people of God and theyr aduersaries into whose handes they were putte and deliuered and that of GOD and by hys good will and pleasure were Idolatrers and the people of the Deuill but they woulde be called the chiefe members of God and reioyced that they hadde the true God and that it was nowe declared by myracle that the Israelites hadde but a false God and a false religion seeing they were deliuered into the Babylonians handes And all the other the Herodes and Pharao I meane plainely determined that if the menne whiche they killed and handled euil hadde bene Goddes people God would neuer haue suffered them to come into their hands but rather haue done the contrarye and haue lette Iohn Baptist kill Herode and the Israelites Pharao and Nabuchodonosor Euen the like is nowe to be seene in vs and in our most cruell aduersaries They are not therfore the catholike Church because our merciful God hath at this present geueÌ„ our liues into their handes neyther are wee therefore heretickes because wee suffer punishment at theyr handes as the Lord Chauncellour by hys reioycing seemeth to gather the contrarye is hereby to be gathered that we be the members of the true Catholike church because wee suffer for the same Doctrine which Iohn Baptiste Iames the Israelites yea Christe the Apostles did teache of which none taught any thing of oure aduersaries doctrine namely that the rotten Antichristian heade of Rome shoulde be the heade of Christes church But they haue manifestly taught the contrary specially Paule 2. to the Thessalonians the 2. chapter Iohn in the Apocalipse Dan. 11. which thing if I might haue life and Bookes I would so by Gods grace set foorth that all the world should see it and that our aduersaries with their Antichristian head are the members of the Deuils church as they vndoubtedly are And in like case as the aboue meÌ„tioned holy men though they in their dayes were counted to be heretickes seditious and disturbers of the whole worlde for vnto Iohn Baptiste it was sayde Iohn 1. Wherefore baptisest thou if thou be not Helias nor that Prophet c. As who saye thou haste no such authoritie to beginne a newe Ceremonie in the Churche For we be in ordinarie possession of the churche and of vs thou haste receiued no such power We abide by our circumcision and the like coulde I declare of Iames and of all the Apostles and Prophetes and of our Sauiour Christe him selfe that were all condemned as heretickes blasphemers of God and disturbers of the whole world Paule and Silas Act. 16. heard like woordes of the Philippians these men trouble our Citie seeing they are Iewes and preache institutions whych are not lawful for vs to receiue seeing we be Romaines And in 17. In Athens the wise menne of this world suche as gaue their endeuour to wisedom said by S. Paule Quid vult spermologus hic dicere That is What will this prater as my Lord Chancelour sayd to me shall we suffer this felow to prate wheÌ„ I would faine haue sayd that thyng that I haue heere wrytten trifler newes caryer or â—ringer that telleth what so euer men will haue him for gaine and aduauntage that will for a piece of bread say what yee will haue hym c. And an other sayd in the same place hee seemeth to be a preacher of newe Deuelles c. And Actes 21. The Iewes say by Paule laying handes on hym helpe O yee Israelites saye they this is the manne that teacheth all men euery where against the people meaning the Iewes and the law and this place meaning Ierusalem and yet was neuer a woorde of these true And Actes 22. the same Iewes sayde of Paule out of the earthe wyth that man or away wyth him For it is not lawfull for him to liue or he is not woorthy to liue And howe many moe of these examples are to be found in the Bible Although I say these men were in their dayes taken for heretickes of them that were then in authoritye and of the great multitude of the worlde yet it is nowe wel knowen yea and very shortly after their deathes this was known yea and euen in theyr liues also vnto the true Catholicke Churche that they were not onely the chiefe and speciall members of the true Catholicke Churche but also the founders and builders thereof notwithstanding the sinister iudgement that the wise and mighty menne and the great multitude of the worlde hadde of them and in theyr consciences they were alwayes assuredlye certified of the same Euen the same shall the world find true in vs shortlye after oure deathes as also there be at thys houre the Lorde be thanked therefore not a fewe that already know it as we our selues also are by Gods grace assuredly certified in our consciences that we are no heretikes but members of the true catholike church and that our aduersaries the bishops and popish cleargie which wil haue that title are the members of Sathans churche and theyr Antichristian head of Rome wyth them But here they wil crie out loe these men wil be stil like Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the Prophets c. I answere we make not our selues like vnto them in the singular vertues and giftes of God geuen vnto them as of miracles doing and of many other things The similitude and likenesse of them and vs consisteth not in all things but only in this that is that we be like them in doctrine and in the sufferinge of persecution and infamie for the same We haue preached theyr very doctrine and none other thing that we are able sufficiently to declare by theyr wrytings by wryting for my part I haue profered to prooue the same as is now often sayd And for this cause we suffer the like reproche shame and rebuke of the worlde the like persecution leesing of our liues and goodes forsaking as our maister Christ commandeth father mother sister brethren wiues children and all that there is being assured of a ioyfull resurrection and to be crowned in glorye wyth them according to the vnfallible promises made vnto vs in Christ our onely and sufficient mediatour reconciler priest and sacrifice which hath pleased the father and quieted and pacified his wrath against our sinnes made vs wythout spot or wrinkle in his sight by imputation although wee off and in our selues are bespotted be blotted w t many filthy sinnes which if the great mercy graunted in Christ did not put away by not imputing them vnto vs of his measurelesse vnspeakeable mercye and loue to saue vs they woulde haue brought vs to euerlasting damnation and death perpetuall Heerein and in no other doe we affirme our selues to be like vnto our head Christe and all his Apostles Prophetes Martyrs and Saintes And heerein oughte all Christian menne to be like them and heerein are all true Christen men and women lyke them euery one according to the measure of y e faith that
forenoone to perswade Luther simply and absolutely to submitte the iudgement of his writinges to the Emperor and Empire Sollicitatâ—oÌ„ to causa Luther to yelde He aunswered he would doe it and submit any thing they would haue hym so they grounded with authority of holy Scripture otherwise he woulde not consent to doe any thing For God sayd by his Prophet sayth he Trust ye not in Princes nor in the childreÌ„ of men in whom there is no health Also Cursed be he that trusteth in man And seeing that they did vrge him more vehemently he answered We ought to yeld no more to y e iudgement of men theÌ„ the word of God doth suffer So they departed and prayed him to aduise for better answere and sayd they would returne after dinner After dinner they returned exhorting him as before but in vayne Luthers coÌ„dition They prayed him that at the least he woulde submit his writing to the iudgement of the nexte generall Councell Luther agreed therunto but with this conditioÌ„ that they themselues shoulde present the Articles collected out of his bookes to be submitted to the Councell in suche sort as notwithstanding the sentence awarded by the couÌ„cell should be authorised by the Scripture and confirmed with the testimonyes of the same They then leauing Luther departed and reported to the Archbishop of Triers False witnesse that he had promised to submit his writinges in certayne articles to the next Councell in the meane space he woulde keepe silence which Luther neuer thought who neither with admonitions ne yet manaces could be induced to deny or submit his bookes to the iudgementes of menne he had so fortified hys cause wyth cleare and manifest authorityes of the Scripture vnlesse they could proue by sacred scripture and apparant reasoÌ„s to the contrary The prouideÌ„ce of God It chaunced then by the speciall grace of God that the Archbishop of Triers sent for Luther thinking presently to heare him And when he perceiued otherwise then Peutinger and the Doctour of Bade had tolde him he sayde that he would for no good but that he had heard himselfe speake for els he was euen now going to the Emperor to declare what the Doctors had reported Then the Archbishop entreated Luther and conferred with him very gently Familiar talke betweene the archbishop and Luther first remouing such as were preseÌ„t as well of the one side as of the other In this conference Luther concealed nothing from the Archbishop affirming that it was dauÌ„gerous to submit a matter of so great importaunce to them who after they had called hym vnder safeconduct attempting him with new commaundementes had condemned his opinion and approued the Popes Bull. Moreouer the Archbishop bidding a frend of his draw nigh required Luther to declare what remedy might bee ministred to helpe this Luthers prophecie out of Gamaliell Luther answered there was no better remedy then suche as Gamaliel alledged in the fyfte chapter of the Apostles as witnesseth S. Luke saying If this Councell or this woorke proceede of men Act. 5. it shall come to nought but if it be of God ye can not destroy it And so he desired that the Emperour might be aduertised to write the same to the Pope that he knewe certaynely if this his enterprise proceeded not of God it would be abolished within three yea within two yeares The Archbishop enquired of him what he would do if certayne articles were taken out of his bookes to be submitted to the generall councell Luthers coÌ„stancie Luther aunswered so that they be not those which the counsell of Constance condemned The Archbyshoppe sayd I feare they will be the very same but what then Luther replyed I will not nor I cannot holde my peace of such for I am sure by theyr decrees the word of God was condemned therefore I wyll rather loose head and life then abandon the manifest word of my Lord God Then the Archbishop seing Luther would in no wise geue ouer the word of God to the iudgement of men geÌ„tly bade Luther farewell who at that instaunt prayed the Archbishop to entreat the Emperours maiesty to graunt him gracious leaue to depart He aunswered he woulde take order for him and speedely aduertise hym of the Emperours pleasure Within a small while after Iohn Eckius the Archbyshops officiall in the presence of the Emperours Secretary who had bene Maximilians Chauncellour sayde vnto Luther in his lodging Luther sent home from the counsel by the commaundement of the Emperour that since he had bene admonished diuersly of the Emperiall maiesty the Electors Princes and estates of the Empyre and that notwithstanding he woulde not returne to vnity and concord there remained that the Emperour as aduocate of the Catholique fayth should proceed further and that it was the Emperours ordinaunce that he should within 21. dayes returne boldly vnder safe conduct and be safely garded to the place whence he came so that in the meane while he styrred no commotion amonge the people in his iourney either in conference or by preaching· Luther hearing this aunswered very modestly christianly euen as it hath pleased God so is it come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed He sayde further he thanked most humbly the Emperors maiesty and all the Princes and estates of the Empyre that they had geuen to hym benigne and gracious audience and graunted safe conduct to come and returne Finally he sayd he desired none other of them then a reformation according to the sacred word of God and consonancy of holy Scriptures which effectually in his hart he desired Otherwise he was prest to suffer all chauÌ„ces for the Emperiall maiesty as life and death goodes fame and reproch reseruing nothing to himselfe but the onely word of God which he would constantly confesse to the latter end humbly recommending hym to the Emperours maiesty and to all the Princes and other estates of the sacred Empyre The morow after which was the 26. day of Aprill Luthers departure from Wormes after he had taken his leaue of such as supported him and other his beneuolent frends that often times visited hym and had broken hys fast at tenne of the clocke he departed from Wormes accompanyed with such as repayred thyther with him hauing space of time limited vnto him as is sayd for 21. dayes and no more The Emperours Heralde Casper Sturine folowed and ouertooke him at Oppenhime being commaunded by the Emperour to coÌ„duct him safely home ¶ The vsuall prayer of Martin Luther COnfirme O God in vs that thou hast wrought and perfect the worke that thou hast begunne in vs to thy glory So be it Ex histor Phil. Melancth Ex Sledano Ex Parali Abb. Vrsperge ex Casp. Peucero MArtin Luther thus being dismissed of the Emperour according to the promise of his safeconduct made as you haue heard departed from Wormes toward his countrey the 26 of Aprill Luther in his iourney wryteth to
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
and Leo Iuda were preachers at this time in Zuricke after their owne interpretation opening thereby whole dores and windowes to discord and dissention Albeit of their doctrine they were not certaine what they did teach yet what inconuenience folowed vpon their doctrine they had to much experiēced For now all fasting was layd downe and all daies were alike to eate both flesh egges as well one as an other Priests religious persons both mē women brake their vowes ranne out of their order and fell to marying Gods seruice was decayed singing in the church left and prayer ceased Priests grewe in contēpt Religious men were thrust out of their cloisters Confession and penance was neglected so that men woulde not sticke to presume to receaue at the holy aultar without any confession made to the Priest before The holy masse was dirided and scorned Our blessed Lady and other saintes blasphemed Images pluckte downe broken in peeces neither was there any honour geuen to the Sacraments To make short men now were growen vnto such a licence and liberty that vnneth the holy host could be safe within the Priests hands c. The disorder of all which thinges as it is of no small importaunce so it was sayd they to them so greuous and lamētable that they thought it their part to suffer the same no lōger Neither was this the first time they said of thys their complaining when in their former assemble they sent vnto them before the like admonition wryting to them by certaine of the Clergye and crauing their aide in the same Which seing it is so they did now againe earnestly cal vpō them touching the premisses desiring them to surcease frō such doings and to take a better way cōtinuing in the religion of their old aunceters which were before them And if there were any such thing wherein they were greeued offended against the Bishop of Rome the Cardinals Bishops or other Prelates either for their ambition in heaping exchanging and selling the dignities of the Church or for their oppressiō in pilling mens purses with their indulgences or els for their vsurped iurisdiction and power which they extend too farre corruptly apply it to matters externe politicall which onely ought to serue in such cases as be spirituall if these and such other abuses were the causes wherewith they were so greeuously offended they promised that for the correction reformation therof they would also themselues ioyne their diligence and good will thereto for somuch as themselues also did not a litle mislike therewith therfore would conferre their counsailes together with them how by which way such greuaunces might best be remoued To this effect were the letters of the Heluetiās written to the Senate Citizens of Zuricke Whereunto the Tigurines made their aunswere agayne the xxi day of March the same yeare in maner as here foloweth ¶ An answere agayne of the Tygurines to the Letter aforesayd FIrst * The letter of the Tigurines aunswering againe the letter of the Heluetiās declaring how their Ministers had laboured and trauailed amongest them teachyng and preachyng the word of God vnto thē the space now of v. yeares Whose doctrine at the first seemed to them very straunge and nouelle because they neuer heard the same before But after that they vnderstoode and perceiued the * If the scope of doctrine be well marked betwene the Papistes and the Protestātes ' it will not be hard for any mā to iudge which is the truer doctrine For the whole ende and scope of the Popes doctrine tendeth to set vp the honour and wealth of man as may appeare by the doctrine of supremacy of confession of the masse of the Sacramēt of the aultar c. all which do tend to the magnyfiyng of the Priests like as Purgatory obsequies pardons and such other serue for their profite Contrarywise the teaching of the Protestantes as well touching iustification originall sinne as also the Sacramentes and inuocation and all other such like tende onely to the setting vp of Christ alone and casting downe of man No iniurye to Saints if Christ onely be worshipped scope of that doctrine onely to tende to this to set forth Christ Iesus vnto vs to be the pillar and refuge of all our saluation whiche gaue his life and bloud for our redemption and which onely deliuered vs also sinnefull misers from eternall death and is the onely Aduocate of mankynde before God they could no otherwise do but with ardent affection receaue so wholesome and ioyfull message The holy Apostles and faythfull Christiās after they had receaued the Gospell of Christ did not fall out by and by in debate and variunce but louyngly agreed and consented together and so they trusted sayd they that they should doe if they would likewise receaue the worde of God settyng aside mens doctrines and traditions dissonant from the same Whatsoeuer Luther or any other mā doth teach whether it be right or wrong it is not for the names of the persons why the doctrine whiche they teach should be either euill or well iudged vpon but onely for that it agreeth or disagreeth from the rule of Gods word for that were but to goe by affection and were preiudiciall to the authoritie of the word of God which ought to rule man and not to be measured by man And if Christ onely be worshipped and mē taught soly to repose their confidence in him yet neither doth the blessed Uirgine nor any Saint elles receaue any iniurie thereby who beyng here in earth receiued their saluation onely by the name of hym And where as they charge their Ministers with wrastyng the Scripture after their owne interpretation God had styrred vp such light now in the hartes of mē that the most part of their Citie haue the Bible in their hand and diligently peruse the same so that their Preachers cā not so winde the Scriptures awry but they shall quickly be perceaued Who be they that wraste the scripture Wherefore there is no danger why they should feare any sectes or factions in them but rather such sectes are to be obiected to those who for their gaine and dignitie wrast the word of God after their owne affections and appetites And where as they and other haue accused them of errour Errour many times obiected where none can be proued yet was there neuer man that could proue any errour in them Although diuers Byshops of Constance of Basill of Curiake with diuers Uniuersities besides also they themselues haue bene sundry times desired so to do yet to this present day neither they nor euer any other so did neither were they nor any of all the foresayd Bishops at their last assemble being requested to come so gentle to repaire vnto them saue only the Schashusians and Sangallians In the which foresayd assemble of theirs all such as were then present considering throughly the whole case of the matter condescended together with
