where with great ioy and glorious triumph gaue vp their soules vnto the handes of the Lord. Iohn Noyes of Lexfield in the County of Suffolke Shoemaker THe twenty two of September he was taken by the Constables and brought before Maister Thurstone Sir Iohn Tyrell Maister Kene Iustices and Sir Iohn Silyerde high Sheriffe who cast him into Eye-dongeon hee was carried from thence to Norwich and so came before the Bishop who condemned him because he answered that he thought the naturall body of Christ to bee onely in Heauen and not in the Sacrament as hee remained Prisoner in the Guild-hall of Norwich one Nicholas Fiske his Brother in Law came to him to comfort him he asked if he did not feare death when the Bishop condemned him he said hee thanked God he feared not death no more at that time then when he was at libertie When he was bound vnto the stake he said feare not them that â—ill the body but feare him that can kill both bodie and soule and cast it into euerlasting fire When he saw his Sister wéeping he said Wéepâ— not for mee but wéepe for your sinnes when the Faggots were set vnto him he said Blessed bee the time that euer I was borne to come vnto this and kissed the Faggot Then he said to the people they say that they can make God of a péece of Bread but beléeue them not Then said he Good people beare witnesse that I doe beléeue to bee saued by the merits and passion of Christ and not by mine owne déedes so the fire was kindled about him then he said Lord haue mercy vpon me Christ haue mercy vpon me Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me In the Dioces of Chichester diuers were martyred for the testimony of righteousnesse in Quéene Maries raigne in the number of whom were these Iohn Forman of East-Grinsted Iohn Warner of Berne Christian Grouer of the Arch-deacoâ—â—y of Lewis Thomas Athoch Priest Thomas Auington of Erdingly Denis Burgs of Burstéed Thomas Rauensdale of Riâ— Iohn Milles of Hellinglegh Nicholas Holden of Withiam Iohn Hart of Withiam Margery Moris of Hethfielde Anne Try of East-Grinstéed Iohn Osward of Woodmancote Thomas Harland of Woodmancote Iames Moris of Heathfield Thomas Dowgate of East-Grinstéed Iohn Ashdon of Retherfield Thomas Spurdance Queene Maries Seruant HE was examined before the Chancellor of Norwich who asked him if hee had confessed his sinnes vnto a Priest I said I had confessed my sinnes vnto God who saith Whensoeuer a Sinner repenteth and is sorry for his sinnes and asketh him forgiuenesse willing no more so to doe he will no more reckon his sin vnto him and that is sufficient for me I deny that I should shew my sinnes vnto the Priest Chancel Haue you receiued the blessed Sacrament of the Altar at Easter he answered I dare not meddle with it as you vse it for the holy Supper of the Lord serueth for the Christian Congregation and you are none of Christs Members I dare not meddle with you least I be like vnto you for you teach Lawes contrary to Gods Lawes then he said Doe you not beleeue that after the Sacrament is consecrated it is the very same body that was borne of the Uirgine Mary and I said no that was a bloody sacrifice and this is a dry sacrifice And I said Is the Masse a Sacrifice a Doctor answered it is a Sacrifice both for the quicke and the dead I said it is no sacrifice for S. Paule saith That Christ made one sacrifice once for all I beleeue in no other sacrifice Chancel He is an Hereticke he denâ—â—th the Sacrament of the Altar I said I beleeue that if I câ—me rightly and worthily as God hath commaunded me vnto the Supper of the Lord I receiue him by Faith but the Bread being receiued is not GOD nor the Bread that is yonder in the Pixe is not God God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither will be worshipped with the workes of mens hands therefore you do very euill to cause the people to kneele downe and worship the bread for God did neuer bid you to hold it vp aboue your heads neyther had the Apostles such vse Chanc. Write that Article then said I The Seruant is not greater then the Maister your Predecâ—ssors killed my Maister Christ the Prophets and Apostles and holy vertuous men and now you also kill the Seruants of Christ so all the righteous blood that hath beene shed from righteous Abell to this day shall be required at your hands then the Chancellor bad haue me away Another Examination before the Bishop Bishop SIrre dost thou not beleeue that the Pope is supreme head of the Catholike Church I said I do not beleeue that he is aboue the Apostles they disputing which of them should bee greatest when their M. Christ was gone Christ answered their thouâ—hts saying The Kings of the earth beare dominion aboue others but you shall not doe so for he that is greatest amongst you shall be Seruant vnto you all How is it then that the Pope will climbe so high aboue his fellowes you cannot proue by the Scriptureâ— that he is head of the Church Bishop As the Bell-wether is head of the shâ—epe so is the Pope head of the Chuâ—ch and as the Bees haue a master Bee to â—ring them home to the Hiue when they be abroad so the Pope is ordained by succession of Peter to bring vs home againe vnto the â—rue Church when we are gone astray as thou good Fellow hast wandred long out of the way â—liâ—e a scattered Sheepe heare therefore the Bell-wether and now come home with vs vnto thy Mother the Church againe I answered all this is but naturall reason and no Scripture he said you are stout and will not â—e answered you shall bee compelled by Law whether you will or no. Spurdance So your forefathers intreated Christ and his Apostles they had a Law and by that Law they put him vnto death so you haue a Law which is tyranny whereby you would inforce me to beleeue as you doe but I trust the Lord will assist mee against all your beggerly Ceremonies and make your foolishnesse knowne to the world oâ—e day He told the Bishop he neuer vsed the Ceremonies of the Church since he was borne at the last he interpreted it since hee was new borne as Christ said to Nichodemus Except you bee new borne you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Then a Doctor said I was an Anabaptist for that was their opinion I said I was no Anabaptist for they deny Children to bee baptized and so doe not I. Bishop Why doe not you goe vnto the Church and Cerâ—monies I said Because they are contrary to Gods word as you your selfe haue taught but now you say it is goâ—d againe and I thinke if there were a returne to morrow you would say it were false againe which you hold now therefore I may well say there is no truth in you Then he said I
worldly goods profit not the Getters but others that comes after as Owles see better by night then by day so the couetous are blinde in heauenly matters and quicke-eyed in earthly matters The Lead is obstinacy the Woman is called Impietie because Piety is lost by Auarice the Pot is couered with Lead which stoppeth in Impiety to shew that Couetousnesse hardeneth the heart that Impiety cannot goe out by repentance the two Woemen that bare the Pot are Pride and Lust of the Flesh which in Scripture are called the two Daughters of the Water each crying bring bring The first Winge is Pride of Spirituall guifts The second Wing Pride of Temporall guifts The Winges of the second Woman be Gluttony and Sloth Doctor Gregorie speaking of Gluttony when the belly is filled the prickes of Lecherie are stirred And of Sloath Doctor Augustine saith Lot was a good man whilst he was in businesse in Sodome when hee was idle in drunkennesse he lay with his Daughters Saint Augustine saith rauening Fishes when they are full be satisfied but onely couetous men cannot bee satisfied he is not affraid of GOD nor ashamed of Men he spareth not Father nor Mother Brother or Friend oppresseth the Widdow and motherlesse Children hee maketh frée men bond hee bringeth forth false Witnesse and occupyeth dead mens goods What madnesse is this to looselife and grace to win damnation and to loose Heauen to win Goâ—d And Innocentius saith how many hath Couetousnesse deceiued for Balacks rewards Balaam would haue cursed Gods people notwithstanding his Asse reproued him Couetousnes made Achan steale the accursed things to the destruction of him and his house Gehesie was stricken with Leprosie for selling a mans health that came by the grace of God Iudas for couetousnes sold Christ and after hanged himselfe Couetousneâ— was the cause of the lying and sudden death of Ananias and Saphira If a rich man haue a whole streete or a great field and a poore man haue an Acre of Land or but one House neere eyther by intreaty or pursuing hee neuer ceasâ—th vntill he hath gotten the poore mans House and Land as Achab and Iezabell sâ—â—w Naball for his Uineyard Saint Ambrose saith to the rich how long will you scratch out your couetousnes will you dwell alone and haue no poore dwell with you why put you out your kinde and challenge the earth which Nature hath made common to poore and rich Nature bringeth forth all men poore naked and needy of meate and drinke without riches or gay clothes and the earth taketh vs naked againe and closeth none of our riches he that maketh difference betwixt poore and rich when they haue lien a little in the graue looke vpon them who was poore and who was rich and thou shalt seâ— no difference in their bones except there be more clothes rotten with the rich then the poore which is a hurt to the liuing and no good to the dead of such extortioners it is written they reape other mens fields and they pluck away the Grapes of the vine of the oppressed they pluck away their clothes and leaue them naked and in that the aforesaid pot was lift vp betwixt heauen and earth sheweth that couetousnesse hath no Charitie to God or Man and they carry the pot to the Land of Synear that is the land of stench or Hell Héere wee should aske how thou hast gouerned thy Wife thy Children and seruants whether thou hast brought them vp in Gods Lawes and continued them therin according to thy power otherwise thou shalt giue an account and to auoide these hard accounts I councell euery one to trust in the mercy of God through Christs demerites with a liuely Faith and repenting heart of thine iniquities and Amend else who shall graunt thee pardon and release of thy accounts Now we will consider who shall call vs to this reckoning before whom and what punishment to the wicked and what reward to the faithfull there bee two Iudgements one at separation of body and soule which is the particular doome and the second at the generall resurrection that is vniuersall to the first we shall be called one after another to the second we shal come altogether in the twinckling of an eye we are called to the first by thrée summons sicknes age death the first warneth the second threatneth the third taketh some are slayne without sicknes or age and the most part without age and there is a sicknes that makes the body feâ—ble and a sicknes of the soule which is generall to all men and the continuance therof is cause of corruption if a man cast all worldly things out of his minde yet can he scantly thinke onely of God a Pater-noster while O God what a sicknes is this to the sonnes of Adam of this sicknes spake S. Paul I see another Law of my members rebelling against the Law of my Spirit as a man looking on the Sunne cannot long indure yet the fault is not in the Sunne for it is most cleere but in the féeblenes of mans eyes so since Adam was put out of Paradice all his off-spring haue been thus sickâ— the second sicknes is of the body as hunger thirst cold heat sorrow wearinesse and many others as Iob saith A man borne of a woman is full of many miseries and is but for a little time there be other sicknesses that happen to some as Feuers Dropsie Blindnes and such like as it is said of the Israelites if thou keep not the comman dements of God I shall increase the sorrows and sicknesses of thy seed but God sendeth such sicknesses sometimes to good men and tribulations for two causes First to know that it is of God and to increase in méekenes of this saith Saint Paul least my great reuelations should extoll me in pride to mee is giuen the pricke of the flesh I three times prayed God it should goe from me he answered my grace is sufficient for my power is manifested in weaknes the Diuell asking Iob to be tempted was heard and not the Apostle asking his temptation to be remooued he heard the damned and heard not him that should bee saued also God sendeth sometime his Saints to giue vs sinners example of patience being we haue deserued much more as Toby came from the Charitable worke of burying the dead Swallowes were suffered to dung in his eyes being asleepe and make him blind it is written that it was for an example of patience to them that should come after and though he euer feared God he was not agreeued with God but feared him still and thanked him alwaies and the sicknesses of wicked men be for two causes first that they should leaue their sinnes and loue God we see often men in sicknesses know God that neuer would turne to him whilst they were whole Also God sendeth sicknes and troubles often to the wicked to make others afraid to folow their sinnes as Antiochus wormes crauled out of his body whilst he
the Bishop of Rochester preached in the reproofe of Martine Luther and in the honour of the Pope and his Cardinals insomuch that hee forgot the Gospell he preached vpon his Sermon was much commended of the Cardinals and Bishops This yeare the New Testament was first translated into English and brought into this Realme by William Tindall This yéere the good Lodouicus King of Hungary pursued by the Turk was faine to take the Marsh where with his horse falling into a Bogge was swallowed vp and â—rowned his body afterwards found was royally buried in Uienna George Carpenter of Emering was burned in Monuchen of Bauaria for maintaining of these foure Articles First that he did not beleeue that Priests could forgiue sinnes neither that a man could call God out of heauen neither that God was in the bread that the Priests hang vpon the Altar Fourthly that the element of water in Baptisme doth not giue grace Then one asked him whether he feared not his Iudgement neither loued his Wife and Children and if he would recant he should returne to them and be pardoned Wherevnto hee answered my wife and Children are so dearely beloued vnto mee that they cannot be bought from mee for all the Duke of Bauaria his riches But for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them as hee was going to execution one bid him beleeue the Sacrament of the Altar and not to beleeue it to be onely a signe Hee answered hee beleeued the Sacrament to bee a signe of the body of Christ offered for vs Then he said why doest thou so little esteeme Baptisme beeing Christ was baptized Hee answered not the baptisme of Christ but his suffering was our Saluation Him this day will I confesse before the world Hee is my Sauiour in him I will beléeue Then one bid him put his trust in God and say if I erre truely I repent To whom hée answered God suffreth me not to erre Then one bid him not to hazard the matter but to choose some Christian brother not to confesse thy self vnto but take Councell off He said it would be too long Then one said Our Father He answered truely thou art our Father and no other this day I trust to be with thée The other said Hallowed be thy Name He answered my God how little is thy Name Hallowed in this world Then he said thy Kingdome come He said let thy kingdome come this day vnto me that I may come to the Kingdome the other said Thy will be done in earth as in heauen He said for this cause O Father I am now héere that thy will may be finished and not mine Then the other said Giue vs this day our dayly bread He said th' onely liuing bread Iesus Christ shall be my food The other said And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs He answered with a willing minde doe I forgiue all men friends aduersaries The other said Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill He answered O my Lord without doubt then shalt thou deliuer me for I haue laid my hope onley on thee Then one said doest thou think it necessary after death to pray for thée or say Masse for thée He said so long as the soule is in my body pray for me that God would giue me grace patience with all humility to suffer death with a true faith but when my soule is from my body I haue no néed of your prayers He was desired of certaine to shew some signe of beliefe when he was in the fire Hee answered so long as I can speake I will call vpon Iesus I haue neuer séene the like constancie of a man his countenance neuer changed colour he went chéerefully to the fire and said this day will I confesse my God before the whole world when he was in the fire he stil â—ryed Iesus Iesus and so ioyfully yéelded vp his spirit Leonard Keyser of Bauaria was burned for the Gospel hâ— being a Student 〈◊〉 Wittenberge was sent for by his Brothren if euer hee would sée his father 〈◊〉 he should come with spéed and as he was comming by the commandement of the Bishop of Passaw he was taken by his Mother and Brethren His Articles were first that faith iustifieth secondly that works are the fruits of faith Thirdly that the Masse is no Sacrifice or Oblation That Confession Satisfaction the vow of Chastitie Purgatory difference of dayes for affirming onely two sacrifices and inuocation of Saints Hee maintained three kindes of Confâ—ssion the first of Faith which is alwaies necessary the second of Charitie which serueth when any one doth offend his neighbour hee ought to reconcile himselfe againe Mat. 18. The third is to aske Councell of the ancient Ministers of the Church sentence beeing giuen against him he was disgraded he was rounded and shauen clothed in a short gowne a round Cap set vpon his head all cut and iagged and so deliuered to the seculer power As hee was led to burning hee said O Lord Iesu remaine with me sustaine and help me and giue me force and power In the fire he cryed O Lord Iesu I am thine haue mercy vpon me and saue mee this was the blessed end of that good man In this yéere the Senate people of Berne which are most of power amongst the Switzers assigned a Disputation within the Citie and called vnto the same the Bishops of Constans Basil Sedâ—ne and Lozanna warning them to come themselues and bring their Diuines or else lose their possessions they appointed that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament should onely bee of authoritie granting safe conduct to all that would come thether that there should bee no chiding that euery one should speak his minde freely and in such sort that it might be written and whatsoeuer should be there agreed vpon should be ratified and obserued throughout all their Dominions there were ten Articles to be disputed vpon as followeth 1 The true Church wherof Christ is head proceedeth of Gods Word perseuereth in the same and heareth no other man voice 2 The same Church maketh Lawes without Gods word therefore we are not bound to mens traditions but in as much as they be consonant to Gods word 3 That Christ only hath made satisfaction for the whole world to say there is â—ny other way to saluation or meanes to put away sinnes is to deny Christ. 4 That it cannot be proued by Scriptures that the body and bloud of Christ is really and corporally receiued in the Sacrament 5 The Masse wherein Christ is presented offred vnto his Father for the quick and the dead is against the scriptures a contâ—mely to the sacrifice of Christ. 6 That onely Christ is to be called vpon as Mediator to God for vs. 7 That in the Scriptures there is no place after life wherein soules should bâ— purged wherefore prayers ceremonies yearely Dyrges and obits which are bestowed vpon the dead
Idolatry to the bread and that Christ God and Man should dwell in a piece of bread but that he is in heauen sitting at the right hand of God but it is an Idoll as you vse it in the abhominable Masse making it a sacrifice propitiatory to the quicke and the dead and robbing the Church of one kind then Pauey bid Burne him Hereticke then he said God forgiue thee and shew thee more mercy then thou shewest me and God forgiue Sir Thomas Moore and prayed the people to pray for him and so praying died The next weeke after M. Pauey went vp into a Galery where he had a Roode before him and prayed and bitterly wept and his Maid finding him so doing he â—ad her take a rusty sword and make it cleane and not trouble him and immediatly hee tyed vp a rope and hung himselfe There was an Idoll named the Rood of Douer-Court many resortâ—d vnto it for it was blowne abroad that the power of it was so great that none could shut thâ— Churchâ—doore where it stood whereupon soure men came ten miles thither and took the Idoll from the Shriâ—e and a quarter of a 〈◊〉 from the place fired him who burned so bright that he lighted them homeward one mile After three of them were indicted of fellony and hanged in Chaines one at Douer Court called Nâ—cholas Mâ—â—sh Robert King in Dedham Robert Debnam at Cottaway which three persons aâ— their death did more edifie the people in godly learning then all the sermons preached there a long time before the fourth escaped the same yeare many Images were cast downe The Martirdome of Iohn Frith WHen Cardinall Wolsey prepared to build a Colledge in Oxford which now is called Christs Church whence he was sent for to the King being accused of certaine crimes in the way by immoderate purgations he killed himselfe and so left a most glorious péece of worke part but begun part halfe ended and but a smal part fully finished He appointed to that Colledge all such as were found to excell in any kind of learning amongst whom this Iohn Frith was one and William Tindall and Tauernar of Bostone and Iohn Clark and many others These were accused of heresie by the Cardinall and impriâ—oned in a déep Caue in tâ—e same Colledge where they were all infected through the stinke of Fish and Iohn Clarke wiâ—h other good men whose names are not knâ—wne died but Frith escaped and departed out of England for foure yeares and returning home Sir Thomas Moore promised great rewards to them that could take him and laid all the hauens for him At length he was taken at Reading for a Uacabound and being put in the stockes hee sent for the Schoolemaister and began in the Lattine tongue to bewaile his captiuity the Schoole-maister being ouercome with his eloquenâ—e tooke pitty on him and loueâ— his excellent wit then they fell to the Gréeke tongue wherewith he so inflamed the loue of the Schoole-maister that he went to the Magistrates and got him to be set at liberty without punishment but after he was trayterously taken and sent to the Tower where he had many conflicts with the Bishops but especially in writing with Sir Thomas Moore who wrote against certaine writings of Frithes against the Sacrament of the Altar which came to Sir Thomas Moores hands and Frith hauing gotten a Coppy of it wrote against it Cranmer Archbishop in his Apology against the Bishop of Winchester séemeth to haue collecteâ— Friths reasons aboundantly What Articles were obiected vnto him appeareth by a breefe Commentary written and sent to his friends out of prison as followeth First the whole matter of the examination was two Articles to wit purgatory and the substance of the Sacrament Touching purgatory they asked whether I beleeued that there was any place to purgâ— the spots of the dead after this life I denied there was any because the nature of man consisteth but of two parts the body and mind one Christ purgeth in this world by laying afflictions vpon vs and death the reward of sinne is laid vpon it but our soules are purged with the word of God which we drinke in through Faith to the saluation both of body and soule If you will shew a third part of man I will grant you a third place which you call Purgatory otherwise I must deny vnto you the Bishops shop of Purgatory Secondly it was required of me whether the very body of Christ were in the Sacrament of the Altar I answered it is both Christs body ours for as of many corns is made one loafe so we being diuers are but one body in Christ therein it signifieth our body so of the Wine that is made of many clusters one liquor But the same bread againe in that that it is broken signifieth the body of Christ declaring his body to be broken and put to death for our redemption and in that it is distributed the fruit of his Passion is signified the communication whereof equally redounds to all Christians And againe when it is receiued to be eaten it is the signification of the bodie of Christ admonishing vs that our inward man is refrâ—shed by the merits of Christ euen as the bread is receiued with our mouth to the outward nourishment of the body Then said they dost thou beléeue the very body of Christ to be contained in thâ— Sacrament really without trope or figure He answered No surely I doe not so thinke and when by no meanes he could be perswaded to recant hee was condemned to be burned When he was tyed to the stake in Smithfield there it dotâ— significantly appeare with what constancy he suffered he willingly embraced the fagâ—â—ts fire the wind blowing away the fire to his fellow that was tyed at his back and bâ—rned with him made his death the longer but God gaue him such strength and patience that as though he had felt no paine in that long torment he séemed rather to reioyce for his fellow then to be carefull for himselfe The examination of ANDREVV HEVVET that was burned with IOHN FRITH HE was a Prentice in Watling-stréete to a Taylor when he was asked what he thought touching the Sacrament of the last Supper he answered euen as Iohn Frith doth Then one of the Bishops said Dost thou not beléeue that it is really the body of Christ borne of the Uirgin Mary He said that I do not beléeue why said the Bishop he said Christ commanded me not to giue rash credit to them which say Behold here is Christ and there is Christ for many false Prophets shall rise vp saith the Lord. Then Stokly Bishop of London said Frith is condemned for an heretick and except thou reuoke thine opinion thou shalt be burned with him he said he was content The Bishop vsed many perswasiâ—ns to alure him to recant but could not wherefore he was burned with Frith as before When they were at the stake one Doctor Coke admonished all the people
question for it and so handled him that they made him to recant or else they would haue dissolued him and his argument in the fire ANNE ASKEW AFter she had bin many times examined and she had answered so wisely that though she had affirmed the truth of the Sacrament yet none could touch her for her arguments by the law Then she wrote her minde of the Sacament as followeth I perceiuâ— deare friends in the Lord that you are not yet perswaded of the truth in the Lords Supper because Christ sayth Take eate this is my bodie but he giuing the bread as an outward signe to be receiued with the mouth hee meant in perfect beléefe they should receiue his body which should die for the people and to thinke his death the onely saluation of their soules The â—read and Wine were left vs for a Sacramentall communion of the benefite of his death and that we should be thankefull for the grace of redemption And in the closing thereof he sayth This doe in remembrance of me so often as you eate and drinke or else we should haue béene forgetfull of that we ought to haue in daily remembrance and also been vnthankefull therefore we ought to pray to GOD for the true meaning of the Holy Ghost touching this communion for the letter slayeth and the spirit giueth life In the sixth of Iohn all is applied vnto â—aith and in 1. Cor. 4. The things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are euerlasting and in the third of the Hebrewes Christ ruleth ouer his house whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and reioycing of hope vnto the end and the dead Temple is not his house Wherefore to day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts Her confession in Newgate CHrist took the bread saying to his Disciples Take eate this is my body which shall be broken for you meaning his body the bread but a signe and Sacrament and so he said He would break downe the Temple and in three dayes build it vp againe signifying his body by the Temple although there be many that cannot perceiue the true meaning thereof for the vayle that Moses put euer his face before the children of Israell remayneth to this day but when God shall take it away then shall these blinde men see For it is plainly expressed in the Historie of Bell O King saith Daniell be not deceiued for God will be worshipped in nothing that is made with hands of men O what stiffe-necked people are these that will alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as their fathers haue done Truth is layde in prison Luk. 21. The law is turned to wormwood Amos 6. and there can no right iudgement goe forth Esay 59. Her condemnation THey said I was an heretick and condemned by the law if I would stand to my opinion I said touching my Faith I said and wrote to the Councell I would not deny because I knew it true then they would knowe whether I would denie the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud I answered yea for the same Sonne of GOD that was borne of the blessed Uirgin Mary is now glorious in the heauens and will come againe at the last day as he went vp and that which you call your God is a peece of bread and for more proofe thereof let it lie in a boxe but thrée monthes and it will be mouldy and turne to nothing that is good therefore I am perswaded it is no God Then they willed me to haue a Priest and then I smiled then they asked mee if it were not good I sayd I would confesse my faults vnto God for I was sure hee would heare me with fauour and so we were condemned by the quest This was my beléefe which I wrote to the Councell that the Sacramentall bread was left vs to bee receaued with thanksegiuing in the remembrance of his death the onely remedy of our soâ—les recouery and thereby we also receaue the whole benefit of his passion then they would needs know whether the bread in the boxe were God or no I sayd God is a spirit and will bee worshipped in spirit and truth then they sayd will you plainely deny Christ to bee in the Sacrament I answered I beléeue the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there in witnes whereof I recited againe the history of Bell and the 7. and 17. of the Acts and the 24 of Mathew concluding I neither wish death nor feare it God haue the praise thereof with thankes then she wrâ—te to the Lord Chancelour and the King but it preuayled not After she was sent from Newgate to the Tower then Maister Rich and one of the Councell charged me vppon mine obedience to shew vnto them if I knew any of my Sect I answered I knew none they asked me of my Lady Suffolke my Lady Sussex my Lady Hereford my Lady Denny and my Lady Fitzrallins I sayd if I should pronounce any thing against them I am not able to proue it they said the King was informed I could name if I would a great number of my sect I sayd the King was as well deceaued in that behalfe as dissembled with in other matters Then they commanded mee to shewe how I was maintayned in the Counter and who willed me to stick to mine opinion I sayd there was none did strengthen me therein and I was maintayned in the Counter by the meanes of my Mayde for she made mone vnto the Prentises and they by her did send mee money but who they were I know not Then they sayd diuers Gentlewomen gaue me money but I know not their names then they said many Ladies sent me money I answered there was a man in a blew cote deliuered me ten shillings and said my Lady of Hereford sent it me and another in a Uiolet cote gaue me eyght shillings and sayd my Lady Denny sent it mee but I am not sure who sent it me then they said there were of the Councell which did maintaine mee and I said no. Then they put mee vpon the Racke and kept me there a long time because I would not confesse any Gentlewomen or Ladies on my opinion and because I did not cry my Lord Chancelor and Sir Iohn Baker tooke paines to racke me with their owne hands vntill I was nie dead Then the Liefetennant caused mee to be loosed from the racke and incontinently I swounded and they recouered me againe after I sat two houres reasoning with my Lord Chancâ—llor vppon the bare floure where with flattering words hee perswaded me to leaue my opinions but God gaue mee grace to perseuere and will doe I hope then I was brought to bed with as painefull bones as euer pacient Iob then my Lord Chancellor sent me word if I would leaue mine opinions I should lacke nothing if I would not I should to Newgate and be burned I sent him word againe I would die rather then breake my faith She was borne
