The first examinacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Ginythfelde by the Romysh popes vpholders with the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psalme 116. The veryte of the lorde endureth for euer Anne Astewe stode 〈…〉 God to the 〈◊〉 Iohan Bale to the Christen readers AMonge other most syngular offyces dylygent reader whych the lorde hath appoynted to be done in the ernest sprete of Belyas by the foreroÌ„ ners of hys laâ—tre aperaunce thys is one verye specyall to be noted They shall turne the hartes of their anncyeÌ„t elders into the chyldreÌ„ Mala. 4. And the vnbe Ieuers of their tyme to the wysdome of those ryghrouse fathers as ded Iohan Baptyst afore hys first coÌ„mynge Luce 1. That is sayth Bedas ca. 68. de temporum ratione the faythe and feruent zele of the prophetes and Vpostles shall they plant in their hartes whych shall in tho se dayes lyne and be amonge men conuer saunt than wyll breake fourth sayth he as a verye true prophete soche horryble persecucyon as wyll first of all take from the worlde those myghtye heliases by tryumphaunt martyrdome to the terryfyenge of other in the same fayth of whom some shall becom through that occasyon most gloryouse martyrs vnto Christ also some verye wycked Aposta taes for sakynge hys lyuelye doctryne For by the seyd Bedas testymonye in the begynnynge of the same chaptre two most certayne sygnes shall we thaÌ„ haue that the lattre iudgement daye is at hande The returne of Israels remnaunt vnto their lorde God and the horryble persecucyon of Antichrist Conferre with thys treated scripture and former prophecye of that vertuouse man Bedas the worldes alteracyon now with the terryble turmoylyngâ—s of our tyme. And as in a most clere myrrour ye shall wele perceyue them at thys present to be in most quyck workynge And as concernynge the Israelytes or Iewes I haue both seane and knowne of them in Germanye most faythfull Christen beleuers Neyther is it in the prophecye Osee 3. that they shuld at that daye be all conuerted no more than they were at Iohan Baptystes preachynge Luce 1. For as Esaye reporteth though the posteryte of Iacob be as the see sande innumerable yet shall but a remnaunt of them conuert than vnto their lorde God Esaie 10. And though the lorde hath syfted that howse of Israel as broused corne in a syffe amonge all other nacyons Amos 9. Yet shall not that remnaunt of theirs perysh but at that daye be saued through the onlye eleccyon of grace Romano 11. Now concernynge the afore seyd foreroÌ„ners in thys most wonderfull change of the worlde before the lattre ende therof I thynke within thys realme of Englande besydes other nacyons abroade the sprete of Belyas was not all a slepe in good Wyllyam Tyndale Robert Barnes soche other more whome Antichristes vyolence hath sent hens in fyre to heauen as Belyas went afore in the frerye charett 4. Regum 2. These turned the hartes of the fathers into the chyldren soche tyme as they toke from a great nombre of our nacyon by their godlye preachynges and writynges the corrupted beleue of the pope hys mastrye workers whych were no fathers but cruell robbers de stroyers IoaÌ„ 10. reducynge theÌ„ agayn to the true faythe of Abraham and Peter Gene. 15. and Math. 16. The pure beleue in Christes birthe and passyon whâ—ch Adam and Noe sucked out of the first promes of God Iacob and Moses out of the seconde Dauid and the prophetes out of the thirde and so fourth the Apostles and fathers out of the other scriptures so firmelye planted they in the consciences of manye that no cruell kynde of deathe coulde auerte theÌ„ from it As we haue for example their constaunt dyscyples and now stronge witnesses of Iesus Christ Iohan Lassels and Anne Askewe with their other ij com panyons verye gloryouse martyrs afore God what though they be not so afore the wronge iudgynge eyes of the worlde whom the bloudye remnaunt of Antichrist put vnto most cruell deathe in Smythfelde at London in the yeare of our lorde M. D. XLVI in Iulye If they be onlye as was Iohan Baptyst great afore the lorde by the holye scriptures allowaunce