e example of Samuell Daniell hath not disdeined to looke vpon the cause of his poore subiects Also we render thankes vnto the Lords of the Parlament in that it hath pleased them to minister iustice according to the Kings commandemeÌ„t Finally we thanke you my Lord Durandus Commissioner in this present cause that it hath pleased you in so few wordes to declare vnto vs the maner and order how we ought to proceede And for my part I greatly desire to vnderstand and know the heresies and errours wherof I am accused and where as they shall make it appeare vnto me that I haue holden any errours or heresies I am contented to amende the same as it shall be ordeined and prouided by you After him aunswered Ienon Romane the other Syndique a very auncient father approuing all that which his fellow before had sayde geuing God thankes that in hys time euen in his latter daies he had seene and heard so good newes that the cause of Religion shoulde be decided and debated by the holy Scriptures and that he had often heard auncient men say that they could neuer obteine of the Iudges in all their persecution to haue their cause debated in such sort Then Andrew Maynard the Baylife aunswered sayeng that God had geueÌ„ to those two Syndiques the grace to answere so well that it was not necessary for him to say or adde any more thereunto Notwithstanding it seemed good that their answeres were put in writing which was not done by the Secretary that had done nothing else but mocke and gyre at all that had bin sayd wherfore he required the Commissioner to looke vnto the matter Then the Commissioner was very angry and sharpely rebuked his Secretary commaunding him to sit nearer and to write their answeres word for word and he himselfe with a singular memory repeated their answeres and ofteÌ„times asked if it were not so The sayd aunsweres being thus put in writing the CoÌ„missioner asked the baylife if he had any more to answere sayeng that he had done him great pleasure to shewe him his Secretaries faulte willing him to speake boldly what he thought good for the defence of their cause Then the Baylife said for somuch as it hath pleased you to geue me audience liberty to speake my mind freely I say moreouer that it semeth vnto me that there is no due forme of processe in this iudgemeÌ„t for there is no partie heere that doth accuse vs. The proceeding with the MerindoliaÌ„s
not after forme of lawe If we had an accuser present which according to the rule of the Scripture either should proue by good demonstration out of the olde and new Testament that wherof we are accused or if he were not able should suffer punishment due vnto such as are heretickes I thinke he would be as greatly troubled to mainteine his accusations as we to aunswere vnto the same After that the Baylife had made this answere Iohn Palenc Iohn PaleÌ„c answereth one of the auncients of Merindol saide that he approued all that had bene sayd by the Syndiques and that he was able to say no more then had bene said by them before The Commissioner sayd vnto him you are I see a very auncient man and you haue not liued so long but that you haue some thing to aunswere for your part in defence of your cause And the sayde Palenc aunswered seeing it is your pleasure that I shâ—uld say something it seemeth vnto me vnpossible that say what we can we shoulde haue either victory or vantage for our iudges be our enemies The vnder Baylife of Merindoll answereth Then Iohn Bruneroll vnderbaylife at Merindoll answered that he would very faine know the authority of y e Counseller Durandus Commissioner in this cause for as much as the said Counseller had geueÌ„ them to vnderstaÌ„d that he had authority of the high Court to make them abiure their errours which should be found by good and sufficient information and to geue them so doing the pardon conteined in the Kings letters and quite them of all punishment and condemnation Durandus the Commissioner required to shew his CoÌ„mission But the said Commissioner did not geue them to vnderstand that if they could not be found by good and sufficient information that they were in errour he had any power or authoritie to quite and absolue them of the sayd sentence and condemnation Wherfore it seemed that it should be more vauntage for the sayd Merindolians if it shoulde appeare that they were heretickes then to be found to liue according to the doctrine of the Gospell For this cause he required that it woulde please the sayd Commissioner to make declaration therof concluding that if it did not appeare by good and sufficient information against them that they had swarued from the faith or if there were no accuser that woulde come foorth against them they ought to be fully absolued without being any more troubled eyther in body or goodes These things were thus in debating from seauen of the clocke in the morning vntill xj Then the Commissioner dismissed them till after dinner At one of the clocke at after noone they were called for agayne and demaunded whether they woulde say any thyng else The Bailyfe Sindickes of Merindol appeare the second time touchyng that which was propounded in the morning by the said Commissioner They aunswered no. Then sayd the Commissioner what do you conclude for your defence The two Syndiques aunswered we conclude that it would please you to declare vnto vs the errours and heresies whereof we are accused Then the Commissioner asked the Byshop of Cauaillon what informations he had agaynst them The Byshop spake vnto him in his eare and would not aunswere aloude This talke in the eare continued almost halfe an houre that the Commissioner and all other that stoode thereby were weary thereof In the ende the Commissioner sayd vnto them that the Byshop of Cauaillon had told him that it was not needefull to make it apparant by information for such was the coÌ„mon report Herevnto they aunswered that they required the causes and reasons alledged by the Byshop of Cauaillon against them should be put in writing The Byshop was earnest to the contrary They that do the workes of darckenes hate the light and woulde haue nothyng that eyther he sayd or alledged to be put in writing Then Iohn Bruneroll required the Commissioner that at the least he would put in writing that the Byshop would speake nothing agaynst them that they could vnderstand and that he woulde not speake before the Commissioner but only in his eare The Byshop on the coÌ„trarie part defended that he would not be named in processe There was great disputation vpon this matter and coÌ„tinued long TheÌ„ the CoÌ„missioner asked the Merindolians if they had the Articles of their confession which they had presented to the high Court of Parliament Then they required that their confession might be read and by the readyng thereof they might vnderstand whether it were the doctrine which they held the confession which they had presented or no. Then the confession was read publickely before theÌ„ The confession of the Merindolians exhibited and read which they did allow and acknowledged to be theirs This done the Commissioner asked the Doctour if he did finde in the sayd confessioÌ„s any hereticall opinions wherof he could make demoÌ„stration by the word of God either out of the old or the new TestameÌ„t Then spake the Doctour in Latin a good while After he had made an end Andrew Mainard the Bayliffe desired the Commissioner accordyng as he had propouÌ„ded to make the errours and heresies that they were accused of What were the articles doctrine of their confession read Sled Lib. 16. apparauÌ„t vnto them by good information or at the least to marke those Articles of their confession which the Byshop the Doctours preteÌ„ded to be hereticall requiryng him also to put in Register their refusall aswell of the Byshop as of the Doct. of whoÌ„ the one spake in his eare and the other in Latine so that they of Merindoll could not vnderstand one word Then the Commissioner promised theÌ„ to put in writyng all that should make for their cause And moreouer he sayd that it was not needefull to call the rest of the Merindolians if there were no more to be sayd to them then had bene sayd to those which were already called And this is y e summe of all that was done at the after noone Many which came thether to heare these disputations supposing that they should haue heard some goodly demoÌ„strations were greatly abashed to see the Byshop and the Doctour so confouÌ„ded which thyng afterward turned to the great benefite of many for hereby they were moued to require the copyes of y e confession of their fayth by meanes wherof they were conuerted and embraced the truth and namely iij. Doctours who weÌ„t about diuers tymes to diswade the MerindoliaÌ„s from their fayth whose ministery God afterwardes vsed in the preachyng of his Gospel Three Doctours coÌ„uerted by the confessioÌ„ of the Merindolians Of whom one was Doctour Combaudi Prior of S. Maximin afterwardes a Preacher in the territory of the Lords of Berne An other was Doctour Somati who was also a Preacher in the Bailiwycke of Tonon The other was Doctour Heraudi pastour and Minister in the Countie of Newcastle After this the inhabitaunts of Merindoll were in
they suppose they haue done you Wherfore if so be it that the spirit of God mooue you thereunto they as counsailors desire you aboue all things to be stedfast in the Lordes veritie without feare for hee shall and will be your helpe according to his promise so that they shall not minish the least heire of your head without his will vnto the which will submitte your selfe and reioyce 2. Pet. 2. for the Lorde knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation and howe to reserue the vniust vnto the daye of iudgement to be punished 1. Pet. 4. and therfore cast all your care on him for he careth for you And in that you suffer as a Christen man bee not ashamed 1. Pet. 4. but rather glorify God on that behalfe looking vpon Christ the authour and finisher of our faith which for the ioy that was set before hym Heb. 12. abode the Crosse despised the shame Notwithstanding thoughe we suffer the wrong after the example of our maister Christe yet we be not bounde to suffer the wrong cause for Christe hymselfe suffred it not but reproued him that smit him wrongfully And so likewise sayth S. Paule also So that we must not suffer the wrōg Act. 23. but boldly reproue them that sit as righteous iudges and do contrary to righteousnes Therfore according both to Gods law and mans ye be not bounde to make no aunswer in no cause till your accusers come before you Which if you require and thereon doe sticke the false brethren shall be knowne to the great comforte of those that nowe stand in doubt whome they may trust and also it shall be a meane that they shall not craftily by questions take you in snares And that you may this do lawfully in the 20. chapter of the Acts it is wrytten Act. 20. It is not the maner of the Romanes to deliuer any man that he shuld perish before that he which is accused haue his accusers before hym and haue licence to aunswere for himselfe as pertaining to the crime whereof he is accused And also Christe will Math. 18. that in the mouth of two or three witnesses all things shall stande And in the 5. chap. to Timoth. the first epistle it is written 1. Tim. ◠Against a Seniour receiue none accusation but vnder two or three witnesses A Seniour in this place is any man that hath an house to gouerne And also their owne lawe is agreeable to this Wherefore seeing it is agreeable to the word of God that in accusations such witnesses shuld be What is a Seniour by S. Paule you may with a good cōscience require it And this the God of grace which hathe called you vnto his eternal glory by Christ Iesu shal his owne selfe after a little affliction make you perfect shal settle strengthen and stablish you that to him may be glory and praise for euer Amen Thus ye haue heard the letter deliuered to Th. Philip. Now followeth the Testament of William Tracie * Tracie his Testament A Little before this time William Tracie a worshypfull Esquire in Glocestershire and then dwelling at Todington made in his wil that he woulde haue no funerall pompe at his burying neither passed he vpon Masse and farther sayd that he trusted in God only and hoped by him to be saued and not by any Saint Thys Gentlemā dyed and his sonne as executor M. Tracie takē vp being dead and burnt brought the will to the Bysh. of Canterbury to proue which he shewed to the cōuocation and there most cruelly they iudged that he should be taken out of the ground and be brent as an hereticke anno 1532. This commission was sent to Doc. Parker Chauncellour of the Diocesse of Worcester to execute theyr wicked sentence whiche accomplished the same The kynge hearynge his subiect to be taken out of the grounde and brent wythout his knowledge or order of his law sent for the Chancellour and layde high offence to his charge who excused him selfe by the Archbishop of Caunterburye whyche was late dead but in conclusion it cost hym CCC pounde to haue hys pardon The will and Testament of thys Gentleman thus condemned by the Clergie was as here vnder foloweth IN the name of God Amen I William Tracie of Todington in the Countie of Glocester Esquire make my Testament last wil as hereafter foloweth The testament of William Tracie Iob. 9. First and before all other things I commit my selfe vnto God to his mercy beleuing without any doubt or mistrust that by hys grace and the merits of Iesus Christ and by the vertue of his passion and of his resurrection I haue and shall haue remission of all my sinnes and resurrection of body soul according as it is written I beleue that my redemer liueth that in the last day I shall rise out of the earth and in my flesh shall see my Sauiour this my hope is laid vp in my bosome And touching the wealth of my soule the faith that I haue taken and rehearsed is sufficient as I suppose without any other mans workes or merites My ground and beliefe is that there is but one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is Iesus Christ so that I accept none in heauen nor in earth to be Mediatour betwene me and God but only Iesus Christ all other to be but as peticioners in receiuing of grace but none able to geue influence of grace And therefore will I bestowe no part of my goodes for that entent that any man should say or do to helpe my soule for therin I trust onely to the promises of Christ He that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued Marke 16. and he that beleeueth not shall be damned As touching the burying of my body it auayleth me not whatsoeuer be done thereto Funerall pompes serue onely for the liuing and geue no helpe for the dead for S. Austen sayth De cura agenda pro mortuis that the funerall pompes are rather the solace of them that liue then the wealth and comfort of them that are dead and therefore I remitte it onely to the discretion of mine executors And touching the distribution of my temporall goodes my purpose is by the grace of God to bestowe them to be accepted as the fruites of faith Our merites be onely our fayth in Christ. so that I do not suppose y t my merite shall be by the good bestowing of them but my merite is the faith of Iesus Christ onely by whome suche workes are good according to the wordes of our Lorde I was hungry and thou gauest me to eate c. And it foloweth that ye haue done to the least of my brethren ye haue done it to me c. And euer we should consider that true saying that a good worke maketh not a good man but a good man maketh a good worke for faith maketh the man both good and
Bayfild Bainham Teukesbery falsely belying their articles doctrine M. More a persecutour as God graunting me life I haue sufficient matter to proue against him Briefly as he was a sore persecuter of them that stoode in defence of the Gospel so againe on the other side such a blynd deuotion he bare to the Pope holy See of Rome so wilfully stoode in the Popes quarell against his owne prince that he woulde not giue ouer tyll he had brought y e Scaffolde of the Towre hyll with the axe and all vppon his owne necke Edwarde Hall in his Chronicle writing of the death and manners of this Syr Thomas More seemeth to stand in doubt whether to call him a foolishe wise man or a wise foolishe man For as hy nature he was indued with a great witte so the same againe was so mingled sayth he with taunting and mocking that it seemed to them that best knewe him that he thought nothing to be wel spoken except he had ministred some mock in the communication in so much as at his comming to the Tower one of the officers demaunding his vpper garment for his fee meaning his gowne he answered that he should haue it and tooke him his cappe saying it was the vppermoste garment that he had Likewise euen going to his death at the Tower gate a poore woman called vnto him besought him to declare that he had certain euidences of hers in the time that he was in office which after he was apprehended M. More a scoffer vnto his death she could not come by and that he woulde intreat that she might haue them againe or els she was 〈◊〉 He answered Good woman haue patience a little 〈◊〉 for the king is good vnto me that euen within this halfe houre he will discharge me of all businesses and help thee him selfe Also when he went vppe the stayre on the Scaffold he desired one of the Sheriffes officers to giue hym hys hand to helpe him vp and sayde when I come downe againe let me shyft for my selfe so well as I can Also the hangman kneeled downe to him asking him forgiuenes of his death as the manner is To whom he said I forgiue thee but I promise thee that thou shalt neuer haue honestie of y e striking of my head my neck is so short Also euen when he should lay downe his head on the block he hauing a great gray beard striked out his beard and said to the hangman I pray you let me lay my beard ouer the block least you should cut it Thus with a mocke he ended his life There is no doubt but that the Popes holines hath halowed and dignified these two persons long since for Catholike martirs Neither is it to be doubted but after an hundred yeres expired they shal also be shrined portissed dying as they did in that quarrel of the church of Rome y t is in taking the bishop of Romes part against their own ordinary natural prince Wherunto because y e matter asketh a long discourse a peculiar tractation I haue not in this place much to contend with Cope my friend This briefly for a memorandum may suffice that if the causes of true martyrdome ought to be pondred not to be nuÌ„bred if the end of martyrs is to be weyed by iudgement noâ— by affection then the cause and quarrell of these men standing as it doth being tried by Gods word perhaps in y e Popes kingdome they may go for martirs in whoâ—e cause they dyed but certes in Christes kingdome their cause wil not stand how so euer they stand them selues The like also is to be said of the three monkes of Charterhouse Exmewe Middlemore and Nudigate Rochester More Exmew Myddlemore Nudigate executed for treasoÌ„ who the same yeare in the moneth of Iune were likewise attached and arrained at Westminster for speaking certaine trayterous words against the kings crown and dignitie for the which they were hanged drawen and quartered at Tyborne whoÌ„ also because Cope my good freÌ„d doth repute accept in the number of holy Catholique Martyrs here would be asked of him a question What Martyrs be they which standing before the iudge denye their owne words and sayings and plead not guiltie so as these Carthusians dyd whereby it appeareth that they would neither haue stand nor haue died in that cause as they did if they might otherwise haue escaped by denying Wherefore if my friend Cope had bene so well aduised in setting out his martyrs as God might haue made him he woulde first haue seene the true recordes ben sure of the ground of such matters wherupon he so confidently pronounceth and so censoriously controlleth others In the same cause quarrell of treason also the same yeare a little before these aforesaide in the moneth of May Ex actiâ— in termino 〈◊〉 Anno. 2â— Reg. Hen. 8. were executed with the like punishmeÌ„t Iohn Houghton Priour of the Charterhouse in London Robert LaureÌ„ce Prior of the Charterhouse of Beluaile Austen Websteâ— Prior of the Charterhouse of Exham Beside and with these three Priors suffered likewise the same time two other Priestes one called Reignolde brother of Syon the other named Iohn Haile vicare of Thistleworth 9. Carthusians dyed in prison refusing the kinges supremacy Diuers other Charterhouse monks also oâ— LondoÌ„ were then put in prison to the number of nine or tenne and in the same prison dyed for whom we will the Lorde wyllyng reserue an other place hereafter to intreate of more at large In y e meane time M. Copes 9. worthyes for so much as y e foresaide Cope in his doughty Dialogues speaking of these nine worthies doth commend them so highly and especially the three priors aboue recited here by the way I would desire maister Cope simply and directly to answere me to a thing or two that I would put to him and first of this Iohn HoughtoÌ„ that angelical Prior of the Charterhouse his olde companion acquaintance of whoÌ„ thus he writet◠〈◊〉 qui cum Ioannem illum Houghtonum cogito non tam homiâ—◠〈◊〉 quà m angelum in humana forma intueri mihi videor Copus in Dialog 9. pap 995. cuius eminentes virtutes diuinas dotes heroicam animi magnitudinem nemo vnquam poterit satis pro dignitate explicare c. By these his owne wordes it must needes be confessed that the authour of these Dialogues who so euer he was had well seene and considered the fourme and personable stature proportion and shape of his excellent bodye with such admiration of his personage that as he sayth as oft as he calleth the said Iohn Hughton to mind it seemeth to him euen as though he saw an angel in the shape and forme of a man Whose eminent vertues moreouer whose diuine gifts and heroical celsitude of mind no man saith he may sufficiently expresse c. And how old was this M. Cope then I would know