euill to bring England thither againe Yorke He read a Paper of Common places how many things held Saint Augustine in the Church consent of people and Nations authority confirmed with Miracles nourished with hope increased with Charity established with antiquity the succession of Priests from Peters Seat to this present Bishop lastlie the verie Name of a Catholique doth hold me in Paint me but your Church thus Brad. This maketh as much for me as for you but all this if they had béene so firme as you would make them might haue béene alledged against Christ and his â—postles for there was the Law and the Ceremonies consented on by the whole people confirmed with Miracles Antiquity and continuall succession of Bishops from Aaron Cich You make to much of the State of the Church before Chrsâ—s comming Brad. Therein I do but as Peter teacheth and Paul very often you would gladly haue your Church héere very glorious and as a most pleasant Lady but as Christ saith so may the Church say Blessed are they that are not offended at me Yorke You thinke none is of the Church but such as suffer persecution Brad. Paul saith All that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution sometime Christs Church hath rest heere but commonly it is not so especially towards the end her forme will be more vnséemly York Where is your Church that hath consent of people and Nations as S. Augustine saith Brad. Euen all people and Nations that bee Gods people haue consented with me and them in the Doctrine of Faith Yorke Saint Augustine speaketh of succession from Peters Seat Brad. That seat then was nothing so much corrupt as it is now York Well you alwaies iudge the Church Brad. No my Lord Christs shéepe discerne Christs voyce but they iudge it not so they discerne the Church but not Iudge her yet full well may wee iudge the Romish Church for she obeyeth not Christs voyce and Christs true Church doth He asked me wherein I said in Latine Seruice and robbing the Laity of Christs Cup in the Sacrament and many other things in which it committeth most horrible sacriledge Yorke Latine Seruice was appointed to be sung and had in the Quire where onely were those that vnderstood Latine The people sitting in the body of the Church praying their owne priuate prapers and this may well be yet séene by making of the Chancell and the Quire so that the people could not come in or heare them Brad. In Chrysostomes time and S. Ieromes time all the Church did answere with a loud voyce Amen Whereby we may sée that the prayers were made so that the people both heard and vnderstood them York We léese our labour you seeke to put away all things that are told you for your good your Church no man can know I said yes that you may He said I pray whereby Brad. Chrysostome saith onely by the Scriptures and this he speaketh very oftentimes as you know York That is or Chrysostome In opere imperfecto which may bee doubted of the thing which the Church may be best knowne by is succession of Bishops Brad. Lira well writeth vpon Mathew that Ecclesia non consistit in homiâ—â—bus ratione potestatis secularis aut ecclesiasticae sed in hominibus in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis And Hilarius writeth to Auxentius that the church is rather hid in Caues then eminent in chiefe seats then after they had been there thrée houres they were called away Iohn Leafe burned with Maister Bradford THis Iohn was an Apprentice with a Chandler in Christ-Church in London eighteene yeares old borne in Kirkley Mâ—â—eside in the County of Yorke hee was examined before Bonner he said that after the words of consecration in the Sacrament of the Altar ouer the Bread and Wine there was not the true and naturall body and blood of Christ in substance and as it is now vsed and beleeued in the Realm of England it is abhominable Idolatry And he beleeued that after consecration it remaineth Bread and Wine as it was before and it is receiued in the remembrance of the death and passion of Christ and so spiritually in Faith they receiue Christs body and blood And he affirmeth that Auriculer confession is not necessary to be made vnto a Priest and it is no point of soules health to beléeue that the Priest hath any authority by the Scriptures to remit sins And being asked if he had béene Maister Rogers his Scholler he graunted it so to be and he did beléeue the Doctrine of the said Rogers and the Doctrine of Byshop Hooper Cardmaker and others of their opinion which of late were burned for Christ and that he will die in that Doctrine and the Bishoppe moouing of him to vnitie of the Church He said My Lord you call mine opinion Heresie it is the true light of the Word of GOD and hee would neuer forsake his well grounded opinion whilst breath was in his bodie Whereupon he was condemned When these two came to the stake in Smithfield to be burned Maister Bradford lay prostrate on the one side of the stake and the young man on the other praying a space vntill the Sheriffes man bad Maister Bradford arise then they both rose Maister Bradford desired the Sheriffe that his man might haue his apparell which he granted him When he was vnready he said O England England repent thee of thy sinnes beware of Idolatry beware of false Antichrists that they deceiue thée not Then the Sheriffe bad tye his hands if he would not be quiet He said I am quiet God forgiue you this One of the Officers that made the Fire said If you haue no more learning then that you are but a foole and were best to hold your peace Then Maister Bradford answered no more but asked the world forgiuenesse and forgaue all the world and prayed the people to pray for him and â—id the young man be of good comfort for we shall haue a merry Supper with the Lord this night then he imbraced the Réeds and said Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternall saluation and few there be that finde it In the Booke at large thou maist sée many godly Letters of his This Maister Woodroffe Sheriffe as he would not suffer Maister Bradford to speake but bad his hands to be tyed so or worse he serued Maister Rogers and all that were burned where the other Sheriffe would weepe at their burning he would laugh at it and would restraine and beat the people who were desirous to take them by the hand In fine the foresaid Maister Woodroffe after the burning of Maister Bradford as soone as he came home was taken lame both arme and legge so that after hee could neuer stirre out of his house nor scarse mooue himselfe WILLIAM MINGE THe next day after Bradfords death William Minge Priest died in Maidstone Iayle being in bonds for Religion and had suffered martyrdome
embracinge the crosse and reioycing therein Matthew conuerted Ethiopia and Egypt Hercan the King sent one to run him through with a speare Matthias preached to the Iewes and they stoned and beheaded him Phillip preached to the barbarous Nations who crucified and stoned him at Hirapolis of Phrygia where hee and his Daughters with him were burned The Iewes required Iames to stand vppon the Battlement of the Temple and disswade the people from Christ but hee preached him there and was throwne downe headlong and stoned where hee was buried at which time the Iewes put many other to death for the testimony of Christ. The first Persecution by Nero Domitius NEro Domitius caused the first persecution hee regarded neither sect condition of life or age the streets were spread with dead bodies of Christians hee indeuored vtterly to abolish the name of Christians in this persecution Peter was crucified who required his head to be hanged downward as vnworthy to dye like Christ the cause was thought to bee because Symon Magus pretending to flye from the Mount Capitolinus to Heauen by Peters prayers was brought downe headlong and his ioynts beeing broken hee dyed at that time Peters wife suffred and the same day twelue-month Paule suffred The Second Persecution by Domitian THe Church had some rest vnder Vespatian but Domitian mooued the second persecution he killed all the Nephewes of Iuda called the Lords brothers and slew all hee could find of the stocke of Dauid as Vespatian did before him least any of that stocke should inioy the kingdome in his time Symon Bishop of Ierusalem after other torments was crucified and Iustus succéeded in his Bishopricke Hee banished Iohn to Pathmos and vnder Pertinax hee was released and came to Ephesus and continued there vnto the time of Trayanus Gouerned the Church of Asia and wrote his gospell there Flauia Daughter to Flauius Clemens a Consull of Rome suffred for Christs name and with many other was banished out of Rome to Pontia Some of the stocke of Dauid were brought to Domitian to bee slaine who séeing they were poore and vnderstanding by them that Christs Kingdome should bee heauenly and not worldly he let them go and stayed persecutions they after gouerned Churches and liued in peace vnto the time of Traianus in the time of which persecution no kind of torment was omitted that might empaire the credit of the Christians they would not suffer their bodies to bee buried and yet the Church dayly increased Euaristas Bishop of Rome next to Clement succéeded in the third yéere of Traianus and suffred nine yéeres after Alexander succéeded him and conuerted many of the Senators of Rome to the faith he raysed the son of Hermes from death to life and made his mayd being blind to sée which Adrianus the Emperour hearing of him sent word to the Gouernor of Rome to apprehend him and his two Deacons Euentus aâ—d Theodorus and the said Hermes and Quirinus a Tribune whose daughter Albina hee cured which Cure moued him to bee baptized and suffer for the faith of Christ and Aurelianus tooke Alexander with Hermes his wife Children and whole houshold 1250. put them in prison and burned them all in a furnace and martired the said Theodorus for rebuking him thereof and Quirinus had his tongue cut out then his hands and â—eete cut off after was beheaded and east to the Dogges The third Persecution THere was but one yeare betweene the second and the third persecution by the Emperour Traianus which was so grieuous that Plinius Secundus an Infidell wrote to the Emperour that so many thousands were put to death without cause sauing that they gathered themselues together before day to sing Hymmes to a God which they called Christ he reasoned why that sin should be punished more then all other sins and that he had put two Christian maides vpon the racke to proue if they could haue extorted confession of further crime but could not wherevpon the persecutions were greatly alayed Symeon sonne of Cleophas Bishop of Ierusalem was accused by the Iewes to be a Christian and of the stocke of Dauid wherefore Attalus commanded him to be scourged many dayes together beeing an hundred and twenty yeares old his constancy was greatly admired he was crucified Because Phocas Bishop of Pontus refused to sacrifice to Neptune Traianus cast him into a hotâ—e furnace and after into a scalding â—ath Sulpitius and Seruilia with there wiues whom Salma conuerted to the faith were also then martired Salma was beheaded and Lepidus in the Mount Auentine with whom suffred Seraphia a Uirgen of Antioch in this time Nereus and Achilleus suffred at Rome and one Sagaris who was martired in Asia In this time Ignatius suffred hee was sent from Siria to Rome comming to Asia hee confirmed the Churches and comming to Smirna where Policarpus was he wrote diuers Epistles to Ephesus to Magnesia and to Trallâ—â— hee was aiudged to be deuoured of Beasts and hearing the Lions roare I am the wheate of Christ said he and shall be ground with the teeth of wild beasts that I may be pure bread at this time many thousands died for the faith amongst them one Publius Bishop of Athens Hadrian the Emperour succéeded Traianus who slew Zenon a Noble man of Rome and 10023 for Christ. Borgomensis Lib 8. makes mention of ten thousand in Hadrians dayes to bee crucified in Mount Ararat crowned with thornes their sides pearced with Darts after the example of the Lords passion Eustachius a Captaine who was sent against the Barbarians and subdued them Hadrian met him honourably and doing sacrifice to Apollo for the victory willed Eustachius to doe so also which hee refusing hee was brought to Rome and with his wife and children suffred marterdome Faustinâ— us and Iobita Cittizens of Brixia suffred marterdome with grieuous torments Caelocerius seeing their great paâ—ience cryed out vere magnus deus Christianorum wherevpon he was apprehended and suffred with them Anthia a godly woman committed Eleutherius her sonne vnto Anicetus Bishop of Rome who after was Bishop of Apulia she with her sonn was beheaded and Iustus and Pastor two brethren suffred vnder Adrian at Complutum in Spaine About the same time Simpronissa the wife of Gerulus the Marter suffred with her seauen children beeing first often scourged then hanged by the haire of the head then a stone fastned about her necke she was cast into the Riuer after her children were martired wâ—th diuers punishments they were tied to seauen staâ—es so racked with a pully thrusting thorough one in the necke another in the brest another in the heart another about the nauell another cut in euery ioynt another runne thorough with a speare the last cut a sunder in the middle then were they cast into a déepe pit which the Idolatrous Priests intituled Ad septem Biathanatos Getulius also a preacher at Tiber with Cerdelis Amantius and Prinitiuus were condemned to the fire at Hadrians commandment Sophia with her
two children Serapia and Salma were likewise martired Hadriana at Eleusina in Athens sacrifising to the gentiles Gods gaue all men liberty to kill the Christians wherevpon Quadracus Bishop of Athens and Aâ—stydes â— Philosopher Serenus Granus a great Noble man wâ—ote Apologies for the Christians so lâ—arnedly laâ—ing out their innocency that the Emperour wrot to the Proconsull of Asia henceforth to exercise no more cruelty vpon the Christians thus for a time they had some quiet Antonius Pius succeeded Hadrian the rage of the Heathen ceased not to persecute the Chrâ—stians but the Emperours affection toward them appeared by an Edict of his to the Commons of Asia to â—ay the rage against the Christians exâ—eâ—t they offended the laow of the Empire willing them to consider their patience in torments and bouldnesse in Earthquakes and Tempests when others quaked This Edict was proclamed at Ephesus in the publicke assembly of all Asia which applased the tempest of perâ—ecution in his dayes The fourth Persecution AFter him succéeded M Antonius Verus many Christians in his time suffred diuers torments at Smirna some were whipped that their â—eines appeared and their bowels were seene and after they were set vpon sharpe shelles taken out of the Sea and nayles and thornes set for them to goe vppon and then throwne to beasâ—s to be deuoured amongst whom Germanicus suffred so constantly that they admirâ—d him Policarpus a Disciple to the Apostles 86. yeares a preacher 70. yeares placed by St. Iohn in Smirna these persecutions beeing begunne hee hid himselfe with a few of his company and continued night and day in supplication for the peace of the congregation .3 dayes before his apprehension he dreamed his bed was suddenly consumed with fire vnder him which hee interpreted that hee should suffer martirdome by fire and beeing found by the pursuers hee intertained them cheerfully made them diâ—e and desired an houres respit to pray which he did in such sort that they which heard him were astonied then they brought him to the Citty vppon an Asse where Irenarcus Herodes and his father Nicetes met him caused him to come into their Chariot and perswaded him to doe sacrifice but when hee would not they gaue him rough words and thrust him downe the Chariot that he might breake hiâ— legs but he went merrily to the place appoynted where there came a voyce from Heauen to comfort him the Proconsull disswaded him from the faith and willed him to say with them destroy these naughty men who with constant countenance beheld the whole multitude looking vp to heauen said thou thâ—â— it is that will destroy these wicked men then the Proconsuâ—l was â—arneâ—â— with him and said take thine Oth and defie Christ I will discharge thee who answered these foure score and sixe yeares I haue béene his seruant and hee hath not hurt me how then may I speake euill of my Lord and King which hath thus preserued me and when they could not preuaile by perswasions nor threatnings he was commanded to be cast to the Lion but because the Lion had his prey already the people with one voyce required that he might be burned and when they would haue nayled him to the stake with iron hoopes he said hee that hath giuen me strength to abâ—de the fire shall also giue me power that I shall not stirre in this fire which when they onely bound him hee praysed God and testified his faith the fire seemed to the beholders to compasse the body like a vayle which seemed like gold and siluer and yéelded a plesant smell the fire not consuming his body one thrust him in with a sword whereby so much blood issued out of his body that it quenched the fire after the body was taken and burned At that time suffred twelue that came from Philadelphia with diuers other as Metrodorus a Minister and Pionius a worthy man who after grieuous torments were burned and Carpus Papylus and Agothonica a woman were put to death at Pergamopolis in Asia Felicitas with her seauen Children suffred at Roome the first was whipped and prest to death the second and third had their braines broken out the fourth was cast downe head-longe and had his necke broken the other thré were beheaded and left the mother slaine with the sword At this time Iustinus the learned Piilosopher suffred who wrote appologies to the Senate of Rome the Emperour and Liefetenant of the Citty for the Christians hee preuayled so much with Antonius Pius that he stayed the persecution in Asia he vanquished Crescens a Philosopher in reueng whereof hee procured his death Under this Tyrant also suffered Ptolomeus and Lucius for confessing Christ in Alexandriaâ—in Egyptâ— a vicious infidell whose wife was vicious but conuerted by Ptolameus and departed from her vicious husband wherefore in reuenge hee suborned a Centurion to accuse him who beeing brought before Vrbanus hee condemned him to death and Lucius a Christian blaming the Iudge therefore was with him also martired also Concordus a Minister of Spoletum because hee would not sacrifice to Iupiter but spate in his face after sundry torments hee was beheaded Diuers other martires suffred vnder this tyrant as Symetricus Florellus Pontianus Alexander Caius Epipodus Victor Corona Marcellus and Valerian who were killed because they would not sacrifice to Idols Under this Tyrant suffred diuers Martirs at Uienna and Lions in France amongst whom Vetius Zacharias Sanctus Maturus Attallus Blandina Alexander and Alcibiades are chiefly renowned Vetius Epagathus for reprouing the cruell sentence of the Iudge against the Christians and making an apology for them was martired hee was called the aduocate of the Christians At that time Photinus Deacon to the Bishop of Lyons about 90. yeares old was first beaten then cast into prison where hee dyed within two dayes Blandina was fastened to a stake and cast to beasts to bée deuoured but none would touch her so they put her in Prison vntill another time Attalus was brought forth with one Alexander a Phrigian Phisition who because hee encouraged the Christians before the Iudge died most patiently broyled in an iron chaire After Blandina and one Ponticus but fifteene yeares ould was brought forth the child dyed with extremity of torments Blandina after whipping gridirons and beasts was cast into a nette and throwne vnto a wild Bull and so gored to death they would not suffer the dead bodies to bee buried the causes why these Persecutions were so sharpe was because the Ethnicks being seruants to the Christians by threatning for feare said the Christians kept the feast of Thiestes and incest of OEdipus with other haiuous crimes Meleto Bishop of Sardis and Claudius Apolinaris Bishop of Hierapolis exhibited Apologies vnto these Emperours for the Christians so did Athenagoras a Philosopher and Legate of the Christians whereby the persecution for the same time was stayed others thinke that if was by a miracle in the Emperours Campe for when the soldiers wanted water fiue dayes and
themselues to be Christians whereat the Iudges and their Assistants were greatly amased and the Christians imboldened and they departed glad for the testimony they had giuen Ischrion often moued of his Master to doe Sacrifice and refusing he runne him through with a speare In this time many wandred in wildernesse suffered hunger colde danger of wilde beasts Clerimon Bishop of Nilus an olde man with his wife flying to the mountaine of Arabia could neuer be found againe Dionisius Alexandrinus suffered much aâ—flâ—ction and had strange deliuerances First the messenger was struckâ—n blinde could not finde his house after which three daies God had him flye after comming to Ierusalem he was taken the Keeper was from home when he was brought to Prison and the Keeper returning home and finding diuerse runne away he ranne away himselfe and tolde the matter to one he met going to a Mariage who tolde it to them at the wedding who in the night rushed towards the priâ—oners with great shouting they that kept the prisoners were afraid and left them then the company willed them to depart and they tâ—â—ke Dionisius set him vpon an Asse and conueyed him away In this time suffered one Christopherus a Cananite 12. cubits high also Meneates a Florentine and Agatha a holy virgine in Sicily who suffered imprisonment was beâ—ten racked famished rayled on tormented with sharpe shels and 〈◊〉 coâ—es and her breasts were cut from her body Amongst others also suffered 40. virgines by diuerse kâ—nds of deathes Triphon a very holy and constant man of Nice after much torments suffered death by the sword Decius erected a Temple at Ephesus and compelled all the citie to dee Sacrifice 7. of his Souldiers refused and they hiâ— themselues in Mount Celius in caues the Emperour caused them to be rammed vp with stones and so they wâ—re Martired Hieronimus writeth of a godly Souldier which could not be brought from his Faith was brought into a pleasant Garden laid vpon a soft bed and an Harlot sent to allure him she offering to kisse him he bit off her tongue and â—pit it in her face Theodora a virgine was commanded to the Stewes a young man a Christian caused her to change garments with him and conuey herselfe away and offering himselfe to their violence being found a man he confessed himselfe a Christian and was condemned to suffer Theodora offered herselfe to the Iudge and desired that the other might be discharged he commanded them both to be beheaded and cast into the fire Agathon was condemned to lose his head for rebuking them that derived the dead bodies of Christians One Paulus and one Andreas were scourged drawne through the citie and aftrer troden to death vnder the féete of people also Iustinus a Priest of Rome and Nicostratus a Deacon and Portius a Priest of Rome which is reported to haue conuerted the Emperour Phillip were all Martyred Secundarius as he was led to the Iaile Verianus Marcellinus asked whether they led the innocent whereupon they were taken and after torments and beatings with waisters were hanged with fire put to their sides but the Tormentors some fell sodainly dead others were possessed with euill Spirits Beza registers these to suffer in this Tyrants time Hipolitus Concordia Hierenius Abundus Victoria a virgin being Nobles or Antioch Belias Bishop of Apollinia Leacus Tyrsus and Galmetus Nazaâ—zo Triphon Phillas Bishop of Philocomus Philocronius Bishop of Babilon Thesiphon Bishop of Pamphilia Nestor Bishop of Corduba Parmeuius Priest Circensis Marianus and Iacobus Nemesianus Felix Rogatianus Priest Felicissimus Iouinius Basilius Ruffina and Secunda virgins Tertullianus Valerianus Nemesius Sempronianus Olimpiadus Teragone Zeno Bishop of Cesaria Marinus Archinius Priuatus Bishop Theodorus Bishop of Pontus Pergentius and Laurencius children suffered Persecution in Tuscia Many reuolted as Serapion Nichomachus in the middest of his torments Euaristus Bishop of Africa Nicoftratus a Deacon diuerse of them were punished by Gods hand some with euill spirits some with strange diseases At this time rose the heresie of Nouatus he disturbed Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and Cornelius Bishop of Rome he was assisted with Maximus Vrbanus Sidonius and Celerius but they forsooke him after he allured three simple Bishops in â—taly to lay their hands on him to make him Bishop of Rome with Coruelius whom by all meanes he sought to defeate and made the people that came to receiue the Eucharist sweaâ—e they would stand with him Two young men Aurelius which was twise tormented and Mapalicus in the middest of his torments told the Proconsull to morrow you shall see the running for a wager meaning his Maâ—tyrdome Decius the Emperour raigned but two yeares and with his sonne was slaine of the Barbarians presently God sent a pleâ—ue 10 yeares together which made diuerse pâ—aces desolate especially where the Persecution most raigned the Christians comforted and ministred vnto their sicke brethren the Infidels forsooke their neighbours and friends and left them destitute of succour vpon this Plague Ciprian wrote his Booke De mortalitate Vibias Gallus and Volusian his sonne by treason succeeded Decius Gallus at the first was quiet anone after published Edicts against Christians Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was banished others were condemned to the Mines as Nemisianus Fex Lucius with their Bishops Priests and Deacons to whom and to Seagrius and Rogatianus Cyprian wrote consolatory Epistles Lucius Bishop of Rome was banished whom Cornelius succeeded but a while after hee returned againe to his Church and Stephanus succéeded him and sate 7. yeares 5. monethe and died a Martyre betwixt him end Cyprian fell a contention about rebaptizing of Hereticks Emilianus slew the former Emperours and succéeded himselfe after 3. moneths he was slaine and Valerius and Galienus his sonne succeeded him Valerius 3. or 4. yeares was so cutâ—eous to Christians as no Emperour before him that his Court was full of Christians but he was seduced by an Egyptian Magitian finding himselfe hindred by them from the practising of his charmes hée brought the Emperour to Idols he Sacrificed Infants and reised the eight Persecution ¶ The eight Persecution CIprian was an African borne in Carthage an Idolater and giuen to Magicke he was conuerted to the Faith by Ceciâ—a Priest by hearing the Prophet Ionas as sOOne as he was conuerted he gaue his goods to the poore not long after he was Priest he was bishop of Carthage he had the gouernment of the whole East Church and Church of Spaine he was called the Bishop of Christian men he loued to read Tertullian and called him his Master In the time of Decius and Gallus he was banished in the time of Valerianus he returned againe but after he was found in a Carden and his head stricken off At this time Zistus Bishop of Rome with sixe of his Deacons more beheaded one Laurence a Deacon seeing the bishop goe to execution cryed to him Deare Father whether goest thou without thy deare sonne He answered within three daies thou shalt suffer in
in knowne this Bishop not elected of God but intruded himselfe by fâ—aud and money subueâ—ted Ecclesiasticall order disturbed the gouernment of the Empire â—â—nacing death of bodie and soule vnto our peaceable king set vp a perâ—ured king making discorâ—s amongst friends and brethren Diuorcements amongst the maried for he tooke away the marriage of Priests as Henricus Mutius witnesseth therfore we heere in the name of God congregated doe procéede in Canonicall Iudgement against Hildebrand a man most wicked preaching Sacriledge and burning maintaining periurie and murders calling in question the Catholike Faith of the body and bloâ—d of Christ following of Diuinations and dreames a manifest Nigromancer a Sorcerer infected with a Pithâ—nical spirit We adiudge him to be deposed and expelled and vnlesse he depart vpon the hearing hereof to be peâ—pstually condemâ—â—d This beâ—ing sent to Rome they elected Guibertus Archbishop of Rauenna which was deposed by Hildebrand as aforesaid in his place and named him Clement the 3. And because Hildebrand would not giue ouer his hold the Emperour with an Army came to Rome to depose him and Hildebrand sending to the Countesse Mathilda before mentioned required her in remission of all her sinnes to withstand the Emperour and so she did but the Emperour besieged the Citie all the Lent and after Easter got it and comming into the Temple of Saint Peter placed Clement in his Papacie Hildebrand â—â—ed into Adâ—ans Tower where being besieged he sent for Robert Guischardus a Normaine who with his Army when the Emperour was gone burst in at one of the gates of the Câ—â—y spoyled it and deliuered Hildebrand and caried him to Campania where not long after he dyed in exile In the meane time whilst the Emperour was at Rome the Abbot of Cluniake and the people of Rome exhorted Hildebrand to Crowne Henry Emperour at Lateran and they would â—ause the Empâ—rour to depart with his Armâ— to whom he answered he would so the Emperour would submit himselfe aske pardon amend and promise obedience The Emperour not agréeing to the conditions departed and tooke the new Pope with him The Emperour was wont to pray in the Temple of Saint Mary Hildebrand knowing by spies the place where he was wont to pray hired one to cary vp stones to the roofe of the Church to let them fall vpon his head when he was at prayers the hireling â—aying his stones in order fell downe and was slaine The Romaines vnderstanding the truth drew him thrée dayes by the legs through the streets for example but the Emperour of his méekenesse commaunded him to bâ— buried Hildebrand being a dying bewailed his faults and sent a Cardinall to the Emperour to desire him forgiuenesse and to pardon the Emperour and all his parâ—akers quicke and dead of the danger of excommunication From this Pope sprang all mischéefe pride pompe and tyranny which since raigned in his successors hence was the subiection of Temporall Regiment to the Spirituall and the suppression of Priests mariages héere came in the authoritie of both Swords to the Spiritualty so that the Magistrates could doe nothing in giuing of Bishoprickes benefices in calling of Counceis in correcting the excesses of the Clergie but the Pope must doe all Nor no Bishop nor Passor in his owne Parish could excommunicate or vse any 〈◊〉 discipline against his flocke but it was onely the Popes Prerogatiue In him was the first example of persecuting Empeâ—ours and kings with rebellion and excommunication then Victor the third was made Pope who likewise shewed himselfe staut against the Emperours but God gaue the shrewde cowe short hornes some say hee was poysoned in his Chalice and raigned but one yeare and a halfe Notwithstanding the Popes followed still the steps of Hildebrand as the Kings of Israell Ieroboam in the time of this Victor began the Order of Monkes of the Charterhouse Next him Vâ—banus the 2. was Pope which confirmed the Acts of Hildebrand and gaue new Decrees against Henry the Emperour and against Clement the Pope hee held two Councels one at Placâ—â—tia the other called Synodus Claromontana wherein he caused all Christian Princes â—o warre against the Saâ—â—cens for recouering Ierusalem whereupon 30000. were appointed for the same businesse by the said Vrbanus The King of Galacia with the whole Diâ—ces of Saint Iames was excommunicated for the prisoning of a certaine Bishop About this time the King of England fauoured not much the Sea of Rome for their pride and exactions and would not suffer his subiects to giue to Rome saying The followed not Petâ—rs steps that hâ—nted for rewards nor had Peters power which had not his holinesse The order of Cisteriâ—ns was first estâ—blished in Burgundia by the same Vrbanus the seauen Canonical houres were first instituted in the Church By him the order of the Cartusâ—an Mâ—nkes was confirmed Hee Decreed no Bishop to be made but vnder the name of some place he Decreed that Maâ—â—ens and houres of the â—ay should euery day be said and that the Masse of our Lady should bee said euery Saturday and the Clergy that had wiues should be depriued of their Order and that it was lawfull for subiects to breake the Oath of Alegiance with such Princes as were excommunicated and that it was not lawfull for a man and his wife both together to Christen a childe with many moe matters After him followed Pascalis the 2. he putting on a purple Uesture and a tyre on his head was brought vpon a white Palfrey into Lateran where a Scepter was giuen him and a girdle about him which hauing seauen Keyes with seauen Seales to token the seauen powers by the seauen graces of the holy Ghost of binding loosing shutting openning sealing resigning and Iudging which the Emperour Henry the 4. hearing of thought to come to Italy to salute the new Pope but vnderstanding the Popes minde against him changed his purpose This Pascalis dâ—posed all such Abboâ—s and Bishops as the Emperour had set vp and banished many that striued at that time for the Papacie and made an Armie against Clement whom the Emperour made Pope as aforesaid and being put to flight not long after dâ—â—d About the same time the Bishop of Fluence began to teach and Preach of Antichrist then to bée borne as Sabeliâ—us 〈◊〉 Pascalis put to silence the said Bishoppe and condemned his Boâ—kes by a Councell which hée assembled at Treâ—as Maried Priests in this Councell were condemned for Nicholaitans All Lay-men that gaue Spirituall Dignities were condemned of Symony The Statuâ—e of Priests Tythes was renewed counting the selling thereof sinne against the holy Ghost Hée renewed the excommunication of Hildebrand against Henry the Emperour caused cerâ—aine Bishoppes to depriue him of his Crowne and to place his sonnâ— Henry the 5. in his Fathers roome these Bishops required of the Emperour his Diademe Pâ—â—ple â—ing and other ornaments of his Crowne when the Emperour would know the reason they aleadged the Popes pleasure and for selling