whych are strongelye adourned with the graces of hys sprete as faythe force vnderstandynge wysdome pacyence loue longe susseraun ce and soche lyke I dare boldelye afferme these 4. myghtye witnesses also to be the same so well as the martyrs of the prymatyue or Apostles churche For so strongelye had these those vertues as they and so boldelye obiected their bodyes to the deathe for the vndefyled Christen beleue agaynst the malygnanÌ„t Synagoge of Sathan as euer ded they for no tyrannye admyttynge anye create or corruptyble substaunce for their eternall lyuynge god If their blynde babyes to proue them vnlyke do obiect agaynst me the myracles shewed at their deathes more than at these as that vnfaythfull generacyon is euer desyerouse of wonders Math. 12. I wolde but knowe of theÌ„ what myracles were shewed whan Iohan Baptystes head was cut of in the preson Marci 6. and whan Iames the Apostle was byheaded at Hierusalem Aero 12. These 2. were excellent afore God what though they were but myserable wretches lyght fellawes sedycyouse heretykes busye knaues and lowsye beggers in the syght of noble kyng Herode and hys honorable counsell of prelates For had not rochettes and syde gownes bene at hande haplye they had not so lyghtlye dyed If they allege Steuen to maynteyne their purpose that he at hys deathe behelde beauen open I aske of theÌ„ agayne what they were whych se it more than hys owne persone Sure I am that their wycked predecessours there present se it not For they stopped their cares whan he tolde them therof Actorum 7. If they yet brynge fourth the other hystoryes of Apostles and martyrs I answere them that all they are of no soche autoryte as these here afore The popes martyrs in dede were moche fuller of myracles than euer were Christes as hys selfe tolde vs they shulde be so Mathei 24. Yet wrought fryre Forest Iohan Fisher and Thomas More no myra cles what though manye be now rege stred in their lyues and legendes by the fryres of Fraunce Italye and Spayne Besydes that Iohan Cochleus hath written of them ad Paulum PoÌ„tificem ad regem Henricum and also in their defence agaynst doctor Sampson With that Erasmus ded also ad HutrenuÌ„ P. M. ad Gasparem Agrippam Albertus Pighius Riuius Fichardus a great sort more And as for the holye mayde of â—eÌ„t with Doctor Bockynge though they wrought great wonders by their lyfe yet aperednon at their deathes Of hys owne chosen martyrs Christ loketh for non other myracle but that onlye they perseuer faythfull to the ende Math. 10. And neuer denye hys veryte afore men Luce 12. For that worthye vyctorye of the synncfull worlde standeth in the
25. 42 Prestes are tempters 6. 12. 24 Prestes masse helpeth not 7 Prestes of Lyncolne 33. 34 Pryuate masses 6. 30 QUarellynges of papystes 32. 38 Questyon verye beastysh 14. 29 Questmonger for antichrist 3. 5. 25. 28 Racked was Anne Askewe pre 8 Reallye is not of beleue 〈◊〉 Renyers of Christ pre 7 Receyuynge of the prest 7 Rochestre and More pre 4 Sacrament what it is 2 Sampson and Wynchestre 43 Scripture iudged heresye 27. 28 Shaxton and Crome pre 7. 8 Sylence for the pope 43 Standysh a blasphemouse papyst 31 Steuen done to deathe pre 4 TEmples God dwelleth not in 28 TemptacyoÌ„s of BoÌ„ner 21. 22. 23. 31 Thomas walden a fryre 9 Thomas More and Rochestre pre 4 Tyndale and Barnes pre 3 Tytles of Wycleues bokes pre 6 UEryte demed heresye 25 Vypers whelpes 30 Vnsuffycyent make they Christ 37 WUlter Hunte a doctor 2â— Whoredome is honoured 36 Whye Christ is renyed pre 7 Wynchestres moust howseled 8. 