she came first from the partes of gascoigne with her husband who was Lord of GrauoroÌ„ vnto Paris Philip de Luns gentlewoman and martyr there to ioyne her selfe to the Churche of God Where her Husband also hadde bene a Senior or Elder who in the moneth of May before was takeÌ„ with an agâ—e and deceased leauing this Philip a Widow which neuerthelesse ceased not to serue the Lord in hys Churche and also in the house was taken with the sayde compapany Many conflictes she had with the Iudges and the Sorbonistes namely Maillard But she alwayes sent him awaye with the same reproch as the other did before bad him auaunt Sodomyte saying she would not aunsweare one woorde to suche a villaine To the Iudges her answere was this that she had learned the fayth whyche shee confessed in the woord of God and in the same shee woulde liue and die And being demaunded whether the body of Christ was in the Sacrament The Sacrament How is that possible sayde she to be the bodye of Christ to whom all power is geuen which is exalted aboue all heauens when as we see the mice rattes apes and Munkies playe with it and teare it in pieces Heâ— petition to them was that seing they had taken her sister from her yet they would let her haue a Byble oâ— Testament to comfort her selfe Her wicked neighbors although they could touche her conuersation with no part of dishonestye yet many thinges they layde to her charge as that there was muche singyng of Psalmes in her house and that twise or thrise an infinite number of persons were seene to come out of her house Also when her husband was in dying no Priest was called for neyther was it knowne where he was buryed Neyther dyd they euer heare any word of their infant to be baptised for it was baptised in the Churche of the Lord. Among other her neighbours that came agaynst her twoe there were dwelling at S. Germain in y e suburbes The iust hand of God against false and bloudy witnesses betwene whoÌ„ incontinent rose a strife wherin one of theÌ„ sticked the other with a knife The death of thys gentlewomaÌ„ was the more hastened of the Lord keper of the Seale Bertrand Cardinall of Sens and his sonne in law the Marques of Tran for to haue the confiscation of her goodes These 3. holy martyrs aboue recited The martyrdom of Clinet Grauelle and Philip de Luns were condeÌ„ned the 27. of Sep. by the proces of the coÌ„missioners and the Lieuetenaunt ciuile and then being put in a Chappell together certayne Doctours were sent to them but theyr valiaunt constancye remayned vnmooueable After that they were had out of Prison and sent euery one in a doung cart to the place of punishment Clinet euer cryed by the way protestyng that he sayd or mayntayned nothing but the veritye of God And being asked of a Doctour whether he would beleue S. Austen touching certayne matters he sayd yea and that he had sayd nothing but which he would proue by his authority The Gentlewoman seeing a Priest come to confesse her sayd that she had confessed vnto God and had receiued of him remission other absolution she found none in Scripture And when certayne CouÌ„sellers did vrge her to take in her handes the woden Crosse The crosse according to the custome of them that go to theyr death alledging how Christ commaunded euery one to beare his crosse she answerred my Lordes sayde she you make me in very deede to beare my Crosse condemning me vniustly and putting me to death in the quarell of my Lord Iesus Christ. Who willeth vs to beare our Crosse but no suth Crosse as you speake of Grauelle looked with a smiling countenaunce shewed a chearefull colour declaring how little hee passed for his condemnation and being asked of hys frends to what death he was condemned I see well sayd he that I am condemned to death but to what death or torment I regard not And comming from the chappell when he perceiued they went about to cut out his toung vnles he would returne he sayd that was not so conteined in the arrest and therefore he was vnwilling to graunt vnto it but afterward perceiuing the same so to be agreed by the Court he offered his toung willingly to be cut and incontineÌ„t spake playnely these words I pray you pray to God for me The Gentlewoman also being required to geue her toung did likewise with these wordes Seing I do not sticke to geue my body shall I sticke to geue my tongue No no. And so these three hauing theyr tongues cutte out Their tongues cut out were brought to Malbert place The constancy of Grauelle was admirable castyng vp his sighes and gronings vnto heauen declaring therby his ardent affectioÌ„ in praying to God Clinet was somewhat more sad then the other by reason of the feeblenes of nature and his age But the Gentlewoman yet sermouÌ„ted al the rest in constancy which neither chaunged countenaunce nor colour being of an excellent beauty After the death of her husband shee vsed to go in mourning weed after the maner of the country But the same day Precious in the sight of God is the death of hys Saintes going to her burning shee put on her French hood and decked her selfe in her best aray as going to a new Mariage the same day to be ioyned to her spouse Iesus Christ. And thus these three with singuler constancy were burned Grauelle and Clinet were burned aliue Philippe the Gentlewoman was strangled after she had a litle tasted the flame with her feet and visage and so she ended her Martyrdome Ex Ioan Crisp. lib. 6. The Lieuetenant Doctour Maillard Counsellers Friers Nicolas Cene. Peter Gabert At Paris An. 1558. Of the same company was also Nicholas Cene a Phisition Brother to Phillippe Cene aboue meÌ„tioned and martyred of Dyion Peter Gabart which two about fiue or sixe dayes after the other three before Nicolas Cene Pet. Gabart martyrs were brought foorth to theyr death Octob. 2. Nicholas Cene was but newe come to Paris the same day when he was aduertised of y e asseÌ„ble which theÌ„ was coÌ„gregate in the street of S. Iames as he desired nothing more then to heare the word of God came thither euen as he was booted was also with them apprehended susteyning y e causee of Gods holye Gospell vnto death The other was Peter Gabart a Sollicitor of processes about the age of 30. yeares whose constancye dyd muche comfort to the prisoners He was put amonge a great number of Scholers in the little Castle Whome when he heard to passe the time in talking of Philosophy No no sayde he let vs forget these worldly matters A wholesome lesson for all studentes and learne how to sustein y e heauenly cause of our God which lie here in defeÌ„ce of the kingdome of Christ Iesus our sauiour and so he began to instruct
that I being a learned man as you say am not deliuered yet froÌ„ the coÌ„fuse dungeon of heresy through the helpe of the gospel much more do you that are far better learned then I cause me to maruel at your foolish admiratioÌ„ Neither can I chuse but laugh at you as one being rapt to the third heauen of such high misteries and yet see not those thinges which be done here in the lower partes of terrene Philosophy for what a ridiculous thing is it for a man to looke so long vpon the Sunne that he can see nothing els but the Sunne nor canne not tell whyther to turne him Moreouer Argumentum ad autoritâ—re destructiue what student is there in all Cambridge be he neuer so young that knoweth not that the argumeÌ„t of authority brought out nagatiuely hath no force Bilney So as the Phariseis tooke Christ you take my wordes much otherwise then I meant Brusierd Your words which wander farre from the scope of Scripture I doe not like What is in your meaning and lyeth inwardly in your minde I can not tell Bilney Such as inuocate the helpe either of Christ or of any other Saynt for any corporal inurmity to be deliuered froÌ„ the same may be well reseÌ„bled to delicate pacâ—â—ts who being vnder the hand of phisitioÌ„s hauing medicines ministred agaynst theyr diseases not abiding the payn therof rap all a suÌ„der wherfore I say no man ought to implore y e helpe of God or of any saynt * 〈…〉 out 〈◊〉 Scylla 〈…〉 be two â—â—â—gerous 〈◊〉 in the sea By thys church storie he meaneth by hee Legenda aurea otherwise callaed the legeâ—â— of lyes The Popes Letonie at Rome for corporall infirmity Brusierd O moste pernicious perilous heresy of all that euer I heard Thus you fleeing the smoke fal into the â—ire auoiding the daunger of Scylla you run vpoÌ„ Caribois O hart of man wrapped in palpable darcknes I wish M. Bilney that you would but once search set out the fyrste origine of these rogatioÌ„ dayes For so we read in y e churche story that they were first ordeyned by pope Gregory with fasting prayers holy processions agaynst the pestileÌ„ce by the infection of the ayre theÌ„ raigning among the people At what time y e people theÌ„ going in y e procession a certeine Image like to our blessed Lady painted w t the handes of S. Luke y e EuaÌ„gelist did go before theÌ„ about y e which image in y e honor of the virgin angels did sing this Antheme Regina coeli laetare c. O Queene of heauen be glad To the which Antheme the pope also adioyned this Ora pro nobis dominuÌ„ c. Pray to the Lord for vs. Wherefore seeing the angels did worship the image of the glorious virgin Mary in the honor of her seing moreouer y e holy father pope Gregory with al y e clergy did pray for corporall infirmity it appeareth manifestly that we ought to worship y e saints also to geue honor in a maner to theyr Images further also to pray to almighty God al saints for corporal infirmity that we may be deliuered from the same so that they may say the like for vs which is said in the Gospell Sende them away because they cry after vs. And although there be infinite places inexpugnable to be alleaged out of the holy scripture wherwith we might easily resist this your error Scripture well applyed yet standing herewith content as sufficient at this present we wil procede now to your secoÌ„d pestiferous error wherin you like an ingrate child go about to teare out y e bowels of your mother For in y t you say affirme blasphemously the bish of Rome to be the very Antichrist Whether the Pope be Antichrist that his pryuileges haue no force against the gates of hel in so saying what do you but like a most vnkinde and vnnatural child spoile your louing mother of all her treasures wouÌ„d her being spoiled being wouÌ„ded plucke out her bowels most miserably vpoÌ„ y e earth But forsomuch as there is nothing so absurd or so heretical but shal be receiued of some itching eares I would therfore now heare you declare how he sitteth in the teÌ„ple of god as god being exalted worshipped aboue all y t is named god or how that he sheweth himselfe as Lord in power and signes and wonders deceitfull Bilney Although incredulitye doth not suffer you notwithstanding your learning to vnderstand these thinges yet I will goe about something to helpe your incredulity herein through the helpe of the Lorde beseeching you y t setting all superstition aparte you will vnderstande those thinges that are aboue Do ye know the table of the tenne Commaundementes Brusierd According as the Catholique Doctours do expound them I know them meanely But how you do expound them I cannot tell Bilney And doe you knowe also the constitutions of men which are deuised onely by the dreames of men whereunto men are so straightly bound that vnder paine of death they are compelled to obserue them Brusierd I knowe certaine sanctions of the holy fathers but such as you speake of to be deuised by mens dreames I knowe none Bilney Now then let vs set and compare these two together so shall you easily vnderstand the Bishop of Rome whom they call the Pope to sitte in the temple of God 2. Thessal â— as God and to be extolled aboue all that is named God It is written The temple of the Lorde is holy which is you 1. Cor. 3. Therefore the conscience of man is the temple of the holy Ghost in whiche temple I will proue the Pope to sit as God The place of S. Paule expounded concernyng Antichriâ—â— sitting in the tempâ—â— of God c and to be exalted aboue all that is called God For who so contemneth the decaloge or the table of the commaundementes of God there is but a small punyshment for him neither is that punishment to death but contrarywise he that shall contemne or violate the constitutions which you call the sanctions of men is couÌ„ted by all mens iudgement gilty of death What is this but y e high bishop of Rome to sit to raigne in the temple of God that is in mans conscience as God Brusierd Although this exposition seemeth vnworthy for christeÌ„ eares yet I would heare you further how he sheweth himselfe in signes and wonders deceitfull Signes and myracles illusion Bilney These wonders whiche they call miracles be wrought daily in the Church not by the power of God as many thinke but by the illusion of Satan rather who as the Scripture witnesseth hath bene lose now abroad 500 yeres according as it is written in the booke of the Apocalips After a thousand yeares Satan shal be let loose c. Neyther are they to be called miracles of true christen men but illusions rather wherby to delude mens
tuum Pasce gregem tuum vt cum venerit Dominus The wordes of Tho. Bilney to Doct. Warner inueniat te sic facientem That is Feede your flocke feede your flocke that when the Lord commeth he may finde you so doing and farewell good M. Doctour and pray for me and so he departed without any answere sobbing and weeping And while he thus stood vpon the ledge at the stake certayne Friers Doctours and Priors of theyr houses beyng there present as they were vncharitably and malitiously present at his examination and degradation The Fryers 〈◊〉 Bilny 〈◊〉 for them c. came to him and sayd O M. Bilney the people be perswaded that we be the causers of your death and that we haue procured the same and thereupon it is like that they will withdraw theyr charitable almes from vs al except you declare your charity towards vs and discharge vs of the matter Whervpon the sayd Tho. Bilney spake with a loud voyce to the people and sayd I pray you good people be neuer y e worse to these men for my sake as though they should be the authors of my death It was not they and so he ended Then the officers put reed and Fagots about hys body and set fire on the reed which made a very great flame which sparcled and deformed the visour of his face he holding vp his handes and knocking vpon his brest crying sometimes Iesus sometimes Credo Which flame was blowne away froÌ„ him by the violence of the winde which was that day 2. or 3. dayes before notable great in which it was sayd that the fieldes were maruellously plagued by the losse of corne and so for a litle pause The pacient death Martyrdome of M. Bilney he stoode without flame the flame departing recoursing thrise ere the wood tooke strength to be the sharper to consume him and theÌ„ he gaue vp the ghost and his body being withered â—owed downeward vpon the chayne TheÌ„ one of the officers with his halbard smite out the staple in the stake behinde him suffered his body to fall into the bottome of the fire laying wood on it and so he was consumed Thus haue ye good readers the true history Martyrdome of this good man that is Saint Bilney of blessed Saint Bilney as M. Latimer doth call him without any recaÌ„tation testified and ratified by the authority abouesayd By the which authority and party being there present yet aliue it is furthermore constantly affirmed that Bilney not only did neuer recant but also that he neuer had any such bill or script or scrolle in his hand to read either softly or apertly as M. More per licentiaÌ„ Poeticam would beare vs downe M. Moâ—â—s false report refuted Wherfore euen as ye see M. More deale in this so ye may trust him in the residue of his other tales if ye will ¶ Mayster Stafford of Cambridge AS the death of this Godly Bilney did much good in Northfolke where he was burnt so his diligeÌ„t trauel M. Bilney the cheife 〈…〉 Apostle of Cambridge in teaching and exhorting other and example of life correspondent to his doctrine left no small fruite behinde him in Cambridge beyng a great meanes of framing that Uniuersity drawing diuers vnto Christ. By reason of whoÌ„ and partly also of an other called M. Stafford the word of God begaÌ„ there most luckely to spread and many toward wittes to florish In the company of whom was M. Latimer D. Barnes D. Thistell of Penbroke hall M. Fooke of Benet Colledge and M. Soude of the same Colledge D. Warner aboue mentioned with diuers other moe This M. Stafford was then the publicke reader of the Diuinity lecture in that Uniuersity Who as he was an earnest professour of Christes Gospell so was he as diligeÌ„t a folower of that which he professed as by this exaÌ„ple here folowing may appeare For as the plague was then sore in Cambridge The notable zeale of M. Stafforde in sauing a damnable Priest and amongest other a certaine Priest called Syr Henry Coniurer lay sore sicke of the sayd plague M. Stafford hearyng therof and seing the horrible daunger that his soule was in was so moued in conscience to helpe the dauÌ„gerous case of the Priest that he neglecting his owne bodely death to recouer the other from eternall damnatioÌ„ came vnto him exhorted and so labored him that he would not leaue him before he had conuerted him and saw his coniuring books burned before his face Which being done maister Stafford went home and immediatly sickened shortly after most christianly deceased Ex fideli testimonio D. Ridlei Edmund Episcoporum Lond. Concerning which M. Stafford this moreouer is to be noted how that M. Latimer being yet a feruent and a zealous Papist M. Latimer asketh M. Stafford forgeuenes standing in the Schooles when M. Stafford read bad the Scholers not to heare him and also preaching agaynst him exhorted the people not to beleue hym and yet the sayd Latimer confessed himselfe that he gaue thankes to God that he asked him forgeuenesse before hee departed And thus much by the way of good M. Stafford who for his constant and godly aduenture in such a cause may seeme not vnworthy to goe with blessed Bilney in the fellowship of holy and blessed Martyrs ¶ The story of M. Symon Fish BEfore the time of M. Bilney and the fall of the Cardinall M Symon Fishe author of the booke called the supplication of Beggars I should haue placed the story of SimoÌ„ Fish with the booke called the Supplication of Beggars declaring how and by what meanes it came to the kynges hand and what effect therof folowed after in the reformation of many thinges especially of the Clergy But the missing of a few yeares in this matter breaketh no great square in our story though it be now entred here which shold haue come in sixe yeares before The maner and circumstaunce of the matter is this After that the light of the gospell working mightely in Germany began to spread his beames here also in England great styrre alteration folowed in the harts of many so that colored hipocrisy and false doctrine paynted holynes began to be espyed more and more by the reading of Gods word The authority of the Bishop of Rome and y e glory of his Cardinals was not so high but such as had fresh wits sparcled with Gods grace began to espy Christ from Antichrist that is true sincerity from counterfait religion In the number of whom was the sayd M. Simon Fish a gentleman of Brayes Inne It happened the first yeare that this Gentleman came to LondoÌ„ to dwel which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525. that there was a certayne play or interlude made by one M. Roo of the same Inne gentlemaÌ„ in which play partly was matter agaynst the Cardinall Wolsey And where none durst take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to play that part which
men of his Realme were sore agreeued with the cruell demainour of the Prelates Ordinaries which touched theyr bodies and goodes so neare that they of necessitie were inforced to make their humble sute by their speaker vnto hys grace to take such order and redresse in the case as to his high wisedome myghte seeme most conuenient c. Unto this request of the commons although the King at that time gaue no present graunt but suspended them with a delay yet notwythstanding this sufficiently declared the grudging mindes of the temporal men against the spiritualtie lacking nothing but Gods helping hande to woorke in the kings heart for reformation of suche things whych all they did see to be out of frame Neyther did the Lordes diuine prouidence faile in time of neede Gods helping hand in time of neede but eftsones ministred a ready remedy in time expedient He saw the pride and cruelty of the spirituall clergy grown to such an height as was intollerable He sawe againe and heard the groning hearts the bitter afflictions of hys oppressed flocke his truth decaied his religion prophaned the glorie of his sonne defaced his church lamentably wasted wherfore it was high time for his high Maiestie to looke vppon the matter as he did in deede by a straunge wonderous meanes whych was through the kings diuorsement from Lady Katherine Dowager and marying with lady Anne Bullen in this present yeare which was the first occasion and beginning of all this publike reformation which hath followed since in this Churche of England to thys present day according as ye shall heare The mariage betwene king Henry VIII and Queene Anne Bullen and Queene Katherine diuorced IN the first entrie of this kings raigne yee hearde before pag. 800. howe after the death of Prince Arthur Queene Annâ— maryed and Lady Katherine diâ—orced the Ladie Katherine Princes Dowager and wife to Prince Arthur by the consent bothe of her father and of his and also by the aduise of the nobles of thys realme to the ende her downe might remaine stil within the realme was espoused after the decease of her husbande to hys nexte brother which was this king Henrie K. Henry maryeth his brothers wife This mariage seemed very straunge and hard for one brother to marie the wife of an other But what can be in thys earth so harde or difficulte wherewyth the Pope the omnipotent Uicare of Christe can not by fauour dispense if it please him The pope which then ruled at Rome was Pope Iulius the second by whose dispensation The Pope dispenseth for the brother to mary the brothers wife thys mariage which neither sense or nature wold admit nor Gods lawe woulde beare was concluded approoued and ratified and so continued as lawfull without any dout or scruple the space neare of 20. yeares till about the time that a certaine doubt began first to be mooued by the Spanyards themselues of the Emperours counsaile An. 1523. at what time Charles the Emperour being here in England promised to marye the Lady Mary daughter to the Kynge of England with the which promise the Spanyardes themselues were not well contented The Spaniardeâ— first doubted of the kings mariage obiecting this among many other causes that the saide Ladie Marie was begotten of the king of England by his brothers wife Wherupon the Emperour forsaking that mariage did couple himself with Lady Isabel daughter to king Emanuell of Portugall Which Mariage was done in the yere of our Lorde 1526. After thys Mariage of the Emperour the next yeare following King Henrie being disappoynted thus of the Emperour entred talke or rather was laboured too by the French Ambassadours for the sayde Lady Mary to be maried to the Frenche kinges sonne Duke of Orliance Upon the talke whereof after long debating at length the matter was put of by a certaine doubt of the President of Paris casting the like obiection as the Spanyardes had done before that was The secoÌ„d doubt whether the Lady Mary was rightly borne whether the Maryage betwene the king the mother of this Lady Mary which had bene his brothers wife before were good or no. And so the mariage twise vnluckely attempted in like sorte brake of againe and was reiected whych happened in the yere of our Lord. 1527. The king vpon the occasion hereof casting many things in his minde began to consider the cause more depely first with himselfe after with certaine of hys nearest counsaile Two perplexityes in the kings minde wherein two things there were which chiefly pricked hys minde wherof the one touched his conscience the other coÌ„cerned the state of his Realme For if that Mariage wyth his brothers wife stode vnlawfull by the law of God then neither was his conscience cleare in reteining the mother nor yet the state of the realme firme by succession of the daughter Cardinall Wolsey a helper to the kinges diuorce It happened the same tyme that the Cardinall which was then nearest about the king had falleÌ„ out with the Emperour for not helping him to y e Papacy as ye before haue heard for the which cause he helped to set the matter forward by all practise he might Thus the king perplexed in his conscience and carefull for y e common wealth and partly also incited by the Cardinall coulde not so rest but inquired further to feel what the word of God learning woulde say vnto it Neither was the case so hard after it began once to come in publicke question but that by the worde of God and the iudgements of the best learned clerkes and also by the censure of the chiefe Uniuersities of all Christendome to the number of .x. and moe it was soone discussed to be vnlawfull All these censures The iudgements of 10. or 12. Vniuersityes agaynst the kinges maryage Orleance Paris Tolouse Angiewe Bononye Padua The facultye of Paris Bytures Oxforde Cambridge bookes and writinges of so manye Doctors Clerks and Uniuersities sent from all quarters of Christendome to the king albeit they might suffice to haue full resolued and did in deede resolue the kinges conscieÌ„ce touching this scruple of his mariage yet would not he streight way vse that aduauntage whiche learning dyd geue him vnles hee had withall the assent as well of the Pope as also the Emperour wherein he perceaued no litle difficultie For the Pope he thought seing the mariage was authorised before by the dispensation of his predecessour would hardly turne hys keyes about to vndoe that which the Pope before him had locked much lesse would he suffer those keyes to be foyled or to come in anye doubt which was like to come if that mariage were prooued vndispensable by Gods woorde which his predecessour thorough his plenary power had licenced before Againe the Emperour he thought would be no lesse hard for his part on the other side for as much as the sayd Lady Katherine was the Emperours neare aunt and a Spaniarde