that he indicted it and also the place where he appointed it to be might assure him of this But whether wandereth not these Popishe Bulles whether go they not astray what King is not cited and summoned by a proud Minister and seruant of Kings to come to bolster vp errours fraudes deceites and vntruthes and to set foorth this feined generall Councell For who will not thinke that Paule the Byshop of Rome goeth sooner about to make men beleeue that he intendeth a generall Councell then that he desireth one in deede No who can lesse desire it theÌ„ they that do despaire of their cause except they be iudges and giue sentence themselues against their aduersaries We which very sore against our will at any time leaue off the procurement of the Realme and coÌ„mon weale neede neither to come our selues The king not bound to come at the Popes call nor yet to sende our procuratours thether no nor yet to make our excuse for either of both For who can accuse vs that we come not at his call which hath no authoritie to call vs But for a season let vs as a sorte of blyndlynges doe graunt that he may call vs Who be they that haue place in the Popes Councell and that he hath authority so to do yet we pray you may not all men see what auaileth it to come to this Councell where ye shall haue no place except ye be knowen both willing to oppresse trueth and also ready to confirme and stablish errours Do not all meÌ„ perceiue as well as we with what integritie fidelitie and Religion these men go about to discusse matters in controuersie that take them in hand in so troublesome a time as this is Is it not plaine what fruite the common weale of Christendome may looke for there The place of the Councell not indifferent where as Mantua is chosen the place to keepe this Councell at Is there any Prince not beeing of Italy yea is there any of Italy Prince or other dissenting froÌ„ the Pope that dareth come to this assemble and to this place If there come none that dare speake for troden truth No reason that the pope should be iudge in his owne cause none that will venture hys life is it meruayle if the Bishop of Rome being iudge no man repining no man gainesaieng the defenders of the Papacie obteine that Popish authority now quayling and almost fallen be set vp againe Is this the way to helpe things afflict The Byshop of Rome in learning and lyfe farre vnder other Byshops to redresse troubled Religion to lift vp oppressed truth Shall men thys way know whether the Romane Bishops which in very deede are if yee looke either vpon their doctrine or life far vnder other Bishops ought to be made like theyr felowes that is to be pastours in their own Dioces and so to vse no further power or else whether they may make lawes not only vnto other Bishops but also to Kings Emperours O boldnesse meete to be beaten downe with force and not to be conuinced with arguments Can either Paule that now Lordeth or any of his earnestly go about if they alone or at y e least without any aduersary be thus in a corner assembled together to heale the sickenesses to take away the errours to plucke downe the abuses that now are crept into the Church and there be bolstered vp by such Councels as now is like to be at Mantua It is very like that these whiche prole for nothing but profit will right gladly pul down all such things as their forefathers made onely for y e increase of money Paule the Pope proleth for his owne profite Where as their forefathers wheÌ„ their honour power primacy was called into question woulde either in spite of Gods law mainteine their dignity or to say better their intollerable pride is it like that these will not trede in their steps and make naughty new Canons wherby they may defend old euil decrees Howbeit what need we to care either what they haue done or what they intend to do hereafter for as much as EnglaÌ„d hath taken her leaue of Popish crafts for euer neuer to be deluded w t them hereafter England taketh her leaue of the Pope for euer Romaine Bishops haue nothing to do with Englishe people the one doth not trafike with the other at y e least though they wil haue to do with vs yet we wil none of their marchandise none of their stuffe We will receiue them of our Councell no more We haue sought our hurt and bought our losse a great while too loÌ„g Surely their Decrees either touchyng things set vp or put downe shall haue none other place w t vs then al Bishops Decrees haue that is if we like them we admit them if we do not we refuse them But lest peraduenture meÌ„ shal think vs to folow our senses too much EnglaÌ„d refuseth the Popes marchandise that we moued by small or no iust causes forsake the authority censures Decrees and Popishe Councelles wee thought it best heere to shew our mind to the whole world Wherefore we protest before God and all men that we down of his vsurped power and proud primacy for expelling of hys vsurped iurisdiction and for deliuering of oure realme from his greeuous boÌ„dage and pollage Who seeth not him euen inflamed w t hatred againste vs and y e flames to be much greater 〈◊〉 hatred 〈◊〉 the Pope 〈…〉 then he can nowe keepe them in He is an open ennemie he dissembleth no longer prouoking all men by all the meanes that hee can to endammage vs and our countrey These 3. yeares he hath bene occupied in no one thing so much as how he might stirre vp the commoÌ„s of England now corrupting some with mony some wyth dignities Wee lette passe what letters hee hath wrytten to Christen Princes with howe great feruent study he hath exhorted men to set vpon vs. The good Uicare of Christe by his doing sheweth how he vnderstandeth the words of Christ. The Pope 〈…〉 put the â—orde to the earth otherwise â—hen Christ did Hee thinketh he playeth Christes part well when he may say as Christ did Non veni pacem mittere in terram sed gladium I come not to make peace in earth but to sende swordes about and not such swordes as Christ would his to be armed with all but such as cruell manquellers abuse in the slaughter of theyr neighbours Wee meruaile little though they vexe other Princes oft seing they recompence our fauour shewed to them wyth contumelies our benefites with iniuries We will not rehearse here how many our benefites bestowed vpon Romaine bishops be lost God be with such vngrate earles Benefâ—tes â—ast away vpon the Pope vnworthy to be nombred amongest men Cerâ—es suche that a man may well doubt whether God or man hath better cause to hate them But y t we haue learned to owe good wil eueÌ„ to
suspect of me amisse and euill report of me Seing moreouer it is sayd in the Gospell Vae vobis cum laudauerint vos omnes homines c. Woe be to you when all men speak well of you Luke 6. Prayse of the worlde not to be regarded for so did theyr fathers to the false prophets If therfore at any season such infamy was put vpon me I am glad that I haue so litle regarded the same that now I haue forgotteÌ„ it And though I did remember any such yet were I more then twise a foole to shew you thereof for it is written in your owne law Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum No man bound to bewray himselfe No man is bound to bewray himselfe But this I ensure you I was neuer so charged with suspition or infamy of this crime that I was therefore at any tyme conuented and reproued afore any iudge afore that I was troubled for these causes for which I was at the first put into your handes and of them seing you could not prooue me faulty I wonder why you would neuer yet pronouÌ„ce me quite and innocent according as I haue euen lowely desired of you and required full instantly the same But letting those passe you haue imagined new matters to charge me with wherein I thinke certaynely that you coulde no more haue proued me culpable theÌ„ you did in the first that is to wytt no whit culpable in neither had it not bene that by long imprisonment you enforced me to tell what I thought in them which I haue and will freely do and that indifferently considered I suppose shall not deserue anye sore punishment vnlesse you will beare the truth wherevnto I hope it shall not disagree ¶ To your second demaund Answere to the second Article where you do inquire whether euer I had any of Luthers bookes and namely sith they wer coÌ„demned and how long I kept them and whether euer I haue spent any study in theÌ„ I say that in deade I haue had of them and that both before they were condeÌ„ned also sith but I neither will ne can tell you how long I kept them The profite of Luthen bookes but truth it is that I haue studied vpon thâ— and I thanke God that euer I so did For by them hath god shewed vnto mee and also to an huge multitude of other such light as the deceiueable darcknes of them I beseech God amend it that name themselues but amisse to be the holy Church cannot abide And that appeareth euidently for they dare not stand to any triall He coueteth aboue all things as all his aduersaryes do well know y t all his writings the writinges of all his aduersaries myght be translated into al languages to the intent that al people might see know what is saide of euery part wherby meÌ„ should the better iudge what the trueth is And in this me thinketh he requireth nothing but equity for y e law would haue no body condemned me yet iustified vntill his cause were both heard and knowne But the contrary part I meane our ouer riche prelacy which is so drowned in voluptuous liuing that they can not attend to studye Gods Scripture ne preach the same Ouer â—iche prelacie which should be the principall part of theyr office Popishe doctrine will abide no tryall abhorre this fashion albeit it is right indiffereÌ„t and full of equity no lesse theÌ„ they do abhor death And no maruell for doubt lesse if it so could be obteined that the writinges of all parties might be openly seene and confered we shoulde soone see theyr sleightly dealing and facing doctrine The facing doctrine of the Papistes Tryall and reading of bookes fâ—â—e in Germany with all other cloked abusion lightly ouerthrowne As appeareth well in Almayne for there be y e bookes of euery party sene openly and translated in the vulgar language that al people may see and read vpon them and so vpon the sight of the books they lightly folow the true light of Gods word refusing the horror of darcknes and false doctrine whereby before they haue beene seduced from the right teaching and way shewed in the Bible And this is done not of an hundreth ne of a thousand but generally of whole Cities countreies both high and low few or none except But our Prelates seeing thys and that there dealinge should if this light were set vp Why Luthers bookes be restrained of Popishe Prelates soone be detecte and discouered haue sent out commauÌ„dements that if any persons shall aduenture to keepe any such bookes they shal be in so doing excommunicate from God and al his Saintes and cursed as blacke as pitch whether the bookes be in Latin English French Dutch or any other tongue as in deede men seing the fruite conteined in them haue set them foorth in all languages But this ought not ChristeÌ„ men to think any newelty for so did theyr forefathers the Prelates in Christes time and after to the Apostles yea and if it were well tried I thinke it should be soone founde out that they haue so dealt euer since vnto this daye The tyme of Popish Prelates and of the Pharises resembled â— compared together For when Christ went about preaching the Scribes and Pharise is whiche were Bishops then Prelates gaue a generall coÌ„mauÌ„dement that whosoeuer confessed him to be Christ should be cursed and put out of the Synagogue y t we call the church and so they were Looke in the Actes of the Apostles and you shall finde howe they were in like maner serued yea looke in the olde Testament and you shall finde as I remember how they procured of one that was a temporall ruler at that season to haue the prophecy of Ieremy for he of all other is most vehement agaynst the dissimulation of priestes to be burned why then should we eschew them or theyr workes vnles we knew a better cause why The Papists render no reason of their doing The proâ—â— proceedings of the Papistes 〈◊〉 vpon will â— commaundemeÌ„t without all 〈◊〉 whom our prelates reiect and cast away seing they render no reasonable cause of theyr enterprise but presuming of theyr power without any due authority that I can finde grauÌ„ted vnto them so to do will because they so commaund so haue all done according to the tyrannicall saying as I trow of Sardanapalus Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas That is to say So will I so doe I commaund and that my will for reason stand But I would to God y t such knew what spirit they haue in theÌ„ The spiâ—ite of Christ the spirite of the Papistes 〈◊〉 vnlyke For if they had in deed the spirit which they claime pretend to haue I meane y e spirit of Christ I dare say it should soone alter them from such hautie language doting and cause them to turne a new leafe for that spirite is
of heresy and so prohibited by Bishops for to preach the worde of God Wrongfull prohibytion oughte not to stoppe the preaching of Gods worde that they ought for no mans commaundement to leaue or stop though they do neuer purge themselues afore them for such will admitte no iust purgation many times but iudge in theyr own causes and that as they lust which me thinketh is not all comely Therfore in the old law the priestes and other Iudges do sit together hearing of matters that were in controuersy Yet this I thinke reasonable that a man iustly and not causelesse suspect Popish prelates iudges in their owne causes and namely if he be so found faultye of heresy ought to cease from preaching after he is inhibited vntill he haue made his purgation before some Iudge But in my rude opinion it were necessary and conuenient that our heades should not be ouer ready of suspition Swiftnes of suspition reproued and so inhibiting men approued from preaching specially in this Session when the people doth suspect them to doe it more for loue of themselues and mainteining of their priuate lucre or honor then to do it for loue of God and maintenance of his honor In the xxij where you demaund whether I beleue that it is lawfull for all Pristes freely to preache the woorde of God or no Answere to the 22. article and that in all places at all seasons to al persons to whom they shall please although they be not sent I say that priestes are called in Scripture by two distinct wordes that is to wit Praesbiteri Sacerdotes The fyrst is to say auncient men Seniors or elders and by that word or vocable Priestes whether they ought to preach though they be not sent are the seculer iudges or such like head officers sometime also signified as we reade in Daniel that they were called which defamed and wrongfully accused Susanna that this is seldome and nothing so customably as those to be called Praesbiteri which are set to be Prelates in the Church to guide the same by the word of God and his blessed doctrine Episcopi and Praesbyteri all one that is the roode of direction and the foundation of Christes fayth And Priestes thus called Praesbiteri in the Primitiue Church what time were but few traditions and ordinaunces to let vs from the strayt trade or institution made by Christ and his Apostles were the very same and none other but Bishops as I shewed you in the first part of mine aunswere by authoritye of Saynt Hierome Paul also recordeth the same right euidently in the first to Titus in this fourme I left thee Titus quoth blessed Paule behinde me in Crete that thou shouldest set in a due order such thinges as lacke or be not els perfectly framed and that thou shouldest set priestes in euery towne Priestes haue two names in Scripture Presbyteri Sacerdotes like as I did appoynt thee if any be without reproche or blamelesse the husbande of one wife hauing faythfull children not geuen to ryote or that be not vnruely for so ought a Bishop to be c. These are not my words but S. Paules in the Epistle to Titus Tit. 1. Where you may see that a priest called Praesbiter shuld be the same that we call a byshop whom he requireth a litle after to be able by wholesome doctrine of Gods Scripture Descripâ—â—â—â— of a 〈◊〉 Priest Gainesayâ—â—â— of truth 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 by scriptures 〈◊〉 by authority only oâ— traditions of men made in generall Councels What miâ—â—sters be 〈◊〉 to exhort the good to â—olow the same doctrine if any shall speake agaynst it to reproue them thereby And marke you how he would haue a bishop otherwise called an auncient man or a priest to make exhortation by holy scripture therby to reproue them that shall speake agaynst the trueth not to condemne them by might or authority onely or els by traditions of men made in generall Councels And as many as are in this wise Priestes whiche are called commonlye Praesbiteri otherwise Bishops such as in the church are set to take cure of soule and to be spirituall pastors ought to preach freely the word of God in all places and times conuenient and to whom soeuer it shall please theÌ„ if they suppose and see that theyr preaching should edify and profite And where as you adde this particle Though they were not sent I say that all suche are chosen to be preachers and therfore sent for of this speaketh S. Gregorye in his Pastorals in this wise Grigor in Pastoral Praedicationis quippe officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit Whosoeuer taketh priesthood vpoÌ„ him taketh also vpon him the office of preaching Yea your lawe reporteth in like maner Distinct. 43. where it is thus sayd A Priest ought to be honest that he may shew honesty both in wordes and conditions Dist. 43. Wherfore it is sayd in the Canticles The Cheekes of the spouse that is to wit of preachers are to be compared to a Turtle doue Where is moreouer added He must also haue the gift of teaching because as sayth S. Hierome innocent coÌ„uersation without speach or preaching how much it is auaylable by example geuing so much doth it hurt agayn by sileÌ„ce keping for wolues must be driueÌ„ away by barking of dogs by the shepheards staffe which as y e glose sheweth signifieth preaching sharpe words of the priest And this I vnderstaÌ„d of such as should be priestes elect both by god and men in Gods church whose office is to preach And though many of them which now doe minister in the church and are elect by bishops otherwise theÌ„ after the maner of Christes institution and the forme of the primitiue Church neither do ne can preach Multitude serueth for authority yet ought not the multitude of such to be layd for an authority agaynst me or other that are compelled to shew the truth and right ordinance of the apostles that was vsed afore time in the Primitiue church God bring it in agayn Neither ought we for the negligence of bishops which haue chosen such an ignorant multitude wherby the principal duty of priestes is growen out of knowledge when we do shew you therof to be so enforced by a booke othe and therfore noted as heretickes imprisoned and burned Sacerdotes Other be called priestes in the new Testament by thys word Sacerdotes that is to say I thinke sacrificers And thus as Christ was called Rex Sacerdos Kyng Prieste so be all true Christen men in the newe Testament as is testified Apocal. 1. by Christ made Kinges and Priestes The wordes in the Apocal. be thus Apoc. 1. To Iesu Christ whyche hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes through his bloud and made vs kinges and priestes vnto God euen his father vnto him be glory and rule for euer and euer Amen
attain them which I beseech him to graunt vs. Amen ¶ In the xxxvij where you do aske whether I beleeue that the same thing To the 37. artycle which the Councell of Constance representing the vniuersal Church hath approued and doeth approue for the maintenance of faith and soules health is to be approued Touching the authority of the couÌ„cell of Constance and holden of all Christen people and that which the same Councell hath condemned and doth condemne to be contrary to faith and good maners ought of y e same christen people to be beleued and affirmed for a thing condemned I say that whatsoeuer the same Councell or any other haue aproued being approbation or allowance worthy is of al Christen people to be likewise approued holden allowed And again whatsoeuer the same or any other hath condemned being reprofe condeÌ„nation worthy for because it is hurtful to faith or good liuing I say the same ought of al ChristeÌ„ people to be condemned reproued But this surmounteth my knowledge to discerne in what wise their iudgement passed whether with right or vnright for because I neuer looked vpon their Acts neither do I greatly coueâ— for to do wherefore I referre the determinatioÌ„ to them y t haue better aduised their doings and thereby haue some more skill in them then I. In the xxxviij you demaund whether the condemnations of Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Hus To the 38. article and of Hierome of Prage done vpon their persons bookes and documentes by the holy generall Councel of Constance were duly and rightfully done and so for such of euery Catholike person whether they are to be holden and surely to be affirmed I aunswer that it passeth my knowledge and I can not tel thinking surely y t though I am ignoraunt of the same so y t I cannot discusse the thing determinately yet my Christendom shal be therefore neuerthelesse and that I and all Christen men may well suspend our sentence being thereof ignorant affirming neither the one ne the other neither yea nor nay In the xxxix you ask whether I beleeue hold affirm that Iohn Wickleffe of England Iohn Hus of Boheme To the 39. article and Hierome of Prage were heretickes and for hereticks to be named and their books and doctrines to haue ben now be peruerse for the which books pertinacitie of their persons they are condemned by the holy Councel of Constance for heretikes I say that I know not determinately whether they be heretikes or no ne whether their books be erroneous or no ne whether they ought to be called heretickes or no. ¶ In the xl where you aske whether I beleeue and affirme that it is not lawful in any case to sweare I say To the 40. article y t I neither so do beleue ne affirme ne neuer did ¶ In the xlj where you aske whether I beleue that it is lawful at the commandement of a iudge to make an oth to say the truth or any other othe in a case conuenient and that also for purgation of infamy To the 41. article An othe before a iudge in a cause conuenient is lawfull I answere that I neuer saide the contrary but that I thinke and haue thought it lawful to giue an oth afore a iudge to say the truth if the iudge so require and that by request lawful and conuenieÌ„t As when a thing is in controuersie betwixt two persons and therupon they sue vnto a iudge for sentence when the iudge can none otherwise boult out the truth he may require an oth As when the two women which contended before Salomon to auoyde the cryme of murther which the one had comitted in oppressing her child to death and would haue put the same vpon the other How an oth ought to be required of a iudge and how it may be geueÌ„ before a iudge Ouer much vse of othes in Courtes repreheÌ„ded Iudges must be spare and warye in requiring othes Where many othes be there is some periâ—rye The vse and maner of Germaines in causes iudiciall if Salomon could not by his wisdome otherwise haue inuestigated the truth he might I suppose for to come by the more certaine information of the thing haue caused one of them or both seing it expedient for him to sweare wherin the women had bene bound to obey him But Iudges haue neede to be spare in requiring of othes For in customable or oft Iuries creepeth in alway betwixt times some periury as sheweth Chrisostome in wordes semblable to these and thinges precious through oft haunt or occupying loseth their estimation And so reuerent othes vnaduisedly required for euery trifle vsually do cause men to regard little for making of them yea and I feare to breake them Therfore in Almaine they haue made of late as I haue hard say by credible persoÌ„s which haue come from thence many notable ordinances for the coÌ„mon wealth within a while amongest other this is one If a man be set for to enter plea against another in any town the Peeres therof afore whom al actions are vsed to be debated hearing such a plea entred shal cal the parties priuately together before they come into any open Court. And the matter examined they shal exhort them to let the plea ceasse without further processe shewing them y e great dammage both godly and worldly comming of waging the law and the great cast and commoditie that is in agreement and concord Fruit of the Gospell in Germanye Which exhortation they vse to shew with so great grauity and fatherly loue such wonders are wrought where the Gospell hath free passage that very few will commence plea. In Germany few controuersies come to the open courâ—â— but commoÌ„ly are compounded â— home And though any plea be commeÌ„ced through such sage admonition it falleth lightly to sequestration and arbitrement of neighbours who do set the suters at vnitie ere the matter do came to discussion in open Court Notwithstanding if some be so weiwardly minded as in a multitude al are not one mans children therfore vnlike of intent that they will needes proceede and follow y e law they shal be heard to speak their matters in opeÌ„ court and taught as the matter is most like to succeede counsailed with new exhortation to stoppe their processe If they will not be perswaded then the Iudges seeing the matter so ambiguous y t they cannot giue perfect sentence therin Câ—stome aâ—â—ng the â—â—maines of â—aking 〈◊〉 except by vertue of an othe made by one of the parties they be first better certified Then wil they shew the same before the suters declaring what a chargeful thing it is to giue a soleÌ„ne oth for loue of winning some worldly profit how vnlesse such as shal make it ne y e better ware to eschew the same they shal beside an euil ensaÌ„ple giuing to a multitude work theÌ„selues happily shame or dishonesty Upon this they