14 Wynchestre and Sampson 43 Wynchestre the popes beare 44 Wynchestre at Vttecht 44 Wyttes soft and tendre 44 Women lerned 10 Wrysleye and Ryche 〈◊〉 God saue the kynge The first examinarion of the worthye seruaunt of God mastres Vnne Askewe the yoÌ„ger dough ter of Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyght of lyncolne shyre latelye martyred in Smith felde by the Romysh popes vpholders The censure or iudgemeÌ„t of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles Of no lesse Christen constancie was thys faythfull wytnesse and holye martys of God Anne As kewe nor no lesse a fast membre of Christ by her myght ye persysteÌ„ce in hys veryte at thys tyme of myschefe than was the afore na med Blandina in the prymatyne churche Thys shall wele apere in her it 〈◊〉 mynacyons or tyrannouse handelyngeâ— here folowynge whome she wrote with her owne haÌ„de at the instaÌ„t desyre of 〈◊〉 ten faythfull men and womeÌ„ yea rathâ— at the secrete mocyon of God that the truth theroff myght be knowne the worl de ouer Vs within short space yt wyll beâ— yf the latyne speche can cayrye yt Marke wele the coÌ„munycacyoÌ„s here both of her and of her examyners so prouynge their spretes as S. Iohan the Apostle geueth yow counsell 1. Io. 4. And than shall ye knowe the tree by his frute and the man by hys worke Anne Askewe To satisfie your expectatioÌ„ good people sayth she this was my first examynacyon in the yeare of oure Lorde M. D. xlv and in the moneth of Marche first Christofer dare examyned me at Sadlers hall beynge one of the quest and asked yf I ded not beleue that the sacrament â—angynge ouer the aultre was the verye bodye of Christ realye Then I demaunded thys qestyon of hym wherfore S. Steuen was stoned to deathe And he sayd he coulde not tell Then I answered that nomore wolde I assoyle hys vayne questyon Iohan Bale A sacrament sayth Saynt Augustyne ys a sygne shappe or symylytude of that yt represeutyth and no God nor yet thynge represented Thys worde reall or reallye ys not of beleue for yt ys not in all the sacred scriptures Onlye ys yt sophystycallye borowed of the paganes Iernynge by wynchestre hys fellawes to corrupt our Christen saythe Be ware of that fylthye poyson The perfyght beleue of Steuen Aâ—torum vij of Paule Act. 17. and of Salomon 3. Regum 8. et 2. Parali 6. was that God dwelleth not in temples made with handes Agreable vnto thys was the faythe of thys godlye woman whych neyther coulde beleue that he dwelleth in the boxe God sayth Esaie â—vj Heauen is my seate not the boxe Dauid sayth Psalm 113â— oure God is in heauen not in the pixtâ— Christ taught vs to saye whaÌ„ we prayeâ— Matth. 6. Luce 11 our father which art in heauen and not our father which art in the boxe Now discerne and iudge Anne Askewe Secondly he sayd that there was a woman whych ded testyfye that I shuld reade how God was not in temples made with handes Then I shewed hym the vij and the xvij chaptre of the Apostles actes what Steuen Paule had sayd ther in Wherupon he asked me how I toke those senteÌ„ces I answered that I wolde not throwe pearles amonge swyne for acornes were good ynough Iohan Hale An ignorauÌ„t woman yea a beast without faythe ys herin allowed to iudge the holye scriptures heresye and agaynst all good lawes admitted to accuse thys godlye woman the seruauÌ„t of Christ for â—n haynouse heretyke for the onlye reaâ—inge of them As peruerse and blasphe â—nouse was thys qwestmonger as she â—s beastlye ignorauÌ„t in the doctryne of â—elthe yet is neyther of them iudged yll â—f the worlde but the one permitted to â—accuse thys true membre of Christ and the other to coÌ„dempne her Wherfor her answere out of the vij chaptre of Matthew was most fytt for them For they are no better than swyne that so contem pne the precyouse treasure of the Gospell for the myre of mennys tradycyons Anne Askewe Thirdly he asked me wherfor I sayd that I had rather to reade fyue lynes in the Bible than to heare fyue masses in the temple I confessed that I sayd no lesse Not for the dysprayse of eyther the Epistle or Gospell But bycause the one ded greatlye edyfye me the other nothinge at all As saynt Paule doth witnesse in the xiiij chaptre of hys first Epistle to the Corinthes where as he doth saye If the trumpe geueth an vncertayne sounde who wyll prepare hymselfe to the battayle Iohan Hale A commaundement hath Christ geuen vs to serche the holye scriptures Io han 5. for in them onlye is the lyfe eternall Blessed is he sayth Christ vnto Iohan whych readeth and heareth the wor des of thys prophecye Apo. 1. But of the latyne popysh masse is not one worde in all the Byble and therfor it perteyneth not to faythe A strayght coÌ„maundemeÌ„t haue almyghtye God geuen Deutro 12. that nothynge be added to hys worde nor yet taken from it Put thu nothynge vnto his wordes saith Salomon Prou. 30. least thu be fouÌ„de in so doynge a reproba te persone and a lyar S. Paule wylled nothynge to be vttered in a dead speche 1. Corin. 