stone then from which the water ran bodily Christe but it signified Christe that calleth thus to all beleuing and faithful men Who soeuer thirsteth let hym come to mee and drinke and from his bowelles shall flowe liuely water This he sayd of the holy Ghost whych they receiued who beleeued on him The Apostle Paul sayth that the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke because that heauenly meate that fed them 40. yeares and that water which from the stone did flowe had signification of Christes body and hys bloud that now be offred daily in Gods Church It was the same which we now offer not bodely but ghostly We said vnto you ere while that Christ halowed bread and wine to housell before his suffering Math. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. and sayde Thys is my body and my bloud Yet he had not then suffered but so notwithstanding he * * Now we eate that body which was eaten before he was borne by faith turned through inuisible mighte the bread to his owne bodye and that wine to his bloud as he before did in the wildernes before that he was borne to be a man when he * * Here is no transubstantiation turned y e heauenly meate to his flesh and the flowing water from that stone to his owne bloud Uery many did eate of that * * Mantua heauenly meat in the wildernes and drinke the ghostly drinke and were neuerthelesse dead as Christ sayd And Christ meant not y e death whych none can escape but that euerlasting death which some of that folke deserued for theyr vnbelief Moyses and Aaron and many other of that people which pleased God did eate that heauenly bread and they died not y ◠euerlasting death though they died the common death They sawe that the heauenly meate was visible and corruptible they ghostly vnderstood by that visible thing and ghostly receiued it The Sauiour sayeth Iohn 6. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life And he bad them not eate that body wherewith hee was enclosed nor to drinke that bloude which he shed for vs * * What body the faithful do now eate but he meant with those wordes that holy housell which ghostly is his body and his bloud and hee that tasteth it with beleeuing heart hathe that eternall life In the olde lawe faithfull men offred to God diuers Sacrifices that had * * A signification before Christ. foresignification of Christes bodye which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauēly father hath since * * A sacrifice in Christes tyme. offered to sacrifice Certainly this housell which we do now halow at Gods alter is a * * A remēbraūce of Christ. Math. 26. Hebr. 10. remembrance of Christes body which he offered for vs and of hys bloud whych he shed for vs So he himselfe commaunded Doe thys in my remembraunce Once suffered Christe by hym selfe but yet neuerthelesse hys suffering is daily renued at thys supper through mysterie of the holy housell Therefore we ought to consider diligently howe that this holy housell is both Christes bodye and the bodye of all * * The housell is also the body of al faithfull men faithfull menne after ghostly mysterie As wise Augustine sayeth of it If ye wil vnderstand of Christes body here the Apostle Paule thus speaking Yee truely be Christes body and his members Nowe is your mysterie sette on Gods table and ye receiue youre mysterie which mysterie ye your selues be Be that which ye see on the altare and receiue that which yee your selues be Againe the Apostle Paule sayeth by it We manye be one bread and one bodye Understande nowe and reioyce many be one bread and one body in Christ. He is our heade and we be his limmes and the bread is not of one corne but of many nor the wine of one grape but of many So also we all shoulde haue one vnitie in our Lorde as it is wrytten of the faithfull armie how that they were in so great an vnitie as though al of them were one soule and one heart Christe hallowed on hys table the mysterie of oure peace and of our vnitie He which receiueth that mysterie of vnitie keepeth not the bonde of true peace receiueth no mysterie for himselfe but a witnesse against himselfe It is very good for Christen men that they goe often to howsell if they bring with them to the alter vngiltines and innocēcy of hart if they be not oppressed with sinne To an euil man it turneth to no good but to destruction if hee receyue vnworthely that holy housell Holy * * No scripture inforceth the mixture of water with the wine bookes commaund that water be mingled to that wine which shall be for housell because the water signifieth the people the * * The wine signifieth Christes bloud wine Christes bloud and therefore shall neither the one wythout the other be offered at the holy masse that Christ may be wyth vs and we with Christ the head with the limmes and the limmes with the head Wee woulde before haue intreated of the Lambe whyche the olde Israelites offered at theyr Easter time but that we desired first to declare vnto you of this mysterie and after how we should receiue it That signifying lambe was offered at the Easter And the Apostle Paule sayeth in the Epistle of this present day that Christ is our Easter who was offred for vs and on this day rose from death The Israelites did eate the Lambes fleshe as God commaunded with vnleauened bread and wilde lettisse * * How we should come to the holy communion so wee shoulde receiue that holy housell of Christes body and bloud without the leauen of sinne and iniquitie As leauen turneth the creatures from their nature so doth sinne also chaunge the nature of manne from innocencie to vncleannesse The Apostle hath taught howe we shoulde feast not in the leauen of the euilnesse but in the sweete doughe of puritie and truth The herbe which they should eate with the vnleauened bread is called lettisse and is bitter in taste So we should with bitternesse of vnfained repentaunce purifie oure minde Exod. 12. if wee will eate Christes bodye Those Israelites were not woonte to eate rawe fleshe and therefore God badde them to eate it neyther raw nor sodden in water but rosted with fire He shal receiue the body of God rawe that shal thinke without reason that Christ was onely manlike vnto vs and was not God And he that will after mans wisedome search y e mystery of Christs incarnation doth like vnto him that doth seeth lambes fleshe in water because that water in this same place signifieth mans vnderstanding but we should vnderstand that all the mistery of Christes humanitie was ordered by the power of the holy Ghost and then eate we his body rosted with fire because the holy
him the tenour whereof here ensueth ¶ The sentence geuen against Iohn Frith IN the name of God Amen We Iohn by the permission of God Byshop of London lawfully and rightly proceeding with all godly fauour by authoritie and vertue of our office against thee Iohn Frith of our iurisdictiō Sentence against Iohn Frythe before vs personally here present being accused and detected and notoriously slaundered of heresie hauinge hearde seene and vnderstande and with diligent deliberation wayed discussed and considered the merites of the cause all thinges being obserued which by vs in this behalfe by order of law ought to be obserued sittyng in our iudgement seate the name of Christ being first called vppon and hauing * As they had which crucified Christ. God onely before our eyes because by y e actes enacted propoūded and exhibited in this matter and by thine owne confession iudicially made before vs we do finde that thou hast taught holden and affirmed and obstinately defended dyuers errours and heresies and damnable opinions contrarie to the doctrine and determinatiō of the holy Church and specially agaynst the reuerende Sacrament and albeit that we following the example of Christ which woulde not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and lyue haue oftentimes gone about to correct thee and by al lawfull meanes that we coulde and moste wholesome admonitions that we did knowe to reduce thee againe to y e true fayth and the vnitie of the vniuersall Catholique Churche notwithstanding wee haue founde thee obstinate and stiffe necked willingly continuing in thy damnable opinions heresies and refusing to returne againe vnto the true faith and vnitie of the holy mother Church and as the childe of wickednesse and darkenesse so to haue hardened thy harte that thou wylt not vnderstande the voyce of thy sheapeheard which with a fatherly affection doth seeke after thee nor wilt not be allured with his godly and fatherly admonitions We therefore Iohn the Bishop aforesaid not willyng that thou whiche arte wicked shouldest become more wicked and infecte the Lordes flocke wyth thy heresye which we are greatly afrayde of do iudge thee and definitiuely condemne thee the sayde Iohn Frith thy demerites and faultes beyng aggrauate through thy damnable obstinacie as gyltie of most detestable heresies and as an obstinate vnpenitent sinner refusing penitently to returne to y e lappe and vnitie of the holy mother Church and that thou haste bene and arte by Lawe excommunicate and pronounce and declare thee to be an excōmunicate person also wee pronounce and declare thee to bee an heretique to be cast out from the Church and left vnto the iudgement of the secular power and nowe presentlye so do leaue thee vnto the secular power and their iudgement moste earnestly requiring them in the bowels of our Lorde Iesus Chryst that this execution and punishment worthily to be done vppon thee maye so bee moderate that the rigour thereof be not too extreme nor yet the gentlenesse too muche mitigated but that it may bee to the saluation of thy soule to the extirpation terrour and conuersion of heretiques to the vnitie of the Catholique fayth Moderation pretended but none shewed by this our sentence definitiue or finall decree which we here promulgate in this fourme aforesayde This sentence thus readde the Byshop of London directed hys letter to Syr Steuen Pecocke Mayor of London Iohn Fryth deliuered to the secular handes and the Sheriffes of the same Citie for the receyuyng of the foresayde Iohn Frith into their charge Who being so deliuered ouer vnto them the fourth daye of Iulie in the yeare aforesayde was by them caryed into Smithfield to be burned and when he was tyed vnto the stake there it sufficiently appeared with what constancye and courage he suffered death The constant death of Iohn Fryth for when as the fagots and fire were put vnto hym hee willingly embraced the same therby declaring with what vprightnesse of mynde he suffered hys death for Christes sake and the true doctryne whereof that daye hee gaue with his bloud a perfect and firme testimonie The wynde made hys death somewhat the more longer which bare away the flame from him vnto his felowe that was tyed to his backe but hee had established hys minde with such pacience God geuinge hym strength that euen as though he had felt no paine in that long torment he seemed rather to reioyce for his felow thē to be careful for himselfe This truely is the power and strength of Christ stryuing vanquishing in his Saintes who sanctifye vs together with them and direct vs in all thinges to the glory of his holy name Amen This day before the burning of these worthye men of God the Bishop of London certified king Henry the eight of his worthy ye rather wooluish proceeding against these men the tenour whereof for as muche as it proceedeth as the other do before we therefore omit it referryng the reader to the same ¶ Andrewe Hewet burned with Maister Frith ANdrewe Hewet borne in Feuersham in the county of Kent Andrew Hewet Martyr a yong man of the age of foure and twenty yeres was apprentise with one maister Warren Taylor in Watlyng streete And as it happened that hee went vppon a holy daye into Fleete streate Anno. 1533. towarde Saint Dunstanes he met with one William Holt which was foreman with the kyngs Taylour at that present called maister Malte and beynge suspected by the same Holt which was a dissemblyng wretche to be one that fauoured the Gospel after a litle talke had with hym he went into an honest house about Fleete Bridge whiche was a bookesellers house Then Holt thynking he had founde good occasion to shew foorth some fruit of his wickednesse Andrew Hewet apprehended sent for certaine offycers and searched the house fynding the same Andrew apprehended hym and caryed hym to the Byshops house where he was cast into yrons The man that gaue him this file was Valentine Freese the Painters brother who was afterward with his wyfe burned in Yorke and being there a good space by the meanes of a certaine honest man he had a File conueyed vnto hym wherewith he fyled of his yrons when he spyed his tyme he got out of the gate But being a man vnskilfull to hyde hym selfe for lacke of good acquaintance he went into Smythfielde and there mette with one Wythers whych was an hypocrite as Holt was Which Wythers vnderstandynge howe he had escaped and that hee knewe not whyther to goe pretendyng a faire countenāce vnto hym willed hym to go wyth him promysing that he shoulde bee prouyded for and so kept hym in the countrey where he had to do from Lowe Sunday til Whitsuntide and then brought him to London to y e house of one Iohn Chapman in Hosier lane beside Smithfielde and there left him by the space of two dayes Then he came to the layde Chapmans house againe and brought Holt with
heauier lumpe of this vile carkase ought therfore of nature to be more frayle then you yet sayth he The stouâ— bragges 〈◊〉 D. Pendlâ—â—ton at thâ— first begiâ—â—ning God geueth strength where feâ—â—blenes is confessed I will see the vttermost drop of this grease of mine molteÌ„ away the last gobbet of this flesh consumed to ashes before I wil forsake God and his truth Wherunto the other answering but litle wishing that almighty God woulde geue him more strength theÌ„ he presently felt in himselfe acknowledging his owne weaknes conseÌ„ted notwithstanding though it were somewhat fayntly to ioyne w t him in the profession of the Gospell so to go vp to London set forth the same wherupon they gaue ech other theyr haÌ„ds Now when they were come to London Lord what a great chaunge was there betwene these two persons The poore feeble faynt harted Saunders by the goodnes of almighty God taking hart of grace to him seking the same in humility boldly stoutly confirmed his flock out of the pulpit where his charge lay mightely beating down Antichrist lustely preached Christ his maister for the which he afterward suffered most willingly as is afore declared Wheras on the other side Pendleton the proud who as it appeared by the sequele had bene more stout in words Example how feebâ—â— man is 〈◊〉 himselfe without the Lord support him theÌ„ constant in deeds and a greater bragger then a good warrior folowed Peter so iustly in crackes howsoeuer he did in repentance which God onely knoweth that he came not so soone to London but he chauÌ„ged his tipet playd y e Apostata preaching in stede of sound doctrine nothing almost but errors lyes aduauncing Antichrist and ouerthrowing poore Christ with all his mayne so his former boldnes came to nothing vnlesse it were a contrarye key becomming of a faithfull pastour a false runnagate and of a true Preacher a sworne enemy of Gods euerlasting Testament to the great offence of his brethren the hurt of hys flock and the vtter vndoing with our Gods greater mercy of his owne soule Wherein are specially to be considered the deepe and maruellous iudgementes of God who as he can and doth make strong whome it pleaseth hym when he seeth his time most commonly such as appeare most feeblest euen so contrariwise throweth he downe other some seeme they neuer so stoute stand they neuer so much in theyr own conceites Wherefore let him that standeth take heed he fall not and let vs pray continually to almighty God though we haue fayth that he will helpe and encrease our faith that in him it may be made stroÌ„g which of it selfe is so weake that it is soone ouerthrowne Anno 1555. February This blessed man of God enduring long time in prisoÌ„ did not passe all his time in vnfruitfull idlenes but still froÌ„ time to time did visite his frendes as is sayd and especially his wife with many letters full of godly instruction consolatioÌ„ All which letters it shall not be greatly needful here to insert partly because they are to be found in the booke of letters partly because we enteÌ„d also if God will to prosecute the same more at large In the meane time it shall not be out of place here preseÌ„tly to coÌ„prehend certein of them as in order foloweth ¶ A letter sent to M. Farrar Bishop of S. Dauids Doctor Tailor M. Bradford and M. Philpot. A letter of M Saundeâ—s sent to B. Farrar D. Taylor M. Bradford and M. Pâ—ilpot 〈◊〉 8. GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our Lord. c. Good fathers and deare brethren be thankefull vnto our most gracious God which hath preserued vs and shall I doubt not from blaspheming his blessed name yea not onely that but also ex ore Infantium Lactentium perficiet laudem c. i. Out of the mouthes of very babes and sucklinges shall be set forth his praise They offer vs forsooth our liberty pardon so that we will rise with them vnto that faith which we with them were fallen from Yea or no must be answered in hast They will not admit any need full circumstances but all as heretofore most detestable abhominable Rise with them we must vnto the vnity And pardon say I of me must not be so dearely purchased A pardon I desire for to liue with an vnclogged coÌ„science The Donatists say they sought for such singularitye but they were not meete to liue in a common wealth no more be you as you shall shortly vnderstand Wherefore away with him yea the time was named within thys seuen night There be 12. houres in the day Death shall be wellcome say I as being looked for long since and yet do iustice ye were best for Abels bloud cryed ye wot what The spirite of God be vpon you Iohn 11. God saue your honors Thus departed I from theÌ„ Pray pray Ah ah puer sum nescio loqui i. I am a childe I cannot speake My brother P. shall shew you more herein By him send me word what you haue done Fare ye well and pray pray I woulde gladly meet with my good brother Bradford on the backeside about 11. of the clock Before that time I cannot start out we haue such outwalkers but then will they be at dinner Yours as you know Laurence Saunders ¶ A Letter which L. Saunders did write to his wife and others of the faythfull after his condemnation to the fire written the last of Ianua 1555. out of the Counter in Breadstreete THe grace of Christ w t the coÌ„solation of the holy Ghost to the keeping of fayth and a good conscience coÌ„firme keep you for euer vessels to Gods glory A comforâ—â—ble letter â—f M. Saunders to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 Amen Oh what worthy thanks can be geueÌ„ to our gracious God for his vnmeasurable mercies pleÌ„tifully poured vpoÌ„ vs And I most vnworthy wretch cannot but poure forth at this present eueÌ„ from the bottom of my hart the bewayling of my great ingratitude and vnkindnes towardes so gracious a good God and louing father I beseech you all as for my other many sinnes so especially for that sinne of my vnthankefulnesse craue pardon for me in your earnest prayers commendyng me to Goddes greate mercyes in Christ. To number these mercies in particular where to number the drops of water which are in the Sea the sandes on the shore the starres in the skie O my deare wife ye the rest of my frends reioyce with me I say reioyce w t thanksgeuing for this my present promotion The sweete comfort of 〈…〉 away 〈◊〉 feare of death from 〈…〉 in that I am made worthy to magnifye my God not onely in my life by my slow mouth vncircuÌ„cised lips bearing witnes vnto hys truth but also by my bloud to seale the same to the glory of my God and confirming of his true church And as
it with our blouds For I thought this night that I had bene sent for because at a 11. of the clocke there was such rapping at the dore Then answered a mayd and sayd why theÌ„ I perceiue you were afrayd Brad. M. Bradford nothing afrayd of death Ye shall heare how fearefull I was For I considered that I had not slept and I thought to take a nap before I went and after I was a sleepe these men came into the next chamber and sang as it was tolde me and yet for all my fearefulnes I heard theÌ„ not therfore belike I was not afrayd that slept so fast Seru. Do you lacke any thing toward your necessity Brad. Nothing but your prayers I trust I haue them and you mine Seru. I saw a priest come to you to day in the morning Brad. Yea he brought me a letter from a Fryer and I am writing an answere Seru. Then we let you therefore the liuing God be wyth you Brad. And with you also and blesse you Seru. Amen sayd we and gaue him thankes departed M. Bradford had from the Counter to Newgate by night THus still in prison continued Bradford vntill the moneth of Iuly in such labors suffrings as he before alwayes had susteyned in prison But when the time of hys determined death was come he was sodeÌ„ly conueyed out of the Counter where he was prisoner in the night season to Newgate as afore is declared froÌ„ thence he was caried the next morning to Smithfield where he constantly abiding in the same truth of God which before he had confessed earnestly exhorting the people to repent to return to Christ sweetly comforting the godly yong springall of 19. or 20. yeares old which was burned with him chearefully he ended his paynefull life to liue with Christ. ¶ Iohn Leafe burnt with M. Bradford Iohn Leafe fellow Martyr with M. Bradford WIth whoÌ„ also was burnt one Iohn Leafe an appreÌ„tice to Humfrey Gawdy Tallow Chaundlor of the parish of Christs church in London of the age of 19. yeres and aboue borne at Kirkeby Moreside in the Countye of Yorke who vpoÌ„ the friday next before Palme sonday was coÌ„mitted to the Counter in Breadstreete Iohn Leafe of the parish of Christ church by the Alderman of that warde committed to prison by an Alderman of London who had rule charge of that warde or part of the City where the sayd Leafe did dwell After he coÌ„myng to examination before Boner gaue a firme Christian testimony of his doctrine profession answering to such articles as were obiected to him by the sayd Bishop First as touching his beliefe fayth in the sayd sacrament of the aultar Iohn Leafe examined before B. Boner The aunsweres of Iohn Leafe concerning his fayth in the Sacrament he answered that after y e words of consecration spoken by the priest ouer the bread wine there was not the very true naturall body bloud of Christ in substance and further did hold and beleue that the sayd sacrameÌ„t of the aultar as it is now called vsed beleued in this realme of EnglaÌ„d is idolatrous abhominable also sayd further that he beleued that after the words of coÌ„secration spoken by the Priest ouer the material bread and wine there is not the selfe same substance of Christes body bloud there coÌ„teined but bread wine as it was before and further sayd that he beleued that when the priest deliuereth the said material bread wine to the coÌ„municants he deliuereth but onely * Onely as touching the substance but not as concerning the effect thereof Auricular confession He meaneth after the Popish maner of remitting c. material bread and wyne and the communicants do receiue the same in remeÌ„brance of Christes death and passion and spiritually in fayth they receiue Christs body and bloud but not vnder the formes of bread and wine and also affirmed that he beleued auricular confession not to be necessary to be made vnto a priest for it is no poynt of soule health neither that the Priest hath anye authority geuen him by the Scripture to absolue and remit any sinne Upon these his answeres and testimony of his fayth he at that time being dismissed was bid the Monday next being the x. of Iune to appere again in the said place there and then to heare the sentence of his condemnatioÌ„ who so did At what time the foresayd Bishop propounding the sayd articles again to him as before assaying by al maner of wayes to reuoke him to his owne trade that is from truth to error notwithstanding all his perswasioÌ„s threates and promises found him the same man still so planted vpon the sure rocke of truth that no wordes nor deedes of men could remoue him Then the bishop after many wordes to and fro at last asked him if he had bene M. Rogers scholler Iohn Leaâ—e M. Rogeâ—â— scholler To whoÌ„ the foresayd Iohn Leafe answered agayne graunting him so to be and that he the same Iohn did beleue in the doctrine of the sayd Rogers and in the doctrine of Bishop Hooper Cardmaker and other of their opinion which of late were burned for the testimony of Christ and that he would dye in that doctrine that they dyed for And after other replications agayne of the Bishop mouing him to returne to the vnity of the Church he with a great courage of spirite answered agayne in these words My Lord quoth he you cal mine opinioÌ„ heresy it is the true light of the word of God and agayne repeating the same he professed that he would neuer forsake his stayed well grounded opinion while y e breath should be in his body Wherupon the Bishop being too weake eyther to refute his sentence or to remoue hys constancy proceeded consequently to read the Popish sentence of cruell condemnatioÌ„ Sentence read agaynst Iohn Leafe wherby this godly constant young man being coÌ„mitted to the secular power of the shiriffes there present was theÌ„ adiudged not long after suffered the same day with M. Bradford confirming w t hys death that which he had spoken and professed in his life It is reported of the said Iohn Leafe by one that was in the Counter the same time and saw the thing Iohn Leafe sealed the bill of his confessions with his bloud that after his examinations before the Bishop when two bils were sent vnto him in the CouÌ„ter in Bredstreet the one conteyning a recantation the other his confessions to knowe to which of them he would put to his hand first hearyng the Byll of recantation read vnto him because he coulde not read nor write hymselfe that he refused And when the other was read vnto him which he well liked of in stead of a pen he tooke a pinne and so pricking his hand sprinckled the bloud vpon the sayd bill willing the reader thereof to shew the Bishop that he had sealed the same
Christ of the strength of the law of the horrour of sinne of difference betwene the lawe and the Gospel of the true liberty of conscience c. no mētion or very litle was heard Wherefore in this so blinde time of darknes it was muche needefull and requisite that the Lord of his mercy shoulde looke vpon his churche send downe hys gratious reformation which also he did For shortly vpon the same thorowe the gratious excitation of God came Martine Luther of whome the order of story nowe requireth that we should and will intreat Christ willingly after the storie of Richard Hunne and a fewe other things premised for the better opening of the storie to folowe Mention was made sufficiently before of the doings of Pope Iulius Anno. 1510. and of hys warlike affaires for the whych he was condemned and not vniustly in the coūcell of Turone in Fraunce Pope Iulius plaieth the warrior Anno 1510. and yet all thys coulde not asswage the furious affection of this pope but the same yere he inuaded the Citie of Mutina and Mirandula in Italie Anno. 1512. and tooke them by force of warre Which Pope Iulius not long after The Pope ouercome in Battaile in the yeare of our Lorde 1512. refusing peace offered by Maximilian the Emperour was encountered by Lewes the French king about Rauenna vpon Easter day where he was vanquished and had of his army slaine to the number of xvj thousande Ex Chron. Carion And the yere next folowing Anno 1513. this Apostolical warriour Anno. 1513. which had resigned his keyes vnto the riuer of Tybris before made an end together both of fighting and liuing The death of Pope Iulius after he had raigned and fought x. yeeres Atter whome succeded next in the sea of Rome Pope Leo the 10. About the compasse of which time Pope Leo x great mutatiōs and stirres began to worke as well in states temporall as especially in the state of the Church Pope Leo 10. in Rome An. 1513. reigned 9. The state succession of Princes Charles 5. Emperour in Germanie An. 1519. reigned 39. Fraunces K. of France An. 1515. reigned 32. Henry 8. K. of England An. 1509. reigned 38. Iames 5. K. of Scotland An. 1514. reigned  In the time of which Pope Emperour and kinges of England and of France great alterations troubles and turnes of religion were wrought into the Churche by the mighty operation of Gods hand in Italy Fraunce Germanie Englande and all Europe suche as haue not bene seene although muche groned for many hundreth yeares before as in further discourse of this historie Christe willing more manifestly shall appeare But before wee come to these alterations taking the time as it lieth before vs wee will first speake of Richarde Hunne and certaine other godly minded persons heere in Englande afflicted for the woorde of Christes Gospell in great multitude as they be found and taken out of the Registers of Fitziames Bishop of London by the faithfull helpe and industry of R. Carket citizen of London The historie of diuers good men and women persecuted for religion in the Citie and Dioces of the Bishop of London briefly extracted out of the Registers of Richard Fitziames AMongest and besides the great number of the faithful martyrs and professours of Christe that constantly in the strength of the holy Ghost gaue their liues for the testimonie of his truthe Ex Registro Fitziames I finde recorded in the Register of London betwene the yeares of our Lorde 1509. and 1527. the names of diuers other persons both men and women who in the fulnes of that darke and mystie times of ignoraunce had also some portion of Gods good spirite whiche induced them to the knowledge of his trueth and Gospel and were diuersly troubled persecuted and imprisoned for the same notwithstanding by the proud cruell and bloudy rage of the Catholique seat and through the weaknes and frailtie of their owne nature not then fully strengthned in God it was againe in them for the time The professiō of the Protestantes no new doctrine suppressed and kept vnder as appeareth by their seueral abiuratiōs made before Richard Fitziames then bishop of London in hys time a most cruell persecutor of Christes church or els before his vicar general deputed for y e same And for asmuch as many of the aduersaries of Gods trueth haue of late dayes disdainefully and braggingly cried out and made demaunds in their publique assemblies and yet do asking where this our church and religion was wythin these 50. or 60. yeares I haue thought it not altogether vaine somewhat to stop such lying crakers both by mentioning theyr names and likewyse opening some of the chiefe and principal matters for which they wer so vnmercifully afflicted and molested thereby to geue to vnderstand as wel the continuaunce and consent of the true church of Christe in that age touching the chiefe poynts of our faith though not in like perfection of knowledge and cōstancie in all as also by the way something to touch what fond and friuolous matters the ignoraunt Prelates shamed not in that time of blindnesse to obiect against the poore simple people accounting them as heynous and great offences yea such as deserued death both of body and soule But least I shauld seeme too prolixe and tedious heerein I will nowe briefly proceede wyth the storie and first begin wyth theyr names whych are these Anno. 1510. Ioanne Baker William Pottyer Iohn Forge Thomas Goodred Thomas Walker alias Talbot Thomas Forge Alyce Forge Iohn Forge theyr son William Couper Lewes Iohn Ioanne Iohn Ihon Webbe alias Baker Anno. 1512. Iohn Houshold Robert Rascal Anno. 1517. Elizabeth Stanford George Browne Anno. 1518. Iohn Wykes Richard Butler Anno. 1511. Iohn Caluerton Anno. 1521 Iohn Woodrofe Richard Woolman Roger Hyllyar Anno. 1521. Alyce Couper Anno. 1523. Thomas Austye Ioanne Austye Thomas Graunt Iohn Garter Anno. 1526. Christofer Rauins Dionise Rauins Anno. 1527. Thomas Vincent Richard Butler Iohn Samme William Kyng Robert Durdant Henry Woolman Edmond Spilman Iohn Higges aliâs Noke aliâs Iohnsonne Henry Chambers Iohn Hynggyns Thomas Egleston Here foloweth the particular examination of all these heere aboue named To these were diuers and sundry particular Articles besides the common and generall sort accustomably vsed in such cases priuately obiected euen such as they were then accused of either by their curate or other their neighbours And because I thinke it somewhat superfluous to make any large recitall of all and euery part of their seuerall processe I minde therefore briefly only to touch so many of their articles as may be sufficient to induce the Christian Reader to iudge the sooner of the rest being I assure you of no greater importance then these that folow Except that sometime they were charged most slanderously with horrible and blasphemous lies against the maiestie and truth of God which as they vtterly
into a pyt or ditche and earnestly perswaded by some of her ignoraunt neighbours to go on Pilgrimage to S. Laurēce for helpe for her child sayd that neither S. Laurence Against inuocation of dead Images nor any other S. could helpe her child therfore none ought to goe on Pilgrimage to any Image made with mās hād but one-to vnto almightie God for Pilgrimages were nothyng worth sauing to make the Priestes rich Vid. plura inferius VNto Iohn Houshold Robert Rascall Iohn Houshold c. and Elizabeth Stamford as well the Article against the Sacrament of the altar was obiected as also that they had spoken agaynst praying to Saintes had despised the authoritie of the Byshop of Rome and others of his Clergy Against trāsubstantiation and authoritie of the Pope But especially Iohn Houshold was charged to haue called thē Antichristes and whooremongers and the Pope him selfe a strong strumpet and a common bande vnto the world who with his Pardōs had drowned in blindnes all Christian Realmes and that for money ALso among diuers other ordinary Articles propounded agaynst George Browne George Brown these were coūted very heynous hereticall First that he had sayd that he knew no cause why the Crosse should be worshipped Against adoration of the crosse seyng that the same was an hurt payne vnto our Sauiour Christ in the tyme of his Passion and not any ease or pleasure alledging for example that if he had had a frend hanged or drowned he would euer after haue loued that gallowes or water by the which his frend dyed rather worse for that thē better An other obiection was that he had erroneously obstinately and maliciously said for so are theyr words that the Church was too rich Against immoderate riches of the popes clergy This matter I may tell you touched somewhat the quicke and therefore no maruell though they counted it erroneous and malicious for take away their gaine and farewell their religion They also charged him to haue refused holy water to be cast about his chamber and likewise to haue spoken against priests with other vaine matters Iohn Wikes THe greatest matter wherewith they burdened Iohn Wikes was that he had often and of long time kept company with diuers persons suspected of heresie as they termed them and had receiued them into his house and there did suffer and heare them sundry times reade erroneous and hereticall bookes cōtrary to the faith of the Romish Church and did also himselfe consent vnto their doctrine and had many times secretly conueyed them from the taking of such as were appointed to apprehend them Ioh. Southacke Rich Butler c Vide inferius Against the real presence LIke as the greatest number of those before mentioned so were also Iohn Southake Richard Butler Iohn Samme William King Robert Durdant and Henrye Woolmā especially charged with speaking words against the real presence of Christes body in the Sacrament of the Altar and also against Images and the rest of the seauen Sacraments Howbeit they burdened the last v. persons with the reading of certaine English hereticall bookes accounting most blasphemously the Gospel of Iesus Christ writtē by the 4. Euangelists to be of that number as appeareth euidently by the 8. article obiected by Tho. Benet Doctour of lawe and Chancelour and vicare general vnto Rich. Fitziames then Bish. of London against the sayd Rich. Butler The very words of which article for a more declaration of truth I haue thought good heere to infert which are these Reading of Englishe bookes Also we obiect to you that diuers times and especially vpon a certaine night about the space of three yeares last past in Robert Durdantes house of Yuercourt neare vnto Stanes you erroneously and damnably read in a great booke of heresie of the sayd Robert Durdants all that same night certaine chapters of the Euangelists in English conteining in them diuers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie in the presence of the sayde Robert Durdant Iohn Butler Robert Carder Ienkin Butler William King and diuers other suspect persons of heresie then being present and hearing your sayd erroneous lectours and opinions Of these men see more hereafter in the table following To the same effect and purpose tended the tenour of some of the Articles propounded against the other foure Whereby as also by others like before specified we may easily iudge what reuerence they which yet will be counted the true and onely Churche of Christ did beare to the word and Gospell of Christ who shamed not to blaspheme the same with most horrible titles of erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie But why should we maruel thereat seeing the holy Ghost in sundry places of the Scripture doth declare that in the latter daies there should come such proud and cursed speakers which shal speake lies through hypocrisy and haue their consciences marked with an hot yron Let vs therefore now thanke our heauenly father for reuealing them vnto vs and let vs also pray him that of his free mercies in his sonne Christ Iesus he would if it be to his glory eyther turne and mollifie all such harts or else for the peace and quietnes of his Church he woulde in his righteous iudgement take them from vs. About this time Richard Fitziames ended his life After whose death The death of Richard Fitziames bishop of London Cuthbert Tonstall Bishop of London Cutbert Tunstall afterwards Byshop of Durham succeeded in the Sea and Bishoprike of London who soone vpon his first entrie into the roome minding to follow rightly the footesteps of his predecessour caused Edmund Spilman priest Henry Chambers Iohn Higgins and Thomas Eglestone to be apprehended and so to be examined vpon sundry like Articles as before are expressed and in the end either for feare of his crueltie and the rigour of death The reall presence denied or else through hope of his flattering promises such was their weakenesse he compelled them to abiure and renounce their true professed faith touching the holy Sacrament of Christes body and bloud which was that Christes corpall body was not in the sacrament but in heauen and that the Sacrament was a figure of his body and not the body it selfe MOreouer about the same time there were certaine articles obiected against Iohn Hig aliâs Noke aliâs Iohnson by the saide Bishops vicar generall Amongst which were these Against a priest to haue two benefices First that he had affirmed that it was as lawfull for a tēporall mā to haue two wiues at once as for a priest to haue two benefices Also that he had in hys custody a booke of the foure Euangelistes in English and did often reade therein and that he fauoured the doctrines opinions of Martin Luther Testimony touching M. Luther openly pronouncing that Luther had more learning in his litle finger then all y e doctours in England in their
whole bodies and that all the Priestes in the Church were blind and had led the people the wrong way Likewise it was alledged agaynst him that he had denied Purgatory and had sayd that while he were alyue he would do as much for him selfe as he could for after his death he thought that prayer almes deedes could little helpe him These and such like matters were they wherewith these poore and simple men and women were chiefly charged and as heynous heretickes excommunicated emprisoned and at last compelled to recant and some of them in vtter shame and reproch besides the ordinary bearyng of fagots before the Crosse in processiō The maner of popish penaunce or els at a Sermon were enioyned for penaunce as they termed it as well to appeare once euery yeare before their ordinary as also to weare the signe of a fagot painted vpon their sleeues or other part of their outward garment and that during their liues or so often and long as it pleased their ordinary to appoint By which long rigorous and open punishing of them they ment as it should seeme vtterly to terrifie and keepe backe all others from the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and his Gospell But the Lord be euermore praysed what effect their wicked purposes therein haue takē The troubles of Helene Heyer and Robert Barkeway these our most lightsome dayes of Gods glorious Gospel do most ioyfully declare THere were also troubled beside these certaine others more simple and ignoraunt who hauyng but a very smal smake or tast of the truth did yet at the first as it may seeme gladly consent vnto the same but beyng apprehended they quickly agayne yelded and therfore had onely assigned them for their penaunce the bearyng of a litle cādle before the Crosse without any further opē abiuryng or recantyng Amongest which I finde two especially the one a woman called Elene Heyer to whom it was obiected that she had neither confessed her selfe vnto the Priest nor yet receiued the Sacrament of the altar by the space of 4. yeares and notwithstandyng had yearely eaten fleshe at Easter and after as well as others that had receiued the same contrary to the vsuall maner and conuersation of all other Christian people The other was a mā named Robert Berkeway who besides most wicked blasphemies agaynst God whiche he vtterly denyed was charged to haue spoken heynous wordes against the Popes holy and blessed Martyr Thomas Becket callyng him micher and theefe for that hee wrought by craftes and imaginations Thus haue I as briefly as I could summarely collected the principall Articles obiected agaynst these weake infirme and earthy vessels Not minding hereby to excuse or condēne them in these their fearefull falles and daungerous defectiōs but leauyng them vnto the vnmeasurable rich mercies of the Lord I thought onely to make manifest the vnsaciable bloudy crueltie of y e Popes kingdome agaynst the Gospell and true Church of Christ nothyng mitigatyng their enuious rage no not agaynst the very simple idiotes and that sometyme in most friuolous and irreligious cases But now leauyng to say any further herein I will by Gods grace go forthward with other somewhat serious matters ¶ The death and Martyrdome of William Swetyng and Iohn Brewster IN searchyng and perusing of the Register Wil. Sweting Iohn Brewster Martirs for the collection of the names Articles before recited I finde that within the compasse of the same yeares there were also some others who after they had once shewed themselues as frayle vnconstaūt as the rest beyng either therewith pricked in conscience or otherwise zelously ouercome with the manifest truth of Gods most sacred word became yet agayn as earnest professours of Christ as euer they were before and for the same profession were the secōd tyme apprehēded examined condemned and in the end were most cruelly burned Of the which number were Williā Swetyng and Iohn Brewster who were both burned together in Smithfield the xviij day of October in the yeare of our Lord. 1511. the chiefest case of religion alledged agaynst them in their Articles was their fayth cōcernyng the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud Which because it differed from the absurde grosse and Caparniticall opiniō of the new Scholemē was coūted as most heynous heresie Against trāsubstantiatiō corporall presēce in the Sacrament There were other thyngs besides obiected agaynst them as the reading of certaine forbidden bookes and accompanying with such persons as were suspected of heresie But one great and heynous offence counted amongest the rest was their putting leauing of the paintyng fagots which they were at their first abiuryng enioyned to weare as badges during theyr lyues or so long as it should please their Ordinary to appoynt and not to leaue them off vpō paine of relaps vntill they were dispensed withall for the same The cruell rigor of the Catholike clergy against the professours of the Gospell The breach of this iniunction was esteemed to be of no small weight and yet the matter well throughly considered it seemeth by their cōfessions they were both therunto by necessitie enforced For the one named Sweting being for feare of the Bishops cruelty cōstrained to wander the countreys to get his poore liuing came at length vnto Colchester where by the parson of the parish of Mary Magdalen he was prouoked to be y e holy water clarke and in that consideration had that infamous badge first taken away from him The other which was Brewster leaft off his at the commandement of the Controller of the Earle of Oxfordes house who hiring the poore man to labour in the Earles houshold busines woulde not suffer him working there to weare that counterfait cognisaunce any longer so that as I said necessity of liuing seemeth to compell both of them at the first to breake that iniunction and therfore if charitie had borne as great sway in y e harts of the Popes Clergy as did crueltie this trifle would not haue bene so heinously taken as to be brought against thē for an article and cause of condemnation to death But where tirannie once taketh place as well all godly loue as also all humane reason duties are quite forgotten Well to be short what for y e causes before recited as also for that they had once already abiured and yet as they terme it fel againe into relaps they were both as you haue hearde in the ende burned together in Smithfielde althoughe the same parties as the Register recordeth did againe before their death fearefully forsake their former reuiued cōstancie and submitting themselues vnto the discipline of the Romish Church craued absolution from their excommunication Howbeit because many of the Registers notes records in such cases may rightly be doubted of Submission would not be taken of the charitable catholikes and so called into questiō I refer the certaine knowledge hereof vnto the Lord who is the trier of all truthes and the external