he which is our accuser should also be our iudge The Popes honor first gotten by superstytion borne by ignorance nourished by ambition increased by violence defended by false vnderstanding wrasting of scriptures His pretended honor first gotten by superstition after encreased by violence other waies as euill as that his power set vp by pretence of religion in deed both against religion and also contrary to the word of God his primacie borne by the ignorancie of the world nourished by the ambition of Bishops of Rome defended by places of Scripture falsely vnderstande these three things wee say which are fallen with vs and are like to fall in other Realmes shortly shall they not be established agayne if he may decide our cause as him lusteth if he may at his pleasure oppresse a cause most righteous and set vp his most against truth Certainely he is very blinde that seeth not what ende we may looke for of our controuersies if suche our enemie may geue the sentence We desire if it were in any wise possible a Councell where some hope may be that those things shall be restored which now being deprauate are like if they be not amended to be the vtter ruine of Christian Religion And as we do desire suche a Councell and thinke it meete that all men in all their praiers should desire craue it of God euen so we thinke it perteineth vnto our office to prouide both that these Popishe subtilties hurte none of oure subiects and also to admonishe other Christian Princes Prouision to be made agaynst popishe â—â—â—tyltieâ— that the Bishop of Rome may not by their consente abuse the authoritie of kings either by the extinguishing of the true preaching of Scripture that nowe beginneth to spryng to growe and spreade abroade eyther to the troubling of Princes liberties to the diminishing of Kings authorities and to the great blemish of their princely maiestie We doubt nothing but a Reader not parciall wyll soone approue such things as we heere write not so muche for our excuse as that the worlde may perceiue both the sundrye deceites craftes and subtleties of the papistes also how much we desire that controuersies in religion may once be taken away All that we sayde there of Mantua may here well be spoken of Uincence This Councell of Manâ—us which the pope 〈◊〉 he afterward transferred to Vincence This was the yeare 1537. They do almost agree in al poyntes Neither is it like that there will be any more at this couÌ„cell at Uincence then were the last yere at Mantua Truely he is worthy to be deceiued y t being twise mocked wyll not beware the third time If any this last yeare made forth toward Mantua and being halfe on theyr way then perceiued that they had taken vpon them that iourney in vayne we do not think them so foolish that they will here after ride farre out of towne to be mocked The time also and the state of thinges is such that matters of Religion may rather now be brought further in trouble as other things are theÌ„ be commodiously intreated of and decided For whereas in maner the whole world is after such sorte troubled with warres This time 〈◊〉 for a generall Councell and why so incombred with the great preparations that the Turke maketh can there be any man so against the setling of religion that he will thinke this time meet for a generall Councell Undoubtedly it is meer that such controuersies as we haue with the Bishop of Rome be taken as they are that is much greater then that they may either be discussed in this so troublesome a time or els be committed vnto proctors without our great ieopardy albeit the time were neuer so quiet What other princes will doe we can not tell but we will neither leaue our realme at this time Neyther the iudge nor the place conuenient for a general Councell neither wil we trust any Proctor with our cause wherein the whole stay and wealth of our Realme standeth but rather we will be at the handling thereof our selfe For except both an other Iudge be agreed vpon for those matters and also a place more commodious be prouided for the debating of our causes albeit all other thinges were as we would haue them yet may we lawfully refuse to come or send any to this pretended Councel We will in no case make him our arbeter which not many yeres past our cause not heard gaue sentence agaynst vs. We will that such doctrine as we folowing y e Scripture do professe be rightly examined discussed and brought to the Scripture as to the onely touchstone of true learning We will not suffer them to be abolished ere euer they be dicussed Spoken like a king ne to be oppressed before they be known much lesse we will suffer them to be troden down being so clearly true No as there is no iote in Scripture but we will defend it though it were with ieopardy of our life and peril of this our Realme so is there nothing that doth oppresse this doctrine or obscure it but we will be at continuall warre therew t. As we haue abrogated al old popish traditions in this our Realme which eyther did help his tyranny or encrease his pride so if the grace of God forsake vs not Would God the king here had kept promise when he made the 6. articles we will well foresee that no new naughty traditions be made with our consent to blinde vs or our Realme If meÌ„ will not be willingly blind they shall easily see euen by a due and euident proofe in reason though grace doth not yet by the word of Christ enter into them how small the authority of the Bishop of Rome is by the lawfull deniall of the Duke of Mantua for the place For if the Bishop of Rome did earnestly intend to keepe a CouÌ„cell at Mantua and hath power by the law of God to call Princes to what place him liketh why hath he not also authority to chuse what him listeth The Bishop chose Mantua the Duke kept him out of it If Paule the Bishop of Romes authority be so great as he pretendeth The Duke of Mantua deniethe the Pope his Citie fâ—r his Councell why could he not compell Fridericus the Duke of Mantua that the Councell might be kept there The Duke would not suffer it No he forbad him his towne How chaunceth it that here excommunications flee not abroade Why doth he not punish this Duke Why is his power that was woont to be more then full here empty wont to be more then all here nothing Doth he not call men in vayn to a Councell if they that come at his calling be excluded the place to the which he calleth them May not kinges iustly refuse to come at his call when the Duke of Mantua may deny him the place that he chooseth If other Princes order him as the Duke of Mantua hath done If
of the Masse it selfe declareth no lesse And why then doe some of these craftie sophisters dally out the matter wyth their glosing wordes denieng that they make any application of their Masses when they know full well that the errour of the people is confirmed by this their doing although they themselues do thinke otherwise Albeit how few be there in very deede which do otherwise thinke We ought not to dissemble in Gods matters Let vs vse them as the holy Scripture teacheth and as the auncient custome of the primitiue Church doth leade vs. The olde institution of Christ is not to be altered by nâ—w inuentions Why should any man be so presumptuous to swerue from auncient custome Why now do they defend the errours of other which haue peruerted the institution of Christ Now although some perhaps wil pretend and say that he maketh no application of his Masses yet notwithstanding he so dealeth in handling the ceremony priuately by himselfe that he thinketh this his oblation to be high seruice done to God and suche as God requireth whiche is also erroneous and to be reproued For why no seruice nor worship perteining to God ought to bee set vp by mans deuise without the commaundement of God Wherefore I beseeche you for the glorye of Christ that you will not defend the article of this Acte coÌ„cerning these priuate Masses but that you will suffer the matter to bee well examined by vertuous and learned men All thinges that we here with vs do we do them by euident substantiall testimonie of the primitiue Church which testimonie I dare bee bolde to set against the iudgementes of all that haue since followed such as haue corrupted the aunciente doctrine and old rites with manifold errours As touching the other articles they haue no neede of any long disputation Against vowes of Priestes single lâ—fe The commoÌ„ errour concerning vowes Uowes that be wicked fayned and impossible are not to be kept There is no doubt but thys is the common perswasion of all men touching vowes that all these wil workes deuised by man are the true seruice and worship of God and so thinke they also whyche speake most indifferently of them Other adde therevnto more grosse errours saying that these works bring wyth them perfection and merite euerlasting life Now all these opinions the Scripture in manye places doth reprooue Christ saith They woorship me in vayne wyth the preceptes of men Marke 7. â— Tim. 4. And Paule sayth that these obseruations be the doctrine of deuils for they ascribe to the power and strength of man false honour because they are taken for the seruice of God they obscure faith and the true worshipping of God Item the sayd Paule to the Coloss. sayth Let no man deceyue you by fayned humilitie Coloss 2. c. Why make you Decrees c. Wherfore these corrupt traditions of men are in deede a wicked and detestable seruice of God Unto these also are annexed many other corrupt wicked abuses The whole order of Monkery what superstition doth it conteine What prophanations of Masses inuocation of Saints colours fashions of apparell choise of meates superstitious prayers without all measure Of which causes euery one were sufficient Causes why vowes ought to be broken why these vowes ought to be broken Besides this a greate part of men are drawne to this kinde of life chiefely for the bellye 's sake and then afterward they pretend the holines of their vowe and profession Furthermore this vowe of single life is not to all men possible to be kept as Christ himselfe sa it All men do not receiue this Math. 19. Such vowes therefore whiche without sinne can not be performed are to be vndone but these things I haue discussed sufficiently in other of my workes But this causeth me muche to maruell that this vowe of Priestes in your English Decree The 6. articles make the â—owe of Priestes as streâ—ght as the vowe of Monkes which is contrary to their owne lawe is more straite and hard then is the vowe of Monkes whereas the Canons themselues doe bind a Priest no farther to single life but onely for the time that he remaineth in the ministery And certeynely it made my hart to tremble when I reade thys Article which so forbiddeth matrimony and dissolueth the same being contracted and appointeth moreouer the punishment of death for the same Although there haue bene diuers godly Priests which in certeyne places haue bene put to death for their mariage yet hath neuer man hetherto bene so bold to stablish any such lawe No lawe of death euer established for Priestes mariage before the 6. Articles For euery man in a maner wel perceiued that all well disposed and reasonable persons would abhorre that crueltie and also they feared least the posteritie woulde thinke euill thereof Who would euer thinke that in the Church of Christ wherein all lenitie towarde the godly ought most principally to be shewed such cruelties and tyrannie could take place to set sorth bloudy lawes to be executed vpon the godly for lawfull matrimonie But they brake their vowes will the Byshoppes say Why Priestâ—s vowes ought not to stand For as I sayd that vow ought not to staÌ„d seing it is turned to a false worshyp of God is impossible to be kept Agayne although it stoode in force yet it should not extend to theÌ„ which forsake the ministery Finally if the Bishops here would haue a care and regarde to mens consciences they should then ordaine Priestes without any such profession or vow makyng as appeareth by the old Canons how that many were admitted to the ministery without professing of any vow and the same afterward when they had maried their wiues to haue remayned in the ministery as is testified Cap. Diaconi Distinct. 28. Certainely what here I may coÌ„playne I can not tell Dist. 28. â—ap Diaconi First in this Article I can not impute it to ignorauÌ„ce that they do For no man is ignorauÌ„t of the commaundemeÌ„t of God which sayth Let euery man haue his wife for auoydyng of fornication Agayne who is so blynd but he seeth what a life these vnmaried Priestes do liue Bishops restraine Priestes mariage against all reason and â—xcuse The complayntes of good meÌ„ are wel knowen The filthynes of y e wicked is toto manifest But peraduenture your Byshops holding w t the sect of Epicures doe thinke that God is not offended with filthy lustes Which if they so thinke then doe we susteine doubtlesse a hard cause where such must be iudges I am not ignoraunt that this single life is very fitte to set out the glory and brauery of Byshops and Colledges of Priestes to mainteine their wealth and portely state and this I suppose to be the cause why some do abhorre so much that Priestes should be maried But O Lamentable state of the Church if lawes shuld be so forced to serue not the
Papistes who will needes be both accusers and also â—â—dges in their owne opinions and causes and be not iudges your selues of your owne phantasticall opinions and vayne expositions for in such high causes ye may lightly erre And although you be permitted to reade holy scripture and to haue the worde of God in your mother tongue you must vnderstand that it is licenced you so to do onely to informe your owne conscience and to instruct your children and family and not to dispute and make scripture a rayling and a taunting stocke agaynst priestes and preachers as many light persons do I am very sory to know and heare how vnreuerently that most precious iewel the word of God is disputed rymed How are they 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Gods word when none 〈…〉 to â—ead it vnder the degree of a Gâ—nâ—leman song iangled in euery Alehouse and Tauerne contrary to the true meaning and doctrine of the same And yet I am euen as muche sory â— Hierom wisheth the Scriptures not onely to be read of all men but also to be song of women at their rockes of plowmen at the plow of 〈◊〉 at their loome c. that the readers of the same folow it in doing so faintly coldly For of this I am sure that charity was neuer so faynt amongest you vertuous * Godly liuing though it encrease not with the Gospel so much as we wisheâ— yet the defecte thereof is not to bee imputed to the Gospel And if we well coÌ„pare tyme with time we shall find by vewing the bookes of the old Warmot questes of 〈◊〉 and baâ—des and wicked liuers 〈◊〉 presented to one nowe besides 〈◊〉 the common stues godly liuing was neuer less vsed nor god himselfe amongest Christians was neuer lesse reuerenced honored or serued Therfore as I sayde before be in charitye one with an other like brother and brother Loue dread and serue God to the which I as your supreme head and soueraigne Lord exhort and require you and then I doubt not but that loue and league that I spake of in the beginning shall neuer be dissolued or broken betwene vs. And as touching the lawes which be now made and concluded I exhort you the makers to be as diligent in putting them in execution as you were in making furthering the same or els your labour shall be in vayne your coÌ„mon wealth nothing relieued Notes vpon the foresayd exhortation The kinges Oration expeÌ„ded with notes vpon the same PRinces which exhort to concorde and charitie doe well but Princes which seeke out the causes of discord reforme the same do much better The papist and protestant Hereticke and Pharisee the old Mumpsimus and the newe Sumpsimus be teâ—mes of variance and dissention and be I graunt Symtomata of a sore wound in the commoÌ„ wealth but he that will amend this wound must first beginne to search out the causes and to purge the occasion thereof otherwise to cure the sore outwardlye whiche inwardlye doth fester and ranckle still it is but vayne The roote and ground of al this greeuance riseth here of the prelates and clergy of Rome seeking as it seemeth altogether after riches pompe honour of this world to mayntayn y e same vnder pretence of religion doe in verye deed subuert religioÌ„ vnder y e title of the church they bring into the churche manifest errours absurdities intollerable who pretending to be fathers of the churche if they transgressed but in maners and lightnes of life or neglygence of gouernement they might be borne withall for peace concords sake and here modesty ciuillitie quietnes vnitie charitie might haue place amongst modest natures But now they obscure the glory of the sonne of God which in no case ought to be suffered they extinct the light grace of the Gospell they clogge mens consciences they set vp Idolatry mayntayn Idols they bring in false inuocation they restrayne lawfull matrimonye whereby groweth filthy pollution adultery and whoredome in the Church vnspeakable they corrupt the sacramentes they wrast the scripture as worldly purposes they kill and persecute Gods people Briefly theyr doctrine is damnable theyr lawes be impious their doinges are detestable And yet after all this they crept craftely into the hartes of princes vnder the title of the Church coulor of concord making kinges and princes beleue that all be heretickes and schismatickes which will not be subiect to their ordinary power Now almighty God who is a ielous God not suffering the glory of his sonne to be defaced nor his truth to be troden vnder foot stirreth vp againe the harts of his people to vnderstaÌ„d his truth to defend his cause WhervpoÌ„ of those two partes as two mighty flintes thus smiting together coÌ„meth out the sparcle of this diuisioÌ„ which by no wise can be quenched but that one part must nedes yeld geue ouer There is no neutrality nor mediatioÌ„ of peace nor exhortation to agremeÌ„t that will serue betwene these two contrary doctrines but either the Popes errors must geue place to Gods word or els the veritye of God must geue place vnto them Wherefore as the good intent and plausible Oration of the king in this behalf was not to be discommended in exhorting his subiectes to charity so had he much more deserued commendation if he hadde sought the right way to worke charity to helpe innocency amongst his subiects by taking away the impious law of the 6. articls the mother of all diuision and manslaughter For what is this to the purpose to exhort in wordes neuer so much to charity and in deed to geue a knife to the murtherers hand to run vpon his naked brother which neither in conscience can leaue his cause nor yet hath power to defend himselfe As by experience here foloweth to be seene what charity ensued after this exhortation of the king to charity by the racking and burning of good Anne Askew with 3. other poore subiectes of the king within halfe a yeare after whereof shortly you shall heare more declared When these Chauntries and colledges thus by Acte of ParliameÌ„t wert geuen into the kings hands as is aboue remembred which was about the moneth of DeceÌ„ber an 1545. the next Lent following D. Crome preaching in the Mercers chappel among other reasons and persuatioÌ„s to rouse the people from the vayn opinion of Purgatory inferred this grounding vpon the sayd act of parliameÌ„t that if Trentals and Chauntry masses could auayle the soules in Purgatory then did the Parliament not wel in geuing away Monasteryes Colledges chauÌ„tries which serued principally to that purpose But if the parliament did wel as no maÌ„ could deny in dissoluing them D. Cromes Dilemma agaynst priuate masses and bestowing the same vpon the king then is it a playne case that such Chauntries and priuate masses do nothing conferre to relieue them in Purgatory This dilemma of D. Crome no doubt was insoluble D.