14. as are your masse and mattens but sylence alwayes to be in the congregacyons where as is no interpretour for fyue wordes sayth he auayleth more to vnderstaÌ„dynge than x. thousande wordes with the tonge Thys proueth teÌ„ple seruyce of the papystes all the yeare to be worth nothynge Anne Askewe Fortlye he layed vnto my char ge that I shuld saye If an yll prest mynystred it was the deuyll and not God My answâ— re was that I neuer spake soche thynge But thys was my sayenge That what so euer he were whych mynystred vnto me hys yll condycyons coulde not hurte my faythe But in sprete I receyued neuer the lesse the bodye and bloude off Christ. Iohan Hale Christ sayth Ioan. 6. Haue not I
it and fele it on the other syde that the waues of the see are great also and doth horryblye rage in these dayes Psalme 92. CoÌ„sydre agayne sayth Dauid that the lorde whych dwelleth on hygh is a great dele mygh tyer than they As he is of power to cease the storme and to make the wether caulme Psalme 106. So is he able to change a fynges indignacyon whych is but deathe into most peaceable fauer and louynge gentylnesse Prouerbiorum 16. For the hart of a kynge is euermore in the hande of God and he maye turne it whych waye he wyll Prouer. 21. Hys eternall pleasure it is that ye shuld ho noure your kynge as hys immedyate my nyster coÌ„cernynge your bodyes and lyues 〈◊〉 Petri 2 and that ye shuld with all â—en tylnesse obeye the temporall rulers Romano 13. But soche spirytuall hypocrytes both Byshoppes and prestes as are continuall haters of hys heauenlye verite wolde he that we shuld holde for most detestable apostataes and blasphe mouse reprobates as ded Christ and hys Apostles whych neuer obeyed them but most sharpelye rebuked them Mathei 23. Acto 20. and 2. Petri 2. The grace of that lorde Ihesus Christ be euer with them whych ryghtlye hate that synagoge of Sathan as ded Anne Askewe Amen God standeth by the generacyon of the ryghteouse Psal. 13. Thus endeth the first examyna cyon of Anne Askewe latelye done to deathe by the Romysh popes malycyouse remnaunt and now canonysed in the precyouse hloude of the lorde Iesus Christ Imprented at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen in No uembre Anno 1546. The voyce of Anne Askewe out of the 54. Psalme of Dauid called Deus in nomine tuo FOr thy names sake be my refuge And in thy truthe my quarell iudge Before the lorde leteme be hearde And with fauer my tale regarde Loo faythlesse men agaynst me ryse And for thy sake my deathe practyse My lyfe they seke with mayne myght Whych haue not the afore their syght Yet helpest thu me in thys dystresse Sauynge my sowle from cruelnesse I wote thu wylt reuenge my wronge And vysyte them ere it be longe I wyll therfor my whole hart bende Thy graeyouse name lorde to commende From euyll thu hast delyuered me Declarynge what myne enmyes be Prayse to God The Preface Who euer hearde anye goodnesse yet reported of Dionothus with hys M. CC. companyons whom Augustyne cau sed to be slayne at Westchestre in hys churches begynnynge bycause they wolde not preache as he ded apoynt them nor baptyse after the Romysh maner neyther yet hallowe the eastre feast as they ded Manye a blessed creature both men womeÌ„ haue bene breÌ„t sens IohaÌ„ Wy cleues tyme afore for onlye dysclosynge the pharysees yokes teachynge the Gospels lyberte And theÌ„ haue that baw dye bloudye Synagoge of SathaÌ„ dyffamed blasphemed condeÌ„pned execrated cursed to hell asmost detestable heretykes and dogges Where as if they were of Christ they ought in case they we re their haters or enemyes to suffre theÌ„ to saye wele of them to do them good to praye for them Math. 5. Luce 6. and not thus to vse more tyrannye ouer them than euer ded Saracene Turke TyranÌ„t