Iacob yet vnderstand good Reader that it was written in very deede to Iohn Frith as is aboue tolde thee For the more proofe and euidence whereof read Frithes booke of the Sacramente and there thou shalte finde a certayne place of this Epistle repeated word for word beginning thus I call God to record against the day we shall appeare before our Lorde Iesus to geue a reckening of oure doings that I neuer altered one sillable of Gods word against my conscience c. Which Epistle Iohn Frith hymselfe witnesseth that he receaued from Tyndall as in hys testimonie aboue appeareth ¶ The death of the Lady Katherine and of Queene Anne THe same yeare in the which W. Tyndall was burned which was the yeare of our Lord 1536. in the begynning of the yeare Anno. 1536. first died Lady Katherine Princes Dowager in the moneth of Ianuary The death of Lady Katherine 〈◊〉 Dowagar After whome the same yeare also in the moneth of May next following followed the death also of Queene Anne who had now bene married to the King the space of three yeares In certeine records thus we finde that the Kyng being in his Iustes at Greenewich sodenly with a fewe persons departed to Westminster and the next daye after Queene Anne his wife was had to the Tower The death of Queene Anne with the Lord Rochford her brother and certayne other and the xix day after was beheaded The wordes of this worthy and Christian Lady at her death were these Good Christen people I am come hether to die for according to the Law and by y e Lawe I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it The wordes of Queene Anne at her death I am come hether to accuse no man nor to speake any thing of that whereof I am accused and condemned to die but I pray God saue the King and sende him long to raigne ouer you for a gentler or a more mercifull Prince was there neuer and to me he was euer a good a gentle and soueraigne Lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause I require them to iudge the best And thus I take my leaue of the world and of you all and I hartely desire you all to pray for me O Lord haue mercy on me To God I commend my soule And so she kneeled downe sayeng To Christ I commend my soule Iesu receiue my soule repeating the same diuers times till at length the stroke was geuen and her head was striken off And this was the end of that godly Lady and Queene Godly I call her Queene Anne beheaded CommendatioÌ„s of Quene Anne for sundry respectes whatsoeuer the cause was or quarell obiected against her Fyrst her last wordes spoken at her death declared no lesse her sincere fayth and trust in Christ then dyd her quiet modestie vtter forth the goodnesse of the cause and matter whatsoeuer it was Besides that to such as wisely can iudge vpon cases occurrent this also may seeme to geue a great clearing vnto her that the King the third day after was maried in his whites vnto an other Certaine this was that for the rare and singular giftes of her minde so well instructed and geuen toward God with suche a feruent desire vnto the trueth and setting foorth of sincere Religion ioyned wyth like gentlenes modestie and pitie toward all men there hath not many suche Queenes before her borne the Crowne of England Principally this one commendation she left behinde her that during her life the Religion of Christ most happely florished and had a right prosperous course Many things might be written more of the manyfolde vertues and the quiet moderation of her milde nature how lowly she would beare not onely to be admonished The milde nature of Queene Anne in taking admâ—nition but also of her owne accorde woulde require her Chapleynes playnely and freely to tell whatsoeuer they sawe in her amisse Also how bountifull shee was to the poore passing not only the common example of other Queenes but also the reuenues almost of her estate in so much that the almose which she gaue in three quarters of a yeare in distribution is summed to the number of xiiij or xv thousand pounds Beside the great peece of money which her grace intended to impart into foure sundry quarters of the Realme as for a stocke there to be employed to the behoofe of poore artificers and occupyers Agayne The great Almose of Queene Annne what a zelous defender she was of Christes Gospell all the world doth knowe and her actes doe and will declare to the worldes ende Amongst which other her actes this is one that shee placed M. Hugh Latymer in the Byshopricke of Worcester and also preferred Doctor Shaxton to his Byshopricke being then accompted a good man Furthermore what a true fayth she bare vnto the Lorde this one example may stande for many for that when King Henry was with her at Wodstocke and there being afrayde of an olde blinde prophesie for the which neyther he nor other Kings before him durst hunt in the sayde parke of Woodstocke nor enter into the Towne of Oxford at last thorough the Christian and faithfull counsayle of that Queene he was so armed against all infidelitie that both he hunted in the foresayde parke and also entred in the Towne of Oxford and had no harme But because touching the memorable vertues of this worthy Queene partly we haue sayd something before partly because more also is promised to be declared of her vertuous life the Lord so permitting by other who then were about her I will cease in this matter further to proceede This I can not but meruayle why the Parlament holden this yeare that is the xxviij yeare of the King which Parliament three yeares before had established and confirmed this Mariage as most lawfull shoulde now so sodeinly and contrary to their owne doings Statuâ— An. 28. Hen. 8. cap. 7. repeale and disable the sayd Mariage agayne as vnlawfull beeyng so lawfully before contracted But more I meruayle why the saide Parliament after the illegitimation of the Mariage enacted not contented with that should further proceede and charge her with such carnall desires of her body as to misuse her selfe with her owne naturall brother the Lorde Rochford and others Parliamentâ— not alwayes constant being so contrary to all nature that no naturall man will beleeue it But in this Acte of Parliament did lie no doubt some great mistery which heere I will not stand to discusse but onely that it may be suspected some secrete practising of the Papistes here not to be lacking considering what a mightie stoppe she was to their purposes and proceedings and on the contrary side what a strong Bulwarke she was for the maintenance of Christes Gospell and sincere religion which they then in no case could abide By reason wherof it may easily be considered that this Christian and deuout Debora could lacke no enemies
quo edere non habent potestaté qui tabernaculo deseruiunt Anno 1538. Quorum enim animalium infertur sanguis pro peccato in sancta per pontificeÌ„ A Sermon of Bish. Longland before the king an 1538. The Thâ—aÌ„e Hebr. 13. horum corpora cremantur extra castra Propter quod Iesus extra portam passus est Exeamus igitur ad eum extra castra improperium eius portantes These are the wordes of the Apostle Many things conteined in few wordes and the English thereof is this We haue an aulter we haue an aulter sayth the Apostle an aulter and a sacrifice vpon this aulter And they that serueth the Tabernacle may not eat of this aulter may not eat of the Sacrifice that is offred vpon this aulter For the Apostle here Per metonymiam doth put the aulter for that that is sacrificed vpon the aulter The bloud of those beastes that were slayne for the sacrifice was brought into the holy secret high place of the temple where the Arke was betwene the high aultar as ye will say and the veile by the bishop there offered vp for the sinne of the people The bodies of the beastes that were burned without the pauilions or tentes for the which Propter quod for which what for the fulfilling of which mistery Also to verifie and fulfill the figure and that the thing figured might be correspondent to the figure Iesus suffered without the gate to sanctify the people by his bloud Let vs go out therefore and suffer with Christ bearing his opprobries and rebukes These be the wordes of the Apostle now taken I will by the helpe of our Lord God declare these wordes in order eueÌ„ as they do staÌ„d Here is an aultar here is a Sacrifice here is a Byshop which did offer this Sacrifice here is a Tabernacle a seruing of the Tabernacle the bloud of the sacrifice which was offered by the Byshop for the sinnes of the people in the moste holy place of the temple and the bodies of the beastes whose bloud was offered were burned without the tentes And this was done the x. day of the vij moneth Ye heare now the words of the Apostle Wherin appeareth the manifest figure of the Passion of our sauior Iesus Christ which we this day do honor In these wordes the Apostle toucheth the figure of the lawe And bringeth it to a spirituall vnderstanding For it was commaunded in the law in the booke of Numbers Num. 19. that the x. day of the vij moneth in the feast that was called the feast of the propitiation of mercy of remission or the feast of purgation when the people were purged At which time they should take a calfe and a kidde and slay them whose bloud the onely Bishop should bring In sancta sanctorum into the most holy solemne Heb. 11. and secret place of the temple wherein the bishop neuer came vnlesse he brought with him bloud to offer in Sacrifice Quia omnia ferè in sanguine secundum legem mundabuntur sine sanguinis effunone non sit remissio sayth the Apostle Almost al thinges after the law or in the law were cleansed in bloud and by bloud without the effusion of bloud was no remission And in that place of the temple called Sancta Sanctorum the Bishop prayed and offered for the people The flesh and corps of the sacrifice was burned without the tentes without theyr pauilions And it was not law full to any that did serue the tabernacle to eat of the flesh of that sacrifice Here is a manifest figure as I sayd of the Passion of our Sauiour Christ. The aultar that was consecrate and halowed in this solemnity of the bloud of the eternall Testament was that holye crosse that Christ suffered on Which as on this day he did consecrate hallow dignifie and dedicate and did adourne and decke the same with the members of his most precious body more gloriously then if it had bene embrodered and insert with precious stones For as golde which is the most precious metall is made more precious when it is set with precious stones 1. Pet. 2. and is dignified therwith whether it be aulter Image crowne ring or owchâ— so was the aulter the holy Crosse beautified dignified adourned made precious with the members of that most precious stone Christ which is as Peter sayth Lapis viuus The stone christ ab hominibus reprobatus a deo electus probatus angularis praeciosus This Christ is he sayth the liuely stone which men did reproue which God did elect for the approued stone for a corner stone for the chiefe stone in the building of his church for the stone that ioyneth the walles of the Church together for the stone wherupon the fayth of Christ and his Church is builded A precious stone a stone of price a stone of high value far passing in the estimation of a good Christen man all other precious stones in the world This precious stone Christ with the members of his most precious body did decke adourne and made precious this aulter of the Crosse when his body was by the â—ewes with violency Psal. 21. extremely strayned vpon the same that all his bones as testifieth the Prophet mought be numbred Vpon this aultar was the great Sacrifice of the world offered Christ himselfe He was the Sacrifice he was the Priest He offered vp himselfe to God his father Christ the sacrifice of the world for the sinne of man Obtulit semetipsum immaculatum deo vt sanctificaret iniquinatos sayth the Apostle He offered himselfe a pure cleane immaculate hoste to God to redeeme the world to sanctify sinners to iustify man This Christ the Bishop of good thinges to come as the Apostle witnesseth entred once into the place called Sancta Sanctorum not onely of the temple but in Sancta sanctorum into that holy place of places into heaueÌ„ He entred with sacrificed bloud like a Bishop Not with the bloud of goates or calues Heb. 9. Heb. 9. Heb. 9. not with the bloud of rammes or buls but with his owne precious bloud For if the bloud of goates and bulles and the ashes of the burned calfe sprinckled abroad were sufficient to the making cleane of flesh how much more then the bloud of Christ who by the holy Ghost did offer vp himselfe to God a most pure most cleane immaculate sacrifice is able to purge clense and make fayre our coÌ„sciences froÌ„ the works of death and to liue in the liuing God This is our great bishop as the Apostle sayth Leuit. 16. Heb. 4. Habemus pontificem magnum qui penetrauit coelos Iesum filium dei We haue a great bishop which did penitrate the heauens whose name is Iesus the sonne of God This is our great Byshop our high Byshop our vniuersall Byshop This is the head byshop of all Bishops and of all the worlde named God as the Apostle sayth to be our
and bringer vp of the Secte of the Nazarens which was also minded to haue polluted our temple c. Truth taken for falshode Christ taken for a seducer In what causes men forbidden ought not to cease from preaching This is to call by peruerse iudgement trueth falsehoode And thus did theyr predecessours speake of the Prophets yea and of Christ himselfe calling him a seducer and preacher of heresy which is written for our instruction And men thus being suspected as I woulde none were ought in no wise therefore to cease neither from preaching ne teaching Ensample of this we haue in the Actes of the apostles where is shewed that whē Peter Iohn had done a myracle vpon a man that had bene lame frō his natiuity whō by the power of Christ they healed Act. 4.5.6 caused to go where he pleased the people hearing of this came running about Peter Iohn Peter seeing this did exhort the people in a sermon that they should not thinke him his felow S. Iohn to haue done this wōderfull thing by their own power or holynes but by the vertue of Christ whom they theyr head rulers had slayne While they were thus speaking with the people there came vpō them the priestes officers of the temple accompanyed with the Saduces being sore displeased that they should enterprise to teach the people and preace that men should arise from death by the name of Christ whom they had caused to be crucified and therewith they layd handes vpon them and put them in warde vntill next day The next day they sent for the Apostles before them demaunding by what power and in whose name they did this myracle Peter made aunswere Act. 4. If you quoth he that are head rulers ouer the people lust by examination to knowe by what meanes we did it we woulde you should all know that we did it throvgh the name of Christ Iesu of Nazareth whom you did crucify but God did cause him to arise agayne In the vertue of hys name doth this man that afore was lame now stand before you here both whole and found For Christ is that high corner stone whō you cast away which should haue builded the peoples fayth vpon him neither is there any saluation without him These great men seing that Peter spake so freely and that he with his felow Iohn were simple men without any pompous apparel or great garde of seruaunts being like ideots and men vnlearned wondred therat At the last they did commaunde them to depart out of theyr Councell house whiles they should cōmon more largely of y e matter Peter and the Apostles prohibited by the Phariseis to preach Christ. Afterward they called y e Apostles afore them agayde commaunding them that they should no more preach ne teache in the name of Iesus But the Apostles aunswered saying I beseeche you iudge better ought we to obey you more then God or no For certaynely we must needes testify of those thinges which we haue both heard and seene Then the head Priestes threatning them sore did geue them strait charge Act. 4. not to breake theyr precept and so did let them goe not knowing any cause why they might punish them for they feared least the people would haue taken part with the Apostles for the people gaue glory to God for the myracle shewed by them Notwithstāding al these great threats Peter wrought miracles still amongst the people Peter disobeyed the precepte of the Phariseis doing thē to know that glory therfore ought to be geuē to Iesus by whose power and name they were done Wherwith the harts of the people melted for ioy so that they folowed after the Apostles whyther soeuer they went The primate of the priestes hearing of this and all that were about him repleate with indignation layd handes vpon the Apostles putting them in the common Prison But the Aungell of God in the night opened the Prison dores and brought them out saying Peter deliuered out of prison Goe you into the Temple and stand there preaching vnto the people all the wordes of life That is to say Christes doctrine and so they did earely in the morning Then came foorth the chiefe Priest and they whom he vsed to haue about him and called a Councell in which were all the Priestes of Israel or auncientes of Israel So they sent vnto the prison house for to haue the apostles brought forth before them When theyr seruaunts came to the prison house found the apostles gone thence they returned to theyr maisters saying we found the prison fast shut round about in euery part the keepers watching at the dores without full diligently But when we had opened the prison we could find no body within Then as the high priestes officers of the temple heard this they were in a great perplexity doubting what wold therof come Act. 5. Then came one vnto them shewed thē saying Behold the men that ye put in prison are standing in the temple preaching vnto the people Then wēt they thither and brought the apostles with thē without any violence but they were afrayd lest the people would haue beaten them downe with stones Then they caused the apostles to be brought into their Councell house the high priest beginning his proposition agaynst the apostles in this forme Haue we not straytly commaunded you sayd he that you should not preach in the name of Christ And see you haue filled all Hierusalem with your doctrine Will you bring this mans bloud vpō vs God to be obeyed more then men Act. 5. that we should vnrighteously haue caused him to suffer death Then aunswered Peter and the other Apostles saying We ought to obey God more then any man The God of our fathers hath raysed Iesu from death whom you did slay hanging him vpon a tree Him notwithstanding hath GOD raysed and by his power aduaunced to be our king and Sauiour by whom shal be geuen to all Israel that will take repentaunce forgeuenes of sinne These great rulers hearing this their harts were therwith clouen a sunder and they coūselled together for to slay the apostles But one good man amōg theyr multitude aduised them otherwise whose aduise they did approue Thē they called the apostles againe afore them causing them to be scourged charged them no more to preach in the name of Iesu and so did let them depart Then went they away out of the Councell reioycing that God had made thē worthye to suffer such rebukes for his name sake The counsell of Gamaliell But yet they neuer ceased to teach preach of Iesus Christ euery day in the temple and in all houses that they came into This is written in the 4.5 and 6. of the Actes of the apostles for our instruction doubt you not for such practise is shewed in all ages So that hereby you may set Act. 4.5.6 when men be wrongfully suspect or infamed