mocked them so do ye Oliph Thou denyest the sacrament of the aultar to be the very body of Christ really in flesh and bloud Oliphant Mylle The Sacrament and sacrifice of the Masse Mille. The scripture of God is not to be taken carnally but spiritually and standeth in faith only as for the Masse it is wrong for Christ was once offered on the Crosse for mans trespasse and will neuer be offered agayne for then he ended all sacrifice Oliph Thou deniest the office of a Byshop Mille. Oliphant Mylle Byshops no Byshops I affirme that they whome ye call Byshops do no Bishops workes nor vse the offices of Bishops as Paul biddeth writing to Timothy but liue after their owne sensuall pleasure and take no care of the flocke nor yet regard they the word of God but desire to be honored and called my Lords Oliph Olyphant Thou speakest against pilgrimage and callest it a pilgrimage to whoredome Mille. I affirme that and say that it is not commaunded in the scripture Mylle and that there is no greater whoredome in no places then at your pilgrimages except it be in common brothels Oliph Thou preachedst quietly and priuatly in houses and openly in the fields Mille. Yea man and on the sea also sailing in ship Oliph Walter Mylle constant in the truth Sentence pronounced against Walter Mylle Wilt thou not recant thine erroneous opinioÌ„s and if thou wilt not I will pronounce sentence against thee Mille. I am accused of my life I know I must die once therfore as Christ sayd to Iudas Quod facis fac citius Ye shal know that I will not recant the truth for I am corne Patricke Learmonâ— the Archbyshopâ— stuard 〈◊〉 Prouost â—â—â—fuseth to his tempâ—â—rall iudgeâ— Also the Archbishops chamberlaine refuseth to be his iudge The townâ— offended wâ—th the condemâ—â—â—tion of Walter Mille. No corde all the towne could be bought to tye him to the stake Alexander Symmerâ—waill the Bishops seruant made teâ—â—poral iudâ—â— for Walteâ— Mille. The miraculous weâ—â— king of 〈◊〉 in Walter Mille. W. Millâ— denyed by the Byshoâ—â— to speake W. Mille permitted by the 〈◊〉 men to speake I am no chaffe I wil not be blowne away with the wind nor burst with the flaile but I will abide both These thinges rehearsed they of purpose with other light trifles to augment their final accusation and then sir Andrew Oliphant pronounced sentence against him that he shuld be deliuered to the temporall iudge and punished as an hereticke which was to be burnt Notwithstanding his boldnes and constancie moued so the hartes of many that the Byshops Stuard of his regalitie Prouost of the towne called Patrike Learmond refused to be his temporall iudge to whome it appertained if the cause had bene iust Also the Bishops chamberlaine being therwith charged would in no wise take vpon him so vngodly an office Yea the whole towne was so offended with his vniust coÌ„demnation that the Bishops seruauntes could not get for their money so much as one cord to tie him to y e stake or a tarre barrell to burne him but were constrained to cut the cordes of their maisters own pauilion to serue their turne Neuerthelesse one seruaunt of the Byshops more ignoraunt and cruell then the rest called Alexander Symmerwayll enterprising the office of a temporall iudge in that part conueyed him to the fire where against all naturall reason of man his boldnes and hardines did more and more increase so that the spirit of God working miraculously in him made it manifest to the people that his cause and Articles were iust and he innocently put downe Now when all things were ready for his death and he conueyed with armed men to the fire Oliphant had him passe to the stake and he said nay but wilt thou put me vp with thy hand and take part of my death thou shalt see me passe vp gladly for by y e law of God I am forbiddeÌ„ to put hands vpon my selfe TheÌ„ Oliphant put him vp with his hand and he ascended gladly saying Introibo ad altare Dei and desired that he might haue place to speake to y e people the which Oliphant and other of the burners denyed saying that he had spoken ouer much for the Byshops were altogether offended that y e matter was so long continued Then some of the yong men committed both the burners and the Byshops their maysters to the Diuell saying that they beleeued that they should lament that daye and desired the sayd Walter to speake what he pleased The Martyrdome of Walter Mille. Epitaphium Non nostra impietas aut actae crimina vitae Armarunt hostes in mea fata truces Sola fides Christi sacris signata libellis Quae vitae causa est est mihi causa necis After this by the iust iudgement of God in the same place where Walter Mille was burnt the Images of the great Church of the Abbey which passed both in number and costlines were burnt in time of reformation Ex fideli testimonio è Scotia misso And thus much concerning such matters as happened and such Martirs as suffered in the Realme of Scotland for the faith of Christ Iesus and testimonie of his truth ¶ Persecution in Kent IN reuoluing the Registers of William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury I finde moreouer besides these aboue comprehended Ex Regist. W. Warrham Archiepisc Cant. in the time and reigne of king Henry the names of diuers other wherof some suffered Martyrdome for the like testimonie of Gods worde and some recanted which albeit heere do come a little out of order and shoulde haue bene placed before in the beginning of King Henries reigne yet rather then they should vtterly be omitted I thought heere to geue them a place though somewhat out of time yet not altogether I trust without fruit vnto the Reader being no lesse worthy to be Registred and preserued from obliuion then other of theyr fellowes before them ¶ A Table of certayne true seruants of God and Martyrs omitted which were burned in the Dioces of Cant. vnder William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury with the names of theyr persecuters and accusers an 1511. Persecuters and Iudges Accusers and witnesses The Martyrs Wyllyam Warrham Archbishop of Caunterbury D. Cutbert Tonstall Doctour of both lawes and Chauncelour of the Archbyshop D. Syluester Lawyer D. Wellys Doctour Clement Browne Doctor Iohn Collet Deane of Paules Doctour Wodyngton Martirs in Kent before the tyme of M. Luther Willyam Rich of Benynden Agnes Iue of Canterbury Robert Hilles of Tenterden Steuen Castelyn of Tenterden Io. Grebill of Tenterden husband to Agnes Grebill the Martyr Christopher Grebill the naturall sonne of Agnes Grebill the Martyr Io. Grebill the yonger the naturall sonne of Agnes Grebill the Martyr Wil. Oldbert of Godmersham Laur. CheterdeÌ„ Tho. Harwood of Rowenden Ioane Harwood his wife Phill. Hardwod WilliaÌ„ Baker of Cramebroke Edw. Walker Robert Reinold of Benynden Williem Carder of Tenderden
the 4. article c. Let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of theyr othe whether they know that these wordes folowing as Mattens Masses now sayd after that sort in this Realme were and be put in the Iniunction pretended to be ministred vnto me the sayd Bishop or no. interrogetur vt supra 13. Item if they or any of them do depose that I haue trangressed and offended touching the 5. Article let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of theyr othe Interrogatoryes concerning the 5. article whether the IniuÌ„ctions pretended in this behalfe were signed with the kinges vsuall signet or rather at all whether it was sealed with any seale whether it was subscribed by the L. Protectors grace or any of the priuye Counsell whether it was in full Counsell sitting deliuered vnto mee by the Lord protector whether it was deliuered to me the rest of the kinges Maiestyes priuye Counsell there then sittyng whether the sayd dayes as is conteined in the first Article by whom it was written when and where interrogetur vt supra 14. Item if they or any of them do depose that I do defeÌ„d the opinion of the rebels Interrogatoryes concerning the 6. article let them be examined euery of theÌ„ what rebels they be what is their opinion how the lawe of this Realme doth determine therein declaring by what wordes factes I the sayd Bishop did speake do and at what time and place and in whose presence suche wordes or act was spoken or done interrog vt supra Interrogatoryes concerning the 7. article 15. Item if they or any of them doe depose that I knowe or haue heard say crediblye that since the time of the sayde pretensed Iniunctions certayn persons within my dioces haue heard bene at or celebrate Masse or Euensong in the latine tongue and after the olde rite and maner other then according to the kinges maiestyes booke let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of his sayd othe how they know that I so know or haue heard say and of the name or names of the partye or partyes and of the tyme and place when and where it was and whether any denunciation or detection were according to the statutes and ordinaunces of this Realme made vnto me or no. interrog vt supra 16. Item if they or any of them doe say that I knowe or haue heard say Interrogatoryes concerning the 9. article of such notable adulterers offences mentioned in the 9. article let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of his and theyr othe that they do knowe that I do know or haue heard say and who be the persoÌ„s where they dwell who hath denounced or detected them and how I could and ought to haue cited them punished them in this behalfe interrog vt supra 17. Item if they or any of them doe say that I knowe certeinely nowe what Doctour Coxe declared in hys Sermon at Paules Crosse as is deduced in the 10. Article let them be inquired and euery of them in virtue of theyr oth how they can proue it by whom and after what sort interrog vt supra 18. Item if they or any of them do say that I do know or heare certaynely of the diuersity of the rites of the commoÌ„ seruice of the church nowe set forth and of the ministers parsons transgressing therein let them and euery of them in virtue of theyr othe bee examined whether there hath bene any detection or denuntiation made to me therupon and how they know or can proue that I haue bene culpable and negligent herein interrog vt supra 19. Item whether they or any of them haue bene spoken vnto or solicited herein to testify and after what sorteâ— by whom when and where and what was theyr conference and communication therin interrog supra 20. Item that they and euery of them declare and shewe the true and sufficieÌ„t cause of theyr testimony in all and singuler the premisses After this the Iudges delegate assigned the Bishop to appeare againe before them vpon Wednesday the next ensuing betwene the houres of 7. and 8. of the clocke before noone in the Hall of the Archbishops manor of Lambetâ— Boner â—â—gayne 〈…〉 â—â—gaynst 〈◊〉 witnesâ—â— there to shew the cause why he should not be declared pro confesso vpon al the Articles wherunto he had not theÌ„ fully answered and to see farther processe done in the matter and so he still protesting of the nullity and inuadility of all theyr procedinges they did for that present depart In this meane while the Commissioners certified the kinges Maiesty and his Counsell of the Bishops demeanour towards them The Câ—â—â—missioâ— certyfiâ—â— king of 〈…〉 and what obiections he had made agaynst theyr procedinges making doubtes and ambiguities whether by the tenor of his maiesties Commission the Commissioners might proceed not onely at the denuntiation but also of theyr meere office and also whether they mought aswell determine as heare the cause Whereupon his Maiesty by aduise aforesayd for the better vnderstanding therof did the 17. of September send vnto the Commissioners a full and perfect declaration and interpretatioÌ„ of his will and pleasure in the foresayd Commission geuing them hereby full authority to proceed at theyr owne discretions as appeareth more at large by the tenor therof ensuing ¶ A certayne declaration or interpretation of the king touching certayne poyntes and doubtes in his former Commission with licence geuen to the Commissioners as well to determine as to heare in the case of Boner EDward the 6. by the grace of God king of England Fraunce Leaue 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 to the Câ—â—â—missionâ—â— to deteâ—â—mine aâ—gainst 〈◊〉 and Ireland defendor of the fayth and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head to the moste reuerend father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitane and Primate of England the right reuerend Father iâ— God Nicholas Byshop of Rochester our trusty and right welbeloued Counsellours Syr William Peter and Syr Thomas Smyth Knightes or two principal Secretaries and William May Doctor of law Ciuill and Deane of Paules greeting Where we of late by the aduise of our most entyrely beloued Vncle Edward Duke of Somerset Gouernor of our Person and Protectour of our Reâ—lmes Dominions and subiects and the rest of our priuy Counseâ— haue addressed vnto you 5.4.3 of you our letters patentes of CoÌ„mission bearing date at Westminster the 8. daye of September in the third yeare of our raign willing you by force therof to heare the matters and cause of contempt therein expressed and calling before you aswell the denouncers therof as also the right reuerend Father in God Edmund Bishop of London agaynst whom such denunciation is made as in our sayd letters of Commission more at large doth appeare we be now credibly informed that vpon the sayd Commission diuers
doubtes ambiguities hath and may arise As whether you by the tenour of the sayd Commission may proceed not onely at the denunciation but also of mere office And also whether ye may aswell determine as heare the sayd cause For further declaration whereof we doe now interpret and declare that our full minde and pleasure by the aduise aforesayd was by our CoÌ„mission and now is that you should proceede aâ—well by mere office as also by the way of denuÌ„ciatioÌ„ by either of them or any other wayes or meanes at your discretioÌ„s wherby the truth and merites of the cause may be most speedely and bâ—st knowne and that ye might and may aswell finally determine as heare the sayd matters in all your orders and doinges cutting away all vayne and superfluous delayes hauing respect to the onely trueth of the matter And this our declaration we send vnto you of our sure knowledge and meere motion by the aduise aforesayd supplying all default ceremony and poynt of the lawe which hath shall or maye arise of your doinges by reason of anye default of wordes in our sayde former Commission or any parte thereof any law statute or act to the contrary notwithstanding and therfore we will and commaund you to proceed in the sayde matters accordingly aswell to our foresayd Commission as thys our declaration and so faile ye not In witnesse whereof we haue made these our letters patentes At Hampton Court the xvij day of September ¶ The fourth Session agaynst Boner Byshop of London before the kinges Commissioners in the great Hall at Lambeth the eight of September AFter this declaration being sent downe and receyued from the Kyng the Byshop of London according to the Commissioners assignement the Monday before appeared agayne before them vpon Wednesday the xviij of September in the great Hall at Lambeth Where vnder his wonted Protestation The 4. â—â—pearing 〈…〉 â—oner â—â—â—â—ore the kings Commissioners first he declared that althoughe he had already sufficiently aunswered all thinges yet further to satisfy the terme assigned vnto him to shewe cause why he ought not to be declared pro confesso vpon the Articles theretofore ministred agaynst him and to the which he had not fully aunswered he had then a matter in writing to exhibite vnto them Boner 〈…〉 why brought â—ut to be declareâ— pro coÌ„fesso Causes alleaged of Boner why he ought not to obey the Commissioners assignation why he ought not so to be declared which he read there openly Wherin first vnder his accustomed vnreuerent termes of pretensed vniust vnlawfull processe and assignation he said he was not bound by the law for good reasonable causes to obey the same especially theyr assignation And first for that the same was onely pronounced by Syr Thomas Smith one of the pretensed Commissioners without the consent of his pretensed Colleagues or at the least he as a Commissioner did prescribe the Actuary what to write whiche he ought not to haue done because by law he ought not to haue intermedled therein for that his Colleagues did the first day begin to sit as Iudges agaynst him the Bishop without the presence of the sayde Syr Thomas Smith And secondly because his aunsweres aswell vnto the pretensed denounciation The secâ—nd cause as also vnto all the articles theretofore obiected agaynst him were as full and sufficient as the law required or at least wyse there was nothyng good in law apparant to the contrary and therfore he was not enforced by lawe farther to aunswere without farther allegation The third cause And because also that all theyr procedings therto were so extraordinarily done that they had confounded all maner of lawfull processe sometimes proceding ad denuncianduÌ„ sometimes ex officio mero The Popes 〈◊〉 and sometimes ex officio mixto contrary vnto the kinges Ecclesiasticall lawes and coÌ„trary also vnto theyr Commission in that behalfe And likewise because diuers of the Articles pretensed were superfluous and impertineÌ„t not reuealing though they were proued The fourth cause conteyning in them vntruth and falsity some obscure and vncertaine some depending vpon other articles either denyed or at the least qualified some captious and deceitfull to bring the aunswere into a snare and some also beyng Articles of the lawe in such sort as by the Ecclesiasticall lawes of this Realme the kinges subiectes were not bound to make aunswere thereunto The Popes lawe And lastly because that Syr Thomas Smith Secretary to the kinges Maiesty The fifte cause when that the Byshop was last with the Counsell in the Counsell Chamber at White Hall after the departure of the Lorde Protectour and the rest of the counsell did himselfe alone without any other write certayne Articles or IniuÌ„ctions amongest the whiche was that of the kinges authority in his minority and afterward did copy the same at a table within the sayd couÌ„sell Chamber and so himselfe did deliuer them vnto hym By reason whereof that is not true which in the CoÌ„mission denunciation and Articles was deduced and obiected agaynst him The intoleâ—â—ble 〈…〉 Boner 〈…〉 When these fonde and friuolous obiections were thus read the archbishop seing his inordinate and vntollerable contempt towardes them charged him very sharply saying My Lord of LondoÌ„ if I had sitteÌ„ here onely as Archbishop of Canterbury it had bene your part to haue vsed your selfe more lowly obediently reuerently towardes me then ye haue but seing that I with my Colleagues sit here now as Delegates from the kinges Maiesty I must tell you plaine you haue behaued your selfe to to much inordinately For at euery time that we haue sitteÌ„ in coÌ„mission you haue vsed such vnseemely fashions without all reuerence and obedience geuing tauÌ„tes and checkes aswell vnto vs with diuers of the seruants and Chaplaynes as also vnto certayn of the auncientest that be here The wordes of the Archbishop to Boner calling theÌ„ fooles and Dawes with such like as that you haue geuen to the multitude an intolerable exaÌ„ple of disobedieÌ„ce And I ensure you my Lord there is you and one other Bishop whoÌ„ I could name that haue vsed your selues so conteÌ„ptuously disobediently as the like I think hath not before bene heard of or sene whereby ye haue done much harme At which wordes Boners scorneful aunswere to the Archbishop the grosse Byshop a Beast a man might iustly terme him sayd scornefully to the Archbishop you shew your selfe to be a meete Iudge The Archbishop then proceeding â—ayde to his charge how vndiscreetly the last day in the Chappell he had called all the the people Woodcockes The Archbyshop Whereunto he aunswered that the last Session William Latimer one of the denouncers beyng there present Boner had practised with the audience that when he lifted vp his hand to them they shoulde and did as it were by a token geuen them say as he sayd and doe as he did as one tyme vpon the lifting vp of
I doubt not He would make meÌ„ beleue that he were called before vs for preaching his opinion of the sacrameÌ„t wherein I assure you he did both falsly naughtily yea lewdly and more then became hym and more then he had in commaundement to do for he was not willed to speake of that matter perhaps he may heare more of that hereafter but yet he will say no such thing to his charge and therefore we wyll not haue hym to delay vs as he doth Which ended the delegates notwithstanding decreed to tary agayne for him vntill two of the clocke at after noone the nexte day beyng Friday and the twenty of September The v. Action or processe the xx of September agaynst Boner Byshop of London before the kings Commissioners AT which day and tyme the Bishop appeared hymselfe personally before theÌ„ in the same chamber of presence The 5. 〈…〉 against Boner Byshop of London Where first he did exhibite his answers vnto the last Articles ministred vnto hym the 18. of September The contents wherof here vnder follow ¶ The aunswer of the sayd Bishop of London made vnto the Articles ministred vnto hym the second tyme. THe aunswers of me Edmund bishop of London vnder myne accustomed protestation geuen vnto the Articles of late ministered and exhibited agaynst me here in this court with speciall protestation also that I doe not intend in any wise to make aunswere to any of the sayd articles otherwise then the lawe of this Realme doth bynd me to doe nor to speake or say contrary to any thyng that in my former aunsweres I haue sayd or done and that if so chaunce me to do it is not nor shall not be with my good will or full consent and that so soone as I shall perceyue it I intend to reuoke it and so now as than and then as now doe so in that case reuoke to all honest and lawfull purposes To the first Article I do aunswere and say that there was a Messenger whose name I knowe not Boner aunswereth to the first article that came vnto me to Fulham as I nowe remember but I doe not remember the day thereof and he sayd that my Lord Protectours grace required me to come by and by to speake with hym And thereupon hauyng made the sayd messenger to breake hys faste I repayred to the Court at Westminster but not vpon the tenth day of August but some other day of the sayd month To the second Article I doe say that it is obscure incertayne and ouer generall Aunswere to the 2. article especially in those at the same tyme which may be referred to the tenth of August and than aunswere already is made thereunto and it may be referred to some other day of the sayd month of August either before the x. of August or after And because it remayneth vndeclared I am not bound in law to aunswer vnto it neyther yet to those wordes and sentence in the sayd Article it is to wit then and there for they without declaration are incertaine obscure and generall and I before the specification and declaration thereof not bound herein to make an aunswer specially hauyng already made full and sufficient answer in this matter accordyng to the commission as I do take it and accordyng vnto the law which also willeth that if a certaine answer be looked for the position and Article must before be certaine To the 3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13 and 14 Article he answereth all after one maner and sort He aunswereth in a generall as thus That it doth depend of the former Articles to which for causes aforesayd he sayth he is not bound in law to make answer vnto especially hauyng already made Sauing that in the sixt he addeth thereunto that he at no tyme heard the L. Protector find fault nor commaunded as is deduced in the sayd Article so farre as he doth finde Also sauyng the 7. Article where he addeth neuertheles confessing and knowledging with heart and mouth the kings maiesties authoritie and regal power in his minoritie as well and full as in his maioritie Also sauing the 8.9.10 and 11. articles where he addeth as they be deduced they are not true as appeareth in conserâ—ing one with other To the 12. and 14. Articles he addeth as they be deduâ—ed they are not true Confessing neuerthelesse the Kings Maiesties authoritie and power regall as before is exâ—resseâ— To the 15. Article he aunswereth and sayth that it is a position of law and that yet both now Aunswere to the 15. article and heretofore he hath made aunswer thereunto in effect and substaunce as appeareth in his former aunswers and so shal do always according to the law and his bounden duetie knowledging as he hath already done the kings maiesties regall power in his minoritie to be no lesse then in his maioritie And the subiects bound to obey vnto his grace his lawes statutes and ordinaunces and his sayd authoritie as well in hys minoritie as in hys maioritie not allowyng but expresly condemnyng the opinion of all rebels holding the contrary After this perceiuyng that M. Secretary Smith was somewhat more quicke with hym then others of the Commissioners and that he would not suffer him any longer to dally out the matter with his vaine quiddities and subtleties in law but euer earnestly vrged him to go directly to his matter Boner refuseth Secretary Smith to be his iudge and therewithall sometymes sharply rebuking him for his euill and stubborne behauiour towardes them he to deface his authoritie as he thought did also then exhibite in writyng a recusation of the Secretaries iudgement against him The forme and maner wherof as he exhibited it vnto the iudges I thought here also to exhibite vnto the Reader as here vnder followeth ¶ The recusation of the Iudgement of Syr Thomas Smith made by the B. of London the first tyme. IN the name of God Amen Forasmuch as equitie Causes alleaged by Boner why he refused Secretary Smyth naturall reason and all good lawes do require that Iudges shall be of that integritie wisedome circumspection learnyng and indifferencie that exercising the office and rowme of a Iudge they may shall do it without hatred malice oâ— grudge agaynst any person conuented or called before them vprightly sincerely and duely executyng and doyng their office vnto them in any wyse committed and for as much also as all iudgementes and processe ought to haue their due course and proceede without suspition or corruption in any wyse and finally for as much as very dangerous it is to appeare and make defence before an incompetent Iudge who commonly and accustomably of priuate vnlawful corrupt affectioÌ„ to the one side for malice hatred and enuy borne against the other side rather serueth his carnall corrupt and wilfull appetite Boner layeth exceptions against Sir Thomas Smyth then any thyng is mooued to obedience and keeping of good order law or reason touching him that is