iudgemeÌ„t vnto the godly and discrete reader Not forgetting yet by the way if that the report shoulde be true vpon so iust an occasion to charge that catholique clergy their wicked lawes with a more shameles tirannie vncharitable cruelty theÌ„ before For if they nothing stay theyr bloudy malice towards such as so willingly submit themselues vnto their mercies what fauour may the faithfull and constant professours of Christ looke for at their haÌ„ds I might here also aske of them how they folow the pitiful and louing admonitioÌ„ or rather precept of our Sauiour Christ whose true and only Church they so stoutly bragge to be who in the 17. chapt of S. Luke sayth Though thy brother sinne against thee seuen times in a day No mercy in the popes Church and seuen times in a day turne to thee saieng It repenteth me thou shalt forgiue him But what go I about to allure them vnto the folowing of the rule and counsaile of him vnto whose worde and Gospell they seeme most open and vtter enemies Wherefore not purposing to stay any longer thereupon I will leaue theÌ„ vnto the righteous reuengemeÌ„t of the Lord whereunto let vs now heere adioine the story of one Iohn Browne a good Martir of the Lord burnt at Ashford about this fourth yeare of King Henry the eight whose story heereunder foloweth ¶ Iohn Browne father to Richard Browne which Richard was in prison in Canterbury and should haue bene burned with two more besides himselfe the next day after the death of Queene Mary but by the proclaiming of Queene Elizabeth they escaped Ioh. Brown burned in Asheforde about the 4. yeare of king Henry 8. THe occasion of the first trouble of this Iohn Browne was by a priest sitting in Grauesend barge I. Brown being y e same time in the barge came sate hard by hym wherupon after certain coÌ„municatioÌ„ the Priest asked him doest thou know said he who I am thou sitst too neere me thou sitst on my clothes No sir said he I know not what you are I tell thee I am a Priest What sir are yee a Person or Uicar or a Ladies Chaplen No quoth he againe I am a soule priest I sing for a soule saith he Do ye so sir quoth the other that is well done I pray you sir quoth he where find you y e soule when you go to Masse I can not tel thee said the Priest I pray you where do you leaue it sir wheÌ„ the Masse is done I can not tell thee sayde the Priest Neither can you tell where you finde it when you go to Masse nor where you leaue it when the Masse is done how can you then haue the soule said he Go thy waies said y e Priest thou art an heretike and I will be euen with thee So at the landing the Priest taking w t hym Water More and William More two Gentlemen breethren rode straightwaies to the Archb. Warham wheruppon the said Iohn Browne within three daies after his wife being churched the same day Chilten of wey a Baily arrant and one Beare of Wilselborough with 2. of the Byshops seruantes set him vpon the horse and so carried him away he bringing in a messe of pottage to the boord to his guests was sent for and hys feete bound vnder his own horse so brought vp to Cant. neither his wife nor he nor any of his knowing whether he went nor whether he should And there continuing froÌ„ Lowsonday to y e friday before Whitsonday not knowing to his wife all this while where he was He was set in the stockes ouer night and on the morrow went to death and was burned at Ashford an 1517. The same night as he was in the stocks at Ashford where he his wâ—â—e dwelt his wife then hearing of him came sate by him al y e night before he should be burned to whom he declaring y e whole story how he was handled shewed told how y t he coulde not set his feete to the ground for they were burned to the bones and told her how by the two Bishops Warham Fisher his feet were heat vpon the whote coales burnt to the bones to make me said he to deny my Lord which I will neuer do for if I should deny my Lord in this world he would hereafter denie me I pray thee said he therefore good Elizabeth continue as thou hast begon and bring vp thy childreÌ„ vertuously in the feare of God so y e next day on Whitsonday eueÌ„ this godly Martir was burned StaÌ„ding at y e stake this praier he made holding vp his hands O Lord I yeeld me to thy grace Graunt me mercy for my trespasse Let neuer the feend my soule chase Lord I will bow and thou shalt beate Let neuer my soule come in hell heate Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord of truth and so he ended Ex testimonio Aliciae Browne eius filiae cuius mariti nomen dicebatur strat in paâ—rochia S. Pulchri At the fire the said Chilten the Bayly Arrant bade cast in his children also for they would spring sayd he of hys ashes This blessed Martyr Iohn Browne had borne a fagot seauen yeares before in the daies of King Henry the 7. As it is the propertie of SathaÌ„ euer to malice the prosperous estate of the Saintes of God true professours of Christ so ceasseth he not continually to styrre vp his wicked meÌ„bers to the effectuall accomplishyng of that which his enuious nature so greedily desireth if not alwayes openly by colour of tyrannicall lawes yet at the leastwise by some subtill practise of secret murther Which thing doth most playnly appeare not onely in a great number of the blessed Martyrs of Christes Churche mentioned in this booke but also and especially in the discourse of this lameÌ„table history that now I haue in hand concernyng the secrete cruell murderyng of Richard Hunne whose story here consequently ensueth decerped and collected partly out of the Registers of London partly out of a Bill exhibited and denounced in the Parliament house ¶ The story of Richard Hunne THere was in the yeare of our Lord. Richard Hunne martir 1514. one Richard Hunne marchauÌ„t Taylour dwelling within the Citie of London freeman of the same who was esteemed during his lyfe worthely reputed and taken not onely for a man of true dealyng and good substaunce but also for a good Catholicke maÌ„ This Richard Hunne had a child at nourse in Middlesex in the Parish of S. Mary Matsilon which dyed Anno. 1514. by the occasion wherof one Thomas Drifield Clerke beyng Parson of the sayd Parish sued y e sayd Richard Hunne in the spirituall Court for a bearyng sheete which the sayd Thom. Drifield claymed vniustly to haue of the sayd Hunne for a mortuary for SteueÌ„ Hunne sonne of the sayd Richard Hunne which SteueÌ„ beyng at nourse in the sayd Parish dyed being of
the inquest THe fift and the sixte day of December in the sixte yeare of the raigne of our soueraigne Lord king Henry the eight William Barnewel Crowner of London the day and yeare abouesaid with in the ward of Castelbaynard of London assembled a quest whose names afterward do appeare and hath sworne them truely to inquire of the death of one Richard Hunne which lately was found deade in the Lollardes Tower within Paules Church of London whereupon all we of the inquest together went vp into the sayde Tower where we found the body of the sayd Hunne hanging vppon a staple of iron in a gyrdle of silke with fayre countenaunce his head fayre kemmed and his bonet right sitting vpon his head with his eyne and mouth fayre closed without any staring gaping or frowning also without any driueling or spurging in any place of his body whereupon by one assent all we agreed to take downe the deade bodye of the sayd Hunne and as soone as we beganne to heaue the body it was loose whereby by good aduisement we perceiued that the gyrdle had no knot about the staple but it was double cast and the linckes of an iron chayne which did hang on the same staple were layde vpon the same gyrdle whereby he did hang Also the knot of the gyrdle that went about his necke stood vnder his left eare which caused his head to leane towardes his right shoulder Notwithstanding there came out of his nostrels two small streames of bloud to the quantitye of foure droppes Saue onelye these foure droppes of bloud the face lippes chinne doublet coller and shyrt of the sayd Hunne was cleane from any bloud Also we fynde that the skinne both of his necke and throate beneath the gyrdle of silke was frette and faled away with that thing which the murtherers had broken his necke withall Also the handes of the sayd Hunne were wrong in the wristes wherby we perceiued that his handes had bene boâ—d Moreouer we find that within the sayd prison was no mean wherby a man might hang himselfe but onely a stoole which stoole stoode vpon a bolster of a bed so tickle that any manne or beaste might not touch it so litle but it was ready to fall Whereby wee perceiued that it was not possible that Hunne might hang himselfe the stoole so standing Also all the gyrdle from the staple to his necke as wel as the part which went about his necke was too litle for his head to come out therat Also it was not possible that the soft silken gyrdle shoulde breake his necke or skinne beneathe the gyrdle Also we finde in a corner somewhat beyond the place where he did hange a great parcell of bloud Also we finde vpon the left side of Hunnes Iacket froÌ„ the brest downeward two great streames of bloud Also within the flap of the left side of his Iacket we finde a great cluster of bloud and the Iacket folden down thereupon which thing the sayd Hunne could neuer fold nor doe after he was hanged Whereby it appeareth playnely to vs all that the necke of Hunne was broken and the great plenty of bloud was shed before he was hanged Wherefore all we finde by God and all our consciences that Richard Hunne was murdered Also wee acquite the sayd Richard Hunne of his owne death Also there was an end of a waxe candle whiche as Iohn Belringer sayth he lefte in the prison burning with Hunne that same Sunday at night that Hunne was murthered which waxe candle we founde sucking vpon the stockes fayre put out about seuen or eight foote from the place where Hunne was hanged which candle after our opinion was neuer put out by him for many likelyhoods which we haue perceiued Also at the going vp of mayster Chauncellor into the Lollardes tower we haue good proofe that there lay on the stockes a gowne either of Murrey or Crimosin in grayne furred with shankes Whose gowne it was we could neuer proue neither who bare it away All we finde that Mayster William Horsey Chauncellour to my Lord of London hath had at his commaundement both the rule and guiding of the sayd prisoner Moreouer all we finde that the sayde maister Horsey Chauncellor hath put Charles Ioseph out of his office as the sayd Charles hath confessed because he woulde not deale and vse the sayde prisoner so cruelly and doe to him as the Chauncellour woulde haue had him to do Notwithstanding the deliuerance of the keies to the Chauncellour by Charles on the Saturday at night before Hunnes death and Charles riding out of the towne on that sonday in the morning ensuing was but a conuention made betwixt Charles and the Chauncellour for to colour the murther For the same sonday that Charles rode forth he came agayne to the town at night and killed Richard Hunne as in the depositions of Iulian Littel Thomas Chicheley Thomas Simondes and Peter Turner do appeare After colouring of the murther betwixte Charles and the Chauncellour conspired the Chauncellour called to him one Iohn Spalding Belringer of Paules and deliuered to the same Belringer the keyes of the Lollardes tower geuing to the sayde Belringer a great charge saying I charge thee to keepe Hunne more straitely then he hath bene kept and let him haue but one meale a day Moreouer I charge thee let no body come to him without my licence neyther to bring him shirt cappe kirchiefe or any other thing but that I see it before it come to him Also before Hunne was caryed to Fulham the Chauncellour commaunded to be put vpon Hunnes necke a great coller of iron with a greate chayne which is too heauy for any man or beast to weare long to endure Moreouer it is well proued that before Hunnes death Proufes of Hunnes death the sayd Chauncellour came vppe into the sayd Lollardes tower and kneeled downe before Hunne holding vp his hands to him praying him of forgeuenesse of all that he had done to him and muste do to him And on sonday folowing the Chauncellour commauÌ„ded the Penitensary of Paules to go vp to him and say a Gospell and make for him holy water and holy bread and geue it to hym which so did and also the Chauncellor commaunded that Hunne should haue his dinner And the same dinner time Charles boye was shut in prison with Hunne which was neuer so before and after dynner when the Belringer fet out the boy the Belringer sayd to the same boy come no more hither with meat for him vntill tomorow at noone for my maister Chauncellour hath commaunded that he shall haue but one meale a day and the same night folowing Richard Hunne was murdered which murther could not haue bene done without consent and licence of the Chauncellor and also by the writing and knowledge of Iohn Spalding Belringer for there could no man come into the prison but by the keies being in Iohn Belringers keeping Also as by my Lord of LondoÌ„s booke doth appeare Iohn Belringer is a
poore innocent manne Wherefore all we doe perceiue that this murther coulde not bee done but by the commaundement of the Chauncellour and by the witting and knowing of Iohn Belringer Charles Ioseph within the tower of Lond. of his owne free will vnconstrayned said that maister Chauncellor deuised wrote with his owne hand all such heresyes as were layde to Hunnes charge Witnes of Charles Ioseph Sumner recorde Iohn God Iohn True Iohn Pasmere Richarde Gibson with many other Also Charles Ioseph sayth that when Richard Hunne was slayne Iohn Belringer bare vp the steyre into Lollardes tower a waxe candle hauing the keyes of the doore hanging on his arme and I Charles went next to him and maister Chauncellour came vppe last and when all wee came vppe wee found Hunne lying on his bed and then maister Chauncellour sayd lay handes on the theefe and so all we murdered Hunne then I Charles put the gyrdle about Hunnes neck and then Iohn Belringer and I Charles did heue vp Hunne and Mayster Chauncellour pulled the gyrdle ouer the staple and so Hunne was hanged ¶ The Deposition of Iulian Littel late seruaunt to Charles Ioseph by her free will vnconstrayned the 6. yere of our soueraigne Lord king Henry the eight within the Chappel of our Lady of Bethlem shewed to the Inquest The witnes of Iulian Littell against Charles Ioseph FFrst Iulian sayth that the wednesday at night after the death of Richard Hunne Charles Ioseph her Mayster came home to his supper then Iulian sayd to him Mayster it was tolde me that ye were in prison Charles aunswered It is mery to turne the penny and after supper Charles trussed vp a parcel of his goodes and with helpe of Iulian bare them into Maister Porters house to keepe and that done Charles sayd to Iulian Iulian if thou wilt be sworne to keepe my counsell I wyll shew thee my mind Iulian aunswered yea if it be neyther felony nor treason Then Charles tooke a booke out of his purse and Iulian sware to him therupon then sayd Charles to Iulian I haue destroyed Richard Hunne Alas mayster said Iulian how he was called an honest man Charles aunswered I put a wyer in his nose Alas sayd Iulian nowe be ye cast away and vndone Then sayd Charles Iulian I trust in thee that thou wilt keepe my counsell and Iulian aunswered yea but for Gods sake Mayster shyft for your selfe and then Charles sayde I had leuer then a hundred pound it were not done but that is done can not be vndone Moreouer Charles sayd then to Iulian. Upon Sonday when I rode to my cosin Baringtons house I taryed there and made good cheare all day til it was night and yet before it was midnight I was in London and had killed Hunne and vpon the next day I rode thyther aagayne and was there at dinner and sent for neighbors and made good cheare Then Iulian asked Charles where set you your horse that night you came to towne and wherefore came ye not home Charles aunswered I came not home for feare of bewraying and then Iulian asked Charles who was with you at the killing of Hunne Charles aunswered I will not tell thee and Iulian saith that vpon the Thursday folowing Charles taried all day in his house with great feare and vpon Friday folowing early in the morning before day Charles went forth as he sayd to Paules and at his comming in agayne he was in a great feare saying hastely get me my horse with greate feare and haste made him ready to ride and bade Mayâ—â—er Porters lad leade hys horse into the field by the backeside and then Charles put into his sleeue hys Mase or Masor with other plate borowed of mayster Porter both golde siluer but howe much I am not sure and Charles went into the field after his horse and Iulian brought hys bouget after hym Also vpon friday in Christmas weeke folowing Charles came home late in the night and brought with him three Bakers and a Smyth of Stratforde and the same night they carryed out of Charles house all hys goodes by the fieldes side to the Bell in Shordich and early in the morning conueyed it with Cartes to Stratford Moreouer Iulian sayth that the Saterday at night before the death of Hunne Charles came home and brought with him a gurnard saying it was for Hunne Charles boy called to Iulian that there was also ordeyned a piece of fresh Salmon which Iohn Belringer had Also Charles said to the said Iulian were not this vngracious trouble I could bring my Lord of LondoÌ„ to the doores of heretiques in London both of men and women that bene worth a thousand pound But I am afrayd that the vngracious midwife shall bewray vs all Also Charles sayd vnto maistres Porter in likewise more larger saying of the best in London whereto maistres Porter aunswered the best in London is my Lorde Maior then Charles sayde I will not scuse him quite for that he taketh this matter hoate Whereas Charles Ioseph sayth he laye at Neckehyll with a harlot a mans wife in Baringtons house the same night and there abode vntill the morrowe at eleuen of the clock that Richard Hunne was murthered wherupon he brought before the kinges Counsell for his purgation the foresayd Baude Baringtons wyfe and also the foresayde Harlot which purgation we haue proued all vntrue as right largely may appeare aswel by the deposition of Iulian Littel Thomas Chichesley Taylor Tho. Symondes Stationer of Rober Iohnsonne and his wife of Iohn Spalding Belringer Also of Peter Turner sonne in lawe of the foresayde Charles Ioseph who sayde before to an honest woman a waxe chaundelers Wyfe The witnes of Peter Turner that before this day seuenth night Hunne should haue a mischieuous death c. Also of Iohn Enderbye Baker to whome Iohn Spalding himselfe declared these wordes That there was ordeined for Hunne so grieuous penaunce that when men heare of it they shal haue great maruel therof c. Besides the deposition moreouer of Alen Creswel wax chauÌ„delor The witnes of Iohn-Spalding himselfe and Richard Horsenayle Bayliffe of the Sanctuary towne called Godsture in Essex Which testimonyes depositions hereafter folow * The Deposition of Alen Creswell waxechaundeler THe sayde Alen sayeth that Iohn Graunger seruaunt with my Lord of London in my L. of Londons kitchin at such time as the said Alen was seruing of Hunnes coffeÌ„ that GrauÌ„dger told to him that he was present with Ioh. belringer the same sonday at night that Rich. Hunne was found dead in the morow when the keepers set him in the stocks in so much the sayd Hunne desired to borow the kepers knife the keper asked him what he would do with his knife he answered I had leuer kil my selfe then to be thus entreated This deposition the sayd Alen will prooue as far forth as any christian man may saying that GrauÌ„dger shewed to him these wordes of his owne
free will and minde without any question or Inquyry to him made by the sayd Alen Moreouer the sayde Alen sayth that all that euening Graundger was in great feare ¶ The Deposition of Richard Horsnayle Bayliffe of the Sanctuary Towne called Goodesture in Essex THe sayd Richard sayeth that friday before Christmas day last past that one Charles Ioseph Somner to my Lord of London became a Sanctuary man and the aforesayd Friday he registred his name the sayde Charles saying it was for the sauegard of his body for there be certein men in London so extreame agaynste him for the death of Richard Hunne that he dare not abide in London Howbeit the sayd Charles sayth he knowledgeth himselfe guiltlesse of Hunnes death for he deliuered the keyes to the Chauncellour by Hunnes life also the sayd Bayliffe sayth that Charles payd the duty of the sayd Regestring both to him and syr Iohn Studley Uicar ¶ The Copy of Richard Fitziames Letter then Bishop of London sent to Cardinall Woolsey I Beseeche your good Lordshippe to stand so good Lord vnto my poore Chauncellour nowe in Warde and indighted by an vntrue quest for the death of Richard Hunne The letter of the B. of London to Cardinall Woolsey vpon the onely accusation of Charles Ioseph made by payne and duraunce that by your intercession it may please the kinges grace to haue the matter duely and sufficiently examined by indifferent persons of hys discreete counsell in the presence of the parties ere there be any more done in the cause and that vpon the innocency of my sayde Chauncellour declared it may further please the kinges grace to award a Plackard vnto his Attorney to confesse the sayde Enditement to be vntrue when the time shall require it for assured am I if my Chauncellour be tryed by any twelue men in London they be so maliciously set In fauorem hereticae prauitatis that they will cast and condemne any Clerke though he were as innocent as Abel Quare si potes beate pater adiuua infirmitates nostras tibi imperpetuum deuincti erimus Ouer this in most humble wise I beseech you that I may haue the kinges gracious fauour whom I neuer offended willingly and that by your good meanes I might speake with his grace and you and I with all mine shall pray for your prosperous estate long to continue Your most humble Oratour R.L. Lastly nowe remayneth to inferre the sentence of the questmen which foloweth in like sort to be seene and expēded after I haue first declared the wordes of the Byshop spoken in the Parliament house ¶ The wordes that the B. of London spake before the Lordes in the Parliament house MEmorandum that the bishop of London said in the parliament house that there was a bil brought to the parliament to make the Iury that was charged vpon y e death of Hunne true men and sayde and tooke vpon his conscience that they were false periured Caytiffes and sayd furthermore to all the Lordes there then being For the loue of God look vpon this matter for if you do not I dare not keepe mine owne house for heretiques And sayde that the sayd Richard Hunne hanged himselfe and that it was his owne deed and no mans els And furthermore sayde that there came a man to his house whose wife was appeached of heresy to speake with him he sayd that he had no mind to speake with the same man which man spake and reported to the seruauntes of the same Bishoppe that if his wife would not hold still here opinion he would cut her throat with his owne handes with other wordes ¶ The sentence of the Inquest subscribed by the Crowner THe inquisition intended and taken at the city of Londō in the Parish of S. Gregory in the ward of Baynard Castle in London the sixt day of December in the 6. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry the 8. before Thomas Barnewel Crowner of our souereigne Lord the king within the city of London aforesayd Also before Iames Yarford and Iohn Mundey Sheriffes of the sayde City The sentēce of the Inquest vpon the sight of the body of Richard Hunne late of London Taylour which was found hanged in the Lollardes tower and by the oth and proofe of lawfull men of the same warde and of other three wardes next adioyning as it ought to be after the custome of the city aforesayd to inquire how in what maner wise the sayd Richard Hunne came vnto his death and vpon the oth of Iohn Bernard Thomas Stert William Warren Henry Abraham Iohn Aborow Ioh. Turner Robert Alen William Marler Ioh. Burton Iames Page Thomas Pickehill William Burton Robert Brigewater Thomas Busted Gylbert Howel Richard Gibson Christopher Crafton Iohn Eod Richard Holt Iohn Pasmere Edmunde Hudson Iohn Arunsel Richard Couper Iohn Tyme the which saide vpon theyr othes that where the sayd Richard Hunne by the commaūdement of Richard Bishop of London was emprisoned and brought to holde in a prison of the sayd Bishops called Lollardes Tower lying in the Cathedrall Church of S Paule in London in the parish of S. Gregory in the ward of Baynard Castle aforesayd William Horsey of London Clerke Richarde Hūne cleared by the Inquest not to haue hāged himself otherwise called William Heresye Chauncellou◠to Richard Bishop of London and one Charles Ioseph late of London Sumner and Iohn Spalding of London otherwise called Iohn Belringer feloniously as felons to our Lord the king with force and armes agaynst the peace of our soueraigne Lord the king dignity of his crowne the fourth day of December the sixt yeare of the raygne of our soueraigne Lord aforesayd of theyr great malice at the parish of S. Gregory aforesayde vpon the sayde Richarde Hunne made a fray and the same Richard Hunne felonously strangled and smodered and also the necke they did breake of the sayde Richard Hunne and there feloniouslye slue him and murdered him and also the body of the sayde Richard Hunne afterward the same fourth day yere place parish and ward aforesayd with the proper gyrdle of the same Richard Hunne of silke blacke of coulor of the value of 12. d. after his death vpon a hooke driuen into a piece of timber in the wall of the prison aforesayd made fast and so hanged him agaynst the peace of our Soueraigne Lord the king and the dignity of his crowne and so the sayd Iurye hath sworne vpon the holy Euangelistes that the sayd W. Horsey Clerke Charles Ioseph and Iohn Spalding of theyr set malice then and there felonously killed and murdered the sayd Richard Hunne in maner and forme aboue sayd agaynst the peace of our soueraign Lord the king his crowne and dignity Subscribed in this maner Thomas Barnewel Crowner of the City of London After that the 24. had geuen vp theyr verdict sealed and signed with the Crowners seale The Parlament iudging with Richarde Hunne y e cause was thē brought into the Parliament house where the
was compelled to abiure All these aboue named in one key of doctrine religion did hold concord together agaynst whō were obiected 5. or 6. especiall matters to witte Consent of doctrine for speaking agaynst worshipping of saynts agaynst pilgrimage agaynst inuocatiō of the blessed virgin agaynst the sacramēt of the Lords body for hauing scripture bookes in English which bookes especially I finde to be named as these the booke of the 4. Euangelistes a booke of the Epistles of Paule and Peter the Epistle of S. Iames a booke of the Apocalips and of Antichrist of the 10. Commaundementes and Wickeliffes wicker with such other like ¶ Iohn Stilman Martyr IT would aske a long tractation tedious to recite in order the greate multitude and number of good men women Anno. 1518. beside these aboue rehearsed which in those dayes recanted and abiured about the beginning of king Henryes raigne and before Iohn Stilman Martyr Wickliffes Wicket among whō yet notwithstanding some there were whom the Lord reduced againe made strong in the profession of his truth and constant vnto death of which number one was Iohn Stilman by name who about the xxiiij day of Sept in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was apprehended and brought before Richard Fitziames then B. of Lond. at his manor of Fulham and by him was there examined and charged that notwithstanding his former recantation oth and abiuration made about xi yeres then past before Edmund Byshop of Salisbury as well for speaking against y e worshipping praying and offering vnto Images as also for denying the carnal and corporal presence in y e sacrament of Christes memoriall yet sithens that time he had fallen into the same opinions againe and so into the daunger of relapse and further he had highly commended and praysed Iohn Wickliffe affirming that he was a saint in heauen and that hys booke called y e Wicket Ex Regist. Fitziames Lond. was good and holy Soone after hys examination he was sent from thence vnto the Lollardes tower at London and the xxij day of October then next ensuing was brought openly into the consistory at Paules and was there iudicially examined by Thom. Hed the byshops vicare generall vpon the contentes of these articles followyng 1. First I obiect vnto you that you haue confessed before my Lord of London and me D. Hed his vicar generall that about xx yeares past one Steuen Moone of the Dioces of Winchest Articles laid agaynst Ioh. Stilman With whom you abode 6. or 7. yeares after did teach you to beleeue that the going on pilgrimage and worshipping of images as the Lady of Walsingham and others were not to be vsed * Yeares of Antiquitie to be noted A godly Martyr Richarde Smart burned at Salisbury ann 1503. Wickliffes Wicket And also that afterwards one Richard Smart who was burned at Salisbury about 14. or 15. yeares past did read vnto you Wickliffes Wicket and likewise instructed you to beleeue that the sacrament of the altar was not the body of Christ all whiche thinges you haue erroneously beleued 2. Item you haue diuers times read the said book called Wickleffes Wicket and one other booke of the x. Commaundementes which the sayd Richard Smart did geue you and at the tyme of your first apprehensiō you did hide thē in an old oke and did not reuele them vnto the bishop of Salisbury before whom you were abiured of heresie about xi yeares since where you promised by oth vpon the Euangelistes euer after to beleue and hold as the Christē fayth taught and preached and neuer to offend agayne in the sayd heresies or any other vpon payne of relapse And further you there promised to performe all such penaunce as the sayd Bishop of Salisbury did enioyne you who thē enioyned you vpon the like payne not to depart his Dioces without hys speciall licence 3. Item it is euident that you be relapsed aswel by your own confession as also by your deedes in that about two yeares after your abiuration you went into the sayd place where you had hidden your books and then taking them away with you you departed the foresayd dioces without the licence of the Bishop and brought them with you to London where nowe being tached and taken with them vpon great suspicion of heresie you are brought vnto the Bishop of London By reason of whiche your demeanor you haue shewed by your impenitent and dissembled conuersation from your errours and also your vnfaithful abiuration and disobedience vnto the authoritie of our mother holy Church in that you performed not the penance in whiche behalfe you be voluntarily periured and also relapsed in that you departed the sayd dioces wythout licence 4. Item you be not onely as afore is sayd impenitent disobedient voluntarily periured relapsed by this your foresayd hereticall demeanor but also sithens your last attachment vpon suspicion of heresie you haue maliciously spoken erroneous and damnable wordes affirming before my Lord of London your Ordinary and me iudicially sitting at Fulham that you were sorye y t euer you did abiure your said opinions and had not suffered then manfully for them for they were and be good and true and therfore you will now abide by them to die for it And furthermore you haue spoken against our holy father the pope and hys authoritie damnably saying that he is Antichrist and not the true successor of Peter or Christes vicar on earth and that his pardons and indulgences which he graunteth in y e sacrament of penaunce are nought and that you will none of thē And likewise y t the colledge of Cardinals be limmes of the sayd Antichrist and that all other inferiour prelates and Priestes are the sinagogue of Sathan Wickliffes Wicket And moreouer you sayd that the doctors of the Churche haue subuerted the truth of holy Scripture expounding it after their own mindes and therfore theyr workes be nought and they in hell but that wickleffe is a Sainct in heauen and that the booke called his Wicket is good for therein he sheweth the truth Also you did wish that there were xx thousand of your opinion against vs Scribes and Pharisies to see what you would doe for the defēce of your fayth Al which heresies you did afterwardes erroneously affirme before y e Archbishop of Caunterbury and then said that you would abide by thē to dye for it notwithstanding his earnest perswasions to the contrary and therefore for these premisses you be euidently relapsed and ought to be committed vnto the secular power ¶ The burning of Iohn Stilman ¶ Thomas Man Martyr NExt to Iohn Stilman aboue mentioned followeth in this blessed order of Martyrs the persecution and cōdemnation of Thomas Man Tho. Man Martyr Who the 29. day of Marche in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was burned in Smithfield This Tho. Man had likewise bene apprehended for y e profession of Christes Gospell about 6. yeares before the 14. day
God seing it determineth one thing and Gods word an other Iohn Baker did detect Robert Pope Richard Nobbis Iohn Edmundes For speaking againste going on pilgrimage and Image worship Iohn a Lee denounced Iohn a Weedon When this Iohn a Lee had tolde the sayd Weedon how the B. had said in his sermon these woordes That all whiche were of the sect of heretickes beleued that God was in heauen but they beleued not that the bodye of Christ on the aulter was God to this hee aunswearing agayne sayd ye be bold vpon that worde deryding the B. in so saying  W. Dorset of kinges Langley For saying that images stoode for nothing and that Pilgrimage serued to spend folkes mony nothing els Ioane Steuenton denounced Alice Colyns Iohn Harrys For teaching the sayd Ioane Steuenton in Lent y t x. Commaundements thus beginning I am thy Lord God that led thee out of the Land of Egypt and brought thee oute of y e house of thraldom Thou shalt not haue no alyen Gods before me neither make to thee any image grauē w t mans hādes that is in heauen aboue neyther in the earthe beneath c. Itē for teaching her y e first chapter of S. Iohns Gospell In the beginning was the word c. For teaching her the 1. chapter of Peter Sir Iohn a Priest and also Rob. Robinson detected M. Cotismore of Brightwell Also Maistres Cotismore otherwise called Maistres Doly For speaking these woordes to one Iohn Baynton her seruant that if shee went to her chamber prayd there shee shoulde haue as much merit as though she went to Walsingham on pilgrimage Item when the sayd Sir Iohn came to her after the death of M. Cotismore hys Mayster requyryng her to sende one Iohn Stayner her seruant to our Lady of Walsingham for Maister Cotismore which in his lyfe time being sicke promised in his owne person to visite that place shee would not consēt therto nor let her seruaunt go Item for saying y t when women go to offer to Images or saints they did it to shewe theyr newe gay geare that images were but carpenters chips Carpenters chyppes and that folkes go on pilgrimage more for the grene way then for deuotion Iohn Hakker did detect Tho. Vincent of London To Tho. Uincent it was obiected for geuinge this Hakker a book of S. Mathew in English Maistres Cotismore otherwise Doly  Rich. Colyns For receiuing of the said Hakker a booke of the 10. Commaundementes in English  Goodwife Bristow of Woostreete in London  William Gunne For receiuing of Hakker a booke of the x. plagues sent of God to Pharao The foresayd Iohn Hakker did detect The Wyfe of Tho. Wydmore of Chychenden Elizab. the daughter of this Hakker and Rob. her husband other Wise called Fitton of Newbery William Stokeley of Henley Iohn Symondes and his wife of great Marlow Iohn Austy of Henley Thomas Austy of Henley Grinder of Cookham  Iohn Heron. For hauing a booke of the exposition of the Gospels fayre written in English Tho. Groue end also Io. of Reding put to theyr othe did detect Richard Grace For speaking these words falowing that our blessed Lady was the Godmother to S. Katherine The Legend of S. Katherine proued false therefore the Legend is not true in saying that Christe did mary with S. Katherine and bad Adrian put on his vestmēt and saye the seruice of Matrimonye For so Christ should liue in adulterye for mariyng wyth hys Godsyster which thing if he shold do he shold be thought not to do well Item for saying by the picture of S. Nicholas being newly paynted that he was not worthy to stand in y e Roode loft but that it better beseemed hym to stand in the Belfray c. In this Table aboue prefixed thou hast gentle reader to se and vnderstand First the number and names of these good men and women troubled and molested by the church of Rome and all in one yeare of whom few or none were learned being simple laborers and artificers but as it pleased the Lord to worke in them knowledge and vnderstanding by reading a few English bookes such as they could get in corners Secōdly what were theyr opiniōs we haue also described And thirdly herein is to be noted moreouer the blind ignorance vncourteous dealing of the bishops agaynst them not onely in that they by theyr violent othe and captious interrogatoryes constrayned the children to accuse theyr parentes and parents the childrē the husband the wife the wife the husband c. but especially in y e most wrongfully they so afflicted them without all good reason or cause onely for the sincere verity of Gods worde reading of holy Scriptures Now it remaineth that as you haue heard the opiniōs which principally in number were 4. so also we declare their reasons scriptures wherupon they grounded The reasons and probations of their doctrine after that consequently the order maner of penance to them inioyned by the Byshop And first agaynst pilgrimage and agaynst worshipping of Images they vsed this text of the Apoc. 9. I saw horses in a vision and the heads of thē as the heads of Lions smoke fire and brimstone came out of theyr mouthes with these 3. plages the third part of men were slayne of the smoke and of the fire and of the brimstone that came out of the mouthes of them They that were not slayn of these 3. plagues were such as worshipped not deuils and images of gold and siluer of brasse of tree and of stone c. Ex Regist. Longland Fol. 72. Also they vsed alledged the first commaundement that there is but one God y t they ought not to worship mo Gods then one c And as touching the Sacrament and the right doctrine therof Wickliffe◠Wicket The Shepherdes Calender they had theyr instruction partely out of Wickliffes wicket partly out of the Shepheardes Calender where they read That the sacrament was made in remembraūce of Christ and ought to be receiued in remembraunce of his body c. Moreouer they alledged and folowed the wordes of Christ spokē at the supper at what time he sitting with his Disciples and making with them his Maundy tooke bread and blessed and brake and gaue to his disciples And sayd eat ye this reaching forth his arme Ex Regist. Io. Longland Fol. 102. and shewing the bread in his hand and then noting his owne naturall body and touching the same and not the bread consecrate is my body which shall be betrayed for you doe this in remembraunce of me And likewise tooke the wine and had them drinke saying this is my bloud which is of the newe Testament c. Item Fol. 42. that Christ our Sauior sitteth on the right hand of the father and there shal be vnto the day of dome Wherfore they beleued that in the Sacrament of the aultar was not the very body of Christ. Item
pestiferous canker can not with supple and gentle medecines be cured more sharper salues must be proued and fiery searinges the putrified members must be cut of from the body least the sound partes also be infected So God did cast downe into hell the schismaticall brethren * * Let the Pope followe the worde of God as Moses dyd and be sent of God expresly as Moses was and then let Luther be punished as Dathon and Abyron were Againe if the Pope be the succâ—ssour of Peter haue his authoritie why then doeth not the Pope beaâ—ing the keyes of Peter exercise the power of his spirite vpon Luther his great enemie as Peter did vpon Ananias and Sâ—phira Dathan and Abiron And him that would not obey the authority of the priest God commaunded to bee punished with death So Peter prince of the Apostles denounced sodeine death to Ananias and Saphira which lyed vnto God So the olde and godly Emperours commaunded * * If Iouinianus Priscillianus and Vigilantius were proued heretickes They were proued not onely by CanoÌ„s couÌ„cels but by scripture so was Lutherneâ—â—r Iouinianus and Priscillianus as heretiques to be beheaded So S Ierome wisheth Vigilantius as an heretick to be geuen to the destructioÌ„ of the flesh that the spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord. So also did our predecessours in the Councell of * * Your fathers in the Councell of Constance did kill the prophets of God and you make vp their graues But thankes bee vnto God whiche hath geuen suche light to the world to vnderstande your cruell impietie in killing I. Hus which you thought should neuer be espied CoÌ„stance condemne to death Iohn Hus his felow Hierome which now appeareth to reuiue agayne in Luther The worthy * * You haue well imitated your forefathers alreadie in burning so many Lutherians yet how haue you prospered against the Turkish Infidels the space of these 40. yeares acts and examples of which forefathers if you in this doinges seeing otherwise ye can not shall imitate wee doe not doubt but Gods mercifull clemency shall eftsoones releue his Church which being now sore vexed of infidels hath her eies chiefely and principally directed vpoÌ„ you as being the most puisaunt and most populous nation that wee haue in Christendome Wherefore vpon the blessing of almighty God and of blessed S. Peter which here we send vnto you take courage vnto you The false Dragon resembleth the Pope and the strong Lyon the Turke as well agaynst the false Dragon as the strong Lion that both these that is as well the inward heresyes as the forreigne enemyes by you being ouercome you may purchase to your honours an immortal victory both here and in the world to come This we geue you to vnderstand that whatsoeuer the Lord hath geuen vs to aid you withall either in money or authoritye wee will not fayle to support you herein The false Dragon here seeth that it is time to bestirre hym yea and to bestowe our life also in this holye quarrell and for the health of our sheepe to vs committed Other thinges as touching the matter of Luther we haue committed to this Cheregatus our Legate whom wee haue directed purposelye for the same vnto your assemble whom we wish you to Credite as being our trusty Legate Datum Rom. apud S. Petrum sub anulo piscatoris die .25 Nouemb. ann 1522. pontificatus nostri anno primo ¶ By this letter aboue prefixed thou hast gentle reader to note and vnderstand what eyther wyly perswasions or strength of authoritie could deuise against Luther here not to haue lacked If plausible termes or glosyng sentences or outward facyng and bracyng could haue serued where no ground of scripture is brought this might seeme apparantly a pithie Epistle But if a man should require the particulars or y e specialties of this doctrine which he here reprehendeth to bee examined and tryed by Gods word there is no substaunce in it but onely wordes of office whiche may seeme well to serue for waste paper And yet I thought to exhibite the saide letter vnto thee to the entent that the more thou seest mans strength with all his policie bent against Luther the more thou mayst consider the almightie power of God in defending the cause of this poore man against so mightie enemies Nowe heare further what instructions the sayde Pope Adrian sent to his Legate Cheregatus how and by what reasons to moue and inflame the princes of Germany to the destruction of Luther and his cause and yet was not able to bring it to passe Instructions geuen by Pope Adrian to Cheregatus his Legate touching his proceedings in the diete of Norenberg how and by what persuasions to incense the Princes agaynst Luther IN primis Instructions of the Pope against Luther you shall declare to them the great griefe of our hart for the prospering of Luthers secte to see the innumerable soules redemed with Christs bloud and committed to our pastorall gouernement to be turned away from the true fayth and religion into perdition by this occasion that especially in the nation of Germany being our natiue country which hath bene euer heretofore til these few yeares past most faythfull and deuour in religion therefore our desire to be the greater that this pestilence should be stopped by time least the same happen to that countrey of Germany which happened of late to Bohemia And as for our part * The first cause to stirre men against Luther there shal be no lacke to helpe forward what we may As likewise we desire them to â—ndeuoure them selues to the vttermost of theyr power whom these causes ought to moue which here we direct vnto you to be declared vnto them * The honour of God consisteth principally in honouring Iesus the Sonne of God whom the father hath sent Now examine good reader whether more extoileth the honour of Christ the doctrine of Luther or the doctrine of the Pope Luther sendeth vs onely to christ The Pope sendeth vs to other Patrons and helpers Luthers doctrine tendeth wholy to the glory of Christ the popes doctrine if it be well wayed tendeth to the glory of man Luther cleaueth onely to Scripture The Pope leaneth to the Canons and Councels of men First the honor of God which before all other thinges ought to be preferred whose honor by these heresyes is greatly defaced and his worship not onely diminished but rather whollye corrupted Also the charity toward our neighbor by which charity euery man is bound to reduce his neighbor out of errour otherwise God will requyre at theyr handes all such as by theyr negligence do perish The second cause to moue them agaynst Luther The 2. cause is the infamy of theyr nation whiche being counted before time alwayes most Christian now by these sectaries of Luther is euill spoken of in all other quartes The third cause is the respecte of theyr owne
behind him The death of Duke Fridericke for that he liued a single life and was neuer maried wherfore after him succeeded Iohn Fridericke D. of Saxony Mention was made a little before page 859. of the Ministers of Strausburgh which because of their Mariage Disceptatiō betweene the Senate of Strausburgh and Cardinall Campeius about married ministers were in trouble and cited by the Bishop to appeare before him and thereto be iudged without the precinct of the Citie of Strausburgh wheras there had bene a contrary order taken before betweene the Bishop and the Citie that the Bishop should execute no iudgement vpon any but vnder some of the Magistrates of the said City of Strausburgh Whereupon the Senate and Citizens taking into their hands the cause of these maried Ministers in defence of their owne right and liberties wrote as is sayd to their Byshop of Strausburgh and caused the iudgement thereof a while to be stayed By reason whereof the matter was brought at lēgth before Cardinall Campeius Legate sent by Pope Clemēt to the assemble of Norenberge an 1524. The chiefe doer in this matter was one Thomas Murnerus a Franciscane Frier who had commenced a greeuous complaint against the Senate and Citie of Strausburgh before the foresayde Cardinall Campeius Murnerus a Frier an accuser of maried ministers The Senate of Strausburgh purgeth themselues to Cardinall Campeius Wherefore the Senate to purge themselues sent their Ambassadours thus clearing their cause and aunswering to theyr accusation That they neither had bene nor would be any let to the Byshop but had signified to him before by theyr letters that whatsoeuer he could lay against those maried Priests consonant to the lawe of God they woulde be no stay but rather a furtherance vnto him to proceede in hys action But the Senate heerein was not a little greeued that the Bishop contrary to the order and compact which was taken betweene him and them did call the sayde Ministers out of the liberties of their Citie For so it was betweene them agreed that no Ecclesiasticall person should be adiudged but vnder some iudge of their owne Citie But now contrary to the said agreement the Bishop called those Ministers out of their liberties The Bishop of Strausburgh breaketh the agreement made the liberties of the Citie and so the Ministers claiming the right and priuiledge of the Citie were condemned their cause being neither heard nor knowne And now if the Senate should shew themselues any thing more sharpe or rigorous vnto those Ministers in claiming the right of the Citie the people no doubt woulde not take it well but happely woulde rise vp in some commotion against them in the quarell and defence of their fraunchises and liberties And where it is obiected that they receaue Priests and men of the Clergy into the fredome and protection of their Citie to this they answered that they did nothing herein but which was correspondent to the auncient vsage and maner of the Citie before and moreouer that it was the Byshops owne request desire made vnto them so to do To this the Cardinall againe aduising well the letters of the Bishop The answer of Campeius to the ambassadours The Popes prelates be lawles and can breake no order whatsoeuer they doe The ambassadours reply against the Cardinall the whole order of the matter which was sent vnto him declared that he right wel vnderstood by the letters sent that the Ministers in deede as the Ambassadours sayd were called out from the freedome liberties of the Citie and yet no order of law was broken therein for as much as the Bishop said he had there no lesse power and authoritie then if he were his owne Uicare delegate and therefore he desired them that they woulde assist the Bishop in punishing the foresayd Ministers c. After much other talke and reasoning on both partes wherein the Ambassadours argued in defence of their freedome that the iudgement should not be transferred out of the Citie among other cōmunication they inferred moreouer and declared how in the Citie of Strausburgh were many yea the most part of the Cleargy which liued viciously and wickedly with their strumpets harlots whom they kept in their houses Holy matrimony punished wicked whoredome escapeth to the great offence of the people shame to Christes Church and pernitious example of other and yet the Bishop would neuer once stirre to see any punishing or correction thereof Wherefore if the Senate said the Ambassadours should permit the Bishop to extend his crueltie and extremitie against these married Ministers for not obseruing the Bishop of Roomes law and leaue the other notorious whoremaisters whiche brake the law of God to escape vnpunished doubtles it would redound to their great danger and perill not onely before God but also among the commons of their Citie readie to rise vpon them To this Campeius aunswered what composition or bargaine was betwixt the Bishop and thē Campeius answereth he knew not but surely the Acte of the one was manifest and needed no great triall in law of prouing and confessing and therefore they were sequestred and abandoned from the communion of the Church ipso facto As for the other sorte of them which keepe harlots and concubines although said he it be not well done Ipso facto that is vpon the very doing of the acte without any further iudgement or triall by the lawe yet doth it not excuse the enormitie of their Mariage Neither was he ignorant but that it was the maner of the Bishops of Germany for money to winke at Priests lemans and the same also was euil done in deede and farther that the time should come when they shall be called to an accompt for the same but yet neuerthelesse it is not sufferable that Priestes therefore shoulde haue wiues And if comparison should be made sayd he much greater offence it were a Priest to haue a wife then to haue and keepe at home many harlots His reason was this For they that keepe harlots sayd he as it is naught that they do A fitt reasō for a carnall Cardinall better it is to haue many concubines then one wife .. Touching the Greeke church how vntruely this Cardinall speaketh turne to the pag. 187. The Ambassadours reply so do they acknowledge their sinne the other perswade themselues to do well and so continue stil without repentance or conscience of their fact All men said he can not be chaste as Iohn Baptist was yet can it not be proued by any example to be lawfull for Priests professing chastitie to leaue their single life and to marrie no not the Greekes themselues which in rites be differing from vs do geue this libertie to their owne Priestes to marry wherefore he prayed them to geue their ayde to the Bishop in this behalfe Whereunto the Ambassadours replyed againe sayeng that if he would first punish the whoremasters then might the Senate assist him
