lyes as they can ymagyne for other armour they haue not And we shal on the other syde canonyse thē agayne wyth the myghty wordes and promises of Christ which they shall neuer be hable to resist The father of our lorde Iesus Christ graunt the light of his word so to spred the world ouer that the dark mysces of Sathan maye clerely be expelled to the specyall conforte of his redemed Churche and glorye of his eternall name Amen ¶ The latter examynaciō of the worthy seruaūt of God mastres Anne Askewe the yonger goughter of sir Wyllyam Askewe knyght of Lyncolne shyre lately martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Synagoge of Antichrist The censure or iudgement of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles CHriste wylled hys most dere Apostle and secretarye saynt Iohan the Euangelist to signyfye by wrytynge to the ouersear or preacher of the cōgregacion of Pergamos that there only are hys faythfull membres murthered where Sathan inhabyteth or holdethe resydence And for example he bryngeth forthe his constaunte wytnesse Antipas whych was there most cruellye slayne of that Synagoge of hys for confessynge the veryte Apoca. ii That Behemoth sayth Iob that Leuyathan that Sathan regneth as a most myghtye kyng ouer al the spiritual chyldren of pryde Iob. xlii A murtherer sayth Christ to the spirytualte of the Iewes a blasphemouse lyar is that father of youres and hathe bene frome the worldes begynnynge Iohan. viii These maners hath he not yet lefte but contynueth them styll in his wycked posteryte In the prymatiue churche as testyfyeth Bedas they persecuted the heares of Christes head whych were so pure as the whyte wolle that is apte to receyue al colours Apoca. i. They slewe those true beleuers whych his word and spret had depured from al false worshyppinges and made fytte for al trybulacions to be suffered for his names sake In these lattre dayes they meddel with his fete whyche are lyke vnto brasse burnynge as it were in an whote furnace Apocalypsis i. For they that beleue nowe agreably to hys worde and not after theyr corrupted and cursed customes are consumed in the fyre As here after wyll appere by this godly woman Anne Askewe whiche wyth othere more was brente at London in the yeare of our lorde a. M. D. XLVI For the faythfull testymonye of Iesu agaynste Antichrist Whos 's lattre handelynge here foloweth in course lyke as I receyued it in coppye by serten duche marchauntes cōmynge frō thens which had bene at theyr burnynge and beholden the tyrannouse vyolence there shewed First out of the preson she wrot vnto a secrete frynde of hers after this maner folowynge Anne Askewe I do perceyue dere frynde in the Lorde that thou arte not yet perswaded thoroughlye in the truthe concernynge the Lordes supper bycause Christe sayde vnto hys Apostles Take eate Thys is my bodye whyche is geuen for yow In geuynge forthe the breade as an outewarde sygne or token to be receyued at the mouthe he mynded them in a perfyghte beleue to receyue that bodye of hys whyche shulde dye for the people or to thynke the deathe therof the onelye helthe and saluacyon of theyr sowles The breade and the wyne were lefte vs for a sacramentall communyon or a mutuall partycypacyon of the inestymable benefyghtes of hys moste precyouse deathe and bloude shedynge And that we shulde in the ende therof be thankefull togyther for that moste necessarye grace of our redempcyon For in the closynge vp therof he sayd thus Thys do ye in remembraunce of me Yea so oft as ye shall eate it or drynke it Luce xxii and. i. Corinth xi Els shulde we haue bene forgetfull of that we oughte to haue in daylye remembraunce and also bene altogyther vnthankefull for it Iohan Bale Agreable is thys womans doctryne here to the scriptures of both testamētes Wherin these wordes Edere Bybere to eate to drynke are often tymes spiritually taken for Credese to beleue or receyue in faithe The pore saith Dauid shal eate and be satisfyed Al that seke to please the lorde shall praise him their sowles shall neuer perysh Psal. xxi They that eate me sayth the veryte of God shall hunger more and more they that drincke me shall thirst more desirouslie for me Eccles. xxiiii On lesse ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man saith Chryste and drynke his bloud ye can haue no lyfe in yow Ioan. vi These scirptures expounde the doctours spyrytuallye yea the papystes al. Whereas the other iii. Euangelystes Mathew Marke and Luke sheweth nothynge els of the lordes supper but the playne historye Saint Iohan writynge laste of thē all many festeth there the whole cōplete doctrine full vnderstāding therof after Christes owne instruccyons and meanynge Requyred it is there that the true receiuers therof be taught of God and learned of the heuenlye father and not of synnefull mennes customes The worke of God or that pleaseth God is not there the puttynge of breade into the mouthe and