At Constantinople was assembled a councell by the aforenamed Emperour in the fourteneth yeare of his Empyre whereas were 300. and thirtie bishops there was commaundement giuen that all the images of sainctes shoulde be taken away and burned Also the Emperour made his subiects to sweare that they shoulde no more worshippe any image of God nor of sainctes but condemned to the death al those that shoulde call vppon the virgin Marie for helpe and those that should haue in their houses any reliques of sainctes He commaunded the Monkes to marry and the Nonnes to follow the estate of marriage Sig. Afterwards he sent to the Pope the conclusions of this councell commaunding him to cast the images out of Churches Sabin king of Bulgarie caused all the images in his kingdome to be beaten downe after the example of Constantine wherupon he gat fauour with the Emperour Naucl. 112 In the yeare 782. or thereaboutes after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ wās Alcuin otherwise called Albin the disciple of worthie Beda a monke and afterwardes Abbot of S. Martins in Tours maister to Charlemaigne he composed thrée bookes of the trinitie and many other bookes At that time raigned Constātine the sixte of that name the 76. Emperour of Constantinople the son of Leo the fourth who against the will of his mother Hierene caused the images of the temples to be beaten downe about the which not long before she had assēbled a councel at Nice at the request of Pope Adrian and of Therasius Archebishop of Constantinople as Sig. In this councel there were 325. bishops Naucl. And there it was decréed not onely that they should haue images but also that they shoulde of right be worshipped and that all the gainsayers shoulde be excomunicated But this decrée was shortly abolished by Constantine as is afore saide Chron. Euseb Moreouer within a while after that is to say in the yeare 792. was holden a Synode in Spaine in a citie called Elyberis or Granato whereas did assemble ninetene bishops thirtie and sixe priestes or ministers Felix Bishoppe of Aquitaine was there president There it was concluded especially amongst other poynts that that there should not be in Churches any images or payntings 113 During the raigne of Charlemaigne king of Fraunce who was Emperour though that hee had not gotten the imperiall crowne in the yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ 801. was Ansegisus the Abbot who made foure bookes of the decrées of Charlemaigne of Lewis his sonne Amongst all other things and aboue al things hee would that the Bishopps shoulde preache vnto the people the true doctrine gathered out of the holy scriptures and no otherwise alleaging therefore the saying of Gregorie That a minister who is without the sunne of preaching kindleth against himselfe the wrath of the hidden iudge He also ordeined that no person shoulde make profession of Monachisme without lycence of the king for to shunne many deceypts He would that there should be but a fewe feasts ordeyned he repressed the superfluitie of ministers ordeyning that they shoulde be nourished with the reuenewes of the Church with the poore Furthermore in the time of Charlemaigne and in the meane time whilest he passed his Winter at Francfort vpon the Meine a Councell was holden of a great multitude of Bishops in which the decrée of the councell of Nice concerning worshipping of images holden by Hierene as is aforesaide was pronounced false and condemned of all men c. Charlemaigne caused to be published a booke in his name against images the which agréed with the articles of the saide Councell Furthermore hée made aunswere to two bookes which were founde to haue bene written by Adrian the Pope to Therasius the Patriarch and to the Emperour of Constantinople By this writing Charlemaigne taxed and secreatly condemned Adrian without naming of idolatrie There was also one councell holden at Cauaillon vnder Charlemaigne in which amongst other superstitions that were there condemned the going of Pilgrimage for religions sake was sharpely repressed in the 45. Canon alleaging the saying of S. Hierome No man ought to be praysed for that hée hath séene Ierusalem but for that hee hath lyued well c. It is saide of Charlemaigne that he reproued the Archbishoppe of Mayence named Boniface because hée had a crosse all couered with golde beset with pretious stones for occasion so offering hee checked him and saide that it was rather the furniture of an Emperour then of a pastour 114 Haymo Byshop of Albastat scholler of Alcuinus did write vpon all the bookes aswell of the olde as of the newe Testament as is euident yet at this present He dyed in the raigne of the Emperour Lewis the sonne of Charlemaigne in the yere of Christ 834. In his time was also Rabanus who was first a Monke of the order of S. Benit and Abbot of Fulden afterward