as it appeareth manifestly by the three Euangelistes And Saint Paule calleth the comming to the holy Communion the comminge vnto the Lordes Supper And also it is not read that any of the Apostles or the Primitiue Church did euer vse any altare in the ministration of the holy Communion Wherefore seeing the forme of a Table is more agreeable with Christes institution and with the vsage of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Churche then the forme of an Aultar therefore the forme of a Table is rather to be vsed then the forme of an Aultare in the administration of the holy Communion The sixt reason Finally The six reason it is said in the preface of the booke of common prayer that if any doubt doe arise in the vse and practising of the same booke to appease all suche diuersitie the matter shall be referred vnto the Bishop of the dioces who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasinge of the same so that the same order be not contrarye vnto any thing contained in that booke After these letters and reasones receyued the forenamed Nicholas Ridley Byshop of London consequently vppon the same did hold his visitation wherein amongst other his Iniunctions the sayde Bishoppe exhorted those Churches in his Diocesse where the Aultars then did remaine to confourme them selues vnto those other Churches whych had taken them downe and had sette vp in the steade of the multitude of their Aultares one decent Table in euery Church Uppon the occasion whereof there arose a greate diuersitie aboute the fourme of the Lordes boorde some vsing it after the fourme of a Table and some of an aultare Wherein when the saide Bishop was required to saye and determine what was moste meete Anno 1550. he declared he could doe no lesse of his bounden duetie for the appeasing of such diuersitie to procure one godly vniformitie but to exhorte all his Diocesse vnto that which he thought did best agree with Scripture with the vsage of the Apostles and wyth the Primitiue Churche and to that which is not onely not contrary vnto any thinge contained in the booke of Common prayer as is before prooued but also mighte highly further the kings most godly procedings in abolishing of diuers vaine superstitious opinions of the popish masse out of the hearts of the simple and to bring them to y e right vse taught by holy Scripture 〈◊〉 wall 〈◊〉 the high 〈◊〉 side in 〈…〉 Nicholas 〈◊〉 of the Lordes Supper and so appoynted he the fourme of a right Table to be vsed in his Dioces and in the Church of Paules brake down the wall standing then by the high Aultars side Now we will enter God willing into those matters which happened betweene kinge Edwarde and hys sister Mary as by their letters here folowing are to be seene To my Lorde Protectour and the rest of the kings Maiesties Counsaile MY Lorde I perceiue by the letters whyche I late receiued from you and other of the kinges Maiesties Counsaile that yee be all sorie to finde so litle conformitie in me touching the obseruation of his Maiesties lawes 〈…〉 letters 〈◊〉 the Lords 〈◊〉 the CouÌ„â—â—yle who am well assured I haue offended no law vnles it be a late lawe of your owne making for the altering of matters of Religion whiche in my conscience is not worthy to haue the name of a Lawe both for the kings honors sake the wealth of the Realme and geuing an occasion of an euill brâ—ite through all Christendome besides the parcialitie vsed in the same and as my sayde conscience is very well perswaded the offending of God which passeth al the rest but I am well assured that the king hys fathers Lawes were allowed and consented to with out compulsion by the whole Realme both Spirituall and Temporall and all ye executours sworne vppon a Booke to fulfil the same so that it was an authorised Lawe and that I haue obeyed and will doe with the grace of God till the Kinges Maiestie my brother shall haue sufficient yeares to bee a Iudge in these matters hym selfe Wherein my Lorde I was plaine wyth you at my laste beynge in the Courte declaringe vnto you at that time whereunto I woulde stande and nowe doe assure you all that the only occasion of my stay from altering mine opinion is for two causes One principally for my conscience sake the other that the king my brother shal not hereafter charge me to be one of those that were agreeable to suche alterations in hys tender yeares And what fruites dailye growe by suche chaunges since the death of the King my Father to euery indifferent person it wel appeareth both to the displeasure of God and vnquietnesse of the realme Notwythstanding I assure you all I woulde be as â—othe to see his highnesse take hurt or that any euill should come to this his Realme as the best of you all and none of you haue the like cause considering howe I am compelled by nature beinge his Maiesties poore and humble Sister moste tenderly to loue and pray for him and vnto this his realme being borne within the same wishe all wealth and prosperitie to Gods honour And if any iudge mee the contrarye for mine opinions sake as I truste none doth I doubte not in the ende wyth Gods helpe to prooue my selfe as true a natural and humble sister as they of the contrary opinion with all their deuises and altering of lawes shall prooue them selues true subiectes praying you my Lorde and the rest of the Counsail no more to vnquier and trouble me with matters touching my conscience wherein I am at a full poynte wyth Gods helpe what soeuer shall happen to mee intendinge with his grace to trouble you litle with any worldly sutes but to bestowe the short time I thinke to liue in quietnes and pray for the kinges Maiestie and all you heartily wishing that your proceedings may be to Gods honour the safegard of the kings persone and quietnesse to the whole Realme Moreouer where your desire is that I woulde sende my Controller and Doctour Hopton vnto you by whom you woulde signifie your mindes more amplie to my contentation honour it is not vnknowen to you al that the chiefe charge of my house â—eâ—teth onely vppon the trauails of my sayde Controller Who hath not bene absent from my 〈◊〉 three whoâ—e dayes since the settinge vp of the same vnlesse it were for my letters Patentes so that if it wer◠〈◊〉 for his continual diligence I thinke my litle portion would not haue stretched so farre And my Chaplaine by occasion of sickenesse hath bene long absent and yet not able to ride Therefore like as I can not forbeare my Controller and my Prieste is not able to iourney So shall I desire you my Lorde and the rest of the Counsaile that hauinge any thing to be declared vnto me except matters of Religion yee will either wryte your mindes or sende some
y e sayd Byshop as wel in the kings maiesties late visitation w tin your Diocesse as at sondry other times haue ben complained vpon sundry informations made against you for your doings sayings preachings against sundry Iniunctions orders and other procedings of his maiestie set foorth for reformation of errors superstitions and other abuses in religion 7 Item that after and vppon the occasion of those other many complaints and informations you haue ben sundry times admonished commanded and enioyned to conforme your selfe as to your duetie appertaineth 8 Item that after the premisses and for that those former admonitions commaundements notwythstanding you did yet still shewe your selfe not conformable The manifold transgressions of Wint. worthy of punishment for that also by your example the people were much animated therby occasion of muche vnquietnesse ministred you were called before the kings maiesties counsell in the moneth of Iune the 2. yeare of his maiesties raigne by them on his highnes behalfe commaunded to preache a Sermon before hys maiestie and therin to declare the iustnes and godlines of his Maiesties father and his proceedings vppon certaine matters partly mentioned in certaine articles to you deliuered in wryting and partly otherwise declared vnto you The effecte whereof was touching the vsurped authoritye of the B. of Rome and that his pretensed authoritie was iustly godly taken away in this realm other the kings maiesties dominions Touching the first suppression and taking away of Monasteries Religious houses Pilgrimages Reliques Shrines and Images the superstitious going about of S. Nicholas bishop S. Edmund S. Katherin S. Clement and such like for taking away of ChaÌ„treis Obites and Colleges touching hallowing of Candels water ashes palme holy breade beades creeping to the crosse and suche like touching the setting foorthe of the kings maiesties authoritie in his yoÌ„g yeres to be as great as if his highnesse were of many more yeres touching auricular confession touching the procession common praier in Englishe and that things done in generall Councels against the woorde of God may be iustly reuoked in particular Councels Winchesters coÌ„temptuous disobedience to the king 9 Item that you receiuing the same and promising to declare them in a sermone by you made before his Maiestie for that purpose on the feast of S. Peter in the sayd second yere of his highnesse raigne did then and there contemptuously and disobediently omit to declare and set foorth many of the sayd matters to the great contempt of his Maiestie and daungerous example of others 10 Item that you being also commanded and on his maiesties behalf for the auoyding of tumult for other great considerations inhibited to treate of any matter in controuersie concerning the Masse or the communion then commonly called the Sacrament of the aultar did contrary to the sayd commandement inhibition declare diuers your iudgements opinions in the same in manifest contempt of hys Maiesties sayd inhibition Winchester stubbernely refused to conforme himselfe to the booke of the kinges proceedinges to the great offence of the hearers and disturbaunce of the common quiet and vnity of the realme 11 Item that after the premisses videlicet in the moneths of May or Iune or one of them in the thirde yeare of hys highnesse raigne his Maiestye sent eftsoones vnto you to know your conformity towards his said reformation and specially touching the booke of Common praier then lately set foorth by hys maiestie whereunto you at the same time refused to shewe your selfe conformable 12 Item that after that videlicet the 9. day of Iuly in the fourth yeare of his Maiesties raigne his highnes sent vnto you hys graces letters wyth a certaine submission and articles wherunto hys grace willed and commanded you to subscribe to the whyche submission you contemptuously refused to subscribe 13 Item that you hauing eftsoones certaine of the kyngs most honorable Councell sent vnto you the 12. of Iulye Wynchesâ—â—â— standeth in iustificatioâ— of himselfe in the sayd fourth yeare with the same submission and beyng in his maiestyes behalfe required and commanded to consider agayne better the sayd submission and to subscribe the same stoode in iustification of your selfe and woulde in no wise subscribe thereunto 14 Item that after all thys the 14. daye of Iulye in the sayde fourth yeare the sayd kings Maiestie sent yet againe vnto you certaine of his maiesties most honorable councel with an other submissioÌ„ and diuers other articles willing and commaunding you to subscribe your name thereunto whych to do you vtterly refused 15 Item that after all thys videlicet the 19. of Iulye in the sayde fourth yeare you being personally called before the whole counsaile Fantasticaâ—â— consideraâ—â—â—ons of wyâ—â—chester and hauing the sayde submission and articles openly and distinctly read vnto you and required to subscribe the same refused for vniust and fantasticall considerations by you alledged to subscribe the same 16 Item that for your sundry and manifolde contemptes and disobediences in this behalfe vsed the fruites of your benefice were then by speciall commission of hys Maiestie iustly and lawfully sequestred 17 Item that after this you had intimation and peremptorie monition with communication that you shuld within 3. monethes next following the sayde intimation reconcile and submit your selfe vpon paine of depriuation 18 Item that the saide 3. moneths are nowe fully expired and runne 19 Item that you haue not hetherto Wyncheâ—â—â—â— sworne 〈◊〉 aunswereâ— truely according to the sayd intimation and monition submitted reconciled nor reformed your self but contemptuously yet still remaine in your disobedience Whereupon they required the B. of Winchester then and there personally present to be sworne faithfully and truely to make answere After these articles were exhibited vnto him and he hauing leaue to say for himself wherin he vsed al the cautels shiftes and remedies of the law to his most aduantage by way of protesting recusing and excepting against the commission and requiring also the copies as well of the Articles as of his protestation of the Actuaries which wer W. Say and Tho. Argall time and respite was assigned vnto hym to aunswer to the sayd Articles in wryting But he so cauilled and dalied from day to day to answer directly Time 〈◊〉 to Wincâ—â—â—ster to aâ—â—swere by wryting For the 〈◊〉 positions 〈◊〉 these and â—â—ther witnesses against 〈◊〉 read in thâ— first editiâ—â— of Actes 〈◊〉 MonumeÌ„â—â— pag. 816. although he was sufficiently laboured and perswaded to the same by sondry callinges and Actes and also aboundantly conuicted by depositions and witnesses especially by matter induced by the L. Paget and Andrewe Beynton M. Chalenor pag. 816. all which I referre to my first booke that at the last he appealed from them reputing them not to be competent and indifferent iudges to heare and determine his cause vnto the kings royal person notwithstanding by protestation alwaies reseruing to himselfe the benefite of his appellation And so
proceded he to the answering of the foresaid articles but in such crafty and obstinate maner as before he had ben accustomed and as at large to them that be desirous to vnderstand the processe thereof in the first booke of the Actes and monuments of the Church aforesayd may appeare But briefly to conclude such exceptions he vsed against the witnesses produced against him and he himself produced such a number of witnesses in hys defence and vsed so many delaies and cauillations that in the end the commissioners seeing his stubbernesse proceeded to the sentence definitiue against him as heere vnder followeth ¶ Sentence definitiue agaynst Stephen Gardiner B. of Winchester IN the name of God Amen By authority of a commission by the high and mighty prince our moste gracious soueraigne Lord Edward the 6. by the grace of God king of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith The finall sentence 〈◊〉 the depriâ—uation of the Bishâ—â— of Winchâ—â—ster and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head the tenour whereof hereafter ensueth Edward the sixt c. Wee Thomas by the sufferaunce of God Archbishop of Canterburye primate of all Englande and Metropolitane wyth the right reuerende fathers in God Nicholas Bishop of London Thomas Byshop of Ely and Henry Byshop of Lincolne Syr William Peter Knight one of our said soueraigne Lordes two principall secretaries Sir Iames Hales knight one of our sayd soueraigne Lordes Iustices of his common plees Griffith Leison and Iohn Oliuer Doctors of the Ciuill lawe Richard Goodrike Iohn Gosnold Esquiers delegates and Iudges assigned appointed rightfully lawfully proceeding according to the forme tenor of y e said commission for the hearing examinatioÌ„ debating finall determination of y e causes and matters in the said commisson mentioned and conteined and vpon the contentes of the same and certeine articles obiected of office against you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester as more plainely and fully is mencioned and declared in the said commission and articles all which we repute take here for to be expressed after sondry iudiciall assemblies examinations debatings of the said cause matters with all incidents emergents circumstances to the same or any of them belonging and the same also beeing by vs ofte heard seene and well vnderstanded and with good and mature examination and deliberation debated coÌ„sidered and fully wayed and pondred obseruing all such order and other things as by the lawes equitie and the said commission ought or needed heerein to be obserued in the presence of you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester do proceede to the geuing of our finall iudgement and sentence diffinitiue in this maner following For asmuch as by the actes inacted exhibites and allegations purposed deduced alleaged by sufficient proofes with your owne confession in the causes aforesaid had and made we do euidently finde and perceiue that you Steuen Bishop of Winchester haue not only transgressed the commaundements mencioned in the same Wynchester fouÌ„d to be a transgressor but also haue of loÌ„g time notwithstanding many admonitions and commandements geuen vnto you to the contrary remained a person much grudging speaking and repugning against the godly reformations of abuses in religion set foorth by the kings highnes authoritie within this his realme and forasmuch as we do also finde you a notable open and contemptuous disobeyer of sondry godly and iust commandements geuen vnto you by our sayd soueraigne Lorde and by his authoritie in diuers great and weighty causes touching and coÌ„cerning his princely office the state and common quietnes of this his Realme and for asmuch as you haue and yet do contemptuously refuse to recognise your notorious negligences misbehauiours contempts and disobedieÌ„ces remaining still after a great number of seuerall admonitions alwaies more and more indurate incorrigible and without all hope of amendement coÌ„trary both to your oth sworne obedience promise and also your bouÌ„den duety of allegiance and for the great sclaunder and offence of the people arise in many partes of the Realme through your wilfull doings sayings and preachings contrary to the common order of the Realme and for sondry other great causes by the actes exhibites your owne confession and proofes of this processe more fully appearing considering withall that nothing effectually hath ben on your behalfe alleaged purposed and proued ne by any other meanes appeareth whiche doth or may empayre or take away the proofes made against you vpon the sayde matters and other the premisses Therefore we Thomas Archbyshop of Caunterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane Iudge delegate aforesayd calling God before our eyes with expresse consent and assent of Nicholas B. of London Tho. bishop of Ely Henry B. of Lincolne sir Wil. Peter Knight Sir Iames Hales Knight Griffith Leison and Ioh. Oliuer doctors of the ciuill law Rich. Goodricke and Iohn Gosnold Esquires Iudges and Colleagues with vs in the matters aforesaid and with the counsaile of diuers learned men in the lawes with whome we haue conferred in and vpon the premisses SteueÌ„ Gardiner Bish. of Winchester depriueâ— of his Bishopricke do iudge and determine you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester to be depriued and remooued from the Bishopricke of Winchester and from all the rightes authoritie emoluments commodities and other apurtenaunces to the sayde Byshoprike in any wise belonging whatsoeuer they be and by these presentes we doe depriue and remoue you from your sayd Bishopricke and all rites other commodities aforesaide and further pronounce declare the sayd Byshopricke of Winchester to all effectes and purposes to be voyde by this our sentence definitiue which we geue pronounce and declare in these writings This sentence diffinitiue being geuen the sayd Byshop of Winchester vnder his former protestatioÌ„s dissented froÌ„ the geuing and reading thereof and froÌ„ the same as vniust of no efficacy or effect in law and in that that the same conteineth excessiue punishmeÌ„t and for other causes expressed in his appellation aforesayd did then and there apud Acta immediately after the pronouncing of the seÌ„tence by word of mouth appeale to the kinges Royall maiestie first secondly and thirdly instantly more instantly SteueÌ„ Gardiner appealeth from the Sentence to the king most instantly asked apostles or letters dimissorials to be geuen and granted vnto him And also vnder protestation not to recede from the sayd appellation asked a copy of the sayd seÌ„tence the Iudges declaring that they would first knowe the kinges pleasure and his counsell therin vpon the reading and geuing of which sentence the promoters willed Will. Say and Thomas Aâ—gall to make a publicke Instrument and the witnesses then and there present to beare testimony thereunto c. And thus haue ye the whole discourse and processe of Steuen Gardiner late bishop of Winchester vnto whome the Papisticall cleargy doth so much leane as to a mighty Atlas an vpholder of their ruinous Religion The end of
