so many thowsandes it pleaseth his mercy to choose me to be one in whome he will suffer For although it be moste true that iuste patior i. I iustly suffer for I haue bene a great hypocrite and a greeuous synner the Lorde pardon me yea hee hath done it he hath done it in deede yet hic autem quid mali fecit i. What euill hath he done Christ whome the Prelates persecute his verity which they hate in me hath done no euill nor deserueth death Therefore ought I most hartely to reioyce of this dignation and tender kyndnesse of the Lord towardes me This is a singular mercy of God to haue death which is a due punishment for sinne â— turned into a demonstration testification of the Lordes truâ—he 4. Reg. 2. which vseth the remedy for my sinne as a testimoniall of hys Testament to his glory to my euerlasting comfort to the edefying of his Church and to the ouerthrowing of Antichrist and hys kingdome O what am I Lorde that thou shouldest thus magnifye me so vile a man and miser as alwayes I haue bene Is this thy wont to sende for suche a wretche and an hypocrite as I haue bene in a fiery Charyot as thou diddest for Helias Oh deare Fathers be thankefull for me and pray for me that I styll may be found worthy in whom the Lord would sanctify his holy name And for your part make you readye for we are but your gentlemen hushers Nuptiae agni paratae sunt venite ad nuptias 1. The mariage of the Lambe is prepared come vnto the mariage I now go to leaue my flesh there where I receiued it He meaneth that he should be conueyed by the Queenes Garde into Lankeshire to be burnte as the aduersaryes had once determined lyke as Ignatius was by a company of soldiours conueyed to Rome and cast to the Leopardes I shall be coÌ„ueied thither as Ignatius was at Rome to Leopardis by whose euill I hope to bee made better God graunt if it be his will that I aske it may make them better by me Amen For my farewell therfore I write and send this vnto you trusting shortly to see you where we shall neuer be separated In the meane season I will not cease as I haue done to commende you to our father of heauen And that you would so do by me I most hartely praye euerye one of you You knowe nowe I haue moste neede But fidelis Deus qui nunquam sinet nos tentaâ—i supra id quòd possumus i. Faythfull is God which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength He neuer didde it hytherto nor now I am assured he will neuer do Amen A dextris est mihi non mouebor Propter hoc laetabitur cor meum quia non derelinquet animam meam in inferno nec dabit me sanctum suum per gratiam in Câ—risto videre corruptionem E carcere raptim expectens omni momento carnificem i. He is on my righte hand therefore I shall not fall Wherefore my hart shall reioyce Psalme 16 for he shall not leaue my soule in hell neither shall suffer me his holy one by his grace in Christ to see corruption Out of prison in haste looking for the Tormentour The 8. of February Ann. 1555. Iohn Bradford * To the honourable Lord Russell now Earle of Bedford being then in trouble for the verity of Gods Gospell THe euerlasting and most gracious God and Father of our Sauiour Iesu Christ A letter of M. Bradford to the Lord Russell now Earle of Bedford â—lesse your good Lordshippe with all maner of heauenlye blessinges in the same Chryst our onely comfort and hope Amen Praysed be God our Father which hath vouched you worthye as of fayth in his Christ so of his Crosse for the same Magnifyed be his holy name who as he hath deliuered you from one crosse so he hath made you willing I trust and ready to beare another wheÌ„ he shall see his time to lay it vpon you for these are the most singular giftes of God geuen as to few The excellencye of fayth and what it worketh so to none els but to these few whiche are moste deare in his sight Fayth is reckoned and worthely among the greatest gyftes of GOD yea it is the greatest it selfe that we enioy for by it as we be iustified and made Gods childreÌ„ so are we temples and possessours of the holy spirite yea of Christ also Eph. 4. And of the Father hymselfe Iohn 14. By fayth we driue the Deuill away 1. Peter 5. We ouercome the world 1. Ioh. And are already Citttizens of heauen and fellowes wyth Goddes deare Sayntes But who is able to reckon the riches that this fayth bringeth with her vnto the soule she sitteth vpon No man or Aungell And therefore as I sayd of all Gods giftes she may be set in the top and haue the vpmost seate The which thing if men considered in that she commeth alonely from Goddes owne mercy seat Fayth commeth by hearing the word and not by hearing Masse by the hearing not of Masse or Mattyns Dyriges or such drasse but of the worde of God in such a toung as we canne and doe vnderstand as they would be diligent and take greate heede for doyng or seeyng any thyng whiche might cast her downe for then they fal also so would they with no lesse care read and heare Goddes holy word ioyning thereto most earnest and often prayer aswell for the more and better vnderstanding as for the louing liuyng and confessing of the same mauger the head of the deuill the worlde our fleshe reason goodes possessions carnall frends wife children and very life here if they should pull vs backe to harken to the voyce and counsell for more quiet sure and longer vse of them Philip. 1. Now notwithstanding this excellency of fayth in that we read the Apostle to matche therewith yea as it were to preferre suffering persecution for Christes sake I trowe no man will be so fond as to thinke otherwise but that I and all Goddes children haue cause to glorify and prayse God whiche hath vouched you worthye so greate a blessing The efficacy of the crosse and what it worketh in Gods children For though the reason or wisedome of the worlde thinke of the Crosse according to theyr reach and according to theyr present sence and therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominye and shame Yet Gods Scholers haue learned otherwise to thinke of the Crosse that is the frame house in the which God frameth his children lyke to his sonne Christ the Fornace that fineth Gods golde the high way to Heauen the Sute and Liuery that Gods seruauntes are serued withall the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory For they I meane Gods scholers as your Lordshyp is I trust doe enter into Goddes sanctuary Psalme 72. least theyr fecte slippe They looke not as beastes do on thinges
the person and credite of Syr Thomas Moore The reasons of Syr Thomas More refuted Now as touching his reasons whereas he comming in with a flimme flamme of a horse mylne or a mylne horse in his owne termes I speake thinketh it probation good enough because he coulde not see him taken by the sleeue which murdered Hunne agaynst these reasons vnreasonable of his I alledge all the euidences and demonstratioÌ„s of the history aboue prefixed to be coÌ„sidered and of al indifferent men to be peased First how he was founde hanging with his countenance fayre with his bearde and head fayre kemmed hys bonet right set on his head with his eyne and mouth fayre closed without any driueling or spurging His body being taken downe The circumstaÌ„ces of Hunnes hanging considered was found loose whiche by hanging coulde not be his necke broken and the skinne thereof beneath the throate where the gyrdle went frette and faced away his gyrdle notwithstanding being of silke and so double cast about the staple that the space of the gyrdle betweene the staple and his necke with the residue also which went about his neck was not sufficieÌ„t for his head to come out His handes moreouer wroung in the wristes his face lyppes chinne doublet and shyrt coller vnstayned with any bloud when as notwithstaÌ„ding in a maner somewhat beyond the place where he did hang a great quantitye of bloud was found Also whereas the staple wheron he hanged was so that he could not climbe thereto without some meane there was a stoole set vp vpon the bolster of a bed so tickle that with the least touch in the world it was ready to fal And how was it possible that Hunne might hang himselfe vpon that staple the stoole so standing Besides the confession moreouer of Charles Iosephs owne mouth to Iulian Littell of Robert Iohnson Iohn Spalding the Belringer Peter Turner and others All whiche testimonyes and declarations being so cleare and vndeniable may suffice I trust any indifferent man to see where the truth of this case doth stand vnlesse maister Moore being a geÌ„tleman of Utopia Vtopia Morl. peradueÌ„ture after some strauÌ„ge guise of that country vseth to cary his eyes not in his head but in his affection not seing but where he liketh nor beleuing but what him listeth Finally where Sir Thomas Moore speaking of himselfe so concludeth that he hearing the matter what well might be sayde yet could not finde contrary but Hunne to be guilty of his owne death so in as many wordes to answere him agayne I perusing and searching in the storye of Richard Hunne what may wel be searched cannot but maruell with my selfe either with what darcknes the eyes of maister Moore be dared not to see that is so playne or els with what conscience he would dissemble that shame can not deny And thus by the way to the Dialogues of Syr Thomas Moore Thirdly touching the Dialogues of Alen Cope which had rather the Bishops Chauncellor and officers to be recounted among theues and murderers Aunswere to Alanus Copus for Richarde Hunne then Hunne to be numbred among the martyrs I haue herein not much to say because himselfe sayth but litle and if he had sayd lesse vnlesse his grouÌ„d were better it had made as little matter But forasmuch as he saying not much sendeth vs to seeke more in Moore so with like breuity agayne I maye sende him to William Tindall to shape him an aunswere Yet notwithstanding least Cope in saying something shoulde thinke Hunnes innocent cause to lack some frends which will not or dare not aduenture in defence of truth somewhat I will answere in this behalfe And first touching this murder of Hunne not to be his owne wilfull acte but the deede of others HuÌ„ne murdered not by himselâ—e but by others besides the demonstrations aboue premised to sir Thomas Moore now to M. Cope if I had no other euidences but onely these two I would require no more That is his cap founde so streight standing vpon his head and the stoole so tottering vnder his feet For how is it I will not say like but how is it possible for a man to hang himselfe in a silcken gyrdle double cast about a staple in suche shortnesse Not possible that Hunne so hangyng shoulde hang himselfe that neyther the space of the knot coulde well compasse his head about and yet hauing his cap so streight set vpon his head as his was Again how is it possible or can it be imagined for him to hang himselfe climing vp by a stoole which had no stay for him to stand vpon but stood so tickle that if he had touched the same neuer so litle it must needes haue fallen But Cope being something more prouideÌ„t in this matter seemeth to exceede not altogether so farre as doth M. Moore For he vnderstanding the case to be ambiguous doubtfull so leaueth it in suspeÌ„se neither determining that Hunne did hange himselfe and yet not admitting that hee died a martyr Cope denyeth Richard Hunne to dye a Martyr no more then they which are quelled by theues murderers in high way sides Well be it so as Cope doth argue that they which dye by the handes of feloÌ„s and murderers in theeuish waies be no martyrs yet notwithstanding this his owne similitude coÌ„paring the Bishops Chauncellour officers to theeues and murderers doth graunt at least that Hunne dyed a true man although no Martyr Now if the cause be it and not the paine that maketh a Marâ—yr in pondering the cause why Hunne was slayne we shall finde it not altogether like to the cause of them whiche perishe by Theeues and Robbers The cause not the paiâ— maketh a Martyr For such commonly because of theyr goodes and for some worldlye gayne to be sought by theyr death are made away beyng true men may peraduenture haue y e reward although not the name of Martyrs Whereas this mannes death being wrought neyther for money nor any such temporall lucre to redounde to his oppressors as it hath an other cause so may it haue an other name and deserue to be called by the name of Martyrdome Like as Abel being slayne by wicked Cain albeit he had no opinion of religion articulate agaynst him The cause of Abels death of HuÌ„nes compared but of spite onely and of malice was made away yet notwithstanding is iustly numbred among the Martyres so what let to the contrary but that Hunne also with him may be reckoned in the same societye seeing the cause wherefore they both did suffer proceedeth together out of one fountayne And what moreouer if a man should cal Naboth who for holding his right inheritance was slayne a Martyr what great iniury should he do eyther to the name or cause of the persoÌ„ worthy to be carped Agaynst Thomas Becket yet know M. Cope no speciall article of fayth was layd wherefore he dyed And why theÌ„ do you bestow vpon him
standing vpon the bolster by the Chauncellours Murrey gowne round the day after vpon the stockes the waxe candle fayre put out furthermore by the verdict of the inquest by the attestatioÌ„ of the witnesses sworne by the Crowners iudgement by the assent of the Parliament by the kynges Letters assigned and broade Seale of restitution of hys goodes and finally by the confession of the partyes themselues whiche murthered him c. and yet thinketh Cope to make men such fooles hauing theyr true wits to weene yet that Hunne did hange himselfe after so many demonstrations and euidences to the contrary as in euery parte of this storye may appeare And though it were as it was vnlike and hard for a man to beleue that D. Horsey a man of such age dignity and learning woulde so much forgette himselfe to attempt such a villany yet so great is the deuil sometimes with man where GOD permitteth that he worketh greater thinges then this and more vncredible For who would haue thought it like that Cain woulde euer haue killed Abell his owne naturall Brother whiche was more then a Byshoppes Chauncellour to kyll a Citizen yet so he did Manifest vntruth in Cope And where Cope pretendeth the causes of anger and desperation whereby Hunne did hang hymselfe how is it like or who did euer heare An other vntruth noted in Cope a man beinge in such extremity of desperation to stand first trimming himselfe and kemming hys head before he goe to hang himselfe No lesse credite is also to be geuen to that whiche followeth in the same Cope where he sayth that Richard Hunne being in prison was conuict of heresye By the which word conuict if he meane that Hunne was proued an heretique that is false for that he being at Fulham examined vpon certâ—yne Articles both denyed the Articles to be true as they were obiected and also if they were true yet he submitted himselfe to theyr fauourable correction and therefore not standing obstinately in the same coulde not be proued an heretique And if by this terme conuict he meane that he was by sentence cast so was Hunne neuer cast by any sentence for an heretique so long as he lyued but after his death when hee coulde nothing aunswere for himselfe Cope hudleth vp vntruthes And because this vntrueth should not goe wythout his felow see howe he hudleth vp one false narration in the necke of another affirming moreouer that Hunne was cast in prison An other vntruth noted in Cope before he entred his suite of Premunire agaynst the Priest Which is vtterly false and vntrue both disagreeing to other storyes and also refuted by the words of Syr Thomas Moore his owne authour who reporteth that Hunne insuing his Premunire agaynst the Priest being set vpon a glory of victorye made his boasting among his frendes that he trusted to haue the matter long spoken of and to be called Hunnes case Haec Morus Whereby it appeareth Tho. Morus Dial. Lib. 3. that Hunne was not then in prison clapt vp for heresy but was abroad seeking counsell among the Lawyers and boasting among his friendes as writeth More Lib. 3. Dial. After this heape of vntruthes aboue passed An other vntruth in Cope noted adde yet further an other copy of Copes false dealing who seeking all corners and euery where how to picke matter agaynst my former history chargeth me with arrogancy as though I tooke so highly vpon me to vndoe derogate the kinges acts and iudgements in the acquitall of D. Horsey If it so pleased the king to acquite D. Horsey by his gracious pardon I am not agaynst it neither do I deny but the king so did neyther do I say nor euer did but the king of his supereminent prerogatiue may so do wherein then do I vnrippe or loose the kinges actes here done concluded Answere to Copes cauilâ—tion But if the question be this whether D. Horsey with his coniurates did kill Richard Hunne or no then do I say that the pardon of the king doth not take away the veritye of the crime coÌ„mitted but remoueth away the penalty of the law deserued and so if the life of them was saued by way of pardon as M. Moore himselfe seemeth not to denye theÌ„ was it not through theyr innocency clayming iustice that they escaped but through petition standing neede of mercy For what needeth pardon where iustice absolueth yea who sueth pardon but in so doing must yeld himselfe guilty for pardon neuer commeth lightly eyther with God or man except the crime first be confessed Wherfore if they escaped by iustice as Cope pretendeth The escaping of Horsey came rather of fauour then of his demerites how then doth M. Moore say they were saued by pardon And if they escaped by pardon how then doth Cope say they were not guilty And be it admitted that the sentence of the kinges Attorney in the kinges name did absolue them as vnguiltye according as the king was then informed by the Cardinall and suite of frendes yet afterwarde the king being better informed by the Parliament and the truth better knowne detested and abhorred their fact and yet continued his pardon vnto theÌ„ as by the kings owne actes and his broad seale appeared yet remayning in recordes to be seene And as touching my former historyes set soth in latine and in English which speake first of the foremanne of the quest then of the kinges Attorney to be labored with some giftes or mony as Cope hath yet proued no vntruth in my saying so lesse can he finde any repugnaunce or disagreeing in the same For he that speaketh of bribing first of one person and then afterward of another where both might be bribed together is not contrary I thinke to himselfe but rather doth comprehend that in the one booke whiche he before leaueth out in the other and yet no great repugnaÌ„ce either in the one or in the other seing y t which is sayd may be verified in both as it is no other like but in this matter it was For how is it otherwise like or possible but that there must nedes be found some priuy packing in this matter seeing after such euidence found and brought in by the Crowners inquest and Iury of 24. chosen persons after so many marks and tokens of the murder so cleare and demonstrable and layd forth so playne to the eies of all the world that no manne coulde deny or not see the same yet through the handling of the foresayde Attorney and of the foreman of the quest the murderers were borne out confessed to be no murderers If such bolstring out of matters and parciality were then suche a rare case in the Realme of England in the time of Cardinal Wolsey who then vnder the king and in the kinges name did what he list then let it seeme vntrue in my former stories that I haue writteÌ„ And yet the words of my story which Cope carpeth at so much