The next yere folowing which was anno 1532. in the moneth of August died also the woorthy and memorable prince Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie who for testimonie of Christe and of his Gospel susteined such trials so many bruntes The death of Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie and so vehement conflicts with the Emperour and that especially at the Councell assembled at Auspurge that vnlesse the almighty hand of the Lorde had susteined him it had not bene possible for him or any prince to haue endured so constaÌ„t and vnremoueable against so many perswasions and assaults as hee did to the ende After him succeeded Iohn Fridericke his sonne c. And thus haue ye the historie of Zuinglius and of the church of Suitzerlande with their proceedings and troubles from the first beginning of their reformation of religion set forth and described Whereunto we will adde one certaine Epistle of y e said Zuinglius taken out of his other Epistles and so therewith close vp hys storie Which Epistle I thought here to record especially for that in the same among other maters profitably is expounded y e true meaning of the Apostle wryting to the Corrinthians concerning how to iudge the Lordes body to the entent that the simple thereby may the better be informed The words of his letter be these as folowe Huldricus Zuinglius N. fratri in Domino GRatiam pacem in Domino Accipe igitur chariss frater c. In English thus Vnto your questions propounded to me in your former letters well be loued brother A letter of Vldricus Zuinglius I haue sent you heere mine aunswere First I am also in the same minde with you that the Lordes supper is a verye thankes geuing for so the Apostle him selfe meaneth saying Yee shall shewe foorth the Lordes death 2. Cor. 10. Where the woorde of shewing foorth signifieth as much as praising or thankes geeuynge Wherefore seeinge it is an Euchariste or a thankes geuing in my iudgement no other thing ought to bee obtruded to mens consciences but onely with due reuerence to geue thankes Neuerthelesse yet this is not tâ— be neglected that euery man doe prooue and examine him selfe for so wee oughte to search and aske our owne consciences what faith wee haue in Christ Iesus which if it be sounde and sincere we may approche without stay to this thankes geuing For he that hath no faith yet faineth or pretendeth to haue eateth his owne iudgement for he lieth to the holy Ghost And whereas you suppose that Paul in this place doth not reprooue them which sit at the table eating of meates offered to Idols I dissent from you therein For Paule a litle before wryteth vehemently against those arrogante persones which bragging vpon their knowledge thought they might lawfully eate of such meates offered to Idols sitting and eating at the Lordes table You can not sayeth he be partakers bothe of the Lordes table and the table of deuils c. Wherefore Saint Paules meaning is that euery one should trie and examine hymselfe what faith he hath Whereuppon it foloweth that he which hath a right faith must haue no parte nor fellowship wyth those things which be geuen to Idols for he is nowe a member of another body that is of Christe The place of S. Paule of iudging the Lords body expounded so that hee can not ioyne him selfe nowe to be one body with Idolaters And therefore those be they which doe not iudge or discerne the Lordes body that make no difference betwene the Church of Christ and the Church of Idolaters For they which sit at the Lordes table eating of Idolmeates do make no difference at all betweene the Lordes supper Who be they that iudge not the Lords body and the supper of the deuill which be they whom Paul sayth not to iudge the bodye of the Lorde that is which make no discrepance nor geue any more regard to Christes Church then to the church of deuils Whereas if we would iudge our selues that is if we would thorowly search and examine our own consciences as we shuld in comming to the table of the Lorde we finding any faith in vs would neuer goe to the table or make therof the feast of deuilles Wherefore your iudgement heerein is not amisse in expounding the word of iudging in S. Paule to signifie as much as coÌ„sidering Iesus tooke bread perpending and inquiring To your seconde question I aunswere that Iesus tooke bread and brake c. Also he tooke the cuppe c. Ista verba sunt peculiariter agentis non hospitaliter inuitantis that is these woordes declare the action of one which properly doeth a thing and not the hospitalitie of one which inuiteth another to eate Touching your third question out of the 6. chap. of Iohn The word Easter Doeth this offende you herein I doe full agree with you As for this word Ostren which is your fourth question I vnderstaÌ„d therby the time of the great feast or solemnitie which we kepe in remembrance of the great deliueraunce of Gods people from the thraldome nowe of Satan before from the thraldome of Pharao Neither is it greatly materiall with what woorde we expresse the thing so the thing it selfe be one and the analogie and consonancie of the Scripture be kept For the Scripture calleth Christ bothe the Lambe and S. Paule calleth him our Easter or Passeouer Now your worde wanderfest well pleaseth me The descending of Christ into hell expoundâ—d for the Passeouer or Paesah To your fifth interrogation of Christ descending into Hell I suppose this particle was inserted into the Creede by the sentence of the Fathers to declare how the fathers were redemed by the death of Christ which died in the faith For Christ ledde away captiuitie wherewith they were holden with him vp into heauen CircuÌ„scriptiuè PoteÌ„tionaliter Vt mors illius eos qui erant apud inferos redimeret so that hys going downe into Hell non sic intelligatur quasi circumscriptiuè sed potentionaliter that is be not so vnderstanded as circumscriptiuely which is when a thynge is present by circumscription of any one place but by power which is by the operation of his spirit which is not coÌ„preheÌ„ded in any certenty of place but without prescription of certain place is diffused euery so that the article of Christes descending into hell importeth as much as that his death redemed them which were in hell Wherunto S. Peter also seemeth to haue respect where he sayeth * * 1. Pet. 3. The Gospell also was preached to them which were deade that is that they also did feele the good tidings of the Gospell their redemption by the sonne of God and that they which rose againe wyth Christ in spirite be nowe with him in heauen who neuerthelesse in flesh shal be iudged what time the sonne of God and of man shal come to iudge both the quicke dead Returne to the places
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
was taken prisoner by the Cardinall of Loraines seruants by whome he was caryed from Gorze to the Castell of Nommeny Doctor Castellane carriâ—d to the Castell of Nommenye The zelous affection of the CitezeÌ„s of Metz toward their preacher wherupon the citizens of Merz tooke no little displeasure and greeuance who being greeuously offended to haue their preacher so to be apprehended and imprisoned within short space after tooke certaine of the Cardinalles subiectes and kept them prisoners so long vntill the Abbot of S. Antonies in Uiennois called Theodore de Chaumont vicar generall as wel in causes spirituall as teÌ„porall through the iurisdiction both of the Cardinall and Bishopricke of Metz Tollouse and Uerdune being furnished with a letter commission from the See of Rome came to the saide towne of Metz and after diuers declarations made to the Prouost and the other Iustices and Counsellers of the Citie he so wrought and brought to passe that immediately the sayde subiectes of the Cardinall were set at libertie But Iohn Castellane was kept still prisoner in the Castell of Nommeny Whosoeuer escape the Christians are sure to suffer and was most cruelly handled from the time of the fourth day of May vntill the twelfth day of Ianuary during all which time he perseuered constant in y e doctrine of the sonne of God Wherupon he was carried from Nommeny Doctor Castellane constant in his doctrine to the towne and Castell of Uike alwaies perseuering constantly in the profession of the same doctrine so that they did proceed vnto the sentence of his degradation that he might be deliuered ouer vnto the secular power according to the custome and manner And for so much as the fourme and manner of the sentence and processe of disgrading is notable and hath bene reported vnto vs word for word we haue thought good heere to annexe the same to declare the horrible blasphemies ioined with grosse and brutish subtiltie in those high misteries which the enemies of the truth do vse in their processe against the children of God whereby euery man euen the most ignoraunt may euidently perceaue the horrible blindnes that these vnshamefast Catholiques are blinded withall The sentence of the degradation The senteÌ„ce of his degradation Ex actis episcopalibus COncerning the processe inquisitorie fourmed and geuen in fourme of accusation against thee Iohn Castellane priest and religious man of the fryer Eremites of the order of S. Austine vnderstanding likewise thy confession which thou hast made of thine owne good will mainteining false and erroneous doctrine and marking also besides this the godly admonitions and charitable exhortations which we made vnto thee in the towne of Metz which thou like vnto the serpent Aspis hast refused and geuen no eare vnto also considering thine answeares made and reiterate vnto our interrogatories by meanes of thine othe in the which diuelishly thou hast hydden and kept backe not onely the truth but also following the example of Caine hast denyed to confesse thy sinnes and mischeuous offence and finally hearyng the great number of witnesses sworne and examined agaynste thee theyr persons and depositions diligently considered and all other things woorthy of consideration beeing iustly examined the reuerende mayster Nicholas Sauin doctour of diuinitie and inquisitour of the fayth assistaunt vnto vs hath entred processe agaynst thee and geuen full information thereof this our purpose and intent being also communicate vnto diuers Maysters and Doctours both of the Ciuile and Canon lawes heere present which haue subscribed and signed heereunto whereby it appeareth that thou Iohn Castellane hast oftentimes and in diuers places openly and manifestly spread abroade and taught manye erroneous propositions full of the heresie of Luther contrary and against the Catholique faith and the veritie of the Gospell and the holy Apostolique see and so accursedly looked backe turned thy face that thou art founde to be a lyer before Almighty God It is ordeyned by the sacred rules of the Canon lawe that such as through the sharpe dartes of their venemous tongue doo peruert the Scriptures and go about with all their power to corrupt and infect the soules of the faithfull should be punished and corrected with most sharpe correction to the ende that others should be afrayde to attempt the like and apply themselues the better to the study of Christian concorde through the examples set before their eyes as well of seuerity as of clemency For these causes and others rising vpon the saide processe by the Apostolique authoritie and also the authoritie of our sayde reuerende Lorde the Cardinall whych we doo vse in this our sentence definitiue whiche wee sitting in our iudgement seate declare in these writinges hauing God onely before our eyes and surely considering that what measure we do meat vnto other the same shal be measured to vs againe True you say for your measure is death definitiue and therfore looke you for the same measure agayne at Gods hand we pronouÌ„ce and declare senteÌ„tially and diffinitiuely thee Iohn Castellane beyng here present before vs and iudge thee because of thy desertes to be excoÌ„municate with the most great excoÌ„munication and therewithall to be culpable of treason against the diuine maiesty and a mortall enemy of the Catholicke fayth and veritie of the Gospell also to be a manifest hereticke a folower partaker of the execrable * If Luther be to be noted of cruelty which teacheth all meÌ„ and killeth no man what then is to be noted in the Pope which killeth all Gods children and teacheth none crueltie of Martin Luther a stirrer vp of old heresies already coÌ„demned and therfore as thou oughtest to be deposed and depriued of all Priestly honor and dignitie of all thy orders of thy shauing religious habite also of thy Ecclesiasticall benefices if thou hast any and from all priuilege of the Clergy so we here presently do depose depriue and seperate thee as a rotten member from the communion and companie of all the faythfull and beyng so depriued we iudge that thou oughtest to be actually disgraded that done we leaue thee vnto the secular powers committyng the degradation and actuall execution of this our sentence vnto the reuerend Lord and Byshop here present with the authoritie and commaundement aforesayd This senteÌ„ce beyng thus ended with their Catholicke Sermon also the sayd Byshop of Nicopolis sittyng in his pontificalibus in the iudgement seate beyng Suffragan of Metz with the clergy nobles and people about him proceeded to the disgradyng as they call it of the sayd maister Iohn Castellane Thus the sayd maister Iohn Castellane being made ready to his degradation by the officers of the sayd Byshop was apparelled in his Priestly attyre and afterward brought forth of the Chappell by the Priestes which were therunto appointed with al his priestly ornamentes vpon him and holdyng his handes together he kneeled downe before the Bishop Doc. Castellane disgraded Then the officers gaue him the chalice
in his handes with wyne water the patine the host all which thinges the sayd bysh which disgraded him tooke froÌ„ him saying we take away froÌ„ thee or coÌ„maund to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ thee all power to offer sacrifice vnto God to say Masse aswell for y e quicke as the dead Moreouer Priests annoynted fingers y e Bysh. scraped y e nayles of both his hands with a peece of glasse saying By this scrapyng we take away froÌ„ thee all power to sacrifice to coÌ„secrate to blesse which thou hast receiued by the annoyntyng of thy haÌ„ds Then he tooke from him the Chesille saying by good right we do dispoyle thee of this priestly ornameÌ„t The Chesile which signifieth charitie for certainly y u hast forsakeÌ„ the same all innocencie Then taking away the stole he sayd The Stole Thou hast vilanously reiected despised the signe of our Lord which is represented by this stole wherefore we take it away froÌ„ thee and make thee vnable to exercise and vse the office of Priesthood all other things apperteinyng to Priesthood The degradation of y e order of Priesthood beyng thus ended they proceeded to the order of Deacon The Gospell booke TheÌ„ the ministers gaue him the booke of the Gospels which the Bysh. tooke away saying we take away from thee all power to read y e Gospels in the Church of God for it apperteineth onely to such as are worthy After this he spoyled him of the Dalmatike which is the vesture that the DeacoÌ„s vse The Dalmatike saying we depriue thee of this Leuiticall order for somuch as thou hast not fulfilled thy ministerie office The Stole behinde his backe After this the bysh tooke away the stole froÌ„ behind his backe saying we iustly take away from thee the white stole which thou haddest receiued vndefiledly The Epistle booke which also thou oughtest to haue borne in the presence of our Lord and to the end that the people dedicate vnto the name of Christ may take by thee example we prohibite thee any more to exercise or vse the office of Deaconshyp Bennet and Collet Then they proceeded to the disgradyng of Subdeaconshyp taking away from him the booke of the Epistles his Subdeacons vesture deposed him from reading of the Epistles in the Church of God Exorcist Lectorship so orderly proceedyng vnto all the other orders disgraded him from the order of Benet and Collet from the order of Exorcist from the Lectorshyp and last of all froÌ„ the office of Doorekeeper taking froÌ„ him the keyes Dorekeper coÌ„maundyng him hereafter not to opeÌ„ or shut the Reuestry nor to ring any more belles in the Church That done The Church-dore keyes the bysh went forward to disgrade him from his first shauing takyng away his Surplice sayd vnto him by y e authoritie of God almighty the father the sonne the holy ghost by our authoritie we take from thee all Clerkely habite Ringing of Belles The Surplice and dispoyle thee of all ornament of religion Also we depose and disgrade thee of all order benefite priuilege of the Clergy as one vnworthy of that profession we commit thee to the seruitude ignominie of the secular estate The Popes Clergy accompteth the secular state ignominious seruile The royall signe of priesthoode TheÌ„ the Byshop tooke the sheeres and began to clyp his head saying in this maner we cast thee out as an vnthaÌ„kfull child of the Lordes heritage whereunto thou wast called and take away from thy head the crowne which is the royall signe of Priesthood through thine owne wickednesse and malice The Bishop also added these wordes that whiche thou hast song with thy mouth thou hast not beleeued with thy hart nor accomplished in worke wherefore we take from thee the office of singing in the Churche of God The disgrading thus ended the procurator fiscall of the Court and citie of Metz Singing in the Church required of the Notary an instrument or copie of the disgrading Then the ministers of the Bishop turned him out of his clerkely habite and put vpon him the apparell of a seculer man That done for so much as he which is disgraded Pope Inâ—ocent author of disgraâ—â—ng according to the institution of Pope Innocent the third ought to be deliuered vnto the seculer court the Bishop that disgraded him proceeded no further but said in this manner we pronounce that the seculer court shall receiue thee into their charge being thus disgraded of all clerkly honour and priuilege This done the Bishop after a certaine maner intreated the seculer Iudge for him Note here these persecutors how they will seeme outwardly to be lambes but inwardly are rauening Wolues sayeng My Lord Iudge we pray you as hartily as we can for the loue of God and the contemplatioÌ„ of tender pitie mercie and for y e respect of our praiers that you will not in any point do any thing that shal be hurtful vnto this miserable man or tending to his death or maiming of his body These thinges thus done the seculer Iudge of the towne of Uike confirming the foresaid sentence coÌ„demned the said maister Iohn Castellane to be burned quicke which death he suffred the xij day of Ianuary 1525. with such a constancie that not onely a great company of ignorant people were thereby drawne to the knowledge of the veritie but also a great number which had already some taste thereof were greatly confirmed by that his constant and valiant death * The burning of Iohn Castellane It would fill another volume to comprehend the actes stories of all them which in other countreys at the rising of the Gospell suffered for the same But praised be y e Lord euery Region almost hath his owne history writer which sufficiently hath discharged that part of duty as euery one in matters of his owne countrey is best acquainted wherfore I shall the lesse neede to ouerstraine my trauaile or to ouercharge this volume therwith Only it shall suffice me to collect iij. or iiij histories recorded by Oecolampadius and the rest to bring into a briefe table so returning to occupy my self w t our own domestical matters here done at home ¶ The history of a good pastour murthered for the preaching of the Gospell written by I. Oecolampadius IN the yeare of our Lord 1525. there was a certaine good and godly minister A good Priest for euill will who had coÌ„mitted something in the Commotion there rased by the rusticall clownes of the countrey which they said that knew him was but of small importance He because he had offended his prince before not with any fact or crime but with some word something sharply spoken was therefore condemned to be hanged After sentence was geuen there was a Gentleman of a cruell hart sent with a certaine troupe of men to apprehend the said priest and to hang him Who
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
this Peter Peter Gaudet Knight sometimes of Rhodes An. 1533. This Peter being at Geneua with hys wyfe was trayned out from thence by his vncle Peter Gaudet Martyr and put in prison for defence of the Gospel and after long tormentes then sustained was burned vide Crisp.  Quoquillard An. 1534. At Bezanson in the countye of Burgundy Quoquillard Martyr this Quoquillard was burned for the confession and testimony of Christes gospell Ex Ioan Crisp.  Nicolas a Scriuener Iohn de Phoix Stephen Burlet An. 1534. These three were executed and burned for the like cause of the Gospell Nicholas a Scriueâ—er Ioan. de Poix Steuen Burlet Martyrs in the Citty of Arras namely Nicholas a Scriuener Iohn de Poix Stephen Burlet Ex Ionne Crisp. A Gray Frier in the City of Rochell Mary Becandella At Fountaynes· An. 1534. This Mary beyng vertuouslye instructed of her maister where she liued Mary Becaudella Martyr and being afterward at a Sermon where a Frier preached after the SermoÌ„ found faulte with hys doctrine and refined the same by Scryptures Whereat he disdayning procured her to be burned at Fountaynes Ibidem  Iohn Cornon An. 1535. Iohn Cornon Martyr Iohn Cornon a husband man of Masâ—oÌ„ and vnlottered but to whom God gaue such wisedome that hys iudges were amazed when he was condeÌ„ned by theyr sentence and burned Ex Crisp. George Borell Iaylor The Procurator of the Citty of Grenoble in Fraunce The Inquisitour Martin Gonyn In Dolphyne An. 1236. Martyn Gonyn Martyr This Martin being taken for a spye in the borders of Fraunce towarde the Alpes was committed to prison In his going out hys Iaylour espyed about hym letters of Farellus and of Peter Uiret Wherefore being examined of the kinges Procuratour and of the Inquisitor touching his fayth after he had rendered a sufficient reason thereof he was cast into the riuer and drowned Ex Ioan Crisp. The kinsfolkes and frendes of this Claudius Mosinus an Officer Cladius Paynter a Goldsmith At Paris An. 1540. Claudius Paynter a Goldsmith Martyr Claudius going aboute to conuert hys frendes and kinsfolks to hys doctrine was by them committed to Morinus a chiefe captayn who condemned him to be burned but the hygh Parliament of Paris correctyng that sentence added moreouer y t he shoulde haue hys tongue cut out before and so to be burned Ex Ioan Crisp. Gasper Augerius the Bishops Renter Domicellus a Franciscane and Inquisitour Stephen Brune a husbandman At Rutiers An. 1540. Stephen Brune was persecuted of Augerius Stephen Brune Martyr who after his confession geuen of hys fayth was iudged to be burned Which punishment he tooke so constantly that it was to them a woÌ„der Hys aduersaryes commauÌ„ded after his death to bee cryed that none should make any more mention of him vnder payne of heresy Pantalion addeth moreouer that at the place of hys burnyng called Planuol the wynde rose and blewe the fyre so from hym as he stoode exhortyng the people that hee there continued about the space of an houre in maner not harmed or scarce touched with any flame so that all y e woode being wasted away they were compelled to begin the fire agayne with new fagottes The Martyr not harmed with the fire vessels of oyle and such other matter and yet neither could he wyth all this be turned but stood safe Then the hangman tooke a staffe and let driue at his head To whome the holy Martyr being yet aliue sayde When I am iudged to the fire doe ye beate me with staues like a dogge With that the hangman with his pike thrust him through the belly and the guttes and so threw him downe into the fire burned his body to ashes throwing away his ashes afterward with the wind Ex Ioan Crisp.  Constantinus a Citizen of Rhone wyth three other An. 1542. These foure for defence of the Gospell Constantine Northman with three other Martyrs being coÌ„demned to be burned were put in a doungcart Who thereat reioysing sayd that they were reputed here as excrements of this worlde but yet theyr death was a swet odour vnto God Ex Ioan Crisp.  Iohn du Beck Priest An. 1543. For the doctrine of the Gospell he was disgraded Iohn Du Beck Martyr and coÌ„stantly abode the torment of fire in the chiefe Citty of Champaigne Ex Ioan Crisp. The Parish Priest of the towne of S. Fayth in Angeow Also other Priestes of the same country Riueracus and his seruaunt Aymond de Lauoy Bordeaux An. 1543. This Aymonde preached the Gospell at S. Faythes in Angeow Aymondus a Via Martyr where he was accused by the Parishe Priest there and by other Priestes moe to haue taught false doctrine to the great decaye of theyr gaynes Whereupon when the Magistrates of Bordeaux had geuen commaundement and had sent out theyr Apparitour to apprehende hym he hauing intelligence thereof was willed by his frendes to flye and shyfte for himselfe but he would not saying that he had rather neuer to haue bene borne then so to doe The office of a good shepheard to stand by hys flocke It was the office of a good Shephearde he sayd not to flye in tyme of perill but rather to abide the daunger least the flocke be scattered or els least peraduenture in so doing he should leaue some scruple in theyr mindes thus to thinke that he had fedde them with dreames and fables contrary to the word of GOD. Wherefore beseeching them to moue him no more therein he tolde them Act. 21. that he feared not to yelde vp both body and soule in the quarrell of that trueth which he had taught saying with S. Paule that he was ready not onely to be bound for the testimony of Christ in the Citty of Bordeaux but also to dye To contract the long storye hereof to a briefe narration the Sumner came and was in the City three daies during which tyme Aymondus preached three Sermons The people in defence of theyr Preacher sâ—ew vppon the Sumner to delyuer hym out of hys handes But Aymond desired them not to stoppe hys Martyrdome seyng it was the will of God that he should suffer for him he would not sayd he resist Then the Consuls suffered the Sumner and so Aimond was caryed to Bordeaux Where many witnesses the most part being Priestes came in agaynst him with M. Riuerack also and his seruaunt Whiche Riueracke had sayde oftentimes before that it should cost him a thousand crownes but he woulde burne him Many exceptions he made agaynst hys false witnesses but that would not be taken Al their accusation was onely for denying Purgatory About ix monethes he remayned in prison wyth great misery bewayling exceedingly his former life albeit there was no man that could charge him outwardly with any crime Then came downe letters wherupon the iudges began to proceede to his condeÌ„nation and he had greater fetters put vpon him which he tooke for a
First touching the sacrament TransubstaÌ„tiation they affirmed the transubstantiation of the Bishop of Rome to be against y e Article of the Creede which saith that Christ is gone vp to heauen there sitteth at the hand of God and therfore the bread and wine must nedes remayne in theyr propertyes bearing notwithstanding a Sacrament A similitude betweene the bread and the body of christ or a holy signe of the body bloud of the Lord. For like as by bread and wine the hart of man is comforted so the bodye of Christ crucified his bloud shed spirituallye hath the like operation in the soules of the beleuers For the Masse they sayd it was a thing most superstitious and meere Idolatry The Masse And if we put any part of saluation therein they sayd it was vtterly a robbing of the Passion of Christ the sonne of God that it was not once to be named out of a Christen mouth Also that they whiche say that Peter either was Pope or Author of the sayd Masse are farre deceiued And as for turning breade into the bodye of Christ by the woordes of consecration it was an error they sayd more of mad men then any sad men forasmuch as God is neither subiect to men nor to y e tongues or exorcismes of men Purgatory they denied to be any saue onely the bloud of Christ Iesu. Furthermore as they would not bereft the saints of God of theyr due honor Honour to God not to Saintes so neither the Saynts theÌ„ selues sayd they will be contented to robbe God of his honor onely due to him As touching confession theyr opinion was that the woundes and causes of conscience belong to no man but onely to God After these aunsweres geuen and written they were sent to the Monastery of Sanpeter there to be disputed with That done the matter came to be debated amog the Iudges what was to be done with them Some would theyr goodes to be taken by Inuentory and them to be banished But Bergeronius at last caused to be determined that they shoulde be burned and first to heare Masse From that Courte they apppealed to the Courte of Paris but the matter there was nothing amended Where beholde the iudgement of God In the meane time whyle they were at Paris Note the iust vengeaunce of God vpon a wicked persecutor the wretched Persecutour Gilles le Pers was sodenly stroken mad and dyed in a frensy which made many men to wonder and especially the martyrs to be more constant At last the decree of the sentence was read against them First for speaking against the SacrameÌ„t whiche they denyed Secondly for speaking agaynst Baptisme whiche also they denyed Thirdly for speaking contumely agaynste the Sayntes which they in like maner denyed After this the officer to cause theÌ„ to recant threatned them with tormentes â—ormentes whiche they susteyned very extreme the space from after dinner til three of the clocke When all that would not turne them hee sent to them a Fryer Dominicke a man captious sophisticall to presse them in disputation But as he could do no hurt vnto them so could they do no good vpon him When the tyme of theyr execution did approch the officer aforesayd put into their hands being tyed a wooden crosse which they took with their teeth flong it away for the which the officer commaunded both their tongues to be cut of Wherein appeared an other maruellous worke of the y e Lord For neuertheles that their tongues were taken froÌ„ them to the intent they shoulde not speake yet God gaue them vtterauÌ„ce their tongues beyng cut out to speake at their death saying we bid sinne y e fleshe the worlde and the deuill fare well for euer wyth whome neuer we shall haue to do hereafter Diuers other wordes they spake besides whiche the people did heare and note At last when the tormenter came to smiere them with brimstone and gunpouder Go to sayd Filiolus salt on salt on the rotten and stinking flesh Finally as the flame came bursting vp to their faces they persisting constant in the fire gaue vp their liues and finished their martyrdome Ex Io. Crisp. Henr. Pantal. alijs Will. Langloys vnder Sheriffe Denis vaire priest and martyr Ioh. Langloys the kinges procurator Dionysius Vayre At Rhoan ann 1554. In the same yeare suffered at Rhoan Denis Uayre who first leauing hys Popishe priesthode went to Geneua where hee learned the art of bookbynding brought many tymes bookes into Fraunce After that in the reigne of K. Ed. 6. hee came to Gerzey there was minister preached After y e death of K. Ed. the time not seruing hym to tarry thinking to returne agayne to Geneua hee came into Normandy with his bookes into a towne called Fueillie Where as he going out to hyre a cart William Langloys with Iohn Langloys his brother came in and stayd his bookes and hym also which had the custody of theÌ„ Denis albeit hee might haue escaped yet hearing y e keeper of his bookes to be in trouble came preseÌ„ting himself was coÌ„mitted y e other was deliuered First after two monethes and a halfe imprisonment he was charged to be a spye because hee came out of England Then from that prisoÌ„ he was remoued to the Byshops prison and then to Rhoan where sentence was geuen that he should be burned aliue and thrise lifted vp and let downe agayne into the fire After the sentence geuen they threatned him with many terrible tormentes vnles he would disclose such as he knew of that side To whom he aunswered that the sounder part of all Fraunce and of the Senate was of that Religion notwithstandyng he would vtter no mans name vnto them And as for theyr torments he said he passed not for if he wer killed with racking then he should not feele the burning of the fire When they sawe him so little to passe for theyr tormentes they left that and proceeded to hys burning and first they put a crosse in his hands which he would not hold TheÌ„ because he comming by the Image of the virgine mary would not adore the same they cryed cut out hys toÌ„gue so they cast hym into the fire where he should be thrise taken vp but the flame went so hye that the hangman beyng not able to come neare hym cried to the people standing by to help and so did the officers with their staues lay vpon the people to helpe theyr tormenters but neuer a man would styrre And this was the end and martyrdome of that blessed Denys Ex Henr. Pantal lib. 10. ¶ There was a riche marchaunt of Paris who sayd in iest to the Friers of S. Frances You weare a rope about your bodyes because S. Frances once should haue bene hanged the pope redeemed him vpon this condition A Marchaunt hanged for â—esting agaynst the Friers that all hys life after he should were a rope Uppon this the
iugum imponere c. And albeit the ministers of the church of Rome and the pope were not called to the institution of the foresayd churche of Geneua yet it followeth not therfore that there was no lawful order obserued eyther in stablishing that Churche or any other The Fryer Baptisme in the popes church no necessary cause to folow all the Popes errours You were first baptised in the Church of y e Pope were ye not The Martyr I graunt I was but yet that nothing hindereth the grace of God but hee may renouate and call to further knowledge whom he pleaseth A Counseller I would wishe you not to sticke to your owne wisedome and opinion Ye see the Churches in Germany how they dissent one from an other So that if you should not submit your iudgement to the authoritie of the Generall Councels Agreement in the principall pointes of doctrine in the churches reformed euery day you should haue a new Christianitie The Martyr To mine owne wisedome I do not sticke nor euer will but onely to that wisedome whiche is in Christ Iesu although the world doth accompt it foolishnes And where ye say that the churches of Germanie dissent among themselues one from an other that is not so for they accorde in one agreement altogether touching the foundation and principall groundes of Christian fayth Neyther is there anye such feare that euery day should ryse vp a new christianitie vnles the church be ballanced with authoritie of the councels as you pretend For so we read in the profite Dauid psal 33. and in other places of scripture moe Psal. 33. that the Counsels of the nations and people shal be ouerthrowne and subuerted of the Lorde c. Wherefore the best is that we follow the councell of God and hys word and preferre the authoritie therof before all other counsels and iudgementes of meÌ„ And thus doyng Paruus Christianismus potior populoso Papatu I for my part had rather dwel and settle my selfe in this litle Christianitie be it neuer so small then in that populous Papalitie be it neuer so great in multitude And thus was this godly Feurus commaunded agayne by the Deputye to the Bishops prison and from thence shortly after remoued to Lions not by the open and beaten waye but by secret and priuy iournyes least perhaps he should be taken from theÌ„ agayne as he was before The martyrdome of Richard Feurus An Inquisitour monk Nicholas du Chesne At Gry by Bezanson Ann. 1554 The cause and occasion why this Nicolas came in trouble Nicholas Chesne martyr was for that he goyng from LausaÌ„na where he abode for hys conscience to fette hys sister her husband certayne other of hys friendes as hee went from Bezanson toward the towne of Gry did not homage to a certayne crosse in the way where a certayne monke which was an inquisitour False dealing in a papist ouertook him and therby suspected him He was guyded by the same monk craftily disseÌ„bling hys religion to a lodgyng in Gry where the Iustice of the place comming in incontinent took him Nicholas seing how hee was by y e monke his conductor betrayed O false traytor sayd he hast thou thus betrayed me Then after examination he was condeÌ„ned Being caryed to the place of martyrdome by y e way he was promised that if he would knele down and heare a masse he should be let go as a passenger But Nicolas armed with perseuerance sayde hee would rather dye then commit such an act Who calling vpon the name of the Lord tooke his death paciently Ex Crisp. Lib 6. The seniors or Lords of Estnay and of Ciguongnes dwelling by the towne of Machenoir Denys Barbes Counsellour of Bloys Iohn Bertrand a foâ—â—er or keeper of the forest of Marchenoir At Bloys Ann. 1556. Iohn Bertrand martyr For the religion gospell of Christ thys Iohn was apprehended by these persecuters here specified and led bounde to Bloys where he was examined by Denys y e counseller of diuers points as whether he had spokeÌ„ at any time against God agaynst y e church the he sayntes the she saynts of Paradise Wherunto he sayd no. Item whether at any time hee had called the masse abhominable whiche hee graunted for that hee finding no masse in all the Stripture was commanded by S. Paule That if an angell from heaueÌ„ would bring anye other gospell beside that whiche was already receiued he shuld account it accursed After his condemnation they woulde haue hym to be confessed and presented to him a crosse to kisse But he bad the Fryers with theyr crosse depart That is not the crosse sayd he that I must cary Entring into y e cart before the multitude he gaue thanks to God that he was not there for murther theft or blasphemye but onely for the quarrell of our sauiour Being tyed to the post he sang the 25. psalme Of age he was yong his countenaunce was exceeding chearfull amiable his eyes looking vp to heauen O the happy iourny sayd he seeing the place where he should suffer the fayre place that is prepared for me When the fire was kindled about them O Lord cryed he geue thy hand to thy seruaunt I recommend my soule vnto thee and so meekly yelded vp his spirite Whose pacient and ioyfull constancye so astonyed the people that of long tyme before nothing did seeme to them so admirable Ex Gallic hist. per. Crisp. Lib. 6. A brother in lawe of this Peter Peter Rouseau An. 1556. Peter Rousseau martir Peter Rousseau comming from Geneua and Lausanna to hys countrey partlye to communicate wyth certayne of hys acquayntaunce in the word of God partlye for other certayn affayres because hee required hys inheritaunce of hys brother in law was by him betrayed Then being constant in his confession which he offered vp he was put to the racke three tymes which he suffered constantly with great tormentes Afterward he had hys tongue cut of and a balle of yron put in hys mouth He was draweÌ„ vpon a hurdle Crueltie al broken and maymed to the fire where he was lifted vp into the ayre and let downe three tymes And when he was halfe burned the balle fell from hys mouth and he with a loud voyce called on the name of GOD saying Iesus Christ assiste me And so thys blessed Martyr gaue vp hys life to God Ex Ioan Crisp. Antony de Lescure the kinges attourney Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes At Bordeaux An. 1556. After that Arnald Moniere was taken and examined of the Iustice and so was layde in prison Iohn de Cazes resorting to the same town of Burdeaux Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes martyrs and hearing of hym and beyng admonished moreouer that if he went to him hee shoulde be appeached of heresie notwithstanding went to comforte him and so was also imprisoned After many examinations sentence was geuen vpon them to be burned When the tyme came of
or wrong and they answered no for the most part of them were such men The Popes churchmen worse then the olde Pharisies Then sayd the Lord Beauieu euen so is it with the bishops and priests which I haue spoken of for they are suche kinde of men or rather worse and I so abhorre their filthy and abhominable life that I dare not speake the one halfe of that which I know and therfore in speaking the truth to coole the babling of a harlot I do them no iniurie Then monsieur de Senas an auncient counsailor sayd let vs leaue of this contentious talke for we are here asseÌ„bled come together to make good chere And afterwarde he said monsieur de Beauieu for the loue and amity which I beare vnto you I will aduertise you of 3. things which if you will do you shall finde great ease therein The first is that you neither by worde nor deede aide or assist those which you heare to be Lutheranes Secondly y t you do not entermeddle openly to reproue ladies and gentlewomen for their pastime and pleasures Thirdly that you doe neuer speake against the life and liuing of * ChurchmeÌ„ be they neuer so euill must not be spoken against 1. Par. 16. Priests howe wicked so euer it be according to this saying Do not touch mine annoynted To whom monsieur Beauieu answered as touching y e first poynt I know no Lutherans neither what is meant by this word Lutheranisme except you do call them Lutherans which professe the doctrine of the gospel Neither yet will I euer allowe any Arrest which shall be geuen out to death against men whose cause hath not bene heard especially against women and yong infantes and I am assured that there is no Court of parliament in all Fraunce which will approoue or allowe any such arrest And where as you say that I shuld not meddle to reproue ladies or geÌ„tlewomen if I knewe any kinswoman of mine which would abandone her selfe vnto a priest or clerke How priests harlots should be handled yea albeit he were a cardinal or bishop I would not do her so much honor as to rebuke her therfore but at the least I would cutte of her nose And as touching priestes as I am contented not to meddle with their busines so likewise I will not that they meddle with mine heereafter or come from henceforth w tin my house For as many as I shall finde or take there I wil set their crownes so nere their sholders that they shal nede no more to weare any hoodes about their necks The like also said the President Chassanee Then the byshop of Aix his sweete heart Well spokeÌ„ and like an harlot which had begon the quarell said I shal not be in quiet except I speake yet one word more vnto monsieur Beauieu Do you think sayd she vnto hym that all the Cardinals Byshops Abbots Priestes and all those holy religious men which goe oftentimes to gentlemens houses and haunte the Castels and palaces of Princes and noblemen that they go thither to commit wickednesse Also you must not thinke euil of al those ladies and gentlewemen that go to Bishops houses of deuotion and for to reueale those whome they know to be Lutherans as it was commaunded in the pulpitte vppon payne of Excommunication If so be you will maintaine those wordes I will not cease to accuse you of crime and also of Treason both to God and to man for heere be those in this companie which shall make you geue an accompt thereof Shee had not so soone ended her talke but Monsieur Beauieu sayde vnto her auaunte O Herodias As Heropias wrought the death of Iohn Baptist â—o this strâ—â—peâ— seeke the death of the Meâ—â—â—dolians two strumpet well compared togeather thou filthy and impudent harlot is it thy part to open thy mouth to talke in this coÌ„pany Doest thou well vnderstaÌ„d and knowe what treason to God and man meaneth Iâ—hn Baptist so this strumpet seeke the death of the Merindoliâ—â—â— two stâ—umpet will compared togeather Is it not sufficient for thee to be as thou arte but thou must sollicite other to shed innocent bloude With these words the Gentlewoman was somewhat amased All men thought that this talke had bene at an end and euery man began to inuent some mery communication that the former matter should be no more talked of At the last the gentlewoman aduising her self and thinking that she was to much iniured to be sayd that she weÌ„t about to shed the innocent bloud she brake of al their talk and with a loud voice sayde Monsieur Beauieu if I were a man God seÌ„deth a 〈…〉 shorte 〈◊〉 as I am a woman I would offer you the combate to prooue that I am no such manner of woman as you say I am that I desire to shed innocent bloud Do you call the bloude of these wicked men of Merindoll innocent bloud True it is that I desire and offer with my whole power that these naughty packes of Merindol such like as they are shoulde be slaine and destroyed from the greatest euen vnto the least The cruell hart of an harlot And for to see the beginning of thys worke I haue emploied all my credite and all my frends and do not spare neither body nor goods to worke the ruine destruction of these people and to rase out and to deface their memorie from amongest men Doe you then Monsieur Beauieu call the slaughter of these Lutherans the effusion of innocent bloude And say you what you will I wil not refraine for no man liuing to goe either by day eyther by night vnto the houses of Bishops in all * The visor oâ— honestye on a harlots face honesty and honor for the deuotion which I beare vnto our holy * Like mother like daughter mother the church and also I wil receiue into my house all religious men to coÌ„sult and deuise the meanes how to put these Lutherans to death But as Monsieur Beauieu tooke no more regarde vnto her talke so likewise al that were at the table dispraised her and were weary of her prating Then there was a certaine younge gentleman whych merely iesting said vnto her GentlewomaÌ„ it must nedes be that these poore people vnto whome you doe wish thys cruell death OderuÌ„t me gratis Iohn 15. haue done you some great displeasure Then sayd she I may well take an othe that I neuer knewe one of those wretched people neither that I wot of euer sawe any of them And I had rather to meete 10. deuils then one of those naughty knaues for theyr opinions are so detestable that happy and blessed are they which neuer heard tell of them And I was not then wrll aduised at what time by curiositie I seeing the Bishop of Aix so muche troubled and angry that he could not eate nor drinke did desire him and constraine him to tell me the cause thereof Then hee