was aliue and his friends were weary of his stinke yea he might not abide his owne stinke then he said it is rightfull to be subiect to the Lord for mortall man not to hold himselfe equall with God the Story saith hee asked mercy of God and could none haue and vowed to doe more good to the Temple and Iewes then he had done harme and to become a Iew anâ— goe ouer all the land preaching Gods Law yet because it camâ— not out of true repentance springing of Faith but of his odious paine hee obtained not fauour by this men should see what it is to be disobedient to God also sicknes sheweth that the patient is mortall and that hee must die though hee may now scape The second Somner is age hee will not leaue thee vntill hee haue brought thee to death yet many though they see all their members decayed with age take no heed but if he see a little mirth forgetteth the Somner hath him by the sleeue and what a reckoning he must make which if he answere not well he forfeiteth body and soule to damnation a Doctor saith this is the greatest abuse of the world the reason is because these three idle youth vnhonest speech and wicked déed which if they grow with a man from his childhood to his old age they make a three-fold cord to binde the old man in custome of sinne wherefore Esay saith breake the cordes of sinne The third Somner is death his condition is come hee first or last spareth neither poore nor rich Saint Augustine saith wee ought feare death for in what estate it findeth one it bringeth him to Iudgement therefore the Wise man saith to his Sonne thinke on the last day and thou shalt neuer sinne We shall likewise be called with three messengers vnto the last Iudgement the first the sicknes of the world the second his age and feeblenes the third his end as decay of Naturall heate and increase of vnnaturall heate is the sicknes of the body so decay of the loue of God and our neighbour and increase of vnnaturall lusts is the sicknes of the world Christ saith this is a signe of the end of the world that wickednes shall wax plenteous and charitie wax cold know well saith Saint Paul in the last daies shall be perilous times men louers of themselues couetous proud vnobedient to parents without affection c. when thou seest suchmen know the first Somner warneth the world that the day of reckoning draweth neere The second Somner the age of the world the day of the end of the world was hid from the Apostles and from Christs manhood as to shew it vs yet by authorities of Scriptures we may show that that day of wrath draweth neere least any say as that foule belly seruer I will say to my soule eate drinke and be merry thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares If Paul said 1300. yeares past we be those to whom the ends of the world is come much more we may say the same and Chrisostome saith when thou seest the Sunne so low that the vallies be darke thou knowest night is néere much more when it is so low that the hils be darke so if thou seest darknes of sinne haue mastery of seculer men it is a token the end of the world is nigh but when thou seest the darknes of sinne hath gotten the vpper hand of Priests that should be as hilles amongst the communaltie in perfect liuing who doubteth but that the world is at an end and Abbas Ioakim saith from the yeare 1200. all times be to be suspected and Ildiger in her prophesies saith as the seuenth day the world was full made and God rested from his worke so in seuen thousand yeares the number of them that shall be saued shall be fulfilled and then shall the Saints wholly rest in body and soule and now it is from the Creation six thousand and six hundred yeares The Disciples asked Christ three questions the first of the destruction of Ierusalem the second of his comming to Iudgement the third of the end of the world To the first he said when the Romans besiege the Citie soone after it shall bee destroyed to the second and the third he gaue many tokens as that there should bee warres pestilence and earthquakes lastly when wee shall see the abomination of holinesse standing in the sanctuarie then who so readeth let him vnderstand this abomination as Doctors say shall bee in the great Antichrists dayes 1240. dayes and a Doctor saith that a day must be taken for a yeere by authoritie of Scriptures and by reason and it is thought to this Clarke that Antichrist shall more appeare in the yeare of Christ 1400. then any time before and there lacketh but twelue yéeres of the fulfilling thereof In the opening of the seuen seales is declared the state of the Church from Christ to the end of the world the foure first seales from Christ to Antichrist the first Seale the state of the Church in Christs and his Apostles time the voice of the Lyon is Christs voice the white horse his Disciples the whitenesse sheweth their righteousnes by their bow their true preaching pricking repentance into mens hearts they went to Iewry ouercomming them to leaue the trust they had in the old Law and to trust onely in Christ they went out winning the Payenims from Idolatry to Christ The Calfe in the second Seale which is a Beast was vsed to be sacrificed betokeneth the state of the Church in the time of Martyrs and that is tokened by the Red Horse this began at cursed Nero and indured vnto Constantine the great that indowed the Church in this time many shed their bloâ—d for the testimonie of Gods word and of two and twenty Bishops vntill Siluester the first I read but of foure but they were Martyrs and in the time of Dioclesian the Emperour the persecution was so great that in thirty daies were slaine 22000. in diuers countreys for the Gospell The opening of the third Seale telleth the state of the Church in the time of Heretickes by the Black-horse is figured false vnderstanding of the Scripture then cried the third Beast which is a man for it was needfull to preach Christs Incarnation and Passion against Heretickes that tooke those points amisse The fourth Seale tâ—lleth the state of the Church in the time of hypocrites that by outward signes of repentance onely blind the people the pale colour of the Horse signifieth their hypocrisie the rider was death to signifie they slay ghostly that teach any other way but Christ and Hell followeth them for Hell receiueth those that deceiue men in that time it was needfull that the fourth beast the Eagle which flyeth highest of all Birds to make his cry to raise vp the Gospel least mens traditions ouergrow it by the information of these hypocrites The fift Seale sheweth the state of them that shall follow and the desire
proposition is mine and confirmed by the saying of Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn 2 Saint Paul was neuer a member of the Diuell though he did many things like the malignant Church nor Saint Peter though he horribly sinned in periury and denying his Master Answere It was by Gods permission that they might more stedfastly rise againe and be confirmed I answere according to S. Augustine that it is expedient that the Elect should offend there be two separations from the Church the Elect are diuided from the Church but not to perdition the second is to perdition by the which certaine Heretieks are through there deadly sinne diuided from the Church 3 No member of the Church doth at any time fall away from the body because the Charitie of Predestination which is the bond of the same doth neuer fall Answere this is proued by 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 8. All things turne to good to them that loue God Also I am certaine that neither death nor life can seperate vs from the loue of God c. 4 The Prâ—destinate although he be not in the state of Grace according to present Iustice yet he is alwaies a member of the Church Answere I declared in my booke that there be diuers manners of being in the Church there be some in the Church according to a mishapen Faith and some according to Predestination which are now in sinne but shall returne to grace 5 No degree of dignitie nor election of man nor any sensible signe can make a man a member of the Church Answere I say Predestination maketh vs members of the Church and prepareth for vs grace heere and glory in the world to come and not degree of dignitie nor the election of a man nor sensible signe for Iudas though Christ elected him an Apostle and gaue him Temporall Graces and that he was so reputed of men yet was he a Woolfe in a sheeps-skin as Saint Augustine saith 6 A Reprobate man is neuer no member of the Church Answere It is in my Booke with sufficient long probation of the Psalme 26. and the 5. Ephes. and by Saint Bernards saying the Church of Christ is more plainely his body then the body that was crucified the Church is the flower of the Lord in which is corne and chaffe the Elect and Reprobate 7 Iudas was no true Disciple of Christ Answere This I confesse S. Augustine in his Booke of penance where he expounds 1. Iohn 2. They came out from vs but were not of vs Christ knew from the beginning who should beleeue and him that should betray him and said none commeth to mee except it be giuen him of my Father from that time many departed from him though they were called by the Gospell they were no true Disciples because they did not continue in the word of Christ as it is said if you remaine in my word you bee my Disciples it is euident that Iudas could not be the Disciple of Christ by meanes of his couetousnes For Christ saith except a man forsake that hee hath he cannot be my Disciple therefore because Iudas was a Theefe Iohn 12. and a Diuell Iohn 6. It is euident that Iudas was no true but a fained Disciple Saint Augustine vpon Saint Iohn that Christs sheepe heare his voice saith what manner of hearers were his sheepe Iudas heard him but was a Woolfe yet he followed the shepheard but being clothed in a sheep-skin he laid waite for the shepheard 8 The predestinate whether they bee in the state of grace or no according to there present Iustice is the same Church which hath neither wrinkle nor spot but is holy and vndefiled which Christ calleth his owne Answer In the fift to the Ephesians Christ so loued his Church that he offered himselfe for it I pray you then is there any faithfull man that doubteth that the Church doth not signifie all the Elect the glorious spouse of Christ holy and without spot This is an Article of faith which we ought firmely to beleeue 9 Peter neuer was nor is the vniuersall head of the Church Answere All men agree that Peter receiued of Christ which is the Rock of the Church humility stedfastnesse and blessednes When Christ said vpon this Rock I will build my church he did not meane that he would build euery Militant Church vpon Peter but vpon Christ which is the Rock from whom Peter receiued his Faith for he is the head and foundation of euery Church and not Peter 10 If he that is called the Uicar of Christ follow Christ in his life then he is his true Uicar otherwise he is the messenger of Antichrist the enemy of Peter and Christ and the Uicar of Iudas Answere For this cause Saint Bernard in his fourth Booke did write vnto Pope Eâ—genius thou delightest to walke in great pride being gorgeously arrayed what fruit doth the flooke receiue by thee If I durst say it these be rather the pastures of the Diuels then of sheepe Saint Peter and Saint Paul did not so thou séemest to succéede Constantine and not Peter It followeth in my Booke if thy life be contrary to Peters or giuen to auarice then he is the Uicar of Iudas which loued the reward of iniquity and sold the Lord As soone as they reade the same the Rulers of the Councell looked one vpon another and making mockes and moes nodded their heads at him 11 Priests that vse Symony and liue desolutely haue an vntrue opinion of seuen Sacraments as Bastards and not Children not knowing the Oâ—â—ice of the Keyes of Censures neither of the rights of Cerimonies and seruice of the Church nor of worship of Relikes nor of Orders of the Church nor of indulgences and pardons Answere It is in this manner in my Booke the authoritie is abused by such as sell Orders and get riches by Symony making markets of holy Sacraments liuing voluptuously desolutely a filthy villanous kind of life They pollute the Ecclesiasticall estate and though they professe they know God they deny him indéede and beléeue not in him but as vnbeléeuing Bastards hold a contrary opinion as aforesaid to whom Malachy in his first Chapter saith Vnto you Priests be it spoken which despise my name 12 The papall dignity hath his originall from the Emperors of Rome Answer This is proued by the 96. distinction for Constantine granted this priuiledge to the Byshop of Rome and others after confirmed the same that as Augustus is counted the most high King aboue all others so the Bishop of Rome shall be called the principall Father aboue other Bishops then a Cardinall said in Constantines time there was a generall councell at Nice in which the highest place in the Church was giuen to the Byshop of Rome why did you not then say it tooke his dignity rather from the Councell 13 No Man with reason without reuelation can affirme that hee or any other is head of any particular Church Answere I confesse it but it followeth that he ought to hope
all the Chronicles â—elleth and if all men consider this well Christ was meeke and mercifull the Pope is proude and a tyrant Christ was poore and forgaue the Pope rich and a malitious man-slayer Rome is the neast of Antichrist and out of that neast proceedeth all the disciples of whom Prelats Priests and Monks are the bodie and these pillâ— Friers are the taile which couereth his most filthie part Then a Prior sayed alackâ—â—r that is vncharitably spoken He answered it is not only my saying but the Propet Esayes Hee that preacheth lies is the tayle As your Friers and Monks be like Pharises deuided in outward apparell and visages so yee make deuision amongst the people Thus you with such others are the naturall members of Antichrist Then hee said vnto them all Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrits you shut the Kingdome of heauen from others and enter not your selues nor suffer any other to enter you stoppe vp the wayes with your traditions therefore are you the houshold of Antichrist You will not let Gods veritie to haue passage fearing to haue your wickednesse reproued by such vaine flatterers as vphold your mischiefes you suffer the common people most miserably to bee seduced Archb. By our Lady sir there shall none such preach in my Diocesse as make diuision amongst the poore Commons Cobh. Both Christ and his Apostles were accused of sedition making yet were they most peaceable men Both Daniel and Christ prophesie that such a troublous time shall come as hath not beene been before this is partly fulfilled in your dayes and doings for many haue you slaine and more will you slay if God fulfill not his promise if hee shorten not your dayes scarcely should any flesh bee saued Moreouer though Priests and Deacons for peaching Gods word and ministring the Sacraments with prouision for the poore bee grounded in Gods law yet your other Sects haue no ground thereof Then a Doctor of the law plucked out of his bosome a Writing wherein was foure Articles and examined him â—herâ—on the first was touching the Sacrament of the Altar which he answered as before the second whether a man is bound to conâ—esse himselfe to a Priest hee answered a diseased or wounded man had neede haue a true and wise Chirurgion knowing the ground and danger of the same therefore it is most necessarie to be first shréeuen to God which only knoweth our diseases and can helpe vs. The lawes of God are to be required of a Priest which is godly learned but if he be an idiot or vicious that is my Curate I ought rather to flie from him then seeke him for I might sooner get ill then good of him The third was touching the authoritie of the Pope hee answered he that most followed Peter is next him in succession but your Lordly order esteemeth little the lowly behauiour of Peter nor the humble manners of them that succeeded him vntill Siluester which for the most part were Martyrs you let their good conditions goe and hurt not your selfe therewith â—ll knowe it and yet you boast of Peter Then said one of the Doctors then what say you of the Pope Hee answered he and you together make an Antichrist he is the great head you Bishops Priests Prelats and Monks are the bodie and the begging Friers the tayle for they couer the filthinesse of you both with their subtile sophistrie Neuer will I obey vntill I seâ— you with Peter follow Christ in conuersation The fourth was touching Pilgrimage to Images hee answered I owe them no seruice by the commaundement of GOD therefore I will not seeke them for your couetousnesse You were best sweepe them faire from Cobwebs and Dust or lay them vp safe for catching hurt or burie them in the ground as you doe other aged people which are GODS Images It is a wonder that Saints beeing dead should bee so couetous néedie and beggers which in their life time hated couetousnesse and begging I would all the world knew it With your shroeues and Idols your fained Absolutions and Pardons you draw vnto you the wealth and chiefe pleasures of all Christian Realmes Then a Frier said Will you not worshippe the Crosse as Saint Paule saith God forbid I should reioyce in anie thing but in the Crosse of Christ. Then did hee spread his aâ—â—es abroad and said This is a very Crosse and much better then your wodden Crosse beeing it was created of GOD himselfe yet will not I seeke to haue it worshipped Then said the Bishoppe of London yet wot you not how hee died vpon a materiall Crosse Hee answered yea and I wot also that our saluation came not vnto vs by the materiall Crosse but alone and onely by him which dyed thereupon and well wote Iâ— that Saint Paul reioyced in none other crosse but in Christs passion and death onely and in his owne suffering like persecution with him for his veritie Then another said Will you then doe no honour vnto the holy Crosse Yes it he were mine I would lay him by least he tooke harme and were robbed of his goods as he is now adayes Bishop Sir Iohn you haue spoken many wonderfull words to thâ— slaunderous rebuke of the whole Spiritualty giuing a great ill example to the common sort heere to haue vs in the more disdaine and 〈◊〉 spent muâ—â— time in vaine as farre as I can sée well wée must be now at this short point with you you must either submit your selfe to the ordinance of holy Church or else throw your selfe into most déepe daunger sée to it in time aâ—one â—lse it will be too late Cobham I know not to what purpose I shall submit my selfe much more haue you offended me then I euer offended you in thus troubling mee before this company And because hee would not submit himselfe the Archbishop read â—he definitiue sentence Cobh. Though you Iudge my body which is but a wretched thing yet I am sure you can doe nâ— harme to my Soule no more than Sathan could doe to the Soule of Iob. And touching my articles before rehearseâ— I wil stand to them vnto death Then â—e turâ—â—â— himselfe vnto the people casting his hands abroad saying with a lowde voice Good people beware of these men else they wil beguile you and lead you headlong to hel with themselues Then he fell on his kâ—ées before them all and prayed for his enemies hoâ—ding vp his hands saying Lord for thy mercie sake forgiue my pursuers if it bee thy blessed will Thâ—â— he was lead againe vnto the Tower After the Lord Cobham escaped out of the Tower by night and â—â—ed to Wales where he continued more than foure yeares after In this yeare Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury died who had béene a heauie troubler of Christs Saints in his time he was so stricken in his tongue that neither he could swallow nor speake for a certaine space before his death this was thought of many to happen vnto him for that he
was compelled by the Bishop to depose First that she bad her take héede of swearing else a Bee would sting her tongue and venime her soule and that she rebuked her for saying Pater nosters to the Cruciâ—ixe and Aue Maries to our Lady saying you will doe ill in 〈◊〉 or praying to such Images and that God will giue no more reward for such prayers then a â—endle put vnder the foote will giue light in the night saying that lewde wrights of stockes hewe such Crosses and Images and lewde Painters gleere them with coloures and opened her armes and tolde her this is the true Crosse of Christ And that she said if euery Sacrament were God and the very bodie of Christ then 1000. Priests and more doe euery day make a 1000. such Gods and eate them and voide them out of their hinder parts filthily stinking vnder euery hedge where you may finde many such Gods It shall neuer be my God it was falsly and deceitfully ordained by the Priests to induce simple people to Idolatry for it is onely materiall bread And that Thomas of Canterbury whom the people calâ— Saint Thomas was a false Traytor and damned in Hell And that the Pope Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and especially the Bishop of Norwich and others that support Heresies and Idolatries shall shortly haue the same or worse mischiefe so fall vpon them then that cursed man Thomas of Canterbury had for they cursedly decâ—iae the people with false mâ—mmetries to extort money to maintaine their pride riot and idlenesse and haue slaine the true Preachers or Goâ—â— Lawe And that she said that none was bound to fast in Lent or other daies appointed and that it was lawfull to eate flesh and other meates vpon the said dayes that Pope Sâ—luester made the Lent And that William White was a good man and falsly condemned and at his execution when he would haue exhorted the people a Deuill one of Bishop Caiphas his seruants strocâ—e him on the lips that he could not declare the will of God And that shee taught her not to goe to Pilgrimage to the Lady of Walsingham or any other Saint or place And that she desired this deponent and her maid to come in the night to her chamber to heare her husband reade the Lawe of Christ vnto them And that she saide that the people did worship Deuils which fell from Heauen with Lucifer and entred into the Image which stand in the Churches so that the people which worship Images â—ommit Idolatry And that holy bread and water are but trifles And they are excommunicated that first ordained bels And that the Saturday after Aswednesday shee had a pot séething ouer the fire with a piece of Baken and Otmeale seething in it Others also were sworne which confirmed the former depositions but wee finds no mention in Regester what became of her Diuerse good men this yeare were accused by the deposition of one William Wright their names appeare in the booke at large And the said William Wright deposed that it is read in the Prophecies amongst the Lollards that their sect shall bee in manner destroyed yet at the length it shall preuaile and haue the victory against all her enemies Iohn Burrell seruant to Thomas Moone of Ludney in the Dioces of Norwich was apprehended and it was obiected against him besides the Articles before mentioned that hee held that the Catholicke Church is the Seules of euery good Christian. That Lent and other Fasting-dayes were ordained of the Priests and not of God and that men may eate flesh or fish indifferently vpon those dayes That Pilgrimage ought not to be made but to the poore That it is not lawfull to sweare but in câ—se of of life and death That Masses and prayers for the Soules of the dead are vaine and that the deade are either in Heauen or Hell for there is no Purgâ—tory but this world He was forced to 〈◊〉 and suffer like punishment as before Thomas Moone of Ludâ—ey was apprehended and the Articles aforesaid laid against him especially that he had receiued comforted and supported diuerse vpon which hee being conâ—â—ct was forced to abiure and receiue like penance Robert Grigges of Martham was brought before the Bishop for the Articles aforesaid especialâ—y for affirming that the Sacrament of confirmation by the Bishop did auaile nothing to saluation that it was no sinne to withstand the ordinances of the Church of Rome that holy bread and water were but trifles and that they were the worse for the conâ—urations and characters made ouer them he was forced to abiure and suffer penance as aforesaid Iohn Finch of Colchester was taken in Ipswich and brought before the Bishop and being conuicted of the aforesaid Articles was inioyned penance three whippings three seuerall Sundaies in solemne Procession about the Cathedrall Church of Norwich and thrée whippings about the Market place thrée principall market daies his head necke and â—eete bare his bodie couered onely with a short shirt with a taper of waxe of a pound waight in his hands which the next Sunday after his penance heâ— should offer vnto the Triuitie and euery Ashwednesday and Munday and Thursday three yeare after hée should appeare before the Ordinary in the Cathedral Church to doe open penance amongst other penitontiarâ—es About the same time shortly after the Coronation of King Henry the sixt one Richard Houeden a wool winder and Citizen of London was crowned with Martyrdome whenby no perswasions he could be drawne from the opinions of Wickliffe as Fabian writeth he burned hard by the Tower of London Nicholas Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishop of Norwich and many witnesses being sworne against him they appointed one to speake for them all First that on Easter day all the Parish going of Procession he went the contrary way deciding them and méeting them Hée confessed it and â—hougâ—t he did well therein And that he should say If the Sacrament of the Alter be very God and very man then God may be put in a small roome as when it is in the Priâ—sts mouth And why may not wee 〈…〉 as well vpon Fâ—â—daies and other prohibited dayes as the Priests eate the flesh and bloud of our Lord euery day To which he answered hee thought hee had spoken well therein Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high Masse when all kneeled downe and held vp their hands and did reuerence to the Sacrament he went behind a piller turned his face from the Altar and mocked them He affirmed he thought he did well in so doing Item when his mothâ—r would lift vp his right hand to crosse himselfe from the 〈◊〉 and assaults of the Deuill hee mocked her This hee thought it was well done Item vpon All-ballend day at the eleuation of the Masse when many lighted torches 〈◊〉 them vp to the Altar and knéeled downe there in honour of the Sacrament hee standing behinde the Priest with a fozeh turned his backe to
it is easie to know the tree by the fruit not by the blossomes often repeating in his Oration that this admonition was giuen of singular good will and great clemâ—ncie in the shutting vp of his Oration he added menasings that if he would abide in his purposed intent the Emperour would exterminate him his Empire Luther answered to this effect That the Councell of Constance had erred in condemning this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the communion of the predestinat and that we ought rather to obey God then man There is an offence of faith and an offence of charitie the slander of charity consisteth in manners and life the offence of faith and doctrine consisteth in the word of God and they commit this offence which make not Christ the corner stone And if Christs sheepe were fed with the pure pasture of the Gospell and the faith of Christ sincerely preached and if there were good Eclesiasticall Magistrates who duely executed their office wee should not néede to charge the Church with mens traditions And that hee knew and taught that wee ought to obay the higher powers how peruâ—rsly soeuer they liued so that they inforce vs not to deny the word of God Then they admonished him to submit himselfe to the Emperour and the Empires Iudgment hee answered hee was well content so that this were done with authority of the word of God and that he would not giue place except they taught sound Doctrine by the word of God and that St. Augustine writeth hee had learned to giue honor onely to the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and touching other Doctors though they excell in holinâ—sse and learning hee would not credit them vnlesse they pronouced truth and St. Paule saith proue all things follow that which is good and againe if an Angell teach otherwise let him bee accursed finally hee meekely besought them not to vrge his conscience captiued in the bands of the word of God to deny that excellent word After the Arch-bishop sent for Luther to his Chamber and tould him for the most part that at all times holy Scriptures haue ingendred errors and went about to ouerthrow this proposition that the Catholike Church is the communion of Saints presuming of cockle to make wheate and of bodily excrements to compact members Martin Luther and one Ierome Schuâ—ffe his companion reproued their follies Hee was oftentimes assayled to reforme the censure of his bookes vnto the Emperour and Empire or to the Generall Councell which he was content to doe so they would iudge them according to the word of God otherwise not aleaging the words of the Prophet trust you not in Princes nor in the children of men wherein is no health also cursed be hee that trusteth in men and when newes came hee should returne home hee sayd euen as it hath pleased God so it is come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed and sayd hee thanked the Emperour and Princes that they had giuen him gracious audience and graunted him safe conduct to come and returne and said hee desired in his heart they were reformed according to the sacred word of God and sayd hee was content to suffer any thing in himselfe for the Emperour but only the word of God he would constantly confesse vnto the latter end About a yeare after this Luther dyed when hee had liued almost thrée score and thrée yeares and had béene Doctor thrée and thirty yeares hee sayd at his death O heauenly eternall and mercifull Father thou hast manifested in mee thy deare Sonne Christ I haue taught and knowne him I loue him as my life health and redemption whom the wicked persecuted maligned and iniured drawe my soule to thée and saâ—d thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redéemed me God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely Sonne that all that beleeue in him should haue eternall life and so he dyed whose death was much lamented In the yeare 1516. the aforesaid French King receaued from Pope Leo a Iubile and pardons to be sould and so in England vnder the pretence of warre against the Turke they perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue tenne shillings should deliuer his soule from the paine of Purgatory but if it lacked any thing of tenne shillings it would profit them nothing at that time Martin Luther was in Germany who vehemently inueyed against these indulgences agaâ—nst whom Iohn Eckius put forth himselfe they disputed before the people at last eyther of their arguments were sent to Paris to bee iudged by the Sorbonists the iudgment was long protracted In the meane time Pope Leo condemned Luther for Heresie and excommunicated him he appealed to the next Councell Pope Leo commanded Luthers bookes to bee burned openly Luther also burned the Popes decrees and Decretalls in the Uniuersity of Wittenberge In the yeere 1517. the Pope hauing creaâ—ed one and thirty Cardinalls thunder and lightening so strake the Church where the Cardinalls were created that it stroke the little child Iesus out of the lappe of his mother and the keyes out of St. Peters hands being Images in the Church of Rome In the yeare 1519. newes was brought to Pope Leo at supper that the Frenchmen were driuen out of Italy hee reioycing said God hath giuen me thrée things I returned from banishment with glory to Florence I haue deserued to bee called Apostolike and thereby I haue driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy as soone as he had spoken hee was stricken with a suddaine feuer and dyed shortly after What Godly man hath there euer beene for this fiue hundred yeares either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disproued the misordered and corrupt examples of the Sea and Bishop of Rome from time to time vntill the comming of Luther yet none euer could preuaile before the comming of this man the cause to bee supposed is this other men spake but against the pompe pride whoredome and auarice of the Pope Luther went further with him charged him with his Doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote charging him with plaine Heresie as resisting against the blood of Christ for whereas the Gospell leadeth vs to bee iustified onely by the worthinesse of Christ and his bloud the Pope teacheth vs to séeke our saluation by mans merits and deseruings by workes whereupon rose all the Religious sects some professing one thing some another euery man seeking his owne righteousnes but Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darkenesse to behold that glorious benefit of the great liberty frée iustification set vp in Christ Iesus but the more glorious this benefit appeared to the world the greater persecution followed the same and where the Elect tooke most comfort of saluation the aduersaries tooke most vexation according as Christ sayd I came not to send peace but a sword therefore so great persecutions in all the world followed after Luther but in no