he was archbishop of Mayence who was also a disciple of Alcuinus he also made commentaries vpon all the bookes of the Byble He dyed in the yeare of our Lorde 855. Strabus was his scholler of whom it is founde written that he was the first that collected the ordinary glose of the writings of the fathers and doctours the which glose was afterwarde augmented by many others who added sentences therto 115 Bertrand a Priest a learned man well instructed in the true Godlynesse flourished in the time of the Emperour Lotharie in the yeare 840. He wrote many good workes of which it is saide that they did not come all to our hands He wrote a very commendable worke to King Charles the brother of Lotharie that is one booke of predestination and one other of the bodie bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ The cause why he composed that booke wherein he writeth very learnedly of the supper of the Lorde was by the aduise and commaundement of King Charles le chauue that he might bring the people into one and the true opinion who were then deuided touching the said misterie So that one sort saide that Christ was therein taken and eaten in misterie and was figured vnder the Elements of breade and wine some saide on the contrarie that all that which was séene in the saide misterie was chaunged and conuerted and as many doe say vnto this day transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Some said that it was figuratiuely or euidētly this was the proper bodie of Christ which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Mary with the which he is ascended into heauen others saide that it was the spirituall bodie that is the misterie representation figure vnderstanding and spirituall apprehension of the proper bodie and bloude of Christ deliuered to the death for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification All which opinions are founde remayning till this present for some holde still transubstantiation others impanatiō others a metaphore but somewhat reall Others there were who acknowledged nothing els but méere breade and wyne all which doubtes be
his eyes to wit the iust iudgementes that God had wrought-vpon the whole face of the earth washing men from their hortible and abhomible sinnes the which they had vnreasonably committed He also was able to shew foorth the great goodnesse and mercy of God in that he would not that all mankinde should be drowned and destroyed All the time that Sem liued was 600. yeares Gen. 11. 10 Arphaxad was borne the second yeare after the floud in the yeare of his father Sem 100 Gen. 11. He liued 438. yeares Sale was borne in the yeare of his father Arphaxad 35. He liued 433. yeares Gen. 11. Heber was borne in the yere of his father Sale 30. Gen. 11. He liued 464. yeares Phaleg was borne in the yere of his father Heber 34. He liued 239. yeares Reu was borne in the yeare of his father Phaleg 30. He liued 302. yeares Sarug was borne in the yeare of his father Reu 30. He liued 230. yeares Nachor was borne in the yeare of his father Sarug 30. He liued 148. yeares Thare was borne in the yeare of his father Nachor 29. And when he was seuentie yeares olde he begat Abraham He liued 205. yeares Gen. 11.32 Nowe these be here recited by Moses as being the chiefest of those that were in their time whereas we may vnderstand that although the world was filled with all impietie yet notwithstanding God still hath wonderfully conserued some the haue kept the instruction of the true heauenly doctrine to the end that the Church and the promise made thereto should not be wholy extinguished which doctrine was also immediately renued vnto Abraham their successour This is the first order of the Doctours of the Church of God that is to say of the Fathers whose gouernement endured about the space of 2023. yeres The second order of the gouernours of the Church of God is of the Patriarches 11 Abraham was borne in the yeare of his father Thare 70. Gen. 11. He went from his countrie and from his kinsfolke in the yeare after the floud 367. and in the yeare of the world 2023. He with his posteritie bare rule and gouerned the Church In his time was the promise of the séede of the woman renued which is the redéemer and deliuerer of mankinde and it was declared by manifest promises that this deliuerer or redéemer ought to be looked for of his posteritie Furthermore Abraham being of the age of 99. yeares Gen. 17. receiued Circumcision the signe of the aliance betwixt God and him which signe representeth to the Church two things to wit that al what so euer is of man is vicious and must be cut away and that saluation must procéede from the roote of Abraham He liued 175. yeares Gen. 25. Isaac was borne in the yeare of Abraham his father 100. Gen. 21. of whose séede is borne our Lord Iesus Christ Isaar liued 180. yeares 12 Iacob was borne when