perceiuing that I would not be wel contented if he should not tel me The Popes clergy caÌ„not abiâ—e honest mariage to dye for it declared vnto me some part of the cause that is to say that there was certaine heretickes whyche spake against our holy mother the churche and amonge other errours they maintained yea to death that all Bishoppes Priests pastors ought to be maried or els to be gelded and hearing this I was maruellously offended and euer since I did hate them to the death And also it was enioyned vnto me by penaunce that I should endeuour with al my power to putte these heretickes to death After these friuolous talkes there was great trouble and debate amongst them and many threatnings which were too long here to describe Querebant Principes sacerdotum â—t scribae que modo interficerent Iesum Luke 22. Then the President Chassance and the CouÌ„cellers parted aside and the Gentlemen went on the other part The Archbishop of Arles the Bishop Aix and diuers Abbots Priors and others assembled them selues together to coÌ„sult how this Arrest might be executed with all speede entending to raise a newe persecution greater then that of Iohn the Iacobine Monke of Rome For otherwise sayd they our state and honour is like to decay We shall be reprooued contemned and derided of all menne And if none should thus vaunt and set themselues against vs but these pesantes and such lyke it were but a smal matter but many Doctours of Diuinitie and men of the religious order diuers Senatours and Aduocates many wise and well learned men also a great parte of the nobilitie if we may so say and that of great renoume Note how-the Popes church is led not with any conscieÌ„ce of truth but onely with loue of liuinges yea euen of the cheefest Peeres in all Europe begyn to contemne and despise vs counting vs to be no true pastours of the church so that except we see to this mischiefe and prouide for remedie betime it is greatly to be feared least not onely wee shall be compelled to forsake our dignities possessioÌ„s and liuings which we now wealthely enioy but also the church being spoiled of her pastors and guides shall hereafter come to a miserable ruine and vtter desolation Thys matter therefore now requireth great diligeÌ„ce and circumspection and that withall celeritie Then the Archbishop of Arles not forgetting his Spanish subtilties and pollicies gaue his aduise as foloweth Against the nobilitie we must sayde he take heede that we attempt nothing rashly but rather we must seeke all the meanes we caÌ„ how to please them for they are our shield our fortresse and defence And albeit we knowe that many of them doe both speake thinke euill of vs and that they are of these new gospellers yet may we not reprooue them to exasperate them in any case but seeing they are too much bent against vs already we must rather seeke how to win them and to make them our frendes againe by giftes and presents and by this pollicie we shall liue in safetie vnder their protection But if wee enterprise any thing againste them sure we are to gaine nothing thereby as we are by experience already sufficiently taught It is well sayd sayth the Byshop of Aix but I canne shew you a good remedy for this disease A butcherly religion which worketh all by bloud We must go about withall our endeuor power and policie and al the frends we canne make sparing no charges but spending goodes wealth and treasure to make suche a slaughter of the Merindolians and rusticall pesantes that none shal be so bold hereafter what soeuer they be yea although they be of the bloud royal once to open their mouthes against vs or the Ecclesiasticall state And to bring this matter to passe wee haue no better way then to withdrawe our selues to Auinion in the which Citie we shal finde many Bishops Abbots and other famous men which will with vs Cathedra Pestilentie employ their whole endeuor to maintaine and vphold the maiestie of our holy mother the Church This counsaile was well liked of them all Wherupon the sayd Archbishop of Arles and the Bishop of Aix went withall speede to Auinion there to assemble out of hand the Bishops and other men of authoritie and credite to entreate this matter In thys pestilent conspiracie the Bishop of Aix a stoute champion and a great defender of the traditions of men taking vppon hym to be the chiefe Oratour beganne in manner as followeth O Yee fathers and brethren An oration of Cateline that is the oration of the Bishop of Aix seditious bloudy Your oblations be against the Scripture Your pilgrimage is Idolatry Your charity is gone in deed wheÌ„ ye seeke so the bloud of your bretheren Your estimation is Pharisaicall Your iurisdictioÌ„ is tyrannicall Your ordinaÌ„ces serue not to Christes glory but your owne yee are not ignoraunt that a great tempest is raised vp against the little barke of Christe Iesus nowe in great danger and ready to pearish The storme commeth from the North whereof all these troubles proceede The seas rage the waters rushe in on euery side the windes blowe beate vpon our house and wee without speedy remedy are like to sustaine shippewracke and losse of alltogether For oblations cease pilgrimage and deuotion waxeth colde charitie is cleane gone our estimation and authoritie is abased our iurisdiction decaied and the ordinaunces of the churche despised And wherefore are we sette and ordained ouer nations and kingdomes but to roote out and destroy to subuert and ouerthrow whatsoeuer is against our holy mother the Churche Wherefore let vs now awake lette vs stande stoutly in the right of our owne possession that we may roote out from the memorie of men for euer the whole route of the wicked Lutheranes those Foxes I say whiche destroye the vineyard of the Lorde those great Whales which goe aboute to drowne the little barke of the sonne of God We haue already wel begonne and haue procured a terrible Arrest against these cursed heretickes of Merindoll nowe then resteth no more but onelye the same to be put in execution Let vs therefore employe oure whole endeuour that nothyng happen whych may lette or hinder that we haue so happely begon and lette vs take good heede that our gold and siluer do not witnesse agaynst vs at the day of iudgement if we refuse to bestowe the same The day shall come when men shal thinke they do a good sacryfice to God in putting you to death Iohn 16. that we may make so good a sacrifice vnto God And for my parte I offer to wage furnishe of mine owne costes and charges a 100. men well horsed with al other furniture to them belonging and that so long vntill the vtter destruction and subuersion of these wretched and curssed caitiffes be fully performed and finished This Oration pleased the whole multitude sauing one doctor of
rest and quietnes for a space in so much that euery man feared to goe about to trouble them seyng those which persecuted them did receaue nothyng but shame and confusion as it dyd manifestly appeare The sodeine death of a persecutor not onely by the suddeyne death of the President Chassanee but also many other of the chiefest Counsellers of the Parliament of Prouince whose horrible end terrified many but specially y e strauÌ„ge and fearefull exaÌ„ple of that bloudy tyran Iohn de Roma set out as a spectacle to all persecutours whereof we haue spoken before Thus the Lord repressing the rage of the aduersaries for a tyme stayd the violence and execution of that cruell sentence or Arrest geuen out by the Parliament of Prouince agaynst the MerindoliaÌ„s vntill Iohn Miniers an exceedyng bloudy tyran began a new persecution This Miniers beyng Lord of Opede neare to Merindoll Minerius a pestilent persecutor without all reasoÌ„ and measure first began to vexe the poore Christians by pillyng and polyng by oppression extortion getting froÌ„ them what he could to enlarge his Segnorie or Lordshyp whiche before was very base For this cause he put v. or vi of his owne Tenauntes into a Cisterne vnder the grounde 6. Martirs of Opede and closing it vp there he kept them till they dyed for hunger preteÌ„ding that they were Lutheranes and Uaudoys to haue their goodes and possessions By this and such other practises this wretche was aduauÌ„ced in short space to great wealth and dignitie so at leÌ„gth became not onely the chief PresideÌ„t of the high Court of Parliament but also the kynges Lieutenaunt generall in the countrey of Prouince Minerius made the kinges Lieutenant of Prouince in the absence of the Lord Grignan then beyng at the Councell of Wormes in Germany Now therfore seyng no oportunitie to be lacking â—o accomplish his deuilish enterprise he employed all his pâ—wer richesse authoritie not onely to confirme and to reuâ—ue that cruell Arrest geuen out before by the Court of Parâ—iament but also as a right minister of Sathan hee exceedyngly encreased the cruelty thereof which was already so great that it seemed there could nothyng more be added thereunto And to bryng this mischief to passe he forged a most impudentlye False accusatioÌ„s and crimes forged vpoÌ„ the innoceÌ„t ChristiaÌ„s geuyng the kyng to vnderstaÌ„d that they of Merindoll all the countrey neare about to the nuÌ„ber of twelue or fiueten thousand were in the field in armour with theyr Ensigne displayed entendyng to take the Towne of Marseille and make it one of the Cantons of the Switzers And to stay this enterprise The king abused by wicked counsaile he sayd it was necessary to execute the Arrest manu militari and by this meanes he obteyned the Kings letters patents thorough the helpe of the Cardinall of Tournon commaunding the sentence to be executed against the Merindolians notwithstanding that the King had before reuoked the sayde sentence and geuen straight commaundement that it should in no wise be executed as before is mentioned After this he gathered all the Kynges armey whyche was then in Prouince ready to go agaynst the Englishmen and tooke vp all besides that were able to beare armour in the chiefest Townes of Prouince and ioyned them with the armey which the Popes Legate had leuied for that purpose in Auinion and all the countrey of Uenice and employed the same to the destruction of Merindoll Cabriers and other Townes and Uillages to the number of xxij geuing commission to his souldiours to spoile ransacke burne and to destroy altogether and to kill man woman and child without all mercy sparing none no otherwise then the Infidels and cruell Turkes haue dealt with the Christians as before in the story of the Turkes you may reade For as the Papistes and Turkes are like in their Religion so are the sayd Papistes like or rather exceede them in all kindes of cruelty that can be deuised But this Arch-tyrant before he came to Merindoll ransackt and burnt certaine townes namely La Roche S. Stephens Uillelaure Lormarin La Motte Cabrierettes S. Martin Pipin 8. townes with the most parte of the people destroyed for true religion and other places mo notwithstanding that the Arrest extended but only to Merindol Where the most of the poore inhabitants were slaine and murthered without any resistance womeÌ„ and maydens rauished women with child and little infants borne and to be borne were also most cruelly murthered Horrible cruelty vpon women young infantes the pappes of many women cut off which gaue sucke to their children which looking for sucke at their mothers brest being dead before died also for hunger There was neuer such crueltie and tirannie seene before The Merindolians seeing all on a flaming fire round about them left their houses and fled into the woods and remained that night at the Uillage Sanfales and thereaboutes in wonderfull feare and perplexitie for the Bishop of Cauaillon deputie to the Bishop of Romes Legate had appointed certaine Captaines to go and slay them The next day they went a little further hiding theÌ„selues in woods for there was daunger on euery side and Miniers had commaunded vnder paine of death that no maÌ„ should ayde them by any meanes but that they should be slaine without pitie or mercy wheresoeuer they were found The same Proclamation was of force also in the Bishop of Romes dominions thereby and it was sayde that the Bishops of that countrey did finde a great part of the army Wherefore they went a tedious and a paynefull iourney carieng their children vpon their shoulders and in their armes and in their swadling clothes and many of them also being great with child were constreined so to do And when they were come to the place appointed thether was already resorted a great number which had lost their goodes and saued themselues by flight Not long after it was shewed them how that Miniers was comming with all his power to giue the charge vpon them This was in y e euening and because they should go thorough rough and combersome places and hard to passe by they all thought it most expedient for their safegard to leaue behinde them all the women and children with a few other and among them also certeine Ministers of the Church the residue were appointed to go to the towne of Mussie And this did they vpon hope that the enemie would shew mercy to the multitude of women and children A lamentable separatioÌ„ of the MerindoliaÌ„s froÌ„ their wyues and children being destitute of all succour No toung can expresse what sorrow what teares what sighing what lamentation there was at that wofull departing when they were compelled to be thus separated asuÌ„der the husband from his deare wife the father from his sweete babes and tender infants the one neuer like to see the other againe aliue Notwithstanding after the Ministers had ended their ordinary Sermons with
rightuousnesse thy goodnesse and satisfaction The lawe sayeth thou art bounde and obliged to me to the deuill and to hell The Gospel sayth Christ hath deliuered thee from them all The doctrine of Faith FAith is to beleue God like as Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnesse The doctrine of faith To beleue God is to beleue hys word and to recount it true that he sayeth He that beleeueth not Gods worde beleeueth not God himselfe He that beleueth not Gods word he counteth hym false and a lier and beleeueth not that he may and wil fulful his worde and so he denieth both the might of God and God himselfe The 9. proposition The 9. proposition ¶ Faith is the gift of God Argument Da Euery good thing is the gift of God Maior Minor Conclus ri Faith is good j. Ergo faith is the gift of God The 10. proposition The 10 proposition ¶ Faith is not in our power Argument Maior Minor Conclus Da The gift of God is not in our power ri Faith is the gift of God j. Ergo faith is not in our power The 11. proposition The 11. proposition ¶ He that lacketh faith can not please God Without faith it is impossible to please God Rom 14. All that commeth not of faith is sinne for without faith can no man please God Heb. 11. Induction An argument called Inductio Hee that lacketh faith trusteth not God hee that trusteth not God trusteth not his word he that trusteth not his word holdeth him false and a lier he that holdeth him false and a lier beleeueth not that he may doe that he promiseth and so denieth he that he is God Ergo a primo ad vltimum he that lacketh faith can not please God If it were possible for any man to do all the good deedes that euer were done either of men or aungels yet being in this case it is impossible for him to please God The 12. proposition The 12. proposition ¶ All that is done in faith pleaseth God Right is the word of God and all his workes in faith Psal. 33. Lorde thine eies looke to faith that is as much to say as Lorde thou delightest in faith Ier 5. The 13. proposition The 13. proposition ¶ He that hath faith is iust and good Argument Da. He that is a good tree bringing forth good fruit Maior is iust and good ri He that hath faith is a good tree bringing forth good fruite j. Ergo he that hath faith is iust and good Minor Conclus The 14 proposition ¶ He that hath faith and beleueth God The 14. proposition can not displease him Induction He that hath faith beleeueth God he that beleueth God Inductio beleeueth his word he that beleeueth his word wotteth well that he is true and faithfull and may not lie knowing that he both may and will fulfill his word Ergo a primo ad vltimum hee that hath faith can not displease God neither can any man doe a greater honour to God then to count him true Obiection Thou wilt then say that thefte murther aduoutry and all vices please God Obiection Answere Nay verely for they can not be done in faith for a good tree beareth good fruit Mat. 7.12 Aunswere The 15. proposition ¶ Faith is a certainty or assurednesse The 15. proposition A definition of faith Heb. 11. Faith is a sure confidence of thinges which are hoped for and certaintie of things which are not seene Heb. 11. The same spirite certifieth oure spirite that we are the children of God Rom. 8. Moreouer he that hathe faithe wotteth well that God will fulfill his word Whereby it appeareth that faith is a certaintie or assurednesse A man is iustified by faith ABraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Rom. 4. Iustification by faith We suppose therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the law Rom. 3. Gal. 2. He that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the wicked his fayth is counted to him for righteousnes Rom. 4. The iust man liueth by his fayth Abac. 2. Rom. 1. We wotte that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ and we beleue in Iesu Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the deedes of the law Gal. 2. What is the fayth of Christ. THe fayth of Christ is to beleue in him that is to beleue his word Faith in Christ what it is and beleeue that he will helpe thee in all thy neede and deliuer thee from all euill Thou wilt aske me what word I aunswere the Gospell He that beleueth in Christ shal be saued Marke 16. He that beleueth y e sonne hath euerlasting life Iohn 3. Uerely I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life Iohn 6. This I write vnto you that you beleeue on the sonne of GOD that ye may know how y t ye haue eternall life 1. Iohn 5. Thomas because thou hast seen me therfore hast thou beleued Happy are they which haue not sene and yet haue beleued in me Iohn 22. All the Prophetes to him beare witnes that whosoeuuer beleeueth in him shall haue remission of their sinnes Actes 10. What must I doe that I may be saued The Apostles aunswered Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Act. 16. If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeuest with thine hart that God raysed hym from death thou shalt be safe Rom. 10. He that beleueth not in Christ shall be condemned He that beleueth not the sonne shall neuer see lyfe but the ire of God bydeth vpon him Iohn 3. The holy Ghost shall reproue the world of sinne because they beleue not in me Iohn 16. They that beleue Iesu Christ are the sonnes of God Ye are all the sonnes of God because ye beleue in Iesu Christ. 1. Iohn 3. He that beleueth that Christ is the sonne of God is safe Iohn 1. Peter sayd thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Iesus answered and sayde vnto him happy art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud haue not opened to thee that but my father that is in heauen Mat. 16. We haue beleued and knowe that thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God I beleue that thou art Christ the sonne of God whyche should come into the world Iohn 11. These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that ye in beleuing might haue life Iohn 20. I beleue that Iesus is the sonne of God Act. 8. The 16. proposition The 16. propositâ—on He that beleueth the Gospel beleueth God Argument Da. He that beleueth Gods word beleueth God Maior Minor Conclus ri The Gospel is Gods word j. Ergo
the foresayd Iohn Tewkesbery of our iurisdiction to be a conteÌ„ner of the first abiuration moreouer before after the foresaid first errors and other daÌ„nable opinions to haue fallen to be an hereticke fallen to haue incurred the payn of such fallen hereticks we do pronounce determine declare condemne thee of y e premisses to haue incurred the dauÌ„ger of the greac excoÌ„munication do pronouÌ„ce thee to be excoÌ„municated also do declare thee the sayd Tewkesbery so daÌ„nably falleÌ„ agayne into heresy to be in the secular power in their iudgemeÌ„t as the holy Canons haue decreed here we do leaue thee to the foresayd secular power to their iudgement beseeching them earnestly in the bowelles of Iesus Christ that such seuere punishment and execution as in this behalfe is to be done against thee may be so moderated that no rigorous rigor be vsed In wordes they pretend moderation but their doinges be cleane contrary but to the health and saluation of thy soule and to the terror feare and rooting out of heretickes theyr conuersion to the Catholicke fayth vnity by this our finall decree which we declare by these our writings This foresayd sentence definitiue agaynst Iohn Tewkesbery was read and pronounced by the Bishop of London the 16 day of the month of December the yeare aforesayd The death and martirdome of Iohn Tewksbery in the house of Syr Thomas More high Chauncellor of England in the Parish of Chelsey After the whych sentence the Sheriffes receiued the foresayd Tewkesbery into theyr custody and caried him away with them and afterwardes burned him in Smithfield as is aforesayd hauing no writ of the king for theyr warrant * The apprehension of one Edward Frese a Paynter EDward Freese was borne in Yorke and was Prentise to a Paynter in the same Citty and by the reason of working for his maister in Bearsy Abbay The story Edward Freese or by some such occasion was knowne vnto the Abbot of the same house for he was a boy of a pregnaunt witte and the Abbot fauored him so much that he bought his yeares of his mayster and would haue made him a Monke And the ladde not liking that kinde of liuing and not knowing how to gette out because he was a Nouice ran away after a long space and came to Colchester in Essex and remayning there according to his former vocation was maried and liued like an honest man After he had bene there a good time he was hyred to paynt certayne clothes for the new Inne in Colchester which is in the middle of the market place in the vpper border of the clothes he wrote certeine sentences of the Scripture and by that he was plainely knowne to be one of them which they call heretickes And on a time he being at his worke in the same Inne they of the Towne when they had sene his work The cause 〈◊〉 the takyng of Edward Freese went about to take him he hauing some incling therof thought to shift for himselfe but yet was taken forceably in y e yarde of the same Inne after this he was brought to London and so to Fulham to the bishops house where he was cruelly imprisoned with certein others of Essex that is to wit one Iohnson and his wife Wylye his wife and his sonne father Bate of Rowshedge Iohnson his wife Wylye his sonne Father Bate They were fedde with fyne manchet made of saw dust or at the least a great part therof and were so straightly kept that theyr wiues and theyr frendes could not come at them After the Painter had bene there a long space by much sute he was remoued to Lollardes tower His wife in the time of her sute whiles he was yet at Fulham being desirous to see her husband preasing to come in at the gate being then bigge with child the porter lift vp his foote and stroke her on the belly that at leÌ„gth she dyed of y e same but the child was destroyed immediately After that they were all stocked for a long time then they were let lose in theyr prisons againe Some had horse locks on theyr legs some had other yrons This painter woulde euer be writing on the walles with chauke or a coale in one place he wrote Doct. Dodipall would make me beleue that the Moone were made of grene cheese And because he would be writing many thinges he was manicled by the wrestes so long till the flesh of his armes was growne higher then his yrons By the meanes of his manicles he could not kemme his head and he remayned so long manicled that his heare was felded together After the death of his wife his brother sued to the king for him and after long sute he was brought out in the Consistory at Paules and as his brother did report they kept him three dayes without meate before he came to his answere Then what by the long imprisonment and much euill handling and for lack of sustenaunce the man was in that case that he could say nothing but looke and gase vpon the people like a wilde man and they asked hym anye questioÌ„ he could say nothing but my Lord is a good man And thus when they had spilt his body and destroyed his wittes they sent him backe agayne to Bersie Abbey but he came away againe from thence and would not tary amongest them albeit he neuer came to his perfect minde to his dying day Valâ—ntine his wife 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 His brother of whom I before spake whose name was Ualentine Freese his wife gaue theyr liues at one stake in Yorke for the testimony of Iesus Christ. Also the wife of the sayd father Bate while he was at Fulham made many supplications to the king wythout redresse at the last she deliuered one to his owne hands and he read it himselfe whereupon she was appoynted to go into ChauÌ„cery lane to one whose came as is thought was M. Selyard at the last she got a letter of the same Selyard to the Byshop and when she had it she thought all her sute welbestowed hopinge that some good shoulde come to her husband thereby And because the wicked officers in those dayes were crafty and desirous of his bloud as some others had proued theyr practise some of her frendes would needes see the content of her letter Gods good prouydence and not suffer her to deliuer it to the bishop as they thought so they found in deed for it was after this maner After commendations had c. Looke what you can gather agaynst Father Bate send me word by your trustye frend Syr William Saxy A crafty leter of a wicked officer that I may certify the kinges Maiesty c. Thus the poore woman when she thought heâ— sute had bene done was in lesse hope of her husbandes life theÌ„ before But within short space after it pleased
during his imprisonment was very cruelly handled For almost the space of a fourtnight he lay in the bishops colehouse in the stockes with yrons vpon his legs The cruel handling of BaynhaÌ„ TheÌ„ he was caryed to the Lord ChauÌ„cellors and there chayned to a post 2. nightes TheÌ„ he was caryed to Fulham where he was cruelly handled by y e space of a seuen nighte TheÌ„ to the Tower where he lay a fourtnight scourged with whips to make him reuoke his opinions FroÌ„ thence he was caryed to Barking theÌ„ to Chelsey and there condemned and so to Newgate to be burned ¶ The burning of Iames Baynham The death and Martirdome of M. Iames Baynham Iames Baynham Anno. 1532. At whose burning here is notoriously to be obserued that as he was at the stake in the midst of the flaming fyre which fire had halfe consumed his armes legs A 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 of God to beholde he spake these wordes O ye Papistes behold ye looke for miracles and here now you may see a myracle for in this fire I feele no more paine then if I were in a bed of Downe but it is to me as sweet as a bed of roses These words spake he in the middest of the flaminge fire when his legges and hys armes as I sayd were halfe consumed ¶ Iohn Bent Martyr AT the writing hereof came to our hands a certeyn notice of one Iohn Bent Ioh. Bent Martyr who about this present time or not long before being a Tailor dwelled in a village called Urcheuaunt was burnt in the Towne of the Deuises Ioh. Bent burnt at Deuise within the country of Wilkeshire for the denying of the sacrament of the altar as they terme it ¶ One Trapnel Martyr ALso much about the same tyme Trapnell Martir burnt at Brodford was one Trapnell burned in a Towne called Brodford within the same County * The History of three men hanged for the burning of the Rood of Douercourt collected out of a letter of Robert Gardner which was one of the doers of the same IN the same yeare of our Lord 1532. there was an Idoll named the Roode of Douercourt Out of a letter of Robert Gardner written to Chapman Londoner and yet aliue The Rooâ—e of Douercourt whereunto was much and greate resorte of people For at that time there was great rumour blowne abroad amonges the ignorant sort that the power of the Idoll of Douercourt was so greate that no man had power to shutte the Church doore where he stood and therefore they lette the Churche doore bothe nyght and daye continually stand open for the more credite vnto theyr blinde rumour Which once beyng conceyued in the heades of the vulgare sort seemed a great maruell vnto many men but to many agayne whom God had blessed with his spirite was greatly suspected especially vnto these whose names here folow as Robert King of Dedham Robert Debnam of Estbergholt Rob. king Rob. Dâ—bnam Nicholas Marsh Martyrs Nicholas Marshe of Dedham and Robert Gardner of Dedham whose consciences were sore burdened to see the honor and power of the almighty liuing God so to be blasphemed by such an Idoll Wherefore they were moued by the spirit of God to trauell out of Dedham in a woondrous goodlye night both hard frost and fayre moone shine although the nighe before and the night after were exceeding foule and rayny It was from the towne of Dedham to the place where the filthy Roode stood x. miles The blinde opinions of the people Notw tstanding they were so willing in that theyr enterprise that they went these x. myles without payne and found the Church doore open according to the blinde talke of the ignorant people for there durst no vnfaithful body shut it Which happened wel for their purpose for they founde the Idol which had as much power to keepe the doore shut Experience of â—â—lle Idolatry as to keepe it open And for proofe thereof they tooke the Idol from his shrine and caryed him a quarter of a myle from the place where he stoode without any resistaunce of the sayd Idol Whereuppon they strake fire with a Flint stone The Idâ—ll set on a 〈…〉 and sodenly set him on fire who burned out so brym that he lighted them homeward one good myle of the ten This done there went a great talke abroade that they should haue great riches in that place Falle surâ—â—â—se alwayes ready but it was very vntrue for it was not their thought or enterprise as they themselues afterward confessed for there was nothing taken away but his coate his shoes and tapers The tapers did helpe to burne him the shooes they had againe The right handling of an Idoll and the coate one sir Thomas Rose did burn but they had neither peny halfe peny golde grote nor iewel ¶ Robert King Robert Debnam and Nicholas Marshe hanged for taking downe the Roode of Douercourt The fourth man of thys companye named Robert Gardner Robert Gardner escaped escaped their handes and fledde Albeit he was cruelly sought for to haue had the like death but y e lyuing Lord preserued him to whom be al honour glory world without ende The same yeare and the yeare before there were manye Images cast downe and destroyed in manye places Ex teâ—imonio ipsius 〈…〉 as the Image of the Crucifixe in the hygh waye by Cogshall the Image of saint Petronil in the Church of great Horksleigh the Image of saint Christopher by Sudburye and an other Image of saint Petronil in a Chappell by Ipswiche Also Iohn Seward of Dedham ouerthrew a Crosse in Stoke Parke and tooke two Images out of a chappell in the same parke and cast them into the water ¶ The storie examination death and martyrdome of Iohn Frith AMongest al other chaunces lamentable there hath ben none a great tyme whiche seemed vnto me more greeuous Anno 153. then the lamentable death and cruel handlinge of Iohn Frith so learned and excellent a young man which had so profited in al kind of learning and knowledge that scarsely there was his equal amongest al his companions and besides withal had such a godlynes of lyfe ioined with his doctrine Iohn Frith Martyr that it was hard to iudge in whether of them he was more commendable being greatly prayse worthie in them both But as touchinge his doctrine by the grace of Christ we will speake hereafter Of the great godlynes which was in him this may serue for experiment sufficieÌ„t for that notwithstanding his other manifold and singular giftes ornaments of y e mind in him most pregnant wher withall he might haue opened an easie way vnto honor dignitie notwithstanding he chose rather wholly to consecrate himselfe vnto the Church of Christ excellently shewing forth practising in himselfe the precept so highly coÌ„mended of the Philosophers touching the life of man which life they say is geuen vnto vs
in such sort that how much better the man is so much y e lesse he should liue vnto himselfe but vnto other seruing for the common vtilitie that we should think a greate parte of our byrth to be due vnto our parentes a greater part vnto our country the greatest part of all to be bestowed vpon the Churche if we will be counted good men First of all he begaÌ„ hys study at Cambridge Iohn Fryth first studient in CaÌ„bridge In whoÌ„ nature had planted being but a child maruelous instructions loue vnto learning whereunto he was addict He had also a wonderful promptnes of wit a ready capacitie to receaue and vnderstand any thing in so much that he seemed not to be sent vnto learning but also borne for the same purpose neyther was there any diligence wanting in him equall vnto that towardnes or worthy of his disposition Commendation of Frytheâ— learning Whereby it came to passe that he was not onely a louer of learning but also became an exquisite learned man In the which exercise wheÌ„ he had diligently laboured certayn yeres not without great profite both of Latine and Greeke at the last he fell into knowledge and acquayntaunce with William Tindall through whose instructions he first receaued into his hart the seede of the Gospell and sincere godlines At that time Tho. Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke prepared to build a Colledge in Oxford The College in Oxford of Frydeswide now called Christes Colledge maruelous sumptuous which had the name title of Frideswide but now named Christes Church not so much as it is thought for y e loue zeale that he bare vnto learning as for an ambitious desire of glory renoume to leaue a perpetual name vnto the posteritie But that building he being cut of by y e stroke of death for he was sent for vnto y e king accused vpon certaine crimes and in the waye by immoderate purgations killed him self least partly begun partly halfe ended vnperfect and nothing els saue only the kitchin was fully finished Wherupon Rodulphus Gualterus a learned maÌ„ being then in Oxford beholding the Colledge sayd these wordes in Latine The saying of Rodolphus Cualterus touching the Cardinals Colledg Egregium opus Cardinalis iste instituit collegium et absoluit popinam Howe large ample those buildings should haue ben what sumptuous cost should haue bene bestowed vpon the same may easily be perceiued by y t that which is already buylded as the kitchin the hall and certain chambers where as there is such curious grauing and workemanship of stone cutters that all things on euery side did glitter for the excellency of the workmaÌ„ship for the finesse of y t matter with the gilt antikes embossings in so muche that if all the rest had bene finyshed to that determinate end as it was begun it might well haue excelled not onelye all Colledges of studentes but also palaces of Princes This ambitious Cardinal gathered together into that Colledge what soeuer excellent thing there was in the whole realme eyther vestments vessels or other ornaments beside prouision of all kind of precious things Besides that he also appointed vnto that coÌ„pany all such men as were found to excell in anye kinde of learning knowledge Whose names to recite all in order would be to loÌ„g The chiefe of them whiche were called from Cambridge were these M Clarke Maister of art of xxxiiij yeares of age M. Fryer afterward Doctour of Phisicke after that a strong papist M. Sumner maister of Art M. Harman maister of Art and after felow of Eaton Colledge after that a papist M. Bettes maister of Art a good man and zelous and so remayned M. Coxe maister of Art who conueyed him selfe away toward the North and aftrr was Schoolemaister of Eaton and then Chaplayne to Doctor Goodrich Bishop of Ely and by him preferred to king Henry and late Byshop of Ely Iohn Frith Bacheler of Art Bayly Bacheler of Art Goodman who being sicke in the prison with the other was had out and dyed in the towne Drumme who afterwardes fell away and forsooke the truth Thomas Lawney Chapleine of the house prisoner with Iohn Frith To these ioyne also Tauerner of Boston the good Musitian This Tauerner repented him very muche that he had made songes to Popishe dâ—tties in the tyme of hys blindenes besides manye other called also out of other places moste pyked young men of graue iudgement and sharpe wittes who conferring together vpon the abuses of relygion being at y t time crept into y e Church were therfore accused of heresie vnto the Cardinall and cast into a prison within a deepe caue vnder the grouÌ„d of the same Colledge where their salt fyshe was layde so that through the fylthie stinche thereof they were all infected and certaine of them taking their death in the same prison shortly vpon y e same being taken out of the prison into their chambers there deceased The troublers and examiners of these good men were these Persecuters Doct. London Doctor Higdon Deane of the same Colledge and Doct. Cottesford Commissary M Clarke M. Sumner Syr Baily killed through imprisonment Maister Clarke maister Sumner and Syr Bayly eating nothing but saltfishe from Februarie to the middest of August dyed all three together within the compasse of one weeke Maister Bettes a wittie man hauyng no bookes fouÌ„d in hys chamber through entreatie and suertie gote out of prison and so remayning a space in y e Colledge at last slipt away to Cambridge and after was Chapleine to Queene Anne and in great fauour with her Tauerner although he was accused and suspected for hidinge of Clarkes bookes vnder the bordes in his schoole yet the Cardinal for his musicke excused him saying that he was but a Musitian and so he escaped After the death of these men Iohn Frith with other by the Cardinalles letter which sent word that he would not haue them so straightly handled were dismissed out of prison vpon condition Of this Dalaber reade more in the story of Tho. Garret not to passe aboue ten myles out of Oxford Which Frith after hearing of the examination of Dalaber and Garret which bare then fagottes went ouer the sea and after two yeares he came ouer for exhibition of the Prior of Reading as is thought and had y â— Prior â—uer with him Bâ—yng at Reading Iohn 〈◊〉 set in the stockes a Reading it happened that he was there taken for a vacabond brought to examination where the simple man whiche coulde not craftily enough colour him selfe was set in the stockes Where after he had sitten a loÌ„g time and was almost pined with hunger and woulde not for all that declare what he was Leonard Coxe Schoolemaister of Reading at the last hee desired that the Scholemaister of the towne might be brought to hym which at that time was one Leonard Coxe a maÌ„ very wel learned As
therefore Chrisostome a little before the woordes whiche they alleadged sayth Lifte vp your mynds and hartes Wherby he admonysheth vs to look vpon and consider those heauenly thynges whiche are represented and signified by the bread and wyne and not to marke the bread and wyne it selfe Here they sayde that was not Chrisostomes minde but that by this example hee declareth that there remayned no bread nor wine Al misteries to be seene with inward eyes I aunswered that was false for the example that he taketh tendeth to no other purpose but to call away our spirituall eyes from the beholdyng of visible thynges and to transport them an other waye as if the thynges that are seene were of no force Therefore he draweth awaye our mynde from the consideration of these thinges and fixeth it vppon him whiche is signified vnto vs by the same The very woordes whiche followe sufficiently declare thys to be the true meaning of the authour where as he commaundeth vs to consider all thynges with our inward eyes that is to say spiritually But whether Chrisostomes woordes doe tend eyther to to this or that sense Chrisostom agaynst the popish doctrine of the Sacrament yet do they indifferētly make on our part agaynst our aduersaryes which way so euer we doe vnderstand them For if he thought that the bread and wyne doe remayne we haue no further to trauayle but if he meant contrariwyse that they doe not remayne but that the natures of the bread and wyne are altered then are the bread and wyne falsely named Sacramentes and mysteryes The obiection of Chrisostom auoided by a-Dilemma whiche can be sayd in no place to be in the nature of thynges For that whiche is in no place howe can it be a Sacrament or supplye the roume of a mysterye Finally if hee speake onely of the outwarde fourmes and shapes as we call them it is most certayne that they doe continually remayne and that they by the substaunce of the bodye are not consumed in anye place wherefore it must necessarily followe the woordes of Chrisostome to be vnderstanded in suche sense as I haue declared Here peraduenture many would maruaile that for somuch as the matter touching the substaunce of the Sacrament A question asked with the cause declared why that seeing the matter of the sacramēt it selfe importeth neither saluation nor damnatyon why then Frythe offereth himselfe to death for the same beyng seperate from the articles of fayth and binding no man of necessitie eyther vnto saluation or damnation whether hee beleeue it or not but rather may be left indifferently vnto all men freely to iudge eyther on the one part or on the other accordyng to hys owne mynde so that neyther part do contemne or despise the other but that all loue and charitie be still holden and kept in this dissension of opinions what then the cause is why I would therfore so willingly suffer death The cause why I dye is this for that I can not agree with the diuines other head Prelates that it shuld be necessarily determined to be an article of fayth and that we should beleeue vnder payne of damnation the substaunce of the bread and wyne to be chaunged into the body and bloud of our sauioure Iesus Christe the fourme and shape onely not being chaunged Whiche thing if it were most true as they shall neuer be able to proue it by any authority of the Scripture or Doctours yet shall they not so bring to passe that that doctrine were it neuer so true shoulde be holden for a necessarye article of fayth For there are many thinges both in the Scriptures and other places whiche we are not bounde of necessitye to beleeue as an article of fayth So it is true that I was a prisoner and in bondes when I wrote these thinges and yet for all that I will not holde it as an article of fayth * * This is to be weyed with tyme when Frythe wrote but that you may without daunger or damnation eyther beleeue it or thinke the contrarie But as touchinge the cause why I cannot affirme the doctrine of Transubstantiation diuers reasons doe leade me thereunto First for that I do playnelye see it to be false and vaine and not to be grounded vpon anye reason either of the Scriptures Three causes why transubstātiation is not to be be beleued or of approued Doctours Secondly for that by my exāple I woulde not be an author vnto Christians to admit any thing as a matter of fayth more then the necessary points of ther Creed wherein the whole summe of oure saluation doth consist specially such thinges The 2. cause the beliefe whereof haue no certaine argument of authoritie or reason I added moreouer that their Church as they call it hath no such power and authoritie that it eyther ought or maye binde vs vnder the peril of our soules to the beleuing of any such articles Thirdlye because I will not for the fauour of our Diuynes or Priestes be preiudiciall in this poynt The third cause vnto so manye nations of Germaines Heluetians and other whiche altogether reiecting the transubstantiation of the bread and wyne into the bolye and bloud of Christ are all of the same opinion that I am as wel those that take Luthers part as those which holde with Oecolampadius Which thinges standing in this case I suppose there is no mā of any vpright conscience which will not allow the reason of my death which I am put vnto for this only cause that I do not think transubstantiation although it were true in deede to be establyshed for an article of faith And thus muche hytherto as touching the articles and whole disputation of Iohn Frith whiche was done wyth all moderation and vprightnesse But when as no reason woulde preuaile against the force and crueltie of these furious foes the xx day of Iune in the yeare of oure Lorde 1533. hee was brought before the Byshoppes of London Winchester and Lincolne who sitting in Paules vpō Friday the xx day of Iune ministred certaine interrogatories vpon the Sacrament of the Supper and Purgatorie vnto the sayde Frith as is aboue declared To the whiche when he had answeared shewed his minde in forme and effect as by his owne wordes aboue doth appeare hee afterward subscribed to his answears with his owne hand in these wordes Ego Frithus ita sentio quemadmodum sentio ita dixi scripsi asserui affirmaui That is to say The subscriptiō of Iohn Fryth ¶ I Frith thus doe thinke and as I thinke so haue I sayde written taught and affirmed and in my bookes haue published But when as by no meanes he coulde bee perswaded to recant these articles aforesaid neither be brought to beleue that the sacrament is an article of faith but said Fiat Iudicium iustitia Iohn Fryth condemned he was condemned by the Bishop of London to be burned and sentence geuen agaynst
hym Iohn Chapman And when they mette wyth the sayde Andrewe they seemed as though they meant to doe hym verye much good and Holt for hys part sayd that if he should bryng any man in trouble as the voyce was that he had done the sayde Andrewe it were pitie but that the earth should open and swalow him vp W. Holte playeth the Iudas in so much that they would needes sup there that night prepared meate of their owne charges At nyght they came brought certaine geasts with them because they would haue the matter to seeme as though it had come out by others When they had supped they went their way and Holt tooke out of his purse two groates Iohn Tybauld fiue times in bandes for Christ. and gaue them to the sayde Andrewe and embraced him in hys armes As they were gone out there came in one Iohn Tibaulde whiche was banished from his own house by an Iniunction for he had bene foure times in prison for Christes Cause And wythin an houre after that Holt and Wythers were gone Andrewe Hewet agayne taken the Bishoppes Chauncelour and one called Sergeaunt Weuer came and brought with them the watche and searched the house where they founde the sayde Iohn Chapman and the forenamed Andrewe and Iohn Tibalde whom they bounde wyth ropes which Sergeaunt weuer had brought with hym and so caryed them vnto the Bishops house but Andrewe Hewet they sent vnto the Lollardes Tower and kept Chapman and Tibaulde asunder watched with two Priestes seruauntes The next daye Byshop Stokesley came from Fulham and after they were examined wyth a fewe threatnynge woordes Chapman was commytted to the stockes with this threate that hee shoulde tell an other tale Chapmā in the stockes or els he shoulde sitte there tyll hys heeles dyd droppe from hys arse and Tibaulde was shutte vp in a close chamber but by Gods prouisyon hee was well deliuered oute of pryson albeit hee coulde not enioy hys house and lande because of the Bishoppes Iniunction but was fayne to sell all that he had in Essex Tibauld injoyned not to come within 7. myle of his house for the tenour of hys Iniūction was that he should not come wythin seuen myles of hys owne house and the foresayde Chapman after fiue weekes imprisonment wherof three weekes he sate in the stockes by much suit made vnto the Lorde Chauncelour whiche at that tyme was Lord Audley after many threatnyngs was deliuered but the sayde Andrew Hewet after long cruel imprisonment was cōdemned to death burned with Iohn Frith whose examination here foloweth The twentie day of the moneth of Aprill Andrew Hewet was brought before the Chauncelour of London Andrewe Hewet brought and examined before the Bishop where was obiected agaynst hym that hee beleeued the Sacrament of the aultar after the consecration to bee but a signification of the bodye of Chryst and that the host cōsecrated was not the verye bodye of Christe Nowe for so muche as thys article seemed haynous vnto them theyr woulde do nothynge in it without the consent of learned counsayle whereupon the Byshoppe of London associate with the Byshops of Lincolne and Winchester called him agayne before him Where he being demaunded what hee thought as touchyng the Sacrament of the last Supper aunsweared euen as Iohn Frith doth Then sayd one of the Bishoppes vnto hym Christ not to be beleeued to be really in the Sacrament dost thou not beleeue that it is reallie the bodye of Christe borne of the virgin Marye So sayth he do not I beleue Why not sayd the Bishop Because saith he Christ cōmaunded me not to geue credit rashly vnto al mē which saith Behold here is Christ there is Christ for many false prophets shal rise vp saith the Lorde The burning of Iohn Frith and Andrewe Hewet The Historie of the persecution and death of Thomas Benet burned in Exeter collected and testified by Iohn Vowel alias Hoker Tho. Benet of Exceter Martyr THys Thomas Benet was borne in Cambridge and by order of degree of the Uniuersitie there made mayster of Arte and as some thinke was also a Priest a man doubtles very wel learned and of a godly disposition being of the acquaintaunce and familiaritie of Thomas Bilney the famous and glorious Martyr of Christe Thys man the more he did grow and encrease in the knowledge of God and his holy word the more he did mislike and abhorre the corrupte state of religion then vsed Tho. Benet comming from Cambridge to Deuōshyre and therefore thinking his owne countrey to be no safe place for hym to remaine in and being desirous to liue in more freedome of conscience he did forsake the Uniuersitie and went into Deuonshire in the yeare of our Lord. 1524. and first dwelled in a market towne named Torriton both towne and countrey being to him altogether vnknowen as hee also was vnknowen to al men there Where for y e better maintenaunce of himselfe and his wife hee did practise to teache yong children and kept a schole for the same purpose But that Towne not seruing hys expectation after hys aboade one yeare there hee came to the citie of Exceter and there hyring an house in a streate called the Bocher rowe did exercise the teaching of children Benet came to Exeter and by that meanes sustayned his wife and familie Hee was of a quiet behauiour of a godly conuersation and a very courteous nature humble to all men and offensiue to no body Hys greatest delight was to be at all Sermones and preachings whereof he was a diligēt and an attentiue hearer The time which he had to spare from teaching he gaue wholely to his priuate studie in the Scriptures hauing no dealings nor cōferences wyth any body sauing with suche as hee coulde learne and vnderstand to be fauourers of the Gospell and zelous of Gods true religion of suche he would be inquisitiue and most desirous to ioyne him selfe vnto them And therefore vnderstandinge that one William Strowde of Newnham W. Strowde prisoned in Exeter for Gods word in the Countie of Deuonshire Esquier was committed to the Bishops prison in Exeter vpon suspition of heresie although he were neuer before acquainted w t him yet did he sende his letters of comfort and consolation vnto him Wherein to auoide all suspition which myghte be conceiued of him he did disclose him self and vtter what he was and the causes of hys being in the Countrey wrytyng among other things these wordes Vt ne scortator aut immundus essem vxorem duxi cum qua hisce sex annis ab istorū Antichristianorum manibus in deuonia latitaui That is to say Benet why he maryed because I woulde not be a whoremonger or an vncleane person therefore I maried a wise with whom I haue hidden my selfe in Deuonshire from the tyrannie of the Antichristians these 6. yeares But as euery tree and Hearbe hath hys due time to bryng