the deuill and defendeth meÌ„ from deceptions of phantasy c. Thus ye haue heard the author and father of holly water which some also ascribe to Pope Sixtus which succeeded Alexander But as y e Papists do not agree in the fyrst authour or institutor of this hallowing of Elementes so I thinke the same vntruely to be ascribed to either but leauing the probation of this to farther leasure let vs nowe heare in our owne tongue theyr owne words which y e vse in this theyr coniuration The forme and wordes vsed of the Priest in coniuring Salt I coniure thee thou creature of Salte by the ✚ liuyng God Salt coniured by the ✚ true God by the holy God c. That thou mayest be made a coniured Salte to the saluation of them that beleue And that vnto all suche as receiue thee thou mayest be health of soule and body and that from out of y e place wherein thou shalt be sprinckled may flie away and depart all phantasy wickednes or craftines of the deuils subtlety and euery foule spirit c. The forme of coniuring water Water coniured I coniure thee thou creature of water in the name of ✚ God the father almighty and in the name of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue ✚ of the holy Ghost that thou become a coniured water to expell all power of the enemy c. Who seeth not in these wordes blasphemye intollerable how that which only is due to the bloud of Christ and promised to fayth onely in him the same is transferred to earthly and insensate creatures to be saluation both to bodye and spirite inwardlye to geue remission of sinnes to geue health and remedy agaynst euils and deuils against all phantasies wickednesse and all foule spirites and to expell the power of the enemy c. If this be true whereto serueth the bloud of Christ and the vertue of Christian fayth Therfore iudge thy selfe gentle Reader whether thou thinke this trompery rightly to be fathered vpon those ancient fathers aforenamed or els whether it may seme more like trueth that Iohn Sleydan writeth whose woordes in his second booke de Monarchijs are these Ioan 〈◊〉 danu◠〈◊〉 de 4. â—â—â—narch Horum decreta sunt in libris inserta conciliorum sed ex his plaeraque tam sunt leuicula tam nugatoria tam aliena prorsus a sacris literis vt credibile sit ab alijs longo post teÌ„pore fuisse conficta c. That is The decrees of these foresaid Bishops and Martyrs be inserted in the booke of Counsels but of these decrees many therof be so childish so trifling and so farre disagreeing from the holy scripture Many 〈…〉 imputeâ— the oldâ— theâ—â— which 〈◊〉 none oâ— theirs that it is very like that the same were fayned and counterfayted of others long after theyr time c. Thus muche sayth Sleydane with moe woordes in that place Unto whose testimony if I might be so bolde also to adde my coniecture I would suppose the coniuration of this foresayd water and Salte to spring out of the same fountayne from whence proceeded the coniuring of flowers and braunches because I see the order and manner of them both to be so like and vniforme as may appeare The maner of halowing flowers and braunches I coniure thee thou creature of flowers and brauÌ„ches in the name of ✚ God the father almighty Floures braunch hallowâ— and in the name ✚ of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue of the holy ✚ Ghost Therfore be thou rooted out and displaÌ„ted from this creature of flowers and braunches all thou strength of the aduersary all thou host of the deuill and all the power of the enemy eueÌ„ euery assault of the deuils c. And thus much concerning the antiquity of holy bread and holy water wherby thou mayst partly coniecture the same not to be so olde as Steuen Gardiner in hys Letter agaynst mayster Ridley aboue mentioned woulde haue Pag. 753. being both deceiued himselfe and also goyng about to seduce other Furthermore as touching the reseruing of reliques the memoriall of sayntes brought into the masse Ex Actiâ— Rom. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Gregoriâ—â— Gregory the thyrd is the author therof who also added to the canon therof this clause Quorum solennitates hodie in coÌ„spectu diuinae maiestatis tuae celebrantur c. Finally it were to long to recite euery thing in order deuised and brought in particularly to the masse and to y e Church For after that mans brayne was once set on deuising it neuer coulde make an end of heaping rite vppon rite and ceremony vpon ceremonye till all religion was turned well nighe to superstition Thereof commeth oyle and creame brought in by Pope Siluester not wont to be hallowed but by a byshop Oyle 〈◊〉 creame The 〈◊〉 onelâ— linnen That the corporas shuld not be of silcke but onely of fine linnen cloth That the Psalmes should be song on sides the one side of the quier singing one verse the other an other with gloria patri c. That baptisme should be ministred at no other time in the yere but onely at Easter and at whitsontide saue onely to infantes and such as were in extreame infirmity and that it should be requyred 40. dayes before Autor 〈◊〉 Conciliâ—â— Tomo 〈◊〉 Hallow of the 〈◊〉 at Easteâ—â— Whitsoâ—â—tide Christ iâ— of bellâ— Ex ponâ— cali 〈…〉 No beaâ—â— so determined by Pope Siricius and therfore was it that fontes were halowed onely at these two seasons the which hallowing they keep yet still but the ordinaunce they haue reiecte Item that belles also were Christened Item no Prieste shoulde weare a beard or haue long hayre so appoynted by Pope Martine the first Item that auriculare confession shoulde be made that the booke of decrees and decretals should be stablished and transubstauntiation confirmed in whiche three Actes Pope Innocentius the thyrd was the chiefest doer Transuâ—â—stantiatâ—â— about the yeare of our Lord. 1215. And thus haue ye in sum the gatheringes of the masse with the Chanon and all the appurtenaunce of the same which not much vnlike to the Crow of Esope being patched with the feathers of so manye byrdes was so long a gethering that the temple of Salomon was not so long in building as the Popes Masse was in making Whereby iudge now thy selfe good Reader whether this Masse did proceede from Iames and other Apostles or no. And yet this was one of the principall causes for which so much turmoyle was made in the Church with the bloudshed of so many Godly men suffering in so many quarters of this realme some consumed by fire some pined away with huÌ„ger some hanged some slayne some racked some tormented one way some another and that onely or chiefelye for the cause of this aforesayd popish Masse as by the reading of this story folowing by the grace of Christ our Lord shall appeare more
for the washing away of sinnes as it was euen the same day that it flowed out of the blessed side of our sauiour and finally that the whole substance of our sacrifice which is frequented of the Church in the Lords Supper The wholâ— substance 〈◊〉 our sacrificâ— wherein it consisteth consisteth in praiers praise and geuing of thankes and in remembring and shewing foorth of that sacrifice once offered vpon the altar of the crosse that the same might continually be had in reuerence by mystery which once onely and no more was offered for the price of our redemption These are the things right worshipfull M. Prolocutor and ye the rest of the Commissioners which I could presently prepare to the aunswering of your three foresayde propositions being destitute of all helpe in this shortnes of time sodaine warning and want of bookes B. Ridley appealeth from the vniust sentence of his aduersaries to some other superiour competent iudge Wherefore I appeale to my first protestation most humbly desiring the helpe of the same as much as may be to be graunted vnto me And because ye haue lately giuen most vniust and cruell sentence against me I do heere appeale so farfoorth as I may to a more indifferent iust censure iudgemeÌ„t of some other superiour competent lawful iudge that according to the approued state of the church of England Howbeit I confesse that I am ignoraunt what that is at this present through the trouble and alteration of the state of the Realme â— Ridley 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 â—ppealeth 〈◊〉 â—ighty 〈◊〉 But if this appeale may not be graunted to me vpon earth then do I flye euen as to my onely refuge and alone hauen of health to the sentence of the eternall iudge that is of y e almighty God to whose most merciful iustice towardes his most iust mercifulnes I doe wholly commit my selfe and all my cause nothing at all despayring of the defence of mine Aduocate and alone Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with the euerlasting Father and the holy Spirit the sanctifier of vs all be now and for euer all honour and glory Amen Albeit this learned Byshop was not suffered to reade all that is aboue prefixed before the Disputations yet because he had it then ready and offered it vp to the Prolocutour after the Disputations sentence pronounced I thought heere the place not vnmeete to annexe the same together with the rest Now let vs heare the Arguments and aunsweres betweene Doctour Smith and him ¶ D. Smith beginneth to oppose SMith You haue occasioned me to go otherwise to worke with you then I had thought to haue done Me seemed you did in your supposition abuse the testimonies of scripture concerning the Ascension of Christ to take away hys presence in the Sacrament as though this were a strong Argument to inforce your matter withall Smithes argument Christ did ascend vnto heauen Ergo he is not in the Sacrament Now therefore I will go about to disproue this reason of yours Christes Ascension is no let to his reall presence in the Sacrament Ergo you are deceiued whereas you do grounde youre selfe vpon those places Rid. You import as though I had made a strong Argument by Christes going vp into heauen But howsoeuer mine Argument is made Aunswere you collect it not rightly For it doth not only stay vpon his Ascension but both vpon hys Ascension and his * The veritie of M. Ridleyes answere touching the reall being of Christ in earth to be restrained by his ascending and abiding in heauen standeth vpon a necessitie whiche we call Necessitas consequentiae by thys demonstration Da Euery naturall body must necessarily be contayned in his pecular and certaine place â—iâ— Christes body is a naturall body â— Ergo Christes body not to be in one certaine place at once contayned it is impossible according to the rule Omne propositiones de impossibili de necesâ—e equipollent dicto dissimiliter se habenti modoÌ„ similiter abiding there also Smith Christes going vp to heauen and his abiding there hinder not his reall presence in the Sacrament Ergo you are deceiued Rid. Of Christes reall presence there may be a double vnderstanding if you take the reall presence of Christ according to the reall and corporal substance which he tooke of the virgine that presence being in heauen caÌ„ not be on the earth also But if you meane a reall presence secuÌ„dum rem aliquam quae ad corpus Christi pertinet i. according to some thing that appertaineth to Christes body certes the Ascension and abiding in heauen are no let at all to that presence Wherefore Christes body after that sort is heere present to vs in the Lords supper by grace I say as Epiphanius speaketh it West I will cut off from hencefoorth all equiuocation and doubt For whensoeuer we speake of Christes body wee meane that which he tooke of the Uirgin Rid. Christes Ascension and abiding in heauen can not stand with this presence Smith Christ appeared corporally and really on the earth for all his Ascension and continuall abode in heauen vnto the day of Dome Argument Ergo his Ascension and abiding in heauen is no let to his reall presence in the Sacrament Rid. Aunswere Maister Doctour this Argument is nothing worth I do not so straightly tye Christ vp in heauen that he may not come into the earth at his pleasure For when he will he may come downe from heauen and be on the earth as it liketh himselfe Howbeit I do affirme that it is not possible for him to be both in heauen and earth at one tyme. Smith Marke I pray you my Maisters diligently that be here what he aunswereth First he saith that the sitting of Christ at the right hande of his father is a let to the reall presence of his body in the Sacrament and then afterward he flyeth from it agayne Rid. I woulde not haue you thinke that I do imagine or dreame vpon any such maner of sitting as these men heere sit in the Schoole Smith Ergo it is lawfull for Christ then to be heere present on the earth when he will himselfe Rid. Yea when he will it is lawfull indeede Smith Ergo his ascending into heauen doth not restrayne his reall presence in the Sacrament Rid. I do not gaynesay but that it is lawfull sor hym to appeare on the earth when he wil but proue you y t he wil. Christes aboâ—e in heauen is no let for him to appeare on earth when he will but whether he wil that must be proued Againe it is one thing to appeare on earth an other still in the Sacrament and to be present the same time with his body in heauen wheÌ„ he is bodely present in earth Smith Then your aunswere dependeth vppon the will of Christ I perceiue Therfore I will ioyne agayn with you in this short argument Christ albeit hee doth alway abide in heauen
that sitteth aboue at the sacrifice time is conteyned in the handes of men Or els as other haue translated thus Oh myracle Oh the gentlenes of God Hee that sitteth aboue with the father is handled with the handes of all men at the very same moment of time and doth himselfe deliuer hymselfe to them that are desirous to take him and embrace him Rid. He that sitteth there is here present in mistery and by grace and is holden of the godly suche as communicate him not onely sacramentally with the hand of the bodye but much more holesomely with the hand of the hart and by inward drinking is receaued but by the sacramentall signification he is holden of all men Seton Where is then the miracle if hee be onely present thorough his grace and in mistery onely Rid. Yes there is a miracle good sir The miracle in the Sacrament wherein it consisteth Christ is not idle in his sacraments Is not the miracle great trow you when bread which is wont to susteine the body becommeth food to the soule He that vnderstandeth not that miracle hee vnderstandeth not y e force of that misterye God grauÌ„t we may euery one of vs vnderstaÌ„d his truth obey the same Smith Chrisostome calleth it a miracle that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in heauen and at the same tyme is held in the handes of men not that he is handled wyth the handes of men onely in a misterye and is with them through grace Therfore while you deny that you are altogether deceiued and stray far from the truth Harps The former place of Chrisostome is not to bee let slip Let me before I begin aske this one question of you Is it not a great matter that Elias left his cloke or mantell and the gift of his prophecy to his Scholer Rid. Yes surely it is a great matter Harps Did not Elias then leaue great grace Rid. He did so Harps But Christ left a farre greater grace then Helias for he could not both leaue his cloke and take it with hym Christ doth both in his flesh Rid. I am well content to graunt that Christ lefte muche greater thinges to vs then Helius to Eliseus How Christ tooke vp his body and left it with vs. The phrase of Chrysost considered albeit he be sayde to haue left his double spirite with him for that the strength and grace of the body of Christ whiche Christ ascending vp here left with vs is the onely saluation lyfe of all men which shal be saued which life Christ hath here left vnto vs to be receaued by fayth through the hearyng of y e word and the right administration of the sacraments This vertue and grace Chrisostome after the phrase and maner of Iohn the Euangelist calleth Christes flesh Harps But Christ performed a greater matter Comparison betweene Elias mantell and Christes fleshe Elias tooke his mantell left neither mantel nor Sacrament of his mantell behind him Christ tooke his fleshe and left a SacrameÌ„t of his fleshe which was more then Elias did yet the sayd Elias afterward cast down his mantell He caryed vp and left behinde You vnderstand not the comparison The comparison is in this that Elias left his mantel and carryed it not with him Christ left his flesh behind him caryed it with him also Rid. True it is and I my selfe did affirme no lesse before Now where you seeme to speake many thinges in deede you bring no new thing at all Let there be a comparison betweene grace and grace then Christ gaue the far greater grace when he did inserte or graffe vs into his fleshe Harps If you wil geue me leaue I will ask you this question If Chrisostome would haue ment so that Christ left his body in the Eucharist what playner woordes thincke you or more euident could he haue vsed then these Kid. These things be not of so great force as they beare a great shewe outwardly Hee might also haue vsed grosser wordes if he had listed to haue vttered his minde so grosely for he was an â—loquent man Now he speaketh after y e maner of other Doctors which of misticall matters speake mistically and of Sacramentes Sacramentally Harps The comparison lyeth in this That which was impossible to Elias is possible to Christ. Rid. I graunt It was possible to Christ which was to y e other impossible Helias left his cloke Christ both left hys flesh and tooke it with him Harps Helias left behinde him could not take with him Christ both left behinde him and also tooke with hym Except you wil say the comparison here made to be nothing Rid. He tooke vp his flesh with him to heauen and lefte here the communion of his flesh in earth Harpsfield aunswered West You vnderstand in the first place his flesh for verye true flesh and in the second place for grace communion of his flesh and why do you not vnderstand it in y e second place also for his true fleshe I will make it euident howe blockish and grosse your answere is Rid. These be tauntes and reproches not beseeming as I thinke the modesty of this Schole West Elias left his cloke to his disciple Quam sit â—tupida crassa responsio tua but the sonne of God going vp to heauen left his fleshe But Elias certeinely left his cloke behinde and Christ likewise his flesh and yet ascending he carryed the same with him to By which words we make this reason Christ left his flesh to his Disciples and yet for all that he tooke the same vp with him Ergo he is present heere with vs. Heere Doctour Weston crying to the people sayd vnto them Maister Doctour aunswereth it after this fashion D. Weston speaking to the audieÌ„ce in English He caried his flesh into heauen and he left here the communion of his flesh behinde Assuredly the aunswere is to vnlearned Rid. I am glad you speake in Englishe Surely I wishe that all the whole world might vnderstand your reasons and my aunsweres Reliquit nobis carnem suam i. He left vs his flesh This you vnderstande of his flesh and I vnderstand the same of grace He caried his fleshe into heauen and left behind the communion of his flesh vnto vs. West Ye Iudges what thinke ye of this aunswere Iudges But where were these Iudges in K. Edwardes tyme. It is ridiculous and a very fond aunswere Rid. Well I take your words pacieÌ„tly for Christes cause West Weston heere citeth a place Spargimur sanguine Christi We are sprinkled with the bloud of Christ. Rid. M. Doctor it is the same bloud but yet spiritually receiued How ye are sprinckled with Christes bloud And in deede all the Prophetes were sprinkled with y e same bloud but yet spiritually I say and by grace And whatsoeuer they be that are not sprinckled with thys bloud they can not be partakers of y e euerlasting saluatioÌ„
world The causes whâ— they 〈…〉 otherwise dispute theâ— before indifferent Iudges The matter of the disputation is against Gods word The second cause that the determinations of both the Uniuersities in matters of Religion especially wherin we should dispute are directly against Gods word yea against their own determinations in the time of our late soueraigne Lord and most godly Prince King Edward and further it is knowen they be our open enemies and haue already condemned our causes before any disputation had of the same Secondly because the Prelates and clergie do not seeke either vs or the verity but our destruction and their glory For if they had sought vs as charity requireth theÌ„ would they haue called vs forth hereaboutes before theyr lawes were so made that franckly and without perill we might haue spoken our consciences Againe if they had sought for the veritie they woulde not haue concluded of controuersies In the disputation neither charitie nor veritie sought for tofore they had bene disputed so that it easely appeareth that they seeke their owne glory and our destruction and not vs and the veritie and therefore we haue good cause to refuse disputation as a thing which shall not further preuaile then to the setting forth of their glory and the suppression of the veritie Thirdly because the Censors and Iudges as we heare who they be are manifest enemies to the truth and that which worse is obstinate enemies before whome pearles are not to be cast The third cause The Iudges of the disputation professed enemies against the truth The 4. cause by the commaundements of our Sauior Iesus Christ and by his owne example That they be such their doings of late at Oxford and in the Conuocation house in October last past do most euidently declare Fourthly because some of vs haue bene in prison these 8. or 9. monethes where we haue had no bookes no paper no penne no inke or conuenient place for study we thinke we should do euill thus sodainly to descend into disputation with them which may alledge as they list the fathers and their testimonies Want of booâ—es necessaâ—â— for disputation bicause our memories haue not that which we haue read so readily as to reproue when they shall report and wrest the authors to their purpose or to bring forth that we may haue there for our aduantage Fiftly because in disputation we shall not be permitted to prosecute our Argumentes The 5. cause but be stopped when we would speake one saying thus another that the third his mind Example of 〈◊〉 disputation at Oxford c. As was done to the godly learned fathers especially D. Ridley at Oxford who could not be permitted to declare his minde and meaning of the propositions had oftentimes halfe a dosen at once speaking against hym alwayes letting him to prosecute his argument and to aunswere accordingly we will not speake of the hissing scoffing and taunting which wonderfully then was vsed If on this sorte and much worse they handled these fathers much more will they be shameles bold with vs if we shuld enter into disputation with them Sixtly because the Notaries that shall receiue write the disputations shal be of their appointment and such as either do not or dare not fauour y e truth and therefore must write eyther to please them or else they themselues the Censours and Iudges we meane at their pleasure wyll put to and take from The 6. cause that which is writteÌ„ by y e Notaries who can not Notaries 〈◊〉 indiffeâ—â—nt nor must not haue in their custody that which they write longer then the disputation indureth as their doings at Oxford declareth No copy nor scroule could anye man haue by their good will For the Censors and Iudges will haue all deliuered into their hands Yea if any man was sene there to write as the report is the same man was sent for and his writings taken from him so must the disputation serue only for the glory not of God but of the enemies of his truth For these causes we all thinke it so necessary not to dispute with them as if we did dispute we shuld do that whiche they desire purposely seek to promote the kingdome of Antichrist and to suppresse as much as may be y e truth We will not speake of the offence that might come to the godly wheÌ„ they shuld heare by the report of our enemies our aunsweres and arguments framed you may be sure for their fantasies to the sclaundering of the veritie Therfore we publish and by this writing notifie vnto the whole congregation and church of England Exceptions taken agaâ—nst the aduersaries that for these aforesaid causes we will not dispute with theÌ„ otherwise then with the penne vnlesse it be before the Queenes highnes and her Councell or before the houses of the parliament as is aboue sayd If they will write Conditions assigned how they would dispute we will aunswere by writing confirm and proue out of the infallible veritie euen the very word of God and by the testimonye of y e good and most auncient fathers in Christes Churche this our fayth and euery peece thereof which hereafter we in a summe do write and send abroad purposely that oure good brethren and sisterne in the Lord may knowe it and to seale vp y e same Exhortation to obedience we are ready through Gods helpe and grace to geue our liues to y e halter of fire or otherwise as God shall appoynt humbly requiring in the bowels of our Sauiour Iesus Christ beseeching all that feare God to behaue themselues as obedient subiects to the Queenes highnes and the superiour powers which are ordeyned of god vnder her rather after our exaÌ„ple to geue their heads to the blocke then in any poynt to rebell or once to mutter agaynst the Lordes annoynted we meane our soueraigne Lady Queene Mary into whose hart we beseech the Lord of mercye plentifully to doure the wisedome and grace of his holy spirite now and for euer Amen First we confesse and beleue all the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament The confession and fayth of the prisoned Preachers and al the bookes of the new Testament to be the very true word of God and to be written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost and are therfore to be heard accordingly as the Iudge in all controuersies and matters of religion Secondly The Catholicke Church we confesse and beleue the Catholick church whiche is the spouse of Christ as a most obedient and louing wife to embrace and follow the doctrin of these books in all matters of religion and therefore is shee to be heard accordingly so that those which will not heare this church thus following and obeying the word of her husband we accompt as heretickes and schismatickes accordyng to this saying If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as a Heathen Thirdly we