and taking of farmes that it putteth hys minde from all goodnesse By whych wordes it appeared sayd they that hee was a Knowen man Item that Robert Bartlet speaking to Hardings wife sayd he had thought to haue called William Tilseworth false heretique but now hee was better aduised Item that they vsed the lectures and readings of that companie ¶ Thys Ro. Bartlet Richarde his brother first being sworne and yet confessing nothing before the Byshop at last were conuicted by witnes as aboue appeareth and noted therefore of periurie Wherfore incurring into greater daunger they were constrained at their nexte examination to vtter them selues and confesse what they had both done and sayde that is For reading scripture in Englishē that the sayde Robert had red vnto Richarde hys brother a parcel of scripture beginning thus Iames the seruaunt of God to the xij kindes c. Item for that he hard Williā Tilseworth say that Images of saintes were but stocks and stones and dead things and that he taught the same to his brother Richarde and concealed the wordes of William Tilsewoorthe Item for that he partly beleeued Thomas Mastall teaching him that the true presence of Christ was not in the Sacrament and likewise of Images and Pilgrimage Item for receyuing the Communion at Easter without shrift c. Robert Bartlet was brought to examinatiō caused by his othe to detect Rich. Bartlet his brother The crime wherein Roberte Bartlet appeached hys brother Rich. was this because he said hys brother Rich. had beene muche conuersant wyth Thurstane Litlepage The Brother detecteth the Brother had learned of hym the counsailes and secreates of those men Also that hee had learned of hym some of the Epistle of S. Iames thus beginning Iames the seruaunte of God to the twelue kindes c.  Isabel Bartlet his wife The cause wherein Roberte Bartlet did detecte his wife was thys The husband detecteth the wife that when the Byshops seruaunte was come for her husband she vttered these wordes saying Alas he was now an vndone man and she but a dead woman The brother accuseth the sister Furthermore y e said R. being demanded of y e Bishop whether he knewe Isabell hys wyfe to bee of the secte of heretiques before hee marryed her sayde yea Beeing asked againe if shee hadde not ben of that sect whether then he would haue maried her he graunted the same likewise The foresaid Ro Bartlet was broght to examination caused by hys othe to detect Agnes Wellis his sister Furthermore y e said R. Bart. detected his owne sister in that hee hadde twise instructed her not to worshyppe Images and also hadde taughte her in the Epistle of S. Iames. Elizabeth Deane wife of Richarde Deane of Westwicam Emme Tilseworth wife of Wil-Tilseworth William Grinder his wife Iohn Scriuener Alexandera Mastal w. Tilsworth Thurstane Litlepage Iohn Bartlet his brother The sayde Roberte Bart. detected also these to bee of the number of Knowen men for that they resorted many times together reading and conferringe amonge themselues talking againste worshippinge of Images Pilgrimage And if any came in amongste them whiche was not of theyr side thē they wold saye no more but keepe all silence c. Rich. Bartlet by hys oth was cōstrained to detect Agnes wellys wife of Iohn Wellys his sister This Agnes was detected of her brother in 3. poyntes The brother accuseth his sister Firste for learning the Epistle of Saint Iames in English of Thurstan Litlepage Secondly for not beleeuing the bodily presence in the Sacrament Thirdly for speakyng against worshippyng of Images and goyng on Pilgrimages  Olde father Bartlet his father This Richarde Bertlet also in hys confessyon sayde of his Father that he was a better manne then hee was taken for For the other daye there came a manne to him as hee was threashing and sayde God speede father Bertlet yee worke sore yea sayde hee The Popes God almightie threshed out of the strawe I threshe God almighty out of the strawe ¶ Against thys Agnes Wellys brought and examined before the Bishop were ministred these interrogatories which for certaine causes I thought here to inserte for our posteritie to note and consider and they are these as foloweth * Articles ministred to Agnes Wellys 1 WHether shee knewe that certaine of the Paryshe of Amersham were conuented before William Smith late Byshoppe of Lincolne for heresie Articles ministred against Agnes Wellys 2 Item whether she knew that certaine of them so conuented before the Bishop for heresie did erre in the Sacrament of the altar or in other Sacraments and what errours they were and wherein 3 Item whether she knewe anye other to be susspect of the same heresie or sect beside them of Amersham so conuented who they were and how many 4 Item whether shee had bene of the same company or sect or opinion with them which were conuented before the Bishop for heresie and if she were what company she vsed and whose 5 Whether she was at any time conuersant with Thurstane Litlepage and if shee were how ofte she had bene in his company howe what time in what place who else were present for what causes and whether she knew him to be suspected for heresie 6 Item whether shee knewe and had beene conuersant wyth Alexander Mastall and if shee were howe when in what place who were present for what causes and whether shee knewe him suspected for heresie 7 Item whether she was euer detected to the office of Willi. Smith late Bishop of Lincolne at what time or since the time that Litlepage and Mastall were conuented before the Byshop for heresie and whether shee was then called and conuented before the Bishop for heresie or not 8. Item whether she had bene present or is now noted had holden or reputed or diffamed to be of the same sect with Thurstan Litlepage or other conuicted of heresie and whether she be or hath bene nominated for a Knowen woman among them 9 Item whether she hath ben present at any time at the readings or conferrings betweene Thurstane Litlepage and other conuicts 10 Item whether Thurstane Litlepage did euer teache her the Epistle of Sainte Iames For readyng the scripture in Englishe or the Epistles of Saint Peter or Paule in English and whether shee hath repeated oft times the sayde Epistle of saint Iames vnto the sayde Thurstane in the presence of Richard Bartlet her brother 11 Item whether Richarde Bartlet her brother dyd teache her at any time the Epistle of S. Iames and if he did howe oft and in what place 12 Item whether shee hadde beene instructed by Thurstane Litlepage or by any other in the foresayde secte that in the Sacrament of the aultare was not the true body of Christe but onely the substaunce of bread 13 Item whether shee hadde bene instructed by Thurstane Litlepage or any other that Pilgrimage was not to be vsed nor the Images
of Peter the one in his first Epistle the other in the latter and so be you contented with this present answer rashed vp in haste Fare ye hartily wel And comfort my William the good aged father by the grace of God which is in you Commende me to Iohn Eggenberge From Zuricke the 1. day of September An. 1527. FRom the first beginning of this whole booke and historie hitherto good reader thou hast hearde of many and sundry troubles much businesse in the church of Christe concerning the reformation of diuers abuses and great errors crept into the same namely in the Churche of Rome as appeareth by the doings of them in diuers and sundry places wherof mention hath bene made heretofore in this said historie For what godly man hath there bene wythin the space of these 500. yeares The corruption of the Sea of Rome continually cryed out against either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disprooued the misordred doings and corrupt examples of the See and Bishop of Rome from time to time vnto the cōming of this Luther Wherin this appeareth to me may also appeare no lesse to al godly disposed mē to be noted not without great admiration that seeing this foresaid Romish Bishop hath had great ennemies and gainsaiers continually from time to time both speaking working preaching and wryting against him yet notwithstanding neuer any could preuail before the comming of this man The cause whereof although it be secretely knowen vnto God and vnknowen vnto men yet so farre as men by cōiectures may suppose it may thus not vnlikely be thought That whereas other men before him speaking against the pomp pride whoredom and auarice of the Bishop of Rome charged him only or most specially with examples and maners of life Luther went further with hym charging him not wyth life but with his learning not with doings but with his doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote not seeking the man but shaking his seate yea charging him with plaine heresie The Pope charged with heresie by Luther as preiudicial and resisting plainly against the bloud of Christ cōtrary to the true sense and direct vnderstanding of the sacred testament of Gods holy woord For whereas the foundation of our faith grounded vpon the holy scripture teacheth leadeth vs to be iustified onely by the worthines of Christ the onely price of his bloud The foundation of the Popes doctrine contrarye to Christen faith the Pope proceeding with a contrary doctrine teacheth vs otherwyse to seeke our saluation not by Christ alone but by the way of mennes meriting and deseruing by works Wherupon rose diuers sorts of orders religious sects amongst men some professing one thing and some an other euery man seeking his owne vnrighteousnes but few seking the righteousnes of him which is set vp of God to be our righteousnes redemption and iustification Martin Luther therefore vrging reducing things to the foundation and touchstone of the Scripture Iustification by faith reuiued by Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darknes Whereupon it can not be expressed what ioy comforte and consolation came to the hearts of men some lying in darknes and ignoraunce some wallowing in sinne some being in despaire some macerating them selues by woorkes and some presuming vppon their owne righteousnesse to beholde that glorious benefite of the greate libertie and free iustification set vp in Christ Iesus And briefly to speake the more glorious the benefite of this doctrine appeared to the world after long ignoraunce the greater persecution followed vppon the same And where the elect of God tooke most occasion of comfort and of saluation thereof the aduersaries tooke moste matter of vexation disturbance As commonly we see the true woord of God to bring with it euer dissention and perturbation and therefore truely it was sayde of Christ That he came not to send peace on earth but the swoorde Math. 10. And this was the cause why that after the doctrine and preaching of Luther so great troubles and persecutions followed in all quarters of the world Great persecution after the doctrine of Luther wherby rose great disquietnesse among the Prelates and many lawes and decrees were made to ouerthrowe the same by cruell handling of many good and Christian men Thus while authoritie armed wyth lawes and rigour did striue againste simple veritie lamentable it was to heare howe many poore men were troubled and went to wracke some tost from place to place some exiled out of the land for fear some caused to abiure some driuen to caues in woodes some racked wyth torment and some pursued to deathe wyth fagot and fire Of whom we haue nowe Christ willing in this hystorie following to entreat first begynning with certaine that suffered in Germanie then to returne to our owne stories and Martyrs here in England Henry Voes and Iohn Esch Friers Augustines IN the yeare of our Lorde 1523. two young menne were burnt at Bruxelles the one named Henry Uoes Two Fryers burned at Bruxelles being of the age of 24. yeares and the other Iohn Esch whych before had bene of the order of the Augustine Friers They were disgraded the first day of Iulie and spoiled of theyr friers weede at the suite of Egmondanus the Popes Inquisitour and the diuines of Louaine Egmondanus and Hochestratus doctors of Louain persecuters for that they would not retracte and deny their doctrine of the Gospell which the Papistes call Lutheranisme Theyr examiners were Hochestratus and other who demaunded of them what they did beleeue They sayde the bookes of the olde Testament and the newe wherein were contained the Articles of the Creede Then were they asked whether they beleued the decrees of the Councels and of the Fathers They sayde such as were agreeing to the Scripture Their examination they beleeued After thys they proceeded further asking whether they thought it any deadly sinne to transgresse the decrees of the fathers and of the bishop of Rome That said they is to be attributed onely to the precepts of God to binde the conscience of man or to loose it Wherein when they cōstantly persisted and would not turne they were condemned and iudged to be burned Then they beganne to geue thanks to God their heauenly father which had deliuered them through his great goodnes from the false and abhominable priesthoode had made of them priests of his holy order receiuing thē vnto him as a sacrifice of sweete odor Then there was a bill written which was deliuered vnto them to read opēly before the people to declare what faith and doctrine they helde The cause of their accusation Martirdōe The greatest error that they were accused of was that men ought to trust only in God for so much as men are liers and deceitful in all their words and deedes and therefore there ought no trust or