goodes Howbeit one of his brethren afterwardes made such sute vnto the Kyng by meanes of the Queene that after three yeares imprisonment he was both released out of prison and also obtained of the Kyng a Commission vnto the Lord Awdeley beyng then Lord Chauncelor and to Cranmer Archbyshop of CaÌ„terbury and to Crumwell then Secretary with others to enquire of the iniurious and vniust dealynges of the Byshoppe and his Chauncelor agaynst the sayd Patmore notwithstandyng his appeale vnto the kyng and to determine therof accordyng to true equitie and iustice to restore the sayd Patmore agayne vnto his sayd benefice But what was the ende and issue of this Commission wfinde not as yet Iohn Row Bookebinder a FreÌ„ch man 1531. This man for bynding buyng and dispersing of bookes inhibited Christopher a bookeseller dyed in prison was enioyned beside other penaunce to goe to Smithfield with his Bookes tyed about hym and to cast them in the fire there to abide till they were all brent to ashes Christ of a dutchmaÌ„ of Antwerpe 1531. This man for sellyng certeine new Testaments in English to Iohn Row aforesayd was put in prison at Westminster and there dyed W. Nelson Priest 1531. His crime was for hauyng and buiyng of Peryman certain bookes of Luther Tyndall Thorpe c. and for reading and perusing the same contrary to the Kings proclamation for the which he was abiured he was Priest at Lith Tho. Eue Weauer 1531. His Articles That the Sacrament of the aultar was but a memory of Christes passion That men were fooles to go on pilgrimage or to set any candle before images Item it is as good to set vp staues before the Sepulchre as to set vp tapers of waxe That Priestes might haue wiues Rob. Hudson of S. Pulchers 1531. A dogge offered to S. Nicholas Byshop His Article On Childermas daye sayth the Register he offred in Paules Churche at offering time to the childe Byshop called S. Nicholas a dogge for deuotion as he sayd and meant no hurt for he thought to haue offered a halfepeny or else y e dogge and thought the dogge to be more better then a half-peny and the dogge should raise some profite to the child and sayd moreouer it was the tenth dogge c. Ex Regist. Edward Hewet seruingman 1531. His crime That after the Kynges proclamation he had and read the new Testament in English Also the booke of I. Frith against Purgatory c. Walter Kiry seruant 1531. Hys Article That he after the kings proclamation had vsed these bookes the Testament in English the summe of Scripture a Primer and Psalter in Englishe hidden in hys bedstrawe at Worcester Michaell Lobley 1531. His Articles That hee beeing at Antwerpe bought certeine bookes inhibited as the Reuelation of Antichrist the obedience of a Christian man the wicked Mammon Frith against Purgatory Item for speaking against Images and Purgatory Item for sayeng that Bilney was a good man Why then doth M. More say that Bilney recanted and dyed a good man if these be punished for commending him to dye a good maÌ„ A ladde of Colchester dyed in prison for bringing to Bayfilde his bookes and dyed a good man because of a Bill that one did send from Norwich that specified that he tooke his death so pacientlye and did not forsake to die wyth a good will c. A boy of Colchester 1531. A boy of Colchester or Northfolke brought to Richard Bayfield a budget of bookes about four dayes before the sayd Bayfield was taken for the which the lad was taken laid in the counter by M. More Chancellor there dyed Wil. Smith Taylor 1531. His Articles That he lodged oftentimes in his house Rich. Bayfield and other good men That he receiued hys bookes into hys house and vsed much reading in the new Testament He had also the Testament of William Tracy He beleeued there was no Purgatory Wil. Lyncoln Prentise 1532. His Articles For hauing and receiuing bookes from beyond the Sea of Tindall Frith Thorpe and other Item he doubted whether there were any Purgatory Whether it were well done to set vp candles to Saincts to go on pilgrimage c. Iohn Mell of Bocksted 1532. His heresie was this for hauing and reading the new Testament in english the Psalter in English and the booke called A B C. Iohn Medwell seruant to M. Carkit Heresy with the Pope to trust onely to the merites of Christ. Scriuener 1532. This Medwell lay in prison xxiiij weekes till he was almost lame Hys heresies were these That he doubted whether there was anye Purgatory He woulde not trust in pardons but rather in the promises of Christ. He doubted whether the merites of anye but onely of Christ did helpe him He doubted whether pilgrimages and setting vp of candles to images were meritorious or not He thought he should not put his trust in any Saint Item hee had in his custody the new Testament in Englishe the examination of Thorpe the wicked Mammon a booke of Matrimony Ex ipsius scedula ad Episc Scripta Christofer Fulman seruaÌ„t to a Goldsmith 1532. This yong man was attached for receiuing certayne bookes at Antwerp of George Constantine and transporting them ouer into England and selling them to sondry persons beeyng bookes prohibited by the proclamation Item he thought then those bookes to haue bene good and that he had bene in errour in times past Margaret Bowgas 1532. Her heresies were these Being asked if she would go on pilgrimage she sayd I beleeue in God and he can do me more good then our Lady or any other Sainct and as for them they shal come to me if they will c. Then Richard Sharples Parson of Millend by Colchester asked her if shee sayde her Aue Maria I say sayd she hayle Mary but I will say no further Then said he if she left not those opinions she would beare a fagot If I do saide she better then I shall adding moreouer that she would not go from that to die therefore To whome the Priest aunswered and sayd she would be burned Heereunto Margaret againe replyeng asked the Priest who made Martyrs Tyrauntes make Martyrs Tyrants quoth the Priest make Martirs for they put Martirs to death So they shall or may me quoth Margaret At length with much ado and greate persuasions she gaue ouer to Foxford the Chanceller and submitted her selfe Iohn Tyrel an Irishman of Billery key Taylor His Articles were these That the Sacramente of the aulter was not the body of Christ but only a cake of bread Furthermore the occasion being asked how he fell into that heresie he answered and sayd that about three weekes before Midsomer last past hee heard M. Hugh Latimer preach at S. Mary Abchurch that men should leaue going in pilgrimage abroade M. Latyâ—â—â— preached agaynst Pilgrimages and do their pilgrimage to their poore neighbours Also the sayde M. Latimer in his Sermon did set the Sacrament of the aulter
dayes who kepte her maides and suche as were about her so occupyed in sowing and woorking of shirts smockes for the poore The good order of the Court in Queene Annes tyme. that neither was there sene any idlenes then amoÌ„gst them nor any leisure to followe such pastimes as daily are seene now a daies to raigne in princes courtes Thus the king being deuorced from the lady Dowager his brothers wife maried this gracious Lady makyng a prosperous and happy change for vs The king diuorced from Lady Catherine froÌ„ the Pope both at one tyme. being diuorced from the foresaide Princesse and also from the Pope both at one time Notwythstanding as good and godly purposes are neuer without some incommoditie or trouble following so it happened in this diuorcement that the sayde Princesse procuring from Rome the Popes curse caused both the king and the realme to be interdited wherof more is hereafter to be spoken In the meane time Quene Anne shortly after her mariage Anno 1533 being great with childe the next yeare followynge which was 1533. after the first diuorcement publikely proclaimed Queene Anne crowned Queene Elizabeth borne was crowned wyth high solemnitie at Westminster and not long after her Coronation the 7. day of September she was brought a bed and deliuered of a faire Lady for whose good deliueraunce Te Deum was songe in all places and great preparation made for the Christening The Maior and his brethren with 40. of the chiefe Citizens were commaunded to be present withall the nobles and Gentlemen The kings Pallace and all the wals betweene that and the Friers was hanged with Arras and the Friers Churche Also the Fonte was of siluer stoode in the midst of the Churche three steppes high whych was couered with a fine cloth and diuers Gentlemen wyth aprons and towels about their neckes gaue attendance about it Ouer the Fonte hong a faire Canapy of crimosine Satten fringed wyth Golde About it was a raile couered wyth saie Betweene the Quire and the body of the church was a close place with a pan of fire to make the childe ready in These things thus ordered the childe was brought into the Hall and then euery man set forward First the citizens 2. and 2. Then the gentlemen Esquiers and Chapleins Next after folowed the Aldermen and the Maior alone Next the Maior folowed the kings Councell Then the kings Chappel Then Barons Bishops and Earles Then came the Earl of Essex bearing the couered Basons gilte After him the Marques of Exeter wyth the taper of Uirgin waxe Next him the Marques Dorset bearynge the Salte Behinde him the Ladie Marie of Northfolke bearing the Chrisome which was very riche of Perle and stone The olde Duchesse of Northfolke bare the childe in a Mantle of Purple Ueluette with a longe traine Furred with Ermine The Duke of Northfolke with hys Marshal rod went on the right hand of the sayde Duchesse and the Duke of Suffolke on the left hande Before them went the Officers of armes The Countesse of Kente bare the long traine of the childes mantell Betwene the Countesse and the child went the Erle of Wilshire on the right hand and the Erle of Darby on the left hand supporting the said traine In the middest ouer the childe was borne a Canapie by the Lord Rochford the Lord Hussey the Lord William Haward and the Lord Thomas Hawarde the elder In this order they came vnto the Churche dore where the Bishop of London mette it with diuers Abbots and Byshops and began the obseruances of the Sacrament The Archbishop of Caunterbury was Godfather and the olde Duchesse of Northfolke and the old Marchionesse of Dorset widowes were Godmothers and the childe was named Elizabeth After all thinges were done at the Churche doore the child was brought to the Fonte Christened This done Cranmer godfather to Queene Elizabeth Garter the chiefe king of armes cryed aloud God of his infinite goodnes send prosperous lyfe and longe to the high and mighty princesse of England ELIZABETH Then the Trompettes blew and the childe was brought vp to the aultare and immediately confirmed by the Archbishop the Marchionesse of Exceter beyng Godmother Then the Archbishop of Caunterbury gaue to the Princesse a standing cup of Gold The Duchesse of Northfolke gaue to her a standing cup of Golde fretted with Pearle The Marchionesse of Dorset three gilte boles pounced with a couer The Marchionesse of Exceter three standing boles gilt grauen with a couer And so after a solemne bancket ended with Ipocras Wafers and such lyke in great plenty they returned in like order agayne vnto the Courte wyth the Princesse and so departed At the Maryage of this noble Lady as there was no small ioy vnto al good and godly men and no lesse hope of prosperous successe to Gods true Religion so in like maner on the contrarye parte the papistes wanted not theyr malicious and secret attemptes as by the false hipocrisie and fayned holynesse of a false fayned hipocrite this yeare before espyed found out may sufficiently appeare what theyr deuilishe deuises and purposes were For certayne Monks Friers other euill disposed persoÌ„s of a deuilish intent had put into the heades of many of the kinges subiectes that they had reuelation of God and hys sayntes y t he was highly displeased w t king Henry for y e diuorcement of the Lady Katherine and surmised amongst other thyngs that God had reuealed to a Nunne named Elizabeth Barton whome they called the holy maide of Kente that in case the Kinge proceeded in the sayde deuorce The maide of Kent with her false fained hipocrisie appreheÌ„ded hee should not be king of this realme one moneth after and in the reputation of God not one day nor hour This Elizabeth Barton by fals dissimulation practised and shewed to the people marueilous alteration of her visage and other partes of her body as if she had bene rapt or in a traunce in those fained traunces by false hipocrisie as though shee had bene inspired of God she spake many words in rebuking of sinne and reproouing the Gospell whiche shee called heresie and among them vttered diuers thyngs to the great reproch of the king and Quene to the establishing of Idolatrie Pilgrimage and the derogatioÌ„ of Gods glory whych her naughtines being spied out by the great labour and diligence of the Archbishop of Caunterbury the Lord Cromwell and Maister Hugh Latimer shee was condemned and put to death with certeyne of her affinitie and Councell in the moneth of Aprill Elizabeth 〈◊〉 with her 〈◊〉 coÌ„spirâ—tâ—rs an 1533. The names of which conspiratours with her were these Edwarde Bocking Monke of Canterbury Richard Master Person of Aldington Iohn Dering Monke of Canterbury Hugh Riche Frier Warden of the Gray Friers of Canterbury Richard Risby Henry Gold bacheler of Diuinitie and Person of Aldermary Fisher Byshop of Rochester Iohn Adeson Priest his Chapleine Thomas
out of Wales was brought to the gallowes and there also with the foresayd Frier as is sayde was set on fire Whome the Wealshmen muche worshipped and had a Prophecye amongest them that this Image shoulde set a whole forrest on fyre Which prophecy tooke effect for he set this Fryer Forest on fire and consumed hym to nothing The Fryer when he saw the fire come and that present death was at hand he caught hold vpon the lader and would not let it go but so vnpaciently took his death as neuer any man that put his trust in God at any time so vngodly or vnquietly ended his life In the month of October Nouember the same yere shortly after the ouerthrow of these images and pilgrimages folowed also the ruine of the Abbeis religious houses which by the speciall motion of the Lord Cromwel or rather and principally by the singuler blessing of almighty God were suppressed being geuen a litle before by acte of Parliament into the kinges hand wherupoÌ„ not onely the houses were rased but theyr possessions also disparcled among the nobility in such sort The ruyne dissolutioÌ„ of Abbeyes â—onasteryes in England as all friers monkes Chanons Nunnes and other sectes of religion were then so rooted out of this Realme from the very foundation that there semeth by Gods grace no possibility hereafter left for the generation of those straunge weedes to grow here any more according to the true verdict of our Lord and Sauior Christ in his Gospell saying Euery plantation being not planted of my father Math. 15. shal be plucked vp by the rootes c. ¶ The history of the worthy Martir of God Iohn Lambert otherwise named Nicolson with his troubles examinations and aunsweres as well before the Archbishop of Caunterbury Warham and other Bishops as also before K. Henry 8. by whom at length he was condemned to death burned in Smithfielde Ann. 1538. IMmediatly vpon the ruine and destruction of the monasteries Anno 1538. the same yeare in the month of Nouember followed the trouble and condemnation of Iohn Lambert y e faythfull seruaunt of Iesus Christ and Martyr of blessed memory This Lambert being borne and brought vp in Northfolke was first conuerted by Bilney and studied in the Uniuersity of Cambridge Where after that he had sufficiently profited both in Latin and Greeke and had translated out of both tongues sondry things into the English tongue being forced at last by violence of the time he departed from thence to the partes beyond the seas to Tyndall and Frith Lambert â—â—eacher to the Englysh 〈◊〉 at Antwerpe and there remained the space of a yeare and more being preacher and Chapleine to the Englishe house at Antwerpe till he was disturbed by sir Thomas More and by the accusation of one Barlow was caried froÌ„ Antwerpe to London Lambert brought froÌ„ Antwerpe to London where he was brought to examination first at Lambeth then at the Bishops house at Oxford before Warham y e Archb. of Cant. and other aduersaries hading 45. articles ministred agaynst him wherunto he rendred answere agayne by writing The which answeres for as much as they conteine great learning may geue some light to the better vnderstanding of the common causes of religion now in controuersy I thought here to exemplify the same Lambert accused by one Baâ—â—ow as they came right happely to our handes The copy both of the articles and also of his aunsweres here in order foloweth ¶ Articles to the number of 45. layd to Lambert IN primis whether thou wast suspecte or infamed of heresy Articles agaynst Iohn Lambert 2. Whether euer thou hadst any of Luthers bookes and namely sith they were condemned how long thou kepst them and whether thou hast spent any study on them 3. Whether thou wast constitute priest and in what Dioces and of what bishop 4. Whether it be lawfull for a Priest to mary a wife and whether a priest in some case be bouÌ„d by the law of God to mary a wife 5. Whether thou beleuest that whatsoeuer is done of man whether it be good or ill commeth of necessity 6. Whether the sacrament of the aulter be a sacrament necessary vnto saluation and whether after the consecration of the bread and wine done by the priest as by the minister of God there is the very body and bloud of Christ in likenes of bread and wine 7. Item what opinion thou holdest touching the Sacrament of Baptisme whether thou doest beleue that it is a sacrament of the Church and a necessary sacrament vnto saluation and that a Priest may baptise and that the order of baptising ordeined by the church is necessary and wholsome 8. Item whether you beleue that matrimony be a sacrament of the church necessary to be obserued in the church that the order appointed by the Church for the solemnising therof is allowable and to be holden 9. Item whether thou doest beleue orders to be a sacrameÌ„t of the church Sacrament of orders and that saying of masse ordeined by the Church is to be obserued of Priestes whether it be deadly sinne or not if it be omitted or contemned and whether the order of Priesthoode were inuented by mans imagination or ordeined by God 10. Item whether penaunce be a sacrament of the Church and necessary vnto saluation Sacrament of penance and whether auricular confession is to be made vnto the priest or is necessary vnto saluation and whether thou beleuest that a ChristiaÌ„ is bouÌ„d besides contrition of hart hauing the free vse of an apte or meet priest vnder necessity of saluation to be confessed vnto a Priest and not vnto any lay man be he neuer so good and deuout whether thou beleuest that a Priest in cases permitted vnto him may absolue a sinner beyng contrite and confessed from his sinnes and enioine him wholsome penaunce 11. Item whether thou doest beleue and holde Sacrament of confession that the sacrament of confirmation extreme vnction be sacrameÌ„ts of the church and whether that they doe profite the soules of them which receiue them and whether thou beleuest the foresayde seuen sacramentes to geue grace vnto them that do duly receiue them 12. Whether all thinges necessary vnto saluation are put in holy Scripture Vnwritten verities and whether things onely there put be sufficient and whether some thinges vpon necessity of saluation are to be beleued and obserued which are not expressed in Scripture 13. Whether thou beleuest that Purgatory is and whether that soules departed be therin tormented and purged Purgatory 14 Whether holy martyrs apostles and confessors departed from this world ought to be honored and called vpon Praying to Saintes and prayed vnto 15. Whether the Sayntes in heauen as Mediatours pray for vs 16. Whether thou beleuest that oblations pilgrimages may be deuoutly and meritoriously done to the sepulchres and reliques of sayntes Pilgrimage 17. Whether
the L. Cromwel and so caried into his inward chamber where as it is reported of many L. Cromwell desired of Lambert forgeuenes that Cromwell desired him of forgeuenes for that he had done Ther at the last Lambert being admonished that the houre of his death was at hande hee was greatly comforted and cheared and being broughte out of the chamber into the Hal he saluted the gentlemen and sate downe to breakfast wyth them shewing no manner of sadnesse or feare When as the breakfast was ended he was caried straight way to the place of execution wher as hee shoulde offer hymselfe vnto the Lorde a sacrifice of sweete sauour who is blessed in his Saintes for euer and euer Amen As touching the terrible maner and fashion of the burning of this blessed Martyr heere is to be noted that of all other which haue beene burned and offered vp at Smithfielde there was yet none so cruelly and piteously handled as he For after that his legges were consumed and burned vp to the stumpes and that the wretched tormentours and enemies of God had withdrawne the fire from him so that but a small fire and coales were left vnder hym then two that stoode on eche side of him with their Hallebardes pitched him vpon their pikes as farre as the chaine wolde reache after the manner forme as here in this picture is described Then hee lifting vp such handes as hee had and his fingers endes flaming with fire The worâ—eâ— which he spake at his death cried vnto the people in these wordes None but Christ none but Christ and so being let downe againe from their Hallebardes fell into the fire and there gaue vp his life The order and maner of the burning of the constante Martyr in Christ Iohn Lambert During the time that hee was in the Archbyshoppes Warde at Lambeth which was a little before his disputation before the king he wrote an excellent confession or defence of his cause vnto king Henrie Wherein he first moâ—lifying the kings minde and eares w t a modest sober preface declaring how he had a double hope of solace laid vp the one in the most high and mighty Prince of Princes God the other nexte vnto God in hys Maiestie which shoulde represent the office and ministerie of that most high Prince in gouerning here vppon earth after that proceeding in gentle wordes he declared y e cause which mooued him to that which he had done And albeit he was not ignorant howe odious this doctrine woulde be vnto the people yet notwithstanding because he was not also ignoraunt how desirous the kynges mind was to search out the trueth The Apology of Iohn Lambert vnto the king he thought no time vnmeete to performe his duetie especially for so muche as hee woulde not vtter those thyngs vnto the ignoraunt multitude for auoiding of offence but only vnto the Prince him selfe vnto whom he might safely declare his minde After thys Preface made hee entring into the Booke The prefâ—â— of his Apologie confirmed his doctrine touchinge the Sacramente by diuers testimonies of the Scriptures by the whiche Scriptures hee prooued the bodye of Christe whether it riseth or ascendeth or sitteth or be conuersant here to be alwaies in one place Then he gathering together the mindes of the auncient Doctours did proue and declare by sufficient demonstration y e sacrament to be a misticall matter Albeit hee so ruled himselfe in suche temperaunce and moderation that he did not deny but that the holy sacrament was the very naturall bodye of our sauiour and the wine hys naturall bloud and that moreouer his naturall body bloud were in those misteries but after a certayne maner as al y e auncient Doctours in a maner do interprete it After this protestation thus made hee inferreth y e sentence of his confession as here followeth * A treatise of Iohn Lambert to the king CHrist is so ascended bodily into heauen his holy maÌ„hode thether so assumpt whereas it doth sit vppon the right hand of the father A treatise of Iohn Lambert vppon the Sacrament to the king that is to say is with the Father there remanent and resident in glory that by the infallible promise of God it shall not or cannot from thence return before the generall dome whiche shall be in the ende of the world And as he is no more corporally in the world so caÌ„ I not see how he can be corporally in the sacrament or his holy supper And yet notwithstanding do I knowledge confesse that the holy sacrament of Christes body bloud is his very body bloud in a certayne maner which shall be shewed hereafter with your graces fauour permissioÌ„ according to the wordes of our sauiour instituting y e same holy sacrament saying This is my body whiche is geueÌ„ for you Math. 26. And agayne This is my bloud which is of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But now for approuing of the first part that Christ is so bodily ascended into heauen and his holy manhoode so thether assumpte c. that by the infallible promise of God he shall not or cannot any more from thence boldly return before the generall dome I shall for this alledge first the scriptures and following the authorities of olde holye Doctors w t one consent testifying with me Besides thys I neede not to tel that the same is no other thing but that we haue taught to vs in these 3. articles of our Creede He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of GOD the father almightye from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead For Christ did ascend bodily the God head which is infinite vncircuÌ„scriptible replenishing both heauen and earth being immutable and vnmooueable so that properly it can neither ascend nor descend Scriptures affirming the same The Scriptures whych I promised to alledge for the confirmation of my sayd sentence be these Hee was lifted vp into heauen in their sight Act. 1. and a cloude receaued him from theyr eyes and when they were looking vp into heauen they sawe two men c. Heere it is euidently shewed that Christ departed and ascended in a visible and circumscripte body That thys departing was visible and in a visible bodye these woordes doe testifie And when they were looking vppe Whye stande ye heere looking vppe into heauen And euen as yee haue seene him c. That secondly it was in body I haue afore prooued and moreouer the Deitie is not sene but is inuisible as appeareth To God onely inuisible c. and He dwelleth in the inaccessible lighte 1. Tim. 1. 1. Tim. 6. whiche no man seeth nor may see c. Therfore the manhead and naturall body was assumpt or did ascend That thirdly it was in a circumscript body appeareth manifestly in this First y t his ascension and bodily departing caused them to loke vp
accused indited or presented should be admitted to chaleÌ„ge any that shoulde be enpanelled for the triall of any matter or cause other theÌ„ for malice or enuy which chaleÌ„ge should forthwith be tryed in like maner as in cases of felony c. Prouided moreouer that euery person that shoulde be named Commissioner in this inquisition should first take a corporall oth the tenor of which oth here ensueth * The oth of the Commissioners The othe geuen to the Commissioners to enquire vppon true Christians YE shall swere that ye to your cunning witte and power shall truely and indifferently execute the authority to you geuen by the kinges Commission made for correction of heretickes other offenders mentioned in the same Commission without any fauor affection corruption dread or malice to be borne to any person or persons as God you helpe and all Sayntes And thus much briefly collected out of the act and Originals Stat. an 31. Reg Henr. 8. which more largely are to be sene in y e statute an 31 Reg. Henr. 8. concerning the sixe Articles which otherwyse for the bloudy cruelty thereof are called the whip with sixe stringes set forth after the death of Queene Anne and of good Iohn Lambert deuised by the cruelty of y e Bishops but specially of the Bishop of Wint. and at length also subscribed by K. Henry But herein as in many other parts moe the crafty pollicy of that Bishop appeared who like a lurking Serpent most slyly watching his time if he had not taken the king comming out vpon a soddayne there where it was I spare here to report as I heard it it was thought and affirmed by certaine which then were perteining to the king that Winchester had not obteined y e matter so easely to be subscribed as he did These sixe Articles aboue specified although they conteined manifest errours Truth in danger left desolate heresies and absurdities agaynst all Scripture and learning as all men hauing any iudgemeÌ„t in Gods word may plainly vnderstand yet such was the miserable aduersity of that time the power of darcknes that the simple cause of truth and of religion was vtterly left desolate and forsakeÌ„ of all frends For euery man seing the kinges minde so fully addict vpon polliticke respectes to haue these articles to passe forward few or none in all that Parliament would appeare Cranmer stood openly in the Parliament against the 6. articles which either could perceiue that was to be defended or durst defend that they vnderstood to be true saue onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who then being maryed as is supposed like a constant Patron of Gods cause tooke vpon him the earnest defence of the trueth oppressed in the ParliameÌ„t three dayes together disputing against those sixe wicked articles bringing forth suche allegations and authorities as might easely haue helped the cause nisi pars maior vicâ—sset vt saepe solet meliorem Who in the sayd disputation Cranmer willed to departe 〈◊〉 of the Parliament house for his consâ—â—ence Cranmer refused to goe out of the Parliament for matter against his conscience behaued himselfe with such humble modesty and with such obedience in words toward his Prince protesting the cause not to be his but the cause of almighty God that neither his enterprise was misliked of the king agayne his reasons and allegatioÌ„s were so strong that well they could not be refuted Wherfore the king who euer bare speciall fauour vnto him well liking his zealous defeÌ„ce onely willed him to depart out of the Parliament house into the Councell Chamber for a time for sauegarde of his conscience til the Acte should passe and be graunted which he notwithstanding with humble protestation refused to do After the Parliament was finished that matter concluded the king considering the constant zeale of the Archbishoppe in defence of his cause and partly also weighing y e many authorities reasons wherby he had substantially confirmed the same sent the Lord Cromwell which w tin few dayes after was apprehended the ij dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke and all the Lordes of the Parliament to dine with hym at Lambeth where they signified vnto him that it was the kinges pleasure that they all shoulde in his hignes behalfe cherish comfort animate hym Cranmer comforted againe by the king as one that for his trauell in that parliameÌ„t had declared him selfe both greatly learned and also a man descreet wyse and therfore they willed him not to be discouraged in any thing that was passed in that Parliament contrary to hys allegations He most humbly thanked first y e kinges highnes of his singuler good affection towardes him and them all for theyr paynes adding moreouer that he so hoped in God that hereafter his allegations and authorities should take place to the glory of god commodity of the realme Which allegations and authorities of his I wish were amongest vs extant to be seene and read no doubt but they would stand in time to come in great good stead for y e ouer throw of the wicked and pernicious Articles aforesayd Allegations agaynst the vi Articles IN the meane while for so much as the sayd hereticall articles are not so lightly to be passed ouer Allegationâ— agaynst the 6. articles wherby y e rude ignorant multitude hereafter may be deceiued in the false erroneous doctrine of them any more as they haue bene in times past for lack of right instructioÌ„ and experience of the auÌ„cient state course of times in our fore elders dayes I thought therefore the Lord therunto assisting so much as antiquity of stories may helpe to the restoring agayn of truth and doctrine decayed to annexe hereunto some allegations out of auncient recordes which may geue some light to the conuincing of these newfangled Articles and heresies aboue touched And first as touching the Article of transubstantiation wherin this Parliament doth enact that the Sacrament of the Altar is the very naturall body of Christ the selfe same which was borne of the virgin Mary and that in such sort as there remayneth no substance of bread wine after the Priestes consecration but only the body bloud of Christ vnder the outward formes of bread and wine First here is to be noted that this monstrous article of theyrs in that forme of words as in standeth was neuer obtruded receiued or holden either in the Greek Church or in the Latine Church vniuersally for a Catholicke that is for a generall opinion or article of doctrine before y e time of the Laterane Counsell at Rome vnder Pope Innocent the 3. an 1216. And for so much as it hath bene a common persuasioÌ„ amongest the most sort of people The article of transubstantiatioâ— that this article in y e forme of words as here standeth is hath bene euer since Christ his time a true Catholick generall doctrine commonly receiued and taught in the Church being
partye of the sayd doings and can testifie the truth thereof Aunswere to the cauilling aduersaries touching Iohn Marbecke WHerefore against these crooked cauillers which make so much ado against my former boke because in a certaine place I chaunced to saye that Bennette and Filmer had their pardon when in dede it was Bennet and Marbecke be it therfore known protested denounced The story doth purge it selfe if it had pleased these meÌ„ to take one place with an other and notified to al singular such carpers wranglers exclamers deprauers with the whole broode of all such whisperers railers quarelpickers corner creepers fault finders spidercatchers or by what name els so euer they are to be titled that here I openly say affirm professe hold maintain write the same as I sayde wrote before in the latter castigations of my booke that is that Iohn Marbecke was with the other condemned but not burned cast by the law but by pardone saued appoynted with the rest to die Harke you wranglers and be saâ—isfied yet not deade but liueth God be praised yet to thys present day singeth merely and playeth on the Organes not as a dead man amoÌ„gst Foxes martyrs as it hath pleased some in y e court to encounter against me but as one witnessed testified truely in the booke of Foxes Martyrs to be a liue And therfore such maner of persons if y e disposition of their nature be such that they must needes finde faultes then let them finde them where they are and wher those faults by their finding may be corrected But wheras they be corrected already found to their hands also amended before let then these legend liers looke on their own legends and there cry out of lies where they may find inough and cease their bitinge there where they haue no iust cause to barke And admitte that I had not foresene and corrected thys escape before touching the matter of Iohn Marbecke but that the place stil had remained in the boke as it was that is that the sayd Iohn Marbecke whyche as yet aliue had then died suffred w t the other 3. the same time at Wyndesore yet what geÌ„tle or courteous reader could haue therin any iust matter to triumph insult against me seing the iudiciall acts the records registers yea the bishops certificate also the write of execution remaining yet in Recorde sent to the king did lead me so to say and thinke For what man wryting histories who can not be in all places to se al things but folowing his records registers wher in he seeth the said Marbecke to be iudged and condemned with the rest would otherwise write or thinke but that also he was executed and burned in the same company But nowe I correct and reforme the same agayne and first of all other I finde the fault and yet am I found fault withall I correct my selfe and yet am I corrected of other I warne the Reader of the truth The death of Iohn Marbecke in the former booke amended and yet am I a lier The booke it selfe sheweth the escape and biddeth in steade of 4. to read 3. burned and yet is the booke made a legeÌ„d of lies Briefly where I preuent all occasion of cauilling to the vttermost of my diligence yet can not I haue that law which all other bookes haue that is to recognise reforme mine owne errata Wherefore to conclude these men whosoeuer they are if they will be satisfied I haue sayd inough if they wil not whatsoeuer I caÌ„ say it wil not serue and so I leaue them I woulde I could better satisfie them God hymself amend them The persecution in Calyce with the Martyrdome of George Bucker otherwise called Adam Damlyp and others AT what time Iohn Marbecke was in the Marshalsey which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1544. there was in the sayd prison with him one George Bucker Anno 1544. named otherwise Adam Damlyp who hauing continued in the sayd prison 3. or 4. yeres at last by the commandement of Winchester was had to Calice by Ihon Massie the keeper of the Marshalsey George Bucker alias Adam Damlip Martyr and there hanged drawen quartered for treason pretensed whiche was a little before the condemnation of the Windsore men aforesayd as is by the letters of the sayd Iohn Marbecke to me signified Touching which story of Adam Damlyp for somuche it includeth matter of much trouble and persecutioÌ„ that hapned in Calice Ex litteris Ioan. Marbecki to digest therefore and comprise the whole narration therefore in order firste I will enter the Lorde willing the storie of Damlip and so proceede in order to such as by the sayde occasion were afflicted and persecuted in the towne of Calice Persecution in the towne of Calice Persecutors Persecuted The Causes Iohn Doue Prior of the gray Fryers in Calice Syr Gregorie Buttol Priest Steuen Gardiner Bysh. of Winchester D. Sampson Byshop of Chichester D. Clarke Byshop of Bathe D. Repse B. Norwich Haruey commissarie in Calice Ladie Honor wife to the I. Lisle deputie of Calice Syr Thomas Palmer Knight Iohn Roochwoode Esquier Adam Damlip requested by Cardinal Poole to tary at Rome Rich. Long souldiour of Calice Fraunces Hastings souldiour Hugh CouÌ„sel seruant· Syr Rafe Ellerker Knight Syr Iohn Gage George Bucker or els called Adam Damlyp A poore labouring maÌ„ W. Steuens Thom. Lancaster Iohn Butler commissary W. Smith Priest Raffe Haire Iacob a Surgion A Fleming Clement Philpot seruaunt Ieffrey Loueday Dodde Sir Edmond Priest W. Touched Post-maister Pet. Bequet Anthony Pickeryng gentleman Henry Tourney gentleman George Darby Priest Iohn Shepard W. Pellam W. Keuerdall Iohn Whitwood Ioh. Boote Ro. Cloddet Copen de Hane alias Iames Cocke Math. Hounde W. Crosbowmaker IN the yeare of oure Lorde 1539. the Lorde Cromwell being yet aliue there came to Calice one Georg Bucker alias Adam Damlyppe who had beene in tyme past a great Papist and Chaplaine to Fisher bishop of Rochester and after the death of the bishop hys maister hadde trauailed through FraÌ„ce Dutchland and Italie and as he went conferred with learned menne concerninge matters of controuersie in Religion and so proceedinge in hys iourny to Rome whereas he thoughte to haue founde all godlynesse and sincere Religigion in the end he fouÌ„d there as hee confessed such blasphemy of God contempte of Chrystes true religion loosenes of life and aboundance of all abhominations and filthinesse that it abhorred his heart and conscience any longer there to remayne althoughe he was greatlye requested by Cardinal Pole there to continue and to read 3. Lectures in the weeke in his house for y t which he offered hym great entertainment Whyche he refused so returninge homewarde hauynge a piece of money geuen him of the Cardinall at his departure to the value of a Frenche crowne towarde his charges came to Calyce as is aforesayd Who as he was there wayting
maruelled at it said plainly that y e Scripture knew no such terme of transubstantiation Damlip threatned by the Byshops Then begā the other Bishops to threaten him shortly to cōfute him with their accustomed argument I meane fire and fagot if hee should still stand to y e defence of that he had spoken Wherunto he constantly answered that he would the nexte day deliuer vnto them fully so much in writing as he had said whereto also he would stand and so was dismissed The next day at the houre appointed to appeare when they looked surely to haue apprehended hym in the meane season he had secrete intimation from the Bishop of Canterbury Damlip secretly warned to voide that if he did any more personally appeare he should be committed vnto Warde not like to escape cruell death Wherupon he plaieng in deede then somewhat old Adams part for such is man left in his owne handes had him commended vnto them and sent them four sheetes of paper learnedly written in the Latin toung cōteining his faith with his argumentes conferences of the Scriptures and allegations of the Doctours by a messenger or frend of his Whiche done he hauyng a little money giuen him in his purse by his frends stepped aside and went to the West countrey and there kept all the time whyle great trouble kindled against Gods people in Calice vpon the same as ye shall heare the Lord permitting After his departure the Kings Maiestie was aduertised that there was great dissention diuersitie of pernitious opinions in his sayd towne of Calice greatly tending to the daunger of the same Wherupō during yet the daies of the Lord Cromwell D. Champiō and M. Garret sent to preach at Calyce were sent ouer Doct. Champion Doctour of Diuinitie M. Garret who after was burned two godly and learned men to preach and instruct the people and to cōfute all pernitious errours who in effect preached and mainteined the same true doctrine which Adam Damlip had before set foorth and by reason thereof they left the Towne at their departure very quiet and greatly purged of the sclaunder that had runne on it After the departure of the sayd Champion and Garret one Sir William Smith Curate of our Lady Parishe in Calice a man very zelous though but meanely learned did begin to preach and earnestly to inuey against Papistrie and wilfull ignoraunce exhorting men obediently to receaue the word and no longer to contemne the same Syr W. Smith Curate and a zealous preacher at Calyce least Gods heauie plagues and wrath should fall vpon them which alwayes foloweth the contempt of his holy word Which sir William Smith for that sometime he would be very feruent zelous sharply inueying against the despisers of the word was moued by some of y e Counsell there who woulde seeme to fauour Gods word that he should not be so earnest against them that yet could not away with the same willing him to beare with suche for by bearing with them they might hap to be wonne Well well said the same Smith openly in the Pulpit one day as he preached some men say I am too earnest and will me to beare with such as continue open enemies against Christes holy Gospell and refuse nay forbid that any should reade the Bible or holy scripture within their house but let all such take heede for before God I feare that God for their contemning of his word will not long beare with them but make them in suche case as some of them shall not haue a head left them vpon their shoulders to beare vp their cap withal which also after came to pas This Smyth continued in the diligente bestowing of his talent there till shortly after the deuill got such hold in the harts of a number of Gods enemies that he with diuers other godly men were called ouer into Englande and charged with erroneous opinions worthy of great punishment as hereafter more at large shall appeare First the Lord Lislie the Kings deputy there whome we shewed to be the maintainer of Damlip albeit he were himselfe of a most gentle nature of a right noble bloud The Lord Lisli◠base sonne to K. Edward the 4. the base sonne of that noble Prince King Edwarde the fourth being fiercely set on and incessauntly entised by the wicked Lady Honor his wife who was an vtter enemie to Gods honour and in Idolatry hypocrisie pride incomparably euill she beeing dayly and hourely thereunto incited and prouoked by Sir Thomas Palmer Knight Iohn Rookewood Esquire two enemies to Gods word Syr Thomas Palmer M. Rookewood The Councell of Calice letters against the Protestantes beginning now to flourish at Calice these I say with certayne other of the Counsell of the sayd Towne of Calice to the number of vij mo besides themselues seeking occasion or rather a quarell where no iust cause was geuē begā to write very heinous letters and greuous complaints vnto the Lordes of the priuie Counsell agaynst dyuers of the Towne of Calice affirming that they were horribly infected with heresies and pernitious opinions As first the foresaid Adam Damlip who though he were for a time escaped their hands yet stacke still in their remembraunce from time to time vntill at last the innocent man was cruelly put to death as a traitor as hereafter shal appeare Also besides this Damlip they complained of Thomas Broke Rafe Hare likewise of Sir Iohn Butler then Commissarie and Sir W. Smith Iames Cocke aliàs Coppen de Hane Iames Barber other and the names of them all sente ouer Of the wich persons first the sayde Thomas Broke and Rafe Hare Coppen de Hane and Iames Barber were apprehended and sent ouer and cōmitted to prison in Westminster gate and then commanded to appeare before the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bish. of Winchester the Bishop of Chichester and ten other appointed by the Kings maiesties commission for the examination of them And their accusers also were sent ouer with letters from the Counsell there vnto his priuie Councell here in the furtheraunce of their malicious sutes against those honest men with certaine speciall letters directed vnto the Lord Fitzwilliams then Earle of South-hampton great Admirall of Englād to the L. Sandes Lord Chamberlayne of the Houshold likewise also to sir William Kingstone Knight Comptroller of y e houshold and to D. Sampson then B. of Chichester and other tending all to one effect that is to say to the vtter destruction of these godly men if God after his wonted manner had not mightely preserued them and as it were ouershadowed them with the wings of his mercy That the same may the better appeare you shall vnderstand that first Rafe Hare a man rude and so vnlearned that scarce he could reade yet through Gods grace The trouble o◠Rafe hare souldiour of Calice was very zelous and therwith lead so godly temperate a life as not one of his enemies
