thy selfe to be the seruaunt of the sheepe and not theyr Lorde for I haue not geuen the sheepe for the shepheard but the shepheard for the sheepe He that sitteth downe is greater then he that doth minister and serue vnto hym Whiche thinge was well knowen of hym which truely sayde Wee are your seruauntes for Christes cause But for what purpose haue I geuen thee vnto y e house of Israell That thou shouldest onely minister the Sacramentes consecrate wood stoones churchyardes this I take God to witnesse with great sighes and grones I write vnto you Pastouâ—s seruauntes to the congregation for Christes cause and not maisters pouring out before you the griefe of my hart No truely What then First followeth the office of the byshop Thou shalt heare the word of God out of my mouth This is but a short lesson but suche as all the world cannot comprehende without they bee inwardly taught of GOD. And what els meaneth this The true office of pastors well described out of Ezechiell Out of my mouth thou shalt heare the word but that thou shalt be taught of God Therfore as many as are not taught of God althoughe they be neuer so well exercised in the Scriptures by manns helpe yet are they not watchmen geuen by God and muche â—â—ue they which do not vnderstand and know the Scriptures And therfore such as these be least they should keep silence and say nothing are alwayes harping vpon the traditioÌ„s and doctrines of men that is lyes for hee that speaketh of himselfe speaketh lyes Of this it is written 1. Tim. 1. They would be doctours of the lawe not vnderstandyng what they speake neyther of whome they speake Such of necessitie they must all be who speake that with theyr mouth which they doe not beleue because they are not inwardly taught of God neither are perswaded in their harts that it is true and therefore they are to be accompted as sheepe although they boaâ—â—e themselues to be shepheardes But contrariwise touchyng the true and learned Pastors geuen by God it may be truly said we speake that which we know 1 Iohn 1. The propertie of true pastors and that whiche we haue seene euen with the infallible eyes of our fayth we doe witnesse and these are neyther deceyued neither do deceiue Moreouer the deceiuers proceede to worse and worse erring themselues and bringing others also to errour and because they are of the worlde the worlde doth willingly heare them 1. Iohn 4. They are of the worlde saith S. Iohn and therefore they speake those thinges whiche are of the worlde and the world geueth eare vnto them Behold reuerent father this is the touchstone of oure daily preaching Hath not the world geuen eare vnto theÌ„ now a long tyme with great pleasure and delite But the flesh could neuer suffer y e preaching of the crosse nor yet the wisedome of the flesh which is enemy vnto God neyther is subiect vnto hys law nor cannot be And why then are they accused to be heretickes and Schismatickes A true note of sincere doctrine whiche will not seek to please men but onely to theyr edifying beyng mindfull of that place of Scripture God hath dispearsed the bones of them whiche please men saying vnto them speake vnto vs pleasaunt thinges But nowe setting these matters passe wee will come vnto the second poynt Esay 30. wherein you aske how a man should preach better Forsooth if wee had heard of him whoÌ„ the father spake saying This is my dearly beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare hym An information to preachers to preach rightly Who also speaking of hymself said it was meete that Christ should suffer and rise agayne the third daye from death and that in his name repentaunce and remission of sinnes should be preached vnto all people What other thing is that theÌ„ the same which the other Euangelists do write Goe ye into the whole world preach the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is Baptised Math. 28. shal be saued What can be more pleasaunt sweete or acceptable vnto afflicted consciences being almost in despayre then this most ioyfull tidinges But here whether Christ haue bene a long time heard I know not for that I haue not heard all the preachers of England and if I heard them yet till it was within thys yeare or two I could not sufficiently iudge of them But this I dare be bolde to affirme that as manye as I haue heard of late preach I speake eueÌ„ of the most famous they haue preached suche repentaunce that if I had heard suche preachers of repentaunce in tymes past I shoulde vtterly haue bene in despayre The preaching after the popes church is all to beate downe and not to lyft vp And to speak of one of these famous men not vttering hys name after he had sharpely inueyed against vyce wherein he pleased euery godly man for so much as it could not be sufficiently cryed out vpon hee concluded behold sayd he thou hast lyen rotten in thyne own lustes by the space of these 60. yeares euen as a beast in hys own doung and wilt thou presume in one yeare to go forward toward beauen and that in thyne age asmuch as thou wentest backwardes from heauen towardes hell 60. yeares Is not this thinke you a goodly argument Is this the preaching of repentaunce in the name of Iesus By this one you may see what all the rest are or rather to tread downe Christ with Antichristes doctrine for what other thing did he speake in effect theÌ„ that Christ dyed in vayne for thee He will not be thy Iesus or sauior thou must make satisfaction for thy selfe or els thou shalt perish eternally Then doth S. Iohn lye which sayth Beholde the Lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And in other place Marke the maner of the common preaching of the papistes 1. Iohn 1. His bloud hath cleansed vs from all our sins And agayne He is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world Besides an infinit nuÌ„ber of other places What other thing is this then that which was spoken by the holy Ghost by the mouth of Peter saying There shall be false teachers that shall deny the Lord Iesus which hath redemed them And what followeth vppon such doctrine of Deuils speaking lyes thorough hipocrisie a conscience dispayring and without all hope and so geueÌ„ ouer vnto al wicked lustes 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 popes 〈…〉 according to the saying oâ— S. Paule After that they be come to this poynt that they sorow no more they geue theÌ„selues ouer vnto wantonnes to commit all kinde of filthines euen with a greedy desire For seeing that it is impossible for them to make satisfaction to GOD either they murmure agaynst God or els they doe not beleue hym to be so cruell as they do preach and declare him to be The want of paper wyll not suffer
as they did For the probation of the first part Frith proceeding in his discourse declared howe the auncient fathers before Christes Incarnation dyd neuer beleue any such poynt of this grosse and carnall eating of Christes bodye and yet notwithstanding they dyd eate hym spiritually and were saued as Adam Abraham Moses Aaron Phinees and other godly Israelites besides All whiche sayth he dyd eate the body of Christ and did drinke his bloud as we do But this eating and drinking of theirs was spiritual pertaining onely to fayth ◠Cor. 10 and not to the teeth For they were al vnder the cloude and dranke of the rocke which folowed them this rocke was Christe whiche was promysed them to come into the worlde And this promise was first made vnto Adam Gen. 30. when as it was sayd vnto the Serpent I will put hatred betweene thee and the woman betweene her seede and thy seede c. Gen. 26. And afterward again vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all people be blessed c. Addyng also the Sacrament of Circumcision Bread is called the bodye as the sacrament of circumcision is called the couenant◠which was called the couenant not because it was so in deede but because it was a signe and a tokē of y e couenant made betwene God Abrahā admonyshing vs therby how we shuld iudge thinke touching the Sacrament of his body blodd to wyt that albeit it be called the body of Christ yet we should properly vnderstād therby y e fruit of our iustification which plētifully floweth vnto all faithful by his most healthful body bloud Likewise the same promise was made vnto Moses the moste meeke gentle captaine of the Israelites which did not only him self beleue vpō Christ which was so oftē promised but also did prefigurate him by dyuers meanes Manna a figure of Christes bodye both by y e Manna whiche came downe from heauen and also by the water whiche issued out of the rocke for the refreshing of the bodies of his people The water of the rocke a figure of Christes bodye Neyther is it to be doubted but that both Manna and this water had a Propheticall mysterie in them declaryng the very selfe same thing then which the bread the wyne do now declare vnto vs in the sacrament For this saith S. Augustine Who soeuer did vnderstand Christ in the Manna did eate the spirituall foode that we do Bread wine a figure likewise of Christes bodye 1. Cor. 10. But they which by that Manna sought onely to fill their bellyes did eate thereof and are dead So likewise sayth he of the drinke For the rocke was Christ. And by and by after he inferreth thus Moses dyd eate Manna and Phinees also and many other also dyd eate therof which pleased God and are not dead Why because they did vnderstand the visible meate spiritually They did spiritually hunger and did spiritually taste of it that they might spiritually be satisfied They al did eat the same spirituall meat and all did drinke the same spiritual drinke The old fathers did eate the same spirituall foode that we doe but not the same corporall foode For they did eate Christ in manna we do eate him in bread al one spiritual thing but not al one corporal matter for they did eate Manna and we an other thing but the selfe same spiritual thing that we doe and although they dranke the same spiritual drinke that we do yet they drank one thing and we an other which neuertheles signified all one thing in spiritual effect Howe did they drinke al one thing The Apostle answereth Of the spiritual rock which folowed them for the rocke was Christ. And Bede also adding these words sayth Beholde the signes are altered and yet the fayth remaineth one Thereby a man may perceiue that the Manna which came downe from heauen was the same vnto them y t our Sacrament is vnto vs Bede and that by eyther of them is sygnifyed that the body of Christ came downe from heauen yet notw tstandyng neuer any of thē said A similitude betweene Manna and the body of Christ. that Manna was the verye bodye of Messias as our Sacramentall bread is not in deede the bodye of Chryst but a mistical representation of the same For lyke as the Manna whyche came downe from heauen and the bread whych is receyued in the Supper dothe nourish the bodye euen so the body of Christ comming downe from heauen and beynge geeuen for vs dooth quicken vp the spirites of the beleeuers vnto lyfe euerlastyng Then if the saluation of both people be alyke and their fayth also one there is no cause why wee shoulde adde transubstantiation vnto oure Sacrament more then they beleeued their Manna to bee altered and chaunged Moreouer for because they are named Sacramentes euen by the significatyon of the name they must needes be signes of thinges or els of necessitie they can be no Sacraments But some may here obiect and say If onely fayth both vnto them also vnto vs be sufficient for saluation Obiection what need then any sacraments to be instituted He aunswered that there are three causes why Sacramentes are instituted The first S. Austen declareth in these wordes Aunswere writing agaynst Faustus Men sayth he cannot be knit together into one name of religion be it true or be it false Three causes why Sacraments are ordayned August contra Faustum except they be knit by the societie of signes and visible sacramēts the power whereof doth wonderfully preuayle in somuch that such as contemne them are wicked for that is wickedly contemned without the which godlines cānot be made perfect c. An other cause is that they shoulde be helpers to grafte and plante fayth in our hartes The 2. cause and for the confirmation of Gods promises But thys vse of Sacramentes many are yet ignoraunt of Sacramentes not to be worshiped for the thinges and more there be whiche doe preposterously iudge of the same taking the signes for the thinge it self and worshipping the same euen by like reason in a manner as if a man would take the bushe that hangeth at the Tauerne dore and sucke it for to slake hys thirst and will not go to the Tauerne where the wyne is Thirdly they do serue vnto this vse The third cause to stir vp the mindes and hartes of the faythfully to geue thanks vnto God for his benefites And these in a maner are the principall poyntes of hys bookes When More as is before sayd had gotten a copye of this treatise he sharped his pen all that he might to make answer vnto this yoūg man for so he calleth him through out hys whole booke but in such sort that whē the booke was once set forth and shewed vnto y e worlde More wryteth agaynst Iohn Frythe then he endeuoured himselfe all that he might to keepe it from printing
hym Iohn Chapman And when they mette wyth the sayde Andrewe they seemed as though they meant to doe hym verye much good and Holt for hys part sayd that if he should bryng any man in trouble as the voyce was that he had done the sayde Andrewe it were pitie but that the earth should open and swalow him vp W. Holte playeth the Iudas in so much that they would needes sup there that night prepared meate of their owne charges At nyght they came brought certaine geasts with them because they would haue the matter to seeme as though it had come out by others When they had supped they went their way and Holt tooke out of his purse two groates Iohn Tybauld fiue times in bandes for Christ. and gaue them to the sayde Andrewe and embraced him in hys armes As they were gone out there came in one Iohn Tibaulde whiche was banished from his own house by an Iniunction for he had bene foure times in prison for Christes Cause And wythin an houre after that Holt and Wythers were gone Andrewe Hewet agayne taken the Bishoppes Chauncelour and one called Sergeaunt Weuer came and brought with them the watche and searched the house where they founde the sayde Iohn Chapman and the forenamed Andrewe and Iohn Tibalde whom they bounde wyth ropes which Sergeaunt weuer had brought with hym and so caryed them vnto the Bishops house but Andrewe Hewet they sent vnto the Lollardes Tower and kept Chapman and Tibaulde asunder watched with two Priestes seruauntes The next daye Byshop Stokesley came from Fulham and after they were examined wyth a fewe threatnynge woordes Chapman was commytted to the stockes with this threate that hee shoulde tell an other tale Chapmā in the stockes or els he shoulde sitte there tyll hys heeles dyd droppe from hys arse and Tibaulde was shutte vp in a close chamber but by Gods prouisyon hee was well deliuered oute of pryson albeit hee coulde not enioy hys house and lande because of the Bishoppes Iniunction but was fayne to sell all that he had in Essex Tibauld injoyned not to come within 7. myle of his house for the tenour of hys Iniūction was that he should not come wythin seuen myles of hys owne house and the foresayde Chapman after fiue weekes imprisonment wherof three weekes he sate in the stockes by much suit made vnto the Lorde Chauncelour whiche at that tyme was Lord Audley after many threatnyngs was deliuered but the sayde Andrew Hewet after long cruel imprisonment was cōdemned to death burned with Iohn Frith whose examination here foloweth The twentie day of the moneth of Aprill Andrew Hewet was brought before the Chauncelour of London Andrewe Hewet brought and examined before the Bishop where was obiected agaynst hym that hee beleeued the Sacrament of the aultar after the consecration to bee but a signification of the bodye of Chryst and that the host cōsecrated was not the verye bodye of Christe Nowe for so muche as thys article seemed haynous vnto them theyr woulde do nothynge in it without the consent of learned counsayle whereupon the Byshoppe of London associate with the Byshops of Lincolne and Winchester called him agayne before him Where he being demaunded what hee thought as touchyng the Sacrament of the last Supper aunsweared euen as Iohn Frith doth Then sayd one of the Bishoppes vnto hym Christ not to be beleeued to be really in the Sacrament dost thou not beleeue that it is reallie the bodye of Christe borne of the virgin Marye So sayth he do not I beleue Why not sayd the Bishop Because saith he Christ cōmaunded me not to geue credit rashly vnto al mē which saith Behold here is Christ there is Christ for many false prophets shal rise vp saith the Lorde The burning of Iohn Frith and Andrewe Hewet The Historie of the persecution and death of Thomas Benet burned in Exeter collected and testified by Iohn Vowel alias Hoker Tho. Benet of Exceter Martyr THys Thomas Benet was borne in Cambridge and by order of degree of the Uniuersitie there made mayster of Arte and as some thinke was also a Priest a man doubtles very wel learned and of a godly disposition being of the acquaintaunce and familiaritie of Thomas Bilney the famous and glorious Martyr of Christe Thys man the more he did grow and encrease in the knowledge of God and his holy word the more he did mislike and abhorre the corrupte state of religion then vsed Tho. Benet comming from Cambridge to Deuōshyre and therefore thinking his owne countrey to be no safe place for hym to remaine in and being desirous to liue in more freedome of conscience he did forsake the Uniuersitie and went into Deuonshire in the yeare of our Lord. 1524. and first dwelled in a market towne named Torriton both towne and countrey being to him altogether vnknowen as hee also was vnknowen to al men there Where for y e better maintenaunce of himselfe and his wife hee did practise to teache yong children and kept a schole for the same purpose But that Towne not seruing hys expectation after hys aboade one yeare there hee came to the citie of Exceter and there hyring an house in a streate called the Bocher rowe did exercise the teaching of children Benet came to Exeter and by that meanes sustayned his wife and familie Hee was of a quiet behauiour of a godly conuersation and a very courteous nature humble to all men and offensiue to no body Hys greatest delight was to be at all Sermones and preachings whereof he was a diligēt and an attentiue hearer The time which he had to spare from teaching he gaue wholely to his priuate studie in the Scriptures hauing no dealings nor cōferences wyth any body sauing with suche as hee coulde learne and vnderstand to be fauourers of the Gospell and zelous of Gods true religion of suche he would be inquisitiue and most desirous to ioyne him selfe vnto them And therefore vnderstandinge that one William Strowde of Newnham W. Strowde prisoned in Exeter for Gods word in the Countie of Deuonshire Esquier was committed to the Bishops prison in Exeter vpon suspition of heresie although he were neuer before acquainted w t him yet did he sende his letters of comfort and consolation vnto him Wherein to auoide all suspition which myghte be conceiued of him he did disclose him self and vtter what he was and the causes of hys being in the Countrey wrytyng among other things these wordes Vt ne scortator aut immundus essem vxorem duxi cum qua hisce sex annis ab istorū Antichristianorum manibus in deuonia latitaui That is to say Benet why he maryed because I woulde not be a whoremonger or an vncleane person therefore I maried a wise with whom I haue hidden my selfe in Deuonshire from the tyrannie of the Antichristians these 6. yeares But as euery tree and Hearbe hath hys due time to bryng
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
concerning his sermons one Doct. Wilson entred into disputation wyth him Workes no part of our saluationâ— and defended that good works iustified before God and were necessary and auaileable to saluation To whome Hierome answered agayne that all workes whatsoeuer they were were nothing worthe nor no part of saluation of themselues but only referred to the mercy and loue of God Good workes auayle not but onely by imputation which mercy and loue of God directeth the workers therof yet it is at his mercy goodnes to accept them Which to be true doctor Wilson neither could nor did denie And thus muche concerning the seuerall storyes of these iij. good meÌ„ Now let vs see the order of their martyrdome ioyning them al together what was the cause of their condemnation and what were their protestations and words at theyr suffering Ye heard before howe Barnes Hierome and Garret were caused to preach at Easter at the spittie Out of the preface of Steuen Gardiner against George Ioye The occasion whereof as I finde it reported by Steuen Gardiner wryting againste George Ioye I thoughte heere to discourse more at large Steuen Gardiner hearing that the sayd Barnes Hierome Garret should preach the Lent folowing an 1541. at Paules crosse to stoppe the course of theyr doctrine sent his chaplaine to the B. of London the Saterday before the first Sonday in Lent to haue a place for hym to preache at Paules Which to him was graunted and time appointed that he should preach the sonday following whych should be on the morrowe which Sonday was appoynted before for Barnes to occupie that roome Gardiner therefore determining to declare the gospell of that sonday containing the deuils 3. temptations began amongst other things to note the abuse of scripture amongst some as the deuil abused it to Christ and so alluding to the temptation of the deuil wherin he alledged the scripture against Christe to cast himselfe downeward and that he shoulde take no hurt he inferred thereupon saying Now a dayes quoth he the deuil tempteth the world and biddeth them to cast themselues backwarde The effecte of Steph. Garâ—yners Sermon at Paules crosse the first sonday in Lent An 15â—1 There is no forward in the new teaching but all backwarde Now the Deuill teacheth come backe from fastinge come backe from praying come backe from confession come back from weeping for thy sinnes and all is backewarde In so much that men must now learne to saye their Pater noster backewarde For where we sayde forgeue vs our debtes as we forgeue our debters now it is as thou forgeuest our debts so I wil forgeue my debters and so God must forgeue first and all I say is turned backward c. And amongst other things moreouer he noted the deuils crafte and shifte in deceiuing man who enuying hys felicitie and therfore coueting to haue man idle and voide of good workes and to be led in that idlenesse wyth a wan hope to liue merely at hys pleasure heere and yet to haue heauen at the last Pardonâ— procured by the deuil quod Steuen Gardiner hath for that purpose procured out pardons from Rome wherin heauen was sold for a litle money and for to retaile that marchaundise the deuill vsed Friers for his ministers Now they be gone withall theyr trumperie but the deuill is not yet gone c. And now that the Deuill perceiueth that it can no longer be borne to buy and sell heauen by the Friers he hath excogitate to offerre heauen without workes for it Gardiner against Fryers pardons Steuen Gardiner cannot abide onely onely so freely that men shall not neede for heauen to worke at all what so euer oportunitie they haue to work mary if they wil haue any higher place in heauen God wil leaue no worke vnrewarded but as to be in heauen needes no works at all but onely belief onely onely and nothing els c. This sermone of Steuen Winchester finished Doctor Barnes who was put of from that sonday The sermon of D. Barnes replying to Winchester had his day apoynted which was the thirde Sonday next ensuinge to make his sermon who taking the same text of the Gospell which Gardiner had done before was on the coÌ„trary side no lesse vehement in setting forwarde the true doctrine of Christian religion theÌ„ Winchester had done before in plucking men backwarde from truth to lies from sinceritie to hypocrisie from religion to superstition from Christ to antichrist In the processe of which sermon he proceeding and calling out Steuen Gardiner by name to answer him alluded in a pleasaunt allegorye to a Cockfight terming the sayd Gardiner to be a fighting Cocke and hymselfe to an other but the Garden Cock he sayd lacked good spurres obiecting moreouer to the said Gardiner opposing hym in his Grammer rules thus saying that if he had answered hym in the Schooles so as he had there preached at the crosse he would haue geuen him 6. stripes declaring furthermore what euill herbes this Gardiner had sette in the Garden of Gods scripture c. Finally with this sermon Gardiner was so tickled in the splene Steph. Gardiner complayneth to the king of D. Barnes that he immediately went to y e king to coÌ„plain shewing how he being a bishop and a prelate of the realm was handled and reuiled at Paules crosse Wherupon the king geuing to much eare to Gardiners griefe was earnestly incensed against Barnes and w t many high words rebuked his doings in his priuy closet hauing with him the Erle of Southhampton which was the Lorde Wrisley The king displeased agaynst Barnes and the master of the horse which was Anthony Browne D. Cockes and D. Robinson Unto whoÌ„ when Barnes had submitted himselfe Nay said the king yeld thee not to me I am a mortall man and therewith rising vp and turning to the Sacrament and putting of his bonet sayd yonder is the maister of vs al author of truth yeld in truth to him and that truth will I defend otherwise yelde thee not vnto me Much ado there was great matter layd against Barnes In coÌ„clusion this order was taken D. Cockes and D. Robinson Arbyters betweene D. Barnes and Steph Gardiner that Barnes should goe apart with Winchester to conferre common together of their doctrine certain witnesses being therunto appoynted to be as indifferent hearers of whom the one was D. Cockes the other was D. Robinson with 2. other also to them assigned which shuld be reporters to the king of the disputation At the first entry of which talke Gardiner forgeuing him as he saith al that was past offred him the choice whether he wold answer or oppose which was the Friday after that Barnes had preached The question betweene D. Barnes and Steph. Gardiner The question betwene them propouÌ„ded by Gardiners narration was this Whether a man coulde doe anye thynge good or acceptable before the grace of iustificatioÌ„
the king seemed not very well to like of their so extreme handlyng of the woman and also graunted to the Lieftenant his pardon willing him to returne and see to hys charge Great expectation was in the meane season among the Warders and other officers of the Tower waiting for his returne Whom when they saw come so cheerefully declaring vnto them how he had sped with the king they were not a little ioyous and gaue thanks to God therfore ¶ Anne Askews aunswer vnto Iohn Lacels letter OH friend most dearely beloued in God I meruaile not a litle what should mooue you to iudge in me so slender a fayth as to feare death which is the ende of all misery in the Lord I desire you not to beleeue of me such wickednes The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Askew to M. Lacel◠〈◊〉 For I doubt it not but God will performe his worke in me like as he hath begun I vnderstand the counsaile is not a little displeased that it should be reported abroad that I was racked in the tower They say now that they did there was but to feare me whereby I perceyue they are ashamed of their vncomely doyngs and feare much least the kings Maiestie should haue information thereof Wherefore they would no man to noyse it Well their crueltye God forgeue them Your hart in Christ Iesu. Farewel and pray The purgation or aunswer of Anne Askew against the false surmises of her recantation I Haue read the processe whiche is reported of them that knowe not the truth to be my recantation An. Askew answering to the false suspicion of her recanting But as the Lord liueth I neuer ment thing lesse then to recant Notwithstanding this I confesse that in my first troubles I was examined of the Bishop of London about the Sacrament Yet had they no graunt yf my mouth but this that I beleeued therein as the word of God did bynd me to beleeue more had they neuer of me Then he made a Copie whiche is nowe in print and required me to set thereunto my hand But I refused it Then my ij sureties did wyll me in no wise to sticke thereat for it was no great matter they sayd Then with much ado at the last I wrote thus I Anne Askew do beleue this if Gods word do agree to the same and the true catholike church Then the B. beyng in great displeasure with me An. Askew falsely suspected to recant and vpon what occasion because I made doubtes in my writing commaunded me to prison where I was a whyle but afterwards by the meanes of frendes I came out againe Here is the truth of that matter And as concerning the thing that ye couet most to know resort to the sixt of Iohn and be ruled always thereby Thus fareye well Anne Askew The confession of the faith which Anne Askew made in Newgate before she suffered I Anne Askew of good memory although my merciful father hath geuen me the bread of aduersitie The confession of An. Askew going to her execution and the water of trouble yet not so muche as my sinnes haue deserued confesse my selfe here a sinner before the throne of hys heauenly maiestie desiring his forgeuenes and mercye And for so much as I am by the law vnrighteously condemned for an euill doer concerning opinions I take y e same most mercifull God of myne which hath made both heauen and earth to record that I hold no opinions contrary to hys most holy word And I trust in my mercifull Lord which is the geuer of all grace that he will graciously assist me agaynst all euill opinions which are contrary to his blessed veritie For I take him to witnes that I haue done wil do vnto my lyues end vtterly abhorre them to the vttermost of my power But this is the heresie which they report me to holde that after the Priest hath spoken the wordes of consecration there remaineth bread still They both say The matter and cause why Anne Askew suffered death also teach it for a necessary article of fayth that after those wordes be once spoken there remayneth no bread but euen the selfe-same body that hoong vpon the crosse on good Friday both fleshe bloud and bone To this belief of theirs say I nay For then were our common Crede false which saith that he sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty from thence shall come to iudge the quicke and dead Loe this is the heresie that I holde and for it must suffer the death But as touâ—hing the holy and blessed supper of the Lord I beleue it to be a most necessary remembraunce of his glorious suffrings and death Moreouer I beleue as much therein as my eternall and onely redeemer Iesus Christ would I should beleue Finally I beleue al those scriptures to be true which he hath confirmed with his most precious bloud Yea as s. Paul saith those scriptures are sufficient for our â—erning saluatioÌ„ that Christ hath left here with vs so that I beleue we nede no vnwritten verities to rule his church w t. Therfore looke what he hath sayd vnto me with his owne mouth in his holy Gospell that haue I with Gods grace closed vp in my hart and my full trust is as Dauid saith that it shal be a lanterne to my footsteps Psal. xxviij There be some do say that I deny the Eucharist or sacrament of thankes geuyng but those people do vntruly report of me For I both say and beleue it that if it wer ordered lyke as Christ instituted it and left it a most singular comfort it were vnto vs all But as coÌ„cerning your masse as it is now vsed in our daies I do say and beleue it to be the most abhominable Idoll that is in the world The Masse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idoll For my God will not be eaten with teeth neyther yet dieth he agayne And vpon these wordes that I haue now spoken wyll I suffer death O Lord I haue mo enemies now then there be haires on my head The prayer of Anne Askew Yet Lord let them neuer ouercome me with vaine words but fight thou Lord in my stead for on thee cast I my care With all the spite they can imagine they fall vpon me which am thy poore creature Yet sweete Lord let me not set by them which are against me for in thee is my whole delight And Lord I hartily desire of thee that thou wilt of thy most mercifull goodnes forgeue them that violence which they do and haue done vnto me Open also thou their blynd hartes that they may hereafter doe that thing in thy sight which is only acceptable before thee and to set forth thy veritie aright without all vaine fantasies of sinnefull men So be it O Lord so be it By me Anne Askew ⧠The order and maner of the burning of Anne Askew Iohn Lacels Iohn Adams Nicholas Belenian with certayne of the Councell
to celebrate y e holy communion were accused of filthy commixion of meÌ„ and women together and the king the same time Henry 2. was made to beleue that beds with pillowes and mats were founde there in the floore where they laye together wherupon the same time diuers were condeÌ„ned to the fire and burned pag. 862. Finally what innocency is so pure or truth so perfect which can be voyd of these sclaunders or crimynatioÌ„s Read â—â—fore pag. 8 â— 2. wheÌ„ also our Sauior Christ himselfe was noted for a wine drinker a common haunter of the Publicanes c. Euen so likewise it pleaseth our Lorde and Sauiour Christ to keepe vnder and to exercise his church vnder the like kinde of aduersaries now raigning in the church No truth safe from false detraction who vnder the name of the church will nedes mayntain a portly state and kingdome in this world and because they can not vpholde theyr cause by playne scripture and the word of God they beare it ouâ— with facing rayling and slaundering making Princes and the simple people beleue that all be heretickes schismatickes blasphemers rebels subuerters of all authority commoÌ„ weales whosoeuer dare reply with any scripture agaynst theyr doings It is writteÌ„ of Nero that when he himselfe had burnt the Citty of Rome sixe dayes and seuen nightes Suetonius in Neâ—oâ—â—e he made open proclamations that the innocent Christians had set the City on fire to styrre the people agaynst them wherby he might burne and destroy them as rebels and traytors Not much vnlike seemeth the dealing of these religious Catholickes who when they be the true heretickes themselues and haue burnt and destroyed the Church of Christ make out theyr exclamatioÌ„s Buls briefes articles bookes Papistes 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 them selues censures letters and Edicts against the poore Lutheranes to make the people beleue that they be the heretickes schismatickes disturbers of the whole world Who if they could proue them as they reproue them to be heretickes they were worthy to be heard But nowe they cry out vpon them heretickes and can proue no heresy they accuse them of errour and can proue no errour they call them schismatickes and what Church since the worlde stood hath bene the mother of so many schismes as the mother Church of Rome They charge them with dissention and rebellion And what dissention can be greater then to disseÌ„t from the scripture and word of God or what rebellion is like as to rebell against the sonne of God against the will of hys eternall Testamente They are disturbers they say of peace and of publicke authority Which is as true as that the Christians set the Citty of Rome on fire What doctrine did euer attribute so much to publicke authority of Magistrates as do the protestantes or who euer attributed lesse to magistrates or deposed moe dukes kinges and Emperours theÌ„ the Papistes They that say that the Bishop of Rome is no more but the Bishoppe of Rome and ought to weare no crowne is not by and by a rebell agaynst his king and Magistrates but rather a maynteyner of theyr authority which in deed the Byshop of Rome cannot abide Briefely wilt thou see whether be the greater heretickes the Protestantes or the Papistes Let vs try it by a measure A measure betweene the Protestantes and the Papists to try whether of them two are the greater heretickes ComparisoÌ„ betwene the doctrine of Papistes and of the Protestantes and let this measure be the glory onely of the sonne of God which cannot fayle Nowe iudge I beseeche thee whosoeuer knowest the doctrine of them both whether of these two do ascribe more or lesse to the Maiestye of Christ Iesus our king and Lord the Protestantes which admit none other head of the Church nor iustifier of our soules nor forgeuer of our sinnes nor Aduocate to his father but him alone Or els the papistes which can abide none of all these articles but condemn the same for heresy Which being so as they themselues wyll not deny now iudge good reader who hath set the Citty of Rome on fire Nero or els the Christians But to returne agayne to the purpose of our former matter which was to shew forth the proclamation of the Byshops for the abolishing of English bookes aboue rehearsed as being corrupt and full of heresye whiche not withstanding we haue declared to conteine no heresye but sounde and wholesome doctrine according to the perfect word and Scripture of God Here nowe when the Prelates of the Popes side had procured this Edict proclamation aforesayd for the condemnation of al such English bookes printed or vnprinted which made agaynst theyr aduantage they triumphed not a litle wening they had made a great hand against y e Gospell for euer to rise againe that they had established their kingdome for euer as in deed to all maÌ„s thinking it might seme no lesse For who would haue thought Gods mercifull helpe in time of neede after so strayt so precise and so solemne a proclamation set forth armed with the kinges terrible authority also after the cruel execution of Anne Askewe Lacels and the rest Item after the busy search moreouer and names taking of many other of whom some were chased away some apprehended and layd vp diuers in present perill expectation of theyr attachment who would haue thought I say otherwyse possible but that y e gospel must nedes haue an ouerthrow seing what sure worke the papistes here had made in setting vp theyr side and throwing downe the contrary But it is no new thing in the Lord to shew his power agaynst mans presuÌ„ption Gods power worketh commonly agaynst mans presumption that when he counteth himselfe most sure then is he furthest of and when he supposeth to haue done all then is he new to begin agayne So was it in the primitiue Church before Constantinus time that when Nero Domitianus Maxentius Decius and other Emperours impugning the gospell profession of Christ did not onely constitute lawes and proclamations against the Christians but also did ingraue the same lawes in tables of brasse minding to make all thinges firme for euer and a day yet we see how with a litle turning of Gods hand all theyr puissant deuises brasen lawes turned all to wind and dust So little doth it auayle for man to wrastle agaynst the Lord and his procedinges Howe so euer mans building is mortall and ruinous of brickle bricke and mouldring stones the Lord neuer taketh in hande to builde that either time can waste or man can pluck down What God setteth vp there is neither power nor striuing to the contrary What he entendeth standeth what he blesseth that preuayleth And yet mans vnquiet presumption will not cease still to erect vp towers of Babell against the Lord which the higher they are builded vp Towers of Babell agaynst the Lorde fall with the great ruine For what can
punisheth myne arrogancy Alas what shall I doe I am an vnprofitable and an idle member I thought I shoulde haue bene therein profitable but medice cura teipsum How should I or what should I doe I cannot labour wyth my handes Well I trust God will geue mee grace and knowledge to translate nothyng I feare me yea I distrust me that I shall neuer be minister of Gods worde yea if arrogancy were not in me how shuld I of all wretches the greatest thinke me to looke to the highest roume and vocation that is vppon earth Therefore eftsoones I desire you to pray for me that Gods will may bee done in me whether I lyue or dye so that hys name be honoured My maister which was hath denied me all his benefiseÌ„ce but I haue for this lyfe more then enough thankes bee to God As this Winter I entend by Gods fauor to declare more vnto you This booke which I haue sent take it in good part it is the first I trust it shall not be the last God hath appoynted me to translate The print is very false I am sory for it I pray you be not offended at my babling in the Prologues c. Iohn Bradford I will lye God willyng this Sommer at Katherines hall in Cambridge write to me ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe louyng kyndnes and aboundant mercy of God the father poured plentifully vpon all the faythfull in the bloud of that meeke Lambe Iesus Christ our onely satisfaction and mediator thorough the working of the most holy spirite be encreased and perceiued in you daily more and more to the glory of God c. Because I stand both in doubt of the readyng and deliuerie of such letters as I write and send vnto you derely beloued father Traues I am constrained to leaue of such griefes and spirituall wantes as thankes vnto the Lord I vnwillingly feele for the flesh as you knowe loueth nothyng so much as securitie of all enemies most perillous and not a little familiar with me from the which with vaine glory hypocrisie c. and worldlines the Lord deliuer me I had not thought to haue writen thus much but these I cannot keepe but commit them to your prayers And to the intent I would you should not thinke any ingratitude in me as also that I might geue you occasion to write to me agayne as heretofore I haue done euen so doe I enterturbe trouble you w t my babling but yet hauyng this coÌ„moditie that I babble not so much as I was woont to do The cause I haue declared which had almost bene the cause I had not written at all I did write vnto you from London when I came hither sende mee word what letters you haue receiued for from you I haue receiued but two and both by Iohn Mosse and in the latter I perceiued that the Lord had visited you with sickenes his fatherly rod whereby he declareth his loue vpon you and that he careth for you vt in tempore supremo exultes nunc ad breue tempus afflictus quo exploratio fidei multo praeciosior auro quod perit tamen probatur c Siquidem in hoc vocatus es vt cum Christo patiaris nam illo glorificabeâ—is Certus enim sermo est si sufferimus conregnabimus You know that Christ etsi filius Dei erat tamen ex his quae pastus est didicit obedientiam Patientia opus perfectum habeat vt sitis perfecti integri nullaque in parte diminuti and dothe not patientia come of probatio the one then you had so that you were goyng a schoole to learne the other with lerned what want you the ende of all Gods proouing is as Paule sayth vt impartiat nobis sanctimoniam igitur gratias age Deo patri qui idoneum te fecit ad participationem sortis sanctorum in lumine c. Nam qui te parumper afflixit idem instauret te fulciet roboret stabiliat And the Lord knoweth how eripere pios è testatione and that in tempore oportuno euen shortly for haud tardat qui promisit nam modicum tempus videbitis me veniens enim veniet non tardabit Itaque qui consortes estis crucis Christi gaudete sayth Peter vt in reuelatione quoque gloriae eius gaudeatis exultantes O how doth my will ouer runne my wit Why Bradford whom writest thou vnto Thou shewest thy selfe Thus father Traues you may see my rashnes to rable out the scriptures without purpose ryme or reason I will not blot it out as I had thought to haue done for that hereby you shall see my neede of your prayer Well I looke for a watchword from you Write for Gods sake and pray for me that I may be in somethyng profitable to the Lordes congregation that I may bee no stumbling blocke vt non confundantur in me qui illum expectant Send me such counsaile as the Lordes spirite shall mooue you how to study My desire is in somethyng to be profitable if it were the Lordes will for to be Minister verbi Alas I am vnmeete and my tyme my tyme yea the Lordes tyme I haue hitherto euill ye most wickedly mispent it c. Thus will I end The Lord be with you and your bedfellow to whom haue me hartily commended to all your children and family the which I beseeche the Lord to lighten his countenaunce ouer and graunt you his peace pray for me I long for Winter to speake wyth you Rescribe ora Pray for mee This assumption daye in Katherines hall in Cambridge Yours with all I haue and can Iohn Bradford ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe plentifull grace of God the father through our only maister and Lord Iesus Christ encrease in vs daily to the glory of his name Amen Forasmuch as I haue often written to you good father Traues and yet haue not once heard from you sithens Pentecost I can not now bee so bolde either in writing much or often as I would haue bene Howbeit this I say that I much meruaile that I heare not from you but not so for I am so wretched a sinner that the Lordes spirite I am certaine doth not mooue you to write to me yet for Gods sake pray for me and in the Lordes name I desire you geue thankes to God for me And when it maye please God to mooue you write to me thogh it be but two wordes and counsaile me how to study the worde of lyfe the ministerie whereof I desire if it bee the Lordes pleasure to professe and that I may doe it both in liuyng and learnyng pray for me Herus meus omnibus rebus suis me abdicauit quae prius concesserat iam soluere renuit mihi prorsus factus inimicus I know not when I shal see you in body therefore let me heare from you I write not this that you should thinke me in
B. of Ascalon to appeare at Rome About which tyme Thomas Caietanus Cardinall y e popes Legate was then lieger at the Cittie of Augusta who before had beene sent downe in commission with certayne mandates from Pope Leo The vniuersitie of Wittenberge writeth to the Pope for Luther vnto that Citty The vniuersitie of Wittenberg vnderstanding of Luthers citation eftsoones directed vp their letters with their publique seale to y e pope in Luthers behalfe Also an other letter they sent to Carolus Miltitius the popes chamberlayne beyng a Germayne borne Furthermore good Fridericke ceased not for his part to sollicitate the matter with his letters earnest suit with Cardinall Caietanus that the cause of Luther might be freed from Rome and remooued to Augusta in the hearing of the Cardinall Caietanus at y e suyt of the Duke wrote vnto the Pope from whome he receaued this answer again the 23. of the foresayd month of August The Popes charge to his Legate against M. Luther that he had cited Luther to appeare personally before him at Rome by Hieronimus Bishop of Ascalon Auditour of the chamber whiche byshop dilligently had done that was commaunded hym but Luther abusing and contemning the gentlenes offered did refuse not onely to come but also became more bold and stubborne continuing or rather increasing in his former heresie as by hys writing did appeare Wherfore he wold that the Cardinal should cite and call vp the sayd Luther to appeare at the city of Augusta before him adioyning withall the ayd of the princes of Germany of the Emperour if neede required so that when the sayd Luther shoulde appeare he shoulde lay hand vpon him commit him to sate custody and after he should be brought vp to Rome and if he perceaued him to come to any knowledge or amendment of hys faulte he should release him and restore hym to the church again or els he shuld be interdict with al other his adherents abetters mayntainers of what soeuer estate or coÌ„dition they were whether they were Dukes Marqueses Earles Barons c. Against all which persons and degrees he willed hym to extende the same curse and malediction onely the person of the Emperour excepted interdicting by the censure of the church all such landes Lordships Townes tenementes villages as should minister any harbour to the sayd Luther were not obedient vnto the sea of Rome Contrariwise to all such as shewed themselues obedient he should promise full remission of all theyr sinnes Likewise the pope directeth other letters also the same tyme to Duke Friderick complayning with many grieuous wordes agaynst Luther The Cardinall thus being charged with iniunctions from Rome according to his commission sendeth with all speede for Luther to appeare at Augusta before hym Luther obedient to the Sea of Rome About the beginning of October Martin Luther yealding his obedience to the Church of Rome came to Augusta at the Cardinals sending at the charges of the noble Prince Electour and also hys letters of commendation where he remayned 3. dayes before he came to his speache for so it was prouided by his frendes that he shoulde not enter talke with the Cardinall before a sufficient warrant or safe conduct was obtained of the Emperour Maximilian Which being obteyned eftsoones he entred Luther appeareth before Cardinall Caâ—eâ—anus offeringe himselfe to the speach of the Cardinal and was there receyued of the cardinall very gently who according to y e popes commandement propounded vnto Martin Luther three thinges or as Sleaden sayth but 2. to witte 1. That he should repent and reuoke hys erroures 2. That he shoulde promise from that tyme forward to refrayne from the same 3. That he shoulde refrayne from all thinges that myght by any meanes trouble the Church When Martin Luther required to be informed wherin he had erred Three thinges put to Luther by the Pope the Legate brought forth the extrauagants of Clement which beginneth Vnigenitus c. because that he contrary to that Canon had held taught in his 58. proposition that the merites of Christ are not the treasure of indulgences or pardons Secondly the cardinall contrary to the seuenth proposition of Luther affirmed that fayth is not necessary to him that receaueth the sacrament Furthermore an other day in the presence of 4. of the Emperours Counsaile hauing there a Notary and witnesses present Luther protested for himselfe and personally in this maner following In primis I Martine Luther a Fryer Augustine protest that I do reuerence and followe the Church of Rome in all my sayinges and doings present past and to come Protestation of M. Luther before the Cardinall And if any thing haue bene or shal be said by me to the contrary I count it and will that it be counted and taken as though it had neuer beene spoken But because the Cardinall hath required at the commaundement of the Pope three thinges of me to be obserued 1 That I should returne againe to the knowledge of my selfe 2 That I should beware of falling into the same agayne here after 3 That I shoulde promise to abstayne from all thinges which might disquiet the church of God I protest here this day that whatsoeuer I haue sayde seemeth vnto me to be sound true and Catholicke Yet for the further profe therof I doe offer my selfe personally eyther here or elswhere publikely to geue a reason of my sayinges And if this please not the Legate The aunswere of Luther with his propositions to the Cardinal I am ready also in writing to aunswere hys obiections if he haue anye agaynst me And touching these thinges to heare the sentence and iudgement of the Uniuersities of the Empyre Basill Friburge and Louane Hereof when they had receiued an answere in writing they departed After thys Luther by and by prepareth an aunswere to the Legate teaching that the merites of Christ are not committed vnto men that the popes voyce is to be heard when he speaketh agreably to the Scriptures that y e pope may erre that he ought to be reprehended Act. 15. Moreouer he shewed that in the matter of fayth not onely y e generall councell but also euery faythfull christian is aboue the Pope if he leaue to better authoritie and reason that the Extrauagant containeth vntruthes that it is an infallible veritie that none is iust that it is necessary for hym that commeth to the receiuing of the sacrament to beleue that fayth in the absolution and remission of sinnes is necessary that he ought not nor might not decline from the veritie of the Scripture that he sought nothing but the light of the truth Proteus was a monster noted in Poetes which could chaunge him selfe into al formes likenes c. But the Cardinall would heare no scriptures he disputed without scriptures deuised gloses and expositions of his owne head and by distinctions wherewith the Diuinitie of the Thomistes is full like a very Proteus he