flée from him as Cain and that wée are damned by Nature as a Toade and a Serpent are so by Nature Item Loue in Christ putteth no difference betwixt one man and another Item The sects of Saints Francis Saint Dominick others be damnable Then the Bishop asked him whether he would renounce these heresies and he prayed the Bishop to reforme himselfe Then the Bishop gaue him respite and when hee came before him againe First he affirmed that Christ all his merits were his and that he was knit to him so inseperably that he could not be damned except Christ were damned He that séeketh by his almes more then to be mercifull and to succor his brotherâ— and neighbours need he is blind and seeth not Christs bloud so God is honoured on all sides in that we count him righteous in all his lawes and to worship him otherwise is Idolatry he concluded to them all he found no fault throughout all the booke but it is all good and hath giuen him great light of conscience The next Sessions he was intised to recant but shortly after he was moued by the example of one that was burned in Smithfield and after did constantly abide in the testimonie of the truth and suffered in Smithfield Lastly for these Articles he was condemned 1 THat Faith onely iustifieth which lacketh not Charitie 2 That Christ is a sufficient Mediator for vs therefore no prayer to beâ— made to Saints 3 That Christ is our sufficient purgatory and that there is no purgatory after this life 4 That the soules of the faithfull departing this life rest with Christ. 5 That a Priest receiuing orders receiueth more grace if his Faith be increased or else not Lastly hee beléeueth that the bloud and flesh of Christ is not in the Sacrament wherevpon he was condemned and burnt as aforesaid IOHN RANDALL THis IOHN RANDALL was of Christs Colledge in Cambridge and for the loue that he had to the Scriptures and sincere Religion hee was suspected and hated the yong man being studious and about one twenty yéeres old was long lacking of his companions and through the stench of his corps his study doorâ— being broken vp he was found hanged with his owne girdle within the study in such maner that he had his face looking vpon the Bible and his finger pointing to a place of Scripture whereas predestination was intreated of surely this matter lacked no singular policie of some old naughty man that it should seeme for feare of predâ—stination he was driuen to despaire that it might keep their yong men from the study of the Scriptures as a thing most perilous In this yeare an old man in the County of Buckingham for eating of Bacon in Lent was condemned to the fire and burned EDWARD FRESE EDward Frese a Painter was hired to paint certaine cloaths for the new Inne in Colchester and in the vpper boarder of the cloaths he wrote certaine sentences of the Scripture then some of the Towne which had seene his worke apprehended him and brought him to London to the Bishop where he was cruelly imprisoned with others of Essex One Iohnson and his wife and one Willy his wife and his son and one Father Bate of Rowshedge they were fed with fine Manchet made of saw-dust or the most part therof the said Frese being at the Bishops at Fullam his wife being desirous to see him came to the gate being big with Childe the Porter kicked her on the belly that on the same she died and the childe died immediatly after for writing against the wall his hands were manacled that the flesh of his armes were higher then the Irons and they kept him thrée daies without meat when he should come to his answer he could say nothing but looked on the people like a wilde man and if they asked him any question he could say nothing but my Lord is a good man anâ— when they had spent his body and wits they sent him to Bearsie-Abby but hee would not tarry there but he neuer came to his wits againe vntill his death And his brother Valentine Frese was burned for the testimony of Christ in Yorke Also the wife of the aforesaid Father Bate made a Supplication to the King and deliuered it vnto him who appointed her to go to one M. Seliard of him she gat a letter to the Bishop she hoped some good should come to her Husband but some of her friends would néeds sée the contents of her letter which was to this effect look what you can gather against Father Bate send me word that I may certifie the Kinges Maiesty but shortly after he gat out of prison in a darke night and was caught no more In this yeare Fryer Roy was burned in Portugale what his doctrine was may easily be gathered by his testimony that he left here in England The History of Maister IAMES BAYNHAM a Lawyer THis Maister Baynham was accused to Sir Thomas Moore Chancelor arested with a Sergeant at Armes and carried out of the middle Temple to his house at Chelsey when he saw he could not preuaile with him he whipped him at a trée in his garden then racked him at the tower before himselfe vntill they had almost lamed him because he would not accuse Gentlemen of the Temple nor tel where his bookes lay and because his wife denied they were at his house she was sent to the fléet and his goods confiscate When they had often vsed him vpon the tortures then he sent him to the Bishop of London who cast him into Lolards tower vntill he had bin diuers times before him examined and they were not able to resist him He was both mighty in Scriptures and Arguments that he was able to confound them with their owne Arguments so he condemned him and the Bishop sent one Doctor Symons to peruert him and waite vpon him to the stake after much communication betweene the Doctor him he prayed the Sheriffes to deliuer him from Satan for he was content to confirme his faith with his blood At the stake he lay down flat and prayed then rising vp he imbraced the stake then he said Good people I am come hither accused and condemned for an hereticke these be the Articles I dye for I say it is lawfull for euery man or woman to haue Gods booke in their Mother tongue That the Pope is Antichrist that he knoweth no other Keyes of heauâ—n gate but the preaching of the word and that theâ—e is no other purgatory then the purgatory of Christs blood and that the soules of the faithfull imediatly go to heauen râ—st with Christ for euermore That Thomas Becket was no Saint but a Traytor and a shedder of innocent blood thâ—n one M. Pauey answered Thou liest thou heretick thou deniest the blessed Sacrament of the altar He answered I do not deny the Sacrament as it was instituted of Christ and vsed of his Apostles but I deny transubstantiation and your
for that being besides his wits by chance he came into a Church where a Priest was saying masse and was come to the holding vp and shewing the Sacrament Collins in like manner took vp a little Dogge holding it ouer his head shewing him vnto the people wherefore hee was condemned and burned and the Dogge with him LEYTON and PVTTEDVE LEyton was a Monke of Aye in Suffolke and was burned at Norwich for speaking against a certaine Idoll which they of Aye were wont to carry about in processions and for affirming both kindes in the Sacrament and Puttedue comming into a Church merily taunted the Priest that after he had drunke vp all the wine alone he blessed the hungry people with the empty Chalice wherefore hee was condemned and burned Cowbridge THis Cowbridge came of a good stocke his auncestors euen from Wickliffes time hetherto had been alwaies fauourers of the Gospell and addicted to the setting sorth thereof in English Hee was borne in Colchester his Father was head Bayly thereof hee was burned at Oxenford for affirming that euery poore Priest being neuer so poore and needy being of a good conâ—ersation hath as great power and authoritie in the Church of God and ministration of the Sacraments as the Pope or any other Bishops they almoststerued him whilst hee was in prison in Bocardo and a little before his examination they promised him meate if at his execution he would say such things as they would minister vnto him which he promised to do whereupon he was well cherished and recouered some part of his sense When he was come to execution contrary to their expectation often times calling vpon the Name of the Lord Iesuâ— with great quietnesse and méeknesse he yéelded his spirit into the hanâ—s of the Lord. This yeare one Peter a Germaine and another with him constantly indured death by the fire at Colchester for the Lords Supper Fryer Forrest hanged for Papistry HE was an obseruant Fryer and had secretly in confessiâ—ns declared to certaine of the Kings Subiects in confessions that the King was not supreame head of the Church and being examined how he could say the King was not supreme head being sworne to the contrary he answered he took his oath with his outward man and his inward man neuer consented thereto he was further accused of diuers damnable Articles conuicted after he was hanged in Smithfâ—eld aliue in chaines by the arme-holes and middle and fire made vnder him and so he was consumed to death There was a scaffold prepared for the Priuy Cauncell and the Nobles to sit on to graunt him pardon if he repented there was also a Pulpit where Mâ—ster Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester declared his errours and conâ—uted them by Scripture with many exhortations to repent but he would neither heare nor speak A little before the execution a great Image was brought out of Wales to the gallows which was called Daruell Gatheren whom the Welch-men much worshipped and had a prophesie amongst them That this Image should set a whole Forest on fire which took effect for he set this Forest on fire consumed him to nothing When the Frier saw the fire comming vnto him he took hold on the ladder and would not let it goe but died so vnpatiently as neuer did any that put his trust in God Certaine Iniunctions giuen out in the thirtieth yeare of King HENRIES raigne AGainst printing and bringing from beyond Sea any books and offering to sell them without acquainting the King or some of his Councell first vpon paine of forfeyting their goods and chattels and their bodies to be imprisoned at the Kings pleasure That there shall none argue about the Sacrament of the Altar vpon paine of death and loosing their goods except it be the learned in Diuinity in their schooles and appoyâ—ted places for such matters And that holy bread holy water and procession creeping to the Crosse setting vp of lights before the Corpus Christi bearing of candles on Candlemas day Puriâ—â—cation of women deliuered with childe offâ—ring of Chrisomes kéeping of the foure offering dayes paying their Tithes these to be obserued vntill the King doe abrogate any of them Married Priests to be counted Laymen and loose their Spirituall promotion That all Cleargy men should diligently in their cures preach and teach the people the glory of God and the truth of his word declaring the difference betwixt the things that God commands and the rightes and ceremonies then vsed least the people thereby grow into further superstition And that Thomas Becket was a trayâ—or and not a saint his Images to be plucked downe in euery place and his holy dayes not to bee kept and that the Anthiphens Collects and prayers to him be not read but raced out of the bookes Launcelot Iohn a Painter Gyles Germaine Iohn Painter and Gyles Germaine were accused of Heresie and whilst they were 〈◊〉 examination at London before the Bishoppe and other Iudges by chance there came one of the Kings guarde one Launcelot a tall man and of as goodly a mind hee standing by séemed by his gesture to fauour the cause and the poore men whereuppon he was apprâ—hended examined and condemned with them and the next day at â—â—ue of the clocke in the morning was burned in St. Giles in the fields Sir Iohn Bortrucke a Scotish Knight his confutation of certaine Arcicles vpon which hee was condemned by the Cardinall and most of the Nobles and chiefe of Scotland FIrst touching the Popes Supremacy these holy ones magnisse their Lord as common theâ—ues preâ—erre their Captaines calling them euery where most honest men for it is euident that none in the whole world is giuen to more ryot noâ— séeketh more gréedily to all kind of delicates and wantonnesse and aboundeth with al vices as treason murther rapine and all kind of such euills as He. And where they affirme him to bee Christ Uicar on earth it shall appeare that he cannot exercise more power then other Bishops for whereas they say Peter had power ouer the Apostâ—es and consequently ouer the whole Church the which power succéeds to the Bishop of Rome but by the Scriptures wee may easily sée how 〈◊〉 they lie in the Councell in the 15. of the Acts Peter heard them speake theiâ— minds receaued their Iudgment and followed their decree is this to haue powâ—r ouer others and in his first Epistle writting to the Bishops and Pasâ—ors he saith â— beséech the Bishops and Pastors which are amongst you for so much as I my selfe 〈◊〉 also a Bishop and witnesse of the afflitions of Christ partaker of the glory which shall be reuealed that they diligently feed the flocke committed vnto them why then doe they challenge the authority of S. Peter which he neuer acknowledged in himselfe I doubt not but it Peter were here he would rebuke their madnes as Moses did Iosua which was so zealous towards him And in the eight of the Acts he is
for to Cranmer and Steuen Gardiner and others before whome hee did so constantly defend the doctrine which he had taught that Cranmer being yet but a Lutheran maruelled excéedingly at it and said that the Scripture knew no such terme of transubstantiation Then the other Bishops threatned him to whom he promised the next day to deliuer them all in writing which he had formerly preached in Callice In the meane time he had secret intimation giuen him by Cranmer that if hee appeared the next day he should be sure to be committed whereupon he sent them his Faith with the arguments thereupon in writing and he went aside into the West countrey Then the King was certified that there were many diuersities of opinions in Calice tending to the danger thereof Whereupon Doctor Champion and M. Garnet who after was burned were sent ouer to preach to them where he preached the same true Doctrine which Adam Damlip had done After them one William Smith Curate of our Ladies Parish in Callice preaching earnestly inuaying against Papistry and wilfull ignorance exhorting them to imbrace the word and not to contemne it least Gods wrath fall vpon them which followeth the contempt of his holy word At length the said Lord Lisle which was Bastard to King Edward the fourth which maintained Damlip as before by the intising of his wicked wife the Lady Honora she being thereunto prouoked by Sir Thomas Palmer and Iohn Rockwood Esquire these with seauen others wrote very haynous Letters vnto the King and Councell against diuers of the Towne of Calice Whereupon diuers of them were often punished in Callice and many of them sent for ouer into England and were â—orely imprisoned and punished and had not escaped the fire but by the Kings pardon The aforesaid Adam Damlip taught Schoole about some two yeares in the West Country after he was apprehended and brought vnto Stephen Gardiner who committed him to the Marshalsie where he continued two yeares and for his honest behauiour hee was beloued of the whole house and especially of the kéeper and he did much amongst the common sort of the prisoners in reprouing vice Then being resolued rather to loose his life then not to suffer his talent to be vsed to Gods glory by being detained in prison Wherevpon he sent an Epistle to Gardiner And then by the Bishops commandement hee was had to Callice where first hee layed vnto his charge heresie but because all such offences before such a day were pardoned by an Act of Parliament then for the receiuing of the aforesaid French Crowne of Cardinall Poole as you heard before he was condemned of Treason in Callice cruelly put to death beeing hanged drawne and quartered At his death Sir Raph Ellerker Knight Marshall there would not suffer him to declare his Faith or cause he died for but bad the executioner dispatch the Knaue and said he would not away before he saw the Traytors heart out but shortly after in a skirmish with the Frenchmen at Bullen he was slaine and his enemies cut off his members and cut the heart out of his body and so left him a terrible example of the Iustice of God vpon all bloudy persecutors The said Lord Lisley with the others as before vniustly charging them of Callice with sedition and heresie were all shortly after either greatly out of the Kings fauour and committed vnto prison or else by desperate deathes died I will recite but Rockwood the chiefe stirrer of the afflictions aforesaid who at the last breath staring and raging cryed he was damned and being bid to aske God mercie he cried out All too late for I haue sought malitiously the deaths of a number of the Towne which in my heart I thought to be honest men which words he vsed when thirteene were carried in Irons into England when one told him he neuer saw men of such honesty so sharply corrected and taking it so ioyfully Rockwood then leaping scoffingly said All too late and the vnder Marshall suddenly fell downe in the Councell Chamber and neuer spake A labouring man hauing heard Damplip said Hee would neuer beleeue that Priests could make the Lords bodie at their pleasure whereupon hee was condemned by one Haruy a Commissary who said he was an heretick and should die a vile death The poore man answered he was no heretick but in the faith of Christ and said Whereas thou sayest I shall die a vile death thou shalt die a viler death shortly and so it came to passe for within halfe a yeare the said Haruy was hanged drawne and quartred in Callice for treason DODDE alias SCOT HEe was taken in Callice with certaine Germane bookes about him and being examined thereupon and standing constantly to the truth hee was condemned and burned there VVILLIAM BVTTON HEe being a souldier of Callice merrily asked a Papist Whether one that were suddenly taken might not occupie one of the Popes pardons in stead of a broken paper and another question Whether the world might better want Dogs then Popish Priests and answered it that if there were no Dogs we could make no more but if there lacked ignorant Priests we might soone make too many of them There came a black Frier to Callice with the Popes pardons who for 4. pence would deliuer a soule out of Purgatorie this Button asked him if the Pope could deliuer soules out of Purgatorie the Frier said there is no doubt of that then he said Why doth he not of charity deliuer all the sâ—ules thereout for which cauâ—e he was accused vnto the Commissary who chafing called him heretick then said Button If the Pope can deliuer soules out of Purgatorie and will not of charitiâ— doe it then would God the King would make me Pope for surely I would deliuer all out without money Whereupon the Commissary made him beare a Billet and procured his wages which was sixe pence a day to be taken from him then he went vnto the King and declared the whole matter who after gaue him eight pence a day In Nouember after the King had subdued the Scots and ioyning with the Emperour had inuaded France and had got the Towne of Bullen he summoned a Parliament in which was granted him besides subsidies of money all Colledges Chanteries Free Chappels Hospitals Fraternities Guilds and perpetuities of stipendary Priests to be disposed at his will and pleasure They being thus giuen to him by act of Parliament in December the next Lent Doctor Crome preached in the Mercers Chappell amongst other reasons to induce the people from the vaine reasons of Purgatorie he said It Trentalls and Masses could auaile the soules in Purgatorie then did not the Parliament well in giuing away Monasteries Colledges and Chanteries which serued principally to that purpose but if the Parliament did well as no man could denie then it is plaine that such Chanteries and priuate masses confer nothing to relieue them in Purgatorie This Dilemma was insoluble but at Easter next they brought him in
Latine VVALTER MILL AMongst the rest of the Martirs of Scotland the constancy of Walter Mill is not to be passed in silence out of whose Ashes sprang thousands of his opinion who chose rather to dye then to bee any longer ouer-trodden with the cruâ—â—l beastly and ignorant Byshops Abbots Monkes and Fryers and scone after his Martyrdome the Congregation began to debate true Religion against the Papists He climbing vp into a Pulpet to be examined before the Bishops they séeing him so weake partly by age and partly trauell and euill intreatment that hee could not climbe vp without helpe they thought they should not haue heard him but when he spake he made the Church sound with great stoutnesse that the Christions reioyced and the Aduersaries were ashamed At first hee knéeling praying long and was commaunded to rise and answere his Articles calling him Sir Walter Mill He said he ought to obay God more then Men and where you call me Sir Walter call me Walter for I haue bin ouer long one of the Popes Knights Oliphant What think you of Priests marriage Mille. I hold it a blessed band for Christ made it free to all men but you abhorre it and take other mens wiues and daughters you vow chastitie and breake it Paule hade rather marrie then burne the which I haue done for God neuer forbade marriage to any estate or degrée Oliph Thou sayest there is not seuen Sacraments Mille. Giue me the Lords Supper and Baptisme and take you the rest and if there be seuen why omit you one of them to wit marriage and giue your selues to whoredeme Oliph Thou art against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Mill. If a King bid many to a feast and when they sit downe to eate he turn his back to them and eate vp all himselfe doth he not mock them euen so do you mock the people eating and drinking the Sacrament and giuing them none the Sacrament of God is not to be taken carnally but spiritually and stands in faith onely Your masse is wrong for Christ was once offered vpon the Crosse for mans trespasse and will neuer be offered againe Oliph Thou deniest the office of a Bishop Mill. I affirme those which you call Bishops doe not the workes of Bishops but liue after their sensuall pleasures and take no care for the flocke nor yet regard the word of God but desire to be honoured and called Lords Oliph Thou speakest against pilgrimages Mill. I say it is not commaunded in Scripture and that there is no greater whoredom in no places then at your pilgrimages except in common Brothell-houses Oliph Thou preachest priuatly in houses and openly in fields Mill. Yea man and in the Sea also sayling in a ship Oliph If thou wilt not recant I will pronounce sentence Mill. You shall know that I will not recant for I am corne and not chaffe I will not be blowne away with the winde nor burst with the flaile but I will abide both When sentence was pronounced and he to be deliuered to the temporall Iudge his constancie so moued the hearts of many that the Prouost of the Towne Patricke Learmond though he were Steward of the Bishops regalitie refused to bee his temporall Iudge and the Bishops Chamberlaine being therewith charged would not take vpon him so vngodly an office the Bishops seruants could get neuer a cord in the whole towne for money to tye him to the stake withall nor a Tarre barrell to burne him when he came to the stake He said to Oliphant Put me vp with thy hands and take part in putting me to death for by Gods law I am forbidden to lay hands on my selfe Then he put him vp with his hands and he ascended gladly saying Introibo ad altare Dei and desired he might speake to the people which was denied him they saying he had spoken too much already Then some of the yong men committed the burners and the Bishops their Masters to the Diuell and bade him speake what he pleased Then after he had prayed standing vpon the coales said I die onely for the defence of the faith of Christ for the which the faithfull Martyrs haue offered themselues gladly before being assured after the death of their bodies of eternall felicitie And I praise God he hath called me of his mercie amongst the rest of his seruants to seale vp his truth with my life therefore as you will escape eternall death be not seduced with the lies of Priests Monks Friers and the rest of that Sect but depend onely vpon the death of Iesus Christ and his mercie that you may in the time to come be deliuered from condemnation All the while the multitude greatly mourned perceiuing his mighty patience constancie and boldnesse whereby their hearts were so much enkindled and inflamed that he was the last Martyr that died in Scotland euer after for religion After this by Gods iust iudgement in the same place where Walter Mill was burned the Images of the great Church of the Abbey which passed in number and costlines were burned in time of reformation Heere followeth in the booke of Martyrs the names of diuers which were omitted by him in King Henrie the eighth his time and an instrument of the Popes definitiue sentence against Henrie the eighth for his diuorse with Katharine Dowager and the instrument of the Bull of Pope Leo against Martin Luther and his answer to it in which for breuitie sake I leaue thee to the booke at large if thou be disposed to see them and also the last Will and Testament of King Henry and the manner of his death A Storie of certain Friers in France in the Citie of Orleance in the yeare 1534. THe Mayors wife of the Citie prouided in her Will that she should be buried without any pompe or solemnitie for the Bell did vse to warne euery one to pray for the dead corps and when it is carried forth all or the most part of the begging Friers goe before it with Torches and Tapers and the more pompe is vsed the greater is the concourse of people but this woman would none of this gears the which buriall of hers her husband performed according as she required in her Will. Then one Colman and Steuen Arras Doctors of Diuinitie and the first a Coniurer set a young man which was a nouice ouer the Uault of the Church and when they came according to their vse to Mattins at mid-night he made a wonderfull noyse and shrieking then this Colman went to crossing and coniuring but the other aboue would not speake and being charged to make a signe whether he were a dumbe spirit or no hee ratled and made a great noyse againe Then they tolde some of the chiefest of the Citie what a heauie chance had happened and intreated them to come to their seruice at night When they were there and the seruice begunne he aloft made a great noyse being demaunded what he would he made signes he could not speake