his father was 60. yeares of age Gen. 25. This man was a Prophete of the Church of GOO and he tooke that heauenly doctrine from his predecessors and of his father Isaac at whose handes also he obtained the blessing of God he was surnamed Israel Gen. 32. And for this cause they that descended of him were called the people of Israel Iacob being 130. yeares olde went downe into Egypt Gen. 47. whereas he might teach the true doctrine of God He liued 147. yeares After this the twelue Patriarches with their children and successors gouerned the church of God in Egypt by the space of 215. yeares Leui was borne but a few yeares before Ioseph He liued 137. yeares After his death the children of Israel were in Egypt 121. yeares And after the death of Leui vntill the natiuitie of Moses was 41. yeares In which time Cahat the sonne of Leui and Amram the sonne of Cahat and father of Moses did gouerne the Church 13 Vnder the guyding of Moses the sonne of Amram of the house of Leui the people was brought out of Egypt Exod. 12. Then was the Lawe giuen published diuinely great miracles wrought yea such as the like had not bene séene nor heard of before amongst the people The lawes also of cere monies were giuen them by God by the hand of Moses so were all sortes of oblations sacrifices and burnt offerings Whereby is to note that the Ceremonies appointed by God to the Fathers were as a preaching and secret kinde of doctrine for to instruct them into what condemnation they were fallen by reason of their sinne and howe that there was no hope of deliuerance and blessing except they had alwayes in their heartes a certaine regarde vnto the mercy of GOD declared in the promise of the séede of the woman promised aforetime to the first parentes and shortly after renued to the Fathers their successors that by the saide séede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed as it is written in the 12. chap. of Genesis And thus the mercy of God was more and more manifested vnto them by meane of the Messias whose office was figured and represented in the saide ceremonies with the whole mysterie of our redemption Moses then with his brother Aaron who was older then he gouerned the Church And God in many sortes and by diuers meanes declared howe greatly he liked the ministerie charge to them committed For as it is written in the 16. chapter of Numbers After that Corah Dathan Abiron and 250. men of the children of Israel had murmured against Moses refusing to be gouerned by him they were all swallowed vp quicke Likewise the people beginning to murmur against Moses and Aaron as though they had bene cause of the punishment sent vpon them GOO reuenged the outragious grudging of them by fire sent from heauen wherewith a great number were deuoured to wit aboue fouretéene thousand This is an example worthie to be remembred of the wrath of GOD against rebels and seditious persons which enuyed and grudged at not so much Gods seruants as against God him selfe Aaron liued 123. yeares and Moses 120. yeares he being inspired by the spirite of God composed fiue Bookes the which be called vntil this day The fiue Bookes of Moses 14 Iosue was borne in the yeare of Moses his age 42. He liued 110. yeares and after the death of Moses he was ordained guide of the people through whose conduct they entred into the land of Canaan the inhabitants whereof he vanquished and put to foyle and lastly he deuided the lande amongest the tribes of Israel He gouerned the people by the space hath heard neither could the vnderstanding of man at any time comprehend to wit the full possession and enioying of glory in the triumphant kingdome of our Lord Iesus the euerlasting Priest and King of whome may be séene in his Psalmes many good and excellent propheties Vnder this King and Prophet as well the ecclesiasticall gouernement as the ciuill was most worthily guided and ordered Loe those that were with him committed
the time of Traian the Emperour about the yeare of Iesus Christ 101. In that time were likewise other Bishops as Titus Bishop of Crete and others of whom mention is made in the Acts and in the Epistles of S. Paul that is to wit Apollo Aristarchus Gayus Derbée Iason Erastus Sosipater Tychicus Secundus Syluanus Tertius Quartus Sosthenes Epaphras Iesus the iust Demas Archippus Bishop of the Colossiās Eubulus Pudens Linus Artenas and Zenas and Dionifius Areepagita Bishop of the Athenians 64 In the yeare 65. Annianus was ordeyned Bishop of Alexandria and he gouerned the Church 22. yeares looke the historie Ecclesiasticus booke 2. chapter 23. In the yeare 66. beganne the first persecution which was in the 10. yeare of Nero and it abode vntill his death By the commaundement of this tyrant the citie of Rome was set on fire and for to shunne the report of such an act he laide the fault vpon the Christians and caused them