beleue and confesse all the Articles of faith doctrine set forth in the Simbole of the Apostles The Creede whiche we commonly cal the Creede and in the Symboles of the Councels of Nice kept An. dom 324. of Constantinople An. dom 384. of Ephesus kept An. dom 432. of Calcedon kept An. dom 454. of Toletum the first and fourth Also the Symboles of Athanasius Irenaeus Tertullian of Damasus which was about the yeare of our Lorde 376. we confesse and beleue we saye the Doctrine of the Symboles generally and particularly so that who soeuer doth otherwise we hold the same to erre from the truth Fourthly we beleue and confesse concerning iustification Iustification by fayth onely in Christ. that as it commeth onely from Gods mercy through Christ so it is perceaued and had of none whiche be of yeares of discretion otherwise then by fayth onely which fayth is not an opinion but a certaine perswasiō wrought by the holy Ghost in the minde and hart of man What fayth is where through as y e minde is illumined so the hart is soupled to submitte it selfe to the will of God vnfaynedly so sheweth forth an inherēt righteousnes Righteousnes in man righteousnes without man The doctrine of free iustification defended for no curiositie but for quiet of conscience which is to be discerned in the Article of iustification from the righteousnes which God endueth vs withall iustifying vs although inseperably they goe together And this we do not for curiositie or contention sake but for conscience sake that it might be quyet whiche it can neuer be if we confounde without distinction forgeuenes of sinnes and Christes Iustice imputed to vs with regeneratiō and inherent righteousnes By this wee disalowe Papisticall doctrine of free will of woorkes of supererogation of merites of the necessitie of auricular confession and satisfaction to Godwardes Seruice in the vulgar tongue Fiftly we confesse and beleue concerning the exteriour seruice of God that it ought to be according to the word of God and therfore in the congregation al thinges publike ought to be done in such a tongue as may be most to edifie not in Latin where the people vnderstād not the same Sixtly we confesse and beleue that God onely by christ Iesus is to be prayed vnto and called vpon Inuocation to God alone Purgatory and Masses suffragatory denied therfore we disalow inuocation or prayer to Saints departed this life Seuenthly we confesse and beleeue that as a man departeth this life so shall he be iudged in the last day generally in the meane season is entred either into the state of the blessed for euer An. no 1554. May. or damned for euer and therefore is either past all helpe or else needes no helpe of any in this life By reason whereof we affirme Purgatory Masses of Scala coeli Trentals and suche Suffrages as the Popishe Church doth obtrude as necessary Two sacramentes to be the doctrine of Antichrist Eightly we confesse and beleeue the Sacramentes of Christ which be Baptisme and the Lordes Supper that they ought to be ministred according to the institution of Christ concerning the substantiall partes of them and that they be no longer Sacraments then they be had in vse and vsed to the end for the which they were instituted The supper to be ministred in both kindes Against transubstantiation Agaynst Adoration of the sacrament The masse to be no propitiatory sacrifice Inhibition of Priestes mariage Antichristian And heere we playnly confesse that the mutilation of the Lords Supper and the subtraction of the one kinde from the lay people is Antichristian And so is the doctrine of transubstantiation of the Sacramentall bread and wyne after the words of consecration as they be called Item the adoration of the Sacrament with honor due vnto God the reseruation and carying about of the same Item the Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead or a worke that pleaseth God All these we confesse and beleeue to be Antichristes doctrine as is the inhibition in Mariage as vnlawfull to any state And we doubt not by Gods grace but we shal be able to prooue all our confessions heere to be most true by the veritie of Gods word and consente of the Catholicke Churche which followeth and hath followed the gouernaunce of Gods spirit and the iudgement of his word And this thorough the Lordes helpe we will do eyther in disputation by word before the Queenes hyghnesse and her Counsayle eyther before the Parliament houses of whome we doubt not but to be indifferently heard eyther with our pennes whensoeuer we shall be thereto by them that haue authoritie required and commaunded In the meane season as obedient Subiectes wee shall behaue our selues towardes all that be in authoritie and not cease to pray to God for them that he woulde gouerne them all generally and particularly with the spirite of wisedome grace And so we hartily desire humbly pray all men to do Exhortation agaynst rebelliō in no point consenting to any kinde of rebellion or sedition against our soueraigne Lady the Queenes highnes but where they can not obey but they must disobey God there to submit themselues with all patience and humilitie to suffer as the will and pleasures of the higher powers shall adiudge as we are ready thorough the goodnes of the Lord to suffer whatsoeuer they shall adiudge vs vnto rather then we will cōsent to any doctrine contrary to this which we heere confesse vnlesse we shall be iustly conuinced therof either by writing or by word before such Iudges as the Queenes hyghnes and her Counsell The bigger part agaynst the better Appeale from the Vniuersitie Doctors as not indifferent iudges or the Parlamēt houses shall appoint For the Uniuersities and Clergy haue condemned our causes already by the bigger but not by the better part without all disputation of the same and therefore most iustly we may do appeale from them to be our Iudges in this behalfe except it may be in writing that to al men the matter may appeare The Lord of mercy endue vs all with the spirit of his truth and grace of perseuerance therein vnto the end Amen The 8. of May Anno Dom. 1554. Robert Menauen aliâs Robert Ferrar. Rowland Taylor The names of the prisoned preachers subscribing to this declaration Iohn Philpot. Iohn Bradford Iohn Wigorne and Glouc. Episcopus aliâs Iohn Hooper Edward Crome Iohn Rogers Laurence Saunders Edmund Laurence I. P. T. M. ☞ To these things abouesayd do I Myles Couerdale late of Exon consent and agree with these my afflicted breethren being prisoners with mine owne hand And thus much concerning this present declaration subscribed by these preachers which was on the viij day of May. Furthermore the xix day of the sayd moneth the Lady Elizabeth May. 19. Lady Elizabeth Sir Iohn Williams Sister to the Queene was
theÌ„ within the said Deanry whom he shall lyke best to be instructed and appeased in that behalfe And also I haue appoynted that iâ— this beyng done there shall yet remayne any scruple in the parties conscience and himselfe not satisfied then the said partie to repaire vnto one of myne Archdeacons or chaplens vnto whom his mynd shal be most inclined vnto or els to repaire vnto myne owne selfe to bee resolued in his saide scruple or doubt and to receiue and take such order therin as to one of the sayd Archdeacons or vnto me shall therin appeare to be most expedient Further certifieng and declaring vnto you that I haue geuen commaundement herein to all my Archdeacons that they monish and commaund euery pastor Curate within their Archdeaconries that they hauing knowlege hereof doe in the first holiday next then followyng at the masse tyme when the multitude of people is present declare all these thyngs vnto their parishioners and exhort them that they esteeme this grace accordingly and reconcile themselues to the church before the first Sonday after Easter next ensuyng which thyng I also do commaunde by the tenour hereof with intimation that the sayd tyme beyng once past and they not so reconciled euery one of them shall haue processe made agaynst hym accordyng to the Canons as the cause shall require for which purpose the pastours and Curates of euery parish shall be coÌ„manded by their Archdeacon to certifie me in writyng of euery man and womans name that is not so reconciled Further herewith I do signify and declare vnto you that our holy father the Pope Iulius the 3. of that name lyke a most tender and naturall father hearyng of the returne and recouery of his prodigall child this Realme of England hath hymselfe made much ioy and gladnes here at and also all other true christen Realmes haue done the lyke Exhorting you therefore in our Lord not to bee vnthankfull your selues or negligent in this behalfe but diligently to seeke for it ioyfully to embrace it and fruitfully to vse it remembryng with all the monition and charge which came from me the last yeare concernyng your commyng to confession in Lent and receiuyng the sacrament at Easter which monition to all effects and purposes I haue now here repeated and renewed chargyng you and also al your Curates therwith And because al our dueties is earnestly and deuoutly to pray for the prosperous estate of our soueraignes the King and Queene of this Realm I do finally require and pray you as hartily as I can to pray for their maiesties accordingly and specially that it may please almighty God to send vnto her grace a good tyme and to make her a glad mother which cannot be but vnto vs all great ioy much comfort and inestimable profite Geuen at London the 19 day of the moneth of Febr in the yere of our Lord God after the computation of the church of England 1554. and of my translation the 16. * The forme of absolution to be kept by the Pastors and Curates in priuate confessions concernyng this reconciliation OVr Lord Iesus Christ absolue you and by the Apostolike authoritie to me graunted and committed I absolue you from the sentences of excommunication and from all other censures and paynes into the which you be fallen by reason of heresie or schisme or any other wayes and I restore you vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Churche and the Communion of all Sacramentes dispensing with you for all manner of irregularitie and by the same authoritie I absolue you from all your sinnes In the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen ¶ The lamentable history of Maister Iames Hales Iudge IN the history of M. Hooper mention was touched a little before of Iudge Hales The history of Iuâ—ge 〈◊〉 wherefore somethyng would be sayd more in this place touching that matter But because the story of that man and of his ende is sufficiently comprehended in our first booke of Acts and MonumeÌ„ts we shall not greatly need to stand vpon rehersall of euery perticular matter touching the whole but only taking the chiefest and leauyng the rest we will report somewhat of the communication betwene the B. of Winchester hym declaring withal how false and vntrue the excuse is of our aduersaries which so precisely by the law defend theÌ„selues and say that in all their doyngs they did nothing but by y e Law to beare them out Which if it be so how did they theÌ„ to Anne Askew What law had they when they had condemned her first for a dead woman then afterward to rack her The Catholickes proued to doe agaynst the law in Q Maryes tyme. By what law did they cal vp M. Hooper prison him for the Queenes debt when the Queene in very deede did owe hym foure score pounds and kept hym a yeare and a halfe in prison and gaue hym neuer a penny pag. 1577. By what law did B. Boner condemn and burne Richard Mekins a lad of xv yeares when the first Iurie had quit hym and at the stake reuoked all heresies and praised the sayd Boner to be a good man and also hauing him in prison would not suffer his father and mother to come to hym to comfort their owne chylde pag. 1168. What lawe had they to put Maister Rogers in prison when hee dyd neyther preache nor reade Lecture after the tyme of the Queenes inhibition and when they had kept hym in his owne house halfe a yeare beyng not depriued of anye liuyng yet would not let hym haue a halfe peny of his owne liuyngs to relieue hym his wyfe and xi childreÌ„ pag. 1574. By what law was Thomas Tomkins hand burnt and afterward his body consumed to ashes What good law or honestie was there to burne the 3. poore womeÌ„ at Garnsey with the infant chyld fallyng out of the mothers woÌ„be when as they all before theyr death recanted their wordes and opinions and were neuer abiured before So here likewyse in this case what order or right of law did Steuen Gardiner follow in troublyng imprisoning Iudge Hales when he had done nothyng neither agaynst Gods law nor mans law in proceeding by order of law against certayne presumptuous persones which both before the law and agaynst the law then in force tooke vppon them to say their Masse as ye shall heare in these his answers and communication had with Steuen Gardiner here vnder ensuyng ¶ The communication betwene the Lord Chauncellour and Iudge Hales beyng there among other Iudges to take his oth in Westminster hall An. 1553. October 6. Lord Chauncellour I. Hales MAister Hales ye shall vnderstand that lyke as the Queenes highnes hath heretofore conceiued good opinion of you especially for that ye stood both faithfully lawfully in her cause of iust succession refusing to set your hand to the booke among others y t were against her grace in that behalfe Communication
being within a while after recouered of those woundes deliuered out of prison getteth hymselfe home vnto hys house where he either for the greatnes of his sorrow or for lacke of good counsell or for that he would auoyde the necessitie of hearing masse hauing all things set in an order a good while before that pertaining to his testament casting himself into a shalow riuer Iudge Hales drowned himselfe was drouned therein which was about the beginning of the month of February or in the month of Ianuary before an 1555. The vnhappy chance of this so worthy a Iudge was surely the cause of great sorrowe and griefe vnto all good men it gaue occasion besides vnto certayne Diuines to stand some thyng in doubt with themselues whether hee were reprobate or saued or no about which matter it is not for me to determine either this way or that The cause of Iudge Hales drowning considered for he that is our Iudge the same shal be his Iudge and he it is that will lay all things open when the time commeth This in the meane time is certaine sure that the deed of the man in my mind ought in no wise to be allowed which if he did wittingly then do I discommend the mans reason But if he did it in phrenesie as beyng out of his wit theÌ„ do I greatly pity his case Yet notwithstanding seeing gods iudgements bee secret and we likewise in doubt vpon what entent hee dyd thus punish himselfe neither againe is any man certaine whether he did repent or no before the last breth went out of his body me seemeth their opinion is more indifferent herein which do rather disallow the example of the dead then dispayre of his saluation Otherwyse if we wyll adiudge all those to hell that haue departed the world after this sort how many examples haue wee in the first persecutions of the Churche of those men and women who beyng registred in the works of worthy writers haue notwithstanding their praise and commendation For what shall I thinke of those yong men who being sought for to do sacrifice to heathen Idols Examples in the tyme of the first persecution did cast downe themselues headlong and brake their owne neckes to auoyd such horrible pollution of themselues What shall I say of those virgins of Antioch who to the end they might not defile themselues with vncleannes and with idolatry through the perswasioÌ„ of their mother casting themselues headlong into a riuer together with their mother did fordo themselues Euseb. Hist. Eccle. lib. 8. although not in the same water yet after the same maner of drouning as this M. Hales did What shall I say of other two sisters which for the self same quarell did violently throw themselues headlong into the sea as Eusebius doth record In whome though perchaunce there was no lesse confidence to beare out the pains which should be ministred of the wicked vnto them yet that their good desire to kepe their faith and religion vnspotted was commended and praised Another like example of death is mentioned by Nicephorus Nicephor lib. 7. cap. 13. Brassila Dyrrachina that in an other virgin likewise whose name is expressed in Hierome to be Brassila Dyrachina who to keepe her virginitie fayned her selfe to be a witch and so conuentyng with the yong man which went about to defloure her pretended that she would geue hym an Hearbe which should preserue hym from all kynd of weapons so to prooue it in her selfe layd the herbe vppon her owne throte bidding him smite wherby she was slayne and so with the losse of her lyfe her virginitie was saued Hreunto may be ioyned the like death of Sophronia a Matrone of Rome who wheÌ„ she was required of Maxentius the tyrant to be defiled and saw her husband more slacke then hee ought to haue bene in sauyng her honesty biddyng them that were sent for her to tary a whyle tyll she made her ready went into her chamber and wyth a weapon thrust her selfe through the brest and dyed Now who is he that would reprehend the worthy acte of Achetes which biting of his owne tong did spit it out into the harlots face These examples I do not here inferre as going about either to excuse or to mainteyne the hainous facte of M. Hales which I would wish rather by silence might bee drouned in obliuion but yet notwithstaÌ„ding as touching the person of the man whatsoeuer his fact was because we are not sure whether he at the last breath repented Againe because we do not know nor are able to compreheÌ„d the bottomles depth of the graces and mercies which are in Christ Iesu our sauiour we will leaue therfore the final iudgement of him to the determination of him who is only appointed iudge both of the quicke and the dead ¶ De Iacobo Halisio carmen Si tua quanta fuit grauitas prudentia norma Iunctaque syncera cum pitate fides Tam caro firma tibi fortisque Halise fuisset Sanctorum prima classe ferendus eras Instituit sedenim sua quis sic tempora vitae Sanctorum vt nullis sint maculata malis Quum nihil ergo vides propria quin labe laboret Tu tua fac cures caetera mitte Deo ¶ The history of Thomas Tomkins hauyng first his hand burned after was burned hymselfe by B. Boner for the constant testimonie of Christes true profession MEntion was made before of sixe prisoners March 16. The history of Thomas Tomkins Martyr brought examined before B. Boner the 8. of February whole names were Tomkins Pigot Knight Hankes Laurence and Hunter All which though they receiued theyr condemnation together the next day after yet because the tyme of their execution was then driuen of from February til the next month of March I did therefore referre the story of them to this present moneth of March aforesayde wherin now remayneth seuerally to entreat of the Martyrdome of these 6. persons as the order and time of their suffrings seuerally do require Of the which 6. aforenamed martyrs the first was Tho. Tomkins burned in Smithfield the 16. day of March an 1555. This Thomas Tomkins a Weauer by his occupation dwellyng in Shordich and of the Dioces of London The godly lyfe disâ—position of Thomas Tomkins was of such conuersation and disposition so godly that if any woman had come vnto him with her web as sometyme they did three or foure in a day hee would alwayes begin with praier Or if any other had come to talk of any matter he would likewyse first begin with prayer And if any had sought vnto hym to borrowe money he would shew him such money as he had in his purse and bid hym take it And when they came to repay it agayne so far of was he from seeking any vsury at their hand or from straight exaction of his due that he would bid them keepe it longer while they