sayd Vengeance is myne and I will punish Rom. 12. And for so much as he was a very leane man he added thys moreouer saying It is all one for shortly I must haue forsaken thys skin which already scarsely hangeth to my bones I know well that I am a mortall and a corruptible worme and haue nothing in me but corruption I haue long time desired my latter day haue made my request that I might be deliuered out of this mortall body to be ioyned with my Sauiour Christ. I haue deserued through my manifold sinnes committed agaynst my Sauior Christ my crosse and my Sauiour Christ hath borne the crosse and hath died vpon the crosse and for my part I will not glory in any other thing but onely in the crosse of Iesus Christ. There were present by This blessed Martyr drowned certayne naughtye persons which tould not endure to heare this godly exhortatiō but made a signe vnto the hangman to cast him down into the riuer After he was throwne downe he moued by a certayne space in the water in such sort that the riuer whereinto he was cast was redde with bloud This was a certayne signe and token that innocent bloud was that daye shed They which were there present beholding that whiche had happened The water miraculously couloured with bloud where he was drowned were greatly amazed and astonyed cōsidering with themselues what the stayning of the water with the bloud should signify Euery man returned home pēsiue and sad maruelling at the cruel deed that was done that day notwithstanding no man durst open his mouth to speake one word because that all thinges were exercised with such cruelty This was done in the towne of Ensissheim an 1525. These thinges I did vnderstand by one which did behold them with his eyes The Lord of his great grace be mercifull vnto vs and forgeue vs our sinnes Ex Oecolam Such was the wickednes then of those dayes and yet is still that who so euer was perceiued to fauour the Gospel or any thing to dislike the doctrine of the popes church he was hated and despited of the Rulers Lawiers and al other Papistes through the whole countrey about but especially of priestes monks and friers And though the life of the Gospellers were neuer so sound vpright yet such was the hatred and malice of the Popes frendes agaynste them that they neuer ceased to seek all occasiōs and deuise matters how to bring them to death It so happened a litle before this present time that there was a commotion of the rude and rusticall people of the country rising in armour inordinately agaynst theyr Rulers to the great disturbance of the whole country of Germany no lesse to theyr owne destruction of whom were slayn aboue 20000. At length when this rebellion was appeased and all things quiet such as were the popes frēds to worke theyr malice agaynst the Gospell tooke occasion thereby not long after to accuse and entangle such as they knew to be Gospellers Protestantes And although the sayd Gospellers were neuer so inculpable cleare from al rebellion yet that sufficed not for causes were made false witnesses brought corrupt Iudges suborned to condemne the innocent many were put to death theyr cause neither being heard nor knowne By reason whereof a great nūber of good innocent Christians were miserably brought to theyr end and martyrdome In the number of whome was this poore man also whose story by Oecolampadius is thus described ¶ An other history of a certayne man of the country wrongfully put to death collected by the sayd Iohn Oecolampadius Ex Ioan. Occolampadio THere was sayth he a certayne manne of the countrey which in my iudgement was a good man and louer of iustice and a mortall enemye of all the cruell exactions of the Gentlemen which oppressed the poore people Thys man after the tumult and commotion of the countrey was appeased was grieuously vexed and tormented because he had cryed Alarme when as a great number of horsemen raunged about the countrey to seeke out those which had bene the authours of that sedition This poore man was taken by pollicy so vpholden with fayre promises that they made him cōfesse whatsoeuer they requyred He thinking that they would not haue put him to death was cast in prison wheras he was long time deteined well cherished to take away all suspition from him but after he had taried a long time in prison they put him to the Pinbank laying diuers and many grieuous offences to his charge where they kept him hanging in the trusse of the corde The trusse of the corde is a certaine hanging vp by the handes behinde hauing a waightie stone fastened at their feete the space of sixe houres hanging a great stone fastened at hys feete The sweat that dropped from his body for very payne and anguish was almost bloud In this distresse he cryed out pitifully but all that could not once moue the tormenters hartes When as all the power strength in his body beganne to fayle him with great violence they let him fall downe There this poore man lay euen as a stocke not mouing any part or member of his body but a little drawing his breath which was a token that there was some life in him Here the tormenters were in great doubt what to do with the man whom they sought by al meanes to destroy in what place they might put him that he should not die of that torment Amongest them there was one which brought vineger and rose water and rubbing him therewithall they dyd somewhat recouer him After that they had caused hym to eate and drinke such as they had prouided for him they let him downe into a deepe dungeon where he could see neyther Sunne nor Moone All this was done to the intent to put him to more torment when he had somewhat recouered his strength agayne There they let him continue xviij dayes after which time they brought him agayne to examination propoūding certaine articles vnto him whiche he constantly denyed They deuised diuers and sundry kindes of tormentes to the intent they might euen of force extorte something of this poore man which might seeme woorthy of death yet for all that they were fayne to depart without theyr purpose The xx day after these tyrauntes hyred a hangman a man sure worthy of his office whiche lefte no kinde of cruelty vnpractised The innocent man againe tormented Yet did he misse of his purpose also and was constrained to leaue his cruelty and to pronounce euē with his own mouth that the man was innocēt in that he had so constantly endured so many horrible and grieuous tormentes Yet these tyrauntes came agayne the fourth time False witnes suborned two witnesses agaynst him thus cōcluding that he was worthy of death because he had cried Alarme after the truice was taken woulde haue moued a new sedition The day was appointed
to be theyr Pastor labored by all meanes how to extirp out of the harts of the people Idolatry and Superstition Whiche through the grace of Christ working with him he in short time had brought prosperously to passe according to his desire In so muche that the obseruation of Lent Images and all Idols with the abhominatiō also of the Masse in the same towne was vtterly abolished So reformable God made the hartes of the people there such affection had they to theyr minister It was not long but the rumour thereof came to the hearing of Duke Antony prince of Loraine vnder whose dominion they were through the swift report of the aduersaries False and pernitious tongues falsly belying these Hippolitans to y e duke as though they in relinquishing the doctrine and faction of the Pope went about to reiect and shake of all authority power of princes all superior gouernors By the meanes of which sinister report they incensed the Prince to such displeasure and indignation The Duke of Loraine threateneth the town of S. Hypolitus that he threatned to subuert and vtterly to destroy the Towne with swoord and fire Wolfgangus hauing word of this wrote vnto the Duke his Epistle in most humble obedient wise in defence both of his ministery of his doctrine which he taught of the whole cause of the Gospell In which Epistle first he excused the people to be innocent blamelesse The letter of Wolfgāgus to the Duke rather those slaunderous reporters to be both worthy to be blamed and also punished for theyr false rumors forged sclaunders raysed vp agaynst them After that he opened and explaned the cause and state of the Gospell and of our saluation cōsisting only in the free grace of God through fayth in Christ his sonne cōparing also the same doctrine of the Gospell with the confused doctrine of the Church of Rome That done thirdly he proceeded to our obedience honor and worship which first we owe to God to Christ next vnder him to Princes here and Potestates whom God hath placed in his roome and endued with authoritye here in earth vnto whom they offered themselues nowe at all times prest and most ready to obey with all seruice duety c. But with this Epistle Wolfgangus did nothing preuayle eyther for that it was intercepted by the way or els for that the false accusations wicked tongues of the aduersarye parte tooke more effect to winne credite wyth the Duke then could the simple defence of verity Whereupon Wolfgangus when he saw no other remedy rather then the towne should come in any daūger for his cause y e good man of his owne accord came to the city of Nancey which is the head towne of Loraine there to render a confession of his doctrine and also to deliuer the towne of S. Hippolite out of perill deriuyng all the daunger vppon hymselfe As soone as he was come thyther The Constancie of Wolfgangus vnremoueable incontinent handes were layd vpon him and he laid fast in a straight and stinking prison where he was sharpely and bitterly handled vnder the custody of the churlish and cruell kepers All this notwithstanding Wolfgangus cōtinuing in that prisō the space of a whole yeare yet would not be moued from hys cōstancy neither with the straitnes of the prison nor wyth the hardnesse of his kepers nor yet with the compassion of his wife children which he had about sixe or seuen Wolfgangus had to the Gray Fryers Then was he had to the house of the Gray fryers to professe there his fayth where he both wittyly and learnedly confuted all them that stood agaynst him ¶ The Martyrdome of Wolfgangus As he was led to the place of execution passing by the house of the Gray Friers Bonauenture the greate Cyclops sitting at the doore cryed out to him thou heretique do thy reuerence here to God and to our Lady and to his holy Sayntes shewing to him the Idols standing at the Friers gate To whom Wolfgangus aunswered agayne thou hypocrite thou paynted Wall the Lord shall destroy thee and bring all thy false dissimulation vnto light When they were come to the place of his Martyrdome fyrst hys bookes before him were throwne in the fire Then they asked him whether he woulde haue his payne mynished or shortned to whom he sayd no bidding thē to do theyr will for sayd he as God hath bene with me hitherto so I trust now he will not leaue me when I shall haue most need of him concluding his wordes thus that they should put the sentence in execution Note the quiet and ioyful death of this blessed Martyr so beginning to sing the 51. Psalme he entred into the place heaped vp with fagots and wood continuing in his Psalme and singing till the smoke the flame tooke from hym both voyce and life The singuler vertue constancye and learning of thys blessed man as it refreshed and greatly edified the harts of many good men The iust punishment of God vpon persecutors so it astonyed as much the mindes of hys aduersaryes and wrought to theyr confusion For shortlye after his death the Commēdator of S. Antony of Uienna who sate as spirituall iudge ouer him and gaue sentence of his condemnation fell sodenly down and dyed Also his felow which was Abbot of Clarilocus and suffragan to to the Bishop of Metz sodenly at the comming of the Duches of Denmarke into the city of Nancy strokē with soden feare at the cracke of gunnes fell downe and dyed as they which were presēt and saw it haue made faythfull relation of the same an 1525. Ex Ludou Rabo Pantal. ¶ Iohn Huglein Martyr OF Iohn Huglein Priest mention is made in the Commentaryes of Iohn Sled in Lib. 6. who the next yeare folowing Iohn Huglein Martyr Ex Comment Sled lib. 6. an 1526. was burned at Merspurge by the bishop of Constance for that he did not holde with the Byshop of Romes doctrine in all poyntes Moreouer besides other matters in this yeare occurrent Promise of maryage broken with Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxony here is also a Memorandum to be made to all posterity that in this present yeare .1526 vnto Iohn Friderick sonne and heyre to the Prince and Electour of Saxony was promised the Lady Katherine the Emperours younger sister in Mariage and writinges made of the same But when the alteration of religion was sent by Gods prouidence in to Saxonye The Popes church keepeth no promise with heretickes they swarued from theyr couenauntes and Hawnart which was then the Emperours Ambassadour in Germany sayde playnely that there was no promise to be kept with heretickes wherin they seemed to folow well the footsteppes of the Councell of Constance as before you haue partly heard in the story of Iohn Hus of the Emperour Sigismund pag. 593.587 ¶ George Carpenter of Emeryng Martyr burned in the towne of
iustifying these are to be remooued and separated a sonder the lawe from the Gospel and faith from workes Otherwise in the person that is iustified and also in order of doctrine they ought coÌ„monly to goe necessarily together Therfore where soeuer any question or doubt riseth of saluation or our iustifying before God there the law al good works must be vtterly excluded and stand apart Grace free Promise simple Faith alone that grace may appeare free the promise simple and that faith may staÌ„d alone Which faith alone without law or workes worketh to euery man particularly his saluation through mere promise and the free grace of God This worde particularly I adde Particularly for the particulare certifying of euery mans hart priuately and peculiarly that beleueth in Christ. For as the body of Christ is the cause efficient of the redemption of the whole world in generall so is faith the instrumentall cause The body of Christ is the efficient cause of our redemption in generall Faith is the instrumental cause of euery mans particular saluation by which euery man applieth the sayde body of Christ particularly to his owne saluation So that in the action and office of iustification both law workes here be vtterly secluded and exempted as things hauing nothing to doe in this behalfe The reason is this for seing that all our redemption vniuersally springeth only froÌ„ the body of the sonne of God crucified then is there nothing that can stande vs in steade but that onely wherewith thys bodye of Christ is apprehended Now for somuch as neither the law nor works but faith onely is the thing which apprehendeth the body and death of Christ Note the obiecte of faith Faith with her obiecte onely saueth A similitude beâ—tweene the brasen Serpente and Christes bodye therfore faith onely is that matter which iustifieth euery soule before God thorough the strength of that obiect which it doth apprehend For the obiect onely of our faith is the body of Christ like as the brasen Serpent was the obiecte onely of the Israelites looking and not of their handes working by the strength of which obiect through the promise of God immediatly proceeded health to the beholders So the body of Christ being the obiecte of our faithe striketh righteousnesse to our soules not through working but beleuing onely Thus you see howe faith being the onely eye of our soule Faith is only the eye of the soule which â—â—â—keth to Christ. standeth alone with her obiecte in case of iustifying but yet neuerthelesse in the body she standeth not alone for besides the eye there be also handes to worke feete to walke eares to heare and other members moe euery one conuenient for the seruyce of the body and yet there is none of them all that can see but onely the eye So in a christian mans life and in order of doctrine ther is the law there is repentance there is hope charitie and dedes of charitie all which in life and in doctrine are ioyned necessarily do concurre together and yet in the action of iustifying there is nothing els in man that hath any parte or place but onely Fayth apprehending the obiect which is the body of Christ Iesus for vs crucified in whom consisteth all the worthines and fulnes of our saluation by faith that is by our apprehending and receauyng of him according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Whosoeuer receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen all such as beleued in his name c. Also Esay 53. And this iust seruaunt of mine in the knowledge of him shall iustifie many c. Argument Da. Apprehending and receauing of Christ onely maketh vs iustified before God As many as receaued him to them he gaue power c. â—ohn 1. And â—e by the knâ—wâ—â—dge of him shall iustifie many c. Esay 53. Iohn 1. ti Christ onely is apprehended and receaued by Faith si Ergo faith onely maketh vs iustified before God Argument Ba Iustification commeth onely by apprehending and receiuing of Christ. Esay 53. ro The lawe and workes do nothing pertaine to the apprehending of Christ. co Ergo the law and workes pertaine nothing to Iustification Argument Ce Nothing which is vniust of it selfe can iustifie vs before God or helpe any thing to our iustifying All our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes Esay 64. sa Euery worke we do is vniust before God Esay 54. re Ergo no worke that we do can iustifie vs before God nor helpe any thing to our iustifying Argument Ca If workes could any thing further our iustification theÌ„ should our works some thing profit vs before God When â—e haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruantes Luke 17. Without me can ye do nothing Iohn 15. me No workes doe the best we can doe profite vs before God Luke 17. stres Ergo no workes that we doe can any thynge further our iustification Argument Ba All that we can do w t God is only by Christ. Ihon. 15. ro Our workes and merites be not Christe neyther anye part of him co Ergo our workes merits can do nothing with God Argument Da That which is the cause of condemnation cannot be the cause of iustification The lawe worketh anger Rom. 4. ri The law is the cause of condemnation Rom. 4. j. Ergo it is not the cause of iustification A consequent We are quit and deliuered from the law Rom. 7. Now are we quitte and deliuered from the law being dead to that wherein we were once holden Rom. 7. Ergo we are not quâ—t and deliuered by the law Forsomuch therfore as the truth of the Scripture in expresse words hath thus included our saluation in faith onely we are enforced necessarily to exclude all other causes and meanes in our Iustification and to make this difference betwene the lawe the Gospel betwene faith and works affirming with the Scripture word of God that the lawe condemneth vs our works do not auaile vs and that faith in Christ onely iustifieth vs. And thys difference and distinction ought diligently to be learned and retained of all christians especially in conflict of conscience betweene the law and the gospel faith and works grace and merites promise condition Gods free election and mans freewil So that the lyght of the free grace of God in our saluation may appeare to all consciences to the immortal glory of Gods holy name Amen The order and differences of places The Gospel Antitheta The law Faith Works Grace Merites Promise coÌ„ditioÌ„ Gods fre election maÌ„s fre wil. The difference and repugnance of these foresayde places being wel noted and exâ—ended it shall geue no smal light to euerye faithfull christian both to vnderstande the Scripture to iudge in cases of conscience and to reconcile such places in the olde and newe Testament as els may seeme to repugne according to the rule