death as fruitfull seede hath taken such fruit in some that it is yet a linely and diligent preaching vnto some against superstition and Idolatry vsed in their Churches The tragicall History of the worthy Duke of Sommerset KIng Edward had three vnckles by his mothers side Edward Thomas Henry Semer Edward was made protector of the Realme and Thomas was made high Admirall of the same so long as they were ioined together in amitie they preserued themselues and the King and the Common-wealth Sir Thomas Semer high Admirall married Queene Katherine late wife of King Henry as you haue heard betwixt the said Queene and the Dutchesse of Somerset there fell great displeasure And therevpon in the behalfe of their wiues grudge began betweene the brethren after it was laid vnto the Lord Admirals charge that hee purposed to destroy the yong Kingâ— and transâ—ate the Crowne vnto himselfe and for the same he was attainted and condemned and did suffer at Tower Hill the twentith of March one thousand fiue hundred forty and nine many reported that the Duchesse of Sommerset had wrought his death whereby it came to passe whether by Gods iust iudgement or no In October after that there was great consultation amongst the Lords in the house of Maister Yorke and at Baynards Castle and in the Lord Mayor of Londons house against the Lord Protector remaining then with the King at Hampton Court The King with his Councell hearing thereof first Secretary Peter with the Kings message was sent vnto them whom the Lords retained still with them making no answer wherevpon the Lord Protector writ vnto them that the King was informed of your assembly wherefore we sent Maister Secretary Peter vnto you His Maiestie and wee of his Councell héere doe not a little maruell that you stay héere â—he said M. Peter and haue not answered his Maiesty and we are sory to sée your doings bent with violence to bring the King and vs to these extremities which if you will take no other way we intend with violence to defend with death and to put it in Gods hand who giueth victory as it pleaseth him as touching priuate matters â—o auoide the effusion of Christian bloud and to preserue the Kings Maiesties person his Realme and Subiects you shall finde vs agréeable to any reasonable conditions that you will require for wee esteemâ— the Kings wealth and tranquilitie of the Realme more then other worldly things yea then our life praying them to send their determinate answere by Maister Peter or some other Notwithstanding this Letter the Lords persisted still in their purpose and took aduice to kéep themselues in the Citie of London as strong as they might and willed the Mayor and Aldermen to prouide a substantiall watch by night and by day for the safegard of the Citie and gates Then they demanded fiue hundred men to ayde them to fetch the Lord Protector out of Windsor from the King and they published a Proclamation against the said Protector to this effect First that the Protector by his euill gouernment was the cause of all the sedition that of late happened within the Realme and of the losses of the Kings ordinance in France and that it appeared by the building of his sumptuous houses in the time of the Kings warre that he sought his owne glory that he esteemed nothing the graue counsell of the Councellors that he had sowed diuisions betwéen the Nobles Gentlemen and Commons That the Nobles assembled themselues only to cause the protector to haue liued within limits to haue put such order for the surety of the King as was fit That the protector slandered the Councell vnto the King and that hee was a great traytor and therefore the Lords defired the Citie Commons to ayde them to take him from the King Then the King sent a Letter vnto the Mayor and Citizens commanding them to ayde him with a thousand men out of their Citie well armed and to send them with all speed vnto the Castle of Windsor These contrary commandements comming both at one instant vnto the Mayor Citizens of London it séemed very doubtfull to them which way to take at the last stepped vp a Citizen George Studlaw and said I remember in the time of Henry the third the Barons as the Lords doe now demanded ayde of the Mayor and Citizens of London and the Citie ayded them against the King and it came to an open battell and the Lords preuailed against the King and took the King and his son prisoners and vpon certaine conditions the King his Son were restored againe and the King openly granted his pardon to the Lords and Citizens it was ratified by Act of Parliament but it was neuer forgotten during the Kings life the Liberties of the Citie were taken away and strangers appointed to be our gouernors and the Citizens giuen away body and goods and from one persecution vnto another were most miserably afflicted such it is to enter into the wrath of a Prince for Salomon saith the wrath of a Prince is death Therefore I would councell the Lords with vs to make sute to the King that he would please to heare the complaints that may be iustly proued against the L. Protector and I doubt not but this matter will be pacified and that the King nor yet the Lords haue cause to seeke for further ayde neither we to offend any of them both Then the Lords sent Sir Philip Hobby with their Letter of credence vnto the King beséeching him to giue credit to that which he should say who so handled the matter that the Lord Protector was commanded from the Kings presence and shortly committed to warde in the Castle of Windsor The same day the Lords of the Councell resorted vnto the King and the next day they brought the Lord Protector vnto the Tower Shortly after the Lords resorted vnto the Tower and there charged the Lord Protector with sundry Articles the effect of them is contained in the proclamation aforesaid and although these purposes of man intended the spilling of his life and the Lord so ordered the matter by the meanes of the Kings so laboring for his vnkle that in short while he was let out of the Tower and continued at liberty two yeares and two daies After he was againe apprehended committed againe to the Tower after hee was brought to Westminister Hall to be arraigned and there was charged with felony treason he put himselfe to be tried by his Péeres who discharged him of treason but they accounted him guilty of Felony for purposing the death of the Duke of Northumberland and others and was returned vnto the Tower againe When he was brought to his execution vpon tower Hill he came with the same gesture which he vsed changing neither voice nor countenance and knéeling down he commended himselfe to God and his prayers ended he turned toward the people as it were with a certaine fatherly loue to children and said Dearely
Supper he could but he then minded no miracle but to suffer for sinne Was not Christ at the Table and aliue when he said so and suffered not vntill the next day he took bread brake bread gaue bread and they eate bread and all this while he was aliue with them or else they were deceiued Feck You ground your Faith on them that say and vnsay and not vpon the Church Iane. I ground my Faith on Gods word and not on the Church for the Faith of the Church must be tryed by Gods word and not Gods word by the Church shall I beléeue the Church that taketh from me the halfe of the Lords supper and sâ—e deny the Lay-men part of their saluation and I say that is not the spouse of Christ but the spouse of Diuell hee will adde plagues to that Church and will take from it their part out of the booke of life doe they learne that of Paule when bee ministred to the Corinthians in both kinds Feck That was done to avoyde an heresie Iane. Shall the Church alter Gods will for a good intent how did King Saule Then Feckham tooke his leaue and sayd he was sorry for her and sayd hee was sure they two should neuer méete Iane that is true if God turne not your heart you are in an ill case I pray God send you his spirit hee bath giuen you a great gift of vtterance if it please him to open your eyes She wrote a letter to her father to comfort him and to shew how ioyfull shee was to die and she wrote another letter to one Master Harding who was late Chaplaine to her Father and fell from the truth of Gods word and rebuked him that hee put his hand to the plowâ— and looked backe and lost the comfortable promises that Christ maketh to them that forsake themselâ—es to follow him thou didâ—st séeme to bee a liuely member of Christ but now an impe of the Diuell once tho beautifull Temple of God now the filthy kennell of Sathan once the vnspotten spouse of Christ now the vnshamefast Paramâ—â—â—re of Antichrist once my faithfull brother now an Apostata once a floute Christian souldier now a cowardly run-away thou séede of Sathan and not of Iuda the Diuell the world and desire of life hath made thée of a Christian an Infidell thou hast taught others to be stroâ—g and thy selfe dost shamefully shrinke thou hast taught others not to tâ—cale and thy selfe hast committed most haynous sacriledge and robbest Christ of his right members and of thine own body and soule thou chosest rather to liue miserably with shame in the world then to die gloriously to â—aygne with Christ in whâ—m in death is life how darest thou refuse the true God and worship the inuention of man the goulden Calfe the Whore of Babilon the Romish Religion the abâ—ominable Idoll the most wicked Masse wilt thou teare againe the pretioâ—s body of our Sauiour with thy fleshly teeth and she exhorted him that the â—ft falling of thâ—se Heauenly showers might pearce his stony heart and the two edged word of Gods word seare asunder the sinnewes of wordly respects that thou mayst once againe forsake thy selfe and imbrace Christ. The night before she suffered the sent a new Testament to her sister Katherin and wrote a letter to her in the end thereof that though it were not outwardly trimmed with gould yet inwardly it was more worth then precious stones It was the last will that Christ bequeathed to vs wretches it will bâ—ing you to eternall life teach you to liue and learne you to die you shall gaine more by it then by the possession of your wofull fathers lands thinke not that your yong yearâ—s will lengthen your life for soone if God call goeth the yong as the old deny the world despise the Diuel and the flesh reioice in Christ as I do I exhort you that you neuer swarue from the Christian faith neither for hope of life nor feare of death if you deny Christ hee will deny you and shorten your dayes put your whole trust in God she made a prayer full of faith which thou mayest sée in the booke at large When she camâ— vpon the Scaffold she protested her innocency in the cause shee was to die for and prayed them to beare her witnesse that she dyed a true Christian woman and that she looked to bee saued by no meanes but by the mercy of God in Christ and my negligence of the word of God and louing of the world brought this punishment vpon me and I thanke God that hee hath giuen me a time of repentance then she prayed them whilest she was aliue to assist her with their prayers then she sayd the one and fiftiâ—h Psalme in deuout maner then she made her selfe ready and gaue her things to her Maides and caused a handkerchife to be tyed about her face the hang-man asked her forgiuenesse and shee forgaue him most willingly and prayed him to dispatch her quickly then she laid her head vpon the blocke and said Into thy hands I commend my spirit and so finished her life With her also was beheaded the Lord Gilford her husband Iudge Morgan who gaue the sentence of condemnation against her shortly after fell madde and continually cried to haue the Lady Iane taken from him and so ended his life Not long after her death was the Duke of Suffolke her father beheaded at the Tower-hill about which time also were condemned many Gentlemen and Yeomen whereof some were executed at London and some in the countrey and Thomas Gray brother to the said Duke was executed The foure and twentieth of Februarie Bonner sent a Commission to al Pastors and Curats of his Diocesse to take the names of all such as would not come the Lent following to auricular confession and to the receiuing at Easter The fourth of March following the Queene sent certaine Articles to Bonner to â—e speedily put in execution that the Canons in King Henries time should be vsed in England that none exact any oath of any Ecelesiasticall person touching the supremacie that none defamed with heresie he admitted to ecclesiastical benefice or office that Bishops and other officers diligently trauell about for repressing of heresies vnlawfull books and ballads and that Schoole-masters and Preachers teach no euil doctrine that they depriue all married Priests except they renounce their wiues but if they returne to their wiues to bee diuorced both from wife and benefice that for want of Priests the parishiâ—ners goe to the next parish to seruice or one Curate serue diuers places That processions in Latine bee vsed after the old order for the obseruing of Holy daies and Fasting daies that the ceremonies of the Church be restored that Ministers which were ordered in King Edwards time should be new ordered that the parishioners bee compelled to come to their seuerall Churches that Schoolmaisters be examined and if they be suspected to place Catholick men in their roome and
bring life or death if Christs body be not there Rid. When you heare Gods word truely preached if you doe beléeue you receiue life and if you beléeue not it bringeth vnto you death yet Christs body is not carnall in euery preachers mouth Pope How answere you this which shall be giuen for you was the figure of Christs body giuen for you Rid. No Sir but the very body it selfe whereof the Sacrament is a figure Tertullians exposition maketh it plaine For hee saith the body is a figure of the bodie now put too which shall be giuen for you and it agreeth excéeding well Maister Secretary You know well that Origen and Tertullian were not Catholick but erred Rid. There is none of the Doctors but are thought to haue erred in some things but I neuer heard that Tertullian or Origen were thought to haue erred in the Sacrament Feck Forty yeares agone all were of one opinion of this matter Rid. Forty yeares agoe all held that the Pope was supreme head of the vniuersall Church Maister Secretarie That was but a positiue Law Rid. It is in the Decrees that the Pope challengeth his supremacie not by any Councell nor any way else but by Christs own words saying to Peter thou art Peter And in another place thou art Cephas that is the head and his Decree is that we must be obedient to the Bishop of Rome vpon necessity of saluation Thomas Cranmer Archb. of Canterbury Ridley Bishop of London and Hugh Latimer Bishop of VVorster were sent to Oxford to dispute with the Diuines of Oxford and Cambridge THere was thrée questions First whether the naturall body of Christ be really in the sacrament after consecration secondly whether any other substancâ— doth remaine after consecration then the substance of the body and bloud of Christ thirdly whâ—ther in the masse there be a sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of the quick the dead Thirty thrée Commissioners being set in the Quire of S. Maries Church in Oxford before the Altar Cranmer Archb. was brought to them with a number of Bill-men When he had read ouer the Articles he said they were all false and against Gods holy word Then was Doctor Ridley brought in who hearing the Articles read answered they were all false and that they sprang out of a bitter root Then came in Latimer when he had denied the Articles he said he had read ouer the new Testament seuen times and yet could not find the maisâ— in it nor the mary-bones nor sinewes of the same All their arguments were of nothing but the reall presence in the Sacrament which point is already sufficiently argued in many places of this book and will 〈◊〉 more hereafter If thou desire to sée the disputations resort to the book at large for the Commissioners were so clamorous that they could not be suffered to speak as it appeareth by the report of Bishop Ridley Bishop RIDLEY his report NEuer did I see a thing done more vainly and contumeliously then the disputations with me in the Schooles in Oxford I thought it had not been possible to haue béen found amongst men of learning and knowledge any so brazen faced and shamelesse so disorderly and vainely to behaue themselues more like to Stage-players then Diuines The Sorbonicall clamours which in times past I haue séene in Paris when Poperie most raigned might be thought modestie in respect of them yea and the chiefest did as it were blow the Trumpe vnto the rest to rayle rore rage and crie out whereby it appeareth they neuer sought for the veritie but for their owne glorie and bragging victorie Much time appointed for Disputations was vainly consumed in opprobrious checks taunts hissings and clapping of hands Whensoeuer I would make an end of my probations they would euer crie out Blasphemies blasphemies I neuer heard or read the like but by Demetrius the Siluer-smith and them of his occupation crying but against Paule Great is Diana of the Ephesians and except it be a disputation of the Arrians against the Orthodoxes where it is said that such as the Presidents of the disputations were such were the rest all were in a hurly-burly and the Arrians cast out such great slanders that nothing could quietly be heard and he concludes thus ended this glorious disputation of the Sacrificers Doctors and Masters which fought manfully for their God and goods their faith and felicitie countrey and Kitchin and for their beautie and bellie with triumphant applauses and fauour of the whole Uniuersitie After seuerall disputations with euery one of them the Commissioners sate in Saint Maries Church and Doctor Weston vsed particular perswasions with euery one of them and would not suffer them to answere but peâ—emptorily to say whether they would subscribe or no Hee told the Bishop of Canterbury hee was ouercome in Arguments which he said was false for hee was not suffered to oppose as he would nor answere as he would vnlesse hee would haue brauled with them all denying to subscribe then sentence was read ouer them that they were no members of the Church and therefore condemned for hereticks Then the Archbishop Cranmer answered from this your sentence I appeale to the iust iudgement of God trusting to be present with him in heauen for whose presence in the Altar I am thus condemned Bishop Ridley answered though I be not of your company yet my name is written in another place whither this sentence will send mee sooner then wee should by nature haue come Bishop Latimer I thanke God most heartily that hee hath prolonged my life to this end that I may in this case glorifie GOD by that kinde of death After they were all three called to behold a solemne procession wherein Doctor Weston carried the Sacrament and foure Doctors carried the Canapie ouer him In the last yeere one thousand fiue hundred forty and three it is shewed how the Duke of Northumberland was apprehended by the Guard and brought to London by the Earle of Arundell and others these were committed to the Tower with the Duke the Earle of VVarwick the Earle of Huntington Lord Ambrose and Lord Henry Dudley Lord Hastings who was deliuered the same night Sir Iohn Gates Sir Henry Gates Sir Andrew Dudley Sir Thomas Palmer and Doctor Sands Chancelor of Cambridge many were committed to diuers prisons about the same time About this time Maister Bradford Maister Beacon and Maister Veron were committed vnto the Tower and Maister Sampson was sought for and because he could not be found the Bishop of Winchester fumed About this time Doctor Weston preached at Paules Crosse he willed the people to pray for the soules departed that be neither in heauen nor hell but in a place not yet sufficiently purged to come to heauen that they may be releeued by your deuout prayers he named the Lords Table an Oyster boord hee said the Catechisme lately set forth was abominable heresie and likeneth the setters forth of the same to Iulianus Apostata and the booke to
vnto death a rare example to be had in admiration of all parents where the naturall affection of parents were ouercome with godlines wâ—o like the holy mother in the Machabees incouraged their sonne as much as they could to goe through valiantly reioicing with wonderfull gladnes and either of them dranke vnto him confirming him in the Lord I cannot tell whether I should praise the vertue of the Sonne or of the Parents William Pygot Steuen Knight and Iohn Lawrence AT the same time that Tomkins and Hunter were examined as before these three likewise were examined before Boner the same reasons Articles and perswasions that were vsed to them were vsed vnto these also and they made all answeres alâ—ke and when by neither flatterie nor threatning they could bee brought from the truth they were condâ—mned and were carried into Essex to bee burned William Pigot burned at Braintree Steuen Knight was burned at Mauldâ—n who at the stake kneeled downe and said this prayer O Lord Iesu for whose loue I â—eaue this life and desire bittâ—r death with the losse of all earthly things â—ather then to abide the blasphemie of thy name or to obay men breaking thy Commandements where I might liue in wealth to worship a false God I chose rather the torment of this body and haue counted all things but dung that I mighâ— winns thee which death iâ— dearer to me then thousands of Gold and Siluer such loue hast thou laide vp in my brests that I huâ—ger for thee As the wounded Deare desâ—reth the soyâ—â— sâ—nd â—hy holy comforter to ayde comfort and strengthen meâ— a weake peece of earth empty of all strength of it selfe of thy great loue thou â—ast bidden me to this banquet accounted mee worthâ— to drinke of 〈◊〉 owne cup amongst thine eleâ—tâ—giue me strength against this â—hine elemâ—nt which is most irkesome to my sight that it may be swéet and pleasant to my minde that I may passe through this fire into thy â—osoâ—e according vnto thy pâ—omiâ—e accept this sacrifice for thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ his sake for whose Testimony I offer it with all my heart forgiue me my sinnes as I forgiue the world sweet Sauiour spread thy wings ouer me O holy Ghost by whose inspiration I am come hither conduct me to euerlasting life Lord into to thine hands â—commend my spirit Amen Iohn Lawrence was brought to Colchester and not bâ—eing able to goe for his legges were so sore worne with his Irons in prison and his body so weakened with euill keeping hee was faine to be brought vnto the fire in a chayre At his burning the yong children came about the fire and cryed Lord strengthen thy seruant and keep thy promise which manifesteth Gods glory which writ this in the hearts of these little ones and their parents are to bee commended that brought them vp from their youth in the feare and knowledge of God Gods Iudgement vpon the Parson of Arundell VPon Shroue-Sunday the Parson of Arundell besides Canterbury declared vnto the people all such Articles as were set forth by the authority of the pope and commandement of the Bishops of this Realme and when he had done he thanked God that euer he had liued to see that day and straightway he fell suddeâ—ly out of the pulpit and neuer spake after The historie of Iudge Hales SIr Iames Hales as before tooke Queene Maries part and would not subscribe to haue any other Quéene though all the rest had subscribed to Edward the sixts Will. He was an vpright and conscionable Iudge To these his gifts and qualities were linked sincere affection to the Gospell of Christ shewing himselfe a true Gospeller by word and deed At the beginning of Queene Maries raigne the masse not being restored by law diuers Priests presumed to say masse and they were indited at the aâ—â—ises before Iudge Hales and he gaue order therein as the law required wherefore when the terme came he comming to doe his office was sent for by Gardner Lord Chancellor to whom he iustified that he did it both by the iustice of the law and of his conscience wherein he was fully bent to stand in triall to the vtmost that can be obiected and it therein I haue done any iniury let me be iudged by the law for I will séeke or desire no better defence for my selfe considering chiefly that it is my profession Ah Sir said the Chancellor you be very quicke and stoute in your answers it seemeth that which you did was more of will fauouring your opinion of Religion against the seruice now vsed then for any occasion of zeale of iustice seeing her Highnesse doth set it forth as yet but withing all her subiects to imbrace it accordingly My Lord quoth Hales I doe but shew my selfe as I am bound in loue to God and obedience to the Quéenes Maiestie in whose cause willingly for iustice sake I did of late as your Lordship knoweth aduenture as much as I had and as for my religion I trust it is such as pleaseth God wherein I am ready to aduenture both my life and substance if I be called thereto and for lack of mine owne power and will the Lords will be fulfilled Shortly after he was committed vnto the Kings Bench then he was committed to the Counter in Breadstréete and from thence he was conuayed to the Fléet where he endured most constantly for the space of three weeks and when thus in diuers prisons being tossed and wearied he could in no wise be subdued there was in the prison where he was a Gentleman of Hampshire called Foster who â—â—ing suborned by the Bishops vsed all kinde of perswasions whereby hee might draw him from the truth which at length he brought to passe then next morning early the Bishop of Chichester came to him into the prison to comfort him therein and after Iudge Portman came to him but as soone as he had yeelded to them he â—rew into such an extreame desperation by the worme of his conscience that hee eat little meat that night When supper was done he gate him straight to bedde where he passed the night with much anxietie of mind about six of the clocke in the morning he sent his man for a cup of béere his man was no sooner gone but with a pen-knife he wounded himselfe in diuers places and would haue killed himselfe but that his man méeting the Butler at the chamber doore returned presently into the chamber and let his Master from destroying himselfe Upon this Cranmer straight-way took occasion to call the doctrine of the Gospell openly in the Star-chamber the doctrine of desperation M. Hales being within a while after deliuered getteth himselfe home to his house whether it was for feare that if he should againe professe the Gospell he should be imprisoned againe and burned and begger all his posterity or if he should go to hearing of masses he should doe worse hauing all things set in order a good while before that pertained vnto his
will needs haue it put it to the vse that Christ did Harps Admit your childe die vnchristned you are in a heauie case your childe being damned and you also séeing you would not christen him when you might for he is borne in originall sinne Haukes The deliuerance of sinne standeth in the faith of the parents he asked me how I proued it Paule in 1. Cor. 7. saith The vnbeleeuing man is sanctified by the beleeuing woman and the vnbeleeuing woman by the beleeuing man els were your children vncleane Harps Your great learned men at Oxford in whom you put your trust will be against you I said if they doe it by the Scriptures I would beléeue them Bonner Recant recant for Christ saith Except you bee baptized you cannot be saued Haukes I aâ—ked him whether Christianity did stand in outward ceremonie He said partly it doth I said S. Pet saith Not the washing of water that purgeth the filth of the flesh but a good conscience consenting vnto God is acceptable to him Bonner How say you to the masse sirra Haukes It is detestable abâ—minable and profitable for nothing Then he said what say you to the Epistle and Gospell I said it was good if it were well and rightly vsed Bonner What say you to the Consiteâ—r Haukes It is abominable and detestable and a blasphemie against God and his sonne to call vpon any to trust in any or to pray to any saue onely to Christ Iesus Bonner To trust to any we bid you not to pray to them wee bid you for you pray to God by them as you cannot speake to the King and Quéene but by the meanes of one of the priuiâ— chamber Haukes You say we must not trust in them and S. Paule saith How should I call on them in whom I trust not Bonner Would you haue no body pray for you when you are dead I said so long as we are aliue the prayers of the righteous are aâ—ailable but when we are dead they profit not for Dauid faith No man can deliuer his brother from death and Ezechiel â—aith Though Noe Daniel and Iob dwelt amongst them yet can they exceed no further then them selues Then he said to Harpsfield you sée this man hath no need of our Lady nor of any blessed Saints An old Bishop that lost his liuing for â—arrying a wiâ—e came to Bonner with a gift and he sent for me and tolde him how that I had a childe and would not haâ—e it christned I said I deâ—ie not baptisme Then he said angerly Thou â—oole thou cannâ—st not tell what thou wouldst haue I said a Bishop must be 〈…〉 not giuen to anger Thou iudgest me angrie 〈◊〉 by my faith I am not Then said the old Bishop Alas yâ—ng man you must be taught by the Church and by your ancients and doe as your fathers haue done Bonner No no he will haue nothing but Scripture he will haue no ceremonies in the Church But what say you to holy water Haukes I say to it as to the rest No said he that is proued by the Scripture in the booke of Kings when Elizeus threw salt into the water I said the waters were corrupt and by this he made them sweete and good so when our waters be corrupt if you by putting in salt can make them sweet cleere and wholsom we wil the better beleeue your ceremonies Bonner How say you to holy bread I asked what scripture haue you for it he said Christ sed fiue thousand men with fiue loaâ—es and three fishes Haukes Will you make that holy bread there Christ dealt fish with his holy bread then he said looke how captions he is and I said Christ did not this miracle because you should do the like but to cause vs to credit and beléeue his word and doctrine Bonner You will beleeue no doctrine but that which is wrought by miracles I said no for Christ saith these tokens shall follow them that beleeue me they shall speake new tongues and cast out diuels and if they drinke poyson it shall not hurt them Then he asked with what new tongues we speake Haukes When I knew not Gods word I was a blasphemer and filthâ—e talker but since I knew Gods word I haue giuen laude praise and thankes to God with the same tongue Then he said how cast ye out Diuels I said whosoeuer doth credite and beleeue Gods word shall cast out Diuels Then he asked me if euer I dranke any deadly poyson I said yea forsooth I haue drunken of the pestilent traditions and ceremonies of the Bishop of Rome Bonner Thou art an Hereticks and thou shalt be burned if thou continuest this opinion you thinke we are affraid to put you to death there is a brother-head of you but I will breake it I warrant you Haukes Christ nor his Apostles neuer killed any for their Faith he said Paule did excommunicate I said There is difference betwixt excommunicating and burning he said Peter destroyed the Man and his Wife in the Acts. I said They lied against the Holy Ghost which serued nothing for his purpose Then he saide well you graunt one I said If you will haue vs grant you to be of God then shew mercy for he requireth mercy so he went to dinner The next day Fecknam talked with me Feck Are you hee that will not haue your child christned but in English and will haue no Ceremonies I said I refuse not that which the Scripture commandeth he said Cerâ—monies are to be vsed by the Scriptures how say you to Paules breaches Hauks I haue read that there went Partlets and Napkins from Pauls body is it that you meane he said yes what say you to those Ceremonies I say nothing to the Ceremonies for the Text saith It was God that wrought and not the Ceremonies Feck How say you to the woman that touched the hem of Christ vesture did not her disease depart by that ceremonie I said there went vertue from Christ as himselfe said whether was it his vertue or his besture that healed the woman He said both I said then is not Christ true For hee said Thy Faith hath made thee whole Feck How say you Sirrha Christ tooke bread and brake it and said Take eate this is my body is it not so I said I doe not vnderstand it so Then hee said Christ is a lyer I said I thinke you will prooue him so for euery word that Christ spoke is not to bee vnderstood as hee spoke it For hee said I am a Doore a Vine a King a Way c. Hee said hee spake this in parables Haukes No forsooth then Christ would haue said I am like vnto a Doore to a Uine to a King to a Way He said these plaâ—es make nothing for you but I perceiue you build vpon Latimer Cranmer and Ridley I said they be godly learned men Feck Wilt thou trust to such dolts one of them hath written in his booke that the reall presence is in the