bellye but to beleue or exactlye to consydre that Christ dyed for vs to clense vs from synne to ioyne vs into one mystycall body and to geue vs the lyfe euerlastynge And that there is none other but he that can procure vs that lyfe For that which entereth the mouth feadeth onlye the bodye But that entreth faythe feadeth the sowle I am the lyuynge breade saith he which came downe from heauen He onlye that beleueth in me hath the lyfe euerlasting Iohā vi The sprete is it that quyckeneth the fleshely vnder standynge or only mouth eatynge profyteth nothynge at all Here wyll an obstynate papyst parauenture saye that we attrybute nothynge to the corporall communyon Yeas we reuerentlye graunt that ryghtlye mynystred after Christes instytucyon it both confirmeth our faythe in the necessarye consyderacyons of his death and also sturrethe vp that brotherlye Christē loue which we ought to haue towardes our neyber besydes that this faythfull woman hath spoken here of it afore And these are the onlye frutes which he requyreth of vs in that supper of sacramentall metynge Anne Askewe Therfore it is mete that in prayers we call vnto God to grafte in our foreheades the true meanynge of the holy Ghost concernynge thys communyon For Saynte Paule dothe saye that the letter slayeth The sprete it is onlye that geueth lyfe ii Cor. iii. Marke wele the vi chapitre of Iohan where all is applyed vnto faythe Note also the fourth chaptre of Saint Paules first epystle to the Corynthes and in the ende therof ye shall fynde playnelye that the thinges which are seane are temporall but they that are not seane are euerlasting Yea loke in the third chaptre to the Hebrues and ye shall fynde that Chryste as a sonne and no seruaunt rulethe ouer hys howse whose howse are we and not the deade temple yf we hold
The first examinaciō of Anne Askewe latelye martired in Smythfelde by the Romyshe popes vpholders wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psame cxvi The veryte of the Lorde endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by thys veryte of God to the ende ¶ Fauoure is disceytfull bewtye is a vayne thynge But a woman that feareth the Lorde is worthye to be praysed She openeth her mouthe to wysdome and in her language is the law of grace Prouerb xxxi Iohan Bale to the Chrysten readers AMonge other mooste syngular offyces dylygent reader which the lord hath appointed to be done in the ernest sprete of Helyas by the forerōners of hys lattre aperaunce this is one verye specyall to be noted They shall turne the hartes of their auncient elders into the chyldren Mala. iiii And the vnbeleuers of theyr tyme to the wysdome of those ryghteouse fathers as ded Iohan Baptyste afore hys fyrste commyng Luce. i. That is say the Bedas cap. lxviii de temporum ratione the fayth and feruent zele of the prophetes and Apostles shal they plant in their hartes whych shal in those dayes lyue and be among men conuersaunt than wyl breake fourth sayth he as a verye true prophete such horryble persecucyon as wyl fyrst of all take from the worlde those myghtye helyases by triumphaunt martyrdom to the terryfyenge of other in the same faythe of whom some shal becom through that occasion most gloryouse martyrs vnto Christ also some very wycked Apostataes forsaking his lyuely doctrine For by the seyd Bedas testymony in the begynnyng of the same chaptre two most certayne sygnes shall we thā haue that the lattre iudgement daye is at hande The returne of Israels remnaunt vnto theyr lord God and the horryble persecucion of Antichrist Conferre with this treated scripture and former prophecye of that vertuous man Bedas the worldes alteracyon now with the terrible turmoilynges of our tyme. And as in a mooste clere myrrour ye shal well perceyue them at this present to be in moost quick workynge And as concernynge the Israelytes or Iewes I haue bothe seane and knowne of them in Germanye mooste faythfull Christen beleuers Neyther is it in the prophecye Osee. iii. that they shoulde at that daye be all conuerted no more than they were at Iohan Baptystes preachynge Luce. i. For as Esaye reporteth thoughe the posteryte of Iacob be as the see sande innumerable yet shall but a remnaunte of them conuerte than vnto theyr lorde God Esaie x. And thoughe the Lorde hathe syfted that howse of Israell as brused corne in a syffe amonge all other nacyons Amos. ix Yet shal not that remnaunt of theirs peryshe but at that daye be saued throughe the onelye electyon of grace Romano xi Nowe concernynge the afore seyd foreronners in this most wonderful change of the worlde before the latter ende therof I thynke within thys realme of Englande besydes other nacions abroade the sprete of Helyas was not all a slepe in good Wyllam Tydall Robarte Barnes suche other more whome Antychristes vyolence hathe sent hens in fyre to heauen as Helyas went afore in the fyrye charet iiii Regum ii These turned the hartes of the