amongst such a number of Philistians both within the Realme and without Agayne neither is it vnlike but that Stephen Winchester being then abroade in Ambassie was not altogether asleepe The suspition whereof may be the more coniecturall for that Edmund Boner Archdeacon of Leicester and then Ambassadour in Fraunce succeeding after Stephen Winchester did manifestly detect him of plaine Papistrie as in the sequeale of their stories when wee come to the time more ample the Lord graunting shall be expressed And as touching the Kings minde and assent The lawfulnes of Queene Annes succession defended although at that time through crafty setters on he seemed to be sore bent both against that Queene and to the disheriting of his owne daughter yet vnto that former will of the King so set against her then I will oppose againe the last will of the King wherein expressely and by name he did accepte and by plaine ratification did allow the succession of hys Mariage to stand good and lawfull Furthermore Defence of Queene Anne agaynst priuy backbyters to all other sinister iudgements and opinions whatsoeuer can be conceiued of man against that vertuous Queene I obiect and oppose againe as in stede of aunswere the euident demonstration of Gods fauour in mainteining preseruing aduaunsing the offspring of her body the Lady ELIZABETH nowe Queene whome the Lord hath so meruailously conserued from so manifold daungers so royally hath exalted so happely hath blessed with such vertuous patience and with such a quiet reigne hetherto that neither the reigne of her brother EDVVARD nor of her sister Mary to her is to be compared whether we consider the number of the yeares of their reignes or the peaceablenes of their state In whose royall and florishing regiment we haue to behold not so much the naturall disposition of her mothers qualities as the secrete iudgemente of God in preseruing and magnifieng the fruite and offspring of that godly Queene And finally as for the blasphemous mouth both of Cardinall Poole Paulus 〈◊〉 can finde no whoredome in all Rome but must come and 〈◊〉 matter where none 〈◊〉 in England The Protestantes of Germanye forsake king Henry for the death of Queene Anne The wily practises of the Papists and of Paulus Iouius that Popish Cardinall who measuring belike other womeÌ„ by his curtesanes of Rome so impudently abuseth his penne in lieng and rayling against this noble Queene to aunswere agayne in defence of her cause to that Italian I obiect and oppose the consent and iudgement of so many noble Protestants and Princes of Germany who beeing in league before with King Henry and minding no lesse but to haue made him the head of their confederation afterward hearing of the death of this Queene vtterly brake from him and refused him onely for the same cause But all this seemeth as is said to be the drift of the wilie Papistes who seeing the Pope to be repulsed out of England by the meanes chiefly of this Queene and fearing alwayes the succession of this Marriage in time to come thought by sinister practise to preuent that perill before whispering in the Kings eares what possibly they could to make that Matrimonie vnlawfull and all for the disheriting of that succession Againe Stephen Gardiner who was a secret worker against that mariage and a perpetuall enemie against Lady Elizabeth being then abroade with the French Kyng and the great Maister of Fraunce ceased not in his letters still to put the King in feare that the foreine Princes and powers of the world with the Pope woulde neuer be reconciled to the King neither should he be euer in any perfect securitie vnlesse he vndid againe such actes before passed for the ratification of that succession Which thing when they had now brought to passe after their owne desire that both now the Queene was beheaded Gods prouidence still disapointeth the papistes The king maried Lady Iane. and Elizabeth the Kings daughter disherited they thought all things to be sure for euer But yet Gods prouidence still went beyond them and deceaued them For incontinently after the suffering of Queene Anne the King within three dayes after maryed Lady Iane Semer of whome came King Edward as great an enemie to Gods enemie the Pope as euer his father was and greater too In the meane time as these troublous tumultes were in doing in England Paule the third Bishop of Rome for his part was not behind to helpe forward for his own aduantage Who seeing his vsurped kingdome feate to be darkened in the countreys of Germany The feate of the beast darckned Apoc. 16. also in EnglaÌ„d thought it high time to bestirre him and therefore to prouide some remedy against further daungers appointed a general Councel at Mantua in Italy requiring all kings and princes either personally to be there or else to sende their Ambassadours vnder faire preâ—enses as to suppresse heresies and to restore the Church and to warre agaynst the Turke c. This Bull was subscribed with the hands of 26. Cardinals and set vp in diuers great Cities that it might be knowne and published to the whole world Unto the which Bull firste the Protestants of Germany doe aunsweare declaring sufficient causes why they refused to resort to that Councell being indicted at Mantua in the Popes owne Countrey Whose declaration with theyr causes graue and effectuall Ex Ioan. Sledano Lib. 10. being set forth in print and in the English tongue although they were worthy heere to be inserted yet for breuitie and more speede in our story I will pretermit the same and only take the Oration or answere of our King heere Wherein he likewise rendereth reasons and causes most reasonable why he refuseth to come or to send at the Popes call to his Councell indicted at Mantua Whose Oration or Protestation because it conteineth matter of some wâ—ight and great experience I thought heere good to expresse as foloweth ¶ A Protestation in the name of the King and the whole Counsaile and Cleargy of England why they refuse to come to the Popes Councell at his call SEing that the Bishop of Rome calleth learned men froÌ„ all parties The kinges protestation why he senâ—eth not to â—he Popes Councell conducting them by great rewards making as many of them Cardinals as he thinketh most meet and most ready to defend fraâ—des and vntruthes we could not but with much anxietie cast with our selues what so great a preparance of wits should meane As chance was wee gessed euen as it folowed We haue ben so long acquainted with Romaine subtilties and popish deceites that we wel and easely iudged y e Byshop of Rome to intend an assemble of his adherents and men sworne to thinke all his lusts to be lawes We were not deceiued The Popes craftes espyed Paule the Byshop of Rome hath called a Councell to the which he knewe well either fewe or none of the Christen Princes coulde come Both the time
of your power and that from hencefoorth ye shall accept repute and take the Kings Maiestie to be the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England and that to your cunning witte and vttermost of your power without guile fraude or other vndue meane ye shall obserue keepe mainteine and defend the whole effects and contents of all and singular Actes and Statutes made and to be made within this Realme in derogation extirpation and extinguishment of the Byshop of Rome and his authoritie and all other Actes and Statutes made and to be made in reformation and corroboration of the Kings power of supreme head in earth of the Church of England and this ye shall do agaynst all maner of persons of what estate dignitie degree or condition they be and in no wise do nor attempt nor to your power suffer to be done or attempted directly or indirectly any thing or things priuely or apertly to the let hinderance dammage or derogation thereof or of any part thereof by any maner of meanes or for any maner of pretense And in case any othe bee made or hath bene made by you to any person or persons in maintenance or fauour of the Bishop of Rome or his authority iurisdiction or power ye repute the same as vaine and adnihilate so helpe you God c. In fidem praemissorum ego Edmundus Boner electus confirmatus Londonensis Episcopus huic praesenti chartae subscripsi ¶ Ecclesiasticall matters an 1538. It will be iudged that I haue lingred peraduenture too much in these outward affaires of Princes and Ambassadours Anno 1538. Wherefore leauing with these by matters perteynyng to the Ciuill state a while I mynde the Lord willyng to put my story in order agayne of such occurreÌ„ts as belong vnto the Church first shewyng such Iniunctions and Articles as were deuised and set forth by the kyng for the behoofe of his subiectes Wherein first is to be vnderstaÌ„ded that the kyng when he had taken the title of supremacie from the Byshop of Rome and had translated the same to himselfe and was now a full Prince in his owne realme although he wel perceiued The king and his counsaile bearing with the weakenes of the people by y e wisedome and aduise of the Lord Cromwell and other of his CouÌ„saile that the corrupt state of the Church had neede of reformatioÌ„ in many thyngs yet because he saw how stubburne and vntoward the hartes of many Papistes were to be brought from their old persuasions and customes and what businesse he had with them onely about the matter of the Popes title he durst not by and by reforme all at once which notwithstaÌ„dyng had bene to be wished but leadyng them fayre and softely as he might proceeded by litle and litle to bryng greater purposes to perfectioÌ„ which he no doubt would haue done The booke of articles deuised by the king for queitnes of the people c. if the Lord Cromwell had lyued and therfore first he began with a litle booke of Articles partly aboue touched bearyng this title Articles deuised by the Kynges highnesse to stable Christen quietnesse and vnitie among the people c. * Articles deuised by the kyng IN the contentes of which booke first be set forth the Articles of our ChristiaÌ„ Creede which are necessarely and expressely to be beleued of all men Of 3. SacrameÌ„ts Then with the kynges Preface goyng before foloweth the declaration of iij. Sacramentes to witte of Baptisme of Penaunce and of the Sacrament of the Aultar In the tractation wherof he altereth nothyng from the old trade receaued heretofore froÌ„ the Church of Rome Further then procâ—edyng to the order and cause of our iustificatioÌ„ he declareth that the onely mercy and grace of the father promised freely vnto vs for his sonnes sake Iesu Christ and the merites of his Passion and bloud Of iustification be the onely sufficient and worthy causes of our iustification yet good workes with inward contrition hope and charitie and all other spirituall graces and motions be necessarily required and must needes coÌ„curre also in remission of our sinnes that is our iustification and afterward we beyng iustified must also haue good workes of charitie and obedieÌ„ce towardes God in the obseruyng and fulfillyng outwardly of his lawes and commaundementes c. As touching Images Of Images he willeth all Byshops preachers to teach the people in such sorte as they may know how they may vse them safely in Churches and not abuse them to Idolatry as thus that they be represeÌ„ters of vertue and good example and also by occasioÌ„ may be styrrers of meÌ„s myndes and make them to remember themselues and to lameÌ„t their sinnes and so farre he permitteth them to stand in Churches But otherwise for auoydyng of Idolatrie he chargeth all Byshops preachers diligently to instruct the people that they coÌ„mit no Idolatry vnto them in sensyng of them in kneelyng and offeryng to theÌ„ with other like worshyppynges whiche ought not to be done but onely to God And likewise for honoryng of Saintes the Byshops and preachers be commauÌ„ded to informe the people Of honoring of Saintes how Saints hence departed ought to be reuerenced honored how not That is that they are to be praysed honored as the elect seruauÌ„ts of Christ or rather Christ to be praysed in them for their excellent vertues plaÌ„ted in them for their good example left vs teachyng vs to lyue in vertue goodnes not to feare to dye for Christ as they did also as aduauncers of our prayers in that they may but yet no confidence nor any such honour to be geuen vnto them which is onely due to God And so forth charging the sayd spirituall persons to teache their flocke that all grace and remission of sinnes and saluation can no otherwise be obteined but of God onely No mediation but by Christ. by the mediation of our Sauiour Christ who is onely a sufficient Mediatour for our sinnes and that all grace and remission of sinne must proceede onely by mediation of Christ and no other From that he commeth further to speake of rites ceremonies in Christes Church Of rites and ceremonyes as in hauyng vestimentes vsed in Gods seruice sprinklyng of holy water giuyng of holy bread bearyng of CaÌ„dles on Candlemas day taking of ashes bearyng of Palmes creepyng to the Crosse settyng vp the Sepulcher hallowing of the fonte with other like customes rites ceremonies all which old riâ—es and customes the foresayd booke doth not by and by repeale but so farre admitteth them for good and laudable as they put men in remeÌ„braunce of spirituall thynges but so that the people withall must be instructed how the sayd ceremonies conteine in them no such power to remitte sinne but onely that to be referred vnto God by whome onely our sinnes be forgeuen vs. And so concluding with Purgatory he maketh an ende of those Articles
Hee that made all gouerneth all and shall iudge all knoweth I speake the trothe that the simple maye be satisfied the arrogante confounded the hypocrite disclosed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emery Tylney Dogmata eiusdem Georgij Fides sola sine operibus iustificat Opera ostendant ostentant fidem Romana ecclesia putatiuè caput mundi Lex canonica caput Papae Missae ministerium mysterium iniquitatis To the sayde maister George beinge in Captiuitie in the Castle of Sainte Andrews thâ— Deane of the same Towne was sente by the commaundement of the Cardinall and hys wicked Counsaile and there summoned the sayde maister George that hee shoulde vppon the morning followinge appeare before the Iudge then and there to geue accounte of hys seditious and hereticall doctrine To whom M. George answeared what needeth said he my Lord Cardinal to summon me to answeare for my doctrine openly before him vnder whose power and dominion I am thus straitly bound in yrons May not my Lord compel me to answere of hys extorte power 〈◊〉 George â—â—sehartes â—â—â—were 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 Or beleueth hee that I am vnprouided to render a counte of my doctrine To manifest your selues what men yee are it is well done that ye keepe your olde ceremonies and constitutions made by men Upon the next morning the Lord Cardinal caused his seruauntes to addresse them selues in theyr moste warlike arraye with Iacke Knapskal Splente Speare and axe more seeming for the warre then for the preaching of the true word of God And when these armed chaÌ„pions marching in warlike order had conueyed y e bishops into y e abbey Church M. Wyseharte brought agayne before the Bishops incontinently they sent for M. George who was conueyed into the sayd Churche by the Captayne of the Castle accompanied with an hundred men addressed in maner aforesayde Like a lambe lead they him to sacrifice As he entred into the Abbey Church doore there was a poore man lying vexed with great infirmities asking of his almes to whom he flang his purse And when he came before the Lord Cardinall M. Wyseharte casteth his purse to a poore man by and by the Suppriour of the Abbey called Dane Iohn Winryme stood vp in the pulpite and made a sermon to all the congregation there theÌ„ assembled taking his matter out of the xiii chapter of Mathewe Whose sermon was deuided into foure principall partes The first part was a briefe and short declaration of the Euangelist The second part of the interpretation of the good seed The sermon of Iohn Wynrime And because he called the word of God the good seede and heresie the euill seede he declared what heresie was and how it should be known which he defined on this maner Heresie defined Heresie is a false opinion defended with pertinacie clearly repugning the word of God The third part of his sermon was the cause of heresie within that Realme and all other Realmes The cause of heresie The cause of