aire there remaineth moisture as you doe say but that is not the moisture of water but the proper and naturall moisture of the aire Whereupon there is an other doctrine amongest the Philosophers as a perpetuall rule that it can by no meanes be that the qualities accidents in natural things should remaine in their owne proper nature without their proper subiect Then againe the king and the Byshops raged against Lambert in somuch that he was not only forced to silence but also might haue ben driuen into a rage if his eares had not bene acquainted with such tauntes afore After this the other Bishoppes euery one in his order as they were appoynted supplied their places of disputation There were appoynted ten in number for the performing of this Tragedie for his ten Arguments which as before we haue declared were deliuered vnto Taylor the preacher It were too long in this place Ten disputers agaynst Lambert to repeate the reasons and arguments of euery Byshop and no lesse superfluous were it so to doe specially for somuch as they were all but common reasons and nothing forceable and suche as by the long vse of disputation haue ben beaten LaÌ„mbert ingreat perplexity and had little in them either worthy the hearer or the reader Lambert in the meane tyme beyng compassed in wyth so many and great perplexities vexed on the one side with checkes and taunts and pressed on the other side with the authority and threats of the personages and partly being amazed with the maiestie of the place in the presence of the King and especially being wearied with longe standinge Lambert kepeth silence when speaking would do no good whych continued no lesse then fiue houres from twelue of the clocke vntill fiue at nyght being broughte in despayre that he shoulde nothing profite in thys purpose and seeing no hope at all in speaking was at this poynt that he chose rather to holde his peace Whereby it came to passe that those Byshoppes which last of all disputed with him spake what they lusted wythout interruption saue onely that Lambert now and then would alledge somwhat out of S. Augustin for the defence of hys cause in which author he seemed to be very prompt and ready But for the most parte as I sayde being ouercome with wearines and other griefes he held his peace defending himselfe rather with silence then with argumentes which he saw would nothing at al preuayle At the last when the day was passed and that torches begaÌ„ to be lighted the king minding to breake vp this pretensed disputation sayd vnto Lambert in this wise What sayst thou now sayd he after al these great labours which thou hast taken vpon thee The kinges wordes to Lambert and all the reasons instructions of these learned men art thou not yet satisfied Wilt y u liue or dye What sayst thou Thou hast yet free choose Lambert aunswered I yelde and submit my selfe wholy vnto the will of your Maiestie Then said the king Commit thy selfe vnto the handes of God and not vnto myne Lambert I commend my soule vnto the handes of God but my body I wholy yeld submit vnto your clemency Then sayd the king if you do committe your selfe vnto my iudgement you must dye The king condemneth the Martir of Christ Iohn Lambert for I will not be a patron vnto heretickes and by and by turning himself vnto Cromwell he sayd Cromwell read the sentence of condeÌ„nation agaynst him This Cromwel was at that time the chiefe frend of the Gospellers And here is it muche to be maruailed at L. Cromwell commaunded by the king to read the sentence to see how vnfortunately it came to passe in this matter that through the pestiferous crafty counsaile of this one Bishop of Winchester Sathan whiche oftentimes doth raise vp one brother to the destruction of an other did here performe the condemnation of this Lambert by no other ministers then Gospellers themselues Taylor Barnes Cranmer and Cromwell who afterwardes in a maner al suffered the like for the Gospels sake of whoÌ„ God willing we will speake more hereafter This vndoubtedly was the malicious and crafty subtiltie of the Bishop of Winchester whiche desired rather The crafty fetch of Steph. Wint. that the sentence might be read by Cromwell then by any other so y t if he refused to doe it he shoulde likewise haue incurred the like daunger But to be short Cromwell at the kings commaundement taking the schedule of condeÌ„nation in hand read the same Wherein was conteined the burning of heretickes whiche either spake or wrote anye thing or had any bookes by them repugnant or disagreeing from the Papisticall Church and theyr tradition The sentence agaynst Iohn Lambert touching the sacrament of the aultare also a decree that the same shoulde be sette vppe vppon the Churche porches and be read foure tymes euery yeare in euery Churche throughout the Realme whereby the worshipping of the bread should be the more firmely fixed in the heartes of the people And in this maner was the coÌ„demnation of Iohn Lambert Wherein great pitie it was and muche to be lamented to see the Kinges highnesse that day so to oppose and set his power and strength â—o fiercely and vehemently in assisting so manye proude and furious aduersaries against that one poore seely soule to be deuoured WhoÌ„ hys Maiestie wyth more honour might rather haue aided and supported being so on euery side oppressed and compassed about wythout helpe or refuge amonge so many Wolues and vultures The part â—f a gâ—od Prince what to doe especially in suche a cause tending to no derogation to him nor to his realme but rather to the necessary reformation of syncere truth and doctrine decaied For therein especially consisteth the honour of Princes to pity the miserable to relieue the oppressed to rescue the wroÌ„gs of the poore and to tender and respect the weaker parte especially where righte and truth standeth with him which if the King had done that day it had ben in my minde not so much for the comforte of that poore persecuted creature as it woulde haue redounded to the immortall renoume of his Princely estate to all posteritie But thus was Iohn Lambert in this bloudy Session by the king iudged and condemned to death whose iudgement now remaineth with the Lord against that day wheÌ„ as before the tribunall seate of that great iudge both princes and subiects shall stande and appeare not to iudge but to be iudged according as they haue done and deserued Ex testimonio cuiusdam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A.G. And thus muche hetherto of Lambertes articles aunsweres disputation and his condemnation also Nowe to proceede further to the storie of his death Upon the day that was appoynted for this holy martyr of God to suffer Lambert going to his death he was brought out of the prisone at 8. of the clocke in the morning vnto the house of
sacrament had stande in the open confession therof according to the auncient veritie of the doctrine receaued in the Churche before he was so handled by certaine malignaunt superstitious monks that what by euill entreatie and what for feare of deathe such is the weake frailty of man he began to shrinke and afterward did in deede recant the truth Of these malicious ennemies againste Berengarius the chiefest troubler was Lancfranke Abbot of Codune afterward Archbishop of Canterbury Guimond monke likewise first of the abbey of Leufrede afterward Archb. of Auersane Algerius also monke of Corbein Fulbertus also monke and byshop and Hildebrand sometime monke of Cluniake and then Archdeacon of Turon afterward Bishop of Rome By these and such other monkes of the like fraternitie the errour and heresie of transubstantiation began firste to be defended and partes publikely in wryting to be taken about that matter Lancfrancke a persecutor of Berengarius Of the which sides and partes the firste that began to set vp that faction by wryting seemeth to be Paschasius who was a little before Berengarius aboute the time of Bertrame and likewise Lancfrancke the firste that brought it into England Paschasius the first beginner of the faction of transubstantiation On the contrary side againe the firste that was openly impugned and troubled for denying transubstantiation was this Berengarius with whom Lancfranck also was supposed at the first beginning to holde and take part but afterward to cleare himselfe he stoode openly against hym in the Councell and wrote against him It foloweth then in the Acte of the Councel that when the Synode of Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Prelates were together assembled y e greater number saith the storie did holde that the breade and wine were turned substantially into the body and bloud of Christ. Notwithstanding sayeth he diuers there were in the sayde Councel whych helde the contrary wyth Berengarius Ex W. Malmesb but at laste were driuen to geue ouer Berengarius amonge the rest after he had long stand in the constant defence of the truth at last relented to their willes confessing his errour where none was and desired pardon of the Councell And thys was as seemeth to W. Malmesb. hys firste geuing ouer Who afterwarde returning to hymselfe agayne after the death of Pope Leo The story recantation of Berengaâ—ius declaâ—â—d by W. Malmesb. De gestis Anglorum Lib. 3. and prickte with the stinge of conscience was driuen againe to recognise the truthe whych he before had denied The Pope sayeth Malmesb. perceauing this would not leaue him so but sent into Fraunce Hildebrande hys Cardinall Chaplaine as meete a mate for such a feate as was in all Satans courte and made him with a wany and to come againe coram nobis who so handled Berengarius and bringing hym before the face of the Councel bolden at Turon that he made him to say erraui once again against whome stoode vp in that Councell Lanfrancus and Guimundus aforesaid impugning his assertion And thus staÌ„deth the narration of W. Malmesbery But by the actes of y e Councel of Rome appeareth an other declaration which is that thys latter recantation of Berengarius shoulde be at Rome vnder Hildebrand being then Pope The order of his recantation declared Ex actis Romani Concilij in the yere of our Lord. 1076. and in the moneth of February and that in the sayde Councell holden in Ecclesia Saluatoris thys recantation of Ego Berengarius was made and he enioyned by the sayd Pope Hildebrand vpon hys oth neuer hereafter to teache or dispute contrary to that faith of the Sacrament there holden c. Againe Henry Bullinger in his booke The order of the sayd recantation reported out of Henr. Bulling De origine erroris cap. 10. De origine erroris following belike some other authour expresseth the order of the foresayd recantation after thys sorte and sayeth that in the time of Pope Leo. 9. Anno. 1051. there was a Romane Councell holden at Uercellense in the whyche Councell Lanfrancke beinge then present the Booke of Ioh. Scotus was openly read and there condemned Also Berengarius was sent for Concilium Vercellenâ—e who seeing the preiudiciall proceeding of that Councell refused himselfe to come but sent two Clerkes which openly there defended hys cause and quarell and were for the same committed vnto prison Such is the freedome of the Popes generall Councels w t prisons and violence to defend their verities Against the doings of this Councel notwithstanding the French men stoode stiffe both at Angew and Turon ioyning and consenting wyth Berengarius Not long after this died Pope Leo and after him succeeded Pope Uictor Concilium Florentinum by whom an other Synode was kept at Florence where the Actes and doings of the foresayde Councel of Uercellense were confirmed and a Legate also appointed to be sent to Turon in Fraunce This legate was Hildebrand aboue mentioned Concilium Turonense who calling the clergy of Fraunce together in a Synode fell there in hande wyth the cause of the Sacrament Berengarius not being ignoraunt of these Romaine Councels so kept himselfe that in all his action he would geue none other answere but that he beleeued and consented with the faith of the Catholicke Churche so for that time did frustrate the purpose of the councel rather deluding the preteÌ„ses of his ennemies then freely confessing the simple truth Againe Concilium Romanum â—ub Nicol. 2. after Uictor came Pope Nicholas 2. who congregating an other Councell at Rome An. 1058. sent for Berengarius there to appeare who being present argued what he could for the iustnesse of his cause but all woulde not serue In the Popes generall Councels such a stroke and mastership beareth authoritie aboue veritie Berengarius being thus borne downe on euery side by might superioritie when no remedye woulde serue Might beareth downe right but hee muste needes recant againe for the law of relapse was not yet in season he desired to know what other confession of the sacrament the Pope woulde require of him The last recantation of Berengarius Humbertus author of the decree Ego Berengarius besides y t whych hee hadde there confessed Then Pope Nicolas committed that charge to Humbart a Monke of Lotharinge and after a Cardinall y t he should draw out in formable wordes the order of his recantatioÌ„ after the prescription of Rome whych hee shoulde reade and publickely professe before the people The forme of which words is registred in the Decrees De consecrat dist 2. Ego Berengarius c. The effecte whereof is thys That hee pretendeth with heart and mouth to professe that he acknowledging the true catholicke De consecra Dist. 2. cap. Ego Berengarius and Apostolicall faith doth execrate all heresie namely that wherewyth hee hath lately bene infamed as holding that the bread and wine vpon the Altare after the
no part nor cause of their casting into the tower and geueth this reason for him Steph Gardiner had no accesâ—â— to the kinges councell a yeare and more before the L. Cromwels fall for that he had then no accesse ne had not after so long as Cromwels time lasted to the Kings secret Counsayle yet notwithstanding the sayd Gardiner can not persuade vs to the contrary but that his priuie complaing to the King and his secrete whisperings in his frends eares and his other workings by his factours about the King was a great sparcle to set theyr fagots a fire Thus then Barnes Hierome and Garret being committed to the Tower after Easter there remayned till the xxx day of Iuly which was two dayes after the deathe of the Lord Cromwell Then ensued processe againste them by the Kings Counsell in the Parliament Processe agaynst Barnes Hierome Garret to the whyche processe Gardiner confesseth himselfe that he was priuie amongst the rest Whereupon all these three good saints of God the xxx day of Iuly not comming to any aunswere nor yet knowing any cause of their coÌ„demnation without any publike hearing were brought together from the Tower to Smithfield where they preparing themselues to the fire had there at the stake diuers and sundry exhortations amongest whome D. Barnes first began wyth thys protestation following I am come hether to be burned as an hereticke and you shal heare my beliefe The protestation of Doct. Barnes at the stake whereby you shall perceiue what erroneous opinions I hold God I take to record I neuer to my knowledge taught any erroneous doctrine but only those things which scripture leade me vnto and that in my Sermons I neuer mainteined any errour neyther moued nor gaue occasion of any insurrection Although I haue bene sclaundered to preach that our Lady was but a saffron bag which I vtterly protest before God that I neuer meant it nor preached it but all my study and diligeÌ„ce hath bene vtterly to confound and confute all men of that doctrine D. Barnes falsly slaundered as are the Anabaptists which deny that our Sauiour Christ did take any flesh of the blessed virgin Mary which sectes I detest and abhorre And in this place there hath bene burned some of them whome I neuer fauoured nor mainteyned but with all diligence euermore did I study to set forth the glory of God the obedience to our soueraigne Lord the King and the true and sincere religion of Christ. And now harken to my fayth I beleue in the holy and blessed Trinitie three persons and one God D. Barnes confession that created and made al the world and that this blessed Trinitie sent downe the seconde person Iesu Christ into the wombe of the most blessed purest virgin Mary And heere beare me record that I do vtterly condemne that abhominable and detestable opinion of the Anabaptistes which say that Christ tooke no flesh of the virgine For I beleue that without mans will or power hee was conceiued by the holy Ghost and tooke flesh of her that he suffered hunger thirst cold other passions of our body sinne except according to the sayeng of S. Peter He was made in all things like to his brethren except sinne And I beleeue that this his death and passion was the sufficiente raunsome for the sinne of all the world And I beleeue that through his death he ouercame sinne death and hell and that there is none other satisfaction vnto the Father but this his death and passion only and that no worke of man did deserue any thing of God but only his passion as touching our iustification For I know the best worke that euer I did is vnpure and vnperfit And with this he cast abroade his handes and desired God to forgiue hym hys trespasses All mens workes vnperfite For although perchaunce sayd he you knowe nothing by me yet do I confesse that my thoughts and cogitations be innumerable Wherefore I beseeche thee O Lorde not to enter into iudgement with me according to the sayeng of the Prophete Dauid Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo domine .i. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lord. Psal. 143. And in an other place Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine quis sustinebit Lorde if thou straitely marke our iniquities Psal. 130. who is able to abyde thy iudgement Wherefore I trust in no good worke that euer I did but onely in the death of Christ. I do not doubt but through him to inherite the kingdome of heauen Take me not heere that I speake against good woorkes Good workeâ— are to be done for they are to be done and verely they that do them not shall neuer come in the kingdome of God We must do them because they are coÌ„manded vs of God to shew and set foorth our profession not to deserue or merite for that is onely the death of Christ. I beleue that there is a holy Churche a company of all them that professe Christ and that all that haue suffered confessed his name be Saintes that all they do prayse laude God in heauen more then I or any mans tongue caÌ„ expresse that alwayes I haue spoken reuerently and praysed them as much as Scripture willed me to do And that our Lady I say was a Uirgin immaculate and vndefiled that she is the most purest virgine that euer God created a vessell elect of God of whom Christ should be borne Then sayd M. Shiriffe D. Barnes obedient to Magistrates you haue sayd well of her before And beyng afrayde that Maister Shiriffe had bene or should be agreeued with any thyng that he should say he sayd Maister Shiriffe if I speake any thyng that you will me not do no more but becken me with your hand I will straight way hold my peace for I will not be disobedient in any thyng but will obey TheÌ„ there was one that asked him his opinioÌ„ of praying to Saintes Then sayd he Pray noÌ„ to Saintes Now of Saintes you shall here my opinion I haue sayd before somewhat I thinke of them how that I beleue they are in heauen with God and that they are worthy of all the honour that Scripture willeth theÌ„ to haue But I say throughout all Scripture we are not commauÌ„ded to pray to any Saintes Therfore I can not nor will not preach to you that Saintes ought to be prayed vnto for then should I preache vnto you a doctrine of myne owne head Notwithstandyng whether they pray for vs or no that I referre to GOD. And if Saintes do pray for vs then I trust to pray for you within this halfe houre Maister Shiriffe and for euery Christian man liuyng in the fayth of Christ dying in the same as a Saint Wherfore if the dead may pray for the quicke I will surely pray for you Wel haue you any thing more to say TheÌ„ spake he