to be executed with sundry kindes of death Those that named thē selues Christiās which name was thē so odious as if they had bene enimies to all mankinde and those that were accused hereof by the prisoners besides the other hurtes and abuses that they suffered abode this approbrie that being clad in beastes skinnes they were bayted torne in pieces with dogs some were attached and hanged on the crosse others burned in the fire so as of them were kindled fires for to giue light in the night Thus Cornelius Tacitus witnesseth 65 Ignatius a disciple of S. Iohn the Euangelist was ordeyned the second Bishop of Antioch he was caried prisoner vnto Rome for to be cast amongest the wilde beastes and to be made a spectacle vnto the people He going through Syria to Rome and passing through the countrey of Asia preached in all places where he went to the people and to the congregation the Christian faith and he exhorted the Christians to perseuere in the trueth and to beware of the infections of heretiques which then beganne to budde and that they should kéepe diligently the doctrine that they had receiued of the Apostles The cause of this persecution was for that hauing reproued in Antioch the idolatry of Traian he was apprehended as a seditious person and as being culpable lesae maiestatis and he was deliuered in charge to tenne souldiers or rather tormentors for to be caried to Rome and to be deliuered to the Lyons Whereof Ignatius him selfe saith I haue fought against beastes from Syria vnto Rome by sea and by land night and day among tenne Leopards c. Ireneus in his 5. booke speaking of Ignatius condemned to be cast vnto beastes affirmeth that he saide I am the wheate of Iesus Christ and I shall be ground with the téeth of beastes so as I may be made the bread of God 66 In the time of Domitian the Emperour who raised vp persecution against the Christians Clement Bishop of Rome which was martyred vnder Traianus instituted in his time Notaries for to write the actes of the martyrs their constancie and patience for an example and perpetuall memorie In the yeare of the Lord Iesus 88. Albilius was ordeyned Bishop of Alexandria and was Bishoppe there twelue yeares 67 Anacletus Bishop of Rome of the nation of Gréekes an Athenian gouerned the Church thrée yeares and two monethes He ordeyned that Ecclesiasticall persons should twise in the yeare haue a Synode or cōgregation for the affaires of the church He by his writings exhorted the people amongest other things that they should honor and reuerence their ministers Who so speaketh euill of the ministers saith he speaketh euill of Christ and he iudgeged him separated from Christ He was martyred in the reigne of Traianus Looke the first volume of Councels 68 Euaristus Bishop of Rome who was martyred in the last yeare of the Emperour Traian ordeyned that there should be elected seuen Deacons in euery citie the which should marke and watch the Bishop in preaching and teaching to the people and these he ordeyned for a testimonie of the worde of God and to the end that none should lay to his charge that he had preached euill and against the trueth He ordeyned that mariage should be openly celebrated in the Church That the Church should obey the Bishop and that the Bishop should neuer forsake his Church so long as he liued no more then the husband should forsake his wife or the wife her husband 69 Quadratus Bishop of Athens a disciple of the Apostles presented a booke of Apologie to Adrian the fiftéenth Emperour for the defence of the Christian faith Aristides an Athenian Philosopher being a faithfull man composed a like booke Wherevpon Adriā sent to Minutius Fondanus deputie in Asia that he should no more persecute the Christians but that if they did any thing contrarie to the lawes he would that iudgement should procéede according to the qualitie of the crime That if any body accused thē slaunderously he willed such a one should be punished for his maliciousnesse and that they shuld haue no harme 70 Polycarpus the disciple of Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle was Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse beneath Ephesus he liued till he was very olde Ireneus saith that he was ordeyned Bishop there by the Apostles it is very likely in déede that he beganne his ministerie in the second or thirde yeare of Traian S. Hierome in his catalogue saith that he was sent by Saint Iohn the Euangelist he offended in the 68. yeare after the passion of Christ as it is reported Ireneus saith of him that one day as Marcion met him he saide vnto him Take counsel and knowledge with vs Polycarpus aunswered him againe I knowe that thou art the chiefest sonne of Sathan The remnant of the life of Polycarpus was in the time of Marcus Antonius and of Lucius Verus the Emperours The chiefest gouernours of the Empire did then