dignity because that which was common bread hath the dignitie to exhibit Christs body for now it is an holy bread sanctified by Gods word The third question was whether the masse were a liuely and propitiatorie sacrifice for them aliue and for them that be dead this article they denied to be true because Christ made one perfect sacrifice for the whole world neither can the Priests offer vp Christ againe for the sinnes of man neither is there any propitiation for our sins but his Crosse only And because neither for feare nor flatterie they could be made to recant at their second sitting they were condemned disgraded and deliuered to the secular power Upon the North-side of the towne of Oxford in the ditch ouer against Baliol Colledge the place of execution was appointed Doctor Ridley came vnto the stake in a faire black gowne such as he was wont to weare when he was Bishop with a tippet of sables about his neck M. Latimer came in a poore frize frock in one they might behold the honor they sometimes had in the other the calamitie whereunto they were now descended after Doctor Ridley had prayed seeing the chéerfulnes of M. Latimer he ran vnto him imbraced him and kissed him saying be of good heart brother for God will either asswage the fury of the flame or else strengthen vs to abide it Then Doctor Smith began his Sermon vpon 1. Co. 13. If I giue my body to the fire to be burned and haue not charity I shall gaine nothing thereby wherein he alledged that neither the holinesse of the person nor the manner of the death but the goodnes of the cause made a martyr this he prâ—ued by the example of Iudas and many others which then might be counted righteous because they desperatly sundred their liues from their bodies as he feared these men that stood before him would do and still he cried vnto the people to beware of them for they were hereticks died out of the Church at last he exhorted them to recant and come home again vnto the Church saue their liues and soules which else were condemned They would haue answered him but some ran to them stopt their mouthes with their hands would not suffer them to speak Then Doctor Ridley said Heauenly father I giue thée most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thée euen vnto death I beséech thée be mercifull to this Realme of England and deliuer the same from all her enemies When the fire was kindled he cried Into thy hands I commit my spirit Lord receiue my spirit crying often Lord Lord receiue my spirit M. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side O Father of heauen receiue my soule Latimer died quickly but Ridley was long a 〈◊〉 by reason of the bad making of the fire yet he remained constant to the end The death of Stephen Gardner IN Nouember the next moneth after the burning of Ridley and Latimer in which moneth the Quéen died thrée years after Stephen Gardner a man hated of God and good men ended his wretched life He was borne in Berry in Suffolk and brought vp in Oxford his wit capacity and memory were excellent if they had bin well applied he was high-minded flattering his own conceit too much towards his superiours he was politick and pleasant to his inferiors fierce against his equals stout and enuious if they any thing withstood him in iudgment it was constantly reported that the nayles of his toes were crooked and sharp downward like the clawes of a beast his death happened so opportunely that England hath a great cause therefore to praise God not so much for the great hurt it had done in times past in peruerting his Princes in bringing in the sixe Articles in murthering GODS Saints and in defacing Christs most true Religion but especially for that he had thought to haue murthered our noble and religious Quéene Elizabeth for hee was the cause of all her danger and if it bee certaine which we haue heard that a Writ came downe from certaine of the Councell to the Tower where the Lady Elizabeth was for her execution it is sure this vile wily Winchester was the only Dedalus and framer of that Ingine but M. Brigs Lieutenant of the Tower certified the Quéen of the matter and there by preuented Achitophels bloudy deuices as Bonner Storie Thornton Harpsfield Downing with others were occupied in putting the branches to death so Gardner bent his deuices in assaying the root in casting such a plot to build vp his Poperie as he thought it should stand for euer whether he died with his tongue swolne out of his mouth as Arundell Bishop of Canterburie did or whether he stunke before he died as Cardinall Wolsey did who after he had vsed coniuration before so after he had poysoned himselfe by the way at his buriall he was so heauie that they let him fall and he gaue such a sauor that they could not abide him with such a suddaine tempest about him that all the Torches went out and could beare no light or whether he died in dispaire I referre all this vnto their reports of whom I heard it A great doer about Winchester reported that the Bishop of Chichester comming vnto Gardner began to comfort him with Gods promises and with frée Iustification in the bloud of Christ he said what my Lord will you open that gap now then farewell altogether to me and such other you may speake it but open this window to the people and then farewell altogether Iohn Web Gentleman George Roper and George Parke THese were condemned by the Bishop of Douer and Harpsfield for deâ—ying the reall presence in the sacrament of the Altar and were burned in one fire at Canterburie abiding most patiently their torments and counting themselues blessed that they were worthy to suffer for the Gospell William Wiseman and Iames Gore THis Wiseman died in Lollards Tower being there for religion the holy Catholike Church cast him out into the fields and commaunded that no man should burie him according as their deuout manner is to all that die in that sort whom they account not worthy of buriall but to be cast to dogges and birds yet good men buried him in the night Iames Gore being in the prison at Colchester for the truth of Gods word died much about this time IOHN PHILPOT HEe was Sir Peter Philpots sonne in Hampshire brought vp in new Colledge in Oxford going from Oxford into Italy comming from Uenice to Padua he was in danger through a Franciscan Frier accompanying him in his iourney who comming to Padua accused him of heresie In King Edwards time he had diuers conflicts with Gardner Bishop of Winchester after he was made Archdeacon of Winchester where he continued during King Edwards time to no small profit of those parts in Quéen Maries time he being one of the Conuocation with a few other sustained the cause of the Gospell manfully
it to his betters yet he went to Maister Philpot at ten of the clocke and tooke off his Irons and gaue his man that which he tooke from him He gaue God thanks when newes came he should be burned the next day when the Sheriffe called him to goâ— to execution he came downe most ioyfullie when he came to Smithfield the way was soule so two of the Officers tooke him vp and carried him vnto the stake Then he said merrily what will you make me a Pope then he kissed the stake and said Shall I disdain to suffer at this stake séeing my Redéemer suffered vile death vpon the Crosse for me in the midst of the flames hee yéelded vp his soule vnto Almighty God and like a Lamb gaue vp his breath Thomas Whittle Priest Bartelet Greene Gentleman Iohn Tudson and Thomas Went Artificers Thomas Browne Isabell Foster wife Ioane Warren alias Lashford Maid THe Papists hauing this last years murdred the learned and princiâ—all members of Christs Church whereof there were now very few which either were not consumed with fire or compelled to flie their Countrey they continued this yeare likewise no lesse cruelty towards the inferior sort of people whereof these seuen were burned in Smithfield the 27. day of Ianuary at one fire and they were condemned all in one day vpon one manner of Articles the speciall points were for denying the Sacrament of the Altar and the Masse This Thomas Whittle was the Priest that Philpot maketh mention of where you may sée how he recanted and then became desperate and could not be at quiet in conscience vntill he had gotten to sée the Bill againe which he had subscribed and torne off his name wherefore Boner buffeted him and plucked off a peece of his beard but after he had torne it he was in great peace of conscience and stood out manfully for the faith and sealed to the truth with his martyrdome In an Epistle of his he calleth the Bishops and Priests the sworne Souldiours of Sathan the arch-enemies in whom so liuely appeare the very visage and shape of Sathan that a man may well affirme them to be Diuels incarnate as I by experience do speak wherefore who so shall for conscience matterscome into their hands had neede of the wilinesse of the Serpenâ—â—e saue his head and to take heed how hee consenteth to their wicked writings sore did they assault me and craftily tempt mee to their wicked wayes Bartlet Greene was borne in the Parish of Bassinghall in London being a Student in Oxford at the first he was an vtter enemy to the truth vntill God of his mercy opened his eyes by comming vnto the Lectures of Peter Martire Reader of the Uniuersity Lecture in the said Uniuersity wherof when he had once tasted it came vnto him as the Fountaine of liuing Water so that he neuer thirsted any more but had a Well springing vnto eternall life and though he were called by his Friends from the Uniuersity vnto the Temple in London to study the Common Lawes yet bee continued in his earnest study and profession of the Gospell He writing a Letter vnto one Goodman who was fledde beyond the Sea for Religion containing a report of certaine Articles of questions which were cast abroad in London and an answere to a Letter that Goodman wrote vnto him in which he required to haue the certainty whether the Quéene were dead as it was reported beyond-sea Whereupon Greene answered that she was not dead The bearer of this letter and many other letters from others was apprehended by the way and the letters brought to the Councell These words The Queene is not yet dead seemed heynous to some of the Councell yea they would haue made treason of them if they could by Law but when they could not make it treason they examined him vpon poynts of Religion and after they had long detained him in prison as well in the Lower as elsewhere they sent him at last to Bonner to be dealt withall according to the Ecclesiasticall Lawes And being presented to Bonner his Arch-deacon and diuers others sitting at the Table with him who demanded of him the cause of his imprisoning which when he had shewed him he asked him if he had not since written or spoken against the naturall presence in the Sacrament Then he desired to be charged according to the order of the Law to heare his accusers Then Doctor Chadsey was sent for who reported that before him M. Mosly and the Lieuetenant of the Tower hee spake against the reall presence and the Sacrifice of the Masse and affirmed our Church to be the Church of Antichrist which he confessed and said he would continue therein and maintaine it Then M. Welâ—h arose and desired to talke with mee alone and hauing taken mee into another Chamber he said he was sorry for my troubles and would be glad to see me at liberty and he maruailed that I being a yong man should stand against all the learned men of the Realme against the determination of the Catholique Church from Christs time I promise you quoth he I haue read all Peter Martyrs and Cranmers and all the rest of their Bookes and haue conferred them with the contrary as Roffensis and the Bishop of Winchester and the rest and could not perceiue but that there was one continuall truth which from the beginning had beene maintained and those that any time seuered from this vnity were answered and answered againe This was the summe of his talke which lacked neither wit nor eloquence I answered I am yong and lacke both wit and learning but God is not bound to time wit or knowledge but rather chuseth the weake things of the world to confound the strong neither can men appoint bounds to Gods mercy For he saith I will haue compassion on whom I will Hee hath no respect of persons whether old or yong rich or poore wise or foolish Fisher or Basket-maker God giueth knowledge of his truth through his free grace to whom he listeth Iames. 1. And I beleeue Christ hath his vniuersall Church his Spouse scattered through many Realmes where hee list the Spirit inspireth where it will he is no more adicted to any one place then to the person and quality of any one man of this Church I know I am a member trusting to bee saued by the faith that is taught therein But how this Church is knowne is the end of all Controuersies the true markes of this Church is the true preaching of his Word ministring of his Sacraments these markes were sealed by the Apostles and confirmed by the ancient Fathers vntill the wickednesse of Men and the Diuell these markes were sore worne and almost taken away but God hath â—enued the Print that his Church may bee knowne in many places I would all that were of contrary opinion would seeke the knowledge of the truth with prayer and teares as I haue done Now I am brought before a many of Bishops and
that it was against his conscience it pleased God that so great vertues in this man should not be without some blemish and that y â— falshood of the Popâ—sh generation by this meanes might be the more euident and that we should haue the lesse confidence of our owne strength presently this recantation was put in Print and published notwithstanding it was decréed that Cranmer should be burned out of hand and the Quéene commanded a funerall Sermon to be made for him by Doctor Cole and hauing his lesson giuen him he went spéedily to Oxford to play his part The morning before hee should bee executed Cole gaue him 15 crownes to giue to y â— poore The Archbishop surmised whereabouts they went after the Spanish Frier came vnto him with a paper of Articles which Cranmer should openly professe in his recantation before the people desiring him to write his name vnto it then he prayed him to write a Copy of it and kéepe it with him which he did knowing wherunto their deuices tended he put secretly into his bosome his prayer with his exhortation written in another paper Cranmer was brought from prison to S. Maries Church betwixt two Friers which mumbled certaine Psalmes in the stréets as they went when they came vnto the Church they sung Nunc dimittis then they brought him to his standing where they left him there he stood all y â— Sermon in a bare ragged gowne ill-fauouredly clothed with an old square cap exposed to the contempt of all men In this habite when he had stood a good while vpon the stage he turned vnto a pillar knéeling lifting vp his hands to heauen he praied vnto God once or twice After a while Cole came began his Sermon altogether to the disgrace of Cranmer shewing that he was the onely man that began this heresie schisme from the Catholique Church that he was the cause of the diuorce betwixt the Quéenes father and mother and that for these and other maine causes the Quéene and Councell did thinke fit that he should be burned although he had recanted At the end of his Sermon he brought many scriptures to comfort him that such as die in Gods faith he will either abate y â— fury of y â— flame or else giue him strength to abide it he glorified God much in his conuersiâ—n because it appeared to be only his worke shewing what great meanes was vsed to conuert him but none could preuaile vntill God reclaimed him saying whilst he flowed in riches honor he was vnworthy of death but lest he should carry with him no comfort he promised that immediatly after his death there should be Dirges Masses Funerals executed in all the Churches in Oxford for â—uccour of his soule But Cranmer during the Sermon lifted vp his hands eyes to heauen the very shape of forrow was liuely expressed in him more then twenty times he shed aboundant teares from his fatherly face but especially when he made his prayer before the people After Cole had done his Sermon he had Cranmer performe his promise to expresse your faith that you may take away suspicion from men that they may vnvnderstand you a Catholique indéed I wil do it said the Archbishop with a good will then he desired y â— people to pray for him that God would forgiue him his sins and one offence doth trouble me more then all the rest whereof in processe of my talke you shall heare and after he had made a very pithy praier with y â— people which you may sée in y â— book at large then he said euery man at the time of his death desireth to giue some god exhortation vnto others so I pray God at this my departing I may speake somwhat whereby God may be glorified you edified His first exhortation was that we should not set our minds too much vpon this glozing world but vpon God the world to come His next exhortation was to obedience to y â— King Quéenâ— His third exhortation was that they should loue together like brothers sisters The fourth was that rich men would weigh three sayings in y â— scripture First Christ saith it is hard for a rich man to enter into y â— kingdome of heauen Secondly S. Iohn saith he that hath this worlds goods and shutteth his compassion vpon his needy brother how can he say he loueth God Thirdly Saint Iames biddeth them weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon you your clothes be moth-eaten your gold and siluer cankred and rusty and the rust shall witnesse against you and consume you like fire you hoord vp treasure of Gods indignation against the last day Let them that be rich ponder well these thrée sentences for if euer they had occasion to shew their charity it is now the poore beeing so many and victuals so deere Now being I am come to the end of my life whereupon hangeth my life past and my life to come either to liue with my Maister Christ for euer in ioy or else for euer in paine with the Diuell Therefore I will declare my faith vnto you without dissembling I beleeue all the Articles of the Créede and all the Doctrine of Christ his Apostles and Prophets in the new and old Testament and now I come vnto the great thing that so much troubled my conscience more then all that euer I did in all my life and that is in setting abroad a writing contrary to truth which now I renounce as written with my hand contrary to my heart for feare of death and that is all such Billes and Papers which I haue written or signed with my hand since my degradation and because my hand writ contrary to my heart it shall be first burned And as for the Pope I refuse him as Christs enemy and Antichrist with all his false Doctrine And as for the Sacrament I beléeue as I haue taught in my Booke and my Booke shall stand at the last day before the iudgement of God when the Papisticall doctrine shall be ashamed to shewe her face It was a world to sée the Doctors beguiled of so great a hope I thinke there was neuer cruelty more notably deluded and when he began to speake more of the Sacrament and of the Papacie Cole cried to stop the Heretiques mouth then the Friers pulled him from his seate and led him to the fire then they cried to him What madnesse hath brought thee againe into this error by which thou wilt draw innumerable soules with thee into hell Hee answered them not but directed his talke vnto the people But the Spanish Barker raged and foamed almost out of his wits and he and the other Spanish Frier began to exhort him afresh but all in vaine When the fire began to burne neere him he put his right hand into the flame which he held so stedfastly that it was burned before his body was touched he abode the fire with such constancy
Lord he renounced the false coloured Religion of the Romish Sea wherein many a good man hath beene drowned he was burned at Northampton Thrée in the Castle of Cicester being in like bonds for the like cause of Christs Gospell died in Prison and were buried in the fields who had béene burned if the cruell handling of Papists had not made them away before John Clarke Dunstone Chittenden vncondemned William Foster of Stone Allice Potkins of Staplehurst Iohn Archer of Cranbroke VVeauer THe first of Nouember these fiue were macerate and pined to death by famine in the Castle of Canterbury they answered all to this effect that they beleeue the Articles of the Creed but they beleeue no more Sacraments but two that praiers to Saints or soules in purgatory profit not that faith only iustifieth they denied the Popish ceremonies in the Church that it was as good to carry a Dungfork as Candles on Candlemas day and that it is as necessary to carry the Gallowes about if ones father were hanged as to cary the Crosse that they could not come to Church with a safe conscience There was fifteene of them in prison and it seemeth the Bishops and Priests had appointed to starue them al had not a Certificate of the manner of their cruell handling bin throwne out of the Castle window wherby their doings were made manifest so the other ten were burned as after appeareth In the Months of September Nouember and December there was a great persecution in Couentry and Lichfield the cruell Bishop Radulph Bane and his cruell Chancellor Doctor Draycot and nine Priests and a number of others were compelled to recant and one Hoke was burned at Chester as thou mayst see in the Booke at large THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF the Acts of the Church TOuching the processe and whole discourse concerning the condemning taking vp and burning the bones and bookes of Bucer Paulus Phagius by the commaundement of Cardinall Poole with all the rites and ceremonies therunto appertaining with all the ridiculous procéeding of the Commissioners whilst they were at Cambridge and also the Oration of M. Acworth Orator of the Uniuersitie at the restitution of Martine Bucer and Paulus Phagius in Quéene Elizabeths time and also the dispitefull handling and madnesse of the Papists towards Peter Martires Wife at Oxford taking her vp from her grauâ— at the commandement of Cardinall Poole and after buried in a Dunghil Concerning the processe of these things I refer thee if thou béest disposed to sée them to the booke at large The 18. of Ianuary the ten that remained of the aforesaid fiftéene that were in prison in the Castle of Canterbury whereof fiue of them were starued the â—ther ten were burned for the same points of Religion in effect as the other fiue held as before is expressed the names of these ten follow Iohn Philpot of Tenderden William Waterer of Bedingdy Stephen Kempe of Norgate William Hay of Hith Thomas Hudson of Sellenge Mathew Bradbridge of Tenderden Thomas Stephens of Bedingham Nicholas Finall of Tenderden VVilliam Lowicke of Cranbroke VVilliam Prowting of Thorneham The 8. of February a most bloody Commission was giuen forth by King Philip and Quéene Marie to prosecute the poore members of Christ. Whereupon twenty two were apprehended in Essex and brought vp to London at once to Bonner all of them tyed to a rope by two and two and so lead in a rope through the stréetes to Bonner Now the Bishops and Councell perceiuing the number and fearing to put them to death being so many together least I some disturbance might rise vpon the same they bad them make their submission and confession as they would themselues that they might make a colour of recantation wherupon they were discharged for their names I referre thée to the Booke at large Thomas Loseby Henry Ramsey Tho Thyrtell Margaret Hyde Agnes Stanley THe twelfth of Aprill these were burned at one fire in Smithfield Bonner framed now Articles vnto them and confessing these points of his Articles they were condemned 1 For speaking against the Faith Religion and Ecclesiasticall seruice especially concerning the Masse and the seauen Sacraments saying they agréed not wâ—th Gods word 2 For being perswaded that the English seruice in King Edwards time was godly and Catholike 3 That they did not thinke themselues bound to come to Church to heare the Mattins Masse and Euening song 4. That they did not thinke themselues bound to go a Procession nor to beare Tapers and Candles at Candlemas nor take Ashes vpon Ashwednesday nor beare Palmes vpon Palme-sunday nor to créepe to the Crosse vpon daies accustomed not to receiue and kisse the Paxe at Masse time not to receiue holy water or holy bread nor to except or allow the Ceremonies and vsages of the Church as they are vsed in this Realme 5 For thinking they were not bound to confesse their sinnes vnto a Priest nor to receiue absolution at his hand nor to receiue the Sacrament of the Altar 6 For thinking prayers to Saints or prayers for the dead are not lawdable profitable not allowed by Gods Word and that the soules departed goe straight waies to Heauen or Hell so that there is no Purgatory 7 For thinking all those that were burned in King Henry the eights time and in Quéene Maries time as Heretickes were no Heretickes but faithfull and good people and for approuing their opinions and misâ—iking their condemnations 8 For thinking the Sacrament of the Altar to bee an Idoll and to reserue it to be honoured to be Idolatry and likewise of the Masse and â—lâ—uation of the Sacrament After this they were conuented againe before the Bishop in the Conâ—â—story where these being asked what they had to say against iudgement Thomas Losâ—by said God giue me strength to stand against you and your 〈◊〉 your Lawâ—s a deâ—ouring Law I perceiue there is no way with me but death except I will beléeue in that Idoll the Masse Thomas Thirtle said If you make me an Heretick then you make Christ and al the twelue Apostles Hereticks for I am in the true faith and I will stand to it for I know I shall haue eternall life Râ—msey said my opinion is the very truth which I will not goe from There are two Churches and we the Martyrs of Christ are the true Church and yee be not Margaret Hide affirmed shee was in that true Faith and would neuer forsake it Agnes Stanly said if euery haire of her head were neuer so much worth I had rather they were reburned then I will for sake my true faith Then they were put off vntill the afternoone then as Loseby his answere was reading mention being made of the Sacrament Boner put off his Cap and Loseby put on his hat and he said I trust I haue the Spirit of truth which you detest for the wisedome of God is foolishnesse vnto you whereupon they had iudgement Margaret Hide saide My Lord I will not depart from my sayings till I be
them they clapped their hands for ioy ioyfully ioyed in the fire and thousands standing by cryed generally all almost the Lord strengthen them the Lord comfort them as was wonderfull to heare Iohn Thurstone HE was taken in the house of William Munt with him he died in May in Colchester castle a constant confessor of Iesus Christ. Thomas Moore HE was a Merchant dwelling in Leicester about 24. yeares olde for saying his maker was in heauen and not in the Pixe he was apprehended the Bishop said to him what is yonder aboue the altar he said I cannot tel what you would haue me to sée I sée fine clothes with golden tassels and other gay geare hanging about the Pixe what is within I cannot sée why said the Bishop doest thou not beléeue Christ to be there flesh and bone 〈◊〉 said he that I do not whereupon the Ordinary condemned him who suffâ—red a ioyfull and glorious Martyrdome for testimony of righteousnesse in Leicester George Eagles alias Trudge-ouer HE wandred abrode in diuers countries where he could finde any of his brethren did there more earnestly encourage and comfort them now tarrying in this towne and somtimes in that certaine months as occasion serued sometimes for feare lying in fields and woods who for his vnreasonable going abroade was called Trudge-ouer for thrée yeares he dranke nothing but water and when hée perceiued that his body by Gods prouidence prooued well enough therewith hée thought best to inure himselfe therewithall against all necessities when he had profited the Church of God by this going abroade a yeare or two diuers spyes were sent out for him who had in commandement to bring him quicke or dead wheresoeuer they found him but when they could not take him they sent out an Edict in the Quéenes name into foure shires promising twenty pounds to him that should take him at length he was séene at a faire in Colchester and being pursued he hid himselfe in a wood and from thence got into a corne field when they could not finde him they returned but one got vpon the top of a trée to spy if he could sée him stirre the poore man thinking all sure because he heard nothing rose vpon his knées the lurker perceiuing him came downe and tooke him and brought him to prison to Colchester notwithstanding the Iudas-knaue which had so much promised him was faine to take a little reward this George within foure dayes after was conuayed to Chelmester where he was so cruelly handled that he had but two pound of bread and a little water measured to him to serue him a wéeke together after a while hee was brought out and indicted of treason because he had assembled companies together contrary to the lawes in that case prouided to auoyde sedition that if aboue sixe should flocke together they should be attached of treason which straight law was the casting away of the good Duke of Sommerset This George was led to be hangd drawne and quartered betwixt two théeues the one of them did nothing but mocke him and the more he was rebuked the more he mocked him but when he should die he could not speake to vtter his mind nor say his prayers and one said the Pater noster to him word by word as to a childe which he could not answer but fumblingly many did wonder at the iust iudgement of God vpon him for mocking the good martyr He that apprehended the said George Eagles his name was Ralph Hardin dwelling in Colchester who in the yeare 1561. was condemned at Chelmsford to be hanged and being at the barre â—he told the Iudge and a great multitude of people this is most iustly fallen vpon me for that I betrayed the innocent blood of a good and iust man George Eagles who was condemned here in the time of Quéene Marie through my procurement who sold his blood for a little money Richard Crashfield of Wimondham HE suffered at Norwich whose examination before Downings the Chancellour written by himselfe as followeth Chanc. Do you beléeue this that aftee the consecration there is the substance of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament Crash I beléeue that Christs body was broken for me vpon the crosse and his blood shed for my redemption wherefore the bread and wine is a perpetuall memory the pledge of Christ mercie the ring or seale of his promise and a perpetual memory for the faithfull vnto the end of the world then he was commanded vnto prison and the next day he was brought forth Chanc. Cannot you find in your heart when you come to Church to knéele before the Roode and pray I answered no alledging the commandements of God to the contrary he said Haue you not read that God commanded the brazen serpent to be made I said I haue read that God commanded it to be made and likewise to be broken downe Doctor Bridges Wherfore did God command the Cherubins and Seraphins to be made I said I cannot tell I would faine learne he said can you finde in your heart to fall downe before the Roode the picture of Christ I said I feare the curse of God is yonder Roode the picture of Christ It is written God curseth the hands that made them and the hands that made the tooles which carued them Chanc. When were you confessed to a Priest I said I confesse my selfe dayly the eternall God whom I most gréeuously offend I take confession to a Priest not be good but rather wicked then he said how say yoâ— by yonder singing and playing on the Organs is it not good and godly I said I can perceiue no godlines in it he said is it not written in the Psalmes that we shall praise God with hymnes and spirituall songs I said spirituall songs must be had but yonder is of the flesh and of the spirit of errour for to you it is pleasant and glorious but vnto the Lord it is bitter and odious then he said is it not written My house is an house of prayer I said yes it is written also that you made my house of prayer a den of theeues then he said haue we done so then I was commanded to ward and the next thursday sent for againe Chanc. Are you a new man I answered I trust I am a new man borne of God God giue you grace to be so then he prayed Doctor Pore to talke with me Doctor Take eate this is my body Do you not beléeue it is Christs body what was it that Christ gaue I said Christ tooke bread and gaue thanks and gaue it and they tooke bread and did eate bread and S. Paul saith So oft as you shal eate of this bread and drinke of this cup you shall shew forth the Lords death vntill he come S. Paul doth not call it Christs body Chanc. We will haue your minde more plainely for we intend not to haue many words with you I said my faith is grounded vpon Christ the Easter lambe he hath offered his