sayd in the time of the rebellion that you liked wel the doings and proceedings of the sayde rebelles and traitors and sayde that the couetousnes of the gentlemen gaue occasion to the common people to rise sayinge also that better it were for the Commons to die then pearish for lacke of liuing 16 Also you saide that the Lordes of the parlamente were loth to encline themselues to reformatioÌ„ of enclosures and other things therfore the people had good cause to reforme the things them selues 17 Also you after the reporte and declaration of the defaultes and lackes reported to you by suche as did suruey Bulleine and the Peeces there woulde neuer amende the same defaultes 18 Also you would not suffer the kings peeces beyoÌ„d the seas called Newhauen Blacknest to be furnished wyth men and vitailes although you were aduertised of the defaults therin by the captaines of the same peeces others were thereto aduertised by the kings Counsaile wherby the French king being the kings open enemy was encouraged and comforted to inuade and win the sayd peeces to the kings great losse and dishonor of his realme 19 Also you declared and published vntruely as well to the kings maiestie and other the young Lordes attendant vpon his graces persone that the Lordes of the Counsaile at London minded to destroy the king you required the king neuer to forget it but to reuenge it and likewise you required the yong Lordes to put the king in remembrance therof to the entent to make sedition and discord betwene the king and his Lordes 20 Also where the kinges Maiesties priuie Counsaile of their loue and zeale that they did beare vnto the king his Realme did consulte at London to haue communed wyth you to the entent to mooue you charitablie to amend your doings and misgouernment you hearing of their sayd assembly did cause to be declared by letters in diuers places the said Lordes to be high traitors to the king to the great disturbance of the realme And thus muche hitherto concerning the first trouble of the Lorde Protectoure Duke of Somersette The mercifull working of the Lord for the Lord Protector wyth the crimes and articles obiected against him with his prisonment also in the Tower and the terrible proclamatioÌ„ geuen out against hym All which purposes of man thoughe they seemed fully entended to no lesse but to the spilling of his life yet the Lorde aboue the onely disposer of all mens purposes The Lord Protectour deliuered out of the tower so ordered the matter by the meanes of the kinge labouring for his Uncle that in short while after hee was lette out of the Tower and the Proclamation whyche before had made hym a traitor wythin three dayes was called in agayne a Domino factum est istud wyth commaundement geuen none of them to be solde And so the Duke of Somerset gratiously escaping thys aduersitie was againe restored though not to his former office yet vnto libertie wherein he continued the space of two yeares and two dayes After the which time of respite being expired the sayde Duke of Somerset was apprehended committed againe to the Tower The second trouble of the Duke of Somerset and wyth him also Sir Michaell Stanhop sir Raufe Uane sir Miles Partrige other c. At length the time being come of his arrainment the foresayde good Duke being conueied from the Tower was brought thorow London with the axe of the tower before him wyth great preparance of bils halbardes pikes and polaxes in most forcible wise a watch also sette and appoynted before euery mans doore through the hie streat of London The Duke of Somerset agayne brâ—ught to the toweâ— and so was he brought into Westminster hal where the Lords of the counsaile sitting as his iudges in the middle of the hal vpon a newe scaffolde he was there before them arrayned and charged both with treason and felonie In the whiche iudgement I passe ouer the vnseemely speach the vile taunts and despiteful rebukes without all modesty or honesty The vile tauntes of certayne Iustices and others sitting in iudgement against the good Duke of Somerset vsed by certaine of the Sergeants and Iustices and some other sitting there Al which notwythstanding he patiently quietly did suffer neither storming inwardly in stomacke nor reuiling them with woordes againe but like a lambe folowing the true lambe example of all meekenes was conteÌ„ted to take al things at their handes and with no lesse patience to beare now theyr vngentle and cruell railings The great patieÌ„ce of the Duke of Somerset in taking rebukes then hee did before their glauering wordes and flatterings in time of his high estate and prosperitie And as the patience of this good Duke was marueilous in forbearing his ennemies so also was his discretion and temperance no lesse seene in answearing for himself to the articles to him obiected wherunto he wisely and substantially replied The discrete behauiour of the Duke in aunswering for himselfe putting himselfe in the ende to be tried by his Peeres Who then at length after consultation had did frame and temper their verdicte thus that as concerning y e case of treason wherewith he was charged they discharged him but they accounted him guiltie of fellonie When the people which were there present to a great noÌ„ber hearde the Lordes say Not guiltie meaning by the case of treason supposing no lesse but y t he had bene clearly acquited by these woordes The harty affection of the people toward the Duke of Somerset and especially seeing the Axe of the Tower to be carried away for great ioy and gladnesse made an outcrie well declaring theyr louing affection and hearty fauour vnto the Duke whose life they greatly desired But thys opinion of the people was deceiued and the innocent Duke condemned to die for fellonie Which act of fellonie had bene made a litle before against the rebels and vnlawfull assembles suche as shoulde seeke or procure the death of any Counsailour The Duke of Somerset condemned of felony so that euery suche attempt and procurement according to the act should be iudged felony By the vertue of whych Act the Duke being accused with certaine other hys complices to intende and purpose the death of the Duke of Northumberlande and of certayne beside Statut. an 5. Reg. Edw 6. was therfore caste and condemned of felonie and so was returned toward the Tower againe At whose passage throughe the Citie greate exclamations and outcries were made againe of the people The Duke of Somerset accused for seeking the death of the Duke of Northumberland some reioycing y t hee was acquited some bewayling that hee was condemned Thus the good Duke passing through a great parte of the Citie landinge at the Crane of the Uinetrie was conueyed vnto the Tower where hee endured till the 22. of Ianuary Upon the which day at the comminge downe of the
✚ sanctifiest thou quickenest thou ✚ blessest and geuest vnto vs. Here let him w t â—couer the chalice and make a signe of the crosse with the host fiue times first beyond the chalice on euery side secondly eauen with the chalice thirdly within the chalice fourthly like as at the first Fifthly before the chalice Thorow ✚ him and with ✚ him and in him is vnto thee God father ✚ almighty in the vnitie of the ✚ holy Ghost all honour and glory Here let the Priest couer the chalice and holde hys handes still vppon the altar till the pater noster be spoken saying thus Worlde without ende Amen Let vs praye Being aduertised by holsome preceptes and taught by Gods institution we are bold to say Heere let the Deacon take the paten and holde it vncouered on the right syde of the Priest hys arme beeyng stretched out an high vntill da propitius Heere let the Priest lift vp his hands saying pater noster c. The quire must say Sed libera nos c. Deliuer vs we beseeche thee O Lorde from all euill past present and for to come and that by the intercession of the blessed glorious and our virgin Mary the mother of God and thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and Andrew with all Saincts Heere let the Deacon commit the patten to the Priest kissing hys hande and let the Priest kisse the patten Afterward let him put it to his left eye and then to the right After that let him make a crosse with the paten aboue vpon his head and so lay it downe againe into hys place sayeng geue peace graciously in our dayes that we being helped through the succour of thy mercy may both be alway free from sinne and safe from all trouble Heere let him vncouer the chalice and take the body doing reuerence shifting it ouer in the holow roome of the chalice holding it betweene his thombes and forefingers and let him breake it into three partes the first breaking while there is sayd Through the same our Lord Iesus Christ thy Sonne The second breaking Who with thee in the vnity of the holy Ghost liueth and reigneth God Heere let him hold two peeces in his left hand and the third peece in the right hand vpon the brinke of the chalice sayeng this with open voice World without ende Let the quire answere Amen Heere let him make three crosses within the chalice with the thirde parte of the hoste saying The peace of the Lord ✚ be alwayes ✚ with ✚ you Let the quire answere And with thy spirite To saye Agnus dei let the Deacon and subdeacon approch neere vnto the Priest both being on the right hande the Deacon neerer the subdeacon farther off And let them say priuately O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world graunt vs peace In Masses for the dead it is sayd thus O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world geue them rest With this addition in the third repetition Euerlasting Heere making a crosse let him put downe the said third part of the hoste into the sacrament of the bloud sayeng This holy mingling together of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ be vnto me and to all that receiue it saluation of mind and body an holesome preparation both to deserue and to receiue eternall life through the same Christ our Lord. Afore the Paxe be geuen let the Priest say O Lord holy father almighty eternall God graunt me so woorthily to take this holy body and bloud of thy Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ that by this I may merite to receyue forgeuenesse of all my synnes and be replenished wyth thy holy spirite and to haue thy peace for thou art GOD alone neyther is there anye other without thee whose glorious kingdome and Empyre endureth continuallye worlde without ende Amen Heere let the Priest kisse the corporas on the right side and the brinke of the chalice and afterwarde let hym say to the Deacon Peace be vnto thee and to the Church of God Aunswere And with thy spirite On the right hand of the Priest let the Deacon receaue the pax of him and reach it to the subdeacon Then to the step of the quere let the Deacon himselfe beare the pax vnto the rectors of the quere And let them bring it to the quere eyther of them to his owne side beginning at the eldest But in feastes and feriall dayes when the quere is not gouerned the pax is borne from the deacon vnto the quere by two of the lowest of the seconde forme like as afore After the pax geuen let the Priest say the prayers folowing priuately before he communicate holding the hoste (c) â—or falling with both his hands O God father thou fountaine originall of all goodnesse who being moued with mercye haste willed thine onely-begotten sonne for our sakes to descende into the lower partes of the worlde and to be incarnate whom I (d) Holde him fast Whyle ye haue him in your handes lest he flye from you as lyke he wil if ye mocke with him to much vnworthy hold in my handes Here let the priest bowe (e) Why notâ— if it be his maker him selfe to the hoost saying I worshippe thee I glorifie thee I prayse thee wyth whole intention of mind and hart And I beseech thee that thou (f) If it faâ—â—e your kitchen wil be the colder faile not vs thy seruauntes but forgeue our sinnes so as with pure hart and chaste body wee may be able to serue thee (g) Note that the priest speaketh all this to the host whereby it is euident how horribly they abuse Gods creatures the onely liuing and true God through the same Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord Iesu Christ thou sonne of y e liuing God who according to the will of the father the holy Ghost working with all hast quickened the world through thy death Deliuer me I beseeche thee through this thy holy body and this thy bloude from all my iniquities and from all euils And make me alway obey thy commaundements and neuer suffer me to be seperated from thee for euermore thou Sauiour of the worlde Who with God the father and the same holy Ghost liuest and raignest God worlde without end Amen O Lord Iesu Christ let not the sacrameÌ„t of thy body bloud which I receiue though vnworthy be to my iudgment and damnation but thorow thy goodnes let it profite to the saluation of my body and soule Amen To the body let him say with humilation afore he receaue Haile for euermore thou most holy (a) that neuer was borne of our Ladye flesh of Christ vnto mee afore all
of participation in so much as we communicating therof do participate the grace of Christ so that you meane hereby only the effect therof But our conclusioÌ„ standeth vpon the substance and not the efficacye onely which shall appeare by the testimony both of Scriptures and of all the fathers a thousand yeare after Christ. And first to begin with the Scripture let vs consider what is written in Math. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. fyrste to the CorinthiaÌ„s 11. Mathew sayth Math. 26. As they sat at supper Iesus tooke bread c. In Marke there is the same sense although not the same wordes Math. 14. who also for one part of the Sacrament speaketh more playnely Iesus taking breade c. After the same sense also writeth Luke 22. Luke 22. And when Iesus had taken bread c. In the mouth of two or three witnesses sayth the Scripture standeth all truth Here we haue three wytnesses together that Christ sayd that to be his body which was geueÌ„ for many and that to be his bloud which should be shed for many wherby is declared the substance and not onely the efficacy alone therof Ergo it is not true that you say there to be not the substance of his body but the efficacy alone therof Cran. Substance and efficacie both graunted in the Sacrament Thus you gather vpon mine aunswere as though I did meane of the efficacy and not of the substance of the body but I meane of them both as well of the efficacye as the substance And for so much as all things come not readily to memory to a man that shall speake ex tempore therfore for the more ample and fuller aunswere in the matter this writing here I do exhibite An other explication for aunswere exhibited in writing by the Archb. ¶ An explication exhibited by Cranmer OUr Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ at the time of his Maundy preparing himselfe to die for our cause that he might redeeme vs from eternall death to forgeue vs all our sinnes and to cancell out the handwriting that was agaynst vs y t we through ingratefull obliuion should not forget his death therfore he at y e time of his holy supper did institute a perpetuall memory of this his death to be celebrated amoÌ„g christians in bread wine The 〈◊〉 cause 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 wa◠〈◊〉 according as it is sayd Do this in remembraunce of me And so often as you shall eat this bread drinke this cup you shall shew forth the Lordes death till he come And this remembraunce or sacrament of his holy passion that is of his body slayne bloud shed he would all christians to frequent celebrate in bread and wine according as he sayd Take eate and drink ye all of this Therfore whosoeuer for mans tradition denyeth the cup of Christes bloud to lay men they manifestly repugne agaynst Christ forbidding that which Christ commaundeth to be done and be like to those Scribes and Phariseis of whom the Lord spake Ye hipocrites ye haue reiected the coÌ„maundementes of God for your traditions Math. 2â— Well did Esaye prophecy of you saying This people honoureth me with theyr lips but theyr hart is farre from me Luke 7. Without cause do they worship me teaching the doctrines and preceptes of men The sacrament and misticall bread being broken and distributed after the institution of Christ and the mysticall wine likewise being taken and receiued be not onely sacramentes of the fleshe of Christ wounded for vs and of hys bloudshedding but also be most certaine sacraments to vs and as a manne would say seales of Gods promises and giftes Sacramâ—â—â— seales 〈◊〉 Gods pâ—â—â—mises and also of that holy felowship which we haue with Christ and all his members Moreouer they be to vs memorials of that heauenly food and nourishment wherwith we are nourished vnto eternall life and the thyrste of our boyling conscience quenched and finally wherby the harts of the faythfull be replenished with vnspeakeable ioy and be corroborated and strengthened vnto all workes of godlines We are many sayth S. Paule one bread and one body all we which doe participate of one breade 1. Cor. 11 and one cuppe And Christ sayth Eate ye this is my body And drinke ye this is my bloud Math. 2 And I am the liuing breade which came downe from heauen He that eateth me shall also liue for me Iohn 6. Not as your fathers did eate Manna in the desert and are dead He that eateth me shall also liue for me Thus therefore true bread and true wine remaynfull in the Eucharist vntill they be consumed of the faythfull to be signes as seales vnto vs annexed vnto Gods promises making vs certayne of Gods gifts towardes vs. Bread 〈◊〉 wine remayne in the Eâ—â—charist 〈◊〉 be seale vs 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 promisâ—â— Also Christ remaineth in them they in Christ which eate his flesh drinke his bloud as Christ himselfe hath promised They that eat my flesh drinke my bloud abide in me I in them Moreouer he abideth also in them which worthely receiueth the outward sacrament neither doth he depart so soone as the sacramentes is consumed but continually abideth feeding and nourishing vs so long as we remayne bodies of that head meÌ„bers of the same I acknowledge not here the naturall body of Christ which is only spirituall intelligible and vnsensible hauing no distinctioÌ„ of meÌ„bers partes in it but that body onely I acknowledge worship which was borne of the virgin which suffred for vs which is visible palpable hath all the forme shape and partes of the true naturall body of man Christ spake not these wordes of any vncertayne substance but of the certayne substance of bread which he then held in his hands shewed his disciples wheÌ„ he sayd Christâ— wordeâ— spoken of an 〈◊〉 certaine substaÌ„câ— of a 〈…〉 bread 〈◊〉 which had in 〈◊〉 handeâ— Eat ye this is my body and likewise of the cup when he sayd Drinke ye this is my bloud meaning verely of that bread which by nature is vsuall and common with vs which is taken of the fruit of the ground compacted by the vniting of many graynes together made by man by mans hand brought to that visible shape being of a round compasse without all sense or life whiche nourisheth the bodye and strengtheneth the hart of man Of this same bread I say and not of any vncertaine and wandring substance the old fathers say that Christ spake these wordes Eate ye this is my body How doctoâ—â— doe 〈◊〉 speachâ—â— Chrisâ—â— Tropiâ—â—â— Figuraâ—â—â—â— Anagoâ—â—â—call 〈◊〉 Bread 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 name 〈◊〉 body And likewise also of the wine which is the creature and fruite of the vine pressed out of many clusters of grapes maketh mens hart mery of the very same wine I say Christ spake drinke ye this is my bloud And so the olde Doctors doe call this
contrary to your own othe writing With what countenaunce wil ye appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ and aunswere to your othe made first vnto that blessed king Henry 8. of famous memorye and afterward vnto that blessed king Edward the 6. his sonne The bishop answered Tush tush Herodes othe Here the bishop confesseth vnlawfull othes ought not to be kept that was Herodes othe vnlawfull and therfore worthy to be broken I haue done well in breaking it and I thanke God I am come home agayne to our mother to the Catholicke Churche of Rome and so I would thou shouldest doe Doctor Taylor answered Should I forsake y e Church of Christ which is founded vppon the true foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes to approue those lyes erroures superstitions and Idolatries that the Popes and their company at this day so blasphemously do approoue Nay God forbid The true church of Christ wherunto all men ought to turne Let the pope and his returne to our sauioure Christ and his word and thrust out of the Churches such abhominable Idolatries as he maintayneth and then wil christen men turne vnto him You wrote truely agaynst hym and were sworne agaynst him I tell thee quoth the Bishop of Winchester it was Herodes oth vnlawfull and therfore ought to be broken and not kept and our holy father the Pope hath discharged me of it Then sayd D. Taylor Christ will require lawfull othes and promises but you shall not so be discharged before Christ who doubtles will require it at youre handes as a lawfull othe made to your liege soueraigne Lorde the king from whose obedience no man can assoyle you neither the Pope nor none of his I see quoth the Bishop thou art an arrogant knaue Gardiner agayne rayling Rayling wordes become not a magistrate Math. 5. and a very foole My Lord quoth Doctor Taylor leaue your vnseemly rayling at me which is not seemely for such a one in authoritie as you are For I am a Christian man and you know that He that sayeth to his brother Racha is in daunger of a Counsell and he that sayth thou foole is in daunger of hel fire The Bishop answered ye are all false and lyars all the sort of you Nay quoth D. Taylor we are true men and know that is written Os quod mentitur occidit animam agayne Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium i. The mouth that lyeth slayeth the soule And agayne Lord God thou shalt destroy all that speake lyes And therefore we abide by the truth of gods word which ye contrary to your own conscience deny and forsake Thou art maryed quoth the B. Yea quoth Doctour Taylor that I thank God I am Maryage obiected to D. Taylour Mariage defended and haue had nine children and all in lawfull matrimony and blessed be God y t ordayned matrimony and commaunded that euerye man that hath not the gift of continency shoulde mary a wife of his owne and not liue in adultery or whoredome Then sayd the bishop thou hast resisted the Queenes Proceedinges One Idolater holdeth with an other and wouldest not suffer the Parson of Aldam a very vertuous and deuout Priest to say Masse in Hadley Doctor Taylor answered My Lorde I am Parson of Hadley and it is agaynst all right conscience and lawes that any man shall come into my charge presume to infect the flock committed vnto me The Masse with venome of the Popish Idolatrous Masse With that the Bishop waxed very angry said Thou art a blasphemous hereticke in deede that blasphemest the blessed sacrament and put of his cap and speakest agaynst the holy Masse which is made a sacrifice for the quick and the dead D. Taylor answered Nay I blaspheeme not the blessed sacrament which Christ instituted but I reuerence it as a true christian ought to doe The communiō and confesse that Christ ordayned the holy communion in the remembrance of his death and passion The true sacrifice for the quicke and dead what it is which◠when we keepe according to his ordinaunce we through fayth eat the body of Chryst and drinke his bloud geuing thanks for our redemption and this is our sacrifice for the quicke the dead to geue God thankes for his mercifull goodnes shewed to vs in that he gaue his sonne Christ vnto the death for vs. Propitiatory sacrifice offered neuer more then once Thou sayst well quoth the Bishop It is all y t thou hast sayd and more to for it is a propitiatory sacrifice for y e quick dead Thē answered D. Taylor Christ gaue hymselfe to die for our redemption vpon the Crosse whose body there offered was the propitiatory Sacrifice full perfect and sufficient vnto saluation for all them that beleeue in him And this sacrifice did our Sauiour Christ offer in his owne person himselfe once for all Our sacrifice is onely memoratiue Winchesters strong argument cary him to prison neither can any Priest any more offer him nor we neede no more propitiatory sacrifice and therefore I say with Chrysostome and all the Doctours Our Sacrifice is only memoratiue in the remembrance of Christes death and passion a sacrifice of thankesgeuing and therefore Fathers called it Eucharistia And other sacrifice hath the Church of God none It is true quoth the Byshop the Sacrament is called Eucharistia a thankesgeuing because we there geue thanks for our redemption and it is also a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead which thou shalt confesse ere thou and I haue done Then called the Bishop his men and sayde haue this fellow hence and carry him to the Kings bench and charge the keeper he be straitly kept Then kneeled Doctor Taylour down and held vp both his hands and said Good Lord I thanke thee and from the tiranny of the Byshop of Rome D. Taylours prayer agaynst the pope and his detestable enormities and all his detestable errours Idolatries and abhominations good Lord deliuer vs And God be praysed for good King Edwarde So they caried him to prison to the Kings Bench where he lay prisoner almost two yeares ☞ This is the summe of that first talke as I sawe it mentioned in a Letter that Doctour Taylour wrote to a frend of his thanking God for his grace that he had confessed his truth and was founde worthy for truth to suffer prison and bands beseeching his frendes to pray for him that he might perseuere constaunt vnto the ende Being in prison Doctour Taylour spent all hys tyme in prayer reading the holy Scriptures and writing and preaching The godly behauiour and cōuersation of D. Taylour in the prison and exhorting the prisoners and such as resorted to him to repentance and amendement of life Within a fewe dayes after were diuerse other learned and godly men in sondry countreys of England committed to prison for Religion so that almost all the prisons in England were become right