stirre vp such persecution against the christians that it extended to them of the citie of Smyrna whereof Polycarpus had bene Bishop long time and there he was burned when he had serued the Church of God about 70. yeares this was in the seuenth yeare of this saide Emperour As some say he was 80. yeares olde The prayer of Polycarpus that he made before his death is in the fourth booke of the Ecclesiastical historyes 71 In the time of Antonius Pius in the 10. yere of his raigne Marke comming from the Gentlyles was elected byshop of the Church at Ierusalem the which citie after the sacking and spoyle made by Tytus vntill that of Adrian had succéeding by order fiue chiefe Bishops Eusebius maketh mention of them in his third booke and first chapter Then after the spoyle made by Adrian there was no more any Church and congregation gathered together there saue of the Gentyls and they appointed Bishops amongst themselues for the Iewes then bearing armes against the Romaines were at the last discomfited and there were killed
knowe his true pathes by which this man retyreth out of darkenesse and endeuoureth to leaue off his wicked labours And that the vine which the right hande of GOD hath planted shal be filled with good braunches That he ought to take héede vnto the worde of God and to the Prophetie of Ieremie chap. 22. for to withstande such interprises who saith thus Thou O pastour which hast dispersed my people and hast cast them out of their habitations behold I wil visit vpon thée the malyce of thy enterprises and there shall not be a man of thy séede which shall sit vppon the seat of Dauid nor shall haue any more power in Iuda so that thy nest shal be a desert and ruinous as Sodome and Gomorra Also that if it happen he be not dreaded by these words nor leaue off from his enterprises nor make restitution of that which he hath taken that they finge for him that is so wickedly hardened the hundreth and eight Psalme As for vs wee will singe dayly prayses openly through Iesus Christ to him vnto whome all thinges do obey For to sée the course thereof more narrowely worde for word looke the saide Epistle the whiche hath beene writen out transtated out of an old booke founde in Englande in the Church of S. Alban He that woulde sée it perfectly let him reade the liues of the Bishoppes and Popes of Rome taken out of the great Catalogue of the writinges of England set forth by Iohn Bale 131 In the yeare 1314. or thereaboutes there was a man named Dulcin of Nauarre who blamed the vices of Churchmen and was executed with his wife Those that bee called Dulcins tooke their name of this Dulcin Naucl. They saide that the authority which Iesus Christ hath giuen to the Church was expyred because of the wickednesse of the Prelates and that the Church of Rome was reproued because it was become a whore Also that they were the Church and followed the rule of the Apostles That al the prelates since Pope Syluester haue bene preuaricatours because they lyued not in true humilitie and that therfore they ought to haue no tythes payed them Many of the adherents of Dulcin were taken about 144. persons dwelling in the mountaynes of Piemount 132 In the same time to wit 1315. and in the raigne of the Emperour Henry the seuenth of that name was a good and faithfull man Arnoldus de villa noua an expert Phisition and an excellent Mathematitian Some say that hee was of Chalons others of Narbonna He was at that time iudged an heretike because he saide that sathan had caused all Christian people to erre out of the right way That the faith of Christians then was none other but such a faith as deuils had That those which bee in the cloysters be out of charitie and doe condemne themselues in falsifying the doctrine of Iesus Christ and leading Christians vnto hell That the diuines haue maliciously and wickedly mingled the songes of Philosophers with the holy scriptures That in the sacrifice of the altar the Priest offereth nothing vnto God and that masses do neither profite the lyuing nor the deade He proued by Daniel and by Sybilla Erithrea that Antichrist in full tyrannie did persecute the faithfull Furthermore in his bookes which hee made of medicine hee wrote against the Iacopins that it was lawfull to eate fleshe A cutting sworde against the Thomistes an admonition of Iesus Christ vnto the Christians Of the craftinesse of false Prophets Of miserie of the Cymbals of the Church Of the consummation of the world other bookes He was iudged an heretyke by the Iacopins of Tarracon Lastly being sent vnto the Pope by Fredericke king of Sicilia he dyed in the way and was buried at Genes being a true champion of our Lord. In the yeare 1328. or there abouts Pope Iohn the 23. wrote vnto the gréekes that there was but one onely Church ouer which he was the head and vicar of Iesus Christ To whom the Gréekes aunswered