or deuyll A great dyfference is there of the martyrs whom they make from the martyrs whom they canonyse Of them whom they dampne from them whom they worshypp Yea so great a dyfference or dyuersyte betwyn them if ye marke them wele as is betwixt golde and dyrt or lyght and darkenesse The martyrs whose deathes they haue procured by all ages of their bloudthurstye church harkened vnto Christ he alde of ryghtousnesse sought their lorde God in sprete Esa. 51. but the mar tyrs for the most part whom they haue with so manye latyne wawlynges torches candell burnynges magnyfyed in their temples harkened to the pope healde of hys vnryghtousnesse sought out hys superstycyouse ydolatryes In the conferrynge of their olde canonysed martyrs with our newlye condempned martyrs here Anne Askewe and her other iij. companyons with soch lyke their dyfference wyll be moch more ease lye perceyued First lete vs begynne with Thomas Becket whych was so gloryou se a martyr and precyouse aduocate of theirs that they made hys bloude equall with Christes bloude and desyred to cly me to heauen therby Manye wonderfull myracles coulde that mytred patrone of theirs do in those dayes whan the mon kes had fryre Bakons bokes and knewe Bedeâ— prophecy â–ª 〈◊〉 sortes 2. sygnes Israelytes preachers Tyndale Barnes The fathers Martyrs Christen martyrs Breade myracles rochettes Steuen LegeÌ„des Forest. Fysher More Writers Christen martyrs Anne Askewe Goddes power Bokes coÌ„ dempned Latyne God wyll be knowne Iohan wycleueâ— bokes Canonyse gamaliel Anne As kewe True no bylyte Lydia Ceciliae Bladina Anne Askewe Companyons RecaÌ„ters Tryed Golde The chauncell Corage Racked Burned Beastes ShaxtoÌ„ Graces Sprete Hygh sto macke Mother Ashes Autors Not all dead Weakenesse Martyrs Example Spretes Christofer dare Reallye The â—ors Temples Accuserâ— Masseâ— Gods worde The prest Iudas Sacryfycâ—s The vj. of Iohan. CoÌ„fession Prestes The tynges boke Pharysees The spre te Ap. Mockers A serpeÌ„t ryseth Masses pryuate Druydes For sowles 〈◊〉 prestes recey uynge Mayre Bonner IgnorauÌ„ ce Wynchestre Peryn Diuisio Guimundus Waldenus Algerus Christus Faythe Nâ—ta â–ª Women Scripture women Women Englysh women Walter hunte Preson Christ â—ro deÌ„ on the hele A prest Iudaâ— The Sacrament Shriffâ—e Prechers ConfessyoÌ„ Practyse hypocryte Prechers The host A fallynâ— ge God Wynches tre Peryn An Idoll Lyke olde Gossyppes DronckeÌ„nesse hypocryte Howsell Spirituallye A whore Dogges Baylynge antichrist The beast ExaÌ„ples I custome The chauÌ„ celler Fayth in Christ TyraÌ„nye Wylye Wylye Subtyle A wolfe Foxeâ— A prest A thefe Iudas Herode A false lyar O trayte A tyraâ—t Murthe rers Egles Morelâ— bes to deuoure Lyfe the deuyll Archedea con A Lyar. Iudas Iohan Frith Bokes coÌ„ dempned Bokes brent Her fryn des Cayphas Practyse Sathan Tempter Cayphas enemyes surgerye Counsell A muâ—therer Botches Gathered store Sinon caste Bowgettes Antichrist A sore hâ— resie Prestes Breade Steuen Beasteâ— The boxe Honorius Eua reclusa Bostius Iudases Temples A teÌ„pter Scripture practyses Christ. In Gods stede Temples Arystotle Sons fewe wordes Sylence Bonneâ— Pryuate Masses Henrye Spenser â—rires Masse Iohan â—cleue Pardons Druydes Perin Chaunce ler. StaÌ„dysh Watchemen Vypers A tempter â—dish Doctor Swyne â–ª Acenser â–ª Dogges rhetoryck Quarellers Thre score prestes Prestes Lordshyp Hypocresye Wonderers A prest Occupyenge Scripture Folowers Lordshyp pes posses syons Marryage He writeth Worshyp the beast Holye le cherye papystyâ— Newe 〈◊〉 Canonysed Iecherie Priapystes Scripture Vnsuffycyent The pope Fauer â–ª Falshedâ— Flatteryâ— catholick A womaÌ„ Catholick FroÌ„ oyle Weston Layte Sodomytes Manye delayes Pharaâ— Practyse â—nauerye spirytuall With pre stes TyrauÌ„tes Practyse Subtylte Byshoppes Kyngeâ— of God Popes kyngedâ— A change Polycye No felde Bokes Counsell Sylence Perryn take hede Germanes Peryns sermons Wynchestre modestie Oke gro â—e CoÌ„scyeÌ„ce hate theÌ„ ExaÌ„ples Wycleue and huss Sprete Waues â—are 〈◊〉 Abhorre Augustyne Wycleue Suffre Dyfferen ce of mar tyrs Martyrs Compare Becket myracles