heresie quoth he is the ignoraunce of them which haue the cures of mens soules to whome it necessarily belongeth to haue the true vnderstanding of the woorde of God that they may be able to winne againe the false Doctours of heresies with the sworde of the spirite which is y e worde of God and not onely to winne agayne Tit. 7. but also to ouercome them as sayth Paule A Byshop must be faultlesse as it becommeth the minister of God not stubburne nor angrye no drunkard no fighter not geuen to filthy lucre but barbarous one that loueth goodnes sober minded righteous holy temperate and suche as cleaueth vnto the true worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhort with wholesome learning and to improue that which they say agaynst him The fourth part of his sermon was how heresies shuld be knowne The maner to know an hereâ—ticke Heresies quoth he be knowne on this maner as the Goldsmith knoweth the fine golde from the vnperfect by the touchstone so likewise may we knowe heresie by the vndoubted touchstone that is the true sincere and vndefiled word of God At the last he added that hereticks shoulde be put downe in this present life The Gospell was of letting the tares to grow vnto haruest To whiche proposition the gospel appeared to repugne which he entreated of Let them grow vnto the haruest the haruest is the end of the world Neuerthelesse hee affirmed that they shoulde be put downe by the ciuile magistrate and law And when hee ended his sermon incontinently they caused mayster George to ascend into the pulpit there to heare his accusation and articles And right agaynst him stood by one of the fed flocke a monster Iohn Laâ—der Iohn Lauder accuser laden full of cursinges written in paper Of the which he tooke out a roll both long and also full of cursinges threates maledictions and wordes of deuilish spite and malice The way to feare the ignoraunt saying to the innocent M. George so many cruell and abhominable wordes and hit him so spitefully with the popes thunder that the ignoraunt people dreaded least the 〈◊〉 then woulde haue swallowed him vp quicke Notwithstanding he stood still with great pacience hearing their sayinges not once mouing or chaunging his countenaunce When that this fed sâ—w had read throughout all his lying manasinges his face running down with sweate The fruites of their charitye and frothing at his mouth like a boare he spit at M. Georges face saying What aunswerest thou to these sayinges thou runnagate traytor theefe which we haue duely proued by sufficient witnes agaynst the M. George â—earing thys kneeled downe vpon hys knees in the Pulpit making his prayer to God When he had ended his prayer sweetly and Christianly he answered to them all in this maner Mayster George his aunswere MAny and horrible sayinges vnto me a Christian man M. Wyseharteâ— aunswere many wordes abhominable for to heare ye haue spoken here this day Which not onely to receaue but also once to thinke I thought euer great abhomination Wherfore I pray your discretions quietly to heare me that ye may know what were my sayings the maner of my doctrine This my petition my Lord I desire to be heard for three causes Three causes why M. Wysehart deserued to be heard The first is because thorough preaching of the worde of God his glory is made manifest It is reasonable therfore for the aduauncing of the glory of God that ye heare me teaching truely the pure word of God without any dissimulation The 2. cause The second reason is because that your health springeth of the word of God or he worketh all thing by his worde It were therefore an vnrighteous thing if ye shoulde stop your eares from me teaching truely the word of God The 3. cause The third reason is because your doctrine vttereth many blasphemous and abominable words not comming of the inspiration of God but of the
mocked them so do ye Oliph Thou denyest the sacrament of the aultar to be the very body of Christ really in flesh and bloud Oliphant Mylle The Sacrament and sacrifice of the Masse Mille. The scripture of God is not to be taken carnally but spiritually and standeth in faith only as for the Masse it is wrong for Christ was once offered on the Crosse for mans trespasse and will neuer be offered agayne for then he ended all sacrifice Oliph Thou deniest the office of a Byshop Mille. Oliphant Mylle Byshops no Byshops I affirme that they whome ye call Byshops do no Bishops workes nor vse the offices of Bishops as Paul biddeth writing to Timothy but liue after their owne sensuall pleasure and take no care of the flocke nor yet regard they the word of God but desire to be honored and called my Lords Oliph Olyphant Thou speakest against pilgrimage and callest it a pilgrimage to whoredome Mille. I affirme that and say that it is not commaunded in the scripture Mylle and that there is no greater whoredome in no places then at your pilgrimages except it be in common brothels Oliph Thou preachedst quietly and priuatly in houses and openly in the fields Mille. Yea man and on the sea also sailing in ship Oliph Walter Mylle constant in the truth Sentence pronounced against Walter Mylle Wilt thou not recant thine erroneous opinioÌ„s and if thou wilt not I will pronounce sentence against thee Mille. I am accused of my life I know I must die once therfore as Christ sayd to Iudas Quod facis fac citius Ye shal know that I will not recant the truth for I am corne Patricke Learmonâ— the Archbyshopâ— stuard 〈◊〉 Prouost â—â—â—fuseth to his tempâ—â—rall iudgeâ— Also the Archbishops chamberlaine refuseth to be his iudge The townâ— offended wâ—th the condemâ—â—â—tion of Walter Mille. No corde all the towne could be bought to tye him to the stake Alexander Symmerâ—waill the Bishops seruant made teâ—â—poral iudâ—â— for Walteâ— Mille. The miraculous weâ—â— king of 〈◊〉 in Walter Mille. W. Millâ— denyed by the Byshoâ—â— to speake W. Mille permitted by the 〈◊〉 men to speake I am no chaffe I wil not be blowne away with the wind nor burst with the flaile but I will abide both These thinges rehearsed they of purpose with other light trifles to augment their final accusation and then sir Andrew Oliphant pronounced sentence against him that he shuld be deliuered to the temporall iudge and punished as an hereticke which was to be burnt Notwithstanding his boldnes and constancie moued so the hartes of many that the Byshops Stuard of his regalitie Prouost of the towne called Patrike Learmond refused to be his temporall iudge to whome it appertained if the cause had bene iust Also the Bishops chamberlaine being therwith charged would in no wise take vpon him so vngodly an office Yea the whole towne was so offended with his vniust coÌ„demnation that the Bishops seruauntes could not get for their money so much as one cord to tie him to y e stake or a tarre barrell to burne him but were constrained to cut the cordes of their maisters own pauilion to serue their turne Neuerthelesse one seruaunt of the Byshops more ignoraunt and cruell then the rest called Alexander Symmerwayll enterprising the office of a temporall iudge in that part conueyed him to the fire where against all naturall reason of man his boldnes and hardines did more and more increase so that the spirit of God working miraculously in him made it manifest to the people that his cause and Articles were iust and he innocently put downe Now when all things were ready for his death and he conueyed with armed men to the fire Oliphant had him passe to the stake and he said nay but wilt thou put me vp with thy hand and take part of my death thou shalt see me passe vp gladly for by y e law of God I am forbiddeÌ„ to put hands vpon my selfe TheÌ„ Oliphant put him vp with his hand and he ascended gladly saying Introibo ad altare Dei and desired that he might haue place to speake to y e people the which Oliphant and other of the burners denyed saying that he had spoken ouer much for the Byshops were altogether offended that y e matter was so long continued Then some of the yong men committed both the burners and the Byshops their maysters to the Diuell saying that they beleeued that they should lament that daye and desired the sayd Walter to speake what he pleased The Martyrdome of Walter Mille. Epitaphium Non nostra impietas aut actae crimina vitae Armarunt hostes in mea fata truces Sola fides Christi sacris signata libellis Quae vitae causa est est mihi causa necis After this by the iust iudgement of God in the same place where Walter Mille was burnt the Images of the great Church of the Abbey which passed both in number and costlines were burnt in time of reformation Ex fideli testimonio è Scotia misso And thus much concerning such matters as happened and such Martirs as suffered in the Realme of Scotland for the faith of Christ Iesus and testimonie of his truth ¶ Persecution in Kent IN reuoluing the Registers of William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury I finde moreouer besides these aboue comprehended Ex Regist. W. Warrham Archiepisc Cant. in the time and reigne of king Henry the names of diuers other wherof some suffered Martyrdome for the like testimonie of Gods worde and some recanted which albeit heere do come a little out of order and shoulde haue bene placed before in the beginning of King Henries reigne yet rather then they should vtterly be omitted I thought heere to geue them a place though somewhat out of time yet not altogether I trust without fruit vnto the Reader being no lesse worthy to be Registred and preserued from obliuion then other of theyr fellowes before them ¶ A Table of certayne true seruants of God and Martyrs omitted which were burned in the Dioces of Cant. vnder William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury with the names of theyr persecuters and accusers an 1511. Persecuters and Iudges Accusers and witnesses The Martyrs Wyllyam Warrham Archbishop of Caunterbury D. Cutbert Tonstall Doctour of both lawes and Chauncelour of the Archbyshop D. Syluester Lawyer D. Wellys Doctour Clement Browne Doctor Iohn Collet Deane of Paules Doctour Wodyngton Martirs in Kent before the tyme of M. Luther Willyam Rich of Benynden Agnes Iue of Canterbury Robert Hilles of Tenterden Steuen Castelyn of Tenterden Io. Grebill of Tenterden husband to Agnes Grebill the Martyr Christopher Grebill the naturall sonne of Agnes Grebill the Martyr Io. Grebill the yonger the naturall sonne of Agnes Grebill the Martyr Wil. Oldbert of Godmersham Laur. CheterdeÌ„ Tho. Harwood of Rowenden Ioane Harwood his wife Phill. Hardwod WilliaÌ„ Baker of Cramebroke Edw. Walker Robert Reinold of Benynden Williem Carder of Tenderden
copy of the which answer I thought here next after the said Bull immediatly to exhibite to the christian reader that who so is disposed to conferre the one with the other hauing theÌ„ both at hand 〈◊〉 Pope â—â—scribed in 〈◊〉 colours may iudge the better of the whole matter cause and also may see the true Image of the Pope out of his paynted visour appeare in his owne perfect colours The answer now to the Bull here followeth IESVS Martinus Lutherus Christiano Lectori gratiam Christi in salutem aeternam FAma peruenit ad me Christiane Lector exijsse Bullam quandam aduersum me 〈◊〉 answer M. 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 Bull 〈◊〉 Latin penè in omné terrá prius quam ad me in quem vnice fuerit cui maximè erat inferenda veniret Fortè quod noctis tenebrarum scilicet filia timult lucem vultus mei Hanc tamen ipsam noctuam vix tandem multum adiuuaÌ„tibus amicis in imagine sua datum est videre c. 〈…〉 vide 〈…〉 pag. â—65 ¶ Here followeth the same aunswer of Martin Luther agaynst the execrable Bull of Pope Leo in English MArtin Luther to the christiaÌ„ reader wisheth the grace of Christ to eternall saluation 〈◊〉 copy of 〈◊〉 Luthers â—â—swere to 〈◊〉 Bull of â—â—pe Leo â—nglishe I heard a fanie a farre of Christian reader that a certayne Bull was past out against me and sent almost ouer al the world before it came to me against whom it was especially directed to whoÌ„ most chiefly it appertained For what cause I cannot tell except peraduenture it was for that the sayd Bull like vnto a nightcrow and as a bird of darkenesse hatched in the night durst not flie in y e day nor abide to come in my sight Notwithstanding the said night foule after long tyme by helpe of friends was caught at length brought vnto me in his owne likenes to behold Which causeth me yet to be vncertaine what to thinke whether my papists do dally iest with me in setting out such famous libels without any name against me or whether in truth and earnest they play the mad men so against me at Rome or no. For first neither do I see here the stile as it is called nor y e processe of the court of Rome obserued And againe which maketh me more to doubt herein be brought condemned such articles which it is plaine and manifest to be most christian whereby it seemeth to me most like the said monster to be hatched by Iohn Eccius a man wholy compact and framed altogether of lies dissimulations errors heresies The said suspition this also partly confirmeth for that I heare it so bruted abroad that y e sayd Eccius is thought and sayd to be the Apostle of such a goodly Bull. And not vnlike when none could be more meet an Apostle for such an Apostleship then he And in deed I heard no lesse long since that a Bull was in working agaynst me at Rome partly by the workemanship of Eccius which because as the stile and composition therof declareth it displeased the good and learned men there was therefore differred and should haue bene suppressed But whatsoeuer the matter be it semeth to me not vnlike wheresoeuer this apostle Eccius beareth rule there to be the kingdom of Antichrist and all kind of madnes there to reigne In the meane tyme I will so deale that I wyll not seeme to beleue Pope Leo the x. with his learned cardinals to be the authors of this furious madnes which I doe not so much for the honor of the Sea of Rome as because I will not be puft vp to much with pride and seeme to my selfe as one worthy to suffer such so great so glorious things for the veritie of God For if it were so in deed that the bishop of Rome did so furiously rage against me who were then so happy before God as Luther to be condemned for so manifest a truth of such a proude Prelate Wherein what were more to be wished for of me then that I should neuer be absolued reconciled nor haue any part with that so doltish and vnlearned wicked and furious Antichrist Happy were that day happy were that death and to be receiued with all ioy and thankfulnes to God if it might be my happe at any tyme in such a cause as this is to be apprehended and to suffer death M. Luther thenketh himselfe not worthy to suffer in so good a cause But geue the honour of this cause vnto others and let this matter fynde his Martyr worthy for the same I for my sinnes am not worthy to come to that honour Let other men therfore thinke of these Romanists what they list Thus I thinke that whosoeuer was the author of this bull he is a very Antichrist and against Antichrist these thinges I write to redeeme the veritie of Christ so much as in me lieth which he laboreth to extinguish And first that he shall obtayne no part of his will in any thing agaynst me M. Luthers protestation here I protest before God and our Lord Iesu Ehrist and his holy angels and all the world that I disseÌ„t with all my hart from the condemnatioÌ„ of this bull which Bull I also do curse and execrate as an enemy a Churche robber and blasphemy against Christ the sonne of god our Lord. Amen Furthermore I hold defend and imbrace with the ful trust of my spirit those articles in the said Bul condemned and excommunicate Marke here how Luther recanteth and affirme that the same oughe to be holden of all faithful christians vnder paine of eternal malediction and that they are to be counted for Antichristes who so euer haue consented to the sayd Bull whom I also together with the spirit of all them which purely know do vtterly shun them according to the precept of our Lord Iesu Christ. Amen And let this stand for thy reuocation O Bulla verè Bullarum filia i. O thou Bull which art the very daughter of all vayne Bulla in Latin signifieth as much in English as a bubble in the water bubbles This my confession and protestation made for witnes whereof I take all them that shall read these presents before I proceed to defend declare these foresaid Articles I will first begin with certaine arguments for the confutation of the sayd Bull whereof the first I will take of the blind ignoraÌ„ce of this blockish Antichrist Titus 1. For the Apostle Peter so commandeth that we should be redy to render a reason of that faith and hope which is in vs. And the apostle Paule willeth a bishop to be mighty to exhort in souÌ„d doctrine to refute the gaynesayers And these thinges be they which now 3. yeres agoe I haue desired looked for out of Rome or from them which take part with Rome The Papistes will not abide the triall of the Scripture Which things