in fewe wordes thus We doe verely beleue that thy power is very great ouer thy subiectes we cannot abide thy extreame pride nor satisfie thine auarice The deuill be with thée for GOD is with vs. By which breuitie of words they declared what was al the maner of the Popes liuing his estate looke thou Maundeuile lib. 7. Marsilius Patauinus compiled and exhibited vnto the Emperour Ludouike a worthy worke intituled Defensor Pacis written in the Emperours behalfe against the Pope Wherin both Godly and learnedly disputing against the Pope he proueth al bishops and Priests to be equal and that the Pope hath no superioritie aboue other Bishoppes much lesse aboue the Emperour That the worde of God ought to be onely the chiefe iudge in deciding and determining causes ecclesiasticall That not onely spirituall persons but lay men also being Godly learned ought to be admitted into generall councels That the Clergie and the Pope ought to be subiect vnto magistrates That the Church is the vniuersitie of the faithfull and that the foundation and heade of the Church is Christ and that he neuer appointed any vicar or Pope ouer his vniuersall Church That Bishops ought to be chosen euery one by their owne Church and Clergie that the marriage of priestes may lawfully bee permitted That S. Peter was neuer at Rome That the Cleargie and Synagoge of the Pope is a denne of théeues That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to eternall destruction And the corrupte manners of the Christians doe spring and flow out of the wickednes of the churchmen c. he disputeth moreouer in an other worke of frée iustification by grace and extenuateth merites saying that they are no efficient causes of our saluation but onely fine qua non that is to say that workes be no cause of our iustification but yet our iustification goeth not without them for which his doctrine most sounde and Catholicke he was condemned by the Pope Anno. 1324. by the Popes decree extrauagant Chap. Licet intra Doctrinam Concerning the which man and his doctrine I thought good thus much to commit to writing to the intent men may sée that they which charge this doctrine nowe taught in the Church with the note of noueltie or newenesse how ignorant and vnskilfull they bee in the hystories and order of times forepast Iacobus Misnensis who wrote of the comming of Antichrist In the same hee maketh mention of a certeine learned man whose name was Militzius saith he which was a famous and worthy preacher in Perga He lyued about the yeare 1366. long before Hus before Wicklieffe also In the same his writing hee declareth howe the same good man Militzius was constrayned by the spirite of God to goe to Rome and there publikely to preach that afterwarde before the inquisitour he affirmed the same That the same mightie and great Antichrist the which the scriptures make mention of was alredie come He affirmed
of the supper the accidents be not without the subiect that is to say that the whitenesse and roundnesse of the breade be not without the bread to wit that contrary to transubstantion which the priests haue forged the breade abideth bread and the wine contynueth in the proper substance Moreouer the conclusions proposed by him at the towne of Lambeth be these If that any Princes or Lordes or any others haue made any donations vnto the mynisters of the Church there is therin a secreate condition to wit that God shoulde be honoured and that the faithfull should be edified And if this condition ceasse then they may take away from wicked pastours that which they had giuen them any excommunication or other whatsoeuer to the contrary notwithstanding That if these dealinges of men were let alone the cleargie which were of couetous persons will bring all the world into their hands Also that the Pope may lawfully be reproued by those whom he kéepeth in obedience vnder him and that for the vtilitie of the Church he may be accused both of the clearks and lay people That the Pope as great a Lord as he reporteth himselfe to be must thinke that he is a brother vnto others and that if he sinne he ought to be brotherly corrected and heare corrections brotherly And when as by the holy scripture his heresie or errour is shewed him he ought not to be obstinate And by many other conclusions he shewed euidently the abuse of the Pope and of the cleargy and how that their possessions of so great reuenewes be vniust To conclude he was assaulted by many and amongest others the begging monkes who rose against him by greate flockes But the Lorde gaue him for a protectour the Kinge Edwarde vnder whose raigne he had some lybertie to speake the truth Richarde the successour of the said Edwarde persecuted and banished him Within a while after he was called again from banishment and returned vnto the parrishe of whiche he was pastour and there like a lustie