sayde he in the meane tyme taking no heede or care of the cruell torments which were then prepared for him The Martyrdome of M. George Wisehart And last of all the hangman that was hys tormentor sate downe vpon hys knees and said Syr I pray you forgeue me for I am not giltie of your death To whome hee answeared come hether to me When that he was come to him he kissed his cheeke and sayd Loe here is a token that I forgeue thee My heart do thine office and by and by he was put vpon the gibbet and hanged and there burnte to pouder When that the people beheld the great tormeÌ„ting they might not withholde from pitious mourning complaining of this innocent Lambes slaughter A note of the iust punishment of God vpon the cruell Cardinall Archbishop of S. Andrewes named Beaton IT was not long after the martyrdom of the blessed man of God M. George Wisehart aforesayd who was put to death by Dauid Beaton the bloudy Archbishop and Cardinall of Scotland as is aboue specified an 1546. the first day of March but the sayd Dauid Beaton Archbyshop of S. Andrewes by the iust reuenge of Gods mighty iudgement was slaine within his owne Castle of S. Andrewes by y e hands of one Lech other GeÌ„tlemeÌ„ who by the Lord stirred vp brake in sodenly into his Castle vpon him and in his bed murthered him the same yeare the last daye of May crying out Alas alas sley me not I am a Prieste And so like a butcher he liued The death of Dauid Beaton Archb. of Saint Andrewes and like a butcher he dyed lay 7. monethes and more vnburied at last like a carion buried in a dunghill an 1546. Maij vlt. Ex histor impressa After this Dauid Beaton succeeded Iohn Hamelton Archbishop of S. Andrewes an 1549. who to the entent that he would in no wayes appeare inferiour to his predecessour Iohn Hamelton Archbishop of S. Andrewes in augmenting the number of the holy Martirs of God in the next yeare following called a certayne poore man to iudgement whose name was Adam Wallace The order and maner of whose story heere followeth The story and Martyrdome of Adam Wallace in Scotland Iohn Hamelton a peâ—â—â—â—utor THere was set vpon a scaffold made hard to the Chauncelary wall of y e blacke Friers Church in Edinbrough on seates made therupon Adam Wallace Martir the L. Gouernour Aboue hym at his back sate M. Gawin Hamelton Deane of Glasgue representing the Metropolitane Pastor thereof The condeÌ„natâ—â—n of Adam Wallace â— pâ—ore man Upon a seate on his right hand sate the Archb. of S. Andrewes At his backe and aside somewhat stoode the Officiall Lowthaine Next to the Byshop of S. Andrewes the Byshop of Dunblane the Bishop of Murray the Abbot of Dunfermeling the Abbot of Glenâ—uce with other Churchmen of lower estimation as the Officiall of S. Andrewes other Doctours of that nest and City And at the other ende of the seate sate maister Uchiltrie On his left hand sate the Earle of Argyle Iustice with his Deputye Syr Iohn Campbell of Lundy vnder his feete Next him the Earle of Huntley Then the Earle of Anguish the Byshop of Gallaway the Prior of S. Andrewes the Bish. of Orkenay the L. Forbes Dane Iohn Wynrime Suppriour of S. Andrewes and behinde the seates stoode the whole senate the Clarke of the Register c. At the further end of the Chauncelary wall in the pulpit was placed M. Iohn Lauder parson of Marbottle accuser clad in a Surplice and a red hood and a great Congregation of the whole people in y e body of the church staÌ„ding on the ground After that Syr Iohn Ker Prebendary of S. Giles Church was accused conuicted and condemned for the false making and geuing forth of a senteÌ„ce of diuorce and thereby falsly diuorced and parted a man and his lawfull wife in the name of the Deane of Roscalrige and certaine other Iudges appointed by the holy Father the Pope Baâ—rabâ—s let 〈…〉 crucified He graunted the falshood and that neuer any such thing was done in deede nor yet ment nor moued by the foresad Iudges and was agreed to be banished the realmes of Scotland and England for his life time and to lose his right hande if he were found or apprehended therein heereafter and in the meane time to leaue his benefices for euer and they to be vacant After that was brought in AdaÌ„ Wallace a simple poore man in appearance Adam Walâ—â—ce broâ—â—ht in befâ—â—â— the 〈◊〉 and Pharisâ—is coÌ„ueyed by Iohn of Cunnoke seruant to the B. of S. Andrewes and set in the middest of y e scaffold who was commaunded to looke to the accuser who asked him what was his name He aunswered Adam Wallace The accuser sayd he had another name which he graunted and sayd he was commonly called Feane Then asked he where he was borne Ioh. Lauder his accuser Within two myle of Fayle said he in Kyle Then sayd the accuser I repent that euer such a poore man as you should put these noble Lords to so great encombrance this day by your vaine speaking Adam Wallace otherwise named Iohn Feane And I must speake sayd he as God geueth me grace and I beleue I haue said no euil to hurt any body Would God said the accuser ye had neuer spokeÌ„ but you are brought forth for so horrible crimes of heresie as neuer was imagined in this countrey of before and shall be sufficiently proued that ye can not deny it and I forethinke that it should be heard for hurting of weake consciences Now I wyll yea thee no more thou shalt heare the points that thou art accused of Adam Wallace aliâs Feane thou art openly delated and accused for preaching The Sacraâ—ent of the Popish◠〈◊〉 saying and teaching of the blasphemies and abominable heresies vnderwritten In the first thou hast said and taught that the bread and wine on the altar after the words of consecration are not the body and bloud of Iesu Christ. He turned to the Lord Gouernour and Lords aforesayd saying I sayd neuer nor taught nothing but that I found in this booke and writte hauyng there a Bible at his belte in French Dutch and English which is the word of God and if you will be content that the Lord God and his word be Iudge to me and this his holy writ here it is and where I haue sayd wrong The doctrine of Adam Wallace touching the Sacrament of the Lordes body I shal take what punishment you wil put to me for I neuer said nothing concerning this that I am accused of but that which I found in this writte What diddest thou say sayd the accuser I sayde quoth he that after our Lord Iesus Christ had eaten the Pascall Lambe in his latter Supper with his Apostles and fulfilled the ceremonies of the old law he instituted a new Sacrament in remembraunce of his death
weauer Agnes Grebill of Tenterden wife of Iohn Grebill the elder and mother to Iohn and Christoph. Grebill who with her own husband accused hir to death being of threscore yeare of age Rob. Harrison of Halden of the age of lx yeares Iohn Browne of Ashford Edward Walker of Maidstone Cutler The Articles whereupon these fiue blessed Martyrs were accused and condemned by the foresayd Iudges and witnesses were these as follow FIrst Ex Râ—gist W. Warham for holdinge that the sacrament of the aulter was not the very true bodye oâ— Christ but onely materiall bread in substaunce 2. That auricular confessioÌ„ was not to be made to a priest 3. That no power is geuen of God to Priestes of minystring sacramentes saying Masse or other Diuine seruice Their meaning was this that Priestes can claime no more vertue or hye estate by their orders then caâ— a lay 〈◊〉 more then to lay men 4. That the solemnisation of Matrimony is not necessary to saluation of soule neyther was instituted of God for a Sacrament they meant 5. That the sacrament of extreme vnction is not auaileable nor necessary to soules health 6. That the Images of the crosse of the crucifixe of y e blessed virgin and other Saintes are not to be worshipped that they which worship them do commit Idolatry 7. That pilgrimages to holy places and holy Reliques be not necessary nor meritorious to soules health 8. That inuocation is not to be made to sayntes but onely to God and that he onely heareth theyr prayers 9. That holy bread and holy water haue no more vertue after their consecration then before 10. That they haue beleued taught holden all and euery of the same damnable opinions before as they did at that present 11. That where they nowe haue confessed theyr erroures they would not haue so done but onely for feare of manyfest proufes brought agaynst them eyther els but for feare to be conuicted by them they would neuer haue confessed y e same of theyr owne accord 12. That they haue commoned and talked of the sayd damnable errours heretofore with diuers other persons and haue had bookes concerning the same The order and fourme of processe vsed agaynst these fiue Martyrs aforesayd and first of William Carder Anno. 1511. WIlliam Carder being conueÌ„ted before William WarrhaÌ„ Archbishop The processe of iudgement agaynst W. Carder Martyr and his Chancellour Cutbert Tonstal Doctour Siluester Doctor Welles Clement BroweÌ„ with other moe the Notaries being William Potkyng and Dauid Cooper the Articles and interrogatoryes a-aboue specified were layd vnto him Which articles he ther and then denied affirming that he neuer did nor doth hold any such opinions otherwise then becommeth that euerye Christen man shoulde doe ready to conforme hymselfe in all poyntes to their doctrine therfore to cleare himselfe y e better gaynst those Interrogatories obiected against them he stood in denyaâ—l of the same The like also did euerye of the other foure martyrs after hym All whiche notwithstanding The straight dealing of W. Warham Archbyshop of Canterbury the vncharitable Archbyshop seeking all aduauntage agaynst him that he might more then right law would geâ—e brought in agaynst hym such witnesses as before were abiured whom he knew for feare of relapse durst doe none other but disclose whatsoeuer they knew to wit Christopher Grebyll William Rich Agnes Iue Iohn Grebill Robert Hils Witnesses agaynst W. Carder Stephen Castelyn Whose depositions being taken and the sayd Carder being asked what he could lay for hymselfe hee had nothing he sayd to produce agaynst theyr attestations but submitted him vnto theyr mercye saying moreouer that if he had euer any misbeliefe of the sacrament of the Church contrary to the common holding of the Catholickes hee now was sory repented him therof Which being done y e archb this his submission notw tstanding notwithstanding that y e Register maketh no mention of any relapse coÌ„trary to good law at least contrary to all Christen charity proceeded to the reading of his blinde sentence and so condemned him who neyther stoode stubbernely to that whiche he did hold neither yet did hold any thinge contrary to the mind of holy scripture to the execution of burning Then after him was called for Agnes Grebill and examined of the sayd xii articles aboue recited whiche she in like maner denyed as the other had done before puttyng her aduersaries to ther proof Then the archbishop calling for Iohn Grebyll her husband and Christopher and Ioh. Grebyll her two sonnes who before had bene abiured caused them vppon theyr othe to depose agaynst theyr owne naturall mother and so they did First Iohn Grebell the elder her husband examined by vertue of hys othe to say how Agnes his wife hath and doth beleue of the sacrament of the aultar of going in pilgrimage offeringes and worshipping of Sayntes Images c. and how long she hath so holdeÌ„ thus deposed that first about the end of king Edwardes dayes the fourth in his house by the teaching of Iohn Iue she was brought to that beliefe and so forth from thence dayly till this time of detection she hath continued And besides that sayd he when my children Christofer and Iohn being about seauen yeares of age were then taught of me in my house the said errour of the Sacrament of the aultar and by the sayd Agnes my wife diuers times she was alwayes of one mind in the said misbeliefe against the Sacrament of the aultar The Catholicke Clergie of the Papistes set the husband agaynst the wife that it was not Christes body flesh and bloud but only bread Furthermore being examined how he knew that she was stedfast in the sayd errour he sayd that she alwaies without contradiction affirmed this teaching and sayde the sayd opinion was good and was well contented that her children aforesaid The Catholicke Papistes set the Children to accuse their owne mother were of the same opinions againste the Sacramente of the aultar c. Ex verbis Registri The Byshop with his Catholicke Doctours not yet contented with this to set the husband agaynst the wyfe proceeding further in their Catholicke zeale caused her two children Christofer and Iohn to be produced Christopher Grebill and Iohn Grebill witnes agaynst Agnes Grebill theyr mother one of the age of xxij the other of xix against their owne naturall mother Who likewise being pressed with their othe witnessed and sayd that the foresaid Agnes their mother held beleeued taught and defended that the Sacrament of the aultar was but bread and not the very body of Christ fleshe and bloud That Baptisme was no better in the Fount then out of the Fount That confirmation was of no effect That the solemnisation of Matrimony was no sacrament That confession to God alone was sufficient Also that going in pilgrimage and worshipping of Saints and Images was of none effect c. Item that their father and the sayd Agnes
bishop of Winchester for so much as he in king Edwardes tyme bragged so much of his old mayster of famous memory king Henr. 8. to y e entent y t the glorious vanitie of this bishop of all other like vnto him more notoriously may appeare to al meÌ„ heere is to be noted by the testification as well of mayster Deny as also of Sir Henry Neuell who were there present witnesses of the matter whose record is this that king Henry before the time of his sicknes taking his horse vppon the tarras at Windsore to ride out on hauking sawe standing before him the Lorde Wryothesley Lord Chancelour with diuers other Counsellours and amoÌ„gst them the Bishop of Winchester Whereupon he called the Lorde Chancelour and sayd Winchester commaunded no more to come in the kings sight Did not I commaund you he shuld come no more amongst you meaning the Bishop Wherunto the Lorde Chauncellour aunswered that his comming was to bring his Maiestie word of a beneuolence geuen vnto him by the Cleargie Whereat the King sayd Ah let him come hether and so he did his message and the King went straight away Item another time the King immediatly after his repaire to London fell sicke and caused diuers times hys whole Counsell to come vnto him about his will and other his graue affaires Winchester though he wer excluded yet would seeme stil to be of the kinges Counsel At what time the Bishop also would come vp with them into the vtter priuie Chamber and there remayne vntill the Counsell came from the King and then go downe with them agayne to the ende as then was thought to blind the world withall Furthermore as the King grewe more in sickenes he considering vpon his will and testament made before at his going ouer to Bullein willed the same to be drawne out againe with leauing out and excluding the Byshop of Winchester by name from amongst his Executors Which being to him no small corsey and a cutting off of all theyr purposes Winâ— excluded out of the kinges will a way was found that Sir Anthony Browne a principall pillar of Winchesters side pretending vnto the King as though by the negligence of the writer the Byshops name had bene left out of the Kings will kneeled downe to the Kings Maiestie Syr Anthony Browne a great frend to Wint. lying in his bed and sayd My Lord of Winchester I thinke by negligence is left out of your Maiesties wil who hath done your highnes most paynefull long and notable seruice and one without whome the rest shall not be able to ouercome your greate and weighty affaires committed vnto them Hold your peace quoth the King I remembred hym well inough and of good purpose haue left him out For surely if he were in my testameÌ„t and one of you he would cumber you all and you should neuer rule him he is of so troublesome a nature Mary quoth the King I my selfe could vse him and rule him to all maner of purposes as seemed good to me King Henryes opinion of the Bishop of Winchest but so shall you neuer do and therefore talke no more of him to me in this behalfe Syr Anthony Browne perceiuing the king somewhat stiffe heerein gaue place to the Kings words at that time Howbeit seeking farther occasion vpoÌ„ more perswasions put into his head tooke in hand once againe to moue the King to haue the Byshop one of his Executors When the King perceyued that this instant sute would not cease haue you not yet done quoth the King to molest me in this matter If you wil not cease farther to trouble me by the faith that I owe vnto God I will surely dispatch thee out of my will also and therefore let vs heare no more of this matter All thys Sir Anthony Deny was heard to report to the Archbyshop of Cant. Thom. Cranmer Witnes of the sayd Archbyshops Secretary who is yet aliue and witnes to the same And thus much touching the end of King Henry who if he had continued a few moneths longer all those obites and Masses whiche appeare in his will made before hee went to Bulleyne notwithstandyng most certayne it is to be signified to all posteritie that his full purpose was to haue repurged the estate of the Church to haue gone through with the same The purpose of the king if he had liued was to make a perfect reformation of religion so that he would not haue left one masse in all England For the more certayne intelligence whereof two things I haue to leade me The one is the assured report and testimonie of Tho. Cranmer Archbyshop of Caunterbury hearing the King declare the same out of his owne mouth both to himselfe to Mounsieur de Annebault Lord Admirall the French Ambassadour in the moneth of August a little before his death as aboue may appeare more at large Credite of this narration that it is true page 1240. The other cause which leadeth me thereunto is also of equall credite grouÌ„ded vpon the declaration of the Kings owne mouth after that time more neare to his death vnto Bruno Ambassadour of Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie Unto the which Ambassadour of Saxony the King gaue this aunswere openly that if the quarrell of the Duke of Saxony were nothing else against the Emperour but for religion The kinges aunswere to the Duke of Saxonies Ambassadour a little before his death he should stand to it strongly and he would take his part willing him not to doubt nor feare and so with this aunswere dimissed the Ambassadour vnto the Duke openly in the hearing of these foure sufficient witnesses the L. Scymâ—r Earle of Harforde Lorde Lisley then Admirall the Earle of Bedford Lorde Priuy Seale and Lorde Paget But the secret working of Gods holy prouidence whyche disposeth all things after his own wisedome and purpose thought it good rather by taking the King away to reserue the accomplishmeÌ„t of this reformation of his church to the peaceable time of his sonne Edward and Elizabeth his daughter whose handes were yet vndefiled wyth any bloud and life vnspotted with any violence or crueltie And thus to finish this booke I thought heere to close vp King Henries raigne But because a little vacant space of empty paper remayneth behinde needefull to be filled vp to employ therefore and to replenishe the same wyth some matter or other I thought to annexe heere vnto one story which hapned in this King Henries raigne Which albeit it serueth not to the purpose of this our matter now in hand yet neuerthelesse to supply the roome it may stand in some place either to refreshe the traueiled minde of the Reader wearied with other stories or else to disclose the detestable impietie of these counterfeite sectes of Monkes and Friers who vnder the hipocriticall visour of pretensed Religion haue so long seduced and deceiued the world Although the deceitfull parts and practises of these
brought openly to the Cathedrall Church and so to the place of punishment where malefactours are executed and there should make open confession of their wickednes But euen at the same tyme chaunced a persecution against the Lutheranes which was the cause that this sentence albeit it was too gentle for so great offence was not put in execution For because the name of the Lutheranes was most odious they feared least the punishment of these men should not haue bene so much thought to be due for their offence The Fryers â—â—caped and 〈◊〉 Lutheâ—â—â—es puniâ—â—â—d as done in reproch of the order and many thought that whatsoeuer should be done to them it would be to the Lutheranes a pleasant spectacle and cause them much to reioice This order of the Franciscanes was esteemed of the common people very holy so that what tyme they were carried out of Paris certayne women mooued wyth pitie followed them vnto the gate of the Uniuersitie wyth many teares and sighes After they came to Orleance and were bestowed in seuerall prisons they began to boast agayne of their liberties and priuiledges and at length after long imprisonment they were discharged and set at libertie without anye further punishmente Had not these persecutions before mentioned letted the matter the King had determined as it was certaynely reported to plucke downe their house and make it euen with the ground Ex Io. Sleid. lib. 9. But to leaue the memorye of thys Idolatrous generation not worthy any further to be named let vs occupy the tyme with some better matter 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 M. 〈◊〉 tyme. in remembring the story of a good and constant Martir of the Lorde before ouerpast whiche suffered in Kent for the worde of God before Luthers time about the second yeare of this kings raigne as heere in story followeth Iohn Browne a blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus burned at Ashford by Archbishop Warrham and Doct. Fisher Bish. of Rochester about the 2. yeare of king Henry the 8. An. 1511. Persecuters Martir The cause W. Warrh Archb. of Cant. Fisher byshop of Rochester A chauÌ„try priest Walter More Gentleman William More hys brother Children of Wye Baily arraÌ„t Beare of Wilborough Two seruauntes of Wil. Warham I. Browne of Ashford At Asheford Ann. 1511. The first occasion of the trouble of this I. Brown the blessed seruaunt of God The story of Iohn Browne Martyr was by a certayne Prieste who passing downe to Graues end in the coÌ„mon Barge where the sayd Ioh. Brown was amongest diuers other passingers moe and disdayning y t hee so saucely shoulde sit so neare vnto him in the Barge who belyke seemed not muche to passe vppon the Priest began to swell in stomacke agaynst him At length bursting forth in his priestly voyce and disdaynefull countenaunce hee asked hym in this maner Doest y u know sayd he who I am thou sittest to neare me and fittest on my clothes No sir sayde the other I know not what you are I tell thee quoth hee I am a priest What sir are you a parson or vicar Talke betweeâ— Iohn Browne a proud Priest 〈◊〉 in Graues end 〈◊〉 Barge or some ladies chapleine No quoth he agayne I am a soule Priest I sing for a soule Doe you so sir quoth the other that is well done I pray you sir sayd he where find you the soule when you go to Masse I cannot tel thee sayd the Priest I pray you where doe you leaue it sir when the Masse is done I cannot tell thee sayde the priest Neither can you tell where to find it when you goe to Masse nor where you leaue it when the Masse is done howe can you then saue the soule sayd he Go thy wayes said the priest I perceiue thou art an hereticke and I will be euen with thee So at the landing Walter More William More Chilten and Beare persecuters the priest taking with him Walter More and W. More two Gentlemen and brethren rode straightwayes to the archbishop who theÌ„ was Wil. Warham Wherupon the sayd Iohn Browne within 3. dayes after was seÌ„t for by the archbishop His bringers vp were Chilten of Wye baily arraunt and one Beare of Wilseborough with two of the bishops seruantes Who with certayn other being appoynted for the same came sodenly into his house vppon him Iohn Browne sodeinly taken and caryed away the same day when his wife was churched as hee was bringing in a messe of pottage to the bourd seruing his gestes and so laying hands vpon hym set him vpon his owne horse and binding his feete vnder the horses belly caryed him away to Canterbury neither he nor his wife nor any of his friendes knowing whether he went nor whether he should and there continuing the space of 40. dayes froÌ„ LowsoÌ„day till Friday before Whitsonday through the cruell handling of the sayd Archb. and y e B. of Rochest D. Fisher hee was so piteously intreated His bare 〈◊〉 set vpon the hote coales to make him deny the truth that his bare feete were set vpon the hote burning coales to make him deny his fayth whiche notwithstanding hee would not doe but paciently abiding y e payne continued in the Lordes quarrell vnremoueable At length after al this crueltie susteined his wife yet not knowing where he was become on Friday before Whitsonday he was sent to Ashford where he dwelt the next day there to be burned In the meane time Brown brought to Ashford to be burned as he was brought to the town ouer night there to be set in the stockes it happened as God would that a young mayde of his house comming by and seeing her mayster ran home and told her mistres Then she comming to him and finding him in y e stocks appoynted to be burned the next morow Browne set in the stockes at Ashford sat by him all the night long To whome then he declared the whole story or rather tragedy how he was haÌ„dled and how his feet were burned to the bones that he could not set them vppon the ground by the two Bishops aforesayde he thanked God therfore and all to make me sayd hee to deny my Lorde which I will neuer doe for if I should deny him sayde he in this world he would deny me hereafter And therfore I pray thee sayd he good Elizabeth continue as y u hast begon bring vp thy childreÌ„ vertuously in the feare of God And so the next day which was on Whitson euen thys godly martyr was burned where he standing at the stake sayd this prayer holding vp his handes as followeth The prayer of Browne at his death O Lord I yeeld me to thy grace Graunt me mercy for my trespace Let neuer the fiend my soule chace The prayer of Iohn Browne at his death Lord I will bow and thou shalt beate Let neuer my soule come in hell heate Into thy handes I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord of truth And so
the Christian Preachers Vnorderly proceeding of the aduersaryes aâ—gainst Goâ—â— people their goodes and bookes taken from them and they slandered to be most hainous heretikes their enemies themselues being both witnesses accusers and Iudges belying slandering and misreportyng your said subiectes at their pleasure whereas your sayd subiectes beyng straightly kept in prison cannot yet be suffred to come forth and make aunswer accordingly In consideration whereof it may please your most excellent Maiesties and this your high court of Parliament graciously to tender the present calamitie of your sayd poore subiects and to call them before your presence graunting them liberty either by mouth or writing in the playne English tong to aunswer before you or before indifferent Arbiters to be appointed by your Maiesties vnto such articles of controuersie in religion as their sayd aduersaries haue already condemned them of Request of the Preachers to stand to thâ— triall of their doctrine befoâ—â— indifferenâ— Iudges as of hainous heresies Prouided that all things may be done with such moderation quiet behauior as becommeth subiectes and children of peace that your said subiects may haue the free vse of all their owne bookes and conference together among themselues Which thing beyng granted your said subiects doubt not but it shall plainly appeare that your sayd subiects are true and faithful christians neither heretikes neither teachers of heresie nor cut of from the true catholike vniuersal church of Christ Yea that rather their aduersaries themselues be vnto your Maiesties as were the charmers of Egypt vnto Pharao Sedechias his adherents vnto the king of Israel Actes 1â— and Bariesu to the Proconsul Sergius Paulus And if your said subiects be not able by the testimonie of Christ his prophets Apostles godly fathers of his church to prooue that the doctrine of the church homilies and seruice taught and set forth in the tyme of our late most godly prince and king Edward the 6. is the true doctrine of Christes Catholicke church and most agreeable to the articles of the christian fayth your sayd subiects offer themselues then to the most heauy punishment that it shall please your maiesties to appoynt Wherfore for the tender mercy of God in Christ which you looke for at the day of iudgement your sayd poore subiectes in bonds most humbly beseech your most excellent maiesties and this your high court of Parliament beningly and graciously to heare and graunt this their petition tendyng so greatly to the glory of God to the edifiyng of his church to the honor of your maiesties to the commendation and maintenaÌ„ce of iustice right and equitie both before God and man And your sayd subiectes according to their bounden duety shall not cease to pray vnto almighty God for the gracious preseruation of your most excellent maiesties long to endure ⧠The ende of the tenth Booke Anâ—â— 1554. â—â—bruaâ—◠¶ Here beginneth the eleuenth Booke wherein is discoursed the bloudy murthering of Gods Saintes with the particular Processes and Names of such good Martyrs both Men and Women as in this tyme of Queene Mary were put to death ⧠The Story Life and Martyrdome of Maister IOHN ROGERS THE fourth daye of February suffered the constant Martyr of God M. Iohn Rogers concernynge whose life examinations and suffring here followeth in order set forth And first touching his lyfe and bringing vp Iohn Rogers brought vp in the Uniuersitie of Cambridge where hee profitably trauelled in good learning â— Rogers â—haplayne 〈◊〉 the â—archaunt 〈…〉 Rogers brought to the03 Goâ—pell 〈◊〉 M. W. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 at the length was chosen and called by the Merchants Aduenturers to be their Chaplaine at Antwerpe in Brabant whome he serued to their good contentation many yeares It chaunced him there to fal in company with that worthy seruant and Martyr of God William Tindall and with Miles Couerdale which both for the hatred they bare to popish superstition and idolatry and loue to true religion had forsaken their natiue country In conferring with them the scriptures he came to great knowledge in the Gospell of God in so much that he cast of the heauy yoke of Popery perceiuyng it to be impure and filthy Idolatry and ioyned himselfe with them two in that paynefull most profitable labour of translating the Bible into the Englishe tongue which is intituled The Translation of Thomas Mathew He knowing by the scriptures that vnlawful vows may lawfully be broken and that Matrimony is both honest and honourable amongest all men ioyned hymselfe in lawfull matrimonye and so went to Wittemberge in Saxony where he with much sobernes of liuyng did not onely greatly encrease in all good and godly learnyng but also so much profited in the knowledge of the Dutch tong that the charge of a congregation was orderly committed to his cure In which ministery he diligently and faithfully serued many yeares vntil such tyme as it pleased God by y e faithfull trauell of his chosen and deare seruant king Edward the sixt vtterly to banish all Popery forth of England to receiue in true Religion settyng Gods Gospell at liberty He then beyng orderly called hauyng both a conscience and a ready good will to helpe forward the worke of the Lord in his natiue country left such honest and certaine conditions as he had in Saxony and came into England to preach the Gospel without certaintie of any condition In which office after he had a space diligently and faithfully trauailed Nicholas Ridley then bishop of London gaue him a Prebende in the Cathedrall Churche of Paules and the Deane and the Chapter chose hym to be the Reader of the Diuinitie lesson there wherein he diligently trauailed vntill such tyme as Queene Mary obtaining the crowne banished the Gospell and true religion and brought in the Antichrist of Rome with his Idolatry and superstition After the Queene was come to the Tower of LondoÌ„ he beyng orderly called thereunto made a godly and vehement Sermon at Paules Crosse confirmyng such true doctrine as he and other had there taught in K. Edwards dayes exhortyng the people constantly to remayne in the same and to beware of all pestilent Popery Idolatry and superstition The Councel beyng then ouermatched with popish and bloudy bishops M. Rogers called to accompt for his Sermon at Paules Crosse. called hym to accompt for his Sermon To whom he made a stout wittie godly answer and yet in such sort handled himself that at that time he was clearely dismissed But after that Proclamation was set foorth by the Queene to prohibite true preachyng he was called agayne before the Counsel for the bishops thirsted after his bloud The Counsell quarelled wyth hym concerning his doctrine and in conclusion commanded hym as prisoner to keepe his owne house and so hee did although by flying he might easily haue escaped their cruell hands and many thyngs there were M. Rogers agaâ—ne called before the Counsell and commaunded
to talke one of them one thynge and an other a nother Alas neither wil these men heare me if I speake neither yet wil they suffer me to write There is no remedy but let them alone and commit the matter to God Yet I began to go forward and said that I would make the texts to agree and to prooue my purpose well enough L. Chan. No no thou canst proue nothing by the scripture The scripture is dead it must haue a liuely expositor Rog. No the Scripture is aliue But let me goe forwarde wyth my purpose Wor. All heretikes haue alleaged the scriptures for them and therefore we must haue a liuely expositor for them Rog. Yea all heretikes haue alleaged the Scriptures for them but they were coÌ„futed by the scriptures and by none other expositor Wor. But they wold not confesse that they were ouercome by the scriptures I am sure of that Rog. I beleeue that and yet were they ouercome by them and in all CouÌ„cels they were disputed with ouerthrown by the scriptures Confused 〈◊〉 withâ—ut order And heere I would haue declared howe they ought to procede in these daies so haue come againe to my purpose but it was vnpossible for one asked one thing an other saide an other so that I was faine to holde my peace and let them talke And euen wheÌ„ I would haue taken holde on my proofe the Lord Chauncelor bad to prison with me again and away away said he we haue more to talke withall if I woulde not be reformed so he termed it away away Then vp I stoode for I had kneeled all the while Then sir Richard Southwell who stoode by in a window sayd to me thou wilt not burne in this geare when it commeth to the purpose Sir Rich. Southwell â—peaketh I know well that Rog. Sir I cannot tel but I trust to my Lorde God yes lifting vp mine eyes vnto heauen B. of Ely The bishop of Ely speaketh Then my Lord of Ely told me much of the Quenes Maiesties pleasure and meaning and set it out wyth large wordes saying that shee tooke them that woulde not receiue the Bishop of Romes supremacie to be vnworthy to haue her mercy c. Roger. I sayde I would not refuse her mercye and yet I neuer offended her in all my life And that I besought her Grace and all their honors to be good to me reseruing my conscience Diuers speake at once No quoth they then a great sorte of them Diuers â—peake at â—nce and specially Secretary Bourne a maried priest and haue not offended the lawe Rog. I sayd I had not broken the Queenes lawe nor yet any poynt of the law of the Realme therin For I married where it was lawfull Diuers at once Where was that sayd they thinking that to be vnlawfull in all places Diuers speake at â—nce Rog. In Dutchland And if ye had not heere in England made an open law that Priestes might haue had wiues I would neuer haue come home again â—awfulnes of priestes mariage 〈◊〉 Rogers â—rought 8. children with him â—nto Engâ—â—nd for I brought a wife and eight children with me whych thing yee might be sure that I would not haue done if the lawes of the realme had not permitted it before Then there was a great noise some saying that I was come too soone with such a sort I should finde a soure comming of it and some one thing some another And one said I coulde not well perceyue who that there was neuer catholike man or countrey that euer graunted that a priest might haue a wife Rog. I sayd the Catholike churche neuer denied mariage to Priests M Rogers had away to prison nor yet to any other man and therewith was I going out of the chamber the sergeaunt which brought me thether hauing me by the arme Wor. Then the B. of Worcester turned his face towardes me and saide that I wist not where that church was or is Rog. I sayd yes that I could tell where it was but therewith went the sergeant with me out of the doore This was the very true effecte of all that was spoken vnto me and of all that I answeared thereunto And here would I gladly make a more perfect answere to al y e former obiections as also a due proofe of that which I had taken in hande but at this present I was informed that I should to morrow come to further answer Wherefore I am compelled to leaue out that which I wold most gladly haue done desiring here the hearty vnfained helpe of the praiers of all Christes true members the true imps of the true vnfained Catholicke Churche that the Lorde God of all coÌ„solation wil now be my comfort aid streÌ„gth buckler and shield as also of all my brethren that are in the same case distresse that I and they all may despise all maner of threats and cruelty and euen the bitter burning fire and the dreadfull dart of death and sticke like true soldiors to our deare louing captaine Christ our onely redemer and sauiour and also the only true head of the church that doth all in vs al which is y e very property of an heade and is a thing that all the Bishops of Rome cannot doe and that we doe not traiterously run out of his tents or rather out of the plaine field from him in the most ieopardy of the battaile but that wee may perseuere in the fight if he will not otherwise deliuer vs till we be most cruelly slayne of his enemies For this I most hartely and at thys present with weeping teares most instantly earnestly desire and beseeche you all to pray And also if I die to be good to my poore and most honest wife being a poore straunger and all my little soules hers and my children M. Rogers carefull prayer for his wife and children Whom with all the whole faithfull and true catholicke congregation of Christ the Lord of life and death saue keepe and defend in all the troubles and assaults of this vaine world and to bryng at the last to euerlasting saluation the true sure inheritance of all crossed Christians Amen Amen The 27. day of Ianuarie at night The 2. confession of Iohn Rogers made and that should haue bene made if I might haue ben heard the 28. and 29. day of Ianuarie 1555. FIrst being asked againe by the Lord Chauncelor The 2. examination of Maister Rogers whether I would come into one Church wyth the Bishops and whole realme as now was concluded by ParliameÌ„t in the which all the Realme was conuerted to the Catholike churche of Rome and so receiue the mercy before profered me arising againe with the whole realme Winchesters mercy what it meaneth out of the schisme and errour in which we had long bene with recantation of my errors I answered that before I coulde not tell what his mercy meant but now I vnderstoode that it was
the time of K. Edward affirmed that he would not agree to that decreement of vniformitie but vpoÌ„ this condition that if they would needes haue such an vniformitie of wearing the cap tippet c. then it shoulde also be decreed with all that the Papistes for a difference betwixt them and other shuld be constrayned to weare vpon their sleeues a Chalice with an host vpon it Whereunto if they would consent he would agree to the other otherwise he would not he sayd consent to the setting forth of the same nor euer weare the cap as in deede he neuer did To proceede now further in describing the doinges of this man during the time while he remayned prysoner in Newgate he was to the prisoners beneficiall and liberall for whome he had thus deuised Prouision by M. Rogers for the prisoners that he with his fellowes should haue but one meale a day they paying notwythstanding for the charges of the whole the other meale should be geuen to them that lacked on the other side of the prison But Alexander their keeper a strait man and a right Alexander Alexander Andrew Gayler of Newgate compâ—red to Alexander the Copersmith a Copersmith in deede of whose doings more shall be said God willing hereafter would in no case suffer that The Sonday before he suffered he dronke to M. Hooper beeing then vnderneath him and bad them commende him vnto him and tell him there was neuer little fellow better would sticke to a man then hee woulde sticke to him presupposing they should both be burned together although it hapned otherwise for M. Rogers was burnt alone And thus much briefly concerning the life and such actes of M. Rogers as I thought worthy noting Now when the time came that he being deliuered to the Sheriffes should be brought out of Newgate to Smithfield the place of his execution first came to him M. Woodrofe one of the foresaid Sheriffes and calling M. Rogers vnto him asked him if he would reuoke his abhominable doctrine The 〈◊〉 of Master Woodrofe to M. Roâ—gers and his euill opinion of the Sacrament of the aulter M. Rogers answered and sayd that which I haue preached I will seale with my bloud Then quoth maister Woodrofe thou art an hereticke That shall be knowne quoth Rogers at the day of iudgement Well quoth mayster Woodrofe I will neuer pray for thee But I will pray for you quoth M. Rogers and so was brought the same day which was Monday the fourth of February by the Sheriffes toward Smithfield saying the Psalme Miserere by the way all the people wonderfully reioycing at hys constancie with great prayses and thankes to God for the same and there in the presence of M. Rochester Comptroller of the Queenes housholde Sir Richard Southwell both the Sheriffes and a woonderfull number of people he was burned into ashes washing his handes in the flame as he was in burning A little before his burning at the stake M. Rogeâ—â— refuseth 〈◊〉 pardon his pardon was brought if he woulde haue recanted but he vtterly refused it He was the first Protomartyr of all that blessed company that suffered in Queene Maryes time that gaue the first aduenture vpon the fire His wife and children being xj in number x. able to go and one sucking on her brest met him by the way as he went towards Smithfield this sorowfull sight of hys owne flesh and bloud could nothing moue him but that he constantly and cheerefully tooke his death with woonderfull patience in y e defence quarell of Christes Gospell The burning of M. Iohn Rogers Vicar of S. Pulchers and Reader of Paules in London * The history and martyrdome of Laurence Saunders burned for the defence of the Gospell at Couentry An. 1555. February 8. AFter that Queene Mary by publicke proclamation in the first yeare of her raigne February 8. had inhibited the sincere preaching of Gods holy word as is before declared dyuers godly Ministers of the word which had the cure and charge of soules committed to them The story of Laurence SauÌ„ders Martyr did notwithstanding according to their bounden duty feede their flocke faythfully not as Preachers authorized by publicke authoritye as the godly order of the Realme was in the happy daies of blessed King Edwarde but as the priuate pastors of particular flockes among whome Laurence Saunders was one Scholers are taken out of Eton Colledge into the kinges Colledge at Cambridge a man of worshipfull parentage His bringing vp was in learning from his youth in places meete for that purpose as namely in the schoole of Eaton From whence according to the manner there vsed he was chosen to go to the Kings Colledge in Cambridge where he continued scholler of the Colledge three whole yeares and there profited in knowledge and learning very much for that time shortly after that he did forsake the Uniuersitie and went to his parents vpon whose aduise he minded to become a Merchaunt for that his mother was a Gentlewoman of good estimation being left a widdow and hauing a good portion for him among his other brethren she thought to set him vp welthely and so he comming vp to London was bound prentise with a Marchaunt named Sir William Chester who afterward chanced to be Sheriffe of London the same yeare that Saunders was burned at Couentry M. Saunders first bound preÌ„tise with M. Chester Thus by the minde of his frends Laurence should needes haue bene a Marchant but almighty God which hath his secret working in all things saw better for his seruant as it fell out in the end for although that Saunders was bound by fast indenture to play the Marchant yet the Lord so wrought inwardly in his hart that he could find no liking in that vocation so that when hys other fellowes were busily occupied about that kinde of trade he would secretly withdraw himselfe into some priuy corner and there fall into his solitary lamentations as one not liking with that kind and trade of life It hapned that his maister being a good man and hearing his prentise thus in his secret prayers inwardely to moorne by himselfe called him vnto him to knowe what the cause was of that his solitarines and lamentation who then perceiuing his minde nothing to fantasie that kind of life for so Saunders declared vnto him and perceauing also his whole purpose to be bent to the study of his booke and spirituall contemplation like a good man directed his letters incontinently vnto his frends and geuing him his Indenture so set him free And thus Laurence Saunders being rauished with the loue of learning and especially with the reading of Gods word taryed not long time in the trafficke of marchandise but shortly returned to Cambridge againe to his study where he began to couple to the knowledge of the Latin the study of the Greeke tongue wherein he profited in small time very much Therewith also he ioyned the study of the Hebrue
but at length they were perceaued and detected to the foresayde Edmund Boner Bishoppe of London M. Higbed and M. Causton deâ—ected to Boner peraduenture not without the same organ which sent vp William Hunter as is aboue declared By reason whereof by commaundement they were committed to the officers of Colchester to be safely kept and with them also a seruant of Thomas Causton who in this praise of Christian godlines was nothing inferior to his maister Boner the forsayd Byshop perceiuing these 2. Gentlemen to be of worshipful estate of great estimation in that countrey least any tumult shoulde thereby arise came thether himselfe accompanied with M. Fecknam and certaine other B Boner commeth himselfe to Colchester thinking to reclaim them to his faction and fashion so that great labour diligence was taken therein as wel by terrors and threatnings as by large promises and flatteringe and all faire meanes to reduce them againe to the vnitie as they termed it of the mother church In fine when nothing coulde preuaile to make them assent to theyr doings at length they came to thys poynte that they required certaine respite to consulte with themselues what were best to doe Whych time of deliberation being expired and they remaining still constant and vnmooueable in their professed doctrine and setting oute also their confession in wryting the bishop seeing no good to be done in tarying any longer there M. Higbed and M. Causton caryed to London departed thence caried them bothe with hym to London and wyth them certaine other prisonners also which about the same time in those quarters were apprehended It was not long after thys but these prisonners being at London committed to strait prison and there attempted sundrye wise by the Bishop and his Chapleines to reuoke their opinioÌ„s at length when no persuasions wold serue they were brought forth to open examination at the Consistorie in Paules the first dayes Session the 17. daye of Februarie An. 1555. Where they were demaunded aswell by the said bishop as also by the Bishop of Bathe others whether they would recant their errors peruerse doctrine as they termed it and so come to y e vnitie of the Popish Church Which when they refused to doe the Byshop assigned them likewise the next day to appeare againe being the 18. of Februarie On the whych daye among many other thinges there sayd and passed The second dayes Sessiâ—on he read vnto them seuerally certaine Articles and gaue them respite vntill the next day to aunswer vnto the same so committed them againe to prisone The copie of which Articles here vnder foloweth Articles obiected and ministred by Boner B. of London seuerally against Tho. Causton Thomas Higbed of Essex FIrst that thou Thomas Causton or Thomas Higbed hast bene and arte of the Diocesse of London Articles laiâ— by B. Boner to M. Higbed and Causton and also of the iurisdiction now of me Edmund Bishop of London Item that thou was in time past according to the order of the Church of England baptised and christened Item that thou haddest Godfathers and Godmother according to the said order Item that the said Godfathers and Godmothers did theÌ„ promise for thee and in thy name the faith and religion that then was vsed in the realme of England Item that that faith and Religion which they did professe make for thee was accompted and taken to be the faith and Religion of the Churche and of the Christian people and so was it in very deede Item thou comming to the age of discretion that is to saye to the age of xiiij yeares diddest not mislike nor disallowe that faith that Religion or promise then vsed and approued and promised by the said Godfathers and Godmother but for a time diddest continue in it as other taking themselues for Christen people did likewise Item that at that time and also before it was taken for a doctrine of the Churche Catholicke and true and euerye where in Christendom then allowed for Catholicke and true and to be the profession of a Christen man to beleeue that in the Sacrament of the aultare vnder the formes of breade and wine after the consecration there was and is by the omnipotent power and will of almighty God and his woorde without any substance of breade and wine there remaining The reall presence the true and naturall body and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in substance which was borne of the virgine Marie and suffered vppon the Crosse really truely and in very deede Item that at that time thy father and mother all thine auncestors all thy kindred acquaintance and frends and thy sayd Godfathers and Godmother did then so beleeue and thinke in all the same as the sayd Church did therein beleeue Item that thy selfe hast had no iust cause or lawfull grounde to departe or swarue from the sayde Religion or faith nor no occasion at all except thou wilt followe and beleeue the erroneous opinion or beliefe that hath ben against the common order of the Church brought in by certaine disordred persons of late and at the vttermost within these 30. or 40. yeares last past Item that thou doest knowe or credibly hast heard and doest beleue that D. Robert Barnes Iohn Frith Tho. Garrerd Hierome Also sir Edmund Boner priest before the death of Cromwell seemed to be of the opinion and was swornâ— twise agaynst the Pope Lassels Anne Askew Iohn Hooper late Bishop of Gloucester sir Laurence Saunders Priest Iohn Bradford sir Iohn Rogers Priest sir Rowland Taylour Priest sir Iohn Laurence Priest William Pygot Steuen Knight William Hunter Thomas Tomkyns Thomas Hawkes haue bene heretofore reputed taken and accompted as heretickes and also condemned as heretickes and so pronounced openly and manifestly specially in holding beleuing certaine damnable opinions against the veritie of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar all the same persons sauing Iohn Bradford sir Iohn Laurence William Pygot Steuen Knight William Hunter Thomas Tomkins and Thomas Hawkes haue suffered paines of death by fire for the maintenance and defence of their said opinions and misbeliefe Item that thou doest knowe or credibly hast heard and doest beleeue that Thomas Cranmer late Archbishoppe of Canterburie and Nicholas Ridley naming himselfe Bishop of London Robert Ferrar late Bishop of S. Dauies and Hugh Latimer sometime Bishop of Worcester haue bene and are at this present reputed accompted and taken as heretickes and misbeleeuers in maintaining and holding certaine damnable opinions against the verity of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar Item Verity takeâ— for heresy 〈◊〉 misbeleuing heretickes that thou hast commended and praised all the sayd persons so erring and beleuing or at the least wise some of them secretely and also openly taking and beleeuing them to be faithfull and Catholicke people and their sayde opinions to be good and true and the same to the best