rehearsed Besides these two there was none els in all king Edwardes raigne Tho. Dobbe inprisoned and in prison dyed that dyed in any maner cause of religion but that one Thom. Dobbe who in the beginning of this kinges raigne was apprehended for speaking agaynst the idolatry of the masse and in the same prison died as in story here ensueth to be sene This Thomas Dobbe being a studeÌ„t and a maister of Arte in Cambridge was brought vp in the colledge called S. Iohns Colledge and felowe of the same where he increased in the studye of good letters among his equals very forward of nature and disposition simple and modest of zeale toward God ferueÌ„t pacient in iniuries Doues as Philosophers naturally do write haue no gall iniurious to no man of much like sort condition as in Doues which without all bitternes of gal are more apt to receiue iniury then to worke wrong to any At length this godly man intending with himselfe and addicting hys mynde to the Christian state of Matrimony resorted to a certayn mayden not farre of where he dwelt For the whiche cause he was greatly molested and wickedly abused by iij. of that Colledge whose names were Hutchinson Pindare and Tailer who with theyr malicious handlyng scornful dealing opprobries rebukes and coÌ„tumelies so much vexed the vertuous simplicity of y e man that they neuer left him till at length they weryed him out of the Colledge Who there hauing no rest nor quietnes by reasoÌ„ of the vnreasonable and viruleÌ„t handling of his aduersaries was compelled to seek some other place wherin to settle himself Up on the occasion wherof comming vp to LoÌ„don it chauÌ„ced him to passe through Paules Church wheras it happned that at the Southside of the Churche at the same tyme there was a Priest at Masse more busy then wel occupied being at the eleuation as he passed by The yong man repleat with godly zeale pitying the ignorance and idolatry of the people in honoring that so deuoutly which the priest lifted vp was not able to forbeare but opening his mouth turning to the people he exhorted them not to honor the visible bread as God which neither was God nor yet ordeined of God to be honored c. with such other wordes mo of christian information For which cause straight way he was apprehended by the Maior and after accused to the Bishop of CauÌ„terbury was committed to the CouÌ„ter theÌ„ in Bredstreete where he not long continued but fallyng into a sicknes how or wherupon I can not tell shortly vp on the same chauÌ„ged this mortall life Whose pardoÌ„ notw tstanding was obteined of the Lord Protector and shoulde haue bene brought him if he had coÌ„tinued And thus much concerning Thomas Dobbe and other Ouer and besides I finde that in the first yeare of the raygne of King Edward which was an 1547. there was one Iohn Hume seruaunt to Maister Lewnax of Wresell apprehended accused and sent vp to the Archbish. of CauÌ„terbury by the sayd M. Lewnax his Mayster Margaret Lewnax his mistres for these Articles 1 First for denying the Sacrament as it was then called of the aultar to be the reall flesh and bloud of Christ. 2 For saying that he would neuer vale his bonet vnto it to be burned therefore 3 For saying that if he shoulde heare Masse he shoulde be damned For this was he sent vp by his maister and mistres aforesayd with speciall letters vnto the Archbishop requiring him seuerally to be punished by the law for the same But because I finde no execution folowing thereupon I therfore passe ouer this story of him These thinges premissed when this vertuous godly yong prince endued as you haue heard with speciall graces from God was now peaceably stablished in his kingdome and had a couÌ„sell about him graue wise and zelous in Gods cause especially his vncle y e duke of Somerset he then most earnestly likewise desired as well the aduauncement of the true honor of almighty God and the planting of his sincere religion as also the vtter suppressioÌ„ and extirpation of all idolatry superstition hipocrisy and other enormities and abuses throughout his realmes and dominions therefore folowing as is afore expressed the good example of king Iosias he determined forthwith to enter into some reformation of Religion in the Church of England And forasmuch as at his first entry notwithstanding his fathers good beginning in abolishing the vsurped power of Antichrist he yet fouÌ„d most of his lawes greatly repugning agaynst this his zealous enterprise he therefore purposed by the aduise of his sayd wise honorable Counsell of his owne regall power and authority somewhat to prosecute his godly purpose vntill such time as by consent of the whole estate of parliameÌ„t he might establish a more free perfect and vniforme order therin Wherupon intending first a generall visitation ouer al the bishopricks within his realm therby as wel to vnderstaÌ„d Order 〈◊〉 by K. 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 â—â—â—ligion as also to redresse the abuses in the same he chose out certayn wise learned discrete and worshipful personages to be his Commissioners in that behalfe and so deuiding them into seuerall companies Learneâ— preacheâ— appoynâ—â—â— by King Edwarâ— assigned vnto them seueral Diocesses to be visited appoynting likewise vnto euery company one or two godly learned preachers which at euery Session shoulde in theyr preaching both instruct the people in the true doctrine of the Gospell of Christ in all loue and obedience to the same and also earnestly dehorâ—e them from theyr olde superstition and wonted Idolatrye And that they might be more orderly directed in this their Commission there were deliuered vnto them certayn Iniunctions ecclesiasticall orders drawne out by the kings learned counsell the which they should both enquyre of also commaund in his maiesties behalfe to be thenceforth obserued of euery person to whoÌ„ they did seuerally appertayne within theyr sondry circuites In the which amongst other things it was first enioined that all Ecclesiasticall persons should themselues obserue and cause to be obserued of other Ecclesiaâ—â—â—â—call 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 Popes 〈…〉 all such Statutes as were made for the abolishing of the Bishop of Romes vsurped power and establishing of the kings supreme authority and that they should euery one foure times in the yeare at the least in theyr publick sermons declare vnto y e people that the one being most arrogaÌ„tly vsurped against the word of God was now iustly taken away and the other according to y e very true meaning of the same worde was of most loyall duety onely to be obeyed of all his graces subiectes And agayne that euery the aforesayd ecclesiastical person hauing cure shoulde preach Sermonâ— quarterâ—â— be made or cause to be preached w t in theyr seueral cures one sermon euery quarter of y e yere In the which they should sincerely set forth the woorde of God exhort the people vnto
fauored doinges of that man be thou sure such as was theÌ„ secret about him and yet his well willers theyr names I leaue vntouched hauing his writinges or beyng able to shew them as I am priuy they are would not so conceale them in couert as they doe being thereto both prouoked and occasioned by vs if they had seene any thing in them meete to relieue the person or to remedy his matter Wherfore thinke not for any such effect these his vayne glorious Letters to be brought in here of vs. But onelye that thou might hereby collect and vnderstand by those his foresayd epistles and articles folowing not only the whole course and story almost of all his procedinges from time to time but also might see the nature and inward condition of the man how vayneglorious full stuft and puft vp with arrogancy and drowned in his owne conceite he was much like to the parson or rather he himselfe described in the latine Comedy Miles Thraso Gloriosus haue nothing in his mouth but Emperors Kinges counsellors protectors aduisementes direction as though all directioÌ„ of realmes and princes did flowe out of his brayne like as it is in the Poets fables that Minerua did spring out of the head of Iupiter And yet if this vaynglorious conceit had bene alone in him lesse matter had bene agaynst him Now hys subtle practises and pretensed purposes and dissimulynge conueyance did not onely augment but also exceded al his other euils As in the letters aboue specified is notorious and euident to see wherein though he durst not apertly gainsay that which he inwardly misliked yet how couertly doth he insinuate himselfe to the Lord Protector vnder preteÌ„ce of geuing couÌ„sell to bring that to passe which was for his purpose that is no innouation or alteration to bee made of religion during all the kinges minority but to let all thinges stand as king Henry left them And that is the chiefest But in all his letters wherto he driueth vsing commonly this argument which as it is easy to recite so neither is it hard to answere to Although in the notes before we haue answered already sufficiently ¶ The Summe and Conclusion of all Winchesters drift in his Epistles before THat is chiefely to bee feared and auoyded of the Lorde Protector and now specially in the Kinges minority that may bring both daunger to hym Argumâ—â—â— and trouble to the Realme Innouation of religion from that state which K. Henry left it may be and is like to be daungerous to himselfe and cause trouble to the Realme Ergo innouation of Religion from the state that the king left it is in no wise to be attempted ¶ The aunswer Anno 1549. TO aunswer first to the vocable innouation which he stumbleth so greatly vpon this I say that innouation is properly vsed â—â—swere where a thing is brought in a new which was not before Forasmuch therefore as in this alteration there is no new religion brought in but only the old religion of the primitiue church reuiued therfore here is to be thought not so much an innouation as a renouation or reformation rather of religion which reformation is oft tymes so necessary in common weales that without the same all runneth to confusion Secondly I aunswer to the argument which I doe deny as a fallax for there is fallacia accidentis Where it is sayd that reformation of religion gendreth daunger to the Protector and trouble to the realme first what wil come that is vncertaine And God be hallowed yet no danger hath come to England for the reformation of religioÌ„ And though there did yet the cause thereof is not to be imputed to religion reformed For sincere and true doctrine of hys owne nature worketh quiet peace and tranquillitie with all good order And if the contrary happen that is incident by other causes as by the malice of Sathan and wycked aduersaries not by reason of the doctrine and true religion So after the preaching of Christ and his Apostles dissention followed in common weales betwixt father and sonne brother and brother c. but that is not to be ascribed to them but to other As concerning the faults found in the Paraphrase of Erasmus The Paraphrase of Erasmus this I aunswer and say that this bishop belike had ouerwatched himselfe in this matter For if it be true which he himselfe affirmeth fol. 744. that he neuer read that booke before and now he neuer slept till he himselfe red it It happened peraduenture that in the ouermuch watching of himselfe and swift readyng of the booke hys iudgement was a sleepe whiles his eyes were open in readyng the same Likewyse touching the booke of Homelies especially the Homilie of saluation The booke of Homelâ—â— wherewith he findeth hymselfe so much grieued with the Archbishop seeyng he bringeth foorth no prooues I haue nothing to answer In y e meane season this I haue to thinke that if he had bene so cunning in the knowledge of his owne saluation as he was in the destruction and vexation of Christes members he would neuer so rage agaynst that Homily Touching the examination of Anne Askew if it bee misreported by M. Bale The examiâ—â—tion of Anne Askew sette forth by M. Bale why doth not he note the places which they be and wherein And if he had or were able so to do yet seeyng the examination was of her own penning which M. Bale did follow let euery Christian Reader iudge whether is more to be credited of these two she that was persecuted or he that was the persecuter And where he speaketh so much of quiet and tranquilitie This I aunswere Quiet and tranquilitye of realmes â—â—ght not 〈◊〉 stoppe reformation of religion that quiet and tranquillitie in weales publike so long as they are ioined with right reformed religion be much to be embraced But when it is otherwise that is where true religion lacketh his right there let the second table geue place to the first He thwarteth also and wrangleth much against plaiers Preachers â—â—inters â—â—â—ayers Printers Preachers And no maruell why For he seeth these three things to be set vp of God as a triple bulwarke against the triple crowne of the Pope to bring him down as God be praysed they haue done meetely well alreadie As touching the Article of Free iustification by fayth which he cannot abide The Article 〈◊〉 â—ustifiâ—â—â—ion forasmuch as we haue sufficiently declared in the notes before we shalt referre the Reader now also vnto the same The letter 〈◊〉 Wincheâ—â—â—â— sent to â— Ridley And moreouer because in one of his letters mention is made of a certaine letter sent vnto M. Ridley because we will defraud thee gentle reader of nothing that commeth to our handes here hast thou the copy thereof in effect as followeth Here followeth the copy of the letter of Stâ— Gardiner sent to M. Ridley in the letters aboue mentioned conteining matter and obiections against
you your selues doe most vse and there also doe I learne to aske how farre he goeth into the body Harps Wee know that the bodye of Christ is receyued to nourish the whole man concernyng both body and soule Eo vsque progreditur corpus quousque * Sed 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 vsque 〈◊〉 animaâ— Ergo 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 main 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 neede haue 〈…〉 wouâ—â— they 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 any 〈…〉 species Cran. How long doth he abide in the body Seat S. Augustine saith our flesh goeth into his flesh But after he is once receiued into the stomacke it maketh no matter for vs to know how far he doth pierce or whether he is conueied ¶ Here M. Tresham and one M. London answered that Christ beyng geuen there vnder such forme and quantitie as pleased him it was not to be enquired of his tarying or of his descending into the body Harps You were woont to lay to our charge that we added to the scripture saying alwayes that we should fetch the truth out of the scripture and now you your selfe bring questions out of the Schoolemen which you haue disallowed in vs. Cran. I say as I haue sayd alway that I am constrayned to aske these Questions because of this carnall presence which you imagine and yet I know right wel that these questions be answered out of the Scriptures As to my last question How long he abideth in the body c. The scripture answereth plainly that Christ doth so loÌ„g dwell in his people as they are his members WherupoÌ„ I make this argument Ba They which eate the flesh of Christ do dwel in hym and he in them ro But the wicked doe not remaine in hym nor he in them co Ergo the wicked do not eate his flesh nor drinke his bloud Harps I will answer vnto you as S. Augustine saith not that how so euer a man do eate he eateth the body but he that eateth after a certaine maner Cran. I cannot tel what maner ye appoint but I am sure that euill men do not eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ as Christ speaketh in the sixt of Iohn Harps In the sixt of Iohn some things are to be referred to the godly and some to the vngodly Cranmer Whatsoeuer he doth entreat there of eating doth pertayne vnto good men Harps If you do meane onely of the worde of eating it is true if concerning the thing it is not so And if your meaning be of that which is conteined vnder the word of â—ating it may be so taken I graunt Cran. Now to the Argument He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in hym Doth not this prooue sufficiently that euill men doe not eate that the good doe Tresh You must adde Qui manducat dignè He that eateth woorthily Cran. I speake of the same manner of eatyng that Christ speaketh of Weston Augustinus ad fratres in Eremo Sermon 28. Est câ—â—danâ— manducandi modus i. There is a certaine manner of eating Augustine speaketh of two maners of eating the one of them that eat worthely the other that eat vnworthely Harps All thinges in the 6. of Iohn are not to be referred to the Sacrament The â— chap. of Iohn is to be referred 〈◊〉 to the supper partly to 〈◊〉 after the papistes but to the receiuing of Christe by faith The Fathers doe agree that there is not entreatie made of the supper of the Lorde before they come vnto Panis quem dabo vobis caro mea est c. Cran. There is entreatinge of Manna both before after Harps I wil apply an other answer This argument hath a kinde of poysone in it which must be thus bitten away that Manna and this Sacrament be not both one Manna hath not his efficacie of him selfe but of God Cran. But they that did take Manna worthily had fruite therby ComparisoÌ„ betweene 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 eating the body of christ and so by your assertion he that doth eat the flesh of Christ worthily hath his fruite by that Therfore the like doth folow of them both and so there should be no difference betwene Manna thys sacrament by your reason Harps When it is sayde that they which did eate Manna are dead it is to be vnderstand that they did want the * vertue of Manna * If M. Harpsfield do meane of bodily life they which eate the Sacrament doe die as well as they which did eate the Manna If he meane of spiritual life neither be they all damned that did eat Manna nor all saued that do eate the Sacrament Wherefore the truth is that neither the eating of Manna bringeth death nor the eating of the Sacrament bringeth saluation but only the spirituall beleeuing vppon Christes bodely passion which onely iustifieth both them and vs. And therefore as the effect is spirituall whych Christ speaketh of in this chapter so is the cause of that effecte spirituall whereof hee meaneth which is our spirituall beleeuing in him and not our bodely eating of him Cran. They then which doe eate either of them worthely doe liue Harps They doe lyue whiche doe eate Manna worthely not by Manna but by the power of God geuen by it The other which doe eate this Sacrament do liue by the same Cran. Christe did not entreate of the cause but the effecte which folowed he doth not speake of the cause whereof the effect proceedeth Harps I do say the effects are diuers life and death which do folow the worthy and the vnworthy eating therof Cran. Sithens you will needes haue an addition to it we must vse both in Manna in this Sacrament indifferently either worthily or vnworthily Christ spake absolutely of Manna and of the Supper so that after that absolute speaking of the Supper wicked men can in no wise eate the fleshe of Christe and drinke his bloud August in Iohn tract 26. Further Augustine vpon Iohn Tractatu 26. vppon these wordes Qui manducat c. sayth There is no suche respecte in common meates as in the Lords body For who that eateth other meates hath still hunger and needeth to be satisfied daily but hee that doth eate the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud doth liue for euer But you know wicked men not to doe so Ergo wicked men doe not receiue Harps S. Augustine meaneth that hee who eateth Christes flesh c. after a certaine manner should liue for euer Wicked men doe eate but not after that maner Cran. Ca Onely they which participate Christ be of the mysticall body Argument in the 2. figure and 2. â—ode me But the euill men are not of the mysticall body stres Therefore they doe not participate Christ. Weston Doct. Cranmer commended for his modesty Your wonderfull gentle behaueour and modesty good master D. Cranmer is woorthy muche commendation and that I may not depriue you of your right iuste deseruing I geue you most hearty thankes