champion of the Lorde he aboade alwayes constant euen vntill the death he died in the yeare of our Lorde 1388. fortie and one yeares after his death he was digged vp againe by the commandement of the Pope and his bones were burned and the ashes thereof cast into the water but Iesus Christ dieth not in his faithful ones vse the tyrants what cruelty they can He composed many bookes the which were burned in the citie of Oxenford in the yere 1410. there be certaine notwithstanding reserued still for to declare that God hath alwayes some faithfull seruantes who doe resist the errours of the world Amongest his writinges there is an Epistle which he sent to Pope Vrbane He that woulde sée more at large of him and of his historie let him looke in the booke of Martyrs 134 In the persecution raysed vp against Wiclief and in the yere 1400. Sautree a priest imbraced with zeale of true pure religion craued and requested in the ful Parliament the audience might be granted him for the cōmon profit of all the Realme Then albeit that his request was honest and ciuill and that he gaue to vnderstande that he coulde bring great profite yet he was not hearde for the bishops perceiuing that he came caused him to be attached of heresie and for the seauen articles condemned disgraded and burned him Looke Fabius in his Chronicles and Iohn Crespin in the booke of martyrs William Thorpe an Englishman was also a valiant martyre of our Lorde Iesus Christ He sustayned great assaultes of many prelats of of the Church of Rome without forsaking his vocation which was to instruct the people according to the pure word of God And therefore he woulde not agrée to preach the superstitions and humaine inuentions which he declared to be contrarie to the institution of the holy scriptures he was condemned hauing yeelded a testimonie of his faith Nowe of many pointes well worth the noting vpon the interrogations propounded to him I will recite for to auoyde great prolixitie one onely that is that he being demaunded of the Archbishop of Canterburie primate of Englande and Chauncelour of the whole Realme what the Church did signifie he answered that it is Iesus Christe and the companie of saincts Which thing the said Archbishop confessed to be true in respect of heauen but he demaunded further what the Church was here below on earth It is deuided into two partes answered the said Williā Thorp the one of the two parts which is the better hath obtained victorie ouer the enemies and triumpheth nowe with Christe in great ioy the other part fighteth here still on earth by the sworde of faith against the continuall bulwarkes of Sathan of the fleshe and of the worlde There is no strength so violent no pompe so proud no fire of afflictions and persecutions so burning no tyrannie so cruel no reasons of Doctours so discording nor opinions so diuerse which can withdrawe them from the right rule of faith and of the holy scriptures For they be fortyfied by the worde of God in Christ and firmely stablished as vppon a sure rocke that can not be remoued Looke Iohn Crespin in his booke of martyrs Within a while after the death of Iohn Wiclief there arose greate persecution in Englande against the faithfull for the truth of the Gospell which then began to take déepe rooting The worthiest men in the Realme were not then spared the lord Cobham a knight of the order one of the peeres of England was there apprehended but he was executed after these that we nowe speake off And therefore according to the order of time we will hereafter speake of him more at large for he was an excellent martyr of our Lorde Iesus Christ King Henrie then by publike ordinaunce made an edicte and set foorth through the persuasions of the bishoppes and prelates terrible punishmentes for all them that should follow the doctrine of Wicliefe vsing so great seueritie against them that he helde them not onely for heretikes but also as guiltie of treason And for this cause it was ordeined that they should be punished with two sortes of punishmentes that is that they should be both hanged and burned and there was neither fréedome nor any priuiledge whereby they coulde enioye profite so maliciously were they bente againste the faithfull séeking all meanes againste them and in that time they called al them Wicleffians who read the scriptures in the vulgar tongue and which made their assemblies in secrete places in the darke preaching in woodes and bushes Then the Bishops being armed with this edicte of the king exercised great tyrannie against manie good people and many poore innocentes and amongest other against Roger Acton a knight of the order and a true nobleman adorned with great vertues he abhorred the wicked traditions of the Pope had his affections withdrawen from him and from all his assistants For that cause it is reported that he was hated amongest the