fathers into the chyldren suche tyme as they toke from a greate nombre of oure nacyon by theyr Godlye preachynges and wrytynges the corrupted beleue of the pope his mastery workers which were no fathers but cruel robbers destroyers Ioā x. reducynge thē agayn to the true faithe of Abraham and Peter Gene. xv and Math. xvi The pure beleue in Christes birthe and passion which Adam and Noe sucked out of the first promes of God Iacob and Moses out of the seconde Dauid and the prophetes out of the thirde and so fourthe the Apostles fathers oute of the other scriptures so firmelye planted they in the consciences of manye that no cruell kynde of deathe coulde auerte thē from it As we haue for example their constaunt discyples and now stronge witnesses of Iesus Christ Iohan Lassels and Anne Askewe with theyr other ii companions verye gloryous martyrs afore God what thoughe they be not so afore the wronge iudgynge eyes of the world whom the bloudye remnaunte of Antechrist put vnto mooste cruell deathe in Smythfelde at London in the yeare of our lorde M.D.XLVI in Iulye Yf they be onely as was Iohan Baptyst great afore the Lorde by the holye scriptures allowaunce which are strongelye adourned with the graces of hys sprete as faythe force vnderstandynge wisdome pacyence loue long sufferaunce and suche lyfe I dare boldelye afferme these iiii myghty wytnesses also to be the same so well as the martirs of the primatyue or Apostles churche For so strongelye had these those vertues as they and so boldelye obiected their bodyes to the deathe for the vndefyled Christen beleue agaynst the malygnaūt Synagoge of Sathan as euer ded they for no tyrannye admyttynge any create or corruptyble substaunce for theyr eternal lyuynge god Yf their blynd babyes to proue them vnlyke do obiect agaynst me the myracles shewed at theyr deathes more than at these as that vnfaythfull generacyon is euer desyerous of wonders Math. xii I wold but knowe of thē what myracles were shewed whan Iohā Baptystes head was cut of in the preson Marci vi and whan Iames the Apostle was byheaded at Hierusalem Acto xii These ii were excellent afore God what though they were but miserable wretches light fellowes sedycyouse heretykes busye knaues lowsye beggers in the syght of noble king Herode and hys honorable counsell of prelates For had not rochettes and side gownes bene at hande haplye they had not so lyghtlye dyed Yf they allege Steuen to maynteyne theyr purpose that he at his deathe behelde heauen open I aske of thē againe what they were whiche se it more than his own persone Sure I am that their wycked predecessours there presente se it not For they stopped theyr eares whan he tolde them therof Actoru vii Yf they yet bringe fourth the other hystoryes of Apostles and martyrs I answere them that all they are of no suche autorite as these here afore The popes martyrs in dede were moche fuller of myracles than euer were Christes as hys selfe tolde vs they shulde be so Mathey xxiiii Yet wrought fryre Forest Iohā Fisher Thomas More no miracles what though manye be nowe regestred in theyr lyues and legendes by the fryres of Fraunce Italye and Spayne Besydes that Iohan Cochleus hathe writtē of them ad Paulum Pōtificem ad regem Henricum and also in theyr defence against doctor Sampson With that Erasmus ded also ad Huttenū P. M. ad Basparem Agrippam Albertus Pighius Riuius Fichardus a great sort more And as for the holye mayd of kēt with Doctor Bocking though they wrought great wonders by theyr lyfe yet apered non at their deathes Of hys owne chosen martyrs Christ loketh
the madnesse of the Byshoppes and their speche men Reade burnynge plates of yron and of brasse had Blandina put to her sydes So had Anne Askewe the flamynge brādes of fyre Full of God and his veryte was Blandina So was Anne Askewe to the verye ende Christ wonderfullye tryumphed in Blandina So ded he in Anne Askewe whan she made no noyse on the racke and so ernestlye afterwarde reioyced in him Blandina was geuen fourth to wyld beastes to be deuoured So was Anne Askewe to cruel Bisshoppes prestes whom Christ calleth rauenynge wolues deuourers and theues Mathe. vii Iohan x. Blandina vpon the scaffolde boldelye reprehended the pagane prestes of theyr errour So dyd Anne Askewe when she was fast tied to the stake with stomack rebuked that blasphemous apostata Shaxton with the Bishoppes and prestes generacyon for theyr manyfest mayntenaunce of ydolatrye Blandina at the stake shewed a vysage vnterryfyed So ded Anne Askewe acountenaunce stowte myghtye and ernest Infatygable was the sprete of Blādina So was the sprete of Anne Askew The loue of Iesus Christ the gift of the holy Ghost and hope of the crowne of martirdome greatlye mytygated the paine in Blandina So ded those iii worthy graces the terrour of all tormentes in Anne Askewe The stronge sprete of Christ gaue stomack to Blandina both to laugh and daunce The same mightye