to be taught by the Scripture at least that the matter might be brought into open disputation in some free place of Germanye where y e truth might be discussed and iudged of learned men The Cardinall not pleased w t this in great anger cast out of many manacing words neither would admit hym any more to hys presence or speache whereas yet notwithstanding persisting in his obedience to the church of Rome gaue attendaunce wayting vpon the Cardinals pleasure a sufficient tyme. At last when no aunswere woulde come after hee had wayted y e space of v. or .vi. dayes to his great detriment greater daunger by the perswasion of hys friendes he departed Whereat if the Cardinall were displeased he had most cause to blame hymselfe And now whereas the Cardinall threatneth me sayth he not to let the action fall but y t the proces thereof shal be pursued at Rome vnlesse I eyther come and present my selfe or els be banished your dominions I am not somuch greeued for myne owne cause as y t you should susteyne for my matter any daunger or perill And therefore seeyng there is no place nor countrey Luther readie to be exiled which can keep me froÌ„ the malice of mine aduersaryes I am willing to depart hence and to forsake my couÌ„try whether soeuer it shall please the Lorde to leade me thanking God which hath counted me worthy to suffer thus muche for the glory of Christes name Here no doubt was the cause of Luther in great danger beyng nowe brought to this strayte The cause of Luther in great daunger that both Luther was ready to flye the countrey and the Duke agayne was as much afrayd to keepe hym had not the maruelous prouidence of God who had this matter in guiding here prouided a remedy where the power of man did fayle Gods prouidence by styrring vp the whole vniuersitie of Wittingberg who seeyng the cause of truth thus to declyne The Vniuersitie of Wittenberge writeth to the Duke for Luther with a full and a general consent addressed theyr letters vnto y e Prince in defence of Luther of his cause making their huÌ„ble suit vnto hym y t he of hys princely honour would not suffer innocency and the simplicity of trueth so cleare as is the Scripture to be foyled and oppressed by mere violence of certayne malignant flatterers about the Pope but that the errour first may be shewed and conuicted before the partye be pronounced gylty By the occasion of these letters the Duke began more seriously in hys minde to consider the cause of Luther and to read hys workes and also to harken to hys Sermons Wherby through Gods holy working he grew to knowledge and strength perceauing in Luthers quarrell more then he did before This was about the beginning of December an 1518. New indulgences set forth by Pope Leo. As this past on Pope Leo playing the Lyon at Rome in the meane time in the month of Nouember to stablishe his seate against this defection whiche he â—eared to come had sent forth new indulgences into Germany al quarters abroad The doctrine of the church of Rome w t a new Edict wherein he declared this to be the catholicke doctrine of the holy mother church of Rome Prince of al other churches that Bishops of Rome which are successours of Peter and vicares of Christ haue thys power and authoritie geuen to release and dispense also to graunt indulgences auaylable both for the liuing and for the dead lyeng in the paynes of purgatory And thys dotrine he charged to be receiued of all faythfull Christen men vnder payne of the great curse and vtter separation from all holy Church This Popishe decree and indulgence as a new Marchandise The Popes Alestake to picke mens purses or Alestake to get money being â—et vp in al quarters of Christendome for y e holy fathers aduauntage came also to be receiued in Germanye about the moneth of December Luther in the meane time hearing how they were about in Rome to proceede and pronounce agaynst him prouideth a certayne appeallation conceiued in due forme of law Luther appealeth froÌ„ the Pope to a general councell Miltitius the popes chamberlaine sent to duke Fridericke wherein he appealeth from the pope to the general Councell When Pope Leo percoaued that neyther his pardons would prosper to his minde nor that Luther coulde be brought to Rome to assay how to come to his purpose by crafty allurementes he sent his Chamberlayne Carolus Miltitius aboue mentioned which was a Germaine into Saxony to Duke Fridericke with a golden rose after y e vsuall ceremony accustomed euery yeare to be presented to him with secret letters also to certayne Noble men of the Dukes counsaile to sollicite y e popes cause and to remoue the Dukes minde if it might be from Luther But before Miltitius approched into Germany Maximilian the Emperour deceased in the month of Ianuary an 1519. At what tyme two there were which stoode for the election The death of Maximilian the Emperour Charles the 5. elected Emperour by the meanes of Duke Fridericke to wyt Fraunces the Frenche king and Charles king of Spayne which was also Duke of Austriche and Duke of Burgundy To make this matter short through the meanes of Fredericke Prince Elector who hauing the offer of the preferment refused the same the election fell to Carolus called Carolus the v. surnamed Prudence which was about the end of August In the month of Iune before there was a publike disputation ordeined at Lypsia The disputation at Lypsia which is a Cittie in Misnia vnder the dominion of George Duke of Saxonie vncle to Duke Fredericke This disputation first began thorough the occasion of Ioannes Eckius a Fryer and Andraeas Carolostadius Doctour of Wittenberge This Eckius had impugned certayne propsitions or conclusions of Martine Luther which he had written the yeare before touching y e popes pardons Agaynst him Carolostadius wrote in defence of Luther Eckius against Carolostadius Eckius agayne to aunswere Carolostadius set forth an Apology Whiche Apology Carolostadius agayn confuted by writing Upon this began the disputation with safe conduct graunted by Duke George to al singular Luther commeth to the disputation Melancthon newlye come to WitteÌ„berge persons that would resort to the same To thys disputation came also Martine Luther with Philip MelancthoÌ„ who not past a yeare before was newly come to Wittenberge Luther not thinking then to dispute in anye matter because of his appellation aboue mentioned but onely to heare what there was sayd and done First before the entry into the disputation it was agreed that the Actes should be penned by Notaryes and after to be diuulged abroad But Eckius afterward went backe from that pretending that the penning of the Notaries should be an hinderaunce a stay vnto them wherby the heate of them in their reasoning shuld the more languish and theyr
apperteineth to the charge of a good Bishop lawful heire of S. Peter And though all errors corruptions and abuses be not straight wayes amended by vs men ought not therat to maruell The sore is great and farre growen You proceede so by litle litle that nothing at all is seene Sodeine mutations be not for the Popes purpose but the Lord promiseth to come sodenly when he is not looked for and is not single but of manifolde maladies together compacted therefore to the curing therof we must proceede by litle and litle first beginning to cure the greater and the most dangerous least while we intend to amend all we destroy all All sodaine mutations sayth Aristotle in a common wealth are perilous And he that wringeth too hard straineth out bloud Prou. 30 And whereas in your last letters you wryte that the Princes complaine howe this See hath bene and is preiudiciall to their ordinaunces and agreements heereunto you shall thus aunswere That suche excesses which haue bene done before our time ought not to be imputed to vs who alwayes haue misliked these derogations and therefore bidde them so assure them selues that though they had required no such matter we of our owne accorde woulde haue refrained the same partly for that it is good right reason that euery one haue that which is due vnto hym and partly also that the sayd noble natioÌ„ of Germany shal haue by vs no hinderance but furtherance rather so much as in vs shall lie to do for them And as touching the processes whyche they desire to haue remoued away a Rota and to be referred down to the parties Rota is some office in the court or ChauÌ„cery of Rome you shall signifie vnto them that we will gratifie them herein asmuch as honestly we may But because our auditors are now presently absent from the citie by reason of the Plague wee can not be infourmed as yet touching the qualitie of those processes Assoone as they shall returne which we hope will be shortly we shal do in the Princes fauour what reasonably we may Further wheras we vnderstande that there be many fresh florishing wits in Germanie and many well learned men which are not seene vnto but be reiected and vnlooked to while in the meane time throughe the Apostolicall prouisions dignities The Pope flattereth for aduauntage and promotions are bestowed vpon tapsters and daunsers and vnfitte persons we wil therefore that you inquire out what those learned men are and what be their names to the intent that when any such vacation of benefices in Germany do fal we of our voluntary motioÌ„ may prouide for them accordingly For why we consider howe much it is against Gods glory And why then haue you abusâ—â— the church so long with theâ—â— Apostolical prâ—uisions and yet doe not redresâ—â— the same and against the health and the edification of soules that benefices and dignities of the church haue now so long time bene bestowed vpon vnworthy and vnable persons As touching the subsidie for the Hungarians we send no other information to you but that which we gaue you at your departure saue onely that we will you to extende your diligence therein as we also will do the like in soliciting the matter with the princes and cities of Italie that euery one may helpe after his abilitie Ex Orth. Gratio These popish suggestions and instructions of the Pope himselfe against Luther I thought Christen reader to set before thine eyes to the intent thou maiest see here as in a paterne and go no further all the crimes obiectioÌ„s exclamations suspitions accusations slaÌ„ders offensions contumelies rebukes vntruths cauillations railings Luther cried out of without any iust cause what soeuer they haue deuised or can deuise inuent articulate denounce infer or surmise against Luth. and his teaching They crie heresy heresy but they prooue no heresy They cry Councels Councels and yet none traÌ„sgresseth Councels more then themselues If Councels go alwaies with Scripture then Luther goethe with them If Councells doe iarre sometime from the Scripture what heresie is in Luth. in standing with Scripture against those councels And yet neither hath he hitherto spoken against any councels saue onely the Councell of Constance They inflame kings and princes against Luth and yet they haue no iust cause wherefore They accuse him for teaching libertie Liberty of flesh Liberty of spirite If they meane the libertye of fleshe they accuse him falsely if they meane the liberty of spirit they teach wickedly which teach contrary and yet when they haue all sayde none liue so licentiously as themselues They preteÌ„de the zeale of the Churche but vnder that churche lieth their owne priuate welfare and belly cheare They charge Luth. with disobedience and none are so disobedient to Magistrates and ciuile lawes as they They lay to his charge oppression and spoiling of lay mens goods and who spoileth the lay meÌ„s liuings so much as the Pope For probation whereof let the Popes accountes be cast Turne onely the names of the persons and all the accusations of the Papistes against the Lutherians agree chiefly vpon theÌ„ selues what hee raketh out of euery Christian realme Briefly turne only the names of the persons and in steede of Luthers name place the name of the Pope and the effect of this letter aboue prefixed shal agree vpon none more aptly then vpon the Pope him selfe and his owne sectaries Now to proceede further in the proces of this foresaide matter let vs see what the Princes againe for their partes answere to these foresaide suggestions and instructions of Pope Adrian sent vnto them in their diete of Norenberg in the cause of Luther the answer of whom here foloweth vnder wrytten The answere of the noble and reuerend princes and states of the sacred Romane Empire exhibited to the Popes ambassador THe noble renowmed Prince Lord Ferdinandus The answere of the Princes of Germany to the Popes letter instructions Lieutenant to the Emperors maiesty with other reuerend pieres in Christ and mighty princes Electors and other states and orders of this present assemble of the Romane Empire in Norenberge conuented haue gratefully receiued and diligently perused the letters sent in forme of a Brief with the instructions also of that most holy father in Christ and L.L. Adrian the hie Bishop of the holy and vniuersall Church of Rome presented vnto them in the cause of Luthers faction By the which foresaid letters and wrytings first where as they vnderstande his holinesse to haue bene borne and to haue had his natiue origine and parentage out of this noble nation of Germanie they doe not a little reioyce Pope Adrian a Germane borne Of whose egregious vertues and ornaments both of minde and body they haue heard great fame and commendation euen from his tender yeares by reason wherof they are so muche the more ioyous of his aduauncement and preferment by such consent of election to
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
together as they did But thus almightie God of his secret wisdome disposeth times occasions to serue his wil purpose in al things All be it Ferdinandus the Emperours brother deputie in Germanie remitted no time nor diligence to do what he could in resisting the procedings of the protestants as appeared both by the decree set foorth at Ratisâ—one and also at Spires In the whych Councel of Spires Ferdinandus at the same time whych was the yeare of our Lorde 1529. had decreed agaynste the protestants in effect as followeth The decree made at Spyres by Ferdinandus First that the edict of the Emperour made at Wormes should stand in force through all Germanie till the time of the general councel which should shortly folow Also that they whiche alredy had altered their religion now could not reuoke the same again for feare of sedition should stay themselues and attempt no more innouations heereafter till time of the generall Councell Item that the doctrine of them which hold the Lordes Supper otherwise then the Church doth teach should not be receiued nor the masse shuld be altered and there where as the doctrine of religion was altered shuld be no impediment to the contrary but that they which were disposed to come to Masse might safely therein vse their deuotion against Anabaptists likewise and that all ministers of the Church should be enioyned to vse no other interpretation of holy Scripture but accordyng to the exposition of the Church doctors other matters that were disputable not to be touched Moreouer that all persons and states shuld keepe peace so that for Religion neither the one part shuld inferre molestation to the other nor receiue anye confederates vnder theyr protection and safegarde All whych decrees they which shoulde transgresse to be outlawed and exiled Unto this sitting at Spires first the Ambassadours of Strausburgh were not admitted but repelled by Ferdinandus because they had reiected the masse and therefore the sayd citie of Strausburgh denied to pay any contribution against the Turk except they wyth other Germanes might be likewise admitted into their counsels The other princes which were receiued and not repelled The decree of Spires resisted by the Protestantes as the duke of Saxonie George of Brandeburgh Ernestus Franciscus Earles of Luneburgh Lantgraue Anhaldius did vtterly gainstand the decre shewed their cause in a large protestation written why they so did which done all such cities which subscribed and consented to the sayd protestation of the princes eftsones conioyned them selues in a coÌ„mon league with them whereuppon they had their name called thereof Protestants The names of the Cities were these The name of Protestantes how it first beganne Sancto gallum Argentina or Strausburgh Noriberge Vlmes Constance Rutelinge Winssemium Meminge Lindauia Campodunum Hailbrunum Isna Wisseburgum Norlinge Sangallum Furthermore as touching the Heluetians from wheÌ„ce we haue somewhat digressed howe the Citie of Berne and Zurick had consented and ioyned together in reformation of true religion ye hard before Wherfore the other Pages in Heluetia Quinque pag. The popish Pages in Heluetia coÌ„federate with Ferdinandus which were of contrary profession in like maner confederated them selues in league with FerdinaÌ„dus the number and names of which Pages especially were 5. to witte Lucernates Vraui Suitenses Vnterualdij and Tugiani whych was in the yeare aboue sayd to the intent that they conioyning their power together might ouerrunne the religion of Christ and the professours of the same Who also for hatred despite hanged vp the Armes of the foresaide cities of Zuricke and of Berne vppon the gallowes beside many other iniuries and greeuaunces whych they wrought against them For the which cause the said Cities of Berne and Zuricke raised their power intending to set vpon the foresaid Suitzers as vpoÌ„ their capital enemies But as they were in the field ready to encouÌ„ter one army against y e other through the meanes of the citie of Strausburgh and other intercessours they were parted for that time and so returned As touching the Councell of Auspurge The Couâ—â—cell of Aâ—â—â—purge The confessioÌ„ of 〈◊〉 Protestaâ—â— at Auspuâ—â—â— which followed the next yeare after the assemble of Spires An. 1530. howe the Princes and Protestantes of Germanie in the same Councell exhibited their confession and what labour was sought to confute it and how constantly Duke Fridericke persisted in defence of his conscience against the threatning woordes and replications of the Emperour also in what danger the said princes had ben in had not the Lantgraue priuily by night slipt out of the citie parteineth not to thys place presently to discourse To returne therefore vnto Zuinglius and the Heluetians of whome we haue heere presently to intreate you heard before howe the tumulte and commotion betweene the two Cities of Zuricke and Berne and the other v. Cities of the Cantons was pacified by the meanes of intercession which peace so continued the space of two yeares After that the olde wound waxing rawe againe began to burst out gather to an head which was by reason of certaine iniuries and opprobrious words and contumelies which the reformed cities had receiued of the other wherfore the Tigurines and the Bernates stopping al passages and streits would permit no corne nor victual to passe vnto them This was in the yeare of our Lord. 1531 And when great trouble was like to kindle therby the Frenche king with certaine other towneships of Suitzerland as the Glarians Friburgians Soloturnians Warres betweene the Gospelleâ—â— and the 〈◊〉 Popishe townes of SuitzerlaÌ„d and other comming betweene them laboured to set them at agrement drawing out certain coÌ„ditions of peace betwene them Whyche conditions were these that all contumelies iniuries past should be forgotten That hereafter neither parte shoulde molest the other That they which were banished for religion should againe be restored That the v. Pages might remaine without disturbaunce in their religion so that none should be restrained amongst them from the reading of the olde and new Testament Condition of peace drawen 〈◊〉 not kepte That no kind of disquietnesse should be procured against them of Berne and Zuricke and that either part should conferre mutuall helpes together one to succour the other as in times past But the fiue Pagemen wold not obserue those couenants made The Tygurines prouoked and â—â—pelled to warre against their enemies neither would their malicious hearts be brought to any conformitie Wherfore the Bernates and Tigurines shewing declaring first theyr cause in publicke wryting to purge and excuse the necessity of their warre being pressed wyth so many wrongs and in manner constrained to take the sword in hande did as before beset the hye wayes and passages that no furniture of victuall or other forage could come to the other Pages By reason whereof when they of the fiue towns began to be pinched with want and penurie they armed themselues secretly and set forewarde
articles where he with great daunger of his life did very much good Henry taketh his iourney to Meldorph Finally they should promise to the congregation in his name that when he had perfourmed his enterprise he woulde straight returne againe They being perswaded with these words cōsented vnto him stedfastly hoping that they of Diethmar should be conuerted vnto the true faith which people aboue all other haue alwaies bene most geuen to Idolatrie Hauing prepared all things toward his setting foorth the xxij day of October he tooke his iourney and came to Meldorphe whither he was sent for wheras he was ioyfully receiued of the parish priest and other as soone as he was come thither Albeit he had not yet preached the Diuell with his members by and by began to freat and fume for anger Aboue all other one Augustine Torneborch Prior of the Blacke friers began to fume who went out of hand vnto maister Iohn Swicken his companion and Commissary to the Officiall of Hamburge to take counsell what was to be done least they should loose their kingdome The Prior of of the Blacke Fryers with the 48. Presidentes conspireth the death of Henry Finally it was decreed by them aboue all things to withstand the beginnings that he should not haue licence to preach for if by any meanes it happened that he preached and the people should heare him it was to be feared that the wickednes and craft of the Priestes and Monkes should be opened which being made manifest they knew plainely that it would be but a folly to resist remembring what had happened lately before in Breme This determination had the Prior the next day early in the morning for he had not slept well all night for cares wente wyth great speede vnto Heyda to speake with the 48. Presidēts of the countrey vnto whome with great complaintes he shewed how that a seditious felow a Monke was come from Breme which would seduce all the people of Diethmar as he had done the Bremers The chiefe doers of thi◠conspiracye There was moreouer that did assist this Prior maister Gunterus Chauncelour of that countrey and Petrus Hannus both enemies vnto the Gospell These two stoutly assisted the Prior perswading the other 46. being simple and vnlearned men that they should obteine great fauour and good will of the Bishop of Breme if they would put this hereticke monke to death When these poore vnlearned men heard these words they decreed that this Monke shoulde be put to death neither heard nor seene much lesse conuict Furthermore this Prior obteined letters from the 48. Presidents vnto the parish priest commanding him vnder great penaltie that he shoulde put the Monke out of his house and commaunde him to depart without preaching With these letters he came speedily vnto Meldorphe Nicolas Boyes parish priest of Meldorph commaūded to put away Henry and deliuered the letters ouernight vnto the parish Priest trusting that by their threatnings and commandement the sayd Henry should be feared from preaching diligently watching whether he did preach or not When as the parish priest had read ouer the letters he marueyled not a little at that proud commaundement for that it had not bene heard of before that the xlviij Presidents should meddle with Ecclesiasticall matters and that it had bene of long time vsed that the ruling therof should be in the hands of the parish priest and long time before it was decreed by the whole prouince and customably vsed that in euery church y e parish priest should haue free libertie to receiue or put out the preacher These letters the parish priest deliuered vnto Henry which when he had diligently looked ouer he answeared that for so muche as he was come being sent for by y e whole cōgregatiō to preach the Gospell of Christ he would satisfie that vocation because he saw it would be acceptable vnto the whole cōgregation and that he ought rather to obey the word of God then mā Also y t if it pleased God that he should lose his life in Diethmar there was as neare a way to heauen The constācy of Henry in his vocation as in any other place for that he doubted nothing at all y t once he must suffer for y e Gospels sake Upon this courage and boldnes the next day Henry went vp into the Pulpit and made a Sermon expounding the place of Paul which is Rom. 1. Testis est mihi Deus c. That is God is my witnes and the Gospell of the day After the Sermon was done the whole congregation being called together the Prior deliuered the letters that were sent by the 48. Presidents the tenor whereof was this that they of Meldorph should be fined with a fine of a thousand gildrens if they suffered the Monke to preach and commaunded moreouer that they should send ambassadours vnto Heida with full power and authoritie When they heard these letters read they were much moued because they were so charged contrary to the custome of the countrey for so much as euery parish priest hath alwaies had authority according to his discretion to choose or put away the preacher Briefly they all determined with one voice to keepe Henry for their preacher and to defend him for when they had heard the Sermon they were greatly offended with the Prior. After dinner Henry preached againe Henry preacheth at Meldorph The Citizens of Meldorph write in defence of their preacher expoūding y e place of S. Paule Rom. 15. Debemus nos qui potentes sumus c. We ought which are strong c. The next day the Citizens of Meldorphe sent their messengers vnto Heyda offering to aunsweare in all causes before all men for their preacher whome they had receiued Besides that the messengers declared what christian godly Sermons they heard him preach The parish priest also wrote letters by the said Legates vnto the 48. rulers wherin he excused himselfe that it was neuer his mind nor the intent of the said Henry to moue sedition but only sincerely to preach y e word of God and offred himselfe ready to answer for the said Henry to al mē whensoeuer he should be called most earnestly desiring them not to geue credite vnto y e Monks which being blinded with hatred auarice had fully determined to oppresse y e truth saieng moreouer that it was against all reason that a man should be condemned before the truth be tried out and his cause declared and if after due inquisitiō had he should be cōuict then he should suffer cōdigne punishment This submission with y e publique testimoniall was nothing esteemed or regarded neither was there any answeare geuen therunto but euery man repined murmured thereat Last of all one Peter Dethleues one of the Seniors answered Good counsaile of Peter Dethleues that albeit there were diuers dissensions in euery place about the Christian faith and that they as men ignorant could not redresse the same yet this
First touching the sacrament TransubstaÌ„tiation they affirmed the transubstantiation of the Bishop of Rome to be against y e Article of the Creede which saith that Christ is gone vp to heauen there sitteth at the hand of God and therfore the bread and wine must nedes remayne in theyr propertyes bearing notwithstanding a Sacrament A similitude betweene the bread and the body of christ or a holy signe of the body bloud of the Lord. For like as by bread and wine the hart of man is comforted so the bodye of Christ crucified his bloud shed spirituallye hath the like operation in the soules of the beleuers For the Masse they sayd it was a thing most superstitious and meere Idolatry The Masse And if we put any part of saluation therein they sayd it was vtterly a robbing of the Passion of Christ the sonne of God that it was not once to be named out of a Christen mouth Also that they whiche say that Peter either was Pope or Author of the sayd Masse are farre deceiued And as for turning breade into the bodye of Christ by the woordes of consecration it was an error they sayd more of mad men then any sad men forasmuch as God is neither subiect to men nor to y e tongues or exorcismes of men Purgatory they denied to be any saue onely the bloud of Christ Iesu. Furthermore as they would not bereft the saints of God of theyr due honor Honour to God not to Saintes so neither the Saynts theÌ„ selues sayd they will be contented to robbe God of his honor onely due to him As touching confession theyr opinion was that the woundes and causes of conscience belong to no man but onely to God After these aunsweres geuen and written they were sent to the Monastery of Sanpeter there to be disputed with That done the matter came to be debated amog the Iudges what was to be done with them Some would theyr goodes to be taken by Inuentory and them to be banished But Bergeronius at last caused to be determined that they shoulde be burned and first to heare Masse From that Courte they apppealed to the Courte of Paris but the matter there was nothing amended Where beholde the iudgement of God In the meane time whyle they were at Paris Note the iust vengeaunce of God vpon a wicked persecutor the wretched Persecutour Gilles le Pers was sodenly stroken mad and dyed in a frensy which made many men to wonder and especially the martyrs to be more constant At last the decree of the sentence was read against them First for speaking against the SacrameÌ„t whiche they denyed Secondly for speaking agaynst Baptisme whiche also they denyed Thirdly for speaking contumely agaynste the Sayntes which they in like maner denyed After this the officer to cause theÌ„ to recant threatned them with tormentes â—ormentes whiche they susteyned very extreme the space from after dinner til three of the clocke When all that would not turne them hee sent to them a Fryer Dominicke a man captious sophisticall to presse them in disputation But as he could do no hurt vnto them so could they do no good vpon him When the tyme of theyr execution did approch the officer aforesayd put into their hands being tyed a wooden crosse which they took with their teeth flong it away for the which the officer commaunded both their tongues to be cut of Wherein appeared an other maruellous worke of the y e Lord For neuertheles that their tongues were taken froÌ„ them to the intent they shoulde not speake yet God gaue them vtterauÌ„ce their tongues beyng cut out to speake at their death saying we bid sinne y e fleshe the worlde and the deuill fare well for euer wyth whome neuer we shall haue to do hereafter Diuers other wordes they spake besides whiche the people did heare and note At last when the tormenter came to smiere them with brimstone and gunpouder Go to sayd Filiolus salt on salt on the rotten and stinking flesh Finally as the flame came bursting vp to their faces they persisting constant in the fire gaue vp their liues and finished their martyrdome Ex Io. Crisp. Henr. Pantal. alijs Will. Langloys vnder Sheriffe Denis vaire priest and martyr Ioh. Langloys the kinges procurator Dionysius Vayre At Rhoan ann 1554. In the same yeare suffered at Rhoan Denis Uayre who first leauing hys Popishe priesthode went to Geneua where hee learned the art of bookbynding brought many tymes bookes into Fraunce After that in the reigne of K. Ed. 6. hee came to Gerzey there was minister preached After y e death of K. Ed. the time not seruing hym to tarry thinking to returne agayne to Geneua hee came into Normandy with his bookes into a towne called Fueillie Where as he going out to hyre a cart William Langloys with Iohn Langloys his brother came in and stayd his bookes and hym also which had the custody of theÌ„ Denis albeit hee might haue escaped yet hearing y e keeper of his bookes to be in trouble came preseÌ„ting himself was coÌ„mitted y e other was deliuered First after two monethes and a halfe imprisonment he was charged to be a spye because hee came out of England Then from that prisoÌ„ he was remoued to the Byshops prison and then to Rhoan where sentence was geuen that he should be burned aliue and thrise lifted vp and let downe agayne into the fire After the sentence geuen they threatned him with many terrible tormentes vnles he would disclose such as he knew of that side To whom he aunswered that the sounder part of all Fraunce and of the Senate was of that Religion notwithstandyng he would vtter no mans name vnto them And as for theyr torments he said he passed not for if he wer killed with racking then he should not feele the burning of the fire When they sawe him so little to passe for theyr tormentes they left that and proceeded to hys burning and first they put a crosse in his hands which he would not hold TheÌ„ because he comming by the Image of the virgine mary would not adore the same they cryed cut out hys toÌ„gue so they cast hym into the fire where he should be thrise taken vp but the flame went so hye that the hangman beyng not able to come neare hym cried to the people standing by to help and so did the officers with their staues lay vpon the people to helpe theyr tormenters but neuer a man would styrre And this was the end and martyrdome of that blessed Denys Ex Henr. Pantal lib. 10. ¶ There was a riche marchaunt of Paris who sayd in iest to the Friers of S. Frances You weare a rope about your bodyes because S. Frances once should haue bene hanged the pope redeemed him vpon this condition A Marchaunt hanged for â—esting agaynst the Friers that all hys life after he should were a rope Uppon this the
therefore stopped the streetes and lanes with cartes and made fires to see that none shoulde escape The fury of this world against the poore Christians The faythfull albeit God hath geueÌ„ them leisure to finysh their administration prayers with such quetnes as they neuer had better seeing the sodennesse of the thyng were stroken in great feare Who then being exhorted by the gouernors of the congregation fel to praier That done through the counsell of some whyche knew the cowardly hartes of the multitude this order was taken that the men whiche had weapon should aduenture through the prese onely the womeÌ„ and children remayned in the house and a few men with them which were lesse bolde then the other to the number of sixe or seauen score Where appeared the admirable power of God in them that went out with weapon One of the CoÌ„gregation beateÌ„ downe in the streates and Martyred which notwithstanding that y e lanes and passages were stopped and the fires made dyd all escape saue onely one who was beateÌ„ down with stones and so destroyed Certayne that remayned in the house with the womeÌ„ afterward leaped into gardens where they were stayed till the Magistrates came The women which were all Gentlewomen or of great wealth onely sixe or seuen excepted seing no other hope and perceiuing the fury of the people went vp to the windowes crying * Mercy here importeth no oâ—feÌ„ce acknowledged but to be saued from the rage of the people mercy and shewing theyr innocent intent required iustice ordinary Thus as they were inclosed about 6. or 7. houres at last came Martin the kinges Attorney with force of Commissaries and Sergeantes Who with much adoe appeasing the courage of the people entred into the house where he viewing the women children and the other furniture there being prepared for that congregatioÌ„ perceiued testimonies sufficient of their innocency in so much that in considering therof for pity of hart his eyes could not refraine from teares Notwithstanding proceeding in his office hee had them all to prison within the litle Castle I omit here the furious vsage of the people by the way how despightfully they plucked and haled the women tare their garmeÌ„ts thrust of theyr hoods froÌ„ their heades disfigured theyr faces with dust and durt Neither were they better entreated in the Prison then they were in the streetes for all the villaines and theeues there were let out of theyr holes and stinking caues and the poore Christians placed in theyr roomes Besides these manifolde wronges oppressions done to these poore innoceÌ„ts folowed theÌ„ which was worst of all the cruell slaunderous reportes of the friers and priestes A false and malicious slaunder raised agaynst the Congregation who in theyr rayling sermons other talke cryed out to the Lutherans perswading the people most falsly that they assembled together to make a banket in the night and there putting out y e candles they went together Iacke with Iille as the sayde after a filthy and beastly maner Adding moreouer to make the lye more likely that certayne Nunnes also Monkes were with them Also that they should conspyre against the king and other like heynous crimes whatsoeuer theyr malice could inuent for defacing of the Gospell With such like malitious misreportes sclauÌ„ders Sathan went about to extinguish the auncient church of Christ in the primitiue time accusing the innocent Christians then of incest conspiracy killing of infantes putting out of candles Vid. supr pag. 36 filthy whoredome c. Vide supra pag. 36. These sinister rumors cursed defamations were no sooner geueÌ„ out but they were as soone receiued and spread farre not onely to theÌ„ of the vulgar sort but also among the states of the Court and euen to the kinges â—ares The Cardinall of Lorraine y e same time bare a great sway in the court who then procured a certayne Iudge of the Castle to come in declaring to the king that he found there lying in y e floore of the foresayd house diuers couches pallets vpon which they intended to coÌ„mit theyr whoredome also much other furniture and preparation appointed for a sumptuous feast or banquet wherewith the kyng was mightely inflamed agaynst them neyther was there any one person that durst contrary it Here the enemies began highly to triumph thinking verily that the gospell with all the freÌ„des therof were ouerthrowne for euer On the other side no lesse perplexity and lamentation was among y e brethren sorowing not so muche for themselues as for the imprisonment of theyr fellowes Albeit they loste not theyr courage so altogether but as well as they could they exhorted one another considering y e great fauour and prouidence of God in deliuering them so wonderfully out of the daunger Some comfort they tooke vnto them consulting together in this order that first they should humble themselues to God in theyr owne priuate familyes Secondly to stoppe the running brutes of theyr holy assembles they should write Apologies one to the kyng an other to the people Thirdly that letters of consolatioÌ„ should be written and sent to theyr brethren in prison The first Apology was written to the king and conueyed so secretly into his Chamber The Apologie of the Congregation against false reportes that it was found and read opeÌ„ly in the hearing of the king and of all his nobles Wherin the Christians learnedly discreetly both cleared themselues of those reportes and shewed the malice of theyr enemies especially of Satan which euer froÌ„ the beginning of the Church hath and still doeth goe about to ouerturne the right wayes of the Lord declaring further by manyfolde examples and coÌ„tinuall experience eueÌ„ from the primitiue time how the nature of the Church hath euer bene to suffer vexations and sclaunderous reports and infamation by the malignant aduersaries c. And lastly comming to the king they craued that theyr cause might not be condemned before it had indifferent hearing c. Neuerthelesse this Apology to the king serued to litle purpose forsomuch as the aduersaries incontinent denied all that was written to the king making him to beleue that all were but excuses pretensed neither was there any person that durst replye agayne But the other Apology to the people did inestimable good in satisfying the rumors and defending the true cause of the gospell Wherupon certayne doctors of SorboÌ„ began to write both agaynst y e Apology and the persons Doctoâ—â—â—â—mochareâ— persecâ—â—â—â—â— of whom one was called Demochares who taking for his foundation without any proofe that they were all heretiques cryed out for iustice with billes glaues fire and sword An other Sorbonist more bloudy then the first not only exclamed against theÌ„ for putting out y e candles in theyr detestable concourses assembles but also accused theÌ„ as men which mainteined that there was no God and denied the diuinity humanity of Christ the immortallity of the soule the
workes of supererogation freewill predestination confession satisfaction indulgences images purgatory the pope c. Whereunto he aunswered agayne in wryting w t such learning and reason alleaging agaynst the popes owne distinctions namely Distinct 19. cap. Dominus Distinct. 21. cap. In nono Dist. 21. cap. omnes cap. Sacrosancta that as the story reporteth the court of Thurin marueling at his learning condemned him more for reproch of shame then vppon true opinion grounded of iudgement When hee was brought to the place of execution the people whiche stoode by and heard hym speake declared openlye that they saw no cause why he should dye A certayn olde companion of hys a priest calling him by hys name M Geffrey desired him to conuert from his opinions To whome hee paciently aunswered agayne desiring him that he would conuert from his condition And thus after he had made hys prayer vnto God and had forgeuen hys Executioner and all his enemies he was first strangled and then burned The report of a Doue flying about the Fryer In the foresayd story relation is made moreoouer concerning the sayd Geffrey that at the tyme of his burning a doue was seene as was crediblye reported of many flying fluttering diuers times about the fire testifying as was thought the innocency of this holy martyr of the Lord. But the storye addeth that vpon suche thinges we must not stay and so concludeth he the Martyrdome of this blessed man Ex. Crisp. lib. 6. Pag. 897. Benet Romian martyr Lanteaume Blanc De Lauris Counsalor and sonne in lawe to Minors lord of Opede the cruel persecutor Anthony Reuest the Lieutenant Barbosi iudge Ordinary of Draguignā Ioachim Partauier the kinges Aduocate Caual and Caualieri Consuls The Official Gasper Siguiere Officer in Draguignan A Frier obseruaunt Benet Romain a Mercer or Haberdasher At Draguinan in Prouince An. 1558. The lamentable storye of Benet Romain is described at large amonge other french martyrs by I. Crispine printer the briefe recitall wherof here followeth Thys Benet hauing wyfe children at Geneua to get hys liuing vsed to go about the countrey with certayne Mercery ware hauyng cunning also amōg other thinges how to dresse Corals As he was cōming towarde Marscile passed by y e town Draguignan hee happened vpon one of the lyke facultie named Lanteaume Blanc Who beyng desirous to haue of his Corals and could not agre for the price also knowing that he was one of Geneua went to a coūsailor of the courte of Aix being then at Draguignan whose name was de Lauris sonne in lawe to miners Lorde of Opede Of Miners the great persecutor read in the storie of Merindoll the great persecutour agaynst Merindoll c. Thus Lauris consulting together with the foresayd Blanc pretending to buy certain of his Corall which he sawe to be very fayre and knowing also that he had to the worth of 300. crounes incontinent after hys departing from him he sent to the officer of y e town to attache the sayd Benet as one being the greatest Lutherane in the world Thus whē he was arested for the kings prisoner Blanc and hys fellowes whiche sought nothng but onely the praye were ready to cease vppon hys goodes and likewise of the other two men whō hee hyred to bear hys merchandise Then were these three poore men seperated a sonder and Romayne examined before the Consuls and y e kings Aduocate and other Counsellers where hee kept hys Easter whether he receaued at the same Easter whether he was cōfessed before fasted the Lent also he was bid to say his Pater noster Interrogatories ministred to Romian the Creede Aue Maria which two first he did but denyed to say Aue Maria. Then was he asked for worshipping of saintes women saints and men saints and when hee heard Masse He sayd he would worshipp none but God alone Masse he heard none these 4. yeares nor euer would Wherupon he was committed to a stinking house of easment with yron cheynes vpon his legges Lauris thus hauing hys will vpon the poore man sent for the Lieuetenaunt named Antony Reuest told hym what he had done and willed hym to see the prisoner The Lieuetenant being angry that he did so vsurpe vpon hys office denyed to goe with hym to the prisoner excusing the filthy sauour of the place Notwithstanding the same day the Lieuetenaunt with an other went to the prison and caused the sayd Romaine to come before hym of whom he enquired many things of his dwelling of his name and age hys wife and children of hys facultie and cause of hys comming also of hys religion and all such poyntes therto belonging Unto whom he answered agayne simply and truely in all respectes as lay in hys conscience Romian sealeth the confession of his fayth and thereunto beyng required because he could write he put to hys marke After hys confession beyng thrise made and hys aunswer taken certayn faythfull brethren of that place found meanes to come to hym Romian refuseth to escape counselled hym y t seing he had sufficiently already made confession of his fayth he would seeke meanes to escape out from his enemies which sought nothing but hys death shewed vnto hym what he should say to the Lieuetenant but he refused so to doe willing there to render accompt of hys fayth and contented to dye for y e same Barbosi persecutor The fame of hys constancy being knowne in the towne Iudge Barbosi a man blind and ignorant and no lesse deformed came to see hym and asked A grosse question of a grosse Iudge what do they beleue sayd he in any God in Geneua Romaine looking vpon him what art thou said he that so wretchedly doest blaspheme I am sayde hee y e Ordinary Iudge of this place And who hath put thee sayd Romain suche a grosse and deformed persō in such an office Thinkest thou that we be infidels and no christians And if y e deuils themselues do confesse a God suppose you that they of Geneua do deny their God A free answere of a poore prisoner No no we beleue in God wee inuocate his name and repose all our trust in hym c. Barbosi tooke such griefe with this departinge from Romiane that hee ceased not to pursue him to death The Lieuetenaunt then being vrged and much called vpon and also threatned by this Barbosi and other prepared to proceed in iudgement against him taking to him such Iudges and Aduocates as y e order there required There was the same time an obseruant Frier which had there preached all y e Lent He being very eger and dilligent to haue the poore christian burned seing the iudges intentiue about the busines to set the matter forward sayde that hee would go say masse of the holy Ghost Masse a commō instrument for all thinges and also to blowe the fire to illuminate their intentes to haue the sayde Romian condemned and
beganne by little to fall from hym and the concourse of the other mans auditors more and more encreased Which when Cornelius perceaued hee perswaded Campeius that vnlesse hee prouided that man to be dispatched the estimation of the Churche of Rome would thereby greatly decay But when they could not openly bryng theyr purpose about secretly thys way was deuised that Cornelius Ioannes shuld come to opeÌ„ disputatioÌ„ which disputatioÌ„ endured til 3. of the clocke after midnight At length when neyther part coulde agree Ioannes was bid to returne home to his house Who as he was come downe to the lower steps where the place was most straitest so that his frendes could not come to rescue him although by drawing theyr swords they declared their good willes was theyr taken and layd fast in prison When the day came Mollius taken and imprisoned by Card Campeius suche tumulte and stirre was in the whole Cittie that Cornelius was driuen to hide himselfe Also Campeius the Cardinall with the bishop there were both contemned of the studentes The next day y e Bishop of Bononie sent his ChauÌ„celour to Iohn in the prison to signifie vnto him y t either he must recant or els burne But he beyng of a bold cheerefull spirite would in no wise be brought to recant This one thing greeued him that hee should be condemned his cause being not heard In the meane season Laurentius Spatha aboue mentioned being generall of that order in most spedy wise posted vp to Rome there so practised with the Cardinall S. Crucis the Proctor in the court of Rome for the gray Fryers that the Pope wrote downe his letters to Campeius that he shoulde deliuer the sayd Iohn out of prison so that he notwithstanding within 3. monthes after should personally appeare at Rome Mollius deliuered out of prison by meanes of Spatha the generall Thus the 30. daye of hys imprysonment he was deliuered who but for comming of the popes letters had bene burned within 3. daies after Moreouer with the sayde Mollius Cornelius also was cited to make hys appearance likewyse at Rome and there was deteined in prison by the Cardinall S. Crucis till hys cause shoulde be decided The frendes of Mollius gaue hym counsayle not to go to Rome offred hym mony to go to Germany but he would not saying that the Gospell must also be preached at Rome After he was come to Rome appeared before Pope Paule 3. humbly hee desired Mollius appeareth before the Pope that the cause being so weighty might come in publicke hearyng but that could not be obtayned Then was he coÌ„maunded to write his minde in Articles and to bring his proofes which he dilligeÌ„tly performed entreating of Originall sinne Iustification by sayth Free will Purgatory and other such like prouing the sayd articles by the authoritie of the Scripture and of auncient fathers and so exhibited the same to the bysh of Rome Upon this certain Cardinals and Bishops were assigned to haue the cause in hearing who disputed with him 3. dayes could not refell that which he had prooued At last answere was made vnto him thus that it was trueth which he affirmed neuerthelesse the same was not meet for this present tyme for that it coulde not be taught or published without the detriment of the Apostolicke sea wherefore he should absteyne hereafter from the * The Popes church can not abide S. Paules Epistles Epistles of S. Paule and so returne agayne safe to Bononie there professe * Paules Epistles must geue place to Philosophie Philosophy Thus as he was returned to Bononie and al men there were desirous to know of his case how he sped at Rome openly in the pulpit he declared all thinges in order as they were done and gaue God thankes Herewith Campeius beyng more offended then before obteyned of the Pope that the generall of the order should remoue the sayd Iohn Mollius from Bononie and place him some other where So Mollius from thence was sent to Neaples Mollius in great daunger at Neaples there was appoynted reader and preacher in the Monastery of S. Laurence But Petrus the Uiceroy there not abiding his doctrine so neerely sought his death that he had much adoe to escape with lyfe and so departing froÌ„ thence he went wandring into Italy from place to place preaching Christ whersoeuer he came Not long after this when Cardinall CaÌ„peius was dead he was called againe vnto Bononie by a good Abbot named De Grassis an 1543. where hee renued again y e reading of S. Paules Epistle after a secret sort Mollius the second tyme apprehended for reading S. Pauls Epistles as he did before but y t could not be long vndiscouered Wherupon by y e meanes of Cardinall de Capo and by Bonauentura the generall he was apprehended the second tyme and brought to Fauentia layd there in a filthy stincking prison where he continued foure yeres no man hauing leaue once to come to him During which tyme of his induraÌ„ce he wrote a Commentary vpon the bookes of Moses but that labour by the malignitie of the aduersaryes was suppressed Mollius agayne deliuered At length through the intercession of the Earle Petilianus and of the foresaid good Abbot De Grassis he was agayn deliuered and sent to Rauenna where he made hys abode a few months with the Abbot ad S. Vitalem there agayne taught the Gospell of Christ as before The 〈◊〉 â—eale of Mollius and whensoeuer hee spake of the name of Iesu hys eyes dropt teares for he was fraught with a mighty feruency of gods holy spirite In proces of tyme when this Abbot was dead his sureties began to be weary of theyr bond and so was he agayne now the thyrd tyme reduced into prison by the popes Legates There were then 4. men of great authoritie who beyng styrred vp of GOD had pitty vpon hym and bayled hym out of prison Of whom one of the sayd sureties tooke y e sayd Mollius home to instruct hys children in the doctrine of religion and good letters Furthermore at the fame of this man suche a concourse of people came to see him that the aduersaryes beganne to consult wyth themselues to kill hym least hys doctrine shuld disparse farther abroad to the detriment of the Churche of Rome Wherupon commaundement was sent to the popes Legates to lay handes vpon hym and to send hym vp fast bound to Rome Where agayne Mollius the fourth tyme imprisoned now the fourth tyme he was imprisoned in the Castle of Nome and there continued 18. monthes being greatly assaulted sometimes with flattering promises sometyme with terrible threates to geue ouer hys opinion but hys building could not be shaken for it was grounded vpon a sure rocke Thus Doct. Mollius beyng constant in the defence of Christes Gospell was brought The coÌ„stancie of Doct. Mollius and of the Weauer w t certayn other