had bene my liuing I aunswered I was a Minister serued a Cure and taught a schole Then sayd my Lord to his Counsell this is a wonderfull thing Afore he sayd he was no Priest and now he confesseth himselfe to be one I aunswered by the lawes now vsed in this Realme as farre as I do know I am none Then they asked me who gaue me orders or whether I had taken any at all I aunswered I receiued orders of the Bishops of London and Lincolne Then sayd they one to an other those be of these new heretickes and asked me what acquayntaunce I had with them I aunswered I neuer sawe them but at the tyme when I receiued orders They asked me how long I had bene Curate whether I had ministred with a good conscience I aunswered I had bene Curate but one yere and had ministred with a good conscience I thanked God and if the Lawes of the Realme would haue suffered me I would haue ministred still This blasphemous mouth of the paâ—son of Grapnal if the lawes at any time hereafter woulde suffer me to minister after that sort I would minister agayne Whereat they murmured and the person of Grapnall sayd this last Communion was the most deuilishe thing that euer was deuised Then they asked me what my beliefe was I answered I beleued in God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost according as the Scriptures of the olde and new testament do teach and according as the 4. Symboles or Creedes that is to wit the Creed commonly called Apostolorum the Creed of Nice Councell of Athanasius and of Austen and Ambrose do teach And after a few wordes the parson of Grapnall sayd but what is thy beliefe in the Sacrament of the aultar I aunswered I beleued that whosoeuer according to Christes institution G. Marshes beliefe in the Sacrament dyd receyue the holye Sacrament of Christes body and bloud did eate and drinke Christes body and bloud with all the benefites of his death and resurrection to their eternall saluation for Christ sayd I is euer present with his sacrament Then asked they me whether the bread and wyne by the vertue of the wordes pronounced of the Priest were chaunged into the flesh and bloud of Christ and that the sacrament whether it were receiued or reserued was the very body of Christ Wherunto I made aunswere G. Marsh loth to aunswere to the question of transubstantiation I knew no further then I had shewed already For my knowledge is vnperfecte sayd I desiring theÌ„ not to aske me such hard vnprofitable questions whereby to bring my body into dauÌ„ger of death to sucke my bloud Whereat they were not a little offended saying they were no bloud succours and inteÌ„ded nothing to me but to make me a good Christian man So after many other questions whiche I auoyded as well as I could remembring the saying of Paule Foolishe and vnlearned questions auoide knowing they do but ingender strife my Lord commaunded me to come to the boord and gaue me pen and incke in my hand and commaunded me to write mine aunsweres to the questions of the Sacrament aboue named I wrote as I had answered before G. Marsh commaunded by the Earle of Darby to write his answeres Wherat he being much offended coÌ„maunded me to write a more direct answere saying I should not chuse but do it Then I tooke the pen and wrote that further I knew not Whereat hee being sore greeued after many threatnings sayd I should be put to shamefull death like a traitor with such other like words and sometimes geuing me â—ayre wordes if I would turne and be conformable as other were how glad he would be In conclusion after much adoe he commaunded me to Ward in a cold windy stone house The Earle of Darby coÌ„maundeth G. Marsh into prison where was little roome where I lay two nightes without any bed sauing a fewe great canuasse tentclothes and that done I had a payre of sheetes but no wollen clothes so coÌ„tinued till Palm-sonday occupying my selfe aswel as I could in meditatioÌ„ prayer study for no man could be suffered to come to me but my keeper twise a day when he brought me meat and drinke ¶ An other examination of G. Marsh before the Earle of Darby ON Palme sonday at after dinner I was sent for to my Lord and his counsell sauing Syr William Nores Syr Pierce Alee were not then present in place amongest whoÌ„ was Syr Iohn Beram the Uicar of Prescot So they examined me yet once agayne of the sacrameÌ„t Marsh agayne examined about the Sacrament And after I had communed aparte with the Uicare of Prescot a good space coÌ„cerning that matter he returned to my Lorde and his Counsell with me saying that aunswere which I had made before and then did make as it is aboue writteÌ„ was sufficient for a beginner and as one which did not professe a perfect knowledge in that matter vntil such time as I had learned further Marsh yet keepeth himselfe close in the Sacrament Wherewith the Earle was very well pleased saying hee doubted not but by the meanes help of the vicar of Prescot I would be conformable in other thinges So after many fayre wordes he commaunded I should haue a bed with fire and libertye to goe amongest his seruantes so that I would do no harme with my communication amongest them And so after much other communication I departed much more troubled in my spirit then afore because I had not with more boldnes confessed Christ but in such sort Marsh troubled in his conscieÌ„ce for being no more bolde touching the Sacrament as mine aduersaries therby thought they should preuayle agaynst me wherat I was much greued For hytherto I went about as much as in me lay to rid my self out of their handes if by any meanes without open denying of Christ and his word that could be done This considered I cried more earnestly vnto God by prayer desiring him to strengthen me with his holy spirit Marsh prayetheth for more boldenes with boldnes to confesse him and to deliuer me from their intising words and that I were not spoyled through their Philosophy deceitfull vanity after the traditions of men and ordinaunces of the world and not after Christ. And so after a day or two I was sent for to y e Uicar of Prescot and the Parson of Grapnall where our most coÌ„munication was concerning the masse and he asked what offended me in the Masse I aunswered the whole Masse did offend me Marsh agayne examined before the Bishops Chaplens Talke about the Masse Allegations against the Masse first because it was in a straunge language wherby the people were not edified coÌ„trary to S. Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 14. and because of the manifold and intolerable abuses errors coÌ„teined therin contrary to Christs Priesthood and sacrifice Then they asked me in what place therof and I
corner stone not vpon the Romishe lawes and decrees the Bishop of Rome being the supreme head And where they sayd the Church did stand in ordinary succession of bishops The nature condition and notes of the false Church being ruled by generall Councels holy fathers and the lawes of holy Churche and so had continued by the space of fiftene hundreth yeares more he made aunswere that the holy church which is the body of Christ and therfore most worthy to be called holy was before any succession of Bishoppes generall Councels or Romish decrees neither yet was bound to anye time or place ordinary succession generall councels or traditions of Fathers ConfutatioÌ„ of the false church falsly defined eyther had any supremacy ouer Empyres and kingdomes but y t it was a little poore sely flock dispersed and scattered abroad as sheep without a shepheard in the middest of wolues or as a flocke of Orphanes or fatherles children and that this Churche was led and ruled by the onely lawes councels and word of christ he being the supreme head of this church and assisting succoring and defending her from all assaultes errours troubles and persecutions wherewith she is euer compassed about He shewed and prooued vnto them also by the floud of Noah the destruction of Sodome the Israelites departing out of Egypt by the parables of the sower Examples declaring the true Church of y e kings sonnes mariage of the great supper and by other playne sentences of scripture that this Church was of none estimation little in comparison of the church of hipocrites and wicked worldlinges He was thrust at withall violence of craft and subtilty but yet the Lord vpheld him and deliuered him The false Church eâ—er greater 〈◊〉 number Euerlasting thanks be to that mercifull and faythful Lord which suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our might but in the middest of our troubles strengthneth vs with hys holye spirit of comfort and pacience geueth vs a mouth wisedome how and what to speake where agaynst all his aduersaryes were not able to resist * An other appearaunce of George Marsh before the Byshop NOw G. Marsh agayne â—â—ought â—â—fore the â—â—shop and 〈◊〉 Colâ—â—agues after that the sayd bishop had taken his pleasure in punishing this his prisoner and often reuilyng him geuing tauntes odious names of hereticke c. hee caused him to be brought forth into a Chappell in the Cathedrall church of Chester called our Ladye Chappell before him the sayd B. at two of the clocke in the after noone who was there placed in a Chayre for that purpose and Fulke Dutton Maior of the sayd Cittye Doctour Walle and other priestes assisting him placed not farre from the said Bishop but somewhat lower George Wenslow chaÌ„cellour and one Iohn Chetham Register sat directly ouer agaynst the sayd Bishop â—he Bishop 〈◊〉 his â—olleagues 〈◊〉 vpon G. Marsh. â— Marsh 〈…〉 Then they caused the sayd George Marshe to take an othe vpon a booke to answere truely vnto suche articles as should be obiected agaynst him Upon whiche othe taken the Chauncellour layde vnto his charge that hee had preachâ—d and openly published most heretically and blasphemously within the Parishe of Deane Eccles Bolton Berry and many other parishes within the Byshoppes Dioces in the monthes of Ianuary February or some other time of y e yeare last proceding directly against y e popes authoritie and Catholicke Churche of Rome the blessed Masse the sacrament of the aultar and many other Articles Unto all which in summe he aunswered that he neither heretically nor blasphemously preached or spake agaynst any of the sayd articles but simply and truely as occasion serued and as it were thereunto forced in conscience mayntayned the truth touching the same articles as sayd he all you now present did acknowledge the same in the time of the late king Edward the vi Then they examined him seuerally of euery Article bad him aunswere directly yea or nay without circumstance for they were come to examine and not to dispute at that present Then he aunswered them vnto euery article very modestly according to the doctrine by publicke authoritie receiued and taught in this Realme at the death of the sayd king Edward whose aunsweres were euerye one noted and written by the Register to the vttermost that coulde make against him which cannot at this present be gotten After this the company for that time brake vpp and hee was returned to his prison agayne ¶ The last and finall appearaunce of George Marsh before the Bishop The last appearance of G. Marsh before the Byshop The ChauÌ„cellours oration WIthin three weekes after this or thereaboutes in y e sayd Chappell and in like sort as before the said Bishop and others before named there being assembled the sayd George Marshe was brought by the keeper and others with bils and diuers weapons before them where first the sayd Chauncellour by way of an Oration declared vnto the people present the sayde Byshoppes charge and burning charitie who euen like as a good shepheard doth see to his flocke that none of his sheepe hath the scabbe or â—ther disease for infecting other cleane sheepe but wyll saue cure the said scabbed sheep so his Lordship had sent for the sayd George Marshe there present as a scabbed sheep and had weeded him out for corrupting others and had done what he could in shewing his charitable disposition towards y e sayd Marsh to reduce him froÌ„ his naughty heresies but all that he could do would not help so that he was now determined if the sayd Marsh would not relent abiure to pronounce and geue sentence definitiue agaynst him Wherfore he bad the sayd George Marshe to be now well aduised what he would do for it stode vpon his life and if he would not at that present forsake his heretical opinions it would be after the Sentence geuen to late though he would neuer so gladly desire it Then the sayd Chauncellour first asked him whether he were not one of the Bishoppes Dioces 〈…〉 George Marsh. To the whiche he aunswered that he knewe not how large his Diocesse was for his continuaunce was at Cambridge But then they replyed and asked whether he had not lately bene at Deane Parish in Lancashyre and there abode And he answered yea Then the Chauncellour read all his former answeres that he made in that place at his former examination at euery one he asked him whether he would sticke to y e same or no To the which he answered agayne yea yea How say you then to this quoth the Chauncellor In your last examinatioÌ„ amoÌ„gst many other daÌ„nable schismaticall heresies you sayd that the Church and doctrine taugh and set forth in king Edwardes time was the true Church the doctrine the doctrine of the true Churche that the Church of Rome is not y e true catholick church I so sayd in deede quoth Marshe and
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
institute a sacrament there And to the other part of this article videlicet willyng that his bodye really and truely should be conteyned in the sayd sacrament no substance of bread and wyne there remayning but onely the accidents thereof he answereth that he doth not beleeue the same to be true By me Iohn Cardmaker M. Cardmaker calling to mynd afterwards the redy cauillings of the papists and thinking himself not to haue fully and according to his true meaning answered the latter part of the last eight article did the next day after the foresaid answers exhibite vnto the Bish. in a schedule this here after followyng Where in my answer to your articles I deny the presence of Christ in the Sacrament I meane not his sacramentall presence for that I confesse but my deniall is of his carnall presence in the same But yet further because this word is oftentymes taken of the holy fathers A more full answere to the second part of the eight article not only for the bread and wyne but also for the whole administration and receiuyng of the same accordyng to Christes institution so I say that Christ is present spiritually too and in all them which worthily receiueth the Sacrament Sacramentall presence in the Sacrament Carnal presence in the SacrameÌ„t denyed so that my deniall is still of the reall carnall and corporall presence in the sacrament and not of the sacramentall nor spirituall presence This haue I thought good to adde to my former aunswer because no man should misunderstand it By me Iohn Cardmaker Next to these articles of M. Cardmaker I thought best to inferre the articles and answers likewise of Iohn Warne his martyr fellow in maner as followeth ¶ Articles ministred agaynst Iohn VVarne Vpholster of the parish of S. Iohn in Walbrooke with his answers to the same Articles agaynst Iohn Warne vpholster in Walbroke FIrst that thou Iohn Warne beyng of the age of xxix yeres of the parish of S. Iohn of Walbrooke in London hast beleeued and doest beleeue firmely and stedfastly that in the Sacrament commonly called the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar there is not the very true and naturall body of our Sauiour Christ in substaunce vnder the formes of bread and wyne Item that thou hast beleued and doest beleue that after the words of consecration spoken by the priest Agaynst transubstantiation there is not as the church of England doth beleue and teach the body of Christ but that there doth only remayne the substance of material bread as it is before the consecration or speaking of the wordes of consecration and that the sayd bread is in no wyse altered or changed Item that thou hast sayd and doest beleeue that if the Catholike church do beleue and teach Agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse that there is in the masse now vsed in England and in other places of Christendome a sacrifice wherein there is a sacrament conteinyng the body and bloud of Christ really and truly then that beliefe and fayth of the church is naught and agaynst Gods truth and the scripture Item that thou hast said that where about a twelue moneths agone more Heresye for laughing at a Spaniell shorne on the head a great rough water Spaniell of thyne was shorne in the hed had a crowne like a Priest made in the same thou diddest laugh at it like it though thou didst it not thy selfe nor knowest who did it Item that thou neither this Lent last past nor at any tyme since the Queenes Maiesties raigne hast come into the church or heard masse or bene confessed or receiued the sacrament of the aultar and hast said that thou art not sory that thou hast so done but thou art glad because thou hast not therewith defiled thy conscience which otherwise thou shouldest so haue done Upon all which articles Iohn Warne being examined by the said Boner in presence of diuers witnesses the 23. of May ann 1555. did confesse and beleue the same subscribe hereunto his name with his owne hand By me Iohn Warne Also it was obiected against the said Iohn Warne by the B. aforesayd as followeth A nother addition of Articles Item that thou Iohn Warne wast in tyme past here in the city of London conuented in the Guildhal for heresie against the sacrament of the aultar according to the order of the lawes of this Realme of England in the time of king Henry the 8. and when Alderman Barnes was shirife the Thursday after that Anne Askew was burnt in Smithfield Iohn Warne about the tyme of Anne Askew was condemned to be burned and had his pardon and therupon thou wast sent as a prisoner to Newgate to whom Edmond B. of London did repayre with his chaplens to instruct thee in y e true faith of Christ touchyng the said Sacrament of the aultar to bring thee from thy error which was that in the Sacrament of the altar there is not the body of Christ nor any corporal preence of Christes body bloud vnder the formes of bread wyne but that in the sayd sacrament there is onely materiall bread wyne without any substance of Christs body and bloud at all because thou wouldst not leaue for sake thy sayd heresie therin but persist abide obstinately and wilfully therein thou wert according to y e said lawes condemned to death â—â—hn Warne â—â—rdoned by K. Henry 8. to be burnt and thereupon labour beyng made for thee to the king and other in the Courte thou hadst a pardon of king Henry the 8. and so thereby didst saue thy lyfe Neuerthelesse in thy heart conscience and mynd thou didst both then and also afore beleeue no otherwyse then at this present thou doest beleeue that is to say that in the Sacrament of the aultar there is neyther the very true body or bloud of Christ Iohn 〈◊〉 denye◠〈◊〉 transubâ—tâ—ation nor no other substace but the substaunce of materiall bread and wyne and to receiue the sayd materiall bread and wyne and to breake it and to distribute it among the people onely is the true receiuyng of Christes body and no otherwise so that thy fayth and beliefe is that in the sayd sacrament there is no substance of Christes material body and bloud but all the thyng that is there is materiall bread and the receiuyng thereof as afore and that the substance of the natural and true body of Christ borne of the Uirgine Mary is only in heauen and not in the sacrament of the aultare In which thine opinion thou hast euer hitherto since continued and so doest continue at this present thou confessing all this to be true and in witnes therof subscribing thy name thereunto as followeth By me Iohn Warne Iohn Warne beyng examined vpon these foresaid articles by the Bish. before certaine witnesses The 〈◊〉 aunsweâ—â— Iohn 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 whose names were Iohn Boswel Iohn Heywood Robert Rauens the