sprete not the popes desperate sprete made Anne Askewe both to reioyce and synge in the preson So bolde was blandina saythe Eusebius that wyth a presumpciō of stomack she cōmoned with Christ vnsene I suppose Anne Askewes lattre examinaciō wyl shewe her not to doo moche lesse Gentyl was Blādina to the Christē beleuers terryble to their aduersatyes So was Anne Askewe very lowlye to true teachers but scorneful and hygh stomaked to the enemyes of truthe Many were conuerted by the sufferaunce of Blandina A farre greatter nombre by the burnynge of Anne Askewe Though Blandina were yonge yet was she called the mother of martyrs Manye men haue supposed Anne Askewe for her Chrysten constancye to be no lesse Blandina prayed for her persecuters So dyd Anne Askewe most feruentlye The ashes of blandina and of other martirs were throwne into the stood of Rhodanus What was done with the Ashes of Anne Askewe her companyons I can not yet tell All these former reportes of Blandina and manye more besydes hath Eusebius in Ecclesiastica historia libro v. cap. i. ii iii. Hugo Floriacensis Hermannus Contractus Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus other hystoryanes more And as touchinge Anne Askewe these ii examinacions with her other knowen handelynges in Englande are witnesse for her suffycyent Thus hath not the fyre taken Anne Askewe al whole from the world but left her here vnto it more pure perfyghte precious than afore as it wyl also Iohan Lassels within short space So that concernyng her it maye well be sayde that Paule verefyeth ii Cor. xii The strength of God is here made perfyght by weakenes Whan she semed most feble than was she most strōge And gladlye she reioyced in that weakenes that Christes power myght strongely dwell in her Thus choseth the lord the folysh of thys worlde to cōfounde the wyse the weake to deface the myghtye Yea thynges despysed thought verye vyle to brynge thynges vnto naught whych the worlde hath in most hyghe reputaciō I thincke if this martyr were rightly conferred with those canonysed martyrs whych haue had and yet hath styl sensynges and syngynges massynges ryngynges ī the popes English churche cause with cause and reason wyth reason as haplye here after they shal she shuld be a great blemysh vnto them An example of stronge sufferaunce myghte this holy martir be vnto all them that the Lorde shal after lyke manner put forewarde in this horryble furye of Antichriste to the glorye of hys persecuted Churche Amen The first examinacion of the worthye seruaunte of God mastres Anne Askewe the yonger doughter of Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyghte of Lyncolne shyre lately martyred in Smythfelde by the Romyshe popes vpholders The censure or iudgemēt of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles OF no lesse Christen cōstancie was this faithfull wytnes and holy martyr of God Anne Askewe nor no lesse a fast member of Christ by her myghtye persystēce in his verite at this tyme of mischife thā was the afore named Blandina in the prymatiue churche This shal wele apere in her ii examynacions or tyrannouse handelynges here folowinge whome she wrote with her owne hāde at the instāt desyre of certen faithfull men and wemē yea rather at the secrete mocyon of God that the truth therof myght be knowne the world ouer As within short space yt wyll be yf the latyne spech can carye yt Marke wel the cōmunycaciōs here both of her and of her examyners so prouing their spretes as S. Iohan the Apostle geuethe yow counsell i. Io. iiii And than shall ye know the tree by his frute the man by hys worke Anne Askewe To satisfye youre expectacion good people saithe she thys was my firste examynacyon in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.xlv. and in the monethe of Marche firste Christofer Dare examyned me at Sadlers hall beynge one of the queste and asked yf I dyd not beleue that the sacramente hangynge ouer the aultre was the verye bodye of Chryste reallye Thē I demaunded this question of him wherfore S. Steuē was stoned to death And he said he coulde not tell Then I answered that no more wolde I assoyle his vayne questyon Iohan Bale A sacrament sayth Saynt Augustyne is a sygne shappe or symylytude of that it representith and no God nor yet thynge represented This worde reall or reallye is not of beleue for it is not in all the sacred scriptures Onlye is it sophistycallye borowed of the paganes lernynge by wynchestre his fellowes to corrupt our Christen fayth Be ware of that fylthye poyson The perfyght beleue of Steuen Actoru vii of Paule Act. xvii of Salomon iii. Reg. viii ii Par◠vi was that god dwelleth not in temples made with handes Agreable vnto this was the faythe of thys Godlye woman whych neyther coulde beleue that he dwellethe in the boxe God sayth Esaye lxvi Heauen is my seate not the boxe Dauid saythe Psal. cxiii oure God is in heauen not in the pyxe Christ taught vs to saye whā we praye Mat. vi Luce. xi our father which arte in heauen and not our father which art in the boxe Now discerne and iudge Anne Askewe Secondly he sayde that there was a woman whyche dyd testyfye that I should reade howe God was not in temples made wyth handes Then I shewed hym the. vii and the. xvii chapitre of the Apostles actes what Steuen and Paule had said therin Wherupon he asked me howe I