mayster Syriac Peters sayd Virtus altissimi obumbrauit Truth sayd mayster Archdeacon it was the power of God sent by the holy Ghost They had forgotten that genitus fuit ex substantia patris Or els they perceiued wherunto this question tended An other â—uestion of M. Bland to D. Haâ—psâ—â—eld â—he aunâ—were of D. 〈◊〉 â—o the queâ—â—ion and so both I and they left it by what words I can not tell but I sayd sir shall I aske one other And he sayd yea Is there in the sacrament after the consecration Christes naturall body with all the qualities of a naturall body or no. Harps Harke sayd mayster Archdeacon heare ye this hereticke He thinkes it an absurdity to graunt all the quantities of Christes natural body to be in the sacrament But it is no absurditye For euen that naturall body that was borne of the virgin Mary is glorified and that same body is in the Sacrament after the consecration But perceyue ye not the arrogancy of this hereticke that will put me to answere him and he will not aunswere me he thought to put me to a pinche with his question for I tell you it is a learned question Blad Syr if ye be so muche discontented with me I will say no more yet I woulde all men hearde that ye say the glorified body of Christ is in the Sacrament after the consecration Harps I may call thee grosse ignorant Thou grosse ignoraunt is not the same body glorified that was borne of the virgin Mary is it then any absurdity to graunt that to be in the sacrameÌ„t And whiles he spake many other words I sayd to mayster Petit that the Sacrament was instituted deliuered and receiued of his apostles before Christes body was crucified and it was crucified before it was glorified which saying mayster Petit partly recited to maister Archdeacon Harps Thou art without all learning Was not Christes body geuen to his Apostles as in a glorified acte and yet no incoÌ„uenience although his naturall body was not crucified for when he was borne of the virgin Mary without payne was not that the acte of a glorified body And wheÌ„ he walked on the water and when he came into the house to his apostles the dores being shut fast were not these actes of a glorified body Douer Then my Lorde of Douer helped him to a better place and sayd when Christ was in Mount Thabor he was there glorified in his apostles sight Harps Ye say truth my Lord he was glorified in the sight of three of his apostles Bland This me thinke is new doctrine Harps Well seing he will by no other way be reformed let the people come in and proue these matters agaynst hym And therewith the Archdeacon brought forth a copy of the Byll of complaint that was put agaynst me at Christmas and about that we talked a litle And then Mayster Archdeacon rose vp and said see ye good people Thomas Austen chargeth M. Bland witâ— an other vntruth that know this matter that ye come in and proue it agaynst him Wherevnto aunswered Thomas Austen I pray you sayde hee let vs be no more troubled with him And theÌ„ spake Iohn Austen and Heath with one eie and began to accuse me but no aunswere they could haue of me but do to me what ye can by lawe and I will aunswere it Then sayde Thomas Austen Bland ye were once abiured Bland Ye say not truely goodman Austen I was neuer abiured Either sayde he ye were abiured or els ye had the kinges pardon Neither of both ye speake this of malice with many other brabling woordes moe Then M. Archdeacon departed and leâ—t maister Collins to coÌ„mauÌ„d me to appeare the nexte day Howbeit for certayne other vrgent businesse that I had I did not appeare but wrote a letter to M. CoÌ„missary desiring him to respite the matter till my comming home agayne and if he would not I would be content to submitte my selfe to the lawe when I came home Now about the xxviij day of Iune I came to mayster Commissary to shewe him of my returne and offered my selfe to satisfy the law if it were proceeded agaynst me before M. Cockes of Sturray and Markes the Apparitor but M. Commissary sayd gently he had done nothyng agaynst me M. Bland appearing at Sessions in Crambroke And so appoynted me to appeare before hym the friday seuennight after Nowe in the meane time was the Sessions holden at Crambroke where I was bounde to appeare and carying suretye with me to hee bounde agayne for I looked for none other did appeare the thyrd day of Iuly Sir Iohn Bakers talke with M. Bland M. Bland brought vp by D. Lupton Prouost of Eaton Colledge Syr Thomas Moyles wordes M. Bland layd in Maydstone Gayle M. Bland caryed to the Assise at Rochester And sir Iohn Baker sayde Bland ye are as we heare say a Scot where were ye borne and brought vp And I sayd I was borne in England And he sayd where And I sayd in Sedber and brought vp by one Doct. Lupton Prouost of Eton Colledge Wel said he I know him wel Remayne in your bond till after noone Then sayd sir Thomas Moyle Ah Bland thou art a stiffe harted felow Thou wilt not obey the lawe nor aunswere when thou art called No will quoth sir Iohn Baker Mayster Shiriffe take him to your warde and the Bayliffe set me in the stockes with other and woulde not heare me speake one word so we remayned in the gayle of Maidston till a fourtnight before Michaelmas or therabout then we were caried to Rochester to Assise holden there where we were among the prisoners two dayes when we were called the Iudges of Assise asked our causes when my cause was rehearsed M. Barrow Clarke of peace sayd that I was an excommunicate person Then M. Roper of Linsted talked with the Iudges but what I am not able to say But the Iudge of Assise sayd Take them to Maidston agayne M. Bland caryed agayne to Maydstone Castle M. Bland appeareth at Sessions in Greenewich and bring them to the Session that shal be holden nexte at the towne of Maldin howbeit the Shiriffe did not sende for vs so that wee taryed at Maydstone till the Sessions holden at Grenewich the xviij and xix of Februarye I and other beyng within the Barre amongst the felons and yrons vpoÌ„ our armes were called out the latter day by the Gaoler Bailiffes and eased of our yrons and caryed by them into the towne to sir Iohn Baker master Petit maister Webbe other two whom I know not ¶ An other examination of Mayster Bland before Syr Iohn Baker BAker Bland wherfore were ye cast into prison Bland I can not well tell Your maystership cast me in Baker Ye but wherfore were ye in before that time Bland For an vniust complaynt put vpon me Baker What was the complaynt Band. I told him as truely and briefly as I could Baker Let me
Letter of Nicholas Shetterden to his mother O My good mother whom I loue with reuerence in the Lord 〈◊〉 his moâ—â—er an oâ—â—er letter 〈…〉 and according to my duety I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenes of al my misdedes towards you Oh my good mother in fewe wordes I wish you the same salutation which I hope my selfe to feele and partly tast of before this come to you to reade And in the resurrection I verely beleeue to haue it more perfectly in body and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye God graunt you to see my face with ioy but deare mother then beware of that greate Idolatrie and blasphemous Masse O lette not that be your God whiche mice and wormes can deuoure â—â—stimony 〈…〉 against 〈◊〉 Idâ—ll of 〈◊〉 Aultar Beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no God yea the fire that consumeth it and the moystenesse that causeth it to moulde and I take Christes Testament to witnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a meere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocents bloud and now that God hath shewed it vnto you be warned in time O geue ouer olde customes become new in y e truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God â—hat soeâ—er the 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 word â—ust needes 〈…〉 and let vs followe the counsell of his woorde Deare mother imbrace it with heartye affection reade it wyth obedience lette it be your pastime but yet caste of all carnall affections and loue of worldly things so shall we meete in ioy at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my friendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioy Amen From Westgate the 11. of Iuly 1555. Your childe wrytten with his hande and sealed with his bloude Nicholas Shetterden being appoynted to be slaine The copie of a letter wrytten to his wife I Wrote vnto you as one y t longed more to heare of your healthe â—n other â—etter of 〈…〉 wyâ—e then of all worldly treasure willing you to entreate Esau the elder brother by nature gently geuing to him his own yea and offer him one of the droues and say they be Iacobs and are sent for a present to my Lorde Esau but he wil not take it c. Now my beloued ye knowe the blessing of oure father is that the elder shall serue the younger wisedom our mother hath taught vs the same and I know ye do complaine of your seruaunt the flesh that he is rebellious diobedient and vntoward vnruely and crookedly ye thinke he doth his seruice but yet behold how shall ye plead your cause before an indifferent iudge for if it be true that his seruice be not according to hys duetie as it is many times found in seruaunts yet I say can you shewe your cause to no indifferent iudge but hee shall obiect against you that he is not kept like a seruant but he lacketh both meat and drinke and other necessaries meete and due for a seruaunt so shall ye take more shame of your own complaint then remedy or vantage against your seruant and it shal be a cloke for him to hide all his rebellion and vntoward seruice because ye haue misused him And therefore my sentence is that yee paciently beare with him in small faultes and amende your owne greate faultes as oppression crueltie and couetousnes requiring more then a seruaunt can do specially being tired wyth labour famined wyth hunger and lamed with stripes And these things amended if hee doe hys seruice negligently as no doubt sometime he wil yet then ye may boldly correct him with discretion sometime if he do not hys taske ye may make hym go to bed supperlesse but yet beate hym not with durable strokes neither withholde hys meate in due time and pinche him not by the belly continually but * * Corporis curam agite 〈◊〉 ad concupisceÌ„tiaâ— let him haue some thing to ioy in onely watch hym and keepe him from doing of harm Though he be but a stranger in the life that is in God yet be good to straungers for we are all straungers in darkenesse and captiues in sinne as well soule and spirite being in Egypt as now the flesh is yet vnbaptised with the terrible red Sea of deathe and remember that one lawe abideth for the stranger I meane one reward abideth both bodye and soule in the lande of euerlasting rest And therefore intreat him gently and deale with him iustly now The body of man is redemed as well as the soule for the time will come that the yoke of bondage shall be taken from his necke and he shall be a fellow heire with your yonger brother Circumcise him therefore but doe not misuse hym nor keepe him from hys owne but deale mercifully wyth the straunger that he may saye Oh of what vnderstanding heart is this people who hath God Or where is God so nigh as to these God make you wise and politike in hart victorious in fielde of this world to rule the nations with a rodde but kill not the Gabaonites wyth whome peace is taken but lette them drawe water and hew woode The Gabaonites though they be but strangers not to be pampared yet are they not to be cast out but geue them their meate and drinke due for labourers and be glad because your disease is so remedied for it is better and easier for a thirstie labouring man to drinke then for a dronken man to tell a sober tale Yea it is a token that yee haue earnestly followed your labour and not kepte companie with dronkardes and belly Gods and therefore be glad I say yea and glad againe for great is your rewarde in heauen yea blessed shall they be that in this your zeale shall meete you and withdrawe your hande from reuenging your selfe vppon that churlish Naball which thing I hope to doe nowe with these sweete reasons and frailes of Figges I being of one house with your seruaunt Naball I dare say to you that churlishnesse is hys name but reuenge not for the Lorde shal do it in his due time Farewell mine owne heart Yours in bondes at Westgate Nicholas Shetterden The next day after the condemnation of these foresayd which was the 26. day of Iulye were also condemned for the same Articles W. Coker W. Hopper of Cambroke Henry Laurence Richarde Wright of Ashforde W. Stere of Ashforde But because the execution of these Martyrs pertaineth not to thys moneth more shall be sayde the Lorde willing of them when we come to the moneth folowing of August Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waide Martyrs THe same moneth of Iuly next after the suffering of the Kentishmen aboue named Iuly 19. Nic. Hall and Christopher Wayde Martyrs followed the death Martyrdome of Nicholas Hall Brickelayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford which both were condemned by Maurice Bishoppe of
was Humfrey Palden committed to the Counter for wordes agaynst the sayd Bournes sermon at Paules crosse A letter to the Shiriffe of Buckingham and Bedford for the apprehending of one Fisher person of Ammersham a preacher Fisher. Another letter to the B. of Norwich not to suffer any preacher or other to preach or expound the scripture openly without speciall licence from the Queene The same day was M. Bradford M. Uernon and M. Beacon preachers committed to the charge of the Lieuetenant of the Tower The same day also was M. Iohn Rogers Preacher commanded to keepe himselfe prisoner in his owne house at Paules without hauing conference with any other theÌ„ those of hys owne houshold The 22. of August there was two letters directed to M. Couerdall B. of Exceter M. Hooper B. of Gloucester for their indelayed repayre to the Court and there to attend the Counsailes pleasure The same day Fisher person of Ammersham made his appearance before the Counsaile Fisher. according to their letter the 16. of August and was appointed the next day to bring in a note of hys sermon The 24. of August was one Iohn Meluin a Scotte and and Preacher sente to Newgate in London by the Counsaile The 26. of August there was a letter sent to the Mayor of Couentry and his brethren for the apprehension of one Symonds of Worcester preacher and then Uicare of S. Michaels in Couentry Symons and for the sendyng of hym vp to the counsaile with his examinations and other matters they could charge hym with With a Commission to them to punish all such as had by meanes of his preachyng vsed any talke against the Queenes proceedings The 29. of August M. Hooper B. of Worcester made his personall appearance before the Counsaile accordyng to their letters the 22. of August The 31. of August M. Couerdall B. of Exceter made hys appearaunce before the Counsaile according to theyr letters the 22. of August September 1553. The 1. of September M. Hooper and M. Couerdall appeared againe before the Counsaile whence M. Hooper was committed to the Fleete and M. Couerdall commaÌ„ded to attend the Lordes pleasure The 2. of September M. Hugh Saunders Uicare of S. Michaels in Couentry was before the Counsaile for a sermon and was commanded to appeare agayne vppon Monday next after The 4. of September a Letter was directed from the Counsaile to M. Hugh Latimer for his appearaunce before them About the 5. day of September the same yeare Peter Martyr came to London from Oxford where for a tyme he had bene commaunded to kepe his house found there the Archbishop of Canterbury who offered to defend the doctrine of the booke of Common prayer both by the scriptures and Doctors assisted by Peter Martyr and a fewe other as hereafter ye shall heare But whilest they were in hope to come to Disputations the Archbishop and other were imprisoned but Peter Martyr was suffered to returne whence he came The same day there was a letter sent to the Mayor of Couentry to set Hugh Symonds at liberty if he would recant his Sermon or els to stay hym Simons and to signify so much to the Counsaile The 13. of September M. Hugh Latymer appeared before the counsaile accordyng to their letter the 4. of September and was committed to the Tower close prisoner hauing his seruant Austen to attend hym The same day the Archbishop of Caunterbury appearyng before the Counsaile was commaunded to appeare the next day at after noone before them in the Starre chamber The 14. of September the Archbishop of Caunterbury accordyng to their former dayes commandement made his appearaunce before the Lordes in the Starre chamber Where they chargyng hym with treason spreadyng abroad of sedicious bils to the disquieting of the estate they committed hym from thence to the Tower of London there to remayne till further Iustice and order at the Queenes pleasure The 15. of September there was a letter sent to M. Horne Deane of Durham for his appearaunce before theÌ„ and another was sent to hym the 7. of October next after for his speedie appearance The 16. of September there was letters sent to the Mayors of Douer and Rye to suffer all French Protestantes to passe out of this Realme except suche whose names shall be signified to them by the French Embassadour October 1553. October 1. Queene Mary crowned October 10. The Parliament beginneth with a Masse Two Bishops withdrew themselues from the sighe of the Masse M. Harley Bishop of Herâ—ford put out of his Bishopricke The first day of October Queene Mary was crowned at Westminster and the x. day of the sayd moneth of October then followyng began the parliament with a solemne Masse of the holy Ghost after the popish maner celebrated with great pompe in the pallaice of Westminster To the which Masse among the other Lordes accordyng to the maner should come the bishops which yet remayned vndeposed which were the Archb. of Yorke D. Taylor B. of Lincolne Iohn Harley B. of Herford Of the bishops D. Taylor and M. Harley presenting themselues according to their duetie and taking their place amongest the Lordes after they saw the Masse begin not abidyng the sight therof withdrew themselues from the company for the which cause the Bishop of Lincolne beyng examined and protestyng his fayth was vppon the same commanded to attend who not long after at Ankerwyke by sickenesse departed M. Harley because he was maryed was excluded both from the Parliament and from hys bishoprike Masse beyng done the Queene accompanied with the Estates of the Realme was brought into the Parliament house there according to the maner to enter and begin the consultation Statutes of Premunire and other repealed Altars and Masses erected At which consultation or Parliament were repealed all statutes made in the tyme of king Henry the 8. for Premunire statutes made in K. Edward the sixtes time for administration of common praier the sacrameÌ„ts in the English tongue further the attainder of the duke of Northumberland was by this Parliament confirmed In this meane while many men were forward in the erecting of aulters masses in churches And such as woulde sticke to the lawes made in K. Edwardes tyme till other should be established some of them were marked some presently apprehended Syr Iames Hales Knight Among whom sir Iames Hales a knight of Kent and Iustice of the Common place was one who notwithstandyng he had ventured hys lyfe in Queene Maries cause in that he would not subscribe to y e disheriting of her by the kings will yet for that he did at a quarter Sessions geue charge vpon the statutes made in the tyme of Henry the 8. and Edward the 6. for the supremacie and religion The trouble of Iudge Hales he was imprisoned in the Marshalsey Counter and Fleete and so cruelly handled put in feare by talke that the Warden of the Fleete vsed to haue in
hys hearyng A subtile pollecy of such torments as were in preparyng for heretikes or for what other cause God knoweth y t he sought to rid himselfe out of this life by wounding himselfe wyth a knife and afterward was contented to say as they willed him wherupon he was discharged but after that hee neuer rested till he had drowned himselfe in a riuer halfe a myle from his house in Kent Of whom more is to be seen when you come to his story During the time of this parliament the Clergie lykewyse after their woonted maner A conuocation begonne had a Conuocation with a disputation also appoynted by the Queenes commaundement at Paules Churche in London the same tyme which was about the 18. of October In the which Conuocation first M. Iohn Harpesfield Bacheler of Diuinitie made a sermon ad Clerum the 16. of October After the sermon done it was assigned by the bishops that they of the Clergye house for auoyding confusion of woordes should chuse them a Prolocutor To the which roome and office by common assent was named Doc. Weston Deane of Westminster and presented to the Bishops with an Oration of M. Pie Deane of Chichester Orations of M. Pye and M. Wimsley of Doct. Wesâ—on of B. Boner in the conuocation house and also of Maister Wymbisley Archdeacon of London Which D. Weston beyng chosen and brought vnto the bishops made his gratulatory Oration to the house with the answer agayne of B. Boner After these things thus sped in the conuocation house they proceeded next to the Disputation appoynted as is abouesayd by the Queenes Commaundement about the matter of the sacrament Which disputation continued sixe dayes Wherein D. Weston was chiefe on the Popes part who behaued himselfe outragiously in tauntyng and checking In conclusion such as disputed on the contrary part were driuen some to flee some to deny some to die thogh to the most mens iudgements that heard the disputation they had the vpper hand as here may appeare by y e report of the sayd disputation the copy whereof we thought here to annexe as followeth The true report of the disputation had and begun in the Conuocation house at London the 18 of October Anno. 1553. WHere as dyuers and vncertayne rumoures bee spread abroad of the Disputation had in the Conuocation house A disputation of Religion in Paules Church in London the 18. of October to the entent that all men may know the certaintie of all things therein done and sayd as much as the memory of him that was present thereat can beare away hee hath thought good at request throughly to describe what was sayd therein on both parties of the matters argued and had in question and of the enteraunce thereof ¶ Acte of the first day FIrst vpon Wednesday beyng the 18. of October October 18. at after noone M. Weston the Prolocutor certified the house that it was the Queenes pleasure D. Weston Prolocutor agaynst the booke of Catechisme set forth in king Edwardes time that the company of the same house beyng learned men assembled should debate of matters of Religion and constitute lawes therof which her grace and the Parliament would ratifie And for that sayd he there is a booke of late set forth called the Catechisme which he shewed forth bearing the name of this honorable Synode yet put forth without your consents as I haue learned beyng a booke very pestiferous and ful of heresies and likewyse a booke of Common prayer very abominable as it pleased hym to terme it I thought it therfore best first to beginne with the articles of the Catechisme concernyng the sacrament of the aultar to confirm the naturall presence of Christ in the same and also transubstantiation Wherfore sayd he it shall be lawfull on Friday next ensuyng for all men freely to speake their conscience in these matters that all doubts may be remooued and they fully satisfied therein ¶ Acte of the second day The Friday commyng beyng the 20. of October wheÌ„ men had thought they should haue entred Disputation of the questions proposed October 20. Two billes exhibited in the Conuocation house by the prolocutor the Prolocutor exhibited two seueral bils vnto the house the one for the naturall presence of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar the other concernyng the Catechisme that it was not of that houses agrement set forth and that they did not agree therunto requiryng all them to subscribe to the same as he hymselfe had done Wherunto the whole house did immediately assent except sixe which were the Deane of Rochester M Phillips M. Haddon M. Philpot. M. Cheyney M. Elmar and one other refused to subscribe to the billes the Deane of Exceter the Archdeacon of Winchester the Archdeacon of Hertford the Archdeacon of Stow and one other And while the rest were about to subscribe these two articles Iohn Philpot stood vp and spake first concernyng the Article of the Catechisme that he thought they were deceiued in the title of the Catechisme in that it beareth the tytle of the Synode of London last before this although many of them which then were present were neuer made priuye thereof in settyng it forth The booke of the Catechisme defended by M. Iohn Philpot. for that this house had granted the authoritie to make ecclesiasticall lawes vnto certayne persons to be appoynted by the kings maiestie what so euer ecclesiasticall lawes they or the most part of them dyd set forth according to a statute in that behalfe prouided it might be well sayd to bee done in the Synode of London although such as be of this house now had no notice therof before the promulgation And in this poynt he thought the setter foorth therof nothyng to haue slaundered y e house as they by their subscription went about to perswade the world since they had our Synodall authoritie vnto them committed to make such spirituall lawes as they thought conuenient and necessary And moreouer he sayd as concernyng the article of the naturall presence in the sacrameÌ„t that it was against reason and order of learnyng and also very preiudiciall to the truth that men should be mooued to subscribe before the matte were throughly examined and discussed But when he saw that allegation might take no place Agaynst the article of naturall presence being as a maÌ„ astonied at the multitude of so many learned men as there were of purpose gathered together to maintayne olde traditions more then the truth of Gods holy word he made his request vnto the Prolocutor that where as there were so many auncient learned men present on that side M. Philpots request to the Prolocutor as in y e realme the like againe were not to be found in such number that on the other side of them that had not subscribed were not past v. or vj. both in age and learnyng far inferior vnto them therfore that equalitie might bee had in this