xxiij of May did aunswere to the same confessing and graunting the articles and the contentes thereof to bee true accordyng as they were obiected in euery part subscribing also the same with hys hand Such strength and fortitude gods holy spirit wrought in hym to stand stoutly and confidently to the defence of the sincere doctrine of hys sonne Whereupon the B. exhorting him with many wordes to leaue his heresies as he called them and to returne to the bosom of his mother the holy church commanded him to appeare agayne the next day being the xxiiij of the same moneth Who so doyng and aunswering as he did before was willed to come thither agayne at after noone so hee dyd The 〈◊〉 Session agaynst 〈◊〉 Warne where and at what tyme he was earnestly exhorted by the sayd Bish. to recant his opinions To whom he aunswered that he would not depart from his receyued profession vnlesse he were therunto throughly perswaded by the holy scriptures Upon which aunswer he was willed to come agayne the next day beyng the 25. day of the same moneth The thirâ— session May. 25. at one of the clocke in the after noone At which day and houre the B. examined him agayne vpon all his former articles before obiected to the which he most constantly did sticke with his further aunswer thereunto added I am persuaded quoth he to be in the right opinion and that I see no cause to repent for all filthines Idolatry is in the church of Rome The B. then seyng that notwithstandyng all his faire promises terrible threatnyngs whereof he vsed store he could not any thing preuaile Iohn Warne â—â—nstant agaynst the Bishops persuasioâ— Sentence geuen agaynst Iohn Warne May. 30. Cardmakâ—â— and Iohn Warne brought 〈◊〉 execution Iohn Warne tyed to thâ— stake finished this examination with the definitiue sentence of condemnation pronounced against the said Iohn Warne and so charged the Shiriffs of London with him vnder whose custody he remained in the prison of Newgate vntil the 30. day of the same month of May. Upon the which 30. of May being the day appoynted for their execution Iohn Cardmaker with the sayd Iohn Warne were brought by the shiriffes to the place where they should suffer Who beyng come to the stake first the Shiriffes called Cardmaker aside and talked with hym secretly so long that in the meane tyme Warne had made hys prayers was chayned to the stake and had wood and reede set about hym so that nothyng wanted but the firyng but styll aboade Cardmaker talkyng with the shiriffes The people whiche before had heard that Cardmaker would recant and beholding this maner of doing The peopâ—â— afrayd at Cardmakâ—â— recanting were in a meruailous dumpe and sadnes thinkyng in deede that Cardmaker should now recant at the burning of Warne At length Cardmaker departed from the Shiriffes and came towards the stake and in his garments as he was kneeled downe made a long prayer in silence to himself yet the people coÌ„firmed themselues in their fantasie of his recanting seyng him in his garments praying secretly no semblance of any burning ⧠The Martyrdome of Iohn Cardmaker and Iohn Warne Vpholster An. 1555. May. 30. ¶ The confession of the fayth of Iohn Warne Citizen of London which he wrote the day before he was burned the 30. day of May. 1555. I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth A Father because hee is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 who is the euerlasting word whome before all worldes he hath begotten of himselfe which worde was made flesh and therein also manifested to be his sonne in whom he hath adopted vs to be his children the inheriters of his kyngdom and therfore he is our father An almighty God because he hath of nothing created all things visible and inuisible both in heauen and in earth euen all creatures conteyned therin and gouerneth them And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The eternall word perfect God with his father of equal power in all things of the same substance of like glory by whom all things were made and haue life without whom nothing liueth he was made also perfect maÌ„ and so being very God and very man in one person is the onely Sauiour Redeemer and Ransomer of them which were lost in Adam our forefather He is the onely meane of our deliuerance the hope of our health the suretie of our saluation Which was conceyued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary According to the Fathers most mercifull promise this eternal sonne of God forsaking the heauenly glory humbled himselfe to take flesh of a virgin according to y e scriptures vniting the substance of the Godhed to the substaÌ„ce of the manhoode which he tooke of the substaunce of that blessed virgin Mary in one person to become therein the very Massiah the annointed king and priest for euer appointed to pacifie the fathers wrath which was iustlye gone out agaynst vs all for our sinne Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell He was arraigned before Pontius Pilate the ruler of Iewrie and so vniustly accused of many crimes that the Ruler iudged him innocent and sought meanes to deliuer him but contrary to knowen iustice he did let go Barrabas which had deserued death and deliuered Christ to bee crucified who deserued no death which doth declare vnto vs manifestly that he suffred for our sinnes was buffeted for our offences as the prophets do witnes thereby to haue it manifested to all men that he is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Therefore sufferyng for our sinnes he receiued and did beare our deserued condemnation the paines of death the tast of abiection the very terror of hell yelding his spirit to his father his body to be buried in earth The third day he rose againe from death to lyfe To make full and perfect the whole worke of our redemption and iustification the same crucified body which was layd in the graue was raised vp againe the third day from death by the power of hys Father and glory of hys Godhead he became the first fruits of the resurrection got the victory of death that all by him might be raised vp from death Thorough whome all true penitent sinners may now boldly come vnto the father and haue remission of their sinnes He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty After that in his death and resurrectioÌ„ he had conquered sinne death and the deuil and had bene conuersant 40. days in the earth being seene of the Apostles more then v. hundred brethren at once in the same body in which he wrought the worke of our saluation he ascended into heauen with eternal triumph for the victory ouer death sinne and hel leauing the passage open by which all true beleeuers may and shal enter
bottle of wine For he had lost his lyuing because hee had a wife Then the Bishop called me agayne into the Orchard and sayd to the old Bishop this young man hath a childe and will not haue it christened Haukes I deny not Baptisme Boner Thou art a foole thou canst not tell what y u wouldest haue and that he spake with much anger Haukes A bishop must be blamelesse or faultles sober discreete no chider not geuen to anger Boner Thou iudgest me to be angry no by my fayth am I not and stroke himselfe vpon the brest Then sayd the old Bishop Alas good youÌ„g man you must be taught by y e church and by your auncients and do as your forefathers haue done before you Boner No no he will haue nothing but the Scriptures and God wot he doth not vnderstaÌ„d them He will haue no ceremonies in the Church no not one What say you to holy water Haukes I say to it as to the rest and to all that be of hys making that made them Boner Why the scriptures doth allow it Haukes Where proue you that Boner In the booke of kinges where Eliseus threw salt into the water See how Boner proueth holy water by the scripture Elizeus put salt in the water not to washe away sinne but onely to make the water sweete Boner proueth holy bread by the 5. loaues and 3. fishes Haukes Ye say truth it is so written in the fourth booke of Kinges the second chapter the children of the Prophetes came to Elizeus saying The dwelling of the city is pleasant but the waters be corrupted This was the cause that Elizeus threw salt into the water and it became sweete good and so when our waters be corrupted if ye can by putting in of salte make them sweete cleare and wholesome wee will the better beleue your ceremonies Boner How say ye to holy bread Haukes Euen as I sayde to the others What Scripture haue you to defend it Boner Haue ye not read where Christ fedde fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and three fishes Haukes Will ye make that holy bread There Christ dealt fish with his holy bread Boner Looke I pray you how captious this man is Haukes Christ did not this miracle or other because wee should doe the like miracle but because we should beleeue and credite his doctrine thereby Boner Ye beleue no doctrine but that whiche is wrought by miracles Haukes No forsooth for Christ sayth These tokens shall follow them that beleue in me they shall speake with new tongues they shall cast out Deuils Marke 16. and if they drinke any deadly poyson it shall not hurt them Boner With what newe tongues doe ye speake Haukes Forsooth where before that I came to the knowledge of Gods word I was a soule blasphemer and filthy talker since I came to the knowledge thereof I haue lauded God praysed God and geuen thankes vnto God eueÌ„ with the same tongue and is not this a new tongue Boner How do ye cast out Deuils Haukes Christ did cast them out by hys word and he hath left the same word that whosoeuer doth credite and beleue it shall cast out deuils Boner Did you euer drinke any deadly poyson Haukes Ye forsooth that I haue for I haue dronken of y e pestilent traditions and ceremonies of the Byshoppe of Rome Boner Now you shew your selfe to be a right hereticke Haukes I pray you what is heresie Boner B. Boner an 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 owne definition All thinges that are contrary to Gods word Haukes If I stand in any thing contrary thereto then am I worthy so to be called Boner Thou art one and thou shalt be burned if y u stand and continue in this opinion Ye thinke we are afrayd to put one of you to death yes yes there is a brotherhead of you but I will breake it I warrant you Haukes Where proue you that Christ or his Apostles dyd kill any man for his fayth Boner Did not Paule excommunicate The Papistes doe besides Gods booke in burning men for their fayth Haukes Yes my Lorde but there is a great difference betweene excommunicating and burning Boner Haue ye not read of the man and the woman in the Actes of the Apostles whome Peter destroyed Haukes Yes forsooth I haue read of one Ananias Saphira his wife which were destroied for lying agaynst the holy Ghost which serueth nothing your purpose Boner Well you will graunt one yet This Bishop here forgetteth his lesson Benedicite persequâ—tibus vos Haukes Well if you will haue vs to graunt you be of god then shew mercy for that God requireth Boner We will shew such mercy vnto you as ye shewed vnto vs for my benefice or bishopricke was taken awaye from me so that I had not one penny to liue vpon Haukes I pray you my Lord what do ye geue him nowe that was in the bishopricke or benefice before that ye came agayne to it whereunto he aunswered me neuer a word for he turned his backe vnto me talked with other men saying that he was very sory for me but he trusted that I would turne with S. Paul because I was so earnest and so he departed and went to dinner Thomas Haukes afterward called for agayne to talke with the old Bishop and I to the Porters lodge agayne After dinner I was called into the Hall agayne and the Bishop desired the old bishop to take me into his chamber for I would be glad sayd he if ye tould conuert him So he took me into his chamber sate him down in a chayre and sayde to me I woulde to God I coulde doe you some good Ye are a young man and I woulde not wishe you to go to farre but learn of your elders to beare somewhat Haukes I will beare with nothing that is contrary to the word of God And I looked that the olde Bishop shoulde haue made me an aunswere and he was fast a sleepe Then I departed out of y e chamber alone and went to the Porters lodge againe and there saw I the old Bishop last I suppose he is not yet awake Talke betweene Fecknam and Hawkes The next dayes talke with Fecknam THe next day came Fecknam vnto me and said are ye he that will haue no ceremonies Haukes What meane you by that Fecknam Ye will not haue your childe christened but in English and you will haue no ceremonies Haukes What soeuer the scripture coÌ„maundeth to be done I refuse not Fecknam Ceremonies are to be vsed by the scriptures Fecknams reasoÌ„ lyeth in Paules Breches Haukes Which be those Fecknam How say you by Paules breeches Haukes I haue read no such thing Fecknam Haue yee not read in the Actes of the Apostles how thinges went from Paules body and they receaued health thereby Haukes I haue read in the xix of the Acts how there went partlets and napkins from Paules bodye Is it that that ye meane Actes
promise to returne agayne that night to go into London without any keeper to visite one that was sicke lying by the Stilyard Neither did he fayle his promise but returned vnto his prison againe rather preuenting his houre then breaking his fidelitie so constant was he in word in deede Of personage he was somewhat tall and slēder spare of body of a faint sanguine colour w t an Awburne beard He slept not commonly aboue foure houres in the night in his bedde till sleep came his booke went not out of his hand His chief recreation was in no gaming or other pastime but onely in honest company comely talke wherin he would spend a little time after dinner at the bourde and so to prayer and his booke agayne He counted that houre not well spent wherin he did not some good Bradford visited the theeues pickpurses c. either with his pen study or in exhorting of others c. He was no niggard of his purse but would liberally participate y t he had to hys fellowe prisoners And commonly once a weeke he visited the theeues pickpurses and such others that were with him in the prison where he lay on the other side vnto whō he would geue godly exhortation to learne the amendment of their liues by their troubles and after that so done distribute among them some portion of money to theyr comfort By the way this I thought not to conceale While he was in the kinges Bench The meeting conference betwene Laurence Saunders and Iohn Bradford and Mayster Saunders in the Marshalsey both prisoners on the backside of those two prisons they mette many times and conferred together when they would so mercifully did the Lorde worke for them euen in the middest of theyr troubles and the sayde Bradford was so trusted with his keeper Bradford refusing to escape out of prison though be mighte and had such libertie in the backeside that there was no day but that he might haue easily escaped away if he would but that the Lord had an other worke to doe for him In the sommer tyme while he was in the sayd Kinges Benche he had libertie of his keeper to ryde into Oxfordshyre to a Marchauntes house of his acquayntaunce and horse and all thinges prepared for him for that iourney and the partie in a readines that should ride with him but God preuented him by sicknes that he went not at all One of his old friends and acquaintaunce came vnto him whilest he was prisoner and asked hym if he sited to get hym out what then he would do or whether he would go Unto whom he made answer as not caring whether he went out or no but if he did he said hee would marry Bradford would not flye out of England though he mighte and abyde still in England secretly teaching the people as the tyme would suffer him and occupy himselfe that way He was had in so great reuerence and admiration wyth all good men that a multitude which neuer knew him but by fame greatly lamented his death yea Bradford beleued and a number also of the Papistes themselues wished hartily hys lyfe There were fewe dayes in which he was thought not to spend some tears before he went to bed Bradfordes teares neyther was there euer any prisoner with hym but by his company he greatly profited as all they will yet witnes and haue confessed of hym no lesse to the glory of God whose societie he frequented as among many one speciall thyng I thought to note which is this Bishop Farrer beyng in the kynges Bench prisoner as before you haue hard was trauailed withall of the Papists in the end of Lent to receiue the sacrament at Easter in one kind who after much perswading yelded to them Byshop Farrat confirmed in the truth by Iohn Bradford and promised so to do Then so it happened by gods prouidence the Easter euen the day before hee should haue done it was Bradford brought to the Kings Benche prisoner where the Lord making him his instrument Bradford only was the meane that the said B. Farrer reuoked his promise and word and would neuer after yeeld to bee spotted with that papisticall pitch so effectually the Lord wrought by this worthy seruaunt of his Such an instrument was he in gods church that few or none there were that knew him but estemed him as a precious iewell and Gods true messenger Bradford dreameth of his burning according as it came to passe The night before he was had to Newgate which was the saterday night he was sore troubled diuers tymes in his sleepe by dreams how the chaine for his burning was brought to the Counter gate and how the next day beyng Sonday he should be had to Newgate and on the Monday after burned in Smithfield as in deed it came to passe accordingly which hereafter shal be shewed Now he beyng vexed so often tymes in this sort with these dreames about 3. of the clocke in the morning hee waked hym that lay with hym and told him his vnquiet sleepe what he was troubled withall Then after a little talke Maister Bradford rose out of the bed and gaue hymselfe to his olde exercise of readyng and prayer as alwayes he had vsed before and at dinner according to his accustomed maner he did eat his meat and was very mery no body being with hym from mornyng till night but he that lay with hym with whom he had many tymes on that day communication of death of the kingdome of heauen and of the ripenes of sinne in that tyme. In the after noone they two walking together in the keepers chamber sodainly the keepers wife came vp as one halfe amazed Bradford hath word of his burning seeming much troubled beyng almost wyndles said Oh M. Bradford I come to bring you heauy newes What is that said he Marry quoth she to morow you must be burned your chaine is now a buying soone you must go to Newgate With that M. Bradford put of his cap and lifting vp his eyes to heauen sayd I thanke God for it I haue looked for the same a long time and therfore it commeth not now to me sodainly but as a thing waited for euery day and houre the Lord make me worthy therof so thanking her for her gentlenes departed vp into his chamber and called his friend with hym who when he came thither he went secretly himselfe alone a long tyme and prayed Which done he came agayne to him that was in his chamber and tooke him diuers writings and papers shewed him his mind in those things what he would haue done and after they had spent the after noone till night in many and sundry such things at last came to him halfe a dosen of his friends more with whom all the euening he spent the tyme in prayer and other good exercises so wonderfully that it was meruailous to heare and see his doyngs A
forgeue the debt the debter would say No you can not do it for I am forsworne then Brad. Here Bradford desired my Lord Chancellour not to trifle it saying that he wondred his honour would make solemne othes made to God trifles in that sort and make so great a matter concerning vowes as they call it made to the Bishop for Mariage of Priestes L. Chaunc At these wordes the Lorde Chauncellour was much offended and sayd he dyd not trifle but quoth hee thou goest about to deny obedience to the Queene which now requireth obedience to the Bishop of Rome Brad. No my Lorde I doe not denye obedience to the queene if you would discerne betwene Genus and Species Argument A specie ad genus negatiue non valeâ— Because I may not obey in this Ergo I may not obey in the other is no good reason As if a man let or sell a piece of his inheritance yet this notwithstaÌ„ding all his inheritaÌ„ce is not let or sold so in this case all obedience I deny not because I deny obedience in this branch L. Chaunc I will none of these similitudes Brad. I would not vse them if that you went not about to perswade the people that I meane that whiche I neuer meant for I my selfe not onely meane obedience but wyll geue ensample of all most humble obedience to y e queenes highnesse so long as she requireth not obedience agaynst God L. Chaunc No no all men may see your meaning well enough There is no man though he be sworne to the king that doth therefore breake his othe if he afterwardes bee sworne to the French king and to the Emperor Brad. It is true my lord but the cases be not like For here is an exception thou shalt not sweare to y e bishop of Rome at any time If in like maner we were sworne thou shalt not serue the Emperor c. you see there were some alteratioÌ„ and more doubt But I beseech your honor remember what ye your selfe haue written answering the obiections here agaynst in your booke De vera obedientia Vincat modo diuini verbi veritas i. Let Gods word and the reason therof beare the bell away L. Chaunc Here the Lorde Chauncelloure was throughly moued and sayd still how that Bradford had written seditious letters and peruerted the people therby Winchester pretendeth as though Bradford for feare durst not aunswere did stoutly stand as though he would defeÌ„d the erronious doctrine in king Edwardes tyme against all men and now quoth he he sayth he dare not aunswere Brad. I haue written no seditious letters I haue not peruerted the people but that which I haue writteÌ„ spoken that will I neuer deny by Gods grace And where your Lordshippe sayth that I dare not aunswere you that all men may know I am not afrayd sauing myne othe aske me what you will and I will playnely make you answere by Gods grace although I now see my life lyeth thereon But Oh Lord into thy handes I committe it come what come wyll onely sanctify thy name in me as in an instrument of thy grace Amen Nowe aske what you will and you shall see I am not afrayd Bradford ready to render a reason of his fayth by Gods grace flatly to answere L. Chaunc Well then how say you to the blessed sacrameÌ„t Doe you not beleue there Christ to be present concernyng his naturall body Brad. My Lord I do beleue that Christ is corporally present at and in the due administration of the sacrament By this word corporally I meane that Christ is there preseÌ„t corporally vnto fayth Christ present corporally in the Sacrament to fayth L. Chaunc Unto fayth we must haue many mo wordes to make it more playne Brad. You shall so but first geue me leaue to speake two wordes L. Chaunc Speake on Brad. I haue bene now a yeare and almost three quarters in Prison and of all this tyme you neuer questioned with me hereabout Note well the Popes way to bring men to fayth when I might haue spoken my conscience franckly without perill but now haue you a law to hang vp and put to death if a man answere freely not to your appetite and so now you come to demaund this question Ah my Lorde Christ vsed not this way to bring men to fayth No more did the Prophetes or Apostles Remember what Bernard writeth to Eugenius the pope Apostolos lego stetisse iudicandos The Popes iudging condemning men for their fayth reproued by Bernard sedisse iudicantes non lego Hoc erit illud fuit c. that is I read that the Apostles stoode to be iudged but I read not that they sate to iudge This shall be that was c. L. Chaunc Here the Lord Chauncellour was appalled as it seemed and sayde most gently that hee vsed not thys meanes It was not my doyng quoth he although some there be that thinke this to be the best way For I for my part haue bene chalenged for being too gentle oftentimes Winchester blamed without a cause as he saith Which thing the Bishop of London confirmed and so did almost all the audience that he had bene euer to milde and too gentle Brad. At which wordes Bradford spake thus My Lorde I pray you stretch out your gentlenes that I may feele it for hitherto I neuer felt it L. Chaunc As soone as euer he had spoken thus the Lorde chancelor belike thinking that Bradford would haue had mercy and pardon said that with all his hart not only he but the Queenes highnes would stretch out mercy if with them he would returne Brad. Bradford three quarters of a yeare in the Tower kept from pen and inke M. Bradford imprisoned not for matter they had but for mattâ—r they would haue agaynst him Returne my Lord God saue me from that goyng backe I meane it not so but I meane that I was three quarters of a yeare in the Tower you forbad me paper pen and ynke and neuer in all that time nor sithens did I feele any gentlenesse from you I haue rather hytherto found as I looked for extremitye And I thanke God that I perceiue nowe ye haue kept me in prison thus long not for any matter you had but for matter you woulde haue Gods good will be done Here was now diuers telling my Lord it was dinner tyme. And so he rose vp leauing Bradford speaking and saying that in the after noone they would speak more with hym Bradford kept in the Vestrey till darke night And so was he had into the Uestry and was there al that day till darcke night and so was conueyed agayne to prison In the meane tyme about iiij of the clocke the same after noone a gentleman called Mayster Thomas Hussey of Lincolneshyre which was once an Officer in the Duke of Northfolkes house did come into the Reuestrye to enquire for one Stoning and when