body a sacrifice to God the price of my redemption by that onely sacrifice all the faithfull are sanctified and he is our onely aduocate mediatour and he hath made perfect our redemption without any of your dadly oblations Doctor Bridges You take wel the litterall sence but as Christ offered his body vpon the Crosse which was a bloody sacrifice and a visible sacrifice so likewise we doe offer vp the selfe same body that was offered vpon the crosse but not bloudy and visible but inuisible vnto God I said then Christs sacrifice was not perfected but Christ is true when all men be liers then he saide Thou shalt not feare him that hath power to kill the body but thou shalt feare him enterpreting him to meane the Church which hath power to kill body and soule Christ said We should feare him and not them the hath power to cast body and soule into hel meaning God and not the Church and if you will presume to offer Christs body dayly then your power is aboue Christs power then he was condemned and with patience and constancie entred his blessed martyrdome at whose burning one Thomas Carman was apprehended for words praying with him and pledging him at his burning One Frier and the sister of George Eagles THese suffered the like martyrdome by the vnrighteous Papists whose tyranny the Lord of his mercy abate and cut short turning that wicked generation to abetter minde They were burned at Rochester IOHN CVRD HE was a Shoomaker of Sisam in Northamptonshire hée was imprisoned in Northampton castle for denying the Popish transubstantiation for the which William Bruâ—ter Chancelour vnto the Bishop of Peterborrow did pronounce sentence of death against him a popish priest standing by when he was to bee burned one Iohn Rote vicar of S. Giles in Northampton shewed him if he should recant he was authorised to giue him his pardon he answered he had his pardon by Iesus Christ. Cicelie Ormes SHe suffered at Norwich she was taken at the death of Symon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper for that she said she would pledge them of the same cup they dranke of one master Cobet of Sprowson tooke her and sent her to the Chancelour he asked her what she said vnto the Sacrament of Christs body and what is that the Priest holdeth ouer his head she answered it was bread and if you make it better it is worse so she was sent to prison after she was called and examined before the Chancelour and master Bridges the Chancelor offered her if she would go to Church kéep her tongue she should be at libertie and beléeue as she would but she tould him she would not consent to his wicked desire therein and if shée should God would plague her then he tolde her he had shewed more fauour vnto her then euer he did vnto any and when he could not preuaile he condemned her she was borne in East Derrham and was daughâ—er vnto one Thomas Hawood Tailor she was taken a twelue-moonth before and recanted but was neuer after quiet in conscience she had gotten a letter written to be deliuered to y e Chancelor to let him know she repented her recantation would neuer do the like againe as long as she liued but before she exhibited her bill she was taken and imprisoned as before when she was at the stake she told the people I would you should not report of me that I beléeue to be saued in that I offer my selfe here to death for the Lord cause but I beléeue onely to be saued by the death of Christs passion and this my death is and shall be a witnesse of my faith vnto you all good people as many of you as beléeue as I doe pray for me then she kissed the stake and sayd welcome swéet crosse of Christ aftâ—â— the fire was kindled she said My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit doth reioyce in God my Sauiour and so yéelded her life vnto the Lord as quietly as if she had béene in a slumber or as one féeling no paine so wonderfully did the Lord worke with her Mistresse Ioyce Lewis SHe was the wife of Thomas Lewis of Mancetter in the beginning of Quéene Maries time she went to Church and heard Masse vntill the burning of Laurence Saunders in Couentry then she inquired of such as she knew feared God the cause of his death and when she knew it was because he refused to receiue the Masse she began to be troubled in conscience she reforted to master Iohn Glouer a very godly man of whom mentioned is made before and desired him to tell her the faults that were in the Masse who instructed her in the wayes of the Lord approuing vnto her out of Gods holy word that the Masse with al other papistical inuentions was odious in Gods sight so she began to hate the Masse being compelled by her husband to come vnto Church â—when the holy water was cast she turned her backe towards it wherupon she was accused vnto the Bishop and a citation was sâ—nt for her and her husband the Sumner deliuered the citation to her husband who willed him to take the citation away with him or else he would make him eate it and in the end he made the Sumner eate the citation by setting a dagger vnto his brest and then he caused him to drinke and so sent him away but after they were commanded to appeare before my Lord her husband desired my Lord to be good vnto him my Lord was content to receiue his submission so that his wife would submit her selfe likewise but she told the Bishop that she had neyther offended God nor his lawes in refusing holy water the Bishop gaue her a moneths respite binding her husband in a hundred pound to bring her to him at the moneths end When the moneth was almost expired her husband was aduertised by the said M. Glouer and others not to carry his wife to the Bishop but to séeke some way to saue her and if the worst should come to be content to forfeit the Band rather then to cast his wife into the fire he answered he would not forfeit any thing for her sake but carried his wife vnto the Bishop who found her more stout then she was before so she was sent to such a stinking prison that a maid that was appointed to kéep her company did sound in the said prison She was often examined and euer found stout at length she was pronounced an heretick When the Bishop asked her why she would not come vnto the masse and receiue the sacraments and sacramentals of holy Church she answered because she could not find them in Gods word he said if thou wilt beléeue no more then is in the scriptures concerning matters of religion thou art in a damnable case she told my Lord his words were vngodly and wicked After her condemnation she continued a year in prison Wherâ— the Writ came to burn her she said
after the burning of M George Wisard he was wretchedly slaine in hiâ— owne Castle as you may sée in the discourse of this Story Crescentius the Popes Legate and Uicegerent in the Councell of Trent he was sitting from morning vntill night writing Letters vnto the Pope at his rising there appeared vnto him a mighty blacke Dog his eyes flaming liâ—e fire and his eares hanging almost downe to the ground the Cardinall being amazed called his Seruants to bring in a Candle and seeke for the Dog and when the Dog could not be found the Cardinall was strucken with a concâ—it and fell into such a sicknesse as all his Phisitians could not cure and so he dyed By Iohannes Sleidaâ—â—s in his twelfth Booke he saith his purpose was to recouer againe the whole authority and doctrine of the Romish Sea and to set it vp for euer The Councell of Trident was dissolued by the death of this Cardinall Two adulterous Bishops belonging vnto the said Councell of Trident one haunting vnto an honest mans Wife was slaine with a Boare-speare the other Bishop whose haunt was to créepe through a window was hanged in a Ginne laid for him of purpose and so couayed that in the morning he was séene openly in the stréete hanging out of the window to the wondermâ—nt of all that passed by Ex protestatione conceonatorum Germa Iohn Eckius the most vehement impugner of Martine Luther as his life was full of all vngodlinesse vncleannes and blasphemy so was his end miserable hard and pittifull his last words were these In case the foure thousand Guilders were ready the matter were dispatched dreaming belike of some Cardinalship that he should haue bought Ex Iohn Carion fol 250. Iohn Vaueler Warfe the next in office to Magraue he was of Antwarpe hee was a sore persecutor of Christs flocke he had drowned diuers good Men and women for the which he was much commended of the bloody Generation being very rich he gaue vp his office intending to passe the rest of his life in pleasure and comming vnto a banquet at Antwarpe to be merry being well laden with Wine he rode home in his Wagon with his Wife a Gentlewoman and his Foole the Horses stood still vpon a bridge and would by no meanes goe foreward then he in a drunken rage cryed out Ride on in a thousand Diuels name by and by râ—se a mighty whirlewind and tossed the Wagon ouer the bridge into the Towne ditch where he was drowned and when he was taken vp his necke was broken his wife was taken vp aliue but died within thrée daies the Gentlewoman and the Foole were saued Bartholomeus Chassaneus a great Persecutor died suddenly Minerius the Bloudy Tormentor of Christes Saints dyed with bleeding in his lower parts the Iudge that accompanied him in his persecution as hee returned homeward was drowned and thrée more of the said company killed one another Iohannes de Roma that cruell Monke that deuised such hellish torments for the poore Christians at Augrowne the Lord paid him home againe with the like torments who rotted to death and could finde no euemie to kill him nor friend to bury him he could not abide his own stinking carrion nor any man else that came neere him could abide his stench The like persecutor was the Lord of Reuest and after his furious persecution he was striken with the like horrible sicknes and with such a fury and madnesse that none durst come neere him and so most wretchedly diâ—â— The like greeuous punishment happened vpon one Iohn Martine a persecutor as appeareth in the History before In the yeare 1565. in the towne of Gaunt in Flanders one VVilliam de VVeuer was imprisoned for religion by the Prouost of S. Peters In Gaunt the Prouost sent for one Giles Brackelman the principall Aduocate of the Councel of Flanders and Borough-master and Iudge of Saint Peters with others of the Rulers of the Towne to sit in Iudgement vpon him as the said Borough-master reasoned with the said VVilliam de VVeauer vpon diuers Articles of his Faith And being about to pronounce his condemnation the Borough-Master was suddenly striken with a Palsey that his mouth was drawne almost vnto his eare and so hee fell downe and died The Lords that stood by shadowed him that the people should not see him and commaunded the people to depart yet they burned the said William de Weauer within thrée houres after the same day The fift of March 1566. Sir Garret Trieste Knight hee had promised the Regent to bring downe the preaching wherefore the Regent promised him to make him a Graue which is an Earle when he had brought with him to Gaunt tidings of the death of the Preachers he receiued from the Regent a Commission to swear the Lords and Commons vnto the Romish Religion and being at supper he bad his Wife call him an houre the sooner in the morning for that he should haue much businesse to doe to sweare the Lords and people vnto the Romish Religion but going to bed in good health in the morning when he should be called he was found dead and as the Lords of Gaunt procéeded to giue the Oath the next day Master Martine de Pester the Secretary being appointed and about to giue the Oath as the first man should haue sworne the said Martin de Pester was stricken of GOD with present death and â—â—uer spake againe These Examples were contained in a Letter written vnto HENRY the second French King which is in the Booke more at large THE Lord Poucher Archbishoppe of Toâ—res who sued for the Court called Chambre Ardente there to condemne the Protestants to the fire who after was stricken with a disease called the fire of God which began at his lower parts and so ascended vpward that one member after another was cut off and so he died miserably Castellanus hauing inriched himselfe by the Gospell and returning from pure Doctrine vnto his old vomit againe became a Persecutor at Orliance but God strucke him with a sicknesse vnknowne vnto the Phisitians one halfe of his body burned as hot as fire and the other halfe was as could as Ice and so most miserably crying he dyed Du Prat was the first that opened vnto the Parliament the knowledge of Herisies and gaue out Commission to put the faithful vnto death he died swearing and horribly blaspheming God and his stomacke was found pierced and gnaune asunder with Wormes Iohn Ruse Councellor in the Parliament comming from the Court hauing made report of the Processe against the poore innocents was taken with a burning in the lower part of his belly before hee could be brought home the fire inuaded all his secret parts and so he died miserably Claude des Asses a Councellor in the said Court the same day that he gaue his consent to burne the faithfull After dinner he committed whoredome with one of his Seruants and in doing the act he was stricken with a disease that he died out of hand Peter
haue it because the high Bishop Christ had triumphed there Antioch would needs haue it alledging that Peter the Apostle there had kept his Sea and was neuer at Rome as it may appeare by the booke called quod Petrus nunquam Romae fuit Hee of Rome not regarding the saying of Saint Gregory that he should be Antichrist that would be vniuersall ouer Bishops by deceits gifts and force obtained to bee called the chiefe Bishop the greatest the highest vniuersall most blessed most holy and lawfull successor of Peter and Christ. The Fryers of Dominick and Francis d ee chiefely apply themselues to sorcery and witchcraft and thereby learne euill diuellish Arts A man may reade that Siluester the second one of them got to be Pope by the help of the Diuell vpon condition that after his death he should be his and in our dayes Paul the third called Pope Farnese hath not left his like in Astrology and diuination it is certainly said that he beleeued that the soule was mortall so did Pope Lewes and Cardinall Chitty A Gentleman of Uenice and his wife were in doubt vpon a case of conscience The woman confessed her selfe in the Church of the Chittines and opened the matter praying to bee resolued The Frier did it as well as hee could and then hee opened the whole matter to Cardinall Chitty as it is their old vse to doe hee commanding him to bee secret and finding the resolution of the case in the Cannon Law the morrow the Gentleman came vnto Chitty and opening the matter hee commanded him to hold his peace and tooke him by the hand and put it into the booke in the place which hee before had marked for that purpose Then he bad him tell his tale when he had ended he said look there where your hand is The Gentleman read there and found that which he sought then forthwith hee fell downe and worshipped him as it had been another Christ which knew all secrets Pasquine saith hee knoweth ten thousand such trickes by them Saint Ioyce is patron of fruitfulnes of Children she hath a Church in France the Flemings goe vnto her to haue Children and speede of their purpose for whilst they be on their voyage she vseth the Priests and Friers as instruments with their wiues The Pope in policie sends flattering Courtiers to Francis King of 〈◊〉 to flatter him in all his actions to remember him of that Title of Most Chrâ—â—â—ian King which his Progenitors receiued of the Pope and that therefore hee shâ—uld defend the Dignitie of them that gaue him so goodly a Title and to exhort him that he should not faâ—le to persecute the Lutherans and that he should fail to Dancing and Banquetting and to serue Venus and to Hunting rather then to sauour Learning as it seemed he would doe In the Popes Policie it was decreed That of all the chiefe Houses in Italie or elsewhere there should one euer be a Cardinall to keepe them in deuotion of the Church of Rome which they began to forsake for the Gospell but aboue all things there should be six or foure at the least of the Uenetians Cardinals because a â—umber of those Senators be wittie and of profound iudgement least they should slip their heads from the Pope It was decreed by the Pope concerning Spaine That the Inquisitors should not be seuere with the Marraines who denyed the Diuinitie of Christ but that they should be most cruell against the Lutherans who denie the Diuinitie of the Pope They haue made Peace with the Turke that they may the better maintaine Warre against the Gospell and to keepe the Christian Princes in Warres and Businesse that they may not seeke for a Generall Councell for Reformation There is not one man condemned by the Uenetians but he is adiudged by fortie Iudges and the offendor may alledge for himselfe the best he can yet they suffer a Legate onely to condemne whom he list for the Gospell and the person accused cannot come vnto his Purgation Cardinall Fernese made the liuely Picture of his Sister ouer his Chamber dore shee was Pope Alexander Borgias his Concubine and by her honourable meanes shee made her said brother Cardinall and after to be made Pope Her Image goeth currant for the Picture of our Ladie and the Pictures of our Ladie be made thereby By the Papists Tradition the Soule for euerie deadly sinne is to abide seuen yeares in Purgatorie Moses ordained many Sacrifices for the sinnes of the liuing but none for them in Purgatorie he chideth for weeping for the dead It is deuised onely to deceiue the people with Trentals and Quarentals and other foolish Inuentions full of Couetousnesse The Scripture biddeth vs remember the poore that be aliue the Papists bidde vs bring hither for the Soules of your dead Friends and Parents with crie Miseremini These Priests and Religious are the Prophets Saâ—ke neuer full and Solomons Horse-leaches and the fire that neuer saith hoa if thou shouldst giue them the world they will not be satisfied The places of Scripture that they ground Purgatorie vpon are the fift of Mathew Agree with thine Aduersarie by the way least thou be cast into Prison c. And in the 18. of Mathew Hee that owed thee tenne thousand Talents was deliuered vnto Prison c. And in the 12. of Mathew The sinne against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen in this World nor in the World to come And in the 1. Cor. 13. Stubble and trash builded vpon Christ shall be tryed by Fire And 2. Machab. 12. Macabeus offered two thousand drammes of Siluer for the dead which bought Beasts which were sacrificed And Reuelation 14. 21. Those that follow the Lambe are without spot and no vncleane thing shall enter into heauen Therefore we must be purged with Purgatorie before we can come there Thomas Aquine confessed hee could not finde Purgatorie in the Scriptures yet hee would haue it beleeued The Doctrine of Purgatorie is the greatest Blasphemie that is vnto Christ. Boniface the â— eight made a Decree That euery worldly creature should be subiect vnto the Pope vpon paine of Damnation Pope Alexander Borgias lay with his naturall Daughter Lucrece with whom also Duke Valentine his brother lay The Friers lay with the Nunnes and with Lay-sisters and taught them to murder yong Babes least they should be discouered or teacheth them how they shall not conceiue with child or to destroy it in her body Some of them make Women to poyson their Husbands some of them haue giuen meate to a whole household to make them to sleepe that he might not be seene to goe to the good wife and thereby hath killed them all One faineth our Ladie doth Miracles to get Offerings another persecuteth the Truth because he would be a Bishop Another false knaue in Confession caused a woman to giuen him her money in keeping and then denyed it They sit toting in the bosome of simple yong maids which come vnto them to shrieue
Shoemaker burned at Northampton 329 Steuen Kemp of Norgate martyred 330 Simon Miller condemned and burned 339 Steuen Cotton burned at Brainford 359 Steuen White burned at Brainford ibid. T. TIberius Caesar willed Christ might be adored as God 2 Thomas slaine with a dart 3 Thousands die for the faith 4 Tribute called Dane-gilt paid 40 Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury his history contayning the contention between him and Henry the second King of England from Folio 59. to 65. he is slain by 4. souldiers in the Church at Canterbury 66 Thomas Pye of Albarogh inioyned six whippings sixe seuerall Sundaies 141 Thomas Bagley Priest burned in Smithfield 144 Thomas Rheydon a French Carmelite Frier condemned to be burned 145 Thomas Norrice burned at Norwich 147 Thomas a Priest of Norwich burned 148 Thomas Bingy burned at Norwich ibid. Thomas Becket his prouerbe 155 Thomas Lancaster for bringing in prohibited bookes committed 161 Thomas Hittin burned in Maidstone 175 Thomas Garnet Curate of All-hallowes in Hunnie lane for dispersing of Luthers books forced to abiure 178 Thomas Cromwell Earle of Essex his history and death 198 Thomas Barnes Doctor of Diuinitie for preaching against the Cardinall burned 199 Thomas Gerrard Martyr ibid. Thomas Forret a Scotish Deane his troubles and martyrdome 212 Thomas Tunstone Bishop of Duresme cast into the Tower 220 Thomas Dobs for inueighing against papistry committed to prison and there dies ibid. Thomas Grey the Dukes brother executed 239 Two Sunnes both shining at once 243 Thomas Hawkes for not christening his childe after the popish manner apprehended his conference with Bonner Harpsfield Fecknam and others at Copthall in Essex 269 270 271 272 273. Thomas Wats of Billirrikies in Essex his conference with the Bishop about the Sacrament and martyrdom 273 Thomas Osmond for maintaining the truth burned at Maningtree 274 Thomas Iueson burned 282 Thomas Fust burned at Ware 289 Thomas Leys died in prison for the truth 285 Thomas Cob of Harehill Butcher burned 291 Thomas Heyward burned at Lichfield ib. Thomas Whittle troubled in conscience for yeelding to the Bishop of London gets his Bill and teares it in pieces 305 Thomas Whittle Priest after conflicts with the papists martyred 312 Thomas Went burned in Smithfield ibid. Thomas Browne burned in Smithfield ibid. Thomas Spurge burned in Smithfield 321 Thomas Spicer burned at Beckles 323 Thomas Harland burned at Lewis 324 Thomas Reed burned at Lewis Ibid Thomas Auington burned at Lewis Ibid. Thomas Wood Minister burned at Lewis Ibid. Thomas Miles burned at Lewis Ibid. Thirteene burned at Stratford the Bow Ibid. Thomas Free-man condemned but saued by Pooles dispensation 325. Thomas Barnes condemned to beare a faggot 326. Thomas Paret dyed in the Kings Bench and burien in the back-side Ibid. Thomas Dangate Martyr at Grinsteed in Sussex 328. Thomas Rauensdale Martyr 329. Thomas Horne and a woman consumed with the fier at Watton-vnderhedge in Glocestershire Ibid. Three in the Castle of Chichester dyed in prison for the truth and buried in the fields Ibid. Thomas Hudson of Selling Martyr 330 Thomas Steuens of Bedingham martyred for the truth 330 Thomas Losebâ— burned 331 Thomas Thirtell martired 331 Thomasine Awood martyr 332 Thomas Perald martyr 340 Tyrrell one of the race of those that murthered King Edward the fift His cruelty to the faithfull Ibid Thomas Moore for saying his maker was in heauen and not in the Pix burned at Leicester 341 Thomas Carman for praying with Crashfield and drinking with him when he was burned apprehended 343 Thomas Athoch Priest martyr 349 Thomas Auington Martyr Ibid. Thomas Rauensdale Martyr Ibid. Thomas Spurdan examined before the Bishop and Chancellor of Norwich sent to prison Ibid. Thomas Carman Martyr 355 Thomas Hudson affirming the Masse to bee a patcht monster martired Ibid. Thomas Benbridge for maintayning the truth rather broyled then burned 361 Thomas Hall burned at Bristow 365 Thomts Benion burned at Bristow Ibid V VSkatell driues the Danes out of England 40 Vicount of Melun his counsell to the English 77 Valentine Freese burned at Yorke 181 Vsher Tunstall for hauing the Pater-noster and Creed in English forced to abiure 143 W VVInchester Church founded 29 Westminster Abby begun by a Citizen Ibid. William Conquerour enters the land 42 Receiued for King and crowned on Christmas day driues the Danes out of the North forceth Malcolme King of Scots to pay tribute 44. Waldenses their beginning and progresse 55. the Articles they held 56. 57. Wickliffe beginning to preach the Gospell of Christ 85. his conclusions in a conuocation at Lambeth 86. his conclusions condemned of herisie and error by William Archbishop of Canterâ—â—y 88 his bookes condemned by the Councel of Constance his letter to Pope Vrban the sixt Ibid diuers of the Nobilitie and Vniuersitie fauour him 90. 91. William Santrey martyr 95 William Thorps examination before Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury from follio 95. to 103. William Taylor for fauouring Wickliffs opinonâ— burned in Smithfield 104. William White a follower of Wickliffe forced to recant 141 William Wright a persecutor 143 Wolsey Cardinall his graetnesse and pride 166 William Tracy for affirming in his will that hee trusted onely in God after his death was taken vp and burned 185. William Button his merry Questions to Papists 206 Weston preached at Paules Crosse to pray for souls departed 243. Walter Mantell for constantly maintaining the truth hanged 244 Warwick his cruelty to Doctor Taylor 256 William Pygot burned at Braintree 264 Woman put in the Cage for speaking against the Pope 267 William flower alias Branch martyred 268 William Tooly Poulterer hanged for robbing a Spaniard his body oster buriall taken vp and deliuered to the seculer power to be burned for heresie 269 William Bamford burned at Harwich for the truth 274 Wodroffe Sherife of London after his crueltie shewed to M. Bradford taken lame and so continued 279 William Minge a constant Confessor dyed in Maidstone layle Ibid. William Coker burned at Canterbury 284. William Hooper burned at Canterbury Ibid. William Steere of Ashford for saying the Sacrament of the Altar was an abhominable Idoll burned at Canterbury Ibid William Andrew for defence of his religion died in Newgate and cast into the fields 290 William Allen for refusing to follow the Crosse in procession burned at Walsingham 291 William Glouer persecuted for the truth 292 William Wolsey burnt at Ely 293 William Wiseman dying in Lollards Tower cast into the fields but buried by good men 304 William Times Ioyner burned in Smithfield 321 William Poole martyr 323 William Slâ—ch dyed in the Marshalsey and buriâ—â—â— in the backside of the prison 324 William Adherall Minister imprisoned ibid. William Saennard condemned but saued by Cardinall Pools dispensation 325 William Adams condemned but saued by Cardinall Pools dispensation ibid. William Foâ—ter of Stone starued to death in the Castle of Canterbury 329 William Waterer of Bedâ—â—gdy martyred 330 William Hay of Hith martyred ibid William Lowick of Cranbrook martired ibid. William Prouting of Thorneham
the fight of Beckets Church he lighted went barefoote to his toombe whose steps were found bloudy by the roughnâ—sse of the stones and receiued a whip with a rod of euery Monke of the Cloister whereby thou maist see the lamentable superstition and ignorance of those dayes and the slauery that Kings and Princes were brought too vnder the Popes Clergy the same yeere almost the whole Citie of Canturbury was consumed with fire and the said Minster church cleane burnt The next yeare in a conuocation of Bishops Abbots and other of the Clergie at Westminster there was great discention betwixt the two Arch-bishops whether Yorke must beare his Crosse in the Dioces of Canterbury and whether the Bishopricks of Lincoln Chichester Worcester and Hereford were of the sea of York Wherefore the one appealed the other vnto the presence of the Pope How much better had it beene if the Supremacie had remained in the King whereby much trauell and great wastfull expences had bin saued and there cause morâ— indifferently and more spéedily decided Diuers of Glocester in the Dioces of York were excommunicated by the Archb. of Canterbury because being summoned they refused to appeare a Cardinall by the Kings procurement was sent from Rome to make peace by the meanes of the King it was agreed that Canterbury should release his claime to Glocester and absolue the Clarks thereof the bearing the crosse and other matters was referred to the other Bishops and a league of truce for fiue yeares betwixt them The next yeare Henry the second denided the Realme into six parts ordained thrée Iustices of assise on euery part to the first Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge shire Huntingdon-shire Buckingham-shire Essex Hereford-shire to the second Lincoln-shire Nottingham-shire Derby-shire Stamford-shire Warwick-shire Northampton-shire Leicester-shire Thirdly Kent Surry South-hampton-shire Sussex Berk-shire Oxford-shire Fourthly Heriford-shire Glocester-shire Worcester-shire Salop-shire Fiftly Wilt-shire Dorcester-shire Sommerset-shire Deâ—â—n-shire Cornwall Euerwick-shire Richmond-shire Lancaster Copland Westmâ—r-land Northumberland Cumberland In this yéere the Archbishop of Canterbury made thrée Arch-deacons where there was but one and the K. granted the pope that no Clarke should be called before a temporall Iudge except for his offence in the Forrest or his lay-fée that he holdeth and that no Bishopricke or Abbey should remaine but one yeere in the Kings hands without great cause This yeare there was great controuersie betwixt the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Abbot of S. Austen he being Elect whether the Bishop should come to his house to consecrate him or he to come to the Metropolitan church of Canterbury to be consecrated The â—bbot appealed to the audience of the Pope and went thither with a fat purse procured letters to the Bishop of Worcester to command the Arch-bishop to consecrat him in his Monastery because it did properly belong to the Iurisdiction of Rome should do so likewise to his successors without exception of obedience if the â—rchb refuse to doe it then he should doe it the Archb. vnderstanding it loth to yéeld vsed policy he watched a time when the Abbot was froÌ„ home came to the Monastery with all things appointed for the busines called for the Abbat to be consecrated the Abbot not being at home he fained himself not a little gréeâ—ed wherevpon the Abbot was disappointed faine to fill his purse a new make a new course to Rome to the Pope of whom he receiued his consecration This yéere a Cardinal was sent into England as few yéeres there was not one sent to get mâ—ny he was to make peace betwixt the Archbishops of York Canterbury who kept a Councel at Westminster to which all the chiefe of the Clergy resorted with great confluence Yorke thinking to preuent Canterbury came first and placed himselfe on the right hand of the Cardinall Canterbury seeing the first place taken refused to take the second Yorke alledged the old Decree of Gregory by whom this order was taken betwixt these two Metropolitans that he that should be first in election should haue the preheminence in dignity and goe before the other From words they went to blowes Canterbury hauing more seruants was to strong for Yorke plucked him from the right hand of the Cardinall treading on him with their feet that it was well hee escaped aliue his Robes were all rent from his back this Noble Romane Cardinall which should haue ended the strife committed himselfe to flight the next day Yorke shewed his Rochet to the Cardinall to testifie his wrong and appealed and cited the Archbishop of Canterbury and certaine of his men to the Pope The kingdome of England in the Henry this second his time extended so farre as hath not béen seene The King of Scots with all the Lords spirituall and temporal did him homage for them and their successors Ireland England Normandie Aquitane Gaunt c. Unto the mountaine of Pireni in the vtmost parts of the Ocean in the Brittish sea protector of France and offered to bée King of Ierusalem by the Patriarke and Master of the Hospitall there which he refused alledging his great charge at home and it might be his sonnes would rebell in his absence The fame of his wisedome manhood riches was so renowned through all quarters that messengers came from the Emperor of Rome and from the Emperour of Constantinople and from many great Kings Dukes and other great men to determine questions of strife and aske councell of him he raigned thirty fiue yéeres and hauing great warres yet neuer set tribute or taxe vpon his subiects nor first fruits nor appropriations of benefits vpon the Clergy yet his treasure beeing weighed by King Richard his Sonne after his death weighed 900000. pounds besides Iewels and Houshold-stuffe of which 11000. pounds came by the death of Robert Arch-bishop of Yorke for hee had procured a Bull of the Pope that if any Priest dyed without Testament he should haue all his goods His Sonne Henry whom he ioyned with him in his Kingdome and at his Coronation serued him as a Steward and set the first dish at the Table renouncing the name of King the Archbishop of Yorke sitting at the right hand of the young King he told him he might greatly reioyce being no King had such an Officer as he had the young King disdaining his words said My Father is not dishonored for I am a King and a Quéenes Sonne and so is not he He tooke Armes with the French King against his Father and persecuted him but after hee had raigned a few yeares died in his youth by the iust iudgement of God After his death his Sonne Richard called Cor-de-Lyon rebelled against his Father and Iohn his youngest Sonne did not degenerate from his Brothers steps the said Richard brought his Father to such distresse of body and minde that for thought he fell into an Ague and within fouâ—e daies dyed Richard méeting his Corps beginning to wéepe the bloud burst out of the