conscience woulde both accuse me and condempne me of the vnconsyderaunce of my lorde God More precyouse is the thynge which is in daylye controuersye and parell whiche is nowe Goddes true honoure than is al thys worldes treasure here What Christen hart can abyde it to se the creature yea not of God but of man to be worshypped in the stede of God and saye nothynge therin Salomon saythe there is as well a tyme to speake as a tyme to kepe sylence and a tyme as well to hate as a time to loue Ecclesiast iii. With a perfyght hate lorde saythe Dauid haue I hated those bloud thursty enemyes which were in they presumpcion agaynst the Psalm cxviii Strongly and with most myghtye stomacke are hypocrytes to be inuaded whyche wyll not geue place to the veryte Marke how myghtelye Moses resysted Pharao Helyas kynge Achab Helyseus Ioram zachary Ioas Daniell the ydolaters Iohan Baptyst the Pharysees and Herode Steuen the Iewes the Apostles the Byshoppes and prestes Christ rebuked hys discyple Peter and bad him come after hym deuyll Math. xvi Yet called he Iudas his frinde Mat. xxvi Necessary is it that the elect flocke of God do hate the vncleane fowles whych yet holde theyr habytacion in Babylō Apoca. xviii Iohā wycleue and Iohan Huse confesse in theyr writynges that they were by stronge force inwardlye constrayned of God to worke against the great antichrist Erasmus boldely vttered it that God for the euyls of this latter age hath prouyded sharpe phesycyanes Quenche not the sprete sayth S. Paule despyse not prophecyes i Thessalon v. I put my ernest wordes into thy mouthe sayde the Lorde to Hieremye that thou shuldest bothe destroye and buylde Hieremye i Let this suffice ye concernynge oure rebukes for they are Gods enemyes whō we inuade Yf ye perceyue it and fele it on the other syde that the waues of the see are greate also and doth horryblye rage in these dayes Psa. xcii Considre agayne sayth Dauid that the Lorde whyche dwelleth on hygh is a great dele myghtyer than they As he is of power to cease the storme and to make the wether caulme Psalme cvi So is he able to change a kynges indignacion which is but death into mooste peaceable fauer and louynge gentylnes Prouerbiorum xvi For the hart of a kynge is euermore in the hande of God and he maye turne it which waye he wyl Proue xxi Hys eternall pleasure it is that ye shuld honoure your kynge as his immediate mynyster cōcerning your bodyes and lyues i. Petri. ii and that ye shuld with al gentylnesse obeye the temporall rulers Romano xiii But suche spirituall hypocrites both Byshoppes and prestes as are continuall haters of hys heauenlye verite wolde he that we shulde hold for most detestable apostates and blasphemouse reprobates as did Christ and his Apostles which neuer obeyed them but most sharpelye rebuked them Matthei xxiii Acto xx and. ii Pet. xi The grace of that lorde Iesus Christ be euer wyth thē whyche ryghtly hate that sinagoge of Sathan as dyd Anne Askewe Amen God standeth by the generacyon of the ryghteouse Psal. xiii Thus endeth the firste examynacion of Anne Askewe latelye done to deathe by the Romyshe popes malycious remnaunte and nowe canonysed in the preciouse blode of the lord Iesus Christ. Imprynted at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen in Nouembre Anno. 1546. ¶ The voyce of Anne Askewe oute of the. 54. Psalme of Dauid called Deus in nomine tuo FOr thy names sake be my refuge And in thy truth my quarel iudge Before the Lorde let me be harde And wyth fauer my tale regarde Loo faythles men agaynst me ryse And for thy sake my death practyse My lyfe they seke with mayne myght Which haue not the afore their sight Yet helpest thou me in this distresse Sauynge my soule from cruelnesse I wote thou wylt reuenge my wronge And vysyte them ere it be longe I wyll therfore my whole hart bende Thy gracyouse name Lorde to commende From euyl thou hast delyuered me Declarynge what myne enemyes be Prayse to God Who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. xi He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. v. ¶ The latter examynacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Sinagoge of Antychrist wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psalme cxvi The verite of the lord endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by this verite of god to the ende I wyll poure oute my sprete vpon all fleshe saith God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Iohel ii ¶ Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the