is the mount Sion here I am already in heauen it selfe Here standeth first Christ Iesus in the fronte About him stande the olde fathers Prophetes and Euangelistes Apostles and al the seruauntes of God Of whō some do embrace cherish me some exhort me some open the Sacramentes vnto me some comfort me other some singing about me And how then shall I be thought to be alone among so many such as these be The beholding of whome to me is both solace and example For here I see some crucified some slayne some stoned some cut a sonder and quartared some rosted some broyled some put in hoat caulderns some hauing theyr eyes bored thorough some their tongues cut out some their skinne plucked ouer theyr heades some theyr handes and feete chopt off some put in kilnes and furnaces some cast downe headlong and geuen to the beastes and foules of the ayre to feed vpon It woulde aske a long time if I should recite all To be short diuers I see with diuers and sundrye tormentes excruciate yet notwithstanding all liuing and all safe One playster one salue cureth al their woundes which also geueth to them strength life so that I susteyne all these transitory anguishes smal afflictions with a quiet mind hauing a greater hope layd vp in heauen Neither do I feare mine aduersaries which here persecute me and oppresse me For he that dwelleth in heauē shal laugh them to scorne and the Lord shall deride them I feare not thousands of people which compasse me about The Lord my God shal deliuer me my hope my supporter my comforter who exalteth vp my head He shall smite al thē that stand vp against me without cause shal dash the teeth iawes of sinners a sunder for he only is all blessednes and maiestie The rebukes for Christes cause make vs iocant for so it is writtē If ye be rebuked scorned for the name of Christ happy be you for the glory and spirite of God resteth vpon you 1. Pet. 4. Be you therefore certified that our rebukes which are layd vpon vs redound to the shame and harm of the rebukers In this world there is no mansion firme to me and therfore I trauaile vp to the new Ierusalem which is in heauen which offereth it selfe vnto me without paying anye fine or Income Behold I haue entred already in my iourny wher my house standeth for me prepared and where I shall haue riches kinsfolks delites honours neuer fayling As for these earthly thinges here present they are transitory shadowes vanishing vapours and ruinous walles Briefly all is but very vanitie of vanities where as hope and the substance of eternitie to come are wanting Which the mercifull goodnes of the Lord hath geuen as companions to accompany me and to comfort me and now doe the same begin to worke and to bring forth fruites in me I haue trauayled hetherto laboured and swette early and late watching day and night and now my trauailes begin to come to effect Dayes and houres haue I bestowed vpon my studyes Behold the true countenaunce of God is sealed vpon me the Lord hath geuen myrth in my hart And therefore in the same will I lay me downe in peace and rest Psal 4. And who then shall dare to blame this our age consumed or say that our yeares be cut off What man can nowe cauill that these our labours are lost which haue followed founde out the Lord and maker of this worlde and whiche haue chaunged death with lyfe My portiō is the Lord sayth my soule therfore I will seek wayt for him Now then if to dye in the Lord be not to die but to lyue most ioyfully where is this wretched wordly rebell which blameth vs of folly for geuing away our liues to death O how delectable is this death to me to taste the Lords cup whiche is an assured pledge of true saluation for so hath the Lord himself forewarned vs saying The same that they haue done to mee they will also do vnto you Wherfore let the doltish worlde with hys blynd worldlings who in the bright sun shine yet goe stumblyng in darcknes being as blinde as betels cease thus vnwisely to carp against vs for our rash suffering as they count it To whome thus we aunswere agayne with the holy Apostle That neyther tribulation nor anguish nor hunger nor nakednes nor ieoperdy nor persecution nor sworde shal be able euer to seperate vs from the loue of Christ. We are slain al the day long we are made like sheep ordayned to the shābles Rom. 8. Thus do we resemble Christ our head which said That the Disciple cannot be aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. The same Lord hath also commanded that euery one shall take vp his crosse and followe him Luc. 9. Reioyse reioise my deare brethrē fellow seruants be of good cōfort when ye fal into sondry tentations Let your pacience be perfect on all parts For so is it foreshewed vs before is writtē That they which shall kill you shal think to do God good seruice Therfore afflictiōs death be as tokens sacraments of our election life to come Let vs then be glad sing to the Lord whē as we being cleare frō al iust accusation are persecuted geuen to death For better it is that we in doyng well do suffer if it so be the will of the Lord then doing euil 1. Pet. 3. We haue for our example Christ and the prophets whiche spake in the name of the Lord whom the children of iniquitie did quell and murder and now we blesse and magnifie them that then suffred Let vs be glad and ioyous in our innocencie and vprightnes The Lord shall reward them that persecute vs let vs referre all reuēgement to him I am accused of foolishnes for that I do not shrink frō the true doctrine knowledge of God do not rid me selfe out of these trobles whē with one word I may O the blindnes of man which seeth not the sunne shyning neither remēbreth the Lords words Consider therfore what he sayth You are the light of the world A city builded on the hil cannot be hid Neither do men light a candle put it vnder a bushell but vppon a candlesticke that it may shyne and geue light to them in the house And in an other place he sayth you shal be led before kinges rulers feare ye not them which kill the body but hym whiche killeth both body and soule Who soeuer shall confesse me before men him will I also cōfesse before my father whiche is in heauen And hee that denyeth me before men him will I also deny before my heauenly father Wherfore seing the words of the Lord be so playne how or by what authoritie will this wise counseller thē approue this hys counsayle which he doth geue God forbid that I shuld relinquish the commaundements of God and folowe the counsailes
about their affaires Ex Ioan. Sledano â—ib 16. c Thus hard was the king against them notwithstanding sayeth Sleydan that he the yere before had receaued from the sayde his subiectes of Merindoll a confession of their faith and doctrine The Articles whereof were that they according to Christian faith confessed first God the father creator of all things The sonne the onely Mediatour and Aduocate of mankinde The holy spirite the comfortour and instructour of all truth They confessed also the Church which they acknowledged to be the felowship of Gods elect wherof Iesus Christ is the head The ministers also of the Churche they did allowe wishing that such which did not their duety should be remoued And as touching Magistrates they grauÌ„ted likewise the same to be ordeined of God to defend the good The confession faith of the Waldenses in Merindoll to punish the transgressours And how they owe to him not loue onely but also tribute and custome and no man herein to be excepted euen by the example of Christ who paied tribute himselfe c. Likewise of Baptisme they confessed the same to be a visible and an outwarde signe that representeth to vs the renuing of the spirite and mortification of the members Furthermore as touching the Lordes Supper they sayde and confessed the same to be a thankesgeuing and a memoriall of the benefite receaued through Christ. Matrimonie they affirmed to be holy and instituted of God and to be inhibited to no man That good workes are to be obserued exercised of all men as holy Scripture teacheth That false doctrine which leadeth men away from the true worship of God ought to be eschewed Briefly and finally the order and rule of their faith they confessed to be the olde and newe Testament protesting that they beleeued all such things as are contained in the Apostolike Crede Desiring moreouer the King to geue credite to this their declaratioÌ„ of their faith so that whatsoeuer was informed to him to the contrary was not true and that they would well prooue if they might be heard And thus much concerning the doctrine and confession of the Merindolians out of Sleidan and also concerning their descent and ofspring from the Waldenses * The Historie of the persecutions and warres against the people called Waldenses or Waldois in the valleis of Angrongne Luserne S. Martin Perouse and others in the countrey of Piemont from the yere 1555. to the yere of our Lord. 1561. Persecutours Martyrs The Causes The Parliament of Thurin The President of S Iulian. Iacomell Monke an Inquisitour Monsieur de la Trinitie The Gentlemen of the Valleyes Charles Truchet Boniface Truchet The Collaterall of Corbis The Collateral de Ecclesia The Duke of Sauoy Monkes of Pigneroll and many other moe enemies of God and ministers of Sathan The Martirs of the valley of Angrogne The Martyrs of the valley of Luserne The Martyrs of S. Martin The Martyrs of Perouse and others In the couÌ„trey of Piemont From the yeare 1555. vnto 1561. TO procede now further in the persecution of these Waldois Persecution in the valley of Angrongne Luserne S. Martin Perouse in Piedmont or Waldenses you haue herd hitherto first how they deuiding themselues into diuers Countreis some fled to Prouince and to Tolouse of whom sufficient hath bene sayd Some went to Piedmont and the valley of Angrogne of whom it foloweth now to entreat God willing Thus these good men by long persecution being driuen from place to place were grieuouslye in all places afflicted but yet could neuer be vtterly destroied nor yet compelled to yeelde to the superstitious and false religion of y e church of Rome but euer absteined from theyr corruption and Idolatrie as much as was possible gaue themselues to the worde of God as a rule both truely to serue him and to directe their liues accordingly They had many bookes of the old and new Testament translated into their language Theyr Minysters instructed them secretely to auoyd the furye of theyr ennemies whyche could not abide the light all be it they did not instruct theÌ„ wyth suche puritie as was requisite They liued in great simplicity and with the sweate of theyr browes They were quiete and peaceable among theyr neighbors absteining from blasphemy and prophaning of y e name of God by othes and such other impietie from lewde games dauncing filthy songes and other vices and dissolute life and coÌ„formed their life wholy to the rule of Gods word Their principal care was alwaies that God might be rightly serued and his woorde truely preached In so muche that in our time when it pleased God to set forth the light of his gospel more clearely they neuer spared any thing to establish the true and pure ministery of the worde of God and his Sacraments Which was the cause that Sathan with his ministers did so persecute them of late more cruelly then euer he did before as manifestly appeareth by the bloudy horrible persecutions which haue bene not onely in Prouince against those of Merindol Cabriers also against them of Prage and Calabria as the histories afore written doe sufficiently declare but also against them in the Countrey of Piedmont remaining in the Ualley of Angrongne and of Lucerne and also in the Ualley of S. Martine and Perouse in the sayd countrey of Piedmont Whych people of a long time were persecuted by the Papists and especially within these fewe yeares they haue bene vexed in such sort and so diuersly that it seemeth almost incredible and yet hathe God alwayes miraculously deliuered them as heereafter shall ensue Albeit the people of Angrongne had before this time certaine to preach the word of God and minister the sacramentes vnto them priuately yet in the yeare of our Lorde 1555. in the beginning of the moneth of August the Gospel was openly preached in Angrongne The ministers and the people entended at the first to kepe themselues still as secrete as they mighte but there was suche concourse of people from al parties that they were compelled to preach openly abroad For this cause they built them a Church in the mids of Angrongne where assembles were made and Sermons preached It happened about that time that one Iohn Martin of Briqueras a mile froÌ„ Angrongne which vaunted euery where The iust haÌ„d of God vpon Iohn Martin a persecutor that he wold slit the ministers nose of Angrogne was assaulted by a Wolfe which bitte of hys nose so that he died thereof madde Thys was commonly knowen to all the townes thereabout At this season the French king helde these foresaid valleis they were vnder the iurisdiction of the Parliament of Thurin In the ende of DeceÌ„ber folowing newes was brought that it was ordeined by the sayd Parlament that certaine horsemen and footemen should be sent to spoil and destroy Angrongne Whereuppon some whych pretended great freÌ„dship to this people counselled theÌ„ not to goe forward with their enterprise but
ambassadors in Spaine there was again set at liberty When as the ambassador coÌ„plained hereof to y e Cardinal he laid al the fault vpon Clarentius laying also that Clarentius had defied y e Emperor w tout the kings knowledge at the request of the Herald of FraÌ„ce wherfore at his returne The Cardinâ—â— set Clarentius 〈◊〉 the Emperour and afterward would 〈…〉 death he should lose his head at Callis Wherof Clarentius being aduertised by the captaine of Bayon in hys returne tooke shipping at Bullen so priuely came into England and by meanes of certaine of his frends of y e kings priuy chamber hee was brought vnto the kings presence before the Cardinal knewe of it where as he shewed vnto y e king the Cardinals letters of Commission and declared the whole order and circumstance of theyr gentle intreaty When the king heard the whole circumstance thereof and had a while mused thereupon he sayde O Lord Iesus he that I trusted most told me all these things contrary Well Clarentius I wil no more be so light of credeÌ„ce hereafter for now I â—ee wel that I haue bene made beleue the thing that was neuer done and from that time forwarde y e king neuer put any more confidence or trust in the Cardinall The cause why the Cardinal should beare the Emperor all this malice grudge after some wryters it appeareth to be thus At what time as Pope Clement was takeÌ„ prisoner as is before sayd the Cardinal wrote vnto the Emperor that he shuld make him Pope But when he had receiued an answere that pleased him not he waxed furious madde The Cardiâ—â—â—s pâ—oâ—de 〈…〉 against the Emperour and sought al meanes to displease the Emperour wryting very sharpely vnto him many manacing letters that if he would not make him Pope he would make such a ruffling betwene christian Princes as was not this 100. yeares before to make the Emperor repent yea though it should cost the whole Realme of England Wherunto the Emperor made answer in a little booke Imprinted both in Spanish and Dutch answering vnto many manacings of the Cardinal and diuers of his Articles but specially to that his ruffling threate wherein he manaced him that if he wold not make him Pope he wold set such a ruffling betwixte Christian Princes as was not this 100. yeare though it should cost the whole Realme of England Wherunto the Emperor answering again biddeth him looke wel about him The Empeâ—ouâ—â— aunswere vnto the Cardinalls threates lest through his doings and attempts he might bring the matter in that case y t it shuld cost him the Realme of England in deede You haue heard before howe that when Pope Clement was prisoner in the Emperors army the Cardinal required the king because he did beare the title of defendor of the faith y t he would rescue the Pope also what the kings answere was thereunto and what summes of money he had obtained of the king Nowe because you shall not also be ignorant by what meanes and vppon what occasion this title of the defender of the faith was geuen vnto the King The title of defâ—â—dour of the faith we thinke it good somewhat to say in this place When as Martin Luther had vttered the abhomination of the Pope and his clergy diuers bookes were come into England our Cardinal here thinking to finde a remedy for that sent immediately vnto Rome for this title of defendour of the faith which afterward the vicare of CroydeÌ„ preached that the kings grace would not lose it for al London 20. mile about it Neither is it maruel for it cost more then London 40. mile about it considering the great summes whyche you haue heard the Cardinal obtained of the King for the Popes relief beside the effusion of much innocent bloud When thys gloryous title was come from Rome the Cardinall brought it vnto the kings grace at Grenewich and though that the king had it already and had read it yet against the morning were all the Lords and Gentlemen that could in so shorte space be gathered sent for to come receaue it with honour In the morning the cardinall gate him through the backe side into the Frier obseruants and parte of the Gentlemen went round about and welcomed him from Rome parte met him halfe way and some at the Court gate The king himselfe mette hym in the hall and brought him vp into a great chamber The glorious â—â—nitye 〈◊〉 the Cardinal laughâ—â— to 〈◊〉 whereas was a seat prepared on high for the king and the Cardinall to sit on whiles the Bull was read Which pompe all men of wisedome and vnderstanding laughed to scorne Thys done the kyng went to hys Chappell to heare Masse accompanied with many nobles of his realme and Ambassadours of sundry Princes The Cardinall being reuested to sing masse the earle of Essex brought the basen of water the Duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the Duke of Norfolke held the towel so he proceded to masse WheÌ„ masse was done the bull was againe published the trompets blew the shawmes and suckbuts played in honor of the kings newe stile Then the king went to dinner in the midst wherof the king of Herauldes and his company beganne the largesse crying The kinges stilâ— augmented Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Franciae defensor fidei Dominus Hiberniae Thus was all things ended with great solemnitie Not much vnlyke to thys was the receyuing of the Cardinalles hatte which when a ruffian had brought vnto him to Westminster vnder his cloke he clothed the messenger in riche aray and sent him backe againe to Douer appoynting the Bishop of Canterbury to meete hym The thrasonicall receauing of the Cardinalls hatte and then an other companye of the Lordes and Gentlemen I wote not how often before it came to Westminster where it was set vpon a cupbourd and tapers rounde about it so y t the greatest Duke in the lande must make curtesie thereuunto and to his emptie seate he being away And for somuch as we are in hande with the actes and doings of Cardinall Wolsey among many other thyngs The cruell dealing of the Cardinall against Richard Pacie Richard Pacie Deane of Paules whych of purpose we ouerpasse this is not to be exempted out of memorie touching hys vncourtuous or rather currish handling of Richard Pacie Deane of Paules Thys Pacie being the kinges Secretarie for the Latine tounge was of such ripenes of wit of learning eloquence also in forein laÌ„guages so expert that for the one he was thought most meete to succeede after Iohn Colet in the Deanery of Paules beside which he was also preferred to the Deanry of Excetour For the other he was sent in the kinges affayres Ambassadour to Uenice Which function there he so discharged that it is hard to say whether he procured more commendation or admiration amoÌ„g the Uenetians both for dexteritie of hys witte and especially
his acquaintance wyth M. Tindall Whereunto he sayde that he denied not but that foure yeares then past The purgatiâ—n and answere of Humfrey Mummuth to the artycles he had heard the said Tindal preach two or three sermons at S. Dunstons in the West and afterward meeting with the said Tindall had certaine communication with hym coÌ„cerning his liuing who then told him that he had none at all but trusted to be in the Bishop of London his seruice for then he laboured to be his chaplayne But being refused of the Bishop so came agayne to the sayd Mummuth this examinate and besought him to helpe hym Who the same tyme tooke hym into hys house for halfe a yeare Tindal refused of Byshop Stokesley to be his Chaplein where the said Tindall liued as he sayd like a good priest studieng both night day He would eat but soddeÌ„ meate by his good will nor drink but small single beere He was neuer seene in that house to weare lynnen about him al the space of his beyng there Whereupon the sayd Mummuth had the better liking of hym so that he promised him ten pound as he then sayd for his father and mothers soules The temperate conuersation of W. Tyndall and all Christen soules which money afterward he sent him ouer to Hamborow according to his promise And yet not to him alone he gaue this exhibition but to diuers other moe likewise which were no heretikes as to D. Royston the Bishop of Londons Chaplayne he exhibited fortie or fiftie pounds to D. Wodiall Prouinciall of the Frier Austens as much or more to D. Watson the Kings Chaplayne also to other scholars and diuers Priests besides other charges bestowed vpon Religious houses as vpon the Nunry of Dendey aboue fiftie poundes sterling bestowed c. And as touching his bookes as Enchiridion the Pater noster De libertate Christiana an Englishe Testamente of whome some W. Tindall left with him some he sent vnto hym some were brought into hys house by whome he could not tell these bookes he said did lye opeÌ„ in his house the space of two yeares together he suspecting no harme to be in them And moreouer the same bookes beyng desired of sondry persons as of the Abbesse of Denney a Frier of Grenewich the Father Confessour of Syon he let them haue them and yet he neuer heard Frier Priest or lay maÌ„ finde any fault with the sayd bookes Likewise to D. Watson to D. Stockehouse Maister Martin Parson of Totingbecke he committed the perusing of the bookes of Pater noster and De libertate Christiana which found no great fault in them but onely in the booke De libertate Christiana they sayd there were thynges somewhat hard except the Reader were wise Thus he excusing himselfe and moreouer coÌ„plainyng of y e losse of his credite by his imprisonment in the Tower and of the detrimentes of his occupying who was wont yearely to shyp ouer v. hundreth clothes to straungers set many Clothiars a worke in Suffolke and in other places of whoÌ„ he bought all their clothes which almost were now all vndone by this reason at length was set at libertie beyng forced to abiure and after was made Knight by the kyng and Shriffe of London Of this Humfrey Mummuth we read of a notable example of Christian patience A notable exaÌ„ple of Christian pacience in an Alderman M. George Stafford reader in Cambridge in the Sermons of M. Latimer which the sayd Latimer heard in Cambridge of M. George Stafford reader of the Diuinitie Lecture in that Uniuersitie Who expoundyng the place S. Paule to the Romaines that we shall ouercome our enemy with well doyng so heape whote coales vpon his head c. brought in an exaÌ„ple saying that he knew in London a great rich Marchaunt meanyng this Humfrey Mummuth which had a very poore neighbour yet for all his pouertie he loued him very well and lent him money at his neede and let him come to his table whensoeuer he would It was euen at that tyme when D. Colet was in trouble and should haue bene burnt if God had not turned the kyngs hart to the contrary Now the richman began to bee a Scripture man he began to smell the Gospell The poore man was a Papist still It chaunced on a tyme when the rich maÌ„ talked of the Gospell sittyng at his table where he reproued Popery and such kynde of thynges The poore man beyng there present tooke a great displeasure agaynst the rich man in somuch that hee would come no more to his house he would borow no more money of him as he was wont to doe before tymes yea and conceiued such hatred and malice agaynst him that he went and accused him before the Byshops Now the riche man not knowyng of any such displeasure offered many tymes to talke with him and to set him at quyet It would not be Ex concione Doct. Hugo Latimeri The poore man had such a stomacke that hee would not vouchsafe to speake with him If he mete the rich man in the streate he would goe out of his way One tyme it happened that hee mete him so in a narrow streate that he could not auoyde but come neare him yet for all that this poore man I say had such a stomacke agaynst the riche man that he was mynded to goe foreward and not to speake with hym The riche man perceiuyng that caught hym by the hand and asked him saying Neighbour Agree with thine enemie while thou art in the way with him Math. 5. what is come into your hart to take such displeasure with me What haue I done agaynst you tell me and I will be ready at all tymes to make you amendes Finally he spake so gently so charitably so louyngly and frendly that it wrought so in the poore mans hart that by and by he fell downe vppon his knees and asked him forgeuenesse The riche man forgaue him and so tooke him agayne to his fauour and they loued as well as euer they dyd afore ¶ The history of Thomas Hitten Persecuters Martyrs The Causes Wil. Warham Archbyshop of Canterbury Fisher Byshop of Rochester Thomas Hytten At Maydstone An. 1530. TOuchyng the memoriall of Thomas Hytten remayneth nothyng in writtyng Tho. Hitten Martyr but onely his name saue that William Tyndall in his Apologie agaynste More and also in another booke entituled The Practise of Prelates doth once or twise make meÌ„tion of him by way of digression He was sayth he a Preacher at Maydstone whom the Byshoppe of Canterbury William WarhaÌ„ and Fisher Byshoppe of Rochester after they had longe kepte and tormented him in prison with sundry torments and that notwithstanding he continued constant at the last they burned him at Maydstone for the constant and manifest testimonie of Iesu Christ and of his free grace and saluation In the yeare of our Lord 1530. ¶ The burnyng of Thomas Hytten Persecuters Martyrs The Causes
heretikes also y t such as leaue to Martin Luther be heretikes Also he cōfessed that being beyond the sea he heard say before be brought into this realme the bookes cōtained in the said bils that y e king had by proclamation prohibited that no man should bring into this realme any of Martin Luthers bookes or of his sect Which confession thus ended y e Bishop appointed him to appeare the next day Saterday being the xj of Nouember Richard Baifield appeared acknowledged the aunswers that he had made in the Session the day before Which thing done y e Officiall obiected the 4 Article vnto him wherunto he aunswered y t he could not tell whether there be any heresies in thē for he had read no heresies in thē And being demaūded whether he had read any of those bookes he aūswered y t he had read y e greater part of thē here there but not throughout He was demaunded whether he beleeued the forenamed bookes to be good and of the true faith Hee aunswered that he iudged they were good and of the true faith Beyng enquired what bookes he read in the realme he sayd that hee had read the newe Testament in Latine and other bookes mencioned in the bils The booke of Thorps examynation The booke of I. Fryth agaynst Purgatory The practise of Prelats wicked Mammon The booke of obedience The summe of holy Scripture A Dialogue betwene the plowman the gentleman but he read none trāslated notwithstanding he did confesse that he read a booke called Thorpe in the presence and audience of others and also a booke of Iohn Friths purgatory which he had read to himselfe alone as he sayd and also had read to himselfe a booke called the practise of Prelates also said that he had read a booke called the parable of y e wicked Mammon but in y e presence and hearing of others which he knew not Also he confessed that he had read the obedience of a christian man and the summe of scripture among company also the dialogue betwixt the Plowman the Gentleman among company as he thought also he had read a piece of y e answer of Tindall made to sir Thomas More likewise he had read the dialogue of Frith to himself he had read also the Prologues of the v. bookes of Moses contained in y e long scedule and in company as he thought All which bookes hee had read vnder maner aforesayde within these ij yeres last past And as for y e new testament in english he read it before he had these bookes specified in the scedules before rehearsed To the third article as touching Zwinglius and others he supposed that they held y e same doctrine that Luther did but that he thought them to vary in some points The 16. day of Nouember Richard Bayfield appeared again before the Bishop who inquired of him of what sect Zwinglius was He said he thought y t hee helde with Luther in some points c. Also he confessed that first he brought bookes of y e sortes abouenamed into this realme about Midsomer was xij moneth landed them at Colchester afterward brought part of them to this city some hee dispersed and solde in this city The second tyme that he brought bookes was about all Hollowntide was xij month and landed them at S. Catherines the which bookes y t L. Chaūcelor tooke frō him Also that at Easter last was the 3. time y t hee brought ouer the bookes now shewed vnto him cōtained in these two bils landed with them in Norffolke from thence brought them to the city of London in a male To the v. vj. and vij articles he aunswered and confessed them to be true To the viij he aunswered that it was enioyned him as is cōteined in the article y e which iniunction he fulfilled To the ix he answered that he did not remember it To the x. he answered that it was adioined him that hee should go to the Abbey of Bery there cōtinue the which he said he dyd 3. tymes but he did not weare his Monkes cowle as he was enioyned The xi Article he confessed For the xij Article y t he did not weare his monkes habit according to the abiuration he referred hymselfe to y e actes whether he were so enioyned or no. To y e xiij Article he said y t he did not remēber y e contents therof but referred him selfe to the actes Notwithstāding he confessed that he had no licence of the Bishop of Londō to come to the citie or diocesse of London nor to make anie abode there Ex Registro Lond. ¶ The sentence geuen against him in a case of relapse IN the name of God Amen We Iohn by the sufferance of God Byshop of London The 〈◊〉 geuē 〈◊〉 Richard Bayfilde in a case of inquisition of heresie and relapse of the same first begun before M. Rich. Foxfard Doctor of both lawes our officiall now dependynge before vs vndecided against thee Rich. Bayfild Priest and Monke professed to the order rule of S. Benedict in the Monastery of S. Edmondes Bery in the dioces of Norwich and by the meanes of the causes within written vnder our iurisdiction withal fauour rightly and lawfullye proceeding with al fauour possible y e merites and circumstances of the cause of this inquisition heard waied vnderstand fully discussed by vs the said Bishop reseruing vnto our selues y e which by lawe ought to bee reserued haue thought good to proceede in this maner to the pronoūcing of our definitiue sentence Forsomuch as by the Actes enacted inquired propounded and alledged by thee iudicially confessed we do finde that thou hast abiured certaine errours heresies damnable opinions by thee confessed aswel particularly as generally before our reuerent fellowe and brother then thy Ordinary according to the forme and order of the Churche and that one M. Luther together with his adherentes and complices receiuers and fauourers what soeuer they bee was cōdempned as an heriticke by the authoritie of Pope Leo the x. of most happy memory and by the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea and the bookes al writings scedules and Sermons of the sayde maister Luther his adherentes and complices whether they be found in Latine or in anye other languages imprinted or translated for the manifold heresies and errours and damnable opinions that are in them are condemned reproued and vtterly reiected and inhibition made by the authoritie of the said Sea to al faithful Christians vnder the payne of excommunication and other punishments in that behalfe to bee incurred by the law that no man by any meanes presume to read teache heare imprint or publishe or by any meanes do defend directly or vndirectly secretly or openly in their houses or in any other publike or priuat places any such maner of writings bookes errours or Articles as are contained more at large in the Apostolike letters drawne out in
foorth his fruite so did it appeare by thys man Antichristians are those which are against Christ. For he daily seeing the glorye of God to be so blasphemed idolatrous religion so embraced and maintained that most false vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome so extolled was so greeued in conscience and troubled in his spirite that he could not be quiet till he did vtter his minde therein Wherefore dealing priuately with certaine of his frendes he did plainely open and disclose howe blasphemously and abhominably God was dishonoured his worde contemned and hys people whom he so dearely bought were by blinde guides caried headlong to euerlasting damnation and therefore hee coulde no longer endure but muste needes and would vtter theyr abhominations and for his owne parte for the testimonie of his conscience and for the defence of Gods true religion The godly zeale of Tho. Benet would yeelde hymself moste patiently as neare as God woulde geue him grace to die and to shedde hys bloude therein alleaging that his death shoulde be more profitable to the Churche of God and for the edifying of his people then his life shuld be To whose perswasions when hys friendes had yeelded they promysed to pray to God for hym that hee myght be strong in the cause and continue a faithfull souldiour to the ende Which done he gaue order for the bestowing of such bookes as he had and very shortlye after in the moneth of October hee wrote his minde in certaine scrolles of Paper whyche in secreate maner he set vp vpon the doores of the Cathedrall churche of the Citie in which was wrytten The Pope is Antichrist and we ought to worshippe God onely The Pope is Antichrist and no Saintes These bils being found there was no smal adde and no litle search made for the inquiry of the heretike that should set vp these bils Benet setteth vp billes against the Pope and the Maior his officers were not so busie to make searches to find this heretike but the bishop and all his doctors were as hote as coales enkindled as though they had bene stong w t a sort of waspes Wherefore to kepe y e people in their former blindnes order was taken that the doctors should in hast vp to the pulpit euery day and confute this heresie Neuerthelesse this Thom. Benet keping his own doings in secret went the sonday folowing to the cathedral church to the Sermon and by chaunce sate downe by 2. men which were the busiest in al the city in seking searching for this heretike and they beholding this Benet sayd the one to the other Surely thys fellowe by all likelyhoode is the heretike that hath set vp the billes and it is good to examine him Benet almost tak◠in the church Neuertheles whē they had wel behelde him and saw the quiet and sober behauiour of the man his attentiuenes to the preacher his godlinesse in the Church being alwayes occupied in hys Booke which was a Testament in the Latine tongue were astonied and had no power to speake vnto him The storyes a little vary touching the taking of Benet but departed left hym reading in his booke As touching this poynte of Benets behauior in the Church I finde the reportes of some other a litle to vary and yet not much contrary one to the other For in receiuing the letters and wrytings of a certain minister whych at the same time was present at the doynge hereof in Exeter thus I finde moreouer added concerning the behauiour of this Thomas Benet in the Church At that time sayth he as I remember doct Moreman Crispin Caseley wyth suche other bare the swinge there Beside these were there also preachers there Doctors friers in Exeter one Doctour Bascauild an vnlerned doctor God knoweth and one D. Dauid as wel learned as he both Gray friers and doctor I know not who a Blacke frier not much inferiour vnto them Gregory Bassed Fryer of Exeter Moreouer there was one Bacheler of Diuinitie a Gray frier named Gregory Bassed in deede learned more then they all but as blinde and superstitious as he whych was most Whych Gregorie not long before was reuolted from the way of righteousnes to the way of Beliall for in Bristowe sayth the author he lay in prison long almost famished for hauing a booke of M. Luther called his questions which he a long time priuily had studied for teaching of youth a certaine Cathechisme To be shorte the braines of the Canons and Priests the officers and commons of that Citie were very earnestly busied howe or by what meanes suche an enormious heretique whyche had pricked vp those billes might be espied and knowen but it was long first At last the Priestes founde out a toye to curse him what soeuer he were with booke bel and candle which curse at that day seemed most fearefull and terrible The maner of the curse was after this sort One of the Priestes apparelled all in white ascended vp into the pulpit The priestes curse they cannot tell whom The other rabblement wyth certaine of the two orders of Friers and certaine superstitious Monks of S. Nicholas house standing round about and the Crosse as the custome was being holdē vp with holy candles of waxe fixed to the same he began his sermon w t this Theame of Iosue Est blasphemia in Castris There is blasphemie in the armie and so made a long protestation but not so long as tedious and superstitious and so concluded that that foule and abominable heretike which had put vp such blasphemous billes was for that his blasphemie damnably accursed and besought God our Lady S. Peter Patrone of that church with all the holy companie of martyrs confessors and virgines that it might be knowen what hereticke had put vp such blasphemous billes that Gods people might auoide the vengeance The maner of the cursing of the sayd Benet was maruelous to beholde for as muche as at that time there was fewe or none The manner of the popes blacke curse with booke bell and candle vnlesse a Sherman or two whose houses I well remember were searched for billes at that time and for bookes that knew any thing of Gods matters or how God doeth blesse theyr curses in such cases Then sayde the Prelate by the authoritie of God the father almighty and of the blessed virgin Mary of S. Peter and Paule and of the holy Saints we excommunicate we vtterly curse and banne commit and deliuer to the deuill of hell him or her what soeuer he or shee be that haue in spite of God and of S. Peter whose church this is in spite of all holy saintes and in spite of our most holy father the Pope Gods vicare heere in earth Here is colde charitye and in spite of the reuerend father in God Iohn our Diocesane and the worshipfull Canons Maisters and Priestes and Clarkes which serue God daily in this Cathedrall Church
fixed vppe with waxe such cursed and hereticall Billes full of blasphemie vppon the doores of thys and other holy Churches wythin this Citie Excommunicate plainely be hee or shee plenally or they and deliuered ouer to the deuill as perpetuall malefactors and schismatiques Accursed might they be and geuen body soule to the deuill Cursed be they he or shee in Cities and townes in fieldes in wayes in pathes in houses out of houses and in all other places standing lying or risinge walking Blesse and curse not saith the Lorde Curse blesse not saith the Pope running waking sleeping eating drinking and what so euer thing they doe besides Wee separate them him or her from the thresholde and from all the good praiers of the church from the participation of the holy masse from all Sacraments Chappels and aultars from holye bread and holy water from al y e merites of Gods priests and religious men and from all their Cloisters from all their pardones priuileges grauntes and unmunityes whych all the holy fathers Popes of Rome haue graunted to them and we geue them ouer vtterly to the power of the feend and let vs quench their soules if they be dead thys night in the paines of hell fire as this candle is nowe quenched Marke the apishe pageantes of these Popelinges and put out and wyth that he put out one of the candles and lette vs praye to God if they be aliue that their eyes may be put out as this candle light is so he put out the other candle and lette vs pray to God and to oure Lady and to S. Peter and Paule and all holye Saintes that all the senses of their bodies maye faile them and that they may haue no feeling as nowe the light of this candle is gone and so he putte out the thirde candle except they hee or shee come openly nowe and confesse their blasphemie and by repentaunce as muche as in them shall lye make satisfaction to God our Ladye S. Peter the worshipfull companie of thys Cathedrall Church and as thys holy Crosse staffe nowe falleth downe so myghte they except they repent and shewe them selues and one firste taking away the Crosse the staffe fell downe But Lorde what a shoute and noyse was there what terrible feare what holding vp of handes to heauen that cursse was so terrible Now thys fond foolish phantasie and mockerie beyng done and played which was to a Christian heart a thynge ridiculous Benet could no longer forbear Tho. Benet laugheth at their cursinge but fel to great laughter but within him selfe and for a great space coulde not cease by the which thing the poore manne was espyed For those that were next to him wondryng at that greate curse and beleeuing that it coulde not but light on one or other asked good Benet for what cause he should so laugh My frendes sayd he who can forbeare seeing suche merie conceites and enterludes plaid of the priestes Straitway a noyse was made Heere is the heretike heere is the heretike holde him fast holde him fast With that there was a greate confusion of voyces and much clapping of handes and yet they were vncertain whether he were the heretike or no. Some say Tho. Benet setteth vp newe billes that vppon the same he was taken and apprehended Other report that his ennemies being vncertaine of him departed and so he wēt home to his house Where hee being not able to digest the lies there preached renewed his former billes and caused his boy early in the morning following to set the sayd billes vpon the gates of the Churchyarde As the boy was setting one of the sayde billes vpon a gate called the little stile it chaunced that one W.S. going to the Cathedral church to heare a Masse called Bartons Masse whych was then daily sayd about 5. of the clocke in the morning founde the boye at the gate and asking him whose boy he was Tho. Benet taken by meanes of his boy setting vp his Billes did charge him to be the heretike which had set vp the billes vpon the gates wherefore pulling downe the bill he broughte the same together with the boy before the Maior of the citie and thereuppon Benet being knowen and taken was violently committed to warde On the morow began both the Canons and heades of the citie ioyned w t them to fal to examination Tho. Benet willingly confesseth With whom for y e day he had not much communication but confessed said to them it was euen I that put vp those bils The cause why Benet set vp his billes and if it were to doe I would yet doe it againe for in them haue I written nothing but that is very truth Couldste not thou said they as well haue declared thy mind by mouth as by putting vp billes of blasphemie No sayd he I put vp the billes that many should read and heare what abominable blasphemers ye are and that they might the better knowe your Antichrist the Pope to be the Bore out of the woode which destroyeth throweth downe the hedges of Gods church for if I had ben heard to speake but one woorde I should haue bene clapped fast in prisone and the matter of God hidden But now I trust more of your blasphemous doings will thereby be opened and come to light for God wil so haue it and no longer will suffer you The next day after he was sent vnto the bish who first cōmitted him vnto prison called the bishops prison Tho. Benet sent to the Byshops prison where he was kept in stocks strong yron with as much fauour as a dog shuld find Then the B. associating vnto him one D. Brewer his chancelor other of his leude cleargy and friers began to examine him burden him Articles layd against Benet that cōtrary to the catholike faith he denied praying to the saints and also denied y e supremacie of the Pope Whereunto he answered in such sober maner so learnedly proued defended hys assertions that he did not only confound and put to silence his aduersaries but also brought thē in great admiratiō of him the most part hauing pitie compassion on him The friers tooke great paines with him to perswade hym from his erronious opiniōs to recant acknowledge his fault touching the billes but they did but dig after day for God had appoynted him to bee a blessed witnesse of hys holye name and to be at defiance withall their fals perswasions To declare here with what cruelty the officers searched his house for bils and bookes how cruelly and shamefully they handled his wife charging her w t diuers enormities it were too long to write But she like a good woman tooke all thyngs patiently that they did to her like as in other things she was contented to beare the crosse with hym as to fare hardly with him at home and to liue wyth course meate and drinke that they myght be the
shoulde haue borne the whole burthen Wherefore my brethren I charitably exhorte you to beare your partes of your liuelode salarie toward the paiment of this summe grauÌ„ted Then it was shortly sayde to the Byshop My Lorde twenty nobles a yeare is but a bare liuing for a Priest for now vittaile and euery thyng is so deare The priestâ— aunswer to the bish that pouertie in maner enforceth vs to say nay Beside that my Lorde we neuer offended in the Premunire for we medled neuer wyth the Cardinals faculties let the Byshoppes and Abbottes which haue offended pay Then the Bishops Officers gaue to the Priestes hygh wordes which caused them to be the more obstinate Also diuers temporall men whych were present comforted the Priestes and bade them agree to no paiment In tâ—ys rumour diuers of the Bishops seruaunts were â—uâ—â—ered and stricken so that the Bishop began to be afraide and wyth faire wordes appeased the noyse and for all things which were done or sayd there he pardoned them gaue to them hys blessing and prayed them to departe in charitie Then they departed thinking to heare no more of the matâ—â—â— but they were deceiued For the Byshop went to Sir Thom. More then being Lorde Chancellor which greatly fauoured the B. and the clergy and to him made a greeuous coÌ„plaint declared the fact very greuously B. Stokesly complaineth to Syr Tho. More Wherupon commaundement was sent to syr Tho. Pargitor Maior of the Citie to attache certaine priests and temporal men and so 15. priestes 5. temporall men were arrested of the whych Certayne priestes and temporall meÌ„ committed to priâ—â— some were sent to the Tower some to the Fleete and other prisons where they remained long after This being done in the yeare of our Lorde 1532. it followeth moreouer the same yeare that diuers preachinges were in the realme one contrary to another coÌ„cerning the kings mariage and in especiall one Thom. Abell Clerke Preaching against the kinges first mariage which was the Queenes Chaplaine to please her withal both preached and also wrote a booke in defence of the sayd mariage wherby diuers simple meÌ„ were persuaded Wherfore the king caused to be coÌ„piled and reduced into a boke the determination of the vniuersities with the iudgemeÌ„ts of great Clerkes which booke being printed set abroade did againe satisfie all indifferent and reasonable persones which were not too much wedded to their willes Mention was made a litle before of a parlameÌ„t begon the 15. day of Ianuary An. 1533. in the which Parlament the coÌ„mons had put vp a Supplication complaining of y e strait dealing of the Cleargie in their proceeding Ex officio The wilked acte Ex officio brokeÌ„ by the king Statut. an 25 Reg. Hen. 8. This coÌ„plaint although at the first it seemed not greatly to be tendered of the king yet in prorogation of y e parlament the time so wrought withall that the King hauing more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the abuses enormities of the clergye and in speciall of the corrupt authoritie of the Sea of Rome prouided certayne actes agaynst the same First as concerning the lawes decrees ordinaunces and constitutions made and stablished by the pretensed authoritie of the Byshops of Rome to y e aduauncemeÌ„t of theyr worldly glory y t who so did or spake any thing either agaynst their vsurped power or agaynst y e sayd lawes decrees or constitutioÌ„s of theirs not approued nor grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ holy scripture or els being repugnant to y e kings prerogatiue royal An acte coÌ„cerning the popes lawes shuld therfore staÌ„d in no danger nor be impeachable of heresie And likewise touching such coÌ„stitutions ordinances canoÌ„s prouinciall or Synodall which were made in this realm in y e conuocation of bishops being either preiudicial to y e kings prerogatiue or not ratified before by the kinges assent or being otherwise onerous to the king and his subiects or in anye wise repugnant to the lawes and statutes of this realme they Decrees and constitutions prouinciall of this realme coÌ„mitted to examinatioÌ„ were committed to the iudgment of 32. persons chosen by the king out of that higher lower house to be determined either to stand in streÌ„gth or to be abrogate at their discretions and farther that all y e Clergy of this realme submitting themselues to the kyng should and did promise in verbo Sacerdotij neuer hereafter to presume to assemble in theyr conuocations without the kinges writte nor to enact or execute suche constitutions without hys royall assent c. Ex Statut. Henr. 8. Farther in the same Parliament was enacted and decreed that in causes and matters happening in contention no person should appeale pruoke or sue No man to appeale to Rome out of the kinges dominions to the Court of Rome vnder payne of prouisours prouision or Premunire Item in the same parliament was defined and concluded y t all exportation of Annates and first fruites of Archbishoprickes and Bishoprickes out of this Realme to the Sea of Rome for any bulles brieues or palles * Boner in his prologue before De vera obedientia saithâ— that this rauinous pray of the pope commeth to asmuch almost as the kings reuenues The maneâ—â— of Inuesting by the king or expedition of any such thing should vtterly cease Also for the inuesting of Archbishops Bishoppes or other of any Ecclesiasticall dignitie such order in the sayde Parlament was taken that the king should send a licence vnder the great seal with a letter missiue to the Prior and Couent or to the Deane and Chapter of those Cathedrall Churches where the Sea was vacant by the vertue of which liceÌ„ce or letters missiue they within 12. daies should chose the said person nominated by the king none other and y t election to stand effectuall to all intents which election being done then the partie elect making first his othe and fealty to the king if it were a Bish. that was elect then the king by his letters patents to signifie the sayd election to the Archb. of that prouince and 2. other Bishops or els to 4. bishops within this realme to be assigned to that office without any other suing procuring or obtaining any bulles breues or other things from the Sea of Rome Moreouer against al other whatsoeuer intolerable exactions and great summes of mony vsed to be paid out of this realme to the B. of Rome in pensions censures Peterpence procurations fruites suites for prouisions expeditions of bulles for Archb. and Bishops for delegacies and rescriptes in causes of contentions and appeales Peter pence stopped froÌ„ Rome iurisdictions legatiue also for dispensations licences faculties graunts relaxations writtes called Perinde valere rehabilitations abolitions canonizations and other infinit sorts of bulles breues and instrumeÌ„ts of sundry natures the number whereof were tedious particularly to be recited In the said Parlament it was ordained y t all such vncharitable vsurpations exactions