Kings nose at the comming of his Sonne giuing a monstration that he was Author of his death His Children after his death worthily rewarded for their vnnaturalnesse lost all they had beyond the Sea which their Father had gotten Alexander Pope decréed that no Arch-bishop should receiue the Pall vnlessâ— hée first sware obedience to the Pope These be the words in Englâ—sh of the giuing of the Pall. To the honour of Almighty God and of blessed Mary the Uirgin and of blessed S. Peter and S. Paul and of our Lord Pope and of the holy Church of Rome and of the Church committed to your charge we giue you the Pall taken from the body of Saint Peter as a fulnesse of the Pontificall Office which you may weare within your own Church vpon certain daies expressed in the priuiledgeâ— of the said Church granted by the Sea Apostolike This Pall ought to bee asked with great instance and within thrée moneths without which Pall he is not Arch-bishop but may be deposed The same Pall must be burned with him when hee dyeth and when it is giuen some priuiledge must be giuen with it or the old renewed the Arch bishops pay swéetly for it Euery Bishop must sweare to be obedient to Saint Peter the Apostolike Church of Rome and to the Pope to doe nothing whereby either of them or any member of them may be impaired nor helpe counsell or consent vnto any so doing not to vtter their councell any way sent to them to any body to their hurt to retaâ—ne and maintaine the Papacy and the Regalities of S. Peter against all men honorably to intreat the Popes Legats going and comming and helpe them in all necessities to be ready to come to a Sinod being called without any lawfull let to visite the Pallace of the Apostles euery third yeare by himselfe or a Messenger except otherwise licensed by the Pope not to sell giue or lease out any the possessions of his Church without the Popes license So God helpe him and the Holy Ghost By this Oath the Byshop could do nothing but what the Pope would in generall councels which was the corruption of them Besides this it was decreed in the said councell of Rome by 310. Byshops by Pope Alexander that none should haue spirituall promotion except he were of full age and borne in wedlocke that no Parish-Church should be voyd aboue sixe moneths that none within orders should meddle with temporal businesses that priests shall haue but one Benefice that Bishops be charged to find the Priest a liuing vntill he be promoted That open Usurers shall not communicate at Easter nor be buried within the Church yard That nothing shall be taken for ministring Sacraments or burying Item that euery Cathedrall Church should haue a Maister to teach Children fréely without taking any thing for the same In this Councell the vow of Chastity was laid vpon Priests Thomas Becket and Bernard were canonized for Saints In this yeare Richard the eldest Sonne of Henry the second succeeded his Father at which time Clement sat Pope succéeding Gregory who died a little before for sorrow for losse of the Holy Crosse by the Popes meanes He and Fredericke the Emperor and Phillip the French King went with their Armies to Palestina atchieuing the recouery of the Holy Land Richard in this iourney gat Cyprus Acon Ptolemayda Surrah For preparation for this iourney hee sold Lordships Castles Offices Liberties Priuiledges Byshopprickes c. He said he would sell London if he could finde one able to buy it Many Bishops purchased to their Bishopprickes diuers Lordships The Bishop of Winchâ—ster purchased Werregraue Meues The Bishop of Duresme Hadberge with all their appurtenances for 500. markes and purchased the whole Prouince of the King for his owne and himselfe to be made Earle of the same In this Kings daies there fell a great dissention in the Church of Yorke betwixt the Arch-bishop of Yorke and the Deane because euening Song was begunne before the Arch-bishoppe came his Grace comming into the Quire was angry because they tarryed not for him and commaunded the Quire to stay the Deanâ— and Treasurer willed them to fing on the Quire left and recanted and begun againe The Treasurer not to take the foyle caused the lights to be put out so the euening Song ceased for the Popish euening Song is blind without light though the Sunne shine neuer so bright His Grace suspended the whole Church from Diuine seruice vntill the parties had made him amends The next day being Ascention day the Deane and Treasurer would make no sarâ—sfaction the people would haue fallen vpon them if his Grace had not let them The Deane was faine to flye to his House and the Treasurour to Saint Williams Tombe for succour The Byshop excommunicated them and the Church was suspended from Seruice that day Thus much of the Heroicall câ—mbat betwixt these Ecclesiasticall persons King Richard in his iourney aforesaid talked with Abbot Ioachim of his Uisions and Prophesies especially of Antichrist hee expounded vnto him the place in the Reuâ—lation There be seuen Kings fiue are fallen one is now another not yet com He said they were seuen Persecutors of the Church Herod Nero Domitianus Maxentius Mahomet Turka the last which is not yet come was Antichrist which is already borne at Rome and should bee there exalted into the Apostolike Sea as the Apostle faith He is an Aduersary and exhalteth himselfe aboue all that is called GOD then the wicked man shall bee reuealed and the Lord shall consume him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Why said the King I thought Antichrist should haue béene borne in Antiâ—ch or Babylon and of the Tribe of Dan and ruled in Ierusalem thrée yeares and a halfe and disputed against Enoch and Elias and put them to death and then died himselfe and that sixty daies of repentance should be giuen to them that were seduced by his preaching When King Richard went his iourney he committed the Custody of his Realme principally to the Byshop of Duresme and the Bishop of Ely and to two Lay men The two Byshops fell at variance for superiority at length this order was taken by the King that Duresme should haue vâ—der his custody from Humber is the Scottish Seas Ely was ordained Chancellor hauing vnder his gouernment from the said stood of Humber all the South parts besides but Ely beeing more ambitious so practised with the King and his Ambassadors sending his Letters to the Pope obtained the authority Legatiue vpon the whole Realm of England and became so ambitious and proud that all the Realme cryed out of him he beeing intollerable vnto the Cleargy and Layty He assembled a generall Councell at London in colour for Religion but it was for his owne pompe and oppression of the Clergy and Layty wonderfully oppressing the Commons Hee vsed â—o ride with thousand Horses Noble-mens Sonnes were glad to be his
that they instruct the children to answer the Priest at Masse Shee sent likewise a commandement to the Lord Mayor of London with the foresaid Articles to bee carefull with all his power for the performance thereof Then the Queene sent forth a Proclamation that the strangers which in King Edwards time were receiued into England for Religion should 〈◊〉 driuen out of the Realme Wherevpon Peter Martyr Ioannes Alasco vnckle to the King of Poland and many others were banished and many English men also fled into Germany and were scattered in diuers places where by Gods proâ—idence they were sustained and entertained with great fauour to the number of eight hundred persons The twenty fiue of March the Lord Courtney and Lady Elizabeth were susspected to consent to Wiats conspiracy and therevpon apprehended and commitâ—to the Tower This was a politicke practice of Steuen Gardiner which alwaies was an enemy to Lady Elizabeth Wyat at his deatâ— protested to the people that the Lord Courtney and Lady Elizabeth were cleare from all suspition of Commoâ—ion but Doctor Weston cryed to the people beleeue him not â—or hee confessed otherwise before vnto the Coâ—â—cell The same day it was told in the Parliament house that Wiat desired the Lord Courtney to confesse the truth as he had done before One Cut a Prentice of London was sent for by Gardiner vnto the Star-chamber for that he should say that Wiat was constrained by the Councell to aâ—cuse the Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney to be consenters to his risâ—ng When the Mayor brought him thither Gardiner beganne to declare how miraculously God had brought the Queene to the Crowne the whole Realme in a manner beeing against her and it was that shee might reduce this Realme ouerwhelmed with heresies to the Catholike faith and where she lâ—ued the Lady Elizabeth tenderly and deliuered the Lord Courtney out of prison yet they conspired trayterously against her with Wyat as he confessed yet there are some in London which reported that Wyat was constrayned by the Councell to accuse them yet you my Lord Mayor haue not seene the same punished The partie is here said the Mayor Gardner said punish him according to his deserts and take heed to your charge the Citie of London is a whirle-poole of euill rumors The Londoners not fauouring the Queens proceedings to their displeasure summoned a Parlament at Oxford because they would be forward in the Queens businesse but after it was holden at Westminster where her marriage with king Philip was agreed vpon Bonner being Uicegerent of the Conuocation in his Oration said that Priests were like the Uirgin Mary as she by fiue words conceaued Christ so the Priest by fiue words loth make the very body of Christ and as immediatly vpon the consent of Mary Christ was all whole in her womb so immediatly after the consecration the bread is transubstantiated into the very body of Christ and as the Uirgin layed Christ in the â—anger so the Priest lifteth vp the body of Christ and carryeth it and as Mary was sanctified before she conceiued so the priest is ordained anointed before he doe consecrate for a lay-man though he be neuer so holy and do speak the same words yet he cannot consecrate Therefore the dignitie of Priests passeth the dignity of Angels for no Angell can make the body of Christ whereby the least Priest can doe more then the greatest Angell therefore Priests are to bee â—onoured before Kings and Princes and Nobles for a Priest is higher then a King happier then an Angell and maker of his Creator The effect of the communication between Doctor Ridley and Secretary Bourne and others at the Lieutenants table at the Tower Feckham WHo so doth not beleeue that which Scripture doth affirme is an â—eretick as in the Sacrament of the Altar Mathew Marke Luke and Paul affirme there to bee Christs body and none denieth it therefore to hold the contrarie is heresâ—e Ridley Whereas is a multitude of affirmations in scripture and where is one affirmation all is one in scripture that which is spoken by one of the Euangelists is as true as that which is spoken by al for it is not in Scripture as in witnesse of men where the number is credited more then one and where you speake of so many affirming without negation of any if you take their words and leaue their meaning they affirme that you take Feck What circumstances can you shew that should moue to thinke of any other sense then as the words plainely say Rid. By the next sentence Doe this in remembrance of me and you may as well say the Bread is turned into Christs mysticall body as that it is turned into his naturall body for Paule speaking of the mysticail body saith Many are one Bread and one body because they are partakers of one Bread Feck This is confâ—rmed by antiquity vnity and vniuersality for none before Beringarius did euer doubt of this then said Master Secretary these be great matters what say you to that Feck As for Unity I doe beléeue it if it be with veritie and as for Antiquity at the first Christs Faith was truely taught by Christ and his Apostles and by many good men which did succeed next them and touching the Sacrament I am perswaded these old writers before the vsurping of the Sea of Rome doe all agree if they bee well vnderstood in this truth as for vniuersalitie if may haue two meanings one that from the beginning in all ages hath beene allowed or it may be vnderstood for the multitude of our age or of any other singular age Maister Secretarie What authors haue you of the Sacrament to make a figure Ridley Tertullian saith This is my body that is to say a figure of my body And Gelasius saith the substance of bread remaineth And Origen saith that which is sanctified as touching the matter passeth away in the draught and I maruell Fecnam will alledge Melancton for we agree there is in the Sacrament but one materiall substance and he saith there are two Maister Secretarie You say truth but we reade that in the old time the Sacrament was so reuerenced that the Catecumeni and many more were forbiddâ—n to be present Rid. Truth Sir there were some called Audients some Penitents some Catechumeni and some Euergumeni which were commanded to depart Maister Sectetarie How then can you make but a figure of the Sacrament as the Lord of Canterburies booke doth Rid. Me thinkes it is not charitably done to beare the people in hand that any man doth so lightly esteeme the Sacrament as to make it but a figure which that booke doth deny as appeareth by that booke most plainely And as for mee I say whosoeuer receiueth the Sacrament receiueth with it life or death as S. Augustine saith manduca vitam bibe vitam Maister Pope I doe beleeue the reall body of Christ is in the Sacrament and I pray God I may euer so beleeue and how can it
the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ being the head corner stone for which Church Christ gaue himselfe to make it a glorious congregation without fault in his sight 5 This Church of it selfe is sinfull and must needs say Father forgiue vs our sinnes but through Christ and his merits she is fréely forgiuen 6 Hee is our onely Mediator as Saint Paul saith there is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and Man Iesus Christ Therefore no other Mediatour 7 We beléeue this Church is and hath béen persecuted according to the promise of Christ as they haue persecuted mee so shall they persecute you for the Disciple is not aboue his Master And Paul saith it is not giuen to you onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake for all which will liue godly must suffer persecution 8 The true Church teacheth the Word of God truely not adding thereto nor taking there-from and Ministers the Sacraments according to the Primitiue Church and it suffreth all men to reade the Scriptures as Christ saith Search the Scriptures And when Paul preached the audience searched the Scriptures whether hee preached truely Dauid teacheth to pray with vnderstanding Saint Paul saith when the people vnderstand not what is said how can they say Amen at giuing of thankes And Saint Paul saith true Faith commeth by hearing the word 9 The Church of Christ teacheth God ought to bee worshipped according to his word and not after the Doctrine of men as Christ teacheth vs likewise Christ saith you shall forsake Father and Mother and follow me whereby we learne if our elders teach otherwise then God commanded in that point we must forsake them 10 The Supper of our Lord ought not to be altered because Christ the wisedome of the Father did institute it For it is written cursed is he that changeth my ordinances or taketh any thing from them This Supper is sorely abused it is giuen in one kinde where Christ gaue it in both it is made a priuate Masse where Christ made it a Communion He gaue it to all his Apostles in the name of the whole Church not to one alone Christ ordained it for a remembrance of his euerlasting sacrifice vpon the Crosse once for all and not againe to bee a dayly sacrifice both for them that are aliue and them that are dead And Saint Paul saith where there is no remission of sinnes there is no more sacrifice for sinne and in that it is worshipped where as nothing is to be worshipped that is made with hands and in that it is giuen in an vnknowne tongue whereby the people are ignorâ—nt of the right vse thereof besides this it is hanged vp and shut in a Boxe many times so long that wormes breedeth in it and so it putrifieth they that abuse it bring vp the slander thereof and not we 12 Concerning Christs words This is my body the minde of Christ must bee searched out by other Scriptures for the Apostle saith no Scripture hath any priuate interpretation and the Scriptures are full of such figuratiue speeches as the Cup is the New Testament the Rocke is Christ whosoeuer saith Christ receiueth a Child in my Name receiueth me which sentence must not be vnderstood after the Letter as the Capernaites did which taught that Christs body should haue been eaten with their teeth when he spake of the eating thereof to whom Christ said the Spirit quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing for my words are spirit and life so we see Christs words must be vnderstood spiritually and not literally hee that commeth to this worthy supper must not prepare his iaw but his heart neither tooth nor belly but beleeue saith Saint Augustine and thou hast eaten it so wee must bring with vs a Spirituall hunger and examine our selues whether our Conscience doe testifie that we doe truely beleeue in Christ according to the Scriptures whereof if we be truely certified beeing new borne from our old conuersation in heart minde will and deed then may we boldly with this mariage garment of Faith come to the feast And that there is no change but bread still remaineth Christ saith Doe this in remembrance of me And Saint Paul As often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup you shall remember the Lords death vntill hee come heere is no change but bread still And Christ saith except I goe to my Father the Comforter cannot come And Saint Peter saith heauen shall keep him vntill the last day in that he is God he is euery where but in that hee is Man hee cannot be but in one place as his body was not in all places at once when hee was heere Hee was not in the graue when the women sought him as the Angell said neither was hee at Bethania when Lazarus died by Christs owne words and thus we conclude that the Christ is in the holy Supper sacramentally and spiritually in all them that worthily receiue it and corporally in heauen both God and Man When they would not turn from the truth by no pâ—rswasions the sentence was read against them In the reading whereof Higbed said you speake blasphemie against Christs Passion and goe about to trap vs with your subtilties and snares and though my Father Mother and other my kindred doe beleeuâ— you say yet they were deceiuâ—d in so beleeuing And whereas you say Cranmer and others in the said Articles were hereticks I wish I were such an hereticke as they were and be Then the Bishop asked him whether hee would turne from his â—rrour To whom he said would yee would recant for I am in the truth and you in errour Then they were deliuered vnto the Sheriffe and sent to Newgate where they remained not so much in afflictions as in consolations Fourteene daies after they were carried to Essex And Thomas Higbed burned at Hornden on thâ— Hill and Thomas Causon at Rayly where they died most constantly The Martyrdome of VVILLIAM HVNTER THe said Hunter was at all times brought before the Bishop of London with the aforesaid Thomas Tomkins and had the same Articles Reasons and perswasions obiected as the said Thomas Tomkins had and they made both the same answeres sauing that Boner vsed these words onely to Hunter Will you abiure and returne to the Catholick Church He answered I will stand to that which I haue said And further he said it is false Doctrine beliefe to beleeue that Christs true body is in the Sacrament which is onely in heauen and that his friendes and kindred were deceiued if they otherwise beleeued I will continue in the truth that is taught me as long as I liue â—or if I doe otherwise I shall perish both body and soule and I had rather my body perish then my soule Wherevpon hee was condemned and after carried to Burnt-wood where hee suffered most ioifully He was a very yong man borne of good parents of whom he was not onely instructed to godlines but confirmed
burned and she said â— would sée you my Lord instruct mee with some part of Gods word and not to giue me instructions of holy Bread and holy Water for it is no part of Scripture Agnes Stanly answered I am no â—ereticke no man that is wise will beléeue as you doe I beleeue those that you haue burned bee true Martyrs I will not goe from my faith as long as I liue Thomas Thirtle said I will not beleeue your Idolatrous waies your Masse in Idolatry I wil stick to my faith as long as I liue Henry Ramsey said Your doctrine is naught and not agreeable to Gods word and I will stand to my Faith as long as I liue So they were condemned and burned as before In May William Norant Stephen Gratwicke and one King were burned in S. Georges field in Southwarke Iohn Bradbridge of Stapleherst Walter Apleby of Maydstone and Petronell his wife Edmund Allen of Fritendid and Katherine his wife Ioane Mannings of Maydstone Elizabeth a blind Maid THe 18. of Iune these seauen faithfull Martyrs of Christ were burned at Maidstone their answers were like in effect to the fiue that were famished to death in Canterbury Castle The 19. of Iune Iohn Fishcock Nicholas White Nicholas Pardue Barbara Finall Widdow Bradbregs Widdow Bendens Wife and Wilsons Wife were burned at Canterbury their Articles were as the others they ioyfully vndressed themselues vnto the fire and all of them like the Communion of Saints knéeled down and prayed with such zeale as the enemies of the Crosse of Christ could not but like it Ten they arose and went to the stake where they yéelded their soules gloriously vnto the Lord. Richard Woodman George Stephens William Maynard Alexander Hosman his Man Tomasine Awood his Maid Margery Moris Iames Moris hir Sonne Denis Burges Ashdownes wife Groues wife THese tenne blessed Martyrs were burned at Lewes in Sussex the 22. of Iune without a writ from the Lord Chancelor The first examination of RICHARD WOODMAN before the Bishop of Chichester Chichester I Am sory for you and so are all the Worshipfull of our Country you haue béene of good estimation amongst the poore and rich wherefore looke well to your selfe your Wife and Children and bee ruled thinke not your selfe wiser then all the Realme Woodman I will be willing to learne of euery man the truth and I know I haue giuen no iust offence to rich nor poore and God knoweth how deare I loue my Wife and Children in him but my life my wife and Children are all in Gods hands and I haue them all as I had them not but regard the pleasing of God more then al other things I thought good to appeale to you mine Ordinary for som goe about to shed my blood wrongfully that if you can finde I hold any thing contrary to Gods word I will be reformed and if my blood bee shed vnrighteouslie that it may be required at your hands because you haue taken vpon you to bee the Phisition of soules of our Country Story Thou art a peruerse fellow thinkest thou that thou shalt be put to death vniustly that thy blood shall be required No if he should condemne a hundred such Hereticks I haue helped to rid a good many of you and will doe the best I can to rid thee Chich. I am your spirituall Pastor you must heare me and I will giue spirituall Councell Wood. You say you will giue mee spirituall Councell are you sure you haue the Spirit of God Chichest No by Saint Mary I dare not bee so bold to say so I doubt of that Wood. Then you be like the waues of the Sea tossed with the winde and vnstable in all your wayes as Saint Iames saith and can looke for no good thing at the Lords hands You are neither hote nor cold Therefore God will spue you out Story Hee hath the Diuell in him hee is worse then the Diuel thus all heretickes boast themselues Wood. The Iewes said to Christ he had a Diuell and was mad as you haue said to me but the Seruant is not aboue his Master God forbid I should learne of him that confesseth he hath not the Spirit of God Chich. Doe you beleeue you haue the Spirit of God it is more then Paul or any of the Apostles durst doe which is great presumption Wood. I beleeue I haue the Spirit and boast not my selfe but of the gift of GOD as Paul did in 1. Cor. 7. He said he beleeued verily that hee had the Spirit of GOD no man can beleeue that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost I beleeue Christ is my Redeemer therefore I haue the Holy Ghost and hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ is a cast-away and none of his and wee haue not receiued the Spirit of bondage to feare but we haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption which cryeth Abba Father The same Shirit testifieth with our Spirits that we are the sonnes of God Héere are proofes enough that Paul was sure he had the Spirit of God And Iohn saith He that beleeueth in God dwelleth in God and God in him So it is impossible to beleeue in God except God dwell in vs Chich. He bade me dine with him and at dinner he asked me whether Priests may marry and whether Paul had a Wife Wood. Paul and Barnabas were not married but all the Apostles else-were For in the 1. Cor. 9. Paul saith am I not an Apostle am I not free haue I not seene Christ Mine answere to them that aske me this Haue wee not power to eat and to drinke or to leade about a Sister to Wife as well as the other Apostles and the Brethren of the Lord or haue not Barnabas and I power thus to do So this Text proueth that Paul and Barnabas were not married but Paul declareth that the rest had wiues and they had power likewise to haue wiues but they found no neede thereof But Paul in the seuenth to the Corinthians said that hee that hath not power ouer his flesh may marry for it is better to marry then to burne wherefore to auoid fornication let euery one haue his VVife and euery woman her Husband Therefore Bishoppes and Priests may haue Wiues because they are men rather then burne and commit Fornication Paul declareth to Timothy the first and niuth that Bishops and Deacons should haue wiues The second Examination before the Bishop of Winchester and others Wine LAst time you were with vs you were in an heresie in saying Iudas receiued bread vnlesse you will tell what more then bread Wood. I say he receiued more then bread for he receiued the Diuell because hee presumed to eate the Sacrament without Faith as Christ saith after he eat the sop the Diuell entred into him Hereby appeareth that the Sacrament is not the body of Christ before it be receiued in Faith Winc. What is thy Faith in the Sacrament Wood. I beleeue when I receiue the body and bloud of Christ if it
bee truely ministred according to Christs institution If I come in Faith that Christ was borne for me and that he suffered death for the remission of my sinnes and that I shall bee saued by his death and eate the Bread and drinke the Wine in remembrance of him Then I receiue whole Christ God and Man mystically by Faith The fat Priest What afoole thou art canst not tell what mystically is Wood. God hath chosen such fooles as I am to confound such a wise thing as you are Winch. Answere the Sacrament of the Altar whether it bee not the body of Christ before it be receiued and whether it bee not the body of Christ to whomsoeuer receiueth it tell me or else I will excommunicate thée Wood. I will not answere you you are not mine Ordinarie Then Chichester said I am not consecrated No said I yours bee all Cow Calues meaning therby that hee had not his Bull from Rome Thâ—â— they called me all to naught and said I was madde Then I said so Festus said to Paul when hee spake sober words and truth of the Spirit of God as I doe but you be your selues as you iudge mee you will all goe to hell if you condemne me if you haue not especiall grace to repent with spâ—câ— Winch. We goe about to saue thy soule if thou wilt be ruled Wood. No man can saue my soule for Christ hath saued it already euen before the foundation of the world was laid The Fat Priest Here is another heresie thou canst not tell what thou saist was the soule saued before it was Wood. I say the truth looke in the first to the Ephesians and there you shall find it where S. Paul saith God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him through loue and thereto we were predestinated The Fat Priest S Iames saith Faith without workes is dead and we haue free-will to doe good workes Wood. I doe not disallow good workes for a good faith cannot be without good workes yet not of our selues but it is the gift of God as S. Paul saith it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed euen of his good will VVinch Make and â—nd answere to me My Lord Cardinall hath appointed the Archdeacon of Canterbury thine Ordinary he can appoint whom he will before the Bishop is consecrated and so they all affirmed Wood. I will beleeue neuer a one of you all for you be turne coates changelings and wauering minded neither hote nor cold therefore GOD will spuâ— you out For in King Edwards time you taught the Doctrine that was set sorth then and now you teach the contrarie which words made the most part of them quake VVinch He is the naughtiest varlet and heretick that euer I knew I wil reade sentence against him but I spared them not but spake freely they that stood by rebuked me saying you cannot tell whom you speake vnto Wood. They be but men I trow I haue spoken to better men then they for anything I see except they repent with speed Then I told the Bishop of Winchester if you condemne me you will be condemned in hell if you repent not for I am not afraid to die for Gods sake Winchest For Gods sake nay for the Diuels sake neither was Iudas afraid to die that hanged himselfe as thou wilt kill thy selfe because thou wilt not be ruled How say you will you confesse that Iudas receiued the body of Christ vnworthily VVood. If you can prooue in all the Bible that any man euer eat the body of Christ vnworthily then I will be with you in all things Then a Priest said S. Paul saith in the 11. of the first to the Corinthians He that eateth this bread drinketh this cup vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lords body Wood. He saith not who so eateth this body vnworthily nor drinketh this blood vnworthily But he saith who so eateth this bread and drinketh this cup vnworthily eateth and drinketh his oâ—ne damnation because hee maketh no difference of the Sacrament which representeth the Lords body and other bread and drink here good people you sée they are not able to proue their sayings true Wherefore I cannot beléeue them in any thing they do Then Winchester read sentence of excommunication against me when hee had done I would haue spoken but they cried away with him The third examination Chich. HOw say you to the Sacrament of the Altar I said he ment the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and not of the Altar of stone He said yes that he did How vnderstand you the Altar otherwise Wood. It is written in the 18. of Mathew wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in Christs name he is in the middest of them whatsoeuer they aske in earth shall be granted in heauen And in the 5. of Mat. When thou commest vnto the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue thine offering and be first reconciled to thy brother and then offer thy gift In these two places of Scripture I proue Christ is the true Altar whereon euery one ought to offer his gifts First Christ being in the middest of them that are gathered together in his name there is the Altar so we may be bold to offer our gifts if we be in Charitie if we be not we must leaue our gift and be first reconciled vnto our Brother Some will say how shall I agrée with mine aduersary when he is not néere by 100. miles may I not pray vntill I haue spoken with him if thou presume to pray in the congregation and thinke euill vnto any thou askest vengeance vpon the selfe Therefore agrée with thine aduersarie that is make thy life agréeable to Gods Word resolue in thy heart that thou aske God the world forgiuenes intending neuer to affend them more all such may be hold to offer their gift Chichest I neuer heard any vnderstand it so no not Luther that great hereticke that was condemned by a generall Councell and his picture burned I will shew you the true vnderstanding of the Altar and the offering wee haue an Altar said Paul that you may not eat off meaning that no man might eat of that which was offered vpon the Altar but the Priest For in Pauls time all the liuing that the Priests had the people came and offered it vpon the Altar mony or other things and when the people came to offer it and remembred that they had any thing against there Brother then they left their offering vpon the Altar and went and were reconciled vnto their Brother and came againe and offered their gift and the Priest had it this is the true vnderstanding of it VVood. That was the vse of the old law Christ was the end of it and though it were offered in Pauls time that maketh not that it