O Lord against this thine element which as to my sight is most irkesome and terrible so to my minde it may at thy commaundement as on obedient seruaunt be sweete and pleasaunt that through the strength of thy holy spirite I may passe through the rage of thys fire into thy bosome according to thy promise and for thys mortall receiue an immortal and for this corruptible put on incorruption Accept this burnt sacrifice and offeryng O Lorde not for the sacrifice but for thy deare sonnes sake my sauiour for whose testimonye I offer this free will offering with all my hart Marke the spirit of the payer and compare iâ— with the prayer of the Papistâ— at the sacriâ—fice of the Masse and with all my soule O heauenly father forgeue me my sinnes as I forgeue all the worlde O sweete sonne of God my Sauioure spread thy winges ouer me O blessed and holy Ghost through whose mercifull inspiration I am come hither conduct mee into euerlasting life Lorde into thy handes I commend my spirite Amen The death and martyrdome of Iohn Laurence Priest THe next day being the 29. day of this moneth the sayd Iohn Laurence was brought to Colchester Iohn Laurence Martyr March 29. Iohn LaureÌ„ce lamed with yrons in prison and there being not able to go for that as wel his legges were sore worne with heauie irons in the prison as also hys bodye weakened with euill keeping was borne to the fire in a chayre and so sitting was in hys constant faith consumed with fire The cruell burning of Iohn Laurence Martir At the burning of this Laurence hee sitting in the fire the young children came about the fire and cryed Ex 〈…〉 as wel as young children could speake saying Lorde strengthen thy seruaunt and keepe thy promise Lord strengthen thy seruaunt and keepe thy promise which thing as it is rare so it is no small manifestation of the glory of God whiche wrought thys in the harts of these little ones nor yet a litle commendation to their parentes whiche from theyr youth brought them vp in the knowledge of God and his trueth The history of Doctor Robert Farrar Bishop of S. Dauids in Wales who most constantly gaue his life for the testimonye of the truth March 30. an 1555. THe next day after whiche was the xxx day of the sayde moneth of march The 〈◊〉 of D. â—obert â—â—rrar Byâ—â—op of S. 〈◊〉 â—artyr followed the worthy constaÌ„t martirdome of the bishop of S. Dauids in Wales called Robert Farrar who was the next bishop in this Catalogue of Christian Martirs that suffered after mayster Hooper This foresayd Farrar by the fauour and good will of the Lord protectour was first called and promoted to that dignitie This man I may well call twise a martyr not onely for the cruell death of the fire which he suffered most constantly in the dayes of Queene Mary vnto the shedding of his bloud 〈◊〉 articles â—gaynst B. 〈◊〉 in K. Edwardes â—yme deâ—yâ—d 〈◊〉 Tho. Yong CoÌ„â—â—antine and â—ther his aduersaryes Tho. Yong â—onne in â—awe to Constantine but also for diuers other iniuries molestations in king Edwardes time which he no lesse firmly then vnworthily susteined at the hands of his enemies after the fall of the Duke of Somerset Of these his vexatioÌ„s and troubles with the wrangling articles and informations layd against him to the number of fifty and sixe of the malice conceiued agaynst him by certayn couetous Canons of the Churche of Carmarthen what were the proceedinges of both partes as well of the innocent as of the crafty aduersaries what were their names in theyr articles agaynst him in order here followeth The principall articles agaynst Bishop Farrar GEorge Constantine Dauid Walter his seruant Thomas Young chanter of the Cathedrall Churche who was afterward Archbishop of Yorke Rowland Merick doct of law who was afterward Bish. of Bangor Thomas Lee and Hugh Rawlins c. THrough the procurement and instance of these his aduersaries ioyning and confederating together one Hugh Rawlins priest and Thomas Lee brother in lawe to the sayd George Constantine did exhibite to the kinges most honourable counsell certaine articles and informations conceiued and deuised by the persons before named to the intent to blemish the bishops credit and vtterly as they thought and made their boast to pull him from hys bishopricke and to bring him in a premunire The copye of whiche articles we thought here good to expresse and so after them to set his answeres to the same Articles and informations to the kings honorable counsell put vp and exhibited by Hugh Raulins and Tho. Lee agaynst the blessed man of God Mayster Farrar byshop of sainct Dauids ¶ Abuse of the authoritie to him committed IN primis when the sayde bishop first came to his dyocesse he appoynted his chauncellour by his letters of commission omitting the kings maiesties stile and authoritie and grounded his sayd commission vppon forrein vsurped lawes and authoritie by force of whiche authoritie his sayd Chauncellour did visite certayne deanryes of hys sayd diocesse and monished the Chauntor and chaptre of the cathedrall Churche of S. Dauids aforesayd agaynst a certaine day and place for like intent and purpose contrary to the kinges highnes lawes and statutes and in derogation of his highnes supremacy Item that the sayde Chauntour and chaptre perceyuing the faultes of the sayd commission tooke the same froÌ„ the Registre into their custodye refusing to appeare by vertue thereof and by secrete and charitable wayes and meanes did admonishe the sayde Byshop of the vnlawfulnesse and faultes of the sayde commission and of the daunger that he had incurred for graunting and executyng the same opening also vnto hym the effecte of the statute made in the xxviii yeare of oure late Soueraigne Lorde Henry the eight Whiche monitions notwithstanding the sayd Bishop neglecting the same and continuing in hys malicious doyng or inexcusable ignoraunce about the xx daye of Auguste in the fourthe yeare of the reigne of our Soueraigne Lorde that nowe is dyd conferre vnto one Iohn Euans the Uicarage of Pembrin instituting him by authoritie of the old forreigne vsurped lawe making no mention of the kinges highnes authoritie in contempt and derogation of the same Item wheras the Chauncellour and Uicar generall to the sayde Byshop did vppon a lawfull title and by the kinges hignes supreme authoritie admit and institute one Iohn Gough into the rectory of Haskard with thappurtenaunces and gaue out in y e kings name vnder his highnes seale ecclesiasticall appoynted for that office with the teste of the said bishop and subscription of the said chauncellour a maÌ„date to inducte accordingly by vertue wherof the said Iohn Gough was inducted by the official there into reall possession of the same rectory with the rightes and appurtenaunces to the same belonging whereupon the register of the sayd dioces at the request of the foresayd chauncellour did signifie the premisses with all
haue known it to turne froÌ„ the holy commaundement geuen vnto vs. Pro. 26. For it is then happened vnto vs according to the true prouerbe the dogge is turned to his vomit agayn and the sowe that was washed to wallowing in the myre And thus to continue perseuer in infidelitie to kick against the manifest and knowne truth and so to dye without repentaunce and with a dispayre of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ Math. 13. is to sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which shall not be forgeueÌ„ neither in this world neither the world to come Heb. 6. For it is not possible sayth s. Paule that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heaueÌ„ly gift and hast tasted of the good word of God and of the power of y e world to come if they fall away should be renued agayne by repentaunce for as muche as they haue as concerning themselues crucified the some of God agayne making a mocking of him The place of the Heb 6. expounded S Paules meaning in this place is that they that beleue truely and vnfaynedly gods word do coÌ„tinue and abide steadfast in the knowne trueth If any therfore fall away from Christ and his word it is a playne token that they were but disseÌ„bling hipocrites for all theyr fayre faces outwardly Math. 26. Falling from Christ. neuer beleued truely as Iudas Symon Magus Demas Hymeneus Philetus and others were which all fell away from the knoweÌ„ veritie and made a mocke of Christ which S. Paule doth call here to crucifie Christ a newe because that they turning to their olde vomit agayne To crucifie Christ a new what it is did most blasphemouslye tread y e benefits of Christs death passioÌ„ vnder their feet They that are suche can in no wise be renued by repentaunce for their repentaunce is fleshly as the repentance of Cain Saul Iudas was which being without godly comfort breadeth desperation vnto death These are not of y e number of the elect as S. Iohn doth say They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they woulde haue remayned with vs vnto the end Iohn 2. Also the Apostle saith in an other place If we sinne willingly after wee haue receaued the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearfull looking for iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries They sinne willingly whiche of a set malice purpose do withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes lying Rom. 1. kicking agaynst the manifest opeÌ„ known truth which although they do perfectly know that in all the world there is none other sacrifice for sinne Wilfull kicking agaynst the opeÌ„ knowen truth but onely that omnisufficient sacrifice of Christes death yet notwithstanding they will not commit themselues wholly vnto it but rather despise it allowing other sacrifices for sinne inuented by the immagination of man as we see by dayly experience vnto whoÌ„ if they abide still in their wickednes Sinne vnto death sinne remayneth a most horrible dreadful iudgement This is y e sinne vnto death for which s. Iohn would not that a man shuld pray 1. Iohn 5. Wherfore my dearly beloued in Christ let vs on whoÌ„ the endes of the world are come taking dilligent heed vnto ourselues 1. Cor. 10. y t now in these last and perilous times in y e which the deuill is come downe and hath great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short Apoca. â—2 Math. 24. wherof the Prophetes Christ the Apostles haue so much spoken geueÌ„ vs so earnest forewarning we withold not y e truth in vnrighteousnes Rom. 1. beleuing doyng or speaking anye thing agaynst our knowledge conscience or without fayth For if we do so Iohn 8. Phil. 2. for what soeuer cause it be it is a wilfull obstinate infidelitie a sinne vnto death And as our Sauiour Christ sayth if ye beleue not ye shall dye in your own sins For vnles we hold fast the word of life Math. 3. both beleuing it also bringing forth fruite worthy of repentaunce we shal with the vnprofitable figge tree The fruiteles figtree Luke 13. Math. 1â— which did but cumber the ground be cut downe and our talent taken from vs and geuen vnto an other that shall put it to a better vse wee through our owne vnthankfulnes put from the mercy of God shall euer be able to pay our debts that is to say we shall altogether de lost vndone Heb. 6. For the earth that drinketh in rayne that commeth oâ—t vppon it bringeth forth herbes meete for them y t dresse it receiueth blessing of god But that ground that beareth thornes brears is reprooued and is nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Neuertheles deare frends The gooâ— ground we trust to see better of you and thinges whiche accompany saluation and that ye being y t good ground watred with the moystnes of Gods word plenteously preached amongst you will with a good hart heare the word of God keep it Luke 8. bringing forth fruite with pacience And be none of those forgetful and hipocritish hearers Iames. 1. which although they heare the worde yet the Deuill commeth Math. 13 and catcheth away that which was soweÌ„ in the hart either hauing no roote in themselues endure but a season and as soone as tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by they are offended eyther with the cares of this world deceitfulnes of riches choke the word and so are vnfruitful The moâ—â— part of thâ— hearers oâ— Gods word are but hipocrites Read the parable of the sower among other thinges note and marke that y e most part of the hearers of Gods word are but hipocrites and heare the word without any fruit or profite yea onely to theyr greater condemnation for onely the fourth part of y e seede doth bring forth fruite Therfore let not vs that be Ministers or professours followers of Gods worde be discouraged though that very few do geue credite follow the doctrine of the Gospell and be saued Who soeuer therfore hath eares to heare let him heare To him 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 geuen 〈◊〉 howâ— for whosoeuer hath to him shal be geuen and he shal haue aboundance but who soeuer hath not froÌ„ him shal be taken away euen that he hath that is to say they that haue a desire of righteousnes and of the truth shall be more more illuminated of God on the contrary part they that do not couet after righteousnes and truth are more hardend and blynded though they seeme vnto them selues most wise For God doth here follow an example of a louing father Example Gods deâ—â—ling with stubburâ— children which when he seeth that fatherly loue and correction doth not
electe and chosen what affliction and trouble shal happen vnto them for his sake not to the entent to fray them thereby but rather to prepare their mindes against the boistrous stormes of persecution As we haue a notable exāple in the Apostle S Paule vnto whome God sent Agabus who prophecied vnto him of the imprisonment and bandes that hee should suffer at Ierusalem In whom we haue also a good example of constancie stedfastnes which regarding nothing the teares of his familiar frēds nor yet the peril of his own life did through fire water go on stil to set forth the glory of God and he being deliuered frō the hands of his vngodly bloudthirsty enmies that so many times is in cōclusion fain to commit himself to the rough waters of the sea where he was a long season in great peril ieoperdy of his own life But God was alwais to the great cōfort of all that shal heare of it most ready to help succor hym First he did send him a most frendly and swete cōpanye I meane Aristarchus and Lucas so ruling the heart of the vnder captaine Iulius that he courteously intreated him Actes 17. gaue him liberty to go to his frendes and to refresh him selfe and he was beneficiall vnto him at all times In like manner was God with Ioseph and deliuered him from all his aduersities and gaue him fauoure and wisedom in the sight of Pharao king of Egypt in so much that he made him Gouernour ouer all Egypt and ouer all his houshold In like manner was hee with Ieremie and Daniel in theyr great troubles and appoynted men for them in their most troubles to relieue succour and helpe them to their singular comfort Also when Peter was in Herodes prison Peter deliuered out of prison sleeping betwene 2. soldiours bound with 2 chaines and the kepers before the dore keeping the prisone the same night that Herode had intended to haue brought him out vnto the people the day following and to haue put him vnto death to please the Iewes withal as a litle before he had killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword god sent his angel and the chaines fell off from Peters hands and the yron gate opened vnto him by his owne accorde and so was Peter wonderfully deliuered by God For it is the true liuing God that looseth al bandes and deliuereth out of prison and not that fained God S. Leonard On that true God did S. Peter call vnto him did he ascribe the glory of his deliuerance saying Nowe I know of a truth that God hath sent his Angel c. These things are written for our learning that we through patience and comforte of the scriptures might haue hope The God of patience and comfort graūt that we be like minded one towardes an other after the ensample of Christe Iesu that we all agreeing together may with one mouth glorifie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ. A poore prisoner for Christ George Marsh. An other letter of George Marshe to Robert Langley THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you good brother in Christe Robert Langley An other letter of G. Marsh to Robert Langely and others with all them that loue the Lord Iesus vnfainedly Amen After harty commendations to you w t thanks for that ye did visite me a prisoner in Christ vnacquainted with you to your costes this shal be to let you knowe that yee shall receiue from me mine examination and handling at Lathum and the cause of mine imprisonmēt according as I did promise you and this ye shal receiue by my brother or some one of the Bradshawes of Bolton w tin this seuen night willing you to shew the same to such faithfull mē about Manchester or els where as you do take to be fauorers of true religion and Christes holy word and then to deliuer it againe And wheras you did put me in comfort that if I did want any thing necessary vnto thys life you with some others would be bearers with me in this my costly and paineful affliction I geue you most hearty thankes and reioyce greatly in the Lord who stirreth vp the hearts of others to be carefull for me in this my great necessitie I thanke God as yet I doe want nothing and intende to be as little chargeable vnto others sauing my mother as I can If I do want I wil be bolde wyth you and others to send for your reliefe and helpe in my necessitie desiring you in the meane while to pray for mee and all others in the bondes of Christ that God woulde performe the thing which he hath begon in vs that we maye with boldnesse confesse Iesus Christe and fighte the good fight of faith Yours George Marsh. A letter of George Marshe to a certaine godly frende GRace be with you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and Iesus the Lord. After hearty commendations and thankes to you not only for your large token An other letter of G Marsh to to his frend but much more for your louing letters ful of consolation to me as touching my person to you vnknowen these shall be to certifie you that I reioyce greatly in the Lorde when I do perceiue how my sweete sauiour Christ doth stirre vp the mindes not only of my familiar frends in times past but also of sondry and diuers heeretofore vnto me vnknowne and vnacquainted to beare part with me in this my painfull costly imprisonment sending me things not onely necessary for thys present life but also comfortable letters incouraging exhorting me to continue grounded and stablished in the faith and not to be moued away from the hope of the Gospell wherof according to my small talent I haue bene a minister and daily I call and crie vnto the Lord in whom is al my trust and wythout whom I can do nothing that he which hath begon a good worke in me wold vouchsafe to go forth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ being surely certified in my conscience of this that he will so doe for as much as he hath geuen me that not only I shoulde beleeue on him but also suffer for his sake The Lord strengthen me with hys holy spirite that I maye be one of the number of those blessed which enduring to the ende shal be saued And whereas you say that my suffering of persecution wyth Christ is a thing to you most comfortable I make answere that in all mine aduersitye and necessitye nothing on your behalfe is greater consolation vnto me then to heare of the faith and loue of others and how they haue good remembrance of vs alwayes euen as the Apostle reporteth by the Thessalonians saying Now are ye aliue if ye stande stedfast in the Lorde For my trust in the Lord is that this my businesse shall happen to the
into his kingdom The triumph victory ouer death where he now sitteth at his fathers right hand that is to say in power glory equall in maiesty coeternall From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead He shal appeare againe in great glory to receiue his elect vnto himselfe to put his enemies vnder his feete chaunging all liuyng men in a moment and raising vp al that be dead that all may be brought to his iudgement In this shall he geue ech man according to his deedes They which haue folowed him in regeneratioÌ„ which haue their sinnes washed away in hys bloud are clothed with hys righteousnes shall receiue the euerlasting kingdome and raigne with him for euer and they which after the race of the corrupt generation of Adam haue followed fleshe and bloud shall receiue euerlasting damnation with the deuill and hys angels I beleeue in the holy ghost I do beleue that the holy ghost is God the third person in Trinitie in vnitie of the Godhed equal with the father the sonne geuen through Christ to inhabite our spirites by which we are made to feele and vnderstand the great power vertue louing kindnes of Christ our lord For he illumineth quickneth and certifieth our spirit that by him we are sealed vp vnto the day of redemption by whom we are regenerate and made new cretures so that by hym and through hym we do receyue all the aboundaÌ„t goodnes promised vs in Iesus Christ. The holy Catholike Church This is an holy number of Adams posteritie elected gathered The Church washed and purified by the bloud of the Lambe from the beginning of the world and is dispersed through the same by the tiranny of Gog Magog that is to say the Turke and his tiranny and Antichrist otherwyse named the Bish. of Rome and hys aungels as this day also doth teach The Communion of Saints Which most holy congregation beyng as Paule teacheth builded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Christ beyng the head corner stone though it be by the tyranny of Satan and his ministers persecuted some by imprisonment some by death and some by other afflictions painful torments yet doth it remayne in one perfect vnitie both in faith and fellowship which vnity is knit in an vnspeakable knot as well of them which are departed from this mortal life as of them which now be liuyng and hereafter shall be in the same and so shall continue vntill they all do meete in the kyngdome where the head Iesus Christ with all hys holy members of which number thorough Christ I assuredly beleeue that I am one shall be fully complete knit and vnited together for euermore The forgeuenesse of sinnes I do beleeue that my sinnes and all their sinnes which do rightly beleeue the holy Scripture Remission only through Christ. are forgeuen onely thorough that Iesus Christ of whom onely I do professe that I haue my whole and full saluation and redemption which S. Paule saith commeth not through our workes and deseruyngs but freely by grace lest any should boast hymselfe Thorough the bloud of his Crosse all thyngs in heauen and earth are reconciled and set at peace wyth the Father without him no heauenly lyfe is geuen nor sinne forgeuen The resurrection of the body I do beleue that by the same my sauiour Christ I and all men shall rise againe from death for he as Paul sayth is risen agayne froÌ„ the dead and is become the first fruits of them which sleepe Resurrection For by a man came death and by a man commeth the resurrection from death This man is Christ through the power of whose resurrection I beleue that we all shall rise agayne in these our bodyes the elect clothed with immortalitie to liue with Christ for euer the reprobate also shall rise immortall to liue with the deuill and his angels in death euerlasting And the life euerlasting Through the same Iesus by none other I am sure to haue life euerlasting He onely is the way and entrance into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. For so God loued the world that he did geue his onely sonne Iesus Christ to the ende that so many as do beleue in him might haue euerlasting lyfe The which I am sure to possesse so soone as I am dissolued Life and Saluation onely by fayth in Christ. departed out of this tabernacle in the last day shall both body and soule possesse the same for euer to the which God graunt all men to come I beleue that the sacramentes that is to say of Baptisme and of the Lordes supper are seales of Gods moste mercyfull promises towardes mankind Two sacraments of the new Testament In Baptisme as by the outward creature of water I am washed from the filthines which hangeth on my flesh so do I assuredly beleue y t I am by Christes bloud washed cleane froÌ„ my sins through which I haue sure confidence of my certaine saluation In the partaking of the Lordes supper as I receyue the substance of bread wyne the nature of which is to strengthen the body so do I by faith receyue the redemption wrought in Christes body broken on the crosse life by his death resurrection by his resurrection and in summe all that euer Christ in his body suffered for my saluation to the strengthening of my faith in the same And I beleeue that God hath appointed the eatyng drinking of the creatures of bread and wine in his holy supper according to his word to mooue and to stirre vp my mynd to beleue these articles aboue written This is my faith this I do beleue and I am content by Gods grace to confirme and seale the truth of the same with my bloud By me Iohn Warne ¶ A letter of Iohn Cardmaker to a certaine friend of his The peace of God be with you YOu shall right well perceiue A 〈◊〉 M. Câ—â—â—â—make◠〈…〉 that I am not gone backe as some men do report me but as ready to geue my lyfe as any of my brethren that are gone before me although by a pollicie I haue a little prolonged it and that for the best as already it appeareth vnto me and shortly shall appeare vnto all That day that I recant any poynt of doctrine I shall suffer twenty kyndes of death the Lord beyng myne assistance as I doubt not but he wil. Commend me to my friend and tell hym no lesse This the Lorde strengthen you me and all his elect My riches and pouertie is as it was woont to be and I haue learned to reioyce in pouertie as well as in riches for that count I now to bee very riches Thus fare ye well in Christ. Salute all my brethren in my name I haue conferred with some of my aduersaries learned men and I finde that they be but Sophistes and shadowes ¶ A note concerning M. Cardmaker MAister Cardmaker beyng condemned in
sauing the Gloria in excelsis the Epistle and Gospell the Creed and the Pater noster for this cause they say they haue not nor will not come and heare Masse To the seuenth Iohn Ardeley aunswereth and sayth that he beleueth the contentes of the same to bee true but Iohn Symson doth answere that he is not as yet fully resolued with himselfe what aunswere to make therunto further sayth that as touching the common and dayly seruice sayd vsed in the church he sayth that he neuer sayd that seruice in the Churche ought to be sayd but in the Englishe tongue nor yet he neuer sayd that if it be otherwise sayd and vsed then in English it is vnlawful and nought Iohn Ardeley and Iohn Symson An other appearance of Simson and Iohn Ardeley before the Byshop Thus these articles being to them obiected and theyr aunsweres made vnto the same as before the Bishop according to the old trade of his Consistorie Court respited them to the after noone biddyng them to make their appearaunce the sayd day and place betweene the houres of two and three At what tyme the sayd Byshop repeatyng agayne the sayd articles vnto them and beginnyng with Iohn Ardeley did vrge and solicitate according to his maner of wordes to recant To whom Iohn Ardely againe constantly standyng to his professed Religion The wordes of Iohn Ardeley to Boner gaue answere in wordes as foloweth My Lord quoth he neyther you nor any other of your Religion is of the Catholique Church for you be of a false fayth and I doubt not but you shall be deceyued at length beare as good a face as ye can You will shedde the innocent bloud and you haue killed many and yet goe abot to kyll more c. And added further saying If euery heare of my head were a man I would suffer death in the opinion and fayth that I am now in These with many other woordes he spake Iohn Ardeley â— Iohn Simson condemned Then the Byshop yet demaunding if he woulde relinquish his erroneous opinions as he called them and be reduced againe to the vnitie of y e Church he answeared as foloweth No God foreshield that I should so do for then I should loose my soule After this the sayd Byshop asking Iohn Ardeley after his formall manner if he knewe any cause why hee shoulde not haue sentence condemnatorie agaynst hym so read the condemnation as he also did against Iohn Simson standyng lykewyse in the same cause and constancie with Iohn Ardeley which was done the xxv day of May and so were they both committed to the secular power that is to the handes of the Sheriffes to be conueyed to the place where they should be executed But before I come to their execution here is not to be passed a thing not vnworthy the looking vpon which happened in the closing vp of the examination of these two innocent martyrs of God which is this A Note At the tyme of the examination of this Symson and Iohn Ardeley aforesaid A note of the sodaine feare of Boner there was assembled such a great multitude of people that because the Consistorie was not able to hold them they were fayne to stand in the Church neare about the sayd Consistorie wayting to see the prisoners when they should depart It happened in the meane time that the Bishop being set in heate with the stoute and bolde aunsweares of the sayd two prisoners especially of Iohn Symson burst out in his loud and angry voice and sayd Haue him away haue him away Now the people in the Church hearing these wordes and thinking because the daye was farre spent that the prisoners had their iudgement they beyng desirous to see the prisoners had to Newgate seuered them selues one runnyng one way an other an other way whiche caused such a noyse in the Church that they in y e Consistorie were all amased and marueiled what it should meane wherfore the Byshop also being somewhat afrayde of this sodayne styrre The ridiculous feare of Boner and his Doctourâ— asked what there was to do The standers by answeryng sayd that there was like to be some tumult for they were together by the eares When the Bishop heard this by by his hart was in his heeles leauing his seat he with the rest of that court be tooke them to theyr legges hastening with all speed possible to recouer the doore that went into the bishops house but the rest being somewhat lighter of foot then my Lorde did sooner recouer the dore and thronging hastily to gette in kept the bishop still out and cryed Saue my Lord saue my Lord but meaning yet first to saue themsâ—lues if any daunger should come whereby they gaue the standers by good matter to laugh at reseÌ„bling in some part a spectacle not much vnlike to the old stagers at Oxford worse feared then hurt when as the Church there was noysed to be on fire wherof ye may read before pag. 1180. But of this matter enough Now Iohn Symson and Iohn Ardeley being deliuered as is aforesayd to the Shiriffes Iohn Simâ—son Ioâ—â— Ardeley 〈◊〉 into Essex be executed The Martyrdome oâ— Simsonâ— Ardeley Iune 10. were shortly after sent downe from LondoÌ„ to Essex where both they on one day which was about the 10. daye of Iune were put to death albeit in seuerall places for Iohn SympsoÌ„ suffered at Rochford Iohn Ardeley the same day was had to Railey where he finished his martyrdome most quietly in the quarrell of Christes Gospell * A note of Iohn Ardeley FOr the better consideration of the rigorous crueltye of these Catholick dayes this is furthermore not vnworthy of all men to be noted and knowen to all posteritie concerning the examinations of this Ardeley and his company how that they being brought before the Commissioners were by them greatly charged of stubbornes and vayne glory Vnto whom they aunswered in defence of their owne simplicitie that they were content willingly to yeelde to the Queene all their goodes and landes so that they might be suffered to liue vnder her in keepyng their conscience free from all Idolatie and papisticall Religion Yet this would not be graunted although they had offered all to their hart bloud so greedy and so thirsty be tbese persecutors of Christian bloud The Lord geue them repentaunce if it be his wil and kepe from them the iust reward of such cruel dealing Amen The ridiculous handling and proceedyng of Byshop Boner and his mates against Iohn Tooly first suspected and condemned after his death and then digged out of his graue and geuen to the secular power and so burned for an heretike ABout the same time of the burning of these two aforesayd in the beginning of the sayd moneth of Iune The story of Iohn Tooly fell out a soleme processe much ado was made by the Popes spiritualty agaynst Iohn Tooly in a case of heresy The story is this There
was about the tyme that the Spaniardes began first to keepe a stur in EnglaÌ„d one Io. Tooly a citizen Pulter in London who conspired with certain other of his society to rob a Spaniard at s. Iames although the deed wer heinous wicked of it self yet was it aggrauated made greater then it was by other beyng coÌ„mitted agaynst such a person agaynst such a countrey which both the queene her whole court did highly fauor The robbery being known brought into iudgemeÌ„t this Tooly was found guilty and iudged to be haÌ„ged wheras notwithstanding in this Realme there are many mo theâ—tes committed then theeues executed The foresayd Tooly being lead to the gallowes whiche stood fast by Charing Crosse a litle before he dyed standing vpon the Carte readde a certayne prayer in a printed booke and two other prayers written in two seuerall papers who then hauing the haltar about his necke desired the people there present to pray for him and to beare hym witnes that he dyed a true Christian man and that he trusted to be saued onely by the merites of Christes passion Iohn Tooâ—â— dyed a 〈◊〉 Christian man The Chrâ—â—stian confession of Tooly The coueâ—â—tâ—usnes of the Pope shedding of his precious bloud and not by any masses or Trentalles Images or Saintes which were as he said mere Idolatry and superstition and deuised by the bishop of Rome and as he the same Tooly and two other his fellowes which were there hanged with him did steale and robbe for couetousnes so the bishop of Rome did sell hys Masses and Trentalles with such other peltrye for couetousnes and there being in a great anger as appeared agaynst the bishop of Rome spake with a loud voyce these wordes folowing From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities From false doctrine and heresy and from the contempt of the word and commaundement good Lord deliuer vs. And then adding further to the same he spake vnto the people All you that be true Christian men saye with me Amen And immediately therupon three hundred persons and more to the iudgement estimatioÌ„ of those that were there present answered and sayd Amen three tymes together at the least After this it happened that when Toolye had readde the Byll the fyrste tyme it fell from him and a certayne young man who was thought to be a Prentise stouped downe and tooke vp the Byll and clymed vp by the Cart and deliuered it vnto Tooly agayne which he agayne diâ— reade to the people That done he deliuered vnto one of the Marshialles Officers the booke aforesayd and wylled hym to deliuer it to one Haukes saying that it was hys Booke Furthermore hee deliuered one of the Prayers written in a paper to one Robert Bromley Sergeaunt which desired to haue it of him Upon the toppe of whiche Byll was written a line conteyning these wordes Beware of Antichrist and subscribed vnderneath Per me Thomam Harold prysoner in the Marshalsea enemy to Antechriste For the Byll aforesayde Robert Bromley was brought afterward Coram nobis and was faine to aske pardon of the bishop and to detest all the wordes of Tooly and glad so to escape Thus while Tooly had made his prayers as is aboue sayd to be diliuered from the Popes tyranny by the same prayer he fel into great tyranny For so soon as the brute of this fact came vnto the eares of the Priests Mitred prelates they were not a litle mad therat thinking it not tollerable that so great a reproch should be done agaynst the holy father Calling therfore a couÌ„sell together as though it had bene a matter of great importance A Councell called agaynst â—ooly Toolyes talke at his death was debated among themselues At the last after much Pro and Contra they all consented to those mens iudgements which thought it meet that the vyolating of the Popes holynes shoulde be reuenged with fire and fagot And I do easely beleue that Cardinal Poole was no small doer in this sentence Cardinall Poole a great doer in burning dead mens Bones for as Winchester and Boner did alwayes thirst after the bloud of the liuing so Pooles lightning was for the most part kindled agaynst the dead and he reserued this charge onely to hymselfe I knowe not for what purpose except peraduenture being loth to be so cruel as the other he thought neuerthelesse by this meanes to discharge his duetye towarde the Pope By the same Cardinalles like lightening and fierye fist the bones of Martine Bucer and Paulus Phagius which had lyen almost two yeares in theyr graues M. Bucer Paulus Phagius Peter Martyrs wyfe Iohn Tooly â—urned for heretickes after their death were taken vp and burned at Cambridge as Toolyes carkase was here at London And besides this because he woulde shew some token of his diligence in both Uniuersities he caused Peter Martirs wife a woman of worthy memory to be digged out of the Churchyarde and to be buryed on the dunghill Of these two prodigious actes ye shal heare more hereafter But now to our purpose of Tooly which hauinge ended his prayer was hanged and put into hys graue out of the which he was digged agayne by the coÌ„maundement of the Bishops and because he was so bolde to derogate the authority of the Bishop of Rome at y e time of his death it pleased them to iudge and coÌ„demne him as an hereticke vpon the commaundement of the Counselles letter as here appeareth ¶ A Letter sent vnto Boner Byshop of London from the Counsell AFter our very harty commendations to your Lordship vnder standing that of late amongest others that haue suffered about London for theyr offences The Counsells letter 〈◊〉 B. Boner concerning Tooly one leude person that was condemned for felony dyed very obstinately professing at the tyme of his death sundry hereticall and erronious opinions like as we thinke it not conuenient that such a matter should be ouerpassed without some example to the world so we thought good to pray your Lordshyppe to cause further enquirye to be made thereof and thereupon to proceede to the making out of such processe as by the Ecclesiasticall lawes is prouided in that behalfe And so we bid your Lordship hartily well to fare From HamptoÌ„ Courte the 28. of April 1555. Your Lordships louing frendes Ste. Winton Cancel F. Shrewsbury Iohn Gage Thomas Cheney R. Rochester William Peter Rich Southwell Anon after a Citation was set vpon Paules Church doore vnder the Bishop of Londons great seale the tenor wherof here ensueth ¶ The writ of Mandate of Boner B. of London set vp at Charing Crosse on Paules Church doore and at S. Martins in the field for the cityng and further inquiring out of the case of Iohn Tooly EDmond by the sufferaunce of God Bishop of London A Citation set vp by Boner that in Latin commaunding his kinne and kinsfolkes to lay for him what they
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 〈◊〉
tempt vs further then he wil make vs able to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say this day you shall be called forth what you shall aunswer The Lord promiseth and will geue them that stand in his defence how and what to aunswere The Lord which is true and cannot lye hath promised and will neuer faile nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shal make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hang therefore on this promise of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in him Neuer was it heard of or shall be that any hoping in the Lord was put to foile Therfore as I sayd I say agayne Deare Sister be not only not carefull for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he will confesse you neuer bee ashamed of you Though losse of goodes and lyfe bee like here to ensue A blessed thing seeing a man must needes dye to dye for the Lord. Yet if Christ be true as hee is most true it is otherwyse in deede For he that looseth his lyfe sayth he winneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our sinnes haue deserued many deathes Nowe if God so deale with vs that hee wyll make our deserued death a demonstratioâ— of his grace a testimoniall of hys veritie a confirmation of hys people and ouerthrowe of hys aduersaries What great cause haue wee to bee thankefull Be thankefull therefore good Sister bee thankefull Reioyce and be mery in the Lord be stoute in his cause quaâ—ell be not faynt harted but runne out your race and set your captaine Christ before your eyes Beholde howe great your a small congregation But be it so that Peter had as much geuen to him as they do affirme· Who yet will graunt that Peter had a patrimony geuen for his heires He hath left say the Papists to his successors the selfe â—ame right which he receyued Oh Lord God then must hys successor be a Sathan for hee receyued that title of Christ hymselfe I would gladly haue the Papistes to shew me one place of succession mentioned in the Scriptures I am sure that wheÌ„ Paule purposely painteth out the whole administration of the church he neither maketh one head nor any inheritable Primacie yet he is altogether in commendation of vnitie After he hath made mention of one God the father of one Christ of one spirit of one body of the Church of one fayth and of one Baptisme then hee describeth the meane and maner how vnitie is to be kept namely because vnto euery pastour is grace geuen after the measure wherwith Christ hath endued them Where I pray you is now any title of Plenitudinis potestatis of fulnesse of power When he calleth home euery one vnto a certayne measure why did he not forthwith say one Pope Which thing he could not haue forgotten if the thyng had bene as the Papists make it But let vs graunt that perpetuitie of the Primacye in the church was established in Peter I would gladly learne why the seat of the Primacy should be rather at Rome then elswhere Mary say they because Peters chaire was at Rome This is euen lyke to this that because Moses the greatest Prophet and Aaron the first Priest exercised their offices vnto their death in the deserte therfore the principallest place of the Iewish Church should bee in the wildernesse But graunt them their reason that it is good What should Antioch claime For Peters chaire was there also wherin Paule gaue hym a checke which was vnseemely and vnmanerly done of Paule that would not geue place to his President and better No say the Papistes Rome must haue this authoritie because Peter died there But what if a man should by probable coniectures shew that it is but a fable which is fained of Peters Bishoprike at Rome Read how Paule doth salute very many priuate persons when he writeth to the Romaines Three yeres after his Epistle made he was broght to Rome prisoner Luke telleth that he was receiued of the brethren and yet in all these is no mention at all of Peter which then by their stories was at Rome Belike he was proud as the Pope and Prelates be or els he woulde haue visited Paule Paule beyng in prison in Rome did write diuers Epistles in which hee expresseth the names of many whiche were in comparison of Peter but rascall personages but of Peter he speaketh neuer a word Surely if Peter had bene there this silence of hym had bene suspicious In the 2. Epistle to Tim. Paule complaineth that no man was with hym in his defence but al had left hym If Peter had bene then at Rome as they write then eyther Paule had belied hym or Peter had played his Peters part Luke 23. In another place how doth he blame all that were with hâ—m only Timothy excepted Therfore we may wel doubt whether Peter was at Rome B. as they prate for all this tyme long before they say that Peter was bishop there But I will not stirre vp coles in this matter If Rome bee the chiefe seate because Peter died there why should not Antioch be the second Why should not Iames Iohn which were taken with Peter to be as pillers Why I say shoulde not their seates haue honor next to Peters seate Is not this geare preposterous that Alexandria where Marke which was but one of the disciples was bishop should be preferred before Ephesus where Iohn the Euangelist taught and was bishop and before IerusaleÌ„ where not only Iames taught and died bishop but also Christ Iesus our Lord high priest for euer by whom beyng Maister I hope honour should be geuen to his chaire more theÌ„ to the chaire of his Chaplaines I need to speake nothyng how that Paule telleth Peters Apostleship to concerne rather circumcision or the Iewes therfore properly pertaineth not to vs. Neither do I need to bring in Gregorius the first bishop of Rome which was about the yere of our Lord. 600. who plainly in his works doth write that this title of Primacy to be head ouer all churches vnder Christ is a title meete and agreyng only to Antichrist and therfore he calleth it a prophane a mischieuous and an horrible title Whome should we beleeue now if we will neyther beleeue Apostle nor Pope If I should go about to tel how this name was first gotten by Phocas I should be too long I purpose God willing to set it forth at large in a worke which I haue begun of Antichrist if God for his mercies sake geue me life to finish it For this present therefore I shall desire your Ladyship to take this in good part If they wil needs haue the B. of Rome to be acknowledged for the head of the Church then will I vrge them that they shall