chapter of Iohn there speaking of the wordes of Christ spoken vnto Peter Cyrillus in vlt. cap. Ioannis Feed my sheepe c. thus vnderstandeth the same That because Peter had thrise denyed Christ whereby he thought himselfe he had lost his Apostleship Christ to comforte him agayne and to restore him to his office that he had lost asked him thrise Pasce oues meas maketh nothing for the Popes vniuersall pastoralitye whether he loued him and so restored hym agayne to his office which els he durst not haue presumed vnto saying vnto him Feed my sheep c. With which exposition the auncient holy expositors of that place do likewise agree So that by these wordes of feeding Christes sheep the Bishop of Rome can take no aduauntage to maintein his vniuersall pastoralty ouer all Christian dominions Act. 20. Agayne where as the Bishoppe of Rome sayth that Peter by these wordes of Christ spoken to him hath a preheminence aboue the other S. Paule Actes 20. proueth the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he speaking to the Bishops assembled at Milete sayth to them Take heed to your selues and to all your flocke in which the holy Ghost hath put you to gouerne c. And Peter himselfe likewise 1. Pet. 5. sayth Ye that be Priestes feed the flocke of God amongest you c. So that by these Scriptures conferred together it may appeare that neither the 16. Chapiter of Mathew nor the 21. of Iohn do proue that Peter had power Scriptures wrongfully alleaged for the Popes supremacye authority or dignity geuen him of Christ ouer all the other that they should be vnder him and yet notwithstāding his primacy in that he first of all the Apostles confessed Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God with the which confession all the other Apostles did consent and also preached the same standeth still· Which confession first by Peter made al other that will be saued must follow also and be taught to confesse the same And thus the Bishop of Romes power ouer all which he would proue by those places wrongfully alledged for his purpose vtterly quayleth and is not proued And thus much for the Scriptures and Doctors Now farther proceding in this matter the sayd Tonstall commeth to Councels and examples of the primitiue Church as foloweth Faustinus Example◠of the primitiue Church against the Popes supremacy Legate to the Byshop of Rome in the v◠Councell of Carthage alledged that the Bishop of Rome ought to haue the ordering o◠all great matters in all places by his supreme authority bringing no Scripture for him for at that time no Scripture was thought to make for it but alledgeth for him and that vntruely the fyrst Councell of Nice to make for his purpose After this whē the booke was brought forth The supremacye of of Rome reproued by the Councell of Nice and no such article found in it but the contrary yet the Counsell at that time sent to Constantinople Alexandria and Antioche where the Patriarchall seas were to haue the true copy of the Councell of Nice which was sent vnto them And an other copy also was sent from Rome whether also they sent for y e same purpose After that the copy was brought to them and no such Article found in it but in the fift chapter therof the contrary that all causes Ecclesiasticall should either be determined within the Dioces or els if any were greued then to appeale to the Counsell Prouinciall and there the matter to take full end The 〈◊〉 of Nice falsified by Faustinus the Popes Legate so that for no such causes men should goe out of theyr Prouinces the whole Counsell of Carthage wrote to Celestine at that time beyng Byshop of Rome that since the Counsell of Nice had no such article in it as was vntruly alledged by Faustinus but the cōtrary they desired him to abstein after to make any more such demaūd denouncing vnto him that they would not suffer any cause great or small to be brought by appeale out of theyr country and thereupon made a law that no man shall appeale out of the country of Aphrike vpon payne to be denoūced accursed Wherewith the Bishop of Rome euer after held him content and made no more busines with them seeyng he had nought to say for himselfe to the contrary And at this Counsell S. Austen was present and subscribed the same Read more herof pag 10. It was determined also in the sixte Article of the sayde Counsell of Nice The 6. article of Nicene coūcell The 4. chiefe Patriarches equall in power that in the Orient the Bishop of Antioche should be chiefe in Egypt the Bishop of Alexandria about Rome the Bishop of Rome and like Wise in other countryes the Metropolitanes should haue theyr preheminence so that the bishop of Rome neuer had medling in those countryes And in the next Article following the Byshop of Hierusalem which City before had bene destroyed and almost desolate was restored to his old prerogatiue to be y e chiefe in Palestine and in the countrey of Iury. By this ye see howe the Patriarch of Rome duryng al thys tyme of the primitiue Churche Pope Agatho subiected to the Emperour had no such primacye preeminēt aboue other Patriaches much lesse ouer kinges and Emperors as may appeare by Agatho Byshoppe of Rome long after that in whose tyme was the sixt Councell generall Whiche Agatho after his election sent to the Emperor thē beyng at Constantinople to haue his electiō allowed before he would be consecrate after y e old custome at that time vsed In like sort Pope Vitalianus subiecte to the Emperour 63. Dist. Agatho 63. Dist. cum longè an other Bishop of Rome called Uitalianus did the same as it is written in the Decrees in the 63. Distinct. cap. Agatho The like did S. Ambrose and S. Gregory before thē as it is written in the chap. Cum longè in the same Distinct. During al which time the byshops of Rome folowed wel the doctrine of S. Peter and S. Paule left vnto them to be subiectes and to obey theyr Princes Thus after that Byshop Tonstall playing the earnest Lutheran both by scriptures and auncient Doctours Byshop Tōstall a righte Lutheran◠also by examples sufficient of the primitiue church hath proued and declared how the Byshops of Rome ought to submit thēselues to theyr higher powers vnder whom God hath appoynted euery creature in this world to obey now let vs likewise see how the sayd Byshop Tonstall describeth vnto vs his disobedience intollerable his pride incomparable and his malignant malice most execrable And first speaking of the disobedience of Adam Eue then of the pride of Nabugodonosor of Lucifer The disobedience the pride the malice of the Pope described at length he compareth the Bishops of Rome to them all Who fyrst for disobedience refuse to obey Gods commaūdement but contrary to
doth confesse yet it was not read nor knowne that the Bishops of Rome vsed or challenged any soueraignty in Affrike vnto this time And yet then he did not challenge it by the right of Gods worde but by the pretence of a certayne Canon supposed to be in the counsel of Nice Which article coulde neuer be found though it were then very diligently sought for through all the principall Churches of the East and South but onely was alledged of Iulius Bishop of Rome out of his owne Library And you may be well assured Vide duas epistolas ad Bonifacium pap 1. to coÌ„cilioruÌ„ Fol. 307.308 that if the scriptures had made for it neyther the Byshop of Rome woulde haue left that certayne proofe by scriptures and trusted onely to the testimony of an Article of that Counsell being in doubt and vnlikely to be found nor yet S. Augustine with his holy and learned company would haue resisted this demauÌ„d if it had bene either grounded vpon scriptures or determined in that or other Councelles or yet had stand with equity good order or reason Howbeit the largenes and magnificence of buildinges of that city Dist. 16. Viginti and the auncient excellency and superiority of the same in teÌ„porall dominioÌ„s was the onely cause that in the couÌ„sels where the Patriarchall seas were set in order the Bishop of Rome was lotted to the first place and not by any such constitution made by Christ as appeareth well by that that CoÌ„stantinople being at the same time of this ordering of the Patriarchall seas most amplye enlarged by the Emperors being before a small town of no renowne by theÌ„ most magnificeÌ„tly builded aduauÌ„ced worldly with al titles prerogatiues priuiledges teÌ„poral like vnto Rome therfore called Noua Roma new Rome was therefore aduaunced also to the second sea and place Antiochia in the East where S. Peter first tooke the chayre before he came to Rome and where christen men had first theyr name geuen them yea and Ierusalem which was the first mother Citty of our fayth and where Christe himselfe first founded the faith also Alexandria being recited to the 3.4 and 5. places because at that time they were not in so hie estimation in the world though in the faith of Christ all they were auncientes and some of them mothers to Rome Truth it is that the Bishops of the Orient for debates in matters of the fayth amonges themselues made sutes to the Byshop of Rome but that was not for the superiority of iurisdiction ouer them but because they were greatly deuided and those couÌ„tries as well byshoppes as others much infected with the heresies of the Arrians whereof the West was in a manner cleare and among them of the Orient none were counted indifferent to decide those matters but were al suspected of affectioÌ„ for one cause or other Wherefore they desired the opinions of the Bishops of the West as indifferent and not tangled with affections of any of those partes neither corrupted with any of the Arrians as appeareth by the Epistles of S Basil written in all their names for the saide purpose In the which also it is especially to be noted that their suite was not to the Bishop of Rome singularly or by name but as the titles do shew to the whole congregation of the Bishops of Italie and Fraunce or of the whole West and sometime preferring the French and Italian Bishops saying Gallis Italis and neuer naming the Romanes The olde â—athers neuer â—new the Primacye of the church â—f Rome And for a cleare proofe that the auncient fathers knewe not this premacie of one aboue all we neede none other testimonie but their determination in the Councel of Nice that Alexandria and Antiochia and vniuersally all other primates should haue the whole gouernance of their confine countries like as the Bishop of Rome had of those that inhabited within his suburbes And this determination proueth also that your three Scriptures ment nothing lesse then this primacie ouer all For God forbid that we should suspect that Councel as ignorant of those plaine Scriptures to the which sith that time all Christendome hath leaned as the anker of our fayth And if you like to read the ancient Ecclesiasticall histories there you may see that Athanasius and other patriarches did execute that primacie as in making consecrating and ordering of Churches Bishops and Clerkes in their countries East and South as the Byshoppes of Rome in that time did in the West and North. And if you woulde yet any thing obiect against any of these witnesses then for to eschew contention and for a finall conclusion let the bishop of Rome stand to his owne confession made many yeres past by his predecessor Agatho to the Emperor Constantine Heraclius Tiberius in his Epistle written to them in his name and in the name of all the Synodes which he thought to be vnder the See apostolicke wherein soone after the beginning of the Epistle he comprehendeth them all vnder the name of the byshoppes dwelling in the North and West partes of their Empire So that there in his owne Epistle he confesseth all his subiectes and obedienciaries to be onely of the North and West and so it appeareth euidently by his owne confession that neyther by Gods lawe dor mans law he had to do with any person of the East or South And this his high souerainty ouer al chalenged as you and others say by Scripture as by his own confession doth appeare is brought into a litle and a straight angle And this Agatho was not a man vnlearned as appeareth by the actes of the vj. synode of Constantinople in the 4. act â—n the tyme of Pope Agatho the â—ea of Rome had no rule ouer â—he East and South churches Peters primacy hath no successours Apoc. 21. wherein is written at large and expressed the saide Epistle and confession And the primacie of Peter which auncient doctors speake of which was only in preaching and teaching the faith of Christ which he first among all the Apostles and first of all mortall men did expresse with his mouth did after so adhere to his owne person that it was neuer deriued either to any successor or to any other apostle but chiefly to himselfe for all other afterwardes professing the same spake it according vnto him who had professed it before Moreouer al the Apostles as S. Iohn saith be foundations in the heauenlie Ierusalem and not Peter only Also Cyprian affirmeth as is aforesaid that all the apostles were of equall dignitie and power whiche all ancient authors likewise doe affirme For Christ gaue the apostles like power in the Gospell saying Go and teach all nations baptizing them c. And S. Paul as is said before knew no other primacie giuen to Peter to preache in any place Math. 28. but among the Iewes as he himselfe had among the Gentiles as he writeth to Galat. Whervpon
in eadem ecclesia duos simul Episcopos esse nec priorem ligitimum Episcopum sine sua culpa deponi Because it was not lawfull for two Bishoppes to be at once together in one Church neyther the former Byshop being lawfull to bee deposed without his fault were proued The church of Rome hath no more prerogatiue then any other Church And this is not a prerogatiue of the church of Rome more theÌ„ of any other cathedrall speciall patriarchall or metropoliticall church as appeareth in the third Epistle of the first booke and in the eight of the second and of the fourth booke of S. Syprian to Cornelius Whose wordes and reasons although peraduenture they might seeme to conclude the vnitie of the Church in the vnitie of the Bishop of Rome The vnity of the church standeth not in the vnyty of the bishop of Rome because they were al written to him in his own case may as wel be written vnto any other bishop lawfully chosen who percase should be likewise disturbed as the bishoppes of Rome then were by any factions of ambitious heretickes And where you thinke the name of supreme head vnder Christ giuen and attributed to the kinges maiestie maketh an innouation in the Church and perturbation of the order of the same it can not be any innouatioÌ„ or trouble to the church to vse the roume that God hath called him to which good Christian Princes dyd vse in the beginning when faith was most pure August Epist. 162. as S. Augustine ad Glorium Eleusium sayth Ait enim quidam non debuit Episcopus pro consulari iudicio purgari c. One there is which â—aith that a Bishop ought not to haue ben put to his purgation before the iudgement seate of the Deputie as though he him selfe procured it and not rather the Emperour himselfe caused this inquirie to be made to whose iurisdiction for the which he must answere to God that cause did especially pertain Chrysostome writeth of that Imperiall authoritie thus Laesus est qui non habet parem vllum super terram summitas caput est omnium hominum super terram The imperiall authority is next vnder God He is offended that hath no peere at all vpon the earth for he is the highest potentate and the head of all men vpon earth And Tertullian ad Scapalum saith Colimus ergo Imperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt hominem à Deo secundum c. We honour reuerence the Emperour in such wise as is lawfull to vs and expedient to him that is to say as a man next and the second to God from whom he hath receiued all the power he hath and also inferiour to God alone whose pleasure it is so to haue it For thus is he greater then all men whiles he is inferiour but to God alone Tertull. in Apologet And the sayde Tertullian in his booke apologeticall speaking of Emperours saith Sciunt quis illis dederit imperium c. They knowe who hath giuen to them their gouernement they know that God is he alone vnder whose onely power they be and take themselues as second to God after whom they be chefe before al other Theophil in Rom. Theophilacte also to the Rom. vpon this place Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribê° subdita sit Saith the Apostle there teacheth euery maÌ„ Siue sacerdos ille sit siue Mona chus siue Apostolus vt se principibus subdat that whether he be a priest or a monke or an apostle he should subiect him selfe to princes That is although thou be an Apostle an Euangelist a Prophet or whatsoeuer thou art be subiect Non enim saith he subuertit pietatem haec subiectio For this subiection ouerthroweth no godlines And the Apostle sayth not onely Let him obey but let him be subiect 1. Paral. 28. And if the Apostles be subiect to princes much more all Byshoppes and Patriarkes yea the Bishoppes of Rome and all other 2. Paral. 16. 2. Paral 19. It is written also in the Chronicles Dauid said to Salomon behold the priest and Leuites diuided in companies to do all manner of seruice that pertaineth to the house of God Also Dauid did appoint chiefly to thanke the Lord Asaph and his brethren c And Iosaphat the king did constitute Leuites and priestes the ancient families of Israel for the iudgement and cause of the Lord towardes all the inhabitants of the earth Chron. 31. and he charged them saying thus shall ye do in the feare of the Lord faithfully in a perfect heart Furthermore Ezechias appointed the priestes and the Leuites in their order to wayte by course euery man according to his office And it followeth Ezechias gaue commandement to the people dwelling in Hierusalem that they shoulde giue their portions to the priestes and Leuites that they might attend on the lawe of the Lord. Where it followeth also that by the precept of Ezechias the king and of Azarias the bishoppe of the house of the Lord all things were done to whom pertained al the dispeÌ„satioÌ„ the house of the Lord. And in the end it is said Ezechias did all these things in all Iurie he wrought that which was good right true before his Lord God in all the furniture of the ministery of the house of the lord according to the law ceremonies desirous to seek his Lord God with al his heart as he did and prospered therein Chron. 35. Iosias also did ordeine priestes in their offices and commaunded many thinges By al which it may appeare that ChristiaÌ„ kings be soueraignes ouer the Priestes as ouer all other their subiectes and may commaunde the priestes to do their offices as well as they do others and ought by their supreme office to see that all men of all degrees do their duties whereunto they be called either by God or by the king and those kinges that so do chiefly do execute well their office So that the kinges highnes taking vppon him as supreme head of the Church of England to see that as well spiritual men as temporall do their duties dooth neither make innouation in the Church nor yet trouble the order thereof but doeth as the cheefe and best of the kinges of Israell did and as all good Christian kinges ought to doe Which office good Christian Emperours alwayes tooke vpon them in calling the vniuersal Councels of all countries in one place and at one time to assemble together to the intent that all heresies troubling the Church might there be extirped calling and commaunding as well the Bishop of Rome as other Patriakes and all primates as wel of the East as of the West of the South as of the North Generall Councellâ— called by the Emperourâ— to come to the sayd Counselles As Martianus the Emperour did in calling the great Counsell of Calcedon one of the foure chiefe first generall Councels
ful of softnes and lenitie lowlines and humilitie patience and temperancie voyde of all wilfulnes tiranny yea it should cause them not to preuent 1. Thess. 5. but easily to followe the counsaile and doctrine of Christes Apostles holy saintes that be their interpretours Christians bidden to try spirites 1. Iohn 4. As S. Paul which writing vnto the Thessalonians would them all to proue al things and to retaine or hold that only which is good in refraining froÌ„ all that hath semblance of euil And Saint Iohn would haue Christian people 1. Iohn 1. to try the spirite of them that shoulde speake whether they were of God or no. Also he writing in another Epistle vnto a noble woman and vnto her children sayth If any person shall come vnto you bringing with them the doctrine that is not of Christ receiue hym not into your house ne make him any cheare So that in this he would haue women to knowe the doctrine of Christ and to loue that refusing to giue credence vnto forraine teaching not sauouring the same In the 1. Epistle also to the Corinthians S. Paule writing in general to all the inhabitants of that city saith Brethren 1. Cor. 14. be you not children in wit and vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnes be you children In wit I would haue you perfite and why Uerily for none other cause but that we should as he writeth vnto the Hebrues haue discretion to iudge the good from ill and the ill from the good and so to be like men differing from beasts Psal· 32. according to y e saying of the prophet See that ye be not like vnto an horse or a mule which lacke vnderstanding And we should pray with him in another Psalme O Lord teach me the way that I should walke in Psal. 143. for I lift vp my soule vnto thee Saint Chrysostome according vnto this in a certaine of hys Commentaries vpon Mathew Chrisost. in opere imperfecto the booke is called Opus imperfectum writeth after this fashion so neare as my remembrance doth serue and certaine I am that I shall not misreport him and that I will be tried when soeuer it shall please you to bring the booke The priestes that were Pharises in the time sayth he of Christe made an ordinance that who so euer shoulde knowledge Iesus to be Christe should be accursed and excommunicate If then the Pharises or Priestes that now do occupy their rowmes should make a like ordinance because they would not haue Christes doctrine to be professed for hindring of their lucre should we therefore giue in all poyntes credence vnto them and leaue of to seeke after the knowledge of Christes doctrine Nay truely Why quoth he shal we not be excused herein by ignoraunce Authority of rulers wil not discharge our ignorance leeing we be forefended by the rulers to haue knowledge He aunswereth no verily for if saith he when thou desirest to buy cloth thou wilt not be content to see one merchaunts ware but go from the first to the second from the second to the third and so further to knowe where is the best cloth and best cheape thou vsing such careful diligence for a temporal profite art well worthy great reproche that wilt be more remisse and negligent for thy soule health Seeke therfore about from one Doctor or teacher vnto an other that thou mayest know who doth most duely and truely teache Christ and him follow accordâ—ng to the saying of the Apostle Prooue all and holde the good 1. Thess. 5. and as it is sayde in the Gospell that thou maist know Qui funt probati nummularij qui non That is to wit Math. â—5 know who be true or lawful chaungers or coyners Chris. Ibid. and who be not He also addeth another similitude or parable When thou goest quoth he a iourney not knowing perfitely the way thou wilt lest thou should fayle of the right way enquire of one man and after of an other and if thou shouldest chaunce to go somewhat wyde yet thou wilt not so leaue of the iourney vndone but make inquisition againe to come where thou wouldest rest So likewise sayth he ought wee to seeke about intentiuely for the wealth of our soule Qui sunt probi clauigeri qui non that is to saye who are the right key bearers and who not meaning thereby the key bearers Christes apostles and bearers of his testimony or message Which saying although it were written of no autenticall authour howbeit it is written euen of him whome I shewed you in the sayde worke but vttered of one that were in little estimation euery indifferent person hauing wit and reason would assent I doubt not that it is full true The same author also in an Epistle which you shall find in a work called Psegmata Chrysostomi Psegmata Chrisost. sheweth as I remember how certain men deemed ill of him for because he did study Origenes workes which afore was condemned for an heretick Lawfull to 〈◊〉 and try 〈◊〉 bookes but he maketh an Apologie to the same shewing that Christian men ought not to be reprehended for so doing In whiche Apologie he bringeth for his defence Hierome the saying of Paul aboue rehearsed Proue all thinges c. Likewise did S. Hierome I wote not well in what place of his works but you shal find it in a treatise called vnio dissidentium where he entreateth De maÌ„datis hominû When it was obiected agiynst him that he retained by him the workes of Eusebius of Origine studying vpon theÌ„ he bringeth for him that it was so lawfull the sayde place of the Apostle making therwith an aunswere worthye to be greatly noted The same is also reported in the booke called Ecclesiastica historia or els Historia Tripartita I wote not now precisely whether So that these and other moe authorities of the scripture and semblable ensamples of holy interpretours shall proue that I and other may safely no good law inhibiting vnles constitutions Pharisaical read and search the woorkes not onely of Luther but also of all other be they neuer so ill or good namely seeing I am a Priest whoÌ„ the bish of Norwich ought not to haue admitted into orders vnles he had seene me to haue had iudgement to discerne good from ill neither ought any of you to geue orders to any such in whom you do not finde like habilitie for to iudge the light from darckenes and the trueth from falshood and therefore if for this you would punish me I cannot see but you shall condemne your selues iudgyng rather of sensuall pleasure then of equitie which in men of your order were a great shame and much vncomely ¶ Unto your third demaund wherto you do aske whether I was constitute a Priest and in what dioces Answere to the third article Lambeâ—t made priest in Norwich and of what Bishop I say that I was made Priest in Norwich
and bringer vp of the Secte of the Nazarens which was also minded to haue polluted our temple c. Truth taken for falshode Christ taken for a seducer In what causes men forbidden ought not to cease from preaching This is to call by peruerse iudgement trueth falsehoode And thus did theyr predecessours speake of the Prophets yea and of Christ himselfe calling him a seducer and preacher of heresy which is written for our instruction And men thus being suspected as I woulde none were ought in no wise therefore to cease neither from preaching ne teaching Ensample of this we haue in the Actes of the apostles where is shewed that whē Peter Iohn had done a myracle vpon a man that had bene lame frō his natiuity whō by the power of Christ they healed Act. 4.5.6 caused to go where he pleased the people hearing of this came running about Peter Iohn Peter seeing this did exhort the people in a sermon that they should not thinke him his felow S. Iohn to haue done this wōderfull thing by their own power or holynes but by the vertue of Christ whom they theyr head rulers had slayne While they were thus speaking with the people there came vpō them the priestes officers of the temple accompanyed with the Saduces being sore displeased that they should enterprise to teach the people and preace that men should arise from death by the name of Christ whom they had caused to be crucified and therewith they layd handes vpon them and put them in warde vntill next day The next day they sent for the Apostles before them demaunding by what power and in whose name they did this myracle Peter made aunswere Act. 4. If you quoth he that are head rulers ouer the people lust by examination to knowe by what meanes we did it we woulde you should all know that we did it throvgh the name of Christ Iesu of Nazareth whom you did crucify but God did cause him to arise agayne In the vertue of hys name doth this man that afore was lame now stand before you here both whole and found For Christ is that high corner stone whō you cast away which should haue builded the peoples fayth vpon him neither is there any saluation without him These great men seing that Peter spake so freely and that he with his felow Iohn were simple men without any pompous apparel or great garde of seruaunts being like ideots and men vnlearned wondred therat At the last they did commaunde them to depart out of theyr Councell house whiles they should cōmon more largely of y e matter Peter and the Apostles prohibited by the Phariseis to preach Christ. Afterward they called y e Apostles afore them agayde commaunding them that they should no more preach ne teache in the name of Iesus But the Apostles aunswered saying I beseeche you iudge better ought we to obey you more then God or no For certaynely we must needes testify of those thinges which we haue both heard and seene Then the head Priestes threatning them sore did geue them strait charge Act. 4. not to breake theyr precept and so did let them goe not knowing any cause why they might punish them for they feared least the people would haue taken part with the Apostles for the people gaue glory to God for the myracle shewed by them Notwithstāding al these great threats Peter wrought miracles still amongst the people Peter disobeyed the precepte of the Phariseis doing thē to know that glory therfore ought to be geuē to Iesus by whose power and name they were done Wherwith the harts of the people melted for ioy so that they folowed after the Apostles whyther soeuer they went The primate of the priestes hearing of this and all that were about him repleate with indignation layd handes vpon the Apostles putting them in the common Prison But the Aungell of God in the night opened the Prison dores and brought them out saying Peter deliuered out of prison Goe you into the Temple and stand there preaching vnto the people all the wordes of life That is to say Christes doctrine and so they did earely in the morning Then came foorth the chiefe Priest and they whom he vsed to haue about him and called a Councell in which were all the Priestes of Israel or auncientes of Israel So they sent vnto the prison house for to haue the apostles brought forth before them When theyr seruaunts came to the prison house found the apostles gone thence they returned to theyr maisters saying we found the prison fast shut round about in euery part the keepers watching at the dores without full diligently But when we had opened the prison we could find no body within Then as the high priestes officers of the temple heard this they were in a great perplexity doubting what wold therof come Act. 5. Then came one vnto them shewed thē saying Behold the men that ye put in prison are standing in the temple preaching vnto the people Then wēt they thither and brought the apostles with thē without any violence but they were afrayd lest the people would haue beaten them downe with stones Then they caused the apostles to be brought into their Councell house the high priest beginning his proposition agaynst the apostles in this forme Haue we not straytly commaunded you sayd he that you should not preach in the name of Christ And see you haue filled all Hierusalem with your doctrine Will you bring this mans bloud vpō vs God to be obeyed more then men Act. 5. that we should vnrighteously haue caused him to suffer death Then aunswered Peter and the other Apostles saying We ought to obey God more then any man The God of our fathers hath raysed Iesu from death whom you did slay hanging him vpon a tree Him notwithstanding hath GOD raysed and by his power aduaunced to be our king and Sauiour by whom shal be geuen to all Israel that will take repentaunce forgeuenes of sinne These great rulers hearing this their harts were therwith clouen a sunder and they coūselled together for to slay the apostles But one good man amōg theyr multitude aduised them otherwise whose aduise they did approue Thē they called the apostles againe afore them causing them to be scourged charged them no more to preach in the name of Iesu and so did let them depart Then went they away out of the Councell reioycing that God had made thē worthye to suffer such rebukes for his name sake The counsell of Gamaliell But yet they neuer ceased to teach preach of Iesus Christ euery day in the temple and in all houses that they came into This is written in the 4.5 and 6. of the Actes of the apostles for our instruction doubt you not for such practise is shewed in all ages So that hereby you may set Act. 4.5.6 when men be wrongfully suspect or infamed
after the counsell of the wicked and hath not stande in the way of sinners ne sit in the chayre of pestilence Psal. 1. but hath hys will in the law of God and shall muse or be occupyed in it both day and night See howe the Prophete whiche I doubt not but hee knew as perfectly that will and pleasure of God as euer did any pope or generall couÌ„sell or whatsoeuer they were beside that ordeined long seruice to be sayd of Priestes testifieth them to be blessed that study and are exercised in the law of God both day and night that is to wit alwayes What is true godlynes oâ— pietye A great promise put of God to such blessed exercise which we may call right deuotion or true godlines For Paule defining godlynes sayth thus Pietas ad omnia vtilis est vt quae promissiones habeat praesentis vitae futurae 1. Tim. 4. That is to wit Godlynes is profitable vnto all things No promise of God for saying Mattens for that hath annexed thereto promises of this life present of the life to come But no such promise is made of God I am certayne to them that say dayly mattins Neither are we certayne by the word of God that we shal therfore be blessed of him no more then we are certayne The 15. Ooâ—s that for saying ouer the xv Oos euery day once through an whole yeare we shall apertly see our Lady to ayd vs afore our death as it is testified in the Scripture of the Primer Our Ladyes Psalter but not by Scripture of the Bible or that we shall haue a like benefite for saying of her Psalter vpon the ten beades that commeth from the crossed friers or vpon the fiue beades halowed at y e Charter house or fasting our Ladyes fast as men call it ne for fasting on the wednesday Fasting ouâ— Ladyes Faâ—â— as is shewed by a booke that is allowed to be printed and read of all men that lusteth for it is neither the new Testament ne the olde They are condemned you wote wel I perhaps shal haue a litle lesse fauor because I tell y e trueth freely for such thinges are called offensiue But would God that all persons so thinking Math. 15. would remember what aunswere Christ made vnto his disciples in the 15. of Math. wheÌ„ they came vnto him and warned him to beware saying You knowe that the Phariseis are offended hearing such wordes spoken I will leaue out Christes aunswere least I should be thought ouer free and plain in tarying or vttering of abusions and speake no further A like demaund with aunswere thereto annexed Luke 11. shall you finde in the 11. of Luke where Christ woulde not refrayne to speake any deale more easily Therefore I beseech them that deeme me God wotteth whether righteously or no sclaunderously to reuise the sayde places and theÌ„ councel me to do that shal be most expedient to folow if their charitie will so require Yet would I that all people should knowe that I do not reproue that saying of the xv Oos which so farre â—orth as my remembrance doth serue is a very good praier Fasting commeâ—ded or such like prayers ne would I that any person shuld think me to disalow any discret fastings for such not only present with you but euen from hence absent haue I commended in earnest speaking and so enteÌ„d to do by the assistaunce of Gods grace Neuertheles such vain promises I do abhorre as be with theÌ„ annexed with the vpholders of the same For such doe cause vaine confidence in the people withdrawing and seducing them from the right beleife of the Gospel which Christen men ought onely to build their faith vpon vnto new inuentions of vanitie S. Paul calleth such old womens tales where he writeth vnto Timothe bidding him to beware of them to throw them away The Prophete Dauid likewise doth accord therunto saying Beatus vir cuius est nomeÌ„ Domini spes eius non respexit in vanitates insanias falsas Psal. 40. Blessed quoth he is the mâ—n that hath in the name of God his affiaunce or hope and hath not looked backe to vanities and false dotages or madnesse And this I say againe that the Mattens saying hath no more promise of God made to the sayers Mattens saying instytuted by faÌ„tasie then hath the other aboue named for they were institute by the fantasie or mind of men and not by y e rule of scripture Neither do I thinke the priestes which wil truly follow the rule of God written in the Bible ought so to be charged or encombred with saying of them that they thereby should be hindered from y e study of that which to know belongeth principally both to their owne soules saluation and also to the discharge of their dutie and which God most highly of Priestes doeth require I meane the study of his Gospel whereby they them selues should be spiritually nourished and therafter should fede Christes flock the congregation of his people according to the saying of our Sauiour in Iohn I quoth he am the doore Ioh. 10. whosoeuer shall come in by me shal both come in and goe out and finde good pasture or feeding That is to saye who soeuer shall enter to be a pastour or Minister in Christes church or congregation by Christ shal both enter into contemplation of Gods glory declared aboundantly in scripture and after go forth and shew that same abroade to other for their wealth and edifying To this accordeth that is written in Luke whereas our Sauiour speaketh to all his Churche signified in the person of Saint Peter Peter quoth he I haue prayed that thy faith should not fayle and thou being conuerted goe then about to confirme thy brethren So that he would haue Peter stablished first in faith of his sure doctrine Luke 22. and then to go forth as he did to teache other to be grounded in the same likewise And thus ought all priests to be called Presbyteri which will be ministers in the Church for so biddeth S. Peter in his first Epistle in the last chapter saying thus I beseech the Priestes quoth he that are among you I my selfe being a priest and a witnes bearer of Christes afflictions and also a partaker of the glory which shal be reuealed see that you with all diligence doe feede the flock of Christ taking care of the same 1. Pet. 5. not as enforced thereto but willingly not desiring filthy lucre but with a louing minde neither as men exercising dominion ouer the children or inheritours of God but so that you be paternes or ensample giuers to the flocke See how he requireth of priestes that they should spend all their diligence to feede Christes flocke and to shew good ensample of liuing making no mention of long Mattens saying which then were not mentioned nor spoken of According to this it is written in your Decrees after
the Popes authority may be stopped by a Duke what authority then hath he ouer kinges and Emperours what place shal be left him where he may keepe hys generall Councell Agayne if Princes haue geuen him this authoritye to call a councell is it not necessary that they geue him also al those thinges without the which he can not exercise that his power Shall he call men and will ye let him to finde no place to call them vnto Truely he is not woont to appoynt one of his owne cityes a place to keep the Councell in No the good man is so faythfull and frendly toward other that seldome he desireth Princes to be his gestes And admitte he shoulde call vs to one of his Cittyes shoulde we safely walke within the walles of such our enemies towne Were it meete for vs there to discusse controuersies of Religion or to keepe vs out of our enemies trappes meete to study for the defence of such doctrine as we professe Example that the Pope hath no power vpon places in other mens dominioÌ„s or rather how we might in such a throng of perilles be in safegard of our life Well in this one arte the Bishop of Rome hath declared that he hath none authority vpon places in other mens dominions and therefore if he promise a CouÌ„sel in any of those he promiseth that that is in an other man to performe and so may he deceiue vs agayne Now if he cal vs to one of his owne townes DileÌ„ma against the Pope we be afrayd to be at such an hostes table We say better to ryse an hungred then to go thence with our bellye 's full But they say the place is found we need no more to seek where the CouÌ„cell shal be kept As who sayth Vincence a citye vnder the dominion of the Venetians that that chaunced at Mantua may not also chaunce at Uincence and as though it were very like that the Uenecians men of suche wisedome should not both foresee and feare also that the wise Duke of Mantua semed to feare Certes when we thinke vppon the state that the Uenecians be in now it seemeth no very likely thing that they will eyther leaue Uincence theyr Cittye to so many Nations wythout some great garrison of souldiours or els that they beyng els where so sore charged already wil now nourish an army there And if they would doâ—h not Paule himselfe grauÌ„t that it should be an euill President an euill example to haue an armed Councell Howe so euer it shall be we most hartily desire you that ye will vouchsafe to read those thinges that we wrote this last yeare touching the Mantuan Councell For we nothing doubt but you of your equity will stand on our side agaynst theyr subtlety and fraudes and iudge except we be deceiued that we in this busines neither gaue so much to our affectioÌ„s neither without great and most iust causes refused theyr Councelles theyr Censures and Decrees Whether these our writinges please all men or no we thinke we ought not to passe much No if that which indifferently is written of vs may please indiffereÌ„t readers our desire is accomplished The false and mistaking of thinges by men parciall shall moue vs nothing or els very litle If we haue sayd ought agaynst the deceites of the Byshop of Rome that may seeme spoken too sharpely we pray you impute it to the hatred we beare vnto vices and not to any euill will that we beare him No that he and all his may perceiue that we are rather at strife with his vices then with him and his our prayer is that it may please God at the last to open theyr eies to make soft their hard hartes and that they once may with vs theyr owne glory set apart study to set forth the euerlasting glory of the euerlasting God Thus mighty Emperour fare you most hartily well and ye Christen Princes the pillers and stay of Christendome fare ye hartily well Also all ye what people so euer ye are which do desire that the gospell and glory of Christ may florish fare ye hartily well As the Lorde of his goodnes hath raised vp Thomas Cromwel to be a frend and patrone to the Gospell so on the contrary side Sathan which is aduersary and enemy to all good thinges had his organe also which was Steuen Gardiner by all wyles and subtile means to impeach and to put backe the same Who after he had brought his purpose to passe in burning good Iohn Lambert as ye haue hearde proceeding still in his craftes and wyles and thinking vnder the name of heresies sectes Anabaptistes sacramentaris to exterminate al good bookes and faithful professours of Gods word out of England so wrought with the king that the next yeare following which was of our Lord. 1539. he gaue out these Iniunctions y e copy and contentes wherof I though here also not to be pretermitted and are these * Certayne other Iniunctions set forth by the authority of the King agaynst English bookes sectes and Sacramentaries also with putting downe the day of Thomas Becket FIrst that none without special licence of y e king transporte or bring from outward parties into England Anno. 1539. any manner of Englishe bookes neither yet sell geue vtter or publishe any suche vpon payne to forfeyte all their goode and cattelles and their bodies to be imprisoned so long as it shal please the kinges maiestie Item that none shal print or bring ouer any English bookes with annotations or Prologues vnles such books before he examined by the kings priuy Counsell or others appoynted by his highnesse and yet not to put therto these wordes Cum priuilegio Regali w tout adding Ad imprimendum solum neither yet to print it without the kinges priuiledge be printed therewith in the English tongue No bookes to be translated without the name of the translator that all men may read it Neyther shall they print any translated booke without the playne name of the translator be in it or els the printer to be made the translatour and to suffer the fine and punishment therof at the kinges pleasure Item that none of the occupation of Printing shall within the Realme print vtter sell or cause to be published any Englishe bookes of Scripture Englishe bokes of scripture forbidden to be printed vnlesse the same be first viewed examined and admitted by the kings highnesse or one of his priuy Counsell or one Byshop withâ—â— the Realme whose name shall therin be expressed vpon payne of the kinges most high displeasure the losse of their goods and cattels and prisonment so loÌ„g as it shall please the king Item those that be in any errours as Sacramentaries Agaynst Sacramentaryes Anabaptistes or any other or any that sell books hauing such opinions in them being once knowne both the bookes and such persons shal be detected and disclosed immediately vnto the kinges Maiesty or one of hys priuye
the maried life of priestes is more auncient in the Church then is the single life then the law I meane commaunding the single life of Priests Which may soone be proued to be true by the true count of times and search of hystories For first at the Councell of Nice it is notorious that this diuelish law of mariage to be restrained was stopped by Paphâ—â—tius 2. Before this Councell of Nice in the yeare of our Lord 180. we reade of Polycrates B. of Ephesus who dissenting from Pope Uictor about a certaine controuersie of Easter day alledgeth for himselfe how his progenitoures before him 7. together one after another succeeded in that seate and he now the 8. after them was placed in the same vsing this his discent of his parents not only as a defence of his cause but also a glory to himselfe c. 3. Pope Syricius about the yeare of our Lord 390. wrote to the priests of Spaine about the same matter of putting their wiues from them if his Epistle be not counterfeyte These Spanish priestes had then with them a Byshop of Terragon Who aunswering to Syricius in this behalfe alledged the testimonies of S. Paule that Priestes might lawfully retaine their wiues c. To this Syricius replyed againe if his writing be not forged most arrogantly and no lesse ignorauntly reprouing the Priests that were maried and for the defence of his cause alledged this sentence of S. Paule Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini That is If ye shall liue after the flesh ye shall die c. Whereby may appeare not onely howe they in Spaine then had wiues 〈◊〉 8. but also how blinde these men were in the Scriptures which shewed themselues such aduersaries against Priests Mariage 4. To be short the further we go nearer to the auncient time of the church the lesse auncient we shall finde the depriuation of lawfull matrimony amongst christian ministers beginning if we will with the Apostles their examples and Canons who although were not all maried yet diuers of them were and the rest had power and libertie to haue and keepe their wiues witnessing S. Paule where he writeth of himselfe Non habemus potestatem sororem mulierem circumducendi sicut reliqui Apostoli That is to say haue not we power to leade about a sister to wife as also the other Apostles haue Whereby is to be seene both what he might do and what the other Apostles did Also Clemens Alexandrinus whiche was CC. yeares after Christe Lib. Strom 7. denieth not but that Paul was maried beyng an Apostle as well as Peter and Philp. And as the sayde Apostles in their doctrine admonishe all men to marrie that can not otherwise doe sayeng to euery one beeyng in daunger of temptation Vnusquisque suam vxorem habeat ne tentet vos Satanas c. That is Let euery man haue his owne wife least Sathan tempt you c. So likewise the same Apostles in their Canons as in the Popes Decrees cited do precisely charge that no Bishop nor priest shoulde sequester from him his wife for any matter or pretence of religion saieng If anye shall teach that a priest for religion sake ought to contemne his owne wife let him be accursed c. As for the Glose there in the margent whiche expoundeth this word contemning for exhibiting things necessarye for her sustenance all the worlde may see that to bee a Glose of meere Sophistry And because I haue here made mention of Clemens Alexandrinus it shal not be to our purpose impertinent to inferre the wordes of this worthy writer wherewith he doth defend Priests lawfull matrimonie against certayne vayne bosters of virginitie in his time Dicunt gloriosi isti iactatores se imitari dominum qui neque vxorem duxit neque in mundo aliquid possedit se magis quam alios Euangelium intellexisse gloriantes That is These glorious braggers doe vaunte themselues to bee the followers of the Lord who neither had wife nor yet possessed anye thing heere in the worlde c. And it followeth Eis autem dicit scriptura deus superbus resistit humilibus autem dat gratiam Deinde nesciunt causam cur dominus vxorem non duxerit primum quidem propriam sponsam habuit ecclesiam Deinde vero nec homo erat communis vt opus haberet etiam adiutore aliquo secundum carnem c. To these the Scripture maketh aunswere God withstandeth the proude and geueth grace to the humble Agayne they consider not the cause why the Lorde tooke no wife First he had his owne peculiar spouse which is y e Church Moreouer neither was he as a common man that hee shoulde stand in such neede of a helper after the fleshe c. And in the same booke a little after alleadging against them that abhorre matrimonie 1. Tim. 4. he inferreth the wordes of S. Paule how that in the latter dayes some shall fall from the faith attending to spirits of errour and to doctrine of deuils forbidding to marry and to absteyne from meates c. Which place of Saint Paule Clement heere applieth not against the Nouatians and them that condemne matrimony in generall in all men as naught but he applyeth it only against suche as forbid mariage in part and namely in Priests c. Câ—â—cilium 〈◊〉 This Clement wrote after Christ two hundreth yeres and yet if we come downeward to lower times we shall finde both by the Councell of Gangren CCC yeares and also by the Councel of Nice CCCC yeares after Christe the same libertie of priestes mariage established and enacted as a thing both good and godly The wordes of Gangren Councell be these Si quis discernit Praesbyterum coniugatum tanquam occasione nuptiarum quod offerre non debeat Distinct. 28. ab eius oblatione ideo abstinet anathema sit c. That is If any do iudge that a Priest for his mariage sake ought not to minister and therefore doth abstaine from the same let him be accursed Moreouer proceeding yet in times and Chronicles of the Church we shall come to the sixt Councell called Synodus Constantinopolitana Concilium ConstantinopolitanuÌ„ Distinct. â—5 ca. Quoâ—â—â— almost seauen C. yeares after Christ the wordes of the which Councell be alleadged in the Decrees and be these in Latine Quoniam in Romani ordine canonis esse cognouimus traditum eos qui ordinati sunt Diaconi vel Presbyteri confiteri quod non suis iam copulentur vxoribus antiquum sequentes canonem Apostolicae diligentiae constitutiones sacrorum virorum legales nuptias amodo valere volumus nullo modo cum vxoribus suis eorum connubia dissoluentes aut priuantes eos familiaritate adinuicem in tempore oportuno c. That is Because in the order of the Romaine Canon we know it so to be receaued that such as be Deacons and Priestes shall professe themselues to haue no more copulation with
or see there This tale was no sooner brought to Doct. London by William Symons Filmers vtter ennemie but he sent for the poore man home to his house 〈◊〉 London 〈◊〉 broâ—â—â— agâ—ynst â—â—â—ther where he chearished hym with meat and money telling him he shoulde neuer lacke so long as he liued that y e seely poore man thinking to haue had a daily frend of D. London was content to do and say whatsoeuer he and Symons would haue hym say or do against his owne brother And when D. London had thus won the pore man he retained him as one of his houshold men vntill the court day was come and then sent him vp to witnes this foresaid tale against his brother Which â—ale Filmer denied vtterly saying that D. London for a little meat and drinke sake had set him on and made him to say what his pleasure was â—â—â—mers own â—â—â—ther 〈◊〉 agaynst 〈◊〉 wherfore my Lord quoth Filmer to the bishop I beseeche your Lordship weigh the matter indifferently 〈◊〉 witnes stand is aâ—â—â—nst the 〈◊〉 for as muche as there is no man in all thys towne y t can or will testifie with him that euer he heard any such talke betwene him and me and if he can bring forth any that wil witnes the same with him I refuse not to die But say what he could it would not preuaile Then Filmer seeing no remedy but that hys brothers accusemeÌ„t shuld take place he sayd Ah brother what cause hast thou to shew me this vnkindnes I haue alwaies ben a naturall brother vnto thee and thine and helped you all to my power from time to time as thou thy selfe knowest and is this a brotherly part 〈◊〉 cast 〈◊〉 by his 〈…〉 thus to rewarde me nowe for my kindnesse God forgeue it thee my brother geue thee grace to repent Then Filmer looking ouer his shoulder desired some good body to let him see the booke of statutes Hys wife being at the end of the hall and hearing her husband call for the booke of statutes ran downe to the keper and brought vp the booke gat it conueied to her husbaÌ„d The Bishop seeing the booke in his hand starte hym vp from the bench in a great sume 〈◊〉 Bishops â—â—â—demne 〈◊〉 not one without 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 that â—â—ould not 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 do the 〈…〉 say that 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 but by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 iust 〈…〉 a 〈◊〉 accuser 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 demanding who had geueÌ„ the prisoner that booke commaunding it to be taken from him and to make searche who had brought it swearing by the faith of hys body he should go to prison Some sayd it was his wife some sayd the keeper Like inough my lord quoth Symons for he is one of the same sort as worthy to be heere as the best if he were rightly serued But howsoeuer it was the truthe would not be knowen and so the Bishop sate him downe againe Then sayd Filmer O my Lord I am this day iudged by a lawe why should not I see the lawe that I am iudged by The law is I should haue two lawfull witnesses and here is but one which would not doe as he doeth but that he is forced thereunto by the suggestion of mine ennemies Nay quoth Bucklayer the kynges atturney thyne heresie is so heinous and abhorteth thine owne brother so much that it forceth him to witnesse against thee which is more then two other witnesses Thus as ye see was Filmer brought vniustly to hys death by the malice of Symons and D. London who had enticed that wretched caitiffe his brother to be their minister to worke his confusion But God which is a iust reueÌ„ger of all falsehode wrongs would not suffer that wretch long to liue vppon earth but the next yeare followyng he beyng taken vp for a labourer to goe to Bullaine had not bene there three daies ere that in exonerating of nature a Gunne tooke him and tore him all to peeces And so was these woordes of Salomon fulfilled A false witnesse shall not remaine vnpunished Iohn Marbecke THen was Marbecke called and hys Inditement read The inditement of Marbecke whiche was that he shoulde say That the holy Masse when the Priest doeth consecrate the body of our Lorde is poluted deformed sinnefull and open robbery of the glory of God from the which a Christian hart ought both to abhorre and flee And the eleuation of the Sacramente is the similitude of the setting vp of Images of the calues in the Temple builded by Ieroboam and that it is more abhomination then the sacrifices done by the Iewes in Ieroboams temple to those calues And that certaine and sure it is that Christ himself is made in the masse mans laughing stocke To thys hee aunswered and sayde Marbecke aunswereth to his inditement that these woordes wherof they had indited him were not his but the wordes of a learned man called Iohn Caluine and drawn out of a certaine Epistle which the sayd Caluine had made whych Epistle he had but onely wrytten out and that long before the 6. Articles came foorth so that nowe he was discharged of that offence by the kings generall pardon desiring that he might enioy the benefite thereof Then was the Iurye called which were all Farmers belonging to the Colledge of Wyndsore Partiall dealing in calling the Iurye whereof fewe or none had euer sene those men before vppon whose life and death they went Wherfore the prisoners counting the farmers as partial desired to haue the Townes men or such as did know them and had sene their daily conuersations in the place of the Farmers or els to be equally ioyned w t them but that would not be for the matter was otherwise foreseene and determined Now when the Iury had taken theyr oth and al Bucklayer the kynges atturney began to speake Buclayer the kinges atturney a persecuter and first he alledged many reasons against Anth. Person to prooue him an hereticke Whych when Anth. woulde haue disprooued the Bishop sayd let him alone Syr he speaketh for the K. so went Bucklayer foorth with his matter making euery mans cause as hainous to the hearers as he coulde deuise And when he had done and sayd what he would then Sir Humfrey Foster spake to the Quest in the fauor of Marbecke on thys wise Maisters quoth hee Syr Humfrey Foster speaketh for Marbecke yee see there is no man here that accuseth or layeth any thyng to the charge of this poore man Marbecke sauing he hath written certaine things of other mens sayings with his owne hand wherof he is discharged by the kings generall pardon therfore ye ought to haue a conscience therin Then start vp Fachel at the lower ende of the benche and sayd Fachell a persecuter What can we tel whether they were wrytten before the pardone or after They may as well be wrytten since as afore for any thing that we
maruelled at it said plainly that y e Scripture knew no such terme of transubstantiation Damlip threatned by the Byshops Then begā the other Bishops to threaten him shortly to cōfute him with their accustomed argument I meane fire and fagot if hee should still stand to y e defence of that he had spoken Wherunto he constantly answered that he would the nexte day deliuer vnto them fully so much in writing as he had said whereto also he would stand and so was dismissed The next day at the houre appointed to appeare when they looked surely to haue apprehended hym in the meane season he had secrete intimation from the Bishop of Canterbury Damlip secretly warned to voide that if he did any more personally appeare he should be committed vnto Warde not like to escape cruell death Wherupon he plaieng in deede then somewhat old Adams part for such is man left in his owne handes had him commended vnto them and sent them four sheetes of paper learnedly written in the Latin toung cōteining his faith with his argumentes conferences of the Scriptures and allegations of the Doctours by a messenger or frend of his Whiche done he hauyng a little money giuen him in his purse by his frends stepped aside and went to the West countrey and there kept all the time whyle great trouble kindled against Gods people in Calice vpon the same as ye shall heare the Lord permitting After his departure the Kings Maiestie was aduertised that there was great dissention diuersitie of pernitious opinions in his sayd towne of Calice greatly tending to the daunger of the same Wherupō during yet the daies of the Lord Cromwell D. Champiō and M. Garret sent to preach at Calyce were sent ouer Doct. Champion Doctour of Diuinitie M. Garret who after was burned two godly and learned men to preach and instruct the people and to cōfute all pernitious errours who in effect preached and mainteined the same true doctrine which Adam Damlip had before set foorth and by reason thereof they left the Towne at their departure very quiet and greatly purged of the sclaunder that had runne on it After the departure of the sayd Champion and Garret one Sir William Smith Curate of our Lady Parishe in Calice a man very zelous though but meanely learned did begin to preach and earnestly to inuey against Papistrie and wilfull ignoraunce exhorting men obediently to receaue the word and no longer to contemne the same Syr W. Smith Curate and a zealous preacher at Calyce least Gods heauie plagues and wrath should fall vpon them which alwayes foloweth the contempt of his holy word Which sir William Smith for that sometime he would be very feruent zelous sharply inueying against the despisers of the word was moued by some of y e Counsell there who woulde seeme to fauour Gods word that he should not be so earnest against them that yet could not away with the same willing him to beare with suche for by bearing with them they might hap to be wonne Well well said the same Smith openly in the Pulpit one day as he preached some men say I am too earnest and will me to beare with such as continue open enemies against Christes holy Gospell and refuse nay forbid that any should reade the Bible or holy scripture within their house but let all such take heede for before God I feare that God for their contemning of his word will not long beare with them but make them in suche case as some of them shall not haue a head left them vpon their shoulders to beare vp their cap withal which also after came to pas This Smyth continued in the diligente bestowing of his talent there till shortly after the deuill got such hold in the harts of a number of Gods enemies that he with diuers other godly men were called ouer into Englande and charged with erroneous opinions worthy of great punishment as hereafter more at large shall appeare First the Lord Lislie the Kings deputy there whome we shewed to be the maintainer of Damlip albeit he were himselfe of a most gentle nature of a right noble bloud The Lord Lisli◠base sonne to K. Edward the 4. the base sonne of that noble Prince King Edwarde the fourth being fiercely set on and incessauntly entised by the wicked Lady Honor his wife who was an vtter enemie to Gods honour and in Idolatry hypocrisie pride incomparably euill she beeing dayly and hourely thereunto incited and prouoked by Sir Thomas Palmer Knight Iohn Rookewood Esquire two enemies to Gods word Syr Thomas Palmer M. Rookewood The Councell of Calice letters against the Protestantes beginning now to flourish at Calice these I say with certayne other of the Counsell of the sayd Towne of Calice to the number of vij mo besides themselues seeking occasion or rather a quarell where no iust cause was geuē begā to write very heinous letters and greuous complaints vnto the Lordes of the priuie Counsell agaynst dyuers of the Towne of Calice affirming that they were horribly infected with heresies and pernitious opinions As first the foresaid Adam Damlip who though he were for a time escaped their hands yet stacke still in their remembraunce from time to time vntill at last the innocent man was cruelly put to death as a traitor as hereafter shal appeare Also besides this Damlip they complained of Thomas Broke Rafe Hare likewise of Sir Iohn Butler then Commissarie and Sir W. Smith Iames Cocke aliàs Coppen de Hane Iames Barber other and the names of them all sente ouer Of the wich persons first the sayde Thomas Broke and Rafe Hare Coppen de Hane and Iames Barber were apprehended and sent ouer and cōmitted to prison in Westminster gate and then commanded to appeare before the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bish. of Winchester the Bishop of Chichester and ten other appointed by the Kings maiesties commission for the examination of them And their accusers also were sent ouer with letters from the Counsell there vnto his priuie Councell here in the furtheraunce of their malicious sutes against those honest men with certaine speciall letters directed vnto the Lord Fitzwilliams then Earle of South-hampton great Admirall of Englād to the L. Sandes Lord Chamberlayne of the Houshold likewise also to sir William Kingstone Knight Comptroller of y e houshold and to D. Sampson then B. of Chichester and other tending all to one effect that is to say to the vtter destruction of these godly men if God after his wonted manner had not mightely preserued them and as it were ouershadowed them with the wings of his mercy That the same may the better appeare you shall vnderstand that first Rafe Hare a man rude and so vnlearned that scarce he could reade yet through Gods grace The trouble o◠Rafe hare souldiour of Calice was very zelous and therwith lead so godly temperate a life as not one of his enemies
discoursing how hardly and sore those poore meÌ„ were haÌ„dled that were committed to ward and close prison and that all men feared what through the malice of their Papisticall enemies and the great rigour and ignoraunt zeale of those that were in authoritie they should shortly for their faith and consciences being true men and suche as reuerently feared God be put to death but chiefly her husband who was yet more extremely handled then any other So that vnlesse his honour voutchsaued to be a meane to the Kings maiestie that they with their causes might be sente ouer into England they were but dead men Whereupon the said Lord Cromwell wrote speedely his letters vnto the Commissioners declaring the kings maiesties pleasure and commaundement was that the arrant traitour and hereticke Brooke The Lord Cromwels Letters to the Commissioners at Calice with a dosen or twentye complices should with their accusers be immediately sent ouer that heere in EnglaÌ„d they might receiue their iudgement and there at Calice to the great terrour of like offenders hereafter suffer according to their demerites Now by the tyme that the sayd Commissioners had receiued these letters they had made out precepts for 8. or 9. score honest men more to be cast in prison But these letters so appalled them that they stayde and afterwarde sent no moe to ward But making then as diligent inquisition as was possible to haue found some worthy matter againste those before named whereby there might haue bene some colour both of the Counsels greeuous complaintes and of the CoÌ„missioners rigorous dealing wheÌ„ no such thing could fall out because they would be assured y t they should not go vnpunished they first banished theÌ„ the towne and Marches of Calice with a Trumpet blowne vnder paine of death for a hundred yeare and a day if that one day had bene left out all had bene marde and then sent them backe to prison staying them there vpon hope that the L. Cromwell should come into captiuitie sooner then he dyd Tâ—e 13. prisâ—â—ers of Calice sent to London But at last to wit on May day they sente the xiij prisoners through the market the sayd Brooke going before wyth yrons on his legges as the chiefe captaine the rest following him two and two without yrons vnto shipbord then were they all coupled in yrons two two together Where because they were loth to go vnder the hatches Sir Iohn Gage with a staffe smote some of them cruelly 〈◊〉 cruelty 〈◊〉 popishe pâ—â—â—ecutor Whereupon Anthony Pickering sayd vnto him Syr I besech you yet be as good vnto vs as you would be to your horses or dogs let vs haue a litle aire that we be not smothered Yet that request could not be obtained but the hatches were put downe close and they garded and kept with a great company of men and so sailing forwarde by Gods mercifull prouidence were within 24. houres at ancker before the Tower of London And when the Lord Cromwell vnderstoode they were come he commaunded their yrons to be smit off at the Tower wharfe and the prisoners to be brought vnto him When he saw them he smiled vpon them stedfastly beholding each of them and then sayde Sirs you must take payne for a time Go your way to the Fleete and submit your selues prisoners there 〈◊〉 xiii priâ—â—â—ers put in the Fleet. and shortly you shall knowe more so in deede they did for that euening he sente them word they shoulde be of good cheere for if God sent him life they should shortly go home with as much honesty as they came with shame Whilest these xiij persecuted men lay in the Fleete and W. Steuens in the Tower to wit the xix day of Iuly an 1541. the foresaid Lord Cromwell for treason layd agaynst him was at Tower hill beheaded as is before specified in his story who made there a very Christian end Then had the poore Calice men great cause to feare if they had not altogether depeÌ„ded on the mercifull prouideÌ„ce of their heauenly father whose blessed will they knewe directed all things But he in the middest of their deepe troubles and miseries so comforted them that euen as the daungers and troubles increased so likewise did their consolation ioy in him so farre forth as Mathew de Hound one of those xiij who was in trouble onely for that he heard Copen de Hall reade a Chapter of the new Testament Mathew de Hounde a blessed martyr of God burned in Flaunders and was as deepe in punishment and in banishmente from his wife children and countrey as the rest got in shorte time suche instruction that hauing therewith a soule and conscience fraughted ful of godly zeale vnto Gods glory and the true doctrine of Christ within a few monethes after his deliueraunce out of the Fleete for inueying constantly against the wicked honouring of images praying vnto Saints departed was cruelly in a most coÌ„stant faith and patience burned in Flaunders Now therfore when all hope in man was past the right honourable L. Audeley lord Chancellor of EnglaÌ„d without further examination The Lord Audly good the perâ—â—â—uted members of Christ. discharged first the sayd 13. that were in the Fleete and at length two yeares after he deliuered W. Steuens also by the Kings owne motion out of the Tower saying at y e discharging of those 13. sirs pray for the Kings Maiestie his pleasure is y t you shall all bee presently discharged And though your liuings be taken from you yet despaire not God wil not see you lacke But for Gods sake sirs beware how you deale with popishe Priests for so God saue my soule some of them be knaues all Sirs said he I am commaunded by the counsayle to tell you The common saying of the Lord Audly concerning Popishe priestes that you are discharged by vertue of the kings generall pardon but that pardon excepteth and forbiddeth all sacramentaries and the most part or all of you are called sacramentaries Therefore I can not see how that pardon doth you any pleasure But pray for the Kings highnesse for his graces pleasure is that I should dismisse you and so I do and pitie you all Farewell sirs So geuing God most hartie thankes for his mightye and mercifull deliuering of them they departed dismissed as you haue heard Callice men dismissed being in deede in very poore estate but not in so miserable state as all those eight Counsailours of Calice were within one yere and a halfe after For wheras the other three Counsailers which semed more fauourable to them to wit the Lord Gray sir George Carow and sir Rich. Grinefield which purged the towne of those sclaunders that vntruely were raysed vpon it Example how God prospereth the fauourers and friendes to his Gospell and therfore for a time were in their princes high displeasure within y e yeare were al three in greater fauour then euer they were before and that not without
Damlip brought to Calice to suffer setting out of London conueyed the sayde Adam Damlyp vnto Calice vpon the Ascension euen and there committed him to the Maiors prison Upon whiche daye Iohn Butler the Commissary aforesayd and Syr Daniell his Curate of S. Peters were also committed to the same prison and commandement geuen no man to speake with Butler Upon Saterday next was the day of execution for Damlyp The cause whiche firste they layd to his charge was for heresie But because by an acte of Parliamente all suche offences done before a certayne daye were pardoned through which Acte he could not be burdened with anye thing that he had preached or taught before yet for the receiuing of the foresayd French crowne of Cardinall Pole as you heard before he was condemned of treason and in Calice cruelly put to death being drawne hanged and quartered The death and Martyrdome of Damlyp The daye before his execution came vnto hym one M. Mote The constant courage of Adam Damlip not caring for his death then person of our Lady Church of Calice saying your foure quarters shall be hanged at four partes of the towne And where shall my head be sayd Damlip Upon the Lanterne gate said Mote Then Damlip answeared Then shall I not neede to prouide for my buriall At hys death Sir Rafe Ellerker Knight then knight Marshall there would not suffer the innocent godly maÌ„ to declare either his faith or the cause he died for but sayd to the executioner dispatch the knaue haue done For sir Wil. Mote appointed there to preache declared to the people how he had bene a sower of seditious doctrine and albeit he was for y e pardoned by the generall pardon yet he was coÌ„demned for being a traytor against the king To the which wheÌ„ Adam Damlip would haue replied purged himselfe the foresaid Sir Rafe Ellerker would not suffer him to speake a word but commanded him to be had away And so most meckely Damlip falsly accused of treason innocently put to death patiently and ioyfully the blessed and innocent Martyr tooke his death sir Rafe Elerker saying that he would not away before he saw the traytors hart out But shortly after the sayd Sir Rafe Ellerker in a skirmishe or roade betweene the Frenchmen and vs at Bullayne was among other slayne An example of Gods iust reuengment Whose onely death sufficed not his enemies but after they had stripped him starke naked they cut off his priuie members and cut the hart out of his bodye and so leaft him a terrible example to all bloudy and mercilesse men For no cause was knowne why they shewed such indignation against the saide sir Rafe Ellerker more then against the rest but that it is written Faciens iustitias Dominus iudicia omnibus iniuria pressis As touching Ioh. Butler and sir Daniel his Curate imprisoned as ye heard the same day with Damlip vpon Sonday next following An other trouble of Iohn Buâ—leâ— and Syr Daniell his Curate they were coÌ„mitted to Io. Massy aforesayd keeper of the Marshalsey and his company and brought to the Marshalsey where he continued and his Curate nine moneths and more At last being sore laid vnto by Sir George Gage Sir Iohn Baker and Sir Thomas Arundell knightes but especially by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for y e reteining of Adam Damlip yet by friendes soliciting the Kings highnes for him namely sir Leonard Musgraue and his brother Baunster Ex scripto testimoniâ— Caletienâ—â—â—â— who were bounde for his appearance in a thousande pound he at length by great labour and long time was discharged and at last by licence permitted to returne to Calice againe Ex scripto testimonio Caletiensium Furthermore as touching William Steuens aboue mentioned who remained all this while prisoner in the Tower W. Steuens an earnest Protest are falsly condemned for Poperye the same was also condemned with Adam Damlip of treason which was for note and crime of Popery in lodging Adam Damlip which came from Cardinal Poole the traytor in his house at the Lord Deputies commaundement Notwithstanding the King afterwarde vnderstanding more of the said William Steuens how innocent he was from that crime W. Steuens with the rest pardoned by the king being knowne to all men to be an earnest and zelous Protestant gaue him his pardon and sent him home againe to Calice and so likewise all the other thirteene aboue mentioned The story of a poore labouring man in Calyce BY the credible information writing of the said Calyce men which were then in trouble A poore 〈◊〉 burned at Calice for the right faith of the Sacrament it is reported of a certaine poore laboring maÌ„ of Calice who after the preaching of Adam Damlyp being in certaine company said that he would neuer beleeue that a priest coulde make the Lordes body at his pleasure Wherupon he was then accused and also condemned by one Haruey Commissary there Which Haruey in time of his iudgement inueying against hym with opprobrious words sayd that he was an heretike should die a vile death The poore man whose name yet I haue not certainly learned answering for himselfe againe saide that hee was no hereticke but was in the fayth of Christ. A notable example of Gods iudgâ—â—ment vpon bloudy perâ—secuter And where as thou sayest said he that I shall dye a vile death thou thy selfe shalt dye a viler death and that shortly and so it came to passe for within halfe a yeare after the said Haruey was hanged drawne and quartered for treason in the sayd towne of Calice An other history of one Dodde a Scottish man burned in Calice AFter the burning of this poore man there was also an other certaine scholer counted to be a Scottish man One Dodâ—â— burned in Calice named Dodde who coÌ„ming out of Germany was there taken with certaine Germane bookes about him and being examined thereupon and standing constantly to the truth that hee had learned was therefore condemned to death and there burned in the sayd towne of Calice within the space of a yeare or thereabout after the other godly Martyr aboue mentioned And for so much as I am presently in hand wyth matters of Calice The story 〈◊〉 W. Crosbowmaker bearing a billet in Calice I can not passe from thence without memorie of an other certayne honest man of the same township named William Button aliâs Crosbowmaker although the time of this story is a litle more ancieÌ„t in yeares which story is this William Crosbowmaker a souldier of Calice and the kings seruant being a man as some natures be W. Crosbowmaker questions somwhat pleasantly disposed vsed when he met with Priests to demaund of them certayne merry questions of pastyme as these Whether if a man were sodenly taken and wanted an other thing he might not without offence occupy one of the Popes pardons in steede of a broken paper Another question was whether
With that he went foorth into his great chamber and read the same Bil before the audience which enueigled and willed me to set to my haÌ„d saieng also that I had fauour shewed me Then sayd the B. I might thaÌ„ke other and not my selfe of the fauour that I found at hys hand for he considered he sayd that I had good frendes and also that I was come of a worshipfull stocke Then answered one Christopher a seruant to M. Dennie Rather ought you my L. to haue done it in such case for Gods sake then for mans Then my L. sate down and tooke me the writing to set therto my hand and I writ after this maner I Anne Askew do beleue all maner things conteined in the faith of the catholike church And for as much as mention here is made of the writyng of Boner The wordes of the Registers which this godly woman sayd before she had not in memory therefore I thought in this place to inferre the same both with the whole circumstance of Boner and with the title thereunto prefixed by the Register and also with her owne subscription to the intent the Reader seyng the same subscription neyther to agree with the tyme of the title aboue prefixed nor with the subscription after the writing annexed might the better vnderstand thereby what credite is to be geuen hereafter to suche Byshops and to such Registers The tenour of Boners writyng proceedeth thus The true copy of the confession and beliefe of Anne Askew otherwise called Anne Kime made before the B. of London the xx day of March in the yere of our lord God after the computation of the Church of England 1545. and subscribed with her owne hand in the presence of the â—ayd B. and other whose names hereafter are recited set foorth and published at this present to the entent the world may see what credence is now to be geuen vnto the same woman who in so short a tyme hath most damnably altered and changed her opinion and beliefe Ex Regist. therfore rightfully in open court arrained and condemned Ex Regist. BE it known to all faythfull people that as touching the blessed sacrament of the aultar I do firmely vndoubtedly beleue that after the wordes of consecration be spoken by the Priest according to the common vsage of thys Church of England The copy of the Byshops reporte vpon the confession of Anne Askew as it staÌ„deth 〈◊〉 the Registers there is present really the bodye and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ whether the minister which doth consecrate be a good man or a bad man that also whensoeuer the sayd Sacrament is receiued whether the receiuer be a good man or a bad man he doth receiue it really corporally And moreouer I do beleue that whether the said Sacrament then receiued of the Minister or els reserued to be put into the pixe or to be brought to any person that is impotent or sicke yet there is the very bodie and bloud of our sayd sauiour so that whether the Minister or the receiuer be good or bad yea whether the Sacrament be receiued or reserued alwayes there is the blessed body of Christ really And this thing with all other things touching the Sacrament other sacraments of the Church and all things els touching the christian beliefe which are taught and declared in the kings Maiesties booke lately set forth for the erudition of the christiaÌ„ people I Anne Askew otherwise called Anne Kyme do truely and perfectly beleeue and so here presently confesse and knowledge And here I do promise that henceforth I shall neuer say or doe any thyng agaynst the premisses or against any of them In witnesse whereof I the sayd Anne haue subscribed my name vnto these presents Written the xx day of March in the yere of our Lord God 1545. Ex Regist. Ex Reg. Lond. By me Anne Askew otherwise called Anne Kyme Edmund Bish. of London Iohn Bish of Bathe Owen Oglethorpe Doct. of Diuinitie Witnesses Rich. Smith Doct. of Diuinitie Ioh. Rudde Bacheler of Diuinitie Wil. Pie Bacheler of Diuinitie Iohn Wymsley Archdeacon of London Iohn Cooke Rob. Iohn Frances Spilman Edward Hall Alexander Bret. Edmund Buts With diuers other mo beyng then present Here mayest thou note gentle Reader in this confession both in the B. and his register a double sleight of false conueiaunce For although the confession porporteth the words of the bishops writing Bonner and hys Register reproued with an vntruth whereunto she did set her hand yeâ— by the title prefixed before mayest thou see that both she was arraigned condemned before this was registred and also that she is falsly reported to haue put to her hand which in deed by this her owne booke appeareth not so to be but after this maner and condition I Anne Askew doe beleeue all maner thinges conteyned in the fayth of the Catholike Church and not otherwise It followeth more in the story Then because I did adde vnto it the catholike church he â—ang into his chamber in a great fury With that my cosin Britaine followed him desiring him for Gods sake to bee gooâ— L. vnto me Bonner Byshop of London in a chafe agaynst Anne Askew He answered that I was a woman and that â—e was nothing deceiued in me Then my cosine Britayne desired him to take me as a woman and not to set my weake womans wit to his lordships great wisdome Then went in vnto him Doct. Westen and sayd that the cause why I did write there the catholike church Doct. Westen was that I vnderstoode not the Church written afore So with much adoe they perswaded my Lord to come out agayne and to take my name with y e names of my sureties which were my cosin Britaine and Maister Spilman of Graies Inne This beyng done we thought that I should haue bene put to bayle immediatly according to the order of the law Howbeit he would not suffer it but committed me from thence to prison agayne Anne Askew brought to the Guilde Hall vntill the next morrow and then he willed me to appeare in the Guild hall so I did Notwithstanding they would not put me to bayle there neyther but red the B. writing vnto me as before and so commanded me againe to prison Then were my sureties appointed to come before theÌ„ on the next morrow in Paules Church which dyd so in deede Notwithstandyng they would once agayne haue brokeÌ„ of with them because they would not be bound also for another woman at their plesure whom they knew not nor yet what matter was laid vnto her charge Anne Askew bayled at last vnder sâ—ertyes with much adoe Notwithstanding at the last after much ado and reasoning to fro they toke a bond of them of recognisance for my forth comming And thus I was at the last deliuered Written by me Anne Askew The latter apprehension and examination of the worthy Martyr of
haue found in scripture Then sayd the accuser thou hast preached sayd and openly taught diuers sundry other great errours and abhominable heresies against all the vij sacramentes which for shortnes of time I pretermit and ouerpasse Whether doest thou graunt thy foresayd Articles that thou art accused of or no and thou shalt heare them shortly and then repeated the accuser the three Articles aforesayd shortly ouer and asked him whether he graunted or denied them He aunswered that before he had said of his aunsweres and that he sayd nothing but agreeing to the holy word as he vnderstoode so God iudge him and his owne conscience accuse him and thereby would he abide vnto the time he were better instructed by scripture and the contrary proued The wordes of Adam Wallace to the L. Gouernour and the Lordes euen to the death and said to the Lord Gouernour and other Lords if you cōdemne me for holding by Gods word my innocent bloud shall be required at your hands when ye shall be brought before the iudgemente seate of Christ who is mightie to defend my innocent cause before whome ye shall not denie it nor yet be able to resiste hys wrath Heb. 10 to whome I referre the vengeaunce as it is written Vengeance is mine and I will reward Then gaue they forth sentence and condemned him by the lawes Sentence of condemnation geuen agaynst Adam Wallace and so lefte him to the secular power in the hands of Sir Iohn Campbell Iustice deputie who delyuered him to the Prouost of Edenbrough to be burnt on the Castle hill who incontinent made him to be put in the vppermost house in the towne with yrons about his legs and necke Syr Hugh Terry an impe of Sathan and gaue charge to Sir Hugh Terry to keepe the key of the sayd house an ignoraunt Minister and impe of Sathan and of the Bishops who by direction sente to the poore man two Gray Friers to instructe hym wyth whome he would enter into no communing Soone after that was sent in two blacke Friers an Englishe Frier and another subtile sophister Fryers sent to instructe Adam Wallace called Arbirtromy with the which English Frier he would haue reasoned and declared his faith by the scriptures Who aunswered he had no commission to enter in disputation with him and so departed and left him Then was sent to him a worldly wise man and not vngodly in the vnderstanding of the truth The Deane of Roscalridge sent to Adā Wallace the Deane of Roscalrige who gaue him Christian consolatiō amongst the which he exhorted him to beleue the realtie of the sacramēt after the cōsecration But he would cōsent to nothing that had not euidēce in the holy scripture so passed ouer that night in singing landing God to the eares of diuers hearers The bookes of the good man taken from him hauing learned the psalter of Dauid w tout booke to his consolation For before they had spoyled him of his Bible which alwaies til after he was cōdēned was w t him where euer he wēt After y t sir Hugh knew that he had certaine bookes to read cōfort his spirit who came in a rage tooke y e same frō him leauing him desolat to his power of all cōsolatiō and gaue diuers vngodly iniurious prouocatiōs by his diuelish venome to haue peruerted him a poore innocent frō the patience hope he had in Christ his sauiour but God suffered him not to be moued therwith as plainely appeared to the hearers and seers for the time So all the next morning abode this poore man in yrons and prouision was commaunded to be made for his burning against the next day Whiche daye the Lord Gouernour and all the principall both spirituall and temporall Lords departed from Edenbrough to their other busines After they were departed The Deane commeth agayne to Adā Wallace came y e Deane of Roscalrige to him againe reasoned with him after his wit Who answered as before he would say nothing cōcerning his faith but as the scripture testifieth yea though an Aungell came from heauen to perswade him to the same sauing that he confessed himselfe to haue receaued good consolation of the said Deane in other behalfes as becommeth a Christian. Then after came in the said Terry again examined him after his old manner and said Syr Hugh Terry commeth againe to Adam Wallace he would garre deuils to come forth of him ere euen To whome he aunswered you should be a godly man to geue me rather cōsolation in my case When I knewe you were come I prayed God I might resiste your temptations which I thanke hym he hath made me able to doe therfore I pray you let me alone in peace Then he asked of one of the Officers that stoode by is your fire making ready Who tolde hym it was He answered as it pleaseth God I am ready soone or late as it shall please him then he spake to one faithful in that company bad him cōmend him to all the faithfull being sure to meete together with thē in heauen From that time to his forth comming to the fire spake no man with hym At his foorth comming the Prouost with great manasing words forbad him to speake to any mā or any to him The Prouost of Edenbrough forbiddeth him to speake to any man The worde◠of Adam Wallace to the people as belike he had commandement of his superiours Comming from the towne to the Castell hill the commō people sayd God haue mercy vpon him And on you to sayd he Being beside y e fire he lifted vp his eyen to heauē twise or thrise and said to the people Let it not offend you that I suffer the death this day for the truthes sake for the Disciple is not aboue his maister Then was y e Prouost angry that he spake Then looked he to heauen againe and sayd They will not let me speake The corde being about hys necke the fire was lighted and so departed he to God constantly and with good countenance to our sightes Ex testimonijs literis è Scotia petitis an 1550. The burning of the blessed Martyr Adam Wallace ¶ The schisme that arose in Scotland for the Pater noster AFter that Richard Mershal Doctour of Diuinitie and Priour of the blacke Friers at the new Castle in England had declared in his preachings of S. Andrewes in Scotland that the Lordes Prayer commonly called the Pater noster should be done only to God not to Saints neither to any other creature the Doctours of the Uniuersitie of S. Andrewes together with the Gray Friers who had long ago taught the people to pray the Pater noster to Saints had great indignatiō that their old doctrine shuld be repugned stirred vp a Gray Frier called Frier Toittis to preach again to the people that they should might pray the Pater noster to Saintes Who finding no
their mother helde taught and communed of the sayd errours within their house diuers times by the space of those three yeares past as well on holy dayes as working dayes affirming and teaching that the saide opinions were good and lawfull and to be holden and maintained and agreemente was made amongst them that none of them should discouer or bewray eyther of these beliefes in any wise Finally that they neuer heard their sayd father and mother holding nor reaching any other opinions then be the said errours against the Sacrament of the altar and pilgrimages offerings worshipping of Saints and Images as farre as they could remember c. Ex verbis Regist. Heere hast thou Christian reader before thine eyes an horrible spectacle of a singular yea of a double impietie first of an vnnaturall husband Example of an vnnaturall husband and of vnnaturall children witnessing against his own wife and of as vnnaturall children accusing and witnessing against their owne naturall mother Which although they had so done the cause being of it selfe iust and true as it was not yet had they done more then nature woulde haue led them to do Now the case being such as which by Gods word standeth firme sound and perfect what impietie were it for men to accuse a poore innocent in case of heresie which is no heresie Now besides all this the husband to come in against his owne wife and the children to bring in the knife wherewith to cut the throate of theyr owne naturall mother that bare them that nourished theÌ„ that brought them vp what is this but impietie vpon impietie Great impiety of the husband toward the wife prodigious and horrible for all Christian eares to heare And yet the greatest impietie of all resteth in these pretensed Catholickes and Clergiemen which weare the authors and causers of all this mischiefe The cause why this good woman so stood as she dyd in the deniall of these foresaid articles obiected Greater impiety in the children against the mother was thys for that she neuer thought that her husband and her owne children who onely were priuie of her Religion would testifie agaynst her Whom notwithstanding after she perceaued to come in and to depose this agaynst her denying stil as she did before that she did euer hold such maner of errours Greatest impiety of all in the Clergy men the authors hereof and being now destitute of all frends and comfort brast out in these woordes openly as the register reporteth that she repented the time that euer she bare those children of her body And thus the Archb. with his Doctours hauing now the thing that they sought for albeit she was ready to deny all errours Ex Regist. W. Warrham Fol. 177. and to conforme her selfe to theyr religion yet notwithstanding they refusing her readines and conformitie proceeded to theyr sentence and so condemned her to death Agnes Grebell condemned by the sentence of the Archb. Robert Harrison examined W. Carder Agnes Grebyll Robert Harison Martyrs After whose condemnation next was brought to examination Rob. Harrison whom in like maner because he stoode in his deniall contrary witnesses agaynst him were produced to wit Christofer Grebyll W. Rich W. Olberd Agnes Iue who a litle before had bene abiured and therfore were so much the more apt and appliable to serue the Bishops humour for daunger of relapse After the deposition conuiction of which witnesses although he submitted himselfe to repentaunce and conformitie yet notwythstanding it would not be receaued but sentence was read he condemned with the other two aforesayd vnto y e fire And thus these three were condemned and burned certificate geuen vp of them together to the king froÌ„ Warrham the Archbishop vpon the same An. 1511. Maij. 2. Ex Regist. Cant. Ouer and besides these three godly martyrs aboue recited I finde in the foresayd Registers of W. Warrham Io. Browâ—â— Edward Walker Martyrs ij other godly like martirs also in the same yeare and for the same xij articles aboue specified to be condemned vpon y e depositions of certayne witnesses brought in agaynst theÌ„ to wyt Tho. Harwod Phillip Harwod Witnesses agaynst these two Martyrs Stephen Castelyn W. Baker Rob. Reynold Ioh. BaÌ„pton Rob. Bright W. Rich. c. whereupon they were adiudged likewise for heretickes to be burned the yeare aforesayd 1511. y e names of which two martyrs were Iohn Brown and Edward Walker Ex Regist. W. Warrh fol. 179. Nowe as you haue heard the names of these blessed Martyrs with their articles recited let vs also heare the tenor of the Bishops sentence by the which they were condemned one after an other Their sentence contayneth one vniforme maner of wordes in forme as followeth * The tenour of the sentence IN nomine Dei Amen Nos Willielmus permissione diuina Cantuariensis Archiepis totius Angliae primas Apostolicae sedis Legatus The 〈◊〉 nation of these 〈◊〉 aforesayd martyrs in quodam negotio hereticae prauitatis contra te Willielmum Carder de Tenterden nostrae Cant. Dioceseos laicum ac nostro imperio notoriè subditum subiectum coram nobis in iudicio personaliter comparentem nobis super heretica prauitate huiusmodi detectum delatum ac per nostram Diocesim Cantuariae antedictae notoriè publicè in ea parte apud bonos graues diffamatum ex officio mero ritè canonicè precedentes auditis intellectis visis cognitis rimatisque ac matura deliberatione discussis ponderatis dicti negotij meritis seruatisque in omnibus per omnia in eodem negotio de iure seruandis ac quomodo libet requisitis pro tribunali sedentes Christi nomine inuocato solum Deum prae oculis habentes Quia per acta actitata deducta probata exhibita coram nobis in eodem negocio inuenimus te per probationes legitimas coram nobis in hac parte iudicialiter factas nonnullos varios errores haereses damnatas opiniones iuri diuino ecclesiastico obuiantes contrarios repugnantes contra fidem orthodoxam determinatam obseruatam tenuisse credidisse affirmasse predicasse dogmatizasse presertim contra Sacramenta altaris seu eucharistiae poenitentiae ordinis alia Sacramenta sanctae matris Ecclesiae dogmata Et quamuis nos Christi vestigijs inhaerendo qui non vult mortem peccatoris sed magis vt conuertatur viuat sepenumero conati fuimus te corrigere ac vijs modis licitis canonicis quibus potuimus aut sciuimus ad fidem orthodoxam per vniuersalem Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam determinatam obseruatam ac ad vnitatem eiusdem sanctae matris Ecclesiae reducere tamen inuenimus te adeo durae ceruicis quòd tuos errores haereses huiusmodi nolueris sponte incontinenti confiteri nec ad fidem Catholicam vnitatem sanctae matris Ecclesiae antedictas debitè reuerti