primatiue churche as the horible persecucyons increased many dyligēt writers collected the godly answers tryumphaūte sufferinges of the martyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of this nombre was Lucas which wrote the Apostles actes So were after him Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton Asianus Abdias Babilonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexaūdrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius Nicephorus a greate sorte more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshop of Rome ordayned in his tyme for that onely offyce vii deacōs so many notayres aboute the yeare of oure lorde CC. XXXVI that they shuld faithfully regestre theyr martyrdomes to holde thē in contynual remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No les necessary is that offyce now though fewe mē attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christē cōmō welthe than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucions all Christendome ouer so we le as were than Now are the true Christians vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as thā Now are they reuiled punyshed imprisoned haue all euyll spoken against them for Christes verites sake Math. v. so wele as than And what can be more confortable to the sufferers than to knowe the ernest constancye of their troubled companyons in that kingedome of pacience Apo. i. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonies what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Barnard sayth in his homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer dyd the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some besterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late yeares by the bolde calling on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of
is here made and manye subtyl wayes are sought out to brynge thys woman into their corrupted and false beleue that the corruptyble creature made with handes myghte stande in place of the eternall creatore or maker God and man for the prestes aduauntage But all is in vayne In no case wolde he so accept it Nothing lesse mynded Chryst than to dwell in the breade or to become a feadinge for the bodye whan he sayd Take eate Thys is my bodye For a contrarye doctryne he taughte hys dyscyples the yeare afore hys last supper as we haue in the vi chaptre of Iohan Where as he declareth hys flesh to be a spirtiuall meare hys bloude a spirituall drynke and both thē to be receyued in faythe the breade and the wyne remaynynge as sygnes of his euerlastinge couenaunt Reason is it that he rather be iudged the receyuer whyche lyueth in that refeccyon than he which lyueth not therby Whyche is the sowle not the bodye What neaded Christe to haue geuen to those bodies a newe body lye feadynge whiche were suffycyently fed afore with the passe ouer lambe If he had not ment therin some other maner of thynge But he sufficiētlye ynough declareth hys owne meanynge Luce xxii Where he cōmaundeth vs to do it in his remēbraunce and not to make hym agayne by blowynge vpon the breade Thys sacramentall eatynge and drynkynge in his remēbraunce S. Paule more largely declareth i. Cor. xi So oft saith he as ye shall eate of that breade and drynke of that cuppe ye shall shewe the lordes deathe tyll he come If ye ernestlie marke that lattre clause tyll he cōe ye shall wele perceiue that hys bodilye presēce in the breade is vtterly denyed there More ouer in the afore said xxii chaptre of Luke bycause we shuld not be to scrupulose Christe sheweth what that wyne breade of hys supper were yea as he left thē there euē ī these wordes I saie vnto yow saith he that hens forth I shall not drynke of thys frute of the vyne or eate of thys frute of wheate tyll the kyngdome of God be come or tyll I drynke it new with yow in my fathers kingedome Math. xxvi Marci xiiii Here calleth it he the iuse of the grape or frute of the vyne and not the bloude yssuynge from hys bodye Yet is that cuppe as S. Paule sayth the partakynge of Christes bloude and the bread that we breake there the partakynge of Chrystes bodye i. Corint xi But that is in faythe and sprete as afore in Iohan. Anne Askewe Then came to me doctor Coxe and doctor Robynson In conclusion we coulde not agree Thē they made me a byll of the sacrament wyllynge me to set my hande therunto but I wolde not Then on the sondaye I was sore sycke thynkynge no lesse than to die Therfore I desyred to speake with Latimer it wolde not be Thē was I sente to Newgate in my extremyte of syckenesse For in all my lyfe afore was I neuer in soche payne Thus the lorde strengthē yow in the truth Praye praye praye Iohan Bale What an hurly burlye is here for this newe beleue that Christ shulde dwelle in the breade which is mannys creature not gods Christe is the liuynge breade which came from heauē Iohan. vi But that is not sufficyēt saye the prestes on lesse ye beleue