word being proper to y e new man The part pâ—operly pertaining to the old man is the lawe the part properly pertaining to the new man is the Gospell The lawe is a doctrine whych commaundeth and forbiddeth requiring doing and auoiding Under it therefore are contained all preceptes threatnings promises vppon conditions of our doing and auoiding c. The Gospell is a doctrine which alwayes offereâ—h and geueth requiryng on our behalfe not as of worthinesse or as a cause What 〈◊〉 law 〈◊〉 but as a certificate vnto vs and therefore vnder it are contained al the free and sweete promises of God as I am the Lorde thy God c. In those that bee of yeares of discretion it requyreth faith not as a cause but as an instrument wherby we our selues may be certaine of our good husbande Christ and of hys glory and therefore when the conscience feeleth it selâ—e disquieted for feare of Gods iudgement against sinne What 〈◊〉 Gospelâ— The 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 down 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Godâ— iudgemeâ—â— agaynst sinne 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 vpon the law 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 comfoâ—â— Iohn â— To the 〈…〉 and peace 〈◊〉 God the law 〈◊〉 onely to keepe 〈◊〉 the olde man Num. 25. she may in no wise looke vpon the doctrine pertaining to the olde man but on the doctrine onely that pertaineth to the new man in it not looking for that which it requireth that is faith because we neuer beleeue as we shoulde but onely on it which it offereth and whych it geueth that is on Gods grace and eternall mercye and peace in Christe So shall she be in quiet when she looketh for it altogether oute of her selfe in Gods mercy in Christ Iesu in whose lappe if shee lay her head wyth S. Iohn then is she happy and shall finde quietnesse in deede When shee feeleth her selfe quiet then in Gods name let her looke on the lawe and vppon suche things as it requireth thereby to bridle and keepe downe the olde Adam to slaye that Goliath from whom she must needes keepe the sweete promises beyng the bed wherein her spouse and she meete and lie together For as the wife will keepe her bed onely for her husbande although in other things she is contented to haue fellowshippe wyth others as to speake sitte eate drinke goe c. so our consciences which are Christes wiues must needes keepe the bed that is Gods sweete promises alonely for our selues and oure husbande there to meete together to embrace and laugh together and to be ioyfull together If sinne the lawe the Deuill or any thing would creepe into the bedde and lye there then complaine to thy husbande Christe and foorthwyth thou shalt see him play Phinees part Thus my dearely beloued I haue geuen you in few woordes a summe of all the Diuinitie whyche a Christian conscience can not want A letter wrytten to his Mother as a farewell when he thought he should haue suffered shortly after THe Lord of life and sauiour of the world Iesus Christe An other letter oâ— leaue 〈◊〉 to his moâ—ther supâ—posing 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 haue 〈…〉 blesse you and comfort you my good and deare mother with his heauenly comforte consolation grace and spirite nowe and for euer Amen If I thought that daily yea almost hourly you did not cry vpon God the father thorough Iesus Christ that he would geue me his blessing euen the blessing of his children then wold I wryte more hereabouts But for as much as herein I am certain you are diligent and so I beseech you good Mother to continue I thinke it good to wryte something whereby this your crying mighte be furthered Furthered it will be He meaneâ—â— the 〈◊〉 of more straight 〈◊〉 prisonmeâ—â— that mighâ— hereby 〈◊〉 low if those things which hinder it be taken away Among the which in that I thinke my imprisonment is the greatest and chiefest I will there about spende thys Letter and that briefly lest it might encrease the let as my good brother this bringer can tel you You shall know therefore good mother that for my body though it be in an house out of the whych I caÌ„ not come when I will yet in that I haue coÌ„formed my wil to gods will I finde herein liberty enough I thanke God And for my lodging bedding meate drinke godly and learned company bookes and all other necessaries for mine ease comfort and commoditie I am in much better case then I could wish Gods merciful prouidence heere is farre aboue my worthines Worthines quoth Alas I am worthy of nothing but damnation But besides all this for my soule I finde muche more commoditie For God is my Father I now perceaue thorough Christ therefore in prisonning me for his Gospell he maketh mee like to the Image of his sonne Iesus Christ here that when he commeth to iudgement I might then be like vnto him as my truste hope is I shal be Nowe maketh he me like to his frendes the Prophetes Apostles the holy Martyrs and Confessours Which of them did not suffer at the least imprisonment or banishment for hys Gospell and worde Nowe Mother howe farre am I vnmeete to bee compared to them I I saye whiche alwayes haue bene and am so vile an hypocrite and greeuous a sinner God myghte haue caused mee long before this time to haue bene cast into prisone as a theefe a blasphemer an vncleane liuer and an hainous offender of the lawes of the Realme but deare Mother his mercy is so great vpon both you and all that loue me that I should be cast into prison as none of these or for anye suche vices but onely for his Christes sake for hys Gospelles sake for his Churches sake that heereby as I might learne to lament and bewail my ingratitude sinnes so I might reioyce in his mercye be thankefull looke for eternall ioy with Christ for whose sake praised be his name for it I now suffer and therefore should be mery and glad And in deede good mother so I am as euer I was yea neuer so mery and glad was I as now I shoulde be if I coulde gette you to be mery wyth me to thanke God for me to pray on this sort Ah good father which dost vouchsafe that my sonne being a greuous sinner in thy sight shoulde finde this fauour with thee 〈…〉 in behalfe to be one of thy sonnes captaines and men of warre to fight and suffer for his Gospels sake I thanke thee and pray thee in Christes name that thou wouldest forgeue him his sinnes and vnthankefulnesse and make perfecte in him that good which thou hast begon yea Lorde I praye thee make him worthy to suffer not onely imprisonement but euen very death for thy truth religion and Gospels sake As Anna did applye and geue her first childe Samuel vnto thee so doe I deare father beseeching thee for Christes sake to accept this my gifte and geue my sonne Iohn Bradforde grace alwaies truely to serue
in deede bloud hath no such qualities with it which is euident that there is no naturall bloud If a man be drunken with wine consecrated it must be a myracle as I thinke you will haue it that the sayde accidences should be without theyr naturall substaunce and worke all the operations of both substaunce and accidences and so it foloweth that a man may be drunken by myracle The body that ye receiue ye say is aliue because it is annexed to the Godhead and the flesh that ye receiue is liuelye because it hath the spirite of God ioyned to it This diuision is of your new inuentions to diuide the bodie and the flesh the one aliue by the Godhead the other liuely by Gods spirite and both one Sacrament ye make of it a thing so fantasticall that ye imagine a body without flesh and flesh without a body as ye do qualities quantities without substaunce and a liuing body without qualities and quantities Milles. If case so require and there be a Godlye intent in the Minister to consecrate Fantastiâ—â—â— absurditâ—â— in the popâ— doctrine be noted after the consecration thereof there is present the body and bloud of Christ and no other substaunce but accidentes without substaunce to a true beleuer Bland Ye graunt three absurdities that in a Tunne of wine consecrate is nothinge but accidences and to encrease it withall ye haue brought in two inconueniences firste that it is not the worde of God that doth consecrate Three inconueniences 〈◊〉 by the Papistes 1. That a tunne of wine 〈◊〉 consecrated nothing 〈◊〉 but accidences whâ—ch is 〈◊〉 the operation thereof 2. Where he sayth 〈◊〉 word of God doth not 〈◊〉 without the intente of the 〈◊〉 which is agaynst their 〈…〉 saying that the 〈◊〉 of the Priesâ— minisheth not 〈◊〉 3. Where he sayth thaâ— vnbeleuer it is not the 〈◊〉 as the Papists say that the 〈◊〉 receaue the body but the intent of the Priest must helpe to it and if that lacke ye seeme to graunt no consecration though the Priest speake the word and yet your Dotours say that the wickednes of the Prieste minisheth not the sacrament And to an vnbeleuer ye seeme to say that it is not the same that it is to the true beleuer and then muste the beleuer haue some thing to do in the consecration Incidit in scyllam qui vult vitare charibdim Mylles The substaunce of Christes bodye doth not fill the Mouses belly For although he doth receiue the outward formes of bread and wine yet hee doeth not receiue the substaunce inwardly but without violation And a Mouse doth not eate the bodye of Christ to speake properly for it doth not feede him spirituallye or corporallye as it doeth man because hee doth not receiue it to any inducemente of immortality to the flesh Bland Yee make not your doctrine playne to be vnderstand we must know howe a Mouse can recieue the substance inwardly and outwardly Ye saye hee doth not receiue the substaunce inwardly but without violation Argument 〈…〉 sensu 〈…〉 receaueth not the 〈◊〉 but without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with violation he receiâ—â—â—â— the bâ—dy inwardly Argument 〈◊〉 violateth not the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 〈…〉 violateth the 〈…〉 eateth 〈…〉 and the beleeâ—â—â—â—â—odye of Christe 〈…〉 the Papistes 〈…〉 Ergo with violation he receiueth the substaunce inwardly Yee saye that the Mouse cannot violate Christes bodye But he violateth the substaunce that hee eateth And this your proper speache doth importe as muche as that the Mouse should eate the sacrament to as great effecte and the same thing as doth the vnworthy receiuer For if that be the cause that shee properly eateth not the body of Christ because she doth not feede vppon it spiritually nor corporally nor receiueth it to any inducement of immortality as ye say then it followeth that the vnbeleuer and the * Argument 〈◊〉 canne liue with 〈…〉 withoute 〈◊〉 〈…〉 may liue with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 câ—â—sâ—crated hostes haue 〈…〉 but the 〈…〉 Mouse receiueth both one thinge And yet it cannot be denyed but the * Argument 〈◊〉 canne liue with 〈…〉 withoute 〈◊〉 〈…〉 may liue with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 câ—â—sâ—crated hostes haue 〈…〉 but the 〈…〉 Mouse will liue with consecrated bread then ye must graunt the absurditie that a substaunce is nourished and fed onely with accidences Milles. Mens bodyes be fedde with Christes body as with immortall meate by reason of the Godhead annexed to eternal life but mens bodyes bee corporally nourished with qualities and formes of bread and wine Aâ—nâ— 155â— Iuly and we deny that by the sacramentall eatyng any grosse humor turned into bloud is made myraculously in the body Bland Where it can not bee denyed that a man may liue and naturally be nourished in his naturall body with the Sacramentall bread wine consecrated ye cannot auoyd that but then yee turne to the spirituall worshipping of of mans bodye by Christes body and Godhead annexed whiche is nothing to put away the absurditie that either a mans naturall body shoulde be fedde naturally with accidences or els to haue them chaunged into grosse humours But ye say mens bodyes be corporally noureshed with quallities and fourmes of bread and wyne Another absurditye â—hat mens boâ—yes be nourâ—â—â—ed naturally with accidences and qualityes and theÌ„ must ye needes graunt that qualities and quantities must be made substaunce in man For ex eisdem sunt nutriuntur mixta or els is al that is the nutriment in man accidenâ—es and no substaunce Milles. If the forms of bread wine be burned or worms engendred it is no derogation to the body of Christ because the presence of his bodye ceaseth to be there and no substaunce commeth agayne Bland Another 〈◊〉 that sâ—bstanceâ—s maâ—e of accidences 〈…〉 or wormes be made of the formes of bâ—ead wyne Ye graunt here that a substaunce may be made of accidences as ashes or woormes but I thinke you will haue it by your myracles and this I count more absurditie then y e other that Christes body should cease to be there and no substance to come agayne for no worde in all the whole Bible seemes to serue you for the ceasing of hys presence though we graunted you which we doe not that it were there God almighty open your hart if it be his will pleasure to see the truth And if I thought not my death to be at hand I would aunswere you to all the rest in these and all other my doinges I submit my selfe to our saueour Iesus Christe and his holy word desiring you in the bowels of Christ to do the same Your Oratour in the Lord Iohn Bland ¶ The last appearaunce and examination of Mayster Bland HItherto you haue heard the troublesome handelyng of this faythfull and blessed seruaunt of God I. Bland toste to and fro from prison to prison from Session to Session â—ichard â—hornton â—he â—loudy Byshop of Douer At last he was brought before the Bishop of Douer the Commissarye
more whiche are not rightlye vsed at this presente time in Englande and therefore be vnprofitable 10. Item he beleueth that all the ceremonies Agaynst ceremonyes nowe vsed in this Church of England are vaine superfluous superstitious and nought The Martyrdome of Thomas Iueson Iohn Aleworth IN the latter ende of thys moneth of Iulye Iohn Aleworth dyed in prison Iohn Aleworth dyed in prison at the Towne of Reading beyng there in bondes for the cause and testimonie of the truthe of the Lordes Gospel Whom although the Catholicke Prelates according to their vsuall solemnitie did exclude out of their Catholicke buriall yet we see no cause why to exclude him out of the number of Christes holy martyrs and heires of his holy kingdome Iames Abbes a Martyr of blessed memorie suffering for the true cause of Christes Gospel August 2. AMong many that trauailed in these troublesome daies to keepe a good conscience there was one Iames Abbes a young man whych throughe compulsion of the tyrannie then vsed Iames Abbes Martyr was enforced to haue his part wyth hys brethren in wandring and going from place to place to auoide the pearill of apprehendinge But when time came that the Lorde had an other woorke to doe for hym he was caught by the handes of wicked men and broughte before the B. of Norwiche D. Hopton Who examining him of his Religion and charging him therewyth very sore both with threates and faire speache Iames Abbes relented at the laste the sayde poore Iames did yelde and relented to their naughty perswasions although hys conscience consented not thereto Nowe when he was dismissed and shoulde goe from the Bishop Money geuen to Iames Abbes by the Bishop the Bishop calling hym againe gaue hym a peece of money either fourty pence or twentie pence whether I knowe not which when the sayd Iames had receiued and was gone from the Bishop his conscience began to rob A notable example of sting of conscience and inwardly to accuse hys facte howe hee had displeased the Lorde by consenting to their beastly illusions In which combate wyth himselfe being pitiously vexed he went immediately to the Bishop againe there threw hym his sayd money which he had receiued at hys hande Iames Abbes throweth to the Bishop his money agayne and sayd it repented him that euer he gaue hys consent to their wicked perswasions and that he gaue his consent in taking of hys money Now this being done the bishop wyth his chaplains did labour a fresh to winne him againe Iames Abbes made strong by his infirmity but in vayne for the sayd Iames Abbes would not yeelde for none of them all although he had plaid Peter before through infirmitie but stoode manfully in hys masters quarel to the ende and abode the force of the fire to the consuming of his body into ashes which tyrannie of burning was done in Berie the 2. day of August An. 1555. A discourse of the apprehension examination and condemnation of Iohn Denly Gentleman Iohn Newman and Patrike Pachingham Martyred for the testimonie of Christes Gospell IN the middest of this tempestuous rage of malignaunt aduersaries Iohn 〈◊〉 gentlemâ—â— Iohn Nâ—â—â—man Pâ—â—tricke Pâ—â—chinghaâ— Martyrâ—â— Edmunâ— Tyrrel â—â—â—quire motor persecuting and destroying the poore â—â—ocke of Christe many there were which thoughe they were no spirituall meÌ„ yet thought to help forward for their parts as one would say to heape vp mo coales to this furious flame of persecution whether of a blind zeale or of a parasiticall flattery I knowe not Amongest whiche one was Edmonde Tyrell Esquier and at that time a Iustice of peace wythin the Countie of Essex an assister as it seemeth to the cruell murtherers of Gods Saintes Who as he came from the burning death of certaine godly Martyrs met with M. Iohn Denly gentleman and one Iohn Newman both of Maidstone in Kent trauailing vppon the way and goyng to visite suche their godly frendes as then they had in the sayde Countie of Essex And vpon the sight of them as he yet braggeth first vppon suspition apprehended and searched them and at last finding the confessions of their faith in wryting about theÌ„ sent theÌ„ vp vnto the Queenes Commissioners directinge also vnto one of the same Commissioners these hys fauourable Letters in theyr behalfe The copie whereof heere may appeare as followeth A copie of Edmund Tyrels leter to one of the Queenes Commissioners SIr with moste harty commendations vnto you these shal be to aduertise you A letter of detection written 〈◊〉 M. Edmâ—â—â— Tyrrell 〈◊〉 Commâ—â—â—â—â—oner 〈…〉 Syr 〈…〉 that I haue receiued a letter from Sir Nicholas Hare and you and other of the King Queenes Maiesties commissioners by a seruaunt of the King and Queenes called Iohn Failes for certaine businesse about S. Osythes the which I could not immediately goe about for that I had receiued a letter from the Counsell to assist the Sheriffe for the execution of the heretickes the one at Raileigh and the other at Rocheford the which was done vpon Tuesday last And as I came homeward I met wyth two menne Euen as I sawe them I suspected them and then I did examine them and search them and I did finde about them certaine letters M. 〈◊〉 and Iohâ— Newâ—â—â— the way mette and appreheâ—â—ded by M. Edmund Tyrrell whych I haue sent you and also a certaine wrytinge in paper what their faith was And they confessed to mee that they had forsaken and fled out of their country for Religions sake and sithen they haue bene in many countreis by their confession whiche I haue sente you for the which I thoughte it good for that they came from London and that there might be more hadde of them then I yet haue vnderstand to sende them to you whereby you and others of the King and Queenes Commissioners there might trie them so that their lewdnesse might be throughly knowen for I thinke these haue caused many to trouble their consciences So thys hath bene some let to me wherefore I coulde not go about these matters expressed in your letters but to morrow no one I entende by Gods grace to accomplish your letters with as muche diligence as I may And this the holy Trinitie haue you euer in his keeping I beseeche you to be so good maister to discharge these pore men that bring these prisonners vp assone as may be And thus moste hartly farewel from Raimesdon parke the 12. day of Iune 1555. By your assured to commaund Edmund Tyrel For so much as in this letter meÌ„tion is made of a certaine wryting in paper founde about them of their Faith what this wrytinge was and what were the contentes of it the copie thereof heere ensueth ¶ Certayne notes collected and gathered oute of the Scriptures by Iohn Denley Gentleman with a confession of his faith touching the Sacrament of Christes body bloud found about him ready wrytten at his apprehension Christe is
not to be bodyly in the Sacrament Ioh 19. Iohn 17. whom he raysed from death euen Iesus which deliuered vs from the wrath to come c. Also Iohn 16. I went out from the father and came into the world Again I leaue the world and go to the father c. Iohn 17. Now I am not in the world and they are in the world and I come to thee And these places of the Scripture with other mo prooueth plainly to them that haue eares to heare that Christes body that was borne of the Uirgin Mary is in heauen and not in the Sacramentall bread and wyne and therefore it is idolatry to worship them c. Agaynst auricular confession To this fift Article I aunswer that I do beleue as I haue aforesayd that auricular confession is not good as it is now vsed Touching my sinnes wherein I haue offended God I must seeke to hym for remission therof for our Sauiour Christ sayth in the xj of S. Mathew Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden Mathew 11. I will ease you c. The riotous sonne Luke xv sayth I will arise and go to my Father and will say to him Luke 15. Father I haue sinned agaynst heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne c. Psal. 31. Psalme 31. I sayd I will knowledge myne offences and accuse my selfe vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest me the wickednesse of my sinne c. Iob. 13. But I will reproue myne own wayes in hys sight Iob. 13. He shal make me whole and there may no hypocrite come before hym Syrach 34. sayth Who can be clensed of the vncleane Sirac 34. And there was but one of the x. Lepers that were clensed that came to Christ to geue hym thanks He asked for the other ix But if I haue offended my neighbour I must reconcile my self to my neighbour Remission of sinnes to be sought onely at the handes of Christ. and if I be a notorious sinner after the first second admonition it ought to be declared to the congregation and the Minister of the congregation hath power by the word to excommunicate me and I am to bee taken as a Heathen person not for a day or xl dayes but vnto such tyme as I do openly in the congregation knowledge my fault then the minister hath power by the word to preach to me or them the remission of our sins in the bloud of Iesus Christ as it is written in the 13. of the Acts of the Apostles Math. 18. Other confession I know none To this 6. Article I the sayd Iohn Denley haue aunswered in the fift c. To this 7. Article I answer that as touchyng the sacrament of Baptisme which is the christenyng of childreÌ„ as it is altered and chaunged for S. Iohn Baptist vsed nothyng but the preachyng of the word and the water as it doth appeare wheÌ„ Christ required to be baptised of him and others also which came to Iohn to be baptised as it appeareth Math. 3. Mark 1. Luke 3. and Act. 8. the chamberlaine sayd See here is water Act. â— what letteth me to be baptised It appereth here that Phillip had preached vnto him for he sayd here is water We do not read that hee asked for any creame or oile not for spettle nor coniured water nor coniured waxe nor yet crysome nor salt for it semeth that Phillip had preached no such thyngs to hym for he would as wel haue asked for them as for water the water was not coniured but euen as it was afore Also Act. x. TheÌ„ answered Peter Acteâ— â— Acteâ— â— Can any man forbid water that these shold not be baptised c. Actes 16. And Paule and Silas preached vnto hym the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house he took them the same houre of the night and washed their wounds so was he baptised and al they of his houshold straight way Where ye see nothyng but preachyng the word the water The lyke also is to be sayd of the rest of the ceremonies of your Church To the 8. Article I answer shortly The Râ—â—â—â—bow as good a Sâ—â—crameâ—◠〈◊〉 some of 〈◊〉 Popish â—â—â—cramentâ— that there bee Sacraments no mo but two Baptisme and the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ except ye will make the rainbow a sacrament for there is no sacrameÌ„t but hath a promise annexed vnto it To the 9. Article I doe aunswer you that ye haue my mynd written alredy For it was found about me wheÌ„ I was taken and also ye know my mynd in the 4. Article plainly expressed concernyng the bodily presence for christes body is in heauen will not be conteyned in so small a piece of breade And as the wordes which Christ spake are true in deede so must they also bee vnderstanded by other of the Scriptures whiche Christ spake hymselfe and also the Apostles after hym And thus I make an ende c. By me Iohn Denley The Martyrdome of Maister Iohn Denley Then cruell D. Story beyng there present commanded one of the tormentors to hurle a fagot at hym whereupon beyng hurt therewith vpon the face that hee bled agayne he left his singyng and clapt both his hands on his face Truly quoth D. Story to him that hurled the fagot thou hast mard a good old song The sayd Iohn Denley beyng yet still in the flame of the fire put his hands abroad and sang againe yelding at the last his spirit into the hands of God through his sonne Iesus Christ. After the Martyrdome of M. Denley at Uxbridge which was the 8. of August suffered also not long after Patrike Pachingham at the same towne of Uxbridge about the 28. of the sayd moneth This Pachingham was charged of Boner as ye heard in the x. article before for hys behauiour shewed in the Bishops chappell who at y e masse tyme there staÌ„ding would not put of his cap which was taken for an haynous offence The said Pachingham also beyng much laboured by Boner to recant protested in these wordes to the B. that the church which he beleeued was no catholike church but was the church of Sathan therfore he would neuer turne to it c. Furthermore as touching the other which was Ioh. Newman Pewterer dwellyng at Maidstone in Kent he was burned the last of August at Saffron Walden in the Countie of Essex whose examinatioÌ„ and confession of his fayth and beliefe for the which he was cruelly burnt and persecuted here vnder followeth ¶ The examination of Iohn Newman Martyr IOhn Newman first was apprehended in Kent dwellyng in the towne of Maidstone and there was examined before Doctor Thornton Suffragane and others at Tenterden From thence he was brought to Boner and there condemned with M. Denley and Pachingham and burned at Saffron Walden as is before storied But because his
the Wardens owne chamber where he remayned sixe days and in the meane tyme his former chaÌ„ber was searched by D. Martin and others for writyngs and bookes which M. Hooper was thought to haue made but none was found ¶ Here followeth another examination of M. Hooper An other examination of M. Hooper before the Bishop of Winchester and his fellowes THe 28. of Ianuary Winchester and other the Commissioners sate in iudgement at S. Mary Oueries whereas M. Hooper appeared before them at after noone agayne and there after much reasonyng and disputation to and fro hee was commaunded aside tyll M. Rogers which was then come had bene likewise examined Examinations beyng ended the two Shiriffes of London were commaunded about foure of the clocke to cary them to the Counter in Southwarke there to remayne vntill the morow at ix a clocke to see whether they would relent and come home agayne to their Catholicke Church So M. Hooper went before with one of the Shiriffes and M. Rogers came after with the other and beyng out of the Church doore M. Hooper looked backe and stayed a little tyll M. Rogers drewe neare M. Hoopers wordes to M· Rogers vnto whom he sayd Come brother Rogers must we two take this matter first in hand and beginne to fry these fagots Yea Sir sayd M. Rogers by Gods grace Doubte not sayde M. Hooper but God wyll geue strength So goyng forwardes there was such a prease of people in the streetes which reioyced at theyr constauncie that they had much adoe to passe By the way the Shiriffe sayd to M. Hooper I woonder that ye were so hastie and quicke with my L. Chancellour M. Hooper earnest in his Maysters cause and dyd vse no more pacience He aunswered M. Shiriffe I was nothyng at all impacient althogh I was earnest in my maisters cause and it standeth me so in hand for it goeth vpon life and death not the life and death of this world only but also of the world to come Then were they committed to the Keeper of the Counter and apointed to seueral chambers with commaundement that they should not be suffred to speake one with another neyther yet any other permitted to come at them that night Upon the next day followyng the 29. of Ianuary at the houre appoynted they were brought agayne by the Shiriffes before the sayd Bishop and Commissioners in the Churche The thyrd and last exâ—mination of M. Hooper where they were the day before And after long and earnest talke when they perceyued that M. Hooper would by no meanes condescend vnto them they condemned hym to be disgraded and read vnto hym his condemnation M. Hooper condemned That done M. Rogers was brought before them and in lyke maner entreated and so they deliuered both of them to the secular power the two shirifs of London who were willed to cary them to the Clinke a prison not far from the B. of Winchesters house and there to remayne till night When it was darke M. Hooper was led by one of the Shiriffes with many bils and weapons first through the B. of Winchesters house and so ouer London bridge thorough the Citie to Newgate And by the way some of the Sergeaunts were wylled to goe before and put out the Costerdmongers candles who vse to sit with lyght in the streetes eyther fearyng of lykelihoode that the people would haue made some attempt to haue taken him away from them by force Darkeâ— best for Papistâ—â— if they had seene hym goe to that prysonne or els beyng burdened with an euill conscience they thought darckenesse to be a most fitte season for such a businesse But notwithstandyng this deuise the people hauyng some foreknowledge of his comming The 〈◊〉 reioysinâ— the 〈◊〉 of Mâ— Hooper M. Roâ—â—â— M. 〈◊〉 sent to Newgatâ—â— many of them came foorth of their dores with lights and saluted hym praysing God for his constancie in the true doctrine which he had taught them and desiring God to strengthen hym in the same to the ende M. Hooper passed by and required the people to make their earnest prayers to God for hym and so went through Chepeside to the place appoynted was deliuered as close prisoner to the Keeper of Newgate where he remained sixe dayes no body beyng permitted to come to him or to talke with him sauyng his Keepers and such as should be appoynted thereto During this tyme Boner B. of London and others at his appoyntment as Fecknam Chedsey B. Boneâ— his Chaâ—â—laynes 〈◊〉 with Hooper prison and Harpsfield c. resorted diuers tymes vnto hym to assay if by any meanes they could perswade him to relent and become a member of their Antichristian church All the ways they could deuise they attempted For besides the disputations and allegations of testimonies of the Scriptures and of auncient writers wrasted to a wrong sense accordyng to their accustomed maner they vsed also all outward gentlenes and significations of friendship with many great profers and promises of worldly commodities not omittyng also most grieuous threatnyngs if with geâ—tlenesse they could not preuaile but they found hym alwayes one man stedfast and immoueable When they perceiued that they could by no means reclayme him to their purpose with such perswasions and offers as they vsed for his conuersion False ruâ—â—mors of Hoopers recantatâ—â—â— then went they about by false rumours and reports of recantations for it is well knowen that they and their seruaunts dyd spread it first abroade to bring hym and the doctrine of Christ which he professed out of credite with the people So the brute beyng a little spread abroad and beleeued of some of the weaker sort by reason of the often resort of the Byshop of London and other it encreased more at the last came to M. Hoopers eares Wherewith he was not a little greued that the people should geue so light credite vnto false rumors hauyng so simple a ground as it may appeare by a letter which he wrote vpon that occasioÌ„ the copy wherof followeth * A letter of Maister Hooper for the stoppyng of certayne false rumours spread abroad of hys recantation THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee wyth all them that vnfainedly looke for the comming of our Sauiour Christ Amen A 〈◊〉 of M. Hoâ—per agayâ—â—â— false 〈◊〉 spread oâ— his recanâ—â—â—tion Deare brethren and sisters in the Lord and my fellowe prisones for the cause of Gods gospell I do much reioice and geue thankes vnto God for your constancie and perseuerance in affliction vnto whom I wish continuaunce vnto the end And as I do reioyce in your fayth and constancie in afflictions that be in prison eueÌ„ so do I mourne and lament to heare of our dere brethren that yet haue not felt such dangers for gods truth as we haue and do feele and be daily lyke to suffer more yea the very extreme and vile death of the fire yet such is the report abroade as I am
credibly enformed that I Iohn Hooper a condemned man for the cause of Christ should now after sentence of death beyng in Newgate prisoner and looking daily for execution recant and abiure that which heretofore I haue preached And this talke ariseth of this that the B. of London and his chaplains resort vnto me Doubtlesse if our brethren were as godly as I would wish theÌ„ they would thinke that in case I did refuse to talke with them The 〈◊〉 of this 〈…〉 riseth they might haue iust occasion to say that I were vnlearned durst not speake with learned men or els proud and disdainfull to speake with them Therefore to auoyd iust suspition of both I haue and do daily speake with theÌ„ when they come not doubting but that they report that I am neither proud nor vnlearned And I would wish all men to do as I doe in this poynt For I feare not their arguments neither is death terrible vnto me praying you to make true report of the same as occasion shall serue and that I am more coÌ„firmed in the truth which I haue preached heretofore by their commyng Therfore ye that may send to the weake brethren pray them that they trouble me not with such reports of recantations as they do For I haue hitherto left all thinges of the world and suffred great paynes and imprisonment I thanke God I am as ready to suffer death as a mortall man may be It were better for them to pray for vs then to credite or report such rumors that be vntrue We haue enemies enough of such as know not God truely But yet the fals report of weake brethren is a double crosse I wish you eternall saluation in Iesus Christ and also require your continuall prayer that he which hath begon in vs may continue it to the end I haue taught the truth with my tong and with my pen heretofore hereafter shortly will confirme the same by Gods grace with my bloud Forth of Newgate the 2. of February an 1554. Your brother in Christ Iohn Hooper Upon Monday mornyng the B. of London came to Newgate and there disgraded M. Hooper the sentence of which his degradation here followeth ¶ Degradatio Hooperi IN nomine ✚ patris ✚ filij ✚ spiritus sancti Amen Quoniam per sententiam diffinitiuam à reuerendo in Christo patre Domino Stephano permissione diuina Winton Epìscopo in contra te Iohannem Hooper praesbyterum suae iurisdictionis ratione haeresis delicti infra illius dioecesin Winton notoriè commissi existentem nuper ritè legitimè prolatam constat sufficienter legitimè nobis Edmundo London Episcopo te praefatum Iohannem Hooper haereticum manifestum obstinatum ac pertinacem fuisse esse ac constat similiter tanquaÌ„ haereticum huiusmodi per dictam sententiam pronunciatum declaratum fuisse maiorisque excommunicationis sententia ob id innodatum inuolutum similiter esse ac ab ordine tuo deponendum degradandum curiaeque seculari ob demerita tua huiusmodi tradendum fore prout ex tenore dictae sententiae ad quaÌ„ nos in hac parte nos referimus plenius planius expressius liqueâ— apparet Idcirco nos Edmundus Episc. London antedictus quia nostra vniuersitatis etiam in terest nostras hic partes interponere vicariam operam mutuamque vicissitudinem impendere in cuius etiam dioecesi tu Iohannes Hooper per idem heresis crimen tunc saepius ante post commisisti istis inquam alijs praedictis attentis exequendo omni meliori efficaciori modo quo possumus sententiam praedictam sic vt prae mittitur latam in te qui infra fines limites dioecesis nostrae London notoriè consisteÌ„s in hac parte culpabilis transgressor etiam notoriè existens ad actualem degradationem tui praefati Iohannis Hooper culpa tua exigente ac iustitia id poscente duximus procedendum fore ac sic etiam realiter procedimus vt deinde iuxta iuris exigentiam temporis retroacti morem laudabilem normam consuetam te in Arca Ecclesiae manere nolentem curiae seculari ritè legitimè ac effectualiter tradere possumus Quod ipsum sic fieri debere nos per hanc nostraÌ„ sententiam siue decretum decernimus pronunciamus declaramus in hijs scriptis After the sentence of degradation thus declared nowe let vs see the forme and maner of their degradyng which here also followeth But first here is to be noted that the disgrading of this blessed B. did not proceed agaynst hym as against a B. but as onely against a Priest as they termed him for such as he was these Baalamites accompted for no Bishop Here followeth the forme and maner vsed in the disgrading of B. Hooper THe fourth day of February the yere aboue mentioned in the Chappell in Newgate the Bishop of London there sitting with his Notarie and certaine other witnesses came Alexander Andrew the Gaoler bringyng wyth hym M. Hooper and M. Rogers beyng condemned before by the Chauncellor where the sayd Bishop of London at the request of the foresayd Winchester proceeded to the degradation of the parties aboue mentioned M. Hooper and M. Rogers after this forme and maner First he put vpon them all the vestures and ornaments belonging to a Priest with all other things to the same order appertainyng as though beyng reuested they should solemnly execute in their office Thus they beyng apparelled and inuested the B. beginneth to plucke of first the vttermost vesture and so by degree and order commyng downe to the lowest vesture M. Hooper and M. Rogers â—isgraded togither which they had onely in takyng Bennet and Collet and so beyng stript and deposed he depriued them of all order benefite and priuiledge belonging to the Clergy and consequently that beyng done pronounced decreed and declared the sayd parties so disgraded to be geuen personally to the secular power as the Shiriffes beyng for that yere M. Dauy Woodrofe and M. William Chester Dauy Woodrofe William Chester Shriefes who receiuing first the sayde M. Rogers at the hands of the B. had him away with them bringyng hym to the place of execution where he suffered The witnesses there present were M. Harpsfield Archdeacon of LondoÌ„ Rob. Cosin and Rob. Willerton canons of Paules Th. Mountague George Howe clerkes Tristram Swadocke and Richard Clunney Sumner c. The same Monday at night beyng the 4. of February his keeper gaue hym an inkeling that he should be sent to Glocester to suffer death whereat he reioyced very much liftyng vp his eyes and hands into heauen praising god that he saw it good to send him amongest the people M. Hooper glad that he should suffer amongeâ—t his owne flocke ouer whom he was pastor there to confirme with his death the truth which he had before taught them not doubting
haue done for manye yet neuer heard thy woorde for oure trespasses and whose mercy is so great that thou wilt put our iniquities out of thy remembraunce for thy Christes sake if we repent and beleue graunt vs we beseech thee true repentance faith that we hauing obtained pardon for our sinnes may thorough thy Christ get deliuerance from the tirannie of Antichrist now oppressing vs. Oh good Father whych haste sayde that the Scepter of the wicked should not long lie vpon and ouer the iust 〈◊〉 125. least they put foorth their handes to iniquitie also make vs iust we pray thee in Christes name and cut a sunder the cordes of them that hate Sion let not the wicked people say wher is their God Thou our God art in heauen and doest whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee vpon earth Oh that thou wouldest in the meane whiles before thou doe deliuer vs that I say thou wouldest open our eyes to see all these plagues to come from thee all other that shall come what so euer they be publicke or priuate that they come not by chance nor by fortune but that they come euen from thy hande and that iustly and mercifully iustly because we haue doe deserue them not only by our birth poysone still sticking and working in vs but also by our former euill life past whiche by thys punishment and all other pâ—nishmentes thou wouldest haue vs to call to our remembraunce and to set before vs that thou mightest put them from before thee where as they stand so long as they are not in oure remembraunce to put them awaye by repentaunce Mercifully oh Lord God doest thou punish in that thou doest not correct to kill but to amend that we mighte repent our sinnes aske mercye obtaine it freely in Christe and beginne to suffer for righteousnesse sake to be part of thy house whereat thy iudgement beginneth to be partakers of the afflictions of thy Church and thy Christ that wee might be partakers of the glorye of the same to weepe here that we might reioyce else where to be iudged in this world that we might with thy Saintes iudge here after y e worlde to suffer with Christ that we might raigne with him to be like to Christe in shame that we might be like to hym in glory to receiue our euils here y t we might with poore Lazarus finde rest else where rest I saye and such a rest as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the heart of man is able to conceiue Oh that our eyes were open to see thys The Crosse seÌ„t from God and to what ende that the crosse commeth from thee to declare thy iustice thy mercye and hereto that we might see howe short a time the time of suffering is how long a time the time of reioysing is to them that suffer heere but to them that will not how longe and miserable a time is appoynted and prepared a time withoute time in eternall woe and perdition too horrible to be thought vpon From the which keepe vs deare father and geue more sight in soule to see thys geare and how that all thy dearest children haue caried the crosse of greeuous affliction in this life in whose coÌ„pany do thou place vs and such a crosse lay vpoÌ„ vs as thou wilt make vs able to bear to thy glory and our saluation in Christ for whose sake we pray thee to shorten the dayes of this our great misery fallen vppon vs most iustly and in the meane season geue vs patience repentaunce faith and thy eternall consolation Amen Amen Amen And thus deare heartes I haue talked me thinkes a litle while w t you or rather we haue all talked wyth God Oh that God would geue vs his spirit of grace and prayer My deaâ—ly beloued pray for it as for your selues so for me and that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy to suffer with a good conscience for his names sake Pray for me and I shall do the like for you This 20. of December by him whome by this bringer ye shal learne I praye you geue me commendations to all that loue me in the Lorde Be mery in Christe for one daye in heauen we shall meete and reioyce together for euermore Amen To my good brother Augustine Barneher MIne owne good Augustine the Lorde of mercye blesse thee my deare brother for euer This Austen being a Dutchman was Latimers seruant a faythfull minister in the time of K. Edwarde and in Q. Maryes time a dilligent attendant vpon the Lordes prisoners Mich. 6. I haue good hope that if you come late at night I shall speake with you but come as secretely as you can Howbeit in the meane season if you can and as you can learne what maister G. hath spoken to Doctor Storie and others The cause of all this trouble both to my keeper and me is thought to come by him It is said that I shal be burned in Smithfield and that shortly Domini voluntas fiat Ecce ego Domine mitte me i The Lordes will be done Behold here I am Lord send me Ah mine owne sweete frend I am now alone leaste I shoulde make you and others worse If I should liue I would more warely vse the companye of Gods children then euer I haue done Iram Domini portabo quoniam peccaui ei i. I wil bear the Lords anger because I haue sinned against him CommeÌ„d me to my most deare Sister for whome my heart bledeth the Lorde comfort her and strengthen her vnto the ende I thinke I haue taken my leaue of her for euer in thys life but in eternall life we shall most surely mete and praise the Lord continually I haue now takeÌ„ a more certaine aunswere of death then euer I did and yet not so certaine as I thinke I shoulde doe I am nowe as a sheepe appoynted to the slaughter Ah my God the houre is come glorifie thy most vnworthy childe I haue glorified thee sayeth this my sweete father and I will glorifie thee Amen Ah mine owne bowels praise God for me and pray for mee for I am his I hope I hope hee will neuer forsake me though I haue aboue all other moste deserued it I am the most singular example of his mercye praised be hys name therefore for euer Cause Mistres Perpoint to learne of the Sheriffe Master Chester what they purpose to doe with mee and knowe if you can whether there be any wryt foorth for me Factus sum sicut nicticorax in domicilio passer solitarius in tecto i. I am like to an Owle in the house Psal. 101. and as a sparrowe alone in the house toppe Ah my Augustine howe long shall Gods enemies thus triumphe I haue sent you this of the Baptisme of children to wryte out when this is done you shall haue other things Pray pray mine owne deare heart on whome I am bolde The keeper telleth me that it is death for any
to speake with me but yet I trust that I shall speake wyth you Iohn Bradford To these letters of M. Bradforde aboue specified here is also adioyned an other Letter of the sayde Bradforde wrytten to certaine of his faithfull friendes woorthy of all Christians to be read wherein is described a liuely comparison betweene the Olde man and the Newe Also betweene the Law and the Gospell containing much frutefull matter of diuinitie necessary for Christian consciences to read and vnderstand A letter of M. Bradford describing a comparison betweene the olde man and the newe c. A Man that is regenerate and borne of God the whiche thing that euery one of vs be A compaâ—ison betweene the olde man and the new by M. Bradford our baptisme the Sacrament of regeneration doth require vnder paine of damnation and therefore lette euery one of vs wyth the virgine Mary say be it vnto me O Lord according to thy word according to thy Sacrament of baptisme wherein thou hast declared our adoption and let vs lament the doubting hereof in vs striuing againste it as we shal be made able of the Lorde a man I say that is regenerate consisteth of two men as a man may say namely of the olde man and oâ— the newe man The old man The new man The olde man is like to a mighty Giant suche a one as was Goliath â—or his birth is now perfecte But the newe man is like vnto a little childe such a one as was Dauid for his birth is not perfect vntill the day of hys generall resurrection The old man therfore is more stronger lusty and stirring then is the newe man Why the olde man is stronger then the new because the birth of the newe man is but begun now and the old man is perfectly born And as the olde man is more stirring lustye and stronger then the newe man so is the nature of him cleane contrary to the nature of the newe man In what respect one man is both an old man and also a nâ—w man as being earthly and corrupt with Sathans seede the nature of the newe man being heauenly and blessed with the celestiall seede of God So that one man in as muche as he is corrupte wyth the seede of the Serpent is an olde man and in as muche as he is blessed with the seede of God from aboue he is a new man And as in as much as he is an old maÌ„ he is a sinner and an enemy to God so in as much as he is regenerat he is righteous holy and a frend to God the seede of God preseruing him from sinne so that hee cannot sinne as the seede of the Serpent wherewith hee is corrupt euen from his conception inclineth hym yea enforceth him to sinne and nothing els but to sinne So that the best part in man before regeneration in Gods sight is not onely an enemy but enmitie it selfe How one man may be called alwayes sinfull and alwayes iust One man therefore which is regenerate well may be called alwayes iust and alwaies sinneful iust in respect of Gods seede and hys regeneration sinnefull in respecte of Sathans seede and his first birth Betwixt these two men therfore there is coÌ„tinual conflict and warre most deadly The flesh and olde man by reason of his birth that is perfect Why the olde man oftentymes preuayleth agaynst the new man doth often for a time preuaile againste the newe man being but a child in comparison and that in such sorte as not onely other but euen the children of God them selues thinke that they be nothing els but old and that the spirite seede of God is lost and gone away where yet notwithstanding the truth is otherwise the spirite and the seede of God at the length appearing againe The old man so mightely preuayleth sometymes agaynst the new in the children of God that the spirite seede of God seemeth to be vtterly taken from them whereas in deede it is not so as afterwards to their great comfort they finde and feele and dispelling away the clouds which couer the sonne of Gods seede from shyning as the cloudes in the aire do the corporall Sunne so that sometimes a man cannot tel by any sense that ther is any Sunne the cloudes and windes so hiding it from our sight Euen so our cecitie or blindnes and corrupte affections do often shadow the sight of Gods sede in Gods children as though they were plaine reprobates Whereof it coÌ„meth that they praying according to their sense but not according to the truthe desire of God to giue them agayne his spirite as thoughe they had lost it and he had taken it away Which thing God nor dothe in deede although hee make vs to thinke so for a time for alwayes hee holdeth hys hand vnder his children in their falles that they lye not still as other doe whych are not regenerate And thys is the differeÌ„ce betwixte Gods children which are generate and elect before all times in Christe and the wicked cast awayes that the elect lie not stil continually in theyr sinne as doe the wicked but at the length doe returne agayne by reason of Gods seede which is in them hid as a sparkle of fire in the ashes as we maye see in Peter Dauid Paule Mary Magdalene and others For these I meane Gods children God hathe made all thinges in Christe Iesu to whom he hath geuen this dignitie that they should be hys inheritaunce and spouses Thys our inheritour Christe Iesus God wyth God light of lyght coeternall and consubstantiall wyth the Father and wyth the holy Ghoste to the ende that he myghte become our husbande because the husbande and the wyfe must be one body and flesh hath taken our nature vppon him communicating with it and by it in his owne person to vs all his children 1. Peter 1. his diuine maiestie as Peter sayth and so is become flesh of our flesh and bone of oure bones substantially As the wyfe is no sutable person but the husband so Christe being our husband let him enter the Action for our sinnes as we are become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones spiritually al that euer we haue perteining to him yea eueÌ„ our sinnes as al that euer he hath pertaineth vnto vs euen his whole glory So that if Sathan should sommon vs to aunswere for oure dettes or sinnes in that the wife is no sutable person but the husbaÌ„d we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christe and he will make him a sufficient aunswere For this ende I meane that we might be coupled and maried thus to Christe and so be certaine of saluation and at godly peace with God in our coÌ„sciences God hath geuen his holy worde which hath two partes as nowe the children of God do consist of two men one part of Gods word being proper to the old man the other part of gods