this blessed Martyr ended his life in peace anno 1511. This story the sayd Elizabeth Browne his wife did oft times repeate to Alice her daughter who dwelling yet in the parish of S. Pulchers testified the narration heereof vnto me and certayne other vppon whose credible information I haue recorded the same Witnes to thys story Furthermore it is to be noted that the sayde Iohn Browne bare a fagot seauen yeares before this in the dayes of King Henry the seauenth Whose sonne also named Richard Browne for the like cause of Religion was imprisoned at Caunterbury Rich. Browne escaped burning by the comming in of the Queene Elizabeth likewise in the latter tyme of Queene Mary and should haue bene burned with two mo besides himselfe the next day after the death of Queene Mary but that by the proclaiming of Queene Elizabeth they escaped Amongst other iniunctions and letters of king Henry the eight written and set forth for reformation of religion he wrate one letter to Edmund Bonner for abolishing of Images pilgrimages shrines and other monuments of Idolatry Which letter being before expressed pag. 1229 we should also haue annexed to the same the letter or mandate of Bonner directed in latin to Richard Cloney hys Somner appertayning to the due execution therof Which letter because we haue omitted before the defect thereof I thought heere in this vacant space to supply The letter written to Cloney in latin thus beginneth Bonners letter to Cloney keeper of the Cole-house for the abolishing of Images EDmundus permissione Diuina Lond. Episc. Dilecto nobis in Christo Richardo Cloney literato Apparitori nostro generali salut grat benedictionem 〈…〉 Latine 〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉 read 〈…〉 yet here 〈◊〉 is called 〈◊〉 Cum nos 13. die mensiâ— instantis Octob. circa noctem literas serenissimi c. The same in English FOr asmuch as the 13. day of this present we haue receyued the letters of our soueraigne Lord by the grace of God King of England c. to vs diâ—ected and conteyning in them the commaundement of his Maiestie by vs to be executed in tenour of words which heere I send vnto you we therefore willing and desiring according as our duty bindeth vs to put the same in execution with all diligence possible according to the effect and tenour thereof Had 〈◊〉 none to 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 thinges but 〈◊〉 the keepeâ— of the 〈◊〉 house do charge and straightly commaund you by the tenour heereof in the Kings behalfe and for the fidelitie whych we haue in you assuredly approued that you incontinent vpon the receite heereof do effectually warne all and singular Parsons and Vicars of this Citie of London and of all our dioces that they immediately vpon the sight and intimation of these present Articles and interrogatories heere vnder written do cause diligent and effectuall inquisition thereof to be made to witte Whether there be vsed or continued any superstition hypocrisie or abuse within any their parishes or Cures contrary to anye ordinaunce iniunction or commaundement geuen or set foorth by the Kings Maiestie or by his authoritie Item whether they haue in their Churches or within theyr parishes any shrines couerings of shrines tables of fayned myracles pilgrimages Images and bones resorted and offered vnto and other monuments and things wherewith the people haue bene illuded or any offering or setting vp of lights or candles other then be permitted by the Kings Maiesties Iniunctions or whether the said Iniunctions be duely obserued and kept in their Parishes or Cures or else transgressed and broken and in what part And further after the sayd Inquisition thus by them and euery of them respectiuely being made that you do certifie vs or our Vicare generall what is done in the premisses vpon the euen of Simon and Iude or thereabout vnder the perill thereof following Dat. 14. die Octob. an 1541. nostrae translat 2. The ende of the eyght booke Edward 6. ¶ The Ninth Booke containing the Actes and thinges done in the Reigne of King EDWARD the sixt NExt after the death of K. Henry succeded king Edwarde his sonne being of the age of 9. yeres He began his raigne the 28. day of Ianuary and raygned 6. yeares and 8. monethes and 8. dayes and deceased ann 1553. the 6. day of Iulye Of whose excellente vertues singuler graces wrought in him by the gift of God although nothing canne be sayd enough to his commendation yet because the renowmed same of such a worthye prince shall not vtterlye passe our story without some gratefull remembraunce I thought in few wordes to touch some litle portion of his prayse taken out of great heapes of matter which might be inferred For to stand vppon all that might be sayde of him it would be to long and yet to say nothing it were to much vnkinde If kinges and Princes which haue wisely and vertuously gouerned haue fouÌ„d in all ages writers to solemnise and celebrate theyr Actes and memory such as neuer knew them nor were subiect vnto theÌ„ how much theÌ„ are we English men bound not to forget our duety to K. Edward a prince although but tender in yeres yet for his sage and mature rypenes in witte and all Princely ornamentes as I see but few to whom he may not be equal Commendation of K. Edward so agayne I see not many to whom he may not iustly be preferred And here to vse the example of Plutarch in comparing kings and rulers the Latines with the Greekes together if I should seek with whom to match this noble Edward I finde not with whom to make my match more aptly theÌ„ with good Iosias For as the one began his raigne at eight yeares of his age so the other beganne at 9. Neyther were their acts and zelous procedings in Gods cause much discrepant For as milde Iosias pluckt downe the hil altars cut downe the groues Anno. 1547. and destroyd all monuments of Idolatry in the temple the like corruptioÌ„s drosse and deformities of Popish Idolatry crept into the Church of Christ or long time this Euangelicall Iosias king Edwarde remoued Comparison betwene King Iosias and King Edward 6. purged the true temple of the Lorde Iosias restored the true worship of God in Ierusalem and destroid the Idolatrous priestes King Edward in England likewise abolishing Idolatrous Masses and false inuocation reduced agayne religion to a right sincerity more would haue brought to perfection if life and time had aunswered to his godly purpose And though he killed not as Iosias did the idolatrous sacrifices yet he put them to sileÌ„ce and remoued them out of theyr places Moreouer in king Iosias dayes the holy Scripture booke of Gods word was vtterly neglected and cast aside whiâ—h he most graciously repayred restored agayne And did not K. Edwarde the like with the selfe same booke of Gods blessed worde and with other wholesome bookes of Christian doctrine which before were decayed and
your Prince and King by almightye God if any wise we coulde aduaunce Gods honour more then we doe we would doe it and see that ye become subiectes to Gods ordinances obeying vs your Prince and learne of them which haue authoritie to teache you whiche haue power to rule you and will execute our iustice if we be prouoked Learne not of them whose fruits be nothing but wilfulnes disobedience obstinacie dissimulation and destruction of the realme For the masse we assure you no small studie nor trauell hath bene spent by al the learned Clergy therein 4. The Masse and to auoyde all contention it is brought euen to the verye vse as Christ left it as the apostles vsed it as holy fathers deliuered it in dede somwhat altred from y t the Popes of Rome for their lucre brought to it And although ye may hear the contrary of some Popish euil men yet our maiestie which for our honour may not be blemished nor stained assureth you that they deceiue you abuse you and blowe these opinions into your heads for to finish their owne purposes And so likewise iudge you of confirmation of children and let them answeare you this one question Thinke they that a child christened Confirmation is damned because it dieth before bishopping They be confirmed at the time of discretion to learne that they professed in the lacke therof by Baptisme taught in age that which they receiued in infancie Baptisme 〈◊〉 without any Bishoping and yet no doubt but they be saued by Baptisme not by confirmation made Christes by Christening and taught howe to continue by Confirmation Wherfore in the whole marke good subiects how our doctrine is founded vpō true learning and theirs vpon shamelesse errors To cōclude beside our gentle maner of information to you what soeuer is contained in our booke either for baptisme sacrament Masse Confirmation and seruice in the church is by our parlament established by the whole clergie agreed yea by the bishops of the realme deuised further by Gods word confirmed And how dare ye trust yea how dare ye geue care without trembling to any singuler person to disallow a Parliament a subiect to perswade against our maiestie a man of his single arrogancie against the determination of the Bishops and all the clergie anye inuented argument against the word of God But nowe you our subiects we resort to a greater matter of your blindnes of your vnkindnes a great vnnaturalnes such an euill that if we thought it had not begon of ignorance and continued by persuasion of certaine traitors amongst you which we thinke few in number but in their doings busie Anno 1549. we coulde not be perswaded but to vse our sword and doe iustice and as we be ordained by God that is to redresse your errors by auengmēt but loue and zeale yet ouercommeth our iust anger but howe long that will be God knoweth in whose hand our hart is and rather for your owne causes being our Christened subiectes we would ye were perswaded then vanquished informed then forced taught then ouerthrowen quietly pacified then rigorously persecuted The rebells require the 6. Articles Ye require to haue the statute of the 6. articles reuiued and knowe ye what ye require or knowe yee what ease ye haue with the losse of them They were lawes made but quickly repented too bloudy they were to be borne of oure people and yet at the first in deede made of some necessitie Oh subiects how are ye trapped by subtile persons we of pitie because they were bloudy tooke them away and you nowe of ignorance will aske them againe You knowe full well that they helped vs to extende rigour and gaue vs cause to draw our sword very often they were as a whetstone to our sworde for your causes we left to vse them And since our mercie mooued vs to wryte our lawes wyth milke equitie how be ye blinded to aske them in bloud But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you witte the same hath bene adnulled by our parlament The 6. Articles taken away by Parliament with great reioyce of our subiects and not now to be called by subiectes in question Dare then any of you with the name of a subiecte stand against an acte of parliament a lawe of the whole realme What is our power if lawes shoulde be thus neglected Yea what is your suretie if lawes be not kept Assure you most surely y t we of no earthly thing vnder y e heauē make such a reputation as we doe of this one thyng to haue our lawe obeyed and this cause of God which we haue taken in hande to be thorowly maintained from the which we will neuer remooue a heares breadth A notaple zeale and a princely word of a king nor geue place to any creature liuing much lesse to any subiecte but therein will spende our owne royall person oure crowne treasure realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our highe honour For heerein in deede resteth our honoure heerein standeth our kingdome heerein doe all kinges knowledge vs a king And shall any of you dare breathe or thinke against our honor our kingdome or crowne In the end of thys your request as we be geuen to vnderstand ye would haue them stand in force vntill our full age The kinges age To this we thinke if ye knew what ye spake ye wold neuer haue vttered y e motion nor euer geuen breath to such a thoughte For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your king nowe as we shal be or shall ye be subiects hereafter and now are ye not Haue not we the right we shal haue If ye woulde suspend and hang our doings in doubt vntill our full age ye must first know as a king we haue no differēce of yeres nor time but as a naturall man and creature of God wee haue youth by his suffrance shall haue age we are your rightful king your liege Lord your king annoynted your king crowned the soueraign king of England not by our age but by Gods ordinance not only when we shal be 21. of yeares A king possesseth his crowne not by yeares but by Gods ordinaunce but when we were of 10. yeares We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloud and discente from our father king Henry the eight You are our subiects because we be your king and rule we will because God hath willed It is as great a fault in vs not to rule as in a subiect not to obey If it be considered they which moue this matter if they durst vtter them selues would deny our kingdome But our good subiects know their prince and will encrease not diminish his honor enlarge not abate hys power knowledge not defer his kingdome to certaine yeares al is one to speake against our crowne
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
then they by learning shal prooue shee shall not be mooued And so farre it is thought reason wil compell her grace In the ende yee shall say The good willes and mindes of the Lorde Protectour and the Counsaile is so muche toward her grace that how soeuer shee would her selfe in honor be esteemed how soeuer in conscience quieted yea how soeuer benefited sauing their dueties to God and the king they woulde as muche and in theyr doings if it please her to prooue it will be nothing inferiours assuring her grace that they be moste sorie shee is thus disquieted and if necessitie of the cause the honour and suretie of the king and the iudgement of theyr owne conscience mooued them not thus farre they woulde not haue attempted But their trust is her grace wil alow them the more when she shal perceiue the cause and thinke no lesse coulde be done by them where shee prouoked them so farre Note Doctor Hoptons allowance of the communion in those dayes ¶ These and other of like credite more amply committed to you in speache you shal declare to her grace and further declare your conscience for the allowing of the manner of the Communion as yee haue plainely professed it before vs. At Richmund 14. Iune 1549. The Lady Mary to the Lorde Protectour and the rest of the Counsaile 27. Iune 1549. MY Lorde I perceiue by letters directed from you and other of the kinges maiesties Counsaile to my Controller my Chaplaine and master Englefelde my seruaunt that ye will them vppon their allegeaunce to repaire immediately to you wherin you geue me euident cause to chaunge mine accustomed opinion of you all that is to say to thinke you careful of my quietnesse and wel doings considering how earnestly I wryte to you for the stay of two of them and that not without very iust cause And as for maister Englefeld assoone as he could haue prepared himselfe hauing his horsses so farre off although yee hadde not sent at this present would haue perfourmed your request But in deede I am much deceiued For I supposed ye would haue waied and takē my letters in better part if yee haue receiued them if not to haue taried mine answere and I not to haue found so litle frendship not to haue bene vsed so vngently at your hands in sending for him vpon whose trauail doth rest the only charge of my whole house as I wryt to you lately whose absence therefore shall be to me my sayde house no little displeasure especially being so farre off And besides all this I doe greatly maruaile to see your wrytinge for him and the other two with suche extreeme wordes of pearill to ensue towardes them in case they did not come and specially for my Controller whose charge is so great that he canne not sodainly be meete to take a iourney which woordes in mine opinion needed not vnlesse it were in some verye iust and necessarye cause to any of mine who taketh my selfe subiect to none of you all not doubting but if the kinges maiestie my brother were of sufficient yeares to perceiue this matter and knewe what lacke and in commoditie the absence of my said officer should be to my house his grace woulde haue beene so good Lorde to mee as to haue suffered him to remaine where his charge is Notwithstanding I haue willed him at this time to repaire to you commaunding him to returne foorthwith for my very necessities sake and I haue geuen the like leaue to my poore sicke prieste also whose life I thinke vndoubtedly shall be putte in hasard by the wet and colde painefull trauaile of this iourney But for my parte I assure you all that since the king my father your late maister and verye good Lorde died I neuer tooke you for other then my frendes but in this it appeareth cōtrary And sauing I thought verily that my former letters shoulde haue discharged this matter I woulde not haue troubled my selfe with wryting the same not doubting but you doe consider that none of you all would haue bene contented to haue bene thus vsed at your inferiours handes I meane to haue hadde your officer or any of your seruaunts sent for by a force as yee make it knowing no iust cause why Wherefore I doe not a little maruaile that yee had not this remembraunce towardes mee who alwayes hath willed and wished you as well to doe as my selfe and both haue and will praye for you all as heartily as for mine owne soule to almightye God whome I humblye beseeche to illumine you all with his holy spirite to whose mercy also I am at a full poynt to commit my selfe what soeuer shall become of my body And thus with my commendations I bid you all fare well From my house at Kenninghal the 27. of Iune Youre frende to my power though you geue mee contrary cause Mary A copie of the kinges Maiesties letter to the Ladie Marie 24. Ian. 1550. RIght deare c. We haue seene by letters of our Counsaile sent to you of late and by your aunsweare thereunto touching the cause of certaine your Chaplaines hauing offended our lawes in saying of Masse their good and conuenient aduises and your frutelesse and indirect mistaking of the same which thing mooueth vs to wryte at this time that where good counsell from oure Counsaile hathe not preuailed yet the like from our selfe maye haue due regarde The whole matter we perceiue resteth in thys that you being oure next sister in whome aboue all other oure subiectes nature shoulde place the moste estimation of vs would wittingly and purposely not onely breake our lawes your selfe but also haue others maintained to doe the same Truely howe soeuer the matter may haue other termes other sense it hath not and although by your letter it seemeth you chalenge a promise made that so you myghte do yet surely we know the promise had no such meaning neither to maintaine ne to continue your fault You muste knowe this sister you were at the first time when the law was made borne with all not because you shoulde disobey the lawe but y t by our lenitie and loue shewed you might learne to obey it Wee made a difference of you from our other subiectes not for that all other should folow our lawes you only against and them but that you might be brought as far forward by loue as others were by duety The error wherein you would rest is double euery part so great that neither for the loue of God we can wel suffer it vnredressed neither for the loue of you we can but wish it amēded First you retaine a fashion in honoring of God who in dede therby is dishonored therin erre you in zeal for lacke of science hauing science offered you you refuse it not because it is science we trust for then should we dispaire of you but because you thinke it is none And surely in this we can best reprehende you learning
but if your Lordship be loth to be counted mēdax which belike he hath interpreted a lyer or a lying man and thinke it a matter of combate he was deceiued in the interpretation and it is a matter for clerkes to dispute of we woulde haue wished your Lordshipp to haue written agaynst his booke before or now with it if you thinke that to be defended which the author himselfe refuseth to auerre your Lordship writeth earnestly for lent which we go not about to put away no more then whē D. Smith wrote so earnestly y t euery man should be obedient to the Byshops The Maiestrates by and by went not about to bring Kinges and Princes and other vnder theyr subiection Writers write theyr fantasy my Lord and Preachers preach what eyther liketh them or what God putteth in theyr heades It is not by and by done what is spoken The people buyeth those foolish ballads of Iacke a lent So bought they in times past pardons and carroles and Robbin hoodes tales All be not wise mē and the foolisher a thing is to some although not to the more party it is the more pleasaunt and meete and peraduenture of the sermons there is and in deed there is if it be true that we haue heard otherwise spoken and reported to you then it was of the preachers there and then spoken or ment Lent remayneth still my Lord shall god willing till the kings highnes with our aduise and the residew of his Graces counsel take an other order although some light and leud mē do bury him in writing euē as the kinges Maiesty remayneth head of the Church although by subtle meanes some traytors haue gone about and dayly do to abuse the kinges Maiesties supremacy and bring in the Bishop of Romes tyranny with other superstition and Idolatry On both sides great heed is to be taken and as your Lordship writeth we are set in a paynfull rome to reforme all lightnes and leudnes to the which we do endeuour our selfe to the best of our power although not so cruelly and fiercely as some peraduenture would wish yet not so loosely that there needeth such exclamation or great feare to be We doe study to doe all things attemperately and with quiet and good order And we woulde wish nothing more then your Lordship to be as ready to the reformation of the one as of the other that neither superstition Idolatry or papacy should be brought in nor lightnesse nor contempt of good order to be mainteined They both take beginning at small things and encreaseth by litle and litle at vnwares And quiet may be as wel broken with ielosy as negligence with to much feare or to much paciēce No wayes worse then when one is ouer light eared the one way and deafe on the other side Rumors by space and times encrease naturally and by that time they come at you as it appeareth they be doubled trebled We do perceiue your diligent eye towards vs Quiet may be as well broken by Ielosie as by negligence we will wish trust you haue your faythful hart to vs our most harty desire continuall prayer to God is to leaue this realme to the kings highnes at his graces age by you written rather more florishing in men possessions wealth learning wisedome Gods religion and doctrine if it were possible and Gods will then we found it And that is our whole intent esperaunce to the which we refuse no mans helpe as knoweth God in whom we bid you hartily fare well An other letter of W. to the L. Protector AFter my moste humble commendations to your good Grace vpon the returne of my seuant Massy with your Graces letters aunswering to such my letters wherein I signified the robbing of my secretary I read the same gladly as by the contentes of the matter I had cause so to doe which was such a comfortatiue as I digested easily the rest of the great packet hauing bene accustomed thereunto in the kinges my late soueraygne Lordes dayes which fashion of writing his highnesse God pardon his soule called whetting which was not all the most pleasaunt vnto me at all times yet when I saw in my doinges was no hurt and sometime by occasion thereof the matter amended I was not so coy as alwayes to reuers my argument nor so that his affayres went well I neuer troubled my selfe whether he made me a wanton or not And when suche as were priuy to his letters directed vnto me were affrayd I had bene in high displeasure for the termes of the letters sounded so yet I myself feared it nothing at al I estemed him as he was a wise prince and whatsoeuer he wrote or sayd for the present he would after consider the matter as wisely as any man and neither hurt or inwardly disfauor him that had bene bolde with him Whereof I serue for a proofe for no man could do me hurt during his life And when he gaue me the Bishopricke of Winchester he said he had often squared with me but he loued me neuer y e worse And for a token therof gaue me the Byshopricke And once when he had bene vehement with me in the presence of the Earle of Wilteshyre and saw me dismayd with it he tooke me a part into his bed chamber and comforted me and said that his displeasure was not so much to me as I did take it but he misliked the matter and he durste more boldly direct his speache to me then to the Earle of Wilteshyre and from that day forward he could not put me out of courage but if any displeasaunt wordes passed from him as they did sometime I folded them vp in the matter which hindered me a litle for I was reported vnto him that I stouped not and was stubborne and he had commended vnto me certayne mens gentle nature as he called it that wept at euery of his wordes me thought that my nature was as gētle as theyrs for I was sory that he was moued but els I know when the displeasure was not iustly grounded in me I had no cause to take thought nor was not at any time in al my life miscontent or grudging at any thing done by him I thanke God of it And therefore being thus brought vpp and hauing first read your graces most gentle letters signifying the deuise of a proclamation to stay these rumours and reading the same proclamation which my seruant brought with him I read the more quiet your Graces great letters and would haue layd them vp with out further aunswere were it not that percase my so doing might be mistaken For glum silence may haue another construction then franke speach where a man may speake as I reckon I may with your grace vppon confidence whereof I am so bolde to write thus much for my declaration touching your graces letters of the xxvij of may that how earnest so euer my letters be taken in fearing any innouation I
ordeined the paxe to be geuen to the people 〈◊〉 decretis Inâ—â—â—entij PP 〈◊〉 â— Pacis ait osculum dandum post confecta mysteria vt constet populum ad omnia quae in mysterijs aguntur praebuisse consensum c. ☞ Peter Martyr in his commeÌ„taryes in Iud. saith that it it was brought in by Pope Leo .2 as it is said and yet supposeth the same not to be so saying that this was an auncient custome in the Apostles time for Christians to salute one an other with the kisse of peace c. To this of Peter Martyr agreeth also Gabriell Biel. writing in these wordes 〈◊〉 Biel. 〈◊〉 â—ect 81. Porrexit in primitiua ecclesia sacerdos osculum pacis ministro caeteris impartiednum vt per hoc significaret c. i. In the primitiue Church the priest gaue a kisse of peace to the minister to be geuen by him to the people The distribution and communion After this foloweth the comunion where in our popish Masse and Ministers therof do much alter and degenerate from auncient antiquity two maner of wayes First in that they make no communion thereof receyuing onely to theÌ„selues coÌ„trary both to theyr own words where they say after theyr receiuing Sacramenta que sumpsimus c. and also to the auncient examples and decrees of the Apostles and others And where it is decreed in the Epistle of Anacletus Paracta auteÌ„ consecratione omnes communicent qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus Sic enim Apostoli statuerunt S. Romana tenet ecclesia c. i. The consecration being done let all communicate together vnles they will be thrust out of the church dores c. ☞ Here note by the way gentle Reader how Gratianus the writer of the Popes decrees is ouersene Anacletâ—â— Epist 1. De consâ—â—crat 〈…〉 Cocleuâ— coÌ„tra Mâ—â—â—culum 〈◊〉 officio misse Gratianâ—â— Cochlâ—â— taken in vntruth Cano. 〈◊〉 Cap. 9. Cano. 〈◊〉 Cap. 8. Microloâ—â—â— de ecclesiâ—astica obseruat which in hys booke De consecrat dist 2. referreth this saying of Anacletus to Pope Calixtus And likewise also Chocleus writing agaynst Musculus followeth Gracianus in the same error Likewise in the Canons of the Apostles if the CanoÌ„s were theyrs we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. All the faithfull which resort to the Church and tary not out the end of the seruice and receiue not the holy communion suche as bringing in disorder to the Church ought to be disseuered c. And agayne Si quis episcopus praesbiter aut diaconus aut quicunue ex sacerdotali consortio oblatione factaâ— non coÌ„municauerint causam dicito c. For how can that be a communion called which is not common but priuate to one As Micrologus writeth Nec enim proprie communio dici potest nisi plures de eodem sacrificio participent i. It can not be called a communion except mo then one do participate of one sacrifice c. And Durandus In primitiua ecclesia omnes qui celebrationi Missarum intererant singulis diebus communicare solebaÌ„t Guliel Durand Ration 〈◊〉 4 cap. 53. eo uod Apostoli omnes de calice biberunt c. i. In the primitiue time all that were present at the ministration were wont euery day to communicate because that the apostles did altogether drinke of the cup. c. Secondly they alter and degenerate therein from auÌ„cient antiquity in that when they communicate also wyth the people yet they depriue them of the holy cup which deprauation was not in the church before the counsel oâ— CoÌ„stance about the yere of our Lord .1414 For before it was so autentikly receiued that it was counted a sacriledge to receiue the one without the other Gelasius Ioan. 〈◊〉 Maioricoâ— episc as appeareth by the wordes of Pope Gelasius CoÌ„perimus quod quidam sumpta tantum modo corporis sacri portione c. the whole in english is thus we vnderstand that there be some which receiuing the one part onely of the holy body De consâ—crat Dist. 1. 〈◊〉 coÌ„perimuâ— absteine from the cup of the sacrate bloud who because they be taught so to do by what superstition I cannot tell eyther let theÌ„ receiue the sacrament whole together or let them absteine from the whole sacrament altogether because the diuision of that one and whole sacrament cannot be without great sacriledge c. Hytherto also perteineth the testimony of S. Austen in these wordes Et ibi vos estis in mensa August sermone ferie 2. pasche in calice nobiscum vos estis Simul enim hoc sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus c. i. There be you at the table and at the cup there also be you with vs for together we receiue and together we drinke because we liue together As also out of the booke of Gregory it is manifest that not onely the people receiued then in both kindes Ex libro sacramentorum Grâ—â—gorij but also the words were prescribed to the minister what he should say in geuing the cup Item sacerdos calicem dando dicat Sanguis Domini nostri Iesu Christi custodiat te ad vitam aeternam i. Let the priest say in geuing the cup The bloud of our lord Iesus Christ keepe thee to euerlasting life Amen Further in reÌ„dering the cause why it should so be done Thomas Aquine writeth Thomas parte que 76. Aâ—t Nam hoc valet ad repraesentandâ—m passionem Christi in qua seorsum fuit sanguis a corpore separatus c. Secundo hoc est conueniens vsui huius sacramenti vt seorsum exhibeatur corpus Christi fidelibus in cibum sanguis in potum i. For that serueth to represent the passion of Christ wherein his bloud was parted seuerally from the body c Secondly for that is conuenient to the vse of the sacrameÌ„t that the body shoulde seuerally be geuen to the faythfull to meat and the bloud to drinke And therfore serued the office of the deacoÌ„s as we read vt oblata a populo super altare consecranda disponant Amb. 〈◊〉 de omni Diuiniâ— officijs perfectis mysterijs calicem sacrosancti sanguinis Domini fidelibus propinent i. To lay the offeringes of the people vpon the altar to be halowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cup of the sacrate bloud of the Lord to the faythfull c. But among all other testimonies to proue that the sacrament ought to be common to all people in both kinds there is none more euident then the place of Hierome Hieronimus in epist 1. 〈◊〉 cap. 11. Conuenâ—â—entibus Caeterum dominica caena omnibus debet esse communis quia ille omnibus discipulis suis qui aderant aequaliter tradidit sacramenta i. The supper of the Lord ought to be indifferently commen to all his disciples there present c. And thus haue ye heard the Canon
of the Conuocation neuer heard one worde of this Catechisme Cran. I was ignorant of the setting too of that title and as soone as I had knowledge therof I did not like it Therefore when I complained therof to the Councel it was answered me by them that the boke was so entituled because it was set foorth in the time of the Conuocation West Moreouer you haue in Duns translated in Romana Ecclesia pro Ecclesia Catholica i. In the Churche of Rome for the Catholicke Church Cran. Yea but he meant the Romish Church West Moreouer you haue depraued S. Thomas namely where he hath these wordes D. Cranmer charged with mistranslating Tho. Aquinas In quantum vero est sacrificium habet vim satisfactiuam Sed in satisfactione attenditur magis affectio offerentis quà m quantitas oblationis Vnde Dominus dicit apud Lucamde vidua quae obtulit duo aera quòd plus omnibus misit Quamuis ergo haec oblatio ex sui quantitate sufficiet ad satisfaciendum pro omni poena tamen fit satisfactoria illis pro quibus offertur vel etiam offerentibus secundum quantitatem suae deuotionis non pro tota poena That is In as muche as it is a sacrifice it hath the power of satisfaction But in satisfaction the affection of the offerer is more to be waied then the quantity of the oblation Wherfore the lord sayde in Lukes Gospell of the widowe which offered two mites that she cast in more thē they al. Therfore although this oblation of the quantitie of it selfe wil suffice to satisfie for all paine yet it is made satisfactorie to them for whom it is offered or to the offerers according to the quantitie of their deuotion and not for all the paine You haue thus turned it Quod sacrificium Sacerdotis habet vim satisfactiuam c. That is That the Sacrifice of the priest hath power of satisfaction c. And therefore in thys place you haue chopped in this word Sacerdotis of y e priest wheras in the translation of all the newe Testament you haue not set it but where Christ was put to death And again where s. Thomas hath pro omni poena for all paine your booke omitteth many things there Thus you see brethren the truth stedfast and inuincible you see also the craft and deceit of hereticks Weston triumpheth before the victory the truth may be pressed but it cannot be oppressed therefore crye altogether Vincit veritas i. The truth ouercommeth This disordered disputation sometime in latine sometime in English continued almost till 2. of the clock Which being finished and the arguments wrytten and deliuered to the handes of M. Say the prisonner was had away by the Mayor and the Doctors dined together at the vniuersitie Colledge Disputation at Oxford betweene D. Smith with his other Colleagues and Doctors and Bishop Ridley Aprill 17. Aprill 17. THe next day folowing which was the 17. of April was brought forth D. Ridley to dispute against whom was set D. Smith to be principall opponent Touching whych D. Smith D. Smith sent to dispute agaynst B. Ridley for so much as mention heere happeneth of hys name first the reader is to be aduertised what is to be attributed to his iudgement in religion which so oftentimes before hath turned and returned to and froe grounded as it seemeth vpon no firme conscience of doctrine as both by hys articles by him recanted may appeare and also by hys owne letter sent a little before in king Edwardes dayes to the Archbishop of Caunterbury from Scotlande Which letter I thought heere to exhibite as a certaine Preface before his own arguments or rather as a testimonie against him selfe whereby y e reader may vnderstand how deuoutly he magnified them and their doctrine a little before agaynst whome he nowe disputeth so busely Reade I beseeche thee his Epistle and iudge The true copie of a certaine Epistle of Doctor Rich. Smith declaring his affection to the setting forth of Gods sincere woorde MOst honorable I commend me vnto your Lordship doing the same to vnderstand A letter of D. Smith to Doct. Cranner Archbishop of Cant. that I wrote letters to your grace in Ianuarye last and the 10. day of Februarie declaring the causes of my sodaine vnaduised departyng from your grace ouer the sea and desiring your good lordship of your charitye towarde them that repent of theyr ill Acts to forgeue me your selfe all that wrōg I did towards your grace and to obtaine in wryting the kings maiesties pardon for me in all poyntes concerning his lawes D. Smith purposing to write for the mariage of Priestes vpon the receit wherof I would returne againe home wythin halfe a yeare at the vttermost afterwarde wryte de Sacerdotum connubijs c. a Latine booke that should be a iust satisfaction for any thing that I haue wrytten agaynste the same Reliqua què omnia dogmata vestra tum demum libenter amplexurum vbi Deus mentem meam vt ea citra cōscientiae laesionem agnoscam doceamquè I wrote not this that I want any good liuing heere but because mine absence oute of the realme is dishonour to the Kings highnes and Realme and because I must needes if I tarie heere a quarter of a yeare longer wryte an aunsweare to your Graces booke of the Sacramente and also a Booke of common places against all the doctrine sette foorth by the kinges Maiestie which I cannot do wyth good conscience Wherefore I beseeche your Grace helpe me home assoone as yee may conueniently for Gods sake and ye shal neuer I trust in God repent that facte Ex vrbe diui Andreae 14. Feb. Richardus Smithaeus And thus much touching the forenamed Doctor Rich. Smith being set heere as is sayde to dispute against Byshop Ridly Disputer◠against D. Ridley who was brought now y e next day after to the Archb. to aunswer in the diuinitie schoole Against whome also besides D. Smith disputed D. Weston D. Tresham D. Oglethorpe D. Glin D. Seton D. Cole M. Warde M. Harpsfielde D. Watson M. Pye M. Hardinge M. Curtop M. Fecknam To all them hee aunsweared very learnedly Hee made a preface to these questions but they woulde not let him goe forth in it but caused him to make an end of the same and sayde it was blasphemie and some saide he droue of the time in ambiguous things nothing to the purpose so they wold not suffer him to say his mind D. Smith coulde get nothing at his hand in so muche that other did take his argumēts and prosecuted them He shewed himselfe to be learned a great clearke They coulde bring nothing but he knew it as well as they The disputation beginneth West Prolocutor Good Christen people and brethren we haue begon this day our schoole by Gods good speede I trust and are entring into a controuersie whereof no question ought to be mooued concerning the veritie of the
is where iudgements be partiall and parties be addicted there all thinges turne to victorie though it be neuer so meane and simple as in this disputation might well appeare For first of the Opponents part neither was there almost any argument in true moode figure rightly framed neither could the answearers be permitted to say for them selues and if they answeared any thing it was condemned before they began to speake Againe such disturbaunce and confusion more like a conspiration then anye disputation without al forme and order was in the schooles during the time of their answering that neither could the answearers haue place to vtter their minds neither would the Opponents be satisfied with any reasons CoÌ„cerning the which disturbaunce of that misruled disputation you shall heare what M. Ridley himselfe reporteth by his owne description in maner as foloweth The reporte and narration of M. Ridley concerning the misordered disputation had against him and his felow prisoners at Oxford B. Ridleyes report of the misorder of this disputation I Neuer yet sithence I was borne saw or heard any thing done or handled more vainely or tumultuously then the disputation which was with mee in the Schooles at Oxforde Yea verely I coulde neuer haue thought that it had ben possible to haue founde amongest men recounted to be of knowledge and learning in thys Realme any so brasen faced and shamelesse so disorderly and vainely to behaue themselues more like to Stageplayers in Enterludes to set forth a Pageant then to be graue Diuines in Schooles to dispute The Sorbonical clamours which at Paris I haue seene in time past when Popery most raigned might be worthely thought in coÌ„parison of this thrasonical ofteÌ„tation to haue had muche modestie And no greate maruaile seeing they which should haue beene Moderatours and Ouerseers of others and whych shoulde haue geuen good ensample in woordes and grauitie they themselues aboue all other gaue worste ensample and did as it were blow the trompe to the rest to raile rore rage and cry out By reason wherof good christen reader manifestly it may appeare that they neuer sought for any truth or verity but onely for the glory of the worlde and their owne bragging victorie No veritie but glory sought for in this disputation But least by the innumerable railings reprochful tauÌ„ts wherwith I was baited on euery side our cause yea rather Gods cause his churches should be euill spoken off and slandered to the world through false reportes and vntrue ensamples geuen out of oure disputation and so the veritie might sustaine some damage I thought it no les then my duety to wryte mine answeres to the intent y t who so euer is desirous to know the truth thereof may by this perceiue as well those things which were chiefly obiected as summarily that which was answered of me vnto euery of them How be it good Reader I confesse this to be most true that it is vnpossible to set foorth either all that was God knoweth tumultuously and confusedly obiected of their partes being so many speaking many times all together so thicke that one coulde not well heare an other either all that was answeared on my behalfe to theÌ„ so sondry and diuers Opponents Moreouer a great parte of the time appoynted for the disputations was vainly coÌ„sumed in opprobrious checks and reuiling tauntes with hissing and clapping of hands and that in the English tongue to procure the peoples fauour wythall All which things when I with great grief of heart did beholde protesting openly that suche excessiue and outragious disorder was vnseemely for those schooles and men of learning and grauitie and that they which wer the doers and stirrers of suche things did nothing else but bewray the slendernesse of theyr cause and theyr owne vanities I was so farre off by thys my humble complaynt from doing any good at all that I was enforced to heare suche rebukes checkes and tauntes for my labour as no persone of any honestie wythout blushing coulde abide to heare the like spoken of a moste vile varlet against a moste wretched Russian At the firste beginning of the Disputation when I should haue confirmed mine answeare to the firste proposition in fewe wordes D. Ridley could not be suffered to read for hindered protection and that after the maner and lawe of Schooles afore I coulde make an ende of my firste probation which was not very long euen the Doctors themselues cried oute hee speaketh plasphemies hee speaketh blasphemies And when I on my knees besoughte them and that heartily that they woulde vouchsafe to heare me to the ende whereat the Prolocutour being mooued cryed out on hie Let him reade it let him reade it yet when I began to reade it agayne there followed immediately such showting such a noyse and tumult and confusion of voyces crying blasphemies blasphemies as I to my remembraunce neuer hearde or read the like excepte it be that one whych was in the Actes of the Apostles stirred vp of Demetrius the siluer Smith and other of hys occupatioÌ„ crying out against Paule Greate is Diana of the Ephesians great is Diana of the Ephesians and except it be a certaine disputation whych the Arrians had against the Orthodoxes and suche as were of godlye iudgemente in Aphryca where it is sayde that suche as the President and rulers of the Disputation were suche was the ende of the disputations All were in a hurly burly and so great were the sclanders which the Arrians cast out that nothing could quietly be heard This wryteth Uictor in the second booke of his Hystorie The which cries and tumultes of them agaynst mee so preuailed that wild I nild I They 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Aprill 14 I was enforced to leaue of y e reading of my probations although they were short If any man doubt of the truth hereof let the same aske any one that was there and not vtterly peruerted in Poperie and I am assured hee will say I speake the least But to complaine of these things further I will cease And further speaking of thys disputation hee concludeth with these wordes And thus was ended thys moste glorious disputation of the most holy Fathers sacrificers Doctours and Maisters which fought most manfully as yee may see for theyr god and goodes for theyr faith and felicitie for theyr countrey and kitchin for theyr beautye and belly with triumphant applauses and fauour of the whole Uniuersitie After the disputation of maister Latimer ended whych was the 18. day of April the Friday following whych was the 20. day of the sayde moneth the Commissioners sate in saint Maries Church as they did the Saterday before and Doctor Weston vsed particularly disswasions wyth euery of them and woulde not suffer them to answeare in anye wise but directly and peremptorily as his woordes wâ—re to say whether they woulde subscribe or no. And firste to the Bishop of Canterbury he said he was ouercome in disputations whome the Byshop aunsweared
D. Cramner Bishop Ridley and M. Latimer condemne that where as Doctour Weston sayde he had answeared and opposed and could neither mainteine his own errors nor impugne the veritie all that he said was false For he was not suffered to Oppose as he woulde nor could answere as he was required vnles he would haue brauled with them so thick theyr reasons came one after an other Euer foure or fiue did interrupt him that he coulde not speake Maister Ridley and M. Latimer were asked what they would do they sayde they would stande to that they had sayd Then were they all called together and sentence read ouer them that they were no members of the Church And therefore they theyr fautors and patrones were condemned as heretiks and in reading of it they were asked whether they would turne or no they bade them read on in the name of God for they were not minded to turne So were they condemned all three After which sentence of condemnation being awarded against them they aunsweared againe euery one in theyr turne in maner and effect of words as foloweth the archbishop first beginning thus The Archbishop of Caunterburie From this your iudgement and sentence I appeale to the iust iudgement of God almighty trusting to be present wyth him in heauen for whose presence in the altare I am thus condemned Doctour Ridley Although I be not of your companye yet doubte not I but my name is wrytten in an other place whether thys sentence wil sende vs sooner then we shoulde by the course of nature haue come Doctour Ridley I thanke God most hartily that he hath prolonged my life to this end that I may in this case glorify God by that kinde of death Doctor Westons answere vnto Latimer If you goe to heauen in thys faith then will I neuer come thither as I am thus perswaded After the sentence pronounced they were separated one from the other videlicet the Archbishop was retourned to Bocardo D. Ridley was caried to the sheriffes house master Latimer to the Bailiffes On Saterday following they had a Masse with a generall procession and great solemnitie Doctor Cranmer was caused to beholde the Procession oute of Bocardo Doctour Ridley out of the Sheriffes house Latimer also being brought to see it from the Bayliffes house thoughte that he should haue gone to burning and spake to one Augustine Cooper a Catchpoll to make a quicke fire But when he came to Karfox and sawe the matter he ranne as fast as his olde bones would carrie him to one Spensers shop and would not looke towardes it Last of all D. Weston caried the sacrament and foure doctors caried the Canapie ouer him Immediately after the sentence was geuen D. Ridley wryteth to the Prolocutor in maner as foloweth Doctor Ridley to the Prolocutor D. Ridleyes letter to the prolocutor MAister Prolocutor you remember I am sure howe you promised me openly in the schooles after my protestation that I should see howe my answeares were there taken and wrytten of the Notaries whom ye appoynted me fateor neminem recusare to wryte what should be sayd and to haue had licence for to haue added vnto them or to haue altered them as vpon more deliberation should haue seemed me best Papistes haue small conscience in performing promises Ye graūted me also at the deliuery of my aunswere vnto your first proposition a copie of the same these promises are not performed If your sodaine departure be any part of the cause therof yet I pray you remember that they may be perfourmed for performaunce of promise is to be looked for at a righteous Iudges handes Nowe I send you here my aunsweres in wryting to your second and third propositions doe desire and require earnestly a copie of the same I shal by Gods grace procure the paines of the wryter to be paid for and satisfied accordingly Maister Prolocutor in the time of my aunswearing in the Scholes when I would haue cōfirmed my sayings with authorities and reasons ye said then openly that I should haue time and place to say and bring whatsoeuer I could an other time and the same your saying was then there confirmed of other of the Commissioners yea and I dare say the audience also thoughte then that I shoulde haue had an other daye to haue broughte and sayde what I coulde for the declaration and confirmation of mine assertions Nowe that this was not done but so sodainly sentence geuen before the cause was perfectly heard I canne not but maruaile c. On Monday next ensuing after these things done and past being the xxiij of the sayde moneth of Aprill D. Weston Prolocutor tooke his iourney vp to London Aprill 13. with the letters certificatorie from y e vniuersitie vnto the Queene by whome the Archb. of Cant. directed his letters supplicatorie vnto the Counsaile The whych letters after the Prolocutor had receiued had caried them wel neare halfe way to London by the way he opened the same and seeing the contentes thereof sente them backe againe refusing to carie them c. Likewise Bishoppe Ridley hearing of the Prolocutors going to London writeth to him his letters wherin he desireth him to cary his answers vp to certaine Bishops in London the forme of which letters first of D. Ridley then of the Archb. and lastly an other letter of D. Ridley to the Archbishop here in order foloweth A letter of B. Ridley to the Prolocutor MAister Prolocutour I desire you and in Gods name require you that you truely bring forth and shew al mine answers wrytten and subscribed with mine owne hande vnto the higher house of the Conuocation and specially to my L. Chauncelor my Lordes of Duresme Ely Worcester Norwich and Chichester and also to shewe and exhibite this my wryting vnto them whyche in these fewe lines heere I wryte vnto you and that I did make thys request vnto you by this my wryting know ye that I did take witnesse of them by whome I did send you this wryting and also of those whiche were then with them present videlicet the two Bailiffes of Oxforde and of master Irishe Alderman then there called to be a witnesse By me Nicholas Ridley 23. of April An. 1554. The copie of the Archb. of Canterb. letters to the Counsaile sent by Doctour Weston who refused to deliuer them IN right humble wise sheweth vnto your honourable Lordships Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie The Archb. writeth to the Counsell beseeching the same to be a meanes for mee vnto the Queenes highnesse for her mercy and pardon Some of you knowe by what meanes I was broughte and trained vnto the will of oure late soueraigne Lorde king Edwarde the sixte and what I spake against the same wherein I referre me to the reportes of your honoures and woorships Furthermore this is to signifie vnto your Lordshippes that vpon Monday Tuesday and Wednesday last past were open disputations heere in Oxforde
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