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 〈◊〉
thee and thy people as Samuel did Amen Amen If on this sort good Mother from your heart you wold pray as I shoulde be the moste meriest man that euer was so am I certaine the lettes of your praier for my imprisonmeÌ„t would be taken away Good Mother therefore marke what I haue wrytten and learne this Prayer by heart to say it daily and then I shall be merye and you shall reioyce if that you continue as I truste you doe in Gods true Religion euen the same I haue taught you and my father Traues I trust wil putte you in remembraunce of 〈◊〉 letter 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 handes my brother Roger also I trust doeth so daily Goe to therefore and learne apace Although the deuill cast diuers lettes in the waye God in whome you truste will cast them awaye for hys Christes sake if you will call vppon him and neuer will he suffer you to be tempted aboue that he will make you able to beare But howe you shoulde doe heerein the other Letter which I haue wrytten herewith shall teache you which I woulde none should reade till my father Traues haue read it he wil geue you by Gods grace some instructions Nowe therefore will I make an ende praying you good Mother to looke for no mo Letters for if it were knowen that I haue penne and inke and did wryte then should I want all the foresayd commodities I haue spoken of concerning my body and be cast into some dungeon in fetters of yron which thing I know would greeue you and therefore for Gods sake see that these be burned when this little prayer in it is copied out by my brother Roger for perchaunce your house may be searched for such geare when you thinke little of it and looke for no moe sweete Mother till eyther God shall deliuer mee and sende mee oute eyther you and I shall meete together in heauen where we shall neuer part asunder Amen I require you Elizabeth and Margarete my sisters that you will feare God vse Prayer loue your husbandes be obedient vnto them as God willeth you bring vppe youre children in Gods feare and be good housewiues God blesse you both wyth both your husbandes my good brethren whome to doe good because I nowe can not I will pray for them and you Commende me to my sister Anne mother Pike T. Sorrocolde and his wife R. Shalcrosse his wife R Bolton I. Wild M. Vicare the Parson of Mottrom Syr Laurence Hall with all that loue I trust liue in the Gospel and God turne Syr Thomas his heart Amen I will daily pray for him I nede not to set my name you know it wel inough Because you shoulde geue my Letters to my father Traues to bee burned I haue wrytten heere a Prayer for you to learne to pray for me good mother and an other for all your house in your euening Prayer to pray with my brother These Praiers are written wyth mine owne hande keepe them still but the letters geue to father Traues to burne and geue father Traues a copie of the latter Prayer An other Letter to his Mother as hys last farewell vnto her in this world a litle before he was burned GOds mercy and peace in Christ be more and more perceiued of vs Amen My moste deare Mother in the bowelles of Christe I heartely pray and beseeche you to be thankefull for me vnto God which thus nowe taketh me vnto hymselfe I dye not my good mother as a theefe a murderer an adulterer c. but I die as a witnesse of Christe hys Gospell and veritie which hetherto I haue confessed I thanke God as well by preaching as by prisonement and now euen presently I shall moste willingly confirme the same by fire I knowledge that God moste iustly mighte take mee hence simply for my sinnes which are many great grieuous but the Lorde for his mercy in Christ hath pardoned them all I hope but nowe deare Mother he taketh mee hence by this death as a Confessour and witnesse that the Religion taughte by Christe Iesu the Prophetes Bradford perecuted of the prelates not for his sinnes but for the truth of Christ. and the Apostles is Gods truth The Prelates doe persecute in me Christ whome they hate and hys trueth which they maye not abide because theyr woorkes are euill and maye not abide the truth and light least men shoulde see theyr darkenesse Therefore my good and moste deare Mother geue thankes for me to God that hee hathe made the fruite of your wombe to be a witnesse of hys glory attend to the truthe which I thanke God for it I haue truely taughte out of the Pulpit of Manchester Use often and continuall Prayer to God the Father through Christe Hearken as you may to the scriptures serue God after his word and not after custome beware of the Romish religion in England defile not your selfe with it carye Christes Crosse as he shall lay it vppon your backe forgeue them that kil me pray for them for they knowe not what they doe commit my cause to God our father be mindefull of bothe youre daughters to helpe them as you can I send all my wrytings to you by my brother Roger do with them as you will because I cannot as I woulde he can tell you more of my minde I haue nothing to geue you or to leaue behinde me for you onely I pray God my father for his Christes sake to blesse you and keepe you froÌ„ euil He geue you pacience he make you thankefull as for me so for your selfe that wil take the fruit of your wombe to witnesse hys veritie wherein I confesse to the whole world I die and depart thys life in hope of a much better which I looke for at the hands of God my father thorough the merites of hys deare sonne Iesus Christ. Thus my deare Mother I take my last farewell of you in this life beseeching the almighty and eternal father by Christ to graunt vs to meete in the life to come where we shall geue him continuall thankes and praise for euer and euer Amen Out of prison the 24. of Iune 1555. Your sonne in the Lord Iohn Bradford A letter sent wyth a supplication to Queene Mary her Counsell and the whole Parlament IN moste humble wise complaineth vnto your Maiestie and honours a poore subiecte persecuted for the confession of Christes veritie A letter of M. Bradford ioyned with a supplication sent to Q. Maâ—y her Counsayle and the Parlament the which veritie deserueth at your hands to be maintained and defended as the thing by the whiche you raigne and haue your honour and authorities Althoughe we that be professours and thorough the grace of God the constante confessours of the same are as it were the outsweepings of the worlde yet I say the veritie it selfe is a thing not vnwoorthy for your eares to heare for your eyes to see and for youre handes to handle
not reiterate it so as you thinke as by example I will shew You see me now in this religious garment but if I shuld put vpō me a souldiors weede then should I be disguised and yet for al that I should remayne the same still within my doublet that I was before in my friers weede So is it with the sacrifice Naturaliter we confesse and graunt that Naturaliter that is naturally he was once offered in sacrifice and also is sitting Naturaliter Supernaturaliter or subscriptiuè that is naturally at the right hande of his Father but Supernaturaliter subscriptiue that is supernaturallye wee sacrifice the same without reiteration Supernaturaliter wee sacrifice him but that sacrifice is but onelye disguised to vnderstand that hee is contayned vnder that curtayne and whitenes The disguised sacrifice of the Papistes which you see The Martyr Sir this I say that such a disguised Sacrifice is a diabolicall sacrifice and this you may take for a resolution The Doctor And how is your belief touching the holy supper The Martyr That if it be ministred vnto me by the minister in such vsage as it hath bene left of Christ and hys Apostles preaching also the word purely withall The bodie of Christ spiritually receiued in the sacrament Spiritually Corporally I beleue that in receauing the materiall bread wine I receiue with liuely fayth the body and bloude of Iesus Christ spiritually The Doctor Say corporally The Martyr No sir for his wordes be spirite and life and let this content you The Doctor What say you is it lawfull for a priest to mary The Martyr I beleue it to be lawfull for hym in such sorte Matrimony of Ministers as the Apostle sayth Whosoeuer hath not the gifte of continencie let hym marye For it is better to marye then to burne And if this doe not content you further you may read what he writeth of bishops and Elders 1. T. 3. and Tit. 1. And thus these Doctors affirming that he denyed priesthood gaue hym leaue to depart saying god haue mercy on you So be it sayd hee After this about 22. of October the sayd Rebezies and Fridericke Danuile were brought vpp to a chamber in the Castle to be racked to the intent they should vtter the rest of the congregation In y e which chamber they founde three Counsellers who thus began with them Lift vpp thy hand Thou shalte sweare by the passion of Iesus Christ whose image here thou seest shewing him a great marmouset ther paynted in a paper c. Whereunto Rebezies aunswered Mounsieur I sweare to you by the passion of Christ which is written in my hart Why doest y u not sweare to vs sayd the Counsellers as wee saye vnto thee Because sayd he it is a great blasphemy agaynst the Lorde Then the counsellers read theyr depositions and first beginning with Rebezies said will thou not tell vs the trueth what companions thou knowest to be of this assemble Rebezies named as hee did before Grauelle Clinet whiche were already burnt and Iohn Sansot To whome they sayd that the court had ordained that if he wold geue no other aunswere but so he shoulde be put to the torture or racke and so he was commaunded to be stripped to hys shyrt The martyrs racked hauing a Crosse put in his hand and being bid to commend himselfe to GOD and y e virgine Mary but he neither wold receiue the Crosse nor commend himself to y e virgin Mary saying y t God was able enough to gard hym to saue him out of the Lyōs mouth so being drawne and stretched in the ayre began to cry Come Lorde and shewe thy strength that man doe not preuayle c. But they cryed Tell trueth Fraunces thou shalte be let down Neuertheles hee continued still in hys Inuocation and prayer to y e Lord so that they could haue no other word but that And after thei had thus long tormented him the Counsellers sayd wilt thou say nothing els I haue nothing els sayd he to say The constancie of these martyrs And so they commaunded hym to be loosed and be put by the fire side Who being loosed sayde to them Do you handle thus the poore seruauntes of God And the like was done to Fredericke Danuille also hys companion of whome they could haue no other aunswere who at the same tyme was also very sick but as of the other So myghtely did God assiste and strengthen hys seruauntes as euer he did any els by theyr owne letters and confession as doth appeare Ex litteris Francis Rebez in Crisp. Lib. 6. These constant and true martyrs of Christ after they had returned from the torture vnto theyr felow prisoners ceased not to thanke and prayse the Lorde for hys assistaunce Fridericke did sigh oftentimes being asked of hys fellowes why he so did he sayde it was not for the euill that he had suffered Brotherly compassion but for y e euils y t he knew they should suffer afterward Notwithstanding sayd he be strong brethren and be not afrayd assuring your selues of the ayd of god which hath succoured vs and also will comfort you Rebezies with the rack was so drawne and stretched that one of hys shoulders was higher then the other and hys necke drawne on the one side so that hee coulde not moue hymselfe and therefore desiring his brethren to lay hym vppon hys bed there he wrote hys confession which hitherto we haue followed When the night came they reioysed together and comforted themselues with meditation of the life to come and contempt of this worlde singing psalmes togegether The comfort of Gods Saintes till it was day Rebezies cryed twise or thrise together away from me Satan Fredericke beyng in bed with him asked why he cryed and whether Satan would stop him of his course Rebezies sayd that Satan set before him his parentes but by the grace of God sayd he he shall doe nothing agaynst mee The day next following they wer brought once or twise before the Councellers required to shew what fellowes they had moe of the sayde assemble Which when they would not declare the sentence was read against them that they should be brought in a doung carte to Maulbert place and there hauing a balle in their mouthes to be tyed eche one to hys poste and afterward to be strangled and so to be turned into ashes Afterward came the Fryers and Doctors Democaries Maillard and other to confesse them and offering to them a Crosse to kisse which they refused Then Democares by force made Rebezies to kisse it whether he would or no crying to them moreouer that they should beleue in the sacrament What sayd Fredericke will you haue vs to plucke Christe Iesus out from the right hand of his father Democares sayd that so many of their opinion had suffered death before and yet none of them al euer did any miracles as the
Apostles and other holy Martirs did Fridericke asked them if they required anye miracle No sayd they and so stoode mute saue onelye that Democares prayed them to consider wel what they had sayd vnto them Doct. Maillard gageth hys soule Maillard also added that he woulde gage his soule to be damned but it was true Fridericke aunswered that he knewe it was contrary At last being brought to the place of execution a Crosse agayne was offered them which they refused Then a Priest standing by bad them beleeue in the virgine Mary Let God sayd they reigne alone The people standing by ah mischieuous Lutherane sayd they Nay a true Christian I am said he When they were tyed to theyr stakes after theyr prayers made when they were bid to be dispatched one of them comforting the other sayde be strong my brother be strong Satan away from vs. As they were thus exhorting one standing by sayd These Lutheranes do call vpon Satan Iohn Morel was afterward burned One Iohn Morell whiche afterward dyed a martyr then standing by at liberty aunswered I pray you let vs heare sayd hee what they say and we shall heare them inuocate the name of God Whereupon the people listened better vnto them to harkeÌ„ as wel as they could what they said they crying stil as much as much as their mouthes being stopped could vtter The death and martyrdome of Ribezies and Danuile Assiste vs O Lorde and so they rendring vp their spirites to the handes of the Lord did consummate their valiant Martyrdome Ex Crisp. Lib. 6. ¶ After the martyrdome of these two abouesayd the intention of the Iudges was to dispatch y e rest one after an other in like sorte and had procured already proces agaynst xij or xiij ready to be iudged But a certayne gentlewoman then prisoner amoÌ„gst them had presented causes of exceptions or refusals agaynst them wherby the cruel rage of the enemies was stayed to the month of Iuly following In the which meane time as this persecution was spread into other countryes The Suitzers make supplication to the French king for the martyrs first the faythfull Cantons of Suitziers perceiuing these good men to be afflicted for the same doctrine which they preached in theyr Churches sent their Ambassadours to the kinge to make supplication for them The same time also came letters from the county Palatine Elector tendyng to the same end to sollicite the king for them Countie Palatine maketh intercession to the French kyng for the Châ—istian prisoners the king standing the same tyme in great neede of the Germaynes for his warres was contented at least that they should proceed more gently with them and so the fire for the same tyme ceased Most of them were sent to Abbayes where they were kept at the charge of the Priours to bee constrayned to bee present at the seruice of Idolatry especially the young schollers of whome some shronke backe other being more loosly kept escaped away The most part were brought before the Officiall to make their confession and to receiue absolution ordinary Diuers made their confession ambiguous and doubtful c. Ex. Ioan. Crisp. lib. 6. Ex PaÌ„tal lib. xi  René Seau Iohn Almaricke At Paris An. 1552. These two young men were also of the company aboue specified René Seaâ— Iohn Almaricke dyed in prison and were in prison where they sustayned such cruelty beyng almost racked to death that Almericke coulde not go when hee was called to the courte to be iudged and beyng vpon the racke he rebuked their crueltye and spake so freely as though he had felt no grief and as they sayd whiche came to visite hym he testified vnto them that hee felte no dolour so long as hee was vppon it Both these dyed in prison continuing still firme and constant in y e pure confession of Christes church Ibidem VillegagnoÌ„ a Frenche captayne Iohn Bordel Math· Vermeil Peter Bourdon Andrew de Fou. At the countrey of Bresill Ann. 1558. Mention is made in the French storye of one Uillegaignon Iohn Bordell Math. Vermeil Pet. BurdoÌ„ martyrs Lieuetenaunt for the Frenche kinge who made a vyage into the land of Bresill wyth certaine French ships and tooke an Ilande nere to the same adioyning and made therin a fortresse After they had bene there a while Uillegaignon for lack of victuals as he pretended sent certayn of them away in a shippe to y e riuer of Plate toward the Pole Antarticke Hee sent them farre enough because they should neuer returne pretending that he lacked victuall but the cause was religion a thousand miles of in the whiche shipp were these foure here mentioned Who forsaking their shyp by occasion of tempest were caryed backe agayne and so came to the laÌ„de of Bresill and afterward to theyr owne countreyman Uillegaignon being much agreeued thereat first charged them with departing without his leaue Moreouer being terrified in hys minde with false suspicion and vayne dreames fearing and dreaming least they had bene sent as priuye spyes by the Bresilians because they came from them and had bene friendly intertained of them he began to deuise howe he might put them to death vndersome colour of treason but the cause was religion For albeit some tyme he had ben a professour of the Gospell yet afterward growing in some dignitie he fell to be an Apostata and cruell persecutor of hys fellowes But when no proofe or coniecture probable could be found to serue his cruell purpose he knowing them to be earnest protestantes drew out certayn articles of religion for theÌ„ to aunswere and so intrapping them vppon theyr confession he layd them in irons and in prison and secretly with one executor and his page he took one after an other beginning with Iohn Bordell first brought hym to the topp of a rocke and there being halfe strangled without any iudgement threw hym into the sea and after the like maner ordered also the rest Of whoÌ„ 3. were thus cruelly murdered drowned to wit Iohn Bordel Mat. Uermeil and Peter Burdon The 4. which was Andrew de Fou he caused by manifold allurementes somewhat to inclyne to hys sayinges and so he escaped the daunger not without great offence taken of a great part of the Frenchmen in that country Ex Crisp. lib. 6. Ex CoÌ„ment Gallic de statu Religionis Reipub. The kynges Lieuetenaunt Geffrey Varagle Geffrey Varagle martyr At Thurin in Piedmont Ann. 1558. In the same yeare 1558. suffered also Gefreye Uaragle preacher in the Ualley of Angroigne at y e town of Thurin in Piedmont who first was a monkâ— and sayd masse the space of xxvii yeares Afterward returning from Busque toward Angroigne to preach as he had vsed before to doe sent by the ministers of Geneneua and other faythfull brethren was apprehended in the town of Barges brought before the kings Lieutenant Where he was questioned with touching diuers Articles of religion as of iustification