shoulde shortly dye feed wormes in his graue which meditation if all our Bishops spirituall men had vsed they had not for a litle worldly glory forsaken the word of God truth which they in king Edwardes dayes had preached and set forth nor yet to mayntaine the Bishop of Romes authority haue committed so many to the fire as they did But let vs returne to Doctor Taylour who at Chelmesford was deliuered to the Shiriffe of Suffolke and by him conducted to Hadley where he suffered When they were come to Lanham the Shiriffe staid there two daies and thither came to him a great number of GentlemeÌ„ and Iustices vpon great horses which all were appointed to ayde the Shiriffe These Gentlemen labored Doctor Tailor very sore to reduce him to the Romish religioÌ„ promising him his pardoÌ„ which said they we haue here for you They promised him great promotions yea a Bishopricke if he would take it but all theyr labor flattering wordes were in vayne For he had not built his house vppon the sand in perill of falling at euery puffe of wynde but vpon the sure and vnmoueable rocke Christ. Wherfore he abode constant and vnmoueable vnto the end After two dayes the Shiriffe his company led Doctor Taylour towardes Hadley D. Taylour 〈…〉 and comming within a two mile of hadley he desired to light of his horse to make water which done he lept and set a friske or twain as meÌ„ commonly do in daunsing Why Maister Doctour quoth the Shiriffe how do you now An other 〈…〉 of Dâ—â—tour Taylour He aunswered Well God be praysed good Mayster Shiriffe Neuer better for now I know I am almost at home I lacke not past two stiles to go ouer and I am euen at my fathers house But mayster Shiriff sayd he shall not we go through Hadley Yes sayd the Shiriffe you shall go through Hadley The sayd he D Taylour 〈…〉 O good Lord I thanke thee I shall yet once ere I dye see my flocke whom thou Lord knowest I haue most hartely loued and truly taught Good Lord blesse them keep them stedfast in thy word and truth WheÌ„ they were now come to Hadley and came riding ouer the bridge 〈…〉 confâ—rted D. Taylour at the bridgefoote waited a poore man with fiue small children who when he saw D. Taylour he and his children fell down vpon theyr knees and held vp their handes and cryed with a loud voice and sayd O deare father and good shepheard Doctour Taylour God helpe succour thee as thou hast many a time succoured me and my poore children Such witnes had the seruant of God of his vertuous charitable almes geueÌ„ in his life time For God would now the poore should testify of his good deeds to his singuler comfort to the example of others and confusion of his persecutors and tyrannous aduersaryes For the Shiriffe and other that lead him to death were wonderfully astonied at this and the Shiriffe sore rebuked the poore man for so crying The streets of Hadley were beset on both sides the way with men and women of the towne and countrey who wayted to see him whome when they beheld so led to death w t weeping eyes and lameÌ„table voyces they cryed saying one to another ah good Lord there goeth our good shepheard from vs The people lament D. Taylour that so faythfullye hath taught vs so fatherly hath cared for vs so godly hath gouerned vs. O mercifull God what shal we poore scattered Lambes do What shall come of this most wicked world Good Lord strengthen him and comfort him with such other most lamemtable and pitious voyces Wherefore the people were sore rebuked by the Shiriffe and the Catchpoles his men that led him And Doct. Taylour euermore sayde to the people I haue preached to you Gods word truth and am come this day to seale it with my bloud Comming agaynst the Almes houses which hee well knew he cast to the poore people money which remayned of that good people had geuen him in time of his imprisonment As for his liuing they tooke it from him at his fyrst going to prison so that he was susteined all the time of his imprisonment by the charitable almes of good people that visited him D. Taylour liued 〈…〉 and gaâ—e â—lmes Therfore the money that now remayned he putte in a gloue ready for the same purpose as is sayd gaue it to the poore AlmesmeÌ„ standing at theyr dores to see him And comming to the last of the almes houses and not seing the poore that there dwelt readye in theyr dores as the other were he asked is the blinde man and blinde woman that dwelt here aliue It was aunswered yea they are there within Then threw he gloue and all in at the window so rode forth Thus this good father and prouider for the poore now tooke his leaue of those for whom all his life he had a singuler care and study For this was his custome once in a fourtnight at the least to call vpoÌ„ Syr Henry Doyll and others the rich Clothmakers to go with him to the almes-houses and there to see howe the poore liued what they lacked in meat drinke clothing bedding or any other necessaries The like did he also to other poore men that had many children or were sicke Then would he exhort coÌ„fort them and where he found cause rebuke the vnruely and what they lacked that gaue he after his power and what he was not able he caused the rich and wealthy men to minister vnto them Thus shewed he hymselfe in all thinges an example to his flocke worthy to be folowed taught by his deede what a great treasure almes is to all such as cherefully for Christes sake do it At the last comming to Aldam Common the place assigned where he should suffer Aldam Common and seing a great multitude of people gathered thither hee asked what place is this what meaneth it that so much people are gathered hyther It was answered It is Aldham CoÌ„mon D. Taylour is come home the place where you must suffer and the people are come to looke vpoÌ„ you Then sayd he thanked be God I am euen at home and so light from his horse and with both his handes rent the hood from his head Now was his head notted euilfauoredly and clypped much like as a man would clippe a fooles head which cost the good Bishop Boner had bestowed vpon him B. Boners cost and liberalitye vpon D. Taylour when he disgraded him But wheÌ„ the people saw his reuerend and auÌ„cient face with a long white beard they burst out with weeping teares and cryed saying God saue thee good D. Taylor Iesus Christ strengthen thee and helpe thee The holy Ghost comfort thee with such other like Godly wishes Then would he haue spoken to y e people The people wisheth God to helpe him but the yeomen of
Lancaster the sayde George Marshe reporteth himselfe as followeth * How the Bishop came to Lancaster and of his doynges there D. Cotes bishop of Chester THe bishop being at Lancaster there set vp and confirmed all blasphemous Idolatry as holy water casting procession gadding Mattins mumbling children confirming The Bishops comming to Lancaster and setting vp Idolatry Masse hearyng Idols vp setting with such hetheâ—ishe rites forbidden by God but no Gospell preachyng which Christ Gods sonne so earnestly coÌ„manded He was informed of mee and willed to send for me examine me Which thinge he refused to doe saying he woulde haue nothing to do w t heretickes so hastely So hasty in iudgement and calling men heretickes are our bishops in their Lordly dignities The B. iudgeth Marsh to be an hereticke before he heareth him afore y e heare or see what is to be amended or condeÌ„ned contrary to the expresse commandemeÌ„t of gods word which sayth Condemne no man before thou hast tryed out the truth of the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteouslye Hasty iudgemeÌ„t of Byshops reproued by Gods word The vnmercifull straitenes of the Byshop toward G. Marsh in prison Geue no sentence before thou hast heard the cause but first let men tell out their tale and hee that geueth sentence in a matter before he heare it is a foole worthy to be confounded And in stead of his liberalitie towardes me poore prisoner he seÌ„t for the Iaylor and rebuked him because he suffered mee to fare so well willing to haue me more straitly kept and dieted but if his Lordship were tabled but one weeke with me I do thinke he would iudge our fare but slender enough The schoolemaster of Lancaster rebuked for comming to George Marsh in prison Popish Byshops declare themselues by their fruites to be very enemies to Gods worde Also he and his Chapleines and Chancellour did finde fault with the Scholemaister and others for speaking to one as to a most heinous hereticke and also with y e Iaylor for suffering them Such is the mercy that these religious fathers shewe to the friendles and comfortles in their aduersities If we may knowe the tree by the fruites as Christ saith no man can iudge such for any other but for very enemies to Christ and his true religion God laye it neuer to their charges but forgeue them and turne their hard hartes if it be his will But it is no new thing for the bishops to persecute the truth and the Prophetes of the Lorde for their constancie in preaching of the true fayth No new thing for Byshops to be persecutors Examples of persecuting Bishops in the old tyme. for so did their Pharisaicall forefathers if ye marke well the histories of the holye Bible Phasher was the head Bishop of the Temple the ringleader of false Prophetes the chiefe hereticke taker that is as much to saye the outthruster of true godlinesse After that the dignitie of Priesthood was geuen vnto hym he abused it For he taught not neither reprooued by the word but feared the godly with crueltie Hee not onely strocke but also imprisoned the holye Prophet Ieremye though he withstoode him not but presently looked for the helpe of God Byshop Iasan steadfastly preaching the truth of God What mischiefe the vngracious bishop IasoÌ„ wrought among the Iewes B. Annas and Cayphas destroying all godlines and setting vp abhominable Idolatrous lawes ye may reade in the iiij chapter of the 2. of Machabees How the execrable blind Byshops Annas and Caiphas which neuer spake y e truth of God themselues vnlesse it were agaynst their willes vnwittingly to their vtter destruction howe I say they pressed the truth in Christe and his Apostles is so well knowne that I neede not to rehearse it And thus much hitherto concerning the prisonment of George Marsh his examinatioÌ„s before the Erle of Darby his deputies aboue named Now proceeding further in the troublesome persecution of this blessed man let vs likewise consider the latter part of his troubles and examinations which followed vnder the bishop of that same Dioces which was Doctor Cotes the effect whereof being drawne out of his own writing here brieflye is to be seene as followeth ¶ The troubles and examination of G. Marshe vnder Doct. Cotes Bishop of Chester G. Marsh appeareth before the Bishop YE heard before how G. Marsh being first imprysoned at Lathum and afterward translated vnto Lancaster was troubled by the Earle Agayne within few dayes after the said Marsh was remoued from Lancaster comming to Chester was sent for Doct. Cotes then B. to appeare before him in his Hal no body being preseÌ„t but they twayne and then he asked hym certayn questions concerning y e sacrament who made such aunsweres as the Bish. seemed therwith to be content sauing y t he vtterly denyed transubstantiation and allowed not the abuse of y e Masse nor that the lay people shuld receiue vnder one kind onely contrary to Christes institution in which poynt the bysh went about to perswade him howbeit God be thanked all in vayne Much other talke he had with hym to moue him to submit himselfe to the vniuersall church of Rome and when he saw he could not preuayle he sent him to prison again and after being there came to him diuers times one Massy a fatherly old man one Wrench the Schoolemaister one Hensham the Byshops Chaplayne Great labour to make G. Marsh to recant and the Archdeacon with many moe who with all probabilitie of words and Philosophy or worldly wisedom and deceitfull vanity after the tradition of men and the beggarly ordinaunces and lawes of the world but not after Christ as it were all singing one song went about to perswade him to submit himselfe to the church of Rome and to acknowledge the pope to be head thereof and to interprete y e scriptures none otherwise then that churche did with manye such like argumentes perswasions of fleshly wisedome To whom the sayd George Marsh answered that he did acknowledge and beleue though much euill be withall annexed one holy catholicke and apostolicke Churche The church Apostolick without which there is no saluation and that this church is but one because it euer hath doth and shall confesse and beleeue one onely god and him onely worship and one onely Messiah and in him onely trust for saluation which church also is ruled and led by one spirite one worde The church how it is one and one fayth and that this church is vniuersal and catholicke because it euer hath bene since y e worlds beginning is and shall endure to the worldes end The nature condition and notes of the true Church and comprehending with in it all natioÌ„s kinreds and languages degrees states conditions of men and that this church is builded onelye vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head