bene maruelously mooued with great affections and passions as well of myrth and gladnes as of heauines sorrow Of gladnes in this that I perceyued how ye be bent geuen to prayer and inuocation of gods helpe in these darke wicked proceedings of men agaynst Gods glory I haue bene sory to perceiue the malice and wickednes of men to be so cruel diuelish tyrannicall to persecute the people of God for seruyng of God saying hearing of the holy Psalmes and the word of eternall life These cruell doings do declare that the Papistes Church is more bloudy and tyrannicall then euer was the sword of the Ethnikes and Gentiles When I heard of your taking and what ye were doing wherfore and by whom ye were takeÌ„ I remembred how the Christians in the Primatiue Church were vsed by the crueltie of vnchristened heathens in the tyme of Traiane the Emperour about 77. yeares after Christes ascension into heauen Of this persecution 〈◊〉 before and how the Christians were persecuted very sore as though they had bene traytors and moouers of sedition Wherupon the gentle Emperor Traiane required to know the true cause of Christian mens trouble A great learned man called Plinius wrote vnto him said it was because the Christians said certaine psalmes before day The Pope 〈◊〉 then Traians the Heaâ—â—â— Emperour vnto one called Christ whoÌ„ they worshipped for god When Traiane the Emperour vnderstood it was for nothyng but for conscience religion he caused by hys commaundements euery where that no man should be persecuted for seruing of God But the Pope his church hath cast you into prison beyng taken euen doyng the worke of God and one of the excellents workes that is required of Christian men that is to wit whiles ye were in praier not in such wicked superstitious prayers as the papists vse but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray And in his name onely ye gaue God thanks for that ye haue receiued and for his sake ye asked for such thyngs as ye want O glad may ye be that euer ye were borne to be apprehended whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousnesse sake For if God had suffred them that tooke your bodies then to haue taken your life also now had ye bene following the Lamb in perpetual ioyes away from the company and assembly of wicked men But the Lord would not haue you sodainly so to depart but reserueth you gloriously to speake and maintaine his truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shall say for God will go out in with you and will be present in your harts in your mouthes to speake his wisedome although it seemeth foolishnes to the world He that hath begun this good worke in you continue you in the same vnto the end pray vnto him that ye may feare him only that hath power to kill both body soule and to cast them into hel fire Be of good comfort All the haires of your hed are numbred and there is not one of them can perish Math. 10. 〈◊〉 12. except your heauenly father suffer it to perish Now ye be in the field placed in y e forefront of Christs battel Doubtles it is a singuler fauour of God a special loue of him towards you to geue you this foreward preeminence a signe that he trusteth you before others of his people The first onset of this persecution geuen in Bowchurchyarde Wherfore deare brethren and sisters continually fight this fight of the Lord. Your cause is most iust and godly ye stand for the true Christ who is after the flesh in heauen for his true religion and honor which is amply fully sufficiently and abundantly conteyned in the holy Testament sealed with Christes owne bloud How much be ye bound to God to put you in trust with so holy and iust a cause Remember what lookers vpon you haue to see behold you in your sight God all his Angels who be ready alway to take you vp into heauen if ye be slaine in his fight Also you haue standing at your backes all the multitude of the faithfull who shal take courage strength 1. Iohn 4. and desire to follow such noble valiant Christians as you be Be not afraid of your aduersaries for he that is in you is stronger then he that is in them Shrinke not although it be payne to you your paynes be not now so great as here after your ioyes shall be Read the comfortable chapiters to the Romans 8.10.15 Heb. 11.12 Comfort taken out of Scriptures And vpon your knees thanke God that euer ye were accompted worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake Read the 2. chap. of s. Lukes gospell there you shal see how the shepeherds that watched vpon their sheep all night as soone as they heard that Christ was borne at Bethlem True obedience putteth no doubtes by and by they went to see him They did not reason nor debate with theÌ„selues who should keepe the Wolfe from the sheep in the meane time but did as they were commanded committed their sheep vnto him whose pleasure they obeyed So let vs do now we be called commit all other thinges to him that calleth vs. He will take heed that all things shall be well He wil helpe the husband he will comfort the wyfe he will guide the seruaunts he will keepe the house All carefulnes to be cast vpon the Lorde he will preserue the goods yea rather then it should be vndone he will wash the dishes and rocke the cradle Cast therfore all your care vpon God for he careth for you Besides this you may perceiue by your imprisonment that your aduersaries weapons against you be nothyng but flesh bloud and tyrannie For if they were able All the streÌ„gth of the Popes religioÌ„ standeth in outward force they would maintaine their wicked religion by Gods worde but for lacke of that they would violently compell such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade because the holy word of God and all Christes doyngs be contrary vnto them I pray you pray for me I will pray for you And although we be asunder after the world yet in Christ I trust for euer ioyning in the spirite and so shall meete in the pallace of the heauenly ioyes after this short and transitorie lyfe is ended Gods peace be with you Amen The 14 of Ianuary 1554. Upon the Friday after this following being the 18. of Ianuary all the Counsaile went vnto the Tower there the same day discharged and set at libertie all the prisoners of the Tower or the most part of them namely Ianuary 18. Gentlemen deliuered out of the Tower by the Queens pardon the late duke of Northumberlands sonnes Ambrose Robert and Henry sir Andrew Dudley sir Iohn Rogers sir Iames Crofts sir Nich. Throgmorton sir
Saincts whilest a most pleasant refreshing did issue from euery part and member of the body vnto the seate place of the hart and from thence did ebbe and flow to and fro vnto all the partes againe This Saunders continued in prison a whole yeare and 3. moneths In all which space he sent diuers letters to diuers men as one to Cranmer Ridley and Latimer and other to his wife and also to others M. Saunders in prison a yeare and 3. monthes certifying them both of the publike calamitie of the time and also of his priuate afflictions and of sondry his conflictes with his aduersaries As in writing to his friend he speaketh of Weston conferring with him in prison whereof you shall heare anone by the leaue of the Lorde as followeth in the story In the meane time the Chauncellor after this little talke with M. Saunders as is aforesaid sent him to the prison of the Marshalsey c. For the Caiphas Winchester I meane did nothing but bayte him with some of his currish eloquence and so committed him to the prison of the Marshalsey where he was kept prisoner one whole yeare and a quarter But of his cause and estate thou shalt nowe see what Laurence Saunders himselfe did write ¶ A parcell of a Letter of Laurence Saunders sent to the Byshop of Winchester as an aunswere to certayne thyngs wherewith he had before charged hym TOuching the cause of my imprisonment A fragmeâ—â— of M. Sauâ—â—ders letter I doubt whether I haue broken any law or proclamation In my doctrine I did not forasmuch as at that time it was permitted by the proclamation to vse according to our consciences such seruice as was then established He meane the proclaâ—mation of which meâ—â—tion is 〈◊〉 before Satis peceâ—â—uit qui reâ—â—stere non potâ—it My doctrine was then agreeable vnto my conscience and the seruice then vsed The Act which I did he meaneth publike teaching of Gods word in his owne parish called Alhallowes in Breadstreete in the Citie of London was such as being indifferently weyed sounded to no breaking of the proclamation or at the least no wilfull breaking of it forasmuch as I caused no bell to be roong neyther occupyed I any place in the Pulpit after the order of Sermons or Lectures But be it that I did breake the Proclamation this long time of continuance in prison may be thought to be more then a sufficient punishment for such a fault Touching the charging of me with my Religion I say wyth S. Paule This I confesse Act. 24. that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my forefathers beleeuing all thyngs which are written in the lawe and the Prophets and haue hope towards God c. And herein study I â—o haue alway a cleare conscience towardes God and towards men A good tâ—â—stimony oâ— good conscience so that God I call to witnesse I haue a conscience And this my conscience is not grounded vpon vayne fantasie but vpon the infallible veritie of Gods word with the witnessing of his chosen Church agreeable vnto the same It is an easie thing for them which take Christ for theyr true Pastor and be the very sheepe of his pasture to discerne the voice of their true shepheard from the voyce of wolues hyrelings and straungers for as much as Christ sayeth Iohn 10 My sheepe heare my voice yea and thereby they shall haue the gift to know the right voice of the true shepeheard and so to follow him and to auoyde the contrary as he also sayeth The sheepe follow the shepheard for they knowe his voyce A straunger will they not follow but will flie from him for they knowe not the voice of a stranger Such inward inspiration doth the holy Ghost put into the children of God being in deede taught of God but otherwise vnable to vnderstand the true way of their saluation Math. 7. And albeit that the Wolfe as Christ saith commeth in sheepes clothing yet he sayth by their fruites yee shall knowe them How the Wolfe is known 〈◊〉 the true shephearâ— For there be certayne fruites whereby the Wolfe is bewrayed notwithstanding that otherwise in sondry sortes of deuoute holines in outwarde shew he seemeth neuer so simple a sheepe That the Romish religion is rauening woluish it is apparant in 3. principall points First it robbeth God of his due and only honour Secondly it taketh away the true comfort of coÌ„science The incoâ—â—uenience the Româ—â— religion 〈◊〉 3. poyntes in obscuring or rather burying of Christ and his office of saluation Thirdly it spoyleth God of his true worship and seruice in spirit and truth appointed in his prescript commaundementes and driueth men vnto that inconuenience against the which Christ with the Prophet Esay doth speake sharply This people honoureth me with their lips but their hart is far from me Esay 26. Math. 25. They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrine and precepts of men And in another place ye cast aside the commaundemente of God to mayntayne your owne traditions Wherefore I in conscience weying the Romish Religion and by indifferent discussing thereof finding the foundation vnstedfast and the building thereupon but vayne and on the other side hauing my conscience framed after a right and vncorrupt religion ratified and fully established by the word of God and the consent of his true Church I neyther may nor do entend by Gods gracious assistance to be pulled one iot from the same no though an Angell out of heauen should preach another Gospell then that which I haue receyued of the Lord. And although that for lacke either of such deepe knowledge and profound iudgement or of so expedite vttering of that I do know and iudge as is required in an excellent clarke I shall not be able sufficiently to aunswere for the conuincing of the gaine-sayer yet neuerthelesse this my protestation shall be of me premised that for the respect of the grounds and causes before considered albeit I cannot * Explicitâ—â—ides is 〈◊〉 a man haâ— to aunsweâ— to euery poynt of 〈◊〉 â—ayth by sufficient 〈◊〉 ground anâ— learning explicita fide as they call it conceiue all that is to be conceiued neither can discusse all that is to be discussed nor can effectually expresse all that is to be expressed in the discourse of the doctrine of this most true religion whereunto to I am professed Yet do I bind my selfe as by my humble simplicity so by my fidem * implicitam that is by faith in generalty as they call it to wrap my beliefe in the credit of the same that no authority of that romish religion repugnant thereunto shall by any meanes remoue me from the same though it may hap that our aduersaries will labour to beguile vs with entising wordes and seeke to spoyle vs through Philosophy and deceitfull vanity after the traditions of men and after the ordinances of the world and
not after Christ c. And thus much out of M. Sanders letter so much as remained thereof The residue because it was rent away I could not adioine hereunto NotwithstaÌ„ding by this alredy expressed it is sufficient to vnderstand how good was y e cause estate of this blessed child of god being prisoner for Christes cause Ann. 1555. February For y e defence wherof he wholy bestowed resigned himself in such sort as he forbad his wife to sue for his deliuery wheÌ„ other of his friends had by suite almost obtained it he discouraged them so that they did not folow their suite as by this letter following may appeare ¶ A letter of M. Saunders to his wife GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our Lord. Entirely beloued wife euen as vnto mine owne soule and body so do I dayly in my harty prayer wish vnto you for I doo dayly twise at the least in this sort remember you And I do not doubt deare wife but that both I and you as we be written in the booke of life so we shall together enioy the same euerlastingly through the grace and mercy of God our deare father in hys sonne our Christ. And for this present life let vs wholy appoynt our selues to the will of our good God to glorifie him either by life or by death and euen that same mercifull Lord make vs worthy to honour him either way as pleaseth him Amen I am mery I thanke my God and my Christ 1. Tim. 4. in whome and through whome I shall I knowe be able to fight a good fight and finishe a good course and then receiue the crowne which is layde vp in store for me and all the true Soldiours of Christ. Wherefore wife let vs in the name of our God fight lustely to ouercome the flesh the deuil and the world What our harnesse and weapons be in this kind of fight looke the 6. vnto the Ephesians and pray pray pray I would that you make no suite for me in any wise M Saunders would haue no suite made for him Thanke you knowe whome for her most sweete and comfortable putting me in remembrance of my iourney whether I am passing God send vs all good speede and a ioyfull meeting I haue too fewe suche frends to further me in that iourney which is in deede the greatest friendship The blessing of God be with you all Amen A prisoner in the Lord Laurence Saunders This his constancie is sufficiently commended and declared by his valiant buckling with two mighty enemies Antichrist and death two enemies Antichrist and death To neither of these did he geue place but by suffering their malice got y e victory ouer them both One of the conflictes which he had with Antichrist hys members I haue gathered out of a letter of his own hand writing It was with Doctour Weston a man whome though I should prayse yet would all good and godly meÌ„ worthely disprayse Of this the said Laurence Saunders thus writeth in a letter which he sent to one of his frends which wrote to him to knowe what Doct. Weston dyd at the Marshalsey whereunto he thus aunswereth M. Weston came to conferre with M. Grimoald What he hath coÌ„cluded with him This Doct. Weston and M. Griâ—moald dyed both about the Coronation of Q. Elizabeth I know not I wish it may be to Gods glory Amen Amen M. Weston of his gentlenes visited me ofâ—red me frendship in his worldly wily sort c. I had not so much good maner as to take it at his haÌ„d for I said that I was well inough and ready cherefully to abide the extremity to keepe thereby a good coÌ„science You be a sleepe in sin said he I would awake quoth I and do not forget Vigilate orate i. Watch pray What church was there The church goeth not alwayes by number said he 30. yeres past What church was there quoth I in Helias time Ioane of Kent sayd he was of youre Church No quoth I we did coÌ„demne her as an heretick Who was of your Church sayd he 30. yeares past Such quoth I as that Romish Antichrist and his rabble haue reputed and condemned as heretickes Wicklife sayd he Thorpe Old castle c. Yea quoth I with many moe as storyes do tell The B. of Rome hath sayd he long tyme played a part in your tayling sermons but now be ye sure he must play another maner of part The more pitie quoth I and yet some coÌ„fort it is to see how that the best learned Winchesters booke De Vera Obedientia wisest holiest of you all haue heeretofore had him to play a part likewise in your sermoÌ„s writings though now to please the world you do turne with the weathercocke Did you euer said he heare me preach against the Bishop of Rome No quoth I for I neuer heard you preach But I trowe you haue ben no wiser then other c. with more about the Sacrament Pray pray God keepe your family blesse it What a blessed taste thys good man had of Gods holy spirit by diuers and sondry his letters may right wel appeare to him that is disposed to peruse the same What a blessed taste of M. Sanders had of christes comforts whereof certayne we haue here thought good the Lord willing to expresse first beginning with that whiche he wrote out of the Marshalsey to D. Cranmer Ridley and Latimer prisoners for the like cause of Christ in Oxford To the Archbishop Cranmer Bish. Ridley and M. Latimer being prisoned in Oxford IN my most humble wise I salute you most reuerend fathers in Christ Iesus our Lord M. Saunders writeth to D. Cranmer Ridley c. Coloss. 1. Immortall thanks and euerlasting prayses be geuen vnto that our father of mercies Whiche hath made vs meete to be pertakers of the inheritaunce of Saintes in light whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darckenes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne by whome we haue redemption through his bloud c O most happy estate that in an vnspeakable wise our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. But whensoeuer Christ which is our life shall shew himselfe then shall we also appeare with him in glory In y e meane season as our sight is but in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking 1. Cor. 13. so wee walke in fayth not after outward appearaunce the which fayth although for want of outward appearaunce reason reputeth but as vaine yea the chosen of God do know the effect thereof to bring a more substanciall taste and liuely fruition of very felicitie and perfect blessednes then reason can reach or sences receaue By this fayth we haue in our profession all good thinges yea euen them whiche the eye hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neither hath entred the hart of man c. Esay 54. 1. Cor. 2. Then
Iusticer spare of dyet sparer of words sparest of time In housekeping very liberall and sometime more free then his liuing would extend vnto Briefly of all those vertues and qualities required of S. Paul in a good B. in his epistle to Timothe I know not one in this good B. lacking He bare in countenauÌ„ce talke alwayes a certayn seuere graue grace which might peraduenture be wished sometimes to haue bene a little more populare and vulgarlike in him but he knewe what he had to doe best himselfe This by the way I thought to note for that there was once an honest Citizen to me not vnknowne which hauing in himselfe a certaine coÌ„flict of conscience came to his doore for couÌ„sell but being abashed at his austere behauior durst not come in but departed seking remedy of his trobled minde at other mens hands which he afterward by y e help of almighty God did finde obtayn Therefore in my iudgement such as are appointed made gouernours ouer y e flock of Christ to teach and instruct them ought so to frame their life maners Discretioâ— how minâ—â—sters and preacherâ— ought to behaue themseluâ—â— countenaunce and externall behauiour as neither they shew themselues to familiar light whereby to be brought in contempt nor in the other side agayn that they appeare more lofty and rigorous then appertayneth to the edifiyng of the simple flocke of Christ. Neuertheles as euery maÌ„ hath his peculiar gift wrought in him by nature so this disposition of fatherly grauitie in this man neither was excessiue neither did hee beare that personage which was in him without great consideratioÌ„ For it seemed to him peraduenture that this licencious and vnbrideled life of the common sorte ought to be chastened not onely with wordes and discipline but also with the graue and seuere countenaunce of good men After he had thus practised himself in this popular and common kinde of preaching at length and that not wythout the great profite of many he was called to preache before the kinges maiestie and soone after made Bishop of Gloucester by the kinges commaundement M. Hooâ—â—â— made Biâ—shop of Glocesteâ— and Worâ—cester In that office he continued two yeares and behaued himself so wel that his very enemies except it were for his good doings and sharpe correcting of sinne could finde no fault with hym and after that he was made Bishop of Worcester But I cannot tell what sinister vnlucky contention concerning the ordering and consecration of Bishops and of their apparell with suche other like trifles began to disturbe y e good lucky beginning of this godly byshop For notwithstanding that godly reformation of religion then begon in the church of England besides other ceremonies more ambitious then profitable or tending to edification they vsed to weare suche garmentes and apparrell as the popish Bishops were wont to doe first a Chymere Popish aâ—â—tyre vnder that a white Rochet then a Mathematicall cap wyth iiij angles deuiding the whole world into foure partes These trifles tending more to superstition theÌ„ otherwyse as he could neuer abide so in no wise could he be perswaded to weare them For this cause he made supplication to the kings maiestie most humbly desiring his highnes eyther to discharge him of the bishopricke or els to dispense with him for such ceremoniall orders Whose petition the kyng graunted immediately writyng his letter to the Archb. after this tenour ¶ The Kings letters or grant for the dispensation of Iohn Hooper elected B. of Gloucester written to the Archbishop of Caunterbury and other Bishops RIght reuerend father and right trusty and welbeloued wee greete you well Whereas we by the aduise of our Counsail haue called and chosen our right welbeloued and well worthy M Iohn Hooper professor of Diuinitie to be our B. of Glocester as well for his great knowledge deepe iudgement and long study both in the scriptures and other prophane learnyng as also for his good discretion ready vtteraunce and honest life for that kynd of vocation to the intent all our louing subiects which are in his sayd charge and elsewhere might by his sound and true doctrine learne the better their duety towards God theyr obedience towards vs and loue towards their neighbors from consecrating of whom we vnderstand you do stay because he would haue you omit and let passe certayne rites and ceremonies offensiue to his conscience wherby ye thynke you should fall in Premunire of lawes we haue thought good by the aduise aforesaid to dispense and discharge you of all maner of dangers penalties and forfaitures you should run and be in any maner of way by omitting any of the same And these our letters shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge therfore Yeuen vnder our signet at our Castell of Wyndsore the 5. of August the 4. yeare of our raigne Ed. Somerset W. Wiltshire W. North. W. Paget An. Wingfield N. Wootton Besides this letter of the kyng also the Earle of Warwicke which was afterward D. of Northumberland adioined his letter to the foresayd Archb. of Cant. to this purpose and effect that M. Hooper might not be burdened with the oth vsed then commonly in the consecratioÌ„ of bishops which was against his conscience as by the purport of the letter here is to be seene as followeth A letter of the Earle of Wâ—â—wicke to 〈◊〉 Archb. in the behalfe of M. Hooper AFter my most harty commendatioÌ„s to your grace these may be to desire the same that in such reasonable things wherein this bearer my L. elect of Glocester craueth to be borne withall at your hands you would with safe to shew him your graces fauour the rather at this my instaunce which thyng partly I haue taken in hand by the kyngs Maiesties owne motion The matter is wayed by his highnes none other but that your grace may facily condescend vnto The principal cause is that you would not charge this said bearer wiâ—h an oth burdenous to his conscience And so for lacke of tyme I commit your grace to the tuition of almighty God From Westm. the 23. of Iuly 1550. Your graces most assured louing friend I. Warwike ¶ Both this graunt of the King and also the Earles letters aforesayd notwithstandyng the bishops still stoode earnestly in the defence of the foresayd ceremonies sayeng it was but a small matter and that the fault was in the abuse of the thyngs and not in the thyngs themselues adding moreouer that he ought not to be so stubburne in so light a matter The kinges 〈◊〉 noâ— the Earles â—ould take 〈◊〉 Dâ—scorde 〈◊〉 rituall gâ—â—ments of 〈◊〉 M. Hooper 〈…〉 to the â—iâ—hops M Hooper â—â—â—pelled to preach before the 〈…〉 and that his wilfulnesse therein was not to be suffered To be short whilest both parties thus contended about this matter more then reason would in the meane tyme occasion was geuen as to the true Christians to lament so to the
day Then the B. of Winchester would haue made that text to haue serued nothing for his purpose he said he might be in heauen and in the sacrament also M. Hooper would haue sayd more to haue opened the text but all men that stood next about the Bishop allowed so his saying with clamours and cryes that M. Hooper was not permitted to say any more agaynst the Byshop Whereuppon they bade the Notaries write that hee was married and sayd that he would not goe from hys wyfe Articles taken agaynst M. Hooper and that he beleeued not the corporall presence in the Sacrament wherfore he was worthy to be depriued from his bishoprike This is the truth of the matter as far as I can truely remember of the confuse and troublesome talke that was betweene them and except it were hasty and vncharitable words this is the whole matter of their talk at that time Atque haec ille hactenus ¶ The true report of M. Hoopers entertainment in the Fleete written with his owne hand the seuenth of Ianuary 1554. THe first of September 1553. M. Hoopers report of his imprisonment in the fleete I was committed vnto the Fleete from Richmount to haue the liberty of the prison and within sixe dayes after I payd for my liberty v. pounds sterling to the Warden for fees who immediately vpon the payment therof complayned vnto Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester This good gentlewoman is thought to be Mistres Wilkinson and so was I committed to close prison one quarter of a yeare in the Tower chamber of the Fleete vsed very extremely Then by the meanes of a good Gentlewoman I had liberty to come downe to dinner and supper not suffered to speake wyth any of my friends but as soone as dinner supper was done to repaire to my chamber agayne NotwithstaÌ„dyng whilest I came downe thus to dinner and supper the Warden and his wyfe picked quarels with me and complayned vntruely of me to their great friend the bishop of Winchester After one quarter of a yeare and somewhat more Babington Warden of the fleet a wicked Tyrant to Gods people Babington the Warden and his wife fell out with me for the wicked Masse and thereupon the Warden resorted to the B. of Wint. obteyned to put me into the wardes where I haue continued a long tyme hauing nothing appointed to me for my bed but a little pad of straw and a rotten couering with a tike and a few fethers therein the chamber being vile and stinking vntill by gods meanes good people sent me bedding to lye in Of the one side of which prison is the sinke and filth of the house and on the other side the towne ditch so that the stinch of the house hath infected me with sundry diseases During which tyme I haue bene sicke the doores The barbarous cruelty of the Warden of the Fleete barres haspes and chaines being all closed and made fast vpon me I haue mourned called and cried for helpe But the Warden when he hath knowen me many tymes redy to dye and when the poore men of the wardes haue called to helpe me hath commanded the dores to be kept fast and charged that none of his men should come at me saying let him alone it were a good riddance of hym And among many other tymes he did thus the 18. of October 1553. as many can witnes I payed alwayes like a Baron to the sayd Warden as well in fees as for my boord which was xx s. a weeke besides my mans table vntill I was wrongfully depryued of my bishoprike and since that tyme I haue payed hym as the best gentleman doth in his house yet hath he vsed me worse and more vilely then the veriest slaue that euer came to the hall Commons The said Warden hath also imprisoned my man William Downton W. DowntoÌ„ M. Hoopers man stripped him out of his cloths to search for letters could find none but only a little remembrance of good peoples names that gaue me their almes to relieue me in prison and to vndoe them also the Warden deliuered the same bill vnto the said St. Gardiner Gods enemy and myne I haue suffered imprisonment almost eighteene monethes my goods liuyng friends M. Hooper 18. monethes in prâ—son Queene Maâ—y indâ—bted to M. Hooper and comfort taken from me the Queene owing me by iust account 80. poundes or more She hath put me in prison and geueth nothyng to finde me neither is there suffred any to come at me wherby I might haue reliefe I am with a wicked man and woman so that I see no remedy sauing gods helpe but I shall be cast away in prison before I come to iudgement But I commit my iust cause to God whose will be done whether it be by life or death Thus much wrote he hymselfe of this matter ¶ Another examination of M. Hooper THe xxij of Ianuary followyng 1555. Babington the Warden of the Fleete was commaunded to bryng M. Hooper before the Bishop of Winchester M Hooper againe conuented before the bishop of Winchester with other Bishops and Commissioners at the sayd Winchesters house at S. Mary Oueries where as in effect thus much was done The Bishop of Winchester in the name of hymselfe and the rest mooued Maister Hooper earnestly to forsake the euill and corrupt doctrine as he termed it preached in the dayes of K. Edward the sixt Gardiner exhorteth M. Hooper to returne to the Popes church and to returne to the vnitie of the Catholique Church and to acknowledge the Popes holynesse to bee head of the same Churche accordyng to the determination of the whole Parliament promising that as he hymselfe with other his brethren had receyued the Popes blessyng and the Queenes mercye euen so mercy was ready to be shewed to him and others if he would arise with them and condescend to the Popes holynesse M. Hooper aunswered that for as much as the Pope taught doctrine altogether contrarye to the doctrine of Christ The Pope not worthy to be a member of Christs church he was not worthy to be accounted as a member of Christes Church much lesse to be head thereof wherefore he would in no wyse condescend to any such vsurped iurisdiction neither esteemed he the Church whereof they call hym head to be the Catholicke Church of Christ for the Church onely heareth the voyce of her spouse Christ flieth the straungers Howbeit saith he if in any point to me vnknowen I haue offended the Queenes maiestie I shall most humbly submit my selfe to her mercy if mercye may be had with safetie of conscience and without the displeasure of God Aunswer was made that the Queene would shew no mercy to the Popes enemies Queene Mary will shew no mercy but to the Popes friendes Whereuppon Babington was commanded to bring him to the Fleete againe who did so and shifted him from his former chamber into another nere vnto
question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then sayd I My Lord I thinke many things be farre wide from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my Lord sayd Thou art a very varlet Math. 5. To that I aunswered that is as ill as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt beetill brow To that I aunswered D. Taylour learned in diuinitie and also in the ciuill lawe Gardiners booke de vera obedientia I haue read ouer and ouer agayne the holy Scriptures and S. Augustines workes through S. Cyprian Eusebius Origine Gregory Nazianzen with diuers other bookes through once therefore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignoraunt Besydes these my Lorde I professed the Ciuill lawes as your Lordship did and I haue read ouer the Canon law also Then my Lord sayd with a corrupt iudgement thou readest all things Touching my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lord ye did write one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscience that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord sayd tut tut tut I wrote agaynst Bucer in Priestes Mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maryed many yeares To that I aunswered I am maryed in deed and I haue hadde nine children in holy Matrimonye I thanke God and this I am sure of that your proceedinges now at this present in this Realme agaynst Priestes Mariages is the maintenance of the doctrine of deuils agaynst naturall lawe Ciuill lawe Canon law generall Counsels Canons of the Apostles auncient Doctours and Gods lawes Then spake my Lord of Duresme saying You haue professed the Ciuill law as you say Then you know that Iustinian writeth that Priestes shoulde at theyr taking of orders sweare that they were neuer maryed and he bringeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I did not remember any such lawe of Iustinian But I am sure that Iustinian Writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in Cod. that if one would bequeath to his wife in his TestameÌ„t a legacy vnder a conditioÌ„ that she shuld neuer mary agayne and take an othe of her accomplishing of the same yet she may mary agayne if he die notwithstanding the aforesayd coÌ„dition and othe taken and made agaynst Mariage and an othe is an other maner of obligation made to God then is a Papisticall vow made to man Moreouer in the Pandects it is conteined that if a man doth manumit his handmayde vnder a condition that shee shall neuer mary yet she may mary and her Patrone shall loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnaturall and vnlawfull condition agaynst Matrimony Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd thou sayst that Priestes may be maryed by Gods law How prouest thou that Scripture â—pprâ—ueth 〈◊〉 maâ—sages but â—he Pâ—pe 〈◊〉 be heard beâ—ore the Scripture Chrysost. â—alleth it an â—eresie to â—ay that a Priest may â—ot be maâ—yed I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paul both to Timothy to Titus where he speaketh most euidentlye of the mariage of Priestes Deacons and Byshoppes And Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy sayth It is an heresye to say that a Bishop may not be maryed Then sayd my Lord Chauncellor thou lyest of Chrysostome But thou doest as all thy companions doe belye euer without shame both the Scriptures and the Doctors Diddest thou not also say that by the Canon lawe Priestes may be maried whiche is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I aunswered We read in the Decrees that the foure generall Councels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedone haue the same authority that the foure Euangelistes haue And we read in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon law that the Councell of Nicene by the meanes of one Paphnutius Canon law â—â—proueth Priests maâ—iages did allow Priestes bishops mariages Therfore by the best part of the Canon law Priestes may be maried Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd thou falsifiest the generall Councell For there is expresse mention in the sayde Decree that Priestes shoulde be diuorced from their wiues Winchester â—â—lyeth the â—ouncell whiche bee maried Then said I if those words be there as you say then am I content to lose this great head of mine Let the booke be fetched 〈◊〉 â—elpeth Winâ—â—ester 〈…〉 Then spake my Lord of Duresme Though they be not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which booke the Decree was taken To that sayd I it is not like that the Pope woulde leaue out any such sentence hauing such authority making so much for his purpose Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Gratian was but a patcher thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I answered my Lord I can not but maruell that you do call one of the chiefe Papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilt thou not returne agayne with vs to the Catholicke Church and with that he rose And I sayd By Gods grace I will neuer departe from Christes Church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison and my Lord Chauncellour sayde thou shalt haue iudgement within this weeke and so was I deliuered agayne vnto my keeper D. Taylour 〈◊〉 agayne 〈…〉 My Lord of Duresme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we ought to preferre Gods word before all men And thus muh was conteined in the foresayd letter of Doctor Taylour for that matter Besides this letter moreouer he directed an other writing in like maner to an other frend of his concerning the causes wherfore he was condemned whiche we thought likewise here to expresse as foloweth ¶ The copy of an other Letter to his frend touching his assertions of the Mariage of Priestes and other causes for the which he was condemned IT is heresy to defend any doctrine agaynst the holy scripture Therfore the Lord Chauncellour and Bishops coÌ„senting to his sentence agaynst me be heretickes For they haue geuen sentence agaynst the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paul to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly The B. of Wint. and his felloweâ— proued to be oâ—pen heretickes by Scripture 〈◊〉 by the true â—â—â—nition of hereâ—â— that Bishops Priestes Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of y e deuils to inhibite Matrimony And S. Paule willeth euery faythfull Minister to teach the people so least they be deceiued by the marked Marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These Byshops are not ignoraunt that it is onely S. Paules counsell
hauing also theyr Deanes stall in the quere wyth a Prebende thereunto annexed and the chiefe place in the Chapter house with a key of theyr Chapter Seale beyng also by the Kynges Maiestyes Commission appoynted theyr Ordinary yet woulde they not in anye wise deliuer vnto him a Booke of theyr Statutes for the better knowledge of his and theyr duetyes nor shewe vnto him their Recordes and Monumentes for declaration of the kings right and his For which cause this Defendaunt by writ of quo warranto lawefully called them to aunswere which yet lyeth a sleepe to the losse of the Kinges Maiestyes right The time of deliuery of the sayd writte he remembreth not The 37. he sayeth is all false as farre as hee knoweth ¶ To the title of wilfull negligence he sayeth that hee hath vsed to his power willing diligence TO the 38. he sayth that he being attendant according to his bounden duetye to serue the Kinges highnesse during the time of the parliament from the first vnto the last day and then immediately after repayred into his Dioces and he might not trust R. M. the Chauntour and George Constantine to execute faythfully the iurisdiction because they had before through theyr slaundrous life and not punishing misdoers left the country in great enormity of filthy whoredome And sayth farther that one cause why he appoynted not an Officer c. was for that he lacked his letters of authority of Iurisdiction The 39. and 40. he sayth are vntrue To the 41. he sayth that how often he did minister the Communion he doth not remember but in all other thinges so farre as he knoweth he hath studied to order hymselfe according to his vocation as farre as he beleueth hee goeth like a Minister To the 42. he sayeth that hee hath not alienated hymselfe from studye neyther preached vndiscreetly nor reported the Scriptures vntruely to his knowledge but he hath bene very much hindered both from study preaching by the malicious crafty and couetous behauiour of the forenamed persons And that he did set forth the doctrine of honest maryage as well of all other menne as of Priestes euen as the Scripture then rehearsed did minister occasion To the 43. he sayth that reciting the wordes of Luke if thy brother haue offended agaynst thee blame him and if he repent forgeue hym and if he haue offended agaynst thee seuen tymes in one day and seuen times in the daye be conuerted vnto thee saying I am sory forgeue him He sayd farther these wordes in effect it appeareth by this place of scripture that we are not bound except he repent to forgeue him but we are bound to pray to God to forgeue him and to geue him grace to repent that wee may forgeue him To the 44. he sayth that he hath preached right often at Carmarthen as well as at other places and hee sayeth that a great number at Aberguilly do vnderstand english very well To the 45. he sayth that after he had preached fyrste at Brecknocke Carmarthen Swanzy Laugharne Tinby Pembroche Hereforde Saynt Dauids Cardigan with other notable Townes he hath since that time preached to a greate manye other poore Churches but not in Tinby nor Pembroche but for Hereforde he standeth in doubt And whereas he brought with him at the first a learned Preacher of Godly life the vngodly stubborne behauiour of the persons before named weryed him away And wheras he had waged an other learned man to come into his Dioces to preache George Constantine by hys discouragement aduertised him from this Defendaunt To the 46. he sayth that in all his Churches appropriated there is both Bible and Paraphrases so farre as he knoweth and if the Priestes there woulde not shewe him the lacke thereof yet should the Officialles declare it vnto him that it might be amended by his will without delay To the 47. he sayth that George Constantine couetously ingrossed into his handes a great number of Paraphrases wher as this Defendaunt hath admonished the Clergy to buy euery one for his discharge and if the sayd George being Officiall of two Archdeaconries and other Officials in theyr Office woulde declare vnto him what Churches do lack Bibles or Paraphrases he would cause it to be amended as much as in him lyeth ¶ To the title of Folly he sayth that his desire is in true simple maner of his wordes deedes and other honest behauiour through Gods grace to shew Godly wisedome TO the 48. he sayth that he thinketh no folly in the decent colour or fashion with honest vse of Saddle Bridle Stirrops Staffe and other like necessary or conuenient things and sayth that he vseth a Saddle made after the Scottish fashion with stirrops of iron vnuarnished like spurs and blacke bridle without studdes the bit and snaffle white as other mens be To the 49. he sayth that whē he goeth abroad in winter he weareth a hat to beare of rayne and snow in sommer to shadow him from the Sunne without any vowe of superstition or offence of the people To the 50. he sayth that all is one to him to ride or go as cause requireth and whether he sayd as is conteyned in the article or not he remembreth not Howbeit he doth vse to go a foote To the 51. he sayth that after lawfull prayer it pleased God to geue him a sonne begottē and borne in honest mariage whome he therefore caused to be named Samuell presenting him to the minister to be receiued into Christes Church as a poore member of Christ by the holy Sacrament of baptisme was this done openly in the Cathedrall Church with earnest grauity and without offending any man and also 2. wiues being before at variaunce desired both to be Godmothers whiche were both receiued to make vnity betweene them not knowing any lawe to the contrary nor none offence therby conceiued of the people To the 52. he sayth that he doth vse with grauity all honest louing enterteinement of his Chylde to encourage him hereafter willinglye at hys Fathers mouth to receiue wholesome doctrine of the true feare loue of God and sayeth that he hath whistled to hys Chylde but sayde not that the Chylde vnderstoode it and that he aunswered to one that founde fault with it as is conteyned in the article To the 53. he sayeth that hee was neuer Surueyor but went to see Milforde Hauen for honest purpose and not to suruey it and for that hee at the sighte of a Seale whistled in his fist such as meaned folly might turne it to theyr purpose And it is not true that he stoode whistlynge an hower to the Seale nor that anye faulte was founde with it nor any such aunswere made by him to his knowledge To the 54. he sayth that if he did say the destroying of the Frie letteth plenty of Fish he thinketh the same not agaynst reason but he remembreth not to haue sayd as is conteined in the article To the 55. he saith that he remembreth not that
hym once to stirre in the paynes of his burnyng he should then geue no credite to his doctrine And as hee sayd so he right well performed the same for so paciently he stoode that he neuer mooued but euen as he stoode holdyng vp his stumpes so still he continued till one Rich. Grauell with a staffe dashed hym vppon the head and so stroke hym downe ¶ Letters As touching the letters of M. Farrer we do not finde many that he did write And peradueÌ„ture in Queene Maries tyme his imprisonment was so strait that at no time it was permitted to hym to write Albeit in his other troubles in kyng Edwards tyme certayne letters he wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer and to the Erle of Warwike which letters although they might be well referred to the first edition of this story yet because in the sayd letters is conteyned briefly and in few lynes the whole discourse of hys vniust vexation at that tyme wrought by his aduersaries I thought good not to passe them ouer but to communicate them vnto the Reader for the better vnderstanding both of the innocencie of y â— blessed B. and of the crafty iniquitie of his conspired enemies as in the sayd letters here folowing to the indifferent reader may easily appeare ¶ The copy of a certaine letter of the Bishop of S. Dauids written belike to the L. Chancellor Doct. Goodrike Bishop of Ely MOst humbly sheweth vnto your honor your poore orator Rob. Bish. of S. Dauids that where as one Tho. Lee by the procurement of Tho. Yong Rowland Mericke beyng both Canons of S. Dauids and George Constantine Register to the sayd bishop hath exhibited vnto your honor agaynst him certaine articles in the which are mentioned many triflyng thyngs vnworthy to be declared in your honourable audience and also theyr pretensed weighty articles as they haue alledged there are vtterly vntrue for proofe whereof the sayd Thomas Lee hath had Commissions into the countrey therfore it may please your honour of your fauourable goodnesse to graunt vnto your said Oratour a like Commission for the examination of witnesses in defence of his truth and honesty against the aforenamed Thomas Lee George Constantine Tho. Yong Rowland Mericke and all other persons with their vniust articles attestations and sayings deposed agaynst hym And in tender consideration that your said Orator standeth bounden and sureties with hym in the summe of a thousand markes â— Farrar 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 to appeare in a â—atter of â—â—emunire to appeare before the kyngs Iustice in the Sessions at Carmarthen in Iuly next commyng to aunswer to a forged matter of Premunire by the procurement and counsaile of his forenamed aduersaries malitiously surmised agaynst hym to his vtter vndoyng and furthermore that your Orator beyng in debt to the kings maiesty by reason of the malitious vexation of his foresayd aduersaries cannot if he remaine here satisfie the same for where as there be rerages to a great summe as well of the kyngs money as of hys owne rentes he can receyue none thereof his aduersaries haue made such ill report to his discredite bearyng the people in hand that he shall come no more thither by reason of which bruite neyther hys owne tenaunts will pay their rentes and rerages nor the priests their rerages due to the Kings Maiestie as well for anno secundo and tertio as for quarto and quinto In consideration of all these thyngs it may please your honourable goodnes to licence your sayd Oratour to depart into the Dioces for these affaires and other he shall be ready at all tymes at your honourable commaundement and pleasure to repaire againe and euer to pray to the Lord Iesu for the perpetuall conseruation of your honor to his glory Besides this letter he wrote another likewise to y e said Lord who was as seemeth D. Goodricke L. Chancellor afore mentioned wherein he declareth the whole cause of his trouble how it rose against him by his aduersaries as here followeth ¶ Another letter written by the B. of S. Dauids to the L. Chancellor aforesayd RIght honourable and my very especiall good Lorde with humble seruice and hearty thankes to God An other letter of B. Farrar to the Lord Chauncellour and to you for your godly fauour towardes me at all times as right plainly appeareth by your fatherly letters most louingly admonishing me to incline vnto that which is very necessary as charitable concord and vnity This is further to beseeche your Lordship for the Lordes sake not to be grieued but benignly to heare and grauely to ponder that weighty matter which appearing to other but a light griefe to me is in very deede a right grieuous offence to Godward with no little hinderaunce of his holy worde and disturbaunce of the Kings godly proceedyngs and may be great occasion of much inobedience and disorder of good lyfe Wherfore I am straitly bounden for the true zeale that I ought to beare vnto the word of lyfe Christian religion the kings maiesties honor and the godly quiet state of his people not faintly to let fall the burthen of diligent redres to be sought at his maiesties hands by the godly wisdome of his most honourable and vpright Counsayle but with hearty affection to beare it vp agaynst those high mynded arrogant stubborne ambitious couetous Canons trusting in their biting tongues with crafty preuention and vtterly vntrue surmises to stop the lyght that theyr vngodly misdoyngs in darkenesse shal eyther not be seene or at the least may haue a coulourable appearaunce of right In so much that I do not a little meruayle at these qualities in Maister Chaunter the Canon and the Deane of Worcester whose vngentle and vntrue behauiour I haue not onely knowen but expertly prooued and sensibly felte in two of the first to my great losses whereof I make no complaint The vnkind dealing of George Constanâ—â—ne against â— Farrar But I wonder in my mynde and lament in my heart the strange alteration wilfull goyng backward of myne old faithful brother George ConstaÌ„tine the which knowyng them all three to haue bene in tymes past either obstinate enemies to the true bearers of the crosse of Christ or at the least priuy lurkers vnder pretence of fauour towards the Gospell to sting the poore followers therof seking but their own lucre and pleasure in all their doings would so earnestly cleaue vnto them in their wrong deeds as to betray me with his tong become vntrue of his promise and a bearer of filthy sinne for lucres sake euen yet stifly persisting in the same namely in thyngs manifestly knowen vnto many although he would deny it and that I might not be credited And as for their Premunire both George they at my first commyng 〈◊〉 Ferlee 〈…〉 to â— Farrar vngently deteinyng from M. Ferlee hys commission of the Chauncellorship would haue faced me down with the Premunire because it was written in myne owne name