also that he is that deade breade which came frō the waffer bakers And therūto must ye set your owne hāde writynge els wyll it not be allowed in the spirytuall courte For he that speaketh greate thynges and blasphemyes whiche is Antichriste makinge warre with the sayntes wyll haue it so Apo. xiii In the Apostles time many yeares after it was ynough for a chrystē mān is ryghtwysnesse to beleue with the hart that Iesus is the lorde that God raysed hym vp from the dead Roma x. But now we must beleue that he cōmeth downe agayn at the wyll of the prestes to be inpaned or inbreaded for their bellye 's common welthe lyke as he afore came downe at the wyll of hys heuenlye father to be incarnated or infleshed for our vnyuersall sowles helth And vnto thys we muste set our hande writynge that we may be knowen for Antichristes catrell Els shall we to stinkynge Newgate by their spyrytuall appoyntment be we neuer so sycke and with in a whyle after to the fyre in Smythfelde For Christes member muste tast with him both esell and gall Anne Askewe The confessyon of me Anne Askewe for the tyme I was in Newgate cōcernynge my beleue I fynde in the scriptures saythe she that Chryste toke the breade gaue it to his dyscyples sainge Eate This is my bodye whyche shall be broken for yow meaning in substaūce his owne verye bodie the breade beinge therof an onlye sygne or sacramente For after lyke maner of speakynge he sayde he woulde breake downe the temple and in iii. dayes buylde it vp agayne sygnyfyenge hys owne bodye by the temple as Saynte Iohan declareth it Ioā ii And not the stonye temple it selfe So that the breade is but a remembraunce of hys death or a sacrament of thankes geuynge for it wherby we are knytte vnto hym by a communyon of Chrysten loue Although there be manye that can not perceyue the true meanynge therof for the vayle that Moses put ouer hys face before the children of Israel that they shuld not se the clerenesse therof Exo. xxxiiii ii Cor. iii. I perceyue the same vaile remayneth to this daye But whā God shall take it a waye than shall these blynde men se. Iohan Bale Ye wyll saye parauenture that the symplitudes here of breade and of the tēple are not like For he blessyd the breade with thankes geuynge So wyll ye saye an other tyme for your pleasure aduauntage that he blessyd the temple also and called it both the howse of his father and also the howse of prayer I pray ye be as good here to your market place as ye are to your sale wares therin for your only bellyes sake For the one wyll not do wele to your commodyte in ydelnesse withoute the other But take good hede of it yf ye lyst For christ hath alredye called one of them an howse of merchaundyse and a denne of theues by reason of your vnlawfull occupyenge therin Ioan. ii and Luce xix He hath also promysed to ouerthrowe it Math. xxiiii and not to leaue one stone therof standyng vpon an other Marci xiii Bycause ye haue not regarded the tyme of your vysytacyon or not accepted hys eternall worde of helthe A warnynge might the turnynge ouer of your monasteryes haue bene vnto yow if ye were not as ye are altogyther blynde I can not thynke the contrarye but he calleth the other also as ye handle it now a dayes in the popes olde toyes of conueyaunce the abhomynacion of desolacyon
Ezech. xxiiii Anne Askewe My beleue whyche I wrote to the counsell was thys That the sacramentall breade was left vs to be receyued with thankes geuynge in remembraunce of Chrystes deathe the onlye remedye of our sowles recouer And that therby we also receyue the whole benefyghtes and frutes of hys mooste gloryouse passyon Iohan Bale We reade not in the Gospell that the materyall breade at Christes holye supper was anye other wise taken of the Apostles thā thus Neither yet that Chryste our mastre sauer requyred anye other takynge of them If so manye straunge doubtes had bene therin and so hygh dyffycultees as be moued and are in controuersye amonge men now a dayes both papystes and other they coulde no more haue bene left vndyscussed of hym than other high matters were The discyples axed here neyther how nor what as doubtlesse they woulde haue done if he hade mynded them to haue taken the breade for him They thought it ynough to take it in hys remembraunce lyke as he than playnelye taught them Luce xxii The eating of his fleshe and drynkynge of hys bloude therin to the releuynge of their sowles thyrst and hunger they knewe to perteyne vnto fayth accordynge to hys instruccyons in the vi of Iohan. What haue thys godlye woman than offended whyche neyther haue denyed hys incarnacyon nor deathe in thys her confessyon of faythe but most firmelye and groundedlye trusted to receyue the frutes of them bothe Anne Askewe Then wolde they nedes knowe whether the bred in the boxe were God or no I sayde God is a sprete and wyll be worshypped in sprete and truthe Ioan. iiii Then they demaunded Wyl yow playnlye denye Christ to be in the sacrament I answered that I beleued faythfullye the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnes wher of I recyted agayne the hystorye of Bel and the. ix chaptre of Daniel ye. vii and the. xvii of the Actes and the. xxiiii of Mathew concludynge thus I neyther wyshe death nor yet feare his myghte God haue the prayse therof with thankes Iohan Bale Amonge the olde ydolaters some toke the sūne some the mone some the fyre some the water with soch other lyke for their Godes as witnesseth Dioderus Siculus Herodotus Plynius Lactantius dyuerse autours more Now come our dottinge papistes here wadinge yet more deper in ydolatrye and they must haue breade for theyr God yea a waffer cake whyche is scarse worthy to be called bread In what sorowful case are Christen people nowe a dayes that they maye worshypp their lorde and redemer Ihesus Christe in no shappe that hys heauenly father hath set hym forth in but in such a shappe only as the waffer baker hath ymagined by his slendre wyt Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for theyr Gods but thys cake is onlye the bakers creature for he alone made it breade if it be breade And so moch is it a more vnworthye God than the other Farre was it from Christ to teache hys dyscyples to worshyp soche a God either yet to haue himself honoured in such a symylytude No thynge is here spoken agaynst the moste holye table of the lord but agaynst that abhomynable ydol of the prestes which hath moste detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse wytnesse of the lorde dyd this blessed woman sheweth her selfe in the answere makynge to thys blasphemous beggerye whā she sayde that god was a sprete and no waffer cake woulde be worshypped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and inglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydol but moch more godly to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in tēples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her selfe a most constaunt martyr praysynge her Lorde God for hys gyfte She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shulde se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan viii Agayn they that beleued on him shuld ioyfully passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Iohan. v. And vpon these promises she most strōgely trusted She considered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyfe i. Petri iii. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme hadde the rule of death Hebreorum ii And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it selfe Osee. xiii Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The Lorde God by whom all creatures have theyr beynge blesse yow wyth the lyghte of hys knowledge Amen My dutye to your lordshyppe remembred c. It myghte please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whyche vpon due consyderacions is moued to the same and hopethe to obtayne My requeste to youre lordeshyppe is only that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kynges magestye that hys grace maye be certyfyed of these fewe lynes whiche I haue wrytten concernynge my beleue Whyche whan it shall be trulye conferred wyth the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thynke hys grace shall well perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuen payer of balaunces But I remyt my matter cause to almyghtye God whyche ryghtlye iudgeth al secretes And thus I commende youre lordeshyppe to the gouernance of him and felyshipp of all sayntes Amen By youre handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In this byl to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyōs sequestred what this womā was She is not here defected with the desperat for vnryghteouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowyng as they do commōlye But stādynge vp strongely in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers and wysheth them the lyghte of Goddes necessarye knowledge Luce. vi She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum xiii And though theyr autoryte be sore abused yet wyth Christe and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herselfe to them thynkynge to suffer vnder them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunte i. Peter iiii Notwithstandyng she layeth forth here both before chauncelloure kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to theyr bounde dewtye myghte more ryghtlye waye it iii. Regu x. Not that she coueted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembraunce of theyr offyce concernynge the swerd which they ought not vaynely to ministre Roman xiii and that they shulde also be wythout excuse of ignoraunce in the greate daye of reckenynge for permitting soch vyolēce to be done Roma ii In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherein she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalme cxlv Anne