viam tuam spera c. Sperantem in Domino misericordia circundabit i. That which remayneth I commit to my Lord God and I trust in him that he will doe according to this Cast thy care on the Lord. c Cast all your care vpon him c. Reueale vnto the Lord thy way and trust c. Who that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about I didde not nor do not knowe but by your Letters quod cras wee shall come coram nobis Mine owne heart stick still to dabitur vobis Fidelis enim est Dominus dabit in tentatione euentum quo possumus sufferre Nouit Dominus pios é tentatione â—ripere c. O vtinam pius ego essem Nouit Dominus in die tribulationis sperantes in se. c. i. It shall be geuen you c. For the Lorde is faythfull He will in tentation make away that ye may be able to beare it The Lord knoweth how to rid out of tentation the godly c. O woulde God I were godly The Lord knoweth howe to deliuer out of tentation suche as trust in him c. I canne noâ— thinke that they will offer any kinde of indifferent or meane conditioÌ„s for if we wil not adorare bestiaÌ„ we neuer shal be deliuered but agaynst theyr will thinke I God our father gracious Lord make perfecte the good he hath begunne in vs. Faciet miâ—â—â—ter charissime frater quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad conuiueÌ„dum commoriendum O si tecum essem Hee will doe it my brother my deare brother whom I haue in my inward bowels to liue and dye with O if I were with you Pray for me mine owne hart roote in the Lord. For euer your owne Iohn Bradford ¶ An other Letter to Mayster Laurence Saunders GOds sweete peace in Christ be with you my good brother in the Lord Iesus and with al your concaptiues Amen I was letted this morning from musing on that whiche I was purposed to haue thought on by reason of you agaynst whome I saw my selfe guilty of negligence euen in this poynt that I would not write I should say that I had not written vnto you as yet therefore out of hande in maner I prepared my selfe to purge my selfe hereof not that I will go about to excuse my faulte for that were more to loade me but by asking both GOD and you pardon to get it no more layed to my charge Now then as I was thus purposing and partly doyng commeth there one with a letter from you for the which as I haue cause to thanke GOD and you howbeit not so that you should thinke I geue not the whole to God so I see my selfe more blame worthy for this long holding my peace Howbeit good brother in this I haue geuen a demonstration to you to behold my negligence in all other thinges and especially in praying for you M. Bradford 〈…〉 and for the Churche of GOD which for my sinnes and hypocrisy hypocrisye in deede euen in this writing GOD deliuer me â—rom it haue deserued to be punished Iust is God for we haue deserued all kindes of plagues at his handes but yet mercifull is he that will on thys wyse chastise vs wyth this world ne cum mundo condemnemur i. That we should not be condemned with the worlde He might otherwyse haue punished vs I meane he might haue for other causes cast vs in prison me especially then for his Gospell and wordes sake Praysed therefore be his name whiche voucheth vs worthye this honour Ah good GOD forgeue vs our sinnes and worke by this thy fatherly correction on vs on me especially affectually to loue thee and thy Christ and with ioyfulnesse vnto the end to carry thy Crosse through thicke and thinne Alwayes set before our eyes not this gallowes on earth if we will sticke to thee but the gallowes in Hell if wee denye thee and swarue from that we haue professed Ah good Brother if I could alwaies haue GOD his Maiestye mercy heauen hell c. before mine eyes then should I obdurare as Paul writeth of Moses Heb. 11. Obdurauit inquit perinde quasi vidisset eum qui est inuisibilis i. He endured sayth he as he that saw him which is inuisible Pray for me as I know you doe and geue thankes also for In Domino spero 〈◊〉 22. non nutabo Si ambulauero per vallem vmbrae mortis non timâ—bo quia tu Domine mecum es c. Amen i. In the Lord I trust I shall not wauer If I walk by the valley of the shadowe of death I will not feare for thou art with me O Lorde I thinke we shall be shortly called forth for now legem habent secundum legem c. otherwise will they not reason with vs and I thinke theyr shootanker will be to haue vs to subscribe The which thing if we doe though with this condition so farre as the thing subscribed to repugneth not agaynst Gods worde yet thys will be offensiue Therefore let vs vadere planè and so sanè I meane let vs all confesse that we are no chaungelings but reipsa are the same we were in religion and therefore can not subscribe except we wil dissemble both with God our selues and the world Haec tibi scribo frater mi charissime in Domino Iam legam tuam EpistolaÌ„ i. These things I write to you deare brother in the Lord. Now I will read your Epistle 1. Iohn 13. Ah brother that I had practicam tecum scientiam in vite illa quam pingis roga Dominum vt ita verè sentiam Amen i. The practical vnderstanding with you in that vine whiche you describe Pray the Lorde that I may so thinke in deed God make me thankefull for you Salutant te omnes concaptiui gratias Domino pro te agunâ— idem tu facies pro nobis ores vt c. i. All our felow prisoners salute you geue thankes to God for you The same do you for vs pray that c. Your brother in the Lord Iesus to liue and dye with you Iohn Bradford ¶ To my deare Fathers D. Cranmer D. Ridley and D. Latimer IEsus Emanuell My deare fathers in the Lord I beseech GOD our sweete Father through Christ An other letter of M. Bradford to D. Cranmer D. Ridley and D. Latimer to make perfect the good hee hath begunne in vs all Amen I had thought that euery of your staues had stande nexte the dore but now it is otherwise perceiued Our deare Brother Rogers hath broken the I se valiauntly and as this day I thinke or to morow at the vttermost harty Hooper sincere Saunders and trusty Taylour end theyr course and receiue theyr crowne The nexte am I whiche hourely looke for the porter to open me the gates after them to enter into the desired rest GOD forgeue me mine vnthankefulnesse for this exceeding great mercy that amongest
present onely but on thinges to come and so haue they as present to fayth the iudgemente and glorious comming of Christ like as the wicked haue now theyr worldly wealth wherein they wallow and will wallowe till they tumble headlong into Hell where are tormentes too terrible and endlesse The ende of prosperitye Nowe they followe the Feende as the Beare doth the trayne of Honye and the Sowe the swillinges till they be brought into the slaughter house and then they know that theyr prosperitye hath brought them to perdition Then crye they woe woe We went the wrong way Sapâ—ence 5. wee counted these men I meane such as you bee that suffer for Goddes sake losse of goodes frendes and life whome they shall see endued with riche robes of righteousnesse crownes of most pure precious golde and Palmes of conquest in the goodly glorious palace of the Lambe where is eternall ioy felicity c. Wee counted will they then say these men but fooles and mad men we tooke theyr conditions to be but curiosity c. But then will it be to late then the time will be turned laughing shal be turned into weeping and weeping into reioysing Read Sapien. 2.3.4.5 Therefore as before I haue sayd great cause haue I to thanke God whiche hath vouched you worthy of thys most bountifull blessing Few noble men called to Christes kingdome muche more then you haue cause my good Lord so to be I meane thankefull For looke vpon your vocation I pray you and tell me how many noble menne Earles sonnes Lordes Knightes and menne of estimation hath God in this Realme of England dealt thus withall I dare say you thinke not that you haue deserued this Only Gods mercy in his christ hath wrought this on you as he did in Ieremyes tyme on Abimelech in Achabs time on Abdias in Christes tyme on Ioseph of Arimathia in the Apostles tyme on Sergius Paulus and the Queene of Candaces Chamberlayne Onely now be thankefull and continue continue continue my good Lorde continue to confesse Christ. Bee not ashamed of hym before men for then will not he bee ashamed of you Nowe will he trye you sticke fast vnto him and he wyll sticke fast by you he will be with you in trouble and deliuer you But then must you cry vnto him for so it proceedeth Psalme 91. He cried vnto me and I heard him I was with him in trouble c. Remember Lottes wyfe whiche looked backe RemeÌ„ber Fraunces Spira Remember that none is crowned but he that striueth lawfully RemeÌ„ber that all you haue is at Christes commaundement Remember he lost more for you then you canne lose for him Remember you lose not that which is lost for his sake Godly remembrances for you shall finde much more here and elsewhere Remember you shall dye and when where and howe ye can not tell Remember the death of sinners is most terrible Remember the death of Gods Sayntes is precious in his sight Remember the multitude goeth the wide waye whiche windeth to woe Remember that the straight gate which leadeth to glorye hath but few trauellers Remember Christ biddeth you striue to enter in thereat Remember he that trusteth in the Lord shall receiue strength to stand agaynst all the assaultes of his enemies Be certayn all the hearers of your head are numbred Be certayne your good Father hath poynted boundes ouer the which the deuill dare not look Commit your selfe to him he is hath bene and will bee your Keeper Cast your care on hym and he will care for you Let Christ be your scope and marke to pricke at let hym be your patron to worke by let him be your ensample to folow geue him as your hart so your hand Christ 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 both 〈◊〉 and handâ— as your minde so your toung as your fayth so your feete and let his word be your candle to go before you in all matters of Religion Blessed is he that walketh not to these Popish prayers nor standeth at them nor sitteth at them glorifye God in both soule and body Psalme â— 2 Cor. 6. He that gathereth not wyth Christ scattereth abroad Use prayer looke for Gods help which is at hand to them that aske and hope thereafter assuredly In which prayer I hartely desire your Lordshyp to remember vs who as we are goyng with you ryght gladly God therefore be praysed so we looke to go before you hoping that you will folow if God so will according to your dayly prayer Thy will be done on earth c. The good spirite of God alwayes guide your Lordshippe vnto the end Amen Your Lordships owne for euer Iohn Bradford * To M. Warcup and his Wyfe Maistres Wilkenson and others of his godly frendes with theyr familyes THe same peace our Sauiour Christ left with his people A pithy 〈◊〉 effectuall letter of 〈◊〉 Bradford M. Warâ—â—â— and 〈◊〉 Wilkinsâ— which is not without warre with the world almighty God woorke plentifully in your hartes now and for euer Amen The tyme I perceiue is come wherein the Lordes grounde will be knowne I meane it will now shortly appeare who haue receiued Goddes Gospell into theyr hartes in deede to the taking of good roote therein for such will not for a litle heate or sunburning wither but stiffely will stand and grow on maugre the malice of all burning showers and tempestes And for as much as my beloued in the Lorde I am perswaded of you that ye be in deede the children of GOD Gods good ground whiche groweth and will grow on by Goddes grace bringyng foorth fruite to Goddes glory after your vocations as occasion shall bee offered burne the Sunne neuer so hoate therefore I can not but so signify vnto you and hartely pray you and euery one of you accordinglye to goe on forwardes after your Mayster Christ not sticking at the foule waye and stormye weather whiche you are come into and are like so to doe of this beyng most certayne that the ende of your iourney shall be pleasaunt and ioy full in suche a perpetuall rest and blissefulnesse as can not but swallow vppe the showers that ye nowe feele and are soussed in if ye often sette it before your eyes after Paules counsell in the latter ende of the 4. and beginning of the 5. chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians Read it I pray you and remember it often as a Restoratiue to refreshe you leaste ye faynt in the way And besides this set before you also that though the weather be foule and stormes grow apace yet go not ye alone but other your brothers and sisters pad the same path as Saynt Peter telleth vs and therefore company shoulde cause you to be the more couragious and chearefull But if ye had no company at all to go presently with you I pray you tell me if euen from the beginning the best of Goddes frendes haue founde any fayrer weather and way to the place whether
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
the let I neither send you spectacles the price of the Paraphrases nor thanks for your cheese as by the next that coÌ„meth I will God willyng send the premisses to you and a goodly Testament for Sir Thomas Hall which is at the bindyng But be not acknowen that I haue now written to you for so I haue prayed this bringer God be with vs and pray for me and abhorre not my rude scribling which if it were as well written as it is ment woulde deserue pardon Thus make I an ende imputing to the hastines of this bringer all blame which you may lay vnto me From the Temple this Sonday immediately after M. Latimers famous Sermon whiche this bringer as hee sayth did heare By your poorest friend Iohn Bradford It shall not be long God willyng but you shall both haue and heare from me Keepe with you Melancthons Common places for I haue an other ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues GRace mercy and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ with encrease of all manner godly knowledge and liuing bee with you and all your houshold now and euer Amen To excuse this my long silence within v. or vj. dayes after my like foolish letters writteÌ„ to you by Ioh. Mâ—sse it pleased God to send my M. hither to London whome as I lately tofore had aduertised by letters I mooued you know wherein and prayed him to discharge y e same or els I would submit my selfe c. Whereunto he answered that if the bookes would declare it he would satisfy c The bookes I shewed whereupon he promised as much as I could aske But beyng herein something more mooued then he had cause God be praysed therefore which of his meere good pleasure wrought it at tymes as I could I desired to know how and in what tyme he would discharge vs both He thinking me to be ouer curious herein was not therewith contented and hearyng me to alledge the vncertaintie of tyme and the feare of Gods iustice which oh gracious Lord graunt me to feele in deede as much as thou knowest good for me he aunswered me to be scrupulous and of a superstitious conscience for animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Dei and plainely sayde further that I shold not know nor by these words haue his head so vnder my girdle And wheÌ„ I shewed him that God witnessed with me I went about no suche thyng He sayd that there was no godly conscience seyng he promised afore the face of God to discharge me and to pay the thing but it ought so to be quieted And thus at dyuers sundry tymes moouing eftsoones to know of hym the way and tyme of discharging the debt and hauyng none other aunsweres then tofore I doubting worldly wisedome which vseth delayes to raigne in hym with this Mammon the which oh merciful God eradicate out of his hart mynd and all others I was somethyng more sharp and told hym non ego tamen sed gratia tua Domine I would obey God more then man the which hee lightly regardyng as seemed I departed and went to M. Latimer to haue had hym to haue brought me to my L. Protector whose grace than was purposed shortly to take his iourney to visite the Ports M. Latimer I say willed me to stay vntill his returne which will be not long tofore Easter In this meane tyme I bade my bedfellow my maisters sonne whom my M. had vsed as his instrument to mooue mee carnally for my M. discharged him of hys exhibitioÌ„ tellyng hym that he could not be able to keep eyther house or chyld for I purposed to vndoe both hym and all hys vntruly thou knowest good Lord and bade hym to take that as a warnyng that both he and his brethren should prouide for themselues as they could I bade I say my sayde bedfellow to shew my M. as of himself my further purpose which thyng when he knew so mooued feared him that he began somethyng to relent then made faire promises that looke what I would deuise that would he do I deuised but my deuises pleased hym not And thus but not vainly I trust as I now do with you but I knowe your gentlenes which euer hath borne with me I spended the tyme in which I haue bene silent to write nay bable to you And he departing out of LondoÌ„ tofore I knew did send me word by an other of his said sonnes not so giuen to the Gospell and a lyfe accordyng as my bedfellow and therefore more to be suspected for though pietas non est suspiciosa as I should thinke my selfe rather impius yet Christ bade vs to be prudeÌ„tes sicut serpentes this other brother I say told me that my M. would do all thyngs onely his fame and abilitie preserued quid prodest totum mundum lucrari animae vero iacturam facere And with the sayd brother my M. sent me a little billet also wherein he confessed that he was contented within 12. months to deliuer to my hands the whole money which bill I thinking not so good as it might haue bene haue deuised an other and haue sent it downe to hym in the countrey with request that he will seale and signe it For thus M. Latymer thinketh sufficieÌ„t but as yet I heare not of it doubting worldly wisedome which was the whore that ouercame Sampson y t mooued Dauid to slay Urias that brought wyse Salomon to idolatry that crucified Christ the which moued mee to perpetrate hoc facinus the whiche worketh in my maisters hart hauyng higher place there than Timor Dâ—mini What say I there ye ye with me it sitteth in the holy place the Lord deliuer vs doubtyng I say worldly wisedome I remaine in that same state now for this matter though in worse for my soule which is more lamented pray therfore I beseech you pray with me and for me that I may do so earnestly than I was in at my last writyng vnto you And as I than was purposed so I doubt not graunt it Lord but that I shall perseuere if in the meane season I shall not heare from my M. accordingly Thus I haue like my selfe folishly but truely declared vnto you in many babling wordes which wit if I had it would haue shortly and briefly comprehended Arrogant nay Gods working vnthankfull wretch my workyng in this matter which is and was the onely cause as I now do I troubled you not afore to the intent I might aduertise you some certaintie in this thyng And though silence had bene much better then this foolish pratyng yet your fatherly kyndnesse euer towardes me in expectyng from you a correction as I haue herein geuen cause may thogh not to you yet to me be profitable In hope whereof I proceed in requiring you to continue your remembraunce of mee a most vnkynde wretche to God and you in your prayers with the almighty mercyfull Lorde that I maye more regard