will do When the B. had made an ende of his long tale this good father Rawlins spake very boldly to him and sayd Rawlins aunswere to the Byâ—shop My Lord. I thanke God I am a christian maÌ„ and I hold no opinions contrary to the word of God if I do I desire to be reformed out of the worde of God as a christian maÌ„ ought to be many mo words in like sort wer betwene the B. Raulins which this reporter doth not wel remeÌ„ber But in the end when Rawlins would in no wyse recant his opinions the B. told him plainly y t he must proceed against him by y e law condemn him as an heretike Proceed in your law a Gods name said Rawlins but for an heretike you shal neuer condemn me while y e world standeth The B. Landaffâ— proceedeâ— with praâ— in condeâ—â—nation oâ— Rawlins which câ—â—monly 〈◊〉 popish pâ—â—â—secutors not woâ—â— doe But said the B. to his company before we proceed any further with hym let vs pray vnto God that he would send some sparke of grace vppon him meanyng Rawlins it may so chance that God through our prayer will here turne and conuert his heart When Rawlins heard the B. say so Ah my Lord quoth he now you deale well and like a godly Bish. and I thanke you most hartily for your great charity and gentlenes Christ saith where as two or three be gathered in my name I will be in the middest of them and there be moe then two or three of you Now if it be so that your request be godly and lawfull and that that you pray as ye should pray without doubt God will heare you And therefore my Lord goe to doe you praye to your God Anno 1555. Aprill and I wil pray to my God I know that my God will both heare my prayer and performe my desire By and by the B. with his company fell to praier And Rawlins turning himselfe to a pew that stood somewhat neare him The Bishop â—ayeth to 〈◊〉 God Rawlins to 〈◊〉 fell downe vpon his knees couering hys face with his handes and when they had praied a while the B. with his company arose from prayer And then also arose Rawlins and came before the Bishop Then said the B. Now Rawlins how is it with thee wilt thou reuoke thy opinions or no Surely said Rawlins my Lorde Rawlins you lefte me and Rawlins you finde me and by Gods grace Rawlins I will continue Rawlins conâ—â—nued in his doctrine Poâ—ish Bishâ—ps pray to a false god therefore 〈◊〉 not heard A Masse sayd for conuersion of Rawlins Certainly if your petitions had bene iust and lawefull God woulde haue hearde them but you honor a false God and pray not as ye should pray and therfore hath not God graunted your desire But I am one poore simple man as you see and God hath heard my complaint and I trust he will strengthen me in his owne cause The Bishop when he perceiued that this hipocrisye of theirs tooke none effect then with hot wordes he reproued him and forthwith was ready to read tht sentence Howbeit vppon some aduise geuen to him by his Chapleynes that were there present hee thought best firste to haue a masse thinking that in deed by so doing some wonderfull worke should be wrought in Rawlins and thereuppon a priest began Masse In the meane tyme poore Rawlins betooke himselfe to prayer in a secret place therby vntill such time as the priest came to the Sacring as they terme it whiche is a principall poynt of theyr Idolatry When Rawlins hearde the Sacring bell ring as the vse was he rose out of hys place and came to the Quâ—ere doore and there standing a while turned himselfe to the people speaking these wordes good people The woâ—des of Rawlins to the people at tâ—e sacring time if there be any Brethren amongest you or at the least if there be but one Brother amongest you the same one beare witnesse at the daye of iudgement that I bowe not to this Idoll meaning the Host that the Priest held ouer his head The Masse being ended Rawlins eftsoones was called for agayne Rawlins still conâ—taÌ„t in the profession of Gods truth Sentence read agaynst Rawlins Rawlins seâ—t to prisoÌ„ to Cardiffe caâ—tle To whom the Bishop vsed many perswasions but the blessed man continued stedfast in his former profession that the Bishops talke was altogether in vayne and to no purpose Wherupon the Bishop caused the definitiue senteÌ„ce to be read Which being ended Rawlins was dismissed and from thence he was by the bishops commaundement caried agayn to Cardiffe there to be put into the prison of y e towne called Cockmarell a very darck lothsome and most vile prison Rawlins in the meane while passed away the time in prayer and chiefly in singing of Psalmes which kynde of godly exercises he alwayes vsed both at Cardiffe Castle in all other places Nowe after hee hadde thus continued as Prisoner in Cockmarell Prison at Cardiffe as is aforesayde a good space about three weekes before the daye wherein hee suffered the head Officers of the Towne that had the charge of his execution were determined to burne hym because they woulde be sooner ryd of hym hauing not in deede a writ of executioÌ„ awarded as by the law they should haue Whereuppon one Henrye Lewes the Recorder of the Towne that then was seeyng that they wente aboute to burne hym without any warrant by writ came to them and told them that if they did burne hym before they had the writte De haereticis comburendis the Wyfe of the sayde Rawlins would vpon iust cause by law call theyr doings into question Immediately vppon this aduertisement they sent to London for the writ aboue named vpon the receipt wherof they made some speede to the execution of the sayd Raulins The writte awarded for burning of Rawlins Nowe when the daye was come wherein the good father should performe and accomplish the last Act of thys his worthy conflict he was the night before wylled to prepare himselfe Now when he perceiued his time no lesse neare then it was reported vnto hym he sent forthwith to hys Wyfe and willed her by the messeÌ„ger that in any wise she should make readye Rawlins wedding 〈◊〉 and send vnto him his wedding Garment meaning a Shyrt whiche afterwarde hee was burned in Which request or rather commaundement of his his wife with great sorow and griefe of hart did performe and early in the morninge did send it him whiche he receiued moste gladly and ioyfully Nowe wheÌ„ the houre of his execution was come this good and constant father Raulins was brought out of prison hauing on his body the long Shyrt Whiche as you heard before he called his wedding garment and an olde Russet coate whiche he was wont to weare Besides this he had vpon his legges an olde payre of leather Buskins which he
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌ„child vpoÌ„ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ„ dwellyng theÌ„ about old Fish streete demauÌ„dyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ„ also of whoÌ„ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâ—lumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ„ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—hibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâ—le◠〈◊〉 or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What 〈◊〉 is here to kept 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his sepulâ—chre and will he 〈◊〉 in spite oâ— his 〈◊〉 printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case
this binedeth hym as Dauid in Christes person witnesseth Our Fathers hoped in thee and thou deliueredst them c. Psal. 22. yet by coÌ„iectures I coulde not but suppose thoughe not so certainely the time of your suffering and probation to be at hande For now is the power of darknes fully come vpon this realme most iustly for oâ—r sinnes and abusing the light lent vs of the Lorde to the setting foorthe of oure selues more then of Gods glory y t as wel we might be brought into the better knowledge of our euils and so heartily repeÌ„t which God graunt vs to doe as also we might haue more feeling and sense of our sweete sauiour Iesus Christ by the humbling and deiecting of vs thereby to make vs as more desirous of him so him more sweet and pleasant vnto vs the which thing the good spirite of God woorke sensibly in all oure hearts for Gods holy names sake For this cause I thoughte it my duetie beynge nowe where I haue some libertye to write the Lord be praised and hearing of you as I heare to doe that which I should haue done if I had heard nothing at all that is to desire you to be of good cheare and comfort in the Lord although in the worlde you see cause rather to the contrarye and to goe on forewardes in the way of God whereinto you are entred considering that the same cannot but so much more and more waxe strait to the outward man by howe muche you drawe nearer to the ende of it Euen as in the trauaile of a woman The nearer we come to our iourneyes end trauayling to heauen the strayter is the way the nearer shee draweth to her deliuerie the more her paines encrease so it goeth with vs in y e Lordes way the nearer we drawe to our deliueraunce by death to eternall felicitie Example whereof we haue I will not say in the holy Prophetes and Apostles of God which when they were young girded them selues and went in manner whether they would Example of the trauell of a woman Iohn 21. but when they waxed olde they went girded of others whither they would not concerning y e outward man but rather and moste liuely in our Sauiour Iesus Christ whose life way was much more painfull to hym towardes the ende then it was at the beginning And no marueyle Example of Christ and his Apostles for Satan cane something abide a man to begin wel set forewards but rather then he should go on to the ende he wil vomite his gorge and cast flouds to ouerflow him before he wil suffer that to come to passe Therefore as we should not be dismaide nowe at thys world The malice of the deuill no new thing as though some strange thyng were happened vnto vs in that it is but as it was wont to be to the godly in that the Deuill declareth him selfe after his olde woont in that we haue professed no lesse but to forsake the world and the deuil as Gods very enemie in that we learned no lesse at the first when we came to Gods schole then to deny our selues and take vp our crosse and folow our master which leadeth vs none other way then he him selfe hath gone before vs as I say we should not be dismaid so we should with patience and ioy go forewards if we set before vs as present the time to come like as the wife in her trauaile doeth the deliuerance of her child and as the saints of God did but especially our sauiour and paterne Iesus Christe for the Apostle sayeth Heb. 12. He set before him the ioye and glorye to come and therfore contemned the shame sorow of the crosse so if we did we shoulde finde at the length as they founde For whome would it greeue which hath a long iourney to go to go through a peece of foule way if he knewe that after that the way should be moste pleasaunt yea the iourney shoulde be ended Godly counsell stirring vs to the contempt of this transitory lyfe and he at his resting place most happie Who wiil be afeard or lothe to leaue a litle pelfe for a little time if he knewe he should shortly after receiue most plentifull riches Who will be vnwilling for a little while to forsake his wife children or frends c. when he knoweth he shall shortly after be associated vnto them inseparably euen after his owne hearts desire Who wil be sory to forsake this life which can not but be moste certaine of eternall life Who loueth the shadowe better then the bodye Who can loue this life but they that regarde not the life to come Who can desire the drosse of this worlde but such as be ignoraunt of the treasures of the euerlasting ioy in heauen Mathew 19. I meane who is afeard to die but suche as hope not to liue eternally Christ hath promised pleasures richesse ioye 1. Peter 2. felicitie and all good things to them that for hys sake lose any thing or suffer any sorrowe And is he not true Howe can hee but be true for guile was neuer founde in his mouth Alas then why are we so slacke and slow yea harde of heart to beleue him promising vs thus plentifully eternal blisfulnes and are so ready to beleue the worlde promising vs many things and paying vs nothing If we will currie fauour nowe and halâ—e on bothe partes then it promiseth vs peace The flatteâ—ing promises of this world ill fauoâ—â—â—ly performed quietnesse and many thinges els But howe doeth it pay this geare or if it pay it with what quietnesse of conscience Or if so howe long I pray you Doe not we see before our eyes men to die shamefully I meane as Rebelles and other malefactours which refuse to dye for Gods cause What way is so sure a way to heauen as to suffer in Christes cause If there be anye waye on horsebacke to heauen surely this is the way By manye troubles sayeth the Apostle wee must enter into heauen Actes 14. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution For the world can not loue them that are of God 2. Timothy 3. the deuill can not loue hys ennemies the worlde will loue none but hys owne you are Christes therefore looke for no loue heere Should we looke for fire to quenche our thirste And as soone shall Gods true seruants finde peace and fauour in Antichrists regiment Therfore my dearly beloued be stout in the Lorde and in the power of his might Put on you his armour stande in the libertie of Christe which you haue learned reioyce that you may be counted woorthy to suffer any thyng for Gods cause to all men thys is not geuen Your rewarde is great in heauen though in earth you find nothing The iourney is almost past you are almost in the hauen halt on a pace I beseeche you and merily hoâ—se vp your sailes To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉
is the next and immediate cause which by Gods promise worketh our iustification according as it is wrytten Crede in Dominum Iesum saluus eris tu domus tua i. Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued thou and thy whole house Actes 16. And thus muche touching the definition of Election wyth the causes thereof declared Which you see nowe to be no merites nor woorkes of man whether they go before or come after faith but onely the meere mercy of God through faith For like as all they that be borne of Adam doe taste of his malediction though they tasted not his apple so al they that be borne of Christ which is by faith take part of the obedience of Christ although they neuer did that obedience them selues whyche was in hym Rom. 5. Nowe to the second consideration let vs see likewise how The second â—onsideration and in what order this election of God proceedeth in chusing and electing them which hee ordaineth to saluation which order is this In them that be chosen to life first Gods mercy and free grace bringeth foorth election Election worketh vocation or Gods holy calling which vocation thorowe hearing bringeth knowledge and faith of Christ Grace Election â—ocation Fayth â—uâ—â—ificatioÌ„ Glorification Mans free-will Blynd â—ortune Man wisedome Mans Learnâ—ng Maâ—s 〈◊〉 Worâ—es of the lawe excluded from the causes of our saluatioÌ„ in Chriâ—t Faith through promise obtaineth iustification Iustification thorow hope waiteth for glorification Election is before time Uocation and faith commeth in time Iustification and glorification is wythout ende Election depending vppon Gods free grace and will excludeth all mannes will blinde fortune chaunce and all peraduentures Uocation standing vpon Gods election excludeth all mans wisedome cunning learning intention power and presumption Faith in Christ proceding by y e gift of the holy Ghoste and freely iustifying man by Gods promise excludeth all other merites of men all condition of deseruing and all works of the law both Gods law and mans law with all other outward meanes what soeuer Iustification comming freely by Faith standeth sure by promise without doubt feare or wauering in this lyfe Glorification pertaining onely to the life to come by hope is looked for Grace and mercy preuenteth Election ordaineth Uocation prepareth and receiueth the word whereby commeth faith Faith iustifieth Iustification bringeth glory Election is the immediate and next cause of vocation Uocation which is the working of Gods spirit by the woord is the immediate and next cause of faith Faith is the immediate and next cause of iustification And this order and connexion of causes is diligeÌ„tly to be obserued Papistes 〈◊〉 and the doctrine 〈…〉 because of the Papistes which haue miserably confounded and inuerted this doctrine thus teaching that almighty God so farre foorth as he foreseeth mans merites before to come so doeth he dispense his election Dominus pro vt cuiusque merita fore praeuidet ita dispensat electionis gratiam And againe Nullis praecedentibus meritis Dominum rependere electionis gratiam futuris tamen concedere That is That the Lorde recompenseth the grace of election not to any merites preceeding but yet graunteth the same to the merites which follow after As though we had our election by our holinesse that followeth after not rather haue our holinesse by Gods election going before But we folowing the scripture say otherwise that the cause onely of Gods election Election is hys owne free mercy and the cause only of our iustification is our faith in Christ and nothing els As for example first concerning Election if the question be asked why was Abraham chosen and not Nachor Why was Iacob chosen not Esau Why was Moses elected and Pharao hardened Why Dauid accepted and Saule refused Why fewe be chosen and the moste forsaken It can not be answeared otherwise but thus because it was so the good will of God In like maner touching vocation and also faith if the question be asked why this vocation gifte of faith was geuen to Cornelius the Gentil and not to Tertullius the Iewe Whye to the poore to the babes and little ones of this world of whom Christ speaketh I thanke thee Father which haste hidde this from the wise c. Mathew 11. Whye to the vnwise Vocation bringeth fayth the simple abiectes and outcastes in thys worlde Of whome speaketh S. Paule 1. Cor. 1. Yee see your calling my brethren howe not many of you c. Why to the sinners and not to the iust Why the beggers by the hye wayes were called and the bidden gestes excluded We can goe to no other cause but to Gods purpose election and saye wyth Christe our Sauiour Quia pater sic complacitum est ante te i. Yea father for so it seemed good in thy sight Luke 18. And so for Iustification likewise if the question be asked why the Publicane was iustified Iustification by fayth onely and not the Pharisey Luke 18. Why Marie the sinner and not Symon the inuiter Luke 11. Why harlottes and Publicanes goe before the Scribes and Pharisees in the kingdom Mat. 21. Why the sonne of the free woman was receiued and the bond womans sonne being hys elder reiected Genes 21. Why Israel whych so long sought for righteousnes found it not and the Gentiles whych sought not for it found it Rom. 9. Wee haue no other cause heereof to render but to say wyth S. Paule because they soughte for it by woorkes of the Lawe and not by Faith which faith as it commeth not by mans will as the Papist falsly pretendeth but only by the election and free gift of God so it is only the immediate cause whereunto the promise of oure saluation is annexed according as we read And therefore of faith is the inheritaunce geuen as after grace that the promise might stande sure to euery seede Rom. 4. Item in the same chap. Faith beleeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked is imputed to righteousnesse And thus concerning the cause of our saluation yee see howe faith in Christ onely and immediately without any coÌ„dition doth iustifie vs How fayth and election are lincked together in the acte of Iustifiyng being so linked with Gods mercye and election that where so euer election goeth before there faith in Christ must needes folow after And againe whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesu through the vocation of God he must needes be partaker of Gods election Whereuppon resulteth nowe the thirde note or consideration whych is to consider whether a man in this life may be certaine of his election To answere to which question thys first is to be vnderstande The third consideration that although oure election and vocation simplye in deede be knowen to God onely in hym selfe à priore yet notwythstanding it may be knowen to euery particular faithfull man à posteriore Election knowen to God simply Election knowen to man by meanes that is
them that immortally hate vs what coulde we wish them so euill but they haue deserued much worse We wish them this hurt alone that God send them a better minde God be thanked we haue made all their seditious ententes sooner to shew their great malice towardes vs then to do vs much hurt yet they haue well taught vs euermore to take good heede of our ennemyes Undoubtedly it were good going to Mantua and to leaue their whelpes amongst the lambes of our flocke When we be weary of our wealth wee will euen doe then as they would haue vs now do No no as long as we shal see his heart so good towardes vs we trust vppon hys warning we shall well prouide to withstand hys cruell malice No let him now spende his deceites when they can hurt none but such as would deceiue and are deceiued They haue by sundry waies made vs priuy howe much we be bound to them It went nigh their hearts to see the iudgement of Iulye of Clement the 7. of Paule the 3. nothing to be regarded w t vs. The Popes â—urâ—es not feared in England They be afraide if wee shoulde sustaine no hurt because wee iustly reiected their primacie that other Princes woulde begin to doe lykewyse and to shake of their shoulders the heauy burthens that they so long haue borne againste Scripture all right and reason They be sory to see the way stopped y t now their tiranny auarice and pride caÌ„ haue no passage into England which was wont to walk to triumph to tosse to trouble al men They can scarse suffer priuiledges that is to say licence to spoyle our Citizens geuen them by our forefathers and brought in by errorful custome to be taken froÌ„ them They thinke it vnlawful that we require things lawful of them that will be vnder no lawes They thinke wee doe them wrong The Popes trumpery dispatched out of England because we will not suffer them to do vs wrong any longer They see their marchandise to be banished to be forbidden They see that we will buy no longer chalke for cheese They see they haue lost a faire flese vengeable sorie that they can dispatch no more pardons dispensations tot quots with the rest of their baggage and tromperie England is no more a babe There is no man here but now he knoweth that they doe foolishly that giue golde for leade more weight of that then they receiue of this Golde geueÌ„ 〈◊〉 leade They passe not though Peter Paules faces be grauen in the lead to make fooles faine No we be sorie that they shoulde abuse holy Saints visages to the begiling of the world Surely except God take away our right wittes not only his authority shal be driueÌ„ out for euer God grauÌ„t but his name also shortly shall be forgotten in England Wee will from henceforth aske counsel of him and his when we lust to be deceiued when we couet to be in error when we desire to offend God trouth and honesty If a man may gesse the whole worke by the foundation The Popes 〈…〉 where deceits beginneth the worke can any other then deceits be builded vpoÌ„ thys foundation What can you looke for in thys Mantuan councel â—he Pope 〈◊〉 a fewe â—â—nges wel â—t many 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 better 〈◊〉 other then the oppression of truth true religion If there be any thing well done thinke as euery maÌ„ doth bishops of Rome to be accustomed to do a few things wel that many euill may the better be taken at theyr handes They when they lust can yeelde some part of theyr ryghte They are content that some of their decrees some of their errours abuses be reprehended but they are neuer more to be sâ—ared then when they shewe themselues most geÌ„tle For if they graunt a few they aske many if they leaue a litle they will be sure of a great deale Scarse a man he may know how to handle himself that he take no hurt at their hands yea when they blesse him which seldome doe good but for an intent to do euil Certainly come who so will to these shops of deceits to these taires of frauds we wil loose no parte of our right in comming at his call The pope ought to be called and not to call that ought to be called and not to fall We wil neither come at Mantua nor send thether for this matter c. And so the king proceeding in the sayde hys Protestation declareth moreouer how the Pope after he had summoned his Councell first to be kept at Mantua the 23. of May An. 1537. shortly after directed out an other Bull to prorogate the same Councell to the month of Nouember pretending for his excuse y t the Duke of Mantua woulde not suffer him to keepe any Councel there The Pope againe prorogeth his Councell vnles he maintained a number of warriors for defence of the town And therfore in his latter bull he prorogeth this assemble commaunding Patriarkes Archbishops Byshops Abbots and other of the spiritualtie by the vertue of obedience and vnder paine of cursing to be present but sheweth no place at all where he would be nor whether they shoulde come And in very deede no great matter though no place were named For as good couÌ„cel no where to be called as where it could not be And aswell no place serued him that intended no Councell as all places And to say truth much better no place to be named then to name suche as he purposed not to come too for so shoulde hee breake no promise which maketh none And so going forward in his oration toward the latter ende he thus inferreth by his wordes of Protestation saying No we will the Pope and his adherents to vnderstand that that we oft haue sayd and now say and euer will say Princes as theâ— gaue the Pope primacye 〈◊〉 they take 〈…〉 him agayne He nor his hath no authoritie no iurisdiction in England Wee giue him no more then hee hath that is neuer a deale That which he hath vsurped against Gods lawe extorted by violeÌ„ce we by good right take from him again But he his wil say we gaue them a primacie We heare them well We gaue it you in dede If you haue authority vpon vs as long as our coÌ„sent giueth it you and you euermore wil make your plee vpon our consent then let it haue euen an ende where it began we coÌ„sent no longer your authoritie must nedes be gone If we being deceiued by fals pretense of euil alledged scriptures gaue to you y t ye ought to haue refused why may we not our error nowe perceiued your deceite espied take it againe We princes wrote our selues to be inferours to popes As long as wee thought so we obeyed them as our superiors Now we write not as we did and therefore they haue no great cause to maruill if we hereafter doe not as we did both the lawes
cyuill and also the lawes of God be on our side For a free man borne doth not lose his liberty no nor hurt the plee of his libertie though he write himselfe a bond man Againe if they leane to custome we send them to sainct Ciprian which saith that custome Custome if trouth be not ioyned with it is nothing but erroris vetustas that is an old error Christ sayd Ego sum via veritas vita I am y e way trouth and life He neuer sayd Ego sum consuetudo I am the custome Wherfore seeing custome serueth you on y e one side and Scripture vs vppon the other are ye able to matche vs In how many places doth Christ monish you to seek no primacie to preferre your selues before no body no The Popes 〈◊〉 and his digniâ—â— agree not to geather to be obedient vnto all creatures Your old title Seruus seruorum euill agreeth with your new forged dignitie But we will not tary in matters playne We onely desire God y t Cesar other Christian Princes would agree vpoÌ„ some holy Councell where trouth may be tried and ReligioÌ„ set vp which hath bene hurt by nothing so sore as by general not generall Councels Errours and abuses grow to fast Best that euery Prince reforme his owne realme and tary not for generall Councells Erudimini erudimini qui iudicatis terram Get you learning you y t iudge the earth excogitate some remedy for these so many diseases of y e sick Church They that be wisest do dispayre of a generall Councel Wherfore we think it now best that euery Prince call a Councell prouincial and euery Prince to redresse his owne Realme We make all men priuy what we thinke best to be done for the redresse of religion If they like it we doubt not but they wil follow it or some other better Our trust is that all Princes will so handle themselues in this behalfe that Princes may enioy their own and Priests of Rome content themselues with that they ought to haue Princes as we trust will no longer nourish Wolues whelpes they wil subscribe no more to popish pride to the Papacie c. Fauour our doinges O Christen Princes Your honor ancient Maiestie is restored RemeÌ„ber there is nothing pertaining so muche to a Princes honour as to set forth truth and to helpe religion Take you heed that their deceite worke not more mischief then your vertue can doe good euerlasting warre we would all Princes had with this Papacie As for their Decrees so harken to them that if in this Mantua assemble thynges be well done ye take them but not as authorised by them but that trouth and thyngs that mainteyne ReligioÌ„ are to be taken at all meÌ„s haÌ„des And eueÌ„ as we will admit thynges well made so if there be any thyng determined in preiudice of trouth for mainteinauÌ„ce of their euill grounded primacy or that may hurt y e authoritie of kings we protest vnto y e whole world that we neither allow it nor will at any tyme allow it Ye haue Christen Readers our mynde coÌ„cernyng the generall Councell We thinke you all see that Paule his Cardinals Byshops Abbots Monkes Friers with the rest of the rablemeÌ„t do nothing lesse inteÌ„d then the knowledge or search of trouth Ye see this is no tyme meete MaÌ„tua no place meete for a generall CouÌ„cell And though they were both meete yet except some other cal this CouÌ„cell you see that we neither neede to come nor to seÌ„d You haue heard how euery Prince in his owne Realme may quiet thynges amisse If there be any of you that can shew vs a better way we promise w t all harty desire to do that that shal be thought best for the setlyng of Religion that we wil leaue our owne aduises if any maÌ„ shew vs better Which mynde of ours we most hartly pray GOD that gaue it vs not onely to encrease in vs but also to send it vnto all Christen Princes all Christen Prelates and all Christen people A little before the death of Queene Anne there was a ParliameÌ„t at Westminster wherin was geueÌ„ to the kyng by coÌ„sent of the Abbots all such houses of religioÌ„ as were vnder 300. markes Which was a shrewde prognosticate of the ruine of greater houses which in deede folowed shortly after as was might easely be perceaued before of many who theÌ„ sayd that the low bushes and brambles were cut downe before but great okes would folow after Although the proceedyng of these thyngs did not well like the myndes of the Popes frendes in EnglaÌ„d The Papistes purpose disapointed Queene Iane maryed to the king yet notwithstandyng they began agayne to take some breath of comfort when they sawe the foresayd Queene Anne dispatched Neuerthelesse they were frustrate of their purpose as is aforeshewed and that doblewise For first after they had their willes of Queene Anne the Lord raysed vp an other Queene not greatly for their purpose with her sonne kyng Edward L. Cromwell groweth in authoritye And also for that the Lord CroÌ„well the same tyme began to growe in authoritie Who like a mighty piller set vp in the Churche of Christ was enough alone to confounde and ouerthrow all the malignant deuises of the aduersaries so long as God gaue him in lyfe here to continue whose story hereafter followeth more at large Shortly after this foresayd Mariage of the kyng with this Queene Iane Semer aboue mentioned in y e moneth of Iune duryng the continuation of the Parliament by the consent of the Clergy holdyng theÌ„ a solemne conuocation in the Church of S. Paule Alteration of religion a little beginneth a booke was set forth conteyning certaine Articles of religon necessary to be taught to the people wherein they intreated specially but of three Sacramentes Baptisme Penaunce the Lordes Supper Where also diuers other thyngs were published concernyng the alteration of certaine pointes of Religion as that certaine holy dayes were forbiddeÌ„ and many Abbayes began to bee suppressed For the whiche cause the rude multitude of Lincolneshyre fearing the vtter subuersion of their old Religion Commotion in Lincolnshire wherein they had bene so long nousled did rise vp in a great coÌ„motion to the nuÌ„ber welneare of 20. thousaÌ„d hauyng for their Captaine a Monke named D. Makerell calling himselfe then Captaine Cobbler but these rebels being repressed by the kyngs power and desiryng pardon A moÌ„ke stirrer of the coÌ„motioÌ„ soone brake vp their assembly For they hearing of the royal army of the king coÌ„ming against them wyth his owne persone there present fearing what would follow of this first the noble men and Gentlemen which before fauoured them began to w tdraw themselues so that they were destitute of Captaines and at the laste they in writing made certaine petitions to the king protesting that they neuer intended hurt toward his royal person These petitions the king
Christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples The confesioÌ„ of Anne â—â—kew in Newgate saying Take eate this is my body which shall be broken for you meaning in substaÌ„ce his owne very body the bread being thereof an only signe or Sacrament For after lyke maner of speaking he sayde he would breake down the temple and in three days build it vp agayne signifieng his owne body by the temple as S. Iohn declareth it Iohn 2. and not the stony temple it selfe So that the bread is but a remembrance of his death or a Sacrament of thanks geuing for it Aâ— Chriâ—tes body 〈…〉 the temple in the â—cripture so is the bread called Christes body whereby we are 〈◊〉 vnto him by a communioÌ„ of christian loue Although there be many that cannot perceiue the true meaning therof for the veile that Moises put ouer his face before y e children of Israel that they should not see the clearenes thereof Exod. 24. and 2. Cor. 3. I perceyue the same veyle remayneth to this day But when God shall take it away then shall these blynd men see For it is plainly expressed in the history of Bell in the Bible that God dwelleth in no thyng materiall Heâ—od 24. â— Cor. 3. O kyng sayth Daniel be not deceiued for God will be in nothing that is made with hands of men Daniel 14. Oh what stifnecked people are these that will alwayes resist the holy Ghost Dan. 14. Actes 7. But as their fathers haue done so do they because they haue stony hartes Written by me Anne Askew that neyther wisheth death nor yet feareth his might and as mery as one that is bound towards heauen Truth is layd in prison Luke 21. The law is turned to wormewood Amos. 6. And there can no right iudgement go forth â—â—ke 21. Amos. 6. Esay 59. Esay 59. Oh forgeue vs all our sinnes and receiue vs graciously As for the workes of our hands we will no more call vppon them For it is thou Lord that art our God Thou shewest euer mercye vnto the fatherlesse Oh if they would do this sayth the Lord I shoulde heale their sores yea with all my hart would I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do with Idols any more who so is wyse shall vnderstand this And he that is rightly instructed will regard it for the wayes of the Lord are righteous Such as are godly Osâ— 14. will walke in them and as for the wicked they will stumble at them Ose. 14. Salomon sayth S. Steuen builded an house for the God of Iacob Howbeit the highest of all dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Esay 66. as sayth the Prophet Heauen is my seat the earth is my footstoole What house will ye build for me saith the Lord or what place is it that I shall rest in Hath not my handes made all things Act. 7. Act. 7. Woman beleeue me sayth Christ to the Samaritane the tyme is at hand that ye shall neyther in this mountayne nor yet at Ierusalem worship the father Ye worshippe ye wotte not what but we knowe what we worshippe For saluation commeth of the Iewes But the houre commeth and is nowe when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and veritie Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Labour not sayth Christ for the meate that perisheth but for that that endureth into the lyfe euerlastyng which the sonne of man shall geue you For hym GOD the Father hath sealed Iohn 6. Iohn 6. The summe of the condemnation of me Anne Askew at the Guild hall An other 〈…〉 Anne Askew at the Guild Hill THey sayd to me there that I was an heretike and condemned by the law If I would stand in mine opinioÌ„ I answered that I was no heretike neither yet deserued I any death by the law of God But as concerning y e faith which I vttered and wrote to the counsell I would not I sayd deny it because I knew it true Then would they needes know The substance of the Sacrament denyed to be God if I would deny the Sacrament to be Christes body and bloud I said yea For the same sonne of God that was borne of the virgine Mary is now glorious in heauen and will come againe from thence at the latter day like as he went vp Act. 1. And as for that ye call your god it is a peece of bread For a more proofe thereof marke it when ye list let it lye in the boxe but iij. monethes and it will be mouldy so turne to nothing that is good Wherupon I am perswaded that it cannot be God After that they willed me to haue a Priest Anne Askew wiâ—h her felows condemned by a Quest. and then I smiled Then they asked me if it were not good I sayd I would confesse my faults vnto God For I was sure that he would heare me with fauour And so we were condemned with a Quest My beliefe which I wrote to the Counsaile was this The beliefe of Anne Askew concerning the Sacramentes written to the Councell Iohn 4. that the sacramental bread was left vs to be receiued with thankes geuyng in remembraunce of Christes death the onely remedy of our soules recouery and that thereby we also receiue the whole benefits and fruits of his most glorious Passion Then would they needes know whether the bread in the boxe were God or no I sayd God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Iohn 4. TheÌ„ they demanded will you plainly deny Christ to be in the Sacrament I answered that I beleeue faithfully the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnesse whereof I recited agayne the history of Bell Dan. 19. Actes 7.17 Math. 24. and the 19. chap. of Daniell the 7. and 17. of the Acts and the 24. of Mathew coÌ„cluding thus I neither wish death nor yet fear his might God haue the prayse thereof with thanks My letter sent to the L. Chauncellor THe Lord God by whom all creatures haue their being The letter of Anne Askew to the Lord ChauÌ„cellour blesse you with the light of his knowledge Amen My duety to your Lordship remembred c. It might please you to accept this my bold sute as the sute of one which vppon due considerations is moued to the same and hopeth to obtaine My request to your Lordship is onely that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kings maiesty that his grace may be certified of these few lynes which I haue written concerning my beliefe Which when it shall be truely conferred with the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thinke his grace shal wel perceiue me to be wayed in an vneuen paire of balance But I remit my matter and cause to almighty God which rightly iudgeth all secrets And thus I commend your Lordship to the gouernaunce of him and fellowship of all saints Amen By your handmayd
Anne Askew My faith briefly written to the kings grace I Anne Askew of good memory although God hath geuen me the bread of aduersitie and the water of trouble The beliefe of Anne Askew touching the Sacrament written to the king yet not so much as my sinnes haue deserued desire this to be knowen vnto your grace that forasmuch as I am by the law condemned for an euill doer Here I take heauen and earth to record that I shal die in my innocencie And according to that I haue sayd first will say last I vtterly abhorre and detest all heresies And as concernyng the supper of the Lord I beleeue so much as Christ hath said therein which he confirmed with hys most blessed bloud I beleeue also so much as he willed me to follow and beleue so much as the catholike church of hym doth teach For I will not forsake the commaundement of his holy lips But looke what God hath charged me with his mouth that haue I shut vp in my hart and thus briefly I ende for lacke of learnyng Anne Askew The effect of my examination and handling since my departure from Newgate ON Tuesday I was sent from Newgate to the sign of the crowne The cruell handling and racking of Anne Askew after her condemnation where as M. Rich and the B. of London with all their power and flattering words went about to persuade me from God but I did not esteme their glosing pretences Then came there to me Nich. Shaxton and counselled me to recant as he had done I sayd to hym that it had bene good for him neuer to haue bene borne with many other like wordes Then M. Rich sent me to the Tower where I remayned till three a clocke Then came Rich and one of the Counsell charging me vpon my obedience This Counceller was Syr Iohn Baker Anne Askew vrged to accuse others to shew vnto them if I knew any mā or woman of my secte My aunswere was that I knewe none Then they asked me of my Lady Suffolke my Lady of Sussex my Lady of Hertford my Lady Denny and my Lady Fitzwilliams I said if I should pronounce any thing against them that I were not able to proue it Then sayd they vnto me that the kyng was informed that I could name if I would a great number of my secr I aunswered that the kyng was as well deceiued in that behalf as dissembled with in other matters Then commanded they me to shew how I was maintayned in the Counter and who willed me to sticke to my opinion I sayd that there was no creature that therin did strengthen me And as for the help that I had in the counter it was by the means of my mayde For as she went abroad in the streetes she made mone to the prentises and they by her did send me money but who they were I neuer knew Then they sayde that there were diuers Gentlewomen that gaue me money Anne Askew refuseth to accuse any but I knew not their names Then they sayd that there were diuers Ladies that had sent me money I aunswered that there was a man in a blew coate which deliuered me x. shillings and sayd that my Lady of Hertford sent yt me And an other in a violet coat gaue me viij shillings and sayd my lady Denny sen◠it me Whether it were true or no I cannot tell For I am not sure who sent it me but as the mayd did say Thē they sayd there were of the Counsell that did maintayne me And I sayd no. Anne Askew put on the racke Then they did put me on the racke because I confessed no Ladies or Gentlewomen to be of my opinion and thereon they kept me a long tyme. And because I lay still and did not cry my Lord Chancellour and M. Rich tooke paynes to racke me with theyr owne handes Wrysley and Riche racking Anne Askew tyll I was nigh dead Then the Lieftenaunt caused me to be loosed from the racke Incontinently I swounded and then they recouered me agayne After that I sate two long houres reasoning with my Lord Chauncellour vppon the bare floore whereas he with many flattering wordes Anne Askew constant in her fayth perswaded me to leaue my opinion But my Lord God I thanke his euerlasting goodnes gaue me grace to perseuer and wil do I hope to the very end Then was I brought to an house and layd in a bedde with as weary and paynefull bones as euer had pacient Iob I thanke my Lord God therefore Then my Lorde Chauncellour sent me worde if I would leaue my opinion Anne Askew threatned to be burned I should want nothing If I would not I shoulde forth to Newgate and so be burned I sent him agayne word that I would rather die then to breake my fayth Thus the Lord open the eyes of their blinde hartes that the truth may take place Farewell deare friend and pray pray pray Touching the order of her racking in the Tower thus it was The order of the racking of Anne Askew First she was led downe into a dungeon where Syr Anthony Kneuet the Liuetenant commaunded hys Gaoler to pinche her with the racke Which beyng done so much as he thought sufficient went about to take her downe supposing he had done enough But Wrisley the Chauncellour not contented that she was loosed so soone confessing nothing commaunded the Lieftenant to streine her on the racke agayne Which because he denyed to doe tenderyng the weakenes of the woman he was threatned therefore grieuously of the sayd Wrisley The L. Wrisley and M. Riche play the tormētours saying that hee would signifie hys disobedience vnto the kyng and so cōsequently vpon the same he and M. Riche throwyng of their gownes would needes play the tormenters themselues first asking her if she were with child To whome she aunswering agayne sayd ye shall not neede to spare for that but do you willes vpon me and so quietly and patiently prayeng vnto the Lord she aboade their tiranny till her bones and ioints almost were pluckt a sunder in such sort as she was caried away in a chaire When the racking was past Wrisley and his fellow tooke theyr horse toward the Court. In the meane tyme while they were making their way by land Wrisley the L. Chauncelour preuented by the Lieutenaunt the good Lieftenant eftsoones taking boate spedde hym in all hast to the Court to speake with the kyng before the other and so dyd Who there makyng his humble sute to the Kyng desired his pardon and shewed hym the whole matter as it stoode and of the rackyng of Mistresse Askew and how he was threatened by the Lord Chauncellour because at his commaundement not knowyng his highnesse pleasure he refused to racke her whiche he for compassion could not finde in his hart to do and therefore hūbly craued his highnes pardō Which when the K. had vnderstand The Liuetenaūt pardoned of
I come to redemption so to iustification and so to election On thys sorte I am sure that warely and wisely a man maye walke in it easely by the light of Gods spirite in and by his woorde seeing this Faith not to be geuen to all men 2. Thes. 3. but to suche as are borne of God Predestinate before y e world was made after the purpose and good wil of God which wil we may not call into disputation but in trembling and feare submit our selues to it as to that whych can will none otherwise then that whych is holy righte and good howe farre soeuer otherwise it seeme to the iudgemeÌ„t of reason which must needes be beaten downe to be more careful for Gods glory then for mannes saluation whyche dependeth onely thereon as all Gods children full well see for they seeke not the glory whych commeth of men but the glory which commeth of God Ieremie 9. Ihon 5. They knowe God to be a God whych doeth on earthe not onely mercye but also iudgement which is hys Iustice and moste Iustice althoughe oure foolishe reason cannot see it And in thys knowledge they glory and reioice though others through vaine curiositie grudge murmure there againste Thus brieflye I haue sente you my minde and meaning concerning this matter Hereafter you shal haue I thinke your letter particularly answeared by M. Philpot as also if I haue time and so you require it I will doe Iohn Bradford Notes vpon the same Epistle and to the matter of election appertaining AS touching the doctrine of Election wherof thys letter of M. Bradforde Notes this 〈◊〉 added and manye other his letters moe doe much intreate three thinges must be considered 1 Firste what Gods election is and what is the cause thereof 2 Secondly howe Gods election proceedeth in woorking our saluation 3 Thirdly to whome Gods election pertaineth and howe a man may be certaine thereof Betweene Predestination and Election Differâ—â—â—â— betweenâ— predestination and Election thys difference there is Predestination is as well to the reprobate as to the Elect. Election onely pertaineth to them that be saued Predestination in that it respecteth the Reprobate is called Reprobation in that it respecteth the saued is called Election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternal decreement of God Definitioâ— of predâ—â—â—â—â—nation purposed before in him selfe what shall befall on all men eyther to saluation or damnation Election is the free mercy grace of God in his owne wil through faith in Christ his sonne Election defined chusing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him In thys definition of Election firste goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes therof whereby are excluded al woorkes of the lawe and merites of deseruing whether they goe before faith or come after So was Iacob chosen and Esau refused The 〈◊〉 of the deâ—â—â—nition examined Mercy and grace before either of them began to woorke c. Secondly in that thys mercy and grace of God in this definition is said to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and woorking of God not to be bounde to any ordinarie place or to any succession of chaire nor to state and dignitie of persone nor to worthinesse of bloude Free meâ—â—â— and grace c. but all goeth by the meere wil of his owne purpose as it is written Spiritus vbi vult spirat c. And thus was the outward race and stocke of Abraham after flesh refused whych seemed to haue the preeminence and an other seede after the spirite raised vp to Abraham of the stones that is of the Gentiles So was the outwarde Temple of Hierusalem and chaire of Moses whyche seemed to be of price forsaken and Gods chaire aduanced in other nations So was tall Saule refused and little Dauid accepted the riche the proude the wyse of this worlde reiected and the woorde of saluation daily opened to the poore and miserable abiects the hie mountaines caste vnder and the lowe valleys exalted c. Thirdly where it is added in his owne will by thys falleth downe the free will purpose of man The free mercy and grace of God in his owne will Rom. 9. with all hys actions counsels strength of nature according as it is written Non est volentis neque currentis sed miserentis Dei c. i. It is not in hym that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So we see how Israel raÌ„ long yet got nothing The Gentiles vnneth begaÌ„ to set out and yet got the game So they which came at the first houre did labor more yet they which came last were rewarded with the first Math. 20. The working will of the Pharisie seemed better Math. 20. but yet the Lords will was rather to iustifie the Publicane Luke 18. Luke 18. The elder sonne had a better wil to tary by his father and so did in dede and yet y e fat Calfe was geuen to the yonger sonne that ran away Luk. 15. Wherby we haue to vnderstand Luke 15. howe the matter goeth not by the will of man but by the will of God as it pleaseth hym to accept according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Gods mercy in 〈◊〉 the elect 〈◊〉 includeth the condition 〈◊〉 fayth in Christ. The free mercy and grace of God in 〈◊〉 owne 〈◊〉 will tâ—â—rough 〈◊〉 in Chriâ—â— his sonâ—â— our Lorâ—â— Non ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex Deo nati sunt c. i. Which are borne not of the wil of the flesh nor yet of the wil of man but of God Furthermore as al then goeth by the will of God onely and not by the wil of man so againe here is to be noted that this wil of God neuer goeth with out faith in Christ Iesus his sonne And therefore fourthly is this clause added in the definition through faith in Christe his sonne Whych faith in Christ to vs ward maketh altogether For first it certifieth vs of Gods election As this Epistle of M. Bradforde doth wel expresse For whosoeuer wil be certaine of hys election in God let him first begin with his faith in Christ which if he finde in him to stande firme he may be sure and nothing doubt but that he is one of the number of Gods elect Secondly the said faith and nothing els is the onely coÌ„dition and meanes wherupon Gods mercy grace election vocation and al Gods promises to saluation do stay according to the woordes of S. Paule Si permanseritis in fide c. i. If ye abide in the faith Colos. 1. Thirdly this faith also is the immediate and nexte cause of oure Iustification simply wythout any other condition annexed For as the mercy of God his grace election vocation and other precedent causes doe saue and iustifie vs vppon condition if we beleue in Christ so this faith onely in Christe wythout condition